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INDIE-POP TRASHCAN SINATRAS In the Music (Lo-Five Records) ●●●●●
Nineteen years since their debut, Cake, and five years since their last set, Weightlifting, Irvine’s finest export, Trashcan Sinatras, spread their welcome musical manifesto of love, peace and relaxed harmonies once again. With no criticism
intended, C-86-inspired frontman Frank (brother of Eddi) Reader, threads his way through classy songs such as ‘People’ (think Aztec Camera), ‘Prisons’ (think Del Amitri) and The Smiths- esque title track, while ‘Easy on the Eye’ is basically a fusion of Travis and the riff from Bread’s ‘Guitar Man’. However, this is no indie-music heist – for the Trashcans have been around long enough to be thought of as an influence rather than being influenced, and then there’s the imaginative capture of American legend Carly Simon on backing vocals for ‘Should I Pray?’, or the Bacharach-like ‘Oranges and Apples’. An all round great album. (Martin C Strong)
HEAVY ROCK PART CHIMP Thriller (Rock Action) ●●●●●
ALT.FOLK WITHERED HAND Good News (SL) ●●●●●
Withered Hand is not, alas, a Jeremy Beadle tribute band. It is, however, the nom de plume of Edinburgh alt.folk messiah Dan Willson – and for said dude we should give thanks. Willson is a curious pop disciple: a deadpan bard eternally vexed by the doctrines of God, the inconsequence of life, and the transparent nature of modern swimwear. Good News, his gorgeous debut album, delivers a compendium of warped-rock sermons that variously reference Seventh- day Adventism (‘Cornflake’); lyrical post-rationalisation (‘For the Maudlin’); and knocking one out on your paramour’s couch (‘Religious Songs’, his signature anthem).
Despite his dedication to a DIY cause that’s seen Withered Hand tread
Edinburgh’s live terrain and perform with Jeffrey Lewis and Calvin Johnson, Willson’s quavering vocals and acoustic eulogies remind of heavy-hitters Bright Eyes (on woebegone porch-swing opener ‘Providence’) – and even Neil Young at times.
Fans will recognise much of Good News: previous Withered Hand singles feature, but they’re (needlessly) tweaked by producer Kramer (Low, Daniel Johnston). Hence deficit aria ‘No Cigarettes’ surrenders some of its vulnerability, while a refinement of ‘Religious Songs’ misplaces the hymn’s initial scrabbly desperation. This is a minor quibble. Willson’s sing-a-long afflictions and satirical
narratives are marvellous. ‘Lord . . . won’t you listen to me, your unfaithful servant’s filthy fucking language,’ he importunes on ‘Love in the Time of Ecstasy’, a sonorous ‘so-what’ to the hereafter. ‘In the greater scheme of things, I am nothing’ he later claims – which just goes to show that, despite being splendid, Withered Hand is not always right. (Nicola Meighan)
ROCK TWIN ATLANTIC Vivarium (Red Bull Records) ●●●●● Not since the sacred Biffy Clyro, has The List been this excited about a bunch of young Scottish rockers. Twin Atlantic conjure up images of early Idlewild and Foo Fighters with a post-rock twist, and one listen to mini-debut
offering Vivarium proves why kids (and old hacks like us) are getting all hysterical over them. From start to finish,
these eight tracks thrill and enthral with a ferocious blend of crunching riffs, pummelled basslines, pounding drums and pianos. And perhaps most impressive of all are the poetic lyrics: penned with real thought and emotion. Twin Atlantic are as epic and infectious as they are inventive. More soon please. (Camilla Pia) Imagine a supernova collapsing into a super- gravitational black hole, sucking in whole star systems, then eating pies and doughnuts for all eternity, and that still wouldn’t be as heavy as Part Chimp. This third album from the London über-nu-pre-post- grunge behemoths is monumentally rocking,
like the most messed- up parts of Mudhoney, Fugazi, Ministry, Lard and an aeroplane crashing straight into your head, all welded together by extraordinary riffage and shriekage. Tracks like opener ‘Trad’ and ‘Sweet T’ are so bloody- mindedly focussed on guitar carnage as to leave you slack-jawed at the band’s wilful disregard for the trappings of commercial rock’n’roll. (Doug Johnstone) INDIE MONSTERS OF FOLK Monsters Of Folk (Rough Trade) ●●●●●
With a band made up of such indie big guns as Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes, Jim James of My Morning Jacket and singer-songwriter M Ward, you’d imagine there would be an almighty scrap over who took frontman duties. Not with Monsters Of Folk however, the supergroup of every plaid shirt-donning muso’s dreams. In fact it’s a thoroughly collaborative affair; as this debut record finds all four members singing lead and together on 15 tracks of subtle, affecting country rock. They also take turns on a range of instruments including harps, keyboards and guitars, with each musician’s distinctive style blending seamlessly throughout these 15 tracks. A blissful union indeed. (Camilla Pia) ALT.FOLK J TILLMAN Year in the Kingdom (Bella Union) ●●●●●
Unknown to most, current Fleet Foxes drummer J Tillman is a prolific singer-songwriter in his own right, and this sixth solo outing is a companionable jaunt through a similar alt.folk hinterland to his day job. With fragile banjo, tremulous dulcimer,
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Shields Up Shields Up (Wasted State Records) Edinburgh hardcore fans Shields Up managed to produce their debut in a matter of weeks, and are now relentlessly touring the circuit on hope of achieving stardom.
OMT Anamantium (Rising Records) That OMT stands for Our Malevolent Tyranny should give some clue about what to expect from this debut. Brutal metal combined with fast riffs and copious head-thrashing. Will Vinson Promises (Nineteen- Eight Records) Jazz supremo Vinson returns with his second solo album. Described as ‘the thinking man’s musician’, no doubt confirmed by his track ‘Adventures of Bagpuss’.
Alan Windram 10 O’Clock in the Morning (10am Records) Now going solo after touring with Edinburgh band Splendid, Windram has been compared to Travis and Snow Patrol. Inoffensive soft rock tinged with Americana. Paloma Faith Do You Want the Truth Or Something Beautiful? (Epic) Mix Amy Winehouse with VV Brown and add a touch of theatrics and you get this debut by the multi- talented Faith, who combines careers in burlesque, acting, dancing and singing.
OMO The White Album (LoAF Recordings) Laidback electronica from the German duo who describe their sound as ‘domestic pop’. Mew No More Stories (Columbia) The fifth album from Sandanavian musos Mew, who are riding high after being hand-picked to support Nine Inch Nails on their last ever tour. Easy- going, soft indie-pop which makes ideal lounge music.
10–24 Sep 2009 THE LIST 67