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