Best album of 2003 (marking 10 years of music)
By Scott P
As part of thinking back and remembering things on the cusp of moving into 2010, I am trying to work out what to put on my iPod and what not. so what follows is a brief look through the best albums I got in the year 200 and a top 3 with some witterings on why i like things you will probably not like!
From 2003 the year London introduced its congestion charge, and the end of Channel 4′s Brookside and Supersonic aircraft Concorde.
the contenders are in alphabetical order;
-
Barenaked Ladies – Everything to Everyone
Belle & Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress
British Sea Power – The Decline of British Sea Power
Bruce Cockburn – You’ve Never Seen Everything
Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head
Eddi Reader – Sings The Songs of Robert Burns
Martyn Joseph – Whoever it was that brought me here will have to take me home
OutKast – Speakerboxx / The Love Below
Over the Rhine – Ohio
Radiohead – Hail to the Thief
Rufus Wainwright – Want One
The Shins – Chutes Too Narrow
The Violet Burning – This Is The Moment
Zwan – Mary Star of The Seas
using a completely biased methodology of what did I listen to most then, what do I listen to now and think is pretty good and just what rocks my world, the top three are
please note this year was extremely good for music and a real tough decision!
number 3
Barenaked Ladies – Everything to Everyone.
in my humble opinion probably the best record Barenaked Ladies have made. off kilter, gorgeous pop with a rock underbelly. lyrics to die for and a pop sensibility which belies the seeming simplicity of the album, it took me a while to click with, but now the album is welded in my subconscious, with twists and turns which are as familiar as old friends and sometimes as surprising as friends are.
seek out – “Another Postcard”, “Shopping” & “War on Drugs”
number 2
Rufus Wainwright – Want One
I remember buying this CD then giving a lift to someone in my car, and saying “You must listen to this album. it is wonderful, it mixes classical pop, beauty and wonder. it is as operatic as it is pop, it is just wonderful”. then I turned it up loud and sang along completely convinced it’s beauty would work wonders.
what an album. If it wasn’t for number 1 it would easily have been album of the year.
seek out – the whole album. it is easily one of the top ten albums of this decade.
number 1
Over the Rhine – Ohio
I don’t know how 2 albums into a 4 album deal Over the Rhine persuaded Virgin records to allow them to release a double album, but frankly it is a move of backing artists vision which was rewarded by one of the best albums i have ever heard.
It is moving, frank, honest, emotional, wonderful, dreamy, yet real, bitter sweet, an album of supreme skill craft, songwriting and beauty, just wonderful. absolutely wonderful.
seek out – ensure you have this album. If you don’t have it ask I will buy it for you. (really this is a real offer)
December 13th, 2009
Music Downloads – free legal music
By Scott P
So the holy grail really is free legal music.
something you can downlaod and own just because the other person is giviging it away. something which some artists are trying, some thing which can work well.
Anyway two live concert recordings are currently available for download by two of my favourite bands.
On the “pop”ier side of things, Barenaked Ladies have been long term loves of mine. they have a turn of phrase, an ability to make you laugh with simple yet effective humour, and a great line in pop/rock tunes. And they are Canadian. nice. ever since i heard “If i had$1,000,000″ i have followed them. anyway things have been a bit shaky for them. They left their label, formed their own record company, released 2 albums and 1 children’s album, Lead singer Steven Page was arrested for drugs offenses, declare to prove himself innocent, the band canceled a tour with Disney.
No real surprise then that the band announced that band Steven Page had left the band amicably to pursue solo projects, causing the band to go from a 5 piece to a 4piece.
So what would it sound like?
Would it be any good?
one of the key points of the band had been the vocal interplay between ed’s straighter rock vocals and Steven’s more theatrical vocals. The other thing which really made them stand out were the intricate five part harmonies which the band preformed live. well, a week or so ago as part of a mardi gras celebration the and played live as a four piece. They recorded the live front of house mix and have released the whole concert live as a free give away.
and would you believe that apart from a few ropy harmonies which i think can be mostly forgiven they sound not half bad.
(I particularly love “the Big Bang Theory” theme tune) yeah, we built the pyramids!
Perhaps I just have a love of wordsmiths. The second live offering is the first live performance of the album “The Hazard of Love” by The Decemberists. The album is described in a press release as, “a 17-song suite that tells the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake.” yeah rock on! not really spinal tap i suppose but to be honest. it is quite wonderful.
Is it any good?
A live 17 song suite, isn’t that just a return to prog?
I have only got through the first 10 songs but think that a long drive to Edinburgh this evening may provide me with the opportunity to hear the whole thing. What’s that? how can I listen to the whole concert. well i will tell you. The good people at NPR recorded the whole thing, broadcasted it live on the web and on American radio and have made it a live concert podcast.
Click here to access the live stream or the podcast.
sometimes. I really love live free music, don’t you?
Concerts
By Scott P
Future concerts are in no particular order
The Decmberists @ the ABC on the 4th of February with Rich
&
Barenaked Ladies @ the Glasgow Academy on the 8th of April, with my wife
on a related note, anyone notice how good Youtube is at finding the videos by bands?