In the latest of a number of high-profile comebacks in 2011, The Strokes have made their long awaited return. In a year that promises the returns of the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters to the music studio, The Strokes remain one of the biggest highlights of a bumper year. But, if you have followed any of the press surrounding fourth album ‘Angles’, you will know it hasn’t exactly been a problem-free process.
The build-up to this comeback has been dominated by stories of the band being at war. The Strokes apparently have ‘undertones of hostility and resentment’ according to guitarist Nick Valensi, while the four musicians were reported to be less than happy with Julian Casablancas and his solo exploits. This resulted in one take of ‘Angles’ being scrapped and Casablancas recording vocals separate to the band.
What will it be then? The epicly charming Strokes that gave us ‘Is This It?’ and reinvented modern rock and coolness at the same time? Or will it be a damp squib from a band unfocused though in-fighting and well out of touch with a modern audience? Well, it might not quite be the first one, but it sure as hell ain’t the second one. ‘Angles’ may see the band going in directions we’ve never heard before – chilled electronica in the vein of MGMT one of these – but they are in triumphant form in this confident effort.
With our appetites suitably wetted by the brilliantly optimistic and impossibly catchy ‘Under Cover Of Darkness’, there is still a strong sense of Stroke-ness about this album. Partly down to the terrific and typically Casablancas vocal, and partly down to that unmistakable layered guitar feel, there are some fine songs that could have walked onto any of their previous efforts. Opener ‘Machu Picchu’ evolves from a reggae-beat start to a jangling guitar release, while ‘Taken For A Fool’ builds a swelling chorus we’ve come to expect from the New Yorkers.
‘Gratisfaction’ is bouncing with an irrepressible hooking performance and ‘Metabolism’ seems to have come straight here from ‘First Impressions…’, while the album’s highlight (a difficult call ahead of ‘Gratisfaction’) comes in its closer. Slightly chilled but swelling into an infectiously under-played chorus, ‘Life Is Simple In The Moonlight’ is a fine example of The Strokes return to form.
It’s not all easy work though. ‘Angles’ as a whole is what you class ‘a grower’, it will have a much profounder effect on you on the tenth listen than on the first. ‘Two Kinds of Happiness’ borrows from the 80’s with a fantastic crescendo of guitars, ‘You’re So Right’ has a dark and sinister electro-feel and ‘Call Me Back’ sees Casablancas joined by nothing but a slowly speaking guitar and atmospheric backing. ‘Games’ also has a stomping MGMT electronic feel, and it takes a bit of time to love these tracks. But the important thing is that you do in the end.
With 2011 being the ten year anniversary of ‘Is This It?’, it shows how The Strokes have grown. They may now not be the generation-defining band they were in 2001, but they are now one of the most established rock bands on this increasingly non-rock music scene and ‘Angles’ proves this. Not bad for a band just coming back from five years out.
Very, very good and difficult to choose a favourite track, but at this moment, I'm just going for 'Life Is Simple In The Moonlight'. Enjoy.
NWR
So, what did you expect from The Vaccines? Josh Young & Co. have been flung into the public eye, with many linking them to the likes of the Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. But whereas they may lack the energy of the former and the instantaneous flair of the second, The Vaccines – with their echoing guitars, Editors-style vocals and indie rock variety - may have justified their billing as the best new guitar band in Britain.
‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?’ is the highly anticipated debut release from the London-based four piece, having slowly built up a big reputation on the music scene. Receiving praise from Zane Lowe, Q and Clash, placing third on the BBC Sound of 2011 poll and gaining a loyal backing from NME have seen them shoot onto the periphery of many, and this thirty-five minute wonder is, in places, the triumph we have been promised.
The impact is immediate; opener ‘Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’ is just over a minute’s worth of indie rock blyss with a exhilarating beat and joyous vocals that fit perfectly onto any alternative dancefloor, followed swiftly by the pacy tale of desperation ‘If You Wanna’. ‘Norgaard’ carries on the Wombats-style jubilation as does the guitar-jangling ‘Wolf Pack’, while in album highlight ‘Post Break-Up Sex’, they have got an indie anthem like nothing this side of ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’; an magnificent performance, swelling chorus and as relevant as Alex Turner’s early efforts.
The Vaccines also have an Editors-esque feel to them; the echoey production and heavy-hitting guitar notes of ‘Blow It Up’ compliment Young’s Tom Smith-style vocals in this mellow guitar odyssey. But they are (occasionally) more optimisitic and catchy than the modern champions of morose rock, the atmospheric building of ‘A Lack of Understanding’ and the plodding ode to staying young ‘Wetsuit’ prove this. ‘All in White’, when it actually kicks in, is another example of their talents.
Some songs are undoubtedly better than others, but the much slower ‘Family Friend’ is a good swelling sing-a-long, and the album is finished in fine style with the paceless and sorrowful piano afterthought ‘Somebody Else’s Child’. There is a flaw in this first effort into mainstream success – ‘Under Your Thumb’ is aimless as it fails to build and release, but doesn’t detract from a very good album.
So, what to expect from The Vaccines? Personally, the links to the Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes are just a bit off for me. Sure, The Vaccines have written some fine tunes – ‘Post Break-Up Sex’ lifting the album with its sheer brilliance – but they aren’t ready to be put up in the Indie Rock Hall of Fame just yet. But make sure you give ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?’ a listen, they may just be the best new guitar band on the block compared to their present rivals.
NWR
Elbow’s new album could have gone one of two ways. After the unexpected but overwhelming success of 2008’s ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, they could have carried on with a more commercial output to win over even more fans. Or, they could have retreated; returned to their former glories and appease the older fans with their more reserved brilliance. In the end, they’ve done both.
‘Build A Rocket, Boys!’ both keeps the ones-that-were-there-at-the-start happy and has enough nostalgic genius to attract even more to the band. It’s not ‘Seldom Seen Kid’ that’s for sure, there’s no ‘One Day Like This’ on here. Instead, anthemic alternative rock has been substituted for soft and subtle personal tales of front man Guy Garvey’s childhood, and it’s deceptively effective.
For this new effort, Garvey moved back to his childhood home of Manchester and returned back to his roots in a musical sense; ‘Build A Rocket Boys!’ streams with tales of family, first loves and a sad yet touching nostalgia. Opener ‘The Birds’ sets this from the off; a meandering beat that builds and builds via gentle electronic beeps and synthesised orchestras into a crescendo led by Garvey’s exceptional vocals.
‘Neat Little Rows’ is a moodier, more sinister allusion to home that lends sparingly from ‘Grounds For Divorce’, while the atmospheric ‘The Night Will Always Win’ is a sparse piano-led plea from Garvey-led for old friends. The nostalgia reaches fever point in closing track ‘Dear Friends’, a slow Coldplay-esque message with the touching lyrics ‘While so far away you are with me today/You are in my head, in my heart’. You’re even reaching for the tissues for album highlight ‘Lippy Kids’; a poignant tale of youth aimed at hooded adolescents, softly delivered and magnificently atmospheric, with the personal cry ‘Do they know those days are golden?’.
Where this effort differs from the previous release is its minimalism. Often, instruments are done away with leaving just a piano/guitar, a choir-led backing and the platform for Garvey’s distinctively extraordinary vocals to take centre stage. The jangling ‘With Love’ and pacier ‘Open Arms’ see Garvey lifted by a luscious backing chorus, while it’s just him, an acoustic guitar and a small keyboard riff for ‘Jesus Is A Rochdale Girl’, the tale of his first love. Garvey’s more a poet than a lyricist, and his talent is on full show here.
It may lack some of the bold and catchy melodies of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ but it more than makes up for it with its sheer heartfelt sentiments. It’s an actually heart moving album that will not struggle to gain fans, and with Guy Garvey’s glorious vocal performance, ‘Build A Rocket Boys!’ is a triumph.
A fine album and here's a live performance of my favourite track, 'Lippy Kids'.
NWR
There are few albums in the history of music that had the monumental impact that Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ did in 1991. Undisputedly the major release of the ‘grunge’ movement, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl reinvigorated alternative rock, putting themselves in the lofty accolades as ‘Spokesmen for the Generation’ with a fine album full of heavy but approachable guitar riffs, tangible power and anthemic songs that informed the next thirty years of music.
Debut album ‘Bleach’, released in 1989, saw Cobain first come to the fore – he was the ‘gem’ that had been unearthed by the independent label Sub Pop (with Nirvana remaining their biggest sellers to this day). But for ‘Nevermind’ the plan was different. Now with DGC Records, the band was free to compete outside of the Seattle grunge scene, bringing in the styles of the Pixies and Sonic Youth, to bring a more melodic touch to Nirvana’s tracks.
The clearest example of this is the world-renowned rock classic and tune that sent Nirvana to the peek of the music scene, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, which still today stands as one of the best rock songs of all-time. It was the first single that drew in everyone’s attention and from then on, ‘Nevermind’ is unstoppable. Monster tracks like the heavy brilliance of ‘In Bloom’, riff driven ‘Come As You Are’ and the melodic head-banger ‘Lithium’ are now similarly in the foundations of modern alternative rock.
This is an album that awes in its consistency, its craft and its universal appeal. The acoustic pop sides of ‘Polly’ contrast greatly to the heavy ballad genius of ‘Breed’, while the ground rules of grunge are set during fuzzy rocker ‘Territorial Pissings’ and downbeat but tuneful ‘Drain You’. ‘Lounge Art’, the adrenaline fuelled ‘Stay Away’ and ‘On a Plain’ lead into the unsettling and unnerving album ender ‘Something In The Way’ – quiet acoustic guitars and a violin-eerie backdrop. A simply magnificent alternative rock album.
Now, twenty years on from the album’s release, ‘Nevermind’ still stands tall as one of music’s defining moments. Alternative rock was now at the forefront of the scene, and it’s influence is still seen today in the likes of Feeder, My Chemical Romance and the whole new punk movement. Most of the bands who have picked up guitars since 1991 have taken atleast some inspiration from Nirvana.
Of course, we are now without front man Kurt Cobain – one of the most iconic rock stars of the century – who (reportedly) committed suicide in 1994. Drummer Grohl is now one of the biggest rock stars in the world, heading the brilliant Foo Fighters. Meanwhile, bassist Novoselic is now part-time musician, part-time political activist. But their contributions to one of the greatest albums of all-time transcends through time, and Cobain’s talents will continue to inspire bands for decades to come.
An unbelievable album, still sounds amazing today, and although it's a tough choice, here's my favourite track 'Breed'.
NWR
And so the post-Oasis battle begins. Liam Gallagher has made his anticipated return to music – a mere eighteen months after Oasis split unceremoniously in a fit of broken guitars at a French festival. And while Noel has remained silent on the music front, Gallagher Junior has stole the march with new project Beady Eye (with all previous Oasis members Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Chris Sharrock along for the ride). And the verdict? Gallagher Junior is well and truly in the lead.
In truth, many had the same expectations for Beady Eye’s debut release ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’. Whether it’s through the rose-tinted glasses of ex-Oasis followers or the hisses of ex-Oasis haters, the best anyone could have hoped/dreaded was a passable set of simplistic rockers along the lines of the bulk of Liam’s back catalogue. But what’s surprising is the creativity, the energy that flows through this album and the positivity. Beady Eye seem free of the Oasis shackles (there are tracks on here that Noel would never have gone for) and the band are on triumphant form.
This album can be split in two really. On the first side, you’ve got your simplistic but effective rockers. The best comes in first track ‘Four Letter Word’; a terrific opener, in-your-face raucous rock and some telling statements. Liam spits (in a sideways glance at his former band) ‘Nothing ever lasts forever’, while the challenge is set with ‘the battle’s on and the song is the prize’. Your move, big brother.
‘Beatles and Stones’ is a ‘My Generation’-esque rock ‘n’ roll number spouting ‘I’m gonna stand the test of time like Beatles and Stones’, ‘Standing On The Edge of the Noise’ is a raucous guitar-heavy track with Liam yelling through a megaphone and ‘Three Ring Circus’ is blues-by-numbers. The spontaneous piano jig of ‘Bring The Light’ lifts the album with its sheer force and ‘Wind Up Dream’ is a fine sparse guitar-lick, while extra track ‘Man of Misery’ is a moody bass driven track. Along with the fantastic cover of World of Twist’s ‘Sons of the Stage’, they make for a passable effort from Oasis 2.0.
But the real surprise is the next part – tracks full of melody, exuberance and even sweetness. Anyone who thought this would just be Liam snarling and growling through three-chord rockers will be shocked by ‘For Anyone’; Liam at the very top of his range with his most delicate vocal since ‘Married With Children’ in this sweet Beatle-esque love song. There are even touches of psychedelia in the country-tinged spiritual tale ‘Millionaire’ and the ascent-to-heaven odyssey of ‘Wigwam’, while Liam himself is in exceptional voice throughout.
Lead single ‘The Roller’ and possible follow-up ‘Kill for a Dream’ are the more mainstream tracks, with the verse-bridge-chorus format that will see them get their fans. But they are not the highlights of ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’, that is reserved for the two ending tracks. ‘The Beat Goes On’ is an uplifting Lennon-style ballad, where Liam reassures ‘It’s not the end of the world/It’s not even the end of the day’ and ‘The Morning Son’ is a sunny, optimistic mellow guitar with the simple power to lift you like nothing since ‘Champagne Supernova’.
It’s not a massive break away from former glories, but it’s different enough to see Beady Eye as their own band. ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’ is an album that is played with a magnificent energy and with fantastic variety, from raucous rock ‘n’ roll to sweet mellow guitars, it makes for an extremely pleasant listen. Liam Gallagher hasn’t just met expectations, he has exceeded them. I wonder what Noel thinks…
A brilliant album and here's my favourite track 'The Morning Son'.
NWR
