It’s that time of year again, when all the “best of” lists begin to make their appearances. As usual, I’m going to wait until the year actually ends (or at least until Christmas) to post my list. Partly because I think it’s a little silly to post a list when almost 10% of the year still remains, but mostly because I invariably discover tons of new, great stuff in December from reading everyone else’s lists.
So the next few weeks will mostly feature the best of 2007 that I never got around to hearing before now, along with a few things I’ve been meaning post about for a long time but just haven’t managed to cover yet.
Today, it’s The Wombats, one of the finest purveyors of infectious British-dance-rock around these days. Which does invite the question, what is the commonly accepted name for this genre: indie dance-punk? post New Wave disco-rock? or just britpop? Whatever it is, there’s a lot of good music coming from those parts this year, and it’s an area I’ve unfortunately neglected.
And of all those bands, The Wombats might very well be my favorite. They hit the scene with a couple great singles earlier this year but only recently made their full LP available. The Wombats Proudly Present…A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation is playful, more than a little goofy, but never letting up on the rock, and some melodies far more pretty than they have any right to be. It’s perfect fodder for a party mix – great for those who just want to dance but clever enough to start a conversation.
Let’s Dance to Joy Division – The Wombats
Kill the Director – The Wombats
If you need any proof, just check out the delightfully ironic “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” or the hook-laden “Kill the Director.”