Of all the albums I got for Christmas I would say I have listened most to Fall Out Boy's fantastic forth album. It is a big grower.
However I would like to mention Friendly Fires self titled album is fantastic also. Besides the big songs, notibley the singles, I would say that 'Skeleton Boy' is a song which I cannot singing. I think its the funky computer cherned beat at the the start and the over exagerated chorus. Listen and enjoy please.

I have recently been bought a lot of new albums which I will review shortly:

Fall Out Boy - So far, It has grown on me an immensely
Los Campesinos - Its one of those you can listen to quite easily
Tilly And The Wall - It has a few real bangers
CSS - Its okay so far
Friendly Fires - Once again, Big bangers
MIA - Quite funny
Vampire Weekend - Fan-Bloody-Tastic

Anyway, I hope you have all had a fantastic christmas.
Tomorrow I will continue with my top ten videos of 2008.

Today, I have looking tirelessly for something different. Maybe I look in the wrong places but I have settled on this occasion to personally uncovering music which is good within it's own genre.

M38
Before I begin to add my very own strained opinion to this artist I would like to state immediately that Drowned In Sound have given them their album 'Number One' status in 2008. For this recognition alone it is most definitely worth the research. I like the way Drowned in Sound (DIS) refer to 80's inspired music from 'Gameboys to quantum Leap' which in most cases fit in quite nicely within the genre most common in the newest indie music.

The M38 band have incredible ability to create chilled music. Their music is laid back to the point where after listening to them for half an hour you could believe you were on some kind of medicine that stops stress. As artist, they do not have overpowering vocals, instead long intros and breaks give the listen a chance to absorb the sounds. Although they are mainly synth based, in songs such as 'Too Late' they create a more natural feel including a piano. I would agree agree with DIS idea that the album overall enables 'reawakening memories and sensations, leaving you trickling with the self-referential goo.' I am not totally sure about the goo part but concluding my opinion, listen and you shall get an idea of what myself and DIS are trying to say.

http://www.myspace.com/m83

To look at DIS top 50 album's of 2008 go too:

http://www.drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4135939

otherwise, the top 10 are here for your viewing pleasure:

01. M83 Saturdays=Youth
02. Frightened Rabbit, The Midnight Organ Fight
03. Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours
04. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!!
05. Deerhunter, Microcastle
06. Portishead, Third
07. Why? Alopecia
08. Friendly Fires, Friendly Fires
09. The Kills, Midnight Boom
10. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago

Just in case you didnt pick up this week's issue..
NME is too expensive in the states to buy every week..

Albums:
1. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
2. TV On The Radio, Dear Science
3. Glasvegas, Glasvegas
4. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
5. Foals, Antidotes
6. Metronomy, Nights Out
7. Santogold, Santogold
8. Mystery Jets, Twenty One
9. Kings Of Leon, Only By The Night
10. Friendly Fires, Friendly Fires
11. Neon Neon, Stainless Style
12. Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles
13. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
14. Laura Marling, Alas I Cannot Swim
15. The Last Shadow Puppets, The Age Of The Understatement
16. Ladyhawke, Ladyhawke
17. Elbom, The Seldom Seen Kid
18. Late Of The Pier, Fantasy Black Channel
19. Fucked Up, The Chemistry Of Common Life
20. Spiritualized, Songs In A&E
21. Lightspeed Champion, Falling Off The Lavender Bridge
22. Oasis, Dig Out Your Soul
23. Scarlett Johansson, Anywhere I Lay My Head
24. Bon Iver, For Emma, Fovever Ago
25. Portishead, Third
26. The Verve, Fourth
27. Hercules And Love Affair, Hercules And Love Affair
28. British Sea Power, Do You Like Rock Music?
29. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
30. Hot Chip, Made In The Dark
31. Coldplay, Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
32. Mogawi, The Hawk Is Howling
33. DeerHunter, Microcastle
34. Los Campesinos!, We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
35. Cass McCombs, Dropping The Writ
36. Frightened Rabbit, The Midnight Organ Flight
37. Primal Scream, Beautiful Creature
38. Beck, Modern Guilt
39. Chairlift, Does You Inspire You
40. The Kills, Midnight Boom
41. These New Puritans, Beat Pyramid
42. School Of Seven Bells, Alpinisms
43. Black Kids, Partie Traumatic
44. Lykke Li, Youth Novels
45. The Black Keys, Attack & Release
46. Blood Red Shoes, Box Of Secrets
47. The Gaslight Anthem, The '59 Sound
48. Ida Maria, Fortress Round My Heart
49. Bloc Party, Intimacy
50. Heartbreak, Lies

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&title=title_272&more=1&c=1&tb=1& pb=1

Songs:

1. MGMT, Kids
2. Glasvegas, Geraldine
3. Mystery Jets, Two Doors Down
4. MGMT, Time To Pretend
5. MGMT, Electric Feel
6. Metronomy, Heartbreaker
7. Friendly Fires, Paris
8. MIA, Paper Planes
9. Kings Of Leon, Sex On Fire
10. Vampire Weekend, A-Punk
11. The Verve, Love Is Noise
12. Hot Chip, Ready For The Floor
13. Elbow, One Day Like This
14. Florence + The Machine, Kiss With A Fist
15. Ladyhawke, Paris Is Burning
16. Oasis, The Shock Of The Lightning
17. Spiritualized, Soul On Fire
18. Hercules And Love Affair, Blind
19. Oasis, I'm Outta Time
20. Chairlift, Bruises
21. TV On The Radio, Golden Age
22. The Last Shadow Puppets, Standing Next To Me
23. Fucked Up, Year Of The Pig
24. Santogold, LES Artistes
25. Mystery Jets, Young Love
26. Amazing Baby, Head Dress
27. The Last Shadow Puppets, The Age Of The Understatement
28. Elbow, Grounds For Divorce
29. DJ Mujava, Township Funk
30. Florence + The Machine, Dog Days Are Over
31. Laura Marling, Ghosts
32. Black Kids, I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
33. Vampire Weekend, Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
34. Late Of The Pier, Space And The Woods
35. Ladyhawke, Back Of The Van
36. Little Boots, Stuck On Repeat
37. Wilex, Wearing My Rolex
38. Sam Sparro Black And Gold
39. Vampire Weekend, Oxford Comma
40. Heartbreak, We're Back
41. Dizzee Rascal, Dance Wiv Me
42. Late Of The Pier, Focker
43. Glasvegas, It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry
44. Crystal Castles, Courtship Dating
45. Crystal Castles Vs Health, Crimewave
46. Mogawi, Batcat
47. Portishead, Machine Gun
48. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
49. Glasvegas, Flowers & Football Tops
50. Ida Maria, Oh My God

I was thinking, if I were in London, I'd like to spend my New Year's Eve at the Brixton Academy:

This past week has been really fun.
I got to see Lykke Li , the Friendly Fires, Johnny Foreigner, Fujiya and Miyagi, White Lies, and Soulwax, DJ Luciano, Pete Tong spinning, and Late of the Pier.

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE FRIENDLY FIRES to come the the USA FOR AGES!
This past week I saw them three times!
I saw them open for Lykke Li at Bowery Ballroom last tuesday.
Wow.

Their CD also called, "Friendly Fires" on XL is amazing.
Everyone's heard 'Paris' by now, but other great tunes I like on it are 'Jump in the Pool', 'White Diamonds', and 'Photobooth'. I also love 'Skeleton Boy'. Ed McFarlane is really hot too!!

'Jump in the Pool' live- is amazing.
They just jam in the middle of the song. The entire band dances and uses moroccans.. I just love the beat. Love it! That band can really pull it off live.

Last Thursday I managed to see them at the KEXP / CMJ studio performance at Gibson Showroom. Later that day I ended up going to see them at the Fader Rocks show at 169 Bowery.

http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/10/23/live-at-cmj-day-4-friendly-fires/

I also decided to take some pictures of them at the Fader show, but I will put them up later. However, I was highly surprised today..
I picked up the New York Times and they did a special on CMJ.
Here's a photo from it:


In other interesting news, I ended up in the new york times. That arm with the green sweatshirt and lykke li shirt with the camera covering my face is me, Jeany. That is me taking pictures of the Friendly Fires at the Fader show!

Here is the fujiya and miyagi session that you can here if you weren't there like me..

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96079906

Onto Johnny Foreigner:
They are from Birmingham.
At the Fader Show they reminded the Americans that London is very different from Birmingham. Since I haven't really seen the UK outside of London (does Catford/Lewisham count?) in a long time, I could not tell you what Birmingham would be like.
But I can sense it is probably not quite like London.

Johnny Foreigner recorded their latest album, "Waited up Til It Was Light:, on Best Before Records.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=68784665&blogID=338393970

They also recorded it in Hoboken, NJ near New York, NY.



My favourite tracks are 'Eyes Wide Terrified' and 'Salt Peppa and Spinderella'. They are a rock trio- an indie rock trio with smashing female vocals, with the additional beat to a casio keyboard.

More on Lykke Li , White Lies, and BBC Radio 1 dance party. I have to get my Johnny Foreigner and Friendly Fires pictures developed!

-jeany