FEATURE: Fave Five Albums Of 2011: Eriin Dhesi from Vainzine

Merry Christmas peeps, tweeps, fb's, bloggers and net heads! Eriin is the newest member of team vainzine. She's done a few things already but this is her formal introduction, not that we're very formal 'round here but you get the picture. In here own words she's A 17 year old from Warwickshire, stuck in a woeful sixth form, surviving the middle class suburban landscape by attending gigs, listening to music, reading obscure things and watching Newsnight. All conglomerating in lots and lots of writing with almost there journalistic flair. Here's her top 5 for 2011.

Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
The most booming and captivating voice I've heard in a while. 'Jezebel', even though it's a cover, gives me goosebumps. She's like 2011's little Siouxsie Sioux.



Metronomy - The English Riviera
Pretty much nothing like their last indie nu rave stuff, which if regurgitated again in 2011 would've left them in that forgotten ditch of the Klaxons. (No matter how much the NME are bloody touting them). It's chilled out and quietly pretty. 'She Wants' is a god damn fave.



The Kills - Blood Pressures

Tbh, I wasn't sure how they would top their previous album cos I loved it so much. But even with the duo veering off with models and Jack White's side project (you can a bit off Mosshart's Dead weather-ness in there) but as a whole, the album still has the trademark sleaze and swagger just more refined.



Girls - father, son, holy ghost
It annoyed me when critics dumped them with Beach House and Waves on their debut album, when their work had tons more depth. This album takes a couple of listens to get into to realise how consistently strong it is. 'Vomit' is the most striking.



Nicola Roberts - Cinderellas eyes
*cheesy name barf* - even though it sounds like a poor man's early M.I.A that would be on repeat in New Look, she's the only girls aloud member to do a solo album that doesn't sound completely like a soulless profile booster i.e she's not twattin' around with 'messy fucking raindrops' like Cheryl the mofo Cole.



Check out the previous Fave Five Albums Of 2011:

1. Simon from Sonic Emporium
2. Becki B from OhDearyMe.com
3. Isaac Ashe from Sound Advice
4. Jerome from Desire Records
5. Simon from People Get Real
6. Piper from Puro Instinct
7. Stephen from WeAreHunted.com

8. Zanita
9. Nico De Ceglia from BBC Radio 1
10. Jamie Moffett Film Director
11. Hayden Black from Goodnight Burbank
12. Michelle from Audible Treats
13. Lana Mir

VIDEO: Anna Calvi 'Blackout'

Check out the new Anna Calvi single video released today and directed by Michael Baldwin

Full of passionate, cinematic beauty, Blackout is extroverted and highly infectious. The single is available on 7" and via digital download now.

ALBUM REVIEW: Anna Calvi 'Anna Calvi' out now on Domino

This was released on the 17th January and I had been tipped and persuaded to listen to Anna Calvi's work long before the release by some very in the know personages. Did I take their advice? No and I wish I had. It's impossible to listen to everything and so I am fortunate that I was lucky enough to be sent her debut album otherwise I would have missed out big time on a potential new star and hot new artist at the least, so props to D¬ who was plugging Calvi to me a year ago; you were more than right :-) - and this is what I think after listening to the album;

There is an air of the understatement to this release. It's very simple. Calvi has a great voice with terrific range and the producers have quite rightly chosen to exploit this to the maximum. So above everything else you can hear Calvi's voice. It dominates the recording because it has been mixed that way and this is to it's advantage. The music really seems to be in the background, even on a lively and energetic song like 'Suzanne And I' where her voice is even more powerful, yet not overwhelming, than the intense drums and guitar.

The backing band really just do their job with subtlety leaving Calvi's voice to shine and shine it does. 'Fist We Kiss' is another sumptuous example of this intelligent, authoritative voice in action.

I don't think we have seen or heard the best of Calvi yet but this debut is more than good and deserves all the praise it gets. I think there is more to come that will be even better from an artists who could have an incredible career in front of her.

5/5

CTZN V41N

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