Features

A few bits and pieces to mop up today, beginning with one last thankyou to everyone who has posted on the end of year blogs – or, come to that, who's commented on any of the things I’ve written in the past 12 months. It’s been a genuine pleasure to hear from almost all of you; and of course heartening to discover other people interested in the same music.

Quickly this morning, a bunch of new things we’ve been playing, as the February and March promos start arriving. A lot of comps, it seems, and a couple I don’t like at all.

Some surprise, really, that Wolf People, a new London band just signed to Jagjaguwar, have decided to stick with their name, given the seemingly innumerable number of Wolf-related bands currently around.

Previously: 100-81, 80-61, 60-41, 40-21.

Previously: 100-81, 80-61, 60-41. As we're nearly done with this now, can I start soliciting your own favourites of 2009?

Previously: 100-81, 80-61

Previously: 100-81.

I'm going to be rolling out my personal favourite 100 albums of the year in the next couple of days or so; as fast as I can find all the links, basically. Apologies in advance for the self-indulgence, and also if I've forgotten anything obvious...

First off, check this brand new Portishead track out today. It’s called “Chase The Tear”, it’s being released to support Amnesty International, and it’s right up there with anything on “Third”, if our first listens are anything to go by.

Jack White’s Third Man cottage industry has produced a bit of a mixed bag of releases in 2009, with the highlight thus far (of those I’ve heard, anyhow) being his own solo seven-inch, “Fly Farm Blues”. The whole disdain he seems to have for standard record company practise, the sense that decisions are made on a creative whim, is really admirable. But it can’t hide the fact that singles by, say, a local gospel group, Transit, haven’t been hugely compelling.