Album Review – Lana Del Rey
Many have already made their minds up on Lana Del Rey and this isn’t the kind of album to change those opinions.
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Introducing… Spector
What they do aim for, and regularly hit, is the part of the brain that thoroughly enjoys it when great pop songs are disguised under thick layers of real instruments.
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Introducing… The Staves
Like many sibling groups it is when the girls break into their delicately woven harmonies that they shine. They combine guitar parts that resonate with tonality and implausibly beautiful vocals.
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Download: Lana Del Rey – Video Games & Born To Die (Live for the BBC)
After cancelling her London show she kept the germs at bay long enough to pop in to both BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 1 this week.
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(Listen...)
Listen: Bruce Springsteen – We Take Care Of Our Own
Well there are no queens of no supermarkets here folks. Just a good ol’ slice of the Magic/Rising-sounding Springsteen stomp that he’ nailed for much of the last decade.
(Introducing...)
Interview: Nada Surf
On the eve of the release of their seventh album, When The Gramophone Rings sits down with indie veterans Nada Surf to discuss their new ambition and why it’s never good to be hot…
(Download)
Download: Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Live on SNL)
Has an artist ever before been through the HYPE-BACKLASH cycle quite so many times before their debut album’s even been released as Lana Del Rey has in recent months?
(Review)
Album Review: The 2 Bears
When looking at its members you’d be a fool to expect a crooning country album, so it’s with little surprise but smiles all round that the record bursts with catchy dance-pop.
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Album Review – First Aid Kit
Transcending the expectations of the listener, The Lions Roar has without a doubt become a contender for the most beautiful album of the year.
Listen: Santigold – Big Mouth
Anyone expecting Lights Out Mk II will be disappointed. Anyone expecting a wonky, slice of jungle-pop will be pleasantly surprised.
Album Review – Nada Surf
Quite simply and without putting too fine a point on it, this is a record full of smile-inducingly heart-winning indie-pop tunes.
Listen: Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid
The chorus is pure wunder-pop and gets its melody of its chest quickly before the guitars and blast-beat drums come like a wrecking ball back into the mix.
Album Review – The Big Pink
Technically there’s nothing wrong with this kind of album. It’s easy listening, radio-ready for sure, but none of the songs are particularly memorable…
Download: Nada Surf – Waiting For Something
Three-and-a-half minutes of irresistible power-pop complete with shining melodies and swooping harmonies.
Listen: The Shins – Simple Song
Dripping with sun-drenched melodies and a widescreen vintage FM sheen, it starts with dreamy guitar echo before finding a pop-rock strut that seriously suits them.
Album Review – The Maccabees
It’s their slowest record by far, the least immediate, the most beautiful and, by a country mile, their best.
Introducing… Howler
It’s not surprising then than that this cheekboned US five-piece specialise in no-frills, fuzzy indie-pop that links them very much to the lineage of The Strokes. The constant wearing of Converse doesn’t help matters either.
Brendan Benson starts record label & announces new album
Entitled What Kind of World and released in April via his own Readymade label, it will be his fifth solo effort and his first since 2009′s brilliant My Old, Familiar Friend.
Listen: Lana Del Rey – National Anthem
Ahead of Off To The Races it’s the most beatsy of what we’ve heard so far as well as the most poppy, with the ‘tell me i’m your national anthem’ hook in the chorus sounding pretty huge.
