Run DMC – Christmas in Hollis

A Merry Xmas to ASO fans everywhere! Why not celebrate with a festive dose of Run-DMC? How come there aren’t more Christmas Hip Hop Singles?

Beth Orton – Conceived

Speaking of Jim O’Rourke, I really like the Comfort of Strangers album he did with Beth Orton. Although I’m not mad about the video, this song is one of my favourites on the album.

Jim O’Rourke and The Yamaha Tenori-on

2007 may not have seen many classic albums, but it has been a good year for wacky new instruments. Like the ReacTable, the Yamaha Tenori-on inspires hands-on musical creativity via a visual interface. I have no idea how this works but it looks pretty good. Yours for a mere €890. 

Here’s the legendary Jim O’Rourke taking one for a spin.

Ehhhhhh…His Japanese isn’t bad either, what a guy!

Albums of the Year

What, no Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys or Britney Spears!? That’s right, instead of treading through the mediocrity of 2007 I’ve decided to post the now defunct Select’s top 30 of 1997 (it really was a decade ago). I’m fairly confident that most people would rather listen to one of these albums than anything from this year’s crop [I can think of 3 possible exceptions]. Look how good these albums are – by real bands with personalities!! Nearly all of them are overflowing with ideas, original melodies and musical invention.

 

This isn’t a matter of subjective taste; it’s an objective tangible fact that things really were better ten years ago. There are many reasons for this: I think the decline of magazines like Vox, Select and Melody Maker played a large part. Musically, in 2007 there has been very little creativity or experimentation. So instead of trying to cobble together a list of the least worst albums from this year’s paltry selection I thought it would be a better idea to put up a timely reminder of just how far backwards things have gone. [Additional proof of the dearth of musical innovation in 2007: the musical year culminates in a media frenzy over the reunion of one of the most boring bands of the last 50 years Led Zeppelin  - an event that would have been considered a joke ten years ago.]

 

So join me, tell best of 2007 lists to go an’ shite and dig out that dusty old tape of When I was Born for the 7^th Time! (What an album: global smash hit about a Bollywood star,  Allen Ginsberg, ‘Funky Days are Back Again’, ‘Sleep on the Left Side’.)

Cornershop – Sleep on the Left Side [it's even better than I remember]

 

1997 Albums of the Year

1. Radiohead – OK Computer
2. Spiritualized – Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
3. Primal Scream – Vanishing Point
4. The Verve – Urban Hymns
5. Cornershop – When I Was Born For The 7th Time
6. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – The Boatman’s Call
7. Pavement – Brighten In The Corners
8. Prodigy – The Fat Of The Land
9. Blur – Blur  
10. Etienne De Crecy – Super Discount
11. The Chemical Brothers – Dig Your Own Hole
12. Supergrass – In It For The Money
13. Stereolab – Dots And Loops
14. Oasis – Be Here Now
15. Edwin Collins I’m Not Following You
16. Roni Size Reprazent – New Forms
17. Bentley Rhythm Ace – Bentley Rhythm Ace
18. Travis – Good Feeling
19. Daft Punk – Homework
20. Teenage Fanclub – Songs From Northern Britain
21. David Holmes – Let’s Get Killed
22. Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever
23. Super Furry Animals – Radiator
24. Death In Vegas – Dead Elvis
25. Salaryman – Salaryman
26. Various – Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
27. Missy ‘Misdemeanour – Supa Dupa Fly
28. Eels – Beautiful Freak
29. Jimi Tenor – Intervision
30. The Charlatans – Tellin’ Stories

Any album from this list would easily be a contender for album of the year if released in 2007. If you think this is good, you should check out the lists from 1996 and 1998 too.

Crazy – Gnarls Barkley (Theramin Cover)

Here’s a great cover of Gnarls Barkley’s smash hit ‘Crazy’ involving a theramin and a host of other electro goodies. Although I genuinely think this tune is great,  every time I hear it all I can think of is womens’ clothes shops.

Jacques Brel – Le Moribond

The only moribond thing about this performance is the title of the song.

Every dog has its day

Someone once said to me that every band has one redeeming track in them, no matter how cheesy, boring or obvious they are.

Here’s Status Quo, sans bluesy, power chord driven stadium rock, proving that very point.