GET YOUR PROG ON

Prog was killed by Punk. Punk gave us Hardcore. I like Hardcore and Prog. Punk, as it was in the late 70s, isn't really my thing. I thank The Ramones and The Sex Pistols for what and who they influenced, but I find them a little dull. 

Here are some Prog albums I'd like.

THE VICTORY IS OURS

Our Jeff's got a new band. I never really heard anything when he told me about it but I stumbled upon it over the weekend. 

I will now be the Official Unofficial Unofficial Blog for Jerusalem (the band, not the city - that would be a grand task).

First we have Sweet Chariot, which has a wonderful Beirut-esque trumpet line in it, although I'm sure he'll kill me for saying that.

Hello Jeff - see you soon.

Jerusalem Myspace

I NEVER STARTED SO I CAN NEVER FINISH

It's Christmastime (one word or two) so that means celebrity versions of normal people shows. Yesterday I watch Celebrity Mastermind, and I although there were two specialist subjects I thought I knew a lot about, I did better on the general knowledge. So it got me thinking, what could I have as specialist subject on Mastermind? 

Now, I'm not expecting to get through round 1, when I'll have to think of a new one but what I have at the moment is:

90s Britpop

90s Pop music

Something to do with football, but nothing so broad that I won't know anything

Henry Rollins, if I read that book again

90s rock music

Seinfeld

It's a pretty poor list

Not this Mastermind

IN CASE SOME OF YOU WONDER WHO THE BEST IS, THEY'RE ON THIS PLAQUE

Best of 2008

Song: Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire

Album: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Gig: Bon Iver at St Giles In The Field Church

Film: There Will Be Blood

TV Show: Mad Men

Book: Bright Shiny Morning - James Frey

Reissue: Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac (Deluxe Edition)

Discovery (new): The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters

Discovery (old): Randy Newman - Sail Away

Blog: The Punk Guy

IT'S STILL THE GREATEST

A quick rundown before the number 1.

Bubbling under (read, I forgot about these)

Thrice - Come All You Weary

Oasis - I'm Outta Time

Friendly Fires - Jump In The Pool

Nada Surf - See These Bones

Take That - Greatest Day

Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat

The Verve - Love Is Noise

Flo Rida - Low

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Come On Over (Turn Me On)

Laura Marling - Cross Your Fingers

So here's the 20. I make no apologies for being so mainstream. It takes a long time to trawl through every blog and indie release, so sometimes you just go with what you know and what you're given. It's no Pitchfork. But I don't understand their list. It's this indie heaven with TV On The Radio, Fleet Foxes and No Age in the top 10 but then has two of the biggest selling rap albums in the top 20. So mainstream rock is no good? That site is the biggest hypocrite in music journalism.

The Top 20 (mp3s available where the song has a link)

20. Weezer - Everybody Get Dangerous

19. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Sink Ships

18. Blitzen Trapper - Furr

17. Alkaline Trio - Over And Out

16. The Bronx - Six Days A Week

15. Oasis - The Turning

14. Mystery Jets - Young Love

13. Wintersleep - Archaeologists

12. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

11. My Morning Jacket - Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt. 2

10. Ladyhawke - My Delirium

9. Slipknot - Pyschosocial

8. Paramore - Decode

7. Coldplay - Lovers In Japan

6. The Last Shadow Puppets - Standing Next To Me

5. Panic At The Disco - Northern Downpour

4. Bon Iver - Skinny Love

3. Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart

2. Metallica - The Unforgiven III

1. Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire

I don't think I really need to say anything here. The Kings' first foray into stadium rock was a just a fantastic rock song, followed up by their most U2-esque effort, Use Somebody. Although the album tailed off in the second half, Sex On Fire is a new high point for the Followills. The chorus is the most soaring you've heard all year and it's just that length that as soon as the song is over, you want to hear it again. Live last week it was the highlight of the set and got the biggest singalong of the night. And to add to all that, the band look the best they have all career.

Watch the real video.

HOW CAN I BE LOST IF I'VE GOT NOWHERE TO GO?

3. Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart

What did I say before about long songs? I can't remember but I like them. This eight and a half minuter builds slowly for 5 minutes before the song starts (perfect for a radio edit). It almost hits a crescendo before everything drop back for the vocals. Again, I listened to this for a long time when I first got it. The live show didn't disappoint too, so much more rocking than I expected. A word on the lyrics. This is not a warm song. It does not mean that if you hang out with someone they'll like you. It's a stalker song. It's a song about someone so deluded that they think that the more they persist the more someone will like them. If you think it's a stalker song then you are said stalker. Maybe. Sort of. Anyway, if someone doesn't like you then they probably won't see the potential if they spend some time with you.

Watch it live on Dave.

2. Metallica - The Unforgiven III

Metallica came back this year and they needed to. Let's face it, St. Anger wasn't good. It was far too long and had no real melody. It was billed as this smash in the face of hardcore aggression but every part in each song was repeated 2 or 3 times. I actually edited St. Anger down to a concise 45 minutes and I think it sounds a lot better. 

But enough of St. Anger and more of Death Magnetic. We won't speak of levels and mixing, but I was a little disappointed by the Day That Never Comes. After a few listens however I grew to love it. The solos, the building riffs and the twin guitar attack. Death Magnetic is what a Metallica album  should be like (and I do like Load).  I was always going to be drawn to The Unforgiven III, as I liked The Unforgiven and The Unforgiven II, so how could I not like The Unforgiven III. It has a Morricone feel and a fantastic part when the vocals merge with the solo. I also like that in The Unforgiven, Hetfield dubs someone unforgiven, in The Unforgiven II he says that someone is unforgiven too, but in The Unforgiven III it's him who he can't forgive, making him the unforgiven. The only thing we need now is them to play the Unforgiven trilogy live as a fantastic encore, but I doubt that will happen.

WHO WILL LOVE YOU?

5. Panic At The Disco - Northern Downpour

I love reinventions, both in sound and image. Ones that come to light are Radiohead from Pablo Honey to The Bends, Brand New from Your Favourite Weapon to Deja Entendu and every other Beatles album. Which brings us to Panic At The Disco. No !, so keyboard beeps and no huge song titles. Panic changed from emo posterboys to Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and they're all only 12! If any other band had tried to channel the spirit of the Fab Four circa 67 or had a record cover similar to Ogden's Nut Flake they would have been laughed away (and many people probably did) but not everyone has Ryan Ross writing their songs. For someone who is at the tender age of 22, the songs on this album show an incredible amount of maturity and knowledge, although his lyrics could need a little more work,  'Paul Cates bought him self a trumpet...' Actually they have been well received what with an NME cover and headlining the second stage at Glastonbury. Northern Downpour has ended up being the 3rd single from this album which is great. It was my favourite song on the album from the beginning and still is. The video is really nice but I don't think Spencer should have worn a t-shirt for this one.....

Panic at the Disco - New Music - More Music Videos

Here's it live also.

4. Bon Iver - Skinny Love

What can we say about Bon Iver? Without a doubt the album of the year, Justin Vernon's haunting little album is a perfect example of less is more. But if you think the album is good, you should see them live. I saw them in a church in central London earlier this year and never have I finished watching a concert and I wanted it to start all over again. The highlights of that show were For Emma, un-amplified in the centre of the church and Skinny Love. The drums were awe inspiring, everyone was silent and the applause at the end was immense. A truly wonderful moment and one which makes you realise why you're into music and why we go to live shows. I'll never forget it.

Dave introduces Bon.