Category: Reviews

The Bug
Infected EP
Ninja Tune

A lot has happened since The Bug released his critically acclaimed third album London Zoo. Although it’s been just two short years since that release, its influence and the rise of bass orientated music has meant Kevin Martin’s return to The Bug takes on a whole new context. Martin has always been a pioneer, whichever alias he is writing for, so his next moves shall understandably be watched very closely.

New single ‘Catch A Fire’ is a low key, but exceptional comeback song. Its throbbing bassline and reverb laden snare hits are typical of The Bug, but Hitomi’s softer vocal approach keeps things fresh. If this is a sign of what to expect from a new full length, then it’s likely that Martin will once again deliver something special.

Padding out the Infected EP are remixes from Autechre and Scratcha, and a reworking of Poison Dart with vocals from Roots Manuva.  Unfortunately ‘padding out’, is exactly how the rest of this EP feels, with remixes of London Zoo tracks feeling like a needless revisiting of old ground. Surely remixes of ‘Catch a Fire’ would have made more sense here, rather than run the danger of continued association to the likes of ‘Poison Dart’, as big as that track undoubtedly is.

Still, in terms of ‘new’ material from The Bug, ‘Catch a Fire’ is typically promising. Here’s hoping for a full length from Kevin Martin next year, as a proper showcase of the man’s unique talent.

Sleekly Lion

Pinkerton (Deluxe Edition)
Geffen Records

Pinkerton is an album close to the heart of many a Weezer fan. And ultimately, this new edition of the classic is very much a fan’s collection of songs. The first disc features the original album but also has some superior B-side gems tacked onto the end. ‘You Gave Your Love To Me Softly’ and ‘I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams’ are undoubtedly two of Weezer’s best songs to date and haven’t really received the attention or prominence they deserve on a Weezer release until now where they are featured in proximity to the original collection of songs that is Pinkerton. Almost as a natural extension of the record itself. Some alternate versions of tracks also give a more in-depth look at the band’s catalogue and the workings of their songwriting prowess in those days. An interview snippet at the end of the disc sees the band discussing the merits of Pink versus Blue in a radio interview. If I have one qualm about this release it’s that maybe this interview track should have been included on the second rather than the first disc.

The second half of this classic re-issue features a CD of some rough and alternate versions of tracks as well as live and session versions. A theme amongst this particular side of the collection is the band’s tendency to go off on a slightly discordant tangent and mess around with the fibre of the songs in a live setting. This really demonstrates a specific period of live performance for the band as they soon went on to cut right down on playing Pinkerton tracks live (remember when they became disillusioned with it?) and would play any material included in their set in a very straight-up, true-to-the-record manner.

Pinkerton as it stands in its original guise is a joy of an album which consistently and expertly treads the line between perfect pop song and rough around the edges raucous rock onslaught, with a touch of tenderness thrown in too. It’s difficult to fault the album and the wealth of new material added to this new edition will be a most welcome addition to any fan’s collection, particularly with those amazing B-sides. If you’re not big into early Weezer though, you’ll most likely be slightly perturbed by Rivers’ rough and ready vocal stylings in the offerings on disc 2. No matter, stick to disc 1! It’s a classic.

Winegums

I Am Not A Human Being
Young Money

So much is written about Lil Wayne and his recent stint in jail, that his music has been pushed aside and almost forgotten. What better way then, to make sure his rapper hasn’t been forgotten, than to release an EP whilst still in prison?

This 10 track release, which was released virally on the rapper’s 28th birthday, is the perfect fillip for fans foaming at the mouth for Tha Carter IV. Kicking off with Gonorrhea, its Fireman-esque high end and booming bass, Weezy drops his usual new-age savvy knowledge with lines such as “You guys is washed up and I’m shitting on ‘em like two girls and one cup” – Nice.

There are some typical heavy rap numbers on this record to go along with his opening gambit such the title track which takes a chopped guitar riff and moulds into an 80s era throb, the Microsoft-boss named Bill Gates and Hold Up which shows the New Orleans native hasn’t lost any of his edge but this EP shows many other dimensions to his arsenal.

Tracks that really shouldn’t work, do, because of his unwavering confidence and readiness to go places other rappers don’t even think to tread. With You has a sung hook that wouldn’t be out of place in a 1950s diner, Popular features Lil Twist with a flow that makes him sound even younger than his 17 years and the Nicki Minaj guested track What’s Wrong With Them has Weezy sounding very similar to a girl on the second verse though which stands up against any of the tracks on Tha Carter II and III.

Moving from lyrics that cover romance and filthy sex [he definitely loves a certain part of the female anatomy] to internet-led lingo, Carter doesn’t let up throughout and stamps his mark on the rap world once again. It’s not a release that could be considered an album but it still stands head and shoulders above 99% of mainstream hip hop’s releases in 2010. Even with guests on almost every track including the pointless Jay Sean [seriously, what?] and over-saturation of Drake, Wayne steps up to the plate and knocks it out of the park. He is the best rapper around at the moment and if this is anything to go by, Tha Carter IV is going to be bananas.

Abjekt.

The Dissent Of Man
Epitaph

2010 saw SoCal veterans Bad Religion notch up a grand 30+ years in existence. That’s some legacy, and a plaque of honour in the Punk House of Fame is already long assured. They have also released their 15^th studio album, containing fifteen new songs. Those with a keen ear will recognise ‘The Resist Stance’ from the free download live album released earlier this year, whilst an acoustic version of ‘Won’t Somebody’ was included in the deluxe version of their last album ‘New Maps of Hell’. And to be honest the blistering lead riffage of ‘Meeting of The Minds’ (one of the best tracks on here) has been recycled a fair few times over the years. Hey, I’m a big believer in the benefits of recycling to protect the planet and all that, but, you know…

So look, the big question is, with all this rich history under their belts, and a collective age that’s downright Jurassic, can Bad Religion 2010 still cut it across 15 tracks, or should these 21^st Century Dignitas Boys be sent packing?

Well, as a long term fan of their music, I must admit it took a couple of full spins to start warming to these songs, as a collective entity. Sure, the opening salvo of ‘The Day That The Earth Stalled’, ‘Only Rain’ and the already mentioned ‘Resist Stance’ will easily satisfy even the most cynical BR listener. There on in it’s a bit patchier; ‘Pride and Pallor’ is a smart rocker, fired up by a Social D lead, and “Someone to Believe” rips heavily from The Germs. The anthemic ‘Wrong Way Kids’ is benchmark mid-period (major label era) Bad Religion with punchy verse and cheesy woah-woah chorus you still can’t resist. ‘Avalon’ is a standout, would have fitted in perfectly on ‘Process to Belief’. But it’s followed by ‘Cyanide’… c’mon, a song called ‘Cyanide’ should not sound this, well, MOR. Apparently a member of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers plays lead guitar. I always preferred the Johnny Thunders version myself. In the latter stages ‘Ad Hominem’ raises the spirits, with its intelligent lyrics and burning guitars… “I’m just a soft cover version of a much harder tale, a walking resemblance of ruts in the trail”. The album closes out with the very poppy ‘Won’t Say Anything’, that’s actually a really nice textured song, but I was urgently waiting for a final loud burst… that never came.

In summary then; a very mixed bag of tunes on this album, or as The Damned would have it… “another case of hit or miss”…

Pete Craven

Bad Religion – The Resist Stance by Epitaph Records

James Blake
Limit To Your Love
ATLAS

There is something about James Blake, London’s bedroom producer-de-jour every damn day for the past year and a half, that is a little unsettling. Perhaps it’s that listening and watching a producer progress in such a bizarrely natural way makes it impossible to not fear that the sickeningly young musician from London has in fact planned this gentle build up of reputation and style all along and has a mind so meticulous and forward-thinking that he could make the London music scene cave in on itself at any given moment. It perfectly mirrors his approach to beat-making; from the unassuming nudge of bass, to the swirling fog of vocal samples (often by himself), to the exact moment when you realise he has you caught in a sonic trance.

His latest release, the cover of Feist’s Limit To Your Love may sound on first listen nothing like hissy the lo-fi buzz of RnB mixed melters made under the Harmonimix pseudonym, nor the heavily layered twists and turns of CMYK and Air And Lack Thereof, but it’s unmistakably his first step into a territory he’s made exclusively for himself. His warm voice softly meandres its way through a reinforced piano backbone as gently as a spectre glides through walls, and the overpowering bass bubble and drum kick that adds something so minimally brilliant that I almost hate the musically gifted bastard. But as the melody slowly shifts and the hook comes back at a perfectly planned moment you can’t help but want more. In just four minutes Blake introduces us to what could be a new era of urban sound for London; furthermore, it reflects what he’s been doing for the past year: slowly appointing himself the unofficial voice of a generation that hasn’t even been given a name yet.

Stanley

Limit To Your Love is out Monday November 8th through ATLAS Recordings.

Mark Sultan
$
Last Gang

The name Mark Sultan might not set bells ringing, but anyone who has experienced The King Khan and BBQ show will have firsthand experience of the man’s genius. A stalwart of the modern garage rock scene, Sultan has toured with Black Lips, Vivian Girls and Clinic and released records on prestigious labels from Sub Pop to In The Red. Now, you feel, is the time for Mark Sultan to make a name for himself in his own right.

New album ‘$’ on Last Gang is good enough to do exactly this. After murky album opener ‘Icicles’, Sultan gets into his stride by combining his signature fuzzy guitars with a doo-wop twist that makes him stand out from the crowd. An early highlight is ‘Ten of Hearts’, a slower paced, almost ballad-like song that highlights Sultan’s vocal prowess. There’s a strong 60s influence at play here, yet the production has a modern edge which give the instrumentation an instant kick.

Further standout tracks follow thick and fast, whether it be ‘Go Beserk’ with its punchy riffs and infectious chorus hook, or the soulful croon of ‘I’ll Be Loving You’. This variation serves the album well, with enough stomping garage rock tracks but slower songs which give it a gooey romantic core.

Of course this path has been trodden many times before whether be in Garage rock’s initial conception or it’s revival over the past decade, but few artists carry it off better than Sultan. ‘$’ is a record made by somebody with a vast knowledge of source material new and old, and it shows by paying perfect homage to its heritage.

Big Sleekz

Mark Sultan – Go Berserk by Crossfire Music

Across
Unexpected Records

The world of Dutch hip hop is a healthy one for a country as small as Holland – C-Mon & Kypski, Opgezwolle and Pete Philly & Perquisite all put their nation on the map over the last decade and so it was a pleasant surprise to see the latter’s beat-maker had released a solo album. Solo album is perhaps a slightly loose term to use, as despite not having his usual partner in crime lending vocals to the beats, the producer has a multitude of singers and rappers guesting throughout to make the most of his music.

Perquisite, who was named Best Producer in the Netherlands in 2009, has moved away from his more traditional hip hop sounds on the this album, allowing himself to spread his wings by stripping some songs down or getting jaunty on others. His musicianship has always been strong, as proved by his love of using cellos on previous production and this album is certainly an extension of that. Kicking the album off with Set Me Free with Urita and Sanguita, the party vibes flow immediately [as you can see in the video below], Dreams Of Gold and the brilliant brass-infused Bottomline before he moves into more melancholic vibes with the piano-led Time featuring Dazzled Kid of Voicst fame.

It’s the tracks with Janne Schra which make the most impact when listening to the album however. Machine showcases the singer’s wonderful voice, keeping the music tone fairly quiet until a couple of minutes into the track when the woody bow of cello and drums take charge of proceedings and Schra’s voice crescendos into a attention-grabbing aria. Silence is more upbeat and allows her to take over with a sing-a-long chorus whilst GMB raps his verses with fun-filled joy. As with Machine, the female voice takes centre stage over the understated rhythms as Renske Taminiau sings on I Rely On Me, with its lilting chorus and swaying dreamy melody.

So, whilst it is a shame that the Pete Philly & Perquisite team has split up, it’s good to see that the producer hasn’t stopped all together and this album is a testament to his talent and dexterity. This is definitely an album to check out for long train rides or those afternoons when the rain is stopping you going out.

Abjekt.