Album Reviews – Page 17 – Spinning Platters

Sing It Hasselhoff: Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson Break Up

Last year, Scarlett Johansson released a record called Anywhere I Lay My Head, a moody collection of Tom Waits songs arranged by David Sitek. He put together a band consisting of members of TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, and the Celebration. Reviews were very mixed, but I enjoyed the record a great deal. The record has its fans, but in the end was a bit of a flop. I don’t think anybody expected her to put something out again, especially so quickly.

Continue reading “Sing It Hasselhoff: Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson Break Up”

Album Review: Golden Silvers – True Romance

Golden Silvers - True Romance

Once again I get the chance to review an album from a band that I have not heard before and, in this case, a new band. Golden Silvers are a band from London signed to the independent label XL. The line-up consists of vocalist and keyboardist Gwilym Gold, Ben Moorhouse on bass guitar, and Robden Alexis Nunez on drums. The band gained recognition by winning Glastonbury’s prestigious New Talent competition in 2008. Their debut album, True Romance, was released in the UK in April 2009 and has hit the US this week Continue reading “Album Review: Golden Silvers — True Romance”

Album Review: Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall

Can anyone explain why he wants to look so evil?

Listening to the new Jay Reatard album, Watch Me Fall, has presented me with a puzzle I’ve never had to solve before. What if you like an album too much to do a proper review of it? How would you approach it? You’d do it by relying on the biggest security blanket a modern writer has. You’d make lists. So read on to see just how many lists I managed to make out of Jay Reatard’s masterpiece of an album. Continue reading “Album Review: Jay Reatard — Watch Me Fall”

Album Review: Madness – The Liberty Of Norton Folgate

Madness The Nutty boys are back with a vengeance but can you really be as nutty almost 35 years after you started out and when you approach 50? I think I bought every Madness single for around five years but, interestingly, I don’t think I ever bought an album. Now here they are, 20+ years later with all seven original members intact, with an album that has a theme if not a full-on concept, all in celebration of London. Read on for the skinny on Madness’ The Liberty Of Norton Folgate. Continue reading “Album Review: Madness — The Liberty Of Norton Folgate”

Album Review: Choir of Young Believers – This Is For The White In Your Eyes

Choir of Young Believers is led by 26-year-old Danish singer Jannis Noya Makrigiannis, who works with a rotating cast of supporting players. This Is For The White In Your Eyes is their debut album. It’s rare these days to get to listen to something new without any preconceptions, hype or other factory distorting your viewpoint. So lets see how it worked out. Continue reading “Album Review: Choir of Young Believers — This Is For The White In Your Eyes”

Album Review: Brendan Benson – My Old, Familiar Friend

I’m a big Brendan Benson fan. I was a fan before The Raconteurs. Lapalco being one of my all time favorite albums but I was not overly happy with his last album, The Alternative To Love, which had its moments but was, overall, somewhat inconsistent. So how does his new one My Old, Familiar Friend stack up. Keep in mind that this review is all based on a first listen and of course songs may grow or otherwise on me given time. So what has spending his time with Jack White done for Brendan? Continue reading “Album Review: Brendan Benson — My Old, Familiar Friend”

Album Review: Arctic Monkeys – Humbug

Why are the Arctic Monkeys quoting Dickens?

Arctic Monkeys – Humbug

Retail Release Date: August 25th, 2009

Leaky Faucet Acquisition Date: July 30th, 2009

The negative of listening to an early leaked version of an album is the possibility of subpar sound quality. I really hope that this is what’s going on with the new Arctic Monkeys album Humbug and not that this is the way they meant it to sound. Continue reading “Album Review: Arctic Monkeys — Humbug”

Album Review: The Sounds – Crossing The Rubicon

This horse is trying to get your attention

What do you get if you take a sampling of the Scandinavian delights of Abba and the rock-based Backyard Babies or Hellacopters ? Add in some Max Martin style production and maybe even some A-Ha and you have The Sounds new album, Crossing The Rubicon.

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Album Review: God Help the Girl

God Help the Girl is supposed to be the soundtrack for a musical that has yet to be scripted and filmed. It is the brainchild of Stuart Murdoch from Belle & Sebastian. Murdoch said the project was born from material he couldn’t use for for Belle & Sebastian because the songs should be sung by three female characters. The outcome? A Belle & Sebastian record with female vocals and a light sprinkling of musical theater.

I first discovered God Help the Girl because of a message from a friend. “Stuart Murdoch is having an open call for singers! You should try out.” Upon further investigation I discovered it was true; if you logged into imeem.com you could download instrumental versions of two songs: a Belle & Sebastian favourite “Funny Little Frog” and a new song called “The Psychiatrist is In.” The instructions were to choose one and post it up on an imeem message board. I promptly downloaded the songs and started calling around to find someone to help me record them. In the end my friend Cynthia and I, with the help of her husband Russell, spent a fun weekend recording and submitting the songs. Then the obsession really began. I listened to everyone’s entry and made lists of favourites. Weeks later three finalists for each song were chosen to submit a second song (Cynthia and I did not make the cut; we were robbed!) and when the winners were announced I at least took solace in the fact that one of the winners,Brittany Stallings, had been my favourite singer.

I was excited to hear the final product after so much time and obsession, but I was bound to be overly critical of the singing.

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Album Review: Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications

Further Complications sounds more like a midlife crisis than a record. There are a couple of great classic Jarvis songs, some really good lyrics, and some really awful hard rock music. I was nervous to hear that Jarvis Cocker was working with producer Steve Albini and my nervousness was founded. There is some Jarvis left in there somewhere, but on some songs the vocals are mixed so low you can barely make out the lyrics; and what is the point of that when you are listening to a record from one of the world’s greatest lyricists!?!

Further Complications indeed. Continue reading “Album Review: Jarvis Cocker — Further Complications”