Dave Sitek. That name may not roll off the tongue of the average music listener. If you’re not aware of who he is, shame on you. The man has only been a major driving force in the New York sound in the last decade. Beginning with his own band, a little known outfit named TV On The Radio, then take a quick look at the work he’s done in the producer’s chair and you can see the man has done a little bit of work over the last ten years. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs… Liars…Telepathe…Scarlett Johansson (Let’s forgive him for that one. The man has to eat too…)… Celebration… Foals. Helping to save indie music from itself is a tough job but even he needs a break so here comes Sitek going solo under the name Maximum Balloon.
Sitek’s solo debut record is due to arrive on the 24th of August via DGC/Interscope and will feature some noteworthy guest appearances tagging along for the ride. Names such as David Byrne, Karen O, Tunde and Kyp from TV On The Radio can be expected to be heard and enjoyed on this set. First things first, we have the first single called Tiger up at the plate to lead off. This is what you call a banger. This track features Aku from Dragons of Zynth on the mike who sounds an awful lot like Tunde from TVOTR. One can’t help but fall for the rhythmic charm as the bass whip-cracks you out onto the dance floor. Hips start to sway. Sweat explodes from the pores. You simply have no control or any idea of what to do with yourself. That’s what one play of Tiger will do to you so be careful who you play this to or you may be held responsible for whatever may ensue next. On second thought, play it and then play it again.
It’s about that time once again, Suede-heads! Another year has passed and I’m going to share my favourite records of the year that just passed us by. 2008 was a wonderful year and put a halt to the overwhelming mediocrity and crapitude we had been subjected to in recent years. 2009 upped the ante by introducing us to some note-worthy new artists and some brilliant returns to form from a veteran or two. With that said…
Never mind the bollocks, here’s Billy Suede’s best of 2009. Part one!
20. Little Boots. Hands. (679)
2009 brought the debut by Miss Victoia Hesketh better known as Little Boots, the pixie beauty who showed the world that pop music isn’t the realm of the likes of Lady Gaga alone. While we’re still waiting for the official release of Hands stateside by Atlantic, those of us who bought the import, LEGALLY downloaded it or or…got it off the torrents (Shame on you!) were treated to some of the best pure pop gems of the year. Lady Gaga might have had the mainstream, Jersey Shore crowd but Little Boots had the blogosphere on its knees. Truly an artist to keep an eye on for the next decade, to be sure.
19. Raekwon . Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Part 2. (ICEH2O/EMI)
While everyone and their mother was singing the praises of Jay-Z’s trimuphant return to the charts with The Blueprint 3, Another luminary in NY hip-hop was releasing a better record on the same day. Raekwon of the almight Wu Tang Clan came out of hiding and released his fourth solo record and the long awaited sequel to 1994’s Only Built For Cuban Linx. Needless to say, there’s nary a bad track on here. As is normally the case with any record from a Wu-Tang Clan member, there are appearances by fellow members throughout. What puts this record on this list is the lyricism and the storytelling that Raekwon displays here. No matter how many producers had their turn manning the boards, there is a consistency throughout that is rare in hip-hop right now. Another shining example to prove that if you’re looking for real hip-hop, it’s not on the radio. It’s in the streets of New York.
18. Franz Ferdinand. Tonight. (Domino/Epic)
It must be said. I am indeed a fanboy of the Franz. It also must be said of their second record,2005’s You Could Have It So Much Better which should have been retitled This Could Have Been So Much Better that aside from a couple of songs, the record as a whole was a disappointment compared to their sterling debut. The band returned with a vengeance in 2009 with a smart and tidy record that brought back the groove, added with some synthetic ornamentation and cut back on the balladry which is not the band’s strength. While the record didn’t get the love that the band had enjoyed in the past, be assured that Tonight was proof positive that the Franz is not going anywhere.
17. Filthy Dukes. Nonsense In The Dark. (Polydor)
Another solid debut from the indie dance world. The Dukes had been making waves for quite a while through the blogosphere with hot tracks like This Rhythm (featured above), Messages and Tupac Robot Club Rock. Much like the Raekwon record, this album is one of there are many movable parts. In this case, virtually each song is given a different personality as there are different vocalists throughout. The record doesn’t suffer a bit for it. It’s an adrenaline boost from the get-go and one of the few dance records that can also be looked as a pop record and we haven’t had one of those in quite a while. A shame they don’t have a US deal as yet. Hopefully 2010 will be the year the Dukes gets some shine. Hey, at least Kanye likes them!
16. The Temper Trap. Conditions. (Glassnote)
A simply beautiful record. A debut record from a band that certainly has the talent that break through in the very near future. Dramatic. Melodic. Tunes. While the son this record are most certainly singles Sweet Disposition & The Science of Fear, the band has written a solid record that they can be proud of. Another record that while it did well in the UK with the NME crowd as well as the band’s native Australia, the record really didn’t bother the US at all. While disappointing to the band, I’m sure, I’ve got a feeling The Temper Trap will find their way high on the Billboard charts very soon.
15. Editors. In This Light And On This Evening. (Kitchenware/The FADER Label)
The record comes out Stateside early this year but it came out everywhere else in 2009 so it counts! What counts even more is the about-face the band underwent for album number three. Gone is the refined dark post-punk sound of the 2005 debut The Back Room. Tossed aside was the Coldplay tinged arena-rock lite that was 2007’s An End Has A Start. 2009 found the band showing off their love for Blade Runner and the synth! The anthems are still present as is Tom Smith’s stentorian baritone but the use of synths add another element to the band’s repertoire. In some respects, the album is even darker than the debut. While that may scare some fans of their earlier work away, it may also be the reset button the band needed in order to move forward. Anyone who still thinks they sound like Interpol is getting smacked.
14. Mos Def. The Ecstatic. (Downtown)
Before he became a likeable and acclaimed actor, Mos Def was a rapper. A very good one with respect coming from backpackers and the mainstream crowd alike. To date, his 1999 Black Star collaboration with fellow great, Talib Kweli is still the stuff of legend and the template from which today’s underground hip-hop scene draws inspiration from. While his own records do tend to be a bit on the spotty side, no one can utter a negative word on his 2009 opus, The Ecstatic.
Quite possibly, Mos’ most complete work, period. He shows his diverse influences yet again from a little bit of rock, a little bit of Afrobeat…all the while bringing the lyrical force that we come to expect from the man formerly known as Dante Smith-Bey. It’s pleasing to see that while he got the normal shine from the underground circles, Mos’ work was appreciated by the public at large with the record debuting at number 9 on the Billboard charts and garnering a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Record….if you follow that sort of thing, of course.
13. Muse. The Resistance. (Warner Brothers)
Muse has been on the precipice of greatness for a while now. Personally I felt 2006’s Black Holes And Revelations was a slight come down from the band’s high water mark, 2004’s Absolution due to the band’s experimenting a bit more but leaving the urgency of the songs behind. 2009 found the band revving up their political juices and sounding as angry as ever. While political in scope and still embracing the progressive rock sound the band has been delving into more and more with each record, The Resistance is also arguably the bend’s commerical sounding record yet as evidenced by the glam-stomp vibe featured above in leadoff single Uprising. A great band just got even better in 2009. Ten years in and the band is well on their way to becoming an all-timer.
12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It’s Blitz. (Interscope)
Three albums in and NYC’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs have evolved quite nicely over the years. A sparkling, frenetic debut in 2003’s Fever To Tell which spawned the mega-hit in Maps, there was a let-down of sorts as the band veered in lie alt-country with 2006’s Show Your Bones. In 2009, the band came back with a kick in their step and an infusion of synths to augment their sound. It worked like a charm as evidenced by the two lead-off singles Zero and Heads Will Roll. The band finally got their balance right between the rockier pieces, the softer ballads and the more accessible work. Karen O found his footing and the band find themselves as quite possibly the heir apparent to the Pretenders. Always on point, never boring with a beast of a frontwoman leading the way.
11. Hatcham Social. You Dig The Tunnel, I’ll Hide The Soil. (TBD)
A debut record that really came in under the radar in 2009 but it’s my hope that the band will not continue to reside in their current underrated status for much longer. Hatcham Social, a band long championed by the likes of Faris Badwan of the Horrors and Tim Burgress of the Charlatans made their album debut in 2009 after releasing some quality singles beforehand. Their sound is reminscent of the seminal bands one would have heard released from the Kitchenware and Postcard labels in the early 80s like Josef K and Orange Juice but doesn’t lack any of their charm or immediacy. The record is simply a joy to listen to and displays a brilliant future for the band.
I’ve got a crush. Actually it’s fair to say I’ve got quite a few. I mean there’s Lily Allen and her ultra-cute rambunctiousness but she’s too big time now and she’s still Keith Allen’s daughter. There’s Karen O but supposedly she’s in Silverlake these days and that’s just way too plastic a scene for me and I fear it may have corrupted her. Here’s hoping I’m wrong on that score. This now leaves my current flame, Philippa “Pip” Brown aka Ladyhawke. If you don’t know who Ladyhawke is then you should be ashamed for she recently released a quite delectable debut record a few months back via Modular aka the best label on the planet. Her self-titled debut was also featured as one of my best records of 2008.
Why do I like Ladyhawke so much, you ask? Well, I will tell you. What’s not to like? From her shameless fangirl-ish enthusiasm for all things Stevie Nicks to the fact she has no qualms whatsoever about letting us see how much of a geek she is. I mean, look at her album cover below. She’s playing video games with her oh-so-cute cat by her side whilst in her pajamas. I ask you again. What is there not to love about that?
Of course, I could just be rambling and spitballing here but yes, I want a date with Ladyhawke. Is that too much to ask for? I really don’t think so. We’ll go on for hours talking about whether or not it was truly was after watching the video for Stand Back for the first time that the thought of becoming a pop star actually dawned on her. I’ll talk about my purely healthy and innocent Smiths obsession and we can totally geek out on video games. Think she’ll be up for it?
“You’re a zero
What’s your name?
No one’s gonna ask you
Better find out where they want you to go”
It should be said that I absolutely Zero, the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs single. I should say I love the video just as much. Tres 80s in the style and the cinematography featuring a delectable Karen O wandering the streets of the city looking very Chrissie Hynde-esque, I might add. Don’t you just love it when a great single is matched up with an equally effective promotional film? I know I do.
New York’s darlings are back. Yup, The Yeahs x 3 are back with a rip-roaring new single entitled Zero. The song itself is far, very far from being a zero. It appears Karen O and the boys have gone e-lectro. Yes indeed, friends! Gone are the art-punk stylings of the debut Fever To Tell and the faux alt-country underpinnings to be found on Show Your Bones. In Zero, we have the Yeah Yeah Yeahs keeping it simple, accessible as all get-out but make sure they pack in a killer chorus to seal the deal in your brain until the release of It’s Blitz.
I’m sure there will be many of you crying in your guitar cases moaning and complaining about yet another rock band who’s caught the electro bug. To those people I simply say…deal with it. It’s 2009, for chrissakes! This is a pop single in a year that while short has already shown such promise. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are back and if Zero is any indication, then it’s going to be a big year for the triple Y’s.
It’s been some time but it’s nice to know when solid pop acts return with a new offering that allows us to take solace in the fact that hop does in face spring eternal. After hitting one out of the park with their 2003 debut Fever To Tell and the somewhat underwhelming 2006 follow-up Show Your Bones, Brooklyn’s own Yeah Yeah Yeahs are set to release their third record It’s Blitz.
Personally I’m hoping for more of the first record to inform the sound of the new record simply because Fever To Tell was brimming with such vitality and chutzpah. Much of that was lacking in Show Your Bones yet the third time is always the charm and as usually seems to be the case the third record is where the great band find a way to maximize their potential and unveil their best work for all of us to enjoy and marvel at. The record was produced by David Sitek of TV On The Radio, who also helmed the debut so it’s safe to say the band is once again in very capable hands. Thus far, It’s Blitz has a tentative release date of 6 April so mark your calendars, friends!
if you are the copyright holder of any such media placed on this site and would like it removed, please feel free to get in contact with me
if you would like to submit material for consideration to be featured, you may also contact me
if you need advice on love, life, what music to buy, you can reach me at the same address. if it's a funny question, i'll even place it on the blog!
Stalk Me.