R PAPZ always delivers the goods, excellent climax (and just in time for MF season to start kicking up again - My expectations for the weekly threads are high!). Aside from that the La Roux picks are the two best tracks from an excellent album and Rebel Heart is the best thing Madge has done since Confessions (scary to think that's a decade ago now :o).

 

Brava!

And after all those essays I'm TAKING NAMES of the people I know who are coming in and SAYING NOTHING

 

Very guilty of this. Have been following throughout and I actually love all of the songs here that I've heard, particularly that Kygo remix of 'Cut Your Teeth', which I only came across recently :heart:. Your commentaries have been outstanding by the way - you articulate things incredibly well! Loved the following one especially:

 

05 ;; Hozier, 'Take Me To Church'

 

What a calling card of a debut this is - and how impossible it's going to be to follow up. I'm not much of a man for grungy garage rock, but Hozier's voice is remarkable enough that it could have probably caught my attention in any genre: a gospel/blues-flavoured smoked whiskey roar of an instrument on outstanding form here, burning with righteous indignation and pure control as Hozier tosses off a poison evisceration of the hypocrisies of the Catholic Church, trading them in for the pleasures of the flesh. Best part? That primal blues middle eight, up there with the likes of Criminal and Dance Your Pain Away in pure satisfaction, BVs bellowing as he reflects on how his deathless death (that wonderful euphemism for 'la petite mort' being the track's giggle at the funeral) is the one time he feels truly alive. Superb.

 

Found this interesting as that's what I would have thought but, having heard his album, I actually think he can match it (not commercially or 'statement'-wise but in terms of general quality). Have you heard any other tracks of his, out of interest? 'Sedated' and 'From Eden' are both brilliant.

 

 

Oh yes, in terms of quality I think he can match it - Sedated's a favourite as well - but on subject matter I can't remember another more uncompromising debut! It's the equivalent of Sinead O'Connor launching her career with the SNL performance.