Thursday 17 September 2009

When your hereos let you down


After spending many long hours explaining to friends why Kraftwerk were the most exciting thing on at this year's Bestival, it was a trifle embarrassing to come back and have to admit they were only average. I saw their tiny smirks and inside I am thinking about warming hot pokers.

So yes, Kraftwerk weren't quite what I hoped for, but don't throw the genius baby out with the bath water (probably not quite the right metaphor there, but never mind). They wrote some of those tunes in the early 70s and they still sound fresh and relevant today. Maybe their live performances don't quite live up to the expectations, but you can't knock their influence on many of today's big hitters. Even Karl Hyde joined the 'I am not worthy' troops by warming up for them with David Bowie's Hereos.

I thought I could survive the disappointment as the new Muse album was out on Monday. Those lovely Cornish boys with their alien obsession and big operatic sounds make me weak at the knees. Well they did the last time anyway. This time they just feel like a boyfriend that I got bored with months ago and haven't got round to dumping yet.

Don't get me wrong, the album is stunning and amazingly produced. But it's the same sort of stunning that I heard last time. They don't seem to have move on anywhere. If anything the big sound now just seems a bit caricatured and ridiculous.

And if that wasn't enough I was burdened with the new(ish) Regina Spektor album last week. Is it just me or has she been so over produced her rough charm and naivety has been lost?

As autumn prods its ugly finger in my face, and winter whispers lies about me behind the bike shed, all seems dark and gloomy. Having said that Camden Crawl just sent out their first Tweet today so spring time pleasures isn't entirely out of reach.

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