ALBUMS
The Moonlandingz -' Interplanetary Class Classics'
This interesting, yet unexpected collaboration between members of the Fat White Family and Sheffield's Eccentronic Research Council has proved to be so much more than a recreational side project - resulting in synth pop bliss. The combination of the raging untamed raw energy of the Fat Whites gives the album a sort of Pick and mix feel of glam intertwined with Sordid, venomous snarls and groans. The beauty of this album is that you really don’t know what you're going to get from one song to the next. We go from a melodic ballad like "The Strangle of Anna' to discordant whales of saxophones and guest screeches courtesy of Yoko Ono. In theory it should be in tatters - but its successfully meshed together by razor sharp, song writing teeming with explosive poppy choruses.
BLONDIE - 'pOLLINATOR'
There is always a fear, isn’t there? But there is nothing quite like the fear when a beloved long-lived artist releases new material that it won’t live up to expectations. It’s not just that we hold them up higher than others or expect more. They need to live up to their legacy. We don’t want them to fail.
Blondie have been going since 1976 and show no signs of stopping. Debbie Harry remains the aloof punk pixie, and the band are as full of driving energy and zest as they ever were. Many tracks retain motifs from their earlier output, and this is not a bad thing. Pollinator feels like an album they’ve been performing and refining for decades. And maybe they have? They’re doing the same thing as they’ve always done, and it is magnificent. This is not a regurgitation of old ideas, but a band who are comfortable in their skin, and are bringing their original sound to a new audience with freshness, style and panache.
GORILLAZ - 'HUMANZ'
The new Gorillaz album comes across as more of a 'starred' Spotify playlist than an album due to its interchanging cast. Overall, it's a pretty disappointing album - Albarn's heart was in the subject matter however, his execution appears lazy and anti climatic. The biggest disappointment being Grace Jones' appearance on "Charger" - there is nothing there to hold your attention. The subtle throbbing of a monotonous two note guitar lick and Jones popping up to murmur a line or two drags the album into a dark corner of the Gorillaz world.
It's as if Albarn and Hewlett are making up for the albums complete lack of character with an impressive collaboration line up.
MUSIC