The 5 Albums
So I got back to cambs properly on Monday after the superbowl which I stayed up and watched unaided of any caffine. By Wednesday I had the following albums, some of which I was super excited for.
Lightspeed Champion
Hot Chip
Vampire Weekend
Foals
Re-Up Gang (mixtapes now count as albums)

Each album complimented each other and reinvigorated my musical pallet. There was a distinct lack of good winter albums instead I just fell in love with new bands. The one which I had wanted to hear the most was Hot Chip’s Made in the Dark. To be honest it sounds like that. Not that it is all so clumsy and ramshackle but slightly as if they wanted to rest on their laurels. I have mentioned before how much I love their odd song writing style as a juxtaposition to their killer hooks and marauding soundscape that the last album the warning produced. This album athough disappointing but dude to the first two singles being misleading. Ready for the Floor’s lyrics are a clear sign of how the band wish to view themselves. Shake a fist must be seen as the black sheep. I may think in two weeks time that is was a song released in order to be remixed by any dj, a song not to lose their dance credibility. The album is stronger and mellowed out marriage of the last two albums. The worrying thing is that as all the ballads in this could ultimately make it that cool cd for thirty year olds to listen to at dinner parties. Which is ultimately what the band are. Released ten days before valentines day it will be the soundtrack for many that night. The constant comparisons between heaven and hell make this and loving and infuriating album.

The foals album leaked less than 24 hours ago and I will already pass judgement. It’s a solid, almost great debut album. Here is what counts against it, as a fan I have heard a lot of these songs as demos so they have lost a bit of their impact. The same thing happened with Justice and their ubiquitous hit D.A.N.C.E. Waters of Nazareth on that cd lost its lustre since I had heard it two years earlier. My fears of foals going up their own arse and creating a math-jazz-funk album are not fulfilled. The added lyrics to my personal fave The French Open adds another layer of inclusiveness in an already crowd pleasing song. I cant wait to hear it live. Cassius, a song which I had heard a 20 second clip which excited me no end is glorious. The added horns at the end sound like those used on Fela Kuti’s Shakara. I feel that the album would have been a classic if they had left on Mathletics and Hummer. Although the band never had the lyrics hat connected with me. The line in the song Olympic Airways “Let’s go to an aviary far from home”. Seeing the band later this month will make my year.

Re-Up Gang – I am not as pleased with the second mixtape but they are still the only current rap group that forces me to have a thorough listen. Their belief that dumb rap is over is slightly naïve as Soulja boy is the highest selling itunes singles artist of all time. The clipse suffer from a problem that although they make classic rap albums the times are not the same. Being the best of a bad bunch will not you very far. Especially in a time where being a flash in the pan is more important than a solid career. Strange to think that Lupe is having a renaissance over here in the UK rather than the Clipse whose wordplay would be greater appreciated.

Vampire Weekend – for the past two years, I have sacrificed sleep in order to try and be ahead of the curve, why? Not sure, it meant that I didn’t have to hang out with people and make small talk I didn’t care for. So I was sat at home reading the paper which was detailing Vampire Weekend and their sound. I guess Afrobeat/pop/punk would be most applicable. The lead guitar in the song A-Punk is unbelievably similar to these old Nigerian Mixtapes my mother used to play. Not all the songs connect but when they do it’s utterly charming. I would expect people to lazily call them as a band that was heavily influenced by Peter Gabriel and that Paul Simon song “You Can Call Me Al”. Their album does capture most of that joy.

Lightspeed Champion – The album is uncharacteristic, a steady slew of blues songs sung from the perspective of a hyper aware love abused singer. The former singer and guitarist of one of my hidden pleasure the test icicles. The album is full of modern day indie lifestyle country songs. Whereas Jolene (my only truly appreciated country song) dealt with jealous lovers, Lightspeed’s songs are offbeat, modern and dark lyrics. Somebody wanted to mention iron I’m not so sure due to the lustre offbeat songs make it an interesting yet somewhat tough album.