Everyone has a summer favourite and some six months after its release this is mine. A completely unique band with a unique edgy style, Arcade Fire undoubtedly draw on a wide range of influences ranging from Bowie's “Low” era, through an unlikely tip of the hat to everyone from REM and Talking Heads to Bjork, and even Yoko Ono.

There is so much stylistic diversity here, so many ideas, so many biting lyrics and little musical parodies, that no-one could ever claim this essential album to be anyone's baby but the magnificent Arcade Fire.

From the opening angst ridden vocals of “Neighborhood 1 (Tunnels)” through the deeply disturbing lyrical irony of “Neighborhood 2” to the disco beat underpinning the powerful “Neighborhood 1 (Power Out), there is something that stamps the band's weird style as memorable. It is also the case that when you first hear this album the chances are you will remember the time and place.

There an anthemic quality to the violin led “Crown of Love” which opens into an up tempo string led outro, and then suddenly fades. And although there is so much to enjoy the album's highlight for me is the piano led “Rebellious (Lies)” a hard driving stomp that brilliantly combines Win Butler's lead vocals some choir like bv's. The album is full of dense musical textures with a wide range of subtle dynamics at play often poised over a driving rhythm track. A superlative vocal, and clever use of judicious hand claps leads the stand out piece into in a closing dervish style whirl. Cutting edge contemporary music at its most challenging and innovative, this is a mini masterpiece.

The album is what the band does live, and on the evidence of the Imperial Crowns recent gig (see review and photos) they are simply one of the most exciting bands on the planet – a cross between Iggy Pop, Howlin Wold, Beefheart and the Red Devils. The Imperial Crown have finally made it to these shores and this as they say is their time!

The Imperial Crowns are all about the larger than life, low down sleazy southern California blues preaching of Jimmie Wood, who can take his place in the burgeoning field of Beefheart/Tom Waits meets Howlin Wolf. But what sets Jimmie aside from the pack is that his style of Preachin' The Blues is so full of magical imagery, complete with tales of sex, death, voodoo, Hollywood and beyond.

The band announced their not inconsiderable talent with last year's startling debut album “Hymn Book”. Aside from Jimmy's stunning voice, his incredible blues narratives, and the stunning band, the album was packed full of bv's, and superb production qualities.

On this live set there are no such studio luxuries, and as a consequence you get the Crowns stripped to the bone.

They are boosted by a bit of echo here and there, and of course Jimmie's non stop chasing the devil. The result though as on “Little Death” is the Crown's subtle sexual imagery becomes reduced to simply “Death by pussy”.

This low down dirty helping of funk is simply the best cutting edge sleazy blues to come out of LA for years. JJ Holiday makes a good fist of filling the gaps, as an exhausted Jimmy uses his on stage excitement to conquer everything from jet lag to sheer exhaustion. And just as the song starts to flag a little Jimmie suddenly ups the ante with a ferocious harp break. He's a fiery preacher, who thinks nothing of castigating his audience unceremoniously but ultimately converts a startled German crowd to the ways of the Crowns.

On “Praise His Name” the Wolf influence extends to the guitar signature, and by the time of “Big Boy”, a song that Jimmie tells us is a ‘True Story', there's a let up from the his lucid visions, as the band almost slip into a laid back blues mood.

Before long its back to Jimmie's preaching, as he reminds us about the bands LA origins, and the Imperial Crowns power into cuts from “Hymn Books”, including the almost poppy “Simply Just A Dream”, and “The River” which features some raucous riffs from JJ.

The Imperial Crowns are no ordinary band, there are out to convert you to the church of Jimmie Wood , and this album is their weapon!! Rejoice brothers, and sisters The Imperial Crowns are here to save your soul, and reignite the blues.

It’s been a few years since Ian Siegal relocated to London and started making a a name for himself on the live circuit. Always regarded by live fans as a real talent, Ian seemed in danger of being taken for granted, as he appeared stuck in a few residencies, and occasional jaunts with a passing US blues artist.

Since signing with Nugene records that all seems to have changed, and “Meat & Potatoes” is the work of a mature artist who aside from sounding like a younger Van Morrison, is also capable of exploring vocal whoops and hollers that recall a caustic mix of Tom Waits and Howlin Wolf.

It is with the opening “Sugar Rush” that Ian visits all three mentioned influences during the course of one outstanding slice of blues. Things toughen up on another Wolf influenced “Revelator (John The Apostle)”, complete with Biblical imagery, low down dirty slide guitar, and simply the most compelling low down dirty blues in recent times.

One of the album highlights “Butter-Side Up” is a neatly juxtaposed cool groove with some lovely percussive work by Nikalaj Bjerre. This effort could easily have come from any of Dr John’s early 1970 albums, and builds up a lovely head of steam, all neatly topped by Ian’s almost tortured vocals. If you describe this as cool swampy blues with a timeless feel to it, then you could extend that impression to most of this album. But Ian has a penchant for working a groove and hits the same feel magically on the word association piece “Work”, which comes complete with some telling harp fills from Giles King.

Ian finally extends himself on national steel guitar, working his way round a dirt sounding tone on “She Got The Devil In Her”. He also uses a couple of clever little link pieces, one gospel, one full on Delta blues and in between there’s more early Morrison influenced vocals on “Falling Down Again”.

In short this is a contemporary blues album using traditional blues values. Not so much old wine in new bottles as new wine for a new palate. “Meat & Potatoes” is a truly outstanding album by a talented blues artist rapidly fulfilling his promise.

Over 100,00 Dutch jazz fans can't be wrong, as Ian Siegal turned the North Sea Jazz festival on its head with his own take on the blues. The Siegal way is superbly summarised on this outstanding album that sets the standard for all of his contemporaries.

Studebaker John is all about the tightest band imaginable doing in the studio what they do superbly well live. There is no cut of point, it's simply John finding his way round a slide guitar with the crack rhythm section and a handful of songs about personal demons.

The title track is a subtle funked up blues groove topped by John's gnarled vocals that wring out every nuance of his lyrics.

He employs plenty of reverb on the following blues “This Road, and hits the heights the caustic rocker/doomed love story “I Deceive Myself” on which his rhythm section of Felton Crews on bass and Earl Howell on drums cook up a storm.

There's more wild slide on “Hard Place & The Ground” and John adds some dirt toned harp on “can't Forget About You” a delightful excursion which sits on a walking bass line and shuffle rhythm. Everything about this album suggests images of smoky clubs in Chicago , and while smoking is bad for you and out of fashion, the classy blues legacy that remains is neatly captured in this fine album. .

This album links in with the Korgis album both chronologically and stylistically. The combined talents of James Warren, - romantic poet extraordinaire - and original fellow Stackridge member and Korgi, Andy Davis somehow have strung together a coherent body of work that takes in multi-million sellers such as “If I Had You” and more obviously “Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime”. I say somehow, because it is scarcely credible that such an eclectic and wacky band such as the late lamented Stackridge could have harboured such major talents. While all eyes were on front man Mutter Slater in the 70's, it was the combined tunesmiths of Warren and Davis that provided longevity.

Stranger still, the reformed Stackridge of a few years ago all but added a beautiful postscript to the 80's chart hits of the Korgis. Listen to the newer material on “Sex and Flags” and you will uncover a handful of gems that deserve to be just as big as the Korgi's.

“Something About The Beatles”,  and “It's a Fascinating World”, for example are classic post Beatle efforts, that show the band moved on from their early career efforts such as “Wildebeest”, and while perhaps “Big Baby” is just a touch too influenced by “I'm The Walrus”,  just like The Move all those years ago, Stackridge plunder influences but come up with their own stunning efforts.

On the Korgi's album, there's a welter of typical 80's keyboards and drum machines, but happily the songs triumph, as on the hypnotic “Fine Yourself Another Fool”.

The Davis/Warren duo is one of Britain 's greatest song writing teams. Romantic? certainly, whimsical? true, eccentric? definitely, a modern day Beatles ? possibly, but in sum “Everybody's Go To Learn Sometime” is a timeless as “Whiter Shade of Pale, and there is much of a similar standard to be found on both cd's. There is also a DVD of the Korgi's which contains one of the most insightful interviews I have listened to, as well as superb 3 part harmonies, acoustic guitars and keyboards. But for the moment both these albums are a fine starting point.

See above.

7) Ian Parker "... whilst the wind" Ruf Records
IanParkerMusic.com

Not so much a slow burner as an album full of live songs that offer more nuances by every listen. Buy a copy, catch the band live, and rejoice in a real UK talent to joust with the best the US has to offer.

Over the last two years Ian Parker has established himself as a serious artist of note, combining nakedly honest songs with some inspired playing and a white boy soul singing that teases out every nuance and last drop of feel from each song.

Since startling his label by delivering the deep and meaningful “Inside” album instead of the usual rock blues format, Ian has ploughed his own musical furrow. And it comes as no surprise that this album sounds so “live” that you really do feel as if you are there at the gig. Significantly the set was recorded in Germany, at Hannover's Blues Garage.

Opening with Ben Harper's acappella “The Power of the Gospel”, Parker draws you in with a subtle combination of voice, guitar and superb accompanying band. On “The Love I Have” the angst ridden lyrics give way to several superb guitar breaks, and the process is repeated on one of his very best efforts, the moody, and very bluesy “It Hurts A Man”. This song comes close to the younger Peter Green and is full of languid guitar lines, and some soulful vocal phrasing, over a cool organ accompaniment. The number builds up the dynamics before a superb tension breaking guitar break. If this album proves nothing else it is that Ian Parker is anything but a one dimension guitar hero. “Whilst The Wind” is all about songs, and about real emotions, a subject that too many bluesy practitioners clothe in cliché to hide their inability to deal with real feelings.

Ian takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and his band play some beautiful, awe inspiring stuff along the way. The gentle funky undertow and catchy hook of “She Cries” stays with you long after the gig has finished, while the understated “The Truth Within” is redolent of John Fogerty.

By the time of his long term stage favourite Crosby's “Almost Cut My Hair”, which is cleverly segued into Peter Green's “Green Manalishi”, Ian has the crowd in the palm of his hand, not through histrionics, and not through a million notes a minute, but simply through the ability to communicate real feelings through his songs. Simple really, but this album is a salutary reminder to many who have forgotten the art of musical expression.

Ian has the songs, the band, the guitar playing, the feel and gasp, he's young, the blues this is not. Its far more interesting, pushing boundaries and band members alike. Go and buy!

Here are some audio clips from ... whilst the wind :	Broadband (CD quality)	Dial-Up (AM radio)
The Love I Have
It Hurts A Man
She Cries

Not sure about the origins of this recording, although manger Bert Homan adds his own intriguing recollections in the informative liner notes. Apparently this college gig was stuck somewhere between a Fillmore East gig and the famous Fillmore East live recording.

Of course the band still truck on today, but 35 years ago this was the classic Allman Brothers line-up, who were getting their highs from the blues, and were powered by the peerless twin guitar attack of Duane Allman (who is all over this set) and the equally excellent Dicky Betts. Throw in the bluesy vocal of Gregg Allman, and a powerhouse twin drum rhythm section, and you have one of the hottest tour bands of the time.

There is plenty of soloing and the twin guitars and rhythm section rumble really takes off on Greg Allman's “Leave My Blues At Home”. For the rest the band members show their blues credentials on T Bone Walker's “Stormy Monday” and jam out on the closing two tracks – including an early “Whipping Post” -  that spans an incredible 35 minutes.

Whether you are into Southern rock, jam bands, Chicago Blues or just stoned virtuoso playing, the Allman Brothers cover it all, and this warts and all recording reminds you of just how good they were, and what a thrilling talent the late Duane Allman in particular was.

Another SoCa outfit, the Stoney Curtis Band are the stuff of bulldozer riffs, the mightiest drum sound you ever heard, and are a power house guitar led blues rock trio. I'm not sure where the concept of Acid Blues came from as the down side to this full-on set is some very clichéd lyrics, about Evil Women, Trains, Bullets etc. But that said, drummer Charles Glover and bass player Colby Smith lay down a rock solid groove for guitarist Stoney to conjure up some of the most mesmerising guitar licks.

At times he sounds like Joe Gooch from Ten Years After, with an awesome tone while on other occasions there's stunning fiery interplay between the band that belies the fact they are a trio. The band rock out mercilessly and on a straight forward blues work out like "Crashing Down Like Thunder" Stoney wrings out every last note and drummer Glover punctuates the lyrics with an extra few beats for emphasis

On the instrumental "Mulholland Shuffle", Curtis gives full reign to his abilities, and yes we are talking one very hot guitarist. Listen to this album, watch this space for further developments and watch the sparks fly as Stoney Curtis is on fire.

With a tone that can shake buildings from across town and energy levels stoked up by drummer Charles Glover, guitarist Stoney Curtis looks set to be the next great Rock Blues hero.

All too often Earl Green's solo career has been overlooked as people remember him as the suave front man for both Otis Grand, Paul lamb and Mark Olbricht. But ever since his hugely impressive “Feel The Fire” album, and the confidence gained from his two "Best Male Vocalist" awards in 1996/97, Earl has established himself as a class act.

That said, this album is a bit of a departure, mixing some jazzy lines, and hard funk with bluesy undertones.

Earl teams up with guitarist Jake Zaitz and a line-up of stellar players, including the magnificent rhythm section of Jeff Walker on bass and Evan Jenkins on drums. Richard Simmons adds cool, cool organ throughout, and there are notable contributions from Andy Hamilton on sax on the opening funky grooves of “She's Gone” and Paul Lamb who adds characteristic authoritative harp on the boogie blues “She'll Eat You Up”.

But it's the overall classy production and Earl's fine phrasing that makes this a quality album. Jake adds cool guitar lines on “What A Fool” and similarly teases out the notes on “I Crossed The Line”.

If there is a down side, it is simply that the album is full of failed relationship narratives, and tends to be a little hackneyed. But that is a mild criticism for a polished album from a quality singer who is still looking to break new ground musically.