ALBUM REVIEWS

Kris Kristoff erson Please Don』t Tell Me How...
(Light In The Attic)

Frontloaded with perfect, stripped down, seminal road classic 『Bobby McGee』, these early demos fi x our gaze backward. Kristoff erson』s music has been wonderfully covered by everyone from Janis Joplin to the late, great Johnny Cash. Unravaged by time, rich, plaintive country vocals are backed by ethereal female voices against Hammond organs. We are plugged into a way-back space where, for the disaff ected patriotic mavericks of Kristofferson』s ilk, freedom, though unreachable, mattered the most. Subsequent tracks are patchy, even sometimes parodic, and beg a question: why spoil things by making such tie-up-theloose- ends albums of previously recorded material?

Mary Cann
★★★☆☆

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Dadahack Tap3
(ServiceAV)

I was going to state that this album is pretentious – from the band』s name to the format it』s delivered in – an MP3 player masquerading as a C90 cassette. But then one of Dadahack spotted my glib pronouncement on Twitter and told me it』s 「serious」. So serious it is. Its infl uences range from Orbital to New Order, so we get synthy trancey techno and plenty of swooshy wibbly noises. And some of it is quite tuneful, like the low slung electro of『Burnt Fox』. There』s always an ear for musical progression – something often lacking in dance music – and the production is undeniably imaginative. But this is dance music made with a kind of chin-stroking objectivity. It』s too 「serious」 for its own good.

John Smithies
★★☆☆☆

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The National High Violet
(4AD)

Having slowly and quietly built a fanbase, relying on their ultra-literate songs, The National』s popularity has reached a tipping point and fevered anticipation surrounds this, their fi fth album. Opening with the raw and foreboding『Terrible Love』 and the subdued but majestic 『Sorrow』 it』s clear the band haven』t strayed too far from their regular themes. Lyricist Matt Berninger』s oblique couplets remain a joy: 「I gave my heart to the army/the only sentimental thing I could think of」. In penultimate track 『England』 the band might even have an unintended crossover tearjerker on their hands. The only thing missing is a rabble rousing fi nale to rival 『Mr November』 from 2005』s Alligator.

Patrick Healy
★★★★★

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Funki Porcini Up
(Ninja Tune)

Funki Porcini seems hardwired into Ninja Tune』s history, so it』s a shame that with this fi fth album he hasn』t delivered something better for the illustrious label. A bizarre jokey version of『Moon River』 opens proceedings but from here on in it』s not so much funky as downbeat. Often beatless, there are dark soundscapes aplenty, with rattling jazz piano livening up 『Belisha Becon』 before the aptly named『Undermud』 disperses reverby drums underneath a rather dull synth loop. In fact dull is the order of the day across the album, from the haphazard piano-led『The 3rd Man』 to the hideous jazz noodling on『Bright Little Things』.

John Smithies
★☆☆☆☆

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Half Seas Over Half Seas Over
(Brownswood)

Brownswood has enjoyed a steady stream of distinctive, impressive releases since its 2006 birth and Half Seas Over is no exception. The duo is an amalgamation of the melancholy thoughtfulness of jazz pianist/composer Elan Mehler, and the folky, rocky candidness of singer-songwriter Adam McBride-Smith. The result is a salubrious, refreshing album that eff ortlessly sweeps through styles, conjuring reminisces from Davey Graham to Charlie Mingus. In today』s melting pot of mishmashed musical styles, this makes the important transcendence from two diff erent approaches, to one complete unique creation. Highly recommended.

Lee Hall
★★★★★

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The Infesticons Bedford Park
(Big Dada)

The third and fi nal part of Mike Ladd』s Infesticons concept trilogy is probably the closest to 「grunge rap」 you would ever want to hear. Guest vocalists from the New York underground scene join Ladd in sneering, snarling and screeching over mainly guitar based background 「noise」. Sexually graphic and unapologetically violent, this album at times veers into straight gangsta. Echoes of most infl uential contemporary hip hop artists can be heard. Distorted, raw and largely unrefl ective, there are moments of relief – be it political or emotional – but hopes of any meaningful insight are usually crushed in the next line. Guns, girls, growls and grunge.

James Poulter
★☆☆☆☆

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Lady Daisey In My Pocket
(BBE)

This debut album from Lady Daisey harks back to better days. Presenting herself as a soul/funk singer, her love for the classics is clear, and it is refreshing to hear this Motown/Stax Records infl uence. However, there ain』t nothing like the real thing baby, and it is hard to know when you would put this record on rather than, say, the Staple Sisters. There are also some inexcusably weak songs. Impressive lyrics about keeping righteous, living right, and wanting justice in 「the belly of the beast」 are not supported by the overall quality of the music. And as soon as it starts venturing out of the soul/funk genre, the quality really nosedives.

James Poulter
★★★☆☆

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Tracey Thorn Love and its Opposite
(Strange Feeling)

Strains of a not-to-be-faulted Carole King-alike voice sing through this interesting concept album. Beautiful strings provide a curious mismatch with detached lyrics, which comment on the loss of meaning affl icting everyday life. The songs』 seemingly shallow protagonists fail to grasp any kind of proper understanding of the experiences of (usually failed) relationships, womanhood, marriage and divorce. Not until track fi ve 『Why Does the Wind?』 is there some sort of depth and a feel that can be related to. What』s never in doubt, though, is Ms Thorn』s vocal quality, which is even as lovely as that of Karen Carpenter or Fleetwood Mac』s Christine Perfect.

Mary Cann
★★★☆☆