https://www.cluas.com/indie-music RSS feeds for CLUAS Irish Indie Music 60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/575/Kate-Bush-50-Words-For-Snow#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=575 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=575&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/575/Kate-Bush-50-Words-For-Snow Review Snapshot: The release of new music from Kate Bush is always a monumental event. Seldom is wonderful, but '50 Words For Snow' is her second release this year, and her first studio album of new material in seven years - and as always with Kate, it’s quality not quantity that matters. The CLUAS Verdict: 9 out of 10 Full Review: The album title says it all. This isn’t a Christmas cash-in, but a seasonal album and the topic is definitely snow. The opening number ‘Snowflake’ sets the tone for the album with Kate playing piano while duetting with her son Albert (Bertie) who takes on the soprano role of Aled Jones singing “we’re over a forest / there’s millions of snowflakes” while Kate’s beautiful voice only adds to the mystique and beauty, with a sense of motherly love throughout. On ‘Misty’ Kate falls in love with the Snowman. While some might suggest double entendres to some of the lyrics “I can feel him melting in my hand “or “the sheets are soaking” this really is a harmless, beautiful love-song with no sexual innuendos intended as the snowman enters her bedroom and makes love to her. Kate doesn’t do censored music The first single, ‘Wildman’, is probably the weakest track here, and at the same time, the only track that will possible get airplay as most of the tracks range from 7 – 10 minutes in length. There is a constant catchy riff throughout, while Kate tells the tale of the Yeti that she doesn’t want killed: “We found your footprints in the snow / We brushed them all away”. Perhaps she’s fallen in love with him as she sings “they want to hunt you down / you're not an animal”, and a guest appearance from Andy Fairweather Low The standout piece here is her love duet with Elton John, ‘Snowed In At Wheeler Street’. While it’s no ‘Don’t Give Up’ it is a beautiful story of two lovers meeting up again and regretting letting each other go in the past, and reminiscing about their time from ancient Rome through World War II in Paris and London. Elton gives one of his best vocal performances. His memory is “Can't we just stay there forever? We were so happy! I'd live that day over and over” while Kate’s says “Come with me, I'll find some rope / I'll tie us together”. This could be the soundtrack to Casablanca. 'Among Angels' is trademark Bush, with just her tinkling at the piano doing what she does best. No whistles and bells, just vocals and piano and that haunting technique of hers. “I can see angels standing around you /they shimmer like mirrors in summer” she sings. The title track does exactly what it says on the tin. Stephen Fry makes a surprise appearance trying to come up with literally 50 words for snow while Kate counts them down. From “drifting …avalanche… ..mountainsob” Kate comes in at various intervals with “Come on Joe, you've got 32 to go / let me hear your 50 words for snow”. Some of Fry’s words are a bit dubious though including “anklebreaker", "boomerangablanca", and "bad for trains". This shouldn’t really work, but it does somehow. Only Kate could make it work. This is yet another masterpiece from the woman nobody knows anything about, and this concept album won’t reveal anything more personal about her. It doesn’t have the hit singles that 'Hounds of Love' had, but Kate’s in her 50s now, not her 20s. Fans will love this, and for them this year, December will be magic again. Mick Lynch Mick Lynch Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:30:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:575 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/570/Album-Review--Why-Alopecia#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=570 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=570&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/570/Album-Review--Why-Alopecia Review Snapshot: A mix-up of genres and emotions, where bright melodies sit beside bleak lyrics- and why not? The third album from this Cincinatti band is difficult but ultimately worthwhile listening. Diverse, ambitious and brilliant. The CLUAS Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full review: Why? are a band devoid of a genre. Call it alternative, rap or even hip-pop, but either way Jonathan “Yoni” Wolf and his band of not-so-merry men have created an infusion that’s as engaging as it is difficult to listen to. 'Alopecia' is the band’s third venture (the second as a four-piece) and although the basic formula doesn’t vary much from their previous albums (‘Oaklandzulasylum’ and ‘Elephant Eyelash’) there’s a very tangible change in tone.  The album really plays in two parts, which have been mixed up at random. On one side you have the melodic, free-flowing pieces that are bright and optimistic; while on the other a sense of regret, anguish and disgust prevails. From the onset the listener knows what he’s getting himself into; the driving bassline of Mark Erickson behind the sounds of whipped chains in the opening track ‘The Vowels Pt II’  lets us know, all too unsubtly, that we’re not in for an easy ride.  And from there starts Wolf’s winding verses and melodies; creating the most fantastic and disturbing images that can take on so many meaning’s it’s virtually impossible to nail one down. One thing does seem clear in this album though - Yoni is getting older, wiser, and more conscious of his place in the world. Working harder to maintain his reputation as younger blood tries to take his place: ‘Faking suicide for applause; in the food courts the malls; and cursing racing horses on church steps’. The second song, ‘Good Friday’, displays the other side to the album. A seedy, gritty, slightly disturbing chapter that is initially painfully difficult to sit through, but with time creates a contrast that’s absolutely essential for the album, and the concept of what ‘Why?’  actually do. ‘These Few Presidents’ plays as one, if not the most melodic tune on the disc, and contains another gem of Wolf’s lyrics: ‘Even though I haven’t seen you in years; yours is a funeral I’d fly to from anywhere’. 'The Hollows' shows no respect or remorse, with lines one can only presume to portray the homo- and xenophobic nature of those caught up in an unfamiliarly liberal society ‘In Berlin I saw two men fuck in the dark corner of a basketball court/I thought I’d go back to get my money but…oh no, those gypsies probably got knives’ The images come thick and fast in ‘Song of the Sad Assasin’, which starts about as morbidly as any song I’ve ever heard, while ‘Gnashville’ also haunts us, hinting at someone’s last moments before death: ‘And when they come calling, I won’t go calm; there is no palm or divine mitt’. ‘Fatalist Paramilitary’ is most definitely the cheeriest song of the lot. After six songs we finally hear a truly positive attitude. It may be naïve to assume it’s due to new love, though the line ‘Your cat clawed out my eyes while I was distracted by your smile’ is a clear sign of Yoni’s contorted image of optimism and happiness.  Whether ‘The Fall of Mr. Fifths’, the next track on the album, is a reference to the one that came previous we don’t know; but after hearing‘If I remain lost and die on the cross; at least I wasn’t born in a manger’ might show Wolf’s frustration at his own relationship breaking down when comparing it to that of his parents. ‘Brook & Waxing’ and ‘A Sky for Shoeing Horses Under’ are two more rhythmical raps strung out in front of a tuneful background, while ‘Twenty-Eight’ proves as a useful distraction from the usual bombardment of words.  'Simeon’s Dilemma' once again shows Wolf’s fearlessness of writing on the taboo. Opening with the lines ‘Stalker’s my whole style; and if I get caught I’ll deny’ for once it seems he’s feeding us exactly what he wants us to think about the song. ‘Are you giving me a dirty look in the rear view mirror?...On my fixie with the chopped horns turned in; Trailing behind your biodiesel Benz’; it’s plain for us to see that he refuses to let this go. 'Torpedo or Crohn’s' is the last true rap song on the record, and the repetitive piano line easily finds its way into one’s brain as the lyrics skim across our conscious. It’s another tale of woe and downright vile images: ‘Today after lunch I got sick and blew chunks; all over my new shoes in a lot behind whole foods…As a kid I did not shit my pants much but why start now with this stuff? And man I do not bluff’. He’s most certainly an artist not afraid of confiding things one wouldn’t want the public to hear, nay details we the public we don’t even want to know ‘The kinda shit I won’t admit to my head shrinker’ (‘Good Friday’). It’s this complete honesty though that endears us to him even more and makes us appreciate the anguish and toil that came in forming these songs. What really makes this album though is the brilliant production. For a four-piece band to be able to create a record that’s so diverse and rich is a true testament to these Cincinnatians, whether they are rockers, rappers, or hip-poppers. Cluas Verdict: 9/10 Kevin Galvin shefellover93 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:39:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:570 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/562/Mister-Heavenly-Out-of-Love#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=562 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=562&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/562/Mister-Heavenly-Out-of-Love Mister Heavenly 'Out of Love' The CLUAS verdict: 8 out of 10 Full Review: Artists tread a fine line when they dabble with the idea of a super group. The end product will invariably be judged by their former glories and, in many cases, will not survive such a comparison. Thankfully, Nick Thorburn (The Islands), Ryan Kattner (Man Man) & Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse) surpass expectations with their incendiary incarnation Mister Heavenly. Inspired by their shared love of doo wop and avant garde indie, Mister Heavenly exist within a genre of their own creation: doom-wop. Their debut release Out of Love is a modern revision of the 50s pop era, full of macabre tales of heartache and disaffection. Their playfully ironic love songs are written for a generation more accustomed to text message breakups than Dear John letters.  The two-stepping “Charlyne” is a satire of the sweetheart ballad with a surf rock vibe in the style of The Beach Boys. A touch of horror pop filters into the piano-driven “I am a hologram”, with Kattner’s crooning drawing comparison to Danzig’s earlier years. Thorburn’s Buddy Holly-like harmonies complement Kattner’s rasping baritone and highlight the depth and range of the band’s eclectic style. The trio’s uncanny fusion of doo wop and garage rock produces a sound that is at once familiar and yet unique. While traces of The Marcels and The Misfits appear at regular intervals, Out of love expands upon earlier genres and never merely becomes a game of “spot the influence”. At moments, the trio find a perfect balance between the two genres, producing a sound that is distinct from the sum of its parts. The title track is a fiery, subversive love song combining doo-wop rhythms with a bass-heavy rock beat. The anthemic “Bronx Sniper” abandons the 50s pastiche in favour of a raucous bluesy sound in the vein of Queens of the Stone Age. These deviations hint at a more refined style, which could be the basis of the band’s future releases. The energy of earlier tracks begins to wane as the album draws to a close. The final four songs rely heavily on the 50s pop template and fail to develop it further. In lacking that unique twist, the conclusion of the album sounds more like a tribute to the genre rather than a reinvention. Even still, they possess a certain nostalgic charm unlike anything on the airwaves today and suffer only by comparison to preceding songs. Mister Heavenly have accomplished that rare feat of creating a crossover album that can be judged on its own merits. While remaining true to its musical blueprints, Out of love delivers its message with an ironic charm that will warm the heart of even the most critical indie fans. John Ryan John Ryan Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:07:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:562 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/558/Marc-Carroll-In-Silence#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=558 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=558&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/558/Marc-Carroll-In-Silence Review Snapshot: Carroll’s rhythmic arrangements and calming husky tones will accommodate most tastes as the album gently works through a plethora of genres, but it both requires and deserves your full attention. Best enjoyed on a long quiet car journey.  The Cluas Verdict:  7 out of 10 Full Review: It’s a joy finding something new­­­­­ to mull over, although in this case ‘it’ is hardly new as singer/songwriter Marc Carroll has been carving out his musical career for over 20 years, albeit with modest commercial success. ‘In Silence’, a collection of his work to date,  both requires and deserves greater attention. The collection begins with ‘The Boy Who Dreamed’, an instrumental of gentle inoffensive folk melodies before elevating into ‘Love Over Gold’ the second track and my first opportunity to sample Carroll’s striking vocals and confident delivery - its rousing, almost ethnic, sound discusses loss and faith, It’s heartfelt with lyrics that prompt repeated listening. The reverb, courtesy of the wah pedal effect, build the song well while blending comfortably with the acoustics. ‘In Silence’ is a grown-up album. Carroll is evidently well-seasoned on the life torments of love and loss and can articulate his experiences in a reflective, not bitter, way. Melodies on ‘No Time at All’ and ‘Against My Will’ are modest in their construction. This isn’t an album of intricate chords and complicated note arrangements.  Carroll’s guitar execution is not fuelled, but rather a delicate extension of himself to chaperone his vivid and enchanting storytelling. His stories are descriptive and animated “When I turned to the West, I felt instantly alone, kicked the mud off my boots and slept for days..” Carroll comes across as a life observer rather than player. In ‘What’s Left of My Heart’, he is dejected yet refrains from anger: “She can ease my pain..And sadly I all I can do is stand beside, and bless the day I found her” His despondent but accepting attitude is refreshing.  “Its clear to see even natures singing in the minor key .. and will forever”  The acceptance of his environment is mature and real, and with a surprisingly upbeat melody and pace for such a melancholic track this is one of my favourites on the album. ‘No Time At All’ has a one minute instrumental introduction which sets the pace nicely on this soporific take on the passing of time. Uncomplicated chords again accompany Carroll’s dulcet tones and the harmonies simmer along nicely with lyrics that perfectly illustrate the singers tolerant attitude “Gotta keep movin ..don’t look back don’t hesitate”. ‘A Dark and Lucky Night’ combines electric and acoustic and lends itself to the power pop genre before building to an uplifting harmony buoyed by an undeniable gospel influence.  ‘A Way Back Out of Here’ meanwhile sounds like a Randy Travis tribute before progressing to combine string and percussion to layer and give a soundtrack quality.  It’s thin for the most part however and one of the weaker tracks for me. Along with ‘Love Over Gold’, ‘Always’ is one of the most melodious songs on ‘In Silence’ .  Unlike ‘Love Over Gold’ however there are no distortions to bait you in. Its poppy harmonies achieve enough of a hook and go a long way to disguise some of the darker lyrics “Its not a beautiful world, its a cold..sad and lonely world” In ‘Press On’ Carroll does little to deny a Dylan influence, while the stirring ‘Against My Will’ vocals fail to hide his Irish roots. An album of contradictions some might say, with the assimilation of so many varying impressions, but something tells me Carroll is keen to not be pigeon-holed, and has in fact a very international sound. ‘In Silence’ works through every genre from pop to Irish folk. Much is made of the Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson influences, and their subsequent championing of his cause has been well documented.  A gravel voice and an acoustic guitar, however, will eternally draw parallels with other songwriters.  There are a multitude of impressions in Carroll’s work, but with his candid approach to each performance, none of these influences could be construed as intentional or contrived.  Instead, let the depictive nature of his storytelling along with the simplicity of themes like love, loss and the less glamorous endurance, be the real testament to the maturity and substance in this talented song-writers music.  Yvonne Moore Yvonne Moore Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:35:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:558 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/555/Bobby-Bobby#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=555 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=555&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/555/Bobby-Bobby Review Snapshot: On their self-titled debut album, Bobby have created an absorbing, multi-layered record, one that definitively disproves the oft-quoted cliché that 'less is more'. Cluas Verdict: 8.5 out of 10 Full review: In some respects, Massachusetts band Bobby have emerged from the wilderness. They were not subject to the the sort of media hype that occasionally pursues up and coming bands, often to their detriment, like a lion stalking a young zebra. In fact relatively little was known about the ensemble, save for the former musical exploits of certain group members. And for a while there wasn't even a photograph of Bobby around, which further shrouded the band and their record in mystery and intrigue. It is befitting then that Bobby's music lands as alien and mystical as the group did. It is lush and layered, complex, bittersweet and, most importantly, emotionally engaging. With album opener, 'We Saw', the listener is promptly ushered into the surreal soundscapes of Bobby. Said listener will not emerge again until the final track, 'The Shed', has run its course. 'We Saw' builds and recedes like a storm, harnassed by conflicting acoustic guitars and the repeated chanting of the track's title, in effect sounding more like some strange pagan incantation than lyrics to a rock song. 'The Shed' meanwhile, concludes the album in a similarly quasi-religious fashion. It has a church feel to it (without the unrelenting boredom), as a choir of male voices chant along gravely to the fragmented drama of Bobby's music. 'Sore Spores' is one of the more pop-oriented tracks on the album and continually swaps singing duties between male and female until the voices meet towards the track's tender finish. 'Dustbeam' is another terrific song that again bides its time before unleashing its magic. Throughout the debut album, there is a real sense of there being communal music-making behind this creation. Various tastes, tempos, voices and emotions somehow merge in the mixing pot of the album resulting in something cohesive and compelling, if not immediately accessible. The tracks have been patiently constructed and, while they do not tend to follow the formula conventions of pop or rock songs, there is still an appreciation for moments of honest melody and boy/girl harmonies. Many tracks have the ability to evolve and branch off in unexpected directions, that only become apparent in time and after repeated listens. Few albums this year will be as rewarding of effort as this is. But what is most impressive about Bobby is the group's recognition of the power of the quiet moments. The album is generous in length (over an hour long) and as such it allows the songs to breathe and develop as naturally as possible without any need for dramatic crescendoes or quickly arranged climaxes. This is a record with plenty of dead ends and odd directions along the way, down which the listener can enjoy getting lost. One of the standout albums of the year so far. Kevin Boyle Kevin Boyle Wed, 29 Jun 2011 02:05:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:555 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/543/Milk-Maid-Yucca#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=543 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=543&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/543/Milk-Maid-Yucca Review Snapshot: An uninspiring new project from Nine Black Alps' former bass player Martin Cohen, Yucca's fuzz-pop is tedious and unengaging. The Cluas Verdict? 4 out of 10 Full Review: At a time when British rock music was feeling pretty good about itself as a slew of post-Libertine style bands dropped records of varying quality to the enthusiastic music press, Nine Black Alps were something of an anomaly. Most apparent was that, unlike most of his contemporaries, singer Sam Forrest didn’t perform in a heavily-accented style. Instead he drained any evidence of their Mancunian roots from his voice as the band looked to early-nineties grunge music for inspiration. Their output was sometimes absorbing, but these footpath-crumbling rock anthems didn’t sit well next to Franz Ferdinand’s disco stomps or Maximo Park’s choppy pop that were fashionable at the time. Despite some initial positive write-ups for their first album Everything Is, Nine Black Alps were for the most part ignored. But that era is over. The UK music press are scratching about for new movements. Having finally decided that British rock music no longer needed Oasis some five years ago, now they once again look to Liam Gallagher to move issues and his new band Beady Eye have graced every rock publications cover, sometimes more than once. Meanwhile, editors and journalists were almost apologetic for building significant hype around The Vaccines, realigning their opinions before their debut record even dropped. All in all, British indie needs a re-up. Perhaps sensing a tide change, Martin Cohen, Nine Black Alps’ former bassist (described as being on an indefinite hiatus from the band), has cut a record that goes slightly further back in time than the band’s major influences. Now under the name Milk Maid, he looks to My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain-style shoegaze and fuzz-pop for inspiration. Nostalgic it may be, with revivalists like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Asobi Seksu and Wavves sparking a full-blown fuzzy renaissance felt both sides of the Atlantic, for once Cohen’s timing might be just right. Coming in a sprightly 31 minutes, covering 11 tracks, Yucca is a short sprint of gentle melodies over coarse and hazy instrumentals. Recorded in Cohen’s flat, the album does have a sleepy, bedroom feel, but rather than dreamy, the whole project feels lethargic and dull. Like Cohen needed to open a window so breeze could blow the dust off his dreary compositions. On ‘Oh’, for example, the melody follows the lazy, chugging guitar lead note for note. Single ‘Not Me’ rides a familiar chord progression and well-worn tune, all of which is fuzzed up unnaturally with a gritty guitar solo thrown in just for good measure. On both tracks Cohen turns the vocal effects way up and his transparent singing gets lost into the instrumental. Fans of Forrest’s boisterous baritone will find little to enjoy in Cohen’s twee vocals. For the most part he drains his voice of any real melody, using indistinguishable mumblings as an instrument. And when he does allow sense to be made of his voice, the lyrics are often lacklustre. The folky ‘Girl’ sports the cleanest vocal, but is a disappointingly clichéd and passionless tale of fish-out-of-water romance. Redeeming tracks throughout most of the album are few and far between. ‘Dead Wrong’ is tight, jaunty and charming, but the album’s final quarter is actually its strongest. There’s a welcomed change of pace with the fist-pumping ‘Back of Your Knees’. Despite its name ‘Sad Song’ is an enjoyable, ramshackle pop tune, while closer ‘Someone You Thought You Forget’ is a sweet, drum-less trance. But Yucca just sounds too contrived for recommendation.  Cohen’s clearly a student of fuzz-pop but he’s followed the user manual a little too closely, allowing any personality he might have to become lost in the recreation. My Bloody Valentine might have been a starting point, but this is love-less in a whole different way. Dean Van Nguyen Tue, 31 May 2011 22:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:543 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/542/Chain-And-The-Gang-Musics-Not-For-Everyone#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=542 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=542&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/542/Chain-And-The-Gang-Musics-Not-For-Everyone A review of the album 'Music's Not For Everyone' by Chain and the Gang Review Snapshot:  The follow-up to 2009’s 'Down With Liberty... Up With Chains!', and Chain And The Gang’s shtick has worn thin. The Cluas Verdict? 3 out of 10 Full Review:  Ian Svenonius, a cult songwriter/front-man and creative multi-tasker, returns in his Chain And The Gang guise to continue pedalling his theatrical punk manifesto. This, as on their debut offering, is borne-out in the band’s ironic anti-freedom sentiments and fatalistic lyrics. As on Chain and the Gang's first album, Svenonius uses musical genres previously seen as socially conscious or rebellious (for example seventies funk on 'Livin’ Rough' and '(I’ve Got) Privilege') and distorts them with his defeatist stance.  This is problematic on various counts.  Firstly, the mixture of genres has a jarring effect on the album’s overall sound. Secondly, while the styles may differ, the philosophy doesn’t vary greatly; which is the comic equivalent of a stand-up comedian telling the same one-liner in ten different accents. Even when the musical copy is indistinguishable from the source it aims to duplicate (such as the MC5-aping 'Detroit Music Parts I & II'), the results feel soulless. Aside from the comedy genre; parody, by its contrived nature, is apt to leave the listener cold. Lyrically we’re on well-worn ground too, and while dry humour was used somewhat effectively on the debut album, here it falls flat. To add to the disappointment, the album starts strongly, with the bluesy 'Why Not?' , followed by the playfully sardonic Not Good Enough. However, things deteriorate from there. Svenonius is a believer in a lo-fi approach to recording, and has been quoted as saying that “The whole problem with music is that people are thinking of it in this historical, sophisticated way.”.  It’s a valid point, but in truth the rough and ready aesthetic soon grates. Songs contain a distinct lack of chord progressions or melody, which leaves many sounding monotonous and restricted.  The use of female backing singers, previously an asset, is negated by their off-key delivery. The relaxed approach soon crosses the line in to lazy territory; of the album’s fourteen songs, three are alternative versions of tracks already included, and these have the quality of rushed b-sides.  The album’s low-point is the title-track, a five minute-plus tedious and condescending diatribe attacking casual music listeners.  Fans of the group protest that the song is deliberately bad as either a further attempt at irony (as a play on the album/track’s title) or as a test to weed-out the less devoted people experiencing it . Either way it’s a self-indulgent artistically vapid waste of time. Svenonius' stance throughout his career has been theatrically anti-authoritarian, but none of his posturing stands up to closer examination. The entire concept here isn’t enlightening on any level. And that’s the underlying problem, it’s not that the joke isn’t funny anymore; it’s that it was a dud joke to begin with. As the album’s opener drolly puts it, “who cares anymore?”. Harry Bo Harry Bo Thu, 26 May 2011 23:24:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:542 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/540/Wild-Palms-Until-Spring#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=540 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=540&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/540/Wild-Palms-Until-Spring Review Snapshot:  Despite occasional glimpses of promise, the debut album from British band Wild Palms loses its way somewhere between ambition and execution. The Cluas Verdict? 5 out of 10 Full Review: There is a lot to like about Wild Palms brand of music. Whilst drawing on an array of influences and blending genres as traditionally opposed as pop rock and shoe gaze, the group still manage to arrive at their own unique sound, a characteristic sorely lacking in many of their contemporaries. As well as having an imitable voice in lead singer Lou Hill, the album is also littered with catchy hooks and clever musical experimentation. So why then, having given the record fair chance, did I find myself so unmoved by the experience and even a little frustrated? Well for one thing the group don’t appear to have settled on a direction. There is an imbalance between simple, radio-friendly pop tunes and long, drawn out tracks that fluctuate in intensity only to arrive at an anti-climatic and unfulfilling conclusion. The final track on the album ‘Not Wing Clippers’, for example, is a fourteen minute epic (epic in length only) that begins as a fairly customary pop song, only to plunge into four minutes of unfathomable silence (this is fashionable amongst certain groups these days, personally I blame Sigur Ros) before it finally picks up again into a bit of good old fashioned post rock. This track alone demonstrates everything that is good and bad in Wild Palm’s music. The lead single from Until Spring, ‘Delight in Temptation’, is another Jekyll and Hyde type of song that develops nicely with a basic guitar hook and slight lyrics from the front man before surrendering to a terribly predictable, and consequently uninteresting, chorus. With this song, as with the entire album the promise of Wild Palms is belied by their brash execution. ‘Caretaker’ is one of the few songs on this record that works from beginning to end. And it works because it doesn’t try to be epic or sweeping. It is a quiet little track where Hill’s voice soars above the music, rather than competing with it as happens throughout much of the album. The overall tone of the album is a little too melancholic, which would be fine if the melancholy being put forward seemed genuine. But it doesn’t and the whole thing just ends up sounding forced, uninspired and confused. That said, however, they are a talented group who will perhaps come back to wow us with a much improved second album. We shall see. Kevin Boyle Kevin Boyle Thu, 26 May 2011 03:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:540 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/537/Dan-Sartain-Legacy-of-Hospitality#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=537 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=537&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/537/Dan-Sartain-Legacy-of-Hospitality A Review of the album 'Legacy of Hospitality' by Dan Sartain Review Snapshot: The perfect starter kit for Sartain virgins, this long album may be a lot to digest but it is the perfect showcase for the singer/songwriter's diversity. The Cluas Verdict? 7/10 Full Review: Dan Sartain is anAmerican rock singer/songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama and while he has not achieved the heights of fame that he may have been originally been aiming for, he has proven to be a talented and lucky man in the music world. Since 2001 he has released six studio albums, the most recent being Legacy of Hospitality.   The album is being presented by camp Sartain as a companion to previous album Dan Sartain Lives and even something of a document of the musician’s career: it containing tracks that succeed even his early self-produced titles as well as alternative versions of songs from his previous offerings.  On listening to the current LP, it is clear to see that Sartain takes his influences from a variety of genres as it is a plethora of styles and eras mashed into one 21 song album. While at times tedious, overall the album contains many hidden treasures. It is impossible not to compare some of the songs to their sound-a-likes. Atheist Funeral is without doubt one of the strongest songs on the album, and it bares resemblance to Liverpool indie rockers The Coral, right down to the drudging bass-line and the harmonious backing vocals. Another impressive song is the fast-paced Those Thoughts which highlights the singer/songwriter's ability to capture the listener's attention with compelling lyrics and train-like beats. The mood quickly changes from sober adolescence to a bluesy feel that can only be accomplished through life experience with Box Cutter In My Boot, another impressive track.  As can be expected however, there are some weak links in the otherwise delightful album such as the flight of the flinch. To be blunt, it sounds as though it should be on the soundtrack from a recent Nicolas Cage movie, and that is by no means a positive air to exude. Other downfalls include Day-By-Day, a weak effort that apes some of the better songs on the album. Then there is the cheesy Besame Mucho, which is reminiscent of a song you would find some sun burnt Irish man singing in a classless bar in Costa Del Sol.  Overall the album is worth the listen, there are some dreary moments that you will feel inclined to skip over but they can be forgiven as it would be a hard task to produce a faultless 21 track album. If you have not already listened to Dan Sartain's work, this would be a good place to start.   Claire Kane Claire Kane Mon, 23 May 2011 17:17:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:537 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/436/Foo-Fighters-Wasting-Light#Comments 1 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=436 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=436&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/436/Foo-Fighters-Wasting-Light A review of the album 'Wasting Light' by Foo Fighters Review Snapshot: Let me start with something that may be controversial for many  fans of the Foo Fighters: this might just be their best album since 'The Colour and The Shape'. I’m just saying.    The Cluas Verdict: 9 out of /10   Full Review: What you see is what you get with the Foo Fighters, one of America's last standing (real) rock bands that haven’t changed their form since Dave Grohl kicked off with his post-Nirvana days with the Foo's debut.   This, their seventh album, drops twenty years after Grohl worked on ‘Nevermind’ with Kurt Cobain, but this is only noteworthy because Grohl has recruited both Butch Vig and Krist Novoselic to play a part in the album's production. Pat Smear, who hasn’t stepped in on a Foo’s album since 1997’s 'The Colour and The Shape', has also been re-recruited.   Another point that peaked my interest when I first heard about this record was how they went about it: shunning their state of the art studio 606, instead opting to make a huge rock record… in a garage. Not only that, it was completely recorded using analogue gear with Vig ditching his Pro Tools. The result is a solid sounding record that hasn’t gone through relentless studio cleansing.   This album breaks out with ‘Bridge Burning’, a track that is sure to be a staple part of their stadium diet. With it Grohl pulls you back into the Foo Fighters' definitive sound with “These are my famous last words”, a line that lets you know you’re back in your comfort zone with this record.   Clearly influenced by his days in Them Crooked Vultures, Probot and even Queens of the Stone Age, you don’t question Grohl when this album plays heavy, particularly if their video alongside Lemmy from Motorhead for ‘White Limo’ is anything to go by.   This record has its negatives but they’re hard to spot and few and far between, disregarding some of the lesser tracks this album is still one magnificent piece of music that will be heard ringing throughout stadiums late into their next three records.   Simply put, buy this record. If you love the Foo Fighters all the trimmings are there. If not, this is still a solid rock record with enough eclectic tracks to intrigue even the biggest music snob. Gregg Synott Listen to this album here on Soundcloud. Greg Synnott Thu, 19 May 2011 11:46:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:436 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/223/White-Lies-Ritual#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=223 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=223&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/223/White-Lies-Ritual A review of the album 'Ritual' by White Lies  Review Snapshot: Has the second album curse taken its next victim? White Lies' new release promises big with some of the biggest names in indie lending a hand along the way. But can the champions of nu-shoe gaze really deliver on the follow up to ‘To Lose My Life’?. The Cluas Verdict? 3 out of 10 Full Review: White Lies' new release ‘Rituals’ appear to be just that, a ritual. It's as if they took their previous effort ‘To Lose My Life’ - songs about love, songs about death - changed the wording around a bit, a dash more synths and, voila, album number two is born. Songs about love and death mean nothing if no feelings are involved. It could be said that their style of expressionless vocals explains the lack of emotion in these songs and those in previous recordings. That is until you compare them with lead vocalists of bands in a similar vein, such as Joy Division, Interpol and Editors. In these cases the dead pan style manges to enhance the raw emotion of the lyrics. This is just not the case here with White Lies.    When any real insight seems to be gained from the nonsensical lyrics its message is vague. All in all, quite frustrating for the listener. The sense of frustration  continues with its little bit of head banging here, some fist pumps there. What missing on 'Rituals' are the stand out tracks that littered ‘To Lose My Life’. Here by comparision it is difficult to decipher the songs from one another.   The record, with 10 tracks averaging at 5 minutes apiece, runs a little long for its content.  Don’t be misled though, this album is crammed with catchy hooks and melodies. The album's euphoric debut single ‘Bigger Than Us’ is filled with whirling guitar and a pounding drum backing the refrain “I want you to hold me, and I want you to pray”. For a gloomy rock trio they can really put out the radio friendly tracks.   This only leads to the conclusion that this is a band that knows exactly what they’re doing, there’s not a hair out of place. Every word, no matter now nonsensical, is put there intently and purposefully. It's a pity they take themselves far too seriously to allow a simple thing like poetic insight or sentiments hold them back.   In recent interviews the band has firmly set their sights on global domination. Stints supporting Kings of Leon on their American tour the band appear to have gotten a taste for the high life, literally. Say what you will about Kings of Leon, but they have the back catalogue to back up any success that has come their way. White Lies on the other hand seem to believe that this kind of fame is owed to them. In the cut throat music industry it should be a well established fact that bands don’t necessarily get their dues, and does two frankly mediocre albums really equal global success to rival Kings?   They appear to have the ambition and determination required for a band to succeed. What they lack is heart. Katie Murphy More ... Katie Murphy Sat, 26 Feb 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:223 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/224/Tubelord-Our-First-American-Friends#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=224 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=224&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/224/Tubelord-Our-First-American-Friends A review of the album 'Our First American Friends' by Tubelord Review Snapshot: The debut album by Cockney math rockers Tubelord and is somewhat of a gem amongst a genre in which bands often find it difficult to stand out from the crowd. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: Tubelord are already well known on the Irish alternative scene having gigged in a number of Irish cities. It's good to see they manage to capture the same energy on 'Our First American Friends, their debut album, as they do live. In the UK the band has also been gaining quite a reputation where their first single 'Feed Me A Box of Words' was very well received by critics. 'Our First American Friends'  was also well recieved in Rock Sound magazine, amongst others. Mixing a blend of cracking harmonies, upbeat melodies and seemingly endless time changes, the album keeps forever you on your toes. Often single songs include five or six completely different tracks sublimely stitched together, so much so that one could land oneself in an entirely different tune without even noticing.   my personal favorite on the album, starting slowly before building up to a climax of overdrive and screaming harmonies, is the track 'I Am Azerrad'. However while buried in the tune - the song itself a reference to the band's distaste of journalist Michael Azerrad - it's easy to lose track of the lyrics which inlcude lines such as 'Can you feel the back of my head please? / I think the screws are rattling loose'. .   One of the main reasons this album shines out amongst releases by other math rockers is the superb drumming of David Catmur. In songs that change beat regularly at the drop of a hat; it's Catmur's touch that allows these seamless transitions, as well as being able to change tempo without fuss, both in the studio and live.   'Cows to the East, Cities to the West', which follows 'I Am Azerrad', changes the tone completely, playing more like a lullaby then an indie track.    The album starts and ends with the line 'Sleep, it's over' which ironically is the last thing one would want to do when the CD comes out of the disc tray. Kevin Galvin   More ... Host Account Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:224 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/225/The-Cast-of-Cheers-Chariot#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=225 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=225&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/225/The-Cast-of-Cheers-Chariot A review of the album 'Chariot' by The Cast of Cheers Review Snapshot: A band that’s made many Top of 2010 lists (including my own) and now has been shortlisted for the Choice Music Prize. It’s a wonder The Cast of Cheers have come so far with little or no promotion. After all many people are still wondering where this Irish four-piece came from? And where can they get a hold of the album? The Cluas Verdict? 10 out of 10 Full Review: You’ll be hard pushed to find a negative review of this album or of these guys live, they just steal your music players and the stage leaving you crave more of their addictive math rock tinged with indie-pop influences. It is a cross-over few would dare to try and even fewer would succeed in achieving. The Cast of Cheers have proven time and again that they are set for big things with their catchy choruses and irresistible guitar melodies. Host to such a dynamic range of sound, you’re never completely sure what genre this band are trying to draw from. Their ruthlessly infectious bass lines (complemented with one of the tightest drummers to come out of Ireland) has them taking a similar direction as Battles. The lead vocals of  Conor Adams are pleasantly laced with crunchy distortion that adds rough edges to most of their songs, except when he hits back with the reverb in the likes of ‘Deceptapunk’. Vibrant with a punkish attitude that pushes the levels of experimentalism to its limits (whilst jerking it back and forth so speedily with the help of loop pedals) you can’t help but look on in awe when they take a stage. Indeed you can’t say you’ve heard The Cast of Cheers until you’ve seen them live but this act translates so well onto a record that you won't be disappointed with their recorded output. The swift pace and infectious offerings from songs like ‘Tip the Can’ and ‘Derp’ will have you dancing alongside many others before you can say "The Cast of Cheers? My new favourite band".    The Cast of Cheers are one band to watch in 2011. Hopefully it's a year that will see a new release from them with their groundbreaking sound, and with their growing level of success why wouldn’t there be? But for now, go and get their debut ‘Chariot’ for free online (either from Soundcloud or Banclamp) and sit back and enjoy (that is, if they don’t have you on your feet in minutes). And as you do you may wonder why they keep on singing the line “Is there any f**king love in here?”...   Greg Synnott More ... Greg Synnott Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:225 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/226/The-Decemberists-The-King-is-Dead#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=226 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=226&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/226/The-Decemberists-The-King-is-Dead A review of the album 'The King is Dead' by The Decemberists Review Snapshot: Casual listeners to the Decemberists will be glad to learn that the group's sixth album, ‘The King is Dead’, is a return to their folksy beginnings, combining the group's not inconsiderable musical talents and country rock sensibilities with the inimitable voice and witticisms of front man Colin Meloy. And without an enchanted forest or pantomime villain in sight, perhaps we can all get back to liking them again.  The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: It required a decidedly hardcore Decemberists fan to remain loyal to the Portland outfit following the inexplicable 2009 album ‘Hazards of Love’. A concept album about a forbidden relationship in a forest of the lead singer’s imagination, 'Hazards of Love' was an unremittingly self-indulgent project by the group that only served to repel the occasional listener and furthermore give the bands detractors, who had dismissed them as an arrogant bunch of sods, a fair amount of credibility. Of course it is not difficult to understand the band's flirtation with the concept album. After all, Meloy’s ability to spin a yarn is essentially the band's chief strength. The problem with ‘Hazards of Love’ however, was that it was outrageously complex and at times pretty boring.  You basically needed a degree in English and a s**t load of time on your hands to get what the story was about and when you did the payoff didn’t seem worth it. At the end of the day there is nothing wrong with a bit of ambition, but don’t take the piss.  We can forgive them one blunder though and accept that 'Hazards of Love' is to the Decemberists what a gap year is to a student. And to their credit the group seem to have learned their lesson with ‘The King is Dead’ retreating to safe ground and a more conventional format.   Peter Buck of REM was brought in for three tracks and his involvement does not go unnoticed. The opening riff of ‘Calamity Song’ is quite similar to that of REM’s ‘Talk about the Passion’ from their seminal album ‘Murmur’ all those years ago, while lead single ‘Down by the Water’ sounds like a cross between the aforementioned rock pioneers and Springsteen. It is as awesome as a mixture of those two ought to be.  At times the album feels light and breezy with the sing a long ‘Don’t Carry it All’ and ‘All Arise’, only to turn deeply intimate and touching with the ballads ‘January Hymn’ and ‘June Hymn’ which are arguably two of the group's best songs to date. They really ground the record before it gets a little too light and breezy and floats out of mind. It is also a good deal more country sounding than previous records, with harmonica and steel guitar making appearances from time to time. But the Decemberists could play death metal and still be distinctive so unique is the voice and lyrics of their front man. For example on ‘Rox in the Box’ he sings:  “Get the Rox in the box / Get the Water right down to your socks / This Bulkhead’s built of fallen brethren bones” It is difficult to imagine anyone else writing those lyrics about the workaday world and have it taken seriously. But there is sincerity to the offering, as Meloy sings throughout about finding your way through this mean old world. The record is instantly likeable and more so with each listen. Even when placed beside past glories, ‘The Crane Wife’ and ‘Picaresque’, their latest holds its own. There was a lot riding on this album for the band and in fairness to them, they really have delivered. And so another chapter is written in the annals of the Decemberists: They came, they saw, they conquered, they made a concept album and then they conquered again. Kevin Boyle   More ... Kevin Boyle Fri, 14 Jan 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:226 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/227/Hipster-Youth-Teenage-Elders#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=227 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=227&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/227/Hipster-Youth-Teenage-Elders A review of the album 'Teenage Elders' by Hipster Youth Review Snapshot: Teenage Elders captures the chaos of a Castlevania soundtrack without ever considering the likely effect upon its audience. A bad Nintendo acid trip of an album, lost in the one-dimensional platforms that inspired its inception. The Cluas Verdict? 3 out of 10 Full Review: In a business overrun with insipid intertextual references, artists should really exercise caution when they wander into the realms of retro. The advent of postmodernism opened up the floodgates of creative recycling, with the old and the new intermingling in an array of previously inconceivable combinations. At best, the trend presented the possibility of redefining the cultural relics of the past through novel hybrid forms. At worst, the market merely capitalised on the success of a few innovators, producing a litany of carbon copies in their wake.  Dublin-based artist Hipster Youth unfortunately finds himself in the latter category. His brand of Nintendo-esque electro follows in the footsteps of Crystal Castles but ultimately lacks the substance necessary to escape the confines of Castlevania. While the Atari samples became a defining characteristic of the CC sound, they transcended such a pernicious pigeon-hole by expanding their electronic horizons. In contrast, Hipster Youth’s debut Teenage Elders fails to clear the first level, lost in nostalgic waves of Mario-style synthesisers and poorly-produced backing tracks. The collection suffers from a series of off-key vocal lines, ear-piercing drum machine loops and a compulsion to rely solely upon the video game theme without ever venturing into new territories. At times, songs introduce clever instrument combinations only to fall victim to fatalistic flaws. The chiming cadence of kettle drums that opens “Crying outside clubs” produces a memorable melody and initially felt like a turning point in an album struggling to find its way. Alas, the sonorous start is subsequently drowned out by a jagged and persistent beat mimicking the dissonance of a broken speaker. Lacking any conceivable progression, the track merely trawls through repetitious patterns and discordant vocals until its conclusion. Other tracks display an unrefined talent lying dormant under a surface of inexperience. “Pop song for those with short attention spans” (listen to it below) features an intriguing medley of electronic samples that is sadly suppressed by the plastic snare beat and incomprehensible vocals. Similarly, “Super Fun Hipster Suicide Party” crafts a catchy and uplifting refrain in the opening bars but abandons any notion of developing the loop; content with recycling the twenty-second effort for the duration. Instrumental tracks such as “Little Lost Bear” and “I lost my corpse paint” merely replicate their source material, serving as nothing more than soundtracks to old Gameboy platformers.  Akin to the games that it emulates, Teenage Elders is irrevocably one-dimensional, consistently burying arresting arrangements beneath unimaginative 80s synths and banal beats. While each song contains at least one enamouring section, they ultimately fail to sustain the forward momentum necessary to warrant that all-important second spin. In retreating to the comfort zone of the Castlevania sound, the collection confines itself to the nostalgic sentimentalities of a transient trend in modern music, offering little else to its audience. In a genre of limitless possibilities, electro should be the soundtrack of the future and not a record of the past. John Ryan Hipster Youth - Pop song for those with short attention spans by lizpelly More ... John Ryan Fri, 17 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:227 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/228/Bruce-Springsteen-The-Promise#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=228 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=228&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/228/Bruce-Springsteen-The-Promise A review of the album 'The Promise' by Bruce Springsteen Review Snapshot: An album of lost sessions from Darkness On The Edge Of Town that any of today’s pretenders to the throne would die-for. A collection of songs that ‘The Boss’ couldn’t find album space for now sees the light of day, over three decades later. It has certainly been well worth the wait. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: After being proclaimed “the future of rock‘n’roll” in 1975 following the commercial success of Born To Run, Bruce Springsteen went back to the drawing board to dream it all up again. However due to legal disputes he was unable to release any new material until 1978’s Darkness On The Edge Of Town. What you’ve got here are 22 songs that chronologically belong between those two albums. Described by The Boss himself as “a great lost work recovered”, this album opens with ‘Racing In The Street’, an alternative version to the Darkness album track, this time with piano, violin and harmonica dominant , and with original lyrics like “32 Ford” (instead of the eventual 69 Chevy) that was never going to sound right. 'Outside Looking In’ sounds like a Buddy Holly b-side with that raunchy Springsteen vocal and Clemons trademark saxophone all over it, while ‘Someday (We’ll Be Together’ is a tale of romantic optimism with beautiful harmonies that’s very gentle on the ear. ‘Because The Night’, a song synonymous with Patti Smith is here in its original version and, although the Boss wrote it, I personally think it doesn’t match the quality of the version we’ve become accustomed to. On Disc 2 there’s ‘Fire’, another Bruce song that the Pointer Sisters would enjoy success with, but this was the closest Springsteen would come to “pop music” in the late 70s. He tips his hat to Sam Cooke on ‘Ain’t Good Enough For You’, sounding remarkably like ‘Twistin The Night Away’. If you listen carefully to the opening lines of ‘Spanish Eyes’, you’ll recognize the lyrics but not the song. These would later become part of the brilliant ‘I’m On Fire’ in the 80s. We’re brought right back to the 70s on ‘Come On (Let’s Go Tonight)’, a song he wrote about the then recently deceased Elvis Presley. It would later become ‘Factory’ for the next album. Talk To Me’ is a brass orientated, infectious up-tempo number that wouldn’t be out of place at a Seeger Sessions concert. There’s no shortage of classic story-telling numbers either. On ‘Breakaway’ there’s Sonny, Jamie and Bobby to add to his list of characters in song, and on the title track it’s Johnny, Billy and Terry.  ‘The Promise’ is indeed one of the many highlights on here, and is effectively a ‘Thunder Road (Part II)' and just as good. If you thought 21 songs wasn’t enough, there’s even a hidden track, ‘The Way’, which is beautiful and worthy of being visible. Die-hard ‘Boss’ fans will love this collection even if some of the tracks have been updated but these songs did form the basis for 'Darkness…' and Springsteen still believes he released the best songs 32 years ago. For many of his contempories they’d die for even one of these left-over songs. Another impressive selection from New Jersey's greatest. Mick Lynch More ... Mick Lynch Fri, 10 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:228 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/229/Les-Shelleys-Les-Shelleys#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=229 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=229&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/229/Les-Shelleys-Les-Shelleys A review of the debut album from Les Shelleys Review Snapshot: This is the debut album from the duo of Tom Brosseau and Angela Correa otherwise known as Les Shelleys. What you get here is a simple stripped down and very raw album full of impressive harmonies and some very high points. It does seem to lose its way towards the end but its still well worth a listen and I'm sure the live act would be very interesting to see. The Cluas Verdict? 6 out of 10 Full Review: The album starts with the simplistic minimalist "The world is waiting for sunrise" (listen to the track below) which not only sets the tone for the rest of the album but is one of the strongest tracks here. The core of Les Shelleys sound is how the voices of Brosseau and Correa compliment each other. The is no chance of any over production here; the album was recorded on a mini-disk player on a kitchen table in a Los Angeles home with a battery powered microphone. "Green Door" is another gem that takes the simplicity to another level entirely.  At times Brosseau sounds like Ray Davies ('Cocktails for Two') but in fairness, he does do a good job at it! The cover of The Andrew Sisters' "Rum and Coca Cola" is probably the strongest song here: it's catchy and the harmonies work perfectly. Listen to it couple of times and it will stay stuck in your head: Drinkin' Rum and Coca Cola,  Go down point Koommahnah, Both mother and daughter, Workin' for the yankee dollar. From here on, things start to go downhill, the Dylan cover of "The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Caroll" is largely disappointing. I can understand that they didn't want to do a cover that was exactly the same as the original but their take on this classic is way too far away from the original. Removing the chorus was not a great move either.  The rest of the album remains generally consistent, by now the listener knows what to expect. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The harmonies are done well in "Pastures of Plenty" by Woody Guthrie, another key track.  Overall, an enjoyable album, something different to what I'd normally be used to. A breath of fresh air.  Some of these tracks sound like they came straight from a Jason Reitman film and, who knows, some day they might be. Éanna Canavan Les Shelleys - The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise by FatCat Records More ... Host Account Thu, 09 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:229 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/230/Ayoe-Angelica-Dandelion#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=230 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=230&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/230/Ayoe-Angelica-Dandelion A review of the album 'Dandelion' by Ayoe Angelica  Review Snapshot:  A wise academic once professed that true art should be recognised for its aesthetic value rather than any contrite notion of commercial viability. Ayoe Angelica personifies this perspective, producing an enchanting collection of songs that captures the spontaneity and experimental side of the artistic process. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: In a consumer-driven industry, the artistic quest for originality seems to have taken a backseat to the marketable value of music. Many virtuous acts venture into the depths of big business determined to preserve their integrity only to bow to the burden of systematic sales targets and creative constraints. Our hopes lie with the treasured few who flee from the arid mainstream in favour of the road less travelled. Genre-defying Danish singer Ayoe Angelica is one such individual.  Joining forces with multi-instrumentalist B.B Krog, the pair produced a poignant and multi-dimensional debut in the form of 2008’s I’m Amazed; an album that tastefully balanced elements of electronica, jazz and downtempo without necessarily claiming any particular label. Two years later, their second effort, 'Dandelion', is an affirmation of artistry, melding the musical melancholy of Portishead with the salacious side of early R'n’B.  The candescent “Cupid” is a smooth and lugubrious conflation of genres, unfolding and evolving with each passing second. The track opens in a downtempo vein reminiscent of Massive Attack’s collaborations with Liz Fraser, with a moog organ bringing a touch of seventies soul to proceedings. The middle section comes straight out of left field with a searing slice of shred guitar plucked from the fingertips of an 80s virtuoso. Ayoe’s loquacious lyrics carry a certain cabaret charm, counterpointing Krog’s introspective instrumentation.  The individuality of each rhythm track slowly surfaces with each sequential spin. Not content to merely surrender to the mechanisms of a drum machine, Krog crafts a beat for each song by sowing several percussive samples together.  “Make a lap” draws out the taut intonations of a double bass, creating the perfect 50’s shuffle for Ayoe’s vaudeville-like vocals.     “Plenty more fish” forms an intriguing intersection between R'n’B and contemporary electro. The call and response intro unfolds into a rhapsodic verse, akin to Rihanna’s current output. The lower frequencies reveal the organic sound of a double bass sliding amorously up the minor scale, while high above orchestral samples weave with a tapestry of textured tones.  “Girls are like apples” tumbles down the rabbit hole into the labyrthine lair of experimental electronica, replete with pitch-shifted vocals and hauntingly repetitious harmonies. The minor melodies bear a passing resemblance to the macabre meanderings of Danny Elfman, capturing the lighter side of the gothic sound.  The slowing burning “Quiet Cafes” reveals Ayoe’s traditional roots, with the waltzing rhythm adding a touch of country to this sonorous serenade. The track gradually reveals its jazz sensibilities, peeking in the middle with a lounge-style saxophone solo harmonising with the main vocal melody. The pair’s divergence from the electronica template here highlights their versatility as songwriters. They display an uncanny capacity to transcend the conventionally concrete boundaries between genres, producing a multi-faceted sound that is complex and yet accessible.  A wise academic once professed that true art should be recognised for its aesthetic value rather than any contrite notion of commercial viability. Ayoe and Krog personify this perspective, producing an enchanting collection of songs that captures the spontaneity and experimental side of the artistic process. And by abandoning the concern of appealing to everyone, the duo comes closer to the goal than most musical merchants.  John Ryan  Ayoe Angelica - Dandelion by Playground Music More ... John Ryan Wed, 08 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:230 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/231/Elliot-Smith-An-Introduction-to#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=231 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=231&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/231/Elliot-Smith-An-Introduction-to A review of the album 'An Introduction to' by Elliot Smith Review Snapshot: A number of seminal musicians emerged in the early 90s and died prematurely and where many of those musicians pushed the dynamics of their genres, Elliot Smith’s legacy was achieved via a house style that’s about as common as it gets: one man and his guitar. It’s now been seven years since the world lost something quietly elegant: a singer-songwriter gone before his time. This release is strongly recommended for those who have yet to pick at the surface of Elliot Smith. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: Elliot Smith was one of the greatest songwriters of our era and for his dedicated fan-base, every album was the soundtrack to a new chapter in the singer's always troubled life. However this album offers nothing new for existing fans - nothing unreleased, nothing live and thought to be lost to the sound desk. Yet, as its title makes clear, this release is intended as an introduction to Elliot Smith and it can succeed in what it has set out to do: drawing in a new generation of fans that may one day find themselves in a record store reaching out for more Elliot Smith. Presented in no chronological order this collection focuses heavily on Smith’s earlier releases, his “hits” if you can call them that, and hosts some of his heavier, emotional tracks like 'Miss Misery' and 'Between the Bars': songs so personal, so engaging that some first time listeners may find them too heavy a load to handle. As is the way with an album such as this, 'An Introduction to…' will invite more familiar listeners to simply scrutinize what they might consider sins of omission, like I have. But that is not the point. This is an opportunity for new ears to discover Elliot Smith, an opportunity for those new to his charms to scratch the surface of his work, to understand how conflicted he once sounded and experience his love of singing of a girl "who made her life a lie so she’d never have to know anyone". If you’ve yet to pick at the surface of Elliot Smith, get this album. For those who already have a few Elliot Smith releases in their collection, give this a miss and instead go listen to 'Figure 8'. Greg Synnott More ... Greg Synnott Tue, 07 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:231 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/232/Silje-Nes-Opticks#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=232 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=232&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/232/Silje-Nes-Opticks A review of the album 'Opticks' by Silje Nes Review Snapshot: The Norwegian singer’s second album, Opticks, is a triumph in delicacy. The Cluas Verdict? 7.5 out of 10 Full Review: Alongside flat packed furniture and, eh, I don’t know, fish, Scandinavia has also been exporting its fair share of singer songwriters over the last decade. And despite my blatant ignorance of the region, I do at least know that they tend to follow something of a formula. Scandinavian music, with notable exceptions of course, is often characterised by distant, dreamy voices and meandering musical pieces, usually involving minimal guitar riffs. And a fair amount of these folks have been classically trained. Ólöf Arnalds sophomore album received a glowing review on Cluas earlier in the year and she was classically trained in violin and singing. Silje Nes was classically trained in piano. The point is that these are talented and well educated artists. Opticks is born of this great Scandinavian tradition, it is fragmented, deceptively simple and like a wardrobe from Ikea, it takes a little time to piece it together. All crass Scandinavian conventions aside, this really is something of a hidden gem. The artistic strength - and consequently the commercial weakness - of the record is its subtlety. Nes’ voice rarely rises above a whisper and it has the rare ability to sound at once distant and at the same time immediately intimate, drawing comparison to the style of Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. ‘The Grass Harp’ is the finest album opener of any album I have heard this year. It begins as fragile guitar picking and gentle humming before turning into a beautifully controlled chorus. Throughout the album Silje Nes shows remarkable talent for conjuring charming choruses out of nothing, ‘The Card House’ is a particular highlight. Opticks is for a bus journey as you stare out the window, occasionally deep in thought but for the most part happily vacant. It is not quite the heart-on-the-sleeve brand of songwriting that has been prevalent in many of this year’s releases (Band of Horses, Kings of Leon, Midlake), preferring a more introspective examination of love, romance and escape. But it really isn’t about what she’s singing, rather how she is singing it. The romantic notions are amiable, though not all that poetic. What is poetic though is her soft voice over the lazy guitars and considerate percussion, lulling the listener into a trance like state, where the words no longer even matter. ‘Symmetry of Empty Space’ and the final track ‘Ruby Red’ are other highlights, though isolated from the album they would be diminished in their impact somewhat. After all Nes seems to be an artist who still reveres the sanctity of the album format and as a result this flows as a piece very well. Opticks will not end up in many of the esteemed end of year lists that folks make. Nor will it likely make a killing on album sales, or even enjoy the fleeting popularity that alternative artists with softly sung songs sometimes achieve (like Bon Iver or Damien Rice). However it is a beautifully created album that deserves attention.   Kevin Boyle Silje Nes - Branches by FatCat Records Silje Nes - Crystals by FatCat Records More ... Kevin Boyle Sat, 04 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:232 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/233/Mice-Parade-What-It-Means-to-Be-Left-Handed#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=233 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=233&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/233/Mice-Parade-What-It-Means-to-Be-Left-Handed A review of the album ‘What It Means to Be Left Handed’ by Mice Parade Review Snapshot: With ‘What It Means to Be Left Handed’, Adam Pierce and his Mice Parade have made an album full of worldly influences and a list of guest performers that is the stuff of any indie kids wet dream. Pierce once again exceeds expectations with the records many layers and wonderful production, which take the listener on an intoxicating musical rollercoaster well worth the admission fee. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: The term 'less is more' is certainly not one Adam Pierce makes his music by. His Mice Parade return with the boldly sprawling and intricate 'What It Means to Be Left Handed', a record crammed to the hilt with worldly influences. Taking these influences from everything from Flamenco and West African Jazz right through to Shoegaze and Indie Rock, Pierce has enlisted artists as diverse as Swahili vocalist Somi, Meredith Godreau - aka Gregory & The Hawk - and members of the Japanese bands Clammbon and Toe, to bring this heady mix together. The album's opener Kupanda (listen to it below) is an infectiously, vibrant showcase of worldbeat with beautiful kora strings and swaying African drums blended with Somis gorgeous melodic vocal. This really sets the tone for the musical journey the album intends to take the listener on. The elation spills into the next track 'In Between Times', where regular collaborator Caroline Lufkin's pixie-like vocals weave sweetly around Pierce's sombre spoken words. Flowing seamlessly on its journey the album's next real couple of highlights  are 'Recover' and 'Old Hat'. Recover, with its exquisitely layered guitars over hushed vocals, is backed by amazing percussion from Pierce showing a master of his craft at work. This is followed by the hypnotic 'Old Hat' which again uses layered strings, only this time accompanied by dreamy piano and electronics making these two tracks very cosy bedfellows indeed The stand out track on the album comes in the form of Tokyo Late Night, a  hauntingly, sublime piece of electronica featuring accompaniment by members of post rock stalwarts Toe. The track cements Pierce's place as one of the most exciting producers doing the rounds at the moment and showcases his almost fearless attempts at appropriately fusing different genres. While running the risk at times of trying to do just a touch too much with this record, 'Mallo Cup' and 'Fortune of Folly' seem to sway slightly from the rest of the album, Pierce and his band on the whole do bring it together very well. It will be interesting however  to see if they can translate it so well to the live stage on their current tour, only time will tell. For now though Mice Parade's latest work is well worth a listen or two.  Pat Gormley Mice Parade - Kupanda by FatCat Records More ... Patrick Gormley Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:233 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/234/Illness-For-All-you-ABC-1s-Out-There#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=234 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=234&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/234/Illness-For-All-you-ABC-1s-Out-There A review of the album 'For All you ABC-1’s Out There' by Illness Review Snapshot: 'For All You ABC-1’s Out There' captures the chaotic chemistry of two talented musicians searching for their musical path. Admittedly, the mediocre quality of the recording limits the band’s potential to make an impact in the commercial market at this moment in time. As an indication of things to come, there is certainly enough here to suggest that Illness are on their way towards future success.  The Cluas Verdict? 6 out of 10 Full Review: History has shown us that culture is self-referential and reactionary, with new trends developing in response to the dominant art forms of the present day. The sentimentality of Romanticism produced a suitable counterpoint in the Realist movement, while the excessive theatrics of Hair Metal begat the shoegazing philosophy of Grunge. Now in this post-digital age, bands are beginnings to revert to the DIY aesthetics of seventies Punk and Garage, abandoning professional production values in pursuit of a more primal sound.  The output of Brighton instrumental band Illness harks back to an era when Beta Max and the Gallatica console were considered advanced technology. With a thoroughly minimalist approach to orchestration, their style hovers indecisively above post-hardcore, math rock and noisecore. New EP 'For All You ABC-1’s Out There' captures the raw sound of a band jamming in the basement of a balmy underground club.  Standout track “Paper Cut” epitomises the band’s disregard for common methods of composition, stitching post-hardcore and industrial sensibilities together in a relentless bacchannal between guitar and drums. The closing section of the song features a truly iconic and merciless riff that would turn Trent Reznor a whiter shade of pale.  Spencer’s double bass beats on “Blakey Junction” act as a fitting constrast to the malevolent two-chord melody of the intro. The progression shifts intermittently between minor and major, amalgamating the dark atmospherics of Post-Rock with the minimalism of Grunge. The song certainly highlights the level of musicianship attained by the duo, dispelling previous notions that their unorthodox style is merely an exercise in charlatanry. Having said that, the precision and clarity of the guitar suffer severely from the asperity of the recording set-up. Emilio’s riffs are lost under layers of guttural lows and jagged, high frequencies.  “Early and Rude” preserves the band’s penchant for unconventional song structures but benefits from a far greater sense of cohesion. The landscape of sound bears more resemblance to a canvass than a battlefield with riffs flowing together amicably instead of jostling for supremacy. The serrated guitar tone mimics the corrosive cadences of Dinosaur Jr and Mudhoney as it slices through the mix with a series of pummelling powerchord progressions.  "Way Crowds Move” fulfills all the prerequisites of contemporary post-hardcore, falling in line with the likes of Funeral for a Friend & From Autumn to Ashes in terms of instrumentation. The upbeat, sixteenth rhythms compliment the melodic chord voicings of the guitar but the song is marred by the limitations of the rudimentary two-piece model. It seems natural to wonder whether the addition of a supplementary instrument would propel their experiemental sound into the realms of the avant garde. John Ryan More ... John Ryan Tue, 23 Nov 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:234 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/235/School-Tour-Yes-Way-EP#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=235 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=235&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/235/School-Tour-Yes-Way-EP A review of the EP 'Yes Way' by School Tour Review Snapshot: One artist’s ethereal exploration of electronic art and its borderless landscape. And while some may dismiss it as self-indulgent, the asking price (free) makes it recommended listening for any open-minded music fan.  The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: In the past, an artist would commence his creative journey by relocating to a distant rural landscape, disconnected from the distractions of the modern day. In severing his ties with society, he opened the possibility of an unimpeded exploration of the self, re-emerging finally with a product as yet unrealised by the outside world. Yeats’ finest work arose in Inishfree; Led Zepelin’s III found its feet in a remote Welsh cottage and now Donegal becomes the birthplace of a new breed of Irish Electronica from instrumentalist School Tour.  School Tour - real name Gerald Duffy - is fast becoming a leading light in an Irish avant garde music scene still in its infancy. His experimental style maintains a multi-dimensional sound, incorporating hypnotic Trance loops with a penchant for opaque melodies in keeping with the ethos of Chill out. New EP Yes Way depicts seven sides of the same artist, bound together only by their shared capacity to transport the listener to untraversed, transcendental terrains.    “Melodica, Alpenhorn & Voice” is an evocative, electronic eulogy layering loop upon loop as if in anticipation of a climactic crescendo that never actually materialises. Instead, the song lingers in its lugubrious landscape of sonorous sounds, content with the physical state of being rather than the pursuit of a predetermined progression. A two-note melody provides the background pulse upon which the keys and synth spiral in sepulchral waves of reverb. The minimalist vocal lines venture into the realms of ritual chant in the vein of Fever Ray, leaving trails of decay in their wake. Trance-like in its effect, this introspective instrumental opens the door of harmonic possibilities, conjuring images of mountainous landscapes in the mind of the listener.    “Ylimaf sdnas” is merely an exhibition of Duffy’s capabilities as an architect of sound. Two interweaving melodies flow in reverse in an endless loop like a soundtrack to the red room in Dante’s Peak. Putting it on a bedtime playlist will likely lead to lucid dreams with heavy Freudian overtones.    The lilting melancholia of “Savage Nights” recalls the minimalist electro of the 80’s new wave, drawing a close comparison to Depeche Mode. The imposing industrial beat borrowed from Nine Inch Nails provides a base for the sorrowful melody of the keyboard.    Listening to the dark and atmospheric “Love  Loses Hold” feels like being lost in a labyrthine dream world created by a bipolar Aphex Twin. A sense of the uncanny emanates from its orchestration, forming a perceivable tension in each harmony. The technique is subtle in its execution and yet pervasive in its effect.    “Skating with Another” opens with a sample of a busy street, eliciting images of Pink Floyd in The Wall era. The voices fade out as the drone of a harpischord fills the spectrum with a Bach-infused melody. The subtly phased nuances of the synth add a touch of the surreal, making it a suitably spaced-out soundtrack for the liquid lounges littered across the urban landscape.    Now available as a free download, Yes Way dares to traverse the capitalist demarcation line that traditionally transforms music into a mere consumable community. Blissfully disconnected from such commercial concerns, the EP depicts an artist’s ethereal exploration of electronic art and its borderless landscape. And while some may dismiss it as self-indulgent, the asking price makes it recommended listening for any open-minded music fan.    John Ryan More ... John Ryan Tue, 23 Nov 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:235 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/236/Gregory-and-the-Hawk-Leche#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=236 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=236&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/236/Gregory-and-the-Hawk-Leche A review of the album 'Leche' by Gregory and the Hawk Review Snapshot:  Leche is the third studio album from Meredith Godreau or, as she is better known, Gregory and the Hawk. The quirk that can be heard in her previous albums and EPs remains an overwhelming character in her latest release but that could be the problem here; little else has changed either. And instead of leaning on her influences, it sounds like she’s just copied them.  The Cluas Verdict? 4 out of 10 Full Review: The opening song ‘For the Best’ has some really excellent lyrics, something fans of her will be familiar with. One problem with this song is it’s heavy similarity to anything ‘early Tori Amos.’ “I really want to find a bar, and mix some fear up with a friend …and give you skull tattoos in pen”    It goes on to talk of her curiosity about how her lover or hopeful lover might feel.    “I want to know, do I dance inside your head… I really want to go to bed with a feeling in my chest that we’re lost again, but this time for the best”.    The real gem of this song isn’t that it will be in your head for days, but rather that the lyrics make you smile, even if you won’t remember them.    ‘Over and Over’ also has copycat syndrome but this time it sounds more like a live “Tegan and Sara” session. Of course there's nothing wrong with Tegan and Sara, on a Tegan and Sara album.  It’s a perfectly fine song with the same cute lyrics we’re used to.  But there’s nothing particularly heartening or real about this song.  A trait that runs through out the album.    'Soulgazing' is one of the few songs to really enjoy and breathe in. She opens with a lyric a lot might relate to; “I was doing fine missing the marks, missing the rhymes.” Ironically this is the only song on the album that does hit the mark. It is catchy, it does feel alive and entirely ‘Gregory and the Hawk.’ So far, skip to track number 4 would be the advice for the album.    ‘Olly Olly Oxen Free’, as well as having an adorable name, has one lyric that jumps out. It makes you think and that can’t be slighted. “I’ve never been one for chasing stars on a starry night, it just seems too easy. I’m going to be fine when you want me.”  That’s all that can be said here. The phrase “When you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all” springs to mind here.    There’s nothing particularly wrong with this album. But there’s certain words that come to mind when describing it that any fan of music, or anything else for that matter, will agree aren’t complementary. Those words are ‘fine’ and ‘nice’. Both are words she has been described as before, I’m sure. The other word that comes to mind that is most definitely insulting is ‘boring’.    Elaine Peppard   Gregory & The Hawk - Leaves by FatCat Records More ... Elaine Peppard Sun, 14 Nov 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:236 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/237/Jamiroquai-Rock-Dust-Light-Star#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=237 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=237&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/237/Jamiroquai-Rock-Dust-Light-Star A review of the album 'Rock Dust Light Star' by Jamiroquai Review Snapshot: The seventh album from this popular electro-funk band.  Brimming with jazz, funk, and catchy disco floorfillers,  Jay Kay has a long way to go before hanging up his oversized hat. Cluas Verdict: 7 out of 10 Full Review: It's easy to forget how long Jamiroquai have been going.  ‘Rock Dust Light Star’ is the seventh album from a band that have been knocking out the albums since the early 90s.  Despite the 6 albums already under their belt, a plethora of MTV awards and let's not forget a Grammy, the band clearly have no plans to slow down & are keen to showcase that with this latest offering.  So were the recent tirades against X Factor judges genuine concerns over the way some might deem the music industry to be headed, or just  well orgnised hype to promote a mediocre album? With its subdued melody and uninspiring lyrics, the opening track ‘Rock Dust Light Star’ was a surprisingly passive choice to open a comeback album for a band of a predominately funk nature.  Thankfully, it quickly becomes apparent with the second track ‘White Knuckle Ride’ that despite the five year absence the band have no intention of turning their back on their popular disco influenced electro-funk sound. From the first beat the track has the energy and likeability of ‘Little L’, an instant floor filler and easily the best single on the album.  The album progresses well.  With its high-pitched lead and backing vocals ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ is fantastically retro.  ‘All Good in the Hood’ starts with a thumping beat which when comined with some pleasing bass guitar chords goes on to mingle brilliantly with the R&B falsetto Jay Kay brings to the track.   “Did I forget to mention a little bit of tension makes the world alright..” ‘Hurtin’ is a little rock gem hidden away between poppier tracks.  Jay Kay’s raspy vocals are perfect for the wounded sound he is clearly aiming for.  Personally I loved the disilusioned backing refrain of “How the hell did i loose ya”,  a far more plausible approach to a lost love than what’s normally heard from pop bands. ‘She’s a fast persuader’ sounds, at first, like a bizzare Shaft meets Bee Gee’s collaboration. But it works and is funky with a capital F. The kinky lyrics make no attempt to disguise Jay Kay’s well documented love of the opposite sex.  “I love it when you get on it and hurt me babe, on your knees once again..” Racy lyrics and a rousing saxaphone combine to produce what is undoubtedly the funkiest track on the album. The Caribbean beats in ‘Goodbye To My Dancer’, give the track a Reggae vibe which works brilliantly with Jay Kay's catchy ska-style vocals and make it difficult not to nod along to.  Downsides of the album include ‘Blue Skies’ which sounds bizarrely like a Take That tribute. The lyrics are incredibly boring: (“I'm not gonna give up on all the day’s I’ve won, there’s nothing but Blue Sky” ) and are even sung in a fashion that makes Jay Kay sound eerily similiar to Mark Owen. ‘Lifeline’, although more uptempo, still sounds more like it was written for Robbie Williams (or with the big band sound dare I say even Michael Bublé). It's not the strongest track on the album and  the sentimental lyrics are served up with lashings of cheese: ‘’I’ll never feel alone now cos i’m back on the road with you”  “My baby’s saving me, she got  a lifeline of love, she got it all thrown out to me....running through the sunset just me and you together”. On the plus side the unexpected key changes mess with the typical song structure and keep you interested until the very last note. Overall ‘Rock Dust Light Star’ the album showcases Jay Kay’s ability to think outside the box, not just comply with the funk/pop/jazz genre but expand into rock, ska, reggae and dance. Depsite the 5 year absence however they’ve had the good judgement to stick to what's assured their success to date and have kept a considerable piece of this pie disco-friendly.  Yvonne Moore More ... Yvonne Moore Tue, 09 Nov 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:237 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/238/Maps-Atlases-Perch-Patchwork#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=238 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=238&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/238/Maps-Atlases-Perch-Patchwork A review of the album 'Perch Patchwork' by Maps & Atlases Review Snapshot: New to the indie scene, Chicago band Maps & Atlases mash a folk rock sound with the math rock genre to produce a well-thought out and emotional debut album. A recurring theme of bitterness around break-ups is often disguised by a cheery nature in what could be one of the must-have indie albums.  The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: Folk rock has been an increasingly popular genre for the past two years. Whether you consider it from a mainstream point of view (Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling) or if you are more inclined to take an Indie perspective (Frank Turner) it has no doubt been growing in influence. This year sees a new American band combining the ever-growing folk rock style with a less appreciated genre that originated in the 1980s, known as “Math Rock” (others tagged with this genre include Ghosts and Vodka, Dilute). Although Maps & Atlases apply the asymmetric rhythms of the genre, the folk undercurrents of their debut album Perch Patchwork cannot be denied. It is a clever fusion, bound to get them noticed in certain indie circles, if not more widely. In general the album is one with an air of regret, inevitably girl-related regret, as well as a weariness with a somewhat wild and youthful but beyond youth lifestyle. The former however, is dominant throughout, most notably in second track The Charm (“I don’t think there is a sound that I hate more than the sound of your voice.” ) The lyrics speak for themselves; clearly this album has been written off the back of a wearying and heart-breaking relationship. Musically the album is strong; the recurrent lyrical theme played out in different musical guises. Pigeon is a more cheerful sounding lament; however there does seem to be an air of cynicism in it as the singer appears to be bothered by a woman’s unmovable pride. The interchanging sounds from song to song keep the listener intrigued as it becomes apparent that this is not another 4-Chords-suits-all kind of outfit. For example, at the beginning of the album, Will sounds like anything apart from folk music. Void of lyrics, the song still manages to evoke feelings of relaxation and simple joy through pleasant musicianship and meaningless warbling. Another lyric-free track is 'Was', which has a delightful guitar riff but manages to portray the opposite emotions stirred by Will. A poignantly beautiful treat to the ears. That the band can produce two songs with the same wordless methods, yet provoke two opposite emotions, suggests a band of intriguing musical talents. A delight of an album that is a relaxing and intriguing listen, lacking any hideous or off-putting flaws.  Claire Kane Maps & Atlases - Living Decorations by FatCat Records More ... Claire Kane Tue, 26 Oct 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:238 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/239/Kings-of-Leon-Come-Around-Sundown#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=239 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=239&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/239/Kings-of-Leon-Come-Around-Sundown A review of the album 'Come Around Sundown' by Kings of Leon Review Snapshot: Come Around Sundown is the 5th studio album from Tennessee Rock band  Kings of Leon. After a previous release that was less than impressive, anticipation was high. And Come Around Sundown does not disappoint. It feels like a super-album, taking all the best bits from their previous releases and combining them to give fans something they have never heard before. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review:The single from the album is “Radioactive.” It was a weak release considering the standard of the rest of the album. It also doesn’t entirely fit in with the album’s sound and though it’s a great song on it’s own, it shouldn’t be used as the benchmark for the rest of the album.   A much stronger single would have been “Pyro”. This chorus-rich song tells the story of man who decides to leave his family, for fear that he has become their “cornerstone” . “Bury all the pictures and tell the kids that I’m ok. Even if I’m forgotten, you’ll remember me for a day”   “Mary” is a real standout. The verses are so different from anything we have ever heard from the Kings before, while the heavy guitar backing means it fits in perfectly with what fans know them for; hard rock.    “Back Down South” sounds just like it’s name suggests. It’s as if they wanted us to hear the sounds that had inspired them as musicians in the first place, something they were clearly trying to get back to themselves. The song ends with raucous cheering and laughter, adding to the joy and warmth of this tune.     “If you wanna go, I’m goin back down south now,  Go and take my hand I’m goin back down south now”   “No Money”, along with “Pickup Truck” sound like a nod to long time fans, both sounding like they had been written originally for “Because of the Times” but landed on the cutting room floor. It manages to be both ‘old school’ and progressive at the same time, something not to be laughed at.    “Come Around Sundown” does something fans won’t have heard before. Each song can be traced back to a previous album where we had heard that sound before, meaning it’s almost impossible to hate it. There is no ‘new’ sound on this album, just all the ‘new’ sounds they used on their previous releases merged perfectly into one.    Elaine Peppard More ... Elaine Peppard Sun, 24 Oct 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:239 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/240/The-Klaxons-Surfing-the-Void#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=240 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=240&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/240/The-Klaxons-Surfing-the-Void A review of the album 'Surfing the Void' by The Klaxons Review Snapshot:  'Surfing the Void' is perhaps on the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year, with the band's debut earning themselves the much coveted Mercury Prize. However the past three years have seen an insurgence in the world of indie music, begging the question Is there even any room for the Klaxons any more? The answer is not too positive, based on this release. The Cluas Verdict? 3 out of 10 Full Review: Three years of anticipation have been building around this album, the follow on from the Mercury Prize winning 'Myths of the Near Future'. With tales of drug binges and hallucination conversations with god, the hype surrounding 'Surfing The Void' had built to fever pitch.  In many ways 'Myths…' was so highly rated that whatever followed it never really stood a chance and unfortunately, as with many bands, Klaxons have fallen foul with their sophomore record. Whereas bands like The Horrors and The Maccabees have come back with genuine works of genius, the Klaxons' new release is in general pretentious, odd for the sake of odd.   'Surfing the Void' is quite a rough cut, with the apparent intention of being edgy and different; instead it sound messy and hurried. While 'Myths…' was filled with random guitar solos that never quite fit in, they on the grander scale of things did made sense, or at least worked. On 'Surfing…' they seem to be there for artistic effect alone. This time around the novelty has worn off, the glow sticks are gone and apparently with them the inspiration for dance floor fillers. Tracks get lost within each other, swirls of synths and an abundance of high pitched vocals drag from track to track. 'The Same Space' shows that Klaxons can actually sing, this seems to be the only step  forward as a band they have taken, even then the high pitched vocals are never far away, slightly detracting from what could have been a stand out track, instead it just becomes the best of a bad situation.  In their attempt to rid themselves' of the nu-rave label they seem to have forgotten to pick up a new one: the record seems to drift between genres, not as a broader inclusive declaration of intent, but more as a statement of a band a little lost. It's reported that during recording sessions record company execs, tired of very little progress including an entire album scrapped, took quite a firm hold over matters in order to extract something in the way of a hit. Whether their grip was too tight - or even too loose - there's not a 'Magick' or a 'Golden Skans' to be seen. In fact it would seem that the vast majority of 'Surfing The Void' is barely album track material in comparison with their freshman outing.  Listeners' time would be much better spend re-discovering 'Myths of the Near Future' for all its nu-rave, glitter and glow stick glory. Katie Murphy More ... Katie Murphy Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:240 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/241/The-Script-Science-and-Faith#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=241 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=241&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/241/The-Script-Science-and-Faith A review of the album 'Science and Faith' by The Script Review Snapshot: On Science and Faith, The Script have continued where they left off with their debut album. Catchy melodies, lyrics that you won’t need a dictionary to explain, and songs that won’t change the world. But I mean all this in the best possible way. The Cluas Verdict? 6 out of 10 Full Review: While the world waited for the “difficult second album”, the Script have played it safe and repeated what made them successful in the first place. Opening with a very long intro ‘You Won’t Feel A Thing’ sees the rockier side to The Script, with them sounding not unlike No Sweat did two decades earlier, while Danny sings “I’ll stand in front / I’ll take the blow for you”. The single ‘For The First Time’ (a recent Irish chart-topper) is typical Script, while the title track has an intro to match Bryan Adams ‘Cloud Number 9', which they may not thank me for. ‘If You Ever Come Back’ is brilliant in its simplicity. Any song that mentions ‘Key under the mat / ...Kettle on’ gives out a warm feeling. It’s a definite future single and without doubt the album’s standout track that’ll having you humming it continuously, and that’s one of their many strengths. There’s a change of musical direction on ‘Dead Man Walking’ where Danny and Mark aim at the American market with some R&B touches and rapping. This, along with ‘Walk Away’, both sound like My Town left-over b-sides. There’s no shortage of ballads here also, something the Script do well: ‘Nothing’ and the (Sting sound-alike) ‘This=Love’ are easy on the ear. Okay, so this album may not set the world on fire, and probably won’t please the critics, but the Irish trio have to be complemented for sticking to the script literally by producing material they’re happy with. And having fans like Paul McCartney who are we to criticise? Mick Lynch More ... Mick Lynch Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:241 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/242/Lucknow-Pact-Open-Your-Arms#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=242 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=242&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/242/Lucknow-Pact-Open-Your-Arms A review of the album 'Open Your Arms' by Lucknow Pact Review Snapshot: An enjoyable effort that crosses the epic/pop divide, while for the most part negating the more tedious components of that style. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: Of late there has been a flurry of bands offering up a sense of the majestic in mainstream music. From the lamentable (The Killers) to the appealing (Glasvegas), and often crossing over with a shoegaze aesthetic, the sound has manifested itself across the board, from pop to post-rock. Lucknow Pact should be counted as another edition to the cult of “the big sound.”  Open Your Arms is composed of songs that sound like contained epics, with everything expected of that aesthetic: trails of echo, synth swathes and drums that sound monumental. The containment comes from the short length of each song, which prevents lapses into overindulgence. But when they display an epic flourish, Lucknow Pact don’t hold back. The opening track, “Seagulls,” with its rolling drum patterns and soaring vocals, comes from the same stylistic stock as Glasvegas; music made for the stadium rather than the club. Some tracks progress from this short epic formula to an atmospheric style reminiscent of Seventeen Seconds-era Cure, evidenced by the combination of drum machines, acoustic guitar and high basslines. “A Guide & A Promise” showcases this aspect of the band’s sound particularly well, but it runs through the album, manifesting itself through darkly ethereal electronics and echo effects; maybe it’s due to the band’s home country of Sweden, but one can’t help but think of adjectives like “icy” or “glacial” when listening to Lucknow Pact’s forays into the late post-punk style. It’s easy to focus entirely on this aspect of the album, but encased within the encompassing production there are definite hooks and catchy melodies.  “A Few Drinks Later” is driven by buoyant guitars and piano, but lyrically is typical of this pessimistic album; while the refrain “we shine, yes we shine” is joyous in the context of a successful relationship, it turns to a plead to the past when the same relationship goes sour and the two are “now enemies,” the other half talking like they “never knew” the anguished vocalist. The album’s deft combination of indie-pop and towering production is a successful combination for the most part, but this marriage always runs the risk of dissolving into a hazy pulp; while they stave this off for the majority of Open Your Arms, on a full listen the album begins to flounder toward the late middle point. When taken alone each song makes for intriguing listening, but as a whole the production and aesthetic become slightly characterless. Open Your Arms can’t be dismissed based on this alone – such pitfalls come with the style the band works in. When it works (a lot more often than when it fails) it lends a pleasing counterpoint to the melodic tunes that form the core of the album. From the “contained epics” to the pleasingly poppy, Lucknow Pact deliver a gratifying listen that works better on repeated, closer listens, the nuances of each song revealed when separated from one another. Pádraic Grant Lucknow Pact - A Few Drinks Later by Playground Music More ... Pádraic Grant Mon, 23 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:242 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/243/Bandjo-Bandjo#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=243 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=243&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/243/Bandjo-Bandjo A review of Bandjo's debut album Review Snapshot: This welcome slice of Swedish prog-rock oozes sophistication, its ominous gems like shining soundscapes. Synth, 70s, flute, oriental notes – is there anything the duo haven’t covered on this album? A mere seven tracks long, this first full-length album from Stockholm’s finest leaves you wanting more. The Cluas Verdict? 7.5 out of 10 Full Review: Bandjo. The name suggests a cowboy kicking back with his beaten up banjo, tinkling a few chords while chewing on straw. That’s certainly why I didn’t expect Bandjo to be a prog-rock Swedish band. The name may not fit the bill, but their name fades into meaninglessness when you focus instead on their unique blend of post- and prog-rock. The duo consists of Stockholm’s Jacob Haage and Fredrik Johansson. They debuted in 2008 on the B-side of label Force Majeure’s compilation: "Force Majeure; Force Vol.1: Tunguska". And now the band has released their first full-length record, with more variety than you could shake a stick at. In just seven tracks the band shows their strength and musical talent with blends of ambience, ominous drones and sleepy guitar. Having recently fallen in love with Swedes (including the beautiful tones of First Aid Kit), Bandjo was further evidence why Scandinavians have been coming out with more than impressive music. The album begins with a meandering introduction to sound. Instrumental, lonely, and powerful, Sensu II gradually enters our consciousness with oriental notes and one distant voice penetrating the darkness. Metropolis builds up with the sound of the pan-pipe and flute skipping across drums, synth dancing its way confidently through the melody. Unknown Island shines with a Celtic twang and shamanic drones, while the prominent bass-line in Space Weather is a reminder of French electronic duo Air. You and the Sun is their single that was released back in April. The track acts like a futuristic blend of synth-pop accompanying a shimmering, dark dream. Bandjo work well with contrasts, lending a lack of light to You and the Sun. Treat yourself to this album. Its elasticity fits every mood and action: from walking home in the rain, to cleaning the house, to falling asleep for a nap. Bandjo are musical masterminds that have created a gorgeous slice of Swedish rock. Niamh Madden More ... Niamh Madden Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:243 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/244/Yosei-The-Wind-Up-Waltz#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=244 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=244&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/244/Yosei-The-Wind-Up-Waltz A review of the album 'The Wind-Up Waltz'by Yosei Review Snapshot: A beautifully restrained album, an exercise in the art of cool playing and the emotion that can be generated through the subtle rather than the loud. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: The large number of semi-folk bands present in the alternative music scene is a good thing (for me at least, it being one of my favourite styles of music) their very prevalence can be slightly overwhelming. Working from a similar, constraining stylistic map, a set of clichés have led to a sense of unoriginality creeping in when listening to certain acts. From either deliberately wacky or maudlin introspective lyrics to the standard reliance on either bland minimalism or an over-produced string/horn section, folk bands without new ideas can be enjoyable, but never inspiring. The Wind-Up Waltz defies this trend. Built on a folk foundation laced  with jazz influences, the latter heard intermittedly in both the rhythm and instrumentation of the album, the combination is a consonant one, one genre trope complimenting the other. In this respect Yosei keep their sound fresh and different from other orchestral folk acts. Their sound evokes an updated take on the jazz-folk fusion of acts like Pentangle or Wooden-O, a tendency that is sadly overlooked in the scene. Opening with “The Raven,” Lina Lagendorf’s voice sets the tone of the entire work – measured but engaging. The same song also makes it clear that this album is truly thought-out and performed to a tee; the interplay between the instruments is crafted superbly, the flute solo that tops it off sober and well-placed. While the jazz influence is a strong one, as previously mentioned another inspiration is early 70s folk. This can be heard in “The Raven,” but “Lily” trumps that song, with flute lines reminiscent of the best bands of the Joe Boyd milieu. Alongside these, Lagendorf’s voice has the qualities of Linda Perhacs or Shelagh McDonald. A constant shifting of mood pervades the album, with “Fisherman’s Song” an exemplar of this trait. Dusted with eerie, shimmering instrumentation, the song flits between contradictory feelings of solitude, threat and romantic awakening. While the narrator relates a story of loneliness and the accidental arrival of a shipwrecked sailor, the instruments move behind her, switching from ethereal backing to more assertive rhythms as the song moves from verse to chorus. The Wind-Up Waltz stands as an album that remains interesting despite its almost constant lulled-out tempo. That the band achieves this through subtle mood change and invocation of the cool and collected approach to composition, rather than succumbing to the temptation of over-orchestration, makes listening all the more enjoyable. Utterly charming, the only complaint that holds any muster is that the laid –back sound can start to sound a little monotonous, the very subtly that makes the album so intriguing also contributing to its biggest flaw. But this is a small complaint, almost entirely forgettable when set against the refined beauty of The Wind-Up Waltz. Yosei’s greatest challenge now is how to strike the balance between retaining their current style of writing and refraining from stagnation. Their next work, then, will be fascinating because of both that task and the promise of yet more pleasurable listening to come. Pádraic Grant More ... Pádraic Grant Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:244 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/245/Anna-von-Hausswolff-Singing-From-The-Grave#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=245 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=245&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/245/Anna-von-Hausswolff-Singing-From-The-Grave A review of the album 'Singing From The Grave' by Anna von Hausswolff Review Snapshot: Swedish singer/songwriter Anna Von Hausswolff aims to impress with her debut album “Singing from the Grave”. Light sweeping piano compositions and convincingly powerful vocals provide a strong opening, with first single ‘Tracks of Time’ proving to be the highlight of the record, one that is never quite matched. A record of potential that doesn't fully deliver. The Cluas Verdict? 5 out of 10 Full Review: 'Singing from the Grave’ is the first release from Swede Anna Von Hausswolff, a sometime architect student, who has become one of the most talked about artists emerging from the Nordics. She began her venture into the world of music alone in her apartment with compositions vocally and on the piano, before eventually expanding to a recording studio. Though her expressive vocal give the impression of someone far beyond her 23 years, she sways from almost whisper to beckoning choruses with ease. Hers is a niche currently occupied by such artists as Laura Marling and Regina Spektor and it remains to be seen if indeed she can compete with these more established singer/songwriters. The vocal on the opening track ‘Move On’ starts slightly shakily, taking a few seconds to fully sync with the trailing piano. At barely over two and a half minutes, it seems to cut to an awkward uncertain ending something that appeared to be building to a powerful finish. In contrast first single ‘Tracks of Time’ starts slowly building to the perfectly timed inclusion of Von Hausswolff's vocals, bursting past the simplistic piano, swelling larger and larger. The inclusion of the instrumental chorus only serve to highlight what should be a magnificent finish. Once again however, the track simply trails off in somewhat tangled confusion. In the following tracks Von Hausswolff attempts to exhibit her vocal range, with some success and some failure. ‘Pills’ manages on both fronts, opening the track in the high octaves that almost spoil the lyrical beauty of the song itself. Like many albums the stronger tracks have been front-loaded leaving the final half of the album somewhat deficient. This is most notable on closing track ‘I am Leaving’, a song that begins and ends with minimal notice or fanfare, which has the unfortunate result of allowing the album to end in a similar fashion. In this record flashes of true passion come in waves, flooding the listener's ear, with genuine emotion and empathy. It is however these moments that only serve to highlight its absence for a significant portion of the record. At only nine tracks long the quality of songs included could be expected to be of a more constant quality, instead the album often lulls where it should be gathering momentum. All in all this is an album that demonstrates much potential, potential however has not yet been fully reached.  Katie Murphy More ... Katie Murphy Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:245 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/246/Max-Richter-Infra#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=246 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=246&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/246/Max-Richter-Infra A review of the album Infra by Max Richter Review Snapshot: While not pushing the boat out too far with this piece, Max Richter, a composer famed for his work with such bands as Future Sounds of London, has constructed an evocative and sensitive piece filled with emotion and imagery. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: It’s hard to avoid the first thought that enters the mind when listening to this track: films. But comparing this stand-alone studio album is not an insult. In fact the thought merely betrays its true nature: a ballet, conceived alongside choreography by Wayne McGregor and artist Julian Opie for the Royal Ballet. This music on this album is developed somewhat from the original opera, so that it stands alone and perfectly valid as a studio album in itself. Yet to immediately associate it with soundtracking is a testament to the strength of imagery and atmosphere with which the composer has imbued it, not a belittlement of it in itself. In fact, the rich evocativeness of Richter’s music has been recognised numerous times and has been featured in film scores, including that of last year’s ‘Waltz with Bashir’ documentary, or Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’. Written for piano, string quartet and electronics, Infra is a refreshingly unembellished score, conjuring up impressions and atmospheres with apparently little effort. Though the instrumental writing is not particularly groundbreaking or new – in fact, much of it smacks just a little too much of Glass and Nymen for comfort – Richter has clearly kept things simple for a reason. Neither is the source material of the electronic movements all that original or inspiring. Radio interference, intercepted signals, feedback and static are at this stage hackneyed ideas for electronic composition, but again Richter treats them with the same delicacy as the instruments. Found sounds from Schubert’s Winterreise make an exceptional addition to the electronic background, however, as a perfect example of mood, material and theme. Sparse textures, short beautiful motifs and an aching and unassuming sadness that (mostly) manages to stay clear of cliché are evidence of the piece’s original inspiration: T.S. Eliot’s the Wasteland. Similar to the poem, the piece is delicate, poised, outwardly calm, but hints at a roiling discomfort beneath. By putting the instrumental and electronic parts together, Richter has created a duality that pervades the entire piece in different ways, not least in the structure of the piece itself. The work is divided into short movements named Infra 1-8 and Journey 1-5. While material is shared between the two, there are definite shifts in mood, for example the almost threatening dynamism of Journey 2 versus the calmness of Infra 1.The effect is like a juxtaposed 66e and Steve Reich, a marriage of classical techniques and contemporary aesthetics that makes for an interesting and evocative listen. Anna Murray Infra 1 by max richter More ... Anna Murray Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:246 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/247/3OH3-Streets-of-Gold#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=247 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=247&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/247/3OH3-Streets-of-Gold A review of the album 'Streets of Gold' by 3OH!3 Review Snapshot: With a confident blend of so many new music styles its fair to say 3OH!3 are distinctly different from other chart contenders.  However the sophomoric attitude and appalling lyrics are so bad you’ll quickly wonder if it’s all part a great commercial con. The Cluas Verdict: 3/10 Full Review: It’s not easy to be critical about a band that constantly defends their product as fun.  Fun however sells albums and rakes in the cash for the record companies. (Chart topping twins anyone?) so at the risk of being a party pooper I had an in-depth listen to 30H!3 to see if I could decipher the glitter from the gold. Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte of 3OH!3 recently released ‘Streets of Gold’.  Named after their postal code in Colorado, the boys claim to not take themselves or the industry seriously.  True to form, the album, which is jammed with popular electro hop and crunk, is a perfect snapshot of youthful exuberance and the macho swagger that often accompanies it.  You don’t need to delve far into Streets of Gold however before understanding why the music requires constant defending.‘House party’s needlessly illustrative chants are downright annoying. “I’m gonna have a house party in my house, I’m gonna pour booze down my mouth”.  While ‘Ican do Anything’ is nothing more than an incessant teenage brattish rant of . “I aint gonna take no shit from no one..I can do anything I want”.   Kevin the teenager has nothing on these boys. Musically 3OH!3 are an electro hop band, nothing new in that, The pop-charts are saturated with this style favored by the Black Eyed Peas, David Guetta, and Flo Rida to mention a few,  but by mashing this with rock and punk-crunk there’s no denying a specific sound.   It’s this sound that’s been their fortune to date securing the success of their last album ‘Want’. Like it or not, the crunk influenced barking lyrics on playing the field and brash electro beats are attractive to a teen ear; “We could do it viral..Spread it like an STD you got back in high school” With an uncategorisable sound its impossible to compare 3OH!3 to their industry peers. A clever marketing ploy perhaps to counteract the dire lyrics, infantile subject matter and over-treated vocals.  Rap is prominent throughout but with so much else happening these two physics graduates get away with having zero street-cred in a way that heavyweight rappers simply don’t.  The frenzied non-sensical lyrics come in great gushes and track-titles are endlessly repeated.  Foreman & Motte admit to retreating to a snowy log cabin and writing as much as two songs every day for 14 days; “it was like a mental vomit of all the stuff we had been thinking”.   ‘Touchin on my …’includes a censors beep. Hopelessly unoriginal considering the Pussycat Doll’s interpretation 5 years ago.‘My First Kiss’ and ‘Starstrukk receive lots of airplay, but only due to collaborations with current chart angels Ke$ha and Katy Perry. At a push ‘I Know How To Say’ gets my best of a bad bunch vote.  Unlike the other sloth-like efforts at melody making, it’s catchy. 70’s riff’s mashed with a throbbing bassline and a confident refrain that sounds uncannily Blizzards-like. 3OH!3 clearly take their commitment not to be serious, very seriously indeed. Tracks on partying hardly require a Pulitzer winning approach, yet the lyrics are unforgivably cringeworthy and sound phony. Its possible 3OH!3 are masquerading as ‘too cool for school’ purely to make a quick buck.   No one could stand over lyrics like “Everyone say fuck the DJ’s cause they ain’t playin my shit..At my house I’ll be playin my shit” and feel it was the best they could have brought to the table. If your American Pie box-set still holds pride of place in the living room then you’ll probably get a kick out of this, but anyone hoping for a bit more substance will quickly sense this isn’t the genuine article.  Yvonne Moore More ... Yvonne Moore Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:247 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/248/Teron-Beal-Liquor-Store#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=248 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=248&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/248/Teron-Beal-Liquor-Store A review of the album Liquor Store by Teron Beal. Review Snapshot:  Songwriter to the stars certainly doesn’t keep the best for himself as Teron Beal releases his debut solo effort. The Cluas Verdict? 2 out of 10 Full Review: Teron Beal is a little celebrated American singer-songwriter who has spent the last 20 years in the shadows writing songs for the likes of Pink and impressively, Michael Jackson. Quite an achievement for someone who was born when the king of pop still had an afro. Not many people have achieved such things in such a young life, however he has still gone relatively unnoticed by the wider public, and the question is; will his debut album, “Liquor Store”, change this? The album is heavily influenced by Prince, with many of the tracks featuring a similar vocal style to the tiny purple one, as well as comparable rhythmic structure. The most obvious song to compare to Prince is debut single, “New Girl.” The melody is very 1986 and the Prince inspiration goes right down to a high-octave wail towards the end of the song. Unfortunately Beal’s song writing track record, which is indeed remarkable, is not reflected in the quality of his first solo outing. Even the Prince-like “New Girl” fails to strike the listener (a 35 year old man singing about the new hot student at his high school?Perhaps it is a Beiber reject?) Another song that could be pulled in to question is the more modern sounding “Gone Now”. If the song is meant to be somewhat of a parody, it is quite likeable. However if the song (which basically depicts a cheating man who is unable to understand why his girlfriend left him for sleeping with another woman, mainly because he gives her money and never tries to hit her) is intended as a serious one would doubt Beal’s emotional intelligence, in addition to his songwriting abilities. Commentary on this album cannot go without mention of the Stone Roses cover that somehow found its way on to the track list. It is just about bearable, perhaps because Beal didn’t differentiate from the original too drastically. One song that isn’t completely disconcerting, although it does not save the album, is “Break my Fall”,  the only truly listenable track on the album. It is The Script meets Ne-Yo and its mid-chart worthiness cannot be denied. If released as a single it is likely to make a minor stir in the pop world. Overall the album is poor, lacking any pizzazz or striking lyricism and will no doubt, in time, find its way to the bargain bin at Tesco. Claire Kane Teron Beal - New Girl by Playground Music More ... Claire Kane Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:248 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/249/Little-Children-In-Silence#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=249 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=249&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/249/Little-Children-In-Silence A review of the album 'In Silence' by Little Children Review Snapshot: Linus Lutti or his musical alias Little Children, has been known as the quiet antithesis of the screaming, noisy model that had been previously established. This low-key approach can often be more astounding, more lingering, than you could ever imagine.  The forthcoming album, “In silence” will stay with you long after it ends.  The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: “Demons” opens the album and it is the perfect introduction to a voice that will stop you in your tracks. Sparse guitar and a gentle flute accompaniment compound the sadness that drifts through this song.   “With heavy steps I follow, pray for love, pray for sorrow, don’t go, don’t go, baby the walls are shrinking faster”    “Hold On” introduces a more upbeat sound to the album with pulsing bass guitar throughout. This song focuses much more on instruments with few lyrics. The flute once again runs throughout the song, adding a gentler sound to a harder rhythm.    “In Silence” is a mystifying tune, with the same heart-stopping vocals that grabbed us in the beginning.  It is heavy with bells and haunting lyrics, traits that become familiar throughout.    “What is lost can be found in the silence around. As we speak, I see it all clear”    “Salvation” is a stand out song. The power of his own vocals is something he is clearly aware of, as this song consists of little accompaniment. The chorus introduces one simple piano chord, with a strumming of guitar, nothing more is needed.    “When everything is lonely, and your body prays, make sure you ache in the middle of it”   Like a musical dream team, Linus Lutti has taken (perhaps not on purpose) all the best bits from singers in his genre. Bon Iver, Midlake and Nick Drake can be heard in moments of each song, making this an all together magical album.  Elaine Peppard Little Children - In Silence by Playground Music More ... Elaine Peppard Thu, 05 Aug 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:249 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/250/The-Crayonettes-Playing-out-Songs-for-children-and-robots#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=250 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=250&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/250/The-Crayonettes-Playing-out-Songs-for-children-and-robots A review of the album 'Playing out: Songs for children and robots' by The Crayonettes. Review snapshot: Former punk queen Anna Spencer and folk singer Kathryn Williams combine their hatred towards CDs for children to make an interesting first adult-friendly and intelligent album aimed at kids. Cluas Verdict?: 7 out of 10. Full Review: The Crayonettes is the union of popular folk songstress Kathryn Williams and lead singer of Newcastle Punk band, “Delicate Vomit”, Anna Spencer. The concept of the album is just as endearing as the actual songs. The two music veterans have relatively recently become mothers and discovered a mutual disdain for the common and fervent Children’s CDs. They wanted to produce an adult friendly children’s album to create a blissful haven for the tortured ears of mothers and fathers. Each track on the album is aimed at children while maintaining a bearable tune, covering the usual topics, questions about animals, opposites, and hopscotch.  What is most charming about the quaint album is the fact that each song was played to the artists’ sons for their approval, so each and every track comes with the recommendation of a 3 and 4 year old. The most pleasurable is “Disco Teeth”, a song the pair describe as “The Small Faces brushing their teeth”; it’s an alternative version of the much revisited “brushing your teeth is great” mantra that so many children’s CDs churn out. This time however the message is accompanied by soft folksy vocals, a catchy tune and adult guitars. One of the most fun tracks on the album is the Bowie-esque “let’s dance on the moon.” It is very electronic inspired, perfect for mothers’ ears, raised in the 80s and the lyrics are amusing for the children and, admittedly, the adults as well. The cute robot noises will also have the youngsters enraptured, and particularly winning is the penultimate line of the song, “one step for kids, one giant step for kid-kind.” Released on the 6th of September 2010, the delightful album is well worth the purchase particularly if you a music-snob-come-parent who has been driven to distraction by the incessantly cheerful children’s CDs your kids to which your kids have taken a liking. On the other hand, kids or no kids, this album is an enchanting listen. Claire Kane The Crayonettes - Playing Out, Songs for Children and Robots by One Little Indian Records More ... Claire Kane Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:250 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/251/My-Jerusalem-Gone-for-Good#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=251 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=251&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/251/My-Jerusalem-Gone-for-Good A review of the album 'Gone for Good' by My Jerusalem Review Snapshot: The critic in me has heard it all before but the music fan doesn't care making Gone for Good a rather perplexing beast. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: This review is brought to you by the thesis I've spent most of my summer working on.  It will come in three parts, the reasoning for which will become clear as you read. It should, if the people I've interviewed are correct, cover the three key roles of the music reviewer and, therefore, provide the perfect music review. The Critic: In this role, it is important for the reviewer to go beyond the pleasure of the ears and express judgement and argue the reasons for what he hears. The problem with this approach is that we are all limited by knowledge. There are those of you reading that may well have a vastly inferior/superior mental database from which to compare and contrast music. As a critic, it's my job to find common familiar group that can appease both fanboys and those of you who buy 3 CDs a year in Tesco. So, as a critic, there is one glaring problem with Gone for Good, it sounds like every intelligent alt-folk album you've heard before. Elbow-esque strings? Check. Arcade Fire style layered vocals? Check. Bright Eyes like clever lyrical twists? Check. This doesn't mean that My Jerusalem lack originality, it's just not the reason you'd part with your money.  The Cheerleader: In this role, and with so much music out there for people to choose from, it falls to the writer to look beyond the imperfections and, instead, dwell upon the excellencies and hidden beauties of the album. That's easy. From album opener Valley of the Casualties, through to closer Farewell and via all ten tracks in between, Jeff Klein and company have delivered one of those rare albums where every song could be a single; as likely to be heard on Phantom as they are to appear on Today FM's playlist. That's not to say, of course, that we're bordering on White Ladder territory. Instead, with Gone for Good, My Jerusalem have delivered this year's Seldom Seen Kid which, considering they have only been together a wet week, is no mean feat. The Archivist: The third and final role of the reviewer. It's a role you've probably taken on too. Every time you've recorded a gig with your iPhone you've added to the archive. We don't experience, we record. Likewise, I wasn't listening to Gone for Good I was making mental notes of its place in history. There's no doubting that, despite its obvious flaws, Gone for Good is a very good album. It's by no means a great album though and, if I'm honest, it will fade from memory long before the likes of Becoming a Jackal, Waltz #2 (XO), Deserter's Songs or The Soft Bulletin. It should still go down as one of the best releases of 2010 though. Steven O'Rourke Gone for Good is released on September 6 through One Little Indian. My Jerusalem - Sweet Chariot by One Little Indian Records More ... Steven O'Rourke Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:251 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/252/Olof-Arnalds-Innundir-Skinni#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=252 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=252&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/252/Olof-Arnalds-Innundir-Skinni A review of the album 'Innundir Skinni' by Ólöf Arnalds Review Snapshot: Dreamy beauty graces this short but sweet album by Iceland’s Ólöf Arnalds. Her voice represents a fairy world with the accompanying artists and her own instrumentation providing a stunning backdrop to her kingdom. Heavenly. The Cluas Verdict? 9.5 out of 10 Full Review: It’s not often I spend my time imagining an elfin creature sitting on a toadstool, swinging its legs, guitar in hand. But Ólöf Arnalds is this little elf. Her latest album Innundir Skinni evokes images of another world, an emerald landscape shining in the midst of a kingdom of fairies. I know, I know. But it is the most beautiful world I’ve come across this year. One voice enters our consciousness with the opening track. A powerful a Capella Ólöf begins on Vinur Minn and is then joined by guitar, percussion, strings, and additional voices. This lilting ‘la, la, la, la’ melody paves the way for title track Innundir Skinni with its soft guitar picking and a pixie-like Ólöf. Previously having toured with Iceland’s múm, Ólöf’s strength is not just in her voice, but also in the multiple instruments that she plays: Violin, Stroh violin, guitar and charango. The charango is a South American instrument that sounds a little like a mandolin and looks like a ukulele. We can hear its prominence on the finishing track 'Allt I Guddi'. Folk piece 'Crazy Car' is sung in English as a duet with Ragnar Kjartansson. The harmonies feel wholesome and close. ‘Please, please think inside the box only for a moment’ is a line that sticks with me. [This track will be released on 6th September in advance of the album’s release on the 13th]. From the oriental chords on 'Vinkonour' to the ethereal 'Svif Birki', and the ‘toora loora loora loo’ Irish lilt on 'Jonathon', the album is full of surprises and variety from beginning to end. On ‘Surrender’ we hear the accompanying vocals of Björk. It seems the Icelandic folks support each other: the album itself is produced by Sigur Ros’ Kjartan Sveinsson and Davíð Þór Jónsson. Ólöf said of the album that it “ended up being in charge of me rather than me being in charge of it”. You can certainly feel the music flowing organically throughout this gem. My only wish is that it could have gone on longer. At just over 32 minutes I wanted more. Ólöf Arnalds will perform in Dublin on 24th September at the Fringe, a perfect chance to hear her magical new material. Niamh Madden Ólöf Arnalds - Innudir skinni by One Little Indian Records More ... Niamh Madden Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:252 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/253/Ten-Kens-For-Posterity#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=253 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=253&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/253/Ten-Kens-For-Posterity A review of the album 'For Posterity' by Ten Kens Review Snapshot: 'For Prosperity' is the second album from Toronto Four-piece Ten Kens. The album is a heady mix of psychedelic rock and meditative melodies.  If Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’ and Metallica’s ‘Black Album’ had a baby, this would be its offspring.  The Cluas Verdict? 4 out of 10 Full Review: ‘Johnny Ventura’, the first track from ‘From Posterity’  opens with sunny guitars and cymbals but quickly takes a turn down a darker path, something which becomes familiar throughout the album. The album is drenched in heavy guitar riffs that help establish the intensity of the record and, throughout, the foursome’s musical talent is apparent.  ‘Summer Camp’ opens on 15 seconds of silence followed by the acapella voice of Workman. His voice is so high and smooth that without backing, this song could easily be heard in a church choir, something which adds its own dark undertones. Once again the lyrics might as well not be there, since they really can’t be understood; so much so that I think the band didn’t want them to. This is extremely annoying.  In ‘Grassmaster‘, we hear everything from heavy metal shouts, grunge-like moaning and that eerie, recurring vocal. However it is the drum beat that grabbed my attention throughout, as it becomes ever more frantic and domineering.  My favourite song on the album is ‘Style Wars.’ Finally the vocals become the lead instrument with a great guitar riff beneath. This is where the beautiful, more meditative psychedelic sound comes into its own. It’s easy to imagine this songs playing in the background during an acid trip in an indie film. Its length too, standing at an impressive 7 and a half minutes, makes it reminiscent of classic Pink Floyd.  The production of this album was obviously taken very seriously, the band locked themselves in a small studio, entirely submersing themselves in the music. The result is a tight, intense sound that is impossible to ignore. While this album is not in line with my usual interests, the musical talent of Ten Kens is unmissable.   Elaine Peppard More ... Elaine Peppard Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:253 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/254/The-Courtyard-Hounds-debut-album#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=254 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=254&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/254/The-Courtyard-Hounds-debut-album A review of the The Courtyard Hounds debut album Review Snapshot: Emily Robison and Martie Maguire – formerly of the Dixie Chicks are now recording new music under the moniker ‘Courtyard Hounds’. A few nuggets of brilliance here in this new album but overall it's watered down Chicks so expect to be a tad disappointed if you’ve been a loyal fan all these years. The Cluas Verdict? 4 out of 10 Full Review: If it were not for the effeminate portraits on the album sleeve you mightwonder what a female group called ‘Hounds’ were doing in the Country/Pop section of your local music outlet. Emily Robison and Martie Maguire, long recognized as the supporting duo behind powerful lead vocalist Natalie Maines in the Dixie Chicks, have embarked on their own separate grouping: The Courtyard Hounds. Robison’s marriage breakup from singer/songwriter Charlie Robison heavily influences the album. Divorce metaphors are abound in ‘The Coast’, where "its time for some sunny weather”. ‘Delight’ celebrates new beginnings and ‘See you in the Spring’ is a somber collaboration with Jakob Dylan about two long-distance lovers. The lyrics depict harsh conditions “Cold Chicago nights, chains on tyres.” but their delivery lacks enough concentration of emotion to make me care anything about this geographically-challenged couple.   Almost everything in this album is timid in its approach and bland in itsrecital. Serious issues are tackled but the majority simply lack any sort ofpunch that would engage a variety of fans in the way the Dixie Chicks did.   Relationship breakup again forms the core of a very despondent ‘April’sLove’: “You didn’t take a stand, you didn’t hold my hand”, while ‘I Miss You’ has that sunny day lying on grass melody we’re familiar to hearing on an upbeat episode of Gray’s Anatomy. The melody is cute and I do like the song but the infantile repetitive lyrics of “I miss you, I can’t wait to kiss you” leave me feeling a tad silly singing it in the car. The cute element definitely becomes nauseating after a while. As a self confessed ‘girlie girl’ that’s a worry for me as surely there’s a whole Dixie Chick audience out there being alienated.   With their contentious anti-Bush comments the Chicks were never afraid tospeak their mind, while musically they incorporated traditional instruments when aspiring to bridge the gap between country and rock. With two thirds of the chicks now hounds it's disappointing to see much of this fervor being tamed.   On the upside there are two memorable tracks on the album. The bluegrass tones and harmonies at the beginning of the brilliantly catchy ‘Aint No Son’ are the first reminiscence of the country rock we were hoping for. Perhaps years of harmonizing has left Robison inhibited, as singing in the third person is the only time we hear any real conviction in her voice. Her disdain for a small-town homophobic father in ‘Aint No Son’ is obvious in the lyrics and the fired up melody that accompanies them; “You aint no son to me, 8 pound baby boy I bounced on my knee “. ‘Then Again’, is also memorable due to its similarly catchy melody and self-deprecating lyrics.   ‘Aint no Son’ and ‘Then Again’ are the two saving graces on the album. But they’re simply too buried amongst all the other melancholy for me to encourage anyone to run out and buy this. The cynicism in both these tracks highlight Robison’s obvious ability to liberate her emotions and accompany them with a truly likable melody. Evidently, the talent is there, which suggests that with a little more self-belief, this could have been a really impressive debut album. These are two vocally strong musicians, gifted on two of music’s most rousing and emotive instruments; the banjo and fiddle, yet neither is exploited. With such a blatant album cover might I suggest it cheating the fans a little to utilize their former glory in their self-promotion, but ignore it in the production, performance and quality of their songs.   Yvonne Moore More ... Yvonne Moore Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:254 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/255/Jack-Johnson-To-The-Sea#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=255 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=255&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/255/Jack-Johnson-To-The-Sea A review of Jack Johnson's album 'To the Sea' Review Snapshot: Jack Johnson - famous for his soft, laid back sound and how he’s the perfect accompanist for a holiday - has released his fifth studio album. With it comes nothing particularly new or unexpected, but not particularly unpleasant either. The Cluas Verdict? 6/10 Full review: The opening track “You and Your Heart” will be familiar to almost all Johnson fans, as it open with an upbeat acoustic sound. My first thought is that it could comfortably be heard in the ad for a new orange juice. Turn it on when you’re packing for a summer holiday. Nothing new there. The title track fits perfectly with Johnson’s own explanation of the album title. "I guess it's a reference to a father leading his son to the sea, with the water representing the subconscious. So it's about trying to go beneath the surface and understand yourself". The most prominent lyrics in the song are “run my dear son, we’ve got to get the sea.” “When I look up” is a really lovely bite-sized track. It talks about a pleasant walk home one night, and the feelings evoked from the stars and the moon; but the gem of this song is the backing. It’s the beautiful soft gospel choir that adds a real touch of magic to this song. “Only the Ocean” is one of my favourite tracks on the album. It’s got a much mellower sound. There’s a momentary departing from summer here, to some drab rainy day in October (or July, if you’re reading this from Ireland). It has a sad, lonely feeling to it. The lyrics seem to play with the theme of the ocean that runs: “It's only the ocean and you You don't want You don't wait You don't love but you don't hate You just roll over me And you pull me in” “Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology” is a feel-good track with an echoing of true bluegrass. The lyrics are great but the real winner in this track is the harmonica, guitar and piano accompaniment. Those who find Jack Johnson too happy-go-lucky and sickly sweet won’t find anything more substantial in this album. Those strong fans or folk like me who think he’s ‘nice’, will find this a perfectly acceptable album-inoffensive, soft and altogether Jack Johnson. Elaine Peppard More ... Elaine Peppard Wed, 23 Jun 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:255 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/256/Sarah-Blasko-As-Day-Follows-Night#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=256 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=256&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/256/Sarah-Blasko-As-Day-Follows-Night A review of the album 'As Day Follows Night' by Sarah Blasko Review Snapshot: Aussie songstress Sarah Blasko's third album, but her first to be released in Europe. An album entirely worth repeated listens and will no doubt serve to make Blasko’s excursion northward a worthwhile one. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: The past year has been the reign of the female artist, between the Florences, the Marinas and the Marlings; in the realm of the alternative scene it has been a year where ‘the bands’ have been put on the back burner. Another addition to these ranks is Aussie songstress Sarah Blasko; with numerous ARIA awards under her belt, and after a recent deal this side of the world, Blasko’s been forced to start from scratch on her third album, her first to be released here. Blasko’s silky vocals ring similar to those of Norah Jones and the like, occasionally to her detriment, it is however Blasko’s off kilter sound that sets her apart from the pack, more reminiscent to that of Joanna Newsom and Fiona Apple. ‘As Day Follows Night’ is a new beginning in more ways than one, it being her first release since separating from her long time collaborator Robert Cranny and upping sticks to Sweden to record in isolation, perhaps allowing this to be a truer record to the artist than those previously release. On this outing Blasko has ditched the electric guitars and keyboards for the most part for a simpler sound, allowing for an dreamlike production to the album, swirling synths and pounding drum beats filtering through every fibre of the record. This distinction is never more evident than in opener ‘Down on love’, fluttering piano and gentle cooing lulls as an introduction. ‘All I want’ is a beautifully breathy love song of sorts, not sure who she is or what she wants, Blasko explores the loneliness that ensues “No-one wants to be lonely, But what am I to do?”. Not simply content to convey this isolation lyrically the use of a musical saw is perhaps one of the greatest musical inclusions on the record, the saw proposes an environment devoid of all living beings, purposefully stranded. ‘Hold On My Heart’ recites of love left behind, endeavouring to hold herself back from ‘him’,  “Can't please somebody else, Until you learn to look after yourself”, attempts at composure are repeated throughout “Hold on my heart, Find your stronger parts”, though it appears to be in vain. Not quite the paternal battle that one might expect from the title ‘Is My Baby Yours?’ tells of an unrequited love in a relationship “Should've known better, Fall in love, you still loved another”, the repetitive scolding suggesting itself in this statements quickened tempo serves as a future warning in matters of the heart. Though moments of brilliance percolate throughout this record, there are times where it simply coasts; not quite lifting it to the heights that the artist, from past attempts, is quite clearly capable of. At times it could be seen as too accessible, especially by those who were fans of the previous two albums. In spite of all this it is an album entirely worth repeated listens and will no doubt serve to make Blasko’s excursion northward a worthwhile one. Katie Murphy More ... Katie Murphy Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:256 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/257/Ann-Scott-Flo#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=257 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=257&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/257/Ann-Scott-Flo A review of the album 'Flo' by Ann Scott Review Snapshot: Ann Scott returns with her remarkable new album 'Flo', a collection of songs that will enthrall and disquiet in equal measure. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: It’s been quite a while since Ann Scott’s impressive second album 'We’re Smiling' was released, an accomplished album that stood up to repeated listens while her debut 'Poor Horse' was equally as arresting. Despite this, the Dublin-born singer has always remained under the radar as an artist in this country, never quite achieving the kudos she deserves. With third album 'Flo' it is surely time for Scott to step out from the shadows, as it is her most complete work to date and heralds her as a major talent. This significant creative progression is evident from the ominous opening bars of first track 'Love is in him'. Built around a simple, minimal acoustic guitar figure and gentle cello it features Gemma Hayes on backing vocals, never before sounding so spooky and disembodied. The brilliant 'Universe' has spectral piano borrowed from PJ Harvey’s 'White Chalk' album while the comparatively rockier 'Under The Sun' is oddly reminiscent, in parts, of Mogwai in their quieter moments. The rich acoustic-strum of ‘Always’ is one of the few conventional tracks here while the gorgeous title-track 'Flo' sees the desolate piano of 'Universe' return, bringing the album to a fittingly ghostly finale. What makes this album stand out from her previous work are the understated arrangements that keep Scott’s strikingly fragile voice to the fore, a voice thankfully bereft of unnecessary emoting and vocal quirks. Important to note too, that there is barely a dip in quality over the fourteen songs. If there’s a better Irish album released this year, I’ll be very surprised. Ken Fallon More ... Ken Fallon Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:257 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/258/Villagers-Becoming-A-Jackal#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=258 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=258&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/258/Villagers-Becoming-A-Jackal A review of the album Becoming A Jackal by Villagers Review Snapshot: Despite the huge weight of expectation, Conor O'Brien delivers possibly the finest Irish record you'll hear this year in the shape of Becoming A Jackal. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: It's difficult not to feel sorry for Conor O'Brien. Dude's only a slip of a thing and yet he has to deal with me putting the entire weight of my musical expectations for 2010 on his shoulders.  That said, with Becoming A Jackal, O'Brien has set himself apart from the pack. There's a tenderness and a craftsmanship at play here that is as rare as it is beautiful and for that reason alone O'Brien and his Villagers should be considered a national treasure. Opening with 'I Saw the Dead', Villagers set the scene for an album whose veins are coursing with isolation and fear and yet whose mind is set on hope and regeneration.  Such is the epic nature of 'I Saw the Dead', a song that calls to mind everything from 'A Day In The Life' to Elliott Smith's 'Whatever (Some Folk Song in C)', it almost deserves a review of its own. My only warning is that the end can be quite terrifying if you're listening to it alone late at night. It is quickly followed by 'Becoming A Jackal', a song that captures the raw emotive energy that O'Brien taps into better than any of his contemporaries.  Themes of loneliness and falling apart are evident on tracks like 'Home' - the song Roy Orbison should have written when he sat down to pen 'I Drove All Night', 'The Meaning of the Ritual' - more orchestral and moving than its version on the Hollow Kind EP and 'Pieces' - a song that should bring considerable comfort to anyone who has ever felt like they were about to fall apart. It's difficult to have complaints about an album that feels as satisfying as Becoming A Jackal.  However, I can imagine that O'Brien's constant use of rhyming couplets could grate on repeated listen and the inclusion of 'The Pact (I'll be your Fever)' - a song that could well be the theme tune to a new reality show that sees a Irish family stranded on a desert island, calypso indie pop anyone? - is odd, especially at the expense of songs like 'The Sun is Hanging from a String' or 'Down, Under the Sea'. Overall though, this is a work of real beauty and understated genius. The influences of Neil Young and Elliott Smith - especially in the multi-layered vocals that are used in a number of songs - are not ones that I'd heard in any of Villagers' live performances. This is, for me, the most beautiful collection of songs you're likely to hear this year. Free from the constraints of the 'too many cooks' nature of The Immediate, O'Brien is allowed to soar. In his own words: 'When I grew bolder/out onto the streets I flew/released from your shackles/I danced with the jackals/and learned a new way to move.' And what an accomplished way that is. Steven O'Rourke More ... Steven O'Rourke Thu, 13 May 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:258 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/259/Craig-Walker-Siamese#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=259 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=259&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/259/Craig-Walker-Siamese A review of the album 'Siamese' by Craig Walker Review Snapshot: Fifteen years after the demise of his former band - the brilliant Power Of Dreams - frontman Craig Walker returns with his debut solo-album. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: Earlier this year, legendary Irish indie-rockers Power Of Dreams reformed for a series of ecstatically-received gigs in the UK and Ireland. It was to celebrate the 20th - anniversary of their magnificent debut album ‘Immigrants, Emigrants and Me’ which still sounds as vibrant and emotionally-engaging now as it did in the early Nineties, testament to the quality of the songs on it (written when the band’s songwriter and frontman Craig Walker was just 17 years-old). The fact that it’s taken almost fifteen years since the band split amicably in 1995 for his solo debut album to appear can’t be blamed on any sort of creative stagnation on his part. Instead of going on the obligatory solo run, Walker formed another band Pharmacy and later joined UK electronic act Archive as vocalist. Walker was, after all, still in his early twenties when Power Of Dreams split and wasn’t prepared just yet to deprive himself of the camaraderie of playing in a band. It seems now though is the right time for the solo album and it’s been worth the wait. ‘Siamese’ may not have the propulsive energy of those early Power Of Dreams albums, simply because the teenage-angst that powered them is gone, replaced by a calmer thirtysomething contentment and a new sound. Opening track and current single ‘Summertime’ is a good example: the opening lyrics ‘Let a little sunshine into your heart/It’s just too easy to be always dark’ reveals a new-found optimism and its deceptively simple (aren’t they all) chorus is insidiously catchy. It's followed by ‘You And Me’, one of the stand-out tracks here: a beautifully – crafted ballad that reminds you that, like Neil Young, Walker can do sweet and gentle as well as loud and raucous. It’s a good gift to have. Elsewhere, the excellent ‘Bright Lights’ is surely destined for radio-playlist rotation while ‘Greedy Pig’ is replete with a Gallic tinge to it, perhaps a nod to his popularity in France. Overall, ‘Siamese’ is a slow-burning yet meticulously produced set of hook-laden songs that rewards handsomely after a few listens. Moreover, it sets in train a new phase in Walker’s musical journey. It’s great to have him back Ken Fallon More ... Ken Fallon Thu, 13 May 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:259 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/260/The-National-High-Violet#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=260 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=260&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/260/The-National-High-Violet A review of the album 'High Violet' by The National Review Snapshot: High Violet is the fifth album from the National and the group's most eagerly anticipated record yet. This time around the Brooklyn based band have the added burdens of worldwide exposure and greater critical scrutiny to deal with, though it appears that such pressures have either been openly embraced or actively ignored, such is the confidence with which this record is approached and realised. The result, a poignant exploration of 21st century anxieties, carefully crafted and delivered with an admirable sincerity. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Article: Few bands it seems take the long road to success anymore. What with the information super highway and the like, an outrageous hairstyle, an investment in treadmills, or even a spirited Paul Weller impression (yes, that’s a swipe at The Enemy), might just get you where you want to be. The National however, adopt a more old-fashioned approach to making music. Their incremental ascension to indie-rock stardom has been the product of hard work, strong albums and touring the arses off themselves. After Boxer (2007), the group have made their way to the precarious summit of alternative music. Those who may have feared how Berninger and co. would handle such dizzying heights need not have bothered. High Violet is the most assured album from these guys yet. It is dark and brooding from the offset, with ‘Terrible Love’ exhibiting Matt Berninger’s sombre baritone over the inimitable guitar duelling of the Dessner twins. ‘Sorrow’ follows, beginning with the line “sorrow found me when I was young. Sorrow waited, sorrow won”. And on in such a dark vain the album continues. It might be gloomy, but it is never dull. There is a refreshing honesty about the songs which makes them entirely absorbing. The National’s albums always have a deeply personal feel to them, probably since the anxieties Berninger communicates aren’t exclusive to the front man of a rock band. He sings about tenuous relationships, financial woes and feelings of alienation and paranoia.   The tracks on this record are meticulously constructed. You can just tell that the lanky lead singer has wrestled with every word he sings, every lyric written and rewritten until deemed suitable. Similarly the music is complex and bittersweet. The instrumental arrangements are the most delicate and evocative from the band to date. ‘England’ in particular showcases their musical strides, building slowly to a stirring refrain. ‘Afraid of Everyone’ and ‘Conversation 16’ are further musical triumphs, with Matt lending his signature self deprecation to the latter, muttering “I was afraid, I’d eat your brains…..because I’m evil”. Lyrics like this are not unfamiliar to fans of the band, but whereas on Alligator that line might have been a guttural roar, on High Violet there is an uneasy restraint to both the vocals and the music.   There has been no effort to radically venture a different course on this album. The band tackles introspective matters in the same way they have always done, channelling feelings of disillusionment and fear, with their distinctive voice. Instead the emphasis has been on refining the sound that has taken a decade to form. And they do it with flying colours on High Violet. It is perfectly paced, getting the balance just right between slow paced growers (Runaway, Lemonworld) and instant toe tappers (Anyone’s Ghost, Bloodbuzz Ohio). They have managed to once more improve on their previous album, which is an incredible feat considering how good Boxer was. Unrelenting in their quest to push the boundaries of their talent, it remains to be seen just how far the National could yet go.   Kevin Boyle More ... Kevin Boyle Tue, 11 May 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:260 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/261/Jonsi-Go#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=261 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=261&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/261/Jonsi-Go A review of the album 'Go' by Jonsi Review Snapshot: The falsetto flaunting front man of Sigur Rós embarks on a solo career with ‘Go’, an inspired nine track record swelling with more enthusiasm and optimistic sentiment than a Christian choir on Prozac. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: It is hard to believe, but it will be thirteen years this August since Sigur Rós released their debut album Von. And it is even harder to believe just how successful the Icelandic group have become over that time, given their tendencies towards long, drawn out musical progressions and vocals sung either in Icelandic or, more commonly, a made up jargon. And yet there was something in Agaetis Byrjun (1999) and in particular Takk (2005) that seemed to strike a chord with music followers of various tastes, leading to impressive album sales and well attended tours. But with the news earlier this year that the band were on hiatus, it seemed that such patrons would have to look elsewhere for their belly warming melodies (and that RTÉ would have to seek out a new source of dramatic musical accompaniment to their sports advertisements). Enter Jonsi Birgisson.   Even without his band behind him, Jonsi creates quite a large sound. This is due largely to the involvement of composer Nico Muhly, who brings a stirring orchestral energy to the process. Last year Jonsi released an album with partner Alex as ‘Riceboy Sleeps’. Although it was a moving experience, the album was notable for its lack of vocals, which was unusual, given that Jonsi’s voice is arguably the most potent ingredient in the entire Sigur Rós mixing pot. Fortunately, order is restored with ‘Go’ and we can once more marvel at one of the finest, gender deceiving voices in popular music.   Album openers ‘Go Do’ and ‘Animal Arithemtic’ are so lively and genuinely heartfelt that you cannot help but be drawn into the singer’s utopian convictions. And for once we can understand what he is singing about as most of the album was written in English. It is difficult to know whether this is such a good thing. Perhaps the predominant allure of Sigur Rós – and maybe all wordless ambient music - is the blank canvas that such ambiguity affords us, leaving us free to make of it what we will. It doesn’t help either that in the very first song the lyrics include “Tie Strings to Clouds” and “Make your own lake - let it flow”. Followed in the next song by a chorus of “We should all be oh alive”, which makes Jonsi Birgisson sound like a six year old, so unnaturally good natured that he could only exist in Bala-f**king-mory.   And yet that is exactly what makes the album great. The gloriously innocent lyrics and rousing musical pieces are enough to win over even the most cynical of listeners. ‘Tornado’ is one of the albums more subdued and somber numbers and seems to bring the singer down a bit, so he launches into “Boy Lilikoi” and we are returned to a state of inspirational frenzy.   In short, the album is a joyous celebration of nature, relationships and life, beautifully crafted by one of the most influential artists of the last decade. Kevin Boyle More ... Kevin Boyle Thu, 15 Apr 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:261 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/262/We-Have-Band-WHB#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=262 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=262&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/262/We-Have-Band-WHB A review of the album 'WHB' by We Have Band Review Snapshot: Three ex record label employees band together to produce an album with the dancefloor firmly in mind… The debut offering from two-boy, one-girl London-based trio We Have Band draws on an impressive array of influences, the result being an 80s-infused brand of modern day mix n’ match pop. Slick production and catchy melodies mean that WHB is an album which will command attention. With killer singles and a strong supporting cast of tracks, We Have Band are definitely ones to watch as we approach the summer festival season. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: Winners of the Emerging Talent Competition at 2009’s Glastonbury Festival, disco-rockers We Have Band have gradually garnered a lot of attention in the run-up to their debut release. The back story alone is enough to intrigue – three ex-employees of EMI, with little experience between them, decide to get together to make an album free of record label influence. Two years (and a lot of buzz) later, the debut offering from We Have Band has landed.  WHB kicks off with mundane opening track ‘Piano’, serving as a prelude to an equally bland ‘Buffet’ – both tracks in stark contrast with the energetic nature of what follows. Thankfully, recent single ‘Divisive’ is on hand to pick up the pace and get the WHB party started. It is ‘Divisive’ along with other previously released singles ‘Honeytrap’ and ‘You Came Out’ that are the obvious highlights - however, the infectious beats of tracks such as ‘Love, What You Doing?’ and ‘How To Make Friends’ really compliment the singles as part of the bigger picture of the album in its entirety. 2008 release ‘Oh!’ stands the test of time, just as enjoyable as it was first time around. And in spite of the slow start, it’s clear this is an album which has dancefloors firmly set in its sights.   What is most interesting about We Have Band is that they make no secret of the inspiration behind the music they make – the spirit of Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, New Order and even The Human League permeate the album from beginning to end. Easy comparisons can be made to modern-day counterparts such as Hot Chip, The Rapture, and New Young Pony Club. Yet in spite of the obvious influences and likenesses, the trio have still managed to carve out their own striking originality.    Overall, WHB is flawed - but by no means disappointing. A promising debut from a band who will undoubtedly delight revellers when they take this album on tour across the European festival circuit this summer.   Elaine Buckley More ... Elaine Buckley Wed, 14 Apr 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:262