Best Album…
…Basement Jaxx – Scars
Thirteen tracks, fourteen guests and one incredibly innovative and creative album. “Scars” is in eclectic mix, which sees a
Basement Jaxx
mish-mash of guest vocalists from all genres (Yoko Ono to Chipmunk!), whilst still remaining a cohesive and danceable triumph. “My Turn” saw Lightspeed Champion’s trademark melancholy plucking combined with strings, pulsating basslines and a carnival rhythm. The rest was equally awe-inspiring.
Best Gig…
…The Temper Trap – Great Escape Festival (Saturday)
Okay, so the Melbourne four-piece’s debut “Conditions” wasn’t barrier-breaking. They’d nabbed the Edge’s effects board, Chris Martin’s stadium-sized songwriting and had big universal song themes (see “Resurrection”, “Science Of Fear”), which were only really saved from plagiarism by the soulful falsetto of lead singer Dougy. And yet this was by a long distance the best show I saw in 2009. A gripping half-hour set, which was so epic that any previous gripes dissolved and what remained choked me up and made me want to hug the sweaty bearded fellow to my left.
Keep an eye out for…
…Broken Bells
It’s a collaboration between The Shins’ James Mercer and Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, The Grey Album). The self-titled album is out early 2010 and sounds as you’d probably imagine to. It leaked on December 22nd and it’s fantastic.
WHAT TO DO NOW?