Music I'm looking forward to in 2005:
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (debut album)
I've had this for a few weeks now thanks to the magic of peer to peer file sharing, and it's already a pretty sure bet for my top 5 come year end. The first post-punk revival album to sound vital and important to me (I just can't see myself listening to Interpol and Franz Ferdinand in 5 years), it is just damn good pop music. The production is alot crisper and popier sounding than their 2004 singles and it really gives these tracks life.
M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us (follow up the 2003 album Dead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts)
Interesting to see where this band goes after the My Bloody Valentine via cheap synths sound of their excellent debut. My bet is they'll go all prog on us, and that isn't neccisarily a bad thing.
MIA - Arular (debut album)
Neneh Cherry for the 00's? Pretty much I guess. But I can't see this album being anything other than white hot. Galang, Sunshowers, and Fire Fire just blew me away in 2004, and the stuff on the Diplo mix sounds great. MIA's gonna be huge in 2005.
Destroyer and Frog Eyes (collaboration album)
The Frog Eyes/Destroyer concert was the best show I saw in 2004. Dan Bejar and Frog Eyes play Your Blues tracks with guitars and drums instead of synths. Thank fucking gosh. This album will be great.
Johnny Boy/Art Brut/Love Is All
Is indie finally coming out of it's slump? It's been boring for years but singles from these three up-starts in 2004 made it very interesting indeed. All have full lengths coming up this year and hopefully they all deliver on their promise.
The Clientele (follow up to the 2003 album The Violet Hour)
My favourite band still in existence is putting out a new record! Interesting to see if they drift even further away from the sixties toward paler hues. I hope so. I think The Violet Hour may be one of my Top 10 favourite albums.....ever.
New Rekkids from:
Justus Kohncke, LCD Soundsystem, DAFT PUNK!!!, Saint Etienne, SCOTT WALKER!!!, Boards of Canada, Mu, Outkast....
Should be a good year. Here's hoping Annie blows up with Heartbeat in February.
