Entertainment For Lively Minds
UK vs USA
Of new albums released in 2009 I have handed over hard cash for 11 cds. I was surprised to realise that only one of these was by a UK artist. 9 of the others were by US artists and 1 by a Canadian - (albeit 'Live in London').
I am not sure whether this is me getting older and preferring music with a bit more permanence, or an indication that the UK's obsession with style over substance and the 'next new thing' are signs of an industry in decline.
Do other contributors to the Word blog have a similar US preference in their music buying?
For the record, my 2009 albums as follows:
USA:
Decemberists: Hazards of Love
Dylan: Together Through Life
Eels: Hombre Lobo
Bonnie Prince Billy: Beware
Animal Collective: Merryweather Post Pavillion
Handsome Family: Honeymoon
Iron and Wine: Around the Well
Bon Iver: Blood Bank (ep)
Wilco: Wilco (The Album)
UK:
Graham Coxon: The spinning Top
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The only new album I've bought by a US or UK act this year...
is the Graham Coxon one. And very good it is too.
You're missing out
Off the top of my head, Super Furry Animals, Morrissey, Manic Street Preachers, The Mummers and Jarvis Cocker have all put out good albums this year (especially SFA).
Thanks Joe
The Mummers is on my list - love the song on the recent Word CD.
Which Canadian ?
I'm guessing Leonard Cohen's Live in London ? I can't think of anything else I've bought this year that is anywhere near as good...
Yup, it's Len.
...and agree with your assessment, although the more I play the new Wilco album the more I think they're probably the best band in the world.
Isn't America larger than the UK?
A quick glance at popular stuff from 08/09 on the player
UK
Madness
Doves
Graham Day & the Gaolers
Speech Debelle
Brakes
Burial
Chris Difford
Super Furry Animals
The BPA
US
Animal Collective
Decemberists
Dangermouse
Lupe Fiasco
School of Seven Bells
Yes but ...
...in years past the UK always punched way above its weight - but I'm not sure it does now.
I seem to be buying a decent amount of non UK/US
Lindstrom, Perishers, A Camp, Phoenix and Fanfarlo to name a few in the last couple of months. Indeed Sweden may be a hotbed of musical talent according to my buying profile recently.
2009 Albums I've bought
Not including back catalogue. And some might have been 2008.
UK
Florence and Machine (sporadically very exciting)
La Roux (OK - not much heart)
Little Boots (pretty good but not getting much play)
Manics (not what I was led to believe it would be - niether fish nor fowl - not very tuneful and not very heavy)
SFA (absolutely wonderful)
Robert Wyatt (great)
Doves (really rather dull)
Milk and Honey Band (great in bits - mostly average and a bit 'not in a good way amateur')
Lily Allen (good for about three songs then irritating)
Tunng (wonderful)
Pete Doherty (very good indeed)
US
Martha Wainwright (a bit much really)
Bob Dylan (mostly dreary)
Chatham County Line (fantastic)
Hooray!
I'm glad I've finally found someone who agrees with me that the latest Doves record is dull. I was so pleased I almost didn't notice your praise of the new one by that Doherty fella (which is, in fairness, better than I expected, but still not great).
Doves
sound a lot better in reviews/ interviews than they actually are. They always sound like something I really want to hear but I'm always let down.
All you get is dreary, tuneless vocals with a backing that tries to achieve descriptions like 'euphoric' or 'mesmeric' but just ends up sounding like what is - guitar, bass, drums and a bloke with Eeyore's voice.
As for Doherty - I am playing that album more than most new pruchases. Admittedly I was predisposed to like it, but I think it's rather pretty
Hmmm
I'm going to defend the Doves. OK, so the hype surrounding their new album (and probably all the ones previous to that too) has been a bit over the top. But they still write great songs.
My recommendation would be to give the album one more try, turn it up really loud, with no distractions around, and see if it still doesn't move you.
I'll grant that if you're just not in the mood then the Doves sound like a dull fuzzing background noise, but when you're prepared to give it time and listen to it I think it really delivers.
a nice mix
varied so far...
UK
Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
Bloc Party - Intimacy Remixed
Doves - Kingdom Of Rust
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
The Horrors - Primary Colours
The Invisible - The Invisible
Jarvis - Further Complications
Lady Sovereign - Jigsaw
Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers
Morrissey - Years Of Refusal
The Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts
Peter Doherty - Grace/Wastelands
The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
Vib Gyor - We Are Not An Island
US
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Beware
M. Ward - Hold Time
Marilyn Manson - The High End Of Low
Mos Def - The Ecstatic
N.A.S.A. - The Spirit Of Apollo
Nat King Cole - Re:Generations
Neil Young - Fork In The Road (I know he's Canadian)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Scandinavia (Iceland, Sweden, etc)
The Deer Tracks - Aurora
Hildur Gudnadottir - Without Sinking
(also looking forward to new Mum album and Riceboy Sleeps)
some good stuff around at the moment
as you can see, I get a lot of music
UK wins, as you can see
It could be suggested
that you don't so much show a preference for music with a bit of permanence, as show a preference for slightly 'out there' Americana/ alt.country/ singer-songwriters (Animal Collective excepted). Which, by its nature, is more likely to come from the States. But it's a fine selection of records, undoubtedly.
Mainly American
and I blogged this same subject a few months back.I also feel we are more wrapped up in celebrity and style over here.
Of the UK acts Madness is by far the best I have bought this year. Although Super Furry Animals,Camera Obscura,Costello and Bat for Lashes have made it a pretty good UK year.
Also found Lykke Li this year and her album is fantastic.
However the USA has come up with M.Ward, Eels, Dave Alvin, Gretchen Peters, Allen Touissaint, Wilco, Iron and Wine, Gourds and loads more.Plus in the autumn we have new albums to look forward to from Tom Russell and Chuck Prophet.
Thx for the Chuck Prophet tip-off.
I'm still giving Balinese Dancer regular airings. Always good value, our Chuck.
Chuck Prophet on Tour
As ever Chuck is coming over here in support of the new release. Anyone else going to see him at The Garage in Islington this coming October?
Biased
My purchases since the beginning of the year have had a definite UK bias - pretty much double what I'd bought from the USA.
Of the stuff I've bought this year that was actually freshly released, the two most played by iTunes are Emmy the Great's First Love and Alpinisms by the School of Seven Bells. I suspect I've been playing the new albums by Bat For Lashes and Jon Hopkins more than that, but on CD and therfore un-counted by iTunes.
That's quite a good hit-rate for Word recommendations as well actually.
Chuck Prophet
No dates in Birmingham so looks like either Nottingham or Leicester for me. Was fortunate to see him in USA last year and I really think he is one of best guitarists around - very lyrical. Also writes great songs. Carl, do you prefer him solo or with Green on Red? I loved GOR but some of his solo stuff is brilliant especially last album and Homemade Blood.
As evidenced by my playlist
It has to be Chuck solo. I occasionally play Green On Red whereas I regularly play Chuck. Green On Red were really Dan Stuart's band. Chuck may have nominally been co-leader (as least as far as the post Cavacas version went) but Dan's songs and voice were the real sound.
Favourite CP album? Probably Age Of Miracles, but he's set himself a pretty high standard overall. They all get played from time to time.
I was actually thinking the same
Vetiver lp the best of those which include great records by EEls , Wilco . Handsome family and bonnie prince billy are pretty good. no uk ones for me so far.