#6
LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver
I am not usually the electronic music fan, but this year there have been some cracking dance albums with this outing being the best of them. The second album from mega-producer James Murphy is a classic electronic album. Sound of Silver is a perfect mix of loop based band driven electro, funky samples and pounding bass. Each track has a cracking melody which really draws you in and takes you on an high octane ride of danceable rhythm’s.
North American Scum is one of the great modern dance tracks, taking scuzzy guitar and driving keys all loaded with superb vocals. More highlights come in the form of the huge looping melody of Us Vs Them the deep dirty bleep riddled Something Great and the piano led frenetic frolic that is All My Friends.
Dance music never sounded so great with LCD Soundsystem’s collection of fantastic adrenaline pumping energy fuelled anthems! Played live these tracks are transformed into rave anthems and should definitely be the electronic score of 2007.
#5
Frank Turner – Sleep Is For The Week
I will admit that I’m not the biggest folk fan in the world, true the odd outstanding lyricist will catch my attention, but on the whole great rock guitars and catchiness is where I lay my musical hat. This maybe why I’ve fallen for this anti-folk album from the ex-hardcore punk front man of Million Dead, Frank Turner. His honest lyrics all seem to hold a sensitive and translucent feel to them with stories of him starting out on the road The Ballad Of Me And My Friends, the aftermath and fallout after a party The Real Damage and being a punk rocker on the fast paced strummer Back In My Day.
More than anything else this is full of cracking upbeat pop songs. The backing musicians push this album to greater heights with the superbly melancholic violin driving the melody on one of the tracks of the year Fathers Day. His vocals are far from an x-factor winner, but that is surely the point! Their strength is in their swaying from driving rousing chorus’s of Once We Were Anarchists to the sweet charm of Romantic Fatigue.
Frank Turner has produced a fine album of simple acoustics’, layered instruments and compelling storytelling lyrics you just want to sit and follow the lyrics sheet to.
#4
Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
We Were Dead… Is the latest chapter In the already pretty long story of Modest Mouse and for me one of their finest. After hitting slight mainstream spotlights with Good News For People Who Love Bad News, the pressure was on to keep the band on top form.
By heck did they succed! Their brand of american indie pop has been spruced up with the addition of Ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr adding his axe slinging skills and a whole lot of publicity. Lead single Dashboard is as good a indie pop song there has been this year with understated tricky guitar melodies and layers of multi-intrumental genious. Florida is another contender for indie pop song of the year with floating guitars and subtle sonic soundscapes making for beautiful listening.
We Were Dead… retains the charm and quirky oddness of previous albums and is showcased on chillout track Fire It Up and strking stomper Education. The mellow on this album is amazing, how they make quiet rock so loud, is amazing. Still when they put their mind to producing great rock tracks again they come up trumps, exibit A We Got Everything.
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