You know how artists quite often say "this is the best work we've ever done" or "we've really upped our game" or "you won't believe this new record"? Well, over the last two months a succession of records has come across the Outstanding desk which actually live up to those boasts for a change....

2010 looks like being a great year for anybody with ears. February is already a busy month with 22 February set aside for a national celebration in Spain for the release of the self titled Maika Makovski album. Produced by John Parish, it's 11 tracks of really quite amazingly swooping vocals, swampy guitars, rocking bass and drums. Live they are a treat. On record.... well, it's just a great record.

23 February - the very next day! - sees the release of Les Paraules Justes by La Brigada. Their last album received accolades left right and centre and was chosen by Mondo Sonoro as the best Catalan language album of 2009. It's always interesting to examine albums as "Catalan" or "Spanish", but here at Outstanding we tend to think of albums as "is the music any good?". Their first album was a bit of a triumph, this new one is much much better than that.

Over the next few weeks we're going to be updating the blog much more regularly so you can see what we're up to. I've been trying to think of a theme for this year (as The Pinker Tones are also in the studio and Ovni are currently mixing the final tracks for their album). I think it might be "Outstanding - we have no idea what the music industry is doing, but here's some good music".

Spent most of today on the phone to various labels being told that their current policy is not to listen to anything as they aren't signing anything. Next time you read about the impending death of the music industry and how you are to blame for your terribly piratical attitude towards copyright laws, just let the thought rest easy on your mind that the whole industry seems to be plotting its own downfall by sitting on its hands and letting the good stuff walk away.

I was touting Maika Makovski, in case you're wondering. We are now managing her. Her John Parish produced album needs to be heard by an audience, and the public would love her. Obviously her CD has to stay in the box though, as we're not listening to anything new this year, just hoping somebody invents a new format so we can repackage some old Genesis hits.