Noughty boys

Another episode of Sounding Bored, another new panellist. Episode 15 sees regulars Rob and Niall joined by debutant Tom Sutton for discussion of indie rock in the Noughties. Tom once pulled together one of the best mixtapes I've ever had the good fortune to receive, so his opinion is definitely worth listening out for.

Focus initially falls on three bands/artists prominent during the course of the decade, each hand-picked by a different participant (Interpol - Niall, Smog/Bill Callahan - Tom, LCD Soundsystem - Rob). Incidentally, Rob has recently written a brilliant piece about James Murphy and company for Toppermost, and is spot on when he praises the incredible trio of songs on Sounds Of Silver, 'North American Scum', 'Someone Great' and 'All My Friends'. My preference, though, would still be for the first LP (if you take it as a double album), which I adore more with every spin - and it's not hard to see 'Losing My Edge', which first surfaced in 2002, as the single most defining song of the Noughties.

Back to the podcast, and there's also discussion of the growth of online music sites and blogs (and the corresponding decline in the influence and readership of print publications), post-punk revivalism, indie/dance crossover, the rise of Americana, and the centrality of Brooklyn in the stories of many of the decade's most significant bands.

The featured album, appropriately enough, is the self-titled eighth LP by one of the Brooklyn scene's leading lights, Dirty Projectors, which sees Dave Longstreth reacting to his break-up with partner and former band member Amber Coffman and fully embracing hip hop/r'n'b production values. Personally I've given the supposed stand-out track 'Up In Hudson' a try and was taken aback by quite how much I loathed it. Each to their own, I suppose.