Album Review: March's Top Of The Pops

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Plenty going on in March. Here's what was top of NME-Europe's pops:

Hot Chip: 'One Life Stand' (rating 7.5/10)
Opening track 'Thieves In The Night' seriously suggests this is going to be the one, a rampaging combination of deadly drums and sizzling samples ensures that 'Thieves' is the sort of track to hang about the eardrums for a while. Read more.

The Courteeners: 'Falcon' (rating 8.5/10)
Those of you expecting more 'Cavorting', 'What Took You So Long?' or 'Not Nineteen Forever'-type tracks are not going to find them here, but don't be mistaken, Falcon is a terrific album in it's own right and one Fray and the gang can be extremely satisfied with. Read more.

Los Punsetes: 'LP2' (rating 7.5/10)
Probablemente, dentro de unos años, no los escuche, sus canciones pierdan fuerza y no aguanten el paso del tiempo, pero ahora me divierte su música, y me lo paso bien escuchando sus letras llenas de ironía y acidez, que indagan en el “lado oscuro” del ser humano. Read more.

The Soft Pack: 'The Soft Pack' (rating 7/10)
An engaging combination of punk, garage and even grunge are in order for anyone who decides to give this four-piece an opportunity. Ten tracks in a little more than 30 minutes (with the first eight in just 20) give you a pretty good indication of the tempo on display. Read more.

Two Door Cinema Club: 'Tourist History' (rating 8.5/10)
A blistering combination of enticing electro and captivating guitar riffs are on display throughout the little more than 30 minute visit to this particular movie theatre. The pace is relentless as a series of catchy, easily enjoyable hits ensure the listener's attention is not allowed to wane at any time. Read more.



We also had a little time for....

Good Shoes: 'No Hope, No Future' (rating 7/10)
More intricate, indeed introspective follow up album from this London band. Not quite as engaging as their wonderful debut, but worth a listen.

Efterklang: 'Magic Chairs' (rating 7.5/10)
These 'Great Danes' are capable of some wonderful harmonies and Casper Clausen's lead vocals are sublime.

Midlake: The Courage Of Others' (rating 7/10)
More blissful crooning from this lo-fi Texan quintet.





NC & JFH

Have a listen for yourselves....

Also available on Spotify.

Read previous monthly summaries.

Album Review: The Courteeners

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The Courteeners: 'Falcon' (UME Imports)

1. The Opener
2. Take Over The World
3. Cross My Heart & Hope To Fly
4.You Overdid It Doll
5. Lullaby
6. Good Times Are Calling
7. The Rest Of The World Has Gone Home
8. Sycophant
9. Cameo Brooch
10. Scratch Your Name Upon My Lips
11. Last Of The Ladies
12. Will It Be This Way Forever?


Towards the end of the wonderful debut St. Jude - NME-Europe's top album of 2008 - The Courteeners, those likely lads from Manchester, warned that we were 'Not Nineteen Forever'. It would appear that they too have taken heed of that message during the writing of Falcon, released on the UME Import label and under the guidance of producer Ed Buller (White Lies, Pulp, Suede)

Where St. Jude oozed swagger, Falcon is suave, albeit in an undeniable northern fashion. Extro- often becomes introvert and the leery lads are closer to lullabies than they are to lager louts. Those of you expecting more 'Cavorting', 'What Took You So Long?' or 'Not Nineteen Forever'-type tracks are not going to find them here, but don't be mistaken, Falcon is a terrific album in it's own right and one Fray and the gang can be extremely satisfied with.

The opener, cunningly titled 'The Opener' sets the mood. A track where lead singer Fray does a bit of soul-searching and seeks to reassure himself that he is still loved. Presumably aimed at his sweetheart, the track could almost be directed at his fans - a case of look we've changed a little since our last release, I hope you still like us (deep down I think you will). Whatever the story, the track is sublime.

'Cross My Heart & Hope To Fly' is as clear an indicator there is as to The Courteeners' change in focus. Dark, with a piercing piano back beat Fray expresses a clear desire to get the hell out of wherever he is. 'Lullaby' maybe the reason escape is on the agenda, but in between the upbeat 'You Overdid It Doll' (the first single from the album) ensures manic depression doesn't set in. The album is taking great shape.

'The Good Times Are Calling' brings about another upturn, while 'Sycophant', possibly the album's catchiest track, appeals to our honesty. Despite a darker feel to the rest of the album, Falcon doesn't lose it's way. The harsh and distorted 'Scratch Your Name Upon My Lips' gives way to the melodious 'Last Of The Ladies', while the lyrically acute 'Will It Be This Way Forever?' fittingly calls time on proceedings.

The Courteeners have progressed. This Liam from Manchester is starting to understand that it's best to engage brain before opening your mouth. You might need a couple of listens to adjust yourself to the new Courteeners, but ultimately the only logical conclusion to reach is that Falcon is a well-balanced, quality album.

NC

NME-Europe rating: 8.5/10
Top Track: 'Cross My Heart & Hope To Fly'

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Last 5 NME-Europe reviews:
Hot Chip: 'One Life Stand'
Vampire Weekend: 'Contra'
Los Campesinos!: 'Romance Is Boring'
Delphic: 'Acolyte'
The xx: 'XX'

Read all NME-Europe reviews

Album Review: Its A Buffalo

Its A Buffalo: Don't Be Scared (Akoustic Anarkhy)

1. Marbles
2. Somewhere In Range
3. Seaslide
4. Climb Climb
5. Bang! On The Seafront
6. Broken Toy
7. When It Went Dark
8. Divorce Song
9. Outlines
10. Run And Hide

Hailing from pretty much the four corners of the British Isles, but based as a group in Manchester, Its A Buffalo's debut album 'Don't Be Scared' is a thoroughly entertaining listen.

Ten tracks of pseudo-folk, cum rockabilly akin to the likes of The Coral or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah hustle and bustle along for just over 30 minutes and have certainly put a spring in my step on the way to work this week.

The opening tracks 'Marbles' and 'Somewhere In Range' set the tone for what's to come. This constant happy-go-lucky tempo with the infectious guitars persists throughout the album, albeit with a couple of tracks thrown in to slow things down a little - 'Bang! On The Seafront' and the poignant 'Divorce Song'. The catchy 'Outlines' gets your feet tapping once more before time is called.

In a week where veteran rockers U2 have captured all the attention with a No. 1 album and the announcement of a world stadium tour, 'Don't Be Scared' has proven to be a more than worthwhile alternative.

A tenth chart topping album and stadium tour versus a debut album and support slot with friends The Courteeners. I know whose side I'm on.

Top Track: 'Outlines'
Album Rating: 8/10



Last 5 NME-E Reviews:
The Trestles: 'Hard Faced Town EP'
The Prodigy: 'Invaders Must Die'
Lily Allen: 'It's Not Me, It's You'
Morrissey: 'Years Of Refusal'
The View: 'Which Bitch'


Read all NME-E reviews

Myspace Magic: Its A Buffalo

The latest band to be featured in Myspace Magic have actually taken me by surprise and not just due to their musical excellence.

Having recently got in touch with Its A Buffalo on myspace and being suitably impressed by their sound, I was able to interview this quartet from Manchester and was ready to go with an article to coincide with the release of their debut album 'Don't Be Scared' on March 16.

However, the cheeky sods brought the release date forward by two weeks and caught me with my pants down, so to speak.

Still, better late than never, here's what Ben, Steve, James and Nigel had to say:

NME-E: Who are you and how did you come about?
Buff: We are a four piece from Withington in Manchester. All best mates who met at college and uni.

NME-E: What are your releases to date?
Buff: Our album 'Don't Be Scared' is out on March 16th 2009 on Akoustik Anarkhy recordings. Previous to this we have released a couple of ltd 500 7". Marbles and 'Somewhere in Range'.

Fooled you! It's already out and pumping on my stereo. U2 have been put on the backburner (that album isn't much anyway - but that's another story). Review is on the way!

NME-E: If you could choose a band to support you, who would it be?
Buff: Throughout the last year we have been supporting our good pals from Manchester, The Courteeners. If we could support anyone, probably Nirvana or Neil Young.

They actually supported The Courteeners this weekend in Liverpool. Nirvana might be a bit more difficult to organize though!

NME-E: What was your favourite album of 2008?
Buff: We are all listening to the new Bon Iver album at the moment. Brilliant. That or 'Mens Needs, Women's Needs' by The Cribs.

Both quality albums and quite different in style, which is always a good sign.

NME-E: What are your objectives/prospects for next 12 months?
Buff: Album release, playing loads of gigs, selling loads of records and having a fucking good time.

Well, stage one is completed with the release, I have bought one of the shit loads they'd like to sell, just leaves them to have a good time - I'm sure they're more than capable of that!


Many thanks go to the Its A Buffalo lads. Please visit their myspace page and check out their sounds - it's well worth it.

Last 5 NME-E Interviews:
The Trestles (Liverpool, UK)
Metropolitans (Liverpool, UK)
The Rackets (Liverpool, UK)
The Maybes? (Liverpool, UK)
The Rocks (Michigan, USA)

Read all NME-E interviews

Weekly Round Up (02 Mar 2009)

Hi everybody. Another week of intense music activity is summarised here!

Festival Fever
It's been a week of confirmations, with many a festival finalising its line-up for this year. As keeping you up-to-date of all the latest developments would require full-time dedication, an impossible task, I've kindly added some links to the top festival sites on the sidebar. More will be added as and when their festivals start to take shape.

As an exception, I feel I should go into a little more detail on the SOS 4.8 festival, seeing as though it's taking place on my door step. It would appear the line-up is now definitive, which means Duffy was the last minute surprise - it certainly was totally unexpected, indeed many would say unwanted. One piece of better news, however, is that local boys Second will again take part.

NO times have been confirmed yet, but the official webpage has revealed the distribution by day and stage:

Friday 1st May
Main 'Estrella Levante' Stage
The Prodigy
Babyshambles
Duffy
Spiritualized

Stage Two
Boyz Noise
Those Dancing Days
Peaches
El Guincho
Klaus & Kinski

PJ Harvey & John Parish will appear in the Auditorium.

Saturday 2nd May
Main 'Estrella Levante' Stage
Underworld
2ManyDJs
Matthew Herbert (DJ Set)
Keane
Los Planetas

Stage Two
The Wombats
Ladyhawke
Second
Russian Red
Catpeople
Ross

Saturday's Auditorium appearance is reserved for The Matthew Herbert Big Band.

At first glance, the Saturday appears to look more promising, but then I'm biased 'cos that's the day I can go! However, with the Los Planetas moving to Saturday, as far as I'm concerned there's no weak link (and NO Duffy!). My mouth is watering! There'll be a special SOS feature as we get closer to the festival.

By the way, the inaugural NME-E poll hailed The Wombats as the most exciting SOS act with a whopping 70% of the votes. Of course, it might have been a different story had Duffy been announced earlier! (enough, give the poor girl a break). Thanks to everyone who voted, which makes about 6 of you, 'cos I voted several times to avoid total embarrassment!

Other Stories
Two of the SOS bands are also in the news this week.

The Prodigy's new release 'Invaders Must Die' has gone straight to Number 1 in the UK album charts, making it one of the fastest-selling releases this year so far having sold over nearly 100,000 copies in the first week. An NME-E review will appear later on in the week.


Back in Murcia, the eagerly awaited Second gig will take place this Saturday in the Sala Audio (kick off at 21.30, tickets priced 12€). Muricans are in for a treat this Spring as the local boys will be on stage twice in the space of two months. Must admit, I'm really looking forward to seeing their live performance. NME-E's first gig review will appear next week.

And finally, another band making a comeback. Faith No More have released a statement confirming that they will reunite for a tour this year. It appears that 10 years after they split
they've started talking to each other again and fancy a second crack at the whip.

Hmmmm, times are hard!

You can read the full statement here.

Myspace Magic
As usual, a frenetic Myspace week. After last week's interview with Liverpool's The Trestles, I managed to get hold of a copy of their new EP 'Hard Faced Town', a review of which will be posted in the next few days.

Mancunians Its A Buffalo have released their debut album 'Don't Be Scared' two weeks ahead of schedule. I was fortunate to interview them recently, so there'll be more in the next week or so. This bunch are good mates with The Courteeners and supported them on tour last year - not a bad introduction!

Fellow Manchester boys Mutineers have also uploaded some tracks ahead of a tour in May.

Across the pond, two US bands have updated their profiles with new material this week. The Constabulary and The Takeover UK have both added new tracks, the latter coinciding with the start of their US tour. If you haven't heard their stuff, I recommend a visit.

Other than that, the usual barrage of friend requests, interviews and chat. Especially pleasing to see more Spanish bands getting in touch. I'm trying to get round to covering all the bands who I've spoken to, but time is normally in short supply, so please be patient!

Reviews
The big release of the week is U2's 'No Line On The Horizon', which will undoubtedly be reviewed in the not too distant future. Another release of note is the Howling Bells second album, 'Radio Wars', which will also be on the stereo for analysis in due course.

One album I also came across this week, but which has in fact been out for about a month is Sky Larkin with 'The Golden Spike'. Seems a bit late to review it now, but any discerning Los Campesinos! fan or indie freak might be interested in having a listen.


Think that's about it. Now about those pending interviews.....

Myspace Magic: Metropolitans

This week I'm in a prolific mood, so you're honoured with a second Myspace Magic feature! Today we take a look at Metropolitans ahead of their the EP release promotional gig on February 18 at the Liverpool O2 Academy.

Having become official "friends" on myspace, Tony was kind enough to take some time to answer my standard set of questions. Here's what Metropolitans have to say.

NME-E: Who are you and how did you come about?
Met: The band is, Tony Slater, lead vocals and guitar; Ste Miceli, lead guitar and backing vocals; Scott Davies, bass; and Adam Caine on drums. We have known each other since school really. Myself and Ste have been in bands together for a good couple of years now and we had jammed a few times with Scott and Adam, so us getting together as a band was going to happen at some point.

NME-E: What are your releases to date?
Met: Nothing of yet but we are planning to release an EP on Febuary 18th at the Liverpool 02 Academy.

NME-E: If you could choose a band to support you, who would it be?
Met: Hard one... so many bands we would like to support! That would have been an easy question! Most Liverpool bands around now are class so anyone of them really.

Keeping it local, it's great to see bands in the 'Pool supporting each other like that.

NME-E: What was you favourite album of 2008?
Met: Mine personally? probably The Killers with 'Day & Age', the rest of the band probably wouldn't agree, they seem to like Kings Of Leon's new one which is also a really good album. The Courteeners album has got us talking though!

I wonder if the fact The Courteeners got a mention was down to NME-E's influence!

NME-E: What are your objectives/prospects for next 12 months?
Met: Hmm, hopefully make this (being in a band) our full time job, maybe record an album or another EP later in the year. We would like to tour the UK but money's tight at the moment with all this credit crunch and that. who knows?

At present there are just two tracks on their myspace page. However, you easily see where they are coming from. If you can't get to the gig yourselves at least give them a cyber visit and check out their powerful sounds. As a fleeting visit from Murcia is not an option, I'd like to thank them from here and wish them all the best for the gig and that EP. I look forward to hearing some more stuff VERY soon.