"All Night The Calls Came In" by Minneapolis residents Halloween, Alaska is an album of subtle, oft en engrossing songs. The terrific opener 'You Are Not Well' reveals a talent for songwriting, great vocals and clean production; elements of Porcupine Tree, if that band gave up the histrionics and went pop. 'Dance By Accident' has a bit of an 'eighties MOR feel, but again the quality of the songwriting shines through. 'Analogue' (spelled the British way!) is an uptempo rocker with more balls than melody, while 'Empire Waist' is quirky and reminded me very much of XTC. (In fact, if I had no band info I might have thought this was a British band with an American singer.) 'More To Come' is a slowburn cracker with some lovely key changes and an unsettling time signature twist or two; again a hint of XTC. 'The Jealous Ones' features an emotive vocal performance and superb arrangement - an album highlight, this - while 'Dead Air' returns the listener to an 'eighties sound. '3.1' is the album's ballad and another highlight, while penultimate cut 'Tables' is wonderfully melancholy. To end, 'In Your Sleep' merges all the previous elements to create a suitably anthemic album closer. A very good album indeed, repaying extra listens, and highly recommended. This one has gone straight into the "quite a discovery" stack by my CD player. (www.halloweenalaska.com )
Durham/Edinburgh/Manchester/West Bromwich residents Caedmon - gone from the music world for 30 years but now reformed, at least, in theory - have a new folk-infused album out, "A Chicken To Hug," in which improvised material is transformed into a set of songs. Opener 'Peace In The Fire' merges folk and rock instrumentation, and wonderful vocals, all to great effect, setting the tone for the whole work. 'Still Here' has more of a pop vibe, while 'Bonnie Boy' sounds more like a folk standard, and features really good vocals. 'Four Winds' is a slow waltztime groover, light as a feather, while 'Waltzing Home' is a strange, whimsical cut with curious vocals. 'Time Flies' mixes Ken Patterson's throaty vocals with a twisting, turning arrangement, while Patterson's 'Ouagadougou' is a superb evocation of that marvellous city, and album closer 'Old Kings' a bluesy evocation of life gone by and life to come. Variety and sensitive arrangements create a good album. (www.caedmonsreturn.com )
Foxpockets - a folk quartet from Brighton - create on their EP "The Coracle & The Albatross" a kind of faux-historical folk menagerie, as, on seven brief songs, they evoke the curious and the odd. Opener 'Widow's Walk' mixes acoustic instrumentation and plaintive vocals to great effect, while 'The Nautical Song' has stronger vocals and mournful instrumentation. 'Grendel' is trippy and medieval - an EP highlight - while 'Wintersleep' matches bouncy sections with Katharine Simner's low-key vocals. 'Twelve Sisters' is a waltztime tale of forests, while 'Voytek' again matches banjo with accordion, to excellent effect - another EP highlight. 'Lament' is harp-infused and suitably melancholy, and features perhaps the best vocal performance. Very enjoyable music. (www.myspace.com/foxpockets )
'Sturmey Archer' by long-time East Anglian residents Exit13 is a downbeat collection of songs, of which the highlights (the compelling 'Play The Game,' the delicate 'The Mountain And The Flood' and the emotive 'Radar') just about manage to outweigh less attractive fillers. Songwriter Steve Mann's voice is not ideally suited to he material he writes, while the arrangements, though fair, and often appropriate to the material, sometimes descend into mere competence. Album opener 'Sleep With Me' sounds a tad dull, while album closer 'Rusty Train,' though well sung and with good backing vocals, seems less than generous for a final cut. A bit of a curate's egg this one, though not without its charms. (www.backwaterrecords.com )
Also from East Anglia but with a very different approach to their music, folk-rockers Takeda on their short album "Hufsa" create an engaging and very enjoyable work. A unique lead vocalist, subtle female backing vocals, mysterious drums and marvellous instrume ntation all come together on the hypnotic opening track 'Sweetheart,' while the folky 'A Million Years' matches more subtle instrumentation with another amazing vocal. The seven minute 'Reverence' sits terrific vocals on a bed of acoustic guitar before the drums and piano and doomy keyboards come in. Great stuff! 'I Know' brings in accordion, while 'Flesh' features yet another superb vocal. Album closer 'Dusk Raga' is eleven minutes long and every second is great - a kind of English/oriental call to prayer, if music were prayer... This is a marvellous work, unique, original, beautifully sung and arranged, and comes highly recommended. I loved it.
(www.myspace.com/takedasound )
Anti-Social Music are a new chamber music collective and come from New York; on their album "Anti-Social Music Is The Future Of Everything" they throw together brief avante garde snippets, weird trippy sound sketches and more, all through the agency of instruments you'd see in an orchestra. Alternately amusing, infuriating, intriguing and, to quote a previous review, "unlistenable," the album does have the virtue of variety, if not musicality. Anti-Social Music are the future of something, but what that thing is remains mysterious for now. (www.antisocialmusic.org )
You know that phrase "hostage to fortune"? I'm going to use it here, but only because the writer of the one-sheet for "Stone Soup" by Daystar tells the listener that the band set out to make an album of the quality of "Revolver." That's presumably the "Revolver" made by The Beatles. So, is it as good as "Revolver"? No. Is it anywhere near? No. How could it be? But this is not a bad album, rather it's one where the writers haven't quite got complete understanding of their own music. The key misunderstanding seems to be that a song is its lyrics. It's not. A song is its tune. And while there are a few half tunes on this album, there are no actual tunes - the defining feature of The Beatles. The sound is in fact much closer to Oasis than T he Beatles - very well recorded, well arranged, occasionally retro, occasionally sparkling. 'Mrs Joe' pushes all the Gallagher buttons, jangly guitars and all, plus one of those half-tunes, while 'Because You Said' is the album highlight, a really tight, focussed psych-zoom of a cut that recalls some of the work of La Fleur Fatale. 'Paralysing' is good, 'Switchback' is better and tuneful, while album closer 'Up Here' echoes The Coral and Shack to great effect - a good ending. I do understand guys that your intention was not to make the next "Revolver," but what you have made ain't bad: sometimes strong, sometimes weak, sometimes retro, sometimes not. Check it out, lovers of Brit indie-rock. (cooperd@stonesouparts.co.uk )
"Hi-Fiction Science" by Hi-Fiction Science is the debut offering of a Bristolian quintet who merge shoegaze and art rock to make an album of engaging cuts. Matching female vocals with thrumming bass (especially on the excellent 'Old World') and New Order-esque drumming, the band recall something Mancunian, something krauty, some thing retro... I'm reminded of some of the New Wave bands that emerged in the very late 'seventies, though the music here isn't made in homage. 'Zabriskie' is a swift ride instrumental, but 'Spirit Broken' is a bit of a mess. Much better is the thrilling 'Kosmonaut,' with its changes of pace, rocking guitar and half-spoken vocal. 'Fleance' matches spidery guitar with jangly rhythms and a great vocal, then closing cut 'Undulating Blue' rocks out fast and exciting, with more great bass. A good album, plenty of variety and some great sounds. (listen.to/hifictionscience )
The twent y minute EP "Another View" from Dream Weapon Ritual is an evocative excursion into mystical sound and very trippy drones/vocals. It's hypnotic and surprisingly listenable, given its weirdness. Both cuts are about ten minutes long, the first dense with floating female vocals and unexplained scraping sounds, the second dense with booming bass and scuttling, reverberated noise. A good EP, this. (www.ticonzero.org )
"Giving" by the Milwaukee sextet Collections Of Colonies Of Bees is a four track EP of anthemic instrumental rock echoing Explosions In The Sky and Mogwai. Opening with the stop-start 'Lawn,' the music turns and mutates, sometimes rocking out, sometimes subtle. Pounding drums fight Rickenbacker bass, while guitars and electronics leer over the rhythms. 'Lawns,' 'Vorm' and 'Vorms' also follow this template, all successfully, with the nine minute closing cut the best. (www.teamclermont.com )
Rita Ro is a British songwriter/composer whose album "Renaissance" meditates on love - sacred love, intense love, corrupt love. Opening with the soundscape 'Through The Stars,' the first song proper matches Ro's idiosyncratic, almost childlike vocals (recalling Elisabeth Fraser and perhaps, dare I say it, Claire Grogan) with tribal, mainly electronic textures and timbres. The hypnotic 'D4,' 'To Love You' and 'Ghost Of Love' all follow this template, before 'Broken Fixed' takes a more rock direction, with its slow tempo and shrieking ebow guitar; a hint of Joy Division in this sound world perhaps. 'Carousel' is a beautifully arranged instrumental, while 'Bathing Me With A Kiss' shows again Ro's skill at evoking the intensity of desire. 'Rainbows' returns the listener to tribal electro rock, while 'Corrupt Me' does the same, only more so, recalling The Creatures. The lengthy 'Another Day' is the album highlight; slowburn, ghostly and emotive. 'Scented Garden' brings the listener down with another whimsical instrumental. This is a great album, filled with insight, good music and more... recommended. (www.ritaromusic.com )
If purple velvet-clad psych folk is your thing, then you could do much worse than check out the new album "Ensoulment" by New York goth quintet The Wyld Olde Souls. Evoking classic Brit psych folk from the seventies, this new fourteen track album was ten years in the making, and covers all the ups and downs of life. Opener 'Ferris Wheel' has heavy phasing, acoustic guitars and multi-layered vocals, and it's really good. Smell that patchouli! 'Give It To You' brings in tabla maestro Naren Budhakar, while 'Take Me There' has a more traditional arrangement, if somewhat too light for the material. 'Wyld Maiden' brings in multi layered voices that work together so well, while 'My Lost Way' is another slightly too light confection; good chorus though. Better is 'I Talk To The Wind' (yes, a cover of the King Crimson classic), which in this arrangement works really well. 'Undertow' is another standout track, really lovely this one, while 'Worn Out' is trippily Indian, and shows how the band merge genres expertly; great vocal performance too. Album closer 'Leave Her' is anthemic and a great conclusion to an involving, enjoyable work. Ten years well spent, I'd say. (www.wyldoldesouls.com )
San Francisco residents Ruby Howl make sinister music on their second album "Heaven Hides There Too." Opening cut 'Joey' is forbidding with noirish vocals, while 'Armadillo' is similar in tone, with pounding drums and orchestral arrangement. Guitars chime and slash, while doom-laden backing vocals sit beneath sisters Jennifer and Laurie Hall's lead vocal. 'Strange World' brings in a male voice and a lighter production, while 'Goliath' is a keening love lament, and very effective. 'Forest Of Eyes' is melancholy while 'Doubt' is quirky, with a half-Americana, half-psychedelic arrangement. Concluding cut 'Fare Thee Well' is the most obviously Americana track on the album, which overall is an intriguing listen. Original and unusual, with the brass and orchestral arrangements working particularly well with the mood.
(www.rubyhowl.com )
The Tea First Records compilation "Tea First Records" collects twelve cuts of varying moods and quality: FS Blumm (gentle acoustica), Ben Vida & Greg Davis (great drone psych), Kira Kira (minimal ambience), Felsenmeer (soft guitars and oboes), Melodium (glitchy electronica), Graham (more minimal ambience), Selbyville (quirky banjo and violin), Atone (spooky electronica), Mind Wheel (Indo-ambience), South China (cello-led acoustica), Old Furnace (sample-o-delia) and Wechsel Garland (ethereal piano and guitar). As an introduction to some interesting artists, this is a good listen. (www.teafirstrecords.com )
Frozen Geese, whose "The Starseed" I reviewed recently, have been at the magic mushrooms to create their two track album "Disclaimer," which continues their penchant for electronic space rock excursions. Both cuts weigh in at twenty minutes each. The first opens minimally, with wobbling sequenced synth, trippy organ and reverberated drumkit, before it loops off into drum machine and noise territory: a kind of messed up Berlin School, though too experimental for sustained enjoyment. The second cut takes the same themes but is much better in terms of production and music, with a great early Floyd bass coming in, and some rather tasty fuzzed up guitar. The album isn't quite as good as "The Starseed," but has much to recommend it, notably the second cut, which fans of modern space rock would definitely enjoy. (www.vanitycaserecords.com )
Liskeard in Cornwall is the home of troubadours Corncrow, a duo whose marvellous "Sweet Nightingale" is a folk journey through Breton and English themes and songs. Opening and closing with the softly sad title track, the EP wends its way through six traditional songs and a self-penned cut. Entirely acoustic, with guest musicians on viola, drum and banjo, 'Cruel Sister,' 'Blue-Eyed Stranger' and 'Spencer The Rover' are all great cuts, beautifully (if minimally) arranged and recorded. 'Pysk Pi' however reveals a talent for writing, as this instrumental track is penned by Steve Hunt; and very nice it is too. Folk purists and the folk-enamoured alike will want to check out this great album. (www.myspace.com/corncrow )
The Andrew Weathers Ensemble is an American octet on whose "We're Not Cautious" album ten strange tracks of instrumental Americana are contained. The brief opener leads into 'Seachange,' a calm, meditational track where light percussion, soft drones and voices all merge to create a kind of minimal acoustica, as if Steve Reich was trying out a few new ideas. 'Go Lightning' matches a droning organ with more light instrumentation, while 'To Ozona' is very light; almost silent in places; music for late at night. 'Left Arm Sunburnt' lets the stringed instruments take over, while 'Short, Infinite' - blink and you miss it - leads on into 'Ecstatic, Unchanging,' which returns the listener to banjo and droning chords. 'Several Seems' brings back the organ wash and a light acoustic guitar, while the lengthy 'To Burn Yourself Completely' is again softly meditational and features a beautiful guitar, which sounds as though it might have been played with an ebow. The album closes with 'Seaworthy,' which concludes a rather lovely album that is ideal for that last-thing-at-night moment. Recommended to ambience heads.
(no contact details given)
The Grea t Book Of John also hail from America, but on their second album "The Great Book Of John" create widescreen epic rock-pop; and do it very well. Opening cut 'Robin Hood' recalls The Verve with its emotive vocals courtesy bandleader Taylor Shaw and its psychedelic, heavily effected guitars; a fantastic opener. 'Brown Frown' is a staccato affair and features Bekah Fox on additional vocals, while 'Let Me Slide' is slower and more acoustic in style. 'Wise Blood' and 'Ashes Over Manhattan' are slower, more reflective songs, before the rock returns with the soulful 'Black Heart' - another great epic cut, with some particularly fine guitar playing. On 'Cover My Eyes' and '10,000 Miles' there's a hint of Bobby Gilespie in the vocals, while 'On And On' is a terrific piano-led ballad, and an album highlight. The album concludes with the brief 'Foreign Currency' before the final cut 'Simple Things,' whose anthemic mood is a great conclusion. A band to watch, for sure. (www.thegreatbookofjohn.com )
"Qsamim LeSevel" by Israel's Quetev Meriri is a stew of psychedelic noise, music and weird chants by this respected group of musicians. Essentially a quartet, the bandleader, Haim Rachmani, conspires to create an atmospheric journey through acoustic/electric/electronic psychedelia, hinting in places at traditional Jewish concerns, while elsewhere, as on the third cut 'Mishbarim,' travelling to purely sonic locations. The singing is all in Hebrew which means the lyrical concerns are impenetrable, at least to me, but the music is intense, involving and changes from minute to minute. Cymbals crash, voices shriek and wail, pianos arpeggiate, bells tinkle and vibrate, guitars drone and scrape, and all this creates an audio melange unlike any other. Strange, weird and fascinating. (www.quetevmeriri.bandcamp.com )
Fan Modine on their album "Gratitude For The Shipper" make uptempo happy pop in great style. Opening cut 'Julu Road' has a catchy tune and poppy arrangement, while the title track brings in snappy synths, though a less memorable tune. 'Through The Valley' has a lovely orchestral arrangement and chiming piano riff, while its strong tune pulls the listener through the song's twists and turns. 'Meet Me At The End Of The Line' is a real goody (hints of Squeeze, I thought), while 'Wormwood Scrubbs' is another delight, with a sophisticated arrangement and some great backing vocals. This one reminded me of that excellent band Pugwash. The Motown-ish arrangement of 'M.O.I. (Can We Dance?)' delights, while 'Another Eventall' matches chiming guitars with a classic pop chord sequence; terrific stuff. 'I'm Seeing Star' is quirky, 'Cups In Canarsie' is slow and meandering, while penultimate cut 'The Dream And The Dreamer' is a waltztime ballad with a hint of Americana. Closing track 'Waiting For Distant Light' matches rock guitar with tempo and mood changes. This is an outstanding album written by someone with a talent for pop hooks - highly recommended. I'm sure Andy Partridge of Ape Records would be interested in it! (www.daniel13press.com )
On "So Slowly Slowly Got She Up," Northern folk chanteuse Elle Osborne presents an album of largely traditional songs, opening with the affecting 'Bonnie George Campbell.' Osborne's voice has a hint of Beth Orton, while the arrangements bring in electric instruments which, alongside some great drumming, make for engaging listening. (The album is superbly recorded - kudos to the engineer and producer.) Some of the songs acquire anthemic, almost epic quality, notably 'I Drew My Ship,' 'Dalesman's Litany' and 'Fair Annie,' while others are more intimate; 'Handsome Meadow Boy' and especially 'I'm Bound Away,' which uses choral singing and narration to great effect. A marvellous album, whose sonic variety, choice of songs, bold production and strong central voice and vision make for really good listening. Definitely recommended to those of a folk persuasion. (www.elleo.com )
Franz Kirmann is an electronic musician whose new album "Random Access Memories" - a collection of cuts recorded over five years - makes for very good listening, reminiscent throughout of Band Ane (reviewed last year), and, in places, of Boards Of Canada. Varying moods, glitchy sampled drums (though not those annoyingly glitchy drums that some artists in this genre use) and a kaleidoscopic carpet of electronic textures make for involving, enjoyable listening. Highlights include the mesmerising 'Tunis,' the beautiful 'The Savage Eye' and the near perfect collision of rock and EM that is 'Lexi.' Closing cuts 'Jimmy Jimereeno' and 'Nocturne Indien' take everything in the album so far and mutate it into a hypnotic sonic tapestry. An exemplary illustration of how electronic music doesn't have to be looped to hell and ba ck, or cold and remote. Highly recommended. (www.franzkirmann.net )
From the icy wastes of Finland come two disks by Joonatan Elokuu & Mossycoat, the first of which, presumably self-titled, consists of thirteen delicate songs sung in a low, almost whispered voice by Joonatan Elokuu, accompanied by plaintive acoustic guitar and subtle electronic textures, some of which are provided by musical partner Helena Halla (who also sings). The mood - as evinced by cuts like 'Autumn' - are downbeat, melancholy, but always engaging, though the mood is often cool. Halla first appears on 'Owlsong,' which for icy mysticism takes some beating. Other highlights include 'Roots' and Halla's ghostly 'Boat Of Flowers.' A complete absence of information or a tracklisting makes the remastered "A Vagrant's Whim" difficult to convey in this review space, but the mood is similar, as is the singing style and instrumentation. An interesting Scandinavian discovery. (www.kiiltomatolyhty.blogspot.com )
To conclude we have the new album from KK, aka Kevin Kerrigan, whose enchanting album "Telescopes" remains one of my favourite recordings of recent years. For his new album "Empty World," producer and composer KK is joined once again by the Steampunk Orchestra of "The Magic Lantern," his last release, and also by a full choir. The new album has a concept: it's orchestral music designed to accompany a film that you, the listener, create in the privacy of your own head. As such, it's an interesting idea, and beautifully realised, though lacking the indefinable magic of "Telescopes." Opener 'Dawn' is suitably evocative, then the full orchestra and drums of 'Maelstrom' evoke something awful, possibly awesome. 'Goodbye' is lyrical, 'Luma's Dream' powered by ethnic drums, 'Incantation' delicate and atmospheric, with the choir working particularly well alongside t he synth textures and deep drones. 'Odyssey' is quite sweet, 'The Ancients' stately and reverential (an album highlight), while 'Apotheosis' is another beautiful choral cut. 'The Battle' doesn't really evoke anything martial, while 'Home' is another lyrical cut. 'In Shadows' is an album highlight - very spooky - while album closer '10,000 Years Later' concludes the work in cosmic choir style. I have to say, good though this album is, I can't help wondering if the concept is a little flawed. If we, the listeners, are to make our own films in our heads as we listen to the music, what is the point of giving the tracks such unambiguous titles? And while KK fans, of whom I am sure there are many, will enjoy this sophisticated work, I can't help feeling that the magic of "Telescopes" is in need of rediscovery. (www.kkthemusic.com)
Thanks, Steve. Just time now for me to review some of the vinyl that has arrived here in the last few weeks, (or possibly months), always a particular pleasure.
Kick ing us off in relaxed fashion is Blue Sausage Infant, whose “Negative Space” LP contains three tracks of Ambient/kraut/experimental electronic haze. Taking up side one is “Motion Parallex” a drifting piece of hypnotic electronic sound, built around a simple, yet effective, sequence that creeps into your brain blissfully. As the piece progresses over 21 minutes, the sounds writhe around each other with delicate precision, the addition of some electronic rhythms halfway through changing the angle of sonic attack whilst maintaining the groove. Flipping over to the title track reveals another facet of disc, as the introduction of drums guitar and percussion bring a space-rock vibe to the sound, albeit a low-key one, the track walking a line between Kraut-Rock drone and Velvets cool. What is consistent is the hypnotic repetition, bringing to mind such bands as Can or the longer pieces by Mushroom. Finally, the shorter “Subferal” returns us to the electronics, an ambient drone with swarm like undercurrents, the sound of aliens hiding behind the sun. Housed in a beautiful sleeve and pressed on smoky opaque vinyl, the whole LP is a thing of beauty both visually and sonically, hats of to everyone involved, but especially Chester Hawkins, the man in the driving seat. (www.zeromoon.com)
Equally beautiful is “Eyes All Around” the debut album from Midday Veil, although it took me a few plays to realise how good it was. Opening very quietly with a whispered drone “We Are You” soon livens up with pulsing drums and a the repeated refrain “We Are You When You Are Dead”, the vocals subtly mixed around to excellent effect before the band kick it up another notch with some great interplay between all concerned, especially the swirling synths of David Golightly. After the sweetly psychedelic electronic bath that is “Bardo” (far too short at 2:51), the band launch into the gorgeous ache of “Anthem”, the gentle splendour of the opening verse soon exploding into a powerful shoe-gaze style anthem (as the name implies), stately and perfectly arranged for maximum effect. Meanwhile, over on side two, we find the musicians in a mellower mood as “Divide By Zero” introduce an, almost, lounge feel to the proceeding, the track sung perfectly by Emily Pothast, the rest of the band sympathetic to the needs of the melody. Moving on, the two-part “Asymptote” is a schizophrenic beast, with part one being another short psychedelic haze, whilst part two rocks much harder, the musicians notching up the tension and the volume as the piece soars into the heavens. Finally, the title track leads you home another slice of gorgeousness wrapped up in a song, highlighting all that is good about Midday Veil. An album for repeated listens that rewards your efforts and pressed on white vinyl as well. (www.translinguisticother.com)
Next up “Beasts for While”, a red vinyl 10” offering, housed in a 12” sleeve, from Collection of the Late Howell Bend. Featuring two track per side, opener “Ruby in the Dust”, is a moody slice of drone/electronics with almost chanted vocals and a dark heart at its centre. With the sound of a school piano weaved through it “Dominated by Splendour” is another slice of woozy strangeness, best heard in the light of a single candle, the vocals spoken as a spell, casting a weird magic over the room. Over on the other side, “Ha Ha” ensures the magic remains, being a drunken psychedelic stumble that is both understated and excellent, filled with hypnotic power. Almost a long slow fadeout, “Neenawww” is ambient and delicate, relying on the piano the hold it together with Eno-esque minimalism. Housed in a reasonably grotesque sleeve, the music inside bears little resemblance to the image of a half-human, half spider, mouth covered in blood, plus a skull and talons , that you see first. I guess this is part of the charm. (www.ownness.org) Out on the same label and featuring the same band, is a split LP with side one being taken up with “Shape is Nature” Rory Hinchey, a man who plays organ, wine glasses, electronics and tones, blending these sounds together to create six distant and delicate drones, each perfectly formed and sufficiently different from one another to hold the listeners interest throughout. Pick of the bunch, are “By Means of the Thirds”, which features some lovely violin courtesy of Alison Corbett, and “The Listener”which highlights the electronic elements to great effect. Mind you, it is all good and these are just my personal faves, other people would, no doubt, pick different pieces. On Side two, we Find “Long Fields” a five track collection from the previously reviewed band, The wooziness and school piano still intact as they kick of with the wonderfully named “Flight of the Unsuspecting Lark”. Lighter in texture than their 10” release, the songs also feature the violin of Alison Corbett, the tunes having a jauntier feel, that is until the title track, which ends a splendid selection with a dark rumble and drone.
A bit of rock and roll, a bit of Beefheart, and some glorious fuzz can all be found on “Dull Thicket”, a rather fine slab of vinyl from Lougow. Starting as they mean to go on, “Are Your Eyes Already Ready” kicks in with a Beefheartian riff, before crunching into a swamp infested rock and roll groove topped of with synth and general weirdness. This excellent start is easily matched by “Things To Do” which follows a similar path of primitive psych, tinged with menace, reminding me of Rocky Erickson's solo work. To round off side one, “Circle of Protection” continues the band's sound, as well as the quality, with maybe a little Sonic Youth thrown in for good measure. Getting down to business, “You'll Live and Die by Those Little Dogs” blasts in with some seriously sleazy guitar, before dropping the tempo, only to build it up again and again, creating my favourite track on the disc. After the delicious swamp psych of “Time Is Too Old”, the LP closes with the rather excellent “Hey Sweetie Who”, a song filled with noise and chaos, just as it should be, lo-fi and coming from the soul. In these days of corporate music, it is a pleasure to hear music that is about passion and excitement, rather than bland commercial shite. (write to : prayeerie@gmail.com)
An intriguing mix of Dream-Pop, Arborea and Stereolab can be found on “Misericord”, the latest album from Softcheque. Opening salvo “Comme les Huitres” is definitely in the pop spectrum, delightful vocals and sweet keyboards combining to create a splash of aural sunshine laced with happiness. Quieter and slightly surreal “Whippoorwill” walks into folk ballad territory, the excellent voice of Dane Waters drifting over sympathetic electronic backing to stunning effect. On “Hummingbird Q”, the band up the surrealism, the song's opening baroque keyboard sounds suddenly morphing into a cloud of atmospherics that lifts you up into the sky, the song displaying a rare beauty and an eye for detail, the percussion slowly building until the end. Over on side two this mix of styles continues as “Remin d” sounds like White Noise writing a pop song, strange and accessible at the same time, whilst “Tanz Mit Mir” sweeps majestically from the speakers, a delightful electronic haze topped off with more beautiful vocals. On first listen, this album could be almost to saccharine, but further listens reveal a mature and thoughtful selection of songs that display hidden depths if you give them time. (softcheque.bandcamp.com/)
Inspired by folk music and gospel singing, the music of Laughing Eye Weeping Eye sounds like little else around at the moment, blissful melodies sung and chanted, screamed and wailed, over a droning harmonium, handclaps, loops and toy instruments. Contrast the sweetness of album opener “Venus” with the shamanic vibe of “Chant”, the former almost a hymn, sung beautifully, whilst the latter sees the vocals wailed like banshees, bringing to mind Larkin Grimm or Tara Burke. The rest of the album moves between these points, always interesting, filled with imagination, and well worth you time with “On The Path”, “River of Golden Treasures” and “Aye Yai Yai Yai” being particular favourites, the first of these sounding exactly like The Cherry Blossoms, so much so in fact that I had to check the personnel on each album to see if there was a connection, there isn't. Containing that same strange mystical vibe as early Incredible String Band offerings, “Where Snakes and Seers Go” is a collection of songs that will curl up in your heart until it becomes an old friend. (rebeccaschoenecker.com/music.html)
Fans of Aphrodites Child's apocalyptic masterpiece “666” are gonna love “Trespass 1”, the opening cut on “Narrow Road to the Interior” the latest album from Angels in America, containing as it does a cloud of disturbed electronics and a haunting human voice reciting Erza Pound, sounding like it could be an outtake from those legendary sessions. The best about the whole LP though is that the rest of the album contains the same feel, an atmospheric shimmer the coats the whole thing like a shroud, a shadow that hangs over the room. On “Follow Me Out”, the electronics are joined by distorted percussion and general noise, whilst “In Spades” Has percussion rattle and is infested by a dark drone, with vocals that are only just on the edge of sanity. Over on side two, any hope of relief is quickly dissipated, first by the lonely cry of “An Ointment”, then by the intensity of “My Lucky Day”, a piece that is perfectly composed, a reverbed piano fighting with distorted noise and atmosphere, the whole track writhing out of the speakers with dark intent. After the dark crackle and ambience of “Highway E-12”, the LP ends as it began with “Trespass 2”, the track even more distorted this time, which is a good thing and a fine way to end a sublime album that you probably have to be in the mood for, best not play it to your granny. (www.ehserecords.com)
It seems to me that s o many releases these days are the work of just one person (with occasional guest), and so it is with Sagas, whose “Between Worlds” is a rich and diverse collection composed and played by Matt McDowell. Opening with the slow drone and chant of “The Hidden Variable”, there is a warmth to the sound of the music, drawing the listener in, slowly changing your perception of time and space before “Bad Karma Boogie” gets your soul dancing in a strange manner, the track's kraut-rock ambience and twisted guitar a shock to the senses, the distant lyrics asking “Where am I” as the sounds build into a swirling crescendo with drums and bass adding weight, sounding not unlike early Bevis Frond. To round of the side, “Scrapyard” sounds like its name, a metallic cacophony of sound that never become too abrasive. Over on side two, “Hope Springs Vernal” is a stuttering banjo piece, that does indeed recall that scene, in that film, as it gathers pace and intensity. Haunting and beautifully controlled, “In The Hall Of Mandos” is a slowly spiralling ribbon of sound, featuring some wistful guitar played of a ever-morphing electronic backdrop, whilst “The Scissors are Part of It”, slams you back to consciousness, with its guitar wall of noise approach. To finish the lovely strains of “Better Times Soon A-Comin' (For Jax)” lead you out with a smile and a spring in your step. (www.greenupindustries.com)
Also the work of one man, this time Jakob Rehlinger, “River Ghosts” is a wholly enchanting album recorded under the name of Moonwood. Featuring such instruments as Bamboo Flute, Gongs, Ekatantri and percussion, along side the more obvious Guitar and bass, there is an eastern feel to the ten tracks on show here, something that is highlighted by a rich warm production. After a brief opening track, that sets the scene, The album gets into its stride with the quite magnificent “Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society”, a gorgeous slow moving piece, filled with drone and percussion, over which a Gourd Flute blows ever so sweetly, all you have to do is close your eyes. With tinkling bells and jangling percussion, “Bamboo Whiskey” is another brief aural delight, whilst “Drawing Water From a Poisoned Well” utilises a bowed guitar in its quest for sonic perfection, the piece containing some hypnotic guitar work. On side two the wonder continues, with for more long tracks in the same style, with the excellent “cholera in the Time of Love” being the pick of the bunch for me, whilst side closer “Blood Red Riverbanks” gets the silver medal for its epic grandeur. Taken as a whole, this is a sprawling and sumptuous treat that will carry you away to distant lands. (arachnidiscs.wordpress.com/)
One final LP to mention, the rather wonderful Old Californio whose “sundrunk Angels” is something of a favourite around these parts. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because you read Mr McMullen's review of the CD published in May
www.terrascope.co.uk/Reviews/Reviews_May_11.htm#OldCalifornio
- and as I can add nothing to that, I will just quickly mention that the vinyl version has new artwork, a slightly different running order, a different mix on a couple of tracks and it still sound brilliant. Go get one.
Finally, a handful of 7” vinyl, a format th at seems out of favour almost everywhere, but I still love it.
Hailing from Finland Can Can Heads have been together for 19 years, so it a damn shame that their “Kusisessions vol 2” is the first thing I have heard by them, as I have no idea if it is representative of their sound through all those years. I hope it is though, as the three tracks of spasmodic avant-punk energy, got me grinning like a cheshire cat, the crunchy guitar and wailing sax hitting the spot and making me leap up and down in the kitchen. Mind you the third track “Hot Albert Meat” does drift into avant-noise territory, less leaping more putting you ears to the speaker, either way I am gonna have to investigate further. (www.cancanheads.com) (www.kissankusi.com/)
Weird and psychedelic with a late 60's vibe, “Love, The Word is Spoken” / “reborn Reborn”, is a perfect example of why I still like singles. Best of the two is the first, wonderful hippy lyrics, strummed acoustic and rambling electric guitar all melded together in a Barrett meets Banhart fashion, guaranteed to blow your mind. Pressed on smoky blue vinyl with a full colour sleeve, what's not to like.
Finally for this vinyl extravaganza, a 7” single with a twist, as, while it may look like a single it is in fact a digital album, the vinyl single contains the first track and you get a code to download the rest of the album. So, who thought of this cunning plan ? Answer North Pole Records for their release “More Trial Less Error” from Paint and Copter. Containing Twelve track, the single showcases “Lord of the Plain” a slow burning slice of spacey psych, that features a lovely rolling synth line and languid vocals, the whole thing trippy and out-there. This languid trippy feel permeates the whole album and your head, the band happy to drift ,with purpose, through the album lazy psych played with precision. Highlights include the gorgeous “Collided Circles”, the slightly deranged “Dead End Wood” and album closer “Liquid Sunshine”, a song which reminds me of 70's Gong without actually sounding like them, think it is the bass-line.
There you have it, all the recent vinyl Rumbled, albums of amazing quality both in sound and look, made by people who love their music, there is bound to be something you like in there so help them out and buy one, you know it makes sense. (Simon Lewis).
Now, as a bit of a bonus, a long lost Rumble from March, written by the lovely Stefan Ek.
”As a ho vering insect mass breaks your fall” is not only a very beautiful titles album, it’s also James Brewster’s fourth solo album, but his first under his given name. He’s managing the music on his own, playing the instruments, adding samples and sounds. For sung and spoken words there are a lot of contributions from artists like Men Diamler and Nick Talbot (Gravenhurst) as well as Albanian opera singer Egzona Gervalla, Iranian puppet-artist Soodabeh Haaji and others. The album consists of six tracks, two short, two medium length and two long ones. The music presented is a mixture of soft, emotional build-up songs and environmental field-recording sounds as well as rough experimental beats and sounds as if they were constructed in Bristol. The vocal arrangement differs a lot, it could be solo voice singing and it could be choir-like of the kind heard by Animals Collective. My favourite tune is “Landfall”, an experimental piece with a first half of ambient sounds and then entering into a second half which sounds like something David Sylvian would have been proud of. www.makeminemusic.co.uk
Luciano Maggiore & Francesco “fuzz” Brasini present the one-track album “Chàsm Achanés” for us. 35 minutes of dark ambient dronish sounds constructed by Luciano´s tape recorders and electronic devises and Francesco´s self-build guitars. These
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