Ane Brun "Rarities" (2013)

Rarities

release date: Oct. 2013

format: digital (20 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]

producer: Ane Brun et al

label: Balloon Ranger Recordings - nationality: Norway

Track highlights: 1. "All My Tears" - 2. "Halo" - 4. "From Me to You" - 5. "Tragedy" - 6. "Ain't No Cure for Love" - 7. "Orphan Girl" - 10. "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" - 11. "Oh Love (piano version)" - 12. "The Opening" - 13. "Jóga (live at the Polar Music Prize 2010) - 15. "Virvelvind" - 16. "Fly on the Windscreen" - 17. "Humming One of Your Songs 2013" - 20. "She Belongs to Me"

2nd compilation album in 2013 - like with Songs 2003-2013 (Jun. 2013) in celebration of her first decade as an active musician, and this time with 20 'rare' recordings, i.e. songs that are not found on any of her previous studio releases, or have been scattered out on various singles and / or other compilations. On Brun's bandcamp site the album is described with the following: "According to BRUN, “RARITIES is a compilation of songs and recordings that have either not been released, or have been released on other compilations or as singles. This is a way to empty our cupboards of recordings that have been lying around, and another way to mark my ten year anniversary as an artist.” The collection includes covers of Björk and The Beatles, Elvis and Eurythmics, as well as new versions of fan favourites and, of course, previously unreleased songs, contributing further to an already impressive back catalogue. Many of the recordings are here described more fully with Brun's own words.

In a year with two major compilations from Ane Brun, it's more than hard to choose between the two, and then you don't have to, because with Songs 2003-2013 she has made a great collection of familiar key songs from that period and with this, she shows us more of the full palette - and 'palette', I think, nicely describes this artist's way with her music: she sort of utilises a painters approach with music, words, tones, arrangements, and choise of instrumentation are colours on the canvas, and Brun sure understands how to make use of the whole palette. Also, she has made a vast number of original compositions but she's also a remarkable interpretor, which makes her covers so powerful. She doesn't have to copy the original to make it swing. This is a wonderful collection of highly varied originals.

Highly recommendable.

Ane Brun "Songs 2003-2013" (2013)

Songs 2003-2013

release date: Jun 3, 2013

format: digital (32 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]

producer: Ane Brun, various

label: Balloon Ranger Recordings - nationality: Norway

First compilation album by Ane Brun, released to celebrate her first decade in music. The album was exclusively issued in Europe in 2-disc cd format, and eventually as digital download album via her bandcamp profile. The album contains songs from all of her studio albums, live recordings as well as various covers, international hit songs as well as obscure covers all of which includes "The Dancer" by PJ Harvey, "True Colors" by Tom Kelly & Billy Steinberg, "Big in Japan" by Alphaville, "Lift Me" by Norwegian band Madrugada, "Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel, "Alfonsina y el mar" by Argentinian composer Ariel Ramirez, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" by Arcade Fire, and "Feel Good" by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse. These are scattered all over the album but really, it doesn't change much that the songs are covers 'cause what's so special about Ane Brun and her way of covering other artists is her ability to make songs her own. In that respect, she reminds me a bit of Cat Power, who is perhaps more notoriously a cover's artist but who doesn't possess a vocal instrument that equals the qualities of Ane Brun's impressiveness.

Songs 2003-2013 is strong collection of songs, and a nice way to celebrate her time in the limelight. Later this year, she would go on and release another fine 2-disc album of 20 songs titled Rarities containing more obscure recordings of nearly only cover versions, or: 'only' cause those that are not actual covers are Brun covering herself.

Recommended.

Mark Kozelek & Desertshore "Mark Kozelek & Desertshore" (2013)

Mark Kozelek & Desertshore
release date: Aug. 20, 2013
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Desertshore, Mark Kozelek
label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Mariette" - 2. "Livingstone Bramble" - 4. "Katowice or Cologne" - 5. "Seal Rock Hotel" - 6. "Tavoris Cloud" - 7. "You Are Not of My Blood" - 8. "Sometimes I Can't Stop" - 9. "Don't Ask About My Husband"

Collaboration album by Mark Kozelek and instrumental duo Desertshore consisting of guitarist Phil Carney (also of Sun Kil Moon and former guitarist of Red House Painters) and pianist Chris Connolly. Here the three are assisted by drummer Mike Stevens, who also played drums on Among the Leaves (2012) by Sun Kil Moon. Kozelek previously produced Desertshore's debut album Drifting Your Majesty (2010) and the follower Drawing of Threes (2011) on which he also contributes with lyrics and vocals on six songs, but this is their first official collaboration release. The album release follows another collaboration release Perils From the Sea, (Apr. 2013) by Kozelek and Jimmy LaValle, which again follows Kozelek's solo covers album Like Rats (Feb. 2013).

Musically, it doesn't fall far from Kozelek's regular repertoire. It's primarily alt. folk, indie folk with hints of americana, but the music here is composed by Desertshore and Kozelek "only" contributes with lyrics, vocals, bass and additional guitar... It is however, a more uplifting musical journey by these three friends. On solo albums, Kozelek sometimes indulges himself in extremely scarce arrangements but here there's a fine ever-present accompanying melody running along and even electric guitar, which to my regret seems almost abandoned by Kozelek. In my mind this is one of Kozelek's finest albums in years and it bonds nicely with albums by Red House Painters and the first albums by Sun Kil Moon.

It's a fine and most welcome addition to the expansive Kozelek collection.

[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Mark Kozelek & Jimmy LaValle "Perils From the Sea" (2013)

Perils From the Sea
release date: Apr. 20, 2013
format: digital (11 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Jimmy LaValle & Mark Kozelek
label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "What Happened to My Brother" - 3. "Gustavo" - 4. "Baby in Death Can I Rest Next to Your Grave" - 5. "Ceiling Gazing" - 6. "You Missed My Heart" - 9. "By the Time That I Awoke"

Collaboration project by Mark Kozelek and electronic multi-instrumentalist Jimmy LaValle (aka The Album Leaf) with music exclusively by LaValle and lyrics and vocals by Kozelek. It's quite lengthy with its eleven compositions running for nearly 78 mins. The album follows only two months after Kozelek's solo covers album Like Rats.

Stylistically, it's probably the album with Mark Kozelek that has come the farthest away from any of his other releases - be it with Red House Painters, as Sun Kil Moon or as soloist always in the neighbourhood of alt. folk and indie rock. This is electronic but with a clear alt. indie feel or a dimension of singer / songwriter to it. Kozelek's vocal is certainly not the most varied nor the sonic representation with the widest register. In fact, that's perhaps exactly what LaVille likes about Kozelek's expressive vocal: a narrow outcome - like the register of a specific instrument - controllable tones, on which you can add layers of instruments. It's not strongly electronic but LaValle builds soft synthpop layers of spacious melody to a narrating Kozelek, and the result is by no means a generic album. It's a nice and subtle collection of uplifting gentleness.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Mark Kozelek "Like Rats" (2013)

Like Rats
release date: Feb. 19, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,02]
producer: Mark Kozelek
label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 4. "Young Girls" - 7. "Silly Girl" - 9. "Carpet Crawlers"

A cover songs studio album by Mark Kozelek featuring Kozelek's very personal versions released on Caldo Verde. The original songs represent a huge mix of styles and genres as well as covering multiple decades. In Kozelek's acoustic singer / songwriter versions they all become alt. folk-styled with Kozelek on acoustic guitar and vocal. "Young Girls" is a song performed by Bruno Mars, "Silly Girl" is a song performed by The Descendents, and "Carpet Crawlers" is by Genesis.

Kozelek is an artist who doesn't forget to praise the music and artists he admires. On Songs for a Blue Guitar (Jul. 1996) by Red House Painters, he included three covers, on his ep-debut Rock 'n' Roll Singer

(Jun. 2000) he included four covers, and his full-length debut album What's Next to the Moon (Feb. 2001) is entirely made up of covers originally by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC, and the second album released under the name of Sun Kil Moon Tiny Cities (Nov. 2005) is entirely made up of songs by indie rock band Modest Mouse. Likewise, his live-concerts never seem to miss covers, and he simply enjoy doing covers from all styles and genres, and by doing so, heavily alters the original arrangements.

I have tried, and mostly I really enjoy albums by Mark Kozelek, but I just don't get this very complex album.

Papir "III" (2013)

III

release date: Feb. 11, 2013

format: digital (5 x File, FLAC - Impetus Series 07)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]

producer: Jonas Munk

label: El Paraiso Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "III.I" - 2. "III.II" - 3. "III.III" - 4. "III.IIII" - 5. "III.IIIII"

3rd studio album from Danish space rock instrumentalists Papir is like the predecessor Stundum (Nov. 2011) released on El Paraiso and produced by Jonas Munk and comes with artwork by Jakob Skjøtt.

III is much like a new chapter in a predictable sequel of instrumental space rock with prog rock and krautrock elements as well as more modern post-rock traits. The album feature five compositions of varied length running from 4:55 mins. (track #3) to 15:21 (track #5) with a total of just under 44 mins.

The first two tracks both have a stronger post-rock touch, appearing as the most interesting music, whereas the three following compositions tend to feel like studio improvs of more unfocused space rock.

The band still still evolves, at times you hear an unmistable influence from Hendrix but mostly it's out-of-space prog rock. I rate this one a little better than their previous effort, and what I fundamentally find is better here is the instrumentation. Guitarist Niklas Sørensen has grown and simply demonstrates a Hendrix-fascination that never goes too close to the original, and also bassist Christian Clausen and drummer Christoffer Brøchmann goes nicely hand in hand with their flawless rhythm-section.

[ bandcamp ]

Pearl Jam "Lightning Bolt" (2013)

Lightning Bolt
release date: Oct. 15, 2013
format: digital (12 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]

producer: Brendan O'Brien

label: Monkeywrench Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Getaway" - 2. "Mind Your Manners" - 3. "My Father's Son" - 4. "Sirens" - 8. "Swallowed Whole"

10th studio album release by Pearl Jam and the second on Peral Jam's own label, Monkeywrench is once again produced with O'Brien.
Well, the band continues in its usual style. There's nothing new, hardly even the tracks seem new. I think, they just repeat themselves indefinitely, and with this you get some new Pearl Jam songs that sound like a Pearl Jam remix. I'm not impressed and don't find it a recommendable album.
[ 👎allmusic.com, PopMatters 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Slant, Spin, 👍The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Mogwai "Les Revenants" (OST) (2013)

Les Revenants (soundtrack)

release date: Feb. 25, 2013

format: digital (14 x File, MP3)

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

producer: Mogwai

label: Rock Action Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Hungry Face" - 5. "This Messiah Needs Watching" - 7. "Special N" - 13. "What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" - 14. "Wizard Motor (4 / 5)

Soundtrack album by Mogwai made for the first season of the French TV series of the same name ('The Returned' in English) by Fabrice Gobert. The album contains 14 tracks including a cover originally composed by Washington Phillips and written by Charles Albert Tindley.

Like the ep, this full-length soundtrack doesn't quite live up to the band's normal studio albums.

[ bandcamp ]

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

Arcade Fire "Reflektor" (2013)

Reflektor
release date: Oct. 29, 2013
format: digital (2-disc)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,96]
producer: Arcade Fire, Markus Dravs, James Murphy
label: Merge Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Reflektor" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Flashbulb Eyes" - 4. "Here Comes the Night Time" - 5. "Normal Person" - 9. "Here Comes the Night Time II" - 13. "Afterlife"

4th studio album by Arcade Fire is a double cd released on Sonovox in Canada, and it follows three years after The Suburbs.

The style has altered - again. I guess, that's what they do. The chamber pop style is almost completely gone, and instead the album has a touch of electronic, or alt. dance.
My initial thoughts on the album were not positive and after some time I must say that I'm not convinced about this band anymore, as they have sort of ceased to interest me. Reflektor is somewhat boring, without glimpses of... interest. I think its close to mediocre and feel like handing it 3 out of 5 stars. It's not really bad, I just don't ever feel like listening to it 'cause nothing on it appeals to me.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4,5 / 5, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Bombino "Nomad" (2013)

Nomad

release date: Apr. 1, 2013

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: Dan Auerbach

label: Nonesuch - nationality: Niger

Track highlights: 1. "Amidinine (My Friend)" (4 / 5) (live - live - acoustic live) - 3. "Azamane Tiliade (The Era of Young Girls)" - 6. "Adinat (People)" - 7. "Her Tenere (In the Desert)" - 9. "Aman (Water)" - 11. "Tamiditine (My Darling)"

2nd international studio album by Omara 'Bombino' Moctar (aka Goumar Almoctar) following his 2011 album Agadez. Bombino was born in Niger and fled with his father and grandmother to Algeria when he was ten, where he initated his musicial upbringing before returning to Niger in '97 and his professional career started. When the Tuareg Rebellion erupted in 2007 he moved to Burkina Faso until the conflict settled in 2010 and he once again returned to his homeland. Bombino's playing style reflects his musical upbringing listening to cassettes with Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler, reggae-influenced African contemporaries as well as the stylistic impressions from Tuareg guitarist Haja Bebe, who has been a musical teacher of his.

Nomad is a warm and beautiful mix of Western musical influence and a variety of African tradition - it's smooth and meandering and it comes with a solid flavour of the blues.

The National "Trouble Will Find Me" (2013)

Trouble Will Find Me
release date: May 17, 2013
format: cd (CAD3315CD)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Aaron & Bryce Dessner; Marcus Paquin (assoc. pro.)
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "I Should Live in Salt" (4 / 5) (live) - 2. "Demons" - 3. "Don't Swallow the Cap" - 5. "Sea of Love" - 7. "This Is the Last Time" - 8. "Graceless" - 10. "I Need My Girl" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 12. "Pink Rabbits"

6th studio album by The National released three years after the fine High Violet now with the brothers Dessner in charge of production flanked by Marcus Paquin. The band follows an interval of a three-year period in between studio albums it appears, which may seem like a releatively long time but is perfectly acceptable when they come up with material like this.
The album is like a visit from an old friend. It's the collection of nice, energetic and heartfelt compositions, and it's a familiar blend of their pleasant well-known indie pop / chamber pop-style in the segment of alt. rock, and as always with the dark laid-back narrating voice of Matt Berninger, who (still) reminds me somewhat of Stuart Staples of Tindersticks. He has also been compared with Nick Cave, which I don't quite understand aside from somewhat similar narratives.
Yes, this is another fine album by The National, although, it may not be quite as high flying as High Violet (2010), imho, their so far best album, but it's definitely a recommended release, as well as a contender to their second best album overall.
[ allmusic.com, Spin 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, NME 4 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

The Killers "Direct Hits (2003-2013)" (2013)

Direct Hits (2003-2013) (compilation)
release date: Nov. 12, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Mr. Brightside" - 2. "Somebody Told Me" - 3. "Smile Like You Mean It" - 4. "All These Things That I've Done" - 5. "When You Were Young" - 6. "Read My Mind" - 7. "For Reasons Unknown" - 8. "Human" - 9. "Spaceman" - 10. "A Dustland Fairytale" - 11. "Runaways" - 12. "Miss Atomic Bomb" - 13. "The Way It Was" - 14. "Shot at the Night" - 15. "Just Another Girl"

5th album release by The Killers is their first best of compilation album. The band has enough material to choose from, and several great tracks have been omitted, which seems strange when there's room for two new songs on this best of collection. "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" and "Bones" are just a few great ones missing, however, it's still a fine collection with tracks from all of their so far four studio albums and recommendable for anyone without all their albums.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Trentemøller "Lost" (2013)

Lost

release date: Sep. 23, 2013

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Anders Trentemøller

label: In My Room - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "The Dream" (feat. Low) - 2. "Gravity" (feat. Jana Hunter) - 3. "Still on Fire" - 4. "Candy Tongue" (feat. Marie Fisker) - 6. "Never Stop Running" (feat. Jonny Pierce) - 7. "River of Life" (feat. Ghost Society) - 9. "Come Undone" (feat. Kazu Makino) - 10. "Deceive" (feat. Sune Rose Wagner) (official video)

3rd studio album by Trentemøller follows 3½ years after Into the Great Wide Yonder and is like that produced by Trentemøller and released through his own label In My Room.

His previous releases, including the DJ Mix album Harbour Boat Trips 01 - Copenhagen by Trentemøller from 2009 all have the traits of deep house electronic experimental style, building heavily on progressive compositions and all held in a primarily instrumental style. This marks a complete turn-around with Lost as 7 out of 12 tracks are composed using more traditional melody structure with vocal performances and making it all touch on synth pop in darkwave territory. Anders Trentemøller is not well-known for his vocal capabilities and therefore he has made use of various featuring vocalists. The American artists Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker (both from the band Low) feature on vocals together with their band on track #1; American artist Jana Hunter is featuring vocalist on track #2 together with Danish guitarist Lisbet Fritze; Danish vocalist Marie Fisker adds vocals on track #4 - she also featured on Trantemøller's 2009 and 2010 albums - American vocalist Jonathan Pierce (of The Drums) feature on track #6; the Danish band Ghost Society feature on track #7; Japanese artist Kazu Makino is featuring vocalist on track #9; and Danish artist Sune Rose Wagner (of The Raveonettes) is featuring vocalist on track #10. All featuring vocalists are also credited the songwriting on the songs, on which they feature.

Lost marks a considerable change of style in Trentemøller's discography. The album is not a strong coherent whole - some of his instrumental compositions could without difficulty have been included on his previous albums without stirring the whole picture, and here they could be mistaken for sound artefacts or just misplaced intermissions, but on the other hand they also contribute in binding together the various and differently sounding compositions with vocals - or at least: attempting to glue the strictly individual songs into one artistic package.

Altogether, Lost is no less than Trentemøller's so far most succesful album.

Recommended.

[ bandcamp ]

[ allmusic.com, UnderTheRader 4 / 5, TheLineOfBestFit 8,5 / 10, Pitchfork 6.4 / 10 stars ]

De efterladte "Alvorsord og etagevask" (2013)

digipack cover

Alvorsord og etagevask
release date: Sep. 30, 2013
format: cd (melo 011)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: De Efterladte and Boi Holm
label: Melodika - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Alting om igen" (live session) - 2. "Kursiv" - 3. "Fugleskræmsel" - 4. "Levende hegn" - 5. "Der hænger en uro" - 6. "U.t." - 9. "Håbet kommer til byen" - 10. "Du fandt ikke dig selv"

2nd studio album by the Danish singer / songwriter duo De efterladte released on Melodika and produced by 'the band' with Boi Holm. The debut album Traditionen utro (2011) introduced a simpler musical soundscape than lyricist & vocalist Peter H. Olesen and guitarist Michael Lund played when performing for the brothers Olesen-Olesen, and on the duo's second album this is simplified to a greater extent. Here, the additional backing band is scarcely noticeable - as what you mostly hear is Olesen's vocal on top of Lund's twangy or acoustically sounding guitars.
The debut was met by positive reviews and is a fine and interesting album that most of their countrymen simply ignored. Unfortunately, they do not appeal to a broader public, which also may have been the reason as to why Peter H. Olesen and his brother Henrik decided to call it a day with their fine project Olesen-Olesen after 7 studio albums released over a ten year period. Now one can only hope this duo will ignore low sales and just embrace the fine reviews that their albums receive.
Alvorsord og etagevask was met by critical acclaim and songwriter Peter Olesen was nominated the critics' prize Steppeulven for Årets tekstforfatter [songwriter of the year].
Peter is making brilliant music with guitarist Michael Lund and their style is largely influenced and associated with singer / songwriter and alt. folk, and a more dominant sound of americana on this particular release. Olesen narrates in his usual melancholic way about simple things in life and Lund adds a beautiful surf guitar creating an ambient and spherical touch almost completely without bass and drums or other instrumentation except for quiet percussion, synthesizer noice and glockenspiel. Peter Olesen has always written quite unique lyrics, and has a strong poetic profile. It's almost as if this has become even more accentuated with the new duo, and he often reminds me of the late Danish poet Dan Turrell.
This album is an even stronger release than their fine debut, and it's no less than one of my absolute favourite releases of 2013.
[ Gaffa.dk 6 / 6, Berlingske, Undertoner 5 / 6 stars ]

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

Pixies "EP1" (2013) (ep)

EP1, ep
release date: Sep. 3, 2013
format: digital (4 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Gil Norton
label: non-label (self-released) - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Andro Queen" (2,5 / 5) - 2. "Another Toe in the Ocean" (4 / 5) - 3. "Indie Cindy" (3 / 5) - 4. "What Goes Boom" (3,5 / 5)

Ep release by Pixies is the band's first own material in more than 20 years, and it's the first original material from Pixies without bassist Kim Deal, who quit the band before recording the new songs. EP1 is intended to be the first in a row of self-released eps. The band had re-united back in 2003 with the original line-up and played its first concerts in 2004, and the following years Pixies toured most of the world playing its back catalogue. The band [Black Francis] denied that they were planning to record new material as Deal was against it. After her departure, the band toured without a new band member and for this ep, Ding (Simon 'Dingo' Archer) is credited as bassist but never officially included in the band. This means Pixies is reduced to a trio consisting of lead vocalist, guitarist and lyrical composer, Black Francis, Joey Santiago on lead guitar and David Lovering on drums.
The new material was received by luke-warm to a mostly negative response.
It's not near great, but I don't think it's all that bad. The band still plays with strong vibrant energy and the songs reminds us about a great past. The best thing about these four new songs is that Pixies are back!
[ NME, Under the Radar 3 / 5, PopMatters, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5, SputnikMusic 2 / 5 stars ]

The Fratellis "We Need Medicine" (2013)

We Need Medicine
release date: Oct. 7, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Jon Fratelli, Stuart McCredie
label: BMG - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 2. "This Old Ghost Town" (4 / 5) (studio performance) - 4. "Seven Nights Seven Days" (studio performance) - 6. "Whisky Saga" - 10. "Rock 'n' Roll Will Break Your Heart"

3rd studio album release by The Fratellis following more than five years after We All Stand (2008).
I really enjoyed the debut album Costello Music (2006) and for some reason haven't heard their second album before this one. However, this brand new one is very much like the debut refreshingly direct in an easy alt. rock, garage rock, indie rock style. One could argue that they do not contribute with much new, that the musical purpose with a bunch of simple uptempo and energetic compositions may be hard to fully appreciate... 'cause lots of other music is similar to that, but I also find that the music by The Fratellis kind of grows on you, if you let the tunes play more than a few times. It's perfect background noise for painting the house - actually, pretty good music for working, although, I find that it lacks a few more really fine songs, and then you just have to hand it to Jon Fratelli - his absolutely brilliant in creating new sing-a-long chorus lines with indie rock harmonies.

Jon Hopkins "How I Live Now" (OST) (2013)

How I Live Now (soundtrack)

release date: Nov. 4, 2013

format: digital (16 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]

producer: Jon Hopkins

label: Just Music - nationality: England, UK

Soundtrack album by Jon Hopkins to a film by Kevin Mcdonald is Hopkin's second album of the year as it follows the acclaimed fourth album Immunity (Jun. 2013).

The album contains 16 tracks with a total running length of 44 minutes, which implies that the majority of the compositions are relatively short instrumentals. The album feature a few other collaborating artists and it kicks off a bit out of tune with the remainders with an inde rock tune credited Amanda Palmer and performed by Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra. Hopkins cllaborates with Natasha Khan on two tracks and track #9 feature the band Daughters in a remix of their song "Home".

The majority of the compositions are credited Hopkins only and these are nearly all held in an ambient and minimalist tone, which showcase Hopkins as a trained pianist. In that regard, the album stands in its own rights as something quite different when comparing to his discography and especially confronted with his studio album from June.

How I Live Now is a fine and mostly coherent album - especially when subtrackting the two rock tunes by Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra and the Daughters' remix, and I cannot help feeling it falls more in line with soundtracks by Sakamoto and / or Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd.

Grant Hart "The Argument" (2013)

The Argument

release date: Jul. 23, 2013

format: digital (20 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,83]

producer: Grant Hart & Mike Wisti

label: Domino - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Morningstar" - 4. "If We Have the Will" - 5. "I Will Never See My Home" - 7. "Sin" - 8. "Letting Me Out" - 9. "Is the Sky the Limit?" (acoustic live) - 11. "So Far from Heaven" - 12. "Shine, Shine, Shine" - 15. "Glorious" - 20. "For Those Too High Aspiring"

4th and final studio album by Grant Hart released 3½ years following Hot Wax (Oct. 2009) is his first album on a label with some credibility. In recent years, Hart has become a more stable performer, he has fought for musical rights of his former solo releases as well as the music released with Nova Mob - these albums have subsequently been reissued in 2014 on Hart's own label Con D'Or Records. It also seems he has come out in better conditions - on the credit list of the album he addresses: "very special thanks to my friends and familiars who pulled me from smoldering ruins and helped build my New Pandemonium".

The album is of conceptual dimensions being based on John Milton's "Paradise Lost" (1667) and inspired by his friendship with author William S. Burroughs. All music is written and composed by Hart except the lyrics on track #1 by Milton. The Argument was released as a double vinyl album and consists of 20 tracks with a total running time of more than 74 minutes. Nearly all music is played entirely by Hart, who is simply credited 'instruments'.

It's mostly melodic alt. rock and indie rock with the usual bonds to psychedelic rock (tracks #9, #13, #15, #16, #20), oldies / standards (track #17), baroque pop (tracks #2, #4 - 7, #10, #11, #12), rock & roll (tracks #8, #16, #19) and experimental rock (tracks #1, #3, #6, #14, #18). Yes, it's a big mix but it never feels forced or out of context and generally sounds like one coherent whole. Hart plays and sings with strong vitality and he narrates with his blessed sense for melody and song structure without losing focus on the existential themes. Needles say, the album was met by critical acclaim.

Alas, the album was to be Hart's final. He appeared to be back from a life in the shadows - marked by many years with drug addiction and the effects of living with Hepatitis C for more than 25 years. He had gained the ownership rights of his many songs over the years, founded a label and appeared more focused than ever before. In his last years, he was plagued by treatments and hospitalisations. Grant Hart died Sep. 13, 2017 of complications from liver cancer and Hepatitis C.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 8.0 / 10, Consequence of Sound 3,5 / 5 stars ]

[ Grant Hart tribute ]

[ Grant Hart remembered in local news ]

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark "English Electric" (2013)

English Electric
release date: Apr. 8, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: OMD
label: Sony Music Japan - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Metroland" - 3. "Night Cafe" - 5. "Helen of Troy" - 7. "Kissing the Machine" (live) - 9. "Stay With Me" - 10. "Dresden"

12th studio album by OMD originally released by 100% (aka 100% Records) is the band's second studio release after its reformation in 2006 and it features the same original line-up.
Compared to its predecessor History of Modern from 2010 this contains more songs written by McCluskey & Humphreys, and it generally contains newer material written after the reformation. The style has been altered to reflect a more "pure" synthpop form building strongly on electronic - as OMD shaped its music in the early 80s bonding with both the pioneering minimalism as exemplified by Kraftwerk and the more spacious synths as played by Jean Michel Jarre.
The album was met by positive reviews and also became the band's best charting album since 1991 reaching #12 on the national album charts list, which at the time of its release placed it as the 6th highest charting OMD studio album.
I do understand the fine reviews as it both appears brand new but at the same time contains much of the band's original sound and almost perfectly bonds with the original incarnation of the band. The album comes with pure pop songs that could easily be whistled on your way to work, and a fundamental electronic sound that almost pays tribute to Kraftwerk and Jarre, and to top it all: there are experimental traits memorising the band's incorporation of musique concrete and more experimental electronic compositions they played with in the early days.
It took me a few years to appreciate this one, though. Initially, I found it too "willed", in the sense that it seemed so obvious an attempt to recreate an album that would be compared to and linked with Dazzle Ships blended with Architecture & Morality. They may have had that combo in mind, and so what? They are fully legit aspirations and the resulting work is really more than a decent collection of songs.
Finally, OMD has created a fine studio album - again!
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Pop Matters 4 / 5 stars ]

Jon Hopkins "Immunity" (2013)

Immunity
release date: Jun. 3, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Jon Hopkins
label: Domino Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "We Disappear" - 2. "Open Eye Signal" - 3. "Breathe This Air" - 4. "Collider" (official shorter video) - 7. "Sun Harmonics" - 8. "Immunity"
[ full album ]

4th studio album by London-based Jon Hopkins (aka Jonathan Julian Hopkins). The album is my first acquaintance with Hopkins, and definitely not my last. Musically, it's a blend of styles of pure electronica. It encompasses house elements commonly known as minimal house - a blend of house and tech house, characterised by simpler compositions with loans from IDM and glitch pop, usually without or with little focus on traditional lyrics and instead making use of vocal arrangements in the shape of musical instrumentation. The album consists of eight distinctive tracks, although, the album really works as one whole - one long progression.
Immunity is widely regarded as Hopkins' breakthrough album and in Britain it was nominated the 2013 Mercury Prize Award (handed James Blake for the album Overgrown).
I really like its organic sound(s), which makes me think of both Icelandic post rockers Sigur Rós and glitch pop band múm fusioned with a neo-classical and progressive rock approach of say Mike Oldfield despite being far from any of those, really.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, The Observer, NME 4 /5, Pitchfork 8,5 / 10 stars ]