Band of Horses "Why Are You OK" (2016)

Why Are You OK

release date: Jun. 10, 2016

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Jason Lytle

label: Interscope - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Dull Times / The Moon" - 2. "Solemn Oath" - 3. "Hag" - 4. "Casual Party" - 5. "In a Drawer" - 11. "Barrel House"

5th studio album by Band of Horses succeeds Mirage Rock by nearly four full years and like that it introduces a new producer - this time with band leader of indie rock band Grandaddy, Jason Lytle. Once again, the band remains intact, but this is also the last featuring guitarist Tyler Ramsey and bassist Bill Reynolds, who both departed in early 2017.

The album didn't produce better charts than the predecessor but critics generally saw it as bettering the 2012 album, and I fully agree with that. In fact, I easily find it the band's third best but also as a clear improvement from the more incoherent Mirage Rock. It's not that Why Are You OK is another great album, but it's a return to actually attempting to produce something worthwhile instead of reproducing an old recipe. Bridwell sings again with sincerity and there's a balance of soft and hard - almost with bonds to Modest Mouse or Sonic Youth - completely without further comparison other than the play with energies 'cause this is still an indie folk release. With this, Band of Horses appear to be back on track. I like it, it's a certified grower.

[ The Guardian 4 / 5, 👉Rolling Stone, 👍Uncut 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 6,0 / 10, Mojo 3 / 5 stars ]

Jesu & Sun Kil Moon "Jesu / Sun Kil Moon" (2016)

Jesu / Sun Kil Moon

release date: Jan. 21, 2016

format: digital (10 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,06]

producer: Mark Kozelek & Justin Broadrick

label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA / England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Good Morning My Love" - 3. "Last Night I Rocked the Room Like Elvis and Had Them Laughing Like Richard Pryor" - 4. "Father's Day" - 9. "Exodus" - 10. "Beautiful You"

Collaborative project between British musician Justin Broadrick under his stage name, Jesu, and American artist Mark Kozelek under his stage name, Sun Kil Moon. The album is like Kozelek's collaboration Perils From the Sea (2013) with electronic musician Jimmy LaValle released on Kozelek's label Caldo Verde. Jesu emerged in 2003 as a trio after the break-up (2002) of the British industrial and metal band, Godflesh, but from day one it was Broadrick's idea and from 2007 Jesu has been a one-man project. Similarly, Sun Kil Moon was originally a band formed from the remnants of the Red House Painters (disbanded in 2001), which after a few years became Mark Kozelek's solo project. Kozelek and Broadrick have already been close acquaintances for several years, beginning when Kozelek reportedly contacted Broadrick back in 2007 about releasing music with Jesu on Kozelek's label Caldo Verde, which lead to the release of the Opiate Sun (2009) ep, which is also the first release from Jesu as a solo project, and later also the full-length album Ascension (2011). Kozelek also named his 2013 covers album Like Rats after the Godflesh song of the same name (the track is featured as the second cut on the album).

Stylistically, it's quite an original mix of shoegaze, noise rock and alt. folk, which is in no way surprising when you consider Broadrick and Kozelek's musical career. These are mainly compositions with lyrics and music by Kozelek and Broadrick, and with individual guest appearances from various vocalists, which include Will Oldham (better known as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, featured on "Fragile"), Rachel Ann Goswell of shoegaze band Slowdive ("Father's Day", "Exodus" and "Beautiful You"), and Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse ("Beautiful You").

Apart from a single track where he also plays acoustic guitar, Kozelek is solely credited as vocalist, while Broadrick is featured as multi-instrumentalist. And it is also the latter's characteristic wall of sound, which forms the background for the music on Jesu / Sun Kil Moon, while Kozelek, with his characteristic vocals in the foreground, creates a form of traditional musical structure and acts as a counterpoint to the electric discharges, even if he occasionally indulges inspired by the wall of noise and almost manically spits out the words. However, it is Kozelek's stories that carry the tracks forward, while Broadrick's soundscape in a way represents the noise that Kozelek talks about.

It's Kozelek's more self-experienced short stories that press forward. The form is diary-like notes, or fan letter readings like on track #3, about what he does, who he runs into, and what they said and did in momentary glimpses that fill out the lyrics. In this way, Kozelek demonstrates the path he is on as a songwriter in terms of the narrative. To the astonishment and irritation of some - and to the delight of others - because it is indisputable that Mark Kozelek is a storyteller with something on his mind, even when he tells about apparently insignificant incidents.

All in all, it's an exciting constellation, albeit also a demanding album that doesn't reach the same artistic heights as Kozelek's collaboration with Jimmy LaValle.

[ allmusic.com, Drowned in Sound 3,5 / 5, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

Gregory Porter "Take Me to the Alley" (2016)

Take Me to the Alley
release date: May 6, 2016
format: 2 lp vinyl (gatefold) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Gregory Porter and Kamau Kenyatta
label: Blue Note Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: A) 1. "Holding On" - 2. "Don’t Lose Your Steam" - 3. "Take Me to the Alley" - - B) 2. "Consequence of Love" - - C) 2. "In Heaven" - 3. "Insanity" - - D) 1. "Don't Be a Fool" - 2. "Fan the Flames"

4th studio album by Gregory Porter is released as a double gatefold vinyl lp containing 12 tracks with three compositions on each side and a total running time at just above 51 mins. The cd release comes in various issues where most contain 13 or 14 tracks. Porter has already established himself as a shining star and a renewer of jazz, and he obviously likes to work with familiar collaborators. Producer Kenyatta has taken part as either producer, engineer or studio musician on all his albums and many others are old friends found on his previous albums, including Chip Crawford, Aaron James, Emanuel Harrold, Keyon Harrold, Yosuke Sato, Tivon Pennicott and Ondrej Pivec.
Porter has successfully relaunched the jazz genre into popular music by combining it with soul and rhythm & blues and this is also what he does on this with the continued style found on his two previous fine albums, Liquid Spirit from 2013 and Be Good from 2012.
The album has, like Porter's other albums, been met by international acclaim, and it's really no big surprise. You may argue that the album doesn't provide much new other than repeat the formula he delivered on his 2013 album, where he brought his jazz and pop soul combo into popular music territory, but it's not a mere reproduction of the blueprint to success rather than a display of musical ingenuity. He sings like a prodigy and he has written and composed the majority of the tracks - why shouldn't he be allowed to dwell on what he does better than anyone else. Porter is a gift - and not just to jazz, but to the world of popular music.
A highly recommended album.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, 👍The Guardian, The Telegraph 4 / 5, AllAboutJazz, PopMatters 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Mogwai "Atomic" (OST) (2016)

Atomic (soundtrack)

release date: Apr. 1, 2016

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,27]

producer: Tony Doogan

label: Rock Action Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Ether" - 2. "SCRAM" - 4. "U-235" - 8. "Are You a Dancer?"

Original soundtrack by Mogwai to the documentary "Atomic, Living in Dread and Promise" (Aug. 2015), a film about nuclear history by Mark Cousins. The album sees Mogwai exploring a style with strong bonds to 1970s krautrock and electronic music by Kraftwerk and Godspeed You! Black Emperor (e.g. "Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven!" from 2000), and by doing so, the album doesn't follow the path of the bands most recent releases.

The album is the band's first in a new line-up (the first in 16 years) after founding member John Cummings left the quintet in 2015 to pursue a solo career, so here the band has been reduced to a quartet of Stuart Braithwaite, Dominic Aitchison, Martin Bulloch and Barry Burns. It's 48 minutes of primarily progressive ambient music with a commemorating touch of the aforementioned German styles blended with ambient post-rock.

Atomic is not really great but nor is it of irrelevance. It's thematically narrow and stringent music, which possibly serves its purpose, but as a standalone release it lacks diversity as well as polarity; however, imho, it outshines most of their previous soundtrack albums.

Later this year (Oct. 2016) Mogwai also contributed with four compositions for the soundtrack to the documentary "Before the Flood" by Fisher Stevens.

[ bandcamp ]

[ 👉Pitchfork 7,1 / 10, 👍Drowned in Sound 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Martha Wainwright "Goodnight City" (2016)

Goodnight City

release date: Nov. 11, 2016

format: cd

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

producer: Brad Albetta & Thomas Bartlett

label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Around the Bend" - 2. "Franci" (4 / 5) (live in studio) - 3. "Traveller" (live in studio) - 4. "Look Into My Eyes" - 6. "Window" - 8. "Alexandria" - 10. "One of Us" - 12. "Francis"

4th studio album by Martha Wainwright following a full four years since her last studio album Come Home to Mama (Oct. 2012), but most recently it follows the duo-project The Wainwright Sisters and their debut Songs in the Dark from 2015, where Martha stars alongside half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche.

Goodnight City is, as usual, produced by husband Brad Albetta, who, however, is involved for the last time as the couple should divorce in 2018. Here, Albetta shares producer credit with Thomas Bartlett, who previously participated as keyboardist on all of Wainwright's albums since the Edit Piaf album Sans Fusils, ni souliers, a Paris..." (2009). The album offers 12 tracks with a total running time at just over 45 minutes. In the past, Wainwright has been songwriter and composer on the majority of her songs, but here she's alone credited half of the tracks and as co-writer on two. Four tracks are written and composed by others, respectively by Michael Ondaatje & Thomas Bartlett ("Piano Music"), Beth Orton ("Alexandria"), Merrill Garbus ("Take the Reins"), and brother Rufus Wainwright ("Francis").

Stylistically, there is a small change to trace since her 2012 album on a collection of songs mostly native to mainstream pop / rock - and most clearly, this is more subdued in a modern singer / songwriter style with ties to folk pop. In the main, 'cause you'll find detours with more tempo and energy, such as on the slightly out of place rock-wrenching and Iggy Pop-inspired "So Down", but also on the glitch pop-arranged "Take the Reins" - both of which fall somewhat outside the big picture. On "Around the Bend" Martha imitates the role model Joni Mitchell quite a bit, although the song is actually very fine, but I guess that's just how things are with Martha Wainwright: she's fully capable of lots of good stuff and she has a great vocal, but too often she tend to over-dramatise a bit. Best track here is Wainwright's own "Franci" - not to be confused with Rufus' "Francis," which rounds out the album - but both songs were written for Martha and producer Albetta's 2014 son, Francis Valentine Albetta.

The album is a welcome return to Wainwright in her more usual style, despite resulting in a record low on album charts worldwide.

[ The Guardian, Gaffa.dk 4 / 5, 👍Under the Radar 3,5 / 5, The Independent 3 / 5 stars ]

Kent "Best Of" (2016)

Best Of (compilation)
release date: Sep. 16, 2016
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: RCA / Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Best of is a best of compilation album by Kent released as they prepare the disbandment announced for Dec. 17, 2016. The album contains 24 tracks from all 12 studio albums with the addition of 4 new songs.
The album is truly a fine an exquisite listen. The first immediate, yet obvious observation is all the great songs that are not represented here. But how should they find room for all the fine music released by the best Scandinavian act for the past 20 years?! They should then have released a 4-disc album, and even then, many would miss their favourite songs. Instead we have this: A truly fine documentation of a beautiful musical journey.
I still find it hard to believe they end it here, while still producing great music.
Needles to say, the album reached #1 on the Swedish albums chart list. Now all we want is an updated B-side compilation album like B-sidor 95-00 from 2000, although, it would have to span 4 discs.
Highly recommendable.

Kent "Då som nu för alltid" (2016)

Då som nu för alltid
release date: May 20, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Kent
label: RCA Records / Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Andromeda" (4 / 5) - 2. "Tennsoldater" - 3. "Vi är för alltid" 4/ 5) - 4. "Den vänstra stranden" - 5. "Nattpojken & dagflickan" (feat. Anna Ternheim) (4 / 5) - 6. "Vi är inte längre där" - 7. "Förlåtelsen" - 11. "Den sista sången"

12th and final studio album by Kent. Yes... alas, this is the final studio album by the best band in Scandinavia for more than two decades. The album was already proclaimed the final long before the release, as they had made the deal to do only one more and also found they might as well announce it in due time. The year is coming to an end, and I believe they just decided to continue playing the year out on their farewell tour. As it says in their promotion video [at 02:24]: "16 Maj 1990 – 17 Dec. 2016"... it comes to an end on the last day of the tour on the 17th.

Then, what is it like the last album? And no, it doesn't stir up things in the last minute. It's... going out with grandiosity. How could it be any different from this band of (almost) self-proclaimed pretentiousness?! Kent has always been a band who did it their very own way - stood in the spotlight but never did what the fans nor the critics wanted. They did it for themselves, and if people liked it, then fine! And they never paid much attention to what was hip - in what directions others went nor how the international trends were, and that's just one of the reasons so many pay respect to this band.

Då som nu för alltid ['Then as now forever'] sounds like Kent and no one else. It's not far from the last three albums except from being more melancholic and slightly slower than perhaps ever before. They have turned down a bit on the synthpop part and reclaimed a more pop / rock sound from earlier days without exactly repeating themselves.

The album is not their best - neither their worst. It's more than just a decent exit. Initially, I found it among their least inspiring albums, but as always with Kent, they have made an album that keeps growing until you let it in, and all of a sudden you find yourself highlighting most of the tracks to your own surprise. And the end song "Den sista sången" ['The Last Song'] is just spot on in the spirit of this great band. It's over the top pretentious, but still just in that Kent-dignified way that only makes it more than Okay. And yes, they mean it - it's the end of the line.

As much as I enjoy another chapter with Kent, it's unfortunately the last - the very last, and that's the sad news. All good things come to an end. As it reads on Discogs: "With eleven #1 albums, five #1 singles, 23 Swedish Grammy Awards, and over 3 million record sales, Kent is considered the most popular rock / pop group within Sweden and throughout Scandinavia."

Like it reads on the inlay: "Tack & Förlåt!"

Recommendable.

[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6, Gaffa.no, Gaffa.se, Expressen 4 / 6, Rockbladet 4,5 / 5 stars ]

[ Here you'll find all lyrics by Kent ]

<  show lyrics >

~ ~ ~

"Tennsoldater"

"Du säger vad du vill
Tänker vad du vill
Men ändå kräver du mer
Ditt ord har blivit lag
Rättfärdiga ditt hat
Med att jag förtjänar det
Jag vet vad som håller dig vaken
Det är samma sak som håller mig vaken

Du vinner alla val
Du brinner för din sak
Du ställer bara frågorna
Med svaren du vill ha
Men det kan jag ta
Ditt förakt för mig är gränslöst nu
Och det som gör mig till människa
(nej, nej, gå inte dit!)
Är bara min oändliga längtan
(rör mig, berör mig)

Men jag kan inte lura mitt hjärta
Hur gärna jag än vill
Kan jag inte lura mitt hjärta

Vi väljer våra ord
Vi håller inga tal
Vi hukar oss och väntar på slaget
(och du säger)
”men det är bara ord”
Men hat är hat
Vem som än håller i vapnet

Jag kan inte lura mitt hjärta
Hur gärna jag än vill
Kan jag inte lura mitt hjärta

När vår längtan har blivit besatthet
All närhet är tabubelagd
Det som tar oss igenom natten
Är bara drömmarna om närkontakt
Jag kan inte lura mitt hjärta…"

~ ~ ~

"Nattpojken & dagflickan" (feat. Anna Ternheim)

"Säg vad du menar
När du säger att du menar vad du säger
När du säger vad du tänker & känner
När du säger det till mig

Orden vägde så tungt
När jag hörde dem sist
Nu är de luft i ett luftslott
Fjädrar på drift
Som maskrosfrön i vindarna
Du vet jag älskar din röst
Ditt allvar, din ton
Nånting händer i mig
Jag blir en bättre person
När jag hör din röst på radion

Kan du ta hand om mig
om jag tar hand om dig
Kan du vakta min rygg
om jag vaktar din rygg
Kan du ta hand om mig
om jag tar hand om dig
Kan du ta andan ur mig
Andan ur mig nu

Säg vad du menar
När du säger att du
Menar vad du säger
När du säger vad du
Tänker & känner
När du säger det till mig

Så vad ska jag ge för att ha dig bredvid
På min sida i striden för nu är det krig
Vi duckar undan kulorna
Jag vet att allt har ett pris
Vad är ditt pris?
Vad ska jag betala för din sympati?
En kyss i skyttegravarna?

Kan du ta hand om mig
om jag tar hand om dig
Kan du vakta min rygg
om jag vaktar din rygg
Kan du ta hand om mig
om jag tar hand om dig…

Säg vad du menar
När du säger att du
Menar vad du säger
När du säger vad du
Tänker & känner
När du säger det till mig

Du måste tänka på orden som du väljer
Du måste stå upp för sakerna du gör
Jag måste tänka på orden som jag väljer
Jag måste stå upp för sakerna jag gör
Vi måste stå upp för drömmarna vi säljer
Vi måste stå upp för sakerna vi gör
Det handlar inte bara om allt det där vi säger
Det handlar också om sakerna vi gör

Säg vad du menar
När du säger att du
Menar vad du säger
När du säger vad du
Tänker & känner
När du säger det till mig"

~ ~ ~

"Den sista sången"

"Dina solvarma händer
Svala stillahavsvindar lekte i ditt hår
Jag minns det som om det var igår
Vi körde genom Malibu
När det äntligen blivit vår
Det skulle bli en kylig natt
Det skulle bli ett långsamt fall
Och du log genom fräknarna
Med tårar i ögonen

Allt fanns i ögonen
Allt finns i ögonen

Vi lämnade blodstänk i spåren
Men i minnet blåser vindarna
Dina wayfarers i ditt hår
Du grät solvarma tårar
Courtney sjöng om Malibu
Och allt kunde blivit vårt
Det kommer bli en kylig natt
Det kommer bli en ensam natt
Men jag skulle inte ändra nåt
Även om jag vetat att det här var

Den sista gången sista
gången vi sågs
Sista sången sista
sången du får
Den sista gången sista
gången vi sågs
Det här är sista sången sista
sången du får

Vi tog bilen till Roosevelt för att hämta kidsen
Innan vinterloven
De stod på led
De sjöng i kör
Det kändes som de sjöng för oss
En allra sista sång
Vi är på flykt igen både jag och du
Vi kommer från nån annanstans
än där vi är just nu
Åh Dom sjöng för oss
En sista gång
En sista sång
Dom sjöng för oss

The stars are up
one fell down
and flew away
Flew away

Det här är sista gången,
sista gången vi ses
Sista sången
sista sången jag ger dig
Sista gången
sista gången
Vi ses
Sista sången, sista sången
Jag ger dig"

~ ~ ~

Volbeat "Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie" (2016)

Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie

release date: Jun. 3, 2016

format: digital (2 cd) (Deluxe Edition)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]

producer: Jacob Hansen; Michael Poulsen & Rob Caggiano

label: Vertigo / Universal Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Marie Laveau" - 3. "For evigt" (feat. Johan Olsen) (live) - 4. "The Gates of Babylon" - 5. "Let It Burn" - - Disc 2: 2. "The Bliss"

6th studio album by Volbeat released more than three years following Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies (Apr. 2013). The album is the band's so far only to be released as a trio with founding members, band leader and primary songwriter and composer Michael Poulsen and drummer Jon Larsen together with Rob Caggiano, who is not only credited as lead guitarist but also as bassist after longtime member bassist Anders Kjølholm left the band in 2015. One month prior to the album release, it was announced that Kaspar Boye Larsen would be the band's new bassist. The standard release contains 13 tracks, whereas the 2-disc Deluxe Edition adds four tracks to the album of which track #2 is an English version of "For evigt" with Mia Maja as (hardly noticeable) additional vocalist.

Musically, the band continues in the same circles, or you might suggest: on the exact same spot, as it sounds like yet another extension to what they did on their previous two releases. But that's just my opnion. Poulsen's vocal hardly ever leaves a fixed register and the guitars repeat 1970s melodic hard rock notes while song choruses repeat familiar choruses from other songs - only with some new words as only difference. The band's previous big hit "The Garden's Tale" featuring Johan Olsen from Magtens Korridorer has actually been surpassed by the band's new huge hit song "For evigt" again featuring Olsen on additional vocal. That song has by now nearly gained status as an alternative national anthem. A few fine songs just don't make the whole big difference for a band who seems to be satisfied in reproducing itself - indefinitely. After a few highlights - where you still notice the band's reproductive sound and melody structures, the album simply fades, approaching mediocre.

Track #3 aside, this is not recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Blondage "Blondage" (2016) (ep)

Blondage, ep [debut]

release date: Sep. 15, 2016

format: digital (5 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]

producer: Blondage

label: self-released - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Lucky Black Skirt" - 2. "Dive" (2,5 / 5) - 3. "BEG" - 4. "Pray" (2,5 / 5) - 5. "FLF"

Studio EP debut by Danish synthpop duo Blondage, which basically is identical to the duo Rangleklods who most recently released the acclaimed Straitjacket (May 2015). Esben Nørskov Andersen and Pernille Smith-Sivertsen are both credited all songs and music as was the case on the 2015 album.

The 'new' name of the duo with reference to 'Blonde' and 'Bondage' may be a result of restarting a career with a more international edge after experiencing some attention from both the British and the US markets - and then some [national] critics already pointing to the odd ambiguous Rangleklods, which again was a made up name, although, in Danish only.

The five tracks here have a total running time of approx. 18 minutes and the style isn't far from what we heard on Straitjacket. You could add that the musical soundscape has been condensed to a lighter and less aggressive, or: less playful style, which doesn't include the archetypical progressions from house nor the electronic reminiscense from the first releases by Rangleklods. It's more like MØ (especially on "Dive"], Oh Land and the huge pond of contemporary generic pop, which loans and has its foundation deep in art pop, electropop and dance pop - and where 'pop' is the common denominator. Andersen and Smith-Sivertsen now sings on most tracks together utilising the new standard: vocoder and emulators. Instead of being groundbreaking or highly original, this mostly sounds like a detour into club and 'pop'-land. To me, it's too strained and willed likeable. Only composition with a positive outcome is the end-track "FLF" (abbreviated for 'Feel Like Falling'), which combines indie pop and electropop with a fine melody. Imho, this is the least interesting release by Esben Nørskov Andersen.

Some critics - see below - found this a fascinating turn, but still the duo never issued a full-length album. They released a few more singles - after a single remix released Nov. 2017, Andersen and Smith-Sivertsen - now a romantic couple - apparently decided to split as a musical duo but now with Smith-Sivertsen continuing as Blondage, while Andersen returned to his one-man brainchild project of Rangleklods.

[ 😮Soundvenue 5 / 6 stars ]

Kings of Leon "WALLS" (2016)

WALLS
release date: Oct. 14, 2016
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Markus Dravs
label: RCA Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Waste a Moment" - 4. "Find Me" (4 / 5) - 6. "Muchacho"

7th studio album by Kings of Leon following three years after Mechanical Bull (Sep. 2013) has been recorded with something as rare to this band as a new man in the producer seat. All of their previous six studio albums have been made with Angelo Petraglia exclusively or as co-producer.

Just as the band's style has evolved over the years, so has the band's soundscape, yet there have been fundamental characteristics to the band's music. One could then imagine slight changes to WALLS [written in caps as it stands for 'We Are Like Love Songs' as written in the inlay] to show the current direction / progress they find themselves in, but the album doesn't contribute with anything new, and pop / rock is still the first thing that pops to mind when faced with their version of alt. rock. Kings of Leon is (like, e.g. U2) quite a solid unit, still of the same three Followill brothers and their (Followill) cousin on guitar.

With Markus Dravs as producer, you would at least imagine that the band had some kind of desire to add new dimensions to their music or perhaps even change direction from their usual sound matrix. Some argue [downright] that WALLS should be seen as the band's change of direction with clear ties to their original style and that the compositions haven't been carved in the usual dense Kings of Leon-construct. That's just by no means what I'm hearing here. To my ears, this is the continued journey down the very same path - the same group of people dedicated in bridging the gap between American and British alt. rock and pop / rock, which you will hear tried out by bands like Snow Patrol, Keane, Travis, Foo Fighters, and the three who are musically closest to Kings of Leon: U2, Coldplay, and The Killers. From this four-leaf clover of bands with two stemming from each side of the Atlantic, I actually prefer listening to Kings of Leon. U2 has its very own weighty and significant spot in music history, which none of the others come close to.

WALLS was generally met by positive reviews, and the band secured its first and so far only number #1 on the US Billboard 200 - the position was short-lived, however, and in total sales figures the album has actually been the band's least selling album in the US where Only by the Night (2008) is the Kings of Leon album topping the sales figures - both nationally, in the UK, as well as worldwide.

"Waste a Moment" is a song, which begins as a clone of U2 and The Killers, but it's still fine. The critically acclaimed "Around the World" sounds like R.E.M. [in their later days] mixed with Talking Heads - and a bit too much of the latter. "Find Me" is again a song inspired by U2 in a mix with Keane, Snow Patrol and The Killers - but done quite convincingly, and it's the album's best track despite the obvious references. "Over" is more like The Killers and Snow Patrol on the same stage - and the result is not impressive. "Muchacho" is an almost Tindersticks or Editors-like song - not entirely bad and quite nicely done. "Conversation Piece" is... yeah, what do I know?! Beach Boys meets Carpenters, Fleetwood Mac and U2 [!]... - in any case, it's a curious scenario, but not really unique or with anything new on the horizon. "Eyes on You" is U2, Coldplay and The Killers jumping around the stage and getting everyone jumping up and down [big surprise!! Not really!]. And that's... it! Even the good songs here sound like some other band or just like something else, but after all, the album also contains musically fine compositions, although, the worst thing at this point in the band's career is the absence of originality. The music is nicely packaged - better than a Coldplay package or some of the others mentioned these days for that matter. "Stadium Arcadium" could have been an appropriate title for the album - as this collection of tracks will surely do well on big arenas and at huge festivals where people have had their share to drink - only, that title has been used.

I'm not quite sure, which of the band's most recent two albums I prefer - I do know, however, that neither of these are among the best by Kings of Leon.

Not recommended.

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

De efterladte "Adjø tristesse" (2016)

Adjø tristesse
release date: Sep. 12, 2016
format: vinyl (melo015lp) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Boi Holm
label: Melodika - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Drømte jeg gik og blev ved med at gå" - 2. "Jeg falder" - 4. "Bravo november" - 5. "Alt forsvinder og vender hjem" - 8. "Surfin' Sjælland" - 9. "Glæden ved at være undervejs" (live) - 11. "Hver dag er et comeback" (live)

3rd studio album by De efterladte released three years after the fine Alvorsord og etagevask is produced by Boi Holm, who also worked as co-producer and additional instrumentalist on the 2013 album - here, he's both credited for (additional) instruments and as composer of two tracks (tracks #2 and #7). Musically, the album initiates by following the message of the title, which could be translated to "Goodbye sorrow". It opens up with much more energy and uptempo compositions than usually heard from a band who has been dominated by a melancholy and not seldom a bitter tone by lyricist and vocalist Peter H. Olesen. The message is accentuated in the cover design. The inlay is a folded poster that when unfolded is the instruction to 'how to fold a basic dart paper plane'... By that, it already attempts to be the exact opposite of what could be taken as a pretentious album.
The album contains the usual inclusion of a spoken-word composition, here: "Vi er tidsrejsende" and an entirely instrumental - "Surfin' Sjælland" - credited primary musical composer Michael Lund, who has a nice 'flanger' / delay quality feedback to his Fender[?] always rhyming with americana.
Adjø tristesse is yet another fine and sincere album by Peter Olesen and Michael Lund, who seems to have found the balance between the ever-present melancholic gloominess of songwriter Olesen's lyrics and (almost) equal parts of liveliness, but also by adding more tempo to a few songs without losing the sense of coherency as a sharpening to the whole picture.
I really enjoy this for now and keep returning to it, and I may just raise my rating in a near future 'cause the album is quite intense and multi-faceted.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6, Berlingske 4 / 6 stars ]

Trentemøller "Fixion" (2016)

Fixion

release date: September 16, 2016

format: digital (13 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]

producer: Anders Trentemøller

label: In My Room - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "One Eye Open" (feat. Marie Fisker) - 2. "Never Fade" - 4. "River in Me" (feat. Jehnny Beth) - 6. "Redefine" - 7. "My Conviction" (feat. Marie Fisker) - 11. "Complicated" (feat. Jehnny Beth) - *13. "Redefine (Trentemøller Rework)"

*Bonus track on digital album

4th studio album by Trentemøller following three years after Lost showcases the combo of Trentemøller's own stereotypical IDM microhouse progressive compositions in between more uptempo and bolder standard melody-structured and chorus-based songs with vocal arrangements made in collaboration with the two songwriters Marie Fisker and Jehnny Beth - much in the same manner as he presented with his 2013 album, only here, he has cut down on the number of featuring artists. With Beth he stood behind two single hits from this album, the almost electroclash-shaped song "River in Me" and the bolder post-punk / gothic rocker - the Siouxsie and the Banshess-like: "Complicated".

Although, the songs point in many directions - with inspiration from post-punk, from electroclash and from his catalogue of microhouse and ambient material it's still held together by a striking and predominantly coldwave soundscape. I suppose many would tend to label it darkwave and thus being inspired by gothic rock of the 1980s, but I also find it one of his better and more straightforward albums. Compared to his most recent album, this may contain stronger singles, but as a full-scaled album it lacks some of the cohency he after all demonstrated better on Lost.

A fine and yet somewhat flawed album with strong individual compositions and a lack of direction.

[ bandcamp ]

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

PJ Harvey "The Hope Six Demolition Project" (2016)

The Hope Six Demolition Project
release date: Apr. 15, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Flood, John Parish, PJ Harvey
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Community of Hope" - 3. "A Line in the Sand" - 6. "Near the Memorials to Vietnam and Lincoln" - 7. "The Orange Monkey" - 10. "The Wheel"

9th studio album by PJ Harvey following five full years after the acclaimed Let England Shake (Feb. 2011) is like the predecessor produced in a tight collaboration with John Parish and Flood [Mike Ellis]. On the musicians side it also reflects 'the usual suspects' as Mick Harvey, Mike Ellis and John Parish are among her most frequently used musical partners. And much like her acclaimed 2011 album this is a conceptual album in the sense that the album title refers to the US Hope VI projects where run-down public buildings are being demolished in order to defeat crime and poor social status areas, which has the side-effect that current residents are being chased from 'their' homes.
Musically, it's not far from Let England Shake, although I find that this is less orchestrated and more in sync with her previous works by balancing alt. rock, indie rock with bits of blues rock in her singer / songwriter outing.
Generally, I find this an improvement to her much appraised 2011 album that I didn't embrace as something great, but here I find that she succeeds in combining her past with her more recent works.
[ allmusic.com, 👍NME, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Jean-Michel Jarre "Oxygène 3" (2016)

Oxygène 3
release date: Dec. 3, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Jean-Michel Jarre
label: Columbia / Sony Music - nationality: France

Tracklist: 1. "Oxygène (Part 14)" - 2. "Oxygène (Part 15)" - 3. "Oxygène (Part 16)" - 4. "Oxygène (Part 17)" - 5. "Oxygène (Part 18)" - 6. "Oxygène (Part 19)" - 7. "Oxygène (Part 20)"

18th (or so) studio album by French electronic pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre, who here makes his third sequel to his famous Oxygène from 1976. The most apparent reason to release the album is perhaps that he can celebrate a 40 years anniversary of his first album in the series.
Stylistically, he continues in the same style of progressive ambient electronica that links the three albums together.
The first album was unique and it has its own unequalled position in music history. The second turned out as a fine rework on the basis of his masterpiece without repeating the model. It was both full of references but also shaped with innovative new elements that made it more than just a remake. Oxygène 3 feels on the other hand as more like a remix of the first two journeys. Jarre obviously tries to do what he did on Oxygène 7-13, but simply too bluntly, and the album sounds more like new interpretations of the other two without adding new originality to the project. It's fine but I just don't think, it reaches the qualities of the two predecessors.
It's far from poor or mediocre though, and the music may serve as an example of Jarre at his best, 'cause this style is ultimately what makes him interesting as an artist - not most of his synthpop releases of the 1980s when he became an international pop star. The whole genre of electronic owes so much to his music, and with this he demonstrates the capabilities other artists found inspiring.
It is his least interesting part of the three "Oxygène" albums but nevertheless an album that deserves attention.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Peter Bastian "Bastians Ballader" (2016)

Bastians Ballader
release date: Jun. 1, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,40]
producer: Peter Bastian
label: non label release - nationality: Denmark

[ PB about the album & Nikola Jankov - PB about the musicians on the album - short clip ]

Studio album by Danish clarinettist (the late) Peter Bastian is a self-realised album containing Bastian's own interpretations of Balkan music. His decision to make the album was made in the aftermath of being diagnosed with acute leukaemia in 2014. As he states about the album on his homepage (www.peterbastian.dk) "Main focus is on the tragic Bulgarian wedding ballad, but I have also chosen to play some Romanian Doinas and a Turkish Taksim. Some Danish and Norwegian folklore have also found their way [to the album]." The songs are inspired by original folk songs, but all arrangements are credited Bastian and his two Norwegian associates on the album: Gabriel Fliflet on accordion and Olav Tveitane on double bass, acoustic guitar, and cittern.
The story of the musical fascination of Peter Bastian is forever bound in modern Danish music - be it classical, jazz or folk. Although, Balkan folklore really isn't what I prefer to listen to, I simply adore this album. Through many years I have read books by and listened to Bastian - his deep insight in philosophy and music history and theory on many occasions. I have listened to the music by the jazz fusion and world band Bazaar of which he was a founding and long time member, and I have always admired his mission and ability to make difficult matters appear easier to understand.
Bastian's long time friendship with legendary Hungarian (master) clarinettist Nikola Jankov is all over this album. It's an album with a strong love for traditional folk music, and Bastian is a supreme instrumentalist. I mean, I never found the clarinet appealing in any way, but his passion and sense for sonic perfection captures my musical interest and love for music on a scale like the music by Mozart, Beethoven or Puccini.
Although, not a favourite genre, I still find this highly recommendable.

[ Peter Bastian plays on straw ]

The Jezabels "Synthia" (2016)

Synthia
release date: Feb. 12, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Lachlan Mitchell
label: Dine Alone Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "My Love Is My Disease" - 4. "Unnatural" - 7. "Pleasure Drive"

3rd full-length studio album by Australian band The Jezabels is a slight turn towards a more dreampop and art pop universe with less focus on indie pop as they were labeled with The Brink from 2014. Actually, it's closer to the style of the 2011 debut The Prisoner, which is a bit of a shame. I really liked their initial eps being all more rock-shaped than the debut, and thus: this one too. But Synthia is clearly better than the debut, as it's better produced and generally has a higher standard of quality to it. Only, I think it lacks great songs.
Despite reaching number #4 on the national album charts list - two positions lower than the band's first two albums - the album has generated more than mere positive reviews. Both allmusic.com and Sputnikmusic see this as the band's best, British The Guardian calls it 'an opus' - in fact only the Australian edition of Rolling Stone hands it 3,5 / 5 stars.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, SputnikMusic 4,5 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Veronica Maggio "Den första är alltid gratis" (2016)

Den första är alltid gratis
release date: May 6, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,90]
producer: Povel Olsson; Klas Gullbrand; mfl.
label: Universal Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Den första är alltid gratis" (5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Vi mot världen" (4 / 5) - 4. "Dom sa!" - 5. "Gjord av sten" - 6. "Svart sommar" - 7. "Ayahuasca" - 8. "Verkligheten" - 9. "Storma tills vi dör" - 10. "Play och sen repeat"

5th studio album by Veronica Maggio is like the predecessor Handen i fickan fast jag bryr mig (2013) produced by various people - but in particular by Povel Olsson and Klas Gullbrand, who have both produced 4 of a total of 12 tracks each, and the music is composed by an even bolder versatile group of people, although both Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, Klas Gullbrand, and Povel Olsson are credited on several tracks. The title translates to 'The First Is Always for Free'.

The album topped the albums chart in Sweden as Maggio's third consecutive, and it's a really fine collection of songs, which in many ways sounds more like the natural sequel to Satan i gatan from 2011. Personally, I think her most recent 2013 album was a bit grey and not really particularly outstanding, to keep it politely. On this, on the other hand, Maggio appears to be back in uptempo gear with several sing-a-long choruses that somehow suit her best. Compared to her most recent albums, this one sounds more electropop-founded as opposed to the chamber pop feel found on the predecessor.

Now, Maggio may not possess the widest vocal range, but her voice works more than sufficiently when mixed with catchy patterns, and then she doesn't try one bit to imitate anyone else, which in contemporary pop culture is a seldom quality to hang on to.

The title track is one of her absolute best songs, but the album as such comes with a bunch of other strong songs and all in all, it's easily no less than Maggio's second best to date, basically changeling her 2011 album as her finest.

Highly recommended.

[ Gaffa.dk, Göteborgs-Posten 4 / 5 stars ]

Jean-Michel Jarre "Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise" (2016)

Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise
release date: May 6, 2016
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Jean-Michel Jarre
label: Sony Music - nationality: France

Track highlights: 1. "The Heart of Noise, Pt. 1" (feat. Rone) - 6. "Here for You" (feat. Gary Numan) - 7. "Electrees" (feat. Hans Zimmer) - 8. "Exit" (feat. E.S.) - 9. "What You Want" (feat. Peaches) - 11. "Switch on Leon" (feat. The Orb) - 13. "Why This, Why That and Why" (feat. Yello) - 18. "The Heart of Noise (The Origin)"

17th studio album by Jean-Michel Jarre is his second part in collaborative works featuring artists of various electronic styles. Both albums were recorded over a six year period from 2011 to 2016 and they are difficult not to regard as one and the same project, and thus should have been released as a double album. Both albums are highly experimental, and overall it's nice to witness a collaboration work like this where you witness a symbiotic end-result of the process involving different takes on a genre and style leaving equal evidence from both artists. That also means that the individual songs point in different directions as the featuring artists represent very different styles but together with Jarre the output still has his fingerprints all over, making it quite interesting, but not as a perfect overwhelming work of art. Both of the two parts are quite extensive, the first part running for more than 68 mins and this one just above 74 mins.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Danny Brown "Atrocity Exhibition" (2016)

Atrocity Exhibition
release date: Sep. 30, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Paul White
label: Warp Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Downward Spiral" - 2. "Tell Me What I Don't Know" - 3. "Rolling Stone" (feat. Petite Noir) - 4. "Really Doe" (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul & Earl Sweatshirt) - 6. "Ain't It Funny" - 7. "Goldust" - 9. "Pneumonia" - 12. "When It Rain"

5th (?) studio album by Danny Brown and his first on electronic-associated label Warp Records shows a new style of abstract hip hop and industrial hip hop from Danny Brown. There's a touch of (Madvillain) experimental hip hop that makes this a special experience. The lyrics may be obscure but the music really constitute a whole. Strangely, the title is taken from a track by British post-punk band Joy Division - a sample may be heard on "Goldust", and the inclusion of post-punk references and a clear industrial style on top really makes this a strong release far from the mainstream r&b outings of contemporary hip hop and the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, and Drake. This is experimental and music with distinction that draws on Madvillain, Outkast, Wu-Tang Clan, and... Joy Division [!]...
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Maren Morris "Hero" (2016)

Hero
release date: Jun. 3, 2016
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,96]
producer: Busbee & Maren Morris
label: Columbia Nashville / Sony Music - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Sugar" - 2. "Rich" - 5. "80s Mercedes" - 7. "How It's Done" - 10. "Second Wind"

4th studio album by Maren Morris but her first on a major label. Stylistically, it doesn't stir up styles and genres but sits back with a traditional American broad mix within the vast container of pop / rock brooding country elements directed at the same audience as Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, etc., which also explains why I'm not really part of the target audience.
I can't say it's bad, 'cause it aint. It just doesn't appeal to me [above 40!]. I read more than one review praising the album as one of the best of 2016 - and yeah, sometimes you find new great music, and at other times you end up with something like this: Well-played, -orchestrated, -produced, and sold to thousands of radio stations world-wide. Now that's how the music industry works. People like it, people go buy it, and people are happy.
I can't say that I would recommend this to anyone above 18, though I'm sure fans of the aforementioned stars would find it more than fine.
[ allmusic.com, SputnikMusic 4,5 / 5, PopMatters, Spin 3,5 / 5 stars ]