Warner Music Group have come in for some flack over the removal of YouTube videos that infringe their copyright. Admittedly, most of the flack is coming from unlikeable kids who don’t understand copyright but it is another case of the industry wading in and pissing off their potential customers without thinking about how they can use what they are doing to their advantage. NB:I don’t think kids need to understand copyright to be likable.

On a more positive note, I’m loving this from French Horn Rebellion.

Whereas in the past they’ve successfully implemented elements of reggae (Phone Went West) and ska (Off The Record) and they’ve always had a lot of soul, the funk, r’nb and falsetto experiments found the band misfiring. That and a few slight songs with cheesy lyrics marred what otherwise should have been the album that crossed over.

Skip forward seven months to this iTunes only curio recorded live in the state of the art Palm Casino studio in Las Vegas. There’s a suitably lounge-tinged feel here that, given the city’s place in the whole rat pack mythos, seems appropriate. This cocktail vibe is enhanced by picking five of the more laid back and quieter tracks from either end of the band’s catalogue to date, which gives the six song EP a consistency that it might otherwise be lacking. Opener Tonight I Want To Celebrate With You employs the omnichord that worked to such great effect on Touch Me I Think I’m Going To Scream Pt 2 , but rather than go with the latter’s gentle electro groove it takes on a country flavour with some pedal steel guitar. It’s this country rock and cocktail theme that runs through all the tracks here, bringing out the AM friendly side of the band, and although it’s certainly not the reason why I love the band it is something they do well, and stripped of the wailing guitars it serves to showcase the quality of Jim James songwriting.

New tune Dear Wife could happily have sat along side the better tracks on the last album but the standout is the Tennessee Fire‘s They Ran, a lesson in restraint with sweet wordless, backing vocals that to these ears has the same feel as The Flamingos version of I Only Have Eyes For You.

As a companion piece to Evil Urges it’s a strong offering (and at only £4.74 a bargain), although fans of the band’s more rocking side (assuming they already own Okonosos) may want to check out some of the recordings from the Madison Sqare Garden NYE show as well. That and keep your fingers crossed for rescheduled UK dates.

Confusingly, the Red Hot Organization’s MySpace page says that 32 songs were recorded for the project but their are only 31 tracks listed on the album (could just be a typo). The organization’s MySpace page will be streaming every track one at a time over the 31 days between Jan 15th and the release date on February 16. The site is on US time so if you’re quick you can still hear yesterday’s first track right now – Dirty Projectors and David Byrne’s Knotty Pine – and mighty fine it is too.

This Disc (Disc One)

1. ‘Knotty Pine’ – Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
2. ‘Cello Song’ – The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
3. ‘Train Song’ – Feist and Ben Gibbard
4. ‘Brackett, WI’ – Bon Iver
5. ‘Deep Blue Sea’ – Grizzly Bear
6. ‘So Far Around The Bend’ – The National
7. ‘Tightrope’ – Yeasayer
8. ‘Feeling Good’ – My Brightest Diamond
9. ‘Dark Was The Night’ – Kronos Quartet
10. ‘I Was Young When I Left Home’ – Antony with Bryce Dessner
11. ‘Big Red Machine’ – Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner
12. ‘Sleepless’ – The Decemberists
13. ‘Stolen Houses (Die)’ – Iron & Wine
14. ‘Service Bell’ – Grizzly Bear + Feist
15. ‘You Are The Blood’ – Sufjan Stevens

That Disc (Disc Two)

1. ‘Well-Alright’ – Spoon
2. ‘Lenin’ – Arcade Fire
3. ‘Mimizan’ – Beirut
4. ‘El Caporal’ – My Morning Jacket
5. ‘Inspiration Information’ – Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
6. ‘With A Girl Like You’ – Dave Sitek
7. ‘Blood Pt. 2’ – Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
8. ‘Hey, Snow White’ – The New Pornographers
9. ‘Gentle Hour’ – Yo La Tengo
10. ‘Amazing Grace’ – Cat Power
11. ‘Happiness’ – Riceboy Sleeps
12. ‘Another Saturday’ – Stuart Murdoch
13. ‘The Giant Of Illinois’ – Andrew Bird
14. ‘Lua’ – Conor Oberst with Gillian Welch
15. ‘When The Road Runs Out’ – Blonde Redhead & Devastations
16. ‘Love Vs. Porn’ – Kevin Drew

Red Hot Organization on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/darkwasthenight

While we can wonder at Bono writing a column for the New York Times, and feign interest in the latest Amy Winehouse gossip, Kanye rant or Babyshambles guest, surely there is something actually newsworthy out there?

Here’s what’s piqued my interest in the first two weeks of ’09.

The release of Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion would have been reason to get excited at any time of year but has been enhanced by the dearth of other quality records coming out and the fact that My Girls borrows a synth line from Frankie Knuckles.

Various people are spouting forth on best new music for 2009 lists, with most agreeing that, love it or hate it, electro-pop will be BIG. After great releases from Ladyhawke, Friendly Fires, Hot Chip and Cut Copy in 2008, Little Boots, La Roux and Lady Ga Ga head up this year’s electro-assault while Pet Shop Boys have a track on the Girls Aloud album and are getting Outstanding Contribution award at The Brits.

At the spookier end of the spectrum, how about this little beauty from Fever Ray (Karin from The Knife’s new project).

Norman Cook prepares to release his Brighton Port Authority album. The project he’s been working on for a few years features Iggy Pop, David Byrne, Jamie T and Dizzee Rascal and others. Speaking of Byrne and Cook, whatever happened to the Imelda Marcos musical they were working on?

Motown celebrates it’s 50th birthday this year. Richard Williams, the Guardian’s chief sports writer get’s all fanboy about it.

Nice to see Xfm, despite having the worst post-Capital buy out year ever! are again running with the Xfm New Music Award for the best debut album by a UK act. Last year’s event was excellent John Leckie is already lined up as one of the industry panel judges, but you can vote for the shortlist.

Oh, and iconic London venue The Astoria closes this week not with a bang but with a whimper. Yes, it’s terrible to lose a venue in the heart of town, but despite all the great acts that have played there, the sound was always shit upstairs, it was dirty and it smelled. God, I’ll miss it!

Basically, unless these artists already have the albums in the can, it ain’t that easy to say that they can turn a couple of great live gigs and a promising demo into something worth cherishing. Many bands fall at the first hurdle.

So let’s put aside the brand new and take a look at who the most exciting follow up albums of 2009 will probably come from…

A Camp
The 2001 eponymous debut A Camp album featured The Cardigans’ Nina Persson teaming up with Niclas Frisk and Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous. The follow up ‘Colonia’ finds Persson and Frisk hooking up with ex-Shudder To Think guitarist (and Persson’s husband) Nathan Larson. The album is already in the can and if lead single ‘Stronger Than Jesus’ is anything to go by it’ll be another melancholic country tinged affair highlighting Nina’s singular voice. Due out February 2.

official site: http://www.acamp.net/

Silversun Pickups
‘Carnavas’ is an album I still can’t get enough. I think I saw these guys six times in 2007 and I’d go and see them six times again if I could. They were recording on and off between July and September last year so we should expect something sometime this year. Until then I’ll just have to make do with playing ‘Lazy Eye’ on Guitar Hero World Tour on the Wii.

Silversun Pickups on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/silversunpickups

Band Of Horses
Two brilliant albums so far and the band went into Alabama’s legendary Muscle Shoals studio back in October to start work on the new album which they promise will include “More Than 10 Songs!!!!” with all members of the band writing songs
and once again the album will feature “brand new beautiful artwork” by Christopher Wilson.

official site: http://www.bandofhorses.com/

PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey and erstwhile collaborator John Parish have teamed up to record the follow up to 1996’s Dance Hall At Louse Point and is due out at the end of March on Island. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s lost interest in Peej over the last couple of releases, could this be the one that wins us back?

official site: http://www.pjharvey.net/

Beirut
Zach Condon follows up 2007’s the Flying Club Cup with a double EP due in February. March of the Zapotec/Holland. Latest info says that part one of the EP will be under the Beirut name and was recorded with Mexican musicians The Jiminez Band, while part two is “bedroom style recordings” under Condon’s previous moniker Realpeople.

official site: http://www.beirutband.com/

The National
The band are in the early stages of making the follow up to Boxer but it’s unlikely to see a release until 2010. But I mention them here as Aaron and Bryce Dessener have produced what has the potential to be an awesome compilation for the HIV/AIDS combatting Red Hot Organization. ‘Dark Was The Night’ features stellar cast of the indie great and good from Sufjan Stevens, Spoon, New Pornographers, Arcade Fire, Stuart Murdoch, My Morning Jacket, David Sitek and a shitload more. Check out the full details.

The National on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/thenational
Red Hot Organization: http://tinyurl.com/redhotanddark

Animal Collective
The Baltimore based trio release ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’, this Monday and have made an early punt for Hipster Album Of The Year. With tracks appearing all over the internet and new song ‘My Girls’ up on the band’s MySpace page this looks likely to grow their fanbase much more than 2007’s ‘Strawberry Jam’ with Pitchfork already giving it a 9.6 review and calling it more “accessible and complete” than their earlier work. Their Koko show on Monday is sold out but they’re back at The Forum in March.

Animal Collective on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/animalcollectivetheband

Live I was fortunate enough to catch Coachella and Daydream festivals in the US and Spain respectively as well as see Split Enz in New Zealand, Duran Duran in Paris and The Dodos in LA not to mention a slew of bands in London including superlative shows from Band Of Horses, The Hold Steady, TV On The Radio and The Gaslight Anthem.

Back in November I was thinking that this wasn’t going to be a vintage year, but my list ended up surprisingly strong. I mainly consumed music as whole albums in ‘08, in 2009 I’m expecting to a more eclectic pick and mix.

Best of 2008…

Stone Cold Killers
Friendly Fires ‘Friendly Fires’
Johnny Foreigner ‘Waited Up ‘Til It Was Light’
Bon Iver ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’
The Dodos ‘Visiter’
Kings Of Leon ‘Only By The Night’
TV On The Radio ‘Dear Science’
Elbow ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’
Vampire Weekend ‘Vampire Weekend’
The Raconteurs ‘Consolers Of The Lonely’

Great albums with a couple of dud tracks or overlong
The Hold Steady ‘Stay Positive’
Black Mountain ‘In The Future’
The Walkmen ‘You & Me’
Ladyhawke ‘Ladyhawke’
Sigur Ros ‘Med Sud….’
Los Campesinos! ‘Hold On Youngster’ and ‘We Are Beautiful We are Doomed’
Nick Cave ‘Dig Lazarus Dig’
Death Cab For Cutie ‘Narrow Stairs’

Really Good Albums with a couple of great tunes
Fleet Foxes ‘Fleet Foxes
The Gaslight Anthem ‘The ’59 Sound’
School Of Seven Bells ‘Alpinism’
Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks ‘Real Emotional Trash’
MGMT ‘Oracular Spectacular’
Lykke Li ‘Youth Novels’ – Scandiniavan electro pop
White Denim ‘Workout Holiday’

Although, for my money they made some of the best music of the early 80s (and turned in great albums in 1993 and 2007) the idea of what they could have been is still intoxicating. And so we turn to today’s release of TV On The Radio’s third album Dear Science, and we must wonder what JT, Nick Rhodes et al would make of it.

As slick and funky as anything dreamed up by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (check out ‘Red Dress’ and ‘Crying’) it still has the metallic dream pop edge of their debut and 2006’s Return To Cookie Mountain and, as Pitchfork have already pointed out, lyrics mired in “self-doubt, Bush-hate, and future-fear”. A very noughties take on the original DD proposition.

It may lack a moment as unstoppable as …Cookie Mountain’s ‘Wolf Like Me’ but as a whole it’s a much more satisfying proposition with several killer tracks (opener ‘Halfway Home’ and ‘Dancing Choose’ are current faves). Now if we could only get David Sitek to produce the next Duran Duran album…

This was my second time with the duo (actually a trio live) having caught them back in April when they played an instore at Amoeba Records in LA. Frontman Meric Long’s playing style flits between finger picking and aggressive strumming and twisted chords (often all in the same song) and takes in some non-standard tunings while Logan Kroeber’s locked in drumming holds the whole set together (I think he only stopped drumming once or twice in the whole set, linking each song together into an hour long suite). Their respective backgrounds in African ewe drumming and prog-metal clearly influences their approach, the whole becoming a kind of minimal-psychedelic take on folk with acoustic guitar, drums and percussion.

Check out their second album Visiter, one of this year’s best.

Food being prepared at one of the many stalls selling jerk chicken, goat curry and corn on the cob. This guy was trimming the sugar cane in expert fashion using a machete.