Lost as we are in the silent reaches of late winter, there are few good music events on at the moment. So here is a run down of stuff worth listening to if you haven't already. Be reassured that as soon as the 2006 music programme starts to blossom, normal disservice will be resumed and I will endeavour to cover as many events as I can to report to you through the eyes of the professionally intoxicated.
Guillemots
This lot should blow up in 2006. I thank them for providing my label with a good demo amongst, to use a cliche befitting the general standard, a sea of mediocrity. Their songwriting is as heartfelt and evocative as a Coldplay but with a Buckley leftism that makes them more ballsy, soulful and retrospective than their mainstream peers. You could play their 'man' ballads at full volume in your car with windows wound right down without shame, or indeed fear of homophobic retribution.
Jose Gonzalez
When an album sends shivers down your spine that's all you need to say about it. But I can't shut up and Jose Gonzalez is a bold as he is brilliant. He recently told journalists that he is 'better than The Arctic Monkeys'. It's an odd comparison but, regardless, I would have to put myself in the Jose camp. 'Crosses' is a masterpiece and even on first listen, the album feels like an old favourite.
Sufjan Stevens
A nice holiday from the rock trampled industry, Sufjan is an interesting blend of orchestra and anxst. His surprisingly sincere and sometimes tragic lyrical content elegantly bobs and weaves alongside rich , bright jazz/folk instrumentation. 'Come on Feel Illinoise' is an album full of albums.
Arctic Monkeys
Damn. Tried not to like this lot, assuming they would be another flash in the pan. Somehow heard it while falling asleep with Ipod on and was relatively charmed. 'A Certain Romance' sums up the style of a band that play on the 'popularity through empathy' angle. 'You buy my songs cos you also have Reeboks and because you have Reeboks you get me. Ya get me?'. I would be very surprised if I ever buy tickets to see these little whippersnappers play but you have to take your hats off to them - they have fooled a whole country into thinking that they have something clever to say.
Sigur Ros
If you ever want to feel like you are in a music video, I strongly recommend listening to the song 'Happipola' while walking through the snow at night, pissed and heartbroken . 'Beautiful' is a term which will be massively overused to describe their instrumentation but only because it's by far the most appropriate. Providing you can reassimilate yourself to production akin to that of the trip hop filled 90's, the album will be a 'beautiful' bit of incidental.
COME IN Razorlight
Even though you nicked my girlfriend's heart and even though, by all accounts, you are the epitome of a lead singer in a rock band (and therefore the exact, sulky opposite of nobility) many of us wait with great excitement to see what you will do next. There are a lot of pretenders, a lot of bands who jump on the style wagon and only highlight the fact that all music is recycled. Whilst Razorlight certainly pay homage to the great rock bands of the seventies, they are ultimately and gleefully unique - they sound like, well Razorlight. Their sound is cool and sexy, their vocalist distinctive. The lyrics say little enough to mean everything (or something to everyone) and overall, you could count contemporaries that compare commendably on one hand (or perhaps even one finger). Not content with writing an excellent debut album they even did a cover of OutKast's brilliant 'Hey Ya' that sounds better than the original. So two things Jonny from Razorlight. A - get your own bird and B- release your new album soon please.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Vague references to the awesome Arcade Fire, but Clap Your Hands have something distinctive, something very vivid. To me they are a band at the end of a musical cycle, summing up everything that was good about the latest indy/rock era and mildly mourning it's imminent passing.
..........and finally, keep em peeled for
The Bronson Deal - 'aggro culture' hard cases on stage but what a lovely set of lads
Regina Spektor - I want her voice on toast. That's right, I want to eat her voice. It's delicious. I could listen to her singing nonsense all week
