Yuck - Yuck

Yuck. Yuck, Yuck, Yuck. Now how are we going to pigeon-hole you then? Surf-rock? No? Punk-pop? Alt-rock? Nope? Well how about teenage dream-pop, with a smattering of tribe-rock? Yes, I think that will suit you fine as you 'choreograph the areoplanes in the sky'. For fans of Warpaint, this debut will be a welcome addition to your music collection. Soaring higher than a band's debut has any right to, this album is as dramatic as red lipstick and twice as bold, displaying a whole palette of emotions, from the fuzzy stomp of 'Rubber' to the melancholic wish-you-were-here of 'Sunday' to the strange loveliness of 'Suicide Policeman'. Perseverance is key here though, as the tracks you don't like on your first listen may come back to haunt you on your second or third.

Top Tracks:
1.Suicide Policeman
2.Georgia
3.Sunday

Key Lyric:
'If you conjure up a fear/Make it loud so I can hear'

Submarine (EP) - Alex Turner

Now what is anyone to expect from the solo ventures of the charismatic Arctic Monkeys and Last Shadow Puppets frontman? Possibly not this EP of songs writen for the film 'Submarine' (which I am yet to see, as apparently it is too obscure for Thanet cinemas). The six songs can only really be described as, well, nice. Listening to the tracks it is very easy to forget that this is the guy who wrote 'Brianstorm'. All subdued, acousic songs, with lyrics that will tangle you up if you think about them too hard, it is an achievement that the songs all stand alone from the film. An eyes-half-closed kind of sound, pretentious in the best possible way; if the new Arctic Monkeys album is as drippingly delicious as this EP, they have nothing to worry about.

Top Tracks:
Listen to the whole thing from beginning to end

Key Lyric:
'Tell me how I'm gonna put you off/When you're a matter of urgency'

Last Night On Earth - Noah and the Whale

This is the third album from experienced chart poppers Noah and the Whale, whose song 'Five Years Time' became a classic piece of bubblegum pop. In this album, however, they have reinvented themseleves into a band that has a lot of curly hair and plays a lot of mellow sunshine pop. The highlight of the album is, of course, the singalong hit 'L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.', a song about 'a rock and roll survivor with pendulum hips', which can be heard blaring from radios on days when it is hotter outside than it is inside. Once you get past the obvious catchiness of this song though, there are a few hidden gems on this album: 'Wild Thing', one of the more understated tracks on the album, is one of these, the rather ominous lyrics becoming almost hypnotic when sung in the husky voice of lead singer Charlie Fink. 'Tonight's The Kind Of Night' and 'Waiting For My Chance To Come' are more along the lines of potential chart successes, being in the vein of the sort of twee indie-pop that occasionally forces its way into the charts. Overall though, Noah and the Whale have not fallen prey to 'third-album syndrome', and the album is definately worth a good few listens, especially as the days get warmer.

Top Tracks:
1.Wild Thing
2.L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N
3.Waiting For My Chance To Come

Key Lyric:
''L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N/You've got more than money and sense my friend, youve got heart'

What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? - The Vaccines

Ok, so here goes: my first full album reveiw, of an eagerly awaited album that has, by some, been hailed as the rebirth of indie akin to the debuts of The Strokes or Arctic Monkeys. Following their single 'Post Break Up Sex', I bought this album as soon as it came out. On first listen the album is full of groggy surf pop, reminiscent of lazy summery days. A few songs stand out though: the first track, 'Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra)' is less than two minutes of Ramones-esque thrash-pop, that must be played at the highest volume your iPod can go to fully appreciate its lyrics - 'Let's go home I think we oughta/I know you're your mother's daughter.' 'Wetsuit' and 'All In White' are the best of the slower songs, billowing woozy vocals and lyrics that mean nothing and everything. My personal favourite though, is track 6, a jubilant shout out to model Amanda Norgaard that it is almost impossible to listen to just once. However, some of the songs fail to take off in the same way, and many just end up sounding very similar.

So, the rebirth of indie? Perhaps not - but there is potential. It is still to be seen if The Vaccines are just one trick ponies.

Still really excited about seeeing them in June though!

Top Tracks:
1. Wetsuit
2.Norgaard
3.Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra)

Key Lyric:
'With a cool cool breeze and dirty knees/I rest on childhood memories'

Arctic Monkeys New Album!

Just discovered that the Arctic Monkeys have announced the title, release date and tracklisting of their new album. As an avid follower of them since their songs were free to download on their website, I am very excited about this! The album will be called 'Suck It And See' and will be released in the UK on the 6th June 2011. The tracklisting is as follows:

1.   She’s Thunderstorms                                                              
2.   Black Treacle                                                                              
3.   Brick by Brick                                                                             
4.   The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala                                          
5.   Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair                               
6.   Library Pictures                                                                        
7.   All My Own Stunts
8.   Reckless Serenade
9.   Piledriver Waltz
10. Love is a Laserquest
11. Suck It and See
12. That’s Where You’re Wrong

Will it live up to Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not, Favourite Worst Nightmare and Humbug? We'll just have to wait and see...(or maybe suck it and see?)

A x

Arcade Fire

Just bought tickets for the Arcade Fire concert in Hyde Park on the 30th June!! They will be playing alongside Mumford & Sons, my new faves The Vaccines, and Beruit. I am really excited to hear Arcade Fire live, as I love all their albums-The Suburbs is one of the few albums I can listen to without skipping a single track! I just hope they have enough stage time to play all my favourites...

A x

Warpaint

The music that these four girls are making is so good that a new genre has been coined just for them - 'swoon-pop'. Their debut album is full of soaring melodies and vocals, each song as richly textured as a chocolate cake - this is the musical equivalent of eating a whole one by yourself. Whoever said girls should stay out of rock and roll would have deprived the world of this beautiful album. Try listening to it from beginning to end - breathtaking

Ax

The Vaccines

I can't wait for The Vaccines' debut album, which is due out this month and entitled 'What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?' (anyone who has heard their amazing single 'Post Break Up Sex' may recognise this!). The Vaccines are one of 2011 indie's shining lights - and for good reason! 'Post Break Up Sex' is a short, sweet blast of pure, sunshiny rock, which, despite the slightly sinister undertone of the lyrics, which could jar with the music, is perfect for that quick pick-me-up listen

A x

Sleigh Bells

If you haven't bought Sleigh Bells album yet, get it to the top of your to-do list as the solution of shinily grungy riffs, dramatic vocalising and x and y chromosomes is, well, the solution to all of the pap that has come out of 2010/11. If their sound was an object, it would be plutonium ~ luminescent but deadly

A x

The Crookes

The Crookes are a band I have been into for quite a while now - in fact I own one of the few plastic-sleeved cd versions of their first 7", and one of their t-shirts! Another great band to come out of Sheffield, The Crookes are definately destined for great things. Search 'the crookes music' on myspace to listen to them - my favourite is 'The Collier's Wife', a sparkly little tune that includes the gorgeous lyric that went around my head for about six months until I remembered who it was ~ 'if I took you by the hand/it was 'cos you could hardly stand/and I could hardly stand still'. Lush ;)

A x

ScreamDon'tWhisper!

ScreamDon'tWhisper! are a local band of mine, consisting of four guys with fringes who enjoy playing disjointed indie rock, although the name suggests perhaps a heavier sound than they are sporting. Sounding very like The Wombats and Jack Penate, look them up on myspace or YouTube to see acoustic versions of their single 'Times Before', and to listen to more songs. Some good stuff from a band that are, for now, still in obscurity. It won't stay that way for long though!

A x

Frank Turner

Right now I'm loving Frank Turner's albums of B-sides, Love, Ire & Song and The First Three Years. My favourites are 'Nashville Tennessee' and 'Long Live The Queen', which also has one of my favourite lyrics ~ 'You will live to dance another day/but now you will have to dance for the two of us'. I love his lyrics because he really writes from experience - so many of his songs are about getting dumped, or just going downthe pub with his mates. Nice to see a down-to-earth "rock star" for once!

A x

Smoke Fairies

I'm always ready to listen to those brave, all girl artists that are struggling to survive in a world dominated by bearded and/or tattooed men, and Smoke Fairies are one of the best emerging girl duos. Their bizarrely compelling mix of ethereal, woozy lyrics layered onto a background of Southern-countrified twanging guitar is truly lush. Great to see a girl playing slide guitar riffs. Smoke Fairies really live up to their name - their music is sparkly fairy dust shrouded in a haze of fog. And is soo gooood... They can be found on YouTube - look for 'strange moon rising' and 'living with ghosts'

A x

The Black Belles

My new YouTube discovery...

A girl group...produced by The Jack White? Well, always surprises from the guy who let the world believe his ex wife was his sister for half their career. Anyway, back to the point. The Black Belles are a bunch of smoke machine toting GIRLS making music that is somewhere between the ting tings and the dead weather. Kinda dark, kinda spooky, but with a great heavy beat and tingly vocals. Me likey :) find them on YouTube with their first single 'what can I do'

A x

Announcedan hour ago...the black keys to tour with cage the elephant. Just need to work out how to get to the US to see them. Anyone wanna lend me a boat? Or perhaps a rubber ring?

:) A x

Always room for one more music blog...

As an aspiring music journalist, I (like to think I can) write about music classic and new, review my favourite and newly discovered bands, and write about any gigs I manage to beg borrow and steal my way into. I am always on the lookout for new bands to big up so if that's anyone out there...email me!

Follow me :)

A x