Starting off this week's proceedings is probably the most surprisingly controversial album on the list...

My seventh favourite album of 2014 is Sonic Highways by Foo Fighters. I really went back on forth about whether to even include this or not. To be honest, even as I'm writing this I'm still not 100% sure whether it should take the spot but let's lay out the pros first...

Musically this album definitely left me wanting at points, but to me, this is one of the most important records of 2014. When I saw the trailer for the series that they wanted to attach to this album, immediately I was buzzing. To record 8 songs in 8 different cities across the USA, whilst conducting 100s of interviews and featuring several artists on tracks, to then release a record and a TV series along side each other?! What a huge, huge task! Foo Fighters managed to execute it pretty damn well.

In my opinion, it is absolutely imperative for musicians to be aware of musical influences and genres besides their own. This record is not only aware of them, but somehow includes them each in the record whilst still maintaining rock genre status. Watching the series, I don't remember the last time I was that inspired by something. If one of these episodes doesn't make you want to join a band or be involved in music, I don't know what will! Seeing people make it musically with almost no experience or even no real instruments, whilst we're sitting here in the 21st Century with all these resources and connections easily available to us.... We should be some of the best artists the world will ever see! I don't know, because of this project I am just full to the brim with ideas, and I don't even know where to start. It's like I always say, a great record will make you feel/do something, and if I'm going by that, then this is a pretty great record!

One of my favourite tracks on the album (and in 2014) is "Something From Nothing". So musically diverse and that breakdown transition (you know the one)! Genius! "Feast And The Famine", "In The Clear" and "Outside" are my other favourites on the album. Definitely not the best album of the year or even the best Foo Fighters album, but it's timeless in my eyes and I'm looking forward to hearing it played live at Wembley Stadium next year!

So we've pretty much reached the mid point of November and people are starting to think about Christmas presents and all sorts. Lucky that we have so much new music being released this month, it'd be impossible not to find a present for someone amongst all the releases!




HOOKWORMS - THE HUM
Their debut record Pearl Mystic was really interesting. I remember listening to it last year and thinking that they sounded like nothing else I'd really heard before. This is how I felt with Alt-J's debut but their sophomore couldn't match up. Now let's see if Hookworms are up to task on the 10th of November.






FOO FIGHTERS - SONIC HIGHWAYS
FINALLY! The album is finally here and I can stop writing and blabbering on about it for a while. One last time though - I don't think that this is Foo's best album but I love the idea behind the writing. Always thinking of unique and inspiring ways to produce music! Get your hands on it on the 10th of November and check out the TV docu-series too.







CHERYL - ONLY HUMAN
Well Cheryl is officially back then. I didn't think she'd actually put out anymore music after her big hit "Call My Name" but here we are. I didn't really like the first single from this album - "Crazy Stupid Love" but I think that I can still be swayed. This hits the shelves on the 10th of November.

 




JON HOPKINS - ASLEEP VERSIONS
To be honest, I don't think that I've heard any of Jon Hopkins solo material before but I see his name around A LOT. I can't believe that it's taken me this long to get round to it but it might finally be time for me to check him out. Albums hits shelves on the 10th of November.







TEMPLES - SUN RESTRUCTURED
Well Temples are releasing this album of remixes from their debut record Sun Structures. If it's anywhere near as good as Django Django's version of theirs, this might be a good shout. Their debut wasn't half bad so it'd be interesting to hear it remixed. Have a listen on the 10th of November.







PARQUET COURTS - CONTENT NAUSEA
The Brooklyn rockers are back after their critically acclaimed Tally All The Things That You Broke EP last year. Again they've released it under the pseudonym "Parkay Quarts" and again it's sounding good. I like "Uncast Shadow Of A Southern Myth" taken from it, will definitely give it a gander on the 11th of November.






CULT OF YOUTH - FINAL DAYS
I actually found out about this band on soundcloud because of free downloads of their songs "Man And Man's Ruin" and "Lace Up Your Boots". I really liked "Man And Man's Ruin", listened to it for a while and then pretty much forgot all about them. Would be nice to revisit them as a band with this new album out on the 11th of November.

Every time I write that blog title, I'm happier than the last. I think I could get used to new Foo Fighters music every Friday! Foo Fighters are releasing a new single every week alongside their new eight part TV series Sonic Highways (which premieres in the UK on Channel 4 this Sunday). Last week it was the absolute corker of an opening track - "Something From Nothing", and now this...

FOO FIGHTERS - The Feast And The Famine

ALL RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSEEEEEEEE!!! Foo Fighters are most certainly back with a bang! I definitely think that this is the most excited that I've been for an album all year! Here's the first single from their upcoming eighth album - Sonic Highways.

FOO FIGHTERS - Something From Nothing