Bryan Ferry "As Time Goes By" (1999)

As Time Goes By
release date: Oct. 25, 1999
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Bryan Ferry, Rhett Davies
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "As Time Goes By" - 2. "The Way You Look Tonight" (4,5 / 5) (live version from Paris) - 4. "I'm in the Mood for Love" - 8. "Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable to Lunch Today)" (4 / 5) - 10. "Lover, Come Back to Me" - 11. "Falling in Love Again" - 13. "You Do Something to Me" (live) - 15. "September Song"

10th solo studio album by Bryan Ferry is a collection of re-arranged oldies completely without the sophisti-pop traits one has come to associate the name of Bryan Ferry with. These 15 tracks are popular standards, traditional swing and vocal jazz songs that have been carefully updated without compromising their integrity as they have all been arranged with strings and brass and (seemingly) no electrical instrumentation.
I used to really enjoy Roxy Music and Ferry's solo releases, although the late 1980s and early 90s didn't justify his talent. Roxy Music officially disbanded in the early 80s at the height of its career, actually - Avalon (1982), a beloved classic pop album, was the last real Roxy Music release as the members apparently were more interested in solo and collaboration projects, or just got tired of each others company. Ferry relaunched a fine solo career and he was on everyone's lips when he released the polished sophisti-pop album Boys & Girls (1985), an album that took off pretty much from where Avalon finished. The following releases didn't really make it as good, and for every new album he just seemed to be on a descent until As Time Goes By. Throughout his career he has taken the part as a distinguished British upper-class gentleman, and maybe therefore it suits him so well to cover old classics of the 1930s and 40s, interpreting Cole Porter, Rogers & Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, Kurt Weill, among others, and the result is a fine atmospheric and almost anachronistic tribute to other heydays. I simply adore his versions of these classics because he lifts the songs without too much superfluity. The arrangements with horns and strings are in the spirit of the old songs. Maybe this is also at the core of his potential - his ability to interpret other people's songs, and very often with a better result than the original version. He has always been a great interpreter (he has hardly ever released an album written entirely by himself) whether it's Bob Dylan (whom he manages to make more tolerable), Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Lou Reed, and the great songwriters of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s as well as rearrangements of old traditionals. I only wish he would do more of this old stuff - it's really like hand in glove, and it suits him like... a fine Italian jacket.

Kent "The Hjärta & smärta EP" (2005) (ep)

The Hjärta & smärta EP, ep
release date: Oct. 28, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Nille Perned, Kent and Stefan Boman
label: RCA / Sony BMG - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "Vi mot världen" - 2. "Dom som försvann" - 3. "Ansgar & Evelyne" (5 / 5) - 4. "Flen / Paris" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Månadens erbjudande"

Ep release by Kent welcomes back Nille Perned as producer, as he had been on the band's first two albums. Together with Kent and most recent co-producer Stefan Boman, the three have created a sound and style that both points back in time and also contains elements of the band's succeeding releases. The most poignant characteristic here is the guitar-driven roots associating the band in the soft lane of garage rock. The end result is an ep in-between, or: perhaps more at the centre of what Kent has come to represent - depending on what perspective you choose. In either case, this album is not just extra material or a small collection of leftovers from Du och jag döden from March earlier this year - it's something... nearby, and that's its biggest asset.
Perhaps, the ep also serves to demonstrate what Kent could have done had they not made the choice to go with a tighter sound that would eventually have them embrace a synthpop version of alt. rock instead of going with a bolder traditional guitar-rock sound and style.
The Hjärta & smärta EP is a great diversion if you happen to be a Kent fan. If not, you may feel misled or even disappointed about this, or you would perhaps dislike the 'new' Kent, and the way they turned out but in return think of this as something great.
I simply love this one - initially, it wasn't an absolute favourite of mine, because it's so different but with Kent things (always) grow on you, and this one certainly did just that, and I have come to consider it a splendid testimony. By gosh, they are so talented, and you end up thinking: what if they chose another genre, just for the fun of it... How could that not turn out as something more than just fine?!
What really proves difficult here is to pin out the best tracks 'cause it's really much of a whole and at such a high quality level. Forced to pick one, I go with "Ansgar & Evelyne".
Needles say, the ep peaked at number #1 on the Swedish singles chart and of course I find it highly recommendable.

<  show lyrics >

~ ~ ~

"Ansgar & Evelyne"

"Ur en klar himmel faller bomben ner
Vi ligger tysta i en krater, ler
När vi ser vår samtid brinna ner

Och jag ska skydda dig med kroppen min
Luften svider när vi andas in
Har alltid sett oss som Ansgar och Evelyne

Vi ska fylla vår stulna bil
med dyra klockor och Dexedrine
Souvernirer från den tid då vi var svin

Och du har tagit mig från kylan in
Från tysk hårdrock till Charles Valentin
I min bok är du för evigt Evelyne

Och som jag önskar att du var här nu
Jag vill bara höra dina hjärtslag
Och som jag önskar att vårt krig tog slut
Jag har lärt av mina misstag
Och du är lika ensam som jag"

~ ~ ~

"Flen/Paris"

"Det är långt mellan Flen och Paris
men nära en trettioårskris
Du slängde med håret och log
Du skrev våra namn under bron

:Jag önskar jag var där nu
:Jag önskar jag var där nu

Allt är så skört i din värld
Schhh… jag bara säger som det är
Du gav mig en bomb under bron
Tänk att det bara krävs ord

Låt mig behålla det här
Det kan väl jag vara värd
Kom och slå sönder min värld
Det är allt jag begär

::Jag önskar jag var där nu
::Jag önskar jag var där nu
:Jag önskar jag var där

Det var inte mitt namn som du skrev
Jag önskar jag var där nu
Under bron i en stad
Jag önskar jag var där nu
Och jag minns inte var
Jag önskar jag var där nu
Under bron i en stad
Där du och jag blev kvar"

~ ~ ~

Cornershop "Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of" (2011)

Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of Featuring Bubbley Kaur
release date: Mar. 14, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Ample Play Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "United Provinces of India" (4 / 5) - 2. "Topknot" - 3. "The 911 Curry" - 4. "Natch" - 5. "Double Decker Eyelashes" - 6. "The Biro Pen" - 10. "Don't Shake It"

6th studio album by Cornershop released as 'Cornershop Featuring Bubbley Kaur' follows two years after Cornershop's Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast.

Where the band's previous albums have had its roots grounded in indie pop and Western popular music this one reflects a stronger move towards Indian folk and South Asian music, although, the music by Cornershop (Tjinder Singh) always reflects a huge fusion of styles with traces of neo-psychedelia. All compositions here are credited Singh and Bubbley Kaur with the latter singing in Punjabi. Apparently, Singh was introduced to Kaur, as someone without connection to the music industry but just had a beautiful singing voice. And the name 'Bubbley Kaur' was invented by Singh to protect her privacy.
Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of is a fine and quite original wrap, both paying hommage to traditional Indian folk music and simultaneously producing a new fresh sound.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Mark Kozelek "What's Next to the Moon" (2001)

What's Next to the Moon [debut]
release date: Feb. 27, 2001
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Mark Kozelek
label: Badman Recording Co. - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Up to My Neck in You" - 2. "Love at First Feel" - 3. "Love Hungry Man" - 4. "Bad Boy Boogie" - 5. "What's Next to the Moon" - 6. "Walk All Over You" - 7. "You Ain't Got a Hold on Me" (4 / 5) - 8. "If You Want Blood" - 9. "Riff Raff" - 10. "Rock 'n' Roll Singer"

Full-length solo album debut by Mark Kozelek released on Badman Recording Co. His ep-debut Rock 'n' Roll Singer from 2000 contained three of his own songs alongside three AC/DC covers (tracks #4, #7, #10) found on this, but this entire collection of songs are ALL originally credited the Australian heavy rock band AC/DC. Undoubtedly, by strong re-arrangements and transformed to a completely different stylistic setting, Kozelek manages to make these his own, and some are simply wonderful re-arranged compositions, though I just don't find it that great.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Skids "The Saints Are Coming - The Best of the Skids" (2007)

The Saints Are Coming - The Best of the Skids (compilation)
release date: Feb. 26, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: EMI / Virgin - nationality: Scotland, UK

Compilation album by Skids. Like the live album Masquerade Masquerade (2007) this was released after the U2 and Green Day tribute single "The Saints Are Coming" (2006) when these two bands released their collaboration cover single. I used to have Skids' first compilation album Fanfare (1982) on cassette, however, this is an even better best of album. The '82 album consists of 12 great tracks, and this one not only include all tracks from that album but it contains 21 tracks of which only two are not really great, and in a fine way shows the band's potential.

Skids "Masquerade Masquerade - The Skids Live" (2007) (live)

Masquerade Masquerade - The Skids Live (live)
release date: Feb. 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
label: EMI / Virgin - nationality: Scotland, UK

Live compilation album by Skids released shortly after the U2 and Green Day tribute single in 2006 when these two bands released their collaboration cover single "The Saints Are Coming" after their live concert in the aftermath of the damages by the hurricane Katrina (Aug. 2006) supporting the victims of New Orleans. This album was released simultaneously with the compilation album The Saints Are Coming - The Best of the Skids. This consists of 22 tracks recorded Live at Hammersmith Odeon Oct. 21, 1980 (tracks 1-16) and at Glasgow Apollo Jun. 16, 1979 (tracks 17-22). For a fan of Skids this is great but if one isn't that familiar with the band I would recommend the best of compilation album with studio production sound.

Tom Waits "Used Songs (1973-1980)" (2001)

Used Songs (1973-1980) (compilation)
relase date: Oct. 23, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Bones Howe
label: Elektra / Rhino / Warner - nationality: USA

16-track best of compilation by Tom Waits, basically containing some of his best-known songs from the first seven albums of the 70s - all compositions from his time at Asylum Records.

It is of course an almost impossible task to select this man's best tracks for a single CD release, as he has simply made so many worthy songs, but what is equally important: he has released entire albums of classic material that should be seen in context, and yet... for people who don't know his entire repertoire, this might be a good place to start.

Personally, I would undoubtedly have chosen other songs from this period, and I'm really surprised that only a single track has been selected from his first two albums, only two from Small Change (1976), whereas a less significant album like Foreign Affairs (1977) might boast of having as many as four tracks represented. And then all the tracks from the seven albums are scattered across the album in what looks like random order - starting with the title track from his final album on Asylum Heartattack and Vine (1980) and ending with his classic "Tom Traubert's Blues" from Small Change. Despite these slightly annoying decisions about the album, it can't take away the feeling of being a mighty fine collection.

Björk "Homogenic" (1997)

Homogenic
release date: Sep. 22, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Björk and Mark Bell
label: Mother Records - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Hunter" - 2. "Jóga" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Unravel" - 4. "Bachelorette" (live on Later) - 5. "All Neon Like" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "5 Years" - 10. "All Is Full of Love"

3rd studio album by Björk org. rel. by One Little Indian in the UK and Mother Records in the EU marks a change of style towards a more introvert an darker electronic sound, which is both simpler, in some places more orchestrated and yet more homogenic, which it really is.
I didn't acquire the album at the time of the release. In fact, I didn't until after 2010. In the late 90s I had tired of Björks singing voice - all her grunts, high-pitched sounds, her... vocal, and her sonic universe in general. In many years to follow I rated this album less than mediocre, which I sort of regret, as it's truly refreshing, daring and in many places truly beautiful. The album contains two absolutely great compositions by Björk on which she demonstrates her vocal range and sonic strengths.
Five singles were released from the album, tracks #2, #4, #1, #8 and #10, in that order. "Jóga" was the only to precede the album release, and it performed the best in Iceland where it topped the charts, just as the album did (as her second consecutive in her homeland), but it didn't go anywhere near top 10 in most other countries. "Bachelorette" was the biggest international single release from the album peaking at number #17 in France and at number #21 on the UK singles chart list. "All Is Full of Love" wasn't released as a single until Jun. '99, and it was presented with her most expensive music video so far. The album fared quite well peaking at number #2 in France, number #4 in the UK as well as making it to top 10 in a number of countries. It also peaked at number #28 on the Billboard 200 in the US making it her so far best-charting album here.
Recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME, Spin 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Spleen United "Neanderthal" (2008)

Neanderthal
release date: Jan. 21, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]
producer: Michael Patterson and Spleen United
label: Copenhagen Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Suburbia" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "My Tribe" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Everybody Wants Revenge"

2nd studio album by Spleen United sees the band turn to a stronger indietronica style. The album starts off really promising with the two best tracks on the album and then fades out.
Again, the band really has a feel for great tunes but the album just turns out rather inconsistent, and I must admit that I found that the two best bands of the genre were Turboweekend and Veto with Spleen United appearing more international, more artsy, and in a broader perspective: more promising. However, they do not accomplish what they sat out for, and this second effort just runs out in the sand.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Hollow Meadows" (2015)

Hollow Meadows
release date: Sep. 11, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Shez Sheridan, Richard Hawley, Colin Elliott
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I Still Want You" - 2. "The World Looks Down" - 5. "Long Time Down" - 6. "Nothing Like a Friend" (4 / 5) - 7. "Sometimes I Feel" - 9. "Welcome the Sun" - 10. "Heart of Oak" (live on Later)

7th full studio album by chamber pop singer / songwriter Richard Hawley introduces guitarist Shez Sheridan as co-producer to the solid collaborative unity of Colin Elliott and Hawley. The album still feels very much like a return to form in the sense of being closer related to his great 2005 album Coles Corner, and which means he has put aside some of the more experimental aspects as found on his two most recent albums. The album is quiet, slow and with focus on the ballad-like stories about unrequited love.
I easily find it bettering his somewhat mediocre 2012 album Standing at the Sky's Edge but also bettering his fine 2009 album Truelove's Gutter and by that releasing one of his top 3 albums ever.
[ allmusic.com, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Paul Weller "Wake Up the Nation" (2010)

Wake Up the Nation
release date: Apr. 19, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,90]
producer: Simon Dine
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Wake Up the Nation" - 3. "No Tears to Cry" - 8. "Find the Torch, Burn the Plans"

10th studio album by Paul Weller finds him on repeat - I think. This is his usual formula, as heard on all of his post 2000 albums: searching to make a new Wild Wood album with a blend of mod revival, singer / songwriter, with an addition of pop soul, but it really lacks the great tunes and memorable songs. However, the album was met by positive review in Britain reaching number #2 on the UK album chart list. The album was nominated the Mercury Prize for best album of the year, which was handed to The xx for the album xx.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Slant 4 / 5, Q, The Guardian, The Independent 5 / 5 stars ]

And Also the Trees "Born Into the Waves" (2016)

Born Into the Waves
release date: Mar. 18, 2016
format: cd (AATTCD08)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: self-produced
label: AATT - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Your Guess" - 2. "Hawksmoor & the Savage" (4 / 5) - 3. "Winter Sea" - 4. "Seasons & the Storms" - 5. "The Sleepers" - 6. "Bridges" - 10. "The Skeins of Love"

14th studio album by And Also the Trees is yet another self-released album. The cover info only mentions recording, mastering, and mixing credits - Justin Jones (of the band) and Matthew Devenish recorded the album [the latter also handled mixing]. The band formed some 38 years ago - only two members remain from the original line-up, the brothers Jones, vocalist Simon Huw and guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Justin. On this the two form a quartet with bassist Ian Jenkins and drummer Paul Hill, which means that keyboardist Emer Brizzolara apparently has left the band since the predecessor Hunter Not the Hunted from 2012.
The style is unchanged from the 2012 release, which implies quiet somber alt. rock with focus on narration, and I like it. In fact, I think it's the best album by the band in some 30 years reaching back to 1989 and Farewell to the Shade. I really think this band has evolved quite nicely over the decades. After the strong start in the '80s with strong bonds to the gothic rock of post-punk they took a long time in finding the expression, at times mixing with this and that, and then in the new millennium they sort of found their sound. They always had that particular strong relation to ancient British prose and poetry. And in the past it sometimes took an almost theatrical biased path too strongly, and at times with excessive use of strong dynamics. Now, the gloomy narration remains, underlined by Simon Jones' dark vocal and a like-wise dark and baroque instrumentation - but what sounded forced in the past with string arrangements and horns has now turned into beauty because of a wiser approach with a more scarce instrumentation. The music blends and supports the stories, which are half prose and half poetry. It truly deserves more attention.
Recommended.

The Cure "Bloodflowers" (2000)

Bloodflowers
release date: Feb. 14, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]
producer: Robert Smith, Paul Corkett
label: Fiction Records - nationality: England, UK

11th studio album by The Cure was again 4 years under its way, although, the recording sessions took place from 1998-99. For at least this album the band members remain the same as on the previous album. The album is by many seen as a return to a more dark, introvert and gothic rock styled sound that puts it as the last in a trilogy with Pornography (1982) and Disintegration (1989). I do see the common traces of the three albums, but since neither of them ever were among the best of The Cure in my eyes, I can at least agree that it's a return to more introvert and complex compositions without the cheesy pop love songs. To me it's more the sound of a band in lack of direction and new ideas. They turn to the past and put everything on repeat.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Bruce Springsteen "High Hopes" (2014)

High Hopes
release date: Jan. 14, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Bruce Springsteen & Ron Aniello; Brendan O'Brien
label: Columbia Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "High Hopes" - 3. "American Skin (41 Shots)" - 4. "Just Like Fire Would" - 7. "Frankie Fell in Love" - 12. "Dream Baby Dream

18th studio album by Bruce Springsteen following Wrecking Ball (2012) is with Brendan O'Brien as producer on four out of 12 tracks, with the remaining eight produced by Springsteen and Aniello.

Compared to the predecessor this appears softer but still far from his acoustic releases. It's primarily pop / rock more than anything.

The album reached number #1 on the albums chart lists in the US and in the UK, like it did in many other countries, but I don't find it as interesting as his previous release. If you just love Springsteen classic, this album may feel just right. To me, this is Springsteen doing what he does, whenever he feels like it's time to release something new but not necessarily has anything new to offer us.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Slant, The Guardian 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Beat "Wha'ppen?" (1981)

original cover

Wha'ppen?
release date: June 1981
format: vinyl (BEAT 3) / cd (1999 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Bob Sargeant
label: Go Feet Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Doors of Your Heart" (4 / 5) - 2. "All Out to Get You" - 3. "Monkey Murders" - 4. "I Am Your Flag" - - B) 2. "Walk Away" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by The Beat is like the debut produced by Bob Sargeant and originally released on the band's own label, Go Feet. The sextet remains intact, but it's quite evident that the style has altered since I Just Can’t Stop It from 1980. The tempo has slowed down and it's much more an experimentation with a huge fusion of styles.
Instead of the more original ska revival and 2-tone there's clearly more focus on reggae and calypso with steel band and dub.
The album was released to mixed reviews but still sold quite well reaching #3 on the national albums chart list and NME ranked the album #4 on its 'Albums of the Year' end list.
The album contains some very fine compositions, but the overall impression is a release with many loose ends - some fillers, and perhaps also what appears as an incoherent release, partly because of the strong debut with its tight original sound and sheer energy, but also because of an indistinct direction and blend of too many styles. That said, Wha'ppen? may not equal the strong debut but it's really no near a mediocre album - it simply contains too many fine compositions..
The '99 remaster has a different track listing and comes with several bonus tracks. [ allmusic.com, Records Mirror, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

1999 cover

Robert Forster "Warm Nights" (1996)

Warm Nights

release date: Sep. 1996

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]

producer: Edwyn Collins

label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "I Can Do" - 3. "Cryin' Love" - 5. "Loneliness" - 6. "Jug of Wine" - 8. "Rock 'n' Roll Friend" - 10. "I'll Jump"

4th studio album by Robert Forster is the follow-up to the covers album I Had a New York Girlfriend (Oct. 1994) is produced by Scottish artist Edwyn Collins, whom Forster had admired a great deal back when The Go-Betweens and Collins' band Orange Juice were both making music for the small record company Postcard. Orange Juice broke through to radio stations and to the pinnacles of fame, while The Go-Betweens were still a smaller act doing their best. Warm Nights is Forster's final album on Beggars Banquet, who subsequently didn't extend his contract.

All tracks here are written and composed by Forster except track #8, which is an older song co-written with Grant McLennan, originally selected from the band's '88 album 16 Lovers Lane, but the song was released as B-side to the second single Was There Anything I Could Do? (Oct. '88) from the album. On the album here, the song has been recreated in a bolder Dylanesque style with a (quite) distinctive Hammond organ as dominating trait.

Forster had long suffered from writer's block, which had resulted in the '94 covers album but after the decision to return to Brisbane, he had quickly written a series of new songs, and together with bassist Adele Pickvance and drummer Glenn Thompson, who both appeared on Forster's Calling From a Country Phone (Oct. 1993), Forster gathered a live band, which he named 'Robert Forster and Warm Nights'. Later on, Pickvance was to become a permanent member of the reformed The Go-Betweens, but the album here was recorded with producer Edwyn Collins on guitar, Clare Kenny on bass, Sean Read on keyboards, and with Dave Ruffy on drums. It's very much looking down memory lane on Warm Nights, which sounds somewhat like the attempt to recreate some of Forster's formative years with The Go-Betweens. Again, he returns to his inspiration found in Verlaine, Dylan, and Leonard Cohen - both lyrically as well as in the arrangements, but you'll also find pop / rock à la The Go-Betweens rather than the country style that characterised the '93 album. In addition to a simplicity in Collins' production, some Nick Cave darkness has also crept in - on "Cryin' Love" it gives new life to Forster's musical repertoire, which in a way isn't exactly characterised by embracing widely.

Warm Nights is in many ways an attempt to appear as a fresh restart of Forster's discography with musical threads to the time with his former band. Sometimes it works out fine - at other times there's a lot of recycling and a little too many ties to other artists. The album was to be Forster's last solo album for more than 12 years, partly because he and Grant McLennan found back together and reformed The Go-Betweens before this album was released. Together, they then added another three more albums to the band's discography before it was abruptly terminated by the sudden death of McLennan in May 2006, which once again meant that Forster needed some time to find his feet again and subsequently restarted his solo career with The Evangelist in 2008.

If you are a big admirer of Dylan and Verlaine, Warm Nights will probably make a wonderful acquaintance.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

Spleen United "Spleen United" (2005)

Godspeed Into the Mainstream [debut]
release date: Sep. 12, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Carsten Heller
label: Copenhagen Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Heroin Unltd" - 2. "In Peak Fitness Condition" - 4. "Come on Figures" - 5. "Spleen United" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by Danish synth and indietronica band Spleen United (formed 2002, Aarhus) consisting of Bjarke Niemann on vocals and guitar, Gaute Niemann on bass and synthesizer, Kasper Nørlund on synthesizer and backing vocals, Rune Wehner on synthesizer, and Jens Kinch on drums.
I simply bought the album upon its release after listening to the promotional single Spleen United but the rest is nowhere near that making it an interesting album above the mediocre - an all-in-all promising debut. No more, no less.
In hindsight, however, this remains the band's best effort.
[ Gaffa.dk 3 / 5 stars ]

The Radio Dept. "Running Out of Love" (2016)

Running Out of Love
release date: Oct. 21, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: The Radio Dept.
label: Labrador Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Swedish Guns" - 5. "Occupied" - 6. "This Thing Was Bound to Happen" - 7. "Can't Be Guilty" - 8. "Committed to the Cause" (4 / 5) - 9. "Running Out of Love" - 10. "Teach Me to Forget"

4th studio album by The Radio Dept. is the self-produced [Tomas Bodén and Erik Möller are co-producers on track 10] follow-up to Clinging to a Scheme from 2010, which reflects a hiatus of six and half years. That's a long time in the music industry, and in the meantime the band has been reduced to a duo consisting of the two main forces of the band: Johan Duncanson and Martin Carlberg [Larsson]. Former member Daniel Tjäder plays additional keyboard on track 7 - Tjäder left the band to concentrate on the electronic- and synthpop-driven side-project, Korallreven, founded in 2009 together with Marcus Joons.

One of the most talked about reasons for the long hiatus is one of conflicting interests as the band made a law-suit against the record label, Labrador. In an interview with Canadian media Exclaim! Johan Duncanson explains the battle with the record label [ read here ] - a case the band officially lost, but which ultimately resulted in a renewal and better contract with Labrador.

Needless to say, the time span since the last album and the reduction in band members has resulted in a new style on "Running Out of Love". It still sounds like The Radio Dept., but the previous ever-presence of a noise pop element is basically gone, and also the dream pop style has been reduced or re-shaped into synthpop with indietronica elements. Former albums by the band were always founded on guitar, bass and drums - this is electronically created although, bass and drums play a central part. Some critics call it their New Order-creation. Yes, it certainly has lots of similarities with the synthpop and alt. dance universe, but I find it much more original than just that. Apart from a change of style the album also reveals the band as highly politically conscient, and... "It’s an album about all the things that are moving in the wrong direction", as the band puts it.

Fans will be looking in vain for what they know as The Radio Dept. but this is a band in transition, or: time is another, and Duncanson and Carlberg still have much to offer.

[ allmusic.com, PopMatters 4 / 5, Drowned in Sound 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Sharon Van Etten "Epic" (2010)

Epic
release date: Oct. 11, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,77]
producer: Brian McTear
label: Ba Da Bing! Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "A Crime" - 2. "Peace Signs" (live on KEXP) - 3. "Save Yourself" (live) - 5. "Don't Do It" (live) - 6. "One Day" (live on KEXP)

2nd studio album (on an official label) by Sharon Van Etten is a semi-acoustic and primarily indie folk release with 7 tracks and a running time just over 32 mins.
I didn't listen to the album until 2014 after having found her fine Are We There from that year, and although, I don't find it quite as great as that, I have come to enjoy it for its simplistic, yet strong and secure sound. Van Etten is a female crooner, who sounds like someone who's always been around. Her singing voice is a fine tuned instrument that goes hand in hand with so many genres.
The album is an immediate bliss.
[ allmusic.com, PopMatters 4 / 5 stars ]

BEST OF 2011:The Streets "Computers and Blues" (2011)

Computers and Blues
release date: Feb. 7, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,22]
producer: Mike Skinner

label: 679 / Locked On - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. "Roof of Your Car" (5 / 5) - 4."Puzzled by People" (4 / 5) - 5. "Without Thinking" (4 / 5) - 6. "Blip on a Screen" - 7. "Those That Don't Know" - 8. "Soldiers" - 9. "We Can Never Be Friends" - 11. "OMG" (4 / 5) - 12. "Trying to Kill M.E." - 13. "Trust Me" (4,5 / 5) - 14. "Lock the Locks" (feat. Clare McGuire) (5 / 5)

5th and final studio album release by The Streets. It just sounds silly to end this project at this point, and I really hope Mike returns with much more 'cause this is way too good. Yes, he did it again - didn't he just. Some argue this album has annoying hooks and tracks [!] - eh.. all music is about taste and not only do I find this in perfect line with The Streets' artistic profile - I also like it a lot! Yea, the geezer was fresh and came outta da blue with Original Pirate Material but this new one has fine and interesting music likewise. He's back with fine stories, witty jokes, delicate knife-cutting sarcasm that never leaves himself untouched, sing-a-long choruses and fine hooks 'n' riffs. It's really much better than the previous two releases that sound much alike, this one doesn't, and it's actually very much on par with the debut. This might be The Street end but it's no dead end - and Skinner takes off on top, now playing as The D.O.T. ...
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph 4 / 5 stars ]

2011 Favourite releases: 1. The Streets Computers and Blues - 2. Tom Waits Bad as Me - 3. Liz Green O, Devotion!

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~
"Puzzled by People

"We never had a crossed word
My words got lost and you never heard
I'm 2 down, you're 1 across the room
Beginning with I and ending in U
Beginning in my eye, ending as an X
Leaves a bad taste in my mouth

To think of you again
Like the bad taste leaking from the ink in my pen
Doodle at the side as I do to in life
Choosing to lose time instead of doing what I like
Starts off black and white and lacking in life
Until pen in blue lends it a hue

Puzzled by people
Loving isn't easy
You can't google the solutions
To people's feelings

Sometimes - You have to find out for yourself
Sometimes - You need to be told
Sometimes - You never find the answer
So the story it goes"

~ ~ ~

Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach "Painted From Memory" (1998)

Painted From Memory
release date: Sep. 28, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello
label: Mercury Records - nationality: UK / USA

Track highlights: 1. "In the Darkest Place" - 2. "Toledo" (live) - 3. "I Still Have That Other Girl" (live on Letterman) - 4. "This House Is Empty Now" - 9. "Painted From Memory" - 10. "The Sweetest Punch" - 12. "God Give Me Strength"

Collaboration album by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach subtitled "The New Songs of Bacharach & Costello", which is the result of a collaborative partnership that had been initiated with the song "God Give Me Strength" for the comedy film "Grace of My Heart" (1996). Apparently, all songs were made with Costello writing sketches of songs, sending demos to Bacharach - as well as to Bill Frisell, who would later release his interpretations of the Costello (and Bacharach?) demos as The Sweetest Punch (1999). All songs are credited Costello / Bacharach and the duo are credited for voice / piano respectively and they are supported by Steve Nieve on keyboards, Jim Keltner on drums, Greg Cohen on bass, and with Dean Parks on guitar. Bacharach is also credited for his role as arranger and conductor as both a horns and strings sections participate.

Musically, it represents a variety of styles ranging from baroque pop, vocal jazz, singer / songwriter and some folk and country elements not to forget chamber pop, and then it's all arranged with heavy use of horns and strings much in a Bacharach tradition.

The album was met by positive reviews and acclaim from near and far, and it was nominated to a number of prizes.

I heard about the project quite early and just purchased the album without actually listening to it, and I may not have spent my money on it immediately, had I listened through the whole album first. From my perspective, critics seems overly happy about the songwiting qualities - a dimension I've always found difficult when speaking of music. It really doesn't matter how good the lyrics are, if the music is crap. Now, this is far from that, but I just don't find that the Costello / Bacharach excessive production cocktail an interesting lyrical foundation. That said, it's far from bad, it just sounds too much as a replication of former Bacharach productions where, in fact, Costello heighten the quality thanks to his strong vocal performances. I like it because of Costello's vocal jazz performance, but to me the later Bill Frisell interpretations of the songs is simply a better album.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Spin, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "Americana" (2012)

Americana
release date: Jun. 5, 2012
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Neil Young, John Hanlon, Mark Humphreys
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

32nd studio album by Neil Young released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse. The album features Crazy Horse again but unlike almost all Young's other albums this doesn't have music written by Neil Young. Instead it contains mostly traditionals some of which have music arranged by Neil Young or others. The title seemingly refers more to the sources of the music - composers and / or being American traditionals than a reference to the music style. The music is more folk, country and folk rock. It's like Okay, but nothing great here, I think.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, The Guardian 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Bloc Party "Hymns" (2016)

Hymns
release date: Jan. 29, 2016
format: cd (LTD.)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tim Bran and Roy Kerr
label: Infectious Music - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Love Within" - 2. "Only He Can Heal Me" (live) - 5. "Fortress" - 6. "Different Drugs" - 7. "Into the Earth" (4 / 5) (live) - 8. "My True Name" - 9. "Virtue" - 10. "Exes"

5th full-length studio album by London-founded Bloc Party is the band's first album in 3½ years and it has been made with a new producer-duo of Bran / Kerr, who are both associated with the dance scene. Four from 2012 (also released after a long hiatus) was the last album in the original formation. Since then, drummer Matt Tong left the band in 2013 and in early 2015 also bassist Gordon Moakes left the band, which for a short time was reduced to a duo consisting only of singer Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack, who went on to record this album using drum programming and with performances by studio musicians. After recording the album, however, the band announced its new line-up after recording the album in Aug. 2015 with the addition of two new members: American bassist (and multi-instrumentalist) Justin Harris, who also plays bass on the album as session musician, and British drummer Louise Bartle, who was only 21 when she joined the band.
The Limited Deluxe Edition contains an additional four tracks.
More than three years means a lot of change - especially if one considers how this band has always been altering its sound in a matter of months. My initial verdict - well, never mind that 'cause I already knew it would take more than one listen with a new Bloc Party album. Let's just say, I wasn't overwhelmed, but, and that's really the bottom line: it's way better than my initial verdict told me. Stylistically, it's hard to pin out, but to narrow things in, it's indietronica, synth pop and alt. dance-like, but what's really new is that it's also neo-soul. Drums and guitars have been reduced considerably. It seems evident that Lissack and Kele have rehearsed on synths to make a more electronic-sounding album than ever before, and in a way it does share similarities with Kele's solo works - e.g. his fine full-length solo Boxer from 2010. Having said that, it still comes out as a more laid back album with focus on songwriting. Lissacks roaring guitar is gone - here it's mostly rhythm guitar and basic drum- and bass-lines with synths and keyboards supporting Kele's songs. Despite not reaching the level of the predecessor, it's still a worthwhile and fine album.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Q Magazine 3 / 5, NME, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Don't quite agree but... 👉[ Bloc Party – all the albums ranked, worst to best (NME) ]

Grant-Lee Phillips "The Narrows" (2016)

The Narrows

release date: Mar. 18, 2016

format: digital (17 x File, ALAC) (Deluxe Edition)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]

producer: Grant-Lee Phillips

label: Yep Roc Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Tennessee Rain" (officiel video) - 2. "Smoke and Sparks" - 5. "Holy Irons" (live on KEXP) - 6. "Yellow Weeds" - 8. "Rolling Pin" (live solo) - 9. "Taking on Weight in Hot Springs" - 11. "No Mercy in July" - 13. "Find My Way" (4 / 5) - *14 "Tennessee Rain (Acoustic Demo)" - *17. "Find My Way (Acoustic Demo)" - - [ Full live performance on KEXP ]

*Bonus tracks on Deluxe Edition

8th studio album by Grant-Lee Phillips following a little more than 3½ years after Walking in the Green Corn (Aug. 2012) is another collection of alt. country and singer / songwriter songs in predominantly acoustic arrangements.

Stylewise, Phillips stays on the same dusty roads, perhaps with a bit more country folk than usual. A few songs ("Tennessee Rain" and "Rolling Pin") are more folk rock-crafted but the overall impression is an album in the quiet end of the scale, and on these thirteen songs, he's mostly only supported by acoustic guitar, bass, a few piano notes, an occassional fiddle, and percussion. The Deluxe Edition adds another four demo takes to the tracklist. Phillips has been there before, but he still knows how to write and narrate his soothing and lamenting songs. After attempts with other styles and finding the right arrangements, he seems to have found his own blend - sometimes turning up the Americana, the alt. country, the folk rock knobs, this one is like a perfect sequel to Virginia Creeper and Walking in the Green Corn.

The Narrows may not be his best but less will do and it's definitely a solid release.

[ allmusic.com, Mojo, PopMatters, Uncut 4 / 5, Exclaim! 3,5 / 5 stars ]