[Music] Albums Thread - 2017

[spring hall convert]

To be fair, Geoff Barrow is no professional critic, he's a professional musician, one-third of Portishead and one-third of Beak> but he can be an uncompromising, grumpy old *******. That London Grammar track isn't my cup of tea as I'm not too keen on melismatic singing but I'll certainly be giving the album a listen when it comes out.

Pretty sure I've voiced this on here before, the wife loves them but there's something a bit too formulaic and clinical about them for me, almost a bit too perfect. I think the girl's got a good voice though.

On a similar note, the Quietus (well Luke Turner anyway) wasn't too impressed by the new XX album

http://thequietus.com/articles/21551-the-xx-i-see-you-review

 

[CHAPPERS]

The Resident sale starts tomorrow for all you bargain hunters.

 

[spring hall convert]

As I've probably said on this thread a few times before, Manchester's Irma Vep is one of my favourites since I caught him at the Hookworms headlined 'Escape From The Great Escape' at The Westhill Hall last year.

His new record is out on Faux Discx today. Expect Oh Sees style full band wig outs, fractured folk-blues and a pinch of Beefheartian chaos

https://irmavepirmavep.bandcamp.com/album/no-handshake-blues

 

[BBassic]

A couple of singles that have been released that are worth mentioning

Amber Run - 'Fickle Game'
Nottingham indie-band with a new album out next month release this, their first from it. Starts very indie-folk but builds into a great tune with sweeping guitars and a dreamy quality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu3_bNLR328

Really, really enjoyed this.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Pretty sure I've voiced this on here before, the wife loves them but there's something a bit too formulaic and clinical about them for me, almost a bit too perfect. I think the girl's got a good voice though.

On a similar note, the Quietus (well Luke Turner anyway) wasn't too impressed by the new XX album

http://thequietus.com/articles/21551-the-xx-i-see-you-review

On a point of pedentry when The XX first emerged they were a four piece. They have played Brighton as a 4 piece as well.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I remember seeing the XX (as a three piece if memory serves) supporting Vampire Weekend years ago, strange gig.

 

[spring hall convert]

On a point of pedentry when The XX first emerged they were a four piece. They have played Brighton as a 4 piece as well.

Yes. I saw them as a 4 piece as well.

Listening to the record now, I get where the Quietus are coming from but then I'm no real fan of Jamie XX's gear either. I miss that claustrophobic intensity of the first record but can also see why they wouldn't want to repeat that ad infinitum especially when it spawned so many imitators.

 

[Albumen]

Never seen the appeal of the XX myself.

 

[Buzzer]

Yes. I saw them as a 4 piece as well.

Listening to the record now, I get where the Quietus are coming from but then I'm no real fan of Jamie XX's gear either. I miss that claustrophobic intensity of the first record but can also see why they wouldn't want to repeat that ad infinitum especially when it spawned so many imitators.

I also saw them as a 4 piece too supported by one of my favourite Swedish bands of the last 10 years, the aptly named JJ.

I'll be honest, I tend to use Quietus as a great reference for new music that slips under the radar of most other music sites I follow (Pitchfork, FACT, 405 etc) but I don't tend to take much notice of their reviews as they're far too analytical and almost invariably critical in a knowing, too-clever way. Actually, that's not quite fair - they are far more knowledgeable about music than me but I don't feel inclined to read the reviews because of the way they are written.

I have a theory that it's not the second album that's the tricky one for bands but the third. The second usually contains some material that dates from the first album and the record companies still exert a strong influence on the direction of the band which all points to a second album that is a progression of the first. The third album though probably contains all new material, the band are now fully mature and looking to broaden their outlook and this is the tricky bit as far as us fans are concerned and by the sounds of it The XX new album kind of fits that.

I adore their first album, I really do but you only have to listen to Jamie XX's magnificent solo work to see that it's clear that if they box themselves in with that first album's kind of sound/feel, then there's a whole load of great music that will never get made.

 

[spring hall convert]

I also saw them as a 4 piece too supported by one of my favourite Swedish bands of the last 10 years, the aptly named JJ.

I'll be honest, I tend to use Quietus as a great reference for new music that slips under the radar of most other music sites I follow (Pitchfork, FACT, 405 etc) but I don't tend to take much notice of their reviews as they're far too analytical and almost invariably critical in a knowing, too-clever way. Actually, that's not quite fair - they are far more knowledgeable about music than me but I don't feel inclined to read the reviews because of the way they are written.

I have a theory that it's not the second album that's the tricky one for bands but the third. The second usually contains some material that dates from the first album and the record companies still exert a strong influence on the direction of the band which all points to a second album that is a progression of the first. The third album though probably contains all new material, the band are now fully mature and looking to broaden their outlook and this is the tricky bit as far as us fans are concerned and by the sounds of it The XX new album kind of fits that.

I adore their first album, I really do but you only have to listen to Jamie XX's magnificent solo work to see that it's clear that if they box themselves in with that first album's kind of sound/feel, then there's a whole load of great music that will never get made.

Agreed on the third album thing. I guess it's daunting to go from a completely blank canvas.

I'm no fan of that Jamie XX record at all. I was with Resident Advisor on that one and I think that's my problem with this record.

Anyway, the positive reviews are rolling in...

http://www.metacritic.com/music/i-see-you/the-xx

 

[Buzzer]

I'm no fan of that Jamie XX record at all. I was with Resident Advisor on that one.

I'm no fan of everything he's done. That Gil Scott-Heron remix album is one of the most impenetrable albums I've ever bought. I just don't get the point of it but some of his other stuff especially 'Under One Roof Raving' is fantastic and although he's very hit-and-miss with me, I can't help but admire a bloke that young having the confidence to do what he does.

 

[spring hall convert]

I'm no fan of everything he's done. That Gil Scott-Heron remix album is one of the most impenetrable albums I've ever bought. I just don't get the point of it but some of his other stuff especially 'Under One Roof Raving' is fantastic and although he's very hit-and-miss with me, I can't help but admire a bloke that young having the confidence to do what he does.

For sure. I actually wished that the Jamie XX album was a bit more in tune with some of the dubsteppy/ uk garage dj sets he was doing around that period, it felt a little bit safe to me. I realise I am in a minority position here though.

 

[Buzzer]

Talking of the XX, whilst I've been reading this thread I've been listening to the brand new SOHN album 'Rennen' which does have a similar feel in parts to the XX's earlier stuff: the minimalist R&B, the pauses and glitches and the pace of most of the songs are all familiar. Familiar too, if you have heard anything by James Blake as SOHN's voice is very samey. It's an interesting album, I've only listened to it with headphones on and you can pick up immediately just how good the production is but I think as background music, a lot of the tunes could merge effortlessly into one homogenous sound. For me 'Primary' is the stand-out track (can't find a stream sadly) but after listening to it, it just made me want to listen to Barbarossa who does this kind of sound so much better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fQOlOwnaN8

 

[Mellotron]

New album on Bandcamp from ZOOEY called 'The Drifters. They are a London-based French duo and if you were to compare them to other French electronic duos then definitely more Air than Daft Punk but their sound reminds me more of Fujiya and Miyagi, Metronomy (at their most languid) or Grumbling Furs. I like this album a lot, it's a nice accompaniment to pottering about in the kitchen and rarely gets out of third or even second gear but sometimes that sort of ambience just hits the right spot. Check out that first track especially 'Realise Realise'

https://wonderfulsound.bandcamp.com/album/the-drifters

Are you a fan of Junior Boys? Their album So This Is Goodbye is in a similar mould and absolutely superb.

 

[Buzzer]

Temples second album is coming out early march. Loved the first one!

New single released from it. I checked on Resident's website and this is the final track from the upcoming album. You've got to wonder just how good the rest of the album could be if this is stuck at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEyydJOuR0A

 

[Buzzer]

Are you a fan of Junior Boys? Their album So This Is Goodbye is in a similar mould and absolutely superb.

Yep! Loved that album last year.

 

[Mellotron]

it just made me want to listen to Barbarossa who does this kind of sound so much better.

Barbarossa - Imager is a fantastic tune.

 

[spring hall convert]

I do agree with this from that Luke Turner Quietus review though

"it's perhaps evidence of how much of an influence The xx have had on everything from blubstep to modern pop, even including labelmate Adele, that this faux-emoting is now an industry standard."

'faux-emoting,' makes my teeth itch.

 

[Mellotron]

Recent listening:

Ghost Culture - Ghost Culture

Lots of references to Kraftwerk and (then unsurprisingly) LCD Soundsystem that aren't too far off the mark, and there's a couple of songs (Guidecca, and Glass) that really hit the spot. His vocal phrasing reminds me of Brian Eno as well. This actually came out early 2015 but I've just gotten round to it now. The 2nd half of the album exposes some slightly one-dimensional writing but this is his debut so plenty of time to grow yet hopefully.

[yt]_RYP-AHhV9w[/yt]

Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love!

This just has such a fantastic atmosphere. Plenty of Prince and Funkadelic, with a little bit of early Mars Volta/John Frusciante solo-scrappiness at times.

Clark - The Last Panthers (Soundtrack)

Warp records artist. If you're into cold, glassy instrumentals that wouldn't sound out of place on Side B of either Low or "Heroes", this may be for you.

[yt]A6unSzIOk0Q[/yt]

Putting in some time on the new Nine Inch Nails EP at the moment. Some of the songs appear unspectacular at first but there are some absolutely ingenious producing tricks in there, if you know what you're listening out for.

 

[spring hall convert]

Also 'blubstep' is an inspired pisstake genre name.