ROCK/POP The Yo-Yo’s
Uppers And Downers (Sub Pop)
* at Jr
They drink beer! They smoke fags! They have tattoos, leather jackets and nasty quiffs! Clearly, Sub Pop's latest fancy themselves as Rocket From The Crypt, but alas, they sound a bit more like (oof!) Motley Crue or even (yipes!) Poison without the ridiculous glam hair.
Musically, The Yo-Yo’s (don't they learn about apostrophes at psychobilly school?) churn out some reasonable speedfreak bar room blues, but there's not really enough in the way of originality to trouble the ears. They might be a decent enough laugh playing at your beach party if you were steaming drunk, but otherwise, it’s probably best not to bother entering their greasy old world.
(Doug Johnstone)
Brothers In Sound
Famil Is For Sharing (Regal) «k *i- A rat er lovely debut album from the people who gave us the awesome ’Leave' from their Bare/yafterwake EP. None of the tracks here are really of the same calibre, but that may have something to do with the absence of producer Kirk de Giorgio on many of the tracks. There is lots to enjoy here though: ’Sleep Again’ is haunting and dreamy, 'Journey Song' is banging cyclical housey folk, while ’Hey You’ could be Belle and Sebastian on a good day. Just remember though, that this is on the Regal home to The Beta Band (the band Brothers In Sound are musically closest to), so it could all just be a piss-take.
(Paul Dale)
The Wave Room
Love Medicine (Bella Union) 1H: Apparently, Love Medicine is the debut album by a bloke called Hamish Mackintosh. Judging from this record, Mr Mackintosh is clearly a man who takes himself very seriously indeed. In fact, Mr Mackintosh's voice is one of those self-important, melodramatic, irritating as that ulcer in your mouth that keeps snagging on yer teeth, whispery croons that were all the rage for about twenty seconds in the 805. This is no more painfully evident than in the Hipsway (yes! Hipsway! I know, I know!) bOp of ’Dreaming In Tongues’ or the soporific Simple Minds stroll of ’Manna'. Not very good, then.
(Doug Johnstone)
ELECTRONIC
Dirty Beatniks Feedback (Wall Of Sound) * ‘Tk ‘k' ir
Hypnotic chunky dance music that seems to go somewhere and nowhere at the same time. This is the Thin Lizzy of house music. Yes, progressive dancefunk with a sense of humour.
Feedback is a class act; from its outstanding album cover to its hidden track, this is a polished collection of lyrically strong songs and funky breakbeats. The album repays on many listens but 'Kris Kristofferson’ (inspired title; inspired tune) 'Bullet Proof’ and 'We All Beautiful' are intelligent, butt~ shaking beauts. (Paul Dale)
Various Artists Music Volume One (Bebencula) *‘k‘k
Number one in a series of five EPs from the Benbecula label, focusing on the importance of mood and feeling within the electro music scene. This is a lovely selection of pan-European electro-lite. Beluga (by an elusive individual from the Outer Hebrides, apparently) is haunting and hooky, as is Phase 6. Meanwhile ’Fibla' from Barcelona has a vague hypnotic pulse to it, like living above a Spanish subway. Swede Mikhael Romanenko takes things up one knot with some lush(ish) harmonics. Nothing particuarly new, but fine tunes to dewire the mainframe to. (Paul Dale)
Various Artists
400% Dynamite (Soul Jazz) *ir‘kir Lo-Fi Original Lounge Music (Apollo) at i ink
Test Card Music 5 (Apollo) dark
It's silly season in compilation village again and the roses are skanking to the thoroughly fine sounds of 400% Dynamite, the fourth in Soul Jazz’s lost reggae, ragga and butt-shaking dub. There are some superb tunes here: Barrington Levy‘s ’Under Me Sensi' bubbles with the spirit of Horace Andy, while Lloyd Robinson’s ‘Cuss Cuss' and Cassius Clay’s ’Dennis Alcapone' will have you wondering where these raw slices of two tone have been.
If you like your cheese, then Lo-Fi is for you. Every Ronnie Hazelhurst theme you have ever heard is here, albeit in a squashed Eastern Blok orchestral stylee. Most of these tunes have been lifted from the archives of the Polish and Bulgarian Radio Orchestras and they are great in a Jerry and Margo kind of way.
Test Card Music 5 is pushing it a bit. Tijuana, Bossa and Celtic music is ruthlessly plagiarised by various TV orchestras. This has a tendency to border on what the German’s call 'Schlager' music and what we call shite umpahpah. Beware hats with feathers and glasses with metal lids while listening to this. (Paul Dale)
Rick Margitza
Heart Of Hearts (Palmetto) k it it A Saxophonist Rick Margitza’s new album is a fine showcase for the player’s deft, light-toned style. He plays tenor and soprano with the kind of airy, flowing lyricism and elegant manipulation of space, light and shade which commended him to Miles Davis in the late 805. The tunes are a well-chosen mix of his own original compositions with jazz standards and more contemporary material like Chick Corea and Chris Potter's 'You’re Everything' and Don Grolnick's 'The Four Sleepers’. An excellent rhythm section, led by pianist Joey Calderazzo with Scott Colley on bass and drummer Ian Froman (formerly part of Tommy Smith’s Forward Motion), ensures the music always swings. A classy outing. (Kenny Mathieson)
STAR RATINGS as: s: t we Unmissable * s * a» Very 00d '11 at a} Wort a shot t at Below average fir You've been warned
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