Dust Storm - Amazing Photos 23rd September

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Dent May - The Sound Of My Summer

I'm frantically trying to clasp onto as much sunshine as possible, before the prevailing winter blues are set in. So my reminder of Summer is Dent May's "The Good Feeling of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele".

OK so you've seen the Ukulele, but don't think George Formby or Israel Kamakawiwo. In fact remove this preconception from your mind altogether and flush it! Dent May's style has a distinctive 60's feel, which doesn't stop with the music. His physical appearance and video for "Howard" scream the vintage years.

Any given song off this album does tend to sound very much like the next, and the structure relies heavily on three chord tricks; but underneath this simplicity lies immense charm. The album is certainly a grower, you find you can't help yourself "shoebedoing" along to May's own brand of what he calls "healing, easy listening pop".

With reference to the music alone, the album is remains perky and uplifting throughout. Though the lyrics to tracks such as "College Town boy" have a cynical poignancy as if Morresey himself wrote them. So in that respect, like The Smiths albums the message is really bitter sweet.

If you had to make a comparison to any other band then think Beach Boys with a smallest hint of Jens Lekman, which incidentally seems a trend to another member of the Paw Tracks clan Panda Bear, who in the past has had a comparable element to the Beach Boys.

Contenders For Album of the Year

Ok, I've drawn up a list of essential must have records this year. So far we have:

1. Animal Collective (Domino Records) - Merriweather Post Pavilion

2. Grizzly Bear (Warp Records) - Veckatimest

3. Sleeping States (Bella Union) - In The Gardens of the North

4. Dirty Projectors (Domino Records) - Bitte Orca

5. Bibio (Warp Records) - Ambivalence Avenue

Pavement Reform and New York Date Confirmed

After years of speculation it has finally been confirmed that Pavement, one of the most important bands to indie music are to reform for a tour in 2010.

The lineup will consist of; Mark Ibold, Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West. No doubt many diehard Pavement fans will snap up the opportunity to grab a ticket for the 1st New York show. More information on tickets here.

A further compilation release is also set to coincide with the 2010 tour.

Recommended Pavement albums:

Two New Additions to the Collection

Today I went for a record shop in my local town after being back from a three month internship at One Little Indian records. I found to my delight first pressings of both Leonard Cohen's Songs of Love and Hate and Songs from a New Room. I also found tones of other stuff I really liked but my pockets weren't simply deep enough to purchase the goods.

After three months of living in London I had little success of finding any record store that could offer me decent vinyl that wasn't new. Pure Groove and the Rough Trade stores are great for new stuff, Sister Ray I never found anything I wanted, and the vinyl exchanges simply consisted of overpriced tat (with gradings fair to VG.)

There has to be a lot of great records bouncing around London but I simply couldn't find them.

Consequently, it leaves me to say that I would love to hear from anyone who can provide me with an insight into decent vintage record stores in London.

Beatles Box Sets & Rockband 09.09.09

There has been considerable hype over this collection in the press, and with a series of programs on BBC 2 over the weekend (and I believe also this week) it will most certainly reignite a global love for The Beatles. I have heard that Amazon have already sold out of box sets prior to it's release on Wednesday.

Mono and Stereo Box Sets

Completely remastered and repackaged into two very appealing (and environmentally friendly) box sets. It's going to be the best The Beatles have ever sounded! As a collector I've been drawn towards the Mono set as once these are gone thats it, they are strictly limited edition. However I am still put off by Yellow Submarine not being included in this set as it was originally released in both mono and stereo. So theoretically I don't see why it has been omitted.

As for the stereo box, no doubt this will sound amazing but I have my reservations. As stereo was relatively new in the early 60's, the panning tended to be extreme, i.e. the vocals would either be panned far left or far right not both. You can clearly hear this in the unflattering 1988 Beatles CD box.

Technology at the time had its limitations which had reflected in the mastering.

In the mid 60's everything changed with the introduction of multitrack recording. Sgt Pepper was the first to be mastered on 8-track, prior to this 4-tracks were used. A Hard Days Night, Beatles For Sale, Help, Rubber Soul and Revolver were all 4-track. Anything before 1964 a 2-track would have been used i.e. Please Please Me & With the Beatles, and would have been recorded live. You will be able to notice both this technological progression and hear The Beatles creativity blossom in the new box sets.

See trailer for The Beatles Rockband below: