As it happens, there’s no cause for concern. After thumping opener ‘National Felt’, the more sombre side of Tufts takes over. Thanks to his slightly whiny voice, a cry of “Are we there yet?” (from ‘The Road To Hana’) may not be the wisest lyric but Tufts’ main skills are in his songwriting and arrangement skills which make him sound him like an emo act for electronica-loving adults. As a case in point, on ‘Suffer Someday’ (think Smashing Pumpkins in their ‘Adore’ phase), Tufts demonstrates that his music can be rousing and anthemic.

‘Disappointed’ is a decent cover of an Electronic song which adds new layers of melancholy but Tufts has actually written better songs himself. One of these is ‘Beth’s On Fire’ where – against some dark yet bubbly electronica – a chilling tale is built up. Elsewhere, ‘Cassettes’ and the inventive ‘Crush’ provide excellent support.

Infact there’s so many good songs here that ‘Let’s Get Bloody’ is probably the best of State Shirt’s three albums so far and both of the previous ones were very strong. So, for students of brooding electronica – whether they’re angst-filled teens or mildly troubled adults – Ethan Tufts’ compositions come highly recommended.

Web Sites:
State Shirt Official Site

Further Listening:
Electronic, Smashing Pumpkins

‘Inspections At Fault’ sets the tempo but the tempo tends to be very variable. The intro offers the false dawn of ambient restraint but that’s followed by metal riffing and then back to melancholic melody again. Thanks to its intricate electronica and starry atmospherics, the excellent ‘Inverted Calligraphy’ and title track give progressive space rock a good name. In fact the latter track is actually the most convincing display of the battle between metal loops against electronic despair. It’s just a shame that ‘Carcinogen’ becomes jarring rather than thrilling. Meanwhile, the guitar-free ‘Tunnels Underground’ is a moving and welcome respite from the controlled chaos and the climax to ‘Part II’ wouldn’t sound out of place on a Bark Psychosis album.

Although Lindfors persists with his metal riffs, the quiet parts of ‘The Archetype’ are undeniably the most intriguing. Furthermore, at his best, the tracks here carry an emotional resonance that is only rarely achieved in this genre.

Web Sites:
Sordid Dream Facebook
The Archetype Bandcamp

Further Listening:
Boy Is Fiction, Bark Psychosis

It’s immediately apparent that the first two tracks on ‘Slow Lineage’ – ‘Afterglowing’ and ‘Quite The Ordeal’ – speak of the innocent times of The Wild Swans and The Lotus Eaters. The singing is of the pure, English variety with matching idiosyncratic lyrical matter, whilst the guitars jangle as if caught forever in an endless summer. ‘Iroquois And Mercury’ and ‘New Nephilim’, on the other hand, represent the more insular, experimental side to the group which pitches them as a modern day Eyeless In Gaza.

The second EP begins in much the same positive manner as the first but the close harmonies on ‘Backwards Halo’ are particularly enchanting. In another parallel with ‘Slow Lineage’, the songs takes an increasingly darker turn. ‘Nocturnes’ then concludes with the ringing, mysterious ‘Heimlich Maneuver’.

Even down to the Factory Records’ period arrangements, The Heatheners teeter on the verge of early-1980′s pastiche but their music possesses a ghostly resonance and authenticity. Intriguingly, their biographical info is minimal which makes one wonder whether this is a new act or some old hands showing beginners how it’s done.

Web Sites:
The Heatheners Bandcamp
The Heatheners Soundcloud

Further Listening:
Wild Swans, The Lotus Eaters

‘A Fitting Combination’ is a superb way to start. The noirish guitar is enhanced by a mournful burst of trumpets and fleshy percussion. After that initial flurry, ‘And Now, We Wait’ is a more chilled out affair but its languid outward appearance becomes more moving and exuberant as it progresses. The emotional peaks and key changes of ’Plant A Seed’ and the title track recall Laughing Stock-era Talk Talk whereas ‘Whisper’ forms an attractively elegiac centrepiece. By the end, there are signs that Chisholm is beginning to run out of ideas, but the album is never less than classy.

The name may not sound quite as exciting as Godspeed You! Black Emperor but Dave Chisholm successfully balances old and new jazz to form his own musical identity. Delivered with a flourish, this is definitely an album worth writing about.

Web Sites:
Calligraphy Bandcamp
Dave Chisholm Official Site

Further Listening:
Jaga Jazzist, Talk Talk

As he often does, Gonzalez begins well. ‘Midnight City’ is like an 80′s cop theme in overdrive. It’s brash (especially so on the sax solo) but also compelling for all the right reasons and then Gonzalez comes up with ‘Reunion’, one of his best songs to rival his best single ‘Run Into Flowers’. It begins like Simple Minds’ ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ and then turns into a hypnotic mesh of glistening guitars, passionate vocals and dreampop effects.

The trouble with M83 is that one great song does not make a great album and so it proves with much of the remainder here. Even attempts at subtlety (‘Wait’) seem hamfisted whereas the child’s narration on ‘Raconte-Moi Une Histoire’ is horribly saccharine. Like the first CD, the third track is the best with ‘OK Pal’ again proving that 1980′s excess isn’t always bad news but it’s a rare highlight.

Everything is OTT, the drumming, the stentorian keyboard washes, even the song titles (‘My Tears Are Becoming A Sea’ anyone?). So it’s another bloated outing for M83, only emphasised by the fact that it’s stretched over two (thankfully short) CDs.

Web Sites:
M83 Official Site

Further Listening:
The Bird Day, Maps, Dextro

In fact it’s hard to imagine a bouncier, more positive beginning than the title track and ‘Hurts Like Heaven’, where even Chris Martin sounds like he’s inhaled some helium. Everyone will have heard ‘Paradise’ by now. Naturally, its over-familiarity will annoy as much as delight but it’s simple verse-chorus structure still makes it a highlight on this album and worthy of respect. Brian Eno sprinkles his fairy dust over ‘Charlie Brown’ too but on here the effect is uninvolving.

There’s certainly plenty of variety here. For the old school Coldplay fans, ‘Us Against The World’ keeps things simple with little more than Martin and his guitar although ‘Up In Flames’ is a better showcase for his plaintive side. At the most extreme end of their already OTT material, ‘Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’ sings of “cathedrals in my heart” and features guitars as bagpipes. It’s big but certainly not clever. At least ‘Major Minus’ sees the group reclaim some rock gravitas. The guitars are edgy and for once the band sound intense. Kudos too for ‘Princess Of China’, where some icy pop textures and Rihanna make this an unexpected highlight.

Taken each song on its individual merits, the good songs actually outweigh the not so good moments but as a whole much of it sounds over-produced, unbalanced and somewhat inhuman. Martin and co. may well have reinvented themselves as pop stars but as far as this reviewer’s concerned, the hand-wringing days were preferable.

Web Sites:
Coldplay Official Site

Further Listening:
Keane

‘Free Jazz’, also released as a single, is pop music of the most sophisticated and relaxed kind. The musicians never seem to break into a sweat as whistling, trumpets and crisp drums underscore the clever but also warm and addictive melody. If this is rock, it’s rock of the softest kind. ’1964′ even adds in breezy harmonies but its complicated key changes struggle to arouse much interest. ‘Preface’ and ‘Some Histories’ fare slightly better and resemble the nerdy, literate yet dreamy material of Grandaddy.

Sport Of Kings fly in the face of fashion in terms of their music style but there aren’t many bands around who summon up the spirit and intelligence of Steely Dan. If they could inherit a little more of their genius way with a tune, this group could be on to something here.

Web Sites:
Sport Of Kings Official Site

Further Listening:
Steely Dan, Grandaddy

For his first release on the Hidden Shoal label, ‘Intro’ begins serenely enough with pure vocals, rustic guitars (from David Paolucci) and smooth electronica but the song becomes engulfed by drone. The title track sees the beauty from beginning to end, however. It’s epic in a quiet way as Kramies offers melancholic ache as a riposte to the swooping electronic backing. Similarly, after a slow start, ‘Inventors’ is full of interesting layers of sound. Standout track, though, is undoubtedly ‘Coal Miners Executive Club’. Here, the keyboard washes are as big and colourful as an M83 track but any worries about bloated melodrama are brought down to earth by Kramies’ grounded vocals. Then just to prove he can keep it simple, ‘Antiquarian’ changes tack to leave the artist with voice, guitar and the minimum of effects.

‘The European’ is rich in detail and of course atmosphere but Kramies is clever enough to balance the high-flying surrounding noise with some heartfelt delivery. He should visit Ireland more often based on this performance.

Web Sites:
Kramies MySpace
Hidden Shoal Recordings Label and Shop Site

Further Listening:
Pony Club

‘Rivers’ is cut from the same cloth as the wonderful recent EP by High Highs; the harmonies couldn’t be more heavenly whilst the shimmering dreampop is both ghostly and summery. ‘Burnt Meadow’ is more like The Superimposers on a comedown but is quite lovely all the same whereas Seeland would be proud of the archaic pop noises of ‘Winter In Brasilia’. The pitch perfect melodic nostalgia is, however, put on hold for the final three tracks which range between drone pop (‘Trinidad’) and hazy psychedelia (‘Koa’, the title track).

This mini album seems to reflect the story of a student night out, with the band reaching heady euphoria towards the middle and then coming down by the somewhat sombre and less memorable ending. If they can maintain the magic of the first half next time around, they could have a great album on their hands, though.

Web Sites:
Big Salad Records Label Site
Milk & Biscuits Soundcloud

Further Listening:
The Superimposers, Seeland, Electric Soft Parade, High Highs

‘Lovely’ is a very light pleasant slice of optimism to get us started but ‘Here I Stand’ is a greater showcase for the Leakey vocal. Her insouciant tones perfectly compliment the smoky jazz backing, producing the effect of a modern day Sade. Thereafter real songs merge with odd interludes which occasionally build up an atmosphere of a theatrical performance rather than an album. In fairness, that may be the point.

‘Tap Dancers’ is an undoubted highlight as Leakey trills her way against a charming guitar melody and the same can be said for the haunting ‘Miss Betty Grable’ and ‘The Day My Flower Died’. She even turns her hand to Bond theme confidence for ‘Shine My Tarnished Sheen’. Frustratingly, she loses her way slightly towards the end of the album courtesy of ‘Gloom Chime’s cabaret and the French-sung ‘Quand Tu Dors’ but on an hour long album, the odd slip is certainly excusable.

Bearing in mind the obstacles she has had to overcome, no one can deny Leakey deserves another shot at the big time.  ‘Tapping Trees…’ is by turns brilliant, childlike, confusing and chilling but the invention and talent she demonstrates ensures that this is a wholly worthwhile and admirable comeback.

Web Sites:
Christine Leakey Bandcamp
Christine Leakey Tumblr Page

Further Listening:
Anna Calvi