Cougar Microbes

When Metric released ‘Fantasies’ back in April I was convinced it would easily make my top albums of 2009 list, an opinion that was fortified by a superb performance by the band at Rock En Seine.

Sadly, I did not get as much from the album as I would have liked to in the long run. Though I really enjoy it still ultimately it was pipped by some more consistent releases.

The band did supply numerous remixes throughout the year meaning there is always a good time and place to listen to Emily Haines‘ lush vocals

TRACKS:

Metric – Sick Muse (Adam Freeland Remix)

Metric – Help I’m Alive (Acoustic)

My choice of #01 album of 2009 should come as no great suprise to regular Cougar Microbes readers and anyone who has spoken to me over the last six months. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros gate crashed my music collection last summer, when I first heard ‘Up From Below‘, and soon enough became the guests of honour following 3 amazing live performance around London.

I have written so extensively about the exploits of the Californian 10 piece that it is obvious they struck a chord with me. It has been years since I have become obsessed with a band, and with my self appointed critic status justifiably so. However ES&M0 came along and reverted me to a sparkly eyed music fan once more.If your heart doesn’t warm to the spine tingling emotions displayed on ‘Home‘ then there may be nothing more the doctors can do for you.

As I wrote back in August: for the past few weeks it feels like I have joined my own cult group devoted to producing heartfelt psychedelic pop music.

The spirit of The Merry Pranksters lives on into 2010.

TRACKS:

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home

PREVIOUS: #02 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Birdy Nam Nam – Manual For Successful Rioting

Any other year and the superbly titled ‘Manual For Successful Rioting’ would have easily been the runaway winner for Cougar Microbes album of the year. I witnessed Birdy Nam Nam delight a partizan Parisian home crowd when they closed the second day of Rock En Seine back in August and was blown away.

There was a risk that on record the French turntablist crew’s would effectively be competing for who could pull the biggest/maddest  technical trick at the possible expense of the dynamics and energy displayed live. Fortunately their January 2009 release exceeded even my expectations.

Crazy-B, DJ Pone, DJ Need, and Little Mike handpicked and moulded a unique set of samples through their original turntable set-up. The soaring dynamics they manage to produce draw parallels with a band lineup with each of the four DJ’s taking centre stage and dropping to the background accordingly. Over eleven tracks they deliver a masterclass in electro placing themselves easily in the same league as their better known friends Justice.

Grab that manual and learn it inside out because as soon as Birdy Nam Nam hit our shores you’d better be ready to riot.

TRACKS:

Birdy Nam Nam – The Parachute Ending

NEXT: #01 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below

PREVIOUS: #03 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

Yeah Yeah Yeahs flirtation with synth-pop was one of the talking points of 2009. Seemingly everyone (with the possible exception of the Pope) praised the bands metamorphosis from angry art-rockers to dance floor conquerors.

It is hard to disagree with this assessment as ‘It’s Blitz‘ is superb. The decision to sacrifice Nick Zinner‘s guitars in favour of a catalogue of synth sounds has not meant abandoning the emotional strengths of their music. Rather, the occasions the guitar does make an appearance are always measured and powerful.

Karen O offers up cool as fuck attitude exorcising her inner Rizzo; complete with a leather coat emblazoned with the legendary KO initials. The lack of the habitual jangly guitars means it is up to her to create the sparks and she seems to cherish the opportunity. One minute she is intimately crooning and the next she is screaming like a banshee yet at no point are her theatrics at the expense of the tracks.

Perhaps the true strong point of this release is how well it works as an album. There is no denying that tracks like ‘Zero‘ and ‘Heads Will Roll‘ have “single material” written all over them but It’s Blitz is best enjoyed as a meandering collection of  sparsely interlinked tracks, paced ideally to enjoy its numerous highlights.

Consider this a major statement of intent from a band who were willing to try a new direction and were rewarded for their cojones.

I have to mention the soundtrack for ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ considering Karen O And The Kids featured Brian Chase and Nick Zinner side by side yet again with the enigmatic singer. These songs sound like songs written by children for adults and then performed by adults for children.

The album’s fairytale exuberance is infectious and and Karen O may well have penned one of the last great releases of the last decade.

TRACKS:

Yeah Yeah Yeah’s – Dull Life

Karen O & The Kids – All Is Love

NEXT: #02 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Birdy Nam Nam – Manual For Successful Rioting

PREVIOUS: #04 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Seemingly not content by the French near total domination of the global dance scene, Phoenix came along to show us how indie rock is to be done properly.

Fans of the band’s previous efforts will have been eagerly awaiting a new release since 2006′s highly enjoyable ‘It’s Never Been Like That‘ but few could have predicted how accomplished Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix sounds.

Opening double whammy ‘Listzomania’ and ‘1901‘ became instant classics and having them back to back at the front of the album represents a true statement of intent. Though these two tracks are majestic and worthy of attention the tracklisting that follows demonstrates that Phoenix are far from a one trick pony..

‘Wolfgang Amadeus…‘ offer up plenty when it comes to variety including the positively sexy ‘Fences‘, driving album closer ‘Armistice‘ and the truly inspired ‘Love Like A Sunset Part 1′. This last track’s reminiscent of Air‘s atmospheric edgy genius at its best.

Possibly the stand out moment on the album is ‘Lasso‘ with its subtle structure changes and emotive guitar dynamics. This track makes for a suitable bedfellow to consummate a melodic menage-a-trois with the the opening doubly whammy .

Up until not so long ago Phoenix represented a hidden secret that only a few were in on. ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix‘ will ensure the world can no longer ignore them.

TRACKS:

Phoenix – Lasso

NEXT: #03 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

PREVIOUS: #05 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Iran – Dissolver

With 2008 ending on a massive TV On The Radio high following the release of the brilliant ‘Dear Science,‘ I was wondering how long it would be before I heard from the band and its individual members again. Fortunately I only had to wait until Febuary when guitarist Kyp Malone re-joined film director and singer Aaron Aites for their much appreciated Iran project.

The result of this reunion is an album that harks back to the early 90s alternative rock of the likes of Pavement and Nada Surf both in recording and arrangement choices. Credit should be given to Dave Sitek for his production as it really bring out the dirty melodies that contributed to the value of these 10 beautiful fucked up songs.

‘Dissolver‘ should be enjoyed as an album that sound vaguely familiar at first yet more complex as you scratch beneath the surface and pretty far from anything else that is on the horizon at the moment.

TRACKS:

Iran – Baby Let’s Get High One Last Time Together

NEXT: #04 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

PREVIOUS: #06 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Cursive – Mama, I’m Swollen

Brand New‘s 2006 release the ‘The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me‘ was seen as a natural evolution by many fans including some Cougar collaborators yet it left me slightly disappointed.

Having witnessed the bands incredible progression from their pop punk routes to the masterful ‘Déjà Entendu‘, an album that easily features in my top releases of the decade, I expected the band to revolutionise their sound at every attempt. Hindsight being 20-20 I have now come round to that release. Though it lacked a strong single like ‘The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows‘ it worked very well as an album on the whole showcasing a much matured band.

This year’s (poorly titled) ‘Daisy‘ takes on from where the previous releases left off. The Long Island band have recorded a stripped and lean set of songs and a delivery that is as agressive as they have ever been.. There are attention grabbing instrumentals and a few hand picked balads and fortunately Jesse Lacey still delivers the same cynically observed well strung sentences.

The band will be performing at Wembley Arena early next year and the fact that they have grown organically and on their own terms is remarkable.  ’Daisy‘ is further proof of their talent.

TRACKS:

Brand New – At The Bottom

NEXT: #06 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Cursive – Mama, I’m Swollen

PREVIOUS: #08 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Tiny Masters Of Today – Skeletons

Of all the British starlets that burst onto the airwaves in 2009 miss Florence Welch was the undisputed champion for me. This time last year I remember only the track ‘Kiss With A Fist‘ and a cover of Cold War Kids‘ ‘Hospital Beds‘ were readily available on the internet or elsewhere.

A year on and Florence + The Machine have won several awards and been nominated for a few and the songs are ever present on TV and radio. I think it is a great achievement for the South Londoner’s songwriting ability that the album tracks on ‘Lungs‘ are as good if not better than those that were eventually released as singles.

TRACKS:

Florence + The Machine – Cosmic Love

NEXT: #08 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Tiny Masters Of Today – Skeletons

PREVIOUS: #10 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: WHY? – Eskimo Snow