"The music scene has got me down..."

Blockhead's "The Music Scene" is the best album of the year. 2009 may not yet be over but for 10 months no other release I've highly anticipated has lived up to expectations. The music scene does have me down; it's in a stagnant and unoriginal state with those bands in throwback mode making me want to throw-up. Music fans too have got me down as they just accept that as being the way things are now and will listen to any old band that "sounds" like a band from the past. This is perhaps where "The Music Scene" resonates the strongest with me; Blockhead seems to be feeling the same. All one needs to do is take a look at the album cover, the ruined animal-run streets of New York being a perfect metaphor for the state of the music scene.

Musically Blockhead has hit another home-run. It can be a tough task to keep the listener interested in an all instrumental album, you have to make it varied yet cohesive at the same time. "Uncle Tony's Coloring Book" is fantastic but it is kind of all over the place and isn't all that complete as an album. With "The Music Scene" Blockhead has made not only his most cohesive instrumental album but also his best to date. Opener "It's Raining Clouds" changes midway from hip-hop to drum and bass and showcases Blockhead's innate ability with drumbeats. One of my instant favorites was "Attack the Doctor"; the bit near the end is stunning and dare I say it a bit festive sounding. "Four Walls" implements the much maligned Auto-Tune to perfection by adding to the song's vocal sample rather than being at it's forefront. Final track "Farewell Spaceman" is the pièce de résistance of "The Music Scene". It's irresistibly catchy beat and perfect meshing of samples most definitely makes it a front contender for song of the year. It does make me wonder though, is this the end of Blockhead? Is this album his swan-song? Is this last track a cheeky way of him saying that he's had it with the music scene altogether? It seems a bit unlikely but nonetheless it does make you wonder.



This album may not have the same effect on you as it has on me. Everyone has their own reasons for liking a certain artist or album and it's ridiculous to assume that everyone will like Blockhead as much as me. I will say this: do not pass it up, listen to it several times and allow it to sink in. The music scene may not have you down after hearing "The Music Scene".