53. The Books - Lost and Safe (2005)

I thought that I might have liked this record more in 2005 than I do now, however having listened back to it, it remains an entrancing and enjoyable listen. There is a lot about this record that I want to dislike; the slightly smug cleverness of it, the middle class American indie stench, the fact that it's so well put together and obsessively arranged that there should be no room left for human feeling.
Disappointingly, it's really good. 

The Books are the NYC duo of Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong, they do what has been described as folktronica, although that's a pretty poor description. It's a kind of understated, polite balladry, a bit Paul Simon like in tone, talk singing, over seemingly very clever lyrics (they're both very highly educated chaps you know), which are actually meaningless, and a tad pretentious (an under rated quality in music). This, their 3rd release put these minor key spoken word melodies to esoteric samples taken from second hand record finds, mostly spoken word poets (Jabberwocky & Betjemin are included), artists, field recordings, often played alongside Zammuto sing talking the samples as they play. De Jong plays cello adding a Nick Drakeish feel to the songs. Percussion is sampled clicks and pops, often used as punctuation to enhance the spoken word.
This album came during the peak of the US indie revival aided by All Tomorrows Parties festivals, and The Books performed at there to ecstatic crowds, Lost and Safe was also used frequently as a warm up tape between acts. Live The Books could perform a perfect rendition of the records, timed alongside videos created for each track. Seen once this was mighty impressive, seen twice I was left feeling a little sterile and cold.
The indie summer now seems like a time of prosperity, and I doubt that there remains a thirst for this type of record. Echos of Boards of Canada, Herbert, Beck and The Avalanches can be heard in the unusual sample references, whilst the wordplay and eccentric concepts remind of Brian Eno's early stuff. The way that such an unassuming record which reveals it's melodies and secrets which each successive listen, could be so popular, is down the good taste of the mid 00's ATP generation led by groups such as Animal Collective who's own songs ebb and flow and build in a similar manner to The Books.

54. MIA - Kala (2007)

Kala

It's tempting to make a case for MIA as being the first genuine 21st century pop star. Eclectic pop in an increasingly eclectic world, both urban and cosmopolitan, both political and detached; mentored by Justine Frischman of Elastica and sneaking in references to The Fall, Jonathan Richman and The Pixies, whilst ostensibly producing a modern dance pop feasting on African and Asian street rhythms.
It's easy to overlook how successful MIA's  formula has been, as she's not obviously all over UK journals, however her music has been massive in practically ever other corner of the world, especially among the US hip hop community, where her rave influenced electro street festival sound is basically what we now hear in the pop charts.

Mathangi Arulpragasam (for it is her) was born in Hounslow, to parents of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Spending her childhood in Sri Lanka she witnessed the violence of a military dictatorship, including the burning of a school. Her father Arular (the name of the debut album), was a activist against the dictatorship. MIA then spent time living with her mother in various places in flight from the anti Tamil government, in London and Los Angeles, Crenshaw. She absorbed a envious amount of culture on her travels including punk, golden era hip hop (UMC's, PE), UK hip hop (London Possee, Silver Bullet) and 'Ardkore rave cira 91-92.

MIA has probably been the most effective artist at putting politics into music since, oh, I don't know....Rage against the machine or Huggy Bear. This is because she cleverly makes the songs good on a number of levels, i.e. they still stand up even if you completely ignore the message, ironically, don't look to closely to the message because they may not withstand too close scrutiny. However this is Pop, enjoyment must come first, and besides, no political pop star has ever stood (or should have to withstand) intense scrutiny (only if the scrutiny is aimed at having a good song), Bob Dylan, The Clash, Bob Marley, Public Enemy...whoever!
I think you can hear Justine Elastica's laconic drawl in MIA's delivery, al la, 'make a cup of tea, and put a record on'.

MIA has inserted the politics of asylum seeking, refugee status, terrorism, the plight of the Tamil's, the Iraq/Afghanistan war into her pop mix, and she is never afraid to take a risk. Kala was her second effort building on the fine first disc. Birdflu preceded the album, the virus as a metaphor for asylum seekers, carnival drums, Adam & the Ants and Missy Elliot collide.




Kala is her mother's name. Despite visa difficulties (the US imposed sanctions due to MIA's outspokenness), Kala was recorded in India, the UK, Trinidad, Jamaica, Liberia, Australia and Japan!
No wonder the album has the feel of a global rave, with global subject matter. Boyz, the second single asks 'how many start a war?', this went top 10.

       
Jimmy manages to be a Bollywood tale both about friendship and genocide.




Paper Planes is the highlight of the Album, and a massive US hit, embraced by both Indie and hip hop audiences, and remains one of the biggest selling songs of the digital era, a queue of artists wanting guest spots didn't harm things either (Jay-Z & UGK).


Paper Planes is perhaps the best track to date by MIA, and although more hip hop than carnival in comparison to other tracks, does transpose the hip hop 'black capitalist' persona of a Jay-Z, to immigrants  and refugees, and delivers taunting lines to would be border patrols, referencing her visa problems. MIA has now signed to Def Jam, let's hope she can keep her persona, politics and pop, without going too hip hop on us.