Album Reviews

The Antlers 'Hospice'

editor@cluas.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cluas Snapshot: The Antlers’ second album is different. It’s a concept. The theme is tragic and complicated. It’s also phenomenally engaging musically and while one of the most difficult it’s also one of the interesting albums you’re likely to hear this year.

The Cluas Verdict? 8/10

Full Review: Hospice tells the story from Prologue to Epilogue of a couple’s journey through terminal illness, struggle, regret and grief amongst other things. It’s heavy. It’s very heavy in fact. The record opens with the grey overtone “Prologue” and even from this early stage, it’s clear the album could serve as a soundtrack for a movie. In fact a movie could be written using the story of the album. It slides gently into “Kettering”. The song describes one partner finding the other filled with tubes in a cancer ward. The “morphine alarms” sing and keep her sleeping. It narrates the anger felt by the patient towards the carer. It ends with one partner finding out the illness is terminal.

“Sylvia” begins in the same vein and then suddenly busts into life. Lyrically it’s virtually impossible to understand what’s been sung. The vocals are extremely low and this is my biggest criticism of the album. Musically it’s flawless but lyrically it’s impossible to engage with at times. I had to research the lyrics to find out what’s going on. Apparently it’s about the poet Sylvia Plath (the writer and poet who committed suicide by sticking her head in an oven and turning on the gas). This is described as detailed as this in the song. Musically it’s up and down, aggressive percussion and big horns, guitars and a charging rhythm. It’s actually a really catchy melody.

“Atrophy” is long, really long. 7 minutes 42 seconds long. It’s a slow mover. Again virtually impossible to hear what is being said. And for a concept album that is supposed to tell a story, it’s bloody annoying I can tell you. The listener wants to know what’s going on and musically it’s conveying the themes but the lyrics are inaudible at times. Again through research I discovered a beautiful lyric that summarises the song well: “I’m bound to your bedside, your eulogy singer”.

“Bear” is the first single off the album, and it’s incredible. It describes the couple in question going through the decision making process on whether they are capable of looking after a new baby.

“There’s a bear inside your stomach, a cub’s being kicking from within.
He’s loud without the vocal cords; we’ll put an end to him.
We’ll make all the right appointments; no one ever has to know,
And then tomorrow I’ll turn twenty one, we can script another show”.

The song goes on detailing the reality of a conflict between the couple regarding their maturity at handling the responsibility a baby brings. OK, so Silberman clearly doesn’t do things by halves. Thankfully the lyrics in this tune are audible, and mercifully so. It’s a fine song. “Thirteen” passes without incident.

“Two” however doesn’t. It’s a musical masterpiece. The acoustic intro draws the listener in, and the high low vocals of the verses merge with the drums as they kick in, fantastic. It’s the moment the doctor tells him that there is no hope for his partner and that “Enough is enough”. The song then compares how she had an eating disorder when she was younger and nobody noticed and excuses were made for it, her Dad was “an asshole”. It then goes on to describe their lives together, constant fighting in their room/home and marriage.

“There’s two people living in one small room, from your two half-families tearing at you,
Two ways to tell the story “no one worries”, two silver rings on our fingers in a hurry,
two people talking inside your brain, two people believing I’m the one to blame,
two different voices coming out of your mouth, while I’m too to care and too sick to shout”

“Shiva” comes right after death. “Suddenly every machine stopped at once, and the monitors bleeped one last time. Hundreds of thousands of hospital beds, all of them empty but mine”. It continues musically in the same vein, acoustic guitar and stirring vocals. It’s nearing the end of the road. “Wake” is the end. It’s the celebration or marking of her passing. Letting people in to remember and say goodbye.

It’s a very heavy record, and very thoughtful. At times it can be frustrating. It isn’t made easy for the listener, but the challenge is worthwhile. It’s one of the finest albums this reviewer has heard this year.

Kevin Coleman

Idlewild 'Post Electric Blues'

editor@cluas.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Post Electric Blues' by Idlewild

Review Snapshot: One could be forgiven for thinking that this latest offering portrays Idlewild growing old gracefully, but realistically this is the sound of a band who are trying to reinvent themselves. It doesn’t come close to the indie rock genius of the “The Remote Part” and the happy-go-lucky “Make Another World”, or the intrigue of the confused “Warnings/Promises”, but rather depends on several different influences to produce a fresh sound. Does it work? Yes, but only just.

The Cluas Verdict? 6 out of 10

Full Review: As the album opens with “Younger Than America”, you instantly notice this is truly & recognisably Idlewild, a vicariously riffed tune, and one that will once again accuse them of being, albeit in a good way, influenced by REM circa the Document era. Add to that, an effective backing vocal by our own Heidi Talbot (who aided and abetted Roddy Woomble’s 2006 solo country-ish effort “Secret Of My Silence” to magnificent effect, more on that later).

More of the same on “City Hall”, classic Idlewild. Baring in mind this is their 6th album, it still works in so far as the song exudes their undying zest for what they do. “Dreams of Nothing” echoes sentiments of “Century After Century” from the “The Remote Part”, picking on what made them underground greats while avoiding overdependence on it.

Nevertheless, the album is not without its pitfalls, “Readers & Writers” is chart-popped up to an ultimately ineffective extent with oversold bombast on its chorus; it’s only the album’s second track and in early listens, you worry that Idlewild may be trying to become commercial - which just isn’t them. The same could be said of the late-on “All Over the Town”. It would sound great live but forces little effect elsewhere. Another poppy effect on “Circles in Stars” features a distorted doubled up vocal that asks "why, why, why?" Woomble’s vocals have always been charismatic enough without having to resort to this sort of thing.

Perhaps the most disconcerting aspect of this album is the alt-country influences evident from Woomble’s solo effort that are breaking & entering their way through here – it doesn’t work on “(The Night Will) Bring You Back to Life”; it’s lyrically weak and the music doesn't sounds like anything like the Idlewild we’ve come to know and love. It improves on the album’s outro though as “Take Me Back in Time” features jangly guitar and a hum-drum backing vocal that possibly betrays the album as a whole but nonetheless remains a pleasing ending.

While the album’s blessing is that “Take Me Back To The Islands” is undoubtedly one of the best tracks on offer, the fact that it sounds like it was hand-picked from “Secret Of My Silence” is also a distant curse - you can’t help but wonder if these contrasting influences are pulling the sound of this band and its lead singer in opposite directions.

All in all, there’s enough here to satisfy dedicated fans and a lot of experimentation and credit to them for that; after all, bands who don’t reinvent themselves inevitably fade into the background or fade away altogether (just ask any Strokes or Garbage fan).

Definitely Idlewild’s weakest offering since the Remote Part, but a satisfying listen at the end of the day.

Jimmy Murphy

Mumford & Sons 'Sigh No More'

editor@cluas.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons

Review Snapshot: This London folk foursome presented their first album, 'Sigh No More', at the beginning of this month, following in the footsteps of the contemporary Noah and the Whale, and echoing the forlorn vocals of Neil Young. Mumford & Sons' unique brand of indie-folk, with edgy lyrics and widely varied music, will not be everyone's favourite, but for the more eclectic, this is an absolutely brilliant debut from a promising band.

The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10

Full Review:
I readily confess that I’m not a huge fan of folk music. I’ve never really considered the banjo as a serious instrument, and had someone asked me what I thought of the genre, I would have raised an eyebrow and said that I wasn’t that into it. I was surprised, then, by this album, which I immediately liked. It mixes traditional-sounding introductions with thunderous climaxes, replete with roaring distortion and the ever-present banjo (which really does work in this context). The acerbic lyrics are at odds with the often bright and bouncy music. In all, it’s an interesting and accessible record, even for those who aren’t normally into folk.

‘Sigh No More’, the first track, opens up with tranquil guitar and chorus, and builds up to a powerful crescendo. The refrain,

“Love, it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free,
Be more like the man you were made to be”,

is invigorating and refreshing. ‘The Cave’, once again edgy and innovative, combining a pleasing hook, a bright melody, and unnerving lyrics: “I will hold on hope and I won’t let you choke on the noose around your neck” is typical of the sort of contrast Marcus Mumford, the lead singer, draws throughout the album. ‘Winter Winds’ is similar, exploring the theme of insincere love and loneliness, to a warm, cheerful tune.

‘Roll Away Your Stone’ is a brisk, buoyant ballad, with the same gloomy undercurrents. ‘White Blank Page’ is much darker, with a wistful tune and embittered lyrics, this time in waltz-time. ‘I Gave You All’ develops the melancholic strain further, recalling the beginning of the first track with the similar chorus.

This record is one of those that gets better as it goes on. ‘Little Lion Man’ is much more energetic, but still sinister; it’s also my favourite track on the album. Mumford & Sons seem to like playing with rhythms, and the syncopation of the guitar makes this an interesting song rhythmically as well as anything else. ‘Timshel’, easily the shortest song on the album, is puzzling and interesting. Motifs run throughout this record, and the idea of brotherhood and unity, first mentioned in ‘I Gave You All’, forms the refrain of this track. ‘Timshel’ reads like a poem, and it isn’t alone; it’s because of this that I think they have great potential.

‘Thistle and Weeds’ is an epic piece, beginning with the quiet gloom of the past few tracks and building up to a storm of desperation and darkness. Once again, we see artful repetition: the refrain in this song, “I will hold on hope”, echoes exactly the chorus in ‘The Cave’. ‘Awake My Soul’, then, seems incongruent, with its mellow tune and seemingly innocuous lyrics. It is this very discomfort that this band are so capable of exploiting.

‘Dust Bowl Dance’ is another desperate ballad, that uses interesting blues-rock and psychedelic guitar in a tasteful and completely unexpected manner. ‘After The Storm’, the last song and a subdued but uplifting summary, resurrects once more the refrain of the introductory track, nicely tying the album together.

I am greatly impressed by this band: not only is their debut album lovely to listen to, it’s also a real work of art. They have already created their own style, distinct from, if closely related to, their influences and contemporaries, and they have certainly proven their ability to write good music. Mumford & Sons are poets, and I’m already looking forward to their next release. If you’re already into the folk scene, or if you’re looking for something refreshing, this album is a must-buy. If not, then please don’t complain that it isn’t mainstream enough.

Philip McDonald

The Swell Season 'Strict Joy'

editor@cluas.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album Strict Joy by The Swell Season

Review Snapshot: At times underwhelming and familiar, 'Strict Joy' brings nothing new to the table and deals with much of the same subject matter as The Swell Season's previous albums. While people who were already fans will probably find this album enjoyable it did very little to grab the attention of this reviewer's ears.

The Cluas Verdict? 5 out of 10

Full Review: Since the success of 2007's 'Once' Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, aka The Swell Season, who both starred in the film and composed the soundtrack, have become highly regarded members of the Irish music scene. Hansard, portraying a struggling busker on Dublin's Grafton Street, and Irglová his love interest and a fellow musician in 'Once', raised their profile considerably and garnered much international attention, particularly in America. Their Oscar winning track from the 'Once' soundtrack, 'Falling Slowly', is a beautiful, memorable song which has received wide radio play. However, their follow-up 'Strict Joy' is quite a different affair altogether.

While 'Strict Joy' can at times be affecting, a lot of the tracks seem more akin to pub songs, to rouse an excitable and inebriated crowd who aren't entirely coherent. While I'm sure this could be classed as a good thing by some people, I strongly doubt that this was the sound Hansard and Irglová were hoping to achieve.

'In These Arms' displays Hansard's usually lowly singing. It has the air of a song that was written instantly in a fit of emotion - and is all the better for it. With Hansard professing "Maybe I was born/To hold you in these arms" with seemingly fragile guitar playing and powerful vocals, it's both thought-provoking and emotive. It's a stand out track on the album, combining both sombre but sweet tones in a way only The Swell Season can.

On the sixth track on the album, 'Paper Cup', Hansard continues the age-old tradition of writers penning pieces to inanimate objects. In such an instance writers tend to offer an interesting insight into their opinion of the object, or how they'd desire to live as simple a life as the object. Instead, Hansard decides to use the word 'paper' as a kind of prefix - "paper saint", "paper plane", "paper bird" not really offering an insight into anything or being particularly engaging. Essentially, 'Paper Cup' appears to be filler without any real purpose or defining composition.

Irglová makes only two distinctively notable vocal appearances as the lead vocalist on 'Fantasy Man' and 'I Have Love You Wrong'. On 'Fantasy Man' Irglová's voice is perfectly suited to the track, she sings passionately with a soothing instrumental accompaniment. At times, 'Fantasy Man' has similarities to Vyvienne Long's style of composition and singing, but still retains a quirky uniqueness which is hard to pigeon-hole. 'I Have Loved You Wrong' is a tranquil track with Irglová's swirling vocals adding a new scope to the song.

Though Irglová provides backing vocals on many of the tracks she tends to be overshadowed by Hansard and at times can fade into the background. Such occurrences make this album sound more like a Glen Hansard/The Frames album as opposed to a collaboration between himself and Irglová in The Swell Season.

The Swell Season have been prosperous in creating an album that people who were already fans of theirs will enjoy, but I'm not so confident that they will gain many more new fans as a result of 'Strict Joy'. I can't help but feel that if Irglová had sung more solo tracks, or if she collaborated on a song with Hansard in equal measure the album could really be something amazing and diverse. I'm not convinced by any stretch of the imagination that 'Strict Joy' is a culmination of the the best songs The Swell Season have written since the 'Once' soundtrack. This album offers nothing particularly enthralling or dynamic, and could easily meld together with 'The Swell Season's back catalogue without it being obvious that it's a separate album from their two previous releases.

Aideen O'Flaherty

Pearl Jam 'Backspacer'

editor@cluas.com — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album Backspacer by Pearl Jam

Review Snapshot: If you want the smooth waves of the surf, some rocking little riffs and more fine songwriting from Eddie Vedder, then Backspacer is for you. Die-hard fans like myself ought not to be disappointed.

The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10

Full Review:
What's not to like about Eddie Vedder? Surfer, writer, and a mysterious creature that puts forth his vision of the world with a voice that has only grown better with age. More importantly, Vedder is the iconic figure in Pearl Jam, the Seattle rock band that survived the 90s and have become enriched as the group continues to play to sold-out venues.

Backspacer represents a mellowing of the group, with lyrics that reflect a more relaxed Vedder. As if to prove this, the album bursts forth not with the heady rushes of a track like 'Go' , but rather with a Johnny B. Goode style blues riff on 'Gonna See My Friend.'

This slice of home-grown Americana rock continues with 'Got Some,' a frantic start to a track where Vedder grunts a little, his voice acting as the addict's devil-on-the-shoulder: 'I got some if you need it / Get it now, get enough before it's gone.' This is the song to really remember from the album and at the moment it is being played on air as their second commercial single.

First single 'The Fixer' is a catchy pop number that merges opposites: 'When something's broke / I wanna put a bit of fixing on it.' Its breezy vocals and Vedder's sliding vocals indicate acceptance and a willingness to grow with relationships, to water them and let them flourish.

As a whole the album is a more optimistic Pearl Jam with less to prove to the world. There is no direct political song that's the equivalent of 'Brain of J' from the album Yield or 'Bushleager' from Riot Act.

Indeed there is little to dislike about Backspacer. The album might not have a bone-crunching 'Porch' or 'Leash' track on it, but the simpler, peaceful songs are a welcome antithesis. 'Just Breathe' is a Buddhist mantra: 'I'm a lucky man to count on both hands the ones I love / Some folks just have one, others they got none.'

From surfing on 'Amongst the Waves' to the beautiful finger-picking in 'The End' the album symbolises gratitude, with Vedder the engaging prophet. Backspacer is a worthy follow-up to previous Pearl Jam offerings and die-hard fans will not be disappointed.

Niamh Madden

Fnessnej 'Stay Fresh, Ey'

editor@cluas.com — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album Stay Fresh, Ey by Fnessnej

Review Snapshot: A compelling collage of sounds from a German five-piece whose name is almost impossible to pronounce. Part chip-tune, part post-rock, Stay Fresh, Ey is a playful album that offers new delights on each listen.

The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10

Full Review:
Some song titles aren't made for memory. '1360280' is a fine example of this. But then when the artist's name appears equally scrambled, it all starts to make sense. Whisking together seemingly incongruent flavours is a speciality of Fnessnej. The quintet's music is self-described on their website as 'instrumental postkutsche rocknroll elektroge frikkelballer post blahabblaha'. Quite the mouthful.

Fnessnej are masters of blending bleeps and ticks, rock riffs, synth sounds and syncopated drumming on a rich palate of musical fervour. The album's first track 'Duplex Knaller' begins playfully, with four short clownlike notes and moves towards a mood reminiscent of Metronomy. There's bass, handclaps and a childlike melody on xylophone. What's not to love?

We move into richer territory with the sweet tapestry that is 'Voll im Harras', which could have accompanied an early PC game like Pango or Frogger. There are deeper mute bass sections and the tune moves into more grown up territory in its second half. Succinct, organic, and without the awkward stages of adolescence, this is a track to be treasured.

Further treats are in store with the dulcet acoustic nylon tones of 'Mann aus Frau' and the journey of 'Gewehrwolfgang,' which samples classical, post-rock and 1950s high school romance. And if you thought ping pong was just a bizarre sport or one of the first computer games, think again. In 'Diode' it becomes a genius melody that takes the game through bouncing and beeping heights.

Fnessnej might not roll off the tongue in a recommendation to friends - but the tracks themselves are catchy, musically complex, and make offerings worthy to all genres. So far I have been recommended this album by one other - and I have yet to meet another who knows of this little treasure. German, random, and rich, this 2008 album has been a favourite of mine for the past few months.

Niamh Madden

AFI 'Crash Love'

editor@cluas.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Crash Love' by AFI

Review Snapshot: The Californian rock veterans make a triumphant return with their eight studio album, proving precisely why they've lasted so long and still have the awe-inspiring ability to always exceed expectations.

The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10

Full Review:
In 1991 in a high school in Ukiah, California, sat four teenagers eager to get involved in the punk rock and hardcore music scene. They decided to start a band and set about learning how to play instruments hoping to emulate their heroes such as the Misfits and The Cure. Now, several line-up changes and some genre-hopping later AFI have presented us with 'Crash Love.'

Their previous album, 'Decemberunderground', was by all accounts a success. It was well received by both critics and fans alike, their first single from the album, ‘Miss Murder’, garnered them some mainstream attention in the US (both ‘Decemberunderground’ and ‘Miss Murder’ were number 1’s on the Billboard Chart) and they won the VMA for Best Rock Video in 2006. To say ‘Crash Love’ was eagerly anticipated would be an understatement.

Opening track ‘Torch Song’ is a cacophony of electrifying riffs and passionate singing. Musically it’s reminiscent of AFI’s early punkier, harsher sound. It’s accompanied with powerful backing vocals chanting “Anything” throughout the chorus. It perfectly encapsulates all of the best elements of AFI’s music, being progressive but without losing sight of what originally made their music so enthralling.

‘Okay, I Feel Better Now’ is a pivotal track on the album. Lyrically it's very strong,

"I cannot breath.
I can't deny
that I've been faking for you,
every sign of life"

While it's not entirely different from previous songs they've written, it's a definite departure from their previous work and is incomparable. It swiftly captures a moment of emotion and effectively invites the listener in.

Another distinguished track on the album is 'I Am Trying Very Hard to be Here'. First revealed to fans a few weeks before the release of 'Crash Love' through a video of AFI in the studio with fans assisting them with backing vocals in the chorus, it was highly anticipated. Through it is lyrically weaker than the other tracks on the album, it shows guitarist Jade Puget at his best playing excellently energetic riffs.

Overall, 'Crash Love' is an admirably successful album. Though it is void of some of AFI's previous traits, most obviously no screaming from vocalist Davey Havok on any of the tracks, it is a welcome departure from 'Decemberunderground' into slightly newer territory.

Aideen O'Flaherty

Arctic Monkeys 'Humbug'

editor@cluas.com — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Humbug' by Arctic Monkeys

Review Snapshot: The Monkeys have certainly taken a step forward with this album. Unfortunately, they seem to have stepped into a world of random and/or drug induced songwriting, where coherence is frowned upon, and nonsense is king. Musically, the record is quite interesting, and they've honed their sound significantly, avoiding obvious riffs and uniformly aggressive drumming. Overall, it's a solid album for the band, but I think critics exaggerate when they say that it's momentous; it's well produced, it's darker than anything they've done before, but it isn't quite seminal.

The Cluas Verdict? 6.5 out of 10

Full Review:
This album is certainly trying for a dark, grotesque, looming feel, but I don't think they quite achieve that. The first track, 'My Propeller', exhibits Alex Turner's new random/drug induced/'deep' lyrics, introducing the first of many excessively cryptic refrains: "Coax me out my low, and have a spin of my propeller..." Musically, it's quite interesting, as is 'Crying Lightning', which is more energetic, and slightly more coherent.

I start to lose patience with ‘Dangerous Animals’. This song takes the significant risk of spelling out its name in the lyrics. I think it’s more D-I-V-O-R-C-E than R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Musically, they can’t be faulted, and this song parcticularly showcases their command of mid-song rhythmic shifts, switching back and forth from the offbeat and subdued to Brianstorm-era aggression.

‘Secret Door’, much like ‘Only Ones Who Know’ on their previous album, is a nice break from the onslaught of the previous two tracks, and brings us back to the carnivalesque, uncomfortable atmosphere of the opening. Although I quite like this song, I feel they’re trying to be too mysterious, and the music has ended up as confusing. ‘Potion Approaching’ similarly, irritates me with its obscurity: “Yours is the only ocean” isn’t intriguing, it’s nonsense.

‘Fire and the Thud’ is my favourite song on this record, musically at least. I almost forgive the song for its lyrics, just because of its energy. Not quite, though. The last line of the song,

“I’d like to poke them in their prying eyes,
with things they’d never see if it smacked them in their temples”,

is demonstrative of the dark and hopelessly contrived nature of the whole album. ‘Cornerstone’ is a nice break from all of that. This is light-hearted and down-to-earth, a gritty ballad about Sheffield romance, and a throwback to their earlier music. I think the record could do with a few more tracks along these lines; as it is, it takes itself too seriously, and it doesn’t have the lyrical substance to back itself up.

We dive right back into the dark and foreboding with ‘Dance Little Liar’. It’s absolutely unremarkable. Thankfully, the record picks up a bit toward the end. ‘Pretty Visitors’ is musically interesting, and also contains the best metaphor I’ve seen in a while:

“All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms
and cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall.”

Unfortunately, the rest of the song is once again disappointingly nonsensical. The final track, ‘The Jeweller’s Hands’, is an appropriate end, caricaturing the offbeat and gloomy tone of the rest of the album. The opening, “Fiendish wonder in the carnival’s wake”, really captures the sense of remission after the storm. It’s a good song, even though it’s guilty of the same irritating ambiguity as most of the record.

Overall, I’m not convinced by the album. It’s certainly something I’ll listen to in the background when I’m doing other things, but as a work of art, I think it’s disappointing, especially considering the amount of hype surrounding it. Their next album will be the test; I can’t help but feel that the arctic Monkeys are descending.

Philip McDonald

Psychonavigation Records 'Y9'

editor@cluas.com — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Review Snapshot: Keith Downey’s Ireland based brain child Psychonavigation Records celebrates its 33rd release since setting up nine years ago. It's testament that, in an industry where labels - like acts - come and go, that Psychonavigation Records is not only still going, but growing too.

Cluas Verdict? 7/10

Full Review:
Psychonavigation Records was born out of the frustration of a DJ who wanted to get unsigned music out there. It joyfully heralds various acts and DJs alike and gives them a platform to release their music. It’s an admirable as well as a very successful venture and some of the fruits are in this Y9 (ninth year) anniversary compilation.

The first thing to note is that there is a broad spectrum covered in the record label. The opening track is a quiet atmospheric number from Buckminster Fuzeboard. It’s a nice opener. Nice percussion with a flute hook as an overtone. “Your Day in the Sun” by GEL-SOL follows. The sound of waves coming in act as a backdrop, unfortunately other than that it’s a monotone lazy affair. “What a Wonderful Life” from Roddy Monks raises the bar. It has a nice lick and a catchy beat drawing the listener. There’s a lot going on and it’s interesting. Three tracks in and I can honestly say it’s difficult to imagine this stuff being played in a club. It’s mood music. “What a Wonderful Life” would find a nice home on a soundtrack for Spa Treatment/Massages.

The record rolls on and the variation of the artists becomes evident on “Spinning” from Tiny Magnetic Pets. A nice delicate vocal hangs over a constant melody. It’s a pleasant track. “Miles and Miles” by Aza and Eoin is less eventful and plods along with little or no direction. Like most compilations, the highs are high and the lows are, well dull.

More highs that need checking out include Matthew Devereux represented here with “I Love You Like A Robot”. There is a tasty acoustic strings intro accompanied with an atmospheric backdrop melody. It’s one of the finest tracks on the record. Other highlights include the wonderful “Soulsearch” by Brawdcast, & R.S.A.G with “Talk Back Crawl Back”. These tracks really demonstrate the variety of the label, mixing electronica with soul and hip hop. Excellent stuff.

Much of the music on the compilation is carefully put together and testament to a guy who wanted to showcase what he saw as talent without a voice. Psychonavigation Records on this representation is a growing prospering label, rich with talent from all musical styles. Not just electronica and dance, but soul and a little hip hop too. Well worth checking out.

Kevin Coleman

Let Our Enemies Beware 'Against Karate'

editor@cluas.com — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Against Karate' by Let Our Enemies Beware

Review Snapshot:
Chatham (UK) based group Let Our Enemies Beware have been labelled a “Post Punk/ Rock Band” and have admirers with credentials, Zane Lowe among them. They describe themselves as “Noise Terrorists”. As an album “Against Karate” is as intriguing as it is tedious to listen to at times.

Cluas Verdict? 6 out of 10

Full Review:
“I am Lono” kicks the record off. It's a brash thumping affair with chunky bass lines and screeching vocals. They make no bones about they are about early on. It’s not bad. It becomes clear after the short scream that is “Pow Right in the Kisser” (a reference to the old WWF commentator Gorilla Monsoon), that LOEB are not a punk band. If anything there is more of a heavy metal feel. The visceral rhythm section coupled with the meticulously delivered lead guitar drive this home on “Personal Space Invaders”, perhaps the best song on the album. The screeching vocals throughout the album can eventually grate the listener a little. However there are some fine tracks on offer regardless.

“Between Us and the Sun” is an example of the band's merits and how all forces can pull together. A thunderous penetrative rhythm section powers as the undertone to clean guitar picking, with a haunting vocal overtone. Musically it goes from meek to outright aggression in an instance and personifies the band's visceral approach to their music. This is where the album becomes a little long in that the familiar sound of the songs catches up.

With only nine tracks on the record it’s snappy but the songs begin to repeat each other. This is the biggest drawback of the album. Perhaps LOEB should have considered an EP with choice tracks from this collection as many of the songs sound like variations of the other. “Momento Mori”, the final track on the album runs at 8 minutes 14 second. It’s a long, long way to end the record.

All in all, LOEB show signs of promise and are very competent musically. More time should be spent crafting the songs and perhaps a taste of different sounds and influences may help them on their way. “Against Karate” is as intriguing as it is tedious to listen to at times. Try for yourself.

Kevin Coleman

Owl City 'Ocean Eyes'

editor@cluas.com — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Ocean Eyes' by Owl City

Review Snapshot: The third album by the Minnesotan whiz kid Adam Young is a shining example of unashamed synth-pop. From euphoric rhythms to surprisingly clever lyrics, the record is nothing if not uplifting. Unfortunately, the last few tracks descend into tortuous repetition (some of the songs seem to be based on exactly the same chord progressions), and Young's accent can be grating. Nonetheless, this is certainly Owl City's strongest album yet, and it's worth a listen, if only for a pick-me-up.

The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10

Full Review: For those who are already familiar with the first two Owl City albums, released while he was still unsigned, this 2009 release won’t offer you anything new. Four tracks on the album (two mixes of ‘Hello Seattle’, ‘On The Wing’, ‘The Saltwater Room’) are simply rehashed versions of tracks from ‘Of June’ and ‘Maybe I’m Dreaming’. Even where his tracks are new, they are by no means original. We’ll forgive him for that, though, just because of the feel-good nature of his music. Crisp, dreamy and atmospheric, you’d have to have a heart of stone not to smile at the sheer happiness of ‘The Saltwater Room’ or ‘Hello Seattle’.

The album begins with an energetic yet subtly desperate number, ‘Cave In’. Already, Young’s brilliant mind shows through: lyrics such as “If the bombs go off the sun will still be shining” are brilliantly succinct and thought provoking. ‘The Bird And The Worm’, a childlike love song, follows, mixing warm acoustic guitar with more conventional synth phrases. Once again, the lyrical genius of the artist shines through, with the brilliant wordplay "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" Just think about it.

The third track is possibly the best-known Owl City song, ‘Hello Seattle’. It’s catchy, but its lyrics are a little facile, and it’s nowhere near as good as the next track, the rapturous ‘Umbrella Beach’. The sheer energy is comparable to Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’ or T-Rex’s ‘Children of the Revolution’, and the lyrics are just ambiguous enough to catch your attention:

“Home is a boxcar and it's so far out of reach, Hidden under umbrella beach...”

‘The Saltwater Room’ is another love story mixing mellow acoustic guitar with synthesizer (noticing a trend?), featuring the vocals of Breanne Duren. There are distinct echoes of ‘The Bird and the Worm’, and the issue of repetition only gets worse from here.

‘Dental Care’, the last really interesting song, is a fun and unexpected account of a visit to the dentist. From hereon, the album deteriorates into an indistinct, sunny blur. 'Meteor Shower' is a heartfelt dedication to God (Young is a devoted Christian). 'On the Wing', a love song, is followed by 'Fireflies', which is more or less an amalgam of 'Hello Seattle' and 'On the Wing'. 'The Tip of the Iceberg' is another song of lost love, as is 'Vanilla Twilight'. 'Tidal Wave' shows Young deviating a little from his standard formula, exploring themes of sin and redemption:

"All my life, I wish I broke mirrors, instead of promises, 'cos all I see, is a shattered conscience staring back at me..."

Overall, though, the end of the record is pretty standard. The last two tracks, a remix of ‘Hello Seattle’ and ‘If My Heart Was a House’ (can you believe it's another love song?) are disappointing when held up to the ingenuity of the first six, even if they bring the album to a comfortable close.

Adam Young entered the music scene as a MySpace phenomenon, and I doubt he has much long-term potential. That said, this album is certainly one of the happiest I’ve ever listened to, and to be unabashedly optimistic in today’s music scene takes courage. Considering the current climate, it’s a panacea.

Philip McDonald

Owl City's MySpace page

James Yorkston and the Big Eyes Family Players 'Folk Songs'

editor@cluas.com — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album Folk Songs by James Yorkston and the Big Eye Family Players

Review Snapshot: An almost ideal combination of ye olde tunes with contemporary musical sensibilities, Yorkston and friends have created an album that is interesting and near irresistible.

The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10

Full Review:
The title of this album is not only apt for its content, but also for its mood. Folk Songs, in title and nature, is simple, unassuming and charmingly frank. With eleven traditional tracks, it is an album of genuine grass-roots folk, marking it as occupying a different sphere to the Bob Dylans and modern folk artists. The question in listening to such as album is whether or not to hear it as part of, and on the same page as, the indie rock – or even folk rock – institution, or hear and value it as part of something separate, that of folk and traditional.

The answer lies somewhere in the middle: Yorkston and Green's arrangements of these songs give them both historical and contemporary relevance, and serve to create a overall exploration of the potential for the modernisation of traditional folk from beginning to end. In almost every instance Yorkston and co. retain the melody, rhythm, style, modality and even fal-do-ral refrains of the original, but place them in a new context through creative instrumentation, enveloping gentle tunes in an unexpectedly edgy environment.

Opener ‘Hills of Greenmoor' is an embodiment of uncomplicated and (semi-) authentic folk simplicity, with a simple guitar picking pattern creating the traditional drone and later doubling the melody, a low-key instrumental refrain, and minimal percussion. ‘Just as the Tide is Flowing' is even less dense, with only the guitar remaining, still providing a simple pattern and drone, while a female voice ornaments a gracefully nursery rhyme-like melody with a simple descant. The third track, a bard's tale of a girl disguising herself as a soldier, sees things pick up a little with the first instance of prominent percussion, and a certain extra life to the guitar drone and instrumental refrains. However, from here on is where the lines truly become blurred: ‘Mary Connaught and James O'Donnell' with its quick-moving harmony, quick marching drumbeat, lively guitar, subtle backing vocals and the addition of more low-mix, non-lead instruments betrays its origins as a tune newly-composed for a traditional lyric.

For the remainder we see modern values try to commandeer the album, usurping those of folk. A poacher's ballad is enveloped in a environment of soft rolling cymbals and toms, the strings echoing the voice in an arresting overall swell, culminating the totally unexpected entrance of string sounds creating an alien effect like distortion and feedback, adding a layer of unease. ‘I Went to Visit the Roses' – also a new air to an old lyric – shows a more subtle blend of instruments, even verging on riffing, while the minimalism of ‘Sovay', despite its unmistakable modal harmony, positions it closer to Mark Lanegan than trad.

James Yorkston, along with the Big Eyes Family Players, has not only tried to redefine folk for a modern audience, but the musician's and "songwriter's" role as the medium between history and listener, finding the perfect balance between retelling and interpreting, faithfulness and creativity.

Anna Murray

Tommy Reilly 'Words On the Floor'

editor@cluas.com — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album Words On The Floor by Tommy Reilly

Review Snapshot: The debut album from Orange Unsigned Act Winner Tommy Reilly adequately shows his tremendous songwriting maturity, cleverly expressing his thoughts about 'never getting the girl' in a frank and honest way.

The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10

Full Review:
So, Tommy Reilly. Yes, he won Orange Unsigned Act after originally being told by Jo Whiley that he "wasn't experienced enough." And yes, he is a talented singer-songwriter. But what's that Robin? He's not joining the "worlds-skinniest-jeans-in-indie" competition or adopting overly emotional, almost fake tones in his music? Joyously, he isn't.

Having been put through his paces on Orange Unsigned Act, most notably writing the excellent “I Don’t Like Coffee” at very short notice, Reilly has proved he can definitely deliver. In fact, this album clearly shows it.

Opening track “Grab Me by the Collar” effectively conveys Reilly’s emotion, capturing the heart of adolescence with cries of “Am I supposed to be in love/Cause that’s what everyone else does.” There's almost childlike vocal ornamentation which, if anything, adds to the sense of adolescent confusion and fear apparent throughout. The song ends in a blitz of anarchic drum beats and guitars as though breaking away from the sense of fear that seems to engulf the rest of the song. Essentially, "Grab Me by the Collar" is the perfect introduction to this album.

The title track "Words On The Floor" begins acoustically, with only a guitar and Reilly's lilting Glaswegian singing voice. After the first verse is the inclusion of a piano, which makes this track especially atmospheric. This coupled with the vocal tracking is both striking and powerful. Beautifully, towards the end of the track Reilly's lyrics are almost lost in a haze of emotion.

A definite key track on this album is "Having No One." There is an additional backing vocal which makes the song quite emotive. Once again expressing his dissatisfaction at never getting the girl he sings about "The team designed/To strip me of my joy." It's a sombre yet memorable lyric - and let's be honest, everyone likes a dark lyric or two on an album. Towards the end Reilly appears to be crying out in desperation due to the feelings of loneliness, it's a frank and clear display of how he feels.

Ultimately, "Words On the Floor" is a brilliant debut album. The emotion on this album is in abundance but definitely isn't overwhelming - everything's in perfect measure. Though on some tracks Reilly seems to sell himself a bit short, it's all par for the course. I have a feeling there's a lot more in store for Tommy Reilly..

Aideen O'Flaherty

Tommy Reilly plays the Twisted Pepper in Dublin on the 6th of October.

David Gray 'Draw the line'

editor@cluas.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of David Gray's album 'Draw the line'

Review Snapshot: David Gray's "Draw the line" - new songs, new band, new outlook. Same old same old.

The CLUAS verdict? 5 out of 10

Full Review: Nothing screams late nineties quite like David Gray’s “White ladder”, a “classic” album that worked basically because its lo fi songs captured a moment and because Gray himself consciously, or unconsciously, lightened his own musical mood. Gray has trod so much water since “White ladder” that he has developed webbed feet. Noughties follow ups, “A New Day at Midnight “ and “Life in Slow Motion” are as workmanlike and well intentioned as they are forgettable but his “Lost Songs” collection of outtakes was a peak. His own wife said ”Lost Songs” should be accompanied by a government health warning but it worked because he submerged himself so totally in his own misery.

So it’s against that background that he’s now released “Draw the line “ and with a completely new band too - Clune, that annoying drummer of his has been binned off - and Gray has been telling the world that he’s been writing new material at a rate of knots. “Draw the line” may be new material and Gray may profess that he’s been inspired but in the strictest sense it’s more of same and for the most part it’s less than inspiring. The arrangements on this album are exquisite, the band are on the money and the melodies are serviceable but there’s no sense of pushing things forward or of improving on what’s gone before.

“Draw the Line” suffers particularly because of Gray’s voice, which is now parched and tinder dry. The album’s outstanding track is “Breathe”, an outstandingly bad duet with the truly scary Annie Lennox. It’s self important, it’s po faced and it’s a little bit creepy but I wouldn't judge “Draw the line” on the basis of one spectacularly bad number. In fact the opener and the lead single, “Fugitive” is about the brightest thing here but really that’s not saying much. “Nemesis” on the other hand is a dark little thing with a lyric that starts out as self deprecation but veers towards self mutilation:

I’m the manta ray
I’m the louse
I am the photograph
They found in your burned out house
I am the sound of money washing down the drain
I am the pack of lies
Baby that keeps you sane

And on it goes.

“Kathleen”, “First Chance”, “Breathe”, and the rest are well arranged and lushly produced pieces of folk rock that merge into each other far too seamlessly .

The fact is that despite the stage banter and the big noddy dog head on him, Gray’s a self obsessed little man with a blacker than black world vision. When the greats like John Martyn, Nick Drake, Brett Anderson and Elliot Smith look within for inspiration they look into hearts full of soul but when Gray looks within all he finds staring back at him are his own slights, wounds and injuries.

Gray may not produce another “White ladder” and he may not even want to but “Draw the line” does not represent anything new, uplifting or even challenging.

Anthony Morrissey

VV Brown 'Travelling Like The Light'

editor@cluas.com — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album "Travelling Like The Light" by VV Brown

Review Snapshot: A continually interesting album using older influences in a modern manner, placing VV Brown head-and-shoulders above the "soul revival" stratum.

The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10

Full Review: In the past few years there has been no shortage of pop artists willing to dig into the past for inspiration, drawing from classic sources for songwriting ideas. Like most things in music, this has provoked some fierce debate; are the modern artists legitimately drawing influence from previous musical styles, or pilfering the ideas of the past to cynically create a brand identity? While the truth is likely to be somewhere in between (few artists truly disregard the power of presentation) one question arises either way: does the retro fascination produce creative, enjoyable music? Like the question of authenticity, it can go either way; for every faithful summoning of soul (music and emotion!) there is a sterile creation wrapped in nostalgic clothing.

Travelling Like The Light is possibly the most joyous sounding album from this musical tendency, built around the mesh of a retro music base and modern production gloss immediately familiar from antecedents such as Duffy and Winehouse. Brown’s reach is wider than other semi-revivalists however, with the artist listing relative oddities like VGM (Video Game Music, apparent in the prominent synths) as influences, while the older inspirations stretch beyond soul into doo wop and early Rock n’ Roll. “L.O.V.E” encapsulates this approach best, veering from polyrhythmic percussion to a chorus built around the archetypal rockabilly bassline. Such moments of sheer homage are scattered throughout the album, brash clichés that have fallen out of use in mainstream pop and are a joy to re-discover in new surroundings. Another triumphant track indulging in similar impudence is “I Love You,” with its somewhat precise title. However, the music itself is anything but played out - a crisp evocation of early 70s Motown balladry that stands as an exquisitely cool-handed effort on an album mainly characterised by its effervescence.

Like most records defined by their more immediate, sprightly songs, Travelling... has an undercurrent of wistfulness, in this case the disappointment of a failed relationship. “Leave!” screams angry despondency, Brown opining that “the one you loved is a fool,” her tale of disillusion accompanied by the gently-sighing backing vocals ubiquitous in American pop music of the pre-Rock n’ Roll era (and even creeping in to Rock as the music grew more commercialised). In a similar vein, “Shark In The Water” brings to mind the Motown girl groups with its formula of lovelorn lead singer backed by cooing vocals and gently-careering strings.

Despite the emphasis placed on Brown’s older influences, Travelling... is constantly underpinned by bubbling synths and drum machines. While these instruments are prominent throughout, at times they blend with the organic elements so well that they are almost subliminal, only recognised because of a stray note at the end of a song or a breakdown featuring only the unmistakeable sounds of programmed percussion. The effect is positive, an exclamation point making it clear that Brown isn’t pining for the past – a far cry from the other soul revivalists, whose music is constructed in a similar manner but cloaked in enough stagey artifice to suggest otherwise.

Travelling Like The Light comes off as much more than a series of exercises in subverting the kitschy, over-familiar sounds of early Rock n’ Roll and Soul (even if some of the enjoyment of this album is in how these sounds have been resurrected and presented so blatantly). VV Brown has made an album largely free from listless nostalgia, aided by the fantastic melding of various retro styles with a modern, glossy production (with each element complimenting the other in subtle reciprocation) and the buoyant songwriting that forms the core of the album. The last decade has demonstrated that the use of retro elements is a perilous one that can often result in an empty mining of the past; Travelling Like The Night does not fall into that trap, but uses each over-obvious component as just that, an interesting component rather than a source to leech off. Brown’s has succeeded in creating an instantly impacting pop album that manages to stand head and shoulders above most of the crowded “revival” stratum.

Pádraic Grant

Imogen Heap 'Ellipse'

editor@cluas.com — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Cluas Snapshot:

Often beautiful with delicate vocals yet at times infected by cretinism lyrically, Ellipse is a mixed affair. The album is littered with whispy harmonies with keyboards, cellos, clarinets and whatever chopped up cuts and beats were left in the studio, Heap doesn’t make it easy for the listener and the album takes at least 3 listens to get any sort of feeling from it. The drivel that served up as lyrics doesn’t help either.

The Cluas Verdict?: 4.5/10

Full Review:

“First Train Home” opens with cool velvet vocals. It has immediate appeal with its snappy verse and catchy chorus. It’s a winner and casts no doubt over the decision to have the track as lead single. However there was more than a sniff of a mid - nineties Donna Lewis hit in the chorus melody. “Wait it Out” follows, a track dominated by keyboards and a combination of different instruments, the layered vocals help to make it a catchy number. The hopping "hmms" and “do dos” and soft keys however make the song sound like it’s been deliberately written for a shampoo advert. It’s not bad. “Earth” is next, and it’s a jab at a conceited house guest, lover or whatever…..lyrically it’s a bit pretentious given the subject matter and the high-low keys and harmonies give more than a hint of that castle bound billionaire Enya. That’s a straight red card in this reviewer’s eyes.

It gets worse. Lyrically “Little bird” is like a first year English students one page essay describing various imagery in different rooms in a house as seen by a (you’ve guessed it) Little Bird. It’s over the top, and deliberate attempts at ambiguity based on a clear and simple situation just make Heap sound like a fresher eager to please the lecturer.

“Little bird, little bird, little bird,
Where are they now?
Day time tv lounge
A carriage clock, a mantle piece
A family wiped up, j cloth cleaned
Unsaid, festers in the throws of the sofa”

It’s turgid. Maybe I don’t get it but at this point I am thinking Heap should do an Elton John. Find a decent lyricist and concentrate fully on the musical aspects. It would serve her well as the next track “Swoon” illustrates the other end of the scale.
“Your name in lights vibrating to your ring tone, my world begins to dance”. The bouncing dated sounding sampled beats make it a tired affair. The repeated verse through out goes as follows:

“Let me be the great Scott
Tip top pit stop in your ocean
I could be the shipmate's wife
Got you down and dirty with the lotion!”

Enough said on this. It is with open arms this reviewer welcomes the opening sound of “Tidal”. The song opens with grand strings before quickly retreating behind a quiet gentle voice. Alas, it’s more of the same whimsical boring melody and bland keyboard backing track. “Between Sheets” depicts the blissful careless scene of two lovers. Lyrically it’s an improvement however the tune is forgettable and passes without incident.

“2-1” comes next. The song apparently is named after the ratio of water to pollyfilla in the making of pollyfilla. Absolute genius. Dylan is sh*tting himself. The thing about Heap is, lyrics seem to mean a lot to her and each track tries to tell a story of sorts. However, she is a rubbish lyricist in this reviewer’s opinion. The lyrics come across as basic and there is nothing wrong with basic. If basic is what you are going for. Two minute pop songs are fine with short basic easy lyrics. However it is all out of shape with Heap. The lyrics are sung with purpose but not since Oasis' second record has this reviewer heard such ridiculously rubbish lyrics sang over a half decent tune with such purpose.

“Aha” and the awful “Bad Body Double” (which is like a Phoebe from Friend’s effort) depicting a “fun” look at self loathing drag this record on. A surprisingly bright instrumental “Fire” and “Canvas”, perhaps the finest song on the album lead the album to the forgettable “Half Life” and it’s all over. Heap may think she is a poetic tuneful revelation but on this offering she appears nothing more than a pretentious Dido Armstrong sound alike. And with Grammy nominations and 12 years in the business under her belt she should be doing a lot better. No doubt the masses will love it. It’ll sell like cheap loo roll in a recession but this record for my money is lazy, unimaginative and dated already.

Kevin Coleman

Calvin Harris 'Ready for the weekend'

editor@cluas.com — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Ready for the weekend' by Calvin Harris

Review Snapshot:
"Ready for the weekend" is a disco pop sugar rush. Set a late noughties badly lit overcrowded nightclub to music and you get the picture. "Kid A" it ain't. But that's not a bad thing.

The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10

Full Review:
If you're on the top deck on the bus home on a Friday evening and if you're sitting near the back of the bus where the cool kids sit and if you're distracted by two mid teen shop girls with fingerless gloves and if they're simultaneously gossiping, checking text messages, and chewing gum and if they're listening to an MP3 player on a mobile phone with one girl jiggling one earphone wedged in her shell like and the other girl fiddling with the other earphone and if they're la-la-ing and saying "this one is f**kin' great" there's a strong possibility they're both listening to Calvin Harris' "Ready for the weekend".

"Ready for the weekend" is hedonism rather than music. This album is a guilty pleasure recorded and released a few days ago rather than some time in the eighties. It's best heard on a Friday night when you're getting ready to go out on the town, when you're on your way to getting out on the town, or when you're on the town and out if it. Harris arranged and wrote the whole album but he freely admits that he does not have a singing note on his head so he puts his voice through Auto tunes.

Don't worry about the devil in the detail - let's just say Harris is the Aldi equivalent of Mylo - he is of the generation that has no inner thought and that has to let the world know everything about itself - his middle name is Facebook. When he tweets he rages, at different times he's at odds with hacks, producers, TV presenters, even himself, but you can forgive him everything because he writes near perfect pop songs with tight arrangements and banging - absolutely banging - tunes. He even makes Dizzee Rascal sound cool and slightly threatening - "Dance wiv me" is a no brains floor filler with Rascal putting out more front, arrogance and machismo in four minutes twenty four seconds than Mick Jagger could generate in forty years. There's lots of innits and tings but if "Dance wiv me" does not make you dance you must be living in a sensory deprivation tank. Mid seventies, Jagger himself would have died for "Yeah Yeah Yeah la la la", it's an insanely catchy piece of falsetto fluff about absolutely nothing made for party people that eat their meals off a mirror.

The album's title track and hit single is and will always be a disposable classic - a cheap drum machine intro, a twitchy self obsessed preening little verse and Mary Pearce bellows out a shout out chorus that can be understood in any language, on any dance floor, in any nightclub and at the back of any bus - "I put on my shoes and I'm ready for the weekend".

Pop music is one of life's great perishables. Again, Jagger had one of pop's nastiest but best lines - who needs yesterday's papers? "Ready for the weekend" has no shelf life to speak of. It prides itself on being transient, cheap fun. Listen to "Ready for the weekend", and soon, before it begins to smell funny.

Anthony Morrissey

Prefab Sprout 'Let's Change the World with Music'

editor@cluas.com — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Let's Change the World with Music' by Prefab Sprout

Review Snapshot: Just like Brian Wilson's long-lost 'Smile' album, 'Let's Change the World with Music' has been in the vaults for 17 years, so has it been worth the wait, or will it feel dated to everyone, including Paddy McAloon?

The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10

Full Review:
So much over the years has been written and said about this long-lost album, the fact that it was recorded and rejected by the record company back in 1993, and chronologically belongs between 'Jordan The Comeback' and 'Andromeda Heights'. It may be nearly 20 years old but music does not always grow old.

On the opening number 'Let There Be Music' it begins with a robotic voice quoting words from the first book of genesis, “in the beginning was a mighty bang” but within 15 seconds you hear the beautiful tones of Paddy's vocals that we all fell in love with all those years ago and immediately you're hooked. A radio friendly song that shows its age, courtesy of a typically 90s backing track.

'Ride' (previously recorded by Australian singer Wendy Matthews) is a foot-tapper and continues the religious theme (“...walking in the footsteps of our lord...”). But before you begin to think this is a concept album, Paddy sings “I've no time for religion” at the beginning of the beautiful piano ballad 'God Watch Over You', a song some may be familiar with from the 90s when Frances Ruffelle (ex-UK Eurovision entrant) covered it admirably.

'I Love Music' tells us what we've known about Paddy all along. “Love is the reason I'm playing this game” and he goes on to tell us his heroes are Irving Berlin while also name-checking Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. There's a full sounding orchestra on this one, kind of Sinatra swing.

'Earth - The Story So Far' is one of the masterpieces on the album, while 'Last of the Great Romantics' will put you to sleep for all the right reasons. A lullaby sang so sweetly, with, again some fantastic piano throughout, while Paddy sings “come on Gatsby stand aside”. These two are already Sprouts classics.

It's ballads all the way including 'Music is a Princess' and the tale of Romeo and Juliet in 'Angel of Love', but 'Meet the New Mozart' is excellent also. “I'll form a band and play some dates” he sings, but sadly for us, those words were written long ago, but there is optimism when he continues “all I write may not last, it may be manure / but I'll endure, not burn out fast”.

On the sleeve notes Paddy writes a lovely piece about his fascination with Brian Wilson's long-lost 'Smile' album and apologises for there being no 'Good Vibrations' on this record. He goes on to admit that “one day in May '93 we made a poor move”, but heartwarmingly he dedicates this album to the ex-Sprouts members and producer Thomas Dolby.

Whether the album is a concept one of Music, Love or Religion, it still sounds fantastic. Long before the release of this album Paddy McAloon had, for many of us, already changed the world with music. This album should bring many more to the same realisation.

Meet The New Mozart? We already have.

Mick Lynch

The xx 'xx'

editor@cluas.com — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album xx by The xx

Review Snapshot: This is a seductive, atmospheric affair tailor made for late nights, long stares and languid dancing.

The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10

Full Review:
Long player debutantes The xx are a quartet of 19/20 year old Londoners who’ve found themselves at the business end of some serious hype in recent months. Such levels of expectation in print media and across the blogosphere are rarely satisfied, refreshing then that an album which excels in the art of understatement, should do the trick.

Instrumental opener ‘Intro’ gives way to a pop couplet of VCR and Crystalise. Smiley teenage anthems of flawless orthodontistry and sunkissed complexions they may not be, but in The xx world of 80s noir, they’re sure to be top of the pops. The shrugged shoulder slur of Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim’s vocals is nothing short of intoxicating and lends an added intensity to their tales of teenage attraction.

Unlike some of their contemporaries The xx display maturity that belies their years in resisting the urge to lean too heavily on their influences and instead rely on their instincts. Fleeting echoes of Interpol and Young Marble Giants are certainly audible but in no way distracting and the aural homage to Chris Isaac’s ‘Wicked Game’ at the start of ‘Infinity’, actually serves to enhance an already heady ode to love lost.

But by far the most refreshing thing about ‘xx’ is the space between sounds, it’s neither cacophonous nor sparse but it does allow room for the listener to inhabit the songs, which makes for an intimacy that’s lacking in the debut albums of others such as La Roux or Florence & The Machine. Not that ‘xx’ is without its flaws, repetition of lyrical ideas being the most obvious of its shortcomings. Band member Jamie Smith has done a brilliant job on the production of this record, each beat has a curve to it, something which mirrors the seductive lilt of the vocals perfectly and by teasing the senses rather than bombarding them with bells and whistles, this record gets under your skin and into your hips almost in spite of yourself.

Jan Ní Fhlanagáin

C O D E S 'Trees Dream in Algebra'

editor@cluas.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album Trees Dream in Algebra by C O D E S

Review Snapshot: A flawless debut for Dublin 4 piece C O D E S; Trees Dream in Algebra is one of those rare albums where the realisation matches the vision. With its dreamy arrangements, soaring vocal harmonies and often heart stopping lyrics, Trees Dream in Algebra is the best Irish record in years.

The Cluas Verdict? 9.5 out of 10

Full Review:
When I was given access to Trees Dream in Algebra for the first time, I must admit, I was a little nervous. As anyone who knows me or who reads CLUAS will know, I've been raving about C O D E S for a long time now. Could their debut record possibly live up to my expectations; would it match the energy and magic of their live shows? I shouldn't have worried. Trees Dream in Algebra is simply breathtaking.

Indeed, the only element of this record that is more impressive than the scale and scope of its vision is its execution. Then again, Trees Dream in Algebra was recorded in the UK and mixed in New Zealand with Manic Street Preachers producer Greg Haver and mastered in New York by Greg Calbi (U2, Interpol, Kings of Leon) so you wouldn't expect the production quality to be anything flawless. However, this record blends so seamlessly that it is impossible to imagine the track listing being in any other order.

Those of you who have seen C O D E S live will be very familiar with the opening two tracks, Malfunctions and recent single This is Goodbye, as they are also used to open the band's live set. This is Goodbye, with its mix of soaring vocals, powerful melody and delicate lyrics, sets the tone for the rest of the album. Trees Dream in Algebra is an album drenched in themes of love, of heartbreak, and laced with those moments where the lines between reality and dreams become blurred.

I once described C O D E S' music as 'grandiose sonic landscapes painted in painstakingly minute detail' and this is very evident throughout the album but especially on title track In Algebra and the stunning instrumental Telos. I've never been one think about such things but Telos is so captivating, so beautiful, so, well, appropriate (being the Greek for end), that I can't think of a better song to have played at my funeral. Failing that, it could always soundtrack the end of the world, whichever comes first.

It is almost impossible to pick a stand-out track from this record. There are so many potential singles, Memorial, Starry Eyed, In Algebra, Our Mysteries and Cities, not to mention previous singles such as This is Goodbye, Guided by Ghosts and current single You Are Here. Indeed, the only fault that I can find with this record is that it doesn't contain C O D E S first single Edith. It would appear she has died, which is a pity, but there are more than enough quality songs on Trees Dream in Algebra to recover from the loss very quickly.

There are times in this business when you can have really high expectations of a band and, more often than not, they find it impossible to live up to those lofty ambitions. With Trees Dream in Algebra, C O D E S have broken the mould. It is a stunning debut; full of intimacy and energy and places C O D E S firmly at the top of Ireland's most exciting and interesting bands. It is not just likely to be the best record you will hear this year (and that's saying something given the quality of Irish music released this year) but, in 10 years time, when CLUAS is putting together its list of best Irish albums from its second decade in existence, I can't see any reason why Trees Dream in Algebra won't be close to the top.

Steve O'Rourke

Discovery 'LP'

editor@cluas.com — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'LP' by Discovery

Review Snapshot: Vampire Weekend + Ra Ra Riot = Kanye West. The collaboration between a member of each of those bands comes up with a sort of indie R n'B sound. While the songwriting isn't up to the level of dedicated hitmakers in this genre, there's plenty to like here - including a swingbeat version of young Michael Jackson's 'I Want You Back'.

The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10

Full Review:
Side projects seem to be de rigueur for indie acts these days. So here's Discovery, the nixer of Rostam Batmanglij from Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot. Those two bands would seem to go well together, sharing a love of melodic, thoughtful alt-guitar songs flavoured either with world sounds (VW) or chamber-pop cellos (RRR).

Discovery, though, resemble neither parent group. 'LP' is a record of electro-tinted dancefloor R n'B in the manner of Kanye West or Rihanna or the innumerable two-step and swingbeat US chart hits of the last decade - with the occasional nod towards early Prince. The group's name could also be a reference to Daft Punk and their album 'Discovery'. For this surprising and radical step, we should be grateful - after all, side projects should be spaces for doing something different to the day job.

The beats are jerky and robotic, the singing vocoder-ed and Auto-tuned. And despite the cliched lyrics (plenty of 'oh baby baby' and spotting a girl on the dancefloor and pleading for some of her sweet love) there isn't a sense here of this being some sort of ironic in-joke thought up down the pub. The 'oh baby baby', for instance, comes from 'Can You Discover', a reworking of Ra Ra Riot's 'Can You Tell'.

You can imagine the record company's delight in finding that 'LP' contains a timely Michael Jackson cover - a louche swingbeat version of the Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back'. Despite the slight whiff of gimmickry and novelty, it works well. Also impressive are 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend' (with Angel Deradoorian from Dirty Projectors) and the hidden track on our review copy.

Apart from that, though, there really aren't any memorable songs here to match their peers in US dancefloor R n'B, a genre with a remorseless focus on fast-acting chart catchiness. But 'LP' is charming in its way and shows a commendable open-mindedness on the part of its makers, so it's definitely work a listen or two. And if it inspires some fundamentalist indie kids to finally appreciate the sheer pop pleasure of, say, 'Yeah' by Usher, so much the better.

Aidan Curran

Pearse McGloughlin 'Busy Whisper'

editor@cluas.com — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album Busy Whisper by Pearse McGloughlin

Review Snapshot: Busy Whisper is a haunting collection of ten songs that reflect on those moments of longing that appear to happen in the peripheral. Sparse without being bleak, Busy Whisper sees McGloughlin emerge as one of Ireland's finest song writing talents.

The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10

Full Review:
The name Pearse McGloughlin might not mean anything to you now, but I don't doubt that it will become a great deal more familiar when Busy Whisper makes its way on to many end of year 'best of' lists. Full of ghostly compositions and tender melodies, it is hard to believe that Busy Whisper is a debut album and yet it is, perhaps, the finest Irish solo record I've heard since Damien Rice released O.

I've always found that one of the most disappointing aspects of real life is that it doesn't come with its own soundtrack, unlike movies and TV. If real life did have a soundtrack then Busy Whisper would provide the perfect accompaniment to those moments when memories that have stood quietly in the shadows for so long finally take centre stage. Opening with the wonderfully arranged L'espoir des Revenants, the first thing that strikes you about McGloughlin is how powerful his voice is.

McGloughlin's vocals are without a doubt his most effective instrument and serves as the perfect foil to the sparse layers upon microscopic layers of multi-instrumentation that colour the majority of tracks on Busy Whisper. Indeed, McGloughlin's voice is so good; it takes a number of listens to fully appreciate his talent as a lyricist and musician. Ways to Kill a Werewolf and Passion Song deal with the surreal and the (relatively) mundane respectively and yet, such is McGloughlin's ability as a songwriter, you can't help but be drawn into the both worlds.

Busy Whisper is exactly the sort of album that should see the LP survive as a format. There is no filler here and stand-out tracks are plentiful. Consume, Changeling and Long Day are exceptionally good but my own personal favourite is Saul (oh, you foolish Alice!) if only for the lyric: Met Saul last night/In a brawl/Still talking like he's in Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas/Says his job makes his skin crawl/Gotta get away/Soon as he gets some of that overtime pay.

Overall, Busy Whisper is a stunningly good debut album that showcases Pearse McGloughlin as one of Ireland's brightest musical prospects.

Steve O'Rourke

DOI: Busy Whisper was produced, in the main, by my fellow CLUAS writer Andy Knightley. This had no effect on my review but I felt it was worth declaring.

Noah And The Whale 'The First Days Of Spring'

editor@cluas.com — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'The First Days of Spring' by Noah and the Whale

Review Snapshot:
The Twickenham based folk outfit return with a heartfelt second album. It proved a difficult second album, not in music terms but more in the feeling in the theme, which proves thankfully, that Noah and the Whale are here, for a while at least

Cluas Verdict: 8/10

Full review: The first thing to note about “The First Days of Spring” is that Charlie Fink is sole vocalist.The second is that the record is definitely not like the first by the group, and the third is that the theme is not a happy one.The record opens with the title track. A strings intro accompanied by a clean electric guitar hook, immediately sets down the tone for the album. What strikes this reviewer is the incredible similarity between the sound of Fink’s vocals and those of David Kitt. Its no bad thing. The theme of the song is the potential for what should be a new beginning, hounded by a heartfelt break up. “My life is starting over again Well the trees grow, the river flows” he sings with purpose, but in the end of the track he repeats, “I'll come back to you, in a year or so And rebuild ready to become, Oh the person, you believed in or the person that you used to love”. These lines set the theme for the entire record. It's a break up album, or more to the point an album about the disillusionment of a break up.

And so the album continues into “Our Window”. It's a good melody continuing the theme as Fink reminisces and still hankers for “her light”. “My broken heart” is next, again a slow electric guitar intro, with a beating drum, “You can give up anything when your following your heart” Fink sings. There is a nice orchestral string accompaniment to the song. “I’ll be laughing again” he sings defiantly as the sound of a trumpet brings the song up in tone. It’s most definitely the nearest thing to a radio friendly song so far on the album. Like I said, it’s not like the last record.

At the halfway point in the album there is an instrumental interlude. “Instrumental I”, the joyous “Love of Orchestra” and “Instrumental II” provide the affirmation for Fink to come out of his emptiness and despair. Not for long though, “Stranger” opens slowly again with a clean electric guitar intro.“Last night I slept with stranger for the first time since you’ve gone” he sings. It’s back to wallowing and self reflection. The music is slow moving and Finks vocals are soft and easy to listen to. However the over analytical nature of the theme and the self wallow and reflection can be a little overwhelming for the listener. At times the listener can become vexed and feel like telling him to move on! Such is this reviewer’s intolerance of listening to a stranger’s problems!

“Blue Skies” raises the mood a little and is a slow building melody, breaking through to the end with a haunting backing vocal. It’s more positive and finally Fink looks like he is out the gap…It could be a potential single. The layered drum and electric departure on the album is further personified in “Slow Glass”. “I never tried to change you, honey I’m your biggest fan” he sings as he reflects on the hurt his (famous)lost love has caused him. The album closes with “My Door is always Open”. It's the final resolution. “I will only let you only down, but my door is always open” he sings. The country slide guitar and light vocals bring the album to a slow reflective end. “First Days of Spring” has to be listened to in full, and the radio cuts are few are far between. However as an album, it's a story of a bitter break up with some beautiful music for company and well worth a listen. It proved a difficult second album, not in music terms but more in the feeling in the theme, which proves thankfully, that Noah and the Whale are here, for a while at least.

Kevin Coleman

Taking Back Sunday 'New Again'

editor@cluas.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'New Again' by Taking Back Sunday

Review Snapshot: 'New Again' is a typically poor album by a terrible North American band. Standard mainstream emo rock targeted at young teenagers that do not know better. There perhaps should be watchdogs set up to stop this practice.

The Cluas Verdict?3 out of 10

Full Review:
When I was listening to ‘New Again’, I was honestly hoping that my battery might die. I was wishing that the annoying sound of Taking Back Sunday’s latest album would give way to the drone of commuter rail. Alas no. I persevered however and gave the band a chance. After all, I did not care for ‘Closer’ the first time I heard it at 14. My ears have deceived me before. I can now say though, that Taking Back Sunday are no Joy Division. They’re not even on a par with A Certain Ratio.

‘Bleed America’ - the record that launched a thousand terrible emo bands. Jimmy Eat World have a lot to answer for. The difference between Jimmy Eat World and their spawn is that Jimmy Eat World actually had some good, fun throw-away songs. Taking Back Sunday on the other hand just display repetitive distorted guitars, basic guitars and occasionally cringe-worthy lyrics. I could not help but think that Taking Back Sunday sound like a generic winner of a high school battle of the bands. If I had my way, they would have stayed in that moment of glory in their sweaty gymnasium.

Single ‘Sink Into Me’ does have its merits. I mean I can see how it can appeal to its audience of young teenagers. It has relatively ‘deep’ lyrics about relationships and infatuation. The song rawks. The lead singer sounds angsty. Their parents probably don’t understand them either. Some teenagers just love this stuff. I might have too if I was 8 years younger. If there are any fans of the band reading this now, I implore you not to go straight for comment box below to lambast my ignorance, but instead to pause and take a deep breath. You are better than this. Go and search for Times New Viking’s last album and listen to it instead. I’m sure you own ‘Nevermind’, but do you have ‘Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain’ by Pavement? Go explore and you’ll never look back, I promise.

Garret Cleland

Dan Black 'Un'

editor@cluas.com — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A review of the album 'Un' by Dan Black

Review Snapshot: A clumsy, witless attempt at dancefloor-friendly electro-rock, the solo record by The Servant’s lead singer is quite awful. No amount of effects and beats can disguise its tired rawk-isms and Blunt-esque vocals. Stay well away from it.

The Cluas Verdict? 2 out of 10

Full Review:
You might know Dan Black as the singer with The Servant, who had some minor success with singles like ‘Liquefy’ and ‘Orchestra’. With this solo album, Black is closer to dancefloor electro-rock than the guitar emo-ness of his now-defunct band. Riffs are heavily treated and rhythms scurry frantically out of a box. And the title, ‘Un’, implies that this record is not like his previous work and perhaps (if one counts in French) the first step in a new direction.

In truth, though, the touches of electronica are merely dressing up the same old formulaic rock of The Servant. The writing is your standard verse-chorus-verse structure where Black clearly doesn’t have the melodic touch to craft a killer hook; to move from verse to chorus all he can do is awkwardly and mechanically raise his pitch as if his trousers had suddenly tightened, in an effort at cooking up some kind of emotional intensity.

The lyrics fall into two schools: those where Black can’t think past lame cock-rock clichés of angst-ridden love and soft-focus sex (‘Ecstasy’, where he sings about heartbreak one minute and slipping between soft white sheets the next, is particularly nauseating) and those that are laboured efforts at being poetic. Of the latter, the height/depth is a particularly contrived couplet from ‘Wonder’: “You ran off through the corn/And your Smiths T-shirt got torn”. Corn is right.

Black’s strangled, whining voice hasn’t changed since the last Servant record. In particular, his delivery of the main hook in the chorus of ‘Wonder’ (“Where are you now?”) is a truly horrible listening experience. His singing is the main obstacle to overcome if you are to like this record, so it’s hard to imagine anyone hating The Servant but falling for Black solo.

Quite simply, ‘Un’ by Dan Black is a lazy, unimaginative effort to pass off stale rock as fresh electro. If the title is indeed Black counting in French, let us hope he doesn’t get to ‘Deux’.

Aidan Curran