FRIGHTENED RABBIT 'SINGS THE GREYS'

(Hits The Fan, 2006)

01 - the greys
02 - music now
03 - the first incident
04 - yawns
05 - be less rude
06 - the second incident
07 - go go girls
08 - behave!
09 - square 9
10 - the final incident

" 'Sing the Greys' could refer to a very Scottish take on the blues, or else some kind of singing alien visitors. Frightened Rabbit sound like either could be true. This masked Weegie bedroom brother collective play Donnie Darko-esque indie pop that goes down very well in France and Japan, if those kind of things are how you judge bands. This album was recorded three times before, in the band's home studio set-up, so they have had the benefit of being able to try out a few rough drafts of the album, and the songs feel already worn in as a result, like a comfy pair of trainers. This is by no means brand new, although even if you feel you've heard every vocal melody, every bouncy guitar line, every quirky interlude, Frightened Rabbit will still bring a smile to your face. I hope this IS their day job."

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THE TERMINALS 'LAST DAYS OF THE SUN'

(Last Visible Dog, 2007)

01 Vertigo
02 Undertows
03 Green Eyes
04 Different Air
05 Last Days Of The Sun
06 Blue Moon
07 Creepers
08 Whichever Way She Runs
09 Premonitions
10 Crown Of Teeth
11 In Your Mind
12 I Saw Your Ghost

"The Terminals are a well-known rock band from New Zealand combining elements of modern garage rock with the best of the 60’s era thrown into the mix. Last Days of the Sun is the bands first release since 1997, and it’s a shame really given the quality of this release. Despite the bands long silence, they never split up (they continued to play live shows) but many of the band members were involved in side projects. The twelve tracks on Last Days of the Sun consist of material that had been written over the time span since their last release; these songs represent the best of the bands backlog of material over that ten-year span.

The Terminals have a great sound. Last Days of the Sun captures that garage rock feel, while showing the musical maturity to elevate The Terminals above many bands of the respective genre. The Terminals definitely have remnants of 60s era bands within their music. At times, they remind me of The Doors which is by no means a bad comparison. The production suits the albums so well, it’s perfectly audible yet not quite perfect (in a good way). All of the instruments are clear but have a somewhat soft sound to them; nothing is overpowering and all of the different aspects of the album blend nicely together. I like that Last Days of the Sun doesn’t have razor sharp production. One, it wouldn’t suit The Terminals style; and two; I believe the sound they have sought gives the album a more real feel. The guitar’s tone emanates a fuzzy warmth that I really enjoy. While it could have been done with the newest technology, it reminds me of when bands used to use analog amps, before the days of digital."

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NYLES LANNON 'PRESSURE'

(Badman Recording Co., 2007)

01 Hesitation
02 Next Obsession
03 Did I Lose You
04 Slipping
05 Lost In The Stars
06 The Well-Groomed Man
07 Better With Nothing
08 Crash Landing
09 Old Sam
10 Elephant Song
11 River

"Former Film School member Nyles Lannon has been busy since his debut album Chemical Friends made many "Best Of" lists 3 years ago. During his nearly non-stop U.S. and European tours supporting both his debut and Film School's (Beggars Banquet) first album, he painstakingly worked on his second solo album, but it wasn't until he finally took a break from touring that he was able to truly devote himself. A feverish desire to build something greater than his standout debut ruled him throughout the making of the album, and Pressure took on a deep, epic character. It represents a true evolution for the artist.

As Lannon tells us,"Pressure doesn't have a light at the end of the tunnel." It's lyrical content is steeped in dark thought: denial, guilt, temptation, regret. Lannon choreographs his swirling emotions into a series of well-crafted, intelligent pop songs that twist and morph, weaving memorable melodies with electronic flare and soulful guitar playing. From the irresistible catchiness of "Next Obsession," the bluesy drone of "Slipping" or the country shuffle of "Well Groomed Man," Pressure constantly shifts and redefines itself. And with the final song, "River," Lannon delicately lures us out to space and leaves us hanging among the stars."

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PRE 'EPIC FITS'

(Skin Graft, 2007)

01 drool
02 fudging on our folks
03 scenes from a 1963 LA love-in
04 slash in the snake pit
05 ace cock
06 I met her in the bin
07 nope fun
08 so jazzed
09 dude fuk
10 greasers
11 popping showers
12 and prolapse
13 ride ride ride
14 know yr teachers
15 untitled

"This is chaos. And as we all know, there’s a fine line between chaos and creation - remember what Macca told us. PRE though, they’ve not just blurred the line, they’ve snapped it up into so many little pieces it might as well be dust, then blown it in old Paul Mc’s face. What the hell am I going on about? To be honest I’m not quite sure. It’s just that when you’ve taken the aural beating that PRE dish out, rational thinking kind of disappears. Y’see in just 26 minutes the London based 5 piece swing wildly and violently from Liars esque drone rock to the kind of funked up, screamo barrage of noise only previously available from The Blood Brothers. And all this played with a kind of intensity and fervour that’d make a Black Flag-era Henry Rollins seem placid."

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CLOUD CULT 'THE MEANING OF 8'

(Rebel Group, 2007)

(Request)

1.	Chain Reaction
2.	Please Remain Calm
3.	Chemicals Collide
4.	Pretty Voice
5.	Brain Gateway
6.	Take Your Medicine
7.	Your 8th Birthday
8.	Dance For The Dead
9.	Everywhere All At One Time
10.	Purpose
11.	A Good God
12.	Shape Of 8
13.	The Girl Underground
14.	2x2x2
15.	Thanks
16.	Alien Christ
17.	The Deaf Girl's Song
18.	Hope
19.	Song Of The Deaf Girl

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YEASAYER 'ALL HOUR CYMBALS'

(We Are Free, 2007)

01 Sunrise
02 Wait for the Summer
03 2080
04 Germs
05 Ah, Weir
06 No Need to Worry
07 Father and Son
08 Winter Time
09 Waves
10 Worms

"One could say they hear harmonies suggestive of Crosby Stills Nash and Young - or even the prog-ness of Peter Gabriel era Genesis. Although the band names both as influences, it is impossible to overlook the other myspace-listed inspirations: Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars and Popul Vuh. Incidentally, when the album is uploaded to itunes, “world music” is the genre into which it falls. Meanwhile, the band’s myspace jokingly uses “Visual / Gospel / Showtunes” to classify the group. Ironically, they actually are that difficult to categorize. These genre-spanning influences perplex and, therefore, create an odd uniqueness that allows you to thoroughly enjoy your very own dim destiny.

Case in point is the opening track “Sunrise”, which begins with repeated a capella “ohhhh”s, followed by hand claps and piano. Next, worldly rhythmic bass and drums accompany electronic samples. The voice then begins with the lyrics “Yea it started with a stumble/and I get old and I get humble/the sky cracked a million ways making me blind”. Now you are hooked."

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UNDERWORLD 'OBLIVION WITH BELLS'

(Ato Records / Red, 2007)

01 Crocodile
02 Beautiful Burnout
03 Holding The Moth
04 To Heal
05 Ring Road
06 Glam Bucket
07 Boy, Boy, Boy
08 Cuddle Bunny Vs The Celtic Villages
09 Faxed Invitation
10 Good Morning Cockerel
11 Best Mamgu Ever

"After a five-year hiatus, Underworld return with an album that draws from across their past. With a mix of aggression and sunshine, they calculate syncopated, ricocheted beats against cleanly delineated textures and circumscribed melodies that have the cool of the 1980s New Romantic movement from which they originally sprang as Freur. Kraftwerk is in the DNA of their sound, but they've moved well past that, incorporating elements of hip-hop and industrial music into the mix. The best tracks on Oblivion with Bells are also the most ambitious. "Crocodile" has some lovely, almost Gregorian harmonies, while "Beautiful Burnout" is an epic journey with broad synthesizer chords sweeping by like headlights before segueing into a joyfully ritualistic electro-percussion tribal workout."

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