The albums thread - 2014

[Mr Banana]

It'll have to wait a couple of days. First album was patchy, but oh what patches.

That first album is so of its time, from that mid-noughties indie-electro phase when We Smoke Fags could legitimately exist, that it's pretty much unlistenable now, with what was "glacial" now just tinny, like hearing through a tape recorder. Almost all of the bands who were involved have had dreadful comebacks, if at all (Klaxons are about to be the latest to sound horrendously dated), which makes the new album all the more impressive, I think. She's also amazing live.

 

[tinycowboy]

That first album is so of its time, from that mid-noughties indie-electro phase when We Smoke Fags could legitimately exist, that it's pretty much unlistenable now, with what was "glacial" now just tinny, like hearing through a tape recorder. Almost all of the bands who were involved have had dreadful comebacks, if at all (Klaxons are about to be the latest to sound horrendously dated), which makes the new album all the more impressive, I think. She's also amazing live.

I never liked The Klaxons. They were flipping USELESS.

 

[rcf0712]

Amongst much indulgent vinyl I got a few 2014's for my 50th a few weeks ago: Luminous by The horrors is ok but not growing on me, Billy Bragg's tooth & Nail is great, Parquet Courts Sunbathing Animal sounds good but I'm hanging out for Morrissey's new one

 

[Machiavelli]

Just got my hands on Enter by Fire Orchestra!
It's a recording of a performance that Spring Hall Convert posted a few months back, and is beautiful, and is straight into and high up in my year's top five which will almost certainly feature Swans and Neneh Cherry, and probably Angel Olsen.

 

[spring hall convert]

I've been lucky enough to procure a review copy of the new Esben and The Witch album. Short version, it's album of the year material. It's like a menage a trois between Portishead, modern Swans and Shellac.

This is from someone who has always respected and admired previous Esben recordings but ultimately never really got on with them. It always seemed to me they were trying to be too clever, too obtuse, too cool. This record is just the 3 of them drums, bass, guitar and Rachel Davies amazing voice and they are 1,000,000 times better for it.

Out September 1st. " A New Nature."

 

[Albumen]

I've been lucky enough to procure a review copy of the new Esben and The Witch album. Short version, it's album of the year material. It's like a menage a trois between Portishead, modern Swans and Shellac.

This is from someone who has always respected and admired previous Esben recordings but ultimately never really got on with them. It always seemed to me they were trying to be too clever, too obtuse, too cool. This record is just the 3 of them drums, bass, guitar and Rachel Davies amazing voice and they are 1,000,000 times better for it.

Out September 1st. " A New Nature."

Someone else has recommended it as well to me. Also what I heard a few months ago on Marc Riley impressed me.

 

[Mr Banana]

I've been lucky enough to procure a review copy of the new Esben and The Witch album. Short version, it's album of the year material. It's like a menage a trois between Portishead, modern Swans and Shellac.

This is from someone who has always respected and admired previous Esben recordings but ultimately never really got on with them. It always seemed to me they were trying to be too clever, too obtuse, too cool. This record is just the 3 of them drums, bass, guitar and Rachel Davies amazing voice and they are 1,000,000 times better for it.

Out September 1st. " A New Nature."

That's extremely exciting. Hooray

 

[Albumen]

I'm hoping Let’s Eat Grandma get an album out this year . . . but they're only 14/15.

 

[spring hall convert]

Someone else has recommended it as well to me. Also what I heard a few months ago on Marc Riley impressed me.

" No Dog" is rerecorded for the album from their excellent split with Thought forms released earlier in the year.



" Blood Teachings" on their Soundcloud is on the record and ****ing immense.

https://soundcloud.com/#esben-and-the-witch

 

[Machiavelli]

I've been lucky enough to procure a review copy of the new Esben and The Witch album. Short version, it's album of the year material. It's like a menage a trois between Portishead, modern Swans and Shellac.

This is from someone who has always respected and admired previous Esben recordings but ultimately never really got on with them. It always seemed to me they were trying to be too clever, too obtuse, too cool. This record is just the 3 of them drums, bass, guitar and Rachel Davies amazing voice and they are 1,000,000 times better for it.

Out September 1st. " A New Nature."

Me now excited.

 

[Mellotron]

I've been lucky enough to procure a review copy of the new Esben and The Witch album. Short version, it's album of the year material. It's like a menage a trois between Portishead, modern Swans and Shellac.

This is from someone who has always respected and admired previous Esben recordings but ultimately never really got on with them. It always seemed to me they were trying to be too clever, too obtuse, too cool. This record is just the 3 of them drums, bass, guitar and Rachel Davies amazing voice and they are 1,000,000 times better for it.

Out September 1st. " A New Nature."

Will have to give that a go.

 

[spring hall convert]

Did I mention that they recorded it with Steve Albini as well. The production as you would expect is live sounding and crystal clear. Very little overdubbing, maximum tub thumping ferocity. Give the two tracks I posted above a listen, they should give a flavour (though No Dog has been rerecorded from the version above.)

 

[spring hall convert]

Has anyone mentioned the Sunn/Scott Walker collab yet?

I can't really see how it's going to be anything other than brilliant. Wire's album of the year sown up right there.

 

[Albumen]

Has anyone mentioned the Sunn/Scott Walker collab yet?

I can't really see how it's going to be anything other than brilliant. Wire's album of the year sown up right there.

Any previews?

 

[spring hall convert]

Any previews?

Not yet. I know a couple of people who've heard it and annoyingly they can't talk about anything else.

 

[spring hall convert]

Local lads The Soft Walls got a deserved 9/10 from Drowned In Sound today.

http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18334/reviews/4148025?ticker

If anyone's interested, I interviewed Dan Reeves a while back (though mainly about his label.)

http://www.brightonnoise.co.uk/news/?p=80353
http://www.brightonnoise.co.uk/interview/?p=80425

 

[Albumen]

Local lads The Soft Walls got a deserved 9/10 from Drowned In Sound today.

http://drownedinsound.com/releases/18334/reviews/4148025?ticker

If anyone's interested, I interviewed Dan Reeves a while back (though mainly about his label.)

http://www.brightonnoise.co.uk/news/?p=80353
http://www.brightonnoise.co.uk/interview/?p=80425

oooo good news. I like his first one.

 

[spring hall convert]

One of the more restrained moments from the new Esben album "Dig Your Fingers In." debuting on Under The Radar Mag

http://www.undertheradarmag.com/news/premiere_esben_and_the_witch_dig_your_fingers_in/

 

[Albumen]

Esben and Soft Walls already pre-ordered.

 

[tinycowboy]

Honeyblood - Honeyblood: I was attracted to this by the single Killer Bangs, which sounded like a C86 girl group colliding with Those Dancing Days. It's not a bad album, although it fades somewhat after track six ('Biro'). The album's a bit more polished than I expected - feels like a band being prepared for the 'big time'. For fans of Best Coast who would prefer a bolder guitar sound.

Alvvays - Alvvays: Pretty consistent, just about always hitting the "quite good" mark, except, of course for 'Archie, Marry Me', which is a classic summer pop anthem, surely destined for some end of year lists, which is just a great song. [MENTION=3566]hans kraay fan club[/MENTION] will love it to bits. The album is not dissimilar to Camera Obscura with echo-ier and louder guitars. Singer is like a cross between Traceyanne Campbell and Victoria Bergsman. A good 7.3ish out of 10 kind of album. 9.2 for the top track though.