Richard Hawley "Further" (2019)

Further
release date: Jun. 7, 2019
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Colin Elliot, Shez Sheridan, Richard Hawley
label: BMG - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Off My Mind" - 2. "Alone" - 3. "My Little Treasures" (4 / 5) - 4. "Further" - 5. "Emilina Says" - 6. "Is There a Pill?" (4 / 5) - 8. "Not Lonely" - 10. "Midnight Train" - 11. "Doors"

8th studio album by Richard Hawley released after his longest hiatus - a nearly four years brake is yet another return to Hawley's preferred "co-assistants", long-time producer Colin Elliott - with whom Hawley has made all of his eight studio albums - and Hawley's usual guitarist Shez Sheridan, both of which have co-produced the album with Hawley as was the case on his most recent album, Hollow Meadows, from 2015.
The album contains 11 new compositions and with a total playing time at just over 35 mins it does seem in the short end of long playing albums these days.
Stylistically, there are no groundbreaking news here, but given an artist carrying so much originality in terms of sound and style, I guess most people wouldn't have expected major changes in that respect. It's almost like a look down memory lane where he showcases the different styles from previous albums - indie pop singer / songwriter on his earliest albums, the striking chamber pop ballads from his most memorable albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge to more hard-rockin' neo-psychedelia experiments from Standing at Sky's Edge but with a nice stress on his chamber pop ballads. Hawley does what he does so well: He delivers sincere ballads and sing-along pop / rock songs about everyday life, dwelling on subjects about being alive, being male and over 50 as one of the best crooners of British popular music.
The album has been met by positive reviews and it peaked at #3 in the UK. Two singles preceded the album release - tracks #1 and #3 respectively. Dave Simpson of The Guardian pretty much wraps it up when writing: "In the album’s 40 minutes, there is scarcely any flab. Twenty years into his solo career, Hawley certainly isn’t tearing up the blueprint, but within the boundaries of his domain, nobody does it better".
Yes, there's a distinct resonance from his two finest albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge, but it's not about copying or a mere repetition that leaves you with the idea that here's an artist with nothing new to offer, it's really a matter of style - and Hawley still delivers new songs about familiar subjects in the finest wrapping.
Recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut, 👍The Guardian, Record Collector 4 / 5 stars ]

Phoebe Bridgers "Stranger in the Alps" (2017)

Stranger in the Alps [debut]

release date: Sep. 17, 2017

format: digital (13 × File, FLAC) (Deluxe Edition)

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

producer: Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska

label: Dead Oceans - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Smoke Signals" - 2. "Motion Sickness" (4 / 5) - 3. "Funeral" (live at WFUV) - 5. "Scott Street" - 6. "Killer" - 7. "Georgia" - 9. "Would You Rather" - 10. "You Missed My Heart" - *13. "Motion Sickness (Demo)"

*Bonus track on Deluxe Edition

Studio album debut by American singer / songwriter Phoebe Lucille Bridgers, who previously played in a number of bands including Einstein's Dirty Secret and Sloppy Jane before Ryan Adams helped in putting out her debut ep Killer (Mar. 2014) on his label Pax Americana - two of the three songs from her ep debut (tracks #6 & #7) are included on this album in new recordings. The album was preceded by the release of three singles: in Jan. 2017 "Smoke Signals" came out, in July it was followed by her so far biggest (and only) hit "Motion Sickness", and five days before the album release the single "Funeral" was issued. All tracks except track #10 (by Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavalle) and track #12 (bonus track by Tom Petty) are credited Bridgers, and of these six are co-composed by drummer Marshall Vore. Conor Oberst appears on vocals, and together with Bridgers the two would go on and found the project Better Oblivion Community Center in 2018.

Style-wise Bridgers resides deeply in 'melancholy valley' with strong bonds to Cat Power, Sharon Van Etten and classic folk artists, although, Bridgers clearly contain enough originality to keep your ears and eyes out for whatever she's involved in.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, 👍Pitchfork 3,5 / 5, Mojo, NME, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Exclaim! 4,5 / 5, Uncut 3 / 5 stars ]

Billie Eilish "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" (2019)

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? [debut]
release date: Mar. 29, 2019
format: digital (14 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,48]
producer: Finneas O'Connell
label: Interscope Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Bad Guy" - 3. "Xanny" - 7. "When the Party's Over"

Studio album debut by 17-year old Billie Eilish (full name: Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell - yeah...) produced by her older brother, 21 year old Finneas O'Connell [aka FINNEAS]. The two are children of actors Maggie Baird and Patrick O'Connell.
Stylised as new enfant terrible prodigy Billie and brother Finneas have made a tight collection of art pop and electropop compositions that are... nicely bottled.
The album and Eilish have been lauded with critical acclaim almost world-wide where common denominators use phrases as "game-changer", "artistic vison[ary]", "haunting", "impressive cohesiveness" and Will Hodgkinson of The Times describes the nature of the album, when stating that it "captures one of those rare moments when an artist knows exactly how her audience feels because she feels the same way too." All right, all right, hold your horses, Will... when will that ever occur??
I do not agree, and others also point to opposite stands when eg Roisin O'Connor of The Independent says it's "dull and bloated" and simply rates the album below average. Because once you have listened through the album, it turns out more like a collection of artsy fartsy material that the music industry promptly swallows up like art critics when facing new art by Jeff Koons. All others find themselves as uninvited guests asking themselves what it is they don't get - and what the in-crowd praise as a new-found treasure.
I don't enjoy it one bit. It's over-the-hill hyped because she's predestined to fill out some spot (that really wasn't there). Nothing more. And there's nothing there except The Emperor's New Clothes. After having read several positive reviews it's quite a disappointing affair.
Not recommended.
[ 👎allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, 👉The Independent 2 / 5 stars ]

Sun Kil Moon "Admiral Fell Promises" (2010)

Admiral Fell Promises
release date: Jul. 13, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Mark Kozelek
label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Ålesund" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Half Moon Bay" - 3. "Sam Wong Hotel" - 4. "Third and Seneca" - 5. "You Are My Sun" - 6. "Admiral Fell Promises" (4 / 5) (live) - 7. "The Leaning Tree" - 8. "Australian Winter" - 9. "Church of the Pines" - 10. "Bay of Skulls"

4th studio album by Sun Kil Moon following two years after April (Apr. 2008) is like that produced by Kozelek and released on his own label, Caldo Verde. His follow-up is the Mark Kozelek live album Lost Verses - Live (May 2009) consisting of material written for Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon, as well as songs released under his own name.

On Admiral Fell Promises, the music is acoustic guitar-driven compositions and they are according to Kozelek inspired by the great Spanish classical guitarist Andrés Segovia. Despite being released under the name of Sun Kil Moon, the album consists of tracks written and composed entirely by Kozelek and they all basically only feature his vocal accompanied by his acoustic nylon Spanish guitar. The title track is one of Kozelek's finest compositions.

Sun Kil Moon had basically been the continuation of Red House Painters, however, songwriter Kozelek made nearly all of the band's studio releases on his own and the band only existed as a live constellation and even at this point it seems that Kozelek did whatever he felt like regardless any of the former members. Former guitarist Phil Carney founded the duo Desertshore with pianist Chris Connolly. Drummer Anthony Koutsos had turned to real estate business and occasionally supported Kozelek on live tours when playing under as Kozelek or as Sun Kil Moon. Bassist Jerry Vessel soon founded Heirlooms of August with Frances Everett, and other bassist Geoff Stanfield began work as studio musician and producer.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~

"Admiral Fell Promises"

"Come out from the burning fire, butterfly
Let me lock you in my room and keep you for a while
Could you be the answer to my every prayer?
Could you be the one now for who I care?

Come into my arms and let your worries die
Come out from the web of all your tangled lies
But be true to me and I’ll be true to you
Judge me not for what I’ve done but what I’ll do

A million nights have led
to this one that we are spending
And I know it’s better here
than anywhere I’ve been going
Where every morning grew
a void more wide and endless"

Come out from the burning fire butterfly
Let me lock you in my room and keep you for a while
You watch over me and I'll watch over you
And if you go tomorrow, choke me till I'm blue

A thousand days have passed
In this house, she and I were sharing
And I hate myself for it
But I have stopped caring
The Marilyn sky tonight
Is so black and blue and beautiful"

~ ~ ~

Thom Yorke "Anima" (2019)

Anima
release date: Jun. 27, 2019
format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Nigel Godrich
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Traffic" - 2. "Last I Heard (...He Was Circling the Drain)" - 4. "Dawn Chorus" (live at Montreux) - 6. "Not the News" - 8. "Impossible Knots" - 9. "Runwayaway" (live at Montreux)

3rd solo studio album by Thom Yorke is very much 'business as usual' by being produced by Nigel Godrich. Apparently, Yorke found inspiration to the songs in readings about dreams and the subconscious, and the entire album was recorded partly through live studio recordings, Godrich's collaborative takes on Yorke's musical drafts, and eventually Yorke writing lyrics to pieces they came up with along the way.
Stylistically, the result is not far from his two previous solos, The Eraser from 2006 and Tomorrow's Modern Boxes from 2014, as well as drawing on similar elements from the Radiohead album A Moon Shaped Pool from 2016 with a clear glitch pop twist and the usage of musical loops.
The album release was followed by American film director Paul Thomas Anderson's 15 mins. short "Anima" featuring Yorke and his partner, actress Dajana Roncione as choreographed dancers with music from the album [excerpt from the film].
The album has generally been met by positive reviews with The Guardian and its 3 out of 5 stars review presenting the perhaps most luke-warm reception, and the Telegraph and a 5 out of 5 stars review as probably one of the most positive responds.
I find it quite fascinating and clearly bettering his second solo Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, and it took me quite a long time wondering whether the album, as some critics suggest, is his best. I finally settled with a similar judgement and rate it close to his solo debut from 2006, and I can only say that it's a very fine and originally sounding album, which is worth a great many spins.
[ 👎The Guardian 3 / 5, The Independent, 👍NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, The Telegraph 5 / 5 stars ]

Black Grape "Pop Voodoo" (2017)

Pop Voodoo

release date: Jul. 7, 2017

format: digital (12 x File, MP3)

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

producer: Youth (aka Martin Glover)

label: UMC Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Everything You Know Is Wrong - Intro" - 2. "Nine Lives" (live) - 4. "Whiskey, Wine and Ham" - 5. "Money Burns" - 7. "Pop Voodoo" - 8. "I Wanna Be Like You"

3rd studio album by Black Grape released twenty years after Stupid Stupid Stupid (Nov 1997). The band has in essence become a moniker for Shaun Ryder and a band effort is a difficult term in regard to this album. Black Grape is here made up by the two vocalists Ryder and Paul 'Kermit' Leveridge, and all lyrics and music is here credited the two in collaboration with producer Martin 'Youth' Glover - long-time recurring bassist of Killing Joke as well as an established remix-producer for a long list of acts. As instrumentalists, Ryder and Kermit are solely credited for their vocal performances, while Youth is also credited on guitar, bass and for programming. Other musicians contribute as session musicians but the album is without the participation of former Black Grape members Danny Saber and Bez.

Musically, it's very much the continued cycle when it comes to music with Shaun Ryder. It's alt. dance music building on old school funk and soul mixed with neo-psychedelia and bits of electronica. Both in 2012 and again in 2015 Ryder spoke of a new Happy Mondays album in the making, but that never materialised, or: it turned out that it was easier for him to release it under the Black Grape moniker.

The album was met by better reviews than Uncle Dysfunktional (2007) by The Mondays, and it went as high as to number #15 on the UK chart list. Two songs were chosen for single releases: "Nine Lives" and "I Wanna Be Like You".

Pop Voodoo might as well be credited Happy Mondays - it's hard to tell the difference, and what remains are the fingerprints of Shaun Ryder's presence: the characteristic vocal and the half-mad, witty and semi-offensive lyrics. And then there's Kermit, or: where is he? He's there, at times popping up, adding rap, but it's mostly Ryder you notice. My guess is, Youth made most of the music, and he does a fine job composing, playing, programming, producing and mixing a style that fits Ryder's voice. It's neat, warm, funky and danceable club-music, but it does sound a bit outdated, and it just lacks outstanding hooks and rifs, although, it's quite coherent and also clearly bettering Ryder's many recent attempts.

Not great, not bad - somewhat easily forgettable BUT with a nice groove, entertaining moments, and ultimately slightly bettering the '97 album as a more coherent release, although, it's without a great hit like "Get Higher".

[ 👍allmusic.com, PopMatters, musicOMH 3,5 / 5 stars ]

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.

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 recommendable.
[ 👍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 ]

Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint "The River in Reverse" (2006)

The River in Reverse

release date: Jun. 6, 2006

format: digital (13 x Files, FLAC)

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

producer: Joe Henry (exec. produced by Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint)

label: Verve Forecast: - nationality: England, UK / USA

Track highlights: 1. "On Your Way Down" - 2. "Nearer to You" - 4. "The Sharpest Thorn" - 5. "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?" - 6. "The River in Reverse" - 7. "Freedom for the Stallion" - 11. "All These Things"

Collaboration album by Elvis Costello and New Orleans-based songwriter, composer, record producer, pianist and composer, Allen Toussaint, who is a familiar name of traditional American rhythm & blues.

Toussaint had previously contributed as pianist on Costello's "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror" for his Spike album, and the two had earlier discussed the possibility of a collaboration work, but it wasn't until the hurricane, Katrina flooded New Orleans in 2005 that Costello was concerned about Toussaint, as he was one of many affected artists of the disaster. Both was involved in benefit concerts and Costello initially thought of and performed with Toussaint's song "Freedom for the Stallion" after which the two was paired for live concerts, which ultimately led to Costello suggesting that they made an album together. And in that way The River in Reverse is a requiem on the New Orleans tragedy. Except for the title song, which is written and composed by Costello, the remaining 12 compositions are reworkings of songs composed by Toussaint - a few with new lyrics by Costello.

The result is actually really good. Toussaint has composed lively and traditional music, and Costello delivers some a vocal performance on the majority of the songs with warmt and emotions that at times make me think of Van Morrison. It's a quite different arena than Costello's recent collaborations: Painted From Memory (1998) with Burt Bacharach, and Deep Dead Blue (1995) with Bill Frisell, but it's by no means a left-handed work or a lesser experience - it's just... different, mostly because this album is a genuinely rhythm & blues album, which again shows us how easily Costello adapts to different styles. Not that he masters everything, but I don't think he believes there's a style or genre he cannot handle.

This is a warm and delightful album.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 6,1 / 10 stars ]

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.

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] [3,54]
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. 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 recommendable 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 ]