Album Review: Folk Songs - James Yorkston & The Big Eyes Family Players

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James Yorkston is already somewhat of a critics' darling. As such this stop-gap album consisting of selection of traditionally arranged folk-songs, which sees Yorkston divorced of usual band The Athletes and is instead created in collaboration with The Big Eyes Family Players, probably inspired audible drooling from some guy with a beard that writes for Mojo.

Over at BlackPlastic we may be slightly more youthful and, dare we say it, suspicious of somebody doing something quite so honest and understated. But one thing is for sure: we still know a bloody good tune when we hear one.

And there are definitely some here. Folk Songs is a meandering, wistful body of work but it never feels anything less than heartfelt. Whilst an album full of traditional folk music undoubtedly risks feeling downtrodden and lacking in excitement Yorkston has seemingly pitched things just right here. On 'Martinmas Time', for example, a penny whistle is combined with a fiddle to create a piece of music that sounds so real and honest and it's this feeling that Yorkston has managed to nail several times throughout the record's length.

Listening to 'Thorneymoor Woods' you cannot help but rue the trappings of modern life as Yorkston describes the walking of dogs and other countryside pastimes. It's enough to make BlackPlastic want to pack up and head off home for a sit beside the fire with a mug of scotch. Probably best of all is 'I Went To Visit The Roses'. It's a warm, worldly wander of a song that smacks of charm and character like a well-loved rascal that troubles the regulars at the local pub.

Folk Songs is what it says then - folk songs about folk doing folky things. There is no real innovation here as such but it's an interesting and accessible entry-point both into James Yorkton's work and into folk music generally. Folk Songs just demonstrates how much love and joy there is down here in the dirt.

BP x

Folk Songs is released on Domino on 10 August 2009 - available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk on CD, Deluxe CD & DVD and LP[Affiliate Links].

Video: Galactic Space Bar - Jamie Jones featuring Egytian Lover

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Big love for this video from Jamie Jones. BlackPlastic carries a squidgy soft spot for Crosstown Rebels as it is - their brand of minimal is just far more interesting than minimal should be, which we like - and this video only makes us more gooey. For what is presumeably a small budget, independent project it's pretty lush.

The track is also hot too - like a 2009 update on the electro bebop of old, it sounds like Afrika Bambaataa's 'Planet Rock' brought bang up to date.

'Galactic Space Bar' is taken from Jamie Jones' forthcoming album 'Don't You Remember The Future' out on Crosstown Rebels on 31st August.

Album Review: If You Know What's Good For Ya!! - Woolfy

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Woolfy's first album (as Woolfy vs. Projections) totally passed BlackPlastic by and if the fanfare that greeted this release, If Ya Know What's Good For Ya!!, is anything to go by then it's no surprise. Released on DFA/Rong with very little marketing (just why can't DFA send emails to their fans, huh?) last month Woolfy don't even seem to have had much coverage from the blogging world.

Which is a shame because If You Know What's Good For Ya!! is pretty bloody good as it happens. With a sound that perfectly encapsulates the two labels collaborating on its release - the slightly tongue-in-cheek, indie dance of Rong and the gritty rocker chic of DFA all in one package.

Whilst there are a couple of tracks that fail to standout this is generally down to the quality of everything else on offer. The sleazy garage funk of opening track 'The Warehouse' sets the pace nicely and it is clear from the off that this isn't an album made for the dancefloor, it's made for the grimey come down afterwards or sun-baked afternoons laying in the park.

And the pace doesn't really let up - 'Oh Missy' is all angular gutars and yelped vocals and whilst the progressive sounds of cosmic disco on 'Loa The Disco' break the run of catchy vocal tracks you can't really deny its quality.

If Ya Know What's Good For Ya!! is actually at its best when it is serving up more contemplative numbers. The dreamlike 'Looking Glass' sounds like MGMT collaborating with the Chemical Brothers on one of those blissed out numbers they normally get Beth Orton in for towards the end of the album. The result is very striking. Equally brilliant is the battered and bruised 'Sonic Monday', with the vocalist capturing Bernard Sumner's stilted delivery on New Order's 'Temptation'. It's a track that sounds so hot you could stick it on and work on your tan.

So it may not be grabbing headlines but If Ya Know What's Good For Ya you'll grab this. Ahem. Sorry.  But seriously, don't sleep on Woolfy.

BP x

Comment: The Mercury Music Prize

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For the most part BlackPlastic believes that music award ceremonies are for chumps. Like every good rule there is, however, an exception. And that exception is the Mercury Music Prize.

What makes the Mercury Music Prize transcend that crappy sycophantic lip-service of other award ceremonies is its simplicity: one album. That's it. By focusing on that at the expense of lifetime achievement awards, best newcomer, best use of women wearing gymwear in a music video and longest speech at last year's event it gets to the point and is much better placed to judge how has achieved greatness in the past year.

There are still obviously decisions BlackPlastic would disagree with. Particularly M People (1994), Talvin Singh (yawn, 1999) and Ms. Dynamite (WTF? 2002). But the discussion and the deliberation is half the point.

With the shortlist announced on 21 July here are our picks for who may / should get a nod (in no order of course):

The Horrors - Primary Colours
Art-y but relatively approachable and safe, Primary Colours was the shock-horror-it's-actually-alright album of the year when it was released. BlackPlastic loves it and tips it for the win.

Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel
Noisy, unique, dark, mysterious - Late of the Pier's epic début had BlackPlastic gushing when it was released last year. It just sounds so fresh and new. In our opinion Fantasy Black Channel SHOULD win, but it probably won't.

Glasvegas - Glasvegas
Not BlackPlastic's cup of tea but they manage to come across as creative whilst still being a firm Dad favourite. It certainly did Elbow no harm.

Jack Peñate - Everything Is New
The other shock-horror-it's-actually-alright album for this year. To be fair, Jack's début was actually pretty enjoyable (certainly better than the Horrors' first effort) but this is clearly better. An album that drips in hot summer evenings, it took Jack from being an also-ran, coming in second place to Duffy and Adele, and gave him a genre all of his own.

Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
They're like a rowdy British version of Kings of Leon and from a judging point of view that can be no bad thing. Plus, you know, they're actually alright.

Metronomy - Nights Out
With added vocals and a pop sound offensive enough to irritate people on the next pod in your office Metronomy's sophomore effort feels like the Streets for the late 'noughties'. To deny then a place on the shortlist would seem churlish.

James Yorkston - When The Haar Rolls In
Beautiful and haunting and lapped up by the critics James is one of those chaps that most mere mortals have never heard of, let alone invested time and money in. Obviously if this was the late nineties, a time when you had to be unknown to even your mother if you wanted any real chance of winning, Yorkston would be a dead cert. It isn't, and he isn't, but it's still good enough that he could sneak a win.

Florence and the Machine - Lungs
Currently in vogue and universally loved so it seems a bit of a no-brainer for the shortlist, but BlackPlastic would be surprised if Lungs wins on the night.

Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
Radio friendly and inventive, Friendly Fires make better house records than any other 'band' BlackPlastic has heard of, really challenging what people consider rock music to be. It's hard to find people that don't get at least a bit excited by their single 'Paris', and that has to mean something, right?

La Roux - La Roux
Total codswallop in BlackPlastic's opinion but since when did that matter? Bad edgy pop for the masses. She probably has enough attitude in her quiff to give her the edge over Little Boots and if they were both nominated it would be a bit boring, wouldn't it?

Bar for Lashes - Two Suns
Yawn. Loved by journos and students, probably. BlackPlastic doesn't care but she's bound to get nominated anyway.

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
The pop princess it's okay to like, this will help justify press coverage but it would be as ridiculous as, ooh... Ms Dynamite or M People winning if this got the prize.

Okay, so we are clearly missing the random token jazz an classical albums but we just aren't knowledgeable about those genres.

You can check the BBC's coverage of last year's Mercury Music Prize for footage of the winning announcement as well as interviews and performances.

Did we mention we thought the year Dynamite won was stupid?

Any thoughts?

BP x

P.S. We'll be back to discuss the shortlisted albums and predict the winner once the list is confirmed.