There's a Canadian called Ron Sexsmith I like. His album from 2004 called "Retriever" is really something. He kindof has a laid back Coldplay kind of style but he's just slightly American sounding and is a much better songwriter than Chris Martin. I don't know how he manages to come up with tunes that good and not be British. "Not About To Lose" is a song that truly kills me.
Oh yeah and I found out about this Tears For Fears album from 1993 that sounded really good called Elemental.
I've been playing the Scritti Politti album from last year a lot, "White Bread Black Beer". My favourite song is "Petrococadollar". It is really minimal, much like Ron Sexsmith. Minimal is a good thing in this day and age. There are some really badly produced records around today.
I've also been pulling out some really fucking old records. Like the Breathless album "Three Times & Waving". Part of that made me cry it's just so insanely good. I think if I had to put together a top 20 albums of all time, that ought to be in there somewhere.
Also if you haven't heard Kevin Hewick & New Order's song "Haystack" you just haven't lived. Their first recorded output after Ian Curtis died. I was listening to that this weekend because I bought the From Brussels With Love compilaton that just came out on LTM records. Even though I do have a copy of the actual cassette release from 1980 with the Martin Hannett track on it. But I couldn't exactly play the cassette from start to finish because it was too precious and expensive an artifact. So it's fucking great that it's out on CD now. But the Diagram Bros. are better.
Anyway...what was I talking about? Oh yeah. Music. What else can I talk about? Not much.
Oh yeah, about Iggy Pop and The Stooges reunion. Their new song is NOT very good. I think I'm afraid to hear the album, which I haven't yet.
God, I'm hoping the Pixies don't fuck their reunion up in a similar manner.
Hmm...seems to me there were a couple of other new things I was getting excited about...Scottish post punk band The Scars have a new CD reissue of their early material, which is pretty damn cool to know, though I'm not a huge fan of theirs. Also UK shoegazing act Air Formation have a new album, though I didn't like the song I heard from it on MySpace.
God, how much longer til that damn Life Without Buildings live album comes out eh???