Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

Even if you don't think you have, you'll have heard/seen Tom Waits in some way, shape or form. He is the embodiment of a prolific artist, pursuing virtually every art form. This output comes in the form of a dirty, dirty blues record. Creeping, rhythmic marimbas help tunes like Clap Hands shuffle along with stuttering, accented stabs of guitar from Mark Ribot. Keith Richards is even on one of the tracks. (Yes, that Keith Richards). This is a big album with plenty to get into, mostly thanks to its organic style of recording which, during the 80s, was pretty uncommon. Once you start loving this record, trust me, you will not stop.

http://www.tomwaits.com/

The Blow - Paper Television

This band is The Blow. The Blow are Khaela Maricich and Jona Bechtolt. This album is Paper Television. This album by this band is, well, good. It's well good. The glitchy electronic beats paired with the melodic poetry of Maricich's mind (not forgetting the synthesised stabs that come just as quickly as they go) mean that these two are onto a winner. Except that maybe they're not, as they pretty much disbanded in the June of 2006. A great loss to the K Records rota, as well as the music-loving public, The Blow are sorely missed. Listen, and enjoy.

http://www.myspace.com/theblowus

Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight

Confirming the notion they created in 2006/2007 that this may be a darn good band, the Scottish quartet Frightened Rabbit solidified this notion, with plenty of evidence to boot, on 2008's Midnight Organ Fight. Creating grandiose sounds a la Arcade Fire but with a more modest set-up and better songwriting, Frightened Rabbit always seem to whip out something that you'd never expect, yet at the same time, something that sounds so right.

http://www.frightenedrabbit.com/

VA - David Shrigley's Worried Noodles

Worried Noodles is, similar to Mermaid Avenue, a compilation of various artists' interpretations of somebody else's lyrics. That somebody, in this case, is Glasgow-based artist David Shrigley. Boasting contributions from some indie big-namers such as Hot Chip, Liars, David Byrne and Franz Ferdinand, this double disc slog can, as should be expected, be a bit hit-and-miss. However, the hits easily outweigh the misses, but maybe not in the places you'd expect. Personal favourites include Hank's "Baby's Bible" and James Chadwick's "The Wooden Floor", two artists who I'd admittedly never heard of before listening. Listen to it for yourself, and find your favourites; there's plenty to be found here.

http://www.davidshrigley.com/worriednoodles/newcd.htm

Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow And Blue

Born Ruffians are an indie-rock band, hailing from Canada. Using the simple set-up of guitar, bass and drums (with each member contributing vocals) these guys have left a lasting impression on everyone I've shown them to so far. Don't be fooled into thinking simple set-up translates to simple (or boring) music; it doesn't. The harmonies are rich, the fingerpicking is smooth and the vocals are pitch perfect: everything is exactly how it should be. This record will leave musicians asking "Why didn't I think of that?".


And yes, they are the ones off Skins.

http://www.bornruffians.com/

Four Tet - Rounds

Working under the guise of Four Tet, Keiran Hebden is somewhat of a remix hussy, splicing up everyone from Kings of Convenience to Aphex Twin and back again. However, it's his own work on which he really shines, as proven on 2003's 'Rounds' which scored a well-deserved 89 on Metacritic: translating to universal acclaim. Dipping in and out of genres, Hebden creates atmospheric electronica, rich in melody and charm. Frequently beautiful, occasionally giddy yet always fascinating, this record never fails to enchant and sweet-talk its way back to being one of my personal favourites with each listen.

http://www.fourtet.net/site/site.php

Modeselektor - Happy Birthday!

Berlin-based electronica duo Modeselektor, real names Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary, cemented the impression they had made in 2005 with 'Hello Mom!' with this, 2007's 'Happy Birthday!'. Featuring guest vocals from Maxïmo Park and professed Modeselektor fan Thom Yorke, the pair's glitch mastery works and flows well, leaving the impression that one's time has not been wasted by listening. An energetic, not demanding, yet enjoyable experience.

http://www.modeselektor.com/

Welcome!

This is the blog of James Jarvill. Here I will posting views and opinions on media releases such as music, concerts and the occasional film, so keep 'em peeled.
To start off with I'll be compiling all the things I've written for other places, and then keeping a steady stream of original, exclusive articles.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy.