Kings Of Leon: Rank the albums

Sooo. Lets keep it current eh. Well not that current their new album came out a couple of weeks ago. And everyone's done one of these. But screw you I'm doing one too. Since they entered public consciousness in 2003, we have seen KOL transform from hay-loving Tennessee hicks with handlebar moustaches, men who shout YA’LL GAT PURDDYY LIPS at girls to woe them… to clean-cut smart looking lothario global superstars who underwear models just adore. There’s no doubting Kings Of Leon are one of the biggest bands in the world. But which Kings Of Leon do you like most? The slick arena band with a taste for driving verses and epic choruses, or the dirty, rough and ready Southern stoner boys? Does anyone care? Well you do because you’re somehow reading this page. YA’LL GAT PURDDYY LIPS.

6) Mechanical Bull

(2013)

Kings Of Leon’s sixth album comeback. Surely they can do it. Rocky Balboa came back in his sixth film. Henry the VIII found love in the 6^th marriage. Chad Kroeger has 6 penises. Unfortunately, for me, Mechanical Bull is more a The Fast and the Furious 6 than a fighting comeback. I loved Supersoaker, the driving verse, it felt like Caleb was either venting some pent up frustration, that or he was recording the song whilst on the John. But it just feels a bit like a drab U2 album. And who listens to them anymore. It Don’t Matter To Me just sounds so watered down, and Beautiful War and Wait For Me don't even sound like Kings Of Leon. Oh well.

5) Only by the Night

(2008)

Somewhere along the line, Kings Of Leon must have asked some overweight super-millionaire record company execs how they could earn a bit more money. These rich men told the boys to cut their hair and record a bland stadium rock album, with songs that contain simple hooks which silly people who watch Glee would enjoy. It worked, turning them into one the biggest bands on the planet. However, musically this was the album Kings Of Leon turned from credible artists to stadium sell-outs. Even so, there are still some highlights, Crawl is a cracker and Revelry isn’t a bad song. But even the guys in the band hate Sex On Fire and Use Somebody. However they do now have super model wives and fans all across the world. So I doubt they're too fussed.

4) Come Around Sundown

(2010)

I like this one. Ok ok its not exactly as exciting as this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUfuZJI9LK4 but its at times mellowing, at times gloomy, but also at times reminiscent nature seems at home in the long drive home you do when you’re driving home to see your mum once in a while. Unless you never do that. You cold cold bastard. Some have argued its uninspiring and KOL on auto-pilot. But I think it was more a step away from stadium sing-alongs, into a mellower and more introspective album.

3) Because Of The Times

(2007)

The Leon’s third album was an interesting album that often kept you guessing what was coming next, a bit like when Russell Brand opens his mouth (oh a popular culture reference there). Starting off with the hauntingly wonderful and downbeat Knocked Up, back to Caleb’s screaming we love on Charmer, the fascinatingly evolving True Love Way, towards the epicly toned The Runne,. the variety on this album makes it as thoroughly enjoyable to listen to as Piers Morgan admitting that he’s a twat.

2) Aha Shake Heartbreak
(2004)

Only a year after their cracking debut, Kings released this brilliant follow up. The Southern brashness of their debut was left behind on this one, and instead a marrying of new sounds and more upbeat tempo’s and tones. This is evident in The Bucket (how can you not like that song), Velvet Snow and King Of The Rodeo. There is still the daring side reminiscent of their debut on Four Kicks and Pistol Of Fire, and the slow songs are huge winners, Milk a wonderfully ambient song which builds evolves and contracts beautifully, and which is just something else compared to Use Somebody. Day Old Blues is another slower song of which the Kings just can’t seem to match later in their career when they seem to do more of them. This album wails of American adolescence, freedom and fun, and to have produced it so soon after their debut is just damn impressive if you ask me.

1) Youth and Young Manhood

(2003)

This is without doubt one of my favourite albums of the last 20 years. The year was 2003. Music was shit. The biggest selling artists of the year? 50 Cent, the man who enjoys lecturing  in force about women’s rights and explaining to youngsters how to make money through a respectful career and hard work. Avril Lavigne, lady who began with an image slaughtering the use of sex to sell music, then later used sex to sell music.. Linkin Park.-Linkin Park. Yes music was shit. But out of nowhere these Tennessee rough and ready rockers emerge, smashing whiskey bottles and covered in cigarette burns, along with a menacing aura and great big bushy beards. They stuck out because they didn’t fit in. They didn’t dress like anyone else. They didn’t sound like anyone else. They brought an edgy southern Garage Rock to the table, and a fresh sense of genuine rebelliousness and danger which no one else had, or anyone has had since. The album is just brilliant from start to finish- from the opening chords of Red Morning Light, through to the rough and ready Wasted Time, the Punky California Waiting, the best song they’ve ever done Molly’s Chambers, and finishing with the epic Holy Roller Novercaine. The authenticity of the album, the fuzzy rhythms and dirty licks and the sheer Southern whisky chuggin’ energy of the album is intoxicating, and unforgettable.   

Top 10 worst dressed musical acts of all time

I like clothes, clothes are good. They keep you warm, make you look cool, and most importantly, allow you to fit in with the majority of the human race. But if the main function of clothes is to make you fit in, why do some people do the opposite, and wear attire to blatantly shock people and segregate themselves? Well in the music world it tends to get you more attention, which tends to boost your record sales, which tends to give you a property portfolio in Monaco. Well sometimes it works out like that. But anyway this week I'm going to count down the top 10 worst dressed musical acts of all time, be they consistent fashion negligence, being caught up in an era fashion forgot, or just getting it wrong on a single performance which will haunt them forever.

10) Red Hot Chili Peppers (Light bulb costumes at 1994 Woodstock)

When lead singer Anthony Kiedis said to the Chili's "Hey guys, lets wear these costumes", their response should have been "I'm not wearing a huge fucking light bulb on my head you dick, I won't be able to see the instrument i'm playing, my head will be hotter than a volcano's arse, and most importantly I'll just look like a twat with a huge bulb on my head. But they didn't. And ended up looking like that ^.

9) Mumford And Sons

I know I've slagged these boys off before. I know they're an easy target. Maybe I should just leave them alone. You know, just give them a chance. Actually no they should fuck off. What with their antiquated business name, the millions they've made from their rubbish music, and the ridiculous faux folk costumes they've come up with.

8) Tokio Hotel

If your dream is to see a tribute act for the super group consisting of a male Nicole Scherzinger, a member of The Cult, a tubby Eminem, and a white Lil Wayne, then go and see this German pop group. Thats if you don't mind their blatant and unashamed desperation to appeal to as many teenagers as possible by dressing their members in a poorly constructed diverse range of styles. Their music is also schrecklich.

7) John Deacon (Queen Bassist)

He was never the focal point of Queen, nor did he want to be, but his choice of clothing was so atrocious it was difficult to ignore, especially when he wore shorts so small his balls would often dangle in and out like a loose yo yo. It frequently put the audience in an awkward position; the people on the stage are supposed to be cooler than you, yet he was up there with his Leo Sayer barnet wearing clothes that Cliff Richard wouldn't even wear when he's playing tennis.

6) Manowar

I don't know where to start. Obviously they don't dress like this all the time, but what on earth would make 4 adult men who must have some degree of rationality and reason, pose for this photo??! It looks like 4 men about to take part in a mythical porn movie, washed down afterwards with a 1930's style weight lifting session.

5) Peter Gabriel

When he wanted to, Peter Gabriel could look pretty cool, what with his cavorting with Kate Bush and Sinead O' Connor in his arms whilst wearing a suave pinstripe suit, at times he looked like a dapper blue eyed eighties pop icon lothario. But instead most of the time he chose to dress up like a huge flower, a gothic roman solder, a huge testicle called 'The slipperman', or just wear a triangular box on his head and call himself 'Magog'. No he didn't look cool in any of them. On the plus side at least he provided material for Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy. Or maybe not as it was terrible. BRING BACK THE MIGHTY BOOSH!

4) Lady Gaga

No I won't put her as number one. You know why? Because that is exactly what she would want. Ok, maybe not to be number one of some nobody's blog that she's never going to read, but rather to be recognised eternally as a pioneering Queen of Pop who creates incredibly innovative fashion ideas like a modern female equivalent of David Bowie. I just see a woman with limited musical talent being told by record executives that the only way she would ever stay in the public eye is to keep wearing stupider and stupider outfits just so she stays in the headlines.

3) Goat

These guys look absolutely terrifying. Whats not shown in picture is the two members in gimp masks. If you woke up in a room with these guys, you'd have to seriously question your morals; as it would appear likely that you would have just taken part in an intensive 1600's style hyper-orgy. Check your head, as you may have just got with Henry VIII. 

2) Lordi

Oh lordy look at the state of these lot. The Finnish 2006 Eurovision winners look like they've wandered off from a cheap ghost train, crossing the China sized grey area of looking good and just looking fucking creepy.  Other bands such as Gwar enjoy wearing similar weird ass costumes. Each to their own I guess, but I see less appeal in their choice of look than I do with the style of comedy used in Two and a Half Men.

1) Kanye West (Leather skirt at Hurrican Sandy performance 2012)

Few men can pull off skirts. In the past bands have used wearing skirts as a shock jock tactic, showing they don't give a fuck so much, that they will even wear cross-gender clothing just to show off their apparent lack of concern to conforming to the Western ideal of what to and what not to wear. So if that is the case, even fewer can pull of a leather skirt. One man bravely tried it though. And, according to Kanye, he is the voice of a generation, so he can try what ever he bloody wants. Except he can't because he looked like a huge nob. Despite the performance being for a good cause, Kanye was so embarrassed by the gargantuan hilarity the public found in him attempting to wearing a cow hide skirt, he tried to ban photos of it from the internet. But if he's such an innovative genius, he should know once somethings on the internet, its likely to be there forever.

Top 10 most impressive beards in the music business

The best of them had beards. Jesus Christ. Leonardo da Vinci. William Shakespeare. Charles Darwin. Even life insurance fraud idol, the canoe boy himself John Darwin, had one. So in celebration of these bearded dragons, this week I shall be compiling the best ten beards of all time in the music business. No we’re not tired of beards quite yet. Just because a load of hipsters have them doesn’t mean they’re not still cutting edge. I mean look at this fella. Just look at him.

       

German philospher Friedrich Engles raised the bar of the eternal male beard growing competition. He probably has more knowledge in that huge beard than any of us have in our tiny little brains. Lets see if anyone in this list comes even close to this leviathan of a beard.

10) Dave Grohl

Grohl has looked soo much cooler since having a beard. In fact you could argue he has been the poster boy for the modern middle aged man ideal of growing a beard to look that bit more youthful. 

9) Rick Ross

Rick Ross may not be to everyone's tastes, especially the Miami police department and 50 Cent, but even those guys can't deny he looks like a right badass with that beard. Don't try and tell him you don't like his beard to his face; as you may end up like Milhouse did when he gave Nelson Muntz a love note from Lisa Simpson.

8) Jim Morrison

Another beard pioneer. Jim Morrison's beard growing was one of the first 'when the wheels come off' beards which have become synonymous with loveable rouges who get a bit troubled and become a bit crazy. Joaquin Phoenix in I'm Still Here and a fired Ron Burgundy in Anchorman are two weak examples of this.

7) Barry Gibb

Just look at the man. Barry Gibb was part lion, part man, making it ok for the first time for men to walk around with their chest hair out, wear silver leather jackets, and to move to the irresistible sounds of a funky disco bass-line. 

6) Dennis Wilson

Try growing one of these. Just try it. You'll never succeed. Because you don't possess Dennis Wilson's rugged face. The photo itself sends out several different signals. In some ways he looks like a lifeguard from a 70's cutting edge seafront drama, in other ways he looks like a huntsman capable of wrestling a bear, and in other ways looks like a tired and overgrown drug addict. I think he's all three.

5) Scroobius Pip

Criminally unheard of, Scroobius Pip, the bard of Essex, displays an impressive beard which has caused many a fan to query if he's a muslim. Which he is not. But enough about that, stop reading this blog and listen to his music. Or put his music on in the background and read the rest of this blog. There, that would be better.

4) Zakk Wylde

Who else can boast at having a longer beard than the rest of us, then have a further girth of pony tail below THAT beard. It almost looks like a tidy nettle patch. Ozzy Osbourne's old guitarist has a longer pony tail than your wife. ON HIS FACE.

3) George Harrison

Those Beatles lads all grew beards at one point and it was always going to be difficult to choose who had the best one. But George always seemed to pull it off the best. He appeared as a mystical, almost wizard type man, one who appears out of nowhere in the woods and tell you to follow him, and his army of wildlife who are entrapped by his enchanted flute playing, to the horizon.

2) ZZ Top

These boys (well two of them, ironically the only member without a beard has the surname… yes yes we all know) have had foot-long beards since the 70’s, turning down million dollar offers by corporate shaving brands to shave them off. Well done I say. Well done I say also, for managing to get laid so frequently despite having those mangy beavers hanging from your faces.

1) Rick Rubin

The man who looks like the almighty himself, Rubin has possessed an unrivaled beard for decades, producing albums for acts such as Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chili Peppers, AC/DC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, Aerosmith, Slayer, Jay-Z, Beastie Boys, Rage Against The Machine, Johnny Cash, Metallic and Kanye West, all the while not giving a fuck and sporting his gargantuan facial locks with pride. 

Top 10 Reasons why Daft Punk are amazing

Recently Daft Punk broke Spotify streaming records in both the UK and the USA, with their newest song Get Lucky becoming the most streamed song in 24 hours. Spotify have also broken other records this week; broken up the records which I cherish by fucking annoying adverts telling me to buy demeaningly over-priced car insurance.

Their promotional campaign for their new album, to be released this year, has been extremely successful so far with the Punks dropping random hints on what their new album will be about in small segments, and the hype is becoming huge. Their new tune Get Lucky has been number one in 8 countries and in the top 10 a further 9. How do you like them bananas planet earth.

But why is everyone so excited? Why does everyone love these robot weirdo’s so much? Well I’ll tell you why. I'll tell you why in the, believe me, not worn out format of a top 10 list.

1) The songs One More Time, Aerodynamic, Digital Love, Harder Better faster Stronger.

The first four songs of their brilliant second album Discovery will literally get even the ultra buzz-killington up and dancing, or at least jumping about in a drunken stupor. If your head doesn’t move at least once after listening to any of these for tracks, you are a stone cold rock my friend. And not this type of rock-

2) They've always insisted on artistic control over their music

When record labels came a knocking on their door pre-debut album Homework, the duo turned down several offers, because they would rather have control over their music and have less money, than have more money and less control over their music. Good. We like that. This is possibly one of the reasons why the boys have never done a Kings of Leon, and traded their authentic cutting edge music for lame corporate-event music.

3) They wrote the soundtrack to Tron: Legacy

Like the Tron films? No? Then I don’t like you. Daft Punk did the soundtrack for the second film, and it was clearly one of the best things about the film. Apart from that Tron car.

4) Their popularity opened the door to other great French electronic music

Daft Punk’s popularity outside of France helped open the French Electro door to the world. Out of the door has come Air, Justice, Yelle, Breakbot and several more. And they’re all great. Listen to them.

5) Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

Has anyone actually seen this?!? Its the Anime film (no not Hentai you perrrv) which featured in Daft Punk’s videos for all their singles from Discovery, in one long film. Each track from Discovery has its own short story, albeit with virtually no dialogue, explaining the story of the abduction and rescue of an alien pop band. Its proper mind blowing classic 70’s Anime running along their amazing music, it’s visually immense, a Yellow Submarine of the Space Dance Pop of Daft Punk.

6) Their live shows

When you see Daft Punk live its like being transformed to another planet. Its an incredible experience, where two robots taking you on a translucent lazer light journey to the future. And for once its not because you've taken too much 2CB. So, so, soooo much better than watching 4 hipster twats playing lifeless Indie rock.

7) For Around The World

Whats not to like about their first single from their debut album Homework?! Its so simplistic but that's its genius. Its bass-line is incredibly catchy, and  hooks you in from the start, taking you on a journey of French House music. They showed their ability of creating fantastic electronic music, by using so few musical patterns throughout, yet keeping you captivated for 7 minutes.

8) They play absolutely everything

What do you play? The guitar? Drums? Bit of both? What do these French lads play? Well to date on their albums like the bad asses they are they've recorded themselves playing the guitar, bass, keyboard, synths, piano, drum machine, vocals, and used music sequencers and vocoders. Oh and they produced all their albums too. More talent than Ashlee Simpson? You decide.

9) They’ve always been Robots

Life styles of the rich and the famous. Good Charlotte sang about these attention seekers. Yet they only did the song to become rich and famous. So not only were they uncouthly shit, they were also hypocrites. But DP shunned all of that stuff, and never let anyone know anything about them or their personal lives, or even what they really look like, and in the promotion for Daft Punk's Electroma they were even interviewed with their backs turned. And good on them. The mystique brings back a glistening of 1970’s glam, when pop stars used to be these spacemen from Uranus.

10) They didn’t win a Brit Award whenever they were nominated

Have you seen who won Brit Awards this year? Its an embarrassment to win one of these things, because it shows you are part of the modern sludge of crap of which modern British music has become. The only reputable band who won this year, the Black Keys, obviously didn’t even show up. And so the fact The Punks have never won a Brit Award just confirms their status as legendary electronic music pioneers.

Top 5 most Overrated and 5 most Underrated bands today

Yes I’m back. Back again. Tell a friend. If you have any. You are reading a blog written by a stranger. So probably not. This is my first top 10 in this new year, and the Gregorian calendar has exposed just how lazy I am in not doing a list for at least 4 months, so from now on this blog officially works in concurrence with the Chinese Calendar yeh. So…

…Anyway. Here is the top 5 underated and then 5 overated bands. At this present moment. April 2013. Biased towards Western Music of course. Because I am ignorant. But you can take comfort in the fact that I don’t get paid to do this, whereas people who work for the NME do. And they’re just as ignorant to music of the Shiretoko Peninsula as I am…

…they also disabled all the comment sections on their articles as their poorly informed and factually inept articles kept being rightly ripped apart by their readers due to their shoddy journalism…

…But anyway. I know people reading this are going to be thinking “you’re just choosing arty bands who haven’t fully broken into the mainstream as the underated bands and the biggest selling, most successful stadium bands as the most overated bands.” And you would be right. But that is largely, I feel, due to the injustice that so many more people hear this bland grey corporate sludge which is labelled up and sold to us just like Big Macs are, than listening to genuine artistic originality and flair, organic music which has a meaning and purpose and genuinely moves you in such a way of which music was supposed to in the first place. Music is an art. Lets keep it that way.

The 5 most overrated bands in the world at the moment

5) Franz Ferdinand

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZGcw9HHOkU

Archduke Ferdinand was a hipster in the 1800's. Look at that moustache.This band took his name, and has somehow made a career through the success of one song- Take Me Out. Like The Killers, because of the success of their early career, its presumed all of their average output since their self-titled debut album is still warrant enough for them to headline festivals every year. They desperately cling on to the ‘move your hips’ formula they used to great effect in their first album, and their new stuff is as unmemorable as the plot from Avatar. They were all blue. That’s all I can remember. 

4) Mumford and Sons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGKfrgqWcv0

We are lads, we play Folk Rock so we’re really different, we wear country bumpkin clothes to show you how home grown we are, we’re clearly sensitive boys, we have an antiquated family business name as our band name how very authentic, oh look what we did, we referenced Shakespeare, how literate are we. NO!! I see through your inauthenticity, and so does Manchester’s Town Crier Liam Gallagher, who I quote claimed “Mumford & Sons look like they've got fucking nits”.

3) Muse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KQmps-Sog

Have you heard? Muse are headlining every festival in the world this year. Not going to a festival this year? Ah right well don’t you worry because guess who will be headlining every festival in the world next year too. Yep. Muse. The year after? Muse again. Its funny how most festival organisers know they’re guaranteed a huge crowd if they get Muse to headline, even though most of the people in the audience have probably seen them 5 times already doing exactly the same set. Just go away and MUSE for a while yeh, so I can get Uprising out of my head for the first time in 5 fucking years. And stop stealing Queen’s riffs.

2) The Killers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMbyWSGYUgc

Never mind The Killers, these guys used to be, ah yah, like, totally the SKILLers of rock music. I mean they followed up an absolutely cracking first album of British infused Indie Pop with a slice of eccentric Uncle Sam inspired Heartland Rock. But then that handsome flower boy of theirs Brandon decided he’d go back to being a Mormon; which means any sort of rebellion isn’t allowed. They weren’t the most exciting bunch in the first place, despite My Name Is Earl being their drummer, and now that Brandon couldn’t go cavorting around with girls and beer and a cigarette coming out his mouth, their music has got blander and blander. And even blander.  Despite the British music press desperately trying to cling onto Hot Fuss nostalgia, and make out they’re still exciting, they are really, really not.

1) Coldplay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4isv_Fylg

Bernard Madoff is Jealous. He thought he conducted the largest fraudulent scam of all time. But no. Sorry Uncle Bernie. It wasn’t you. Its Coldplay. Its Coldplay for becoming millionaires whilst ruining the image of Alternative Rock, leveraging a legacy of dull sap on mainstream Western music, and creating a legacy of careerist rock musicians, who’s ambition is to get as high up the corporate music ladder if it means writing bland radio friendly tunes, rather than writing something that means something. Ok maybe what they're doing isn't a scam. But Coldplay are lame man. Their predictable and watery dull soft rock is so boring and so tame. It lacks any kind of soul or art, it is music for your parents to tap their foot too while they're driving to work. Its incredibly safe, and in being so safe it actually ends up being incredibly dangerous. As after their international breakthrough, it made safe-rock ok. It made it ok to write middle of the road, meaningless songs, ones which are made just so they can be used frequently in mass-media. Oh a young mans about to run and tell a girl how he really feels in this teen drama set in California- lets put Fix You over that, it’ll be perfect. Chris Martin is an intelligent man and a talented musician. So why does he have to write all these guarded, home-free, monotonous ballads, and instead just let himself be an artist rather than a ‘lets see how many people we can fit in this stadium’ type of fella.

The 5 most underrated bands in the world at the moment

5) Kings of Convenience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9UauaXTXUI

This Norwegian Folk band may look boring, and believe me, they are. They don’t look cool, their band name isn’t cool, and they’re not friends with anyone cool in the Western Music fraternity. But that’s their strongest point. They are so far detached from the incredibly fake, pretentious and masquerading bull crap that is churned out by Ed Sheeran and Ben Howard and the like, and which gets played every time Paul Rudd’s wife walks out on him in another one of his crappy ‘I’m middle aged and having a mid-life crisis but it’s cool because I’m just going to find myself first by going to a party full of teenagers then realise I know who I am so get back with my wife at the end’ ilk of American cinema. Kings of Convenience’s avoidance of the Mainstream Indie Folk machine results in their uninterfered, incredibly delicate and beautifully soulful and melodic folk. And its wonderful.

4) Modest Mouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTAud5O7Qqk

Why has no-one heard of these guys?!? Ok actually why has no one in the British Isles heard of these guys. They got to number one with their last album in America. Johnny Marr played on that album. JOHNNY MARR. Yet no one bats an eyelid in Blighty. We’re too busy being Limey’s and having bad teeth. Modest Mouse are everything Mumford and Sons are not; they write good music, they are actually cool and don’t dress up like dickheads just to sell more records. The Bassline on Float On is incredibly epic, possibly one of my favourite songs of the year that was 2004.

3) The Roots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP9nrCYoOmY

They be more well-known now in the States than everywhere else, but The Roots have been criminally underrated for the majority of their career, mainstream Hip Hop having been hijacked from what its supposed to represent somewhere along the way and being turned into manufactured dummies rapping about guns, bitches and chains. You see, people rapping about real life and doing it well in an intelligent manner isn’t marketable apparently. Black Thought is by far one of the most thoughtful and intelligent MC’s in Hip Hop, but will never be as famous as 50 Cent or Lil’ Wayne because he was never willing to sell out in an undignified way.

2) Eels

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7a4yBt6r1s

I don’t like Jellied Eels. I don’t like Electric Eels. So why would I like a band called Eels? Well probably because of their consistently diverse output of thought provoking musical wonderment, spanning over a vast range of genre’s and themes, stupid. Mark Oliver Everett, the brainchild of Eels, calls himself ‘E’. He’s allowed to do this as between 2000 and 2010 he released 7 albums, all of which were brilliant. ‘E’ often asks questions of and celebrates the concept of human life in such a thought provoking way that it makes you realise even more how inane this song is- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rISYCquFeI8 .

1) Tame Impale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0jqPvpn3sY

These guys are more of a breath of fresh air than eating a wrigleys pie. If there was ever a time when we needed something to save us from the bland uninspired corporate rock shite which is dominating us in these bleak times, it was an Australian Psychedelic Rock Band. Tame Impale’s dreamy, melodic Space Rock is beautifully trippy, and after attempts by thousands of bands, finally gets the modern take of 60s Psychedelic Rock right. Band Leader Kevin Parker’s vocals reminisce of Paul Mccartney in later Beatle’s, whilst his songwriting reminices of Lennon from the White Album period. The incredibly dreamy debut album Innerspeaker is brilliant from start to finish, and their follow up album, in which Parker would have been under pressure to commercialise his music to appeal more to the masses, Lonerism, was just as spacey, paranoid, and beautiful. They are incredible live too, with the music being coordinated with a fascinating lighting show giving off an incredibly colourful and kaleidoscopic feel, transcending perfectly to the stage. This is a band who cares about their music and their art.