Brand New UK tour 2012: YouTube highlights

Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades/Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don't (Manchester Academy, 09/02/12)



Favourite moments in this: "They should've played 'Tautou' before that" and, of course, "you can't even hear Jessie" during the first verse of 'Okay'... when he's standing with his arms folded, BLATANTLY NOT SINGING.

Sowing Season (Yeah) (Manchester Academy, 09/02/12)



Soco Amaretto Lime (Camden Roundhouse, London, 11/02/12)



Moshi Moshi (Newcastle O2 Academy, 16/02/12)



Flying At Tree Level (Version 1.0) (Camden Roundhouse, London, 12/02/12)



Mix Tape (Camden Roundhouse, London, 12/02/12)



Seventy Times Seven (Camden Roundhouse, London, 11/02/12)



Me Vs Maradona Vs Elvis (Newcastle O2 Academy, 16/02/12)



The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows (Southampton Guildhall, 10/02/12)



Play Crack The Sky (Camden Roundhouse, London, 12/02/12)



Degausser (Camden Roundhouse, London, 11/02/12)



You Won't Know (Camden Roundhouse, London, 12/02/12)

Brand New UK tour review (Manchester, Southampton, London, Newcastle)

BRAND NEW (with THE XCERTS, I AM THE AVALANCHE), Manchester Academy 09/02/12, Southampton Guildhall 10/02/12, London Roundhouse 11/02 and 12/02/12, Newcastle O2 Academy 16/02/12

Following a band’s tour can be something of a sobering experience; watching as the same four or five musicians toil away night after night on a series of identikit stages, pouring out their hearts and souls to thousands of overeager fans in a variety of different cities, can have the undesired effect of depleting the show of its magic. What may appear to be a once-in-a-lifetime performance, aided and abetted by a lively, energetic crowd, quickly snaps into focus when it’s followed by an identical experience the night after; we’re all guilty of hoping that the show we’re getting, in our home town, is better than what has gone before, that we’re getting that little something extra so we can trot out the “I was there”s in a few years time when the gig has passed into the annals of rock history. And of course, this hope, this belief, is inevitably quashed when, after two or three more shows, you realise that it’s all just part of the act. That these are guys and girls like you and I, doing their jobs night after night, with the added bonus of loving every minute.

Thankfully, following Brand New as they trudge the length and breadth of Great Britain is nothing like that at all. Somehow, some way, the Long Island five (sometimes six) piece make every successive show feel like their last, like this is the most important gig they’ve played in the fifteen years since their formation. And they do it with such monumental gusto, sweating energy and aggression from every pore, that every city is magical, every 100 minutes makes you feel like there is nowhere else on this Earth you’d rather be, that there are no other words you’d rather be screaming at the top of your voice and that there is no other band you’d rather watch annihilate the fuck out of their own music.

This determination and intensity creeps into the marrow of the support bands’ bones too: Aberdeen three piece The Xcerts are on fire every night, delivering a deliciously intense thirty minutes of highlights from Scatterbrain, their most recent release (plus, let’s not forget, In the Cold Wind We Smile favourite Do You Feel Safe? as an opener), with a brilliantly visceral, yet impressively catchy, new tune thrown in for good measure. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Brand New’s fanbase take to them instantly and copies of their frankly bloody excellent albums are seen clutched tight in hands as the venues empty. It’s the same set each night – at the band’s own admission during the two successive London shows – and it’s arguable that it could do with a few more from Smile, but this is a minor quibble. New Yorkers I Am The Avalanche, meanwhile, do get round to changing one or two tracks in their eight-song set, although they rely rather heavily on pre-established set pieces, such as Vinnie relating the same tale about metaphorically burying his girlfriend each night. Their show speaks for itself, however, with a superbly crafted amalgam of songs from recent release Avalanche United and their eponymous debut working together in perfect harmony to produce a blistering half hour of purest punk rock thrills, with the closing trio of New York Dodgers, Gratitude and I Took A Beating a particular highlight.

And then, of course, there is the main event. Sauntering onstage every night at 9.20pm sharp with absolutely no fanfare whatsoever, casting bombast to the wayside, Brand New warm themselves up for their two hour odyssey with a vicious Welcome to Bangkok, – or, in the case of their second night at the Roundhouse, Tautou – the eerie minor chords emanating from Vinnie’s acoustic guitar slowly giving way to ear-splitting feedback and two sets of almightily crashing drums. It’s the perfect opener, setting the tone for the evening, and before long, we’re careering through a further series of highlights from 2007’s The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, Jesse risking destroying his vocal chords every night during a brutal, unforgiving Sowing Season and giving his adoring crowds the opportunity during an anthemic, soaring Millstone. In a shrewd move, the band bookend the show with tracks from this record, throwing the crowd-pleasers and golden oldies together in the middle of the set, suggesting a quietly assured confidence in their own material. Frankly, it’s a confidence that’s well deserved; you only need to listen to the first few seconds of Jesus Christ, with that gorgeous, lilting riff, or the aggressive middle eight of a heartwrenchingly melancholic Limousine, to realise their inherent genius. The Devil and God is undoubtedly Brand New’s greatest work and it only grows in stature when the songs are given more space to breathe in a live setting.

And of course, having now had more than a decade of experience, the band breathe whole new life into their older material too, with perennial fan favourites from 2001’s Your Favourite Weapon benefitting from a more studied, yet heavier, sound. Pleasingly, for all it is apparent that Jesse and co. have outgrown songs about teenage jealousy and heartache, they still give emo big-hitters Jude Law and a Semester Abroad and Seventy Times Seven an airing during every night of the tour, and, perhaps more importantly than that, invest 110% in them, guitarists leaping around the stage, Jesse goading on the riotous masses. Predictably, audiences respond in kind, moshpits swirling in unison, bodies flying overhead, particularly at Manchester’s Academy 1 and the Roundhouse in London. There’s a superb solo rendition of Soco Amaretto Lime too, a significant proportion of which Jesse barely has to sing as his fans do it for him. He adjusts the final line to a poignant “I’m just jealous cos you’re young and in love”, eliciting a standing ovation in every city. It’s a humble move, underlining the feeling that the band are playing for rather than at us; in Manchester, Jesse states that they’re over here because they love playing, not because they have a record to promote, and in Newcastle, he personally thanks everyone who has given up an evening of the life to see them on tour, stating that they’ve had the fortune to “play to some of the best audiences we’ve ever had”. It’s a sweet gesture – one far removed from what the media might have you expect from the band – and it’s one that leads to a few pleasant, spur-of-the-moment surprises, such as Jesse throwing a once-in-a-blue-moon solo run through of Moshi Moshi into the set at Newcastle, or, indeed, the changing of more than half of the set at the second Roundhouse date, with Guernica, The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot, Mix Tape and Flying at Tree Level (of all things) replacing some of the more standard tracks.

It’s a few of the staples that provide the finest moments, however. The brain-meltingly intense Vices/Sink combo nearly blows the roof off during Roundhouse night one; Southampton goes batshit crazy during Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades; Manchester sings the entire first verse of Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don’t on its own (that’s a whole minute, folks) and Jesse just smiles on, arms folded; and the brilliantly visceral closing duo of Degausser and You Won’t Know descends into an orgy of unparalleled insanity and destruction in Newcastle, with Jesse throwing one guitar around like a crash test dummy and then strapping on a second and playing/abusing both simultaneously, Vinnie trashing his bass and then setting about the second drumkit and Brian collapsing headfirst into his kit after Jesse launches one of the two guitars at him, sending cymbals, hi hats and snares tumbling down onto the stage. And there really is no discerning between the performances. It would be unfair to rate one city against another as each show is filled with the same level of intensity, each night brings its own litany of highlights. Suffice to say, these 100 minutes are some of the finest that the good people of Manchester, Southampton, London and Newcastle will ever experience; these shows may well be some of the best the band ever play; and right now, at the top of their game, Brand New are quite probably the best live performers on the planet. If you missed out this round, buy yourself tickets for all of the dates on the next tour. You will not be disappointed. We promise.

Live review: Frightened Rabbit, Glasgow Stereo, 21/01/12

FRIGHTENED RABBIT, Stereo, Glasgow (21/01/12)

Frightened Rabbit are wounded pups tonight. Seven days ago, when they announced a trio of impromptu shows in Scotland's principal cities, all in venues smaller than George Osbourne's conscience, to provide the hardcore with a chance to hear material from their forthcoming fourth record for the very first time, they probably thought they were doing a good deed. Certainly, demand was high enough; this evening's show in the brilliantly ramshackle blink-and-you'll-miss-it Stereo sold out in three minutes, and queues for the Edinburgh and Aberdeen equivalents were, quite frankly, massive. Frabbits were chomping at the bit at the chance to sample the follow-up to 2010's phenomenal The Winter of Mixed Drinks... so much so, it seems, that a certain group of money-grabbing, grandstanding promoters saw an opportunity to exploit the fuck out of them.

Yes, two nights prior, at the 'burgh's Cabaret Voltaire, fans were initially told that tickets would only be available on the door. Then the venue sold 200 online. Those that were patient were told that there were 200 more available on the door. Not so, it seems. Voltaire sold all available tickets on the web and then allowed 200 more in on the night, only to direct them to an upstairs room where they were permitted to watch the performance on a television screen. When Frightened Rabbit became aware of this travesty, they promptly severed ties with the promoters, vowed never to play the venue again and gave a special acoustic performance for those who had been duped.

In all, then, a bit of a shambles. While they arguably did their level best in awful circumstances, some fans remained upset with the band for not doing anything about this sooner. Cue many apologetic tweets, Facebook messages and the like and a brief mention just prior to this evening's performance. Undoubtedly, Frightened Rabbit have been hurt by events and have something extra to prove; but still, with a triumphant show in Aberdeen yesterday under their belts and 290 rabid hometown devotees before them, this should surely be a no-brainer, right? Well, of course. Predictably, the atmosphere is electric from the off; as the pile-driving ferocity of new track Holy (we're reading solely from the setlist here guys, doubtless this is an abbreviation!) ricochets around the room, eyes gaze intently in awe, minds focused prominently on the intricacies in this most four-to-the-floor of tracks, feet and hips helplessly tapping and swaying to the unfamiliar beat. It's a response that comes to characterise the evening, each apologetically-delivered debut receiving as rapturous a response as the most well known of tracks. It helps that there are some absolute corkers in the bunch: Boxing is a beautiful ode to the lethargy and self-pity that may follow a break-up, all cracked vocals and discordant guitars, while Oil Slick is probably the most monstrous four minutes written about the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon, well, ever.

All of this bodes exceptionally well for that eagerly anticipated fourth LP, due for release (hopefully) sometime late in 2012; that every single one of these tracks sits snugly next to the older material but nevertheless manages to remain fiercely independent suggests that Frightened Rabbit aren't willing to rest on their laurels... and we should all be extremely excited about what that may mean for a new release. Tellingly, this fervor seeps through into their performance too. There's a restlessness about the band tonight, an inescapable passion that resonates from every corner of the stage, filling Scott and Grant particularly with an energy that infects everyone else in the venue. Scott scrunches his eyes and sings his heart out during a pitch-perfectly poignant My Backwards Walk, while Grant seems to play every song as if it's his last, hammering seven shades of shite out of his poor drumkit and nearly setting about the front row after a messy, fierce Square 9, screaming at all and sundry.

It's a thrilling experience and one that provides that all-important extra ingredient to proceedings. Tonight, these songs are 'wee beasties' (to namecheck an alcopop), leaping from the stage and pummeling your frontal lobes with deliciously impish glee. Glasgow loves every minute, out-singing the band on countless occasions, but particularly during The Loneliness and the Scream (the refrain of which all 290 men and women continue to sing at the tops of their voices while the band are backstage prior to the encore) and the soaring, epic finale that is Keep Yourself Warm. A jovial Old Old Fashioned, intense Living in Colour and playful Swim Until You Can't See Land are also highlights, the latter featuring a three minute drone in its middle 8 just for the hell of it. By show's end, all thoughts of 'The Edinburgh Incident' (as it will now be known) are firmly put to rest and Frightened Rabbit are once again able to stand tall and proud, safe in the knowledge that they are one of the very finest alt-indie-folk outfits that this weather-beaten country has to offer. Album four can't come soon enough.

Live review: The Maccabees (w/Trailer Trash Tracys), Newcastle O2 Academy, 29/01/12

THE MACCABEES (w/TRAILER TRASH TRACYS), Newcastle O2 Academy, 29/01/12

Make no mistake about it: Newcastle has fallen head over heels, hook, line and sinker for The Maccabees. Tonight's sell-out Academy show is packed to the rafters virtually from the off, the expectant hoards chowing down their respective Sunday roasts as quickly as humanly possible in a bid to get that all-important front row view of the UK's most promising indie upstarts. It's an impressive feat for the Sabbath day; end-of-the-week shows are notorious in gigging circles for proving to be something of a damp squib, audiences too worn out following a weekend of unrelenting hedonism to give it their all, or too depressed at the thought of having to return to the long, hard slog of gainful employment to really cut loose. But not so tonight, boys and girls; whether the 2,000 strong crowd decided to bypass their entire weekends for one 90-minute slice of nihilistic exuberance, or they've just temporarily forgotten that work, school or university awaits them tomorrow morning, there's no escaping the fact that tonight, Matthew, Newcastle is on fire, its chants as loud as St. James' Park, its vocals drowning out the band and its energy bouncing off the walls, electrifying every soul in the room.

'Dream-pop' support Trailer Trash Tracys don't elicit quite the same reaction, their ethereal brand of sensual shoegaze falling largely on impatient ears. It's a shame, as their recently released debut Ester is a sterling effort, but then, they were always going to be something of a gamble in an environment such as this. When approximately 80% of your crowd is made up of Two Door fans (and that's no bad thing, by the way), reverb and drum machines probably aren't going to cut it. Still, for all the quieter moments are drowned out by chatter, Newcastle is polite enough to applaud graciously and refrain from turning impatience into aggression. Before long, the test of endurance is over and the main attraction begins, the quietly self-conscious five-piece edging on stage to the intro from their current LP before segueing effortlessly into an otherworldly Child, the album's second track. Lead singer Orlando Wells' vocals are spine-tinglingly timid throughout, the perfect counterpoint to Hugo White's piercing stabs of cascading guitar. It's a juxtaposition that continues throughout the show, the unrelenting visceral intensity of the rhythm section balancing Wells' quiet modesty, creating the thrillingly off-kilter, contradictory sound that characterises the band and makes their most recent efforts such a joy to listen to.

Indeed, Given to the Wild, released a mere twenty days ago, is already a strong contender for album of the year, its multi-layered, darkly abrasive palette uncovering whole new delights with every listen. Understandably, tonight's set leans heavily on the record's charms, the Maccabees undoubtedly intensely proud of their most prolific body of work to date. There's the current singles, a heartbreaking Feel to Follow, a punk-as-fuck Pelican; the future singles, a soaring Went Away, an eardrum-bursting Unknow; and, of course, the thrillingly intense Forever I've Known which eviscerates all and sundry with its sheer, unadulterated brilliance. The track is in a league of its own and it only gets better live, sounding every bit the greatest and most powerful thing they've ever done. Bravely, the band even close on a new song, finishing their encore with a magnificent Grew Up at Midnight, Given to the Wild's final track. Thankfully, the devoted masses have already devoured every last nuance and learned every last word, so the response is every bit as excitable as those reserved for the 'classics'.

Arguably, The Maccabees don't even need to play these tonight; they have Newcastle eating out of the palms of their spindly hands and could probably just run straight through every last track on Wild, as well as a bunch of four-minute no-brainers written on the back of fag packets the night before, and still the atmosphere would be electric. Of course, it doesn't play out that way: it isn't long before a raucous Lego punctures the melancholia, followed closely behind by William Powers' pounding drumbeats, No Kind Words' angular guitar attacks and, of course, the inevitable arms-around-mates wig-out of First Love. Inevitably, the masses go ape shit, bodies slamming back and forth, sweat-drenched teens flying over our heads, and the band look on in awe, Cheshire cat grins spread permanently across their faces at the insanity they've created... and on a Sunday, no less. If this is how the world responds to The Maccabees now, less than a month into the release of their new record, then one can only imagine the giddy heights they may ascend to come spring and summer. Mark it down now, guys and gals: 2012 - the year of The Maccabees. Make no mistake about it.

15 for 2012

In no particular order, I give to you 15 confirmed album releases to get all excited about in 2012.

1. THE MACCABEES: Given to the Wild (9 January)

What better way to spend that £15 HMV gift card you got for Christmas from your gran than on this (probable) gem? If the first two singles are anything to go by, the third album from the most underrated band in indie is gonna be a beaut.



2. PULLED APART BY HORSES: Tough Love (23 January)

Will it be as brutal as their eponymous debut? Just listen to 'V.E.N.O.M.'



3. THE TWILIGHT SAD: No One Can Ever Know (6 February)

A hotly anticipated release this, particularly off the back of spectacular new single 'Sick' and the deliciously sinister 'Kill It In The Morning' (below).



4. BAND OF SKULLS: Sweet Sour (21 February 2012)

Looks like February's gonna be a hell of a month, huh?



5. THE CRIBS (Spring/Summer 2012)

Apparently, according to this interview conducted at 2011's Latitude Festival, the new record will sound like Queen. Could be interesting. Check them out at a few small scale dates in early March.



6. EUGENE MCGUINNESS: The Invitation to the Voyage (Autumn 2012)

Having already released a strong contender for indie dancefloor filler of the year in lead single 'Lion', expect 'The Invitation to the Voyage' to contain more of the same.



7. DRY THE RIVER: Shallow Bed (March 2012) (debut)

The hottest tip for 'biggest breakthrough of 2012', Dry the River will follow up stonking 2011 releases 'No Rest' and 'New Ceremony' with an album hopefully as heartbreakingly epic.



8. GENERAL FIASCO (Spring/Summer 2012)

The follow-up to 2010's stupendously addictive 'Buildings' is due for release this year. Expect big things.



9. LET'S BUY HAPPINESS (debut)

Look, if it doesn't happen in 2012, it probably never will, okay? Having released countless tremendous singles and EPs, it's about time Newcastle's Let's Buy Happiness got round to unleashing the long-promised debut LP on the world. It'll skyrocket them to superstardom. If there's any justice in the world.



10. FATHERSON (debut)

Manchester Orchestra meets Twin Atlantic meets The Xcerts. Or something. They're Scottish, they sound incredible. Nuff said.



11. METRIC: Realities (Spring 2012)

Frankly, with their track record, we're convinced that Metric can do absolutely no wrong. Hopefully, given the parallels, 'Realities' will pick up where 'Fantasies' left off and give us more deliciously dark indie-pop gems.



12. MUSE (Autumn 2012)

According to Matt Bellamy, Muse feel like they've drawn a line under 'a certain period for the band' and that their forthcoming sixth release, expected late this year, will herald the dawning of a new era. Quite what that will entail is anyone's guess but hopefully, it'll be as spine-tinglingly out of this world as everything else they've ever recorded.



13. MUMFORD & SONS (Summer/Autumn 2012)

Well, given that they've now just about taken over the entire Western world, Mumford & Sons will be looking to consolidate their position upon release of their sophomore record later this year. If the new songs they've debuted live thus far are any gauge, there's no reason why they can't headline festivals within a year or so.



14. BLOC PARTY

Yes, it's now official folks... Kele has finally got all of that awful gymtastic dancefloor house pap out of his system and he's back recording with three of the most talented musicians this country has to offer. Expect a new record at some point in 2012 and hopefully, it'll sound more 'So Here We Are' than 'One More Chance'.



15. SILVERSUN PICKUPS: 3 (Spring 2012)

This will be incredible. Trust me.



Oh, it might not be a bad shout to expect something new from Biffy Clyro, Frightened Rabbit, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Gaslight Anthem either. Good year? Are they ever anything but?

POKE playlists: December 2011

December 30th 2011

David Bowie: Speed of Life

Noah and the Whale: L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

Rilo Kiley: Moneymaker

Tears for Fears: Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)

Death Cab for Cutie: You Are A Tourist

British Sea Power: Observe the Skies

Bright Eyes: Jejune Stars

Los Campesinos!: Hello Sadness

The Spinto Band: Oh Mandy

Tegan and Sara: Walking With A Ghost

Vampire Weekend: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa

Fanfarlo: Drowning Men

Gomez: Hangover

Tapes 'n' Tapes: Just Drums

Beirut: Santa Fe

The Divine Comedy: Neapolitan Girl

Aloe Black: I Need A Dollar

Eric B & Rakim: Don't Sweat the Technique

Nina Simone: Love Me or Leave Me

Hellicopter Girl: White Revolving Circles

Stricken City: Pull Down the House

Burning Hotels: Beach

The Naked and Famous: Girls Like You

Sparks: When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way'?

Foster the People: Helena Beat

The Killers: On Top

MGMT: Time to Pretend

Suede: Metal Mickey

Franz Ferdinand: The Dark of the Matinee

Talking Heads: And She Was

Wild Beasts: Reach a Bit Further

Eurythmics: Sex Crime (1984)

Ida Maria: Queen of the World

SBTRKT: Pharoahs

Feist: 1 2 3 4 (Van She Remix)

LL Cool J: Phenomenon

Prince: When Doves Cry

Scissor Sisters: Invisible Light

The Go! Team: Milk Crisis

Austra: Beat and the Pulse

Clock Opera: A Piece of String

Metronomy: The Bay

Arcade Fire: No Cars Go

The Cure: Friday I'm In Love

R.E.M.: Orange Crush

The Vaccines: Post Break-Up Sex

Arctic Monkeys: Fake Tales of San Francisco

The Smiths: Panic

The White Stripes: My Doorbell

Interpol: Evil

Joy Division: Digital

Bo Diddley: Bo Diddley

The War on Drugs: Baby Missiles

The Strokes: Machu Picchu

Crystal Castles: Not in Love

Kele: Tenderoni

Everything Everything: MY KZ YR BF (Grum Remix)

Crystal Fighters: Champion Sound

Bombay Bicycle Club: Shuffle

Thao + Mirah: Eleven

Kate Bush: Hounds of Love

Florence and the Machine: Drumming Song

Goldfrapp: Train

Depeche Mode: Enjoy the Silence

Pet Shop Boys: Domino Dancing

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: The Message

Chemical Brothers: Hey Boy, Hey Girl

The Prodigy: Girls

Dubstar: Not So Manic Now

Blondie: Union City Blue

Eddie Cochran: Come On Everybody

Nancy Sinatra: These Boots Are Made For Walking

Jonathan Richman: California Desert Party

Cher: For What It's Worth

December 16th 2011

Arcade Fire: Haiti

Los Campesinos!: By Your Hand

Gang of Four: I Love A Man In Uniform

Miami Horror: Holidays

Battles: Sweetie & Shag

of Montreal: Sex Karma

Foals: Olympic Airwaves

The National: Bloodbuzz Ohio

The Maccabees: Pelican

Wild Beasts: Thankless Thing

Emily Wells: Symphony 3: The Story

Feist: See Lion Woman

Pulp: Do You Remember The First Time?

Amy Winehouse: Stronger Than Me

Belle and Sebastian: Step Into My Office Baby

Little Dragon: Ritual Union

Cloud Control: There's Nothing In The Water

David Bowie: John I'm Only Dancing

Little Comets: Joanna

Young the Giant: My Body

Sons and Daughters: Rose Red

The Vaccines: Norgaard

The Long Blondes: Once and Never Again

Band of Skulls: I Know What I Am

The Futureheads: Skip to the End

Fun Lovin' Criminals: Korean Bodega

Smashing Pumpkins: 1979

Bran Van 3000: Drinking In L.A.

Beck: The New Pollution

Chad Jackson: Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked)

A Tribe Called Quest: Can I Kick It?

The Explosions: Garden of Four Trees

tUnE-yArDs: Bizness

Cher: For What It's Worth

Fredo Viola: Original Man

Bjork: Violently Happy

Emiliana Torrini: Jungle Drum

Adam Ant: Goody Two Shoes

Good Shoes: Under Control

Bloc Party: The Prayer

Suede: Filmstar

Metronomy: The Bay

New Order: True Faith

Talking Heads: Road to Nowhere

The White Stripes: Seven Nation Army

T-Rex: Get It On

Iggy Pop: The Passenger

Neon Neon: Told Her On Alderaan

School of Seven Bells: The Night

St. Etienne: He's On The Phone

Azari + III: Manic

Eurythmics: Right By Your Side

Eugene McGuinness: Lion

Suede: Beautiful Ones

Foster the People: Pumped Up Kicks

Neneh Cherry: Buffalo Stance

Blondie: Call Me

Martha and the Muffins: Echo Beach

The Cure: Close to Me

Depeche Mode: Just Can't Get Enough

Blur: Girls and Boys

Pulp: Babies

Two Door Cinema Club: Something Good Can Work

Propellerheads f/Shirley Bassey: History Repeating

Violent Femmes: Blister in the Sun

Beach Boys: I Get Around

The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night

Prince: Raspberry Beret

Madonna: Material Girl

Scissor Sisters: Filthy/Gorgeous

Chemical Brothers: Do It Again

Azealia Banks: 212

Beyonce: Single Ladies

Betty Boo: Doin The Do

Kelis: Trick Me

Ike and Tina Turner: Nutbush City Limits

Goldfrapp: Ride A White Horse

Florence and the Machine: Dog Days Are Over

The Temper Trap: Sweet Disposition

The Smiths: Panic

Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart

Arcade Fire: Rebellion (Lies)

Interpol: Evil

Foals: Cassius

Vampire Weekend: A-Punk

Buzzcocks: Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've?)

Ramones: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker

The Gossip: Standing In The Way of Control

Franz Ferdinand: Take Me Out

The Killers: Somebody Told Me

Editors: Munich

Blue Boy: Remember Me

KRS-One: Sound Of Da Police

En Vogue: My Lovin'

Roots Manuva: Watch Me Dance

David Bowie: Golden Years

Elvis Costello: I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea

The Vapors: Turning Japanese

Devo: Whip It

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Date With The Night

Men Without Hats: The Safety Dance

Kate Bush: Babooshka

Eurythmics: There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas: Dancing In The Street

Alphabeat: Fascination

Erin McKeown: It's A Very Queer Christmas

Top 20 Gigs of 2011

Of the 66 gigs I attended this year (excluding 3 festivals), these were the 20 finest performances...

20. WILD BEASTS, Manchester Cathedral (17/11/11)
19. JIMMY EAT WORLD performing 'Clarity' and 'Bleed American', HMV Forum, London (22/06/11)
18. SAVES THE DAY, Electric Ballroom, London (26/04/11)
17. INTERPOL, O2 Academy, Leeds (22/03/11)
16. MANIC STREET PREACHERS performing 'all' of their singles, O2 Arena, London (17/12/11)
15. THE SUBWAYS, O2 Academy, Newcastle (25/09/11)
14. LOS CAMPESINOS!, The Cockpit, Leeds (11/11/11)
13. REVIVAL TOUR (BRIAN FALLON, DAN ANDRIANO, CHUCK RAGAN, DAVE HAUSE), Northumbria University, Newcastle (01/10/11)
12. LOW, The Sage, Gateshead (18/05/11)
11. PULLED APART BY HORSES, The Cluny, Newcastle (11/01/11)
10. ARCADE FIRE, Hyde Park, London (30/06/11)
9. BRIGHT EYES, The Sage, Gateshead (12/07/11)
8. THE NATIONAL, Edinburgh Corn Exchange (23/08/11)
7. DANANANAKROYD (last ever show), The Cluny, Newcastle (12/11/11)
6. FRANK TURNER (secret show), Santiago's, Leeds (05/03/11)
5. LES SAVY FAV, The Cluny, Newcastle (02/03/11)
4. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, Manchester Academy 2 (05/10/11)
3. AGAINST ME!, The Cockpit, Leeds (18/11/11)
2. RYAN ADAMS, Glasgow Academy (25/06/11)
1. WEEZER, Brixton Academy, London (06/07/11)

66 gigs by city/town

Newcastle - 29
London - 8
Leeds - 7
Manchester - 5
Los Angeles - 4
Gateshead - 3
Durham - 2
Glasgow - 2
San Francisco - 2
Edinburgh - 1
Middlesbrough - 1
Milton Keynes - 1
Sunderland - 1

Festival locations:

Leeds - 1 (Leeds Fest)
Balado, Kinross - 1 (T in the Park)
Sheffield - 1 (Tramlines)

Top 50 Albums of 2011

Alright pop pickers, it's time for the definitive list of the best (read: my favourite) fifty long-players released this year. Read 'em and weep.

50. THE COMPUTERS: This Is The Computers
49. NOAH AND THE WHALE: Last Night on Earth
48. COSMO JARVIS: Is the World Strange or am I Strange?
47. THE JOY FORMIDABLE: The Big Roar
46. I AM THE AVALANCHE: Avalanche United
45. LITTLE COMETS: In Search of Elusive Little Comets
44. MAZES: A Thousand Heys
43. COPY HAHO: Copy Haho
42. SMITH WESTERNS: Dye It Blonde
41. TELEKINESIS: 12 Desperate Straight Lines
40. CHRIS T-T: Disobedience (Chris T-T Sings A.A. Milne)
39. YOUNG LEGIONNAIRE: Crisis Works
38. BATTLES: Gloss Drop
37. BLACK LIPS: Arabia Mountain
36. VERONICA FALLS: Veronica Falls
35. DAN ANDRIANO IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM: Hurricane Season
34. GIRLS: Father, Son, Holy Ghost
33. FUCKED UP: David Comes to Life
32. BJORK: Biophilia
31. tUnE-yArDs: w h o k i l l
30. EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY: Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
29. ARCTIC MONKEYS: Suck It and See
28. BEIRUT: The Rip Tide
27. THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART: Belong
26. PATRICK WOLF: Lupercalia
25. TV ON THE RADIO: Nine Types of Light
24. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE: Codes and Keys
23. FLEET FOXES: Helplessness Blues
22. THE ANTLERS: Burst Apart
21. THE NAKED AND FAMOUS: Passive Me, Aggressive You
20. BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB: A Different Kind of Fix
19. DAVE HAUSE: Resolutions
18. WILD FLAG: Wild Flag
17. IRON & WINE: Kiss Each Other Clean
16. THE VACCINES: What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
15. CRAZY ARM: Union City Breath
14. BON IVER: Bon Iver
13. BRITISH SEA POWER: Valhalla Dancehall
12. THE BLACK KEYS: El Camino
11. WILD BEASTS: Smother
10. CAGE THE ELEPHANT: Thank You, Happy Birthday
9. TWIN ATLANTIC: Free
8. LOS CAMPESINOS!: Hello Sadness
7. BRIGHT EYES: The People's Key
6. RYAN ADAMS: Ashes and Fire
5. WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS: In the Pit of the Stomach
4. THE HEAD AND THE HEART: The Head and the Heart
3. PJ HARVEY: Let England Shake
2. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA: Simple Math

And the record of the year goes to... drum roll please...

1. FRANK TURNER: England, Keep My Bones

Consisting of 12 of his very finest lyrics, 'England, Keep My Bones 'is Frank Turner’s love letter to dear old Blighty, a collection of beautifully evocative and at times deliciously poignant poems that celebrate the people and places that make up this ramshackle little country. It’s undoubtedly his most consistent, and really bloody brilliant, work to date, moving effortlessly from one rousing chorus to the next; whether it’s the unashamedly atheist 'Glory Hallelujah' or the spine-tinglingly moving 'I Am Disappeared', these are songs that you just cannot resist singing along to. It’s no coincidence that this is his most successful album yet and long may the upward trend continue. Roll on Wembley.

And also... a special mention to Alex Turner's sublime soundtrack to Submarine, a truly beautiful piece of work that would most definitely be awarded Soundtrack of the Year status if I'd actually bothered listening to any other soundtracks. Probably.

Worst 20 Singles of 2011

Forget Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ and that weird ‘Facebook Official’ rubbish, THESE are the real atrocities of 2011, the 20 tracks that took themselves seriously despite their distinct lack of redeeming features. Read on and listen at your peril...

20. KAISER CHIEFS: Little Shocks

Someone really needs to inform Ricky Wilson that the world doesn't care anymore; he can give it up now and only a handful of hangers-on (probably based somewhere in Halifax or something) will care enough to shed a flitting tear. And then they'll pick up their Kasabian records and get on with their lives. Honestly, the damage will be minimal. It won't even eat up many column inches in NME, Mojo and all of those other music publications 'that matter'. There will barely be a moment's pause for reflection... and that pause will consist almost entirely of a few thousand people ruminating on whether 'I Predict A Riot' was actually fairly prophetic after all. He really doesn't need to keep churning out these try-hard wastes of space anymore; the whole 'look at us, we're so kooky but loveable with it!' shtick just doesn't cut the mustard these days. Will any of this stop him? Does David Cameron listen to The Smiths?

19. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS: The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie

When oh when oh when will this catastrophically dire, abysmally decrepit bunch do the honourable thing and JUST. GIVE. IT. UP? The world does not need to be subjected to the same piss poor four minute plodathon, dressed up as rock 'n' roll because it has a funky bassline or two in it, every two or three years without fail. We've had enough, guys. We've moved on. Maybe you should too. Or at the very least, do a Korn and 'invent a new genre' (read: bastardise a few old ones). Just sayin'.

18. KIM WILDE: It's Alright

Link

East 17? Really, Kim? East 17? You recorded 'The Kids In America', for God's sake. The fact that you can do so much better than this virtually goes without saying. Oh, how the mighty have well and truly fallen.

17. KINGS OF LEON: Back Down South

What is it with 2011 and spirit-crushing mediocrity? In this more than any other year in recent memory, it seems we've been inundated with the 'middle-of-the-road', bands putting aside any inclination to breathe an ounce or two of life into their music and churning out mind-numbing, chart-friendly 'plodders' instead. 'Back Down South' is one of the worst offenders, a dirge so inconspicuously dull it makes the dishwater look interesting. This is the kind of track you'll hear on heavy rotation on Smooth FM, soundtracking your early morning drive into work because THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION, or you'll find on 'classic' compilation albums like The Very Best of Drivetime 2011 or 20 More Songs To Hang Yourself To. Hopefully, now that they're taking a 'well-earned' break from the hardships of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, Caleb and co. might head back down south and find that sex that was on fire a couple of years back. We can but dream.

16. THE BIG PINK: Hit The Ground (Superman)

Look, we tolerated that song about girls falling like dominoes because, well, it was a little bit catchy and it had a decent enough chorus but guys, this is just taking the proverbial biscuit. Clearly trying to recapture the crossover appeal of their one and only BIG HIT, The Big Pink's 'Hit the Ground (Superman)' is essentially a crash course in over-egging the pudding, a song so desperate to be liked but simultaneously maintain hipster credibility points that it manages, quite spectacularly, to annihilate its chances of doing either. Too mundane to be popular and too desperate to be underground, this is the sound of a band falling flat on its flabby backside and no one caring enough to help 'em up. Woeful.

15. BEADY EYE: The Roller

Why does anyone still care enough to buy Liam Gallagher's music? Is it out of fear or something? Fear that he'll come round in his designer sarong and 'do your nut in'? (Oh wait, that was David Beckham, wasn't it? Apologies, I'm not well up on the #ukbritpopfashionscene, but I'm sure @chino_wanker can probably educate us all). Honestly guys, you really don't need to give this prick any more money. He's got enough. He's made enough of a career out of pilfering the one or two decent ideas that the Sixties gave us to keep him sleeping on a bed of gold for the rest of his days. You can stop now. 'The Roller' is just the latest in a seemingly never-ending line of cheap Beatles knock-offs, bereft of any semblance of originality or, indeed, any redeeming features whatsoever, dressed up as some sort of 'quintessentially British' nostalgia-fest. It isn't big, it isn't clever and it most definitely isn't any good. Now put that CD down and if you really must wallow in Britpop memorabilia, pick up the Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds LP instead.

14. ALL TIME LOW: I Feel Like Dancin'

Given that virtually everything about this cheap knock-off of a pop punk band is manufactured by money-grabbing record execs (oh come on... don't tell me that the whole 'strip naked to your Y-fronts and eat bananas seductively' thing a few years back was All Time Low's idea? Don't tell me they even have a thought to process between them?), it's depressingly hilarious, and actually quite offensive, that their 200-strong marketing team thought it prudent to throw them in a music video in which they attempt to highlight the shallowness of the industry and its obsession with product placement, image and sex. Self-reflexive my arse, this is just downright insulting. Perhaps we'd be able to forgive them if the song were up to much, which it isn't, or if they didn't feel the need to resort to casual homophobia every so often in an attempt to rustle up a few cheap laughs (check the look on the face of the floppy-fringed black haired one when he's sandwiched between two topless men who gyrate against him halfway through the video, or indeed, those immortal lyrics 'feelin' kinda crunk/I think some dude just grabbed my junk (woah!)/Now I know how Ke$ha must be feelin'). Frankly, I'm with the Scissor Sisters on this one: I definitely DON'T feel like dancing to this washed-up claptrap.

13. HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD: Hear Me Now

And so the seemingly unstoppable rock 'n' roll/hip hop juggernaut that is the Hollywood Undead 'phenomenon' rolls ever onwards, continuing its mission to annihilate any semblance of good taste from the rock scene and throw in a few unhealthy slices of misogyny along the way. These guys are setting us all back by about fifteen years with God-awful abominations like this track, recalling a time when listening to Crazy Town was actually considered a worthwhile pastime. Interestingly, 'Hear Me Now' is a minor departure from previous Undead releases in that it has no purile comedic hook and contains very few references to the band themselves and how awesomely macho they all are, but sadly, rather than use this blank slate to write something moderately entertaining, they've gone and stolen Good Charlotte's lyricbook instead. Which makes everything about seventy times worse. Natch.

12. HARD-FI: Good For Nothing

Hah! These things just write themselves, don't they?

11. SKRILLEX: First of the Year (Equinox)

THIS is what the kids are listening to? Bring back Add N To (X), all is forgiven.

10. KASABIAN: Days Are Forgotten

Hopefully, one day in the not too distant future, there will come a moment when Britain wakes up and realises that actually, Kasabian aren't God's gift to modern music but rather a very poor imitation of everything that was inexorably shit about Madchester, and everything they've ever recorded and produced, including all CDs, LPs, album sleeves, concert tickets, T-shirts and wooly jumpers are burned in a ritualistic funeral pyre of monumental proportions. Men and women, boys and girls alike will cast aside their differences and join hands in celebration of their epiphianic awakening and all will once again be right with the world. Kasabian, in effect, will be forgotten. And until that day, we'll just have to make do with whining on about how utterly nauseating their attempts at making something even closely resembling music actually are.

9. COLDPLAY: Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

It's somewhat fitting, don't you think, that in a year characterised by conservativism, by austerity, unemployment and rampant xenophobia, the Worst 20 Singles List is dominated so prominently by the bland and the inoffensive? It is surely no coincidence that in this climate of inexplicable Tory popularity, Chris Martin's Coldplay reign supreme. Headlining Glastonbury, embarking on sold out stadium tours, reaching no. 1 countless times over... it's all symptomatic of the desperately 'safe' and 'traditional' times we live in. 'Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall' is the kind of song you can see topping The Daily Mail's 'End of Year Polls', with an accompanying sentence or two about'harkening back to an age when music was safe for the whole family to listen to' or some such utter and complete bullshit. Fortunately, if the cycle of history is anything to go by, this climate of mediocrity will soon be swept away by a tidal wave of disaffection and malcontent, by bands borne of disenfranchisement, wearing the scars of oppression, burning with a passionate hatred and a desire to change the world. And until then, we'll just have to listen to our Wild Beasts records if we want to hear something subtly daring, avoiding everything written by this lot AT ALL COSTS. Does David Cameron listen to Coldplay? Isn't he IN them?

8. BLACK VEIL BRIDES: Fallen Angels

It would be very easy to mock Black Veil Brides for their ridiculous image (think Motley Crue, Kiss, Guns 'n' Roses and Steel Panther in a very messy orgy), their patently stupid name or even their excrutiatingly corny music videos but frankly, all of that pales in comparison to the rancid sack of horseshit that is their music. Put it this way: 'Fallen Angels' makes everything Skid Row ever recorded seem like 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Nuff said.

7. THE HORRORS: Still Life

As every music critic and his mother trips over himself to pen hyperbolic love letters to Faris Badwan's left testicle, the world fails miserably to realise that actually, this Horrors malarky is one colossal joke at every flexi-bike riding, lensless-spectacles wearing dickhead's expense. Oh look, it HAS to be, okay? Surely this lot can't ACTUALLY take themselves seriously? That would just be too ridiculous to even contemplate. Imagine: 'Still Life', a cheap shoegaze knock-off too mundane to be a 'Screamdelica' Z-side, an ACTUAL attempt at making something interesting? It doesn't bear thinking about, does it?

6. NICKELBACK: When We Stand Together

Does anyone REALLY like Nickelback? Like, truly and sincerely enjoy listening to their music? Or are the hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians who buy their albums actually doing so at gunpoint, under threat of being forced to listen to Chad Kroeger's nails-down-a-chalkboard voice on repeat FOR EVERY MINUTE OF THE REST OF THEIR LIVES? Is this some sort of colossal mind-control experiment, where subliminal messages in the sickeningly saccharine lyrics of songs like this particular horrorshow force the listener to rush down to the local HMV and immediately purchase 6 copies of the band's latest record? Surely there can be no other explanation for their popularity? Well, at least Detroit Lions fans agree: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-detroit-lions-replace-nickelback-as-the-halftime-show-for-the-thanksgiving-game

5. KID ROCK/SHERYL CROW: Collide

Honestly, is there anything in this world more hopelessly inoffensive, more irritatingly insipid, more vomit-enducingly saccharine than contemporary Kid Rock? His transformation from ho-fucking, monkeybar-swinging American Bad Ass to softly, softly M.O.R. money machine is perhaps the single most soul-destroying personality change in the history of modern music; and when you consider that his previous recordings were the audio equivalent of being shat on by a herd of diahorretic elephants, that truly is saying something. Not content with unleashing one slice of catatonic hellspawn on the world with 2002's 'Picture', Mr. Rock opted to team up with dull-as-dishwater-wunderkind Sheryl Crow again nine years later (careers faltering a little, d'ya think?) to produce something with even less life in its oh-so-painful four and a half minutes than its predecessor. Quite an achievement, yes, but certainly not one to be proud of. If this is what 'Kid Rocking in the free world' is all about then get me Justin Hawkins's one way ticket to hell (and back!) stat.

4. KORN (f/SKRILLEX & KILL THE NOISE): Narcissistic Cannibal

Jonathan Davies thinks rather a lot of his band's new material. So much so, in fact, that he has gone on record to claim that, in 'The Path of Totality', Korn have created an entirely new genre of music and if you don't like it (fan or no), well, you're just an uneducated stick-in-the-mud, afraid to open your ears to new sounds. I'd quite like some of what this guy is on, quite frankly, as if 'Narcissistic Cannibal' is any indication, all Korn have done is get Skrillex and Kill the Noise to add a few breaks and loops to an otherwise fairly bogstandard slice of turgid nu-metal. And yes Jonathan, that's what it is. I don't care how filthy you think the term is; if you don't want to be pigeon-holed, YOU NEED TO START MAKING SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS DIFFERENT. Not just getting a few imbeciles with turntables to mess around with your usual formula so that it sounds a bit like Nine Inch Nails. Or Pitchshifter. 'Future metal' my arse.

3. LIMP BIZKIT: Shotgun

Ten years on from the heyday of nu-metal and still Fred Durst has not learned his lesson: that the world needs Limp Bizkit about as much as it needs a full-frontal lobotomy performed by a chimpanzee. On crack. Or something. Labouring under the mistaken impression that his band has any relevance whatsoever, Durst took it upon himself to bring the old gang back together in 2011 'because it just felt right' or 'they needed some cash to support their respective habits' or whatever and 'Shotgun' was the result: a song that would sit comfortably on 2001's 'Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavoured Water' or ANY OTHER LIMP BIZKIT RECORD EVER MADE EVER BECAUSE IT'S SO FUCKING MINDLESS. Same three chords, same irritating whine, same meaningless lyrics about the band or Fred or 'hot tits' or some such, same trumped-up twit massaging his ego. Given that it bombed spectacularly upon release, perhaps, if we're lucky, this will be the last we see of them for another ten years, eh?

2. METALLICA & LOU REED: The View

This is a joke, right? James Hatfield and Lou Reed must be sitting smoking a few cigars on Venice Beach, their feet resting on some prostitute's back, laughing their asses off that thousands of unsuspecting Metallica fans invested their hard-earned dollars, pounds, Euros, pesetas and every other currency on the planet to purchase THIS putrid pile of horse manure. Surely? They can't ACTUALLY think that their hopeless hotchpotch of abrasive guitar riffs and spoken-word ramblings based on Frank Wedekind's plays about 'a tempestuous woman named Lulu who was both a muse and a mystery' is anything other than a load of ultra-pretentious wank, right? They HAVE to know. The alternative is just to horrible to contemplate. I mean, 'I am the table! I am the ten storeys! I AM THE TABLE!'? Come on.

1. BROKENCYDE: Still The King!!!

Oh God. Oh God, oh God, oh God. Is it December 2012 yet? Because this absolutely MUST be what the apocalypse sounds like; and far from being a pretty fucking cool soundtrack, it's actually the audio equivalent of having your intestines slowly ripped out by a hundred starving crocodiles. Never mind Worst Single of the Year, 'Still The King!!!' is the worst thing created in a hell of a long time; it's debatable whether it can even be described as 'music' in the conventional sense of the word, and frankly unfathomable how anyone in their right frame of mind - or otherwise, to be honest – could derive any semblance of enjoyment from listening to it. And maybe that's the point: maybe brokENCYDE are striving to be disliked, to create something bereft of redeeming features, in order to stand out from the crowd or bring about the end of the world or something. Either way, you definitely should be worried. Batten down the hatches now kids; if this is a sign of things to come, then Heaven help us all.