en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal The Last.fm journal for stubbsy101. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2010/01/02/3azrnd_my_best_of_2009 Sat, 2 Jan 2010 16:32:20 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2010/01/02/3azrnd_my_best_of_2009 I was gonna do this yesterday but didn't get round to it.
Favourite albums of the year:
JLS - JLS: Laugh if you want, but I thought the boyband was dead before these guys showed up. They would've won X-Factor if Louis had any fucking clue. Now with some outstanding production and hot tunes they have blown me away.
Lungs - Florence + the Machine: Absolutely incredible album. Aside from how Kiss With A Fist interrupts the flow of the record (still a good single, it just feels like it belongs elsewhere), it is easily one of my favourite albums of all time.
Incredibad - The Lonely Island: From the sublime to the ridiculous, musical comedy doesn't get much better than this. Witty, clever and satirical in places, but mainly laugh out loud funny, these guys entertained me all year.
Honourable mentions:
Relapse
The Fame (UK release was Jan 09 so it counts in my book)
Invaders Must Die]]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/05/21/1zlek8_narrow_stairs Wed, 21 May 2008 12:14:59 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/05/21/1zlek8_narrow_stairs After the disappointment that was Plans, I was hoping that Death Cab would return to form with their new album.
Ben Gibbard, you have not let me down.
From romping and jaunty, to melodic and haunting, Narrow Stairs hits the indie rock button in pretty much every way, lyrically both pensive and carefree, and musically bold and tight. My favourites include 'No Sunlight' and 'Your New Twin Sized Bed', but it's all great tracks from start to finish.
I guess the big question is, does it surpass Transatlanticism? And you know what, it nearly does. In places it's definitely at least on par.
With a few more listens, it could even grow to be my favourite. It makes me doubly excited about the next Postal Service album (if that's possible). Since Give Up continued a lot of the themes of Transatlanticism (e.g. Clark Gable), I'm intruiged to see if there's some similar connections. There's already a quiet nod to Jimmy on 'Pity and Fear']]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/02/23/57ni_discovery_and_rediscovery Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:14:54 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/02/23/57ni_discovery_and_rediscovery Rediscovery: Aqualung are so awesome. The song Good Times Gonna Come was used on the soundtrack to C4s 'Skins' this week and I was like "That's Aqualung isn't it? I'm sure it is." So, listening spree!

Discovery: Crystal Castles added to my list of awesome awesome electro bands. Their debut album is released next month and I may just have to buy it...]]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/02/20/57nh_records_to_be_played_at_my_bedside_should_i_ever_become_comatose%3A Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:13:53 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/02/20/57nh_records_to_be_played_at_my_bedside_should_i_ever_become_comatose%3A Artist/Album
David Bowie/Best Of Bowie
With such a long and illustrious career, a definitive Best Of album is the only way to get a good dosage from one record. Originally I thought Changesbowie but it doesn't have Life on Mars. Which obviously, in a coma I would want to hear.
Pink Floyd/The Wall
Without doubt my favourite Floyd album. Despite being only a small part of the sensation and the story of The Wall, it stands as one of the greatest concepts ever produced.
The Postal Service/Give Up
Not the most appropriate title, but an incredibly appropriate album. Plus it's simply fantastic.
The Fray/How To Save A Life
More appropriately titled, no less fantastic an album.
Daft Punk/Discovery
If your subconcious can hear the outside world while catatonic, I want it conjouring up a dreamworld for me based on this.
Radiohead/OK Computer
I always find Radiohead more relaxing than depressing. Coming round to hear 'No Surprises' playing would be brilliant.
Something Corporate/Leaving Through The Window
One of the most brilliantly written collection of songs I've ever heard. Not many records make me feel so emotional.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/01/11/57ng_windows_media_player_just_f%2Acked_up_all_my_music_tags. Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:01:57 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2008/01/11/57ng_windows_media_player_just_f%2Acked_up_all_my_music_tags. Ah well.
At least I have John Allison's top 20 albums of the year review.
Rilo Kiley's new album Under The Blacklight (number 15) is fantastic, and Battles Mirrored (number 3) can only be described as weird and wonderful. Well worth a listen]]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57nf_mon_the_biff Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:04:55 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57nf_mon_the_biff Biffy Clyro @ brixton academy: Awesome gig. Was really stoked to see them, even though I'd not heard a lot of their new album. I really love Vertigo of Bliss though, and although they didn't play that much off it (All The Way Down was probably the highlight) I still enjoyed the gig immensely. It was my first time at Brixton and I was right the front so that was cool. It was only afterwards that I found out my friend got kicked in the head by a crowdsurfer and missed the whole show! Sucky. But nonetheless a great night.
Extra bonus: Oceansize were supporting! Get in! That really showed all those people who claim that Biffy are 'progressive'. They only played 4 songs in their 45 minute slot!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57ne_guitar_hero_3 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:33:22 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57ne_guitar_hero_3 It's so amazingly awesome I don't know where to begin.
In fact, I don't have much else to say except that.
Ok, here's a few things:
The strum bar on the Wii controller is a little more sensitive, so I had to change my playing style. But no big deal.
The songs are almost all great. Even some of the ones I didn't know, I like. There were a few let downs:
- Would have liked more punk
- Could have done without Smashing Pumpkins
- At least they chose Knights of Cydonia, the one good song off BLack Holes
- Also, wtf is Welcome To The Jungle doing on there? I know the game is all about Slash, but he's not been in GnR for years. At least put a Slash's Snakepit or Velvet Revolver song on!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57nd_kate_rusby Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:23:37 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57nd_kate_rusby I first heard her on Radio 2 in the summer, on Mike Harding's wednesday evening show. I've never really listened to a lot of folk music, but her voice and songwriting really appealed.
Her latest album, Awkward Annie, is really great, a good mix of original and traditional stuff (personally I prefer Kate's songs, I was never one for traditional music). Some really moving melancholy pieces and some uplifting jaunty songs. Her cover of 'Village Green Preservation Society' is brilliant.
I somewhat missed out on the new folk revival of the late 90's and am a little dissapointed. I am even turning my hand to writing some folky songs, being slightly uninspired at the moment. One thing's for definite: I'm going to the cambridge folk festival next year.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57nc_first_post Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:20:19 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/stubbsy101/journal/2007/11/28/57nc_first_post Well, I had a music blog over at Blogger, but it was pretty useless. I completely forgot there was a journal function on Last.fm so I'm gonna move it all over here, now that I've rediscovered how awesome Lfm is.
Enjoy!]]>