Entertainment For Lively Minds
Bring on the New
I am also bemused by the dismissal of new stuff here. I'm 44 and listen to a lot of old and a lot of new. I think time filters the wheat out from the chaff and NOW is just as much of a golden age as the past but it's just more difficult to find the gold. There's always a lot of rubbish around but there are always gems. If you dismiss new, try a few of these (you never know, you might like it):
- The National
- The Decemberists
- Frightened Rabbit
- Phoenix (particularly the last album)
- Richard Hawley
- Laura Veirs
- Leisure Society
- Wild Beasts
- The Unthanks
There are many many more and surely the members of this parish can appreciate the likes of Two Weeks by Grizzly Bear and Crystallised from The XX from the last year too?
Films of course are another matter ;-)
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With you
On The National and Frightened Rabbit. I bought a Decemberists record after much Word hyperbole but it did nowt for me. I couldn't get away with the guy's voice. Not heard the rest, but will check them out.
My own recommendation would be The Twilight Sad.
Decemberists very much a marmite band
I like his voice but I realise from others that it isn't to everyone's taste and if you can't get past it, then you won't like the band.
Twilight Sad is a magnificent recommendation. There is a lot of great stuff coming out of Scotland at the moment and I'd also recommend Broken Records who I first encountered 18 months or so ago supporting The Black Keys and Liam Finn. There were 30 people in the room (holding around 1000) when Broken Records played and I'd guess that they sold their EPs to us all that night.
Good tunes bad voice
I think you're right about the voice. I bought and liked Picaresque and The Crane Wife I don't like the latest album at all and I haven't liked any of his solo stuff or collaborations with other people that I've heard so I guess it must have been the music that I liked and managed to overcome the dislike of Mr Meloy's voice.
The National
are a great band, and Alligator is easily one of my favourite records of the last ten years. Yet I can't recall seeing a feature or an interview anywhere, ever, just the odd glowing review.
I actually prefer Boxer
but they would both be in my top 10 albums of the last decade. I saw them live towards the end of 2007 and they were absolutely fantastic. Matt Berninger's voice is a staggering instrument live, even better than I had expected. The live performance brought the records to life even more.
You're right that they are criminally underrated in the UK although their London concert last year sold out in minutes I believe.
I'll spend a bit more time ith Boxer..
..it just didn't grab me in the way that Alligator did. Big in France apparently.
Phoenix
I saw them live again this year and they were fantastic. They prompted me to check out more french bands and I can heartily recommend Justice if you don't mind things a bit electro and noisy. Imagine early Judas Priest if they loved moogs. Happy New Year all.
Colin Meloy is a god
Well a really talented song writer - but I even I cannot get into the latest album. Its a bit pompous and for die-hard fans only. In terms of new(ish) stuff - I like:
* Fanfarlo
* Kill it Kid
* Elizabeth and the Catapult
* Duke and the King
* Priscilla Ahn
* Silver Seas
A couple of my faves from 2009:
From Lord Cut-Glass AKA ex-Delgado Alun Woodward:
and from The Howling Bells second album, which although lacking the sultry, mysterious allure of their debut, was the album I played the most:
Wild Beasts = the best band in the world right now
bar. none.