Toumani Diabaté "Boulevard de l'Indépendance" (2006)

Boulevard de l'Indépendance
release date: Jul. 25, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Nick Gold
label: World Circuit - nationality: Mali

Studio album by Toumani Diabaté released under the name of Toumani Diabaté's Symmetric Orchestra is the third and final of three albums on World Circuit in the "Hotel Mandé Sessions" series initiated by the fabulous collaboration album In the Heart of the Moon (2005) by Ali Farka Touré and Diabaté - and like that, this is also produced by Nick Gold.
The music is energetic, full of drums and horns, and seems quite similar to that of another great Malian musician: Salif Keita. It's rather far from his works with Ali Farka Touré. Here the kora plays a secondary part as a rhythm and / or background instrument to orchestrated music featuring vocals, brass and traditional instruments of the Mandé folk tradition.

Siouxsie and the Banshees "Voices on the Air (The Peel Sessions)" (2006)

Voices on the Air (The Peel Sessions) (compilation)

release date: Oct. 23, 2006

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: diverse

label: Polydor / Universal / BBC - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: (1. session, 29/11/79): 1. "Love in a Void" (anden liveoptræden '79) - 2. "Mirage" - 3. "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)" - (2. session, 6/2/78): 5. "Hong Kong Garden" - 6. "Overground" - 7. "Carcass" - 8. "Helter / Skelter" - (3. session, 9/4/79): 10. "Playground Twist" - 11. "Regal Zone" - (4. session, 10/2/81): 13. "Halloween" - 14. "Voodoo Dolly" - 16. "Into the Light" - (5. session, 21/1/86): 17. "Candyman" - 19. "Lands End"

Compilation album by Siouxsie and the Banshees from Polydor / Universal who just keep finding material to issue with a band they didn't see as commercial enough while active on the label. Here, however, it's not another best of, which looks like many others but a collective work of all the band's appearances on John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show over the years from 1977 to 1986. The John Peel Sessions is a legendary radio show existing from 1967 until Peel's death in 2004, and it includes more than 4,000 recordings by more than 2,000 artists. The album here comprises a total of 19 tracks spread over five appearances, where the only two regulars from all five recordings are vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bassist Steven Severin. The first three sessions, Nov. 29, 1977 (tracks #1-4), Feb. 6, 1978 (tracks #5-8), and Apr. 9, 1979 (tracks #9-12) respectively, sees John McKay on guitar and Kenny Morris on drums. The fourth session recorded 10/2-1981 (tracks #13-16) is with John McGeogh on guitar and Budgie on drums, and the fifth and final session Jan. 21, 1986 (tracks #17-19) is with John Valentine Carruthers on guitar.

It's mainly the band's earlier period you'll find documented here - with only three tracks are taken from the band's seventh album, Tinderbox (1986), the remaining 16 tracks (apart from one track by The Creatures) may be found in studio versions on the band's first four albums.

Voices on the Air (The Peel Sessions) is obviously a collector's item, as the recordings have not previously been broadcast together. The band's first Peel Session was independently released as an ep in '87 (on cd in '89), the second session released in '89 - both are collected on a compilation from '91.

The album is fine musical historic release, virtually showcasing the band before any label had a contract ready, and with the BBC's limited sound studio with a single sound track available, it's really the documentation of pure rawness, white noise, and electric energy flowing from one of the most notable British bands who instantly managed the progression from punk rock and into the wider scene of post-punk.

The album is dedicated BBC radio presenter John Peel (1939-2004) and producer John Walters (1938-2001, who was producer on many Peel Sessions, but not on the tracks on the album mentioned here).

From the band's BBC performances, there also exists a later rather extensive 3 CD + 1 DVD box set (with around 85 tracks), Siouxsie and the Banshees at the BBC released in 2009, which in addition to the five Peel Sessions also includes other radio-broadcast concerts and television appearances.

Recommended connoisseurs.

[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Cat Power "The Greatest" (2006)

The Greatest
release date: Jan. 9, 2006
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Stuart Sikes
label: Matador / P-Vine Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The Greatest" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 2. "Living Proof" (live on Letterman) - 3. "Lived in Bars" (officiel video) (live on Later) - 5. "Empty Shell" - 6. "Willie" - 7. "Where Is My Love" (officiel video) - 12. "Love & Communication"

7th studio album by Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) following a full three years after You Are Free (Feb. 2003). Like all Power's other albums, The Greatest is in the quieter end of folk rock and singer / songwriter genre with elements from alt. country and traditional blues. What's new here is especially a far more indie pop-tinged series of songs in larger-than-usual arrangements, which by that don't have 'the usual' clear lo-fi touch. The album therefore seems more airy, varied and lighter than most of her other albums, which have often carried an excessive heavy melancholic mood. The songs here appear brighter and lighter, even though Power's vocals are not that different and without ever displaying the big register, but which nevertheless has its own qualities, which are mainly rooted in a charismatic hoarse and occasionally almost whispering intonation, which can lead thoughts to Lana Del Rey and Hope Sandoval with a common starting point in Laura Nyro.

The Greatest is Cat Power's highest-charting album to date on the US Billboard 200 peaking at number #34, but it reached number #20 in Australia and at number #45 in the UK. The album won the Alternative Shortlist Music Prize (an award running from 2001 to 2007) ahead of names such as Band of Horses, Joanna Newsom, and Tom Waits - an award for which her 2003 album was also nominated without running with the award.

Imho, The Greatest is Powers best album to date and therefore also a recommended place to delve into the special universe of Cat Power.

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, NME, Q 3 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 7,9 / 10 stars ]

Lisa Gerrard "The Silver Tree" (2006)

The Silver Tree

release date: Dec. 5, 2006

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC - 2007 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,88]

producer: David Badrick & Lisa Gerrard

label: Rubber Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "In Exile" - 2. "Shadow Hunter" - 4. "The Sea Whisperer" - 6. "Space Weaver" - 8. "Serenity" - 10. "Towards the Tower" - 12. "Devotion"

2nd solo album by Australian artist Lisa Gerrard follows more than a decade after her solo debut The Mirror Pool (Aug. 1995). This doesn't by any means suggest that Gerrard isn't a highly productive artist. She often releases music with collaborating artists, and she has made a golden career from her engagements as soundtrack composer. In '96 she released a so far final studio album, Spiritchaser with the duo-project Dead Can Dance (together with Brendan Perry). In '98 she released the collaboration album Duality with Pieter Bourke, and also with Bourke, she made the soundtrack to Michael Mann's The Insider (1999), the soundtrack to Ridley Scott's The Gladiator (2000) composed with Hans Zimmer - an accomplishment that sky-rocketed her composer value - and again with Bourke she composed the soundtrack to the biographical sports drama Ali (2001), the soundtrack to Whalerider (2003), the collaboration album Immortal Memory together with Patrick Cassidy (2004), and the soundtrack Salem's Lot (2004) with Christopher Gordon to a TV-series. And it doesn't stop with this, as Gerrard has also delivered compositions and vocals to songs appearing on various other releases including TV-series, movies, documentaries and as performing guest on other artists' releases.

Lisa Gerrard works on a classical arena with trained classical intrumentalists and composers, but she also works with artists from a "popular" music culture, the experimental electronic music scene and often on music labeled as neo-classical. On top of this, Gerrard has made it her trademark to blend national folklore from various parts of the world, and not seldom you will find traces of music inspired by traditional folk from the Balkan area - sometimes incorporating tones from an Arabian / Middle East tradition - all brought together in an original colourful blend with her timeless ethereal signature. She has become an acclaimed vocalist with a vocal range of three octaves, and when performing her own songs, she often sings in her own made-up language, sometimes referred to as 'glossolalia'.

The Silver Tree was nominated the Best Album Prize at the Australian Music Awards in 2006, and it may be an album that brings many of her former releases to mind, but it's not a matter of picking bits and pieces from her past and mixing it all together anew. It's more the result of a skilled artist's inspiration overflown with her quality trademarks that makes it a highly original album. It's both electronic, ambient and neo-classical, and not necessarily styles that are present in all 14 compositions. As in styles, the songs vary in tempo, in cadence, in mood but it's all cleverly woven together with Gerrard's delicate touch - be it in the arrangements of the single composition or in the tone of her singing voice. The tracks also vary in running times with the shortest playing for only 1½ minute and the longest for more than 10 minutes. In between there's nearly everything. It may be based on electronic rhythm beats, on hymn-like ambience, or progressive darkwave, but still it remarkably works as a coherent release.

I've always fancied the music with Gerrard's partecipation and it never ceases to amase me, and it always reminds me, what an absolute great artist she is! She has been awarded many prizes for her work, but in my mind, she is way to overlooked an artist and deserves much more recognition - as composer, as vocalist, and as performing artist.

Highly recommended!

Band of Horses "Everything All the Time" (2006)

Everything All the Time [debut]

release date: Mar. 21, 2006

format: cd ( SPCD 690)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]

producer: Phil Ek

label: Sub Pop Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The First Song" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Wicked Gil" - 3. "Our Swords" - 4. "The Funeral" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Great Salt Lake" (4,5 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 7. "Weed Party" (acoustic live) - 10. "St. Augustine"

Studio album debut by Seattle-based indie folk quintet Band of Horses. The band was originally formed as a trio consisting of lead vocalist & guitarist Ben [Benjamin] Bridwell, bassist Chris Early and drummer Tim Meinig. Later it was expanded to a quartet with vocalist & guitarist Mat Brooke, who had been band leader in Carissa's Wierd, where Bridwell had stepped in at a later stage as substitution of a missing drummer and later as bassist, but in this project, Bridwell appears as the band's unofficial leader. Before joining Carissa's Wierd, Bridwell worked on his record label-project Brown Records and without much training he jumped in as the band's drummer on the band's second album You Should Be at Home Here from 2001. He then became stable drummer in the band and also appears on its acclaimed final studio album Songs About Leaving (2002), after which he changed to bass, guitar and backing vocals for the final live album I Before E from 2004.

All songs here are credited the band, but all lyrics (except two songs by Brooke) are written by Bridwell. The album is, however, the only by the band in this line-up, which also includes Carissa Wierd's final drummer Sera Cahoone, who appears on three tracks but basically just for the album recordings. Shortly after finishing these recordings, both Early and Meinig left the band and for the promotion tour the group reformed in a new line-up with the inclusion of three new members: guitarist & keyboardist Joe Arnone, guitarist & bassist Rob Hampton, and drummer Creighton Barrett but already as of Jul. 2006, also Mat Brooke left the band after which he became co-founder of the Seattle-project Grand Archives.

On this the band's first full-length album, the playlist is made up of several reworks of compositions that had previously been issued on the Band of Horses ep (also titled Tour EP) released, a self-released issue from 2005 sold at concerts, which consisted of three demo takes and three live recordings. Five of those songs appear here in (new) studio versions. The three demo tracks all apear here in re-arranged versions with new titles - "Savannah Part One" is here shortened to "Part One", "The Snow Fall" is here titled "The First Song", and "For Wicked Gil" is here titled "Wicked Gil". Two of the three live recordings appear here in studio versions - "The Great Salt Lake", which has kept its title intact, and "Billion Day Funeral", which here is simply titled "Funeral".

Stylewise, Band of Horses play an uptempo, simple yet modernised folk rock and indie rock with an obvious love for harmony-driven Neil Young classics, but without the sligtest sensation of plagiarism. They have, however, been associated with acts like R.E.M., Slowdive, The Shins and others, as well as been accused of not being original enough. Fact is, you don't have to be an original to make great music. All great stars have copied and "stolen" inspiration from others, and that's what Band of Horses do so well on Everything All the Time. The single songs all sound highly original in their own rights and the whole album showcases a long list of stylistic variations but the magic enters as it all combined becomes one whole that only soothes: Band of Horses. There's no copy, only the original.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Blender, Drowned in Sound, Uncut 4 / 5, Pitchfork 8.8 / 10 stars ]

Heligoland "Pitcher, Flask & Foxy Moxie" (2005)

Pitcher, Flask & Foxy Moxie

release date: Jan. 1, 2006

format: digital (9 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]

producer: Tim Friese-Greene

label: self-released (bandcamp) - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Wedding Feast" - 3. "Black Girl" - 5. "The War, Stupid" (4 / 5) - 7. "Down to Zero" - 8. "3 Stills"

2nd full-length album by project-band Heligoland (aka Tim Friese-Greene) following Heligoland (Jan. 2000). Friese-Greene was co-composer of most of the music in Talk Talk where he and Mark Hollis were the musical wizards behind a great portion of what later became labelled post rock. With Friese-Greene's heavy legacy in mind, it's actually not difficult to hear similar soundscape in his music by Heligoland, and with this he delivers another criminally overlooked collection of fine alternative music.

Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint "The River in Reverse" (2006)

The River in Reverse

release date: Jun. 6, 2006

format: digital (13 x Files, FLAC)

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

producer: Joe Henry (exec. produced by Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint)

label: Verve Forecast: - nationality: England, UK / USA

Track highlights: 1. "On Your Way Down" - 2. "Nearer to You" - 4. "The Sharpest Thorn" - 5. "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?" - 6. "The River in Reverse" - 7. "Freedom for the Stallion" - 11. "All These Things"

Collaboration album by Elvis Costello and New Orleans-based songwriter, composer, record producer, pianist and composer, Allen Toussaint, who is a familiar name of traditional American rhythm & blues.

Toussaint had previously contributed as pianist on Costello's "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" for his Spike album, and the two had earlier discussed the possibility of a collaboration work, but it wasn't until the hurricane, Katrina flooded New Orleans in 2005 that Costello was concerned about Toussaint, as he was one of many affected artists of the disaster. Both was involved in benefit concerts and Costello initially thought of and performed with Toussaint's song "Freedom for the Stallion" after which the two was paired for live concerts, which ultimately led to Costello suggesting that they made an album together. And in that way The River in Reverse is a requiem on the New Orleans tragedy. Except for the title song, which is written and composed by Costello, the remaining 12 compositions are reworkings of songs composed by Toussaint - a few with new lyrics by Costello.

The result is actually really good. Toussaint has composed lively and traditional music, and Costello delivers some a vocal performance on the majority of the songs with warmt and emotions that at times make me think of Van Morrison. It's a quite different arena than Costello's recent collaborations: Painted From Memory (1998) with Burt Bacharach, and Deep Dead Blue (1995) with Bill Frisell, but it's by no means a left-handed work or a lesser experience - it's just... different, mostly because this album is a genuinely rhythm & blues album, which again shows us how easily Costello adapts to different styles. Not that he masters everything, but I don't think he believes there's a style or genre he cannot handle.

This is a warm and delightful album.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 6,1 / 10 stars ]

Best of 2006:Amy Winehouse "Back to Black" (2006)

original cover

Back to Black
release date: Oct. 30, 2006
format: cd (2007 Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,48]
producer: Mark Ronson, Salaam Remi
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: Disc 1) 1. "Rehab" - 2. "You Know I'm No Good" - 3. "Me and Mr. Jones" (live) - 4. "Just Friends" - 5. "Back to Black" - 6. "Love Is a Losing Game" (5 / 5) (live) - 7. "Tears Dry on Their Own" (live on Later) - 8. "Wake Up Alone"
Disc 2) 1. "Valerie" (5 / 5) - 2. "Cupid" - 3. "Monkey Man" (live) - 4. "To Know Him Is to Love Him" - 5. "Hey Little Rich Girl" (feat. Zalon & Ade) (live) - 6. "You're Wondering Now" - 8. "Love Is a Losing Game" (Original Demo)

2nd studio album by Amy Winehouse released three years after her debut album contains 6 tracks produced by Mark Ronson and the remaining 5 tracks on the standard album produced by Salaam Remi. The Deluxe Edition released 13 months later is a double disc album with the standard album in a remastered edition and a bonus disc with a collection of B-sides and live recordings.
The original album peaked at number #1 on the UK albums chart list, just as it did in many countries world-wide including Austria, France, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand. It also went as high as number #7 on the American Billboard 200, and when it was reissued as a double disc it peaked at number #2. It contains a number of great tracks and several singles made it to top-10 in the singles charts, although none were topping the charts. The first single from the album was "Rehab", peaking at number #7 on the UK chart list, This was followed by "You Know I'm No Good", peaking at number #18, "Back to Black", peaking at number #8, and "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Love Is a Losing Game" peaking at number #16 and #33 respectively.
Now, how do you pick a short list displaying only the best tracks from this album? It's an impossible task, and with the double disc edition it doesn't become any easier with a bonus disc full of gems including ska revival and rock steady tracks, e.g. "Hey, Little Rich Girl" (org. by The Specials), "Monkey Man" (by Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert) and "You're Wondering Now" (by Clement Seymour 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd). All songs here are wonderful examples of this woman's extraordinary gift and great potential.
"Back to Black" is naturally included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" as it's one of the most evident top-of-year album releases, you may come across.
Highly recommended.

2006 Favourite releases: 1. Amy Winehouse Back to Black - 2. Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - 3. Band of Horses Everything All the Time

2007 2-Disc
Deluxe Edition

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' "Fly" (2006)

Fly
release date: Sep. 22, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Bacco perbacco" - 2. "Un kilo" - 3. "Occhi" (4 / 5) - 6. "È delicato" - 7. "L'amore è nell'aria" - 10. "Troppa fedeltà"

Released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari'. A fine return to a more singer / songwriter universe. Mind you, the changes are not big, Zucchero still plays blues and pop soul but the album is more subtle and emotional. My favourite is "Occhi" but it has several fine tracks. The release comes in various versions. There's an international English version having a different tracklist, and e.g. "Flying Away", an English version of "Occchi", among others. A bonus track version also exists, which includes most of the different versions.

The Divine Comedy "Victory for the Comic Muse" (2006)

Victory for the Comic Muse
release date: Jun. 19, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Nel Hannon
label: Parlophone Records - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "To Die a Virgin" - 2. "Mother Dear" (live on Later) - 3. "Diva Lady" - 4. "A Lady of a Certain Age" (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "The Light of Day" - 7. "Party Fears Two" (4 / 5)

9th studio album by The Divine Comedy is very much like a part two to Absent Friends from 2004, and also much on par with that, making it a very fine release.
"Party Fears Two" is a great cover version of a (likewise great) new romantic track by The Associates from their debut album Sulk (1982), which Hannon nicely succeeds in transposing to his own chamber pop version [Associates original version].
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars, The Guardian 4 / 5 ]

Mogwai "Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait" (OST) (2006)

Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (soundtrack)

release date: Oct. 30, 2006

format: digital (11 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]

producer: Tony Doogan

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

Track highlights: 10. "Black Spider 2"

A soundtrack by Scottish post rock band Mogwai - the band's first commisioned work for a film with the subtitle "An Original Soundtrack by Mogwai" to Douglas Gordon & Philippe Parreno's documentary "Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait" from 2006.

The album consists of 10-12 compositions depending on perspective as the album enlists 10 tracks; however, after a more than 3 minute silent part, the album continues with 1 or 2 unlisted [hidden] tracks - perhaps just one with a break into a second part; or they're both extentions to the final listed track "Black Spider 2". Anyway, tracks #1 through #10 are all held between 2:30 and 6:50 minutes, which in the case of Mogwai is a rather narrow time span, whereas the first unlisted track runs for 17:46 minutes (or with the final bit for more than 23 minutes) making the total running time of the album no less than almost 71 minutes long.

Stylewise, the album is the band's so far most quiet release - one could tend to call it an ambient work with dominating piano and dreamy and ambient guitar noise. As is with all soundtrack albums, it's a natural biased work as you only have the music, the sound that is supposed to enlarge the experience of watching the actual film, but since the album has been released as a stand-alone work-of-art, it should somehow be able to work on its own premisses.

Imho, this is not where you would wish to start listening to this band, and frankly, I think of it as one their least impressive works.

[ bandcamp ]

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine, The Mix Tapes 2 / 5, Pitchfork 6,4 / 10 stars]

Mogwai "Mr. Beast" (2006)

Mr. Beast

release date: Mar. 6, 2006

format: digital (10 x File, MP3)

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

producer: Tony Doogan & Mogwai

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

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

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

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

[ bandcamp ]

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

Tom Waits "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, & Bastards" (2006)

Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, & Bastards (compilation)
release date: Nov. 20, 2006
format: cd (3-disc box set)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits
label: ANTI- - nationality: USA

A compilation album, and there's some when a man has made music very consistently for four decades. This is not the usual Best of kind of release. First thing that differs is that it's a box set of 3 discs. Well, that should maybe do it in comprising his long career but that's not really the way it has been compiled. Apparently, Waits had wanted a release with some of the songs that had been left out of albums throughout the years and he intended to make a slow ballad-like disc of all his softer songs and a raw and ferocious disc with his energetic complementary side, but then Brennan came up with the idea of three discs 'cause they also needed room for the ones that didn't fit either of the two labels. So the songs are intentionally placed according to style and temper, so that the first disc of "Brawlers" are tracks that rock. They are his blues rock and most poignant rock tunes. The second disc of "Bawlers" is a collection of singer / songwriter ballads and vocal jazz songs, as many of his albums contain these two complementary tempers, and the last disc of "Bastards" is reserved for his experimental cabaret and art rock... or you could say the ones that don't fit in - the most... 'crazy' stuff, perhaps. In this way it's a fine box set, and it's a rare compilation that makes it all a whole, although the individual songs have been written in different periods of time, so according to your mood and / or interest, one may select a specific musical style.

Anna Ternheim "Separation Road" (2006)

Separation Road

release date: Sep. 27, 2006

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]

producer: Andreas Dahlbäck & Anna Ternheim

label: Universal Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Girl Laying Down" - 3. "Today Is a Good Day" - 8. "Feels Like Sand" - 11. "Halfway to Fivepoints"

2nd studio album from Anna Ternheim released two years after the debut Somebody Outside. The album simply topped the Swedish albums chart, while the single "Girl Laying Down" ended up somewhat in the shadow at number #48 on the singles list. The album came out to a mixed reception in the Swedish music press.

Compared to an uneven debut with highlights, there isn't much innovation found on her follow-up in terms of style - perhaps it's slightly more of a coherent collection of songs of similar colour and style. However, I do miss the really fine compositions, and after several spins, I think most of all that Ternheim on this sounds like a Swedish version of Danish singer / songwriter Tina Dickow. And I don't think of that as a compliment. Both artists have large fan bases throughout all of Scandinavia, but I'm not one of them. I can't help but feel left with a feeling that it's mostly a poor copy of better, especially American artists, and really, if an artist insists on singing in English, it just has to be more convincing, as for instance Ane Brun much more successfully unfolds songs in English, because otherwise: why not sing in your mother tongue?! Perhaps, it would be a considerable improvement. With this, Ternheim fails to live up to the expectations that many had for a sequel.

Not recommended.

[ 👎Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Robin Guthrie "Continental" (2006)

Continental

release date: May 15, 2006

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]

producer: Robin Guthrie

label: Rocket Girl - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Continental" - 3. "Crescent" - 4. "Monument" (live on KEXP) - 6. "The Day Star" - 10. "Pale"

2nd solo album by Scottish artist Robin Guthrie following three years after Imperial (2003) is the first of four albums originally released on American label Darla Records - issued by Rocket Girl in Europe. Since the debut he has made the second and final album Russian Doll (2004) togeher with Siobhan de Maré in their duo-project Violet Indiana, and he has collaborated with American composer Harold Budd in making the music score Mysterious Skin: Music From the Film (2005), but Continental is his second pure solo album, and as the first, an album of instrumental compositions.

The album differs from his first and also from his recent collaborative releases by being more uptempo founded in a typical dream pop kind of style that bonds more with the music by Cocteau Twins than his debut album as the ambient and minimalism dimensions have been considerably reduced or replaced by more traditional music structure. Some suggest that theese compositions may have been recorded or composed while Guthrie played in Cocteau Twins, meaning more than a decade earlier, which also explains the closer connection to the soundscape of his former band. And I do believe there's a point in that - also when referring to his most recent releases and the fact that only three months succeeding this, he released an ep Everlasting (Jul. 2006) with music that both contain compositions of multi-layering dream pop style and tracks that are like ambient minimalist structure making the narrow 4-track ep extremely incoherent but nevertheless all instrumentals with Guthries' fingerprints all over - despite the strong incoherency - like a couple of old "leftovers" and two new compositions. Anyway, several songs on Continental follow the structure of the title track by starting off as pure ambient compositions but then advance into more uptempo patterns with drum programming and even some vocal harmonies thrown in, although, without actual lyrics. Track #5. "Amphora" and track #9. "Last Exit" are the exceptions sounding more like outtakes from his debut, and track #6. "The Day Star" is another exception by being noise rock and / or post rock-styled as something influenced by Sigur Rós or Mogwai with a progressive beat and swirling distorted guitars as culmination.

All in all, Continental is a much more diverse collection of songs but also more digestible than Guthrie's previous minimalist and almost new age and ambient exercises.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Lisa Ekdahl "Pärlor av glas" (2006)

Pärlor av glas
release date: Jan. 18, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Lars Winnerbäck
label: RCA / Sony BMG - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Vraket" - 2. "Där ser du själv hur högt du når" - 4. "Hjärtat var rispat" - 6. "Ljudlöst och salt" - 7. "Ljug för mig älskling" - 8. "Kan någon själ begripa" - 10. "Korsförhör mig" - 11. "I badet"

6th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl sees her continuing at what she's best at, releasing her most uptempo folk rock album, and that really suits her nicely. It's almost like her American country folk album which also makes me think of Joni Mitchell. In my mind, this is her second best ever studio album, and I can only recommend it alongside her mighty debut from '94.
Recommended.

PowerSolo "Egg" (2006)

Egg
release date: May 15, 2006
format: cd (FROG 046-2)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Jesper Reginal, The Great Nalna and PowerSolo
label: Crunchy Frog - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Knucklehead" (4 / 5) - 3. "Action" - 5. "Every Litte Girl" - 7. "Rockin' " - 10. "White Choklet"

3rd studio album by the Danish trio PowerSolo who sound more like They Might Be Giants on this than any other band, imho. The album is co-produced by Jesper Reginald (aka Yebo) of Thau and Tremolo Beer Gut.
There's still a huge blend of styles involved (a bit like on many albums by TMBG). PowerSolo is not just a copy-band or a clone of the American indie pop duo, the music is still highly original and full of energy and craziness - I guess with some inspirational source in Monty Python and the original American surf rock bands of the early '60s as well.
I don't find this quite as catchy as the previous album, and the best track here is a harmony-driven and chorus-based song that stands out on an uneven album. There are many uptempo tracks filled with surf rock and psychobilly elements securing a steady beat just without great ideas or memorable chorus-lines, and Egg is, except for the debut album, perhaps the band's least interesting release.

Pearl Jam "Pearl Jam" (2006)

Pearl Jam
release date: May 2, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,48]
producer: Adam Kasper, Pearl Jam
label: BMG Japan - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "World Wide Suicide" - 5. "Marker in the Sand" - 12. "Come Back"

8th studio album by Pearl Jam org. released as the band's first and only on J Records is the second consecutive album produced with Adam Kasper. The album comes after a long hiatus and four years after its predecessor Riot Act from 2002. It's also known as "The Avocado Album", and it was promoted as the band's return to basics. The title obviously reflects an idea of being able to create something fresh, as a new start, since the band's long contract with Epic Records had come to an end in 2003.
Yes, the album is full of grit and aggressiveness, Pearl Jam classic, or to put it simple: grunge rock by Pearl Jam. But more than a decade after the initial grunge rock releases this seems... obsolete, imho. I never was a great fan but still had to turn to this, because the band always seemed to elude me, and ain't that just the same here?! I... don't get it. I always find it difficult to listen through an entire album by Pearl Jam, 'cause there's too much fuss, too much screaming, howling, shouting, but more so: too many things that don't attract me about the compositions - the progressiveness and the electric guitars that sound like Led Zeppelin-jam sessions.
The album is much like Riot Act - also in terms of not being very good - this is just less art rock-shaped and with more focus on a hard rock edge. Vedder's vocal is best when he's at his most sincere and vulnerable. There are few good spots on this, but it sold more than well and was generally well-received by critics - very much as usual. The album went as high as number #2 on the national albums chart list, and music critics lauded it as a true come-back album.
The band always was a darling of the press. I have tried to listen to it several times and still don't get it, and even find it less than mediocre, which is why I really can't recommend it. Ultimately, I find it on par with their so far least favourable studio album, Yield from 1998.
Best thing about the album is clearly the cover.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Spin 3 / 5 stars ]

John Mayer "Continuum" (2006)

Continuum
release date: Oct. 16, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,77]
producer: John Mayer and Steve Jordan
label: Aware / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Waiting on the World to Change" - 2. "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" - 3. "Belief" - 4. "Gravity" (live) - 5. "The Heart of Life" - 6. "Vultures" (live) - 7. "Stop This Train" - 9. "Bold as Love" (love) - 12. "I'm Gonna Find Another You"

3th studio album by John Mayer released 3 years since his most recent studio album Heavier Things is co-produced by Mayer and studio musician (drummer and bassist) Steve Jordan, who has produced and worked with primarily artist of singer / songwriter, r&b and folk rock.
The album marks a bit of a new start for Mayer, who has been seen as someone walking in the footsteps of legendary artists of blues rock but so far hasn't been able to make that album that wraps it all up and instead found himself in the spotlight of a huge fan base of primarily young white pop / rock enthusiasts. what I mean by 'new start' is an evident attempt to go full in on folk, r&b, blues rock - spread his wings as a full-blown singer / songwriter.
To my liking, the songs here are completely produced without slick horn sections, heavy violin arrangements and soft and honey-dripping keys. instead it comes out as a fine blend of traditional genres and styles building on the best of the 1960s, 70s and 80s combined. There are hints from jazz, traditional rhythm & blues, folk and roots rock. And pop / rock is there as well, 'cause you can't take that away from someone singing that coarse and yet clean, but the end result is overwhelmingly compact with a clear message of chosen direction and homogeneous style. The album contain one cover song: "Bold as Love" by Hendrix, and it's really so fitting.
The only malice, if any, is that several songs display Mayer's many sources. Without 1960s Hendrix, and Clapton, 1970s and 80s Ray Vaughan and Andy Summers [listen to "Belief"] it's really hard to imagine someone like John Mayer, and some songs simply sound as paraphrases built on his idols.
Anyhow, in selecting the album's highlights it's quite a difficult job, as the album is basically without fillers.
The album was generally met by positive reviews - it was nominated and won in the category Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards.
It's simply my favourite John Mayer studio release. From all his fine attempts this stand as the one album where he manages to keep focus through and through.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Mojo 4 / 5, Blender 3,5 / 5 stars ]

LCD Soundsystem "Introns" (2006)

Introns
release date: Mar. 13, 2006
format: digital (10 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: The DFA [Tim Goldsworthy & James Murphy]
label: DFA - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Yr City's a Sucker" - 2. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House (Soulwax Shibuya Mix)" - 5. "Slowdive (XFM Session)" - 10. "Too Much Love (Rub 'n' Tug Mix)"

Remix album by LCD Soundsystem released as a digital download album only. The album compiles a number of B-sides and remixes from the band's eponymous debut album and associated singles. Apparently, the front cover shows [band leader] James Murphy's (vinyl) record collection. Three of the tracks are from a session recorded for the London radio station XFM. The session version of "Slowdive", a Siouxsie and the Banshees cover, was originally on the "Disco Infiltrator" single. The album consists of 10 tracks with an extensive playing time above the hour.
It's quite fine collection of dance-oriented tracks, also because some of the remix tracks are quite original - without being truly groundbreaking, but it may be seen as a kind of a positive gesture from this creative band. Both "Disco infiltrator" and "Tribulations" comes in quite different remix versions, and "Slowdive" is a rather original cover that falls completely within this band's sound.