Heaven or Las Vegas - Album Reviews Winter 2007

Well what can you say about the Decemberists? They are the Roald Dahl or David Lynch of music. Intelligent, weird and sophisticated the band are the antithesis of their current guitar by numbers contemporaries. I stumbled across their previous album Picaresque two years ago and fell instantly in love with the band; The Crane Wife is anything but a let down. Few would sing about Irish paramilitary massacres and dead American Civil War soldiers but The Decemberists mix this macabre subject matter with jaunty catchy tunes, 'O Valencia' being the perfect example. I honestly do think that in The Decemberists we have found potentially the best band in the world.

9/10

The Shins - Wincing The Night Away

The Shins - Wincing The Night Away

The Shins have in the past irritated me, but I didn't ever really figure out why. Perhaps it was down to the fact New Slang is a song appropriate only for Christmas, perhaps it was because their sweet songs were too sugar coated. I just don't know. Wincing The Night Away finds the band at their absolute best however, dreamy, witty, part Beach Boys part The Smiths, perhaps there is even a hint of James. Essentially they are American but I'll bet they are huge Alan Bennett fans, the Shins are the best British band that never was. This deserves to make its mark, consider me converted.

8/10

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer?

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer?

Electro-pop princes Of Montreal have been making promisingly different music now for a few years and indeed the actual electronic content here is unsurpassed. The synth is sublime, far superior to anything Vitesse or Postal Service could muster. The vocals however leave a lot to be desired. Why do they start every song so well then descend into weird high pitched camp squealing? Take Suffer for Passion and Cato as a Pun, both have elements of great songs but are let down entirely by almost helium like vocals.

5/10

Lucky Pierre- Dip Weir's Way?

Lucky Pierre- Dip Weir's Way?

Is this some sort of eternal joke amongst Scottish artists? Aberfeldy started it and it would appear Lucky Pierre (or rather Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap fame) deems it worthy of an 11-minute epic. Not that there is anything funny about Weir's Way or indeed any of the lingering tracks on this album. Lucky Pierre has certainly created something beautiful, the songs sway, peak then merge into one another climaxing with the wonderful 'Hike'. If you are looking for a laid back, multi instrumental slice of electronica for the background then this is indeed it.

7/10

Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis

jarvis

Jarvis Cocker is a national treasure. Pulp's importance, will in my opinion, over time surpass fellow Britpop artists Oasis and Blur with relative ease. Thankfully none of the eloquence, charm or wit have departed Cocker in this, his first solo outing. However it could be so much better! There is a lack of urgency here which makes this album sound almost routine, and you have to wonder whether relocation to Paris has blunted one of Britain's premier social commentators. Still 'I Will Kill Again' and 'Stormy Weather' prove when the desire is there Cocker is still Different Class.

7/10

Bloc Party - Weekend In The City

Could Bloc Party have had a better debut than silent alarm? It's highly unlikely. The critics loved them, the public loved them and they noticeably loved themselves. Weekend In The City was always likely to struggle in comparison. And struggle it duly does! Its ok, it's not bad, its certainly nothing new that's for sure. 'Hunting for Witches' would probably find a place on their debut as would 'The Prayer'. Sadly over the long haul this is just a well produced vaguely handsome attempt to try and feed us yet another massive wad of angst. Perhaps for their next album they should learn how to smile a little. Even The Cure managed to do The Lovecats.

5/10

The Who -Endless Wire

George Romero would be proud of this rising from the dead effort, but would he enjoy the music? Certainly The Who are one of Britain's most important bands but can their guitar led stadium rock find a young audience with 2006's effort Endless Wire? After a couple of listens it becomes apparent that this is unlikely, no single track stands out as being anything other than mediocre. My Only hope is that they didn't spend all the years after their previous effort working on this.

4/10

Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity

deerhoof

You wouldn't think San Francisco trio Deerhoof had been around since 1994, but they have. You wouldn't expect many people would want to commission a Glaswegian artist with a creepy interest in violence to do an album cover on 'friendship', but they did. You also wouldn't think anyone would want to buy this, but inevitably there will be those who will. 'Experimental' is an over used word in music circles, Sure some of this is 'experi' but most is just plain old mental. The track sequencing is erratic, no song stands out and the constant twittering of the vocals puts you in two minds as to whether you want to turn up the volume so you can actually hear what is being 'sung' or just turn the CD off. Also at 35 minutes long Friend Oppurtunity overstays its welcome . . . by about 35 minutes. I just can't think of a time or place I would listen to this (the elavator to the inner circle of hell?). Expect a stampede of critical acclaim.

2/10

Cold War Kids-Robbers And Cowards

Every year we wait for our friends from the other side of the Atlantic to rejuvenate the music scene with something unique. We in the UK seem to have lost the initiative over the past decade. Cold War Kids are being touted by some as the next great US import. However Up in Rags is very much a mixed bag. 'Hang me up to Dry' is a fantastic song - mad piano, aggressive vocals and with a great bass line. It goes downhill very quickly however, 'We Used To Vacation' is insidious, much more Jamie Callum than Arcade Fire and because of this sin we can assume this is just another slick pretender with the life of a mayfly.

5/10