REM: Accelerate
Every R.E.M. release that comes out is claimed as a return to form but Accelerate might have turned the band’s fortunes around. After loosing founding drummer Bill Berry in 1997, the band haven’t produced anything as hard rocking or compressed in years. Recorded in only a few months, you won’t find anything like Loosing My Religion here but songs such as Supernatural Superserious, Sing For The Submarine and the title track make up for this with fast paced overdriven riffs that remind us R.E.M. are still as important and independent as ever.

Last Shadow Puppets: The Age of the Understated
Full of edgy indie rock music with symphonic twist, the combination of Miles Kane (of The Rascals) and Alex Turner (of the Arctic Monkeys) has produced one of the most popular albums of the year. Lots of influences from both bands and numerous James Bond soundtracks make this a youthful yet killer album, right for any mood of the day. Highlights include the title track, Calm Like You and In My Room.

Coldplay: Viva La Vida
Talk of Coldplay loosing their edge was completely unfounded. Taking a new edge with a more experimental nature but with the pop sound you know and love from their previous work. The input of super producer Brain Eno managed to let the guys expand their sonic map. Highlights include the anthemic Viva La Vida, the thumpy movements of Violet Hill and the foot stomping Lost!.

Although Chris Martin says Coldplay will disband in the near future, you haven’t seen the last of them just yet, with the recently released Prospekt March and a round of stadium gigs coming up next September.

Oasis: Dig Out Your Soul
It has been several weeks and more listening time from my initial review and my opinion has not changed in the slightest, this is their strongest offering in years and the 60s hard rock influences have worked and the translation to live performances has been made successfully, according to YouTube at least. Take a look at the current single I’m Outta Time and Bag It Up to get a taste of where Gallagher and company are headed with the latest reason.

Elbow: The Seldom Seen Kid
Rivalling Coldplay with several stadium gigs in 2009, it is good to have Britain’s favourite Britpop band back in action. The more I listen to Elbow’s back catalogue, I wonder why they have not been heard of before now. Their music is so unique and they’ve been kicking around since 1990 apparently, missing out on Britpop, becoming critics choice before hitting it big time and winning the Mercury Prize this year. Grounds For Divorce has become the most popular song with continual build ups and break downs with yet another stomping beat. On Day Like This has traces of U2 but with a less commercial sound and simply down to earth. Elbow are heading out to the academies next year so catch them live if you can, the rumour goes they are phenomenal.

AC/DC: Black Ice
AC/DC are like comfort food for listeners, providing reassuring and consistent hard rock and Black Ice is no different. Stomping rock with a modern production makes this an album of bliss for any music lover. Brian Johnson’s singing may not be as high pitched as in the past but it’s lost none of its passion and Angus Young brings out those solos as viciously as ever. A short tour of UK arenas next year has sold out, too quickly for this reviewer.

Randy Newman: Harps and Angels
Most will recognise the odd voice from the soundtrack of Toy Story. Growing up to the sounds of You’ve Got A Friend In Me often makes people forget Newman is a real artist who was writing songs 20 years before the release of the ground-breaking Disney-Pixar film. Musically out of tune with the times (and only reaching #48 on the UK charts), the album is based around rather old school beats and piano heard in New Orleans records of the past, like those of Fats Domino. Potholes discusses the inevitable memory lapses of old age while A Few Words In The Defense Of Our Country reassures the rest of the world that some Americans dislike their government too. For something totally different to everything else this year, try this.

The Verve: Forth
Far surpassing anything Richard Ashcroft has done since Urban Hymns, Fourth shows the band have made a triumphant return, firing on all cylinders with their mix of rock with sampling and acoustic ballads. A headlining performance at Glastonbury brought them back to household name status, and showed they have lost none of their magic. No doubt you will have heard first single Love Is Noise, but looking at Valium Skies and Sit And Wonder shows you just how flexible they can still be.

Kings of Leon: Only by the Night
The UK’s favourite import from across the seas (apart from Kopparberg of course) have solidified their sound into plain old sound rock with their southern indie edge. Adding to their string of popular albums, the Kings are no doubt en route to the heights of super stardom over the next few years. They might have lost some of their experimentalism since the previous album, but have filled in for this with better tunes and inspiring lyrics. A testament to this is how much Use Somebody is still being played weeks later. Don’t forget the hit single Sex on Fire too.

MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
The underwhelming live experience with this band have not tainted how wonderful the album is – strong songwriting, catchy riffs and music that would not be out of place in 1975, MGMT have hit the music scene in the face and remind everyone not to take the world too seriously. Time To Pretend has been an anthem for our generation while Kids and Electric Feel have provided bouncing fun songs that everyone can enjoy. Where they can go from here is anyone’s guess, but enjoying this music is certainly not hard. Their dream producer of Barack Obama may yet happen.

David Byrne and Brian Eno: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Their first collaboration in over 20 years is an album in tune with the times – featuring plenty of crazy sound effects, acoustic strumming and precise singing – everything you would expect from the ex-Talking Heads man and the super-producer, who gets a second mention here.
Apparently, it has gospel and electronic stylings, but you’ll have to judge this for yourself. Not getting a physical release, you can stream the album free from everythingthathappens.com to hear one of the best collaborations of the year, and one of the strongest albums Byrne has produced in a while.

Maybe the best thing from the album is the Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno tour that is crisscrossing around the world as we speak, hitting the Sage, Gateshead next year. It is unfortunately without Eno, but features modern dancers and setlists ranging the 30 year career of Byrne, making it one not one to be missed

Summary
Honourable Mentions must go Duffy for Rockferry, with some of the years biggest singles from Wales’ newest hero, The Killers for another strong offering with Day & Age, The Feeling for producing more Queen-Supertramp infused pop with Join With Us and Guns’n’Roses for finally releasing Chinese Democracy, layered with guitar solos, each one out-doing the last. Over the Christmas break, why not indulge in what this year has offered in music? Happy listening!

Originally published in Palatinate Issue 702

NEWCASTLE CITY HALL is a comforting place to spend a cold Monday evening in October. Unlike the intense atmosphere of the Newcastle Academy or the soullessness of the Metro Radio Arena, the City Hall has a rich history with everyone from the Rolling Stones to Genesis having trod the boards here.

On the 27th October, it was time for one of England’s newest song writing partnerships to take their turn – The Last Shadow Puppets. With a maximum capacity of only 2,000 people, the City Hall was sold out for months prior to the event and expectations were running high for the show. It is rare for young bands to grace this venue – most will head to the Academy or simply miss out Newcastle all together – The Police, AC/DC, Coldplay and Oasis have all forgotten our favourite northern town on their recent hikes around England. Entering the grand foyer, the assembled were comprised of ‘indie kids’ and university students like myself, with the odd older person scattered here and there. The appeal of the Puppets seems to be as broad as the Arctic Monkeys before them. Alex Turner, front man and lead guitarist met Miles Kane of The Rascals on the Monkey’s last tour and the two instantly connected. Miles can be heard on the album closer 505 and has performed it several times with the band, including their bombastic set at Glastonbury 2007.

Over the course of the next few months, an album of orchestral rock music was crafted with the help of James Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco fame) and became a hit when released in April 2008. A gap ensued before their acoustic performance at Glastonbury, followed by full orchestral sets for the Leeds-Reading festivals. The Puppets have taken their show on a whistle-stop tour around England, before heading off to America to close this chapter of the story.

The last night of their UK tour began with a support set from Ipso Facto at 8:00pm. A four-piece all female act from Essex, all the members have an uncanny resemblance to Uma Thurman and managed to match the style of the evening with an off-key fusion of surf, punk and power-pop music.
Their sound and style have a resemblance to the Go-Go’s, one of the first all-female groups that wrote, produced and managed their own careers.
Ipso Facto played to a half-empty hall with an upbeat feeling and surpassed my personal expectations, as well as many of those in the audience. After a prompt 30 minute change over set, the 16 piece orchestra mounted the stage to begin their fanfare that signalled the commencement of the show.

Unusually for rock and roll, the show started more or less on time and the core Last Shadow Puppets arrived on stage, Budweisers in hand – Stephen Fretwell, James Ford, Miles Kane and Alex Turner and kicked off the show.
Beginning with In My Room, it was one of the most Bond-esque tracks (a constant theme running throughout the evening) that instantly brought the entire audience of all ages to their feet. A brooding and atmospheric song, it soon swept into the title track of the album The Age Of The Understatement. With a galloping beat, it has gone through a fantastic live transformation to become one of the obvious highlights of the musical year. Gaining one of the best responses from the audience, it was a brilliant example of the symbiosis of the core band and their orchestra.

One of the fascinating sights was the two young gentleman leading the music ensemble in such a joyful and professional way – two people who are only three years older than you and I. After wandering through the waltzy Calm Like You and string-driven Black Plant we arrived at the first surprises in the evening with Gas Dance, a non-album track in a more sinister mood that was followed by Hang The Cyst, bringing a slightly subdued atmosphere.

With a complete change of direction, Alex queried if anyone liked a certain Liverpool band that was around many years ago. The Puppets battled into I Want You (She’s So Heavy) with a version rivalling the one you know and love from Abbey Road without help from the orchestra. No doubt a future collaboration of Beatles inspired pop would be another hit, as they managed to pull off one of the hardest bands to cover.

Adding the relaxed atmosphere in the evening, Stephen Fretwell’s skills on the bass guitar were showcased proving him to be a competent member of the touring band with a solid low end. The next cover was Paris Summer, a classic collaboration of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood. Taking the female vocal role was the lead signer from Ipso Facto, still dressed and styled in her band’s uniformed way. Mournfully discussing their final performance, the band launched into a wistful story of floating down the Seine, cobbled streets and pavement cafes. Minutes later, it was back to the Shadow Puppets – another Bond-styled tune of I Don’t Like You Any More, dripping into The Chamber but managing to bounce back with the simple yet effective Time Has Come to wave goodbye to the assembled youth.

The Meeting Place became the send off the tight and well-rehearsed orchestra deserved. When the band wandered off, the yelling and floor stomping began until it became a fever pitch. Crawling back onto the stage like the troop of Rugrats, the band returned for another cover and a final send off. Miles managed to break one of the lights with his body crawling antics without any of the band noticing – they were all having such a good time.

Memories from the songbook of Leonard Cohen transformed Alex Turner into an evening singer with a tight fitted black suit. Then Standing Next To Me finally took both the band and orchestra on a final train ride home.
Throughout the evening, the entire assembly of band, orchestra, crew and audience had a fantastic time. A slightly sophisticated evening, it managed to keep that air of occasion and was still a rock concert. The orchestra looked on with fondness as the combo of Alex and Miles belted their way through the rock numbers, while the audience jigged up and down to the bouncer tunes, mainly gazing in awe at the two heroes.

Alex Turner earned many of the wolf whistles and cheers from the assembled females, while Miles entertained himself with his beer. Although the word banter is far too overused, it must be said that it was fantastic banter backwards and forwards with the Puppets and audience – discussing their album and the songs to stripping in Glasgow to The Smiths.

One of the questions I wanted this gig to answer was – is the Last Shadow Puppets an equal partnership or simply an outlet for Turner? After seeing one of the most alive, energetic and sonically enormous gigs of my life, I can say that both frontmen are equal in their contributions. Especially after listening to the debut album of the Rascals (Rascalize), the rhythmic structures came from his camp with little of the Arctic Monkeys to be heard. The Last Shadow Puppets reinvigorated my hope and passion for modern music, providing something alternative to post-punk-indie-rock that may never be seen again.

Flying off to America to showcase their wares, I can only hope that the partnership will continue in the future, when Alex and Miles take the next vacation from their day jobs.

Originally published in Palatinate Issue 700