STACK Magazine November Issue 121

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NOVEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi
12
MUSIC
REVIEWS STREAMYOUR FAVOURITE ALBUMS AT JBHI-FI NOW... NOW!
New Build
Pour it On
One of several Hot Chip offshoots floating around, New Build
are less daggy than The 2 Bears and less arty than About
Group. Their second album is actually most like Hot Chip,
churning out percolating dance-pop that’s quite preoccupied
with matters of the heart and mind. Sentimental balladry can
overwhelm songs like Witness and the epic title track, but
highlights like the centrepiece Weightless are infectious, straightforward successes.
All of the songwriting proves acute, but what stands out most is the band’s heady
layering of diverse textures. (Sunday Best/Liberator/Universal) Doug Wallen
The Drums Encyclopedia
There’s something different on the latest album from The Drums:
they’re now a duo. Drummer Connor Hanwick has left, and
childhood friends Jonathan Pierce and Jacob Graham have re-
grouped. It’s an absence hinted at by the cover art, confirmed by
some of the restrained songs here. Their melodic pop and indie rock
instincts are still evident, but tempered by an experimental, sombre
undertone. There is Nothing Left is an example of bleaker lyrical
and musical sentiment, but a playfulness remains, a note of sweetness and a sense of hope
beneath the loneliness. For fans familiar with earlier surf-rock singles, there’ll be few surprises
more striking than the eerie Bell Labs, all electronic, synthetic textures and haunted moods.
( Liberation/Universal) Simon Winkler
Röyksopp The Inevitable End
True to its title, this is indeed the final album for Norwegian duo
Röyksopp. But they’re not exactly leaving us with a shortage of
material: The Inevitable End spans two CDs and 17 tracks. Such a
marathon will inevitably drag in places, but there’s enough radiant,
ambient warmth and brooding pop gems to offset the slower
patches. It helps that guest stars stop by periodically, including their
recent collaborator Robyn on Rong (defined by the refrain “What
the f*** is wrong with you?”) and the single Monument. Röyksopp
have always been pretty ambitious, but this fifth LP may be their
definitive statement, ranging from expansive cinematic grandeur to
pointed emotional intimacy without ever dwelling in any one genre
for long. At the same time, widescreen throbbers like the vocoder-
loaded opener Skullwill have no trouble dominating the late-night
dancefloor. The duo have called this their darkest work lyrically, and
that certainly comes through on nocturnal cuts like Compulsion and
the quivering Here She Comes Again. But there’s a lot of feel-good
levity too. Namely, Thank You is a beautiful send-off that closes the
first disc and should appeal to fans of Air’s immersive dream-pop.
(Pod/Inertia) Doug Wallen
Ariel Pink
Pom Pom
To expect the unexpected is a safe approach to any new
Ariel Pink record. For starters, Pom Pom is the first album
in a highly prolific career to be solely attributed to Ariel Pink,
but by his own admission it’s also the most collaborative.
Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce, and famed/infamous Kim Fowley
of ‘70s rock group The Runaways contribute to the collage,
along with other band members. The result is a characteristic,
unpredictable mix of wistful AM radio rock, strange tape
textures, stream of consciousness skits, and stream of
unconsciousness pop, including standout single Put Your
Number in My Phone. On the melodic side there’s also Dayzed
Inn Daydreams, some surreal psychedelic sounds on Dinosaur
Carebears, and a couple of high-intensity punk tracks in the
form of Goth Bomband Negativ Ed. It’s all somewhat chaotic
yet somehow coherent; a portrait of the artist as a contradictory,
conflicted, confounding and constantly challenging pop
chameleon. (Remote Control/Inertia) Simon Winkler
Leonard Cohen
Popular Problems
At the age of 80, Leonard Cohen has delivered an inspired album
that ranks among the best of his distinguished career.
As always, he tackles issues that relate to us all: world conflict,
human relationships, his deadpan voice telling stories of despair,
grief and joy, sometimes played out with wry humour as in the
sexy Slow. Almost Like the Blues chronicles the plight of innocent
victims displaced by ongoing wars, Born a Slave examines his Jewish roots,
Samson in New Orleans addresses the neglect of Hurricane Katrina victims, and Did I Ever
Love You lightens proceedings with a country arrangement. (Sony Music) Billy Pinnell Music
The Grahams Riverman’s Daughter
Husband and wife duo Alyssa and Doug Graham thought it a
good idea to put their NY City lives on hold, and to travel the
2,500 miles of highways and byways of the Mississippi River
from Minnesota to Louisiana. Along the way they gathered
stories of places, people and musical experiences that have
resulted in their debut album as The Grahams. Their early
influences and love of traditional country, folk and mountain
bluegrass is the foundation of their sound, highlighted by Alyssa’s beautiful,
strong vocals and Doug’s precision guitar playing and accompanying harmonies.
Easygoing country pickin’ sounds. (Sony Music) Denise Hylands
Alex and Nilusha Tales to Tell
‘Alex’ is Chilean-born percussionist Alex Pertout who’s
embellished hundreds of Australian albums – from the M.S.O.
to Paul Kelly, Hunters & Collectors, and Daryl Braithwaite.
His collaborator, Sri Lankan-born singer Nilusha Dassenaike,
has worked with Don Burrows, James Morrison, Renee Geyer,
and Ross Wilson. This exceptional release of originals was
recorded in Melbourne, Argentina, England, the USA and Cuba
with outstanding local contributions. These include pianists Paul
Grabowsky and Andrea Keller, actor/musician Tom E. Lewis, plus
internationally renowned guitarist Mike Stern (Miles Davis) and
Dee Dee Bridgewater’s musical director/pianist Edsel Gomez.
The music is an intoxicating fusion of different cultures: Latin
American, Asian, Middle Eastern with elements of jazz, world
music, Andean (Alex playing the panpipes), pop and English folk
(I Gave My Love a Cherry is cleverly grafted to the final track). It’s
full of irresistible rhythms born of Alex’s armoury of percussion
instruments, and the captivating voice of Nilusha who scats and
sings in her native voice and English, depending on the mood of
each song. Planet/MGM (Billy Pinnell)
The New Basement Tapes
Lost on the River
If you’re one of music’s most respected producers, you don’t
say ‘no’ to a box of unseen Bob Dylan lyrics, written during
the recording of the original Basement Tapes in 1967. “Would
you like to do something with these?” Dylan’s publisher asked
T-Bone Burnett. With Dylan’s approval, Burnett found a team of
performers to transform the words with music. Elvis Costello,
Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops), Taylor Goldsmith
(Dawes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Marcus Mumford
(Mumford & Sons) were sent the same 16 pieces of prose,
and each of their contributions became part of this creative
collaboration. With additional lyrics turning up, Burnett’s team
spent two weeks working, recording and breathing new life to
the words of a musical master, untouched for nearly 50 years.
Backed by a music bed of Americana sounds, Johnny Depp even
drops in on guitar. Burnett’s aim was to stay true to the lyrics’
orignal spirit. One for the Dylan fans – we know you’re out there.
(Harvest/EMI/Universal) Denise Hylands