Album Of The Week - 17th August: Soulsavers - 'Broken'

Soulsavers are a production duo from England comprising of Rich Machin and Ian Glover. 'Broken' is their third album and features many prominent musicians/vocalists including Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age), Mike Patton(Faith No More), Jason Pierce (Spiritualized), Richard Hawley and Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers).

Mark Lanegan is the main collaborator and vocalist on this album. Since the breakup of Screaming Trees in 2000 Lanegan has collaborated with a number of different artists/bands including a 5 year stint with Queens Of The Stone Age. This is his second album with Soulsavers following on from their 2007 release 'It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land'.

This album draws on a number of influences ranging from downtempo electronica to trip-hop to alt-rock to soul. This wide variety of styles could lead to the album becoming disjointed but they manage to pull it off. The tracks, whilst being different in style and instrumentation all gel together well and it makes for an engaging listen. Lanegans vocals fit perfectly with the slightly melancholic and brooding sound that is the thread that holds the album together.

For me the standout tracks on the album are "Unbalanced Pieces" which has a real trip-hop almost Morcheeba-esque bassline and sees Lanegan joined by Mike Patton on vocals adding falsetto to the chorus giving it a real anthemic feel. "You Will Miss Me When I Burn" is beautiful in it's simplicity with just a piano loop and strings accompanying Lanegans beautifully bleak vocals.

Another key collaborator on the album is female vocalist Rosa Agostino also known as Red Ghost. She joins Lanegain on "You Will Miss Me..." and also on another standout track "Rolling Sky", another trip-hop track with a hint jazz coming from the almost hyperactive saxophone sprawling all over the track.

I have really enjoyed listening to this album and am sure I will continue to do so. It is great chillout music and manages to do so without being boring. The production is excellent and there is so much to hear in every track. Don't take my word for it though, check it out for yourself on spotify http://open.spotify.com/album/2B5gjVqJC2RzNUXgQgqkDt