So here we are, one of 2010’s most anticipated releases…but can Putney’s favourite geeky dance-pop musos deliver the classic (and possibly career defining) album many are expecting?

Things get off to a strong start with opener ‘Thieves In The Night’.  It’s all broody synth organ drones and a four-on-the-floor kick drum, which builds anticipation and excitement, as any album opener worth it’s salt should. Alexis Taylor’s instantly recognisable falsetto finally gets things going: “My friend once told me something so right, he said to be careful of thieves in the night.”

From here on, the track seems to be on an ever-upward pursuit for bliss and abandon, with layers of synths, beats and guitars being added on top of one another in a clever marriage of words and music, “happiness is what we all want.”  Lovely stuff.

Next up is the piano led demi-ballad, ‘Hand Me Down Your Love’, which stands out as one of the record’s more instant tunes.  In what seems like an attempt to remain “human” and “honest”, the band have opted for a distinctly acoustic drum kit sound in the intro and verses.  It’s not what you’d expect from a Hot Chip song, but then again surprising listener’s is one of the things they do best.

Pretty string lines and delicious rising melodies ensure that it won’t be long before Erol Alkan decides he wants to sinks his dirty electro teeth into this one, as there is a filthy floor filling monster hiding just below the surface.

• “Don’t give a shit about the cool kids”

It’s no surprise that the album takes its name from the first single to be released from the album. ‘One Life Stand’ is an instant Hot Chip classic.  It’s irreverent, completely mad and is filled with a seemingly bottomless pit of hooks.

The choreography on the video sums up Hot Chips’ “don’t give a shit about the cool kids” approach to their music and image, which has garnered the band such a devoted fan base.  What’s a shame is that this sense of fun doesn’t appear elsewhere on the album. A few more tracks like this, rather than the insipid ‘Slush’ or ‘Brothers’ and One Life Stand would be the first must have of the decade, rather than just the very decent album that it is.

Other highlights include ‘Alley Cats’ and ‘We Have Love’.  The first is more of an entity than a song and is quite simply one of the loveliest, most understated, tracks Hot Chip have written to date.  It drifts in and out of focus like a sunshine drenched winter weekend morning and contains one of the album’s rare moments of Alexis Taylor’s and Joe Goddard’s beautifully idealised duel vocals.

‘We Have Love’ will certainly be featuring in several DJ’s set lists in 2010. It’s subtle dance hall and dub step ingredients are fused seamlessly with Hot Chip’s uncanny ability to produce dark, obscure mantras, which demand to be played time and time again.

• “How come they don’t just play like that cool part through the whole song?”

Taylor and Goddard have clearly decided to save one of the biggest choruses they band have ever summoned for the album’s closer ‘Take It In’. The song employs a familiar song-writing trick of minor key verses and major key choruses, which reminded me of a scene from Beavis and Butthead where they discuss Radiohead’s ‘Creep’:

Beavis: “What’s going on? How come they don’t just play like that cool part through the whole song?”

Butthead: “Well Beavis, if they didn’t have like a part of the song that sucked, then it’s like, the other part wouldn’t be as cool.”

To say that about ‘Take It In’ is a little harsh, but you get the idea. The minimally melodic verses become more attractive with repeated listening and act as a perfect counterweight to the gorgeous falsetto chorus: “My heart has flown to you just like a dove, it can fly, it can fly.  Please take my heart and keep it close to you, take it in, take it in.”

The album still has room for Amnesiac era Radiohead in the minimalist electronica of ‘Keep Quiet’ and an attempt at a 90s dance pop revival in ‘I Feel Better’.  I used to live next door to a halfway house for young offenders and elements of this track certainly come from the same ‘Dance Anthems’ stock, which used to haunt me during the delinquents’ all-too-frequent all nighters. That said, ‘I Feel Better’ isn’t unpleasant, but as with a few moments on the album I can’t help but feel that it doesn’t quite reach it’s potential.

So back to the key question, is the album any good?  It’s certainly a strong addition to the Hot Chip oeuvre and a must for any fan however, I would still recommend 2006’s The Warning to any newcomers.  Key tracks ‘One Life Stand’, ‘Hand Me Down Your Love’, ‘Alley Cats’ and ‘Take It In’ are undoubtedly great Hot Chip songs, but they don’t quite reach the dizzying heights of ‘Over And Over’, ‘Boy From School’ or ‘Ready For The Floor’.

Perhaps Hot Chip are just too eclectic and experimental a band to write an album that will be widely regarded as a classic.  It’s unlikely they will ever write a record that will be universally viewed as a cohesive ‘whole’.  But perhaps that’s not the point. Their inventive and often risky approach to song writing means that not every attempt works as well as it might, but this is precisely why they are admired as one of the most unique bands of the past decade.

So anyway, dance your nuts off to ‘One Life Stand’, find your heart swept away by ‘Alley Cats’ and ‘Take It In’, play ‘spot the steel drum Leitmotif’ that runs throughout and prepare yourself for the brilliant remixes to follow.  This might not be a ‘classic’, but don’t be too surprised if it ends up on a few top ten lists at the end of the year, after all how many bands are capable of sounding completely out of place and in perfect harmony with their surroundings at the same time?

All are huge fans of live theatre and they’re urging students across England to try it for free with the Arts Council England scheme “A Night Less Ordinary“:

It’s aim is to encourage more young people to go to the theatre:

A small group of campaigners took part in a silent disco outside the Astoria in central London in a bid to get more information about the venue’s replacement.

The Astoria shut its doors for the last time in January after a £16 billion Crossrail development finally got the green light.

The deal included guarantees that a venue of similar size would be built in central London to make up for the loss of one of the capital’s best loved music venues.

Facebook groups and a petition have been set up to pressure Westminster Council and Crossrail into announcing who will be responsible for the new build.

Despite their attempts to find out more information, protest organiser India Walker told 6 Music they’re being kept in the dark:

“We’re going to keep writing to Boris Johnson and Crossrail and Westminster Council until we find out who is responsible because they each are saying each other. 

“We’re going to bug them until we get a similar venue built.”

Organisers were probably hoping for a larger turnout for the Astoria’s final send off, but perhaps the hail, rain and higher profile G20 protests in Hyde Park took some potential silent disco-ers away.

One protestor told 6 Music why she was there, “I came down, just to remind myself of what good times I had within this building. It’s a shame that it’s going in its entirety, I was hoping they would keep some of the front.”

Another added, “I think we haven’t got sufficient information about what’s going on.”

A police riot van and some security fencing were on stand by, however, the protest was peaceful with campaigners handing out flyers and dancing to the sounds coming from their MP3 players.

Rather fittingly, it was a silent goodbye to a now silent venue.

See original article here

One of the trendier corners of East London played host to the first ever Topman CTRL  event on Wednesday night.

Acclaimed electro popsters Metronomy acted as curators and their handpicked line up ensured the crowd, packed into The Hoxton Bar and Grill, were thoroughly entertained.

Koko Von Napoo

Parisian electro-synth four piece Koko Von Napoo opened the evening.  While their name doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue, their music certainly lingers in the memory.

The band overcame their early out-of-town nerves and visibly grew in confidence as the set progressed. 

This is well crafted electro-pop, with an intelligently used palate of synth sounds. Think of a New Young Pony Club / Those Dancing Days hybrid with a colder, more considered delivery and you’re not far off the mark.

Lead singer, Toupie, sings in a brittle style reminiscent of former Long Blonde, Kate Jackson and although the rhythm section strayed a little at times, a decent run of gigs should soon iron out any creases.

Perhaps still a killer single short, on tonight’s evidence Koko Von Napoo are a band well worth keeping an eye out for.

Your Twenties

Irresistible singles, however, are certainly something Your Twenties are no strangers to.

Fronted by Metronomy’s Gabriel Stebbing, the five-piece (although tonight only four) make sun drenched, guitar driven music to lose yourself in.

Most of the allure stems from Stebbing’s relaxed, almost crooned vocals, one part Morrissey to one part Brian Wilson.  Flowing melodic lines are elegantly accented with tight harmonies and a surprisingly good falsetto.

The song writing is bulletproof in places and echoes the economy of Vampire Weekend and early Strokes with a nod to The Beatles never far below the surface.

A relatively short set included, recently re-released single, ‘Caught Wheel’ and crowd favourite ‘Gold’ before closing with the extraordinarily catchy ‘Billionaires’.

During an endearing performance, Stebbing appeared a little nervous and cringed as he fluffed a keyboard line, but rather than detracting from the set, as you’d imagine, it was refreshing to see a distinct lack of posturing.

Admittedly, this was not their best gig, more job like, with Metronomy’s Joseph Mount deputising on the drums.  They were also missing a keyboard player since the last time I saw them, most noticeably absent during the chorus of ‘Caught Wheel’.

It remains to be seen whether Stebbing can balance his two bands and devote the time required to get Your Twenties firmly in to the public domain.  The songs certainly deserve it.

Kamerakino

Following the crowd favourites was always going to be a hard task, but German six-piece, Kamerakino , took to the task with aplomb.

One of the most individual bands in recent years, they create rousing, violin-led gypsy punk over disco bass lines.

Lead singer Pico-B staggers around the stage, spitting his lyrics into the microphone and looking the crowd directly in the eyes.  He’s an absorbing performer and seems to be the perfect frontman for the brilliant lunacy that surrounds him.

The heavily pregnant bassist holds down a contagious groove, whilst the keyboard player seems content dancing as if no one’s looking throughout the duration of the set.

Kamerakino operate completely in their own world and that’s what makes them so charming. It’s an attitude that has certainly won them fans, including Franz Ferdinand’s Nick McCarthy, who played bass on their debut ‘Paradiso’.

The thought of a corporate clothes shop sponsoring gigs may leave a slightly nasty taste in the mouth, but if the first event is anything to go by they could soon create a devoted following of their own. 

The success of the Topman CTRL events will depend on the quality of the curators and their connections with upcoming bands sitting just below the radar.