M&G reviewers once again bring you an interesting selection of sounds to keep you warm
Sonic Youth
The Eternal (Just Music)
For a band that has been around for almost three decades and released 24 albums, Sonic Youth have consistently managed to avoid the mid-career doldrums. There is always just enough progression from one album to the next to keep their dedicated fans loyal. So The Eternal, the band’s first album on an independent label since 1988’s Daydream Nation, is not a return to early glories or a fundamental sea change in the Sonic Youth universe, but rather a gritty and consistent exploration from one of punk’s greatest pioneers.
Without a doubt the highlight on the album is the haunting closing track, Massage the History, where Kim Gordon’s vocals are reminiscent of PJ Harvey. This almost-10-minute epic is an atmospheric masterpiece that takes ideas the band explored on its 2002 album, Murray Street, and 2004 album, Sonic Nurse, to new heights.
What We Know is the kind of driving guitar anthem we’ve come to expect from the band, the type that steals its form from the early Stooges records and transforms it into a bombastic freak out of squelch and squall accompanied by a killer bassline from new band member Mark Ibold (formerly of Pavement). Leaky Lifeboat, which is dedicated to beat poet Gregory Corso, is a more straight-ahead rock song like those found on 1990’s Goo, whereas Antenna is a gorgeous throbbing number that is delicately laced with distortion and sounds reminiscent of Daydream Nation-era Sonic Youth.
Thunderclap, Moore’s tribute to Bobby Pyn, aka Darby Crash, the Germs’s frontman who committed suicide at the age of 22 by a heroin overdose, is another highlight. ‘You did not fade from noise meditation, you stopped abruptly while spinning down,” sings Moore above some great guitar riffing and cowbell percussion. When the song breaks down into a wall of guitar fuzz, one can’t help thinking that Sonic Youth still have what it takes — without a doubt! — Lloyd Gedye
Ashtray Electric
Bonjour (Rhythm Records)
South African indie band Ashtray Electric have done three things right in my book. The first thing is deriving their inspiration from red wine. The second thing is not conforming to the pop values that sometimes plague new and upcoming English bands. And the last thing is creating music that is as fresh and hot as a bun popping out of the local deli’s oven.
Apparently 5fm took a bite and got burned, with the station claiming Ashtray Electric were too ‘indie” for radio. I’m not the only one going gaga over this band — in May Ashtray Electric won the MK best newcomer award. And, guess what, the majority of the band originates from Bellville — sound familiar? When I first heard their EP in March, the rolling riffs and Franz Ferdinand-like sounds impressed.
But to compare the band with that Scottish band and others such as The Killers and The Arctic Monkeys does them a disservice. Their sound is all their own and André Gideon’s voice is reminiscent of Interpol lead singer Paul Banks. This boy can sing. The folly of youth, coupled with sex, late nights, nostalgic trips and the intensity of love all hold your ear until the end of the album. And then you want to press repeat.
When Sex Becomes a Sport is about love and so much more and has already become an anthem for some fans. Student radio hit Quite Overstated is about losing your head in the drunkenness of lost-and-found love. This band has attitude and their foray into the screwed-up world of love is not to be mistaken as sentimental. If you buy one South African indie album this year, this is the one to get. — Yolandi Groenewald
Fink
Sort of Revolution (Just Music)
The first few seconds of this album made me think I’d slipped in a Jose Gonzales disc by accident. But the variation Fink manages to create on an acoustic guitar and solo vocal album quickly helped me to realise that he has much to offer. The fourth album by the Brighton singer-songwriter is even bluesier and moodier than before, with his soulful voice becoming more and more confident with every album.
His lyrics are unavoidably emotionally jerking — ‘destiny’s pulling the trigger” — and come out sounding smoother than honey pouring out of a jar. Although his sound has not changed dramatically from his previous albums, it’s fine because he does it well. But Sort of Revolution feels more mature, as though he’s been training his fans to develop an ear for him. Six Weeks and Nothing Is Ever Finished are the prettiest tracks on this record and make me wonder why Fink can’t be sitting in my room, singing these songs to me. —Ilham Rawoot
Brothers of Thunder
Brothers of Thunder (Sheer)
An impressive debut from Emile and Hanu de Jong, formerly of The Narrow and Not My Dog. The brothers, one based in New Zealand and one in Pretoria, managed to put together an album of stripped-down rock ‘n roll, with less rap-like shouting than The Narrow, and more ripped-jeans melodic screaming, making for excellent air guitar.
The good melodies make this album a foot-tapping, danceable collection of new pseudo-South African rock. The boys have also opened up to the world of the synthesiser, with the confidence of the experienced. There are not many purist rockers who can embrace electronica without being called wusses by their fans. Warship is a masterpiece, an example of the band’s maturity and understanding of each other’s capabilities, which, with My Mama Said and Bless My Enemies, are the most exciting tracks on the album. — Ilham Rawoot
Various Artists
African Reggae (Putumayo)
True to their mission to unearth world music, Putumayo has scoured the continent for its reggae sounds. The result is African Reggae, a 10-track album featuring artists from Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, South Africa and other countries. If you listen to a lot of Jamaican reggae music you will notice how it differs from the reggae that comes from the source of the sound.
There isn’t a lot of fire-chanting Sizzla-style — the beat is slower, more meditative, dated around the 1980s. This difference is marked on the song that features Guinean Ba Cissoko and Ivorian reggae band Tiken Jah Fakoly. Cissoko’s kora sound is distinctive, melded with the reggae sound, placing it in a specific locale — West Africa.
If one pauses to strain one’s ears, one hears echoes of slain reggae star Lucky Dube on some of the tracks, especially on the track Jah Libile by Serges Kassy. But perhaps the outstanding track on the album comes from Nigerian Majek Fashek, whose song, Man of Sorrow, bears a strong Sly and Robbie influence. There’s that furious saxophone sound reminiscent of reggae saxophonist Dean Fraser and that resonant drum and bass sound that has come to define Sly and Robbie. If you are a fan of the genre and want to sample how the Jamaican sound has been interpreted on this continent, then this is an album you should have. — Percy Zvomuya
Bob Dylan
Together Through Life (Sony)
A new Bob Dylan album is not something to be sniffed at, especially if you consider the rich vein of form he’s been in since 1997’s Time out of mind. 2006’s Modern Times was as near to a masterpiece as Dylan has got of late, which left fans eagerly anticipating this new chapter in Bob’s career. However while Together Through Life has added some great new songs to the Dylan catalog, it easily the most disappointing album he’s made since the early 90s.
That said, the opening single Beyond Here Lies Nothing, with its accordion driven blues is a fantastic song and This Dream of You, with its dueling accordion and violin, could have been recorded for 1976’s Desire, if Dylan’s voice hadn’t aged so much. On the whole it’s not a bad album, but it’s not great either. Fans will find plenty to love and critics will claim Dylan is past it. But if there is one thing I have learnt while listening to Dylan for the last fifteen years, it’s don’t write him off, because he is bound to surprise you.–Lloyd Gedye
Flo Rida
R.O.O.T.S. (Gallo)
R.O.O.T.S. is all catchy hooks, swagger and plenty collaborations. The twelve-track compilation features amongst others Wyclef Jean, Nelly Furtado and Akon — a diverse selection of artists all of whom bring their unique flavour. Every track is a pleasant surprise and correctly represents the latest genre of American pop-rap. R.O.O.T. S, an acronym for Routes of Overcoming the Struggle, covers a diverse range of topics with tracks like Mind on My Money, which is all about stacking paper while Be on You is more a naughty love song. His record breaking digital sales though are really giving Flo the added advantage. His track Right Round, a sample of Dead or Alive’s 1985 pop rock hit, You spin Me Round has already gone platinum in the states and given its heavy rotation on South African radio stations it seems to be a favourite here too.–Karabo Keepile
Neko Case
Middle Cyclone (Soul Candi)
A piano orchestra is an out of the ordinary feature on any album, but when it comes to Neko Case, anything can happen. Having moved to a new farm in Vermont, Case turned her new barn into a studio and then used Craig’s List on the Internet to collect eight second hand piano’s, which then featured on three of the songs on her new album.
The album features a whole host of guest artists including The Band’s Garth Hudson, M Ward and Calexico’s Joey Burns and John Convertino. With guests in tow, Case has delivered a fifth studio album jam-packed with great songs like opener This Tornado Loves You and the first single People Got a Lotta Nerve.
In fact this might just be the best album of her career so far. The album also features two great covers, one of Spark’s Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth (which fits with the cyclone/tornado theme that dominates the album) and Harry Nilsson’s Don’t Forget Me, one of the songs that features the piano orchestra.–Lloyd Gedye
Madelaine Peyroux
Bare Bones (Universal Records)
Madelaine Peyroux sings with the voice of Lady Day and Joni Mitchell’s temperaments. She works with a fresh mix of textures that draw on jazz, country and blues. Bare Bones is the singer songwriter’s forth album. Unlike with her earlier offerings, this CD presents original compositions only. She covers non of her heroes or heroines. So that in the end one thing is made clear, Peyroux knows how to string a lyric, ‘Well if the rest is lost to history or maybe wasted on a fool like me // I got these bare bones — he left me something after all” goes a line from the title track.
The fifth on the eleven track album is a groovy blend of blues and soft rock song called You Can’t Do Me. It is without her acoustic guitar, only her singing. Time keeping on the track is shared between drummer and the Hammond organ. The result is a nice space for vocals, violin and electric guitar to come in and out in a call and answer pattern. No wonder the track became the first single to be released. In the end Bare Bone is a lavish bouquet of songs to please anyone down for music made for smoky blue lit bars.–Percy Mabandu
Laura Izibor
Let the Truth Be Told (Atlantic Records)
She’s gorgeous and sounds a lot like soul singer Josh Stone. Her name is Laura Izibor (pronounced Izzybor) and she is from Ireland. The half-Nigerian singer began working on her debut album Let The Truth Be Told at seventeen years of age. Now at twenty and since Samantha Mumba, she is Ireland’s newest singer export. You can tell she’s put a lot of work into the ten-track album and deservedly takes all the singing glory.
The singer/songwriter/producer wrote and co-produced the project and says the album is a refection of her truth. Born in a working class family of five children it’s difficult to believe she didn’t grow up in a musical household. “The Soul of Ireland”, as she is affectionately known by her fans, may very well be Ireland’s first star of soulful music. — Karabo Keepile
Blitzen Trapper
Furr (MIA)
Portland, Oregon’s Blitzen Trapper are a difficult band to pin down. Take the first three songs on their fourth album Furr. The opening song Sleepytime in the Western World sounds like some hybrid of Elton John and Fleetwood Mac, while Gold for Bread, sounds like Apples in Stereo and Furr sounds like a Neutral Milk Hotel outtake.
Seeing as the later two bands I mentioned are from Athens, Georgia’s legendary Elephant 6 Collective, one gets a clearer idea of what they sound like. Of the three, the title track is by far the best; in fact it may just be the best song on this album. Elsewhere the band sounds like Bob Dylan on Black River Killer and Lady on the Water and like Neil Young on Not Your Lover. Formed in 2000, this six-piece is an experimental folk rock band and it’s clear that they have an obsession with the sounds of the 70s. However their schizophrenic nature can be quite infuriating and the album lacks cohesion because almost every song sounds like it was recorded by another band. If a mishmash of 70s styled pop, rock and folk songs sounds like your cup of tea, then check this out, it didn’t do it for me.–Lloyd Gedye
Circlesquare
Songs About Dancing and Drugs (Kurse)
Minimal vocal electronica — this album makes for a brilliant rainy Sunday morning. This second album by the Berlin-based Canadian Jeremy Shaw is intense, pretty and single-minded. It’s important to note that this album is about dancing and drugs, not for them. Well, certainly not for dancing. Elements of the Accidental and Menomena, but more chilled and perhaps deeper, make this the CD a comfortable warm sounding collection of confident glitches and cheeky experimental sounds.
No track is shorter than five minutes, and each has been given a significant amount of attention and consideration. This is not necessarily a genre that will stand the test of time, and Songs about dancing and drugs is certainly not the easiest album to listen to, especially if you’re looking for cheap hooks and thrills. But if you can appreciate the subtle delicacies of the synthesized marvellousness of this work, you may just grow to love it. — Ilham Rawoot
Handsome Furs
Face Control (MIA)
Wolf Parade’s Dan Boeckner has once again found some spare time to record another album with his side-project Handsome Furs, which he fronts alongside his wife Alexei Perry. Named after the term in Eastern Europe for Bouncer’s scrutiny of punters appearance in clubs, Face Control is a little more rockier than 2007’s Plague Park, which at times was reminiscent of Depeche Mode thanks in no small part to Perry’s synth work. Handsome Furs in 2009 are a different kettle of fish and Face control as a whole has much more grit and some killer guitar riffs to boot.
Prime example is All We Want, Baby, is Everything. However, while Face Control may be a step up, it still pales in comparison to Wolf Parade’s output, particularly last years At Mount Zoomer, or for that matter his Wolf Parade partner Spencer Krug’s output as Sunset Rubdown. Not surprising then that Boeckner has been quoted as telling indie music tastemaker Pitchfork that the Handsome Furs were “basically Wolf Parade without the guy that everybody likes and no real instruments.” In Wolf Parade Boeckner’s songs perfectly compliment Krug’s songs, but when they stand on their own in Handsome Furs, I can’t help feeling there is something missing.–Lloyd Gedye