Albums To Embrace….Father John Misty – Fear Fun (2012)

Fear Fun is the eighth studio album from Josh Tillman but the first under his new moniker of Father John Misty. When Tillman unexpectedly departed his hugely successful stint as drummer in Fleet Foxes in early 2012 it sent ripples through the fan base that became so intense that the bands frontman and songwriter Robin Pecknold had to take to Twitter to assure fans that the band was not about to split up as a consequence of his departure. Not a bad reaction for someone who was “Just the drummer” in the band. Of course Tillman had been a singer/songwriter in his own right before joining the Foxes, just as their debut album was about to be released in 2008, and when he announced his departure it was only a matter of time until further material was bound to emerge. What is startling is the circumstances surrounding this albums conception and what a staggering transformation Tillman has been through in recording this album.

Having decided to leave his hugely successful day job during a bout of depression, he cut his hair and headed off on a road trip to California, armed only with a huge amount of magic mushrooms and the intention of writing a novel, settling in the West Hollywood area of Lauryl Canyon. Tillman’s previous albums had been stark, lonesome folk music, with Tillman’s hushed, quivering voice barely registering above a whisper and were, by all accounts, extremely difficult to penetrate and connect with. Even Tillman himself has admitted that his previous work had not been up to scratch and after throwing himself into the hedonistic, drug fuelled world he found himself in, the intended novel ended up giving way to hugely creative songwriting sessions resulting in a batch of songs that are positively light years away from anything he has done before.

Adopting the new alias of Father John Misty has allowed Tillman to truly flourish as a songwriter, singer and performer. Free of the shackles of his past efforts and with a new invigorated focus, Tillman draws from all the best aspects of traditional American music; Appalachian Folk, Country, Blues, and Rock n Roll, and he delivers it with his witty, sardonic humour, deeply confessional lyrics and all wrapped up in a laid back, West-Coast California vibe that harks back to it’s golden era of the early 70s and truly captures the spirit in which these songs were recorded. Tillmans voice is bolder and brighter on this record and shares the same soaring quality as his former band leader Robin Pecknold and it is instantly apparent how important his vocals were to the trademark Fleet Foxes harmonies. It beggars belief that it has taken until now before Tillman has truly let fly with his voice on his own material and show its true range.

There are nods to his former band scattered throughout this album. Their influence can be heard from the word go with album opener ‘Fun Times In Babylon’, as Tillman’s voice takes flight over heavenly harmonies and a musical arrangement that wouldn’t be out of place on a Rufus Wainwright album. Tillman’s sense of escapism is captured as he looks to get out “Before they put me to work in a Government camp, before they do my face up like a corpse and say get up and dance” It’s hopeful sentiment signed off with a “Look out Hollywood, here I come” as subtle piano, acoustic guitar, mandolin, strings and Tillman’s trademark rhythmic stomp all intertwine to set the album off to a beautiful start.

“Oh pour me another drink, and punch me in the face, you can call me Nancy” cries Misty as the listeners are plunged headlong into his bizarre, hedonistic headspace during ‘Nancy From Now On’. Even though he is singing of his organs being housed in concentration camps and screaming “slow down man”, it is impossible not to be completely swept away by its mid-period Eagles melody, filled with sun-kisssed Californian soul and classic songwriting sensibility.

The excesses are laid bare even further as the country boogie of ‘I’m Writing A Novel’ begins with Misty’s recollections of “Running down the road, pants down to my knees screaming ”Please come help me, that Canadian shaman gave a little too much to me!” before continuing with tales of burning his only clothes in the backyard, riding to Malibu on a dune buggy with a bloke called Neil and observing the superficial Hollywood culture through a haze of drugs and alcohol.

5 songs in and Misty’s pangs of regret suddenly come to the fore with ‘O I Long To Feel Your Arms Around Me’. It is the albums first real declaration of loneliness and the song itself could quite easily have been on any of the Fleet Foxes releases that came before it with its reverb drenched harmonies and heartfelt emotive delivery. The same could also be said for ‘The Only Son Of A Ladies Man’. Tillman’s calling card of atmospheric rolling drums power the soaring melody and uplifting vocals over the story of the death of ‘The Ladiesman’ who had become something of a hero to Misty as he casts his eye over all his past conquests in attendance at his funeral.

‘This Is Sally Hatchet’ gloomily rolls in and gradually builds up with dark orchestration reminiscent of late-period Beatles while ‘Well You Can Do It Without Me’ successfully manages to wrap a simple country song around the whistling solo of Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay. ‘Tee Pees 1-2′ continues with Misty’s bizarre, yet engaging storytelling over a jaunty bluegrass hoedown. All the while the character of this new alter-ego of Tillman’s is shining through, constantly grabbing the listeners attention both lyrically and in his heart and soul delivery.

‘Now I’m Learning To Love The War’ Tillman reflects on the environmental impact that selling physical music has, right down to the tiniest detail of “The shipping, the vinyl, the cellophane lining, the high gloss, the tape and the gear”, but the fact that it is performed over a musical arrangement that Burt Bacharach would be proud of, makes it work.

The album closes with the sublime ‘Every Man Needs A Companion’ that effortlessly guides the album to its conclusion, with its self-reflecting sentiment of his entire journey up to this point, making up his own myth, escaping his environment and becoming the artist he truly wanted to be.

Under his new alias Tillman appears to be revelling in the freedom that this persona allows him to have as a performer. Always a very humourous and natural communicator with Fleet Foxes audiences and friends alike, he has finally been able to harness his wit and wisdom into song in a similar way to that of his fellow label mate John Grant and his debut album The Queen Of Denmark. However, whether it is wearing a Saturday Night Fever suit and busting out disco moves performing ‘Nancy From Now On’ on talk shows, or throwing himself around the stage during the intense build up of ‘Sally Hatchet’, you never feel like it is contrived and it is obvious that Tillman still feels every word and emotion with these autobiographical songs.

His website is also an absolute gem of sardonic and self-depricating humour too. Full of photos of Tillman in various ‘interesting’ poses and literal menu titles such as ‘Please Buy My T-Shirts” and ‘I Am Coming To Your Town So You Can Film Me On Your Iphone’ instead of the more traditional ‘Store’ and ‘Live Dates’ sections. There is even a justification with each one such as “THERE’S QUITE A BIT OF OVERHEAD INVOLVED IN TOURING.  GAS, HOTELS, PURE CUT COCAINE, PITA, HUMMUS, CARROT STICKS, CHERRY TOMATOES, ETC.  AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT ALL ADDS UP!  SO HOW DO I GET YOU TO PART WITH YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLARS, WHEN MUSIC IS FREE ON YOUTUBE?”.

Fear Fun is worthy of investigation by anyone who has even a passing interest in traditional American music and the Great American Songbook. It is a fantastic document that captures Josh Tillman at specific moment in time and at a pivotal point in his career. For years Tillman feared having fun with his music, now that he has embraced it, it has seen his stock rise considerably over the last year, within hipster circles as well as traditional music fans alike. It seems everybody wants to join the cult of Father John Misty.

Albums To Embrace…..Black Spiders – Sons Of The North (2011)

I have been neglecting my beloved Rock n’ Roll on this blog of late and with the excitement building for making my return to this years Download Festival, it was about time that I got back in the saddle and started championing all things “RAAAWWK” again.

In 2011 Black Spiders released their debut album ‘Sons Of The North’ to wide critical acclaim in the rock world. It is easy to see why, as it is an unashamedly brilliant slice of hard Rock n’ Roll taking all the best elements of the founding heroes of the genre; Zeppelin, Sabbath, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Motorhead being the most obvious reference points, and welding those influences into a powerful 21st Century hard rock album. It is rubberstamped with their own identity and should appeal to anyone who has loved any album containing rock n roll’s powerful spirit over the last 40 years.

Fronted by Pete ‘Spider’ Spiby, the band makes a massive statement of intent with no less than 3 guitarists that combine to make a huge, powerful sound.  This is an awesome spectacle especially when seeing them in the live environment. While opening track ‘Stay Down’ is full of powerful riffing and showcases the bands hard rocking musical chops well, it falls a bit flat in comparison to the rest of the album due to not much in the way of variety in the songs melodic structure.

From that point onwards though, the album goes from strength to strength. ‘Kiss Tried To Kill Me’ drives along on a sleazy riff and its tongue in cheek lyrics regarding the subject of the song ensures that the song will swim around your head frequently in the days after first listen.

‘Just Like A Woman’ then crashes into view, full of garage rock licks, and chanted chorus lines. What is apparent is the band are fans of the sort of uplifting, sing a long, rock n roll choruses that have been all too infrequent over the last few years.  Even better still is ‘Easy Peasy’ with its guest female vocalist Danni Maibaum, who trades vocals with Spiby over a funk rock influenced groove that is ridiculously addictive.

‘Blood Of The Kings’ arrives on a thundering, Black Sabbath shaped, riff and is the albums undisputed highlight. Epic in its scope, its seven and a half minute length flies by with mammoth riffing and rousing crescendo’s. Seriously, if you claim to love Rock n’ Roll in all its splendid glory, then you will love this song!

After the initial battering ram of the albums first 5 songs the opening minute and a half of ‘St Peter’ gives the listener a brief period of respite as the chain gang chant of “I’ve been waiting by the railroad, waiting for Jesus to come” repeats over and over before a slow slide guitar stomps its way into the room over slightly sinister vocals and the pleading lyrics “St. Peter won’t you let me in, lord knows all the trouble I’m in”. With a band who plays with such powerful rock n’ roll vitality its easy to believe.

The pace quickens again with ‘Si, El Diablo’ that sounds like the younger and more vibrant cousin to Led Zeppelin’s ‘How Many More Times’.  It’s listening to tracks such as this that you crave to see this band in a small sweaty club with beer flying across the room as the crowd headbangs along with the crunching guitar lines and huge solos.

The albums closes with the rousing ‘What Goods A Rock Without A Roll’ with its energetic, fast paced riffing and tag line “Eat Thunder, Shit Lightening!” Another song impossible to dislike if you love rock n roll in its purest form. It even has a brief homage to ‘Whole Lotta Love’ in its mid section where drummer Si ‘Tiger’ Atkinson’s Bonham-esque drum fills combine brilliantly with the lead guitar licks.

All in all, Black Spiders are a band to be enjoyed with a beer in your hand and all pretentiousness and snobbery thrown out of the window. They are not breaking any new ground, but they don’t have to. ‘Sons Of The North’ is a pure, classic rock n roll album with stadium sized riffs, strong, memorable choruses, played by a breathtaking band eager to make an impression. If,  like me, you get tired of hearing the new crop of rock bands claiming to be the next best thing and subsequently failing to be anything other than rock-by-numbers, Black Spiders may well be the band to win you over.

 

Albums To Embrace….Dry The River – Shallow Bed (2012)

For the last couple of months Dry The River have been the band that I have needed a fix of on a daily basis such is the impact their music has had on my musical psyche. In my opinion they are the most exciting new band in the UK at the moment and with the release of their debut album Shallow Bed they have delivered a striking, compelling and emotional record that should be one of the most widely acclaimed albums of 2012.

For the last 5 years or so the Indie-Folk movement has been riding on a crest of a wave with no signs of slowing up. But one does get the nagging feeling that it has started to reach saturation point and the genre is in need of a jolt in the arm to maintain its renaissance. Dry The River are quite possibly the band that will spearhead this movement by adding a much needed slice of musical muscle to their beautiful songs. This is hardly surprising given the band members wide array of musical backgrounds, including a shared love for Punk and U.S. Hardcore. What the band achieves with this album is a sound that combines the type of melodious folk songs and pastoral harmonies that made Fleet Foxes so endearing, and build them up with the orchestral, melodramatic crescendos  of Arcade Fire to make a huge sound that at times verges on the majestic. While some may say that it is overblown, the songs allow you into their heart well before the band start to throw their undoubted power behind them.

The songs are mostly filled with sorrowful sentiments of lovers lost,  heartbroken soul-searching, along with biblical reference points that conjure up intriguing imagery, with Peter Liddle’s pure and fragile voice able to convey emotion better than most singers out there. He is able to switch from a whispery hush to impassioned cry with ease and these qualities, coupled with the stunning harmonies of bassist Scott Miller and guitarist Matt Taylor, makes for some of the loveliest vocals heard this side of Fleet Foxes.

The track ‘Weights And Measures’ is a prime example of the bands ability to build their songs up from understated beginnings to huge cavernous walls of noise that knock you off your feet. Liddle’s voice is accompanied by only a faint organ and gentle acoustic guitar as he mourns the end of a relationship “You’ve made your decision, so get up and leave”. As two other voices join him the pain is all too evident as they sing “I fall in the forest to elbows and knees and it won’t make a sound since there’s no one around here to see”. The tear-jerking arrival of the songs key lines appear with stunning 3 part-harmonies “I was prepared to love you, and never expect anything of you”. It’s almost uncomfortably emotional if the melody wasn’t so sweet. From this point the song waltz’ around it’s simple melodic shuffle and intensifies as the chorus reappears this time with added orchestration, a rumbling bass line, and once the middle-eight has worked its magic, the final chorus is a heavenly assault on the ears that is impossible not to be swept away by.

Following the same path is the equally impressive ‘No Rest’. From the reflective opening verses with delicate vocals and chiming guitars that skip along enchantingly, the intensity gradually builds before the song explodes with Liddle pleading passionately “Did you see the light in my heart?, did you see the sweat on my brow?, did you see the fear in my eyes?”. As the band start to flex their musical muscle the impassioned cries of “I loved you in the best way possible” over and over are backed by Violinist William Harvey’s sweeping orchestration, giving the song a hefty dose of emotional weight as the song reaches its rousing climax.

Its not all bombast and epic bluster though. These are all, in essence, folk songs. Folk songs with deeply woven melodies and intricate musical arrangements that have been given extra gravitas by the bands influences from other genres, resulting in this “heavy-folk” sound. This is in no small part down to ex-punk band drummer Jon Warren whose powerhouse drumming thrusts these songs away from their folk roots and gives them the same powerful quality that makes the likes of Arcade Fire and The National so distinctive in their rhythmic drive.

The opening half of the record, bar the disjointed album opener ‘Animal Skins’, is a bright, up-tempo record, full of sun-kissed acoustic melodies and addictive choruses such as forthcoming single ‘New Ceremony’ and the glorious ‘Chambers And The Valves’. Even better is the magnificent ‘Shield You Eyes’ with its shimmering strings, sprightly guitar lines, and beautiful harmonies that captivate and enthral. All three of these songs will be swimming around your head long after you have first heard them. For all their enchanting qualities Scott Miller’s commanding bass lines and Warren’s unforgiving drumming style underpin each of them ensuring they possess a musical edge over their contemporaries from the genre. Despite the upbeat nature of these songs musically, the melancholic lyrics ensure the listener is in no doubt that these songs have been born out of a lot of heartache.

They also have moments of restrained beauty on the likes of ‘History Book’ and ‘Shaker Hymns’ that are happy to be the gentle folk songs they are, allowing the bands superb vocals to shine. The former swings by infectiously with subtle glockenspiel and swooning strings before a horn section arrives to bring the song home, while the latters bucolic innocence is breezily captivating.

It is from the albums mid-point that it makes the transition from a great indie-folk record to something far more transcending as it reaches its emotional epicentre with the stunning ‘Demons’, one of the most affecting tracks on the album. With a hymnal quality it delivers tale of battling depression and the struggles for those who are affected by it. With its stark, uncompromising lines “Under the weight of belief you shiver and shake like a leaf, death is a force not a man on a horse” before the comforting words “I’ll keep you safe while you sleep and fight those demons day in and day out, day in and day out”.  As the final line repeats itself over  and over, it is all wrapped up with rolling, atmospheric drumbeat, sweeping strings and spine-tingling vocal harmonies, before it builds to its swirling climax. This effortlessly segues into the magnificent ‘Bible Belt’ that has a more regal air to it compared to the equally impressive live field recording that featured on the Weights And Measures EP. The field recording showed the bands vocal capabilities beautifully and this studio version manages to do the same whilst bringing a completely different atmosphere to the song .

‘Family’ follows in a similar vein to the arrangement found with ‘No Rest’ and ‘Weights And Measures’ with its delicate beginnings, Liddle’s choirboy vocals, and its grandiose finale, but possesses one of the biggest hooks on the record with its chorus and harmonies to die for. It is the albums final song ‘Lions Den’ that is the bands piece-de-resistance, gathering all of the bands best qualities that have  been displayed on the album so far, resulting in what could be a song that comes to define what the band are about. Wonderfully melodic verses that build into an epic, rapturous wall of noise finale that surpasses everything that has come before it.

With this album Dry The River have delivered on the promise that they have shown ever since forming back in 2009. After nearly 3 years of constant touring they have honed and sculpted these wonderful songs into something that is very special indeed. Brimming with emotion, powerful musicality, with a keen ear for melodies that resonate in the same, far reaching way that all great bands have done in the past, it is one of the finest British debut albums released in the last 5 years and we should be proud to call them our own.

Albums To Embrace….The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow (2011)

Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars is a record that I have returned to again and again over the past few months with increasing regularity and it is home to a collection of some of the most wonderfully crafted songs released in 2011. Comprising of Californian singer Joy Williams and Alabama based singer-songwriter John Paul White, their marriage of folk, country and blues performed with sparse acoustic arrangments and devastatingly brilliant boy-girl harmonies, earnt them two Grammy nominations for both Best Folk Album and Best Country Album. Only one listen to the album is enough to know that these nominations in two separate genres were more than justified.

The singers discovered their musical chemistry together in Nashville where assorted songwriters had been assembled  to write radio singles for a current Country band. After introductions and barely a few minutes in each others company, they started to write music together and they instantly knew they had struck upon something special and decided to see where they could go with it on their own. Williams’ background up until that point had been from more of a ‘pop’ perspective while Alabama resident White honed his songwriting chops amongst the thriving musical hub that is his hometown. Despite coming from two different musical backgrounds, the songs that were beginning to form along with the pitch-perfect blend of their voices, resulted in an album that effortlessly blurred the lines between American Folk, Country and Blues. It is an album filled with lyrical sorrow yet the pretty acoustics guitar lines and achingly soulful harmonies light up these songs like the sun cracking through a darkened room.

Album opener ’20 Years’ is one such example with a sunny acoustic hook and an intriguing opening verse as their voices swoop over the lyrics “There’s a note underneath your front door, that I wrote 20 years ago, yellow paper and a faded picture, and a secret in an envelope”. The contents of which we never do find out, but the lyrical tone of the album is firmly set out with this song as they yearn for redemption as a mandolin, glockenspiel and shimmering strings add a warmth to the songs heart.

A jaunty acoustic guitar propels the optimistic ‘Iv’e Got This Friend’ as White and Williams trade verses as a “Loveless romatic” boy and a girl who “Sings a song that sounds a lot like his” , court each other teasingly. Both singers get to display their smooth, soulful vocals solo as well as demonstrating their great blend of harmony on the choruses. For a girl whose roots are not traditionally in Country Music, Williams delivery is as authentic as you are ever likely to hear.

The piano led ‘C’est La Mort’ combines a moving tale of companionship with a stirring string arrangement that is subtle yet powerful all at the same time. It is at the albums mid-point that they really begin to shine with the stunning ‘Poison and Wine’. The two singers trade lines of a story that shows a relationship that has broken down, yet both parties are trying so hard to fight it. Its opening key line from White “You know everything I want you to” is shot down immediately by Williams’ “I know everything you don’t want me to”.  As the song continues, the contradictions continue to come to the fore as the lyrics unravel. These heartbreaking sentiments are wrapped up in melody so simple in nature but compelling with a warm charm that is aided by White’s best vocal on the album. Piano and acoustic guitar guide the song with subtle accompaniment from marching band drums as the song gradually build with the vocals gaining an intensity to their delivery as the song progresses with White’s impassioned cry of “I don’t have a choice but I still choose you” as they reach the songs rousing climax. It is a song that it is impossible not to warm to on its first listen and it only gets better with each subsequent outing.

‘My Fathers Father’ brings back memories of the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss partnership that resulted in one of the biggest success stories of 2007 with their Raising Sand album. The Civil Wars on record have the same chemistry that made that album so easy to like. Two voices not  trying to outshine each other but complementing each other perfectly. This is shown brilliantly again on ‘Falling’, one of the duo’s first songs written together. The verses are powered by the vocals with the faintest of backings from White’s acoustic guitar before the swooning chorus introduces a beautiful string arrangement that fills up the song with one the albums most compelling melodies.

The albums title track is country blues stomp that injects a powerful jolt of primal acoustic blues to proceedings and could have been something that The White Stripes could have done circa- ‘Elephant’. Album closer ‘Birds Of A Feather’ has a similar bluesy tone and possesses a shanty groove that finishes the album in great style.

Overall the album does not stray from the sparse acoustic arrangements that The Civil Wars live shows are built upon, but it keeps the listeners interest with dashes of instrumentation throughout that gives these brilliant songs an added depth. What this album demonstrates too is The Civil Wars are traditional songwriters that put the songs heart and melody right to the forefront of proceedings. There is no shying away and the lyrics at times make for uncomfortable listening with their brutal honesty, but the perfect blend of their voices and the endearing charm of these songs make for a wonderful album, rich in all the qualities that make traditional songwriting, writing songs for the songs sake, something worth celebrating.

Albums To Embrace…. The Maccabees – Given To The Wild (2012)

I have always been a huge admirer of The Maccabees since their 2007 debut ‘Colour It In’. There was something different about them in a sea of identical indie bands that were marauding over the British music scene during that time which had started to reach saturation point. There were two main reasons for this admiration, one was the unique voice of Orlando Weeks who had a choir-boy like purity in his vocal tone. At times he was guilty of over indulging in the “Indie” vocal inflections, but when he let his real voice shine through there was no doubt at all that he had an amazing voice and with ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ he delivered one of my favourite vocal performances of all time. The second reason was the great musicianship of the band. When listening to their debut you could really hear five talented musicians who seemed to be brimming with creativity and musical ideas, but more importantly you could hear the sincerity and the attention to detail that had been paid to the music they were making. Their second album ‘Wall Of Arms’ upped the songwriting quality further and the band were becoming more accomplished in the studio as well as an in demand live act, with a growing fan base who have garnered a reputation for being one of the most passionate in the country.

The band have now returned with their third album ‘Given To The Wild’ and it signals a huge shift in their sound. Not only that, but with 2012 only two weeks old, they have produced what could quite possibly be one of the albums of the year. Gone are the post-punk influences and the staccato guitars, and in come laid back angelic vocal harmonies, chiming guitar lines, and epic arrangements that swell with gorgeous musical intensity. Do not mistake this for the band going soft, as one listen of ‘Given To The Wild’ will show that this is an album overflowing with compelling musical arrangements with a lot of the tracks having distinct musical segments that keep the attention of the listener, and as the album really hits its stride it is impossible to predict where each track is going to go, throwing up musical suprises at every turn, each one a glorious reminder of what a great band The Maccabees are. The band themselves have stated that for the first time they feel like this album best represents who they are as a band and when listening it is hard to disagree. The album feels like it is one large musical piece that has to be enjoyed in its entirety and you can tell that this was the bands intention, to go against the disposable nature of so many albums these days and make something that brings back the true essence of the LP down to the sequencing and how the album flows.

Lead single ‘Pelican’ is musically the closest to what they have done before and releasing this track as the first single was a clever move by the band. It ensured the old fans were happy but it also leaves the listener in no doubt that the band are heading into more epic territory with its rousing “Whooaaa’s” that are scattered throughout the song as it gradually builds up its intensity showing the bands added depth.

The introduction to the album is a 2 minute keyboard intro coupled with Orlando Weeks’ laid back angelic voice that guides you into the first track ‘Child’ that glides along on an engaging bass-line before a soulful horn section arrives to ride on the back of Weeks’  pure vocal delivery. Reverb drenched harmonies then usher in the songs turn of pace as Sam Doyle’s drumming then takes centre stage as the song turns into the equivalent of The Isley Brothers playing dream-pop. This then seamlessly links to ‘Feel to Follow’ that has a jazz-lounge feel with a sparse arrangement before the second half of the song takes off with shimmering guitars that lifts the song skywards. It is at this point the album settles into its stride after a fairly gentle opening. The flurry of piano lines that power ‘Ayla’ along are coupled with horns and industrial flavoured guitars as the song bounces along infectiously.

Throughout the album Weeks’ voice is laid back and shows its effortless quality better than ever before and blends beautifully with brothers Hugo and Felix White’s melodic guitar playing and the euphoric nature of the musical arrangements.

‘Forever I’ve Known’ is cunningly placed as the albums centre piece and is one of the strongest tracks here. A gentle bass line is shrouded by restrained vocals, sweeping guitars, and atmospheric production which then transforms into an electro-dance  stomp that sounds like something The Strokes would come up with if they suddenly developed an obsession for Depeche Mode. Where a lot of the albums strengths lie is with the band knowing when to reign these epic sounding songs in. It would have been very easy for the band to build these songs up even further and throw the kitchen sink at the production, but they manage to perfectly judge when to round the songs off making you ache for more in the process.

The absolutely stunning ‘Heave’ rides in on a wave of synths and twinkling guitars before the delicate vocal harmonies soar into one of the most beautifully crafted arrangements on the album as the band sing “Are we so different?”  in unison, giving way to a Foals-esque tempo powered along by a fluid bass line that sees the song out.

‘Went Away’ is a jaunty slice of indie-pop with an addictive descending guitar line that surrounds itself with urgent drums and Weeks’ voice at the forefront of proceedings. This is immediately followed by the atmospheric ‘Go’ and the thunderous ‘Unknown’ that marries the dreamy and ethereal tone of the rest of the album with frantic, industrial guitars backed by a solid indie-disco beat and angelic vocals. The final minute of the song is an absolute joy.

With this album The Maccabees have set their stall out as one of the finest indie bands in the country right now. For all the atmospheric production and the huge cavernous sound that this album employs at times, you can still hear the five normal guys inside, for the first time making the music they truly believe in. It is evident that a huge amount of time and effort went into recording this album and the results range from the sublime to the majestic. Not only that but with ‘Given To The Wild’ they have managed to carve out a completely unique, individual sound that is entirely their own that starts a brand new chapter in this bands career. Without doubt one of the most engaging and finest records you are likely to hear this year.

Albums To Embrace….The Killer Meters – Breaking Out (2009)

The Killer Meters have been showcasing their infectious brand of party-funk n’ roll in venues across the UK and Europe for the last 6 years. Emerging with a tribute album to New Orleans funk pioneers (and inspiration behind the band name) The Meters in 2005, their first studio album of original material that followed in 2009 is a glorious celebration of the genre with a huge amount of musical muscle and authentic funk prowess.

The band was formed by drummer Virgil Howe (son of Yes guitarist Steve Howe) in London with a group of musicians who have provided a large amount of session work over the last few years,and took all the best elements of their Funk-Rock forbearers such as Sly And The Family Stone and Funkadelic, along with the glitz and pizzazz of golden-era Prince, and produced an album brimming with outstanding party floor fillers.

Vocalist Karime Kendra brings a powerful and mischevious tone to the record which helps with the party atmosphere, but she also demonstrates a great soul voice and the album is all the richer for her presence. Backed by fuzzy, searing electric guitars, joyful sax playing, keyboards that decorate these songs with flashes of colour, coupled with the tight as hell rhythm section, the results of which are impossible to dislike.

‘Desolation Blues’ opens proceedings with a rumbling bassline and scattered horns, as the chanted group vocals work the song up into a 70′s funk frenzy by the time the addictive chorus has worked its magic over the course of the song. It is by all accounts a misleading opening track with its slow build up and actually quite restrained in comparison to what is to come. ‘Freak’ ramps the tempo right up, all strutting funk and squalling electric guitars, with Kendra’s vocals menacing and distorted as she sings the songs key line “I can’t take my eyes off the freak, he can’t take his eyes off of me” that dances around funky guitars. I dare you to not be infected by it.

Single ‘Dance, Move, Shake’ ups the quality further and showcases the bands rhythmic tightness brilliantly. The thumping funk rhythm and dancefloor lyrics make this an instant party classic. The likes of ‘Say Dirty’ and ‘Desperate Times’ are all stuttering funk rhythms, squelchy guitars and bass lines that are low down and dirty, all decorated by the top notch horn section. The latter sounds like it could have soundtracked a cop show from the 70′s.

The straight up funky swagger of ‘Come Back’ and ‘Black Mountain’ are impossible to resist, along with the Motown influenced ‘I Ain’t Lyin”. There are two cover versions among the 15 tracks here. The bands take on Breakestra’s ‘Cramp Your Style’ stays faithful to the songs original arrangement with blazing horns and addictive riff, along with disco anthem ‘Rainbow Of Love’ and its synth driven rhythm.

‘Stomp (parts 1&2)’ hit at a relentless pace full of frentic, powerful drumming and 60′s influenced keyboards adding flourishes of swirling effects, punctuated by jubilant horns. It is on tracks like these that make you instantly want to see this band in a sweaty club dancing your ass off with a bunch of other like-minded souls, feeling the funk!

This album is a perfect example of band in thrall to classic 70′s funk, that marries elements of rock, 60′s soul, and a helpful dollop of pop choruses to the mix. It is an assured and accomplished record that is a perfect soundtrack to a Saturday night, with an unpretentious and unapologetic air of fun that is very easy to be swept away by. The musicianship is tight, the production is shiny and bright, and it sounds like the band are having the time of their lives. If you want an upbeat, party record that can appeal to a wide range of musical audiences, then you really do not need to look any further than this.

Albums To Embrace…..Lanterns On The Lake – Gracious Tide, Take Me Home (2011)

At this current time there is not a better independent record label in the UK than Bella Union. Over the years the sheer number of artists that have emerged from their warm bosom with staggeringly beautiful albums has been nothing short of remarkable. Affording artists from a wide variety of genres the freedom to express themselves as they wish has been refreshing, and the results of such freedom of expression have often been some of the best independent music released in the UK for the last few years. The roll-call of artists that are currently fostered by the label read like a who’s who in the indie, folk, alternative pop, and singer/songwriter world. The likes of The Low Anthem, Fleet Foxes, John Grant, Laura Veirs, The Kissaway Trail, Explosions In The Sky, and Midlake have all released some of the most successful and widely revered independent albums in the last 5 years. This has been backed up by their inclusions in numerous end of year album lists, that are shoved in our faces around this time each year by every music publication going. Lanterns On The Lake are another band that are keeping Bella Unions stellar reputation at the forefront of the British Independent music scene with the release of their first full length album ‘Gracious Tide, Take Me Home’.

Formed in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne five years ago, their sweepingly orchestral brand of indie-folk is a thing of stunning beauty. Having released two EP’s over the last couple of years in the lead up to this full album release, they gave a good taster as to what was to come on what is a compelling and  beautiful debut.

The album opens with subtle piano and strings, laced with glitchy electronica  beats, as lead singer Hazel Wilde’s spectral voice glides in and out of an increasingly addictive melodic refrain, which builds gradually with glockenspiel, rousing strings, and ghostly voices as ‘Lungs Quicken’ sets the albums wintry tone. As fellow vocalist Adam Sykes appears on second number ‘If I’ve Been Unkind’ the bands wonderful way with emotionally charged musical soundscapes really shines. The strings are prominent as they sweep around pretty acoustic guitars, piano, and mournful vocals, as once again the band are able to gradually build the song up towards the heavens with chiming guitars and stormy percussion. Already you can hear certain elements of Sigur Ros’ epic capabilities within their music, but rather than drawing the music out, they manage to condense it all  into less than 5 minutes.

The album continues to offer spellbinding melodies with ‘Keep On Trying’s’ laid back yet beautiful vocals, against a backdrop of gorgeously atmospheric instrumentation. Guitarist Paul Gregory who oversaw production duties on this album really captures everything perfectly and resists the urge to throw the kitchen sink at the production, instead choosing to gradually build these songs up with deeply woven melodies and reigning everything back in at just the right point. If this is his first time producing, then he may well become a familiar name based on what he has done with this album.

A more sparse arrangement features on ‘Ships In The Rain’ where just Hazel Wilde’s whispering voice features over the faintest of backings from a single violin and ghostly voices, as she sings some of the most affecting lyrics on the album about a sailor lost out at sea. “My body’s an anchor I’m lost to the sea, I look to the stars as the waves cover me, Its a beautiful night to behold, the most beautiful i’ve ever known, Ships in the rain i’ll see you again. “Whistles are blowing, they’re looking for me, like an orchestra playing as I sink to the deep, but this cold black ocean will know that this sailor will never come home, ships in the rain, i’ll see you again”

It is the shortest song on the album lasting only two minutes, yet it is also one of the most memorable and emotionally affecting songs on an album not short on heart-stirring moments.

The more upbeat and poppy sounding ‘A Kingdom’ rushes along over an urgent, shuffling rhythm with joyful violins and country-esque slide guitars, gorgeously drenched in reverb as the band push the button marked “Epic” as the song reaches it rousing finale.

The quality just does not let up as the cinematic  ’The Place We Call Home’ glides over more subtle electronica beats, coupled with a simple glockenspiel and piano refrain, with one of the best string arrangements on the album. This is followed swiftly by the equally impressive ‘Blanket Of Leaves’ as Wilde’s soft vocals effortlessly guide the song as it ebbs and flows.

By this point in the album, if you have been captivated by everything that has come before, the rest of the album carries you along much like the band name suggests. Never has a band name so perfectly captured their sound better than Lanterns On The Lake.

This album is another gem in Bella Union’s increasingly impressive stockpile. It is not an album that you can  just have playing in the background whilst doing the cooking or housework. It is an album to immerse yourself into in a quiet room, giving it your full attention and just letting the music wash over you with a good set of headphones or a decent sound system. Do not even think about listening to it on a laptop! With each listen it reveals more and more moments of brilliance, and it is a perfect winter album for listening to in front of an open fire, yet equally at home listening whilst trudging through fields of snow on a bright winters morning.  A truly spellbinding  album, that needs to be heard.

Albums To Embrace….The Thorns – The Thorns (2003)

The Thorns were a coming together of 3 successful singer/songwriters; Matthew Sweet, Shawn Mullins, and Pete Droge who produced one superb album in 2003 before disbanding and carrying on with their respective solo careers. Each artist had varying levels of success as solo artists but all were very well thought of within the songwriting community. The most well known of the three in the UK was Mullins due to his song ‘Lullaby’ being a surprise radio hit in the late-nineties. When they all decided to join forces, they set out to produce an album that evoked all the best elements of the late 60s and early 70s west coast music scene. The most obvious reference points were the likes ofCrosby, Stills, and Nash, The Eagles, and James Taylor but they managed to rubberstamp their songs with their own unique blend of harmonies and instrumentation.

For a band of songwriters so used to working solo, the results of this union were incredible. 12 beautifully accessible compositions and one cover version flowed brilliantly together, and was an extremely rewarding listen for anybody who managed to stumble across this album upon its release.

The albums lead single ‘Runaway Feeling’ thrusts the bands influences to the forefront of proceedings, marrying the pretty, sun-kissed, acoustic melodies of James Taylor with wonderful CS&N three part harmonies and a chorus so infectious you will be humming it for days after hearing it.

Runaway Feeling (Live Acoustic Version)

As the album progresses the strength of the songwriting becomes more and more apparent along with Brendan O’Brien’s lush production. O’Brien is one of my favourite producers of all time with a wide variety of albums under his belt by the likes of Pearl Jam, Springsteen, Train, Mastadon, Rage Against The Machine, and The Black Crowes as well as solo albums by both Matthew Sweet and Pete Droge. But his work on this album is probably his best, also contributing as a musician during the recording process.

‘I Can’t Remember’ is a laid back acoustic stroll reminiscent of mid period Eagles while ‘Now I Know’ is driven by a ukulele and bright keyboards with the three voices blending beautifully together. This is closely followed by ‘Dragonfly’ which will have fans of Crosby Stills &Nash’s more brooding moments salivating for more.

The albums most stunning moment comes in the form of ‘No Blue Sky’ filled with chiming guitars, melancholic melodies, and a sweeping string arrangement that packs the same sort of emotional punch as Train’s ‘Drops Of Jupiter’. The fact that O’Brien was at the production helm for that album too shows how adept he is at producing this sort of heart stirring, string laden music.

The cover of The Jayhawks song ‘Blue’ is an inspired choice and the songs natural melody and arrangement is almost tailor-made for a band such as The Thorns. They show their more powerful side with ‘I Set The World On Fire’ with its anthemic chorus, big guitar crashes and uplifting Eagles-esque vocals.

One thing I remember thinking to myself at the time of hearing this album was that I would love to hear all the songs in purely acoustic form. Luckily the band had foreseen this line of thinking and a few months later released the Deluxe version of the album, with a bonus disc of the whole album performed acoustically. This version of the album not only got the heart of the songs across even more, but also showed off the bands exceptional harmonies in their rawest form. The acoustic album was recorded live in the studio and had a more rootsy feel to it when stripped down. When listening back to it now, the more folk elements to their song writing are very much apparent, sounding like the spiritual forefathers of Fleet Foxes. The arrangements of the songs were changed to suit the acoustic environment and a few of them sounded even better for it. ‘Now I Know’ is even more sparse than the original, with a single ukulele and the three voices that are so clear you can hear every quiver and every breath by each member as they almost whisper their way through the song. It is at these moments that the Fleet Foxes comparison is at its most obvious. The acoustic setting also brings to life ‘I Told You’ where the bendy, fretless bass work is a great compliment to the three voices in one of the albums most memorable and hummable tunes.

The acoustic version of philosophical album closer ‘Among The Living’ is truly spellbinding, with mandolins intertwining with acoustic guitars and fretless bass, and the vocals are magnificent, full of emotion and showing just how well matched the three voices are. Simply put, if you are looking to seek out this album, you simply have to get the expanded version.

It is a frustration that Sweet, Mullins, and Droge have chosen not to reconvene and record another album under The Thorns name. Particularly given the renaissance this acoustic scene has gone through over the 5 years or so. While their style may well be rooted in the West Coast of America from the late 60s and early 70s, when it first came out in 2002 it was refreshing to hear that people were still writing music such as this, staying to true to the songwriting values of the era. If you are a fan of any of the above, this album will be impossible not to love.

No Blue Sky (Album Version)

Albums To Embrace…..Young Heart Attack – Mouthful Of Love (2004)

Every once in a while a band comes along that completely blow you off your feet. Young Heart Attack were one such band when they arrived on the scene in 2004 in the midst of the glorious whirlwind of nostalgia surrounding rock music at the time. While the likes of The Strokes heralded the return of indie/alternative guitar music to the masses in 2001, The Datsuns and The Hives heralded the revival of the vintage garage rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s in 2002. That in turn also led into a frenzy of Classic Rock influenced bands emerging from the wilderness and into the limelight, as a genre that had been impossibly uncool for a number of years, suddenly became in vogue again. Before long the high street was saturated with “Vintage” band t-shirts, spearheaded by celebrities sporting said fashion, explaining how they had always loved The Ramones, MC5, Motorhead and Thin Lizzy when questioned on their attire.

Not that I was complaining at this sudden resurgence in a genre of music I held so close to my heart. Not having to whisper about the bands I liked to save ridicule was a welcome relief. What made it all the more exciting was the fact that it wasn’t the old bands that were leading the charge. It was groups of young musicians who were in their early 20s like myself, who had grown up with their dads record collections which had inspired them to form their own bands. In amongst all of these bands were Young Heart Attack from Austin, Texas. And they were really rather good indeed.

Their debut album ‘Mouthful Of Love’ was released on XL records in the UK in 2004 and was rapturously received by the UK music press. The band blended high energy Rock n Roll with huge musical hooks you could hang your hat on. The Boy/Girl co- vocalists of Chris Hodge and Jennifer Stephens really made them stand out from the pack at the time, with Stephens fast becoming something of a pin-up in rock circles.

Along with Hodge also playing guitar they were backed by a phenomenally powerful band containing Chris “Frenchie” Smith on guitar, Stephen T. Hall on Bass, and Joey Shuffield on drums. Their enthusiasm and rock n roll spirit was infectious and impossible to ignore. The title track and album opener ‘Mouthful Of Love’ opens at breakneck speed full of the rawness of Bon Scott era AC/DC and high octane guitar riffs, decorated with flourishes of Hammond Organ. Hodge and Stephens trade vocals on what is a phenomenal opening.

Better is to come with ‘Starlight’ which marries The Who’s stabbing guitars and ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ influenced keyboards with one of the most glorious choruses you are ever likely to hear on a rock album this side of the new millennium. Stephens singing “I’m Alive!” over and over again as Hodge punctuates the lines with “Starlight you burn so bright!” shows just how brilliant the co-lead vocals work between them.

The pace does not let up as El Camino gives a heavy dose of southern rock boogie-punk with an atmospheric, woozy mid-section breakdown, along with Tommy Shots with its blistering fretwork from Chris “Frenchie” Smith. The album takes a breather at the mid point with ‘Take Me Back Mary Jane’ that sounds like it could be one of the laid back, front porch blues numbers that Jack White prolifically knocked out during The White Stripes early days.

‘To The Teeth’ raises the pace and volume up to 11 again with its ‘Communication Breakdown’ riff and punky delivery which segues directly into ‘Sick Of Doing Time’, full of uplifting “Hey, Hey, Heys” and fast, frentic guitars. As the album comes towards its end the high quality and consistency continues with ‘Over And Over’ with its exceptional breakdown and rebuild that sounds tailor-made for massive outdoor shows, and is one of the most powerful songs on the album. The album closes with ‘Misty Rowe’ which could almost be a signature song and probably encapsulates all that is great about the band in four and a half glorious minutes of balls out rock n roll with its thundering riff and the great vocal interplay between Hodge and Stephens.

Young Heart Attack – Misty Rowe (Music Video)

As an album it still remains one of my favourites released post-millenium. As with so many bands, label problems prevented them from capitalising on their initial success and after many struggles finally managed to get their second album ‘Rock And Awe’ recorded and released in 2007. While it had its moments, the title track in particular, overall it lacked that spark and fire that their debut had in abundance. For me I prefer to remember them for how they were in 2004 when their raw energy and spirit contributed to them writing a classic, high energy, rock n roll record that married all the best elements of the genre and condensed them into 34 rocket fuelled minutes.

Albums To Embrace….Witness – Under A Sun (2001)

Formed in the salubrious surroundings of Wigan in the late 90s, Witness channelled the spirit of bands that they admired from across the Atlantic over the course of two albums before disappearing off the face of the musical landscape in 2004.

A great shame as both their debut ‘Before The Calm’ and its subsequent follow up ‘Under A Sun’ were brilliant records. The former received widespread acclaim upon its release and garnered extra attention due to the band being good friends with The Verve’s Nick McCabe. For all the acclaim and admiration from the UK ’s indie rock press, it was their follow up in 2001 that the band really found their true voice and delivered an album in thrall to the likes of R.E.M and widescreen Americana . Lead singer Gerard Starkie’s voice successfully married both Michael Stipe’s earnestness and the emotional delivery of Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz. The bands authentic sound made for a wonderful aural experience but also became one of the noughties first great lost records.

What had first sparked my interest in the band was album opener ‘Here’s One For You’ which had featured during the end credits of American Pie 2. Its chiming opening guitar lines that gave way to an addictive vocal hook and harmony vocals, before driving, powerful drums introduced a slide guitar feast that coupled honky tonk swagger with an uplifting, anthemic chorus. The song is so deep rooted in American aesthetics it came as a massive surprise when purchasing the album that they were in fact a UK band from the North West .

While ‘Here’s One For You’ still remains probably the strongest song on the record, its not to say that you feel the rest of the album falls short either. Each song buries its way into your sub-conscious and with each listen become more and more of a delight. What I have always said about this album is that it was probably the biggest “Grower” in my record collection at the time. The album unfurled more and more layers of brilliance the more I listened to it. Not that the band made it difficult to like, nor did they throw the kitchen sink at the production making it hard to penetrate. What was apparent from the word go was the bands excellent song craft, and I found myself becoming more fascinated with the songs the more I listened to them and took me a number of months to truly value what a fabulous collection of songs these are.

‘You Are All My Invention’ catches you off guard after such a thrilling opening with its hushed guitars, intertwining with piano and gentle drums. Starkie showcases his Automatic For The People-era Stipe vocals, revealing a great range as the songs verse glides effortlessly before the bands more upbeat delivery of the chorus. Its simple Americana leanings help set the tone for the album, but with each song comes a distinctive hook that keeps the listeners interest throughout.

The albums wonderful title track and the sublime ‘Closing Up’ stay true to the bands love of great American songwriting that would appeal to fans of Wilco and The Gin Blossoms, along with the country-tinged ‘Till The Morning’ with its laid back harmonica and pedal steel guitar.

The band shows their pop sensibilities with the absolutely stunning ‘My Time Alone’. Three minutes of glorious, uplifting, power-pop with big production, and wall of noise guitars that soar skywards. Taking influence from the likes of Big Star and turning out a tune that the likes of power-pop maestro Brendan Benson would be proud of. It gives the album an injection of energy at the mid-album point where so many albums start to sag.

‘A Warning Sign’ contains stabbing acoustic lines and dark and moody keyboards that power along an offbeat tempo that are in stark contrast to ‘My Time Alone’ and its overwhelmingly joyous feel. The swing in mood and feel with each passing song continues with ‘Mines’ providing a short blast of pretty acoustic indie that builds to a great finale, while the more moody atmosphere surrounding ‘So Here Be Well Again’ has elements of folk-balladry that you can imagine being sung 100 years ago if stripped back from its epic, indie-rock arrangement.

The album now 10 years old has aged very well indeed. A huge amount of bands emerged around the time Witness chose to call it a day in 2004 who were not only championing this type of music, but made a stand for its more widespread acceptance that has continued to this day with the likes of The Avett Brothers, Band Of Horses and Delta Spirit all continuing what was so apparent on this album; great musicians, writing great music, played with heartfelt honesty and a passionate intensity. This album is worthy of discovery.