Lush "Split" (1994)

vinyl cover

Split
release date: Jun. 13, 1994
format: vinyl (CAD 4011) / cd (Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,90]
producer: Mike Hedges and Lush
label: 4AD Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Light from a Dead Star" - 2. "Kiss Chase" (4 / 5) - 3. "Blackout" - 4. "Hypocrite" (live) - 5. "Lovelife" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Desire Lines" - 7. "The Invisible Man" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Undertow" - 2. "Never-Never" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Lit Up" (5 / 5) (live) - 4. "Starlust"

2nd studio album by English, London-founded band Lush. This is just another great album released in 1994, and it's just outside my personal top-10 favourites. The debut release Gala (Nov. 1990) compiles the band's first releases, a single and two eps. It's dark and promising shoegaze and the follow-up, which is the actual full-length studio debut Spooky (Jan. 1992) turned out as what seemed more like an unfinished Robin Guthrie-project.
Split has a fine balance between dream pop and indie pop, and it both comes with long progressive dreamy sounds as well as more direct almost power pop energetic tracks, all kept together by the same touch. The front duo is made up of Emma Anderson and Miki Berenyi who are both doing lead vocals and play guitars, with Phil King playing bass, and Chris Acland handling drums. The album is produced by Mike Hedges, who used to work with post-punk and gothic rock bands like The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Bauhaus but also with more synth pop and new romantic bands like Associates, Thomas Dolby and that seems like a better choice than Guthrie's strong production signature of dream pop reminding me of album productions for This Mortail Coil and his former main band Cocteau Twins. After this, Lush released its perhaps least interesting album, Lovelife (1996), which indicated a change in style towards more indistinct britpop, and then the band's career came to a devastating end by drummer Chris Acland's tragic suicide in '96 and the remaining members then decided to call it a day. Berenyi featured on a few releases and then changed career, Emma Anderson continued in the duo-band Sing-Sing, and King appears to have chosen a way out of the backdoor of the business; however, and although being the band's lowest charting album, Split is a mighty fine album, and it stands as this band's most coherent and best effort, imho. The cd issue comes in a 2-disc Deluxe Edition with a 3-track bonus disc.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 ]

[ collectors' item - 1st pressing in NM condition from ~ €120,- ]

cd issue

Gangway "Optimism©" (1994)

Optimism©
release date: Apr. 14, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Henrik Balling, Illinton
label: Genlyd / BMG - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Endings" - 2. "Everything Seems to Go My Way" - 6. "A Million Words"

6th studio album by Gangway again following 1½ years after ther most recent studio album, Happy Ever After (Sep. '92). This time the album has been produced by main songwriter Henrik Balling together with Illinton [aka Lasse Mosegard] also credited bass programming. The title is actually the word "Optimism" followed by the letter 'G' in brackets as a variation of the copyright symbol [©] - cleverly referrencing 'Gangway'. For once, the band has managed to stay with the same label. Much as was the case with the '92 album Henrik Balling has composed the majority of the songs and (again) with Torben Johansen as songwriter of three compositions (tracks #6, #9, and #11), and with vocalist Allan Jensen as songwriter of track #4 (his first song on an album by Gangway). The band line-up remains unchanged but musically changes are evident. The sound is with a stronger emphasis on electronics without sounding like a follow-up to their '91 album. Now the style is closer to something in between New Order and Pet Shop Boys with a certain disco-feel, and Jesper Siberg (from Scatterbrain) is for the third consecutive album credited 'sound design'. It's still mostly primarily synth-pop with bits of sophisti-pop with an uptempo and danceable touch making it sound like a half-felt attempt to go in a dance club direction - perhaps inspired by Everything but the Girl?

It's an album practically without memorable tracks and I find it a new low point (not counting the British '88 re-release of Sitting in the Park) and their easily so far least favourable album.

Not recommended.

Cornershop "Woman's Gotta Have It" (1995)

Woman's Gotta Have It
release date: Oct. 24, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "6 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4,5 / 5) (single version) - 2. "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu" - 3. "Roof Rack" - 4. "My Dancing Days Are Done" - 7. "Wog" - 9. "Looking for a Way In" - 10. "7:20 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Cornershop following nearly two years after Hold On It Hurts (Dec.? 1993) is with songwiter and primary vocalist Tjinder Singh as producer.
With this, the band introduces an original style associated with the band on future albums, which is a huge mix of influences. It's a blend of South Asian folk / Indian folk, indie pop, alt. dance, funk and soul with bits of electronic - mostly sampling. It's also evident that the initial inspiration from alt. rock, noise rock and post-punk-influences are heavily reduced, or no longer present. The band remains a sextet but the line-up has changed as drummer Nick Simms has replaced David Chambers. At times, as e.g. on "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu", the band reveals a bond to the 'baggy / madchester' style with traits that ressemble the fusion-style of Happy Mondays.
All tracks are now written and composed by vocalist and bassist Tjinder Singh. The opening track, which is found in an alternate version at the end, is a modern classic.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

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US cover

Mew "+ -" (2015)

+ -
release date: Apr. 27, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: Michael Beinhorn & Mew
label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Satellites" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Witness" (4 / 5) - 3. "The Night Believer" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Making Friends" - 5. "Clinging to a Bad Dream" - 6. "My Complications" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Water Slides" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Interview the Girls" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "Rows" (3,5 / 5) - 10. "Cross the River on Your Own"
[ live on KEXP ]

6th studio album by Mew is a fine return to more dream pop founded compositions. Founding member bassist Johan Wohlert has now rejoined the band. Once again the band has teamed up with Michael Beinhorn and the result is a more focused album with much less focus on progressive and / or experimental. "My Complications" feature Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack making it sound like a perfect blend of the two bands. Instead of using the same formula as on the band's last two albums, this is both a tighter recipe compared to the band's 2010 album but it's also lighter than the heavy (Beinhorn) production sound on the 2005 release. The first single track "Satellites" is a glorious and typical Mew composition in the most positive sense. In fact, I find that it's among the band's top 3 albums. It's one of the top 10 albums of 2015, imho.
After the release of the album founding member and guitarist of the band, Bo Madsen left Mew.
[ allmusic.com, musicOMH 4 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The Jezabels "The Man Is Dead" (2009) (ep)

The Man Is Dead, ep
release date: Feb. 7, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Disco Biscuit Love" - 2. "Be a Star" (2,5 / 5) - 3. "Electric Lover" (3 / 5) - 4. "Old Little Girls" (2,5 / 5) - 5. "Unmarked Helicopters" (2,5 / 5)

Album debut by Australian indie pop, dream pop band The Jezabels is a 5-track ep. The band consists of Hayley Mary on vocals, Sam Lockwood on guitar, Nik Kaloper on drums, and with Heather Shannon on keyboards. This is an uneven but promising debut, I think. Funny how the title track isn't on the ep, but appears as a track on the band's second ep She's so Hard (2009).

The Pogues "The Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary Concert at the Olympia" (2012) (live)

The Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary Concert at the Olympia (live)
release date: 2012
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

[ playlist ]

2-disc live album by The Pogues for this occasion consisting of Andrew Ranken, Darryl Hunt, James Fearnley, Jem Finer, Philip Chevron, Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy, and Terry Woods. It's nice to hear the old guys play together again, playing some of their finest songs but it's also rather evident that Shane MacGowan hasn't put the alcohol behind him. The album has been released as a triple lp, a double cd, and various releases with a dvd-disc of the concert. I really don't know how to rate this. It's nice to hear and see them play but Shane's performance... - he's a legendary singer and composer, his name will live on, but seeing and listening to his singing is almost pathetic.

Roxy Music "Manifesto" (1979)

Manifesto
release date: Mar. 1, 1979
format: vinyl (reissue) / cd (2015 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Roxy Music
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 2. "Trash" - 3. "Angel Eyes" - 4. "Still Falls the Rain" - 5. "Stronger Through the Years" - - B) 1. "Ain't That So" - 3. "Dance Away" - 4. "Spin Me Round"

6th studio album by Roxy Music originally released by E.G. in the UK, Polydor in Europe and by Atco Records for the North American market. The album is the band's first after having reunited in '78 and after a period where Bryan Ferry released three solo albums. Manifesto follows the release of the band's fifth: Siren from 1975 after which Ferry released three solo albums Let's Stick Together (1976), In Your Mind (1977), and The Bride Stripped Bare (1978). The band credited on Manifesto are reduced to four members: Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, and Paul Thompson - the latter left the band in 1980.
Musically, the band has taken a bolder move with a stronger dancefloor appeal by including elements from a world of disco and funk. Critics weren't exactly overwhelmed by the new Roxy Music; however, the album performed more than well, peaking at number #7 in the UK and reaching number #23 in the US - their best-ever charting album on the Billboard 200.
In retrospect, I think of it as one the band's better albums, and I guess the big difference is when, and for what reasons, you fell for this band's music. Personally, I didn't really know of the period before this, which I only discovered after falling for this, the successor Flesh + Blood (May 1980), and their grand finale: Avalon (May 1982), and imho, those three albums represent the band's very best.
This is classic Roxy Music and a most recommended album.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 7,5 / 10, Smash Hits 4 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "MTV Unplugged" (1993) (live)

MTV Unplugged (live)
release date: Oct. 26, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Paul Fox
label: Elektra - nationality: USA

Final album release by 10,000 Maniacs featuring Nathalie Merchant is a live album of a recording made in the Spring '93. It contains acoustic versions of material from the years 1987-1992 with a majority of seven tracks taken from the most recent album Our Time in Eden (Sep. 1992), only two from Blind Man's Zoo (May 1989), and four tracks from In My Tribe (Jul. 1987), which makes a total of 13 out of the 14-tracklist - the last being a cover version of "Because the Night" (written by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen, and first recorded by Patti Smith and appearing on her album Easter from 1978).
The album is mighty fine, and both the band and Merchant all perform very well, but it never really seem as an essential release. Nathalie Merchant initiated her long solo career after the album release and was substituted by Mary Ramsey.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Thåström "Mannen som blev en gris" (2002)

Mannen som blev en gris
release date: Apr. 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Thåström, Micke Herrström, Henryk Lipp
label: Mistlur Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Släpp aldrig in dom" (live) - 2. "Ungefär så här..." - 4. "Ännu mera gift" - 6. "Bara när jag blundar" - 9. "Så kall så het" - 10. "Aldrig nånsin komma ner"

4th studio solo album by (Joakim) Thåström is almost as usual made with former collaborative musicians Niklas Hellberg, who plays organ and handles programming, and Per Hägglund, who has co-written four of the songs together with Thåström. The album also features Danish drummer Tomas Ortved (Sort Sol) on several tracks.
Mannen som blev en gris is primarily industrial rock and together with the three solo albums Det är ni som e dom konstiga... (1999) and Explodera mig 2000 (1991) the album may be regarded as one of his most energetic and hardest solo releases. The song "Så kall så het" is a cover song by Stry Terrarie, with whom Thåström played in Imperiet - originally by Swedish band Garbochocks (1979-81).
In 2003 Thåström founded the band Sällskapet with long-time collaborator Niklas Hellberg and Per (Jerker) Ossler, and they began studio recordings while Thåström also worked on a new solo album. Both Hellberg and Ossler took part in the live band with Thåström's solo material.

Blondie "The Platinum Collection" (1994)

The Platinum Collection (compilation)
release date: Nov. 1, 1994
format: digital (2 cd)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Richard Gottehrer / Mike Chapman / Alan Betrock
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: USA

47 track 2 disc compilation album by Blondie. This is the one: The Ultimate, The Essential, and The Platinum best of Blondie album. There are so many compilations out there with this band, but most of them don't really contain enough great tracks to be what they are promoted as. This one hold what it promises. Of course 47 tracks is a lot, and hits and misses, they should be able to embrace the essential compositions. Aside from containing great tracks this is fine in more than one respect: it reflects a chronological order of the band's single releases, so one is able to sense the progression in sound and style, and then it contains all US and UK singles - both A- and B-sides from 1976 to 1982, which is the band's artistic period. If you don't want to collect all albums, and shuffle through more than 200 compositions of varied quality, this is more than a good alternative. The only downside to it is the decision to include a number of mediocre songs from the later period, but this is not just a best of collection, although, it may be judged as such. It's primary goal is to include all singles from the 7-year period, and naturally, they can't all be great - luckily (except "Once I Had A Love") the least interesting songs fall as the last 10 tracks. Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

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UK and Australian cover

Marie Key "Tænker du vi danser" (2015)

Tænker du vi danser
release date: Feb. 2, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Andreas 'Maskinen' Sommer
label: Genlyd / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Fatter det nu" (live) - 2. "Fryser med dig" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Tænker du vi danser" (live) - 4. "Hvis du går" - 5. "Dans" - 6. "Hjerte der banker" - 8. "Oceaner" - 10. "Dit sekund"

3rd solo studio album by Marie Key follows the same recipe of the previous and succesful second album De her dage from 2012 in a musical collaboration with producer, Anders Sommer. It's more than fine, personal songs about insecurity and relationships held in a tight spatial production. The album was met by positive reviews, and I believe the album nationally has sold more than well. I just find it too slick, too close to being just the expected follow-up to her great 2012 album. There are no surprises and hardly no really great songs. Yet, it's not anywhere near her weakest albums, it just doesn't offer any progression in respect to her last album - it's like the second secret disc from the same recordings. Sometimes you shouldn't fix what isn't broken but when talking about music that implies more of the same, which isn't the same as just as great.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

The Beautiful South "Solid Bronze - Great Hits" (2001)

Solid Bronze - Great Hits (compilation)
release date: Nov. 12, 2001
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: various
label: Mercury, Go! Discs - nationality: England, UK

2nd official compilation album by The Beautiful South released at a time when rumors had it that the band was about to split. After Painting It Red (2000) Jacqui Abbott left the band and a chaotic live tour followed.
The album consists of 19 tracks and features songs from all of their albums, but with shuffled tracks it's a rather difficult listen, and some of the best tracks from Carry on Up the Charts: The Best of The Beautiful South from 1994 - the first compilation album are truly missing. The finest songs of the band's early career have been replaced by newer but lesser songs in order to make room for tracks released from '96 up until the most recent album Painting It Red, which has 3 tracks on the album.
The idea of the release is hard to find, if it was intended as the sequel to Carry on Up the Charts, it's hard to argue why on earth it would be necessary to include 7 [!] tracks from the first compilation album. If, on the other hand, it's an attempt to sum up the bands best songs ever, well, the band simply hasn't made enough great songs after Carry on Up the Charts to excuse the presence of 9 tracks from albums released since the first best of album, thus excluding some of the band's most familiar and popular songs.
The best songs on this album are still found on the '94 compilation, so the album would only be interesting if you just want two by the band. An even better solution might be to check out the 2006 2-disc compilation Gold with a total of 36 tracks. Only bad thing about that is a shuffled playlist, but the tracks are there.
*Two promotion compilations were released by Go! Discs in between the two mentioned official compilations, The Carry on Continues...: The Best and Next of The Beautiful South from '96, and To Hull and Back from 2000, but they were never official releases.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5 stars ]

The Radio Dept. "Clinging to a Scheme" (2010)

Clinging to a Scheme
release date: Apr. 21, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,04]
producer: Johan Duncanson, Martin Carlberg
label: Labrador Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Domestic Scene" - 2. "Heaven's on Fire" (4 / 5) (live on WFUV) - 3. "This Time Around" - 4. "Never Follow Suit" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Video Dept." (4 / 5) - 8. "David"

3rd studio album by The Radio Dept. released on Labrador and produced by Johan Duncanson and Martin Carlberg.

Stylistically, this is like its two predecessors indie pop and dream pop. It's also music with bonds to other fine Scandinavian artists like Cardigans and The Knife, and it bridges to British dream pop artists like Saint Etienne and Cocteau Twins. However, the sound also seems inspired by first and foremost My Bloody Valentine, but also New Order, The Smiths, and Felt.

I think, it's a fine and quite unique blend of their own, and the whole album is the band's most coherent and also the band's so far best album, imho.

Highly recommendable.

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

Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Year of the Horse" (1997) (live)

Year of the Horse (live)
release date: Jun. 17, 1997
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: "Horse" [Neil Young & Crazy Horse]
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: Canada

Another live album by Neil Young released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse recorded while on tour in 1996 and originally released by Reprise. Year of the Horse is actually foremost a documentary film directed by Jim Jarmusch following the band on their 1996 tour but also a 2 disc live album. The tracks are not taken from a specific album but are primarily from an early period up until the live album Rust Never Sleeps.
Now, without having seen the film, I think that it could work as documenting this great artist with his legendary backing band on tour, but the album itself seems somewhat redundant. It hasn't much new to offer that one won't find (better) in his back catalogue, and the selection of songs and the sound doesn't really add things up. Having said that, the tracks here are fine and it contains some truly great and essential songs - the only 'problem' about it is that for fans there's not much new. It's a bit like realising: "Yeah, we forgot to invite Jarmusch along while doing Weld 'cause we all know that was a hell of a peak. So let's make part two of that one. This one's for Jim!".
The not so successful tracks are basically the entire disc 2 with the only exception of "Sedan Delivery", which means not essential inclusions of tracks like "Slip Away", "Scattered", "Danger Bird" and "Prisoners of Rock 'n' Roll" all dragging the overall experience in the wrong direction after a strong start on disc 1.
The good stuff is a great version of "Barstool Blues", a fine live version of "Mr. Soul" and Neil & Crazy Horse live... well, it can't be bad even if they try. With tracks like "When You Dance I Can Really Love", "When Your Lonely Heart Breaks", and then "Pocahontas" played live  - hell, even as I think of this as a bit of a disappointment, it's really much better than decent or just good. It may not be essential but it's worth more than a listen or two. However, the three best live albums by Neil Young does not include this one.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Thin Lizzy "Live and Dangerous" (1978) (live)

Live and Dangerous (live)
release date: Jun. 2, 1978
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Thin Lizzy, Tony Visconti
label: Vertigo Records - nationality: Ireland

1st live album by Thin Lizzy originally released as a double vinyl album with live recordings from 1976 and '77. The album was met with positive reactions and has gained status as one of the best live albums of contemporary pop / rock, e.g. British music magazine NME ranked the album as number #1 in its "50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time" in 2011.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 Sputnikmusic, Classic Rock 5 / 5 stars ]

U2 "All That You Can't Leave Behind" (2000)

All That You Can't Leave Behind
release date: Oct. 30, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "Beautiful Day" (4 / 5) - 2. "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" (4 / 5) - 3. "Elevation" - 4. "Walk On"

10th studio album by U2 marks a return to the producer-duo Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. The band chose to fight, and spent more than 3½ years before releasing this new album. And thankfully so, 'cause the band obviously still has something to offer... after all. I know many people thought U2 were history and a band connected with the 1980's and '90s only. Instead this is a rebirth of the band, and it also signals that they will also be around in the new millennium. It's not really great but it's more than just Okay, and more importantly: it's far from the artistic low points of Pop (Mar. '97) and Zooropa (Jul. '93), and the band takes up its profile they had established before Achtung Baby.
The album contains two really fine songs: "Beautiful Day", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of". Those tracks alone would have made a really great single, instead it's a so-so album 'cause the remaining tracks are sadly not on par with any of the aforementioned.
The album strangely made it to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Kashmir "No Balance Palace" (2005)

No Balance Palace
release date: Oct. 10, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,32]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Columbia Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Kalifornia" - 4. "Ophelia" - 7. "She's Made of Chalk"

5th studio album by Kashmir who continue its style founded on Radiohead art rock with a new certain twist of dream pop. The prominent stars David Bowie and Lou Reed both feature on one song each on the album (tracks #3, and #10 respectively), and one may add that also producer Tony Visconti is a prominent guest artist. The setup and the dreams are certainly present. The music, however, mostly leaves me indifferent. Some of the songs are rather nicely arranged but the sources are as always too evident, and Kasper Eistrup is simply trying too hard to sound like either Thom Yorke or Chris Martin instead of finding out how to just be an original. The dream pop element doesn't come out very successfully. It only makes me think of it as Mew, Radiohead and Coldplay in one huge melting pot - I mean, that could be meaningful and original, but this is not.

Saybia "No Sound From the Outside" (2015)

No Sound From the Outside
release date: Oct. 2, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Michael Patterson, Nicolas Jodoin, Saybia
label: Columbia Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "No Sound From the Outside" - 3. "Black Hole" - 4. "Hollow Is Your Promise" - 5. "One Minute Man" - 7. "It's About Time" - 8. "Down" - 11. "I'm Still Waiting"

4th studio album by Saybia released more than eight years since the predecessor Eyes on the Highway (Aug. 2007) and following the start of a succesful solo career of lead vocalist and songwriter Søren Huss. After the band's hiatus from late 2007 to Jul. 2010, the band played comeback concerts in the Summer of 2010 in the Netherlands, but it wasn't until 2014 that they announced a new album to be released early 2015. During the recording sessions, founding member, lead guitarist Sebastian Sandstrøm decided to call it a day and he was subsequently replaced by Kasper Rasmussen, which may explain the delay of the release.
I believe that many thought Saybia had come to an end after the 2007 album - and especially after Huss proved to experience major success as solo artist, and perhaps also after what some saw as an artistic slacken in the output from Saybia. Allegedly, Huss has stated that the band members didn't want to see their 2007 album as their final statement, which called for at least another attempt.
Stylistically, No Sound From the Outside still sounds very much like Saybia, but it appears as the band's most electrified studio release to date. Where the two predecessors have much in common, this one sticks out with a bolder alt. rock sound and style, which for a start makes a positive impression.
Musically, it may be in short of hit-material, although it succeeds by being no less than one of the band's most cohesive studio albums. It (obviously) still contains ballads, but they are shaped to a new formative sound and they don't point in various directions, and that's the album's biggest asset. Also, this is the first time you cannot argue that they sound like this or that - contemplating they copy this or that - yes, it's contemporary alt rock with various stylistic traits. Some compositions are shaped with inspiration from post-punk, others have progressive rock elements, and some reflect a more general soft rock approach, but altogether, they all sound like stemming from the same band just using whatever they find natural to colour its own original blend. At bottom line, I find they just sound as Saybia, which is a bit of an accomplishment.
The album didn't enter or peak at the top of charts but it reached the position as number #7 on the national albums chart list. Commercially, it may not be the great come-back album they sat out for, but musically, I find simply find it their second-best of all their albums, and who knows, perhaps in a few years, we'll all look back at this very album with a common confidence and state that it's actually their finest ever. It's a fine grower, and it contains several fine compositions.
Recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Tindersticks "Across Six Leap Years" (2013)

Across Six Leap Years
release date: Oct. 14, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5) [4,18]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Lucky Dog - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Friday Night" (4 / 5) - 3. "She's Gone" (5 / 5) - 4. "Dying Slowly" (4 / 5) - 5. "If You're Looking for a Way Out" (5 / 5) - 8. "A Night In" (5 / 5) - 9. "I Know That Loving" (4 / 5) - 10. "What Are You Fighting For?" (4 / 5)

10th studio album by the Tindersticks quintet released on Lucky Dog features the band's new interpretations of their own songs (except track #5 by Sandy Linzer and Ralph Kotkov) produced by lead vocalist Stuart A. Staples.

The starting point here is perhaps a little unconventional, perhaps even with a suspicion of a calculated financial strategy attempting to make profit from well-known material once again, but it all makes good sense already after a few spins. All tracks have completely new and much simpler arrangements, and some songs have simply been given so much more... attention and affection that they shine anew, all fresh. The music is generally stripped down to the very essentials of the individual track, and the whole album appears as a fulfilling refinement.

The front cover is from a painting ("Allsorts") by Robert Dukes.

Highly recommended.

2013 Favourite releases: 1. Arctic Monkeys AM - 2. Tindersticks Across Six Leap Years - 3. De Efterladte Alvorsord og etagevask

Korallreven "Honey Mine Remixes" (2011) (single)

Honey Mine Remixes, single
release date: Feb. 15, 2011
format: digital
[single rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,72]
producer: Korallreven
label: Acéphale Records - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "Honey Mine" - 2. "Honey Mine (Lissvik Remix)" - 3. "Honey Mine (Memoryhouse Remix)" - 4. "Honey Mine (Nacho Lovers Remix)" - 5. "Shine On"

Single release by Korallreven taken from the forthcoming debut album An Album by Korallreven (Nov. 2011).

This is lounge-like synthpop and trance without much going on, and the main single sounds like a fusion of music by The Knife and then the chorus line from the single "Shine On" (1990) by British jangle-pop band The House of Love.

Van Morrison "A Night In San Francisco" (1994) (live)

A Night In San Francisco (live)
release date: May 17, 1994
format: 2 cd (2008 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Van Morrison
label: Exile / Polydor - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Double disc live album by Van Morrison - which could've been called "Two Nights in California", are the recordings from two live concerts in Dec. 1993 in California - one night at the Mystic Theater, Petaluma, Dec. 12, and another night at the Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco, Dec. 18 - the 2008 Remaster contains the bonus track "Cleaning Windows" recorded at the Masonic Auditorium, Dec. 17, 1993.
A handful of special guests appear on some of the 23 songs, which represent many covers as well as familiar Morrison compositions. The guest artists are John Lee Hooker, Candy Dulfer, Junior Wells, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Morrison's daughter, Shana Morrison. Aside from these, a strong group of handpicked supporting musicians appear throughout all compositions: Ronnie Johnson on guitar, James Hunter on guitar & vocals, Brian Kennedy on vocals, Nicky Scott on bass, Georgie Fame on keyboards & vocals, John Savannah on piano & vocals, Geoff Dunn on drums, Teena Lyle on percussion & vibraphone, Kate St. John on soprano & tenor saxophone, and Haji Ahkba on flugelhorn. And this bunch really back Morrison in the best possible way.
The album is full of individual performances as well as tight, spontaneous and delightful playing, and on top of it all, Van Morrison swims in, with, against the streams of sound in the most natural manner. The album contains more than 2½ hours of music, which may seem like a long time, but frankly, it doesn't feel one minute too long. Also, the recordings and the production sound is just like being there.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Korallreven "The Truest Faith" (2010) (single)

The Truest Faith (single)
release date: Apr. 2010
format: digital
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,02]
producer: Korallreven
label: Acéphale Records - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "The Truest Faith" - 2. "Loved-Up"

2nd single release by Swedish synthpop duo Korallreven (founded 2009) consisting of keyboardist Daniel Tjäder (The Radio Dept.) and Marcus Joons [aka Marcus Lundblad-Joons]. The single follows the debut release of "Loved-Up" from 2009, which saw the B-side here as standalone A-side with a remix on the B-side.

The Beautiful South "Painting It Red" (2000)

Painting It Red
release date: Oct. 9, 2000
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Jon Kelly, Paul Heaton
label: Go! Discs / Mercury - nationality: England, UK

7th studio album by The Beautiful South is the band's studio release with the most tracks - 19 on the original release (the US release contains 17 tracks), which also comes in a 2-disc version with 20 tracks. This is the last album to feature Jacqui Abbott on vocals.
The style hasn't changed - in fact the band hasn't made much progress since the beginnings in regards to adding new styles and / or genres to the band's initial style. Only change is the addition of country elements with Blue Is the Colour from 1996. Heaton and Rotheray are as always songwriters and composers but there are simply no true remarkable tracks on this to satisfy a need to buy this album, imho. If the '98 album Quench was a bit of a step down from previous releases, this one is yet another step down, and to me, this is only above the mediocre and a first low point in the band's long career.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Blues Brothers "Made in America" (1980) (live)

Made in America (live)
release date: Dec. 5, 1980
format: vinyl (reissue - ATL 50 768)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Bob Tischler & Paul Schaffer
label: Atlantic - nationality: USA

3rd and final album by The Blues Brothers - including the soundtrack for the film "The Blues Brothers" (Jun. 1980). The album is the band's second live album - this time recorded live at the Universal Amphitheater, Jul. 26 - Aug. 1, 1980 by Record Plant, LA.
The album consists of traditional 'blues' and 'rhythm & blues' material but lacks some of the sheer energy that characterised the live debut, Briefcase of Blues (1978), and it doesn't have the star quality as the soundtrack album, which makes this the band's weakest performance.

Bob Mould "District Line" (2008)

District Line
release date: Feb. 5, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Bob Mould
label: ANTI- (Epitaph Records) - nationality: USA

7th studio album by Bob Mould as solo artist released 2½ years after his most recent album Body of Song from 2005, which appeared as the attempt to find back to his roots after a strange detour into electro synth pop experiments.
District Line shows us a much more focused Mould doing what he's good at, and stylistically, he has successfully returned and revived "the old" power pop alt. rock and indie rock style with the addition of folk rock and chorus-based compositions as his albums of the 90s.
The album is not just a blast of great rock tunes, as the songs are more like reminiscences of another time, with a taste of greatness. It's undoubtedly Mould's best album in years, and it's nice to hear the man back to what he does the best. At least he hasn't abandoned music, and now that he has found back to the style that works, we just have to wait 'cause Mould has that capability of creating great music, although, District Line may not quite be one of his best - it's still far from his worst and a quite recommendable listen.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

C.V. Jørgensen "Lige lovlig live" (1986) (live)

Lige lovlig live (live)

release date: 1986

format: cd (1991 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]

producer: Nils Henriksen

label: Columbia - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Søndagsseancer" - 3. "Lediggang agogo" - 5. "Morgendagens stjerner" - 7. "I en blågrå kupé" - 8. "Sæsonen er slut" - 10. "Et satanisk mesterværk" - 11. "Johnny & Djiim" - 12. "Hotel Halleluja" - 14. "Hamburger Sally" - 16. "Datadisciplin" - 18. "Costa del Sol"

Live album by C.V. Jørgensen originally released as double vinyl lp are the live recordings from various concerts from Feb. '86. Originally, it was released on vinyl only, the '91 single-CD edition is 74 minutes long and excludes the track "Flik-flakker" appearing on T-Shirts, gummisko & terylenebukser (1975) to accommodate the maximum running time of CDs. The album feature Lars Hybel and Nils Henriksen on guitar and bass, Pete Repete on keyboards, Gert Smedegård on drums, and Jacob Andersen on percussion. The selected tracks span the majority of C.V.'s total discography - which, however, avoids the first two releases, apart from the vinyl edition. Of the 18 tracks on the CD-issue, five are from his most recent album Vennerne & vejen (1985), four are from Lediggang agogo (1983), three each stem from both Vild i varmen (1978) and Storbyens små oaser (1977), two comes from Tidens tern (1980), and only one track is taken from Sold to stanglakrids (1979).

As a single CD, it's quite an excellent selection of songs, although, you'll always see personal favorites among the shortcomings, and then you have to remember that this isn't a best of album, and quite naturally, his most recent albums play a major part on Jørgensen's first live release.

The cover is here credited to C.V. himself.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds "Nocturama" (2003)

Nocturama
release date: Feb. 3, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Nick Launay
label: ANTI-, USA - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Wonderful Life" - 3. "Right Out of Your Hand" - 4. "Bring It On" - 10. "Babe, I'm on Fire"

12th studio album by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds following the two-year old No More Shall We Part is originally released by Mute Records (ANTI- for the American market).

This is yet another quiet, dark and sinister sounding album like its most recent three predecessors without adding much new.

To me, this is a lesser release by Nick Cave - not mediocre but touching on repetitious. The songs are nicely produced and the playing, well, there ain't much complaining about that, it's just a bit... "And so what?" We've heard it all before, and there's like no nerve left - nothing at stake with Cave going through the motions 'cause-that's-what-he-had-to-do - again. A track that seems a bit "way off" from the rest is the almost astonishing final track, "Babe, I'm on Fire" with a running time above 14:30 minutes. Being a much more up-tempo and blues punk composition it would have fitted nicely on Let Love In (1994).
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, The Guardian, Uncut, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "Music From the Motion Picture" (2013)

Music From the Motion Picture
release date: Jan. 15, 2013
format: digital (14 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: 10,000 Maniacs, various
label: ORG Music - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "I Don't Love You Too" - 2. "When We Walked on Clouds" - 4. "Triangles" - 10. "Downhill"

8th studio album by 10,000 Maniacs with co-producer credits to more than 15 [!] people is the band's first studio release in 14 years, and it's the first to feature new guitarist Jeff Erickson, who has substituted Robert Buck after his passing in 2000. The band has experienced a heavy change on the members list during these past years. Although, Natalie Merchant didn't take part in the formation period of the band, it is with her as lead vocalist that the band became widely known and was subject of international fame. After her leave in 1993, John Lombardo returned to the fold, and Mary Ramsey, who had taken part in the band on viola and backing vocals for only a few years, was then established as the band's new lead singer up until around 2002, when the band of Gustafson, Drew, and Augustyniak wanted to continue with a new lead vocalist, Oskar Saville, and also had invited Jeff Erickson to play guitar. This decision led Ramsey and Lombardo to leave the band, and the two performed and released music as John & Mary; however, Ramsey returned around 2006 to play viola and to do backing vocals as she had done previously when Merchant was still in the band. Saville left again in 2007, which (once again) made room for Ramsey performing as lead vocalist. The formation of the band for this album feature Mary Ramsey on lead vocals, Jeff Erickson on lead guitar, Jerry Augustyniak on drums, and with founding members Steve Gustafson on bass, and Dennis Drew on keyboards.
Actually, this album isn't just all bad. I know I had given up on the band in the years following Merchant's leave - and not just because of that, but I didn't like the music led by Lombardo and Ramsey. It's not an album I like a lot, but listening to it, just to be updated on their music, it's really quite all right as a traditional folk pop release. All band members are credited for vocals on this album, and that's also a bit of a weak spot. There's no real outstanding vocal performances here, and the album is just something entirely different to what used to be the DNA of the band, and I do thnk that's its biggest hurdle. Also, you have to be really fond of folk fiddles and harmony-vocals without expectations of new takes on a much tried genre to really enjoy this. It draws heavily on folk but I actually come to think of more recent albums by British band The Beautiful South, who also embark on a stylistic blend of folk and soft rock in a more mainstream pop / rock tradition, only with the British band having more to offer in terms of vocal quality and lyrical content.
Music From the Motion Picture is by no means a poor album, but in the discography of one of the major bands of new rock music it's not the most favourable by 10,000 Manaics.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Paul Young "Love Songs" (1996)

Love Songs
release date: Dec. 2, 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Columbia Records - nationality: England, UK

Best of compilation album by Paul Young released by his former label CBS / Columbia Records. The album contains 17 tracks, and it's one of many Paul Young compilation albums - not really comprising his best songs as such but attempting to compile his best love songs. It does contain great songs, but naturally when thinking of the overall theme of 'love' when playing pop soul, it's quite an impossible task. Too many great tracks are missing. It's fine but not really great.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Broken Arrow" (1996)

Broken Arrow
release date: Jul. 2, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Neil Young
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Big Time" - 2. "Loose Change" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Slip Away" - 4. "Changing Highways" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Scattered (Let's Think About Livin')"

23rd studio album by Neil Young released as Neil Young with Crazy Horse comes out in a productive time for Neil. His entry into the 90s has been one of his great periods starting with Ragged Glory (1990) and his, best live release, the 2 disc Weld from '91. This one is released only 5 months after his different, to put it mildly, soundtrack Dead Man, but more so it links with his previous albums with Crazy Horse in the sense that they play on with their feedback hard rock bluesy sound, although, this turns out as a more jam-fed set of songs where they just play on and on and on - much like some of the great tunes on Weld.
The album is not one of his critically acclaimed albums, and my 1990s verdict was much on par with that - I generally found it without much to offer except for electrified jam-sessions. However, I really have change my feelings quite a bit on this one. Thinking of Ragged Glory and Weld this basically seems more like a stream, or essence of those moments. Neil and Crazy Horse play so tight even when they just jam along. There's a kind of mutual understanding of how to mold the spirit they let loose when they first get started, and I find that one can almost touch that on this one. It's gentler than both of the two albums of the 90s, and it may not contain a bunch of classic Neil Young moments like "Pocahontas" or "Cortez the Killer", but songs like "Big Time", "Slip Away" and "Changing Highways" are fueled with the same energy.
I have come to really enjoy this one, and think of it as just another great 90s album by Neil Young, and if you have once rejected this, give it another chance or two. For me, it's a natural grower and one of my favourite Neil Young and Crazy Horse albums.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5 stars ]