Music Time
Saturday April 11, 2009 in music |
Digital download is a dangerous thing. Now in a position where I can download music on a whim and can do it very simply I have embraced this position. And although music is relatively cheap (£7.99 for a new album is good in my opinion – cheaper than a vinyl album 20 years ago) I guess that it’s all adding up.
Recently I have downloaded an amazing album which is my current favourite of 2009. Kingdom of Rust is the new release from Manchester’s Doves, and as it has taken them four years to follow up their last, I’m going to use the well worn phrase long awaited. Doves suit my general mood perfectly. If you need to categorise them, then they sit comfortably between Editors and Elbow (and probably do, HMV’s D-E section has never looked finer). The music style stretches much further back though, and owes a debt to Wire and Manchester Gods New Order.
Although their previous offerings were best sellers, Doves always appear to take a shadowy stance, and it suits their introspective style perfectly. Low keys vocals and majestic guitars, just beautifully orchestrated songs. The opener Jetstream signifies immediately that you are in for an excellent ride, Winter Hill is just a stompingly great track whilst Spellbound and the title track both show them as very subtle and clever songwriters. Doves deserve much more attention than they’ve previously been granted. Kingdom of Rust should set the record straight.
The ease of the download has led me to rebuy several albums that I’ve previously owned on vinyl and consequently haven’t listened to in years. For £3.00 I purchased the indie classic George Best by the Leeds band The Wedding Present. First released in 1987, this was a favourite of the John Peel audience. The Wedding Present also came along just as The Smiths had split up, and offered a similar take on life. David Gedge, apparently a favouite of the poet Simon Armitage, wrote songs with titles that threatened to rival Morrissey for originality and oddness; Give my Love to Kevin, Nobody’s Twisting your Arm, I’m not Always so Stupid.
It’s quite refreshing to listen to The Wedding Present again. I like the thrashy guitars and witty lyrics, and Gedge’s voice takes me back a very long time. It’s frightening but I last saw them live in 1988. As they’re still going, it might be worth catching up with them again soon.
Another new album that’s received as many rave reviews as Kingdom of Rust is Two Suns by Bat For Lashes. Natasha Khan has delivered a breathtaking set of songs; there’s echoes of Kate Bush, Tori Amos and Annie Lennox here. I am particularly impressed by Pearl’s Dream, an infectious and haunting song. Two Suns is quite brilliant, and unless anything very special comes along between now and Christmas it will be competing with Doves for my album of the year.