An Attempt At A Return...

It's been two plus months since I've posted here. Write it off to life, family, the usual time-consumers (in a good way). The young one is mobile and another is on the way (making the wife temporarily less mobile). So, if you would, sit back and allow me to catch you up on what's been flowing in and out of my ears recently. It's been a good musical year thus far and even though it's not a logical time to do this, I'm rolling out my unrequested "best so far" list for 2008.

1 - Los Campesinos: "Hold On Now, Youngster" (Myspace). This album consumed me during my February winter work tour of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and upstate New York. I could write pages (honestly). This is the #1 "left me looking like a 14-year old girl struck with Beatlemania at SXSW" band/album this year. Lyrical genius meets catchy indiepop. "It's not what you like, it's what you're like as a person...". MP3: "Knee Deep at A.T.P." / "And We Exhale And Roll Our Eyes In Unison". Video: "My Year In Lists".

2 - Mystery Jets: "21". Gnarled 80s pop, upmixed jangly guitar strums, eccentricity in spades. This is quirky pop to say the least and it works for me. "Even 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' don't ease the pain". MP3: "Veiled In Grey" / "21". Videos: "Young Love" / "Two Doors Down (as 80s as it comes)".

3 - The Wombats: "A Guide To Loss, Love, & Desperation". A bit of a disappointment only in the sense that the earlier Japanese release had demo versions of most of these songs and I wanted a load of new tunes. That aside, this is a pop classic for the ages. If you don't dig it, you're boring. MP3: "Here Comes The Anxiety". Videos: "Let's Dance To Joy Division" / "Moving To New York" / "Backfire At The Disco" / "Kill The Director".

4 - Frightened Rabbit: "The Midnight Organ Fight". I remember when Pedro The Lion could make me wait on every note. No more. Now it's Frightened Rabbit. This stuff is gorgeous. MP3: "Floating In The Froth". Videos: "Heads Roll Off".

5 - Tokyo Police Club: "Elephant Shell". A frequent play around these parts, Tokyo Police Club finally deliver a full album and I dig it. It's mellower than expected but worthy nonetheless. MP3: "Juno". Videos: "Tessellate".

6 - Pete And The Pirates: "Little Death". Our cover stars above, pulling in the final slot here. Catchy and smart pop here with great guitar hooks. MP3: "Mr. Understanding" / "Bright Lights". Videos: "She Doesn't Belong To Me" / "Knots" / "Mr. Understanding".



To close things out here, a few more of the tunes that have kept my ears occupied over the past two months:

Johnny Foreigner - "DJs Get Doubts". From the soon to be released "Waited Up Til It Was Light" debut album. Here is the video for new single "Eyes Wide Terrified".

The Rosie Taylor Project - "Sun". Also check out the video for "Black And White Films".

Duffy - "Mercy (video)". You've heard this a thousand times already and I can't say I love this song (it's kinda cool), but this video is legit. Northern Soul steps, spins, kicks, and drops galore. Makes me definitely crave the talcumed dancefloor yet again.

Slow Club (legs pictured above) - "When I Go". If you were smart last time around, you picked up on this clue. Now pick up on the mp3. This song should be on every good soundtrack ever.

Glasvegas - Here's the video for the revamped "Geraldine". Bottom line, I dig the song (in spite of that "I'm your Social Worker" line). I love the drum sound, I love the chuggin' bass, I love Rab's searing guitar riff, I love the vocal line. But... oddly enough, this sounds like a classic shoegazer anthem to me; perhaps not the greatest "first single" from the forthcoming album. I don't know. I love the kids all the same and am dying to finally hear the 'debut album'.