50 Song Memoir The Magnetic Fields ★ ★ ★ ★ In 1999 The Magnetic Fields released their epic album 69 Love Songs, now they’ve got another multi-disc album that is equally as impressive. Featuring five discs and one song for each year of songwriter Stephin Merrit’s life. It begins in 1968 and works it’s way through to […]
The OF Tape Vol 2 (OF) Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), to use their full name, is certainly one of the most interesting hip hop collectives around. Collective member Tyler the Creator has released a succession of albums and Syd tha Kyd and Max Martin’s album as The Internet is an OIP […]
The Good, the bad and the Awkward (ABC Classics) Sally Whitwell follows up her ARIA awarding tribute to Philip Glass with a new collection of recordings, the common theme all the pieces have been featured in films. The range of tunes covered is diverse taking in the classic’s like Shubert, Satie Hydn and Debussey alongside […]
I Predict a Graceful Expulsion (Mute) Cold Specks album I Predict a Graceful Expulsion is the latest offering from Canadian singer-songwriter, Al Spx. It’s a deep soulful album, with Spx’s powerful voice shining through the beautiful harmonies and multi-layered arrangements. The album also features a number of musicians who utilise a whole gamut of instruments […]
Barton Hollow (Sony) Upon first listening, you would be forgiven for thinking that Joy Williams and John Paul White are a couple. The harmonies intertwine beautifully as they trace each other’s melodies with the kind of familiarity usually reserved for lovers. Barton Hollow, the studio debut album of Nashville-based duo The Civil Wars is an […]
Dr Dee (EMI) After a plethora of albums under different guises ranging from being the front man of Blur, the genius behind The Gorillaz and handful of other bands, it’s surprising to see Damon Albarn put out a record under his own name. More surprising it’s a collection of folk fuelled opera based on the […]
Welcome to Wonderland (EMI) A rather interesting and eclectic pre-mixed CD encompassing some of the greatest songs to hit alternative and commercial radio all in one place. From Arrested Development to Chemical brothers then a little 360 Ft. Gossling just for good measure. The thing that strikes me the most about this album is the […]
Esperanza Spalding Radio Music Society (Concord Music) Radio Music Society—Esperanza Spalding’s most diverse and ambitious album yet—is star packed, featuring Algebra Blessett, Lionel Loueke, Joe Lovano and Lalah Hathaway. It leans a little more towards pop than previous albums, but Experanza’s staggering and varied talent and broad view are still evident, with horns, organ, R&B […]
Out of the Game (Universal) Rufus Wainwright teams up with Mark Ronson for his seventh album. There is a perfect balance of everything we love about Rufus – his distinctive voice and grandeur, and enough new elements added to the mix to keep it interesting. -Ronson has become an in demand producer after his own […]
Madonna Interscope I don’t understand why so many people are trashing this album, it’s far from Madonna’s worst output and it’s filled with incredibly catchy and fun dance tunes. Maybe it’s about expectations, Madonna’s last album Hard Candy was one of her most un-original – and in the past when Madonna’s had a dubious album, […]
