Essentials
The stuff you need to know
Here at Britsound, we are only interested in recommending only the very best in British music - so that you save both time and money when you choose what to buy and listen to.
HOT PICKS
JULY 2009
Hello everyone! Time for a bit of mid-year reflection and navel gazing...
Good news and bad news... The good news is that this has been a bloody brilliant year so far for Britsound. We've had interviews with Goldfrapp, Katie Melua, Dave Davies, Les Paul, Noah & The Whale and The Duke Spirit (to name just a few) and the show keeps on getting a great response from people. So that's good innit?
However, the bad news comes in the form of launching (or failure thereof) Brits Rising. It will happen, but we need to get the nuts and bolts sorted first before we undertake and launch this big beast of a project that will be bloody brilliant.
So there - all is well. Anybody know of any new upcoming British bands? send the tips to radio@britsound.com
OK Hot picks for this month - Jon Hopkins and his album INSIDES - absolutely brilliant. You will know this guy from his work with Coldplay's latest album - but he deserves the limelight and recognition because of this atmospheric and genuinely moving album. Check it out - best listened to at night, with a thunderstorm raging on outside with your desk lamp attracting the futile attentions of a
lone moth. Go buy:
Click here to buy Jon Hopkins Insides
Cheers and play on tigers!
- Rob
JUNE 2009
Blimey - take your eye off the ball for a second and you miss half a year! What a great year for music so far. We've had some great interviews on the show far - Goldfrapp, Noah & The Whale, Katue Melua, Roy Harper to name just a few. Also rather lovely is the latest album from The Wishing Tree, Ostara. A lovely blend of folk-rock for you.
We are now also on Twitter, which is rather exciting (to a limited extent). Check us out and 'follow' our weekly exploits in the world of Britsound.
I am asked who tops my 'wanted list' for interviews on Britsound. Here's the top five: 1. David Gray 2. Coldplay (Chris Martin) 3.
Radiohead (Thom Yorke) 4. Doves 5. Sting. Sorry if this list is considered 'unoriginal'.
There you go then, you cheeky monkeys!
DECEMBER 2008
Hurrah! We have finally updated this page - it's just been a crazy year and we have been so busy, so sorry about that tigers. However, all is not lost, we are back with our definitive Britsound Top 10 British Albums of 2008.
You can hear the show and also read about the albums here. From all of us at Britsound have a Merry Christmas and a cracking New Year!
APRIL 2008
It's been a wee while since we last checked in. We hope you are doing well and holding on to those new year's resolutions (yeah, right!). A lot has happened since our last update. As you well know, we chose Vib Gyor as Britsound's Most Likely to Succeed in 2007. Well, we have made our choice for 2008. We are proud to announce that we have chosen Guildford's Satellite Space as Britsound's Most Likely to Succeed in 2008. We think they've got a fantastic future. Head over the their Myspace page and check out their demo songs One Small Step and Carry Your Own Weight. This is a band brimming with talent, you won't be disappointed. We will be posting our interview with lead singer Gary Nicks in out 'Interviews' section shortly.
On the Britsound stereo this month - we cannot stop playing Alexi Murdoch and his debut album Time Without Consequence. To say that this bloke is talented is understatement of the year. There are times when we genuinely felt as if we were listening to Nick Drake's son. With songs like Orange Sky and Song For You, draped with Murdoch's delicate acoustical flourishes and sombre vocals, this clearly reveals an artist that could have massive potential. One to watch. Also getting quite a few plays is Adele's Hometown Glory; The Courteeners Not Nineteen Forever; Duffy Mercy; The Guillemots new album Red with the incredible and spine-tingling Take Me Home that's almost Springsteen-esque in its falsetto splendour. Finally our album of the month is Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid. Words do not really do a good enough job of articulating or encapsulating the full gamut of human emotions that Guy Garvey and the band have managed to capture on this new album. From the stomping Grounds For Divorce to the powerfully elegiac Weather To Fly, once again Elbow have shown that they are a band that will not 'sell out' for commercial success. With a new album due from Coldplay in about 8 weeks time, this album is almost evidence of an alternate universe - this is music that Coldplay could have been making had they not lost their way...
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: APRIL 2008:
Click here to buy Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid
OCTOBER 2007
We're back! It's been a while. The Britsound Radio show contines to go from strength to strength with a live session and interviews with many up-and-coming as well as more established British artists. So this month we have been listening to the brand new single from Oasis - Lord Don't Slow Me Down - an infectious Who-like rocker from a band that has now entered Abbey Road to record their seventh album. Also getting plays are Kate Nash, with Mouthwash and Foundations and Newton Faulkner with All I Got, a cracking little number abounding with nifty little acoustic flourishes. We're pretty excited about Kate Nash though, she's one to watch in the future, plus her videos on YouTube are pure genius. Also well worth checking out - The Holloways and their excellent, gritty and energetic album So This Is Great Britian? The title track itself is well worth the price of the album. We can't think of an album in recent memory that captures the current 'spirit' of Britain's youth so effectively. If you're not in the mood for anything so lively, perhaps you should check out Richard Hawley and Dark Road taken from his new album Lady's Bridge. Comparisons to Johnny Cash aside, listening to Hawley's voice is like slowly savouring a warm cigar by an open fire.
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: OCTOBER 2007
Click here to buy Rupert Wates' Coast to Coast
Currently on the Britsound turntable is the second album from singer-songwriter Rupert Wates, Coast to Coast. Hailing from the UK, and having lived in Paris and then relocated to the US, he has notched up an impressive resume along the way. Apart from the many songwriting awards that Wates has garnered in the last two years, even more impressive are his two solo albums, the most recent of which is nothing less than a delight to listen to. At times seeming like a mixture of Nick Drake and Richard Thompson, Wates' songs are acoustic observations and stories of life in America from the perspective of a cultural outsider. These are songs crafted with care and imbued with sincerity and conviction. And The Wave Will Sing is an obvious highlight - with it's driving, looping bass leading to its anthemic calypso-chorus with vigorous acoustic guitars strumming away in accompaniment. On the final song, the piano ballad, (When I Get Over To) California, Wates sings that "One day I'll make it to California / I'm gonna walk through that open door / Maybe I'll find it isn't half the things they promised / Maybe I'll find out what I'm living for." It's at moments like this that you find yourself wishing to take that journey and that chance too. This is an album to be savoured, not rushed. Let the magic gently seep in.
JUNE 2007
Some of the very best music of the year is coming out of the UK right now. It's all coming together rather nicely! Probably the best single of the year is the Artic Monkey's Flourescent Adolescent, a brilliant and catchy single that will hopefully ignite them over in the U.S. Also worth checking out - the return of Editors and their latest single - Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors, from their forthcoming album, An End Has A Start. Seriously, if this new album doesn't make Editors massive in America, then I don't know what will! Stereophonics are back with Bank Holiday Monday, and the Fratellis release yet another barnstorming single with
Ole Black 'n' Blue Eyes. Finally, with news that KT Tunstall is set to release a new album called Drastic Fantastic later this year, don't forget to check out the ever affable
Natasha Bedingfield with her latest single, Soulmate. OK, here's a predicition: the next wave of British bands/artists to break into America will probably be Just Jack, Air Traffic (truly, truly amazing - anthemic genius) and Maximo Park. We could be wrong, but these bands are on fire right now - bursting with talent and energy, and ready to take the U.S. by storm.
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: JUNE 2007
Click here to buy Artic Monkeys' Favourite Worst Nightmare
Currently on the Britsound turntable is the second album by overnight sensations - Arctic Monkeys. Expectations were high, but generally speaking, this album hits the mark. From the pounding Brianstorm to the sly balladesque-pop of Flourescent Adolescent, the monkeys are proving to everyone that they just might have staying power. They may well be very clever lyrically and musically a breath of fresh air - but can they really crack America? Buy it an decide for yourself! RQ
APRIL 2007
Well, it has been an exceptionally busy time for us at Britsound! The radio show has been going very well this year, with loads of interviews with some excellent people. So this is where most of our time has been spent so far. However, we are into some great music at the moment. This month we have been getting into a lot of new music including: The Shakes with their excellent single Liberty Jones; Echoboy (or Richard Warren) with his new album Elektrik Soul Psymphonie; Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and their new album The Chronicles of A Bohemian Teenager; Idlewild and their latest album Make Another World; Aqualung and their latest opus Memory Man; The Fratellis with the energetic Costello Music; and Klaxons with their breakthrough album Myths of The Near Future. Some good stuff there, check them out! We hold our breaths to see which British bands will play Lollapalooza this year...
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: APRIL 2007
Click here to buy Six By Seven's album 04
However, what is being played most on our 'turntable' this month is the American release of Six By Seven's album 04. With a sound that is both sweeping and epic, and invokes Snow Patrol and Bloc Party at times, this is an album you need to physically own.
Starting with the understated Untitled and rising to the anthemic Bochum (light up my life) each listen reveals more richer depths and hidden corners to appreciate. It's a crime that this band has been overlooked in the past. If there is any justice in the world, this album should make them famous. Highly recommended! RQ
DECEMBER 2006
Yo ho ho! It's that time of the year when we announce the very best of British music from the last twelve months. You've waitied for it -
at last - our Top 10 British Albums of 2006 is finally here!
NOVEMBER 2006
We’re back! After a lengthy sojourn, we return with the very best in British music. As we head for the end of the year, there have been several British music releases that merit your attention. We have recently been smitten with The Fratellis and the vibrant rock genius of Chelsea Dagger and Whistle For The Choir. Surely Chelsea Dagger will become known as a classic British anthem? Lily Allen has also piqued our interest recently with a couple of cockney-charming songs, LDN and Smile. As she is currently touring the US it remains to be seen if the “female” Mike Skinner will be able to connect with American audiences in spite of, or maybe, because of her cockney brusque.
Elsewhere the battle of ex-Blur band members continues in the form of Graham Coxon’s new album Love Travels At Illegal Speeds. Check out the driving, anthemic Standing On My Own Again, the kick off single from his new album. Not to be outdone, Damon Albarn has responded with his new band, The Good, The Bad & The Queen. At first listen to the new single Herculean, the strange electronic ebbs and Albarn’s telephone vocals don’t seem to do much, but with a few listens the song hooks itself in your brain for a long residency (rather like Hot Chip’s Over and Over which is resolutely lodged in there as well). We also still excited by Muse and their latest album Black Holes and Revelations. What an eclectic, brave and fascinating album. Of course, radio stations are playing the new single Starlight to death (and not undeservedly).
After a 24-year wait we finally have the latest album from The Who, called Endless Wire. It’s not bad, although Daltrey’s vocals seem to have become ragged after all the years. However, some interesting songs that deserve investigation, Mike Post Theme and Fragments hint at The Who of legendary days past. Finally, if you are in the mood for some witty and quirky pop, check out The Divine Comedy’s new album Victory For The Comic Muse. Although it’s not Neil Hannon’s best, there are still a few gems to be had; namely the first sprightly single Diva Lady and The Light of Day. That’s all for now, we’ll be back next month with more great British music. RQ
JULY 2006
Summer is here at last, complete with its requisite pop anthems blasting over the airwaves crafted for beach-bound radio listeners. Acting like some kind of musical UV barrier, Britsound is delighted to share with you the best British music this month, with only the best getting through. Let's start with Guillemots and their new album Through The Windowpane. This is a vibrant band that will not be pigeon-holed (leave your Keane, Coldplay, and Radiohead comparisons at the door). Check out the sheer diversity of songs on this album. From the anthemic Made-Up Lovesong #43, to the mournful ebb of Redwings to the pounding energy of Through The Windowpane, we cannot remember the last time that a debut album was so jam-packed with such brilliant and varied writing. A contender for album of the year? Elsewhere we are still enjoying Lostprophets and their new album Liberation Trasmission. An album of incredible energy, and well worth checking out. Finally, we are captivated by The Futureheads' new album News & Tributes, and their dangerously catchy single Skip To The End. Also getting airplay is the "female Streets" Lily Allen and her cheeky single Smile - a slice of pure British life instilled within a 3 minute pop-song. More next month tigers! RQ
JUNE 2006
This month we are greatly impressed with Keane and their new album Under The Iron Sea. Is this their best album yet? Possibly. Check out Crystall Ball, the Coldplay-esque Hamburg Song and Is It Any Wonder? A few people have commented that on this new album lead singer Tom Chaplin almost sounds like the late Freddie Mercury at times!??!! Strange. Elsewhere, we are also getting into the first single from Muse, Knights of Cydonia, an epic rock song from their forthcoming album Black Holes And Revelations. We are still into Vib Gyor, having just received their new EP. We hope and expect that they will make it big. Songs like Church Bell and Red Lights are so maturely written that we expect great things from them in the future. We've also been getting into South, and, in particular, their song Know Yourself from their new album
Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars (quite a mouthful eh?). What a great band South are. This new album is musically diverse and reflects their enormous talent, yet when will they finally break through and achieve greater mainstream success and critical acclaim? They deserve to make it big. Someone who has now officially 'made it' is Sandi Thom. Yes, we all know the story of how she was discovered playing gigs in her London basement which were then streamed on the internet, yet she has now exploded in the UK with her number 1 single I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker. At the very least you must applaud someone with such great audacity, ingenuity and the sheer determination to succeed. Finally, good old Razorlight are back, with an excellent, catchy and rocking new single In The Morning. Watch as they further cement their growing reputation as one of the UK's best rock bands. More next month. Cheers! RQ.
MAY 2006
Feeder burst back on the scene with their new single Lost & Found from their forthcoming album, called Feeder The Singles will be out on the 15th of May. There’s also a brilliant acoustic version of that song doing the rounds that sounds great as well. Gomez are still writing sparkling and joyous music, as evidenced on their new album How We Operate, check out See The World. The Ronelles will hopefully breakthrough with their new debut UK single, Bolt the doors. Think of The Beatles meets the Kinks and a small sprinkling of The Jam thrown in. Add them all together with amps ‘turned to 11’ and you have The Ronelles. Primal Scream are back – with their new single Country Girl, a stomp-rock song if ever we heard one, expect a possible comeback from the Scottish rockers. Who are Vib Gyor? We don’t know – but we love their new single, Fallen, a cross between Coldplay and Radiohead, but not as depressing. Speaking of Embrace, we are rather fond of the unashamedly anthemic No Use Crying from their new album This New Day. The new U2 anyone? In fact, who really wants to be the new U2 these days? Finally, it’s good to see Snow Patrol back with a brilliant new album – Eyes Open. We can’t stop listening Chasing Cars in the office – another rising epic with a stirring finish. It’s the new Run don’t ya know? Cheers! RQ
FEBRUARY 2006
OK - some of the music we're into at the moment bodes well for British music as a whole for 2006. This is what we're listening to right now:
Oceansize and their new album Everyone Into Position is a very, very ethereal rock album, which has incredible depth. It will take repeated listenings, as the songs eventually seep into you. Check out the amazing epic song Music For A Nurse, it almost sounds like it was written for a 2 AM walk on deserted city streets. It's like Radiohead meets the Doves, sortof. We've also been getting into The Feeling, with their breakthrough song Sewn. We have high expectations of them for this year. The Arctic Monkeys are still popular with us right now. When The Sun Goes Down, we only hope they can live up to all the hype. A new band hailing from Brighton, The Upper Room excite us with their potential on their new single All Over This Town. Throw in some Keane, add some Coldplay, and some U2 and Style Council and you have something that sounds familiar yet special. The new album from Saint Etienne, Tales From Turnpike House is also well worth a listen. It's a concept album about living in a South London high-rise, with the tragic beauty of Teenage Winter simply captivating. Finally, look out for Morning Runner. We cannot deny that we love their track Burning Benches, with its understated piano intro leading to a blistering crescendo. Great stuff! RQ
OLDER STUFF
Britsound's Top 10 Albums of The Year 2005
Britsound is proud to announce our albums of the year! Please click on the above link to see our picks! You can also read Gina Pantone's 2005 Year In Review.
This list is updated whenever we feel a new CD/album merits the attention. Check back here every month for our latest recommendations.
