Beyoncé's 'Crazy In Love' voted NME's track of the decade

1. Beyoncé – 'Crazy In Love'
2. MGMT – 'Time To Pretend'
3. The Strokes – 'Hard To Explain'
4. MIA – 'Paper Planes'
5. OutKast – 'Hey Ya!'
6. The Rapture – 'House Of Jealous Lovers'
7. Klaxons – 'Golden Skans'
8. Blur – 'Out Of Time'
9. Arcade Fire – 'Rebellion (Lies)'
10. Arctic Monkeys – 'A Certain Romance'
11. The Libertines – 'Can’t Stand Me Now'
12. The Streets – 'Dry Your Eyes'
13. The Walkmen – 'The Rat'
14. The White Stripes – 'Seven Nation Army'
15. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 'Bang'
16. Rihanna – 'Umbrella'
17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – 'Maps'
18. OutKast – 'Ms Jackson'
19. Radiohead – 'Reckoner'
20. Hot Chip – 'Over And Over'

The full 100 can be found here; http://www.nme.com/list/tracks-of-the-decade/158050

Florence et La Machine

BLAKROC - BLAKROC

For a while it was a fun thing to do, and a good way to boost dwindling careers; collaborate rock and rap. Aerosmith and Run DMC most notably, but since then, results of these collaborations have been poor, especially recently, Jay-Z and Linkin Park anyone? 'Blakroc' however is a very refreshing change, and something I find very exciting. Maybe I am biased due to my love of Ohio-based bluesmen The Black Keys and one of the best hip-hop producers ever, Rza, but this collaboration has had me giddy since the first time I heard about it.

Legend goes that Damon Dash heard The Black Keys and approached them to collaborate, and whilst in the studio with Jim Jones, Mos Def walked in. Then they got clearance to use some Ol' Dirty Bastard vocals from Def Jam, and since then everyone from Ludacris, Rza and Nicole Wray have been involved. The album is not perfect, some songs are a bit weak, but for the most part it works really well. The Black Keys lo-fi riffs add a great undertone for all the acts to sing/rap over. The basic blues/hip hop combinations are often killer though, especially on songs like 'Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)'. 'Blakroc' is a great album finishing off 2009, and I have the upmost respect for the artists involved. I just hope it inspires more cross genre collaborations of this calibre.

Introducing... Chapel Club

http://www.myspace.com/chapelclub

Introducing... Codeine Velvet Club

With The Fratellis taking a break before recording their next album, Jon Fratelli (or Jon Lawler) started side project Codeine Velvet Club, whose debut album will come out at the end of 2009. Ths single 'Vanity Kills' has been out a while, but follow the link for a free download of the cover of The Stone Roses classic 'I Am The Resurrection'.

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=122&p=7609

Laura Marling

Laura Marling debuted 2 new tracks on Marc Riley's BBC 6 Music last week. 'Goodbye England' and 'Made a Maid' both appear on her album expected next year, and from the sound of them, it's going to be another great record.

BBC 6 Music Interview with Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys - 18 Nov 2009

Fri, 20 Nov 09

Duration:
20 mins

Matt Helders and Nick O'Malley from Arctic Monkeys dropped in to chat with Steve Lamacq about the music that influced their current album 'Humbug'. We discovered their love of Nick Cave, Roky Erickson - Creedence Clearwater Revival plus we found out that Matt is not a morning person - that they fell in love with the 80's Matchbox B-Line Disaster when they were 16 year olds at Leeds Festival and that backstage they're training for the 2012 Olympics Ping Pong Team.

Free Download from http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/6mdocs

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - FALL BE KIND EP

'Fall be Kind' is latest EP set for release in December from the highly prolific Animal Collective. 'Merriweather Post Pavilion', their album from earlier this year, was showered with praise on it's release and will be in many people's list for album of the year. 'Fall Be Kind' is more of the same, and is being touted as their most accessible music to date. Opener 'Graze' is amazing and the rest follows on from there. Also, 'What Would I want? Sky' features the first ever licensed Grateful Dead sample! Can anyone else see the Grim Reaper swinging an axe in the artwork? Or is it just my strange brain?

JULIANNA BARWICK - FLORINE

'Florine' is a new 6 track EP from Brooklyn-based singer and producer Julianna Barwick. It's atmospheric stuff, based around loops of swooping, high-pitched sounds. The almost choir elements are reminiscent of Volcano Choir, Pitchfork stated that when listening to it, you want to 'shut your eyes and let it wash over you.'

Recently... on Later with Jools

Here's some stuff that's been on Jools recently. The Big Pink have had a breakthrough year, and this song, 'Domino's' has become quite an anthem, appearing on numerous adverts and radio stations. The second is a band hoping for a similar breakthrough next year, Delphic.

U2 to Headline Glastonbury Festival 2010

Yes, it has been confirmed by Michael Eavis himself that U2 shall be headlining the 40th anniversary of Glastonbury next June, to some people's delight (and more people's yawns). Luckily with the amount of stuff going on there, people will be able to find something else they like while the band are on the Pyramid stage.

Here's somebody trying to find 5 positives in the fact that U2 are playing; http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&p=7608&more=1

Further announcements on acts will come next year, but Eavis promises there are more 'surprises' in the pipeline.

Late of the Pier - Blueberry

Here's a radio rip of the first play of Late of the Pier's forthcoming single 'Blueberry' due out next year!

Winter Winds

Introducing... Goldhawks

http://www.myspace.com/goldhawks

THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS- S/T

Self titled debut from the climatic, emotional Scottish rockers. Released back in the summer it's not been heard by too many people which is a shame. It's self produced by the band and they are currently unsigned. A review stated the band have "coil shimmering melodies around escalating post-rock structures to create music that mortar strikes your very core." (To be fair, this was written in The Scotsman so it may be biased).

http://www.myspace.com/therewillbefireworks

Vampire Cousins

Introducing... Darwin Deez

Subject to of loads of hype, labelled in the usual NYC-hipster way (Nathan Barley meets The American Office), described as "post-Strokes fret-fluttering feeling as timely as a 2010 new rave renaissance." Great fun, great music, effortlessly cool. Check out track 'Constellations' on his myspace, and this great dancing video below!

http://www.myspace.com/darwindeez

FREELANCE WHALES - WEATHERVANES

Debut album which I must say I love. The band is pretty new and has received some decent buzz, NME calling them 'fairyland twee-folk'. They've been described accurately as having a "palpable warmth and tactful touch that crackles throughout their strongest tunes's group chants, harmonies, occasional computer beats and baroque-pop arrangements that should prove irresistible to people with soft spots for the likes of Sufjan, Ra Ra Riot and Postal Service." The album is self-released, and it is honest (and twee, judging the artwork) music that is ridiculously catchy.

http://www.myspace.com/thefreelancewhales

TOP 10 VIDEOS OF 2010

10.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3. x

2.

1.

BEACH HOUSE - TEEN DREAM

Beach House release their third album in January 2010, 'Teen Dream' and it's more of the same amazing hazy-dream pop. It's out in January and hopefully will get heard by a bigger audience with their switch to Sub-Pop. All three of their albums are fantastic, I'd recommend them all. Standout tacks on this one include 'Norway', 'Zebra' and 'Silver Soul'.

http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic

Jarvis

Welcoming Back... Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend return next year with new album 'Contra'. They made a song from it, 'Horchata', a free download, available to listen to here;

http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend

Next single 'Cousins' was played on Zane Lowe last night, I think it will be the 'A-Punk' of this album. Hear a clip here;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/af37c51c-0790-4a29-b995-456f98a6b8c9

Welcoming Back... Joe Lean & the Jing Jang Jong

Alot of people wrote the Jing Jang Jong off after some promising demos but then a scrapped album and some Borrell-esque behaviour from Joe Lean. But the new song posted on their myspace hints back to their great early demos and promises a dark, Horrors-style comeback. The track is called 'One Woman' and is available as a free download. The new album is expected early next year.

Introducing... exlovers

http://www.myspace.com/weareexlovers

NME's Top 50 Albums of the Decade

I'd agree with most of the choices, maybe not the order. The full list of 100 can be found here, with reviews of each one; http://www.nme.com/list/albums-of-the-decade/158049

1. The Strokes - Is This It

2. The Libertines - Up the Bracket

3. Primal Scream - xtrmntr

4. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell

6. PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

7. Arcade Fire - Funeral

8. Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights

9. The Streets - Original Pirate Material

10. Radiohead - In Rainbows

11. At The Drive In - Relationship of Command

12. LCD Soundsystem - The Sound of Silver

13. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

14. Radiohead - Kid A

15. Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf

16. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free

17. Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise

18. The White Stripes - Elephant

19. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells

20. Blur - Think Tank

21. The Coral - The Coral

22. Jay-Z - The Blueprint

23. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future

24. The Libertines - The Libertines

25. Rapture - Echoes

26. Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner

27. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

28. Johnny Cash - Man Comes Around

29. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World

30. Elbow - Asleep In the Back

31. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

32. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones

33. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

34. Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump

35. Babyshambles - Down in Albion

36. Spirtualized - Let It Come Down

37. The Knife - Silent Shout

38. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

39. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

40. Ryan Adams - Gold

41. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

42. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

43. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

44. Outkast - Loveboxxx/The Love Below

45. Avalanches - Since I Left You

46. Delgados - The Great Eastern

47. Brendan Benson - Lapalco

48. Walkmen - Bows and Arrows

49. Muse - Absolution

50. MIA - Arular

Musical Chairs

That's it! I've decided my new band name will be Musical Chairs (if I am ever even in a band). This video from Silversun Pickups is brilliant. Apparently the models were playing the game for real in order to win a prize, and it got ugly!

FOOL'S GOLD - FOOL'S GOLD

Debut album that came out in September. More Afro-beat fun. For fans of Vampire Weekend. That's about it really. Oh, and the ex-drummer from We Are Scientists is in the band. Pop fact!

http://www.myspace.com/foolsgold

The Cribs on Letterman

I was slightly disappointed with The Cribs latest album 'Ignore the Ignorant', I was really hoping for something special after their previous three efforts and many great live performances but it doesn't quite live up to the expectation. There are a few quality tracks though, here's 'We Share The Same Skies' performed on Letterman.

Good Song, Strange Video

Good Shoes are back! Yay! Here's the video for forthcoming single 'Under Control' out in January from new album 'No Hope, No Future.' It's very strange I must warn you.

TAP TAP - ON MY WAY

Pete & the Pirates debut album 'Little Death' from last year is one of my favourite albums ever, and so anything related to them I get quite giddy about. Tap Tap is the side-project of P & the P's singer Thomas Sanders, and 'On My Way' is his second album. It got a few Kinks-like comparisons, some great reviews and on the whole it is brilliant. The blues guitar work and Thomas' voice work magic together; its the way indie pop should be made. They might get lumped in with other indie acts by the press, but Pete & the Pirates, and now Tap Tap, offer so, so much more.

http://www.myspace.com/taptapmusic

SURFER BLOOD - ASTRO COAST

Debut album from the Palm Beach indie pop band, recorded in their University of Florida dorm room. The band received some serious buzz after playing 10 shows at this years CMJ in New York and are many peoples choices for ones to watch next year. The albums out in January and its really strong, Pitchfork describing them as "lo fi clangor, glo-fi harmonies, punchy retro garage concision, never out of style classic rock songcraft" and another review saying "alot of people will hear different things when they hear 'Astro Coast', and it's safe to say alot of people will like what they hear." And how could you not like this awkward bunch?

http://www.myspace.com/surferblood

VOLCANO CHOIR - UNMAP

You all know and love Bon Iver. Here is a project recorded with his friends Collections of Colonies of Bees. Its a good listen, especially if you're already a fan of Justin Vernon. It's more of the same really, just imagine the little cabin that Bon Iver recorded 'For Emma, Forever Ago' alone in, but with a little choir and orchestra in the corner (but them not wearing any creepy Village cloaks like on the album cover).

http://www.myspace.com/volcanochoir

And on that note, if you're interested in Bon Iver, but more importantly, beards (I know I am!) then read this article about music in the noughties correlating with trends in facial hair. Fascinating stuff I think you'll agree;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/nov/11/simon-reynolds-notes-noughties-beards

you got the xx

They may have lost a member this week, but it's been a great year for The xx. Like their debut album, their remixes have been amazing, especially this one of Florence's cover of 'You've Got The Love.' Currently being played everywhere;

merrily-go-round

KID CUDI - MAN ON THE MOON: THE END OF DAY

I can't decide which is my favourite alternative hip-hop album of this year. It's between P.O.S. 'Never Better' or this effort from Kid Cudi. It's a concept album split into 5 'acts' with a good variety of samples, from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark to Lady Gaga, and a range of guests including MGMT. Kanye West compared this album to his own breakthrough 'The College Dropout', but I read a review saying this is far more ground breaking and important to the genre, which I laughed out loud at, basically at the thought of Kayne's little face if he ever read it. http://twitter.com/Kanye_Bot

Here's the track with MGMT, 'The Pursuit of Happiness';

REAL ESTATE - REAL ESTATE

Another great summer album brought out the autumn. There's been some buzz about the band throughout the year and I can see why having heard this for the first time. The best description I've read about them is 'an underwater Vampire Weekend.' It's a pretty chilled out record, plus the album cover looks like something from a sci-fi waterworld... what's not to love? Here's the single 'Black Lake';

10 ACTS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2010

They'll be shitloads of these lists in the next few months so I thought I'd jump in with one:

Ellie Goulding - http://www.myspace.com/elliegoulding Not so much of a choice, as an automatic.

Local Natives - http://www.myspace.com/localnatives Debut album out already and it's great, you really should have it. They'll do well in the Fleet Foxes market.

Delphic - http://www.myspace.com/delphic Album out in January. Expect the Manchester electronic-indie three-piece to get quite popular.

Marina & the Diamonds - http://www.myspace.com/marinaandthediamonds Plain pop music that will be big.

Hurts - http://www.myspace.com/ithurts Not my thing, but tipped for a massive label push.

Drake - http://www.myspace.com/thisisdrake Rapper already huge in America.

Esben & the Witch - http://www.myspace.com/esbenandthewitch Scary stuff, a bit like Portishead.

Stornoway - http://www.myspace.com/stornoway Already been on Jools Holland. Folk & harmonies.

Tinie Tempah - http://www.myspace.com/tinielegend UK hip-hop.

Bicycle Thieves - http://www.myspace.com/bicyclethievesuk Dark indie.

SOME SMALLER ACTS TO LOOK OUT FOR;

Broken Spindles, Freelance Whales, Real Estate, Darwin Deez, Surfer Blood, Goldheart Assembly, Everyhting Everything, Dum Dum Girls, Music Go Music, Free Energy, Band Of Skulls, I Blame Coco, Frankie & The Heartstrings, Detatchments, Chew Lips, The Cheek, Dutch Uncles, Lost Knives, Two Door Cinema Club.

DEVENDRA BANHART - WHAT WILL WE BE

Another great Devendra record, aided this time by co-production from Paul Butler (The Bees). There's just something about him and his music that makes me want to grow a beard (if I could) and be able to live the rest of my life in a sunny place making folk brilliance on a variety of instruments. Plus it turned Natalie Portman on. For a bit anyway. Check out this performance of brilliant lead single 'Baby' on Jools Holland for three reasons. 1. It's good. 2. His facial hair... it is Movember after all! 3. I really want his cardigan.

THE DRUMS - SUMMERTIME! E.P.

No doubt you will have heard of The Drums by now as they have been written about in every blog/magazine/music website around. I thought this blog summed them up well so far...http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=15&title=the_drums_back_in_the_uk_full_numerical_&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1...plus now they've been added to the foot of the bill on the NME Awards Tour next February, which I'm looking forward to. It's easy to see where the 'surf pop' label comes from; the whistling, the clicking, the singing about holding hands, summer and even, yep, surfing. What's interesting is the 'surf' element mixed with occasional darker lyrics and early Joy Division style guitar underlying the songs. All six songs are great, I don't know if it would be a bit tiresome on a full album but I'll just have to wait and see, just like we'll have to wait to see how it will work in a big venues like Manchester Academy.

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/thedrumsforever

Buy: http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/11608966/Summertime/Product.html?&_$ja=tsid:11518|cc:|prd:11608966|cat:Music+>+CD+>+Indie

KID HARPOON - ONCE

This is probably going to be my album of the year. I love it, most of the time I listen to it all the way through even though I just wanted to hear 'Stealing Cars' or 'Burnt Down House' quickly before I go out. I just love the overall feel to the album, it has been a long time coming really after he scrapped an albums worth of material in 2007. Every song is great, and you can tell what a great musician Kid Harpoon is, I fully imagine he played most instruments on the album, and his voice is so emotional throughout. It's a shame more people aren't going to hear it, it definitely deserves to be heard. Check out this live performance from a French TV show recently, especially the drummer and his wonky afro. I need to see Kid Harpoon live now!!

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/kidharpoon

Buy: http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=317290

THE SMITH WESTERNS - SMITH WESTERNS LP

I stumbled upon The Smith Westerns album recently and I listened to the whole thing in one go. It wasn't hard mind, it's only 29 minutes long. But I suppose that's part of the fun with ramshackle, lo-fi garage punk, just ask The Black Lips (I think every review will mention this comparison.) A lot of bands are doing this now, some not very well, but I think Smith Westerns have an edge. The album is a shot of sweet pleasure, guitars and vocals combining and sounding like a swarm of bees and the handclaps and distortion creating an eerie underwater summer sound. They have a real pop element amongst the lo-fi sound, and that's what sets them apart, and even Bowie/T.Rex influences on 'Girl In Love.'

They've recently toured with this years indie darling newcomers Girls and it's not hard to see why. They have a message off them on their myspace, "This is no ordinary love x" Awwwwwwwwww.

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/smithwesterns

Buy: http://www.amazon.com/Smith-Westerns/dp/B002FYWTNU

THE MACCABEES FT. ROOTS MANUVA - 'EMPTY VESSELS'

Played on the 11th November on Zane Lowe's radio show as 'The Hottest Record In The World', 'Empty Vessels' is the name of the collaboration between this years indie giants The Maccabees and the UK's best loved hip-hop statesman Rodney Smith, aka, Roots Manuva. The track is a mash up of The Maccabees first single from this years 'Wall of Arms' album, 'No Kind Words' with added lyrical grime brilliance from Roots Manuva. No download has been made available as of yet so you can listen to the track from the BBC website below;

You can also grab tickets to next years Shockwaves NME Awards Tour with The Maccabees themselves headlining, with excellent support from Bombay Bicycle Club, The Big Pink and The Drums. See if it's coming to a town near you next February;

Newcastle O2 Academy (4)
Glasgow Barrowland (5)
Manchester Academy (6)
Leeds O2 Academy (7)
Nottingham Rock City (9)
Norwich UEA (10)
Birmingham O2 Academy (11)
Cardiff University (13)
Bristol O2 Academy (14)
Brighton Dome (15)
Bournemouth O2 Academy (16)
Portsmouth Pyramids Centre (18)
Cambridge Corn Exchange (19)
Brixton O2 Academy (20)