Recent Album Review Roundup
alt-J, ‘The Dream’
7/10
Finally following up their impeccable 2017 synth masterstroke Relaxer, The Dream is yet another reinvention for indie three-piece alt-J. The big beats of Deadcrush, In Cold Blood and Hit Me Like That Snare have been replaced by a fresh, pared-back sound that represents a new focus on ambience and mood that suits lead vocalist Joe Newman’s unique rarefied style perfectly. The Actor and U&Me are highlights in a muted-but-solid tracklist that is characterised by long, contemplative folktronica passages punctuated by sudden and violent bursts of indie-rock energy. The overall effect is a satisfying sonic journey that lacks some of the punch of the band’s more prominent work. 7/10
Bane
U&Me
Hard Drive Gold
Happier When You’re Gone
The Actor
Get Better
Chicago
Philadelphia
Walk A Mile
Delta
Losing My Mind
Powders
Big Thief, ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You’
8/10
Adrianne Lenker adds yet another project to her already significant catalogue with Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, the fifth studio release from her trendsetting indie-rock outfit Big Thief. This time around, the prolific songwriter and company set about creating the musical equivalent of the Great American Novel, an expansive work that draws heavily on American folk and country styles and feels like an auditory road trip down Route 66. Recorded in four sessions in different locations across the length and breadth of the US, the record’s scope and ambition contrast starkly with the claustrophobic style of U.F.O.F., the band’s best work to date, and demonstrates the versatility and inherent musical genius of Lenker’s songwriting. The scale of this project naturally leads to a slight bloating effect, and some of the tracks could perhaps have better served on the cutting room floor, but otherwise Lenker continues to churn out catchy, vibrant indie tunes with a frankly startling productivity, and can count yet another fantastic album in her portfolio. 8/10
Change
Time Escaping
Spud Infinity
Certainty
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
Sparrow
Little Things
Heavy Bend
Flower of Blood
Blurred View
Red Moon
Dried Roses
No Reason
Wake Me Up to Drive
Promise is a Pendulum
12,000 Lines
Simulation Swarm
Love Love Love
The Only Place
Blue Lightning
Black Country, New Road, ‘Ants from Up There’
9/10
British post-rock band Black Country, New Road announced themselves on the scene in style last year with their abstract and febrile debut For The First Time, a largely improvisational LP with a high degree of charisma and purpose. If that record was the band’s blueprint for their unique brand of instrumentation-driven chamber pop, their sophomore release Ants from Up There is the finished product - an hour of jazz, indie rock, art pop, acoustic folk and klezmer that, despite its diverse and sophisticated composition, doesn’t put a single beat out of place. For a project that eschews form and structure in favour of texture and effect, every step on this musical journey feels tight and polished and complete. The instrumentalists play off each other perfectly, plenty of space is given to Isaac Wood’s fiendish lyrics and tormented vocals, and transpositions of tempo and harmony are navigated with an almost casual finesse. This record cements BC,NR as one of the most exciting bands to come out of the pandemic-era, and fans will be devastated by Wood’s departure, as announced on the eve of this album’s release, and can only hope that the band can continue to create outstanding projects without their captivating frontman going forward. 9/10
Intro
Chaos Space Marine
Concorde
Bread Song
Good Will Hunting
Haldern
Mark’s Theme
The Place Where He Inserted the Blade
Snow Globes
Basketball Shoes
Mitski, ‘Laurel Hell’
5/10
In the vein of Nirvana’s In Utero or Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, Laurel Hell is Mitski’s “f*** you” to the music industry - a dance-oriented synth-pop record that came about from contractual obligation more so than creative passion, and that hides caustic rebukes of the status quo behind sweet, palatable pop grooves. Mitski wrestles with a number of grievances on the one hand, and musical influences on the other on Laurel Hell, but the overwhelming effect for me is somewhat dull and uninspiring. The lyrics lack subtlety and poetry, the various musical styles lack refinement. While Mitski pulls no punches in her criticisms, it feels like she is holding back with her experimentation and her general enthusiasm. Perhaps this all reflects the circumstances around this album’s creation, but unlike her previous work, Laurel Hell just lacks an intensity and dynamism that could have made this one of the dance albums of the year. That’s not to say the album has no qualities - it has highlights in the midsection with Heat Lightning and The Only Heartbreaker, but those brief moments of excellence aside, this project is largely one to forget for the acclaimed singer-songwriter in my book. 5/10
Valentine, Texas
Working for the Knife
Stay Soft
Everyone
Heat Lightning
The Only Heartbreaker
Love Me More
There’s Nothing Left For You
Should’ve Been Me
I Guess
That’s Our Lamp
and a quick note on:
Spoon, ‘Lucifer on the Sofa’
6.5/10
A solid outing for indie rock stalwarts Spoon that always borders on greatness but doesn’t quite manage to achieve it. Lucifer on the Sofa has a fragile contemporary feel that walks the tightrope of descending into dad rock at any moment. Taken without too many preconceptions, it is more than possible for the listener to find a great deal of enjoyment here, nonetheless, particularly in the raucous The Devil & Mister Jones and the Jack Antonoff-produced Wild. 6.5/10
Held
The Hardest Cut
The Devil & Mister Jones
Wild
My Babe
Feels Alright
On the Radio
Astral Jacket
Satellite
Lucifer on the Sofa