About a week ago I noticed that certain local bus stops had pictures of small robots holding big guns and the words Portal 2 above them. It was kind of obviously a computer game, but I had not really heard of it, as I have only recently got back into computer games recently.
I discussed this with a friend who knows a lot more about computer games than me. She revealed that it was a spin off of a game called Half Life that I had kind of heard of and was made by the same company. She seemed slightly dubious about my suggestion that this company was Electronic Arts along with the suggestion that you play as a robot in the game. Apparently it was a first person shooter where you create portals to take you to different parts of the world.
I decided to do some investigation on the internet and found out that all of our assumptions were right, but at the same time wrong. The game itself looks awesome. It is a first person shooter in that you have a gun and there is a first person perspective, but as far as I can tell you don't shoot at people or aliens like in most typical first person shooters. Instead, you shoot portals. There are two colours of portal. Whatever goes in one portal comes out the other with its linear momentum intact. You can use these portals to get to inaccessible parts of the map, but you can't travel to wholly new areas with them as you have to be able to see where you want to place the other portal. So basically it is a puzzle game and probably makes more sense if you look at videos or actually play the game rather than read my explanation.
In the game you play a character called Chell, who is a female. At first I thought it would be a female robot, but no it is a definite girl/woman with a nice pair of boots. So where do the robots I saw on the posters come in? Well it seems that there is a single player mode where you play Chell and a co-operative multi-player mode where you play as one of two robots called Atlas and P-body. Essentially you are doing the same kind of thing, but there are more portals and it is all a bit involved.
On reading the Wikipedia article on Portal surprised to read that players on the Mac, PC and PS3 version can play the co-operative mode together. As a PS3 owner I found this very exciting news. One of the reasons that people consider the Xbox 360 to be superior to the PS3 is because there are more users. This means that there is more of a community for online games. I don't see why Xbox 360 and PS3 users can't play each other online. PC users can play against each other despite the fact that the specifications of their machines may vary wildly. Also PC users can play against Mac users on games such as Starcraft II. The limitation is that very few games are available on Mac because Mac users spend all their time editing videos or writing blogs about Portal 2. Anyway, it seems that the reason that Xbox360 users and PS3 users can't play together is not technical, but commercial. The initial cost of a console, at least when they are first released and manufacturing costs are higher, is subsidised by the manufacturer on the basis that once you have the console you will want to buy games which they can get money back for you from. So if you have bought a console game new, even one produced by a third party, such as Electronic Arts or Activision then some of your money will be going back to Sony or Microsoft (or Nintendo if you insist). A lot of the most popular games such as Activision's Call of Duty series have online multi-player components that are actually better than the more traditional single player mode. If you want to play these on an Xbox you need to pay Microsoft a monthly subscription to use Xbox Live. The PS3 has something similar, but less reliable version called PSN, which is free. There is also a paid for version called PlayStation Plus. I don't have it. Anyway, the point is that Microsoft and Sony's desire to keep a tight reign on these networks so that they can make money out of them is basically what stops PS3 and Xbox 360 users playing together.
If you have watched any of the videos that I have painstakingly linked to (except maybe the last one) you will have noticed the humour involved in the game. It actually features the voice talent of Stephen Merchant. Presumably not wishing to be outdone by his mate Ricky Gervais who did a cameo in the brilliantly satirical GTA 4. I like the way that they are treating computer games as an art form on a par with cinema, by taking all aspects of it seriously and getting the best talent in.
The final incorrect assumption was that Portal 2 is an Electronics Arts game. It is distributed by Electronic Arts but produced by Valve. Further digging found out that PS3 version of the Orange Box was done by Electronic Arts. This is related to the following comment from Valve co-founder Gabe Newell:
"The PS3 is a total disaster on so many levels, I think It's really clear that Sony lost track of what customers and what developers wanted,"
The reason that Electronic Arts are doing the distribution for Portal 2 is because although Valve are a relatively big company they don't have a lot of retail experience as they distribute most of their PC games via Steam. Valve developed Steam, which is like PSN or Xbox Live, in as much as it is a portal for people to download game, play online and show off how good they are by means of trophies. It also allows users to save games in the cloud, so that you can carry on playing on somebody else's computer and your saved games don't go AWOL if your hard drive dies.
Anyway the really exciting thing about Portal 2 on the is the portal that comes with it. You actually get a cut down version of Steam for the PS3. This is a massive U-turn from Gabe Newell. What it means for the PS3 user is that you get a constantly updated version of the game, ability to save to the cloud, ability to earn Steam and PS3 trophies at the same time and a free download of Portal 2 for Mac or PC, and the ability to play co-operative multiplayer with PC or Mac users. What it means for the future is presumably more downloadable games for the PS3. Also, the highly anticipated Battlefield 3 has a PC history and is produced by Electronic Arts. Presumably the Steam portal could be used to allow PS3 gamers to play alongside PC users on this and other similar games. Just speculation, but exciting none the less.
Steam is not available on the XBox 360. This is because Microsoft are being very protective of Xbox Live. The ever outspoken Gabe Newell has described Xbox live as a train wreck. Essentially his gripe is that Microsoft only allow a certain amount of free downloadable content (they want you to pay for stuff) and Steam generally does a lot of free updates.
The irony of the situation is that while Newell praises Sony for the open nature of the PS3, other people are less happy about Sony removing Linux support for the PS3 and the weekend that Portal 2 is released PSN is down due to hackers. Oops.
I think that Steam coming to the PS3 is a good thing. I think the world would be a better place if there were a common standard for all consoles in the next generation. Call it the X-Station 460 is you will (the Playbox sounds a bit rude). So as long as you have a console that meets that standard, regardless of who makes it, you can play games. If you happen to have a better console the games will look better, just as is the case with PC games at the moment. I think that having a common portal (Steam) and one that already supports multiple platforms (Mac and PC) is a massive step towards that.
The problem at the moment seems to be Microsoft and their addiction to Xbox Live cash cow. It is massively ironic as Microsoft made its considerable name with Windows which is basically a standard that lots of different manufacturers all work towards making their machines compatible with. Even Sony's overpriced range of laptops use Windows. Why can't they embrace a common standard for gaming too? Also, as I understand it the idea of the original Xbox was that PC games could be played on it and vice versa. This never happened, but why does the Xbox 360 not embrace the de-facto standard for PC gaming?
Anyway, I have not got Portal 2 yet, so it might be rubbish for all I know. I am waiting for the sunny Bank Holiday weekend to be over. I will probably download it on my Mac too.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Monday, May 31, 2010
A00-09 1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
In Rainbows is unique amongst albums in this chart, not just for it's lofty position, but because I don't actually own it. With one eye on the illegal download market, Radiohead decided to release the album in MP3 format two months before its physical release. You could basically pay what you wanted to. I paid £5. I think this is a good idea. I don't like to download music because I think that I should pay for music if I like it because otherwise the bands would not bother releasing music. I know there is an argument that by releasing music they promote their concerts, which is where they actually make their money. However, I understood that 20 or so years ago the situation was exactly the opposite, in that bands played live to promote CDs, where they made money. I suppose that concert tickets have gone up substantially over that period, whereas CD prices have remained fairly static, so maybe it does make sense. On the other hand, once I have bought a CD I quite often burn it and just listen to it on my iPod, so I don't really need to own the CD. I know the argument is that CDs are higher quality than MP3s, but I don't really notice.
The above discussion, just goes to illustrate what happened at the time of release of In Rainbows: all the discussion was about Radiohead's new business model rather than the actual music, which is a shame. Radiohead have been around for so long that their music is no longer really a surprise. They have been through many different phases: the UK grunge of Pablo Honey, the more ambitious Bends, the much more ambitious OK Computer and the electronic re-invention of Kid A and Amnesiac. In Rainbows, like Hail To The Thief, is like a combination of everything that has gone before. Where it differs from its immediate predecessor is in the lyrical content. It is a more human record largely about unrequited love, rather than full of oblique political references. Musically, the electronic elements of Radiohead's more recent efforts are still present, but are not so prominent and mixed with the traditional instruments of their earlier work. I would refer to it as a post-experimental record; the band no longer feel the need to push the envelope at every opportunity, but with the experience of experimentation are now able to paint from a broad palette.
Despite the return of traditional instruments, there are no real moments of the Johnny, Thom, Ed three man guitar assault of yore. The only real rocker is Bodysnatchers. The rest of the record is eerily gentle. It is possibly their most accessible record ever, yet still with more than its fair share of abstract sounds and interesting ideas.
Recommended Track: Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
The above discussion, just goes to illustrate what happened at the time of release of In Rainbows: all the discussion was about Radiohead's new business model rather than the actual music, which is a shame. Radiohead have been around for so long that their music is no longer really a surprise. They have been through many different phases: the UK grunge of Pablo Honey, the more ambitious Bends, the much more ambitious OK Computer and the electronic re-invention of Kid A and Amnesiac. In Rainbows, like Hail To The Thief, is like a combination of everything that has gone before. Where it differs from its immediate predecessor is in the lyrical content. It is a more human record largely about unrequited love, rather than full of oblique political references. Musically, the electronic elements of Radiohead's more recent efforts are still present, but are not so prominent and mixed with the traditional instruments of their earlier work. I would refer to it as a post-experimental record; the band no longer feel the need to push the envelope at every opportunity, but with the experience of experimentation are now able to paint from a broad palette.
Despite the return of traditional instruments, there are no real moments of the Johnny, Thom, Ed three man guitar assault of yore. The only real rocker is Bodysnatchers. The rest of the record is eerily gentle. It is possibly their most accessible record ever, yet still with more than its fair share of abstract sounds and interesting ideas.
Recommended Track: Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Sunday, May 30, 2010
A00-09 2. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever people say I am, that's what...
Some of the albums in my chart may be deemed to be slightly idiosyncratic selections, but you can really argue that about an album that been deemed by the NME to be the fifth greatest British album ever in the same week that it was actually released, when it also went on to be the fastest selling debut album in UK chart history. It is also very much a product of its time, as is first came to prominence via the internet, although the sites it featured on were created by fans rather than the band themselves using demos given out at gigs. This then improved the actual gigs as the fans were able to sing along to the songs. It is interesting to note that the album remained the fastest selling debut for just over eighteen months when it was overtaken by Leona Lewis, one of the products of the other great music marketing innovations of the decade, ITV's X-Factor. Also, the fact that the tracks from the album had been widely available on the internet for a while before the album's actual release meant that fans were able to form such an elevated opinion on the album in the week of its official release. Obviously hype was a factor too.
So what is about the Arctic Monkey's Whatever people say I am, that what I am not that inspires such devotion? Well it is all up-tempo garage rock songs, mostly about going to nightclubs, with the exception of Riot Van, which is a down-tempo garage rock song about being beaten up by police. You could say that it is retro-sounding, but considering the band's average age was 19 at the time of release, it is evident that their influences were the more contemporary revivalists (The Strokes, The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand) rather than earlier pioneers, although they do make a nod to The Police (Sting and co. not the South Yorkshire Constabulary) on When The Sun Goes Down.
Other than the actual music, where the Arctic Monkey's could really be considered punk is in their attitude. Presumably because they achieved so much success on the back of grass-roots support without the intervention of the music industry, they are reluctant to make any concessions to the man. They refused to allow the industry guaranteed guest list entry to their gigs to allow more space for the true fans and ultimately signed for small independent label Domino, rather than any of the majors keen for their signature, but were keen to alter the band's sound. This anti-industry attitude is heard lyrically in Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But... (not to mention much of the second album). Which brings me on to the song titles. They are often really long (e.g. You probably couldn't see for the lights, but you were staring straight at me). It is as if nobody told them that song titles are supposed to be succinct or more likely that somebody did tell them, but they decided to ignore the advice anyway.
The most obvious manifestation of this independent spirit is the fact that frontman Alex Turner sings in a broad South Yorkshire accent about subjects that fall within his own personal experience. In theory this could limit the appeal if you don't happen to be a teenager from Sheffield, but I find it encouraging that they are being true to themselves and not following advice to make their music and subject as bland and generic as possible for fear of alienating any potential members of their fan-base. Also by singing about that their specific experiences, they do show that certain things despite seeming different on the surface are universal underneath. Who has not witnessed a bickering couple (Mardy Bum) or been embarrassed by the antics of friends they have known 'for a long long time' (A Certain Romance)? Turner puts is better than I ever could in Fake Tales of San Fransisco:
You're not from New York City, you're from Rotherham
So get off the bandwagon, and put down the handbook
As well as being true to themselves, singing in his native accent and dialect allows Turner to use the English language in a different way to somebody from London or LA. How else could you get "scary 'un" to rhyme with "totalitarian" or "Ford Mondeo" to rhyme with "say owt"? I also like some of the references he puts into his lyrics: everything from Shakespeare to Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em.
It may not break new ground musically, although I personally like re-hashed garage rock, but the Arctic Monkey's have a spirit a lyrical wit that sets them apart from their contemporaries.
Recommended Track: Mardy Bum
So what is about the Arctic Monkey's Whatever people say I am, that what I am not that inspires such devotion? Well it is all up-tempo garage rock songs, mostly about going to nightclubs, with the exception of Riot Van, which is a down-tempo garage rock song about being beaten up by police. You could say that it is retro-sounding, but considering the band's average age was 19 at the time of release, it is evident that their influences were the more contemporary revivalists (The Strokes, The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand) rather than earlier pioneers, although they do make a nod to The Police (Sting and co. not the South Yorkshire Constabulary) on When The Sun Goes Down.
Other than the actual music, where the Arctic Monkey's could really be considered punk is in their attitude. Presumably because they achieved so much success on the back of grass-roots support without the intervention of the music industry, they are reluctant to make any concessions to the man. They refused to allow the industry guaranteed guest list entry to their gigs to allow more space for the true fans and ultimately signed for small independent label Domino, rather than any of the majors keen for their signature, but were keen to alter the band's sound. This anti-industry attitude is heard lyrically in Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But... (not to mention much of the second album). Which brings me on to the song titles. They are often really long (e.g. You probably couldn't see for the lights, but you were staring straight at me). It is as if nobody told them that song titles are supposed to be succinct or more likely that somebody did tell them, but they decided to ignore the advice anyway.
The most obvious manifestation of this independent spirit is the fact that frontman Alex Turner sings in a broad South Yorkshire accent about subjects that fall within his own personal experience. In theory this could limit the appeal if you don't happen to be a teenager from Sheffield, but I find it encouraging that they are being true to themselves and not following advice to make their music and subject as bland and generic as possible for fear of alienating any potential members of their fan-base. Also by singing about that their specific experiences, they do show that certain things despite seeming different on the surface are universal underneath. Who has not witnessed a bickering couple (Mardy Bum) or been embarrassed by the antics of friends they have known 'for a long long time' (A Certain Romance)? Turner puts is better than I ever could in Fake Tales of San Fransisco:
You're not from New York City, you're from Rotherham
So get off the bandwagon, and put down the handbook
As well as being true to themselves, singing in his native accent and dialect allows Turner to use the English language in a different way to somebody from London or LA. How else could you get "scary 'un" to rhyme with "totalitarian" or "Ford Mondeo" to rhyme with "say owt"? I also like some of the references he puts into his lyrics: everything from Shakespeare to Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em.
It may not break new ground musically, although I personally like re-hashed garage rock, but the Arctic Monkey's have a spirit a lyrical wit that sets them apart from their contemporaries.
Recommended Track: Mardy Bum
Saturday, May 29, 2010
A00-09 3. Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
I still have not really forgiven the Kings Of Leon for making me buy a new CD Player. Their first album the Southern-fried garage rock of Youth and Young Manhood featured some kind of weird copy protection that meant although it was small, shiny and round, it was not technically a CD. Anyway it did not play on my CD player and I thought that in the future all CD would be like that so I bought a new CD player. What actually happened was that the battlefield of music piracy moved to the internet and the new CD protection system never really took hold, so I effectively bought the CD player just to play the Kings Of Leon record. Was it worth it? Not really. It is a pretty decent garage rock record and the singer had a distinctive voice.
I did not buy the second album Aha Shake Heartbreak, because I did not like the songs I heard, the title is stupid, the flower on the cover looks like..... Just grow up boys, OK?
And grow up they did. They came back with the much more mature Because Of The Night. I was first introduced to the album by the single On Call and its excellent vocal hook: 'To be there'. On actually listening to the album the contrast from their debut is immediately obvious: the first track being over seven minutes in length and devoid of chorus. Elsewhere, alongside the powerful vocals of Caleb Followill, sits the complicated drumming of big brother Nathan and the now more ambitious guitar work of little cousin Matthew.
So I was more than a little disappointed when I heard the lead single for fourth album Only By The Night. Why? Because they had decided to call it Sex On Fire and the chorus goes 'Yeeaaah, your sex is on fire!' Why would you give a song such a knuckle-headed title? And it does not not really make sense. How can sex belong to somebody? Maybe he means sex as in gender. So maybe all women are on fire. Is being on fire necessarily a good thing, anyway? Maybe he means that she has some kind of STD. I don't know. I really don't. I later heard that this was originally some kind of place holder lyric, that is something that fitted with the song that he had put in place until he thought of something (anything!) better, but then the rest of the band liked it and told him to keep it. I don't know whether that makes it any better (i.e. all four of the Kings Of Leon are morons and not just one of them). However, if you do the sensible thing and ignore the lyric, it is a great rock and roll song.
Just when you thought they were going to drop all subtelties altogether and have a massive pair of breasts as the cover of the new album, they come through with the second single Use Somebody. A sensitive ballad, albeit one designed to fill stadia and headline festivals, with a chorus full of woo, woos and Caleb's powerful vocals illuminating the verses.
First track on the album Closer shows just how far the Kings Of Leon have progressed musically since their debut. Matthew's guitar, shrouded in digital delay, plays a simple riff then, just as the drums and bass come in, he starts to sing wordlessly into the pickup to evoke the sound of an impending. Then Caleb's vocal comes in just to prove that this a King Of Leon record after all. Second track Crawl comes in with a metallic shudder and features a floor-shaking bass, while Caleb hollers something about US politics.
To say that the Kings of Leon, particular on Only By The Night, divide critics would be an understatement. They are very popular in the UK, but a subject of some derision in the trendier sections of their native US media. Understandably so, given some of the immature lyrical content, but if you ignore the words and concentrate on the music then they have developed into one of the truly great rock and roll bands.
Recommended Track: Closer or Crawl
I did not buy the second album Aha Shake Heartbreak, because I did not like the songs I heard, the title is stupid, the flower on the cover looks like..... Just grow up boys, OK?
And grow up they did. They came back with the much more mature Because Of The Night. I was first introduced to the album by the single On Call and its excellent vocal hook: 'To be there'. On actually listening to the album the contrast from their debut is immediately obvious: the first track being over seven minutes in length and devoid of chorus. Elsewhere, alongside the powerful vocals of Caleb Followill, sits the complicated drumming of big brother Nathan and the now more ambitious guitar work of little cousin Matthew.
So I was more than a little disappointed when I heard the lead single for fourth album Only By The Night. Why? Because they had decided to call it Sex On Fire and the chorus goes 'Yeeaaah, your sex is on fire!' Why would you give a song such a knuckle-headed title? And it does not not really make sense. How can sex belong to somebody? Maybe he means sex as in gender. So maybe all women are on fire. Is being on fire necessarily a good thing, anyway? Maybe he means that she has some kind of STD. I don't know. I really don't. I later heard that this was originally some kind of place holder lyric, that is something that fitted with the song that he had put in place until he thought of something (anything!) better, but then the rest of the band liked it and told him to keep it. I don't know whether that makes it any better (i.e. all four of the Kings Of Leon are morons and not just one of them). However, if you do the sensible thing and ignore the lyric, it is a great rock and roll song.
Just when you thought they were going to drop all subtelties altogether and have a massive pair of breasts as the cover of the new album, they come through with the second single Use Somebody. A sensitive ballad, albeit one designed to fill stadia and headline festivals, with a chorus full of woo, woos and Caleb's powerful vocals illuminating the verses.
First track on the album Closer shows just how far the Kings Of Leon have progressed musically since their debut. Matthew's guitar, shrouded in digital delay, plays a simple riff then, just as the drums and bass come in, he starts to sing wordlessly into the pickup to evoke the sound of an impending. Then Caleb's vocal comes in just to prove that this a King Of Leon record after all. Second track Crawl comes in with a metallic shudder and features a floor-shaking bass, while Caleb hollers something about US politics.
To say that the Kings of Leon, particular on Only By The Night, divide critics would be an understatement. They are very popular in the UK, but a subject of some derision in the trendier sections of their native US media. Understandably so, given some of the immature lyrical content, but if you ignore the words and concentrate on the music then they have developed into one of the truly great rock and roll bands.
Recommended Track: Closer or Crawl
Friday, May 28, 2010
A00-09 4. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires first met at school in St Albans where as fourteen year olds they formed an post-hardcore band called First Day Back. They then went off to university where they lightened up a bit and came back to form a new more dance music influenced band. After several single and EP releases they put out an eponymous debut album.
When they were First Day Back, Ed Macfarlane played bass, but in Friendly Fires he has also taken on lead vocal and synth duties. Drummer Jack Savidge also plays bass on some tracks with programmed beats. So, they have a kind of strange dynamic in that guitarist Edd Gibson consistently plays the same instrument and the other two flit about on stage. One track without any bass is the brilliantly idealistic Paris, which is basically just percussion and a heavily effect laden guitar line.
What is particularly remarkable about the album is that it was all recorded by the band themselves on a laptop in Macfarlane's parent's basement, with the exception of Jump In The Pool (the theme for BBC1's Final Score) produced by indie/dance crossover guru Paul Epworth, but sounds amazing.
On reflection it seems strange to me that this album, which could reasonably be termed post-Klaxons (a band that did not even make my Top 40) is sitting at number four in my chart. It is just that is such an ebullient album that I can't help liking it.
Recommended Track: Lovesick (or Luuuurve.....sik, as he actually sings it)
When they were First Day Back, Ed Macfarlane played bass, but in Friendly Fires he has also taken on lead vocal and synth duties. Drummer Jack Savidge also plays bass on some tracks with programmed beats. So, they have a kind of strange dynamic in that guitarist Edd Gibson consistently plays the same instrument and the other two flit about on stage. One track without any bass is the brilliantly idealistic Paris, which is basically just percussion and a heavily effect laden guitar line.
What is particularly remarkable about the album is that it was all recorded by the band themselves on a laptop in Macfarlane's parent's basement, with the exception of Jump In The Pool (the theme for BBC1's Final Score) produced by indie/dance crossover guru Paul Epworth, but sounds amazing.
On reflection it seems strange to me that this album, which could reasonably be termed post-Klaxons (a band that did not even make my Top 40) is sitting at number four in my chart. It is just that is such an ebullient album that I can't help liking it.
Recommended Track: Lovesick (or Luuuurve.....sik, as he actually sings it)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
A00-09 5. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
'Who gives a fuck about an Oxford Comma?' asks Vampire Weekend vocalist Ezra Koenig on the track called, errr, Oxford Comma on the album called, errr, Vampire Weekend. Well presumably he does as he majored in English and wrote a song about it. Anyway the point is that Vampire Weekend like to show of how clever they are. Also in a world where most people in indie bands are resolutely middle-class, but like to give the impression of being from the mean streets. So it is quite refreshing that Vampire Weekend feel no need to lie how much 'coal' they have (why would they lie about something dumb like that). The band met at Ivy League Columbia University in New York's Upper West Side, although they have since relocated to Brooklyn (home of almost every other New York indie band). The band dub their music Upper West Side Soweto. The Soweto bit comes from the fact that there is an African influence on their music, particularly in some of the guitar parts and the occasional use of hand-drums. I am not really an expert on African music, so I can't tell you how authentic it is. It is not that they are the first posh white musicians to take African music as an influence. Think Talking Heads, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel. In fact, Vampire Weekend acknowledge as much in the brilliantly titled Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa - 'Feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel'
The more obvious influence on Vampire Weekend's sound is classical music. There is a fair bit of harpsichord, chamberlin and strings arranged by music graduate band member Rostam Batmanglij who also produced and engineered the album. In fact during parts of certain tracks the music can sound like the theme tunes to the kind of TV shows that are only broadcast on Sunday evenings. An up tempo sound track to antique hunting or popping round the vicar's for scones, but in a good way. Also the drums are not always typically rock style, but more classical in style. You could quite easily refer to Chris Thomson as a percussionist rather than a drummer. Also the guitars are intentionally undistorted. Rock clichés studiously avoided.
That is not to say that they just sound like a mix of African and Western Classical music. A-punk for instance, is post-punk influenced. Koenig even yelps.
At times the clever lyrics referencing elements of upper class US culture go straight over my head without the use of a lyric sheet and the internet. Take for example the line from Campus - 'Spilled kefir on your keffiyeh.' I thought it was actually 'Spilled coffee on your cafetiere' I had also listened to the album several times when I realised that there was a track that seemingly referenced a slack bladdered Arsenal winger who wants to get out of Cape Cod tonight (obviously not a fan of Kwassa Kwassa). Although the way he sings it sounds more like 'walk out'. It turns out that Koenig made a film while at Columbia also called Vampire Weekend where he played the lead character Walcott. It seems that in this instance Walcott is a first name rather than a surname. Why he could he not thought of a more down to earth first name like errr Theodore, or something?
When the first four tracks of an album are all released as singles, you might expect the second half of the album to be a disappointment. That is not the case at all. There is not a below par track on the album at all.
Recommended Track: M79
The more obvious influence on Vampire Weekend's sound is classical music. There is a fair bit of harpsichord, chamberlin and strings arranged by music graduate band member Rostam Batmanglij who also produced and engineered the album. In fact during parts of certain tracks the music can sound like the theme tunes to the kind of TV shows that are only broadcast on Sunday evenings. An up tempo sound track to antique hunting or popping round the vicar's for scones, but in a good way. Also the drums are not always typically rock style, but more classical in style. You could quite easily refer to Chris Thomson as a percussionist rather than a drummer. Also the guitars are intentionally undistorted. Rock clichés studiously avoided.
That is not to say that they just sound like a mix of African and Western Classical music. A-punk for instance, is post-punk influenced. Koenig even yelps.
At times the clever lyrics referencing elements of upper class US culture go straight over my head without the use of a lyric sheet and the internet. Take for example the line from Campus - 'Spilled kefir on your keffiyeh.' I thought it was actually 'Spilled coffee on your cafetiere' I had also listened to the album several times when I realised that there was a track that seemingly referenced a slack bladdered Arsenal winger who wants to get out of Cape Cod tonight (obviously not a fan of Kwassa Kwassa). Although the way he sings it sounds more like 'walk out'. It turns out that Koenig made a film while at Columbia also called Vampire Weekend where he played the lead character Walcott. It seems that in this instance Walcott is a first name rather than a surname. Why he could he not thought of a more down to earth first name like errr Theodore, or something?
When the first four tracks of an album are all released as singles, you might expect the second half of the album to be a disappointment. That is not the case at all. There is not a below par track on the album at all.
Recommended Track: M79
Sunday, May 23, 2010
A00-09 6. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World
Unusually for an album on this chart, the Super Furry Animals' fifth album Rings Around The World is not my favourite album by the artist in question. That accolade would go to one of their first two albums: Fuzzy Logic or Radiator but they both came out in the nineties and so are not eligible.
In complete contrast to SFA frontman Gruff Rhys' solo album (reviewed here), which was recorded for about £2.50 and a packet of crisps, Rings Around The World is a big money release. It is their first on a major label (Epic) and also the first album to have a simultaneous release on CD and DVD. Actually the DVD does not really add very much. The videos are not particular exciting; there are some remixes and a surround sound mix, but you need to have a very special stereo system to pick up the sub-bass on tracks which can only be heard through a low-frequency subwoofer channel in the surround mix.
Onto the actual music and it is the usual Super Furry Animals mix of, well, just about everything.Often within the same song. Take No Sympathy which starts as a ballad on acoustic guitar and goes into techno meltdown by the end. What hold the album together is the vocals. Rhys sings lead vocals throughout but the rest of the band, apart from bass player Guto Pryce, supply vocal harmonies.
The lyrical matter is also typically diverse. Everything from the mental state of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air to the unfair nature of the housing matter, to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski to doomsday websites.
It is not short of special guests. From the bass player in Velvet Underground playing piano to the bass player of the Beatles chomping on celery and carrots
The only really disappointing thing about the album is that they did not stick with the original title of Text Messaging is Destroying the Pub Quiz as We Know It
Recommended Track: Sidewalk Serfer Girl
In complete contrast to SFA frontman Gruff Rhys' solo album (reviewed here), which was recorded for about £2.50 and a packet of crisps, Rings Around The World is a big money release. It is their first on a major label (Epic) and also the first album to have a simultaneous release on CD and DVD. Actually the DVD does not really add very much. The videos are not particular exciting; there are some remixes and a surround sound mix, but you need to have a very special stereo system to pick up the sub-bass on tracks which can only be heard through a low-frequency subwoofer channel in the surround mix.
Onto the actual music and it is the usual Super Furry Animals mix of, well, just about everything.Often within the same song. Take No Sympathy which starts as a ballad on acoustic guitar and goes into techno meltdown by the end. What hold the album together is the vocals. Rhys sings lead vocals throughout but the rest of the band, apart from bass player Guto Pryce, supply vocal harmonies.
The lyrical matter is also typically diverse. Everything from the mental state of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air to the unfair nature of the housing matter, to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski to doomsday websites.
It is not short of special guests. From the bass player in Velvet Underground playing piano to the bass player of the Beatles chomping on celery and carrots
The only really disappointing thing about the album is that they did not stick with the original title of Text Messaging is Destroying the Pub Quiz as We Know It
Recommended Track: Sidewalk Serfer Girl
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