The best album releases of the month, August 2013 edition

As July saw only a few decent releases, I've made up for it in August by expanding this list back to the regular ten. It's almost a straight split between talented female performers and noise bands this month. I'm also not feeling like writing a lot, so I've grabbed official videos to illustrate each album.

Julianna Barwick 'Nepenthe'

The more I listen to this the better it gets. My review is here (the 405).
"So much music gets described as ethereal, but there is no better adjective for this.
After a while you get lost in Nepenthe and forget that this is mostly voices, it manages to transcend its constituent parts and make a beautiful noise from start to finish."

Braids 'Flourish // Perish'

Their debut 'Native Speaker' had some stellar moments and this builds on it. A slightly more electronic feel and the ambitious songwriting that first brought them to attention is still there.

Julia Holter 'Loud City Song'

Often confused with Julianna Barwick (and to compound this their albums came out on the same day!) I reckon Holter's new one is her best work to date. Built around voices that are as clear as a bell, this is another beautiful album.

Mark Kozelek & Desertshore

There's no stopping Kozelek now that he has his own label. When you count live recordings he will have released six albums during 2013. This one with Desertshore, who include Red House Painters guitarist Phil Carney, should please long-standing fans ('You Are Not My Blood' and 'Sometimes I Can't Stop' are the most RHP thing MK has done for a while). The lyrics focus on similar areas to his recent albums - the loss of family and friends (Jason Molina and American Music Club's Tim Mooney in particular), watching boxing matches, the endless cycle of touring, etc. It either comes across as hugely self-indulgent or a revealing peek into his personal diary.

LISTEN to 'Katowice or Cologne'

Medicine 'To The Happy Few'

Another shoe-gaze comeback, although Medicine always seemed to mean more in the US than UK.
my review is here (the 405)

No Age 'An Object'

This still sounds like No Age, but this time it seems the main influence is post-punk not post-hardcore. Wire rather than Husker Du if you like. Just 29 minutes in duration, this rewards repeated listens. They are doing interesting things with noise that set them apart from run-of-the-mill punk duos. There are even a couple of catchy anthems hiding close to the surface.

Superchunk 'I Hate Music'

They don't REALLY hate music of course, I mean two of them run Merge records after all. This is as joyous and as catchy and you would expect from Superchunk.
my review is here

Laura Veirs 'Warp and Weft'

Nine albums down the line, Laura Veirs is still remarkably consistent, although this new release is her most varied to date. Perhaps furthest from her folk roots, embracing occasionally noisy guitars and a tribute to jazz legend Alice Coltrane, and featuring guests such as Neko Case, kd Lang and Jim James, it's a very welcome return.

White Hills 'So You Are.. So You'll Be'

This is their seventh full album and by now White Hills have convinced that they aren't just a psych/ garage band, they fully embrace the hard rock and space rock made by the like of Hawkwind. Another impressive outing with some gloriously loud synth parts as well.

White Hills - In Your Room from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Zola Jesus 'Versions'

Apparently some quarters have received this collaboration with less than enthusiasm. Here we have the songs and voice of Zola Jesus working with Jim Thirlwell (aka any project with the word Foetus in it) and the Mivos Quartet. The end result is stripped back versions of material that has graced the ZJ albums to date. It certainly works for me.

My top 20 gigs of 2011

I went to around 48 gigs and saw 91 bands, most of the details have been automatically logged here. Here is my top 20, complete with the odd review, setlist link and amateur video.

1 The Mountain Goats, London Koko, 25th May
For me it takes a lot to beat a Mountain Goats gig and this one saw them on cracking form. Set list here, and here's a bit of the solo performance mid-set.


2 Fucked Up, London Scala 31st October
Hallowe'en night, all of the band dressed as giant babies and a cracking atmosphere. This video clip was filmed by my friend Liz from our vantage point just above the main mosh-pit. Lovely.


3 Aidan Moffat/ Human Don't be Angry (Malcolm Middleton), Cambridge Haymakers, 18th March
Most definitely not an Arab Strap show, though Aidan did do one tune from Philophobia. Malcolm's new instrumental set was followed by Aidan's collection of songs, most of which were brilliant and some have (still) to be recorded. Review (not by me) on the Liminal here

4 King Creosote and Jon Hopkins/ Francois and the Atlas Mountains, London QEH 9 September
In the week they didn't win the Mercury prize (who cares), they played their largest gig to date. Very special. Read my review (the405)

5 Wild Beasts/ Dutch Uncles, Cambridge Junction, 25th November
This gig completely convinced me that Wild Beasts are the finest band in the land right now. A triumphant, inspiring performance which brought Smother to life. Setlist here

6. The Fall, London IndigO2, 24th November
I was nervous about this as there had been some very mixed reports of this tour, but this turned out to be one of the best Fall shows I had seen in years. The band were tight, MES was in great form and his 'live-mixing' (i.e. fiddling with the musicians' amp setting mid-song) actually worked. Setlist here

7 Oneohtrix Point Never, Ford and Lopatin (Games), London QEH, 9th April
A memorable experience from start to finish; a late show in the foyer of the QEH, with two very different sets and visuals bouncing off the architecture.

8. Gang Gang Dance, London XOYO, 16th May
One of the bands I listened to most this year, I was pleased to report their live recreation of Eye Contact was every bit as thrilling as the album. It was dark in XOYO though, as this truncated video clip shows!


9. Braids, London the Lexington 24th May
Possibly my new favourite band, this show in the Lexington was so mesmerising I almost went to see them again later that week. I didn't make it, but I wanted to!

10. Thurston Moore, London Union Chapel, 31st May
A beautiful show in a great setting, this set was almost entirely the Demolished Thoughts album, although it would have been higher up my list if he hadn't attempted some poetry reading near the end.

11. Yo La Tengo/ Condo Fucks, London Royal Festival Hall, 12 June
They spun their wheel and gave us a Condo Fucks show as support. That wouldn't have been my first choice but as this was part of Ray Davies's Meltdown, it suited the overall vibe. my review (tumblr)

12. Eleanor Friedberger, Bethnal Green Workingmen's Club 1st December
I missed her first two solo appearances in London, but this show with her band was excellent.


13. Low, London Barbican, 3 June
I don't think I've ever seen a bad Low gig, and the hushed atmosphere in the Barbican really worked for them. Setlist here


14. Destroyer/ Amor de Dias, London Heaven, 28 June
A fine double bill, it was quite a treat to see Amor De Dias (featuring Alaistair from the Clientele) in support, and it was my first time seeing Destroyer, who managed to do justice to the lavish, brassy arrangements on Kaputt.

15. Bitch Magnet/ Smallgang, London the Lexington 12th December
Over the last few years I've been able to see a few bands I would have thought were gone for good. Bitch Magnet are the latest addition to that list and their Lexington gig was great.


16. Wooden Shjips/ Wolf People, London Scala 4 September
Quality psychedelic fuzz, or a homage to Loop with an Americana twist, either way, Wooden Shjips were on great form at this. Keyboards wrapped in tinfoil as well!

17. The Besnard Lakes/ Suuns, London Scala, 22nd November
Poorly attended but a cracking double bill, although Suuns could've treated us to another 10 minutes just to even things up. The sparse crowd meant that we could go right up the the front.

18. Zola Jesus/ EMA, London Heaven, 23rd November
Not as dark as I had been expecting, and actually coming across as a bit club-friendly, ZJ's live show had tons of energy and an absolute (unnamed) powerhouse on the drums.


19. The Sonics/ Wire, London Royal Festival Hall, 18 June
On paper this was an odd double bill as part of Ray Davies's Meltdown which worked very well. Read my review (the405)

20. Arbouretum/ Alexander Tucker, London Borderline, 24th March
Another quality double bill, Tucker was full-on psych-folk mode with cello and loopstation and all, Arbouretum brought guitar wig-outs to their alt country tunes.

A final word about support slots/ special guests. As well as some of those mentioned in the list - Francois, Wire, EMA, Suuns and Smallgang, I have to give an honourable mention to Fennesz, who came on before Emeralds at Union Chapel in September and stole the show, and John Maus who left Washed Out with the impossible task of following him at Heaven in November. It has been a good year!