A simple question, a difficult answer...

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

Your favourite British band making music today...who are they?

Let's not include bands who no longer function (sorry New Order lovers), solo artists, duos (but trios and above are OK) or boybands/girlbands who 'only' sing and dance. I'm being deliberately rockist in this respect as I'm curious as to how much people here go for the traditional band dynamic. I can think of only about 5 or 6 active acts from the UK I like and listen to and I'm not sure I really love any of them. I still think it matters!

My answer: Hot Chip. I don't think they're very good live (altho some do) but I like their ideas generally and I suppose I can relate to them as people pretty well which is often a plus for reasons that should be obvious ('that could be me without massive lifestyle change' etc.). Something is definitely missing from their 'sound' that would make it truly awesome but 'My Piano' is ace.

Comments

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

Here's the list of UK bands I like, based on criteria outlined above, that I posted on ILM:

Hot Chip
The Clientele
Camera Obscura
St. Etienne (but only really when Xenomania-produced)
Ladytron
The Shortwave Set

Go Team are banished because until they get at least twice as many ideas as they currently have ;)

[sbp.livejournal.com]

Shortwave set irritate me somehow, I've seen them live a couple of times. They do have one catchy song though.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Shortwave Set irritate the hell out of me because they are so damn TWEE. May as well give in and start liking the Fat Magic Numbers (nein danke)

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

'Is It Any Wonder' has become one of my favourite songs of the decade. Huggles!

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

SCREWFACE

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

The first track on the new Magic Numbers EP is good!* Their first ever good song! Unsurprisingly, this is because the GURL sings lead.

*or at least the version of it they performed live in session on Radio 2 last night was ace

[sbp.livejournal.com]

Do MN count as British or USnian? I can never remember.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I was v. saddened by Ninja from The Go! Team's speech re: 'ooh you're cool if you know about us cus we're not selling out cus it's cool to be indie' speech at Glastonbury. I had thought better of them.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Arf if ever there was a band whose music sounds specifically designed to be in adverts its the Goat Team

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

no, no, no, not adverts, GOAL COMPILATIONS!

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

ha ha she is quite embarassing live. bless.