FI V E TA L K I N ’
FIVE TALKIN’ Reverb asked a selection of talented individuals to tell us which five albums took their fancy in 2009, and why. Jamie, from Bluejuice, provided some deeply compelling observations.
JAKE STONE (Bluejuice, co-vocalist)
JAMIE CIBEJ – (Bluejuice, bassist)
01
01
LA ROUX La Roux
The most convincing mainstream pop record of the year, from a singer who can really sum up the zeitgeist at an indie club level. The sound of a heaving, sweating party laced with sexual misadventure, gender confusion and experimentation. This is the sound of youth, packaged for almost any generation. Dancehall, hip hop, techno and pop… Annie Lennox is jealous, and the world is impressed.
02
PHOENIX Wolfgang Armadeus Phoenix
A grandiose claim in almost anyone else’s hands, somehow these French indie pop geniuses live up to the title of their forth album. It’s a breakthrough from almost every perspective, honoring the history of the group with incredibly emotive, consistent songwriting, tasteful interpretations of the current trend of dance production and brilliant keys and guitar arrangements that almost make me weep. ‘Girlfriend’ is the best song, but who could look past ‘1901’ for pure force? Thomas Mars, you are a gifted singer, and extremely attractive.
03
DIRTY PROJECTORS Bitte Orca
Dave Longstreth is a genius, and most other people are trailing in the wake of this indie producer/songwriter. His lovely, catch-all attitude to writing and arrangement draws in classical, folk, indie and afro-pop, RnB influences, sandwiching them between his blown-out singing and backing harmonies. It’s the arrangements that really point out Longstreth’s cracked brilliance. Things are too loud, things run long, everything is roughly vying for your attention. It’s off-kilter, DIY genius. And then ‘The Stillness Is The Move’ is a sweet slice of RnB. Weird.
04
PASSION PIT Manners
The keyboard sounds and funk-influenced groove of singer/songwriter Michael Angelakos’ writing and production totally thrill me to pieces. He’s a livewire of energy, a flash-fire of a falsetto singer, and when that stomping backing part comes in for ‘Little Secrets’, I almost want to throw up, it’s so intense. Similarly, when the kids are singing ‘Higher and Higher’, the energy is so perfect and untamed, I can’t contain myself. Similarly, ‘The Reeling’ and ‘Sleepyhead’ take the 70’s and 80’s and turn them into a technoinfluenced party for the kids of today. Poetic, wonderful pop music.
05
THE JEZABELS She’s So Hard
I love this band a great deal, and their new EP gets close to what makes them so emotionally affecting in performance. The single ‘Hurt Me’ is an epic take on sadomasochism, with a lot of Kate Bush thrown in for good measure. Listening to singer Hayley Mary scale the heights of her falsetto is like an ice pick to your emotions. The band are a pile-driving force, producing waves of power from a simple piano, guitar and drums setup. Great band.
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R E V E R B M A G A Z I N E I S S U E # 0 4 3 — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0
MILEY CYRUS The Time Of Our Lives
This eight song triumph succeeds on an emotional level that few pop acts can muster in their entire careers. ‘When I Look At You’ is particularly wrenching, perhaps second only to ‘Fleck The Walls’ from Ren and Stimpy’s inspirational Crock O’ Christmas album, in terms of tenderness and beauty.
02
HANNAH MONTANA 3 SOUNDTRACK Various Artists
Despite the fact that I don’t really understand the connection between Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana (are they related?), I do respect their abilities to generate royalties for Walt Disney, a man I’ve always admired for his adherence to anthropomorphism. Depicting Robin Hood as a fox? The guy had vision.
03
17 AGAIN SOUNDTRACK Various Artists
It’s at this point that I must admit that I’ve hardly bought any new release albums this year. Sure, I bought Passion Pit but Jake has already included them in his list. I also bought the new one by Heavy Trash, but I haven’t listened to it yet. I was going to mention Fleet Foxes, but apparently that was released last year. Dang.
04
JONAS BROTHERS
MICHAEL BUBLE Crazy Love
You’d think that someone in a band would have a better idea about new music. Let’s just say that in 2009 I dropped the ball and will commit to paying more attention next year. I am deeply sorry.
BEN WINDSOR (After the Fall, vocalist)
01
KASABIAN West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
This album has what a lot of albums lack. A real sense of excitement. They’ve stuck to their own sound and have exceeded beyond the first two albums, not just in the music, but as musicians as well. What can I say, these guys are the coolest cats on the block. Awesome production, killer songs, a breath of fresh air.
02
03
GALLOWS Grey Britain
I don’t want to use this word but this album is epic. There, I said it. One of the most angry, fucked up records I’ve heard in along time. And you know it’s real anger because the singer has red hair. It comes with the territory. I’m not usually into this type of music, but there’s something about it that just grabs me by the balls and tells me to listen up. Fucker.
04
PORCUPINE TREE The Incident
Again, not really into the whole prog scene, but this album is pretty special. You must have something going on if you can write a 9 minute song and still keep me interested. Each song rolls into one, taking you on a journey through all sorts of themes. Borrows heavily from Pink floyd, but hey why not? Someone’s got to fly the prog flag, and Muse just don’t float my boat.
05
BAT FOR LASHES Two Suns
This album moves me in mysterious ways. A voice of an angel, with looks that could kill, Natasha Khan will you marry me? I’m yours. The production is killer, especially with all the live percussive drumming. But it’s the songs, the mood, the overall vibe of the thing, that wins me over every time.
Lines Vines And Trying Times
I mean seriously, the last record I bought was Public Enemy’s second album, and you’re asking me for my top albums of 2009? Get back to me in 15 years or so and I’ll show you something worth reading.
05
CEC CONDON (The Mess Hall, drummer)
WHITE LIES To Lose My Life...
Spare me the Joy Division comparisons, these guys know how to write a song. A short but sweet album, swinging from highs to lows thanks to great production. Not bad for three young geezers.
BARNABAS HODGSON (Kato, DJ)
01
HUDSON MOHAWKE Butter
This is the future of hip hop. Post-Dilla psychedelia meets dubstep and spacefunk in a soundclash for the ages.
02
MODESELEKTOR Body Language
The best DJ mix CD of the year, hands down. Modeselektor seamlessly mix some of the most exciting house, techno, dubstep and rap of the year.
03
RIHANNA Rated R
Rihanna sets benchmarks in style, hotness, RnB, and socking it to your ex with this forwardthinking masterpiece.
04
LOST VALENTINOS Cities Of Gold
Losties are the conquistadors of the new wave, pushing the boundaries of indie dance punk to the four corners of the globe and firmly to the future all at the same time.
05
THE VERY BEST Warm Heart Of Africa
At the risk of sounding a little over the top, Radioclit’s magnum opus is a tour de force in future world funk and the perfect soundtrack to the summer, carrying Paul Simon’s legacy into the new millennium.
01
ROWLAND S HOWARD Pop Crimes
This is a record that crept up on me. At first I liked a few songs — the excellent ‘A Girl Called Johnny’ and the Townes Van Zandt cover — nothing stood out to me immediately. After a few more listens, I was, and indeed still am, hooked. It’s a dark and beautiful album and a fitting swan song for an Australian musical icon.
02
THE ALMIGHTY DEFENDERS The Almighty Defenders
This is a collaboration between the Black Lips and King Khan and it is damn good! It sounds exactly how you would imagine a crosspollination of those two bands to sound. There is the stupidity (in a good way!) and raunch of the Black Lips and the beautiful hair-raising voice of King Khan, who at times on this album sounds a lot like Otis Redding. It’s kind of a bastardised gospel/soul album and it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
03
BEIRUT Live at The Music Hall of Williamsburg
I usually love live albums and this one is no exception. HIs previous two studio albums have been favourites of mine for some time now and, not having seen him live in person, it was great to finally hear live renditions of these amazing songs. The few polished edges that were on the songs have come off and what you get is a confident band inhabiting and moving around within the song structures. I was a little disappointed, however, to find out that he is a 20-something Brooklyn hipster and not the crusty old Jewish man I imagined him to be.
04
THE MENAHAN ST BAND Make The Road by Walking
This is a great album! It is most of the guys from the Dap-Kings and other assorted players from various bands in the dap-tone stable, playing a bunch of instrumental tunes. It’s funky and groovy in a good way, not in the way that your aunty is after a couple of shandies down at the local bowlo, and certainly not in the way that Skunkhour or DIG were. I saw them at the Gaelic Club this year featuring guest vocalist Charles Bradley who is kind of like a very old-looking James Brown! Needless to say, the show was amazing and so is the record.
05
THE NECKS Silverwater
The Necks are a fantastic band, so I’m always excited whenever they release something. Silverwater is one long continuous piece of music, which seems to be divided up into a number of movements. As usual Tony Buck’s drumming is a highlight for me and it has a particularly Asian feel to it, with the use of Vietnamese and Indonesian instruments. His guitar playing is also great as well! The Mess Hall perform at The Cambridge Hotel on Friday, March 5, 2010. Tickets on sale now.