Todd is God

And so it comes to my top 25 albums of 2008. This was quite hard, as outside of the top half dozen or so there were a lot of good solid records that could have made up the numbers. Also there were several albums that may well belong on the list but, I just have not given a good enough listen too to include, so, sorry: Elbow, Glasvegas, Kings of Leon, Amanda Palmer and others. So, the question is, was there one album that stood out from the crowd? For me, yes, and for the second year running it came from Nick Cave. Dig Lazarus Dig continued a rich vein of form that Nick has been minning for the past few years, and so was the record I have returned to most often in 2008. 1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig! Lazarus Dig!!: - From the opening bars of the title track this is a wonderful record. 2. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive : Some people have were not as keen on this album as they were with Boys & Girls in America. It was true that this album was less of a progression than they ha...

Unlike last year, where Gig of the year was an easy task - Prince at the 02 - this year was not so clear cut, but if I was pushed to choose a personal favourite it would have to have been The Weakerthans gig. They were on top form, the sound was great, the view was great. Magic stuff. Close but no cigar would have to be Todd Rundgren and Shelby Lynne. Todd was in town to rock, and rock he surely did delivering a stellar performance, as did Lynne on her long awaited return to the UK's shores. A terrific voice and just a natural class performer. The rest were, well, the rest really. 1. The Weakerthans @ Scala 02/06/2008 2. Shelby Lynne @ Royal Festival Hall 19/10/2008 3. Todd Rundgren @ The Forum 23/11/2008 4. Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band @ Emirates Stadium 30/05/2008 5. Steve Earle @ Roundhouse 18/02/2008 6. CCamille @ Camden Roundhouse 19/10/2008 7. Thea Gilmore @ Bloomsbury Theatre 09/06/2008 8. Ryan Adams and the Cardinal @ Brixton Academy - 20/11/2007 9. Scorpions ...

I know they hardly exist at these days, but here at least are the 25 standout singles (that I can remember - which prob means overlooked something really obviously good) from 2008. So, in no order: 1. Teddy Thompson - In my Arms 2. Metallica - The Day that Never Comes 3. Christina Aquilera - Keeps Gettin' Better . 4. 3 Doors Down - It's Not My Time 5. Glasvegas - Daddy's Gone . 6. Laura Marling - Cross your Fingers . 7. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire . 8. Gabriella Clili - Sweet about Me . 9. Ting Tings - That's Not my Name 10. Duffy - Warwick Avenue 11. Bon Iver - Skinny Lov e 12. Weezer - Pork and Beans 13. Amanda Palmer - Oasis . 14. Noah and the Whale - Five Years Time . 15. R.E.M. - Supernatural Superserious 16. The Hold Steady - Sequestered in Memphis 17. Aimee Mann - Freeway 18. Nick Cave & Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig 19. Gutter Twins - Idle Hands 20. Sons & Daughters - Gilt Complex 21. Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal 22. The Wedding Present - Santa Ana...

I think this was Todd's first appearance at the Forum since he recorded a live album there back in 1994 on the No World Order tour. He was all alone for that one. Tonight, things could not have been more different as Todd brought the Arena tour to London. What can I say. It rocked. Playing the same set that he has been doing for the whole tour - opening with Love in Action, Open my Eyes, Black Maria, I Saw the Light etc, before playing Arena in its entirety - this was guitar rock heaven (and let's face it, probably the last time you'll see Todd doing this kind of tour in the UK). The band were tight, the backing vocals near perfection, and a few ropey moments aside, Todd's vocals strong and good. It was a real joy to see him playing so much lead guitar, after recent years of being more of the 'singer in the band'. There were a few technically issues near the start, when Todd couldn't get the clean guitar sound he wanted, and one amusing moment when he manag...

According to NME Todd is about to head back into the studio with the New York Dolls to produce their new album. "We're really excited to be working with Todd again," frontman Johansen said in a statement. "We're hoping to recapture the same magic on the forthcoming album [that was on the debut]."

Came across this interesting 2003 Playgirl interview with Todd.

The Akron Beacon Journal nailed Todd down on his food and cooking likes to discover his love or risotto. "Once you get into cooking risotto, it's simple. I live some of the year in San Francisco and this is my speciality recipe. Get yourself a crab - with nice firm meat, like a Dungeness type-crab - and clean the shell, 'cos you want to use it for stock. Simmer it with white wine for about an hour. Use arborio rice and toast it over a hob with garlic and onions before adding the stock, with a little cream to help it emulsify. Add the crab, and a small tin of crushed pineapple, and finish with a healthy squirt of Sriracha - a hot Indonesian/Thai sauce. This is great the next day too, when it has an especially thick texture."

"There's a 60-year-old man on stage wearing regulation rock star shades and the tightest leather trousers this side of Iggy Pop" - So Begins the Glasgow Herald's, Four star, review of Todd's gig at the Edinburh Playhouse of Friday night. It goes onto say "It's Todd Rundgren's voice that really stands out, though. After 40 years of practice, Rundgren's vocal cords have matured into a guttural roar from Hades." Meanwhile the Scotsman's reviewer felt todd was worth the full 5 stars , also picking out the vocals claiming "his relentlessly screaming rock vocals outdid even the mighty Roger Daltry in his prime."

Good interview with Todd in The List (Scottish listing mag). Todd is in Edinburgh this evening - still annnoyed didn't manage to get tickets for this one, but have to wait until Sun 22nd here in London.

Whilst I have been a member and a fan of the Aime Street site (just got a revamp) for a couple of years, I have to confess I had not bought anything for a while. But, then, the other day when one of the weekly update emails hit my inbox I caught a glimpse of the names Weezer and Liz Phair. Hang on, I thought. I like Weezer, and I LOVE Liz Phair. The mentions were from a description of a new york band called The Knees What the hell, I thought, let's give them a go -so I logged in and downloaded their album ' Sexual Radio ' What an enjoyable, fun, record. I'll go as far as to say that when it works - as it does on tracks such as 'The Kind of Girl' (a hit single in the making), 'Loser Girlfriend', Sick of being Stoned, and 'Can't Stop Now' it is Wonderful. So, is the Weezer/Phair comparison fair? There are certainly elements. I can see why people might mention Wheatus, The Donnas, and a few others as well. Not that this should stop you from ch...

I felt a brief post was needed on the latest albums by AC/DC and Motorhead. The New album from AC/DC - 'Black Ice', which is currently giving them their first number one album in the UK in 18 years, is currently being hailed as a return to form - with some even claiming it to be their best work since Brian Johnson's first album as singer, the classic 'Back in Black'. The last AC/DC album I bought, was 'Flick of the Switch', when I was about 14. I loved it. I then started to loose interest in Angus and Co, and when I returned to listen to the album around 5 years ago, I discovered that it is pretty piss poor. I sampled a few of their outings since then, and was equally underwhelmed. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the new record does actually contain their best work in 25 years or more. Indeed, I would venture to sat that it could have been even better if they had edited a bit better. There are 15 tracks on this new record, and if I has been doing...

Take one slightly mad French woman, add a 50/50 anglo/french crowd, sit back and enjoy. Whilst I own both Camille's solo albums, I must confess, I was unsure as to whether the experience of seeing her live would be a good one or not. I need not have feared. Live, Camille is - in all senses of the word - quite extraordinary. Backed by just a piano, four backing singers, and two guys doing human beat-box accompaniment for drums/bass/guitar - this was an enhanced acappella experience to savour and enjoy. It was one of those odd nights when, her actual set was only one hour long, but she then managed to eek out another hour on stage in the encore - which features some good and some bad improv, featuring Jamie Cullum. Camille's humour came through well on songs such as, the very silly (but great crowd participation song) 'Cats & Dogs'; and 'Money Note' (where she takes a dig at Mariah and co). Also, she is happy to throw in a Dead Kennedy's cover she original...

Just over a year ago I went to see the Scorpions for the first time in 17 years, and surprised myself by having a fantastic time - not least because ex guitarist Uli Roth joined the band on stage to play a handful of their old songs. A year on, and the same tour is winding down but now Uli was coming over as alternating support act with Michael Schenker - who this time last year was so smacked out of his head most of the time, that even the basic ability to stand up whilst playing live was proving difficult. Knowing that, I was pleased to find out that London was going to be an Uli gig. He played 5 songs - three from his new album, top and tailed with Scorpions classics: 'The Sails of Charon' and 'We'll burn the sky' - both off the, now 30 year old, 'Taken by Force' album. It was a great way to kick off the night and Uli's guitar playing was as excellent as you would expect it to be. And then the Scorps came on, and once again a great hard rock sing-a-lo...

Another year, another Aimee Mann gig. 15 months after her last visit to the 02 Indigo, Mann was back to plug her latest album - '@#%&*! Smilers'. Opening with set with 'Stranger into starman' and 'Looking for nothing', tonight's set-list was certainly new album heavy, but the new songs - on the whole sounded as good , if not better in the live environment. Thankfully there was also room in the set for some older numbers such as 'Red Vines', 'Deathly', 'How am I Different', 'Wise Up' For someone who always used to say she didn't really do inbetween songs chit-chat very well, Mann now excels in doing it, and does so with wit and charm - no more so than when she was having some early technical issues and also during her attempts to remember how to play 'Mr Harris' (an audience suggestion) - a track off her debit solo album - 'Whatever'. For me however, it was another song off that album that was my gig hig...

It had been a while since Shelby Lynne had last stood in stage in London - a fact she alluded to on a number of occasions during the evening's proceedings. When she was last here in 2001, she played Shepherd's Bush and was touring in support of the (now classic) I am Shelby Lynne album. I seem to recall standing next to David Hepworth and Mark Ellen for a while (or was that at Lucinda Williams?). Anyway, the gig remains one of the best I've ever seen. She just blew me away that night. All these years on, could she do the same?? Not quite, but you know what, she gave it a good go. The set was a near perfect blend of songs pulled mostly from I Am Shelby Lynne, and her new album of covers of songs made known by Dusty Springfield, with a few others from Love Shelby etc thrown if for good measure. It was safe to say that from the moment the band launched into opening track 'Life is Bad' (a Sheryl Crow-esq country rocker from I am Shelby Lynne) the audience knew that this...

I've been a bit quiet here for a few weeks, due to a combination of circumstances, but hopefully the next couple of weeks I will catch up with a few reviews and comments that I have been meaning to throw up here, a hand full of gigs and some album reviews/comment on the new metallica, jackson browne and ice cube albums amongst others. But, I really need to start with Todd and Arena. Arena was waiting for me when I returned from Holiday in Crete, and my first listen -about 5 mins after getting home - was at 11pm after a long day. I was, quite frankly a bit unimpressed. However, the following day I spun the disc thrice more and transferred it to my iPod where it since fought with Metallica, Jem, and The Wedding Present for attention. First things first. This is not an album that is a) going to set the music world alight b) suddenly make todd an arena rock star. So, knowing that, what do we have? An enjoyable slice of retro rock I'd argue, that gives more than a passing nod to oth...

The TR Connection has a couple of good articles from the UK music press of todd talking about his albums and other stuff. Good reading.

So it was of to the Carling Bar Academy in Islington in search of some rock last night. And rock is what we got, whether it was actually any good was a whole different matter. The bands on show were: High Society; The Dellas; and Flende Fatale. Things got off to an entertaining start with High Society . A band very much influenced by Guns 'n' Roses / Faster Pussycat and the like, they banged out a set that at times had moments of actually being very good, but which was - for the most part - average. Next up, The Dellas . This a band who probably think they are 'going somewhere', and to be fair there was potential in their performance and just enough quality in their songs to imagine them making the next step up the ladder. Given a couple of years they could be a decent band. This is more than can be said for the children who were on last. Flende Fatale, all look about 12 (guessing actually 16-18). Because they are so young, I wont be as harsh as their music deserves, b...

Nic Oliver reviews Arena at music OMH and starts by stating "The question any reviewer must apply to a new Todd Rundgren album is simple: is this Good Todd or Bad Todd?" The answer in his 3 anh a half star review is GOOD, describing it as Todd continuing in "the rich vein of form that was evident on Liars". He comments on Todd's "best Bon Scott impression on the hard rocking Strike" - a track which can now be heard on the Todd Myspace site.