MP3BLOG

Recently added to my CD collection: Brooke Waggoner - Sweven (2016).

Sweven continues on the odd, misshapen path Brooke Waggoner began to explore on 2013's Originator. Waggoner isn't so much interested in the destination as she is in the journey and, consequently, Sweven can feel a little bit formless as it flits from schizoid rockers and twinkling instrumental interludes to fully formed orchestral pop. Clearly, some of these tracks are meant as nothing more than vehicles to set the mood, functional aural sketches that keep the album slightly off-kilter. As the record winds along, the settings turn expansive, relying on strings and double-tracked vocals, arrangements that suggest an ever-opening world while also functioning as a counterpoint to the album's frenetic beginning. If the two halves don't quite match exactly or if the songs deliberately evade instead of hook, the atmosphere remains alluring, as does the suggestion that Sweven is headed in directions Brooke Waggoner never intended to go.

Recently added to my CD collection: Clark - Clark (2014).

Rather than fighting the SoundCloud hivemind with real people playing real instruments, à la Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, he composed Clark largely on a computer by himself in a barn in the middle of the English countryside, cracking codes and inflicting glitches. As computerized watches and glasses inch toward ubiquity, this idea of subverting machines to make them more human seems like a particularly worthy preservation strategy—and nobody does that quite like Clark. Yes, he makes music that sounds like the end of the world. But he also makes you want to live long enough to see what that will look like.

Recently added to my CD collection: Alain Souchon & Laurent Voulzy - Alain Souchon & Laurent Voulzy (2014).

Enfin, avec Il roule et surtout Bad Boys, le voyage mène vers une envie un rien plus rock, avec, pour le deuxième thème en particulier, un intermède dans l’enracinement du blues rural. C’est probablement là que le duo se montre le plus surprenant. Mais qu’elles soient par endroits plus Souchon ou plus Voulzy, les chansons deDerrière les mots sont bien pleinement aux deux interprètes. Avec un troisième homme qui participe à cette belle réussite, l’orchestrateur, claviériste et arrangeur Frank Eulry.

Recently added to my CD collection: a-ha - Cast in Steel (2015).

Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy created a thrill of excitement amongst their fans when they announced a reunion, but even the most dedicated would have been hard pressed to imagine they’d return with an album so compelling. A-ha has never been more experimental with differing sonic ideas and textures as they are on Cast in Steel. It’s clear the album isn’t a halfhearted comeback attempt—they really went for it. There aren’t any zany upbeat dance tracks to try and remix to death and fit in with what gets played on Top 40 radio these days. There is not one particular song that towers above the others—it’s solid all the way through. It’s not a lazy retread of “Take on Me” or any of their other older hits. Cast in Steel is a triumphant return. It’s wonderful to hear one of the most underrated bands of the last three decades back with such a powerful musical statement.

Recently added to my CD collection: The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness (2015).

Sometimes, the album stirs up real drama. "In the Night" could be just one more "Dirty Diana"-style ode to a predatory babe — until we learn the woman in the song is the victim of abuse, "dancing to relieve the pain." And even when Tesfaye is merely being a drama queen, it's hard to look away. On "Prisoner," he hooks up with Lana Del Rey for a summit of luxuriant sadness. It's quite the slow-burning pity party — "I'm addicted to a life that's empty and cold," they sing. Ironically, this album is where the Weeknd starts warming us up like we never thought he could. 

Recently added to my CD collection: Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependence (2009). 

It sets a high precedent, and one that Declaration of Dependence emphatically lives up to. Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay Kings of Convenience in 2009 is that for an act whose success stems directly from their effortlessly intuitive style, they’ve never sounded quite as effortless – or as intuitive – as they do here. Heck, your parents will probably like it too.

Recently added to my CD collection: Poets of the Fall - Jealous Gods (2014).

Nevertheless, ‘Jealous Gods’ is a must listen for the epic instrumentation! A little dash of reverb to the electric guitars to make them stand out, a good measure of crunch to the rhythm guitars, and the listener-friendly disposition of the acoustic guitars braid the music perfectly! The electronic effects tastefully embellish the melodic progressions and keyboard work. ‘Jealous Gods’ speaks of the diverse musical prowess of the band in the energetic strums of “Brighter than the Sun”, a noticeable punch added by the drums in “Rumors” and “Love will Come to You”, memorable guitar solos in “Nothing Stays the Same” and “Brighter than the Sun”, vocal falsettos, the perfect deal of heaviness in “Jealous Gods”, “Clear Blue Sky” and “Hounds to Hamartia”, despite upholding an acoustic essence.

Recently added to my CD collection: The William Blakes - An Age of Wolves (2012).

There aren’t that many protest bands around these years, but The William Blakes have been one from the start, and five albums in they show no signs of shutting up. Which I really quite like. On ‘An Age Of Wolves’ – their fifth opus since the 2008 debut ‘Wayne Coyne’ – the global economic crisis, the end of the world and “a necessary spiritual awakening” (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of our common sense more than a religious) are the lyrical themes, while the manic musical antics that characterised the quartet from the beginning have been turned down a notch without abandoning their equally characteristic lust for experimentation. Agree or disagree it’s liberating when musicians speak out (if they have something on their mind, that is – mindless blabber was never good for anything) and for that reason alone The William Blakes are worth attention. And the music ain’t half bad either…

Recently added to my CD collection: Guy Garvey - Courting the Squall (2015).

You suspect he just wanted to see what he might do solo, rather than planning to do so long-term; trying paragliding, rather than getting a divorce. There’s an irresistible parallel in Garvey’s personal life. The romantic split from his long-term partner that informed Elbow’s The Take Off and Landing of Everything (2014) still resonates; but another love, it seems, has begun. There is still “the dust of self-loathing and unreturned clothing”; but there are also trumpets. At the end of Yesterday, we have the album’s big reveal. “I am reborn,” Garvey declares, throwing those curtains wide, “Cos my girl loves yesterday/ And lives for tomorrow.”

Recently added to my CD collection: Chairlift - Moth (2016)

While not a minimalistic record by any stretch of the imagination, Moth greatly benefits from a toned-down approach that gets to the core of what makes each song work. Chairlift have never been shy about their commercial aspirations, but rather than trying to conform to recent trends, they’ve focused on piecing together a brisker version of their signature sound. Even if Moth doesn’t catapult them to larger venues, it stands on its own as a joyous and engrossing work.

Recently added to my CD collection:  Foals - What Went Down (2015).

The new Foals LP feels like the completion of an unplanned trilogy—Total Life Forever embraced commitment, Holy Fire yearned for liberation, and this is the band recoiling from the blowback. At this point, Foals have mastered an arena-funk hybrid that others have only touched on.

Recently added to my CD collection: The Maccabees - Marks to Prove It (2015).

As it is, by turning their focus outwards, The Maccabees have paradoxically learned more about themselves, what they can do as a band and where they can go from here. It might not have been an easy path, but the bruises show on the end product as beautifully as a black-and-blue sunset.

Recently added to my CD collection: Duran Duran - Paper Gods (2015).

While the guest musicians all add their own flair to the album, the show is run by Le Bon and co., and they don’t slack. Some of the songs are too obvious, as the lyrics to Paper Gods are meant to be a scathing indictment of Hollywood but play too cheesy even for Duran Duran. For the most part, though, they nail it with more hopeful lines, such as a moment on highlight “Sunset Garage”, when Le Bon notes, “Whatever happens, we’re still here.” For a band that’s been committed to their craft for decades, it’s a fitting and reassuring message that they’re still reaching ahead. Many others would take a relaxed, safe approach to their 14th album, but Duran Duran innovate and push further. It may be flawed in parts, but Paper Gods is an ambitious and worthwhile effort that more than justifies its existence.

Recently added to my CD collection: Lissie - Cryin' to You (2014).

Cryin’ To You is a breathtaking collection of covers, offering a unique and original twist on a handful of well-known hits. The song choice is appropriate and well suited by Lissie’s versatile smooth yet edgy voice as they flow effortlessly into each other. Lissie and her band have produced a wonderful EP which they should be proud of and which would not be out of place in any music fan’s collection. 

Recently added to my CD collection: Barenaked Ladies - Silverball (2015).

Granted, long-time fans might find it somewhat sad that the fanciful sentiments that guided those aforementioned hits no longer hold sway. However, they can also take heart; beneath the glossy sheen, a celebratory sound still manages to permeate the album overall. This is a group that appears renewed, confident in their ability to make music that’s as insightful as it as entertaining. For as much as it appears to eschew its usual oddness for a measure of orthodoxy, the buoyant, bouncy Silverball still retains its lustre.

Recently added to my CD collection: The Tea Party - The Ocean at the End (2014).

For an eighth studio album “The Ocean at the End” represents THE TEA PARTY in a comfortable light- confident and enjoying the pleasure of each musician’s company so to speak. Those who like Progressive Rock with Classic and Exotic touches, this would be a good start to get into their catalog.

Recently added to my CD collection: Blonde Redhead - Barragán (2014).

Blonde Redhead began dabbling in electronic sounds on 1998’s “Missile + +”, and they go down a similar path on two Barragán tracks, “Dripping” and “Mind to Be Had”. Neither use those icy pulses to decent effect; the former teases with glimpses of ghostly melody without fully coming into focus, and the latter is a nine-minute slog of ping-ponged monotone. “Defeatist Anthem” sums it up best: Makino coos and sighs expectantly, and for a second, it seems like something—anything—might take flight. Then it just squirms in a circle of listless prettiness. “We wanted to make something timeless and pure, and perhaps a little minimalist too,” drummer/singer Simone Pace recently said in an interview. Instead of timeless, though, Barrágan is static; instead of pure, it’s blank; instead of minimalist, it’s stingy.