Review for www.nomoreworkhorse.com
Showing posts with label National. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National. Show all posts
Friday, September 22, 2023
Monday, May 13, 2019
The National – I Am Easy To Find – Album Review
Review for www.nomoreworkhorse.com
https://nomoreworkhorse.com/2019/05/13/the-national-i-am-easy-to-find-album-review/
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Monday, August 13, 2012
EP Review: The National – Cherry Tree
This was a stopgap EP released by the National in 2004, just
before their breakthrough album Alligator.
It’s generally more quiet and introspective than their full-length
albums. Wasp Nest opens with
sleigh-bells, and the sparse, slow music provides a perfect bed for singer Matt
Berninger’s croon of lyrics like “get over here I wanna kiss your skinny
throat”. What seems at first to be an
insubstantial track is effortlessly and defiantly NOT.
There are austere ballads featuring strings like All Dolled
Up In Straps “where have you been” and the dramatic title track, the latter of
which builds up to a crescendo. The
subtlety of brothers Dessner and Devendorf is particularly evident on these
tracks.
The EP sees the first appearance of All The Wine, probably
the most commercial moment here, and the fine, picked guitars of About Today
are just shaded by the penultimate track.
It’s a live version of Murder Me Rachael, ramping up the violins,
guitars, pounding drums and Berninger screaming “love her to ribbons”. It’s an edgy and powerful performance.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Top 10 albums of 2010
10. Warpaint - The Fool
9. The Phantom Band - The Wants
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/11/album-review-phantom-band-wants.html
8. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - The Road OST
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/01/album-review-nick-cave-warren-ellis.html
7. Peter Broderick - How They Are
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/09/album-review-peter-broderick-how-they.html
6. Tindersticks - Falling Down A Mountain
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/02/album-review-tindersticks-falling-down.html
5. Neil Young - Le Noise
Who'd have thought that this feedback drenched solo album would be a return to form for Neil Young? Even when the noise is off for a track or 2, it works.
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/10/album-review-neil-young-le-noise.html
4. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Hawk
Look past the dull title to another strong chapter in this pair's collaboration.
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/08/album-review-isobel-campbell-mark.html
3. Lloyd Cole - Broken Record
The comeback of the year. Edge is gone, but an addictively relaxed collection of country-rock.
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/10/album-review-lloyd-cole-broken-record.html
2. Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises
An austere collection of icy finger picking, perfect for wintry mornings.
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/08/album-review-sun-kil-moon-admiral-fell.html
1. The National - High Violet
Not an original choice. But unignorable. Any doubts were dispelled by an incendiary live show. A collection of songs which on paper shouldn't instill euphoria but actually do.
http://sacredcowpats.blogspot.com/2010/05/album-review-national-high-violet.htmlFriday, December 3, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Album Review: The National – Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers
The National’s second album, 2003’s Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers was where the band really started off in earnest, as their self-titled debut was pretty unremarkable. Within seconds of the first track, Cardinal Song, you’re transported immediately into brooding, melancholic territory with Matt Berninger’s voice centre stage over slowly unfolding music, as Berninger lays down his ‘rules of engagement’: (“never tell the one you want that you do”). It drifts along pleasantly for 3 or 4 minutes, with hints of Red House Painters and American Music Club until the notes of a piano take the song to a different place entirely and a beautiful violin part takes over, darkening the song wonderfully. It's a brave and uncompromising start to an ambitious album.
The pace picks up with Slipping Husband, with a simple descending guitar part where Berninger sings with heavy regret, calling to mind the likes of Feargal McKee (Whipping Boy), yet with a ‘head full of attitude’ as lines like “dear we better get a drink in you before you start to bore us” illustrate. The music is superb, the band play with just the right pace.
90-Mile Water Wall is gentler, with an acoustic guitar and fiddle. Berninger is particularly prominent on this album in comparison to later albums, his voice really owns many of these songs. There are some really great lyrics here: “how could your hair have the nerve to dance around like that”. The first half of this album is as strong a set of songs as on any album by any band. It Never Happened has a similar feel, regret being the primary emotion as Berninger sings “we look younger than we feel and older than we are.”
Things get a bit heavier and dirtier with Murder Me Rachael, underpinned by a great violin part and distorted guitars and some great, if a little creepy lyrics (“I loved her to ribbons”, “tomorrow won’t be pretty”). The song builds and builds to a climax with Berninger screaming his vocals towards the end. Thirsty is quieter, though no less urgent. Again there’s a fairly simple, descending melody but on this, like many of the other songs it’s the little touches that make the songs: a little violin here, some guitar there and more great lyrics. “Take these girly arms,” Berninger sings, “and ever keep me”, very resonant lines in my view.
The heaviest song is Available, which belts along with driving guitar and heavy drums. It's not like anything else in the National's song catalogue, melodically it’s like Joy Division with added distortion, the verses are underpinned with some filthy guitars in the background. It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard, the melody, lyrics and music combine fantastically. There’s a kind of pause in the middle, where the song is almost catching its breath with Berninger spitting out in disgust the line “you… just… made yourself available.” The song then kicks back into gear with even more frenzy than before, until Berninger loses it completely, screaming “WHY DID YOU DRESS ME DOWN, DRESS ME DOWN?” before eschewing lyrics altogether and just screaming blue murder. It’s an utterly brilliant moment, and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time.
The rest of the album isn’t quite as strong, but it would be almost impossible to keep a run of brilliant songs like those. Suffice to say that for the first seven songs alone, this an album to put up there with The Smiths, American Music Club et al. Of course, they are a different band now. Berninger has evolved as a lyricist and singer, and their songs have become subtler, yet I am saddened by the fact they don’t play these songs any more.
The pace picks up with Slipping Husband, with a simple descending guitar part where Berninger sings with heavy regret, calling to mind the likes of Feargal McKee (Whipping Boy), yet with a ‘head full of attitude’ as lines like “dear we better get a drink in you before you start to bore us” illustrate. The music is superb, the band play with just the right pace.
90-Mile Water Wall is gentler, with an acoustic guitar and fiddle. Berninger is particularly prominent on this album in comparison to later albums, his voice really owns many of these songs. There are some really great lyrics here: “how could your hair have the nerve to dance around like that”. The first half of this album is as strong a set of songs as on any album by any band. It Never Happened has a similar feel, regret being the primary emotion as Berninger sings “we look younger than we feel and older than we are.”
Things get a bit heavier and dirtier with Murder Me Rachael, underpinned by a great violin part and distorted guitars and some great, if a little creepy lyrics (“I loved her to ribbons”, “tomorrow won’t be pretty”). The song builds and builds to a climax with Berninger screaming his vocals towards the end. Thirsty is quieter, though no less urgent. Again there’s a fairly simple, descending melody but on this, like many of the other songs it’s the little touches that make the songs: a little violin here, some guitar there and more great lyrics. “Take these girly arms,” Berninger sings, “and ever keep me”, very resonant lines in my view.
The heaviest song is Available, which belts along with driving guitar and heavy drums. It's not like anything else in the National's song catalogue, melodically it’s like Joy Division with added distortion, the verses are underpinned with some filthy guitars in the background. It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard, the melody, lyrics and music combine fantastically. There’s a kind of pause in the middle, where the song is almost catching its breath with Berninger spitting out in disgust the line “you… just… made yourself available.” The song then kicks back into gear with even more frenzy than before, until Berninger loses it completely, screaming “WHY DID YOU DRESS ME DOWN, DRESS ME DOWN?” before eschewing lyrics altogether and just screaming blue murder. It’s an utterly brilliant moment, and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time.
The rest of the album isn’t quite as strong, but it would be almost impossible to keep a run of brilliant songs like those. Suffice to say that for the first seven songs alone, this an album to put up there with The Smiths, American Music Club et al. Of course, they are a different band now. Berninger has evolved as a lyricist and singer, and their songs have become subtler, yet I am saddened by the fact they don’t play these songs any more.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Album Review: The National – High Violet
At last, a review of a current album! I’ve been looking forward to this album for some time as I am a big fan of The National. Yet there’s a tinge of sadness to this review. I have to accept by now that The National is no longer “my band”, my little secret. Recent reviews in other publications mentioned “the American Elbow” which kind of sums up my feelings. In short, they’ve been discovered by the discerning music fan. And, no doubt, the not so discerning.
I had been hoping they would follow up the wonderful Boxer with a ‘difficult’ album that would alienate people. They haven’t. It’s a really strong album, full of great songs, and easily as consistent as their last few albums. First track Terrible Love is a little atypical, starting off with some slightly rough spidery guitar (as he sings “it’s a terrible love and I’m walking with spiders”), but it builds and builds into a sort of mini-anthem. It’s a little bit of a departure for them, singer Matt Berninger sings this one in a higher register than usual, as he does on a few tracks.
With Sorrow we’re back on home ground. It’s a classic mid-tempo National track, with a wonderful ringing bassline. Berninger sings “I don’t want to get over you” which is probably a Magnetic Fields reference. Anyone’s Ghost is also a strong song of theirs, with some cello and strong drumming, and sounds like it would have fit in well on Boxer. There’s a theme of getting out of the city in the lyrics in certain songs, as referenced in Little Faith, and later in Conversation 16.
He uses his higher register for one of the stronger songs, Afraid of Everyone, which is a kind of anxious, worried song which descends in on it self. Bloodbuzz Ohio is fine, though a little like The National on auto-pilot. Runaway is just lovely, with plucked guitar and another strong bassline. Plenty of goose-bump moments in the chorus, and some nice brass to boot. Conversation 16 is like Ada off their last album Boxer gone anthemic. He references Bret Easton Ellis on this one (“I was afraid I’d eat your brains”)
England features a ringing piano line, which starts with an uplifting pattern, and then, just before it changes and you think “oh wouldn’t be great if the music went there”, the music actually does go to just that place you anticipated! It's a marvellous moment on album full of such moments. There’s a wonderfully resonant chorus line (“you must be somewhere in London, you must be loving your life in the rain”) which is a great image of loss and longing, and more brass towards the end of the song. It's got to be a Red House Painters reference, for anyone familiar with Katy Song. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks is the last song and Berninger is once again in his higher register, sounding a note of uncertainty. It’s a kind of awkward song and I have to commend them for finishing with this rather than the more obvious England.
Berninger is not the Mr. November of 5 years ago any more. He’s grown up, less angry but not necessarily happier, which informs his lyrics. The album itself is great, and is growing on me with each listen. When it finishes, you just want to put it on again. Definitely a strong contender for album of the year.
I had been hoping they would follow up the wonderful Boxer with a ‘difficult’ album that would alienate people. They haven’t. It’s a really strong album, full of great songs, and easily as consistent as their last few albums. First track Terrible Love is a little atypical, starting off with some slightly rough spidery guitar (as he sings “it’s a terrible love and I’m walking with spiders”), but it builds and builds into a sort of mini-anthem. It’s a little bit of a departure for them, singer Matt Berninger sings this one in a higher register than usual, as he does on a few tracks.
With Sorrow we’re back on home ground. It’s a classic mid-tempo National track, with a wonderful ringing bassline. Berninger sings “I don’t want to get over you” which is probably a Magnetic Fields reference. Anyone’s Ghost is also a strong song of theirs, with some cello and strong drumming, and sounds like it would have fit in well on Boxer. There’s a theme of getting out of the city in the lyrics in certain songs, as referenced in Little Faith, and later in Conversation 16.
He uses his higher register for one of the stronger songs, Afraid of Everyone, which is a kind of anxious, worried song which descends in on it self. Bloodbuzz Ohio is fine, though a little like The National on auto-pilot. Runaway is just lovely, with plucked guitar and another strong bassline. Plenty of goose-bump moments in the chorus, and some nice brass to boot. Conversation 16 is like Ada off their last album Boxer gone anthemic. He references Bret Easton Ellis on this one (“I was afraid I’d eat your brains”)
England features a ringing piano line, which starts with an uplifting pattern, and then, just before it changes and you think “oh wouldn’t be great if the music went there”, the music actually does go to just that place you anticipated! It's a marvellous moment on album full of such moments. There’s a wonderfully resonant chorus line (“you must be somewhere in London, you must be loving your life in the rain”) which is a great image of loss and longing, and more brass towards the end of the song. It's got to be a Red House Painters reference, for anyone familiar with Katy Song. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks is the last song and Berninger is once again in his higher register, sounding a note of uncertainty. It’s a kind of awkward song and I have to commend them for finishing with this rather than the more obvious England.
Berninger is not the Mr. November of 5 years ago any more. He’s grown up, less angry but not necessarily happier, which informs his lyrics. The album itself is great, and is growing on me with each listen. When it finishes, you just want to put it on again. Definitely a strong contender for album of the year.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Top 30 of the Decade: 10-1
10. THE NATIONAL – Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (2003)
This is the album where the National really established their sound. It begins with the brooding Cardinal Song, then moves into more upbeat tracks like Slipping Husband, before letting rip on highpoint Available where the guitars are turned up and singer Matt Berninger is reduced to screaming at the end of the song.
9. INTERPOL – Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
Yes, it’s heavily influenced by Joy Division and late 70s/early 80s bands. But the band just get it so right. A lot of it is quite atmospheric (Untitled, Hands Away, Leif Erikson) but it also contains its fair share of anthems like Obstacle #1 and PDA. They tried for the rest of the decade to live up to this but didn’t quite manage it.
8. THE NATIONAL – Alligator (2005)
A great progression from Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, the album is full of great songs like Karen, Lit Up and emotional songs like The Geese of Beverley Road. Most of the songs are downtempo, dominated by Matt Berninger’s baritone but also featuring great guitar work. You either buy into this or you don’t. It’s essentially a drinking album for those of us with a past…
7. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – Songs for the Deaf (2002)
A chaotic collection of metal, hard rock and heavy blues. It’s driven by Josh Homme but there’s a great mix of his songs and others sung by Mark Lanegan and screamed by Nick Olivieri. The songs are punctuated by snatches of radio which can be a little annoying, but at it’s best it’s driving rock that demands to be listened to.
6. EDDIE VEDDER – Into the Wild OST (2007)
On a personal level, this is the album I’ve been waiting for some time. I’ve always felt that Eddie Vedder had a way with a slow song and in my opinion he delivers them with pathos, along the lines of Bruce Springsteen. I’d love to hear Vedder’s version of Springsteen’s Nebraska album. While this is not the most varied collection it perfectly invokes Jon Krakauer’s novel.
5. SONIC YOUTH – Rather Ripped (2006)
This is the album where Sonic Youth left noise behind and turned in an album full of really good songs. Even Kim Gordon was somewhat tamed on this album which turns the noise down but the guitars up. The album is just great song after great song, many of which I feel justified in calling anthems.
4. RYAN ADAMS – Love Is Hell (2003)
On this album Ryan Adams largely left alt-country behind and recorded album of rainy day mid-tempo downbeat anthems, drawing on The Smiths, Radiohead, Lloyd Cole and even Prince. Lost Highway did their best to sabotage it – they didn’t feel it had commercial appeal so they asked him to try again (he came back with Rock N Roll, possibly his weakest effort) and released Love Is Hell is 2 separate EPs. However a few months later the released it ‘as the artist originally’ intended, as one album. It hangs together well as an album, apart from his stripped down version of Oasis’ Wonderwall, a series of slightly mopey songs for those days when your nerve endings are a little frayed.
3. SUN KIL MOON – April (2008)
A great return to form for Mark Kozelek, who had got bogged down earlier in the decade with cover albums. This one is a great mix of acoustic guitar led ballads ie Lucky Man, Unlit Hallway, which features a nice touch of banjo and the beautiful Blue Orchids; and electric guitar workouts, the best of which being the 10 minute long Tonight the Sky which is very self-indulgent but also very good. It won’t convert a new generation of fans, but it definitely pleased this loyal fan.
2. THE NATIONAL – Boxer (2007)
The first thing that struck me with this album is they appear to have made the musical arrangements more complex. Everything from the guitar, bass, piano, drums and the brass featured on the album avoids the obvious route which works to the benefit of the songs. It’s not a huge departure from Alligator but the songs are exceptionally strong. Of the faster ones, Mistaken for Strangers, Brainy and Slow Show are very strong but the heart of the album for me is the last 4 tracks, which are mostly slow.
1. MARK LANEGAN BAND – Bubblegum (2004)
Lanegan probably had the most diverse career of the decade, with a plethora of collaborations, but this album showed his talents to the full. His great strength is that wonderful deep, gravelly voice, which dominates any of his songs. What was great about Bubblegum is it signalled a departure from previous solo albums, which are all kind of blues-folk in nature. This album also had some ‘blues-folk’ but mixed it up with some heavier tracks and also featured samples and electronics. It was as if the collaborative work he had been doing rubbed off. Some of the highlights are: Hit the City, a driving duet with PJ Harvey, the slinky Wedding Dress and emotional highlight One Hundred Days.
This is the album where the National really established their sound. It begins with the brooding Cardinal Song, then moves into more upbeat tracks like Slipping Husband, before letting rip on highpoint Available where the guitars are turned up and singer Matt Berninger is reduced to screaming at the end of the song.
9. INTERPOL – Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
Yes, it’s heavily influenced by Joy Division and late 70s/early 80s bands. But the band just get it so right. A lot of it is quite atmospheric (Untitled, Hands Away, Leif Erikson) but it also contains its fair share of anthems like Obstacle #1 and PDA. They tried for the rest of the decade to live up to this but didn’t quite manage it.
8. THE NATIONAL – Alligator (2005)
A great progression from Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, the album is full of great songs like Karen, Lit Up and emotional songs like The Geese of Beverley Road. Most of the songs are downtempo, dominated by Matt Berninger’s baritone but also featuring great guitar work. You either buy into this or you don’t. It’s essentially a drinking album for those of us with a past…
7. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – Songs for the Deaf (2002)
A chaotic collection of metal, hard rock and heavy blues. It’s driven by Josh Homme but there’s a great mix of his songs and others sung by Mark Lanegan and screamed by Nick Olivieri. The songs are punctuated by snatches of radio which can be a little annoying, but at it’s best it’s driving rock that demands to be listened to.
6. EDDIE VEDDER – Into the Wild OST (2007)
On a personal level, this is the album I’ve been waiting for some time. I’ve always felt that Eddie Vedder had a way with a slow song and in my opinion he delivers them with pathos, along the lines of Bruce Springsteen. I’d love to hear Vedder’s version of Springsteen’s Nebraska album. While this is not the most varied collection it perfectly invokes Jon Krakauer’s novel.
5. SONIC YOUTH – Rather Ripped (2006)
This is the album where Sonic Youth left noise behind and turned in an album full of really good songs. Even Kim Gordon was somewhat tamed on this album which turns the noise down but the guitars up. The album is just great song after great song, many of which I feel justified in calling anthems.
4. RYAN ADAMS – Love Is Hell (2003)
On this album Ryan Adams largely left alt-country behind and recorded album of rainy day mid-tempo downbeat anthems, drawing on The Smiths, Radiohead, Lloyd Cole and even Prince. Lost Highway did their best to sabotage it – they didn’t feel it had commercial appeal so they asked him to try again (he came back with Rock N Roll, possibly his weakest effort) and released Love Is Hell is 2 separate EPs. However a few months later the released it ‘as the artist originally’ intended, as one album. It hangs together well as an album, apart from his stripped down version of Oasis’ Wonderwall, a series of slightly mopey songs for those days when your nerve endings are a little frayed.
3. SUN KIL MOON – April (2008)
A great return to form for Mark Kozelek, who had got bogged down earlier in the decade with cover albums. This one is a great mix of acoustic guitar led ballads ie Lucky Man, Unlit Hallway, which features a nice touch of banjo and the beautiful Blue Orchids; and electric guitar workouts, the best of which being the 10 minute long Tonight the Sky which is very self-indulgent but also very good. It won’t convert a new generation of fans, but it definitely pleased this loyal fan.
2. THE NATIONAL – Boxer (2007)
The first thing that struck me with this album is they appear to have made the musical arrangements more complex. Everything from the guitar, bass, piano, drums and the brass featured on the album avoids the obvious route which works to the benefit of the songs. It’s not a huge departure from Alligator but the songs are exceptionally strong. Of the faster ones, Mistaken for Strangers, Brainy and Slow Show are very strong but the heart of the album for me is the last 4 tracks, which are mostly slow.
1. MARK LANEGAN BAND – Bubblegum (2004)
Lanegan probably had the most diverse career of the decade, with a plethora of collaborations, but this album showed his talents to the full. His great strength is that wonderful deep, gravelly voice, which dominates any of his songs. What was great about Bubblegum is it signalled a departure from previous solo albums, which are all kind of blues-folk in nature. This album also had some ‘blues-folk’ but mixed it up with some heavier tracks and also featured samples and electronics. It was as if the collaborative work he had been doing rubbed off. Some of the highlights are: Hit the City, a driving duet with PJ Harvey, the slinky Wedding Dress and emotional highlight One Hundred Days.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Review of the Decade - Part 1: New names
Here I go then, jumping on the end of decade/best of articles, just like everyone else. Here is a snapshot of new bands in this decade.
The older I get the less easily I discover new music, but the early part of this decade threw up a few. Doves released their debut, Lost Souls in 2000, a welcome dose of widescreen Manchester misery, following in the downtrodden footsteps of Joy Division and the Smiths. In a similar vein, Elbow released their debut, Asleep in the Back in 2001. Though Doves’ album was the more impressive, by the end of the decade it was Elbow who had gained the plaudits, helped in no small way by their Mercury Prize win in 2008. In my view neither has surpassed their debut, indeed, Doves’ subsequent albums seemed to consciously move away from it.
On the Irish front, David Kitt emerged in 2000 with a series of low key, goose-bump inducing gigs and a wonderful mini-album, Small Moments, showcasing his soft vocals, acoustic guitar and electronic beats. Subsequent albums (and gigs) went for a bigger sound, and ultimately diminishing returns. Word is that he is playing with Tindersticks now.
Gemma Hayes’s debut album Night on my Side was an interesting blend of Nick Drake-esque acoustic folk and rougher pop with shades of My Bloody Valentine. Unfortunately the record company got hold of her and airbrushed any roughness out of her music, and her follow-up albums concentrated on smooth pop, much less endearing.
Mark Kozelek junked his Red House Painters band name and re-emerged under the name Sun Kil Moon. It wasn’t a major departure from RHP, though it did give him the freedom to be even more indulgent, with long-drawn out Crazy Horse style rockers and pretty acoustic tracks on the albums Ghost of Great Highway and April. His songwriting remained as strong as ever, which is why it was somewhat of a surprise to hear his cover album of Modest Mouse tracks, Tiny Cities. I guess it can be filed alongside his ACDC cover albums.
Mark Lanegan evolved from tortured solo artist to serial collaborator. Apart from 2 solo albums, he also found time to guest on Queens of the Stone Age albums, record 2 albums of largely folky tracks with Isobel Campbell, collaborate with Greg Dulli as the Gutter Twins, and interestingly appear as lead vocalist on 2 albums by electronica duo Soulsavers. His singing remains as strong as ever, irrespective of the backing, truly a great voice of the decade.
The National began life in 2001 with an unremarkable country-tinged self-titled album. Happily, this template was blown out of the water by 2003’s Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers. The title says everything to me about their music, describing it a lot better than I can. While they have been compared with Tindersticks, Morrissey and other ‘miserabilists’, singer Matt Berninger proved a more varied vocalist on this album, letting rip on a couple of songs. They fine-tuned this further again on the follow ups, Alligator and Boxer. In my view, best new band of the decade.
The Strokes got a lot of attention for their debut, 2001’s Is This It, which distilled a New York attitude, reminding many of Television’s Marquee Moon. And pretty damn good it was too, 11 shortish songs delivered in half an hour. Their follow up albums didn’t quite deliver on the first. It was a similar story with Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights, their debut released in 2002 was a great collection of songs, drawing heavily on Joy Division. They also spawned a series of imitators of the imitators (Editors, Boy Division, can’t believe it’s not Ian Curtis… ok I made the last 2 up but they’ll probably mean more than the bands who did actually surface).
After the demise of alt-country band Whiskeytown, Ryan Adams launched his solo career with the critically acclaimed Heartbreaker. He spent the decade recording and releasing as many albums in as many different styles as he could, some brilliant (Love Is Hell, 29), others less so (Rock N Roll). Although he was inclined to annoy with his interviews, erratic live shows and general attention-seeking, he has proved himself above all else to be a talented songwriter.
Woven Hand sprung from the ashes of 16 Horsepower. While not a huge departure, if 16 Horsepower were fire and brimstone, Woven Hand were burning embers for the most part. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, essentially Bible bashing Goth with Americana overtones but it does. Their self-titled debut set the template for future albums, all in a similar vein.
Towards the end of the decade, Peter Broderick emerged from the shadow of Efterklang, releasing beautifully crafted albums of alternately classical and acoustic music, though I suspect the next decade will see him release something definitive.
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