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| albums - march 2007 | ||
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Various Artists - Baby I'm Yours (A shimmering collection of angelic Independent London Indie) (DC Baby)Wearing its heart on its sleeve (quite literally), this
record brings together the best of London's independent rock acts, takes
their collective pulse and shows the capital's music scene to be in rather
damn fine health thank you ma'am. Chris McCague |
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LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver (EMI)The path from Punk to Dance music is one well trodden, going back to New Order, Talking Heads and PiL. Both musical styles share driving beats, a compulsion to move to the music and a do-it-yourself attitude. Garage bands and bedroom DJs/ knob-twiddlers (not that kind!) are similar in outlook and over the last few years the dance punk scene has re-emerged with bands such as ‘!!!’, bloc party and The Rapture. As with most movements, there’s been a lot of crud, but one of the better examples of the genre was released in 2005, with LCD Soundsystem’s eponymous debut album. Like Scritti Politti or Aphex Twin, LCD Soundsystem is an alias for one man, James Murphy. Having played in punk bands and worked as a dance producer/remixer for his Death From Above label it’s only natural his band would combine the two, which he did to great effect. The first album had elements of techno, house, funk and punky scuzz, combined with intelligent, humorous lyrics that went beyond the norm for the style. Now, almost two years later, we have the follow-up, ‘Sound of Silver’. Once again, we have a mix of styles, fluently blended into a new whole. The furious piano of ‘All My Friends’, the funk of ‘Time To Get Away’, even an 80’s electro-ballad in ‘Someone Great’. The lyrics continue to impress, with Murphy’s tangled lament/tribute to his adopted home city in the ballad ‘New York, I Love You’, the confrontation of xenophobia on the current single ‘North American Scum’ and the nostalgia-bashing of ‘Sound of Silver’. Dance music with brains, which makes a pleasant change. The album contains some great songs, and easily matches
the first in quality. My only niggling doubt, and perhaps this is unfair as
a criticism, is that it doesn’t have the ‘wow-factor’ that I experienced on
first hearing the debut album. With ‘LCD Soundsystem’ I had no
preconceptions and the freshness of the music blew me away. With ‘Sound of
Silver’ I was really looking forward to hearing it and although it’s easily
as good as its predecessor, I missed that buzz. But if you don’t get as
giddily pre-hyped as I did you’ll be amply rewarded with an album that,
despite my whingeing, I haven’t been able to stop playing since I got it. Mat Latham |
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Ben Marwood vs. Heartwear Process – Hold Your Breath / Swallow My Tooth (Broken Tail Records)The folks at Broken Tail Records are very nice people
(a fickle conclusion I have reached only by reading their press pack and
pretending that we are all running through lavender-scented fields together)
and from their debut release they seem to know good things when they see
them. Although quite different from one another, the two artists on the
single sit well side-by-side and the transition between Ben Marwood's dreamy
acoustic guitar and Heartwear Process' stuttered distortion-laced electrics
feels seamless. Riley |
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Rob McCulloch- Escaping Times (Gladrag)McCulloch is a very articulate young man. He can also write a damn catchy tune. He also has what some might call a “simple” way of doing things, that’s missing in much of today’s music. He doesn’t mess about with fancy chords, weird synth generated noises, and is about as far removed from pretentious as it’s possible to be. Escaping Times is a back to basics take on life in Rob’s native Bolton, or any city in the UK. His laid back acoustic guitar driven pleasing melodies house complex lyrics with depth one wouldn’t expect to find from a) someone so young and b.) a debut album. As easy as it would be to stick Rob on the shelf with James Morrison et al, he makes it almost impossible to do. Doing One’s Bit tells of hard men putting people down, but it does so in a very eloquent way- “We’ve got bright flames in classes ignite to get blown out”-Scummy Man this is not. The subject of Escaping Times is quite grim in places, and Rob is not one to sugar coat. However the songs still succeed in being catchy and listenable. The chorus to Out of my Skin will have a ridiculous amount of staying power in anyone’s head. Six Of One is a departure from the rest of the album, charting a confrontation between Rob and some people who took offence to his pink jumper, and features some brilliant colloquialisms- “Bollocks you look like a wotsit”. Escaping Times has the perfect balance of humour and
seriousness, and some cracking tunes to boot.
Catriona Boyle |
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The Ripps- Long Live The Ripps (Catskill RecordsThe Ripps “heart Cov”, according to the message emblazoned on their CD. They’ve even dedicated a song to it on their album. I have never been to Coventry, but judging from the music it produces, I suspect I won’t heart it. As much as I don’t want to, I feel an overwhelming urge to lump The Ripps in with bands such as Larrikin Love and the Holloways, except in a slightly substandard lump compared to the rest of the bands. Long Live The Ripps is an energetic stab at writing songs about night life culture, presumably in Coventry. Sadly Coventry appears to be no different to anywhere else, and The Ripps write songs no different to anyone else. Vandals, about spending the night in a cell is uninspired, and quite frankly a bad example to set for their younger listeners. Vampires follows in the same vein. Musically, the songs are accomplished, and for only a three piece the band manage to create a full, layered sound, especially with the inclusion of backing vocals by female drummer Rachel Butt. The songs themselves though lack originality and any real depth. Their brief ska influences show potential, particularly in Stranger, but the mood is ruined by an over jangly chorus. Ironically, COV Song would be perfect for a flailing dance floor, with its tinny guitar, fast tempo and over lapping vocals. The Ripps are probably everything a night out in
Coventry is: loud, chaotic, and a bit messy.
Catriona Boyle |
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Alkaline Trio- Remains (Vagrant)Traditionally, tracks that feature on compilations aren’t as good as album tracks. So why Alkaline Trio has decided to release an album of said tracks is a bit of a mystery. It’s an odd collection. It’s not a best of (none of their best songs are on it), it’s not a B-sides and rarities compilation (there’s only a few B-sides on it) and it’s not a live album (there are three live tracks). However, if you feel the urge to own these tracks, it’s cheaper than buying every compilation Alkaline Trio have ever been on. Back in the day, Alkaline Trio used to be a half decent band. They were far better than their over-hyped contemporaries Greenday (at least they haven’t gone down the same route as them), and put on a damn good live show as well. Lead singer Matt Skiba even used to be somewhat of a heart throb. These days though, he’s married, and Alkaline Trio have been fairly quiet for a couple of years. Sadly, Remains doesn’t exactly spark off reminiscent thoughts of their glory days. More, as the title suggests, the few things that are left of Alkaline Trio’s hey day. Whether they will return to form is still uncertain, with no mention on a new album. Most of the tracks are generic Alkaline Trio. Minimal guitar on the verses, more noise on the chorus, and lyrics about blood, death, heartbreak and alcohol. Hell Yes, recently released as a limited 7” single (1000 copies… were they scared no-one would buy it?) is catchy enough, and actually seems to be about being happy. Dead End Road sees Alkaline Trio more on form, with a driving guitar riff into thundering drums. The album tears through at a fast and furious pace, one of Alkaline Trio’s trademarks, and rarely lets up in 22 tracks. Jaked on Green Beers is an absolute rip-roarer, and has just about everything- rolling drums, lightening fast riffs and some nice vocal harmonies. It’s on the slower tracks that the band let themselves down and Sadie is a dingy love song that drags itself about like a ball and chain. Buried is also an over sincere ballad, where Matt Skiba’s voice really starts to grate, and the song borders on watery stadium rock. Remains does come with one saving grace. The DVD features videos from two albums, including some of their best singles- Time to Waste and Mercy Me. For a real taste of Alkaline Trio at their best, chuck
the CD away and whack the DVD on.
Catriona Boyle |
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Charlotte Hatherley- The Deep Blue (Little Sister Records)During her time in Ash no-one could blame you for thinking that Charlotte Hatherley might actually not have a voice. Turns out she does though, quite a nice one at that, and some rather good song writing skills as well. The Deep Blue unveils a bit of a girly girl behind Charlotte’s sultry exterior. Her voice is sweetness and light, but at the same time has a warning tone edge to it, and is that a country twang I detect in places? I Want You To Know bangs and thumps its way into a brilliant tune with sing song vocals and plenty of opportunities for a clap along when it’s performed live. Rollover (let it go) is a big, big song, enhanced by strings and discordant bluesy piano. Charlotte’s increasingly varied influences have been transferred into her album, making it a varied and interesting listen. She dabbles in various genres, but at the same time manages to keep her own style in every song. The Deep Blue shows Charlotte’s clear departure from
Ash’s style, and her second album seems to find her feeling a lot more
comfortable in her own skin. The girl done good.
Catriona Boyle |
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Enochian Theory - A Monument to the Death of an Idea (Anomalousz)Epic. Everything about this release cries out 'epic!'. Let's start with the band name - hands up anyone who knows what 'Enochian' means? A few minutes googling later and you may come to the conclusion that it is a mythical language of few words (just around a thousand apparently) and most of those the names of angels. OK... The artwork is fantastic - some ghostly double exposure photography on a silky black background. And then the music...well, if epic can be used to describe any 7 minute plus song then this is an album of 'epics'. But something seems a bit wrong from the start of track 1 'A Countermeasure in Hindsight'. Some atmospheric shimmering guitars over a synth drone give way to a sledgehammer of power chords and some hollering vocals. But things seem to unravel a ponderously - every few bars seems to be filled with a tricksy guitar lick, an over complicated drum fill and the constant warbling vibrato of the vocals. The frequent time changes, rather than sounding clever or interesting sound more mechanical and wooden. And so it goes on, this albums slams firmly into the progressive metal
category. There is some fantastic production giving real depth and
chunkiness to the guitars but generally unless you really like this kind of
meandering rock then it would be hard to recommend it. I felt at times the
vocals were a little weak against the gigantic wall of noise the band were
creating and generally the tunes seems to run out after the first track.
There is a bit of a volume shift every so often but I found 'A Monument to
the Death of an Idea' all to easy to turn off halfway through. SB |
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Comeback Kid - “Broadcasting…” (Victory Records)Canadian hardcore band Comeback Kid had a lot to answer for. Their previous album ‘Wake The Dead’ was full of air-punching, ear-splitting anthems that pointed them out as one of several bands set to save the hardcore scene. Hate to use the pun..but the question is two years later, and with Scott Wade leaving the band and guitarist Andrew Neufield taking up vocals in his place, can Comeback Kid make a comeback? Opening track ‘Defeated’ kicks off with Terror-style guitar work that’s heavier and more aggressive than Comeback Kid’s usual style, and it’s soon apparent that this album has a more metal edge that Comeback Kid’s previous releases, especially once you hear tracks such as ‘Expose’ and ‘The Blackstone’. Comeback Kid are still have all the ingredients for hardcore- fast, angry, short but something is missing from this album, or maybe a question of who’s missing. Scott Wade gave Comeback Kid a more personal feeling with his raw vocals, shouting ‘YOUR TALK IS CHEAP’ in a way that always invited every kid in the room to shout along. However, Neufield’s voice- while up to the task at live performances- seems anemic and weak compared. This however may be a product of recording: the album was made with the same record label and same producers as its predecessor but ‘Broadcasting..’ has a polished sheen over it that won’t come away even after you’ve ripped off the CD’s plastic packaging. The gang vocals all sound recorded in an arena rather than a small, sweaty moshpit and this sums up the album more or less: it may be musically more advanced than Wake The Dead, but it’s lost the raw & personal feel that made Comeback Kid’s music what it was. It’s a good album, but an average CK album. If you like
it, I suggest using it as an easier-on-the-ears lead-in to hardcore. But if
you’re a Comeback Kid fan, I’d say fingers crossed that they play a lot of
their old songs when on tour with fellow Canadians Alexisonfire these
upcoming months.
Willa C |
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No Seduction – “Experience More Powerful Orgasms”Look at the title of this album. Go on, look at it without cringing. You can’t can you. The face that you’re pulling right now is probably not dissimilar to the one that I pulled when this CD came through my letterbox and I first ripped open an envelope to find the debut offering from this Italian sex-obsessed group, whose press release describes their sound as “Garages moving in a huge penthouse. But no fake playmates in it, just real orgasms.” So expecting the worst, I put the CD on to play, only to find to my amazement that this album is, well… not that bad. In fact, with a vague punk theme and some ideas reminiscent of the Archie Bronson Outfit and Mclusky, this band really seem to have if not a great sound, then something better than most groups who have sex as their principal theme. That is until songs like Memoirs Of An Irresistible Masochist and Pull The “True Love” Lever get hold, with their terrible, terrible, terrible lyrics, at times nonsense and at other times enough to make you wish you were anywhere else than listening to this record. One track that sticks out is The Little Song Of Yes And No, which starts with the line “circumcision yes, infibulation no”, and goes on to mention all sorts of things including revolution, euthanasia and McDonalds, all of which are dealt with in one monosyllabic word. Words are important to me, I like bands who actually write about things and these lyrics are halfway between half-hearted and dreadful. Having said that, I do think that
there is a lot of good fun punk-pop (not pop-punk) on this album, and that
if you’re after a band that make simple music without pretension and do it
well, then No Seduction could be for you. I’d still like to hear them write
songs when they have something else on their mind, though. Patrick Dowson |
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Thom Yorke - The EraserThis is an expected album by Thom Yorke, the
frontman of Radiohead, in that it is generally in line with previous
Radiohead releases - it's a close cousin to the albums Amnesiac, Kid A, and
Hail To the Thief. The Eraser, however, is not a rocking opus like The Bends
(with its muscular, 'blaze of glory' guitars - my apologies for referencing
Bon Jovi) nor does it incorporate the full, sweeping, open sounds of piano
and guitars on OK Computer - i.e., this is not a rock album. |
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Margot & the Nucelar So & Sos - The Dust of RetreatLike a leggy-tendril plant searching for the sunlight, this album is slow grower, but eventually insinuates itself and takes a hold of
the listener's ears and emotional sensibilities. The oddly (or
pretentiously or sillily - or maybe literately, but I'm too lazy to
look it all up) named Margot & The Nuclear So & So's don't have the
overloaded exuberance of The Arcade Fire, the pop chops of The New
Pornographers, or the sweeping, orchestral elaborateness of Belle &
Sebastian, but they are a low-key close cousin to those bands (ie.,made up of give or take 8 members, artsy, multi-instrumentals, story-telling lyrics). Jen |
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The Real Tuesday Weld - I, LuciferI always thought The Real Tuesday Weld was a girl singer or
girl group, but it turns out it's the assumed name of one Stephen Coates, a
guy from London who has a knack for penning sly, complex lyrics, delivering
said lyrics in a hushed but arch way, and seamlessly fusing old-time (circa
1920s) instruments (soft clarinet, antique piano, upright bass, etc...), a
smoky lounge vibe, and modern electronica loops and beats. |
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Hauschka - ‘Room To Expand’ (130701)A new signing to the innovative Fat Cat imprint 130701, Hauschka is the alias of Düsseldorf pianist and composer Volker Bertelmann, a man who isn’t just content with playing the piano but rather interacting with it. Prepared piano music is no new phenomenon but that doesn’t make it any less engaging or effective. It involves getting inside the workings of the instrument and muting and effecting the strings and hammers playing ability in order to change the sounds it creates. The results are often breathtaking, bizarre and curious and all these things are certainly true of Hauschka. ‘Room To Expand’ follows on from his last release in 2005 ‘The Prepared Piano’ and expands on the themes and styles he had begun to push there but with further fleshing out this time with the occasional addition of extra instrumentation and layering. ‘Paddington’ is a song built on repetitive grooves and building layers, ‘Sweet Come Spring’ is rooted in the percussive qualities Hauschka teases out of his instrument of choice while closer ‘Old Man Playing Boules’ is a subtle and understated number that finishes proceedings beautifully. ‘Room To Expand’ is an album uninterested in notions of
perfection or virtuosity, it is instead a record built on experimentation
and passion. As with his previous releases Hauschka is treading his own path
and it is our duty to gladly follow the footprints he leaves. Luke Drozd |
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A Hawk And A Hacksaw - ‘The Way the Wind Blows’ (Leaf)‘The Way The Wind Blows’ heralds the return of Jeremy
Barnes and Heather Trost’s wonderful A Hawk And A Hacksaw project. Over the
space of their previous releases they have begun to craft a sound uniquely
their own, one that is a mix of folk styles from both sides of the Atlantic
and which takes in elements of chamber music, traditional eastern European
music and anything else it cares to absorb. This outing sees them flesh out
the proceedings further which includes a heavier leaning on vocal
accompanied tracks as well as getting some help from acclaimed friends such
as Beirut’s Zach Condon and Balkan brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia. The overall
tone and result of all this is of a band who no longer sound like they are
striving to find their sound but one that found it and promptly began to
deconstruct it. It is in short adventurous and vivid in tone and scope and
shows them to be a mass of talent and ideas. Luke Drozd |
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Thee More Shallows -‘Book of Bad Breaks’ (Anticon)I realised something whilst listening to ‘Book of Bad Breaks’. Ok so it wasnt anything massively profound and it wont change the face of the world or make me more loved but it was this, Thee More Shallows are one of the worlds finest bands. There I’ve said it, its out there, may god fuck those who disagree and I can say that as until recently I worked for the Church of England. For years now TMS have been building their sound, one that’s particularly unique and complex, a sound that is part orchestrated pop, complex rock and slow-core whimsy that elicited comparisons to Yo La Tengo (not that they ever really sounded like them but journalists are lazy and it’s the closest they/we could get). TMS’s last record ‘More Deep Cuts’ was met with a wave of reviews that sung its praises. It was ,in short, well liked. Now moving labels from their home on Monotreme to the bigger boys house at Anticon it seems like TMS are ready to go from being ‘well liked’ to making sure the rest of the world has the same realisation I did. ‘Book of Bad Breaks’ retains many elements from their previous efforts. The sense of wit and tongue-in-cheek remains in the lyrical passages and the attention to detail and complex arrangements remain intact and stronger than ever. However where previous offerings have been pared back and hushed for much of the record ‘Book of Bad Breaks’ becomes a record of complex beats, drones and an overall sense of paranoia and mania. Its sort of the musical equivalent to staying up for a couple of days and drinking nothing but caffeine based products and eating snickers. The overall result of this is an album that plays like the soundtrack to a movie made by Gondry and Lynch with Bowie helping with some arrangements but aiming for a pg certificate. Thee More Shallows are a band that, more than anyone
else on this god forsaken planet, deserve your time and undivided attention
, just listen to Night at the Knight School and tell me I’m wrong. This is
the record that should finally allow them to reach the larger audience they
deserve. Well I’m behind you boys, lets saddle up and take the fight to the
fuckers. Luke Drozd |
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Alone in 1982 - The Fiction Between UsAlone in 1982 arrive with debut album, The Fiction Between Us, an effort full of fuzzy lingering of sweeping, unsatisfying indifference. At the same time, the hazy instrumentals produce a precious sense of prolonged engagement that craftily encapsulates a simple beauty, it’s a shame that the beauty fades so quickly. Introductory track “Brimstone” embodies an intense transformation that ends in explosive climax. The duo insulates a creeping musical conflict that creeks with struggling confrontation and dissonance; it speaks a very subtle splendour and gradually grows to a tense flare-up. It’s a fine choice for an opening statement, as the faint tenderness it produces sharply, but satisfyingly fades, and I’m not sure that the achievement is ever accomplished twice. “French Disease” maintains a mind-numbing of absolute stillness to wind in some more mind-numbing circular, lyrical filler. The childlike awkwardness of “Richman” comes completely out of nowhere and the quaint rant is short lived, as if should be. The remainder of the work operates much in the same fashion, in a fatigued, foggy guitar echo, sounding exhausted, sounding out of breath. “That Throwing Muses Record”
maintains similar qualities of seemingly sleepy vocals and bored stiff
progressions that wind into dawdling rolls of repetition. “White Peach” and
closer “The Size of a Buick” winningly stream bits of light, which is quite
rare about this territory, which all in all, resemble old and dusty-
depressing Radiohead qualities. Like “Richman,” the unusual confidence of
“Made up my Mind” seems to come out of nowhere and as soon as it’s over,
Alone in 1982 switches right back to draining musical loiter. It’s just a
bit painful to sit through; the album sluggishly sways in a game of
inconsistent hit and miss. The minimalist guitar works and drowsy vocals
maintain only a short summit. The Fiction Between Us is a work of highs and
lows and it’s patterns get very old very fast. Alone in 1982 claim that
some of their inspiration befalls “boredom and grief.” Too bad it sounds
that way.
Rhyannon Rodriguez |
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30 Seconds to Mars - A Beautiful Lie (Virgin EMI)After listening to the single 'Attack' I was just left mildly bemused as to who would purchase such banal MTV friendly emo rock. After the first listening of the album 'A Beautiful Lie' I was left positively fuming. Time is a great healer and one week and a second listen later I don't feel quite as irate about it, but don't take that as a positive. In fairness, while not breaking any new ground, 'A Beautiful Lie' commences with a few innocuous enough tracks, often drawing on previous well worn sounds - the title track lifting a vocal melody from Depeche Mode's 'Sweetest Perfection', 'Was It A Dream' trying it's best to sound like The Cure (but actually sounding like a miserable dirge) and 'The Pattern' with its vocal affectations and sparse staggered drum patterns is vintage U2. Nothing wrong with drawing on a few decent influences and, as influences go, those three are pretty good ones. But what really gets my goat is how the whole album is so overly produced to ensure that it will appeal to the mass MTV/radio friendly market that it is completely devoid of any balls or emotion. The instrumentation is leaden at best anyway and to his credit, Jared Leto tries adding some much needed emotion with his vocals. But here again the record falls short - Leto has two modes - bawling his head off in an anthemic, smoke billowing over the edge of the stage in wind machine sort of way and an equally synthetic plaintive, croaky pseudo sensitive sort of way. There's not much in between and it's like flicking a switch between them. It's also hard to believe that a multi millionaire grossing actor/musician can really be in this much turmoil. I also remember hearing my first ever 'Hidden track' on a CD - at the end of Nirvana's 'Nevermind'. That's quite cool the first time but every time after that it's just damn annoying. Not only do 30 Seconds to Mars commit this offence but to compound matters they are hiding the best two tracks - a faster, guitar sawing piece and a sinister, throbbing electronic number, part Tool, part Portishead. Mind you, better keep those two away from the kids - they might have nightmares. The whole shebang smacks of a music industry (and indeed, a culture) more
interested in personalities and fame than with the art of making music. I'm
realistic to understand that it's a tough time for record companies and
major labels would rather invest their cash in 'a safe pair of hands'. Let's
face it, A-list celebs in US rock bands are pretty much as safe as you can
get. But could we not try and push the boundaries just a little and maybe
invest more in any one of a hundred bands who are doing stuff a million
times more interesting than this? Otherwise we're just getting into one big
vicious circle where MTV pulps the minds of its young viewers who clamour
after more musical stodge which the industry seems quite willing to keep
serving up. Rant over. SB |
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Ormondroyd - Hit & HopeI know what you’re thinking and you’re absolutely right. The Sheffield quintet was so inspired by the famous footballer that they decided to name themselves after him. Debut full-length album Hit & Hope arrives after two substantially acclaimed EPs, the first just happens to be John Peel-approved. Their completely consuming and capricious brand of shoe-gaze glows in carefully crafted pop songs. Now don’t let that scare you. If you think like me, the phrase “pop songs” should scare you because these days, if you’re dealing with indie outfits, “pop” usually restricts musical forms to skinny-jeans-wearing, flop-mop hair-doing skiffle kids or top-shop smarted-sporting flabby piano ballad cry babies—all in all, it ain’t pretty. Instead, Ormondroyd combines light-hearted, sweeping instrumental stasis with sensible lyrical themes. Cheap shots would include comparisons to excessively bland, but internationally successful acts like Keane or Snow Patrol, just for Ormondroyd’s sheer accessibility, but let me assure you, despite the polite openness of Hit & Hope, there is vast substance here. The band’s experience as source of soundtrack music makes complete sense, as the fine and clever changes encompass a cinematic quality of fragile beauty, as first track ‘Wenceslas’ perfectly demonstrates. The trouble with most
post-rock/atmospheric alternative bands is failing vocal directions, and
typically, the technique of a voice could potentially make or break a
poignant piece of music. More often than not, the vocals break it. The
fragile shape of ‘Wenceslas’ could drastically crash and burn, but it
doesn’t; the vocals (every member chimes in and there appears to be no ‘lead
singer’) meet the batting eyelash-like speed of whimsical, musical force and
flourish. Slewing slurs pine to fulfil voids of cosmic proportions full of
star-ridden skies and twinkling horizons, cautiously shaped by delicate
instrumentation. Much of Hit & Hope sustains this musical model and
strategic timing bids climactic eruptions of epic extents as the songs begin
to bleed into each other without creating numbing repetition. Each song
maintains it’s own in fine delicacy without sounding overtly vulnerable or
weak, embodying a soundscape worth experiencing.
Rhyannon Rodriguez |
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Le Singe Blanc - Strak! (Keben)French three-piece Le Singe Blanc hail from Metz in north west France. From what I remember of the place it is a curious crossroads of grim industrialisation and the nearby Vosges mountains. Le Singe Blanc bring all this upheaval and kineticism to their frantic brand of jazz-punk music. There can be no doubt that US band Primus have severely affected the sound of Le Singe Blanc. There is a a heavy dependence on the almost freeform bass riffs, scratchy guitar insertions and frivolous vocals. Second track 'Goudroun' is a classic example of that. But whereas Primus manage to make their tunes seem to bounce along on this rumbling bed of bass, Le Singe Blanc seem hell bent on destroying any emerging patterns with their ever-changing tempos. 'Ogar' is perhaps a notable exception to this, being slightly more conventionally rhythmical than the rest but again the guitar angulations make sure that we don't get drawn into a a cosy cul de sac of prog rock. I really liked 'Daubeschmaltoòo which is just
one minute of feedback fuelled guitar fury which had leanings towards
Primus' 'Tommy Was a Racecar Driver' but it's amazing how even the coarsest
changes of pace and discordant guitar-vocal axis can begin to sound a bit
the same after a while. I think I would love to see these guys play loud and
live sometime but to make this a real top quality recording I'd like to see
them just back off on the experimentation a bit and maybe mix it up with a
few tunes. SB |
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As Silence Falls – As Silence Falls (Sugar Shack)With their cited influences including Chimaira, Killswtich Engage and
Coheed & Cambria, I reluctantly grasp the new mini-album from UK band As
Silence Falls as I quell the alarm bells that warn me of what could once
again be the product of generic metalcore mixed with poppy pseudo-emo.
Unbiased and prepared, I dive in. JimmyP |
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Buck Brothers - Me (Back2forward)For a band so obviously bristling with talent, Buck Brothers seem to have gathered an enormous amount of bizarre trivia around them. For example did you know that the bass player's guitar once belonged to The Jam's Bruce Foxton (I wonder if he'll want it back now that they have reformed?), Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe is a huge fan, the drummer's cousin is Jarvis Cocker and for no good reason the band have decided to try and play 30 shows in a 12 hour period in London. I warned you it was bizarre. But opening track 'Run, Run, Run, Run, Run' sets the tone with a rapid-fire rumbling pop punk gem where Foxton's bass is put to full effect and the two and half minutes swirl past in what must be a near perfect pop record. There is no letting up with 'Gorgeously Stupid' and 'Which Me Do You Like' - The Buck Brothers seem to have a a real gift for penning uber-catchy tunes with just the right balance of punky and poppy overtones. There's a distinct Hives-style sound about the way the guitars are produced and the general unabridged ferocity of the drumming. Also some of the more frivolous tracks like 'Girls, Skirts, Boots,Bikes' bring to mind the likes of Presidents of the USA - a band not afraid to have a bit of fun while cranking out the tunes. It may be unfair that The Buck Brothers have written more great songs in
this one album than most bands will achieve in a lifetime. But if you've got
it then you might as well flaunt it. Highly impressive. SB |
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The Pierces - Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge (Lizard King)It's about time there was a bit of glamour added back into indie music and The Pierces deliver it in spades. Not to say that the sisters Allison and Catherine Pierce do not have their own earthy style, but this alluring gypsy come lounge bar delivery has a swagger that is rarely seen at the moment. It's the sound Sinatra would have made if he'd been brought up by wild dingoes. And I bet The Pierces were ball dresses and howl at the moon - classy yet kooky I reckon. All of their songs are broadly based around the silky vocal talents of
the sisters that weave a snug fitting shawl around the various bodies of
music encompassed. There's parpy brass and xylophone popping up in 'Turn on
Billie', large sweeping orchestral soundscapes in 'Three Wishes' and out and
out country guitar in a number of tracks. Some of the tracks meander a bit
fruitlessly and end up sounding like The Cardigans but more often than not
The Pierces deliver a fine line in taut song writing interlaced with clever,
touching lyrics. SB |
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Various Artist - Mashed (EMI)This is the first fully released album of all the different mash ups that have been kept underground for a number of years. They are presented to you by Go Home Productions (GHP) i.e. Mark Vidler. The majority of these songs could previously only be found on radio stations or on your local club night. To ease enjoyment they have all been placed onto a rather handy CD for you all to purchase, lovely! When presented with the ‘Mashed’ album, the first thing that popped into my head was “Hey this looks like fun” and in fact it is. It’s a fun album which mixes together different sounds and artists that you thought could never work together. The expertise of GHP enables songs of different eras and sounds to be perfectly mixed together to create something rather special. Although not all of the songs work and some leave you wondering whether that should have ever happened, there are a few hidden gems in the middle of the album. From glancing at the track listing it is easy to over-hype this album. However with some time the magic of it shines through. Towards the end there are the two big hits of the last year – ‘Doctor Pressure - Mylo Vs Miami Sound Machine’ (big summer hit of ’06) and ‘Proper Education - Eric Prydz Vs Pink Floyd’ which got to number 2 in the singles chart. Also hidden in-between the other album fillers there are ‘Horny As A Dandy - Dandy Warhols Vs Mousse T’ and ‘Hella Lola - No Doubt Vs The Shapeshifters’ two of the best tracks on the album. Overall ‘Mashed’ does exactly what is says on the album
cover. For its enjoyment I guess it depends what you are looking and expect.
But if you dive in with an open mind and a squinted eye it’s hard to be
disappointed. Siobhan Bentley |
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Dr. Norton - Your Plot . The Prison. My EscapeThere is something so
relentlessly catchy about Dr.Norton: A four piece Indie/Punk band from
Berlin with a sound that is hammered into your head and will undoubtedly get
your feet drumming the floor alongside said instrument. Sunny Winter |
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The Ponys – Turn The Lights Out (Matador)The Chicago quartet’s third long-player finds them with a new guitarist
(Brian Case, ex-90 Day Men) and a new producer at the helm (John Agnello,
whose credits include The Walkmen and The Hold Steady). Gone is the UK
post-punk feel of Celebration Castle, and in is a more orthodox mishmash of
alt.influences from the last thirty years. If you like your Sonic Youth or
your Jesus and Mary Chain you’ll likely find something to love here. Jered
Gummere’s drawly vocals often recall Thurston Moore, and the echoey, densely
produced guitars will please those currently loving the resurgence of
enthusiasm for shoegazing. Although deeply indebted to mid-period Sonic
Youth, there’s nothing remotely challenging here to worry about. Instead you
have effectively a gutsy but polished take on alternative rock.
Consequentially Turn The Lights Out ends up being intensely average a lot of
the time, occasionally exploding into something special - the killer riff on
Poser Psychotic, the broody swagger and scrapes of Harakiri - but equally
often throwing up a stinking turd – the worst culprit being the godawful
title track. The end result is a patchy record that makes you want to listen
to the records whose influence spewed The Ponys into existence rather than
revisit this one. That’s not to dismiss this record wholesale, but both the
opener Double Vision and closing track Pickpocket Song are symptomatic of
the shortcomings of this band; the opener sounds rather like a Dandy Warhols
offcut, whereas although the latter is a decent song but exactly the kind of
song that falls into the catchy but characterless camp. Enough to keep the
fans on board, but lacking the edge that won them in the first place. Craig Wood |
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Abigail Hopkins - Blue Satin AlleyIt's a funny old album this one. There's plenty of records that start off with all the blistering tunes then slowly fade away in a sea of mediocrity as the minutes pass. This bucks the trend in that the earlier tracks pale into insignificance in comparison to the later, more experimental ones. Opener 'Butterfly' is a warbley vocalled gothic rock plod-along which sees Hopkins sound far too much like Vashti Bunyan for my liking - it's just a vocal tone that I cannot stand. Coupled with the 'big' chorus (you can almost hear the click of the overdrive pedal going on and off at the start and the end) it made me fear the worst for the rest of the album. 'Sublime' and 'I'll Be Waiting for You at the Bus Stand' did little to lift the gloom but then things started to get a bit more interesting. 'In From the Sea' sees Hopkins deploy a far gentler yet ultimately more powerful vocal style, almost spoken word, which mirrors some of Charlotte Gainsbourg's work. This is set against the minimal instrumentation and works much better with it's kooky key changes and minor chords. 'Hailstones' is another curiosity. This is so much like some of the stiff off PJ Harvey's 'Uh huh huh' that I had to check it wasn't a cover. But good company for Hopkins to keep all the same. There's also a refreshing refusal to build songs up to big endings - instead they gently change through their duration, this one introducing the odd verse of woodwind to flesh out the eerie vocals. Instrumental 'Crow Wire' sounds very much like a film soundtrack but leads into the jazzy 'Harold's Bees', another track, another vocal approach - this time sounding like an unhinged asylum escapee. 'I Can Sigh' has the plucked string melody for a pompous Bond-theme style piece but remains restrained (aside from the slightly over elaborate crooning). 'Reminds Me of You' is another track lifted from PJ Harvey, but at an earlier career phase - maybe 'Dry' or 'Rid of Me' with its growly bass and ringing guitars. Strangely the signature track 'Blue Satin Alley' is little to write home
about but the album finishes strong with the melancholy 'Metamorph'. It's a
real curate's egg of a record - in parts pure genius, but in others
disappointing. Perhaps being a little more ruthless in the editing suite to
separate the wheat from the chaff would pay dividends as it seems a shame
that so much good work is undermined by a few misguided choices. SB |
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Bardo Pond – Ticket Crystals (ATP)Bardo Pond have been pedalling their distinctive shamanic stoner rock for
well over a decade now, and with this, their seventh studio album, they show
very few signs of any dip in form. You know what you’re going to get with
the Philadelphian sextet; heavy stoner jamming, hypnotic flautistry, spaced
out vocals, the drug-soaked dirge…and there’s few surprises here. But they
do seem to have pretty much mastered their craft. The opener, Destroying
Angel, sets the tone nicely, a gently strummed acoustic opening is subsumed
by a bludgeoning wall of malevolent rumble; Isobel Sollenberger’s haunting
wail combining add another dimension to a striking opener. Generally
speaking, the most effective tracks on Ticket Crystals tend to be the more
minimal affairs; flute, a looped acoustic riff and spacey guitars combining
with Sollenberger’s multi-tracked looped vocals to astounding effect
especially on Lost Word. Oddly this is followed by a straightish take on The
Beatles’ Cry Baby Cry, although that too is striking due to its rather flat
disaffected vocal and portentious climax. 18 minutes of saggy directionless
jamming unfortunately grind the lumbering momentum to a disappointing
nothing, only to give way to the brilliant Moonshine; starting with a
Charalambides-like spacious mantra which uses Sollenberger’s multi-tracked
and overdubbed vocals to great effect. This is not a rare trick for
psychedelic bands, but done so well here it mesmerises, enabling the
listener to ignore the empty whoa dude lyrics about spacetime and all that
jazz. In true BP style things build and get noisier and freakier before
calming down, then exploding all over again. Superb stuff. The rest is
lysergic stoner rock of a more generic hue. What can I say? It’s a damn good
Bardo Pond album with a few meandering directionless wrong turns but who’d
have them any other way?
Craig Wood |
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The Hellset Orchestra - Spectre at the Feast (Wicked Wicked Bird Records)Billed as 'the soundtrack to a silent theatrical discotheque', The
Hellset Orchestra's debut album leans on the ghosts of Beethoven and Freddie
Mercury to create an astonishingly multi-layered soundscape. Every one of
these ten tracks soars from quiet piano ballad to rolling drums and broad
orchestral arrangements and back again in the blink of an eye. Chris McCague |
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The Emergency - Doo-Lang Doo-Lang (self-released)The Emergency try very hard to catch you out. Beginning with a
deceptively simple sound (think The Super Furry Animals and the Kinks
blended to a smooth paste in a food mixer), their second album takes in a
few twists and turns along the way. Chris McCague |
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Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities (aka Mark Kozelek covering Modest Mouse)This is not Mark's latest release (that would be Little Drummer Boy) and
it's not the first time he's covered another artist's songs (like AC/DC
tunes and a triumphantly downbeat The Star Spangled Banner). Mark is known
for reconstituting his cover songs so that they don't sound like the
originals. For starters, he often strips the songs down, slows the pace, and
adds his languid, sweetly melancholy, captivating vocals to the mix. Tiny
Cities, a tune-for-tune cover of Modest Mouse's original album, is no
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Ebb - Loona (Gaymonkey Records)Loona is a beeps and clicks albums. It’s all about the ambient, experimental, press a few buttons here, twiddle a few dials there and you’ve got yourself a masterpiece. If you’re lucky. I want to like this kind of stuff. I really do. But somehow it always comes off feeling a bit impersonal and wishy washy. Is there anyone out there that can really connect with a beep or a click, aside from a dolphin? In its defence, Loona is completely inoffensive. The songs are delicate, well crafted and rather soothing. If you’re looking for anything deep and personal you’re unlikely to find it, apart from perhaps a slight warm and fuzzy feeling. Minau takes a rather interesting turn half way through, and the what can only be described as the strange scratchy squeaky noises, create a curious and slightly uneasy feel. On the whole though, Loona seems to lack substance and
really is just full of quirky noises. The vocals are weak, and the songs
seem uninspired with little variety. Perhaps it is just for dolphins. Catriona Boyle |
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Undergroove vs. Hangman’s Joke Recordings (label sampler)I’m presented here with a split compilation from two of the UK's best
underground record labels, Hangman's Joke and the mighty Undergroove. Adding
alternating tracks from both labels' rosters is a nice touch, and fits well
with the friendly “versus” theme of the CD. |
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Rainbow Chasers - Fortune Never Sleeps (Talking Elephant Records)Not being in anyway presumptuous, I think I’m pretty safe in saying very few of the Tasty demographic will have heard of Fairport Convention. Neither would I, if I didn’t have a dad who’s inclined to dabble in a bit of folk music now and again. And in the world of folk music, Fairport Convention are one of the heavyweights. They’ve seen more drama and line up changes than the Libertines. One of Fairport Conventiion’s former lead singers, Ashley Hutchings has got himself a new band together, who showcase a more mellow and accessible brand of folk. Using basic instrumentation- guitar, voila, and fiddle, Fortune Never Sleeps moves away from the “diddle dee” of most folk music and experiments with many different genres, such as the Spanish guitar at the start of A Far-Off Bay, and Poem, a spoken word track. Proving that music doesn’t need to be loud and manic to have an impact, this album shows what real musicians can do when they get together. Although it won’t be to everyone’s taste, you can’t fail to be moved by the haunting The Lost Bagpipe, and words sung softly mean a lot more than those shouted, as demonstrated in Think of me. Although in some songs it’s not a great quality, the violin and guitar melodies in Better Be Smart and Looking For A Change will ingrain themselves into your mind after only one listen, and after a second listen will undoubtedly induce a sing along. Ignore the dubious name, listen, and be surprised.
Catriona Boyle |
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Vayizaku - It BeginsOk, here we have a solo pop-punk artist, and one that seems eager to push
the solo-aspect. You have to wonder why though, maybe it's pride at having
played and recorded this all by yourself, or maybe it's a way of lowering
expectations, who knows? Either way I don't think it's particularly
relevant, while being commendable i don't think it should affect your
opinion of the music itself so with open ears lets have a listen. Jam |
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El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead (Definitive Jux)There is the main hip hop element, with the underlying beat of drum and bass, add a handful of grime and mix in pure emotion in the lyrics. This music is pure talent, without the usual arrogance of commercialised hip hop, there is no fake attitude in this music. A mixture of slower melodies and faster rhythms are what makes this album individual, it seems to have what music at the moment is lacking slightly. Realness. The track on this album that stands out is “up all night”, which, in a few words, sounds like someone giving a drum kit a good twatting, with a bass line and melody that fit in between perfectly. The lyrics, “I might have been born yesterday, sir, but I stayed up all night”, are real and heavy, with meaning. This song is literally close to perfection. The radio hip hop still stands clear in this album in
some of the songs, but the difference is that there is something unique
about this music, something that only occurs with raw talent and passion for
what the music stands for. Lydia Smith |
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The Mighty Roars - Swine and CockerelFor a punk band from London, this stuff really is good. The first song, “Sellotape” (as all the songs are appropriately named, rather than the usual crap) has a simple but effective melody that is emphasized by the furious drumming, finally being completed with the screeching vocals, making this track sound like three sexually aroused bulldogs in a sack. The songs that follow this vibrant start to the album
don’t disappoint either. The mix of punk indie rock is moved to different
levels with “Whale” and other such named tracks. This vibrant, eclectic mix
of musical talent proves what a bored hitch-hiker, an “escapologist” and a
truck-driver really can do, when provided with guitars and a drum kit. Lydia Smith |
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The Aliens – “Astronomy for Dogs” (Virgin)Gordon Anderson was famously an almost-member of The Beta Band, only to have to withdraw from the group in its infancy to spend the next ten years in and out of a psychiatric ward. Judging by this debut, he may also have spent a significant proportion of that time listening to The Beatles. Not that The Aliens don’t share their Scottish brethren’s affection for eclecticism - “Astronomy…” manages to pack in swirling ‘60s psychedelia (“Setting Sun”), ‘70s funk (“Robot Man”), and ‘80s piano balladry (“Honest Again”) into its 72 minutes – but the Fab Four are everywhere else. Check out the pure Merseybeat ancestry of “Tomorrow”, the way Gordon sounds just like a mournful Ringo on “She Don’t Love Me No More”, and the Harrison-inspired guitar solos all over the rollicking “The Happy Song”. Well, you can’t fault these
extraterrestrial pop-alchemists on their influences, but it may go some way
toward explaining why after only a week of listening I feel as though I’ve
heard everything this record has to offer. The other problem will be
familiar to anyone who has come away frustrated by Anderson’s Lone Pigeon
solo project; he’s more of a sketch-artist than a songwriter, and a
significant proportion of the tracks here are overlong explorations built on
threadbare foundations (a single verse and refrain if you’re lucky). Say
what you like about The Betas but at their best they maintained a distinct
sense of focus, a quality all too frequently lacking here, and they never
finished an album with a 16-minute studio fuck-about called “Caravan”
either. Will Columbine |
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Manatees – “Untitled”See, this is the thing about album
reviews…you’ve got to give the records the time and space to grow on you
(not easy when you’ve a stack of CDs on your desk waiting to be evaluated).
Motive Sounds first metal-inspired release is actually a whole lot more than
it first appears to be, the pummelling sludge guitars of opener “Xv:Xliv”
suddenly evaporating into more sparse passages before finally coming to a
burbling halt in a style akin to early Monster Magnet. “Viii:XVI”
(seriously…what’s with these titles?) is an entirely different beast
altogether, sounding like monks and tortured souls battling for vocal duties
over tribal drums. “Iv:Xxxix” (ok…stop it now!) has Godspeed YBE written all
over it…those bare, echoing chords, the ghostly taped voices in the
background…before “X:XXVIii” brings everything full circle with 8 minutes of
relentless riffage culminating in a blast of white noise. Not bad for a
bunch of sea-cows. Will Columbine |
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Haddonfield - Bar Brawls & Downfalls (Thousand Yard Stereo)One look at the artwork and the song titles, and I'm expecting some
gritty, no-holds-barred street punk rock. ‘Bar Brawls & Downfalls’ is
however a more rounded mixture of melodic punk rock laced with moody guitar
overtones and vocals to match. |
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The Stooges – “The Weirdness”Reunions are big business at the moment. The Police, Big Star, Mission of Burma, Dinosaur Jr…they’re all at it, which is great if you missed these bands the first time round. Personally, I blame the Pixies for showing how nostalgia = cash but at least they had the decency to stick to the classics and not attempt to put out new material. Lightning rarely strikes twice and, if “The Weirdness” is anything to go by, anyone who feels the urge deserves to be struck by lightning. So yeah, The Stooges…criminally ignored back in the day, put out three impeccable LPs that shaped punk rock as we know it before imploding in a mess of heroin, self-mutilation and peanut butter. Then, a few years back, Iggy ropes the Asheton brothers in to play on his last solo album. The results are deemed pleasing enough for someone to suggest that they reform and tour as The Stooges, culminating in a show at Hammersmith Apollo in late 2005 where they play their magnum opus “Fun House” from beginning to end. It is one of the best shows I can claim to have attended. So far, so good…so why ruin it? With Steve Albini at the helm, “The
Weirdness” certainly can’t be faulted production-wise. The drums are punchy,
the guitars are crunchy…but what does it matter when the whole project is
stillborn? Make no mistake, the reason The Stooges made such great music was
because no-one liked them and they didn’t give a fuck, whereas this just
comes across like three old men trying to recreate a bygone era. Cue lyrics
such as “My dick is turning into a tree” (“Trollin’”) and “My idea of fun/Is
killing everyone” (“My Idea of Fun”), only sung with all the menace of a
strangled cat. Indeed, hearing what the passing of time has done to Iggy’s
vocal chords is perhaps the saddest aspect of all. As Mark Kermode would
undoubtedly put it, everyone involved should be thoroughly ashamed of
themselves. Will Columbine |
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The Early Years - The Great Awakening (Beggar’s Banquet)I maintain that the best work this band ever offered was committed to
disc before the release of their debut, self-titled album. It’s maddening
that the colossal ‘I Heard Voices’ and ‘So Far Gone Part Two’ never made it
onto the running order of the album. Maddening even more so as ‘Say What I
Want To’, the opener to this EP is a real let down. Alex Clark |
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Hearts of Black Science - ‘Empty City Lights’The sinister suggestiveness of a title such as Hearts of Black Science says it all. Mystery, ambiguity, and conflict, the name of choice produces exactly what you think it would: shady musical sorcery with a pulse. Of Gothenburg, Sweden, Hearts of Black Science release single ‘Empty City Lights,’ an icy cast of cloudy pop. Vocalist/guitarist/bassist Daniel Änghede and synthesizer/beats programmer slickly assemble accounts of urban isolation and dark frailty, like the musical equivalent of the deepest, darkest coloured lace. Representative of everything that sets Scandinavian pop apart, silky melancholy exerts an industrial coldness without unnerving confrontation or threatening intimidation. While it preserves an austere sense of detachment and distance, it’s accessible without selling its soul to cheap musical citations. ‘Empty City Lights’ opens with the flight of a
winningly optimistic guitar melody as Änghede’s husky whisper maintains the
same sense of buoyancy and escape. While sustaining a sense of positive
energy, a definite bleak facet streaks its way poignantly and mournfully.
‘Revolvers’ echoes everything that made the 1980s golden age of electro-pop
and new-romantic movement moving, exuding insular and provocative music for
the nocturnal. The wintry guitar is murkier, the groove moves at a more
unhurried pace, establishing a musical range of satisfying measure. It’s
peaceful, but haunting; it’s content, but worrisome. It’s this particular
contradiction that makes Hearts of Black Science a most exciting prospect.
Rhyannon Rodriguez |
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The Mayors of Miyazaki – Kancho (unsigned)I'll be honest here from the start: I listened to this once when it
arrived on my doorstep, and didn't touch it again for a fortnight. But
everything gets a second chance in my book, and I'm glad I came back to
this. With an eccentric blend of quirky post hardcore and shouty math rock,
Londoners The Mayors of Miyazaki present their debut EP Kancho. At times
complex yet strangely maintaining its catchiness throughout, hints of The
Blood Brothers and Shellac are whispered in my ear, yet that ‘special
something’ seems to constantly elude their grasp. It may be merely personal
preference, but I think this band would benefit from a slightly harder edge,
not necessarily more distorted guitars or a more "metal" sound, but perhaps
knock it up a notch on the intensity front and tone down the moments of
random jazz. |
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The Keys - ‘Outside/In the Wild/For a While’Montreal’s Boris Paillard is The Keys, a one-man fanciful- folk band. Recent release ‘Outside /In the Wild/For a While’ emerges as the musical account of some grey May days in Toulouse, France. Despite the cloudy circumstances, ‘Outside/In the Wild/For a While’ scampers with rays of upbeat optimism and D.I.Y. appeal. Introductory track ‘The Sea is a Song’ streams a trace of misty waves and the sparkling air about it. A bluesy, but bubbly island acoustic guitar riff fades in, fades out, and is rapidly captured by Paillard’s curious timbre. Paillard’s sing-speak form of storytelling is that of an acquired taste, as it fiercely contrasts with the somewhat tranquil instrumental direction. The result is a modern approach to minimalist chord progressions reminiscent of cultural folk tunes with this additional contemporary-infused character. Defined by familiar lyrical directions of heartache, friendship, and self reflection, but approached with an unfamiliar delivery. It is like an Avant-garde- French-Canadian version of down-south-Appalachian chants, fully equipped with snaps, claps, and whistles. ‘She’s Not the One’ takes off with haste and moves with wavering energy. The additional support of background vocals produces a communal, collective sense of merriment while Paillard takes a turn at the harmonica. ‘My Friend Jed’ treks through itself almost entirely by whistling while ‘Pills for Thrills’ looms the darker terrain of an obsessive, desolate guitar solo. The solo is muddy and soulful, a hefty disparity from the cooperative sing-song unkemptness of the previous tunes. ‘The Noise of Your Fingers’ exudes a reflective, whimsical sentimentality, a sign that the album is winding down, as failing to recover from the bluesy, ‘Pills for Thrills.’ The Keys simply represent a form nearly non-existent
these days. The dying craft of modern risks combined with familiar, folk
traditions is often difficult to face in its seemingly musical malformation.
Boris Paillard’s peculiar voice is worth the experience if you’re willing to
take the risk. Rhyannon Rodriguez |
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Phil Honey-Jones - Naked And NaiveI don't normally recommend overly-relying falsetto singing, but in this
case, when Phil Honey-Jones does go for the high stuff it tends to bring a
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Cajun Dance Party - ‘The Next Untouchable’Possibly one of the most misleading band names I‘ve ever encountered, I was slightly disappointed to hear an average-to-good indie band instead of a full-on festival in my earphones. Londoners Cajun Dance Party are reminiscent of Young Knives without the
witty lyrics or Mystery Jets without the satisfying harmonies. However,
these comparisons are testament to the fact that CDP fit the current
zeitgeist for creative, heartfelt indie with rhythmic pop sensibilities.
They certainly tick the right boxes on this, their debut single. The lead
singer, Daniel Blumberg has an earnest voice, befitting of his teenage
years, particularly well suited to the energetic, catchy thrust of ‘The Next
Untouchable’. The B side is a little lacklustre by comparison, and less
interesting lyrically, although it does show more versatility to Blumberg’s
voice and a willingness to try something a little different; a promising
sign on a debut single. Tessa Hall |
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Cut - A Different Beat (Homesleep Records)Imagine yourself strolling through lengthy uniform rows of olive trees twisting and mothering their crisp fruit beneath the baking Sicilian sun. Or try placing yourself in the pooling shade of a town’s grey-stone belfry at twilight. Sure, the ephemeral beauty of nature dictates that its inhabitants will always be changing, but it’s beguiling to know that the piazza itself probably hasn’t changed at all in 350 years. If like me, you’re conjuring these images, you’ll be harbouring some comforting thoughts on the more genteel side of Italian life. And now to send that dreamy vision of yours crashing to the ground in a ball of flame – Cut are the absolute antithesis of that idyllic dream. Their brand of punk and driving rock, with its subtle blues nuances is a wall to wall autowreck of smashing guitars and desperate vocals. Every song is a riotous adrenaline-sodden rocker in which Cut leave not one second unfulfilled or unexplored. They’re grungy, dirty, downright sleazy and generally nothing that I would normally associate with Italian produce. Poor ol’ naive me... They invite their label-mates, Julie’s Haircut, to run
amok in their self-styled playground of mayhem on the track ‘Nightride’ and
it’s an invitation they greedily accept. The throbbing, red hot jazz
embellished rock that they inject into the song gives the album an extremely
luxurious climax. This is rock music to be savoured. Alex Clark |
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Kristin Hersh - 'Learn to Sing Like a Star'The knowing irony of Kristin Hersh’s album title is that her appeal rests largely on the fact that she sings nothing like a star; frankly, she sings more like a cat, albeit in the best possible way. Her distinctive gravelly yet sugary voice, sometimes purring, sometimes growling, is immediately recognisable, setting her apart from any of the so called stars of mainstream pop and rock charts. This, matched with her knack for wise, witty lyrics - see for example ‘you’re a sight, you look like someone dressed as you’ on ‘Sugar Baby’ - has made her a force to be reckoned with for over a decade, originally with Throwing Muses, but now long established as a solo artist. Her latest collection offers more of the same: brooding, intelligent,
rock music, powered by the unique qualities of that voice. The problem with
a distinctive voice is that often it automatically becomes the most
memorable thing about the music, which after several albums can give the
listener a sense of deja vu. This is not helped by the fact that there is
little variation in tone or pace of songs here, their sweet yet sinister
melodies driven by acoustic guitars, percussion and strings. However, subtle
variations of the formula and the sheer versatility of Hersh’s voice redeem
this album, and on some tracks, prove that Hersh is capable of doing far
more than retreading familiar territory. For example, while the throbbing
chorus and title of ‘Under the Gun’, offer an echo of ‘Bright Yellow Gun’
from Throwing Muses’ ‘95 ‘University’ album, its melancholy atmosphere and
the mythical undertones of the lyrics- ‘a lover on a night with no moon’ -
set it apart. Highlights include ‘Winter’, with its rousing chorus and
backing of ominous bells and pulsing drums. Also memorable is ‘Vertigo’, in
which the simplest acoustic guitar refrain provides a breathing space
between bars of dense strings. The song also demonstrates how Hersh’s real
power is the ability to make a line such as ‘isn’t this wonderful?’ into the
most mournful utterance of the entire album. Similarly, a title like ‘Sugar
Baby’ wouldn’t be out of place on the album of a wholesome American ‘star’
like Jessica Simpson, which is precisely why its so satisfying to hear it
coming from Hersh, snarling. Tessa Hall |
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The Heise Bros. - The Continuing Saga of...(Choose to Lose)'The Continuing Saga of The Heise Brothers' opens with the wonderfully off kilter 'Seven Long Years' - a mammoth key driven rock and roll number reminiscent of the Charlatans or even the Stones. Unexpected key changes and a plethora of musicians add a neat zest. At their most languid, Nelson's vocals have a touch of Lou Reed about them, at their most terse - the Jaggers surface. There's an ongoing joie de vivre about the record - a joy in simply
writing and recording that is lost in a lot of album recordings. 'The
Continuing Saga..' is an unremittingly polite record in terms of not trying
to introduce too many new themes with each song but still just adding a
cheeky glimpse of creativity, perhaps prophesised by 'Staying the Same'.
This could lead to sameyness but I think the song writing just about stands
up against this accusation. It may not rock your socks off but it is
thoroughly agreeable. SB |
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Bella Union Sampler - ‘Beneath the Surface’This is sampler uncovers some of the gems on the Bella Union label,
revealing the rudely healthy state the indie label is in this year. Although
the artists included are eclectic and often unusual, they are united by
their creativity, craftsmanship, and a shared atmosphere of melancholic
beauty, which permeates all of the songs. The result is an album that flows
effortlessly between vocal and instrumental, experimental and old-fashioned,
epic and low-key. Among the bigger names are the brooding Howling Bells and
honey-voiced Fionn Regan, both of whose offerings here go some way to
explaining why they enjoyed such a successful 2006, alongside the much
talked about Midlake, whose track Bandits is gorgeous: rousing yet
understated, and one of the standouts on the sampler. Another is Robert
Gomez’s Closer Still, a deliciously moody number that pulses with tension.
His later collaboration with new signing Stephanie Dosen is less
exhilarating, although her distinctive, delicate voice, showcased on two
tracks on the sampler, marks her as one to watch for this year. The most
unique track on the album is Under Byen’s ‘den her sang handler om at fa det
bedste ud af det’ (try requesting that at your local indie club night),
which begins with a thumping bass drum and spidery string-plucking and soon
builds into a multilayered audio feast in which percussion that sounds
suspiciously like spoons sits comfortably alongside orchestral strings and
electric guitar, all glued together by the insistent whispering vocal.
Bewitching, and strangely addictive; much like many of the tracks here. Well
worth your money if you’ve ever enjoyed a Bella Union artist before and want
to know if there’s more where that came from. Tessa Hall |
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das Oath – ‘das Oath’ (Three One G)das Oath offer hardcore at its
absolute finest. This is fast, aggressive, petulant stuff but with enough of
a groove to enable the angry young listener to flail around in a suitably
spasmodic fashion. The track ‘The Terror, the Delight and the Unendurable
Pointlessness of Trying’ particularly stands out. One single repetitive riff
throughout, howling feedback, pounding drums and the vocalist Mark McCoy’s
shrill vocals sounding very angry indeed. Perhaps mislaid car keys or a
particularly bad stubbed toe could be the source of his rage. Anyway the
remainder of the album is of a similar ilk, a work of great variety or
originality this isn’t. But for that to be a critique would miss the point.
I listened to this on the bus on the way to work this morning and it made me
want to wildly punch the air and start shoving fellow commuters in the hope
of initiating some sort of ‘pit’. That cannot be a bad thing. Michael Pearson |
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