Top 20 Albums of 2012*

1. Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It
Heartbreaking, delicate, beautiful yet strangely uplifting Perfume Genius’ second album showed that his incredible debut wasn’t just a fluke, but the product of a rare genius.
Listen to: ‘Sister Song’

2. Grimes – Visions
Sublime electronica combined with vocals that dodge between haunting and strangely baby-ish. Enveloping and enduring.
Listen to: ‘Oblivion’

3. Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
Subtly rousing emo-indie, dreamy in places and simple but effective indie rock in others.
Listen to: ‘No Future/No Past

4. Stumbleine – Spiderwebbed
Atmospheric combinations of weird electronic noises and Cocteau Twins-esque vocals. It carries you away on gradually layered waves, surreal and addictive.
Listen to: ‘The Beat My Heart Skips’

5. Sigur Ros – Valtari
Pretty much everything that you could hope for from a new Sigur Ros album.
Listen to: ‘Ekki Mukk’

6. Tall Ships - Everything Touching
Including a fantastic (if at first surprising) revamping of EP track ‘Ode To Ancestors’ this album cements Tall Ships in their place as one of the most exciting bands around.
Listen To: ‘Books’

7. The Bronze Medal - The Bronze Medal
A release I’m unlikely to ever grow tired of listening to, it blends together into one mass of sublime yet powerful vocals and melodious guitars.
Listen To: ‘Womb'

8. Joyce Manor  - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Combining raw angry energy and furious guitars with melodies that wouldn’t seem out of place in the charts Joyce Manor were always going to be a hit. This album does feel pretty short, but there’s certainly something to be said for their directness.
Listen To: ‘These Kind Of Ice Skates’

9. The-Dream/Terius Nash – 1977
Originally released as a free download  last year, this album is hopefully finally going to get the notice it deserves. Nash’s lyrics are as clever as ever, laying his feelings bare in a way that’s almost difficult to hear.
Listen To: ‘Form Of Flattery'

10. Taylor Swift - Red
Swift has moved away from the more mediocre pop fare she favoured, growing into a powerful pop phenomena. This album is frankly just bangin’ (except that track with Ed Sheeran. We pretend that hasn't happened).
Listen To: ‘The Lucky One’

11. How To Dress Well - Total Loss
12. Drake - Take  Care
13. First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
14. Frightened Rabbit - State Hospital*
15. The Heartbreaks - Funtimes
16. Ace Bushy Striptease - Outside It's Cold Just Like Your Body And
17. Lucy Rose - Like I Used To
18. Sfumato – These Things Between
19. Peace - EP Delicious*
20. The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know                                    
*A couple of these are admittedly EPs

Honourable mentions to:

• Keel Her

Listen to: 'With Me Tonight'

• Kitty Pryde

Listen to: 'Okay Cupid'

First Listen // Sailplanes ~ We Are An Industry

 Read on Goldflakepaint

An important component of any good band is a clear sense of certainty in their sound. It’s no good listening to something that’s confused, or as a result of an uncertainty, seems like it’s chosen to be boring instead (although I should be clear – that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the sound of band experimenting or trying something new). This requirement is exactly why the new EP by Sailplanes is something of a gem. Only three tracks long, it’s hardly going to tax your ear or your time. But with a solid, comfortably delivered sassy sound it’ll be an enjoyable ten minutes of post-punk, with female vocals that are distinctly reminiscent of the excellent Life Without Buildings.

There’s a definitively relaxed feel to their cheery, noisy, jangly tunes and, on The Fox, some lovely girl/boy vocals from vocalists Stacey and Tim. “Blue, grey-green eyes” they sing, in a lovely medley of sound. The effective use of boy/girl vocals is rare outside of twee music and is something to be valued.
 
Sailplanes sound great and fun, and if you’re looking for a pleasant, charismatic, engaging listen, then look no further.

bandcamp

Johnny Foreigner @ Firebug Leicester - 10th Oct '12

Firebug is a cosy pub/bar with an upstairs venue area, with what is probably the greatest feature of a small venue I’ve seen yet – sofas! It’s not a big room either so there doesn’t feel anything impolite about sitting comfortably in a sofa/armchair to watch the supports. First up are Falcon who launch into some Tall Ships-esque math rock, but with lovely melismatic female vocals (although she’s a bit quiet – but that could be down to the down the sound person, or her cold). Playlounge wander on stage next with little ceremony, shaking the wooden floor with their furious noise-pop. There’s quite a bit of buzz around these guys at the moment, and they certainly deliver live.

Johnny Foreigner begin their set with Alexei and Kelly standing in the crowd to deliver ‘Johnny Foreigner Vs You’ entirely acapella (except for the piano melody playing quietly in the background). It’s a nice chance to see just how good Alexei’s voice is, it easily fills the room and Kelly’s slightly huskier answering phrases contrast well with his clear, emotive vocals. The softer atmosphere is soon shattered as they leap on stage to thrash out ‘Feels Like Summer. The set list is well chosen and they’re on top form tonight (despite some initial technical difficulties). There are a couple of new songs in the mix as well, from an album due out at the end of this month (“called NAMES…because names are important”). It’s difficult to judge new material on the basis of one listen at a gig, but it seems like Johnny Foreigner are set to continue with the gorgeous success that is ‘Vs Everything’. Both tracks are that blend of catchy beautiful melodies, and angry violent guitars, that Johnny Foreigner weave together so well.

They opt to leave out the usual ploy of leaving the stage only to return for an encore, instead explaining the situation and then diving straight into an old favourite ‘Sofacore’ (which at one point meanders into Star Trek and then back to ‘Sofacore’ again). The sublime ‘New Street, You Can Take It’ sees the whole crowd singing along for the final few lines, followed by ‘Absolute Balance’ – another old favourite, which closes things perfectly.

It’s the first gig Lobandwidth has reviewed in its/my new home of Leicester, and it’s a fittingly special one. Johnny Foreigner are perhaps not the most consistent live band in terms of sound - if you’re unlucky they can be a little ramshackle (but in a very endearing way). Either way you’re guaranteed a good show and an enjoyable evening regardless - and if you do catch them at their best, like tonight, they’re very very good indeed.

words by Mel Reeve
@melreeve

Album Review // Sfumato ~ These Things Between…

Read on Goldflakepaint

Describing himself as a “drummer who decided to sing an album of songs which I sing with myself”, Sfumato (actually named Daithí Ó hÉignigh – Sfumato is a painting technique used by Da Vinci), has created a blissful, elegant album. Dodging between vibrant, joyous choruses and soft ballad like moments, tinged with a delicate melancholy. It gently winds its way into your brain,where it’ll quietly stay put.


The use of violins hints at folk influences, but avoids the trap that many bands often fall into of using this as an excuse for a very simple, basic (and boring) song structure. Instead, the strings add a harsher edge to otherwise sweetly melodic moments. ‘Pound’ features some spectacular illustrative drumming, “pound goes my heart” Ó hÉignigh sings, followed by a thumping beat that brings to mind Slow Club’s latest record, with its distinctive drumming. Exquisite, soft female vocals hide underneath O hEignigh’s own rich voice, occasionally coming to the foreground to great effect, such as on ‘Fly To Me’ and‘Song To Myself’ – which also features some truly sublime saxophone; a hint of smoky jazz clubs and melancholy improvisation leaks in, fitting perfectly with the carefully strummed guitar.

‘These Things Between stands out because it’s a clever album. There’s almost always strong melodic interest and it’s constantly surprising. Even the sampled crow noises at the beginning of ‘Pound’ avoid sounding clichéd or ridiculous, instead somehow being exactly what is needed to ease out from the faster pace of ‘Fly To Me’. It’s an unusual album at points but certainly never even close to un-listenable, instead it becomes vibrant and exciting. Sfumato are certainly a band to keep an eye on.

Review // Nosferatu D2 ~ Live At The Spitz

 Read on Goldflakepaint

Everyone is familiar with the particular kind of sadness that comes when a band you love breaks up, the gigs you’ll never get to experience again, the thrill of a new release that will never happen. So it follows that there’s probably nothing worse (musically speaking anyway) than discovering an incredible band, after they’ve split up. In the case of Nosferatu D2 we were all somewhat on the backfoot to start with, as their incredible album ‘We’re Going To Walk Around This City With Our Headphones On To Block Out The Noise’ was released two years post-humously. It’s thanks to the efforts of the excellent record label Audio Antihero that you can hear them at all. You’d be forgiven for thinking that with basically all ND2’s recorded music having been released and no intention of reunion that there’s nothing more left for ND2 to five, but in typical AAH fashion, almost magically they’ve produced a new release.

It’s a live recording of ND2’s last ever gig, supporting Los Campesinos! and Sky Larkin. Described as a “DIY” recording, you might be expecting something fuzzy and unlistenable, but that’s not the case at all. Remastered by Benjamin Shaw (of ‘There’s Always Hope There’s Always Cabernet’ fame) this album captures the messy power that gives ND2 such a charisma and pull. Crashing cymbals, emotive vocals and some truly unbelievably good drumming, framed with the occasional mumbled “cheers” and the audience’s reactions. There’s also a track not on ‘We’re Going To Walk Around…’ called ‘A Man At War With Himself’ which is fast paced, furious lo-fi indie at its best and shows just how good ND2 really are/were.

What was always my favourite song of the album ‘Flying Things And Pests’ is brought somewhat further to life than the album version. With the barely audible murmurs of the crowd adding some great atmosphere and the dark, honest lyrics giving extra punch – which combined with lead singer Ben Parker’s vocals, quivering with feeling, create something really special. Parker achieves a particular kind of honesty and wry humour with his clever way with words, the opening lines of ‘2 People, 0 Superpowers’ embodies this talent “a heart with no soul is just offal, and a soul with no heart is something I don’t wanna talk about today”. Lines like this, and the gloomy descriptions of everyday life are widely applicable in that very specific way that can lead a band to real success, but more importantly create music that really means something.

This live album is partly a way to discover just how good ND2 were, but nostalgia and hindsight aside, it’s a very good listen in its own right. Seeing a band live is often a good way to refresh music that you’ve over-listened to, and if you’ve been suffering (as I have) from having only ten ND2 songs to listen to, ‘Live At The Spitz’ is the perfect way to re-engage with the band. But that’s not to say that it’s only for ‘fans’ of ND2, it will lead new listeners to discover a truly vibrant and enjoyable band.

Review // Why? ~ Sod In The Seed [EP]

Opening title-track and first single from the EP is essentially irrefutable proof that Yoni Wolf is an unbelievably talented lyricist; his delivery of clever lines is slick, quick, charismatic but never so much so that you miss the words. It’s always of such a quality that for most other bands even one verse of the same standard would be considered impressive. The EP version of this track is slightly longer, with a few more lines to break up the repeats of the hook – which is where it falls down slightly. “I’ll never shirk, this first world curse” Wolf echoes, and after he’s done it a few times it begins to get on your nerves. The rest of the track I could listen to almost endlessly, and it’s perhaps more a reflection of just how unbelievably good the rest of the track is, rather than a true criticism.
But that’s pretty much the only point of the entire EP, that isn’t quite up to WHY?’s usual (very) high standard. ‘Probable Cause’ features a rather lovely piano and soft vocal hook, a little reminiscent of their Sanddolars EP. ‘Twenty Seven – For F.M.V’ features a beautifully poetic image, elegantly crafted and delivered impeccably, “pulling the first soft feathers from a new born robin fledgling, saying she loves me not, she loves me” and with the dark undertone that often shows through, giving WHY? something more of an edge.
Wolf’s incredible way with words is always going to make WHY? an enjoyable band to listen to, but it’s even better when the quality is matched by the surrounding music; which in this case it is. It’s perhaps not as totally flawless as say, their 2005 album Alopecia, but it’s still of the high quality you’d expect from the band and most definitely heightens the excitement around their forthcoming fifth album.
Read on Goldflakepaint

Amateur Historians - New Homes/New Hopes

The trio have already received high acclaim, Jen and Ally’s BBC Introducing show on Radio 1 featured them a few days ago, and sang their praises. First single ‘These Cities Are Stealing My Soul’ has also been very popular, making the rounds on various blogs.
Comparisons with Johnny Foreigner and Los Campesinos! are somewhat inevitable (the glockenspiel on Interlude could well haunt them) but by no means are they re-treading old ground. There’s the strong hooks and melodic certainty that calls to mind bands like Tellison, as well as the messy euphoria of Johnny Foreigner’s earlier stuff (or Cap’n Jazz) and ‘These Cities Are Stealing My Soul’ opens with a gorgeous guitar riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Dananananaykroyd track.

But it would be unfair to consider Amateur Historians only in the context of other bands; they’ve got an energy and intelligence all of their own that marks them out. There are many excellent moments of euphoric-emo-pop but the contrast of those with softer track ‘Interlude / Arterial Route From Heart’ is what shows the range of their talent. The chorus seems almost designed to be shouted back by heartbroken teenagers - it’s the perfect blend of clever, emotive and widely applicable. But still with that all important sincerity.

Their lyrics weave stories of beautiful cities at night, long-distance relationships and the strains and stresses of youth, all wrapped in a glorious, rousing combination of yearning guitars. With an occasional hint of glockenspiel and a certain kind of charm achieved only by bands you know are trying to create something genuine.

Buy: bandcamp