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 You wait ages for someone to pick up the torch for jazzy hip-hop. A Tribe Called Quest made the genre, the Roots & Common have carried it for so many years and the newest addition to the (DJ) premiere league have been found - in France! Of course, this makes their lyrics a little inaccessible (even if I hadn't been a delinquent little sod in French classes, I'm sure their rapid fire delivery would still make their wordplay a struggle to comprehend).
The band might be known to you by their previous name of Ca, but this is still their debut album under any name and it packs one hell of a kick. Deep, soulful, jazzy and with more than a splash of the groups African heritage, you don't have to know what they're saying to understand where they're coming from - this could only be honest, heartfelt, positive, conscious lyricism.
The absence of DJ scratches and the presence of lots of funky guitars, suggests to me that La Cedille are a full live band, like the Roots. If they're not, they've got one seriously skilful producer with access to some very obscure records! "Vu Du Large" must count as surprise record of the year - deep, funky and very diggable. Available from most shops & chocolatefireguard.co.uk
 I'm becoming increasingly of the opinion that fashion and music have, or should have, very little to do with each other . Words like 'cool' or 'cheesey' really have no place in music journalism (I know I've been guilty in the past, but I'm a changed character these days). I'm sure I can't be the only person who finds the concept of liking a band because 'cool people' like them a bit nauseating. How does this opinion relate to LCD Soundsystem?
LCD Soundsytem are on those zeitgeist grabbing, painfully modern bands that make all the Nathan Barleys say "cool". However, there's a very strong case for the defense. After all, who could forget their classic debut single "Losing My Edge" a sarcastic dissection of the mind of an aging hipster. Right from the start, they were taking the piss out of their target audience.
So, how does the debut album sound? It's (and here comes another cliche!) very eclectic. Oh dear, did they just make me write that? Well, I don't care, it's very true. From cheeky, funky opener "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House"To punk track "Movement" to more electronic moments, it's more like listening to a really good compilation that someone's put together of their favourite obscure bands. If you get it on CD, there's even a bonus disc of all their classic 12" only releases.
It's one of those rare albums where you feel like you're having as much fun listening to it, as the artist did making it. In fact, to be honest, it's pretty damn cool. Doh!
It's difficult to review an album with so much
weight attached to it. It's difficult to listen to songs like "Can't Stand
Me Now" or "What Became Of the Likely Lads" and
not apply the lyrics to the current situation with the Libertines.
It's also incredibly hard not to think of them as epitaphs.
However, to take such a morbid, po-faced attitude would be
to do the album a grave injustice. The Libertines have never
shied away from mixing a cheeky chappy demeanour in amongst
the poetry and that's something that still shines though on
this record. Also, it can be described using that phrase that
must be mentioned in a Libertines review - "quintessentially
English".
 However, despite the charm of the record and it's undeniable
hooks, it does seem strange when you consider that many of
the songs on here have been widely circulated in rougher versions
as mp3's attributed to Pete Doherty's other band Babyshambles.
It's also surprising to find "Music When the Lights Go
Out" on here, as this song predates the band even getting
a record deal.
Putting aside these minor gripes, it's a great album that
flows beautifully and contains the same 'rough diamond' charm
of the band's debut. It does take a few listens and the (apparently
deliberately) shambolic, rough sound of it can be off-putting
at first. If the listener perseveres though, they are rewarded
with irresistible songs like "What Katie Did". Whe ther
it's a great line like "I'll confess all of my sins/After
several large gins" or a simple "Shoop shoop, shoop
de-lang de-lang", there's still plenty here to get your
teeth into. Hype, tabloids and troubles aside, this is a great
record that people will still be listening to when the dust
has settled.
 LLORCA
- "NEW COMER" (F Communications)
Oh jazz, most poor misunderstood, much maligned and misrepresented
of all genres. You were once perceived as the cutting edge of urban
culture and a threat to society through your drug connections. The
writers and poets of the cutting edge circa 1950 all devoured you with
the same passion they devoured literature itself. Since then, you have
bowdlerised, bastardised and generally buggered. Naff associations
with 50-something gardeners has given away to your equally depressing
association with shallow winebar culture. Today, however, sees a resurrection
and renaissance of all that was good about you. You work with house,
you work with hip-hop, you work with drum "n" bass, you work with
techno and you now work with Radiohead. Now, you have yet another champion.
Llorca hails from the same label that gave us your friend St Germain. Godamn,
it"s deep, sensual, sexy and soulful. Whe ther it"s the vibrant instrumentals
like album opener " the Novel Sound" or the incredible vocal collaborations,
you are onto a winner here. I"ve never even heard of any of the singers until
now, but do they do the business! This is no DJ album filled with dancefloor
tracks, this is an essential bit of mellow home listening with plenty of
ass-shaking grooves and vocal hooks. It"s got depth, it"s got style and it"s
got real feeling. It"s also got you.
LUNZ - "LUNZ / REINTERPRETATIONS" (Gronland)
 This a double CD featuring the original album and a disc of remixes. Lunz is composer Tim Story and krautrock legend and electronic pioneer Hans-Joachim Roedelius. The main album itself is a haunting and engrossing collection of piano-led tracks with gentle, discreet electronics. The remix album has contributions from the likes of Elbow, Lloyd Cole, Half Cousin, Ulrich Schnauss and others. The remix CD makes for a great album of left of centre electronica, with many of these remixes remain loyal to their source material yet inspired. So, essentially, what you have here is one disc of excellent, emotive, contemporary classical music and one disc of cutting-edge electronic sounds. Both work fantastically well, making this a great value package.
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