lundi 1 Fév 2010, 4h26m
The idea is for a journal for every month listing new albums I listen to and what I think so that when I review the year's music in December, I will have a handy reminder.
I will add to this as the month goes on. Suggestions welcome.
Previous journal: January 2010
* Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea
Her best album to date. It plays nicely and subtly enough until it gets to Love's On Its Way when suddenly, the album wakes up, forcing you to take note. In the quietest possible way, throughout the whole album, she's saying, "Listen to me."
We7: http://www.we7.com/album/The-Sea?albumId=429908&m=0
Sunday Times review
* Midlake - The Courage Of Others melancholic indie rock. More prog than rock, more rock than indie, at times alt-country. Moody and dark. Channels some of the greats in folk.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20100205_midlake.shtml
* Four Tet - There Is Love In You at times dance, at other times electronica, this pretty album varies between the two throughout.
* Family of the Year - Songbook Goes well back-to-back with Midlake. California collective mixes folk, electronica and Fleetwood Mac inspired rock on its debut album. (description from Spinner).
* The Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers ambient, the first from Album Leaf to feature a live band. Sort of cool but passionate at the same time. Warm but aloof. Lovely contrasts between sentimental and heart-tugging against distance. At times, reminds me of Nick Cave & Warren Ellis and their movie soundtracks, though not quite as dramatic.
Toro y Moi - Causers of This South Carolina chillwave artist Chazwick Bundick releases his first of two planned albums for 2010 (description from Spinner). Very pretty, dream pop type chill music that's undemanding as it is soothing.
* Codeine Velvet Club - Codeine Velvet Club indie rock with an added twist of cabaret. Released just before new year.
* Delphic - Acolyte contemporary indie rock channeling past masters of euphoric electronica. The future sound of Manchester.
* Gift of Gab - Escape 2 Mars Gift of Gab (born Tim Parker) is the MC for the California hip-hop duo Blackalicious. One Amazon reviewer described this as Wu Tang meets TV on the Radio. Funky rap. Brilliant. A strong 4/5.
* The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack Formerly The Muslims, the band release their debut full length album. Garage rock. Bright and cheerful with a few moments that stand out.
* Martha and the Muffins - Delicate Famous for Echo Beach in the 80s, the band return with its first album since 1992. New wave. Covers a lot of ground, varied and ranging, stretching out and comfortably reaching points before switching to something else. One that will take time to get to know, and an enjoyable exercise it will be too.
* Salvador Santana - Keyboard City Carlos' keyboard playing son releases his major label debut. Electronica and hip-hop while also featuring some Latin influences. Genius, but what else would you expect?
* We Are Wolves - Invisible Violence lo-fi indie rock from Canada
* Thea Gilmore - Strange Communion Folk. A Christmas album, yes, but a very good one.
* Yeasayer - ODD BLOOD Their first album was great. This is amazing.
* Sade - Soldier of Love subtle and understated. Perfect for nighttime.
* Husky Rescue - Ship Of Light The band that gets better with every new album.
* Hot Chip - One Life Stand Can't say I'm a fan.
* Fionn Regan - The Shadow Of An Empire The guy who looks like Dave Edmunds makes another good album.
* Bellevue Rendezvous - Salamander Exceptional music featuring fiddles, the Scandinavian nyckelharpa, citern and jaw harp, ranging from Scottish to klezmer.
http://open.spotify.com/album/3tVVfcVCkGPyHy5D0Elmuj
* Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here Over far too soon. Bit mumbly at times, then he pulls you back with something special. You can't just put this on in the background, you have to listen. Great.
* k.d. lang - Recollection A retrospective of good songs performed by the most mellifluous singer of our times. One new track - Beautifully Combined.
* The Maccabees - Wall of Arms Two great tracks: the title track Wall of Arms and their cover of I Drove All Night (B Side).
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51a5OZjke5L._SL500_AA240_.jpg
* Pantha du Prince - Black Noise Minimal ambient electronica / techno / house.
From Amazon: On this release his music has moved on to a more academic kind of sound design inspired by the notion that music already exists in everything and that human beings just have to bring it out. The resulting sound collages have an extremely organic, enveloping sound, touched with minimal electronic beats.
Stick by my Side featured guest - Panda Bear (Noah Lennox)
http://open.spotify.com/album/0antgp6pTvJPH6KvG5eEJg
* Field Music - Field Music (Measure)
Review: http://www.neonfiller.com/page3.htm#measure
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article7020665.ece
Wide ranging and varied double album, going from rock, through post-rock, to experimental, to soft. What's it got? It's got the lot. Great album.
* The Watson Twins - Talking To You, Talking To Me Classic soul and country.
* Citizen Cope - The Rainwater LP Highlight - Jericho
* Seasick Steve - Songs For Elisabeth Good. He's the blues man, what more is there to say?
* Sa Dingding - Harmony Enjoyable. Reco'd.
Caitlin Rose - Dead Flowers EP folk, alt-country. Distinctive voice, cuter than Neko Case. New album due later in the year.
Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back Hit and miss. Comes to life on a rainy afternoon. The first listen of this album isn't promising at all. For ears tuned to contemporary pop and rock, the absence of drums and guitars comes as a little shock. It takes a few listens to acclimatise. Orchestral or piano covers of well known songs, part of a song exchange with the different artists covered pledging to return the favour. I don't like the Radiohead one, amongst others, but I like tracks 2 to 6.
* The Unwinding Hours - The Unwinding Hours Post-rock. Annoyed me - the quiet bits were so low I had to turn the volume up, only to be accosted by too loud loud bits. Be warned.
* The Go Find - Everybody Knows It’s Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight Lovely electronica from the Morr music label.
* Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion Produced by fellow Kentucky musician Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, this album aims to raise awareness of Mountaintop Removal coal mining and its effect on Appalachian residents. (from Spinner). I always have time for good, honest folk music. A pleasure.
* Class Actress - Journal of Ardency Elizabeth Harper's seductive vocals are on display on the debut release from this Brooklyn synth-pop outfit. (from Spinner).
* Lightspeed Champion - Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You Better than you'd expect.
* Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago post-rock that shimmers with silvery sounds and gorgeous melting moments. Stunning.
Review - Battlemouth
* Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library Debut album. Recorded with TV ON THE RADIO’s Dave Sitek before being signed. Super-talented artist, sounds a little like Cat Power sometimes, othertimes like Soap&Skin. Music is varied and ranges from experimental indie folk to indie pop. Exceptional.
* Electric President - The Violent Blue ex Morr music. It's good but not wow. It's the middle ground, music for background, music to work to, music to fall asleep to. Nothing demanding here, but nothing memorable either. It's not Insomnia.
April Smith and the Great Picture Show - Songs for a Sinking Ship April Smith The Brooklyn, N.Y. singer-songwriter channels mixes influences from the '30s to the present on her fan-funded debut. (Spinner) Great new album, fun, upbeat, amusing and cheeky - some songs sound like those you strip to in a burlesque manner. Wonderful.
* Salif Keita - La Différence Music for a good cause, says The Sunday Times. Proceeds will go to the foundation he runs to combat prejudice against albinos.
* Blind Man's Colour - Wooden Blankets Experimental indie. Reminds me of Animal Collective and Yeasayer. Complex, textured, some interesting ideas.
* Veil Veil Vanish - Change in the Neon Light The San Francisco quartet looks ready to break out with its unique dark post-punk debut album. (Spinner). A good mix of goth and shoegaze. Really enjoyed this.
* Title Tracks - It Was Easy Former Q and Not U member John Davis blends a variety of influences on his new project's debut album. (Spinner) Upbeat and cheerful, radio-friendly, ends with a giggle. Enjoyable.
* Little Boots - Hands Some of these tracks were released as singles last year. They're still the strongest on the album, but it's Little Boots, so it's all good.
* Zeus - Say Us "The album shows a band with an incredible ability to write?smart pop hooks with jangling electric guitars, three-part harmonies; classic rock n’ roll with a touch of twang." arts and crafts Everything sounds so familiar. Just as I feel I'm close to naming something, along comes something else. Certainly an album I'd like to get to know. Lots going on.
* Sambassadeur - European Third album from Swedish pop rockers. So-so. I like the last track best Small Parade.
* The Knife In Collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock - Tomorrow, In A Year Now we're talking! Something experimental and actually interesting for a change. Best heard before reading the blurb. It's The Knife, by the way. Expect the unexpected, including opera.
* White Rabbits - It's Frightening
* Nneka - Concrete Jungle
* Johnny Cash - Ain't No Grave Fantastic