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Francoise Hardy-styled French pop. Brilliant. (DW)
Ash live in some Sydney studio. It's particularly worth it to hear Leif , the green-haired roadie take the mic for the very humorous tenth track "A Clear Invitation to Dance". Otherwise, this is just something for Ash fans to eat up. (DW)
As much as I like Blur, their last album "The Great Escape" really tested my patience. You can only take so much snotty condescension toward 'ordinary' British life before you want to throw things at the stereo. Basically, they just needed to relax.
With "Blur", they sound like they have. Whether this is a calculated attempt to win over Americans, ditch Britpop completely or they just let Graham the American noise fan run wild, this album's noisy, occasionally sloppy and fun. It's also unforced and up front: here's us, here's our album, make of it what you will. String and brass sections have almost been completely been replaced by feedback and wall-o-guitars.
On first listen, the folks that made Blur wildly successful probably won't like this - it doesn't sound like them. However, because of the lack of pretense, this may actually sound more like them them they have before. Blur reinvented themselves on albums two and three where their 'Britishness' first surfaced; this year's reinvention may not make them as much money in their homeland, but it's a lot more fun to listen to. I just don't want to hear what they'll sound like in two albums. (AE)
Sure Stereolab's the easy reference point here, but Broadcast take their sound into a whole different realm. This nine-track compilation of the band's early singles, is a spaced-out carnival ride with wacky sci-fi laced orchestration. It's undoubtedly one of the most interesting records you'll hear all year. (DW)
When Bratmobile went bust, Molly Neuman went off to form the fab PeeChees in Berkley, while Allison Wolfe and Erin Smith stayed in the nation's capital and founded Cold Cold Hearts. And unsurprisingly, this new outfit continues in the same vein as Bratmobile - which is pretty okay with me. When I'm in the mood for it that is. But they've matured musically and aren't as angry and angsty as they used to be. And with their sharp biting witicisms and humorous takes on sucky societal conditions, Cold Cold Hearts is a good pick, even for all those anti-Riot Grrrlers out there. (DW)
I was digging Cornershop when they were doing their anti-racism, Asian-rights punk rock bit alongside Huggy Bear and Voodoo Queens in that ridiculously tagged Riot Grrrl movement back in 93. Well it's four years later and, like the rest of us, Cornershop have moved on. Musically the band have broadened their musical scope (the sitars are out in full effect on this one...) and have recorded one of the finest records to be released this year. But I knew they had it in them since single #1. (DW)
Psychadelic Brit-influenced pop that is so unbelievably catchy, you'll find yourself singing bits to yourself intermittently throughout the day. This is The Dandy's sophomore effort and a slump is is most definitely not. Courtney's poised to be a superstar and the band's going to be incredibly massive thanks to this one. We've witnessed only the beginning. (DW)
No doubt about it, the electronic bands that incorporate bits from other genres into their shtick are so much more appealing than your straight by the book, classic computer-driven outfits (some withstanding of course). On their debut lp, Death In Vegas incorporate 70s soul ("All That Glitters"), reggae ("Opium Shuffle"), and Indian classical ("I Spy") all before getting into the traditional techno vein ("Dirt"). And they get a bit spacey too. Well perhaps the reason why Death In Vegas do it so well is because they have so much going on to keep it entertaining... (DW)
For Delta 72, the blues are far more than a musical influence. They're an attitude, a style, a philosophy. And Delta 72 envelop all the innerworkings of this nouveau soul - a musical formula that Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The Make Up have also taken under their wing. But rather than deriving their ways from a 70 year old Delta blues master or capturing the essence of James Brown - the gospel years, this four-piece work with a far grittier, garage-styled approach. Look at it this way, MC5's John Sinclair wrote the liner notes for the band's phenomenal second full-length. "Let's put a soul into this new machine and enjoy the membership of R & B," he writes. "That's the promise of The Delta 72, and they deliver it on here."
Couldn't have said it better myself. (DW)
After a long absence that included a disastrous Ian-less Bunnymen album and two equally questionable Bunnymen-less Ian albums, the surviving members are back together.
It should be a given that this album's not going to sound remotely as good as their classic material (you can safely assume this if you listened to one of their old albums before putting this on as I'll admit I did). However, this happily doesn't sound like a retread of past glories nor does it sound like a bunch of old farts. OK, so it's no match to an album like "Ocean Rain", but that's legendary. Because of its perfect mix of old Bunnymen and a hint of forward progress in maturity, it can safely be considered a lot more than Not As Bad As It Could Have Been. Is it a classic? Time will tell, but I give it a very glowing Much Better Than I Expected. (AE)
Electroscope centers around Gayle Harrison (Adventures In Stereo) and John Cavanagh and their wanky psych minimalist art-rock. Even though I can't seem to take experimental too seriously (although this record wouldn't be classified as experimental), I find that this album is an interesting one to say the least. And somehow, they manage to follow some musical conventions&emdash;that is until the clarinet pipes in with its erratic atonal movements.
I've just thought of another few reasons to buy this record besides the fact that it will intrigue you. One, it's out on Wurlitzer Jukebox, that fine label that has previously released records by Broadcast, Mogwai, Apples In Stereo, Amp, to name but a few... And two, the vinyl comes with a carrier bag and a kite. That's worth your investment alone.
You know, I played clarinet for ten years and I always wanted to record an album like this. I just never thought anyone would be up for collaborating with me. Too bad I'm not from Glasgow&emdash;I could have made something happen. (DW)
Simply Free Kitten are the only supergroup you should be concerned with. Kim, Julie, Yoshimi, and Mark teach all those shambly DIY punkers out there how to do it right. Oh, just go buy it already. (DW)
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