Doves: Kingdoms of Rust

4th studio release from Cheshire based 3 piece after a four year wait since “Some Cities”. I say 3 piece, I don’t know why their keyboardist is not afforded full band member status.

Like Elbow, Doves seem to resurrect a progressive rock resonance into their contemporary indie vibe, although for my tastes, Doves accomplish the task even more proficiently than Elbow.

There is scant evidence on display for their dance-floor past lives indeed the vocals on “Winter Hill” remind me more of Jagger singing “Lady Jane”.

“Compulsion” features a well defined funky bass line aping Blondie at their height.

“House of Mirrors” is one of the standout tracks with its hammering drums and rapid keyboards and jarring guitars.

I’m at a complete loss at to why albums like this don’t outsell the likes of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”. I propose too many people select their musical purchases based on band label popularity (like buying the current in-vogue designer label clothes), or perhaps marrying an actress means that you can make better music? There’s almost an argument for releasing all albums in plain white sleeves so they have to be judged purely on the merit of the music. No wait, the Beatles have already done that. Just listen to the music people, and then make your judgements. Music is art not fashion. That reminds me, does anyone else get really annoyed with young girls wearing Ramones T Shirts when they’ve clearly never seen them? Oh hang about I seem to have switched from review mode to rant mode. Best stop now.

The Decemberists: The Hazards of Love

Let’s start off this review with a few introductions. The Decemberists are:
Colin Meloy: Singer / Songwriter
Chris Funk: Guitar / multi instrumentalist
Jenny Conlee: Hammond Organ / Accordion / Piano / Keyboards
Nate Query: Bass
John Moen: Drums


The Decemberists formed in 2000 in Portland, Oregon and “The Hazards of Love” is their fifth full length studio album. It is a dark musical fairytale that like a classic Pink Floyd album must be taken as a whole, not a random collection of songs. The story unfolds throughout the 17 connected tracks. I shall attempt to retell the narrative whilst describing each song in turn, but first, allow me to introduce you to the characters in our little story:








William: The Hero, who takes the form of a faun by day
Margaret: The Heroine
The Queen: William’s Mother, The Queen of the Forest
The Rake: The child killing villain of the tale


1. Prelude
A low morose hum gradually increases pitch and is eventually joined by a series of organ chords and choral backing vocals, very evocative of Floyd’s “A Saucerful of Secrets”. I can see why the Decemberists opted to play a recording of “Echoes” in its entirety at the start of the recent gigs premiering this album.

2. The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won’t Wrestle The Thistle’s Undone)
Acoustic guitars join in as the prelude fades and the story begins with the narrator describing how Margaret rides out into the forest and after straying somewhat she meets

“a white and wounded faun”

in the woods, she helps the faun and stays with him till later when

“The beast began to change”

into William, its true form. William takes Margret to the Taiga deeper in the forest and makes love to her. The track is a fairly gentle folk affair with intricate guitar work that reminded me of a late 60’s Kaleidoscope (US) track. A distant shout heralds the start of the next track

3. A Bower Scene
The music speeds up with a ticking beat and running electric guitar as Margaret returns home and

“when young Margaret’s waistline grew wider, the fruit of her amorous entwine inside her”

she returns to the Taiga to seek out William.

4. Won’t Want For Love (Margaret in the Taiga)
A more bluesy and rockier guitar kicks in as the thumping beat continues assisted with a stomping piano refrain and Margaret sings

“columbine, columbine, please alert this love of mine, let him know his Margaret comes along”

in search of more love as she sings out

“Despite this swelling in my belly it won’t quell my want for love”

5. The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)
We return to the slower folkier sound of the next instalment of the title track as William finds Margaret and sings

“to lay you down in clover bed, the stars a roof above our heads”

as they make love again throughout the night until the corncrake crows.

6. The Queen’s Approach
A short “Bert Jansch” style acoustic intermission heralds the approach of William’s mother, the Queen of the forest.

7. Isn’t It A Lovely Night?
An acoustic guitar and accordion (whose player sound like they may well be wearing lederhosen) provide a backdrop for Margaret to recount their lovely night together:

“And here we made a bed of boughs, And thistle down, That we had found, To lay upon the dewy ground”

The upright bass joins in for the last verse and a slide guitar adds a more country and western feel to this track.

8. The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid
A harpsichord accompanies William as he hears the Queen approach and declares:

“Mother I can hear your foot-fall now, Soft disturbance in the dead-fall how, it proceeds you like a black smoke pall”

The beat picks up and we enter an “Arcade Fire” style piece as William anticipates his mothers rage and pleads that the

“wanting comes in waves”

A heavier rockier change introduces the Queen who screams

“This is how I am repaid”

at William after all she has done for him. We return to the harpsichord / Arcade Fire style for William to offer a deal to the Queen.

“Grant me freedom to enjoy this night and I'll return to you at break of light”

There’s a final return to the Queen’s rockier sound which allows her to accept his proposition as she screams

“Consider it your debt repaid”

9. An Interlude
We then fade into an acoustic instrumental intermission that would fit rather nicely at the end of a lengthy Mike Oldfield composition.

10. The Rake’s Song
If there is to be a single from the album, I propose this dark sinister tale giving us the back story of the villain of the piece. The song reminds me a little of the 3rd Pixies album with its simple electric riff. The harrowing tale explains how the Rake was married at 21 and considered himself cursed as

“her womb starts spilling out babies”

The Rake has a total of four children whom he describes thus:

“First came Eziah with his crinkled little fingers. Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn. Ugly Myfanwy died on delivery. Mercifully taking her mother along”

The Rake is then able to persue his freedom by killing his remaining children in a various macabre ways.

11. The Abduction of Margaret
We return to the main plot and some classic rock as the arbours provide cover for the Rake to sneak up and

“Our heroine here falls prey to her abductor”

12. The Queen’s Rebuke / The Crossing
A slow heavy Black Sabbath like beat with squealing guitars allows the Queen to fill in the back story of William’s upbringing and how she found him abandoned as a child and turned him into a faun by day. Jon Lord styled keyboards and guitar solos give a classic Deep Purple style sound as the Queen aides the Rake by allowing him to cross the river Annan with Margaret, out of William’s reach:

“But the river is deep to the bends and the water is wild. I will fly you to the far side”

13. Annan Water
The pace of the music quickens with rapid strumming guitars as William pursues Margaret and the Rake and reaches the shores of Annan Water where the Queen helped the Rake flee. Unable to cross the turbulent waters, but undeterred by the Queens warnings that he will drown, he prays to the river spirit and makes another deal to the accompaniment of Church organ.

“So calm your waves and slow your churn. You may have my precious bones on my, on my return”

14. Margaret in Captivity
The Rake taunts Margaret telling her that her calls cannot be heard, but Margaret continues to call out to William to rescue her.

15. The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)
The ghosts of the Rakes children return for their revenge to the familiar opening refrain of “The Wanting Comes in Waves” . The children all sing

“The Hazards of Love”

in unison along with a painfully screeching cello sounding like finger nails down a blackboard. The children take their revenge on their loathsome father.

16. The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)
A final triumphant reprise of this song to reunite William and Margaret.

17. The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)
The slow and sad conclusion to the tale features a beautiful slide guitar that could have come from a classic Eagles hit. As their boat begins to sink William promises Margaret that they will be together as ghosts as they take their wedding vows and sink beneath the waves.

“Oh Margaret the lapping waves are licking quietly at our ankles another bow another breath this brilliant chill's come for the shackle. With this long last rush of air we speak our vows and sorry whispers, when the waves came crashing down, he closed his eyes and softly kissed her.”

In 1969 there was “Tommy”, in 1979 there was the “The Wall”, now in 2009 we finally have “The Hazards of Love”. I guess it could be considered a tad pretentious but I have a huge hard-on for this album. Superb stuff. Go buy it.

Official Secrets Act: Understanding Electricity

“Understanding Electricity” is a great debut album that provides a perfect platform for the Official Secrets Act to become a major new force in 2009. Despite being an original and contemporary album, it still evokes some early 80’s déjà-vu for me

“Mainstream” is an upbeat opener that confirms the 1982 nostalgia with a synthesiser that makes the same sound that the video game, Phoenix, used to make when one of the birds would break formation and hover around in a hard to shoot way before dive bombing your spaceship kamikaze style and taking the pair of you out.

“The Girl from the BBC” has a very catchy riff and lyric that makes it a prime candidate for a radio friendly sing-a-long single.

“A Head for Herod” builds slowly with a pulsing guitar not dissimilar to the opening track on the last Kings of Leon album. The slow paced 6+ minute track continues with its harmonic backing vocals and promises a big finish that never really materialises.

“Momentary Sanctuary” has swirling progressive keyboards that might have been easily attributed to Jean-Michel Jarre over a train like rhythm before fading out with acoustic guitars, violins and running water. Which reminds me I’ll be back in a minute, I just need to do something first.

“Bloodsport” is my favourite track on the album with its New Romantic keyboard licks enclosing the soft choral vocals. I’m still not convinced this wasn’t a big hit in 1982 that I just missed.

Starsailor: All The Plans

Being inspired by Jeff Buckley’s “Grace” album and the energy and originality of that early 90’s Brit Pop sound is a good starting point for a bunch of young musician from Wigan. Their debut album of 2001 came out to much acclaim, but the enthusiasm of the music press seemed to wane somewhat for the second and third albums. Many suggest that this 4th album puts them back on track.

Three of the key tracks for me on this album are “The Thames”, “Stars and Stripes” and “Neon Sky”. “The Thames” in particular allows lead singer, James Walsh to live up to his moniker of “The Wigan Wailer”. While “Stars and Stripes” is another slower guitar led track with lyrics worthy of a little contemplation. “Neon Sky” is a grander affair with hints of the Verve.

Although it’s a perfectly decent album, this particular genre seems to be heavily saturated with numerous decent acts at the moment still riding Coldplay’s coat tails. Something a bit more special is required to make any band stand out from the vast pack of guitar and piano indie rock bands available, This album certainly makes Starsailor one of the front runners, but is it enough?

As much as I’m currently enjoying the album I suspect there’s not enough here to keep me coming back after the next batch of new releases arrive through the door.

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone

I know you shouldn’t judge a book (or an album come to that), by its cover, but I was immediately drawn by the Tarrantino style imagery on the front cover of “Middle Cyclone”. If the sword wielding Neko Case atop the bonnet of a rather nice muscle car was sufficient to draw me in, it’s musical content was enough to keep me coming back for more.

Although Miss Case is probably normally catalogued under alternative country, she defies the restrictions of that particular genre. Her tenor vocals are commanding and although there’s evidence of the good old-fashioned country and western in here, this album is vastly more sophisticated and contemporary than that label implies.

The album also features a few cameo appearances by the likes of: M. Ward from Calexico, Steve Berlin from Los Lobos and Garth Hudson from the Band, all of which must add to the mixing pot.

Steve Wilson: Insurgents

I got heavily into Porcupine Tree in the mid 90’s after a good friend of mine at work lent me a copy of “The Sky Moves Sideways”. Thanks Phil. Anyway, we followed them around to a number of gigs around the South of England, as they were also a great live act. I recall on one occasion, I think it was at Reading, that we arrived early and met the band playing pool in the bar prior to the gig. Well, I say the band, it was in fact the band minus Steven Wilson, and I recall thinking at the time that he was perhaps being a bit more aloof than his band mates. So I guess it’s not too much of a surprise that he has now released his first official solo album.

The sound of “Insurgents” confirms what I suspected all along, while Wilson is the guitar, voice and song-smith for Porcupine Tree he’s also obviously the principal architect of their unique sound, as it is fully carries through to this solo project.

“Insurgents” is undoubtedly a must have album for all Porcupine Tree fan’s, but I think it deserves an even wider audience. The songs vary from the ambient aural landscapes to suddenly blistering and powerful full on rock. The early floydish psychedelic sound of those first Porcupine Tree albums is still in evidence. “No Twilight Within The Courts of the Sun” for example has solemn trippy sound punctuated at times by a jazzy piano or with intense thrashing.

A think Steven's misspent youth listening to “Dark side of the Moon” has paid its dividends. I’m thoroughly enjoying this album and highly recommend it.

Howling Bells: Radio Wars

A modern crisp rock band with distinctive and attractive female vocals was a winning formula in the late 70’s for Blondie. Can a similar formula work again in the late noughties for Australian rockers Howling Bells? Howling Bells are betting that it will. But I’m not so sure, while this is a pleasant enough album, there’s something missing. Perhaps Dr Evil has stolen their Mojo.

Hang on a minute, just got to track 7, “Golden Web” and I though I got a bit of a spark, could their Mojo just be resonating at a different frequency that I was unable to tune in to at first? Either that or the second half of the album is better than the first.

Postscript:
Just has a second listen to the whole album, and I’m happy to report that, as with all things, no supernatural explanation is required, the second half is a little better.

I might have equally applied the same criticism of uninspiring fairly bland Indie Rock to the recent albums from the likes of the Killers or Snow Patrol, both of whom Howling Bells have supported on their recent tours, and they both seem to be doing very nicely thank you very much. So maybe a Mojo is not mandatory.

Franz Ferdinad: Tonight

“Tonight: Franz Ferdinand” is a concept album, but in the loosest possible definition of the term. It has no clear narrative and you’d be completely excused for failing to pick up on the tale that enfolds throughout the 12 tracks on the standard album release.

The concept is based around the premise of a debauched night out and the subsequent events. “Ulysses” is the first single and the album opener that reintroduces us to a distinctive Franz Ferdinand vibe and anticipates the evening ahead. The habitual Franz Ferdinand sound is slightly distorted with perhaps a little more dance and a little less rock. Keyboards and synthesisers are cranked up a notch and guitars slightly reduced. “Ulysses” builds up to distinctive pounding drum cue that leads into a fast-paced bouncy chorus with refrains of “I found a new way” and familiar “la-la-la-la’s” before finally concluding with a bizarre sound evocative of the death of an early 80’s video game character.

The production is a little different from previous Franz Ferdinand albums, providing an open and crisp sound. The band interviews I have read reveal that the intention was for a heavy dub Jamaican feel, which I picked up on “Send Him Away” but I probably wouldn’t have mentioned otherwise. “Turn It On” and “No You Girls” are the closest things to the first two albums and none the worse for it. “What She Came For” has a rolling bass loop that could have come from Moby’s “Play” before concluding with a grinding, fuzzy and chaotic guitar climax.

“Lucid Dreams” is where things start to get a little weird and halfway through the almost 8 minute long track, things descend into disjointed heavy dance thingy with synthesisers and beats before we slowly pass out and come around to the trippy and psychedelic “Dream Again”. “Katherine Kiss me” is a gentle acoustic postscript of a sobering morning after. I’m assuming Katherine must be the lady our protagonist first hooked up with at the start of the night during track 3’s “No You Girls”.

Maybe I’ve been sold a dummy, with this “night out” concept. Maybe these are just 12 new random songs from a bunch of Scottish rockers, although I think I prefer the more pretentious interpretation. The heavy dub ambition is more fully realised on the second disc, if you’re prepared to splash out on the more expensive special edition version. After living with the album for a week I’m certainly enjoying it, but all this thought and planning on the third album are still not much competition for their sparkling debut.

[click album for video]

White Lies: To Loose My Life

As I’m reviewing this album on the 20th January 2009, the claim that this is my favourite album so far of 2009 may seem dubiously puerile. I’ll guess I’ll just have to wait and see how long it can hold on to that claim. For this particular review I have decided to adopt the Oz Clarke wine tasting technique and apply the same principles to album reviews. So after swirling the title track around my aural receptors I’m getting, a crisp Sisters of Mercy drum beat with Billy Idol guitars and early Duran Duran keyboards with a slight hint of something a little fresher, modern and fruitier. “A Place to Hide” has a quick Joy Division explosion of flavour followed by a bright and breezy kick of guitars and vocals with a distinctive 80’s aftertaste. I could go on in a similar manner for each track, but it’s not big and it’s not clever and I’m sure you’re not impressed, but simply describing this album as Indie Rock would be a bit like saying that wine tastes of grapes.
[Click album cover for video]

Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion

The first new album of original material for 2009 to enter my music collection is by Animal Collective. “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is the Eighth studio offering from these busy Baltimore boys and the first to come to my attention. It contains eleven avant-garde sonic compositions of noise rock, each consisting of a thickly layered tapestry of industrial beats, synthesised loops, sound effects and a rich topping of beach boy styled harmonic vocals. Occasional interest is supplied by the stripping away of some of the layers to reveal the tracks composite undercurrents and provide variety. However after eleven variations of this technique I was left with a deep yearning for a simple melody or riff played on a conventional instrument. As I downloaded this particular album, one essential aspect of the album that could easily be overlooked is the cover art. The small thumbnail on this blog doesn’t really do the optical illusion justice, so try finding a higher resolution version of the image and stare at it for a while. What appears to be a uniform pattern turns out to be a shifting complex image that actually seems rather apt for the contents of the album. Professional reviewers have been fairly united in their praise for this new album so I’m going to keep listening, to see if a deeper appreciation materialises. I’ll post an update in the comments field if I capriciously get the urge to elevate my opinion. In the meantime, I’m very much looking forward to what the music industry has in store for us in the first part of 2009 spearheaded by new albums from Franz Ferdinand and U2. Rest assured they are all pre-ordered from my favourite on-line South American river and will appear in this blog shortly.

The Verve: Forth

When Richard Ashcroft got back together with his old mates from the Verve for this years new album and festival headlining gigs I had high expectations that they’d continue where they left off 11 years ago with Urban Hymns. I have to admit to be a little disappointed with new album that doesn’t come close to its predecessor. Perhaps they should have just stolen another riff from the Rolling Stones and taken the inevitable court case on the chin.

The Fratellis: Here We Stand

These Glaswegian Indie Rockers took their handle from the despicable villainous family in the film, “Goonies”. “Here We Stand” builds upon 2006’s debut with more jolly guitar based pop. Here We Stand is a buoyant and bubbly album in comparison with many of their pop peers.

Cold War Kids: Loyalty To Loyalty

“Loyalty to Loyalty” is the second album from the Californian Indie Rockers whom presumably have taken their name from the generation in which they have grown up. Standout tracks include “Against Privacy” which has a first-rate but distant guitar that sounds like it was recorded in the studio down the corridor while rest of the band meandered though a steady blues number. And “Something Is Not Right With Me” with it’s series of 6 word shouted short sentences that sounds like a White Stripes song with added bass.

Dungen: 4

A scratching Violin is joined by jazzy drums and piano and then a highly distorted guitar and we’re off on a psychedelic freak-out. This Stockholm based 4 piece use drums evocative of Pink Floyd’s “A Saucerful of Secrets” throughout “4” whilst blending their native Swedish folk music with Progressive Rock and Jazz. “Samtidigt1” sets them off into a world of vastly twisted guitars rather like Hendrix going off-piste on spaced out jam whilst other tracks bring the trip down gently with softer piano focused numbers.

The Killers: Day & Age

Brandon Flowers and his posy of Vegas based rockers quickly follow up the success of their first two long players with Day & Age. The themes of their second album “Sam’s Town” are coconsciously continued and explored further, and musically “Day & Age” builds upon the foundation of the previous album. The success of the first two albums has enabled the band, their record label and their producers to simply throw everything at this third album. Consequently it has big aspirations and an ambitious theatrical sound enlarging their less complex indie rock beginnings.

The Guillemots: Red

“Red” is the second full length offering from Fife Dangerfield’s birdy four piece. Proceedings commence with “Kriss Kross” and it’s opening middle eastern riff giving way to a towering orchestral wall and crisp high keyed vocals. The album continues with extravagant musical styles touching light forms of modern jazz and funk and a bit of 80’s nostalgia whilst keeping a firm foot hold in their indie power pop niche. The album offers 11 intelligent and novel compositions non more so than “Words” whose gentle jazzy drums, mellow bluesy guitar, harmonica, piano and glockenspiel would stand up equally well without any vocals.

Pigeon Detectives: Emergency

Another Yorkshire based Indie Guitar band, the Pigeon Detectives had been a regular support act for the Kaiser Chiefs. “Emergency” comes hot on the heels of last years debut, “Wait For Me”, and has lost none of the allure of the original.

Razorlight: Slipway Fires

“Wire to Wire” opens the album with some gorgeous rich swirly piano, layered vocal harmonies and throaty bass and drums that kick in after a minute. A promising start after a disappointing second album, but does the album as a whole live up to the hype and the over inflated ego of frontman Johnny Borrell? Yes, if you ignore the last two tracks.

TV On The Radio: Dear Science

Dear Science is one of the most pioneering albums I have heard this year, rather than plough the well furrowed trail left by many modern rock bands, New Yorkers, TV On the Radio, have found their own unique blend of innovative rock by incorporating a long list of other genres (funk, soul, free form jazz to list a few). “Dancing Choose” is a good bouncy example of a synthesis of more modern electro sounds and rock. At the time of writing TV on the Radio are not a major household name, but I think on this occasion I might stick my neck out and suggest that they could well be a big name in the future.

Babyshambles: Shotters Nation

I bought this album because I was curious if Pete Docherty was just trading on his excellent albums with the Libertines and his subsequent lifestyle and inevitable paparazzi attention. Listening to the album it’s immediately recognisable that it’s the music that’s the key. The album has many parallels with the Libertines self titled album and certainly worth a listen.