Albums
Awesome Color - Awesome Color (Ecstatic Peace!)
When early copies of this album were let loose in the States late last year, much was made of frontman Derek Stanton’s friendship with The Stooges’ drummer Scott Asheton and the fact that they’re signed to Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth’s label.
Arrested Development - Since The Last Time (Edel)
That Southern US hip-hop heads Arrested Development have returned with little acknowledgment of crunk and other sounds that have taken over their part of the world is both a relief and a mistake.
Beirut - The Gulag Orkestar (4AD)
A teenager from New Mexico doing Balkan-style gypsy music is truly an odd proposition, but somehow wunderkind Zach Condon pulls it off.
Brakes - The Beatific Visions (Rough Trade)
Fuller sounding and more cohesive than their debut, but still rough-cut and volatile.
Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis (Rough Trade)
This is the moment when Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker puts to one side the experimental projects and gets back to what he does best - recording highly satirical and classic-sounding pop songs.
Faithless - To All New Arrivals (Columbia)
Utterly bland and forgettable collection of wine bar-friendly pap from a group who people only liked when they were doing gurn-inducing, arms-in-the-air house bangers.
Ladyfinger - Heavy Hands (Saddle Creek)
Tight, competent and sometimes thunderous rock’n’roll from an Omaha-based four-piece, but it seldom swerves from the path it picks with track one and, by the end, you want to throttle the singer.
