Ladies and gentlemen, there are now just ten editions of the CMU Daily to go in 2006, unless you count our no doubt novel length review of the year, which will come your way on 22 Dec, but even then there are only eleven editions. Which means two things. Firstly, you have to get your votes in for the CMU Track Of The Year poll today - so get emailing. Secondly, it is time to reveal the first of CMU's ten Albums Of The Year, the long players that got us most excited during 2006, and the artists behind them. So, here goes.
FAVOURITE ALBUM OF 2006 #1: Infadels - We Are Not The Infadels (Wall Of Sound)
Now, for anyone who pays any attention whatsoever when reading the CMU Daily, the fact that Infadels are responsible for our first album of the year should come as no surprise whatsoever. We've been excited about these guys ever since they played the Xfm Remix Night aeons ago, and so the arrival of their debut album back in January got the CMU year off to a very good start. All that said, it was only when 'Love Like Semtex' was released as a single back in June that I actually realised just how much I loved this album. Prior to that I must admit much of my attention went to early single release 'Can't Get Enough' and 3 ad sampling 'Give Yourself To Me'. But then when the promo single of 'Love Like Semtex' arrived I was like "how did I manage to listen to the whole Infadels album without noticing that this is simply one of the best pop songs ever made?". It was a revelation that sent me back to the album, and it was then that I realised just how much I really loved every one of the eleven tracks that make up 'We Are Not The Infadels' - each offering the band's electro-rock crossover style in a different yet equally fulfilling fashion. It was also around about this time that I discovered that, despite my aforementioned love for 'Can't Get', 'Give Yourself' and 'Semtex', the track 'Girl That Speaks No Word' was in fact my overall favourite, which made for extra excitement when this got its own single release and the brilliant Braxe/Faulk remix landed on my desk. As you can see, I really really love Infadels. And I've managed to get 297 words into this mini-eulogy without mentioning the band's brilliant gigs - which is praise indeed given just how much good stuff is said elsewhere about the Infadels live show. Unfortunately, in my most humble opinion, not enough good stuff has been said about the Infadels album, however, mainly methinks because their music has been misrepresented by some in the music media, while it was hard for anyone to release a debut album in early 2007 when much of the popular press wouldn't talk to you about any new bands that didn't have the words 'arctic' and 'monkey' in their name. But with the live shows still building an ever growing loyal fanbase, and with an Autumn re-release of the album including a really fine live DVD, I'm hoping the more mainstream music fan will discover just how good, yet accessible, Infadels and 'We Are Not The Infadels' really are. Meantime, read our interview with the band's Richie Vermin and get yourself more familiar with the band behind CMU's first album of the year.
Read our interview with Richie from Infadels here: http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk/albumsoftheyear