ROCK
THE STOOGES The Weirdness (Virgin) 0000
Come on! What did you expect? How could the first album in 35 years from the band who inspired everything from The Ramones to Mogwai and Guns ‘n Roses not be anything other than an anti—climax? A good album is a good album though. whether it is made by leathery fiftysomethings or hopped-up teen long hairs smeared in peanut butter. And even the most corny. indulgent bits here are still on a par with most of the belligerent swaggerers larging it around the R‘n'R campfire today. History dictates yOu can't listen to a new Stooges record without listening out for their
pedigree. and. yes. the wit. guile and brawn of the early years shines through often. They may be as dangerous your nan these days but this is still great. mildly filthy fun. Lock your inner chin stroker in the basement for the night. put this on loud and wreck the front room like it's 1969. (Mark Robertson)
FUNK-ROCK SUB-OPT
My Magnificent Octopus (wwwsub—optcom) O...
With an overt sense of fun and adventure these ascending Edinburgers possess all the attitude and contrary sweetness of the likes of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and come out sounding not unlike Californicators. Musically complex. accessible and with an
ear for justified grandiosity. the three- pieces sophisticated arrangements further benefit from a careful mix. this debut album proving an ambitious and melodious statement of intent. An especially bittersweet treat also presents itself in the form of Amplifico's Donna Maciocia rocking up on middle-order ‘Optimystic'. All musicianship and imagination. if there's a progressive funk-rock sized hole in yOur collection. Sub-Opt come recommended. (Mark Edmundson)
ELECTRONICA AMON TOBIN
The Foley Room (Ninja Tune) 0...
Everything's going organic these days. from shoes to hats to yoghurt. so it is truly apposite that someone should compose a soundtrack which might reflect such a movement without having to resort to some kind of ugly. if well intentioned. knitted. boiled hemp stramash of leeks and digeridoos.
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After years of painstakingly constructing tracks from fragments of other people's records. Amon Tobin has changed tack. so he's painstakingly constructing tracks from a myriad of sounds he's recorded from the real world. The thought of him recording ants walking across a mic is sweet but completely lost amidst the rigidly organised confusion we bear witness to here. This is as fragmented a record as he’s ever made. and when it hits home it is wild and disorienting. but locked into some bigger grooves that come back around to play on your soul. Going organic never seemed like such a good investment until now. (Mark Robertson)
METAL THE END
Elementary (Relapse) on”
2006 wasn’t the most exciting for metal. So it's a relief that The End have come out of nowhere (well, Canada) to restore the faith and push the genre into new forms. Gone are the tonsil- tearing screams and mathcore chaos of previous releases. Now songs ebb and flow like tides before the tsunami. in a display of dynamics and melody akin to Tool's masterpiece. Aenima. As the album flows through passages of metal. neo- prog. rock stomp and acc0ustic introspection. it becomes clear that this is about mood. not madness. And it's fantastic. Relapse are touting these guys as ‘your new favourite band'. You know what? They're right. (Andrew Borthwick)
JAZZ TUBBY HAYES
Commonwealth Blues (Art of Life) 0000
This would go down as an important release on historic grounds alone. but it also happens to be a classy slice of mid- 608 British jazz. Although long known about. and available in part in bootleg versions. this is the first official release of the full studio sessions recorded in the summer of 1965 for the BBC World Service.
Paul Kohler of Art of Life bought the original transcription discs on eBay. and has painstakingly remastered the 20 short-ish tracks for this release. Hayes. one of the greatest of all British jazzers. is heard in vibrant form on tenor saxophone. flute and vibes. supported by the great Gordon Beck on piano. Jeff Clyne on bass. and Johnny Butts on drums. Also issued this month is a four-disc set in the budget Properbox series. The Little Giant. collecting material from Hayes' earlier output in the mid- 50s. (Kenny Mathieson)
POST ROCK JESU
Conqueror (Hydra Head) 0000
Not everyone gets to be centre stage. and it takes people like Justin K Broadrick. methodically exploring their own themes. ideas and textures on the fringes so that the likes of Razorlight have room under the spotlight to parade their vaCuous wares.
Broadrick creates wave after wave of thick. detuned. guitar drones but instead of the regulation growls and pseudo-metalisms. the grind is edged with a
ALSO RELEASED
Fulborn Teversham Count Herbert H (Pick/ed Egg) The ever inventive sticksmith behind Polar Bear and Acoustic Ladyland Seb Rochford tries on some new musical undergarments. while his punk junk jazz gets strewn with earthy. eccentric electronics. It all fits a treat and the results are truly memorable results. Kaiser Chiefs Yours Truly, Angry Mob (Po/ydor) Expanding somewhat on their bouncing, riotous post-Park/ife stomp, this second album retains the infectious energy of their past buffonery without trying to be so self- consciously different. Angus and Julia Stone Heart Full of Wire (lndipendiente) More gentle folk with spectral tunes; this time it‘s a brother and sister duo from Australia bewitching with their weary. acoustic magic. Various Women of The World (Putumayo) Celebrating international Women's Day with an exploration of contemporary acoustic songs by some of the world's leading female artists from Iceland to Cameroon via Croatia and beyond. Richard James The Seven Sleepers Den (My Kung Fu) No. not the ginger techno bod but the one—time guitar man with Gorky's Zygotic Mynci who strides out on his own with an affecting collection of pastoral folk songs.
world but refuses to go
"'"H'S TR'UMPHANT TH'RD ALBUM" M010 hazy My Bloody down. Veteran Broderick WWW.MALCOLMMIDDLETON.CO.UK ~___RAZOR_5HARP soncg Q Valentine vocals and may have mellowed with WWW'FULLTIMEHOBBY'CO'UK “...A SPRING-HEELED.JET—BLACK GEM” plaintive. lush keys. This age but his ability to i % ma... m OBSERVER MUSIC MONTHLY (“lung is sad. gloomy and create something huge. i L"“"" “‘ " "' “~-0NE OF SCOTLAND'S MOST PRECIOUS. MI) sometimes beautiful stark and often brilliant I I m ..... A“ AND UNUKELY' STARS” PLAN 8 7” flNk: music that is bloodied by remains intact.
the harshness of the (Mark Robertson)
64 THE LIST 1~16 Mar 2007