HAPPY NEW YEAR?
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Shakenstir Review of 2006
As the news broke that James Blunt, Madonna and Katie Melua had the top three selling albums in Europe (according to Billboard) I was preparing our list of best albums of 2006 – a truly amazing release year. These top-selling albums didn’t register on our quality scale, in fact they didn’t come close, and I guess that means that substantial sales don’t mean great albums – not in our language anyway. What it does mean is that radio and TV covered these three artists and their music on a massive, unrelenting scale and in the process missed out on playing some truly magnificent music. But hey! I suppose and hope that our visitors arrive to find the best, regardless of airplay and hype. During 2006 we witnessed live shows from many of the artists featured in our best of 2006 album selection, and without exception we attended sold-out shows, played with skill and passion. In 2007 we hope to address the balance a fraction by playing our favourites on Liverpool’s Juice FM, Wrexham’s Colon FM, and online.
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Josh Pyke FEEDING THE WOLVES. Ivy League
A couple of months ago I attended a concert where this young, unassuming Australian played support. I was impressed enough to ask for a CD to review and this is it. It’s somewhere between an EP and LP in its 26 minute/7 track length, and is more than enough to confirm that Pyke is one of the most interesting new singer/songwriters around at the moment.
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Aim FLIGHT 602. Atic
The return of the much loved British solo act. For this, his third studio album, following on from 2001’s hit record HINTERLAND, FLIGHT 602 brings back Aim’s trademark Americana sound.
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Cut Chemist THE AUDIENCE IS LISTENING. Warner
Cut Chemist, the world famous DJ, has finally created his debut solo album, THE AUDIENCE IS LISTENING.
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Jurassic 5 FEEDBACK. Interscope
Jurrasic 5 return with their fourth studio album, FEEDBACK. Four years on from POWER IN NUMBERS. Older and Wiser? What! No Cut Chemist? Can they pull it off?
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Newton Faulkner UFO E.P. Ugly Truth
Look at our end-of-year ‘Best-of’ album list and you’ll see quite a few singer/songwriters included. But I’ll bet you a pound to a penny you’ll not recognise too many of them as they’re unlikely to be the media’s darlings, and spread like cheapest, thinnest strawberry jam over the airwaves. With so many singer/songwriters now emerging, especially from the UK, the super-hyped tend to submerge the rest, well almost… In this new digital age My Space has provided (combined with some pretty heavy touring) many acts with an alternative and very effective route to market. And it was there I headed to find out more about young singer/songwriter/guitarist Newton Faulkner after listening to this new E.P.. Faulkner, it turns out, is British, 21 years old, and started out as a formally trained guitarist. He subsequently added song writing and singing to his repertoire before grabbing the attention of rock legend Robert Plant. As many My Space visitors testify, Faulkner is an accomplished live performer and it’s evident on one beautiful track from this excellent E.P..
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The Frames Live at The ULU
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The Best Albums of 2006
2006 has been a magnificent year for truly great albums and one of the best years ever. It’s also been a year in which the musical diversity of our selection has also never been greater. You may be surprised at the absence of Razorlight or The Feeling or albums included in the summer’s Mercury Nationwide Music Prize. Perhaps it’s because we look deeper, we listen longer, and are more judgmental. Perhaps it’s because we set our sights much higher, and ignore the hype that follows certain acts. Ultimately we offer a fully independent view of music, most of which you won’t hear on UK radio - for now anyway. In January 2007, if you live within striking distance of Wrexham, you will be able to hear all of these albums in our weekly radio show on Wrexham’s newest FM radio station ( more details later), and hopefully a little later on our webcasts.
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Sonic Youth THE DESTROYED ROOM: B-SIDES AND RARITIES. Geffen
After listening to this I wonder what other dust-laden gems Sonic Youth have hidden away in cupboards and under beds. This collection of B-sides and rarities dates back to 1994 and is 99% instrumental.
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