09 Music …

Hot tracks
Hot tracks

People like to complain about the current state of music … the ascension of Miley Cyrus and the Mamma Mia phenom do make me want to weep (a bit). But there is so much quality stuff out there this year I’m buzzing to hear:

It’s Blitz! – Yeah yeah yeahs – this art rock band’s latest seems to have synthy goodness aplenty. And frontwoman Karen O can show Lady Gaga a thing or two about pop glamour with her glossy pageboy and arch style.
Two Suns – Bat for Lashes – Natasha Khan will be huge this time around. “Daniel” is a great song and its creepy video has been popular on the music video shows.

Some oldies are back:

Sounds of the Universe – Depeche Mode – They are back and still sound big and gloomy – it looks like the new album will keep their darkly glamorous flag flying if first single “Wrong” is anything to go by.
I think we’re gonna need a bigger boat – the BPA (Brighton Port Authority) – Norman Cook, ex Housemartin, aka Fatboy Slim is back. The tracks I’ve heard from this are pretty diverse – as you’d expect with such diverse co-conspirators as Emmy the Great , David Byrne and Iggy Pop – oh and utterly catchy.
Years of Refusal – Morrissey – Yay! The Mozzer is back. And on form if reviews are to be believed.

Some hot new compilations/various artists offerings:

War Child presents Heroes – How fun does this sound? The ultimate covers album” – includes Leopard-skin pill-box hat (Beck) / Bob Dylan — Do the strand (Scissor Sisters) / Roxy Music — Straight to hell (Lily Allen, feat. Mick Jones) /  — Transmission (Hot Chip) / Joy Division …
Dark was the night – tracks from some of the coolest musicians of the moment – Bon Iver, Conor Oberst, Sufjan Stevens et al.

Any new music that’s spinning your wheels?

Image of the Week

From now on an “Image of the week” from Christchurch City Libraries’ image collection will be a regular feature on our blog. In keeping with New Zealand Music Month we present this musically themed photograph from 1906.

Erecting the electro-pneumatic organ in the Concert Hall for the New Zealand International Exhibition in Hagley Park, Christchurch [1906]

Erecting the electro-pneumatic organ in the Concert Hall for the New Zealand International Exhibition in Hagley Park, Christchurch [1906]

For more information on and images of the exhibition see our New Zealand International Exhibition 1906 pages.