Pete:
I'm not really sure how I feel about it all. This may be because I'm horribly hungover but still. I think the arrangement is pretty lame, a key change that doesn't work for me and grandiose instrumentation that wreaks of the same production team that worked on Leona Lewis' cover of Run. Then again, that's a pretty great cover in my opinion and they are of course both under the genius of Simon Cowell so similarity is to be expected.
I guess I'm having trouble seeing the necessity to make a delicate song so ridiculously extravagant. It's just a tad too much for a song that works so perfectly stripped back. Though after my comments about interpretation being so important to music, it would be wrong of me to say that Burke's cover should be similar to Cohen's or Buckley's. So I'll leave the X Factor one alone for the moment, good effort but not quite the right thing for me.

In regards to the Buckley stuff, I completely understand why people are getting behind Buckley so much as it is one of those songs that people hold dear and it does deserve attention. Again, I just wonder if the thousands of people that have already downloaded it actually care about the songs origins, its various incarnations and even the songs meaning. It is a powerful recording by an artist that they have watched develop and win a talent show and they are buying the single to reward her with what she wanted I guess, that coveted Christmas number one.
However, this is making the sweeping assumption that people that watch X Factor have no musical knowledge and do not care about any music that hasn't been manufactured in the last ten years. Which is of course horribly wrong. They might well know and love any or all of the other incarnations and just happen to love this one as well.

And one more thing, it is Rufus Wainright's superb piano version that Buckley based his cover on, not Cohen. This really is the town bike of songs. The question is, whose version is Burke's based on? The guitars at the beginning would indicate Buckley but who knows what from anywhere else.


So after a very windy and unconstructive post, what I'm trying to say is:
It is clear that Burke will get number one, that was never contested I guess. And fair play to people for trying to resurrect a much loved classic cover of a simply beautiful song. It will do well and that will posthomously bring a lot of renewed attention in an interesting artist. And anything to promote people buying music is a great thing. I just have a horrible sinking feeling that one of the world's best songwriters (Leonard Cohen) will be forgotten in the chain and it will be a case of "Have you heard that X Factor cover of Jeff Buckley" as opposed to Cohen. I suppose only time will tell and so what if this does happen? People should be free to discover who they want, like what they want and respect it any way they want.

Fantastic non-commital answer there alex

So, NME have thrown in their 2 cents worth for Album and Tracks of the year. The chart is dominated by MGMT who are yet to tickle any bone in my body but they certainly are appreciated by the masses and NME is the Sun of the music world so it is to be expected.
Quick rundown
#1 album: MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
#9 album: Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
#5 album: Foals - Antidotes
#49 album: Bloc Party - Intimacy
#39 album: Chairlift - Does You Inspire You

The tracks are entirely predictable, the usual Sex on Fire, Wearing My Rolex, bit of Glasvegas though no sign of the Ting Tings anywhere which is a suprise. Anyway, its all on the NME blog if you want to have a look.

My thoughts on the whole sordid process will be up soon but my album list will be on albums that have really impressed me during 2008, not necessarily albums that were released in 2008. Some albums need time to grow and fit better in your listening patterns at different points to the time they were released. For example, 6 months ago, Chairlift's album may not have got a look in, it's dark, minimalistic, slow and a tire to listen to. But it's so so so good because that's the sort of stuff i'm listening to, dark music for a dark place you know? As your music taste evolves, it's natural I think to discover the roots and influences of the genre, inevitably meaning you listen to music from years gone by. It's unfair to discredit albums from your favourite albums list just because they weren't released this year so I wont.

Anyway, I don't know if I'll do a little review of each album or just do a list, depends how it all goes. There are still some late entries to consider too, having finally got my hands on the Ladyhawke album, I'm expecting big things.
Exciting times indeed.

Right, before this goes any further, let me just say that I started this blog to write about music I like that people may not have heard of. I know that I get incensed about certain things and use this as a platform to exorcise my anger but that's not what this is about, not what I'm about.

So, in a remarkable U-turn, I've been thinking if I really have any right to complain about Hallelujah being used as the X factor winner's song this year. Many have seen this as an attack on one of those songs that is deemed untouchable. Like Sweet Home Alabama or Sweet Child O' Mine, there are songs that have been elevated above any others and are seen as artistically perfect. Now, one of the most wonderful things about music is that it is personal and that it evokes a different feeling in every single person. Music thrives on being able to create that hair-standing up feeling in as many people whilst deluding you to think that only you have connected with that song in that way. Songs that enthuse me will chill you in an instant and that is why I have a blog, did a degreee, even have a job in it to some extent.

So, X Factor, if you're listening, You have my permission to cover Hallelujah and do what you will to it. Music should be interpreted and expanded, experimented with to see if there are new ways of interpreting classic arrangements. If I don't like it, I will simply listen to the many cover versions of Hallelujah by so many credible artists that do an interesting an intimate song justice. I will not join a Facebook group saying "Let's put Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah at Xmas no1 to spite X Factor" as I don't think that will achieve anything. I will not complain about how it is destroying an untouchable song as no song should be untouchable.
Arguably more famous than Cohen's original, Buckley's version is of course a cover anyway. If it were about protecting a song, surely the campaign should be for Cohen to go to number one?

Ultimately, the argument is flawed. Covers should be embraced, artists should be allowed to interpret songs in their own way and produce material they want to. If it isn't any good, people will not listen and it will soon disappear into oblivion, like so many of the other covers of this song. The fact that Buckley's version is still so highly revered after so long shows the power of a good cover and X Factor may just surprise you.

Bloody marvellous

Also, I completely forgot to mention that I'm without internet at the flat again for some unknown reason so that'll curb my consumption quite a bit and also make my last fm listening totals a little questionable. Though that song from Mirror's Edge by Lisa Miskovsky is great; cheesy, epic genius.

Two more things, Pause. Break. Riot! have a new song available for free download from their myspace or through last.fm. A fantastic, funny band that are slowly but surely building a reputation, I finally splashed out and bought their EP which is superbly mixed, some great new songs and some cool remixes of the old ones, top notch. And Kings of Leon single is FINALLY out today, meaning that the radio will hopefully stop playing it so incessantly and ruining a pretty good song. It does also mean that the Lykke Li version of Knocked Up is finally out in the open and I'll be sure to get my hands on a copy just as soon as I can work out how to get my bloody internet sorted.

First of all, an apology. My writing has been sporadic, predictable and a little shoddy of late. My life is full of conflicting situations at the moment, one often attempting to drag the others down with it. Work is hectic but promising with a range of fun events passed and upcoming, including my first confirmed band booking with a few other in the pipeline. More on that as I know the details and the contracts are finalised etc. However, it is all very exciting. Then there's the flat situation which obviously the less said about the better in these parts. Luckily to calm me down, I have great friends and a wonderful, supportive girlfriend so this is a quick public thank you to those of you that have helped me through the last few weeks, appreciate it.

So while I try and gather my thoughts during another day in the office, I'll give you a quick heads up on the fantastic new Ladyhawke single that hits the shops today, My Delirium. This is in fact the 4th single by the singer but the first that has managed to grab my attention. It is of course, fantastically produced which is why I'm all over it at the moment. If you shut your eyes and listen hard, trying to identify each instrument, it is a real joy to pick out why the second verse has extra urgency, why the chorus is as catchy as it is. I'm yet to hear the rest of the album but I will get it and if My Delirium is only the 4th single, I'm expecting some big big things from it.

Also, the new Howling Bells track is also pretty fine, and you can download it free from their website. Definately worth checking out.

I'll also TRY and throw in my opinions on my favourite albums of this year though I wouldn't expect any surpirses to be honest. If you've been reading this since the beginning, it'll be pretty easy to predict what'll be up there and maybe even my favourite. I'll let you know when I've decided. In the meantime, enjoy the video for ladyhawke.

Fantastic, in-depth and quite original interview with my favourite London foursome.

http://www.totallydublin.ie/music-feature-bloc-party-8.html

Jealous much? Kings of Leon kicked off their Arena tour last night with what was, from all accounts, a spectacular show. 4 Albums, a progressive sound throughout, thousands of adoring fans and they may still be growing in the US but the UK loves Kings of Leon and they love us just as much. The two hour setlist below shows a band that appreciates that though they have a new album, this is almost a greatest hits tour. With all my favourites in there, it is impossible to fathom just what the o2 and wembley shows will bring. If you're going, don't tell me

Crawl
Taper Jean Girl
Razz
Molly's Chambers
My Party
Sex On Fire
King Of The Rodeo
Joe's Head
Fans
Revelry
Milk
Four Kicks
Pistol of Fire
McFearless
The Bucket
Arizona
Closer
California
Use Somebody
On Call
Cold Desert
Slow Night, So Long
Trani

ENCORE:
Knocked Up
Manhattan
Charmer
Black Thumbnail

Just a quick heads up on some new stuff out this week.

First of all a new single that's been getting a lot of play on my iPod, the funky Dan Black with his next single "yours". Having released one single already in the form of HYPNTYZ, a cover of The Notorious B.I.G, Dan Black is back with a funky electro pop song with samples and effects galore. The lyrics, whilst never venturing into the profound remain catchy enough to sing along to and the repeated acoustic guitar sample is good enough. The production is heavy on this track with plenty of phase, EQ sweeps, the lot and it actually sounds great, despite its glaring presence. It shows the same promise that Calvin Harris showed before creating, in my mind, a slightly disappointing album.

The new single from hotly tipped Florence and the Machine is also out today and after doing the rounds on doing 6 Music and even Radio 1, now is the time for her to make some serious waves and get her highly anticipated album released. After a bit of hunting, she has signed an album deal but as this is only her second single proper, expect a little more time to pass before I start banging on about that.

And finally, my tip for Christmas number one album is the new Bob The Builder album - Never Mind The Breezeblocks. Don't care what's on it, dont care how rubbish it is, as long as it sells more than Glasvegas. Cannot like that band, I've tried, just not a fan.

So yeah, happy christmas shopping and welcome to December.