Fan Death – Womb Of Dreams

Fan Death - Womb Of Dreams

We’ve all been there – wondered if Dave Grohl has died again this week and ended up three hours later stuck in a never-ending carousel of Wikipedia entries. Criticised for its lack of accuracy (although for reliability, the BBC has it only a gnat’s chuff off the Encyclopedia Britannica – but then, I found that factoid from Wikipedia itself), as “free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual, encyclopedia projects” go (again, lifted from Wikipedia’s entry on itself, which is already some fucked up feedback loop), when it comes to binging on pointless information, it’s a pretty cool resource to have. … Continue Reading

PVT – Church With No Magic

PVT - Church With No Magic

While being robbed of their vowels by similarly-named Yank band Pivot would present something of an issue on Countdown, it seems to have proved a blessing in disguise for Aussie electro three-piece PVT. Not only does their new handle sound more like a physics equation, sitting comfortably with their bleepy maths rock output, they’ve used it as an opportunity to start over. And from the title onwards, this is an exercise in spiritual rebirth.

Beyond the name, the most obvious new development is that they have literally found their voice on Church With No Magic. Rather than applying vocal noises as just another layer of instrumentation, the songs are increasingly shaped around frontman Richard Pike’s actual singing, and his talent is such that you wonder why he didn’t pipe up earlier. … Continue Reading

Bathcrones – Psychorama

Bathcrones - Psychorama

I was just thinking I’ve not been smacked around the head with an arsenal of dusty vintage synths and recording equipment for a while and then it happens twice in as many months. First Emeralds’ out-there Does It Look Like I’m Here? blew my brainbox right out, which unfortunately leaves little for Matthew Jackson Johnson (Bathcrones to you and me) to work with. And while it’s not quite up there with the Emeralds effort (hey – if you’ve heard it you’ll be thinking what is?), it packs enough of a punch to leave you feeling woozy. … Continue Reading

Sleigh Bells – Treats

Sleigh Bells - Treats

In science, there is what’s known as the “Star Trek effect”, when the cultural impact of sci-fi is such that it actually influences the development of technology and ends up existing in the real world – from the Clarke Orbit, the geostationary positioning of satellites first theorised by the 2001: a Space Odyssey author, to apparently nearly every aspect of Minority Report and sadly not the hoverboards from Back to the Future Part II. In musical terms, the film This Is Spinal Tap has enjoyed a similar impact – in fact, last year’s genuine documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil rode uncomfortably close. And somehow, despite all the hyperbole that should stand as a warning, the first image you get as you slap on Sleigh Bells’ monstrous debut is of a mixing desk being set to 11 – 12, at a push. Loud just got louder. … Continue Reading

The Roots – How I Got Over

The Roots - How I Got Over

Still the smartest, most engaging hip-hop act out there, The Roots continue to prove that the genre doesn’t have to be about lazily lifting and regurgitating breaks. Sure, they borrow threads from elsewhere – although they have the nous to make them less-than-glaringly-obvious, adding to the appeal for cut-spotting nerds – but the beating heart of the collective is always ?uestlove’s thundering percussion, making this more of a “band” experience than the limited nature most rap outfits impose on themselves.

How I Got Over – studio album number nine – might numerically continue where Rising Down left off (the band has numbered their album tracks chronologically since they began, although digital formatting made it difficult for me to check in this instance), but this is a different beast. Wiry, clocking in at just over 40 minutes, it’s also perhaps lighter in tone – said to be reflecting a sense of relief following the fall of the Bush administration, although it turns out there’s still a lot to get worked up about – and more immediate than the last two Def Jam outings, it could still kill a mood in certain circles. Catchy in places, a party album it isn’t. … Continue Reading

Wild Nothing – Gemini

Wild Nothing - Gemini

Openers can be tricky. Typically, it pays to be confident, ballsy and begin with a statement of intent, not to shuffle in offering some sort of apology. And yet the fade-in that ushers in ‘Live in Dreams’, the first track off Wild Nothing’s Gemini, sets the tone perfectly. It’s understated and a bit groggy, but it tells you that like the bespectacled geek at school, this is an album that will always grow up to be more interesting than the popular kids. … Continue Reading

Africa Hitech – Hitecherous

Africa Hitech - Hitecherous

For all its right moves, Warp Records seems to be growing uncomfortable with its age. Having turned 21 this year, and existing as a record label at all in an era of downloads, torrents and self-publishing, there’s pressure to still be relevant. But try too hard and it comes over like a portly, balding, middle-aged dude desperately attempting to pour himself into a pair of skinny jeans. … Continue Reading

Emeralds – Does It Look Like I’m Here?

Emeralds - Does It Look Like I'm Here?

Here’s an opportunity to remind yourself why ears were invented. As prolific as they might be, Cleveland, Ohio outfit Emeralds are hard to pin down. According to Discogs.com, they operate a production line, churning out more than 30 releases in less than four years, including one on Thurston Moore’s imprint Ecstatic Peace!, yet of the two bands on MySpace I found with their name, they are neither. If Wikipedia is to be believed, their back catalogue consists of mainly cassette recordings and self-burnt CD-Rs, although their last effort was released in “floppy disk, mud and sunlight” formats. That might be a round-about way of explaining how out of place this sounds in the current musical landscape, being composed entirely of woozy instrumentals built up of oscillating loops that showcase an arsenal of dusty equipment last used to soundtrack episodes of Doctor Who in the mid-1970s. … Continue Reading

Beach Fossils – Beach Fossils

Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils

That this band has fallen on Beach Fossils as a name is presumably not an accident – from Wavves and Beach House, you can join the dots. Then there’s the sun-bleached, salt-licked holiday feel, with sand finding its way into every nook, even adding an unwanted crunch to your sandwich. Just check the track listing: ‘Vacation’, ‘Lazy Day’, ‘Daydream’. But also, it’s also a nod to an ancient world, as far as the current rate of development goes – not so much a forgotten time, more one that just keeps on getting dug up. … Continue Reading

Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

Need some perspective? Ever since Bon Iver’s epiphany that became his out-of-nowhere all-conquering album For Emma, Ages Ago, the humble log cabin in the middle of nowhere has become the venue of choice for alternative musicians in need of regrouping. Like monks retreating to Tibetan monasteries, these secluded spots offer the chance for reflection. And on a press release, they provide a story, a cause, even an injection of mysticism, and PRs love that crap. … Continue Reading