In recent times, I've become dissillusioned by the endless procession of clone bands and acts that dominate the charts today.

Its gotten to the point where I literally cannot tell my Saturdays from my Girls Gone Bad, My Pixie Lott from my Little Boots and my La Roux from the weird nasally bleeping that my sister thinks is singing. 

On Tuesday it got so awful, that I did something I'm not proud of, I didnt think I'd ever do, and have managed to stay with so far. I turned off my radio. 

In my day job, there are great swathes of monotonous time periods where nothing happens but the clean up from the previous busy moment, and the management have graciously allowed us to have a radio/cd player in there to keep us from going stir crazy. It hasnt quite worked, but its a start.

It was getting late in my shift, and I was looking to wind down a bit, so I had a hunt through the stations. XFM? Nah. Absolute? Nah. Magic? Nah. Smooth? WTF?

On my travels through the bands, a thought struck me. How many of the songs that were likely to be played on the radio was I likely to actually stop and listen to before getting bored of it and moving on? I tried to a quick count, but decided I couldnt be bothered but I knew the figure was low. 

I denounced the radio there and then, declaring it rubbish and those who see fit to listen to it "sheep" and "clones of the lowest order". Obviously, management's theory was being put to the sword.

I resolved there and then that when I got home, I'd rummage through my cds and see if there was anything that could make me believe that not all music from the last 10 years was total tripe. 

Case after case was discarded with varying levels of shame ("Avril Lavigne? Thank God no-one will ever know") and desperation was setting in. Until there they were. Somehow forgotten in my autobiographical sorting order(I'm not ashamed, I've read High Fidelity way too many times. I've taken a squint at the book once or twice to the extent that I'm on my third copy) I had misplaced 3 albums which were to give Lazarus-esque qualities to music for me.

Effloresce - Oceansize

Racecar is Racecar backwards - Reuben

The Throes - Two Gallants

All three of them distinct from one another, all three of them delightful and completely able to change my mood within seconds, and most importantly, all three of them under 10 years old. Come to think of it, I've never heard any of them on radio either.

Allow me to give the briefest of brief breakdowns on the albums for those who have not had the joys.

Effloresce - Oceansize

12 songs of varied length, strewn with powerful, uncomplex lyrics and powerful, complex musical layers. Particular highlights include opener I Am The Morning, and Amputee.

Racecar is Racecar Backwards - Reuben

A little bit like Nirvana may have been, had they been less influenced by Pixies and ripped jeans and more as if Cobain had gargled with a mix of gravel and bile. Some tender moments. Moving to Blackwater is somewhat remeniscent of The Bends era Radiohead.

The Throes - Two Gallants

Folk stories about murder, drinking, wife beating, criminals and other such wonderful imagery is just part and parcel for this duo. A slightly different sound to most other folk outfits that I've heard in that the drumming is melodic, rather than rythmic. Finger picking comes as standard. Notable mentions to the titular track and Crow Jane.

Three of the best albums I've heard in my 2-and-a-bit decades on this earth. Only this week have they been put onto my hard drive. 

Ladies and gentlemen who read this, I implore you to go and buy cds. I grant you, downloading(only from respectable sites, such as iTunes, of course) is a lot more convenient and at times, cheaper, but what about all those times where you've gone into HMV, Zavvi, or somewhere like that and been gazing through the racks looking for that latest album by that band you love so much when you've stumbled upon something with some awesome album art, or a funny title or even just a strange name(on that subject, what is a razorlight?)

How many downloads come with a sleeve liner, the song words so that next time you see them in concert you can make an arse of yourself by knowing every single word without fail, or even that damn plastic sealing? You know, the one which takes 15 years of practice and one incredibly sharp implement to open without scratching/ripping the goodies inside. The one which means that when you do finally get to listen to that which you've just spent your money on, makes it all the more satisfying. That one which releases that smell of plastic, lasers, and effort.

I, for one, wholeheartedly agree with downloading. I'm not for a moment advocating abandoning the corporate money-wagon. Not by a long stretch. But at the same time, I dont want to see the end of all that grunting from kids on christmas morning when they attempt to rip apart the big X-Factor winner single. I dont want to see an end to car boot sales and finding Mr. Blobby up next to The Beatles in someones haphazard collection.

Boys and Girls, embrace technology, by all means. I ask you, though, not to forget the elderly. Buy a tape deck, buy a turntable. You'd be amazed at how different early The Jam 7" singles sound like on vinyl. 

Posted In Features, Aug 31 2009. Words - Garry