December 3, 200915 yr On reflection, there are five albums that I think deserve to be higher than 'Quicken The Heart', hence why it is at No.6. SIMPLE MATHS :o I am only disppointed at 1 of your top 4. I simply do not like the band who did it.
December 3, 200915 yr Author I am only disppointed at 1 of your top 4. I simply do not like the band who did it. But where is it? :o
December 3, 200915 yr Author 4 Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/WIGCD205.JPG What's the matter there? Feeling kind of anxious? The hot blood grew cold Franz Ferdinand’s third release ‘Tonight: Franz Ferdinand’ is, in my opinion the year’s most underrated records. Every since I heard , I couldn’t help but get excited towards the Glaswegians third release and thankfully it surpassed all expectations. Home to one of the videos of the year, why ‘Ulysses’ wasn’t a bigger hit I’ll never know. There’s just something about it that I really connect with. The beat, the lyrics, the chorus and the big build up towards the final 60 seconds is just perfection. It’s different to your average formulaic pop song but is all the better so for it. The album is a change in direction for the band but at the same time you can tell its them. ‘Tonight’ is a concept album, based loosely around a night of partying and the effects that follow the day after. There’s not a weak song on the record, all twelve songs blend so well together and the mix of tempos is just right. From the eight minute extravaganza of ‘Lucid Dreams’ to the soft, soothing closer ‘Katherine Kiss Me’ (which is an acoustic version of ‘No Yu Girls’). I had the pleasure of seeing them in October and that hour and a half just cemented my love for this record further. I’d argue this Franz Ferdinand’s finest work to date. For starters it’s a very personal album for me, its been the soundtrack to the first year of University for me and my friend. Yes, their self titled debut received mass critical acclaim, but ‘Tonight’ is so much better than that. The band have grown up somewhat since their debut and sound all the better for it.
December 3, 200915 yr What are your favorites on it? Pretty Vistors, Crying Lightning, Fire and the Thud. the Franz album was rather dissapointing, Humbug $h!ts all over it.
December 6, 200915 yr I quite like the Franz album, but not that much. Pleased to see Arctic Monkeys and White Lies top 10.
December 7, 200915 yr Author Pretty Vistors, Crying Lightning, Fire and the Thud. the Franz album was rather dissapointing, Humbug $h!ts all over it. I went off 'Crying Lightning' quite a bit :(
December 7, 200915 yr Author I quite like the Franz album, but not that much. Pleased to see Arctic Monkeys and White Lies top 10. Thanks for commenting :) Glad you are a fan of 'Humbug' and 'To Lose My Life' :D
December 7, 200915 yr Author 3 Frank Turner - Poetry of The Deed http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/XMR022CD.JPG I'm gonna live fast and I'm gonna die old. I'm gonna end my days in a house with high windows The three remaining albums were all released within three weeks of one another. The first, Frank Turner’s ‘Poetry of The Deed’ is at No.3. I was introduced to Frank Turner towards the end of 2008, and have listened to him intensely ever since. ‘Poetry of The Deed’ is Frank’s third studio album, following 2008’s ‘Love Ire & Song’ and 2007’s ‘Sleep Is For The Week’. Unlike it’s predecessors, ‘Poetry of The Deed’ was rehearsed and road tested and recorded with a full band. As you’d expect at this stage, there are so many standouts; ‘Live Fast, Die Old’, ‘The Road’, ‘The Fastest Way Back Home’, ‘Richard Divine’ and the title track to name but a few. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Frank live twice, at Leeds Festival and at Rock City in Nottingham (and have tickets for his tour in March). I can’t quite explain it (if you’ve seen him before I am sure you’ll know what I mean) but after the gig you can’t help but smile. Frank’s music is so uplifting and you can just tell he loves what he is doing and he puts his heart and soul into his live shows which makes it all the more enjoyable for the audience. ‘Poetry of The Deed’ is another strong collection of folk rock songs that sound great both on record and on tour. For most artists, releasing three albums in three years is unthinkable, let alone three records off such a high standard. He may not be selling records by the bucketload (yet), but the former Million Dead frontman has a cult following which is growing at a rapid pace. “I would go so far as to call him the voice of a generation, expect that our generation has so many worthless w*n**rs in it that they don’t deserve to be associated with him.”
December 7, 200915 yr Amazing album. Amazing live. Agree with everything you have put. I agree with what Ashford says.
December 8, 200915 yr Author 2 Muse - The Resistance http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/MUSERESIST.JPG Invisible to all, the mind becomes a wall. All of history deleted with one stroke My favorite band Muse pull up just short of the top spot with their fifth LP ‘The Resistance’. It’s been three years since the release of ‘Black Holes & Revelations’, so I got rather excited as news began to filter about the lads return. The Queen-esque ‘United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)’ was my first taster of the new album, and being bought up on Queen it impressed me. ‘Uprising’, the album’s lead single also impressed. Released a day after my birthday (good timing?), truth be told the album didn’t hit me on first listen. The 15 minute symphony lived up to it’s hype, (which would later go on to be the album’s second single) struck a cord but apart from that I couldn’t help feel a little disappointed. Listening for the second/third time, it began to click and suddenly everything fell into place. The title’s track chorus was to hard to resist, the same goes for ‘Unnatural Selection’s’ (my favorite song on the album now) powerful guitar riffs and System of A Down resemblance and ‘MK Ultra’s’ electronic powerful sound. I’d also like to take this opportunity to mention my love for ‘I Belong To You (+Mon Coeur S’ouvre A Ta Voix) which seems to be unpopular with most people I speak to. There’s something about it I just love, especially the French breakdown halfway through. The only song I’ve never truly connected with is ‘Guiding Light’ and after seeing them for the fourth time in November, I now hold a soft spot for that as well. Obviously, the album works best in a live environment. I saw them just over a month ago and the new songs fit nicely into the setlist, along with the oldies. For obvious reasons, this review may come over a little biased but I truly believe ‘The Resistance’ is a brilliant album. It’s received a lot of criticism for being OTT, but haven’t Muse always been slightly over the top? I’m not sure how this record fits in with previous releases. I don’t think they’ve released a bad album yet (despite the criticisms aimed at ‘Black Holes & Revelations’ and now ‘The Resistance). What makes this record so special in my eyes though, is Exogenesis (Symphony). First of all, who else would dare to put a 15 minute symphony at the end of their album? Musically, Muse excel and the album’s closer just shows why. I find it so powerful, and thought provoking. Every time I listen to ‘Exogenesis Part 3: Redemption’, I have the image in my head of the last few remaining people on earth, moving away to a new planet and ‘starting all over again’, with the image of the world on fire in the background. Sad I know, but I like it. Reading this, you may wonder why ‘The Resistance’ isn’t my No.1 album of 2009. For a long time it was, but over the last fortnight or so it’s been overtaken. For some reason, my No.1 record just feels right ...
December 8, 200915 yr It is a good album, I'm sure it will grow more over time as Black Holes did. I'm sure it will be excellent live as well.
December 8, 200915 yr Author Thank you Mr. Ashford :) Hope it does continue to grow on you :D Can't wait for September times!
December 8, 200915 yr Thank you Mr. Ashford :) Hope it does continue to grow on you :D Can't wait for September times! Yeh I can't wait, never seen them before. Love the London excitement aswell :D
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