Saturday 29 June 2013

Music Chart - June 2013

This month brings us new albums from Alice In Chains, Seasick Steve, Gabrielle Aplin, John Murry, Queens Of The Stone Age, Jon Hopkins, These New Puritans, Vampire Weekend, Jagwar Ma, Filter, Sigur Rós and Lloyd Cole.

The National now hold top spot from Kurt Vile, Laura Marling, Biffy Clyro and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

  1. Trouble Will Find Me by The National
  2. Wakin On A Pretty Daze by Kurt Vile 
  3. Once I Was An Eagle by Laura Marling
  4. Opposites by Biffy Clyro 
  5. Push The Sky Away by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 
  6. Kveikur by Sigur Rós
  7. Waiting For Something To Happen by Veronica Falls
  8. Love Has Come For You by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
  9. ...Like Clockwork by Queens Of The Stone Age
  10. Impossible Truth by William Tyler
  11. The Beast In Its Tracks by Josh Ritter 
  12. Nocturnes by Little Boots
  13. Heartthrob by Tegan And Sara
  14. Standards by Lloyd Cole
  15. Welcome Oblivion by How To Destroy Angels
  16. Les Revenants Soundtrack by Mogwai
  17. More Light by Primal Scream
  18. Let It All In by I Am Kloot
  19. The Sun Comes Out Tonight by Filter
  20. Spectre At The Feast by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 
  21. Random Access Memories by Daft Punk
  22. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here by Alice In Chains
  23. Black Pudding by Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood 
  24. Modern Vampire Of The City by Vampire Weekend
  25. Tape Deck Heart by Frank Turner
  26. Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO by Besnard Lakes 
  27. Howlin by Jagwar Ma
  28. Silence Yourself by Savages
  29. People, Hell & Angels by Jimi Hendrix
  30. Fade by Yo La Tengo
  31. Wolf's Law by The Joy Formidable
  32. Heart Of Nowhere by Noah And The Whale 
  33. The Graceless Age by John Murry
  34. Paramore by Paramore
  35. Tales From Terra Firma by Stornoway
  36. Electric by Richard Thompson 
  37. Oblivion OST by M83
  38. AMOK by Atoms For Peace
  39. Wonderful, Glorious by Eels
  40. Immunity by Jon Hopkins
  41. A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart by Bill Ryder-Jones
  42. Volume 3 by She & Him 
  43. Hubcap Music by Seasick Steve
  44. Wait To Pleasure by No Joy
  45. A Long Way To Fall by Ulrich Schnauss 
  46. Machineries Of Joy by British Sea Power 
  47. Pale Green Ghosts by John Grant
  48. All The Little Lights by Passenger
  49. Tooth & Nail by Billy Bragg
  50. Sound City - Real To Real by Sound City - Real To Real
  51. Disarm The Descent by Killswitch Engage
  52. The Messenger by Johnny Marr
  53. If You Leave by Daughter
  54. Pollen by Wave Machines
  55. Mosquito by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
  56. Back Into The Woods by Ed Harcourt
  57. Clash The Truth by Beach Fossils
  58. Country Sleep by Night Beds 
  59. The Next Day by David Bowie
  60. Rules By Passion, Destroyed By Lust by Asphodells
  61. Blood Oaths Of The New Blues by Wooden Wand
  62. Centralia by Mountains
  63. In Love by Peace
  64. Ores & Minerals by Mazes
  65. Pedestrian Verse by Frightened Rabbit 
  66. The Invisible Way By Low
  67. Lysandre by Christopher Owens
  68. English Rain by Gabrielle Aplin
  69. Monomania by Deerhunter
  70. California X by California X
  71. Field Of Reeds by These New Puritans
  72. Save Rock And Roll by Fall Out Boy
  73. 180 by Palma Violets
  74. News From Nowhere by Darkstar
  75. Almanac by Widowspeak 
  76. Bloodsports by Suede
  77. Graffiti On The Train by Stereophonics
  78. Wash The Sins Not Only The Face by Esben And The Witch 
  79. Comedown Machine by The Strokes
  80. The Moths Are Real by Serafina Steer
  81. {Awayland} by Villagers
  82. Out Of Touch In The Wild by Dutch Uncles
  83. Lost Sirens by New Order
  84. Girl Talk by Kate Nash
  85. Beta Love by Ra Ra Riot
  86. Early Rocking by Paul Simon
  87. Collections by Delphic

Saturday 15 June 2013

This Week - Sigur Rós, Queens Of The Stone Age and Filter

Iceland's finest Sigur Rós are usually predictable and safe. You know what to expect from their music: the soaring instrumentation, string arrangements, stirring piano, big guitars and angelic floating vocals all add to the glorious mix. But this time, a year after the release of the subtle beauty of Valtari, the departure of founding member Kjartan Sveinsson, and nearly ten years on from the masterpiece Takk, Sigur Rós have gone in a new direction. Kveikur is positively industrial, harsh and magnificently raw, like Takk in a blender. The core of the album is focused around the wonderful voice of Jónsi Birgisson, which is the big difference from the piano-led Takk and the controlled chaos of Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust. Opening song Brennisteinn sets the mood perfectly, with a backdrop of grinding machinery and melodic vocals, it introduces the new brutal landscape. Hrafntinna arrives like something from the Game Of Thrones soundtrack before Ísjaki, the album's big highlight and a supreme combination of Jónsi and the band driven forward by Orri Páll Dýrason's drums. After this build-up, Kveikur never reaches the same heights but Stormur is another emotive piece with Jónsi's unique voice shining through. The dark title track makes way for the lighter Rafstraumur and the simple closer Var brings this strange, intriguing adventure to an end. This is the sound of Sigur Rós shaking off the past to make a raw, fractured, yet emotional record.

Josh Homme is a genius but life as a genius in Queens Of The Stone Age is not easy. Homme was hospitalised in 2010 and had to 'fire' drummer Joey Castillo about a third of the way through recording new album, ...Like Clockwork, to bring in Dave Grohl. Former bassist Nick Oliveri provides backing vocals on a couple of tracks but has not officially rejoined the band, and Homme has brought in guests Mark Lanegan, Trent Reznor, Alex Turner, Jake Shears and Elton John (yes, really). In spite of this turmoil and a host of side-projects (most notably the brilliant Them Crooked Vultures), Queens Of The Stone Age remains a solid, coherent and formidable musical force. That said, ...Like Clockwork feels like a band fighting themselves and the future; but ultimately it's rewarding. Darkness is everywhere, even in its lighter, more positive moments and the approach is much more interesting than the listless Era Vulgaris. As always Troy Van Leeuwen is excellent, providing supreme guitar work, while Grohl and the much maligned Castillo add solid percussion. This is evident from attention-grabbing prog-rock opener Keep Your Eyes Peeled, followed by the equally impressive I Sat By The Ocean. The Vampyre Of Time And Memory is something of a departure but Homme's subtle vocals and more incredible guitar work create an uneasy yet satisfying atmosphere. If I Had A Tail, Fairweather Friends and Smooth Sailing are instant highlights while Kalopsia is verging on Pink Floyd, until the last minute and half brings the noise. The title track closes the album in style, with Homme's delicate falsetto and piano making way for startling guitars and drums(this time from Jon Theodore (ex-Mars Volta). ...Like Clockwork is order from chaos and the best Queens Of The Stone Age album since Songs For The Deaf.

Filter, lead by Richard Patrick - brother of actor Robert and former touring guitarist in Nine Inch Nails, has not had a typical life as a band. With many more ex-members than current personal, and a very new present line-up, Filter are a different band than that of the mid to late nineties. Short Bus and Title Of Record remained their best work but new album The Sun Comes Out Tonight takes the approach of 2010's The Trouble With Angels and provides some genuinely excellent results. The songs fall into two styles - venomous vitriol (opener We Hate It When You Get What You Want, What Do You Say and This Finger's For You) and more reflective acoustic style (the wonderful Surprise, the elegant pop of First You Break It and the sweet It's My Time). The title track is something in between while Take That Knife Out Of My Back deftly switches from soft to hard - but Filter remain a schizophrenic outfit, able to produce full-on alt-metal and light, airy pop with equal and effortless ease. Closer It's Just You is the album's most coherent and unique moments, as it seems to transcend this juxtaposition. The Sun Comes Out Tonight is Filter at their best and this is a tremendous, and worthwhile, comeback.

Saturday 1 June 2013

Music Chart - May 2013

A definite case of quality over quantity for a busy May. New albums this month from Little Boots,  Noah And The Whale, Deerhunter, She & Him, Savages, Primal Scream, Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood, Daft Punk, The National and Laura Marling.

Kurt Vile holds the number one spot from Laura Marling and Steve Martin/Edie Brickell.

  1. Wakin On A Pretty Daze by Kurt Vile 
  2. Once I Was An Eagle by Laura Marling
  3. Love Has Come For You by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
  4. Trouble Will Find Me by The National
  5. Impossible Truth by William Tyler
  6. Opposites by Biffy Clyro 
  7. Push The Sky Away by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
  8. Waiting For Something To Happen by Veronica Falls
  9. The Beast In Its Tracks by Josh Ritter 
  10. Nocturnes by Little Boots
  11. Heartthrob by Tegan And Sara
  12. Welcome Oblivion by How To Destroy Angels
  13. Les Revenants Soundtrack by Mogwai
  14. More Light by Primal Scream
  15. Let It All In by I Am Kloot
  16. Spectre At The Feast by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 
  17. Black Pudding by Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood
  18. Tape Deck Heart by Frank Turner
  19. Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO by Besnard Lakes 
  20. Silence Yourself by Savages
  21. People, Hell & Angels by Jimi Hendrix
  22. Fade by Yo La Tengo
  23. Wolf's Law by The Joy Formidable
  24. Heart Of Nowhere by Noah And The Whale
  25. Paramore by Paramore
  26. Tales From Terra Firma by Stornoway
  27. Electric by Richard Thompson 
  28. Oblivion OST by M83
  29. AMOK by Atoms For Peace
  30. Wonderful, Glorious by Eels
  31. A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart by Bill Ryder-Jones
  32. Volume 3 by She & Him
  33. Wait To Pleasure by No Joy
  34. A Long Way To Fall by Ulrich Schnauss 
  35. Machineries Of Joy by British Sea Power 
  36. Random Access Memories by Daft Punk
  37. Pale Green Ghosts by John Grant
  38. All The Little Lights by Passenger
  39. Tooth & Nail by Billy Bragg
  40. Sound City - Real To Real by Sound City - Real To Real
  41. Disarm The Descent by Killswitch Engage
  42. The Messenger by Johnny Marr
  43. If You Leave by Daughter
  44. Pollen by Wave Machines
  45. Mosquito by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
  46. Back Into The Woods by Ed Harcourt
  47. Clash The Truth by Beach Fossils
  48. Country Sleep by Night Beds 
  49. The Next Day by David Bowie
  50. Rules By Passion, Destroyed By Lust by Asphodells
  51. Blood Oaths Of The New Blues by Wooden Wand
  52. Centralia by Mountains
  53. In Love by Peace
  54. Ores & Minerals by Mazes
  55. Pedestrian Verse by Frightened Rabbit 
  56. The Invisible Way By Low
  57. Lysandre by Christopher Owens
  58. Monomania by Deerhunter
  59. California X by California X
  60. Save Rock And Roll by Fall Out Boy
  61. 180 by Palma Violets
  62. News From Nowhere by Darkstar
  63. Almanac by Widowspeak 
  64. Bloodsports by Suede
  65. Graffiti On The Train by Stereophonics
  66. Wash The Sins Not Only The Face by Esben And The Witch 
  67. Comedown Machine by The Strokes
  68. The Moths Are Real by Serafina Steer
  69. {Awayland} by Villagers
  70. Out Of Touch In The Wild by Dutch Uncles
  71. Lost Sirens by New Order
  72. Girl Talk by Kate Nash
  73. Beta Love by Ra Ra Riot
  74. Early Rocking by Paul Simon
  75. Collections by Delphic