Caught by the bell!

James Mercer from The Shines and producer Danger Mouse are releasing this year, as Broken Bells, their self titled debut album. So what does the outcome sound like? By putting together the voice on New Slang and the producer of (lets choose among many) Gorrilaz’ Demon Days and half of that overrated and overstuffed duo that introduced the hit single Crazy (awful combination of sounds, just awful), you get a polite album.

Short and simply saying it, the album is a chill-out one, smart experimental work with a mellow garnish represented by the voice, something like Your Head Is On Fire. Something of a sound pattern is to be recognized into each song linking them all as an album. And if on some tracks the instrumental is the one that shines, on other songs the instrumental simply supports Mercer’s voice. That matter of fact is a downside for the overall impression of these boys. In the case of other albums, both ways would have worked out fine. Whereas here as mentioned, where the instrumental shines and the voice is just an adding, that adding becomes useless (such is the case of October and Citizen). When both the instrumental and the voice come together shining, songs like The High Road, Vaporize or The Ghost Side truly are to be noted.

Only a few songs reach impressiveness or so, Sailing To Nowhere, The Ghost Inside and the first song on this album, in all matters of speaking, The High Road. That is so above it all in comparison with every other song, I tend to mark it as a lucky strike in musical working hours of Broken Bells.

Both guys try to expose their undeniable talent, whereas they succeed or not all the time to come together beautifully in a musical note, it’s irrelevant. But the issue is that they fail in choosing from their work as a band, those compositions that suit, that hold their talents and make the proper convergence.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Enter Plastic Beach

It's difficult (almost impossible) to classify the music Gorillaz make. Is it rock? Is it hip-hop? Is it electronica? Actually all and none of these, but it's damn good. And you have the chance to enjoy it once again, as Damon Albarn's twisted faces have just released a new album, called Plastic Beach. It's their third studio album, their previous one, Demon Days, being released in 2005. A long waiting, I must say.

Plastic Beach has sixteen tracks (including the first single, Stylo, released on 26 January 2010). The idea of the title came to Albarn while he was standing on a beach next to his house and he was looking for the plastic within the sand. It features artists like De La Soul (with whom Gorillaz previously collaborated on Feel Good Inc.), Little Dragon, Snoop Dog, Mos Def or Lou Reed. The Horrors also have been invited by Albarn to record a track, after he heard Primary Colours, but they don't actually appear on the final version of the album. What a shame.

The first song on the album, Orchestral Intro, serves, as you probably have already guessed, as an introduction, and it features sinfonia ViVA. After a minute, you're passing to the next song, Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach, which is a three and a half minutes hip-hop piece with electronic touches, featuring Snoop Dog and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. White Flag opens with a flute sound, and continues with violins and tribal-like percussion, performed by The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Music, before turning again to hip-hop (Kano and Bashy make a really good job here). Through the end, it comes back to the sound from the intro, keeping at the same time the hip-hop beat.

Damon Albarn's voice (or 2D's, if you prefer), appears for the first time on Rhinestone's Eyes, which is a fascinating mix of fresh electronic sounds (my mind screams "SOS single", and I hope time will give me right). After that comes a track you already know, Stylo, that features Bobby Womack and Mos Def. I must say it's a great choice for a single. The voices fit almost perfectly and that bass effortlessly makes you shake your head. Superfast Jellyfish, the next song, a collaboration with De La Soul and Gruff Rhys, has already been announced as being the next single. Murdoc Niccals, the fictional Gorillaz member, described it in an interview as being "A lot of fun. If you turn it up loud enough all the colours start spilling and washing out of the speakers. You could flood your room with a track like this."

Empire Ants apparently uses samples from the theme music to Tomorrow's World. It features Little Dragon, an electronic Swedish band and its first part is one of the most peaceful moments on the album, with the second part becoming a bit louder. Glitter Freeze, next in line, has been recorded with Mark E. Smith, and ends the peacefulness, using chaotic electronic sounds. The phrase from the beginning, "Where's north from here?", was uttered by Smith himself, as he wanted to record his part facing north. Albarn liked it and included it on the song's final version.

Some Kind of Nature is another brilliant track. It is said that Lou Reed asked everyone to leave the studio while he was singing his part. But an important contribution to the track's brilliancy is brought by his voice. "Solid gold" as Murdoc commented. On Melancholy Hill amplifies the joyful touch that can be felt on Some Kind of Nature, turning itself in a perfect piece of pop. Broken is one of those songs you hear and enjoy, without knowing precisely why - it just works. Not the same thing can be told about Sweepstakes, which seems a little bit too much. Its instrumental is so chaotic that it becomes monotone; and I'd also say that the combination between Mos Def and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is not the most inspired.

Plastic Beach, the title track, brings in Mick Jones (yeah, that Mick Jones) and Paul Simonon (yeah, that Paul Simonon). No more comments are needed. To Binge brings back Little Dragon. On this one Yukimi Nagano's voice comes out even more powerfully that on Empire Ants, giving you the real measure of her talent. Cloud of Unknowing is a contemplative and emotional track, certainly one of the best on the album. The combination between Bobby Womack's voice and sinfonia ViVA almost brings tears to your eyes. The final song, Pirate Jet, comes as an epilogue to the story, with Damon Albarn singing "The plastic creating people", with a sound that reminds you about jazz music in the background.

This album will make you completely forgive Albarn for the fact he made you wait almost five years to release a new Gorillaz album. Because it's great. As one of his twisted faces, Murdoc, said "It's not a green record. It's not a judgement on the world. It's just a picture. Plastic Beach: it's another place, another way of looking at the world. And this is its soundtrack...."

*photo courtesy of Gorillaz official site

Why Alice is not Tim Burton’s Alice

Even most of the OST smells like a different director

The Dormouse tells The White Rabbit, “You’ve got the wrong Alice,” but you know it’s the right one. The trouble is, by the end of the film, you don’t know if it’s the right Tim Burton. Sure, the characters are great, they are real. The lines sound like Lewis Carroll. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter are dazzling, Anne Hathaway and Stephen Fry a delight. Even the 3D thing (a complete waste of time, if you ask me) works wonderfully at times (like when Alice falls through the rabbit whole).

But it’s just not Tim Burton. There’s no epicness, his imagination seems very limited. It’s as if he lost himself in Underworld and can’t find himself. Sure, he had his own take on Wonderworld but Underworld is not gloomy enough to be considered a Burton product. It’s not quirky enough either. And the music adds to the lack of Burton-ness. A short description: nothing, nothing, crap, nothing, Avril Lavigne.

The official score is bland (why Danny Elfman was on the credits, beats me). But what’s beyond sad is the music inspired by the film. If you thought Avril Lavigne was sinking low, wait until seven. Yes, Tokio Hotel. I forgot to mention, I puked a bit in my mouth between tracks one and seven: Owl City, All Time Low, Metro Station… and Shinedown. For some reason or another All-American Rejects pulled the track off. Which isn’t something I can say about 3OH!3. And then some more blandness with Plain White T’s, Mark Hoppus and Kerli (why, oh, why?).

There are some bands that do it wonderfully: in short, Robert Smith and the last four acts on the cd (Franz Ferdinand, Motion City Soundtrack, Wolfmother and Grace Potter and The Nocturnals). Franz Ferdinand are mostly delicious and Robert Smith’s song is so quirky (both are so-so Burton as a matter of fact) you actually wonder why in the world Tim Burton didn’t ask them to write the whole official score. Go on, just listen to Smith’s Very Good Advice and Franzie’s The Lobster Quadrille. Don’t take my word for it, you’ll believe me anyways after you hear them.

And why weren’t Hatcham Social asked to give permission for their song Jabberwocky to be used on the soundtrack?

Kumm - On The Answering Machine

Left to right: Mihai Iordache - saxophone; Paul Ballo - drums; a skeleton; Eugen "Oigăn" Nuţescu - guitar; Sorin Erhan - bass (he has been replaced since by Alexandru Miu); Kovács András - keyboards; Cătălin Mocan - vocals. Picture by George Florin Stoica.

It's not easy staying together when members of your band keep leaving. It's hard, yes. And it's even more difficult to keep on being one of the most sought after bands on the alternative scene (be it the Romanian one, hence small). But Kumm manage to do so even after all the line-up changes.

It all started in Cluj, in the north-west of Romania, back in 1997. Kovács András and Eugen "Oigăn" Nuţescu decided they should give a new musical project a try after their previous bands had broken up. One that was different: a fusion between jazz, rock and etno. But it took the new born band three years to take out an album, Moonsweat March, with Oigăn singing. Soon, Daniel "Byron" Radu joined them on vocals and together they recorded Confuzz (2002) and Angels & Clowns (2005). The same year Angels was officially released, Byron decided to leave the band and so Kumm found themselves looking for a new lead singer. He was Cătălin Mocan and with him they took out Different Parties in 2006 and Far From Telescopes, last October. And now, the line-up has changed once more… but if you're expecting a new lead singer, guess again.



Leilana: Recently, Kumm changed its line-up again – you have a new bass player, Alex. How did that happen?
KUMM: Our former bassist Sorin Erhan wanted to play with another band. He told us so long ago, and we knew that he was just giving us a helping hand until we found a new bassist. Actually he told Alex some secret bassists' stuff.


Leilana: Alex, how was the first concert you played with the band?
ALEX: I kind of freaked out towards the middle of the set and missed a few notes. Other than that, it was great.


Leilana: Last October you released your fifth studio album, called Far From Telescopes. How would you describe it, musically and lyrically speaking, comparing with the previous ones?
KUMM: It's a lot simpler. Achieving that simplicity was hard work, but also a lot of fun. The hard part was mostly associated with letting go of our own pre-conceptions about rock music.


Leilana: On Pink Balloon you have a guest vocal, Rozie. Who is she and how did she get to sing with you?
KUMM: We met on the beach and played a few songs together – Oigăn was playing the guitar. We liked her voice.


Leilana: And because we're here, is there any artist or band with whom you'd like to collaborate in the future?
KUMM We have a long history of collaborating with other artists, mostly friends. On Far From Telescopes there's also Electric Brother, playing tampura on Beauty Queen. There's no reason we should stop. As for seeking famous people, we won't do that.


Leilana: On Far From Telescopes there are a few lo-fi songs, which were played and recorded in a kitchen. Who came up with this idea?
KUMM: We really don't remember, but everybody liked it. We'd like to record a whole album like that.


Leilana: Is there any song on this album you would call your favourite? Which one and why?
KUMM: No, we love them all.


Leilana: If someone would ask you to describe your music using a single word, which would that be?
KUMM: Unpredictable.


Leilana: Name some artists that influenced you the most, musically speaking.
KUMM: The Beatles – among many others.


Leilana: What do you think about the Romanian musical scene?
KUMM: We like some of the younger bands, some bands who are our age and Timpuri Noi.


Leilana: Let's assume you wouldn't be musicians. Which career would you have?
KUMM: We never thought about it.


Leilana: Do you have any other musical projects except Kumm? If so, would you like to tell us something about them?
KUMM: Oigăn has released his Sex with Onions album a year ago, and it was well received even among people who aren't Kumm fans. Paul is not only a kick-ass drummer, but also a talented electronic musician. Iordache sometimes plays with his self-titled funk jazz group, and he has two records out.



http://www.myspace.com/kummband

Kumm - Mister Superman


You can download Far From Telescopes from iTunes.


*text by Nancy, interview by Leilana*

I Predict A Riot

And... another one bites the dust (okay, I just had to say that). Translation: Titus Andronicus (not Shakespeare's hero, but the indie rock band) will release a new album, called The Monitor. The album features a few guest appearances, which include Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls), Craig Finn (Hold Steady), Okey Canfield Chenoweth, Nolen Strals (Double Dagger) and several members of Ponytail and Wye Oak. And when I say "guest appearances, I don't mean only "feature vocals", but also "words spoken by people that play various Civil War-era figures". I must say I couldn't stop laughing at the thought that Cassie Ramone plays Jefferson Davis. That was a very interesting approach.

The band stated in an interview that The Monitor is their "way of celebrating the 148th anniversary of this historic event" (the Civil War). It's not about glorifying the war, it is more of a reminder that the true causes that brought to it are still present in the American society. It's true, the listener can really feel the well known "fuck the system" feeling emerging every once in a while, especially on the first single, Four Score and Seven, in which you can hear lyrics like "I was born to die like a dog, I was born to die just like a man". While we're here, I'd like to tell that this eight minutes long song is one of the most interesting tracks on the album – it starts with a slow, peaceful instrumental, and with lyrics like "After ten thousand years it's still us against them", and it ends in a powerful riot vibe, with "It's still us against them" screamed at the top of the lungs.

Other highlights are Titus Andronicus Forever, respectively ...And Ever. Yeah, you are allowed to say "ah, good old punk days" – they last around two minutes and the main verse is "The enemy is everywhere". Hah, what were we saying before about "fuck the system"? Even slow tracks like To Old Friends and New have the seed of riot in them. It all ends with an epic fourteen minutes long song, called The Battle of Hampton Roads, which relates to the album's title (it's a reference of the battle between two warships, the Monitor and the CSS Virginia, which took place on 1862). Actually, most of the tracks are longer than five minutes, which is a little surprising, but you will not get bored. In fact, after you listen to the album, you will probably forget the meaning of the word "boredom" at least for a couple of minutes.

Oh, Sunny Day!

Nitetime Rainbows is the title for the new EP that A Sunny Day In Glasgow is releasing. It has four songs and three other versions of the first track, the song that shares the title of this tiny composition of an EP. Nitetime Rainbows, the said intro, apparently set to be the main course here, is indeed a good instrumental piece that defines the style of the band. Whether the style is a new direction or persistent brand, it is irrelevant. Here the style, the songs presented, slightly try to signify their belonging to a fantasy, magical world. Of sound of course.

The instrumental, the acoustic complexity, a clear allegory of beats, tempo and voice representations, gives the feeling of fantasia yet holds its ground to also some realistic impression. The ambiguity is impressive in an excellent way. Noticeable is the fact that each one of the songs adds to a certain innocence and sweetness. Also all tracks are complementary to one another, but besides Nitetime Rainbows the fourth song Piano Lessons, clearly shines and enhances the idea of this EP. As for the added remixes, those are a strange experimental work, linked curiously to the already experimental musical crafting of A Sunny Day In Glasgow.

The entire EP, through its construction, compliments the rather abundance of artists involved in the making of this material. The entire piece marks the collaborations of many artists all set luckily on the same musical page. And the finite product is dazzling.

*picture courtesy of Amazon

Our Musical Week

Because every day has its song. Right?


1. New Order, Blue Monday
B-side on The Beach (1983)

This, darlings, was the beginning of the dance era, I tell you. The anthem. It was considered such a great song that it was released and re-released several times – but the most interesting version remains the first one (that drum machine kicks ass, man). And it's definitely a great way to start your week.


2. Counting Crows, Barely Out Of Tuesday
Unreleased track

There is only one known recording of this song, from a live concert, which is a real shame, because this is a very good song. Of course it's about depression and insecurity and the feeling that nobody wants you. Hell, it's Adam Duritz, what are you expecting? But his voice sends shivers down my spine and the instrumental is pure love.


3. Jimmy Eat World, Wednesday
Jimmy Eat World (1994)

Ah, old good punk rock days. This is the seventh track on Jimmy Eat World's debut album (which is currently out of print, unfortunately). That's all I can say about this song, I'm currently too busy jumping up and down in my room while listening to it. So excuse me...


4. David Bowie, Thursday's Child
'hours...' (1999)

Yeah, it was a nostalgic era for Bowie, and the whole album proves it. The title of this song is inspired by the autobiography of actress Eartha Kitt, which was also called Thursday's Child. It's very introspective, but also hopeful (yes, my cynical friends, that's because the song is about pure true love that can save you from this misery called life. Aw). It features Holly Palmer on backing vocals.


5. The Cure, Friday I'm In Love
Wish (1992)

"I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's gray and Wednesday too, Thursday I don't care about you, it's Friday, I'm in love..." You know the story. I still didn't manage to figure it out why only Friday. Second thought, I don't have to, actually. Love is always a mystery, right? Yeah, I should stop babbling.


6. Suede, Saturday Night
Coming Up (1996)

A tender note on an album full of irony and hedonism, this song reminds you that there are precious moments in life that you have to share with that precious someone. Or, if you're lonely as hell, it reminds you that you should forget about work at least once in a while and get the hell out. That's why it makes you happy, and not only on a Saturday night.


7. The Velvet Underground, Sunday Morning
The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967)

This song was supposed to be recorded with Nico on lead vocals, but at the last moment Lou Reed decided he will sing it himself (not a bad idea at all, if you ask me). It's a nostalgic, but also calm contemplation of the past – actually the whole song gives the impression of peace, feeling strongly accentuated by the use of celesta.


And now the week can start again.

It's Love Again!

Shy Child releases yet another album (I say unromantically) entitled Liquid Love. For a music listener who almost daily indulges with Drop the Phone in the speakers, the new album was a definite must.

It is rare to encounter such an album like Liquid Love. It is an album that gets better by the track. And that clearly ascends to a valuable musicality and even artistic maturity. Above all it is quite pleasing to discover that the playfulness of the previous Shy Child work has beautifully toned down. The sound and even the voice are clearer, sharper and instead of a messy crowdedness of sounds you get a tempered complexity.

The beginning of the album is very promising, a superb and catchy Liquid Love. Then passing in a single pace through Disconnected and Take Us Apart, that add the feeling of a soundtrack for the grooviest dance floor chart of the 80’s. But surprisingly the songs do not give any feeling of detachment or strangeness from the rest of the album. As for Criss Cross, the song re-gathers some of Liquid Love’s maturity and catchiness.

Yes, there is a song called The Beatles. A groovy song that blends suavely into the album’s thematic. But from now on things get heavier, even better. Open Up The Sky is mesmerizing in its instrumental simplicity and the voice makes a magic ado. If the next song Esp fits the musical edginess, then Depth Of Feel is the actual amazing edge. As for the last tracks, Strange Emotion continues the elevated standard and Dark Destiny draws the line effectively. Great tracks with proper Shy Child instrumental touches.

If previously I mentioned the unromantically attribute to the album’s title it was to not ridicule the sappy lyrics. Not much change there but the lyrics fit, so not that big of a problem. Top to bottom the entire album is a good survey of songs that celebrate, to sort of speak, the electric piano, the band’s signature instrument. Fear not, the drum is at its merit place, if not sharing then adding its effect to the instrumental. Nevertheless the album is a clear improvement for Shy Child.

*photo courtesy of Amazon

I'm Just A Tourist

It’s pretty obvious where Two Door Cinema Club come from: sharp guitars, exact drum patterns. Yes, a heavy scent of Foals. And the heavy dance-math-rock of the album’s lead single I Can Talk is easy to notice on the rest of the trio’s debut Tourist History.

But TDCC don’t stop at Foals: they seem to take inspiration from many electro-pop/post-punk acts. And they are not afraid to show it off. Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Postal Service, they even name check We Are Scientists on Come Back Home.

Unsurprisingly, this makes them sound either like a great band or easily forgettable, depends who you’re talking to. By making guitar pop, some present day standards would say, they could be risible. The genre is sucked out of life, after all. But the rapid (and rabid) key shifts make this three piece worth their spot on BBC’s Sound Of 2010 list.

It’s in the three singles: I Can Talk’s instrumental solo, Undercover Martyn’s drums or just the perfect indie-pop of Something Good Can Work. It’s in the uplifting and exuberating energy of album intro Cigarettes in the Theatre or the impossibly infectious This Is the Life.

Sure, it’s not a perfect album altogether, it has its moments of brilliance and its flaws. But it’s a good debut and, at this stage, it’s what matters. To be seen is how TDCC will follow it up.

Nice Work

The new albums saga goes on, and this time it is Shout Out Louds' turn, as their third studio album, Work, is scheduled to be released on February 23rd. The album has ten tracks, including the two singles, Walls and Fall Hard.

I don't know how it happened (actually I do – my player was on shuffle), but the first song I heard was the ninth, Show Me Something New. It might seem weird (and of course it is, considering the fact that these guys are actually more of a pop-rock band), but for a couple of moments I thought at New Order. Just for a couple of moments (the guitar riff is the one to blame); after that, of course I realised that we can't actually talk about a real similarity in sound. However, that made me found this track really interesting (after the whole listening, I'd dare to say we might actually talk about the best track on this album, but let's not anticipate).

Being a person that likes to do things in a certain order (at least when it's about listening to an album for the first time), I turned the shuffle off and I came back to the first track, 1999. "Tonic" would be the most proper word to describe it, most due to the keyboard line. Another highlight is Fall Hard – its catchy drums and guitar line makes it a great choice for a single, says my humble self. However, the overall impression is that of tracks blending together, which makes the whole thing a really cohesive piece of work. It might sound boring, but it's not – it's really enjoyable. It doesn't make you dance – most likely it makes you tip your feet and feel fine in a very pleasant and calm way. If that was their purpose, then it was accomplished.

*photo courtesy of Shout Out Louds MySpace

The Universal

Xiu Xiu – Chocolate Makes You Happy

Obviously a universal truth and Jamie Steward knows it. Sure, the lyrics are a bit (just a bit) cringe worthy but the percussion and pop elements Steward throws in once in a while are just as delicious as chocolate.

Broken Social Scene – World Sick

Yes, they are back and my, what a song they have for us. A lush, epic, cinematic song. The chorus has no mercy: it just hits you over the head. The joint vocals make it sound so ethereal and the percussion is impeccable. Only makes us more eager to hear the new album.

Heartbeat

Yeah, The Futureheads are a bit of jokers. They don't really seem to take things seriously and it's ok. One should be able to have a good laugh once in a while. Their latest video is, well, a bit of a joke. It's overtly stupid, it had loads of bright colours (just like the guitars of the song) and silly characters (that even do a weird little dance … yes, to the beat of the music).

The Bull and I!

How brilliantly stupid do you have to be to pick a stage name like Toro Y Moi? That’s what Chazwick Bundick chose for his. Toro Y Moi is a combination between Spanish (toro=bull, y=and) and French (moi=me). It’s like War of the Spanish Succession all over (Spain and France on one side)! Bad!

The album from this guy is called Causers of This. An album nice indeed and a rather interesting combination of folk and jazz, even R&B, that do deliver a suave and delirious atmosphere. Yeah, it all seems delirious, dreamy and the songs flow one after/into another, but it’s either too picky, a snobbish play in the studio, either a mediocre, even primitive craftwork. The entire album’s flavor smells of some artists, actually good ones, but I dare not make comparisons.

Songs like Imprint After, Lissoms (with a most complex instrumental), Low Shoulder and even Freak Love surface a little bit more from the album’s pool. Those pieces actually hold most of the interesting combinations mentioned above. The boy is talented, but his musical future remains by a long shot to be determined as being promising or just stuck.

Actually Her Name's Marina

The 22th of February will bring you The Family Jewels, the first full-length album by Marina Diamandis (better known as Marina & the Diamonds). The release is described by the singer as being "a body of work largely inspired by the seduction of commercialism, modern social values, family and female sexuality". And now was the part where I was supposed to say something clever to make a connection with the review itself, but I'll skip it, because I really feel the urge to get straight to the point.

Even from the beginning, two familiar titles hit your eyes: the tender and full of warmth I Am Not a Robot (known from her previous release, The Crown Jewels EP) and the energetic Mowgli's Road, released as a single last year in November. But the first thing that hits your ears (in a very enjoyable way) is the first track, Are You Satisfied? (I smell a potential single, by the way). Girls reminded me a bit, lyrically speaking, of Stupid Girls by Pink (just a bit, because Pink's lyrics are more acid) and I couldn't help it but smile at the line "I look like a girl but I think like a guy" (in part because I thought "Should I understand that men are the only ones who think in this world? Feminists would kill you with stones, my dear.")

Same kind of song is Hollywood – here the singer mocks the glamorous world of Hollywood stars, denying at the same time any possible resemblance with them ("Oh my God, you look just like Shakira, no, no, you're Catherine Zeta / Actually my name's Marina" and trying to promote the idea of an independent woman, who knows exactly what she wants (ironical, Marina's picture that appears on the album's sleeve is very photoshopped), However, no matter how strong one is, there are also breakdowns and moments of insecurity (The Outsider).

Musically speaking, the album is really diversified, a mixture between electronic sounds, powerful beats and classic instruments like piano or violin, with the tunes being either energetic (most of them) or slow (just a few of them, and that's when Marina gets tired of playing independent). This mixture might tire and also confuse you a bit, but it serves very well the purpose of the album. Using an awful cliché, it's about a woman's feelings, right? So of course it's dazzling and of course it's confusing (now, I hope I won't be the one killed with stones by a bunch of crazy feminists as I leave the house).

On the other side, her voice it's the kind of either-hate-it-or-love-it (and from this point of view, the comparison often made between her and Kate Bush does not seem to be favourable), but for me this was rather of an irrelevant part. All in all, Marina & the Diamonds' debut album is much more than the usual cheesy pop we got used to. I wouldn't call it brilliant, but it's definitely an enjoyable piece of work.

*photo courtesy of Marina & the Diamonds official site

The Fairest!

Mirror, Mirror, who is the fairest in the world? Oh, here the line might work just beautifully. Mirror Mirror by The Irrepressibles can be a great contender for the title of the fairest album.


Artist Jamie McDermott is the leader here, in this theatrical world called Mirror Mirror. His voice is seductive and a perfect match for The Irrepressibles musical setting. A voice so similar to the ones of Antony Hegarty and Colin Vearncombe. He and his crew
enchant the public with passionate songs that reveal various orchestrations, tempos and emotional charging, just like vivid characters from Shakespearean plays. From the start with My Friends Joe, an artsy and provocative description (both musical and lyrical), the album is set to impress.


Even with songs like the sweet, almost dreamy In Your Eyes or Anvil. The last one, a song that might seem a romantic and pretty funny assertion of the case but whose brief passages of Allegro tempo are noticeable nonetheless. Pieces like Forget The Past and My Witness hold the fire of passion or sort to speak, in this fantastic instrumental display. Whereas Splish! Splash! Sploo! embraces the more mockery side of a character. And the sequence The Tide – Transition Instrumental is quite an ear-blowing excellent artwork orchestration-wise.

With In This Shirt (the last song but not the least), you have a true example that the violin may be the most tragic instrument out there and, together with the organ, it completely fascinates and overwhelms. Now that is what I call a grand finale for an album that clearly screams theatre Tragedy. In the most artistically way possible, of course.
So without hyperbolizing unwisely what a band and what an album! Superb!

picture courtesy of Amazon

Cherchez La Femme

It's all about women… man.

1. The Beatles, Hey Jude
B-side on Revolution (1968)

Rumours say that McCartney wrote this song to comfort Lennon's kid, Julian (Jules), who was suffering during his parents' divorce, and that Jules became Jude, because Jude it was easier to sing. Other rumours say that this song was actually referring to McCartney's failed relationship with Jane Asher. Whatever the answer is, a woman is certainly involved.


2. The Doors, Miss Maggie M'Gill
Morrison Hotel (1970)

This song, which is believed to be about a prostitute, had been released in an era when you weren't allowed to sing about certain things – The Doors were banned on Ed Sullivan Show because they dared to sing "Girl we couldn't get much higher". Now, a part of you might protest in the name of freedom of speech, but sometimes it's more interesting to guess, rather than to hear.


3. The Rolling Stones, Angie
Goads Heat Soup (1973)

This track also has a background story – it is believed that Angie is David Bowie's then wife, Angela, with whom Mick Jagger had an affair. Whether this is true or not is rather irrelevant for the meaning of the song. It illustrates perfectly the pain that lingers in you when you still care about your lover, but you know that there is no chance in hell for a happy end.


4. The Ramones, Sheena Is a Punk Rocker
Rocket to Russia (1977)

Hm, should I say any more words about this song? I guess the title says it all.


5. Nirvana, Polly
Nevermind (1991)

Based on a real event, the song tells a story of a girl who is brutally raped and tries to escape by flirting with her captor. In its slow version, it is simply heartbreaking. Apparently, not all of the fans understood the song's message – after the release of Nevermind, a similar thing happened to another girl; moreover, the assaulters sang the lyrics while raping her. Kurt Cobain called the two men "wastes of sperm and eggs" and wrote "I have a hard time carrying on knowing there are plankton like that in our audience."


6. The Cure, A Letter to Elise
Wish (1992)

Broken promises, painful words, painful silences, tears, alienation – this is the eternal, well-known and painful story of two people that cannot understand each other properly. And the interesting thing is that, at the first listening, while being captivated of the instrumental, you don't even realise how damn sad this song is.


7. The Smashing Pumpkins, For Martha
Adore (1998)

The lyrics are referring to a dead person – and certainly, the grief can be strongly felt while listening to it, even if there is at a certain point some hope that someday a reunion will be possible. Billy Corgan wrote this song in memory of his mother, Martha, who had died in December 1996.


8. Franz Ferdinand, Jacqueline
Franz Ferdinand (2004)

I'm still not one hundred percent sure about the relationship between Jacqueline, Ivor and Gregor, but I know for sure (and I bet you all agree with me) that is always better on holiday.


9. Manic Street Preachers, Emily
Lifeblood (2004)

The song has political content – "Emily" refers to Emily Pankhurst, a leader in the British woman's suffrage movement. In his well-known style, Nicky Wire said it expresses "the idea that an icon of Pankhurst's standing, who really tried to do something good, who got women's suffrage and got women the vote, can be replaced by someone as obviously empty as Princess Diana as a feminist icon." Ouch.


10. The Horrors, Sheena Is a Parasite
Strange House (2007)

You can also call it a twisted version of Sheena Is a Punk Rocker.

Music Theory, You Said?

Thee Silver Mt. Zion just released Kollaps Tradixionales, their sixth studio album, the first with David Payant at drums, and also the first under the name of Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra. Well, yeah, actually this is their name, but they had so many names that I was afraid to write it entirely, you never know when they'll change it again. But let's quit joking and focus instead.

I guess it would seem accurate now to start and describe each of the seven tracks on the album. However, I won't, as this album is not just a simple collection of songs. You realise that even from the first song, the fifteen minutes long There Is Light. Or maybe it would be more appropriate to say "songs", as the musical theme changes at least once. It soon gives the impression of a Russian doll – right when you think it all came to an end you discover that there is actually something more inside.

And while we're here, I'd like to say a few words about the instrumentals. As you might know, Efrim Menuck did this project because he wanted to learn some music theory. Of course he gave up the original idea, and listening to this album I can see precisely why he did so. Creativity does not need lessons. It is incredibly amazing what some of us can do with a guitar, a violin and some drums. You can feel it in the air, the passion, the rage, the anxiety, the hope, the sadness – they're all there, and, once in a while, human voices, sometimes whispered, other times strong and clear, some other times desperate. It's a sound that makes you forget even the possibility to skip tracks (which would not be recommended anyhow, as this album can be fully appreciated only if listened as a whole).

At the end (and maybe in spite of what I've said before about music theory), this album makes you think at classical music (and not only because the band is called Memorial Orchestra). It's great, and anyone knows it's great, but it's not something that can be tasted every day with the same intensity. You also have to be in the mood.

*photo courtesy of Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra official site

A Massive Attack Land!

Takes time to release a new studio album. It could even take seven years. You can just play golf for six years and in one year call out for divine inspiration and put your brain cells to work on the best musical path that you can. Or each member of the band can be involved in so many other side-projects like solo albums, compilations and even lovely soundtracks. Of course that is what true musicians do. Like the guys that did the album Heligoland. Because they make Massive Attack.

It is always fascinating to listen to an album made in a studio occupied by a band like Massive Attack. It’s like a celebrity musical Grand Central Terminal. Divine voices come in, sing a couple of lines, others come and play a little bit with the instruments and then live it up to the constant brains in the studio to mash it all up. And then indeed ‘God have mercy’!

It is premature to talk about the album as a whole and its overall impression. When dealing with a duo like Massive Attack and adding eclectic names of producers, vocalists and instrumentalists, certain dissection is required. Tunde Adebimpe is the guest vocalist on Pray for Rain, first song of the album. Charming voice but the drumming is just wow! Dramatic rounds of tom-tom and quite effective high-hat and simple cymbal touches under great lyric imagery. A Martina Topley-Bird is the voice for the lifeless song called Babel, pretty much same situation repeated in Psyche.

Then the voice of Horace Andy is joined by Daddy G (Grant Marshall) and Robert Del Naja alongside an instrumental with magical touches a la Damon Albarn. Ergo, a dark feeling and acoustic fineness in Splitting the Atom. The funeral organ does the trick. The darkness reappears on Flat of the Blade together with Albarn’s touch. And Splitting the Atom follows Pray for Rain in the lyrical Massive Attack characteristic of large scale and universal inspiration ‘ You’re looking at stars that give you Vertigo/ The sun’s still burning and dust will blow’.


Songs like Girl I love You and even Rush Minute are good tracks nonetheless, but slightly reminiscent of UNKLE. In Paradise Circus we recognize the signature voice of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval. But this time we get Hope’s classic voice tempo on top of surreal orchestration, especially towards the ending of this romantic song. And finally Damon Albarn emerges from under a pile of instruments and steps to the mike in Saturday Come Slow. Never mind the track, just the voice matters. Then one more time like on Rush Minute, in Atlas Air just Robert Del Naja in the speakers. And like on Saturday Come Slow, a little bit of Portishead touch on the negative. Appreciating in this song, not only the amazing voice but again a terrific ending for the song.

The most positive thing about each song’s composition is noticing that despite the mix of sounds (thus the experimental Massive Attack work definition), there is no sound chaos but clear acoustic resonance. It is nicely and carefully skilled artwork in placing each instrument into the spotlight or contributing to the whole picture of sounds. Still the album is not a ‘massive attack’, to play with words, it’s more like a swing in the air. Like Bambino stretching and trying up his bat before actually hitting the ball, making a home run of almost 600 feet. Hopefully a swing like that.

*picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Audacity Of Ardency.

Elizabeth Harper describes her own music as a guilty pleasure. Nothing more than dance music. And if we were to take into account the NSA, we should forget about any heart into the music when we listen to the debut EP of Class Actress, Journal Of Ardency (well, at least not to the extend of James Murphy’s music, for instance).

But miss Harper’s voice is so ethereal and warm, not cold and detached like her 80s influences would suggest, and so the music feels organic no matter how poignant the synths are. And while clearly is takes from 80s new wave bands (yes, the likes of New Order, Depeche Mode and Human League), her music borrows from different bands.

Opening track Careful What You Say starts off with a scratchy synth that could be Crystal Castles. Title song begins as a The Knife creation, but Harper’s voice makes it sound like Into A Swan-era Siouxsie Sioux. And because one must mention, if only briefly, Robert Smith after Siouxsie, Let Me Take You Out feels incredibly Cure-ish while the words and vocals seem to be delivered by Morrissey’s female version.

Adolescent Heart is a trip into Royskopp’s world but takes bits from 80s guitar pop, whileSomeone Real’s cold beats clash with the line “I just need someone real” and make it feel very Junior Boys. The EP ends with what could be a tribute to Depeche Mode’s I Just Can’t Get Enough, All The Saints: quirky synths all over the place. And, sure, Elizabeth Harper claims to make JUST dance music, but her ability to show empathy and soul transcends this idea and make her fit into Hot Chip’s category.

California Flavour!

Back in 2008 we were granted the joy of hearing Cypress Hill live at one of our best music festivals, never ever having seen so many white sneakers, baggy pants and caps in my life! Luckily, connections were tied with one of our finest rapper, Bitza. Ergo the single Straight From The Sun from Bitza, featuring as mentioned B-Real and (apparently one of B-Real’s protégés) Young De. A song with pretty much your classic chill out instrumental, not Bitza’s finest songs, but it has an interesting mix of Romanian and English lyrics. Nice English chorus and funny Romanian lines like "Deschide vinul, nu ma fa sa astept/ Ca am bagat rapid trei fumuri in piept/ Cu o tequila ca sa curat glanda/ Si o asteptam pe Mary G sa vina din Olanda" (translation: Open the wine, don’t make me wait/ Cause I’ve inhaled three smokes/ With a tequila to clean up the throat/ And we wait for Mary G to come back from Holland).

YEAsayer!

Odd Blood from Yeasayer in 2010! With a great pleasure discovering in it one of the most complex musical ensembles in a long time. Yeasayer succeeds in a single album the difficult (and so frequently established) goal of delivering something amazing. To dazzle in voice and instrumental part. You never suspect and predict what sound is going to pop next. And that’s a great feeling, because it never fails to please the ear of the listener. And the voice, well how can you not recognize Chris Keating’s voice and think about Tightrope or about his guest work in Audacity of Huge for Simian Mobile Disco?

A new album, a list of 10 tracks, none linked, all tracks being clearly a real and nonetheless fascinating kaleidoscope of sounds. Yeasayer has been cataloged as a band with experimental work, true. Experimental musical is indeed tricky but Yeasayer pulls it off like, or rather make it look so, a series of vivacious musical compositions on each track individually.

The intro, The Children, slightly reminiscent of Marilyn Manson’s The Golden Age of Grotesque, is quite of an acoustic ride: the sound of a hammer hitting steel is coupled with a distorted voice. First piece where you actually recognize Chris’s signature voice timbre is Ambling Alp. And a keeper of wise words for young minds: ‘Stick up for yourself son / Never mind what everybody else done’. Madder Red is such a trip back to the 80s. Absolutely mind its defining percussion and beautiful chanting of the interesting ‘u’ vowel. Then you get to I remember, a song filled with more romance and love than ever and without a doubt the pearl of this album. Marvelous instrumental, elevated even more with great melodic voice, indeed ‘You’re stuck in my mind/ All the time’.

As mentioned without any hint you are hit with O.N.E., a slightly more exotic track, a perfect example of an incredible combination of classic instrumental with electric devices. On to Love Me Girl. Increased tempo with tangled voices and piano sounds, quick changes of beats, a fascinating romantic plea. ‘… stay up in bed with me/ Stay up and play with me all day and night’.

And also a harsh atrocious track. That would be Rome, the prankster of the album and completely different followed by Strange Reunions. A strange one without any doubt in mind but with a very cool negativism touch to it and quite catchy clapping that seems to continue in intensity and presence in Mondegreen. Or a song strongly reminiscent of George Michael’s work.

And in the end Grizelda, a classic cute Yeasayer experiment a la music ratatouille. The ending to an album that is of an odd blood in its essence, but odd is incredibly good here.

picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Old Pair Of Brit

Aw, the '90s. What a wonderful decade it was, the era when britpop was ruling the world... But let's forget about nostalgia and concentrate on the present. That would be the just-released-brand-new-oh-my-God-it-is-the-ninth album of Ocean Colour Scene, called Saturday. And I bet that, as soon as you read Ocean Colour Scene, your mind already flew back (again) in the days when Noel and Liam could still hang out with each other. Rrrrrright, enough bitching.

And there we go, jumping from nostalgia to nostalgia... because if we say OCS, we also say the '60s. It hits you even from the beginning, on 100 Floors of Perception and it becomes even more clear on the next track, Mrs Maylie (or "The Beatles Resurrection"). Fortunately, right when you start to ask yourself what's up with these ghosts from the past, you quickly receive the proof that they are a little bit more than just an imitation. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands up in the air for Magic Carpet Days – a wonderful choice for a single (and with no Beatles around, not that it would be a bad thing). Plus, the lyrics are interesting and really inspired at certain points: "I wish you didn't get hung up so easily / When you're bound fall apart you always fall apart at the seams / So worn and so torn like an old pair of jeans" (Old Pair of Jeans) – and that's just an example.

Unfortunately, when you reach the end, you start to realise they actually don't come with anything new. Sure, it's a good album, with nice, well-composed, catchy, interesting [insert whatever positive appreciation you like here] tunes, but it sounds nothing different from their previous releases, or at least the differences are insignificant. Of course, change is not always good, but neither is the stagnation. And that's how it is: Saturday is an okay album, with no major mistakes. Just an okay album and perhaps the answer to the question why is Oasis a much more well-known band than OCS.

*photo courtesy of Ocean Colour Scene official site

Surfin' The O.C.

Obligatory start for any article about the following band: yeah, they had a name change. Because you can call your band Fucked Up, Holy Fuck and so on but not The Muslims. Alas, this is no longer an exciting subject. Go to Wikipedia/Lasfm/MySpace and get informed. It’s all free. We should move on to better things like, I don’t know, the debut album. That’s right, The Soft Pack’s self-titled debut.

A sunny, breezy debut from a band lazily tagged as garage rock and thrown in the bottom less pit of garage revivalists. While it does seem like they borrow from The Strokes at times, for instance (More or Less’s guitar veers into an Is This It? world), it’s in fact the Velvet Underground that The Soft Pack look at for reference (there is no denying the shambolic performances are VU-based). They hold on tight to their love for Modern Lovers and Class of ‘77 US punk: it’s Marquee Moon the album that made the difference.

Which doesn’t mean they don’t go beyond, even if it’s just for a bit of The Feelies (Flammable) or Black Lips (Pull Out). And what makes The Soft Pack different from the likes of typical garage revivalists is the infusions of surf-rock and anything beach pop that came out of the band’s home state, California (Mexico is incredibly beach-y). And all the summer vibes are perfect for this solid, fun, fresh 30 minutes album

One to Another

It’s been way too long has since The Sunshine Underground released a LP. After a delicious debut album and little (but always well-deserved) acclaim, the four lads from Leeds quietly went away. Nobody’s Coming To Save You, their second album, was much awaited and maybe hopes are a little high and disappointment right around the corner.

Not that it’s a bad album. It’s pretty nice, actually. It claims to be darker than its predecessor but I’m not sure it really does that. Sure, the glow sticks are out the window. However, baggy guitars and quick drums are still around and the songs still have the same power to get you up and make you dance. The keyboards still creep their way into the songs making them feel like a hybrid of New Order and Stone Roses. They even add a bit of Talking Heads into the equation, crafting songs that are good sing alongs.

But at times, Sunshine, for all the talent they do have, can sound awfully mediocre and just like another indie-by-number-Arctic-Monkeys-fanboys band. They even end up sounding a lot like The Enemy on Change Your Mind and Any Minute Now and that is never a good thing. Luckily, we still get songs like the very Charlatans Here It Comes or stomp single We’ve Always Been Your Friends, songs that will only fuel the cult following these guys have.

Nostalgia strikes for good

Review by Leilana

The Album Leaf's fifth studio album, A Chorus of Storytellers, will be released tomorrow (that means on February 2) and yours truly has the honour of telling you a few things about it. I'll start by saying that the main difference between this album and the previous ones is the fact that this time the band recorded as a whole. Yeah, that means no more Mister Superman-Super-Instrumentalist-and-Vocal Jimmy LaValle, and also a more diversified approach towards the sound. It's what I'd like to call the wonderful marriage between folk and electronic music, resulting in a sound that cannot be described with a single word.

The first song, Perro, is creepy in the best sense possible, with a very simple melodic line and voices fading away in the background – the kind of song I like to listen in the dark at night. Its melodic line is also kept on the following song, Blank Pages, but here the band comes with additional elements as synth and violin, creating a serene and, at the same time, nostalgic atmosphere.

Most of the tunes are instrumentals. LaValle's voice appears just once in a while, like the flashbacks you have when you're dreaming that manage to deepen the impression that what you dream is actually the reality. In a similar manner, his voice deepens the nostalgia: "I wish I could have stayed, but this wind takes me away…" (There Is a Wind) – words that seem to re-emerge (even if unspoken) at various moments on the album, especially on the final song, Tied Knots.

"It's warm, it's cold, it's sad, it's hopeful, it brings tears to your eyes and peace to your soul." – I could say that. But I'll just keep it simple and say that you're dealing with the best album this band has released and probably one of the best albums on this year