What does it sound like?:

It’s The Magical World of, by the way, rather than The Olde World, which hasn’t arrived yet. Originally from 1997, and pre-Shack, this Head bros work seems to have built up a reputation by it’s very unavailability, and, as trumpeted in the press, the now clean elder sibling, Michael, has been doing the rounds promoting this new release of it. And it is fucking great. Think of all those quintessentially druggy 60s bands, and yes, I mean early Floyd, at least vocally, amongst others, with a tang of a more softly singing John Martyn, with a dash of early Joe Boyd produced REM and a Teenage Fanclub whimsicality. That about captures it, beautiful melodic ditties, largely acoustic, with occasional strings and recorder. Yes, recorder, that 60s.

What does it all *mean*?

Probably no more than one of our finest songwriters has been long in our midst, unrecognised and ungarnished, arguably destroyed by the same muse that indulged his talent. But he’s back. And I hope he is, as there have been many a false start along the way. I saw Shack back in sometimealongtimeago, supporting Beth Orton, and a sorry sad mess they were. » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

For me, The Chemical Brothers’ imperial period began in 1994 and went up to, and included, the ‘Come With Us’ album in 2002. Between those two points, they were important and weighty and exploratory, and I would happily have followed them to the ends of the earth.

As it was, I settled for following them to festivals, as well as making numerous trips to the Brixton Academy, and they hold the record for being ‘the band I have seen most but remember least about’ (I have MDMA to thank for that). My ardour cooled, however, over their next two albums, something about a button, and something about a night, which were decidedly flimsy beasts by comparison with their mighty previous output, as well as suffering from ill-chosen collaborations with the likes of The Klaxons, Willy Mason and Jerry Ma-fucking-guire.

Actually, in retrospect, the button one probably wasn’t all that bad, and I might have accepted it as a temporary suspension of quality were it not for the fact that it was followed by the night one, which not only featured all those collaborations I just mentioned (although I made up the one about » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Karen Dalton emerged from the mountains of Oklahoma and, armed with a long-necked banjo and a twelve string guitar, she captivated New York’s Greenwich Village with her other-worldly voice. She sang songs in a bluesy style to a folk arrangement. Bob Dylan likened her voice to Billie Holiday. During an era of singer-songwriters, she only ever made two albums of covers. Nevertheless, she imposed her character on the songs by delving into their depths to draw out personal meaning. Sadly, she succumbed to alcohol and drugs, lost her way and died a premature death.

Now, it seems she was a songwriter after all. A series of carefully crafted lyrics have emerged, one including notations for chords. They are fragile wisps of lost hope, desire, longing, loneliness and death. They have been given to eleven different female artists to complete for this album. All of them keep it simple, with gentle melodies and sparse backing, to allow the spotlight to remain on the lyrics. Each of them brings a generosity of spirit to the performance that is really very moving. These are true collaborations, albeit with a ghost. There is a consistency of mood across » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

In October 1968, the alchemic brew that was Sly & The Family Stone was about to come to the boil. They’d had nice big hits with Dance To The Music and Life. Those singles’ parent albums had been well received. They had a reputation as a thrilling, dynamic live act. They recorded all four sets from 4th and 5th October at The Fillmore with a view to editing them down to a forty minute live album. However, one month later, Everyday People shot to number one, fortunes were being made and the live album was shelved. Now, all four shows have been released in their entirety across 4 CDs.

The Family Stone were a seven piece and are said to be the first multi-racial, integrated band, featuring two women and two white men (segregation had only been abolished a few years before). They mixed gospel organ, rock guitar and a funky rhythm at a time when funk was being invented, in order to deliver tightly written pop songs with a simple message of peace and harmony. They had four lead voices wide in variety of style and range. In addition, Cynthia Robinson would set » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Sixteen years after Rhythm and Stealth the last of the big four of 90s dance – the Chemicals, Underworld, Orbital, Leftfield – are back. It sounds like a logical progression from their previous two – spacey dub beats, check; huge sense of space – check; bpm slower than you actually think it would be – check; an impressive array of guest vocalists – check. There are some acoustic guitar samples, and ambient atmospheres to go with the enormous dub beats and subsonic bass. Though there are individual tracks the whole thing plays from start to finish as one big Leftfield track. There’s a nod to contemporary music in a vocal guesting from Sleaford Mods (guess what – they’re angry) and the vocalists from polica and TV on the Radio. But had you said this was made in 1998 I’d have gone along with it. Neil Barnes’ profile compared to his compatriots has been shadowy to say the least – no Olympic games or film soundtracks, no partying or festival headlining. Fittingly the album retains an air of mystery, beamed in from some distant soundstage.

What does it all *mean*?

That it’s all about the » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Well, like a good bootleg (indeed, apparently these recording have been out there since broadcast) but here they’ve been cleaned up and mastered and they sound fantastic. This is the original Dan plus Michael McDonald on piano and occasional vocals (no David Palmer – good, for this punter). Baxter and Denny Diaz play like mad men, and it must have been great to see them back then. Dan and Walt hated touring but the audiences must have loved it based on these examples. There’s a radio show from Boston (not a college town..) and the Record Plant from March ’74, right before “Pretzel Logic” came out.. Jim Hodder swings like a bastard and Don is terrific on keys as well as issuing the Fagen sneer throughout.

What does it all *mean*?

It won’t convince any non-fans, but anyone who likes the Dan, especially those who maintain that anything after “Aja” was worthless, will love it. I have been playing it on heavy rotation and continue to marvel at the sound of great players playing great songs, live. The songs benefit from a looser feel and a spot of jamming, belying the idea that the » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

‘Straordinary what you can find on the web. I remembered this group as an LP cover, and a name, forgetting I had actually, apparently, seen them, at Reading 75, tho’ I still can’t remember a thing about them. So I found the record and gave it a spin. Very odd in a not unpleasant way, like a chocolate coated oyster perhaps. It has proggy bits, all harpsichords and mellotrons, falling downstairs drums, extravagant bass motifs, along with country-rock harmonies and songs about cowboys. Yes, there is a fiddler too, but not a generic jiggery folk one, nor a country hoedown one, more symphonic sweeps and flourishes. And it was produced by Rick Wakeman. And one song is the full 12 minutes, all time signature changes and evidence of having quite enjoyed Echoes by the Floyd. My take is that if you imagine Jerry Garcia jamming with East of Eden, more for the vocals and the pretension. Or maybe, had polarities altered, and David Crosby joined the Hollies and encouraged Graham Nash in his shove to make them more prog?

What does it all *mean*?

Nowt, apart from the joy of an occasional uncovered and » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Four Tet is the electronica and dance producer and record maker, Kieran Hebden. He is British but half Indian. A few years ago, his grandmother died and he has been exploring his heritage, including Hindu spiritual music he had inherited. He had a ‘eureka’ moment listening to Lata Mangeshkar. A loop of one of her vocals led to him creating a long form piece.

Morning/Evening consists of two twenty minute long tracks. They celebrate the mundane, the joy in the ordinary. This is music to set up and end your day. Their structures are loosely based on Indian rāgas (which are often associated with different times of the day) but they owe a great deal to early electronica and ambient. They are quite beautiful soundtracks to fresh orange juice, a bracing coffee, a brief shower, a morning walk, a return from work, an evening rest, a sweet sherry, a doze on the couch or getting ready for a night out. Hebden went to school with Burial but his music is as far from the brooding, malevolent, urban feel of Dubstep as is possible. This is uncluttered, clear-eyed, pure, and enlivening. There are no dark » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Disco. But in a good way. A very good way. Oh, great good lord, such a fine, fine way. There is just no way that something in you isn’t going to twitch in response to this fantastic music. It may start with your spleen – the slightest tic in time with the hi-hat that means ALL IS NOT LOST and YOU ARE STILL ALIVE.

A couple of songs in (and they are songs – nothing artily post-anything here), and you may find a foot reacting to a long-forgotten urge. Before you know it, you WILL be STRUTTING YOUR STUFF. It will not be a pretty sight, so play this alone, and play it loud so your wobbly old tum reverberates with REAL bass and organic synths. OO-EEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

What does it all *mean*?

It means you can throw away all your weedy morose singer-songwriter albums and those rap albums you pretend to like and just freaking BOOGIE ON DOWN like God intended.

Album of the year. At least.

Goes well with…

Hoovering.

Might suit people who like…

… to find out they still have an untapped power to be foolishly, simply happy, for no reason » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

C Duncan aka Christopher Duncan is a young, classically trained musician from Glasgow, but here he has turned his attention to Pop songwriting with spectacular results. As is the way these days, this was all done in his bedroom studio but he’s managed to make it sound like he’s got the Wrecking Crew in there to realise his Brian Wilson-scale ambition. This record is packed with soaring harmonies, gorgoeus melodies and some wonderful songwriting. It’s harmonies that are the stand out here, and it sounds like he’s building them up largely with his own voice multi-tracked to often startling affect – I’m reminded of The Free Design. This is one of those records that grows with repeated listens, songs so good that I found myself checking that they weren’t cover versions. On the final track, ‘I’ll be Gone by Winter’ he dials back some of the Brian Wilson whistles and bells and proves he can really sing as well.

What does it all *mean*?

In the days before affordable music technology there were probably lots of people like Chris Duncan around with grand songwriting ambitions, who would have ended up being in a no-hope » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

The hype around Currents is that it is Kevin Parker’s ‘disco’ album. Don’t be fooled. There is little here that is club ready, the opening single, Let It Happen, being the closest. Parker may have largely abandoned guitars for synthesiser and keyboard washes but the rhythm section is resolutely ‘rock’ with characteristically compressed drums and beefy, as opposed to funky, bass. There are warps and woozy distortions in the music and the vocals are often multi-layered in dreamy harmony to maintain the Tame Impala characteristic psychedelic feel.

Much is made of Parker’s voice sounding like John Lennon. On Currents, however, he sings in a very sweet soprano without a trace of Lennon bite. I’m reminded more of Green Gartside.

There is a shift in writing style too. The songs are less hook-laden, relying more on simple melodies and fewer extended instrumental passages. It sounds as though some of the songs Parker is rumoured to have written for Kylie have turned up here. There is an impressive pop sensibility present in neatly constructed songs such as The Moment and ‘Cause I’m A Man.

The overall sound is very lovely and comforting, disguising heartbreaking lyrics. All » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Southeastern was one of the Afterword’s favourite albums of 2013, and while its successor may not be quite as immediate it certainly repays a patient acquaintanceship. There are killer tracks in spades here, subtle mournful melodies and instrumentation, and best of all Jason Isbell’s insightful and poetic lyrics – exemplified by these lines from Flagship, ‘And the couple in the corner of the bar / have traveled light and clearly traveled far / She’s got nothing left to learn about his heart / They’re sitting there a thousand miles apart’. 24 Frames, Children Of Children, Something More Than Free and Speed Trap Town are amongst the highlights to this set of ears, but there ain’t a duff track here.

What does it all *mean*?

It’s the sound of a man hitting his creative stride, musically and lyrically, fulfilling all the promise of earlier work. It’s also a candidate for album of the year.

Goes well with…

Southeastern, of course. Driving at dusk at the end of a summer’s day, quiet moments of reflection.

Might suit people who like…

Ryan Adams, Lyle Lovett at his most thoughtful, Townes Van Zandt.

What does it sound like?:

The surf we’re talking about here is the friendly froth that tickles your toes rather than the surging crests aboard which Bingo Little races killer sharks to shore. The Social Experiment is a loose congregation of musicians assembled by Donnie Trumpet and his friend Chance The Rapper. They are joined by a cast of dozens – Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes and AW fave Janelle Monae are all somewhere in the mix -who have hip hopped in and souled out, contributing to a mellow and understated yet funky and hook laden collection of songs, reminiscent of Andre 3000’s half of Outkast or Prince in places, although in other places happier to be creating its own unique vibe than sustaining the cohesive momentum that makes one shout “instant classic”. The first time you hear Surf, much of it may drift past and you may wonder whether it wouldn’t benefit from an edit – maybe start with the trumpet instrumentals? But give it another go and you will realise that the meandering and unexpected deviations are as necessary to its woozy, laid back charm as the glorious harmonies and bright arrangements.

What does it all *mean*?

This » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

I wish that all compilations were curated with the attention to detail that’s clearly gone into this one. Dust on the Nettles takes a trip through the British underground folk scene from 1967-1972, and turns up all sorts of unexpected sounds. Of course there are earnest acoustic guitars, and fiddles, and pipes, but there’s a lot more besides, and what’s really astonishing is how many different sounds the musicians created from this basic palette. Rural idylls, nightmare visions, all are conjured up here…

What does it all *mean*?

God knows, except that it’s made me want to explore this music further. There’s an incredible variety on this collection, which means that while you’re unlikely to rate every track, it would also be near impossible to not find something you’ll like enjoy.

Goes well with…

Long summer afternoons in fields of long grass.

Might suit people who like…

Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, Pentangle. Afterworders, in other words.

What does it sound like?:

The debut album release from Australian Singer/Songwriter is a bright sound punctured with humourous, deadpan lyrics, bolted to a folk-ish, indie sound. The music veers into Garage-Punk, and stabs of The Doors and The Stranglers along the way. Her voice is reminiscent of Sheryl Crow, and the final track, the plaintive “Boxing Day Blues” featuring just an acoustic guitar and voices, evokes Suzanne Vega. So, that’s pretty much all bases covered then? There is wit and humour in the lyrics and all delivered in an open narrative, often deadpan, style. The choice of words and the detail used provide vivid imagery of the storyline of the songs, and there is often a turn of phrase which grabs attention. Considering the lyrical construction as a whole, when she sings “I’m thinking of you too” in “An Illustration of Loneliness (Sleepless in New York)”, you can’t help but wonder is she actually singing “I’m Thinking of U2”? Recorded in a two week period, where the songs were presented to the band only when they were finished, there is a freshness about the songs and the performances. There are a variety of styles over the 11 tracks » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

This is the first proper Orb record for some time, the last couple being headline grabbing but somewhat hit & miss collaborations with Lee Scratch Perry and David Gilmour. For the new one The Orb are back to the core of Dr Alex Paterson (who inspired my adopted PHD) and the great Thomas Fehlmann who has been part of loose Orb family right from the first LP and who also makes wonderful electronic music in his own right. Some of the more recent albums have seen them dabble in 4×4 dancefloor tracks and almost pop songs but on this record what is clear right from the start is that The Orb have gone back to doing what made them special in the first place, long extended tracks that take their time getting going – weightless and beatless spaces are allowed to breathe before the beats finally emerge. There aren’t many cheeky spoken word samples in there (an Orb trademark), probably due to the more litigious environment than the one that existed in 1991 but there are still a few little zingers in there (is that Rastamouse I hear?). Overall it’s a thoroughly enjoyable listen, » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Outfit are a Liverpool…er..outfit and Slowness is there…er..sophomore effort. Their debut ‘Peformance’ was delightfully catchy, 80s influenced electro pop with a hint of the darker edge of Depeche Mode. They’ve changed tack on this one for a much grander, much more fully formed piece and while there are some toe-tapping moments the title is apt. There are still echoes of 80s pop but it’s that wistful, sophisticated but somewhat rain-lashed brand of pop you’d hear from Scritti, Paddy Macaloon, even the Blue Nile. They do sound an awful lot like their contemporaries Dutch Uncles at times, with similar vocal stylings and twiddly chord changes but there’s little of the former’s Cardiacs-esque zaniness and they also bring the tempo right down and get sparse and dreamy. At times, such as the title track I’m reminded of XTC’s more piano-led moments like Chalkhills & Children or Rook (vocalist Andrew Hunt sounding not unlike Colin Moulding at times). There’s still the odd hint of Depeche, Cold Light Home for example sounds like one of Martin Gore’s more chilling moments. So, an impeccable set of influences and the result is a complex, lushly produced and rewarding listen that » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Just … gorgeous. All the way through, beginning to end, top to bottom.

What does it all *mean*?

Songs. Eleven real songs with their own identity, real emotions, real skill, flashes of wit and humour, variety, curiosity, lyrics you want to understand, arrangements you want to hear again. Nothing slept through, no placeholders, no filler. Some kind of masterpiece.

Goes well with…

Life and the living thereof.

Might suit people who like…

Music. It still happens.

What does it sound like?:

Released in 1971, Sticky Fingers is the third of a trilogy of albums that established The Rolling Stones as the greatest rock band in the world, shifting huge numbers of units and enabling them to sell out stadiums across the globe.

It actually follows the blueprint of Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed, albeit juggling the sequencing. There is the smutty rocker (Stray Cat Blues -> Live With Me -> Bitch), the ancient blue’s cover (Prodigal Son -> Love In Vain -> You Gotta Move), the one with the stretched-out musical interlude (Sympathy For The Devil -> Midnight Rambler -> Can You Hear Me Knocking), the country song (Dear Doctor -> Country Honk -> Dead Flowers), the clunky social verité (Jigsaw Puzzle -> You Can’t Always Get What You Want -> Sister Morphine) and the real jaw-dropper (Street Fighting Man -> Gimme Shelter -> Moonlight Mile). Brown Sugar should really be bracketed with the previous non-album singles, Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Honky Tonk Women but they must have been short of quality material. Wild Horses is a first for The Stones, a genuinely emotional and vulnerable ballad.

The real difference is Mick Taylor. » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Anyone who’s not paid much attention to Sweet Billy Pilgrim since their Mercury-nominated Twice Born Men album will be surprised to hear this. The laptoptronica and knocked up in a shed vibe have gone, replaced by a much more muscular full band sound. The melodies and harmonies remain, as strong as ever, and so do Tim Elsenburg’s songwriting chops. Some of the changing time signatures, heavy riffs and midsong shifts carry a whiff of prog (this is their first album on Kscope), but we’re never far away from a big chorus or disco breakdown. It’s an ambitious record, beautifully arranged and full of strings and brass flourishes that occasionally recall Bacharach. It also has a much bigger part of co vocalist Jana Carpenter, whose bruised voice brings a touch of Americana grit. It’s a sumptuous fully realised modern pop album that will be in the running for my top ten come end of year time

What does it all *mean*?

things

Goes well with…

don’t know, it went down nicely on a drive to Cirencester and back the other day if that helps

Might suit people who like…

the Steven Wilson tracks that aren’t » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

Taka is best known as the guitarist and chief composer for the Japanese post-rock titans Mono. This is his debut solo album, based on scraps of songs recorded back in 2003 but only seeing the light of day now. The timing is interesting, because this sounds more like the orchestral records Mono are making now than it does the stuff they were doing when these songs were recorded. There’s a distinctly filmic feel to the music, and Taka has said it is heavily influenced by Lars Von Trier’s Breaking The Waves. A piano is the lead instrument throughout, with plenty of strings supporting, and guitar and drums relegated to the background. It’s a much more fragile thing than the bombast of the parent band, with moments of great melancholy beauty.

What does it all *mean*?

Wonderful music, bloody awful title.

Goes well with…

Pondering, drinking something hot from a large mug while watching raindrops running down the outside of the window, unexplained weeping in public.

Might suit people who like…

Mono, obviously, but also the more rock inflected end of modern composition

What does it sound like?:

Most fans would agree that the best ELP albums were the run of three they produced in the early 70’s, comprising Tarkus,Trilogy and Brain Salad Surgery. The second of that run, 1972’s Trilogy, now gets the reissue treatment, with this package of a remaster of the original album on CD1, a new stereo mix by King Crimson’s Jakko Jaksyk (who also did the BSS reissue) on CD2, and the 5.1 mix etc on the DVD.

What does it all *mean*?

The new stereo mix is excellent – the contrast with the original album is like night and day. Gone is the hissy, muddy sound of yore, replaced by a much clearer picture of the sound the band created in the studio. The more complex pieces in particular reveal hitherto unheard nuances. The 5.1 mix also lives up to expectations, placing the listener in the very epicentre of the music. A disappointment though is the lack of unreleased music – only one ‘new’ piece, a not very different alternate take of ‘From The Beginning’ is included on CD2. Frustratingly, the sleeve notes refer to several unreleased versions of ‘Hoedown’, none of which make an appearance, » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

A bit Psych, a bit Synth Pop with spoken word from Maxine Peake. The story of an obsessive fan in pursuit of Johnny Rocket lead singer of The Moonlandingz (Lias Saoudi & Saul Adamczewski of Fat White Family with the ERC). Set in the fictional Valhalla Dale in South Yorkshire, a world of piss filled canals, bricks and kittens, where Thursday is always chippy tea night. The story turns dark and violent and the legacy of Thatcher and her attempted destruction of the north looms large over this valley.

Discordant and beautiful with brilliant Pop songs from The Moonlandingz it is the best of the year so far

What does it all *mean*?

The only thing worse than an obnoxious Pop star is a mad Pop fan(atic)

Goes well with…

Black Pudding, Chips, Scraps, Mild and Bitter.

Might suit people who like…

Ghostbox artists, Motorik, late 70s early 80s electronica (Cabs, Human League etc) Play Misty For Me. Gritty Northern drama. Concept Albums and Rock Operas

What does it sound like?:

Melody’s voice has a smoky, feline quality that kisses the sweet spot at the base of my spine. It makes me purr and tremble both at the same time. She could sing pure gobbledygook and I’d be in raptures.

She is pigeon-holed as a jazz chanteuse but, here, on her fourth album, Melody is is writing songs with greater ambition and scope. There are three main types of song across ten tracks; swampy blues, string-swept slowies and punchy soul. There is very little jazz. Her voice has ripened into a strong, confident instrument, which she deploys with admirable restraint, allowing the mood of the songs to be expressed without histrionics.

The signature sounds of the album are Pete Kuzma’s gospel organ, mud-splattering guitar from Dean Parks, Dan Higgins’s rumbuctious baritone sax and Melody’s own fragile piano. The strings are sumptuous, constructed by Clément Ducol. He is especially good on If Ever I Recall Your Face and the closing, Once I Was Loved, where he cups a Melody piano fragment like a tiny bird in the palm of his hand and, delicately, raises her up to the heavens. The whole thing is classily masterminded » Continue Reading.

What does it sound like?:

The 4th album by West Coast band Dawes is not as immediate as the last one, Stories Don’t End. However, that may turn out to be a good thing. Four days, and repeated listens, has meant that several songs that felt a bit like filler have now opened up to reveal a depth that wasn’t immediately apparent.

Let me declare a bit of an interest here – since someone on this (or, more probably, the previous) site posted a Dawes video, 4 years ago, the band has become one of my favourites of all time. Which, at my age, is bloody fantastic. I have devoured their records, seen them live quite a bit and bored friends and family by slipping Dawes tracks onto every mix-CD I make for them. So, I was just a bit excited by this new album.

Once again, it shows Taylor Goldsmith to be a consummate songwriter. Lyrics about lost love, aging, California and the world around him draw you in and, coupled with his voice, soothe your ears. The band are no slouches, as anyone that has seen them live will attest. Tight playing, tight harmonies and a surprising » Continue Reading.