My top five albums of 2009

Over the last few years I have developed a routine of talking about my favourite albums of the past 12 months around this time of year.

Here is 2008’s entry. And, for that matter, 2007’s.

This year has been another great year for music. These are the records that have been entertaining my ears in ’09, in no particular order.

Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You

I know. An unconventional choice, and one that will surely see me shunned forever from the indie/hipster circle of trust. The lairy, loud-mouthed Londoner may not be everyone’s cup of Rosie Lee, but she has produced a genuinely brilliant record.

Expertly produced by pop supremo Greg Kurstin, It’s Not Me, It’s You is a brash, in-your-face record packed full of instant hits, with subject matter ranging from sex, drugs and fame to George W. Bush, take-away meals and Allen’s relationship with her father, Keith.

The 24-year-old does herself no favours with her constant tabloid antics and opinionated Twitter rants, but she writes a cracking pop song.

The Fear

Mew – No More Stories / Are Told Today / I’m Sorry / They Washed Away // No More Stories / The World Is Grey / I’m Tired / Let’s Wash Away

Running away with the award for longest album name of the year, the fifth studio album by Danish band Mew is a complex, beautiful piece of work.

There is a lot of talk about bands such as Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear and Person Pitch cornering the market in experimental, psychedelic, indie freak folk (or whatever you want to call it), and there’s no questioning their endeavour and occasional genius.

But for listeners who find those acts a little hard going and yet still want to be challenged, inspired and perplexed, Mew should be a perfect fit.

They have the mystery and almost inaudible vocals of Iceland’s Sigur Ros, but on this record they seem to have found their dancing shoes.

There are echoes of American hipster favourites TV On The Radio and Battles, along with heartbreakingly simple lyrics on tracks like ‘Sometimes Life Isn’t Easy’ and ‘Cartoons and Macramé Wounds’.

Silas the Magic Car

Charlotte Hatherley – New Worlds

I was always a fan of Irish 90s rockers Ash, and have to admit I took more of an interest in them when they gained a female guitarist. I didn’t know much about her, and when she left in 2006 I assumed she would fade from view.

But Charlotte Hatherley has done the complete opposite. New Worlds is her third solo album and she has developed into a powerful presence to rival the likes of Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde and Polly Harvey.

Hatherley’s debut, 2004’s Grey Will Fade, saw her singing chirpy indie songs about one-night stands and teenage angst and the follow-up, The Deep Blue, went the other way entirely with floaty, atmospheric tunes that were difficult to pin down.

This time round she has found a suitable middle ground between the two, and it really works. New Worlds showcases Hatherley’s supreme guitar playing and has an urgent, live feel about it.

Highlights include the stilted rock of White and the squealing, hyperactive title track.

I was lucky enough to catch her at the Borderline in Soho in September and she looked every inch the rock star.

White
 
Manic Street Preachers – Journal For Plague Lovers

While maybe not musically the best album of the year, this is largely a sentimental choice, as I explained when I gushed about my love for Manic Street Preachers when the record came out in May.

Former Manics guitarist Richey Edwards disappeared in 1995 and was declared legally dead in 2008, and Journal for Plague Lovers saw the remaining three members put music to the lyrics he left behind.

Journal for Plague Lovers is a terrific album, full of Edwards’ unmistakeable lyrical tics and idiosyncratic phrases, and serves as a fitting tribute and a timely reminder of just what a huge loss he was to this pompous, misunderstood but enduringly inspiring band.

Jackie Collins Existential Question Time

It’s Blitz! Yeah Yeah Yeahs

New York band Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of those groups that just keep getting cooler and don’t seem to care.

It’s Blitz veers away from their earlier, punkier sound and embraces the current trend for chopped-up drum loops and synthesisers, while singer Karen O shows her softer side and displays her impressive vocal range.

Heads Will Roll is the disco anthem of the year, while Runaway could put in a decent bid as one of the most unexpectedly affecting love songs.

Heads Will Roll

Lisa Hannigan @ Royal Festival Hall, London

“I’m so excited,” beams Lisa Hannigan as she dances on the spot amid a collection of weird and wonderful instruments, framed by twinkling fairy lights and watched by a sea of enraptured fans.

London’s Royal Festival Hall is the latest stop on the Irish singer’s current tour, and she is giddy with childlike awe at the grandeur of the South Bank venue.

Having stepped out of the shadow of her long-time collaborator Damien Rice in 2007, Hannigan’s charming mix of traditional folk and catchy pop has attracted the attention of fans and critics alike, and it’s easy to see why.

With her long red dress and jet-black hair, the 28-year-old makes the stage her own, switching effortlessly between guitar, harmonium, melodica and banjo, all the while demonstrating her powerful yet delicate vocal skills.

The first half of tonight’s set is comprised of her debut solo album Sea Sew, songs of diverse influences and emotions that reveal their power and sense of fun when played live.

Hannigan stamps her feet and draws shapes in the air with her hands as she sings, shadow-boxing with the beat like a party-goer trying to resist the pull of the dance floor.

Her five band members provide a fluid, assured backing of fiddles, pianos, xylophones, guitars and drums, adding a welcome attitude and swagger remnant of The Pogues or The Waterboys in their pomp.

But the highlight of the night comes when Hannigan is left alone onstage with a mandolin to deliver a beautiful, note-perfect version of a new song about “being away from home but still being tied down.”

Her mates re-join her for a haunting rendition of album track Courting Blues, before a rousing encore finishes with a raucous cover of Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus.

The band leave the stage to a standing ovation, fists raised in triumph, applauding the audience for their part in a magical evening.

Folk music was never quite this much fun.

http://www.myspace.com/lisahannigan

Watch a video of Lisa performing at GuilFest in July: http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2054061_lisa_hannigan_enjoys_festival_debut

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GuilFest 2009 video highlights

Working on higher-quality versions. Enjoy for now.

For more videos along with photos, reviews, Twitter updates and festival reaction go to Get Surrey.

Getting into GuilFest

Hello.

Apologies for the lack of substance to this blog recently. This is a blog and I should be blogging more so blog is what I shall do. Is blog a verb?

Meh.

Anyway, I thought now would be a good time to write something as I am busy preparing for GuilFest, a medium-sized music festival that takes place in Guildford, Surrey for one weekend every summer.

The newspaper that I work for, the Surrey Advertiser, is an official sponsor of the festival and more specifically the website that I work on, Get Surrey, is once again going to be providing comprehensive coverage of this year’s festival. Hopefully.

Last year, our first attempt just two months after launching Get Surrey, was a manic three days in which we ran around Stoke Park interviewing everyone from The Levellers and Cerys Matthews to Seth Lakeman and the drummer from Blondie.

It was a weekend of computer meltdowns, nervous breakdowns, sunburn, rain, overpriced cider and an excruciating encounter with British Sea Power that may still exist on a tape somewhere but will never be erased from our minds.

Looking back it all turned out ok – we managed to speak to quite a few of the big bands and provide regular, if slightly wobbly, videos on each day of the festival.

This time round though I have been left in charge while my editor takes a well-earned holiday. I told myself I wouldn’t panic and I wouldn’t get stressed. With enough planning and an acceptance that all the planning will most likely go to shit as soon as we set foot in the park, I would be fine.

Well it’s less than a week until the festival kicks off and the panic is beginning to set in. I have spent the last fortnight emailing back and forth with managers of bands and artists trying to set up interviews, which is like trying to make an angry horse wear trousers.

Ok so I’m not so good with the horse metaphors.

Anyway, being the perfectionist I am I have been watching the BBC and Guardian’s incredible coverage of Glastonbury – not a good idea. Apparently the beeb sent 400 people to cover Glasto. I have a team of two cameramen and about 10 reporters, any combination of whom may or may not be around at any stage during the GuilFest weekend.

But I’m rambling. The point of this piece was to publicise our coverage of the festival.

Along with video interviews with bands and artists, we will be trying to provide a bit more coverage of the festival as a whole, which is remarkably varied for such a small event.

The comedy tent, the kids zone, the Funky End tent and the Farmer Giles Barn Dance are just some of the weird and wonderful aspects of GuilFest that we didn’t even get near last year, so busy were we trying to speak to the guys from the Jam who aren’t Paul Weller and the guitarist in a Pink Floyd tribute band.

The main difference this year from last is that we will have our own ‘digital base’ – a fancy name for a little tent with a laptop in so we can upload videos, stories and pictures to the website live from the park rather than trudging back to the office every few hours.

We will also – well-defined fingers and thumbs crossed – be getting reporters from Get Surrey and Get Hampshire to Tweet from the festival, along with a handful of bands who will be sharing their festival experiences, warts and all, on our live Get Surrey Twitter feed.

So there you go. I’m off to buy some wellies, dig out my tent and think of some questions to ask someone called Ironik.

But first I think I need a lie down.

Laters.

S x

Stay tuned to Get Surrey for GuilFest previews throughout the week and during the festival from Friday, July 10. Follow us on Twitter – @getsurrey and @samblackledge.