With the release of their debut album, Trading Daylight for Twilight, the Los Angeles-based quintet, Great Northern has created a unique brand of intimate modern pop music consisting of ethereal and expansive melodies.
Easy Tiger is not a disappointment or a bad record, it just fails to take any kind of grip by playing it too safe. Minus the humorous rocker “Halloween Head,” Adams isn’t looking to raise any eyebrows on Tiger.
Stateside, the Kaiser Chiefs are known for their highly infectious pop punk smash, “I Predict a Riot,” from their first album, Employment. And with the release of Yours Truly, Angry Mob,the Leeds-based quintet of Ricky Wilson (vocals), Simon Nix (bass), Nick Baines (keyboards), Andrew White (guitar) and Nick Hodgson (drums and backing vocals) all have the hopes of winning over American fans.
With the return of drummer Nick Jago to their lineup after a prolonged battle with drug and alcohol addiction, the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s latest album Baby 81 should be considered a return to their previous form in the likes of their first two albums: BRMC: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Take Them On, On Your Own.
New York band Phonograph is an adventurous lot if you were using the catchy, groove-tinged “In Your Mind” as a measuring stick. The song sounds like it could have been recorded during Wilco’s Summerteeth period but with an experimental side to it.
It’s easy to overlook the dark heart at the core of Crisis Helpline, but don’t be fooled…under the tasty pieshell of some beautiful sounds lies a deep, dark slice of life that Hoeffleur serves up so perfectly.
The best thing that can be said about God Save the Clientele is that it’s so consistent that it’s quite scary. Whether you’re enjoying short gems like “Carnival On 75th Street” or the urgent feel on “No Dreams Last Night,” you feel as if they’ve been possessed by The Go-Betweens in their prime. A great album!
Generally it is a good album, but there’s no overt need to get all riled up over The Electric Soft Parade.
They’re six cool cats from Melbourne, Australia who felt adventurous enough to travel beyond the beaches Down Under for their sophomore release as The Cat Empire.Havana, Cuba is the birthplace of Two Shoes – recorded at the famed Estudio Egrem and produced by Jerry Boys ( Buena Vista SocialClub).
Divergent from the dour sounds of fellow Scandinavian synth imps, The Knife, Datarock comes across like a Norwegian Ween (with wardrobe tips from Goldie Lookin’ Chain).
