Trentemøller "Memoria" (2022)

Memoria

release date: Feb. 11, 2022

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]

producer: Anders Trentemøller

label: In My Room - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Veil of White" - 2. "No More Kissing in the Rain" - 4. "Glow" - 5. "In the Gloaming" - 7. "When the Sun Explodes" - 8. "Dead or Alive" - 9. "All Too Soon" - 10. "A Summer’s Empty Room" - 12. "Drifting Star" - 13. "Like a Daydream"

6th studio album from Anders Trentemøller follows 2½ years after the fine Obverse (Sep. 2019) and the album has been launched by a series of official videoes - firstly by "In the Gloaming" and later by "All Too Soon", "Dead or Alive", "No More Kissing in the Rain", and "Like a Daydream".

The album is highlighted via its melodic universe, although, the album is quite untraditional from the hands of Trentemøller as a predominantly vocal-founded album. Stylewise, it's more predictable situated in the outskirts of the 80s and 90s nostalgia linked with his very own electronic homeland. Memoria is the sound of shoegaze / dreampop à la Slowdive and Mazzy Star with drops of Robert Smith (The Cure) guitarwork as heard on the Disintegration-era mixed with Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) reverb, and in this manner he sort of continues where Obverse ended, and simultaneously he applies something new. The big difference is that the 2019-release appeared more introspective and closed on progressive instrumental variations, whereas Memoria lurks on the verge of darkness - at times jumpping straight out into the daylight floating away on light tones of Robin Guthrie-inspired loops. And just that may be the newest 'trend' from Mr. Trentemøller - that instead of finding inspiration from the murky corners of the post-punk-era, he now adds a synthpop-soundscape from other areas and by doing so, he also creates a distinct cocktail of his own. On this, Trentemøller has made use of the two Danish guitarists Silas Tinglef and Lisbet Fritze, with the latter also featuring on vocal. The end product is a more coherent collection of compositions compared to what Trentemøller normally ends up with. It's a new touch with which he combines a pervasive flair for micro house and synthwave that ultimately displays his so far best studio album to date.

Highly recommended.

[ bandcamp ]

[ Gaffa.dk, musicOMH, PopMatters 4 / 5 stars ]

Trentemøller "Obverse" (2019)

Obverse

release date: Sep. 27, 2019

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Anders Trentemøller

label: In My Room - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Church of Trees" - 3. "In the Garden" (feat. Lina Tullgren) - 4. "Foggy Figures" - 5. "Blue September" (feat. Lisbet Fritze) - 7. "One Last Kiss to Remember" (feat. Lisbet Fritze) - 9. "Try a Little" (feat. JennyLee)

5th studio album by Trentemøller as follow-up to Fixion (Sep. 2016) follows the near usual three years interval in between releases, and Obverse both stays somewhat on the same track and yet is its very own displaying a newfound inspiration in shoegaze and indietronica with pure instrumental compositions pointing back to ambient and minimal house and with vocal-based songs with lyrics by the featuring guest artists, and which embrace a more danceable touch in a courtship with alt. rock and darkwave without the lighter pop tones and the darker rock-influences become opposites.

The album appears as a more coherent whole than its predecessor, which seemed more divided into pure instrumental parts and, on the other hand, compositions with supporting vocals, as two opposing expressions with progressively minimal house and parts of pumping indietronica. In a way, Obverse stands as a fine extension to his second album from 2010: Into the Great Wide Yonder. Unlike Lost (Sep. 2013) and Fixion, this new outing as a whole, is a more of a muted kind with all songs in better harmony without sounding as counterpoints to other motions on the same album. The vocal-based tracks are not pure indietronica where song and melody dominate, but these are more of an unfolding-in-graceful union of instrumental ideas mixed with something reminiscent of Mazzy Star (Hope Sandoval) inspiration, e.g. on the two Lisbet Fritze tracks: "Blue September" and "One Last Kiss to Remember" - which is the album's darkwave uptempo track (I'm instantly thinking Pornography by The Cure ) - and perhaps the most obvious dream pop / shoegaze feature is "In the Garden" with Lina Tullgren. The album doesn't contain obvious hits like "River in Me" or "Complicated" - here it's the mood of the album itself that steers the direction, and in that way Obverse ultimately stands as one of Trentemøller's better ones.

[ bandcamp ]

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

Let's Eat Grandma "I'm All Ears" (2018)

I'm All Ears
release date: Jun. 29, 2018
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]
producer: David Wrench
label: Transgressive Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Whitewater" - 3. "It's Not Just Me"

2nd studio album by Norwich-founded electropop-duo, Let's Eat Grandma consisting of the friends Jenny Hollingworth and Rosa Walton.
The album offers an energetic release with electropop tunes with a twist of something in between art pop and indietronica and sometimes fused with progressive pop. It's mostly moulded as a warm, positive sound, but it also contains a bitter-sweet tone and plenty of classic synth pop.
I'm All Ears has generally harvested critical acclaim from near and afar - which is the main reason for my interest here. I just don't quite understand the general reception. It's nice, and it's fine. I believe, that's the most positive, I can come up with. I don't find it specifically original, and the majority of the songs are easily forgotten. The singing voices of the two front figures are much alike and all together not impressive as musical instruments. I find elements of songs that I really like, but as an overall experience, I'm bewildered and confused 'cause it must contain something, I just don't appreciate. The best thing about the band is its name.
Not recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, NME, The Times 4 / 5, Q, The Guardian 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Andrew Hung "Realisationship" (2017)

Realisationship [debut]

release date: Oct. 13, 2017

format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Andrew Hung

label: Lex Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Say What You Want" - 2. "Elbow" - 4. "Private Commercial" - 5. "Whispers" - 7. "Sugar Pops" - 8. "Animal" - 9. "Open Your Eyes"

Studio album debut by electronic artist Andrew Hung, one-half of the duo Fuck Buttons, following his soundtrack to the British comedy film "The Greasy Strangler" (2016) by Jim Hosking.

Stylistically, this falls quite far from music by Fuck Buttons by being much more founded on melody, vocals, and traditional music compositions. Blanck Mass [Benjamin John Power], the other half of Fuck Buttons, released his third album World Eater earlier this year, and if you'd expect something similar from Hung that's not really the case. Instrumentally, the music is still electronica, but where Fuck Buttons, and to some extent Blanck Mass, both focus on instrumental progression and complexity, Realisationship is more simple with loanes from Aphex Twin and LCD Soundsystem, and in a way, it's like a condensation of that.

I find it much in common with the alt. dance and indietronica of LCD Soundsystem with focus on synthpop and drum beats, but the music here is commonly labelled as 'chiptune' - which implies sounds stemming from early computer systems and video games. On top of melody-based compositions, Hung swings and sings through nine compositions running a total of 37 minutes. There's a fine positive dance-related energy and still a highly simplistic tone - at times it feels a bit too narrow, but it still sounds like a refreshing breeze. It's not too complicated, but also with only little to offer in terms of impressive arrangements and strong songs. It's fine, it's definitely good, and not so much more.

[ Uncut 3,5 / 5, SputnikMusic 4 / 5 stars ]

LCD Soundsystem "London Sessions" (2010) (live)

London Sessions (live)
release date: Nov. 8, 2010
format: cd (2011)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: James Murphy; DFA
label: DFA Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Us v Them" - 2. "All I Want" - 4. "Get Innocuous!" - 5. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" - 6. "All My Friends" - 8. "I Can Change" - 9. "Yr City Is a Sucker"
[ full album ]

Live-in-the-studio album of recordings at The Pool recording studio of Miloco Studios in London, England, Tuesday Jun. 29, 2010. The album was released as a downloadable album only Nov. 8, 2010 and on cd Jan. 24, 2011. On this occasion the band consists of James Murphy on vocals and percussion, Nancy Whang on keyboards and vocals, Pat Mahoney on drums and vocals, Tyler Pope on bass, percussion and vocals, Gavin Russom on synth, keyboards, percussion and vocals, David Scott Stone on guitar, percussion, synth and vocals and with Matt Thornley on guitar, percussion and vocals.
The collection of songs here are taken from all three previous studio albums, which makes it a good compilation as it comes with two tracks from the debut, three from Sound of Silver and four from This Is Happening. I actually find that the tracks (#2, #3, #7 and #8) from the most recent studio album all sound better in this more vibrant and dance-punk production, and on top of that, they also make the compositions from the various albums feel like one whole.
All in all this is truly one of the band's best albums.
Prior to the album release James Murphy had started rumours about the band's near end, and on Feb. 8, 2011, on the band's website, LCD Soundsystem proclaimed that they would play their last concert in April.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

LCD Soundsystem "This Is Happening" (2010) (live)

This Is Happening (live)
release date: May 18, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,24]
producer: The DFA [ aka Tim Goldsworthy & James Murphy]
label: DFA Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Dance Yrself Clean" - 2. "Drunk Girls" - 5. "I Can Change" (live) - 6. "You Wanted a Hit" (live)

3rd studio album by LCD Soundsystem follows a well-known formula with Goldsworthy and Murphy of the band in the producer seat and with Murphy both as the most extensively credited members as well composer of most tracks. According to the credit list the band has been reduced to a quintet, but in essence it's more obvious that it has become a one-man project band as the other four members are reduced to appearances on one track [!]. Pat Mahoney, Nancy Whang and Tyler Pope are credited for drums, vocals and bass on track #7, whereas Philip Mossman simply isn't credited for any contributions. Eric Broucek and Mandy Coon seem out of the [project] band and also co-founding member and co-producer Tim Goldsworthy is only credited for his producer part. So in essence, LCD Soundsystem is James Murphy.
The style is very close to that of the predecessor, and that's both good and bad as all the influences the band play on are so wide-ranged that it's hard to just copy but that's nevertheless what comes out as: a close to a copy of Sound of Silver. The album is a mix of tracks that play on either rock- and dance punk-influences, indietronica and old-school synth pop and what could be labelled new wave.
The album was met by positive reviews and became the band's so far best selling album reaching number #10 in the US (number #1 on the Top Dance / Electronic Albums list), number #7 in the UK and #11 in Australia.
It's really not bad at all, but I don't think that it adds much new to the repertoire, and what seems "worse" is the absence of strong hit-songs. It sounds to me as an attempt to make another album they've already produced. "Dance Yrself Clean" and "I Can Change" are clearly the album's best tracks. "Drunk Girls" is a fine up-tempo track but sounds much like an Undertones replica, "All I Want" sounds too close to an indietronica version of Bowie's " 'Heroes' ", "You Wanted a Hit" starts off like a Sakamoto rip-off (but then luckily winds up on its own), and the remaining tracks sort of vanish in anonymity, imho, which ultimately makes it a bit of a bland experience.
Shortly after the album release James Murphy apparently had announced that it would probably be the last album by LCD Soundsystem, although, he later that year is said to have suggested that the band may continue as a project-band - but without being a big thing.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, NME, Spin, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, 

Highasakite "Camp Echo" (2016)

Camp Echo
release date: May 16, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Kåre Chr. Vestrheim
label: Propeller Recordings - nationality: Norway

Track highlights: 1. "My Name Is Liar" - 4. "My Mind Is a Bad Neighborhood" - 7. "Golden Ticket" - 8. "Deep Sea Diver"

3rd studio album by Norwegian quintet Highasakite following the successful 2004 album Silent Treatment.
Musically, the indie pop and synth pop band has made a further step into electropop on this, and the album was like the predecessor met by positive reviews from the Norwegian press - where the national radio channel, NRK P3 handed the album 6 out of 6 stars. The album also became the band's second consecutive release to sit safely on #1 on the national album charts.
Camp Echo is nicely produced and with much focus on harmonies and a tight electropop sound. I only wish they would dare incorporate a bit more aggressiveness and originality, 'cause it does tend to sound a wee bit anonymously and dare I say: a taste of Eurovision song contest, which I didn't hear on the predecessor, and which, imho, makes this a bit redundant.

LCD Soundsystem "Sound of Silver" (2007)

Sound of Silver
release date: Mar. 12, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: The DFA [Tim Goldsworthy & James Murphy]
label: DFA Records Japan - nationality:

Track highlights: 1. "Get Innocuous!" - 2. "Time to Get Away" - 3. "North American Scum" - 4. "Someone Great" (5 / 5) - 6. "Us V Them"

2nd full studio album by LCD Soundsystem in a Japanese edition including 3 bonus tracks.
It's really not that different from the debut album as they still make use of various influences - on the first three tracks one will hear funk and alt. dance / dance-punk pointing to a more standard rock-outing, but with the track "Someone Great" the album takes a turn towards indietronics and synth pop, which is nicely continued on "All My Friends" before returning to a funky rhythmic conglomerate of all their styles blending funk, electro-disco, synth pop and dance-punk in just one song: "Us V Them". The standard album closer "New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" is another "weird"-styled track building on a singer / songwriter tradition that makes me think of Lou Reed.
The Japanese edition of the album continues with two (much alike) remixes of the album track "North American Scum" and "Hippie Priest Bum-Out" - all of which are danceable tunes without being really memorable.
The huge blend is really not bad at all - it's highly original, though you may need to reserve time to digest this fusion of styles. It strikes me that the band re-use bits and pieces one will find in the late 1970s varying from the disco sound to more new wave- and art pop-oriented artists - from American artists like Donna Summer, Blondie, Talking Heads, Devo and The B-52's to British David Bowie, Altered Images, Human League and Gang Of Four.
Sound of Silver was met by positive reviews and nominated a Grammy Award for Best Electronic / Dance album of the year [handed to We Are the Night by The Chemical Brothers], and it's included in "1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die".
I really enjoy this album, although, I don't find it all that homogeneous, and "Someone Great" is a marvellous track.
[ allmusic.com, Spin 4,5 / 5, NME, Q, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Paul Weller "Sonik Kicks" (2012)

Sonik Kicks
release date: Mar. 26, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Paul Weller, Simon Dine
label: Universal Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "The Attic" - 6. "That Dangerous Age" - 8. "Dragonfly"

11th studio album by Paul Weller follows two years after Wake Up the Nation (Apr. 2020) is once again with producer Simon Dine but is still a bit of a new turning point. The album is Weller's first with a bold use of electronics. Sometimes the blend of pop soul and electro pop / indietronica works out fine or say sufficiently here, as on "The Attic", on "That Dangerous Age", and on "Dragonfly"; however, at other times, which actually is 'mostly', it falls flat like on "Kling I Klang", and on "Sleep of the Serene". The album fared well, sold well, topping the albums chart list in the UK. But to me, this is no less than his least appealing and his least successful solo album to date. It feels like more than a bitter pill to swallow.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Pitchfork 6,5 / 10, Mojo, 👉The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

LCD Soundsystem "Introns" (2006)

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

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

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

Cornershop "Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of" (2011)

Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of Featuring Bubbley Kaur
release date: Mar. 14, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Ample Play Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "United Provinces of India" (4 / 5) - 2. "Topknot" - 3. "The 911 Curry" - 4. "Natch" - 5. "Double Decker Eyelashes" - 6. "The Biro Pen" - 10. "Don't Shake It"

6th studio album by Cornershop released as 'Cornershop Featuring Bubbley Kaur' follows two years after Cornershop's Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast.

Where the band's previous albums have had its roots grounded in indie pop and Western popular music this one reflects a stronger move towards Indian folk and South Asian music, although, the music by Cornershop (Tjinder Singh) always reflects a huge fusion of styles with traces of neo-psychedelia. All compositions here are credited Singh and Bubbley Kaur with the latter singing in Punjabi. Apparently, Singh was introduced to Kaur, as someone without connection to the music industry but just had a beautiful singing voice. And the name 'Bubbley Kaur' was invented by Singh to protect her privacy.
Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of is a fine and quite original wrap, both paying hommage to traditional Indian folk music and simultaneously producing a new fresh sound.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Spleen United "Neanderthal" (2008)

Neanderthal
release date: Jan. 21, 2008
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]
producer: Michael Patterson and Spleen United
label: Copenhagen Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Suburbia" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "My Tribe" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Everybody Wants Revenge"

2nd studio album by Spleen United sees the band turn to a stronger indietronica style. The album starts off really promising with the two best tracks on the album and then fades out.
Again, the band really has a feel for great tunes but the album just turns out rather inconsistent, and I must admit that I found that the two best bands of the genre were Turboweekend and Veto with Spleen United appearing more international, more artsy, and in a broader perspective: more promising. However, they do not accomplish what they sat out for, and this second effort just runs out in the sand.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 5 stars ]

Spleen United "Spleen United" (2005)

Godspeed Into the Mainstream [debut]
release date: Sep. 12, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Carsten Heller
label: Copenhagen Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Heroin Unltd" - 2. "In Peak Fitness Condition" - 4. "Come on Figures" - 5. "Spleen United" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by Danish synth and indietronica band Spleen United (formed 2002, Aarhus) consisting of Bjarke Niemann on vocals and guitar, Gaute Niemann on bass and synthesizer, Kasper Nørlund on synthesizer and backing vocals, Rune Wehner on synthesizer, and Jens Kinch on drums.
I simply bought the album upon its release after listening to the promotional single Spleen United but the rest is nowhere near that making it an interesting album above the mediocre - an all-in-all promising debut. No more, no less.
In hindsight, however, this remains the band's best effort.
[ Gaffa.dk 3 / 5 stars ]

The Radio Dept. "Running Out of Love" (2016)

Running Out of Love
release date: Oct. 21, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: The Radio Dept.
label: Labrador Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Swedish Guns" - 5. "Occupied" - 6. "This Thing Was Bound to Happen" - 7. "Can't Be Guilty" - 8. "Committed to the Cause" (4 / 5) - 9. "Running Out of Love" - 10. "Teach Me to Forget"

4th studio album by The Radio Dept. is the self-produced [Tomas Bodén and Erik Möller are co-producers on track 10] follow-up to Clinging to a Scheme from 2010, which reflects a hiatus of six and half years. That's a long time in the music industry, and in the meantime the band has been reduced to a duo consisting of the two main forces of the band: Johan Duncanson and Martin Carlberg [Larsson]. Former member Daniel Tjäder plays additional keyboard on track 7 - Tjäder left the band to concentrate on the electronic- and synthpop-driven side-project, Korallreven, founded in 2009 together with Marcus Joons.

One of the most talked about reasons for the long hiatus is one of conflicting interests as the band made a law-suit against the record label, Labrador. In an interview with Canadian media Exclaim! Johan Duncanson explains the battle with the record label [ read here ] - a case the band officially lost, but which ultimately resulted in a renewal and better contract with Labrador.

Needless to say, the time span since the last album and the reduction in band members has resulted in a new style on "Running Out of Love". It still sounds like The Radio Dept., but the previous ever-presence of a noise pop element is basically gone, and also the dream pop style has been reduced or re-shaped into synthpop with indietronica elements. Former albums by the band were always founded on guitar, bass and drums - this is electronically created although, bass and drums play a central part. Some critics call it their New Order-creation. Yes, it certainly has lots of similarities with the synthpop and alt. dance universe, but I find it much more original than just that. Apart from a change of style the album also reveals the band as highly politically conscient, and... "It’s an album about all the things that are moving in the wrong direction", as the band puts it.

Fans will be looking in vain for what they know as The Radio Dept. but this is a band in transition, or: time is another, and Duncanson and Carlberg still have much to offer.

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

Bloc Party "Hymns" (2016)

Hymns
release date: Jan. 29, 2016
format: cd (LTD.)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tim Bran and Roy Kerr
label: Infectious Music - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Love Within" - 2. "Only He Can Heal Me" (live) - 5. "Fortress" - 6. "Different Drugs" - 7. "Into the Earth" (4 / 5) (live) - 8. "My True Name" - 9. "Virtue" - 10. "Exes"

5th full-length studio album by London-founded Bloc Party is the band's first album in 3½ years and it has been made with a new producer-duo of Bran / Kerr, who are both associated with the dance scene. Four from 2012 (also released after a long hiatus) was the last album in the original formation. Since then, drummer Matt Tong left the band in 2013 and in early 2015 also bassist Gordon Moakes left the band, which for a short time was reduced to a duo consisting only of singer Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack, who went on to record this album using drum programming and with performances by studio musicians. After recording the album, however, the band announced its new line-up after recording the album in Aug. 2015 with the addition of two new members: American bassist (and multi-instrumentalist) Justin Harris, who also plays bass on the album as session musician, and British drummer Louise Bartle, who was only 21 when she joined the band.
The Limited Deluxe Edition contains an additional four tracks.
More than three years means a lot of change - especially if one considers how this band has always been altering its sound in a matter of months. My initial verdict - well, never mind that 'cause I already knew it would take more than one listen with a new Bloc Party album. Let's just say, I wasn't overwhelmed, but, and that's really the bottom line: it's way better than my initial verdict told me. Stylistically, it's hard to pin out, but to narrow things in, it's indietronica, synth pop and alt. dance-like, but what's really new is that it's also neo-soul. Drums and guitars have been reduced considerably. It seems evident that Lissack and Kele have rehearsed on synths to make a more electronic-sounding album than ever before, and in a way it does share similarities with Kele's solo works - e.g. his fine full-length solo Boxer from 2010. Having said that, it still comes out as a more laid back album with focus on songwriting. Lissacks roaring guitar is gone - here it's mostly rhythm guitar and basic drum- and bass-lines with synths and keyboards supporting Kele's songs. Despite not reaching the level of the predecessor, it's still a worthwhile and fine album.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Q Magazine 3 / 5, NME, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Don't quite agree but... 👉[ Bloc Party – all the albums ranked, worst to best (NME) ]

LCD Soundsystem "LCD Soundsystem" (2005)

LCD Soundsystem [debut]
release date: Jan. 24, 2005
format: cd (2 cd)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: The DFA [Tim Goldsworthy & James Murphy]
label: DFA, Columbia - nationality: USA

Track highlights: Disc 1: 1. "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" (4 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 2. "Too Much Love" - 3. "Tribulations" - 6. "On Repeat" - 7. "Thrills" - 8. "Disco Infiltrator" - - Disc 2: 1. "Losing My Edge" - 7. "Yr City's a Sucker (Full Version)"

Full-length studio album debut by LCD Soundsystem after having released a number of singles and the self-titled ep LCD Soundsystem in 2004 where one will find all 4 tracks on this album (tracks #1, #3, #6 & #8). The album was released both as a 2-disc album as well as an ordinary 1-disc album with the tracks #1-9 on DFA Records - founded by British musician and producer Tim Goldsworthy with American dj and musician James Murphy together with manager Jonathan Galkin. Together the two are producer-unit The DFA ('Death From Above').
LCD Soundsystem is a mere musical collective consisting of 7 individuals with songwriter James Murphy at its centre. As it simply states on the back cover info of the album: "most sounds": James Murphy [and] "other sounds": Tim Goldsworthy, Eric Broucek, Tyler Pope, Nancy Whang, Patrick Mahoney, Mandy Coon [the remainders].
Musically, it's clearly built on electronic but there's bold use of classic rock instruments like ordinary electric guitar, bass, keyboard and drums, or: it really depends on the individual tracks. "Movement" and "Never as Tired as When I'm Waking Up" are indie rock, alt. rock tracks, but the majority of the tracks are more indietronica-founded with various elements from synthpop and alt. dance, and there are clear funk-elements on most tracks. At times I find that the music by LCD Soundsystem sounds much like a combo of Talking Heads and B-52's in updated versions, at other times more like Devo, Depeche Mode or Gang of Four with the addition of funky and / or electronic bits, and then it also strikes me to build on (primarily) British electronic music exemplified by The Chemical Brothers and Underworld, but nevertheless, in an original blend.
It's a quite dance-oriented album and it harvested broad critical acclaim as well as a number of nominations including the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Electronic / Dance Album.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q, Rolling Stone, NME 4 / 5, Blender, Uncut 5 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast" (2009)

Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast
release date: Jul. 27, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Ample Play Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Who Fingered Rock 'n' Roll" - 2. "Soul School" (4 / 5) - 4. "Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast" (live) - 6. "Free Love" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "The Roll Off Characteristics (Of History in the Making)" - 8. "Operation Push" - 9. "The Mighty Quinn" - 10. "The Constant Springs"

5th studio album by Cornershop released seven years since the most recent studio album Handcream for a Generation (Apr. 2002). Apparently, the band was dissatisfied with their label Wiiija in terms of promoting the previous album, and they went on a hiatus focusing on issuing new music and meanwhile formed their own record label, Ample Play Records for future releases.

Stylistically, it doesn't seem like seven years 'cause these two albums actually seem closer to each other than any other two albums I can think of by Cornershop. As was the case with the 2002 album this is with focus on a unique fusion of styles - in fact, I find that this sounds much like a big mix of the band's best selling album from '97 When I Was Born for the 7th Time and their fourth album in the way that the indietronica has been put slightly more in the background allowing more focus on sheer melody structure. Aside from the usual elements of soul and funk in a playful mix with British britpop the album also contains elements from glam rock. As always, Tjinder Singh is credited as songwriter of all songs except from a warm and fine cover of Dylan's "The Mighty Quinn".
The album kicks off with two strong tracks but my favourite here is the indietronica-shaped: "Free Love", which is nothing more than an absolute amazing progressive composition playing with lyrics in both English and Punjabi - like a modernised version of "6 a.m. Jullandar Shere" without plagiarising their own hit.
Imho, this is no less than the so far best album by Cornershop.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, The Observer 3 / 5, Daily Mirror, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "Handcream for a Generation" (2002)

Handcream for a Generation
release date: Apr. 1, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Staging the Plaguing of the Raised Platform" (live on Later) - 3. "Music Plus 1" - 4. "Lessons Learned from Rocky I to Rocky III" - 6. "Motion the 11" - 10. "Spectral Mornings"

4th studio album by Cornershop follows 4½ years after the acclaimed When I Was Born for the 7th Time (1997) is the band's final album on the Wiiija label. With this the band introduces a sound built more on indietronica, electronica with a bolder use of samling combined with the usual blend of indie rock and South Asian Music with a stronger dance appeal. Guitarist Noel Gallagher and bassist Guigsy [aka Paul Francis McGuigan] both of Oasis make guest appearances on two different tracks (#10 and #4 respectively).
For some time I found this poor or mediocre, and of little interest compared to the break-through album When I Was Born for the 7th Time, which preceded this, but it's more than just Okay, actually. With Cornershop one must realise that Tjinder Singh and Ben Ayres, the two founding members, always have sought to move on and to create new music - including new mixtures of sound. The change of style on this album comes out as a more big beat / house-inspired sound - I hear Chemical Brothers and or Underworld in tracks like "Music plus 1" and "Spectral Mornings" but also classic disco inspiration, which only adds to the band's soundscape. Cornershop already represents a huge blend of funk, soul, reggae, and rock - mostly garage-inspired rock. It's Western popular music on one side and Asian-inspired folk on the other with a fusion of Indian folk / Punjabi folk music.

Handcream for a Generation may require more than a few listens to sink in. At least it took me some time to fully understand that it's much better than my initial verdict told me. I really enjoy it and have come to think of it as one of the band's better albums.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "When I Was Born for the 7th Time" (1997)

When I Was Born for the 7th Time
release date: Sep. 8, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Sleep on the Left Side" - 2. "Brimful of Asha" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 3. "Butter the Soul" - 5. "We're in Yr Corner" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 6. "Funky Days Are Back Again" - 10. "Good Shit" - 11. "Good to Be on the Road Back Home" - 13. "Candyman" - 15. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"

3rd studio album by Cornershop released two years after Woman's Gotta Have It (Oct. 1995) is a move towards mainstream pop / rock with more scratching, sampling and over-dubs. The production is made by Tjinder Singh with assistance of Dan the Automator (aka hip hop producer Daniel M. Nakamura) and 'Daddy Rappaport'.
This was the first album I bought with the band shortly after attending a concert with Tindersticks having Cornershop as warm-up act. The album rocketed the band up on international album charts. The hit-single "A Brimful of Asha" is fine - tiresome in the long run, though - it was, however, the song "We're in Yr Corner" that completely blew me away at the concert. It's great on the album, but the live version included earthquake drum & bass backing, which was like... nothing I've ever heard before or since then. Almost all tracks are once again credited to front man Tjinder Singh. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Select 4 / 5 stars ]

alt. cover (North American
issue on Luaka Bop)

Turboweekend "Share My Thunder" (2015)

Share My Thunder
release date: Mar. 30, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Turboweekend
label: Parlophone Denmark / Warner - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Asking for More" - 2. "Disco to Disco" - 4. "Levitate" - 5. "Miles and Miles" (4 / 5) - 7. "Another Woman's Man" - 10. "Good Luck in Barcelona" - 11. "Share My Thunder" (4,5 / 5)

4th and final full studio album by Turboweekend, who keep to their indietronica style. It's strange how their albums have always opened up gradually from what I found just okay to much better over a period of time. I bought the album upon its release and likewise, this was just so-so the first time, but already more interesting the second and third time, and after three months it has shown its potential. That's just how it is with some music. I think, I have to wait some more months to digest it and eventually rate it fully. By now I find it better and really good, but will it be great? Anyway, it betters most other national releases and as such it's my favourite Danish album of the year, and although, it's only just bettering the 2009 album Ghost of a Chance, I don't quite find that it's up there with the band's so far best album Fault Lines from 2012. My favourite composition is the end-track "Share My Thunder" with a very special template. With a running time at 8:57 it's easily the longest track. It contains both fine chorus parts as well as being a strong experimental progressive pop / rock anthem with hints from post-rock, AND it also consists of two rather different halves, which works brilliantly. I have played it over and over - each time ending with a sensation of surprise as to how short it felt. To me, this is the song of the album, and what a single it could have been!
EDIT 2019:
In January 2017 the band released the live album Close-Up - only as a downloadable album, and apparently, they had been recording tracks for a new album throughout 2017 when they in Feb. 2018 announced that the upcoming tour instead would be their farewell tour, and by the end of 2018 Turboweekend ceased to exist.