The Cold Cut

So, I am (as I should be) really happy right now. This is one of the strangest feelings I've ever experienced: total freedom, and a lack of purpose. I must admit, I've been diffident and hard work over the last few days, and am feeling a little fragile after post exams partying. However, I think I got most of my animosity out of my system, and I can start to chill. I have seen the hits slowly dwindling down, but I hope I can be consistent and boost The Cold Cut back up.

'One To Watch: Albert Hammond Jr.'.zip (Link 2)

Remember The Strokes? Of course you do... Albert Hammond Jr. has been keeping the band in our vernacular. Since 'First Impressions Of Earth', The Strokes have been off the radar, whilst Hammond Jr. flies the flag, releasing two albums, the brilliant debut 'Yours To Keep' and his more polished follow up '¿Cómo Te Llama?'. The album is out now (digitally at least), and I can assure you it's excellent, but wont move anywhere near as many units as a Strokes release. That, however, won't keep it out of end-of-year lists.

As is often the case with 'punk' branded bands, some of the supporting band have better voices and are arguably more talented than the lead. And that is true here. Besides Julian Casablancas effort to keep the fire alive with Converse's 'My Drive Thru', Albert has been holding fort: see single 'GfC' and two album highlights, all above (and below)- I'm feeling charitable. I hope these songs might convince you (unless we're past that stage) that two albums in, and over two years since a new album by The Strokes, his solo effort is beginning to look like a well planned career move.

However, with talks of Pharrell's wishes to produce their next record, and recent news from the band, let's hope not. The Strokes are due to begin recording their fourth album proper this summer.

Albert Hammond Jr.- GfC (Link 2)
Albert Hammond Jr.- Bargain Of A Century (Link 2)
Albert Hammond Jr.- You Wont Be Fooled By This (Link 2)

'¿Cómo Te Llama?' can be purchased on iTunes or pre-ordered here.

Unrelated, but oh so true: this article over at MuchMusic.com hits the nail on the head: '10 Ways Musicians Piss Off Their Fans'.

Another day, another podcast- I've been bitten by the bug! It's so easy... I promise I will get back to writing soon- I'm just feeling a little bit uninspired at the mo'.

Just a short one- a load of new(ish) tracks, with some oldies interspersed...

New music podcast... (Link 2)

1. Captain- Spoils
2. Synthar- Hurricanes
3. Courteeners- Not Nineteen Forever
4. Crystal Castles- Courtship Dating
5. Audiobytes For Autobytes- 143 chp
6. Battles- Tendency
7. Foals- Balloons (Live At Nottingham)
8. Le Tigre- Deceptacon

Rating: 8/10
Truly rewarding experimentation from the Eel Pie Island troop...

Mystery Jets- Hideaway
Mystery Jets- Half In Love With Elizabeth

After the dulcet tones of 'Young Love', '21' might come as a surprise. Firstly, we weren't expecting air raid sirens as the instrument to herald its arrival, on 'Hideaway', the opening track. Secondly, for some, the fact that the quality of 'Young Love' is translated across to the album might be unexpected- from the beginning, this is already superior to their ramshackle debut, 'Making Dens'.

The Mystery Jets are not an ordinary band... their formation, appearance, music- everything has that strong sense of individuality about it. How did they come to be? Under the tutelage of Henry Harrison, lead singer Blaine's father, the band developed their brand of progressive rock as young teenagers. It was this style of music that made up 'Making Dens', unfortunately eclipsed by releases from London scenesters Jamie T and The Maccabees. It is also this style of music which is lacking on '21', but its absence is hardly noticeable. The departure of Henry was a likely catalyst. His exit, however, has left a wide open space for youthful exuberance, and in essence, that is what '21' is all about. It should be noted that whilst Henry has stopped performing live with the band, he still contributes to the live process.

Second time around, the band have taken a completely different direction: 'Young Love' made things clear- no overbearing percussion, no prog elements, and no lead singer? Yes, for the first time, Will (guitarist), stepped forward to sing lead. And does a bloody good job if you ask me. Aided by Laura Marling (who happens to be everywhere nowadays), this song is close to pop perfection, and set things up nicely for '21's arrival.

Erol Alkan's presence is felt all the way through the record, and he has done a much better job here than on the new Long Blondes album, 'Couples' (review due some time soon). The prog has been mostly discarded, but Alkan has instead coaxed out some great pop songs: this album has much more widespread appeal, and might see the band finally capitalise on their talent. Songs such as 'Half In Love With Elizabeth' and 'Flakes' are not as simple as they seem, and Blaine's vocals slide easily into place.

Whilst some will be quick to herald this album as 'good' or 'bad', it's really much more than that. On '21', we see huge signs of progression, and the prospect of what comes next is actually more exciting than the album itself. However, if I had to condense it into a sentence, this album is all about a young band with a shed-load of talent, and finally some room to breath. Once again, Mystery Jets have surprised us all...

'21' can be purchased here...

Captain- Spoils

I had pretty much removed Captain from my collective memory until I saw NME reviewing a new album track, 'Animals', on their website. I'm not here to talk about that track, because I have something else, a demo version of 'Spoils', a song which clearly signals a change in direction for the band.

This really doesn't sound like the Captain I know. Instead, it sounds rawer, more visceral, and much, much better. Drums and bass are right up front in the mix, and the heavy rhythm is obviously the focus of this track, devoid of all their tell-tale keyboards and usual synths. The song itself isn't as good as the likes of 'Broke', but as a demo, it bodes well, and suggests that the band might have adopted a new sound altogether for their second album.

'This Is Hazelville', their first album, was a bit of a disappointment to me, but my expectations were a little bit high. Songs such as 'Broke', 'Glorious' and 'Frontline' set the bar exceedingly high, and the rest of the album didn't quite emulate the joyous brilliance of these singles.

Despite this, they have a huge, devoted fan base, and thus the band haven't been deterred by this slight mistep, beginning recording their second album in November. If 'Spoils' is any indication, album number 2 could upset the die-hard fans of 'This Is Hazelville', and possibly be a case of second time lucky...

'This Is Hazelville' can be purchased here...

Christmas is great fun. Not only do you eat, drink and generally live the life of a slob, you get to spend it with family and friends. I had a great Christmas. There was much gluttony: roast dinners, turkey pies, turkey this, turkey that. Some great presents (a non red-ring of death Xbox 360- touch wood), books, and chocolate. And whilst I love my presents, sharing is the spirit.

I was very happy, then, when my Dad tentatively unwrapped a CD shaped parcel, which thankfully contained both 'Boxer' and 'Alligator', the last two albums by The National. He, and I, have both been very interested in this band since the days when they began to dominate the hype machine popular lists for days at a time. After a long wait, we would deservedly get a listen to what many people say are two of the best albums in a long, long time.

Firstly, 'Alligator', which has a reputation as a 'grower', a word oftern misconstrued as meaning 'difficult'. With both albums, what you put in dictates how much you get out of it. The band have already done the hard work in producing two deep, excellent albums. The question is, how much are willing to give to the albums?

The National- Looking For Astronauts

I gave 'Alligator' my full attention. And its great. People were justified in thinking that 'Boxer' might not match it. Unfortunately, they were all wrong:

Next 'Boxer'. Wow- if you have yet to hear it, the stories are true. It is that good. Even on opener, 'Fake Empire', you can sense the magic. Matt Berninger has a brilliant baritone, and its a fitting opening. Track two, 'Mistaken For Strangers', is amongst the best songs they've yet recorded, brooding and melancholy. Throughout the whole album there is always an overwhelming sense of intensity, maintained from start to finish. Bryan Devendorf, their drummer, is the hero, and for me at least, he makes this album. There is always a militaristic, measured style to his strokes, and his addition alone makes these songs into much more than they could have been.

They are a few other stand-outs: 'Ada', with Sufjan Stevens lending a hand on piano, also features a contribution from touring member Padma Newsome on horn. 'Slow Show' is scathing, but don't read too much into the lyrics (as many people do with 'The National).

The National- Mistaken For Strangers
The National- Slow Show

It's frustrating that I didn't have the opportunity to listen to 'Boxer' in time for my end of year list, as it would most certainly have placed in the top 10 (replacing what?- have a guess).

Ahh, but which is better? An important, but necessary, question to pose. I can answer almost without thinking; 'Boxer' is superior, in that the sounds produced are those of a band at the top of their game. The National are here to stay.

The new year is upon us, and 'BOOM', I get hit by a brilliant song. I'm really late on this one, but Ida Maria's 'Oh My God' is that awesome. I must credit my Dad with this one; he pointed it out to me a couple of weeks ago, but in my general (teenage) mood I swatted him away. Coming out of nowhere (or a minute village in Norway), there is something crazy about her, and her music- in a good way. On 'Oh My God', she's bold with her (repeated) lyrics, a heavy guitar riff and even some shrieking at the climax. A solid song, and I can't wait for the album, out next year.

Ida Maria- Oh My God

2008 is shaping up to be a huge year for music, and these are the best of the British bands releasing new material this year.

Cajun Dance Party- These 5 London teens are still at school and yet they've already released two spectacular singles, The Next Untouchable and Amylase. Which is pretty amazing given the time constraints of A-Levels (trust me, I'm in the same boat!). Their album will be amazing.

Cajun Dance Party- The Next Untouchable
Estelle- This West London born hip-hop artist is widely respected in the music world, and not without reason. At the age of 27 she already owns a record label, Stellar Ents, which allowed her to release her own album, 'The 18th Day', 3 years ago. If you haven't heard '1980', one of her singles, download it now. Her new album, 'Shine', is out on February 12th, and whilst she has the talent, Estelle has never hit the bigtime. Signing to John Legend's label can't hurt, and neither can production by Will.i.am, Kanye West and Wyclef Jean.

Estelle- 1980
Estelle- Wait A Minute (Just A Touch)

Glasvegas- Everyone compares them to The Jesus And Mary Chain; its a fair comparison, but why not relate them to something new? Purely because no-one sounds like Glasvegas any more. Alan McGee has been gushing about them for ages, but whereas this is generally unfounded, for once he is right. Destined for great things...

Glasvegas- Daddy's Gone

Foals- These guys are going places. 'Antidotes', the first album, is out March 2008, and already things are hotting up at the Foals camp. Not content with the production, they re-mixed the entire album themselves, to their specifications. Ballsy, but will it pay off? Yannis (centre above), the mop-topped lead singer of this Oxford based five-piece, obviously thinks so.

Foals- Hummer

The Courteeners?- The question mark isn't a typo. Liam Fray (closest in the pic), lead singer of The Courteeners, is following in the footsteps British frontmen by mouthing off about how his band are going to create one of the best British albums ever. Sometimes, this is the truth: see Oasis, Stone Roses etc. Sometimes, however, it isn't: take The Twang as a recent example. Which will he be? On the evidence of 'Cavorting', the latter. But that doesn't stop me wondering 2008 will be the year when we witness his fall from grace.

The Courteeners- Acrylic

The Ting Tings- I'm not even going to attempt to explain this one, other than that they're a boy-girl duo who make fun pop music. Oh, and they wont disappointed; they've been around for a while, signing to a major label 3 years ago, but the deal fell through due to creative 'differences'. A new deal is in the works, but just let their music speak for itself.

The Ting Tings- Great DJ

Those who will be big but I don't need to write about:
Adele- Possibly the voice of 2008?

As I said before, its about that time when everyone is depressed, and everything seems to come and once. I'm in a massive rush, but I just wanted to get a quick post in before bed (unfortunately, I do need sleep!). Well, my tip for the day is newly signed band The Dodos. I received an email tip today informing me of the fact that the San Fransico based guitar and drum duo have signed to Frenchkiss Records, also home to Les Savy Favs (post on them coming soon) and The Hold Steady. That's not a bad alumni to have, and I think it bodes well for The Dodos. Other than an admittedly painful name, these two guys have everything going for them. Putting together a "country-blues-loving guitarist and a metalhead drummer" (see their website) and this what you get. And what is 'this'? Well, you can't really pinhole them, but its energetic, its folky, its fun and its easy to listen to. Good enough for you? I bloody hope so...

I've been listening to their back catalog all day, and what I've heard has we wondering where they've been... okay, their older songs are far too long and they need focus, but I've seen many horrendous bands unjustifiably making it big. Just goes to show you there's no justice in the music industry... All I can say is, good luck to the duo on their latest album 'Visiter' (out March 2008), and leave me a comment if you like the tracks I've posted: one track from each of their three albums, including their latest single, Fools.

The Dodos- Fools
The Dodos- Nerds
The Dodos- Notes

I was flipping through the MTV channels today and saw the new Radiohead video for their first "In Rainbows" single, "Jigsaw Falling Into Place". I'm not completely won over by the idea of this as the first single (Reckoner or Weird Fishes/Arpeggi would have been better bets IMHO), but you have to admit that this is a good idea for a video. It pretty much proves that everybody look weird when wearing a helmet camera, and fortifies my opinion that Thom Yorke is a fairly weird looking man... albeit one who writes brilliantly creative music. Here's the original song as well, for those who can't be bothered to download 'In Rainbows' in full:

Radiohead- Jigsaw Falling Into Place

The new Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP 'Is Is' dropped a couple of days ago, and whilst not being particularly interesting to talk about I think the band deserve some recognition for their consistent efforts. A brief intro (one shouldn't be required, but unfortunately, it is). Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a three piece indie band from New York, and have recorded 2 feature length albums and 3 EP's since then as well as being Grammy nominated. The Is Is, released on the 24th July, is quite an interesting release as the style is very different to their latest album Show Your Bones. Despite being a three piece they make a hell of a lot of noise; whilst there is no bassist, guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase compensate for this by turning up the distortion a bit, and for Zinner at least, by lacing different styles into his playing (try playing lead and rhythm guitar at the same time!). And I needn't explain Karen O, the frontwoman, who is probably the coolest woman in music at the moment, donning a bowl haircut and some eccentric clothing (see her dragon outfit at Reading last year) and still remaining stylish.

From what I've heard, 'Is Is' is (sorry!) the sound of a band who are nearing the peak of their musicial career: if the band can afford to use songs as good as these five on EP's then we can be confident in their songwriting skills and that album #3 will be brilliant. The thing which is most noteworthy about this EP is the grungy/angsty style which has been missing on their albums; I'm not saying its better than their normal sound but they definitely pull it off. For this, kudos to the band, and I hope you all enjoy their music... The following tracks can be downloaded from this project

Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Isis
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Down Boy
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- 10x10
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Maps (see video on Youtube as well)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Gold Lion
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Cheated Hearts

A selection of their CD's and Ep's can be bought here

Unfortunately, time constraints and a slow computer at work experience mean that I can't do a full length post today, but there's a lot of fresh, interesting music to cover so I thought I should at least write something short. My Quick Tip for today is an Australian 5-piece band called Operator Please, comprised entirely of members aging between 17 and 19, not something you generally see in popular bands nowadays. Lead singer/guitarist Amandah Wilkinson formed the band to compete in her high school's Battle Of The Bands competition: "I picked people at random who I knew played an instrument, and they just said yes." and so the band was formed. Their music is quite an eclectic mix, mostly because of the instruments their band members play: the current lineup has the usual suspects (guitar, bass, drums, voice) and two unique choices, keyboard and violin: check out the bit in the download below where you get a full-blown violin solo). Together, these 5 instruments and Amandah's powerful voice make an interesting sound when coupled with their songs, which are fun, if a little childish at times (you've got to forgive them for that: they're all under 20!).

The age aspect is pretty funny actually: 17 year old drummer Tim Commandeur looks so baby-faced that his presence is often questioned during their gigs, and he has even been mistaken for Amandah's son... but forget the age thing- this is a band who made it big purely by force of will, and at such a young age they have already been picked up by EMI and are set to play the Carling: Reading and Leeds festivals this summer, having received a lot of plays (on NME, XFM and Radio 1) of their hit single "Just A Song About Ping Pong". It's been a large shock to the band, just as you would expect: receiving a record deal with EMI whilst you're a teenager isn't something most people could brag about in their lifetime. Their debut album will be out sometime later this year, but whilst you're waiting I would recommend you take a look at some of their EP's and singles. A good place to start is over at the Hype Machine... You can also buy their EP's on their site

Hopefully, the musically inclined members of the blogosphere will agree with me when I say I'm pretty fed up of reading about Beth Ditto and her daily schedule; NME is one of the main culprits, and its hard to go one wee without seeing a double page spread about her featuring a nude photo shoot (of course! The one above is from NME) within those pages. Not to say I don't like The Gossip- Standing In The Way Of Control is one of my favourite songs, but I think Beth and the band needs to stay out of the limelight for a while and set about writing a second album. And therein lies the main issue I have with Beth Ditto- I think its really great that she doesn't care what people think, and I agree with many of the things she says, but she should make sure she has the tunes to back her up before making outlandish statements and sets up spats with the rest of the music world.

Despite all this she's obviously found a winning formula in terms of her character: the tabloids love anything to do with her: lets be honest, what's not to love about a 15 stone lesbian woman with a voice like that? Ditto has got her own column in The Guardian called 'What would Beth Ditto Do?' and was ranked #1 in the NME Cool List last year. So with all that in order, she's obviously a very popular and iconic lady... the only thing is that this busy schedule doesn't really allow her and the two remaining members of the The Gossip time to write new material.

If the band can produce an album chock-full of songs of equal quality, then they should be on a winner. The problem with their latest album was that they had one standout track, and the rest were fairly average or sub-standard. If you haven't heard any of the album, there are two songs below: the title track Standing In The Way Of Control and another good single called Listen Up! You can download both tracks from , or by clicking the individual links below.

The Gossip- Standing In The Way Of Control
The Gossip- Listen Up!

Sheffield is a very happening place in the music world at the moment: since the Arctic Monkeys broke the rules with their two albums about the ordinary life, it seems there have been plenty of Sheffield hopefuls trying to emulate their success with simplistic. It's a constantly changing scene, but one thing stays constant, and he goes by the name of The Reverend. A man who seems to be a positive catalyst for everyone who knows and works with, good things seem to happen around him. The only problem is he doesn't seem to be able to make it big himself, but all that's about ot change. Sometime over the next few weeks a very intriguing album will be making its way into music stores across the UK. The album is the first by Reverend And The Makers, a band who up until the last couple of months haven't recieved anywhere near the amount of press they should have: the brainchild of The Reverend aka John McClure. The band's name might not be familiar to you, but if I told you it was McClure's brother Chris on the front of the Arctic Monkeys "Whatever People Say I Am, That Is What I'm Not" you might make the connection.

Hailing from Sheffield just like the Arctic Monkeys, Reverend's first band Judan Suki had Alex Turner and Matt Helders (lead and drummer in the Arctic Monkeys- keep up please) as members, but of course they went on to form a band which has arguably been the most commercially succesful of the last 20 years or so. When the Arctic's first album was bought in huge volumes you can expect that The Reverend was feeling slightly left-behind... he was at the helm of Judan Suki but his counterparts had gone on to eclipse him. He was breifly famous after the Arctic's debut sold so much and they cited him as an 'inspiration' in the aftermath of the release. However, rather thank being famous for knowing someone, Reverend immediately set about creating an album that would make it clear that he wasn't just a stepping stone for the Arctic Monkeys. The State Of Things- Reverend And The Maker's first album-, release date uncertain, is expected to be released in September by Wall Of Sound, the band's label. First single Heavyweight Champion Of The World reached #8 in the charts when it was released, and you can download it at the bottom of this post.

Despite the similarities between the two bands, I doubt Reverend's first album will be anything like the Arctic Monkeys... from the two or three songs I've heard it would be more appropriate to compare their music to Oasis with a slight electronic element. Indeed, there are strong parallels between Reverend himself and Noel Gallgaher, both in the way he looks and sings: check out Youtube for some really cool videos of their live performances, in which McClure looks chilled, composed, and actually sings well, just as Alex Turner does. This is something seriously lacking in modern bands- there are thousands of people who record excellent studio albums but when they get on a stage they murder their own music as they can't perform live.

There are two tracks below, both of which I'm sure will make it onto the final cut of The State Of Things. Please buy the album when it comes it if you like what you hear. You can download both tracks from this project, or by clicking the links below

Reverend And The Makers- Heavyweight Champion Of The World
Reverend And The Makers- 18.30

As usual with albums, I'm fairly late on this, but I only just listened to my Dad's copy of the new Editors album, An End Has A Start, which sees them changing their sound and turning dark in a big way. If you can't be bothered to listen to the tunes, you only have to look at the titles of some of the songs, which are mostly pessimistic: An End Has A Start, The Weight Of The World and When Anger Shows to name a few. If you delve a little deeper and listen to the album a few times, you will notice that whilst being good, there is a noticeable tail-off in quality as it progresses. The first three tracks in particular are brilliant, and the improved musicianship of the band is most evident here as they summon up moody choruses with piano-twinged refrains. The album starts on a massive high with the epic first single (check out the video at the bottom of this post), and the first few songs show signs that the band have progressed in both sound and their songwriting skills. Tom Smith, vocalist, is the real driving force behind this initial greatness: his baritone has developed, and he shows signs of improved songwriting, as well as a new hairstyle.

However, it's not to be; after the first few good tracks there is a moment when they revert back to their old ways: messy lyrics and unmemorable songs. I think the main problem is that on this album the band is taking themselves way too seriously: I can't remember an album with as many songs about death, disease and terrorism as this one.

All the tracks are available for download at the following page, or you can download them separately by clicking the links below:

Editors- Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors
Editors- An End Has A Start
Editors- The Weight Of The World
Editors- Bones
Editors- The Racing Rats

Bright Eyes, now a famous band in its own right, was originally started by Conor Oberst principally as a showcase for his talents. Drawn to music from an early age, Oberst was clearly a musical prodigy by the age of 7 after taking a particular liking to his brother's collection of the Cure vinyls. At the age of 13, he released his first solo album, and continued to release more until he formed Bright Eyes in 1998. For the last 9 years, the band, and Oberst in particular, have failed to meet their full potential as musicians and songwriters... however it was to my great pleasure when they lived up to expectations with their latest album 'Cassadaga'. I've just heard one of the great tracks off this album, Four Winds, which is included below. Click the link to download this great track, which has country tinged backing guitar with some very poignant lyrics:

"The Bible's blind, the Torah's deaf, the Qu'ran's mute
If you burn them all together you get close to the truth"

Bright Eyes- Four Winds. mp3

I was browsing NME.com when I was lucky enough to find a link to the excellent new video by The Strokes for You Only Live Once. Please take my recommendation and follow the link below to watch this great video for a great song. I have loved The Strokes since their genre defining debut, Is This It? , and if you are even slightly interested in popular or indie music you should listen to all 3 of their brilliant albums.

Click here to watch the brand new video for The Strokes- You Only Live Once

The Go! Team are no ordinary band... having a lead rapper named Ninja, two drummers and cheerleader chants in many of their songs, this band was a bit of a surprise last year, popping up in last years top 100 albums frequently and being nominated for the Mercury Award for their first album- Thunder, Lightning, Strike. I really enjoyed their first album; it was a new blend of rap, hip-hop and samples which was exciting to listen to whilst remaining upbeat. The Go! Team have been away for a year since they were very much in the limelight, and recently released Grip Like A Vice, a recently cut single for their currently untitled second album, out on September 4th. Its a little bit different; darker, I suppose, but the quality of their music is still obvious. Click the links below to get the track, and leave a note if you like it. Has anybody out there in the blogosphere seen this band live? I've heard some good stories about them...

The Go Team- Grip Like A Vice.mp3

Finally! The Stills have returned! My wait is over!

These were the thoughts running through my mind when I clicked on two of the latest songs by The Stills, Oh Shoplifter and Helicopter, releases which I have been anticipating for 4 years. When their debut album, Logic Will Break Your Heart, was released in 2003, I became an avid follower of this band, along with many others (the album was in many people's top 20 that year): I loved lead singer Dave Hamlin's sleepy vocals, and the characteristically American guitar licks which accompanied him. I loved their album from start to finish: the lifting Lola Stars And Stripes to Still In Love Song, it was a fantastic album. The only problem was after listening to the album 20 times I was craving something new, or different, but The Stills just seemed to disappear. I waited anxiously to hear something... anything that would give me a sense of what the band's plans were. But nothing came.... I didn't hear anything about them until about a month ago, when I was reading a blog which was detailing the most exciting upcoming releases. And there it was... The Stills- Without Feathers. The album came out on the 9th May, but I haven't got around to buying it yet. I have, though, got two tracks off the album, both of which are excellent, if a little different from the bands original stuff. Click the links below to get the two tracks:

The Stills- Oh Shoplifter
The Stills- Helicopter

You would have thought that after the unanimous slamming The Bravery's first album received, they would have slinked off with their tails between their legs... but no, it turns out they went away for a couple of years to begin constructing the album that their first should have been. I was one of the people expecting their self-titled debut to be excellent, but when I finally got my hands on a copy, I was massively underwhelmed. How could they go so wrong? Where were the numerous crafted disco/pop gems to match An Honest Mistake? Plus, to top it all off, they couldn't keep their mouths shut. They probably wouldn't have received so many bad reviews if Sam Endicott, their lead singer, hadn't struck up a pointless feud with Brandon Flowers of The Killers... argue all you want, but make sure you have the songs to back you up before you argue with a band as international as The Killers!

Well, that's all in the past now, and thus far I'm very happy that they didn't give up the first time around. From the two tracks that I've heard, they are yet again on track to make an outstanding pop-punk album; I can only hope they don't drop the ball so spectacularly this time, and live up to the hype. And if they fail? Well, for their sakes I hope they retire with at least some dignity.... If you want to hear a track off their album, click the link below to download Believe, my track of the day.

The Bravery- Believe.mp3

Pre order their new album, The Sun And The Moon - released on July 16th- here.