Strangeland - Keane
First up is Keane's new LP, and it's...a Keane LP, nothing more, nothing less. Nothing to write home about in all honesty, except that overall this is way more upbeat than any of their previous albums. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's bad, what's frustrating is there's no real progress or innovation like there was from Perfect Symmetry or Night Train. It's pleasant, nonetheless there isn't too much that leaps out as being a great song, or makes you want to listen to the album again. The song I've chosen from it is "On The Road" which is the most distinct, a fun, quick number that best exemplifies the positive tone of the album as a whole.
Dummy - Portishead
Next is an album I had been wanting for a bit of a while, not unlike Strangeland it was what I expected from a full album of Portishead, however the highlights are much clearer. As a whole it stands together brilliantly as a 45 minute listen, like trip-hop's forerunner Blue Lines; it has hip-hop, dub and soul influence but sounds much more eerie, having a strange, desolate yet somehow comfortable feel. The stand out tracks are "It's a Fire", "Roads", "Biscuit" and the most famous song from the album "Glory Box". "It's a Fire" is a simple yet effective song, just using organ, bass, drums and vocals.
Graceland - Paul Simon
And now on to Graceland. This is a completely enjoyable listen, it has superb variety, an abundance of catchy riffs and intriguing, quirky lyrics. Along with the terrific songwriting you get from Paul Simon, there's a lot to be said for the huge African influence, showcasing Ladysmith Black Mambazo in "Homeless" and "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes". Classic cuts such as "The Boy in the Bubble", "You Can Call Me Al" and the title track also feature. "I Know What I Know" is a good illustration of the South African influence alongside Simon's songwriting and catchy composition.
Morning Parade - Morning Parade
Morning Parade's self-titled debut album came out back in March and is a album that shows the quality and talent of the band, it's a real shame it hasn't been too well publicised. Granted, if you've been a Morning Parade fan for a while it will probably sound a little generic, as if not it's pushing the boundaries as much as it could. On the contrary, there's quite a bit of heart in it, particularly in the final two tracks: "Speechless" and "Born Alone". Moreover a lot of the album tracks sound like Indie music ought to sound at the moment, upbeat and well done, but not for the hell of it. "Under the Stars" stands head and shoulders above the rest of this LP and has been around much longer than it aswell, the perfect showcase of how good this band could be.
Neck Of The Woods - Silversun Pickups
After the first listen of Neck of the Woods, I was near enough ready to pencil this in as album of the year. It definitely feels like SSPU have tied together what they've excelled at all in one album, somehow combining the seemingly incongruous intensity of songs like "Panic Switch" with the laid back feel of songs like "Little Lovers So Polite" alongside brilliant instrumental work such as in "Waste It On". What's overwhelming is the consistency aswell, of 11 tracks, only 2 go as low as being average, at any rate they still fit in with the progression of the album. The conspicuous pace and flow of "Skin Graph", the buildup and breakthrough of "Simmer", the tension of "The Pit" and the punchy vocals of "Make Believe" are but a few highlights of this masterpiece, yes I would go that far! I leave you with what could be my favourite track, but then again I really struggle to decide, anyway here's the impactful ear-catching "Mean Spirits"
Watch this space because there's a few more posts in the pipeline, including another edition of songs I hate and my favourite instrumentals.
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