I guess I just don't hear it. Every time that I try to get into Protomartyr, they sound like a solid, competent, extremely one-dimensional post-punk band. In the past, they did occasionally do things that felt a little bit more intriguing ("Make Way") but Hotel Usona is a bit of a slog. Lots of self-belief and conviction and not enough songwriting chops. 5/10
There was a point during my first listen to the opening song on Tears In Time when I thought I’d found my album of the year. “For A Rainy Day” sounds like a classic Peter Hammill ballad. With a stark, complex melody that manages to be both elusive and impossibly beautiful. The rest of this new album is not quite as hard-hitting but it is still a late-career peak for the man. Particularly strong are the singles (the groovy “Heavy Weather” and the melodic and disarmingly beautiful “So Much Water”) and the surprisingly direct rocker “Red Flag (In The Sunset)”. But it is all good, really, once you settle into his unique, unsettling rhythm. 7/10
Sugar On Blackstone won’t win Kristin Hersh any new fans, but for my money these are her best, most nuanced songs in years. There’s a sense of beautiful tension to the album, and subtle orchestration works really well. The album opens very strongly and then teases with a couple of slow-burning, melodic highlights in the second half (“Sundial”, “Dom In Orange”). Excellent stuff, just don’t expect another Hips and Makers. 7/10
Half-Told Tales, really, is just as good as the previous two by the band. Intoxicating, catchy, utterly depressing. The only difference is that this new album is a little longer - with no less than 14 songs. That said, I don’t think there is any filler here (well, perhaps the short story “Under Offer” could qualify, but that’s it). My favourite is probably the ecstatic, protean “Dollar Park” that feels like an Arab Strap-styled suite. Lots of lyrical jewels, obviously. One of the albums of the year. 8/10
The Neil Young album that I’m most reminded of when I listen to Second Song is Harvest Moon, and that is a big compliment as that particular LP is among his very best. No dirty-ass Crazy Horse rockers here, just beautiful plaintive balladry. The two longest songs are the best (“Soon I Might Be Going” in particular is a late-career peak) but it is all very even. There’s a definite lack of variation here, and you will probably recognise some of the melodies from earlier albums, but who can resist that soulful voice?.. 7/10
I would argue that Feminine Divine by Dexys Midnight Runners had worse production but better songs. LOVE (very possibly their last album) definitely sounds good but, other than the singles, the songs themselves just don't impress. A very tasteful, warm sounding album that compromises on the edge a little. 6/10
Gilla Band used to be called Girl Band. The change was unnecessary (you can guess why they did it - bless you if you can't), but it's all in the past now. This is the second album from this Irish band released under the new name, and Pugnello is getting acclaim from all sorts of places. It is all noise, quite colourful and cathartic. If Mark E. Smith ever wanted to go into noise rock direction, the Fall might have sounded something like this. I might try to catch them on a tour early next year, this probably makes more sense in a live setting. 6/10
Listen to Beck's new album back-to-back with Sea Change and weep... Ride Lonesome is a little better than Morning Phrase but that’s damning with faint praise. It’s a uniformly pleasant listen (oddly, Beck’s sharpest songwriting can be found in the final third of the album) but choosing between an introspective classic and “tasteful but boring” I’d probably go for the latter. Modern Guilt feels centuries away at this point. 6/10
I wish there was something interesting I could say about M83's new album I Wrote You A Letter. All I can manage, though, is that it is lush and ambient and makes for a nice background listen. 6/10
Same with Blondshell's new album Violins (she is rather prolific). There is some sweet guitar-based indie singer-songwriting stuff going on here ("Fur Elise", for instance, is a slow-burning beaut), but the sound is a little too monotonous and the hooks a little formulaic. 6/10
Songs of the Month:
"For A Rainy Day" by Peter Hammill
"Soon I Might Be Going" by Neil Young
"Dollar Park" by Arab Strap
"Face The Wall" by Peter Gabriel
"Sundial" by Kristin Hersh
"The Music Of The Spheres" by Johnny Flynn
"You've Got The Love" by Dexys Midnight Runners
"Blister Sunrise" by M83
"Falling Through My Hands" by Beck
"Fur Else" by Blondshell
