Tribes - Sappho

Tribes are the latest hyped guitar band to come out of Camden, and having supported the Mystery Jets as well as releasing an excellent EP, they seem to promise something new. Not in the sense that they are going to redefine their genre, but simply in that they are a band who seems to have the rare ability of writing good song after good song. Subsequent to the ‘We Were Children’ EP, Tribes return with new single ‘Sappho’.

Johnny Lloyd’s self assured vocals swagger over the track from the beginning; electric guitars and drums as a swooning compliment. Dropping down at first for the almost whispered chorus builds the tension as you can almost hear the attempt to add some controversial grime to the song. As the chorus is roared again to finish it off it is clear that ‘Sappho’ simply does not have the hooks or the sing along effect to draw in the listener. It all feels a bit similar to everything else coming out of Camden constantly.

The attention afforded to Tribes is growing every day suggesting that the masses like the song, so hopefully the album (due in January) will prove that ‘We Were Children’ was not a one off and the band can write some better hits than ‘Sappho’.

By Jessy Parker

Florence And The Machine - What The Water Gave Me

The time has come we have all been waiting for and once again Florence Welch has used her witchy musical craft to begin what I am sure will be a great year for her, with a thrilling come back single. With the release of Florence and the Machine’s album out November 7^th, our first mystical instalment has finally arrived. The question was if Florence Welch would trade her iconic sound which just over two years ago sailed her to the top of the charts for a different route, although I am relieved to say the realise of new single “What The Water Gave Me” has stayed true to Florence’s roots we all loved so much, however this time with a more soulful approach from album Lungs.

The single starts with an instant grabbing intro which grows gradually throughout the song, until we can not contain ourselves any longer and we are dancing around like a hippie, secretly pretending to be Florence. Yes the song has that effect! Folk-like chanting accompanied with a small choir, above twinkling harps, complex orchestral arrangements and a heavy smashing bass finally leads to her iconic quivering howl, adding that magical Florence loveliness we all love. I’m sure it will not be long until are twitter feeds are filled with lyrics taken from the song. Such as lyrics like “pockets full of stones” which was inspired by the death of English writer Virginia Woof, who drowned herself by filling her pockets with stones.

Florence’s two week stint with producer of album Lungs and new album out November Paul Epworth, seems to have paid off. Mind bogglingly feel good with that Florence and the Machine passion and excitement and thats “What The Water Gave Me”.  The mighty 5.32 minutes really isn’t enough to satisfy my Florence love though. Bring on November!

By Ailsa Morris

Slow Club - Paradise

Paradise starts off with a bang, soulful and punchy with electronic undertones, lead single 'Two Cousins' sees a departure from Slow Club's 2009 debut full length 'Yeah So' which was more of an ode to teenage heartbreak and all things 'twee'. Whether Slow Club have done this consciously or not, they will definitely shake off the twee tag with Paradise. Some of this album feels like it's advert ready with 'Two Cousins' sounding like the soundtrack to a KFC advert, whereas 'Never Look Back' could easily replace the current M&S advert. Although not quite so different that it's unrecognisable, this Sheffield duo's sophomore effort has matured with the band like a fine wine. As Rebecca and Charles harmonise on 'Where I'm Waking', "You've got something to smile about", rest assured they have something to smile about with this album. 

Featuring more of Rebecca's glorious vocals and trademark drums that seem to fully establish themselves throughout the album, Paradise sees Slow Club fully in their element. Although a lot more bipolar emotionally than 'Yeah So', it's great to see the contrast such as on 'Where I'm Waking' which is a discombobulation of crashing drums and shouting vocals where 'Hackney Marsh' is more mellow and acoustic. Although following the same themes as their debut, Slow Club have adapted their sound for the tricky second album but they've succeeded, much like Noah and the Whale's transition between Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down and The First Days of Spring, Slow Club are opting for a slightly more solemn approach which seems to prove popular. 

8/10

By Aurora Mitchell

Balam Acab - Wander/Wonder

The growing popularity of 'witch house' has brought a number of new, internet-based musicians to the forefront of modern synth music. Balam Acab, the project of young Pennsylvanian Alec Koone, has been one of the most talked-about artists representing the sub-genre. Shrouded in mystery, his music combines erratic synths, slow tempos, distorted vocals and atmospheric, natural sounds. ‘Wander/Wonder’ is Koone’s first full-length album, after the release of the acclaimed See Birds EP in August 2010.

It’s difficult to judge the album by its individual tracks. It feels almost wrong to listen to only one track then ignore the rest, this album sounds and feels more natural as a whole. Nearly all of the tracks revolve around the same structure, each one beginning with crackling noise and warped vocals, often building up to a deep bassline and stuttering drum beat. Each track blends together to essentially create a 37 minute lullaby, being separated only by a few seconds of silence each time. The silence fits perfectly, often complimenting the quiet, peaceful melodies.

The mystery surrounding Alec Koone and his music is part of what makes the album enthralling. With vague song titles, often consisting of only two syllables, it appears that the song’s focus and subject is open for interpretation. Although some might say the tracks on ‘Wander/Wonder’ don’t need interpretation, Koone is purely focusing on making beautiful, almost ethereal music.

Considering that Alec Koone is only at the age of 20, it’s impressive that he can produce such beautiful, haunting music that will encapsulate the listener from start to finish. If Balam Acab were to develop and progress with age, who knows what kind of direction he could take next.

8/10

By Calum Stephen

Jay Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne

Jay-Z and Kanye West need absolutely no introduction whatsoever. This collaborative album between two of rap’s biggest has been in the making for nine months. Despite featuring together on a couple of tracks, most notably Jay-Z’s "Run This Town" and West’s "Monster", this is the first full-length album to be released by the duo. Originally planned to be a five-track EP, ‘Watch the Throne’ apparently took three attempts to finally complete, and while it is phenomenal in places, it is evident that, judging by previous efforts, the duo could have done better.

The album does have highs, the musicianship showcased on the album being just one of them. The music on every track is bold, vast and dark, similar to West’s excellent ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’. The production is distinct and compliments each track well, showing both rappers’ unique taste and style. The album’s main highlight, "Lift Off", is an outstanding track featuring none other than Mrs Jay-Z herself. The soaring introduction heralds Beyoncé’s arrival before the outstanding chorus kicks. It’s an obvious choice for a single, but the correct one. It deserves to top singles charts all over the world. Other highlights are provided in the form of "No Church in the Wild" featuring Odd Future’s Frank Ocean, "New Day" which contains an auto-tuned sample of Nina Simone’s "Feeling Good", and "Murder to Excellence" which broadcasts the most serious message on the whole album.

However, it’s the moments where both artists have nothing important to say that bring the album down. Occasionally on the album, the lyrics focus around the rich, luxurious lifestyle of the duo, and while it is the lifestyle that most would love to have, it doesn’t make for good listening. Other lows on the album are provided when the music and the lyrics become cluttered and sound disjointed. The lead track "Otis" ends at the right moment, if it had gone on for longer, the sample would have became annoying. Thankfully, the album only has a small of number of flaws, which can be overlooked.

With a collaboration this big, you would have been hoping for album of the century. But the best rap album of the year will do just fine. Now, will there be a follow-up and will we have to wait ages for that to happen?

7/10
By Calum Stephen

Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind Of Fix

When 'Shuffle' was released a single, some fans were confused as to where the Bombay Bicycle Club they knew and loved had gone. Waking up the bleary eyed with a wonky piano riff, droning undertones and less formulaic production, 'Shuffle' is the point at which you can clearly see the influence that Animal Collective producer Ben Allen has had on Bombay Bicycle Club's third studio album A Different Kind Of Fix. Dissimilar to I Had The Blues... and Flaws, A Different Kind Of Fix doesn't contain songs like the instant hits that have made them so renowned through audiences young and old. For the North London based band, this is their most hotly anticipated album since Flaws charted at #2 in the UK charts which gained them plenty new fans who perhaps thought Bombay had found their niche and would stay with the acoustic sound.


Featuring on the Eclipse soundtrack, opener 'How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep' has become a fan favourite despite the fact that I doubt many of their fans actually saw the third installment of the demeaning Twilight series. The album goes from strength to strength as 'Bad Timing' is akin to the hits of 'I Had The Blues...' but sounding a lot more mature and with epic guitars of Interpol proportions. This is new territory for the band as they have released two very consistent and dare I say it, safe albums. There isn't a song on A Different Kind Of Fix that sounds similar to the next and Jack Steadman even treads on Thom Yorke's shoes in 'Still', where his falsetto bears a canny resemblance to the Radiohead frontman. 


New addition to both live shows and recording, Lucy Rose provides a soothing, female equivalent vocal to Jack Steadman's, producing perfect harmonious points on the album, most notably on 'Lights Out, Words Gone'. It feels as if they have really pushed the boundaries of their sound while still staying very true to themselves. Although A Different Kind Of Fix doesn't possess the instant charisma of I Had The Blues or the fairytale charm of Flaws, the record grows with every listen, it may not be that festival friendly but it's impossible to stop yourself singing along. Bombay Bicycle Club are releasing albums at breakneck speed and show no signs of slowing down for anyone. 


8/10
By Aurora Mitchell

Bands to look out for #11

Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey has the spirit of an old Hollywood star in the aftermath of their fame but with modern narcissism.  She has aptly named her music 'Hollywood sadcore' and you could argue that there's a pretentious air about her for creating yet another sub genre for blogs to go crazy about. Her debut single 'Video Games' romanticises about celebrity life but in an old fashioned way which reflects in the video, which includes many clips of events including an Oscars after party, depicting a woman stumbling around drunk which sums up the whole song. This nasally lament puts Lana Del Rey into a good position where the likes of Adele and Florence have been blocking up the charts with their whiney and over reheased voices. It's rare that you find a voice as raw and powerful that has the ability to capture your heart and spit it out in the same song. You can tell she knows she has talent so it's just as well people agree with her. This one's for the bitter women sat with a cigarette in one hand and a stale glass of gin in the other.  Debut single Video Games is out October 16 on Stranger Records
http://www.facebook.com/lanadelrey

By Aurora Mitchell

Katy B - Witches Brew

'Witches Brew' is the fifth single to be taken from Katie Brien aka Katy B’s debut album “On A Mission” and although taking five singles from an album could be risky for a new artist she has every right to considering the success of the album which entered at Number 1 in the UK Album Charts and recently was nominated for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize.

Despite containing an incredibly catchy chorus and clearly demonstrating Katy’s vocal talent, “Witches Brew” will never be as successful as “Katy On A Mission” and should have been kept as an album track rather than being released as a single as it appears to blend in with the rest of the album. Undoubtedly it will be played in clubs and pubs across the UK for weeks on end, but it will not have people racing to the dance floor as it seems to lack that Katy “spark”. However you will have the “oh oh oooh’s” stuck in your head for the rest of the night.

By Julia Christmas

Oupa - Forget

Daniel Blumberg’s side project Oupa demonstrates a totally different sound to the scuzzy rock of Yuck, his main band; ‘Forget’ is a delicate and lonely record, with sadness pervading most of the tracks. A follow up to the ‘Weakend’ EP Blumberg shows off his emotionally charged vocals over a softer background. Opening track ‘Driving’ starts with a delicate acoustic guitar under pinning his reverb drenched voice as he moans “I drove too slow for you”. ‘Waiting For The Car’ and ‘Forget’ continue the melancholic, eerie feel, with Blumberg pleading “no, you can’t forget me now”.

The synth chords on ‘Physical’ compliment the continued torment which sounds as if he is desperately trying to make someone real and ‘Windows’ echoes the Yuck track ‘Suicide Policeman’ about trying to save someone. The album continually displays a longing to help and change things but ultimately it being a pointless effort.

Stand out track ‘New Home’ takes on a more classic song structure compared to the more languid previous songs. The drums push it forward as Blumberg moans “I’ve been waiting for so long now” before a distorted synth solo which again lends itself to Yuck’s sound, whereas ‘Those Are The Senses’ is a ten minute epic which gradually builds.  Opening with a slow guitar solo it is then caressed by vocals before ending with thirty seconds of distortion, a contrasting finish.

Occasionally the album drifts a bit but it is a small fault. It’ll be interesting to see if Yuck begin to sound more like Oupa considering its Blumberg’s more recent writing but only time will tell.  For now though ‘Forget’ is a stripped down proof of Blumberg’s song-writing talent.

7/10

By Jessy Parker

Howler - This One's Different EP

The name of Howler’s debut EP is both correct and slightly misleading. With these five songs the band have taken a sound which is not very different at all, reminiscent of many bands, most notably the Strokes. But the latest signings from Rough Trade have twisted it into something undeniably more original than that. Howler are a five piece from Minnesota and they’re not short on press in Britain either, having just been named the number one band in the NME’s “Top 25 acts you need to hear”. With most of the songs under three minutes, there is a catchy, punky vibe to the EP. The raucous ‘This One’s Different’ and ‘I Told You Once’ demonstrate Jordan Gatesmith’s cocky vocals while the very Strokes-esque ‘For All Concern’ leaves Gatesmith sounding broody and menacing as he sings “I’m easy to love/and I’m easy to hate”

“You Like White Women, I Like Cigarettes” holds no pretence as the band soundtrack Gatesmith’s moans until he roars “I’m so tired of making out”. But the oddity of the EP is “14 Days” which takes a totally different direction to the rest of the tracks. The pulsing drum beat pushes the song forward but the guitars are swathed in distortion and it is here where it becomes clear that Howler are not just the newest American guitar band.

As finishing touches are being put to the new album, it is a very promising start from America’s most recent export. Just don’t say they’re the new Strokes. 

8/10

By Jessy Parker