Top 5 Albums of the Year : A Night In Saint-Cloud

You may remember this post, from a couple of weeks ago. A Night In Saint-Cloud is from Southeast London and makes music that is influenced by his surroundings. I said a particular track, "Coldstream", "would have been the soundtrack to Bladerunner, has it been set in London 2006, instead of Los Angeles 2025." His music is has a desolate feel to it, yet it is highly emotive, influences from Yellow6, Epic45, July Skies and Labradford can be heard in his compositions. He also runs this Epic45 fansite. So it is no surprise to see who claimed his number 1 spot of 2006.
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5. Mogwai - "Mr Beast" (Rock Action)

"Well, they are still doing it! The 'gwai change with every album but always keep us coming back for more! The drive,passion and refusal to conform are all here and if you any confirmation of Mogwai's brilliance, then listen to the song "Travel Is Dangerous" and take a hard look at the bands tredding similar water and realize that the good ship Mogwai just cannot be touched. "


4. Televise - "Songs to Sing in a and e Minor "

"Jangly guitars, swathes of effects and guitars that just lift you up and suspend you in a volley of emotion! Not suprising that this band contains ex-members of Slowdive but Televise are so different to them. Louder waves of distortion and delay pummel your ears until the volume control refuses to go any higher! An album for Summer holidays and Winter warming. "




3. The Rifles - "No Love Lost" (Universal Publishing)

"City Life, the bright lights, NME hating, Violence, The Clash, The Jam and a masive slice of originality! The Rifles swagger rythmically with confidence and melodies that will have you craving more releases from this great band! Great lyrics paint a picture of city life and the harsh realism of it - the music has that city swing and swagger, oh just go and buy it! "



2. Love Is All - "Nine Times That Same Song " (What's Your Rupture?)

"Getting ready to go out, have a hangover? Well, this one will do the trick! If you need something to perk you up or just need something to "remind you of the night before" then this album is a gem! Imagine Lilliput and X Ray Spex drinking 300 hundred cans of Red Bull and running to the studio to record this album - Wonderful! "





1. Epic45 - "Slides"[Re-issue + Bonus Tracks] (Make Mine Music)

"You know how sometimes, you are sitting on a train? You have music filling your eyes and you think, Hmm, this music fits the journey and scenery flying past? Well, this is album is full of such gems. Looking out at the city or countryside while travelling with this album on will totally immerse you in your suroundings and leave you yearning for my time spent in the particular moment"

Epic45's Eventful 2007

Epic45's new album, "We Left Our Homes For Winter", will not see light of day until Spring 2007 and as ever it will be available through Make Mine Music. The lads (Rob Glover and Ben Holton) have been busy recording and setting up their own record label, "Wayside and Woodland", with a view of releasing solo projects and the work of friends on it.

They are also excited about their respective solo projects, Rob Glover's "Toy Library" and Ben Holton's "My Autumn Empire" which, along with the new Epic45 album, should ensure it will be an eventful 2007.

The band will also be touring with their new live band, having performed a succesful show with July Skies last week. Photographs were provided by A Night In Saint-Cloud and more can be found here.

Night In Saint-Cloud

I found Night In Saint-Cloud while browsing through myspace (which is fast becoming a major resource for new music).The first thing that drew me towards this profile, was the intriguing name and the out of focus picture. A quick look at his influences (Epic45, July Skies, Mogwai, Labradford and Yellow 6) confirmed that I was going to enjoy the music on offer. The music here recalls Epic45 at their most melancholic, while Yellow6 influences certainly can be heard, in the haunting "No Hope On Crossway".


A Night In Saint-Cloud has been making music for 12 years, but it is only now that some of the compositions are there for all to hear. Heavily influenced by his Southeast London surroundings, I imagine "Coldstream" would have been the soundtrack to Bladerunner, has it been set in London 2006, instead of Los Angeles 2025.

A Night In Saint-Cloud is influenced by "Summer afternoons, Autumn mornings and late Winter nights. His music certainly conveys the solace that can be found during these times of year

"No Hope On Crossway" mp3 - A Night In Saint-Cloud