When Orange came up with the suggestion that we each chose an album of the year, I have to say I had a small crisis of conscience. See, I’m a Juliet Turner fan and this is in no way her best album, so could I review it? Well you see the result. Some people rile at Turner’s insistence at singing in her Omagh accent, but It’s not her singing, norn iron tinged or not, which rises her above the other performers out there, it’s her writing. She has the innate ability to take normal emotions and everyday life and raise them to a soulful, poetic level. In this album, Turner has taken stories and characters she has heard about over the years, and written songs about them. Sounds like a good idea, but unfortunately it feels forced. It’s not until she sings songs written about her own experience that the album takes flight, as in the funny and warm “Pick A Story” which she wrote for her godchild. Another stand out is “Tuesday Night Ladies”, a worry as this is an old song she wrote years ago. “Luisa”, for example, is a worthy song about an American soldier. It just about misses the beat for me, it’s nearly there but not quite on the mark and could, maybe have done with the help of a talented producer. The same can be said of “Elder of the Tribe”; again nearly there but not quite. It’s not that Turner has lost her mojo, not in the slightest. I get the feeling that this is an experimental album, an opportunity to expend her lyrical pen, to try new things and exercise her talent. People Have Names is another step in the fascinating journey of a talented performer’s career and, for that, it is worth owning. But buy Juliet Turner Live too, just so you can see how good she can be. You can access some downloads of Juliet live on her website. She tours constantly, so keep an eye on local listings.

“Dear Science” by TV on the Radio (released September 2008) • Reviewed by Bear

This is the fourth album release from New York’s TV on the Radio, who emerged from the same post-millennial sound explosion out of NYC as The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but have been slower to come to the attention of the masses – until now! This album boasts all of the avant garde experimental sounds of previous albums, but this time around there’s all manner of danceable beats to go along with dense sound landscapes and lyrics that stick to the side of your brain for days. As Will Hermes of Rolling Stone fame has said, they are “still determined to stage a revolution worth dancing to”. There’s plenty of loud on there, “Halfway Home” soars to wonderful crash-bang cacophony, and the tracks “Shout Me Out” and “Golden Age” will get you ready for the big night out. Alternatively, the closing track “Lover’s Day” is so laden with lust, you might just decide to head to bed early instead. Their best yet, and my favourite of 2008.

Tester track to download: “Golden Age” (then get the album!) www.tvontheradio.com/

Tester track to download:“Start Of My Heart”

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