So here it is. 2015, the year Marty McFly jumped into the future. And while hoverboards and flying cars are unlikely to be with us by October, something which not too long ago seemed just as unlikely by then probably will be.
Yes, a new album from The Libertines. Just one of the things we can look forward to as another year of rock and roll stretches out in front of us.
But after a decade of drug problems, tabloid headlines and little else, why should we still care, some might ask. Because, you faceless imaginary naysayers, together Pete Doherty and Carl Barat have long ago proved themselves to be the most engaging, compelling and talented songwriting partnership of their generation. Indeed, before the drugs got in the way, with a modern classic debut album secured, their band was looking like the true successors to Oasis‘ throne at the start of this century.
Instead, by 2005 they’d left behind nothing more than a messy trail, only for the Arctic Monkeys to steal in, clean up and grab the glory for themselves. Yet, while the Arctics always had the tunes, they’ve never had the personality, the infectious mischief, which so added to The Libertines’ appeal. Like all the truly great bands, The Libertines were much more than their music. Their sharp tongues and sharper wit made interviews unmissable, completed the package, and helped to make them heroes just when, yes, it was time for some.
A decade on and the chance for Pete and Carl to truly cement their names along side some of British rock’s most celebrated luminaries has probably long since passed them by. However, back together, with separation and some horribly middle of the dad rock road side streets now in the distance, the chance to now at the very least create a more deserving closing chapter to the Albion story is theirs.
The Libertines might be the main event as far as Live4ever is concerned, but by heck there’s plenty more coming up which is already getting us giddy.
Little Comets have used the medium of PledgeMusic to help fund their new album ‘Hope Is Just a State Of Mind‘, which will be released next month. Little Comets, and in particular their frontman Robert Coles, are that very rare creature these days: a band with something to say, with a social conscience, and a slightly off-kilter eye for melody to match. The three preceding EPs of last year were more than enough to suggest something very special awaits from one of the very best British bands currently in operation.
Surely the most raucously entertaining debut of 2015 is being primed by Slaves, who spent most of last year putting out two-and-a-half-minute stomper singles which cut a strangely fine line between provoking a cheese-eating grin and a panic attack. They’re on the BBC’s Sound Of list so there should at least be some mainstream attention given to the idiosyncratic duo. If it offers them even a modicum of the success Royal Blood have enjoyed these past twelve months, we’ll be happy.
Talking of the mainstream, Radiohead are likely to have Pitchfork writers wetting themselves and priming their decimal points when a ninth album is released at some point this year. How it’s released though, given what’s been seen from ‘In Rainbows‘, ‘The King Of Limbs‘ and frontman Thom Yorke‘s BitTorrent solo dabble, is what will likely keep most others interested.
Fellow British rock heavyweight Noel Gallagher, meanwhile, has had his second solo album ready for about three years already, but will finally see it unleashed in March. Reports of a more avant-garde, thoughtful approach to ‘Chasing Yesterday‘s recording are certainly welcome when compared to the painting-by-numbers, overly produced debut which, while re-affirming Gallagher as one of the UK’s most bankable musicians, had little to really set pulses racing.
And while we’re on the subject of the brothers Gallagher, what better gift could 2015 bring than a reinvigorated Liam Gallagher ‘putting his name up in lights’? Now away from the frankly strange world of Beady Eye – who spent their last album giving everything up to a producer and in turn taking everything away from their frontman’s trademark vocal power, reducing it to a tinny nasal whine – Liam’s new year’s resolution should be to put ‘Scorpio Rising‘ on repeat, get inspired, and go rifling through his address book.
Another pipe dream takes us back to the 2012 return of The Stone Roses, who had us looking forward to a new album in 2013, yet here we are two years on and it seems as far away as ever. After the reunion tour just about went off without a hitch, there were reports of yummy sounding ‘psychedelic pop’ emerging out of the rehearsal walls of Messrs Brown and Squire, but all went very quiet last year and rumours of another break-up filled the vacated column inches. Is there still a chance it’ll arrive? Our fingers are still crossed.
After sparking a million, mostly Aussie, psychedelic bands since the glory of 2012’s ‘Lonerism‘, Kevin Parker has been predictably elusive about the future direction of Tame Impala. Keyboard player Jay Watson then should be firmly shook by the hand for breaking ranks late last year to give an update to Faster Louder, when he told fans to expect less rock and more electronics on the follow-up, which could be out this year. Some will no doubt become preoccupied with Parker’s contributions to Mark Ronson‘s nailed on commercial blockbuster ‘Uptown Special‘, but it’ll always be Tame Impala which courts our affections most fondly.
As ever, it’ll be all about South By Southwest in Texas for Live4ever, but Glastonbury will surely lead the UK festival charge as per after selling out in record time for 2015. Those home counties middle managers can really move when they want to can’t they? Speculation as to the identities of the headliners is often the most interesting bit of all; Prince is being linked, when isn’t he, while other favourites such as AC/DC and Fleetwood Mac seem to have ruled themselves out. An Oasis reunion is what the public apparently want, but is probably even less likely to come to fruition than one of Doc Brown’s flying cars, so wouldn’t it’d be great if one of the three spots was offered by the Eavis west country clan to a much less obvious candidate. To showcase to the world, and George Ergatoudis (evil, evil), that there are still British bands out there making great music, great albums, that can appeal to the masses if they’re just given the opportunity.
Go on Michael, give a Pyramid spot to Foals, we dare you!
