Mark Lanegan Band – Somebody's Knocking
Lanegan's always a class act, pushing the envelope, especially on his last, Nocturne, but in this latest 11th album release there's something more throwback to either end of the 80s, very much Joy Division and New Order in Playing Nero, Name and Number and She Loved You, The Stranglers on Stitch It Up, and later from that decade there's a strong gothic flavour of Sisters of Mercy on the songs Night Flight to Kabul and Dark Disco Jag. But while dark in style, there's also tons of humour here, with 80s synth dance mixed in, especially on Penthouse High, where there's a musical 'ghost inside this house', seemingly welcome to hang about. As ever Lanegan’s voice has such rich tone that makes you wonder whether he is related to Iggy Pop. Out on Heavenly.
Mark Lanegan Band – Night Flight to Kabul
Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2
The follow-up to the Oxford band's Part 1 album released in March to some acclaim, that more electronica release, focusing on climate change, political turmoil, and mental health issues, is followed by this, well basically heavier stadium rock guitar album. It's not really the innovative groundbreaker heralded by the Mercury-nominated Part 1, just delivers sold pop and rock, from The Runner, Wash Off, Neptune and 10,000 Ft. There are some briefly different moments – the sheer angry energy of Black Bull, the electronic stillness of Red Desert, the quiet slow-burial of Into The Surf and the gentle piano of Ikaria, but overall it's solidly grandiose lumps of Part 1 extras, not earth-shattering. Out on Transgressive/Warner.
Foals – The Runner
Lankum – The Livelong Day
This latest album continues the Dublin four-piece of Daragh Lynch and co continue a radical re-jig of the dynamics of folk music, turned up at times to a wild 11, pulling in the drones of Uilleann pipes, concertina and harmoniums, and taking traditional songs, such as The Wild Rover into entirely new territory and sounds, including loud sirens and the whole kitchen sink. The tracks are long – just eight over almost an hour, but this is bracing, exciting, and pioneering stuff, with some traditional instruments replaced by scraping metal, crashing waves, horns, and some extraordinarily visceral lyrics and unusual, rich vocal harmonies in compelling narratives. It feels like a journey into history. Feel how it builds and builds to incredible intensity. Out on Rough Trade.
Lankum – The Wild Rover
Vagabon – Vagabon
Tender, minimal, spacious, but also trip-hop indie disco at times, the Cameroon-born singer Laetitia Tamko follow-up to her 2017 debut is full of paradox and shifting pace. "Even if I run from it, I’m still in it" she tells us on Flood, and this is a deceptively complex album full of tiny tricks and changing voice register. From the quieter melancholy of In A Bind or Home Soon and Every Woman, to the airy spaciousness of Please Don't Leave The Table, the highlight is light dance beat of Water Me Down, an upbeat song about disappointment. Out on Nonesuch.
Vagabon – Water Me Down
Caroline Polachek – Pang
The New Yorker and one half of Chairlift releases her solo LP, a breathy, passionate, gasping, outpouring of stop-start pop, lushly references some 80s influences, including whoops of Cranberries sadly missed Dolores O'Riordan. Some of this is rather overdone, such Ocean of Tears, but So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings hits a catchy balance that may go big. Out on Columbia.
Caroline Polachek – So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings
Alice Hubble – Polarlichter
Beautiful solo release of old-school electronic pop from one half of Arthur & Martha (real names Adam and Alice) has echoes of Kraftwerk, especially on the song Goddess, with other inspiration from the 70s including Tangerine Dream and Mike Oldfield, plus from earlier and later eras, Delia Derbyshire, Daphne Oram, and 80s American synth pop band The Book of Love. The sound of a clean, beautiful down-to-earth machine in motion. Out on Happy Robots Records.
Alice Hubble – We Are Still Alone
Floating Points – Crush
Second album by Manchester-born producer and neurologist Sam Shepherd after the acclaimed 2015 debut Elaenia. This is dance intensity mixed with the complex bleeps and orchestral swirls of conflicting emotions, as if Shepherd is putting brainwaves into musical form, although the title is less about personal trauma as climate change and self-serving politics. Clever, stimulating, head-spinning, squeakily blooming with sounds and ideas. Out on Ninja Tune.
Floating Points – Last Bloom
Jacques Greene – Dawn Chorus
New album from the Canadian Toronto-based electronic musician is more post-rave and reflective than his 2017 ecstatic Feel Infinite, and includes additional production and instruments from film composer Brian Reitzell (Lost In Translation), cello by London’s Oliver Coates, vocal contributions from ambient artist Julianna Barwick, rapper Cadence Weapon and singers Ebhoni and Rochelle Jordan. Out on Lucky Me.
Jacques Greene – Sel
The Yummy Fur – Piggy Wings
More compilation than new, this cult Glasgow 90s indie band have reconvened in the form of founder members John McKeown on vocals, Paul Thomson (Franz Ferdinand) on drums, lead guitarist Brian McDougall plus the addition of bassist Dino Bardot (1990s / Franz Ferdinand) to tour with this fierce, snappy, witty collection of the best 7-inch and album tracks including the classics Department, Roxy Girls and Policeman! Too good not to relive and revive. Out on Rock Action.
The Yummy Fur – Department
This week's selection is by The Landlord.
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