Hippy New Year

It’s a new dawn, a new day, a new life.. etc etc… I used to like Muse until my 10-year-old son developed a neurosis about them. Such is his condition I have to hide my entire Muse collection for fear of myself going off them… Anyway I digress from the reason I’m writing… A new year.. New hopes, new beginnings and so on…
I spent most of 2009 in a tent, or at least that’s how it felt, with the bulk of the summer taken up by Festivals, drinking, travelling, drinking and, well, drinking. This had a detrimental effect not only on my liver, but also on my up-to-date knowledge of Welsh music (as in music from Wales in both languages). So praise the Lord for Adam Walton, and praise him even more for kindly collating his best of 2009 into an all killer no filler 3 hour radio show last week. Listening to it cost me £20 in online purchases, where on hearing certain bands I was instantly compelled to buy their stuff. Most of my Walton listening is done during the week on the BBC iPlayer; it’s a case of home from work, Walton on, get the tea on and eat it while he witters away and plays exciting new music. That’ll take about 40mins and I’ll repeat the feat the next night and so on until I’ve heard the full 3 hours. On the Sunday evening occasions I do get to listen in live, it’s a case of a bottle of red and PC at the ready and I’ll update the link2wales website as I hear and learn of new stuff.
Talking of new stuff; this week I have mostly been listening to The Docfeistr compilation album out now on Ankst Music, which is a bizarre concept album about a seaman-monster who terrorises and seduces the population, and although mainly hip-hop orientated, does feature the delights of Tew Shady a Cofi Bach, Mr Huw, MC Mabon, Stilletoes and Yr Ods.
Also knocking on the door of my in-box are the much improved Leucine – who’ve regrouped, got their songwriting heads together, hit the studio and are about to hit your senses with a new EP. Stand out tracks are The Fuse is Lit (which has been knocking around for a while) and the excellent Hospital Driver Please. Now, I’m no fan of emo and find screamo a bit tiresome (it’s my age!), but Leucine manage to find a decent balance in the never-never land between the two genres. Superbly recorded and crafted work that even had Steve Sync nodding in the car the other day! Oh, add Where is The Diamond to that list just for the sheer energy of the song.