The albums thread - 2014

[tinycowboy]

For any Fall fans out there this seems remarkably cheap for 2 CD s and a DVD. Could be wrongly priced so get in there quick!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Distortion-The-Fall/dp/tracks/B00M3OK1RS/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1

A live Fall album sounds a bit risky to me - could be shambolic. I now have Two Librans stuck in my head though. Hope I can shift it before a meeting at 10 at which I really should concentrate. Liking The Bug new album a lot, but thinking that a track by track review would be excessive. Hard to sum up in one short paragraph though.

 

[spring hall convert]

Ignore the Pitchfork review today, the new Bug album is excellent. I actually think the more "ambient" first half really suits him - having reduced everything down to this slow crawling electro-dub. I'm especially fond of the tracks with copeland and Grouper.

http://www.factmag.com/2014/08/18/stream-the-bug-new-album-angels-devils/

The Ty Segall record is out today and I can't help but that's something of a wasted opportunity. He's finally taken a bit longer over the songwriting and recording process and is rewarded with some of the best sounding work of his career. However, it's too long and there's too much filler. A bit of editing would have taken this from good to one of the albums of the year. Selfishly, I'm pretty happy for this guy to stay in the underground though.

http://www.npr.org/2014/08/17/339576574/first-listen-ty-segall-manipulator

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

A live Fall album sounds a bit risky to me - could be shambolic. I now have Two Librans stuck in my head though. Hope I can shift it before a meeting at 10 at which I really should concentrate. Liking The Bug new album a lot, but thinking that a track by track review would be excessive. Hard to sum up in one short paragraph though.

In truth there are as many live Fall albums around as there are studio. Think this one is an official release though. Let us know what you think of The Wytches album- reviews so far have been pretty favourable.

 

[spring hall convert]

Finally we get see hear some of the Scott Walker & Sunn O))) work. Woah. Aaaaand pre-ordered.


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

This sounds EXACTLY how I expected it to sound. In case anyone was wondering, that is a very good thing.

Quietus and Wire's album of the year pretty much sown up right here!

 

[Albumen]

Black Mist EP - Pye Corner Audio: title track is throbbing, purposeful, reminiscent of early Underworld at times. Percussion builds nicely, song opens up midway through with textured synths adding gloss, end in slightly menacing fashion, pausing for breath. Good accompaniment to archive footage of repetitive but fascinating industrial processes. Second track Bilk Erase opens in bucolic, nostalgic BoC style, but is underpinned by slowly morphing acid bass line and clanking, metallic percussion. Faux-orchestral interludes add to the reflective feel. Sorry - this is more of a description than a review. Old Apparatus remix of title track takes the unsettling coda and layers unidentifiable voices and noise on top to create a Twin Peaks atmosphere of impending disturbance. Overall, pretty good stuff.

Ooo I've got this ready on 12" to pick up from t'shop. And the new album. Tomorrow.

 

[Machiavelli]

First album was about 10 years ago (see below). Follow up due shortly.

Top news. You are the bringer of glad tidings, Tarpon
Hope they're touring. They were great at The Freebutt.

 

[spring hall convert]

Top news. You are the bringer of glad tidings, Tarpon
Hope they're touring. They were great at The Freebutt.

I thought they were living in Brighton now and called themselves Royal Blood.

Catty I know but I couldn't resist.

 

[tinycowboy]

In truth there are as many live Fall albums around as there are studio. Think this one is an official release though. Let us know what you think of The Wytches album- reviews so far have been pretty favourable.

Sneak preview - this album isn't really "my thing". Need to give it a couple more listens before I give a detailed review of this scuzzy vibrato-guitared, fuzzy-bassed album of uninteresting chord changes - I've only noticed the things I don't like so far, and I feel duty-bound to give it some fresh listens to bring out some positives. However, the kids on the street seem to like it, so maybe I'm just showing my age...

 

[tinycowboy]

Annabel Dream Reader - The Wytches: a collision of tremeloing surf rock, doom rock, proto heavy metal, early Horrors and vocals like a cross between Windmill and a laid-low Brian Molko. This album improves on repeated listens, but contains two examples of my pet hates - Eastern chord progressions on heavy guitars and chord changes involving going up one fret and back down again, reminding me of countless endless support bands. Wire Frame Mattress is a little more expansive. Robe For Juda has a welcome burst of real guitar noise. I much prefer the bits where they're sounding surfy and/or Blue Velvety to the 1973 guitars. Muddy, ploddy - needs freshening up.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

For something a bit different I can recommend The Dowling Poole - Bleak Strategies. Not sure how best to describe this album myself but their website says:

Influenced by pop masters such as XTC, Blur, 10CC, The Kinks, The Beatles and more, The Dowling Poole debut album ‘Bleak Strategies’ is an eclectic and contemporary sounding mix of semi-psychedelic pop, somehow quintessentially British-sounding, laced with harmonies and a multitude of influences from the best of 50 years of rock and popular music.

http://thedowlingpoole.com/

People may know one half of the band - Willie Dowling - who has played with The Wildhearts, The Grip and Honeycrack amongst others.

 

[tinycowboy]

Angels and Devils - The Bug: mainly this...

the new Bug album is excellent. I actually think the more "ambient" first half really suits him - having reduced everything down to this slow crawling electro-dub. I'm especially fond of the tracks with copeland and Grouper.

Album hits its peak on tracks 3-5, austere grey instrumentals (tracks 3 and 5), upbeat poppy vocals backed by unsettling dubby beeps and pulses and alienated lyrics (track 4). The second half (the "devils" - mainly aggressive low-frequency-enhanced grimey bangers) has its moments though - Dirty and Function being my particular favourites, although I wouldn't like to live next door to someone who had this album on loud repeat. I'm not convinced about the ploy of making this almost two separate albums - I quite like things mixed up rather than segregated, but it's an interesting approach.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

A couple to look forward to in September

Vessel - Punish
[yt]rTSh2gnrbD4[/yt]

Gazelle Twin - Unflesh
[yt]NMiPD6EqbyQ[/yt]

Best multilingual bubblegum pop of the year so far, released this week:

Kero Kero Bonito - Intro Bonito
[yt]AL8fz8W2Yos[/yt]

 

[spring hall convert]

Stream of the excellent new Esben and The Witch record

http://www.thefourohfive.com/news/article/stream-esben-and-the-witch-s-new-album-a-new-nature-140

 

[big nuts]

Some great albums released tomorrow:-

Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
Interpol - El Pintor
DFA 1979 - The Physical World

And with TV on the Radio next month and Caribou in October a year that has struggled to match 2013's excellent output should have a great finale.

 

[Spun Cuppa]

I'm just spinning The Horror's Luminous, and can't wait to see them in Worthing next month

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

Some great albums released tomorrow:-

Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
Interpol - El Pintor
DFA 1979 - The Physical World

And with TV on the Radio next month and Caribou in October a year that has struggled to match 2013's excellent output should have a great finale.

Looking forward to Interpols album. Best time of year for releases.

 

[tinycowboy]

Ballet School - The Dew Lasts An Hour: three or so songs in, I was hating this - horrible marriage of slightly indie electronic guitar music and full throttle dance anthem vocals. However, the mist seemed to clear a bit after this and it started to sound like the Cocteau Twins, both guitar- and vocal-wise. However, you can't really get by on a shinier, more modern sounding Cocteau Twins rip-off with added skittering beats for too long. Luckily, there were a couple of standout tracks - two pop/rock songs - Cherish, an urgent, expansive-sounding tickler, and All Things Return At Night. A fair album, kind of 6/10ish. Possibly worth checking out if you're looking for something similar to a high spec School of Seven Bells/Hospitality/A Sunny Day in Glasgow kind of thing with an X Factor vocalist......

 

[BBassic]

Hopefully this hasn't been mentioned already (I do love introducing music to people) but Cymbals Eat Guitars have released their third album 'LOSE'. Fell in love with this band when their first album 'Why There Are Mountains' dropped a few years ago and they've just gotten better and better.

 

[tinycowboy]

Hopefully this hasn't been mentioned already (I do love introducing music to people) but Cymbals Eat Guitars have released their third album 'LOSE'. Fell in love with this band when their first album 'Why There Are Mountains' dropped a few years ago and they've just gotten better and better.

I've got their first album. Listened to it once, thought it was just OK and gave up on it. Should I revisit? What are the attractions of the music for you?

 

[BBassic]

I've got their first album. Listened to it once, thought it was just OK and gave up on it. Should I revisit? What are the attractions of the music for you?

I'd definitely advise giving it another go. Honestly one of my favourite albums. It's the jazzy elements to it that I enjoy the most. Being a bass player as well I really pick out music with cracking bass lines and CEG have those in abundance!