Sunday, January 06, 2008

New music of 2007

Just cos this came up in a forum I managed to list most of the stuff I picked up last year and what I thought about it. It was a good year for music but not as good as this years going to be likesay.

The View - Hats Off To The Buskers: I'd been waiting for a year for this recordand whilst very good it would have been better if released earlier. Still a great Dundee band and I have high hopes that The Law will secure the cities musical upturn.

The Rakes - Ten New Messages: Not a bad album but very inconsistent.

Biffy Clyro - Puzzle: Really uncool and they don't care. Likeable enough to have lasted a while on the old MP3 player.

Beastie Boys - The Mix Up: Good jazz-funk instrumentals though definitely a mood thing for me.

Arctic Monkeys - Fave Worst Nightmare: Not as impressive as their debut but still fantastic.

The Aliens - Astronomy For Dogs: Although not as good as The Beta Band and perhaps their eclecticism lets them down a bit still an awfy good album made even more impressive if you're aware that people from Fife are born without opposable thumbs. It was fun dancing to The Happy Song at my wedding as well.

Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City: Top indie miserabilists produce a fun album. Went through a bit of a London kick earlier in the year when all I was listening to was them, The Rakes, Lady Sov, Dizze Rascal and the likes. Speaking of which,

Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English: Dizzee really came into his own with this album showing a new maturity and kinda reminding me of Ludacris's last effort for some reason. Lily Allen also entertains on one song, she always seems better on other peeps stuff for some reason.

Jamie T - Panic Prevention: My favourite album of the year sound sort of like The Streets meets The Clash which can only be a good thing. I'm really looking forward to hearing more stuff from the young lad.

Dinosaur Jr - Beyond: This is a weird one because it's Dinosaur Jr which makes it greeat and I loved it but I was mibbee expecting something new from them which isn't here.

The Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace: Exactly the same feelings about this as about Dinosaur Jr's new one.

Black Francis - Bluefinger: Once again see my comments on Dinosaur Jr's album. Is a pattern starting to take shape here?

Gorillaz - D-Sides: There's a lot here and I'm still trying to get my head around it. Mostly good though.

The Good, The Bad and The Queen: Awfy good album.

Kings of Leon - Because of the Times: White boys with guitars do what they do best. I love this.

New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom: A fantastic retro 80's sound, smart lyrics and a secy female singer.

Mark Ronson - Version: Very very contrived which both works for and against the album.

Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris: More white boys with guitars and you gotta love them.

The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible: I absolutely adore this album with its clear nods to Talking Heads and reflective lyrics.

The White Stripes - Icky Thump: I enjoyed it well enough but couldn't really get into it. Peeps who put bagpipes into rock or pop should be killed painfully.

Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy: This is still in my MP3 player so I must love it. Sounds a bit country at some points.

Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams: Not long had this and I'm enjoying it though I can see why some may not like their new direction. If this is the make or break album for them it's difficult to say how they'll do as it may alienate some of their audience. I still like it.

This didn't include loads of old stuff I picked up or the hiphop I bought Rosa cos nothing says you love somebody like 45 minutes of misogynistic rap.

New Years Parochial Letters Day

If anybody actually reads this shite sorry for not blogging for a couple of months but Rosa and I got caught up in the whole moving house rubbish and then had to have a second honeymoon as the romance was going out of the whole marriage type thing. Anyway I'll be catching up on all that but what you've really missed is the missives to my local newspapers so,

Sick to back teeth of bleating


I am sick to the back teeth of bleating pensioners, policemen, firemen and nurses constantly complaining about their lot.

Pensioners have never had it so good with heating allowances (even if working), free travel (somebody has to pay for it) and woman OAPs receiving their state pension from 60 while my generation must slog on until we are 68.

The definition of fixed income is when your income does not increase. This does not happen with the state pension even though this is a pensioner mythical complaint.

Nurses, firemen and police wages are well over the national average and very considerably above the local average.

What they conveniently ignore is the taxpayer-funded, index-linked pension schemes they receive are paid while they are still relatively young and fit enough to enjoy them.

And the benefits they receive cost far more than 6% to 12% employee contributions.

Bitter? A wee bit, but I have every reason to be. — Honest Harry.


One of the things that make me proud to be a Dundonian is that we have always been at the heart of the socialist movement from marching for workers rights in the 19th century to having the first female shop steward in the 20th. We've always been a fairminded lot who believed in supporting our elderly and adequately compensating the peeps that work in our essential services. Given all this I'd like to thank Harry for showing that there are massive arseholes everywhere.

Mince and pudding


As a 50-year-old who has lived in Dundee all my life, I have never heard of a tradition of white pudding and mince. — I. B.

As a 34-year-old who has lived in Dundee all my life I have never heard of a tradition of covering yourself in treacle and jumping into a cattery but I've never felt the need to write to my local paper about it. What great conversations must go on in the B household.

Customer hope


MY HUSBAND and I are regular customers at Jimmy Chung’s, Dundee, and continued to visit during unfounded rumours regarding seagulls. The quality of food and excellent service has been maintained and I hope customers return. — Chris Treanor, Dundee.

I'm pretty sure I mentioned this issue months back. What fascinates me about these clearly rubbish rumours is that they've eschewed the more traditional cat in curry stories. Either way it's nice to see such warmth directed to the Chinese residents of our fair city. OTOH I wouldn't eat in Jimmy Chung's all you can eat buffet if you paid me.

Festive lights warning


I RESPOND to your reader, who was heartened by the display of Christmas lights on a Dundee house.

Although this may provide a moment’s satisfaction, the harm to the environment is increasing.

The extra use of power will be detrimental to the world in future years.

Let’s all have a green Christmas. — Environmentally Conscious.


Just a reminder that your Christmas celebrations are badwrongfun so take down your tacky crap!

And finally you'll be aware that what to do with criminals has been a hotly contested question in the City of Discovery over the last year. I'll leave the last word to Alf,

Hard labour


I was talking to a young man who was unfortunately imprisoned for a few weeks on a minor offence.

He whiled away most of his day glued to the television.

He revealed that before this he had never watched Joe Pasquale or Noel Edmonds.

I thought hard labour had been abolished. — Alf Carlin, Shepherds Loan, Dundee.