Album Review – Horehound by The Dead Weather

Horehound by The Dead Weather

There is such a great choice and variety of music around these days, and everything is so instant and accessible, that I rarely have an overwhelming sense of anticipation for an upcoming release. However, being a huge admirer of White Stripes and The Kills, the thought of Jack White and Alison Mosshart working together really excited me. Throw in Queens of The Stone Age’s Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence from The Raconteurs and you have a tantalising mix. Yet another Jack White supergroup? Yeah – but this is more of a vehicle for Mosshart’s vocals with Mr White wielding the guitar mostly.

The anticipation grew a lot when Hang You From The Heavens was leaked. I instantly loved it. With hindsight I, rather naively, thought The Dead Weather would become a fusion of all that is best about White Stripes and The Kills and Hang You From The Heavens did nothing to change my view on that.

So, the album was released and I settled back and let it pour over me without interruption. “Meh”, I thought. So I listened over again. And, though it pains me to say it, I still can’t say that further listens have made a whole lot of difference. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad album, not in the slightest. Where it falls down with me is more likely to be as a result of being so attached to the previous bands mentioned and having hyped up the imminent release in my mind. There are some good tracks. In addition to Hang You From The Heavens I have warmed to Treat Me Like Your Mother (Mosshart could easily perform this with her other creative outlet), New Pony and Bone House.

Overall though, I think I’d still rather listen to one of my White Stripes albums or have a marathon Kills session. 6.5/10 from me.

Coming Soon!

Album Review – Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear

Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear

The ‘indie-folk’ explosion has brought us some very welcome players. As a fan of Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and Deerhunter, I had heard of Grizzly Bear and probably even heard a couple of tracks but had no real recollection, other than thinking that Ed Droste had a gentle but authoritative delivery style. Eventually I decided to take the plunge and give their latest album a listen in full. Although I’d be less than honest if I said I was blown away, I found the album to be demanding of my attention. Most tracks were likable and the album as a whole had a feeling of depth and intimacy. It’s definitely one I’ll go back and give more of my time to. So far my favourite tracks would be Two Weeks and While You Wait For The Others. Overall, 7/10 from me.

Album Review – The Eternal by Sonic Youth

The Eternal by South Youth

Astonishingly, Sonic Youth now have 30 years on the clock. The Eternal is their 16th studio album. I should begin by disclosing that I am already a big fan of their work and I am perhaps not an ideal critic. However, I’m not going to tell you that this album is a masterpiece that will have a timeless classic quality and become one of their defining albums. It is though an album that demonstrates they definitely haven’t lost it yet. It really is more of the same from this legendary band. They’ve had their share of groundbreaking work over the years and this album is a polished demonstration of all that work leading to a proficiency that is assuring. Yes, hearing the raw energy of a brand new band who haven’t had the opportunity to become cynical or formulaic is very exciting but it’s also very pleasurable to experience craftsmen drawing on years of experience to create something worthwhile. That is how I look on this album. There is plenty to choose from on the album, with songwriting duties shared out as usual and stylistic differences between tracks. Every one is definitely Sonic Youth though. My early favourites are probably No Way and Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn. Overall, 7.5/10 from me.

Album Review – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum by Kasabian

Howdy,

I thought I’d provide some brief reviews of the albums I’ve most recently listened to. Nothing fancy, just a quick summary of my impressions after 1 or 2 listens. Please feel free to leave comments on the albums mentioned or recommend any recent releases that I should check out

West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum by Kasabian

Kasabian’s previous album was heavily criticized amongst the music press. I have to say, I actually liked most of the material but I can understand the accusations that it was a little one-dimensional and didn’t demonstrate an exciting band evolving. Well, those critics certainly cannot level the same charges at Kasabian now. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the album that the band have asked to be judged upon and I can see why. It is a complex album that takes the listener on a journey through a variety of musical styles and it won’t automatically appeal to those who were enraptured by previous offerings. In fact, I’d happily recommend you check this album out if you aren’t really aware of the band or you weren’t thrilled by their previous offerings. Granted, Tom Meighan has a vocal delivery style that not everyone warms to and, in all likelihood, this album won’t convince the haters. Personally, I like his singing style but I accept it isn’t for everyone.

The band had said the album was going to be psychedelic and we had heard this before from a certain pair of Gallagher brothers. However, I’d place this album miles ahead of Oasis’s Dig Out Your Soul in terms of a contemporary exploration of psychedelia. This album might not grab you on first listen but I’d suggest giving it time. It’s certainly a clever collection and the tracks I’m most fond of so far are Underdog, Thick as Thieves, and Where Did All The Love Go? 8.5/10 from me.