[Music] Albums Thread - 2017

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Hungry Joe

Hungry Joe

SINNEN
Oct 22, 2004
7,636
Heading for shore
Afternoon music peeps. I've just released a sampler EP via Smikkelbaard Records called Tasting the Battleground. It features Samara from the next album and 3 older tracks remixed and remastered. It's free to stream via Bandcamp or you can download for 1Euro 9or more if you're feeling generous)......

https://smikkelbaard.bandcamp.com/album/tasting-the-battleground
 




spring hall convert

spring hall convert

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2009
9,608
Brighton
I think I've posted about Housewives a number of times before. They first came to my attention on a tape they put out on Faux Discx a couple of years ago and I'm pretty sure their 'Work' record was on my rundown of my favourite records of 2015.

They've now been picked up by Rocket Recordings (Goat, Teeth of The Sea, GNOD, Josefin Ohrn) and have released the cryptically titled FF061116 recently. Track below is for lovers of Sonic Youth/ This Heat style guitar noise. Total cracker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyb4YAnUWNA
 


Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Pale Honey - 'Devotion'

They're 2 Swedish women who together form a guitar and drum duo. Considering it's their debut album and how noisy most guitar and drum duos are, the album is surprisingly nuanced. They are definitely more White Stripes than Royal Blood and although they borrow a lot of grunge riffs, they always manage to steer their tunes into a more brooding and more covert, less overt direction. A few of the tunes do sound a bit samey (mind you, the same accusation can be said of Royal Blood) but overall, the album works well and I've got high hopes for this band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zZEckgXg14
 




Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
spring hall convert said:
Bold declaration alert. It is a 100% bona fide stone cold classic.
Click to expand...

It's an extremely strong collection of tunes. Not one duff track or filler on there. That track Pills that I was dubious about sounds much better as part of the album rather than a stand alone single. It was an odd choice as first track from the album because there are much better songs on there: Los Ageless, Happy Birthday Johnny, Young Lover....
 




Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
William Patrick Corgan - 'Ogilala'

Billy Corgan returns with a solo album. It's not his first but I was never a Smashing Pumpkins fan so it's the first time I've given his music a serious listen in donkey's years. The mid-life crisis suits him, musically at least - I'm not sure hanging out with Infowars' Alex Jones or the sojourn into wrestling management has done him any favours. One thing that I found most off-putting from his Pumpkin days was the singing voice and I was very pleased to hear him ditch the whine and actually sing. The album itself is a collection of soft(ish) love ballads and acoustic numbers and by and large they are all pretty good songs and there's a nice flow to it. It feels less American and more British in delivery although don't ask me to expand on that comment because it's just a feeling I have and very difficult to describe. Some clever lyrics too and I get the feeling that Corgan had fun making this album. It's good fun listening to, as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VeSByGOpLo
 


Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Nerina Pallot - 'Stay Lucky'

She's a long established singer-songwriter with quite a decent back catalogue of tunes and it shows with this new album. It's extremely well-polished, a mainly piano-led collection of love songs and ballads. They are all extremely radio-friendly which means they often veer into MoR but sometimes that's quite a nice place to be and she carries it off with aplomb. The album does get a bit jazzier as it goes on and the stand out tunes are the title track and 'Man Didn't Walk On The Moon'.

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


Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
King Krule - 'The OOZ'

This is a magnificent return from the former Brit School lad. His previous albums have been quite indie focused, him with a guitar and his idiosyncratic singing/talking but this time he mutes the anger in the delivery and opts for a more Ghostpoet-like approach. But throughout, the biggest change is that this is undoubtedly a jazz album and by that I mean 2 o'clock in the morning at Ronnie Scotts kind of jazz. He still manages to bring in a bit of rap, lots of angst and a great turn of phrase but this feel likes a coming of age album for him, he's really found a great style here that works extremely well. Most of the songs are 3 minute affairs which means that you get 19 or so songs in total which keeps the album moving at a fair old pace despite the laidback feel to it. The other benefit is that it keeps the tunes interesting and prevents chin-stroking, navel-gazing and protracted w@nky jazz solos. If you like Tricky, Ghostpoet, King Britt, Guru's Jazzmatazz or similar then you'll love this album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2HRzIyyXvU
 








Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Diron Animal - 'Alone'

An album that takes no prisoners. They are from Angola and the album is full-on dance and honestly it's exhausting just listening to it. Given the proximity to S Africa, it's no surprise that there are links with Shangaan electro and Gqom and anyone familiar with either style will know where this music comes from both in sound and the frenetic pace. All that said, it is extremely good fun and there are some very pleasant surprises especially with nods to New York disco in one or two of the tracks (Love Family). Sadly, there are songs on there that just go on and on and end up giving me a headache (ironically, the worst offender is called Don't Stop). Well worth a listen though and there's bound to be a few tunes that will grab you. And interestingly, the musicians come from the township of Cazenga in Luanda. Our Kazenga comes from neighbouring Congo.

You can listen to the entire album here on Bandcamp and especially recommended is 'Love Family'. https://dironanimal.bandcamp.com/album/alone
 




Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
A few new albums that are well worth checking out

Esmerine - 'Mechanics of Dominion'
Part of the Montreal music scene collectives that include Godspeed You Black Emperor and Thee Silver Mt Zion Band, Esmerine have been going for some time now and this album sees them in familiar territory with part classical music, part post-rock. There's no singing, it's all instrumental and this is them at the very top of their game. A few tracks are extremely good, the rest stunning. If you're completely new to how these Montreal collectives operate then this would be a great primer. If you like this track then please go back and check out a much older Esmerine tune: "Snow Day for Llasa". Written about 10 years ago for a friend of theirs who died on New Year's Day. It's so good it's life-affirming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLIlS5Bt-5Y
 


Buzzer

Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Lean Year - Lean Year

Resident Music describe this as minimalist folk and they aren't far off. A duo with female singer, she has a folky voice and sings with a maturity that belies her age. The way they have stripped everything out of this album to leave the essentials intensifies it and genuinely makes you stop and listen rather than have it as background music. This kind of music is right up my street. Heartily recommended.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWC1KwppyF8
 




















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