Five Non-Electronic Albums of the Year

Lists of the year are lame, everyone knows it and yet everyone loves reading and writing them. Given that there is very little else to right about at this time of year it makes sense to take the time to take stock.

2008 has been, without doubt, a vintage year for music. The number of fantastic albums released within the first few months is testament to that, especially when the pace didn't let up all year.

This is the first of four separate lists - generally BlackPlastic concerns itself with electronic music but there have been some fantastic releases outside of this area. Here are the five best non-electronic albums from 2008:

5. Dear Science - TV On The Radio

BlackPlastic is still not sure this trumps Return To Cookie Mountain but what is does do is snap, crackle and pop with sheer verve and ambition. Cookie Mountain may win out on emotional depth and angsty retribution but Dear Science is a sign of the times bill board for a generation's confusion at the state of the world. This is a celebration of our times - the problems may seem insurmountable but our achievements also seem to be getting greater every day.

4. Stay Positive - The Hold Steady

Like a rowdy night on the sauce The Hold Steady's 2008 release is an exciting and heady rush that feels like you just don't care any more.  Never less than thoroughly charming Stay Positive is like the badly behaved friend that everyone seems to find too endearing to ever get offended by.  This record is an absolute ball with the emotional journey of a buddy-movie-road-trip. Grab yourself some ice 'n' bourbon and slam this on the jukebox.

3. Falling Off The Lavender Bridge -Lightspeed Champion

Fresh out of the energetic yet nihilistic Test Icicles, Dev Hynes was left directionless and drifting. Lavender Bridge is the sound of recovery and growth. A fantastically timeless record that mixes a mature-yet-contemporary country sound with lyrics that reference crunk. A record to be hung-over and to feel sorry for yourself to.

2. Twenty One - Mystery Jets

Destined to top this list right up until the last month or so when the actual number one won over BlackPlastic's heart, Twenty One is still a fantastic record.  From the opening air-raid siren of Hideaway to the closing piano refrain of the ghost track (the source of the album's title) and its Joy Division referencing lyrics ("even Love Will Tear Us Apart don't ease the pain" - what a line) there is never a dull moment.

Already criminally overlooked in most end of year lists this album has it all - whether the emotional gravitas of 'Flakes' or the sheer pop ambition (not to mention the best use of a saxophone in years) of 'Two Doors Down', Twenty One is a glorious record that is destined to age like fine wine.  A proof not just of producer Erol Alkan's ability but also that Mystery Jets are one of this country's finest.

1. For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver

One of those records that it was all too easy to miss at the time it is now getting some of the attention it deserves. The basic facts everyone seems to love to repeat:

• The band name would mean 'good winter' in french if it was spelt correctly.
• This is actually a chap called Justin Vernon.
• The album is the result of Vernon's break-up with the eponymous Emma and his previous band.
• The sound that ensues is what happened following this breakdown, a bout of sickness and a winter in a log cabin in Wisconsin.

Now that the above is out of the way, here is what is important: This record is absurdly beautiful, in a 'clinging to the edge of this spinning chunk of rock as we hurtle through space' type way - just listen to the thrum that builds in 'Creature Fear', it sounds like life itself.

It's difficult to do the songs on this short little record justice because the sound of this album transcends anything that can be put into words - For Emma, Forever Ago is all the longing and regret that gets pushed down in our daily lives erupting like rainbow coloured magma on a background of snow and ice.  It is the perfect soundtrack to winter days.  It is the soundtrack to nights on the bourbon with the fire raging.  It is the words BlackPlastic would never be able to find to convey what goes on behind these eyes.

This is probably not just the best record this year, but one of the best records this decade.

Comment: Teen Creep - James Kane

Twin Peaks' Agent Dale Cooper advised his partner on the show, Sheriff Truman, that you should give yourself one treat a day, even if that treat is just a real cup of coffee. It's a mantra BlackPlastic tries to stick to and today, dear readers, you can start living the life of glory that I do by downloading James Kane's glorious Teen Creep mix from fellow blogger Kitsune Noir.

Aside from a couple of ever so slightly rough transitions the only criticism that could be levelled at this mix is that it is too damn short. In less than 40 minutes you will have taken in some recent destined-to-be-classics (Appaloosa) and some genuine-classics (Roy Parker Jr.'s 'Ghost Busters' or Prince's 'Erotic City') and the result is always pleasingly consistent. This mix has an electronic dream-like vibe throughout that really is fantastic so go and check it out.

James also has some more music and remixes (some of the tracks on this mix have felt his loving touch already) over on his MySpace and at his site and I would recommend checking them out.

BP x

News: Sony World Photography Awards

BlackPlastic is a obviously a big music fan but when not rocking out to some heavily distorted electro you just might find a camera in our hands and a finger on the shutter release because photography is one of our favourite things.

Why this divergence from our usual coverage? Just to tell you that Sony have launched their second annual World Photography Awards and where is gets interesting is the face that there is a music category so any of you that are fans of capturing music visually might want to consider entering. The competition culminates in a week long exhibition event in Cannes between 14-19 April - the Festival @ The Sony World Photography Awards.

There is both a professional and amateur category and you can enter here. One rule to be aware of - the photo must have been taken in 2008.

To give you some inspiration this is the photo BlackPlastic is considering submitting, taken at Simian Mobile Disco's live set at Field Day it encapsulates the volume / pleasure ratio that the duo managed to establish in their fairly ruthless set over the summer:

For further inspiration, last year's winners in the music category (Professional first, then Amateur):

© Eduard Meltzer, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2008

© Kerry Grainger, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2008

The closing date is 31 December 2008 so get uploading if you fancy a shot at winning!

BP x

Video: Feelings Have Changed - The New Sins

BlackPlastic has a big wobbly crush on The New Sins.  Spin off side project from New Young Pony Club's Lou Hayter, first single 'It Doesn't Work Like That' quickly demonstrated where the talent is in NYPC whilst simultaneously bettering their entire first album in 3:13.

'Feelings Have Changed' has the same post-feminist self-assurance and another great 80s video.  It benefits from space and poise.  BlackPlastic says it too often but this is what pop music should be - it sounds like pure extravagance, and Hayter manages to be the shiny gift you know you just haven't been good enough for this Christmas.

Stop drip feeding these releases please - three songs a year is not enough.

BP x

Album Review: They Live! - Evil Nine

Back when BlackPlastic first reviewed Evil Nine's FabricLive album it was a pleasant surprise: this wasn't some boring, breaks-fueled yawn affair, it was a Facebook Republican Army-lead riot.

The more BlackPlastic listens to that album the more it becomes apparent that this is a mix album that helped define a genre. It is one of the first mix albums to put Justice, Test Icicles, Mystery Jets and Digitalism into a pot and turn the heat up and it still sounds fresher than most albums that have tried to do the same thing since.

They Live! is the realisation of the dream launched with that mix. This isn't breakbeat but it has breaks. It's not rock msic but it certainly rocks. Previous album You Can Be Special Too had some great crossover moments (the hip-hop influenced 'Crooked' for one) but They Live! works by being more extreme and more appealing at the same time. As if that weren't enough it even has an undead zombie theme.

They Live! does so much that it is one of the finest crossover albums released this year. Title track 'They Live!' is a zombie national anthem, its cold auto-tuned vocals sounding like a clinical and mechanical observation of the apparent futility of human existence.

There are also guest spots (as there were on the last album). El-P turns in a spot on the hard on the outside, soft in the middle 'All The Cash', melancholic in a "I'd throw myself to the zombies to save you" type way. Emily Breeze sounds all goth rock chick in a nineties way that should suck but Evil Nine's minimal approach to thrash metal makes it very, very right.

Concept albums are risky business and, to be honest, BlackPlastic isn't sure this really counts as one because the references are subtle and generally only apparent in tone. Having said which, if They Live! is a concept album then it succeeds with aplomb; this is a blast of a record. If there are any concepts deserving of albums they are surely zombies and / or space. Zombies IN space? We can dream - in the mean time pick up this year's darkest crossover record.

BP x