The Ticket (still) needs you!
Last call for any readers who want to contribute their thoughts on the musical highs and lows of 2007 to The Ticket’s review of the year. If you have anything you want to say about the year in music, you have until Monday to get your spoke in. Go here to read what has already been said.
Industry crests & troughs:
More & more bands choosing to ignore the sabre rattling of besuited label execs and testing full album releases online is definitely the musical high. So a big up and respeck to NIN, Saul Williams & Radiohead for their audacity.
Didn’t label execs have similar problems with radio back in the 70s?
Musical low - Lily Allen deciding to Stop the Blog due to pervasive Fleet St. interest.
Music crests & troughs:
Fight Like Apes - I have had this much fun listening to an Irish band since the Chalets.
HWCH in one venue - Yes!
Rediscovering the joy of 70’s rock anthems through the medium of Guitar Hero.
Comment by markg | November 30, 2007 at 11:18 amGig of the year has to be Feist in Tripod - can’t remember the last time I heard a voice like that live, great rapport with the crowd and that guy on pianos at the end was insanely good!
She’s in there with a spoke for album of the year too
Comment by Colin | November 30, 2007 at 12:17 pmAlbums of the Year (in no particular order, but kind of really)
MIA – Kala
Matthew Dear – Asa Breed
Menomena – Friend and Foe
Cadence Weapon – Breaking Kayfabe
Le Loup – The Throne…
Beirut – The Flying Club Cup
Les Savy Fav – Let’s Stay Friends
Colleen – Les Ondes Silencieuses
Adrian Crowley – Long Distance Swimmer
Dan Deacon – Spiderman Of The Rings
Songs of the Year
MIA – Bamboo Banga
Battles – Atlas
Matthew Dear – Don & Sherri
Le Loup – Planes and Vultures
Les Savy Fav – Patty Lee
Beirut – Nantes
Menomena – Wet and Rusting
Dan Deacon – Wham City
LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends.
MIA – Paper Planes
The year in words:
For me, 2007 belongs to MIA. But it was also the year of poor album sales, a saturated live circuit, Radiohead’s pr and marketing scam, and a host of notable album releases. Special mention must go to Pantha Du Prince, O’Death, Apparat, Taken By Trees, Adjagas, Panda Bear, Holy Fuck, Explosions In The Sky, Gui Boratto, Battles, Deerhunter, and Amiina. I felt that 2007 was a quiet year for Irish releases, but 2008 should improve with hotly anticipated albums from The Jimmy Cake and Jape. O’death were easily the best live band I saw all year, and I still don’t understand why anybody likes Feist.
Comment by I Prefer The Obscure Remix | November 30, 2007 at 1:41 pmOn the last Thursday of every month the Odessa Club in Dublin hosts an intimate live music event and last night was Cathy Davey’s turn. She performed a gorgeous cover of ‘You Send Me’, real shivers down the backbone stuff. One of the most understated, unforgettable musical highlights of the year. The woman can do no wrong.
Comment by Ro | November 30, 2007 at 1:49 pmGigs of 2007 in no particular order:
Gillian Welsh and Dave Rawlings; Midlands Music festival Mullingar
Richmond Fontaine; Midlands Music festival, Mullingar
Iron & Wine; The Ambassador-despite the noise (and not just from culchies)
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals; The National Stadium(the weirdest music venue in Ireland) - after seeing his 3 prevoius gigs in Ireland its nice to hear him talk and talk and talk. Stay sober Ryan.
Wilco - just sublime
Bill Callaghan; The village - brilliant despite the venue.
Finally, despite the sound being off and the venue being too small TWO GALLANTS in Crawdaddy was jaw dropping - imaging what they would be like in a suitable venue!!
Worst gig by far was Magnolia Electric Co. in Whelans, hope Jason is in better form for his solo gigs.
Albums:
Richmond Fontaine - Thirteen Cities
Two Gallants - What the toll tells
Iron & Wine - The Shepard’s Dog
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Radiohead - InRainbows
Bonnie Prince Billy - The Letting Go
Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Best Debut Albums:
Comment by Noeleen Fox | November 30, 2007 at 2:05 pmAlberta Cross - The Thief and The Heartbreaker
The Felice Brothers - Tonight at the Arizona
People, no doubt best gig was Tool at the point, 10,000 days and In Rainbows are the albums to get.
Comment by Vincent Weasel | November 30, 2007 at 5:04 pmThe Polyphonic Spree’s ‘The Fragile Army’ was my favourite album of the year. ‘These Truly Are End Times’ by So Cow was the best Irish album.
That’s all I need to say!
Comment by Bobby | December 1, 2007 at 2:07 amAll in all it’s been a pretty excellent year for gigs. Although the weather attempted to thwart a number of outdoor gigs and bits of falling ceiling brought a truely excellent kings of leon gig to an abrupt halt,this has been one of the most enjoyable years yet. Way too many highlights to discuss them all,but the moments that really stick out are:
Comment by Claire F | December 1, 2007 at 5:36 pmeagles of death metal’s sheer joy at playing in front of such a welcoming crowd, rendering Jesse Hughes momentarilt speechless
The Killers in the RDS who were in top form and delivered a stunning show
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals in the national stadium - One of the best gigs I have ever been too. Ryan was in fantastic form, the songs were incredible and the spur of the moment song about spiders in his diet coke was truely magnificant!
Best gig for me was Kevin Drew in the Tripod. Started off fairly middle of the road but as he warmed up it just became one of the most energetic gigs I’ve ever been to. The rendition of “Where the Streets have no name” was truly heart warming and who could resist the urge to join in!What is it about these unassuming Canadians?Worst gig was Kelis in the Ambassador - she wasn’t bothered to even pretend that she cared. Thankfully I’d won the tickets from your good selves because If I’d paid money for that waste of a couple of hours I’d be well upset.
Comment by Carol | December 2, 2007 at 3:26 pmThe Best
Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
Burial – Untrue
Dizzee Rascal – Maths + Engish
El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
Iron and Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog
LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
MIA – Kala
The National – Boxer
Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero
Pharoahe Monch – Desire
The Shins – Wincing The Night Away
Prefuse 73 and The Old Crow Medicine Show at the Village
LCD at Tripod
Disappointing:
Unkle – War Stories
Comment by Thomas | December 2, 2007 at 3:52 pmBritney Spears – Blackout
Jay-Z – American Gangster
Mos Def at the Village (two and a half hours late)
for me this year, album highlights are:
electrelane “no shouts, no calls”
super furry animals “hey venus”
radiohead “in rainbows”
super extra bonus party “super extra bonus party”
i’d also say trost’s album “trust me”, but i can’t remember if that came out this year or last year
can’t wait to hear miriam ingram’s remix album though
Comment by Leigh O'Gorman | December 2, 2007 at 6:28 pmout next week i think…
For me this was a great year for irish music: tales of silversleeve, plus the fight like apes eps, and dark room notes. my best gig in ireland was courtesy of cathy too: hearing sing for your supper live just sent shivers down my spine.
other mentions:
Comment by shane | December 2, 2007 at 11:38 pmthe national
electrelane
sandro perri
arcade fire
timothy dick
radiohead (i liked it)
UPDATE!!!! Gig of the year contender is Dan Deacon for the astonishing things that happened in Whelans last night
Comment by gardenhead | December 3, 2007 at 1:08 pma good year for irish music, like a lot of others it seems the four standout were:
Cathy Davey
delorentos
fight like apes
super extra bonus party
i’d also say that EP and HWCH were very good, apart from missing friday due to traffic. whats Oxegen going to be like?
If only there wasn’t so many posers at every gig, i think everything was positive…
Comment by Teaboy | December 3, 2007 at 4:13 pmoh, and the 10 i paid for radiohead was worth it.
Comment by Teaboy | December 3, 2007 at 4:14 pmIt’s been a great year for gigs in Dublin. I can’t imagine anyone else touring this year that I didn’t get to see.
Best gig of the year is a toss-up between Low at the Village (never has the place been so quiet) and Grizzly Bear at Whelans (great atmosphere, fantastic alternate versions of their songs) tailed by The National at the Olympia (will become legendary) and Joanna Newsom at the Olympia (extraordinary.)
Albums of the year: ‘Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?’ by Of Montreal, who blessed us with their presence twice this year, followed by ‘Drums and Guns’ by Low, a real return to form and ‘In Rainbows’ by Radiohead; marketing gimmick or not, this is their best work since Kid A, ‘From Here We Go Sublime’ by The Field, the new Daft Punk and crowd-pleasers ‘Sound of Silver’ by LCD Soundsystem and ‘Boxer’ by The National.
Other highlights:
-Electric Picnic. Just perfect.
- Tokyo Police Club. The next big thing®
- HWCH. A few teething problems with the new venue and sound wasn’t always the best but what a showcase for emerging Irish talent.
- The Marva Whitney and Osaka Monaurail gig at the Sugar Club was something special.
- Ryan Adams at The National Stadium, felt a bit like a community concert at the local GAA club, only brilliant.
-Devo! It could’ve just been old men in odd hats. Instead it was old men in odd hats who know how to entertain an audience and have some damn fine tunes.
- Slint at Tripod: Similar to the Pixies gig at Phoenix Park a few years ago in an “OhMyGod I never thought I’d get to see this!” kind-of way.
- The rise and rise of Fionn Regan.
- lots of great Irish Bands making a name for themselves; Super Extra Bonus Party, Fight Like Apes, Star Little Thing, Dark Room Notes, Channel One…and watch out for Halves next year.
- Day Shift / Night Shift on Channel 6. They know their stuff.
-Yoko Ono is cool again!
- Great albums: ‘From Here We Go Sublime’ (The Field), ‘23’ (Blonde Redhead), ‘Strawberry Jam’ (Animal Collective) and ‘New Magnetic Wonder’ (Apples in Stereo.)
Lowlights:
- Cat Power in Tripod. Just awful; think cocktail waitress getting up to sing with the house band in a dive bar in the Deep South.
-Oxegen. Want to spend 3 nights and 2 days up to your eyeballs in mud while drunken seventeen year olds in GAA jerseys mud-wrestle, start fires and sing the opening rift of ‘Ring of Fire’ over and over and over again? Even with the wealth of talent performing it really just wasn’t worth it.
- Mos Def at the Village. Over 2 hours late on a Sunday night with no support act and a pretty poor set to boot. Unforgivable.
- The Decemberists at Vicar Street. Didn’t play any of their best songs and WTF was with the obsession for audience participation? You are not a stadium band!
- Animal Collective at Tripod – not really their fault (damn you flu virus!) but this was essentially a Panda Bear gig, and while it was all very impressive I went to see Animal Collective, not Panda Bear.
- Electric Picnic stage mess-ups; Sonic Youth lost the crowd by being on the main stage and the Beastie Boys were limited by being in a tent. Definitely could’ve done with a swap-a-rooney here;
- €65 for PJ Harvey in the Olympia. I don’t care how good you are, that’s an insult to your fans.
- Disappointing albums – ‘A Weekend in the City’ (Bloc Party), ‘Volta’ (Bjork), ‘Our Love to Admire’ (Interpol). Booo!
Randomness:
Comment by Seán | December 3, 2007 at 5:12 pm-a gig that was hard to categorise was Lisa Germano at the Douglas Hyde Gallery in Trinity. No clapping between most songs and an audience that seemed to have gotten lost on their way to a key party but a great performance overall.
-Give CSS dual-citizenship already. They’re certainly here often enough.
-Also, am I the only one who just doesn’t care about Arcade Fire?
lovin this thread.
Gigs Highlights
Patrick Watson at the Sugar Club was one of the best gigs i’ve ever been to.
Other amazing gigs included
Final Fantasy at Electric Picnic - how about that Mariah Carey cover?!
LCD Soundsystem at Electric Picnic
Arcade Fire at the Phoenix Park - got up the front - it was glorious.
The Frames and John Cale at IMMA - seriously good vibe in the tent. Lets keep the tent gigs and close the Point down for good. Please!
Joanna Newsom at the Olympia
David Kitt in Whelans - April - new material sounds fantastic.
Bjork, Go Team and the Good the Bad and the Queen at Electric Picnic.
Feist, Tripod - what a voice, super performance, slightly marred by talking idiots.
EL-P, Crawdaddy
Damien Rice, Marley Park
Wilco, Vicar St
Albums - Top 5
Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Patrick Watson, Closer to Paradise
Feist, A Reminder
the National, Boxer
Dissapointments: not enough decent music venues in Dublin. The Village is an awful venue. And Tripod has bouncer issues.
The Price of PJ Harvey tickets.
Comment by Alan | December 3, 2007 at 10:54 pmAlbum’s & reason’s already listed on my blog but here they are here:
16. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank…
Comment by Pedro | December 3, 2007 at 11:28 pm15. The Valerie Project - The Valerie Project…
14. Future of the Left - Curses…
13. Hauschka - Room to Expand…
12. Panta Du Prince - Bliss…
11. Alex Delivery - Star Destroyer…
10. Love of Diagrams - Mosaic…
09. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover…
08. Various Artists - A Kind Of Awe And Reverence And Wonder…
07. Enter Shikari - Take To The Skies…
06. El Ten Eleven - Every Direction Is North…
05. Interpol - Our Love To Admire…
04. M.I.A. - Kala…
03. Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe…
02. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson In Crime…
01. Emanuel - Black Earth Tiger…
Stop the motherfucking presses.
UPDATE!!!! Gig of the year contender is Dan Deacon for the astonishing things that happened in Whelans last night
I concur with my friend with the Neutral Milk Hotel fixation. Utterly brilliant.
Comment by Ian | December 4, 2007 at 1:54 amUtterly shocked, pedro, that you had no room in your chart for any Renaissance release…..
And you forgot about TIGER FORCE
Comment by Jim Carroll | December 4, 2007 at 9:40 amRenaissance need an entirely separate poll of their due to the sheer quality they produce with every single release.
Jesus Jim, Tiger force wouldn’t even dent a top 30 if I had one.
Comment by Pedro | December 4, 2007 at 10:34 amWhere are you going to put Klaxons on your list?
I was tempted to make it number 1 when I was posting mine on here.
Pedro - re Klaxons: http://www.irishtimes.com/theticket/articles/2007/0209/1170363943874.html
Comment by Jim Carroll | December 4, 2007 at 10:48 amThat’s exactly why I brought it up.
In complete & utter honesty, they were a guilty pleasure at the end of 2006. Was let-down with the album though.
Dan Deacon!?!?!? Nooooooooooo.
Comment by Pedro | December 4, 2007 at 1:16 pmInterpol were on the same night and they completely owned!
Hope I’m not too late…
Albums
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81
Idlewild - Make Another World
Jesse Malin - Glitter In The Gutter
Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
The Cult - Born Into This
Biffy Clyro - Puzzle
The Enemy - We’ll Live And Die In These Towns
Gigs
R.E.M. - The Olympia
The Wedding Present - The Village
The Hold Steady - Temple Bar Music Centre
Ash - Temple Bar Music Centre
Foo Fighters - Marlay Park
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - The Village (Very good, but too short. Hoping for more on Thursday.)
Disappointments
The Good, The Bad & The Queen (Expected a lot better)
Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist (Worst thing about this is it’s recognisably them, while still poor)
Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City (They’ve sucked all the joy out of their sound)
Hard-Fi - Once Upon A Time In The West (The great songs leapt off the last album, nothing even hops here)
and (taking my life in my hands…)
Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times (They’ve surgically removed the sound that made them great, and replaced it with the singer’s moaning.
Comment by Brendan | December 11, 2007 at 6:16 am