CDs 2003 (1)

OK, I know you've been waiting for this for a while now..not ! A few decent CDs have been released in this first quarter (yes, already !) of the year. So here we go, at last, the first CD review of the year.

I’ve started buying too many CDs again, so most of them I can’t even remember now !

The Faint : Danse Macabre. The sound of the 80s is back. And it’s not bad at all ! Think The Cure in their Japanese Whispers period. Rhythmic loops, simple riffs and a voice that stands somewhere between Robert Smith and...Damon Albarn. Nice stuff from the US then, should get you going when you start to feel silly.

Zwan : Mary Star of the Sea. Billy Corgan in his new guise (joined with a few people from other ex-bands). What does it sound like ? Er, the Smashing Pumpkins. Light. I suppose it’s the voice. After a couple of listen, it’s actually quite enjoyable. Nothing revolutionary then, not likely to win him new fans. But if you like the Pumpkins, there’s a chance you’ll like this one too.

Zabrinski : Koala Ko-Ordination. Welsh psychedelic-ish guitar music. Their first album was good, this one is excellent.

Calla : Televise. Not very much to say. Just another very good album really. They recently opened for Interpol. And listening to this, you can see why. Or hear, rather.

Asian Dub Foundation : Enemy of the Enemy. Another stomper, it starts with the great new single ‘Fortress Europe’. But after that, it’s a bit too much ‘business as usual’. Lyrically sound, musically driving, but it’s not bringing anything new now really.

Tom McRae : Just like blood. The first album this year that I thought was really great. But that’s one that doesn’t really improve at each listen. There’s some good findings in there, he’s got a great voice. Peaceful and pleasant, but somehow missing a bit of ‘edge’.

Ed Harcourt : From Every Sphere. Another singer-songwriter then with his second album proper. A few downers on this, but there’s three or four tracks that are absolutely brilliant. He’s at his best on his piano-led tunes, but that’s really nice overall, including a Spiritualized-sounding track.

Clearlake : Cedars. Now one of my definite favourite of this year so far and beyond. Their first album was full of promise. This just fulfils them. They’ve got a very distinctive sound, out of this time... It starts with a bang with single ‘Almost the same’, wanders along some magnificent tracks. And the last 3 tracks seamlessly follow each other, culminating with the fantastic ‘treat yourself with kindness’ that will make you turn the sound up, and finishing with the beautiful pastoral release of ‘trees in the city’. So OK this one I’ve just listened to. But believe me it’s great !

Common : Electric Circus. Some hip-hop that mixes influences. Never as good as Eminem, but every other track is quite interesting. Stereolab revisited through hip-hop is worth listening. But in my non hip-hop fan humble opinion, about half of it is also downright boring.

The Polyphonic Spree : The Beginning Stages of... OK this dates from last year, but it’s only been released in France. Fantastically uplifting music from a bunch of nutters in robes. Perfect for your summer. Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev have been mentioned, but this is something else really. Most bizarre of it: the ‘closing’ track that takes half the album and only consists of humming sounds. Scary. Maybe they are a sect after all.

Turin Brakes : Ether Song. I wasn’t impressed on first listen, but then gave it another ear and thought it was actually quite good. Slightly more ‘electric’ than their previous effort, this goes beyond simple belle&sebastianism and climaxes with the great ‘painkiller’ single. Worth a good listen !

Massive Attack : 100th window. Slaughtered everywhere by the critics and you can see why. Still I thought I’d give it a go as 2nd hand CD. And it’s not as bad as was said. Let’s just say that this is easily listenable, won’t harm but will also go along completely unnoticed. Might sound better if you push the low frequencies  a bit. But inoffensive in the extreme. Which is not exactly what’s expected of a Massive Attack record, is it ?

Appliance : are you earthed ? Another great folk-ish/electronic-ish mix (shall we call it psychedelic again ?) that’s pleasant to say the least. Very good.

The Raveonettes : Whip it On. Mini-album in B flat minor only !!! And it sounds. Great. Slightly Jesus and Mary Chain-like in its feedback feeling. And it’s absolutely smashing !

The Kills : Keep on your Mean Side. Anglo-american duo. The singer sounds a bit like PJ Harvey, and the music itself is not too dissimilar to the Peej's first album. It starts all PJ and ends like the Velvet indeed. Overall good, but not one to just put in the background. This record requires your attention.

Junior Senior : D-d-d-don’t don’t stop the beat. Isn’t it what BRA (that’s Bentley Rhythm Ace) were supposed to sound like ? Of course these being from Denmark will be more popular than a couple of Brummies. What is it about ? Silly dance beats with basic guitar riffs and party lyrics. Daft but very efficient. If it doesn’t get you to ‘move your feet’ one inch, maybe it’s time you took some time off work.

Paloalto : Heroes and Villains. Another ‘American Radiohead’. You can see why. Somewhere between Bends-era Radiohead and Feeder or maybe Kent (the Swedish band, not the French guy), this is great guitar-based music, with a soaring voice and great melodies. Maybe the first two tracks are too great, so what follows is just good without being great, but undoubtedly excellent altogether !

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds : Nocturama. More Romantic crooning from the sombre Aussie. He does those piano ballads well, doesn’t he ? And amid these tender and soulful tracks, there’s a cracking new single called ‘Bring it On’ that ups the tempo a bit, followed straight away by an energy-packed riotous little number scaringly titled ‘Dead Man In my Bed’. Oh and there’s the final track that clocks at about 15 minutes. Another fast one, and strangely enough for such a long song, it hardly evolves from minute 1 to minute 14. Still, a good furious ranting.

My Morning Jacket : At Dawn. Somewhere from the same school as Bright Eyes or The Magnetic Fields, I guess. You know, that real American country/acoustic but still electricity-tinged feel. I don’t know what that genre is called, but this is another ‘quite good’ album that’s worth a listen.

Cave In : Antenna. Starts heavy on guitars, short on tunes. A Tune appears first on track 3, and from then on, it stays more melodic. So yeah, this is rock’n’roll full of energy, but frankly it grates quickly, and I’m not sure this is what I’d want to listen to on a cold and sunny afternoon. Thinking of it, not on a warm one either !

Electric Music aka : the Resurrection Show. I listened to this without really listening, then decided to give it a chance. But no, sorry, this is quite pleasant to listen, but of not much interest. Quickly forgotten, not worth your money. Happy that I only got that as a cheap second-hand CD. No it’s not crap, but it’s just not memorable enough.

Evan Dando : Baby I’m bored. Ex-Lemonhead does a decent album. Really nice. Yes, you’ve guessed. A bit of the good old quiet-ish folk/rock’n roll. Another very good album indeed

The Cardigans : Long gone before daylight. Lovely as ever, starts nicely, drops a bit after a few tracks but then peaks with one of the most beautiful tracks you’re likely to hear all year (‘Please Sister’). Then the single does its summery job, yes she’s got a beautiful voice, and this album will make you feel sweet.