March 2010
33 posts
4 tags
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can →
It’s probably a cliché to say that with this album Laura Marling has grown up. But whilst her first album highlighted the beauty and frailty of her voice, this one is so strong, in terms of both composition and lyrics, that it reminds you of classic folk records from the 60s. An excellent follow-up album.
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Pree - A Chopping Block →
Folky indie-pop that bears an uncanny resemblance to Thao (without her Get Down Stay Down) playing with Iron & Wine. That’s pretty high praise from this writer (although when the lead singer used to play with Le Loup you know you’re onto a good thing). The music’s got a soul, it’s got a beat and it’s got that little something curious and worldly about it. ...
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Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks →
More of the same from the venerable Mr Leo on his seventh album: The Brutalist Bricks. Sadly the Catalan skill that he displayed whilst playing at Primavera Club last December doesn’t appear in the lyrics here but that doesn’t stop the fun. And that’s what you consistently get with a Ted Leo album - rollickin’ rock ‘n’ rollin’ fun. Turn it up loud and...
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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat The Devil's... →
With just the right level of swagger, fuzzy bass-lines and faux-country pretension, it’s possible to sound like a lo-fi version of Kasabian attempting to cover the Jesus & Mary Chain. And that’s not a flattering combo. Sadly, there’s just no stomping classics like on their debut album and you get the impression BRMC know that too as they vainly attempt to recreate some...
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The Antlers – Hospice →
I know this isn’t that new but I’ve been listening to it a lot recently and it’s growing on me like mutant ivy. Not sure how this didn’t make it into my top 25 of last year but it’s a stunning album that deserves a belated mention (particularly the moving tracks Sylvia and Bear).
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The Kissaway Trail - Sleep Mountain →
Opening with a huge sound that makes you feel like it’s Xmas in Denmark and Santa’s just delivered the best-of-2000s-indie-rock compilation, Sleep Mountain grabs you from the start. The second album by The Kissaway Trail, who some refer to as the Danish Arcade Fire, is an exciting and moving record that will make for excellent festival shows this summer.
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The National - The Virginia EP →
With a new album by Brooklyn’s finest purveyors of gloomy, cinematic indie rock The National coming in a couple of months, it’s time to pull out an old EP to bridge the gap and build up the anticipation. A counterpart to Vincent Moon’s film about the band, A Skin A Night, The Virginia EP is four tracks of original material with a bunch of live tracks and demos thrown in for good...
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Lawrence Arabia - Chant Darling →
Chant Darling has this writer’s favorite tastes - moving tempos behind just enough of a faint flavor of melancholy to label it indie. Some tracks have a danceable drive and all have a smooth toe-tapping vibe and could be all set for your summer stereo.
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Yukon Blonde - Yukon Blonde →
Everyone loves a good bit of Canadian indie pop and Yukon Blonde are clearly no different. They have a tight rhythm section (despite the last bassist leaving to become a tattoo artist) and sweet harmonies (even though they are little under-used) to create 3 minute pop songs in an almost traditional way.
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Erland And The Carnival - Erland And The Carnival →
Cinematic, slightly South Western- sounding and reminiscent of some old-school bands like the Moody Blues, this record is rich with self-assured rockyness. Radio-friendly Trouble in Mind is the song that drags you in with it’s catchy chorus and simple motif.
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Gorillaz - Plastic Beach →
In the first Gorillaz record in 5 years, Damon Albarn begins to blend more of the African Beat and hip-hop influences into their otherwise laid-back sound. On most tracks, it doesn’t really work for me although the Mark E Smith track is pretty good (it’s just like watching the Fall).
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Factory Records: Communications 1978-92 →
A huge compilation of Factory Records output which is dominated by the two bands that defined Factory’s two eras: Joy Division and the Happy Mondays. If you’re after a briefer highlights package then head for the soundtrack to the Tony Wilson biopic - Twenty Four Hour Party People - but if you’ve got some time to spend then there’s lots of gems to discover and classics to...
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Liars - Sisterworld →
Liars are one of those bands that have a hugely devoted cult fanbase and leave the rest either annoyed or bemused. Their art-rock aesthetic can be alienating at the best of times but by mixing in synth-based elements and haunting vocals, this album might just be their most accessible one yet.
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Big Star - #1 Record →
RIP Alex Chilton.
A true legend.
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The White Stripes - Under Great White Northern... →
I remember first seeing the White Stripes in concert back in 2002 and it was one of the most powerful, raw, engaging and downright rockin’ shows I’ve ever been to. There was a chemistry between the two of them and even more so between them and their instruments. You’ll never be able to capture that on record and this live recording is a testament to that, despite its strong set...
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The European - In A Very Real Sense Now →
Light and enjoyable europop album from The European. The lead singer is almost just talking over the cheesy rhythms and indie disco beats. They almost recognise this too: singing “Take the records, take the CDs, take the videos, take the DVDS - and smash them against the wall” on the title track.
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Blood Red Shoes - Fire Like This →
The brand new album from the Brighton based duo Blood Red Shoes sounds a lot like the last one - back and forth vocals between Steve and Laura-Mary laid over pounding drums and urgent-sounding guitar riffs. Only this time the songs are stronger and more polished, showing the extra time and dedication that has gone into the refinement and recording process.
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Frightened Rabbit - The Winter Of Mixed Drinks →
More of the same from one of the best Scottish bands making music at the moment. The emotion-wrought rock melodies continue on The Winter Of Mixed Drinks, Frightened Rabbit’s third full-lengther, with their now characteristic anthemic choruses hitting the spot after some stirring build-ups. A polished record.
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Joe Strummer - The Future Is Unwritten →
This is a really cool soundtrack to a 2007 documentary about Joe Strummer’s life and his interest in music. It’s not just a package of his greatest ‘hits’ with the Clash or solo with the Mescaleros but takes the form of a radio show, hosted by Strummer himself, running through all his favourite songs and inspirations. It runs the gamut from Woody Guthrie to Rachid Taha...
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Various Artists - Johnny Cash Remixed →
Whether you’re a fan of Johnny Cash or Snoop Dogg (and there can’t be that many that are both) you’ll either find this album utterly offensive or inventive and interesting. I’m in the latter camp here, I quite like what the kids have managed to make of Johnny’s music. There’s some tracks that make great use of sampling the legendary rhythms of the Man in Black...
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Broken Bells - Broken Bells →
If you’re anything like me you’ve been waiting for this album to be released for months. Another superb collaboration between Danger Mouse and the Shins’ James Mercer whose wry, poppy vocals make the perfect juxtaposition for some of the sounds that DM creates underneath. This is a fantastic album that will remain on your stereo for months to come and I hope we see more from...
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Jimi Hendrix Experience - Valleys Of Neptune →
After 40 years of silence, suddenly Jimi Hendrix pops up with a new album of unreleased material and twists on old themes. What has he been up to all these years? Even the most ardent Hendrix fan will find something interesting on this record although you get the impression this wasn’t quite the finished article. A good listen though and some neat arrangements of classic tracks like Stone...
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The Imagined Village - Empire & Love →
A folk supergroup with an impressively large and diverse range of members from the UK and beyond. But this is no ordinary folk supergroup, oh no… they take contemporary Asian influences and apply them to old classics to create something quite new and unique. It can get a bit much at times but it’s probably one of the more intriguing albums you’re likely to hear this year.
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Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History →
Very much a product of the British indie scene of the late 2000s, Two Door Cinema Club create catchy, pop rock ‘anthems’ with little hint of irony. Like a lot of their influences before them, TDCC will probably achieve reasonable commercial success with their debut album before returning with an average follow-up 3 years later… only to realise everyone’s forgotten about...
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The Strange Boys - Be Brave →
The Strange Boys are an old school rock and roll band form Austin, Texas playing the blues and singing about booze, girls and guitars. I like this album a lot - they’re not afraid of pulling out some cliched sounds and making it their own. It’s got a really soulful, authentic vibe to it and will be appreciated by fans of King Khan, The Black Lips & Deer Tick.
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Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise →
This here is minimalist, organic techno-dub electronic music from Germany. Now there’s one thing I thought I’d never find myself writing on this blog. But it’s an interesting, chilled out listen - the beats are slow and the composition incredibly intricate and mind-bending. It also features contributions from Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) & James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem)....
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Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave →
The final (?) installment in Johnny Cash’s American Recordings series posthumously released last week. As with the others, it showcases a variety of cover versions all given the husky, distinctive Cash treatment and a couple of never-before-heard originals. Even from beyond the grave, Johnny Cash has the ability to chill.
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Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library →
There’s a lot going on in The Magician’s Private Library, Holly Miranda’s first full release. Produced by TVOTR’s Dave Sitek, it’s full of atmospheric buildups and a complex cohesion of different sounds. But what really underpins it is Holly Miranda’s bluesy and expressive voice and the songwriting which, although the album isn’t strong throughout,...
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Blind Man's Colour - Wooden Blankets →
It was only a few days ago that I found out about Blind Man’s Colour and was struck by their inventiveness and the chaotic sound of the album. And here is another record hot off the press. Wooden Blankets is a 6 track affair which picks up right where Season Dreaming left off. We’re Treehouse Kids! is a particular highlight.
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The Ruby Suns - Fight Softly →
Much like Yeasayer last month, psych-pop outfit The Ruby Suns have returned from a three year break with a more polished, evolved album than its predecessor, Sea Lion. The fervent drumming of that album is lost here amidst a sea of bewildering loops and sound effects. Something’s obviously in the water in 2010 because interesting bands have consistently been dropping their most interesting...
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The Mary Onettes - Islands →
I loved the last The Mary Onettes album - it was full of great hooks and classic pop songs. But there’s something seriously lacking from Islands, the newest release from the Swedish 80s revivalists. It’s not hooks - they’re still there in various places - but consistency and overall songwriting: there’s just not that much between the choruses to grab onto. Disappointing.
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February Playlist
Click here: hotspotmusic - February
A roundup of tracks posted on hotspotmusic over the last month (a post every single day until I got lazy and forgetful by the end of the month). February started extremely strongly with great new releases from Vampire Weekend, Beach House and Los Campesinos! amongst others and also included some new finds that I’m incredibly excited about such as Blind...
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Julie Doiron - I Can Wonder What You Did With Your... →
For fans of Annie Clark’s voice and instrumental arrangement this is an album you must hear. Julie Doiron has been making music for 15 years under various guises and collaborations (including last years excellent collaboration with Mt Eerie). There’s elements of rock, folk and sincere introspection here and it creates a really engaging record.