Thinking about this year, this is the part I remember, and the part I want to remember. Because what is important is what's in the other direction. And nothing could be more fitting to listen to at this very moment than "September Lady" by Felt. I'm working on a list of the best albums of the year but it'll have to wait another week. Until then, here are some other things that might actually be more interesting.
I've listened to, and fallen in love with so many new bands this year. More than ever, and I find it hard to believe it would be possible to listen to more music than I have done. Also, you have to consider what I have chosen to call 'the Indietracks effect'. What made the festival so important is that there is now actually an indiepop scene, at least in the UK. I think many of the bands, fans, writers, promoters and label owners met out there at Butterley. So here is my list of the Heaven Is Above Your Head/The Rain Fell Down scene - the names of 2007.
The School/The Jerks/The Voluntary Butler Scheme/The Loves, Butcher Boy/All My Friends, Slow Club, Bubblegum Lemonade/Strawberry Whiplash, The Paralellograms, Horowitz, The Royal We, Esiotrot, The Urges, The Fallen Leaves, Pocketbooks, Afternoon Naps, The Dreamers, Moscow Olympics, For Ex-Lovers Only, Pains of Being Pure At Heart, The Bridal Shop, The Hermit Crabs, Clay Hips, The Sunny Street, Liechtenstein, Wake the President, Northern Portrait, The First Division, The Local Heroes, Nalda, Burning Hearts, The Deirdres, Soda Fountain Rag, Beach House, The Felt Tips, Ferns, Maria, Catwalk, The Hillfields.
But as usual, it hasn't all been about new music for me. So here's a list of my biggest obsessions this year - this means that at various points I've been convinced that each of these was the best band/artist EVER.
The Dovers, The Foxgloves, The Relict, Bomb Pops, The School, The Squires, Reserve, Laura Watling, Billy Nicholls, The Suede Crocodiles, Brittle Stars, Paul Chastain & Ric Menck, Life Without Buildings, #Poundsign#, Joe Meek, The Popguns.
4 comments:
I don't like the idea of a scene. It reeks of the NME. Indietracks was great - but I don't think it was the start of anything - as all of the elements there before it happened and were more than active and doing things in Glasgow, Cardiff, Nottingham, London, Bristol etc etc - long before the festival was ever imagined.
I look forward to your favourite records of the year list.
hey!
when i say scene i mean anti-scene really. and even though all the elements were there, as you say, there were a lot of people who met there for the first time - internationally as well as nationally. and you have to admit there's been a better collaboration between venues and clubs since then.
i liked your list! if there's one thing we more than agree on it's the importance of cloudberry.
x
:-) Cloudberry is wonderful. It's one of those things - this time a year ago - I would have thought possible to have happened. Add to the fact that the label has released so many bands - and 99% of them have been good. It shows that the bands are out there. Somewhere.
I'll stick by my assessment of indietracks - but I can see that a lot of people who were previously names on the internet to each other - got together and shared a wonderful weekend. That's made for more of a 'you play my gig, we play your gig' type arrangements in the UK.
Just wish I'd be able to get to Stoke, Nottingham or Birmingham to be at some of these outside London shows.
i wish what was happening in the uk right now for indiepop was happening around here. there's no one here to obsess about it with me :'(
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