The Cold Cut

I must apologise for not being able to reply to your comments: it's out of my hands. My school has blocked my blog, for some ridiculous reason, apparently 'pornography', or so the filter says. Anyway, I can't see, read, or comment on my blog: I am solely limited to posting and reading your comments through my email account. Anyway, there has been so much unbelievably catchy and amazing music recently, so here's me scratching the surface. If anything goes drastically wrong, be sure to let me know.

Regardless, I can continue to blog, so here is a comprehensive list of the great music released over the last few months.

Discuss: Can you name the best new band at the moment?

Coldplay- Viva La Vida (Link 2)
My faith is restored. Coldplay have really outdone themselves here: 'Viva La Vida' is superior to 'Violet Hill' in every respect, even on the first spin... and who knows how dear it could become many more plays? Epic strings, no audible piano, and a sound that wouldn't fit anywhere smaller than a stadium. This is the 'new' version of Coldplay I was expecting.

The National- Mansion On The Hill (Live Bruce Springsteen Cover) (Link 2)
In my honest opinion, The National are one of the best American bands out there. 'Boxer' and 'Alligator' are work-horses, giving and giving, and I've been waiting for a new track for ages. This more than justifies the wait, even if it is a cover...

Phantom Planet- Raise The Dead (Link 2)
Phantom Planet- Do The Panic (Link 2)
Wow... Now this, I really wasn't expecting. Remember 'California'? Of course you do... well, it seems in the time between the O.C.'s expiration and the present, Phantom Planet have been busy. Busy rebuilding their image, that is, from a teen pop group into an Americanised Arcade Fire. This is a much more mature and developed packaged than they previously offered.

Madonna- Miles Away (Link 2)
I've said more than enough about Madonna...

Busta Rhymes- We Made It (Ft. Linkin Park) (Link 2)
Busta Rhymes- Don't Touch Me (Throw Da Water On Em') (Link 2)
Busta Rhymes always works best when backed up by a wacky, overblown beat. Surprisingly, he eschews that route here, instead opting to blend rock and hip hop. Sounds rubbish, doesn't it? Sometimes, the most grating of combinations produce miracles (see DNA- hint 'keeping it in the family').

His other track- 'Don't Touch Me'...-is classic Busta- balls to the wall, high octane verses, with barely time to breath. And in true fashion, he really pulls it off.

The Ting Tings- Shut Up And Let Me Go (Link 2)
How time flies. Last time I posted about these guys, they were just getting off the ground after releasing 'Great DJ'. And now, they going stellar, after Apple featured them in their new iPod adverts. A little face might be saved by the fact that the song used- 'Shut Up And Let Me Go'- isn't their best, and thus they will always have a crowd pleaser ('That's Not My Name') for the end of their sets that hasn't been 'played to death'.

Weezer- Pork And Beans (Link 2)
Okay, so I'm a few weeks late on this one, but sometimes I can't go without posting a good track. Classic Weezer, plain and simple.

Santogold- I'm A Lady (Link 2)
Santogold- Say Aha (Link 2)
Santogold really crept up on me. To be honest, I didn't give her the time of day, until I saw her album art. For some strange reason, that gold sprinkle effect triggered a fond memory of my childhood and I was instantly won over. Simply put, Santogold is doing for rock and dub what M.I.A. did for hip hop and dancehall, blending cultures, styles and genres into a accesible music.

Metro Station- Shake It (Link 2)
The first time I heard this, I found myself retching at the cheesiness. However, as I walked away from my room, the chorus: 'Shake, shake, shake, shake... I shake it' played over and over in my mind. Really, though, Metro Station need to work out who they are- cheesy American poppers or something a little bit deeper? My money is on the latter; a rebranding (and re-titling- terrible) could be in order.

Lil' Wayne- A Millie (Link 2)
A new TV advertisement proclaims Lil' Wayne as 'the most controversial man in America'. I sincerely doubt this, but you cannot knock him for his cojones. His new album, 'Tha Carter III' is widely expected to be an opus, led comfortably by his first number 1 single, 'Lollipop'. Genius artwork, too- Wayne mimics both Notorious B.I.G. and Nas by using a baby photo as his album cover (a metaphor Wayne? Deep...). We all know Wayne thinks he's great, but soon, we might just have proof.

Today, I'm going to introduce you to the newest feature of The Cold Cut, 'The Cool'. Mixtapes are the lifeblood of many blogs, and I feel optimistic that they could become a respected feature of The Cold Cut. 'The Cool Vol I' is my first foray into this area of music blogging, and I hope you enjoy my first attempt. Expect many more; they will come as soon as they're ready. Comments and criticisms are always welcome...

The 'January Blues' are a phenomena that many of us suffer from: the comedown from the Christmas season is a difficult one, and the reality sets in that summer is whole half year away, and the following Christmas even longer. Then you have the extra pounds that we all put on, the fact that work starts again, and the dire weather. My first mixtape is designed to help you overcome and directly deal with this situation. Split into two halves, the first signifies the melancholy first few days, and the second the light at the end of the tunnel. Sad/Happy listening...

January Blues- Download complete zip (single tracks available for download below)

Click the (B) to buy the album each song is from...


The January Blues

1.Queens Of The Stone Age- You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire (B)
2. Longwave- Meet Me At The Bottom (B)
3. Lupe Fiasco ft. Jonah Matranga- The Instrumental (B)
4. The National- Black Slate (B)
5. Dangermouse- Threat (B)
6. Metric- Grow Up And Blow Away (B)
7. Imogen Heap- The Moment I Said It (B)
8. Calla- It Dawned On Me (B)
9. Cee-Lo- Childz Play (ft. Ludacris) (B)
10. Bloc Party- Rhododendron (B)
11. CSS- Superafim (B)
12. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Over And Over Again (Lost & Found) (B)
13. Doves- There Goes The Fear (B)
14. Faithless- Hour Of Need (B)

Bonus Track
Jennifer Raffety- January Blues

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.