Kent "En plats i solen" (2010)

En plats i solen
release date: Jun. 30, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: Kent, Stefan Boman; Joshua [aka Jon Schumann]
label: RCA / Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Glasäpplen" - 2. "Ismael" - 3. "Skisser för sommaren" (5 / 5) - 4. "Ärlighet Respekt Kärlek" - 5. "Varje gång du möter min blick" (5 / 5) - 8. "Gamla Ullevi" - 10. "Passagerare" (4 / 5)

9th studio album by Kent, who has found new producer Stefan Boman but also found room for Danish producer Jon Schumann, who is credited for production on tracks #2, 3 and 5. Most people thought they wouldn't come up with any new material within a couple of years - it had become their trademark of a working speed to spent two to three years getting things ready, and then it's the first time the band releases new material in only 7 months! Yes, it was a rather difficult attempt to follow Röd with another album release.
I think they succeed quite Okay, though. It's not way up there but it's neither bad nor poor by any standards. It's only slightly less fantastic by Kent standards. The album has a much more happy tone, which suits the bands just as fine because they really do know how to make pop / rock with sing-along choruses - tunes that make you wanna turn up the volume and just move with the flow even when you ride the car to pick up kids at school, and as they enter the car, they don’t even ask you to turn the music down, as they would if you had been listening to Pixies or Mew or whatever else I expose them to. They like it too 'cause it’s simply great music and kids can tell, or: my kids have good taste... Then of course the album contains ballads - and ballads with the voice of Joakim Berg are not ordinary ballads 'cause they make you consider stopping the car and have you looking for tissues - damn it’s so good! Another typical thing with any Kent album is that it varies what track you love. At the beginning I fell for the first two songs “Glasäpplen” and “Ismael”. THEN those were overtaken by the fantabulous “Skisser för sommaren”, which is sooooooo cool, and yet another great song, "Gamla Ullevi" - 'Jag tänker på dig - Jag tänker på dig - Jag tänker på dig ibland'... I will probably hate the songs after hearing them 10.000 times but not before that, and I still have a few times left on that account. One of the marvellous ballads on the album is “Varje gång du möter min blick”, which really holds the standard and touches me like their (maybe) best ballad ever,“Det finns inga ord” from Röd.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

<  show lyrics >

~ ~ ~

"Ärlighet Respekt Kärlek"

"Jag visste var du varit
var du en gång kom ifrån
Och en gång var din historia också min

Som musik man bara hör
när man kan tala samma språk
När man delar alla hemligheter
Stora som små

Och jag stal något du ändå ville ge mig
Försökte älska det jag tog
Men ärligheten, respekten, kärleken bara dog

Och jag stal något du var beredd att ge mig
Du förlät mig, jag kunde inte se dig
i ögonen, förlåt älskling
jag gör det snart igen

Jag vet var du tar vägen
när du är ensam i din säng
Och vi återvänder om och om igen

Som en bok man bara skriver
när man har slösat varje ord
Om meningslösa självklarheter, meningslösa, meningslösa

Jag stal något du ändå ville ge mig
Försökte älska det jag tog
Men ärligheten, respekten, kärleken bara dog

Och jag stal något du var beredd att ge mig
Du förlät mig, jag kunde inte se dig
i ögonen, förlåt älskling
jag gör det snart igen

Och jag stal något du ändå ville ge mig
Försökte älska det jag tog
Men ärligheten, respekten, kärleken bara dog

Och jag stal något du var beredd att ge mig
Du förlät mig, jag kunde inte se dig
i ögonen, förlåt älskling
jag gör det snart igen"

~ ~ ~

"Varje gång du möter min blick"

"För första gången på nära håll
stod vi som frusna mot varandra
Och mina händer rörde aldrig din hud
men jag vet att du kände

Som en elektrisk chock genom skelettet
Lätta fingrar genom tyget på de kläder du valde
för någon annans skull

Och varje gång du möter min blick
blir min värld en aning större
Varje gång du möter min blick
hör jag ditt hjärta ge mig blod

Varje gång du möter min blick
går en störning genom ljuset
Varje gång du möter min blick
så vet jag vem jag är

För sista gången på nära håll
står vi som frusna mot varandra
Och våra händer möts affärsmässigt snabbt
som i förvåning

Över en elektrisk chock genom skelettet
Som slog sönder våra liv till ett fullständigt normalt
tillstånd där allt är trasigt

Varje gång du möter min blick
går en störning genom ljuset
Varje gång du möter min blick
Så vet jag vem jag är

Varje gång du möter min blick
blir min värld en aning större
Varje gång du möter min blick
hör jag ditt hjärta ge mig blod

Varje gång du möter min blick
går en störning genom ljuset
Varje gång du möter min blick
så vet jag vem jag var"

~ ~ ~

The Cure "The Cure" (2004)

The Cure
release date: Jun. 29, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: Ross Robinson, Robert Smith
label: I Am - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. "Before Three" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "The End of the World" (4 / 5) (live)

12th studio album by The Cure - for the first time releasing on a new label, a small label licensed through Geffen Records. Again, it took the "usual" four years to release a new album. It's the band's first album in 25 years [!] not to be released on Fiction Records, and the band / Smith has found together with an American producer who has been known for his work with hard rock death rock and metal bands, which explains the much harder and heavier sound. Despite the improvement from the previous four releases and the effort to seek out new ways of expressing themselves, I don't think it's all that great. The international music scene has seen 'post-punk revival' bands from both the American as well as the European continent, and The Cure jumps that train with the excuse to have returned to their post-punk roots. I just find the band has only little to contribute with. The songs, the melodies, the originality, it's really not there except from on two or three songs, which doesn't make it a great album. Following the album release Roger O'Donnell and Perry Bamonte was fired from the band in 2005.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The The "Naked Self" (2000)

Naked Self
release date: Feb. 29, 2000
format: cd (LTD.)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Matt Johnson & Bruce Lampcov
label: Nothing Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Boiling Point" - 2. "Shrunken Man" - 3. "The Whisperers" (live) - 5. "Global Eyes" (live) - 6. "December Sunlight" - 7. "Swine Fever" - 9. "Weather Belle" - 10. "Voidy Numbness" - 11. "Phantom Walls"

6th studio album release by The The stylised as NakedSelf follows five full years after Hanky Panky, which for many stands as a bit of the odd one out by being entirely dedicated to Hank Williams covers for which Matt Johnson selected a handful of session musicians instead of working with the established backing band.
NakedSelf is quite naturally a much awaited album and he's back with the old formula working alone, handpicking people to work with, and he's back with twelve new compositions. I purchased the album without giving it a single listen, and I must admit that I'm not certain to have made the same decision having given it an ear test first. I never played this one that many times - for many years I tried, though, but it just never caught me. Also, I've always been a bit bewildered about how to label it in terms of style and genre, which of course isn't important at all. Undoubtedly, it will go as experimental, and art rock, but pop / rock? Most evidently, no! Out of 12 tracks only 2-3 felt like worth the lot, and I soon regreted my purchase. Now, that was my thoughts back in 2000 and for the first decade or so, but after having returned to it in recent years, I really don't find it all that bad after all. My initial verdict would most likely have been 2,5 / 5, max, but nowadays, I'm sure it's 3,5 / 5, and even above that, a rather solid album. Some of the tracks have a Radiohead tone whereas others seem to belong to a different dimension, where Johnson explores his own influences but perhaps most apparently: expands his own soundscape by revisiting some of the sources to his first solo album Burning Blue Soul (1981) with its will to experiment and to explore what should become known as neo-psychedelic.
NakedSelf isn't a bad album, it may not provide us with great pop songs of the like one will find on his previous releases, although, three to four come close. At bottom line, it's much more introspective and basically an album for the keen listener.
Following this, Matt Johnson appears to have withdrawn from the public eye. People may think he left the business but he has continued to compose and write music, only more exclusively as soundtrack composer, and primarily for younger brother Gerard Johnson films, the first being the short Mug (2004), followed by full-length films: Tony (2009) and Hyena (2014) - also for the documentary Moonbug (2010) by Nichola Bruce, all of which have been released as soundtracks via the Matt Johnson founded label and podcast host Radio Cinéola. And speaking of brothers, in 2016 Matt's brother Andrew, known as Andy Dog, the artist behind several covers by The The, died from a brain tumor. Allegedly, the loss of brother Eugene in '99 was one of the reasons to why Matt Johnson felt trapped and ultimately stepped out of the music business - now it appears another brother's untimely death could be one of the reasons to why Johnson may be getting a band back together to perform the back catalogue of The The.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, 👍NME 3,5 / 5, 👉Pitchfork 7,1 / 10 stars ]

Danny Brown "Atrocity Exhibition" (2016)

Atrocity Exhibition
release date: Sep. 30, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Paul White
label: Warp Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Downward Spiral" - 2. "Tell Me What I Don't Know" - 3. "Rolling Stone" (feat. Petite Noir) - 4. "Really Doe" (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul & Earl Sweatshirt) - 6. "Ain't It Funny" - 7. "Goldust" - 9. "Pneumonia" - 12. "When It Rain"

5th (?) studio album by Danny Brown and his first on electronic-associated label Warp Records shows a new style of abstract hip hop and industrial hip hop from Danny Brown. There's a touch of (Madvillain) experimental hip hop that makes this a special experience. The lyrics may be obscure but the music really constitute a whole. Strangely, the title is taken from a track by British post-punk band Joy Division - a sample may be heard on "Goldust", and the inclusion of post-punk references and a clear industrial style on top really makes this a strong release far from the mainstream r&b outings of contemporary hip hop and the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, and Drake. This is experimental and music with distinction that draws on Madvillain, Outkast, Wu-Tang Clan, and... Joy Division [!]...
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

C.V. Jørgensen "Indian Summer" (1988)

Indian Summer

release date: Aug. 11, 1988

format: cd (462483 2)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,98]

producer: C.V. Jørgensen

label: CBS Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Livet er lykken" - 3. "Alle mine bagmænd" (4 / 5) - 4. "Natmænd i modlys" - 5. "Det regner i mit hjerte" (5 / 5) (live) - 6. "Lokomotivation" - 7. "Babylon" - 9. "Indian Summer"

9th studio album by C.V. Jørgensen was released more than three years following Vennerne & vejen (May 1985) and for the first time it's with C.V. himself in the producer seat. Of course he also released the live album Lige lovlig live in '86, but this is the first time this long time pass in between his studio releases. The album feature the usual lineup with Lars Hybel on guitar and bass, Nils Henriksen also on guitar, bass and keyboards, Pete Repete on keyboards, and with Gert Smedegård on drums. In addition, Jacob Andersen is recurring percussionist on three tracks, and Nanna Lüders also participates on backing vocals. More interestingly, Lars Hybel is credited as a co-composer on four of the album's nine tracks (tracks #1, #7, #8, and #9).

Musically, it's once again a new expression without exactly speaking of a definite change of style, because it's more or less tried and tested territory for C.V. Jørgensen. The music has become more subdued and in places it may sound a bit like a return to the more jazzy style you'll find on the breakthrough Storbyens små oaser (1977). However, there are still room for songs cut more as on Vennerne & vejen without touching on repetition 'cause something darker has crept in on all compositions. In general, the songs are more simple in expression - as cut to the bone. The biggest change is probably found in the lyrics, which predominantly reflect a positive outlook on life, but which have acquired a clearer lyrical quality, where C.V. focuses on moods and often avoids linear pieces in his narration. At the same time he makes use of a language heavily loaded with symbols. And speaking of 'positive', that doesn't necessarily mean happy as a clam mood because, although he expresses a positiv stand, his lyrics are also about spirituality, and about life and death.

The title track is with reference to the rhythm of life, and if you to that consider that the artist's mother died during the making of the album, the title song takes on a very special meaning. The band Sort Sol made a strong cover of this song, which was issued as a single Dec. '89 (also featured on the band's 1992 compilation album Fog Things), and for which C.V. thanks on the successor I det muntre hjørne (1990) on the song "Tak for sangen".

Indian Summer is another strong outing from a standout in Danish music, and it points quite nicely onwards to C.V.'s following album, which otherwise may be experienced as a completely different outing. The front cover is, much to the usual, credited Annemarie Albrectsen.

Strong recommendation.

a-ha "Foot of the Mountain" (2009)

Foot of the Mountain
release date: Jun. 19, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]

Track highlights: 1. "The Bandstand" - 4. "Foot of The Mountain" - 6. "Shadowside"

10th studio album release by a-ha. I came across it by chance, and despite the fact that I never really liked the band, this isn't bad. Actually, I think this is clearly their best album ever. Here, they show how technically good musicians they are. The style is still synth-pop but not at all like their releases in the 80s. It's a contemporary multi-layered sound, and it's less blue-eyed pop.

Lisa Ekdahl "Pärlor av glas" (2006)

Pärlor av glas
release date: Jan. 18, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Lars Winnerbäck
label: RCA / Sony BMG - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Vraket" - 2. "Där ser du själv hur högt du når" - 4. "Hjärtat var rispat" - 6. "Ljudlöst och salt" - 7. "Ljug för mig älskling" - 8. "Kan någon själ begripa" - 10. "Korsförhör mig" - 11. "I badet"

6th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl sees her continuing at what she's best at, releasing her most uptempo folk rock album, and that really suits her nicely. It's almost like her American country folk album which also makes me think of Joni Mitchell. In my mind, this is her second best ever studio album, and I can only recommend it alongside her mighty debut from '94.
Recommended.

Sharon Van Etten "Tramp" (2012)

Tramp
release date: Feb. 7, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Aaron B. Dessner
label: Jagjaguwar - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Warsaw" - 2. "Give Out" (live on KEXP) - 3. "Serpents" - 4. "Kevin's" - 5. "Leonard" - 7. "All I Can" - 9. "Magic Chords"

3rd studio album by Sharon Van Etten is a continued indie pop and singer / songwriter release which balances somewhere between slow and subtle ballads and a turn towards more aggressive / electrified indie rock with reminiscences of garage rock. Without a clear cut of two halves, the first part of the album is primarily the most electrified with the second half reflecting stronger bonds to her 2010 album, Epic.
The album may be without obvious single hits but turns out as a fine and coherent release, and Van Etten's mournful singing makes me think of Cat Power but also makes me think of Van Etten as the American PJ Harvey.
The album is a fine grower once you allow yourself to let it flourish.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5, Q, Rolling Stone, Spin, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

David Lindley "El Rayo-X" (1981)

El Rayo-X

release date: Apr. 1981

format: vinyl / cd (reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,04]

producer: Jackson Browne and Greg Ladanyi

label: Asylum / Elektra - nationality: USA

Track highlights: A) 1. "She Took Off My Romeos" (4 / 5) - 2. "Bye Bye Love" - 3. "Mercury Blues" (4 / 5) (live 1981) - 4. "Quarter of a Man" - 5. "Ain't No Way" - 6. "Twist and Shout" (live 1988) - B) 1. "El Rayo-X" (4 / 5) - 3. "Don't Look Back" - 5. "Tu-ber-cu-Lucas and the Sinus Blues" - 6. "Pay the Man"

Studio album debut by David Perry Lindley is a late but also much anticipated release. Lindley was co-founder of 1960s psychedelic folk band Kaleidoscope and later became renowned for his skills as multi-instrumentalist on all types of strings. He was an acclaimed studio musician and worked for and with artists like Jackson Browne, Crosby & Nash, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, and Ry Cooder before finally making music under his own name.

Stylistically, the album feels timeless with influence from various styles and genres. Only the title track and the closer "Pay the Man" are credited Lindley but really, all songs here are re-arranged according to Lindley's taste, and the result is a highly original coherent whole serving to document what a musical wizzard Lindley is.

This is absolutely and highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Mogwai "Come on Die Young" (1999)

Come on Die Young

release date: Mar. 29, 1999

format: cd (chem033cd)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]

producer: Dave Fridmann

label: Chemikal Underground - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Punk Rock:" - 2. "Cody" - 3. "Helps Both Ways" - 4. "Year 2000 Non-Compliant Cardia" (4 / 5) - 6. "Waltz for Aidan" - 7. "May Nothing but Happiness Come Through Your Door" - 9. "Ex-Cowboy" - 11. "Christmas Steps"

2nd studio album by Mogwai following 1½ years after Mogwai Young Team (Oct. '97) is the band's first of two consecutive albums to be produced by American producer Dave Fridmann (bassist and keyboardist in Mercury Rev and Grand Mal), who is also credited various additional instruments. Before this, Mogwai recorded and released the 3-track ep No Education = No Future (Fuck the Curfew) (June 1998) as a quartet, but before recording this new album they were back as a quintet with the inclusion of multi-instrumentalist Barry Burns. The standard issue is like the debut released as a double vinyl lp and a single cd issue containing 12 tracks with a total running time at 67 minutes.

The album marks a turn towards a gloomier and more melodic sound with especially apparent influence from The Cure and their two albums: Seventeen Seconds (1980) and Faith (1981). This also means that the noise rock-element is strongly reduced - except for tracks #9, #10, and #11. Several songs are also made with more distinct vocals - especially heard on "Cody", but also elsewhere via usage of samples. The overall impression is a fully coherent post-rock release with references to early British post-punk. and a release where the band examines new grounds of alt. rock labelled as experimental rock and post rock with obvious traits from progressive rock. Compared to the fine debut this is still a highly original release without a strong noise rock reference point and with a sense of adding new facets to the genre of post-rock.

A certified grower, one of the band's absolute best and highly recommended.

[ 👎allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Spin, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, 👍NME, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

The Fratellis "Here We Stand" (2008)

Here We Stand
release date: Jun. 9, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: The Fratellis
label: Island Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 3. "Shameless" - 4. "Look Out Sunshine!" - 6. "Mistress Mabel" - 8. "Babydoll" (acoustic live) - 9. "Tell Me a Lie"

2nd studio album by The Fratellis and the band's first and only to be released by Island Records. The album doesn't contain the same immediate power pop and garage rock-inspired electrifying compositions, however, it still made it to #5 on the UK albums chart list. The original UK version of the album also contained the track "Jesus Stole My Baby", but it was removed from international releases.
The album doesn't come really close to the originality of the debut, and simply lacks great tunes, and in that way turns out like the difficult sophomore release.
After an extensive world tour the band went on a hiatus during which Jon Fratelli founded the band-project The Codeine Velvet Club and later also released his solo debut album Psycho Jukebox (2011) before returning to write new songs for a third album by The Fratellis.

The Durutti Column "Time Was Gigantic...When We Were Kids" (1998)

Time Was Gigantic...When We Were Kids
release date: Nov. 3, 1998
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,02]
producer: Keir Stewart
label: Factory Too / London Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Organ Donor" - 2. "Pigeon" - 3. "I B Yours" - 4. "Twenty Trees" - 7 "Sing to Me" - 9. "For Rachel" - 10. "Highfield Choir"

11th studio album by The Durutti Column released on Factory Too (with the aid from London Records) and produced by Keir Stewart. Factory Records had closed in '92 and Factory Too closed in '96, which only explains why many of the original album releases on the two Factory labels are rather hard to find anywhere in distribution. This album is not entirely electronic but it shows Reilly's journey into avant-garde indie pop.

Peter Murphy "Ninth" (2011)

Ninth
release date: Jun. 7, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: David Barron
label: Nettwerk - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Velocity Bird" - 2. "Seesaw Sway" (4 / 5) - 4. "I Spit Roses" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Never Fall Out" (4 / 5) - 6. "Memory Go" - 11. "Crème de la crème"

8th studio album by Peter Murphy - his 'ninth' including a live album and hence the title - following full seven years after Unshattered from 2004. Since then, Murphy teamed up with the other former members of Bauhaus to reunite forces and reform the legendary band which resulted in the album Go Away White (Mar. 2008), and that only ended up by finally burying the idea of another Bauhaus era. The album here mainly features lyrics and music by Murphy and producer David Barron, while only track #5 was co-written with Murphy's former regular co-composer Paul Stratham, who most recently contributed to Cascade from '95.

Peter Murphy isn't known for releasing new studio albums once a year or even every other year, but when he finally does release an album, it's usually with a new variation of his stylistic expression as a counterbalance to his most recent album. If you have followed his career since he was the star of one of the very first and most important bands of gothic rock - a style that had sprung out of post-punk in the UK - it's nevertheless still clear that he appears stuck in his musical starting point from the Bauhaus period. At that time, the music was a new mix merging glam rock of the 70s and the so-called proto-punk - exemplified by David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Marc Bolan - with a more aggressive and simpler expression that grew out of punk rock in the shape of post-punk, where especially Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees were key style creators. Over the past three decades, Murphy has kept firmly to gothic rock as a stylistic staple with variations. His first solo album probably indicated his biggest leap in style towards an art pop arena, after which he tried a more polished pop / rock version of gothic rock, which then added variations of the early sources of inspiration, but also with a new element in his music in the form of Turkish music, which certainly has added new traits to his sound.

Ninth is a solid dark gothic rock and alt. rock album, which stands as a solid pillar for his vocal expression and temper. He has pretty much always been a stable provider in making at least one really good song on each of his solo albums over the past 27 years, since his solo debut Should the World Fail to Fall Apart (1986). And this album is one of his better. The track "I Spit Roses" is, according to Murphy himself, a song about how and why Bauhaus eventually dissolved as a band. Imho, Ninth is Murphy's third best solo album and as such a quite solid album and worth to know.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Thåström "Den morronen" (2015)

Den morronen

release date: Feb. 11, 2015

format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)

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

producer: Niklas Hellberg, Ulf Ivarsson, Thåström

label: Razzia Records - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Gräsfläckar" - 4. "Kom med mig" - 5. "Alltid va på väg" - 6. "Slickar i mig det sista" - 8. "Långsamt genom" - 9. "Psalm"

8th studio album by [Joachim] Thåström following Beväpna dig med vingar (2012) is the third consecutive album featuring producer Ivarsson but here he's assisted by Thåström and Niklas Hellberg, who constitute the music project Sällskapet with Pelle Ossler but Hellberg was also exclusive producer on Thåström's acclaimed Skebokvarnsv. 209 (2005). Between this and his 2012 album, Thåström released Nowy Port as the second with Sällskapet in 2013, but this was to be his last with the project as he decided to step out of the trio after the release of Den morronen. Also the third man of Sällskapet, Pelle Ossler contributes here as guitarist. All songs are, however, credited Thåström and Hellberg. Two tracks feature old associate of Imperiet, Per Hägglund as co-composer.

In Hellberg, Thåström seems to have found an almost perfect match as he appears to know how to concentrate the musical focus as someone who understands Thåström's qualities. Compared to Beväpna dig med vingar the album is slightly less dynamic and also lacks truly great tunes without being a lesser release. It still contains fine songs but appears to stay more on a narrow line throughout the album; however, it's also clear that Thåström has found his pen for telling interesting personal stories, which uplifts and creates a fine touch of quality.

Interesting and another fine studio album from the best solo artist in all of Scandinavia.

In Dec. 2015 Universal Music released the extensive 10-disc boxset ...Ungefär så här comprising Thåström's solo career. It contains 8 solo studio albums (including this) and two bonus-cds titled "Fuzzbox 1" and "Fuzzbox 2" with demo and live recordings of music spanning 25 years and it includes a 108 pages hardback book - needless say, for die-hard fans, and if you already have or know of his solo albums, you basically 'only' get two bonus cds.

[ 👍Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Mew "Visuals" (2017)

digipack
cover

Visuals
release date: Apr. 28, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Mew
label: PIAS - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Nothingness and No Regrets" - 2. "The Wake of Your Life" (live) - 3. "Candy Pieces All Smeared Out" - 4. "In a Better Place" - 6. "Learn Our Crystals" - 9. "85 Videos" (4 / 5) - 11. "Carry Me to Safety"
[ album sampler ]

7th studio album by Mew, the band's first after guitarist and founding member Bo Madsen left the band, which is once again reduced to a trio.
The album contains a refreshing and straightforward tone and seems free of strong thoughts on form over matter. There's a continued lightness, which also was found on the predecessor from 2015. The loss of Bo Madsen is there - the guitar has not been put in the hands of a substitute, although Mads Wegner is credited for additional guitar. instead keyboards play a bigger part on this, which is a small downside.
I find it very much on par with the fine + - from 2015 despite not having the obvious top quality singles. Tracks #2 and #9 are clearly the best, but I also find that others win in the longer run, so give it time and more than a few spins.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, PopMatters 4 / 5 stars ]

official cover

Gorillaz "Humanz" (2017)

EU cover
[2-D]

Humanz
release date: Apr. 28, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Gorillaz, The Twilite Tone of D/\P & Remi Kabaka
label: Parlophone - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Ascension" (feat. Vince Staples) - 3. "Strobelite" (feat. Peven Everett) - 7. "Submission" (feat. Danny Brown & Kelela) - 8. "Charger" (feat. Grace Jones) - 10. "Andromeda" (feat. D.R.A.M.) - 14. "Let Me Out" (feat. Mavis Staples & Pusha T)

5th studio album by Gorillaz is a 20 track album ending a seven year hiatus from the Damon Albarn-led project is the follow-up to The Fall (Dec. 2010). The many tracks are the result of having six short breaks in form of various intermezzos, however, its total running time is approx. 49 min. Stylistically, it's a bit subdued compared to the first three releases. You'll find bits of glitch pop but more apparent is the presence of electropop and art pop in combination with hip hop. There's the almost natural ever-present signature element of dub on top or underneath all tracks. What I find less attractive is the constant use of various rappers instead of Albarn's characteristic vocal, which places it alongside Plastic Beach (Mar. 2010). He's there, but more as complementary vocal, which is a bit of a shame. When Albarn's most present, there's an immediate connection to his fine Everyday Robots from 2014.
At a first glance it may not be as direct and good as Demon Days (2005), but I easily found it bettering Plastic Beach and The Fall, and after ten spins or more, I simply consider it the band's best [!]. Yes, I know some reviewers haven't been that positive about it. I on the other hand find it much more pleasant, accessible and enjoyable. It may not add "that something new" to the Gorillaz project, and in that way could be considered a bit on a plain, but the positive dance pop tunes and the laid-back unworried tone mix so well. I've rated this lower almost for a whole year, but at the end of the day, it has come down as one of the most enjoyable albums of 2017.
The front cover comes in various versions, all of which naturally made by Gorillaz' "art department" member Jamie Hewlett.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, NME, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

UK cover
[Noodle]

vinyl cover
[Murdoc]

deluxe double
vinyl cover
[Russel]

streaming cover
[Gorillaz]

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari "SpiritoDiVino" (1995)

SpiritoDiVino (Italian version)
release date: May 27, 1995
format: cd (reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Voodoo voodoo" - 2. "Datemi una pompa" - 4. "Pane e sale" - 6. "Il volo" (4 / 5) - 7. "Senza rimorso" - 8. "Papà perché" - 9. "Così celeste"

7th studio album by Zucchero released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' follows 2½ years after the album Miserere (Oct. '92) is an album released in various different versions, and most issues contain 10 tracks. The English-versioned issue with the subtitle "Stray Cat in a Mad Dog City" is made according to the formula of the predecessor with six tracks with translated English lyrics and new titles as well as a quite different running order. A Spanish version was also issued with translated Spanish lyrics and a North American version with two older tracks replacing two tracks with Italian lyrics. All songs are written and composed by Zucchero except track #1 with music co-composed by Luciano Luisi, track #4 with lyrics by Franceso De Gregorio, tracks #7 & #8 with lyrics by Alberto Salerno and track #10 with lyrics by Jovanotti.
Style-wise the album is a step towards more pop soul and uptempo energy and it basically sounds more in tune with Oro incenso & birra from '89 than his most recent Miserere, which reeked of American soft rock and traditional r&b. With this Zucchero confirms his position as an international artist of contemporary rhythm & blues with a strong mainstream pop / rock appeal.

Recommended.

International English-
versioned issue

Beth Hart Band "Immortal" (1996)

Immortal [debut]
release date: May 21, 1996
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Hugh Padgham, David Foster, Mike Clink
label: Lava Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Spiders in My Bed" - 4. "Hold Me Through the Night" - 9. "Ringing" - 10. "God Bless You"

Studio album debut by Beth Hart released as Beth Hart Band after having released the self-released semi-official album Beth Hart and the Ocean of Souls in '93 (reissued as an archival Beth Hart album in 2009).
Immortal is the only album released as Beth Hart Band. The majority of the original album's twelve compositions have lyrics by Hart and music by Hart together with guitarist Jimmy Khoury and bassist Tal Herzberg. The fourth and last member of the band is drummer Sergio Gonzalez.
Stylistically, this is primarily blues rock, although, there's also a clear influence from heavy rock and grunge rock, which from my perspective makes it a bit of a bland experience - on the other hand, it's still a fine example of Hart's incredible vocal register, which is hard to imagine without Janis Joplin and her significant vibrato and intense dynamic range, and it's really her vocal performance that raises this far above the mediocre 'cause musically, there's simply too much generic and unoriginal heavy rock on a debut that makes you question if this is a Led Zeppelin or Pearl Jam tribute album.

BEST OF 2001:Björk "Vespertine" (2001)

Vespertine
release date: Aug. 27, 2001
format: cd (2008 remaster)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,32]
producer: Björk
label: Polydor Records - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Hidden Place" (4 / 5) - 2. "Cocoon" - 3. "It's Not Up to You" (5 / 5) (live) - 4. "Undo" (live) - 5. "Pagan Poetry" - 7. "Aurora" (4 / 5) - 10. "Heirloom" - 12. "Unison" (4,5 / 5)

4th studio album by Björk following four years after Homogenic (Aug. 1997) is primarily produced by Björk and is originally released by One Little Indian. Before this she released the soundtrack album Selmasongs (2000), an album with (reworked) songs from the musical film "Dancer in the Dark" starring Björk and directed by Lars von Trier.
Vespertine marks a new change of style with the addition of ambient and glitch pop. A move from trip hop towards glitch pop may not be the biggest imaginable leap, but with the album, Björk introduces a completely different sound compared to any of her previous releases. It's an album with much less focus on electronic beats and a bolder organic sound filled with strings and vocal harmonies.
I've always enjoyed this album and think of it as possibly her biggest accomplishment.
Vespertine is the second album by Björk to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, NME, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

2001 Favourite releases: 1. Björk Vespertine - 2. Nathalie Merchant Motherland - 3. Rammstein Mutter

Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd "Mysterious Skin: Music From the Film" (OST) (2005)

Mysterious Skin: Music From the Film (soundtrack)

release date: May 24, 2005

format: digital

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]

producer: Robin Guthrie

label: Rykodisc - nationality: Scotland, UK / USA

Collaboration album by Scottish guitarist Robin Guthrie together with American composer Harold Budd. The album is not an official soundtrack but the actual film score album for "Mysterious Skin" (2004) by Gregg Araki. The soundtrack has also been issued and is somewhat different with music by various artists of dream pop and shoegaze including original compositions by Sigur Rós, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, Ride and Curve. Harold Budd is renowned for his contributions as jazz avantgardist and composer of music described as minimalism and / or neo-classical, and here he has composed 15 tracks together with Robin Guthrie.

Musically, it doesn't fall far from Guthrie's solo debut Imperial (2003) as it's first and foremost instrumental and ambient music relying heavily simple music structure based on guitar and piano / keyboards with some occasional drum programming as additional instrumentation.

The album is their first in a series of collaboration works, which came to an abrupt end with Another Flower (2020) as Harold Budd died from COVID-19, Nov. '20. Actually, Guthrie and Budd already met back in 1985 when they worked together on the album The Moon and the Melodies (1986), which is released as a collaboration work between Budd and the Scottish band Cocteau Twins - as Budd's first encounter with popular music - credited all four and to the individuals of the band: Simon Raymonde, Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie. So, Mysterious Skin: Music From the Film is realised some 20 years later; however, the two have made several other albums together, e.g. After the Night Falls and Before the Day Breaks both released simultaneously Jun. 2007.

This film score may work on a completely different level while accompanied with images and dialogue from the film, but as a stand-alone work, it's a difficult listen.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]