Ane Brun "Leave Me Breathless" (2017)

digital album cover

Leave Me Breathless

release date: Oct. 6, 2017

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]

producer: Ane Brun & Anton Sundell; Johan Lindström (co-pro.)

label: Balloon Ranger - nationality: Norway

Track highlights: 1. "I Want to Know What Love Is" - 2. "Always on My Mind" - 3. "Unchained Melody" (live) - 4. "Hero" - 6. "Into My Arms" - 8. "How to Disappear Completely" - 9. "By Your Side" (live) - 12. "Right in Time" - 14. "Big Yellow Taxi"

7th studio album by Ane Brun follows two years after When I'm Free (Sep. 2015) and is a different kind of outing as it's entirely made up of covers - mostly romantic love songs from various styles, genres, as well as different periods. The songs are, however, arranged in stripped-down versions with focus on Brun's delicate vocal that make all songs fit nicely together.

According to the artist's bandcamp-profile, the songs were initially made with a specific person in mind, and along the way it then materialised as this new collection of songs.

Covers have been a natural part of Brun's set-list through-out her career, which makes the idea of an album entirely made of covers a welcomed one, and it also links to her Sketches album, which featured her own demos to the album Changing of the Seasons by showcasing initial versions of songs with focus on vocal performance and scarse instrumentations.

Most of the material are songs that have been successful in their original versions and therefore they resonate even louder when transformed in Brun's original and sincere renditions - at times even making the original versions sound as inferior (especially the songs by Foreigner, Mariah Carey, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan). Another common denominator of the selected material on this, is a parameter of personal involvement. In that way, the songs are renowned for being hard to challenge in emotional delivery but that's exactly the strength of Ane Brun, her capacity of emotional expression. She simply delivers another layer to each song that makes this feel like a most natural release and something of her very own.

Although not being a regular collection of new material by Brun, this new album shines bright and once again show us what a gifted performer Ane Brun truly is.

[ 👍The Irish Times 4 / 5, Dagbladet 5 / 6 stars ]

cd + vinyl cover

Jesu & Sun Kil Moon "30 Seconds to the Decline of Planet Earth" (2017)

30 Seconds to the Decline of Planet Earth

release date: May 5, 2017

format: digital (9 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]

producer: Mark Kozelek & Justin Broadrick

label: Caldo Verde - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "You Are Me and I Am You" - 3. "Needles Disney" - 4. "The Greatest Conversation Ever in the History of the Universe" - 5. "He's Bad" - 6. "Bombs" - 7. "Twenty Something"

2nd collaborative work by electronic artist Jesu (aka Justin Broadrick) and alt. folk artist Mark Kozelek released on Kozelek's label Caldo Verde. The first album by these two isn't much more than the year old album Jesu / Sun Kil Moon (Jan. 2016).

Stylewise, this is not just a second chapter to his joint-productions with Broadrick as this appears more in line with some of Kozelek's other recent releases, which means without electric and / or rock-instrumentation as backing, as was the case with the Jesu / Sun Kil Moon album. Instead, this turns out like another chapter to Kozelek's improv-sounding and spoken-word-like progressive experimental and long sessions about everything and nothing - and mostly: small dairy-snippets from recent impressions of ordinary lived life and small conflicts with people he meets on any random day in his everyday life. And yes I know, some would say it's ramblings, or they would describe it as babbling along. Anyway, to me it's both, meaning sometimes I get why people have negative feelings about it, and then, at other times I'm equally entertained. Musically, this album is more like subdued electronic / experimental backing music by Jesu. Mark Kozelek has recently excelled in this type of spoken-word compositions on solo releases either using his name, Mark Kozelek, e.g. on Night Talks (ep) (Mar. 2017), and on solo releases as Sun Kil Moon, e.g. on Universal Themes (Jun. 2015) as well as on his most recent Sun Kil Moon album Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood (Feb. 2017). In that sense, this one sounds more than a new chapter to that as opposed to a natural follow-up to his and Broadrick's first collaboration album - there's just a longer distance to that.

Regardless, if Kozelek issues music in his own name, as Sun Kil Moon, or he invites someone else in as collaborator, the end-result comes close to something installed and directed by Mark Kozelek. Track #4 and #5 here are the album's highlights and they both follow a pattern in Kozelek's artistic progression where he dwelves on story-telling in a progressive set-up of sorts, arrangements where the backing instrumentation works as sound tapestry, and when it really works, it comes out as a fascinating synergy. The downside is twofold: it sounds similar, and sometimes much alike other fine tracks, and often it doen't really work, but there are always these glimpses of 'whoah! That's just gooood.' Pure sunbeams.

I find that this is easily bettering their first album out where Broadrick perhaps brought some original remains of alt. rock and industrial rock to the table that I didn't enjoy in the company of Kozelek.

This ain't bad. It may not be great, but there's definitely more to it than what first meets the ears, and if granted attention, it's funny, entertaining, and really off but in that non-politically correct way of intentionally who gives a f*c# anyway!

[ 👍allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, PopMatters 3 / 5 stars ]

Rum 37 "Guldstol mod yderste kaj" (2017)

Guldstol mod yderste kaj

release date: Jan. 27, 2017

format: vinyl (TARGET1703LP) / digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: Rum 37?

label: Target - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Caligula" - 3. "L.L.R." - 4. "Der går et smil gennem skovene i år" - 5. "Mestervaerk" - 6. "Kalifornien" - 8. "Brænder dæk" - 10. "Svanerne sang"

2nd full-length album by Rum 37 follows 4½ years after Mellem rum (Oct. 2012). Like the band's self-titled ep debut Rum 37 from 2011, no producer credits are listed on the album, only recording, mixing, and mastering personnel, and the album is recorded by Klaus Sandberg and Rum 37. The main reason to the long interval from their most recent release to this must be attributed the fact that during the recording sessions in 2014 - with intentions to release the album in late 2014 / early 2015 - drummer Mikkel Lumbye all of a sudden passed away, Nov. 2014, 37 years old, leaving the band reduced to a trio of vocalist Kristian Helmuth, guitarist Camillo (Gino) Askjær, and bassist Søren Adolph. The release was naturally much delayed and has only been realised with the aid from friends and the support from former associates [source: targetgroup.dk].

All songs are credited Rum 37. The album contains ten tracks - tracks #2 and #9 are short instrumentals - with a total time running just below 37 minutes. The end track "Svanerne sang" is the longest composition with a playing time of 7 minutes.

Guldstol mod yderste kaj [translates to strangely sounding 'Sedan Chair on the Last Pier'] (the title is a line from "Caligula") is with lyrics entirely in Danish and when comparing with the 2011 and 2012 albums, it's evident that the band here has transformed to something of more substance. The music is still in the light-end of alt. rock and indie pop with a strong influence from other Danish acts, such as Love Shop, Minds of 99, and Mellemblond, and with a strong musical influence from Swedish band Kent, however, whether the band takes notes from this or that, they here appear in their most original shape so far, which ultimately makes Guldstol mod yderste kaj a more than well-crafted album. The album was met by positive reviews and following the album release, the band was expanded to a quartet as drummer Rasmus Holmboe was included as official member. Rum 37 played a few concerts in 2017 and now appears to be on a hiatus. There are no further info to be found regarding touring dates or other news, and the band's Facebook-profile hasn't been updated since 2017, so Guldstol mod yderste kaj remains the most recent release from the band and it could very likely be the final release by this promising quartet.

Recommended.

[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6, GFRock.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

Mark Kozelek "Night Talks" (2017) (ep)

Night Talks, ep

release date: Mar. 22, 2017

format: digital (5 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: Mark Kozelek

label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Night Talks" - 2. "I Love Portugal" (Acoustic Version) - 3. "Astronomy" - 5. "Famous Blue Raincoat"

Ep release from Mark Kozelek as follow-up to his only one month old double Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood (Feb. 2017) released under the stage name of Sun Kil Moon.

Night Talks consists of five tracks and Kozelek is back as how he sounds on Universal Themes (Jun. 2016). It's alt. country with acoustic guitar and Kozelek narrating about big and small things from everyday life to dramatic stories he has heard about on TV or read about in a newspaper. The track "I Love Portugal" is included here in an acoustic version but the track is found in its original version on Common as Light and Love... And precisely the acoustic part is perhaps the small common denominator you'll find on his most recent releases as this EP, because otherwise, the basic material is not immediately different to what he has released under his own name and to what ends up being attributed Sun Kil Moon. In any case, Night Talks is released on Caldo Verde with Kozelek in full control as producer, songwriter, composer, just as he often is only musician. Much to his usual procedure, there has been room for covers: "Pretty Little Flowers" by Kath Bloom and "Famous Blue Raincoat" by Leonard Cohen, which is the actual highlight of the ep, here in a live recording on which Kozelek is accompanied by piano.

Night Talks is Kozelek as fans have come to love him: mostly alone with acoustic guitar, and himself narrating / singing about big and small subjects, and with the additions of a some covers. And in that way there is hardly anything new or surprising about this release - it's fine and welcome.

Sun Kil Moon "Common as Light and Love..." (2017)

Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood

release date: Feb. 17, 2017

format: digital (16 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: Mark Kozelek

label: Rough Trade Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "God Bless Ohio" (4 / 5) - 2. "Chili Lemon Peanuts" - 3. "Philadelphia Cop" - 4. "The Highway Song" - 8. "Butch Lullaby" - 9. "Stranger Than Paradise" - 11. "Bergen to Trondheim" - 12. "I Love Portugal" - 16. "I Love You Forever and Beyond Eternity"

8th studio album by Sun Kil Moon is, in CD and vinyl formats, a double album issued on Caldo Verde with a total of 16 tracks and a running time of monstrous 2 hours and 10 minutes. As a digital release only, the album is released on Rough Trade. The album follows the same recipe as Sun Kil Moon's most recent solo, the 1½-year-old Universal Themes (Jun. 2015) - following closely in the wake of the critically acclaimed Benji from 2014 - with Kozelek as songwriter, composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist alongside ex-Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley as only other musician. The most recent release featuring Kozelek is the collaboration-project Jesu / Sun Kil Moon (Jan. 2016). This is just one of a handful of releases featuring Kozelek in 2017. A month later he released the solo ep Night Talks (Mar. 2017), and then he released 30 Seconds to the Decline of Planet Earth (May 2017), his second collaboration album with Jesu, and a month later Yellow Kitchen (Jun. 2017), a collaboration album with bassist Sean Yates (of Parquet Courts and Dweller on the Threshold), and he released Mark Kozelek with Ben Boye and Jim White (Oct. 2017) - all issued on Kozelek's own label, Caldo Verde.

The shortest track here runs more than 5 minutes, three tracks exceed 10 minutes playing time, and the majority of songs are somewhere between 7 and 9 minutes long. By that alone, this is a different collection of songs, but the individual compositions are also of a special breed. Some tracks - the best to my ears - are reminiscent of older Kozelek releases, where you find clear verses, choruses and Kozelek both singing and handling acoustic guitar. More demanding tracks include Kozelek's spoken word passages on which he appears to be reciting from a diary. He rants about masturbation, he argues with a music journalist about which Bowie songs are the best and how he came to know about Bowie's death, or he goes on about mass shootings, etc., as for example on "Philadelphia Cop", which nevertheless has a certain strength once you get 3-4 minutes into the almost 11 minutes of the composition.

In terms of style and on the surface it comes much as usual in an alt. folk and singer / songwriter setting, but you also find various elements from other styles that Kozelek is influenced by. We hear traces of hip-hop, funk, indie rock, punk rock, and passages with spoken word, where Kozelek opens up about something sounding as an endless reading from his own diary. It's basically The Fall, Hüsker Dü, Pixies, Mark Eitzel, Arcade Fire, Johnny Cash, and many more - all in the same pot, and without being completely structureless, but let's just conclude by saying it presents natural challenges from a listener's perspective.

Common as Light and Love... is a strong album and one of Kozelek's better. There are flaws, peculiar passages and unconventional structures, but overall, it's mostly a joy where you may encounter funny detours, weird existences and slightly hidden beauty.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Drowned in Sound, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Lingua Ignota "All Bitches Die" (2017)

original cover

All Bitches Die

release date: Jun 7, 2017

format: digital (4 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]

producer: Kristin Hayter

label: selvudgivet - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Woe to All (On the Day of My Wrath)" - 2. "All Bitches Die (Bitches All Die Here)"

2nd studio album by American Lingua Ignota [meaning 'unknown language'], as the moniker of Kristin Hayter. She debuted on bandcamp with the album Let the Evil of His Own Lips Cover Him in Feb. 2017 and only five months later she's then ready with this album, which was also released via her bandcamp-profile, but this time to overwhelming international interest. She soon became associated with the record label Profound Lore, who re-issued this one with a new cover in 2018. The album consists of only four compositions of varying length from 5½ to 15 minutes and with a total running time of just over 42 minutes.

Musically speaking, it's based on a mixture of dark - or rather: absolute black noise metal with elements from classical music and a clear inspiration from industrial rock. Hayter's own life story as a victim in a long violent relationship lays a great foundation for her musical and lyrical universe. She is a classically trained musician and is credited the entire performance alone as songwriter, composer, sound engineer, producer, photographer, instrumentalist, and vocalist. Her expression balances on the extremely brutal, and she experiments with the use of pure noise, just as the use of her vocal reflects a similar approach. She possesses an excellent singing voice, which can be soft, finely tuned and sometimes terrifyingly distorted as bestial death screams and disturbing throat singing.

There is no doubt that Hayter is an original. The queen of darkness, Diamanda Galás, is closest as an inspiration and related artist, but Hayter is not only concerned with performance and singing, as a primary instrument. The compositions have both qualities from ambient and classical compositions, which make it both neoclassical works and experimental noise rock.

All Bitches Die is a fierce acquaintance. You probably have to have a certain fondness for Galás or black metal to find this beautiful. To my ears it's more fascinating than ordinary black metal, death metal, or related styles, but it's also too extreme a musical expression for me to just think it's really cool.

Disturbing. Fascinating. And at the same time, too much brutality.

[ SputnikMusic 4 / 5 stars ]

2018 reissue on Profound Lore

Papir "V" (2015)

V

release date: Aug. 18, 2017

format: digital (7 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]

producer: Lars Lundholm [rec.]; Carl Saff [mast.]; John McEntire [mix.]

label: Stickman Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "V.I" - 2 "V.II" - 3. "V.III" - 4. "V.IV" - 5. "V.V" - 7. "V.VII"

5th studio album by Papir following almost 3½ years after IIII (Feb. 2014) is the band's first on German label Stickman. They hold on to the formula of keeping compositions without other titles than a succession of numbers, but apart from that this new album actually reveal a progression in the band's soundscape, as opposed to what you may experience on their most recent three studio albums. The album consists of seven compositions - in physical form it has only been issued as double vinyl (with tracks #1-6) and a 2-cd release with a total running time exceeding 94 mins.

Musically, the band still embark the space rock and krautrock starship, but on this they have now established room for more diversity without loss of direction. It appears the change to a larger label has crystalised in narrowing in how to come through as a band on a mission. Some tracks would easily go as obvious post-rock beginnings, middles, or endings, but Papir just include various stylistic elements in a broad combo. Here, you'll notice bits of shoegaze and dreampop but everything is cleverly incorporated with their talent for colouring and in that way V is easily the band's so far most successful album, and in my mind, an album of international value.

Worth more than a listen.

[ bandcamp ]

[ SputnikMusic 4,2 / 5 stars ]

Mogwai "Every Country’s Sun" (2017)

Every Country’s Sun

release date: Sep. 1, 2017

format: digital (11 x File, FLAC - TRR291CD)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: Dave Fridmann

label: Temporary Residence Limited - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Coolverine" - 2. "Party in the Dark" - 3. "Brain Sweeties" - 4. "Crossing the Road Material" (live on KEXP) - 8. "Don’t Believe the Fife" (live on KEXP) - 9. "Battered at the Scramble"

9th studio album by Mogwai following 3½ years after Rave Tapes (Jan. 2014) and 1½ years after the soundtrack album Atomic (Apr. 2016). It's Mogwai's first studio album since the departure of founding member John Cummings, and it's made with producer Dave Fridmann who also produced the band's third album Rock Action (2001), and with that in mind it may signal an attempt to bring back some of the magic from their past. It's 11 new compositions ranging from 4 to 7 minutes with a total running time just under an hour.

And what is back is the dynamics of slow / fast and soft / hard, only not in mere old-time guitar-dominant fashion but in concordance with their musical growth through ambient and electronic stages.

The album was not an immediate favourite, but I have come to see it as a much more complex work, which combines and evolves - and ultimately: points to a new phase of glorious music. The album was well-received in the UK securing the band another top-10 entry with the band's so far highest charting album at number #6 on the albums chart list.

Recommended.

[ bandcamp ]

[ 👉allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 7,6 / 10, The Guardian, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

Gregory Porter "Nat 'King' Cole & Me" (2017)

Nat 'King' Cole & Me
release date: Oct. 27, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Vince Mendoza
label: Blue Note Records - nationality: USA

5th studio album by Gregory Porter is as the title suggests a tribute to and an album exclusively featuring songs recorded by Nat "King" Cole arranged and produced by Vince Mendoza.

The songs are not that far from Porter's usual style and it really gives you the opportunity to hear from where he got much of his influence. The songs are nicely arranged with the abundance of strings and brass that were associated with Nat Cole, and needless say, it also fits Porter's smooth vocal like hand in glove.

The album comes in various formats - in a standard single cd edition containing twelve tracks, a Deluxe edition containing fifteen tracks like the double vinyl album.

The album hasn't been met by the 'usual' overwhelming positive reviews, and I do understand some of the critics indicating that it's like Porter's voice doesn't compare to the strengths of Cole. In these vocal jazz standards Porter contributes with his honey-dripping warm vocal but doesn't add new dimensions to already classic songs and in that regard has made a bit of the redundant tribute.

Björk "Utopia" (2017)

Utopia

release date: Nov. 24, 2017

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,73]

producer: Björk, Arca

label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Arisen My Senses" - 2. "Blissing Me" - 3. "The Gate" - 4. "Utopia" - 7. "Courtship" (live Later) - 9. "Sue Me" - 13 "Saint"

9th studio album by Björk following almost three full years after Vulnicura (Jan. 2015). As was the case for the predecessor, Björk has teamed up with Venezuelan artist Arca - only this time Arca appears to have been granted a more dominating role, partly as co-composer on five compositions (tracks #1, #3, #9, #11, and #14) but also by being credited electronics, synth melodies and beats, while no one else is credited programming, electronics, or 'beats', which were roles Björk almost alone stood for on her 2015 album. Aside from being songwriter and composer on all tracks, and apart for lead vocal, she is (only) credited for playing digital flute - which appears as a minor role as 13 others are credited exactly that instrument - and for arrangements of vocals, flute, choir, and cello, thus placing her more in the role as a musical arranger leaving programming and 'beats' in the hands of Arca. The album is a quite lengthy one with 14 tracks and a total running time going beyond 71 minutes.

Utopia was met by critical acclaim with Spin setting it as number #29 on its list of the 50 best albums of 2017, Pitchfork ranged it number #20 on its year-end-list also counting the 50 best albums, and Slant put it at number #11 of the 25 best albums of the year.

Despite leaving much responsibilty in the hands of Arca, the album still reeks 'Björk' above anything else. There's no questioning that she's in complete control. And as a result, I think it has turned out as her most delightful studio effort since the great Vespertine (2001).

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, NME, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Pitchfork 8,4 / 10, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Phoebe Bridgers "Stranger in the Alps" (2017)

Stranger in the Alps [debut]

release date: Sep. 17, 2017

format: digital (13 × File, FLAC) (Deluxe Edition)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska

label: Dead Oceans - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Smoke Signals" - 2. "Motion Sickness" (4 / 5) - 3. "Funeral" (live at WFUV) - 5. "Scott Street" - 6. "Killer" - 7. "Georgia" - 9. "Would You Rather" - 10. "You Missed My Heart" - *13. "Motion Sickness (Demo)"

*Bonus track on Deluxe Edition

Studio album debut by American singer / songwriter Phoebe Lucille Bridgers, who previously played in a number of bands including Einstein's Dirty Secret and Sloppy Jane before Ryan Adams helped in putting out her debut ep Killer (Mar. 2014) on his label Pax Americana - two of the three songs from her ep debut (tracks #6 & #7) are included on this album in new recordings. The album was preceded by the release of three singles: in Jan. 2017 "Smoke Signals" came out, in July it was followed by her so far biggest (and only) hit "Motion Sickness", and five days before the album release the single "Funeral" was issued. All tracks except track #10 (by Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavalle) and track #12 (bonus track by Tom Petty) are credited Bridgers, and of these six are co-composed by drummer Marshall Vore. Conor Oberst appears on vocals, and together with Bridgers the two would go on and found the project Better Oblivion Community Center in 2018.

Style-wise Bridgers resides deeply in 'melancholy valley' with strong bonds to Cat Power, Sharon Van Etten and classic folk artists, although, Bridgers clearly contain enough originality to keep your ears and eyes out for whatever she's involved in.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, 👍Pitchfork 3,5 / 5, Mojo, NME, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Exclaim! 4,5 / 5, Uncut 3 / 5 stars ]

Black Grape "Pop Voodoo" (2017)

Pop Voodoo

release date: Jul. 7, 2017

format: digital (12 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: Youth (aka Martin Glover)

label: UMC Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Everything You Know Is Wrong - Intro" - 2. "Nine Lives" (live) - 4. "Whiskey, Wine and Ham" - 5. "Money Burns" - 7. "Pop Voodoo" - 8. "I Wanna Be Like You"

3rd studio album by Black Grape released twenty years after Stupid Stupid Stupid (Nov 1997). The band has in essence become a moniker for Shaun Ryder and a band effort is a difficult term in regard to this album. Black Grape is here made up by the two vocalists Ryder and Paul 'Kermit' Leveridge, and all lyrics and music is here credited the two in collaboration with producer Martin 'Youth' Glover - long-time recurring bassist of Killing Joke as well as an established remix-producer for a long list of acts. As instrumentalists, Ryder and Kermit are solely credited for their vocal performances, while Youth is also credited on guitar, bass and for programming. Other musicians contribute as session musicians but the album is without the participation of former Black Grape members Danny Saber and Bez.

Musically, it's very much the continued cycle when it comes to music with Shaun Ryder. It's alt. dance music building on old school funk and soul mixed with neo-psychedelia and bits of electronica. Both in 2012 and again in 2015 Ryder spoke of a new Happy Mondays album in the making, but that never materialised, or: it turned out that it was easier for him to release it under the Black Grape moniker.

The album was met by better reviews than Uncle Dysfunktional (2007) by The Mondays, and it went as high as to number #15 on the UK chart list. Two songs were chosen for single releases: "Nine Lives" and "I Wanna Be Like You".

Pop Voodoo might as well be credited Happy Mondays - it's hard to tell the difference, and what remains are the fingerprints of Shaun Ryder's presence: the characteristic vocal and the half-mad, witty and semi-offensive lyrics. And then there's Kermit, or: where is he? He's there, at times popping up, adding rap, but it's mostly Ryder you notice. My guess is, Youth made most of the music, and he does a fine job composing, playing, programming, producing and mixing a style that fits Ryder's voice. It's neat, warm, funky and danceable club-music, but it does sound a bit outdated, and it just lacks outstanding hooks and rifs, although, it's quite coherent and also clearly bettering Ryder's many recent attempts.

Not great, not bad - somewhat easily forgettable BUT with a nice groove, entertaining moments, and ultimately slightly bettering the '97 album as a more coherent release, although, it's without a great hit like "Get Higher".

[ 👍allmusic.com, PopMatters, musicOMH 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Protomartyr "Relatives in Descent" (2017)

Relatives in Descent

release date: Sep. 29, 2017

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]

producer: Protomartyr & Sonny DiPerri

label: Domino - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "A Private Understanding" (4 / 5) - 3. "My Children" - 4. "Caitriona" - 5. "The Chuckler" - 6. "Windsor Hum" - 7. "Don't Go to Anacita" (4 / 5) - 9. "Night-Blooming Cereus" - 12. "Half Sister"

4th studio album by Protomartyr follows two years after The Agent Intellect (Oct. 2015). The album is the band's first to have actual producer credits as their previous releases only mention recording engineers.

Stylewise, the band has progressed from a more minimalist version of garage rock and post-punk to a more refined version still drawing on both styles in combination of more complexity bonding with indie rock and echoing The Bad Seeds, Pixies, and Modest Mouse - in their most tense versions, and sometimes with small hints of The National. That said, Protomartyr are still very much post-punk revivalists in the tradition where both Interpol and Joy Division play their parts. Greg Ahee's guitar swirls and roars as if a clone of Daniel Kessler (Interpol) Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), and Black Francis (Pixies), while bassist Scott Davidson and drummer Alex Leonard are both highly familiar with Peter Hook and Stephen Morris of New Order / Joy Division. And in front of it all, vocalist Joe Casey fills in with sheer parts of Nick Cave, Matt Berninger, Ian Curtis - at times with a distinct Mark E. Smith (The Fall) wryness on top of his own original sneer. It's both dark, noisy, melodic, and first of all: pretty lively.

Bottom line: it's easily the band's so far best album, and a highly recommended listen.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👍NME, Record Collector 4 / 5, 👎Pitchfork 6,9 / 10, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

Anadol "Hatıralar" (2017)

Hatıralar

release date: Mar. 24, 2017

format: digital (16 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,58]

producer: Anadol, Işık Sarıhan

label: Inverted Spectrum / Pingipung - nationality: Germany

Second album by Anadol (aka Turkish-born Gözen Atila Kaya) originally recorded in 2011-12 in Turkey and Berlin and released on Inverted Spectrum Records, Turkey. The debut comes in various versions - apparently, the original was a memory-stick release, which was reissued by Pingipung as a 12-track vinyl lp and as downloadable album via Anadol's bandcamp profile. 'Hatıralar' is Turkish for 'memories.

Anadol is a musical project primarily playing instrumental psychedelic synth folk - a unique combo where the sound artist combines musical influence from Turkish folklore, Western music and various types of world music to produce simple melodic patterns using synthesizers with sporadic added instrumenation.

EDIT 2023:

The album has been reissued in a remastered and remixed version counting 12 compositions.

Paul Weller "A Kind Revolution" (2017)

A Kind Revolution
release date: May 12, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]
producer: Paul Weller
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. "Long Long Road" (live on later) - 4. "She Moves With the Fayre" - 5. "The Cranes Are Back" (live on later) - 6. "Hopper" - 8. "One Tear" - 9. "Satellite Kid" - 10. "The Impossible Idea"

13th solo studio album by Paul Weller is his first album to be entirely produced by himself only. Musically, it follows closely in the steps laid out on his splendid Saturns Pattern from 2015. It's full of style influences but mainly falls in the genre of alt. rock and singer / songwriter where he once again explores the style of pop soul. Some tracks are energetic rockers, some are ballad-like and rich of strings - touching on chamber pop, others reflect his many tours into the many stylistic landscapes of modern popular music.
This is another strong release from Weller just before his 59th birthday showing just how well he's doing in his senior years. He hasn't always been able to combine all his stylistic influences into coherent albums, but lately he seems to have found the formula to bring everything into a synthesis.
This is one of the best albums in 2017 and thus a highly recommended album.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, 👍The Guardian 4 / 5, PopMatters 4,5 / 5 stars ]

2017 Favourite releases: 1. St. Vincent Masseduction - 2. Paul Weller A Kind of Revolution - 3. Love Shop Risiko

Arcade Fire "Everything Now" (2017)

Everything Now
release date: Jul. 28, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Arcade Fire and various
label: Columbia - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 2. "Everything Now" - 4. "Creature Comfort" - 5. "Peter Pan" - 7. "Infinite Content" - 11. "Put Your Money on Me"

5th studio album by Arcade Fire is self-produced by the band with various co-producers on selected tracks sees the band on their perhaps most radical stylistic change. Reflektor had the band try on disco and alt. dance on a number of tracks, but with this, the band has completely moved into a new territory of dance-oriented music.The title track is extended in 3 songs: track 1 "Everything_Now (Continued)", with an underscore continue track 13 "Everything Now (Continued)" without the underscore and plays with the media as to underline what is proposed in the two track titles "Infinite Content" (#7) and "Infinite_Content" (#8) - the whole album is meant to play indefinitely.
It's not that it's bad, 'cause the production sound is there - it's more so a question about what they contribute with. Yes, they can play whatever they feel like, but going synthpop on the dancefloor means that you should add something to the genre - new danceable tunes. But this is just all so ever cute without that thangg. Where are the more than just interesting songs? The title song has been playing on my radio for months, and I'm so tired of that tune. It never was a great one after all, but that's how the music business works these days. Some tracks are cheesy, some have indie pop potential ('Peter Pan', 'Infinite Content'), some sound as drawn after other successful dance songs by New Order ('Creature Comfort'), Daft Punk / Chemical Brothers ('Signs of Life', 'Electric Blue').
Looking down the Arcade Fire path, I see greatness in the wilderness, but I no longer have strong expectations about this band for the future. They jumped right onto the big scene, and perhaps too soon to be able to navigate and continue in what would have been a natural progression.
The album cover is made in numerous editions with different colours and titles in native languages.
This is not really recommended.
[ 👍allmusic.com, Q Magazine, The Guardian 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The National "Sleep Well Beast" (2017)

Sleep Well Beast
release date: Sep. 8, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,67]
producer: Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Nobody Else Will Be There" - 2. "Day I Die" - 4. "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness" - 8. "I'll Still Destroy You" - 9. "Guilty Party" - 10. "Carin at the Liquor Store" - 12. "Sleep Well Beast"

7th studio album by The National, produced by the Dessner brothers follows nearly 4½ years after the fine Trouble Will Find Me (May 2013). Apparently, the album doesn't add much new to the band's well-known formula of a softer version of post-punk revival in combination with chamber pop, and it does start much like what could sound as a collection of left-overs from the 2013 album. But it only appears that way, 'cause it also reveals a slight twist / a new dimension to their sound, adding layers of synths, electronic sound effects, and drum programming to their familiar soundscape. It's done in a highly sophisticated manner, where the overall impression of a change of style isn't disrupted by obvious additions. The long list of additional brass and strings musicians also suggest a bolder chamber pop direction than the end result actually reveals, all because of intelligent layering and arrangements that support an idea - or: the whole picture.
The album may not contain a new "Bloodbuzz Ohio" or "I Need My Girl" but less will do, and I think, that the notion of 'less is more' really frames this album pretty neatly.
The quintet remains the same as The National has established from its second album out, but a few adjustments have seen the daylight since then, e.g. the entire band often used to be credited the various songs on their early albums, or the individual compositions had various songwriters from band members - mostly with vocalist Matt Berninger as songwriter, but with this, the majority of the songs have lyrics by Berninger and his wife Carin Besser [the 'Carin at the Liquor Store'?], and the music is mostly composed by the Dessner brothers, or just Aaron Dessner.
The album was generally met by positive reviews and it has become the band's internationally best-charting album to date topping the chart lists in countries such as Canada, Ireland, and the UK despite not performing as well as the band's former albums in the US. No less than five singles were released from this album with track #4 as first single - followed in order by tracks #9, #10, #2, and #8 with the first and the second as the best charting single releases.
What may appear as the grey and dull replica of former material has definitely turned out as a grower, imho. Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine, Mojo, NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

LCD Soundsystem "American Dream" (2017)

American Dream
release date: Sep. 1, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: James Murphy
label: DFA / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Oh Baby" (live) - 2. "Other Voices" - 3. "I Used To" - 4. "Change Yr Mind" - 6. "Tonite" - 7. "Call the Police" - 9. "Emotional Haircut"

4th studio album by LCD Soundsystem who had re-united in 2016 is like the third album basically a James Murphy project-album featuring old associates. Looking at the credit list for the album, Murphy plays almost all instruments, though Al Doyle also contribute on several tracks, but official band members Pat Mahoney, Nancy Whang, Tyler Pope, Gavin Rayna Russom, Matt Thornley and Korey Richey nearly only appear on one or two tracks.
Stylistically, LCD Soundsystem still plays on some of the same sources - with some tracks being more electronic, some in the rock genre of alt. dance and dance-punk, and then there are more bold elements of synthpop scattered all over the album, which together with the electronic bits makes it a rather fresh and energetic collection of songs that makes me think of Underworld - only with more power.
In my mind, this is not only the best studio album and a nice surprise by LCD Soundsystem, it's also one of the best albums of 2017.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Daily Telegraph, NME, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

The Cranberries "Something Else" (2017)

Something Else
release date: Apr. 28, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: The Cranberries
label: BMG - nationality: Ireland

[ playlist of album songs ]

7th studio album, or: 7th official band release is a collection of ten previously released songs in acoustic versions recorded live at the University of Limerick, Ireland with the addition of three new songs (#2, 7 and 13). The album follows a series of live albums (8 albums in 2010 recorded at various European locations and another 2 live albums in 2012 also in Europe), and it presents some of the band's most popular compositions in acoustic / orchestral versions with the addition of the Irish Chamber Orchestra, which really distinguishes this from ordinary live albums.
The album was met by positive reviews and a following European live tour was scheduled, but during its initial stage in late May, the remaining dates were cancelled due to O'Riordan's health problems. Also the American tour was subsequently cancelled in July, and the band didn't get to do any further live performances that year. However, they managed to record O'Riordan's vocals for a forthcoming album when in Jan. 2018 it was announced that she had been found dead at London's Park Lane Hilton hotel. So in a way, this material feature the last official live recordings of The Cranberries and by Dolores O'Riordan, although, a successive and final album, In the End would be released in 2019.
As for track highlights, I find it too difficult a task to pick tracks at the expense of others 'cause there really are no fillers nor any mediocre tracks on an album that may require some familiarisation to these arrangements, but in the end, it's a truly fine result and a recommended album.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark "The Punishment of Luxury" (2017)

The Punishment of Luxury
release date: Sep. 1, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: OMD
label: 100% Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Punishment of Luxury" - 2. "Isotype" (4 / 5) - 4. "What Have We Done" (4 / 5) - 5. "Precision & Decay" - 9. "One More Time"

13th studio album release by OMD is the band's third after the reformation though the line-up has changed after drummer Malcolm Holmes collapsed at a concert during the band's live tour after English Electric (2013) in Toronto, 2013. Holmes recovered but soon after left the band and was replaced by Stuart Kershaw, who also played on Liberator (1993). Stylistically, it's not a big move into new territory, neither is it an album which incorporates new styles - in fact it's modelled much in the same expression as the predecessor from 2013. It's, however, the first album since Crush (1985) to be written and composed solely by the duo McCluskey / Humphreys as was the normal procedure on the band's first six studio albums.

Like the 2013 album, this one was met with in a general positive spirit, which hasn't been seen welcoming since Dazzle Ships (1983). The album peaked at #4 on the UK albums chart list making it the band's third highest charting studio album - ever.

I perfectly understand the positive reviews - of course fine charts must always be considered in a broader perspective, as also the 2013 album was well-received, as well as the fine live album Architecture & Morality / Dazzle Ships (5.16) from (May) 2016, which of course attracts more attention to new material.

Now, where it took me a few years to digest the previous album this one had an immediate appeal, and frankly, I find it bettering the 2013 album. Not with a broad margin, but as a whole, it's quite an accomplishment. It has the same fine balance between signature sound and contemporary synthpop, which goes perfectly hand in hand. McCluskey's voice sounds as if he had only just finished Dazzle Ships, and the songs are a fine combo of classic OMD pop-material and more experimental electronic synthpop sending tribute to both Kraftwerk, Jarre and their contemporaries of New Order. I like it. It's goood.

Imho, the album is top-10 material of 2017, and not to forget: it's bettering the last 33 years of OMD studio albums, which naturally makes it recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Uncut, PopMatters 3,5 / 5, The Press, Classic Pop 4 / 5 stars ]