Music-wise I'm glad 2009 is over. For a couple of creeky months at the end of the year I fell out of love with music for a bit. Hitting one of those spells where nothing I played made any sense and walking round listening to podcasts for most of the time. I was in a rut, caused at least partly by a bunch of sub-standard albums that I'd hoped for better from. Music for a while felt stale and lifeless.
I was dragged out of this rut by the exceptional new Tindersticks album (more on that very soon) and listening to the Velvet Underground. Music is starting to make some sense again.
I don't think that 2009 was a vintage year but there were some records that did more than tread water or cover old ground. These were the records that I kept returning to and the ones that I'll treasure from a pretty bad year for new music...
God Help The Girl 'God Help The Girl'
A superbly crafted pop record. It told a story but more importantly than that, it was great to listen to, revealing a little more each time you played it and introduced the wonderful vocal talents of Catherine Ireton. The closing track spoke to me a lot too and became a real comfort. A truly accessible, imaginative and quite splendidly fun record.
Camera Obscura 'My Maudlin Career'
There are similarites between my first and second choices and that is no coincidence. In a year when so much was dull and worthy, these records had a spark. Tracey-Anne Campbell and Camera Obscura produced their most finely crafted album yet, catchy melodies and tunes with heartfelt, personal lyrics that tugged at the heartstrings. Effortlessly good.
Mark Eitzel 'Klamath'/ 'Live From Copenhagen'
Eitzel's studio album was difficult and took a while to click with me. The mix of acoustics and electronics sometimes hiding great songs but they crystalised eventually and like every Eitzel record this had some stunning songwriting and also some pretty melodies. 'Live From Copenhagen' was not a real album (see my full review) but it was the most powerful live recording I have heard in years, the sound of an amazing songwriter singing his songs.
The Duke and The King 'Nothing Gold Can Stay'
I kept returning to this. Its such a listenable mix of folk and soul, lovely melodies, great songwriting but sounding so modern and unique. I really regret not seeing them play live yet.
Bill Callahan 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'
A major return to form as Bill "gets dark again". Just great songs and moods.
The Mountain Goats 'Life Of The World To Come'
Great idea (each song was named after a bible verse), superbly executed. Some of these songs provoke an awful lot of thinking, deeply personal and beautiful songs from John Darnielle. The piano and vocals pieces were particularly heartbreaking.
Mentions should also be made of records by Hope Sandoval, M Ward, Morrissey (massively under-rated that one), The Twilight Sad and The Duckworth Lewis Method, all of which were really good.
As it stands, 2010 looks like being a quite incredible year. The Tindersticks album is incredible and there are albums to come from The Innocence Mission, Arcade Fire, Low, Radiohead and others. I am personally really looking forward to seeing Tindersticks play abroad for the first time and seeing Pavement play in May.
Lets hope 2010 lives up to expectations...
Showing posts with label camera obscura. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camera obscura. Show all posts
Friday, 1 January 2010
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
The TracksandGigs Christmas Number One
Firstly, many apologies to any (are there any?) regular readers for the complete lack of updates. Won't bore you with the reasons but TracksandGigs will be back to normal in the new year with reviews of all the latest albums. 2009 wasn't such a great year for music but 2010 already looks great with new LPs from Innocence Mission, Tindersticks, Arcade Fire and Fleet Foxes on the radar and all sorts of Pavement activity to get excited about.
I have already heard the new Tindersticks album, courtesy of a promo. I've played it so much it feels like an old friend rather than a new, as yet unreleased, album. More on this in the New Year.
Anyway, I have decided to nominate a T&G Christmas Number One. This will be a yearly tradition and almost uniquely it will be based on MUSIC. Yes. Much as poking Simon Cowell in the eye sounds like fun, Rage Against The Machine are on Sony so seem to be rather raging against themselves these days and there seems to be something of an irony in people responding to peer pressure and internet campaigns to pay 79p for a song with a chorus of "fuck you I won't do what you tell me". Or is that just me? Most likely.
Anyway, I am nominating Camera Obscura's 7" single which couples a cover of Jim Reeves' 'The Blizzard' with their very own insanely catchy 'Swans'. 'Swans' I have blogged about before. It will always hold a place near to my heart as I ran an entire 10k race with its nagging melody dancing around my brain. 'The Blizzard' is new and utterly gorgeous. Managing to be both warm, solemn and jangly at the same time, Tracy-Anne Campbell sings Reeves' song about a man who travels on a pony in the snow to meet his love Mary-Anne and then....freezes to death just yards from where she waits. How much more Christmassy can you get?
Anyway, its a beautiful single, when I look around for the competition, I...can't see any...and it would have won even if there had been some, so the TracksandGigs 2009 Christmas Number One is...
Camera Obscura 'The Blizzard/Swans'
Take that Simon Cowell.
I have already heard the new Tindersticks album, courtesy of a promo. I've played it so much it feels like an old friend rather than a new, as yet unreleased, album. More on this in the New Year.
Anyway, I have decided to nominate a T&G Christmas Number One. This will be a yearly tradition and almost uniquely it will be based on MUSIC. Yes. Much as poking Simon Cowell in the eye sounds like fun, Rage Against The Machine are on Sony so seem to be rather raging against themselves these days and there seems to be something of an irony in people responding to peer pressure and internet campaigns to pay 79p for a song with a chorus of "fuck you I won't do what you tell me". Or is that just me? Most likely.
Anyway, I am nominating Camera Obscura's 7" single which couples a cover of Jim Reeves' 'The Blizzard' with their very own insanely catchy 'Swans'. 'Swans' I have blogged about before. It will always hold a place near to my heart as I ran an entire 10k race with its nagging melody dancing around my brain. 'The Blizzard' is new and utterly gorgeous. Managing to be both warm, solemn and jangly at the same time, Tracy-Anne Campbell sings Reeves' song about a man who travels on a pony in the snow to meet his love Mary-Anne and then....freezes to death just yards from where she waits. How much more Christmassy can you get?
Anyway, its a beautiful single, when I look around for the competition, I...can't see any...and it would have won even if there had been some, so the TracksandGigs 2009 Christmas Number One is...
Camera Obscura 'The Blizzard/Swans'
Take that Simon Cowell.
Saturday, 13 June 2009
top 5 records of the year so far...
Its pretty much halfway through the year, so I though, in time honoured tradition, that I would list my 5 favourite records of the year so far. 2009 has been a 'steady' year so far, not quite the same excitement of the new (bon iver..fleet foxes..) as last year but some really good albums all the same. Lots still to come too with Wilco, Twilight Sad, Innocence Mission, MeCo and Mark Eitzel records on the horizon and the T&G diary positively full with gigs I'm attending in July/August. Anyway, the five best so far..
1. Bill Callahan 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'
A clear winner thus far. A graceful set of songs from Mr Callahan, his finest for many a year. From the simple beauty of 'Jim Cain' to the quirky brilliance of 'My Friend' and 'All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast'. Best of the lot though, is the stunning 'Too Many Birds' with the stare-at-the-sky-beautiful unravelling of the line "if you could only stop your heartbeat for one heartbeat" being the musical highlight of the year so far.
2. M. Ward 'Hold Time'
Still not as magical as 'Transistor Radio' but 'Hold Time' is a retro feast for the years. Beautifully recorded and with some great tunes, Ward is the finest troubadour we have.
3. Broken Records 'Until The Earth Begins To Part'
Not for everyone. Your love for this record will depend on how you feel about windswept Waterboys-esque epics...sung with a Scottish accent. For me though, this is a fiery, passionate delight and I can't wait to see them play live.
4. Camera Obscura 'My Maudlin Career'
More Scots! Sad, lovelorn songs but strangely uplifting due to a sprinkling of fine tunes and Tracey-Anne Campbell's warm vocals. Perfect pop as it should be.
5. Fanfarlo 'Reservoir'
Out of nowhere this London based band produced a fine record of pop masterpieces, mixing the multi-instrumental sound of Beirut with the passion and drive of Arcade Fire. Great stuff and 'Comets' is the ballad Chris Martin wishes he'd written.
There's the five. Yes I know Bonnie Prince Billy didn't make it...and nor did Morrissey.
stay tuned.
1. Bill Callahan 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'
A clear winner thus far. A graceful set of songs from Mr Callahan, his finest for many a year. From the simple beauty of 'Jim Cain' to the quirky brilliance of 'My Friend' and 'All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast'. Best of the lot though, is the stunning 'Too Many Birds' with the stare-at-the-sky-beautiful unravelling of the line "if you could only stop your heartbeat for one heartbeat" being the musical highlight of the year so far.
2. M. Ward 'Hold Time'
Still not as magical as 'Transistor Radio' but 'Hold Time' is a retro feast for the years. Beautifully recorded and with some great tunes, Ward is the finest troubadour we have.
3. Broken Records 'Until The Earth Begins To Part'
Not for everyone. Your love for this record will depend on how you feel about windswept Waterboys-esque epics...sung with a Scottish accent. For me though, this is a fiery, passionate delight and I can't wait to see them play live.
4. Camera Obscura 'My Maudlin Career'
More Scots! Sad, lovelorn songs but strangely uplifting due to a sprinkling of fine tunes and Tracey-Anne Campbell's warm vocals. Perfect pop as it should be.
5. Fanfarlo 'Reservoir'
Out of nowhere this London based band produced a fine record of pop masterpieces, mixing the multi-instrumental sound of Beirut with the passion and drive of Arcade Fire. Great stuff and 'Comets' is the ballad Chris Martin wishes he'd written.
There's the five. Yes I know Bonnie Prince Billy didn't make it...and nor did Morrissey.
stay tuned.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Camera Obscura 'My Maudlin Career'
I ran a 10k race at the weekend. Clearly this has little to do with Camera Obscura's new LP, except to say that melodies from these songs were bouncing round my head as I ran and at that point I had only listened to the album twice. There are some seriously catchy tunes here!
Camera Obscura's fourth album is a lively mix of upbeat 60s sounding pop tunes and torch ballads. It is an almost perfect 50/50 mix. Lyrically, the album is concerned with matters of the heart, generally the bouncy, upbeat tracks document love arriving and blossoming whilst the ballads are usually 'maudlin' break up songs. Most notably, 'James' is a real heart-on-sleeve tearjerker, sung beautifully by Traceyanne Campbell, and if it is a true story, she pulls no punches. Its a song about what to do when love disappears and whether it is possible to still be friends. The answer seems to be "no". 'Away With Murder' and 'Other Towns And Cities' chart a similar course, mixing sadness with bitterness over swooning strings.
Elsewhere though, 'My Maudlin Career' is full of joyful, vibrant sounds. 'French Navy' is a stirring, buoyant account of falling in love and 'Swans' is just the catchiest thing you will ever hear; a song extolling the virtues of travelling the world, with more than one catchy melody and a central one that sounds like it should be used as the theme to a kids tv show.
The downbeat ballads probably just about hold sway, meaning that the record has a predominant sense of melancholy with fleeting glimpses of joy. The music is lush throughout though, the strings and rich vocals give the record a cinematic sound and it feels like a throwback to the music of the 60s. It feels good and it sounds great.
9.0
['My Maudlin Career' is out now on 4AD]
Camera Obscura's fourth album is a lively mix of upbeat 60s sounding pop tunes and torch ballads. It is an almost perfect 50/50 mix. Lyrically, the album is concerned with matters of the heart, generally the bouncy, upbeat tracks document love arriving and blossoming whilst the ballads are usually 'maudlin' break up songs. Most notably, 'James' is a real heart-on-sleeve tearjerker, sung beautifully by Traceyanne Campbell, and if it is a true story, she pulls no punches. Its a song about what to do when love disappears and whether it is possible to still be friends. The answer seems to be "no". 'Away With Murder' and 'Other Towns And Cities' chart a similar course, mixing sadness with bitterness over swooning strings.
Elsewhere though, 'My Maudlin Career' is full of joyful, vibrant sounds. 'French Navy' is a stirring, buoyant account of falling in love and 'Swans' is just the catchiest thing you will ever hear; a song extolling the virtues of travelling the world, with more than one catchy melody and a central one that sounds like it should be used as the theme to a kids tv show.
The downbeat ballads probably just about hold sway, meaning that the record has a predominant sense of melancholy with fleeting glimpses of joy. The music is lush throughout though, the strings and rich vocals give the record a cinematic sound and it feels like a throwback to the music of the 60s. It feels good and it sounds great.
9.0
['My Maudlin Career' is out now on 4AD]
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Single of the week
Camera Obscura 'French Navy'
"Spent a week in a dusty library
waiting for some words to jump at me"
Even if Camera Obscura's new single had ground to a halt after those fantasic opening lines, it would still have been 'single of the week' this week.
Luckily, however, it continues and blossoms into a 60s sounding, glorious pop classic, perfect for the first few weeks of Spring. Plenty of hooks, sweeping strings and the only slight disappointment is the harsh fade-out. Otherwise its a mix of Spector-pop, Belle & Sebastian circa- The Life Pursuit and The Pipettes circa-before they had umpteen line-up changes and became rubbish.
The album's out next week and by the sound of this, it will be ace. Plus, they're on 4AD now and thats always a bonus.
single of the week. It will make you want to eat strawberries by the river, or something.
"Spent a week in a dusty library
waiting for some words to jump at me"
Even if Camera Obscura's new single had ground to a halt after those fantasic opening lines, it would still have been 'single of the week' this week.
Luckily, however, it continues and blossoms into a 60s sounding, glorious pop classic, perfect for the first few weeks of Spring. Plenty of hooks, sweeping strings and the only slight disappointment is the harsh fade-out. Otherwise its a mix of Spector-pop, Belle & Sebastian circa- The Life Pursuit and The Pipettes circa-before they had umpteen line-up changes and became rubbish.
The album's out next week and by the sound of this, it will be ace. Plus, they're on 4AD now and thats always a bonus.
single of the week. It will make you want to eat strawberries by the river, or something.
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