[Music] Albums Thread - 2017

[Theatre of Trees]

Following on from Albums Thread 2016 stick all your recommendations for new or future releases in here, whatever the genre.

March sees the release of the debut Moonlandingz album produced by Sean Lennon Ono and includes guest appearances by his mother, the former cowboy out of the Village People and Phil Oakey. The band consists of Eccentronic Research Council minus Maxine Peake, and two of Fat White Family, they originally debuted as a fictional band on the former's 'Johnny Rocket...' album from 2015 and judging by the video below the latter appear to have remained in character for it. First single from the LP is getting plenty of play on 6music.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Some soon to be released albums, from Resident.

http://www.resident-music.com/comingsoon

 

[Buzzer]

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

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Huh, a new Los Campesinos album. Cool.

 

[Unpopulist]

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

 

[We're the Stripes]

Sheer Mag got me very excited by at last releasing an LP, though it turns out it's just a compilation of all the songs off their 3 EPs.

http://diymag.com/2017/01/05/sheer-mag-announce-compilation-lp

 

[Easthill Andy]

New Album from Brighton Band The Last Cry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fTW1NjWZzk

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Not quite an album but the last three tracks Bowie ever recorded have been put on the 'No Plan' EP along with Lazarus and released on what would have been his 70th birthday.



Available on Spotify.

 

[Buzzer]

A few new albums that I've been listening to over the weekend

Sundara Karma - 'Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect'
I was surprised that this is their first full album as they seemed to have been around a bit but after checking, there's only a couple of EPs in 2015 that precedes this. I like this album but I'm clearly not their target audience - festival and gig-going millenials. I found myself listening to each song and comparing with indie bands of '95 and '05 and coming up with a cross between Supergrass, Arcade Fire but there's a large element of rock too with nods to Bruce Springsteen and even the Kings of Leon in their best festival stage strutting pomp. It's not all barnstorming rock but every tune, even the quieter ones such as 'Happy Family' have an anthemic feel to it. Overall a great upbeat album but will undoubtedly make anyone over 35 feel very, very old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRORIKvOR4Y

You Me At Six - 'Night People'
Another stadium rock band but most certainly not my cup of tea, I'm afraid. Whereas Sundara Karma have a certain innocent charm, You Me At Six leave me wanting to take a rain check. It all sounds very safe, very MOR, very "mobile phone commercial" music. The other big complaint that I have is it's a bit one-paced. This track is VERY typical of the whole album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnOWRS8-sDY

 

[Buzzer]

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

The Flaming Lips - 'We A Family'
I once saw The Flaming Lips as a modern day Pink Floyd but they disappeared up their own (and Miley Cyrus') arse so far that I thought they were lost forever. Apparently, this track does still feature Ms Cyrus but you wouldn't notice it - it feels like a proper Flaming Lips tune and I'm crossing my fingers that this is the start of a great recovery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPyEjQLS85s

London Grammar - 'Rooting For You'
Geoff Barrow thought this sounded like an Elaine Paige b-side. A bit harsh but I can see where he's coming from. The emotion is all a bit forced but she's got a cracking voice if only she'd lay off the warbling a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqhgXAGP4Ho

 

[aftershavedave]

I have high hopes for Chip Wickham's La Sombra ( and yes I do appreciate I'm a million miles from you guys musically on this thread and the 2016 equivalent!). Listening now...

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Have heard clips of this on many platforms, a superb singer touching upon many subjects. Lovely voice.

 

[Tarpon]

Lead track from the forthcoming BSP long player.
Rather 'meh' on first listen. There's little to distinguish them from countless other bands here.
Maybe it will grow on me.

 

[spring hall convert]

The news that Oneohtrix Point Never is working with FKA Twigs passed me by but now has me pretty excited.

http://thequietus.com/articles/21552-fka-twigs-shares-new-song-in-advert

 

[spring hall convert]

Lead track from the forthcoming BSP long player.
Rather 'meh' on first listen. There's little to distinguish them from countless other bands here.
Maybe it will grow on me.

I like it enough on first listen but I don't think I'm ever going to get really excited about a BSP studio album again.

 

[Buzzer]

A few new albums I've been listening to.

AngerBird - Cosmic Latte

This is a 16 track affair from Vancouver singer/songwriter and released on Bandcamp as a free download (as all her music is). She's a very talented, very humble DIY musician, mainly recorded on synths and in the past has been quite quirky and twee but she sounds a lot more mainstream with this latest album. I'm a huge fan of hers.

https://angerbird.bandcamp.com/album/cosmic-latte

Rose Elinor Dougall - 'Stellular'
The second former Pipette after Gwenno to release a solo album and it's every bit as good. She's cited influences such as Karen Dalton and Beth Gibbons but there's very few folky elements to this album. It starts with a very tight bass guitar and electro sound for the first 4 or so tracks, think St Vincent, Roisin Murphy but then the remainder of the album goes more Saint Etienne indie-pop and stays there. I'm a sucker for this kind of album and loved it throughout. If you can, get hold of the bonus disc too, I presume Resident will be doing it but I got mine from Rough Trade and there's some very funky remixes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sQokf-ug3I

 

[TheJasperCo]

London Grammar - 'Rooting For You'
Geoff Barrow thought this sounded like an Elaine Paige b-side. A bit harsh but I can see where he's coming from. The emotion is all a bit forced but she's got a cracking voice if only she'd lay off the warbling a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqhgXAGP4Ho

That's why I don't pay attention to "professional" critics, making a living out of dishing out their opinions. Looking forward to London Grammar's new album coming out in a couple of months (I think?)

 

[Buzzer]

That's why I don't pay attention to "professional" critics, making a living out of dishing out their opinions. Looking forward to London Grammar's new album coming out in a couple of months (I think?)

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.

 

[TheJasperCo]

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.

Sorry, I hadn't heard of him and didn't look him up beforehand. As you were

 

[Tarpon]

Slowdive: yummy