A.L. Harper

Growing up in the late 70s and 80s there was a serious lack of female role models – particularly in Utah. Oh sure if you wanted to be a timid, naïve, gullible Mormon housewife my sheltered, religious world was awash with that type of flower-print-dress-wearing woman. But that never felt right to me, it never looked appealing. I hated those women for being so weak, selfish and stupid. On TV were the feminists, severe, angry, intentionally unattractive women who looked like they were no fun at all, nor did they look particularly happy. I certainly didn’t want to be one. Also on TV were women who seemed to me a bizarre mixture of the two, women like Mary Tyler Moore, Rhoda and Charlie’s Angels. Characters who seemed unsure what to do with themselves and uncomfortable in their own skin, or maybe TV didn’t know what to do with women.

There were few examples of the kind of woman I wanted to grow-up to be; strong, beautiful, desirable, intelligent, passionate, sexual and brave — unless you counted Princess Leia, she was the embodiment of most of those things, but she wasn’t real and a bit of a girlie girl, I was more rock chick. Lucky for me there was one woman who fit the bill perfectly, Debbie Harry – or as I knew her then Blondie. When I found out that my idol, this goddess of pop-punk, was, like me, adopted I knew I wanted to grow-up to be Deborah Harry.

This icon of pop-culture and feminine power got her big break as frontwoman for the legendary band Blondie. The band’s name got attached to Harry and many thought it was her name, and with her shocking blonde hair it was inevitable. It was partly due to that hair, those fabulous cheek bones and sleek boyish figure that Blondie got noticed.

You can’t help but think that being a pop-icon must come with a lot of pressure, but Harry seems to have a very healthy attitude. “I do actually feel that the image, the Blondie image… is more iconic than I actually am. That visual has carried on because it was so strong. I don’t know if I feel myself an icon, more that, that image is iconic.”

However there were a lot of tensions surrounding Harry’s status within the band. The Blondie break-up was caused as much by Chris Stein’s — Harry’s romantic partner and band mate – diagnoses with the rare and usually fatal genetic disease, pemphigus, as to acrimonious feelings surrounding the attention she got from the media and public. When Blondie broke-up, Harry put her career on hold to nurse Stein through his illness and although Stein survived their relationship didn’t – Harry and Stein split in the mid 80s. Harry tried to return to singing but, weary of the Blondie persona she died her hair, and took on a rougher tougher image. The record label balked, Harry herself once quipped “they wanted Debbie Harry not Dirty Harry”.

All of the stresses of life led to a depression of sorts in the mid 80s, she won’t talk about that time except to refer to it as “the ice-cream years”. Harry became a recluse, put on weight and gave up, at least temporarily, the notion of pop stardom. However eventually she came through it.

Most recently Harry released the new-wave/pop/semi-experimental album, 14 years after her last release. It seems a long time to wait between albums but Harry is blasé about the gap.

“It was just something I felt like doing. I had the urge to get back into the studio. I had some ideas I wanted to put down and I just had the time. I didn’t have any pressure or a contract or anything. I wanted to do it.”

But surely with that long to consider the project she must have had some grand scheme or ultimate plan for how the album should sound.

“No. I was doing it in bits and pieces, dribs and drabs, spread out over such a long period of time. It’s really just a loose thing. If I had an idea I could just go with it and try something out.”

With this new album, I asked Harry if she thought she had finally separated herself from the Blondie image.

“Well I am that [Blondie]. I mean, it’s a combination of things. I think for a while I was kind of upset by it, thinking that somehow or other the rest of the band was short changed. But I think that we have all learned to live with the reality of it, that it has become the image that people associate with me, but we are really lucky that it stuck.”

2007 was a very difficult year for me personally, which coincided with a very bad year musically for everyone else; making this a difficult year for choosing a list of best albums. So few truly fabulous albums were released and my mental state for the mid-part of 2007 prevented me from really enjoying many others thought were great. This year saw my personal life fall apart, bad health (I contracted a super-bug infection) and a (thankfully) failed suicide attempt, amongst the release of a new Springsteen album (I’m not a fan so this held no interest for me), a new White Stripes album (I love Jack White but… oy what a tragedy that was) and a new Arcade Fire album (one I would love to have spent more time with but just didn’t have the heart for). Radiohead’s In Rainbows should be on my list as I love it, but I didn’t spend much time with it and, for this list anyway, that would feel wrong. Of course Dylan released an anthology which I love but anthologies don’t count on a best-of list.

This list is actually a list of the albums I couldn’t do without this year. Most were released this year, two I discovered this year but were released previously, but I felt they needed to be highlighted. They don’t all hold personal significance, but all of them are worthy of a best-albums list due to their power and intensity or my sheer delight in the music, along with the talent involved in creating them. So what follows is a list of albums that I just couldn’t stop listening to. Presented in inverse order of course.

Joss Stone – Introducing Joss Stone

Joss Stone has a voice so soulful, so sultry and intoxicating that when you hear it, it is something seriously special. Her first two albums, The Soul Sessions (03) and Mind, Body & Soul (04), were good label-driven albums, filled with radio-friendly dance-pop/soul music, tinged ever so slightly with R&B but, as fun as they were, they were bare of substance. That emotive, powerfully sexual voice always needs more substance; there just wasn’t enough there, there. Now Joss is all grown-up and taking charge of her own music, and the resulting album Introducing Joss Stone is significantly more substantive. This album is a big step away from that homogeneous, committee-chosen, label idea of soul music, and shows the obvious influences of jazz, 70's soul and funk, and modern R&B. Introducing shows a woman who is finding herself, taking control of her life and career, and searching for personal and artistic freedom. Stone still has some way to go in developing a fully fleshed-out sound, but this album is a definite step in the right direction.

Colbie Caillat – Coco

I think in many ways you must be female to understand and truly enjoy Colbie Caillat’s simple melodies and lyrics, written, as they are, from a female perspective. So where some may find her music saccharine, childish and flaccid, I see engaging pureness, teasing silliness and the appealing nature of simplicity. To me Coco is a triumph of delicate beauty and captivating honesty, over pretentious political metaphor or cryptically expressed romanticism — which some will mistake for artistic merit. Caillat has managed to capture the essences of being female and in love. Caillat knows — when some do not — that when a woman of any age is under the influence of that first blush of love she is a mischievous little girl, a giggly, flirty teenager and grown lustful woman all at the same time.

Jem – Finally Woken

This stunning debut album, released in 2004, was met with warm critical response but cool sales, possibly due to under-promotion, or to its genre-defying sound. Jem mixes rock, trip-hop, electronica, hip-hop and R&B successfully to create an album that is beautifully atmospheric from beginning to end. With a name like Jem and her beautiful innocent looks you might be forgiven for thinking this 33 y.o. Welsh songstress is nothing more than the newest pop-sensation wannabe but you couldn’t be further from the truth. Jem has a real music pedigree, and has worked as a DJ agent, record producer (for Madonna to name but one – but when it’s Madonna do you need to name more?), songwriter and now as a solo artist. Jem’s catchy, hypnotic tracks are a mixture of everything good about all music, lyrics that are catchy and fun but more than cotton-candy fluff, beats and rhythms that scream "get up and dance", electronica with rock flourishes that shouldn’t work but somehow do. This album is a gem all the way through.

Bat For Lashes – Fur And Gold

This enigmatic "band" is really the work of English singer-songwriter, visual artist and multi-instrumentalist Natasha Kahn, but don’t let the "visual artist" part put you off. Fur And Gold (released in September 2006) isn’t nearly as inaccessible and over-the-top arty as that would imply. Kahn’s music is part Björk and Kate Bush and part new wave pop. The richly textured sounds run from electronic flurries, to piano tinkling falling like rain, atmospheric elegance washing over you; perfectly crafted, highly stylised, catchy hooks and unforgettable melodies. Kahn’s beautiful vocals are a big part of that style, they have an almost-whispered quality, even when she is belting it out. She has constructed a sound that feels like it was designed to float along with that ethereal voice. Sometimes feeling almost diaphanous, every track on Fur And Gold is perfectly balanced, never overpowering her vocals always adding just the right touches. This is an album that walks that tight rope between cutting edge and accessibility.

Sons Of William – What Hides Inside

Sons Of William make the kind of rock you want to hear when you’re slumming it in a saw-dust-on-the-floor bar in the deep South, sitting, feet-up on a table, drinking bourbon. As you watch, the band slowly enthrals the rancorous audience into awed silence with a rich tapestry of music that is bluesy, funky and incredibly horny. As the tempestuous, luscious vocals passionately caress the bar patrons, you can’t help thinking to yourself that those deep, ardent lyrics are intellectually above this bar’s usual crowd. What Hides Inside has a mix of radio-friendly indie rock and more edgy southern rock, great songs, fantastic musicianship, stirring vocals and plenty of energy and soul. This dirty, raw, mostly bluesy, sometimes funky sound is combined with dark, sensual, smoky vocals, intelligent, passionate lyrics sung in rich harmony by frontman Joe Stark and bassist Jen Janet. All of this combines to make What Hides Inside a triumph of talent, spirit and rock music.

The Ruse – Live at the Viper Room EP

The Ruse have a melodic, soothing, cultivated sound, thick with the influences of big stadium rock bands U2, Coldplay and Snow Patrol. Their music is full of punchy guitar solos and mild baselines but it’s Dauer’s melodic, smooth, mellow vocals that complete this creamy concoction. His vocals are like good Scottish whisky, buttery, rich and hauntingly emotive with a strong Celtic flavour. The Ruse are so good you know one day they will be rock gods. The Ruse: Live at the Viper Room is a five song EP which includes one track from their debut album Invasion, two tracks from their last album, Light in Motion, and two previously unreleased tracks from their new album – they are currently recording and expect it out in early 2008.

Dan Ferrari – Don’t Let It Fall

Dan Ferrari is the saving grace of pop music. His fresh, upbeat, catchy sound, intimate heart-felt lyrics, faultless musicianship and emotive vocals are everything pop music should be. In these days of homogeneous, artistically void pop he is the fresh breeze you have been waiting for. Don’t Let it Fall is resplendent with harmonies and melodies, lustful, deeply personal lyrics, and passionate, engagingly honest vocals. Love songs filled with such fresh pain, longing, and sensual loss that you would be forgiven for thinking it was just yesterday she walked out. Even with his enviable vocal abilities, it’s Ferrari’s compellingly emotional lyrics that will keep you listening. Ferrari’s talent lies in painting a stirring and deeply personal portrait of his life – mostly his love life – that is all at once libidinous and winsome, passionate and friendly. You get a glimpse inside the painful heart of someone coming to terms with love lost and desire through his music.

Cary Brothers – Who You Are

Brothers’ voice exudes a warm sensuality and romanticism that is absolutely necessary when singing music that is so passionately felt and hungrily listened to. He has filled Who You Are, his full-length debut, with luxurious, sensuous, velutinous music; nothing about this album feels sparse, slip-shod or economical. Stunning in its magnitude and scope, Who You Are has quickly won my heart with its richly textured sounds, creamy smooth guitar, gorgeous synth and honeyed vocals.

Dan Wilson – Free Life

This multi-talented frontman of sporadically active pop-band Semisonic (“Closing Time” and “Secret Smile”), and Grammy-winning songwriter (for his part in writing the Dixie Chicks track “Not Ready to Make Nice”) Dan Wilson has released his first solo album Free Life. This beautifully reflective album perfectly conveys feelings of death and rebirth with each song as they start with an edge of melancholy but quickly become more hopeful. His music is streaked with a kind of tender vulnerability and saturated with an air of raw honesty. Wilson’s breathy vocals are filled with a tranquil humility and sentimental sweetness that never feels cheesy or overdone. As you would expect from the veteran of a successful pop band, his philosophical style folk-pop is completely accessible while maintaining an intelligent and erudite manner.

A Fine Frenzy – One Cell in the Sea

She calls herself A Fine Frenzy but was born Alison Sudol and she is easily one of the most talented and promising new-comers of 2007. The debut album One Cell in the Sea is a magnificent alternative singer-songwriter concoction full of haunting melodies, stripped back piano and raw, vulnerable lyrics. This atmospheric album is as much artistry as mainstream music can be. With alt-folk sensibilities, this 23 y.o. has crafted an album that is fresh and nostalgic together. A Fine Frenzy is far from being poppy or conventional but is still captivating and accessible. Her rich hypnotic vocals weave a tapestry of portentous emotions, while lulling the listener into a quiet, melancholic frame of mind. After listening to One Cell in the Sea, you’ll be blinded by her subtle waves-crashing-on-rocks voice, the power of her intense lyrics and finally you’ll be enchanted by her charisma and intelligence. One Cell in the Sea should have gotten so much more attention than it has, and I making it my number-one album of 2007. A title it has earned fully.

We all have them, songs that seem to touch a secret place in your soul – sometimes secret even from you. They can grow and occasionally fester like an open wound, or they can fill you up, inspire you, and occasionally even heal you. Sometimes they don't even reflect your musical tastes. They can be shameful secrets that you keep from family and friends. You feel like a drug addict craving your next fix. At times like those you thank the powers that be for MP3 players - the syringe of those suffering with this affliction.

This is a special Christmas installment of songs that touch my soul but, unlike most of the “Songs” column’s, this edition isn’t full of passion, desire, and lust – because even I can’t make Christmas lusty. Usually just five songs long, this holiday special will be 12 songs (one for each day of Christmas) over a two-part column. Not a traditionalist, you’ll notice that many of these songs are not the regular favourites, although there are few golden-oldies that I simply couldn’t do without.

“When I get Home for Christmas” – Snow Patrol

Oh how I love Snow Patrol and Gary Lightbody’s unfailing ability to do all the wrong things, get his heart broken, and then write a beautiful melancholy love song to make up for it. Hell, he wouldn’t have a shtick if not for his romantic ineptitude. This time it’s in Christmas song form, a classic example of Snow Patrol finery wrapped up in Christmas paper and tied with a big red bow. Lightbody’s lyrics say it all. “When I said that I loved her instead/ It's funny how you misunderstand”, ah yes the classic oops I told the wrong person I loved them and you got all huffy about it story. Ah, Christmas…

“Little Drummer Boy” – Dandy Warhols

This fun, energetic rock version of “Little Drummer Boy” should be the definitive version; Christmassy but definitely rock, traditional but thoroughly modern. Dandy Warhols have updated this stuffy, old carol, perfectly with great harmonies, electronic flourishes, indie guitar and, of course, killer drums. Truly the perfect modern update. I have attached the video below for you to see and believe.

“In Dulci Jubilo” – Mike Oldfield

This is one of those traditional tunes with a modern twist. “In Dulci Jubilo” or “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” (I’m neither Christian nor male so it doesn’t apply to me) is a twelfth century German carol originally written in Macaronic verse (basically it was written in a mixture of languages and even occasionally has a few bi-lingual in jokes – early intellectual snobbery). He of Tubular Bells fame, seems to have taken great joy in Christmas with his mixture of instruments rejoicing exuberantly but with gently restrained fervour. What makes this the best of all versions for me is simply the instrumentation, the perfect mixture of acoustic and electric instruments. Old and new dancing together in festive delight, I’m convinced that if sugar plum fairies do dance, this is what it will sound like.

“Every Day is Christmas” – Webb Brothers

I’ve never heard anything else by the Webb Brothers, but I know this is a jewel in the crown of alt Christmas indie rock music. From the sons of legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb, “Every Day is Christmas” is a sweetly longing love song, that seems only to have been contributed to the greatest alt Christmas album ever It's a Cool Cool Christmas, from Jeepster Records. Released only in the UK (2000), it’s the greatest Christmas compilation album ever and now a cult classic.

“White Christmas” - Bing Crosby

How could I not? It is the most famous Christmas song of modern times. It even spun its own film. No this Irving Berlin classic isn’t from the film White Christmas it’s from the film Holiday Inn (1942) and originally sung as a duet between Bing and Marjorie Reynolds. The simple, heart-felt lyrics and the better-in-the-old-days sentiment appeals to all ages and social classes. This is truly the perfect festive song, and it wouldn’t be Christmas without it.

U2 are one of those bands. The world class, best-of-the-best, influenced millions (either directly or indirectly), legend bands, and this didn’t happen overnight. U2’s progress up the mega-superstar, giving-your-hat-to-the-pope ladder began in 1980 with the release of their impressive debut album Boy.

It seemed clear right from the off that U2 were going to be somebody. But it was with their third album War that the U2 sound really solidified. Those powerfully emotive songs, The Edge’s (David Evans) rhythmic echo and signature delay and Bono’s hot-lava-over-bare-rock vocals, that could – and frequently did – kick the whole world in the balls.

However, what made them the legends that they are today was the combination of two things: one very important event in modern pop culture history and a certain album release. The first was Live Aid in the summer of 1985, and Bono’s legendary performance, which included him pulling a young woman from the crowd just before she was crushed to death. His table-thumping charitable exuberance when asking people to call in and donate was exceeded only by the king of charitable rock stars, Bob Geldof. Rolling off the back of their high profile participation in this world-changing event, less than two years later, they released their magnum opus The Joshua Tree, and launched themselves into that oh-so select circle of bands that will forever be a part of our collective consciousness.

The Joshua Tree was, for many, the music that would forever represent the '80s. I was 16 when it was released, and to me, it will always take me back to smoking cloves on street corners, protesting apartheid and aid to the Contras, and fucking under the stars on warm summer nights, with the sounds of this seminal album blasting from the tinny car stereo. Released back when The Edge had hair and before Bono wore hats, The Joshua Tree really does represent their youth, my youth, many people’s youth, but does that mean it deserves its immortal renown? The answer to that question is, simply, yes.

The reason this album is still important is that it is truly fantastic. Even today, 20 years on, it’s still an amazing album. If it was released today would it stand out as it did then? No, but only because everyone and their dog have copied its sound and passion and substance. What was breakthrough 20 years ago is now commonplace thanks to U2 and that is precisely why it is so seminal, not just for U2 but for everyone. Some of U2’s biggest and most memorable hits came from The Joshua Tree including, “Where the Streets Have No Name”, “With or Without You”, and “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For”.

And now U2 have kindly digitally re-mastered and expanded The Joshua Tree and re-released it in a two disc set, the original album and an expanded CD of demos and B-sides – The Joshua Tree was released at a time of phenomenal productivity for the band and there was a lot of unreleased material. In a beautiful box with a collector’s edition book, complete with lyrics and commentary by both The Edge and Bill Flanagan, it’s a fabulous gift for anyone who is a fan of U2 or just a casual listener.

The Joshua Tree proved to be both the band's making and eventual undoing. Never again would U2 reach the heights of their Joshua Tree days, and only released one album that came close to touching it in either popularity or artistic vision — Achtung Baby, released four years later. The Joshua Tree will no doubt stand for many years to come as a lasting testament to four fiery Irishmen with an overpowering social conscience and visionary musical talent.

Slow Runner is what happens when Star Wars or AV geeks grow up and form a band. The retro-swish sound of their first album, No Disassemble — released in 2003, then re-released in 2006 by Sony — with its funky late '50's/early '60's beat poet with a bit of Johnny Number Five thrown in, has established them as a favourite in my music collection. Their mature, hot-buttered-toast sound, with its interesting twists and the electronic odd-sounding bleeps, blips, and bloops give No Disassemble a funky sound and unique charm. Think Grandaddy’s grandson; all of the smooth, seamless indie pop but without the over-the-top quirkiness.

Slow Runner are renowned for the lyrics of frontman Michael Flynn, who won second place in the 2001 John Lennon songwriting scholarship contest and came first in the Flat Rock Music Festival songwriting contest later that same year. Flynn, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, is set to do for geek-rock what Zach Braff did for television sitcoms — re-define ultra cool and super smooth. With the release of their newest LP SHIV! I think they have a real chance.

And how did it all begin for this South Carolina-based band? Well, according to their bio it happened on a bright moon-lit night, in the woods when two friends, Flynn (singer-songwriter) and Josh Kaler (multi-instrumentalist), went for a walk and found a large stone with a sword jutting from the top. They climbed up this mountainous stone and together pulled the sword from it when suddenly the curtains of heaven opened, accompanied no doubt by a herald of angels singing, and they realized simultaneously that their musical destinies were harmoniously entwined and would involve a Casio, loud drums, and short pop songs about girls.

Their newest album SHIV! has more guitar rock than their previous release, helping them to achieve a much wider appeal, with less Star Wars electronics and more straightforward indie rock. Recently the uber-talented Flynn was nice enough to sit down with me for a quick chat. We talked about the failed contract with Sony, his love of the Iron Giant and of course SHIV!.

I’m confused. Slow Runner isn’t like a regular band, is it? It’s you (Michael Flynn) and your friend and a revolving door of musicians?

Yeah, it’s basically me and Josh Kaler who plays… well between us we play all the instruments on the record and then we have a regular band that we play live with. We add two other guys Scott Baumil and Jonathan Gray who play guitar and bass respectively. We have lots of really talented friends in Charleston… the band is basically Josh and myself and then whoever else we can talk into recording with us, we’ll get them on the song.

Do I understand correctly that SHIV! is actually two albums, with another part still due to be released?

After No Disassemble — we recorded that and put it out ourselves then it was re-released, so we toured on it for about three years. And all that time I was writing and by the time it came time to put out another record we had plenty of songs so we recorded all of them. And then we ended up just putting all the rockin’ ones on one record and the more mellow stuff on another record. So SHIV! is the rocking record and then the other record is going to come out this spring or late winter. Because No Disassemble had both, it’s really a wider scope.

So what is the second album going to be called?

It’s called Together We Will Out Sleep The Night.

SHIV! and Together We Will Out Sleep The Night are two very unusual titles.

Well, that (Together We Will Out Sleep The Night) comes from a line in a poem called “Insomnia” by Galway Kinnell. SHIV! is based on an inside joke. I do this thing where I like to attack people and say what I’m doing as I’m attacking them, like if I’m going to slap you I would say “open-handed slap” or “back-handed slap”. Sometimes I like to shiv people, I’ll just kind of get up in their grill and just whisper shiv in their ear and poke them in the stomach.

A shiv is a something that is sharpened into a weapon that they use in prison, is it not?

Exactly. And it worked on several levels because we feel like we got shivved by the record industry/label; and we wanted to shiv the listener.

SHIV! is a big departure from No Disassemble isn’t it?

Yes, but I think you can tell that the songs come from the same place.

Yes, because they are all written by you.

Right, but the songs are kind of the same. They are a little weirder in some ways but… it’s a little different.

So tell me about your major-record label experience.

There were about three months when it was just lovely. There were things happenin’ and music was getting in TV shows and we were on the road all the time and everyone was doing their job and it was cool. That was three months out of a two year experience. All the rest of the time it was basically us sitting around wondering why they weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing, or waiting for them to do something they said they were going to do, or something they said was going to happen falling through and “ah, here’s plan B”. It was just a constant experiment in disappointment.

The label we were on, J records [part of the Sony BMG umbrella] is mostly American Idol type stuff, there was nothing on it remotely like us and so I don’t think… It was never a huge deal to begin with, we had no illusions that we were going to be a huge priority for them. I just figured “we’ll do this and see what happens, and get what we can get out of it”.

Okay, so now what? You’re not with them anymore?

Nope, now we are free agents again. So it’s good and bad. I miss the tour support, that was pretty nice – knowing you would at least break even on any tour, that’s a real luxury.

It got to the point where they were clearly wanting a certain kind of record from us, which wasn’t anything like No Disassemble and that I was… I went up to New York for a week this past spring and co-wrote with some people that they wanted me to write with. They were like “Oh yeah we got all the songs, we’re just missing that one radio smash”. So I went up there, and I knew it was going to feel bad but I was like “I’m going to go up their and I’m going to do it. I’m going to put my immature little holier-than-thou…. I’m going to ignore all that stuff and I’m going to try and do what they want me to do. And I just couldn’t do it. I tried. I wrote some songs with these guys and I hated the songs and they really liked them and they hated that I hated them…. And I think that pretty much spelled the end of our relationship.

You’re not a cookie cutter band…

If we are, we’re a complete failure.

Where do you hope that SHIV! will end up?

I hope that it will end up in the CD player of a car, with a guy and a girl in it, who are looking at each other amorously while driving down the highway.

Shouldn’t they be looking at the road?

Yeah well, I hadn’t finished my analogy yet. Just as they go over the cliff and fall to their death, they look at each other and say, “God I love this CD, I’m so glad it was playing at our final moment together.”

I mean that’s what it’s all about.

If you would like to listen to a few track from SHIV! and celebrate this fabulous music you can visit Slow Runner’s MySpace space. You can also visit their own website to learn more about what makes Slow Runner tick.

We all have them, songs that seem to touch a secret place in your soul – sometimes secret even from you. They can grow and occasionally fester like an open wound, or they can fill you up, inspire you and occasionally even heal you. Sometimes they don't even reflect your musical tastes. They can be shameful secrets that you keep from family and friends. You feel like a drug addict craving your next fix. At times like those you thank the powers that be for MP3 players - the syringe of those suffering with this affliction.

This is a special Christmas installment of songs that touch my soul but unlike most of the “Songs” column’s this edition isn’t full of passion, desire and lust – because even I can’t make Christmas lusty. Usually just five songs long, this holiday special will be 12 songs (one for each day of Christmas) over a two-part column. Not a traditionalist, you’ll notice that many of these songs are not the regular favourites, although there are few golden-oldies that I simply couldn’t do without.

“O Come O Come Emmanuel” – Belle and Sebastian

That great Scottish band Belle and Sebastian did, what is to me, the seminal version of John Mason Neale's "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel."  Neale is a 19th century divine scholar and hymn writer.  B&S's version is a sublime, graceful, concordant version, with the band striking the perfect balance between modern and traditional with vocal harmonies enough for any church choir.

“Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues with Kristy MacColl

Those gods of Irish folk-pop The Pogues, gave us a song that is as far from traditional as it could be and yet, has a lovely tune that feels oh so Christmassy. Featuring Kristy MacColl – an English singer venerated by the British media, when she died well before her time in 2000 – this song is essentially a tale of love gone wrong. Sung by Pogues frontman, toothless genius Shane MacGowan, spinning a lyrical tale in the form of an internal monologue between he and former girlfriend MacColl, as he lies in a drunk tank, in New York City, sleeping it off.

The lyrics are touching and humorous, the music has a sweeping, orchestral quality to it and the picture MacGowan paints of New York at Christmas is astonishingly vivid. And of course it has those, oh-so Christmassy lyrics “You scumbag, you maggot/ You cheap lousy faggot/ Happy Christmas your arse/ I pray God it’s our last”. Really warms your heart doesn’t it. But I bet many of us have thought those very words too many relatives and loved ones at Christmas.

“Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland” – Grandaddy

Grandaddy are easily one of my favourite bands. Their signature quirky electronic noises over indie rock guitar and intelligent lyrics were what made them so much fun but sadly the band are no longer together. They contributed this track to, possibly the greatest Christmas compilation album ever, Jeepster Records' It's a Cool Cool Christmas.

Here Grandaddy take that classic song “Walking in a Winter Wonderland”, add that electronic quirkiness I was talking about, over the top of the well known tune and play with the lyrics. The resulting track is another mix of tradition and modern that is so cool it smokes. The fun lyric changes turn the song from a play in the snow to an ode to prog-rock great Alan Parsons. My personal favourite lyrics are wrong but Grandaddy somehow make all the syllables work, even if they don’t fit: “in the meadow we can build a snowman/ and pretend that he is Alan Parsons/ he'll say have you listened to my new band/ we'll say no but we really like that one song it goes time keeps flowing like a river”. A future classic without doubt.

“Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow” – Dean Martin

Truly a Christmas great, with that super cool crooner Dean Martin on vocals. Would it surprise you to find out that this pop-standard is not, in fact, a Christmas song at all but a simple love song? Despite the obvious wintry lyrics, and its warm cheery feel, the song never actually mentions Christmas. Originally recorded in 1945 by Vaughn Monroe, it was a number one hit in its day, but when the ultra cool rat-packer recorded it, the song made its way into our collective Christmas conscience. Now who would be without old Dean-baby at the holidays?

“Carol of the Bells” – Mannheim Steamroller

Picking just one Mannheim Steamroller Christmas song is like trying to choose between your parents or your in-laws for Christmas dinner – I’m sure the old ball-and-chain will have something to say about your choice – so let’s just let this one track stand for all Mannheim Steamroller. This is my own particular favourite right now, although it does change from year to year. This track is from their seminal Christmas album A Fresh Aire Christmas which also includes other favourites “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, “In Dulci Jubilo” and “Veni Veni (O Come, O Come Emmanuel)”. In fact this whole album, along with their first Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, is a must have for the holidays. Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without MS’s electronically synthesised bells and orchestras, hell in this track they even threw-in some synth vocals just to top it all off.

“The Christmas Song” – Nat “King” Cole

Iconic doesn’t begin to cover Nat “King” Cole’s status in our hearts and minds and this song is right up there with him. Beautifully smooth, creamy, and rich this jazz song was so perfect and elegant that not one single cover (and it is one of the most covered Christmas songs out there) has ever come close to it knocking Cole off the top spot. And lets hope it never does.

“Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas” – Eels

In this song Eels do what only they do convincingly – essentially the band Eels is just singer-songwriter Mark Everett – make Christmas rock. The Eels signature sound – as heard in all the Shrek movies – melodies, harmonies and an effortless fusion of indie rock guitar and piano sounds added to Mr. E’s fabulous lyrics like “…everybody's waiting for you down at the house/ the tree is looking so inspired/ there's a Yuletide groove waiting for you to move /come on and throw another log on the fire/ and everything's gonna be cool this Christmas”. And of course ultimate lyric, “Baby Jesus, born to rock”. This is a seriously cool Christmas song.

Everything about Matt Jenkins says country. From his traditional country voice to his honest, straight-from-the-heart lyrical style, it’s written in his easy gentle manner and polite charm. Just one look at this 6’4” 24 year old from Texas, and you’ll see “cowboy” etched over every inch of him – well you’ll want to look for it all over him anyway. It is his unforced grace, natural sly wit and a traffic stopping smile that mark Jenkins out from the crowd.

He has had a turbulent career so far. Signed to Universal South (a division of Universal Records) on a development deal, he even released the song “Bad As I Want To” which reached the top 40 in the US country charts.

But when Universal reshuffled all its labels, including Universal South, Jenkins was one of the casualties. This autumn he was scheduled to appear in Fox network’s reality soap television series Nashville — a country music version of MTV’s The Hills. However, that got cancelled after just two episodes.

So not the best start in all, but Jenkins is man born with music hard-wired into his DNA. His little brother, Josh Jenkins, is frontman for former Band of the Week Green River Ordinance.

This charming, hunky, talented Texan may be down but he isn’t out. He is currently in the studio recording and he says he will have some new music for his fans, next summer. He recently took time out to talk to me and I was a bit taken aback. I’m not sure what I expected from a country and western singer besides being down to earth; I had always had the impression that country-boys weren’t, well… the sharpest tacks in the box. Matt Jenkins, however is intelligent, articulate, amiable, distractingly good looking and a shameless flirt. After about three minutes getting to know Matt, I decided, ultimately he isn’t going to have any trouble finding success.

You were signed to Universal, what happened?

I was signed to Universal when I was 19, and moved from Texas to Tennessee, put out a song (“Bad As I Want To”) recorded some songs with a couple different producers. Went up the charts… and I got to do a lot of cool stuff like play at the Grand Ole Opry and open up for a couple of legends, you know heroes of mine.

Who?

Don Williams and Buck Owens. Buck Owens just passed away. So I did that, then the song died and the two guys who signed me left Universal, and the new president who came in let me go. So… it was really a frustrating time but, it was a great experience and I’m glad that I went through it.

You’re not signed now but you seem very undisturbed by that. You seem very positive about it.

I’m very upbeat, I felt like…you know I was on that label for three years, and I put out a song, and it was a lot of sitting around and just not knowin’ what was going to happen, and feelin’ like I was ready. At the time it was upsetting and frustrating but I’m really happy that I went through that process. And to be honest, I have never felt better about where I am musically or creatively than I am right now. There’s no pressure, I don’t feel like there’s pressure on me. There’s pressure to make great music but I feel free. There’s nothin’ binding me down and I just feel like over the last year since I’ve been dropped it’s been an amazing growth period for me. I’m really finding out who Matt Jenkins is. I’m saying what I want to say, how I want to say it.

Who is Matt Jenkins?

A genuine, real artist. I love country music but I also love the U2s and the Matchbox Twentys and the James Taylors, I love all that. My roots will always be in the country world but I would like to think that my music would span a lot of those genres, just be great music. And I hope that someone who digs U2 or Green River Ordinance (shameless plug) could listen to my music and be like “I understand that’s country but I dig it”, and go buy the record.

Your brother is in a band isn’t he?

Yeah my brother is in a band, Green River Ordinance – I taught them everything that they know. I’m totally lyin’. They are GRO which is a pop-rock band, that got together six or seven years ago and just worked it so hard, playin’ shows all over the country and have really developed their own sound. It’s not classic but it’s very, sing-along rock. I’m so proud of those guys, I couldn’t be more proud of them. I feel like I could be, Josh is my brother, but I almost feel like a big brother to all the guys. I think there are huge things in store for them.

So what are you doing?

I feel like the next year is goin’ to be huge for me. I feel like creatively I am in such a good place. I’m writing and I’m recordin’ the best music I have ever written, stuff that I am so proud of, stuff that I feel like is 100% Matt Jenkins. I can’t wait for people to hear it.

What kind of music are you writing now? You said you would like to crossover a bit, is this new stuff a bit roots-rock?

I think… you’ve heard me sing! I think I… (clears throat comically)

(laughing)Yeah, you don’t have a crossover voice.

No, no. I’m a country singer. You know that, you’ve heard me sing. I don’t think I’m going to get played on pop radio (laughing). No way, they’d be like “HA! Yeah!” Unless I do a duet with like Nelly or somethin’.

I just hope my music is timeless, and I just hope it stands on its own. I think there are certain country acts that can do that and hopefully I’m in that place. Musically, I’ve probably gotten a little more edgy, but it’s still traditional.

In ten years time Matt, where do you want to be?

I hope that I make music that makes people want to go out and buy records and pile into stadiums around the country. That’s the goal. I think that as an artist, you just want people singing your songs back to you. That’s the dream for me.

If you want to learn more about Matt Jenkins, or hear some of his music, you can visit his MySpace space.

It’s always good to hear from friends and here at Band of the Week we feel like all our former bands are friends. One such band, The Ruse, recently let us know of the exciting things happening in their world. We originally profiled The Ruse back in August 2006, when I reviewed their second album Light in Motion and interviewed frontman John Dauer.

The Ruse have a melodic, soothing, cultivated sound and you can hear the influences of big-stadium bands like, U2, Coldplay, and Travis. The Ruse’s music is full of punchy guitar solos and mild baselines, but its Dauer’s melodic, smooth, mellow vocals that complete their creamy concoction. His vocals are like good Scottish whiskey, buttery, rich and hauntingly emotive with a definite Celtic flavour. The Ruse are so good, you know one day they will be rock gods.

And that may now be in motion after their up-coming appearance on MTV’s The Hills (Monday, November 5 at 10pm ET/PT) which will include a live performance by the boys at Hollywood’s famous nightclub, the Viper Room, followed by the after party at One Sunset. Immediately following the airing of the episode (#313) The Ruse’s single “Swallow You” will be available for download from MTV.com.

To celebrate this occasion The Ruse have decided to put their brand new EP Live at the Viper Room up for download, free of charge, for the entire month of November. This five song EP gives fans one track from their debut album Invasion: “Sit Down Stare Out”. It also includes two tracks from their last album, Light in Motion: “Don’t Let it Fade Away” and “Swallow You” and two previously unreleased tracks: “Monochrome” and “Collide”. The last two are just a teaser for what’s to come on their new album, which they are currently recording, due out in early 2008.

Live at the Viper Room is a high energy live EP that perfectly showcases all The Ruse’s strong points: excellent musicianship, fabulous songs, and awe inspiring vocals. You can download Live at the Viper Room by visiting The Ruse’s MySpace space throughout November.

It won’t surprise you to know that I get contacted by a lot of bands about being Band of the Week. There are a lot of crap bands, quite a few good bands, and a few excellent bands. Occasionally however I hear a band that is so good I assume they have already been signed. To my great surprise — and delight as I now get to feature them — The Flaws aren’t.

Their sound is a beautiful updated mixture of ’80s bands like The Smiths, The Cure, and Echo and the Bunnymen. Frontman and primary lyricist Paul Finn has the enviable ability to strip away the everyday mundanities of life and articulate the longing and desire for more. Strong melodies enveloped in synth, glittering, jangly guitars, Finn’s rich, fervid vocals and intelligent witty lyrics make for a spellbinding experience.

And all of this is evident on their radiant, lush, nearly flawless - come on, I had to - debut album Achieving Vagueness (AV). The two singles “Sixteen” and “1981″ have both seen airplay in their native Ireland and I think it’s time the rest of the world woke up to the scintillating near-perfection of The Flaws and AV.

It is the album that should never have been made, after troubles with their former label, Sound Foundation (Polydor imprint, now bust). However this ambitious and confident foursome did whatever it took to make an album they completely believed in.

These struggles may have helped to ensure that AV is as mature and incandescent a debut as any I have ever heard. Recently frontman Finn agreed to give me some of his time to chat about his band and that fulgent debut album. Finn impressed me with his serious intent, humble intelligence, and dry, caustic wit.

Tell me how The Flaws became a band. Where did you get the name?

The Flaws were, at the start, four people who knew of each other through school. When college came knocking, some of us ended up living together and starting bring our acoustics to the bedsit we were living in at the time, and playing some Lennon covers.

The name came much later. Shane came up with the name. He liked the idea behind the name of The Kinks, so it has similar connotations as that name. The Flaws were, at the time, Stephen Finnegan on drums, Shane Malone on guitars, Dane McMahon on bass, and myself, Finn, on vocals and guitars.

Who are The Flaws now?

The same except we have a new drummer. Stephen left us a while back to pursue his own personal endeavours; our new drummer is called Colin Berrill.

You’re all so young. How long have you been a band?

The Flaws have been an official band for three years. We released our first EP, titled E.P., two years ago in July.

“Official”?

Well, we started taking our abilities and our inabilities seriously about three years ago.

Ah… before that you were just fuckin’ around?

Exactly.

We didn’t know what we where before three years ago. But then that changed, when one Derek Turner watched us sound check.

You have just released your debut full length album, Achieving Vagueness. Tell me about that.

The album was recorded partly with some funding from a record label we were once affiliated with — went by the name of Sound Foundation records. After we did the EP, we were sent into Grouse Lodge studios in Meath (County Meath, Ireland) — this was before the Editors or Bloc Party or Michael Jackson entered its doors. We did a demo over two days. We continued, over the course of a year, to record some more tracks… until we found ourselves without a label. Then we needed to beg, borrow, and steal all the money we could find in order to finish what we all believed was one hellishly good record.

So earlier this year, we entered a few other studios, in order to finish the tracks we had started a year previously. The record broke all our hearts trying to make it, it took so long.

Do you think that has affected the sound of the album?

No. I think we were lucky, it could have thrown the whole vibe we were trying to create but fortunately it sounds very fresh.

Yes it does. What about the name? Where did you get that?

The title existed before the album was recorded. We toyed with the idea of trying to give the title a mystique all of its own. Something people would question, its meaning and maybe give a life to it in a context we never even though about. Personally though, to me, it’s all I stand for.

So it’s intentionally vague?

It’s only as vague as you make it, Andrea. Its a catch-22 situation; if you achieve anything, you can’t be vague about yourself. And if you’re too vague you’ll never achieve.

Tell me about Derek Turner. Who is he and how did he help?

Before I knew Derek Turner [personally], I knew him by rep. He’s a very cool guy. Loves music, played in bands all his life, and has been through record wars and bidding when I was a baby. He runs a studio in Louth now and books bands into the local venue, The Spirit Store. He also does sound for most bands that play there. He’s a very quiet and understated man but when he likes something, you can’t shut him up.

He was doing sound for a band one night and he offered us the support slot. We arrived early and got into the sound check, we played a song and he mixed the sound. He fell in love with us there and then. The gig was canceled because no one showed up but we talked about doing a little bit of recording in his studio. He liked our vibe and what we were trying to do.

And that led somewhere?

The sessions went ahead and the result was E.P.. A 300-copy CD, very limited, he gave to some old friends, from back when he played in bands himself. Very soon afterwards things started happening. Derek was receiving calls from labels all over wanting to come to this little town and watch the band play at 12 in the morning. Polydor, Sony, Vertigo, and Parlophone were just some.

It was crazy for about six months. We signed a little deal with a Polydor imprint called Sound Foundation. It went okay for a while but in the end it didn’t work out for us. So we were left with a half-finished record, a bruised ego, and a lot of hype to live up to. This was last Christmas, eight months; it could all have fallen apart there and then.

Stephen left soon afterwards, for a normal life but the rest of us couldn’t see the last two years of our lives get wasted like this. Dane, Shane, and myself and Derek all had to pull together for support from each other, in a way we never had done before.

Do you think that has made you closer as a band?

Yes. When Colin joined, everything for all of us fell into place. On one hand, Stephen was my best friend since primary school but in many ways being in a band wasn’t right for him. And ultimately in our subconscious we never really felt like a proper band. When Colin joined, after the first few gigs, I told Derek how I felt, “Right now, these shows are the most fun I’ve ever had.” It seems that Colin has completed our line-up.

I have read your sound defined as pop-punk, post-punk and even power pop. What would you call it?

At the heart of it, we’re a pop band. We’re not punk. We’re more a new wave, indie type formula. We like love songs and death songs. We’re not po’-faced rockers, we don’t wear make-up, we’re not very stylish and our haircuts are cheap. Our sound is still finding its feet; it might be another record before there is a label to stick on us.

So with the release of Achieving Vagueness, do you feel poised for greatness?

I’m ambitious but I’m not arrogant. We can’t rest our laurels on one record. We need to do another and then another. Greatness? That’s a state of mind, we would love to see some of the world and if this record lets us see some of the world, well, I’d be happy with that.

If you would like to hear The Flaws’ glittering sounds you can visit their website or their MySpace space. Achieving Vagueness can be purchased from CDWorld.ie, HMV, and of course iTunes.

And below is the video for The Flaws’ first single “Sixteen”. Enjoy!

Previous Band of the Week artists, Green River Ordinance (GRO), recently announced that they would be giving away their acclaimed debut album The Beauty of Letting Go completely free. This independently released album is sincere and dynamic, sumptuously layered with rich, warm melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. Their unique brand of power-pop and indie rock is textured with just enough Texas colour to give their sound a down-home feel. GRO’s always honest, emotionally warm lyrics, strong drum driven, guitar rich songs sung by frontman Josh Jenkins’ country-boy-singing-rock vocals. GRO have the kind of talent that will inspire you to stand back a little, shake your head, and mutter in awe, “Fuck me, they’re fabulous!”

And now, amidst rumours that GRO are on the verge of signing with a major record label they have taken the unusual step of offering that amazing album free for download. They are also streaming their new EP Way Back Home for you to hear while there. According to GRO’s manager Paul Steele (Trivate Entertainment) the band are hoping to swell their ground support and to expose themselves to new audiences. Paul said, “We are basically trying the ‘pay it forward’ model relying on the fan to spread the music. FreeGRO.net is a site paid for by us allowing for the complete 100% free download of 10 songs, the full length Beauty of Letting Go no strings attached.” The ultimate goal is simply to get 500,000 downloads by May 2008.

To download The Beauty of Letting Go, free just visit FreeGRO.net. You can also visit GRO’s MySpace space.