Bjork's last album Biophilia wasn’t the best work that she’s ever done. Yes it was a conceptual project that had a downloadable application that you can make music with. Or something like that, I’m not quite sure. That’s all fine, but the songs never really matched the grand scale of the project. And the main instrument is one that goes plink plonk all the way through.
What said Bjork has done some fine stuff and I’m sure she will in the future. Lately I’ve been listening a lot to her forth album Homogenic. The album has a great sound with a mix of electronic beats and strings, but it’s the fine song writing that makes it work. I used to think that Debut was the best Bjork album but I’ve now come around to thinking that it’s Homogenic.
Where is Pete Docherty? Is he on or off the smack? I don’t know, he’s not tabloid hot property anymore and his troubles don’t get much attention. It got boring way before it was old news.
Anyway, I saw him play a solo gig once, I wasn't there to see him, a mate of mine's band was on before him. It was at the Rhythm Factory in Whitechapel and the place was full of wannabe Pete Docherty cunts.
His performance was awful. He mumbled every word and played the guitar like he'd only recently picked it up.
Never been much of a Libertines fan either. They’re one of them bands that I’ve no intention of listening to a whole album of theirs again, but saying that I really like a few of their singles.
Like the song Don’t Look Back Into The Sun.
I was thinking, when is Mark Lanegan going to stop pissing about being a voice for hire and get on with doing another solo record? Yes I like a lot of the work that he’s put his voice to. The three albums with Isobel Campbell were pretty good. The song Revival with the Soulsavers was truly great but the rest of the album wasn’t. The stuff with Greg Dulli had its moments. There’s other stuff that’s all fine too, but none of it is as good as the Mark Lanegan Band 2004 album Bubblegum.
Then I hear that a new album called Blues Funeral has just been released. So I ordered it straight away and its not let me down. There’s more of an electronic syth feel that’s a world away from his early solo albums like Whisky For The Holy Ghost. But don’t let that put you off. I’m still pretty fresh to it so I can’t say if I will be listening to it as much in years to come as I still am with Bubblegum. But it certainly has song songs that are as good as anything he’s put his name to.
If your looking for a up to date music news then this isn’t really the blog for you. You won’t find a sneak preview of the latest Vampire Weekend release here. I mean look, I’m posting a blog about The Black Keys album El Camino that came out at the back end of last year.
I only got around to listening to it a couple of weeks ago. I new it would be good, it was like I was saving the last piece of bacon on the plate.
Enough with the crap metaphors.
So if you haven’t heard it what’s it like? Fucking great. Is it better than Brothers? I think it may well be. Tell me more. No there’s no need to just get it.
