Streets, The

Mike Skinner as the Streets manages to make records from the comfort of his own basement. It's pretty amazing to think how affective his music is when you consider how it is developed. He is in a category of his own. His mumbled rhymes are hardly mainstream rap but his lyrics are so simple and concern such universal themes that you can't help but listen. To back his words up with his gorgeous productions only adds to the man's, dare I say it, genius.

His first album, 'Original Pirate Material' is still probably his best. It captures his world weary sense of humour better than any of his later stuff, especially on the hilarious 'The Irony of it All'. Listening to it now what surprises most is the very, very pro-drug stance that he didn't ever approach again.

His second album was his breakthrough to the mainstream. A place he never really seemed comfortable. It's pretty clear that he was aiming for the pop charts though. 'Fit but you know it' and 'Dry Your Eyes' were destined to climb singles charts. But it's still a very rewarding listen. It is one of the few 'concept' albums that tells a story but doesn't forget to fill the record with good tracks.

The Streets took a major step back with their next release. 'The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living' is a terribly angry piece of work. It's hard to feel any sympathy towards Skinner when he's angry about how tough life is as a celebrity. It's a rotten album. There's a sense that he's not really trying. The only diamond in this coal pit is 'Never Went to Church'.

After this turgid direction, it was a relief to hear 'Everything is Borrowed', the follow up. It proved that the last record was something Skinner needed to get out of his system but that his wit and sampling skills are certainly not run dry yet. It never reaches the heights of his first two records, but it's a fine album. It's underrated. It also reconfirms Skinner's talent as one that should continue.

Kanye West

Kanye West arrived onto the recording scene with the College Dropout. This was after a number of years of being the go-to producer for the hip/hop scene's biggest names. It was going to be interesting to see if West had as much to say as he did in the sampling studios. He did. It was an incredibly popular debut. Funny at times, the album saved its best material for its more serious tracks. 'Jesus Walks' and 'Through the Wire' are the best examples of West's confident style.

Continuing from where the first album left off, 'Late Registration' was a brash, arrogant follow up. Its singles are stronger than the first record, 'Touch the Sky' and 'Gold-digger' are swaggeringly good summer tunes. The album did show that West isn't as interesting as he first seemed though as his bling-obsessed lyrics became tiresome.

Graduation was a return to form of sorts. It showcased nothing new but West's use of a sample was as good as ever - 'Stronger' is a great floor filler. 'Drunk and Hot Girls' suggested that West was become as misogynistic as the rappers he had laughed off in earlier records.

None of the previous records could have prepared anyone for the calamity that was 808s and Heartbreak. It's an inherently bleak rap record. A testament to West's misfortune in relationships. As West doesn't possess a singing voice he uses a piece of studio equipment to enhance his voice. It's a monumental disaster and needs to be swiftly followed up with a return to what West does best.

Glasvegas

Sounding an awful lot like The Killers if they had impenetrable Scotch accents, Glasvegas' self titled debut is a pulsating collection of anthem rock tracks of the slow build variety. It gets no points for originality but if you like this sort of thing, and I do, then it is an excellent first outing.

Santogold

Taking up the baton that M.I.A. has left with her eclectic mix of dance, reggae and rap, Santogold is a collaboration between Santi White and John Hill that has come up with some great floor fillers. It really can't be overstated how exciting this music is to listen to. It's real party music.

The Ting-Tings

The Ting-Tings somehow bought what seemed to be every second of radio airplay for about a month in 2008. Talk about overplaying your singles. It was very easy to dislike them. And when their debut album, 'We Started Nothing', was released, oversaturation meant it was generally detested.

It's easy to see why. It's all jangly forgettable nonsense with a very derivative singer, all cockney accented up because it's fashionable. But it's hard to dismiss out of hand. It's simple. It's playful. It's genuine pop music. And we don't get to listen to too much of that these days.

White Lies

White Lies have come up with a strikingly unoriginal band name. And their record is similarly cloned from obvious influences like Joy Division. That's not to say 'To Lose My Life' isn't a solid start from the band. It is as good as anyone else is at recreating the sounds of the sombre early 80s working in the 2000s. They should have a bright future.

Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand burst onto the scene in 2004 with their self-titled debut. The record's brief was simple. Get girls to dance to rock music. And it worked. The songs are still big players today and Franz Ferdinand's campy style became something of an unfortunate trademark of the fashion conscious. There is no question that their first album is a brash success. Its energy is contagious.

Their follow up was released too quickly. By following the imprint of the first album, the record hinted that the group was a one-trick pony. There were good songs on 'You Could Have It So Much Better', some more than worthy of the first's starry heights but it felt like Franz Ferdinand were playing it safe. Only 'Elizabeth put your boots On', a ballad, shows that the band has more variety than they have yet expressed.

Their latest, Tonight, is a severe disappointment. It continues the vein of their previous work but it's got a cleaned up production that doesn't suit the group. There was always the danger that the group could veer into pretension and this album is it. A concept album is always a risky venture, often failing for its laughable overambition, but Franz Ferdinand's Tonight effort is just worryingly boring.

Arctic Monkeys

The Arctic Monkeys were hailed as rock n' roll's saviour upon the release of 'Whatever People Say I Am...' and you can still see why such overhype was thrown at them, even if it isn't justifed. Who could possibly justify such a claim? Still, it is a wonderful record. Full of the infectious joy of youth. Alex Turner is a magnificent writer of tales and the band complement his lyrics with a brash confidence. There are a couple of classic tracks here, with 'When the Sun Goes Down' gaining the top prize.



Thankfully, the hype was proven right as Favourite Worst Nightmare is on a par with its predecessor. As expected it is a backlash against the earlier success. It is certainly an angrier recording. Turner's pen is more acidic here but the band work better to compensate. The band's confidence is startling for such a young group.

MGMT

Oracular Spectacular introduced the music fan to the quirky fun of MGMT. The album shows off their wide musical influences and when this album is good, it really is quite amazing. The lead single 'Time to Pretend' is both droll and charming. In fact, their writing is excellent throughout the record. Unfortunately the eclectic nature of their influences means the album bounces around, especially in the latter stages, sounding like a compilation CD. Consider it a mild disappointment.

Good, the Bad and the Queen, The

Another of Damon Albarn's pet projects since the end of Blur, the Good, the Bad and the Queen is a brooding collective of talents making some bittersweet tunes on a London theme. It's all very nice as it plays but it is quite forgettable. It doesn't come close to the Gorillaz efforts but it probably outweighs the later Blur records.

Justice

The French pair, Justice, have taken what their forebearers Daft Punk did but have created a much more playful record in Cross. The record has the usual splicing and dancing of an innovative electronica LP but there are a couple of really fun tracks thrown in such as D.A.N.C.E. and 'The Party'. It's a wonderfully energetic collection of songs and will be heard in clubs for a while yet.

Klaxons, The

The Klaxons are supposedly the birth of a new genre. Nu-rave or something along these lines. It doesn't sound altogether that fresh to my ears. But it's not bad. Myths of the Near Future, their only release so far, has a rough, dirty sounding quality. It's got some wonderfully rowdy tracks. The lyrics, usually on some mythical theme, leave a lot to be desired. How they will eventually be perceived will depend a lot on their follow up.

Bon Iver

Bon Iver's debut For Emma, Forever Ago seemed to give a lot of people pleasure but it's a bit twee really. His vocal is certainly not for everyone - a strained mumble. The regular mention of winter in the lyrics is likely to leave the listener cold.

His follow up EP Blood Bank is just as difficult to engage with. Its final track is a sound collage that we should all be grateful Mr. Iver got out of the way on this small collection. It's dreadful.

Fleet Foxes

The Fleet Foxes eponymous debut is a sparkling concoction of tunes designed to sooth the listener. It opens sounding like a lost track from 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' and continues wearing its Neil Young influences on its sleeve from then until the finish. It's very different than anything else released in 2008. It's light, mellow tunes hide some wonderfully thoughtful stories amongst the lyrics. It really is a smashing listen.

Killers, The

The Killers mix of supposedly serious lyrics and upbeat music can be delightfully camp. They manage to make pretension sound endearing.

Their first album, Hot Fuss, is probably still the best example of their style. It's big, brash, front loaded and it really works. A number of tracks will be filling the dance floors for many years to come.

The success of Hot Fuss led to the frighteningly over confident Sam's Town. At times it's embarrassing to hear the lead singer, Brandon Flowers, spout the insipidly shallow lyrics with such gusto but if you let the lyrics wash over you there is still plenty fun to be had here.

The B-side collection, Sawdust, that followed was a return to form of sorts. It had the benefit of having a few knock offs from the earlier album. Like most B-side collections, it's a messy thing to listen to in one go but there are great moments, most notably in the duet with Lou Reed. If the knockoff collection can contain as many rousing moments as this, it shows how natural it is for the Killers to make such lively music.

Their latest work, Day & Age, reverts to the more dance oriented rock of their debut. It's even sillier than before but it's hard not to be captivated by their innocent, very theatrical records.

Last Shadow Puppets, The

The Last Shadow Puppet's self-titled album is a rousing departure from the talents of the Arctic Monkeys and The Rascals. It's clear that the two men involved, Alex Turner and Miles Kane, see the group as an opportunity to explore sounds that their respective groups would never dare to. The lush orchestration veers it towards the camp and only the unruly production saves it. It's a light and carefree collection of sounds. 'My Mistakes Were Made for You' is probably the best track to sample this high-wire act.

Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend's self title record is a carefree, exuberant record. It's a pleasant but very fleeting first effort. I can't imagine many of these tracks will be on playlists in years to come.

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire's style of anthemic rock is hard to ignore. It's nearly always accompanied by a driving pulse that gives it great urgency. It's not to everybody's taste. Win Butler's voice is grating at first listen but in time, his pleading should convert any listener. It's only when Regine Chassigne takes over singing duties that their Albums descend into squawking mediocrity. She's a poor man's Bjork.



Their first album, Funeral was written around the time of a number of deaths amongst the group's immediate family. It's never a sombre listen though. It's a clever, almost melodramatic record. It could very easily have succumbed to whimsy but the fact that the group lacks a sense of humour saves it. There's very little irony on Funeral. Very little cynicism. It's refreshing. The production is lovely.
Neon Bible can't compare with Funeral's freshness but it's a satisfactory follow-up all the same. Tracks like 'Intervention' and 'Keep the Car Running' are suitably huge stadium fillers but the rest of the tracks sound weary.
It remains to be seen whether the group can ever top their magnificent beginnings.