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So i havent really posted in 15 days, but I was away for 7 of them! In Madrid! Which is amazing, as is the above 7 floor superclub Kapital...a bit of a catchup of what I missed back home below...

Jay-Z reveals official tracklisting; 2 Blueprint 3 songs leak
So a couple of weeks ago I was misisnformed that this would be the official tracklisting for the Blueprint 3. I was pretty grossly wrong. The album will have 15 tracks and is much less Kanye biased than I originally thought.
Kanye features on 2 tracks and produced 7.
Timbaland produced 3.
The Neptunes produced 1 (very good news).
No.ID produced 5.
Swizz Beatz produced 1 and features on it.
The Inkredibles and Al Shuz produced 1 track each.

Features will include the above, Drake, Kid cudi, Alicia Keys, Young Jeezy, Pharrell, Mr hudson, J Cole and luke Steele from Empire of the Sun! No MGMT or Nas though! Full tracklisting on wiki.
The Drake feature produced by timbaland has leaked and it is amazing. The beat is so good, Jay kills it. "Tell Rush Limbaugh to get off my balls, its 2010 not 1864". no Drake verse but hey maybe we'll see a collab on Drake's album. Listen here
A less good track Reminder has also leaked, also produced by Timbaland. Listen here
This album is going to be so gooooood.

Arctic Monkeys release Crying Lightning, get reviewed by Pitchfork
So I'm still undecided on Humbug. Sure its a good album, but doesn't grab me the way both of their first 2 did. I think Pitchfork's review captures my feelings pretty perfectly, read here. Crying Lightning also got released physically, with an exclusive vinyl being sold through Oxfam, pretty cool!! Here is one of the bsides, a Nick Cave cover, Red Right Hand.
Arctic Monkeys-Red Right Hand

The Very Best's Warm Heart of Africa leaks and its amazing
I'm not even on it for African music, not even when I spent 10 weeks there this year, but this album is really something. I think its the clear Western influence (provided by Radioclit) in tandem with the Malawian vocals and sound of Esau Mwamwaya that really make this what it is, a contender for album of the year. The title track feat. Ezra Koenig has long been available, and on Rain Dance M.I.A. shows she can spit on pretty much any type of beat and sound amazing. Below is Chalo which sounds like it samples the theme tune to "Fun House"!!!!
The Very Best-Chalo

Good Shoes return; thank me for naming this blog after one their songs
Well...not the second bit...but the Mordeners have returned with a song that sounds pretty similar to their debut, but thats by no means a bad thing. Listen on their myspace now. The band tour this autumn, they are great live, you should go see them!

The XX release the XX
The XX have been hyped like a bitch by the blogosphere over the last couple of months, but for once it turns out the hype should be believed. The XX is a really good, very lo-fi album. The band play Leeds/Reading this weekend before supporting Florence and the Machine this autumn.
The XX-VCR

Simian Mobile Disco release Temporary Pleasure
I got myself pretty hypd for this so I guess I'm pretty disappointed overall. its a decent album but quite a bit is filler; here is one of the highlights.
Simian Mobile Disco-1000 Horses Can't Be Wrong

Frank Turner's Poetry of the Deed leaks very early.
...and its pretty great...except (as with his first 2 albums) the quality does slide towards the end...(excluding TBOMAMF). Sons of Liberty is truely a piece of genius, as are Live Fast Die Old and Try this at Home. I'm not posting any tracks because I'm scared of his record label, so here is a hypem link, there a few newbies there

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The remainder of Septembers excitements below...

Indie/Alternative
September 7th
Jamie T-Kings and Queens
So Sticks and Stones was amazing, as was the rest of that EP, and as is the second single from kings and Queens, Chaka Demus. Jamie T is ready to explode back onto the scene, with his unique style of indie/ska/rock/rap, and I fully expect it to be an improvement on the already brilliant Panic Prevention. One of the UK's finest, no doubt. Tracklisting here
Sample Track: Jamie T-Chaka Demus
Excitedness Rating: 9/10

Frank Turner-Poetry of the Deed
Another highly talented British solo artist, but one of an entirely different nature. Frank Turner's lyrical genius comes from his ability to write songs to appeal to a 1000 different emotions; nostalgia, empathy, anger, frustration, humour and more. First single The Road is hardly a classic, but I expect alot more, and I'm positive he will deliver. Tracklisting here
Sample Track: Frank Turner-The Road (video)
Excitedness Rating: 9/10


Zero 7-Yeah Ghost
Zero 7 are set to take a more upbeat approach with their 4th album, after mastering ambient/chillout dance over the last decade. It's been 8 years since their debut Simple Things, and its continued influence is telling of how good that album is. Very interested to hear the new direction the band are taking.
Sample Track: Zero 7-Everything Up (Zizou)
Excitedness Rating: 7.5/10

The Cribs-Ignore the Ignorant
Completing a stellar day for releases, The Cribs drop their 4th album, and first with Johnny Marr. First couple of songs have been very divisive; some claim Johnny Marr improves a flailing band, others that he ruins them. Neither of the new songs have the energy of some of the band's old stuff and they have certainly lost some of their immense live reputation since becoming a four-piece. Could be genius, could be shit.
Sample Track: The Cribs-We Were Aborted
Excitedness rating: 7/10

September 14th
The Very Best-Warm Heart of Africa
Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit's project are set to release an album next month. The former is Malawian, and sings in Chichewa, the country's national language; the latter are a production duo who have remixed diplo, santigold, m.i.a. and more. Only a couple of songs have been made available, including Warm Heart of Africa (also the album title) featuring the irrepresable Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend. M.I.A. is also expected to feature on the album.
Sample Track: The Very Best-Warm heart of Africa feat. Ezra Koenig
Excitedness rating: 8/10


Muse-The Resistance
The Resistance was described as "A beautifully recorded, strong, sweeping, fighting, uplifting, rocking, lilting and inclusive record about love." by Zane Lowe, but for us mere mortals only Uprising (awesome) and United States of Eurasia (Queen?) have been released. It's 3 years now since Black Holes... 3 years in whcih the band have probably improved and developed even more. Tracklisting here. Glastonbury headliners next year?
Sample Track: deleted
Excitedness Rating: 8/10

The Big Pink-A Brief History of Love
Highly tipped at the start of 2009, and now heavily hyped by the NME, are very much post MGMT indie, as many new bands have been this year. The album is streaming on their website all this week, I have listened once and wasnt overly impressed.
Listen to the album here

September 21st
Monsters of Folk-Monsters of Folk
Folk supergroup comprising of Conor Oberst, Jim James, M.Ward and Mike Mogis reunite with a self titled debut album which has Bright Eyes fans quivering with excitement. The band are touring North America and Europe in the autumn.
Sample Track: deleted
Excitedness rating: 8/10


Basement Jaxx-Scars
The two songs i've heard from this, Raindrops and the Santigold featured Saga are amazing. I have always found them a mixed bag, making some amazing dance tunes (Red Alert, Romeo, Jump N Shout), but also some painfully cheesy ones (oh my gosh, do your thing). I have high hopes for their 5th album though; joining Santigold on
guest duty will be Lightspeed Champion, Yoko Ono (!) and Sam Sparro.
Sample Track: Basement Jaxx-Saga feat. Santigold
Excitedness Rating: 8/10

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So i pussied out and couldnt choose a no.1 but these are my top 10.





loads almost made it....

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London Heathrow Terminal 5 opens to mass protest, and large scale operational problems.
The best albums and gigs of March 2008

1. Frank Turner-Love, Ire & Song
These days, it's not often that an album grabs you from the first chord and you just and listen through every track, without doing anything else. Frank's perfect blend of folk/rock with his punk heart from his Million Dead days, combined with perfect tales of loneliness and epic social commentaries makes for something a bit special. Add some of the greatest lyrics ever and the most passionate delivery I've heard on record and the result is one of the greatest, heartfelt albums of all time.
This album is heartwrenching, shivers down your spine, makes you want to jump around and sing about how your not going to be the same as everyone else then fall over and cry about how your lonely. There is nothing wrong with it.
"Life is about love, last minutes and lost evening. About fire in our bellies and about furtive little feelings." All hail Frank Turner.
Sean is a guestwriter on this blog, check out his regular reviews and Frank Turner obsession at There's Affection To Rent
Best Track: I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous (no link-record companies wish)
Live cover of The Postal Service's District...
2. She &Him-Volume One
Very late edition to the list, so even more credit for getting to number 2 (ive only listened to this album about 3 times!). She & Him are made up of Zooey Deschanel (actor-elf, almost famous, hitchikers guide, the happening etc..), and M.Ward (musician-solo artist with 7 albums/contributor to the likes of Cat Power, Bright Eyes, Jenny Lewis and Beth Orton). She writes the lyrics, plays piano and sings, he plays the guitar and (i think) writes the music? This album is ridiculously sweet, she has a proper retro voice and alot of the album has that timeless mid century feel that Winehouse captured so well on "Love is a Losing Game". Lyrically it is simple, yet poignant and lovely, focusing on both the happy (you got me, i was made for you) and the sad (sentimental heart, take it back) parts of a relationship. I think the Pitchfork review of this album is very much spot on! although the score could have been more generous. and for all of her great songwriting, my favourtie is the smokey robinson cover!
Best track: She & Him-You Really Got a Hold on Me
Bonus: Live performance of that song!
Review:
Pitchfork (7.4/10)
Metacritic (76/100)

3. Estelle-Shine
The reinvention of Estelle is one of my favourite music stories of 2008, from the LDN rapper of 2004's 1980 who spoke of shared baths, dinner tables tippin 18 and Mel & Kim to the slick rapper come singer inviting production from Ronson. Will.i.am and swizz beatz and featuring Kanye, John Legend, Kardinal Offishall and Sean Paul, with admittedly more mainstream lyrics. Shine is a fantastic album, Estelle manages to retain her lyrical grit and (surprisingly awesome) flow in the frequent raps in the album (no substitute, wait a minute etc...) whilst bringing mainstream producers and more appealing singing to the table. So many top tunes on this; Will.I.Am's production is so sweet on Wait a Minute and American Boy, and Magnificent is Ronsons best in a long time. In a pop scene cluttered with artists constantly linked with Winehouse, Estelle is a refreshing change.
Best track: Estelle-Wait a Minute (Just a touch)
Bonus: video of come over (feat John Legend)-live
Reviews:
Pitchfork (6.8/10)
The Guardian (4/5)
4. We Are Scientists-Brain Thrust Mastery
the 4th best album of March seems an injustice for such a brilliant band, but this was not the album it could've been. Maybe I overhype WLAS, but this was a fair way off the WAS debut. Granted, this has some brilliant songs on (I could talk about Ghouls all day, After Hours, Chick Lit and Impatience are brilliant) but excepting those 4 it is hard to find a driving rhythm that matches album 1 (see Callbacks, the great escape etc) or lyrics as brilliant, self-evaluationary and often depressed as those found on Textbook and Can't Lose to name a few...I will never lose faith in this band though, they are fantastic live and I am very confident they can produce an album as good as WLAS again...
Best Song: We Are Scientists-Ghouls
Bonus: We Are Scientists-Chick Lit (Danger TV Remix Edit)
Reviews
Pitchfork (5.3/10)
5. Guillemots-Red
Another album that didn't live up to its predesecor. Much as i try to, I cant make myself love this album the way I love "Through the Windowpane". Criticisms: not enough craziness, not enough beautiful songs!!!, too much filler, not enough stripped down songs with fyfes amazing voice emphasised. Praises: falling out of reach (nuff said), the first four tracks in general are brilliant. I am sure they are still mental live, and with Fyfe's lyrical ability and musical creativity the band easily have it in them to make another TTWP.
Best Track: Guillemots-Falling out of reach
Bonus: Guillemots-A Day in the Life (Larrikin Love cover)
Reviews
Pitchork (5.8/10)
I was gonna post the NME one, but its possibly the worst piece of journalism I've ever read...I dont know what i expected tbh....

Honourable Mentions
Get Cape.Wear Cape. Fly-Searching For the Hows and Why's
Sam Duckworth has bucketloads (excuse the cliche) of potential, yet seems to only be able to priduce it in a 1/4 of his songs. The rest of the time it just seems like he cant be bothered, producing weak lyrics and weak songs. If he applied the talent he shows in the likes of 1st album classics Once More with Feeling (one of my fave songs ever) and The Chronicles..(Part One) and 2nd album (postcards from catalunya and moving forward) he will go far, but at the moment he is stalling.
Best track: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly-Postcards from Catalunya
Snoop Dogg-Ego' Trippin'
Only classed as Honourable beacuse its Snoop Dogg, this album is pretty much rubbish. Lyrically he has never exactly been Nas, but this album (his 9th now) is lacking the excitement and humour that his past efforts have. Sensual seduction is a big tune (the video is hilarious) and so is my pick off the album, Cool, but apart from that AVOID! Snoop Dogg is still an absolute legend though!!
Best track: Snoop Dogg-Cool
Bonus: Snoop Dogg-Sensual Seduction (Boyz Noize Remix)
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an abridged version of the huge review i had planned. top 5 artists of the weekend, as well as notable mentions, and "big misses"
TOP 5 OF THE WEEKEND (In no particular order)
1. Jay-Z (Pyramid Stage: Saturday)

Proved all his critics wrong, without the need for any special guests. Brilliant, there is a reason why he calls himself "God MC". If he's not the best rapper alive, he's very close. Annoyingly, the BBC online coverage cut off the opening video, but it can be watched here
They also cut off pretty much anything political from the set, which was pretty annoying.
here is wonderwall into 99 problems. immense

I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) feat. Pharrell-Jay-Z
2. Vampire Weekend (Other Stage: Friday, John Peel Stage: Saturday)

The best new band of the year, performed brilliantly both times, drawing a huge crowd on the Other Stage, and killing it on the John Peel. They are fantastic live, can't wait to see them at Leeds Fest and hopefully a UK Tour this autumn!! special band.


M79-Vampire Weekend
Walcott (Insane Mix)-Vampire Weekend
3. Laura Marling (Park Stage: Sunday)
Another of the best up and coming artists this year. She has one of the best voices in music, and amazingly she got every note spot on live. The lack of "Tap at My Window" and "New Romantic" were inconsequential, as she showed just how talented she is. I am hopeful for a new UK tour this autumn with a Sheffield date!
Go Go Gadget Flow-Lupe Fiasco
Other mentions:
Frank Turner-no song link
Molly's Chambers-Kings of Leon
Paris-Friendly Fires (great live, great new band)
Take Me Out-Franz Ferdinand
Creator-Santogold
Seasick Steve
Manu Chao
Tears Dry on Their Own-Amy Winehouse (started amazingly, ended horribly)
Leonard Cohen
Kids-MGMT (underwhelming, except this and Time to Pretend, both were amazing)
John Mayer
Neville Staple
Tapped feat. JME-Skream
Black and Gold-Sam Sparro
Big Misses
Wish I could have seen these
Fatboy Slim
A-Trak
Kid Sister
The Last Shadow Puppets (secret)
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a few good ones have been added to the leeds festival lineup, so i did a mixtape of the newly announced bands i like! i left out a few that i need to have a bit more of a listen to (blood red shoes, yeasayer, santogold, adam green etc). enjoy.
CSS-Lets Make Love and Listen Death From Above
Digitalism-Pogo
Simian Mobile Disco-I Believe
Frank Turner-Photosynthesis
Jack Penate-Spit at Stars
Lightspeed Champion-Galaxy of the Lost
Cajun Dance Party-No Joanna

the Frank Turner link has been removed, on request of Xtra Mile Recordings (see comments). Once again, this blog is intended to give people a sample of an artists music, no album links will be posted. if you like something, buy it!
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