The new album, named Ritual, will be in our reach early next year, so don’t spend all your gift cards this Christmas ! Just to assure us that they’re still as bleak as ever, despite not having ‘death’ in any of their new titles (though there is a track Holy Ghosts), White Lies have released the video to their first single from their sophomore effort, Bigger Than Us. Though still as profound and haunting as Death or Farewell to the Fairground, the new single promises a bigger sound, dilemmas of grander proportions than the intimate existential sighs from their debut. The video, which has a bit of a 1970′s human interest type SF drama feel to it, certainly strengthens this point.

Bigger Than HERE

            This video will not feature any army of evil teddy bears, but no out-of-place crump dancer either. It’s just a video of the band playing live, but, if you are familiar with a Muse show, you’ll know that’s more spectacular than any CGI legion of toys. The band posted a preview of the video, with the full thing going to premiere in a few days, on 14th January. Till then, you can feast your eyes on a recent performance of Resistance, in all its greatness. Literally.

RESIST HERE

The James Copeman (Razorlight, Mystery Jets) directed video features the band in a dark setting, with some flashes of their taxidermied power animals overlapping from time to time. Of course, this is also a chance for Valo to ‘premiere’ his new tattoos, of Maya Deren and Klaus Kinski. Overall, Heartkiller is a decent song, not more, but it does the job: it states that HIM are up and running once again.

HEARTKILLER

RIDE HERE

11. Morrissey – It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore

His recent albums are pretty far from the fresh outta The Smiths stuff. I’m talking about the music, because the lyrics have always been briliant – the guy just can’t be topped when it comes to editing ideas into the most simple and yet poetic words. It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore it’s one of the most powerful songs he wrote in years, talking about how politeness and hypocrisy have nothing to do with one’s expression of love: “All the gifts that they gave can’t compare in any way to the love I am now giving to you right here right now on the floor”. LISTEN

10. U2 – Moment of Surrender

Probably the only point where my little top here coincides with that of major music magazines, U2′s Moment of Surrender is by far the highlight of their latest album, No Line on the Horizon. Clocking in at almost seven minutes and a half, this ode to giving up, with plenty of gospel vibes, will make you crave to surrender in any possible way, just so that the song will fit your situation. Bono is not just singing on this, his playing a character. Top form. LISTEN

9. Depeche Mode – Jezebel

Martin Gore always keeps for his own (vocal) self the weirdest tracks on Depeche Mode albums, but then again, in Depeche world, ‘weird’ means unlike anything. It’s quite a cinematic piece of music, a portrait of a lady judged for her unconventional perspective of love: “Open their eyes to the beauty, Open their hearts to the fun, Open their minds to the idea that you don’t own someone”. If it wasn’t for the lyrics or Gore’s innocent voice, you might mistake Jezebel for a Sade piece, but that’s not a bad thing. Is it? LISTEN

8. Editors – The Big Exit

And speaking of Depeche Mode, this track by Editors sounds as if they were really inspired this one time, needed their guitars, but all they were given was an old synthesizer of Martin Gore’s. It might sound demeaning, but, believe me, it’s a compliment, because The Big Exit confirms the alternative band’s choice of a more electro sound as an inspired one. On an echoing big bass, Tom Smith sings about some kind of relationship, but he sounds more threatening than romantic — most likely, that’s the intention. LISTEN

7. The Prodigy – Stand Up

It’s a Prodigy tradition to do on each album stuff they haven’t done before. With Invaders Must Die‘s closer, Stand Up, Liam Howlett achieved what is probably The Prodigy’s only uplifting (‘non-menacing’) sounding beat. This is, in part, due to the Manfred Mann Chapter Three sample from One Way Glass. Of course, Howlett couldn’t have a full-on shinny happy tune in the band’s history, so he ‘patched’ the beat with plenty of dirty synths and insanely loud bass, so that your speakers would still fear it, just like the rest of The Prodigy’s discography. LISTEN

6. Manic Street Preachers – Marlon J.D.

It’s been more than half of year since this came out and I still can’t really explain what draws me so  mercilessly to Marlon J.D., why this punkish track with unintelligible riffs and drum machines is as moving as… Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, for example. The Manics are known for their memorable riffs, but with this one, the guitars sound as if they are voices which try everything that would sound good on the given rhythm. The vocals themselves make you believe that reality is a musical where the deepest pain can be expressed, in tune with the bassline. LISTEN

5. The Killers – A White Demon Love Song

You may or may not be a fan of the movie, but New Moon is one interesting compilation for your indie tastes of late 2000′s. The Killers wrote A White Demon Love Song for the movie, so you woun’t find it on any of their albums (so far). It sounds as if they had a lot of fun with this one, because, despite being about a demon, it has that country-growing-up-near-Mexico thing that Brandon Flowers and co. seem to sport as often as possible. Yet, it’s not a parody, but an ethereal ballad, which uses all means to conjure an unique love anthem. LISTEN 

4. Placebo – Speak in Tongues

Brian Molko stated on several occasions that this is his main pick from Battle for the Sun and, for what it’s worth, his opinion could be considered valid. The song has a slightly irregular structure, meaning that from a verse-chorus-verse-chorus thing it turns into this building epic. Lyrically, we hear the same strange metamorphosis from abstract lines like ”Kitty came home without a name” to the eco-slogan-sounding “We can build a new tomorrow today”. Some extra points for the choral part in the middle and the use of the word ‘blasé’… LISTEN

3. Tori Amos – Fire to Your Plain

Though not a perfect album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin adds some valuables to Tori Amos’ 20 years career, like this slick bluesy little thing about a love triangle (?): “I am low, Watching you,Watching her play this game”. We encounter the kind of subtly orchestrated chorus we heard on Girl, for example, from Tori’s first album, though in a different tone. This is also one of those special cases where Her vocals are just as sarcastic as the lyrics. It’s not a single, but it has been graced with a cool video. LISTEN & WATCH

2. Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue

Grunge idols made a significant return this year, with a new singer replacing the demised Layne Staley and, of course, they couldn’t make an album without carving their love for the ex-bandmate in the shape of a three minute ballad, that will have you contemplating whoever is missing from your life. With Elton John on the piano, this deploring of life resignation (“I Dont wanna feel no more, It’s easier to keep falling”) might be the best rock tearjerker of the year. It will slow you down and force a moment of reevaluation. LISTEN

1. Little Boots – No Brakes

It’s all about looking towards the future and this year’s crop of new artists is one for the books. As far as Little Boots is concerned, 2009 was practically just her debut, so 2010 can’t come fast enough. In the same manner of 80′s retro pop, but with a hot twist, which made New in Town a hit, No Brakes is one perfect pop song, with plenty of feel, as well as well-crafted metaphorical lyrics. Synth bass and bells, catchy hooks, this is the kind of music suited for everyone and everywhere (ok, that’s a bit too much, but you get the idea). LISTEN    

Hey Stoopid

Feed My Frankenstein

Might As Well Be On Mars.

                The horror-like intro (phasy pads, high piano keys, door effects), the classic whiny guitar solos suitable for hair metal ballads, they extend the song to a seven minutes length, but it all goes so fast, as if you are listening to a three minutes no.1 pop hit. Might As Well Be On Mars is what you would call a classic heavy ballad: it’s about love, heartbreak, alienation (as the title suggests), but from that ‘tough guy with long hair’ perspective: “You’ve, turned my world into a dark and lonely place, Like a planet lost in space”. It’s torch song for biker chicks, yes, but of the best quality. If you are familiar with Cooper’s Poison, you can expect the same kind of big loud, but romantic chorus, that anchors the track in mainstream and makes it appealing to non-rockers.

MIGHT AS WELL LISTEN TO IT

Listen or Download (or both) Here

Bright Lights

            It’s one of Placebo’s more  (if not the most) upbeat and bright-sounding tracks and they haven’t got too many of those, at least, not in such a mainstream sense of the word. Besides being a different sounding Placebo, Bright Lights is also an interesting lyrical work for Brian Molko. Thematically, this is for him what Ashes to Ashes was to Bowie — a cynical and ironic look at his “crazy livin”’. It feels as if, for the first time, he doesn’t hide behind a character anymore and acknowledges his real life persona, expressing regret over the choices he has made (speaking a lot about his life in the early days, thus distracting the attention from the music).

             The Heroes for Zeroes-directed video is also in tune with the song, as it starts with a dark setting only to end with Placebo playing on a background of blue skies — the journey from darkness to light that Battle for the Sun supposedly embodies. The single version of the song is slightly different than the album, as it features backing vocals by Val Etienne & Hazel Fernandes (Kylie Minogue, Jamiroquai).

BRIGHT LIGHTS VIDEO

Out of the Ashes

First of all, there is the rock out side, the fast and the heavy, stylized punkish tunes that rely on riff energy and Benington’s screamer abilities. Debut single, Crawl Back In, with its feel good beer party riff, is pretty much what I mean. The grunge-inspired lyrics of inner pain, self-loathing and confusion spawn a bit of an oxymoron in here, because you don’t really see drunk crowds shouting “Dont wanna loose my innocence”. Just as energetic, we can name Inside of Me and Condemned, both of which have that action flick vibe, suitable for the scene where the hero decides to take his ruthless revenge on those who wronged him: “Come on beat me, I’m not a man, Condemned”. The highlight of this punk aesthetics is the less than three minutes long, My Suffering, which has catchy melodic vocals on its otherwise dirty chorus. Chester’s pop voice and rock voice meet up on this one.

And speaking of his pop voice, what would a rock album be without its ballads… Out of the Ashes‘ strongest points are the softer tunes and from these, I have to go with Into You and Give Me Your Name as the best. Second single Let Down doesn’t… let down, either. Tracks like these have that classic value, that I was talking about earlier, while still benefiting from modern producing and interestingly manipulated guitars. Keyboards, synths and programming are also used to great effect (there are moments when Give Me Your Name will remind you of Angelo Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks) , though they never overshadow the guitar work.

There is also an anthemic side to Out of the Ashes, but, if you know your Chester Benington by now, you’ll guess that these are no ordinary anthems. For example, opener Fire, though sounding very stellar, is actually about death: “When I look to the stars I know just were you are, Your looking down upon me”. The last track, In the Darkness, sounds just as grand, but this time the dramatic overtones are in tune with the lyrics: ”I want to cut through my skin, And pull you within”. The rock craftsmanship is definitely there with Dead by Sunrise and it should be, because these guys are no rookies. Hopefully, we’ll hear a follow-up to Out of the Ashes sometime, because this is one side-project that…

CRAWL BACK IN LET DOWN ALBUM MAKING OF

Bloodflowers

Black Market Music

            Currently, Steve Hewitt is putting the ‘finishing touches’ on the band’s line-up, as most of the musicians involved in the recording sessions are members of other bands and unable to commit long term to Love Amongst Ruin. Rehearsals are on the way, but before the band premieres any new music, there is still the issue of finding the right management and a label. Knowing that, studio-wise, Steve Hewitt wasn’t restricted to playing only drums for Placebo, one cannot help wondering what this new project of his will sound like, especially since he’s also doing vocals for his new band. For more info, check his:

MySpace Page