Music Reviews – Jan/Feb 2008
Temposhark – The Invisible Line
Blimey, you can't move a musical muscle at the moment without bumping into an eighties pop reference. From Calvin Harris to Kylie via Girls Aloud and Goldfrapp,
neon-clad producers are having a field day shoe-horning electronic bass grooves and bubbling synths into the charts. Taking this as a starting point, London natives
Temposhark have successfully mixed the dark electronica of Depeche Mode, New Order and Chicago house music with the lyrical dramatics of Marc Almond to produce impressive debut The Invisible Line. Aided by collaborations with Youth, Guy Sigsworth and Imogen Heap, it's a set brimming with superior pop hooks and
enough lyrical vim to mark them as a class above most of their contemporaries. Unashamedly commercial and annoyingly good looking, Temposhark are destined to
sell by the bucketload. CM
7/10
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Joe Jackson - Rain
Piano fancier and veteran singer songwriter Joe Jackson makes an unwelcome return with Rain; an album which at it's best is bearable and at it's worst is agony. Clinking away on those ivory keys, Jackson sounds like an Elton John tribute act without any grasp of chord arrangement or melody. Track by track things get progressively blander and by ‘Wasted Time’ Jackson attempts a Bono-esque wooo hooooo which literally had me chuckling out loud. This album is lathered in cheese, stilton, brie, edam, Dairylea - not one track here escapes the melodramatic clichés associated with this kind of music. By rock and roll monstrosity ‘King Pleasure Time’ a small part of my brain started forgiving Jamie Cullum for every crime against music he’s ever committed. Yes this is that bad. CH
2/10
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Morrissey - Greatest Hits
Well it was only a matter of time before re-born English indie King Morrissey released a Greatest Hits CD. Recent years and recent sales figures have been kind to the pithy ex-Smiths frontman; but do we really need so many of his latest efforts on the CD? The whole thing seems far too heavily weighted in favour of his newer offerings, which is a shame because the Morrissey back catalogue makes impressive reading.I'm not the first journalist to point out that he once wrote: ‘Re-issue Re-package! Re-evaluate the songs Double-pack with a photograph Extra track and a tacky badge’ Uninspiring. CH
5/10
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Radiohead – In Rainbows
OK, so this album has been available for some time now - but those of you who are traditionalists will be aware that the CD edition has only just been released recently. Good enough excuse alone to give this album a much belated HOLV review then.
The album starts in a similar vane to the patterned electro beats that are rather evident on Thom Yorke’s recent solo effort ‘The Eraser’. You wouldn’t expect anything other than a weird and wonderful record from Radiohead, and that’s pretty much what you get. In Rainbows never threatens to reach the dazzling heights of Ok Computer or The Bends - but that doesn’t make it a bad album. In Rainbow’s does have its loud angry moments, but nothing like what we have seen before in the likes of National Anthem and The Bends. It is a slightly more mellowed out piece of work by Radiohead’s standards, and like so many of their albums - it’s a grower. It goes without saying that Radiohead’s loyal fans will lap this record up and be counting down the days till they see the band live. For the rest of us however, that might not be the case. In essence whether you like this record or not purely depends on whether you like Radiohead in general - its nothing different to what we‘ve heard before. In Rainbow’s is a solid album, and those that paid little or nothing at all to download it can’t exactly complain about its content. GG
7/10
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Mr D - Wings and Wheels
Sounding like the more mellow Americana in the Teenage Fanclub back catalogue is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact it is to be encouraged. But while the
Fannies are able to impose their very own style on such things, fellow Glasgow native Mr D is less successful. Wings and Wheels, his debut set, is a perfectly accessible slice of sunny jingle jangle, but you simply cannot ignore how close it comes to aping some of the Eagles and Byrds output. Island Girl, in particular, sounds uncomfortably similar to Lyin' Eyes by Don Henley's coke fuelled troubadours. Not bad, but not very original. Not original at all in fact. CM
6/10
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The Magnetic Fields – Distortion
Stephin Merritt is one of music’s most promiscuous talents. Over the last few years we have heard him giving us his slant on Chinese Opera, creating a dark musical accompaniment to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events as well as scoring the soundtrack to indie flick Pieces of April. Mostly however he is known as the mastermind behind New York synth-rock group The Magnetic fields, who famously combine snappy electro with keenly perceptive, often witty lyrics.It’s been four years since the last Magnetic Fields album and the new release Distortion pulls a fair few surprises on listeners mainly because it lives up to its title in every conceivable way. If a listener takes opening dirge Three-Way as a signal of what’s in store throughout they won’t be wrong. From the skewed unsympathetic lyrics of California Girls to the Jesus and Mary Chain fuzz surrounding every track, it’s a hazy ambiguous venture.
The cutting wit is still there but it seems crueler and loses is potency amongst the wall of feedback and crackle. There are good rock songs somewhere in Xavier Says and Drive on Driver, it’s just you get the impression listeners won’t take the time to find these ‘good rock songs’. The barrage of sonic vibrations won’t entice fair-weather fans to hang around for the group’s next release, but it might just win them a new following of listeners who are a bit more inclined towards drone rock than electro pop. CH
5/10
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British Sea Power – Do You like Rock Music
When a band get together to think what to call themselves, ‘British Sea Power’ isn’t the sort of name you’d expect its members to think of. The choice of name for their latest album ‘Do you like rock music’ is also both interesting and ambitious - you can’t put a title like that on your album and produce pretentious rubbish. Fortunately, British Sea Power have come up with the goods in what is certainly a fine album to start 2008 with. The album kicks off with the dark echoes of 'All in it' which is very much reminiscent of the Editors/Interpol sound. The following track 'Lights Out For Darker Skies' kicks off the album for real, with a quick drum roll and guitars a’ blazing in the opening seconds. There’s no doubt that at times the record does have more than a hint of The Editors about it, however the album does have some variation amongst its 12 tracks. There is a rather sublime instrumental track in the shape of 'The Great Skua'. A welcome change of pace comes courtesy of No Need To Cry , undoubtedly one of the better tracks of the album. The penultimate track ‘Open the door’ sounds very much like Belle and Sebastian and provides a great contrast to the rest of the album. British Sea Power aren’t doing anything that hasn’t been done before, but they’re not trying to. They’ve created a solid rock album that should please many people - and perhaps encourage more people to see them live. GG
6/10
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One Night Only- Started a Fire
Combining the binky-bonky piano thrashing of fellow Yorkshiremen, The Pigeon Detectives, with synths reminiscent of The Killers when they were good, One Night Only have come up with a perfectly reasonable set of indie-by-numbers tunes here. Into the mix goes slightly shouty lead vocalist George Craig (only 17 years old HOLV fact fans), and the super-polished production of Steve Lillywhite, which has, unfortunately dampened their youthful vigour and left things sounding far too bland to be truly exciting. CM
5/10
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Surrounded - The Nautilus Years
Swedish indie rockers Surrounded already look set to be one of the HOLV acts of 2008. With strong nods towards alt-rock kings The Flaming Lips and at points an uncanny similarity to Vampire On Titus era Guided By Voices, there is more than enough for a seasoned or casual listener to enjoy. The instrumentals are lush and accomplished, the vocals are as interesting as anything we've heard this year, and guess what for a group whose 1st language isn't English they do a pretty good job with the lyrics too. Cracking, artistically intriguing stuff. I like it – actually I like it a lot. CH
8/10
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State Radio- Year Of The Crow
Year Of The Crow somehow . . . somehow manage to have created something which merges reggae beats with fast paced rock. Think of a punky Band Of Horses mixed with Bob Marley. What's that you can't? Oh well i guess you'll need to buy this little gem to find out exactly what that sounds like. After 50 seconds of listening to stand out stomper CIA you'll be glad you made the purchase. CH
7/10
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Alec Empire - The Golden Foretaste of Heaven
At times Alec Empire conjures up songs the devil himself wouldn't be ashamed to call his own. Honestly, there are points on this album when he unleashes a murderous synth/goth barrage of dirty disco which will have you pouting, strutting, devil worshipping and diesel downing in no time. It's just a pity old Alec can't keep it together for a whole track list. And it is a real dissapointment; because if the consistancy of the first three tracks was continous throughout - well I'd be giving this a ten. Shame. CH
7/10
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Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
If you’re a bit bored hearing the same bands producing the same sound over and over, then this album could just be for you. Vampire Weekend’s self titled debut album certainly put a smile to my face. Both relaxing, cheerful and fun its mix a of both classical and electronic sound that rather surprisingly works. There’s plenty of strings involved throughout the record that compliment alongside simple yet lovable beats, making the record a must buy for 2008. The bands obvious inspiration comes from the sound of Afro-Pop which is evident throughout the record. The whole album doesn’t keep strictly to this formula however - the record’s third track A-Punk feels like tribute to the Ramones with ‘Hey Hey‘s‘ a plenty, and a catchy and fast beat.
Those of you who strictly love screaming guitar solo’s and a loud rock sound best stay away from this record. However, those of you who love listening to something new or different - then you can do no worse than grabbing yourself a copy of this splendid album. GG
8/10
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SINGLES AND EP'S
Lucky13 - Songs For Jake
Mixing elments of T-Rex and Iggy Pop Lucky13 are one of Edinburgh's newest and most promising musical upstarts. Songs for Jake is a four track EP of lyrically smart indie/punk tunes. They might sound a little rough around the edges but bugger me it's refreshing as hell listening to a trio of young pups with influences beyond what they heard on the radio the day before. A good effort with more to come I'll warrant. CH
7/10
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Le Concorde - Suite
Indie rock intellectual Stephen Becker enlists Scritti Politti legend Dave Gamson to help him on this absolute belter of an EP. With unashamed nods towards UK indie acts of the 80's, Becker and co deliver a master class in electro pop from first track till last. This is brilliant stuff, complicated, emotive, subtle and deviously addictive. When it ends it leaves you feeling eternally appreciative but at the same time aching for more. CH
8/10
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Munroe Effect - Who's Throwing Rocks?
For those not in the know, Munroe Effect means the focusing of blast energy from an explosive, concentrating that explosion and creating a much more powerful result. Which all in all is a pretty good way of describing this double A-side single from Portsmouth’s newest alt. rockers. It’s not all boom and bombast, however, as there is plenty of subtlety and consideration present here. This loud-quiet dynamic has already drawn inevitable comparisons with the likes of Biffy Clyro and Minus the Bear. Pretty good company to be in keeping with.
The first offering comes to a dramatic climax with singer … doing some sizeable damage to his young throat before guitars, drums and some decidedly fuzzed up bass hammer into a break down. But instead of simply wimping out and giving us a quick chorus-outro ending, the song is developed and extended into a slow dirge filled groove that descends into a mess of feedback and drum rolls. Lovely stuff.
Subterranean Death Clash is a more chilled out affair. The band use more subtle means of getting their message across, but this isn’t limp fodder. The guitars are still razor sharp, the fuzz levels on the bass are through the roof, and the drums continue to roll. NP
7/10
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The Feeling - I Thought It Was Over
Erm I wish it was over . . . for The Feeling that is. Destined to be a chart winner but utter drivel in every way shape and form. CH
1/10
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