https://www.cluas.com/indie-music RSS feeds for CLUAS Irish Indie Music 60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3750/The-Rubberbandits--Ingenious-Limerick-Satirists#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=3750 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3750&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3750/The-Rubberbandits--Ingenious-Limerick-Satirists This is an irregular post, a thing I don't do without reason - not a review as such, but rather an exhortation to buy the Rubberbandits' single between now and the 23rd. "Horse Outside" is its name, and you can buy it in record stores or on iTunes. You may remember that last year, there was a campaign to usurp Simon Cowell's flavour of the month with "Killing in the Name Of" by Rage Against the Machine. This was successful in the UK, but in Ireland the hordes of tween girls overcame the more alternative among us to put that wholly forgettable X-factor winner, Joe McElderry, in first place. Sadly for those girls, their investment came to nothing, as whatever-his-name-was announced that he was gay sometime during the year.  This year, we have an equally forgettable X-factor winner, Matt Cardle, singing an equally forgettable cover, with the interesting addition of a guitar every so often. Thankfully, it seems that we have this time steeled ourselves against this invasion of the lowest sort of English culture, and global commercialism. The Rubberbandits, a Limerick hip-hop duo, are on the way to the number one spot. I need not tell you about the Rubberbandits, whose video "Horse Outside" has topped 2.5 million views on Youtube. I may, however, tell you why you should go immediately to iTunes and buy their single. This band are capable of the most cutting, intelligent satire that I have come across in recent popular music. They have held a startlingly clear mirror up to many facets modern Irish culture, and the reflection is not always attractive. At first, I imagined that they were unaware of the extent of their social criticism, but hearing them regularly in the national media, I think they are genuinely clever people, quite aware of what they are creating. Another reason to respect them is the number of feathers they've ruffled among the mindless, caipín-wearing traditionalists of this country. The criticisms leveled against them on Joe Duffy's radio programme, and their own elegant rebuttals, are absolutely hilarious. It seems that singing about sex, drugs and criminal activities is still rebellious in this country, but the Rubberbandits do it in such an original, way - intelligent and profane at once - that they deserve the notice even of music snobs. And, most importantly, they deserve the Christmas number one single.    More ... Philip McDonnell Sat, 18 Dec 2010 14:52:10 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3750 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3751/Lucy-Foley--Offbeat-Alternative-from-Clare#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=3751 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3751&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3751/Lucy-Foley--Offbeat-Alternative-from-Clare Artist: Lucy Foley Release: Copenhagen (Album) County of Origin:  Clare Genre:  Offbeat Electro-acoustic Folk The Freshly Squeezed Rating: 8.5 drops out of 10   Lucy Foley's first album, recorded in New York and Co Clare and inspired by the time she spent in Denmark, is a good record to return with, after my long absence. Lucy Foley is offbeat, edgy and refreshing.   There's a lot to like about Lucy Foley. She doesn't seem to fit neatly into any genre, the whole album seems interwoven into a tapestry, and she manages to maintain her rhotic Irish accent. Her laid-back style reminds me of Susie Wilkins, a London-based artist whose music I lived on for a few weeks after I saw her supporting Joe Jackson.   It seems to me that this is one album that is best enjoyed as a whole, but especially notable within it are “It's a Tangle”, a catchy and surprisingly frank opening, and “Mister Bogeyman”, the sixth of seven tracks, a dark but urgent jazz-folk cross.   Copenhagen was released on October 1st - it can be previewed and bought here. Check out Lucy's website for more information, including information about gigs. More ... Philip McDonnell Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:40:44 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3751 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3752/Lisa-Cuthbert--Engaging-Dublin-Pianist#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=3752 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3752&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3752/Lisa-Cuthbert--Engaging-Dublin-Pianist Artist: Lisa Cuthbert Release: Obstacles (Album) County of Origin:  Dublin Genre:  Melodramatic Piano Pop-Rock The Freshly Squeezed Rating: 7.5 drops out of 10     Lisa Cuthbert obviously owes something to Dolores O’Riordan and company, but her music definitely stands on its own as both novel and emotionally engaging. From the anger of “My Material Girl” to the desperation of “Second Leaving”, this highly impressive debut album will catch you between its crystal highs and throaty lows. The artist was born and bred in Dublin, and initially earned a reputation for her diverse repertoire, including a number of Metallica covers. Last year she recorded her first EP, Ready to Unfold, and with it she began to explore a more pensive style, which retains the occasional vein of aggression: in my opinion, adding immeasurably to it. Lisa Cuthbert’s combination of piano and vocals is incisive, and at times derails the listener with walls of unexpectably sincere lyrics. I can see people dismissing this music without a second thought, but it commands my respect. Especially look out for “Obstacles”, “My Material Girl” and “Storm Coming On”.  Lisa Cuthbert released "Obstacles" this March. She performs in Tower Records and in the Bewleys Cafe Theatre this Friday the 6th: more details can be found on her Myspace here. More ... Philip McDonnell Mon, 02 Aug 2010 09:42:36 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3752 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3753/Kowalski--Unimaginative-Ulster-Songsters#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=3753 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3753&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3753/Kowalski--Unimaginative-Ulster-Songsters Artist: Kowalski Release: Take Care, Take Flight (EP) County of Origin:  Down Genre:  Indie-Disco The Freshly Squeezed Rating: 3.5  drops out of 10 Kowalski are the epitome of well-polished - although 'Get Back' seems slightly discordant to me - but entirely uninteresting music. Their music is occasionally good, sometimes original - but never both at the same time.  This particular brand of Indie, entirely lacking personality or bravery, especially irritates me. The very essence of Indie music is the struggle for independence and individuality, and this band is the type of timorous conformity and of seeking the centre. Kowalski offends me by its excessive desire not to offend anyone at all. The death of Indie lies in this sort of pathetic appeasement of the musically ignorant. I think that my distaste for this music is heightened by my aversion to moany vocals of any genre. I only grudgingly accept the necessity for Michael Stipe's whinging as a necessary component of R.E.M.'s sound. Here, I see no such necessity. Kowalski seem to be simply afraid of playing out loud. This band, who hail from Bangor, have saved themselves from a lower rating with their general togetherness, and their relatively acceptable lyrics. Perhaps someday Kowalski will throw off their shackles and begin to create for themselves, rather than for other people. Until that day, though, £3 for a digital copy of one of their EPs is a very high price. Kowalski's Myspace can be found here, and you can download and listen to their new EP here.  More ... Philip McDonnell Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:18:17 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3753 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3754/Boa-Morte-A-Contemplative-Corkonian-Quartet#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=3754 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3754&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3754/Boa-Morte-A-Contemplative-Corkonian-Quartet Artist: Boa Morte Release: The Dial Waltz (album) County of Origin:  Cork Genre:  Downbeat Alt Folk The Freshly Squeezed Rating: 8.5  drops out of 10 When I began to listen to this release, my first thought was that the music was too modest, that the band only needed to expand a little, to muster a little courage and to come out with a really powerful album. Having listened to it a number of times, however (and it definitely needs time) I've decided this band is perfectly mature: their style isn't assuming, but it's still very powerful, in its own slow but momentous way. Citing Neil Young and Leonard Cohen as their influences, they remind me of a melancholic Yusuf Islam. Boa Morte formed in Cork in 1998, but haven't released anything for a number of years. It seems that they were planning to release this current album five years ago; why they've been delayed until now is a mystery. Judging by their music, though, this band isn't one inclined to rush things. 'The Dial Waltz' is more poetry than mere music. The lyrics take centre stage, and although the music is enjoyable, it's really more of a vehicle for the lyrics than an end in itself, and especially the drums seem to be replicated in a few songs. Nonetheless, this band is definitely one I'll keep on my iPod. Look out for 'Luminous Plankton' and 'Tears on a Full Moon', my favourites on the album. Boa Morte released 'The Dial Waltz' in May of this year. Their Myspace can be found here. We presume that they'll be gigging over the summer: watch this space for up-to-date information. More ... Philip McDonnell Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:12:48 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3754 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3755/Milan-Jay--Dynamic-Galwegian-Electronica#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=3755 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3755&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3755/Milan-Jay--Dynamic-Galwegian-Electronica Album: Mellow Funk County of Origin: Galway Genre: Mellowtronic The Freshly Squeezed Rating: 6 drops out of 10 Milan Jay (is it really his name? Doubtful, but you never know) supposedly spent 18 months putting this, his debut album, together. I can't vouch for its originality - although in an interesting twist the artist proclaims that he isn't really into Electronic music, 'it's just what he came out with'.  The album isn't bad, and in fact it's great background music, it has energy, and the artist himself has it spot on when he describes it as "music for 10 hours at 30,000 feet with nowhere to go and nothing to see but an endless blue sky". It's poppy, energetic and it'll put you in a good mood. Perfect for your jogging playlist.  I think MJ has a lot of potential. The would-be hit on this album, A.I.H.I.D., is a genuinely strong track, and Farewell Hiroko, my own favourite, is ethereal and calmly euphoric.  Mellow Funk can be listened to and downloaded for free here. Since you aren't paying a cent for it, I'd download it and have a listen - in the unlikely case that you don't like it, you've lost nothing. Milan Jay has promised us he'll be touring live and releasing a new single over the summer, so watch this space. More ... Philip McDonnell Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:21:27 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3755 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3756/Sweet-Jane-Thoughtful-Indie-Rock-n-Roll#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=3756 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3756&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/3756/Sweet-Jane-Thoughtful-Indie-Rock-n-Roll   Welcome to Freshly Squeezed Irish, the new CLUAS blog penned by Philip McDonald! The focus here will be on bringing you the best new Irish music you've never heard. Bands who would like to featured on this blog should drop Philip a line via this dedicated page. Be sure as well to sign up for the Freshly Squeezed Irish RSS feed!   Band: Sweet Jane County of Origin: Dublin Genre: Dreampop Rock 'n Roll Album: Sugar For My Soul The Freshly Squeezed rating? 8 drops out of 10 "Sugar for my Soul" is a crisp, melodic album from a promising group. Sweet Jane, presumably named after the Velvet Underground song, have been getting rave reviews across the board - and this is no exception. With echoes of REM's vocals and The Edge's guitar, their airy, bright sound is infused with country and rock 'n' roll. In fact, their self-descriptor, "dreampop rock 'n' roll", despite sounding contrived, is surprisingly accurate. The almost-title track, "Something For My Soul", is extremely catchy. Sweet Jane have been around for around two years, releasing an EP in 2008, touring throughout 2009. They have just released this, their first LP, a surprisingly mature piece of work for such a recent band.   Look out especially for "Save a Little Place", which seems to be a subtle tribute to "All I Have to Do Is Dream" by the Everly Brothers. With quirks like this, and a hidden track (better not give the game away by saying where it is), it's obvious that this album is deeply thought-out, as well as being plain good.  More ... Philip McDonnell Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:10:10 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3756 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/56/The-Flaws#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=56 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=56&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/56/The-Flaws Successful Irish band The Flaws have been in hibernation since their tour for their first album, Achieving Vagueness. This summer, they performed at a number of festivals, and released a single, 'I Don't Wanna Dance'. Now, they're preparing to release their yet-to-be-named second album. Here the ultra-modest Paul Finn, lead singer and guitarist, talks with Cluas. Your first album was very successful - do you find that expectations for this album are high? No, not at all, I don't think that anyone would really care if we ever released an album again! You've been working on your second album - what's it about? We started just writing songs aimlessly, and then we thought it might be more exciting to give the album a theme. The theme started out being based around the phrase 'peace and quiet', and it changed as the songs developed, into something else, which we're keeping under wraps until the album is a go. It's a very strong album thematically, and I think it'll be a nice surprise, once people get into it. Tell us about your latest single, 'I Don't Wanna Dance'. A lot of people are asking at the moment if this the first single from the new album. We haven't said yes or no, but it looks like it's not going to fit on the new album. It's like the song 'Sixteen', in that it's got a very dark verse, and very poppy on the chorus. It's just a pop song, there's not a whole lot going on. It won't fit on our album, which I'm kind of relieved about, I think the album will work a lot better because of it, not because it's a bad song, it's just that it will work as a good album without that song. Do you have a favourite gig? We did a show after the first album, in Whelan's, and we did an encore, the last song on the album, 'Windmill Talent'. We were all blown away by the fact that everyone knew the words of it. Do you prefer to be on tour, or recording? Recording, definitely, I love the process of it, I love being creative like that. We all do, we love trying to perfect everything to the last detail. We're perfectionists at heart, and in a live setting it's hard to get everything perfect. It's much easier in the controlled environment of a studio. Do you live the rock and roll lifestyle? Not at all, in any way. Total nerd. I think if I was wealthy, then maybe I would live the rock and roll lifestyle, but not at the moment! Tell me about your creative process - do the lyrics inspire the music, or vice versa? It's usually the lyrics, that come afterwards, the actual song structure could come from any one of us, and after that it goes through the process of being played in the band room, and usually some kind of ad lib melody will formulate along the way. After that, it'll either continue on to the jamming stage, or just disintegrate and never become anything. And if it moves on from there, we'll usually end up recording another demo here, before we record it for the album. You've been compared to the Smiths and The Cure, but what sort of music do you listen to? Obviously Shane, our guitarist, was a huge Smiths fan, and a huge Cure fan. I'm a big fan of the Broken Social Scene, and Feist, I like Animal Collective, and at the moment I love that new Girls album. I will listen to anything that's in any way good, and in any way not generic. You recorded an Echo and the Bunnymen cover for Sparks N' Mind, a charity album, what's that about? Great tune. We had been playing it live for about four of five months, and we actually recorded a demo of it, and then we were asked to put a song in for Sparks N' Mind, and it just made sense, we played it well, and we had already been thinking of releasing it as a B-side. And it really sounds great. It's also the first time me and Dane really sing together on the one track, which was pretty cool. What do you think about illegal file-sharing? There's nobody who's innocent, there's nobody who's never downloaded an album, who's never illegally got a song off somebody, but I recently found the application Spotify, and I'm a subscriber to that. Although there's absolutely nothing illegal about it, it feels wrong, because the service is so good. It's all totally legit, and I've payed my E9.99 a month, and you can just listen through the infinite amount of tracks, and find the most obscure things in the world. It feels so wrong. It feels more illegal that actually downloading a song, because there's so much there. Obviously I'm in a band, and I'd love to make some money, and we'll never make money if people download our music, but on the other hand, this thing Spotify and applications like it will change the way people listen to music. I know it's not free in Ireland anymore, but if somebody actually tried Spotify, they'd never download an album again. Are you interested in any of your contemporaries? Well, we have a lot of friends, we know pretty much every band in Ireland, I went to college with Kieran from Delorentos for a year, before either band had done anything. The first night we went out for a drink with him, we went to a strip club! I didn't see him for six months after that, but when I did see him, we just got along, and we still do. He's a good friend, so I'd like to see them doing well. I'm a great friend of David Marne, and all of the band Sanskrit, who only live down the road from me. It's tremendous to see all the great reviews that their album, After the Wedding, is getting. Within the band, Dane's great friends with Ham Sandwich, and we met Eoin from Director last night at a show we were doing. Everyone can do what they want, but I don't think anyone's doing the same thing as us, and certainly no-one has done what we're going to do on this album. So there's no competition, and it's all very pally, at the moment! Is the future of Irish music bright? Yes, if people support it. It does get a lot of support, but it's not supported enough by the people who buy records. There is a problem that the wind blows from England to Ireland, and never the other way, and whereas everyone could tell you who La Roux was, nobody could tell you who Ham Sandwich was. So I think we need to support it a little bit more. There are certainly problems with it, but it will get better. Coke or Pepsi? That's mental! I had a bottle of Pepsi yesterday for the first time in two, three years! I was thinking, 'Jesus, why don't I drink this more often?' The shop beside me doesn't sell it, and there's always Coke in the house, but I was well impressed. So I'm definitely a Coke guy, but I'm still partial to Pepsi. Philip McDonald The Flaws are performing at the Academy on the 6th and the 18th of December. www.theflaws.com www.myspace.com/theflaws More ... Philip McDonnell Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:56 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/287/Mumford-Sons-Sigh-No-More#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=287 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=287&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/287/Mumford-Sons-Sigh-No-More A review of the album 'Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons Review Snapshot: This London folk foursome presented their first album, 'Sigh No More', at the beginning of this month, following in the footsteps of the contemporary Noah and the Whale, and echoing the forlorn vocals of Neil Young. Mumford & Sons' unique brand of indie-folk, with edgy lyrics and widely varied music, will not be everyone's favourite, but for the more eclectic, this is an absolutely brilliant debut from a promising band.  The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10 Full Review: I readily confess that I’m not a huge fan of folk music. I’ve never really considered the banjo as a serious instrument, and had someone asked me what I thought of the genre, I would have raised an eyebrow and said that I wasn’t that into it. I was surprised, then, by this album, which I immediately liked. It mixes traditional-sounding introductions with thunderous climaxes, replete with roaring distortion and the ever-present banjo (which really does work in this context). The acerbic lyrics are at odds with the often bright and bouncy music. In all, it’s an interesting and accessible record, even for those who aren’t normally into folk. ‘Sigh No More’, the first track, opens up with tranquil guitar and chorus, and builds up to a powerful crescendo. The refrain, “Love, it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free, Be more like the man you were made to be”, is invigorating and refreshing. ‘The Cave’, once again edgy and innovative, combining a pleasing hook, a bright melody, and unnerving lyrics: “I will hold on hope and I won’t let you choke on the noose around your neck” is typical of the sort of contrast Marcus Mumford, the lead singer, draws throughout the album. ‘Winter Winds’ is similar, exploring the theme of insincere love and loneliness, to a warm, cheerful tune.  ‘Roll Away Your Stone’ is a brisk, buoyant ballad, with the same gloomy undercurrents. ‘White Blank Page’ is much darker, with a wistful tune and embittered lyrics, this time in waltz-time. ‘I Gave You All’ develops the melancholic strain further, recalling the beginning of the first track with the similar chorus. This record is one of those that gets better as it goes on. ‘Little Lion Man’ is much more energetic, but still sinister; it’s also my favourite track on the album. Mumford & Sons seem to like playing with rhythms, and the syncopation of the guitar makes this an interesting song rhythmically as well as anything else. ‘Timshel’, easily the shortest song on the album, is puzzling and interesting. Motifs run throughout this record, and the idea of brotherhood and unity, first mentioned in ‘I Gave You All’, forms the refrain of this track. ‘Timshel’ reads like a poem, and it isn’t alone; it’s because of this that I think they have great potential. ‘Thistle and Weeds’ is an epic piece, beginning with the quiet gloom of the past few tracks and building up to a storm of desperation and darkness. Once again, we see artful repetition: the refrain in this song, “I will hold on hope”, echoes exactly the chorus in ‘The Cave’. ‘Awake My Soul’, then, seems incongruent, with its mellow tune and seemingly innocuous lyrics. It is this very discomfort that this band are so capable of exploiting. ‘Dust Bowl Dance’ is another desperate ballad, that uses interesting blues-rock and psychedelic guitar in a tasteful and completely unexpected manner. ‘After The Storm’, the last song and a subdued but uplifting summary, resurrects once more the refrain of the introductory track, nicely tying the album together. I am greatly impressed by this band: not only is their debut album lovely to listen to, it’s also a real work of art. They have already created their own style, distinct from, if closely related to, their influences and contemporaries, and they have certainly proven their ability to write good music. Mumford & Sons are poets, and I’m already looking forward to their next release. If you’re already into the folk scene, or if you’re looking for something refreshing, this album is a must-buy. If not, then please don’t complain that it isn’t mainstream enough. Philip McDonald More ... Philip McDonnell Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:287 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/292/Arctic-Monkeys-Humbug#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=292 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=292&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/292/Arctic-Monkeys-Humbug A review of the album 'Humbug' by Arctic Monkeys Review Snapshot: The Monkeys have certainly taken a step forward with this album. Unfortunately, they seem to have stepped into a world of random and/or drug induced songwriting, where coherence is frowned upon, and nonsense is king. Musically, the record is quite interesting, and they've honed their sound significantly, avoiding obvious riffs and uniformly aggressive drumming. Overall, it's a solid album for the band, but I think critics exaggerate when they say that it's momentous; it's well produced, it's darker than anything they've done before, but it isn't quite seminal. The Cluas Verdict? 6.5 out of 10 Full Review: This album is certainly trying for a dark, grotesque, looming feel, but I don't think they quite achieve that. The first track, 'My Propeller', exhibits Alex Turner's new random/drug induced/'deep' lyrics, introducing the first of many excessively cryptic refrains: "Coax me out my low, and have a spin of my propeller..." Musically, it's quite interesting, as is 'Crying Lightning', which is more energetic, and slightly more coherent. I start to lose patience with ‘Dangerous Animals’. This song takes the significant risk of spelling out its name in the lyrics. I think it’s more D-I-V-O-R-C-E than R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Musically, they can’t be faulted, and this song parcticularly showcases their command of mid-song rhythmic shifts, switching back and forth from the offbeat and subdued to Brianstorm-era aggression. ‘Secret Door’, much like ‘Only Ones Who Know’ on their previous album, is a nice break from the onslaught of the previous two tracks, and brings us back to the carnivalesque, uncomfortable atmosphere of the opening. Although I quite like this song, I feel they’re trying to be too mysterious, and the music has ended up as confusing. ‘Potion Approaching’ similarly, irritates me with its obscurity: “Yours is the only ocean” isn’t intriguing, it’s nonsense. ‘Fire and the Thud’ is my favourite song on this record, musically at least. I almost forgive the song for its lyrics, just because of its energy. Not quite, though. The last line of the song, “I’d like to poke them in their prying eyes, with things they’d never see if it smacked them in their temples”, is demonstrative of the dark and hopelessly contrived nature of the whole album. ‘Cornerstone’ is a nice break from all of that. This is light-hearted and down-to-earth, a gritty ballad about Sheffield romance, and a throwback to their earlier music. I think the record could do with a few more tracks along these lines; as it is, it takes itself too seriously, and it doesn’t have the lyrical substance to back itself up. We dive right back into the dark and foreboding with ‘Dance Little Liar’. It’s absolutely unremarkable. Thankfully, the record picks up a bit toward the end. ‘Pretty Visitors’ is musically interesting, and also contains the best metaphor I’ve seen in a while: “All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms and cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall.” Unfortunately, the rest of the song is once again disappointingly nonsensical.  The final track, ‘The Jeweller’s Hands’, is an appropriate end, caricaturing the offbeat and gloomy tone of the rest of the album. The opening, “Fiendish wonder in the carnival’s wake”, really captures the sense of remission after the storm. It’s a good song, even though it’s guilty of the same irritating ambiguity as most of the record. Overall, I’m not convinced by the album. It’s certainly something I’ll listen to in the background when I’m doing other things, but as a work of art, I think it’s disappointing, especially considering the amount of hype surrounding it. Their next album will be the test; I can’t help but feel that the arctic Monkeys are descending. Philip McDonald More ... Philip McDonnell Sat, 10 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:292 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/295/Owl-City-Ocean-Eyes#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=295 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=295&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/295/Owl-City-Ocean-Eyes A review of the album 'Ocean Eyes' by Owl City Review Snapshot: The third album by the Minnesotan whiz kid Adam Young is a shining example of unashamed synth-pop. From euphoric rhythms to surprisingly clever lyrics, the record is nothing if not uplifting. Unfortunately, the last few tracks descend into tortuous repetition (some of the songs seem to be based on exactly the same chord progressions), and Young's accent can be grating. Nonetheless, this is certainly Owl City's strongest album yet, and it's worth a listen, if only for a pick-me-up.  The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: For those who are already familiar with the first two Owl City albums, released while he was still unsigned, this 2009 release won’t offer you anything new. Four tracks on the album (two mixes of ‘Hello Seattle’, ‘On The Wing’, ‘The Saltwater Room’) are simply rehashed versions of tracks from ‘Of June’ and ‘Maybe I’m Dreaming’. Even where his tracks are new, they are by no means original. We’ll forgive him for that, though, just because of the feel-good nature of his music. Crisp, dreamy and atmospheric, you’d have to have a heart of stone not to smile at the sheer happiness of ‘The Saltwater Room’ or ‘Hello Seattle’.  The album begins with an energetic yet subtly desperate number, ‘Cave In’. Already, Young’s brilliant mind shows through: lyrics such as “If the bombs go off the sun will still be shining” are brilliantly succinct and thought provoking. ‘The Bird And The Worm’, a childlike love song, follows, mixing warm acoustic guitar with more conventional synth phrases. Once again, the lyrical genius of the artist shines through, with the brilliant wordplay "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" Just think about it.  The third track is possibly the best-known Owl City song, ‘Hello Seattle’. It’s catchy, but its lyrics are a little facile, and it’s nowhere near as good as the next track, the rapturous ‘Umbrella Beach’. The sheer energy is comparable to Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’ or T-Rex’s ‘Children of the Revolution’, and the lyrics are just ambiguous enough to catch your attention:  “Home is a boxcar and it's so far out of reach, Hidden under umbrella beach...”  ‘The Saltwater Room’ is another love story mixing mellow acoustic guitar with synthesizer (noticing a trend?), featuring the vocals of Breanne Duren. There are distinct echoes of ‘The Bird and the Worm’, and the issue of repetition only gets worse from here.  ‘Dental Care’, the last really interesting song, is a fun and unexpected account of a visit to the dentist. From hereon, the album deteriorates into an indistinct, sunny blur. 'Meteor Shower' is a heartfelt dedication to God (Young is a devoted Christian). 'On the Wing', a love song, is followed by 'Fireflies', which is more or less an amalgam of 'Hello Seattle' and 'On the Wing'. 'The Tip of the Iceberg' is another song of lost love, as is 'Vanilla Twilight'. 'Tidal Wave' shows Young deviating a little from his standard formula, exploring themes of sin and redemption:  "All my life, I wish I broke mirrors, instead of promises, 'cos all I see, is a shattered conscience staring back at me..."  Overall, though, the end of the record is pretty standard. The last two tracks, a remix of ‘Hello Seattle’ and ‘If My Heart Was a House’ (can you believe it's another love song?) are disappointing when held up to the ingenuity of the first six, even if they bring the album to a comfortable close.  Adam Young entered the music scene as a MySpace phenomenon, and I doubt he has much long-term potential. That said, this album is certainly one of the happiest I’ve ever listened to, and to be unabashedly optimistic in today’s music scene takes courage. Considering the current climate, it’s a panacea. Philip McDonald Owl City's MySpace page More ... Philip McDonnell Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:295