Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Guy Garvey’s Manchester band Elbow have, since 2001, resided in that limbo just shy of mainstream success, consistently putting out high quality albums and earning much critical acclaim - and such famous fans as U2, Blur and R.E.M. This fourth LP has a lot in common with previous releases, featuring the familiar blend of melancholy yet bold instrumentation, and emotionally provocative lyrics about love and loss reminiscent of Doves. However, although the song writing is generally impressive and unpredictable, the melodies are not clearly-defined enough to ensure the same kind of success that Doves achieved with ‘The Last Broadcast’ and its strong selection of singles. It is perhaps unsatisfying then, that many lesser bands who could be considered Elbow’s peers – the melodic but increasingly Coldplay-imitating Snow Patrol, and the Joy Division-emulating Editors – are enjoying far greater success presently, despite their lack of Elbow’s more personal lyrics and bold instrumentation.

Elbow’s sonic landscapes on ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ benefit from an increasingly varied musical palette, now encompassing electronica on ‘Starlings’, a flamenco influence on ‘The Bones Of You’, plus brass flourishes and choir-like backing singing on various other tracks. Also now, colourful filter effects lend the melancholy vocals a further enigmatic quality, although also significantly mask the lyrical content.

Criticisms to be made of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ include the album’s overall tortoise-pace, which finds the band rigidly returning to reverb-heavy guitar arpeggios and keyboard atmospherics, alongside rock steady drums and bass parts that refuse to lose their cool. A result of this is that I often found myself wishing the band would shake things up a little more as I suspect they’re capable of – but that’s just not Elbow’s style. The drums and strings (and backing vocals) do pick up for ‘On A Day Like This’, but I think it would be fair to say that there is nothing here as immediate as ‘Fugitive Motel’ or ‘Grace Under Pressure’. That said, the rockier ‘Grounds For Divorce’ is a strong single, and television performances including an airing on ‘Friday Night With Jonathan Ross’ should ensure that this collection of songs will not underachieve too badly, if at all.

Various Artists - My Blueberry Nights Soundtrack

Lately, before I see a movie I like to listen to the soundtrack first. It gives no real benefit but I just seem to really enjoy the film more. My Blueberry Night is a new film starting Norah Jones and Jude Law. Yes, Norah Jones makes her acting debut as well as Chan Marshall for about 3 minutes on the film. The films score was done by legendary Ry Cooper and he even has a few songs on this track listing.

The album is bookmarked by Norah Jones and Cat Power. The Norah Jones track “The Story” is a generally upbeat piano driven song. The album closes with Cat Power’s “The Greatest.” The song is a powerful and emotional piece and seems to fit with the theme of the film rather well. Each time you hear the song it will send shivers down your spine. Cassandra Wilson does a cover of Neil Young’s Harvest Moon and gets you to look at the song in a way you never thought before. A new band to me on the record was Hello Stranger. The band feature an incredible female vocal that combined with a striking arrangement make this song really special.

The soundtrack is a nice mix of jazz and bluesy songs combined with some lovely instrumental pieces. Some classic song mixed by some legends mixed with some contemporaries make for a sweet little package.

By John Siwicki

Clinic - The Witch

It doesn’t seem like 8 years since Clinic’s debut album and they made me fear “The Return of Evil Bill.” The band return for their fifth album this year and “The Witch” is the first single proper from that release. The band always sounded different and unique and that was the great part about them they were so hard to label. The song starts with a sound of a light maraca combined with this one chord that borderlines between annoying and really poppy but never really goes either way. Ade’s vocal again sounds so sharp, distant and at times so frantic and chaotic which, some people might not like because there is no other out there like him. The band is still sounding so fresh and so usual that it is hard to resist every time they come back into our lives.

By John Siwicki

Midnight Movies - Nights EP

Midnight Movies follow up their second album with a collection of remixes, covers and other rarities in a new EP. The band called in Nick Zimmer to remix “Souvenirs”. Nick Zimmer is in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and he adds a nice hybrid of punk guitars and electro beats to the song giving it a since of urgency and in conflict with Gena’s laid back and contrite vocal. James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) does some really nice things with “Patient Eyes.” He adds a lot of drums and breakbeats to the song giving it an frantic and chaotic feel and it fits Gena’s vocal quite well. The surprise of this EP has to be the bands cover of “Nights In White Satin” usually when bands cover such classic songs it makes me cringe. Yet, the band really pull it off without try to to do to much to the original and being true to the spirit of the song. Also, included is the band doing the song in French which, is really stunning as Gena sings with such power. Should Have Known” and “Stormy Eyes” are two leftover from the “Lion The Girl” sessions and are certainly worth a look here. There are a lot of cool little nuggets on this EP and being a fan of the band in the past this was a cool to listen to. Their cover of “Nights In White Satin” is worth tracking down and the version they did in French is unlike any version of the song you will ever heard.

By John Siwicki

The Xcerts - Do You Feel Safe

You hate to throw comparisons right from the start but the band sound a lot like Biffy Clyro-light. As a lot of us around here a big Biffy fans so this might not be the worst thing. The play on the ying-yang sounds with a lot of quiet/loud and normal/distortion switch ups just like some Scotsman. The passionate vocals cry out a question of “Do You Feel Safe?” during the hook and it all comes across uninspiring. The song seems to just sit there without any excitement or emotion at all. They are a young band and if they work on their parts the whole product could actually work. The key is with the vocals there needs to be something more with a style of music such as this.

By john Siwicki

Youthmovies - Good Nature

It might just be me but seems like Youthmovies have been around for like 5-6 years already and have released a album? It is actually the bands first full length proper after releasing numerous singles and Eps. The thing that always attracted me to this band is that they were always reminded me of a rock band who like to dress the music up and take her out shopping. What I mean by that is that they enjoyed a solid song structure but they always liked to use distortion and post-rock elements into there music. Think of a Biffy Clyro with a lot more weight and power in the music. There is also some apparent connection between this lot and Foals but I think Youthmovies won that battle.

The use of strings and brass in this record are some of the elements that really get the record to stick out. “The Naughtiest Girl Is A Monitor” starts off with a little twinkle effect and then slowly builds into the song. The track is surprising slick and well produced with a strong hook. “Soandso & Soandso” starts the song with a really sweet trumpet solo then incorporates it perfectly throughout the song with a little hint here and there. “If You’d Seen A Battlefield” sounds like Godspeed You Black Emperor tripping on acid. “Something For The Ghosts” is such a epic and grandiose song. The drumming is especially tight and fierce while, the riffs combine to sound like an evil force is plucking out my eyes.

This album surprised me with every track and every note. I thought that the concept would bore me but by the end I was completely into the record and the sound of the band. I really liked that they didn’t limited the record to anyone one style or three for that matter. The record is full of big sounds and big moments.

By John Siwicki

Morgan Page - Elevate

“Elevate” is a hybrid of remixed tracks and original songs. Morgan Page is a young producer/DJ who has already had a great career. Page remixed such artist as Angie Stone, Stevie Nicks and Nelly Furtado for the past few years to great acclaim in the community. So, he has a wide variety of styles already under his belt. This is a great way for someone to test some new material and still show off your other skills. Mark Ronson I am looking at you Mark go get this album and take a new notes from Morgan he did this thing right. The albums first song and single is “Longest Road” which features California folk artist Lissie. Lissie’s vocal is rather exceptional combine with some of Morgans mean beats. The marriage of folk and electronic music here is what makes this song special. The Submarines “Peace and Hate” gets the first remix on the album. It adds a creepy feel through the whole song. It feels like you never safe and something really bad is about to happen. I love how at the end the song opens up to brighter beat.

Jenny Own Youngs’ “Fuck Was I” is up next and I have never heard Jenny before but she made a dirty dirty song sound so gorgeous and pretty. Jenny is a young songwriter from Montclair, New Jersey. I don’t know the original but the song has a wonderful since of youthful excitement. Leigh Nash “Nervous In The Light of Dawn” gets the full on dance treatment with all the bleeps and blips you could ever ask for. Morgan really outdoes himself on the remix of “Maneater” he does with David Garcia. They turn in into the dance floor monster that it really was deep down inside. Under’s track “Under” (I agree thats a little ridiculous) finish off the album with a really chill and moody piece.

The thing that stood out to me about this album that even though there was no consistency in style and it flowed so naturally. I loved the mix of the remixes and the original content and it showed that strengths of Morgan Page in both cases. His original songs were quite good as well and he has a real knack for finding some incredible vocalists to work with.

By John Siwicki

SugaRush Beat Company - Gunshots & Candyfloss

A soul/funk fusion opens out from a teetering piano and tinkering percussion to show up the eccentric, sincere and groove maintaining approach of Rahsaan Patterson and quirky instrumentalist Jarrad ‘Jaz’ Rodgers. Using Patterson’s floating Prince and James Brown merging vocals along with a friendly, echoing femme vocal toe, gives ‘Gunshots & Candyfloss’ heart, rhythm and a cushion of soul.

Subtler, foraging occurs through ‘The End’, with the help from winding strings and a more pronounced soul edge through the male backing and the lucid, lingering femme lead. It shows up the more thoughtful tendencies of this explorative outfit that will capture the attention of both those who long for reflection and those craving a funkier slant.

By Dave Adair

Wallpaper - T Rex

When I first picked this up I thought this was a really strangely packaged reissue by the band T-Rex. But, inside there were no sweet licks but some awkward hybrid of Prince and MSTRKRFT. Generally, I don’t mind a little electro pop infused with some sexualtiy and some strange lyrics but this was just to far over the line. Especially, when every song here is just under three minutes but they seem to go on forever. The first track “Evrytm We Do It” starts with some heavy synthesizers popping out and a decent Prince vocal. There are some hopefully elements in the start. Also, are “every and time” words we really need to shorten up? The next track just makes me lose nearly all interest. “T Rex” is a song that seems to go on forever and it each second is so painful and yet it is not even three minutes. The singer is discussing about how he is going “big on the weekends” and how he wants to take a girl out for dinner. Then we keep getting surprises as the band out due themselves with “Txt Me Yr Love.” Maybe, I missed the point of all this and its just a joke? “Text me your love so I know its true” if you are not confident with your lyrics how about going instrumental. The beats on this record are way more interesting then these elementary lyrics. “The Remix” is the last song here and I can’t tell if its a remix of a previous song because I am try hard to forget all of them. The lyrics appear to be something about a free cellphone.

I tried to find something worthwhile in this record but it is just awful on every level. I tried to find the bands website but Wallpaper is a tough thing to Google. I wanted to see if this was some sort of joke. These short uninspiring really elementary lyrics that make you twist and cringe at each listen. If you can find the myspace for the band for a listen its worth it for a quick cheap laugh but nothing more.

By John Siwicki

Martina Topley-Bird - Carnies

Martina is back to follow up her stunning debut album after a nearly five year wait. “Carnies” is the first single lifted from the new album “The Blue God” which, is being produced by none other than Danger Mouse. Now, as being a fan of Martina since her early days working with Tricky this was a little scary. I had my reservations about this match up because they both are really good at different things. On “Carnies” they have both joined together to make a compelling track. Yes, the song is about going to a fair as a kid and “carnies” are involved here in the story telling. Martina’s vocal hasn’t lost a step in the absence sounded fresh and stronger than ever. Danger Mouse’s subdued but effective production has shown that he really is the wizard we all think he his. The song does have a bittersweet and yet optimistic feel with the simple lines “say what you want, lifes to good to be true.” A sweet and touching comeback single from one of the greatest voices and talents of our time.

By John Siwicki

Next Page »