Blood Red Shoes, In Time To Voices Album Review

The first time I ever came across Blood Red Shoes was way back in 2007 when they toured alongside Maximo Park and whilst Maximo Park have vanished from my iPod since then, Blood Red Shoes are as ever present as they were as soon as I could download their existing material. Since then the boy/girl duo of Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter have reached modest trans-Atlantic recognition, most notably with their inclusion on the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World soundtrack. Teaming up with co-producer and long-time friend Mike Crossey the duo have promised a much bolder and "ambitious" (according to Carter) release this time.

Since the group's first LP Box of Secrets the most noticeable change - something that is immediately noticeable actually - is just how much they have matured musically. On opening track 'In Time To Voices' Carter's voice is waiflike, fitting idyllically over the shimmering guitar and snare-heavy drums. The tonal shift at the chorus becomes much heavier yet Carter maintains her eloquence. This is a long way off the wannabe punk ethic their music had at the close of last the decade and the duo certainly benefit from this shift. The production is squeaky clean, with Crossey and the group polishing off each instrument with precision, defining every element of the tracks. On 'Two Minute Dead,' probably the most ominous on the record, illustrates this precision with its utilisation of gentle harmonies and the subtle shaker in the background. Before it even has chance to sound languid the burst of drums and swirling guitars take hold, the move away from a typical single structure that the majority of groups catalogue offers is restructured here, their auspicious potential shining through. This must be the ambition Carter was hinting at.

For all their newfound restraint and focus, when they unleash their ferocity as they do on 'Je Me Perds' (or 'I Got Lost') they evoke the same brutal energy as Sonic Youth or Minor Threat. At 1.30 this is the band showcasing the distorted garage rock tenet found at the core of their major influences resonating through themselves; they pull it of faultlessly. For all the gleam of the production it's reassuring to see that the pair can still let their hair down and get away with it credibly. Essentially a pop-punk band with actual integrity and endurance, it is reassuring that they can shift between old and new on an album and come out unscathed and surely a sign that we can only expect improvement in the future.

In Time To Voices is a solid album, while the gleefully indie first album made them a noteworthy act, with standouts like 'ADHD' and 'I Wish I Was Someone Better.' Now the pair have evidently matured and are taking on a fresher approach to the way they write and record, this really is a triumph for the duo and surely now things can only improve for the Brighton duo.

Hawk Eyes, Ideas Album Review

I am convinced that heavy British music has never been in a better state than it is right now. There are riffs flying at breakneck speed from all angles, with such excellent bands as Turbowolf, The James Cleaver Quintet and Exit_International all putting out thrilling and exciting music as well as putting on truly intense live shows. Ideas is either the first full album by Hawk Eyes, their first 'Modern Bodies', was technically put out under the name Chickenhawk. Not that this matters one measly bit, because Ideas is quite simply an astounding record.

The album begins with Witch Hunt, which in places embraces Mastodon levels of heaviness, with angular, complex riffing and absolutely pounding drums. It is with this opening track that you begin to get the feeling that Ideas might just be one of those albums you can call a 'game changer'. It is unbelievably heavy, but also genuinely anthemic.

As is recent single Skyspinners, which blasts off before you can even catch your breath from Witch Hunt. If you are new to Hawk Eyes, this song is just as good an introduction as any. Skyspinners' chorus is absolutely glorious, in a dark, horrible way. This is how loud music should be done. Two songs in and your blood is pumping madly. Well, either that or you're dead.

After Modern Bodies, the doctor told Hawk Eyes' singer Paul Astick that it would probably be a wise move to tone down his aggressive vocal style, and where there are some noticeably less unhinged vocal performances (Headstrung, mainly), there is also a lot of stuff on Ideas which makes their debut album sound tame in comparison. The chief culprits of this are the wonderfully dissonant Yes, Have Some, and the berserk noise rock of Milk Hog which - in all honesty - makes anything sound tame.

Put simply, Ideas is an album that shows that Hawk Eyes have gone away, refined their sound, grown up a bit and honed their craft to a tee. It is an album that raises the bar for other bands of their ilk considerably, and blows all expectations out of the water. Hawk Eyes are a ridiculously out there band, and this is the perfect album to demonstrate that to the world.

Ben Walton

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First Aid Kit, The Lion's Roar Album Review

As debut album's go, 'The Big Black And The Blue' was pretty formidable. Released back in 2010, when Klara and Johanna were still but teenagers, it properly heralded the arrival of a sibling song writing and performing partnership that was fresh, inventive, immediately captivating and remarkably focused. The sensitive, anecdotal tracks drew upon themes and topics that showed a maturity beyond their years. The songs seemed to capture a duo perfectly in-tune with each other and completely comfortable in themselves. Whilst they may have been aware that what they had was a very special talent there was still a soupcon of naivety to the combination that made the record just that bit more appealing.

That was two years ago. 2012 sees the release of the Swede's sophomore album, 'The Lions Roar'. A lot can, and has, happened in two years. Johanna and Klara have travelled the world showcasing Sweden's best musical export since Abba and have met up with many a 'Rock God' wanting to pass on their "infinite wisdom" (Jack White among them) to the two charming young ladies. Thankfully, for the most part, First Aid Kit are still perfectly capable of choosing their own musical direction. They may be a little older, a little wiser, better travelled and a little more world weary but ostensibly what made them such a fabulous proposition two years ago is what makes them even more of a must listen now. It is not for nothing that they went straight to number one in their native land upon release of their latest album.

'The Lions Roar' is a ten song set of such composure and cohesion that clearly reflects how centred First Aid Kit have become. There is now even more of a knowing expressed and conveyed within the songs. I'm not into tales of re-incarnation but if someone told me that they were the equivalent of an earthly portal put among us to communicate some bygone wisdom through music I might actually believe you for a moment. It's not heavy, it's just so well done, so well balanced and considered, never half hearted and always compelling.

The title track to the album makes for a stunning start. Klara is in fine voice throughout and here is no exception. The ache and longing in her vocal are framed so effectively that her agonies are almost tangible......"She plays a tune for those who wish to overlook, the fact that they've been blindly deceived, by those who preach and pray and teach." Up next is the tender and sweet (Not sickly) Country infused love-lorn tune, 'Emmylou'. The steel slide guitar back drops a fabulous song of yearning, disappointment and compromise that skips along to a happier beat than the underlying sadness of the tale. Listening to this track is like hearing the musical biography of someone's failed love-life but from the perspective of one who's many generations older than the Sodenberg sisters. The characterisation in the song is so poetic and romantic at the same time, it's like a Jane Austen period drama.

'In The Hearts Of Men', and then 'Blue', continue to show how First Aid Kit have developed their sound as well as their writing. Whilst reflecting on, and in some cases ruing, the parts they play in life they also demonstrate a clear realisation that they are not restricted or constrained by any need to conform with their music, they can just be themselves.....and they don't need to "Do it all with a goddamn smile." 'The Old Routine' is return to more familiar FAK territory. A great arrangement to a brilliantly told story, beautifully vocalised with layered harmonies. It's a winning formula that heads up another pair of album highlights. 'To A Poet' cuts through with a sharp, almost harp like, piano set against deep strings and high vocal. The undulating nature of the track has instruments arriving and departing leaving the eventual percussive beat to drive the violin and cello to the finale.

The rhythmic brush of the snare ups the bpm slightly on 'I Found A Way' and there are waves of optimism on 'Dance To Another Tune' but generally 'The Lions Roar' has more of a sombre feel than its predecessor. Even the penultimate track, 'New Years Eve', the simplest most stripped back of all the songs here, has a wanting for change that is channelled through a soul that has a half empty disposition. It is not until the horns and hand-claps of the Conor Oberst collaboration, 'King Of The World', that we witness gay abandon. The accordion and trumpet help to get the party started as the album concludes in surprising but never-the-less marvellous fashion.

With 'The Lions Roar' First Aid Kit have produced another fine album. They have managed to hold onto everything that was so good about their debut album but without any need for replication. Whilst retaining a certain degree of innocence and naivety they have built upon their experience, and added to their charm, to give us a truly superb slice of Swedish flavoured folk.

Andrew Lockwood.

Dirty Three, Toward The Low Sun Album Review

Australian trio 'Dirty Three' consists of violinist Warren Ellis, guitarist Mick Turner and drummer Mick White. With Ellis having been a member of 'Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds', and Turner and White having worked on a 'Cat Power' record, 'Dirty Three' has proved a release from the restrictions of structured song writing. This is evident as 'Toward The Low Sun' is their eighth album, full of free flowing experimentation and intricate improvisation.

Opener 'Furnace Skies' provides a warm welcome with a distorted guitar providing the basis to the track, cymbals rattle chaotically around screeching strings and stuttering chords. Drums roll freely to create a free jazz sound which throws you in at the deep end, whilst preparing you for the rest of the album. 'Sometimes I Forget You've Gone' opens with a gentle piano part juxtaposed to the uncontrollable drum (can it be called a beat?) adding to the track in the form of percussion rather than a steady beat. Their folk roots begin to filter through for the first time in 'Moon On The Land', calm strings build up and down whilst a plucked guitar lies gently around a subtle, more conventional drumbeat.

As 'Toward The Low Sun' progresses the Melbourne trio seem to relax back into a more recognisable, blissful state, with 'Rain Song' and 'The Pier' not being dissimilar to much of the 'Ocean Songs' material, released in 1998. Cymbals shudder and echo in the background and Ellis' intense yet inconspicuous violin parts settle at the forefront of the tracks. The pinnacle of the album seems to be the psychedelic, jazz, rock number 'That Was Was', White's drums crash and roll as Turners guitar chord progression compliments the irrepressible violin, you could easily imagine the last minute of the track to be a casual jam session for the trio. The alternative, folk soundscapes of 'Ashen Snow' is reminiscent of the instrumentation to a 'Midlake' track with a soft piano opening whilst flutes and strings take their turn to join the mix, layering up in a 'Mike Oldfield' fashion.

After six years away 'Toward The Low Sun' is an enchanting return, with a mix of truly experimental, unconventional tracks alongside sophisticated often dreamlike folk pieces. Evoking different moods and thoughts in every song, the album is as dynamic as it is emotional.

James Hopkin

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Team Me, To The Treetops Album Review

This, the debut album from Norwegian eclectic multi-instrumentalist collective, kicks off with 'Riding My Bicycle (From Ragnvaldsbekken To Sorkedalen) which opens with a melody dualled between the glimmering precision of piano and a nasal hummed vocal part. This melody or variations then underpin the vocal melody which eventually enters over a cacophonous musical blend something akin to Mew, certainly regarding Team Me's experimental feel. It's a multi-instrumental blend with clarinet and strings oozing around amongst synths, drums and strong bass. From its' quite angular openings, the track builds into a fuller two part vocal chorus. Chopping between feels but all the time maintaining the continuity of a single track, Team Me's sound is immediately fresh and interesting, and in an opening track pushing seven minutes long they are not afraid to give themselves space in which to explore.

The opening of 'Show Me' has a cool indie pulse to it, proving that the track wouldn't be out of place on the dance floor. The catchy evolving vocal melodies blend Mew with Guillemots as they echo higher above Team Me's eclectic musical blend, gradually building to a driving chorus flanked by strings and a chorus of vocal parts. Team Me's electro-infused, high-pitched vocal ridden sound owes a great debt to Patrick Wold, the subject of 'Patrick Wolf & Daniel Johns'; this blast of a track however, under three minutes long, also nods to a kind of pop punk simplicity. 'Weathervanes and Chemicals' then opens in string laden beauty soaring over rumbling tom-heavy drum parts. As the track builds into its chorus the vocals soar clear above the blend imitating the beauty of its string-led opening with melodies so lush they bring to mind a Sigur Ros like tranquillity and perfection over sensitive arrangements and gently sparkling glockenspiel. Offering something of a more stripped down contrast, with a delicately picked acoustic guitar opening, 'Fool' offers us a peek at how Team Me's tracks begin life as beautiful gentle songwriting that evolves through the input of the collective of musicians into much fuller sounding tracks that really build to ooze through the soundwaves akin to big Arcade Fire-like choruses. From its building, oozing glory, 'Fool' then drops back to a more careful anxious sound with picked acoustic guitar intertwined with the harmonies of the string arrangement amongst tumbling toms and strange electronic sounds.

Later, 'Dear Sister' sounds multiple part vocals over well worked, busy yet sensitive accompanying arrangements that ebb and flow from gentle delicacy to a thicker, richer, altogether fuller blend and then back out to tranquillity though all the time glimmering with a wonderful hopeful tonality. The opening minute of 'Favourite Ghost' sounds a picked acoustic guitar doubled by gently distorted post-rock electric guitar sound, highlighted by the inclusion again of the delicate glimmering glockenspiel. 'Favourite Ghost' sounds a real melancholy and eerie-ness which contrasts the soaring hopeful beauty that has preceded it. Around two and a half minutes in, the track begins to build to a fuller blend; any sense of hope is short-lived, however, as the lonely solo guitar soon returns briefly making way for a Radiohead-esque intertwining of beats and picked guitars and then plunging into an almost post rock drive.

The delicate picked acoustic and banjo sounds make a return, warmed by a gentle piano line, in 'Looking Thru The Eyes of Sir David Brewster', however, 'With My Hands Covering Both Of My Eyes I Am Too Scared To Have A Look At You Now' pounds back to a catchy, dancefloor-worthy pound; a catchy, bright and bouncing vibe. The gently undulating harp-laden introduction to 'Daggers' then slows the tempo right down to conclude the album first with a contrasting folk flavoured calmness before making way for the characteristic rich, driving, fuller blend. A frankly stunning debut.

Hannah Spencer

Willis Earl Beal, Acousmatic Sorcery Album Review

When an artist appears on the X Factor and fails to make it through to the last few stages, chances are you've had your first and last glimpse at them. For Willis Earl Beal however this couldn't be further from the truth. His interview for the 'boot camp' segment of the show is currently doing it rounds on the web and it is one that is both hilarious and summative of his in your face attitude toward the Simon Cowell corporate media empire. 'What does it feel like to be here on the eve of this once in a lifetime opportunity' he is ask, his reply; "I want some Del Tacos" is the much needed middle finger that Beal is persistently holding up to modern day convention.

Acousmatic Sorcery is undeniably lo-fi, rife with feedback and supplemented by a modest milieu, it comes across as a re-recording of a Daniel Johnston release, with Beal's soulful vocals replacing Johnston's whispery voice. Album opener, the instrumental 'Nepenenoyka,' immediately evokes a recollection of some Johnston's catalogue. The same irregular chimes return on 'Bright Copper Noon' this time with Beal's own whispery utterances, eventually turning into distorted howls. In a recent interview with Pitchfork, Beal admitted; "I want to be like the black Tom Waits" - his erratic style and husky baritone are but two indicators that his is following through with this ambition. He never sticks to the bluesy template that has been laid down for him, nor does his voice maintain the soulfulness that he has been assigned by most media outlets.

'Take Me Away' comes somewhere between Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart, the mechanic thud of the drums accompanying Beal's almost gospel howls and grunts epitomises the lo-fi ethic he stands for. The album is far from lacking with emotion, the thumping, angry troubadour sound he inhabits initially eventually morphs into a balladeer's repertoire. 'Monotony' is as raw as they come, fraught with heart it consists solely of Beal at his most gentle, coupled with a few rudimentary chords. It is bare, yet poignant, more so it develops Beal's character as a balladeer as much as a hawker of what is essentially pirate music.

The recording is depleted of conformity; it is vintage and laden with negligible acoustics. What Beal does expertly here is craft an album that finds emotion and meaning in a mostly isolated recording. The maniacal laugh with which he ends the album on 'Angel Chorus' serves as a sinister indication of what is to come from the man, the darker elements will be pitch black, no one knows whether the lighter elements will exist at all. Beal will indubitably spend the rest of his career as an outsider, I doubt he'd want it any other way, and is unlikely to be invited onto the X Factor any time soon.

7/10

Joe Wilde

Mutemath, Odd Soul Album Review

I've said this before, but in my opinion there's simply no feeling like getting blindsided by a record that totally defies your expectations in a good way. My past exposure to Mutemath had been about three years ago via the Spotlight EP and it parent album Armistice. 1,195 days is a long time in music and my memories of the New Orleans' outfit's work was that it was like a meal at Nando's - reasonably good, inoffensive and but little lasting aftertaste. Sitting somewhere between The Fray and Coldplay, by which I mean having a sound that was unit shifting friendly but essentially cannon fodder for the snootier critical circles of the blogosphere, the prospect of getting up close and personal with Odd Soul was not one which gave me the equivalent anticipatory thrills of say and Odd Future record, or even a Future Of The Left one.

How much then must Paul Meany and co. be metaphorically flicking the v's at me now for my part time rock hack small mindedness. Shamefully, I can announce to the world that Odd Soul is in fact an absolute mother of an album, alive at every turn with qualities that so far transcend its predecessors that they give rise to the thought that they may as well have been assembled by another band.

The reasons for this metamorphosis? Who cares. Just dive in. Gone is the patient sterility of Armistice, replaced by a sweaty blues-rock aesthetic and acutely honed ear for pop-psychedelia and storming garage licks. Put simply, this is the best way to spend 50 minutes with something American that doesn't involve The Wire I, you, or anyone else can think of.

High points? In the download age where albums are usually a marketing inconvenience, Odd Soul sets it's bar as high as a kite and keeps overwhelming you with classic, fuzzy references to the sixties and seventies without sounding like a third rate pub band. The titular opener struts into the spotlight with tousled, bar room sense of purpose, all thumping kick drum, preening organ and dirty guitar line with a hip shaking, Black Keys swagger. It's followed by the more urgent Pyrtania, (Named it would seem after a theatre on their home town) which whilst not sounding unlike an offcut from the Armistice period, still washes away those cod-stadium rock fanboy accusations with a bullet. To complete a scintillating opening triptych, Blood Pressure is a super tight exercise in (Original) r & b with an irresistible, funk sodden bass line and multi tracked harmonies that give the effect of a choir swigging bourbon.

Interested yet? Well if not then Tell Your Heart Heads Up continues to sweat the neat essence of the denim years authentically, but then like in all good shows there's an intermission, courtesy of the inward looking All or Nothing whilst the following instrumental Sun Ray manages, as unlikely as it sounds, to to carve the same atmospheric niche as French lounge music enfants terribles Air.

Seemingly then bored with the sudden waves of slightly backward looking introspection, Meany and co. return to grind stone courtesy of the freewheeling, drum pounding badass-ery of Allies, whilst One More builds over five minutes into a freaky, bandanna toting crescendo. If the whole thing finally runs out of steam just before the supine closer In No Time, it's probably understandable. Rather than slide into obscurity, Mutemath have taken the chance of career by a more than partial reinvention, expending enough energy in the process to burn out half a dozen more risk averse bands. There may be more or less mileage in this new direction than in playing it safe, but even if Odd Soul is a creative bran storm never repeated, it's got more than enough apexes to justify it's existence stand alone. So, got it yet?

Andy Peterson

Hospitality, Hospitality Album Review

As far as band names go, Hospitality is one that resonates with a sense of warmth and welcoming. Their sound too greets you warmly, it is distinctively poppy indie occupied with a summery memento. Hailing from the Mecca of indie groups, the Brooklyn trio's self-titled debut is a vis-.-vis of a twenty something's ennui ridden life. Now approaching her 30s, lead-singer and songwriter Amber Papini writes in hindsight of the 'glory years' with a flippant tone, dismissing past loves (and inevitably losses) and a parsimonious lifestyle.

The subject matter may not be the most upbeat, nonetheless this is a fun album; Papini's vocals are fun to listen to and the band sound as though they genuinely enjoyed themselves during the record. Opener 'Eighth Avenue' kick starts the album in a Camera Obscura-esque, elated ballad style that cannot help but bring a smile to your face. As the song draws to a close the acoustics are dropped as the song is invaded by an onslaught of erratic guitar fuzz, setting up the rest of the album nicely as the next track (and lead single) 'Friends of Friends' is unabashed guitar pop. The retrospective lyrics are rained over by afropop melodies and grooved out drumbeats like a Skittles storm; they are colourful and vibrant, with the album having a brazen holiday feel. Just look at the front cover, it is a throw back to summer holidays with family. Papini's lyrics may be fraught with themes of disappointment yet the musical backdrop juxtaposes this ideally as it transports you to some not-too-distant beach.

Some of tracks are reworks of past tracks, they have been floating around the music scene since 2008, and rather than sound reworked they instead sound like they've been polished with the whole colour spectrum to draw out the warmth of each of the tracks. Initially from their first EP, also titled Hospitality (no marks for originality then) the most apparent improvement is on the track 'Betty Wang,' which compared to the original have been given an all new lease on life. Rather than sounding as though it was recorded in the corner of a garage, it now sounds as pristine as it should do. Some songs do sound better without the coat of gloss, at their most raw and lo-fi, this cannot be said for any of Hospitality's songs as a stripped down approach takes away the sunshine that makes the trio so enjoyable.

The album is not without its charm, sure we've heard this kind of album before in the past numerous time yet the group make this a much more personal affair than so many other guitar-based indie pop bands. The real charm lies with Papini, her lyricism is wistful yet maintains a sense of buoyancy. If it takes less than four years for their next release then Hospitality will be around for a lot longer than a number of Papini old flames, and deservedly so.

7/10

Joe Wilde

Peter Broderick, http://www.itstartshear.com Album Review

Type http://www.itstartshear.com , the rather unwieldy name of Peter Broderick's latest full-length, into your web browser and you are taken to a site containing streams and notes on the dectet of tracks that make up the album, along with an area that allows listeners to make comments on these tracks, with Mr Broderick often taking the time to reply to these comments. It is an interesting concept, but one which seems slightly misplaced in the hands of the young American composer. The Kaiser Chiefs' 'pick the album you want' concept made sense, as did the announcement that the title of Reverend & The Makers' new full-length would be his twitter handle, but such a gimmick is not something you would expect from the prolific mult-instrumentalist.

Nor is it needed, as It Starts Hear is an inspiring work that more than stands out for its own merits. It shows another side of Peter's enviable talents, moving further away from his debot, the stark piano-led Float, into expansive autumnal pieces that explore new ground and take risks whilst still feeling familiar. The opening triumvirate of 'I Am Piano', 'A Tribute To Our Letter Writing Days' and 'Blue' are sweeping alt-country gems that breathe the same hazy evening air as Sufjan Stevens circa-Seven Swans and My Latest Novel, but with a structure more reminiscent of Efterklang and their fellow Nords Jaga Jazzist. All three begin with a naked piano part or acoustic guitar line, and a wealth of layers, from glockenspiel and drums to strings and vocals, are slowly unfurled on top or beneath.

Peter has in a recent interview commented on his newfound love for Arthur Russell, the cult purveyor of myriad genres most well-known for his more dance-orientated work, and this shows in the following two tracks, the first which introduces a more 'electronic' sound and sees Peter nonchalantly uttering the album's title in the chorus, whilst the latter contains manipulated fragments of vocals submitted by fans. Such use of unconventional methods was championed by Arthur Russell, and on It Starts Hear it helps to create a midpoint that stops the album from dragging as its closing stages start to resemble its beginning.

However, again it must be stated that this is not gimmickry or curveball throwing for the sake of it; it is merely a by-product of a young genius who is at an age where most artists are in the stages of forming a career path but finds himself admirably fighting against a typecast, and on It Starts Hear Peter Broderick offers another glimpse into the mind of one of the most inventive and intriguing musicians of modern times.

8/10

Jordan Dowling

The Twang, 10:20 Album Review

Artist Index

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The Magnetic Fields, Love At The Bottom Of The Sea Album Review

Stephin Merritt, in his twenty-plus years in music, has been nothing short of prolific. Following on from the synth-less trilogy that was I, Distortion and Realism, this time Merritt and the Magnetic Fields return to synth-based pop that made them famous back in the nineties. As with Merritt's magnum opus that was the epic 69 Love Songs, Love At The Bottom Of The Sea is everything you'd expect from the master of three minute or less pop songs, based loosely on love and lost.

Love At The Bottom Of The Sea has all the proponents of a Magnetic Fields release both outside and including the musical matters, with humorous track titles like 'Infatuation (With Your Gyration)' and 'All She Cares About Is Mariachi' and Merritt's bass like vocals and amusing lyrics. Merritt explores sexuality and magnetism on 'Andrew In Drag,' with lyrics like "A pity she does not exist/A shame he's not a fag/the only girl I ever loved was Andrew in drag" exemplifying Merritt's confused and even tragic infatuation with really poignancy. Whilst the band may have returned to synth-based pop for the album, they have definitely learned a thing or two from the past three releases, with the song featuring little in the way of synth-lines, but still delivering the kind of endearing pop that the group make so well.

Merritt and Claudia Gonson trade places as well as they've ever done throughout the album, both of them suiting the accompanying music to a key. Whilst Gonson offers a considerable contribution to the album, it really is with Merritt where the real highlights of the album lie. On 'Infatuation (With Your Gyration)' Merritt crafts at tongue-in-cheek take on Human League-esque 80s synth group that is side-splittingly funny at times. An injection of humour is never far away on a Magnetic Fields release and this is my no means any different for Love At The Bottom Of The Sea. 'The Horrible Party' starts off brilliantly with opening line "Take me away from this horrible party and let me go home to my mother" a typical Merrittism, his lyrics serving as the antithesis of his bassy vocal style (although 'The Horrible Party' is sung by Gonson, this was just a generals statement).

Love At The Bottom Of The Sea is by no means the group's pinnacle release; they pretty much took care of that in 1999. However it is as entertaining a release from the group as you'd expect, the reincorporation of synths only serves to highlight how well the band manage great pop songs, long may they continue to do so.

7/10

Joe Wilde

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Elektro Guzzi, Parquet Album Review

Austrian three-piece Elektro Guzzi are masters of discipline. Their second album in eight years, the guitar/bass/drum trio are firmly routed in the realm of dance music, but shun any reliance on the perfectionist, clinical production and over-saturation typical of a guitar/dance crossover. In fact, 'Parquet' is almost completely organic.

The nine tracks of their sophomore full-length are built from the ground up, often starting with bare, rigid beats and slowly bursting into life. Each one was recorded live and sparred the use of editing or overdubbing, which gives Parquet an unusual atmosphere, more akin to the krautrock of Can or Neu in the way ideas are allowed to bubble and form naturally rather than being cut and pasted in. Comparisons here can be drawn to Factory Floor or Health, though in keeping with their discipline Elektro Guzzi do not use the same range of tools, toys and tricks to set a direction.

Opener 'Affumicato' sets the mood perfectly; a locked-in digital floor tom rhythm sets the base whilst a picked guitar sent through delay, reverb and flanger pedals forms a melody and the bass takes its time mirroring and imitating both. The end result is something not too dissimilar to late nineties techno, but the sound Parquet is by no means dated; it is vibrant and exciting.

Throughout the album Elektro Guzzi do touch upon different styles and vibes, most notably on the mammoth 'Moskito', which has a galloping drum beat reminiscent of a wide-screen Arabic chase scene, and the closer 'Slide Dandy', which finishes over the album in a manner befitting a closing-night Ibiza party, yet at this point it is difficult not to look back and wish that a little more ground had been covered and that certain ideas were allowed to explode rather than digress. Still, 'Parquet' is at the very least an interesting concept and a rewarding listen.

7/10

Jordan Dowling

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Kris Menace, Electric Horizon Album Review

What is it about Germany and electronic music? Ever since the seventies with Kraftwerk and the experimentation of various Kraut-rock groups the country has become synonymous with producing electronic albums. Since then the country has by far become the capital of trance and techno music, a hard electro beat has become as German as a bratwurst.

Kris Menace is something of a black sheep among most of his fellow countrymen. Rather than sticking with the more conventional choice of producing techno or trance, Menace tends to delve into the more accessible house genre, occasionally steering into slightly more adventurous roads at times, but generally keeping with the whole house ethos of plenty of hi-hats and song breaks that slow down almost completely for no real reason. On what is only his second album, Menace aims to push the house aesthetic to new grounds and on Electric Horizon he mixes equal parts of ambience, pulsating beats and catchy synth-lines to create what is a well-rounded electronic album.

First track and lead single, 'Falling Star' evokes the kind of cosmic landscape that is almost overwhelming with its capacious sound. From the opening binary noises, the song then has a supernova-sized explosion when it builds, then reconstructs itself over the next seven minutes. The track requires your full-undivided attention as it scopes out the outer reaches of the universe. Much like the rest of the album 'Falling Star' looks to present itself on an extraterrestrial scale and may not feature as many spacey SFX as other tracks on the album, this is by far the most emotive and the one most resembling some kind of space odyssey.

The Field, on last years Looping State of Mind, the Swede crafted the kind of ambient trance that someone like Menace would dream of making. He just seemed to tick all the right boxes when it came to making the kind of sonic trance that Menace seems to be striving to make. But then again this is a house record as much as it is trance and on the track 'Fly Me To The Moon' this is exemplified very well. The percussion and piano keys consistently hold up the track as something special, the activities going on around this make it the standout track of the album.

A comparison between the Field and Menace doesn't quite add up, the two do essentially make relatively different music. But what they both have in common is the ability to expand the area they work within and make it seem much more all encompassing of electronic music as a whole. Our friends on the continent really do have a knack for crafting the most entertaining and consuming electronic music, must be something they put in the water, and whilst Electric Horizon is not my ideal album, it still does the job it was sent to do.

8/10

Joe Wilde

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Saturday Night Gym Club, How to Build A Life Raft Album Review

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Sound of Guns, Angels and Enemies Album Review

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WZRD, WZRD Album Review

It's safe to say that hip-hop and rock music are two genres that always seem to find one another, rock is the yin to the yang that is hip-hop. But with all terrible metaphors to one side this is the latest incarnation of Kid Cudi, putting his rapping and burgeoning acting career on hold as he delivers his first rock album, with the help of long time collaborator Dot da Genius Cudi plays the role of leader singer as well as guitarist on WZRD.

As many will tell you, a proper crossover can rarely seem to hit the mark well at all and for a rapper to assume responsibility on a rock album takes huge balls. So first off kudos to the two first trying their hand at a genre that is outside of their comfort zone. On Cudi's second release Man On The Moon vol. II: The Legend of Mr Rager he first attempted this leap into the void on 'Erase Me' although as any fan of his will tell you he is by no means genre specific. That said this is not such a far cry from much of Cudi's past work, sure the focus here is on rock, but how many times have we heard programmed drums or the personal lyrics on a past release. This still sounds like a Cudi release, and throughout the album I was anticipating Yezzy's guest spot, it even has the instrumental opening we've come to expect from Cudi with 'The Arrival.' But what differs is that WZRD is Kid Cudi with a rocky zest, its Diet Kid Cudi.

So how does it sound, Cudi and Genius' take on 'alt-rock'? Other than the characteristic Cudi parts the album is just that, a very average 'alt-rock' release. As those of you familiar with Cudi's distinctive, back-of-the-throat style would expect the biggest problem is that the vocals and the guitar-laden backdrop just don't suit at all. His fluidity comes by the bucket-load usually, yet on WZRD it's all but gone, lost in the sea of fuzzy and cluttered guitar. In an interview with Billboard the two cited ELO, Nirvana, the Pixies and Pink Floyd as the key influences behind the album and after years of listening to these artists I can honestly say that none have made me want to make the kind of angst filled, Blind Melon era college radio rock that is on offer here. As exemplified on the duo's take on 'In The Pines' this is music that a proto-grunge band like Nickelback would be proud of. In fact, singling out 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night' is unfair as the rest of the album sounds just as dire and at least on this track you do get some sense of emotion from the group.

Let's face it, the chances of this album being something exceptional was pretty slim from the word go. Kid Cudi learns to play the guitar, calls his friend up and they make an album together, this isn't exactly the script for the built up to a phenomenal rock album. But it must have been fun for the two, and you can't help but think that the sole person of this album was not to change the way we think about rock music, just an outlet for Kid Cudi to flex his musical muscles and have fun doing it. With Man On The Moon III slated for a release later this year WZRD probably didn't have the duo's undivided attention, however a fully focused output may not have been anything exceptional either. However the two can take solace in the fact that WZRD is a million times better than Weezy's Rebirth.

4/10

Joe Wilde

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Seventeen Evergreen, Steady On Scientist Album Review

My first acquaintance with Seventeen Evergreen was via Angels, one of those free downloads that makes the hours of trawling through the tons of soon-to-be-obscure remixes and otherwise weird off cuts on Rcrdlbl worthwhile. Essentially a mawkish, looping slab of post Goth that leant heavily on the eldritch tendencies of The Sisters of Mercy and Echo And The Bunnymen, it portents were by extension something special, signalling that finally after years of reinvigorating the more tasteless excesses of the eighties that time had thankfully forgot, we were due for some true miserabalist sugar.

There are snatches of that rain coated angst on Steady on Scientist - most obviously on the wheezy vintage organ of President Clavioline - but instead of earnest young men from northern England quoting a direct lineage to Baudelaire, the primary influencers quickly reveal themselves as the more prosaic new psychedelia poster children MGMT.

It's a direction that the likes of Yeasayer and to a lesser extent Caribou and Animal Collective had been heading toward before messrs. Goldwasser and VanWyngarden split from the whole god damn program on the acid tinged Congratulations. The Evergreeners - LA based duo Nephi Evans and Caleb Pate - are however less intent on destroying their last vestiges of commerciality by "Doing a Syd Barrett" than their contemporaries, and despite the odd moment of well, oddness (The sludgy, heavy lidded vocoder-toting Dancespider) , they remain firmly of this world.

When prepared to play within the mainstream's boundaries, they prove themselves as capable of what can loosely be defined as pop as anyone in today's currency, as the opener Polarity Song demonstrates, the music a puppy-like hybrid of hippy optimism contrasted with traces of orchestrated synth lines. The pair also have a neat line in remembering lo-tech Eighties house, one engineered to perfection on the cheesy 303 loops of Bucky, whilst the far sleeker Wasting Time/Castlefield reminds you that very few bands actually sound authentically like New order, but some make a damn fine effort at sounding like they think New Order would sound.

In the same way that you guess many a label baulked at MGMT's original concept during the laddish dominated era of the mid-noughties, you sense that the slightly avant garde feel of Steady On Scientist may well profoundly exclude many. Those who brave going behind the curtain will find a duo not afraid to experiment, and a degree of open mindedness that may carry them a little further than they think.

Andy Peterson

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Jonathan Wilson, Gentle Spirit Album Review

Officially a debut album, but his second solo effort, 'Gentle Spirit' is a follow up to the unreleased 'Frankie Ray' in 2007. Named top up and coming artist of 2011, Wilson's 'Gentle Spirit' was eagerly anticipated by folk and psychedelic rock fans. Gaining respect from highly established musicians such as Elvis Costello and Jackson Browne and touring with the likes of Wilco, Jonathan Wilson isn't exactly a nervous newcomer with an acoustic guitar trying to creep into the alternative, folk circle of rock music. He's already there.

The album has a dreary, moody feel to it; imagine sitting on a creaky, rocking chair on a wooden terrace, staring out towards the vast, dry plains of deep south USA and you should get the idea. Title track 'Gentle Spirit' opens with reverb laden piano chords and the tone of the album is instantly clear, as a crescendo gradually builds up and a burst of percussion supports the strained vocals and hypnotic instrumentation the sense of relaxation is overwhelming. The ongoing lyrics of 'gentle spirit find a home' sustain this sensation for the final, blissful minute. Second track 'Can We Really Party Today?' initially provides a more upbeat feel until the smooth chorus enters and an acoustic guitar strums casually to Wilson's tormented vocals, lyrics of 'can we really party today, with all that's going on' sway throughout.

Wilsons crisp vocals and perfectly composed string, organ, guitar and percussion parts are a constant feature throughout. However 'Desert Raven' is a key example of one of the few flaws in 'Gentle Spirit'. The spiralling guitar part, which, at first, is thoroughly pleasant seems to go on and on, and as soon as you think you've escaped the initially enticing riff with the introduction of the screeching strings and breathy vocals, it returns a minute or two later, like an annoying fly on a summers day. Subtle, stripped down tracks such as 'Rolling Universe' are only genuinely noticed and appreciated on second and third listens which isn't necessarily a bad thing, 'Gentle Spirit' is a sort of album that strives as the number of listens increases, rewarding the patient listener.

The ten minute, epic 'Valley Of The Silver Moon' closes the album, which in itself is lengthy, with eight of the thirteen tracks lasting over six minutes. The final track swaggers smoothly along with an electric guitar forming the solid base of the mix, joined by a piercing sixties sounding organ and Wilson's casually delivered vocals. This lethargic nature is present throughout the album and gives it, at times, a certain class and style, whilst at other times it can often become slightly boring and arduous. However 'Gentle Spirit' is a refreshing and confident debut which deserves to boost Jonathan Wilson up further in the modern era of alternative, folk rock.

James Hopkin

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Luke Temple, Don't Act Like You Don't Care Album Review

Luke Temple, the singer songwriter, has had a complicated history of album releases and collaborations, but his latest offering, entitled Don't Act like You Don't Care, is simple enough to understand. It's slow paced, emotive country/folk music that differs from anything that Temple has released before. It's ambitious and daring.

Don't Act like You Don't Care is an interesting concept for a genre, emotional, well written and well sung for good measure. As an album, it's definitely unique, and definitely a talking point. Temple has talent when it comes to writing songs, and the idea of genre that he was going for has been nailed on the head - spot on. It's sensitive and in some places slightly chilling, especially vocally, but on the other hand, it can end up being a little repetitive and a little bit too slow, which brings us neatly on to...

However, there are low points. The pace of the album just doesn't pick up enough. It actually seems to be at its quickest and most lively at the beginning, and it just slows down from there. By the end of the album the listener would be well within their rights to have fallen asleep. Its four-track recorded, too, which gives it an interesting, fuzzy grainy quality, which can be interpreted as either a good or a bad thing, depending on the listener's attitude. In fact, the hiss of the recording in the background is really prominent at times, especially in the latter half of the album, which can actually be quite distracting.

It's not a record that looks like to attract new listeners to Luke Temple and his work. There's just nothing on the album that stands out and speaks to the listener to encourage them to listen to him. What's on there is, in some ways, good, but there's nothing particularly special about it. It's slightly dreary which could repel the potential listener in the first place, and a listener would have to pay special attention to the good parts in order to actually enjoy listening to it.

Overall, then, it's a good album in a bad album's clothing. There are some very good elements to the music here, and Luke Temple is clearly a talented songwriter, but there are enough negative parts to this album to hide the true quality of the songs, which is actually quite high. This might limit Temple as an artist unless he can either eliminate this, or use this to his advantage. It would be good to give some advice on how to listen to this album - listening to all of it in one go is a bad idea, but if each song is listened to independently, it becomes much easier to appreciate Temple's talents. 5.5/10.

Sam Saunders

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Young Guns, Bones Album Review

Young Guns are the latest in a long line of super hyped rock bands who are 'primed to take over the world' or 'ready to save rock and roll'. Rarely do the bands in question, through no fault of their own, live up to the hype built up around them and disappear without a trace in a few years. Could Young Guns be the band to buck the tradition and have a long, illustrious, brilliant career? Yes, you could argue, if they have the songs.

And they do have the songs. Young Guns seem to keep close to the anthemic arena rock fodder like album opener I Was Born, I Have Lived, I Will Surely Die and Headlights, both calling to mind stuff like Lostprophets and in places Foo Fighters. In fact, most of the album is overly polished, super glossy and aimed squarely at crossing over into the mainstream. None of which is in of itself a bad thing; who are we to begrudge a band a little success?

The main problem with Bones is that the stadium sheen has robbed the band and the music of anything individual or even interesting. This could be any old commercial rock album by any old commercial rock band, which is a shame because you feel these guys have all the ingredients that could make a great, confident and interesting album.

Bones by Young Guns then, is headed straight for the mainstream and an arena near you. Just next time boys, try and put a little bit more personality into it.

Ben Walton

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