The Swell Season - Strict Joy
I suppose your feelings about this album depends on how you feel about Glen Hansard personally. A lot of people have a bizarre irrational hatred of a guy who’s written some of the best and most heartbreaking Irish songs of the last ten years (you can guess from this that I’m not one of them).
This second Swell Season album is different from the first. Pitched maybe halfway between the tone of the first and a traditional Frames album it’s less melodic and wistful and lovely and perhaps forgettable. Not sure.
Cheryl Cole - 3 Words
Jaysus, where do I go with this. Firstly, she sings a bit differently than she talks, you should know that. It’s all very well produced inoffensive generic pop souffle nonsense, but Britney she ain’t. Even the new crap version of Britney. Sorry Cheryl. I still love ya and all petal.
Bob Dylan - Christmas In The heart
This could so easily be a celebrity voicealike parody record. Really. He does Winter Wonderland, Here Comes Santa Claus, Silver Bells… How is it that the greatest songwriter of the 20th Century has allowed himself to reach this point? His voice is completely inappropriate for a bunch of songs orchestrated for someone singing in the style of a crooner. Just when you thought he’d regained some sort of credibility in the last couple of years with the last few albums and the radio show he has to go and do this. Sigh.
Weezer - Raditude
Really like the single, some of the rest of it is bouncy and nice, but not classic Weezer by any stretch. Track 4 even has a pop-hop interlude and it goes borderline bhangra in another place. Hmmmm…
Kings Of Convenience - Declaration Of Dependence
This is lovely plinky plonky burbly stuff that would fit in very nicely for chilling out at home with a glass of red and a good book or on the playlist of the excellent Blue Of The Night on Lyric FM.
I was a massive fan of Swell Season’s debut and I was shockingly disappointed by Strict Joy. There was none of the gentle subtlety of the first album.
Glen Hansard’s someone i really gotta sit down and have a proper listen too…he’s quite well-regarded by most people i know
Cheryl Cole…no
Bob Dylan singing Christmas songs…NOOOOOOO! (and in God’s name why?)
Weezer…yes!
i have not heard one good thing about Bob Dylan’s album. this clinches it.
I’ve heard three songs from Strict Joy and I liked them I guess I would have to hear the whole album to really judge..
Being completely hypocrital here on my previous point.. Cheryl Coles single “Fight For This Love” is just too damn generic. Its what is wrong with pop really. Well that is going by the single
When I heard that Bob Dylan was doing a Christmas album I died a little inside.. However all the profits from it are going to charity (to the best of my knowledge) so… yeah!
Raditude is pretty good!! (If you’re wondering if I want you to) is probably the best song on it. On the rap interlude, I thought it was going to be much worse than it was but I was surprised! But I do have quite a soft spot for the Weez so I couldn’t really say it was awful anyway
On
I have a story about the kind of person Hansard is that will put any right minded person off him.
But I’m not willing to post it lest I be sued!
Loved Hansard and Irglová in ‘Once’, just checked their website, ‘The Swell Season is playing this Friday night in Boston, Ticketmasters have no tickets
[<$50] other ticket sales places charging $130 and $170, madness. Will check the album on iTunes.
Regards the Dylan Christmas album, thought it was a hoax, perhaps he is losing his voice.
Love the latest from the Kings of Convenience.
Cheryl Cole’s album is hideous! That’s 13e and 45mins that I aint ever gettin back!
Looking forward to having a listen to Strict Joy I must say. I like the couple of songs I’ve heard. Then again, my favourite Frames albums is
the worst oneFitzcarraldo… I like the angry songs. me.