In Support of DIY

Since I don't know when (or more likely after I started listening to KC) I've been reading This is Fake DIY. They're a neat little outfit that is both entertaining and informative. Sure they don't have all the news and certainly not as quickly as NME but that's all right. They also rarely pay any sort of attention to American bands, save the ones that are in love with the UK or are really big (OK Go, the Killers, etc.) Kirkland Ciccone is my hero and with few exceptions I agree with their reviews. I trust them slightly more than NME but that's mainly because DIY's website is far easier to navigate than NME's. So when DIY suggests a band, I tend to pay attention. It isn't always easy, considering how British bands don't (never) release albums in the UK at the same time as in the US, so some things slip past me. Or I just forget that I was suppose to be paying attention to band X until I'm reminded again.
Such a reminder was given to me in DIY's end of the year wrap up. Everyone in the blogosphere does one in one form or another. Most music blogs do a top multiple of 5 list of CDs and/or songs of the year. Most of these lists are extraordinarily similar because everyone in the blogosphere listens to the same kind of music. Or something like that. Anyway, DIY decided to forgo that particular route and instead released a "2006: Top Stuff" list thing. I read this list with much bemusement and partial agreement. Some things I have no opinion because I either didn't see it (Celebrity Big Brother for instance) or couldn't listen to it (Girls Aloud and the Long Blondes' album). And then there was a little reminder in the form of this:
"No one buying Duels' album
Far be it for DIY to be accused of exaggerating, but 'The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned' is a pretty damn ace debut album. Unfortunately, shamefully few people seemed to have caught on to this fact. Even despite 'Brothers And Sisters' shockingly appearing on Final Score on BBC 1. Yes, we know, Duels aren't a band who look like they'd make a good 5-a-side team. Instead, there's always the hope 'What We Did Wrong' features on Strictly Come Dancing."
And I thought to myself, "Oh yeah. I meant to listen to that. I read the review. Hmm...I think I'll listen to that." So I have been and DIY is right. And the other thing is, is that they've released singles too, with songs that aren't on the debut. I haven't listened to that yet, but given the album I would be dismayed if it weren't ace too. If you want more information or to read proper reviews from DIY here are the links:
Opening for KC (always a good thing)
Interview
A review of their debut "The Bright Lights and What I Should Have Learned"
The omnibus of information on Duels at the DIY site
I don't do this too often, unless it's KC. So they must be pretty good right?