Kent "Tigerdrottningen" (2014)

Tigerdrottningen
release date: Apr. 30, 2014
format: vinyl 2 lp (gatefold) / cd (digipak)
[album rate 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Kent with Daniel Alexander & Stefan Boman
label: Sonet / Universal - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Mirage" (4 / 5) - 3. "Skogarna" (4 / 5) - 4. "La belle epoque" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Svart snö" (4 / 5) - 7. "Innan himlen faller ner" - 9. "Godhet (feat. Beatrice Eli)" (4 / 5) - 11. "Den andra sidan" (4 / 5)

11th studio album by Kent. The album comes two years after Jag är inte rädd för mörkret (2012) and the band's single release "Ingen kunde röra oss" (Dec. 2012), which wasn't included on any albums.

"La belle epoque" was released as the single to promote the album, and had it's release in March, but already after the second listen I found that other tracks are on the same high level and I'm almost certain that the album is one of their better ones, which really is an achievement. I think, it betters the 2012 release by having higher lows and for being more of its own. The style is unmistakably Kent and they haven't come that far since Röd (2009) but they still add new details to their sound, and they have found a room of dynamic beauty within their melancholic synthpop. There's a fine balance of pure pop / rock tracks and simple ballad-like compositions - all held together by a strict rhythm section of drums, bass and synths. And then there's always Joakim Berg... Once again, he comes up with fine lyrics that establish the single songs like haunting ceremonial statements. The band has used a known formula of theirs by putting energetic sing-a-long tracks scattered around the album in the right places surrounded by a few beautiful quiet ballads. This time the great ballads are "Svart snö" (a track with a dream pop sound and reminiscences of Cocteau Twins thanks to Beatrice Eli's backing vocals), "Godhet (feat. Beatrice Eli)" and "Den andra sidan".

I haven't had the album for more than a week, and still feel reluctant to rate it, but I feel and know that it's more than just good, and that I will play it a lot more. The best Nordic pop / rock band did it again, and no one comes close to challenging their position.

EDIT, May 28: I have now listened to the album enough to say it's really great and I find it a clear improvement to the band's 2012 album, which wasn't bad but in a way contained too much Kent-reproduction. This album is clearly something new despite being a "typical" Kent studio release. The production sound is truly beautiful but it takes good speakers or headphones to fully grasp that. For now, this is not only the best album in 2014 but it's up there among the absolute best of Kent studio albums.

2014 Favourite releases: 1. Ukendt Kunstner Forbandede ungdom - 2. Kent Tigerdrottningen - 3. Sharon Van Etten Are We There

< show lyrics >

~ ~ ~

"Svart snö"

"När det känns som du har väntat sen du var barn
På att någonting ska hända, på närkontakt av något slag
När det känns som om du gjort allt sagt allt men inte får några svar
När det känns som om ditt bästa inte är tillräckligt bra
När fördämningarna brister och du håller tillbaka en stormflod
När verkligheten skakar och det flyter svart snö i ditt blod
Dom säger: Allt kommer bli bättre för tiden läker alla sår
Det är politisk propaganda från järnridån
Känner ni som jag sträck upp era händer

Det är fler än du & jag
Som förlorat nåt vi älskar i elden
Fler än du & jag
Som dansar för oss själva i mörkret
Som om det inte fanns nån morgondag
Jag vill inte vara ensam
Men vem vill vara ensam

Och det här är ingen mardröm, det är ingen fas
Det här är nåt som händer varenda dag
Det känns som om vi vaknat plötsligt i någon sorts skymningsland
Vi är levande döda, stapplar fram hand i hand
Och alla här vill leda
Men vi följer ändå blint
I ljuset från små skärmar kryper rädslan långsamt in
Över gatorna och torgen när butikerna har stängt
Upp för väggar genom fönster och ner i vår säng
Känner ni som jag sträck upp era händer

Det är fler än du & jag
Som förlorat nåt vi älskar i elden
Fler än du och jag
Som dansar för oss själva i mörkret
Som om det inte fanns nån morgondag…

Dom säger kärlek är en drog, jag tar vilken skit som helst
Men om kärlek är en drog är det ingen drog för mig
Du vet hur jag känner, ja, jag känner ju som dig
Jag älskar dina pengar dina pengar älskar mig
Jag älskar dina pengar vem vill inte vara rik
Jag vill resa och se världen vem vill ha ett vanligt liv
Men jag älskar bara pengarna för pengar gör mig fri
Ta mig till refrängen nu
Åh känner du igen dig?

Det är fler än du & jag
Som förlorat nån vi älskar i elden
Fler än du & jag
Som dansar för oss själva i mörkret
Som om det inte fanns nån morgondag
Jag vill inte vara ensam
Men vem vill vara ensam"

~ ~ ~

"Godhet" (feat. Beatrice Eli)

"J: Den första dagen i mitt liv
Du sprängde dörren, stormade in
som en flashbang av godhet

B: Och jag minns så väl när jag såg dig första gången
Du skrev sånger
Du var patetisk när jag såg dig
Precis som dina sånger

J: Så jag provade med sanningen
Någonting fick mig att vara rak mot dig
Så jag ljög bara om små detaljer
som min ålder och mitt namn

B: Jag minns så väl när jag såg dig
J: Jag bröt mig in i himlen
Hörde ekot från dina hjärtslag
En stalker mot en ängel

B: Att förlåta dina synder var ett misstag
Ett misstag
J: Jag bröt mig in i himlen
för att stjäla dina tårar

B: Allt vi gör får konsekvenser, så se upp med vem du sårar
B&J: Om jag bara kunde fylla mitt hjärta med godhet

B: Jag minns första gången jag såg dig
Ditt ego skymde solen
J: Den första dagen i mitt liv tog slut
Allt såg så mörkt ut, du var ljuset
men det började likna självgodhet

B: Och jag minns så väl vad jag sa till dig den där gången, sista gången

J: Du såg skräcken i mitt ansikte
Du svepte bort den med ett leende
Du sa
B: Allt jag gör det gör jag av ren godhet

J: Din politiskt korrekta godhet
B: Jag minns sista gången jag såg dig

J: Jag bröt mig in i himlen
Hörde ekot från dina hjärtslag
En stalker mot en ängel
Att förlåta mina synder var ett misstag
Ett misstag

B: Jag är ingen jävla ängel
och du blir först mot väggen
som ett varnande exempel
Ett exempel för nya generationer
på vad som händer när du inte tror på godhet
och jag är glad att det är över

J: Jag bröt mig in i himlen
Följde ekot från dina hjärtslag
En stalker mot en ängel

B: Att för låta dina synder var ett misstag
Ett misstag
J: Jag bröt mig in i himlen
För att stjäla dina tårar

B: Allt vi gör får konsekvenser
så se upp med vem du sårar
B&J: Om jag bara kunde fylla mitt hjärta med godhet"

~ ~ ~

The Durutti Column "Chronicle" (2011)

Chronicle
release date: Apr. 30, 2011
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Fanfare" - 2. "Synergetic" - 3. "Ananda" - 4. "Accord" - 5. "Time to Lift" - 6. "Anguish of the Text Message" - 7. "What Is It Worth" - 8. "Someone Got Away" - 9. "Jeeves and Wooster" - 10. "Friends" - 11. "Emptyness" - 12. "No More Close to Me" - 13. "Resolution"

22nd studio album release by The Durutti Column issued on Kooky Records and produced by ? [Vini Reilly?]. The style and music here is in the same area as Idiot Savants (2007) and Rebellion (2001), which is to say, a return to ambient dream pop, though, I think, it has some post rock feel, or at least a meditative progressiveness.
The album release comes after Vini Reilly has experienced a heavy degree of misfortune - firstly, his relationship with Poppy Morgan came to an end during the recording process, something he mentions in the liner notes had a huge impact on the finalising of the album, and once the album was put together, he was inflicted by two consecutive minor strokes in late 2010 - another followed in early 2011. The result of this has made it impossible for him to play the guitar, thus it seems unlikely that any new guitar music will be realised from his hands.
The overall experience is not that it's one of his best albums. Some tracks sound like outtakes or rough demos, and I find it hard to rate fully. It's also a typical The Durutti Column album that touches on modern classical.

Beth Ditto "Fake Sugar" (2017)

Fake Sugar [debut]

release date: Jun. 16, 2017

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,60]

producer: Jennifer Decilveo

label: Sony Music - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1."Fire" - 2. "In and Out" - 3. "Fake Sugar" - 5. "We Could Run" (4 / 5) - 6. "Oo La La" - 8. "Oh My God" - 9. "Love in Real Life"

Full-length studio album debut by Beth Ditto (aka Mary Beth Patterson) following more than six years after her solo EP debut EP (Jan. 2011). Since then, she released A Joyful Noise (May 2012) with Gossip, and then around 2016 she publically announced than she would concentrate on her solo career and her clothing line - meaning we should not expect any new albums from Gossip.

Fake Sugar is a much expected release - her EP debut was released to fine reviews, and that showed us a new side to her talent, and then people just imagined a full album was on its way, but it took much longer than anyone had foreseen. Musically, this is not styled in her new-found territory of dance-pop or electropop, but more like something following a stylistic pattern in-between the 'final' 2012 Gossip album and her EP - at times she 'goes hard rocking Gossip', whereas other songs ("Do You Want Me To") are closer to the dance-pop / electropop of EP, but no matter what: the album is held together by Ditto's wonderful vocal. In this regard the album isn't a strong coherent product that show us where she goes from here, but then again: she doesn't have to choose one style over the other 'cause she basically demonstrates that her vocal simply fits whatever she explores.

Fake Sugar is something as unusual as a synthpop, hard rock, electropop, and indie pop all-in-one album showcasing Beth Ditto as one of the most charismatic voices of modern popular music. To me, she represents a similar vocal grandiosity as Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, and Mariska Veres did in their time. She simply hightens the musical quality and lifts what appears as ordinary songs to something with a lasting potential. She's no less than a natural force.

[ 👍allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, PopMatters 4 / 5, 👎Pitchfork 6,1 / 10 stars ]

Martha Wainwright "Martha Wainwright" (2005)

Martha Wainwright [debut]
release date: Apr. 12, 2005
format: cd (Special Edition)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Brad Albetta, Martha Wainwright
label: Drowned In Sound Recordings - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Far Away" - 2. "Factory" - 5. "Ball & Chain" - 7. "This Life" - 8. "When The Day Is Short" - 9. "Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole" (live 2014) (live 2018) - 14. "Bring Back My Heart"

Studio album debut by Martha Wainwright - or: her official debut. In 1997 she made a 10-track cassette, which is not usually counted among her albums. The album also follows a couple of ep releases, the latest of which is the 4-track ep Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole (Jan. 2005), where the title track is included here. Several tracks are taken from her first two EP releases: the title track is from Factory (1999) and the two tracks "G.P.T" and "Don't Forget" are from the ep Martha Wainwright (1999), and the latter is also on her '97 -cartridge. Thus, her debut album contains four out of thirteen tracks from previous releases.

The music is kept in a traditional folk and singer / songwriter style and is thus quite close to the musical characteristics of her parents. Martha is the daughter of folk and singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright III and folk vocalist Kate McGarrigle. Older brother Rufus is perhaps the family's best-known voice.

The album was well received, but did not garner much commercial acclaim. In turn, Martha Wainwright was nominated New Artist of the Year 2006 at the Juno Award.

Track #9 "B.M.F.A." is Martha's greeting to her father...

Martha writes and sings in an American singer / songwriter tradition where, in addition to her parents, you're reminded of Emmylou Harris and especially Joni Mitchell.

It's a good and solid album that is mostly quite promising, as it contains some really good tracks and then overall perhaps isn't super original but still possess enough magic not be overlooked.

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

Mogwai "Mr. Beast" (2006)

Mr. Beast

release date: Mar. 6, 2006

format: digital (10 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,85]

producer: Tony Doogan & Mogwai

label: [PIAS] Recordings / Rock Action - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Auto Rock" - 2. "Glasgow Mega-Snake" - 4. "Travel Is Dangerous" - 5. "Team Handed" - 6. "Friend of the Night" - 9. "I Chose Horses" - 10. "We're No Here"

5th studio album by Mogwai follows nearly 3 full years after the album Happy Songs for Happy People (Jun. 2003), and like that, this also features Scottish producer Tony Doogan. Unlike the predecessor and in fact the band's three most recent abums, this album comes out as something that naturally could have followed in the path laid out with Come On Die Young (1999) or even by the band's debut album Mogwai Young Team (1997). It's with a stronger shoegazing / noise rock sound than what has become the band's most recent and more subtle trademarks - only here, the members appear to have wanted something that sounds more like their first recordings without electronic bits and in its place: soaring guitars that brings to mind My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth. The album contains 10 tracks and has a total running time at 43 minutes.

Together with Come on Die Young this represents the best of "early" Mogwai.

[ bandcamp ]

[ 👍allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo 4 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Various Artists "The Compact 2 Tone Story" (1993)

The Compact 2 Tone Story (compilation)
release date: 1993
format: digital (4-disc box set)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Chrysalis / 2 Tone Records - nationality: England, UK

4-Disc Box Set compiling all A and B-side singles released on legendary 2 Tone Records. The album is basically an expanded reissue of the '89 album The 2 Tone Story, which was a double vinyl album containing 26 tracks released by Chrysalis / Two-Tone.
The album contains 68 tracks of which 32 are credited The Special A.K.A. / The Specials - which more or less is the same band. The name The Specials was used on the band's first two full-length studio albums, but the moniker 'The Special A.K.A.' had been used in the formative years and for the early single releases of "Gangsters" and "Too Much Too Young" (both 1979), which were included on the first album by The Specials ('Gangsters' only on non-UK versions), and the name was then re-used again after the major split of the band in '81, when the three vocalists Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding formed Fun Boy Three leaving the remainders to continue as The Special A.K.A. and releasing one studio album in '84.
The remaining 36 tracks are with various important and lesser known artists associated with the 2 Tone label. Major artists like Madness and The Beat only released one single each on 2 Tone before signing with Stiff and Go Feet respectively, which is why there's only two songs with each of the two. Also, one single by Elvis Costello & The Attractions, "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" / "Girls Talk" was released and subsequently withdrawn due to legal rights issues, as Costello was on contract with F-Beat; however, the songs are included here, despite, not really being 'ska revival' songs like nearly all other compositions on the album. The Selecter is another important band of the period, and they contribute with 7 tracks, and then there's a long list of various artists like The Bodysnatchers, The Swinging Cats, Rico Rodriguez, The Appolinaires, The Higsons, The Friday Club, and JB's Allstars, all of which contributed with just one or two single releases on 2 Tone before dissolving or morphing into other bands.
The album is a difficult listen - partly because of inconsistency of quality material, but also because of a wide span of stylistic expression. That said, the release is of high importance as a music historical document of an important time and musical expression.

Volbeat "Steal the Deal & Let's Boogie" (2016)

Steal the Deal & Let's Boogie

release date: Jun. 3, 2016

format: digital (2 cd, Deluxe Edition)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]

producer: Jacob Hansen; Michael Poulsen & Rob Caggiano

label: Vertigo / Universal Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Marie Laveau" - 3. "For Evigt" (feat. Johan Olsen) (live) - 4. "The Gates of Babylon" - 5. "Let It Burn" - - Disc 2: 2. "The Bliss"

6th studio album by Volbeat released more than three years following Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies (Apr. 2013). The album is the band's so far only to be released as a trio with founding members, band leader and primary songwriter and composer Michael Poulsen and drummer Jon Larsen together with Rob Caggiano, who is not only credited as lead guitarist but also as bassist after longtime member bassist Anders Kjølholm left the band in 2015. One month prior to the album release, it was announced that Kaspar Boye Larsen would be the band's new bassist. The stadard release contains 13 tracks, whereas the 2 cd Deluxe Edition adds four tracks the album of which track #2 is an English version of "For Evigt" with Mia Maja as (hardly noticeable) additional vocalist.

Musically, the band continues on the same path, or you might suggest: on the same spot, as it sounds like yet another extension to what they did on their previous two albums. Poulsen's vocal hardly ever leaves a fixed register and the guitars repeat 1970s melodic hard rock notes while song choruses just repeat familiar choruses from other songs - only with some new words as only difference. The band's previous big hit "The Garden's Tale" featuring Johan Olsen from Magtens Korridorer has actually been surpassed by the band's new huge hit song "For Evigt" again featuring Olsen on additional vocal. That song has by now nearly gained status as alternative national anthem. A few fine songs just don't make the whole big difference for a band who only seems to be able to reproduce itself - indefintely. After a few highlights - where you still notice the band's reproductive sound and melody structures, the album simply fades, approaching mediocre.

Not recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Volbeat "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies" (2013)

Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies
release date: Apr. 9, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / ] [2,74]
producer: Robert Caggiano & Volbeat; Jacob Hansen
label: Vertigo - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Pearl Hart" - 3. "The Nameless One" - 5. "Cape of Our Hero"

5th studio album by Volbeat follows 2½ years after Beyond Hell / Above Heaven (Sep. 2010) is the band's first not to be with Jacob Hansen as only producer. In fact he is "only" credited as co-producer and the album being produced by Robert Caggiano (guitarist of Anthrax) together with Volbeat. The line-up has changed with Caggiano also replacing Thomas Bredahl as lead guitarist. The album is the band's final with bassist Anders Kjølholm, who left the band in 2015.
Slowly, and almost unnoticed these guys have become the biggest international Danish act. They haven't changed much but they have distilled what they do the best. Soundwise, this may be on another level, but I don't really think, it's their best. Some would probably say that this is their most popular heavy metal or their most alternative metal-shaped album so far. The style copies their successful 2010-album with a few tracks with hints of alt. country, which doesn't make it much better. Too many tracks are simply not my taste and there's too much headbanging heavy metal, but overall, I may be a small improvement.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Volbeat "Beyond Hell / Above Heaven" (2010)

Beyond Hell / Above Heaven
release date: Sep. 10, 2010
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Jacob Hansen
label: EMI - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "The Mirror and the Ripper" - 2. "Heaven Nor Hell" - 4. "Fallen" (3 / 5) - 5. "A Better Believer" - 13. "Thanks"

4th studio album by Volbeat follows one year after Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood, is like all the band's previous albums produced by Jacob Hansen.

The line-up remains intact and the writing/composer-procedure continues with the same pattern with poulsen as only songwriter and composer of 9 out of 13 songs and as co-composer with other band members on 4 songs.
Again, the music is within narrow boundaries of primarily hard rock and as on the 2008 release, they succeed with a personal expression. They also explore the use of featuring artists as on their national monster-hit "A Garden's Tale" with Johan Olsen to much further extend. Henrik Hall of Love Shop features on track #2, Mille Petrozza of Kreator and Michael Denner of Mercyful Fate / King Diamond both feature on track #6, Jakob Øelund of Taggy Tones is featuring artist on track #8, and Mark 'Barney' Greenway of Napalm Death appears on track #11. The album is the band's final with guitarist Thomas Bredahl, who left the band in Nov. 2011.
I do recognize the band's contribution to the genre and their hard-headed determination. Still, the style is not really something I listen much to, and I still think many of their tracks sound too much alike. Compared to the predecessor that in some ways signaled a new way, they once again seem stuck with a matrix they think is the right combination to open the hidden safe box, which will let them have all the money and fame instead of making some new great music. Again, it's not entirely bad, it's just not something I would recommend because it's like the C and D-sides to an earlier album and I frankly think they are stuck in a bubble with no doors.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Volbeat "Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood" (2008)

Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
release date: Sep. 1, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]
producer: Jacob Hansen
label: Mascot Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 3. "Back to Prom" - 4. "Mary Ann's Place" - 6. "Maybellene i hofteholder"

3rd studio album by Volbeat following 1½ years after Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil (Feb. 2007) is also the band's third with Jacob Hansen as producer. The album is the first to feature new guitarist Thomas Bredahl, who replaced Franz Gottschalk after the 2007-album.
Stylewise, it seems the band attempts to continue on a musical path laid-out by their most popular song from the predecessor "A Garden's Tale". It's no longer only blazing and simple heavy metal and rockabilly but a turn to more sophisticated compositions. And speaking of which, previously lead vocalist Michael Poulsen was credited all the band's songs but here he is only credited as sole songwriter and composer of five of the album's 14 songs. Seven are co-composed with mostly new guitarist Thomas and / or bassist Anders Kjølholm and drummer Jon Larsen. Two songs are old classic covers (tracks #11 by Hank Williams, and #14 by Jimmy Work).
The album is not bad, although, it's still rockabilly and heavy metal but here they have simply produced better material and turned down the pure metal grinding machine and added a few nice sing-a-long choruses here and there. It's pretty much like a rewind to the better follow-up to the debut album.
In my mind, this is the band's best album, but it's still not really recommended.

Volbeat "Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil" (2007)

Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil
release date: Feb. 23, 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,85]
producer: Jacob Hansen
label: Mascot Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 3. "The Garden's Tale (feat. Johan Olsen)" - 7. "Radio Girl"

2nd studio album by Volbeat following 1½ years after their debut album (Sep. 2005) is once again made with producer Hansen. The band remains the same quartet for these eleven new recordings but lead guitarist Franz 'Hellboss' Gottschalk was after the album release replaced by Thomas Bredahl. The music and style here is pretty much like on the debut without any noteworthy changes, except from a negative one with less remarkable songs that once again are only credited singer and vocalist Michael Poulsen.
There's still too much rockabilly and heavy metal for my taste. The only standout is track #3, which simply is a combination of forces. It's made with featuring vocalist Johan Olsen of Danish rock-band Magtens Korridorer, and via his contribution with a strong, characteristic vocal fusioned with a great composition this song sky-rocketed the band's popularity, and it has almost become an alternative national anthem. One song doen't make a great album, and imho you would do yourself a favour by simply just getting the single.
Not recommended.

Volbeat "The Strength / The Sound / The Songs" (2005)

The Strength / The Sound / The Songs [debut]
release date: Sep. 26, 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]
producer: Jacob Hansen
label: Rebel Monster - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Caroline Leaving" - 4. "Rebel Monster" - 5. "Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza" - 8. "Soulweeper" - 13. "I Only Wanna Be With You"

Studio album debut by the Danish band Volbeat released on Dutch label Rebel Monster Records. The band is a quartet consisting lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Michael Poulsen, lead guitarist Franz 'Hellboss' Gottschalk, bassist Anders Kjølholm and drummer Jon Larsen. The album contains 15 tracks and with 3-4 decent tracks it doesn't make a really good album. The album was well-received, nationally, but it's not really my style, as it's simply too much heavy metal, and the combination with rockabilly doesn't make it any better. Since this, the band has experienced considerable and increasing popularity in most of Scandinavia. From my perspective, the band summons up standardised hooks and simple chorus-lines without adding anything new to a genre and style that just doesn't appeal to me. To me, they could be playing the same 4-5 melody-lines with small variations leaving me wondering if the album didn't have 15 tracks and not 5. Also, Poulsen's vocal is tiresome after a few tracks and it becomes a bit of a struggle to listen through the whole album. Still, I rate it above mediocre, and sometimes wonder why. But this is their starting point and tracks #1, #4, #5 and the Dusty Springfield cover, track #13 all have some qualities that could be elaborated on, and could make stepping stones for better future albums.
Not recommended.

Black Grape "It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah" (1995)

It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah [debut]

release date: Aug. 7, 1995

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]

producer: Danny Saber, Stephen Lironi, Shaun Ryder

label: Radioactive Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Reverend Black Grape" (4 / 5) - 2. "In the Name of the Father" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 3. "Tramazi Parti" (live on Later) - 4. "Kelly's Heroes" (official video 1 - official video 2) - 5. "Yeah Yeah Brother" - 6. "A Big Day in the North" - 8. "Submarine" - 9. "Shake Your Money"

Studio album debut by the Northern English quintet Black Grape released on the small independent American label Radioactive. The band was formed in 1993 on initiative of vocalist Shaun Ryder and dancer Bez [aka Mark Berry] shortly after the disbandment of the Happy Mondays. Together with vocalist Paul "Kermit" Leveridge (of Ruthless Rap Assassins), guitarist Paul "Wags" Wagstaff (Paris Angel), and drummer Ged Lynch (Ruthless Rap Assassins) they constitute Black Grape. However, this quintet nearly only contains two performing instrumentalists. Bez is credited on "vibes" but is commonly known as a dancer - at times equiped with maracas. Apart from sharing vocal role, Paul Leveridge is credited as co-songwriter on half of the ten songs, whereas Ryder is songwriter and composer of all tracks, and apart from that, no one else from the band are credited the music on this album. Instead the music basically seems manufactured, organised and arranged by the producer-trio of Saber, Lironi and Ryder. Co-producer Danny Saber is a multi-instrumentalist and here, he is credited on guitar, bass and keyboards as well as for programming. He is also sound engineer and co-composer of four tracks. Other co-producer Stephen Lironi (guitarist & drummer of Altered Images) is credited on guitar and keyboards, and he is co-composer of two songs. Apart from that, other instrumentalists feature on some of the songs but it's quite evident that it's an album driven by Ryder and two multi-instrumentalists, and the perception of a band effort is merely a manufactured official image.

Naturally, the music shares traits with that of Happy Mondays. Some suggest it sounds more like the natural progression from Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (1990) than the recent final album by The Mondays, but with Shaun Ryder as the dominant figure - as both songwriter, composer, co-producer and vocalist - it's no wonder that it reminds people of his former band. Unfairly, Shaun is at times reduced to an original and creative songwriter with a highly distinctive vocal, but he's more than just that. Initially, he played the guitar with his younger brother Paul playing bass, and from the beginning of The Mondays, he shared composer-role with the rest of the band, which both underlines his ear for music structure as well as his role in Black Grape. Without Shaun there would've been no Happy Mondays and no Black Grape. Musically, the album comes out as a new original conglomerate of styles. It's alt. dance and indie pop in a bolder electronic shape than that of The Mondays, and it mixes elements from neo-psychedelia, funk and soul. A few of the songs, e.g. "A Big Day in the North", "Shake Well Before Opening" and "Yeah Yeah Brother" (actually written for the ...Yes Please album) more strongly continues the style of The Happy Mondays with an acid house-tone but the overall sensation is that of a coherent whole of more uptempo funky alt. dance.

The title is almost like the answer to Pills 'n' Thrills... saying it's (probably) better to stay away from substance abuse. And the strong psychedelic colours of the front cover showing a pop art photo of the infamous terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez (aka Carlos the Jackal) follows closely in the footsteps of covers for Ryder's former band.

Music critics welcomed the album and it went straight to number #1 on the UK chart list. It was preceded by the the single release of track #1 peaking at #9, and the album was followed by two singles, tracks #2 and #4, respectively peaking at #8, and #17 in the UK.

I vividly recall the album as something I considered an improvement to the Happy Mondays. In retrospect, it hasn't faded all that much and still carries a certain amount of quality.

It may not be as significant as Pills 'n' Thrills... but I find it better as more poignant, better structured, showcasing better hooks, and then it's just one of my favourites of the nineties and therefore recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Vox 4,5 / 5, NME 5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Eldkvarn "Svart Blogg" (2007)

Svart Blogg
release date: Apr. 7, 2007
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

22nd studio album by Eldkvarn. They never were a favourite band of mine but this is one of the their better releases.

Throwing Snow "Embers" (2017)

Embers
release date: Jan. 20, 2017
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,33]
producer: Ross Tones
label: Houndstooth - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Cantor's Dust (Part 1)" - 2. "Cantor's Dust (Part 2)" - 3. "Helical" - 4. "Allegory" - 5. "Ruins" - 6. "Gossamer's Thread" - 7. "Klaxon" - 8. "Glissette" - 9. "Recursion" - 10. "Pattern Forming" - 11. "Prism (Part 1)" - 12. "Prism (Part 2)" - 13. "Cosms" - 14. "Tesseract"
[ playlist ]

2nd studio album by electronic London-based project Throwing Snow aka Ross Tones is instrumental progressive, electronic or IDM, which both draws on more old-school techno as well as experimental electronic of the 1970s - I come to think of Jean Michel Jarre's early albums, and then there's a link to the works of Jon Hopkins.
The album consists of 14 individually tracks, but it's basically one long composition - moreover, the album ends the same way it starts, which makes it possible to listen to the album indefinitely.
Like with eg. Oxygène from 1976 by Jarre it's hard to pin out the best tracks as it's more one organic structure meant to be played from start to finish.
I really enjoy this.

Grant-Lee Phillips "Widdershins" (2018)

Widdershins

release date: Feb. 23, 2018

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]

producer: Grant-Lee Phillips

label: Yep Roc Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Walk in Circles" (live) - 5. "Scared Stiff" - 6. "Miss Betsy" - 9. "Totally You Gunslinger" - 10. "History Has Their Number" - 11. "Great Acceleration" (acoustic live)

9th studio album by Grant-Lee Phillips follows two years after The Narrows (Mar. 2016) is much to the usual formula produced by Phillips himself and released on Yep Roc. It's however notably more electrified and rockin' than any other of his solo albums - perhaps out of necessity to balance the strong messages he shouts out - as he says: "it's one of those times where you have to plug the guitar in, and shout to be heard, and raise your voice...". Apparently, Phillips simply felt obliged to speak up against the 2017 nomination as the country's 45th president. And both album title with its reference to 'going backwards' ['widdershins'], be it in terms of moral and progression as a people and a nation, and also echoed in song titles such as "King of Catastrophe", "Totally You Gunslinger", and "History Has Their Number", all dealing with troubled times, wrong directions, gun lovers, and choosing a political 'catastrophe'.

Musically, he has long been tuning into alt. country with equal parts of americana and folk, and with increasingly more acoustic arrangements, but on this he appears to revisit the style of his former band, Grant Lee Buffalo, and its electrifying mix of indie rock and roots rock.

It's really a warm welcome back to a bit of disowned practice of using your platform as an artist to engage yourself with political statements. It sort of reminds me of English Settlement (1982) by XTC, Animals (1977) by Pink Floyd, or the angriest and most classic polical album: What's Going On (1971) by Marvin Gaye - a reaction to the US engagement in Vietnam, and now: an artist so compelled by the political discourse that he has to react the only way it makes sense. Phillips is no modern Marvin Gaye, but he also feels urged to show his discontent with the way his country positions itself.

The result is an album of sheer energy and a bunch of fine tunes. Naturally, the songs are limited to speak of a specific period of time, and in that may contain a thematic limitation but nevertheless, Widdershins is a refreshing boast of energy.

I like it - it's goood!

[ allmusic.com, Record Collector, PopMatters 4 / 5, 👎Mojo 3 / 5 stars ]

Robbie Robertson "How to Become Clairvoyant" (2011)

How to Become Clairvoyant
release date: Apr. 5, 2011
format: 2 cd (Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Marius de Vries and Robbie Robertson
label: Macrobiotic Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Straight Down the Line" - 2. "When the Night Was Young" - 3. "He Don't Live Here No More" - 5. "This Is Where I Get Off" - 6. "Fear of Falling"

5th studio album by Robbie Robertson released more than thirteen years [!] after his most recent studio album Contact From the Underworld of Redboy (1998).

The album doesn't fall far from his previous albums in the sense that this is also a combo of preferred styles, a natural love for rhythm & blues, americana and traditional singer / songwriter folk rock blended with contemporary styles and influences from alt. rock and small dozes of electronic. The album features several guest musicians, e.g. Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Trent Reznor, Tom Morello, Robert Randolph, Rocco Deluca, Angela McCluskey, and Taylor Goldsmith. Apparently, the album was initiated from Robertson and Clapton's jam sessions, which grew to the idea of a new album - Clapton features on three of the songs and is co-composer of two and is sole writer of the instrumental "Madame X" (track #8).

Although using bits of electronic elements, How to Become Clairvoyant is not the continued experience with electronica as was initiated most boldly on his fine '98 album - neither is it the return to his other solo releases. In fact, it shares much more with albums produced while playing in The Band. And then the songs with Clapton, well, they simply sound like Clapton featuring Robertson, which means r&b pop / rock in that unmistakably (ordinary) traditional British style of his.

The album is not one of his most spectacular solo efforts - in fact, I find it his least favourable. The songs are solid compositions but all sound like others and older compositions, and Robertson sound as if in doubt of who to lean towards: Clapton or Dylan? And sometimes he even sound like imitating John Mayer.

The album fared more than just well as it actually became Robertson's best charting album on the US Billboard 200 Albums list peaking at #13 (his solo debut is still his best-selling and only Platinum-selling album peaking at #38).

The Deluxe Edition comes with a bonus disc titled 'Deluxe Disc' containing five "songwriter versions", i.e.. demo takes and one outtake from the recording sessions.

Not really recommended.

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