Daisy Dares You
Sixteen-year-old Daisy Coburn makes bubblegum punk, teen pop about friendship and families and fancying boys. Although this could be another Avril Lavigne in the making the fact that she cites Karen O and Kurt Cobain as her idols is promising, along with record companies fighting over her, there does seem to be talent here. The jury’s still out on this one.
Delphic
Indie guitars and euphoric electronica have rarely gone together well, but this Manchester group make them a natural fit. Hypnotic songs are driven by pulsating beats as frontman James Cook sings infectious hooks. The fact that they have supported Kasabian and Orbital is a great plus working in their favor too.
Devlin
The next big rapper emerges from East London? Pretty big on the underground scene, time will tell if he has what it takes to emerge into the mainstream. It looks promising.
The Drums
One of the most talked about new guitar bands of next year. Hailing from Florida, via New York, they mix surf pop of the Beach Boys with The Cure and can even sound like Lou Reed/Iggy Pop covering 1960 girl groups. If nothing else, it will be an interesting debut album.
Everything Everything
Will this Manchester band bring the indie scene back to life? With Radiohead and the Beatles as their influence this may be their biggest asset or greatest downfall!
Giggs
Another South London rapper who has spent time in jail is similar in style to Dizze Rascal and Chipmunk and has even worked with The Streets. Everything looks good for this guy so far.
Gold Panda
Real name, Derwin, makes instrumental soundtracks to those dreamy summer days. He takes distorted samples and wraps them in minimal beats. It should be great! Also, with a strong Japanese influence it could add an extra dynamic.
Ellie Goulding
One of the greatest promises of 2010 Ellie Goulding is a solo female singer-songwriter with a strong personality and a cutting-edge style, 21-year-old. Her distinctive high-wire voice carries passionate lyrics, occasionally being cut and spliced with club-friendly electro results.
Hurts
A moody and exceedingly stylish duo from Manchester, Hurts inhabit an enigmatic, cinematic black & white world where they construct melancholic 1980s-inspired electro-pop. They resemble Tears For Fears.
Joy Orbison
Twenty-two-year-old Pete O'Grady from Croydon, who goes by the name Joy Orbison, is one of the hottest dance producers around. O'Grady has been DJing since the age of 12 and meshes late-night house and UK garage, with soft bass, hypnotic home-made percussion and distant chopped-up vocals.
Marina and the Diamonds
Another very promising outlook for 2010 is the quirky and flamboyant Marina Diamand who is gaining a following for her inventive songwriting, theatrical stage shows and dazzling style. She creates overblown pop and gets her inspiration from Britney DVDs and Gwen Stefani!
Owl City
Adam Young, 23, is inspired by the boredom of his home town and the twinkling laptop-made beats and soft, innocent vocals evoke faraway fantasies and innocent daydreams. He appears to be coming from nowhere and getting quite a large following in the process also.
Rox
Roxanne Tataei is a half Iranian, half Jamaican Londoner who makes nourishing soul music and counts Lauryn Hill and Sade as her biggest inspirations. She has a jazzy voice which will no doubt get comparisons to Amy Winehouse.
Stornoway
This 5-piece-band craft hearty folk using banjos, violins and brass. 2010s Mumford and Suns maybe?
Two Door Cinema Club
Hailing from Northern Ilsand, this upbeat art-pop comprise three guitars, some jaunty keyboards and no drummer until recently. Should be a band to look out for.
Local Natives
They gain their influences from post punk to afro beats to create their own form of indie rock. Could be a bad to really be excited about for 2010
Jack Splash
He won a Grammy in 2009 for producing music on Jennifer Hudson’s debut album plus production credits for the likes of Jamie Foxx, Estelle, Missy Elliot and Britney Spears; now it’s time for him to make his own mark on the music scene.
Little Comets
They have a happy indie pop beat suitable for the dance floor but surprisingly enough they are not from Manchester, but Newcastle. They boast catchy hooks, a fun attitude and whole range of indie influences.
Music Go Music
Epic rock pop with a distinctly retro 70s glam sound is what Music Go Music bring to the table. They have been compared as much to Abba and Blondie as much to The Clash and The Ramones. It should be very interesting.
Erik Hassle
Looks like La Roux but sounds quite different, being more influenced by soul with a Euro dance beat.
Nneka
With a beautifully soulful voice Nigerian born and Germany based Nneka is a singer-songwriter who has seen her gospel style morph into hip hop with occasional dance hall undertones.
Chase and Status
They may already have released their debut album but it wasn’t until Chase & Status released soundtrack single “End Credits”, remixed Jay Z to The Prodigy and collaborated with Rihanna and Snoop Dogg that the duo finally started getting recognition for their versatility.
Dinosaur Pile-Up
Leeds-based trio Dinosaur Pile-Up hope to take their rock to new levels in 2010 with the rather modestly titled The Most Powerful EP in the Universe sure to see them following up on their success across Germany and France.
Sound of Guns
Shrugging off the music associations with their hometown, Liverpool lads Sound of Guns are firing on all cylinders with diverse influences driving anthemic power chords, jangly guitars and group vocals. Influenced by: Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors.
Eliza Doolittle
London born Eliza Doolittle believes in music and fun which is probably why she creates happy bubblegum pop. Her softly sweet voice belies the thoughtful lyrics but don’t expect hyper dance beats--Eliza’s music relaxes just like running through fields of daisies on a summer’s day. Maybe Lily Allen is passing the baton onto Eliza for 2010.
Monday, 28 December 2009
Best Albums Of 2009
1. Bat for Lashes: ‘Two Suns’ The second album from Natasha Khan and co explores the theme of dichotomies. Rich with imagery, melodramatic vocals, along with grand complex arrangements and lyrics. It appears highly pretentious but this album is genius without ever trying to be.
Essential Tracks: ‘Daniel’, ‘Pearl’s Dream’, ‘The Big Sleep’
2. The Decemberists: ‘The Hazards of Love’ An unapologetic prog-rock album based around the 1960’s Brit-folk rival. It’s an epic 17 track hour long affair including minstrel laments, medieval vibes, choirs, heavy metal, guitars, rock opera and folk elements. The story is so audacious that it’s baffling. The story of Margaret ravaged by a shape shifting animal, her lover, a forest queen and a cold blooded lascivious rake! It has to be heard to be believed.
Essential Tracks: It would be like recommending chapters of a book to read. You have to listen to the whole album.
3. Pet Shop Boys: ‘Yes’ Not many great bands of the 1980s are still going strong today. This album is a success thanks partly to the great production and other part to the band themselves. The Pet Shop Boys hark back to their old sound which made them so popular in the 1980s. They certainly hit jackpot with this release; fantastic arrangements, the usual intelligent and witty lyrics, and catchy, if somewhat camp, tunes. In a word, amazing!
Essential Tracks: ‘Love Etc.’, ‘All Over The World’, ‘More Than A Dream’
4. Muse: ‘The Resistance’ This overblown album sees Muse in their most comfortable territory. The arrangements are so ‘out there’ that it borders the line between genius and ridiculous. Thankfully they stay clear of ridicule as they deal with topics ranging from love to state control. Expect to hear rock, guitars, harmonies, falsetto and classical offerings in between. They have raised the bar so high it’s hard to see where they go from here!
Essential Tracks: ‘United States of Eurasia’, ‘Uprising’, ‘Exogenesis Symphonies parts I-III’
5. Florence and the Machine: ‘Lungs’ She was so hyped up that it was always going to be hard to live up to. Fortunately, the hype was justified. With her instantly recognizable vocals, an array of musical styles, and great lyrics this album delivers on all fronts. It’s clever, it’s witty and most importantly of all, it leaves you wanting more. The future looks bright for this new artist.
Essential Tracks: ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’, ‘You’ve Got The Love’, ‘ Blinding’
6. Antony and the Johnsons: ‘The Crying Light’ One of music’s true original artists offers his third full length album full of cabaret/chamber pop and it’s just as staggering as its predecessors. This time Antony opts for a more intimate feel yet the arrangements are often grander than on previous albums thanks to the introduction of a full orchestra. The topics range from nature, birth, death and humanity. A must hear of the year, it’s like nothing else out there.
Essential Tracks: ‘Epilepsy is dancing’, ‘Another World’, ‘One Dove’
7. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: ‘It’s Blitz’ Karen O and the gang have certainly progressed from their raw sounding debut to this foray into dance music. However, it is so much more than just an album full of pleasant dance tunes. Karen’s vocals are as vital as ever as the band still bases their sound around the simple chord structures. I loved their raw sound when I first heard them and their natural progression into bigger and better things is both a pleasure to see and hear.
Essential Tracks: ‘Zero’, ‘Heads Will Roll’, ‘Hysteric’
8. The Swell Season: ‘Strict Joy’ The combination of Glen Hansard’s loud, hoarse and dominating vocals along with Marketa Irglova’s fail, fragile voice is a winning combination. Both are essential to making this album work. The first album was more both of them offering singles independently; whereas here they are working firmly as a team which is ironic considering this album is about the end of their relationship. This album is full of heartbreak and struggle but is beautiful in its delivery. There are great acoustic songs melding piano, guitar, and strings to create simple folk-pop songs.
Essential Tracks: ‘Two Tongues’. ‘Low Rising’, ‘High Horses’
9. Royksopp: ‘Junior’ The Norwegian dance duo deliver yet again by fusing the best elements from both of their previous releases. By fusing house and electro they have produced something uplifting and fun. This album is heavy on vocals from guest stars and is therefore the most accessible than all their previous albums to date. One if highly anticipating the release of ‘Senior’ in 2010.
Essential Tracks: ‘Girl and the Robot’, ‘This Must Be It’, ‘Happy Up There’
10. Little Boots: ‘Hands’ and La Roux: ‘La Roux‘ La Roux represents everything that was good about the 1980s; androgynous features, outrageous hair, cold emotions and firmly brought their retro sound firmly into the 21st century. Little Boots does the same although her image couldn’t be farther from that of La Roux. This sexy, highly produced album; Hands, offers strong synths, catchy melodies and most importantly of all, talent! Combine both to get the best 1980’s infused pop album of the year.
Essential Tracks: ‘Stuck On Repeat’, ‘Symmetry’, ‘Meddle’, ‘Quicksand’, ‘In For The Kill’, ‘Bulletproof’
11. Leonard Cohen: ‘Live in London’ Leonard releases, quite literally, the best album of any 75-year-old. In fact, it’s one of the best live albums I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. This force of nature showed everyone how it is done.
12. The XX: ‘XX’ This was probably one of the biggest surprises of the year, and in a good way. Combining elements of electronic and R+B to create minimalist pop at its best and bring reverb guitars back to the forefront of music. Something we haven’t had the pleasure of since Chris Isaac’s ‘Wicked Game’. Sadly, this may be the only release from this now partially disbanded outfit.
13. Mumford and Sons: ‘Sigh No More’ They seem to effortlessly combine rock, folk, and bluegrass into something quite stunning. The changes of rhythm and pace and passionate lyrics make this release a breath of fresh air. They have also managed, along with Steve Martin of all people, to bring the banjo back into fashion, which is no easy feat!
14. Lily Allen: ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’. She proves, against my own belief, that she is not just a one album wonder. Not only that, she has surpassed her previous album to create something fantastic. Her announcement that she may never release another album is not just sad but also a great loss to the industry!
15. Lady Gaga: ‘The Fame Monster’ Love her or hate her, there is no denying that this girl has made it massive this year thanks to her outlandish stage performances, awfully catchy melodies and sheer determination. Dare I say it, she actually has musical ability! Not content on releasing one critically acclaimed album this year, she follows it up with another acclaimed EP. Madonna may have finally found someone to pass on the crown to.
16. Jarvis: ‘Further Complications’ Thank the Lord that Jarvis came out of retirement of the French countryside to do what he does best. He’s middle-aged now but he’s certainly not showing it. It’s a mix of Brit rock, elcetro-pop and soul. Welcome back Cocker!
17. Fanfarlo: ‘Reservoir’ The melancholy tone set can be a little off putting at first but what lies underneath is an array of beautifully layered instruments, great vocals and understated offerings. It gets better with each and every listen.
18. Yusuf Islam: ‘The Roadsinger’ After 28 years in the pop wilderness, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, made long overdue return to music. His previous effort had some great songs but was not quite up to par overall. This, however, is a different story. Fantastic from beginning to end.
19. God Help the Girl: ‘God Help the Girl’ A great offering and especially good vocals from Catherine Ireton. It’s very ‘Belle and Sebastian’ in tone and reads like a soundtrack to a movie. Strong 1960’s girl band influences as well as some classic pop.
20. Various Artists: ‘Dark was the Night’ This reads like a who’s who of contemporary indie rock. We are treated to interesting duets, great covers and original material which equates to an awesome album.
Essential Tracks: ‘Daniel’, ‘Pearl’s Dream’, ‘The Big Sleep’
2. The Decemberists: ‘The Hazards of Love’ An unapologetic prog-rock album based around the 1960’s Brit-folk rival. It’s an epic 17 track hour long affair including minstrel laments, medieval vibes, choirs, heavy metal, guitars, rock opera and folk elements. The story is so audacious that it’s baffling. The story of Margaret ravaged by a shape shifting animal, her lover, a forest queen and a cold blooded lascivious rake! It has to be heard to be believed.
Essential Tracks: It would be like recommending chapters of a book to read. You have to listen to the whole album.
3. Pet Shop Boys: ‘Yes’ Not many great bands of the 1980s are still going strong today. This album is a success thanks partly to the great production and other part to the band themselves. The Pet Shop Boys hark back to their old sound which made them so popular in the 1980s. They certainly hit jackpot with this release; fantastic arrangements, the usual intelligent and witty lyrics, and catchy, if somewhat camp, tunes. In a word, amazing!
Essential Tracks: ‘Love Etc.’, ‘All Over The World’, ‘More Than A Dream’
4. Muse: ‘The Resistance’ This overblown album sees Muse in their most comfortable territory. The arrangements are so ‘out there’ that it borders the line between genius and ridiculous. Thankfully they stay clear of ridicule as they deal with topics ranging from love to state control. Expect to hear rock, guitars, harmonies, falsetto and classical offerings in between. They have raised the bar so high it’s hard to see where they go from here!
Essential Tracks: ‘United States of Eurasia’, ‘Uprising’, ‘Exogenesis Symphonies parts I-III’
5. Florence and the Machine: ‘Lungs’ She was so hyped up that it was always going to be hard to live up to. Fortunately, the hype was justified. With her instantly recognizable vocals, an array of musical styles, and great lyrics this album delivers on all fronts. It’s clever, it’s witty and most importantly of all, it leaves you wanting more. The future looks bright for this new artist.
Essential Tracks: ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’, ‘You’ve Got The Love’, ‘ Blinding’
6. Antony and the Johnsons: ‘The Crying Light’ One of music’s true original artists offers his third full length album full of cabaret/chamber pop and it’s just as staggering as its predecessors. This time Antony opts for a more intimate feel yet the arrangements are often grander than on previous albums thanks to the introduction of a full orchestra. The topics range from nature, birth, death and humanity. A must hear of the year, it’s like nothing else out there.
Essential Tracks: ‘Epilepsy is dancing’, ‘Another World’, ‘One Dove’
7. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: ‘It’s Blitz’ Karen O and the gang have certainly progressed from their raw sounding debut to this foray into dance music. However, it is so much more than just an album full of pleasant dance tunes. Karen’s vocals are as vital as ever as the band still bases their sound around the simple chord structures. I loved their raw sound when I first heard them and their natural progression into bigger and better things is both a pleasure to see and hear.
Essential Tracks: ‘Zero’, ‘Heads Will Roll’, ‘Hysteric’
8. The Swell Season: ‘Strict Joy’ The combination of Glen Hansard’s loud, hoarse and dominating vocals along with Marketa Irglova’s fail, fragile voice is a winning combination. Both are essential to making this album work. The first album was more both of them offering singles independently; whereas here they are working firmly as a team which is ironic considering this album is about the end of their relationship. This album is full of heartbreak and struggle but is beautiful in its delivery. There are great acoustic songs melding piano, guitar, and strings to create simple folk-pop songs.
Essential Tracks: ‘Two Tongues’. ‘Low Rising’, ‘High Horses’
9. Royksopp: ‘Junior’ The Norwegian dance duo deliver yet again by fusing the best elements from both of their previous releases. By fusing house and electro they have produced something uplifting and fun. This album is heavy on vocals from guest stars and is therefore the most accessible than all their previous albums to date. One if highly anticipating the release of ‘Senior’ in 2010.
Essential Tracks: ‘Girl and the Robot’, ‘This Must Be It’, ‘Happy Up There’
10. Little Boots: ‘Hands’ and La Roux: ‘La Roux‘ La Roux represents everything that was good about the 1980s; androgynous features, outrageous hair, cold emotions and firmly brought their retro sound firmly into the 21st century. Little Boots does the same although her image couldn’t be farther from that of La Roux. This sexy, highly produced album; Hands, offers strong synths, catchy melodies and most importantly of all, talent! Combine both to get the best 1980’s infused pop album of the year.
Essential Tracks: ‘Stuck On Repeat’, ‘Symmetry’, ‘Meddle’, ‘Quicksand’, ‘In For The Kill’, ‘Bulletproof’
11. Leonard Cohen: ‘Live in London’ Leonard releases, quite literally, the best album of any 75-year-old. In fact, it’s one of the best live albums I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. This force of nature showed everyone how it is done.
12. The XX: ‘XX’ This was probably one of the biggest surprises of the year, and in a good way. Combining elements of electronic and R+B to create minimalist pop at its best and bring reverb guitars back to the forefront of music. Something we haven’t had the pleasure of since Chris Isaac’s ‘Wicked Game’. Sadly, this may be the only release from this now partially disbanded outfit.
13. Mumford and Sons: ‘Sigh No More’ They seem to effortlessly combine rock, folk, and bluegrass into something quite stunning. The changes of rhythm and pace and passionate lyrics make this release a breath of fresh air. They have also managed, along with Steve Martin of all people, to bring the banjo back into fashion, which is no easy feat!
14. Lily Allen: ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’. She proves, against my own belief, that she is not just a one album wonder. Not only that, she has surpassed her previous album to create something fantastic. Her announcement that she may never release another album is not just sad but also a great loss to the industry!
15. Lady Gaga: ‘The Fame Monster’ Love her or hate her, there is no denying that this girl has made it massive this year thanks to her outlandish stage performances, awfully catchy melodies and sheer determination. Dare I say it, she actually has musical ability! Not content on releasing one critically acclaimed album this year, she follows it up with another acclaimed EP. Madonna may have finally found someone to pass on the crown to.
16. Jarvis: ‘Further Complications’ Thank the Lord that Jarvis came out of retirement of the French countryside to do what he does best. He’s middle-aged now but he’s certainly not showing it. It’s a mix of Brit rock, elcetro-pop and soul. Welcome back Cocker!
17. Fanfarlo: ‘Reservoir’ The melancholy tone set can be a little off putting at first but what lies underneath is an array of beautifully layered instruments, great vocals and understated offerings. It gets better with each and every listen.
18. Yusuf Islam: ‘The Roadsinger’ After 28 years in the pop wilderness, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, made long overdue return to music. His previous effort had some great songs but was not quite up to par overall. This, however, is a different story. Fantastic from beginning to end.
19. God Help the Girl: ‘God Help the Girl’ A great offering and especially good vocals from Catherine Ireton. It’s very ‘Belle and Sebastian’ in tone and reads like a soundtrack to a movie. Strong 1960’s girl band influences as well as some classic pop.
20. Various Artists: ‘Dark was the Night’ This reads like a who’s who of contemporary indie rock. We are treated to interesting duets, great covers and original material which equates to an awesome album.
It's Christmas!!
Friday was Christmas Day, unfortunately it also meant work! However, the morning was not so bad as it was games organized by us for the entire two hours, better than teaching that's for sure. All the kids got a visit from Santa at the end of the morning which kept them mildly amused for a while. The, afternoon went quite fast too and then it was off to the German restaurant near our place for Christmas dinner. George had the meatloaf and i had the ribs, both were pretty good. Then it was home to relax for the evening.
On Saturday we went for Christmas dinner at Carnegie's, it was good to have a traditional Christmas dinner! Then we spent most of the day at home taking it easy. On Sunday we went for lunch at the diner and then hung out around 101 for the evening. A nice quiet, relaxing weekend as no doubt New Year's will be fairly hectic. And the best part, New Years falls on a Friday so it's a long weekend, great stuff!!
On Saturday we went for Christmas dinner at Carnegie's, it was good to have a traditional Christmas dinner! Then we spent most of the day at home taking it easy. On Sunday we went for lunch at the diner and then hung out around 101 for the evening. A nice quiet, relaxing weekend as no doubt New Year's will be fairly hectic. And the best part, New Years falls on a Friday so it's a long weekend, great stuff!!
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
China and Taiwan agree deals on trade
Chiang Pin-kung (R) shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Chen Yunlin (L)
Chen Yunlin (left) is on a four-day trip to Taiwan. China and Taiwan have signed the latest in a series of economic deals, amid some disquiet on the island at their ever-closer relationship. Chen Yunlin, China's top Taiwan envoy, agreed the deals with his Taiwanese counterpart on the second day of his four-day visit to the island.
His trip comes as Taiwan debates how close a relationship it wants with its former rival, China. President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan has led a rapprochement with China since he took over last year, and the two governments hope to sign a free-trade pact by early next year. The Taipei government says Taiwan will be marginalised by China in global trade if it does not sign the agreement. But critics fear a free-trade pact will flood Taiwan with cheap Chinese products, cause massive job losses and undermine the island's sovereignty by making it too economically dependent on China.
Chen Yunlin arrived in Taiwan on Monday, for four days of talks on the proposed Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement (ECFA). Mr Chen hailed improving cross-strait ties, but said he respected people's right to protest against his visit. Mr Ma's pro-China stance at one time had a lot of support from the Taiwanese people, but his mishandling of the response to a devastating typhoon in August and other accusations of mistaken policies have dented his popularity.
Analysts say more people are now beginning to doubt his argument that closer economic ties with China will aid Taiwanese prosperity. Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party - which supports formal independence from China - made huge gains in recent local elections.
Chen Yunlin (left) is on a four-day trip to Taiwan. China and Taiwan have signed the latest in a series of economic deals, amid some disquiet on the island at their ever-closer relationship. Chen Yunlin, China's top Taiwan envoy, agreed the deals with his Taiwanese counterpart on the second day of his four-day visit to the island.
His trip comes as Taiwan debates how close a relationship it wants with its former rival, China. President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan has led a rapprochement with China since he took over last year, and the two governments hope to sign a free-trade pact by early next year. The Taipei government says Taiwan will be marginalised by China in global trade if it does not sign the agreement. But critics fear a free-trade pact will flood Taiwan with cheap Chinese products, cause massive job losses and undermine the island's sovereignty by making it too economically dependent on China.
Chen Yunlin arrived in Taiwan on Monday, for four days of talks on the proposed Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement (ECFA). Mr Chen hailed improving cross-strait ties, but said he respected people's right to protest against his visit. Mr Ma's pro-China stance at one time had a lot of support from the Taiwanese people, but his mishandling of the response to a devastating typhoon in August and other accusations of mistaken policies have dented his popularity.
Analysts say more people are now beginning to doubt his argument that closer economic ties with China will aid Taiwanese prosperity. Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party - which supports formal independence from China - made huge gains in recent local elections.
George Finishes the Army!!
George finally finished the army this weekend! Well, he has actually been home since last Tuesday on leave and only had to go back on Saturday to collect the certificate. On Thursday evening we headed to Ximen to see Avator. It was visually spectacular but the story line was fairly weak, nothing new. On Friday we just relaxed at home. On Saturday afternoon we met up with Eddie, Noah and Rich for lunch in ShiDa. It was so cold this weekend, well into single figures! So lots of coffee and warm meals was the call for the day. After lunch we headed to City Hall to look around. I bought a new book: 'Living Biblically for a Year' and it seems like it's gonna be a great read!
Then George headed back to the army while i went home to write some Christmas cards, thought I'd make the effort this year! Then in the evening we went to Chilli's with Steve and Hamish where we experienced the biggest earthquake i have experienced in my life, it was reported 6.4 in Hualien but was not as strong in Taipei, but still scary stuff! Then we went for drinks at Roxy Roots and Watersheds with them and the guys we had lunch with to celebrate the end of army life for George. On Sunday we just went for lunch and spent most of it inside as it was too cold to go out.
Then George headed back to the army while i went home to write some Christmas cards, thought I'd make the effort this year! Then in the evening we went to Chilli's with Steve and Hamish where we experienced the biggest earthquake i have experienced in my life, it was reported 6.4 in Hualien but was not as strong in Taipei, but still scary stuff! Then we went for drinks at Roxy Roots and Watersheds with them and the guys we had lunch with to celebrate the end of army life for George. On Sunday we just went for lunch and spent most of it inside as it was too cold to go out.
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Powerful Earthquake Rocks Taiwan
A powerful earthquake rattled the nation last night, shaking buildings throughout the country and causing minor damage. The temblor struck at 9:02pm on the 19th December and measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said. The epicenter was 25.5km off the coast of southeast Hualien County at a depth of 45.9km, the CWB said.
The earthquake was felt nationwide with an intensity of seven in Hualien, Taitung and Yilan, five in Yunlin and Chiayi, and four in Taipei, Hsinchu and Taoyuan. High-speed rail services and Taipei’s MRT were temporarily stopped while TV news reports said four car accidents occurred in Taipei as a result of the tremor. Local cable TV reports said that a building had collapsed in Taipei County’s Tucheng (土城), although it couldn’t be confirmed as of press time.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
BBC Poll of the Decade
Is it really possible to sum up a decade?
We asked readers to help us to create a portrait of the decade. Each day last week we focused on a different theme - words , people , news stories , objects and culture
An expert picked 20 of each
With the help of thousands of readers, maybe it is. Last week, we asked readers to send in their suggestions for the words, people, events, objects and cultural highlights which they thought defined the Noughties. Our panel of five independent experts considered all the suggestions and each has drawn up a list of 20.
The results below give a snapshot of who and what has shaped the last 10 years. Technology, celebrity culture and environmentalism are dominant themes.
Words:
9/11
24/7
Bling
Blog
Credit crunch
Chav
Facebooking
Fairtrade
Footprint
i-
lol
Meh
Obamamania
Pandemic
Slumdog
Sustainability
Truthiness
Tweet
WAG
War on terror
People:
David Beckham
L/Corp Johnson Beharry
Osama Bin Laden
Tony Blair
George W Bush
Shami Chakrabarti
Simon Cowell
Roger Federer
Norman Foster
Stephen Fry
Bill Gates
Jade Goody
Brian Haw
Rupert Murdoch
Barack Obama
Jamie Oliver
Larry Page and Sergey Brin
David Tennant
Jane Tomlinson
Jimmy Wales
News:
Danish cartoons controversy
Death of Dr David Kelly
Death of Michael Jackson
Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
England win the Ashes 2005
Final Harry Potter book
Fuel strikes 2000
Human Genome Project
Indian Ocean tsunami
Iraq War
John Darwin, missing canoeist
Launch of Big Brother
Launch of Wikipedia
London bombings 2005
MPs' expenses scandal
Northern Ireland power-sharing
Run on Northern Rock
September 11th 2001
Smoking ban
Usain Bolt at Beijing Olympics
Objects:
Bag for life
BlackBerry
Bling jewellery
Bluetooth earpiece
Credit card
Flat-screen TVs
Gherkin (London's Swiss Re building)
Hair straighteners
High-visibility vest
Hoody
iPod
Organic vegetable box
Oystercard
Playstation3
Sat-nav
Sky+ box
Toyota Prius
Ugg boots
Wheelie bin
Wind turbine
Culture:
Black Watch (play)
Box sets
Curb your Enthusiasm
Live opera beamed into cinemas
Liverpool as European Capital Of Culture
Lord of the Rings trilogy
From Dome to O2 Arena
Rise of music festivals
Return of Doctor Who
Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra at the Proms
Spotify
St Pancras station reopening
Strictly Come Dancing
Sultan's Elephant
Television on-demand
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
The Office
The Thick of It
The Wire
YouTube
We asked readers to help us to create a portrait of the decade. Each day last week we focused on a different theme - words , people , news stories , objects and culture
An expert picked 20 of each
With the help of thousands of readers, maybe it is. Last week, we asked readers to send in their suggestions for the words, people, events, objects and cultural highlights which they thought defined the Noughties. Our panel of five independent experts considered all the suggestions and each has drawn up a list of 20.
The results below give a snapshot of who and what has shaped the last 10 years. Technology, celebrity culture and environmentalism are dominant themes.
Words:
9/11
24/7
Bling
Blog
Credit crunch
Chav
Facebooking
Fairtrade
Footprint
i-
lol
Meh
Obamamania
Pandemic
Slumdog
Sustainability
Truthiness
Tweet
WAG
War on terror
People:
David Beckham
L/Corp Johnson Beharry
Osama Bin Laden
Tony Blair
George W Bush
Shami Chakrabarti
Simon Cowell
Roger Federer
Norman Foster
Stephen Fry
Bill Gates
Jade Goody
Brian Haw
Rupert Murdoch
Barack Obama
Jamie Oliver
Larry Page and Sergey Brin
David Tennant
Jane Tomlinson
Jimmy Wales
News:
Danish cartoons controversy
Death of Dr David Kelly
Death of Michael Jackson
Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
England win the Ashes 2005
Final Harry Potter book
Fuel strikes 2000
Human Genome Project
Indian Ocean tsunami
Iraq War
John Darwin, missing canoeist
Launch of Big Brother
Launch of Wikipedia
London bombings 2005
MPs' expenses scandal
Northern Ireland power-sharing
Run on Northern Rock
September 11th 2001
Smoking ban
Usain Bolt at Beijing Olympics
Objects:
Bag for life
BlackBerry
Bling jewellery
Bluetooth earpiece
Credit card
Flat-screen TVs
Gherkin (London's Swiss Re building)
Hair straighteners
High-visibility vest
Hoody
iPod
Organic vegetable box
Oystercard
Playstation3
Sat-nav
Sky+ box
Toyota Prius
Ugg boots
Wheelie bin
Wind turbine
Culture:
Black Watch (play)
Box sets
Curb your Enthusiasm
Live opera beamed into cinemas
Liverpool as European Capital Of Culture
Lord of the Rings trilogy
From Dome to O2 Arena
Rise of music festivals
Return of Doctor Who
Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra at the Proms
Spotify
St Pancras station reopening
Strictly Come Dancing
Sultan's Elephant
Television on-demand
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
The Office
The Thick of It
The Wire
YouTube
What cultural higlights best define the decade?
Big Brother, X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, Jerry Springer Opera, YouTube, MySpace, iTunes, Spotify, summer festivals, podcast, iPlayer, The Office, Little Britain, The Ricky Gervais Show, social networking, freesheet, celebrity confessions, memoirs of childhood trauma, CGI??
Which objects define the deacde?
Which objects best define the decade?
It bags, giant flat screen TV's, iPod and iPhone, recycling bin, credit cards, disposable coffee cups, Eden Project, The Gherkin, gossip magazines
rectangular glasses, skinny jeans, egg chair??
It bags, giant flat screen TV's, iPod and iPhone, recycling bin, credit cards, disposable coffee cups, Eden Project, The Gherkin, gossip magazines
rectangular glasses, skinny jeans, egg chair??
Monday, 14 December 2009
1) Kate Bush: 'Aerial'
Prior to the release of Aerial, the last time Kate Bush released a record was in 1993 when Britopop was sweeping the nation and acts such as Ace of Base, Boyz II Men Meatloaf were dominating the airwaves. A twelve year hiatus in the music industry is virtually suicide for one’s career. However, Kate Bush is no ordinary artist; in fact she is one of the best musicians to have ever come out of the United Kingdom, a true legend and genius. At 40, sense and precedence decree that she should no longer be relevant; however nothing could be further from the truth.
Since she appeared on the music scene, thanks to Dave Gilmour, as a young teenager waving her arms and screeching her way through an Emily Bronte novel, she captivated the world with her unique approach to music. Simply because she has decided to shun the celebrity lifestyle that’s part and parcel of being a famous musician, people have referred to her as an eccentric recluse. In fact, for the past decade Bush has done nothing more eccentric than raise a son and be a housewife.
When Aerial was released in 2005 this did not have the air of someone who had not released anything for more than a decade, there was still a buzz and excitement about the release months before the scheduled release date and the hype was well worth it. Aerial is an album made in isolation from anything else out there. Kate is still relevant because she has never tried to be relevant. All her albums could be released in any decade and not sound out of place, she is simply incomparable to anyone else out there.
Aerial is a madly ambitious double album and comes in two parts; A Sea of Honey and A Sky of Honey. The sprawling, yet focused, first part deals with chores, children, Joan of Arc and the beauty of numbers to name just a few. The second part is a day in the life of light from dawn through afternoon and dusk to the monochrome glaze of moonlight. Musically she delves into folk, renaissance, classical, reggae, flamenco and pop.
The first part, A Sea of Honey, is a suite of personal reveries. The opener was first conceived by Bush fifteen years earlier and is a prime example of her timeless quality. ‘King of the Mountain’ is one of Kate’s best efforts to date. It is a contemplation of unbridled celebrity and isolation with references to, and an impersonation of, Elvis and Citizen Kane. Bush's synthesizer, sequencer, and voice weigh in ethereally from the margins before a full-on rock band playing edgy and funky reggae enters on the second verse. The next song is ‘π’ which is something only Kate Bush would do, in fact; she is the only artist to get away with this. She sings Pi to the 137th decimal place. It’s a truly mad but beautiful song demonstrating the beauty of numbers and the strange fascination people have of devoting their lives to finding out small piece of information to things that have no end. Next is ‘Bertie’ with its Harpsichord and strings, it would easily fit nicely into the Royal courts of Henry VIII as it does in the 21st century. Here, Bush serenades the love of her son. Viols are bowed and arcane strings are struck as Bush delivers yet another mind blowing song. ‘Mrs. Bartolozzi’ which is an ode to household chores and a beautiful piano ballad. Only Kate Bush could transform household chores into erotic wonder. Then there is ‘How To Be Invisible’ featuring a spell for a chorus, precisely what you would expect from this artist. It is a funked up piece of rock-pop and absolutely awesome! Next is ‘Joanni’, a hymn to Joan of Arc. An interesting choice to say the least but as with Kate Bush the song takes on epic proportions here. Finally there is ‘A Coral Room’ which is one of the most moving pieces Kate Bush has ever written. Although it is just piano and voice the classical overtones and changes in tempo accentuate this moving piece about the death of her mother.
The second CD is devoted to a concept piece and is nothing short of stunning. She uses metaphors of the turning of the day and the flight of birds; she orchestrates a meditation on the cycles of life. ‘Prelude’ is a short atmospheric piece with sounds of birds singing and her son. This leads beautifully into ‘Prologue’ where the piano enters along with chanted viol accompanied by Bush crooning to romantic love, the joy of marriage and nature over some asserting drums. ‘An Architects Dream’ see’s Bush meet a street painter, it seems ordinary but the loops, fretless bass and drifiting keyboards give this relaxed piece an amazing feel. ‘The Painter’s Link’ is amazing for its inclusion of Rolf Harris alone! However, it is ‘Sunset’ where things really take off. The song combines a languid, jazzy arrangement with stunningly vivid imagery. The flamenco interlude is genius and dynamic. A short duet with birds follows with ‘Ariel Tal’ before we are treated to something equally as enthralling with ‘Somewhere in Between’ which is perfect in every way. Kate Bush also dabbles with drum and bass also on this number. It is Kate Bush at her very best. Bush starts to bring things to a close with ‘Nocturne’ where the rhythms assert themselves over electric guitars and layers of keyboards. Finally we end with ‘Aerial’ which see’s Bush dabble with dance music as she celebrates the coming of dawn. She sounds almost deranged shouting out the lines to the beats but it’s a stunning end as Kate’s voice slowly fade and becomes one with the birds.
This album is a clear example of perfection from one of the greatest artists of all time. Kate is by no means the most prolific artist around. However, if they are this good I am willing to wait another decade for the next, although I hope it’s not that long a wait! Here at number one, my album of the decade is Kate Bush: ‘Aerial’
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
What key events best describe the decade?
What events best describe this decade?
Attacks on the World Trade Centre, collapse of Lehman Brothers, Indian Ocean Tsunami, Cyclone Nargis, Bam earthquake, assassination of Benazir Bhutto, independence of East Timor, retirement of Fidel Castro, Cyprus joining the EU, 7 wins of Lance Armstrong in the Tour De France, end of Concorde, Led Zeppelin reunion, Harry Potter books, death of Michael Jackson, global warming, elections of Bush and Obama, Large Hadron Collider, Copenhagen Climate Summit, 2008 Olympics, launch of Wikipedia, other global communication launches such as facebook, twitter, YouTube and blogs??
Attacks on the World Trade Centre, collapse of Lehman Brothers, Indian Ocean Tsunami, Cyclone Nargis, Bam earthquake, assassination of Benazir Bhutto, independence of East Timor, retirement of Fidel Castro, Cyprus joining the EU, 7 wins of Lance Armstrong in the Tour De France, end of Concorde, Led Zeppelin reunion, Harry Potter books, death of Michael Jackson, global warming, elections of Bush and Obama, Large Hadron Collider, Copenhagen Climate Summit, 2008 Olympics, launch of Wikipedia, other global communication launches such as facebook, twitter, YouTube and blogs??
Which people define this decade?
Which people define this decade?
McCann's, George Bush, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, Steve Jobs, Shawn Fanning, Simon Cowell, Jade Goody, Barack Obama, David Beckham, J K Rowling, Dave Peltzer, Jamie Oliver, Sir Fred Goodwin??
McCann's, George Bush, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, Steve Jobs, Shawn Fanning, Simon Cowell, Jade Goody, Barack Obama, David Beckham, J K Rowling, Dave Peltzer, Jamie Oliver, Sir Fred Goodwin??
Words which sum up this decade.
Which words best sum up the decade?
Noughties, 9/11, axis of evil, moral crusade, sexing up dossiers, great recession, toxic debt, quantitative easing, bling, nonebrity, Twitter, Tweet, Twitts,poking, Facebook, chav, chavi, tsunami, green, carbon footprint, eco-towns, swine flu, globesity, iPod generation, Asbo, WMD, Blarism, Jade effect????
Noughties, 9/11, axis of evil, moral crusade, sexing up dossiers, great recession, toxic debt, quantitative easing, bling, nonebrity, Twitter, Tweet, Twitts,poking, Facebook, chav, chavi, tsunami, green, carbon footprint, eco-towns, swine flu, globesity, iPod generation, Asbo, WMD, Blarism, Jade effect????
Taiwan, Lowest Birth Rate In The World!
Source: Time Magazine
At a community center in Taipei, a church bulletin board displays family pictures with children showing off drawings of pink lotus flowers, lush trees, ponds and imaginary bears from a drawing contest at the Botanical Gardens. Catherine Wu, a newcomer to the church, noticed something unusual on the board that any outsider might overlook: each family had two or more children. "Are people encouraged to have children around here?" she asked.
In many societies, photos of four-member families wouldn't be much to stop and take notice of. But as of this year, Taiwan has the lowest birthrate in the world, with just one baby born per woman. According to the Population Reference Bureau's 2009 annual report, Taiwan has now surpassed both Macau and Hong Kong, which have held the lowest spots on the world chart for the past five years.
"This is a tragic society," Taiwan's Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang proclaimed in a Nov. 28 speech at the National Science and Technology Museum. He warned that if the island continues on this track, the population would experience a future labor shortage and that the next generation of children would have significant difficulty covering the health costs of their aging parents. That intense financial pressure, he said, could raise the future suicide rate. The Education Minister, in a separate statement, predicted that one-third of Taiwan's colleges will close in just 12 years if the trend continues.
In a society where the cost of living is high, the notion that kids are an unwelcome burden — taboo in many cultures — has become an accepted idea. Take the title of a recent panel discussion put on by Taiwan's Human Social Sciences Foundation: 'Having Children! Does It Hurt That Much?' "The hurt," explains the foundation's president, professor Liu Pei-yi, "refers to financial loss." In a research poll administered by Kun Shan University in 2007, students interviewed 100 residents of Taiwan between the ages of 20 and 40 about their family plans. One-third didn't plan to have any children for fear of losing two precious things: money and freedom.
Balancing work and family life has proven to be a challenge for both men and women in Taiwan. According to the Swiss-based International Institute of Management Development, Taiwanese work some of the longest hours in the world, averaging nearly 44 hours a week, and Taiwan's women are very career-oriented. "Most women are afraid of losing their jobs" by taking time out to have a child, says Liu. He says Taiwan should follow the lead of European countries like Germany, where women are entitled to up to three years of maternity leave by law. Taiwan has been making progress in this area; in 2002, the government passed a law requiring companies to allow their employees two-year parental leaves without pay. This year, a policy came out that enables parents to take six months of parental leave while receiving 60% of their salary. But many say these changes only look good on paper, as most bosses discourage people from taking the time off.
Underneath these logistical issues, however, may be a fundamental shift in values. Two-thirds of working women in Taiwan are university-educated, and fewer of them are jumping into tying the knot early. "I'm not pursuing marriage," says Hsu Yu-hua, a 30-something accountant in Taipei. "Not with today's divorce rate [38% in Taiwan]. I'm financially independent, and it's more convenient to be single." Only a third of Taiwan's women are married by age 30, in contrast to 20 years ago, when the average age for marriage for women was 26. Many more men have also been marrying women from other Asian countries like China and Vietnam, both countries where women are statistically inclined to have more children. China, even with the government's one-child policy, still has a birthrate of 1.6, compared with Taiwan's 1.0 (Vietnam's is 2.1). Today, 1 in 8 babies in Taiwan is born to a non-Taiwanese mother.
The chief of Taiwan's Child Welfare Bureau, Chen Kung-huang, says lowering housing prices for families with children and other related goals — like helping singles date and mate — are all items on the government's to-do list to try to boost the number of babies being born in Taiwan's delivery rooms. But underlying factors behind the low birthrate may be beyond the grasp of government policy. When asked if she wanted to have children, happily married broadcast journalist Huang Shih-han replied, "I like reading and, well, you can't read if there are children wailing." Why does she think Taiwan's birthrate is so low? "I think our generation is more selfish," she says. "When you have children, you have to sacrifice a lot, and I don't want to do that."
At a community center in Taipei, a church bulletin board displays family pictures with children showing off drawings of pink lotus flowers, lush trees, ponds and imaginary bears from a drawing contest at the Botanical Gardens. Catherine Wu, a newcomer to the church, noticed something unusual on the board that any outsider might overlook: each family had two or more children. "Are people encouraged to have children around here?" she asked.
In many societies, photos of four-member families wouldn't be much to stop and take notice of. But as of this year, Taiwan has the lowest birthrate in the world, with just one baby born per woman. According to the Population Reference Bureau's 2009 annual report, Taiwan has now surpassed both Macau and Hong Kong, which have held the lowest spots on the world chart for the past five years.
"This is a tragic society," Taiwan's Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang proclaimed in a Nov. 28 speech at the National Science and Technology Museum. He warned that if the island continues on this track, the population would experience a future labor shortage and that the next generation of children would have significant difficulty covering the health costs of their aging parents. That intense financial pressure, he said, could raise the future suicide rate. The Education Minister, in a separate statement, predicted that one-third of Taiwan's colleges will close in just 12 years if the trend continues.
In a society where the cost of living is high, the notion that kids are an unwelcome burden — taboo in many cultures — has become an accepted idea. Take the title of a recent panel discussion put on by Taiwan's Human Social Sciences Foundation: 'Having Children! Does It Hurt That Much?' "The hurt," explains the foundation's president, professor Liu Pei-yi, "refers to financial loss." In a research poll administered by Kun Shan University in 2007, students interviewed 100 residents of Taiwan between the ages of 20 and 40 about their family plans. One-third didn't plan to have any children for fear of losing two precious things: money and freedom.
Balancing work and family life has proven to be a challenge for both men and women in Taiwan. According to the Swiss-based International Institute of Management Development, Taiwanese work some of the longest hours in the world, averaging nearly 44 hours a week, and Taiwan's women are very career-oriented. "Most women are afraid of losing their jobs" by taking time out to have a child, says Liu. He says Taiwan should follow the lead of European countries like Germany, where women are entitled to up to three years of maternity leave by law. Taiwan has been making progress in this area; in 2002, the government passed a law requiring companies to allow their employees two-year parental leaves without pay. This year, a policy came out that enables parents to take six months of parental leave while receiving 60% of their salary. But many say these changes only look good on paper, as most bosses discourage people from taking the time off.
Underneath these logistical issues, however, may be a fundamental shift in values. Two-thirds of working women in Taiwan are university-educated, and fewer of them are jumping into tying the knot early. "I'm not pursuing marriage," says Hsu Yu-hua, a 30-something accountant in Taipei. "Not with today's divorce rate [38% in Taiwan]. I'm financially independent, and it's more convenient to be single." Only a third of Taiwan's women are married by age 30, in contrast to 20 years ago, when the average age for marriage for women was 26. Many more men have also been marrying women from other Asian countries like China and Vietnam, both countries where women are statistically inclined to have more children. China, even with the government's one-child policy, still has a birthrate of 1.6, compared with Taiwan's 1.0 (Vietnam's is 2.1). Today, 1 in 8 babies in Taiwan is born to a non-Taiwanese mother.
The chief of Taiwan's Child Welfare Bureau, Chen Kung-huang, says lowering housing prices for families with children and other related goals — like helping singles date and mate — are all items on the government's to-do list to try to boost the number of babies being born in Taiwan's delivery rooms. But underlying factors behind the low birthrate may be beyond the grasp of government policy. When asked if she wanted to have children, happily married broadcast journalist Huang Shih-han replied, "I like reading and, well, you can't read if there are children wailing." Why does she think Taiwan's birthrate is so low? "I think our generation is more selfish," she says. "When you have children, you have to sacrifice a lot, and I don't want to do that."
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
The Aliens have landed!
On Friday evening I was feeling exhausted. George was having his farewell dinner with friends so I headed home, via Toasteria, to chill out until George arrived home with some wine. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing in front of the TV.
On Saturday we went to see two great movies. The first was 500 Days of Summer. It was actually a really great movie placing a new spin on the traditional love story movies. It was far more real to life and poignant, in places, than most of the dire boy meets girl efforts. Next we saw District9 which I have to say is probably one of the best Alien based movies I have ever seen and for the same reasons as the previous movie, because it was different. Based in South Africa, the first part focuses upon the logistical nightmare of relocating over a million aliens from urban to rural life with a documentary approach. The second half takes on a more typical form with the lead character slowly transforming into an alien and transform the movie into a race against time. It was gripping from beginning to end and highly entertaining.
On Sunday we headed to Carnegies for lunch and then met up with George’s dad in the evening for dinner. On the way home we stopped off at Coldstone’s for dessert. George had the new Bailey’s flavored concoction whilst I opted for the more traditional chocolate one.
2) Radiohead: 'Hail To The Thief'
I fear I am cheating a little here, when I began this list I only intended to include one album from one artist only. However, Radiohead have to break the mould as they simply are the best band of the past twenty years. I was torn between two albums. Kid A is quite simply a stunning album which was way ahead of its time. It really should be on this list, however, not to include three albums from the same band I forced myself to make a decision. The album which holds more sway and memory for me is the shockingly underrated Hail to the Thief. For any other band this would be their crowning glory; for Radiohead, however, who have set the bar so high for themselves with past releases, this was widely seen as an average album by their standards. It is far from it!
Radiohead's Hail to the Thief bridges the gulf between their early epic progressive rock and their latter skittering electronic theatrics, borrowing equally from each. This is not an album full of optimism, it is a product of the time it was written in 2002. The songs are filled with anger and dissent and clearly reflect the feelings people were feeling at the time, the war on terror, the pending war in Iraq, and heaven forbid, the prospect of a full 8 years of George Bush! Radiohead opt for eloquent metaphors and complicated arrangements to express their fear, uncertainty in the post 9-11 world.
We start with the fantastic prog-rock opener 2+2=5 lifted fittingly straight from Orwell’s 1984. Society have idly sat back and let governments take over and ruin the world. The song starts off with a simple guitar backing Yorke’s vocals which lead into the dreamy mid section before transforming into a manic screaming frenzy repeating the same line over and over in a fit of rage. Next is ‘Sit Down, Stand Up’ starts off in a lesson of vocal harmonies over a drum machine glocks and piano and slowly builds into a heavy drum and bass piece, which is odd even for Radiohead’s standards but works! ‘Sail to the Moon’ is one of the most beautiful ballads Yorke has ever written, appealing to the younger generations to not make the same mistakes the present generation are making. The vocals are perfect, the arrangement intersperses piano and guitar to amazing special effect. Next is ‘Backdrifts’ with its pulsating drum machines and synths driving this number along. ‘Go To Sleep’ is a more accessible number of upbeat acoustic guitar, a great single. Then we have the stunning ‘Where I End and You Again’ which combine sci-fi effects with a traditional rock track. Then there appears to be an attack upon the music industry and the reality TV singers beginning to be turned out by Simon Cowell et al. with ‘We Suck Young Blood’. Following this is the experimental ‘The Gloaming’ which combines odd effects with time signatures, not exactly easy on the ears but stunning musically. ‘There There’ is a laid back drum led piece and is quite phenomenal. ‘I Will’ is a short piece which leads into my favorite track on the album ‘A Punch Up At A Wedding’. This jazz laden track is Radiohead at their best. ‘Myxomatosis’ is the one song on the album I really never connected with, a rather odd inclusion I feel. However, this side step is recovered with the fantastic ‘Scatterbrain’. Finally we have ‘A Wolf At The Door’ with fantastic arpeggiated chord and drums accompanied by Yorke’s confusing lyrical rant. A fantastic end to a much underrated album. Here at number 2 is Radiohead with ‘Hail To The Thief’.
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
3) Amy Winehouse: 'Back To Black'
Amy Winehouse’s debut in 2003, Frank, was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed laying down tracks infused with jazz and ska. However, nothing could have prepared us for the astonishing follow-up in 2006 with ‘Back to Black’. On this album she changed direction and what resulted is a retro masterpiece.
Unfortunately, as much has been said of Amy Winehouse’s music as to her rather colorful private life. The boozing, the brawling, the drug abuse, her rather unstable relationship and overall self-destructive nature. Yet there is no denying this girl is a raw talent and puts most other artists to shame when it actually comes down to what really matters, musical abilities.
The first stroke of genius is the production which is second to none. For this Winehouse enlisted the aid of the great Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, who have managed to fuse elements of hip-hop, soul, gospel, and R&B into something quite amazing. The overwhelming influence is that of1960s Motown, in particular the Phil Spector Girl groups of that period, and what results is some exuberant neo-Motown swing. However, despite the retro sound, the album is certainly rooted in the present and the soul stylings suite Amy’s voice perfectly to create a 21st century soul classic album.
In saying this, no matter how good the production is, it is the singer which is the star of this album. She is quite simply awesome. When this 22 year old opens her mouth she is somehow transformed into a middle-aged 1950s jazz club singer, reminiscent of some of the great black female artists of that time. Yet what is different is the content which she is talking about. The constant obscenities, infidelity, drug use, love life and relationships are all contained in this classic collection of songs. In a nutshell, she is talking about life in contemporary London.
Opener, ‘Rehab’, is already a classic song, and is a massive single to lead with. It’s sassy, brassy and reads as a gospel-tinged stomp creating something which is pure class. ‘You Know I’m No Good’ is yet another formidable song with the big drums and bar room tale of infidelity. ‘Me and Mr. Jones’ clearly demonstrates its nod to the past with its stardust doo-wop sound but the lyrics are anything but old. This track is a clear example of why this album is so much more than just a tribute to the sounds of past. ‘Just Friends’ sees Amy back into territory she visited on her debut album, that of ska, and it fits perfectly onto this album. The title track ‘Back to Black’ highlights the Phil Spector girl group sound more than any other track with its melodrama-dripping wall of sound. The echoed drums, the rhythmic piano, the chimes, the saxophone and close harmonies makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. We are then treated to an amazing series of soul songs with ‘Love is a Losing Game’, a bitter, broken-hearted anthem, as poetic as it is exquisite, ‘Tears Dry on Their Own’, which is beautiful, evocative and oozing with passion and then with ‘Wake up Alone’ and ‘Some Unholy War’. Then we are treated to the more upbeat ‘He can Only Hold Her’. We are left, finally, with ‘Addicted’ which could be a Supremes anthem until the lyrics bring you crashing back down to earth. This can be no one other than Amy Winehouse.
Quite simply this album represents perfection on many levels. Perfect production, perfect lyrics, perfect styling, perfect voice and overall, a perfect album. Here at number three is Amy Winehouse with ‘Back to Black’ .
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