Dienstag, 7. Aug 2007, 20:58
I'll tell you my five favourite albums and then tell you why.
Un
Architecture in Helsinki, In Case we Die - For awhile i thought this wasn't as good as their first album, however this album shows more variation that all comes off and sounds distinctly summery. Starts off almost orchestral(Nevereverdid), takes you through some fun songs (It's 5!, Frenchy I'm Faking) before slowing things, with Rendezvous Potrero Hill teeing up the close.
Defining Moment: Do the Whirlwind, 0:43. Synth bass is joined by some drums to create probably the catchiest bass line on the album, sets off toe tapping for the rest of the song.
Dau
British Sea Power, The Decline of British Sea Power -
Well, it's pretty raw. I didn't like it when i put it on the first time, but came back to it a couple of months later and loved it. There appears to be a massive amount of melancholy just hidden beneath the surface, which comes out best in Fear of Drowning as well as The Lonely.
Defining Moment: Lately, 0:31. I don't know why, but i think Fleetwood Mac at this point, which is credit enough. However it's also the part where Lately goes away from random cymbal noise to the first section and for me the purely instrmental part before the lyrics is beautiful.
Tri
Arcade Fire, Funeral - Neon Bible isn't as good as this and really only Black Mirror,Intervention and No Cars Go would even come close to deserving of being on Funeral. Funeral is one of those rare albums that has literally no filler songs. You could release every song as a single and i think they released something like 5/6 singles from this album to prove that point. Upbeat songs, melancholy slow songs, songs to play at an indie disco, this album has them all.
Defining Song: Haiti, 2:26. Haiti is my favourite and it's already in full flow by this point, but then it's catchiability flies through the roof. Doo do do do, doo do do do. Driving bass lines ftw as well.
Pedwar
The Stills, Logic Will Break Your Heart - I'd say this had some of the best 'lost love'/breakup songs going on it. Tracks like Still in Love Song and Yesterday Never Tomorrow being prime examples of this. At times the singing sounds raw like the cries of 'Oh My God' in Animals and Insects and these 3 songs late on in the album act as a contrast to the earlier, brighter songs of Lola Stars and Stripes, Gender Bombs and Changes Are No Good, essentially giving the whole album the story of a relationship from beginning to end.
Defining Moments: Yesterday Never Tomorrow, 0:35. The main melody really throughout the song, but it kicks in here. Frankly, it's achingly beautiful.
Pump
!!!, !!! - From the outset, with the slow build up of The Step climaxing with its main riff after 2 minutes to Feel Good Hit of the Fall's slow brass/bass ending, the eponymous album from !!! is literally full of basslines that whould be apt in softcore-late-night-Channel-5 films. These basslines plus Nic Offer's stage antics also make them a staggeringly good live act.
Defining Moment: Intensify, 3:42. Easily my favourite song to cycle to, upbeat with hints of aggression combined with down periods where the bass still keeps on with its ongoing rhythm. The best bit of the entire album is where the bass kicks back in, jacking up the tempo of the chanting and leading into the chorus which is sung more rushed that the chorus before it. If you're struggling whilst cycling up a hill, this is the piece of music that'll get you over the top.