Xiu Xiu – Angel Guts: Red Classroom (2014)

Xiu Xiu – Angel Guts Red Classroom (2014)

Xiu Xiu – Angel Guts Red Classroom (2014) “Angel Guts: Red Classroom” is the ninth studio album by Xiu Xiu, it’s scheduled for release on February 4, 2014, only two month away from the Nina Simone tribute album and entitled simply “Nina”. I still try to figure out if I like or I don’t like the music of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart. There is a strong, charming, 70’s and 80’s rooted David Bowie flavor which is awesome. On the other hand, sometimes the sonic trips are going over the edge of bizarre and I’m not sure I’m always capable to follow them anywhere unconditionally. But at least I’m honest to admit it. Then again, I hate the snobs who pretend they understand everything and praise anything which it’s “out of the box”, just because it’s… odd. I’m a weirdo, but I have the decency to admit my limitations! 😆
So, Xiu Xiu it’s a music of moods. If you play it in the right circumstances, have the proper state of mind, the appropriate mood, you’re on the same trip, you will enjoy it. But if you’re on a different track, their twisted off adventures might feel like torture. This time we were on the same frequency. I like that fever burned, warm and wicked analog sound. The instruments used to record the album were limited to analog drum machines, analog synthesizers, and a drum set. The result it’s pretty dark and dense. Turn off the light, turn up the volume! Read more Xiu Xiu – Angel Guts: Red Classroom (2014)

Meredith – The Shape Of Things To Come, EP (2014)

Meredith The Shape Of EP 2014

Meredith The Shape Of EP 2014 I tried to dig out some background info about this French band, but I didn’t find too much and the few things I found were in French, not a language I know. Guitarist/singer Fred Lefranc sent me a link to their teaser last December, meanwhile the 5 track EP was officially released. Unfortunately they don’t have a video yet, but fortunately, they put it on-line on the Bandcamp. (While Spotify in some countries it’s not available, on Deezer if you don’t have account, can only listen 30 seconds of each song and not everybody it’s iPhone addicted and have the iTunes applications instaled… So, for promotional purposes YouTube, SoundCloud and Bandcamp are still the best free options available. MySpace it’s a… dead space. 😆 )
Although, most of the people don’t even bother to step outside Facebook lately, so, music it’s doomed just as the whole goddamn human race!
But let’s see what Meredith propose us!
The sound of things to come it’s solid, intense, modern, alternative rock/metal. Read more Meredith – The Shape Of Things To Come, EP (2014)

Iggy and The Stooges – Ready to Die (2013)

Iggy and The Stooges – Ready to Die (2013) Iggy Pop and James Williamson on a record again was one of the ultimate rock’n’roll dreams. The Stooges ever playing again was another one. Then dreams came true. The fourth Stooges studio album, “The Weirdness” was recorded and released 34 years after its killer predecessor “Raw Power” and features founding members Iggy Pop (vocals), Ron Asheton (guitar), and Scott Asheton (drums) along with new band member Mike Watt (bass guitar), but also guest musician Steve Mackay (saxophone), who also appeared on the Stooges’ 1970 album, “Fun House”. And the album was engineered by Steve Albini.
Unfortunately, Ron Asheton was found dead in his home on January 6, 2009 and any further The Stooges performance became – once again – improbable. Iggy released a smooth incursion into a jazzy world with his 2009 effort “Préliminaires”, then last year released a covers album entitled “Après”, which featured renditions of songs by Serge Gainsbourg, Henri Salvador, Harry Nilsson, Georges Brassens, Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Yoko Ono.
But Iggy Pop stated that “although ‘the Stooges’ died with Ron Asheton, there is still ‘Iggy and the Stooges’ and somehow managed to convince James Williamson to return as guitarist. Williamson, who was responsible for the seminal guitar sound on 1973’s “Raw Power”, gave up the guitar and worked as an electrical engineer before becoming Vice President of Technology Standards at Sony. Read more Iggy and The Stooges – Ready to Die (2013)

Depeche Mode – Delta Machine (2013)

Depeche Mode are back. Strangely, “Sounds of the Universe” feels like a million years away, although it was released in 2009, so, only four years ago. This is the final piece of the trilogy of records that Depeche Mode were doing with producer Ben Hillier. And the thirteenth studio album of the band, the first for their new label, Columbia Records, scheduled for release on 22 March 2013.
I started listening with interest DM only after their 93’s “Songs of Faith and Devotion”. Still, their first four albums are quite meaningless for me. And probably their latest two. From their 2005’s “Playing the Angel” stuck in my mind the fabulous cover of “John the Revelator” and the opening track, “A Pain That I’m Used To”. “Sounds of the Universe” was even less impressive, actually I can’t recall any song title from it, although, I remember it was dark and minimal. And dark and minimal it is “Delta Machine” as well. Read more Depeche Mode – Delta Machine (2013)

David Bowie – The Next Day (2013)

Everybody’s praise Bowie and his brand new “The Next Day” album, which comes after a heart attack and a serious 10 years gap. The 66 year old Bowie announced the release of his new album at his 66 birthday.
True, between the fabulous 2003’s “Reality” and this brand new album we had “Toy”, in March 2011, Bowie’s previously unreleased album from 2001 (another 10 years gap fulfilled), which leaked onto the internet, containing material used for “Heathen” and most of its single B-sides, but, that was just a bitter-sweet delicatessen for inpatient fans and “pour le connaisseur”, isn’t it?
The cover for “The Next Day” was designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, and it plays on the iconic cover of 1977’s “Heroes” – witch was the second installment of his Berlin Trilogy with Brian Eno, while the cover photo was shot by Masayoshi Sukita. And somehow “The Next Day” it’s a trip back to Berlin, a journey in the search of lost (and eventually find) love, soul, spirit or anything else. Or a seek and hide with Mr. Death. But the first released single, “Where Are We Now?” take us back to Berlin literally and emotionally. So, Ziggy Stardust is back and he’s gonna eat your heart out! Read more David Bowie – The Next Day (2013)

Thot – Rhythm.Hope.Answers – single (2013)

Thot are back. “Rhythm.Hope.Answers.” it’s their brand new single, available even for free download (name your price), but any donation will be appreciate it and re-invested in the music production of their upcoming new album.
Grégoire Fray, the brain and conductor of this self-declared Vegetal Noise Machine are here to give us a wake-up call while this world seems to sink in its own filth and hypocrisy. Still, can turn around and look the other way, but that wont change a thing. And well, you will not be able to change the world if you refuse to make some changes in your life and you are not willing to get involved in the things that going around. Not your problem? Seriously? Read more Thot – Rhythm.Hope.Answers – single (2013)

Fragment – Temporary Enlightenment (2013)

Merging shoegaze flavoured gloominess and endless distorted guitar chords; slow pulsing electronic layers and bitter sweet clean vocals; cinematic tension and mechanical monotony; Thierry Arnal, the one-man army behind Fragment, is back with his new album entitled “Temporary Enlightenment”. This is a quite dizzy mixture of alternative rock and drone, post-modern psychedelia and slowcore, dream-pop and shoegaze, a bridge build of sound and noises, but on solid emotional pillars, between Sunn O)))) and Sigur Rós, between Pink Floyd and Candlemass, and everything ever-after and above.
Not an easy listening, not refreshing, probably not gonna make you feel better or released, but it’s gonna make you feel miserable and eventually make you cry, but that’s alright. Crying it’s not something you should be ashamed of. And “Temporary Enlightenment” have several quieter, less weighty and depressing moments as well (like the nice acoustic “From This Moment”), so, no need to be desperate, there is still a pale stain of hope. Read more Fragment – Temporary Enlightenment (2013)

Atoms For Peace – Amok (2013)

Atoms For Peace - AMOK (2013) Although this might seems a supergroup incorporating Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Beck and R.E.M. drummer Joey Waronker and Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco – “Amok” it’s definitively a quite strange journey into the wilderness of minimal electronic and glitchy electronica and feels like the follow up of “The Eraser”, Yorke’s 2006’s debut solo album. On the other hand, this is not so different from the latest Radiohead sonic experiment, the 2011 “The King of Limbs” as well.
While the rhythmic build up of the album it’s quite similar throughout, Yorke’s ghostly falsetto singing haunting feverishly from song to song. It’s nice to know that Flea contributed to this, but do not expect to hear his presence, and except some rare jazzy flavoured moments, “Amok” it’s more about how it feels, then how it sounds. Read more Atoms For Peace – Amok (2013)