The best album releases of the month, June edition

Can 'Lost Tapes box set'

June was another month where the best new release was old. However, unlike My Bloody Valentine's reissues, CAN's Lost Tapes Box Set consisted of three hours of unheard music. I cannot recommend it highly enough, the quality is consistent throughout the epic running time, and as a long standing Can fan I was thrilled to hear bits of familiar tunes incorporated into other pieces. It is extraordinary to think this has remained hidden for the best part of 40 years, it is literally a gem.

Piano Magic 'Life Has Not Finished With Me Yet'

my review (the 405)

"Overall this is a desolate but beautiful record. Piano Magic have successfully introduced new elements into their sound and have made them gel. After eleven albums and sixteen years, this latest effort can comfortably sit amongst their best work."

Japandroids 'Celebration Rock'

Anthemic punk rock album of the season for sure. This duo's second full length album begins with fireworks and delivers some cracking songs; some brand new, others such as 'Younger Us' will be familiar from the singles series which they have been releasing over the last while.

Patti Smith 'Banga'
This is the most impressive album that Patti Smith has made in years. It has catchy tunes ('April Fool') as well as longer pieces that touch on spoken word and experimental rock ('Tarkovsky' 'Constantine's Dream'). She is in great voice and the production works well, though I reckon there are more strings on this than on any of her previous releases. Tom Verlaine plays inspiratonal guitar throughout as well.

Tom McShane 'The Ural Winter'

my review

"At the heart of The Ural Winter there is some strong songwriting, so I reckon it would still have satisfied as a conventionally recorded album, but by bringing people together on that summer's day in 2010, a certain spark happened; something that made the music more alive. This is a downbeat, melancholic album that manages to feel raw and alive and is well worth your attention."

Shonen Knife 'Pop Tune'
my review

"At its heart it is a pure pop record, a summery carefree rush through the simple pleasures of life. I still think they could have taken the Ramones influence one step further and shortened some of the songs, but overall this is both an invigorating listen and an impressive statement from the band. Shonen Knife were always touted as an influence by bands such as Nirvana, L7 and Redd Kross, and whilst recent records have been good, Pop Tune helps us see just why this band packs such an influential clout."

Guided By Voices 'Class Clown Spots a UFO'

Sometimes the prolific nature of Guided By Voices can be frustrating. 'Class Clown..' is their second album of 2012 and apparently there is another one to follow. It's a good album, as is its predecessor, 'Let's Go Eat the Factory', but the thing is if you put them both together you get a great one. Still, out of all the reformed bands that have returned in recent years, they are the one that I am most pleased to see back.

Peaking Lights 'Lucifer'

Building on the buzz created by the superb '936', I think 'Lucifer' is more of a grower. Musically it tiptoes around the crossroads between dub reggae and dream pop. Their use of lo-fi electronics and extended melody lines give it a special edge. Worth it for 'Dream Beat' alone.

Ty Segall Band 'Slaughterhouse'

Another madly prolific act, like GBV, Ty Segall has committed himself to releasing three albums this year. I only heard this last week so I haven't had a chance to really get into it, but my initial impressions are that it is one of the best things he has put his name to. Steeped in even heavier psych-rock than his recent collaboration with White Fence, this sounds amazing when played loud. I haven't even got my hands on a proper copy yet, so I'm looking forward to that.

Liars 'WIXIW'

THe deliberately obtuse title (it's pronounced "wish-you") belies the fact that this is one of Liars most accessible and less abrasive records. Surely they can now be considered one of the most important acts of the last decade - every album is different and they have always challenged their listeners. Produced by Mute boss Daniel Miller, synths are more to the fore here, and the noise overload of old has been swapped for a subtle, more electronic feel. Like all Liars records, this rewards repeated listening.

The Walkmen 'Heaven'

A mature, grown-up record, by all accounts. Perhaps this status is underlined by the picture of the band posing with their children on their laps on the back cover. Dad-rock indeed. It turns out this is one of the Walkmen's best albums, its a grower, and the songs kind of creep up on you, rather than grab you straight away.

A Place to Bury Strangers 'Worship'

my review

A Place to Bury Strangers no longer seems like a flat-out noise assault, and ultimately Worship sounds more like themselves than a homage to anyone. It actually sounds great too, and I really like the band's own production work. It is clinical and cold rather than warm and fuzzy but that suits the material. This isn't woozy shoegaze to lose yourself in, it's much more edgy and abrasive than that, and I reckon it works.

Review: Tom McShane 'The Ural Winter'

Ok, so imagine you are a singer-songwriter and you play guitar. You've written a bunch of songs that you think would sit well together as an album but you want to make it sound a bit different this time.
In July 2010, the Northern Ireland based songwriter Tom McShane decided that his next album would made in a different way. He assembled some musicians to play his new songs, but instead of laying down tracks over a few weeks or months, he opted to record them as an ensemble, with a small live audience invited to the studio to make it more of an event.
Now, two years later, the results see the light of day on a recording compiled from two studio sessions that day, which bristles with a life and vivacity that could only have been achieved from this method.
The title The Ural Winter conjures up all sorts of bleak images, and although the music is downbeat and reflective, it has a warmth that comes about largely because of how it has been recorded and performed. The overall vibe is reminiscent of classic rock n roll or jazz recordings. When I reviewed the Geoff Farina record earlier this year I said that Farina was using 1920s guitar techniques with modern songwriting. In this case Tom McShane is using 1950s recording methods with modern songwriting.
This isn't a solo album though, and there is a big cast assembled here. Thirteen musicians take part, and although the band is dominated by guitar, drums and piano, there are some great horn and string arrangements which complement the songwriting beautifully. The words and melodies are never overwhelmed and at the heart of it Tom's voice sounds sad and fragile.
In fact this is established from the start, as opening track 'The Water' begins with just his voice and a simple piano accompaniment.
'Fighter' is the first song to show the band in full, with twangy guitars and reverbed drums pounding out a heart beat. The lyrics are impressive too, telling a tale of a boxer who hates what he does and only gets in the ring out of fear.
The title track is pretty great, built around an achingly timeless melody, it reminds me of someone like Jimmy Webb or Nilsson. It taps into that vein of melancholic songwriting, and the protaganist finds himself in San Francisco “wondering why I still feel cold.” The massed trumpets sound great as well.
'Love is Hard' is possibly the most beautifully bleak moment. A string trio takes the place of the band and other background voices accompany Tom's vocal. The piece is actually a duet with Ciara O'Neill and her vocals provide a good contrast.
'One Man Band' is a big catchy tune and perhaps the most uptempo piece here, featuring full band, although the fact that the lead is shared between cello and glockenspiel gives it something special.
'Ballad of Morton Candell' is literally a ballad in the story song sense, telling the story of an engineer who built a station on the Northern Line. It's another big arrangement, but I like the way that the guitar lines come to the fore here.
Undoubtedly the most achingly beautiful moment is 'My Nadir'. Tom's quietest, most fragile vocal combines with some delicate piano and wonderfully mournful trumpets to create something very special. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has uttered the word 'Shipbuilding' in response to this track.
It's hard to follow that but 'A Personal Narrative of a Life at Sea pt II' begins dramatically with what can best be described as a humming choir with Tom singing above it, before the band kick in. It's one of the most dynamic tracks with lots of twists and turns, whilst 'Flowers' is a delicate note to end on, as it is a pretty acoustic guitar based tune.
At the heart of The Ural Winter there is some strong songwriting, so I reckon it would still have satisfied as a conventionally recorded album, but by bringing people together on that summer's day in 2010, a certain spark happened; something that made the music more alive. This is a downbeat, melancholic album that manages to feel raw and alive and is well worth your attention.

Review: BelFEST showcase 24th November 2004

Review: BelFEST showcase 24th November 2004
(Disclaimer: I have tried to compile this review without comparing anyone directly to another band!)
The previous night (Desert Hearts, Contraband) is reviewed here.

After last night's subdued show in the Pavilion, this free four-venue event had a lot more atmosphere and a huge variety of music. Obviously I couldn't see all of it, in fact I couldn't even stick to my provisional timetable!
What I did see was a lot of enthusiastic people turning out to watch (mostly) unsigned local acts, and overall I got a better feeling about this than BelFEST 2002 which is the only other one I had attended.
Although the opening slot at any of these showcases is often the booby prize, the venues are already pretty full, so there was no loss in going on first.
The Embers were the first band that I saw, in their self-confessed bogey venue Katy Dalys, and it turned into one of the best shows I've seen them do. This was shorter than their normal set, although they still managed to show off a range of their best material - a good mix of their pop songs and the more intricate pieces. Best of all, they hung on their crowd and it actually grew by the end of the set.
Unfortunately Driving By Night are on next door in the Spring and AirBrake at a similar time and although I only caught the last three songs they were a pleasant surprise. It's great when a band that you have never heard before impresses you. I was told that I had seen the slower part of the set so it would be interesting to hear more of them. The vocals in particular stood out, but as I didn't see the whole set I'll not compare the band to anyone in particular, I'll just recommend that you go and see them.
I catch a few songs by Duke Special in the Limelight. This was a solo show, a bit refreshing amongst all these guitar based bands, and a good show it was too. The velvet drapes and the old gramophone gave him a bit of an eccentric edge and he went down very well with the crowd. He also plays with a band under the same name, and as a result of this performance they could also be worth a look.
Torgas Valley Reds follow soon after in the Spring and Airbrake and once again they deliver the goods. Starting off slowly with the keyboard based 'Appalachia', they soon step things up a notch and the crowd starts to build up as well. You can only review a band so many times before becoming repetitive, so all I can say is that TVR were the best on offer tonight - great songs and a great performance.
There is a bit of a lull next and I get distracted as there is no-one to really grab
my attention in the three connected venues. I should mention that because I watched TVR I missed Le Scenes who impressed a lot of the people I was with and could be worth a further look. Sadly we miss Foamboy in Auntie Annies, but we arrive in time for Tom McShane. His set is a great end to the night - gentle, slightly melancholic songs which are well worth checking out. His band are subtle and understated as well, and they do the songs justice.
Although I had seen some of tonight's bands before, I still left feeling very positive about the local music scene. Lots of good performances over the last two days, and although the record companies may not have been here in force, generally the acts that I saw got very good feedback from the crowd. Now if only the accompanying CD had been released in time I would be very happy indeed!