Albums of 2009 - Part II

Without further ado, here is 18-11 of the all important 'Albums of 2009' list:


18. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz (Polydor)

I’ve always been somewhat ambivalent towards Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ music; the screeching guitars, non-stop energy and Karen O’s yelping have never resonated with me, save for a few songs. “It’s Blitz” marked quite a shift in their sound, and gave a perfect example of how change in today’s fickle industry can be successful. The untamed nature of the YYY’s was harnessed and cultivated into creating exciting and still unpredictable music.

17. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers (Domino)

Hindsight is a funny thing; it enables to view an album in a different light, or even make you wonder why you liked it in the first place. “Two Dancers” fits into the former category in this case. Upon its release in August, I seemed to be the only person stunned at the band’s change of style – critics lavished it with praise, yet I was left clutching my copy of “Limbo, Panto” wondering where their exuberance and flamboyance had gone. More than anything, it felt like it was an album too early. It is only recently that it’s clicked, and “Two Dancers” is clearly the album they needed to make, as little progression could have soon placed their career in the novelty bin. Most pleasing of all, Hayden Thorpe’s powering falsetto has shown no signs of abating, nor has it emerged as a hindrance in achieving success outside the indie stratosphere. More of this and Wild Beasts will soon have more than a cult following.

16. 2562 – Unbalance (Tectonic)

Of the many strains of Dubstep that have emerged recently, and as fast as its rising popularity, the techno-infused movement has proved to be the most exciting and pioneering. Along with Peverelist, Appleblim and Ramadaman, 2562 is leading the way. His debut “Aerial” was 51 minutes of frustrated, encapsulated beats that had just as much in common with minimal techno and dub. “Unbalance” follows this tried and tested formula, but this time Dave Huismans expands his world and makes an ultimately more accessible record. Skittering drums, staccato synths and rumbling sub bass are the order of the day here, and the minimal aspect of “Aerial” is generally lost, with the gaps generously filled. Solid, consistent stuff.

15. Architeq – Gold + Green (Tirk)

Hanging on the fringes of hip hop, soul, broken beat and so called “wonky”, “Gold + Green” is a great example of the amazing music available in abundance by the likes of Hudon Mohawke, Ras G, Samiyam, Dorian Concept etc. Buzzing 80s synths, sharp drums and sci-fi beats make this record so unique, yet it still retains that head-nodding hip hop formula that keeps a congenial aspect to this record.

14. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II (ICE H2O)

Not much has changed in Raekwon’s world; he’s still slinging the same old drug raps with his pal Ghostface Killah, along with the whole Wu Tang crew. The difference now, however, is that for the first time in 14 years he’s hungry again, and has considerably upped his game for the sequel to his classic LP “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx”. With stellar guest spots from Method Man, GZA et al, and a who’s who of producers providing the beats, the powerful one-two of Raekwon and Ghostface is revived, with similarly enthralling consequences. Despite the lack of RZA and some filler, this is a must have for any nostalgic hip-hop fan.

13. Deerhunter – Rainwater Cassette Exchange (4AD)

Prolific yet never lacking in quality, Bradford Cox’s alt-rock troupe never fail to being the goods, and “Rainwater Cassette Exchange” continues the underlying pop theme that last year’s “Microcastle” adopted. The noise and experimentalism of yesteryear is gone, but Cox’s introspective lyrics remain, as does his ability to create a never-ending plethora of accomplished songs.

12. Matias Aguayo – Ay Ay Ay (Kompakt)

If there is one genre that likes sticking firmly to the rules, it’s minimal techno. But as always, there is a maverick among the minions, and in this case Matias Aguayo fits the bill. A year since the scene mocking single “Minimal”, Aguayo has crafted a truly unique and forward-thinking record. “Ay Ay Ay” loosely follows the blueprint of techno, but twists it on its head by using his multi-tracked voice as the main instrument, with very little electronic help in the process. Drawing on latin and South American influences, the album follows a simple but entirely absorbing formula that is little more than beats, hummed basslines and chants. If there was ever an argument that dance music is alive and kicking, this is it.

11. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (V2)

This was the album when Phoenix were finally lavished with the praise and attention they so richly deserve, albeit by only a slightly wider audience. The spoon-fed public still remain largely oblivious to them, which confuses me to no end considering the accessibility, warmth and brilliant song writing of “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”. Never dull or saccharine, just 10 entertaining pop songs.

The Wire - Why you should watch it....

Last week marked the end of era for me TV-wise, for I finished watching possibly the greatest programme I've ever seen: The Wire.

For the uninitiated, The Wire is a drama set in Baltimore, an American city ridden with crime, drugs and corruption. The focus is primarily on the police department, Western District to be exact, although this is far from an average cop drama. In fact, calling it a cop drama is largely inaccurate, as much screen time is devoted to the other various faculties of Baltimore, including the streets, government, docks, school system, and media. A social portrait of a broken city and its inner-workings.

What sets this TV show apart from CSI, NCIS, Law & Order etc is its intricate detail; the usual one-plot-an-episode format is discarded, and instead each story is seamlessly woven across an entire season, a style more akin to a novel than TV series. With as many characters that The Wire has across its five seasons, you would expect some to be lost in the melee, but i honestly cannot think of another show that has as many dense, interesting characters, particularly Bubbles, a homeless heroin addict who has the most heart-warming story of all, and is probably my favourite TV character ever.

Other notable mentions include rogue cop McNulty, cold blooded killers Chris and Snoop, unscrupulous senator Clay Davis, stick-up artist Omar, drug dealer Bodie and young car jacker Donut.

It is a true testament to the writers that they can manage to make the most amoral citizens seem as normal as the next guy. There is little discerning differences between the cops and the criminals who they chase. Neither is there a hint of sentimentality or cheesy death scenes, everything is produced and delivered so realistically that it is almost like a documentary. Saying that, many of the stories depicted in The Wire are in fact based on real-life people, none of which I will spoil for anyone yet to watch this (I say this yet I doubt anyone reads this....).

Despite this, The Wire isn't a show for casual watching, and demands a fair share of patience and perseverance to get to grips with the slang, amount of characters and the various inter-woven plots. Nothing is explained and no compromises are made for the viewer. But I cannot recommend this highly enough, and am genuinely sad that I'll never see a new episode of The Wire again. Here's one of my favourite scenes:

I thought I'd add a bit of music to this post, seeing this is supposed to be a music blog (before it was hijacked by me bleating about The Wire). Heres some cool tunes I'm liking at the moment:

Brand new Four Tet, which will be included on his new LP coming next January. Even better than his split 12" with Burial from earlier this year.

Smooth, rolling dubstep from Von D, included on the delayed Steppas Delight Vol. 2 compilation.

Not strictly new, but good nonetheless, easily one of the biggest dubstep songs this year.

Taken from one my favourite albums of the year, 5 Years Of Hyperdub, this is easily one the standout tracks from this compilation, and only provides further evidence that Joker's album is going to be incredible.

Man of the moment Matias Aguayo has just released 'Ay Ay Ay', apparently a great album, but I am currently too poor to buy it. All I know is that this song will be HUGE, and I live in fear of its ridiculously catchy refrain being butchered by a car advert or something.