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!

Other Notable Releases - 2nd November

Here are some more albums for you to check out this week. A bit of a mixed bag this week including a greatest hits by one of my favourite bands and a reissue of one of my favourite albums.

Brett Anderson - 'Slow Attack'
This is the third solo album from the former Suede lead singer. The album is written and produced with Leo Abrahams and contains a very orchestral sound with a wide use of woodwind. It is a very mellow, ambient album and quite different to anything I've heard for a while in the instrumentation used and the way the songs are built. A well written, well produced album.
Brett Anderson – Slow Attack

Mando Diao - 'Give Me Fire!'
The fifth studio album from this Swedish garage rock band. Released in Sweden back in February this week sees it get it's UK release. This album was produced by Salla Salazar of hip hop group The Latin Kings and has a strong focus on bass, drums and percussion. This makes for an album that is designed to get you dancing.
Mando Diao – Give Me Fire

Foo Fighters - 'Greatest Hits'
Foo Fighters are one of my favourite bands although they have earnt that status more for their earlier albums than anything they have done recently. This compilation contains two new songs along with a selection of songs spanning all of their previous albums. I think for me my greatest hits album for the foo fighters would be most of 'The Colour and the Shape' with a few tracks from 'Foo Fighters' on it and I'm pleased to see that they have included some tracks from these early albums on the compilation. New single "Wheels" is very middle of the road and doesn't really do anything special. I'm still going to say 'The Colour and the Shape' is better!
Foo Fighters – Greatest Hits

Nirvana - 'Bleach (Deluxe)'
This week sees the twentieth anniversary of the release of Nirvana's debut album 'Bleach'. This album came out before Nirvana had hit the big time and was released on the Sub Pop label. After the success of follow up 'Nevermind' fans found this album and it soon became platinum selling. The special anniversary edition includes a bonus recording of a live show from 1990 in Portland, Oregon. The album certainly contains some of my favourite Nirvana tracks such as "Love Buzz", "Negative Creep" and "About A Girl". It isn't on spotify!

Slayer - 'World Painted Blood'
Not quite sure why I've included this one! I've never ventured into the world of heavy metal and don't intend on starting now but they are a pretty big name in the music world so I thought I might as well. This is their 11th studio album and was produced by the legend that is Rick Rubin (Rage Against The Machine, System Of A Down). If you are into your hard/thrash metal then check it out.
Slayer – World Painted Blood

Sting - 'If On A Winter's Night'
Another album with a big Christmas theme coming out far too early for my liking! By my count this is Sting's ninth studio album although I may be wrong. It is not available as of yet on spotify so I haven't had an opportunity to listen to it but looking at the track list it looks like an album I don't want to hear until it is at least December!

Weezer - 'Raditude'
This is the seventh studio album from the American alt-rock band. A number of people were involved in producing the record including Jacknife Lee (Bloc Party, Snow Patrol) and Butch Walker (All Time Low, The Automatic). It is currently only available on spotify premium and I only have spotify free so I haven't been able to listen to it yet. Having checked out a number of reviews however it doesn't sound like something to look forward to! Weezer and in particular frontman Rivers Cuomo have never really been able to reproduce the brilliance of the early albums and it sounds like once again they have missed the mark. I will put the link up and hopefully it will be made available to us cheapskates soon enough.
Weezer – Raditude

Album Of The Week - 2nd November : Skunk Anansie - 'Smashes and Trashes'

By the time I discovered Skunk Anansie and really got into them they had already broken up. Having since spoken to people who got to see them live I was always a little bit disappointed that I never got that opportunity. As seems to be the vogue however this year they have reformed and to mark this occassion this week they release what is essentially a greatest hits album. 'Smashes and Trashes' contains 12 of the best tracks from their three studio albums so far, along with three brand new tracks.

I am not normally a fan of greatest hits albums. They are so often record company ploys to milk as much cash out of their bands as possible. Also deciding what songs should be on a bands greatest hits is a very subjective thing and I often find myself disagreeing with the tracks included. To be honest this album is no different, there are certainly tracks that I might have included that aren't present but then there are so many good tracks on the three Skunk Anansie albums that you have to leave some of them out. The reason I have picked this to be album of the week is more for what it represents than for the album itself. After all I already own all their albums and therefore the majority of the tracks on this album.

If you didn't hear Skunk Anansie first time round then this is definately a good place to start. First coming out in the mid-90's when britpop was at it's height they were often lumped in with that genre but their sound was definately a long way from the likes of Oasis and Blur. They were musically more influenced by metal and funk music making them more like a female fronted version of Rage Against The Machine. They always had a good balance on their albums between the hard hitting rock tracks, the riffy funk tracks and the mellow ballads and there are good examples of this on 'Smashes and Trashes'. Album opener "Charlie Big Potato", also the opener on 'Post Orgasmic Chill', is a fine way to start the album with it's gradual build up to a crunching lead riff. Songs like "Charity" and "I Can Dream" are more straight up rock songs whilst "Selling Jesus" shows off their metal and funk influences with it's crunching guitars and beat. The softer side of the band can be found on "Hedonism (Just Because It Feels Good)", an almost 80's style ballad or the string soaked "Secretly". Listening to this album has reminded me how much I loved all the Skunk Anansie albums and inspired me to go back to them and listen to them again.

So what about the new tracks? With rumours of a new album on the way in the not too distant future how has their sound changed and is a new album somthing to get excited about? "Tear The Place Up" is a good start with it's big riffs, big drums and seething vocals it shows they still have the ability to rock hard. "Because Of You" shows a much more gentle side with beautiful chiming guitars in the verses giving way to a soaring riff and pounding bassline in the chorus providing the backing for Skin's almost operatic vocals. Final new track "Squander" sees Skin in reflective mood with beautiful melodies and backed by strings. I have to say the new tracks have definately got me excited about the potential for the future. Skunk Anansie prove that they still have the ability to write great songs and that musically they still have all the energy and passion. "Because Of You" is a particular highlight and one of their finest songs.

I think the new songs alone make this album worthy of it's album of the week status. I would encourage anybody to check out Skunk Anansies old stuff if you haven't heard it before. If you have and you liked it then have a listen especially to the new tracks and join me in getting excited about what is to come!
Skunk Anansie – Smashes and Trashes - The Greatest Hits

Other Notable Releases - 26th October

There are seven albums in this weeks other notable releases but four of them are not new material. There are two remastered releases, a live album and a b-sides collection.

Morrissey - 'Swords'
This is a compilation album containing 18 b-sides from Morrissey's last three albums. I can't say I've ever really got into Morrissey and haven't really listened to any of the albums he's released in recent years. I had to mention this release though as he has been such an influential figure in the history of British indie and I know there are plenty of fans out there! I don't mind the occassional bit of The Smiths and I do listen to them every now and then but I don't think Morrissey is ever going to make it onto my list of favourites!
Morrissey – Swords

Devendra Banhart - 'What Will We Be'
This is the seventh studio album from this American singer/songwriter. This is quite an impressive achievement since his debut album was only released seven years ago making him much more prolific than most artists these days. His music is loosely described as folk and is certainly influenced by the folk genre but is incredibly experimental and a lot less accessible than you would expect from folk music. Described as psych-folk or avant-folk I have to be honest in places it is trying a bit too hard to be weird but there are some nice moments on this album as well.
Devendra Banhart – What Will We Be

Miike Snow - 'Miike Snow'
This is the debut album from this Swedish electro-pop band. The band is made up of singer/songwriter Andrew Wyatt and the production paring of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg best known for their work with Britney Spears, Madonna and Kylie Minogue. On the face of it this really doesn't sound like something I'd listen to but after (accidentally) seeing them at V Festival in the summer and enjoying it I was interested to see what the album would sound like. To be honest it is nowhere near as interesting on record as it was live but it is not at all bad. Fusing eletronica, pop and indie together to make a fun album with some good and some distinctly average tracks.
Miike Snow – Miike Snow

U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
U2 are one of those bands who you are supposed to like right?! I always feel almost guilty when I admit that I have never really been a fan. My lack of really knowing anything about the band meant that when I saw this listed as a new release I didn't realise that it was actually a remastered re-release marking its 25th anniversary. It was the fourth studio album by the band and saw a change in direction for them as they began to experiment with a more ambient, abstract under the guidance of producer Brian Eno. This is the album that produced the hit songs "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" and "Bad". The remastering of the album was done under the guidance of The Edge and the release include a bonus CD containing b-sides and some live tracks from the album.
U2 – The Unforgettable Fire

Madness - 'One Step Beyond'
Another remastered re-release from a band that I know very little about and have never really got in to! This was the British ska groups debut album originally released in thirty years ago in 1979. Probably their most heavily ska influenced album it spent over a year in the charts in the UK and was listed at 90 in the 100 greatest albums of all time on a Channel 4 survey in 2005. This reissue includes a bonus disc including live tracks, original demos and b-sides. It is not currently on spotify so if you want to hear it you will have to buy it!

REM - 'Live At The Olympia'
This album was recorded in 2007 over a five night residency at Dublin's Olympia Theatre. The album is a double with 39 songs in total, many coming from their 'Accelerate' album. A number of these songs were still works in progess at the time and so are different to the version eventually recorded on the studio album. I have not been following REM in recent years and don't actually know any of the tracks on this album but I do love live albums and REM are certainly a good live band so I will be giving this one a listen.
R.E.M. – Live At The Olympia

Johnny Foreigner - 'Grace And The Bigger Picture'
This is the second studio album from this Birmingham indie-rock trio. Production was done by Alex Newport (At The Drive-In, Frank Turner) with recording being done at Futureshock Studios in Brooklyn. I have to say I missed them the first time round and so can't make any comparisons between this and their debut album released last year. Maybe that is a good thing as I have nothing to compare it to and so can't be disappointed that they have lost it or sold out or anything like that! It is a fast paced album full of energy and adrenaline. The melodies jostle with each other as the vocals yelp over intricate guitar work. This album is definately worth a listen, it hasn't made me a massive fan but I'll certainly look out for them in the future!
Johnny Foreigner – Grace And The Bigger Picture

Album Of The Week - 26th October : Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

I have to start this off by saying there weren't really any new releases this week that jumped out at me as being worthy of album of the week. I vowed to keep this blog going though so I have chosen to go for Australian rock band Wolfmother's new release 'Cosmic Egg'. Technically this is the bands second album but a lot has changed since their debut self-titled album released in 2005. Originally a three-piece band, the bassist and drummer both left in 2008 leaving just the vocalist/guitarist Andrew Stockdale. The new lineup is now a four-piece with three new members joining this year.

This album was recorded in LA and produced by British producer Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan). The band have a sound that would not have been out of the place in the 70's with influences such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin having a clear impact on their music. Despite the big lineup changes since their previous album this album does follow on in a similar vain and definately does sound like another Wolfmother record. In fact the highlights of this album are when they are doing what they do best with their throwbacks to the 70's on tracks like the brilliant Zeppelin-esque "New Moon Rising" or the Sabbath style track "10,000 Feet". Where the album is let down is where the band try to broaden their horizons and attempt to experiment with different styles. Most of the second half of the album is an attempt to master the art of the ballad and it really doesn't work for them. Every track that doesn't start with a crunching guitar riff is pretty much destined to be skipped within seconds.

This album has some great tracks on it, "New Moon Rising" and the White Stripesy "White Feather" being the highlights for me. They are great at doing what they do best and recalling the riff led rock of the 70s. Unfortunately when they try and prove that they are not a one trick pony and go for a more mellow sound it proves quite the opposite! The album is worth checking out though just for the songs that do show what they do best, feel free to skip the rest!
Wolfmother – Cosmic Egg

Other Notable Releases - 19th October

A very quiet week for new releases this week. Here are a couple that may interest you althuogh to be honest they haven't really interested me!

Mr Hudson - 'Straight No Chaser'
The second studio album from Mr (Ben) Hudson comes out this week produced by himself and good friend Kanye West. The second single from the album "Supernova" featuring the vocals of Kanye West has had a lot of radio play and is certainly a song that will get stuck in your head. It is a very varied album as far as musical styles are concerned with influences being heard from indie rock to RnB to hip-hop to pop. To be honest I wouldn't ever chose to listen to this album simply because it's not really a style of music I am a fan of. If you are into your hip-hop/RnB however I would certainly recommend you check it out.
Mr Hudson – Straight No Chaser

Spandau Ballet - 'Once More'
I have more included this as it is yet another comeback album from a band that split up years ago rather than it actually being a record I think you should check out! Slightly before my time they were one of the biggest bands of the 80's releasing such classics as "Gold" (the only song I've ever known by them!). After breaking up in 1990 they return 19 years later to release their seventh studio album. This isn't really a new album however, 11 of the 13 songs are old songs which they have re-recorded this year leaving only two completely new songs. The re-recordings of the old songs have been done in an attempt to bring their sound up to date and into the 21st century. I have no idea what the originals sounded like so can't really tell you what has changed but it does seem to be a more semi-acoustic feel with less of the 80's synths.
Spandau Ballet – Once More

Album Of The Week - 19th October : Seasick Steve - 'Man From Another Time'

This week has been a pretty quiet one as far as new releases are concerned but this album would definately be worthy of album of the week status any week of the year. It is the fourth album from Seasick Steve although his musical career stretches back to the 60's. He started out touring with his friends and fellow blues musicians in the sixties and he's been working on and off as a session musician and recording engineer ever since. Whilst never being that well know himself during that time he had some pretty famous friends including Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and Kurt Cobain. As a recording engineer and producer he produced a number of Modest Mouse's early releases including their debut album. He has lived moved around a lot never settling in one place and since getting married in 1982 has lived in 59 different houses.

Seasick Steve started pursuing a career as an artist in his own right after moving to Norway in 2001. This led to his debut album 'Cheap' which came out in 2004 recorded with The Level Devils. In the last three years his popularity has exploded in the UK appearing at major festivals including Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds and selling out the Royal Albert Hall. I first heard his brand of blues/folk/country when he appeared on Jools Holland. I am not sure what it is about him but you can't help but get drawn in by his live presence. He has a real character to him and you can just tell he is having fun and absolutely loving what he is doing.

He has a crazy array of instruments which he uses live and on his albums. Opening track "Diddley Bo" is named after one of these instruments, the Diddley Bow, which is a one stringed string instrument consisting of a semi-loose guitar string nailed at each end to a two foot long piece of wood and played using a slide. Also used on the album are the Three-String Trance Wonder which is a normal looking guitar but with only three strings present. This can be heard on "Seasick Boogie". He also has a small wooden box which he stomps on to provide percussion and refers to as the Mississippi Drum Machine.

I have only ever heard Seasick Steve when he has been playing live on varous television performances. I was intrigued to see how he would come across on CD having never listened to any of his previous records. Part of the attraction in his live show is how he engages to audience and the character, enthusiasm and energy he puts into it. So has he successfully translated this onto the studio recordings? I think he's made a very good effort! This is a proper blues record with lyrics covering tales of outsider America including riding a tractor on "Big Green and Yeller" and tributes to his instruments with "Diddley Bo". His vocals lend themselves perfectly to the sound and the simple yet infectiously catchy nature of his sound means you can't help but tap along.

I still think you don't get the real brilliance of the man unless you are seeing him live. He is definately at his best with a captive audience but you can't have him playing in your house every day of the week and this album is definately a worthy alternative.
Seasick Steve – Man From Another Time

Other Notable Releases - 12th October

Here's a look of the best of the rest of the albums that came out this week.

Bad Lieutenant - 'Never Cry Another Tear'
I thought when I saw this band listed that they were another in a long list of new indie bands on the scene. I was wrong! This is essentially New Order under a different name. The New Order lead singer and guitarist Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham are joined by Jake Evans to make up Bad Lieutenant. The former New Order drummer Stephen Morris also appears on a number of tracks. Other appearances on the album include Alex James of Blur on bass. Not available on spotify but after reading a lot of feedback and listening to the two tracks on spotify I think the general consensus is that they sound a little bit like New Order! Just not as good!

Bob Dylan - 'Christmas In The Heart'
This, Bob Dylans 34th studio album, annoys me and I haven't even heard it! But then I don't want to! OK the fact that all the royalties are going to charity is great and it does contain some of the classic Christmas hymns and carols, but why does it have to be released at the beginning of October?! I don't want to listen to Christmas songs until it's actually Christmas. Call me a scrooge but I am not into drawing Christmas out over months and doing all my shopping in September. I'm very much a last minute Christmas person, so maybe I will come back to this album nearer the time, and by then maybe it will be on spotify!

Cate Le Bon - 'Me Oh My'
This is the debut album from the Welsh singer/songwriter following on from the release of a Welsh-language EP in 2008. She has gained much support from Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals who chose her to support him on his solo tour in 2007. Her haunting voice and often dark lyrical content don't make for the most uplifting of listens. She is certainly a gifted singer and there is enough about the music to avoid it becoming boring.
Cate le Bon – Me Oh My

Dionne Bromfield - 'Introducing Dionne Bromfield'
It makes me feel very old when someone born in 1996 is releasing albums. This is the debut from this young soul/R&B singer. It may have helped her that she is the goddaughter of Amy Winehouse and is the first artist to be signed to Winehouse's new record label Lioness Records. She has made a number of appearance already alongside Amy Winehouse. Her voice is definately worth hearing sounding way beyond her years in maturity. There is also a sense of the fun loving child in her though which makes this album an enjoyable listen.
Dionne Bromfield – Introducing Dionne Bromfield

Echo & The Bunnymen - 'The Fountain'
This is the 11th studio album from Ian McCulloch and co. I have to say I have never really listened to this band, I think I was born a bit too late to appreciate them when they were in their prime in the 80's. This album has had mixed reviews, some thinking it is their best work in a long time and some describing it as dull and lifeless. As a neutral with very little knowledge about what the band have done in the past I don't think this is a bad album at all. The guitars pick out some nice riffs, the production gives a good atmosphere to the sound and the vocals are solid. Not a groundbreaking record but enjoyable enough.
Echo And The Bunnymen – The Fountain

Editors - 'In This Light and On This Evening'
Before hearing this album I was hoping that it was going to be my album of the week. Having bought and enjoyed their first two albums I was helping that they would continue to impress with this release. To be honest on listening to it I found it to be incredibly dull. This, their third studio album, was produced by Flood (Smashing Pumpkins, Sigur Ros, The Killers). The album sees a fairly big change in direction. There is much less of the guitar present with the album having an almost industrial feel with a lot of heavily synthesised sounds. This may well be why I am not a fan! I loved the guitar led first two albums and have never really been in to the industial synth sound so I guess I shouldn't really have expected to like this album. The mood of the album also seems to be a lot more bleak and gloomy, there is no real feel good tracks on this album. We will see what comes next with the Editors but for now I'm going to stick with listening to "Munich"!
Editors – In This Light And On This Evening

Tubelord - 'Our First American Friends'
This is the debut album from a fairly local band to me hailing from Kingston upon Thames. I was expecting this to be another average indie album but these guys have some serious talent. There is a good variety of the album between the more straight up songs and some pretty complex song structures. The music is technically brilliant and the mix in tempos and dynamics really make this an interesting listen. They are clearly a band with ambition and a lot of potential. The only weakness maybe are the vocals which sound a bit strained and a bit thin in places but for a debut album on an indie label this is a fantastic start for a great new band.
Tubelord – Our First American Friends

Album Of The Week - 12th October : The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

The Flaming Lips return with a surprisingly normal (for them) album title! 'Embryonic' is their twelfth studio album since forming in 1983 and their first double album. You get a sense with The Flaming Lips over their long career that they have always stuck to doing exactly what they feel like doing with no thought for how it might be received. They have had some success and some of their releases have been more accessible and radio friendly than others but there was never a sense that they were "selling out" or compromising to sell more records in any way. I wish there were more bands out there with this attitude. So many seem to give in to the influences of record labels and the media to make records that the masses are going to like instead of making a record that they themselves love.

Having achieved much commercial success with their previous three albums 'Embryonic' sees them returning to a more experimental and as a result slightly less accessible album. I believe this is definately a good thing though. The great thing about The Flaming Lips has always been their inventive, experimentation with sound and there was a danger that they were becoming too comfortable and too predictable with their sound in recent years. This change in direction is definately a welcome one and reminds us all what The Flaming Lips are all about.

This album demands your attention, there is so much going on and so many different elements to the sound that it envelops you and doesn't let you go until it's finished. The opening two tracks "Convinced of the Hex" and "The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine" grab you right from the start with the melodies of the vocals set against the the jagged instrumentation. The album doesn't seem to have suffered from the self-produced nature of it. The sound is bright and the production is good.

There are a few guest appearances on the album including Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) who adds vocals to two tracks with her contribution recorded by lead singer Wayne Coyne over the phone. The most bizarre of these contributions has to be her animal noises on track "I Can Be A Frog"! There is also a guest appearance from MGMT on "Worm Mountain" and from a german mathmetician called Dr Thorsten Woermann on "Gemini Syringes".

To sum up this is an album that isn't going to appeal to everyone. Fans of the Flaming Lips more recent work might find it a little too weird for them! It is certainly not an album you can really just stick on in the background. It is jagged without ever being jarring and could definately not be accused of being boring. Give it a try and see what you think, I don't expect everyone to like it but you never know!
The Flaming Lips – Embryonic

Other Notable Releases - 5th October

Here is a look at some of the other albums that came out this week. Two of them aren't on Spotify so there's not much I can tell you about them but I thought I'd mention their existence anyway!

Air - 'Love 2'
French electronica duo Air return with their sixth studio album. Released on Virgin Records this is the first Air album that they have produced themselves from their own Atlas Studio. I enjoy the occasional bit of electronic dance/pop and Air have certainly been one of the masters of the art over the years. They have been in the game for a long time now though and it seems like they are beginning to run out of ideas. They have made some attempts to reinvent their sound and bring themselves up to date but there is little here to really excite or engage.
Air – Love 2

Cerys Matthews - 'Don't Look Down'
Everyone recognises the distinctively Welsh voice of ex-Catatonia front-woman Cerys Matthews. This week sees the release of her third full length solo album in two versions, one in english and the other in welsh. Unfortunately neither are on spotify so I can't tell you what it is like or give you the chance to find out for yourselves yet!

Idelwild - 'Post Electric Blues'
I guess I would say I'm an Idlewild fan. I've always enjoyed their music and have been to see them live. They've gone off my radar however in the past couple of years and so I totally missed the arrival of this album. This, the sixth studio album, was originally self-released to 3,000 fans back in June. This week sees the official traditional release of the album on Cooking Vinyl and produced by Idlewild regular Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers, Nine Black Alps). Again this album is not yet on spotify although I hope it gets put up soon as I'm interested to hear how they sound these days!

The Raveonettes - 'In and Out of Control'
This is the fourth studio album from the Danish rock duo and sees a change in direction since their previous album. 'Lust, Lust, Lust' was a raw and noisy album self-produced and very rough round the edges. This album sees them returning to working with a producer (Thomas Troelsen(Aqua, Junior Senior)) and gives a more professional sound all round. There is a much poppier sound to the record but they still manage to maintain that raw power that gives them a bit of an edge. This is a really good pop album, the production is excellent, the musical performance is great and the songs are fun to listen to.
The Raveonettes – In And Out Of Control

Album Of The Week - 5th October : Mumford & Sons - 'Sigh No More'

After the masses of albums out last week there was less of a choice this week. This one is a real gem though. Mumford & Sons are a four piece folk band coming out of the London folk scene that has also produced the likes of Laura Marling and Noah & The Whale. Three of the four members have in fact performed both live and on record with Laura Marling.

I first heard Mumford & Sons through the extensive airplay they received on MTV2 with lead single "Little Lion Man". This song just got stuck in my had and that was in no way a bad thing, I loved it! I wasn't the only one either with Zane Lowe naming it as "Hottest Record in the World". After the brilliance of the single I was hoping that the album would bring me more of the same. Whilst I still think "Little Lion Man" is one of the highlights this is definately one of my albums of the year so far.

Production duties were performed by Markus Dravs (Arcade Fire, Coldplay, Bjork) and the result is very impressive. The song progressions and the often massive sound bring to mind Arcade Fire and this definately adds another dimension to the folk influences. There is a really strong emotional feel to the album as well. The vocals and the music working in perfect harmony to draw the listener in and give you a real sense of the emotions being portrayed through the lyrics.

Along with "Little Lion Man" the other highlights for me are "Winter Winds" and "Thistle & Weeds". To be fair there are no songs on this album that I don't like. I certainly don't find myself wanting to skip any tracks as I listen through. That isn't to say that every track on here is as strong as the others, there are some weaker moments that pass by without really making an impact such as "I Gave You All". I've been listening to this album on repeat and I am still not bored of it. It has earned a place amongst my favourites at the moment and I am excited and expectant for bigger and better things from this band in the future.
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

Other Notable Releases - 28th September (Part 2)

Part two of this weeks other new releases. A good mixture of the new and the old for you here and quite an eclectic mix of styles as well! Enjoy!

Ian Brown - 'My Way'
I have to say I was a fan of The Stone Roses but I've never really got into Ian Brown's solo work. Maybe I've just never given it a chance but what I have heard hasn't inspired me to give it a chance! This week sees the release of his sixth studio album since going solo and once again working with long term production partner dave McCracken. Ian Brown will always go down in history as being hugely influential for his involvement in pioneering the Madchester with The Stone Roses. His solo work seems to me to be more pop than rock and just doesn't really do it for me. A lot of people still love him though and he clearly does have a talent for songwriting and an incredibly distinctive voice which seperates him out from the crowd. I'm still hoping, almost certainly in vain, for a Stone Roses comeback some day!
Ian Brown – My Way

Kid Harpoon - 'Once'
Born Tom Hull, Kid Harpoon is a new kid on the English singer/songwriter block. Originally from Kent and now living in north London he has been gradually gaining popularity through the local gig scene. Often joined live by a band known as The Powers That Be, he has previously released a single and two EPs, the single in particular receiving much critical acclaim from the likes of NME. 'Once' is the debut album released on the Young Turks record label. All that potential doesn't seem to have been realised in this album. The sound would probably have been very popular a couple of years ago when the likes of Jack Penate first came out but now it is just old and tired. I think the best word to describe it would be boring. There is no real invention, no real passion shining through and that is a shame after the promise shown in his previous work. Could this be the last we se of Kid Harpoon?!
Kid Harpoon – Once

Liam Frost - 'We Ain't Got No Money, Honey, But We Got Rain'
Another English singer/songwriter for you to check out! This time hailing from Manchester and now on his second album following on from his 2006 release 'Show Me How The Spectres Dance'. Having gigged tirelessly round Manchester and building a fanbase he has gained much recognition as fine songwriter with Guy Garvey of Elbow describing him as "the UK's answer to Bright Eyes". His debut album was described as a bit of a deperessing, despairing album but he seems to have cheered up in the past three years. This album is full of happy, catchy, toe tapping, uplifting tunes. It sounds like he is having fun and it makes you feel like you are having fun listening to it. "Your Hand In Mine" is a particular highlight with Martha Wainwright featuring and guaranteed to get your toe tapping and your head nodding along.
Liam Frost – We Ain't Got No Money, Honey, But We Got Rain

Newton Faulkner - 'Rebuilt By Humans'
Yet another English singer/songwriter but I don't think this one needs any introduction. This weeks sees the release of Faulkners second album after his massive number one hit album of 2007, 'Hand Built By Robots'. Once again he uses producer Mike Spencer (Jamiroquai, Alphabeat) and releases on Ugly Truth Records. When you have such a big success at the first time of asking it must be incredibly difficult to produce something to follow it up with. Where do you go from there? How do you produce something better or at least as good? The pressure must be huge. So how was this going to play out with Newton Faulkner? Unfortunately this new album flatters to deceive. The quality of his distinctive finger-picking style guitar playing is unchanged but none of the songs on this album jump out at you. Where on his debut album there were songs like "Dream Catch Me" which just sounded like hits, this album seems to pass you by without you even noticing it. Worth checking out if just to hear his technically brilliant guitar work but I reckon you'll be reverting back to his debut fairly quickly!
Newton Faulkner – Rebuilt By Humans

Paloma Faith - 'Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful
In recent years there have been a number of female British singers bringing soul to the masses. Paloma Faith is the latest of these and with her debut album proves that she is up there with the best of them. Having a wide ranging CV already including co-starring in the film St Trinians and working as a burlesque dancer in a club, her first musical venture is very impressive indeed. Musically and vocally she comes somewhere inbetween Amy Winehouse and Duffy. That is not to say that she is generic in any way, she certainly stamps her own quirky personality on her music. I first heard her when, much to my delight, she stepped in for La Roux on Later With Jools Holland and that was enough to convince me that I needed to check her out more.
Paloma Faith – Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful?

Zero 7 - 'Yeah Ghost'
This is the fourth album from Britsh dance duo Zero 7. It sees them moving further in a direction that I hoped they wouldn't go. I love the Zero 7 that produced the brilliant downbeat ambient dance evident on songs like "In The Waiting Line". These days they are much more a pop than downbeat dance and to be honest I don't think they do it that well. "Mr McGee" sounds like a reject from a Basement Jaxx album and I can't help but think there are people out there making this kind of music but doing a better job of it. I want to Zero 7 of old back, I'm sticking to their debut 'Simple Things' for now!
Zero 7 – Yeah Ghost

Other Notable Releases - 28th September (Part 1)

There are so many albums I want to mention this week that I'm going to cover them over two blog posts. In this first part are a comeback album, a greatest hits and three bands I've not really heard before but want to check out.

Alice in Chains - 'Black Gives Way to Blue'
This is the first album from alice in chains for nearly 14 years. Having officially disbanded in 2002 after the death of lead singer Layne Staley they reformed in 2005 with William DuVall taking over the vocal duties. DuVall was good friends with lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell and had sung with him on his solo tours where he performed some Alice In Chains songs so was an obvious choice. Production on this, their fourth studio album, was done by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Trivium) and I was intrigued to see what their sound would be after such a long time away. Could they bring their grunge roots up to date and make it relevant in todays music climate? They still sound very much like Alice in Chains with DuVall's vocals sounding very much in the style of Staley. Cantrell's songwriting is excellent as ever and the guitars snarl and growl as ever. There is however a lot more variety on this album with a scattering of gentle ballads thrown in to keep you interested. I think this album will appeal to both fans of old and those who've never heard them before. Single "Check My Brain" is a particular favourite of mine!
Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue

Funeral For A Friend - 'Your History Is Mine: 2002-2009'
This is a compilation of songs from the two EPs and four albums released so far as well as four new tracks. I was a big fan of debut album 'Casually Dressed...' and listened to it on repeat for months when it first came out. I have to say since then I've been massively underwhelmed by what they have produced and haven't bothered with their last two albums. This greatest hits compilation does seem to agree with me only including three tracks from the last two albums with the majority coming from their debut. I am a bit disappointed they have included the later version of "Juneau", one of my favourite songs in it's original form with all screaming present on EP 'Seven Ways to Scream Your Name'. The new tracks did give me a pleasant surprise. They have returned more to their earlier roots particularly on single "Wrench" with the dual screaming/singing vocals of drummer and frontman harking back to the good old days!
Funeral For A Friend – Your History Is Mine: 2002-2009

Girls - 'Album'
This is the debut album from Californian indie-rock band Girls. Lead singer Chrisopher Owens grew up as part of the Children Of God cult and was restricted in what he was allowed to listen to. This album sees him freed from these boundaries and this comes across in the emotional natuer of the album. Musically there have been obvious comparisons drawn to Elvis Costello and early Beach Boys. Lyrically most of the album seems to be about girls, reportedly being written in the aftermath of a bad breakup. This is a good if not remarkable debut and they may well be dismissed by many as just another American indie band but I've been wrong before!
Girls – Album

Hockey - 'Mind Chaos'
Over the past year Hockey have been building in popularity attracting the attention of the likes of Zane Lowe and earning them a record deal in the UK with Virgin Records. This summer saw them playing the John Peel stage at Glastonbury and at T in the Park. This week sees the release of their debut album 'Mind Chaos'. Musically they lie somewhere between The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem and The Rolling Stones. There are obvious new wave influences and it makes for a fun, upbeat, dancy take on the garage rock stylings of The Strokes. As you can see by the obvious comparisons they don't really do anything original but what they do they do well. There is an energy and vibrance that redeems it from being just another generic album.
Hockey – Mind Chaos

Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions - 'Through the Devil Softly'
I thought I had no idea who Hope Sandoval was when I saw this album on the list of new releases for the week. It turns out I do have a vague idea, she was the lead singer of 90's band Mazzy Star whose second album 'So Tonight That I Might See' is in my collection. For any OC fans out there the song "Into Dust" by Mazzy Star was used in the scene in season 1 where Marissa overdoses in Mexico. She does have a beautiful voice and in this band she is joined by former My Bloody Valentine man Colm O'Ciosoig. Eight years on from their debut album this week sees the release of their self produced follow-up 'Through The Devil Softly'. Sandoval's vocals are haunting and dreamy as ever and the soft, ambient folk sound is so laid back. This is the ideal music for the reflective mood. There is a depth to it which immerses you in the sound and takes you to a calmer place. I'm pleased I've (re)found Hope Sandoval and hope this album gets put on Spotify! At the moment all that is available is "Blanchard", the first single released from it.
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions – Blanchard