Album Reviews
The National – Trouble Will Find Me (4AD)
Reports of The National’s demise may turn out to be exaggerated, but regardless, this could turn out to be their masterpiece.
The Pastels – Slow Summits (Domino)
They still haven’t lost their ear for a melody and it’s nice to hear the originals having their chance to shine once more.
Noah & The Whale – Heart of Nowhere (Mercury)
They have stepped out of their comfort zone with each new album and produced something different. True to form this is another stonker.
Kurt Vile – Wakin on a Pretty Daze (Matador)
With no great departure from his previous efforts. Vile delivers eleven songs that could have only been made my someone from the other side of the Atlantic.
Vondelpark – Seabed (R&S)
While Seabed is easy to enjoy and relax to on your own, this lazy James Blake album doesn’t break as much new ground as Vondelpark’s potential said it would.
Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse (Atlantic)
With several memorable tracks, Frightened Rabbit’s latest release is an album both the band themselves and their loyal fans can be proud of.
James Blake – Overgrown (Atlas)
An album like Overgrown will need repeated listens before all the details come out and its cohesive whole album nature can be appreciated.
Daughter – If You Leave (4AD)
This is an album of profound beauty. It creates an atmosphere that runs throughout and takes the listener inside a finely crafted space
Stornoway – Tales From Terra Firma (4AD)
The songs do contain obscure chords, a few challenging rhythms and some extremely unlikely instruments.
Depeche Mode – Delta Machine (Mute)
‘Delta Machine’ is a step in the right direction for the Basildon three, but when comparing it to previous glories, it would barely break into their top ten.
