RADIOHEAD - "In Rainbows"

Everybody knows by now that you can download this album for as much money as you want to offer from the band website starting from today....
Only for that this record should be rated 10 out of 10, but let's forget about all the things that make Radiohead such an amazing band of special people doing extraordinary things and let's concentrate on the music.
When opening track "15 Step" begins you'll think - "oh no, another "Kid A"!!!" - that is because of the electronic drums that recalls "Idioteque", but 40 seconds later a beautiful jazzy guitar refrain takes you straight to that Radiohead sky where you feel safe and secure. Second song "Bodysnatchers" is the rockiest of the lot, a sharp distorted guitar and fast paced drumming take no prisoners, it's gonna be massive when played live...When "Nude" starts you'll probably be in tears by the line "now that you have found it, it's gone, now that you feel it, you don't", what come out from these new songs is a sense of Thom Yorke being more "human' than we thought, in "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" he claims "why should i stay" and later "i'll be crazy not to fall", words that welcome a vulnerable man not afraid to show his feelings. "All I Need" is another mellow beautiful song with lyrics like "You're all i need, you're all i need, i'm in the middle of this picture..." sang over piano till the last minute crescendo of cymbals and Thom last request for (!?) love...
The pace of "In Rainbows" is the mid tempo, generally songs begin slowly to build into layers of intruments and vocals to reach a very atmospheric finale but the presence of guitars, bass and real drums is prominent; "Faust Arp" is a lovely Nick Drake-ish piece of music with acoustic guitar picking and strings arrangement, "Reckoner" at first reminded me of "Knives Out", which is no bad thing... "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" starts with acoustic guitar than move into "Paranoid Android" territory with a pulsing bass and catchy rhythm (something that our men were avoiding for quite a while...)
The first impression, even after only one play, is that Radiohead have grown into a wonderful band that needed to go through "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" in order to reach levels of songwriting this high, the apparent simple structures of the new songs is the result of combining elements from everything they have released in the past - oh by the way, there's a word to describe that process - experience.
The album closes with a piano led track called "Videotape" where Thom's voice chillingly sings "when i'm at the pearly gate will still be on my videotape?"
The sadness and the tension of the song are similar to his work on "The Eraser", a great way to end an album with a message - will you still be there, listening, when i'll be gone, when we'll be gone?
We will be listening, be it here on this earth, or there, up there, in rainbows.

9/10

INTERPOL - "Our Love To Admire"

I had trouble with the first couple of times i played this, i even didn't listen to it for over a week and then i told myself, 'hey, i used to really like Interpol, i can't dismiss them without giving them another chance...' - i've been rewarded, it might not work for everybody, but after 6/7 plays i honestly think that this album is great, from start to finish (it does tails off a bit towards the end) its an entirely satisfying grand listening, tons of melodies like cascades will leave you amazed if you can focus on the details. There's an oboe (!?) in the majestic opener "Pioneer To The Falls", there are the usual beautiful guitar fireworks of Mr Daniel Kessler, and there is Paul Banks voice, never as powerful and clear as now and even in the lyrics he's putting himself on the pedestal (especially in the wonderfully titled "No I In Threesome"). The sound is tighter probably thanks to hundreds of concerts all over the world and a producer (Rich Costey) that cleaned a bit their "foggy" sound to give the drums a neat metallic beat reminescent of Martin Hannet's production for Joy Division.
Even first single "The Heinrich Maneuver", which i considered 'weak' on first impression, its gonna get gelled to your brain like glue ("cause today my heart swings...") as much as the incredible sequence of "Mammoth", "Pace Is The Trick", "All Fired Up" and "Rest My Chemistry", upbeat adventures in sound, giant choruses and melancholy transformed in something extremely uplifting.
If there's a band you want to see live, don't look any further...

8/10

PRINCE - "Planet Earth"

"3121" was a welcome return to form for Mr Roger Nelson, a deeply funky vibed record that you could/can enjoy even without paying too much attention to it; "Planet Earth" is a bit different, starting with mellow piano chords the title track is a six minute piece that might puzzles you at first with its weird guitar riffs and changes of rhythm, not a catchy start but a grower. Following song and first single "Guitar" plays safe (almost too safe) by basically being an almost exact copy of "Girls & Boys", its as our hero is saying to his longterm fans, "everybody listen up, you have to buy my new album, it sounds like vintage me!!!!".
After "Guitar" drifts by that's when the album begins to make sense with the slow paced "Somewhere Here On Earth" with falsetto vocals, muted trumpet and a jazzy atmosphere not far from "Adore" off "Sign O The Times", very nice indeed, as much as "The One U Wanna C", Prince at his most country & western (!) with a bass guitar that's trying to come out of your speakers... "Future Baby Mama" and "Mr Goodnight" are smooth slices of soul music that only in Prince hands can fly dangerously close to Planet Cheesy without ever landing on it.
"Chelsea Rodgers" is the funkiest, James Brownish track of the lot, a contagious tune you'll simply cannot escape; when "Lion of Judah" begins another huge flashback lays its weight on you like those memories you won't/can't forget, the first three seconds sounds like the "Purple Rain" intro with its minor chord guitar that soon, after you slowly catch your breath, evolves in a pleasant pop melody.
"Resolution" ends the album on a positive note with an optimistic lyric about "we the people", something that Curtis Mayfield would have been proud of. Love it or hate it, the artist back to be named Prince after he was formerly known as Prince has done it again, this record is another brilliant collection of songs, it might not save Planet Earth, but it will uplift a few million souls all over the globe.
I'm one of them.

8/10

3 X 7

THE STRANGE DEATH OF LIBERAL ENGLAND - "Forward March"
JOSH ROUSE - "Country Mouse City House"
SOUTHERLY - "Storyteller & The Gossip Columnist"

THE WHITE STRIPES - "Icky Thump"

A White Stripes album is always an event, either you like them or not, there's no one in music biz like Jack & Meg White, especially if you had/have the chance to see their amazing live shows, two small people making big rock music.
"Icky Thump" at first is a strange record (as much as "Get Behind Me Satan" first time around) but slowly you'll get sucked into it like you did with every album they previously released; good news is that this is so full of incredible guitars solos that you'll go back to play that old "air-guitar" in front of the mirror like you used to do back when you were a teenager, the only disappointment is "St. Andrew", a messy noise with Meg bizarrely talking for (thank God!) less than two minutes.
The other two songs that go off the Stripes canons are the remake of the 1950's Corky Robbins' "Conquest", a mexican influenced melody with Jack singing against a powerful trumpet played by Regulo Aldama -it's an awkward listen at first but it turns into a lot of fun after a few plays - "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn" is a celtic bagpipes scored simple tune that goes by quietly leaving you puzzled as well as amazed to constantly witness Jack White's insanity/genius.
As usual, Led Zeppelin are the heart and soul of the Stripes, and they burst into majesty in the classic "Bone Broke", "Little Cream Soda" and the Jack & Meg duet "Rag & Bone".
Another White Stripes album and another summer upon us, life feels so much better...

7,5/10

3 X 7

PIANO MAGIC - "Part-Monster"
THE TWANG - "Love It When I Feel Like This"
IAN HUNTER - "Shrunken Heads"

BJORK - "Volta"

I'm so glad this is not "Bjork gone pop" feared album....
Rumours of "Volta" being a more accessible album (thanks to Timbaland production in a couple of tracks) were spreading through the net puzzling fans and critics but what we have in our cd player is no Justin Timberlake, but no "Medulla" either.
First song and Timbaland produced first single "Earth Intruders" has a tribal rhythm that grows on you with repeated plays but it's from second song "Wanderlust" that you feel the magic of Bjork, a slow burning song with her luminous voice singing the chorus with her unique way that leaves you nothing less than paralyzed, time stands still and so on with "Dull Flame of Desire" the seven plus minutes duet with Antony Hegart that reminds me of David Sylvian's "Let The Happiness In" with its wavy horns arrangement with the two powerful voices leading and colliding over a beautiful melody.
"Innocence" and "Hope" the other two Timbaland's songs are decent but not even close to the powerful "Declare Independence", the closest she'll ever be to PJ Harvey, screaming her guts out over an industrial pulsing beat that leaves no prisoners.
The rest of the program is full of quiet moments, notably the sweet lullaby of "I See Who You Are" but nothing that matches the heights of the songs i had mentioned.
A good album, fantastic in places, see her performing live should be a treat...

7/10

3 X 7

GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS - "Strangelet"
THE NATIONAL - "Boxer"
ELECTRIC SOFT PARADE - "No Need To Be Downhearted"

SOULSAVERS - "It's Not How Far You Fall It's The Way You Land"

This album has as much soul as its long strange title, a soul that doesn't need to be saved because is pure and sincere since first track "Revival" tickles your senses with a semi-gospel chant courtesy of the "everywhere" man Mark Lanegan. He sings on eight of these 11 Massive Attack trapped in a gospel church on a rainy night while the world outside is burning in flames (that's my best description of what this album sounds like...)and everytime he opens his mouth it matters, either is singing about "Kingdom of Rain" (i told you!) or about spectral feelings (The Ghost of You & Me) or about the "Jesus of Nothing", you enter into his world completely, entirely absorbed by the power of his vocal chords and the cinematic music backing him up.
A genuinely moving record with a note of merit to the soulful vocals of Wendy Rose and Lena Palmer, the sound of angels behind Lanegan's dark words.

7/10

GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS - "Strangelet"

Thank God for Grant-Lee!
It makes me feel privileged to admire his music knowing that he's one of America best kept secret since the days of Shiva Burlesque, followed by the Grant Lee Buffalo era and now this precious stone of an album, his fifth, after the last beautiful collection of eighties covers.
In a parallel world this album could sell millions, but in the materialistic real one it's going to be the pleasure of few, dedicated ears (even in the sleeve notes of the cd booklet Grant thanks the buyers for their "brave ears and curious spirit")
His voice is always the top reason for appreciate his music, he always sounds so deeply involved in what he sings that you believe every single phrase comes from his heart; the tunes do the rest, smashing pop songs with burst of shiny folk guitars and occasional string quartet to underline charming melodies dealing with life ups and downs, the nostalgic feeling of a youth that's gone and universal love in all his beauty and drama.
"Runaway", "Soft Asylum (No Way Out)", "Fountain of Youth" are simply three gems that i'm randomly picking out of twelve excellent songs...
If you live in the Chicago area, Grant will be playing at the Lakeshore Theatre on Broadway on may 3rd.
Catch him if you can!

8/10

BRETT ANDERSON - "Brett Anderson"

Our man here was the lead singer of a unique "glam-rock" british band called Suede (The London Suede here in the States), at least the first two albums have to be considered "classics" that defined the 90s back in Albion.
I was totally not expecting a solo album from him, i have to admit that i kind of forgot about them, except when Anderson and Butler released the Suede-lite album as The Tears in 2005.
This is a romantic affair, the mood is mellow and sad, the strings are heavily present, the lyrics are heartfelt and sometimes slightly dull but with his voice you'll forgive the details and embrace the power of these songs starting with first single "Love Is Dead" through the "One Lazy Morning", "Dust And Rain", the spectacular "To The Winter" and so on with tunes as simple as they are effective, with Brett pouring his heart out like a true survivor and not in the way of a 20 year old pretending to describe life without even ever been "there" (do you hear me Keane?)
As usual british press has a problem with this record, as they always do with music filled with too much "emotions", as soon as an artist gets off his band routine and give out a bit of his more mature feelings and ideas, they target him as a loser, as weak and hopeless. It can be true at times, but this album (that's being playing non stop in my player) is a sign that there is life after the success/drugs/party/rehab/reunion/marriage/divorce saga, and i, against every opinion, will pick this record over all of the wannabe young rock bands that sound the same, because in music, like in life, you have to get "there" first and Suede reached the stars before crashing them, Brett Anderson is simply picking up the fallen pieces.
Respect is due.

8/10

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - "Sound of Silver"

Usually DJs albums end up to be exercises of style over talent (Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers}, not James Murphy, his new effort is already one the best releases of 2007 (and not only in my opinion, you can read a lot of great reviews all around the globe) and brings to mind how refreshing pop music can be if you have ideas next to inner talent.
First of all, unlike in the first album, Murphy sings a lot throughout "Sound of Silver", and he sings well, he's no Jeff Buckley but his voice serves well over this exciting nine songs.
Don't expect originality here, you'll find a lot of Talking Heads, New Order, even Human League, Bowie, Kraftwerk and a mind blowing, unexpected, amazing ballad at the end of the album; "New York I Love You" is one of those career high that goes beyond what we call a good tune, is one of those songs that come along once in a lifetime and have the privilege to survive through the years thanks to an instant classic melody and delivery.
This is an album you can dance, sing and think to, not many artists can do that at the same time.
The power of silver!

8/10

3 X 7

SARAH NIXEY - "Sing, Memory"
MOTHER MOTHER - "Touch Up"
WOMEN AND CHILDREN - "Paralyzed Dance Tonight"

DOWN MEMORY LANE

THE BLUE NILE - "Hats"


I didn't know a thing about The Blue Nile until i read this great review about "Hats" back in 1989 and i vividly remember the magic of that blue sleeve and the words of the reviewer describing the record sound has "warm electronic pop". Back then what defined the 80s 'era' was a massive use of technology, drum machines and a lot of synthesizers that were anything but "warm", that's why that statement made me buy what i still think is one of the best pop album at the twilight of that decade.
As soon as i pressed play, the slow heartbeat-like drum beat and the string keyboard majesty made me feel immediately serene, like when you finally have reached a destination, a place where nothing is wrong, a place over there, "Over The Hillside".
The band lead vocalist was Paul Buchanan, a man with a voice so deep, you'll imagine him suffering sincerely everytime he sang even apparently simple lines like "baby, baby let's go out tonight", you have to hear him to believe it!
"The Downtown Light" is like a trip through the city at night with pulsing drum machine and keyboards that had no equal at the time, the melody of "Let's Go Out Tonight" is augmented by a crescendo of what sounds like a steam machine(?!) that's propelled by an unusual synth. When "Headlights On The Parade" starts you're certain you're listening to something great and timeless, still today, nobody can match their combination of electronica, orchestral pop and poignant lyrics.
One of the song i'm most fond of has to be "From A Late Night Train", a piano led elegy about the melancholy that builds when we're about to leave some place (or someone) we love and the sad notes of the trumpet are almost blurred by the fog and vapors of the train leaving the station.
Such film-like images are what The Blue Nile did better, pop as art, songs like paintings with heavy shades of blue giving you a strange feeling of comfort even when their words were sank in sadness.
They went on releasing two more albums in 15 years (it takes time to produce masterpieces) but neither "Peace At Last" (1996) or "High" (2004), both fantastic anyway, reached the same highs as "Hats", recorded in a place that i always liked to imagine it was over there, over the hillside.

THE LAST TOWN CHORUS - "Wire Waltz"

Ever fell in love with a voice?
This might be it! Megan Hickey is an angel, only angels can sing like this, she can sing the yellow pages and you'll still feel like drowning in an ocean of the sweetest honey...
I really liked her first album but this is a major improvement, whereas in the 2004's debut sometimes the mood was a bit "sleepy", here everything keeps your attention on a high from start to finish, with a David Bowie cover of "Modern Love" (honestly, words can't describe the beauty of it, you have to listen to it!) and precious gems like "It's Not Over" and "Huntsville,1989" where she remembers her adolescence with such vivid images and her lap steel building an hypnotic web of sound behind her (again) immaculate singing.
Memories never sounded so good.

8/10

GRINDERMAN - "Grinderman"

I was (I am) pleasantly surprised by this, i have to say i was never a huge fan of Nick Cave even though i liked some of his old albums (like "The Firstborn Is Dead) and recent "Abattoir Blues" but a new "side project" rumors didn't make me jump off my shoes....
I'm jumping now, moderately, for this eleven rough diamonds that sounds like The Bad Seeds minus the rage (except maybe, "No Pussy Blues"!!) and on the plus side, a mature talent that, through the years, has reached a level of confidence that shows spectacularly on songs like "Electric Alice", "Grinderman" (title taken from a verse off a Memphis Slim's old blues song) and the contagious "(I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free" that sounds like "There She Goes My Beautiful World" part 2.
Introspection is left to "Man In The Moon" with its mellow keyboards chords and Cave singing - "my daddy was an astronaut...my daddy went away too soon, now is living on the moon" - its short 2 minutes are quite breathtaking.
A lot of artists side project usually fall to pieces for their excessive ego to release everything they write which usually does not end up to be "golden" as they thought (or dreamt).
You might not have pure gold here, but really valuable silver will do, especially as shiny as this.

7/10

3 X 7

DO MAKE SAY THINK - "You, You're A History In Rust"
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - "Sound Of Silver"
GRINDERMAN - "Grinderman"

CHRIS & CARLA - "Fly High Brave Dreamers"

C & C are husband and wife of Seattle's Walkabouts, another criminally underrated band that one day will walk through the pearly gates unlike the ones who have found an artificial heaven here on earth...
It was almost ten years since the last album under their names (Chris is Eckman and she's Togerson) and i've gotta say it, worth the wait!!
This is an album full of beautiful songs with the advantage of alternating two amazing voices (i admit i prefer Carla's dreamy tones) through a sequence of impeccable tunes that deal with love (real or imagined) without never, ever sounding superficial or untrue.
"Things We Should Have Known", "Whatever It Takes" and the magnificent "Rising Backwards" stands out from a record that they dedicated to the memory of Go-Betweens' Grant McLennan. Believe me when i say that you will feel the sincere homage flowing through these lovely crafted melodies.
If you're a dreamer, don't miss this chance.

8/10

THE SUBMARINES - "Declare A New State!"

This is such a great album!
It's one of those jewels lost in the forest of a music market that prefers the crap (American Idol, Britney, Jessica etc...) over talent, because having a decent voice and good looks it's not enough, you have to be passionate, honest and dedicated and most of all, you've gotta have taste...
This songs spin with that same "dreamy" pop attitude as heard in The Sundays first album or more recently in Devics'"Push The Heart" or even a more intimate Cardigans (especially the female voice)
Submarines is a duo, Jack Dragonetti (Jack Drag remember?) and wife Blake Hazard and their voices collide in gorgeous melodies like "Clouds", "Vote" (yeah, vote for this music, is the real thing...),"The Good Night" and "Darkest Things" but absolutely every song here has its dose of pleasure that will light up your life for the rest of the day.
Treasure this...

8,5/10

MAXIMO PARK - "Our Earthly Pleasures"

I've been waiting for this record with some kind of trepidation caused by the fact that i always considered them the best of the lot in the after The Strokes music phenomenon.
I'm not disappointed, the beauty of this album sits in its timeless melodies and the way they arrange their songs. When i think about Maximo Park music i think about colours, that's how i will portrait their tunes, with lots of colours on a small canvas, they have the ability to come up with an easy catchy melody and then add layers of sounds that will charm you throughout the twelve songs.
Opener "Girls Who Play Guitars" is a bullet coming straight at you, spikey guitars and instantly memorable chorus give way to the following, first single "Our Velocity" (good choice, but everything here can be a potential hit) and if i have to cherry pick i'll mention "Karaoke Plays", "Your Urge" and "Sandblasted And Set Free", songs like splashes of cool water on a hot summer day, that's the feel good vibe they spread!
Don't wait for summer then... just press play!

8/10

3 X 7

CHRIS & CARLA - "Fly High Brave Dreamers"
SUBMARINES - "Declare A New State!"
!!! - "Myth Takes"

RAMONA CORDOVA - "The Boy Who Floated Freely"

First of all, Ramona Cordova is a man (real name Ramon Vicente Alarcon) born in Arizona in 1984 from spanish father and haitian mother, the name taken from his grandmother and the voice is a magnificent mystery....
You will definitely think that a woman is singing these fragile folkish/pop songs because Ramon/a vocal chords are very much feminine, similar in range and pitch to the more popular (for now) Antony and the Johnson, with maybe less drama and more child like simplicity.
The album is a concept, a little over 30 minutes of acoustic guitars, a bit of flamenco, a couple bits that sound like Devendra Banhart and a few non commercial pop moments (like "Giver's Reply") to tell us the story of a boy throughout a series of adventures that could easily end up on a children book (watch out Madonna!)
This is the typical record you can't listen to anytime of the day, you have to be in the mood for it, this is not pop music as we know it, is more like acoustic songwriting with a voice you can either love or hate but nonetheless you have to admire for its originality.
Give him a chance.

7/10

3 X 7

ARCADE FIRE - "Neon Bible"
OF MONTREAL - "Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer"
THE AQUARIUM - "The Aquarium"

ARCADE FIRE - "Neon Bible"

The only thing Arcade Fire have to be afraid of is themselves because everybody loves them. This could have been an inferior record and still they would have been praised as Gods. I have to admit that i do believe that there are a lot of people out there saying how cool AF are just because it's the hype right now but that's another story that might end up on my friend Josh blog (www.bergwithfries.com)
The music however is terrific - heavenly vocals, strings arrangements that lift you up and take you to imaginary worlds only to land you on earth with a smile on your face - and the most amazing detail is that it doesn't sound like "Funeral 2", they could have easily repeat the winning formula and get away with it but their talent have no limits so we find ourselvelves in "Keep the car running" with its (ehm...) driving beat and we sing and clap our hands like followers of a new gospel. The title track's two minutes are magical and they fade into the first released single "Intervention" with its organ and church vocals crescendo while "Antichrist Television Blues" with its "I'm a God fearing man" lines and beautiful splashes of piano is another highlight as is my favorite "No Cars Go", a magnificent song, a waterfall of emotions that will leave you breathless.
The Fire is still burning...

8,5/10

DOWN MEMORY LANE

16 TAMBOURINES - "How Green Is Your Valley"


It was the beginning of 1990 and i took a train to Milan from Lake Como (where i'm from) just to go to this "import" music store hoping to find this new english band debut album that i read about on a (back then) popular magazine.
I still remember everything - the beautiful spring day, the coffee at the bar next to the record store, a quick cigarette (i don't smoke anymore now) and the adrenaline growing faster as i was approaching my destination.
As soon as i had the cd in my hands i felt what only big music nerds like me use to feel all the time a new "find" was getting in their possession, a strange sense of complete joy, a satisfaction that i don't feel anymore in this era of digital downloads...
I vividly remember the trip back home sitting on a train reading the booklet lyrics, the names of the players and their instruments trying to imagine what the songs would have sound like. When i got home i wasn't disappointed, as soon as "Bathed In The Afterglow" started i had a smile on my face, one of those smirks that usually means that the level of musical pleasure is very, very high; and so on, with the following tracks making my next 40 minutes feel like i never been happier in my life.
"April" has to be one of my favorite all time song with its poignant chorus "I know but you'll never know, april is the cruellest month" (the line was taken by singer Steve Roberts from a T.S. Elliot poem), other gems are "If I Should Stay", "Baby There's Nothing Going On" and "This Is Not Love", timeless melodies that the simple words "pop music" can't give them the credit they deserve.
Roberts voice was one that sounded like he meant every single word and the music was the magical encounter of guitars, bass, drums and wonderful piano playing with bits of saxophone and the mesmeric backing vocals of Susan Elleni.
Some records have the power to stop time, it happened today, for about an hour it was springtime again, 16 Tambourines had the magic, i'm a lucky guy.

Steve Roberts still make music, if you want to check his work go to www.steveroberts.eu

BAT FOR LASHES - "Fur And Gold"

I almost missed the beauty of this record...
It was released in september last year (in England) and from a lot of music mags reviews i thought this was something possibly quite boring with sparks of genius here and there but i gave it a chance and now i'm fully rewarded!
Natasha Khan has a smooth beautiful voice that dominates in every song with a minimal background of music (guitar, piano, strings, drum machine, assorted percussion) resulting in extremely gentle melodies that soar without never being boring.
My favorite songs so far are "Trophy", "Sad Eyes", "The Wizard" and "Sarah", all tunes that display a vocal range that recalls at times Kate Bush, Tori Amos and even Sinead O'Connor.
It's never too late to discover this...

7,5/10

ABOUT TRACEY THORN...

For people that can't read through the lines...
The review of "Out of the woods" was a good review, i like the album and i know that it's absolutely normal that it can't be the same as when she was in EBTG; i tried to be as realistic as i could be, and (more important than all) its just an opinion, my blog is not the Bible, comments are welcome but they have to be accurate, i'm talking about "Grand Canyon" sounding a bit as "Missing", not "It's All true"...
Suggestion to readers, post comments when you're sober!!!!

MALCOLM MIDDLETON - "A Brighter Beat"

Arab Strap were masters of miserabilism, no one had the charisma and the lyrics to match their songs throughout an impeccable career; Middleton is the guitarist/composer of that band and this is his third solo effort and probably his best.
The songs are strong, upbeat and lyrically original, with tight drums and bass guitar with Malcolm's electric guitar dominating the scene with splashes of piano and keyboards coloring the canvas of a record that speaks to the heart with strong words. "We're All Going To Die", "Fuck It, I Love You", "Death Love Depression Love Death" are only a few titles that deal with love and life matters without a trace of romanticism or routine; these are songs that you can really "listen" to, nothing is out of place, every note hits the target and every word has a meaning.
A special mention for "Up Late At Night Again", so intense that you'll play it on repeat on and on and on...
More of this please.

8/10

TRACEY THORN - "Out Of The Woods"

She's the voice of Everything But The Girl and that alone should give you enough confidence to listen to this...
This is her second solo album after 1983 "A Distant Shore", in between she's been busy with Ben Watt releasing astonishing music till things fell apart with "Temperamental" (1999) where their transformation from soul/jazz influenced pop completely gave up to "clubland" tunes that began with the Todd Terry remix of "Missing".
In these eleven tracks you won't find heavenly melodies like "Angel" from "Love & Money" or the classy arrangements of "The Language of Love" but you'll still enjoy most of this thanks to Tracey amazing voice. Only her vocal talent can save the paper thin melody of single "It's All True" or (wanna be "Missing") "Grand Canyon", while "Hands Up To The Ceiling" is so close to the sound of vintage EBTG that made me go through my record collection wanting to play those old albums...
"Out Of The Woods" is a good album, nothing that will be remembered for days to come but its a precious document of the present. Be grateful this wonderful voice is back! Call it nostalgia if you want...

7/10

3 X 7

MALCOLM MIDDLETON - "A Brighter Beat"
NOISETTES - "What's The Time Mr Wolf"
APPLES IN STEREO - "New Magnetic Wonder"

PATRICK WOLF - "The Magic Position"

Uplifting. That's how i would like to describe this record, a strange, contagious, full of melody little jewel of an album, dancing on the edge of orchestral pop and electronica with a dash of "cheesy" 80s...
Wolf voice sounds like a curious encounter between Lloyd Cole and Abc's Martin Fry...
The title track it is indeed, magic, the following single "Accident & Emergency" is already one of my favorite song of this year as much as "Augustine" and the final "The Stars" where the meeting of violins and synthesizers create something so (i'm repeating myself!) uplifting you'll hardly hold back the tears...
The only disappointment is "Bluebells" where the machines/strings mixture doesn't quite live up to expectations with what sounds like fireworks coming in and out of the chorus. Beside this small glitch though the rest of the album is a great achievement for Wolf that is only 23 years old and judging by this, already closer to the stars.

7,5/10

JUST JACK - "Overtones"

Before even listening to this i have to admit i was skeptical, and the reason for that is simple, i'm not a big fan of The Streets (except a couple of songs)which is the name that is popping up very often when people is talking about Jack, sorry, Just Jack.
When "Writer's Block" began i felt like "see? i was right! this is just like The Streets...", i thought here's another guy that can't sing so he's hiding behind a lot of words and the usual hip hop beats but "no, wait!" second song "Glory Days" started to make me feel a bit cheerful with its sunny melody with horns and a chorus where he actually sings! he's no Jeff Buckley but he can sing and from there on, with
"Disco Friends" and irresistible first single "Starz In Their Eyes" i enjoyed the record a lot.
Songs bloom with ideas, catchy melodies and funny lyrics with the occasional "serious" moments like the acoustic "Lost" and "Mourning Morning" till the wonderful closing track "Spectacular Failures" which on the contrary is a majestic achievement.
Don't let this highly enjoyable album pass you by!

7,5/10

3 X 7

This is a little section of the blog with what's playing in my stereo every week, 3 albums for 7 days...

- THE SHINS: "Wincing The Night Away"
- THE GOOD THE BAD & THE QUEEN: " The Good The Bad & The Queen"
- APOSTLE OF HUSTLE: "National Anthem of Nowhere"

DOWN MEMORY LANE

THE DREAM ACADEMY - "The Dream Academy" (1985)


This album meant (and still means) a lot to me.
For the majority of the people (especially here in the States) this band is the one behind the "Life In A Northern Town" big hit of the 80's, but for me this is like a precious stone carved in my heart (you can picture me now with a tear coming down my eye...)
When the popular (but always beautiful) "Life In..." is over, a keyboard introduces "The Edge of Forever", singer/guitarist/lyricist/composer Nick Laird-Clowes starts singing "When you were young did you ever loved somebody like i love you know..." over a poignant melody that explodes in the heartbreaking chorus. "New Light" has a gallopping rhythm with 12 strings guitar and angelic vocal harmonies courtesy of sax/oboe player Kate St.John; "In Places On The Run" still amazes me everytime with its twilight atmosphere, like it was recorded somewhere in a distant planet, or star ("I suppose we were somewhere in the sun..."); side one of the original vinyl ended with "This World", one of the most politically themed pieces on the record with a message of hope that radiates from an unforgettable tune.
When "Bound To Be" begins you feel the urgency of the song thanks to the cello/guitar/synthesizer acrobatic interplay; then, sit down, relax because the magnificent "Moving On" comes gently into your life - guitar, creamy bass, the smoothest drums you've ever heard, organ, piano - with Nick that sings "when you realized you've lost that face..." and you can actually hear him breathing with sorrow through the mic before the saxophone takes you home in the last phenomenal instrumental two minutes that crown this as one of the highest moment in 80's pop music.
"The Love Parade", the second single back then, is an instantly catchy song with a coda that reprises "Me & Mrs Jones" in a very creative way; "The Party" features R.E.M. Peter Buck on guitar and is a mesmerizing tune on the joys and pains of love and jealousy scored with string arrangement fading into the last song - "One Dream" - only vocals, acoustic guitar, sax and upright bass for a short masterpiece that ends what for me is "the" perfect album, a treasure that made me love music over everything else.

THE GOOD THE BAD & THE QUEEN - "The Good The Bad & The Queen"

What a fantastic album this is!!!
Forget about Gorillaz, forget about Blur, this is an amazing project that involves Damon Albarn with The Clash bass player Paul Simonon, ex-Verve guitarist Simon Tong and legendary percussionist Tony Allen. Don't expect big rock'n'roll thundering anthems though, Simonon basslines are always discreet, Allen drumming is never to the fore, the magic here is how the instruments melt with each other creating a unique sound like in the gorgeous (and first single) "Herculean" where the crescendo sends shivers down the spine with a distant sound that can be a mellotron or heavenly vocals or the two together.... The alchemy might be the genius production of Danger Mouse, even without a "dance" beat throughout the record you can hear his touch, and the blend of acoustic guitars and keyboards fits Albarn's lyrics in a way that's so evocative you can almost feel the London rain coming down your shoulders.
Praise!

8/10

THE VIEW - "Hats Off To The Buskers"

It seems that The Libertines started a musical fashion in the way that in recent years bands like The Stone Roses, Oasis, Blur and Interpol did.
The View is "another" band that you're going to read thousands of reviews mentioning that standard quote - "they sound like The Libertines!" - and in some cases that can make you cringe and move away from it and i almost did the same after one play.
Good thing than that i played the disc one more time and i realize that these are really good songs, full of hooks and vocal harmonies and a cockiness in the lyrics that fits them well.
Small catchy tunes like "Same Jeans" ('everybody is dressing up, i'm dressing down'), "Skag Trendy" and the lovely "Claudia" are not going to make you scream for the miracle but will put a smile on your face (unlike the endless Pete Doherty's drug drama life...).
Worthy of 40 minutes of your time!

7/10

BLOC PARTY - "A Weekend In The City"

This is a pleasant surprise....
I had a bit of trouble listening to the first Bloc album in its entirity, mostly because of lead singer Okereke singing/yelping that if it worked on some songs ("Banquet" especially), it made others sound like torture!
"A Weekend In The City" is a major improvement for a band that's been working hard on everything - their skills, the arrangements, the vocals - and the good news is that you can enjoy this from start to finish. "Hunting For Witches" is an instant classic with its tight guitar riffs and drumming, "Waiting For The 7:18" is brilliantly played and works as a smooth intro to "The Prayer" with marching drums and winning chorus, while the prize for best slow paced song goes to "Uniform" where
he sings his heart out with genuine passion.
The second half of the album runs out of steam a bit but the quality control is always pretty good. Towards the end of the program "Sunday" is a contender for next single after the first chosen "The Prayer". After this strong set of tunes to see them live is a must.

7,5/10

MANIFESTO

First thing first:

if you don't have in your record collection at least 6 out of these 10 albums you might wanna go to some other blog where you can find "entertainment" products, not the real music as "we" know it...

1- THE SMITHS: "The Queen Is Dead"
2- ARCADE FIRE: "Funeral"
3- THE CURE: "The Head On The Door"
4- RADIOHEAD: "The Bends" (i always thought that OK Computer was good but not
a classic...)
5- JOY DIVISION: "Unknown Pleasures"
6- NEW ORDER: "Low Life"
7- NO-MAN: "Flowermouth"
8- THE REPLACEMENTS: "Don't Tell A Soul"
9- PULP: "Different Class"
10-DAVID SYLVIAN: "Gone To Earth"