The Ting Tings

The Ting Tings are an indie/pop duo, the band consists of two members: Jules De Martino (drums, guitar, vocals) and Katie White (vocals, guitar, bass drum). Although and pop/indie genre, they manage to expose both without diluting either of them.The pair were originally from Manchester but formed in 2006. at Salford.

In their short career, they have been signed with Columbia Records and released 3 singles including the hit "That's Not My Name" which went straight to the top of the chart at number one in the UK Singles Chart. They really stirred fans only depositing singles but steadily bulit up the launch of one of the most exciting British indie/pop records to emerge. The debut album 'We Started Nothing' was released on May 19, 2008 and also charted at Number 1 in the UK. This album, in my opinion, succeeds with spectacular style.

Track Listing
1. Great DJ
2. That’s Not My Name
3. Fruit Machine
4. Traffic Light
5. Shut Up and Let Me Go
6. Keep Your Head
7. We Walk
8. Be the One
9. Impacilla Carpisung
10. We Started Nothing

"That's Not My Name" is a track that is relentlessly catchy and with its punk-funk type style was bound to get peoples attention, as it has. The song "Be the One" sounds quite a lot like a Blondie Style one but is still a great tune. The Ting Tings throw in a lot of untreated guitars, powerful lyrics and a certain edginess. This album has really obscure lyrics that really are catchy and you can't help but sing along. The Ting Tings really deserve indie credit. Many people miss the point of the music and don't appreciate it, they seem to think that the songs are something written by children, but as childish as the lyrics, i actually enjoy it. Its good listening to them to brighten the mood because i know that I will hear something I havn't heard before. It doesn't get repetitive and i'm always happy with the outcome. I would reccommend this album to people who enjoy indie or dance style music because I find that it's no disappointment.

MGMT

MGMT is a two piece electro band from Brooklyn. Its two members, Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, are exentric to say the least, wearing matching capes in their videos and their funky keyboard and synth lines make this album something different and exciting. They sound like teenagers experimenting with music and different styles, they treat this record as if its their shot at glory and, in their success, deliver a very impressive album.

Their debut album, 'Oracular Spectacular', was released on the 10th of March, 2008. "Time To Pretend" was their first single off the album, and was warmly welcomed througout the music community and was met with raving reviews. "This is our decision, to live fast and die young/ We've got the vision, now let's have some fun," sing the duo in incredibly beautiful, ghostlike harmony. The first four songs, (Time to Pretend, Weekend Wars, The Youth and Electric Feel) are ridden with deep synth lines, and catchy lyrics. However, the next six songs fade into a less 'funk inspired' sound and the listener is hit with a wave of surfy-sounding guitars and quivering vocals. This at times works to the band's advantage, but towards the end of the record, especially in the last two songs, create a forced sound. I think most people would interpret the interesting lyrics wrong as they are, in a way in each song, referring to someone who is going all out in life.

Tracklist

1. Time To Pretend
2. Weekend Wars
3. The Youth
4. Electric Feel 5. Kids
6. 4th Dimensional Transition
7. Pieces of What
8. Of Moons, Birds & Monsters
9. The Handshake
10. Future Reflections

One of the more obvious elements of 'Oracular Spectacular' is its idea based upon youth, both losing and finding it as an individual. Vanwyngarden and Goldwasser are at that age where innocence has just died yet they're looking forward to a vibrant future ahead. But regardless, it's still a extremely promising debut. These two young musicians really proved what interesting abilities they have and 'Oracular Spectacular' really delivered.

Soulja Boy

Soulja Boy, if you havn't heard of him than very fortunately your new to the hip-hop/rap scene. He got into the industry marking his place with his signature sunnies with his name written across them. He's writing, producing and directing his career and he is only 17, impressive? I really think not. The way he speaks in his songs in regard to women and his culture, you'd expect more from someone who is clearly still a child. He shouldn't call himself a 'Soulja'. There are soldiers dying every day and the industry is making money from this lack of talent, is there something wrong with that?

Whether he can see clearly or not, he’s only impressing those who have no appreciation for true music that posesses talent and not ridiculous lyrics exploiting women as if were animals, talking about all the 'haterz' who envy him because they're not him and using his culture to back him up under a thin layer of pseudo-urban nonsense. The album is possibly the worst I have ever heard and I didn't even bother listening to the entire album. "Crank That", song from the album had been on the top of the charts for weeks and, in my opinion, is barely a song, more extremely unoriginal audio clips put together in a studio. A lot of the lyrics in the song are of a point to have people watch him, its more about him than the girls which is unusual. “Watch me crank it / Watch me roll / Watch me crank dat Soulja Boy.” He ends the song by encouraging others to dance the Soulja Boy, then insulting those who try. It’s amazing fans still have the courage to try the dance and then upload their performances all over his website and youtube! He doesn’t even pretend to have any amount of humility or respect for other people. Soulja Boy has an arrogant approach with profanity and crude sexual references that's basically asking for a fight. Who the hell signed him? You can tell the whole record industry is fixed when 'Soulja Boy' makes to the top 10. From seeing the video clip on MTV to watching my friends dance it is absolutly painful. I'm disgusted that any of them find pleasure litsening to that noise.

I have nothing against hip hop music but how in the world did this 17 year old kid, who has nothino intellectual lyrics about real hip hop music, get a record deal with interscope records?What else did he say in his album, ok 'I got Bape Shoes' and 'I want the teacher to change my grade from an F to a D ', isnt that talent? Everyday the hip hop industry is sinking and its because they're signing anyone who can pull a string of words. This generation is really an ignorant bunch of illiterate, oversexed products of the “No child Left Behind” policy that should have really left these idiots behind. I find it hard to believe that nobody notices he's intentionally making a mockery out of the entire industry. Watch one of his video's, either he is that idiotic and an extreme fool or he's taking the piss. who takes him seriously?

This really proves that you can produce any kind of crap nowadays and know that you will still have people who will still love it and buy it. I don't reccommend this album to anyone, i never will. If you have any common sense, or sense at all, you will not buy this album and give into the cheap crap the industry feeds us today because its too hard to find someone with real talent who deserves our money and respect.

Muse

Muse are a British rock band who formed in Teignmouth, Devon in 1994, with Matt Bellamy - vocals and guitar, Chris Wolstenholme bass and Dom Howard drums. The trio incorporate many different genres in their music - blending modern, classical and even Latin themes into songs. They have over-exposed themselves, proving their ability and throwing catchy tracks on each record. They are very proficient and in short time have won fans over, however still remain unknown to many. The band has been compared to Radiohead, very unfairly, but also Queen, in the amazing, sometimes rare, vocal harmonies.

Track Listings

1. Take A Bow

2. Starlight

3. Supermassive Black Hole

4. Map Of The Problematique

5. Soldier's Poem

6. Invincible

7. Assassin

8. Exopolitics

9. City Of Delusion

10. Hoodoo
11. Knights Of Cydonia

'Black Holes And Revelations' is Muse's fourth album and is one of the years most overblown record including huge doomy soundscapes and space age effects. To a lesser band, the album would sound silly and ironic with songs such as "Starlight", lyrically about spaceships. Matthew Bellamy exaggerates his lyrics with things like injustice, death and "superstars sucks into the supermassive." Not so surprising, coming from Muse. It is surprising, however, that most of the time, the band can make room for melody in seductive songs such as "Invincible" in Coldplay-style, almost like pop music. The album contains a few sci-fi anthems like "Knights of Cydonia" and "City of Delusion", although ridiculous as they're names may be, definetly hit it. "Take A Bow", repetitive to begin with but as it speeds into double time and plays several great guitar parts becomes exhilerating but somewhat sinister. This track about the beginning of a journey into space. In the past Bellamy's lyrics has been accused of being obscure, no doubt, but there is no disguising his intended political nature of "cast a spell on the country you run… risk all their lives and their souls", Proving less opaque then Radiohead's lyrics, obviously taking it out on the failings of world leaders. Really quite interesting when you get into it. As i see it, Musically, 'Black Holes And Revelations' seems to be taking a more compassionate and arty approach, quite comfortably.

Black Holes and Revelations finds Muse finally achieving, I believe, their full potential, producing an album that is their biggest yet. Its an epic album and it even sounds huge. Just listening to it I find it very hard to remember that Muse are only a trio. Muse are a band who would use absolutly any sound effect and turn it into something amazing. For Muse, this is just another example of why they are one of the most inventive rock bands of modern times. They may never quite get as popular or well-known as other bands, but the music is all that matters and with infinitely more exciting and unrivalled music, true fans will to continue to listen.

Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys are a British Indie band, straight forward brilliance, from England, Formed in 2002, the band currently consists of Alex Turner on lead vocals and guitar, Jamie Cook on guitar, Matt Helders on drums and backing vocals and Nick O'Malley on bass guitar and backing vocals. Arctic Monkeys achieved chart success with their first single, 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor', which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart. Their debut album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not', released in January 2006, was at the time the fastest-selling debut album in British music history. Its still the quickest-selling debut album for a group. The Band won the 2006 Mercury Prize and the 2007 BRIT Award for Best British Album.

After a highly anticipated wait, fans got blessed with the band's second album, 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'. It was released on 23 April 2007 and in its debut week sold over 225,000 copies. This album was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize. The group recieved the award for Best British Album and Best British Group at the BRIT Awards in 2008.

Track Listing
1 . Brianstorm
2 . Teddy Picker
3 . D is for Dangerous
4 . Balaclava
5 . Flourescent Adolescent
6 . Only Ones Who Know
7 . Do Me a Favour
8 . This House is a Circus
9 . If You Were There, Beware
10 . The Bad Thing
11 . Old Yellow Bricks

12 . 505

In my opinion, a bit heavier and not as immediate, 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' is a slightly lesser record, though by no means a bad Second Album. The basic stuff is the same as the first album with the same momentum, alternative hard-riffing guitars, and Alex Turner's catchy lyrics. Great tracks like "Brianstorm" and "505" sound among the better of the album and really good at that but still i feel that the the easy winner is the amazing "Fluorescent Adolescent," a sense of a young wild girl becoming tamed: "You used to get it in your fishnets/Now you only get it in your nightdress." Turner's lyrics are shorter this time and the details dont stick and some songs are less than memorable but more of 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' sounds very confident, interesting and really just straight out good. I would highly recommend this album, even though I am a much bigger fan of the debut. The Arctic Monkeys are the new Arctic Monkeys.

George

George is a rock band that came to be in Brisbane in 1996. The band only became recognized when they signed with Festival Mushroom Records in mid 2001. The band consists of Katie Noonan on vocals and keyboards, her brother Tyrone Noonan on vocals, guitar and keyboards, Geoff Green on drums and percussion, Paulie Bromley on bass and Nick Stewart on acoustic and electric guitar.

Their latest album 'Unity', released in 2004, had been highly anticipated after the release of their double-platinum debut album, 'Polyserena' reached #1 in the Australian Charts on 17 March 2002. 'Unity', for George members conjures images of sunshine, persistence and of hope. Paulie Bromley states that, "Polyserena was us learning how to make a record, Unity was making that record." This is the album that George had been slowly and determinedly working towards for the past seven years and fans hope as much as I did that it would be a soulful and mindblowing album, rating of higher quality than that of 'Polyserena'.

Katie and Tyrone Noonan are incredible singers and each of these songs prove their ability. The band has been labelled intimate at concerts and with Katie and Tyrone's voices, I could understand why. George are an extremely talented band both lyrically and musically and this album was no disappointment.

Track Listing

1. Falling Inside
2. Still Real
3. One
4. Beauty Of All Things
5. Captive
6. Today
7. Fall
8. Fortunate Smile
9. Change
10. Jaded
11. Surrender
12. Growing With Love

In "One" the siblings sing together to create an amazing track further proving their talent as a band. The vocal roles switch between the two and although both beautiful singers, I prefer, not necessarily the songs, but when Katie sings. The songs each have elements that make them so different and unique. Lyrically, I believe that they group is very talented. The lyrics are fairly simple but still firm and believable. The music changes rapidly as i never ceased to be amazed at what the band came up with. "Once we reveal ourselves we're so quick, so quick to analyse I just want you to be free and enjoy this ride", Lyrics from 'Still Real'. All of the songs are written about love, life and positivity, all good things, and the band's faith is demonstrated through the amazing lyrics. Tyrone Noonan explains his "...more confident lyrics and statements being expressed through those lyrics. Overall it's a more positive approach in dealing with personal issues and socio-political issues, more positive light. As a band, this to me feels like a really mature album for us."

The band look to each other for strength and solidarity and, growing together, have succeeded incredibly and I was thankful for such a beautiful album. After listening to 'Unity' possible hundreds of times, even from the first few songs, I made my mind that I would recommend this album to anyone I find who, would have an appreciation for this sort of music. Its a shame that talented bands like this arn't more widely recognized because I think that they could become very famous and wellknown. Overall, a very deep and satisfying album.

By Jamie Nairn

UnderOATH

In the months leading up to 'Lost in the Sound of Separation' underOATH has been stirring excitment among fans. The band stated that the record was going to be me "epic and at the same time "way heavier" than their last album, 'Define the Great Line'. 'Lost in the Sound of Serapation' brings a tighter sense of songwriting and more experimentalism with their sound and srong structure, although the band seems ot lck the "heavier" nature promised.

This album succeeds greatly with its short, catchy songs. The first two tracks, “Breathing In a New Mentality” and “Anyone Can Dig a Hole But It Takes a Real Man to Call it Home” contain progressive metalcore sections. “Breathing…” features a part which reminds me of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, a band hailing from the same city as Underoath. The only song that truly fits what Underoath had described before the album came out is “The Only Survivor Was Miraculously Unharmed”, a song that shows a true sense of Underoath’s music, as it transforms from a heavy blast of older-Underoath inspired metalcore into a tension building segment that just simply ends. It is unfortunate that after the excellent first half of the album, the next few tracks are quite a disappointment.

The 3 songs that follow, “We Are the Involuntary”, “The Created Void”, “Coming Down is Calming Down” that are absolutely unmemorable, Along with “A Fault Line, A Fault of Mine” , the songs are forgetable to say the least. They sound the same and just contain standard Underoath songwriting. It’s on these tracks the lack of heavy sections is obvious, and while there are interesting moments throughout them, there is nothing that catches the listeners attention. Lost in the Sound of Separation does still succeed despite these weaker tracks. The “ballad” of “Too Bright To See Too Loud” is actually quite beautiful, with the chorus of members singing “Good God, can you still get us home”. It also contains one of the most impressive moments on the album, as after the chorus, Spencer breaks in with a scream of “How can we still get home?”, sounding more pained and unhappy than ever.

The album proves Underoath’s growing up not only as musicians but as people, as we’re getting a deeper look into them than we ever have. If the album was more consistent and had more memorable parts in it, it would be a fantastic album. However, when Underoath hits it they hit it well, and Lost in the Sound of Separation is still a very good record despite its faults.

By Jamie Nairn