Sunday 19 February 2017

Five a Day: Week Seven

Day One - Pop Princess'

This is Icona Pop - Icona Pop. Boring electro pop album. The first five tracks share pretty much the same drum pattern and structure and the last five share more of the same elements. I have danced to one of these songs in a club and it worked then because it was a big dumb pop song but don't stretch the success of that single across and album. 

Paris - Paris Hilton. This is why models shouldn't make albums. They hire expensive but dull producers who smash out generic pop songs. All these songs are faceless uninspired generic electro pop with hip hop track , a track with a washed out guitar (in an attempt at pop rock) and a track with an off beat guitar ( I won't dignify it by calling it reggae) with words that make me ill. 

Cinderella's eyes - Nicola Roberts. Judged this album by the front cover because it features a great photo and not just because she is an attractive lady. Shame it is a bland electro pop album with dull song writing. There is one interesting effect on the first track and one track sounds faintly like the Pet Shop Boys. 

 Sheezus - Lily Allen. I loved Lily Allen's album prior to this, It's not me, It's you. It had smart song writing and a more organic pop sound. This is just a synthetic pop mess. Don't get me wrong the song writing is mostly great with some smart witty lines a long side one of my fave songs of the past five years, Hard Out Here. Before I forget I am sure Nigel Blackwell wrote one of these songs, URL Badman, seems like something he'd write. Unfortunately the layers of synths, dubstep wobbles and vocoder is detracting. Sorry Lily, Love ya. 



Anywhere I lay my head - Scarlett Johansson. What is essentially a Tom Waits covers album by a leading actress, I had no idea what to think. It's folky, Country, but then half way through a drum machine starts some of the tracks and feels awkward against the folk instrumentation. It's not bad and may take more than one listen to enjoy it a bit more. My hearings not particularly good at the minute so will save this for listen number two.

 Day Two - Lullaby versions

Lullaby versions of The White Stripes, Green Day, David Bowie, Blur and The Clash. 

All of these albums have the same problems. The faster songs slowed down make it hard to comprehend what song they actually are. The slower songs work really well but blink and you you won't be able to tell what's happening.

Day Three - Krautrock

Viva - La Dusseldorf. Sounds like a Yes album but I enjoyed it a whole lot more.

Hijack - Amon Duul II. Bland Hippy Space Rock

Opal - Embryo. Jazzy intense rock music - very much like Can.


Musik Von Harmonia - Harmonia. Sounds like one half Steve Reich and one half Brian Eno.

Zuckerziet - Cluster. Proto-dance music: with a big beat over it it could be a Chemical Bros album.

Day Four - Difficult Second Albums

A French Kiss in the Chaos - Reverend and The Makers. Politically charged lyrically without resolve backed by enjoyable Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era influenced rock. 

Ten New messages - The Rakes. Post punk revivalism without twist or much interest.

The Optimist  - New Young pony Club. Kinda reminds me of the second Gossip album in all the right ways.

Don't say we didn't warn you - Does it Offend you, Yeah? Exaggerated noiser sections and more tuneful quieter parts than the debut.
Do it again - Twisted Wheel. Mod rock from the one time punks.

Day Five - Newish releases

Lemon Memory - Menace Beach. Noisey psychedelic garage rock and roll with a scartch and sniff front cover.

Nehurvia - Bishop Nerhu. Well produced Hip Hop with lyrically simple, love and egotistical songs.

Dumb Blood - Vant. Lyrically Blunt Garage rock

Prisoner - Ryan Adams. Pleasant heartfelt country album.

Life will see you Now - Jens Lekman. There Goes Rhymin' Simon era Paul Simon takes song writing lessons from Courtney Barnett. 
Album of the year contender

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