Lush "Split" (1994)

vinyl cover

Split
release date: Jun. 13, 1994
format: vinyl (CAD 4011) / cd (Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,90]
producer: Mike Hedges and Lush
label: 4AD Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Light from a Dead Star" - 2. "Kiss Chase" (4 / 5) - 3. "Blackout" - 4. "Hypocrite" (live) - 5. "Lovelife" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Desire Lines" - 7. "The Invisible Man" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Undertow" - 2. "Never-Never" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Lit Up" (5 / 5) (live) - 4. "Starlust"

2nd studio album by English, London-founded band Lush. This is just another great album released in 1994, and it's just outside my personal top-10 favourites. The debut release Gala (Nov. 1990) compiles the band's first releases, a single and two eps. It's dark and promising shoegaze and the follow-up, which is the actual full-length studio debut Spooky (Jan. 1992) turned out as what seemed more like an unfinished Robin Guthrie-project.
Split has a fine balance between dream pop and indie pop, and it both comes with long progressive dreamy sounds as well as more direct almost power pop energetic tracks, all kept together by the same touch. The front duo is made up of Emma Anderson and Miki Berenyi who are both doing lead vocals and play guitars, with Phil King playing bass, and Chris Acland handling drums. The album is produced by Mike Hedges, who used to work with post-punk and gothic rock bands like The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Bauhaus but also with more synth pop and new romantic bands like Associates, Thomas Dolby and that seems like a better choice than Guthrie's strong production signature of dream pop reminding me of album productions for This Mortail Coil and his former main band Cocteau Twins. After this, Lush released its perhaps least interesting album, Lovelife (1996), which indicated a change in style towards more indistinct britpop, and then the band's career came to a devastating end by drummer Chris Acland's tragic suicide in '96 and the remaining members then decided to call it a day. Berenyi featured on a few releases and then changed career, Emma Anderson continued in the duo-band Sing-Sing, and King appears to have chosen a way out of the backdoor of the business; however, and although being the band's lowest charting album, Split is a mighty fine album, and it stands as this band's most coherent and best effort, imho. The cd issue comes in a 2-disc Deluxe Edition with a 3-track bonus disc.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 ]

[ collectors' item - 1st pressing in NM condition from ~ €120,- ]

cd issue

Gangway "Optimism©" (1994)

Optimism©
release date: Apr. 14, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Henrik Balling, Illinton
label: Genlyd / BMG - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Endings" - 2. "Everything Seems to Go My Way" - 6. "A Million Words"

6th studio album by Gangway again following 1½ years after ther most recent studio album, Happy Ever After (Sep. '92). This time the album has been produced by main songwriter Henrik Balling together with Illinton [aka Lasse Mosegard] also credited bass programming. The title is actually the word "Optimism" followed by the letter 'G' in brackets as a variation of the copyright symbol [©] - cleverly referrencing 'Gangway'. For once, the band has managed to stay with the same label. Much as was the case with the '92 album Henrik Balling has composed the majority of the songs and (again) with Torben Johansen as songwriter of three compositions (tracks #6, #9, and #11), and with vocalist Allan Jensen as songwriter of track #4 (his first song on an album by Gangway). The band line-up remains unchanged but musically changes are evident. The sound is with a stronger emphasis on electronics without sounding like a follow-up to their '91 album. Now the style is closer to something in between New Order and Pet Shop Boys with a certain disco-feel, and Jesper Siberg (from Scatterbrain) is for the third consecutive album credited 'sound design'. It's still mostly primarily synth-pop with bits of sophisti-pop with an uptempo and danceable touch making it sound like a half-felt attempt to go in a dance club direction - perhaps inspired by Everything but the Girl?

It's an album practically without memorable tracks and I find it a new low point (not counting the British '88 re-release of Sitting in the Park) and their easily so far least favourable album.

Not recommended.

Cornershop "Woman's Gotta Have It" (1995)

Woman's Gotta Have It
release date: Oct. 24, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "6 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4,5 / 5) (single version) - 2. "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu" - 3. "Roof Rack" - 4. "My Dancing Days Are Done" - 7. "Wog" - 9. "Looking for a Way In" - 10. "7:20 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Cornershop following nearly two years after Hold On It Hurts (Dec.? 1993) is with songwiter and primary vocalist Tjinder Singh as producer.
With this, the band introduces an original style associated with the band on future albums, which is a huge mix of influences. It's a blend of South Asian folk / Indian folk, indie pop, alt. dance, funk and soul with bits of electronic - mostly sampling. It's also evident that the initial inspiration from alt. rock, noise rock and post-punk-influences are heavily reduced, or no longer present. The band remains a sextet but the line-up has changed as drummer Nick Simms has replaced David Chambers. At times, as e.g. on "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu", the band reveals a bond to the 'baggy / madchester' style with traits that ressemble the fusion-style of Happy Mondays.
All tracks are now written and composed by vocalist and bassist Tjinder Singh. The opening track, which is found in an alternate version at the end, is a modern classic.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

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US cover

Mew "+ -" (2015)

+ -
release date: Apr. 27, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: Michael Beinhorn & Mew
label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Satellites" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Witness" (4 / 5) - 3. "The Night Believer" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Making Friends" - 5. "Clinging to a Bad Dream" - 6. "My Complications" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Water Slides" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Interview the Girls" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "Rows" (3,5 / 5) - 10. "Cross the River on Your Own"
[ live on KEXP ]

6th studio album by Mew is a fine return to more dream pop founded compositions. Founding member bassist Johan Wohlert has now rejoined the band. Once again the band has teamed up with Michael Beinhorn and the result is a more focused album with much less focus on progressive and / or experimental. "My Complications" feature Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack making it sound like a perfect blend of the two bands. Instead of using the same formula as on the band's last two albums, this is both a tighter recipe compared to the band's 2010 album but it's also lighter than the heavy (Beinhorn) production sound on the 2005 release. The first single track "Satellites" is a glorious and typical Mew composition in the most positive sense. In fact, I find that it's among the band's top 3 albums. It's one of the top 10 albums of 2015, imho.
After the release of the album founding member and guitarist of the band, Bo Madsen left Mew.
[ allmusic.com, musicOMH 4 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The Jezabels "The Man Is Dead" (2009) (ep)

The Man Is Dead, ep
release date: Feb. 7, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Disco Biscuit Love" - 2. "Be a Star" (2,5 / 5) - 3. "Electric Lover" (3 / 5) - 4. "Old Little Girls" (2,5 / 5) - 5. "Unmarked Helicopters" (2,5 / 5)

Album debut by Australian indie pop, dream pop band The Jezabels is a 5-track ep. The band consists of Hayley Mary on vocals, Sam Lockwood on guitar, Nik Kaloper on drums, and with Heather Shannon on keyboards. This is an uneven but promising debut, I think. Funny how the title track isn't on the ep, but appears as a track on the band's second ep She's so Hard (2009).

The Pogues "The Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary Concert at the Olympia" (2012) (live)

The Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary Concert at the Olympia (live)
release date: 2012
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

[ playlist ]

2-disc live album by The Pogues for this occasion consisting of Andrew Ranken, Darryl Hunt, James Fearnley, Jem Finer, Philip Chevron, Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy, and Terry Woods. It's nice to hear the old guys play together again, playing some of their finest songs but it's also rather evident that Shane MacGowan hasn't put the alcohol behind him. The album has been released as a triple lp, a double cd, and various releases with a dvd-disc of the concert. I really don't know how to rate this. It's nice to hear and see them play but Shane's performance... - he's a legendary singer and composer, his name will live on, but seeing and listening to his singing is almost pathetic.

Roxy Music "Manifesto" (1979)

Manifesto
release date: Mar. 1, 1979
format: vinyl (reissue) / cd (2015 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Roxy Music
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 2. "Trash" - 3. "Angel Eyes" - 4. "Still Falls the Rain" - 5. "Stronger Through the Years" - - B) 1. "Ain't That So" - 3. "Dance Away" - 4. "Spin Me Round"

6th studio album by Roxy Music originally released by E.G. in the UK, Polydor in Europe and by Atco Records for the North American market. The album is the band's first after having reunited in '78 and after a period where Bryan Ferry released three solo albums. Manifesto follows the release of the band's fifth: Siren from 1975 after which Ferry released three solo albums Let's Stick Together (1976), In Your Mind (1977), and The Bride Stripped Bare (1978). The band credited on Manifesto are reduced to four members: Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, and Paul Thompson - the latter left the band in 1980.
Musically, the band has taken a bolder move with a stronger dancefloor appeal by including elements from a world of disco and funk. Critics weren't exactly overwhelmed by the new Roxy Music; however, the album performed more than well, peaking at number #7 in the UK and reaching number #23 in the US - their best-ever charting album on the Billboard 200.
In retrospect, I have come to think of it as one of the band's better albums, and I guess the big difference is when, and for what reasons, you fell for this band's music. Personally, I didn't really know of the period before this, which I only discovered after falling for this, the successor Flesh + Blood (May 1980), and their grand finale: Avalon (May 1982), and imho, those three albums represent the band's peak period but I'm perfectly aware that lots of fans see it in a different light, and that some of these feel that the 'real' and best version of this band include Brian Eno, who only participated on its first two albums.
Imo, this is classic Roxy Music and a most recommended album.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 7,5 / 10, Smash Hits 4 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "MTV Unplugged" (1993) (live)

MTV Unplugged (live)
release date: Oct. 26, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Paul Fox
label: Elektra - nationality: USA

Final album release by 10,000 Maniacs featuring Nathalie Merchant is a live album of a recording made in the Spring '93. It contains acoustic versions of material from the years 1987-1992 with a majority of seven tracks taken from the most recent album Our Time in Eden (Sep. 1992), only two from Blind Man's Zoo (May 1989), and four tracks from In My Tribe (Jul. 1987), which makes a total of 13 out of the 14-tracklist - the last being a cover version of "Because the Night" (written by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen, and first recorded by Patti Smith and appearing on her album Easter from 1978).
The album is mighty fine, and both the band and Merchant all perform very well, but it never really seem as an essential release. Nathalie Merchant initiated her long solo career after the album release and was substituted by Mary Ramsey.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Thåström "Mannen som blev en gris" (2002)

Mannen som blev en gris
release date: Apr. 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Thåström, Micke Herrström, Henryk Lipp
label: Mistlur Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Släpp aldrig in dom" (live) - 2. "Ungefär så här..." - 4. "Ännu mera gift" - 6. "Bara när jag blundar" - 9. "Så kall så het" - 10. "Aldrig nånsin komma ner"

4th studio solo album by (Joakim) Thåström is almost as usual made with former collaborative musicians Niklas Hellberg, who plays organ and handles programming, and Per Hägglund, who has co-written four of the songs together with Thåström. The album also features Danish drummer Tomas Ortved (Sort Sol) on several tracks.
Mannen som blev en gris ['The Man Who Became a Pig'] is primarily alt. rock and industrial rock and together with the three solo albums Det är ni som e dom konstiga... (1999) and Explodera mig 2000 (1991) this album may be regarded as one of his most energetic and hardest solo releases. The song "Så kall så het" is a cover song by Stry Terrarie, with whom Thåström played in Imperiet - originally by Swedish band Garbochocks (1979-81).
In 2003 Thåström founded the band Sällskapet with long-time collaborator Niklas Hellberg and Per (Jerker) Ossler, and they began studio recordings while Thåström also worked on a new solo album. Both Hellberg and Ossler took part in the live band with Thåström's solo material.

Blondie "The Platinum Collection" (1994)

The Platinum Collection (compilation)
release date: Nov. 1, 1994
format: digital (2 cd)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Richard Gottehrer / Mike Chapman / Alan Betrock
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: USA

47 track 2 disc compilation album by Blondie. This is the one: The Ultimate, The Essential, and The Platinum best of Blondie album. There are so many compilations out there with this band, but most of them don't really contain enough great tracks to be what they are promoted as. This one hold what it promises. Of course 47 tracks is a lot, and hits and misses, they should be able to embrace the essential compositions. Aside from containing great tracks this is fine in more than one respect: it reflects a chronological order of the band's single releases, so one is able to sense the progression in sound and style, and then it contains all US and UK singles - both A- and B-sides from 1976 to 1982, which is the band's artistic period. If you don't want to collect all albums, and shuffle through more than 200 compositions of varied quality, this is more than a good alternative. The only downside to it is the decision to include a number of mediocre songs from the later period, but this is not just a best of collection, although, it may be judged as such. It's primary goal is to include all singles from the 7-year period, and naturally, they can't all be great - luckily (except "Once I Had A Love") the least interesting songs fall as the last 10 tracks. Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

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UK and Australian cover

Marie Key "Tænker du vi danser" (2015)

Tænker du vi danser
release date: Feb. 2, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Andreas 'Maskinen' Sommer
label: Genlyd / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Fatter det nu" (live) - 2. "Fryser med dig" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Tænker du vi danser" (live) - 4. "Hvis du går" - 5. "Dans" - 6. "Hjerte der banker" - 8. "Oceaner" - 10. "Dit sekund"

3rd solo studio album by Marie Key follows the same recipe of the previous and succesful second album De her dage from 2012 in a musical collaboration with producer, Anders Sommer. It's more than fine, personal songs about insecurity and relationships held in a tight spatial production. The album was met by positive reviews, and I believe the album nationally has sold more than well. I just find it too slick, too close to being just the expected follow-up to her great 2012 album. There are no surprises and not the same immediate stream of great songs as on the predecessor but it still contains some really fine songs. Yet, it's nowhere close to her weakest albums with the band, it just doesn't offer any noteworthy progression compared to her last album but it works nicely as a second part to the 2012 album as if stemming from the very same recordings. Sometimes you shouldn't fix what isn't broken and that notion is perhaps important when talking about music that simply implies more of the same, which isn't the same as just as great, and yet again, just adds to the artist's repertoire. 'Cause we really have to hand to Key, she sounds like herself and she's one of the best contemporary Danish acts.

Recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

The Beautiful South "Solid Bronze - Great Hits" (2001)

Solid Bronze - Great Hits (compilation)
release date: Nov. 12, 2001
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: various
label: Mercury, Go! Discs - nationality: England, UK

2nd official compilation album by The Beautiful South released at a time when rumors had it that the band was about to split. After Painting It Red (2000) Jacqui Abbott left the band and a chaotic live tour followed.
The album consists of 19 tracks and features songs from all of their albums, but with shuffled tracks it's a rather difficult listen, and some of the best tracks from Carry on Up the Charts: The Best of The Beautiful South from 1994 - the first compilation album are truly missing. The finest songs of the band's early career have been replaced by newer but lesser songs in order to make room for tracks released from '96 up until the most recent album Painting It Red, which has 3 tracks on the album.
The idea of the release is hard to find, if it was intended as the sequel to Carry on Up the Charts, it's hard to argue why on earth it would be necessary to include 7 [!] tracks from the first compilation album. If, on the other hand, it's an attempt to sum up the bands best songs ever, well, the band simply hasn't made enough great songs after Carry on Up the Charts to excuse the presence of 9 tracks from albums released since the first best of album, thus excluding some of the band's most familiar and popular songs.
The best songs on this album are still found on the '94 compilation, so the album would only be interesting if you just want two by the band. An even better solution might be to check out the 2006 2-disc compilation Gold with a total of 36 tracks. Only bad thing about that is a shuffled playlist, but the tracks are there.
*Two promotion compilations were released by Go! Discs in between the two mentioned official compilations, The Carry on Continues...: The Best and Next of The Beautiful South from '96, and To Hull and Back from 2000, but they were never official releases.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5 stars ]

The Radio Dept. "Clinging to a Scheme" (2010)

Clinging to a Scheme
release date: Apr. 21, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,04]
producer: Johan Duncanson, Martin Carlberg
label: Labrador Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Domestic Scene" - 2. "Heaven's on Fire" (4 / 5) (live on WFUV) - 3. "This Time Around" - 4. "Never Follow Suit" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Video Dept." (4 / 5) - 8. "David"

3rd studio album by The Radio Dept. released on Labrador and produced by Johan Duncanson and Martin Carlberg.

Stylistically, this is like its two predecessors indie pop and dream pop. It's also music with bonds to other fine Scandinavian artists like Cardigans and The Knife, and it bridges to British dream pop artists like Saint Etienne and Cocteau Twins. However, the sound also seems inspired by first and foremost My Bloody Valentine, but also New Order, The Smiths, and Felt.

I think, it's a fine and quite unique blend of their own, and the whole album is the band's most coherent and also the band's so far best album, imho.

Highly recommended.

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

Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Year of the Horse" (1997) (live)

Year of the Horse (live)
release date: Jun. 17, 1997
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: "Horse" [Neil Young & Crazy Horse]
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: Canada

Another live album by Neil Young released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse recorded while on tour in 1996 and originally released by Reprise. Year of the Horse is actually foremost a documentary film directed by Jim Jarmusch following the band on their 1996 tour but also a 2 disc live album. The tracks are not taken from a specific album but are primarily from an early period up until the live album Rust Never Sleeps.
Now, without having seen the film, I think that it could work as documenting this great artist with his legendary backing band on tour, but the album itself seems somewhat redundant. It hasn't much new to offer that one won't find (better) in his back catalogue, and the selection of songs and the sound doesn't really add things up. Having said that, the tracks here are fine and it contains some truly great and essential songs - the only 'problem' about it is that for fans there's not much new. It's a bit like realising: "Yeah, we forgot to invite Jarmusch along while doing Weld 'cause we all know that was a hell of a peak. So let's make part two of that one. This one's for Jim!".
The not so successful tracks are basically the entire disc 2 with the only exception of "Sedan Delivery", which means not essential inclusions of tracks like "Slip Away", "Scattered", "Danger Bird" and "Prisoners of Rock 'n' Roll" all dragging the overall experience in the wrong direction after a strong start on disc 1.
The good stuff is a great version of "Barstool Blues", a fine live version of "Mr. Soul" and Neil & Crazy Horse live... well, it can't be bad even if they try. With tracks like "When You Dance I Can Really Love", "When Your Lonely Heart Breaks", and then "Pocahontas" played live  - hell, even as I think of this as a bit of a disappointment, it's really much better than decent or just good. It may not be essential but it's worth more than a listen or two. However, the three best live albums by Neil Young does not include this one.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5 stars ]

Thin Lizzy "Live and Dangerous" (1978) (live)

Live and Dangerous (live)

release date: Jun. 2, 1978
format: cd (1996 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Thin Lizzy and Tony Visconti
label: Vertigo / Mercury - nationality: Ireland

1st live album by Thin Lizzy originally released as a double vinyl album with live recordings from venues in the UK, the US, and from Canada in 1976 and '77.
The album was met with positive reactions and has gained status as one of the best live albums of contemporary pop / rock, e.g. British music magazine NME ranked the album as number #1 in its "50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time" in 2011.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 Sputnikmusic, Classic Rock 5 / 5 stars ]

U2 "All That You Can't Leave Behind" (2000)

All That You Can't Leave Behind
release date: Oct. 30, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "Beautiful Day" (4 / 5) - 2. "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" (4 / 5) - 3. "Elevation" - 4. "Walk On"

10th studio album by U2 marks a return to the producer-duo Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. The band chose to fight, and spent more than 3½ years before releasing this new album. And thankfully so, 'cause the band obviously still has something to offer... after all. I know many people thought U2 were history and a band connected with the 1980's and '90s only. Instead this is a rebirth of the band, and it also signals that they will also be around in the new millennium. It's not really great but it's more than just Okay, and more importantly: it's far from the artistic low points of Pop (Mar. '97) and Zooropa (Jul. '93), and the band takes up its profile they had established before Achtung Baby.
The album contains two really fine songs: "Beautiful Day", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of". Those tracks alone would have made a really great single, instead it's a so-so album 'cause the remaining tracks are sadly not on par with any of the aforementioned.
The album strangely made it to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Kashmir "E.A.R." (2013)

E.A.R.
release date: Mar. 18, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,25]
producer: Kashmir
label: Columbia Records / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Piece of the Sun" - 3. "Peace in the Heart" - 4. "Seraphina" - 7. "Purple Heart"

7th studio album by Kashmir. The album's title is apparently an abbreviation for 'Eternally Amplified Restlessness' [!] - whatever that is supposed to suggest! The album marks yet another change of style - now into bolder dream pop. It also introduces sampling taken from electronic styles. There's a quiet and ambient feel to several songs as heard on chamber pop and art pop releases, making me think of Teitur ("Piece of the Sun") and / or Efterklang, Agnes Obel, or even Sigur Rós. As usual, when Kashmir incorporates new styles and genres in its music, it hardly ever suggest originality, and neither does this. This newest installation is yet another mediocre release from Kashmir-the-copycats.

Kashmir "Trespassers" (2010)

Trespassers
release date: Feb. 1, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,05]
producer: Kashmir, Andy Wallace, John O'Mahony
label: Columbia Records / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Mouthful of Wasps" (2,5 / 5) - 2. "Intruder" (3 / 5) - 3. "Mantaray"

6th studio album by Kashmir is yet another not so original album release with music strongly inspired by (mostly British) artists like Radiohead, Coldplay and bits of new stylistic elements in its universe taken from post-punk revival artists like Editors and Interpol. The track "Mouthful of Wasps" featuring Oh Land on vocals was played so often on the national radio stations P3 and P4 that I had to turn off my radio - it's simply not a fine song - at the best it's mediocre (this album isn't even that), and that's really a fitting label for this copy-band, but don't say that to a Dane - they are so proud of Kashmir, and Eistrup is such a gifted songwriter (there). The bass, guitar and drum lines are Radiohead-founded to a degree that makes me wonder: WHY not try something else??? And no, I don't mean when you add a piano-sequence from a Coldplay track! That doesn't make it any better.

Kashmir "No Balance Palace" (2005)

No Balance Palace
release date: Oct. 10, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,32]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Columbia Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Kalifornia" - 4. "Ophelia" - 7. "She's Made of Chalk"

5th studio album by Kashmir who continue its style founded on Radiohead art rock with a new certain twist of dream pop. The prominent stars David Bowie and Lou Reed both feature on one song each on the album (tracks #3, and #10 respectively), and one may add that also producer Tony Visconti is a prominent guest artist. The setup and the dreams are certainly present. The music, however, mostly leaves me indifferent. Some of the songs are rather nicely arranged but the sources are as always too evident, and Kasper Eistrup is simply trying too hard to sound like either Thom Yorke or Chris Martin instead of finding out how to just be an original. The dream pop element doesn't come out very successfully. It only makes me think of it as Mew, Radiohead and Coldplay in one huge melting pot - I mean, that could be meaningful and original, but this is not.

Saybia "No Sound From the Outside" (2015)

No Sound From the Outside
release date: Oct. 2, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Michael Patterson, Nicolas Jodoin, Saybia
label: Columbia Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "No Sound From the Outside" - 3. "Black Hole" - 4. "Hollow Is Your Promise" - 5. "One Minute Man" - 7. "It's About Time" - 8. "Down" - 11. "I'm Still Waiting"

4th studio album by Saybia released more than eight years since the predecessor Eyes on the Highway (Aug. 2007) and following the start of a succesful solo career of lead vocalist and songwriter Søren Huss. After the band's hiatus from late 2007 to Jul. 2010, the band played comeback concerts in the Summer of 2010 in the Netherlands, but it wasn't until 2014 that they announced a new album to be released early 2015. During the recording sessions, founding member, lead guitarist Sebastian Sandstrøm decided to call it a day and he was subsequently replaced by Kasper Rasmussen, which may explain the delay of the release.
I believe that many thought Saybia had come to an end after the 2007 album - and especially after Huss proved to experience major success as solo artist, and perhaps also after what some saw as an artistic slacken in the output from Saybia. Allegedly, Huss has stated that the band members didn't want to see their 2007 album as their final statement, which called for at least another attempt.
Stylistically, No Sound From the Outside still sounds very much like Saybia, but it appears as the band's most electrified studio release to date. Where the two predecessors have much in common, this one sticks out with a bolder alt. rock sound and style, which for a start makes a positive impression.
Musically, it may be in short of hit-material, although it succeeds by being no less than one of the band's most cohesive studio albums. It (obviously) still contains ballads, but they are shaped to a new formative sound and they don't point in various directions, and that's the album's biggest asset. Also, this is the first time you cannot argue that they sound like this or that - contemplating they copy this or that - yes, it's contemporary alt rock with various stylistic traits. Some compositions are shaped with inspiration from post-punk, others have progressive rock elements, and some reflect a more general soft rock approach, but altogether, they all sound like stemming from the same band just using whatever they find natural to colour its own original blend. At bottom line, I find they just sound as Saybia, which is a bit of an accomplishment.
The album didn't enter or peak at the top of charts but it reached the position as number #7 on the national albums chart list. Commercially, it may not be the great come-back album they sat out for, but musically, I find simply find it their second-best of all their albums, and who knows, perhaps in a few years, we'll all look back at this very album with a common confidence and state that it's actually their finest ever. It's a fine grower, and it contains several fine compositions.
Recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]