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When you see
the album and realise that not only is it's title a pair
of brackets, but also that none of the songs have names and
there are no credits anywhere except on the web, you realise
that it's going to be a bit minimalist. They're so keen to
keep the sleeve bare that the bar code is printed on a sticker,
which comes accompanied with a request that you remove it
after purchase. '( )', or 'brackets' as it's referred to
in conversation, makes a huge impression before you've even
played it. It's now two years since they released the world
conquering 'Agaetis Bryjun' and Sigur Ros have moved on. There's no more huge sweeping string arrangements, although
their live string section Amina are on all eight songs, they
are far more subtle, lurking in the background.
There are also less roaring, soaring guitars, this time the
emphasis seems to be on melody and feeling. Apparently, all
the lyrics are sung in what singer Jon Birgisson calls 'Hopelandish',
his own made up language. I say apparently, because my grasp
of Icelandic being what it is, I can't tell the difference.
What I can tell is that '( )' seems more optimistic in mood,
more laidback and more contemplative. It is not 'Agaetis Bryjun'
part 2. It is brilliant. As I write, it's an Autumn Sunday
morning, the sun is shining, the leaves are orange and my head
hurts. This CD seems like the only choice for this moment.
Essential.
 SIGUR ROS - "TAKK" (EMI)
 It feels rather bizarre typing in the title for this review and then putting "EMI" on the end of it. A post-rock band with a choirboy singer who sings in Icelandic and made-up languages. How have they gone from indie bedroom band to global superstars? How can a band who have never recorded in English and who make songs too long for the radio conquer America? the answer is quite simply, by being very, very good. Sigur Ros may often be labelled as post-rock because of their use of noise but something often overlooked is their glorious use of melody and song-writing. They may have one hell of a drummer but the keyboardist makes an equally powerful impact with his simple, emotional and melodic playing.
So, for their fourth album "Takk", Sigur Ros present a greatly improved, refined version of their sound. The gentle, tinkling sounds of their "Baba Tiki Dido" meet the song-writing of "Agaetis Bryjun" and the powerful drumming and keyboard work of "()". Which should give the Sigur Ros fans a clear idea of what the album sounds like. For the unitiated, I would describe it as a joyous, uplifting and very beautiful album that
After twelve years of building a fearsome DJ reputation,
the mighty slam have unleashed a two CD mix album that blows
minds. A furious mix of pure quality house and techno without
a single dog. Listening to this album on public transport
on my headphones, I had to restrain myself from dancing. There are the obvious classics like DJ Rolando"s "Jaguar", Sueno Latino,
E Dancer and, of course, Slam themselves. They weigh in with their tough
mix of Death In Vegas "Dirge" and their classic track "Positive Education". The mixing is, naturally, spot on and the tracks all pack serious rhythm.
A mix lasting nearly two and a half hours might sound excessive, but I found
myself reaching straight for CD two every time the first one ended. No cheese,
no compromise and no s***. That"s the way to do it.
Glasgow"s pioneering godfathers of tech-house are back with a much anticipated
new album. It"s been ten years since Orde Meikle and Stuart McMillan released
their classic debut "Eterna" on their fledgling Soma label. Since then they
have had a lasting influence on the scene with much loved releases such as "Dark
Forces" and "Positive Education", (Do you know anyone who doesn"t love Positive
Education?). Somehow though, Slam have never quite taken off in the way that
Leftfield or Underworld have, which is kind of a shame, although Slam themselves
quite possibly don"t give a sh**. Still, "Alien Radio" could be the record
that really launches Slam into the limelight; first single "Lifetimes" with
it"s deep,deep bassline and Tyrone Palmer vocal has already been causing
a bit of a fuss among press and punters alike, it"s a perfect end of night
tune. other highlights are "Visions" with former One Dove vocalist Dot Allison
which is a beautifully chilled piece of dreamy electro-house, Slam"s own
remix of "Positive
Education" and the dark, scrambled electro of the title track. Tracklistings
vary slightly between CD and LP with "This Is" and the Unkle collaboration "Narco
Tourists" exclusive to CD and the excellent "I Karumba" remix exclusive to
vinyl, so take your pick but make sure you buy this - full marks!
SONGS OF GREEN PHEASANT - "SONGS OF GREEN PHEASANT" (Fat Cat)
This is the work of one Duncan Sumpner, a teacher and artist from the Sheffield area. It's a demo sent to Fat Cat and they loved it so much, they've released it in it's original 4-track form (as recorded in Duncan's kitchen). The work on here seems to be the offspring of 2 musical legacies. On one hand, you have the haunting folk sounds of acts such as Simon and Garfunkel, early Gravenhurst and many unsung heroes. Meeting this is the minimalist soundscapes of late period Talk Talk, the dreamy visions of early Mercury Rev and, at times, the beautiful noise of Sigur Ros. "Songs Of Green Pheasant" is an album that envelops you its dreamy gentleness and for all it's lo-fi origins, it somehow achieves more warmth, more invention and more effect than any state-of- the-art recording. Duncan's spell-binding voice simultaneously reels you in with his eerie lyrics but at the same time, part of your mind is digesting the waves of music it rides upon. What I'm trying to say, in my roundabout way, is that this album is a fantastic treat.
Sophia are back with their first album since 2001's stunning,
string-soaked live album 'De Nachten'. It takes one listen
to realise that 'People Are Like Seasons' is a true masterpiece.
Opening track 'Oh My Love' kicks off with a bang, a track
as haunting as it is rocking. The other side of Sophia kicks
in with the next track 'Swept Back' which radiates in gorgeous strings and
heartfelt piano-playing. Next up on the album is 'Fool', a full-scale sing-along
epic. Songwriter Robin Proper Shephard revisits his past life in the God
Machine by naming a song 'Desert Song No.2'. E thereal strings
give way to plaintive piano and acoustic strumming before
the whole thing ends in a storm of sound not unlike the old
days. The bottom line is Robin Proper Shephard writes fantastic
songs. The lyrics are rich in emotion and poignancy with great choruses. The music is first rate and far more affecting than many
of today's "Stadium Alternative
Bands". Sophia really matter and I think something's going to happen with
this album.
 It's the Dewaele
brothers back, this time with their band ( their DJ'ing appearances
as 2 Many DJ's had a higher profile than the band recently)
Soulwax. Having become acclaimed DJ's and headlined Homelands,
I somehow thought that their new Soulwax album might be a bit
disappointing, that their energy may have been spent elsewhere.
I was very, very wrong. The album opens with "E-Talking" which fades in from silence into a stomping
electro glam track. Then in kicks the albums heavy title track
and recent single "Any Minute Now" and it's really rocking.
This album is rock 'n' roll as it should sound for the 21st
Century. Raw, bloody, heavy and yet new sounding. There's a
pulsing electronic undercurrent, but the bottom line is a singer
and a band. Soulwax have got the songs and the swagger. There's
a very beautiful ballad "A Ballad To Forget" with
it's sad lament of "I must remember to forget you". A female-fronted
electro track "NY Excuse" featuring James Murphy
of DFA too. There's also some fantastic song titles like "Please....Don't
Be Yourself"( a throbbing electro stormer) and "The
Truth Is So Boring". Heavy as hell in places and sexy
as **** in others, "Any Minute Now" is a bold, defiant
album that will definitely make the end of year lists.
SOULWAX - "NITE VERSIONS" (PIAS)
 After the runaway success of their DJ incarnation, 2 Many DJs, Soulwax take another step over to ' the other side' with this self-produced remix album. Taking the original blueprints of songs from their "Any Minute Now", they re-work them into storming dance floor electro with a live edge that packs a punch. For the CD release, they've even mixed them all into a continuous pounding party album. It's not just remixes of tracks off the last album though. There's also their cover of the Daft Punk song "Teachers" and a collaboration with the LCD Soundsystem. With the band putting in all the work, it makes for an unusual concept for an album. However, it's done with so much zest, that "Nite Versions" is the best album there is to play when you get in from the club to keep the feeling going. A great companion to an already great album.
It"s been a few years since I heard any new Speedy J material.
I remember him as making melodic electronics that soo thed
the mind and jerked your feet. I put this in the CD player,
sat down, put my feet up, pressed play with my big toe and
received a series of shocks. The first shock was that Speedy
J has lost his fluffy edge. This is dark nightmare music.
Cross Aphex Twin with Jeffrey Damher and you are on the right
wavelength. Whe ther the beats are coming or it"s completely
beatless, this is a nightmarish record. Luckily, I have quite
an appreciation for the macabre and really enjoyed it! Another major surprise
was that this album seems to have been recorded to make it almost twice as
loud as any other CD in my collection! I can imagine this appealing not only
to broad-minded fans of experimental electronica but perhaps the NIN lovers
out there could also get into this. Make sure you get an earful.
Rumours
of Spirtualized"s decline have been a little over-exagerated
in seems. To be fair, the ex-members who now make up the band
Lupine Howl possibly have every right to feel disgruntled but
to declare their dismisal as the end of Spiritualized was a
little melodramatic. Ever since the early days of Spacemen
3, Jason Pierce has also got through band members at phenomenal
rate. It"s not even as if they were founder members. Genius
is often ruthless and Jason Pierce has a sound in his head
that he is determined to get out.
"Ladies & Gentlemen" was hailed as Spiritualized"s finest
work to date, but it"s been topped. In an era where it"s common
place for lazy acts to slap on some strings on ballads, it"s
refreshing to hear someone who knows how to use them properly. The same applies to their use of a gospel choir. Both are used
as integral parts of the songs and often dominate the proceedings.
Such a quietly spoken man, yet such a loud noise.
One of the hallmarks of Pierce"s lyrics are their frankness
combined with occasional self-depreciating humour. " the Straight
and the Narrow" manages to be moving yet cheeky. There"s no
glorification or glamourising the drug-using lifestyle, just
a refreshing honesty and some wit. It"s something anyone who
understands the gulf between good intentions and actions can
identify with. The music is pure quality. From the opening Stooges in Harlem buzz of "On Fire" to
more haunting material like "I Didn"t Mean To Hurt You" or "Out Of Sight",
it"s a musical ride all the way through. All in all, it"s a classical, gospel
rock album that analyses our weaknesses and the search for redemption with
intelligence and talent, yet never dissapears up it"s own arse. Grand, in every
meaning of the word.
This is his third album this year! Just over a tenner for
a double album with a bonus 10" is a bargain. As long as you like fizzy, acidic, squelching drum "n" bass
techno. Yes, it"s Squarepusher in frenzied stuttering maniac mode. There are
no sublime down beat tracks like "Iombic Poetry" from earlier this year. A
genetically modified mutant music form let loose. Guaranteed to scare elderly
relatives who come to stay this Christmas.
The man from Soulsonic, Stuart Patterson, keeps
the torch burning for real house music with a mix album of
wholesome grooves, untainted by anything less than fresh.
He makes it all sound so easily; introducing the tracks to
each other like a skilled party host and making them all
get along beautifully. Tracks from Miguel Migs, Global Communications
and Morgan Geist gel perfectly. There is no room for any
blandness and the whole thing works beautifully. Sod the
compilations advertised on TV with tarted up fashion models
dancing in artificial studios, this is the stuff.
 the things people do in their sitting rooms, eh? Some folk watch crap TV programmes. Some people sleep in them. Tom Tyler (you may know him for some rather good solo releases on DC Recordings) uses his for recording some bloody brilliant music. Stromba is Tom with James Dyer and a whole host of musicians and they are, frankly, damn good. Flitting through such disparate genres as funk, dub, jazz, afrobeat and downbeat, they bring a fresh new sensibility to all of these things and generally come across as the bastard lovechildren of Can and Thievery Corporation. Mind you, if your bastard lovechild was as good as this, you'd abandon your own family without a second thought. This is the sound of talented, inspired musicianship that you can severely get down to. Result!
I"ve always
been suspicious of Super Furry Animals. I heard plenty of
hype, but all the singles I heard failed to move me. Especially,
the recent "Juxtaposed With U", which is a bit Lighthouse
Family. So, imagine my surprise, when for the first time,
I listened to one of their albums. I love it. It begins with
beautiful thoughtful classical music, "Alternate Route To
Vulcan Street" and goes off on a mystical voyage through
classic rock, punk, techno, country and Paul McCartney. Sir
Macca pops up to add his tuppence worth to "Receptacle For
the Respectable" and the first Welshman of rock, John Cale,
crops up to tinkle the old joanna for the Clinton and Yeltsin-baiting "Presidential
Suite". The influences detectable range from Elton John to
the Beach Boys to Tresor techno via probably a very large
amount of magic mushrooms. A masterpiece of modern psychedelic
freak-out pop.
We live
in a world filled with human rights abuses, war, genocide and
poverty. Big Business uses it"s clout to make the gap between
the haves and have nots even bigger. Resistance grows and even
our own soceity becomes more unstable. All of which makes it
slightly amusing when today"s metal acts choose to ignore all
of the above and whinge about how a big nasty woman went and
hurt somebody like them. Others choose to scream incomprehensibley
and talk utter sensationalist nonsense in their interviews.
Fair enough, as the music is usualy diverting, but it all
makes the need for System Of A Down greater than ever. A metal
band with guts, passion, intelligence (yes!), humour and innovation. They are not excessively political, no soap boxes or sloganering,
yet they"re not afraid to tackle the odd serious subject like
on "Prison" where they lay into America"s ludicrous "war on
drugs" and the authorities determination to jail everybody.
There"s nothing po-faced about System Of A Down, as "Bounce" prooves.
A fond reminisce of young girls on pogo sticks set to a frentic
crushing metal pogo. Sometimes the lyrics are a little more
enigmatic like on "Pilot" where they scream "Why were the eyes
of a horse on a jet pilot?". Couldn"t answer that one, mate.
Naturally, the music is first-rate with crushing rhythms,
chugging power chords and Rick Rubin at the controls. There"s
isn"t a duff track here and like most classic albums, it sounds
absolutely sod all like anyone else around at the moment. With
nu-metal becoming increasingly homegenised, we really need
System Of A Down. If you are a metaler without this album,
hang your key chain in shame because this pisses on most of
your CD collection. |
