Who's Next

This next album I was only listening to the other day, so I thought it would be best to write it about now. Who's Next by The Who is that album in question. It was the first time for a little while I have listened to it. I mean I love The Who, one of the best bands in rock history I think. They are one of the supergroups, a band who has individual artists that are excellent at what they do. I don't think anyone could argue with me on that. They were all one of the best in their particular field.

I chose Who's Next for a few reasons really. Its the best Who album without a doubt. It was this album for them that changed the way their albums sounded. They experimented with snyths on tracks like Baba OReilly and Won't Get Fooled Again. They used it so effectively that it just sounds right! Simple. Secondly for me its an album of great musicianship. The guitar playing is phenomenal, its in a class of its own. Riffs that just glide right through but pack an almighty punch. The drums on it too are something else. Keith Moon had this amazing knack of being crazy and all over place but sound so melodic and in control! Listen to what the Ox plays too on this album. So refined with punchy sounds that blow your eardrums off and into a new dimension, he also sings on My Wife! And Daltrey has his best vocal performances on this record and that's fact.

I think what The Who tried to do with this album was push that boundary that they created with Tommy. They made a line on that album and with Who's Next they blew it up and it exploded into a million pieces for them to piece together and create absolute genius.

If you haven't experienced this album and you love ballsy Rock N Roll that wants nothing from you then to just listen, then I recommend you take the opportunity to fall in love with this amazing album.

Cosmic Out

Definitely, Maybe

I wanna talk about my love for this album, more particularly my love for this band! The album in question, and the start of my Top 10 Albums of All Time, is Definitely, Maybe by Oasis.
Anyone that knows me, knows this is no shock that I have picked this album for this list. Anyone that knows me also will know that I am little obsessed with this band. So no real surprises that Definitely, Maybe is in my Top 10. The thing is where do I start?

Think back to 1994, if your that old to remember, to be honest I would have been 11 I think and was really into Nirvana at the time of Cobains death. It was that year that for me opened my eyes and most importantly my ears to Oasis. Now it was 'Whatever' that I heard first. A single only release and never on an album, but it was that song and an older school friend who got me hooked on this band. I remember listening and just thinking Wow! Now I still to this day, don't know why? I mean I love these guys to bits but why was I so enthralled by this band. I mean they were not pioneers or anything new, and they would be the first to tell you that. It was something instant, almost magical that I connected with. They are the reason I learnt how to play guitar, reason I joint a band, reason I started to write songs, they are responsible for definitely 60% of my music collection and this list could go on. Let me just state right now, they are my favourite band of all time! There you go, out the way now, done and out in the open, now let's continue.

Now I could have picked any of their albums to be in this list, I think they are all amazing in they own way and all have something special to offer. But Definitely, Maybe does stand out. This essential punk rock, glam offering that they give you is one of the biggest triumphs in British music history.

Some of my favourite tracks of all time are on this album, Live Forever, Supersonic, Slide Away. All amazing songs that require your full attention. This album makes you feel alive, it gets into your psyche and stays there, warms the heart and opens the mind.

I know many people have heard this album and would have made their mind up about it already. If you are new to it then well your either a ghost!? Or literally been living under a rock and 100ft underneath that! Hear it, listen to it, experience what I did and make a connection that you won't want to let go. This album is full of anthems for late nights, mind provoking sentiments and drug fuelled trips. Love it, hate it, I don't care, this album will stay with me forever and that's an amazing feeling!

Top 10 Albums of All Time

We all love lists! Well I do anyway. Top 10's, Top 5's, Best Tracks of 2008, etc.. Well my next section to my wondrous blog is going to be my Top 10 Albums of All Time.

This list has seen many changes over the last year or so. Musical tastes change a bit, what I am listening too at the time makes changes to the list. But what this Top 10 essentially is, is a list of my top albums that I consider to be truly remarkable. They are albums they I have made a connection with, albums I can listen to all the time and never tire of and they are albums that for me are a true work of genius. I will over the next 10 blogs talk about how I came to my final decision and what it is about each individual album I love so much.

I am doing this because my list made a change recently. A change that was expected, something that wasn't obvious to me straight away but a change had to be made. I will talk about which album that was later, but for now here are my Top 10 Albums of All Time:

Oasis - Definitely Maybe
The Beatles - Revolver
The Who - Who's Next
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
Joni Mitchell - Blue
The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow
Funeral For A Friend - Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation
Scott Walker - Scott 4
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks

Now there you go its out there for all to see. My greatest albums of all time for you to discuss and argue about, with me I hope! Have a look and I will convince you that my list makes sense and I may even convert some of you.

Peace & Love to The Cosmic Generation

Very Good Albums of 2008!!

My top 5 is obviously quite important, but it wasn't easy to come up with just 5 albums last year. It was a great year music I thought. Some truly exceptional albums that can't afford to be not talked about because I limited myself to 5. I just want go through some right now and just list a few that really stuck in my head and made an impression. Here's a quick rundown in particular order.

Santogold - Santogold
Portishead - Third
Kids In Glass Houses - Smart Casual
Glasvegas - Glasvegas
Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
Funeral For A Friend - Memory & Humanity
The Verve - Forth
Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Angles
The Rascals - Rascalize
The Metros - More Money Less Grief
Futureheads - This Is Not The World
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Panic At The Disco - Pretty Odd
Does It Offend You Yeah - You Have No Idea What Your Getting Yourself Into
Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely

Just a small list to mull over for a bit, good albums all of them, some of them even great, a couple was in the Top 5 at some point!

Peace & Love to The Cosmic Generation!

Top 5 Albums of 2008 - MGMT

This will officially be the last post based around my Top 5 albums of 2008. Its been wicked letting you guys know about why I chose my 5. This last album did not originally make the list because I had it in my head it came out the year before! I don't know why, I am usually really good at remember release dates/years. So after finding out that 'Oracular Spectacular' by MGMT came out in 2008 I was pleased. A move had to be made and an album was sacrificed for this ones inclusion.

So why this album, well first off it is infectious! Tell me you don't listen to it and then just want to listen to it again. It has this zen like magic attached to it that just makes it a special record. It is fair to say that its not exactly original with its bowiesque themes and indie disco beats, but it has character and scope that holds its own.

Listen to tracks like Time To Pretend or Kids and just listen to not just the obvious beats that are played over the top but the little intricate beeps and squeals that make those tracks special. Oracular is the soundtrack to fuelled up night out for the cosmic generation that appreciate its beauty and just want get up and dance and shout.

I have to say when I first heard it I did not warm to it straight away. So if you have the same reaction, persevere with it, believe me it will connect and then fall into place. Download Time To Pretend, Weekend Wars and Kids if you want overall feel for the album. But failing that just buy the damn thingn you won't regret it.

So that's it peeps, my best of 2008 has come to an end. My next blog will be a simple list of other albums I enjoyed Last year and check it out in the next couple of days.

Peace and Love to 'The Cosmic Generation'

The Stands - All Years Loving

I have to write a quick blog just about how much I love the album 'All Years Leaving' by The Stands.

Now I be honest I only tracked it down because I know Noel Gallagher played on it, but I am so good I did its amazing. This is not a new album I know, originally released back in 2004 I think? But there's something about that just makes me smile. It something about bands from Liverpool too, there is definitely something in the water over there. All cosmic cats that sing off the same hymn sheet, its mega.

Anyway, The Stands, check this album people if you love alternative country and people like Bob Dylan and Ryan Adams then you will think this album is something special I promise you. I am very keen to track down their second album, which I know did not receive as much praise but if sounds anything like this one I will be getting it.

I have also heard that Howie Payne, the lead singer and songwriter, has a solo album coming out in March! Such good news, and produced by Ethan Jones, so you know its going to sound sublime.

Well check out All Years Leaving by The Stands and witness the magic!

Top 5 Albums of 2008 - Late Of The Pier

Right, now moving on from my rant about 'Mr Fantasy', although it is a very good album. My next album for 2008 went too 'Fantasy Black Channel' by Late of The Pier. I was first introduced to these guys when I went to see Soulwax/2 Many DJs at Koko in Camden. I recognised the name but hadn't heard much of their stuff though. What I saw and heard on stage was pure magic, what I remember anyway! A group of guys who don't really care too much for convention when it comes to music making. They were making sounds out of synths and guitars that I haven't really heard before. They are a bunch of very cosmic dudes and I love that in a band.

Their debut album 'Fantasy Black Channel' originally did not make the list. I had Slipknot's latest instead. I will one day talk about my love for that band, but now is not the right time. So while originally pondering over my list I was actually listening to Fantasy... And was blown away by it. Now I don't remember why I didn't have this reaction when I first heard it but sometimes that just happens. Its an album for me that after each listen you get more out of it.

There are little tweaks and noises in there that drive me nuts, in a good way of course, when I listen to it. Its a mind bending journey that will make you shout, dance and jump for sheer joy. Listen to tracks like 'Space and Woods' this is a little bit more accessible because its straight forward electro indie, but they do it so damn well and most importantly unpretentiously. It rides off your ears like a space monkey trying to bite into you. Its spectacularly produced and well put together. Each song a delight and each electro squeal a pleasure.
Put your hands together for Late Of The Pier as they are cosmic kings in their own right.

Traffic!!!

Just wanted to add a quick one really. Has any of you heard 'Mr Fantasy' by Traffic? Been listening to it recently and WOW what an album.

If you love your albums from the 60's and psychedelic then this would be something you would cream your pants for. It has everything a classic 60's record should have, well a british one anyway. It has the mish mash of genres. No great British 60's pop album is a straight forward affair. We were excellent at mixing up our genres, pop, rock, soul, classical, traditional indian and jazz. Listen to albums like. Piper At Gates of Dawn by Floyd or Odessey & Oracle by The Zombies or SF Sorrow by The Pretty Things, I could go on but my point being it was never just one genre.
We had the best singers I think by far back in the 60's, when the british invasion kicked in people like Steve Marriot and Roger Daltrey for example were full of soul and had power house voices. I am kinda losing my point a bit, but Mr Fantasy by Traffic is a great piece of work. Listen to Coloured Rain or Dear Mr Fantasy and just listen to the great chord progressions or even that solo in Dear... It sounds phenomenal.

That's another thing, we also had the best guitar players and always seemed to get the best guitar sound too. Apart from Hendrix obviously, but if it wasn't for his gigs in London he would not be as big as he was.

We knew how to make great albums back then, my point being Mr Fantasy by Traffic is one of them. Even if you just get hold of the track Dear Mr Fantasy and experience that I will be a happy man

Peace & Love

Top Albums of 2008 - Kings Of Leon

So for my next choice I am going for 'Only By The Night' by Kings Of Leon. Now this album already has been high up in a lot top albums polls already this year. I don't see this as a bad thing as I know some of my peers would do. 'You should never go for the obvious choices!' But who cares, I think this album is possibly the best work to date. Kings of Leon are a very accessible band, that's not a criticism its just fact.

On this album they have definitely pushed themselves to become of the big hitters when it comes to successful bands. Whether or not they did this purposefully I don't know and to be honest I don't care. This record for me is catchy, melodic, infectious and a small stroke of genius to boot.

Listen to tracks like Crawl or Sex On Fire and tell me they don't make you just wanna shout out and jump about. That bassline especially on Crawl, fuck its brilliant. I have a big things for tracks with great basslines at the moment and that is definitely a favourite. The album has this kind of breezy feel to it too. It flows from one song to the next easily, which I think the last two albums struggled to do.

But if I hear the term 'sold out' again when this album is talked about I will go mental. They did this album in only a couple of months which for me show signs of passion and a want more attitude. No way is this a sign of selling out more a sign for wanting they deserve.

Top Albums of 2008 - Last Shadow Puppets

Now for my second choice for albums of the year, I am looking 'Age Of The Understatement' by The Last Shadow Puppets. This was definitely a surprise album for a lot of people I think. I hoped, not knew, that this was going to be good album. Look at the 'usual suspects', you had Miles Kane, lead singer from new band The Rascals. Great scouse rock outfit who are just starting out but sound promising. You then the great Alex Turner from The Arctic Monkeys. This guy never seems to do no wrong. Then to top it off you have Simon Ford, one half Simian Mobile Disco.
At first when I heard simon was involved, I thought it was a lazy choice, as alex worked with him on the last monkeys album. But this guy seems to know his stuff when it comes classic 60's pop with a classy edge! He introduced people like David Axelrod to these guys for inspiration, and it paid off. I have just bought a Best Of for David Axelrod and his projects, and gosh is amazing. Its like the best soundtrack to the most amazing film that's still to be made!
Anyway... Age Of.. Is a very well thought out and constructed album. Clocking in at around 35 mins its precise and too the point, like most great 60's albums, apart from the really far out ones of course. Considering this album put together just for a mutual love of this kind of music, Scott Walker et al. It amazes me that this is just two mates fooling around and just enjoying what they do. Listening to tracks like Age Of The Understatement or My Mistakes Were Made For You. Songs of great scope and beauty! Yes I said it 'beauty' it is truly a beautiful album.
The strings and the brass sections complement well what these guys have put down on record. If you get a chance I recommend you listen to an album called Scott 4 by Scott Walker. They get their main inspiration from that album. Not so much rip off but more pay homage to it. This is an album I myself crave to make someday! I probably won't, but if I was to make an album I would want it to sound like this.
If you are still new to it and still haven't heard it I reccomend you do now!