NME Awards 2005 - The Winners

NME Awards 2005 - The Winners – Various Artists

Year Released: 2005

Label: NME

Year Bought: 2005

Released to coincide with the 2005 NME Awards, this compilation focuses on the big acts from the previous year. Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, the Libertines are all represented, as are Bloc Party, Babyshambles and Graham Coxon.

Actually, that's a pretty good line up, isn't it?

There's a mixture of album tracks and b-sides, and as such there's some great glimpses into bands at the beginning of their career. Bloc Party's 'Tulips' is not one of their best but you can hear elements of other songs from them in there, the same with 'Missing You' from Franz Ferdinand. Both tracks are decent little b-sides.

'Change Your Mind' by the Killers wasn't on the UK release of Hot Fuss so is here for those who didn't buy the 'Mr Brightside' single where it found a home.

Pete Doherty is represented twice - first on the Libertines' 'Can't Stand Me Now' and then on Babyshambles' 'The Man Who Came To Stay' - a tune originally the b-side to 'Killamangiro'. Seeing as at the time no one was really sure how long dear old Doherty would be able to make music - due to incarceration or expiration - getting as much of his output as possible into the world seemed like a worthy mission.

It's not all good though. The NME really wanted the Others to be something, but 'In The Background' shows why they weren't. The Mitchell Bros remix of the Streets 'Blinded By The Lights' strips away all the slow-burn tension of the original.

The pop punk in me appreciates the appearance of Green Day via a live version of 'She's a Rebel'. It's an uncomfortable truth for many but 2004's 'American Idiot' is one of the great punk albums and it was a huge hit. (Will justify more when we get to that record).

There's also a flick of Graham Coxon's power-pop solo career with 'Spectacular'. Pretty sure only he can get away with the opening lyrics of "Saw you in my computer/Never seen no one cuter".

As time capsules go, this is pretty good. Not quite full of lost gems, but certainly some forgotten shiny stones.

6/10

Full Track Listing

1. Kaiser Chiefs – Na Na Na Na Naa

2. Franz Ferdinand – Missing You

3. The Libertines – Can't Stand Me Now

4. Muse – The Small Print

5. The Killers – Change Your Mind

6. Bloc Party – Tulips

7. The Futureheads – Alms

8. The Others – In The Background

9. The Streets – Blinded By The Lights (Mitchell Bros Remix)

10. Graham Coxon - Spectacular

11. Green Day – She's A Rebel (Live)

12. Babyshambles – The Man Who Came To Stay

13. New Order – I Told You So

Comments

Eye To The Telescope – KT Tunstall

Year Released: 2004 Label: Relentless Year Bought: No Idea I'm not sure why I have this record. I have no record of buying it. I've never listened to it. But then I do own two Dido albums so it's not exactly out of character of me to have it. I've always thought KT Tunstall was a pretty cool person. She's clearly talented. But this album, I just can't really connect with it. There's some good tunes on here. 'Black Horse and the Cherry Tree' is great, as is 'Suddenly I See'. 'Another Place To Fall' hints at some darker tones, and 'Under The Weather' builds nicely. But overall it's just all a bit safe. I vaguely remember reading an interview with Tunstall a few years after this came out in which she said the original mix was a lot more rough and bluesy, but the label wanted it more polished. You can definitely hear how this album could have been scuffed up. 'Stopping The Love' is a good example of that. It's a mi...

Coming Up – Suede

Year Released: 1996 Label: Nude Year Bought: 2011 I know lots of people love this album, and it has got some great songs on it, but I just can't love it. It's too trebly, too thin, too cold. It kicks off with 'Trash', which is an absolutely brilliant tune with fantastic lyrics. Brett is at his absolute best here, with talk of "nowhere towns" and "cellophane sounds", and being the "litter on the breeze". I love it. But, alas we go from one of Suede's best songs to one of their worst. 'Filmstar' feels incredibly lazy. The riff is nothing, and as for the lyrics: Filmstar propping up the bar driving in a car it looks so easy Filmstar propping up the bar driving in a car tonight These are Noel Gallagher-on-an-incredibly-bad-day lyrics. I hate the riff, I hate the chorus, I hate the lyrics. I hate how shiny it is. It's lazy ... which is the title of the next song. This tune sees the first use on the album of the "here the...

NME Awards 2004 - Various Artists

Released: 2004 Label: NME When I bought: 2004 In ye olde days before streaming, and even YouTube, it wasn't possible to hear within a matter of moments pretty much every song ever released. Therefore, compilations like this by the NME actually had a degree of value. Take 'Paperbag Writer' by Radiohead, a b-side from 'There There', the lead single from 2003's Hail to the Thief. I bought the album but not the single, so I'd never heard this tune. It's a brilliant track, with its electronic shuffle beat and muffled vocals making it sound like a left over from Kid A, or the starting point for Thom Yorke's debut solo album which would be released the following year. Likewise, 'See You Soon' by Coldplay. A true delight from a 1999 EP, with delicate guitar playing, scarce production, and honest vocal delivery. It's a reminder that once upon a time Chris Martin et al were able to operate with that oft-neglected trait: restraint. As a snapshot o...

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