Tuesday 31 December 2013

Eleanor Seabird - New Year's Resolution

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Happy New Year, this little blog returns after a week off for Christmas (it went in a blink - I hope yours went well too) and here's a perfectly titled track by a new artist to me, London's Eleanor Seabird.

The song "New Year's Resolution" is available below (as a live video and a free soundcloud download) and perhaps is one to listen to with your regret and hangover (not that I will this year, my New Years Eve plans evolve completely around my recent discovery of American Horror Story).

Languid guitar shimmers provide the backing for Eleanor's butterfly soft vocal and lyrics full of both longing and optimism. A new year has (almost) begun indeed. Here's wishing you all the very best for 2014.


Tuesday 24 December 2013

Merry Christmas

Happy Christmas to each and every one of you who has read, listened and shared my little blog this year.

I'm now taking a little break until the New Year to spend some quality time with my family, friends and good old games.

To sign off, the best Christmas related thing I've seen this year, shown to me by a friend the other week and since I've giggled at it a good dozen times....

Monday 23 December 2013

Sea Lion #3 - Christmas Of Our Own

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I'm looking forward to the new Sea Lion record which I hope will be released next year (after news of her signing to Turnstile records, home of Perfume Genius amongst others, this). First though there's a seasonal track which popped up on her Soundcloud last week - as a side note, I highly recommend paying a trip to that page as it features numerous cover tracks not on either of her releases thus far. My favourite of which I covered right back in January, "Love Story"...

"Christmas Of Our Own" doesn't really sound like your traditional festive track, you won't be reaching for this as you party with friends, there are no sleigh bells or optimism for the season of good will. Instead it stays true to much of Sea Lion's previous work, plucking straight at your hear-strings, an intimate, naked beauty backed with little more than Linn Osterberg's finger-plucked acoustic and fragile, soft whispers. The result is as pretty and melancholic as you could wish for - one for the late-night moments when everyone else is tucked up in bed leaving you alone with your thoughts and malt whisky.

Souvenir Stand #3 - Christmas Waltz

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A couple of Christmas themed posts before taking a well earned rest and where better to start than with Souvenir Stand, since I first featured the New Jersey indie pop 60s-inspired singer/songwriter here in June 2012 I've been fortunate enough to be involved in the release of her brilliant debut EP Days on cassette tape via Beautiful Strange and you may be excited to know there's more where that came from next year with a 7" single planned.

This track is a demo cover of "Christmas Waltz" that Stephanie put on her soundcloud last year, that doesn't stop me posting it now, her beautiful, sweet-hearted vocal delivery lends itself perfectly to a seasonally themed song and there can't be many better tracks to have on your mix-tape whilst you're wrapped up warmly on rug waiting for Santa to come down the chimney.

I try to avoid overblown praise of Beautiful Strange artists so I'll shut up there and let the music do the talking below...



Sunday 22 December 2013

Wild Ones #2 - Hold On, We're Going Home

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Because I pay precisely no interest in the charts and national radio I'd not heard this song before, the chances are (the original does have 32 million plays on YouTube) you probably have. "Hold On, We're Going Home" is by Drake who I'm guessing in a US pop-rap act (I tried to listen to his version but after a minute no music had come on and I got bored) and I'm here because Wild Ones have decided to make the track their first cover version.

I posted about the Portland quintet last month (head here for that post) and their version transfers the same smoldering indie-pop catchiness to this Danielle Sullivan has this beautiful, easy on the ear vocal that flutters softly over a bed of shimmering guitar, skittering percussion and heavenly guitars - if I didn't already know it was a massive pop hit I'd probably be proclaiming this as the future...

Wild One's debut album Keep It Safe is available from Bandcamp now.

Saturday 21 December 2013

Julie Byrne - New Music "Introducing"

http://juliembyrne.bandcamp.com

Here's is a discovery with thanks to Gold Flake Paint, a stunning one at that too, Julie Byrne a Stateside (I've read her location as both Seattle and Chicago) singer-songwriter whom is due to release her debut full length due in January next year. Entitled Rooms With Walls and Windows it brings together two earlier cassette EP's and is due January 21st as a super limited coloured LP via Orindal Records.

There are two exquisite previews below which give an indication of a bewitching talent, "Melting Grid" sets the tone; a sparse, wistful beauty where little more than Julie's earthy, raw tones and finger-picked acoustic guitar (which the odd bit of pan flute) gets under you skin and transports you to a magical, yet bitter-sweet world.

Similarly "Prism Song" weaves an organic tapestry of heart-felt storytelling lyrics with haunting vocals and evocative instrumentation - the dreamlike result makes you wish you were sitting around a warm fire allowing this to seep through body and soul. Beautiful is this.



Friday 20 December 2013

Molly Beanland - New Music "Introducing"

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I've always been an absolute sucker for a nostalgic power-pop ballad, my love of them harks back to many, many years of watching my local non-league team as a child from the late eighties all the way through to adulthood. For a good half dozen years or so the sound-system at Marston Road must have had just about three tapes which were repeated every home game, they were full of real classics like "China In Your Hand", "Eternal Flame", "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "It Must Have Been Love"...

I could go on but basically that paragraph sets the scene for a song that sounds like it was written in the same era but wasn't, it is by London's Molly Beanland and was released just last month. The track "Night Dreams" is exactly that, a glistening synth led beauty full of bombastic beats, kaleidoscopic melody and a sumptuous vocal that's flutters bright with glorious ease.

Another track found on Molly's soundcloud "Electric" is a more slow-burning affair, the emphasis of Molly's haunting vocal delivery combine seductively with minimal and restrained electronica. Just gorgeous.

"Night Dreams" is due for release January 20th next year.


Thursday 19 December 2013

Be Forest #4 - Colours

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Here's a downside to being quite so pre-occupied the last couple of weeks, I've missed out the ultra-limited LP version of Be Forest's forthcoming second album Earthbeat (there were just 100 white flecked copies of the vinyl available via label WWNBB's Bandcamp and all are gone)...

To equally sooth the pain / increase the jealousy of the lucky people getting one (although I presume a standard version will follow when the album is released in February) the Italian quartet have shared the second song from the records "Colours".

It follows closely to the newly worn path thread by "Captured Heart", an infectious combination of tribal drums, shimmering guitars and ethereal vocals which lay a beautiful tapestry in which to can easily lose your thoughts amongst a warm, dreamy lightness that I'm still adjusting to hearing from the band after the dark chill of their debut Cold. It's a good job I'm equally fond of all seasons... Listen below:

EMA #7 - Satellites

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I can still remember the initial wow factor when I first came across Erika M Andersen's EMA at the start of 2011 through her outstanding single "The Grey Ship", her debut full-length (ignoring her earlier project Gowns) Past Life Martyred Saints followed suit and similarly impressed featuring at number four in my albums of the same year. A raw, brittle beauty that laid absolutely everything on the line, the result was as powerful an experience as music can render.

Now EMA return with "Satellites", the first track taken from her new album The Future's Void (due Spring 2014). As experimental and intense a moment as she's produced, Erika's guitar seemingly laid to one side and in its stead the track is dominated by industrial beats, throbbing bass and a squealing radio-static fuzz, Satellites is the perfect title too, a track that sounds like it could literally signal the end of the world. Curiosity and excitement levels for album two raise.

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Bon-Bon - She Don't Want To Know

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Bon-Bon is London based singer-songwriter Sian King who came to my attention in the midst of writing up my 'albums of the year' posts last week (thanks again to Twitter). I got the ideal starting point through the lead single to her debut EP She Don't Want To Know, a beautifully formed pop track that combines bubblegum vocals with psychedelic organ swirls and vibrant percussion.

Crying out for the attention of mainstream radio-play "She Don't Want To Know" will instantly embed itself in your brain with an infectious melody full of life and a rich, soulful vocal that progresses in tandem with bright piano chords to reach a powerful climax that will have you reaching for the repeat button. A little bit creepy, dramatic, hooky, powerful, wonderful - basically a perfect pop song.

The full EP is available via iTunes now.

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Sumie #2 - Speed Into

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Last week I had one of those evenings which remind me exactly why I love music quite so much. For me at least, it possesses a rare quality capable of transferring you completely away from any of life's troubles and to somewhere much more beautiful (or louder, or fun, however you need). On Wednesday I wearily headed to the Slaughtered Lamb and caught two beguiling sets that soothed my mind and left me glowing with a lovely, warming feeling (and I don't think it was fully to do with the four pints of Camden Pale I had!)...

First it was Sophie Jamieson, an artist I recently featured amongst my 'Tips For 2014' posts, as talented a new singer-songwriter as London currently has to offer. An ending salvo of "Ode to the East", "Waterloo" and "Dinah" highlighting her exquisite talents and with a new track hinting at added percussion for the future, I can't wait to hear (and see too no doubt) where Sophie (and band) head next.

The evening's headliner, playing her first London show was Sumie who last week released her debut full-length via Bella Union and played a serene and beautiful set that sent shivers straight through you, delicate finger plucks accompanied by a guitarist adding more intricate shimmers set amongst Sumie's fragile whispers and intimate songcraft, the recently released stream of "Speed Into" sums that experience up and gives an intoxicating glimpse of a record ideally suited for winter's dreamers.

Sumie is available now.

Disraeli Gears #4 - Rotary

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I'm really happy with my year-end posts this year, a varied and quality (of course I'm biased) list of acts whom deserve our utmost attention in the year to come, one such band I included in my 'tips for 2014' Disraeli Gears make a quick reappearance on the blog after sharing a new/old track last week...

Although newly shared "Rotary" is actually the first track the London/Leeds quartet wrote together and belatedly makes its appearance online as a free download just in time for the festive season (don't expect any bells or appearance from Santa).

Another masterclass in the loud/quiet dynamic, "Rotary" sees lead-vocalist Teia Fregona's haunting vocals at their most devastating amongst chiming guitar patterns before booming tom drums signal a slow-burning rise to a deep and darker melody where soon the bands expressive, widescreen dynamics come to the fore before completely overpowering with a squealing, compelling climax of controlled aggression - quite stunning and yours for free with a click below.

Monday 16 December 2013

St Vincent #6 - Birth In Reverse

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After spending two weeks covering 'list season' the blog will now return to normality for a week before a little Christmas break and what better way to return than with news of a new album by St Vincent. Annie Clark's fourth will be a self-titled one and we've been treated to a free download (via link below) of the first track to be taken from it "Birth in Reverse".

The track sees Annie wield her guitar as a magic wand with a series of aggressive guitar riffs wandering around propulsive rhythms and chaotic synths, there's a relentless beats and a typically ethereal vocal delivery, basically a perfect summation of one of the most inventive and progressive artists of this generation.

St Vincent can be pre-ordered on vinyl (it comes with a special limited 12" single) with release planned for February 24th via the St Vincent store. Annie Clark plays a show at Shepherds Bush Empire a few days earlier - I cannot wait.

Sunday 15 December 2013

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: A Digest


Earlier today I completed my favourite albums of the year posts, twenty five great albums that all deserve their place. They were another handful of albums that I could have easily included; Just Handshakes, La Luz, Widowspeak and Marnie Stern all released equally impressive albums and the list of albums I've not actually heard goes on longer than I could recall but I'm happy with my list and looking through it, it really does show what a super year for music 2013 has been. To save you reading all my nonsense this post is a brief summary of the albums in reverse order:

25. Big Deal - June Goom
24 Torres - Torres
23. Oh Land - Wish Bone
22. Esben and the Witch - Wash the Sins not Only the Face
21. Camera Obscura - Desire Lines
20. Zola Jesus - Versions
19. Basia Bulat - Tall Tall Shadow
18. Pins - Girls Like Us
17. Editors - The Weight of Your Love
16. Agnes Obel - Aventine
15. Lady Lamb The Beekeeper - Ripley Pine
14. Savages - Silence Yourself
13. Veronica Falls - Waiting For Something To Happen
12. The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law
11. London Grammar - If You Wait
10. Anna Von Hausswolff - Ceremony
9. Chelsea Wolfe - Pain Is Beauty
8. Lanterns on the Lake - Until The Colours Run
7. Daughter - If You Leave
6. Laura Marling - Once I Was An Eagle
5. David Bowie - The Next Day
4. Caitlin Rose - The Stand-In
3. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
2. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
1. Anna Von Hausswolff - Singing From The Grave



My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Seven - Number One

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Seven - Number One

Direct Links to Albums (updated as they become live) : 25 - 22 // 21 - 18 // 17 - 14 // 13 - 10 // 9 - 6 // 5 - 2 // 1

1. Anna Von Hausswolff - Singing From The Grave

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Hmmm, yeah, so my album of the year isn't actually from 2013. Sorry about that! It is my blog and it is my rules... Singing From the Grave was released in 2010 but didn't cross my ears until I returned from End of the Road festival at the start of September this year, so by that regard it is an my favourite album of the year and that's what this list is all about...

Anna Von Hausswolff had just performed a blow-away set at the festival, a show that stunned an entire crowd into jaw-dropped silence with an intense and gripping sound and with Ceremony already in my possession (an album I put at number ten in this very same countdown) I looked at her website after returning home and saw the link for another CD that I didn't know existed, a debut album released via Kning Disk which seemingly hasn't found too many ears out of Sweden. It really must.

I can remember when I first listened to it, it wasn't in the most conventional of setting for most people but is quite usual for me, it was on the treadmill in my local gym. I was soon bewitched by the most stunning of records and since then it has been my most listened to record of the year so even after a year which has seen some great, great records from some of my all-time favourite acts putting Singing From The Grave as number one was never out of the question.

The album is not quite as dark or cinematic (though equally challenging perhaps) as Ceremony and relies primarily on Anna's powerful vocals, her piano and some strong instrumental flourishes. The result is as dramatic and bombastic as any record you're likely to hear and evokes deep emotion through a goose-bump inducing voice and rich, heart-felt songcraft.

After the delicate opener "Move On" kicks off the album with an exquisite piano waltz it's "Track of Time" which first send shivers through you. As personal and beautiful a track as I've ever heard, heading straight to the heart, it lives and breathes a wounded soul around plaintive piano chords which speak as many tales as the lyrics, you can almost touch the sadness throughout, "Track of Time" is a compelling and genuinely moving experience.

From a softening opening "Above All" rises against twinkling piano circles to an equally strong and dramatic conclusion, the title track is the darkest of all and "Lost at Sea" is as bombastic and brilliant as they come, a wizardry of piano melody and strong, urgent percussion combine to create another captivating (and somewhat terrifying) aural storm.

If you've still not felt the emotion by now you're probably made of stone but then comes along "Old Beauty/Du Kan Nu Dö" (You Can Die Now according to Google translate) to shatter any remaining feelings you may have, half sung in English and half in her native tongue the track is a devastating, fragile ballad with Anna's most intimate vocal delivery wrapped around piano chords which threaten to explode with emotion.

A truly stunning record that I'm very glad to have discovered (if some three years late). Hopefully perhaps one or two of you may now. That's the whole point of this long, long list after all...

Saturday 14 December 2013

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Six - 5-2

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Six - 5-2

Direct Links to Albums (updated as they become live) : 25 - 22 // 21 - 18 // 17 - 14 // 13 - 10 // 9 - 6 // 5 - 2 // 1

5. David Bowie - The Next Day

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It's fair to say that David Bowie wins the award for best music surprise of the year (and possibly worst album cover art too). I think even the most optimistic of fans were probably thinking to themselves that perhaps finally David had quietly retired then wham, out of nowhere on his 66th Birthday (I know) we get not just a new track but news of a new album The Next Day too. That teaser track was better than it had any right to be, "Where Are We Now?" is a reflective and philosophical beauty full of brooding mood and a whispered vocal that reminds me of some Heathen work, full of experience, depth and a genuine beauty, it introduced a Bowie who'd seemingly gained much during his ten years of 'retirement'.

The Next Day kicks off with the stomping title track, one of the years most punchy, spiky and dirty rock song full of driving rhythms and with lyrics seemingly full of self mockery/observation (the repeated cries of "here I am, not quite dying..."). It's an album that sounds warm and is full of character and soon it imposes itself on you in its own right rather than for the initial shock value of its existence. "Dirty Boys" is another great track full of funky horns and a superb chorus while "The Stars Are Out Tonight" is probably the most accessible and perfectly formed tracks on the album (and was followed by a similarly glittery video), shimmering instrumentation and bright, beautiful vocals, it's timeless Bowie through and through.

"Valentine's Day" is another winner, combining vulnerable lyrics with timeless instrumentation and possibly the albums best melody and vocal delivery, "How Does The Grass Grow" contains more ideas in its four minute length than some bands come up with in their entire existence and I absolutely love the last track "Heat" too, as haunting and reflective moment as The Next Day offers, a defiant and emotive stunner that hits right at your guts.

Now then David, how about announcing a couple of UK shows for your 67th Birthday?!



4. Caitlin Rose - The Stand-In

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I've long documented my love of Caitlin Rose and her debut album Own Side Now (my album of 2010). I've seen her live well into the high teens (not bad for a non-UK artist) and I think her voice is the most soulful and flawless of our generation. To say my expectation for her second album The Stand-In was high would be an understatement, thankfully Caitlin has delivered above and beyond what I could possibly have hoped for.

The album highlights that of a maturing, progressive artist and the addition of a full band is a natural one, the result is stylishly crafted and full of velvety polish with a much stronger, defiant sound after Own Side Now's introspective melancholy. It kicks off with its biggest moment of all, the fantastic "No One to Call", immediately highlighting that grander scope with a kicking, percussive heart and fantastic hooks, there's a real sense of fun throughout which was previously only touched on the live version of "Shanghai Cigarettes". Caitlin's voice is at the top of its game too, smooth, expressive and when combined with the masterful arrangements it gives the track a timeless, classic feel.

As well as being a classy affair, The Stand-In is also a varied one "I Was Cruel" (a cover of The Deep Vibration) is a beautiful, aching ballad which highlights Caitlin's exceptional vocal range amongst rich, warming pedal steel and slide guitar and "Waitin'" finds Caitlin in defiant mood, delivering a wounded, country-tinged song with the ballsy edge of a rock band - the ringing melody sees heavy drums and deep bass rhythms propel Caitlin's ever impeccable vocal which soars some pretty dark emotion with such effortless ease.

The highlight is perhaps "Only a Clown", a bright, smooth pop song that sounds gorgeous stirring around chiming guitars and a luscious vocal delivery before "Pink Champagne" delivers the most lonesome and beautiful moment on the record, a faultless emotive vocal and guitars that pluck at your heart-strings. It gives the perfect reminder of why I fell so hard for Caitlin.

I could easily write about every track on the album, the heart-breaker "Golden Boy" or another of my favourites, the shining, sweetly romantic "Silver Sings So Well" and there's even time for a smoky jazzy club track "Old Numbers" but you've probably got lunch to eat or something so I'll just tell you to go and by The Stand-In now, I've even included a handy link above.



3. The National - Trouble Will Find Me

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You'll no doubt be aware of The National by now, their success may have been a relatively long time coming (my first live experience of the band was May 2005 on the Alligator tour - at the 100 Club, slightly different to two nights at Ally Pally!) but now onto their sixth full album Trouble Will Find Me the New York quintet have firmly established themselves as the masters of sincere tales of broken hearts and bruised souls. It's no different this time around.

The album is immediately distinguishable as The National of course, from the maudlin guitar strums of "I Should Live in Salt" you are wrapped in Matt Berninger's deep, baritone vocal awash with a reflective sound that creates beautifully vivid landscapes around rich, plaintive melodies. The National are confident in their craft by now and Trouble Will Find Me is the most self-assured record they've produced yet. "Demons" is another tour-de-force of storytelling, a dark, brooding ballad that builds amongst luscious instrumentation and feeds off a drip of emotive power and lyrical beauty.

Both "Graceless" and "Don't Swallow The Cap" are the next installments to the bands sing-along anthems, thrilling with wall-of-sound exciting as robust percussive beat and glistening keys drive their melodies towards climaxes of outpouring emotion and mood while "Sea of Love" is another exhilarating track which bursts straight out of the gates with a heavy percussive heart around jagged guitar hooks and it keeps getting better as the tempo increases like an out of control steam train.

Their ballads have never sounded more mournful, haunting and subtle than on the exquisite "Pink Rabbits" and "Heavenfaced" is another perfect example of the bands maturing versatility and substance, melancholy has never been so brilliant than with The National in its control.

Rich and deeply layered Trouble Will Find Me grows and grows and rewards with each repeated listens, I'm pretty sure I've said something like this before but this is easily the most complete album The National have produced over an immaculate career.



2. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

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Arcade Fire's reinvention of themselves as The Reflektors and a hype-laden release build-up shrouded in mysterious messages and online videos worked as well as any PR this year (aside from the bang of the aforementioned return of Bowie) and the Canadian mega-group's fourth album Reflektor stands up to every possibly line of scrutiny that can be thrown at it (and as anyone lucky enough to see them on their recent bout of UK shows will testify, it translates perfect to the stage).

An undoubted curve ball, Reflektor takes the bands Haiti roots to heart with more influences coming from dub and disco, it could have ended in disaster (and probably has according to some) but it is an album I keep finding myself listening to and on repeated listens it unveils another layer, that's the mark of an album of the year in my eyes.

You've got to start with the title-track, "Reflektor" doesn't immediately strike you as Arcade Fire, indeed the funk-laden bass-line and shuffling percussion sound more Prince or LCD Soundsystem (James Murphy produced the album after all) but as the track progresses and builds around its wonderful groove, Win Butler's distinctive vocals (equally RĂ©gine Chassagne's too) start to shine through (with David Bowie also providing a couple of backing vocals). At almost eight minutes in length the track is the very definition of "epic" and announces itself as the most wonderful of openers.

The dance-floor mood is maintained by the deliciously offbeat groove of "We Exist" with beautiful harmonies and bright multi-layered instruments, it remains an absorbing listen. The carnival atmosphere reaches its peak on the celebratory "Here Comes The Night Time" with deep bass-lines combining with Haitian drums and twinkling piano and on a similar theme "You Already Know" will have you shuffling around in your chair.

It's not all disco grooves, rock heads will be pleased by the crunching riffs on the outstanding  "Normal Person" while "Porno" sounds exactly as dirty as the title suggest, thick 80's inspired chords repeat around Win's seductive vocals. Another highlight is the New Order inspired "Afterlife" which bristles with unadulterated joy that personifies what the album achieves to me. What we have (in my opinion) is a band free to express their own freedom and ideas and Reflektor might just be revered to in the same breathe as Funeral in years to come. I can't pay it a much higher compliment than that.



Friday 13 December 2013

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Five - 9-6

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Five - 9-6

Direct Links to Albums (updated as they become live) : 25 - 22 // 21 - 18 // 17 - 14 // 13 - 10 // 9 - 6 // 5 - 2 // 1

9. Chelsea Wolfe - Pain Is Beauty

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Chelsea Wolfe has been one of the most prolific artists of the last few years; two studio albums, a live release and an acoustic album (as well as a split 7" and tribute EP) all in a relatively short period of time and with never a sign of dropping quality either (and worldwide tours on top). Not one to rest on her laurels Chelsea released her third album Pain Is Beauty in September this year and it might have come as a little shock at first for fans, sure you can instantly recognise Chelsea Wolfe, it's eerie, haunting and made it the dark but it sounds altogether different to anything heard previously. Instead of dirty, sludgy riffs swathed in distortion and the doom-laden drums there's predominantly a stark, minimalist electronic sound to the album and it works perfectly.

"The Warden" sees a thin, ethereal vocal whisper float over stark, industrial beats and glittering synths, its ominously beautiful yet powerfully hypnotic, similarly both "Reins" and "Sick" are full of eerie, droning soundscapes with a cinematic atmosphere that could soundtrack a nightmarish film while "House of Metal" is staggeringly brilliant built around looping electronics and twinkling glockenspiel-esque sounds, pulling you deeper and deeper into Chelsea's immersive world.

There are moments where the scope and ambition far surpasses anything that has come before it, both "Feral Love" and "Kings" are full of electronic energy with a brooding repetition and insurmountable amounts of tension building, the night is long and full of terror indeed while "The Waves Have Come" surpasses both in terms size and scope, an absolute behemoth of a track. Guitars do make an appearance of course, "We Hit A Wall" is full of echoey guitar patters and doom-laden drums whilst closing track "Lone" is a soft acoustic lament that recalls lasts years Unknown Rooms album, all in all Pain Is Beauty soon becomes the most fully realised Chelsea Wolfe album from a prolific artist at the top of her game.



8. Lanterns on the Lake - Until The Colours Run

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Lanterns on the Lake's 2011 debut Gracious Tide, Take Me Home was a stunning introduction to a beautiful, expansive group. The Newcastle quintet returned (with a slightly different line-up) in early September with Until The Colours Run, an album that takes their cinematic and emotive song-craft to an even higher level with sweeping, progressive atmosphere and pure, majestic beauty.

Opener "Eloide" sets the tone with a slow-burn build the ideal combination of beautiful quiet and aural storm, its bedazzling instrumentation shimmers and the heart-melting vocals of singer-songwriter Hazel Wilde remain in perfect unison as it aims straights for your guts. "The Buffalo Days" similarly beguiles with its vocals firmly at the fore around restrained acoustic guitar and a creeping mist of haunting instrumentation which only adds to the delicate, natural sounding melody.

The title track sounds as dynamic and fresh as anything the quintet have released so far, sweeping you off your feet with kaleidoscopic instrumentation bustling with life, bright and dramatic it's in direct contrast with the albums next track "Green and Gold", the most heart-stirring of moments where Hazel takes solitary control with here soft, twinkling piano keys, emotive vocals and the most intimate of lyrics ("well this was the part where you picked up and started again, you learn fear is just a fleeting thing"...). It's quite devastating.

The albums centre-piece though is "Another Tale From Another English Town", a track which manages to encompass together everything you think of when you think of Lanterns on the Lake, a  luscious, tinged-in-melancholy track where strings swoon over gentle but gripping landscapes. In summary Until The Colours Run is a complete delight and the perfect accompaniment to a nice long drink of whisky - I don't think there is a highest compliment to be paid than that!



7. Daughter - If You Leave

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I've written a lot about Daughter since my initial introducing post in November 2010, two and a half years later an expanded trio released their debut If You Leave and with it fulfilled all those superlatives and some more with the most potent combination of intimate song-writing, widescreen instrumentals and one of the most emotional and haunting voices in music.

"Youth" is the track which has most come to signal both the bands progression and that of their fan-base, the track has grown since its original place on The Wild Youth EP with textured drums, shimmering guitars and a pulsating heartbeat more prevalent than ever, characteristics of the progressive Daughter sound, yet still Elena's lyrics remains as bare-souled and enchanting as ever, striking hard with a pure-affecting vulnerability and heartbreaking power. When I heard the track met with a huge roar of excited squeals at recent live shows, the sort of squeals you'd normally associate with X Factor type acts, the trio's journey was made real, Elena's little giggle and smile summed up their feelings perfectly too.

The rest of the album is a masterclass in wounded, confessional lyrics which provide goosebumps moments at almost every turn, "Smother" tugs at your heart strings with its vulnerable guitar lines, the fragile "Shallows" is as tender and restrained as it gets and "Tomorrow's" slow-burn ambient electronic washes provide an emotional overload, slowly swelling around incremental progression as glacial guitars and rumbling percussion gradually become the focus of the track.

"Human" provides a fiery rest-bite to the intimacy but it is the stark, wounded lyrics and Elena's gorgeous voice, capable of healing any number of wounds that stays with you longest when this exceptional debut is over.



6. Laura Marling - Once I Was An Eagle

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Laura Marling, it is incredible to think that she is still only 23, already possesses a timeless collection of material and is armed with the ability to bring together people from all warps of life in awe of her talent and masterful song-writing skills. Her fourth album Once I Was An Eagle came out in the Spring and is, for me at least, the sign of an artist taking a mighty step up from already impressive highs and producing her most consistent piece of work to date.

Instrumentally stark the focus is on Laura's guitar and words with the odd bit of carefully-placed drums or orchestral swelling, it's darker and heavier than anything Laura's released before and there's also an excellent use of space and prose throughout. Once I Was An Eagle is an album in every sense of the word, it can be a demanding experience and it commands to be listened to as one, in fact the first five tracks play into one another like an epic story, the triple hit of "I Am An Eagle", "You Know" and "Breathe" mark the highlights for me, rising and falling with rich flourishes of depth, beauty and adventure. Laura's voice is distinctive and powerful enough to hold your attention and the lyrics combine to be a cohesive one. It's near pefection.

Elsewhere there are moments of true beauty like "Once", a simple and beguiling beauty. The solo acoustic tracks are arguably where Laura strikes hardest and here her plucks and devastating tone are pure, heartfelt and beautiful while "Master Hunter" shows the other side of Laura's arrangements, dazzling around bold, organic percussion.

There are more breath-taking moments too such as "Little Love Caster" and the closing track "Saved These Words". In total it's sixteen tracks and over an hour long with a deep, powerful narrative that keeps on giving and still leaves me breathless (even after hearing the tracks a good twenty times or so). In summation, what we have is an extraordinary piece of work from one of this generation's true stars - simply a magnificent achievement.

Thursday 12 December 2013

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Four - 13-10

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Four - 13-10

Direct Links to Albums (updated as they become live) : 25 - 22 // 21 - 18 // 17 - 14 // 13 - 10 // 9 - 6 // 5 - 2 // 1

13. Veronica Falls - Waiting For Something To Happen

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Veronica Falls kick-started 2013 with their infectious second album Waiting For Something To Happen, a glorious release full of beautifully melodic boy-girl harmonies, precise rhythms and blissed-out guitars that built on the signature sound perfected on their debut with the addition of bright, breezy tunes and more lyrics about the wistful remembrance of youth rather than the darkly themed subjects of suicide hot-spots and graveyards!

"My Heart Beats" was the first track we hard from the record and it gives a fine example of their purposefully paced jangle-pop sound which has soon seen the quartet become one of the flag-bearers of this generation's indie pop brand. An abundance of vocal interplay with sweetly sung verses and infectious choruses liable to hang around in your head for days. Part of the bands magic is that they have perfected the knack of making every one of their tracks sound like something you're already familiar with, it puts you straight and ease and brings immediate joy.

Highlights are everywhere, the charming "Teenage" is a cute and unadulterated pop tune, "Buried Alive" is equally playful swooning about the chance of immediate death and "Broken Toy" rattles with urgent, compulsive beauty. Elsewhere though the album is more contemplative, my favourite of which is "Last Conversation", the gloriously melancholic closing track which is perhaps the most complete track the band have produced to date.

Ordering the album from Rough Trade is advised, not only do get the LP but you also get a bonus EP of cover versions - you can't grumble at that.



12. The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law

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Following The Big Roar, my album of 2011 was always going to be a difficult task. Did The Joy Formidable achievement the almost impossible with January's Wolf's Law? The simple answer is Yes and no. The album is definitely that of a growing band, literally at times. Full of vast, ambitious soundscapes where punishingly drums combine with giant-sized guitar riffs and intense vocals.

At times it works perfectly, the joyous "Tendons" is pretty close to the formula of the debut album, a real cacophony of devastating guitar riffs, Rhydian's deep bass combine with whirlwind drums and Ritzy's beautiful, ethereal vocal, soaring and searing amongst softer tranquil moments. It's a track pretty close to perfection. The album's preceding singles work well too, "Cholla" (the title of which is clearly inspired by the bands touring and recording trips across America) gives us a real sign of The Joy Formidable's lofty ambitions, a no-nonsense beast with heavy, distorted guitars, punishing beats and ripping vocals. Exactly what some people think the band do best and "This Ladder Is Ours" is similarly rip-roaring combining Ritzy's identifiable vocals with sky-scraping guitars and frenetic drums -  it exemplifies the stratospheric arena-filling noise that the band's live show has developed.

The consequence though, at times is melody, for me, and that's a die hard TJF fan, the album is just too bombastic. Take the epic "Maw Maw Song" for example or the Americanised rock of "Bats" or "Little Blimp", it's just too excessive for me. Still, those blips are made up for by softer moments such as the devastating "Silent Treatment", a much welcome respite from the adrenaline pumping noise before and a stand-alone moment of really beauty and intimacy with lyrics that send shivers through you (especially when you realise the turmoil the band were going through whilst recording the record with Ritzy and Rhydian splitting up from a long-term relationship).

"The Turnaround" is another favourite, drenched in full string arrangements it brings out the true beauty of this exceptional band with the rest of the albums closing tracks working well too. "Forest Serenade" is Wolf's Law's attempt at "Whirring" and the title track "Wolf's Law" (on the album as a hidden track) is an incredible slow-burn piano beauty which plays to the bands exquisite loud/quiet dynamics, slowly building around heart-melting vocals with twinkling keys building in momentum to a devastating crescendo of colliding beauty and noise. Here's more like that on album three...




11. London Grammar - If You Wait

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London Grammar were seemingly talked about more because they failed to get into the Mercury Prize nomination list announced on the same day as their debut album If You Wait, a strange thing for magazines to lead with when the album should be played for all the right reasons, a debut that is the perfect exercise in restraint and highlights the extraordinary voice of Hannah Reid to devastating results.

I'll start with my favourite, the soaring, emotive ballad "Wasting All My Young Years", where glacial keys, atmospheric guitars and one of the years best vocal deliveries combine to dazzling effects. It builds with graceful yet soaring grandeur through piano led twinklings and smooth electro-beats but it is Reid's stunning voice that remains with you longest. The album has similarly spine-tingling moments throughout, the string laden title-track closes the album on perhaps the most poignant moment, the bewitching "Shyer's" spidery guitar patterns, then there's the beautiful slow-burn balled "Hey Now" or "Strong", whose subtle electronic textures maybe downbeat but they also embrace emotion and strength in immeasurable quantity.

A cover of Kavinsky's "Nightcall" is stripped to the bared of bones, carefully considered and immaculately delivered, the Drive soundtrack modern day classic soon becomes a bitter-sweet and elegant ballad that like much of the album, is a real breath of fresh air and I really have to mention the devastating "Interlude" too, as vulnerable and haunting a moment in this, the most wintry and brilliant of listens. MP judges - you were wrong.




10. Anna Von Hausswolff - Ceremony

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Gothenburg's Anna Von Hausswollf released her second, but first with a world-wide release Ceremony in June, a captivating, uncompromising vision of darkness and the morose that combines dramatic, vastly ambitious cinematic soundscapes with intense vocals and lyrical themes that come across as a study of loss and death. Don't turn away though, it's not all quite as bleak as it sounds, quite the opposite in fact, Ceremony is almost joyous at times and amongst the dark and foreboding moments, light is never far away.

After opening with a long, dense instrumental and following with "Deathbed" it is some ten minutes before we actually get to hear any vocals, a testament in itself that perhaps this is not an album for everyone. The track soon comes the closest to matching the intensity of Anna's live show (the clear winner of my live show of the year by the way, more on that another time), starting with a slow, marching crawl that could be the soundtrack to a stalking scene from a horror move before soaring instrumentation swells announce the arrival of Anna's dramatic, transfixing vocals. The next track " Mountains Crave" is the most accessible moment, a hypnotic groove of bright, bubbling organ keys and languid guitars float amongst Anna's haunting vocals to carrying you to off some otherworldly place of beauty.

The record ebbs and flows throughout, from "Red Sun's" stark, brooding power to the melancholy of "Goodbye" to the serene elegance of "Liturgy of Light", a devastatingly beautiful track which flutters around soft guitar textures and the wave after wave of cascading piano which introduces "Ocean". Though Ceremony may peak with "Funeral For My Future Children", the bleakest of titles leads into the albums most celebratory of moments where rattling percussion and looping organ create a the most expressive of gothic soundscapes against Anna's hypnotic vocals, the result is a creative and experimental album that stays with you long into the night.


Wednesday 11 December 2013

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Three - 17-14

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Three - 17-14

Direct Links to Albums (updated as they become live) : 25 - 22 // 21 - 18 // 17 - 14 // 13 - 10 // 9 - 6 // 5 - 2 // 1

17. Editors - The Weight of Your Love

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The past couple of years have seen more changes than any previous in Editors almost ten year long career, founding guitarist Chris Urbanowicz left the band and in have come Justin Lockey (known to me as half of Lights on Moscow alongside Lanterns on the Lake's Hazel Wilde) and Elliott Williams (formerly of Airship). The bands fourth LP The Weight of Your Love is the first with their involvement and sees a return to anthemic rock after their successful (in my opinion) attempt at electrifying synth-led work on In This Light and On This Evening.

It kicks off with “The Weight” which soon introduces a starkly produced album full of ominous soundscapes with the emphasis on Tom's baritone vocals. The track is all dark, brooding atmosphere built around strong song-writing and some luscious string arrangements, full of emotion and fragility rarely seen from the band before it highlights a maturing band unafraid of what people may have to say.

There are two obvious single moments here, "A Ton of Love" instantly grabs you with both barrels and blasts you into submission with a mix of pop-hooks, swirling synths and heavy drum beats, easily the most upbeat song we've heard from the band to date it harks more to Simple Minds than Joy Division, big, bright rock which swaggers with a stadium sized conviction and "Formaldehyde" is up there with any of the bands best hits, a non-stop adrenaline filled rush of typically Editors-esque pace and pomp.

Perhaps ironically another of my favourite tracks is an older track I heard first live when Chris was still in the band "Two Hearted Spider" combining a creeping guitar line with Tom's brooding lead, building in emotion and power amongst skittish drums and shimmering guitars."Sugar" is as sweet as the name suggests while the restrained "The Phone Book" is a very nice moment too.

I'm pretty biased when it comes to Editors but The Weight of Your Love is a fine fourth record from a band continuing to try new things and improve themselves, though in the live arena is perhaps where this album is best, the live version of "Nothing" is nothing short of stunning.




16. Agnes Obel - Aventine

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Aventine, the second LP from Berlin based Danish singer-songwriter Agnes Obel confirms an intoxicating talent with a stunning album of refreshingly pure and sparse piano led melodies backed with the odd bit of luxurious strings and a soft, expressive vocal.

Lead track "The Curse" instantly mesmerizes and is possibly the boldest moment throughout, a stark yet seductive melody with little more than twinkling piano and haunting string arrangements combining with Agnes' fragile vocal. The result is devastatingly beautiful and poignant and the good news is there's plenty more for fans of such beautiful, affecting melancholy too.

"Dorian" is impeccably constructed, weaving a similarly delicate and majestic spell under restrained, wintry instrumentation whilst the contemplative and slightly creepy "Run Cried The Crawling" hints more at the darkness. Aventine remains an ethereal, immaculate experience throughout and is best summed up by the poignant, calming tapestry of "Fuel To Fire", a beautiful piano led melody armed with an emotive narrative that, like much of the album, is guaranteed to make hearts go a flutter.




15. Lady Lamb The Beekeeper - Ripley Pine

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Lady Lamb The Beekeeper (the recording name of Ally Spaltro) released her debut studio album Ripley Pine early in the year (a release that contains a few tracks that had been previously released on her earlier bedroom recorded releases but I can ignore that as I'm late to the party. Ripley Pine devastates with an incredible range of songs that hit right at your soul, one minute stripped back electric guitar solo and then the next complex full-band arrangements with a running length that equally varies, from three minutes to seven yet the dozen tracks here are always rich and sophisticated, it is simply an incredible record from a lady with a versatile voice and a raw, expressive talent..

At her most vulnerable on the exquisite "Florence Berlin", a stark, intimate heart-breaker and on "Little Brother", a soft delicate beauty that transports you to a world of soulful dreams with her lone electric guitars twangs sending shivers down your spine. "Bird Balloons" feels like it should be Ally's breakthrough track, as dynamic and powerful as a St Vincent and as epic and emotive as Patti Smith, it bursts with venom and anguish in equal measures and is as affecting as any song you'll hear this year.

My Jim Steinman roots mean I'm a sucker for long tracks and the two on Ripley Pine are possibly my favourites on the record, "You Are The Apple" is one of those rare tracks that brings you to a stand-still on first listen, progressing from a bluesy opening to a full band stomper with an eruption of raw emotion. Ally made a comment during a live show I saw about alienating her early fans with the 'polish' of the recorded album and thus also releasing a demo album via her Bandcamp yet, for me at least, it's the rough aggression that I find so powerful and astonishing, when the orchestra comes in; goosebumps all over.

"Crane Your Neck" closed the same live set and is likewise the sort of track to bring an audience to a stand-still, even those at the back who come to gigs to chat to their mates stop to pay attention as Ally howls and shrieks with her typically unpredictable voice, resonating with a fiery intensity that perfectly sums up Ripley Pine, hot, rich and passionate throughout - do yourself a favour and order Ripley Pine via Ba Da Bing here.




14. Savages - Silence Yourself

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Savages soon found themselves at the centre of the music industry's attention, the London based quartet ended a fine debut year with a place in the BBC's Sound of 2013 long-list after taking people by storm with their ferocious post-punk soundscapes and a live show full of the most blistering intensity and entrancement, their debut full-length Silence Yourself did not disappoint.

Taking the sound perfected in the live setting into the studio to make a faultless record driven by uncompromising bass-lines and pounding drums, with brutal guitar lines adding distortion and noise while Jehn's shrieking vocals command and possess, it makes you want to play it louder and louder, again and again.

Much of the album is the same tracks I heard in the Shacklewell Arms or The Old Blue Last in early 2012 from the searing, terrifyingly beautiful "City's Full" to the propulsive energy of "Shut Up" or the shimmering textures that open "She Will". Silence Yourself remains hypnotic and contagious throughout, brimming with repressed energy which explodes with a juddering climax on "Husbands", Savages calling card with strong-venomous vocals, prominent bass, fierce guitar and clear tight drums - each of the bands individual members come together and the result is a potent, brutal and brilliant combination.

A special note must go for the albums wonderful closing track "Marshal Dear", the most beautiful moment on the record with twinkling piano leading Jehn's restrained vocals with occasional guitar soars the only indication Savages true form. A gentler beast that indicates Savages will be around for many, many records to come.

Tuesday 10 December 2013

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Two - 21-18

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2013: Part Two - 21-18

Direct Links to Albums (updated as they become live) : 25 - 22 // 21 - 18 // 17 - 14 // 13 - 10 // 9 - 6 // 5 - 2 // 1

21. Camera Obscura - Desire Lines

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Indie-Pop royalty Camera Obscura announced their return earlier this year with their fifth (and first since 2009's My Maudlin Career) Desire Lines, the first that I've discovered in real-time after coming to the band somewhat late. With its combination of truly fantastic lyrical melodies, perfectly restrained instrumentation and Tracy-Anne Campbell's crystal-clear pure vocals sure to provide a winning formula for listeners all over the world.

"This Is Love (Feels Alright)" kicks off the album with a typically swoon-some blend of timeless, natural melody and heartfelt voices, it leaves you feeling all gooey with sentiment and good feelings. It's pretty much the same mood that prevails throughout, "Troublemaker" floats with fizzing guitar and soft percussive grace whilst "New Year's Resolution" is similarly heavenly.

If you were to look up beautiful in a song dictionary you'd probably see "Fifth in Line to the Throne" as the example, a bittersweet ballad that is  arguably the most gorgeous track of the year while the albums lead single "Do It Again" is a slice of exhilarating, full blown fun that will have you running for the dancefloor. In simple summation Desire Lines is a complete triumph.



20. Zola Jesus - Versions

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You'd probably have forgiven Zola Jesus for taking the year off after last years Conatus LP, instead Nika Roza Danilova headed straight back into the studio along with composer JG Thirlwell for a collaboration album Versions which sees pared-down versions of tracks from her catalogue reconfigured with the help of a string quartet.

Kicking off with a beautiful, goose-bump inducing version of "Avalanche", slowed down with the original's pummeling synth menace gone, instead comes a bare-boned, heart of the sleeve vocal with Nika's voice crystal clear and pure emotion amongst equally stark, ethereal instrumentation - the sort of thing that can bring tears to grown men.

"Fall Back" grows from similarly beautiful beginnings as gradually the string section grows to a screeching, frenetic climax amongst Nika's repeated Meat Loaf inspired (perhaps?!) cries of "I would do anything to be the one with you". There's a re-working of my favourite ZJ track too, "Night" is stripped of the epic, apocalyptic backing of the original and is transformed by dramatic and breathless violin whilst "Run Me Out" and "Collapse" become more effecting and intimate than ever before drenched in luscious strings and empassioned vocals.

From darkness to the (half) light Versions is a beautiful, natural album that commands repeated listen from one of our generations finest artists.




19. Basia Bulat - Tall Tall Shadow

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Canadian singer-songwriter Basia Bulat's third album Tall Tall Shadow served as my introductory point earlier in the year, I'm not quite sure how I managed to miss her for so long and now I'm kicking myself in the face at missing a few intimate London gigs earlier this year. The title-track opens the album and is the perfect introduction, armed with the most natural of voices and a transcendent melody that builds and sparkles with an uplifting spirit and beauty full of strength and charm building to the most triumphant of conclusions.

Fellow single "Wires" similarly bristles with life and a rich, rousing melody, where guitar, organ and an instrument I couldn't possibly name propel the track with a sense of freedom and fun - it's great to see musicians with a smile on their face and I think Basia has one on just about every video of hers I've seen - you can sense that enjoyment throughout.

Elsewhere the release is more melancholic and affecting, as shown on the devastating "It Can't Be You", highlighting Basia's extraordinary tone and voice amongst sparser, delightfully picked arrangements. "Someone" is another favourite, retrained and heart-stirring, it's an album that shows two sides to an artist I really should have discovered sooner.




18. Pins - Girls Like Us

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I've long been a devote follower of the electrifying PINS and their debut album Girls Like Us lives up to the hyperbole which has surrounded the Manchester quartet from day one. The album kicks off with a dark, brooding intro before exploding into life with the track track where tribal drums, swarming guitars and a deep bass-line all wrap around Faith's ferocious, tension-filled vocals. The same electrifying energy and heavy noir-pop hooks run throughout the record, thrilling and terrifying in equal measure with little room for rest-bite.

Pins are tighter and slicker than ever, vocals sneer with an addictive yet uncompromising bite backed by propulsive beats and guitar thrills, it makes for a relentless roller-coaster of a ride. The double a side single tracks "Stay True" and "Get With Me" are the perfect example where shimmering guitars collide with Faith's snarling/seducing vocals while the wonderful "I Want It All" (not a Queen over) hypnotises with metronomic rhythms and swarming bass.

Perhaps my favourite moment though is the Pulp-esque "Velvet Morning", a real creature of the night with spoken-word lyrics/poem (I'm not sure who's speaking, I don't think it is vocalist Faith) perfect for those late night walks through dark, desolate streets (you might want to make sure they are lit though). In summation, Girls Like Us is a pretty awesome debut from a progressive band likely to thrill us for years to come.