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CDs 2003 (2)
Cursive : The Ugly Organ. Good old hardcore US band. Complete with Cello player. Actually, this is a revelation. Fantastic tunes, the old punk ethic, spades of energy alternating with more quiet moments. Not a new band apparently, but one that deserves to be discovered. Will surely deserve a mention in a ‘best of’ list come the end of the year. 9/10
Maximilian Hecker : Rose. Singer-songwriter for Germany. Sounds dreadful ? Well, it isn’t. Instead of the guitar, this man favours the piano. Added with some interesting beats (one tracks even veers to drum’n bass (the quiet type though)), some melodies there are actually finely honed. Only on the final two tracks does he really turns to the boring s-s type, but all around this is quite a lovely record. Cold but lively. 7.5/10
Captain Soul : Jetstream lovers. Another band on Alan McGee’s Poptones label that is not too unlike the Byrds meet the Boo Radleys. Some tracks are really cracking and the last one in there is a winner. Maybe not one of the album of the years, nothing really new, but a pleasant affair nonetheless. 7.5/10
Four Tet : Rounds. Talking about electronica, here’s the latest offering from the genial Kierann Hebden. More of the same here, building on from his previous ‘Pause’ album. It still works the same, maybe all these types of record end up sounding more or less the same, but this is still the best in the field, you can’t really tire of it. 8/10
Yo La Tengo : Summer Sun. A quiet bunch. Some songs sound exactly like Stereolab (when they were still good), and the rest is more or less chilled guitar stuff. Pleasant but highly forgettable. I tend to forget most records I listen to these days (even though I try to listen to them twice at least) due to the accumulating backlog, but I definitely have no memories of this one (though it will probably feel familiar when I put it on again....nevermind....). 6/10
Athlete : Vehicles and Animals.Good. Not much else I remember about it. But yes I do remember the singles on this. Can’t pinpoint any reference point by memory. Guitars and keyboards and the normal indie-pop menu, a fairly reasonable proposition. But watch this space : they’re already quite good, so maybe next time they could be great ! 7.5/10
It’s Jo and Danny : but we have the music. Third album. Not the best. Attempts to mix in the electronics and a very ill-inspired rap spoil a few tracks. Still some pleasant tunes (‘Summer Rain’ the best track here –is there something about naming a song this way, cf. Turin Brakes), not a bad album really, it’s got its lovely moments, but possibly prefer the previous two offerings. 6.5/10
Caesars : 39 minutes of bliss in an otherwise meaningless world. Quite a long title for a rather short album. But if you like guitars that instantly connect with your legs, then go for this. The Swedes are quite good at that (Hellacopters, Hives,...) and here’s a good blend of guitars and, erm, more guitars (throw in some Vox/other organs for good measure still). Not heavy, just happily energetic. (And OK there’s a couple of crap tracks on there too...). 7.5/10
Blur : Think Tank. So what did we expect there with Blur in 2003. Experimentalism a la Radiohead ? These advertised ‘Marrakech’ flavours ? Forget all your preconceptions, and forget about Britpop also. Apart from a couple of more upbeat tracks that pine to ‘Song 2’ nostalgia (‘Crazy Beat’ anyone ?), Blur have gone rather quiet and very inspired. This is a nicely crafted album that’s worth all your attention. Lyrically and musically sound, a very happy surprise ! 8.5/10
Hot Hot Heat : Make up the Breakdown. Sounding like Robert Smith seems to be flavour of the day. The guy here does it quite well (oh, they’ve also got a song called ‘In Cairo’, though it’s probably also the weakest here), and the music isn’t bad at all either. This is in fact a bloody good record, sure to feature in most top 10 lists in 2003. Probably in mine too. 9/10
The Hidden Cameras : the Smell of our Own. If the idea of a Gay Choir doesn’t scare you, go rush buy this. Less members than the Polyphonic Spree, but the same Beach Boys/Magnetic Fields/pastoral feel. Rich in melodies and harmonies. Another one for the ‘best of’ lists, ajoy to behold, this will warm your heart in winter and ease your summer evenings. Top stuff really. 9.5/10
The Dandy Warhols : Welcome to the Monkey House. No thank you, I’ll stay at the door. Starts with an unedifying intro giving into a rip-off from Feeder. So not original and not new. It meanders along a few uninteresting tracks and only ‘You were the last high’ with its ashes-to-ashes style rhythm grabs your attention. No, frankly, this is a very unnecessary record. 4/10
Black Box Recorder : Passionoia. The voice is still nice, the melodies sometimes catchy. Nothing frankly new then. A couple of killer tracks, but really no step forward from their previous opus. 6.5/10
Audio Bullys : Ego War. Touted as the new ‘Streets’ in various publications, this is nothing like Brum’s finest. Way less inspired, and way less inspirational. Again a couple of tracks you’ll happily hum along to (notably ‘turned away’), but nothing to write home about. 6/10
Mew : Frengers. New Danish rock band. Guitars to the fore. Very loose song structures. Said songs almost all very good ! Another CD that’s brilliant to drive to ! Don’t really know what to say about this album. Promising is maybe the word, because you feel some room for improvement is there, but this is a great debut. 8/10
The Tyde : Twice. Rather good sunshiny pop-rock. Recalling Supergrass at times, the Strokes at others (and uninspired 60s rock’n’roll at times...), quite a pleasant listen. File alongside all of your feelgood guitar albums and enjoy ! 7.5/10
The New Pornographers : Electric Version. Maybe what the new Dandy Warhols should have sounded like...This is another slice of happy pop-rock, one more very good record. What else can I say ? There seems to be loads of enjoyable music being released these days, and while not reinventing the genre, this is still in the top half. 7.5/10
Tricky : Vulnerable. The Trickster’s back. And he’s not bad at all. After 2001’s horrendous Blowback, Mr Thaw’s realised that he didn’t need any male singer with him, just the a unique female voice to go along with his neurotic tales. His new sidekick maybe Italian, sound American and not as ethereal as Martina, but she does the business. Even the covers here (one from XTC, one from the Cure) don’t spoil it. This is a great record, another brilliant surprise of the year. Not far from his best really. 8.5/10
British Sea Power : The Decline of British Sea Power. It start with a couple of punk-ish tracks, goes on with some more guitar treats and climaxes with a 15 minutes epic before dying down quietly. Bowie-sounding voice going with all that. Doesn’t sound interesting ? Well, it is. One of the new intriguing bands to emerge from the UK, you may not be able to put your finger on what’s exciting about them straight away, but this is a genuinely great sounding guitar band. Something’s on there, and it’s well worth several plays. 9/10
Junkie XL : a broadcast from the computer hell cabin. Various guest vocalists dragged into this project. No Elvis this time, but dancey numbers from hip-hop-ish, reaggae-ish to techno-ish via a quite a few non-danceable numbers indeed. A bit of a mess really. Sounds like a decent compilation, with the quietest songs the best , but somehow lacks the cutting edge of the previous album. 6/10
Iron & Wine : The Creek drank the Cradle. Sub-Pop : didn’t they once launch Nirvana or something ? And a few other loud bands ? No such affair here, just some nice folkish guitar and singing. Quiet and lovely, but there’s every chance this will play and go (pleasantly) unnoticed in the back ground. I’d still suggest you listen to it if you like Nick Drake and that stuff. 7/10
Grandaddy : Sumday. It sounds familiar from start to finish, like a less creepy Mercury Rev (crossed with Flaming Lips, see the giant animal costumes in the bonus video, and Sparklehorse). A very pleasant journey all along. Electric, not acoustic but still a nice and understated experience. Simply beautiful. Sit back, close your eyes and enjoy. 8.5/10
Melys : Casting Pearls. The problem with these little underrated bands is that the effect wears off a bit after a few albums. This one is not bad, has got a few rather good tracks, but does not add anything to their oeuvre so far. Their best songs may already be in the past. Check the previous releases instead. 6/10
Placebo : Sleeping with Ghosts. A bit like a return to form this. Well, let’s put things into perspective, shall we ? Last album had about 2-3 good tracks, this one’s got 3-4 bad ones (OK that’s still about one third...). Basically, all the ‘slow ‘ numbers are plain boring, whereas the more ‘rocking’ bits do tickle my fancy. Yes, overall it’s a pleasant album. 7/10
Radiohead : Hail to the Thief. The long-awaited triumphant return of guitar-Radiohead. Packed with melodies (well, just the one). No, I’m only joking. The return of proper tunes will have to take slightly longer after the Kid A and Amnesiac turn. So in a way, it’s just more of the same. Is there any point in reviewing a Radiohead CD ? The appearance of half a tune (well, a melodic bass line) on ‘Where I end and You Begin’ is nice, the single ‘There there’ also works, yeah OK, they’re fine Radiohead in their little own world. This is a very accomplished album, not sure it will be one of my favourite at the end of the year though. Another random step in the right direction then ? More to the point : it IS more satisfying than the previous two, they ARE slowly taking the ‘less self-indulgence, more songs’ path, but could we just have more tunes next time please Mr Yorke ? 7.5/10
The Mars Volta : De-loused in the comatorium. The afro-ed ones from At-the Drive In. From all the reviewsyou may have read, you’d expect some prog-rock thing. Well I don’t know, from the start it doesn’t sound like such an enormous departure from their previous band. Just sounds like some very good rocking band playing at a frantic pace. Maybe a few quieter moments give a hint. And then it all hits home on track 7. OK, it IS prog-rock after all. Hang on it’s not. Oh it is. Well never-mind, funked-up Can-ish grooves alternate with heavier moments, and it all makes sense. Slightly over-hyped maybe, but altogether a very good album, I’m getting convinced by the end of it, and a second listen makes it a really enjoyable experience. So well worth a whopping 8.5/10.
The White Stripes : Elephant. Nearly forgot to review that, it was released ages ago. Way overhyped, this album is still good, has got its moments, but it’s getting very hard to review without prejudice. Still only guitar and drums and vocals (Meg sings, a guest vocalist is also included this time!), raw guitar music (not blues !), fairly punchy, enjoyable, yes. But memorable ? Apart from the opening guitar line on 7 Nation Army, I’m not so sure. So I’ll be harsh and give it a 7/10.
Cranes : Live In Italy. Not actually recorded in Italy for some of it !! A quite surprising mixture, live numbers taken mostly from last year’s future songs album + 1992’s Forever (the tracks that get the biggest cheers from the crowd !), and absolutely no track from 1997’s Population Four (last but one album). As such, it starts very sombre and minimalistic, and only gets into gear after half-time. Alison Shaw’s voice childish is still absolutely unique, but this really is a collection for fans only (so fine by me !!). Makes you want to listen to the albums and early singles again. Still a band to cherish, I wish I could have seen them live myself (as a headline band, I mean, because like many people I first came across them when they opened for The Cure in 1992). ☺/10
Muggs : Dust. Ex-Cypress Hill DJ and Tricky Collaborator. I listened to it again not that long ago and still can’t remember it very well. So I’m giving it a quick spin for you. Just as I rememberd : that it’s fairly decent, rather dark and atmospheric. The guest vocalists do their job (Amy Trujillo in particular), it stands somewhere in-between Tricky’s last two albums in a way. I’ll give it the ‘good’ but not excellent 7/10 treatment. Or maybe 6.5 : ’Blowback’ really wasn’t very good, was it ?
Manitoba : Up in Flames. Back from Electronica to more folk-ish sounds they all say. Well, OK he’s moved on a bit (though I don’t remember the previous album very well), and I think it DOES sound less electronic, but compared to Four Tet or maybe Zabrinski (same kind of feel after all) for instance, this just doesn’t stand too well. 6.5/10.
Mogwai : Happy Songs for Happy People. Remember my preview ? I was not too far from the truth. Maybe I was just expecting slightly too much. While building on from ‘Rock Action’, this is another slightly patchy album. But then, a few standout tracks really make the difference. ‘Kids will be Skeletons’ (yes, the tracks’ zany titles put a different light on the album’s) introduces some nice Fender VI sound, and the following ‘Kill all the Flies’ is an absolute highlight. It should make you reach for volume control to crank it up. Watch out for speeding for about 30s glorious seconds if you’re driving. Exhilarating stuff ! The rest, while still nice and with beautiful moments, may seems a bit tame in comparison. And then the final track ‘Stop Coming to my house’ (presumably about stalkers ?) also calls for the volume control but sounds a touch confused maybe. Several listens however make you appreciate the soothing and ‘happy’ effect. Worth 8.5/10 (with 10/10 for track 4).
The Thrills : So Much for the City. No Stooges clones. No Stones clones. No Beatles clones this year. Now the flavour is really all Byrds and Beach Boys. So with these Dublin boys exiled in LA to record this lovely slice of summery pop. Harmonies, melodies and banjos. Hum these in the sun and grin. And don’t care. Still, they didn’t invent the wheel, but they use it bloody well ! So 8/10. |
