http://www.stayfun.co.uk Independent music (mp3s) from Holland, Scotland and around the world, plus a whole lot of other junk like film reviews and random opinions. Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:40:32 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 50 albums that grabbed my attention in 2009. 1-20 (unordered): Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport HEALTH – Get Color Andrew Bird – Noble Beast Fever Ray – Self-titled Amadou en Mariam – Welcome to Mali The XX – XX The Twilight Sad – Forget the Night Ahead Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2009/12/2009-top-50-1/ 50 albums that grabbed my attention in 2009. 21-50 (unordered): Malcolm Middleton – Waxing Gibbous De Rosa – Prevention Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue jj – no.2 Liam Finn & Eliza Jane – Champagne in Seashells Hannu – Hintergarten The Beatles - Remasters PJ Harvey & John Parish – A Woman A Man Walked By Aidan Moffat and the Best-Ofs – ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2009/12/2009-top-50-2/ mp3: Mapped By What Surrounded Them There's a sense of guilt for not writing as much as I should recently. But any feelings of guilt are compounded by not yet writing about The Twilight Sad and how they've been my band of the past few months. To the extent that I ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/08/the-twilight-sad/ mp3: Eating Noddemix website: Young Marble Giants Love, that's what I feel for this band. Not "they were cool". Not "you should listen to them". Not even "I hope you like them". Within the space of a single album, they managed to carve out a sound that was completely original, completely them; ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/06/young-marble-giants/ mp3: Wickerman I'm a big fan of Pulp; always have been. There's something about Jarvis Cocker's intelligence and need to tell a story that I've always admired, his easy wit and the fact he can descend into self parody sometimes absolutely shamelessly just makes me like him even more. Anyone who ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/06/pulp-2/ mp3: When We Were Younger and Better mp3: Don't Go Down to Sorrow website: http://www.65daysofstatic.com/ Ah, the might of the 65days. You can't beat a bit of their static electo rock explosions. They were the best band I saw live at Motel Mozaique 2006 and they've released three full albums now and none ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/05/65daysofstatic-2/ "It is with heavy hearts that we tell you all that Aereogramme have decided to split up. Reasons are multiple and complex. It is however fair to say that the never ending financial struggle coupled with an almost superhuman ability to dodge the zeitgeist have taken their toll, ensuring that ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/05/another-favourite-bites-the-dust/ mp3: Nirgilis - Lucky Star mp3: Nirgilis - Mayonaka No Shyunaidaa mp3: Nirgilis - Eregiba web: Nirgilis Official Website Those lucky few who know me, know that I strongly dislike pop music. Especially – American or Western top 40. Not only do I despise it, I also rue and lament it. The same corporate ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/04/nirgilis-and-my-j-pop-elxplosion/ So it's been quiet here lately. There was work--lots of it, every single day for ages and ages. Then there was holidaying and taking in gigs in numerous countries. Then there was the brutal flu. And then more work. Throughout it all, Andrew Bird has been a helpful factor. Maybe sometime ... http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/04/andrew-bird-dates-nl/ mp3: Black Albino website: http://www.gargleblastrecords.com I've had the Desert Hearts album Hotsy Totsy Nagasaki since last year and have completely failed to mention it. Feeling slightly guilty about that, above is a download link for their new single (temporarily free). http://www.stayfun.co.uk/2007/02/desert-hearts/