British Group and British Album

Friendly Fires and JLS are also included in Best British Group

And I have talked about the bands up for Best British Album, so I am just combining it into one post.

The Doves came back with their best album yet with ‘Kingdom of Rust.’ The album is mellow, but never boring and dark, but still catchy and the imagery is fantastic. The Williams’ brothers (maybe I’m related!) managed to create an awesome cohesive piece of material.

Kasabian also released their most successful album to date in 2009 with “West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.” Armed with producer Dan the Automator, known best for his work with virtual band, Gorillaz, Kasabian set out to make something that sounded more like ‘Pink Floyd.’ The result was definitely different from their heavy lyrics and indie rock past, mixing all kinds of genres, including the country infused ‘Fire’ and the electronic “Vlad the Impaler,” something their star producer is known to do.

I’ll be honest, I have never really liked Muse. I know I am going to make people angry, but I just don’t think they’re very good. I thought “Time is Running Out” sounded like everything else that was out on the market and their new album hasn’t impressed me much. I found ‘Uprising’ extremely annoying, their stuff is just too dramatic. Some of their more mellow stuff is alright, but unimpressive and the pretentiousness of it all turns me off.

The Doves should win best British Group and Kasabian should win best album.

Your reward for listening to my opinion: The Doves-Kingdom of Rust

British Breakthrough Act

I talked about Miss Lott (Pixie) and Miss Machine (Florence) in previous posts, so to keep this short and simple, see below for opinion!

Friendly Fires first came on my radar when they released “Kiss of Life” and I thought the song was uneventful. For an electronic band, their stuff is quite slow and bordering on boring. I would skip Friendly Fires and buy a Metronomy album, there are so many better electro bands.

I hate everything associated with X Factor, including JLS. If there is a Karaoke contest, they might get my vote. If not, can we stop celebrating talent less manufactured music? Thanks.

La Roux’s synth-pop anthems, “In For the Kill” and Bulletproof were dance floor standards this year, and as catchy as those two songs are, the rest of her repertoire is uneventful. The only song worth checking out beyond those two massive hits is “I’m Not Your Toy”. The songs lack substance, but are fun and serve their purpose.

The winner should be Florence, but since I already had a Florence download, here is a Metronomy download.