The Skull Defekts – Dances in Dreams of the Known Unknown. All things considered, this is pretty stonking, if not quite as good as Peer Amid.
The Advisory Circle/Stratus – As the Crow Flies. Ha, so what happens on your iPod when you’ve got two albums with the same title by two different bands? Why, it all gets mushed together of course. Both are excellent – Advisory Circle is in prime folktronic Ghost Box territory, Stratus is pretty much a straight blend of Air and Kraftwerk (and feature the bloke from Pye Corner Audio). This track from AC was the music behind that last ‘sketch’ of Stewart Lee’s series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngnwOHlPuGU And this from Stratus is just sublimely uplifting electronica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWI4U3Q9pNQ
School of Language – Old Fears. Still sounding a bit too, ah, ‘measured’ to me (apologies to FM fans for that), but off to see him/them this week anyway.
Montrose – S/T. Robot Emperor was shocked and appalled that I had never heard the first Montrose album, though this is really the least of my sins when it comes to the rock canon in general… It is what it is, and ‘Space Station No. 5’ is very rocking, but I think I still prefer the eclecticism of follow-up Paper Money… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOixVZldCww
Bong – Mana-Yood-Sushai. Another prompt from the Emperor, and a good one too, despite (or maybe because of) the Tap-esque vocals.
Stian Westerhus & Pale Horses – Maelstrom. Yeah, starting to get into this now, it’s like if Radiohead had started life as a difficult avant rock outfit and then made an album with some seriously big vocals that nudged towards the accessible (instead of first ripping off the Hollies then, err, doing the same to the early Warp catalogue).
XTC – Skylarking. Got send a promo, so seemed rude not to give them another go. Pleasant, melodic stuff, but the singles aside, I have a feeling I’m never going to be a massive fan.
Death – For the Whole World To See. Fab re-discovered/released for the first time Detroit punk/proto-hardcore sounds from three brothers (by which I mean they were related rather than black): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAZ9R2t5Jd0 Anybody seen the film?
Hejira – Prayer Before Birth. Three or four great tracks, but it trails off a bit in a miasma of preciousness.
The Space Spectrum – The Red Eyed Queen. Great space rocking stuff, thanks for the tip, Mr Squid.
VA – Warfaring Strangers. Really digging some of the stuff on here, and not just because of the perceived novelty value.
Listen With Father:
Smoke Fairies - Smoke Fairies. This album has now entered my dreams. Must stop listening for a while.
Broadcast - Tender Buttons. This track is bleak yet lovely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WVVWXcbBJs&feature=kp
Talk Talk – The Colour of Spring. Some serious interest in this one from the 5 year old, demanding a repeat play of ‘Life’s What You Make It’, which also happens to be the first overtly ‘pop’ single I ever bought (though in retrospect, that’s very relative). Was also lucky enough to see them on this tour, which of course turned out to be their last. ‘Genius’ is a word that’s used with reckless abandon, particularly in the world of music criticism, but Mark Hollis may well be worthy of that attribution, particularly given what came after this (still excellent in its own right) album.
Grandaddy – Under the Western Freeway. Great album, and for a while, really great band, even as they fade from view in music history’s rear mirror.
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