Teenage rascals The Vaccines ploughed through the oversaturated indiepop scene and made an audible shout with their debut, proving that 1 and half minutes is all you need to create the perfect pop song (see pint sized hook-rocket "Norgaard"), Patrick Wolf surprised and divided fans by going from angsty to anthemic, although not as anthemic as the long awaited debut from The Naked and Famous, which if nothing else reminded us how utterly stunning "Young Blood" really is. And judging by Noah and the Whale's life-affirming latest, frontman Charlie Fink is well and truly over moody ex Laura Marling, as every track simply beams, awash with a glorious self belief and positivity.
I couldn't not mention the two massive polished turds that were the releases by Britney Spears and Nicole Scheiresichieizereicher, suitably horrific, but even those played their part in building up anticipation for the summer to come. When (very) drunk, "Til The World Ends" sounds almost as euphoric as it wishes it did, so that's good.
Oh yea, Radiohead's album came out proper. Old news to those of us who smugly already own it, but the joke's on us of course, dutifully forking out twice for the same record. "Codex" is worth it though, alone. Anyway, let's talk about some freakin' tunes.
10
Not Giving Up on Love
Armin Van Buuren & Sophie Ellis Bextor
Another one that found longevity in their singing career by taking a back-seat to their producers, Ms Bextor is like the British (very British) Kelly Rowland these days. And that's fine, just fine, because whilst Kelly plays the commander, Sophie's once cocky posh girl demeanour is replaced by a gorgeous vulnerability which reveals a subtle tenderness and even humbleness to her perfectly enunciated siren, and is undoubtedly something that those US dance-divas shy away from. On the record's cover it suggests this is "Armin Van Buuren VS Sophie Ellis Bextor" and this actually seems very apt. Van Buuren's luscious euphoric trance attempts to smother Bextor's cries, but as fragile as her delivery is, she's "not giving up on love", and the fight she puts up is actually rather beautiful.
As is Sophie herself in the delightfully overblown and glamourous video.
9
Lady Luck
Jamie Woon
After hearing the abomination that was Jessie J's Who You Are (speak for yourself love), one wonders why genuine creativity did not triumph over mastubatory displays of virtuousity; in other words, how did the racket that the BBC Sound of 2011 winner makes seem more appealing than the irresistible soulful croon of 27 year old Jamie Woon. Comparisons with fellow nominee James Blake are inevitable, but ill informed. Both are subdued and fame-shy young men with heartbreaking voices. But Blake doesn't want to let the listener in, Woon wants to seduce you, albeit very slyly. Last year's single "Night Air" was spacious and haunting, but on the slight yet funky "Lady Luck", morning has come and Woon might have the blues, but he's gonna sing through them. Slick beats and an undeniably sexy and sublimely soulful vocal make it hard not to fall in love with the track and indeed Jamie Woon himself.
His debut "Mirrorwriting" is out on the 18th April. A tip: trade in your copy of Who You Are to get it cheaper.
Video comment of the week: "Jamie sure has a long commute". Haha!
8
I Wrote the Book
Beth Ditto
Thank you Simian Mobile Disco, oh THANK YOU, for introducing us to this Beth. Alongside SMD's recollections of early Madonna, the roaring voice of The Gossip is now allowed to breath and one realises, even moreso now, that Ditto's sophisticated performance on the magnificent "Cruel Intentions" was just the beginning. She sounds more confident, diva-esque almost on her solo debut "I Wrote the Book", and even though it's only early days of her stepping out on her own, Ditto's sultry warble makes it easy to believe that she has already wrote and then rewrote the book for what is benchmark in indie dance music. Welcome on your new journey Beth, you're riding the 808 (kickdrum) bus from now on.
7
Starless
The Unthanks
To call The Unthanks folk does them an injustice. When one thinks of folk, one thinks of humble tales of life experiences and simple, acoustic arrangements. This is, of course, a blindly ignorant and wildly sweeping statement, but The Unthanks's "Starless" tugs on the heartstrings on a way that transcends and rises above categorisation. The voice of Rachel Unthank here is desperate and forelorn, and the mournful trumpet and subdued yet dramatic strings arrangement carry this tale of depression and loneliness. I almost don't want to mention that it's actually a cover of a track by prog rock kings King Crimson, because The Unthanks simply make it their own, and when Unthank herself sings "ice blue silver sky, fades into grey, to a grey hope that yearns to be starless and bible black", it is undoubtedly a far more touching rendition than the melodramatic original performance.
6
You Know What I Mean
Cults
Cults are beginning to well outlive their name, and it's reflected in the direction that their music is going. Previous triumph "Go Outside" was a distant daydream of a track, and as lovely as it was, "You Know What I Mean" showcases a bit of a backbone and even packs a punch of a chorus. No longer murmering in the background, once twee-voiced female singer Madeline Follin now sounds positively ready to start a fight... do you know what I mean? You will when you hear her belt out "Cos I am afraid of the light, yeah you know what I mean" as walls of guitar and burbling synths force you to sit up and take listen in a way we haven't heard from Cults until now. With the season of summer that was MADE for this band a mere 2 months away, 2011 is looking more and more likely to be the year of Cults.
5
Give it All Back
Noah and the Whale
Ah, childhood memories. Nothing depresses you more on a summer's day when you look out of the window of your workplace and see ungrateful youth's wasting time and frolicking gaily, and remember the (many) years ago when that used to be you. It's hard not to think of all the wasted opportunities and all the years you wasted when you were young, when you could've been working hard towards the career you now feel behind in.
Now "Give it All Back" is not about this. And in fact, its story of the childhood embarrassment of being in a band only makes you feel worse about all the drinking you did when you could've been rehearsing or revising, particularly when you see where the loveable N&TW have made it. But the charm of Charlie Fink's frank and touching account of (we assume) the band's youthful beginnings is enough to make you root for them.
Fink recalls, "Performing in our school assembly, played a cover of "Don't Let Me Down", the performance was nervous and awkward, but the passion was real and profound" and of "the kids in the audience laughing, as the band just stared at the ground". This verse in itself sounds awkward, as does most of the detailed account, but when Fink joyfully cries out "Victory for the kids who believe in rock 'n' roll!", his "real" and "profound" passion for what he does could not be clearer. And going by the uplifting rock anthem that backs these words, it's a passion and an incredible talent for writing a heartwarming melody to go with it.
"And miles away the other kids would just grow old" he adds. And indeed we are growing old. But at least Noah and the Whale are allowing us to do it with them.
Someone described this as a mix of "Summer of '69" and LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends". This is a freakishly accurate depiction.
4
The City
Patrick Wolf
I know people that hate this song. And for the closed minded amongst us, there's a lot to hate in all fairness. Fans who loved Wolf's experimentation in previous recordings will not be happy with the straight forward arena pop of "The City", especially the pitch-shifted chorus sample that wedges itself into the brain, something a Patrick Wolf song has certainly never attempted to do before. Lyrically, there's no mystery or confusing metaphor, the message of hope and determination couldn't be clearer. So is this new, born again a happy man Patrick Wolf a reincarnation that we like?
The fact is, we haven't got a choice. Wolf has gone through some personal turmoil, particularly since The Bachelor, and he's come out the other side determined that "the city won't destroy our love", presumably the love between himself and his new spouse. But in fact, the city of London, the city that Wolf is undoubtedly talking about, destroys all kinds of loves. Passion for our interests or careers, love and ties with family, the potential loves with those we date and even the love for life in general we perhaps no longer feel when waking up. "The City" is by no means a perfectly written anthem, and in many ways, skips minor details to get to the "feel good" parts. But if it feels this good, why aren't we all doing it? And by the same token, why can't all artists have a break from being miserable sometimes, just to tell their fans "you know what? I actually feel amazing today".
All I'll say is that when Wolf wishes me the top, top, top, top of the morning, I shall cringe, but wish it right back at him. He deserves it.
3
Live Those Days Tonight
Friendly Fires
Something happens to your heart in the opening moments of "Live Those Days Tonight", something strange. It skips not one, but two beats. The first beat skips when you feel that same excitement that you felt when the indie choir belted out those opening chords of "Jump in the Pool", but the second comes when you hear something new. A new spark, one that suggests Friendly Fires are not resting on the admirable laurels of their debut. "Live Those Days Tonight" takes the anthemic qualities of "Skeleton Boy" and "Jump..." and throws more ideas into the mix, ones that produce an explosive mix of early 90s dance and trancier Hi NRG dance, whilst maintaining a distinctly live performance aspect that FF never lose sight of. And the songwriting couldn't be more top notch. Second record "Pala" is coming, and if this is anything to go by, it's going to cause an almighty blast that will take the world by storm, not just the indie scene that already loves them.
2
Oxygen
Blackfield
Listening to the bizarre space rock of Porcupine Tree's earliest recordings, and Blackfield founder Steven Wilson's first releases, you would never guess that one day this man's songs would be produced by someone as mainstream as pop producer Trevor Horn. Taken from Blackfield's new record "Welcome to my DNA", "Oxygen" could not be more of a token 'single' if it tried. But Wilson sounds defeated and resigned to the easy listening pop anthem that we hear here, and the juxtaposition of the seemingly anti-mainstream lyrics with the blissful arrangement is an arresting and telling one.
The track lasts 3 minutes exactly, a 3 minute pop song if you will, and the last lines that Wilson utters, as well as throughout, through an embarrassed and disguising filter, are "there's no oxygen left on our planet". Wilson wrote confusing but beautiful music once (search for "Voyage 34" or "The Sky Moves Sideways", and you'll barely recognise him), but project Blackfield is seemingly aimed at the AOR market. If music is the "oxygen" he refers to, he obviously feels he has lost the creativity he once had in replacement for a more commercial sound, and in short, money.
But he needn't worry. As mainstream as "Oxygen" sounds, one thing that Wilson's voice and music never loses, no matter what the medium it translates through, is sincerity. And as a result the poppy "Oxygen" is still desperately melancholic and poignantly bittersweet and quite possibly one of the best tracks he has ever recorded.
1
Life is Life
Noah and the Whale
Another AOR anthem. And another band who can turn it into something wonderful. But unlike Blackfield, Noah and the Whale are unashamed and unapologetic of their big choruses and shrewdly used drum machines, although this doesn't mean that the emotional power of their message is lessened at all.
The background leading up to Noah and the Whale's third record could not be more soap opera-esque if it tried. Laura Marling was a part time member of Noah and the Whale on their naive and slightly irritatingly happy debut, and full time girlfriend to Charlie Fink. Then she dumped him for (HAHAHA!) Marcus Mumford (and Sons). Woe is him, and along comes totally different (and actually revelatory) second effort "The First Days of Spring". Gorgeous, desperately sad and full to the brim with missing and regret, it's quite possibly one of the best break-up records of recent times, to put it gleefully shallow terms.
Anyway, what one could've expected from "Last Night on Earth" is debatable. The title possibly even suggests an extension of the sentiment of "First Days...", to the extent that this "last night" is a self-destructive one. Then it could be a record about living each day as if it were our last. Turns out that the latter is the case, and after a couple of full listens, it's undeniable that "Last Night on Earth", for the optimists amongst us, is Noah and the Whale's defining record so far.
And "Life is Life" is its stellar kick off. Essentially providing a summary of all the messages that are to follow, whilst following a story of its very own, Fink is no longer singing about himself, or at least not directly. He sings of a man who is "gonna change his ways", a man who "feels like his new life can start". It's not an original message, but it's one that seems terribly relevant and probably very healthy for Fink in the circumstances. The band employ gospel choirs, a massive synth bass and a chorus that could move mountains, and it all sounds like opening your front door to the sun for the first time in years.
But what's really special here is the message. Whilst many artists, and indeed many of us humble listeners, choose to deal with their personal pain by singing about it incessantly, it's actually much more rewarding and probably more cathartic to instead look outside at the world around, and realise what a wonderful place it actually is, and how in fact, everyone around you is searching for the same things you are. When a song, such as "Life is Life", can teach you this, your own personal problems suddenly seem very unimportant.
If Patrick Wolf's "The City" and Noah and the Whale's "Last Night on Earth" are anything to go by, maybe 2011 is the year of cheering the fuck up. I'll drink to that.
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