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  • Best Albums 2014

    So here I am nearly at the end of May 2015 and I have only just got around to doing my best of 2014 list. I managed to get my best of tracks before the New Year but the albums I struggled with. Maybe this was because I had such a busy year and didn't get to listen to as many albums as I would have liked or maybe as I unfortunately think it wasn't a wonderful year for music. Nevertheless I have produced my list, better late than never.

    619ff170567b613a77e673cc586d984c.jpg10. Tune-Yards - Nikki Nack

    Tune-Yards is the brain child of New England musician Merrill Garbus, she records much of her music in very minimalist ways looping a drum, playing a ukulele and singing but manages somehow to create a big sound. Nikki Nack is Garbus' 3rd release, I first heard of her after her second, Whokill and have not looked back since. 'Water Fountain' is my favourite track on the album but the whole thing is filled with quirky little gems, definitely worth a listen.

     

     

    aa66daf9592070dc1808f1ce2664379a.jpg9. Spring Offensive - Young Animal Hearts

    I can't remember how I came to hear from Spring Offensive but once I heard 'Speak' I knew I was onto a winner. Spring Offensive were an Oxford based five piece and when I first listened the vocals reminded me of early tracks by frYars who himself made a bit of a comeback this year. Along with 'Speak', other stand outs on the album include 'Bodylifting' and Hengelo, expect sombre lyrics and a gentle electronic sound, a band that only through writing this list I realise have already split up, alas I will never see them play.

     

    b59502fc530a97b27cf7e35a34965b59.jpg8. Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain 

    I have been following the career of Mr. Oberst since I first heard Bright Eyes' 'First Day of my Life' back in 2003. 'I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning' is one of my favourite all time albums and was therefore near impossible that anything Conor Oberst would release after to compete. Unfortunately with each Bright Eyes release the quality was decreasing but this solo effort from Conor Oberst is the best thing he has done in ages. There is no one stand out track on this album but it works nicely as a playthrough, whether giving it full attention or just having it on in the background it's a good'un

     

    edfd289e38642d84bca1a9d09597bb01.jpg7. Milky Chance - Sadnecessary  

    This band I found completely by accident, when watching music TV in my room in Venice with my newly married wife. 'Flashed Junk Mind' came on and it was one of those moments where we both just looked at each other and knew we liked it and in the end we used it for our wedding video. I bumped into the band again on the FIFA 15 soundtrack with the song 'Down By The River' which gave the band some mainstream fame. Milky Chance are a two-piece indie band from Germany who have produced a very listenable debut album. 

     

    25b726d89de20b396f328808caa4c615.jpg6. Azealia Banks - Broke with Expensive Taste

    Now this album should have been released about two years previous. Ms. Banks' single '212', you know that really filthy not too subtle rap came out in 2012 to mass praise from both critics and the general public, she was to be the next big thing but delays begot delays and publicised arguments with her production company meant that the album didn't come out until 2014. It was though worth the wait though with tracks like 'Nude Beach a-go go' she proves she still has a cheeky edge and 'Chasing Time' was an instant banger. Unfortunately for Azealia though not everyone shared my enthusiasm and it fell a bit flat in the public eye.

     

    edcdd0774171a16059bc750bb49bf358.jpg5. Drowners - Drowners

    This was one of the first albums I listened to in 2014 being released in early 2014. I was awaiting this fairly eagerly having come across their single 'Luv, Hold me down' in the NME's On Repeat section in mid 2013. The band and that song especially have a very strong The Strokes vibe which can only be a good thing in my book. Hailing from the USA this is the bands 1st album and it is a very solid and listenable debut.

     

     

    09c922427b035866a311a2bd8e2298bc.jpg4. Jack White - Lazaretto

    The maestro returns with a superb album, although good I never really got into his first solo effort in the same way that I did The White Stripes but with this album I was reunited with a love of this man. Now more than just a musician, Jack is now the founder and head of Third Man Records who have a number of impressive bands under their guidance including the impressive Alabama Shakes. Lazaretto is as rawkus as anything that Jack White has done previously, the title track my particular highlight but from start to finish it is more than enjoyable.

     

    50404685da8b640ab34b96aedd0f1c76.jpg3. Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow

    When I first heard BBC they were a bunch of 16 year olds about to undertake their GCSE's and played in a band at the weekends. The best part of 10 years later they are still recording and as this high entry shows, still making good music. The band's sound has changed a lot since those early days but this, their 4th album, retains all the elements that enticed me in the first place whilst keeping it fresh for a new audience. I wasn't a huge fan of their previous album, 2011's A Different Kind of Fix, that I felt was a step too far into a dancier sound but I think that they have now found the right balance.

     

    a4c43603d8f1cf5048613884b7d55fe7.jpg2. Beaty Heart - Mixed Blessings

    Every year there is an entry near the top of my list that appeared from nowhere and this year it is this, Beaty Heart's Mixed Blessings. Early in the year I heard Lekka Freakout and enjoyed it thoroughly but on first listen to the album it went straight over my head but when I saw the band supporting Catfish & The Bottlemen later in the year I really began to appreciate them and for about a month after I couldn't stop listening to the likes of Seafood and Banana Bread. An indie electro 3-piece their music has a surreal element as do their videos, which are made especially strange for me as the lead singer does have a striking resemblance to my cousin. Mixed Blessings is the bands first album although the band have been around for a few years, hopefully it won't be too long until their next.

    36bc554f9334254d7bf4001fdb1a25d6.jpg1. Jamie T - Carry on the Grudge

    No surprises at number one it is one of my favourite artists, Jamie T, with his 3rd album. The release itself was a bit of a surprise as nothing much had been heard of from the Wimbledon troubador in more than 5 years but when he released the single 'Don't You Find' from nowhere in the middle of the year, it was clear that he was back. This record sees Jamie taking a huge step from the style of music that originally brought him fame in the late 2000s, on the whole it has a fairly slow and lo-fi sound with a few faster paced snippets such as 'Zombie' thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately I missed out on the initial ticket release for his shows as they sold out in minutes but was lucky enough to see him play locally later in the year and although it wasn't my favourite live performance it is one performer I can cross off from my bucket list. The album though blew my mind and hence here it is as my number one album of 2014.

     

    Honourable mentions go to FKA Twigs whose LP1 was only just pipped out of the top 10 and Fuse ODG who would have made this list had it been based just on singles but his album tracks just weren't strong enough. The wooden spoon goes to my beloved Bellowhead, like Akala last year I think I was almost expecting too much from their latest album and it did not come up to scratch. Maybe if I was listening to the album objectively I would have enjoyed it more but unfortunately for them I can't and they do not make my list this time. 

    So there you have it, as I said on the whole not a tremendous year for music but the bonus of writing this half way through 2015 is that I have already heard a lot of what  has come out in 2015 and it has already proved to be a bit of a belter. Hopefully I will be able to get 2015's list out in a more punctual fashion!

     

    END. 

     

  • Election 2015

    Reasons not to vote UKIP...

    many many reasons, short sighted policies on Europe, a fake leader who for an ordinary bloke had a jolly good upbringing and banking job (EXPOSING NIGEL    ) farage_2921024b.jpgand of course as you can see from THIS article, despite what they say an awful lot of their members and candidates just use this means as a continuation from the National Front and the BNP. DON'T VOTE FOR RACISTS, DON'T VOTE UKIP

    Reasons not to vote Lib Dem..


    I understand why people voted Lib Dem in 2010, they wanted a change from labour and still didn't trust Torys. They got into the coalition and subsided to the Tories. 1363971190878.jpgThey wanted to reduce tuition, it went up three-fold, they wanted to get rid of trident, now they back it? They are spineless and will do it again! And they are treating this election as a joke. They uploaded THIS VIDEO OF NICK CLEGG SINGING UPTOWN FUNK to their official YouTube account during the election campaign (it has since been removed) 

     

    Reasons not to vote Conservative..


    This one is simple, they are ruining the country!

    There are traditional Labour arguments such as the NHS which they are first killing off, there are now longer waiting times than in 2010 and less nurses and then they are selling it off bit by bit so that their friends can make profit.

     

    Welfare cuts are unfair and unreasonable, they have promised another 12 billion in cuts but as the graphic bellow from the HMRC, it is probably Dave's mates and the tax avoidance that should be cut first. tax_evasion_v_benefit_fraud_-_full_size.jpgWhy bring in the bedroom tax that hurts the most vulnerable and drop inheritance tax which the very richest benefit most from? Dave's mates again. And all the time stealth taxes such Boris' transport fares, who do they hurt most? The big city bankers who earn millions or working families on the minimum wage (note the minimum wage is less than the Living Wage)

     

    The Tories are also failing at the bits that they claim to be proud of, the Economy and Employment, they claim to have reduced the latter but this is largely due to an increase in zero hours contracts that benefit? Dave's mates, it allows companies to give workers no stability whilst knowing they can call on the work when it suits them. Then the final blow the Economy, they promised to cut the deficit by 2015, here we are and it hastumblr_lkx9anMVID1qjjgbro1_500.jpg INCREASED, they can shout all they like about economic growth but at the end of the day their austerity package isn't bringing it down.

     

    There is plenty more I could and should say but I know that the majority who will read this already know. DON'T VOTE CONSERVATIVE UNLESS YOU WANT WORSENING LIVING STANDARDS AND POLICIES THAT BENEFITS DAVE'S MATES AND NO ONE ELSE.

     

    Reasons not to vote Green..

     

    Natalie-Bennett-gr_2327342b.jpgThis one I write with a heavy heart, I like the Greens, ideologically they are very similar to myself, save the world, treat everyone equally, remove tax evasion and end war. Unfortunately they have no chance of winning and any vote for the Greens (apart from in Brighton and a few others) is a vote that helps Cameron back into power. A friend of mine has helped create a website voteswap.org to help Green voters make their votes count in constituencies where they have a shot at success. 

     

    And Finally, WHY VOTE LABOUR?

     

    3278254236.jpg1. Because Labour will stand up for everyone, not just the privileged few

    2. Labour will raise the minimum wage to more than £8 by October 2019 and promote the living wage.

    3. Labour will ban exploitative zero-hours contracts so that anyone working regular hours for more than 12 weeks can get a regular contract. David Cameron said he couldn’t live on one. If he can’t, then no one should have to.

    4. Labour won’t give tax breaks to millionaires (the Tories did in 2013, and they’re likely to do it again if they win). They'll cut tax for millions of people on low and middle incomes instead.

    5. Labour will clamp down on tax avoidance and ban ‘non-dom’ status (which was created in 1799 and a lot has changed since then…).

    6. Labour will cut the deficit every year and balance the books, sensibly and fairly, without the extreme spending cuts the Tories are planning to make.

    7. Labour will scrap the Bedroom Tax (from day one) that hits the disabled and most vulnerable in society.

    8. Labour will control immigration with fair rules and make it illegal for employers to undercut wages by exploiting workers.

    9. Because Labour are the party that will save the NHS.maxresdefault.jpg

    10. Labour founded the NHS in 1948, it is one of the party’s proudest achievements, and they have saved it from crisis before.

    11. In five years of Tory-led government the country has seen rising waiting times, increasing privatisation and falling standards.

    12. Labour will train and recruit 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more doctors by 2020, paid for by tackling tax avoidance, a levy on tobacco companies and a tax on the most expensive properties worth over £2 million.

    13. Labour will guarantee a GP appointment within 48 hours – and on the same day for those who need it.

    14. Labour will radically improve mental health provision, especially for young people, by prioritising investment in under-18s and making sure teachers are trained to spot problems early.

    15. Labour will stop Tory privatisation of the NHS and cap the profits private companies can make from the NHS to ensure resources are spent on patient care.

    16. Because Labour are the party that cares about creating opportunities for all young people.

    17. Labour will cut tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000 (which will help students but is also good for our economy).

    18. Labour will make sure that there is an apprenticeship for any school leaver that gets the grades.

    19. Labour will improve technical education and careers advice in schools to help students prepare for jobs.

    11_45_3_web.jpg20. Because Labour will end rip-off prices on services that people rely on.

    21. Labour will freeze energy bills until 2017 so they can fall but not rise, and give the regulator the power to cut bills when wholesale prices fall. No-one should have to choose between heating and eating.

    22. Labour will get a fairer deal for renters by banning rip-off letting fees and capping rents so they cannot rise by more than the rate of inflation during secure three-year tenancies.

    23. Labour will freeze rail fares in the first year of a Labour Government while we reform the railways.

    24. Because Labour are determined to tackle climate change and create a million green jobs.

    25. Because the choice at this election is between a Labour government or five more years of the Tories.

    VOTE LABOUR ON MAY 7TH 2015