Was possibly one of the most important months of my life. And consequently, is pretty hard to remember what I was listening to, what I was looking forward to and what was meaning a lot to me. It was a month of tracks as opposed to albums, where my attention needed to be constantly engaged and my appreciation was more of songs than of the effort put into the complete package of an album. So, I'll review a couple of tracks instead of having to pick one album over another.
1) Kate Nash - Nicest Thing. For those of you that have been here from the beginning, yo
u'll have heard my rant about this track many a time. Basically from start to finish, it's magical. Starting with a single delayed electric guitar playing a simple phrase, the songs introduces subtle strings before stripping everything back again to allow Kate's hushed voice to take centre stage. Foundations couldn't be further removed from this heartbreaking song, with Kate's haunting vocals begging for a chance, a reciprocation of emotion, an acknowledgement that she exists. Though the delivery of the track is very similar to her other songs with the lack of regular rhythm and sometimes slightly forced rhyme, it is this awkwardness that makes the delivery so natural, augmenting the angst and discomfort of a one way relationship.
u'll have heard my rant about this track many a time. Basically from start to finish, it's magical. Starting with a single delayed electric guitar playing a simple phrase, the songs introduces subtle strings before stripping everything back again to allow Kate's hushed voice to take centre stage. Foundations couldn't be further removed from this heartbreaking song, with Kate's haunting vocals begging for a chance, a reciprocation of emotion, an acknowledgement that she exists. Though the delivery of the track is very similar to her other songs with the lack of regular rhythm and sometimes slightly forced rhyme, it is this awkwardness that makes the delivery so natural, augmenting the angst and discomfort of a one way relationship."Basically, I wish that you loved me,I wish that you needed me,
I wish that you knew when I said two sugars, actually I meant three.
I wish that without me your heart would break,
Yea, I wish that without me you'd be spending the rest of your nights awake"
2)Maximo Park - Books From Boxes.
From the roller coaster second album from Newcastle's own Maximo Park, Book From Boxes was 
the standout track for me in what was clearly a singles album. Our Velocity and Girls Who Play Guitars were both wonderful tracks with some crafty songwriting and fantastic production but it was Books From Boxes that caught my imagination for longest. Another (surprisingly) song about heartbreak and romance, I luckily latched onto songs that portrayed this overexposed emotion with wit and in a poetic nature, as demonstrated by Paul Smith. The track is your standard Maximo Park pop song with melodic guitar lines, constantly changing pace and understated harmonies with a smattering of cheesy lyrics for good measure. I like this track so much because its a heartfelt song by a band that aren't traditionally known for their vulnerability. It sounds fantastic with just enough going without overpowering the track and its lyrics are superb.
the standout track for me in what was clearly a singles album. Our Velocity and Girls Who Play Guitars were both wonderful tracks with some crafty songwriting and fantastic production but it was Books From Boxes that caught my imagination for longest. Another (surprisingly) song about heartbreak and romance, I luckily latched onto songs that portrayed this overexposed emotion with wit and in a poetic nature, as demonstrated by Paul Smith. The track is your standard Maximo Park pop song with melodic guitar lines, constantly changing pace and understated harmonies with a smattering of cheesy lyrics for good measure. I like this track so much because its a heartfelt song by a band that aren't traditionally known for their vulnerability. It sounds fantastic with just enough going without overpowering the track and its lyrics are superb."We rarely see warning signs in the air we breathe,
Right now I feel each and every fragment"
"Scattered Polaroids and sprinkled words around your collar in the long run
you said you knew that this would happen
The pounding rain continued it's bleak fall
And we decided just to write after all, after all"
3) Brand New - Handcuffs
I've followed Brand New for a fair few years now, beginning with their breakthrough album Deja Entendu, stepping back to their first album and then last year, getting my hands on the new album The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me. Deja Entendu for me was an instant hit thanks to Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't thanks to its broody, angst-ridden 
lyrics and powerful explosion of noise and the iconic Quiet Things That No one Ever Knows. TDAGARIM was an equally impressive album continuing the dark themes of the first album both lyrically and musically with the token acoustic track that Brand New seem to write oh so well. I listened to Handcuffs many a time and each time I found myself surprised when I could hear a new instrument being played as I couldn't remember it being introduced, such was my concentration Jesse's vocal delivery. The track grows and evolves around the lyrics with string and percussive accompaniment all introduced with such ease and subtlety that you are unaware of the storm brewing behind the vocals. The track speaks of boredom, frustration, irritation whilst maintaining a sense of apathy to detach from whatever situation. The lyrics are by no means ground-breaking but it is the musical intelligence and consideration within the track that I really caught on to.
lyrics and powerful explosion of noise and the iconic Quiet Things That No one Ever Knows. TDAGARIM was an equally impressive album continuing the dark themes of the first album both lyrically and musically with the token acoustic track that Brand New seem to write oh so well. I listened to Handcuffs many a time and each time I found myself surprised when I could hear a new instrument being played as I couldn't remember it being introduced, such was my concentration Jesse's vocal delivery. The track grows and evolves around the lyrics with string and percussive accompaniment all introduced with such ease and subtlety that you are unaware of the storm brewing behind the vocals. The track speaks of boredom, frustration, irritation whilst maintaining a sense of apathy to detach from whatever situation. The lyrics are by no means ground-breaking but it is the musical intelligence and consideration within the track that I really caught on to.So that was August, bleak lyrically, inspiring musically and always satisfying. And of course what is August without Reading Festival? And that inspired pretty much the next 12 months of music...
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