 Manchester"s darker legacy has been all but forgotten in the now sprawling,
booming and thoroughly modern city. Continental coffee outlets now outweigh
greasy spoon cafes and every once derelict building has now been redeveloped
into ludicrously expensive flats or offices. It still pisses it down half the
time, but the city now seems so cocksure, so full of itself. Now come something
a little out of place with the modern Manchester. Elbow carry on where Bark
Psychosis and Talk Talk left off. Moody melodies, dark moods and gentle rhythms.
Yet it"s not as uncommercial as it sounds. While they sound nothing like Radiohead
(Guy Garvey"s voice is very different to Thom"s and there"s a more Walker Brothers
kind of feel), you get the feeling that they may share a similar audience. Their songs manage to bury themselves into your mind, especially tracks like
the recent single "Powder Blue" and the aware-inspiring genius of "Red" and "New-born".
Refreshingly free from the blandness that has plagued modern Indie, this is
the way to go. Whe ther your an indie kid, a Nick Drake lover or just a bit
of gloom merchant, there should be room in your life for Elbow.
 ELBOW - "LEADERS OF the FREE WORLD" (V2)
 It's quite curious that such a subtle, intelligent and complex band like Elbow are a viable concern and still charting even with album number 3. I guess that's because there's 2 sides to Elbow. For all their diverse influences and experimental leanings, they still remain faithful to the crafting of songs. They make songs that you can sing a long to, yet songs that also really mean something. Guy may be one of the funniest frontmen around, capable of splitting sides with his in-between song banter, but he's also capable of writing moving songs that are poetic yet still connect with us on a basic emotional level. They're also so casually Northern. It's hard to imagine any other band coming back with a single that begins with the lyric "They're pacing Piccadilly in packs again / And moaning for the mercy of a never come rain / the suns had enough and the simmering sky / Has the heave and the hue of a woman on fire". The best thing is he says all this in the framework of a song that the radio loves and the chart accepted into its fishy bosom.
Another clever trick that this album pulls is dealing with subject of a relationship break-up without descending into self-pity or gloom. It's not the sound of a man wallowing in misery, but that of a man picking himself up, dusting himself off and vowing to continue with life. As Guy once made Glastonbury sing: "We still believe in love so **** you". "Leaders Of the Free World" is another damn fine Elbow album, a rewarding listen and another great example of how healthy music is right now.
A timely Autumn release. Elevator Suite"s debut is a blissfully
sunny little record that brings the summer back to you. Close
your eyes and listen to "Man
In A Towel" and you can almost feel the sun on your face. It"s a bloody outrage
that they didn"t play most of the festivals, as they would sound great in
the hot afternoon. Still, on the strength of this, I reckon they will be
in demand next year. Although, two thirds of the band are from a dance background,
it"s
the mellow side of dance music that shines through here. Pop is also an important
part of the Elevator Suite formula, as anyone who heard catchy single "Backaround" can
testify. However, the highlight of the album is the soulful, heart-breaking
yet catchy and energetic "Airhead". A tragic tale of hedonism gone sour.
A cool & catchy collection of tunes.
 Getting dropped by your record label would deal a deadly blow to most bands' morale and an even more devastating one to the public and media's interest. Not so for Embrace, rising like a phoenix from the flames, to hit back harder with a stunning fourth album. They're obviously not in the mood for taking any prisoners, opening the album with the glorious sunshine of "Ashes". The line "No watch me rise up and leave all the ashes you made out of me/said that we were wrong, life goes on just look at how long I've agreed". It's a bold statement and one that "Out Of Nothing" stays true to. They follow that with the Coldplay-penned song "Gravity", where Martin & co pay back the musical debt they owe to the band. Then we're back to Embrace's own songs and the wistful, almost alt-country gospel soul sound of "Someday" with it's huge, epic, sing along chorus and themes of redemption. Embrace were always ambitious and that drive has definitely has not been quenched yet. This album is the sound of a band reaching as high as they can and getting there. It's also very clear that Richard McNamara has grown immensely as a guitarist and is now capable of reaching some very dizzying heights. "Out Of Nothing" is easily Embrace's most accomplished album yet and a startling re-introduction to a band who should need no introduction.
BRIAN ENO - "MUSIC FOR FILMS III" (All Saints)
 An interesting re-release here. This album has been unavailable since 2001 and now appears with 2 new tracks from brothers Brian and Roger Eno. Also, it has been re-sequenced by that most elusive Mancunian act Marconi Union. This compilation brings together the likes of Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, Harold Budd and Daniel Lanois for an intriguing collection of atmospheric soundtrack work. Recorded in as disparate locations as Rome's botanical gardens and a disused abattoir, this album pushes on the boundaries of both sound and soundtracking.
 Eminem"s debut album was an unusual mix of sick humour with
reality tales of poverty and misery. So now he"s rich, what
do you get? An unusual mix of sick humour with reality tales
of how fame f***s you up and misery. There are two debates
going on about Eminem. One is the rather pointless one about
whe ther he should be allowed to say what he wants on his
records or not. Most of Eminem"s
moral detractors know little beyond what the Daily Mail has told them. The
more relevant argument is whe ther he is a good rapper or if his voice is
annoying. It is a matter of taste. There can be no doubting
that the man is a skilled and versatile MC, who is capable
of innovation AND success, two quantities that do not see
much of each other in modern hip-hop. This album is every
bit as good as the last one, and if you have enjoyed the
singles, then there is no doubt you will enjoy this album. There are guests appearances from Snoop Dog and Dr Dre but
the real stand-out is "Stan", which features Dido, who has
sung on both Faithless albums. A haunting ballad about the tormented mind
of an obsessed fan, it leaves you in no doubt that Eminem
may have a sick mind, but his heart is in the right place.
Obviously, stay away if you are offended by swearing, don"t
play it to your granny or your kids but do enjoy.
 A lot has been written about Eminem recently and most of
it seems to have focused on two things. The press seem very
keen to mention that this rapper is white. The Vanilla Ice
comparisons end there because some of this album is produced
by Dr.Dre and the rest still shines. There is none of the ridiculous posing,
bragging and piss-weak music that Vanilla Ice gave us so the comparisons
end there. The other thing that keeps getting mentioned is the "offensive" content
of this album. Well, it"s not an album that you would listen to with your
Granny but all the sickest stuff is done purely in jest. It is not serious
and should not be construed as such. If you are likely to be offended do
not listen to it. If you want some wicked black humour coupled with prime
commercial hip-hop then this is essential
 It starts with a gentle electronic throb and then in roars some loud guitars from Deep Purple as a majestic fanfare and then the pounding, dirty, electro grooves roar into life with a mass of bass behind them. It's an audacious opening and one that let's you know this is not another mix album; this is Erol Alkan's mix album. His debut, no less. The electronic filth that he uses to straddle Deep Purple is Soulwax's own remix of their album opener "E Talking".
For this compilation, he's created 2 discs. The first disc, "A Bugged Out! Mix" is hard, dance floor, electro mayhem. There's also an exclusive mix fromTiga, Erol's own re-edit of Josh Wink "Higher State Of Consciousness" and Erol's remix of 2004's best electro tune Alter Ego "Rocker". The second "A Bugged In! Mix" is an extraordinary mix of laid-back, beautiful rarities. This collection bounces around the decades and the genres. Highlights include M83 (curious French act who sound like a cross between Air and My Bloody Valentine), the theme from Brit Ekland's nude scene in "The Whicker Man", Gonzales solo piano work, Spacemen 3, Clinic and the absolutely staggeringly beautiful cover version of Ride's "Vapour Trail" by American band Trespasser Williams. I don't want to sound helplessly over-enthusiastic but this album really is life-changing. I know there's a million and one mix albums out there but sod all the rest - get this one.
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