Patrick Wise & Jessika Mae
Kerouac Lives (EP) - H14Head records
Review by Chris Morley
Album released - 13th May 22
It seems oddly fitting that perhaps the defining author of the Beat Generation should be given what in effect feels like a musical audiobook thanks to the University of Leeds School of Music- the treatment feeling just right given the subject matter of Jack Kerouac's rise to the position, before a relatively short career & alcohol aided final end.
A heady blend of styles is also reflective of the range of his writing, Typewriter Blue indicative of his early struggles, Eternal Song a harbinger of the direction in which he would take his later work, somewhere between spoken word & music. A balance ably achieved by all involved in putting this together, from lyricist Heath Common to John Hardie's music & Malcolm Webb as Jack himself.
It could be said that On The Road is the true inspiration here, the Bowery Beat mined for all its worth across the eight songs in celebration of the man who was to a new school of writing what the likes of Charlie Parker brought to jazz, the journey as sprawling as Sal & Dean's on the page.
The ideal companion then to a first discovery or perhaps re-read, a free- form celebration of Kerouac's centenary sure to form the centrepiece of the celebrations
Track list:
1. Typewriter Blue
2. Eternal Song
3. Bowery Beat
4. Hey Jack
5. We are taking sides
6. Time wasn’t on my side
7. Me and Dean
8. Kerouac Theme
mexican dogs
Mexican Dogs (EP) - Fretsore Records
Reviewed by Stuart Condie
EP released - 13th May 22
Power trios as a format are almost as old as rock itself and we probably all have our favourites whether you choose to go as far back as Cream (or any of Jack Bruce's successor line ups), Rush, The Police, ZZ Top or Nirvana not to mention several stars of the pop-punk genre. Mexican Dogs from Liverpool - Gaz Wilcox (vocals /guitar), Carl Rooney (drums) and Sonny Winder-Rodgers (bass) - would probably prefer more recent comparisons. But there's the thing; while this band sound nothing like any of those named above, there is no question that in places they do sound eerily familiar.
She Cries Blues sets us off with the vocals over a driving guitar riff before the bass and drums kick in with the sort of intensity which I guess will make for a real feel-it-in-your-chest moment if you catch this live. I defy anyone, with a long enough memory, not to hear shades of Marc Bolan and T-Rex running through this song. That's an acknowledged influence, as is Led Zeppelin, but there's certainly no element of pastiche. This all feels as though it's done with love.
When It's Gone is the single release and it's not hard to see why. It motors along on a down and dirty distorted guitar riff pummelled home by heavy but really crisp drums. There's a big singalong chorus, a clever little triplet riff in the short instrumental break and a really effective and prominent bass figure sitting under the vocal during the last verse. Since we're playing the game of "spot the inflence" I'd say this sounds a little like Wolfmother.
You & I on other hand suggests to me Masters of Reality-era Black Sabbath, especially during the playout at the end, but with better vocals. It's the least riff-dependent of the songs on the EP allowing the melody and vocal harmonies to sit higher in the mix. If this is the track which hints at a possibly different future direction for the band, normal service is swiftly resumed.
Run, Run, Run is just great. You can, if you really feel the need, fit entire lyrics from Bang a Gong (Get it On) over the verse and they'll work just fine. It opens on a huge power chord which gives way to another super-catchy guitar riff soon doubled up on the bass. If you're not nodding along, at the very least, to the chorus, I would check your pulse.
So is the future of rock'n'roll destined to be found by reinventing the glories of the past or do we just have a band here with a really great record collection? I'm not sure it matters. Mexican Dogs have some upcoming gigs where the challenge will be to fill out the sound when there's just one guitar and no overlays. My bet though is it'll all be loud enough and played with such swagger that you really won't care.
This release is a pure and simple, straight ahead, four in the bar, don't give a monkey's slice of just what the doctor ordered.
Track Listing:
She Cries Blues
When It's Gone
You & I
Run, Run, Run
Links:
temple invisible
Chiasm (EP) - Temple Invisible Records
Reviewed by Stuart Condie
EP released 13th May 22
Although Temple Invisible - Irina Bucescu and Costas Ivanov -are celebrating ten years of producing their brand of trip hop electronica together, their output over that period could hardly be described as prolific. Chiasm follows two previous EP releases, Enter in 2014 and Void in 2017. The duo was formed in 2012 in Bucharest and despite the paucity of their recorded output they have been a regular support act for dance acts appearing in their native Romania and have secured radio play across much of Europe.
Although Chiasm is billed as a new release in May 2022, all but the fourth and final track, Say, have been separately released as singles. Fans will therefore find little they haven't come across already. What's in store for the rest of us?
The set kicks off with Stardust. Over a long opening chord, a cut up vocal is bounced and panned around until typically frenetic drums and a deliberate, steady, rising four-note bass pattern steer us into familiar keyboard territory. There is sufficient variety in what sits over that bassline to make things interesting - and suggest scope for some very extended versions of the track in live performance - including a couple of pauses to allow for fresh percussion patterns or new instrumentation.
If Stardust is essentially wordless, Hold is almost traditional in its song structure. The verse is built over another rising bass figure, the drama of the long minor key chords being accentuated when the drumming drops out momentarily before returning with added toms. The chorus is a statement of intent, "...I'll deconstruct, I'm gonna shake it, I'll rearrange, I'm gonna make it". In a section which puts me in mind of New order, a Peter Hook style driving bass guitar joins the mix taking the track out in pulsing style.
Over My Feet is something altogether different, at least in the way it starts off. Over a simple piano accompaniment, an unsettling vocal, slightly reminiscent of Nico, fades in and out of focus over a throbbing bass and increasingly luxurious sweeping accompaniment. With no obvious fanfare or transition we realise that the track is being wound around a really interesting mix of traditional classical instrumentation, strings, woodwind even a French horn, over a percussive pattern which would feel at home, if typically more prominent in the mix, in any self-respecting drum and bass release.
So in the one track we go from something which has an initial pastoral tinge, though what sounds like a standard dance rhythm to a full-on lush orchestral epic, all the time building, adding successive unsettling layers until the eventual release of a single concluding note. I have to admire the production restraint on show here. Less accomplished artists would have been unable to resist building the crescendo for far longer and taking it to a crashing climactic conclusion. Less sometimes really is more. The overall effect is impressive and left me wanting it to last far longer.
The final and new track, Say, quickly kicks off into a higher energy groove. For all the busy drumming, the vibe is consistent with the rest of the tracks; an unnerving but sultry vocal line sits over an insistent bass punctuated after the briefest of drumming pauses by stabs of synths until, all too quickly, it's gone.
I cannot claim to be at home with this genre of music, nor even to be an enormous fan of modern dance music generally, but there's a lot more going on here than I expected. I found myself genuinely and surprisingly disappointed at how short these tracks are, the longest only being a little over four minutes. There are hints and promises all over this EP. The production is properly and carefully crafted, perhaps explaining the long gap between releases. Easy answers are eschewed for something more... intriguing. It all suggests that there is much more to come, whether in the extended versions of these tracks which will surely see the light of day or in future releases developing this mixture of mystery and melancholy into something truly unique.
Track List:
Stardust
Hold
Over My Feet
Say
Links:
hate moss
NaN - via Stock A
Reviewed by Martin Murray
Album released 20th May 22
Hate Moss are an Brazilian, Italian duo, based in a London. Their first album, Live Twothousandhatein, was recorded from a live session in one take. Three years later they have returned with NaN, their second album.
NaN is apparently a computing term that can be interpreted as a value that is undefined or unrepresentable. The intention was to describe an album not limited by genre or language. However, it describes an album that feels vague, underdeveloped and unsure of itself.
It’s a short album, only 8 tracks and about 33 minutes, but even so it still drags. It might have worked better if they dropped a couple of tracks and released it as an EP. The vocals aren’t very strong and can be a little lacking in emotional range.
The opening track, Neve, is a great introduction. It begins with a keyboard pulse that is very reminiscent of John Carpenter scores and builds to a big finish, full of electronic swirls and rumbling bass. Unfortunately, second track Pensar has another slow buildup and ultimately loses the momentum generated. It’s a pattern repeated throughout the album.
When third track, Dei Buoni Dei eventually gets going, the production reminds me slightly of NDA and I Didn’t Change My Number from Billie Eilish’s last album. Just without a chorus that will linger long in the memory.
Birdaha has industrial drums and a keyboard line that sounds like it was lifted from Giorgio Moroder’s score for Midnight Express. There is also a touch of Underworld to the track. With this track and the following two we are easily in the best stretch of the album.
Fog is instantly catchy. Reminding me of something from Primal Scream’s XTRMNTR album. Peonia has another gradual build up, but develops into a lovely, repetitive groove that brings to mind The Xx.
Overall NaN has some interesting sounds and textures, but I found it truly hard to connect with. There are hints here that Hate Moss could be capable of great things in the future.
Links:
florence & the machine
Dance Fever - Polydor Records
Reviewed by Stuart Condie
Album released 13th May 22
Some 13 years on from the release of debut album Lungs, Dance Fever is the fifth album from Florence and The Machine. You might be forgiven for thinking you've heard that title before though and, of course, you'd be right. While my personal favourite selection was released on K-Tel and kicked off with Baccara's Yes Sir I Can Boogie, you need to put all thoughts of bargain-bucket disco (or line dance or ballroom) compilations out of your head and reset for this one.
This will be a world-wide best seller, I have no doubt, just as the preceding albums have been.
Other than some footage from Glastonbury, I must confess to having missed the whole F+TM phenomenon so cannot speak to whether this release represents any significant departure from what has gone before, but that does give me the opportunity to consider Dance Fever in isolation with no relative, ahem, temperature check.
In pre-release interviews, Ms Welch seems quite ready to acknowledge some of her vocal influences, quite specifically Siouxsie Sioux and Kate Bush. There are most certainly echoes of the former in some of the more strident passages and nods to the latter when it comes to subject matter.
Religious, sexual, and domestic concerns are to the fore here, served up with a disarming frankness and self-awareness rendered all the more genuine by the references to her musical career. In fact, I think there is another obvious comparison to make, but I'll come back to that.
For all sorts of reasons, the opener King serves as almost an overture for the album, giving us a taster of what we will meet throughout. The opening line, "We argue in the kitchen about whether to have children" already feels like an intrusion into something deeply personal and awkward, but it's followed a few lines later by, "You need to go to war to find material to sing", the first of several hints that the personal and the artistic (or commercial) are really inseparable. If we're thinking about the psychology, surely the chorus, "I am no mother, I am no bride, I am king" is as plain a description as we could have of someone refusing to be defined by their relationship to others, preferring to be in outright control, an absolute ruler.
But it's not just in subject matter that the opener sets out the stall. Within this one song we have an array of musical approaches from a gently throbbing pattern under the understated first verse to a building tension through the chorus which sees a cymbal crash accentuating the word "king". Before we know it we have something altogether more dramatic on our hands with vocal harmonies and fuller orchestration giving way to a mid-song pause only after the end of chorus is presented in a tone of what feels like resignation or regret. We pick up again after a crashing drum fill with huge soaring wordless vocals building tension before we ebb away again in an almost spoken outro.
Free bowls along at a decent pace and is bound to get any crowd moving. If the preceding track was dramatic, Free hints at a personal crisis of a different kind and it's really tempting to link the mentions of being "medicated", "sedated", discussions "at the hospital" and "it's all in my head" to what seems like a description of a bipolar condition. "It picks me up, puts me down... a hundred times a day". But there's salvation here too; "for a moment when I'm dancing, I am free". All of this accompanied by Soft Cell-style drums and an insistent bass line.
There being no actual title track, Choreomania surely serves as the nearest thing. If the theme of the album is an acceptance of the power of dance, this is no out and out party record. Florence is "dancin' to imaginary music" and indeed "danced myself to death". So strong hints again that all is not well. Dance can be an act of celebration, but also a means of cutting yourself off from whatever else is or probably should be on your mind.
Back in Town lowers the tempo with a wistful, perhaps nostalgic story about reconciliation or at least picking up with a former love. Predictably, it's not a happy outcome, "I came for the pleasure, but stayed for the pain". Even a relationship which is actively sought out feels like some sort of prison.
In Girls Against God, maintaining the mood, this becomes explicit, "if they ever let me out, I'm gonna really let it out". In another example of the recognition that life and art are intricately linked, the outro tells us "I met the Devil... he gave me a choice, a golden heart, or a golden voice".
Dream Girl Evil starts with an almost bluesy character although the song is constructed over a falling four chord pattern (E D C A if you feel like playing along) which is gradually built up into the same dense instrumentation as the opener. I can see a chance for a huge guitar solo (perhaps long enough for a costume change) in this one when it's played live.
Cassandra takes the repetitve bass notes we've heard elsewhere and builds a chorus over a chord progression which feels familiar and inevitable while never getting in the way of another tale of disillusion, this time with organised religion.
Heaven is Here strips away all the complex instrumentation, presenting as a defiant chant over a minimalist backing. Albeit with a very different mood, Daffodil kicks off in a similar way before the band and harmony vocals join in from the second verse. I think this is one of the most musically satisfying songs on the album, perhaps again because the bulk of it is built over a repeated and doom-laden three chord pattern. The beauty in this is to turn a heavy minor key vibe on its head with the final lyric, "Saw the future in the face of a Daffodil".
My Love combines a properly danceable groove with another nod to the process of being a songwriter and the challenge faced when, "Every page is empty". The Bomb has a country tinge to it, both in the initially stripped back arrangement and the two beats to the bar shuffle. The same downbeat mood carries over to closer Morning Elvis, albeit with a singalong chorus.
So having played this album a lot in a short period, am I a convert?
I'm certainly impressed enough with the craft of these songs to search out the back catalogue. There's some really clever songwriting on display, so much so that I'm confident you could strip away the harp, the violins and the dense vocal harmony arrangements and most of these songs would work perfectly well with nothing much more than an acoustic guitar.
For all I know, that's how they were written. With that combination of solid structure, unique vocal stylings and intense subject matter, I wonder if Ms Welch would recognise the influence of Joni Mitchell.
If The Machine can run unplugged, there could be some interesting acoustic sets to come. Look out for the inevitable stripped back languorous cover versions. Dance Fever may not be a Saturday night floor-filler, but it could well be contagious.
Links:
Lèa sen
You Of Now Pt. 1 (EP) - Partisan Records
Reviewed by Chris Morley
EP released - 20th May 22
If honesty & vulnerability shot through with hints of Prince & Bat For Lashes is your thing, you'll find plenty to admire in You Of Now Part 1.
From the frank admission that she feels she has nothing much left to lose on Much To Lose to wondering if she's good enough on I Like Dis & ruminating on With Or Without, an increasingly woozy sound almost giving this the feel of an interior monologue, one which we've probably all shared to varying degrees as we ponder just what's going on in our own minds let alone the world they're supposed to be helping us navigate...
And its all the better for holding up that mirror, uncomfortable as it may be & however blue it may leave her & us feeling.
Is there to be a Part 2, & will it be more of the same, we're left to wonder, or will the us of then be interpreted differently?
Either way this serves as an interesting introductory thesis of sorts.
Links:
Nick Mulvey
New Mythology - Fiction Records
Reviewed by Chris Morley
Album released - 20th May 22
As a long time reader of both Uncut & Mojo magazines, the chance to review a man who's managed to earn plaudits from both was just too good a chance to pass up..and so we come to New Mythology, the former Portico Quartet man's latest solo attempt.
And it sounds like he's been soul-searching, A Prayer Of My Own setting the tone for his meditations. If it sounds trite, worry not. The concern for the future is well founded, parenthood perhaps not unsurprisingly rousing something in him- pushing for the shaping of a better world for future generations, informed by exploration of the nature of faith.
In which context Star Nation feels like an early rallying cry before the pilgrimage to Mecca, the overtone of feeling a need to find some hope from somewhere growing by the listen, not that this is necessarily a bad thing to strive for given a climate in which most would find it hard to even muster up a hallelujah...
But is this where Mulvey steps in after his epiphany? Brother To You certainly takes on the air of reassuring those listening that they're not alone, Sea Inside (Third Way) coming across as an exhortation to look to the natural world for the sort of answers not to be found elsewhere, Causes & Another Way To Be ramping up the desire to make sense of things however mad they seem, perhaps the most human of impulses explored here prior to ascension to a higher plane of sorts for Interbeing & Begin Again.
Should you find yourself in need of some sort of spiritual comfort- & who among us can say we're immune?- you could do worse than tune into the music of his mind, inner visions made for collective uplift after too long in the wringer.
Links:
Mica Millar
Heaven Knows
Reviewed by Stuart Condie
Album released - 10th June 22
Heaven Knows is the debut album from Manchester-based soul singer Mica Miller, but if I didn't know that to be the case I'd be happy to tell you that this is the work of an established artist revelling in confidence and really hitting their stride.
There is nothing remotely tentative about any of this. The songwriting is assured, the production consistently on the money and the voice... well, that's the whole point. I was quite ready to reach for easy references and lazy comparisons but the sheer range delivered over these 14 songs renders that exercise meaningless.
There is colour of every shade in the attack, the attitude and the tone here which defies simple attribution. As a bonus, for this reviewer at least, there is also a distinct lack of the sort of needless vocal histrionics which tend to get audiences to their feet in Saturday night TV talent programmes. Mica is utterly convincing without any of that. It comes as no surprise to learn that she has already attracted some serious attention from the BBC and the music press.
There are 14 tracks here of immaculately produced modern soul - although truth be told much of it is essentially timeless. There are some upbeat dance flavoured numbers, some real gospel-tinged belters and some achingly poignant tales of love and love gone wrong.
The album kicks off with Girl, a mid-paced shuffle driven along by stabbed guitar chords and the first of many examples of close harmony choruses. Preacher Man is initially a little more pared back but is soon revealed to be a bit of a stomper with a four in the bar clap track and the most luxurious organ tones I've heard in a long time. More Than You Give Me really shows off the power of well arranged female backing vocals in a 60s style but curiously up to the minute at the same time.
The title track, Heaven Knows, is just gorgeous. Perfectly mellow guitar lines (strat tones, surely) wrap around and under vocal lines supported throughout by staccato piano chords and long organ sustains. A guitar solo with just the right number of bends takes us effortlessly into the big choral finish. Just great. Three of the four opening tracks have been released as singles, but that's not to suggest that those are necessarily the standout tracks as the rest of the album hits many of the same highs.
If Trouble has Mica adopting a slightly harder-edged more strident tone, she can equally produce regret-laden bluesy righteousness (Fool's Fate and Down River) and outright Aretha-alike (there, I've done it) heartbreak (Will I See You Again?) with apparent ease. There's another nod to Ms Franklin in the chorus of No Money, Nor Faith (Freedom). For those with even longer memories, the raw exposure of emotion in the bare voice and piano track My Lover will surely conjure thoughts of Billie Holiday at her searing best.
If I feel compelled to mention the very comparisons I wanted to avoid, it's certainly not to suggest that this is any sort of pastiche or imitation.
Stay feels to me like a future last slow dance staple in the making. The album closes out with Give View My Prayer, a bit of a stomper with slightly distorted vocals over lashings of wah-wah guitar and that organ sound again. While I can see the logic of finishing on something a bit more up tempo, it does jar a bit with the preceding run of slower, more obviously emotional songs and their cumative mellow effect.
It's notable that there are a lot of well-established artists contributing to this album and I guess it will be interesting to see whether the live line-up for forthcoming gigs can reproduce what's been captured in the studio. I'd be optiistic though.
This is a refreshingly analogue-sounding album largely free from obvious electronics and gimmicky synth sounds and that's why I guess it will sound just as fresh in 20 years' time as it does today.
Track listing
1. Girl
2. Preacher Man
3. More Than You Give Me
4. Heaven Knows
5. Flashlights
6. Trouble
7. Fool's Fate
8. Will I See You Again
9. No Money, Nor Faith (Freedom)
10. Stay
11. Down River
12. My Lover
13. Nothing's For Keeps
14. Give View My Prayer
Links:
drive by truckers
Welcome 2 Club XIII - ATO Records
Reviewed by John Seales
Album released 3rd June 22
A five piece US rock band of over twenty years standing, this is Drive By Truckers’ fourteenth album.
Straight from the off, “The Driver” hits us with dull distorted electric guitar, drum and bass. It’s a trifle hackneyed and dreary, and the spoken (rather than sung) vocals don’t help. The initial tempo and key are maintained through the track length, and instrumentality hardly changes either. The only real relief is the female backing vocal which briefly raises it momentarily, every so often. The track is a whole seven minutes long, and the longest track on the album. And it feels it.
So let’s be gracious, write that one off and see if the rest of the tracks can tickle our fancy.
“Maria’s Awful Disclosure” has at least a title that is intriguing (What can Maria have done? Has she been up to her old tricks again, or is this revelation altogether more shocking?) Thank goodness, the band appear to have woken up and the result is an up tempo more emphatic version of inoffensive rock. There’s even some novel use of a reversed guitar solo. And the disclosure? I’ll leave that to Maria….
“Shake and Pine” gives us a less in-your-face, laid back four-beats-to-the-bar ballad that has your toes tapping. Unmistakably US in style (fair enough, this is an American band) it’s a gentle three minutes forty six seconds of calm.
“We will never wake you up in the morning” defies the expectation of a hard rock contrast to the previous track by having slowly strummed chords with a gentle flanger effect musically referring to the sleep referenced in the title. There’s enough space left by the production to give an airy, floating feeling, and it’s a nice cloud to float upon while it lasts.
“Welcome 2 Club XIII”, despite irritating this reviewer by using the number 2 instead of the right word (I can’t help being a pedant) is musically a throwback to old school rock. There’s even a Status Quo echo, albeit with a heavy American vocal. It’s a happy little number, displaying a versatility in the band that was not expected whilst listening to the initial track.
“Forged in Heaven and Hell” is pleasant enough, but doesn’t really go anywhere much musically. It’s about meeting up with a friend after various life experiences, both good and bad, catching up and carrying on with life.
“Every Single Storied Flameout” is somewhat heavier with a slightly offputting vocal that is clean cut in contrast. It has a use of brass sounds that is unusual when compared to the rest of the album, but I’m struggling to say much more about this one.
“Billy Ringo in the Dark” passes by, and we’re at the last track, “Wilder Days”. Another long track, it starts slowly and quietly, I’m hoping for the track to go somewhere in its six and a half minutes. I’m not expecting Bohemian Rhapsody, but maybe some tempo changes would be good. Alas, this retrospective on wilder days confirms that for this track at least, wildness is a thing of the past.
According to the promotional blurb accompanying the press release, this album took shape over the course of three frenetic days in the summer of 2021. And maybe that’s why I feel a bit underwhelmed. As a whole, this work feels rushed and unfinished. There is indeed much to praise, but also some things that could do with either improvement or weeding out altogether.
For the band’s sake, I am grateful that the old days where you went into a music shop and listened to the first track on the album to decide whether you wanted to buy the LP or not have gone.
The rest of the album is much better, with a few gems, but many of those could do with a little more polish to fully realise their potential.
Track Listing:
1) The Driver
2) Maria’s Awful Disclosure
3) Shake and Pine
4) We will never wake you up in the morning
5) Welcome 2 Club XIII
6) Forged in Heaven and Hell
7) Every Single Storied Flameout
8) Billy Ringo in the Dark
9) Wilder Days
Links:
just mustard
Heart Under - Partisan Records
Album reviewed by Martin Murray
Album released 27th May 22
Since the release of their excellent debut album Wednesday four years ago, Irish five piece Just Mustard have been handpicked to support The Cure, released two superb standalone singles, and endured a lockdown which impacted the recording of its follow up. Four years later, and on a new record label Partisan Records, they have finally released their second record Heart Under.
Some reviews for their first album casually lumped them into the shoegaze genre. And it is true the vocals are reminiscent of Rachel Goswell of Slowdive. And it is also true that the guitars have hints of My Bloody Valentine, but this is only part of the picture.
The sound of their heroes The Cure also loom large in their sound, especially the dark sound of 1982’s Pornography and their 1989 epic Disintegration. The trip-hop beats and atmosphere sounds of Massive Attack and Portishead also feature prominently in their mix. Layered with the industrial noise and electronic textures of Nine inch Nails and nineties period Depeche Mode.
Opening track 23 takes Mezzanine era Massive Attack and adds guitars that wail like sirens in the darkness. Still adds a hint of New Order guitar and bass to the template. I Am You imagines Tricky remaking Nirvana’s Something In The Way. It’s a thrilling triple assault to launch the album with.
Seed then opens with a wall of noise and effects that sounds like a bunch of Transformer’s getting ready to battle each other. While Mirrors tilts the template again with a nod towards Kid A era Radiohead.
Blue Chalk is cinematic, eerie and atmospheric. It could easily soundtrack a David Lynch film. Album closer Rivers also continues the cinematic theme. The guitars scarily resemble the T Rex roars from Jurassic Park.
Although the album doesn’t stray too far from the established sound of their debut, it feels like a major leap forward in confidence, ambition and technique. This makes for a brilliantly bold, dark and layered record that thrills and reveals more with each play.
Links:
noso
Stay Proud Of Me - Partisan Records
Album reviewed by Martin Murray
Album released 8th July 22
Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, the setting for Mean Girls and countless John Hughes movies. Abby Hwong moved to California when they were a teenager. There they began to develop their voice and musical identity and now the 24 year old is ready to release their outstanding debut album, Stay Proud Of Me. Recorded in isolation during quarantine and released under the moniker NoSo.
NoSo is shorthand for North and South. A nod to their Korean heritage but also hints at the kind of inane questions many Korean Americans have to face over their years, such as “which Korea are you?”.
Stay Proud Of Me is full of subtle references to their difficulties reconciling the all American experience with their Korean heritage. But it’s also about their sexuality, gender identity and their battles with imposter syndrome. Although that sounds like it could be a heavy listen, it’s actually a collection of confident, catchy pop songs, balanced with shades of introspection and optimism.
Opening song Parasites is swathed in lovely washes of keyboard, guitar and muted drums. It has traces of both Maggie Rogers pop sensibilities and the darker atmospherics of Charlotte Day Wilson. At first the lyrics could be about shedding an old lover and finding a new love, “Parasites removed from your skin. And so lovely, lovely to meet you again”.
At the time of writing the album Hwong was recovering from top surgery. Later in the song they sing “looking down I’m free, it was worth the wait”. Then they state the album title “stay proud of me”. It’s such a powerful personal statement of finding your true self. A beautiful and clever song.
I wonder if the use of the word Parasites is also a sly allusion to the South Korean film Parasite? The first non-English language film to win the Best Picture Oscar. A film about a poor family infiltrating the home of a wealthy family.
Honey Understand is a gorgeous late night dance track that could have fit seamlessly onto Robyn’s last album. With lyrics like “Honey understand it’s me against the crowd” expressing their feeling of feeling different, isolated even in a crowded dance floor.
Lead single Suburbia is also about isolation. This time of their early suburban surroundings. It’s a seriously catchy song, with a lovely guitar riff and eighties keyboards.
David is about a dream they once had in which they woke up trapped in the body of a man. Only now all the women they secretly pined for are now attracted to them. A hugely emotional experience for them. “I wanna be serene and blank like David. I wanna be a dream with girls all over me”. It’s a brilliant song with a great chunky, jerky guitar line running through it.
Closing track Everything I’ve Got also explicitly details their feelings of gender dysphoria. “And I know it seems confusing, when I yell and hide my chest. And I know if I was born fairly, I’d be him”.
The album looks back at the person they were and forwards to the person they are still growing into. A fantastic album, full of captivating songs, clever lyrics and great production.
The more I play this album, the more I love it. Revealing more depth and beauty with each play. I can’t wait to discover more about NoSo as they continue to discover themselves.
Links:
beabadoobee
Beatopia - Dirty Hit Records
Reviewed by Stuart Clarkson
Album released - 15th July 22
Call off the search for this year’s feel good catchy indie pop song!
10:36, the second track on this album has taken the crown , hook laden and combining a driving drumbeat with a great vocals it should be being played everywhere this summer. The title refers to the time that 21 year old Bea Lau otherwise known as Beabadoobee finished writing the song.
This is the second album from Bea who originally hails from the Philippines but was raised in London. It is an accomplished piece of work that showcases her ethereal beguiling voice.
A mix of indie guitar pop and slower enchanting songs guide the listener through the world of Beatopia , the fantasy world created by 7 year old Bea to enable her to escape real life.
Opener Beatopia Cultsong provides a dreamy introduction with a trippy vibe and repeated chant of ‘Is it me or recently time is moving slowly’.
Elsewhere Lovesong is a beautifully crafted song which showcases Bea’s delicate vocals and envelops the listener in a velvet cloak.
Don’t get the deal is an insanely catchy indie pop duet. The hooks keep on coming with Tinkerbell is overrated which starts slowly but transforms to up tempo pure pop.
The album delivers over a number of musical styles and Bea’s voice adapts perfectly to each whether it be indie,singer-songwriter work or pop.
The chemistry shared with guitarist Jacob Bugden is clearly evident throughout and enables the pair deliver an enchanting album.
If you missed Bea’s performance at Glasonbury you can step into the world of Beatopia by catching Bea the headline UK and Ireland tour throughout October this year.
Tracks:
Beatopia Cultsong
10:36
Sunny Day
See You Soon
Ripples
The Perfect Pair
Broken CD
Talk
Lovesong
Pictures Of Us
Fairy Song
Don't Get The Deal
Tinkerbell Is Overrated
You're Here That's The Thing
Links:
mabel
About Last Night - Polydor Records
Reviewed by Liam McEvoy
Album released - 15th July 22
Mabel’s second studio album About Last Night is set for release this Friday 13th July 2022.
The follow up to the critically acclaimed debut album High Expectations, About Last Night is filled to the brim with fantastic floor fillers that are sure to get people up and dancing from start to finish.
With About Last Night Mabel wastes no time and opens the album with the bouncing ‘Animal’. With its thumping bass and Clean Bandit-esque strings section the track opens the album with a bang and is sure to get people dancing from the off.
This is followed up by the first single that was released from the album now over a year ago ‘Let Them Know’. A track that fans will no doubt already be familiar with, this is a proper dance anthem that with lyrics like “baby you’re that bitch” is made to be yelled out in the club. The dance tracks continue in supreme style with the fantastic house infused ‘Definition’ and the funk fuelled ‘Let Love Go’.
Whilst About Last Night is undoubtedly a great dance album, there are some moments where the album does slow from the all out dance anthems. ‘I Love Your Girl’ is a fantastic soaring track that deals with the pangs of unrequited love.
‘When The Party’s Over’ is another track that deals with the end of a night out and not wanting to go home.
The album closes with another track that fans will surely be familiar with. Recorded with the Brit award nominated rap duo A1 x J1 ‘Deal Or No Deal’ is a track with a distinct hip hop feel and that is unique amongst the rest of the album and closes the album is some style.
Set for release this Friday 13th July 2022 the Brit award winner Mabel has produced a second studio album full of dance floor fillers.
With her debut album High Expectations receiving much critical acclaim About Last night is definitely a worthy successor.
Track List:
1. About Last Night
2. Animal
3. Let Them Know
4. Shy
5. Definition
6. Good Luck
7. Take Your Name
8. Let Love o
9. Overthinking
10. Crying On The Dance Floor
11. I Love Your Girl
12. When The Party’s Over
13. LOL
14. I Wish
15. Deal Or No Deal
Links:
joe pug
Nation Of Heat | Revisited - Loose Music
Reviewed by John Seales
Album released - 22nd July 22
Born in 1984 in Maryland, USA, Joe Pug’s first release was an acoustic EP called Nation of Heat, in 2008. This is a full band reworking of that seven track EP.
Unmistakenly American folk in style, the first track gives us musically a nicely balanced band taking equal prominence with the vocals of Joe. It’s a toe tapper of a track, bright and sunny, and it’s too easy to miss the lyrics. “The more I buy, the more I’m bought – And the more I’m bought, the less I cost”
“Nobody’s Man Revisited” opens with a strong three-beats-to-the-bar beat. It’s hard to resist the enthusiasm of the music, waltzing us along in the flow. Again, the lyrics are worth listening out for. There’s a definite poetry and driven discontent that contrasts with the upbeat instrumental.
“I Do My Father’s Drugs Revisited” (let’s drop the revisited suffix for the remainder of the tracks and just take it for read) builds from a slow quiet intro into a steady beat.
Although it would be easy to pigeonhole Joe Pug as a protest singer, there more depth here than that suggests. The caricature of the protest singer is that of someone with limited musical ability and considerably more ire (As the late great Neil Innes had it - “I’ve suffered for my music – Now it’s your turn”). But this is not the case here. Joe Pug’s music is more than capable of standing up on it’s own, and the protest in the lyrics is aimed as much internally, towards himself, as externally, towards others. It’s a heady combination.
“Hymn #35” does nothing to undermine this opinion. More about our own personal contradictions than anything else, like most of the work on this album it can be taken at face value or interpreted just as far as you wish. Yet it manages to avoid becoming pretentious by some distance.
“Call It What You Will” takes us back to a swaying three-beats-to-the-bar, throws in significant amounts of slide guitar, and gives us yet more great lyrics – this time for a breakup song. “Some call an end a beginning; For right now they'll go unheard; Call it what you will; I'm heartbroken still; Words are just words “
“Nation of Heat” questions the values of America specifically, but first world countries in general. “ I seen skeleton mothers and hungry folks; Across the street from the kitchens that cook dinners the most” is just a quick example of the keenly observed contradictions of an imperfect society. And all of the time, the music continues to entertain us.
This is a great piece of work from Joe Pug. I’d strongly recommend giving this one a whirl. Whilst you think about that, I’m just going to listen again to all of the tracks here.
Time well spent...
Track Listing:
1. Hymn #101 Revisited
2. Nobody’s Man Revisited
3. I Do My Father’s Drugs Revisited
4. Hymn #35 Revisited
5. Call It What You Will Revisited
6. Speak Plainly Diana Revisited
7. Nation of Heat Revisited
Links:
jamie t
The Theory Of Whatever - Polydor Records
Reviewed by Chris Morley
Album released - 22nd July 22
Of those who emerged during the urban/ hip hop boom of the early to mid Noughties, Jamie T is perhaps the most interesting for how he actively subverts the genre- more in common, say, with the more social conscious end of the spectrum (Public Enemy the example that most readily springs to mind) than his contemporaries. So, it proves again here arguably more in common with no less than the Bard of Barking himself, Billy Bragg, in his take on the state of the world.
To the untrained eye, many of the song titles on show here would appear to have been lifted straight from some sort of mix tape- The Theory Of Whatever in itself an excellent apparent title for such, suitable for inclusion on discerning shelves alongside the likes of Endtroducing......
More than a surface whiff of The Streets too in missives like 90s Cars, The Old Style Raiders & British Hell. Though Keying Lamborghinis is unlikely to make seasoned veterans of both the genre & such illicit behaviour from back in the day blush, there is a certain touch of the poetry of the streets in their delivery, however uniquely British (again, see also the works of one Mike Skinner).
Where those serve perhaps as a reminder of days gone by, there is a certain sobering now-ness about the remainder of the record, a reminder that we still live in a world of guns, drugs & senseless violence every bit as vivid as the Compton painted by NWA- A Million & One New Ways To Die & 50,000 Unmarked Bullets should serve enough warning to Chuck D & chums not to test the theory that their Oldsmobile is indeed bulletproof (with thanks to You're Gonna Get Yours for the literary device) next time they're passing through London.
Should they survive their ride around the rougher parts of the capital, they could at least drink in the Terror Of Lambeth Love & St George Wharf Tower, more Talking With The Taxman About Poetry than Fear Of A Black Planet but no less evocative for different reasons. A solid return after around five years away & considerably more mature than the early anxieties of Panic Prevention might have suggested Mr T would go on to become.
He doesn't want to change the world, just make the existing one better, a timely release indeed as a new England starts to take shape immediately post-Boris.
Track list:
90’s Cars
The Old Style Raiders
British hell
The Terror Of Lambeth Love
Keying Lamborghinis
St George Wharf Tower
A Million & One New Ways To Die
Thank You
Between The Rocks
Sabre Tooth
Talk Is Cheap
Old Republican
50,000 Unmarked Bullets
Bonnie & Clyde
Kill Kill Kill
Run Of The Mill
Links:
orbital
30 Something - Orbital Recordings
Reviewed by John McEvoy
Album released - 29th July 22
Anyone who loves their dance music will be aware of just how huge Orbital have been over the last 30 plus years, and this compilation of remixes is a timely reminder of just how good they were and indeed still are.
This release will be available in various formats, digitally it’s a 21 track set, 4 x vinyl or 2xCD set. The choice is yours, but from the opening track ‘Smiley” with the over dubbed sound bites from Acid house news articles at the time to closing track ‘Belfast’ (ANNA Ambient Remix), this is a glorious run through some of the most definitive dance music its era.
Originally formed in 89 by brothers Phill and Paul Hartnoll, they were perfectly placed to be at the very epicentre of the rave/acid house era, and whilst there are many bands long since gone who dabbled with this music. Orbital have stood the test of time, and their music sounds just as good and relevant as ever.
Whilst they of course provided huge beats, there was also a sophistication within their music that ensured they stood out from the rest, and this timely release is a perfect example of what this band are all about.
The (30 Something Years later Mixes) of ‘Chime’ and ‘Belfast’ are for many people their signature tracks and these mixes bring a fresh 2022 feel to established tunes.
Various dance heavyweights were also involved in this release with mixes from Jon Hopkins, Jon Tejada and David Homes to name just a few. My personal favourite (at the moment!) is the Dusky remix of ‘Are We Here’. It’s soaring ethereal vocals and driving beat complement each other perfectly.
If dance is your thing, then I can’t recommend this release highly enough.
Perfect for the nostalgists who lived through the heady days of the acid house/rave scene, and at the same time these mixes have in many cases ensured that classic tunes have been given a new lease of life with the innovative reworks.
This is a release not to be missed, and without a doubt is our album release of the week!
Track list:
Smiley
Acid Horse
Where’s It Going (feat Steve Hawking)
Satan (30 Something Years Later Mix)
Chime (30 Something Years Later Mix)
Halcyon On & On (30 Something Years Later Mix)
Belfast (30 Something Years Later Mix)
The Box (30 Something Years Later Mix)
Are We Here (Dusky Remix)
The Girl With The Sun In Her Hair (Floex Remix)
Halcyon On & On (Logic 1000 Mix)
Belfast (ANNA Techno Remix)
Impact (Jon Tejada Remix)
Halcyon On & On (Jon Hopkins Remix)
Are We Here (Shanti Celeste Remix)
Belfast (Yorro Remix)
The Box (Joris Voorn Remix)
The Girl With The Sun In Her Head (Lone Remix)
Impact (Rich NxT Remix EditO
Belfast David Homes Remix)
Belfast (ANNA Ambient Remix)
Links:
modern love
Oh My Mind (EP) - Akira Records
Reviewed by John Seales
EP released - 29th July 22
Modernlove are a fourpiece pop/rock band from Drogheda, Ireland and with a tour of the UK planned for November, with some venues already sold out, this is a good chance to hear what they have to offer before deciding whether to grab a ticket to see them live.
The EP opens with the title track, “Oh My Mind”. First thing to notice is the clean production with punchy bass guitar, swirling keyboards and engine room drums carrying boyband vocals in a very professional pop/rock presentation. These guys have clearly been working hard, honing their sound, and talking to the right people to develop it. The track itself is three and a half minutes of commercial toe-tapping pop, with a distinctly rocky edge.
“Don’t Wanna” continues the theme. This is fully formed commercial stuff with any flaws ironed out well before release. It’s clear that this band want to go far, and on the evidence here, there’s not a lot that is going to stop them.
There is a place for almost everything in the world of music, and whilst as a critic/reviewer it may be the done thing to be a bit sniffy about commercial music, preferring to side with the bleeding heart artists exposing the rawness of their emotions with some rawness in their music, there are plenty of folk (this reviewer included) who find nothing wrong in indulging in some sugary pop from time to time.
Modernlove isn’t as sugary sweet as many, but the element of confection is undeniable. So, let’s not be judgemental about that, but instead embrace this for what it is, a superbly put together seven tracks of pop/rock that have been created by some seriously talented and clearly ambitious folk.
“Islands” and “Follow You” present us with more perfectly presented four-beats-to-the-bar up tempo pop. By this point I admit I am starting to yearn for a little something that shows another side of the band. A bit like eating the same sweet over and over, it loses impact after a while.
“Familiar” obliges to an extent with a slower paced number, before a return to the faster tempo with “Us”.
“Take My Head” closes this EP with a greater dose of funk than anything previously, almost experimental in places.
To my mind this shows that this four piece have the ability to evolve their music beyond what is already accomplished. It will certainly be interesting to see where their talent takes them.
Modernlove are certainly a band to watch out for.
Track Listing:
1. Oh My Mind
2. Don’t Wanna
3. Islands
4. Follow You
5 Familiar
6. Us
7. Take My Head
Links:
regent
Just A Revolution - Regent Records
Reviewed by Chris Morley
Album released - 12th Aug 22
Is it now long enough since the Gallagher brothers went their separate ways & effectively brought Oasis to its knees to consider them fitting influence fodder?
Should a timescale even need to be put on such things, the reasonable conclusion is surely yes, & if the timing was ever better for an injection of swagger back into venerable old rock & roll, this is it- with barely a Definitely Maybe of apathy about it.
And despite their oddly New Wave Of British Heavy Metal- sounding band name, Regent are definitely more in keeping with, for want of a better phrase, Britpop- Southampton's own belated entry into the land of parkas & glory taking everything that truly made dear old Britannia cool way back when & injecting a bit of 2022 spirit.
For while there are feelgood anthems to spare- You Wanna Play With Me & Yes It's Lovealready having done alright- to borrow from Supergrass- as singles- there's more than a little reflection to be done, like a lad or ladette who may just have had a few too many of an evening back in the day.
Sounding like the morning after the night before we also have Dirty Little Sinner for all those who hopped on the club foot & maybe did the bad thing- to even have the option of doing so in these odd post- COVID times feels like something of a victory, & maybe one we should take every opportunity to celebrate. Perhaps if there is a message here its exactly that- see your friends, see the sights, feel alright while you still have the chance.
Should you still fancy making a playlist for your Friday or Saturday night, you could do worse than stick Lets Go Out alongside the aforementioned two singles, finding room for Today to make it one to remember- let them nestle in your ears & eventually become the sort of thing you reach for in making memories in the sunsheeeinne (as Liam would no doubt put it).
And where there is Liam there must be Noel-for if you're going to write decent tunes you need a hook, of which Regent have plenty. There’s also more than a sniff of the sort of interplay between the now departed Tom Meighan & indie Jimmy Page like Sergio Pizzorno in the early days of Kasabian as wel,l just to give more of a flavour of the sort of thing they're aiming for.
If you don't hear this at the very least on the BBC 6 Music afternoons playlist this summer, consider yourself & your ears affronted. Festival appearances area surely not far off- if they fancy crossing into what they might consider “enemy territory” & playing by the sea at Portsmouth's own local institution that is the Victorious Festival, so much the better.
Just not too early in the day!...
Tracklist:
Just A Revolution
Dirty Little Sinner
Let’s Go Out
Today
Rocks My Soul
Again
Told You SO
Blow My Mind
No Going Back
Seven Seas
Don’t You Wanna Play
Yes It’s Love
Links:
pale waves
Unwanted - Dirty Hit
Reviewed by Martin Murray
Album released - 12th Aug 22
Unwanted is the third album from British rock band Pale Waves. Arriving quickly on the heels of last years Who Am I? and four years on from their debut My Mind Makes Noise. Both albums reached the Top Ten in the UK.
A lot of the pre publicity noise has been made of the bands harder rock sound and darker lyrics on this album. Lead singer and main songwriter Heather Baron-Gracie stated in an interview for Kerrang magazine that the record “feels very raw and is definitely way more real”. But I have to confess I don’t hear it.
Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morissette are noted as huge influences on the band, but they never reach the catchiness of the former or the emotional honesty of the latter. Paramore are another huge influence and it’s their sound that they emulate the most. I’ve never gotten the appeal of Paramore and it could be the reason I find it difficult to get into Pale Waves too.
There’s very little in the way of memorable choruses. The lyrics are angsty and slightly whiny emo. They lack the depth and maturity that they are aiming for, despite the darker subject matters.
First single Lies is a decent track and it was wise to kick the album off with its fizzy rush. The Hard Way starts off slow but builds to a big climax. Your So Vain has a catchy guitar line, but that might be because it resembles Weezer’s Beverley Hills.
The vocals are nasally and the production technique appears to be just turn everything up to 11. It resembles the worst aspects of Weezer albums like Raditude and Van Weezer or the recent Green Day albums, which buffed out any of the bands rawness to a polished sheen. They come across like every rock band who play at their high school in a made for the Disney channel movie in the early naughties.
If you are a fan of their first two albums, and they have generated a solid fan base over the last five years, I’m sure you will find much to love here. Unfortunately, for me, this album is all too aptly named.
Tracklist:
Lies
Unwanted
The Hard Way
Jealousy
Alone
Clean
Without You
Only Problem
You're So Vain
Reasons To Live
Numb
Act My Age
So Sick (Of Missing You)
Links:
the native
Looking Back (EP)
Reviewed by Stuart Clarkson
EP released - 19th Aug 22
Fresh from supporting Bastile on their UK tour this young Plymouth band serve up the latest in a series of singles and EP’s. This offering continues the upward trajectory and sees the band in an all together rockier mode than their early folk rock output.
Meaty,beaty,big and bouncy the group quote The 1975 and Coldplay amongst their influences.
Powerful opener Blindside sets the mood with a stadium rock feel powered by driving drums and a singalong chorus that the Reading and Leeds crowds are sure to lap up later this month. Looking Back starts slow but the band are soon into their stride picking up the pace culminating in another guitar heavy catchy chorus.
Changes is an indie rock gem with a hook that lives long in the memory and 20 Something continues the indie rock assault with some great drumming and guitar work.
I personally prefer the rockier stuff but whilst All or Nothing and If Not Now Then When slow things down a little they provide interesting introspective diversions that allow the band to display the full range of their skills.
These 6 tracks prove that the band are becoming accomplished purveyors of anthemic indie rock and it’s surely only a matter of time before their debut album is released and lapped up by an ever growing fan base.
In the meantime catch them live and experience it for yourself.
Links:
