Top New Releases - 7th January 2013

And so the journey begins with week 1 of 2013 and to be honest I wasn't exactly spoilt for choice but I've made my selection so here goes...

1. Gallops - Yours Sincerely, Dr. Hardcore

My first top new release of 2013 is the debut album from Welsh post-rock band Gallops. An experimental four-piece rock band hailing from Wrexham in Wales, Gallops have been on the radar for a while with BBC Introducing picking up on them in 2009, leading to them headlining the BBC Introducing stage at Reading/Leeds in 2010. Having self-released an EP in 2010 and a double A-side single in 2011 they are now signed to the independent London based Blood and Biscuit records.

Yours Sincerely, Dr. Hardcore is Gallops first full length studio album and was produced by Matt Calvert from label mates Three Trapped Tigers. An entirely instrumental album, the ten tracks make up a vast soundscape and show off a great range of dynamics and instrumentation. It has a real feel of a group of (very talented) friends having a jam session with just a bit of showing off. I mean this in the best possible way as well. Instrumental albums can suffer from trying too hard or becoming pretentious but Gallops have managed to avoid that. There is a relaxed and very natural feel to the flow of the album and it does flow well. I find instrumental albums can drag on a bit or get boring after a few tracks but it felt like there was a natural progression from track to track which kept me interested and wanting to listen on.
For me, this style of music is never going to be my favourite album of all time. I like lyrics and vocals too much! I do however really enjoy listening to talented musicians enjoying their instruments and this really does come across on Yours Sincerely... It definitely evokes emotion and would not be out of place as a film score or soundtrack of some kind. I would probably listen to it as background music more than anything else but I'll definitely be keeping track of this band in the future to see where they go next.
Favourite Track - Lasers

2. Black Veil Brides - Wretched and Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones

Probably most accurately described as glam metal, Black Veil Brides are a Hollywood based five-piece band currently signed to Lava Records, a subsidary of Universal. In terms of their on stage appearance they are clearly influenced by Kiss with their extensive use of black makeup and body paint but musically I would place them more alongside the likes of Avenged Sevenfold or Bullet For My Valentine.
Wretched and Divine is their third studio album and has been described as a rock opera concept album. It was produced by John Feldmann (lead singer/guitarist of punk band Goldfinger) and released by Lava Records.
To be honest I don't think this album is likely to win over many new fans for Black Veil Brides and if you haven't heard of them or have and aren't really a fan I don't think there's too much point you checking this album out. There's nothing really original here and when you look past their manufactured image and just take the music for what it is, it's not particularly original or revolutionary. If you are a fan of radio-friendly glam metal then have a listen, otherwise move on!
Favourite Track - In The End

3. Chris Tomlin - Burning Lights

In America, Chris Tomlin is kind of a big deal with five Grammy award nominations to his name including one win in 2012 for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album. He also has three albums certified Gold and his 2004 album 'Arriving' is certified Platinum.
A Christian worship leader originally from Texas and now based in Atlanta, Georgia, Tomlin is signed to sixstepsrecords, a subsidary of EMI.
Burning Lights is Chris Tomlin's seventh studio album (I think!) although he has been involved in a number of other album releases as part of Soul Survivor, Passion and CompassionArt. In the US it became only the fourth contemporary Christian music album ever to go straight in at number 1 in the Billboard 200.
Over the past decade there has been very little change/experimentation in Chris Tomlin's sound and this album is no exception with more of the same. Certainly if you own and like his previous albums you are unlikely to be disappointed by Burning Lights. There are some small signs of experimentation such as the inclusion of some spoken word courtesy of Lecrae on "Awake My Soul" which works well. The attempt to draw on dance music influences on "God's Great Dance Floor" however doesn't work so well for me not suiting Chris Tomlin's strengths and sounding far too polished and over produced.
In general I think Tomlin rights some great songs but, as is often the case with American worship music, always seems to take the production a bit too far making it sound over polished and lacking edge.
Favourite Track - Awake My Soul

Other Notable Releases

Broadcast - Berberian Sound Studio OST

Soundtrack to the psychological thriller from British director Peter Strickland. Broadcast are an experimental electronic indie band hailing from Birmingham and signed to Warp records.

Dropkick Murphys - Signed And Sealed In Blood

Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys return with their eighth studio album released on Born & Bred records and produced by LA based British producer Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly, Bouncing Souls, The Gaslight Anthem).

Hollywood Undead - Notes From The Underground

A rap rock band from LA, Hollywood Undead release their third studio album on Polydor.

Merz - No Compass Will Find Home

Merz is the stage name for Dorset born Conrad Ewart Lambert. His musical style is probably best described as electro-folk and this week see the release of his fourth studio album.

2013 - The Year Of The Blog

It's been a while but I've decided to give the whole blogging thing another go!

I like to think I've got my finger on the pulse of the music scene and know what new music is coming out that I really should be listening to. Unfortunately I don't really ever get round to keeping up with it all at the moment. That's where this blog comes in. I'm aiming to try and write a review a week of my favourite new album released that week throughout the year of 2013. Each week I'll pick my top 3 new releases with a brief overview of numbers 2 and 3 and a more in depth review of my number 1 new release. This is probably quite ambitious since often there aren't three albums I actually want to listen to but it will get me listening to music I've not heard of and hopefully I will be able to uncover some gems that I otherwise would never have discovered. If there are other notable releases out that didn't quite make the top 3 I'll probably mention to let you check them out if they sound interesting to you. To give me the largest selection of albums to choose from I'll be using the Official Charts Company as my source for new releases as this seems to give the most comprehensive list I could find.

This project is more for my own benefit and interest than anything else but if anyone else checks it out and discovers some quality new music as well then all the better.

Let's see how long it lasts this time!

Album Of The Week - 10 January 2011: British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall

For my first album of the week for 2011 I've chosen the fourth studio album from Brighton-based indie rockers British Sea Power.

To be honest I've never really paid any attention to British Sea Power and can't say I've listened to any for their first three albums. I've known the name but never really had the urge to check them out, probably just dismissing them as another indie band amongst the masses. This album however, for some reason, caught my attention on Spotify and I thought I might as well give it a listen to see if my dismissal of them was justified!

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with what I heard. That's not too say that this is in anyway groundbreaking or a classic but there are enough good songs, enough catchy hooks and enough variation to make it well worth a listen. Opener "Who's In Control" is a great start and probably my favourite song on the album with it's great hooks and venomous chorus. Other favourites for me were "Observe The Skies" and showing off their more contemplative and softer side on "Luna". There is definately some weaker songs on this album which I found myself skipping after a couple of listens but all in all I'm glad I educated myself a bit on British Sea Power and will certainly keep a look out for them in the future.

I'm Back!

It's been a while and a lot of music has come out since my last post way back in 2009. I would love to catch up on everything that's come out since then but think that might be a bit too ambitious! I'm going to attempt to catch up a bit starting from January 2011 and hopefully I'll be able to keep it going for a bit longer this time.

Expect the same as before with reviews of my favourite new release each week and a run down of what else has come out that week. I'll be using the NME web site mainly for my list of new releases and so if it's not entirely accurate you can blame them!

If anyone actually reads this I hope you find some new music you didn't know about before!

Album Of The Week - 16th November : Them Crooked Vultures - 'Them Crooked Vultures'

Time for the latest rock supergroup to flex their muscles and this time I think they have managed to make it work. There have been a number of supergroups in recent years that have tried to make it and in my opinion not really lived up to the hype they have created. Ones that come to mind include Velvet Revolver, Audioslave, The Dead Weather. None of them were terrible (except maybe Velvet Revolver!) but when you think about the previous work of each member they just never lived up to those standards.

Them Crooked Vultures consists of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana etc etc) on drums, Josh Homme (QOTSA, Eagles Of Death Metal) on lead guitar and vocals and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin on bass and keys. They are also joined for live shows by rhythm guitarist Alain Johannes (QOTSA). That is one very impressive line up and there is no denying the talent of each individual member in the band but how would it sound when you put them all together?

This album sounds like three guys just having a jamming session and having the time of their lives doing it. The quality of the musicianship gives testament to the amazing talents of the individual members and I guess that shouldn't be surprising given their track record yet it so often fails to come through in the supergroup format. The partnership hear however seems perfectly natural. You get a real sense that they had so much fun making this album and that sense of fun comes across in the music. There's no feeling that they are trying too hard to force anything, they are just letting the music flow.

Influences from each member can be heard in the songs from the very Led Zeppelin-esque "Elephant" and "Reptiles" to the classic Grohl drums on "No One Loves Me & Neither Do I" to the QOTSA influenced "New Fang" and "Gunman". Josh Homme is perhaps the biggest influence on the record with most of the lyrics penned by him and with his distinctive vocal style. He also shows that he can rip through a guitar solo with the best of them. This is an album with it's roots clearly placed in the classic rock 'n' roll of Led Zeppelin but with the modern touch of Homme and Grohl added to make it relevant in todays music scene.

I managed to get a listen to the album last week when they put it all up on youtube. It has been taken down now that the album is released but is yet to appear on Spotify. I will add the link if it does appear on Spotify, I am very tempted to buy it despite the rather depressing state of my bank account at the moment!

Other Notable Releases - 9th November

I realised this week that the source I had been using to find out the new releases each week was not entirely reliable and so I may have been missing a few out! This week there were hardly any albums on the list so I checked Amazon to see if I could find any more. In truth it is a pretty quiet week in music world apart from the mighty Biffy Clyro but here are a few that I found that might interest you.

Also I should say that Spotify is clearly not as up to date as me when it comes to new releases and doesn't have many of these albums on it at the time of writing! This means I can't give you links and also means I haven't listened to any of them as none of them have tempted me into buying them. If they do end up on Spotify I will update this post with their links!

Snow Patrol - 'Up to Now'
This is a compilation album of the Glasgow based bands favourite songs from their fifteen year career so far. It is a double disk containing songs from their first five studio albums along with some b-sides and rarities plus three new songs. They have avoided just putting the big hits on here with some less well known tracks from their earlier albums. The lead single from the album "Just Say Yes" shows the new direction the band are looking to take with their next album with the inclusion of synths moving away from the guitar rock format.

Jamie Cullum - 'The Pursuit'
This is the fifth studio album from jazz/crossover artist Jamie Cullum. It was produced by Greg Wells (OneRepublic, Rufus Wainwright) and released on Universal. I have to say I have heard very little of this guy since he broke onto the scene with 'Twentysomeething'. He certainly won a lot of people over bring his jazz influences to the pop masses although a bit too pop and not enough jazz for me! The media response to this album does intrigue me though with Cullum taking on more influences such as trip-hop and house and producing a much more musically serious and varied album.

The Killers - 'Live from the Royal Albert Hall'
I have to say I have seens The Killers live, well I saw the start of their set anyway, and they were less than impressive! They looked bored and characterless on stage and didn't engage the crowd at all. This CD/DVD was recorded over two nights back in July 2009. I don't think I'll be giving this a listen to be honest although their debut 'Hot Fuss' is still a great album and the tracks from that live are certainly not too bad!

Flyleaf - 'Memento Mori'
This is the second studio album from this female fronted American rock band, the title being latin for "be mindful of death". It was produced by Howard Benson (P.O.D., Motorhead). Like P.O.D. this band are all christians and as such their music is unfluenced by their faith but they would not describe themselves as a christian band. Comparisons with Evanescence are unavoidable with the post-grungey rock sound and the angsty female lead vocals certainly reminiscent of Evanescences debut 'Fallen'. There are some good riffs present and certainly a sense of passion in the vocals. This one is on Spotify so you can check it out for yourselves!
Flyleaf – Memento Mori

Delirious? - 'History Makers: The Greatest Hits'
It will be the end of an era when, at the end of this month, Delirious? finally call time on their 16 year stint as one of the biggest bands in the christian music scene. Certainly I have many memories of going to see Delirious? at various events growing up and they have been hugely influential for so many people. This greatest hits comes in two versions. The sngle disk version contains 14 of their finest worship songs. The limited edition version comes with two disks containing 31 tracks spanning their whole back catalogue as well as a DVD with all their music videos and a book covering the history of the band. As they all move on to their various new projects this is a fine reminder of some of the great songs they have written over the years. I wonder who the equivalent band is going to be for the next wave of young christians growing up!

Album Of The Week - 9th November : Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions

It was never really in doubt what my album of the week for this week was going to be. My list of favourite bands changes pretty regularly but Biffy Clyro is a name that has been ever present since I first heard 'Blackened Sky' all those years ago!

'Only Revolutions' is Biffy's fifth studio album and their second since signing to 14th Floor (Warner Bros.) in 2006. Garth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Skunk Anansie), producer of previous album 'Puzzle' returns on production duties. 'Puzzle', the debut release on a major label, really launched the band into the mainstream with it's more straightforward song structures giving it a much wider appeal. It hit the charts at number two and won many awards including a Kerrang award for album of the year 2007.

I was really hoping that 'Only Revolutions' would not be a disappointment. Having suffered the disappointment of another favourite band (Muse) releasing a disappointing fifth album already this year I was hoping this one would not give the same results. It is very easy for bands who have had a highly successful record to ride on that, get lazy, and put out a distinctly average follow-up record. I don't think Biffy are that kind of band, they work hard at what they do and they love what they do. They are all about the music and if people like it then that's a bonus. The fact they are currently on their fourth UK tour in the past three years is testament to their devotion to their music and their fans and their love for being Biffy Clyro.

Before hearing the album I had already heard three of the songs released as singles. "Mountains", released last year, is included on the album and is a fairly straghtforward and incredibly catchy song with a great chorus getting the whole crowd singing along "I am a mountain, I am the sea". "That Golden Rule" is a high energy song with heavy riffing guitars and manic indecipherable vocals on the verses. The second half of the song in instrumental with strings and guitar hammering out a classic biffy breakdown. "The Captain" is again a fairly straightforward song this time featuring a brass section! Overall these songs gave me hope that this album would be a good one. "That Golden Rule" in particular showed that they are still keeping their slightly unpredictable and more raw edge.

On first listen to 'Only Revolutions' I have to say I wasn't convinced but I gave it time and after a few more listens I was definately sold. I think the reason for this is in the depth of the music on this album certainly compared to 'Puzzle'. It is not in your face like their earlier work, there is less of the jagged guitars and unpredictable rhythms, instead the depth and detail is a lot more subtle. The band experiment with different instruments and with adding more layers and it really works and adds more texture to the songs. This can be seen on songs such as "Know Your Quarry" with it's harpsichord intro, the brass section on "The Captain" and the string arrangements on a number of songs including "God & Satan" and "Many of Horror".

Lyrically the album is interesting as ever. There is a real spiritual element to many of the lyrics, most obviously in "God & Satan". There are also the lighter, more eccentric moments that Biffy are so good at such as "Born On A Horse" with it's opening lines "I pronounce it aluminium / 'cause there's an I next to the U and M". Other themes include his relationship with his wife ("Shock Shock") and a relationship breakup ("Many of Horror").

I'm pleased to say this is yet another Biffy album with no bad song on it. I can't think of many other bands with five albums I can listen to from start to finish without getting bored and wanting to skip any tracks. 'Blackened Sky' is still my favourite album but this is a band that have never compromised to sell more records. They have just kept writing songs that they love to play and whilst their sound has become more mainstream their passion and talent has kept them from being just another rock band. I look forward to many more years of Biffy Clyro, still one of my favourite bands and for the record one of the best live bands I've ever seen.

Mon the Biff!