Back from my near week-long sojourn into the ether, I have indeed returned, my dear friends!

Early last week, I witnessed a truly fun show put together by the members of the band, Electric Chariot to appreciate and highlight local female fronted bands. When I was told of this idea, I thought it was definitely a show that I should check out and so I did!. The show took place at Public Assembly here in Williamsburg and it was a fun time had by all who chad come down to support the bands and the concept itself.

Leading off were the Psychedelic Disco Angels.  They are a local duo whose sound was an interesting blend of Mazzy Star and Portishead. The eye-opener during their set lay in the fact that the male guitarist seemed to have a greater role than the female bassist. Aside from that minor quip, theirs was an enjoyable set and I look forward to hearing more from them in the future.

Next up were a band called Audio Fiction. Theirs was a fun set if you enjoy hearing straight-forward pub rock.  I’m not saying this is a knock to the band’s sound at all as they do have the pieces intact to be a fine act and they excuted quite well. It just left me with a feeling where if one were to close their eyes, it would be feasible to imagine this sound emanating from any given band playing in any given bar in any given region at any given time.

Next up was my discovery for the night, a band called Hank & Cupcakes.  A bass and drums duo made up of Cupcakes on drums and vocals and Hank on the bass with help from really cool synthesizer effects.  Their set was definitely an eye-opener and so much fun as they truly had the audience eating out of their hands with the band’s brand of infectious tunes. They even threw in a great rendition of Joy Division’s She’s Lost Control for good measure. The band recently had a party this past Friday at Piano’s to celebrate the release of their EP, Pleasure Town. I regret that I was not able to attend but this is definitely a band to keep your eyes on. Remember the name…Hank & Cupcakes.

Last but most certainly not least, the headliners, Electric Chariot. The alt-rock outfit is simply getting better every time they hit the stage and it’s simply a pleasure to watch them as they evolve. Led by the siren of New York rock, Victoria Schwartz, the band blistered through their set of head-bashers and even premiered a newly penned track, Cheshire Cat.

All in all, it was a wonderful evening.  Some quality tunes, some promising new talent and a good time had by all!

“Rub that line out of the sky
I can feel the night crawl
A broken drum and tambourine
Rub that line out of the sky
I can see the clouds form
Taking shape in front of me”

I’m going to take a wild stab in assuming that if you’re reading this blog, you’re already well aware of the Friendly Fires.  Last year’s self-titled record was definitely brimming with tons of promise. A simply ferocious blend of new wave, dance, and punk-funk, Friendly Fires burst into the blogosphere with songs like Paris, Jump In The Pool, & On Board. Theirs is a sound that exhibits an enormous amount of sophistication and intensity that puts many other bands that the blogs and the NME were waxing poetic about to a miserable shame.

Fresh off their co-headlining tour with the almighty White Lies, the trio have returned with a stunning new single, Kiss Of Life. Simply put, the Fires, in this track,  took the script from the first record, flipped it and went back to basics. What kicks this track into gear is the drums. A pleasant surprise is it appears that African tribal rhythms were an influence here and used to some great effect turning the song into something more than your average head-bopper. Throw in Ed McFarlane’s vocals (some of the best you’ll hear anywhere) and you’ve got yourself a hit for a band that’s truly in the ascendant.

“Kiss Of Life” from Friendly Fires (XL Recordings)

“No you girls never know 

Oh no, you girls’ll never know
No you girls never know
How you make a boy feel” 

So simple and so plain. Let Alex Kapranos tell the entire female population exactly what the effect they have on men are. The promo film for the second single taken from Tonight: Franz Ferdinand is here and it’s for No You Girls and it’s also featured on an iPod commercial which these days it seems is better than landing on a top 40 playlist. The video continues on from what seems to be a growing trend these days which is keeping the video simple and back to basics, if you will. Call it the economy, the shrinking promo budgets allowed by the labels or just a changing of the tide but promos come with a lot less frills than they had during the last decade and I, for one, am heavily in favour of it. 

What better way to drive the point home about the song than to feature a whole lot of girls on the set prancing in tight bodysuits while the band play on looking as cool as possible under the circumstances. The song itself as mentioned in the track by track review is Franz at their best: dirty, sexy and danceable. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s kept them in good stead thus far so why change?

How nice! Ladytron and the Faint touring together! This should be as massive as last year’s Cut Copy/Presets spectacle! Ladytron comes back to promote their epic Velocifero and the Faint…try to state their case why we shouldn’t leave them for dead following the release of their second straight subpar effort in Fascination. In any event, this has the makings of being a very cool tour and a wonderful example of how bands twiddling with machines can pack a solid punch in the live arena! Dig it!

Yes! The Franz have announced their North American tour dates! Who wants to come see them with at Roseland May 7th?!

Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre (April 13)
Oakland, CA Fox Theater (15)
Indio, CA Coachella (17)
Phoenix, AZ Marquis Theatre (18th)
Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre (19)
Magna, UT Saltair (21)
Denver, CO Ogden Theatre (22)
Dallas, TX House of Blues (24)
Austin, TX La Zona Rosa (25)
Kansas City, MO The Beaumont Club (27)
Minneapolis, MN First Avenue (28th)
Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom (29)
Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre (30)
Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall (May 2)
Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargo’s (May 3)
Toronto, ON Kool Haus (4)
Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory (6)
New York, NY Roseland Ballroom (7)
Providence, RI Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel (8th)

From the Great White North comes ProCon, a maelstrom of synth and sass. A plethora of guitars and pomp. A healthy battle waged between the forces of pop and the forces of punk with a generous dose of gooey sex to calm the nerves. Hailing from Toronto, the duo made up of the Countess Christsmasher (vocals, synths) and Count Feedback (guitars, synths), ProCon is coming on fast in this electronic renaissance sweeping across the blogosphere. They recently released their new album entitled Kingmaker (Ginchopolis) to rave reviews and a nice feature in Toronto’s Eye magazine. 

Kingmaker simply rocks. It’s got attitude. It’s got pizazz. It will leave you soaking wet. It does what every good record is supposed to do. They’ll be heading down to the States towards the spring for a few dates and I don’t think I need to tell you that they are a must-see live. Do it! Support them. Become familiar with them. Love them. Hear more at their MySpace.

“Pretty Pony” by ProCon, taken from the Ginchopolis release, “Kingmaker”

Album: Tonight

Artist: Franz Ferdinand

Label: Domino/Epic

The hour is almost up on us..er…the day, I mean. The new Franz Ferdinand record is out next Tuesday Stateside. I can’t wait to have to my grubby paws all over it! Cool record cover to begin with, great band on a great label. The question that rests on all of our minds is a simple yet monumentally important one: Pray tell, Billy! Is the record any good? Well, let’s go track by track, shall we?

1. Ulysses 3.11

In a word, sinister. In the bass line and lead synths in the verse give way to what I like “the big chorus payoff” and these guys deliver better than most bands in the last few years. Strong leadoff single, should be a hit among the hipsters and those without two left feet.

2. Turn It On 2.21

Short and sweet. Very reminiscent of something you would have heard off of “You Could Have It So Much Better”. Danceable, accessible, everything you like about Franz in a tidy two minute track. Good album track.

3. No You Girls 3.42

Can you say, disco? I know you can. FF definitely can and the first reminder of the classic first record sneaks its way here. Simply majestic. You will dance to this and this should be a single. An indie dance classic to be sure. This song is for the fellas. I defy you to sit still to this song. It just won’t happen.

4.  Send Him Away 3.00

A nice enough track. Could be a grower but to me, it doesn’t scream out “OH MY GAWD, THIS SONG IS THE PANTS!” It just flows until the 1.39 mark where the song picks up a smidgen. Not a slip-over but not essential either. 

5. Twilight Omens 2.30

I love this song. Love the synth lead. It’s just so melodic and a bit darker than we’re accustomed to hearing from the Franz. Probably not a single but I can definitely see this being a fan favourite.

6. Bite Hard 3.26

Simple. Steady. This one’s a bit of a pastiche from the debut and “YCHISMB”. This one has “live favourite” written all over it. Me likey!

7. What She Came For 3.52

Franz goes all metal on yo’ ass!  What began as a a slick ditty explodes into an all-out shellshock on the senses at the 3.17 mark. They’re loud, they’re absrasive, they’re the new Scottish gentry! Dig it!

8. Live Alone 3.29

Swoon! This is the jam right here. This begins the trio of songs that make this record a must own. This is my personal favourite on the whole record. Begin with the oh-so-naughty bass line. The disco drum pattern and the synths! What seals the deal? The subject matter, for one. Another anthemic one from the Franz. Relationships suck. No they don’t. Maybe it’s better to be alone? Add in the Moroder-esque middle eight and this song is an instant single and just may challenge “Take Me Out” as their signature song.

9. Can’t Stop Feeling 3.03

Another song for those who are rhythmically inclined and another grrreat middle eight. Don’t think about this one. This is one where you close your eyes on the dancefloor and groove. Nuff said.

10. Lucid Dreams 7.56

This is the epic track right here. Start slow, ride a groove and then “the big chorus payoff”! Once the song kicks in, it does not let go but ultimately gives in to Franz experimenting with the breaks. Breaks as in beats for those of you who don’t quite get jiggy wit’ it. It’s hard to describe this song. This is simply one that begs to be craked up to 11 and blow your brains out.

11. Dream Again 3.18

After the onslaught of the previous three songs, we slow it down a bit. This one is very reminiscent of mid-period Blur. Very minimal. It’s a sweet song and a good comedown song when coming home from the discotheque.

12. Katherine Kiss Me 2.56

We end this record with an acoustic little ditty. A simple, plaintive song with Alex crooning. Girls swoon.

The verdict? If you enjoyed the debut and thought the second record was a bit lacking in terms of coherence, consider Tonight a glorious return to form one of the best bands of the new wave resurgence. The record is solid and you will dance. Get it next Tuesday!

Ok…enough with the arm-twisting from you kids! Enough with the procrastination from me.

Ladies and gentlemen, Your best of 2008, I only do albums by the way…

20. Cadence Weapon - Afterparty Babies - Epitaph

Canadian Nerd-hop never sounded so good. This could also be picked as the most absolutely slept-on rap              record of the year. Did I just say slept-on? Check out Do I Miss My Friends, Juliann Wilding & The New Face Of  Fashion.

19. Tricky - Knowle West Boy - Domino

The man with the incurable sore throat has returned. Ol’ Sludgemouth is back after a long absence and even longer period of breathing on fumes (I’ll let you fill in the blanks on that one) to present his most accessible offering in sometime. Maxinquaye or Pre-Millenium Tension, this is not but tracks like Council Estate give notice that Adrian Thawes still has quite a spliff. I mean gift. 

18. James - Hey Ma - Decca/Universal

Another band who was way for far too long. Arguably one of the more consistent band we’ve seen in British rock since the Smiths reunited after having broken up for almost seven years. They were missed but as luck would have it, they’re back and appear to have lost none of the magic. Welcome back, boys. Whiteboy is alone worth the price of admission.

17. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! - Anti

Speaking of consistency…There’s Nick Cave. He and his band of merry men bring us a concept record of sorts. No frills, really. No surprises. It’s just another great Nick Cave record. Salvation. Redemption. Corruption. It’s all here. The guy just keeps getting better with age. Check out his poetry. Insane stuff…

16. Charlatans - You Cross My Path - Cooking Vinyl

How do you save face from easily your worst record ever in an otherwise spotless career? Go back to the future and give it away for free. After the abomination that was “Simpatico”, The Charlies went back to the drawing board. Make that New Order’s drawing board. They relearned their lessons about what being a Manchester band is about and put out their most accessible and perhaps best record yet. Listen to O Vanity, The Misbegotten & the title track for some clues. By the way, they’re the Charlatans! Enough with the UK business. No one cares about the 60s group with the name first! Sorry…just had to get it out there.

15. Portishead - Third - Mercury

Another band coming off an extended vacation. None as long as these guys. Sitting on the sidelines while Alison Goldfrapp stole their sound with “Felt Mountain” and took off to a career as an electro-glam stalet gone folkie. Portishead quietly did whatever it is they do. Then came Third. After ten years of hearing the new record is coming out next year and finally giving up hope, it arrived. How is it? Well…it sounds like Portishead which means once again never has imminent death sounded so cathartic, frightening yet soothing. Machine Gun is simply ace.

14. The Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns - Stiff/Warner Bros.

Blistering, angry, raucous post punk mixed with a keen eye and ear for the undercurrent that prevails in everyday English city life. Sounds familiar? It should. Friends, this…is the new Jam. Buy the record. They do Paul Weller proud. Someone has to go since he decided being the voice of a generation was too tiresome 25 years ago.

13. Beck - Modern Guilt - Geffen/Interscope

Beck + Danger Mouse. One of the more underrated songwriters of his generation matched up with a producer who was scarily accelerating towards the end of his 15 minutes and inflicting Gnarls Barkley on the world.  Quite a pairing, eh? Does it work? Take a listen to Orphans, Gamma Ray, Youthless & the title track and get back to me. Beck never sounded so good. 

12. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires - XL

What do you get if A Certain Ratio went a bit more dancy? A bit further off the grid? Slighly less jazzy? You get Friendly Fires and a solid debut record. Check out Paris, Jump In The Pool or On Board. Word is ACR has a new record that just came out if you’re interested.

11. Ladytron - Velocifero - Nettwerk

A band that’s getting better and better with each record. A rare thng these days and even more unlikely coming from survivors of the electroclash experiment turned embarassment. Most people will tell you Ghosts is the highlight of this record. Don’t believe them. They didn’t really listen to the record. Listen to Runaway and remember why the 80s mattered and still do.

10. Foals - Antidotes - Sub Pop

In a year chock full of great debut albums, this one seemed to fall under the cracks in the States unless of course you read the NME religiously. Take a math-rock band, add Dave Sitek from TV On The Radio to produce and you got the last true solid dance-punk record you’ll probably hear for a while. Dancy, multi-layered and full of hooks. Isn’t that what we all want? Forget world peace, I just want to dance, bruh! 

9. Santogold - Santogold - Downtown

Did i mention this was a great year for debut albums? Add another one to the list. Santi White aka Santogold, straight outta NYC by way of Philly simply put released the record Gwen Stefani was trying to make before she listened to all the suits telling her to work with Pharrell, Eve and whoever else was big in mall-rap world.  Ska, dub, pop, it’s all here. Unfairly compared to MIA. Santogold is a) not boring and b) brings a lot more to the table. It took a while but the record is finally getting the shine it deserves. If you want true new wave done right and with joy in creating it blaring out of your speakers, buy this record. 

8. Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke - Modular

Another debut! This one came with my hype in hipster-land. It goes with the territory when you’re signed to the best label on the planet. It also begs to pique much interest when your shtick seems eerily reminiscent of one Stevie Nicks. Quite a role model to pick up after. I’ll give an A for originality in that sense but I will also give full marks on a great record. Another record that wears its new wave influences proudly and is every bit the better for it. She and Santogold will be two female artists to keep an eye on as they evolve. By the way, Magic is simply divine.

7. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends - Capitol

Yeah… I know what you’re thinking. Coldplay? Really? They’re so bland…Radiohead copycats! Yeah well… Full disclosure: I’m a Coldplay fan. Own the Brothers & Sisters EP and was following them back when they were getting their first press in Melody Maker (RIP).  That said, I’m well aware of their shortcomings and the biggest one is also their biggest virtue: Their earnestness. They try so hard to be great but they fall short. It’s a quality they share with their idols in Radiohead except Radiohead aims higher so high that when they do fail by their own admission, it’s still some of the greatest noise we’ve ever heard. Coldplay just sounds like a band who spent a lot of time listening to Radiohead records and pored over how to play every note just right. 

It sounds like I’m ripping them and I guess I am but they still write great songs and they do it here by applying to the same formula but copying another band. Being the students they are, they realised if you’re going to copy effectively you have to cover all the bases and they did by getting Brian Eno to prodice their fourth record. By doing so they wanted to write The Joshua Tree but end up closer to Achtung Baby. With songs like Lost! or Violet Hill, I guess you can’t argue, eh?

6. TV On The Radio - Dear Science - Interscope

NY strikes again. Three records in and TVOTR amazes once again. This time they turn out their most accessible record yet. Groovy, dancy as before but more so as if they completely removed all the shackles and decided to let us into their world just a bit more. Quite possibly the most uncomprimising and unpredictable “big” band out of New Yor right now. God bless them. Dancing Choose, Golden Age, Shout Me Out, Red Dress…just buy it. The band rules.

5. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul - Reprise

My! Look how they’ve grown! Yes, it’s true. The brothers Gallagher have been growing up before our very eyes. The pompous twits we knew from Definitely Maybe & What’s The Story Morning Glory have become the elder statesman of Lad Rock or Brit-pop as we knew it.  Put me down as an ardent Oasis fan who thought Be Here Now was a solid record as were the following two. That said, beginning with Don’t Believe The Truth, the boys seemed to finally remove the umbilical cord and move on from the anthems and embrace subtlety and space with incredible results. This continues with Dig Out Your Soul which I can say with certainty may not be the best Oasis record but it is already my favourite. The Shock Of The Lightning, Falling Down, To Be Where There’s Life, Waiting For The Rapture… it’s as solid an effort as they’ve put out and the best of the current lineup. Oasis are proving they’re here to stay.

4. Nas - Untitled - Def Jam

Untitled, my arse! We all know what the real title is supposed to be. While it’s disappointing he bailed on following through on his plans for the record title, it’s safe to say Mr. Nasir Jones made up for it with the content. Queensbridge’s finest doesn’t let the hood down at all on this set one bit. Scathing political commentary (Sly Fox), his special brand of social commentary (the real title track, America, Testify), and a bit of humour (Project Roach, Fried Chicken). What makes this record my rap record of the year is two songs and they are both my rap songs of the year, hands down. Hero & Black President. These two show unmitigated evidence why once again he is the one of best MC’s of all time. Sorry, Jay but you’ll always have Beyonce.

3. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours - Modular

Lights & music on my mind. Indeed. While 2004’s Bright Like Neon Love showed Cut Copy to be a promising, if slightly derivative electro/new wave outfit, the second record proves that sometimes being derivative can be a good thing especially if you have the songs to back it up. Chalk it up to a band to a band simply progressing and getting better at songwriting because the record packs a whallop with chart-busting potential all over. Start with one of the best songs of the year in Lights & Music, throw in  Hearts On Fire, Feel The Love, Out There On The Ice & Far Away and you’ve got yourself a great record. It should have been my number one but then there came…

2. Bloc Party - Intimacy - Atlantic

Three albums in and it’s safe to say these guys are the real deal. Banquet showed but a glimpse of the talent this quartet possesses but Intimacy is just a beautiful record. I will admit that I was one of those who did not get Mercury at first but in the context of the record it fits. It reminds of Peek-a-boo by Siouxsie & The Banshees crossed with something Bjork-esque which is pure genius if you think about it. If you waited long enough to buy the record instead of the download. what makes this record great and shows the further growth of the band is one of the bonus tracks, Letter To My Son, which features an absolutely gorgeous guitar lead throughout and a plaintive vocal from Kele Okereke. The song simply breathes and sends chills. It’s quite Smiths/New Order-eswue in its subtlety. Add in Flux, Talons, Biko, Your Visits Are Getting Shorter and…oh, never mind. There’s a reason it’s number two. The record is brilliant. So sad that only one record could be picked.

1. The Presets - Apocalypso - Modular

I mean…where to begin. I mentioned to a friend that to me this record is the vital electronic record since “Dig Your Own Hole”. It’s that good. It’s an assault on your senses, a jolt to the system. It’s everything electronic music is supposed to do. Get you to dance your block off. There is not a weak track here. Quite a progression from the debut Beams which was a solid debut in its own right. It begins with Kicking And Screaming which is quite apropos as it unloads a whuppin on your eardrums. The singles My People, This Boy’s In Love, Talk Like That & Anywhere not only display their might on their dancefloor but also drive the fact home that they were pristine pop singles as well. The secret weapon here is If I Know You. Slow and somewhat menacing to begin but then gives way to an oh so slick chorus so razor sharp, it just sounds so effortless.

The record simply brings the best of pure electro and is the sound of a band that raised the level of their sound and set a new standard for the bandwagon-jumpers out there who suddenly happened on to synthesizers because they couldn’t cut it as an indie band. This is the best album of the year, bar none.

Thank you for reading. Please keep the death threats to a minimum. My inbox is full as it is.

“Well I found a new way
I found a new way
C’mon doll and use me
I don’t need your sympathy”

Yes…yes indeed.  It’s been quite a while but at last! 2009 will indeed mark the return of dance-punk heroes, Franz Ferdinand.  Their new record entitled “Tonight…Franz Ferdinand” makes its way Stateside on 27 January via Domino/Epic and if it’s anything like the first two records, you can expect Billy here to be very happy. Very happy. 

For starters, the leadoff single, “Ulysses” is making its way ’round the blogosphere and it will make its way to your iPod very soon as well. Simply a slippery, devious track we’ve got here as I would expect nothing less from the new Scottish gentry.  Opening with a simple bass line which gives way Alex Kapranos imploring us to “get high”. Add in some synth which gives way to the big chorus payoff.  These guys do pop very well and if “Ulysses” is a signal of what’s come then I’m right on board once again!