Review: Top Albums Of 2009 (II)

The moment all music lovers have been waiting for, part 2 of the NME-Europe top albums of 2009. There were some class acts among positions 11-20 (click here if you haven't read part 1 yet), but the real cream of the crop is here. As promised, a couple of surprises along the way. Enjoy!


10. Camera Obscura - 'My Maudlin Career'
Camera Obscura have certainly managed to make themselves heard this time without compromising the style which has seen them reach cult status in many countries. Read full review.






9. Muse - 'The Resistance'
From the very start of Muse's much-anticipated fifth studio album 'The Resistance' you are aware that this is quite simply the complete aural experience, which confirms their status as top dogs on Planet Rock. Read full review.






8. Manic Street Preachers - 'Journal For Plague Lovers'
Whilst there are undoubtedly similarities between this 'Journal' and the original 'Holy Bible' - starting with the cover art provided by Jenny Saville -,this is not just another attempt at an earlier winner. Read full review.





7. Placebo - 'Battle For The Sun'
Less glam, less goth, more rock and a blinding album is the result. Hats off to Molko and Co for yet another cracker.






6. Morrissey - 'Years Of Refusal'
If, as he declares, he really has only five years left, we must treasure every offering until D-day arrives and there's no better way to start your personal homage than by getting your hands on a copy of 'Years Of Refusal'. Read full review





5. The Cribs - 'Ignore The Ignorant'
It is clear that Mr. Marr has been instrumental - in all senses of the word - in the development of their sound. Read full review.






4. Overspill Poets - 'Thompson Falls'
It has it all. You want musical poetry? Try 'The Neon Lights Are Beautiful'. Something a little more powerful? How about 'Independence Day' and 'Northern Star'? Meanwhile, 'Boxing Gloves' or 'Summer' keep all nostalgics satisfied. Read full review


And so, the podium awaits...

3. Second - 'Fracciones De Un Segundo'
Everything about Second is very 'Brit'; the look, the sound, the voice and in the previous three albums they even sang in English most of the time! This is the first totally Spanish album, but what doesn't change is the sublime combination of catchy pop songs and heart-searching ballads. The added expertise of producer Carlos Jean means this is Second's most complete album to date. Read full review.







2. The xx - 'XX'
From the moment 'Intro' springs to life, The xx's sound, quite frankly, captivates the listener. The more you hear, the deeper you are drawn into their lair and once you're in there, forget about escaping. Read full review.







1. The Temper Trap - 'Conditions'
Dougal Mandagi's falsetto vocals are angelic, the melodies are exquisite and there's not much else to add - 'Conditions' speaks for itself. Read full review.





So, congratulations to the chosen few. In particular, my hat goes off to two bands; first of all Overspill Poets. By their own definition they are "the poor cousin" 0f the Top 10. One thing I will say is that if your immediate reaction to position Nº 4 was "Overspill Who?", then you should go straight to ReverbNation.com and check out the tracks from 'Thompson Falls'. Secondly, if you'll pardon the pun, I think the fact that Murcian boys, Second, have made it into an international Top 10 is quite a feat for a Spanish band. However, making the top 3 is no less than they deserve after a career spanning 12 years and 4 albums (and at the moment it's difficult to find a rival for them on the Spanish indie scene). 'Fracciones De Un Segundo' is quite simply a fantastic album - had it been released by a British band I'm sure the other NME would have raved (and this time with good reason). Still, you the learned reader know that the most reliable music opinion is here on the alternative NME (the continental one), so why not take my word fot it and can see what Second are all about by clicking here.

Lists are subjective and this one will hopefully stimulate some debate or, at least, make you check out a couple of bands you previously had no idea about. NME-Europe is proud of it (in fact, it's getting into the list idea, so the Top Tracks and Top Albums of the 00s lists are in the pipeline!), it's up to you to approve or not.

Review: Top Albums Of 2009 (I)

It's that time of the year again, so while you're still digesting your turkey NME-Europe starts its musical round-up of 2009. You might have already had a glance at the 'real' NME's market-driven Top 50 (click here if you haven't), but NME-E feels this is a really independent (albeit totally subjective) review of what's rocked over the past 12 months.

Having featured around 50 albums in some depth, I found it difficult to whittle the contenders down to a Top 10, so this year will see a Top 20 review. Here's part one, positions 20-11.

20. Metric - 'Fantasies'

Eclectic third release from this US/Canadian quartet. Hard not to find something you like on this electro-pop cavalcade.






19. Windmill - 'Epcot Starfields'
A late entry to this year's list. A wonderful and wistful album with more than a hint of Mercury Rev.






18. Kasabian - 'West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum'
A little weak at times compared to previous releases but there are some raunchy vibes on here which make it a good listen overall.





17. Rinôçérôse - 'Futurino'
More funky French electro-pop, guaranteed to get your feet tapping.







16. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - 'The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart'
Quality indie-pop from NYC. An unexpected, yet much appreciated discovery.





15. The Prodigy - 'Invaders Must Die'
The hairline may be receding, but the attitude is still there. The Prodigy have sent out a warning to all invaders... It's their fat, their land and they're living off it. Read full review.





14. The Maccabees - 'Wall Of Arms'
When a debut album is as good as The Maccabees' 'Colour It In' - possibly the best album of 2007 in the eyes of NME-E - then the release of a follow up must be a daunting task. Read full review.





13. Cooper - 'Aeropuerto'
There are few surprises on 'Aeropuerto', lyrically sound and incisive backed by a tight Power Pop sound with apparent influences as wide-ranging as The Kinks, Paul Weller or Teenage Fanclub, which means there's generally something for everyone. Read full review.




12. The Rifles - 'The Great Escape'
With 'The Great Escape', The Rifles have stuck to the winning formula and who can really blame them when they keep churning out quality tunes. Read full review.





11. Bombay Bicycle Club - 'I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose'
The North London four-piece boast an intriguing combination of wicked riffs, majestic melodies and vicious vocals which result in an 12 track album which will rank among the best 2009 has to offer. Read full review.



So, there you go, Part 1 complete. Who'll be in the most prestigious Top 10 on cyberspace? Time will tell, but there a certain to be a few surprises in store...

Myspace Magic: Christopher Young

"It took a tatooed girl from Birkenhead to really, really open my eyes." Well, actually no, it didn't but Moz's line sprung to mind before getting in touch with the final Myspace Magic artist of 2009 and the comparisons have only just begun; Christopher Young is a complex piece of work but there is certainly a heap of quality in this man's soul. Here's what NME-E found out:

NME-E: Who are you and how did you come about?
CY: My name is Christopher Young, I decided to start playing out of necessity rather than choice. I picked up a guitar several years ago initially with the end aim of getting it to sound like a guitar. I'm self taught and prefer to play according to feel, rather than to delve through vast textbooks deciphering the names of chords and which ones are supposed to be friends with others, etc. This is possibly down to my laziness and generally perversity but for the main part it gets me by.

My humble beginnings have blossomed into something much more indulgent over time, and my aim now is to produce something important, that isn't derivative, self-pitying or trite and to try and shrug off the ugly stigma that unfortunately gets attached to the idea of a singer-songwriter.

NME-E: Can you describe your sound?
CY: I try my very 'bestest' to sound just like myself, but it isn't always easy. I suppose if I had to categorise then Indie/Folk would be the most accurate description. I'd say it starts at Dylan and carries right through to The Smiths, grabbing on to Joy Division, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Bright Eyes, Fionn Regan and Elliott Smith along the way. In addition, many poets and writers have been a big influence such as Simon Armitage, Charles Bukowski and Jack Kerouac.

Genres aside, what is very clear is that Christoper Young possesses a fantastic voice, one of those 'you're-haunting-me-and-I-can't-do-anything-about-it' types. Sheer bliss.

NME-E: What are your releases to date?
CY: A 10 track album called 'The Painter'.

At present there are nine tracks available to listen to on Chris' myspace page. In the main, they are delicate pieces of his self-defined 'indie folk' sound and are well worth a listen. He's also kindly given NME-Europe permission to play tracks here, so there are two at the end of the article to give readers an insight.

NME-E: If you could choose a band/artist to support you, who would it be and why?
CY: Morrissey, you just have to listen to those great Smiths albums and (a couple!) of the solo efforts. He understands what being an artist is. And can still (albeit, not quite so often) write those lines that stop you in your tracks, oh that's when he's not too busy telling us how awful it is being Morrissey!

Awful as it might be to be Morrissey, he still IS Morrissey.

NME-E: What's your favourite album at the moment?
CY: Cass McCoombs; Dropping The Writ.

NME-E: Tell us about your objectives/prospects for next 12 months?
CY: To hopefully be picked up by a label, to release my album both online and in a few independent stores, to play some great venues that suit ME and to pickup fans sincerely interested in what I'm doing, to get more airplay and just to have some recognition from industry types and the like who can appreciate the work and singular vision I'm trying to get at.

Also I'd love to get my music into film and TV however independent and obscure it may be (I'm currently working with a local filmaker). Most of all though my aim is for my album to be received well.

I don't want much!

Well, you might as well ask!

NME-E: Any last requests?
CY: Visit my page for the release of my album 'The Painter' and drop by for a chat. www.myspace.com/christopherdebt

It can't do you any harm. NME-E has been there on a number of occasions already and seriously suggests you do the same. Meanwhile, have a listen to some of his work...

Last 5 NME-E interviews:
The Harlettes (Liverpool, UK)
Four Dead In Ohio (Shoreditch, UK)
The Temps (Liverpool, UK)
The 48Ks (Doncaster, UK)
The Jacs (Liverpool, UK)

Read all NME-E interviews

NME-Europe Live: SOS 4.8 Festival 2010

Following the sellout success of the 2009 edition, the 2010 SOS 4.8 festival has surprised everyone by announcing advance ticket sales before Christmas. 500 tickets have been put on the market at the "giveaway" price of just 30€ (plus costs) and this is before any artists have actually been confirmed!

After a mere two years, the festival has already gained a reputation in Spain for putting together a quality line up, with last year featuring the likes of The Prodigy, Underworld, Babyshambles or The Wombats (oh yeah, and Duffy, but we won't go into that..) and promises to go one better this year.

So far the official site is just playing silly beggars again, offering some riddles before the first acts are officially confirmed. You can play along if you like the torture or, alternatively, wait until the 18 December when rumour has it a formal announcement will be made. You can also follow developments on their facebook page.

What is clear though is that the future looks bright for this event and even a suspected 50€ price tag for those waiting to see what they'll be getting for their money over the May bank holiday weekend is pretty good value for money. NME-E will keep you posted.

Will SOS 4.8 2010 surpass the 2009 edition?

Myspace Magic: The Harlettes

While the Battle Of Bands brews nicely, NME-Europe returns with another myspace magic feature. Liverpool is once again the hunting ground for this week's feature and the band is called The Harlettes. Here's what we discovered about this five-piece.

NME-E: Who are you and how did you come about?
TH: We are The Harlettes and our members are Nathaniel Cummings, George Barclay, Thomas Dixon, Matthew Lancaster and Jonny Alderton. Natt sings, Tom and I play guitar, Matty plays bass and Jonny drums. We started in the late summer of 2008 after Natt and I tried to start a new band following the sudden demise of our former project, Hitler Can't Dance. Tom came to band once to cover me when I was away and ended up staying in the band so it worked out pretty well.

NME-E: Is there a reason behind your name?
TH: Not that I know of, you'd better ask Jonny that. I think it was more the fact we liked the sound of it to be honest.

Erm, logical-ish. A case of "right lads, what shall we call ourselves? The Harlettes? Done. Hmmm...

NME-E: The dreaded question. Dare you describe your sound?
TH: Well er, we have been likened to an ‘epic mash up of Kasabian and Kings of Leon’ and I’ve seen them both live and er, I’m forced to agree with that! Nah, it’s somewhere between rock and indie with a kind of pop influence I guess, Lady Gaga? Yeah, a bit like her.

Some heavyweight names in there. As per usual, I prefer the punter to make his/her own mind up. There are two tracks available to listen to on The Harlettes' myspace profile, suffice to give you a feel of what this lot are on about.

NME-E: What are your releases to date?
TH: We’d love to release something but we have about 20 quid to our name, which erm, a certain member of the band, decided to spend, so we’ve got no releases so far. We wouldn’t mind doing an E.P. soon though.

Ah, if only they'd entered the Battle Of Bands and had a chance at the prize money... (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, click, click...)

NME-E: If you could choose a band/artist to support you, who would it be?
TH: I’d probably choose Joy Division but that’s not really possible I guess, they might be a bit depressing too. Couldn’t go wrong with The Strokes though.

Joy Division is most definitely out of the question. As for The Strokes, they're probably too exclusive again now they've topped the NME (the other one!) Album of the Decade chart. For now it seems we'll have to settle for The Harlettes alone and anyone in Liverpool has the perfect opportunity to check them out this Friday (11th December) at The Masque (7pm, 5 quid).

NME-E: What's your favourite album at the moment?
TH: Not really sure, I go through phases. I’m a phase person. Julian Casablancas’ album is quality but music’s pretty terrible at the moment so there’s nothing that good out.

Hmmm, not so sure about that. Even during these crisis-stricken times, there's still a handful of albums worthwhile (more of that soon).

NME-E: Finally, could you tell us about your objectives/prospects for next 12 months?
TH: Ideally, we'd get signed, but the reality of that’s pretty slim. We like gigging though so we want to gig outside of Liverpool, get down to London for a bit and then record an E.P. That’ll suit us fine.

Well, that doesn't seem too far-fetched. Before they had south to make a name for themselves (and who's to argue they won't) check them out and show them your support.


NME-Europe would like to thank George and the rest of The Harlettes for sitting through the interrogation and wishes them all the best for 2010.

Last 5 NME-E interviews:
Four Dead In Ohio (Shoreditch, UK)
The Temps (Liverpool, UK)
The 48Ks (Doncaster, UK)
The Jacs (Liverpool, UK)
Cybiont (New Zealand)

Read all NME-E interviews

Album Review: November's Top Of The Pops

A quiet month, as the 'Greatest Hits' syndrome attacks most high street stores. Here's the run-down on the best November had to offer:

Editors: 'In This Light And On This Evening' (rating 6/10)
Two steps forward, one pace back? That remains to be seen, but for now if NME-E fancies some Editors it'll be coming from albums one and two rather than this. Read more.

The xx: 'XX' (rating 9/10)
From the moment 'Intro' springs to life, The xx's sound, quite frankly, captivates the listener. The more you hear, the deeper you are drawn into their lair and once you're in there, forget about escaping.  Read more.






Read October's summary.

I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands: The Bands

OK, so you've already seen the names of the participants in the I NME-Europe Battle of Bands, but maybe you need to know a little more about each act and, more importantly, listen to their material. There are 6 contestants from pretty much the 4 corners of the globe.

Here's a plan. Let NME-E give you the run down on each one, have a listen to their tracks (there are two for each band on each individual player) and then start thinking about who'll get your vote when polling starts. (Artists are listed in alphabetical order).


A Number Of Fires (Liverpool, UK)
Year Formed: 2009
Genre: Hard Rock
Releases: None to date
Website: www.myspace.com/anumberoffiresuk

Cybiont (Auckland, New Zealand)
Year Formed: 2008
Genre: Alternative, Experimental, Soul Cabaret
Releases: 'A Trilogy Of Random Thoughts And Considerations' (2009)
Website: www.myspace.com/cybiont

Inner Voices (Bolton, UK)
Year Formed: 2006
Genre: Progressive Rock, New Wave
Releases: 'Surveillance State EP'
Website: www.myspace.com/adambrierley

The Little Hydes (Liverpool, UK)
Year Formed: 2008
Genre: Alternative Pop
Releases: None to date
Website: www.myspace.com/thelittlehydes

Overspill Poets (Cumbria, UK)
Year Formed: 2008
Genre: Indie, Americana, Rock
Releases: 'Thompson Falls' (2009)
Website: www.myspace.com/overspillpoets

P.A. Meirelles (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Genre: Brazilian rock
Releases: 'Pedro Ariel Meirelles' (2008)
Website: www.myspace.com/pameirelles

I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands: Start Your Engines

Much to its delight, NME-E is able to announce there are six (with a seventh possibly getting in at the last minute) entries in the I NME-Europe Battle Of Bands contest.

Participants
The following bands/artists have decided to take the plunge:


A Number Of Fires (Liverpool, UK)





Cybiont (Auckland, New Zealand)







Inner Voices (Bolton, UK)






The Little Hydes (Liverpool, UK)








Overspill Poets (Cumbria, UK)






P.A. Meirelles (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)




What happens next then? Well, as you can see by the geographical diversity of the acts a live event is pretty much out of the question (unless EasyJet can sort out a few Airbuses to Rio!) so the contest will be online. A profile for each band/artist will appear over the next few days, complete with some essential information, links to their websites and a couple of tracks for readers to get an idea of what they're all about.

Voting
In January, a poll will allow an online public vote which, combined with the assessment of our guest jury - Second and Pipers (see more below) - will result in a winner being selected.

NME-E would like to express its gratitude to all concerned for supporting this inaugural event. Please remember that the artists who are competing are unsigned and are looking for a little exposure. I'm sure readers will give them all the backing they deserve.

More to come, meanwhile a couple of videos from our jury to get you in the mood:

Second are from Murcia, Spain. Since winning the European leg of the 2004 Global Battle Of The Bands contest they have gone from strength to strength. Currently one of Spain's top indie acts, they released their critically acclaimed fourth album 'Fracciones De Un Segundo' in January 2009 and are currently in the thick of a sell-out national tour.




Naples-based Pipers are arguably the best thing to come out of Italy since Ennio Morricone. They too know how to win contests and appeared at the 2008 Mathew Street Festival after coming good in the Streetwaves competition. They have just released their debut album 'No One But Us'.