Latest music reviews, including Leonard Cohen, The Fray, Gotye, Young Adults, Chimes Of Freedom, The Twilight Sad, Tenors Un Limited, Boy Friend and All The Saints
Gotye Making Mirrors
Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas
LEONARD Cohen emerges like a spectre from the shadows to deliver one of this young year’s finest new albums.
There really are few artists in Cohen’s league, and the haunting and mesmerizing hymns on this masterful work serve as a reminder of that very fact.
There’s not a wasted moment on Old Ideas, and each listen merely compels one to go back and listen to the whole thing again in order to absorb all of the poetic lyrics, subtle melodies and distinctive imagery that Cohen has weaved together so beautifully.
Surrounded by simple yet rich arrangements, Cohen uses his distinct and weathered voice to deliver songs dealing with love, loss, longing, regret, sorrow and salvation. He moves through these various themes with a grace and ease that belies his 77 years. Religious imagery is abundant as well, but Cohen is more concerned with spirituality and the healing of hearts and minds than he is with organised faiths.
Who knows how long it will be before Leonard Cohen turns up again, but until that time, he has provided a wonderful album full of passion and fervour that a lot of artists half his age would have trouble equalling. This is truly an album to be savoured.
The Fray: Scars And Stories
THE Fray are true to their therapeutic reputation on Scars and Stories.
These are melodic, soothing, emotional forays, often downbeat in mood, crafted with the intent to apply balm to listeners’ wounds.
Despite the more or less straightforward fashion in which The Fray write and record their songs, there are certainly tracks that stand out from the warm pool of melancholy. Munich is intelligently arranged with downright beautiful harmonising and vocal blends, while Turn Me On takes a short-lived detour from the despairing vibe with its jangly, radio-ready melody and arrangement.
I Can Barely Say is absolutely aching in its lyrical precision and deep-set, crackling melody. Isaac Slade’s vocals are as piercing and emotional as ever.
Lead single Heartbeat is pristine, managing to be both muscular in its arrangement and presentation while still retaining a stark, vulnerable quality rife with emotional resonance. It’s a multifaceted track that deserves all the success that will surely follow from it.
Scars And Stories may be business as usual for the band, but it also benefits from verve, grit and artistic integrity. This is certainly a set of true, sincere, well-crafted music, and is precisely what The Fray’s fan base is looking for.
Gotye: Making Mirrors
OK, I accept Gotye’s (pronounced go-ti-yay) massive hit Somebody That I Used To Know does sound a little like the nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep when the glockenspiel kicks in, but there’s little else that can annoy you about this monster new album from a band that, surprisingly, appears to have been around for longer than you think.
In Australia, Gotye (the stage moniker of Belgium-born Wally de Backer), became a household name after releasing the critically and commercially successful album Drawing Blood in 2007. There was another solo effort before that – 2003’s Boardface – and Mr de Backer has been plying his trade with Aussie outfit Basics for some time as well. So how the hell did he fly under the radar in the rest of the world?!
Now, after a five-year absence, comes the new album. And what a belter it is.
If you’re not familiar with the Gotye sound, think Peter Gabriel meets XTC! Believe me, there’s elements of both going on here, and it’s a ruddy good mix of styles.
The aforementioned Somebody That I Used To Know is tale of a lost lover and draws on folk, pop, and electronic music. It’s the only song to feature guest vocals, that of super sultry New Zealand singer Kimbra. It has taken the western world by storm, and doesn’t look like releasing it’s grip on album charts around the globe for some time to come, such is it’s infectious pop melody (credit due to a Mr B Sheep!).
Smoke And Mirrors is an irresistible stomper. I Feel Better sounds like Motown revisited. And Don’t Worry, We’ll Be Watching You has something of a reggae beat to it. The musical flavours are all over on this album, creating a diverse-sounding min masterpiece in the process.
The rest of the album also draws on a variety of styles and reflects the range of emotions felt during relationships. Easy Way Out is a two-minute psychedelic tune. Eyes Wide Open is standard indie rock, while In Your Light is sunny folk-pop with some techno beats and occasional horns.
I could go on, but needless to say Making Mirrors is the album that will make Gotye a household name well beyond the borders of Australia and establish him as the next Sting or Peter Gabriel. Believe me, it’s that good!
Release Date: February 6
Various: Young Adult Music From The Motion Picture
THIS movie soundtrack features an eclectic mix of musical artists.
It opens with Diana Ross singing about aging from a child’s perspective in When We Grow Up, a song originally recorded for another soundtrack, 1972’s Free To Be … You And Me.
The rest of the album collects songs from some of the biggest names of the late ’80s and early ’90s alternative scene, including The Replacements’ Achin’ To Be, The Lemonheads’ It’s A Shame About Ray, Veruca Salt’s Seether and Dinosaur Jr.‘s Feel The Pain.
The collection also includes Teenage Fanclub’s timeless track The Concept, which provides the soundtrack to the opening credits of the film. And boy was I transported back in time to my uni days when 4 Non Blondes belt out What’s Up. Whatever happened to them … and my own youth?!
The album features a composition by Rolfe Kent heard during the film, and concludes with five minimalist instrumental versions of some of the biggest modern rocks songs from the ’90s. Performed by Mateo Messina, these instrumentals include Faith No More’s Epic, Pearl Jam’s Even Flow, Beck’s Where It’s At, Foo Fighters’ Big Me and Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun. I’m going to have to lie down because I’m feeling incredibly old all of a sudden!
Release Date: February 6
Various: Chimes Of Freedom Songs Of Bob Dylan
I’M a fan of broken, unmusical voices – Leonard Cohen, Vic Chesnutt, Tom Waits ... and Bob Dylan.
But, as is so often the case, the compositions of these amazing singer/songwriters can sound fresh and vibrant in the vocals of someone more, shall we say, technically accomplished!
Such is the case with many of the songs on Chimes.
Having said that, an early favourite is Kris Kristofferson’s take on The Mighty Quinn, which makes superb use of gargles-with-glass throatiness!
The songs on this album span nearly the entire length of Dylan’s career so far, even reviving a couple of favourites from his gospel-influenced days. I’m not a fan of what Sinead O’Connor did with Property Of Jesus, but I did appreciate someone resurrecting the song. Same with Gotta Serve Somebody.
Perhaps the best songs are the ones that play directly into Amnesty International’s messages of peace and justice. Dylan seems like the perfect poster child for AI, and the international flavour of many of the tracks underscores that message.
The other way the medium emphasises the message is in the album’s dizzying tolerance – not to say embracing – of all styles, from front-porch folk (Pete Seeger on Forever Young) to harmonious punk (Bad Religion with It’s All Over Now, Baby), to every point in between.
Forget ebony and ivory, if Miley Cyrus can live side-by-side with K’NAAN on my iPod, perhaps there’s hope we can all learn to get along!
Release Date: February 6
The Twilight Sad: No One Can Ever Know
AS with previous Twilight Sad recordings, there’s a feel of lyricism and poetry about James Graham’s writing that lifts the band to another level from most of their peers, while his Scottish brogue is instantly recognisable.
As if that wasn’t enough, No One Can Ever Know is musically a world away from their previous efforts, subtle and sophisticated with electronic soundscapes, effects, more Joy Division than previous influences such as Mogwai.
Having said that, this isn’t the most uplifting recording you will have heard this year – just a glance through the song titles will tell you that: Sick, Dead City, Nil, Kill It In The Morning etc don’t help to lift a flagging soul out of the gutter! But it’s one to sit down with and give a few listens to as the hidden subtleties in the music reveal themselves. Well worth trying.
Release Date: February 6
Tenors Un Limited: Viva La Vita
THE Rat-pack of opera, Tenors Un Limited, return with the release of their new album.
In their current live shows, the three singers strip back the scale of previous performances – and in certain segments play just alongside a piano.
This less-is-more approach is said to lead to concerts that are “not only more personal but also more powerful, with the true majesty of their voices proving the unmistakable focus”.
Viva La Vita is a recording of some of the greatly-requested numbers from their live shows, garnishing each song with fresh, unique arrangements.
In addition, the album includes two original compositions penned by the band themselves
Formed in 2002, Tenors Un Limited have entertained many diverse audiences worldwide, and have performed at some of the largest events, such as in front of 90,000 people before the 2011 FA Cup Final.
They’ve also sung alongside the likes of Sting, Beyonce, Lionel Ritchie and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. And now you can hear them belt out these classics from the comfort of your own living room!
February 6
Boy Friend: Egyptian Wrinkle
BOY Friend – aka Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown – have produced a debut album that delivers on what their preceding EP threatened it would do.
The female duo from Austin, Texas, have crafted a graceful record rooted in layered keyboards, compressed drums and warm Texan vibes.
The opening track Rogue Waves I acts as a tone-setter. Moody keyboards and guitars juxtapose the faint sound of birdsong in the background. The ever-evolving synth line makes the listener question whether it’s a happy song or something more sinister.
The keyboards create the rich textures of noise heard so frequently on the album, but it’s the drums that really stand out. The simple yet powerful kick and snare combo on the introduction of Bad Dream signifies that Boy Friend are here, and they mean business. By applying the ‘less is more’ mantra to their percussion work, the impact increases hugely. Whether it’s glitchy beats or bongos, the girls understand when to give them some space and when to quiet them down.
Boy Friend have been closely compared to more established acts such as Warpaint, Cocteau Twins and Beach House. This highlights that whilst they aren’t doing anything particularly original, they must be doing everything else right.
Egyptian Wrinkle is a succinct record and no song sounds out of place. The title track is a dreamscape pop song and highlights what makes this band so great. Echoing vocals seep into warm bass lines, whilst the concise drum pattern rumbles on in the background. It’s the most accessible track on the album, and worth a listen whether you’re planning to buy the album or not.
But one thing is clear: this band is motivated to succeed, and I can’t wait to hear more from them.
Release Date: February 6
All The Saints: Intro To Fractions
SHOEGAZING is slowly but surely is making its return, and before you start wistfully observing your Converse, it’s the genre of music that’s experiencing a comeback and not the verb.
Around two decades after the sound all but died about, bands such as The Horrors, Beach House and Blond Redhead gain both an audience and critical acclaim with their Nu-gaze sound.
Cue All The Saints and their album release Intro The Fractions.
On the whole, tracks on the album never outstay there welcome, and while the vocal inflections of lead singer Matt Lambert can be a bit one-note, the album’s overall dark and threatening driving force (best exemplified on short-lived Danger Flowers) means it’s a compelling, if difficult, listen.
Intro to Fractions is an album that forces your attention and shows there’s still life and creativity in this oft-forgotten genre.
Release Date: February 6
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