Mew: Snow Brigade

It's snowing outside! 'nuff said!

I'm an accountant (or controller), which means that I love numbers and figures. So I'm impatiently awaiting new updates at Audioscrobbler, so I can check the development in my "Top Artists" list.

However, at Last.FM you have the possibility to "view all artists you've submitted and associated play counts". So this morning I copied the data to Excel and started analyzing and comparing it to the "Top 50 Artists" information generated by Audioscrobbler 21 February.

Totally I've played 1209 songs by 134 artists, which is an average slightly above 9 songs per artist. 17 artists are only represented by 1 song, but 40 artists have had tracks played 10 times or more.

Ranking:
1) Doves (+5 positions ; +63 tracks played)
2) Interpol (+1 ; + 31)
3) Pink Floyd (-2 ; +14)
4) Kent (-2 ; +4)
5) Bloc Party (New Entry ; +40)
6) Neil Young (-1 ; +6)
7) Ian Broudie (-3 ; +0)
8) The Jesus and Mary Chain (-1 ; +4)
9) Semisonic (-1 ; +3)
10) The Beach Boys (+10 ; +14)

Beware - these artists are "aiming" at a top 10 ranking:
The Smiths, The Stills and The Arcade Fire.

I will try to update the top 10 when the "tracks played" reach 2000.

New album added to my CD-Collection (CD's purchased in 2005):
The Arcade Fire: Funeral

Finally, FINALLY! Yesterday the hyped, much talked about and critically acclaimed debut album by The Arcade Fire was added to my collection. Ordered it a long time ago and despite it was released in Denmark mid-January it didn't arrive until last night.

I have previously listened to several (downloaded) songs, which left a really good impression (especially Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)), but I'm obviously looking forward to hearing the album as a whole. Will post some comments when I've listened to it 8-10 times.

Interpol: Antics

After "over" playing Take You on a Cruise the past few days, it was a logic choice to take a much needed closer look at the bands second album.

Unfortunately it's a rather bumpy ride listening through the album. Or maybe a "downhill glide" is a more fitting/accurate description. The album starts out with four brilliant songs, which make you start believing that you're listening to a potential classic.

Sadly there is a noticeable drop in the quality of the songs on the last half of the album. Not that those songs are bad, but they just leave you disappointed. The band should blame itself, because expectations had to be high after the opening four tracks.
Best songs:
1) Take You on a Cruise
2) Evil
3) Next Exit

Obviously yesterday was primarily spent listening to Some Cities by Doves. But I also gave Silent Alarm by Bloc Party a proper listen on my way home.

What did I think of the albums then?

Well the first impressions were mixed, because neither album made me scream "wow","ye-ha" or anything similar for that matter. However I should recall that my rendezvous' with the other Doves albums weren't love at first sight either, because they both took quite a while to get used to/like. Today they are among my favourite albums, so I'm actually very positive and feel certain that Some Cities and I are in "the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"

Since Silent Alarm is their debut it's (very) logically my first encounter with Bloc Party. So unlike Doves I don't have any idea if the album will grow on me, or if it's doomed for a permanent spot in the back of the archive. So stay tuned for more comments.

Despite listening to those two albums a lot yesterday, the "over" played track of the day was Taking You On a Cruise by Interpol. For some odd reason (it's probably just because it's a brilliant song, which really isn't that odd) I'm totally fascinated by that song. A love to last forever? Time will tell I guess!

Finally there's been an update, so these are (my) Top 10 Artists at Audioscrobbler (as per 21 February 2005):

1) Pink Floyd (New entry)
2) Kent (2)
3) Interpol (9)
4) Ian Broudie (1)
5) Neil Young (3)
6) Doves (New entry)
7) The Jesus and Mary Chain (4)
8) Semisonic (8)
9) The Beatles (5)
10) Angie Aparo (6)

Expected more and bigger changes though I guess a new no. 1 compared to the last update on 15 February has to be considered a big change - nicht wahr?

New albums added to my CD-Collection:
Bloc Party: Silent Alarm
Doves: Some Cities

I will definitely play both albums a lot the next few days/weeks, but I've especially been looking forward to the Doves album (probably the second best band in the world).

First listen sounded promising, but will post more comments as soon as I've become more familiar with the album.

A-Ha: Scoundrel Days

I remember that when the album was released in 1986 I quickly judged it as "bad", because it did not contain the obvious hit songs as Hunting High and Low. However it didn't take long for me to change my mind, because it was clear to anyone that the band had matured in a very positive way since their debut album.
Today Scoundrel Days works a whole lot better than the first album and to me is a clear-cut pick as their best album.
I have two complaints/questions concerning the album though. Why was Alan Tarney asked to produce, because on too many occasions Morten Harket sounds like Cliff Richard (this definitely is no accolade)? And why was the horrible Cry Wolf ever included?
Best songs:
1) The Swing of Things
2) Scoundrel Days
3) Manhattan Skyline

Neil Young: After The Gold Rush

On 21 January 2005 I wrote that I was looking forward to getting more familiar with this album. Since then I've probably listened to it a dozen times and have grown into loving it. It's easy to hate his thin, fragile voice, but the songwriting is unbelievable, which makes this a highly recommendable album. Simply explained this is just one of those albums that seem to get 5% better each time you listen to it!
Best songs (forcing myself to pick 3 even though the album consists of 11 brilliant songs!):
1) Birds
2) Only Love Can Break Your Heart
3) After The Gold Rush

(My) Top 10 Artists at Audioscrobbler (as per 15 February 2005):

1) Ian Broudie
2) Kent
3) Neil Young
4) The Jesus And Mary Chain
5) The Beatles
6) New Order + Angie Aparo
8) Semisonic
9) Grandaddy + Fountains of Wayne + Interpol + Belle and Sebastian

It would be very nice with more frequent updates at Audioscrobbler, but since it's a free service who am I to complain? Will post my Top 10 the next time it's updated, because I expect quite a few changes!?

And since today's topic seems to be Top Lists, this is my Media Player Top 5 as per this morning:

1) OMD: Of All The Thing We've Made
2) Grandaddy: Now It's On
3) Fans Of Kate: Tape 23
4) OMD: The Romance Of the Telescope
5) The Smiths: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Bullets (Play Count is rising fast):
Kent: Max 500
Depeche Mode: Halo
Neil Young: Birds
The Killers: All These Things That I've Done
Prefab Sprout: When Love Breaks Down
Television: Marquee Moon
Semisonic: El Matador
The Rolling Stones: She's a Rainbow

Television: Marquee Moon

This album by Television is ranked as the 26th best of all time at Acclaimed Music and 25th at Rate Your Music, so obviously I've been tempted to check it out. So I bought the album a couple of weeks back and finally yesterday I listened to it twice in the office and this morning it was my morning entertainment in the car.

Still a little too early to tell if it's really that influential rock masterpiece that everybody claims it is (I need more listens), though the first impressions are very positive. No matter what I definitely won't hesitate to recommend the title track - it is 10:40 long and absolutely fantastic!