Four albums for 2008

Better late than never, the albums that I'm looking forward to this year.

Franz Ferdinand - The sound on the album is said to be a bit more synth driven but one thing is for sure, it will definitely be by far a different record from their previous two. I can understand why people didn't like their second album (main reason being 'more of the same') but I liked the songs enough to let Franz off the hook. As long as there isn't another Eleanor, Put Your Boots On or Fade Together then I will be happy.

The Music - Much missed band in my books. Their last album, Welcome To The North (released back in the deep echelons of 2004) was an impressive rock record which should have propelled them to stardom. Yet they are still nowhere near as popular as other bands. Here's hoping that the new album, tentatively given a title of Strength In Numbers, is the one that gives them the attention they deserve.

Green Day - Very likely to release a record this year but it's unsure what kind of record they'll put on. My money is on a more maturer album with a mix of the musical styles of Warning with the biting political lyrics of American Idiot. Other rumours include that it will be a psychedelic record or a straight up punk record but I think that is increasingly unlikely.

The Verve - What I would want is very simple. A record as good as Urban Hymns but without all the solo crap that Richard Ashcroft terrorised us with. If they can come up with a very balanced record with epic, soft, and just plain groovy songs then all will be well. If it isn't, it will make me think they reunited for the money.

Franz Ferdinand
The Music
Green Day
The Verve

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New Verve Demo

The Verve became the latest band to ride the wave of 'free music downloads for all' on Monday when they released their first demo since reforming as a band. If you want to download it, click this link, fill in the form and you'll receive a link to get the download from.

Since 'Urban Hymns' and the band's splitting up, I wasn't that keen on what happened afterwards though. Richard Ashcroft's solo albums were boring and disappointing, and Simon Tong was in the Damon Albarn supergroup The Good The Bad And The Queen, also boring and disappointing.

So you can understand why I've been sceptical of this re-formation. But I decided to hold back my feelings about the re-formation and downloaded the 14-minute long demo, called 'The Thaw Sessions', two days ago. I've had to listen to it a few times to grasp the whole thing.

My opinion? Not too bad. The drumming is steady, the bassline is looping, the guitars, as ever with previous Verve songs in their heyday, are atmospheric and Ashcroft croons at certain moments. It is definitely the sound of The Verve. It gives me some hope that the new album might just be worth listening to.

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