Papir "IIII" (2014)

IIII

release date: Feb. 11, 2014

format: digital (4 x File, FLAC - Impetus Series 09)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]

producer: Jonas Munk [recorded by]

label: El Paraiso Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "IIII.I" - 2. "IIII.II" - 3. "IIII.III" - 4. "IIII.IIII"

4th studio album by Papir following one year after III seems like the continued series of instrumental space rock, prog rock, and post-rock releases on El Paraiso, again with recording engineer Jonas Munk and with artwork by Jakob Skjøtt.

Even the album title and the track titles differ little from the 2013 album giving a minimalist variation, and you could argue that also the soundscape remains intact with little progression from the two previous albums. In fact, the Papir has played more or less the same instrumental and experimental prog rock founded on 70s krautrock and progressive psychedelic rock and then to some extent: more contemporary post-rock influences. "IIII.I" appear as a strong post-rock compositions, whereas the following tracks repeat the pattern from the 2013 album by being more like jam session-oriented. The final track "IIII.IIII" does, however, again point to a more original melodic universe. The album is in every detail a close new chapter in an ongoing journey that could use some more variation. That said, I still find this band of skilled instrumentalists a rather fascinating acquaintance.

[ bandcamp ]

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 ]

Ike & Tina Turner "Nutbush City Limits" (1973) (single)

Nutbush City Limits, 7'' single

release date: Aug. 1973

format: vinyl

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

producer: Ike Turner

label: United Artists Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) "Nutbush City Limits" (4 / 5) - - B) "Help Him"

Single release by Ike & Tina Turner taken from the forthcoming studio album of the same name from November that same year. The song is credited Tina Turner and is one of the duo's final hit songs.

The single appears to have various front covers depending on national imprints. This particular Danish print comes from my parents' record collection. I do recall playing this at 7-12 years of age and found it one the better singles in my parents' collecion.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Chet Baker Quintet "Groovin' " (1966)

Groovin'
Release date: 1966
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

This is released as The Chet Baker Quintet featuring Chet Baker (trumpet), George Coleman (tenor sax), Kirk Lightsey (piano), Herman Wright (bass), Roy Brooks (drums). The album is another mighty fine Chet collection in his heydays, and again a late hard bop jazz album.

The Fratellis "Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied" (2015)

Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied
release date: Aug. 21, 2015
format: digital (18 x File, FLAC) (Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: Tony Hoffer
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Impostors (Little by Little)" - 3. "Baby Don't You Lie to Me!" - 4. "Desperate Guy" - 5. "Thief" - 8. "Slow" - 12. "Down the Road and Back… Again" (bonus track)

4th studio album by The Fratellis follows two years after the fine We Need Medicine (Oct. 2013). Like the debut album Costello Music (Sep. 2006) this is produced by American producer Tony Hoffer who has co-composed all songs here with Jon Fratelli. The standard album count 11 tracks with a total running time reaching 45 minutes. The 'Deluxe Edition' adds another 7 tracks of which 5 are acoustic (demo) versions of tracks from the album clocking in at more than 70 minutes.
The album may feature Hoffer back with the band, but the usual dynamics are not really there. It's the band's so far most introspective and least energetic release, and I don't find that the songs have enough quality to equal the band's former releases. In fact, I find that Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied reminds me much of Here We Stand (Jun. 2008) as the band's lowest point. The acoustic versions don't raise the quality bar as such but they do demonstrate a certain authenticity of hidden potential in drafts to finished songs that could've been arranged in other ways. Track #11 "Moonshine" is not a song that appeals much to my taste but the acoustic version (track #18) just performs a lot better.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, NME, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Rammstein "Rammstein" (2019)

Rammstein
release date: May 17, 2019
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]
producer: Olsen Involtini, Rammstein
label: Universal Music - nationality: Germany

Track highlights: 1. "Deutschland" - 2. "Radio" - 3. "Zeig dich" (live) - 4. "Ausländer" - 6. "Puppe" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 8. "Diamant"

7th studio album by Rammstein - also referred to as [untitled] - released almost a full decade after Libe ist für alle da (2009). For the first time a studio release is without Swedish producer Jonas Hellner - instead Rammstein has co-produced the album with German guitarist, producer, and engineer Olsen Involtini (aka Olsen Olic), who arranged strings on Mutter (2001) and Reise, Reise (2004) and furthermore is guitarist in the American / German band Emigrate [founded by Rammstein guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe].
2011 saw the best of compilation album Made in Germany 1995-2011 featuring one new track, but other than that, the following 9 years saw Rammstein members engaged with live tours and individual projects including Till Lindemann's collaboration, Lindemann, Richard Z. Kruspe's band Emigrate, and the production on a new Rammstein album was announced on several occasions from 2013 - '17.
A decade is a long time in the music business and even longer than many bands survive together, but for Rammstein time hasn't made the band less popular - all thanks to the widely spread conception of being one of the most fascinating live acts around. Two months before the album release, Rammstein released an extended music video for the first track, "Deutschland" in cinematic proportions, and the single attracted much attention and also peaked at #1 on the national singles chart list. Also the second track, "Radio" was issued prior to the album release - peaking at #4, and following the album, the single "Ausländer" was released as the so far third and last single from the album, peaking at #2. The new album replicates their previous albums by topping the German albums chart list, which was followed in a number of other countries - especially around Europe. It has already been met by international acclaim as one of the band's absolute best studio albums, which I too find very understandable.
The album opens up with four strong tracks, and with the composition, "Puppe" - as a contender to their best song ever - the band reaches new heights of energetic brutality and they successfully explore new territories within industrial metal. On "Diamant" the angry music is exchanged for a surprisingly soft emotional brake. There are so many strong tracks here, and the best thing about it is the sense of revitalisation of a band, which many thought had peaked with Mutter some 18 years ago, but here they produce one of their best albums on which they primarily sound like Rammstein but also by adding new dimensions to its strict stylistic repertoire. They are sort of widening the genre by adding new elements to it, like a sense of humour, sentimentality, and a display of trust in own abilities.
Highly recommended.
[ 👍allmusic.com, Kerrang!, Exclaim!, NME, Clash 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

2019 Favourite releases: 1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Ghosteen - 2. The Cranberries In the End - 3. Rammstein Rammstein

Protomartyr "Relatives in Descent" (2017)

Relatives in Descent

release date: Sep. 29, 2017

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Protomartyr & Sonny DiPerri

label: Domino - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "A Private Understanding" (4 / 5) - 3. "My Children" - 4. "Caitriona" - 5. "The Chuckler" - 6. "Windsor Hum" - 7. "Don't Go to Anacita" (4 / 5) - 9. "Night-Blooming Cereus" - 12. "Half Sister"

4th studio album by Protomartyr follows two years after The Agent Intellect (Oct. 2015). The album is the band's first to have actual producer credits as their previous releases only mention recording engineers.

Stylewise, the band has progressed from a more minimalist version of garage rock and post-punk to a more refined version still drawing on both styles in combination of more complexity bonding with indie rock and echoing The Bad Seeds, Pixies, and Modest Mouse - in their most tense versions, and sometimes with small hints of The National. That said, Protomartyr are still very much post-punk revivalists in the tradition where both Interpol and Joy Division play their parts. Greg Ahee's guitar swirls and roars as if a clone of Daniel Kessler (Interpol) Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), and Black Francis (Pixies), while bassist Scott Davidson and drummer Alex Leonard are both highly familiar with Peter Hook and Stephen Morris of New Order / Joy Division. And in front of it all, vocalist Joe Casey fills in with sheer parts of Nick Cave, Matt Berninger, Ian Curtis - at times with a distinct Mark E. Smith (The Fall) wryness on top of his own original sneer. It's both dark, noisy, melodic, and first of all: pretty lively.

Bottom line: it's easily the band's so far best album, and a highly recommended listen.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👍NME, Record Collector 4 / 5, 👎Pitchfork 6,9 / 10, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

Anadol "Uzun Havalar" (2018)

Uzun Havalar

release date: Jul. 13, 2018

format: digtal (7 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Anadol

label: Kinship - nationality: Germany

Track highlights: 1. "Görünmez Hava" - 2. "Ay Çürüdü" - 3. "Adieu" - 4. "Casio Havası" - 7. "78 Yılının En Uzun Dakikası"

2nd full-length studio album by Türkish-born Gözen Atila following one year after her debut Hatıralar. The album is made up of seven instrumental electronica / synth-folk collages. Where the debut was much more influenced by Turkish folklore, Uzun Havalar appears like a stronger original work. You may still hear an influence from Turkish music tradition but the overall shape is one of contemporary synth-folk electronica. Anadol mix old and new, it's a pot of Eastern mystcism mixed with Western melancholia.

Papir "III" (2013)

III

release date: Feb. 11, 2013

format: digital (5 x File, FLAC - Impetus Series 07)

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

producer: Jonas Munk

label: El Paraiso Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "III.I" - 2. "III.II" - 3. "III.III" - 4. "III.IIII" - 5. "III.IIIII"

3rd studio album from Danish space rock instrumentalists Papir is like the predecessor Stundum (Nov. 2011) released on El Paraiso and produced by Jonas Munk and comes with artwork by Jakob Skjøtt.

III is much like a new chapter in a predictable sequel of instrumental space rock with prog rock and krautrock elements as well as more modern post-rock traits. The album feature five compositions of varied length running from 4:55 mins. (track #3) to 15:21 (track #5) with a total of just under 44 mins.

The first two tracks both have a stronger post-rock touch, appearing as the most interesting music, whereas the three following compositions tend to feel like studio improvs of more unfocused space rock.

The band still still evolves, at times you hear an unmistable influence from Hendrix but mostly it's out-of-space prog rock. I rate this one a little better than their previous effort, and what I fundamentally find is better here is the instrumentation. Guitarist Niklas Sørensen has grown and simply demonstrates a Hendrix-fascination that never goes too close to the original, and also bassist Christian Clausen and drummer Christoffer Brøchmann goes nicely hand in hand with their flawless rhythm-section.

[ bandcamp ]

Mark Kozelek "Lost Verses - Live" (2009) (live)

Lost Verses - Live (live)

release date: May 12, 2009

format: digital (14 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]

producer: Mark Kozelek

label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Unlit Hallway" - 2. "Carry Me Ohio" - 3. "Four Fingered Fisherman" - 5. "Salvador Sanchez" - 8. "Tiny Cities" - 9. "Lucky Man" - 10. "Send in the Clowns" - 12. "Tonight in Bilbao" - 14. "Katy Song"

Live album by Mark Kozelek released between two Sun Kil Moon studio albums: April (Apr. 2008) and Admiral Fell Promises (Jul. 2010). Most recently, however, Kozelek also released the live EP 7 Songs Belfast (Jul. 2008), and, on a whole, Kozelek's discography doesn't appear to lack live releases. From 2001 to 2014, he has released no less than (approx.) 16 solo live albums.

Lost Verses - Live consists of 14 tracks with a total running time of 74 minutes with songs recorded from seven concerts between 2007 and 2008. More precisely, it's mostly two concerts from Kozelek's European tour recorded Nov. 2007 - the first in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the second is from Lisbon, Portugal. The remaining five live recordings are from concerts across the USA between Apr. and Nov. 2008. As usual, Kozelek has included some cover songs - here limited to two by Modest Mouse (tracks #3 and #8) and the classic "Send in the Clowns" by Stephen Sondheim. Kozelek's own compositions are mainly tracks released under the name of Sun Kil Moon, either made with the band or for later albums under the same name but while performing as a solo artist, but there has also been room for songs from his time with the band Red House Painters, as there are tracks released under his own name.

All recordings mostly sounds like renderings of Kozelek's solo performances, and maybe that's the whole point, although Red House Painters' guitarist Phil Carney is credited as guitarist, and the recordings also come from tours where Carney supported Kozelek in Europe as well as in the States, and he doesn't appear on all fourteen tracks.

With this, Kozelek documents his abilities as songwriter, as vocalist, as guitarist, and not least as a skilled storyteller. Due to the sparse instrumentation, it's in a quiet and perhaps somewhat introverted domain, but the compositions and the performances are definitely not flawed.

Lost Verses - Live is a super fine and highly recommended album from a most gifted songwriter.

[ PopMatters, Sputnikmusic 4 / 5, Pitchfork 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Etta James "Her Best - The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection" (1997)

"Her Best - The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection", compilation
release date: 1997
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Chess - nationality: USA

20 track compilation album by Etta James.

Elvis Costello & Bill Frisell "Deep Dead Blue" (1995) (live)

Deep Dead Blue (Live 25 June 95) (live)
release date: Aug. 14, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: ?
label: Warner Bros. / Nonesuch - nationality: England, UK

Collaboration live album by Elvis Costello and Bill Frisell recorded live at the Meltdown Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall RFH2, London, Jun. 25, 1995.

The album may be regarded as a Mini-album with its relatively short running time at just less than 27 minutes. It consists of seven tracks of which two are covers and only the title track is credited the duo (track #7).

Stylistically, it's primarily ballads of vocal jazz and jazz fusion, and Costello is alone credited his vocal and Frisell is alone credited his guitar work with no other musicians contributing. The American guitarist is very likely to be capable of playing anything but his primary domain is jazz fusion, and on this it's his touch with bolder melodic instrumental jazz.

Despite being really stripped down arrangements this concept works surprisingly well. Costello 'plays around' with his most intimate vocal with Frisell adding that swirling and appropriate foundation that makes it all sparkle.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

B-52's "The Best of The B-52's - Dance This Mess Around" (1990)

The Best of The B-52's - Dance This Mess Around (compilation)
release date: 1990
format: vinyl
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Island Records - nationality: USA

Best of compilation album by B-52's focusing on the band's first two albums. The band had only just released its "comeback" album Cosmic Thing in '89 on a new label, Reprise Records, so their old company, Island Records found it timely to issue this collection of old material.
[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Edwyn Collins "Badbea" (2019)

Badbea
release date: Mar. 29, 2019
format: digital (12 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
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, and also bonds with Collins' fine '94 album Gorgeous George. 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 recommended listen. It's so great to see and hear Collins back!!
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

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

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

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

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

Mogwai "Atomic" (OST) (2016)

Atomic (soundtrack)

release date: Apr. 1, 2016

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Tony Doogan

label: Rock Action Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

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

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

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

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

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

[ bandcamp ]

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

Mark Kozelek "7 Songs Belfast" (2008), live

7 Songs Belfast (live)

release date: Jun. 10, 2008

format: digital (7 x File, MP3 - 2012 reissue)

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

producer: non-produced

label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Michigan" - 2. "Around and Around" - 4. "Gentle Moon" - 5. "Carry Me Ohio" - 7. "Tonight in Bilbao"

Live EP by Mark Kozelek count six takes from The Black Box, Belfast, Nov. 4, 2007, and the final seventh track recorded from The Dancehouse Theater in Manchester, Oct. 30, 2007. The EP was originally issued as a limited free CD for customers on the record company's website and sold for Kozelek's Autumn tour 2008. In 2012 the EP was issued as a digital album.

The seven compositions here are acoustic versions with either Kozelek solo or supported by guitarist Phil Carney on six of Kozelek's own songs and "Around and Around" by John Denver.

The EP's two best tracks originally stem from the Sun Kil Moon debut Ghosts of the Great Highway (Nov. 2003), and of these two, track #5 is found in a better version on the live-album Lost Verses - Live (May 2009).

Excellent live release, which is however overshadowed by the 2009 album.

The Cranberries "In the End" (2019)

In the End
release date: Apr. 26, 2019
format: vinyl (LTD. gatefold cranberry vinyl) / digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: Stephen Street
label: BMG - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "All Over Now" - 2. "Lost" - 3. "Wake Me When It's Over" - 5. "Catch Me If You Can" - 9. "Summer Song" - 11. "In the End"

8th and final studio album by The Cranberries released more than one year after the accidental and most tragic death of lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the band, Dolores O'Riordan, Jan. 2018.
The album has been a long way in the making - partly because of O'Riordan's untimely departure, and for the remaining band members having to come to terms with the fact that what was to be a restart of the band with a ready-made promotion plan and a scheduled tour list, was all of a sudden something completely different - and final. Also, what had been recorded of Dolores' vocals were only demo takes, so what could easily have ended as a shelved half-finished last album had to be mixed and arranged to fit what had been laid down.
Stylistically, the band aims at the core of its own strengths: their special blend of soft alt. rock jangle pop and dream pop in a singer / songwriter outing, thanks to O'Riordan's talent for songwriting, which in a way takes the band back in time to its more successful releases of the '90s.
Stephen Street is credited as additional musician and he has mixed and produced the album so skilfully that you forget the circumstances that were at play. Without O'Riordan's sparkling demo vocals these songs could only have been shelved. Instead we are blessed with one final last chapter - all thanks to The Cranberries: Dolores O'Riordan, Noel & Mike Hogan, and Fergal Lawler.
The album has been met by positive reviews, and after only two days, I dare already say that it's truly a fine accomplishment. The album contains sincere ballads and uptempo rockers in a tone that puts the album at the very top of all the band's releases.
In the End may be one of the saddest ends to a great band, but at the same time it's a gem to have been handed to us all - despite devastating circumstances, and it's definitely highly recommended.
So far a certified top 3 album of the year!
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, 👍The Guardian, Clash, The Independent 4 / 5 stars ]

2019 Favorite releases: 1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Ghosteen - 2. The Cranberries In the End - 3. Rammstein Rammstein

Stuart A. Staples "Arrhythmia" (2018)

Arrhythmia
release date: Jun. 15, 2018
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Stuart A. Staples
label: Lucky Dog Recordings / City Slang - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "A New Real" (4 / 5) - 3. "Step Into the Grey" - 4. "Music for 'A Year in Small Paintings' "

3rd solo album by Stuart A. Staples released a full twelve years after his most recent solo album is as Tindersticks' albums produced by Staples himself and released through his own label Lucky Dog in collaboration with City Slang.

Since Leaving Songs (May 2006), which nearly came to mark the break with Tindersticks, Staples has established a strong and seemingly more stronger second unit of the original Tindersticks. The new version of the band - with roots in Asphalt Ribbons, which, in addition to Staples, also consisted of guitarist Neil Fraser and keyboardist David Boulter - is a consolidated unit who since 2006 seems to have reignited the band's joy of playing music together and since then it has been able to constantly seek out new ways without losing its distinctive character. Staples has been revisiting some of the same paths on his solo albums, where he also has used the skills of Fraser and Boulter along with several other recurring artists that he prefers on his releases. Staples has also collaborated with the two French musicians Thomas Belhom and Christine Ott on the creation of the soundtrack Minute Bodies - The Intimate World of F. Percy Smith (2017).

On Arrhytmia - which directly refers to a disorder ('a-rhythmic heart rhythm'), rhythms that can either be too slow or too fast - Staples experiments far more than he usually has. The album is 54 minutes in total running time but it only consists of four compositions. The first cut is just over five minutes long [and wait, wait, wait…'Was it what's lost? - Was it what's...' ], the following track clocks in at ten-and-a-half minutes, the third is nearly seven-and-a-half minutes long, and the fourth and final instrumental composition is nearly 31 minutes long [!]. On the vinyl issue, this final composition fills the entire B-side, which is titled: "Music for 'A Year in Small Paintings' " is Staples' music for wife, Suzanne Osborne's screen printed work "A year in small paintings - Skies, Sep. 2010 - Sep. 2011" [see also here]. In fact, in addition to Staples, the track is also credited three other Tindersticks members, Neil Fraser, Dan McKinna, David Boulter, as well as French composer and multi-instrumentalist, Christine Ott. The track appears as a kind of new-classic post rock with a clear influence from ambient.

Arrhytmia is an exciting album, which certainly doesn't use ordinary pop structures, and which to a large extent demands active listening in order to get the whole experience. If you give the album a go, it is definitely worth an experience and something that, in the right mood, may give rise to great enjoyment.

Recommended.

[ The Line of Best Fit 4 / 5, Uncut, Loud and Quiet 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Bob Mould "Sunshine Rock" (2019)

Sunshine Rock
release date: Feb. 8, 2019
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Bob Mould
label: Merge Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Sunshine Rock" (studio session) - 2. "What Do You Want Me to Do" - 3. "Sunny Love Song" - 5. "The Final Years" - 7. "I Fought" - 9. "Lost Faith" - 11. "Send Me a Postcard"

12th studio solo album by Bob Mould is like all his solos produced by Mould and it's his fourth consecutive album to by released on Merge. It's the continued story of the old rock artist, who has found his niche on his older days. It takes off where he left us on Patch the Sky in 2016, which again took off from the two previous releases. The album is Mould's 4th since what many saw as his "comeback" album, Silver Age in 2012 - an album that followed several years with musical experiments and the then most recent "folk rock-ish" Life and Times (2009) - and his most welcomed 2012 rocker presented Mould's nice return to form - something he has proved to keep to ever since.
Sunshine Rock may not appear as alternative and heavy as his most recent studio album, but it still stays very true to the power pop label he is first and foremost associated with. Sometimes he turns up a bit on the alt. rock side of the style, at other times it's more harmonically composed, but it's always power pop with hints and bonds to the old punk rock soul and with a natural link to an American tradition of folk rock as personified by Neil Young, and the album is in my mind one of Mould's more bold releases to share a common ground in songwriting style with his time in Hüsker Dü. In this respect you may compare to Candy Apple Grey (1986) and Warehouse - Songs and Stories (1987). Track #11, "Send Me a Postcard" is a mighty fine cover - originally a blast of a [non-album] song by Dutch [Jefferson Airplane-ish] band Shocking Blue issued as a 7'' single in 1968 [ check the original here ].
The album has been met by positive reviews, although, it hasn't reached the favourable position on the albums chart list as his best charting album in recent years, Beauty & Ruin from 2014. Bob Mould keeps rockin' away - that's what he knows, and he does that better than most. What also comes to mind here, is his long legacy with power pop tunes and how he may find it increasingly difficult not to repeat himself if he doesn't add more to his new material. Having said that, the album is a prolific example of alt. rock craftsmanship and something essential in a collection of contemporary alt rock.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, 👍Slant 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 7,6 / 10, Uncut 4,5 / 5 stars ]