Four new albums of diversity and quality plumb the depths of THE NEW ROCK N ROLL! Dig in!!
MY LIFE AS ALI THOMAS – PAPER (WARNER MUSIC THAILAND)
Gorgeous indie pop from this Bangkok quartet led by the charming larynx of Pie Kanyapak Wuttara with superb backing by the hypnotic guitars of Rack Wipata Lertpanya and the dynamic rhythm section of Oak Chotiwat Phuripun (bass) Taw Wannaphong Jangbumrung (drums). Fans of Lucy Rose and Daughter will find immediate joy in this wondrous debut album. Paper is one of those albums music lovers can listen all the way through – competent songwriting with sympathetic execution – a dreamy concoction that will keep you enthralled for its duration. Highlights include “Daughter and Son”, “Winter’s Love” and “Cordelia”. https://www.facebook.com/mylifeasalithomas/
Buy now from iTunes.
THE DIVINE COMEDY – FOREVERLAND (DC RECORDS)
Orchestral pop of the finest order has always defined the work of Neil Hannon’s The Divine Comedy. Over twenty years since Hannon first made his debut with 1990’s Fanfare for the Comic Muse, the Irish singer-songwriter has not lost his ability to create textured melodic symphonies of sharp character studies. To wit, “Napoleon Complex”, “Catherine the Great” and “I Joined the Foreign Legion (To Forget)” – full of good humour, timeless magic and memorable tunes. The title track is a wistful song about hopeful yearning – sophisticated yet relatable. About as anti-modern pop as one can get in 2016 but that’s what makes Foreverland so irresistible for true fans of classic pop. Highly recommended. http://thedivinecomedy.com/
Buy now from iTunes.
PSYCHIC TV – ALIENIST (ANGRY LOVE/DAIS RECORDS)
A new album from avant-garde iconoclast Genesis P-Orridge and gang! Just four songs but three of which are longer than 9 minutes! Progressive rock durations! So expect quite a fair bit of noodling about on straightforward rock ’n’ roll numbers like Harry Nilsson’s “Jump into the Fire” and The Creations’ “How Does It Feel” without sacrificing the core values inherent in the original compositions. Final track, “Alienist” is a disturbingly visceral original that explores psychiatry – alienist being the archaic name for what we know call a psychologist. A powerful piece that keep you groovy and thinking at the same time. http://genesisbreyerporridge.com/
Buy now from iTunes.
DINOWALRUS – FAIRWEATHER (PERSONAL PROJECTS)
Yet another Brooklyn indie pop band to take note of! What a scene eh? Dinowalrus – fronted by Pete Feigenbaum, past member of Titus Andronicus – takes elements of 60s psychedelia (Pink Floyd), 80s Big Music (Echo and the Bunnymen) and 90s dream pop (Ride)/retro-Britrock (Primal Scream) and blends them into something familiar and fresh at the same time. Not an easy feat and there are times where songs come across as a lil bit too derivative but in this climate of modern rock, we will gladly bring Dinowalrus into the fold. Big jangly choruses, airy psych-drenched vocals, and anchoring basslines – what more could a fan of The New Rock N Roll want (or need)? Once the listener gets to “Plain Sight”, you will be transported to dreamland and never want to come back. Brilliant. http://www.dinowalrus.com/
Buy now from iTunes.
… still there’s more …