reviews
albums
AMP LIVE ***
Headphone Concerto (Plug Research)
The solo debut album
from Amp Live (part
of hip-hop duo Zion I,
unofficial remixer of
Radiohead and video
game musician) is an
uneasy affair. There are
properly enjoyable pop songs here (Signs, Last
Wall), but the album as a whole staggers under
the weight of its own portentousness, while
the production is not nearly as innovative as it
likes to think it is. Concept albums, more often
than not, are testaments to the artist’s vanity
and desire to be taken seriously, and this is no
exception. DG
CHARLIE SIMPSON ****
Long Road Home (Nusic)
From his pop-punk
days in Busted, to the
much heavier sounds
of Fightstar, Charlie
Simpson seems to have
covered several bases
in his relatively short
career. This latest album showcases his indiefolk side, and is quite frankly, stunning. Though
he may not have the same level of commercial
success as his former bandmates, this album
leaves you in no doubt as to who has the real
talent. Definitely a contender for one of the top
albums of 2014 so far. HL
COLD SPECKS ***
Neuroplasticity (Mute)
Canadian-born and living in London, Cold
Specks is the pet project of Al Spx. A lot has
been written of the influence of the American
Deep South on her sound, but I can’t hear
any of the pain and raw emotion. Underneath
the minimal synth instrumentation and pretty
guitars lie melancholy pop songs that wouldn’t
sound too out of place being playlisted on Radio
1. There are some standout moments on tracks
like Absisto, but it falls short elsewhere. GM
DZ DEATHRAYS ****
Black Rat (Infectious)
It’s a cliché to say a duo
playing meaty, distorted
rock tunes sound like
they have far more
members in the band, but
it just happens to be true
in this case. Talented
frontman Shane Parsons delivers strong vocals
and uses his downtuned guitar to give an
ambiguous bass/guitar sound. The drums are
expressive and heavy hit when they need that
extra power in a track, and the resulting sound is
full and heady with a melodic core. EG
GWYLLT ***
Aflonydd (Mwg)
This, the second album from Welsh songwriter
Gwyllt, traipses along nicely, with the songs
roaming over a variety of different styles,
albeit most frequently set to ‘earnest singersongwriter’. Nerth is a loping, glam-styled
number, while Dorothea dips its toe into the
milder parts of Neil Young’s catalogue. There’s
little to dislike here, even if the songs sometimes
err on the wrong side of safety. DG
HYDE & BEAST ****
Keep Moving (Tail Feather)
Dave Hyde and Neil
Bassett, of The
Futureheads and The
Golden Virgins, follow a
debut originally conceived
as an impromptu jam
with a further collection
of 70s-tinged output. The hazy west coast rock
of Blown Away frames the effervescent charm
of Keep Moving. Wearing their influences on the
sleeve, with Train To Nowhere the duo exhibit
a sound not unlike Medicine Head, while the
fuzzy guitar prowess of T. Rex inspires the main
substance of this endearing second album. CP
JAMES YORKSTON ****
The Cellardyke Recording And Wassailing
Society (Domino)
Yorkston’s eighth LP in 12 years is the first since
long-term double bass pal Doogie plucked off this
mortal coil, so it’s apt that he’s in contemplative
mood here, especially on personal tribute Broken
Wave. His whimsy is intact on Fellow Man (“You
fell in love with that action man from the waist
up”) and working with Hot Chip’s Alexis on
knob-twiddling has reinvigorated his folk sound,
with steel drums and drum machines on Guy
Fawkes’ Signature and atmospheric depth to
The Blues You Sang. CS
KEITH JAMES ***
Time Let Me Play (self-released)
Quite an unusual album to be reviewing, Keith
James uses the poetry of Swansea-born Dylan
Thomas to create his unique sound. James is
clearly a talented musician and uses his talents
to convey Thomas’ imagery in musical form and
to evoke similar emotions as the poetry. While
this relaxing and folksy style of music isn’t
greatly to my taste, it’s worthy of investigation
if you’re a a fan of Dylan Thomas or a literature
buff in general. RW
LOST MIDAS ****
Off The Course (Tru Thoughts)
Don’t be fooled by the so-so song and album
titles, this debut from producer Lost Midas
is a cruise around the neon streets of LA in
Ryan’s Gosling’s satin jacket. Sunset Strut
plugs Daft Punk’s electro into M83 widescreen
Ultra HD, Pixy Dust, Route 74 and Archetype
Forgotten are as gorgeous as any of Bent’s and
Orbital’s serene highpoints, Tick Tock Tick is
dubby electronica, while Love Undone is the
soundtrack to robots making love come the first
sunset of singularity. CS
MAYBESHEWILL ****
Fair Youth (Superball)
Acclaimed yet often
overlooked, Leicester’s
Maybeshewill have been
toiling away for years,
touring extensively and
continually improving
their sound. It’s easy to
pigeonhole them as ‘Sigur Rós with electronics’,
but that would be unfair. Fair Youth, their
fourth LP, is the best the band have sounded
yet, technically brilliant as it is life-affirming. To
be simultaneously pummeled by the drums and
bass, while being serenaded by strings and a
brass section, is something to behold. IR
THE MUFFS ***
Whoop Dee Doo (Cherry Red)
Fun, catchy tunes
on The Muffs’ new
album, their first in
10 years apparently.
Uncomplicated song
structures and melodies
are led by cracked female
vocals, giving a punky bite to what are essentially
solid pop songs. Apart from the occasional
chunky riff there isn’t a great deal of variation to
be had in these 12 tracks, but you stick around
because they’re upbeat and bouncy for the most
part; good in small doses and great for summer
party mixtapes. EG
RAVIOLI ME AWAY ****
The Inevitable Album (Good Job)
Quirky, tongue-in-cheek and likely pasta
enthusiasts, Ravioli Me Away interlace agile
energy with politically aware and avuncular
social commentary. Cat Call sees the outfit
at their strongest, opining on the diabolical
existence