Another End-Of-Year-List: Best Albums Of 2011

15. Noel Gallagher - Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: I have never been a die-hard Oasis fan. Therefore, I didn’t expect much from Noel Gallagher’s debut solo album, other than a few catchy songs to sing-a-long to. And I was essentially right. Yet from the rousing vocal burst on opening song, 'Everybody’s On The Run', to the furious guitar solo on closer, 'Stop The Clocks', there’s very little about the elder Gallagher’s debut to dislike. ‘If I Had A Gun’ is essentially ‘Wonderwall’ in reverse, while ‘The Death Of You And Me’ bares more than a passing resemblance to ‘The Importance Of Being Idle’. However, with anthems galore and some major choruses, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is a stirring record, one that should be played at maximum volume. It’s not ground-breaking - far from it - but it’s one of the strongest and most consistent collection of songs Gallagher has put together in years. 

14. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar: Who said rock music was dead? With impressive returns from stalwarts such as Foo Fighters and The Strokes, plus a contagious debut from the massively hyped The Vaccines, 2012 has shown that there’s life in the old dog yet. However, those albums were out shadowed by The Joy Formidable’s fantastic debut album, entitled The Big Roar. It’s an album that has even earned praise from the mighty Dave Grohl himself, and it’s easy to see why. Full of fist-pumping, furious tunes such as ‘The Magnifying Glass’, ‘A Heavy Abacus’ and ‘Whirring’, The Big Roar was one of the most welcome surprises of the year. The Welsh trio may have taken a long time to get round to releasing their debut album - with single ‘Austere’ coming out in its original form back in 2008 - but the wait was more than worth it.

13. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde: With plenty of catchy hooks and Libertines-esque riffs, the Smith Westerns second album, Dye It Blonde, was one of the most effervescent albums of 2012. The Chicago trio are one of the most exciting new bands to come out of America in years, building on the foundations of their self-titled debut album with more instantaneous glam-rock, sharp tunes and ready-made sing-a-long choruses. The Smith Westerns have been supporting the Arctic Monkeys and The Vaccines recently, yet unlike those two acts they have not had the early backing from music publications. However, with irresistible tunes like ‘Imagine Pt. 3’, ‘All Die Young’ and ‘Weekend’ already under their wing, the Smith Westerns are now well and truly on every music critics' radar.

12. Metronomy - The English Riviera: The third studio album from Joe Mount’s electronic project Metronomy is the only Mercury Prize-nominated album on the list, and a very deserved one at that. The English Riviera sounds effortlessly cool throughout, with its luscious beats and dreamy atmospherics utterly addictive and completely engaging. The addition of Roxanne Clifford (the singer for Veronica Falls) on ‘Everything Goes My Way’ is perfect, with her beautiful, measured vocals intertwining with the gloriously summery melody. The English Riviera is an enchanting, rich and fully rewarding experience. From the chugging bass of ‘She Wants’ to the funky, swirling disco beat of ‘The Bay’, Joe Mount has taken Metronomy to an entirely new and exciting level.

11. TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light: There is a lot to love about TV On The Radio, but there is even more to love about their fourth LP, Nine Types Of Light. The Brooklyn five-piece can never be labelled as boring, with their music often difficult to define. Opener ‘Second Song’ gets the album off to a lively start with its confident strut. It’s followed by the more reflective slow-burner ‘Keep Your Heart’ and the beautiful, drawn-out ‘Killer Crane’. The centre-piece of the album, though, is the infectious ‘Will Do’, a magnificently layered masterpiece with a sumptuous bass-line and sprawling, heavenly guitars. Then there is the epic closer, 'Caffeinated Consciousness’, which features fist-pumping verses contrasted with a spacey, melancholic chorus. Another great album from a band that never disappoints.

10. WU LYF - Go Tell The Fire To The Mountain: Unconventional is the best way of describing WU LYF’s debut album. The four-piece’s combination of luscious guitars and throaty, incomprehensible vocals is, at times, baffling. Yet more importantly their sound is pretty unique. The band, in one of their notoriously rare interviews, described their sound as “heavy pop”, which is both straightforward and accurate. The summery melodies of tracks such as ‘We Bros’, ‘Spitting Blood’ and ‘Dirt’ are the basis for the raw, raspy vocals that are so distinctive and effective at the same time. There is a lot to like about this album, and whilst it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it provides more intrigue and surprise than any other album released in 2011.

9. The Kills - Blood Pressures: Menacing, primal, raucous. Blood Pressures is everything you would ever want from The Kills. The opening vibrations of ‘Future Starts Slow’ sets the tone for the rest of the album, one that is full of primal drum beats, howling vocals and angry guitar riffs. Alison Mosshart’s vocals impress as always, with her alluring yet abrasive voice proving the perfect accompaniment to the dirty guitars on songs such as ‘Satellite’ and ‘Heart Is A Beating Drum’. It’s fist-pumping, toe-tapping stuff, yet there is more to Blood Pressures than the charged rock that makes its mark early on. The stunning, piano-laden ‘The Last Goodbye’ is genuinely remarkable considering how far removed it is from the heavier, bluesy material on the album. It’s a mesmerising and poignant track, drawing out the more emotive side of Mosshart’s voice on what is quite possibly one of the best songs The Kills have ever made.

8. The Antlers - Burst Apart: Brooklyn-based band The Antlers made one of the most surprisingly brilliant debut albums back in 2009, with the concept album Hospice finding its way on to many best-of-the-year lists. It is always a concern when a band must try and follow up an unexpectedly good first album, with heightened anticipation often proving a downfall. The Antlers did not suffer second-album syndrome, though. In fact, their second LP, Burst Apart, was arguably a match - if not better - than the band’s debut. The opening song, ‘I Don’t Want Love’, is a spacious, slow-burner that revels in its heartbreaking and tentative wallowing. Radiohead-like guitars adorn ‘Parentheses’, which slowly builds into one of the most rock-orientated things that The Antlers have ever attempted. There is great ambition running throughout Burst Apart, but, more importantly, it still retains the luscious sounds that made their debut album so intoxicating.

7. Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind Of Fix: Not only are Bombay Bicycle Club prolific - releasing their third album in three years - they are also consistently brilliant. A Different Kind Of Fix bridges the gap between the London four-piece’s indie pop debut album, I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose, and their beautiful acoustic album, Flaws. From the first listen of the lead single, the jaunty piano-led ‘Shuffle’, it was clear that BBC had changed up their sound yet again, with Jack Steadman’s eclectic musical taste having a significant influence throughout. The dreamy and hypnotic guitars of ‘How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep’ open the album perfectly, before the carefree groove of ‘Lights Out, Words Gone’ sees the return of Lucy Rose’s soft backing vocals. ‘Bad Timing’ and ‘Leave It’ recapture the urgency of the band’s debut, whilst ‘Beggars’ indulges in the romantic and gentler acoustic guitar of Flaws. However, all that pales in comparison to the stunning closer, ‘Still’. It is the perfect finish to the album, with Steadman’s haunting vocals and sparse piano proving utterly captivating.

6. Drake - Take Care: Drake’s first album, Thank Me Later, was undoubtedly very good. However, his follow up, Take Care, was even better. In a year when Kanye West and Jay Z released their joint album, Watch The Throne, it’s a tribute to Drake’s class that he still managed to steal the limelight with an album full of sparse beats, expansive production and dark, melodic synths. Themes of discomfort with fame and wealth, failed relationships and despondency crop up once more, but this time everything feels a lot more coherent and consistent. The luscious blurring of R&B and hip hop creates an immersive experience, one which you can’t help but get drawn into. The album’s unmistakeable highlight is the epic, 8-minute ‘Marvin’s Room - Buried Alive’. It’s an affecting masterpiece, with Drake singing about a prospective lover over a haunting, mellow beat. Other highlights include the crashing beat of ‘Crew Love’, the massive choir-backed ‘Lord Knows’ and the title track, which features a beautiful cameo by Rihanna. 

5. Bon Iver - Bon Iver: After the unexpected success of his minimalistic debut album, Justin Vernon, who goes under the moniker Bon Iver, returned with an astonishingly beautiful follow-up. Bon Iver’s first album, For Emma, Forever Ago, was recorded in pretty much total isolation by Vernon in a cabin in the woods, its resulting simplistic sound was adored by many a folk music-lover. The self-titled second album came after Justin Vernon contributed to Kanye West’s brilliant album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and there has certainly been an impact on Bon Iver, if more in scale of sound than a radical change in genre. The new texture to Bon Iver’s sound the second time around was aided by new additions to the recording process, including bass saxophonist Colin Stetson and pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz. The album is full of sweet, rich sounds, such as the expansive, widescreen sound of lead single ‘Calgary’. From the warm, opening tones of ‘Perth’ to the delicate plucked acoustics of ‘Holocene’, Bon Iver is engaging from start to finish, soaking up everything from the raw debut LP and building on it with sonic layers.

4. The Horrors - Skying: After their surprising and brilliant Mercury Prize-nominated second album, Primary Colours, it was hard to see where The Horrors would go next. The answer was bigger, more expansive and blissfully atmospheric. Lead single, ‘Still Life’, proved to be a perfect representation of the new album’s overall sound, with its soaring atmospherics and bold chorus leading to an unexpected amount of airplay on Radio 1. The confident strut and dizzying synths of ‘I Can See Through You’ combined with the dark tones of Faris Badwan’s infamous voice to create another compelling track. Skying is not as immediate as its predecessor, but with each listen it draws you in through its immersive sound. It’s not a short album, with all the songs at least 4-minute plus, and some, like the driving 'Endless Blue', take a while to really get going. But when they do, you’ll be hooked. The album closes with the epic, glorious and expansive 7-minute plus 'Oceans Burning'. A fitting end to another sublime album.

3. Wild Beasts - Smother: It’s rare that an album receives universal critical acclaim, but after their Mercury Prize-nominated album, Two Dancers, Wild Beasts returned with another stunning LP, entitled Smother. The album’s title went along way to capturing the overall sound, with Smother entrenched in claustrophobic beats, tantalizing vocals and beautiful, hypnotic melodies. The throbbing opener, ‘Lion’s Share’ sets the tone for an album that lures you in with its seductive tones. Hayden Thorpe’s vocals positively ache throughout the album, including on ‘Loop The Loop’, where the theme of sex and its complications become evident, “Desire, oh desire / Is all that the heart requires / Is what it can’t recognize.” It’s at times a somber, even uncomfortable affair, but it’s also majestic in scale. Songs such as the prowling ‘Plaything’, the gentle swaying of single ‘Albatross’ and the poignant closer ‘End Come Too Soon’, add to absorbing sound of an album that should have seen the Wild Beasts receive back-to-back Mercury Prize nominations.

2. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost: The second album by San Francisco band Girls, entitled Father, Son, Holy Ghost, managed the impressive feat of matching - and even surpassing - their brilliant debut LP, Album. From the rumbling, effervescent opener ‘Honey Bunny’ to the whirlwind, stadium rock riff of ‘Die’, Girls’ second album succeeds in balancing jaunty pop numbers with aching, self-depreciating melancholia. ‘Just A Song’ is a slow, unwinding beauty, which sounds ready-made for a warm summer evening. ‘Vomit’, on the other hand, is an eerie, slow-burner that shows off to full-effect Christopher Owen’s haunting vocals, before exploding into a big, expansive chorus. It’s an album that will take you to mountainous highs before plummeting to the lowest of lows.

1. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See: After seeking a drastic change in direction under the muscular wing of Josh Homme on third album, Humbug, Alex Turner and Co. returned with their most pop-orientated album yet. Humbug created a split among the Arctic Monkeys fanbase, with many disliking the more serious, darker sound of Humbug. Suck It And See, though, was neither Humbug part 2 or a return to the first two albums. Instead, Arctic Monkeys turned back the clock to 60s rock, with a host of infectious hooks, endearing simplicity and enchanting melodies. Lead single, ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved The Chair’, was an addictive guitar-led rock song, with Turner’s lyrics both absurd and magnificent at the same time. ‘Library Pictures’ saw the Monkeys return to the more immediate sound that graced the first two albums, whilst ‘Brick By Brick’ - with a rare stint by Helders on lead vocals - was a mindless, albeit addictive, bit of fun. Yet where Suck It And See truly reveled was in the love-steeped precision of ‘Reckless Serenade’, the swirling beauty of ‘Piledriver Waltz’ and the mesmerising and lyrically brilliant title track. Suck It And See is undoubtedly an old fashioned album, but one recast for a new generation of music-lovers. 

Live Review: Red Hot Chili Peppers @ London O2 Arena

When most bands return to the live circuit after releasing a new album they will base their entire set around it, with smatterings of the classics. Red Hot Chili Peppers, though, are not most bands. Their set at the impressive O2 arena included just four songs from the band’s tenth studio album, I’m WIth You, which was surprising considering the tour was in support of the new album. 


The four-piece, including the most recent replacement for John Frusciante, Josh Klinghoffer, kicked things off with an explosive version of ‘Monarchy Of Roses’, the first song on I’m With You. They followed it up with the punchy, funky groove of ‘Dani California’ from 2006’s double album, Stadium Arcadium.

Stadium Arcadium was revisited as many times as the band’s new effort, with ‘Tell Me Baby’, the beautiful ‘Hard To Concentrate’ and the epic ‘Wet Sand’ all demonstrating the quality of the Chili’s back catalogue. Klinghoffer, who had previously toured with RHCP for the Stadium Arcadium tour before taking over from Frusciante, showed that he was more than comfortable filling this predecessor’s shoes, putting his own distinctive stamp on many of Frusciante’s legendary solos. 

Album Review: Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials

Florence Welch, aka Florence and the Machine, was one of the breakthrough acts of 2010 even though her debut album Lungs was actually released halfway through 2009. Lungs didn’t go completely under the radar when it was released - it was number two in the UK chart for five consecutive weeks - but it didn’t quite take off like it did at the start of the new year when it reached number one. 

The second rise of the album, this time to the peak, was undoubtedly helped by the constant reoccurrence of Florence and the Machine songs in a host of films and T.V programs. ‘Dog Days Are Over’, ‘Kiss With A Fist’ and ‘You Got the Love’ were, among others, pretty much everywhere. Consequently, the album spent a total of sixty-five consecutive weeks in the top forty. So, it’s fair to say that the expectation was high for Florence’s second album, entitled Ceremonials.

The album kicks off with the sparse piano of ‘Only If For A Night’, as that delectable voice chimes in for the first time. It is a straightforward combination between Florence’s enticing vocals and the piano, but one that is incredibly effective. The album’s first official single, ‘Shake It Out’, is a colossal song that starts with an organ that forms the basis of song, before exploding into an irresistibly addictive chorus of “Shake it up, shake it up, woaaah / And it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back so shake him off”.

The Reunion Fad: The Stone Roses Return

The rumours have been rife for a while now, but what was once derided as fantasy has now been confirmed as fact.The Stone Roses, the seminal four-piece formed in Manchester in 1983, have become the latest band to reform. And it’s fair to say that there is a great deal of excitement following the announcement. 

The band recently revealed that they will be playing three huge homecoming gigs in Manchester’s Heaton Park next summer. 

The 220,000 tickets made available, priced at £55 each, duly sold out in just over an hour when they went on sale a few days after the announcement. Impressive.

Reunions have become somewhat commonplace recently. The Verve reformed two years ago and recorded a well-received new album, just like The Stone Roses are planning to do. They also performed a successful headline slot at Glastonbury before breaking up yet again.

Album Review: Noel Gallagher - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

The outspoken one has returned and this time he is flying solo. The Gallagher brothers have been engaged in a heated war of words since the demise of Oasis, with both Liam and Noel determined to top the other with their new musical ventures. Liam basically rehashed Oasis in all but name, creating the mediocre Beady Eye. 

Noel on the other hand has spent his time putting together his debut solo album under the intriguingly named moniker, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Whilst there was interest in what form Liam’s ‘new’ band would take, the anticipation for Noel Gallagher’s solo album was undoubtedly greater, considering he was Oasis’ central songwriter. 

The lead single from Noel’s debut solo effort, ‘The Death of You and Me’, sets the tone for the rest of the album. Whilst not drawing too many comparisons with Noel’s previous work with Oasis, it is reminiscent of ‘The Importance of Being Idle’, with a prominent strum of the guitar and a bouncing beat. It is incredibly infectious - without being remarkable - and Noel is on fine form lyrically, “And is it any wonder why the sea is calling out to me / I seem to spend my whole life / Running from people who will be / The death of you and me.”

The second single from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, ‘AKA... What A Life!’, is a huge anthem that you will have no doubt heard on the Vauxhall TV add, subliminally embedded in the deep recesses of your brain.

Album Review: Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Coldplay are very much the musical equivalent of the American show, Friends. Their music is relatively safe, enjoyable and always there - like a comfort blanket.

It only takes a few minutes of flicking through T.V channels to find Coldplay languishing in the background of a teen drama - or pretty much any program ever - ready to burst forth with an epic, climatic chorus to suit a moment of *insert emotion*. In fact, they have already been covered twice in two outings on this years live X Factor shows.

Yet whether you love them or loathe them for their, at times, mawkish, bland and overtly polished anthems, there will undoubtedly be a part of you that can’t help singing along to ‘The Scientist’, ‘Trouble’ or ‘Yellow’. Even the mere thought of Coldplay caused Bono to belt out one of their signature tunes during U2’s headline set at Glastonbury, this year. So, after the positive commercial and critical reception to the four-piece’s fourth album, the Grammy Award-winning Viva la Vida, have Chris Martin and Co. tinkered with their ready-made formula for success, or have they attempted to break new ground?

Album Review: Kasabian - Velociraptor!

With Oasis gone and Beady Eye unremarkable in every way, Kasabian were left with the mantle of lad-rock band all to themselves. Yet the same year as Oasis’ acrimonious break-up, Kasabian released Mercury-nominated and critically acclaimed West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, an album that marked the band’s determination to add a different dimension to their music. 

Whilst it wasn’t a complete departure from the lad-rock stylings of their first two albums, West Ryder... was a quality psychedelic rock album that propelled them to festival headliners.

With expectations high following the plaudits showered on West Ryder..., Kasabian have returned with Velociraptor!, the band’s fourth album. In fact, if expectations weren’t already high, they were certainly given an injection by Kasabian’s creative force Sergio Pizzorno, boasting “It’s been 15 or 16 years since the last truly classic album, but I think we’ve done it”. Modesty at its best. 

However, whilst there is nothing wrong with overblown statements such as this one, it is important to back them up. And although Velociraptor! is a confident, and at times, impressive follow-up to West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, it is by no means a classic.

Album Review: Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind Of Fix

The guitars have been plugged back in for Bombay Bicycle Club’s third album, A Different Kind of Fix, yet the London four-piece have not simply reverted back to the formula of their highly popular debut album. Bombay’s first album, I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose, was an album full of indie dance floor hits in-waiting.

Combining infectious hooks with frontman Jack Steadman’s unique and emotive voice, Bombay Bicycle Club found a formula that instantly found its way into the hearts of thousands of indie fans, quickly building a passionate fanbase.

However, the Bombay boys didn’t rest on their laurels after the success of their breakthrough album, quickly returning with their follow-up album, the acoustic effort Flaws. Once again, Steadman and Co. found themselves showered with critical praise, with an album that managed to break away from the sudden explosion of folk music acts, such Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling.

Album Review: Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

It’s been five years since the last offering from Red Hot Chili Peppers, in the form of the double album, Stadium Arcadium. However, the return of Red Hot Chili Peppers has yet again been punctuated by the departure of guitarist John Frusciante, who many consider to be central to the band’s best albums, such as Californication, Blood Sex Sugar Magik and By The Way. So, how does the band’s tenth studio album, I’m With You, sound without the instrumental influence of Frusciante?

Well, it’s pretty much a standard Red Hot Chili Peppers affair, minus John Frusciante. Josh Klinghoffer - the replacement that Frusciante himself suggested - never really gets a chance to put his stamp on I’m With You. There is no sense that he has added anything new to the Chili Peppers’ sound, instead, he has just slotted in comfortably. First single from I’m With You, ‘The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie’, is probably Klinghoffer’s spotlight moment, with some interesting hooks layered on top of Flea’s addictive bass line.

In fact, Frusciante’s departure has given Flea more freedom, something that is evident from opening song ‘Monarchy Of Roses’. The song kicks off with the fusion of Chad Smith’s rumbling drum beat and Flea’s bass before Anthony Kiedis’ distorted vocals thunder over the top.

Foo Fighters Live @ Milton Keynes Bowl, 3rd June 2011

Foo Fighters are used to filling huge stadiums by now, but all that practice has made them one of the most consistently entertaining live acts in the world. The Foo’s graduated to one of the biggest live acts in 2006 following their first headliner slot at Hyde Park, before cementing their live reputation at the now legendary sold-out Wembley shows in 2008.

What makes the Foo Fighters such a popular and impressive live band is that they are not afraid to play their hits. In fact, Dave Grohl and Co. love returning to the live areas and playing classics such as ‘Everlong’ and ‘Best Of You’. So, with their new stadium-friendly album ready for another Foo’s tour, where better to perform than two nights at the Milton Keynes Bowl to over 140,000 fans.

After a strong supporting cast - including Jimmy Eat World and Scottish legends Biffy Clyro - kept the huge crowd more than entertained, it was time for the main event. And what an event it was. Kicking off with ‘Bridge Burning’ - the epic opener from Foo Fighter’s newest album, Wasting Light - the Foo’s proceeded to put on an unbelievable show, full of classics, newbie’s and some rarities.

Arcade Fire Live @ Hyde Park, 30th June 2011

Arcade Fire’s meteoric rise from quaint indie rock band to full-blown superstars always had an air of inevitability about it. Their debut album, Funeral, was mind-blowingly good. The Canadian band then released their follow up album, Neon Bible, and once again created a phenomenal album, full of truly epic rock anthems.

Yet whilst Arcade Fire swiftly built a strong cult following and critics poured praise all over their first two albums, they still remained relatively unknown. Third album, The Suburbs - yet another world class album from Arcade Fire - won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards and two BRIT Awards, yet still had some people asking “Who Are Arcade Fire?”.

However, Arcade Fire’s Grammy win did bring them more attention and secured them a headline slot at Hyde Park, a gig that often provides a launch pad for bands to move from a big band to a massive one. Before the seven piece from Canada took to the stage there were stellar support slots from Arcade Fire contributor Owen Pallet, The Vaccines, Beirut and Mumford & Sons.

Sunday @ Glastonbury Review

After spending most of the week slushing about in mud, soaked to the bone, the sun finally decided to show up on Sunday. And it was bloody hot. So what better way to start the day than with the chilled R&B musings of Jamie Woon, whose debut album, Mirrorwriting, was one of the best albums from the BBC’s Sound of 2011 nominees.

The BRIT school graduate had a great crowd on the West Holts Stage, as he went through the best songs from Mirrorwriting such as ‘Night Air’, Lady Luck’ and ‘Spirals’. Woon was clearly enjoying himself and whilst his debut can be quite intense, he decided to lighten the mood a bit with a stonking cover of Charles & Eddie song ‘Would I Lie To You’.

Review: Saturday @ Glastonbury

Day two of Glastonbury brought more great acts, including some of the brightest new bands around this year. Starting off with Stornoway - the indie folk band from Oxford who are viewed by many as the calmer, relaxed, love-child of Mumford & Sons - Saturday was another great day of music. After seeing Stornaway put on an accomplished performance in their debut at Glasto - on the Pyramid stage, no less - we headed to the John Peel tent to catch the London indie rock quartet, Yuck.

The four-piece released their impressive self-titled debut album earlier this year to widespread critical approval, and it was interesting to see them perform that material live for the first time. Whilst Yuck don’t have great stage presence - more like a “we’re know were good, so we’re going to do that cool rockstar ambivalence thing” attitude - their enthralling guitar driven songs proved a hit with the the packed-out tent.

Friday @ Glastonbury: Review

For some campers, especially those who travelled to Worthy Farm on Tuesday evening, Friday could not come quick enough. Friday means music, and at the end of the day, that’s what Glastonbury is really about. In fact, the desperation for music - after two days of average to crappy weather - was evident from the huge crowd that gathered to watch Chipmunk open up the Other Stage.

The ‘Oopsy Daisy’ singer was a suitable warm-up act, getting the crowd going with his mainstream-orientated hip-hop. Next up on the Other Stage were Brother, a band that are better known for the amount of vitriol they receive, than the music they make. This is entirely justified, though. The four-piece from Slough bring much of the hate on themselves through their cocky, self-assured boasts, and their ‘lad’ personas. They put on an accomplished performance, but their attempt to regurgitate Britpop for a new generation, comes off as tiresome.

And if Brother weren’t derisive enough, it has now come to light that the band have changed their name to Viva Brother as the result of a legal dispute with Australian Celtic rock act with the same name. This explained the band waving a big flag with Viva Brother emblazoned on it.

Kings of Leon Live @ Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, 19/06/2011

The rise of Kings Of Leon in the past few years has been incredible; they have ascended from little-known Southern rock act to huge stadium-filling anthemic rock band in the space of one album. This showing at the sold-out Old Trafford Cricket Ground, demonstrated the dramatic shift in sound that has accompanied the Followills’ climb and seen them ditch the label that was attached to them earlier in their career - the Southern Strokes.

Kings of Leon’s debut album, Youth and Young Manhood – which gained them a strong cult following in the UK – was virtually non-existent in a set that revolved around the foursome’s most recent stadium-friendly output. There were 12 songs in total from the band’s last two albums, the biggest selling album of 2008, Only by the Night, and their most recent fifth album, Come Around Sundown. However, the band clearly attempted to satisfy those who sought a set based around their debut album and the formidable follow up, Aha Shake Heartbreak.