IS THERE TOO MUCH MUSIC? by Nick Triani

Hi all,
my ears are still ringing from the Dinosaur Jr show at Tavastia, Helsinki last wednesday (17th August). I had ear plugs in, but it wasn't enough, J & Lou had their amps on 11! I watched the encore (Just Like Heaven & Freakscene) from the bar area, people were flinching in pain. Despite the volume, the band were in good shape, not a real word to the audience (quite a relief after the recent spate of bands all proclaiming "Helsinki, it's great be here!), they were tight and played there first 3 albums with a knowing maturity.

The last week has been a rush for me, family departed after a two and a half week visit, the new Treeball album finally taking some shape, and the first real dead period this year for new music. Having a radio show on Radio Helsinki which tries to play new music every week can be draining- getting hold of new music from the labels that fits the profile of my show can be also. However, this year has been like a tidal wave of great and new bands releasing really good albums-it's been hard to keep up and actually listen to the damn things!

It feels strange but acts i love like New Order and Beck (to name two) have released really strong albums that already feel like a distant memory and appear to have already fallen off 2005's musical Radar. Hal (the irish band that have out-popped the Thrills) started a slew of releases on the rejuvinated Rough Trade Records with there excellent self-titled album. RT followed this with the european release of Arcade Fire's awesome "Funreal", Anthony & the Johnson's-"I am A Bird", Gruff Rhys's (SFA lead man) Yr Atal (it's welsh!), the Fiery Furnaces ep album, Adan Green's "Gemstones", Oneida's "The Wedding", albums from British Sea Power and The Brakes and finally amongst others, Sufjan Steven's "Come on feel the Illinoise" (at this point album of the year!). This is just one label-all these records in there own way essential!

Not to be outdone, the newly minted Domino Records have released Lou Barlow's underated "Emoh", Four Tet's "Everything Ecstatic", Stephen Malkmus's "Face the Truth" (his best post-Pavement offering), Smog's "A River Ain't too Much to Love", Sons and Daughters "The Repulsion Box", The Junior Boys' "Last Exit" not to mention Orange Juice's collection of Postcard singles-"The Glasgow School". It's only August and Domino will unleash Franz Ferdinands' second album next month. Blimey!!!!
But hey! it's just not the indie labels that are foisting music on us like it's a coming Apocalypse-the big guns have been loading our ears all year. Oasis, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, White Stripes, Gorillaz, Daft Punk, Eels, Ben Folds, System of A Down (TWO albums!!!),Turin Brakes,Pernice Brothers, Bright Eyes (TWO albums!!!), The Coral- just to come a new Supergrass & Mew.

Let's not forget the bands that are reforming or have been away for ages-Teenage Fanclub, The Go-Betweens, The Posies, Bob Mould, Frank Black solo-and next month, God Forbid!!!, the first album in 30 years from Big Star. Ouch!!! my ears are bleeding.

What about Finland-has'nt been that much has there? Just on an indie level, there have been records by Ben's Diapers, The Tunes, Liekki, The Sugarrush, Scaramangas, Ultrasport, All Stars, Viola, Boomhauer, Ultramariini, Astrid Swan,
Red Carpet and Baby Sweetcorn, The Latebirds & John Mcgregor (List from onechord.net). Hey-not enough Finnish indie? You can always purchase the very good 4 cd box set "Sivulliset"-finnish undergorund music between 1985-2000.
Too many genres and records not mentioned-new U.K bands-The Magic Numbers, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Hard-Fi. Female artists, Martha Wainwright, Karen Ann, Orenda Fink, Tori Amos, Roisin Murphy-a new Kate Bush album by Christmas. Wow!!

All the great re-issues that come constantly-first 3 Cure deluxe editions. Dinosaur Jr etc. The oscar goes to, the Prince of his generation, ladies & gentleman-RYAN ADAMS. Not content with the double CD he dropped in the summer "Cold Roses", there is another album coming in September with his band The Cardinals, based on his hometown. As if this were not enough, and we COULD take any more, Adams releases another album in December called "29", I think. Not to make the album too short, this album is 9 songs lasting 9minutes each, recounting Adams oh so difficult 20's-you know the decade he became a songwriting genius/boy wonder! News just in, Cameron Crowe comissions Adams to write a song for his new movie, Adams goes to the studio to cut said song and leaves with a new album of 20 songs. Obviously this will be released between Christmas and New Year!!!!

The main thing to say about all this is, not to moan, but to enjoy-we are in a GOLDEN AGE of new music and great albums-why complain-it might be awhile before we have this much new stuff to excited about.

By the way did i tell you about the new Davendra Banhart, Super Furry Animals blah blah blah blah.......!!!!!!

NICK TRIANI is a Record Producer, singer/songwriter playing in the band Treeball, and a radio DJ on Radio Helsinki, 95.2.