ISSUE 22
JOEY QUIÑONES
INNA SOUL STEADY SITUATION
Colemine Records 6/10
From the shaking dancehall opener of ‘Soul Steady’ and into the glacial ‘Guess That’s Just Loving You’, it’s a slow burn for the usual up-tempo pace that Joey Quiñones usually maintains. Yet with ‘There Must be Something’, the familiar swagger returns and is shortly followed by the swaying warmth of ‘Don’t Let Go’.
Pooling together the quintessential elements of the Quiñones sound, ‘In My Arms’ features the silky smooth organ, hypnotic rhythms and the genuine aching vocals that Quiñones dispenses with disarming ease. The most tender and heartfelt of all tracks lies with the beautifully sad, ‘Driftin’, as Quiñones laments a fading relationship. His angelic pleas to cling onto the possibility of rekindling the flickering embers of a passion that has lost its heat are truly a high-water mark on the record.
Returning to his reggae and ska roots, ‘Don’t Be Late’ is a two-step classic as the steel drum percussion makes its first appearance under a crooning Quiñones. The wind-down of ‘Bolsita’ and ‘One More Night’ move inextricably toward ‘Situation 2’ and the instrumental outro, delivered over a spacious three minutes.
KEENAN O'MEARA
BATHE IN THE EVERLASTING LIGHT
Belting Bronco Records 8/10
Who would have thought construction workers would be so musically gifted, emotionally centred, and articulate? Well, Keenan O’Meara not only breaks that mold, but shatters it into a thousand pieces. His achingly heartfelt and personally driven debut is simply amazing. Derived from hardships and internal struggles, the album beautifully dissects topics such as loss on the song ‘Mourning Doves’ and family in ‘Devil Never Said Her Name’. Yet ultimately, the record is transfixed on mortality. Viewed through different lens, tracks focus on alternate ways of processing life and death, such as the post-apocalyptic ‘Halley’s Comet’ and ‘God’s Last Hunter’ revolving around the afterlife.
Deathly concepts abound, but are thoughtfully raised and suitably addressed through the considered and sentimental angle O’Meara takes. Equally fitting is the instrumentation and its subtle uses. Primarily acoustic-driven work, the group of musicians accompanying O’Meara gel seamlessly with the heavy topics at hand. A full circle of sorts given that during the writing and recording of the album, his mother died; his father developed cancer; and he welcomed his first child. The weight of such events is easy to hear on this most honest and grounding record.
KEVIN MORBY
LITTEL WIDE OPEN
Dead Oceans 6/10
When the bar is routinely set as high as Morby has shown so often with phenomenal records such as City Music and Sundowner, it is a precedent that can be hard to sustain. His eighth release is one that is less the standout record and more the inventory album, but it still contains flashes of brilliance, nonetheless.
Perhaps it is because the subject matter has become a tired metaphor for Morby that its impact doesn’t resonate as powerfully as previously. The scene of the Midwest, notions of the big sky country it conjures and rust belt characters it contains, all feature heavily throughout but so too has it in the past. And now we find Morby deep in the detail, that for him is the world that has made him, yet some of that localised experience hasn’t translated to a wider audience so successfully as it has in albums gone by.
Although Little Wide Open falls short in reaching the high-water mark of previous albums, it is only by comparison that it fails to deliver the calibre we have come accustomed to. A softer approach isn’t without its merits however and it is simply an offering for a more delicate palate.
KNITTING
SOUVENIR
Mint Records 7/10
There is a natural synchronicity between Mischa Dempsey (vocals / guitar), Sarah Harris (guitar) and Andy Mulcair (drums) as ‘Sunrise’ exemplifies. So in lockstep are the trio that it feels magnetic, inseparable and fused into a force greater than the sum of its parts. The lead single ‘Here Comes’ makes a pretty clear case for why it was chosen. The meandering intro with its refrained guitar and sludgy bass ebb and flow to the winding vocals of Dempsey is beautiful slowburn.
The downbeat, slacker sound is one they champion wholeheartedly, as ‘Photocopy’ and ‘I Wasn’t Fully Cooked’ attest. The droll vocals of Dempsey drag themselves over heavy bass, hauling onwards to ‘Shuffle’ and ‘Gift Horse’ in search for brighter places. Often on the fringes of explosive, the outfit remain within their confines, not succumbing to gratuitous solos or exaggerated feedback.
The culmination of Dempsey’s relaxed vox, Harris’s reverb-centric guitar and Mulcair’s rhythmic percussion peaks on ‘Sequel’ as tensions become less of a tug-of-war and more of a united front. A clear sign of their evolving technique for their sophomore album and road-tested performances.
MELANIA KOL
OKAY THAT’S A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE IF I DO THAT THEN
Julia's War Recordings 7/10
For some artists, their work is linear with an identifiable link between one album and the next. Always tethered to a style and approach that serves as a winning formula. Logan Hornyak, a.k.a Melania Kol, on the other hand, dispenses with all notions of uniformity and traditional progression. The only constant is that of change. An undeniable facet he wholeheartedly embraces, to the point of rejecting prior albums, abandoning the concepts which served as his foundation and source of creation, instead replacing them with an about-face and a stern stride into unknown territory.
By teaching himself the cello and harp, Hornyak toyed with house music and ambient music so as to meld strings with soundscapes on his latest creation. One needn’t look any further than ‘Lifeheart’ and ‘Eng’ as the focal points of his newest endeavour. The clean-slate approach, with no preconceptions, is evident in how his sonic spaces are fleshed out. Using only the most elemental of musical techniques, the inventive approach Hornyak has chosen to pursue on, what is surely to be a one-off album, is a wonderful snapshot of creativity.
MELANIE RADFORD
FOR THE SAKE OF STILLNESS
Jealous Butcher 6/10
A gifted artist and one who has already made her name with various projects such as Blood Lemon, and by invitation, member of Built to Spill. Her work precedes her, but now as a solo artist, the inner self has been set free. A beautifully reflective, sombre, and intimate record, Radford’s music is a collection of personal reckonings laid bare.
What is an assortment of field recordings overlaid with private thoughts, the ambient folk and bass guitar, is part meditative and part diary. Collated from across the globe as Radford traversed it while touring with Built to Spill, the recollections are an ensemble of memories, moments, and quietly confident love for the areas of her life that matter most.
With a smattering of other instrumentation to complement Radford’s musings, the accompaniment was provided by Built to Spill bandmates Lê Almeida and Jim Roth, plus Earth , Nirvana cellist Lori Goldston. A quiet album for a quiet time, the peaceful and serene soundscapes Radford creates are as real as they are ethereal.
OSEES
OFF COURSE
Deathgod 7/10
And we’re off again, “Off Course’ in fact. Another sonic excursion by the prolific psych masters. A fun house track filled with blistering percussion and vocal quarks from main man Dwyer, popping in and out of existence. Lost in an analogue world, ‘Hecate’s Reflection Is A Trick’ is submerged in an organ-filled freeform jam with its steady breakbeat acting as the only tether to the sinking sonics that are pushed ever further down the line till contact is severed.
Coming from all directions, ‘The Trick’ features the prominent use of double drums as Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone go toe-to-toe while Tomas Dolas and Bridgid Dawson on keys engage in their own sonic melee, leaving Tim Hellman on bass to keep pace on the instrumental track. The bouncy ‘Syringe’ melts under its own weight with its treacle-like oscillations before concluding with the ringmaster Dwyer and ‘The Brute On His Knees’ and his hall of mirrors, rounding out the circus freakshow with an epic, fuzzed-out fanfare.
POND
TERRESTRIALS
Mangovision 6/10
By the time an outfit arrives at their eleventh studio album, one might begin to wonder where the inspiration may be welling up from, but when you consider these prolific West Australian mavericks, it doesn’t take much reckoning. Conceptually rooted by the idea of Goths in a pub, drinking a beer in the stinking Australian heat and trying not to draw the ire of redneck ferals, the album nods toward hard rock in the face of disagreement.
Penchants for synth-driven sounds, ‘Casuarina’ bounds effervescently forward as Allbrook wishes one and all a “happy 202053”. That underlying synth mooches into ‘Through the Heather’ as the galloping Allbrook pushes ever deeper into new wave territory. The overtly political ‘Two Hands’ directly refers to the blatant destruction of significant indigenous landmarks and cultural sites at the hands of mining magnates.
Melding guitars and drum machine, ‘The Fatal Shore’ taps directly into the 80s vibe the boys are pursuing as they work through the fizzing sounds of ‘Tourmaline’, electric claps of ‘Personal Hell’ and sparkling guitar of ’Nashville (I’m Dying)’ on their way to exploring the full gamut of nostalgic touch points.
PROBLEM ADDICT
LIVE FROM THE EMERGENCY ROOM
Warp Records 7/10
The balls-to-the-wall scuzzy garage punk comes at ya half wasted and without a fuck. Kicking down the door ‘At The Railroad Tracks’ and demanding immediate attention, the album careens into the cochlear. Threatening to tear itself apart before even taking flight, ‘Hide N Seek’ rips and growls as does the thunderous ‘Evacuate’.
Neither shy nor bashful, the Philadelphian outfit wears their social disgust on their collective sleeves as they hold aloft a dirty mirror to reflect the state of affairs they find themselves surrounded by. And when that dirt doesn’t wash off, ‘Damaged In Transit’ and ‘I Don’t Do Nothin No More’ are the results. A rapid fire of disorder, disdain and unashamed fury, ‘Personal Feud’, ‘Back In Jail…Again’ and ‘Run of the Mill’ pummel the politics of politely taking it as a man.
The almost reflective ‘Oh Well’ attempts to take stock of it all and provide a little perspective toward life and one’s misgivings, but roaring back into view, ‘A Burningbg Sensation’ and It’s A Joke’ align those thoughts once again.
REAL NUMBERS
WAS IT ALWAYS THIS WAY
Slumberland 7/10
The sad pop gems of Minneapolis five-piece craft are as sweet as they are sour. Brightly coloured and with a sonic saccharine coating, it is what lies beneath that carries the bite. Irresistibly jangly and loveable guitar hooks like those found on ‘This Empty Frame’, ‘I Can Tell’, and ‘Everlasting Happiness’ typify their approach but at all times mask deeper questions the band are posing of themselves and of the wider world.
Showing that when they want to, the outfit overtly allows the darkness to settle in for a time, as the pounding percussion and galloping bass of ‘Twist The Blade’ demonstrates. More often, though, when not oscillating between the manic and the mania, a middle ground and emotional bipartisanship between light and dark is where the band is most at home, as with ‘Don’t Look Away’, the title track ‘Was It Always This Way’, and ‘Never Never Again’.
There is warmth at the heart of this record, and although it is smouldering under the dampness of distress and despair, it has an undeniable defiance and strength. A stoic album encouraging one to push on and wipe the tears away.
SHANNON LAY
PAST THE VEIL
All The Best 7/10
The late-night Café del Mar downtempo electronica on ‘Moving’ settles right in as Lay dictates the pace of proceedings. Taking a year to write, the album is about rebirth as much as it is about catharsis and ‘What Does It Mean’ speaks of openness, vulnerability and a willingness to let go of what isn’t working.
Skipping over the organ keys, ‘Honest Man’ floats atop of Lay’s spacious and alt-country assessment of madness. Repentant and consoling, ‘The Calling’ continues to champion Lay’s mission statement in life, which is to empathise, assist and forge forever forward. A soothing, pious piece that is as reassuring as it is reaffirming. The title track, “Past The Veil’ in all its reflective glory, ripples like waves on a mirror lake as rhythmic basslines wash over Lay’s delicate vocals and exquisite finger picking.
Flicking through songs and styles like a deck of cards, ‘Whom God Destroys’ features whimsical cosmic woodwind, ‘Horizons’, a warming piano ballad, and the elastic ‘Room For Less’. Generally more expansive instrumentation and a bolder approach in applying it, Lay steps out with ‘Sky Song’ and ‘I Need More Water’.
VALLEY BOY
CHILDREN OF DIVORCE
Self Release 6/10
From the depths of downbeat tracks like ‘James, Age Twelve’ through to the uncaged expulsion of ‘Thank God for Alicia!’, the album moves in fits and bursts of reflection and regret. An assortment of recollections and laments, all distilled into a record that is an open letter to those who have influenced James Alan Ghaleb Amaradio’s life and who, in turn, he has affected.
Stylistically, the fluctuations between soul-soaked R&B, folk, rock, and pop make for an inconsistent listen, but that isn’t disparaging; it’s simply a wide palette Amaradio draws upon. This approach, in part, is due to the way Amaradio set about writing almost every imaginable eventuality that occurs to those affected by divorce, and as each tale is different and every experience unique, so too is the music to accompany the complexity of life.
ISSUE 21
AJA MONET
THE COLOR OF RAIN
Drink Sum Wtr 7/10
Fusing beatnik prose with jazz, soul, and freeform, the socially astute record by the L.A. artist takes aim at some of the most confronting and disturbingly ignored topics facing people and culture today. Her poetry pulls no punches and steadfastly holds to scathing insights into social injustice and the casual rise of fascism plaguing modern-day society. The undeniable directive of the album is to speak, and speak up. In good company, Monet brought in Meshell Ndegecello to conduct the live recordings along with Justin Brown to bolster the prismatic vision. In true communal style, Monet recruited her massive of Burniss Travis, Josh Johnson, Daniel Mintseris, Jermaine Paul, Ambrose Akinmusire and Nico Segal. Spoken word records are always a rare commodity, and even fewer still incorporate such exquisite musicianship to adequately accompany deep soul and carry it to a higher plane with suitably expressive and complementary instrumentation. ‘Say It With Your Chest’, ‘Elsewhere’ and ‘Hollyweird’ are particularly noteworthy tracks set amongst the batch of complex social commentary.
BECK ZEGANS
ENGRAVING OF ARMOR
Exploding In Sound 8/10
The fidelity and intricate layers that feature throughout this record are a sonic representation of the emotional sentiments that sit atop as Zegan’s seeks to drill down and mine through the sensitive states that have amassed around her life. The careful orchestration is evident across the entire body of work as the distillation of feelings is extrapolated with considered instrumentation, echoing precisely what Zegan’s has unearthed about herself.
From the pulsating reflections of ‘When You Were In My Bed’ and the cool jazz of ‘Record Tamer’, the album moves through metaphysical phases as Zegan processes periods of love, loss and desire as the barely contained ‘I Want You’ extols.
Moving through modalities ‘Slither’ with its psychedelic trance and the Cold Wave of ‘Riddle’ with its icy undertones, glide so easily from one to the next as the unspooling of Zegan’s psyche is laid bare on ‘Woods’. A truly honest and expressive album that channels the spectrum of sound and sentiment in aid of understanding and catharsis.
BELLA LITSA
DRASTICISM
Records Man, Records 6/10
The piano-driven work by the Brooklyn artist harnesses all the emotive power the ebony and ivory can generate to express her personal and intricate experiences. One can feel the heart and soul Litsa pours into the keys as the honest ‘Saint Mishima’ and tingling ‘1117’ ooze through her fingertips.
Using her naturally angelic vocals, Litsa flaunts them on ‘Passion Plug’ with its disco electronica fusion. But their true majesty is reserved for ‘Inside A Seashell’ when her aching and tormented tone rests alongside a mournful set of keys and blues guitar. A beautiful track that melds all of Litsa’s considerable talents.
It is the way in which Litsa plays with melody and harmonies that makes Drasticism such an engaging listen, as ‘The Fall’ rides every emotional note and ‘Darker’ tracks every aged sadness residing within. Filtering a life through sound, the honest and threadbare divulging of the past with an eye on the future, captures an essence of strain and acceptance.
CASHIER
THE WEIGHT
Julia's War Recordings 6/10
A full throttle approach is the only mode Cashier know. Each track tears out of the gate with blistering pace. From their single ‘Like I Do’ and equally adrenaline-fuelled ‘Part From Me’, there is barely a moment to breathe. The Louisiana four-piece leave nothing in the tank, and vocalist Kylie Gaspard who leads the full-frontal assault. Their post-hardcore style in ‘Same Mistakes’ reverberates with shattering intensity.
Straying into the realm of shoegaze, the title track ‘The Weight’ borrows from the genre yet still clings to the core sound the outfit champions, never putting too much distance between their preferred flavours and the tastes of other styles.
Recorded entirely in their hometown at producer Chad Viator’s home studio, the songs span the emotional range of lust, fear and disillusion. Suitably apt subject matter given the urgency of delivery and degree of veracity that features throughout their work.
A brief but potent collection of tracks that bookend styles that incorporate and extremities they are willing to work within.
COMMON PEOPLE
GAMES
Parallel Vision 6/10
There is an anthemic quality about the tracks Common People produce. Each tune is a gentle creeper as those little earworms begin to crawl and burrow their way into your cerebrum. At first, the toe taps, then a bob of the head, and before you know it, a full body surge takes hold and gives way to a shampoo bottle microphone in the shower moment, complete with exaggerated rock star moves as a total sing-along is set in motion.
‘Thank You’ with its big rolling percussion kicks off proceedings before the slow walk of ‘Ready or Not’ meanders to its own pace as it looks in the rear-view mirror, pondering the past and present.
There is a reflective quality to these L.A. rockers, and ‘Don’t Fall’, with its ebbs and flows, follows an arching path of regret and lament. Yet the standout track ‘Dear Worry’ throws down the gauntlet and wills a defiance to push on through as Nicky Winegardner’s strained vocals underscore.
Honest to the core, ‘Propaganda’ tries to wipe clean the mud that had been thrown from wild accusations. As to the concluding ‘Rain’, it takes a sober approach to less-than-ideal conditions.
DAMAGED BUG
ZUZAX
Death God 8/10
The total freak, workaholic and musical machine that is John Dwyer has quietly been working on this sneaky little album for over seven years. The piecemeal project was one that he chipped away at whilst punching out the records and world tours with his primary act OSEES.
In a similar vein, the psych, garage, post-punk that he reveals in, remains constant across these eleven tracks. Confirmation, if any was needed, that the medium he works in has been refined to a fine art. There may be years spanning each track, but the common dominator of high-energy, balls-to-the-wall psych rock remains ever-present.
The barrelling ‘Double Yolks’ with its mad cop gone postal narrative, propels the album ever forward and into the crazed cacophony of ‘Mossy Rooves & More’, the soulful groove of ‘Junk Food’ and crooning ‘Over-Exposed’.
Dwyer is truly a powerhouse, and when an artist is so prolific, the pace of delivery means that within the sheer frequency of their creations, some absolute gems can be missed as they become buried by the regularity of the next work. This is not one to be missed.
GENESIS OWUSU
REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
Ourness 8/10
In typical feisty fashion, Owusu has a lot to say and no time to waste. Topical themes and no tempered emotions, the social tirade begins with ‘Pirate Radio’ and a thinly veiled swipe at technocrats and tyrants. Embracing an array of styles, the pulsating electro ‘Stampede’ is a battle cry for love and defiance with an irresistible sway that one can’t help but be caught up in.
The Ghanaian-Australian rapper takes no prisoners on this, his third release. With skills honed, a tangible energy and a message that cannot be ignored, Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge is his finest work to date. From the slinky funk of ‘Hellstar’ to the evangelical pleas of ‘The Worldwide Scourge’ and the relaxed R&B of ‘Blessed Are The Meek’, the width and breadth of his prowess and songcraft are locked into high gear.
A variable parade of musical styles and psychological exasperations pour out of Owusu as ‘Life Keeps Going’, ‘Most Normal American Voter’, and ‘Death Cult Zombie’ spill from one track to the next, each as wildly eclectic as the next.
It is the finely tuned balance of humility and humour, with frustrations and focus, that makes Owusu’s lyricism so engrossing. Set this to incredible dancefloor beats and a high degree of instrumentation, and you have a record that wins both hearts and minds.
HANNAH LEW
HANNAH LEW
Night School Records 7/10
The electro pop world Lew inhabits is one surrounded dark vignettes that sits atop a coldwave foundation. ‘Sunday’ is a fine example as bounding beats collide with sneering synth as Lew forewarns of ensuing agony. With a constant tilt of the hat to post-punk, the high and sharp bass of ‘Siloed’ takes disjointed elements of lead and rhythm guitar with starlight synth and backing vocals, cobbling them all together.
It can’t be ignored, however, just how heavy the influence synth plays throughout the record and 80s charm it possesses. ‘Replica’ is the shining jewel in the blue light disco crown as the melodic track follows the path Lew lays out. Twisting to the suggestive synthesisers and turning with analogue pace, the shapeshifter song brings together two of Lew’s greatest strengths.
The overall beauty of the album lies in its unashamed embrace of yesteryear and modernising a classic sound. Not through great leaps and bounds in technology, but in Lew’s lyricism and their relevance as ‘Move In Silence and ‘ Distance Of The Moon’ confirm. A masterstroke that makes a record like this a welcome addition and not some nostalgic kitsch.
SEEFEEL
Sol.Hz
Warp Records 6/10
The warm enveloping sounds of ‘Brazen Haze’, gently lap upon the immersive sonic shores of the rich soundscapes the famed British duo create. Effortlessly gliding back into the fray after a fifteen-year absence, ‘Everydays’ continues that embrace, as the pair finally come in from the musical cold.
Without skipping a beat, their synthetic orchestrations pick up from where they left off as the beguiling sounds close the door to one magical place as another is ushered open. The subtle yet perpetual motion the two conjure is constantly unfolding as ‘Ever No Way’ and ‘Humidity Switch’ accelerate the pace through which their cacophony of sounds unfurl.
One of the undeniable strengths of the dynamic duo is their ability to carry extensive sounds great distances. As ‘AM Flares’, ‘Falling First’ and ‘Until Now’ attest, an album for Seefeel is indeed an epic journey. The trio of tracks clocking in at over twenty minutes signifies how deep the exploration is when the two are unfettered and free to roam within the many sonic worlds they float in and out of.
THE LEMON TWIGS
LOOK FOR YOUR MIND!
Captured Tracks 4/10
Unaware and of no prior comparison, one would very easily be forgiven for misinterpreting Look For Your Mind! as an original 60s pop record melding into 70s surfer rock. Opening with the saccharine sweet ‘Look For Your Mind’ and ‘2 or 3’, the flower power is in full bloom. It is very hard to detach from The Beatles overtones on this record and ‘Gather Round’ sits rather uncomfortably close to ‘Penny Lane’ as the nod to the past becomes more like a cheat sheet that ensures a passing grade. When borrowing so heavily from the classics it isn’t a tall ask to create catchy and infectious tracks, but being influenced by and leaning on are two very different things. A somewhat disappointing effort, given just how talented and gifted the brothers’ duo of Brian and Michael D’Addario are. Tracks like ‘Yeah I Do’, ‘Joy’ and ‘Your True Enemy’, do offer some respite from the rip-offs, but they are vastly outnumbered by the fairly blatant trans-Atlantic icons The Beatles and Beach Boys they are channeling, making for a sad victory lap sixty years too late.
THE TWILIGHT SAD
LOOK FOR YOUR MIND!
Rock Action Records 7/10
Brimming with heavy bass and rolling guitars, ‘Get Away From It All’ sets the course for the Scottish pair as they process the torments of life and fragility between certainty and catastrophe. With the vast majority of the subject matter on the album centring around James Graham’s mother’s passing and his own subsequent mental health issues, it is a record that every human being can relate to.
Processing these deeply personal and gut-wrenching states requires time and the right touch. Both of which Graham and Andy MacFarlane leaned on. The record took seven years to complete and was done so with the aid of some exceptional musical friends as Robert Smith (The Cure), contributing to ‘Waiting For The Phone Call’, Dead Flowers’, and ‘Back To Fourteen’ production by Andy Savours (My Bloody Valentine) and mixing by Chris Coady (Slowdive).
Taking the time out to manage such emotions and employing the skills of industry heavyweights has ensured that this long gestation has indeed been worth the wait and sensitively pays homage to those who have left us and those still carrying life’s inevitable burdens.
WIDOWSPEAK
ROSES
Captured Tracks 9/10
The appearance some musical relationships give off, suggesting that the artists are perhaps in an intimate relationship, confuses some listeners and can stupefy the experience, as one isn’t sure how deep the connections and musical interactions truly are. Yet with duo Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas, there is no illusion, and their marital status is an obvious confirmation. The importance of this lies in the way the pair create their music, which is that of a partnership where life comes first, and music is a shared indulgence, but a pursuit the two are highly skilled at, where their intimacy and interconnectedness are an iron core that rotates their entire world in an unshakable and incorruptible way.
Delivering their seventh studio album, it is one that explores what long-term couples and workaday types experience. A not-so-remarkable yet perfectly wonderful life, complete with the mundane but the ultimate comfort of living on a planet, together, for the shortest of periods, and who would want to trade that for anything? There are no standout tracks or highlight songs on this album simply because it is one exceptional record from start to finish.
ISSUE 20
2070
BIG BLUE
Danger Collective Records 8/10
Big Blue is a pure musical jamboree. A wildly eclectic mix of lo-fi, indie, post punk and quasi electronica. What could be interpreted as a scatter gun approach of throwing styles, sub genres and varied instrumentation at the wall and seeing what sticks, the converse is true. Deep intuition between the band, a tight dynamism, and supreme orchestration.
The understanding the four-piece have of one another and their creative strengths is apparent in all that they put their hand to. One doesn’t have to look further than ‘Cauldron’ with its rich complexity, ‘Love Witch’ and the jangly hypnotism it employs, or the dark discotheque on ‘Transucer, Motional’.
Unsurprising given it is their third studio album and a sonic detour they have been longing for, having explored the guitar-driven and pedal work of their previous albums to the fullest. This sonic adventure is full to the brim.
ANNABELLE CHAIRLEGS
WAKING UP
Todo 8/10
With irresistible guitar licks on ‘Waking Up’, galloping basslines on ‘Concrete Trees’ and the arcade delight of ‘Ice Cream On The Beach’, the ongoing alter ego of Lindsey Mackin continues to deliver infectious indie rock gems.
Her quintessential stylings are all tongue and no cheek, the sarcasm often so thick you could paint the walls with it. Clever lyricism, boundless energy and unmistakable effervescence. Just as the rollicking ‘Shoo Fly’ attests with Mackin’s exhausted vocals and the use of horns in the mimicry of beating wings.
Yet if there is one track to hang her hat on, it must be ‘Patty Get Your Gun’ as the swagger on this one is off the charts. Her gravely questioning throughout the song and the able accompaniment of some damn fine percussion is next-level sass.
Like all great albums, it is the back-to-back sequence of amazing tracks, each a little bit different to the last, that makes it a listening pleasure. An enviable skill Mackin has in spades.
BIBI CLUB
AMARO
Secret City Records 6/10
From the instant high of the debut album, Le soleil et la mer, through the darker textures of Feu de garde and now onto their third record, the Quebec duo haven’t lightened their tone, but we wouldn’t want them to.
Amaro continues the dark wave, bleakotheque style that the pair produce, but with a layering and skilful intricacies that should be beyond what four hands are able to create. Not that they don’t share the company of some quality contributors, including saxophonist and activist Dimitri Milbrun (George Sand) and singer-songwriter Helena Deland, but their deft touch toward composition is magnifique.
The ever-present drum machine propels the album constantly forward. A driving force that shifts gears according to its supplementary accompaniments. Be it the clamour of ‘Amaro’, narratives of ‘A Different Light’, haunting horns on ‘Le château’ or the disintegrating discord of ‘Les vagues’. The fluency of French that runs throughout the record all adds a sophisticated lubricant that allows each track to glide from one to the next. Effortlessly and beautifully.
BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT
NOT HERE NOT GONE
Suicide Squeeze 7/10
The L.A based trio deliver a brooding and intoxicating record. Melding doom and shoegaze, the three piece borrow from both sides of the spectrum and does so triumphantly. To start proceedings, the sluggish ‘How Will You Feel’ with its light-filled synth is a sunny place for shady people. The regretful lament questions life after departure and is saturated with doubt.
That same sadness carries forward into ‘Involuntary Haze’, yet there is a defiance that pokes its head above the gloom and oppressive weight. ‘Heavy, Why?’ with its sludgy bass and heavy reverb, weaves ethereal synth into its dark underpinnings, yet ‘Spades’ shows the other side of Blackwater Holylight’s face with overwhelming percussion and kick pedals beaten to within an inch of their life.
‘Fade’ realigns the pendulum swing that the Not Here Not Gone constantly oscillates between. Returning to its shoegaze tendencies, it retains the heavy guitar and haunting use of keys to a place of comfort, whilst losing none of its rough edges.
BRIGITTE CALLS ME BABY
IRREVERSIBLE
ATO Records 8/10
The L.A based trio deliver a brooding and intoxicating record. Melding doom and shoegaze, the three piece borrow from both sides of the spectrum and does so triumphantly. To start proceedings, the sluggish ‘How Will You Feel’ with its light-filled synth is a sunny place for shady people. The regretful lament questions life after departure and is saturated with doubt.
That same sadness carries forward into ‘Involuntary Haze’, yet there is a defiance that pokes its head above the gloom and oppressive weight. ‘Heavy, Why?’ with its sludgy bass and heavy reverb, weaves ethereal synth into its dark underpinnings, yet ‘Spades’ shows the other side of Blackwater Holylight’s face with overwhelming percussion and kick pedals beaten to within an inch of their life.
‘Fade’ realigns the pendulum swing that the Not Here Not Gone constantly oscillates between. Returning to its shoegaze tendencies, it retains the heavy guitar and haunting use of keys to a place of comfort, whilst losing none of its rough edges.
LALA LALA
HEAVEN 2
Sub Pop 8/10
The discombobulating and erratic keys of ‘Car Anymore’ belie the insanity of the world Lillie West lives in and represents the desire she feels to be free from its mad grip. So much of the album is about reflection and ponderance, something that ‘Even Mountains Erode’ addresses openly and clearly as one processes past moments, looking for the avenue in which they should forever live and their relation to the present.
Regularly dipping her toes into pop and stepping out of the experimental pools West often lives in, ‘Arrow’ is a pulsating piece of pop and along with it comes a message of joy and hope. A sentiment further explored on ‘Scammer’ as West implores “Not to give up to the last drop” as she sings from under a deluge of digital beats.
Tinged with hardship, the record oscillates between the highs and lows. This is embodied in the album’s title track in every sense and gives the best indication of where West truly resides. Bitter-sweet in all its miserable glory.
MAHLER SYMPHONY NO.5
GRAND TETON MUSIC FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Reference Recordings 8/10
There is a commanding grandeur about ‘Trauermarsch. In gemessenem Schritt. Streng. Wie ein Kondukt’ which translates to funeral march at a measured pace. A suitably morbid piece as its procession (in every sense of the word) gradually quickens as if to comprehend the maddening futility of finality.
The rise and fall of ‘Stürmisch bewegt. Mit grösster Vehemenz’ as it laments and lambasts in equal measure. Its lofty strings meet the downward pull of the kettledrum as the ceaseless battle rages on with only the sage stability of the brass sections to calm the chaos perpetually brooding within. Conversely, the optimism and positivity radiates from ‘Scherzo. Kräftig, nicht zu schnell’ from the onset. The light filled piece abounds with an irrepressible hope and joy that emanates from deep within.
The relative brevity of ‘Adagietto. Sehr langsam’ is a lakeside pause, a period of reflection and time of contemplation. Unfettered strings create a sense of openness, free from doubtful shackles and consuming trivialities.
A classic body of work exquisitely conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles who showcases Gustav Mahler’s timeless beauty.
MARIA BC
MARATHON
Sacred Bones 7/10
Sometimes an album is worth owning for a solitary song. That’s not to say Marathon isn’t complete with a number of great tracks, including the folktronica of ‘Rare’ and the interlocking instrumental puzzle of ‘Port Authority’, and cosmic dreamscape of ‘June’, but the standout tune is the opener ‘Marathon’. The crippling feedback and distorted discord it delivers is truly flooring.
Of cinematic quality, its devastatingly emotive disintegration is beautiful agony. Wholly incredible in its own right, the crushing weight it heaps on the listener’s shoulders is not something to be disturbed by, but rather embraced, as the effect is truly overwhelming. The arch of its decay is mesmerising and totally befitting of the album name.
The themes of resistance, environmental ruin, personal disruptions and destruction run throughout the record and are reflected in the lyricism, which was a prime focus when looking at the way they wanted to move forward from their previous release Spike Field and channel the poetic magic required to capture such heavy sentiments.
RUSTY SANTOS
PSYCHO HORSES
Self Release 6/10
The wobbly vocal treatment, which almost every track features, is a tone that sets the feel for the entire record. A disconnected, existential expression that spread across ten tracks carves out a signature sound which ties the assorted musings together. From ‘Overlaps’ to ‘Floating At Sea’ and ‘Are You A Portal’, they all typify Santos’ approach.
His dreamlike world conjures many tales, both fictional and autobiographical, and it is with his gentle ease that one is guided so effortlessly into his world. Yet there are a number of excursions and sonic deviations from Santos semi-predictable path. ‘Summer Will Be Here Soon’ with its soft acoustic, folk charms, ‘Dark Vistas’ and the off-kilter harmonies which feature throughout, and the classic slice of indie pop of ‘Party With Ben all show his more experimental sides.
An album that is rather narrow in its scope, it still explores the width and breadth of the lo-fi style to the maximum.
THE FAKE FRIENDS
LET'S NOT OVERTHINK THIS
Stomp Records 8/10
The bombastic and boundless Montréal band returns with another full-tilt record. A bass-heavy record, the post-punk piss takers deliver an energetic and entertaining album. With sarcasm set to eleven and social observations laser-focused on searching out and destroying idiocy wherever frontman Matthew Savage and cohorts find it, the explosive record tears through the land, leaving the weak in its wake.
The pre-loading ‘Ministry of Peace’ gets the party started whilst ‘Sucker Born Every Minute’ and ‘The Way She Goes’ drag whoever was not already on the beer-soaked dancefloor, directly to the front of the stage, begging and pleading to be hosed down by the patron saving security forces manning a delirious crowd.
Yet there is a tender side to all the bluff and bluster as the mature ‘Control’ poetically addresses concepts of domination and inequality. The balance of sensibility and outrageousness is what makes Let’s Not Overthink This such a moreish album. There is always a right time and right place in which to crank it and throw caution to the wind.
THE FAKE FRIENDS
MY HEART IS A ROOM WITH NO CAMERAS IN IT
Good English 8/10
Wearing his metaphorical heart on his physical sleeve, ‘Here I Stand’ is the vulnerable opener that exposes Julian McCamman’s mischief and misfortune. A tormented record that lays bare the angst and anxiety of youthful modernity. Laden with relationship misgivings and musical frustrations that aim to explain those exploding emotions.
The cacophony of ‘I Got God’ goes to show how the myriad of voices in McCamman’s mind each receive their own musical expression. Exquisite layering and intersecting parts show how his detailed use of studio work intermingles with the lo-fi bedroom bangers that he crafts so well.
Filled with the peaks of ‘ You Were Solved’ and troughs of ‘Beach Death’, the antagonised album leans on the ropes of the boxing ring it finds itself in, ducking and diving to avoid its own stinging blows. We are spectators to McCamman’s troubled times.