ALBUMs
- Album Reviews
Guided by Voices are back (I think) with the original line up of Kevin Fennell, Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Greg Demos and Mitch Mitchell. I am presuming the band are back, they were in line to headline the ATP I’ll Be Your Mirror’ Event at Alexandra Palace in May but then, pulled out because they had broken up, now, we have a new record!
It’s the first album of new material from this lineup of the band for fifteen years and first impressions are very favourable, indeed it struck me as very much like early days REM. The songs are fresh, alive and interesting.
During their own early days GBV were at the point of many bands today, financing their music by way of their day jobs, self-releasing five albums between 1987 and 1992; Their fifth album ‘Propeller’, found them a record label and 1994's Bee Thousand was their, lo-fi breakthrough.
The band’s career is well documented and they have always had a hardcore of support so, the on-off nature of the band is well expected, the new material though was a welcome surprise.
From the psychedelic start of Laundry & Lasers with trademark sonic guitar, via lovely Strings on the Peter Gabriel like 'Hang Mr Kite' to the Big Star ish 'The Unsinkable Fat's Domino' the album is pure Guided For Voices. I guess the nearest touchstone today to GBV, if you don't know the band is, The Flaming Lips. So let's get out there and buy this record, it will certainly brighten up your January day!
We have to hope this is the start of a new lease for life for the band and that live dates will eventually follow.
9/11
Pete
1. Laundry and Lasers
2. The Head
3. Doughnut For A Snowman
4. Spiderfighter
5. Hang Mr. Kite
6. God Loves Us
7. The Unsinkable Fats
8. Domino
9. The Big Hat and Toy Show
10. Imperial Racehorsing
11. How I Met My Mother
12. Waves
13. My Europa
14. Chocolate Boy
15. The Things That Never Need
16. Either Nelson
17. Cyclone Utilities (Remember Your Birthday)
18. Old Bones
19. Go Rolling Home
20. The Room Taking Shape
21. We Won't Apologize For The Human Race
- Album Reviews
The Vietnam War hail from New Zealand. They were voted for in our Top Ten of 2011 for their self titled debut. The album is lovely. Reminiscent of Son Volt, Wilco et al and with massive staying power and varied styles. Re-playing is an essential joy!
Pete
9/11
High Window
Heavy On My Mind
Love Is Nothing
Children
So Long
Beat My Time
Murder Song
Saw A Light
Two For One
Monster Song
Wish The Same
Same Thought
- Album Reviews
I could not put my finger on the vocal style, which soun
Each song is sweet and introspective; ‘Andrew and Emma’, ‘Marianna’s Peace’ and ‘Blackness from Blue’ are exquisite. Acoustic, pedal steel and bass guitars interweave with violins and vocals. A buried treasure uncovered. This is a gorgeously fragile record that weaves itself into your consciousness
Information on the project and band is very sparse, one quote say’s “Inspired by the rural surroundings in which he now lives, Vessel found the time and solitu
The band features members of American Music Club and Ani Difranco's band. The album is released on the Caldo Ver
Enjoy!
9/11
Pete
1. Andrew & Emma
2. Anyway, Sweetness
3. Forever The Moon
4. Marianna's Peace
5. Annie
6. Blackness From Blue
7. Beautiful Summer
8. Ukulele Song
9. A Flower My Love Grows
10. Inci
- Album Reviews
The latest, and best, release from Audio Antihero this year is the brilliant debut album from singer-songwriter Benjamin Shaw The title track lasts for less than a minute of scratchy, acoustic piano and vocals, before giving way to possible the best track on the album, 'How To Tell The Depth Of A Well'. Great lyrics and a melancholy melody make this a brilliant track that deserves to be heard and loved by all - my favorite lines are probably "You shouldn't blame it on the Tories even though they're vile, and you shouldn’t fill their lungs with water just to make my smile", although "I shouldn't fill you up with babies, we wouldn't know what to do, and you shouldn't tell your man he's useless even if it's true" comes a close second.
'Interview' is next, a sad tale of our need to work for The Man to earn a crust, even though we'd rather be doing something else. This is followed by Somewhere Over the M6, a slow, sad tale of love turned sour (there's a lot of sadness on this record). Next up, is the instrumental (but still sad) 'An Exciting Opportunity' and this is closely followed by 'Hey, Where's My Deputy?' which to me portrays the tedium of a dumb day, where literally anything happening would be an improvement.
- Album Reviews
A psychedelic explosion to the senses courtesy of Andy R. (né Andy Rauworth) and drummer Craig Nice (né Craig Fleischman) otherwise know as Gauntlet Hair from
The Mars Volta, Yeasayer, and general Garage Rock noize spring to mind immediately the album kicks in with ’Keep Time’. Two singles were released before the album ("I Was Thinking..." b/w "Our Scenery") and ("Out, Don't..." b/w "Heave") neither of which make it to the album but came highly recommen
The
Songs
Keep Time
Top Bunk
Mop It Up
My Christ
Lights Out
Showing
Overkill
That's Your Call
Shout In Tongues
- Album Reviews
One of the best albums of 2011 comes from a sextet from
Following on from some lovely EPs, which came out earlier in the year with handma
This is one of those very rare albums that lifts the hairs on the back of your neck, and from the first listen sounds just perfect. The Last Town Chorus had a similar effect back in 2006, with the ’Wire Waltz’ album.
Hazel Wil
‘Lungs Quicken’ opens the album with an ambient feel before Hazel’s sublime vocals take effect. Adam takes lead vocals on ‘If I've Been Unkind’. After these ten minutes have passed free free to fall in love with this record on ‘Keep on Trying’.
Don’t think the whole album is celestial either. ‘A Kingdom’ is an up tempo song even though it is inspired by a book of letters sent home by WW2 soldiers. The album actually contains eleven won
By rights, with this album and the constant touring the band seem to be un
- Album Reviews
It is not often you find someone so adapt in the movie world that they can switch and make such good music outsi
The record’s focal points are Johnny’s gravelled vocals and scorching guitar solos. The said guitarist is Kevin Armstrong who, is a true Master of his tra
With such heavyweight backing the songs struggle to remain sparse, which may have suited some of the arrangements more, however, take it as it comes and you have a winner on your hands, The record was written and recor
As a
7/11
Pete
2. The Emperor's Old Clothes
3. Atmosphere
4. A Roll Call
5. Anthem (For Wasted Youth)
6. First Blood to the Young One
7.
8. Wrong Man (In the
9. Vincent
10. The Virus
11. Wrecking Ball
- Album Reviews
SuperHeavy; A new group with a guy who knows his reggae, a lady with a fabulous voice and vocal range and a man who should really be fronting a rock n’ roll band with, his raw intensity, as he spits out the lyrics. Actually not so new, after all, the Super group that is SuperHeavy is Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, A. R. Rahman, Dave Stewart and Damian Marley but for a moment, disregard the heavyweight members and give the music a listen.
A record packed to the brim with music, nothing wasted or lacking in the production, musicianship or presentation. There is a budget here but, with that budget comes pressure. These guys could has just as easily tripped themselves up and produced a lemon, but this record has all come together.
- Album Reviews
For her third album of intricate pop songs, Annie Clark recruited John Congleton as producer, Beck keyboardist Brian LeBarton, and Midlake drummer Smith to record in her hometown of
The record is quite spellbinding and never drops its interest for the listener throughout its entire length. With numerous twists and turns both lyrically and musically, the album has a freshness with every play. It is an album that will leave people out there who download just a few random tracks in a quandary because the style changes so much throughout the album. If you are one of those guys, sorry but you will need to download the whole record!
- Album Reviews
This is not an album you leap to put on when the sun is out and you feeling up, without a care in the world but this is actually, an album you may well readily put on first thing in the morning (i
Ex-Sparklehorse musician Adam Wiltzie, and composer Dustin O'Halloran are A Winged Victory For The Sullen. They have produced a solemn even reverential recording of beautiful music, piano, strings, an ambience woven into a spi
- Album Reviews
A delightful five song taster of a lot more to come hopefully from Diagrams and Sam Gendes, an ex stalwart of hip folk collective Tunng.
The songs are very varied on the ep from the opening of ‘Night All Night’ with an acoustic base and honey rich vocals, a lovely song , to the second song which adds brass and strings and just about a much fun as you can have with a song, that’s the free flowing ‘Antelope’ .
Hill brings in some electronics and yet another change of pace. ‘Woking’ again a nice song this time, with a big ‘Elbow’ feel. Final song Icebreakers is just plain beautiful in a folk groove, with added thunder.
So in conclusion a superb ep that certainly leaves us eager for more.
Diagrams play the End of The Road Festival this weekend and the physical EP still seems to be on Amazon, so get it while you still can.
Pete
9/11
- Album Reviews
From the opening cords and blast of horns we are comfortable, warm, cosy and happy in familiar territory. ‘A Candle's Fire’ the opening song is pure and simply, sublime.
