Tindersticks "Soft Tissue" (2024)

Soft Tissue

release date: Sep. 13, 2024

format: vinyl (Lucky Dog41LP) / digital (9 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]

producer: Stuart A. Staples

label: Lucky Dog / City Slang - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "New World" - 3. "Nancy" - 4. "Falling, the Light" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Always a Stranger" (4 / 5) - "The Secret of Breathing" - 3. "Turned My Back" (4 / 5) - 4. "Soon to Be April"

14th studio album by Tindersticks following 3½ years after Distractions (Feb. 2021) is as usual produced by songwriter and front-figure Stuart Staples, who is credited all songs, two tracks (#A4 and #B4) are co-composed with bassist and keyboardist Dan McKinna.

From scratch on, it's evident that Soft Tissue goes in quite a different direction than the electronic bits suggested on the predecessor - except for the drum-programming heard on track #2 "Don't Walk, Run". These eight / nine songs - the vinyl issue comes with eight tracks, the digital with a ninth bonus track "New World (Edit)" - are kept at more normal running lengths varrying from 3:35 to 6:15 mins, but what's most striking is a strong dominance of strings - making it a characteristic chamber pop album. And then, when strings are not dominating the song arrangement, keyboards either hold focus with a sound of an accordion or a Wurlitzer piano or an organ are often taking the leading stance. Perhaps with the exception of track #B3, which is a soul-like chorus-based warm side-step, but overall the songs are arranged in quiet, simple, and mellow tones. Ordinary drums are hardly heard throughout the album - instead, there's either subtle jazz-like percussion, glockenspiel, bells, or bongos as musical accompanies.

Once again, it's an album where Staples' narating and haunted vocal dominate the picture, but it's done with delicacy and that neccesary variation that makes it all so much more appetising.

As with the 2021 album, cover art is credited Staples' daughter Sidonie Osborne Staples.

Tindersticks once again deliver a solid and strong collection of songs to its long list of modern staples.

Recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, 👍The Guardian 4 / 5, Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

The National "First Two Pages of Frankenstein" (2023)

First Two Pages of Frankenstein

release date: Apr. 28, 2023

format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: The National

label: 4AD - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Once Upon a Poolside" (feat. Sufjan Stevens) - 2. "Eucalyptus" - 3. "New Order T-Shirt" - 4. "This Isn’t Helping" (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) - 5. "Tropic Morning News" - 6. "Alien" - 8. "Grease in Your Hair" - 10. "Your Mind Is Not Your Friend" (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) - 11. "Send for Me"

9th studio album by The National follows four years after I Am Easy to Find (Apr. 2019), and it's the band's first of two full-length studio albums in 2023. The album feature a long list of guest appearances, notably counting Sufjan Stevens (track #1), Phoebe Bridgers (tracks #4 & #10), and Taylor Swift (track #7), alongside an extensive number of performing artists.

The National don't stray much from their unique sound but still manage to turn out as a revitalised band, who has managed to incorporate small stylistic variations to their trademark of chamber riden melancholy.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Clash, Uncut 4 / 5, NME 5 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 6,6 / 10 stars ]

Best of 2023: Anohni and the Johnsons "My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross" (2023)

My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross

release date: Jul. 7, 2023

format: vinyl (LTD. white vinyl) / digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]

producer: Jimmy Hogarth

label: Rough Trade / Secretly Canadian - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "It Must Change" (4 / 5) - 2. "Go Ahead" - 3. "Sliver of Ice" - 4. "Can't" (4 / 5) - 5. "Scapegoat" - 6. "It’s My Fault" (4 / 5) - 9. "Why Am I Alive Now?"

5th studio album by Anohni and the Johnsons (6th by Anohni) follows Hopelessness (May 2016) by Anohni, but more interestingly it continues after the album Swanlights (Oct. 2010), the fourth album in the discography with the Johnson-project after which Anohni put that on a hiatus while seemingly concentrating on a career under the name of Anohni and a period of collaborations and other art projects. All previous releases have been executed with Anohni as producer, but here this role is handed Jimmy Hogarth, who also takes part in the project as guitarist on all tracks. Anohni and Hogarth are the only two instrumentalists featuring on all compositions, and the choice of Hogarth is of course not just a matter of having someone else produce - as a new ingredient or someone with a new and fresh perspective. Hogarth is no novice in the British music industry, and he has recorded albums with soul-influenced artist such as Amy Winehouse, James Morrison, Sia, Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae, and James Blunt - all artists with bonds to a British version of soul, and that's probably the whole idea: to pay tribute to exactly that source of inspiration.

Thirteen years is an unusual long time in the music business, but if the four studio albums by Antony and the Johnsons are your only reference, then this new album doesn't fall far from that. Anohni is back with chamber pop and pop soul as main ingredients and with an album that is dedicated inacceptable conditions for everyone sticking out on a 'normality' spectre as well as the very existence / destruction of our planet.

Critics have lauded the album as a great return, and I'm already considering it one of the absolute best by this great artist. The musical arrangements are cheerful and fillled with warmth but the lyrics and the lamenting [beautiful] voice of Anohni brings a contrasting element of grief and disaster that nontheless functions brilliantly.

I already consider this part of my top-3 list of the best albums of 2023.

Highly recommended.

The front cover portrays [activist] Marsha P. Johnson, who initially gave name to Anohni's project.

[ 👉Pitchfork 8,7 / 10, 👍NME 4 / 5, Clash 9 / 10, The Observer 5 / 5 stars ]

2023 Favourite releases: 1. Anohni and the Johnsons My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross - 2. Ukendt Kunstner Dansktop - 3. Sigur Rós Átta

Efterklang "Windflowers" (2021)

Windflowers

release date: Oct. 8, 2021

format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,64]

producer: Efterklang

label: City Slang - nationality: Denmark

6th studio album by Efterklang following two years after Altid sammen, entirely held in Danish and exclusively produced by the trio, which currently has been associated with the label City Slang.

On the predecessor, it was something completely new with lyrics in Danish only, but here they have taken the leap back to the English language. Musically, the band has always tried to push the boundaries to a stylistic expression grounded in the ambient department of electronica. Efterklang has released music with neo-classical elements, large-scale orchestral arrangements, music with a greater focus on bass and drums, and they have released music with experimental organic touch. It has always been clearly based on ambient, and that is also the case here on this one. On the other hand, it has become the English language again. And unfortunately, I'm tempted to say, because on Windflowers they no longer sound quite as unique as they beautifully succeeded with the predecessor. It's a collection of compositions with lots of music in major notes and a sense of uniformity creeps in quite quickly in all of the bright candyfloss. The music is large-scaled, with high-to-the-ceiling synthesizers and pompous arrangements, and lead singer Casper Clausen glides merrily into the sky in a hot air balloon through chamber pop pink and light blue clouds.

Sorry, but it wasn't this way, boys! After a few listens, I must state that Efterklang does not, as usual, manage to successfully explore new boundaries within the band's musical landscape. They recycle too much what they may think the world is longing for. It is without nerve, and the end result is reminiscent of a product from the cookie factory Karen Volf: too much sugar, too little originality, but in return lots of added filling.

Ikke anbefalet.

[ bandcamp ]

[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6, The Line of Best Fit 4 / 5 stars ]

Tindersticks "Distractions" (2021)

Distractions
release date: Feb. 19, 2021
format: vinyl (LTD. blue vinyl) / digital (7 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Lucky Dog / City Slang - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Man Alone (Can't Stop the Fadin')" - 2. "I Imagine You" - 3. "A Man Needs a Maid" - 4. "Lady With the Braid" - 5. "You'll Have to Scream Louder" - 6. "Tue-Moi" - 7. "The Bough Bends"

13th studio album by Tindersticks succeeding No Treasure but Hope (Nov. 2019) released on Stuart Staples' label Lucky Dog aided by independent German label City Slang. The band is still the quintet consisting of lead vocalist, primary songwriter and composer Stuart A. Staples, guitarist Neil Fraser, bassist and keyboardist Dan McKinna, keyboardist David Boulter, and drummer Earl Harvin. The album 'only' contains seven compositions with a total running length at just above 46 minutes, which means several tracks have a longer running time than the common 3 to 4 minutes, although on recent releases the band really has done things its own way. Somewhat unconventionally, the album starts off with the longest track by far, running more than 11 minutes, and the track is also unusual for Tindersticks as it has a clear electronic edge. After that the album continues in a more traditional way for the band with quite simple-structered chamber pop without much other than Staples' vocal on top of quiet guitar notes, an almost non-existent ambient keyboard and faintly audible strings - with no traditional rhythm instruments whatsoever. Another new move is the presence of cover songs. Of the album's seven tracks, three here are covers and even though the original versions are extremely diverse, Tindersticks have turned the songs into Tindersticks songs, which fit quite nicely together. "A Man Needs a Maid" is a well-known Neil Young song from his classy Harvest album from 1972, and it's here completely adapted to a Tindersticks universe with bright backing vocals and Staples' contrasting darker vocal - the result is very good. The following track, "Lady With the Braid", is probably a lesser-known song to most people written by [Dorothy] Dory Previn [aka Dory Langdon, aka Dory Previn Shannon] taken from her second singer / songwriter studio album Mythical Kings and Iguanas from 1971. That song is followed by the final cover: "You'll Have to Scream Louder" written by Dan Treacy for the British post-punk band Television Personalities taken from the 1984 album The Painted Word. After this, Distractions continues with an also almost typical Tinderstick's composition with French lyrics: "Tue-moi" ['Kill Me'], where Staples with his English-French [sorry] does his best 'chanson' style, which probably only Brits and also some flattered French will perceive as something extraordinary. The song is something quite special in another way, as it's Staples' inspiration from and his thoughts on the assassination at the French venue the Bataclan in 2015 - a venue Tindersticks has visited several times. The album ends a bit like it starts - with a slightly more experimental track with tape loops and 'other electronics', although it still mostly sounds like Tindersticks in the slightly jazzy corner. In a way, the album is like a reminiscent of Staples' most recent solo, the album Arrhythmia from 2018, which is the first time you notice Staples experimenting with electronic devices. That album was also unusual for its rather long compositions.

All in all, Distractions is an album that offers both new and old, and which is unmistakably Tindersticks, who have seriously turned down on the arrangements. The well-known chamber pop element is only faintly present, and instead something experimental appears borrowing both from modern styles and from jazz.

Tindersticks continue to make fascinating music - it seems they have found their own slot in the alt. rock sphere with enough space to keep experimenting without losing artistic progression. And I'm tempted to ask 'when did this band really make a poor album?' It's definitely been a long time, and it certainly hasn't been the case since the band suffered internal conflicts by the turn of the century.

Recommended.

The front cover is credited Sidonie Osborne Staples - daughter of Stuart Staples & Suzanne Osborne.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Uncut 4 / 5, musicOMH 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Band of Horses "Infinite Arms" (2010)

Infinite Arms

release date: May 18, 2010

format: cd

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]

producer: Band of Horses; Phil Ek (add. pro.)

label: Brown Records / Sony Music / Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Factory" - 2. "Compliments" - 3. "Laredo" (live on Letterman) - 5. "On My Way Back Home"

3rd studio album by Band of Horses following 2½ years after Cease to Begin (Oct. 2007) presents a completely new line-up where only founding member, lead vocalist and primary composer Ben Bridwell and (new) drummer Creighton Barrett re-appear on this. Keyboardist Ryan Monroe appeared on the former as additional musician and became a permanent member after the 2007 album, which had been completed as a trio together with guitarist Rob Hampton, who then left the band before commencing the recording sessions for this one. Hampton was replaced by new members guitarist Tyler Ramsey and bassist Bill Reynolds completing the new formation as a quintet.

Infinite Arms doesn't land far from the previous albums with its predominantly folk rock-foundation. What distinguishes this from the former releases is an addition and strings and brass arrangements, which I don't think improves the whole picture. Some songs could have fitted nicely on the 2007 album without straying far from that - mostly the above highlighted tracks, but what I feel lacks here is outstanding compositions, or: original new material. Bridwell mostly sings like the "old" Bridwell, but at times he sounds like a tired circus artists going through motions he has learned to repeat. The album was generally met by positive reviews, most of which points to a certain americana-feel to the new album. Something I find difficult to hear. In general, the album is positioned as the band's best performing album in the US by reaching number #7 on the Billboard 200.

To me, Infinte Arms simply sounds like a lesser release - compared to their first two it could be an album of leftovers. Bridwell is less poignant, the compositions are well-played but do not contribute with much new, and the overall impression is easily forgettable.

Not recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Uncut, Q 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Slant 3 / 5, Pitchfork 5,3 / 10 stars ]

The National "I Am Easy to Find" (2019)

I Am Easy to Find

release date: May 17, 2019
format: cd (4AD0154CD)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: The National, Mike Mills
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "You Had Your Soul With You" - 2. "Quiet Light" - 5. "The Pull of You" - 10. "Not In Kansas" - 11. "So Far So Fast" - 14. "Rylan"
[ a short film "I Am Easy to Find" directed by producer Mike Mills ]

8th studio album by The National following the acclaimed Sleep Well Beast from 2017 follows closely with the same formula as the successor.
What appears as the most poignant new change to a rather strict soundscape is an inclusion of several featuring (female) vocalists including Gail Ann Dorsey (5 tracks), Lisa Hannigan (4 tracks), Kate Stables (3 tracks), Mina Tindle (1 track), and Sharon Van Etten (1 track). The album contains 17 tracks and has a running time just above 63 mins.
The National sounds like no other act around, and they play as a strong and well-balanced entity without adding much new to an already established sound and compositions, primarily by lyricist(s) Matt Berninger and / or Carin Besser together with composer(s) Aaron Dessner and / or Bryce Dessner that touch on the usual subjects about identity and (love) relations.
It's not bad. It's quite fine, and really not surprising in any way.
[ 👍allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo, NME, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Michael Kiwanuka "Kiwanuka" (2019)

Kiwanuka
release date: Nov. 1, 2019
format: 2 lp vinyl (gatefold)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Danger Mouse, Inflo
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

3rd studio album by Michael Kiwanuka is a double gatefold vinyl album produced by Danger Mouse [aka Brian Joseph Burton] and Inflo [aka Dean Josiah].
His two previous albums more more traditionally crafted with a folk rock style, but here he has added a psychedelic touch, which is widely known as psychedelic soul and shows influences from Prince and Sly and the Family Stone. It's an even bolder introspective collection of songs than you'll find in his back catalogue.
The album was generally met by positive reviews and Kiwanuka has gained reputation as a modern singer / songwriter of contemporary soul.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, The Guardian, NME, Q Magazine 5 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Tindersticks "No Treasure but Hope" (2019)

die-cut vinyl cover

No Treasure but Hope
release date: Nov. 15, 2019
format: vinyl (LTD. die-cut clear vinyl) / digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,85]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Lucky Dog / City Slang - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "For the Beauty" - 2. "The Amputees" (4 / 5) - 3. "Trees Fall" - 4. "Pinky in the Daylight" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Take Care in Your Dreams" - 8. "The Old Mans Gait" - 9. "Tough Love"

12th studio album by Tindersticks released nearly four years following the fine The Waiting Room (Jan. 2016), and like that, this one is produced by lead vocalist and main composer Stuart A. Staples. Since 2016 the band has released the live-album Philharmonie de Paris (Feb. 2016) and the soundtrack Minute Bodies - The Intimate World of F. Percy Smith (2017) [a documentary by Staples] in collaboration with the two French musicians, percusionist Thomas Belhom, and pianist and composer Christine Ott. Apart from that, Staples also released his second solo album Arrhythmia (2018) and he also recorded another soundtrack for a Claire Denis' film, High Life (Apr. 2019) - which shows that neither band nor Staples has been on a long break.

The current Tindersticks-quintet, consisting of Stuart Staples, guitarist Neil Fraser, bassist Dan McKinna, multi-instrumentalist David Boulter, and percussionist Earl Harvin all continue where they left us in 2016 with a hardly noticeable change of style with compositions reflecting a bolder use of strings as well as being slightly less jazz-oriented. By doing so, the album places itself at the centre of the most recent four studio albums by Tindersticks - meaning albums released from 2010 to 2016. The single tracks on this could virtually have been handpicked and replaced on any of the arbitrary four albums without disturbing a sense of coherency. Instead of a recording applying state-of-the-art multi-layered production method, the band instead recorded these songs live in the studio. And keeping that information in mind, this collection only appear even stronger, perhaps more vivid. There's still a maintained variation from song to song, but the end result is that of a tight and quite narrrow expression. It may not be the band's most daring nor their most original album, but in a way you could argue it sort of sums up all the qualities they have come up with in recent years: by creating their very own aesthetic of beauty within a strong chamber pop soundscape with a noticeable influence and inspiration from the world of jazz - utilising old-fashioned recording methods - ultimately ensures they don't sound like any other band around.

Cover and artwork are here credited Staples and his wife Suzanne Osborne.

No Treasure but Hope is yet another quality release by Tindersticks.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com, The Guardian 4 / 5, Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

digital cover

Richard Hawley "Further" (2019)

Further
release date: Jun. 7, 2019
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Colin Elliot, Shez Sheridan, Richard Hawley
label: BMG - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Off My Mind" - 2. "Alone" - 3. "My Little Treasures" (4 / 5) - 4. "Further" - 5. "Emilina Says" - 6. "Is There a Pill?" (4 / 5) - 8. "Not Lonely" - 10. "Midnight Train" - 11. "Doors"

8th studio album by Richard Hawley released after his longest hiatus - a nearly four years brake is yet another return to Hawley's preferred "co-assistants", long-time producer Colin Elliott - with whom Hawley has made all of his eight studio albums - and Hawley's usual guitarist Shez Sheridan, both of which have co-produced the album with Hawley as was the case on his most recent album, Hollow Meadows, from 2015.
The album contains 11 new compositions and with a total playing time at just over 35 mins it does seem in the short end of long playing albums these days.
Stylistically, there are no groundbreaking news here, but given an artist carrying so much originality in terms of sound and style, I guess most people wouldn't have expected major changes in that respect. It's almost like a look down memory lane where he showcases the different styles from previous albums - indie pop singer / songwriter on his earliest albums, the striking chamber pop ballads from his most memorable albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge to more hard-rockin' neo-psychedelia experiments from Standing at Sky's Edge but with a nice stress on his chamber pop ballads. Hawley does what he does so well: He delivers sincere ballads and sing-along pop / rock songs about everyday life, dwelling on subjects about being alive, being male and over 50 as one of the best crooners of British popular music.
The album has been met by positive reviews and it peaked at #3 in the UK. Two singles preceded the album release - tracks #1 and #3 respectively. Dave Simpson of The Guardian pretty much wraps it up when writing: "In the album’s 40 minutes, there is scarcely any flab. Twenty years into his solo career, Hawley certainly isn’t tearing up the blueprint, but within the boundaries of his domain, nobody does it better".
Yes, there's a distinct resonance from his two finest albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge, but it's not about copying or a mere repetition that leaves you with the idea that here's an artist with nothing new to offer, it's really a matter of style - and Hawley still delivers new songs about familiar subjects in the finest wrapping.
Recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut, 👍The Guardian, Record Collector 4 / 5 stars ]

Morrissey "California Son" (2019)

California Son
release date: May 24, 2019
format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,82]
producer: Joe Chiccarelli
label: Étienne / BMG - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Morning Starship" - 5. "Days of Decision" - 6. "It's Over" - 7. "Wedding Bell Blues" (live) - 9. "Lady Willpower"

12th studio album by Morrissey is his second on his own label and his third consecutive album to be produced by Joe Chiccarelli. Perhaps Morrissey's interest and acclaim for covering other artists - a lovable trait he often exercises at live concerts - made him decide to record an album entirely made up of covers. Fact is, this new album is just that, and perhaps not exactly in the way fans have come to really enjoy his choice of covers, because playing live, he has often showed his affection for energetic punk rock and new wave familiar songs from his youth, which is to say from late 1970s to early 1980s, covering artists like Ramones, The Pretenders, and Magazine - and a bit contrary to that, he has selected more obscure songs from artists primarily of the 1960s. In chronological order the songs have originally been released by Jobriath, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Phil Ochs, Roy Orbison, Laura Nyro, Dionne Warwick, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Carly Simon, Tim Hardin, and Melanie, all of which very likely could be sources of inspiration to the music by Morrissey's former band, The Smiths.
The promotional single "It's Over" (Roy Orbison) was released in February and "Wedding Bell Blues" (Laura Nyro) was released in April, and the album has fared quite well peaking at number #4 in the UK; however, critics have been less positive about the album, and I really do understand that. I simply find California Son his least enjoyable album ever released - even "under-passing" his most recent low point, Low in High School from 2017. It has been labelled a collection of protest / anti-war songs, but that's really a rather forced opinion. It's basically a bunch of highly different songs varying from political protest songs, songs about identity and pure love songs, and the arrangements reflect the same sort of diversity as some have been recorded as if made in the Phil Spector heydays with multi-layers of violins and horns, whereas others are cut to fit a contemporary production state of the art with no obvious bonds to the 60s.
Perhaps his ever more bizarre statements in recent years have a say in my conclusion about his music in recent years. In 2010 he allegedly called Chinese people a 'sub-species', and in the last few years he has been the explicit supporter of right-wing politicians, e.g. Nigel Farrage (of the Brexit Party) and a certain Anne Marie Waters (of For Britain) who speaks against Islam and who is for British / English sovereignty (generally speaking). Morrissey is in this regard cited for stating that "all people like their own race the most"... - and other [extremely] stupid right-wing stuff that alienates him from his audience. Of course it makes you take a stand as to whether it's not possible to distinguish the artist from the person - as in the case of Michael Jackson, who undoubtedly made truly great music. On the other hand we do not really mind what political preferences Da Vinci, Wagner or Lord Byron shared, and instead we look at what they wrote and composed of artistic value, but it does seem to be a difficult, if not impossible process when speaking of contemporary active artists.
As Helen Brown of The Independent concludes: "I could have forgiven this album its missteps if I could dissociate the music from the man. It’s really not bad. But I can’t. Alright, mum. I’m turning it off now." Morrissey's low point is not a recommended listen, although, you cannot take away from him that he is still a mighty fine modern crooner.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, 👍Mojo 3 / 5, NME, The Independent 2 / 5 stars ]

Edwyn Collins "Badbea" (2019)

Badbea
release date: Mar. 29, 2019
format: digital (12 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Edwyn Collins, Sean Read
label: Analogue Enhanced Digital - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "It's All About You" - 3. "I Guess We Were Young" - 5. "Outside" - 6. "Glasgow to London" - 10. "I'm OK Jack" - 12. "Badbea"

9th studio solo album by Edwyn Collins released by Collins' co-founded micro label AED is his first album out in six years - following Understated from 2013. Stylistically, it's a blend of the many styles Collins has been involved with in his long musical career. It contains elements of pop soul, sophisti-pop, indie pop and singer / songwriter, but it's first and foremost a quite coherent output. There's the ever-present echo of an ancient proto-punk energy, which makes me think of The Stooges and Patti Smith. It's psychedelic rock bits and pieces, art punk twists with screaming horns and also a very present subtle caring in ballad-like and honest-to-the-bone songs of present days - delicately woven songs with acoustic guitars and his charismatic crooning. On top of that there's also left room for electronic traits scattered around to widen the stylistic expression rather than the attempt to take control of songs. And quite surprisingly, it doesn't feel much like the usage of too many styles. And I think, primarily thanks to the production sound and Collins' dark vocal, which cleverly binds it all together.
The front cover depicts Collins in a confronting fragile portrait hinting to his physical conditions after multiple cerebral hemorrhages that struck him around 2005.
This is a warm grower and a recommendable listen. It's so great to see and hear Collins back!!
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Teitur "I Want to Be Kind" (2018)

I Want to Be Kind
release date: Jun. 8, 2018
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Thomas Bartlett, Teitur Lassen
label: Arlo & Betty Recordings - nationality: Faroe Islands, Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Looking for a Place" - 2. "To Be of Use" - 3. "If Your Heart's Not in It" - 6. "I Would Love You All the Same" - 8. "I Want to Be Kind" - 12. "I Have Found My Happiness"

7th studio album by Teitur follows almost five whole years after his most recent album Story Music (Oct. 2013). In the meantime, Teitur released the collaboration album Confessions (Oct. 2016, released on Nonesuch) with American composer and conductor Nico Muhly.
I Want to Be Kind is a bit of a return to his roots in chamber pop and quiet folk rock. Except for his brief take with Story Music and his collaboration work with Nico Muhly, it's not that Teitur is notorious for making big experimental detours on his musical path, where he stays pretty much to a formula with roots in folk and leaving enough room to embrace both ballads and more rock-oriented compositions, and that's also what he has returned to here. After all, I think he sounds more confident in his songwriting than he did on the more experimental Story Music.
It's a nice collection of sometimes deep and witty songs, and as always, Teitur has a fine ear for melody.

Björk "Vulnicura" (2015)

Vulnicura
release date: Jan. 20, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Björk, Arca
label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Stonemilker" - 2. "Lionsong" - 4. "Black Lake" - 5. "Family" - 7. "Atom Dance" (feat. Anohni) - 8. "Mouth Mantra" - 9. "Quicksand"

8th studio album by Björk is co-produced by Venezuelan electronic producer / musician Arca [aka Alejandro Ghersi]. Stylistically, a Björk studio album is always within an art pop universe, and here she attributes that with chamber, ambient pop and electronic. It's not far from what she has released before - perhaps the biggest change is the distance to her most recent album Biophilia (Oct. 2011), although, they share the common theme of nature. In many ways this is closer to a mix of her three consecutive albums around the new millennium: Homogenic (1997), Vespertine (2001), Medúlla (2004), and frankly, Vulnicura sounds much like the outcome of a combo of all three albums.
Without containing obvious hits, I think the result is her most interesting album in more than 14 years. An alternative title could have been 'Homogeneous', 'cause that's also what it is.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, NME, Spin 4 / 5 stars ]
=> Needledrop review

The Good, The Bad & The Queen "Merrie Land" (2018)

Merrie Land
release date: Nov. 16, 2018
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Tony Visconti, The Good, The Bad & The Queen
label: Studio 13 - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Merrie Land" - 3. "Gun to the Head" - 4. "Nineteen Seventeen" (live video) - 5. "The Great Fire" - 6. "Lady Boston" - 7. "Drifters & Trawlers" (live) - 9 . "Ribbons" - 11. "The Poison Tree"

2nd studio album by the Damon Albarn-led "super band" The Good, The Bad & The Queen released on the band's own newly-founded label is the follow-up album to the debut from 2007. It's quite remarkable how the band stays the same after eleven years and after a relatively inactive period of time. Of course Albarn is the driving force and it could easily be regarded as his solo-project if not all songs are credited the band. And band... Yes! Finally, earlier this year, the band officially announced to go by the name it has been commonly known as for the past decade. Even Albarn had to follow-suit on that - despite he may have been the mastermind of the [bad] idea to have a band with no name.
Thematically, the band continues to examine the past. "Merrie" is not a literal reference to the history of England as much as it's a confrontation of a nostalgic and biased image. The songs deal with inhuman life conditions, personal tragedies and general poverty as a state of late Middle Age England. This is underlined in the front cover with the puppet master holding his hand to the mouth of the puppet to prevent it from telling the ugly truth.
Stylistically, this also represents a huge mix of styles, but even so a much more coherent attempt to combine various styles without losing focus. There's a foundation that binds it all together that I didn't hear on the debut. It's still first and foremost art pop and neo-psychedelia with influences from various other styles. Tracks #6 and #7 makes me think of Joe Strummer - not just because of bassist Paul Simonon but there's a tone on several tracks that sound inspired by his wonderful style, which again is influenced by Jamaican music. This is a slower but more consistent release than the first album from the project, and it strikes me, how it's also the studio album with Damon Albarn in front to come out as the most successful non-Albarn-like album in many years. That is: it sounds more like a release by a band featuring Damon Albarn than a Albarn-lead project. Perhaps this is also by merit of producer Visconti - but the end result is a much better and coherent album than the 2007 debut. Does this man ever rest? It's only six months ago he released the sixth full-length album with Gorillaz - a completely different kind of a release.
Merrie Land has generally been granted positive reviews - some actually calling it one of the best of the year. I may not put it on top of my list but it's surely bettering the predecessor by a clear margin and the album is together with Now Now by Gorillaz a truly fine effort by Albarn.
Recommended.
[ 👍allmusic.com, Mojo, Drowned in Sound, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Uncut, The Guardian 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The Divine Comedy "Live at Somerset House" (2010) (live)

Live at Somerset House (live)

release date: Dec. 2010
format: digital (24 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Nel Hannon
label: Concert Live - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

12th album release by The Divine Comedy is a double live album from a concert at Somerset House, London, Jul. 17, 2010 released on the label Concert Live.
The album consists of 24 tracks (some issues: 22) and it contains many great songs, and it truly serves to document Neil Hannon as the great amusing entertainer, he also is.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

The Divine Comedy "Bang Goes the Knighthood" (2010)

Bang Goes the Knighthood
release date: May 31, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Nel Hannon
label: Divine Comedy Records - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Down in the Street Below" - 3. "Neapolitan Girl" (acoustic session) - 5. "At the Indie Disco" (live) - 6. "Have You Ever Been in Love" - 7. "Assume the Perpendicular" - 8. "The Lost Art of Conversation" - 11. "Can You Stand Upon One Leg" - 12. "I Like" (4 / 5)

10th studio album by The Divine Comedy released on Hannon's newly-founded label, Divine Comedy records, UK.
This is another fine but somewhat superficial album. The melodies are fine, the lyrics also with the usual amount of irony and themes in place, but... he's just been there before. It's by no means a mediocre release, though.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Record Collector 4 / 5 stars ]

Efterklang "Piramida" (2012)

Piramida
release date: Sep. 24, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Efterklang
label: Rumraket / 4AD Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Hollow Mountain" - 2. "Apples" - 3. "Sedna" - 4. "Told to Be Fine" - 7. "Black Summer" - 10. "Monument"

[ Trailer for the new album ]

4th studio album by Efterklang following 2½ years since the last album Magic Chairs (2010). Since that, Thomas Husmer left the band and Efterklang was then reduced to a trio consisting of vocalist and songwriter Casper Clausen, keyboardist Mads Brauer and bassist Rasmus Stolberg. German electronic musician Nils Frahm feature on tracks #1, #7, and #8.

Here the band take their style further into indie-pop territory but also explore a dream pop universe and more so leave some of the classical and art rock experiments somewhat behind. Before recording the album, the band went to the deserted arctic island of Spitsbergen, Norway, to make field recordings and by the use of senses gather up a natural source of sound structure that would eventually make a starting point and a foundation for their successive writing of songs for the album.

It's still unmistakably the sound of Efterklang with progressive song structures filled with rich organic textures and influences from ambient electronic but still with more focus on traditional song structure, and here and there (tracks #2-4, and #10) Casper Clausen makes me think of Matt Berninger of The National. I really enjoy this new-found blend of theirs and easily find it the band's so far best album.

[ allmusic.com, Under the Radar 4 / 5, 👍PopMatters 3,5 / 5, Drowned in Sound 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The National "Sleep Well Beast" (2017)

Sleep Well Beast
release date: Sep. 8, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,67]
producer: Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Nobody Else Will Be There" - 2. "Day I Die" - 4. "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness" - 8. "I'll Still Destroy You" - 9. "Guilty Party" - 10. "Carin at the Liquor Store" - 12. "Sleep Well Beast"

7th studio album by The National, produced by the Dessner brothers follows nearly 4½ years after the fine Trouble Will Find Me (May 2013). Apparently, the album doesn't add much new to the band's well-known formula of a softer version of post-punk revival in combination with chamber pop, and it does start much like what could sound as a collection of left-overs from the 2013 album. But it only appears that way, 'cause it also reveals a slight twist / a new dimension to their sound, adding layers of synths, electronic sound effects, and drum programming to their familiar soundscape. It's done in a highly sophisticated manner, where the overall impression of a change of style isn't disrupted by obvious additions. The long list of additional brass and strings musicians also suggest a bolder chamber pop direction than the end result actually reveals, all because of intelligent layering and arrangements that support an idea - or: the whole picture.
The album may not contain a new "Bloodbuzz Ohio" or "I Need My Girl" but less will do, and I think, that the notion of 'less is more' really frames this album pretty neatly.
The quintet remains the same as The National has established from its second album out, but a few adjustments have seen the daylight since then, e.g. the entire band often used to be credited the various songs on their early albums, or the individual compositions had various songwriters from band members - mostly with vocalist Matt Berninger as songwriter, but with this, the majority of the songs have lyrics by Berninger and his wife Carin Besser [the 'Carin at the Liquor Store'?], and the music is mostly composed by the Dessner brothers, or just Aaron Dessner.
The album was generally met by positive reviews and it has become the band's internationally best-charting album to date topping the chart lists in countries such as Canada, Ireland, and the UK despite not performing as well as the band's former albums in the US. No less than five singles were released from this album with track #4 as first single - followed in order by tracks #9, #10, #2, and #8 with the first and the second as the best charting single releases.
What may appear as the grey and dull replica of former material has definitely turned out as a grower, imho. Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine, Mojo, NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

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 ]