Live: Oxegen Hot Press Academy Tent Lineup

There may be just three weeks to go to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa (of which Matthew Upson won't be attending), but there's just seven weeks to go to the biggest musical festival of the year, Oxegen 2010.

Many people complained about the lack of Irish acts when the initial lineup was announced, but the announcement of the full lineup for the Hot Press Academy Stage should surely rectify that. As well as great foreign imports such as Julian Casablancas (of the Strokes), Laura Marling, Yeasayer and Kele Okereke (him from Bloc Party), there's plenty of homegrown artists due to appear. The highlights for me will be Conor O'Brien's Villagers, Cathy Davey, Wallis Bird, and O Emperor. Oh and I forgot to mention, old frogthroat-skeleton hands herself is playing, that's right Diana Vickers will be there!

Lineup:
JULIAN CASABLANCAS
ASH
CATHY DAVEY
WE ARE SCIENTISTS
KELE OKEREKE
VILLAGERS
BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB
YEASAYER
LAURA MARLING
THE HIGH KINGS
WALLIS BIRD
FRIGHTENED RABBIT
MYSTERY JETS
3OH!3
SHED SEVEN
DIANA VICKERS
O EMPEROR
LISSIE
JOE ECHO
THE MIDDLE EAST
EXAMPLE
HURTS
MAYER HAWTHORNE
CHAPEL CLUB
DAISY DARES YOU

While you're at it, check out the brand new Oxegen website here:
www.oxegen.ie

Watch O Emperor 'Don't Mind Me':

Live: Laura Marling, Dizzee at Oxegen 2010

Some more acts to the ever-expanding Oxegen 2010 lineup today, the highlights of which have to be Dizzee Rascal, Laura Marling, the Stranglers, and him from the Strokes - Julian Casablancas. They were announced on the Paul McLoone show on Today FM earlier today.

New additions:
The Black Keys
Dizzee Rascal
Julian Casablancas
Laura Marling
Jamie T
Groove Armada
The Cribs
The Stranglers
Fox Avenue
Chase & Status
Earth, Wind & Fire

Weekend tickets cost €240 and are on sale now. It'll be definitely worth it.

Album Cover: Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can

Laura Marling releases new album I Speak Because I Can next month, and has unleashed the cover of the beast. You can see it above, and in addition to that, have a look at the official video for 'Devil's Spoke' below.

Tracklist:
'Devil's Spoke'
'Made By Maid'
'Rambling Man'
'Blackberry Stone'
'Alpha Shallows'
'Goodbye England'
'Hope In The Air'
'What He Wrote'
'Darkness Descends'
'I Speak Because I Can'

Watch 'Devil's Spoke':

Album News: I Speak Because I Can Tracklist

Tracklist for the new Laura Marling album, I Speak Because I Can, due out March 1st. The best thing about it is Heartbreaker and Gold producer Ethan Johns is at the helm of this one. I can't wait.

Tracklist:
'Devil's Spoke'
'Made By Maid'
'Rambling Man'
'Blackberry Stone'
'Alpha Shallows'
'Goodbye England'
'Hope In The Air'
'What He Wrote'
'Darkness Descends'
'I Speak Because I Can'

Album News: Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can

Laura Marling's second album I Speak Because I Can will be released on Virgin on the 2nd of March 2010. It'll be produced by uber-producer Ethan Johns and will be a more rootsy album than her debut.

Lead single 'Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)' came out last week and gives a hint of what to expect. Have a listen below.

Download:
Laura Marling - 'Goodbye England'

Watch:

Live: Laura Marling at the Academy

UK folkie Laura Marling is to return to Dublin to play the Academy on April 10th, 2010. She last played here in 2008, when she put on a fantastic show in Whelan's (one of my highlights of the year) with Marcus Mumford supporting. Somehow I doubt he'll be supporting her next time around. She'll be here promoting her upcoming second album (expect it March-ish), and I urge you not to miss it.

Tickets go on sale this Friday (fantastic film blogger Niall's birthday), the 18th at 9 a.m. and cost €18.50. Bargain!

Watch her new single (which sadly won't be number one this weekend) 'Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)':

List: Best Albums of the Decade 90-81

Part Three of my countdown of the top 110 albums of the decade. You can find 110-101 here, and 100-91 here. But for now, here's 90-81...

90. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones (2006)

Karen O and her band of merry men are definitely one of the most consistent acts of the decade. Show Your Bones was confirmation of the sheer magnificence the YYYs showed on their first album. It was less angsty but still caused ructions in the band. Luckily they didn't break up and instead released this glorious second album.

89. Death Cab for Cutie - The Photo Album (2001)

Some may argue for the inclusion of Transatlanticism or We Have the Facts, or maybe even Plans, but for me, this is the essential Death Cab for Cutie album. It hinted at what was later to come on the Postal Service record, with Ben Gibbard's vocals blending fantastically with Chris Walla's fantastic productionship and guitarmanship. 'A Movie Script Ending' may well be their finest four minutes.

88. Killing Heidi - Reflector (2000)

Don't be put off by the cutesy album cover, Killing Heidi's Reflector is the best pop album to come out of Australia this decade. It's the perfect antithesis to Nick Cave's bleak ballads. These are bouncy uptempo pop numbers, and the brash in your face cheer of the album won four ARIA Awards, as well as becoming the fastest selling album in Australian history.

87. The Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy (2000)

Another wonderful pop album, this one is full of the usual sardonic Mark Oliver Everett (Mr. E) wit. They may never make another Beautiful Freak, but this one came damn close. Check out 'Mr. E's Beautiful Blues' and 'Flyswatter'. And if you do listen to 'I Like Birds', you'll have it stuck in your head, and coming back at random intervals for the rest of your life.

86. Drive-By Truckers - A Blessing and a Curse (2006)

The last Drive-By Truckers album to include Jason Isbell was also their shortest. It wasn't as dirty as their previous albums and split opinions in both fans and critics. Looking back on it now allows you to see the album for what it is: the DBTs are their tightest and most close knit. Each song is a gem, and the album never outstays its welcome. It's just a major pity Isbell doesn't play 'Daylight' live any more.

85. Seth Lakeman - Freedom Fields (2006)

A British folk album filled with fantastic myths and stories, this is one of the finest storytelling records of the decade. It was so succesful on first release, Lakeman was signed to a bigger label and the album was partly remixed, re-ordered, and re-released. However, the original version, complete with bonus disc, is the one to own. Miles better.

84. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday (2005)

On paper, a concept album about Holly, Gideon, and Charlemagne who go from party to party in different cities. However, the album is much more than this. The music of Tad Kubler and Franz Nicolay is goregous, and mixes perfectly with Craig Finn's narrative voice (he doesn't sing, rather speaks the lyrics). It's like a brand-new classic rock album. A modern classic that everyone should own.

83. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedela (2007)

I saw Jens live in Whelan's not long after this album came out, and it was perhaps the most disappointing gig I have ever attended. On his own he's just an average guitar player and average singer, but on record, he makes the most beautiful music complete with a full band and a handful of inspired samples. His second album is a melancholic masterpiece. Have a listen to the highly amusing story in 'Postcard to Nina'. Has unrequited love ever sounded so sweet?

82. Ryan Adams - Jacksonville City Nights (2005)

The second of Ryan Adam's 2005 releases is also the second best. On first listen I absolutely hated it. It seemed like it was trying too hard to be a country record. But on further listens it showed itself to be much more. It was an unpolished, fun album. It featured fine duets with Norah Jones and former Whiskeytowner Caitlin Cary, and the bonus cut included Adams' best ever cover (not the Oasis one), a heartbreaking 'Always on My Mind'. Jon Graboff's pedal steel has never sounded so good

81. Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim (2008)

Alas, I Cannot Swim is the album Lisa Hannigan wished she had made when recording Sea Sew. Hannigan's own is a decent album, but Marling's is superior in every way. 'Ghost', 'My Manic and I', 'Night Terror' and even the short interlude 'Crawled Out of the Sea' are among the best songs to come out of the new folk revival in the UK. And all of them are here on this album.

The Countdown continues tomorrow...

Watch: Laura Marling - Paradiso concert

Some of you may have missed Laura Marling at Whelan's earlier this year. I didn't it was fantastic. If you did, you should have taken my advice and seen her at Electric Picnic. But I bet you didn't. So do you really want to make yourself feel guilty for missing it? Or better for getting to catch her live on video? Well, now you can.

Fab Channel has a stream of her concert at Paradiso - Small Hall. I've no idea where the hell that is, but it's definitely worth a watch.

http://www.fabchannel.com/laura_marling_concert

Live Review: Laura Marling at Whelan's, 1 July 2008

A day later than expected, I finally have gotten around to writing about the best Tuesday night I've had in ages.

We arrived at Whelan's at around a quarter to eight on Monday night, the doors to the venue weren't open and only a few dozen people were in the bar itself. I wondered what I was after dragging my lovely girlfriend to. Would it be another disaster of a show, like that time we saw Jens Lekman? So instead of standing around like chumps until the venue doors opened we went down to the shop. By the time we got back, around five past eight, a queue had formed outside the door. This was more like it!

We seated ourselves upstairs overlooking the stage (one of the benefits of Whelan's). The first support act (yes there were two!) introduced himself as Marcus from a band called Mumford & Sons, who sadly couldn't be there. They had probably over-exerted themselves at Glastonbury I'm thinking. But if the band are as good as or better than Marcus solo, they are definitely ones to look out for. He gave a wonderful performance, playing a variety of instruments and impressing every member of a packed Whelan's. There was only one negative point about his set, it was far too brief. 'Little Lying Man' was definitely a standout.

Next up was Dublin's own Robotnik. Sadly there was no sign of a blue hedgehog. Just like the way in Sonic that Dr Robotnik starts off small and gets bigger and badder until the final showdown, Robotnik started off slow with some folky numbers before introducing the rest of his band: Toshiba, his laptop. What came next was definitely not something a lot of the crowd expected. His techno-folk and bizarre lyrics ('I Found Jesus In The Year 2027' is a case in point), as well as his showmanship (getting up on tables and giving out sweets), were nothing if not entertaining. I'd recommend checking him out at Crawdaddy in two or three weeks. He's a nutjob.

While these two acts were playing, there was a group of English people, of which only half seemed interested. A tall blonde girl was chatting and giggling as both artists played. I pointed out that it was Laura Marling standing near me. The accent matched. She was talking to a guy at the bar when cheers came up from downstairs. I was wrong, it wasn't her. Mortified. I'm glad I didn't attempt to talk to her.

The waifish singer downstairs was just as good as her album Alas I Cannot Swim indicates. She played some of her better known songs at the beginning of the set, 'Ghosts', 'My Manic and I', and 'You're No God' were standout tunes, all coming one after the other. Marling live is a much more intimate experience than on the record, as it is a sparse cut-back approach. She was joined by Marcus Mumford on many of the tracks, and he seems to be able to play everything. His xylophone on 'Ghosts' was especially pretty.

Marling then played some new songs, a great sign of what's to come from this young singer, none of which seemed below the standard of what's gone before. One of these songs she even admitted to only having written the night before. That's confidence for you! One of these new tunes, 'Made A Maid', is one to look out for (I've included a live version of it down below).

'Cross Your Fingers' into 'Crawled Out of the Sea' was damn near perfect, and was followed by a rousing version of 'Alas I Cannot Swim'. Marcus and Laura left the stage to rapturous applause, but were forced to return for a one-song encore 'I'm A Fly'. It's a pity the show couldn't have gone on longer, but there's damn curfews in place. Even still, it was a truly marvellous show, and when she returns to town, I'll definitely go again.

'Made a Maid' live in England someplace:

Setlist: Laura Marling, Whelan's, 1 July 2008

So, it's obvious I was there last night. So expect a review tomorrow. I always need a day to digest how good a gig was.

Here's the setlist to keep you occupied til then. Also, email me at swearimnotpaul@gmail.com with any corrections you have, cause I have no idea what these new songs are called. Laura, if you fancy dropping me a line to do some shameless publicity, feel free. I'd love to do an interview or something!

Setlist:
Shine
Rebecca
Ghosts
My Manic and I
You're No God
Week Need to Be Led (maybe called Vulnerable/Rambling Man)
Made a Maid
All Of This Can Be Broken/I Am Your Keeper
Blackberry Stone
Cross Your Fingers >
Crawled Out Of The Sea
Alas I Cannot Swim >
Alas I Cannot Swim Reprise (quite rousing version)
----
I'm A Fly

Thanks to Chris Hall for emailing me some corrections for song titles.