AS ever, here’s your roundup of the more notable music releases which have dropped in the past seven days. A very 7/10 week, if you will.
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Biffy Clyro - Opposites
Double albums attract plenty of cliched responses, with some of the most common being that they represent the apex of a band’s career, epitomise excess and would probably have been better served as a single disc. None of these notions, however, apply to Biffy Clyro’s sixth full length, whose curious business-as-usual approach is at odds with the scope of its presentation. There are a few instrumental additions - bagpipes and mariachi trumpets being the most obvious - but the Scottish trio’s recent formula of big guitars and radio-friendly choruses remains virtually unchanged over the course of 20 moderately lengthed numbers. It’s fortunate that Opposites plays the mainstream rock game so well, else its songs would be in danger of being overshadowed by Garth Richardson’s fabulous production job, with louder moments like ‘Black Chandelier’ and ‘Sounds Like Balloons’ often exploding as if coated in jet fuel. 7/10. Listen to Black Chandelier HERE.
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Funeral For A Friend - Conduit
With 11 tracks crammed into a mere 29 minutes, Funeral For A Friend’s sixth outing is the virtual antithesis of Biffy’s latest, and isn’t one you should be paying over-the-odds for. It’s a good job then that Bridgend’s finest continue to go strong despite the decline of Wales’ mid-’00s post-hardcore scene, and for all its brevity Conduit is a record which proves why they’ve been so durable. Operating at an unrelenting breakneck pace, its songs smack of accessibility yet also manage to deliver a decent jab, an accomplished balance which has long put them on another level to more lopsided counterparts. It’s not their best work by any means, but it does at the very least depict a band who are still fit for purpose. 7/10. Listen to Best Friends And Hospital Beds HERE.
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Delphic - Collections
Hugely hyped upon their arrival three years ago, this Mancunian trio’s momentum was swiftly curbed by debut album Acolyte, a stale indie dance exercise which did little to justify hordes of favourable New Order comparisons. As you’d expect, this follow-up makes a concerted attempt to arrest that slide, but in truth its muddled mirage of contingency plans equates to little more than a sonic identity crisis. Desperate for liftoff, they cram in stabs at sampling, big pop choruses, arms-aloft anthemism and hip-hop, but in all honesty they’re not particularly good at any of them, with the resulting material generally coming across as a jumbled, flaccid mess. It’s unfortunate, because in trying to reignite initial enthusiasm, Delphic have merely taken another backwards step. 4/10. Listen to Baiya HERE.
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Local Natives - Hummingbird
Along with similarly acclaimed acts such as Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, this Los Angeles quartet exemplify the type of modern, thinking man’s indie currently so popular over the pond. Unfortunately, it’s a style that’s far easier to admire than it is to love, and although not as obtuse as the aforementioned pair, this second LP does little to deviate from that frustrating trend. As you’d expect, it’s loaded with elegant hooks and vital exuberance, but closer inspection reveals little aside from a bunch of stolid songs likely to pass all but the most diligent listeners by. Approach with caution. 6/10.Listen to Breakers HERE.
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The History Of Apple Pie - Out Of View
It’s a shame this London quintet’s debut has surfaced in January, as it’s the type of record which could really take off with a summer release. Heavily influenced by ‘90s indie pop and shoegaze, it’s the sound of a band who’ve entered the studio with a game plan and executed it to a tee, offering little in the way of originality or diversity yet excelling in their established spot of comfort. Buzzing with a revivalist effervescence similar to that of fellow Londoners Yuck, their single trick holds up well over the course of 10 tracks, consistently delivering the type of irresistible sugary hooks which seem tailor made to soundtrack TV festival coverage. Whether Out Of View possesses any kind of longevity remains to be seen, but if nothing else its sounds deliver a healthy glimmer of sunshine to light up the grim winter months. 7/10. Listen to Do It Wrong HERE.
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Cult Of Luna - Vertikal
Crushing and exhausting, it goes without saying that post-metal is an acquired taste, but what’s not open to interpretation is the fact this Swedish seven-piece rank among the genre’s defining forces. With a 66 minute runtime and four songs which smash the nine minute barrier, this sixth LP is a typically expansive affair; striking a tasteful blend between ambition and heaviness that’s all too often tipped by their contemporaries. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s the lengthy epics which hit hardest, with relatively brief tracks such ‘Synchronicity’ (seven minutes!) acting as little more than interludes before the main courses. They’ve released better albums in their 15 year existence, but Vertikal nevertheless provides apt proof of why Cult Of Luna remain so revered within their field. 7/10. Listen to I: The Weapon HERE.
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Rick Redbeard - No Selfish Heart
Normally the voice of Glasgow’s criminally underrated Phantom Band, Rick Anthony’s rich Scottish baritone is now being applied in a folky solo guise under the moniker Rick Redbeard. With material which dates back as far as 2004, No Selfish Heart is hardly a spontaneous creation, but that does nothing to harm its 10 tracks, all of which boast the type of hearty radiance present in all great folk music. Whether it’s the heartwrenching piano-led melancholy of ‘We All Float’ or the weathered traditionalism of ‘Kelvin Grove,’ each one is capable of snagging listeners with Anthony’s deep brogue and sense of withdrawn beauty, and although it’s no masterpiece those traits are sure to make this one of 2013’s early under-the-radar gems. 7/10. Listen to Now We’re Dancing HERE.
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Fat Goth - Stud
Another Scottish act - albeit one of a rather different ilk to the other two who’ve appeared on this page. As if their name alone wasn’t enough of an indicator, the music on Stud confirms that Dundee’s Fat Goth aren’t supposed to be taken seriously. In many ways it’s merely a run-of-the-mill alt-rock record, but thankfully riff-laden cuts such as ‘Pinball Moron’ and ‘You’ll Find Me In Da Club’ are infused with a wry lyrical humour which could well build a decent fanbase - even if it’s all too often obscured by the a rather flat lo-fi production job. They’re not going to be anyone’s new favourite band, but if nothing else this is an album which proves Fat Goth to be capable entertainers. 6/10. Listen to Creepy Lounge HERE.