CDs 2004 (1)

Hi Folks !

 

I know I'm a bit late, but I've been very lazy lately ! So 2003 rocked, but 2004 has been starting fairly slowly. A few ups and downs, but it's not yet sure where it wants to go. Rock'n'roll's still on (the Von Bondies), there's good fun in store (Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters), but also some added sensitivity (Keane), and maybe some sense of coming down(Air). But let's get down to business, spring is already well underway. 2004 has got shades of 2002 to it, so expect a rainy summer. Or maybe things HAVE moved on, and it will be scorching like last year. Yeah it will be right again.

 

 

  

The Cure : Join the dots. ‘B-sided and rarities’ 4-CD box set. Hence too long to review. Nice to have these old B-sides on CD, there’s about 2  CDs of quite brilliant material, 1 CD of decent stuff and about 1 CD of things you’ll never bother to listen twice. Frankly hard to rate; better wait for the new album, and the reissues of the old albums, all coming with extra CD of more exclusive unreleased stuff. Maybe I’ll get rid of my old copies then, so watch this space, maybe I’ll do a quiz or something, so those of you who are interested can win the old non-remastered copies…For now, let’s give this collection a decent 7.5/10.

 

The Servant. ‘Premier Album’ said the French sticker on the CD. Although I remember their last output being advertised as ‘Their first 2 mini-LPs in one package – the future of pop’ on the French version. That was 2 years ago. At least. But don’t let that put you off. These first 2 LPs (that I got separately in the UK, of course…) had one or two good tracks each, but this is a quantum leap forward. A lot more sheen on the sound, fulfilling all the promises only glimpsed at on these early mini-LPs. Not the future of pop, but a properly engaging band, surrealistic lyrics and music that veers from pop to funk to rock. Very arty, loads of tunes, very good, very underrated. You’ll never hear of them, there’s a strong possibility that they can’t get any better, so catch them now, they’ll make you happy. This one’s worth a good 8.5/10

 

Electrelane : The Power Out. Second album, 3 years after their first. I liked the first, loads of moogs and analog droning, all pleasing stuff, very cinematic but cool. This album is more diverse, but frankly, the first tune pushes the Stereolab influences a tad too far : it’s sung in French and you could easily believe Laetitia Sadier herself is singing it ! And then it evolves from proto-ska to spaghetti-western-type music (more cowboy girls than riot girls then), but somehow it sounds more dated (!?!) than their first LP. The raw sound doesn’t seem to fit so well. While not all bad, this album sounds a bit pedestrian at times, verging on the boring really. Maybe I’m just too demanding 7/10

 

Air : Walkie Talkie. Their previous album was a lot of trite as far as I am concerned. So everyone says they’re back to business, Moon Safari style. Well, believe it or not, but I haven’t got that first album, though I know and love the singles from it. So my reference is a shit album (always a good thing, see how many of my reviews are negatively influenced by feelings about an earlier good LP), and this, definitely, is Air putting their uninviting pseudo prog-rock experimentations back into the cupboard, where it belongs, writing some eerie tunes instead. You can’t get any mellower than that. By track 2 (Cherry Blossom Girl), you will already be floating, wrapped in cotton wool. Sweet, sweet and sweet, but watch out when you step outside, it’s a cruel world you know!!! Possibly some kind of musical Valium. 8.5/10

 

The Von Bondies : Pawn Shoppe Heart. Recorded before that punch-up. Rock’n’roll. Of the raw Detroit variety. But with 2 guitars and a bass. So we’re not talking about subtle and inventive Stripes music here. Just sheer unadulterated straightforward rock’n’roll. May not change your life, but could well lighten it up. This IS brilliantly rocking. C’mon, c’mon ! Indeed. Do we want anything else ? Do we need any subtle treats ? Not always, not always, my friends. 8.5/10.

 

Auf Der Maur. Now freed from such luminaries/imposing figures as Courtney Love and Billy Corgan, Melissa rocks on her own. And does she rock ! Nothing new in itself but almost everything’s good.….Starts all Sonic Youth, goes around Siouxsie (could have been Steve Severin playing bass on ‘Head Unbound’), a track sung in French (OK maybe only on the French LP, since it says ‘French version’), some Kim Deal-like singing. A touch too long maybe. Or maybe it's just that I've got a short attention span these days. There seems to be quite a few decent rock albums around : nothing revolutionary , but highly enjoyable, 8/10 is me being very kind.

 

The Coral : Nightfreaks and the sons of Becker. A stop-gap release. Erm, what gap? Their last release was not even a year ago. So this sounds like a mish-mash of quickly recorded songs. They’re a zany bunch, The Coral. And productive despite all the spliffing. Or at least that’s what they want you to believe. But this, an allegedly limited release (yet still available), although possibly only a very clever commercial ploy is just taking the piss I’m afraid! Half a tune here, a decent drum pattern there, but not much more really! A very unnecessary record, not 100% bad, it can get 4/10, but face it, guys, stop pretending you’ve got so many songs the world needs to hear, when it’s just quality control you’re dispensing with! Only their next move will show if this lot are the real psychedelic deal or just slackers.

 

Scissor Sisters. Not at all sisters then. Cutting edge maybe though. As in : the ‘80s are back. With a vengeance. You may have heard their cover from Pink Floyd’s ‘Comfortably Numb’, one of the best tracks here. Weird choice ? Well this lot seem to have a lot more in common with the Floyd than expected, as the ensuing track testifies; and the album closer (that’s not counting the 2 –very good but slightly more dated by the way – bonus tracks) could have been lifted straight out of Dark Side of the Moon. In a funny twist, this probably sounds like loads of music you would have hated in the 80s. But despite the camp attitude, and some irritating sounds, there is something undoubtedly infectious to their tunes, from the more danceable opening track to the gorgeous and decadent-sounding ‘It can’t come quickly enough’ via the amusing ‘Tits on the radio’ (a surefire hit !). Loaded-era Primal Scream, 80s disco. This should be irritating, but the truth is that it will make you want to dance and play it all over again. Resistance is futile, and 8.5/10 is after all well deserved.

 

Easyworld : Kill the Last Romantic. They had an interestingly titled first EP a few years ago (‘better ways to self destruct’), with intriguing song titles (‘you make me want to drink bleach’), and some tunes that I really liked. Now I’ve heard they’re being talked up a bit, but I don’t see how this rises much above your standard indie fare. It’s enjoyable, nice, easy on the ear, but having listened to it already three times, I still can’t remember a single tune. It’s a decent and competent album, but a highly disposable one .7.5/10. Oh, and minus points for the lyrics printed in black (admittedly ‘glossy’ black) on black. And at least Primal Scream didn’t sound like hippies when they wrote ‘kill all hippies’, so what’s that title about ? 6/10 then (there’s some really boring bits).

 

Explosions in the sky : The Earth is not a Cold Dead Place. OK I’m cheating, this was released in 2003. But I got it recently and it’s well worth a mention. Like Mogwai if they were American; or Labradford if they were Scottish. Yes, you get the idea : long atmospheric pieces, involving guitars, effect pedals and quiet/loud dynamics. Only 5 tracks, all beyond the 8 min mark…No lyrics, just sound titles. Immerse yourself into the music, let the scenery unfold, turn it up…but watch the road ! Just the kind of CD that makes you realise that, after all, lyrics are maybe only for those who can’t write good enough music. Simply sublime and the definite proof that Texas spawned better people than W. 9/10.

 

January : Motion Sickness. Released in February, nevermind. Very good, sort of classic guitar music, not too hard rocking. Quiet. Melodic. Guitars and Chimes. Spacey and classy. Some records you put on, play, and by the end, despite not remembering any melody, you wonder : that was really bloody good, wasn’t it? Yes that kind of CD, and short enough at 35minutes. Hard to pinpoint but oddly affecting. 8/10.

 

Psychonauts : Songs for Creatures. Starts like a cross between Stereolab’s Metronomic Underground and anything by Zero 7. But it gets far more interesting, diverse and enjoyable. What we’re treated with is some kind of ambient folktronica with soul and grooves. From the pleasantly spaced out watery folk of the gorgeous ‘Hips for Scotland’ to the wonderful ice-cold darkness of seesaw ‘World keeps turning’, this (sometimes) danceable slice of pleasant stuff is no rock but deserves a good 8.5/10.

 

Franz Ferdinand. So the most hyped-up LP of the year so far. Art-rock from Scotland that’s gonna make your hips move. Have you ever noticed that some records have much better odd-numbered tracks than even-numbered (or vice-versa)? I think this is such an LP. Forty seconds of whispered vocals with a quiet acoustic guitar and then a mega bass riff kicks off at 0.45 and you’ve got one of the best opening tracks ever. OK the even-numbered tracks are not bad at all, it’s just that the odd ones are that much better. From Jacqueline to Michael, the pattern follows, with irresistible numbers followed by more than decent but not quite as good tracks. Except they must have mixed up tracks 10 (with its verse melody bizarrely recalling the Human League’s ‘don’t you want me’ -- there’s not much else in common really !) and 11 then. So room for improvement, but as debut goes (everyone’s having great ones these days….) this one is enticing enough ! 9/10.

 

Ash : Meltdown. Well, no I can’t really review it yet, it’s not out before a month or so. But having heard most of it played live, I can quite reasonably say it rocks like the moon, but is still melodic. Fantastically heavy live, with one very confusing thing : why did the crowds have to wait until the last song of the encore after about 80 minutes, to get going ? But then I nearly had a cheekbone fractured. Really puzzling, but a fantastic gig. Thought I’d mention it.

 

Also special mentions to some 2003 stuff that I only got in 2004, M83 : DeadCities, RedSeas&LostGhosts (with analog synths), The Workhouse : the end of the pier (with guitars). (both mostly instrumental and atmospheric, nice for a chill-out session, replaces a fag or a joint while better for your health –one also nearly cost me 2 points on my licence -- , 8.5 and 8/10), Basement Jaxx : Kish Kash (you know the genre, starts great, not bad in the middle but then plodders along 7/10), My Morning Jacket : It still moves (overblown Americana from beardy blokes not called Grandaddy; some great tunes, mind. 7.5/10).

 

 

OK, that's it for now (shouldn't he buy less CDs and get a life instead ?)

 

Take care all.