New Video - Hot Chip - I Feel Better

The new video by Hot Chip is here, and it's directed by the genuis that is Peter Serafinowicz. Like all the best videos (John & Edward) it's both funny and a bit scary. Enjoy...

Hot Chip - I Feel Better

Hot Chip | MySpace Music Videos

Looking To Size Up Your Crowds? Simples!

You know the feeling.  You desperately want to catch a casual ten minutes furtively glancing at images of young,  men grappling and grasping, seizing and squeezing, sweltering and sweat-drenched.  While some sites may offer you a handful from the same venue there has, up until now, been nowhere for the moshpit enthusiast to, to borrow an annoying lyric, "go compare".

Now, thanks to Gigjunkie.net, you can compare moshpits at any time of the day or night - yes Mr Henderson, not just on your Friday night off!  Simply head over to the excellent comparethemoshpit.com and start rating now.

How To Get Ahead In The Music Industry - A&R Edition

Is this what the inner-sanctum of the music industry is really like? Yes and no.

Brilliant slice of juvenile pisstaking here from Louis Gaston of The Streetlife DJs - check the comments section below for a few comments from popular DJs.

But just remember - it's on spec, yeah? And if you get offended there's probably something wrong with the way you do 'business'...

BBC Name Top 5 Ones to Watch in 2010

The BBC Sound of 20xx poll has been runniung since 2003 and has successfully predicted some of the biggest names in pop over the coming twelve months on many occasions.  Of course, this mere association and pre-release hype does wonders for a fledgling act, but none can deny that there is the raw talent to back up these claims for the most part.  Well, I guess we won't mention The Bravery or Sadie Ama...

This year's poll result is in, collating the views of over one hundred critics and broadcasters (i.e. the best of whatever was on their desk in December) and the top five looks like this.

1. Ellie Goulding
2. Marina and the Diamonds
3. Delphic
4. Hurts
5. The Drums

So, these are the artists to hit the blogs for now - ensuring your iPod is the one most lauded in February and most criticised come November.

Interestingly the BBC describe winner Ellie Goulding's sound as as "If Kate Bush, Bjork and Stevie Nicks shared a flat in trendy Shoreditch in 2010, this noise would emerge."

Three middle-aged women living in a flat in Shoreditch? Sounds more like a modern, musical pitch on the Golden Girls - now if they can just convince Duffy to join them I think the BBC might have a true winner here.

Serena-Maneesh Return With New Sound

Norweigian psychedelic rock stars Serena-Maneesh have been incredibly quiet since their self-titled debut hit these shores in 2006 backed up with what was, for me anyway, a memorable performance at that year's Reading Festival.  Now they return holding an album five years in the making (and recorded in a cave of all places) with what sounds like a surprisingly new electronic, almost jazz-like sound.  Imagine Muse with no major label obligations, a little more imagination and a total disregard for radio play and you might just be there...

'S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor' is released through their new label, the legendary 4AD, on March 22nd and features eight new tracks including the rather wonderful 'Ayisha Abyss' which the label are offering up as a taster (they're very good like that).

Serena-Maneesh - 'S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor'
1. 'Ayisha Abyss'
2. 'I Just Want to See Your Face'
3. 'Reprobate!'
4. 'Melody for Jaana'
5. 'Blow Yr Brains in the Mourning Rain'
6. 'Honeyjinx'
7. 'D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D.'
8. 'Magdalena (Symphony #8)'

Link: Serena-Maneesh Profile at Culturedeluxe

XFM Listeners Name 'Songs of the Decade'

Listeners to the allegedly alternative radio station XFM have named their Top 10 songs of the decade with the end result one in the eye for the likes of me who criticise radio playlists for blandly replaying the same hits back to back and those who clamour for a rest from groups made up of four or five white blokes.  It seems the listeners love this shit, so good luck to them.

XFM Listeners Top 10 Songs of the Noughties
1. The Killers - 'Mr Brightside' (2004)
2. Arctic Monkeys - 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' (2005)
3. Kings of Leon - 'Sex on Fire' (2008)
4. Muse - 'Knights of Cydonia' (2006)
5. Elbow - 'One Day Like This' (2008)
6. The White Stripes - '7 Nation Army' (2003)
7. Ian Brown - 'F.E.A.R.' (2001)
8. The Strokes - 'Last Nite' (2001)
9. The Killers - 'Somebody Told Me' (2004 / 2005)
10. MGMT - 'Kids' (2008)

Culturedeluxe's Top 50 Albums of 2009

2009 may have seen X-Factor and its derivatives crowned by the musically-impaired and cash-greedy alike as "the nation's favourite" but, for those of us who scratched the surface (or in some cases dug deep), there were as rich a pickings as any year previously.  To this end, eleven of our finest scribes put their collective heads together some weeks ago and delivered our definitive Top 50 albums of the year.  If you've yet to hear any of them then get yourself to your favourite record shop / download outlet now and listen with confidence.

1. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - 'The Pains of Being Pure at Heart' (Fortuna Pop)

Despite various screams of 'hype' directed at a certain large US indie music website in January, those that had heard their early singles knew that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's adorable retreading of shoegaze-era indie was difficult, nay impossible, not to fall in love with.  The musical equivalent of flicking through a new acquaintances record collection and finding you like every single disc - best friends from that moment on.

2. The Horrors - 'Primary Colours' (XL)

Nobody gave them a chance.  To come back from their NME-hyped beginnings and a disappointingly sketchy debut album?  To shake off their unpopular garage rock sound and fully embrace full-blown krautrock-driven psychedelia?  Well, they did and to often startling effect leaving detractors the world over eating their words while uncontrollably nodding their heads.  As Dr Foster put it in our May review: "to make your second LP sound brilliant be sure to record a really shit debut."  Wise words indeed.

3. Bat For Lashes - 'Two Suns' (EMI)

Natasha Khan released her second album this spring to press adulation and an appreciative fanbase alike.  Although not always as immediate as her debut 'Fur and Gold', the end result was altogether a more mature and cohesive affair.  Interest escalated this autumn as 'Two Suns' became the bookies favourite to scoop this year's Mercury Music Prize, only to be beaten at the final hurdle by the inferior 'Speech Therapy' by Speech Debelle.

4. Animal Collective - 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' (Domino)

Simply picking up 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' and examining the disorientating front cover was enough this year to warp your mind - and this was before we'd managed to prise out the CD and start playing it.  The noughties' answer to the Beach Boys produced their 'Pet Sounds' this year coupling the unexpectedly warm, yet unhinged pop of 'Summertime Clothes' and 'Bluish' with the deranged ramblings of 'Lion in a Coma'.  Quite simply a knowingly abstract group at the height of their powers allowing them to quite rightly cross over into the lives of others.

5. The Duckworth Lewis Method - 'The Duckworth Lewis Method' (1969)

The only thing more surprising than England's Ashes win this summer was this delightful collection which arrived out of mid-wicket with a well-oiled bat and a glint in its suprisingly Irish eyes.  The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon and Pugwash's Thomas Walsh joined forces, took their name from a confusing mathematical routine for deducing target batting scores and wrote an album around the concept of cricket.  From 'The Coin Toss' through the batting order to 'The Nightwatchman' and 'The End of the Innings', this collection never once failed to charm and never more so than the wonderfully whimsical and witty 'Jiggery Pokery' which reminded a nation how much Mike Gatting hates Shane Warne.

6. Florence & The Machine - 'Lungs' (Moshi Moshi)

Florence and her machine topped many "one to watch" polls this January and even picked up a Brit Award in recognition of this fact, but we had to wait until the summer to find out if the debut LP would justify the column inches. Happily, for many Culturedeluxe writers, the collection delivered all the promise and more, from the scintillating sounds of early single 'Dog Days Are Over' to a much-heralded run through the old Candi Staton standard 'You Got The Love'.

7. The Lions Constellation - 'Flashing Light' (BCore Disc)

While American acts such as Ringo Deathstarr and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart jumped on the UK-fuzz guitar retro bandwagon, Spanish act The Lions Constellation scored a point for Europe with a collection of modern-day, psychedelic shoegaze. Proof positive that 2009, for those of us who looked outside the Top 10, was actually more about resurrecting the spirit of Kevin Shields and Jim Reid than Howard Jones and Gary Numan.

8. Mos Def - 'The Ecstatic' (Downtown)

A decade since last being musically relevant and as far away from his Hollywood career as you can imagine, Mos Def returned in 2009 free from major label shackles and with a refreshing new experimental attitude. Production from Stones Throw stalwarts MadLib and J Dilla threw psychedelia and Middle Eastern and Latin grooves into the pot making this one of the most interesting and best hip hop albums in an age.

9. The Phantom Band - 'Checkmate Savage' (Chemikal Underground)

Glasgow's The Phantom Band, famed for playing surprise gigs under various names, finally decided on a fixed moniker in 2009 with the release of their spellbinding debut LP. Healthy portions of classic rock mixed with titillating electronica and, oh yes, the occasional doo-wop solo, to provide one of 2009's most interesting mixtures. While the nation lapped up the mediocre Kings of Leon, here were a band doing essentially the same thing but at an astronomically higher level.

10. Saint Etienne vs Richard X - 'Foxbase Beta' (Saint Etienne Fanclub)

Self-confessed lover of all things retro, Richard X was let loose on Saint Etienne's 1991 debut in its entirity. Thus 'Foxbase Alpha' evolved with measured subtlety to 'Foxbase Beta'; bolstered with a noughties dancefloor sensibility while retaining its old-school feel and original sass. Here Richard X gave everyone a lesson in remixing with due care and love for the source material.

11. Emmy the Great - 'First Love' (Close Harbour)
A very assured debut from Ms Moss and her varied collection of "borrowed" musicians. 'First Love' was at least two years in the making but, due to taking time over her art, this love will not be her last.

12. The Prodigy - 'Invaders Must Die' (Take Me To The Hospital)
Leaving an even bigger gap between albums than that between the huge 'Fat of the Land' and the disappointing 'Always Outnumbered...', Liam, Keith and Maxim took a leaf out of the stadium dance of Pendulum, reverted to their rave roots and were soon back at the top of the charts and many festival bills.

13. Sky Larkin - 'The Golden Spike' (Wichita)
Leaving their native Yorkshire for the Seattle home of their grunge heroes, 'The Golden Spike' saw Sky Larkin's native grit and energy transformed into full-on, driven college rock. With American acts paying tribute to British guitar legends all over the place, here was one band doing the opposite to great effect.

14. Howling Bells - 'Radio Wars' (Independiente)
Delivered two years after their debut, this Australian four-piece introduced a poppier and simultaneously grandiose element to their sound with the results sometimes mellow, sometimes enthralling but always entertaining.

15. Fuck Buttons - 'Tarot Sport' (ATP)
While their debut 'Street Horrrsing' was justifiably acclaimed, it was a mere hint towards where these two Londoners were going with their sound. With legendary producer Andrew Weatherall on board, 'Tarot Sport' is one of the most rivetting rides you'll take all year - sometimes like witnessing an Andes pan pipe band caught in an electrical storm.

16. Passion Pit - 'Manners' (Columbia)
Slammed perhaps unfairly into a large sack marked 'similar' along with Little Boots and Empire of the Sun, Passion Pit managed to push the US dream pop envelope handsomely in 2009 thanks largely to the distinct vocals of Michael 'helium junkie' Angelankos.

17. Sub Focus - 'Sub Focus' (Ram)
Following the slightly cheesy lead of Pendulum, 2009 was the year that drum 'n' bass returned to the nation's consciousness with a bang. Sub Focus aka Nick Douwma proved on this self-titled effort that he isn't afraid of delivering a big sound that snatches influences from all over - be they italo-house, dubstep, breakbeat rave or straight out of Pendulum's own book cf. 'Rock It'!

18. Future Of The Left - 'Travels With Myself & Another' (4AD)
Despite being considered "too heavy for indie fans, too indie for metal fans and too mental for everyone else", Future of the Left combined natural aggression with good humour to bring a broad smile to the face of every one of their niche market - and many more otherwise.

19. The Cave Singers - 'Welcome Joy' (Matador)
Gruff, gravelly, Gram Parsons-esque alt. country came this year from Matador's Cave Singers and a self-referential album title. Taking blues as a starting point and working in the finer points of various musical cultures, they produced one of this summer's most well-rounded LPs.

20. The Raveonettes - 'In And Out Of Control' (Vice)
Having long since perfected their blueprint of "somewhere between Phil Spector and the Jesus and Mary Chain", The Raveonettes followed up the disappointing 'Lust Lust Lust' by injecting some much needed pop sensibility back into their record. The likes of 'Bang!' saw the Danish duo at their most accessible yet.

21. St. Vincent - 'Actor' (4AD)
Picture Emiliana Torrini getting together with Modest Mouse, throw in a lot of fuzzy bass and the occasional abrasive guitar and you're nearing 'Actor' by former Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens collaborator Annie Clark. These warm, fuzzy, lo-fi sounds backed up by a full orchestra led to many falling in love with St. Vincent this spring.

22. Fukkk Offf - 'Love Me Hate Me Kiss Me Kill Me' (Coco Machete)
One of our hot tips in January delivered one of the best dance albums of the year this August when Bastian Heerhorst's potty-mouthed, rave-obsessed act took the sound of sweaty Hamburg dance clubs direct to your living room and then refused to leave until the early hours of the morning.

23. The Soundcarriers - 'Harmonium' (Melodic)
Just as Stereolab called an "indefinite hiatus", Nottingham's The Soundcarriers made themselves available to step into their elaborate footwear. 'Harmonium' seemed less a tribute to the lesser-used instrument than a nod towards krautrock, 60's psychedelia, Lee Hazlewood and obscure library music.

24. Andrew Bird - 'Noble Beast / Brilliant Creatures' (Bella Union)
Likened to Mercury Rev's timeless 'Deserters Songs', 'Noble Beast' became Andrew Bird's fifth album and brought his unique combination of out there jazz and modern rock to a greater audience. The instrumental 'Brilliant Creatures' was a purely voluntary joint purchase which many salivating fans took up.

25. Doves - 'Kingdom of Rust' (Heavenly)
The ever-dependable Doves released their fourth LP after a brief break and announced with it a love for Vangelis and Kraftwerk which was reflected in the album including the giveaway track 'Jetstream'.

26. We Were Promised Jetpacks - 'These Four Walls' (Fat Cat)
The improbably named Scots released their debut LP a full six years after forming at an Edinburgh high school wearing the influences of labelmates Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit squarely on their sleeves - not to mention their shared love of Scots heroes Biffy Clyro.

27. The Qemists - 'Join The Q' (Ninja Tune)
Described by Andy J back in February as a contender for album of the year, 'Join the Q' makes it through its sheer disregard for genre - mixing rock, metal, breakbeat, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and a rare vocal from Faith No More's Mike Patton into an eclectic mix.

28. Wild Beasts - 'Two Dancers' (Domino)
With the dust from the release of last year's 'Limbo, Panto' barely settled, the Lake District's finest upped the stakes considerably with a smart, bold and ingenious piece of work. That's before you even consider Hayden Thorpe's unique and impressive falsetto.

29. Monsters of Folk - 'Monsters of Folk' (Rough Trade)
The oxymoronic name aside, what isn't there to love from a band featuring members of Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket and M.Ward? This late addition to the year's albums prove there can be truly great output from the rather sadly resurrected concept of the supergroup.

30. Broken Records – 'Until the Earth Begins to Part' (4AD)
This Edinburgh band have gradually worked their way up through various competitions, showcase sets and limited edition singles releases. In 2009 the seven-piece released their debut album through the respected 4AD label bringing their upbeat and decidely Celtic take on the indie-folk sound to a greater audience.

31. Blakroc - 'Blakroc' (V2 / Co-op)
Former Roc-A-Fella Records co-owner Damon Dash is the mastermind behind this rap-rock collaborative LP. The featuring artists read like a who's who of credible hip hop with everyone from Pharoahe Monch and Mos Def to Q-Tip and the Wu-Tang Clan lending vocal support.

32. Filthy Dukes - 'Nonsense In The Dark'
London three-piece Filthy Dukes achieved that most difficult of things this year - a credible electronic dance album which stands up over the course of two sides of heavyweight vinyl. Whether the punchy Depeche Mode pop of 'Elevator' or the chilling soundscapes of 'Somewhere at Sea', the music remained multi-dimensional.

33. The Protagonist! - 'Pink Fuzz!' (Stroboscopic)
Never let it be said that we don't look after our own at Culturedeluxe. Late 2009 saw the release of our popular scribe Keith Haworth's first outing as The Protagonist! and his first appearance in the end of year poll voted for by "his peers".

34. Paul Steel - 'Moon Rock' (Raygun)
Although recorded and readied for release by his former label, the fiercely pop-orientated Fascination who apparently wanted to market Steel as a new Mika, 'Moon Rock' sat on the shelves for two years before a labelless Steel decided to release it himself. We're glad he did as sugar-coated pop and extravagant pomp hasn't sounded this good since Freddy Mercury's heyday.

35. Luke Haines - 'Achtung Mutha / 21st Century Man' (Fantastic Plastic)
At the turn of the year the former Auteurs frontman was touring the nation's bookshops confounding listeners with his self-effacing charm punctuated by caustic passages of his book 'Bad Vibes'. Returning to the studio for a double LP, he prove that neither his lyrical ability nor his ear for a tune have left him.

36. Bell X1 – 'Blue Lights on the Runway' (ADA)
County Kildare's finest survived the loss of founder member Brian Crosby and released their third LP this year which impressed fans on both sides of the Atlantic, not least fans of US TV show 'One Tree Hill' on which the track 'Light Catches Your Face' made an appearance.

37. Fanfarlo - 'Reservoir' (Raffle Bat)
More than yet another ensemble folk-rock band with ambitions of being the next Arcade Fire, Fanfarlo coupled their mature, multi-instrumental sound with the incredible offer of downloading it for a mere dollar from their website - now that just makes great financial sense!

38. The Dead Weather - 'Horehound' (Third Man)
Or the latest in a very long line of Jack White-led supergroups. Where the Raconteurs lacked a certain ardor, the introduction of Alison Mosshart from The Kills and Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Dean Fertita gave The Dead Weather the bite that some of White's previous dalliances have lacked.

39. The Xcerts – In The Cold Wind We Smile' (Xtramile)
Proving that the Granite City has, and always has had, more to offer than Annie Lennox and The Shamen, and that Aberdeen's proximity to Scandinavia does indeed have an effect on the hardness and the severity of its music. The XCerts' debut channelled the band's live aggression handsomely, often showing off a surprisingly tender side too.

40. Juliette Lewis - 'Terra Incognita' (ADA19)
Now officially Lickless and somewhat short on Hollywood roles, Lewis teamed up with a new producer (The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez) for an album heavily-influenced by the best of recent alternative rock.

41. Philip Jeays - 'London' (www.jeays.com)
To some Philip Jeays is a natural successor to Jacques Brel and the smoky solliloquies and string-laden laments of 'London' only serve to back this up. For an act best appreciated live, this record does stand up well to repeated listens.

42. Bronnt Industries Kapital - 'Hard for Justice' (Get Physical)
Sadly an extracurricular project with little fanfare, this collaboration between Gravenhurst's Nick Talbot and Guy Bartell was both one of the most interesting and intelligent collections of music to be released this year. With reference points as far-removed as Kraftwerk, Roy Budd and The Strokes, this was a krautrock-soaked collection to keep returning to.

43. My Sad Captains - 'Here & Elsewhere' (Stolen)
With a winning combination of Wilco-style country rock peppered with volcanic bursts of noise, My Sad Captains helped fly the flag for a muted London indie scene in 2009 with a sound often beautiful, often melancholic but always enjoyable.

44. Moderat - 'Moderat' (BPitch Control)
After taking an unusual seven year break between their first EP and this debut long player (due to arguments over how they should sound during which they split back into ModeSelektor and Apparat), Berlin's Moderat finally unleashed this accomplished IDM debut this year.

45. We Fell To Earth - 'We Fell To Earth' (In Stereo)
Featuring former man from UNKLE Richard File and former Queens of the Stone Age / Mark Lanegan collaborator Wendy Rae Fowler, this debut album cleverly saw dance and rock music clashing to great effect. Using the drums as a lead instrument, this record frequently brought back flashes of Portishead at their best - praise indeed.

46. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - 'Beware' (Domino)
The prolific Will Oldham struck again in March, this time in an unusually upbeat mood. Layer upon layer of lush instrumentation provided a fitting backdrop to Oldham's rootin' tootin' songwriting with impressive choral swoops and pedal steel.

47. Arctic Monkeys - 'Humbug' (Domino)
The former chart-toppers entered the "difficult third album phase" with both confidence and a new celebrity producer Josh Homme. Not as immediate as either of their first two offerings, 'Humbug', for those who let it, was instead a work full of majestic subtlety and stands up with their best work - albeit after three or four listens.

48. The Twilight Sad – 'Forget the Night Ahead' (Fat Cat)
The stock of Kilsyth's finest continues to rise with a real progression from their 2007 debut on this sophomore LP. Exploring darker themes and experimenting with atonal soundscapes, 'Forget the Night Ahead' was lauded by pretty much everyone who heard it.

49. PJ Harvey and John Parish - 'A Woman A Man Walked By' (Island)
Long time collaborator John Parish was given equal billing again for the sequel to the pair's 1996 LP 'Dance Hall at Louse Point' on an album surprisingly described as a low key "diversion" for Harvey. Conversely it became one of her most enchanting and beguiling releases in recent years.

50. Music Go Music - 'Expressions' (Secretly Canadian)
Disco became achingly cool for the first time ever this autumn with a record which owed a real debt to the glitzy late 70's boom of Abba, Blondie while simultaneously throwing in the classic songwriting sheen of Neil Diamond and James Taylor. Very much a fun record at a time when the whole damn world needs cheering up.

Bubbling Under
51. Julian Casablancas - 'Phrazes For The Young'
52. Them Crooked Vultures - 'Them Crooked Vultures'
53. Baddies - 'Do The Job'
54. Darker My Love - '2'
55. B>E>A>K - 'B>E>A>K'
56. Titus Andronicus – 'The Airing of Grievances'
57. Royksopp - 'Junior'
58. Willie Isz - 'Georgianvania'
59. Dirty Projectors - 'Bitte Orca'
60. The Von Bondies - 'Love, Hate and Then There's You'
61. The Galvatrons - 'Laser Grafitti'
62. Clint Mansell - 'Moon OST'
63. The Juan MacLean - 'The Future Will Come'
64. Camera Obscura - 'My Maudlin Career'
65. The Silent League - 'But You've Always Been The Caretaker'
66. Major Lazer - 'Guns Don't Kill People Lazers Do'
67. Rebotini - 'Musical Components'
68. Miike Snow - 'Miike Snow'
69. Two Fingers - 'Two Fingers'
70. Euros Childs - 'Son of Euro Child'
71. Grizzly Bear - 'Veckatimest'
72. Air - 'Love 2'
73. The Phenomenal Hand Clap Band - 'The Phenomenal Handclap Band'
74. Jahdan Blakkamoore - 'Buzzrock Warrior'
75. Boys Noize - 'Power'
76. Morrissey - 'Years of Refusal'
77. The Last Dinosaur - 'Hooray! For Happiness'
78. Ryan Driver - 'Feeler of Pure Joy'
79. Seasick Steve - 'Man From Another Time'
80. Isis – 'Wavering Radiant'
81. Dizzee Rascal - 'Tongue 'n' Cheek'
82. Mastodon - 'Crack The Skye'
83. M.Ward - 'Hold Time'
84. Version Big-fi - 'Crux/Dub Collide Hybridize'
85. The Slew - '100%'
86. Felix - 'You Are The One I Pick'
87. There Will Be Fireworks – 'There Will Be Fireworks'
88. Venus International - 'Pléyades'
89. The Cribs - 'Ignore the Ignorant'
90. Revolting Cocks - 'RevCo. Sexo-Olympico'
91. Bob Dylan - 'Together Through Life'
92. Sean Bones - 'Rings'
93. Steel Panther - 'Feel The Steel'
94. Cornershop - 'Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast'
95. Andrew Weatherall - 'A Pox On The Pioneers'
96. British Sea Power - 'Man of Aran'
97. The Little Kicks – 'The Little Kicks'
98. Cats On Fire - 'Our Temperance Movement'
99. Raekwon (ft Ghostface Killah) - 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt II
100. Heads We Dance - 'Love Technology'

The Roll of Honour (Former Winners)
2008 - Eine Kleine Nacht Musik - 'Eine Kleine Nacht Musik' (Modular)
2007 - Justice - '†' (Because)

Very Tasty - The Yummy Fur Return for New Dates

If you paid any attention whatsoever to the Glasgow music scene of the 1990s then chances are you'll know all about The Yummy Fur, John McKeown's shapeshifting Godfathers of lo-fi indie music.  Formed in 1992, The Yummy Fur (named after Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown's comic book) released four albums, seven EPs and singles and contributed to to a number of local compilations; all the while sharing the stage with the likes of Pink Kross, Urusei Yatsura, Lungleg, The Blisters and lo-fi survivors Mogwai...or at least various bands featuring members of some or all of the above.  Such was the interchangeable, come-play-in-our-band ideology of the time and nobody subscribed more to this than The Yummy Fur who managed an impressive thirteen members during seven years of existence; most notably Alex Kapranos (then known as Alex Huntley) and Paul Thomson from Franz Ferdinand.

So, the good news, The Yummy Fur are back and will be playing a few shows in 2010.  Line-up details are somewhat sketchy at the moment, but general consensus suggests John McKeown will be joined by Paul Thomson for the shows with general guesswork piecing together the rest - however, bassist and founding member Jamie McMorrow seems a likely bet as he has since played with McKeown in 1990s since.

Better still, a hopefully comprehensive "best-of" compilation will be released around the same time through What's Your Rupture?

January 2010
7 - Nice 'n' Sleazy's, Glasgow 
9 - Buffalo Bar, London
14 - Kung Fu Neck Tie, Philadelphia, PA, USA
15 - Lombardy, New York, NY, USA
17 - The Echo, Los Angeles, CA, USA
18 - Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA, USA
20 - TBA, Portland, OR, USA

Download : Luca C & Ali Love Special

Following on from our own Ben Goldrun's review of Ali Love's great new single 'Diminishing Returns', we now present to you a free download of the rather fine Luca C & Brigante remix of the same track.  Luca C co-wrote many of the songs on Ali Love's upcoming album and he teams up here with Ibizencan producer Brigante, with whom he shares a love of obscure Italian disco.

Download it here:
http://download.yousendit.com/ZW9DT200WlRtNExIRGc9PQ

If you like the sound of that then you really need to check out Luca C's latest mixtape featuring ten tracks lovingly mixed together including house legend Jamie Principle, the dub version of the Ali Love remix and, oh yes, Bananarama.

Tracklist:
1. Kink & Neville Watson - 'Blueprint'
2. Linkwood - 'Electricity'
3. Zepp 001 - 'Don't Sleep'
4. Chamboche - 'Feverish (The Revenge Mix)'
5. Ali Love - 'Diminishing Returns (Luca C. & Brigante Dub)'
6. Charles B & Adonis - 'Lack of Love
7. Jamie Principle - 'Baby Wants to Ride'
8. B Beat Girls - 'For the Same Man'
9. Ilija Rudman - 'Easy (Dub)'
10. Bananarama - 'Ecstasy (Chicago Stylee)'

Download it here:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/68570239364af00f/

Come On Down - The Return of Steve Mason

Following a couple of solo false starts (the patchy King Biscuit Time and highly disappointing Black Affair), former Beta Band frontman Steve Mason gives it another go, this time under his birth name, with new single 'All Come Down' released on December 7th with a new album 'Boys Outside' following in March.

We recently had the chance to speak to producer Richard X who told us more about the LP:

"Steve is a great talent so it's been good to work with him. I like the fact he's into records from any genre, obviously his past records have illustrated this. Originally he got in touch about working on a Black Affair record, but that kind of changed when I heard some of the songs he'd demoed, so we started making a different kind of album. It probably doesn't sound much like anything I've worked on before."

And for those curious, the track was debuted on Mary Anne Hobbs' radio show last week, a rip of which can be heard below.

NME Countdown Top 50 Albums of the Decade

The idea of thinking back through a whole ten years of largely average music, trying our best to think of how albums made us feel at the time and not now, is a harrowing one at best and, thankfully, professional fanzine and conscious bandwagon-jumper the NME have counted down their Ultimate Greatest Top 50 Albums of the Noughties...Ever! Take a look below and see what you think.  Sadly, from a piss-taking point of view, they've largely hit the nail on the head, if not from a musical standpoint, then certainly one upon which indie music was reinvigorated after years of Coldplay / Keane / Stereophonics / Travis dirge through such iconic releases as The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines.

The NME Top 50 Albums of the 00's
1. The Strokes - Is This It
2. The Libertines - Up The Bracket
3. Primal Scream - xtrmntr
4. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
6. PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
7. Arcade Fire - Funeral
8. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
9. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
10. Radiohead - In Rainbows
11. At The Drive In - Relationship Of Command
12. LCD Soundsystem - The Sound Of Silver
13. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
14. Radiohead - Kid A
15. Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
16. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free
17. Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
18. The White Stripes - Elephant
19. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
20. Blur - Think Tank
21. The Coral - The Coral
22. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
23. Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
24. The Libertines - The Libertines
25. Rapture - Echoes
26. Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner
27. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
28. Johnny Cash - Man Comes Around
29. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World
30. Elbow - Asleep In The Back
31. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
32. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
33. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
34. Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump
35. Babyshambles - Down In Albion
36. Spirtualized - Let it Come Down
37. The Knife - Silent Shout
38. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
39. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
40. Ryan Adams - Gold
41. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
42. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
43. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
44. Outkast - Loveboxxx/The Love Below
45. Avalanches - Since I Left You
46. Delgados - The Great Eastern
47. Brendan Benson - Lapalco
48. Walkmen - Bows and Arrows
49. Muse - Absolution
50. MIA - Arular

Derek B 1965 - 2009

1980's hip hop star and producer Derek B has died of a heart attack at the criminally young age of 44.  The star is best known for his 1988 hits 'Goodgroove' and 'Bad Young Brother' but was previously and subsequently a respected DJ, producer and prominent member of the UK hip hop scene.

Thoughts go out to his family and friends.  Here's the man himself with his best-remembered hit...

Giving Good Headlines

We had a nice letter today from Clare over at http://www.cartridgesave.co.uk/, a peculiar site which seems to specialise in both replacement ink cartridge and musical commentary.  Hey, in these times of recession, it's a boon to be able to multitask - particularly when you're offering cheap ink into the bargain.

Naturally, you need great quantities of ink to produce attention-grabbing headlines and this great post counts down the ten most infamous headlines ever printed.  They're all there, from the NME's famous rumour-mongering (printed right) which led to an all-out battle where music was the loser to the various ways famous singers have shuffled off this mortal coil.

It also reinforces the opinion that, no matter what you think of The Sun and their selfish personal agenda propagation, the buggers have come up with some of the greatest puns of our time.

Get Well Soon Again in 2010

'Rest Now Weary Head, You Will Get Well Soon!' was the long-winded, long-loved debut LP from Get Well Soon AKA Berlin's Konstantin Gropper in 2008. Those who heard it loved it for its Coldplay-with-character elegance while those who didn't (and these number into embarrassing figures) still don't quite know what they've missed out on.

The uninitiated will get a second chance, however, with the release of Konstantin's second LP 'Vexations', issued through City Slang on 25th January 2010. That title, if you were wondering, is named after a 1949 piano piece by Eric Satie and, yes, it does roll off the tongue rather better than their debut.