April has been Seriously Amazing for new albums, eh?

And these are some of my favourites.

Bill Callahan – Apocalypse (Drag City)
BBC review: “Callahan has gifted us perhaps his most subversive set to date: an album less about apocalypse and ruin than it is upheaval of the positive variety, and one of the most contented and rewarding of his career.” (James Skinner)

Cold Cave – Cherish the Light Years (Matador)
BBC Review: “From the crashing, urgently dramatic announcing bars of The Great Pan Is Dead, sheens of gothic 1980s veneer actually conceal something much deeper, more uncomfortable. A nocturnal shot of adrenaline to the heart of a paranoid urban dweller, Eisold’s coal-black, almost deadpan delivery booms over synths at times misleadingly bright and airy.” (Adam Kennedy)

Colourmusic – My _____ Is Pink (Memphis Industries)
BBC Review: “When they lock their grooves down, let the drums fly and the guitars spark, there are few bands out there to touch Colourmusic’s engrossing racket.” (Me)

J-Rocc – Some Cold Rock Stuf (Stones Throw)
BBC Review: “A long time coming it may have been, but Some Cold Rock Stuf is a disc worth spending plenty of time with after waiting more than a while for. He’s his label’s pick for the ‘world’s greatest hip hop DJ’, and after hearing this many more will side with the opinion.” (Me)

Katy B – On a Mission (Rinse)
BBC Review: “Katy B is a new breed of singer, adding a vibrant gloss to a new combination of sounds with a charm and personality all of her own. She’s shining bright and crying out to be taken on as Britain’s new favourite pop star – and if this album is anything to go by, it looks like the stage is set.” (Natalie Shaw)

Cat’s Eyes – Cat’s Eyes (Polydor)
BBC Review: “As an album, Cat’s Eyes is simply remarkable. Sounding like all the spectral and slightly ‘woooh’ music of yore, its makers throw in additional elements of Nick Cave gothery, Julee Cruise, early 4AD spook, Italian horror soundtracks and the more otherworldly elements of prime 1960s pop such as Scott Walker and Bobbie Gentry. The result is a hazy, somnambulant treat.” (Ian Wade)

Instra:mental – Resolution 653 (Nonplus Records)
BBC Review: “In musical terms, Green and Kirkham have described themselves as ‘growing up through the rave generation’, and many aspects of Resolution 653 confirm that. But the debt this inventive hour of music owes the past is far outweighed by its claim on the present.” (Chris Power)

letlive. – Fake History (Epitaph)
BBC Review: “Rather than an acting as an indictment of modern society and all its ills, Fake History simply asks the listener to take stock of the world around them and to form their own opinions about it. Far from didactic or preachy, it’s a lesson in the pure power of music. Pay no attention to the words that Jason Butler sings and you’ll still feel these songs course through your blood. Listen to them, and your mind – as well as your eyes and your heart – will be held wide open.” (Mischa Pearlman)

Metronomy – The English Riviera (Because)
BBC Review: “If Nights Out was the soundtrack to an all-hours party that threatened to blow the speakers, The English Riviera is the music in the ears of a restless insomniac. The type of punch Metronomy now pack is differently varied, and instead of relying on catchy melodies, its excitement and originality is now more broadly sourced.” (Natalie Shaw)

Panda Bear – Tomboy (Paw Tracks)
BBC Review: “While much here can be summarised as more of the same, when Lennox’s natural quality control operates at such an admirable standard, that’s precisely why Tomboy is such a chilled-out triumph.” (Me)

tUnE-yArDs – W H O K I L L (4AD)
BBC Review: “This second tUnE-yArDs album advances the concept of rampant collision, hiking the extremities up to a further level. Lo-fi meets hi-fi, as big drum thunder under-booms sometime dictaphone-style scratchiness in the vocal department. There’s a pronounced field-recording intention, recalling Captain Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica period, as well as the ethnic vocal capturings of New York composer Meredith Monk.” (Martin Longley)

Jamie Woon – Mirrorwriting (Polydor)
BBC Review: “Stood next to Blake and The xx, Mirrorwriting sounds like Katy Perry covering Walking on Sunshine: which is to say that he’s both much more accessible and a lot less gloomy than his contemporaries, even if his music is equally enigmatic and enchanting. There is still plenty of electronic smoke-and-mirrors activity on tracks like Gravity, but despite ultra-modern tricks he’s less sonic explorer than classic songwriter.” (Paul Clarke)

Dark Dark Dark – Wild Go (Melodic)
BBC Review: “Frequently capable of rendering the listener struck dumb by its beguiling beauty, and played by musicians in perfect harmony with each other, Wild Go is easily among the frontrunners for album of the year (so far). It will find a place in the collections of those seduced by the indie-folk of Laura Marling just as easily as it will become a stereo mainstay in homes favouring the arrangements of Arcade Fire. But while its appeal is broad, there’s no doubting that Dark Dark Dark are an exquisite outfit exploring a soundworld that’s entirely theirs.” (Me)

Dutch Uncles – Cadenza (Memphis Industries)
BBC Review: “In 2009, a little band from Manchester released an eponymous debut on a little German label, leaving only a little impression on their domestic scene. But from an acorn the mightiest of oaks can grow, and sure enough the years between that set and this follow-up have seen Dutch Uncles come to the attentions of influential sorts in the music industry. Now picked up by label-of-fine-repute Memphis Industries, and with support from several acts enjoying moderate-to-decent success, they’re poised to take a belated step into mainstream hearts.” (Me)

So check ’em out, yeah?

Dutch Uncles’ new album, Cadenza, is frightfully good.

Read words on it, and listen to clips from it, by clicking these words.

The album is out on April 25, via the impressive-vein-of-form-enjoying Memphis Industries (Colourmusic’s album My _____ Is Pink, which they released on April 4, is also worth checking out).

Sound of 2011: The top five’s albums, in a line

With the top five artists in this year’s BBC Sound Of poll now the proud owners of debut albums, all of which are on store shelves (well, once Jamie Woon’s Mirrorwriting comes out on Monday), I figure it’s time to pass a little judgement – literally just a little judgement – on what they’ve produced.

Sound of 2011 #1: Jessie J, Who You Are
BBC Review
In a line: Hugely disappointing, all-over-the-shop set of stylistically over-diverse (but cynically box-ticking) fare from an artist whose best work is, one hopes for her sake, still to come into focus – as on this evidence, she’s no more than an easily led puppet for the backroom-writers crowd that she used to be a part of.

Sound of 2011 #2: James Blake, James Blake
BBC Review
In a line: Blake’s eponymous album very quickly put to bed any notions that he’d be another dubstep star to break into the mainstream, arriving sandwiched between Magnetic Man and Katy B; instead, his debut paints the picture of a highly singular talent yet to fully find its step, but at its best is still capable of stealing one’s breath away.

James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream

Sound of 2011 #3: The Vaccines, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
BBC Review
In a line: Rather more than a rudimentary collection of uninspired, overly laddish indie-rock, to be honest.

Sound of 2011 #4: Jamie Woon, Mirrorwriting
BBC Review
In a line: If fate had played its cards rather differently, Woon might have featured on the Sound of… list back in 2008; but while his debut album has been a couple of years too many in the making, perhaps, there’s no doubt it delivers an engrossing experience, akin to a pop-polished take on Blake’s own brand of sci-fi soul and blissed-out beats.

Jamie Woon – Spirits

Sound of 2011 #5: Clare Maguire, Light After Dark
BBC Review
In a line: Well, at least this year’s Adele isn’t a Duffy.

This Is Happening.

Loving This Right Now.

What’s dominating the 160GB slab that rocks about in my pocket, right now…

Wild Beasts, Smother (Domino, released 9 May)
I’m not sure I’ve loved an album more than this in 2011 so far. It’s a special record, Smother; one that gets into the blood so instantly one wonders if its effects will be only short-lived. Not so. I’m not much of a betting man, but if I was I’d have a tenner on this for the Mercury. And how beautiful is the video to Albatross? Very.

Wild Beasts – Albatross

Gang Gang Dance, Eye Contact (4AD, released 9 May)
I’m still getting to grips with this new LP from NYC’s best whatever-they-want-to-be ‘indie-dance’ (loosest-possible-sense application) combo. Beats that spark fire from sticks on skins; synths that shimmer like a desert mirage; vocals like Kate Bush wired to the International Space Station. Incredible fare – and the rush doesn’t seem to be subsiding anytime soon.

Gang Gang Dance – MindKilla

Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (EMI, released 2 May)
There’s no way this should be as good as it is. Three 40-something dudes essentially doing what they did back in the mid-80s. But with superlative production and a real sense in the vocals that the Beasties are hungrier than ever to be heard – especially after MCA’s health problems – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is a scintillating listen. Every bone in my body is shaking with gratitude that it’s turned out as well as it has.

Beastie Boys feat. NaS – Too Many Rappers

Three Trapped Tigers – Route One or Die (Blood and Biscuits, released 30 May)
I’ve already said plenty on this particular slice of sonic brilliance – click here to read as much.

Three Trapped Tigers – Cramm

True Widow – As High As the Highest Heavens… (Kemado, released 2 May)
This second album from the Texan post-metallers (?) has a ridiculously long title. But it’s the music on it that’s leaving me breathless at the moment. Like Autolux meeting Queens of the Stone Age for a secret liaison in some underground club that only those with the right tattoos gain entry to. Not me, then. Check out Skull Eyes below.

True Widow – Skull Eyes

Forgotten Noughties #6: Bear vs. Shark, Right Now, You’re in the Best of Hands…

Bear vs. Shark
Right Now, You’re in the Best of Hands…
Equal Vision, 2003

Or, to give the album its full title: Right Now, You’re in the Best of Hands. And If Something Isn’t Quite Right, Your Doctor Will Know in a Hurry. Quite the mouthful, and probably a name that the band – formed in 2001, disbanded four years later – soon became sick of explaining. Wikipedia says: “The name of the album is derived from a sign that singer Marc Paffi saw and thought was interesting.” He couldn’t have been intrigued by a sign saying “keep left”, or “mind the gap”? But I digress: this, the Michigan band’s debut (a similarly strong second LP, Terrorhawk, followed in 2005), is one of the finest post-hardcore albums of its time – of any time, frankly. It’s got swing, it’s got style; it’s got brilliant breakdowns and lyrics that bend into all sorts of weird shapes. Much of it seems baffling. But that really doesn’t matter, so instantly is the listener swept up by the force of the players, by their precise musicianship that’s several steps away from those bludgeoning their way through hardcore tropes. It crams more originality into its 40-minute run-time than most supposedly clever-clogs rockers manage across an entire catalogue. Really, if you’ve ever been moved by guitar music that is both highly energetic and hugely individual, pick this up. Big Scary Monsters recently reissued it on limited-edition red vinyl – go get.

For fans of: Small Brown Bike, Joan of Arc, June of 44
Download: Buses/No Buses, Campfire, Don’t Tell the Horses the Stable’s On Fire, We Were Sad But Now We’re Rebuilding

Bear vs. Shark – Don’t Tell the Horses the Stable’s On Fire

Bear vs. Shark – Campfire

Massive Attack’s Blue Lines turns 20 this month.

Released on April 8 1991, Blue Lines presented a brand-new pop template, one which numerous others have studied, but all have fallen short of meeting the same magic found here. If we’re talking influential albums of the year, this is my foremost pick – and with Screamadelica and Nevermind among the competition, that’s no little praise. Arguably, the Bristolians have never bettered their debut – although there are moments of 1998’s Mezzanine where they stretch into equally brilliant highs, albeit far darker ones.

My BBC review of Blue Lines can be found here.

Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy

Massive Attack – Safe From Harm

Massive Attack – Daydreaming

Later with Jools Holland: the first show of the series, and lessons learned.

I went along – with my parents – to the recording of the first show in the new series (series 38, no less) of Later with Jools Holland. With major-channel music television hardly in rude health, Later represents something of a one-stop-shop for what’s shaking in the mainstream; and, of course, it dips its toes into newer territories when opportunities present themselves. The format’s perhaps a little rusty these days, but it works, and while Jools himself isn’t the best presenter under pressure, he exudes a friendly warmth on air that is undoubtedly part of the show’s enduring appeal. Anyway, here’s who was on, and what was learned.

Never put your live broadcast in the hands of jazz musicians. McCoy Tyner, veteran of performances alongside the likes of John Coltrane and Benny Golson, appeared with support from sax player Gary Bartz. When going out live, he neglected to acknowledge the frantic waving of production staff to wrap up, as Elbow were primed and ready to close the show. At 25 minutes into proceedings, there is clear panic in the ranks. Watch it on iPlayer here.

Raphael Saadiq has a point to prove. An award-winner stateside, the soul musician’s not made all that significant of an impression on the mainstream this side of the pond. His performance on Later may change that. The tracks he, and his fine band, played from new album Stone Rollin’ were the best of the night. The man, he knows how to boogie – and for once I can use that term in relation to Jools without doing a sick in my mouth.

Beady Eye look bored to be in Beady Eye. Bless Andy Bell for showing up – but he could have phoned that in. At least he, and Gem, cheered up when Saadiq was on. Smiles were cracked. With nothing in their songs (BBC album review here) to stand out from the crowd, recycling as they do motifs widely heard throughout the past 40 years of pop, Liam Gallagher’s charges turned everything up louder than anyone else in order to make their presence felt. But nobody, aside from a couple of scary, cougar-class oldies in the audience (who might have been part of the band’s entourage of family and friends, anyway) and Mrs Liam, Nicole Appleton, really cared. The ex-All Saints singer was dutifully bobbing along with the outfit’s tired retro-rock. She must look at her sister’s hubby’s continuing critical acclaim and wonder where it all fell apart for her Liam. One word: Noel.

Anna Calvi can sing a bit. I still don’t get the fuss, though. Her album has done okay, she’s fronting the NME Radar Tour… people seem to like her. But I hear no depth. No soul. It’s all so staged. Perhaps she’ll turn me at some point – but a handful of live encounters in, and I’m no closer to clicking with the girl.

The Tallest Man on Earth, a Swede by the name of Kristian, can sing a bit. I don’t think anyone in the audience knew who he was though, nor cared. Shame, because with just a single acoustic performance he displayed more energy than Beady Eye and Calvi’s crew managed across all of their songs combined. His album of 2010, The Wild Hunt, is worth picking up if you were moved by his Later showing.

Elbow are a great band playing so-so songs from an ordinary album. Guy Garvey gives it his all when asked to, and seems a thoroughly splendid chap. An everyman done good. Unlike Jool’s chat with Liam and Gem, who answered questions with a series of monosyllabic grunts, Garvey charmed effortlessly – check out the extended show at the weekend. But Build a Rocket Boys! just isn’t the equal of The Seldom Seen Kid. Perhaps their best work comes from dark places – and with money to burn these days, they’ve not been there for a while.

Watch the first show of series 38 of Later with Jools Holland on iPlayer. The extended pre-record show goes out on Friday and Saturday.

Forgotten Noughties #5: Devastations, Yes U

Devastations
Yes, U
Beggars Banquet, 2007

Though well received at the time of its release, Yes, U – the third album from this trio of Australian ex-pats, recorded in Berlin – didn’t kick the group’s profile up enough notches for them to be as recognised as they perhaps should be. To these ears, anyone repeatedly buying into the enveloping gloom of Nick Cave (an obvious but valid parallel) or the literate melancholic indie of Tindersticks needs this band in their life. It’s a sumptuous offering, equal parts sinister shadows and in-your-face fury – and its brilliance comes through the listener never quite knowing what is coming next. So Black Ice is a slow slide towards inevitable trouble, drum machine beats popping beneath solid percussion from fine sticksman Hugo Cran; but Rosa throws such cautiousness to the howling wind, turning amplifiers up until the knobs fall off and allowing frontman Conrad Standish to howl at a killing moon. Of equal presence is co-vocalist Tom Carlyon who, while less direct than his bandmate, offers a finely understated foil and is equally capable of getting under the skin of the listener, his whisper as powerful a tool as any wailing guitar riff. A great trio, with great songs – this is their best set, though 2006’s Coal isn’t without its moments of mischievous magic – quite how Devastations aren’t the regularly referenced, critically lauded outfit they should be can only be put down to the fact that a successor to Yes, U is yet to emerge. (A rather sad-looking, neglected MySpace page lists no new dates.) Album four, soon, please gents?

For fans of: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Black Heart Procession, The National
Download: The Pest, Rosa, An Avalanche of Stars, The Saddest Sound

Devastations – Rosa (live)

Devastations – The Saddest Sound

I swear my voice doesn’t always sound like this (a Mixcloud thing).

Okay, it does. It’s way more reedy than even my lamest of dreams ever foresaw. But whatcha gonna do? I’ll tell you what: you get a couple of beers in, a couple of portions of chips, collect together some CDs with a friend and record a Quarter One Report. Albums from the first three months of 2011, discussed. Some, we like. Others, nah. Crap records need love, too, I appreciate that. But there are enough simpletons out there buying this turd-shovelling stuff that I don’t have to acknowledge even the slightest slip of a positive should one be found amongst 12 box-ticking tracks of aural excrement.

(PS: I don’t mean Katy B. Katy B is great. If Katy B was to fill my ears with anything warm and brown it’d be chocolate sauce and I would enjoy it. Find me a few biscuit fingers, I’ll entertain myself for at least the length of one of her fine-indeed modern dance-pop numbers. And then continue the party in A&E.)

http://www.mixcloud.com/media/swf/player/mixcloudLoader.swf?v=106

Dis Radio 2011 – Sean Adams & Mike Diver's Q1 Report by Drownedinsound on Mixcloud