reviews
albums
9BACH ***
Tincian (Real World)
Having had recurrent
designs for a diverse
and authentic approach
to Welsh folk music
styles, 9Bach are making
considerable headway
with their latest release.
This album is firmly rooted in the traditional but
the arrangements are intriguing and fresh. The
delicate, tuneful melodies complement the often
sparse and cinematic sound provided by the
rest of the group. A slow start isn’t immediately
inviting but their capacity to explore many waves
of the musical spectrum will surely ensnare
you. IR
AL LEWIS BAND ****
Heulwen O Hiraeth (Al Lewis Music)
There is plenty of Welsh talent worthy of your
investments, and as always there is little to
fault with Al Lewis and his brand of acoustic
perfection. His third album continues to nail
the formula which has quite rightly seen him
enjoy international acclaim, beyond the usual
channels of Eisteddfods and Welsh media. Cân
De Bennill is California-tinged summertime
goodness, while elsewhere Esmeralda
and Gwlith Y Wawr best showcase the
aforementioned acoustic brilliance. RH
ATMOSPHERE ***
Southsiders (Rhymesayers)
Atmosphere peaked, for
many, in the early 2000s.
Since then they’ve been
tweaking their style and
gradually picking up new
fans. Slug’s lyrics have
always been bitingly
honest and that trend continues on Southsiders,
with the MC contemplating all aspects of life as
he deals with responsibilities that come with
reaching a certain age. The beats – as always,
provided by producer Ant – are top notch, often
beautiful. While many will miss the ferocity of
the duo’s earlier work, as in life… things move
on. IR
BRODY DALLE ***
Diploid Love (Caroline)
You know the drill. Punk band prematurely
breaks up under a cloud, lead singer spends a
few years making babies and discovering synths,
then re-emerges with an eclectic solo album
showcasing their more reflective side. As classy,
laidback and QOTSA-influenced as you’d expect
from the Alain Johannes/Josh Homme stable,
Diploid Love is the natural successor to Dalle’s
short-lived Spinnerette project, with little sign
of The Distillers’ trademark snarl’n’roll. As
such, it’s all right – but it’s no Sing Sing Death
House. GP
CHERRY GHOST ****
Herd Runners (Heavenly)
I’m sure Simon Aldred would be grinning with
pride if he heard that a music reviewer found
it near impossible to categorize his music, but
that’s the dilemma of Cherry Ghost’s third
album. Just when you think you know where
the album is going it takes you in a different
direction, the only thing that is consistent
throughout is the stunningly poetic lyrics. Like a
fine piece of art work, one which us mere mortals
can only admire, not understand. DC
EMBRACE *****
Embrace (Cooking Vinyl)
Like so many other
bands at their height
of their fame, Embrace
seemed to just vanish
but have now returned in
2014 after almost eight
years. Disappearing for
a while has resulted in a return to their original
anthemic directness; always makes me happy
when a band like this are humble enough to take
a step back and remember it’s all about making
music. This album is a beautiful combination of
indie anthems w ][