reviews albums 2:54 ***
The Other I (Bella Union) A touch of post-punk creates a dark mood to accompany the otherwise melodic and dreamy indie tunes on this second album from the London sister duo. Musically, there are some great touches: stark production keeps it all crisp and allows the rich bass and atmospheric guitar riffs to shine through. The vocals are often at odds, though – certainly an assured croon but cool and distant, not packing the emotional punch you might expect for such richly layered tunes. EG
BEAR’S DEN *** Islands (Communion) Upon first encounter with London’s Bear’s Den, one might think “Mumford & Sons” but I urge you to take a closer look. Sticking a banjo solo into any and every genre of music seems to be bang on trend, but Islands incorporates the folk/ Americana vibe into their music so effortlessly it’s not distractingly apparent. Laden with subtle, verbose lyrics which build a story to the point of pre-climax: simple melodies infused with complex tales of woe and heartache. DC
BUSH *** Man On The Run (RED) Britain’s response to the Seattle grunge movement didn’t see too much success in their homeland back in the 90s. Man On The Run is Bush’s second release since reuniting in 2010, and Mr Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, is proving that 20 years on, he still has it. The record is undeniably modern, fresh and exciting, yet it holds fast to the grungey signature sound we’ve come to expect; Rossdale’s gritty vocals and their signature distorted, downbeat riffs are grunge perfection. AP
CLARK *** Clark (Warp)
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Relentless, thumping noise to some, entrancing intricate artistry to others… whichever way you look at it, Clark’s latest release is as bold as ever. With a surplus of glitchy, gutsy and generally abrasive synths, samples and beats it can be a little overwhelming unless you appreciate dominating rhythms. However, the cyclical melodic motifs sit tastefully against such a turbulent backdrop. Clark often hangs on the margins between dance and electronica and this is another that will doubtless appeal to devotees of both. CPI
BUZZ 46
DAN BODAN *** Soft (DFA) Alan Partridge-baiting Dan Bodan debuts with Soft and sparkles brightly with A Soft Opening, caressing the lobes through machine whirrs and oriental whispers, representing the anime cover art and homaging Bjork’s classic LP Homogenic. Bodan croons the pain of being frozen out of love on the Massive Attack-ish Anonymous, while the ghost of Chet Baker possesses him on For Heaven’s Sake. The intensity of the last few tracks overwhelms, especially on the Catching Fire, sparking a restraining order from The Hunger Games’ soundtrack. CS
DEAN BLUNT *** Black Metal (Rough Trade) Black Metal sees Blunt, of Hype Williams fame, navigate through a 13-track malaise of acoustic melodies and experimental electronic ambience. The album does often possess what resembles a pulse, with 50 Cent and Blow existing mainly to compete with the lurching monotone drawl that propels much of the remaining material. However, it does prove competently melancholic and atmospheric in parts, particularly in the reverb immersed latter half of X with its retrograde synth-driven precision and off-kilter vocals. CP
DEPTFORD GOTH *** Songs (Bella Union) Sad-but-talented producer Deptford Goth’s second album bears more sad-but-talented production. Yep, not too much seems to have changed for South London’s Daniel Woolhouse. We still hear gentle beats, woozy synths, and his soft, affecting and quite beautiful vocal throughout its seven tracks. It’s slow, quiet, calming, moving. Sometimes it makes you want to wiggle your arms and sometimes it makes you want to sit very still. It’s nice. Fans will be fond. Maybe it’s not special. JM
album a year since 2003’s Fire which spawned comedy-rock classics Danger! High Voltage and Gay Bar, and seemingly nothing has changed. Frontman Dick Valentine vocally gurns his way through this harmless collection of pop-rock ditties with more crude humour than Frankie Howerd’s back catalogue. The presence of a song entitled It’s Horseshit! is ammo enough, but it’s not really all that bad. Predictable. BG
HOOKWORMS *** The Hum (Weird World) Speaking as someone who struggled to discern what was so special about Leeds’ Hookworms until he witnessed them in a room with too-loud amps and a too-low ceiling, it may be unfair that I’m reviewing their second album before their late October tour of it, but that’s how deadlines work. In places it’s beefier and punkier (The Impasse), elsewhere cosmically keyboard-driven (Beginners) and reminiscent of Spacemen 3 (Off Screen); overall, though, The Hum sticks with the psychedelic spacerock of debut LP Pearl Mystic. NG
HUXLEY ** Blurred (Aus) Michael Dodman plays it safe (i.e. mostly radio-friendly) on his debut album as Huxley, with a varied mix of genres including Balearic opener I Want You, the 2-step of Give 2 U and commercial house moments like Callin. The songs are too short and collaborations with FEMME and Obenawa do little to inspire. That said, there are some moments of excellence, including tech-house number Broken Dreams. It’s just a shame those tracks aren’t longer and more in abundance. RH
MARIACHI EL BRONX ****
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT ****
III (ATO)
Z2 (InsideOutMusic)
It’s easy to dismiss Mariachi El Bronx as a novelty band, but to do that would make you a fool. The third offering from this LA band, who also perform without their sombreros as hardcore legends The Bronx, is outstanding. The music is uplifting and the lyrics are thoughtful. It may be hard to picture The Bronx as their alter-egos Mariachi El Bronx – however, to quote the album’s opening song, “Tonight we serenade the madness, tonight we embrace insanity!” LEJ
Devin Townsend's music is wildly heavy, often beautiful, always challenging. Z2 arrives as a double album that demonstrates these traits. Side one is a straight-up Devin Townsend Project album and embodies all that his work is famed for: cement-heavy guitars, classical flourishes and that voice. Side two is the sequel to 2007’s Ziltoid The Omniscient, an album about an extraterrestrial in search of the Universe’s ultimate cup of coffee(!). It’s fun keeping up with the story, the voiceovers are hilarious and the music – heavy as any Townsend product since Strapping Young Lad – is riotous. IR
ELECTRIC SIX ** Human Zoo (Metropolis) They’re still going, and you’re going to have to deal with it. Electric Six have released an
PUG RAPIDS *** Bite Size Games Limited You’re a pug, wearing a lifebelt, who has somehow managed to get themselves caught up in some rapids. To avoid obstacles you must tap right or left to move out the way, as you race through a watery course. The cross eyed pug is cute (how could it not be, it’s a pug!) and it’s a fairly decent time waster, but overall Pug Rapids is nothing special. free, iOS + Android
PRIMUS **** Primus & The Chocolate Factory With The Fungi Ensemble (ATO) They’ve tackled characters from Tommy The Cat to John The Fisherman, and now they’ve worked their way to Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. There’s creepy childlike wonder, virtuoso musicianship and vocals that are catchier than
BRAIN WARS ** Translimit, Inc If you have found memories of Nintendo’s Brain Training game then you might just enjoy Brain Wars. It doesn’t let you know how old your brain is, but you can compete with other players across the world so you can still compare numbers. The game is visually pleasing but largely unoriginal. The games aren’t complex, just timed, and overall it was just a bit dull. free, iOS + Android
ebola. It’s a faithful retelling of the story of the film, albeit with elastic bass, clattering drums and atonal guitars. If you have children and want to scar them for life, play them this album and give them PTSD whenever they get offered chocolate or sweets. GM
SIMPLE MINDS **** Big Music (Caroline International) At the end of the 1970s, Virgin ruled the roost when it came to postpunk supremacy. The label released albums by OMD, The Human League and Simple Minds. Those early albums are today cited as being influential. Some might say that Simple Minds veered off the experimental track during the late 1980s – but their music still packed a political and innovative punch, albeit becoming less electronic. Big Music manages to seamlessly weld together electronic experimentation with catchiness and political urgency. DN
SLAM ***** Reverse Proceed (Soma) We all know Slam deliver. The Scottish duo have barely put a foot wrong over the last two decades, and their latest album is testament to the confidence that comes with consistent brilliance. A journey of two halves, Reverse Proceed isn’t the balls-out tech assault you might expect. Ambience reigns for a long while – we don’t hear a beat until track five – and after that it’s a gradual progression into techno perfection, including previous singles Catacoustics and Rotary. RH
SOME KIND OF LEADER *** Dog Club (Broken Yoke) The debut album from this Cardiff outfit signals a promising future for the four-piece. Crisp production illustrates their aptitude for galvanic rhythms and addictive hooks as well as an endearing sense of humour bringing them down to earth. Stylistically, the tracks are fairly ambiguous sitting somewhere between pyschedelia, pop and alternative rock but dodging these constraints is often an advantage, except in circumstances where the music lingers, as on Psycho. Otherwise, a multifaceted group worth keeping an eye on. CPI
THROWING MUSES **** Purgatory/Paradise (HHBTM/Throwing Music) One of the leading female-fronted indie bands of the 80s and 90s, Throwing Muses continue to grow from strength to strength with every release. The 2003 reunion of the band saw Kristen Hersh collaborate once more with stepsister and ex-Breeders frontwoman, Tanya Donnelly – a match made in pitch-perfect paradise. Modern-day poet Hersh yet again caresses your soul with her unique blend of melancholic yet impassioned harmonies. You
FAMILY GUY: THE QUEST FOR STUFF *** TinyCo There are a few jokes and things to like about this game if you’re a Family Guy fan but, in the end, it’s little more than The Simpsons: Tapped Out! game. As you go around the town of Quahog, completing tasks here and there, you’re pestered often to fork out real money for the convenience to play the game with new characters and without lengthy waits. free, iOS + Android