LIGHTS // ELLIE GOULDING

To be honest, I saw Lights coming a mile away. It's too much for the record label suits to let a female artist with girl next door looks to be anything other than pop. There's no money in it otherwise, and nobody wants that. I also understand how very typical it is for the people who got her to where she is (her original fans) suddenly reject her as soon as she makes it. But that's what's going to happen, people are fickle and the weight of hype is suffocating for all but a select few.

While Ellie Goulding had this charming Electro/Indie/Pop vibe when we first heard her, it's a different girl we're listening to on Lights. Perhaps i'm being a tad melodramatic, but the whole thing feels over-produced and typical. From the album artwork, which will turn everyone but the most stalwart Beyonce fans away in disgust, to the cutesy sentimentality and sappy lyrical work in most of the tracks, it all reeks of a budding young artist steered towards the black hole of despair that is the Top 40 charts by the powers that be. It was obvious with Frankmusik's debut, Complete Me, and it's obvious here.

However like everything, Lights is not without its merits. The opener, Guns And Horses, is exactly what I was hoping for from Goulding with this album. It's catchy as hell but still retains that X-Factor that discerns credible songwriting from manufactured pop. Tracks previously heard and loved by many such as Starry Eyed and Under The Sheets are still there, but little vocal flourishes and production highlights make them sound far more pop than ever before, especially in the former. Your Biggest Mistake is another song that gives us but a glimpse of what could have been, it's a truly compelling track, and the vocal effects utilised remind me once again of Frankmusik, but here it's a great thing, rather than a disappointing similarity.

Which makes me wonder about the tracks that didn't make it on the album. You get a sneaking suspicion throughout the album that this is not her best work, just the stuff deemed least risky by her label.

All of this said, you could do far worse than buy Lights. In a world where people like Lady Gaga can become famous and respected, Ellie Goulding is a breath of fresh air. I sincerely hope this album and her inevitable success doesn't pigeon-hole her for the rest of her career.

5/10

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REVIEW: BRAVEFACE - ESSER

Esser is a band from Essex lead by multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Esser. It's important to stress this because to the casual observer it would seem that this is simply one man's solo project. Esser appears on all the advertising and promotional material, as well as the album cover, all by his lonesome. Perhaps because he's a rather unique chap, with what could most politely be described as an "interesting looking" face, and all at once one of the most ridiculous yet glorious hairstyles I've seen in a while.

With Esser as both the principle songwriter, and lead singer, as well as playing many of the instruments heard on the LP, it's safe to say that Braveface is effectively his creation. And he deserves a ton of credit as well, Braveface is, in a word; amazing.

Sonically it lies somewhere between Electro-Pop and Indie, with the lyrical delivery having a rhythmic progression reminiscent of that found in UK Grime and Hip-Hop. Although there are outliers which deviate from this description littered throughout the album.

It's clear that Esser aimed for catchy accessibility on Braveface, with most of the tracks being loud, punchy three minute pop-gems with scathing and witty observations at the forefront of the songs. Songs like Headlock and Work It Out are perfect examples of the style most of Braveface's numbers entail. Generally dealing with heartbreak and love-loss, but instead of self-pitying introspection and solemn observations, Esser's tracks generally point the finger at what is clearly a long line of self-obsessed users and unfaithful lovers. It's refreshing to hear this approach after so many artists in the same genre tend to use self deprecation or unfulfilled yearning as story-telling techniques in their songs.

It's not all anger and spite however, the previously mentioned Work It Out is a proposition from one party to their better half, to work out their relationship issues and remember why they fell in love in the first place.

There are numerous moments in Braveface where you think to yourself "Wow, that's a great line", and it's definitely one of the best facets of Esser's debut; the songwriting is spot on ninety-five percent of the time. You'll definitely be singing along to many of these songs before long. A great example can be found in the title track:

"So when you wake up in the morning,

And the sunlight hurts your eyes,

Don't want the world to see your demons,

So you keep them locked inside,

And you put on your braveface."

It's tough to single out sterling examples because there are so many to choose from, every track on the album has its own identity and quality to it, Esser set a high benchmark that is easily met across the board.

However I think some of the best moments on Braveface come from those songs that break the mold set by the surrounding mood of the album. Both Bones, and the album closer Stop Dancing, take down the tempo and attempt completely different instrumental styles. Bones reminded me more than once of Bloc Party's style and sound, which impressed me to no end. Stop Dancing also had tinges of A Weekend In The City and Intimacy to it, but comparisons aside, these are both very much still Esser's songs and two of the best on the album. It definitely serves to highlight the strength of Benjamin Esser's versatility when you hear an amalgamation of so many different styles created so well on a debut album.

It's tracks like these that make me very excited for Esser's hopefully long and fruitful music career to come, he's set himself up to basically go anywhere from here, with a varied, yet cohesive selection of songs that never fall flat or disappoint. It is, however, an album in danger of becoming one of those amazing releases nobody heard; as Esser's popularity has been secured in the UK but the band remains relatively unheard of outside of their own country. Do yourself a favour and pick it up if you can, you owe it to yourself to experience and fall in love with Braveface.

9/10

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I Love You - Esser

REVIEW: IN THIS LIGHT AND ON THIS EVENING - EDITORS

Editors frontman Tom Smith will always live in the colossal shadow Ian Curtis cast after his tragic suicide. Whether he likes it or not, people will always make comparisons between him and the late Joy Division lead singer for a many reasons. Firstly, and most obviously, his vocal qualities instantly remind you of the downplayed, dirge-like singing style of Curtis, the overall sound of the group itself has heavy Post-Punk tendencies; and being a band from England can't help matters much either. Unfortunately for Smith though, he simply is not as good as Curtis.

Also I'd like to say right now; that is an awful album cover.

All that said, In This Light And On This Evening is certainly my favourite Editors album thus far, their two previous albums left me questioning "Who cares?" when I heard of the impending release of the album. Only because I had heard such great things about this new record that I decided to give it a listen. It's an altogether more electronic effort than their previous work, with a heavy synth presence throughout the LP, and this definitely pulls the band out of their rut of painfully dull Indie Rock. Whether it pulls them far enough is debatable, but it's important to see some serious progress by a band's third album and Editors clearly appreciate the fact as well.

The album opens with its title track, which is arguably the closest to Joy Division they have ever sounded. Ironically it's both one of the best tracks on the album and easily the most damning. By opening with a song that sounds exactly like one of the most respected bands of the 20th century, Editors certainly set me up to compare everything that follows to both this first admittedly impressive track and everything Joy Division have done as well. Bad move, Tom Smith. The song explodes half way into a heavily distorted riff of Muse-esque grandeur, creating, in conjunction with the moody vocals and slow burning synth; a very dark and foreboding opener.

This leads into Bricks And Mortar, a song Editors truly make their own. The synths once again are a standout in this one, sounding like the best parts of the 80's New Wave movement, in a move reminiscent of The Horrors recent sophomore album. Tom Smith is definitely more capable than Ian Curtis at crafting uplifting stadium ballads, and Bricks And Mortar is definitely one of the best examples of the iconic Editors sound that featured on their previous albums, but this time done right.

Which brings me to Papillon, which perplexes as much as it disappoints. When I say Smith isn't as talented as Curtis, this song comes to mind as the perfect example. His lyrical writing abilities just pale in comparison to Curtis'. While "It kicks like a sleep twitch" is an admirable concept to evoke, there just has to be a better way to put it; to sing it; to repeat it over and over. The weakest line on the album and it's given center stage in Papillon, sung ad nausem, jarringly placed and awkwardly phrased. Papillon should not have been the leading single from In This Light And On This Evening. Hearing the single beforehand lowered my expectations (which is perhaps a good thing) and dulled my mild excitement for the album, and within the context of the release it still hasn't improved in my mind.

The Big Exit tries to salvage the mood evoked from the strength of the opening tracks, and for the most part, succeeds. It's a good song to have right in the center of the album, it keeps it alive when it is beginning to falter and it's impression remains even through the disappointing second half of the record. The high point of this down tempo brooding centerpiece is definitely the vocal risks and flourishes Smith attempts. It's a welcome change from his ordinarily dead-pan delivery, and for once we can see Editors as a band of their own, rather than a weak ghost of a bygone era.

The rest of the album begins to blend together into one long song, neither interesting nor inspiring. It's a shame because there are moments here where Editors began to shine, where they finally hit the nail on the head and made me feel something, anything. But it's back to old house tricks for the second half, there's some interesting instrumental work in Like Treasure, but, and do I apologise to Smith for singling him out constantly, as soon as his vocals come in, I just switch off. The lyrics aren't interesting, his singing style isn't good enough to get away with it, and to be honest there's just something about him that really irks me.

While Curtis' vocals took a few attempts to appreciate, there was always an amazingly evocative and literate undercurrent to every Joy Division song. You could just hear in every line that Curtis was a man who never switched off, always thinking, dreaming and evolving, even if it was channeled through a horrible depression, his lyrics gave Joy Division its whole identity. In fact, that's what Editors feel like; a band without an identity, it's like they can't decide who they want to be, or they have, but they just aren't talented enough to get there.

For this reason I don't think I'll ever be blown away by an Editors album unless they change up their game completely. Too many inescapable comparisons are drawn and Editors come out second-best in many of them. There are moments on In This Light And On This Evening that really impressed me, but they are just outweighed and overwhelmed by the incredible nothingness of that which surrounds it. Sometimes obviously stronger tracks can be showcased by the comparison to the weaker ones surrounding them, but on this album, It just feels like they're being dragged down by rest who can't keep afloat.

5/10

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Bricks And Mortar - Editors

REVIEW: PSYCHIC CHASMS - NEON INDIAN

Alan Palomo never fucking stops.

Going from GhostHustler to VEGA and now Neon Indian; Palomo's more than content to have multiple identities functioning at once (in the case of VEGA and Neon Indian), and thankfully, his work never suffers as a result.

While VEGA is very much focused on the 80's Electro-Pop, Neon Indian's Psychic Chasms serves to vent Palomo's desires for more left-of-field experimentations. That said, this album will feel both similar and alien to you depending on what you listen to. Psychic Chasms is a thirty minute amalgamation of Daft Punk, Chromeo, Cut Copy, Thieves Like Us and any 80's Dream-Pop channeling band you care to name. Of course I could run off a list of at least a dozen other acts Neon Indian sounds similar to, but such comparisons are a tad lazy.

The album is simultaneously abstract yet accessible, and it's this quality that I believe is Psychic Chasms' greatest strength. Whenever the instrumental sample-ridden and warped synth-laden sound of the tracks are in danger of losing the interest of those with more conservative tastes, Palomo's silky smooth vocals draw you right back in. Every track is dripping in nostalgia and memory, they all seem like a return to the events of a distant past joined by both prangs of regret and joyful resurgence. No track fits the bill more than Should Have Taken Acid With You, a sleepy dreamscape of love lost and drug fueled euphoria, it's definitely Neon Indian's manifesto functioning at its highest level.

I can't help but draw comparisons to Memory Tapes' Seek Magic; it shares with Psychic Chasms a similar sound and similar influences but, for me, Seek Magic errs too far into the realm of aloofness, gaining attention for its unique compositions, then losing it for not ending the songs in half the time they take to get where they are going.

The quality of Psychic Chasms is deftly maintained throughout the LP, arguably because of Palomo's use of segue songs between the strongest tracks on the album. A similar format was seen in Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours, but I think Neon Indian pulls it off more successfully in this release. While it's a shame the album is done before you are; the less compelling tracks are made that much more successful in their shorter length, they begin to feel like intros and outros to the focus pieces of the album. When viewed in this way, it's hard to pick out any songs that really let down the album at all.

When all is said and done, Psychic Chasms is definitely not for everyone. Those looking for soaring, chorus-focused dancefloor tracks, they may be better served to seek out Palomo's more pop-oriented project; VEGA; because you won't find them here. That's not to say there aren't catchy tracks on the album, because there definitely are, and songs like Deadbeat Summer and Terminally Chill are great examples of this, but the album is definitely meant to be taken in as a whole package rather having its importance placed on singular songs.

As far as first albums go, Neon Indian hit the ground running. Although Alan Palomo has had time to refine his approach through his other works, and you can't help but be thankful he didn't attempt an album like this before he was truly ready. Psychic Chasms may take a few listens to take hold of you, but once it does, you'll find a multifaceted soundscape of nostalgia-soaked Chill-Wave that's very appealing.

8/10

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Should Have Taken Acid With You - Neon Indian

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REVIEW: READY FOR THE WEEKEND - CALVIN HARRIS

Electronic

Ready For The Weekend is the second album from Scottish Electronic artist Calvin Harris. Known for making appealing Electro-pop tunes with catchy if somewhat obvious lyrics and never in danger of taking themselves too seriously; Harris' music is designed to get you dancing more and thinking less.

Everyone's heard I'm Not Alone by now, arguably the most impressive song Harris has created and with its fair share of commercial success, which is in this case definitely warranted. However those hoping for an album of I'm Not Alones will be disappointed. I count myself among them.

The opening track, The Rain certainly starts on a high note, kicking off immediately with a rising synth line that leads straight into a saxophone solo that is sure to impress. The sax then breaks apart into a thumping beat with layers of high pitched whirring. The chorus, destined to be sung-along-to at the top of everyone's lungs on dancefloors all over the world before too long, is one of the strongest on the album, so savor it.

Next up is the title track and second single from the album, Ready For The Weekend. I really want to like it, I do, but the vocal work really comes across as irritating. It's not so much Harris here, the auto-tuned pre-chorus is actually quite appealing. It's the chorus itself that really brings the track down. There are two things that we thankfully no longer have to deal with now that the 90's are over: People wearing baseball caps backwards and Tina Turner-channeling female vocalists in electro tracks. So why the hell is Calvin Harris dragging this shit kicking and screaming from its grave and into the middle of the track that is intended to define his whole album's manifesto?

The rest of the album seems to be created in Ready For The Weekend's image, rather than I'm Not Alone's. It really is a bit of shame because this album really had so much potential for greatness. Flashback serves as double-edged sword, undeniable in its quality but also a disheartening indication of what could have been, if only Harris maintained the strength established by the first single's established mood and style.

Tracks like Worst Day almost hit the target, but don't quite make it, with some rather awkward parts, such as the Flight Of The Conchords sound-alike first verse. The rap bridge, thankfully not attempted by Harris himself, serves as an interesting contrast against the rest of the album and the chorus is quite strong, it's just falls a small, albeit noticeable distance short.

Limits is a pleasant surprise, with Harris' filtered vocal work really coming out well. The similarly altered backing vocals create effective levels of interest, and the symbiosis of the beat and the lyrics ties the whole thing nicely together. The track has a very jittery robotic feel to it.

Those looking for Dance Wiv Me, last year's incredibly popular one-time collaboration between Harris, Dizzee Rascal and Chrome, will find it here too. Yeah Yeah Yeah La La La, the track famously used in a recent Coca-Cola commercial, is a definite nod to the sound and styling of Harris' debut I Created Disco; incredibly catchy and well worth a listen.

For a second effort, Calvin Harris could have done a hell of a lot worse. It's not so much that the tracks are bad, they just aren't amazing. It almost feels like Harris is playing it safe at times, when he should really be pushing the boundaries. The tracks lack character, and at times sound very similar to those adjacent.

Is it worth your money? Short answer yes. In the long term however I can see this album becoming rather disposable. Buy it now, have your fun with it, and join me in waiting for the next album I guess.

6/10

Download

The Rain - Calvin Harris

Ready For The Weekend is out everywhere August 16th.

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REVIEW: TEMPORARY PLEASURE - SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO

Electronic

Temporary Pleasure is the sophomore album from English Electronic duo Simian Mobile Disco. From the start this is a far more atmospheric album than their previous effort. The lyrical work is slightly more high-brow, the beats and electronic blips echo through cavernous locales established in your mind's eye, and overall it just seems like a more mature endeavour from James Ford and James Shaw.

The first thing you'll notice is the all-star cast of collaborators this time around. We've got Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals, Chris Keating from Yeasayer, Beth Ditto from Gossip, Jamie Lidell, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip fame, Young Fathers and Telepathe. It's almost too much talent to handle, but Ford and Shaw clearly didn't just pluck these names out of thin air, they had a well planned role for each of them.

The opener, Cream Dream, gets you suitably excited for the nine tracks to follow. The slow, mechanical build-up, adding layers as it goes, really serves to lead into the track, in which Rhys' vocals slot into rather perfectly. The flow of the sung lyrics in this track is particularly compelling, and reminds me somewhat of Heads We Dance's You Are Never Alone With Model 21. Audacity of Huge follows directly afterwards, a well publicised single from the album. This track, while though initially rather grating, is very much a grower, although i still believe the pitch altered vocals featuring heavily in the chorus distract from the quality of the rest of the song's elements. Cruel Intentions is the next big track, with Ditto delivering her iconic and always compelling vocal talents, there isn't really anything left wanting in this one, one of the best tracks on the record.

Which leads me to Off The Map. I'll admit right now that I have a major soft spot for Jamie Lidell and all he does, his name on the list of contributors alone made me really give this album my attention in the first place. The track has a dark, moody beat that is quite unique within the rest of the songs on the album, and it really compliments Lidell's voice perfectly. Both he and Simian Mobile Disco did everything right here, definitely the strongest track on the album.

While I'm not normally a fan of Hot Chip, Bad Blood, featuring Alexis Taylor, is another standout song. The dark beats that seemed to be somewhat of a major feature of this album really work well with the vocal choices Shaw and Ford elected. Turn The Dial is likely the closest track spiritually to Simian Mobile Disco's debut Attack Decay Sustain Release, with strong big beat influences, especially in the use of Hip-Hop/Rap orientated vocal work. Can't say it's my favourite track but those coming in hoping to hear another A.D.S.R. may find some solace here. The album finishes with Pinball, which pulls no punches on the Telepathe-esque sound. If you're a fan of the female electronic duo you'll love this track, if like me, not so much; hell, you'll love it anyway. A great closer for a great album.

For someone who played I Believe almost as many times as they skipped every other track on the first album, I'm happy to say that Temporary Pleasure is an altogether much more enjoyable listening experience. Sure there's no glorious Simon Lord-Simian-days-of-old throwback anywhere on here, but the forward momentum shown seems to be very much in the right direction; it's clear Simian Mobile Disco will have great things in store for us in the future.

8/10

Download

Cruel Intentions - Simian Mobile Disco

Temporary Pleasure is out August 17th. Buy it.

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REVIEW: NONSENSE IN THE DARK - FILTHY DUKES

Electronic

Filthy Dukes' debut album is hit and miss. It's probably best to get this out of the way as soon as possible so nobody is confused. There's a lot of potential here, and lot of missed opportunities, but don't let that ruin the great tracks on Nonsense In The Dark.

The album begins with the insanely catchy opener, This Rhythm, featuring the vocal talents of Late Of The Pier's Sam Eastgate. It's a really strong start that carries through the first four tracks on the album. Messages is the next big track, featuring jittery electronic beeps and sing-along-lyrics, definitely one of the highest points on the album. Then comes the fall. It all begins to break apart, only six tracks in, with Tupac Robot Club Rock. The cheesiness of the lyrics is only rivaled by their repetitiveness. The edge the faux-rap vocals attempts to add to the song only works against itself, and It ends up sounding a whole lot like a bad Groove Armada tribute song. Following directly is another track of note, Nonsense In The Dark, but its positioning within the album's continuity is its undoing. With a slow, expansive melody and the soft, down tempo vocal work of The Maccabees' Orlando Weeks, the title track seems like it would belong at the end of the LP, making it a really effective closer for the album instead of a jarring come-down from the "excitement" of Tupac Robot Club Rock.

And its downhill from there. The remaining tracks on the album just fail to get anywhere, whether it's the anti-climactic build up to nothingness in Cul-De-Sac, or the 80s soft rock inspired Don't Fall Softly. It really seems like Filthy Dukes used up all their great ideas early on and just had to make up the rest of the album that was left with waste from the cutting room floor.

So whether you can justify buying the whole album depends on what you want from this album. If you can tolerate the downplayed electro and frankly puzzling vocal choices that plagues the release; go for it. If you're looking for an record of indie-dance with catchy lyrics and even catchier beats you'll do well to just stick to the singles.

5/10

Download

Messages - Filthy Dukes

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REVIEW : BAD VEINS - BAD VEINS

Alternative/Indie

The self-titled debut LP from Bad Veins had me somewhat taken aback. I'd recently gotten into the habit of acquiring albums of artists I knew nothing about, hoping I'd recreate the magic that occurred the day I picked up this album called "Silent Alarm" way back in 05. It was an overly romantic notion and with each subsequent album I listened to being worse overall than it's predecessor I was starting to get the feeling that this technique of stabbing wildly in the dark was getting me nowhere.

Then I listened to Bad Veins.

To say this album did not disappoint doesn't do it justice, because so rarely do you find an album with a quality that spans every track, rather than a few highlights in the form of future singles. In fact if I had any complaints about the album it would be that there is no real definable stand-out moments on the album. No figurehead to lead these fantastic tracks into the hearts and minds of anyone clued in enough to search them out.

The album ticks a lot of the necessary Indie-Rock album check boxes, melancholic lyrics dealing with heartbreak and loneliness, guitar and drum heavy tracks and some subtle electronic sprinklings which every release can't seem to go without these days.

Now for the lead vocal comparisons that every bad review can't go without. Lead singer Benjamin Davis' voice will initially remind you of Brandon Flowers, but further listening indicates that juxtapositions to The Bravery are likely more fitting. Some also may argue that the filtered-out and sung-through-a-megaphone quality to the vocals is Casablancas-esque, but you may have to search pretty deep in the soundscape to justify such connections.

As previously stated, the album really goes from strength to- well to some sort of point exactly equal to the strength of the last track. It's actually really difficult to pick out a highlight in the album because it's all really solid overall. Every track is likable and there's something for everyone who can appreciate well constructed Indie-Rock. Gun to my head I'd say that Dry Out will impress most. Whether it's the incredibly catchy lyrics (which reach their zenith at the chorus) or the impressive layering of the stuttering electronic beat, guitar, backing vocals, synths, piano and drums into a very accessible package, this seems to be the point where it all comes together for the duo from Cincinnati.

Clocking in at roughly 38 minutes, the album rocks up, shows you its stuff, and then departs before it overstays its welcome, leaving you wanting just that little bit more, like a good LP should. If you're at all a fan of The Bravery, The Killers or The Strokes these guys could be what you're looking for.

8/10

Download

Dry Out - Bad Veins

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