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: Patti Smith + her band, Belfast Elmwood Hall 30th July 2004

REVIEW: Patti Smith + her band, Belfast Elmwood Hall 30th July 2004

I didn't expect Patti Smith to be quite as good as she was in London three years ago, which still ranks as one of my favourite shows ever. In fact this Belfast show was as good, despite the strangely subdued, seated venue of the Elmwood Hall. What made it special for me was not just the intimacy (I was in the fifth row and she frequently stepped off stage into the crowd), but the fact she played stunning versions of 'Birdland' and '25th Floor'. An unexpected bonus came in my first hearing of the recent songs from 'Trampin', an album which I seem to have overlooked.
The band are the same as before - original Patti Smith Group members Jay Dee Daugherty and Lenny Kaye augmented by Tony Shanahan and Oliver Ray. I never noticed how much Tony contributes to the group, his faithful keyboard parts are superb as are his Jeff Buckley-style harmonies on 'Beneath the Southern Cross'.
Tonight the band build things up. It all starts so quietly with Patti coming on stage carrying a sunflower and easing her way into 'Trampin' from the new album, just her voice and Tony on the keyboards. It's clear from the outset that she's in great voice. This may be the last date of the tour but she sounds stronger than she did at her solo Belfast performance last year. She alludes to that performance in the Art College and the promise she made that night to return with the full band, laughing that the best place they could find for he to play in Belfast was a church. No-one has the heart to explain that this is no longer a church, we're happy to let her think what she likes, it's that kind of night!
Now she's 57 and we're cramped together in a seated venue, you might expect things to stay mellow throughout. Old classics 'Privilege - Set Me Free' and 'Break it up' prove she's going to be in crowd pleasing mode from the outset, and the first really special moment is that beautiful version of 'Beneath the Southern Cross'. Essentially a one-chord mantra, it's the first time they really step it up a gear, and the swirling, slightly dated, pyschedelic visuals start to play a part.
'In My Blakean Year' is another decent new one, it's a fairly straight forward Dylan-esque tune, then we get the first of her customary covers - this time it's 'Pale Blue Eyes', a great version and a nod to the influence of Lou Reed. One thing I notice that's different from the last time I saw her with the band is that tonight she has less of a tendency to look back to her heroes - there is more emphasis on her material, her new songs in fact, that she isn't that bothered about playing songs written by her heroes. The weight of history is still with her though, and the passionate 'Gandhi' sees her going walkabout in the crowd, bellowing at the top of her lungs and trying to fire up the crowd. It certainly works and a magnificent 'Free Money' sees the seats forgotten about. Summer Cannibals and Because the Night are more crowd-pleasers, surprising for some that she played her biggest hit as it was co-written with Springsteen, but she's actually done it every time I've seen her! The highlight for me was 'Birdland' on which the band and Patti really peak, Patti donning specs and reading the story from her own book as her musicians feel their way around it. She loses the glasses and picks up a guitar for '25th Floor' which is as alive and passionate as it was 27 years ago.
'People have the Power' gets us back to more staight forward stuff, and 'Mother Rose' is a fitting gentle end to a great set. It goes without saying that the encore is the full version of 'Gloria', it had to be really, this town is where the song was born and Patti always did the best version of it.
Set-list collectors will quibble about what she did and didn't play, but that's not really the issue. There are a few songs I would have happily swapped out of the set, but Patti is a performer, her band are the perfect foil for her, and for my money this is one of the best live music experiences you might ever have.