HEARTBEAT DRUMMING DOUBLE TIME

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

I only really liked 2 songs on It Still Moves and I never really got Z until I heard the live album, but Evil Urges was a fantastic album this year. Before it seemed very Country Rock based, but this album had a great all over 70s sound. Touch Me.... was the first single I think and my favourite song on the album. I love an 8-minuter and the intro really makes the song, but the best bit is when the first snare hits in after the intro and you're truly in the bowels of good music.

Below is them doing it for Black Cab sessions. It has the intro.

Here's the official video but it's the edited version

10. Ladyhawke - My Delirium

The problem with the Ladyhawke album is that it's all verse chorus verse chorus chorus chorus chorus with no change anywhere, maybe just a key change. Luckily My Delirium doesn't need it (neither did Paris Is Burning but it gets a bit tired after three songs). It's got a great 80s sound and a very catchy chorus. When that first Hey! comes in, it's time to hit the floor.

DID YOU HEAR THE OLD GOSPEL CHOIR?

13. Wintersleep - Archaeologists

I first heard this song back in April. James had made me a massive 2 'disc' compilation and I spent a train ride up to Chesterfield to Iain's wedding devouring it. It was all good, as with most music James gives me, but then one song jumped out and I had to listen to it again. I thought not much of it until about October when this song came through the post. I've heard it before. Then I got the album. Then I saw them live. Good god. Amazing, wonderful, incredible. The drummer is just incredible and the codas take you somewhere else. This, Archaeologists, is one of their more poppy numbers, although not as much as Weighty Ghost (see below) but as it was the first song of theirs I heard, it makes the list.

Watch the video for Weighty Ghost if you need some more.

12. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

Another band who came to my attention this year. When I was first given the CD I thought they were a ska-punk band, I'm not sure why. I played it, tentatively, but what I heard was this punked up New Jersey sound. Straight up rock, but with an edge. I especially like the album because it references Counting Crows in one song. But The '59 Sound, the song, invokes Springsteen if was brought up on hardcore and punk rather than soul. I can't tell you what this song is about (probably death) but the lyrics have some good imagery - grandfather's radio, hospital wards, your favourite song. For a few weeks this year, this was my favourite song. Download courtesy of Spin

There a video for Old White Lincoln now as well.

IF I EVER KNEW YOUR NAME

15. Oasis - The Turning

Oasis release and album, everyone says it's a return to form, it's the best since Definitely Maybe, it's groove based, it's........ ok. When I first heard the initial snippet from The Shock Of The Lightning I have to say I was a little excited. It seemed raucous and edgy. What would the rest of the album sound like? What was going on with Liam's hair? The rest of the album is, as I said, ok. On first listen it sounds great (because it's Oasis and for 4 years of my life they were everything) but after a few listens it doesn't sound as good. Apart from 3 songs. Everybody else is going with I'm Outta Time and Falling Down, but it's all about The Turning for me. Liam snarls his way through it, the chorus seems to have some sort of gospel harmony and let's be fair, yes the beginning does sound like Devil Woman.

It's not a single and they've never played it live.

14. Mystery Jets - Young Love

I never like Mystery Jets before. I though the whole having your Dad in the band was just a gimmick and how many times do magazines have to mention Eel Pie Island? Then this song came out. It features the wonderful Laura Marling, whose album I thought was released last year but apparently it wasn't so it's in the best 10 albums of this year (list not published). Young Love is a lovely, but not twee like Belle & Sebastian, song about, well, young love. The video isn't bad either. And the line 'you wrote your number on my hand but it came off in the rain' is majestic.

Not to leave out Laura Marling, watch Cross Your Fingers. 

SIX DAYS NO SLEEP

17. Alkaline Trio - Over And Out

Alkaline Trio are pretty consistent, and I think their albums have got better every time (although the live gigs were never as good as the first one I saw). From Here To Infirmary was better than Godammit and Maybe I'll Catch Fire. Good Mourning was better than From Here To Infirmary. Crimson was better than Good Mourning and now Agony & Irony is better than Crimson. Why? I'm not sure. The songs are better, especially Dan Andriano's. They've obviously grown up as it's no longer balls to the walls, but the choruses now lift the songs to a new place. Over And Out seems to be a song about dying, so it's certainly not a happy song, but when the 'Run for cover' chorus comes in you just want to sing along. 

There seems to be an acoustic version floating around but below is the original (with added lyrics)

16. The Bronx - Six Days A Week

What can we say about the Bronx? It's just proper hardcore, but the songs extend beyond the Fuck You days of the early 80s. Reasons they are great: 1. All their albums are called The Bronx. 2. The video for History's Stranglers (watch here) 3. The beginning of the last London show, and I quote "The drinkers can drink, the moshers can mosh and the stage divers, well you know what to do" as Matt Caughthran throws himself head first into the crowd on the very first note of the first song.

This song, 6 Days A Week, is basically two hardcore songs melded together. The singing is bordering on shouting, but always in tune. This is hardcore for now and it's fantastic.

I BRUSHED THE LEAVES OFF OF MY SNOUT

19. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Sink Ships

The Cardinals are a strange bunch, not least because their leader is David Ryan Adams. Since forming the Cardinals they've made 4 albums together but had 8 different members. The one you see above is from Easy Tiger but the lineup has remained for Cardinology. The strange thing about them is that live show is incendiary. Wailing guitar wigouts, jams bridge one song to the next and the harmonies between Adams and Casal are spine tingling. On record, however, it's all a bit light. But the songs are good because they transfer to the live stage so well. I think it may be to do with the fact that there are no acoustic guitars live with them. Anyway, the one song on Cardinology that shows some blood is Sink Ships. Yes, Magick is the balls to the wall rocker but there's something about Sink Ships that makes you go wow. I think it's the part when he almost wails 'the war is over'. That middle eight part makes the song. And it's a classic Adams heartbreaker - "this position is not open to applicants." God, I could write all day about Ryan Adams.

Watch a good live version of Sink Ships 

Listen to the studio version below (woohoo I got embedding to work)

18. Blitzen Trapper - Furr

I know nothing about Blitzen Trapper. I saw that a lot of people were posting things about them on their blogs (whoever they are) and I didn't read any of them. I saw the album cover and the way the name was written I thought they were a metal band. See what I mean. Then I listened to the song Furr and was blown away. A fantastic little woodland folk ditty about becoming some sort of wolfman for 6 years. Apparently Fleet Foxes are a bit like this too but I wasn't that taken with them. 

Watch Furr live on Conan O'Brien

There's some impressive beards on show and the man on the right seems to be playing the lectern.

Download the studio version here (right click save as etc) Free music.

THE TOP 20 SONGS OF 2008 PART 1 (IN A SET OF 10?)

Sort of. It's the Top 20 songs that I've got on my iTunes that I could remember being released this year by bands I like.

Counting down day by day, if I remember.

20. Weezer - Everybody Get Dangerous

The Weezer album 'Weezer (The Red Album)' was a little underwhelming and a bit of a disappointment with the first half being pretty good and the second half being poor (that gag is now ruined). What I love about this song is imagining Rivers with his middle aged moustache singing about causing trouble. Which he obviously didn't do. It's almost Weezer's rap rock track. It has a storming drum beat and the riff kicks too. Pork and Beans had the video, but I think this song is much more fun.

Watch a video someone made to Everybody Get Dangerous

NO SOCKS NO SHOES

Alexis Petridis (or whoever) is talking about brogues and fancy socks. That's what I'm doing at the moment. Not with Argyle socks like he says. I don't want to be fully fashionable, just not looking like a teenager. Am I that in fashion? Damn.

Apparently the Sunday Times Style has a big spread about how cool it is to like puzzles and not have a girlfriend.

This week Alex asked me for my top 5 albums ever. What a question! 

First draft was:

Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Mansun - Six

At The Drive-in - Relationship Of Command

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Second draft is:

Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden

Cave In - Jupiter

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours 

DAPHNE

What do you do when the shirt you had lined up for your big night out suddenly has light red stripes on it? 

Or is a more prescient question, what is a grown man doing planning his wardrobe two days in advance?

I don't have many clothes, not in my view, and I go through phases of trends. Sometimes I need to adapt my combinations to suit a certain look, and sometimes I keep it classic. When I started to approach 30 I wanted to find a look I could take into later life. No more baggy jeans, fewer trainers, more shirts. I'd love to be the man who always wears a jacket and tie, like the old man you see. Whatever the weather, jacket and tie. When Nick Cave was in his tie phase (pre-dyed tache) he was asked what he would do to his look if he wanted to wind down, or if he was doing the dishes. He replied - I undo my top button, loosen my tie and maybe roll up my sleeves.

So now the shirt is not going to be worn. Maybe it's ruined. Can I wear a white shirt, or do I need a light stripe or check for what I'm intending? So many questions. 4/5 years ago it would have been the denim get up, 3 years ago a t-shirt and coat, but now I think not. If I am to take this into later life it needs to be more refined. Brogues. A hat?

But let's be fair, we all know my look depends on one person. I try and be original, but I'm just copying.

Underrated song. I'm always hoping an X Factor will do it. Actually I was describing it to a friend and I thought Kevin had left by then. Not so. If his name is Kevin.

Buy. Listen. Love.

A 'Gwai High.

MY LITTLE ......

So when did the voting public fall out of love with 'My Little Diana Vickers'? Probably when she was ill and got through to the next round. Even more so when she was seen 'shouting and screaming' at a fireworks party. Diana was my favourite, but then I wasn't that bothered when she went. 

For me it was a cross between when we found out there was some sort of teenage tryst with baby-faced Eoghan (pronounced Ee-oh-gan) and when she sung the blandest version of the blandest Coldplay song. Before we go on, I like Coldplay, alot. 

I don't understand how they can allow Alexandra et al to perform these unheard of Mary J Bilge/Beyonce songs and then give Diana the most well known Coldplay song. I think Cheryl's music knowledge is very RnB based and her Coldplay knowledge stretches to the big singles. In my opinion, a more apt song for her to sing would have been Trouble. I know it is not as well known, but the people voting for her were the ones who were a bit off the usual X Factor crowd. And the lyrics rang true. 'I never meant to cause you trouble, I never meant to.... go to a fireworks party and scream when I'm meant to have laryngitis'.

Didn't Rik Waller drop out when he had throat problems a few years back? Even though that was probably just an excuse so he wouldn't win. You can't let a big fatso win! Until the year after that is. Just think Rik, you may have gone on Celebrity Fit Club but at least Gillian McKeith has never seen your turds. Oh maybe she has, what do we know?

And don't get me started on White Flag.

Now I'm not that bothered who wins, as long as it isn't Eoghan. 

Vickers, possibly screaming, possibly at a fireworks party

USE/BE SOMEBODY

It's been almost a month since a drunken post about my band. Why has it been so long? Because it's hard work.

Starting a completely new profession from scratch is hard. It's especially hard because for the first 30 years of my life I have deliberately shied away from anything that I didn't take to immediately. I worked in music because it was easy. I liked bands because it was easy to like them. I have friends who are easy to get on with and it's not hard to keep in contact with them, or to maintain the friendships.

Things I didn't do because they were hard:

Learn an instrument

Do something worthwhile

Have girlfriends

Now I am completely changing my life but not really the way I live my life. I'd like to be somebody a little better than who I am. And I could use somebody to help me do that. But in the age old catch 22 scenario, I can't get somebody unless I change, but I need somebody to help me change.

Bugger.

But hey, at least the new Mogwai album is good.

Fuck it, this may all be to do with going to ANOTHER wedding. 

Circa '65

Making a beeline for this as soon as term is over.

Such a sweetheart

The music may not be as amazing as it used to be, but the live show is even better now.

THE BAKERSFIELD PRISON PHILARMONIC

My band, The Bakersfield Prison Philarmonic, are in the studio at the moment. Let me tell you, it's been good bouncing off each other to make the music, but my job as band leader is becoming increasingly difficult. 

For a start, its really difficult to come up with vocal melodies. I know I should start with that but the chemistry between the band is so good that we work on the music first and those songs sound so good that I have to put the melodies to the music, which is a difficult way of working. Should I be just writing the lyrics and the melody comes after? Well, we'll see.

Tracklisting so far is:

Advanced Knife Skills

Clouds

Dial S Twice For The St. John Smythe

An Increase In Positive Mass

Taking The Bridge Is Our Only Chance Of Safety

I will make a crude videos for a couple of songs to upload them soon, as it appears you can only upload videos and not music to blogger.

RUN FOR COVER

Alkaline Trio is making it into the Top 10.

Current ipod playlist currently is:

Paramore - Decode

Alkaline Trio - Over And Out

Alexisonfire - No Transitory

Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody

Ladyhawke - My Delirium

Backstreet Boys - Incomplete

The Bronx - Six Days A Week

Amerie - Gotta Work

The Bronx - History's Stranglers

Razorlight - Wire To Wire

Oasis - The Turning

Still reading:

That's the Count Of Monte Cristo for all without a mirror.

GEEKCORE

With only x weeks until the end of the year (insert applicable number), it may aswell be time to draft the album of the year list. There's not much still to come (that I haven't heard) and I'm not holding out much for the Killers album after the first single.

So here we go

1-5 (in no order - yet)

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement: A late surge after the Electric Proms show - watch it HERE

Panic At The Disco - Pretty. Odd.: Best reinvention of 2008

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago: Released last year I know, but not in UK.

The Bronx - The Bronx: Third album, just got it, still listening to it. Expect a climb after the gig tomorrow.

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges: Brilliantly 70s. How about the Black Cab Session of Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt 2 HERE (and Bon Iver too)

6-10 (in no order - yet)

Metallica - Death Magnetic

Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night

Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends

That's all at them moment. I'll need two more albums of course. And Fall Out Boy is still to come.

DESKCORE

Here is my desk (without the computer which is being used to take the picture while Pulp plays on Adam & Joe on 6music in the background. I used to think I liked Pulp but it's not me - too British).

Things to note about the photo:

1. Everything's reversed for some reason. Does Photobooth always do that?

2. Files - You may notice that the Option Module and Maths Specialism are upside down. I will have to rectify that.

3. Hole punch with NEATO written on it in tippex. That's so you know it belongs to NEATO.

4. Videos - there are four on the desk. One is a pre recorded VHS by the Red Hot Chili Peppers called Psychedelic Sexfunk Live From Heaven. I don't think it is available anymore. The other three contain bits I've recorded from the TV. I would like to put them onto DVD one day but I'm not sure what the quality is. I haven't had a VHS player for three years. But what is on the 3 I hear you ask. Well I'll tell you.

The first one says Glastonbury on it. I think it is from 1995. I recorded a lot of clips from channel 4. Listed are: Oasis, Supergrass, Prodigy, Reef, Ash, Live, Boo Radleys, Jeff Buckley, Jamiroquai, Tommy Cockles, Noel Gallagher, Offspring, Bootleg Beatles, Morphine, Verve, Elastica, Tricky.

The Second One says Will's Tape Bog Off. Included are: Pearl Jam Unplugged, Wicked Garden - Stone Temple Pilots, Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms, Insane In The Brain - Cypress Hill, Soul TO Squeeze - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Farnborough 1st Round FA Cup Report, No Rain - Blind Melon, Creep - Stone Temple Pilots, Stone Temple Pilots Unplugged, Life Of Agony Report, Oasis on Jools Holland, Without Walls The Kinks, Ozone Oasis Special, MTV Oasis, Wonderwall - Oasis.

Finally the third one says: Live Unplugged, dEUS live, Green Day live, David Letterman w/ Oasis (written Dave Letterman), Beatles Thing, Oasis on Jools Holland (a different one).

Also on the desk are:

Bumblebee Man

Glasses

Rubberband ball

Business Cards

Kleenex

Some CDrs

Purple stapler

I KNOW THEY'RE WATCHING

Dorian Gray: I enjoyed it but it was almost too Oscar Wilde. Obviously that book (and others) are what he's known for but it was like he was stuffing it full of as many epigrams as humanly possible. I was quite impressed with myself of remarking to Chester that I thought the three characters were the three sides to his personality, and then I read elsewhere afterwards that that is what he said himself. Or maybe that is so obvious that anyone could see it.

Dig Out Your Soul: Maybe the first album without the almighty lighters in the air moment that you're waiting for. I like, but I see it as a sound rather than an album. Almost a project for them rather than the album you've been waiting the last two years for. And now we have to wait another two years for the next one. 

Only By The Night: There's another small step towards being the next U2. It's no Joshua Tree but in Use Somebody they have their first stadium anthem. I think there will be more to come.

X Factor: I like Diana the best, but by week 3/4 they'll start saying she's a one trick pony. There's only so many indie ballads you can turn into floaty acoustic numbers. God help her on the Abba round.

Maths: College has given me a renewed interest in Maths. I watched the History of Maths programme and now I'm obsessed with Fibonacci and the golden ratio. If I could cut and paste properly, I would imbed the youtube video of the Fibonacci series in Lateralus, but instead I'll just link it here.

College: Since school fortnight, the group is now quite chatty and the divides are being breached on a daily basis. Hopefully we can all be friends and not just the people that seemed to have paired up. 

A Thrice gig I'm planning to watch is here.

I need to organise my room a bit as it seems to contain my life at the moment.

Since I bought the Mac and all the iTUnes history got deleted, the most played song is Metallica - The Unforgiven III (27 plays)

I'm contemplating a Facebook purge. Haven't you all got a load of 'friends' who you either met once, were friends of people you no longer talk to, or people from your past who you have no intention of seeing ever again? And will they know if you delete them?

Current reading: A Million Little Pieces - James Frey

Current playlist: Oasis - Bag It Up

Kings Of Leon - Be Somebody

Paramore - Decode

Tool - Lateralus

Funeral For A Friend - The Sweetest Wave

Oasis - The Turning

Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire

Backstreet Boys - Incomplete

The National - Apartment Story

Oasis - Falling Down

Fall Out Boy - I Don't Care

Coldplay - Lost

Current watching: Entourage, X Factor, The History Of Maths, Spongebob Squarepants (especially this bit)

GIRLS TALK

One week into my new life and this is what I have to say: What do women talk about?

There's about 230 people, about 200 are women and about 30 are men. No one has met anyone before (or so we assume) and they all arrive randomly to a location for the same time. The only thing they have in common is that they are there for the same reason (which they all know). After two hours, some of the women have divided into twos, threes and fours. Then men are pretty much all together. The next day, some of the women are arriving together, having lunch together and talking continuously, whereas the men will still have lunch in threes or fours. 

By then end of day three, the women are in their groups of three and four and are pretty much inseparable.

I like to think of myself as affable although I don't approach people unless I have something to say and small talk is something I find very hard to do without shared subject knowledge. But I can in no way talk to someone I've just met for the amount of time that these women have. What are they talking about?

I can only conclude that either women are friendlier to each other than men are, or they have more in common with each other. Men like football (some do), music (but there are different types) and women (but not all do). I won't talk to people about women unless I know them very well, so that leaves music and football. And that can only last so long.

Or maybe they like to judge people on their personality and not their appearance, like me. For shame.

QUIET NUMSKULLS

I can't go in the bathroom. The floor looks (and feels) like treacle. There's a small piece of wood to lean to when I attempt a bath later this evening. God this is becoming a bind. As the Americans would say, 'just finish already'.

Currently re-hooked on Little Steven's Underground Garage. I especially like the little film clips inbetween the songs and then something brilliant like Last Train To Clarksville kicks in. I can just about let him off playing Elvis Costello and the Sex Pistols. I don't hate Elvis Costello like I do the Sex Pistols, I just can't get into him. It's the voice I think. As for the Pistols, well I accept how important they were, but Black Flag and the Germs were doing it without ever really knowing about what was going on in London, Black Flag especially. If you want to learn about making a statement against the then current life in the late 70s/early 80s watch American Hardcore.

So now Curbishley has gone as well (as well as Keegan who hasn't gone). I think these managers are a little quick to jump ship just because they don't get their way. So what if one of your players got sold. Who do you think you are? Chelsea? Man City? The problem with it is that the managerial merry-go-round continues. No one gets a chance these days so it'll be some Frenchman or other we've never heard of or whoever's been out of work for the last few months (Big Sam?). What's come out of this latest transfer window is that football clubs are becoming so close to actual businesses rather than how football clubs used to be run. In any other business you wouldn't consult your team manager if you wanted to bring someone in, nor would you care if you had to lay someone off for monetary reasons. But what do I know, I hate business.

MONEY - THAT'S WHAT I WANT

Shit, completely forgot to wax lyrical about the transfer deadline.

Berbatov - Well that always ended up how it was going to, but nice one Spurs for making them sweat and pay what they asked for. Frazier Campbell for a season loan means sod all in terms of money value. But Spurs got over £30m and a backup striker. So they win. And well done Man City for trying to scupper the move (although that may be the end of Mark Hughes becoming United manager - but most people said that when he joined City). Personally, if I was Sir Alex, at 23.30 I would have just said "Sod it, let's just get Owen for £4m". But it seems not all people like him.

Robinho - Well well well. Two points to make here. 

1) Does he know where he's going? I'm sure he does; I'm also sure he's getting paid £120k a week too. Yes they are in Europe and yes Ronaldinho went to Barca when they weren't even in Europe, but that was Barca. I just don't want him to piss off when this season doesn't work out exactly as planned.

2) I also hope these new owners get all shirty when City don't finish fourth. It took Chelsea a few seasons to get in the 'elite'. Thaksin made zero friends when he sacked Sven so Doctor Whatshischops will make even less if Sparky gets the boot for Guus Hiddink or Frank Rijkaard or whoever they're willing to pay for.

But the upshot of all this is that both Villa and City have made serious in roads to the 'Top 4'. We may see a change in heirarchy soon. And why not? It's only been like this for a few years. Before there was Liverpool and Everton, Newcastle etc. Every club is one investor away from the top 4. Shit, QPR have enough cash now to buy the Champions League.

Anyway, no one will care about any of this if England lose to Croatia and limp past Andorra.

LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

I take back what I said; I now do like the new Metallica song. And Cyanide, the other new one. The video is here. It helps when you see them playing it. And if I've read the email correspondence properly, I should be seeing them on 15th. Nice.

As well as Ryan blogging about his current tour, Noel is too. 

College starts tomorrow. Apprehension isn't as rife as it should be. I remember being the most anxious (body anxious, not just mind anxious) before I was about to go to university. But I suppose that was when I was leaving home for the first time aged 18, and now I'm 30 and have been living alone for 2 1/2 years. I bought a nice red paper file type thing, and stuck a Revelation Records sticker on it - Hardcore. Maybe I still am 18.

BOTTLES AND CANS

Does Deborah Meaden (or however you spell it) invest in anything? Or should I say, does she ever say - I like this. I'm going to invest. I don't watch Dragon's Den religiously but as far as I've seen she only invests when someone else wants to so she doesn't look stupid. So, in my opinion, she's the shrewdest 'Dragon'.

Best songs in the world right now:

Slipknot - Sulphur

Three Dog Night - One (Apple advert I know)

Anything by The MC5

The Verve album isn't that good, but it's only had one listen.

As much as enjoy having baths every night, it really is eating into my telly/film time. Yes, I can now watch TV from the bath but my glasses steam up from the hot water. So roll on the shower being fitted. The tiles look nice, even without grouting. And as soon as it's done it's time to move out.

Other things to enjoy:

Cardinals blog

Rotation Game

Rollo Grady

Apples & Raisins