New Musick Monday

So, last week we got a bit morose about how no one reads this blog but we've seen the light and realised that if no one reads it, well, it's their loss. How else will anyone know what new albums and singles are out this week? It's not as if there are adverts or reviews or billboard posters or virals or...you get the picture. Last week was pretty successful, what with Ellie Goulding's debut flying in at number 1 and Joanna Newsom's triple album sauntering elegantly in at number 28. Unsurprisingly, Perfume Genius didn't dent the Top 75, but hey, who buys vinyl these days? Seeing as we downloaded it for free, we can hardly complain.

BUY THIS

Plastic Beach by Gorillaz



It's funny, when Britpop was raging all those years ago, we assumed it would be Liam Gallagher who'd cast off the shackles of his main band and experiment with Chinese pop music, hip-hop, African rhythms and the Venezuelan nose flute. Instead, it's Damon Albarn who has quietly gone about proving himself to be a bit of a genius (OK, not so quietly). Plastic Beach is the third Gorillaz album and it's a sprawling, 16-track opus taking in a loose concept about the environment and features guests as diverse as Lou Reed, Kano, Snoop Dogg and Bobby Womack. In short, it's all over the place, but in a very good way. 'Empire Ants' is possibly the best thing we've heard all year.

BUY THIS AND GET A BIT OF A HEADACHE

Sisterworld by Liars



Again, it's time for a confession. We have this album, in fact it's on the arm of the chair as we type, but we've yet to enter Sisterworld in its entirety. What we do know is that it's a dense, frankly quite terrifying listen, that ranges from the sporadic meltdown of 'Scissor' to the violent convulsions of 'Scarecrows On A Killer Slant'. If you buy the deluxe, 3D artwork version you get an extra CD with remixes of every track by people such as Thom Yorke, Devendra Banhart and one of TV On The Radio.

DOWNLOAD THIS

'Rocket' by Goldfrapp



So, that folky reinvention didn't last long did it? Everyones second favourite female-fronted synth pop duo (La Roux is number one, right?) are back with their forthcoming album, Head First, and 'Rocket' is the Van Halen-aping first single. Allison Goldfrapp was always more suited to the rush of electro than the gentle strum of an acoustic guitar and though 'Rocket' isn't vintage Goldfrapp it certainly beats roughly 78% of everything else in the charts.

New Musick Monday

We've noticed that our daily numbers have been dwindling quite dramatically so more and more this all feels slightly fruitless, but at the moment we're still enjoying it, so for now New Musick Monday returns to fight another week. This weeks edition isn't quite the bells and whistles bumper edition of last week, but it does feature a TRIPLE album. But, first, let's deal with the relative successes and failures of the past seven days. LoneLady, Toro Y Moi and Brigadier Ambrose all missed the top 75, but they're all amazing and the latter actually sold out in most of the HMV shops that stocked it, so music is the winner. Marina & The Diamonds album crashed in at number 5 and was looking good for the number 1 slot at the midweek point. Giggs, despite all the twittering, landed outside the top 60. It seems a lot of listeners literally didn't go there...THIS IS WHY NO ONE READS THIS!!

BUY THIS

Have One On Me by Joanna Newsom



A confession; we haven't heard this yet. It's waiting for us when we get home, but for now, our ears have not been lightly grazed by Newsom's latest three CD extravaganza. We're urging you to buy this on the fact that her last album was a masterpiece, every review of this has been glowing and because even if it isn't something you'd normally listen to, it still means you have three extra coasters in your house should you be silly enough not to love it. Plus, it comes in a box and has a lyric sheet as long as the Bible (but better). THIS IS WHY NO CHRISTIANS READ THIS!!

CHERRY PICK SOME OF THIS

Lights by Ellie Goulding



We reviewed this album for another website and you can read it here. It kind of sums up our feelings towards what is a solid pop album, but one that feels a bit emotionless and is in no way the future of music. But we knew that already.

DOWNLOAD THIS

'Mr Peterson' by Perfume Genius



Perfume Genius, aka Mike Genius (may not be his real surname), makes fragile, haunting piano ballads that make Antony Hegarty seem like H from Steps. His lyrics are so stark that they sometimes border on the hilarious in that did-he-just-suggest-his-teacher-was-sexually-attracted-to-him kind of way. In fact, it's exactly that storyline that runs through 'Mr Peterson' and the song ends with the titular character killing himself. Yay, Spring is here. THIS IS WHY NO ONE READS THIS!!

You can download this single and the b-side from here.

Joanna Newsong

Joanna Newsom's last full-length album, Ys, was, it has to be said, one of the best things every committed to, erm, tape. Or whatever it is they use these days. It's been a long wait for the follow-up, but finally it's just about ready.

This is what we know:

-It's called Have One On Me
-It's out on the 23rd February
-It's a TRIPLE ALBUM
-It's got less detailed artwork than the last one
-It's sure to be amazing

Click here for a taster of what's to come. The track is called '81' and features a slightly more restrained vocal and some lovely harp playing, and the melody is so darn beautiful we can't wait any longer.

Here's, erm, Joanna's new look...

Kids say the funniest things

CALL THE DAILY MAIL! This video for 'Kids' by MGMT (the single was released here in January and they've only just made an official video) is properly terrifying. Well, the monsters look ridiculous of course, but there's a little baby involved and he looks genuinely upset! Surely there are laws against this kind of thing? Poor little bastard, he's going to grow up thinking all Police men have skin falling off their faces or that all car journeys involve being harassed by the junkie Muppets. The bit in the cot at the beginning is particularly upsetting and we hereby condemn MGMT and boo them for putting all our kids lives in danger with this FILTH.

Anyway, we're probably being over-sensitive, watch it for yourselves:



The other big news is that this video stars none other than Joanna Newsom. That Paris Hilton-aping mum from Hell is actually the genuine JOANNA NEWSOM, the harp-wielding goddess whose last album, Ys, was named after a mythical city that was swallowed by the ocean. That's some transformation.