Mazzy Star "Among My Swan" (1996)

Among My Swan
release date: Oct. 29, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: David Roback, Hope Sandoval
label: Capitol Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Disappear" - 2. "Flowers in December" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Rhymes of an Hour" - 5. "Take Everything" - 7. "All Your Sisters" - 8. "I've Been Let Down"

3rd studio album by Mazzy Star follows (another) three years after their sophomore So Tonight That I Might See (1993). All songs here are credited David Roback and Hope Sandoval.

The album introduces a change of style as the album is primarily founded on the use of acoustic guitars instead of the feedback electric guitar sound on the first two albums, and the bond to both the 'baroque pop' of the '60s as well as to Velvet Underground has been accentuated.

The album produced the UK top-40 single "Flowers in December" but apart from that the album was seen as a lesser album, and also music critics seemed less drawn to the change of style.

After the release, the band went on a live tour and also began work on a follow-up, but they found the demands of the record label management intolerable with "the money people" interfering in their creative craftmanship and Sandoval and Roback eventually asked to be released from their contractual obligations. Without officially dissolving, the band went on a hiatus in '97 that should last fourteen years and Among My Swan was eventually followed by the fourth album in 2013, Seasons of Your Day.

I find this one on a completely different level than the first two albums. It simply tastes too much of the '60s. It's good but not really essential.

[ allmusic.com 3.5 / 5 stars ]

Grant-Lee Phillips "All That You Can Dream" (2022)

All That You Can Dream

release date: May 20, 2022

format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Grant-Lee Phillips

label: Yep Roc - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 3. "Peace Is a Delicate Thing" - 4. "All That You Can Dream" - 5. "Rats in a Barrel" (acoustic live performance) - 8. "You Can't Hide" - 9. "My Eyes Have Seen" - 10. "Remember This" - 11. "All by Heart"

11th studio album by Grant-Lee Phillips following 20 months after Lightning, Show Us Your Stuff (Sep. 2020). Phillips has long time ago taken hold of his own music management including the release of his music on his own label, and that is usually something that echoes into the music from artists who works in this controlled manner. Grant-Lee has also found his own expression, which stays close to a preferred path and in the case of this newest outing, it's almost like the sequel to his 2020 album. That doesn't make it a lesser album because it implies worked-through compositions where lesser is more in terms of arrangements and accompanying musicians - things just add up as meaningful music. Grant-Lee performs as a multi-instrumentalist, which of course makes the recordings an easier process, and he has teamed up with a few recurring instrumentalists, which count Eric Heywood on pedal steel and guitarist, Jennifer Condos on bass and with Jay Bellerose on drums, who all played on Phillips' 2020 album.

Despite a narrow field of instruments, it never feels uninspiring nor repetitious, and that's some sign of craftmanship, which proves his worth as composer as well as arranger. Also the mixing and production has the traits of live recordings in the studio, where you sense a presence of the vocalist and of the strumming of a guitar.

I like it, it's good. It's not one of his top 3 albums but it's a collection reaking of genuine quality.

Btw.: the front is a painting by Grant-Lee Phillips, who also happens to enjoy painting landscapes (with this a an exception).

[ allmusic.com, Uncut, Classic Rock 3,5 / 5, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

Editors "EBM" (2022)

EBM

release date: Sep. 22, 2022

format: digital (11 x File, FLAC) (Deluxe)

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

producer: Blanck Mass, Justin Lockey, Elliott Williams

label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Heart Attack" (4 / 5) - 2. "Picturesque" - 3. "Karma Climb" - 4. "Kiss" - 6. "Strawberry Lemonade" - 7. "Vibe" - 8. "Educate"

7th studio album by Editors follows 4½ years after Violence (Mar. 2018), an album that lacked some of the coherency they showed on The Weight of Your Love from 2013. Since their sixth album Benjamin John Power has become a new member, and he is heard all over an album that fixates the band on an electronic path. Power is also known as Blank Mass and that's also how he's credited here. The album title thus refering to 'Editors Blanck Mass'. Powers played a vital part on the predecessor but the band didn't find the way to utilise Powers' contributions back then and instead ended up with tracks pointing here and there and with an album that seemed unfocused. One year after the release of Violence Editors released The Blanck Mass Sessions containing the initial recordings by Blanck Mass, which led to the album versions, and those early recordings contain some ideas that were ultimately lost on the final album. You could argue they were stronger electronically-founded, which only reflect how the band had to digest the input from Power before realising that he actually laid out a new musical direction for the band to follow.

With Banck Mass aboard Editors comes out as a revitalised band. They make the songs by Tom Smith work on top of an electronic base that gives room for bass and synths and the result is surprisingly good. Blanck Mass is noticeable all over the album, but together they are in positive synergy.

Undoubtedly, this new electronic style will challenge some of the old post-punk revivalists, and although I really enjoyed their initial albums, I like this new constellation!

[ allmusic.com, Record Collector 4 / 5 stars ]

Eee Gee "Winning" (2022)

Winning [debut]

release date: Feb. 25, 2022

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Rasmus Bille Bähncke

label: Future Classic - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Favourite Lover" (4 / 5) - 2. "You Don't Have to Tell Me It's Over" - 5. "Contraband" (live session) - 6. "Bad Person" - 7. "Love Hurts" - 8. "Winning" - 10. "All or Nothing" - 11. "Killing It" (4 / 5)

Studio album debut by Danish act Eee Gee [stylised 'eee gee'] aka Emma Grankvist is virtually a debut-out-of-the-blue. I first listened to the song "Favourite Lover" and then "Bad Person" without knowing anything about artist or nationality, and I remember thinking it must be yet another one blending Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish, although still doing that quite nicely. But after realising it's music by Danish songwriter Emma Grankvist and upon listening to the whole album, I have to admit it's much more than a copy and quite a remarkable achievement. Why hadn't we heard about her before? And speaking of influences, I also found it's waaaay too simple to mention the aforementioned two American stars as only sources 'cause there's also traces of much else. There's a tongue-in-cheek (Lily Allen-like) presence and songs that are stronger singer / songwriter or alt. folk related that reminds me of Cat Power or Sharon Van Etten, or was it Ane Brun leaning on Joni Mitchell? And then why even compare?!

The album has a total running time above 45 minutes with songs written by Grankvist, and most of the music is co-composed with producer Bähncke. Granted, this may not be highly original, but it's a most powerful collection of personal songs produced in high-end arrangements. Yes, there's influence and traces of others, but looking at the whole picture instead, this is simply one of the strongest Danish debut albums in years.

Highly recommended.

[ Politiken, 👉Soundvenue 5 / 6, Undertoner 4 / 6 stars ]