Lotte Kestner "At My Most Beautiful" (2023) (single)

At My Most Beautiful, single

release date: Aug. 4, 2023

format: digital (1 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: self-produced

label: self-released (bandcamp) - nationality: USA

Tracklist: "At My Most Beautiful (R.E.M. cover"

Single release and second consecutive R.E.M. cover from Lotte Kestner made available through her bandcamp-profile following the release of the single "Walk Unfraid" (May 2023).

Again, Kestner covers an R.E.M. favourite [the original] from the album Up (1998) and she does that with appropriate conviction. The song remains but heavily rearranged to fit Kestner's lo-fi production and a simple and serene expression. A prediction regarding her next covers relase is likely to feature a handful of covers of the great Athens-band.

Lotte Kestner "Walk Unfraid" (2023) (single)

Walk Unafraid, single

release date: May 30, 2023

format: digital (1 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: self-produced

label: self-released (bandcamp) - nationality: USA

Tracklist: "Walk Unfraid (R.E.M. cover)"

Single release by Lotte Kestner released via the artist's bandcamp-profile in support of #bravehood ('a community of many supporting children in emergency situations').

The original is taken from the R.E.M. album Up (1998), and the song is one of my personal all-time favourites by the great band from Athens, Georgia. Kestner is famous for making cover versions, and this one is a highly remarkable and original version by being a lo-fi stripped-down song but also a multi-layered track by the way she has made use of several tracks in the mixing of the recording - to some extent in an unusual manner in the case of Kestner covers that are often quite simple arrangements. That alone makes it a most interesting version, as she has made lots of covers using only guitar with vocal, or piano with vocal, but to hear how she maintains a minimalist expression while turning up on the arrangement-button is something new and a most welcome introduction to her soundscape.

Lotte Kestner "Stolen" (2011)

Stolen

release date: Jun. 1, 2011

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: self-produced

label: self-released - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Flume" - 5. "Hur jag fick dig att älska mig" - 6. "Fake Empire" - 8. "Let's Go to Bed" - 11. "True Faith"

3rd studio album by Lotte Kestner (aka Anna-Lynne Williams) is often mentioned as her sophomore album to China Mountain (May 2008), but she released China Mountain B-sides in 2009, although, the album is no longer filed on her bandcamp-profile; however, it's been out, and it's now a part of her discography.

Stolen is Kestner's first official covers album, and there's a few. The album is lo-fi, indie folk - and propably recorded by Williams without the use of overdubs and practical editing of tracks. In that regard it's quite coherent, although the original songs stem from very different sources and represent a rather wide stylistic span. You only have to mention some of the artists: Damien Jurado, Bon Iver, Kent, The National, Eels, The Cure, New Order, Interpol. And she even sings in Swedish when covering Kent!

The album nicely 'covers' Kestner's musical universe. It's melancholic and quiet lo-fi folk, where you sense the inspiration from the gloomy side of the post-punk influence but there's something uplifting in Kestner's airy / ethereal vocal.

Cat Power "The Covers Record" (2000)

The Covers Record

release date: Mar. 21, 2000

format: digital (12 x File, MP3)

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

producer: non-produced

label: Matador - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - 7. "I Found a Reason" - 12. "Sea of Love"

5th studio album by Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall [pronounced 'shawn], aka Charlyn Marie Marshall) following 1½ years after the album Moon Pix (1998), which is cited by many as her first significant studio album.

The Covers Records is, to no surprise, a collection of covers by many diverse artists. You'll find tracks by famous artists such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and the Velvet Underground, tracks made famous by Nina Simone and Mae West, and there are tracks by (to most) more unknown names such as Phil Phillips, Papa Charlie Jackson, and Michael Hurley. There's also room for a reinterpretation of Cat Power's own track "In This Hole", previously released on What Would the Community Think, Power's third album and Marshall's first on Matador released in '96 while Power was still associated with the name of Chan Marshall's band, although in practice she had already gone solo here.

The album is entirely acoustic and stripped down to a minimal of instrumentation and most probably also recorded on a single recording track with only Chan Marshall singing and playing guitar. On some tracks, it's her piano that is only accompaniment, and only on "Salty Dog" the participation of guitarist Matt Sweeney is heard. Typically, for Cat Power, no producer is indicated on the album, and in this case it's probably only sound engineers who have set up microphones and then started and finished the recording.

It's restrained to lo-fi regardless the original arrangements and therefore most tracks fall quite far from their original expression. It's Chan Marshall solo, and it's heartfelt, but maybe also a bit one-sided - at least for my liking. The album garnered some good reviews, but it's not among my favourites. Admittedly, Marshall has an insistent melodic vocal and sings with great emotion, making all the songs her own. For me, the problem is that the tracks slide (too much) into each other and end up sounding one-stringed, and she's just not an instrumentalist virtouso or (for that matter) a singer with a big register. If you're not familiar with Cat Power, I will recommend listening to her predecessor, Moon Pix or the successor You Are Free (2003), which may be regarded as her commercial breakthrough.

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

Julian Cope "The Skellington Chronicles" (1993)

The Skellington Chronicles

release date: Jun. 1993

format: digital

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,26]

producer: Julian Cope

label: Ma-Gog - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: [see Skellington 1] [from Skellington 2] 13. "Electrical Stormgirl" - 16. "I've Got My T.V. & My Pills" - 25. "London Underground"

9th studio album by Julian Cope chronologically following Jehovakill (Oct. '92) with certain reservations, as the album here contains the entire original lo-fi album Skellington from '89 in its original version and in addition to that, the continuation Skellington 2 or: Skellington 2: He's Back... and This Time It's Personal! All 25 tracks are contained on a single CD with a total playing time of just over 71 minutes. As the first part, Skellington 2 was also recorded over just two days and here released on Cope's own company Ma-Gog. However, the most recent release with Cope is the album Rite (Feb. '93), credited Cope & Donald Ross Skinner.

Musically, it's 'just' more of the same - mainly Cope alone accompanied by acoustic guitar and with contributions from Donald Ross Skinner and Mark 'Rooster' Cosby in a mix of folk rock and psychedelic folk with tracks of varying length - however, half of the songs are just under two minutes.

The album was re-released in '99 on Cope's label, the former Ma-Gog Records, now Head Heritage, under the name Ye Skellington Chronicles [except one track of more than 8 minutes with a slightly different style containing more distinct krautrock and space rock, and instead added a newer live track and an uncredited version of "Trampolene"]. In 2018, Skellington 3 followed ('only' with twelve new tracks) with the subtitle "The All-New 21st Century Adventures of Skellington" as the provisional end of the Skellington series.

The album serves as an example of Cope's idea of creating music in the moment as flowing ideas and musical improvs - which you will also find on Rite - but it is rather far from contemporary albums like Jehovakill (1992) and Autogeddon (1994). The second part of the "Skellington" series is, albeit recorded in the same spirit, an even more experimental continuation, which probably appeals more to hardcore fans.

This album can't be recommended as a start, but it contains quite fine moments.

Skellington 2: He's Back...

The Radio Dept. "Lesser Matters" (2003)

Lesser Matters [debut]
release date: Feb. 24, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Johan Duncanson, Martin Larsson
label: Labrador - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Where Damage Isn't Already Done" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Keen on Boys" - 4. "Why Won't You Talk About It?" (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "It's Been Eight Years" - 6. "Bus" - 7. "Slottet #2" - 9. "Against the Tide" - 13. "Lost and Found"
[ full album ]

Studio album debut by Swedish band The Radio Dept. released on Labrador Records and produced by Johan Duncanson and Martin Larsson of the band. At this early point of their career the band consists of the band's main songwriter Johan Duncansson on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards, Martin Larsson also on vocals, guitar and keyboards, Lisa Carlberg on bass and piano, and with Per Blomgren on drums. The majority of the tracks are written solely by Johansson, excluding three tracks co-written with Larsson, and the two also produced the album.
The style is indie pop / dream pop with traces of noise pop and with inspiration from bands like Felt and My Bloody Valentine. The album's release was almost unnoticed but has gained much recognition in the aftermath. On this their first attempt, the sound is somewhat unpolished, intentionally demo-like lo-fi with heavy reverb and distortion on both guitar and vocal. Several tracks stand out but it's also their most incoherent album as tracks point in various directions making it more of a sketching of greatness.
Recommended as the band's second best album, imho.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, NME, Drowned in Sound 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Radio Dept. "Annie Laurie" (2002) (ep)

Annie Laurie, ep
release date: Dec. 2002
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Johan Duncanson, Martin Larsson
label: Slottet Recordings - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "Annie Laurie" - 2. "Bad Reputation (Rugar Mix)" - 3. "Falafel" - 4. "Tåget"

Early CDr ep issued in a limited number released by The Radio Dept.'s own label, Slottet Recordings prior to signing with Labrador. For these recordings the band is only represented by the two guitarists, Duncanson and Larsson, and compared to the first ep these tracks are more experimental recordings written by Duncanson and Larsson (except track #1, written by Robert Burns), and all are solely played by Duncansson.
The digital mp3s have been made free for download on the band's official site.
The tracks are quite interesting in their own rights without being truly great.
More on the release here.

The Radio Dept. "Against the Tide" (2000) (ep)

Against the Tide, ep
release date: 2000 / 2002
format: digital (2002)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Johan Duncanson and Martin Larsson
label: Slottet Recordings - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "Against the Tide" - 2. "Liebling" - 3. "Why Won't You Talk About It?" (4 / 5) - 4. "We Would Fall Against the Tide"

First ep release by Swedish band The Radio Dept., originally released as a demo in 2000 and later in 2002 pressed and released on 7'' vinyl.
The first formation of the band goes back to 1995 when vocalist Elin Almered and guitarist Johan Duncanson started playing together as a teenage project. The two soon split but around '98, guitarist Martin Larsson (aka Martin Carlberg) and Johan Duncanson started playing together under the band name, and in autumn 2001 they were joined by bassist Lisa Carlberg and drummer Per Blomgren - and this four-piece was later expanded to a quintet by keyboardist Daniel Tjäder.
Both track #1 and #3 are also found on the debut album, Lesser Matters from 2003, and #2 and #4 are included on the compilation album Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010 (2011).
Despite being self-recorded and self-produced 'lo-fi' compositions the potential is truly remarkable.

Bleached "Ride Your Heart" (2013)

Ride Your Heart [debut]
release date: Apr. 2, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Rob Barbato
label: Dead Oceans - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Next Stop" (3 / 5) (live on KEXP) - 3. "Outta My Mind" - 4. "Dead in Your Head" (live on KEXP) - 5. "Dreaming Without You" - 7. "Love Spells" (3 / 5) (live on KEXP) - 8. "Searching Through the Past" (live on KEXP) - 11. "Guy Like You"

Studio debut album by Bleached, a duo consisting of the two sisters Jennifer and Jessie (aka Jessica) [birth name] Clavin (both former Mika Miko members). Jennifer plays guitar, percussion, piano, and handles vocals, and Jessie plays bass, guitar, lap steel guitar, percussion, and also vocals. Only other musicians on the album are Dan Allaire on drums and Will Canzoneri on clarinet and organ.

Initially, I thought this wasn't interesting at all, but really, it is! It's lo-fi, indie pop, or just: garage rock revival somewhere between Alabama Shakes, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Pixies with a nice touch of '70s Blondie. It's downright dirty, like 'garage rock' has to be, but it's also harmonic, refreshingly simple, and in a positive sense: quite easily digested, which also makes me think of a slower up-to-date version of The Ramones.

(live performance at KEXP)

PJ Harvey "4 Track Demos" (1993)

4-Track Demos
release date: Oct. 19, 1993
format: cd / vinyl (2020 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: PJ Harvey
label Island Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Rid of Me" - 2. "Legs" - 3. "Reeling" - 5. "Hook" - 6. "50 Ft. Queenie" - 9. "Hardly Wait" - 10. "Rub 'Til It Bleeds" - 13. "Yuri-G"

3rd full album by PJ Harvey released 5 months after her successful follow-up studio album Rid of Me (May '93) is released through Island Records and produced by PJ Harvey. The album features 14 tracks of Harvey's own lo-fi '4-Track Demo' recordings made in her home from 1991 to '92, eight of which had their full studio versions on Rid of Me, whereas the rest remain otherwise unreleased.
The album is a fine document of Harvey's own musical skills and her taste for the raw and unpolished style.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Modest Mouse "This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About" (1996)

This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About [debut]
release date: Apr. 16, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Steve Wold
label: Up Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Dramamine" (4 / 5) - 2. "Breakthrough" - 3. "Custom Concern" - 7. "She Ionizes & Atomizes" - 12. "Ohio" - 13. "Exit Does Not Exist"

Studio album debut by Seattle-suburban trio Modest Mouse consisting of primary composer, vocalist and guitarist Isaac Brock, bassist Eric Judy and drummer Jeremiah Green.
The style is alt. rock and indie rock with strong bonds to artists like Pixies, The Breeders, Pavement and XTC, I think.
The album release was pretty much unnoticed but it has found its way to some critical acclaim in the aftermath and after the band experienced much greater success. It has a considerably long playing time with its sixteen tracks and a total running time of more than 76 minutes.
I have only come across the album after having found the band's fourth studio album Good News for People Who Love Bad News from 2004, but the '96 album doesn't move me to consider it other than a first rough draft, which seems obscured by the intention to release everything as is. It is; however, a collection of highly original pieces.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Tracey Thorn "A Distant Shore" (1982)

A Distant Shore [debut]
release date: Aug. 1982
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Pat Bermingham [recorded by]
label: Cherry Red Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Small Town Girl" - 2. "Simply Couldn't Care" - 4. "Femme Fatale" - 5. "Dreamy" - 7. "New Opened Eyes" - 8. "Too Happy"

Studio solo debut album by former Marine Girls vocalist, guitarist and composer Tracey Thorn is a relatively short album counting 8 compositions and a total running time at only 23 mins. All songs except the Velvet Underground cover "Femme Fatale" (by Lou Reed) are written by Thorn, and the arrangements are stripped down to Thorn singing on top of her strumming acoustic guitar all recorded as is by Pat Bermingham, who also produced the debut Beach Party by Marine Girls.
Stylistically, it follows closely in the patterns played by Marine Girls and it also forecasts the later works by Everything but the Girl. It's far from the early 1980s post-punk agenda, and it comes out as something completely on its own terms - far from contemporary genres and styles and just is plain folk pop and singer / songwriter compositions in minimal outing.
It's a quite pleasant collection of tunes albeit staying much on the same path. Thorn's singing capabilities makes it all worth and shines through an ever-present melancholy like sun-spots in a summer's rain. "Femme Fatale" is great with Nico but this version is even stronger.
The front cover art work is btw credited band member Jane Fox of Marine Girls.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Marine Girls "Beach Party" (1981)

Beach Party [debut]

release date: 1981

format: digital (16 x File, MP3) (1987 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: Pat Bermingham

label: Cherry Red Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "In Love" - 7. "All Dressed Up" - 8. "Honey" - 10. "He Got the Girl" - 11. "Day / Night Dreams" - 14. "Dishonesty" - 16. "Marine Girls"

Studio album debut by Marine Girls founded in 1980 by Tracey Thorn on guitar and vocals, and with Gina Hartman on percussion and vocals. Later in 1980 Jane Fox was included on bass, and before actually recording this they were expanded to a quartet with the inclusion of Jane's sister, Alice sharing credits with Hartman. Prior to this album the quartet recorded 12 songs, which was self-released on cassette as A Day by the Sea (released early '81). Beach Party contains half of these early songs and although it was recorded with a producer, it was alledgedly recorded in a shed, and subsequently it was also released on cassette only, now by In Phaze Records. Later that year it found its way to vinyl via Whaam! Records, and from '87 the album was re-issued on Cherry Red who also released the album on CD for the Japanese market only in 2006. The album counts no less than 16 tracks but only runs for 29 minutes as most of the songs are shorter than 2 minutes in playing time - the longest sonmg, track #15 goes for 2:24 minutes! Thorn is credited eleven songs, Jane Fox four, and the remainder (track #9) is co-written by Thorn and Fox.

Stylewise, this was really something else back in '81. At the time people would see this as a natural part of the post-punk movement, which in a way it really was 'cause artists sought new ways of expression, but on the other hand this was indie pop and lo-fi with bonds to folk, which was a bit far from what was normally accepted, but the strong lo-fi sound probably secured it a spot.

Already here Thorn demonstrates some of her strong vocal qualities, but really: the whole album is a diamond in the rough from another time, which paved way for new styles such as jangle-pop, jazz pop, and eventually also sophisti-pop.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]