Hearty congratulations this morning to Elbow, of course, who proved last night that they’re the least-disliked band in the British music business.
As I think I mentioned in my blog on “The Seldom-Seen Kid” earlier in the year (visited, you’ll note, by someone called Guy Garvey, who I choose to believe is their real name, and someone else called Harmony Korine, which I know for a fact is a pseudonym), it’s a weird album as such, in that it contains some of Elbow’s very best songs and some of their worst, so doesn’t quite achieve the cohesion of, say, “Leaders Of The Free World” or “Asleep In The Back”. Still, it’d be churlish to begrudge them the success, and at least the unfathomably tipped Laura Marling (come on, it’s Dolores O’Riordan for Jack Penate fans) didn’t win.
In the unlikely event that Neon Neon had won, tonight’s Club Uncut might have turned into a victory party, since one of Gruff Rhys’ bandmates, Cate Le Bon, is playing a solo set for us tonight (without the assistance of Har Mar Superstar standing on his ear, we’re assuming). If you want to come down to see her, along with Kurt Wagner of Lambchop and the mighty James Blackshaw, I think a few last tickets are still available.
Anyway, onwards, with this week’s office playlist. A week ruled by Arthur Russell, Crystal Antlers and that confounded MYSTERY RECORD, again. I’ll tell all soon, I promise. . .
1 Kings Of Leon – Only By The Night (RCA)
2 Hush Arbors – Hush Arbors (Ecstatic Peace)
3 Arthur Russell – Love Is Overtaking Me (Rough Trade)
4 Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss A Beat (B-Unique)
5 Warmer Milks – Soft Walks (ADR)
6 Femi Kuti – Day By Day (Wrasse)
7 Crystal Antlers – Crystal Antlers EP (Touch & Go)
8 Tony Christie – Made In Sheffield (Decca)
9 Spank Rock And Benny Blanco – Bangers & Cash EP (Co Op)
10 Juana Molina – Un Dia (Domino)
11 Edward Woodward – This Man Alone (DJM)
12 Katy Perry – One Of The Boys (Capitol)
13 THE MYSTERY RECORD
14 Appaloosa – The Day (We Fell In Love) (Kitsuné
15 Davila 666 – Davila 666 (In The Red)
16 JT IV – Out Of The Can (Myspace)
17 Fotheringay – Fotheringay 2 (Fledg’ling)