Yeasayer – Fragrant World (Mute)
once you’ve got past that awkward early stage there’s more to discover at every spin
musical passion was most certainly borne, is bopping along in the back of the car, but that’s her default reaction to most of the records I play; I think she just likes to feel involved. I can see where my dad’s coming from, as over their three studio releases Yeasayer have definitely travelled on an exponentially poppier path, with ‘Fragrant World’ not only being their most recent, but also their most accessible work. They have taken Darwinian theory and applied it to the music industry, adapting and evolving at each juncture to remain at the head of their field. ‘Fragrant World’ is a record that’s on beat enough to make girls dance, but it’s also interesting enough to grab the attention of the music geeks, and filter out the vapid pop tribe in turn. It’s a bit of slow burner, and has taken me a few listens to really understand, but the record’s so packed with rich harmonies, lush samples and hooks that once you’ve got past that awkward early stage there’s more to discover at every
spin.Alex Throssell
I
Cakes’. Punk and classic rock cross-over, it’s like the love child of Kiss and Sid Vicious. The lyrics are still cheesy but since when have classics not been? "You pull the trigger of my love gun", "Love in an Elevator", "Don’t stop believing" - hideously crap, cringe-worthy lyrics are the foundations of a good classic rock song! First track ‘Every Inch of You’ is a prime example, but of course, it’s incredible. "I've attended my last lectures / Left in my last class / You can take your qualifications / And shove them up your ass", is teamed with a killer bass line and punk influences - from the get go you know it’s going to be a great album. And it is; ‘Livin’ Each Day Blind’ is a rock’n’roll ballad, while in contrast, ‘Street Spirit’ is Metallica-esque, showing their metal influences. I genuinely can’t find a fault in this album; it’s similar to their previous releases but fantastically different. It sounds fresh and amazing. If a ‘Hot Cakes’ Guitar Hero isn’t released soon, I’ll be very
disappointed.Freja Hoskins
C Chilly Gonzales – Solo Piano II (Gentle Threat)
Whoever’s pulling the strings in terms of storyline, you, or him, it’s a delight to listen to.
Piano’, this sequel parks his incarnations as MC and alt-rocker at the door for another exploration into piano instrumental. The thing about instrumental music is that it’s emotionally suggestible; it’ll make recommendations to you with its pitch, and key – we all know how an A Minor piece can bring us to our knees – but ultimately, you project your own images and emotions on to it. Album opener, ‘White Keys’ puts my mind at the kettle, waiting for it to boil, contemplating the mundaneness of the action… is that just me? Other tracks, such as ‘Kenaston’ skip through the major keys with innocence that conjours nostalgia, like the backing to a montage of the best of ‘Cheers’. Where everybody knows your name. Lead single from the album, ‘Othello’ dashes along with sinister rhythm, and here the title strengthens Chilly’s suggestion over your own, forcing the Machiavellian plot of the aforementioned play into your psyche. Whoever’s pulling the strings in terms of storyline, you, or him, it’s a delight to listen to.Emma Garwood
O 48 /August 2012/
outlineonline.co.uk
h Gonzales, everything you touch turns to twinkle. As inspired collaboration choice for Feist, and producer on each of her studio albums, plus experimental musician in his own right, it’s when he’s sat at the ivories that the true mastery of his artform comes to the fore. As a follow-up to ‘Solo
The Darkness - ‘Hot Cakes’ (Wind Up)
lassic-rock-influenced and lyrically hilarious, The Darkness challenged Christmas number ones, chart music and the immortal question - can a man really sing that high (?). The band split up in 2006, but flash-forward to 2012 and the whole damn dirty band is back with the album ‘Hot
’m in the car, playing ‘Fragrant World’, trying to make some notes for this review and my dad, ever helpful, thinks, “they all sound the same”. As an avid Pink Floyd fan, my dad has some potential until you quiz him on any facet of musical knowledge, so I took his appraisal with a handful of salt. My mum, from where my
I genuinely can’t find a
fault in this album; it’s similar to their
previous releases but fantastically different.
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