Lists: BBC Sound of 2009 Announced

Blackpool electro-poster Little Boots has been announced today as the BBC Sound of 2009, following in the footsteps of Adele, Mika, and... Corinne Bailey Rae.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7814304.stm

1. Little Boots
2. White Lies (above)
3. Florence and the Machine
4. Empire of the Sun
5. La Roux
6. Lady GaGa
7. VV Brown
8. Kid Cudi
9. Passion Pit
10. Dan Black

Watch her single 'Meddle' from last year to see what the fuss is about:


Alternatively have a look at my own tips for 2009:
http://swearimnotpaul.blogspot.com/2009/01/upcoming-brilliance-sound-of-2009.html

Live: Jamie Lidell at Andrew's Lane Theatre

Great news, Jamie Lidell is back. His 2008 album Jim was one of my favourites of 2008, and definitely the best dance-along record of the year. But you knew that already, you've read my top 60 right?

If not, check here:
http://swearimnotpaul.blogspot.com/2008/12/best-albums-of-2008-countdown-10-01.html

Jamie returns to Ireland in March to play Dublin's Andrew's Lane Theatre. No ticket info yet, but thanks to Lauren for the news.

'Figure Me Out' live in Dublin last year:

Stream: Duncan Sheik - Whisper House

I'm never sure how the "i before e" rule applies to Duncan Sheik's name. It always looks wrong when I type it out. Anyhow if you've heard any of his popular tunes, 'Daylight', 'Barely Breathing' and the like, you'll know what to expect. His last album White Limousine was so-so, but hopefully new album Whisper House will be a return to form.

You can stream it in full here:
http://www.duncansheik.com/

Bizarre: Paste Magazine's Indie Rock Alphabetbook

I don't really know what to make of this, but I thought it was interesting enough to let you guys know about it.

Read more about it here:
http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/01/an-indie-rock-alphabet-book.html

Would anyone actually pay for this?

Watch: Bruce Spingsteen - Life Itself

Yet another track from the upcoming Bruce Springsteen album Working on a Dream, here's the official video for 'Life Itself':

Best of 2008: The List of lists

Great work by Rob T making the following website which has coallated a lot of critics' Best Album Lists to make one concise whole. Check it out here:
http://albumoftheyear.org/

You'll never guess what's number 1...

Watch: Bodies of Water - 'Under the Pines'

Great new video from Bodies of Water. It's a small bit lengthy (small and long don't really go together, apart from Dachshunds of course!), but definitely worth the watch.

David and Meredith Metcalf created and wrote the video, which was directed by Andy Bruntel.

Download: Jaydiohead - Jay Z and Radiohead Mashup

You have to love all these Jay-Z mashups, they often tend to be terrible, but sometimes can be great. This one, is well...interesting.

It's Radiohead and Jay-Z. I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Download the full album here:
http://jaydiohead.com/

Album News: Burning Codes - Burning Codes

I'm all for promoting Irish music. Thus I'm delighted whenever an email pops in my inbox from Indiecater records, because I know that they know good. They're up to know good, you might say!

The album Burning Codes was originally released last year to great acclaim, which was well merited. Now however, Indiecater have picked it up and are offering it for a €4 download!!!! Yes, four euro. Go shove your recession.

This album should've been massive, and if I had have heard it before this week, it could've made my year-end best of. Unfortunately it won't be eligible this year, but their follow-up promises to be even better, base don the bonus track 'Away' which comes with the debut's digital release.

Download:
Burning Codes - 'Cloak & Dagger'

More info:
http://www.indiecater.com/2009/01/burning-codes/

Album News: Swan Lake - Enemy Mine

Swan Lake is not the ballet troupe, instead it's a troupe made up of Dan Bejar of Destroyer, Spencer Krug of Sunset Rubdown/Wolf Parade and Carey Mercer of Frog Eyes and Blackout Beach. In other words, a band worth checking out. Their last record, Beast Moans, wasn't as brilliant as a Destroyer, New Pornos, or Wolf Parade record, but a few tracks were decent enough to show that this one, Enemy Mine, could be amazing.

According to the press release:
"While their debut album was a beautifully-weaved mash-up of their disparate song-writing styles, often with layer upon layer of various melodies and stylistics thrown into a collaborative cauldron to magical, and at times discordant effect, their second album "Enemy Mine" reflects a more stripped-down, more deliberate approach to collaboration. It's as if they really tried to just make nice songs together. To quote Krug, "There's architecture here." Not that the lyric is about collaboration--it fits nicely though."

I hope to get my hands on an mp3 soon.

Tracklist:
Spanish Gold, 2044
Paper Lace
Heartswarm
Settle On Your Skin
Ballad Of A Swan Lake, Or, Daniel's Song
Peace
Spider
A Hand At Dusk
Warlock Psychologist

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/swanlaketheband

Download: Tenaka - EPonymously Titled

Well, not today, but from Saturday the 10th of January, you can download Tenaka's excellently monikered EP EPonymously Titled. Tenaka is Ronan Carroll from Limerick and has been featured as an upcoming artist on BBC Music. And you know what? They're right. Perhaps an Irish Sound of 2009?

Tenaka - EPonymously Titled
1. Aint Nobody
2. Someday
3. Open Up
4. Alaskan

Check out his MySpace on Saturday to download it:
http://www.myspace.com/tenakadrifting

Download: The Silt - No Twig

Every time I type the band name "The Silt", I have to be careful. Work it out...

They're a band from Toronto, who are set to release their proper debut record Cat's Peak next Monday. They're a mixture of everything, and 'No Twig', available for download here is a fantastic folky number, which indicates the brilliance to come on the album proper.

Download:
The Silt - 'No Twig'

Tracklist:
1 Come Back To The Willow
2 No Twig
3 Feathershine
4 Cat's Peak
5 Sunlit Cloud
6 Two Eyes
7 Taking A Walk
8 Cocoon
9 Beautiful Shell
10 Twilight In The Morning
11 Lit
12 Ears To The Rail
13 An Hour

More info:
http://www.myspace.com/thesilt

Album News: U2 - No Line Rolling Stone quotes

From January's Rolling Stone magazine. They commented on ten of the new tracks from the new U2 record No Line of the Horizon.

"Get On Your Boots"
The likely first single, this blazing, fuzzed-out rocker picks up where "Vertigo" left off. "It started just with me playing and Larry drumming," the Edge recalls. "And we took it from there."

"Stand Up Comedy"
Another hard rock tune, powered by an unexpectedly slinky groove and a riff that lands between the Beatles' "Come Together" and Led Zep's "Heartbreaker." Edge recently hung out with Jimmy Page and Jack White for the upcoming documentary It Might Get Loud, and their penchant for blues-based rock rubbed off: "I was just fascinated with seeing how Jimmy played those riffs so simply, and with Jack as well," he says.

"Crazy Tonight"
"It's kind of like this album's 'Beautiful Day' — it has that kind of joy to it," Bono says. With the refrain "I know I'll go crazy/If I don't go crazy tonight," it's the band's most unabashed pop tune since "Sweetest Thing."

"Unknown Caller"
This midtempo track could have fit on All That You Can't Leave Behind. "The idea is that the narrator is in an altered state, and his phone starts talking to him," says the Edge.

"Tripoli"
This strikingly experimental song lurches between disparate styles, including near-operatic choral music, Zooropa-style electronics, and churning arena rock.

"Cedars of Lebanon"
"On this album, you can feel what is going on in the world at the window, scratching at the windowpane," says Bono, who sings this atmospheric ballad from the point of view of a war correspondent.

"Magnificent"
"Only love can leave such a mark," Bono roars on what sounds like an instant U2 anthem. Will.i.am has already done what Bono calls "the most extraordinary" remix of the tune.

"Moment of Surrender"
This seven-minute-long track is one of the album's most ambitious, merging a Joshua Tree-style gospel feel with a hypnotically loping bass line and a syncopated beat.

"Every Breaking Wave"
A swelling soul-pop song, with bright synth sounds influenced by OMD and, Bono says, "early electronica." "You don't hear indie bands doing blue-eyed soul [like this]," he adds.

"No Line on the Horizon"
The title track's relentless groove began as a group improvisation. "It's very raw and very to the point," says the Edge. "It's like rock & roll 2009."

TV Review: This is Nightlive and Project Ha Ha Dead Cat Bounce

Another new season for RTE, more new "comedy" for us viewers. Last night's programming was a mixed affair. The first of the two new shows, This is Nightlife was the Irish take on The Day Today. It attempted to satirise Irish televesion news, but in order for a staire to work, it needs to be cutting edge. However, Nightlive/fe lacked real bite. It brought ne'er a chuckle, and a rare smile. The newscast stories came across as half-baked, and Johnny Hansom is a poor man's Chris Morris. The behind the scenes was no better, taking the easy options of taking the Mick out of Irish newscasters Grainne Seoige (which it must be pointed out has move on from news, so a swing and a miss there), Trevor Corcoran. A real opportunity was blown in their attempt to broadcast from inside a warzone. They should've had the Charlie Bird-type on a hotel balcony, because we all know that's what RTE pays for out there. Kind of like FAS in the US. The worst moment? The awful "Thank God for protestants" line. I'm not going to be juvenile, but you can think of some nice rhyming slang for the show yourself. It makes The English Class look like No Country for Old Men.



On the other hand, Project Ha-Ha's Dead Cat Bounce sketch show offered promise. While no real belly-laughs emerged, there were a few genuine smirks. The News 360 section was so much better than the entirety of This is Nightlife!, especially the snide comment about the wearing of make-up which may have been influenced by Father Ted. Similarly, Graham Linehan was also echoed in yet another Chris Morris-type (his character in the stellar IT Crowd, which the MD of the company involved in the well-known dead hooker incident. And even the Flight of the Conchords-esque song was well done. In fact, it was stuck in my head for the entire ad break. Take that Jacobs Biscuits!

Now, after typing this I see Jim Carroll has also done a similar review of This is Nightlife, except his is rather more positive. Opinion seems to be split on this one. Maybe Johnny Hansom and the rest can do another "exit poll", har-har!

Read Jim's review here:
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/ontherecord/2009/01/06/heres-johnny/

Also, a note to anyone from RTE who reads this: If you want someone to write you a better TV show, I'll gladly do it. I've a few ideas which would be better baked than these, just drop me a line. I'll be happy to help out!

Best of 2008: Update 7

Like LargeHeartedBoy's worldwide list, I intend to make a list of every Irish best of I see. Email me at swearimnotpaul@gmail.com or leave a comment if you want yours added!

2UIBestow Top 3 of Everything in 2008
Alan Whelan's Top 50 Albums
Egocentric Best Albums: Evil Bob, Rob, ctrl/alt/delete
Evening Herald/Herald AM's Top Irish Albums
Hardcore For Nerds' Best Albums 1-6 7-13
IndieLimerick's Top 10 Albums
Irish Times' The Ticket Best Albums & Gigs
Jim Carroll's Top 20 Albums
Metro's Best Irish Albums
MP3 Hugger's Top 42 Songs
Nialler 9's Readers' Top 20 Irish Albums
Nialler 9's Top 30 Albums
Nialler 9's Top 50 Songs
Red's Albums of the Year
RTE Guide's Top 8 from '08
State Magazine Top 25 Albums
Swear I'm Not Paul (this blog, click on a section:) 60-51 50-41 40-31 30-21 20-11 10-01
Thundercrack Playlist's top 30 Albums
UCD University Observer Top 3 Albums

Album News: Neal Casal - Roots and Wings

Until Ryan Adams/Cardinals release an album this year, Neal Casal's new solo venture Roots & Wings is the best we'll have. It's due later this month, but word on the wire is that it has leaked already...

tracklist:
01 - The Losing End Again
02 - Back To Haunt You
03 - Signals Fading
04 - Traveling Light
05 - Tomorrow s Sky
06 - So Far Astray
07 - Hereby The Sea
08 - The Cold And The Darkness
09 - A Year And A Day
10 - Cold Wave
11 - Turn For The Worse
12 - Superhighway
13 - Keep The Peace
14 - Don t Mind The Black Clouds
15 - Pray Me Home
16 - Chasing Her Ghost

Stream: 4 New Prince Tracks

From Billboard:
Prince is planning to release three new albums in 2009 without the assistance of a record label, according to an interview with the Los Angeles Times. A "major retailer" is in talks with the artist to release the music physically, while a new Prince Web site will sell it in digital form.

The two new Prince albums are the tentatively titled "MPLSOUND" and "Lotus Flower." He was also heavily involved in an album titled "Elixir" from his protege, Bria Valente. "We got sick of waiting for Sade to make a new album," he said of that project.

As for "MPLSOUND," recorded at Prince's Paisley Park compound in Minneapolis, the Times describes at "electro-flavored" and full of "trippy, experimental pop songs." Q-Tip guests on one track.

"Lotus Flower" is more guitar-driven, an approach Prince says he came to after touring as the guitarist in singer Tamar Davis' band in 2006. Tracks include "Dreamer," a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson & Clover," "Colonized Mind" and "Wall of Berlin."

Prince's last studio album, "Planet Earth," was first released as a free covermount with the U.K. newspaper the Mail on Sunday in July 2007. It was subsequently issued worldwide by Columbia Records.

You can listen to four of the songs from those records here:
http://www.imeem.com/urbmagazine/blogs/2008/12/19/cOfFv_-1/4_new_prince_tunes