Albums Thread - 2016

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thedonkeycentrehalf

Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
Jul 7, 2003
9,344
Wimps and posers: LEAVE THE HALL!

If a better lyric than this exists in the universe, I want to hear it......

Won't happen because "other bands play, Manowar kill"
 






Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,705
The Fatherland
...... not forgotten 'round pevenseagull towers. '...... Presents The Free Association' is one of those albums that I play to death every couple of years. Really need to get a copy for the pub where I work.

I happen to have been sent the new Holmes album as part of my Rough Trade album of the month thingy.
 


spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
Really enjoying the Kano album. An intelligent, completely self-aware, stylistically varied record.

It was a breakout year for grime singles last year, this year could be the year of the grime album.
 






Tarpon

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2013
3,801
BN1
Rather predictably loving the farewell album from Richmond Fontaine. It's more of the same from them I guess but they do it so so well and first impressions is that they are exiting on a high with 'You can't go back if there is nothing to go back to'.

Playing Bleach next month (clashes with Albion Fulham FFS) & there will be a tear in my eye when they leave the stage. Bands often run their course & outstay their welcome but I'd be happy for them to run on forever. Ho-hum.
 










Theatre of Trees

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
7,838
TQ2905
Some recent albums

Mexrissey - No Manchester
An album of Morrissey cover versions from a collective of Mexican artists are given Latin rhythms and lyrics translated into Spanish. Just seven songs here mainly from Mozzer's early solo period with the exception of 'Mexico' and 'The First Of The Gang To Die' from the 'You Are The Quarry' period. Highlight of the album is the stirring 'International Playgirl' the cover of 'Last of the International Playboys' which kicks off with Latin percussion, mariachi trumpets and a funky bass line and is sung by a female vocalist. The fun, if you are or were a Morrissey fan, is remembering the English lyrics as it plays through and spotting any changes, on this track the Krays are replaced by Carlos Quintero a philanthropic Mexican drug lord. The female vocalist and the trumpets pop up on 'Cada Dia es Domingo (Everyday is Like Sunday)' which retains some of the ennui of original but is quite pedestrian in places. Of the rest male vocalists proliferate with a rather gruff voice undermining the version of Suedehead. Whilst versions of 'The Closer I get..' and 'We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful' kind of mirror the decline that had set in for Morrissey back in the 1990s. Consequently, the interest is not sustained over the entire album though worth a listen just for novelty value.

The Magnetic North - Prospect of Skelmersdale
The group is made up of the lead singer from Erland & the Carnival, a former guitarist of The Verve, and solo artist Hannah Peel. The follow up to 2012's 'Orkney: Symphony of the Magnetic North' is a concept album about the new town of Skelmersdale and is a gentle excursion through its landscape and history. Gentle accoustic guitars are mixed with romantic orchestration, sampled snippets from 1970s information films and electronic beats from Peel who often shares vocals as well as sings together with Erland Cooper. Standout tracks are 'Signs' the first single released from the album, 'Pennylands' and 'A Death in the Woods'. The wistful and romantic nature of the album seems at odds with the place itself and could possibly have done with something a little harsher towards the end as the album begins to run out of steam by track seven and there are five still to play. The last track 'Run of the Mill' kind of lives up to its name.

The KVB - Of Desire
The duo's fifth album continues where last years 'Mirror Being' left off marrying more synths to motorik beats and creating driving numbers such as opener 'White Walls', 'Never Enough' and 'In Deep'. The band are located in Berlin these days and the album certainly gives off the vibes of the city during the the late 70s and early 80s creating a rather claustrophobic atmosphere in the process. However, not all the pieces seem to fit and the album drifts into nothingness at times highlighting the lack of variety. Still they've moved away from their feedback induced shoegaze of a few years ago and the motorik rhythms do have a knack of worming their way into your head.

Puce Mary - The Spiral
Danish noise merchant, Frederikke Hoffmeier, returns with ther third album. An artist whose industrial-ambient noise can be compared with Pharmakon has produced something more nuanced and in places softer but still containing a menace. Much of her work appears to wallow in paranoia and fear and The Spiral is no exception, a reasonably 'soft' opening gives way to nightmarish 'Night is a Trap II' where Hoffmeier's voice is hidden under levels of distortion and groaning synths. At the other extreme 'Enter Into Them' features a softer spoken side though the fear remains with the discordant, creaking rumblings in the background enhancing her mutterings of sex and decay. This fearful dread and anxiety is felt in the last track 'Slow Agony of a Dying Orgasm' where the crescendo of ominious noises and distorted vocals reach their peak. Not for the faint hearted.

Tracks from the albums reviewed above can be found here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/The_Airing_Cupboard/mix-16/
The mix also includes new tracks from The Liminanas, La Femme and Brighton's Dog in the Snow and Memotone. There's some British electronica from Not Waving and Ital Tek.
 








Pogue Mahone

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2011
10,949
Well, Primal Scream, Chaosmosis.

I didn't know this was coming out, but saw the poster in Resident when buying tickets for Algiers. So I bought it as well.

Another direction, nothing like More Light, but I have been enjoying this today. More electronic, more synth driven, almost New Order like at times. I'm sure it won't be that popular around here, but it's won me over, as usual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC77NtzW7U4
 


The Modfather

New member
Dec 13, 2009
7,210
Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Well, Primal Scream, Chaosmosis.

I didn't know this was coming out, but saw the poster in Resident when buying tickets for Algiers. So I bought it as well.

Another direction, nothing like More Light, but I have been enjoying this today. More electronic, more synth driven, almost New Order like at times. I'm sure it won't be that popular around here, but it's won me over, as usual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC77NtzW7U4

A few weeks in, and as much as I love Primal Scream, I'm struggling with this one. I love that the primals output is so eclectic but this has too much of a 'pop' feel for me.
 




spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
A few weeks in, and as much as I love Primal Scream, I'm struggling with this one. I love that the primals output is so eclectic but this has too much of a 'pop' feel for me.

That horse has been dead since Evil Heat. Stop flogging it!

Everyone's fave PS album? Marginally XTRMNTR over Screamadelica for me, though I appreciate if I was necking ecstasy rather than Calpol in 1991, this may well be the other way round.

Thought the Screamadelica shows were great fun as well.

Can't get into this new one at all.
 


Pogue Mahone

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2011
10,949
That horse has been dead since Evil Heat. Stop flogging it!

Everyone's fave PS album? Marginally XTRMNTR over Screamadelica for me, though I appreciate if I was necking ecstasy rather than Calpol in 1991, this may well be the other way round.

Thought the Screamadelica shows were great fun as well.

Can't get into this new one at all.

Screamadelica. I am older than you. :)

However, I still love Primal Scream, and don't feel that they 'died' in 2002. More Light was a great album, and I'm really enjoying this one too.

And they still give a hell of a live performance...although this may be more of a struggle if both Kevin Shields and Barrie Cadogan have left for good.
 




The Modfather

New member
Dec 13, 2009
7,210
Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
I like all the Primals albums with the exception of Beautiful Future, where they were clearly treading water. More Light was a promising return to form. The new one has its moments but a bit uninspiring so far.

Bowie, Savages & Field Music my favs of 2016. Honourable mention to The Coral who have returned to their psychedelic best.
 






Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,705
The Fatherland


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