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"