Class of 2019 [4]

A day late, sure - but it was Christmas Day yesterday! Does anyone read music blogs on Christmas Day??? Anyway, it's the final batch of these, but watch out for one more post choc-full of stuff on New Year's Eve.


Amanda Palmer - 'There Will Be No Intermission'
It took me a while to listen to this album. I mean reeeeally listen to it. To say it's an emotional rollercoaster is something of an understatement. There are songs on here that will make you angry, and songs that will make you cry, and songs that will make you think and songs that will make you reminisce and songs that will stop you dead in your tracks. Based around Amanda and her piano, this is an astonishing work, 78 minutes that sum up the world today and nearly every emotion you've ever experienced. Stunning.



The Futureheads - 'Powers'
One of those bands who kind of fizzled out, but came back in 2019 with not so much of a bang, more a sonic BOOM! The first Futureheads album for, oooh, too long is probably their best to date. Good Night Out quickly became a favourite of mine - a very fine track indeed. Shame the video is shite!



The Raconteurs - 'Help Us Stranger'
Yay! After a rather polarising solo album last year in which Jack White seemingly disappeared up his own backside, he kissed and made up with his old friends and reformed The Raconteurs. 'Help Us Stranger' was a great comeback, very possibly their best record yet in fact. This record is the reason why Jack should stop fannying around trying to impress hipsters and just make solid rock & roll! That said, the best track on the album has Brendan on vocals...



Yeasayer - 'Erotic Reruns'
You probably know I have a bit of an aversion to electronic music and electropop. But there are always exceptions to every rule, and once again, Yeasayer have proven it so. Their fifth (and as it turns out, sadly, their last) album is another chunk of brilliance, even if it is less than 30 minutes long. I'm not sure why they tick my boxes, but I'm a sucker for a good melody, and there's plenty of that. Ecstatic Baby is a tune that won't leave my head, but that's no bad thing.