The Weblog Of Leonard’s Lair

Crafted by one-man outfit Thom Smith, the debut EP by Analogue I/O shows how possible it is to create music on your own whilst still employing a vast array of instruments and effects. ‘Boat Club’ initially seems quite mournful but the mixture of instruments of both the acoustic and electronic variety is full of colour and imagination. In fact, in that respect, it’s not unlike the last EP I reviewed by The Doldrums.

‘Almost There’ is a sombre beginning but thanks to its inspired collaboration of chimes, piano, guitar and shimmering electronica, there’s also plenty of warmth on display. A similar layered approach is used for ‘81 Bridge’ as the music moves close to shoegazing territory. By the end - for the aptly-titled ‘Subtle Adventure’ - we’ve reached the sparest of the five tracks as the elegant piano melody approaches classical music. If you think of Múm without those sometimes annoying childish voices, you wouldn’t be far away from the sound of Analogue I/O. The whole EP can be downloaded for free (for one week only) from the Analogue I/O web site, starting from its release date on the 28th April.

Web Sites:
Analogue I/O MySpace
Skyeyesea Label Site

Further Listening:
Múm, The Doldrums

I’m normally quite tardy with publishing reviews of CDs, frequently writing my words months after the record was released. Well, in the case of The Doldrums EP, it appears I’ve jumped the gun. Due to the sleeves going missing in the post, the release date has been delayed for the foreseeable future until this issue has been resolved. In the meantime, keep your eye on the Make Mine Music site for updates, although I’ll probably post an update here when the release date is announced anyway.

Best wishes

Jon

I often feel solo artists have to think of avatars for their music when their real names aren’t interesting enough. So it’s a bit of a mystery why Oklahoma resident Dylan Golden Aycock has decided to call himself The Doldrums. This EP, or sampler, is a preview of a full album but there’s enough here in thirty minutes of music to suggest that Aycock is a real talented maverick, cleverly combining folk, hip-hop, samples, electronic and acoustic music in to a self-produced concoction of strange but very listenable ideas.

First track ‘All My Friends Are Pencil Tappers’ seems to be an attempt to capture the childish experimentalism of Icelandic group Múm. In truth it’s a bit of a false start as the remainder of the record sounds like the work of a genuine individual. The more fully-formed ‘Softer Side Of Velcro’ pushes the boundaries a bit further with field recordings and loops and a well-defined sense of rhythm that makes the music a tad more robust. Of the more uncompromising tracks, ’Watershed’ throws in accordion and train noises to create a dissonant chill. Yet ‘Your Beautiful Selves’ contains a more approachable melody; its Latin rhythms will be familiar to those who have listened to Mice Parade, whilst the beats and warm electronica employed on ‘Spirit Elevates Brain’ similarly impress. Lastly, ‘Flatten’ is gorgeously atmospheric and tuneful. With such an abundance of ideas in half an hour, the full album should definitely be worth waiting for.

Web Sites:
The Doldrums MySpace
Make Mine Music Label Site

Further Listening:
Mice Parade, Khonnor

Songs Of My Lap is the new identity for solo artist Alex Hancock. Previously performing under the guise of Hytra Waters Elbow, his new record is a celebration of brevity with ten short tracks covering lo-fi recorded electronica, guitar, piano and voice. In the “would like to meet” part of his MySpace site, tellingly Hancock lists only “me at 27″. 

Hancock is no great shakes as a singer; his almost affected fey vocals do tend to irritate on the weaker tracks but as the album only covers ten songs in eighteen minutes, no song can be accused of outstaying its welcome. “Happiness is not being bones in a backroom” is one of the key lines to ‘Bones’; actually one of the most addictive tracks thanks to its shimmering electronic melody. Meanwhile, the fragile guitar line underscoring ‘The 2nd Time Is More Better’ reminded me of the much-missed Chuzzlewit; another miserablist snger-songwriter ploughing his own individualist furrow. Yet the most effective moment is saved to last as the spare ‘Dry Your Eyes Boy’ provides the saddest of send-offs - “She’s not coming back for a long time”. Overall I enjoyed the unique style of Hancock but my enjoyment would have increased even more if he had extended the better tracks into longer songs.

Web Sites:
Songs Of My Lap MySpace
Unlabel Label Site

Further Listening:
Chuzzlewit

The latest release from the extraordinarily prolific Jon Attwood is a double CD effort, which means another two and a half hours of melancholic guitar soundscapes. ‘When The Leaves Fall Like Snow’ uses the autumn and winter of a time spent in Sweden as its inspiration. No surprise then that this is a collection of minimal, dark and often beautiful music that is tough to listen to in one sitting but is another fine addition to the Yellow6 catalogue.

The CDs each have their own titles: ‘Fall’ and ‘Further’. The former contains fewer tracks but is the longer of the two CDs, largely thanks to its slower, more reflective take on the autumnal season. My first impressions of track one ‘Still Water’ were unavoidably linked to Labradford thanks to its mood, languid pace and use of instrumentation. ‘Street’ is undoubtedly Yellow6 though; it’s reverb-heavy guitar lines resonate with a haunting chill that will be familiar to all followers of Attwood’s previous work. The pace only picks up as the title track finds space for some skittering beats amongst the deep, dark wells of Attwood’s elongated chords. ‘Fall’ then settles down into the quietness of ‘Street Writing’ as two guitar melodies run in parallel, one twinkling and pretty, the other heavy and foreboding.

Disc two ‘Further’ is louder, more confident offering. Yet despite the harsh sounds on opening track ‘All Space’, ‘Further’ is arguably the more addictive listen. ‘You Can’t Be Everywhere He Said’, ‘Last Saturday’ and ‘Norwest Passage’ contain the kind of warmth missing from ‘Fall’,  whilst ‘Everything Changes’ features cascading walls of enveloping darkness. At these times the shorter, melodic pieces tend to be more ultimately satisfying.  If I were to be critical of ‘When The Leaves Fall Like Snow’ it is that the best tracks (the first half of ‘Fall’ and key moments on ‘Further’) could have been edited to a single CD but Jon Attwood has always made music for people with time on their hands. Also, even on the lesser moments, the music has a rare depth and intelligence which Attwood’s contemporaries struggle to match even on their best days.

Web Sites:
Yellow6 Official Site
Yellow6 MySpace
Make Mine Music Label Site

Further Listening:
Labradford

For someone who started her solo career relatively late in life, Alison Goldfrapp has certainly not wasted any time in making memorable albums. That’s not to dismiss songwriting partner and musician Will Gregory whose background work is just as valuable. Each Goldfrapp album has made a strong impression from the filmic atmospheres of ‘Felt Mountain’, via the glam disco of ‘Black Cherry’ to the somewhat poppier ‘Supernature’. If anything, ‘Seventh Tree’ is a return to the mystery of ‘Felt Mountain’. Goldfrapp is once again cast as a folky innocent whilst the arrangements are as far removed from the last two albums as you can imagine.

The opening salvo is certainly intriguing. If anyone wondered how Nick Drake’s ‘River Man’ would sound with Kate Bush’s warbling, ‘Clowns’ provides the answer. ‘Little Bird’ is livelier and one of ‘Seventh Tree’s key moments. It begins in a folky setting but then develops in to a colourful pop moment, subtly enhanced by electronic elements. ‘Happiness’ is excellent too; almost Beatle-like in its melodic structure, it’s accompanied by more dreamlike arrangements making it another great single - if Goldfrapp’s career needed a revival (and in fairness it probably doesn’t), these two tracks certainly rival Madonna’s ‘Ray Of Light’ in terms of impact. In addition, despite its obviously dark lyrics ’A & E’ is optimistic in sound and an emotional rush of a single.

However, unlike much of Madonna’s output, ‘Seventh Tree’ works as a record for album collectors too. ‘Eat Yourself’ and ‘Some People’ are sensitively arranged showcases for Goldfrapp’s melancholic side; mysterious and lurking right at the centre of the record. Meanwhile, ‘Cologne Cerrone Houdini’ is a return to sweetly, seductive atmospheres and is most reminiscent of Goldfrapp’s early years. There isn’t really a weak moment on ‘Seventh Tree’; the balance of optimism and pessimism and pop and alternative is very skilfully handled. All of which means Goldfrapp is still well ahead of the pack of her female rivals. On this form, they have much catching up to do.

Web Sites:
Goldfrapp’s Official Site
Goldfrapp MySpace

Further Listening:
Kate Bush, Madonna, Roisin Murphy

A cursory glance through the annals of indie/alternative music will reveal that Simon Scott was the drummer with Slowdive on their first two albums. This alone is no idle claim since Scott played an integral part in Slowdive being one of the most revered acts of the shoegazing/dreampop scene. His work as the leader of Televise may have been less heralded but is no less worthwhile. I thoroughly enjoyed the group’s first album ‘Songs To Sing In A & E’; a superb alternative pop record which did much to solidify Scott’s reputation as a quality songwriter. Rather than rest on his laurels though, the follow-up ‘Strings And Wires’ was a low-key minimalist affair. ‘Sometimes Splendid Confusion’ also takes a wordless approach but is an elegant, mesmeric record, which proves there’s yet more versatility and talent in the Scott armoury.

Beginning with the glacial ‘Tropical Mix’, it’s an elegant serene start. The following ‘Rain.Dot.Sunshine’ reminded me of Mole Harness especially the way in which layers of melody - both electronic and acoustic - are run in parallel; moulded together to achieve a glorious whole. ‘The Longing’, meanwhile, follows a sublime droning pattern with nature samples lending the track a grounded feel. ‘II De Televise’ is the only track which doesn’t quite convince; its watery samples sound too hesitant and ill-structured. The underwater theme is continued for ‘Fish Fish Fish’, which does a fine job of conjuring up haunting atmospheres of undersea danger. Finally, Praveen’s mix of first album track ‘Never Alone’ condenses a lengthy track into a more manageable - yet also more intriguing - seven minutes. With a new album out on Distant Noise Records as well, 2008 looks like being another very productive year for Scott.

Web Sites:
Televise MySpace
Drifting Falling Label Site

Further Listening:
Mole Harness, Motodestra, Vladislav Delay

Hard to believe that Auburn Lull have been in operation for more than a decade now. Yet this is only their third album; their less than hasty recording schedule mirrored by their peculiarly lambent style of dreampop. ‘Begin Civil Twilight’ is a deeply atmospheric record but - unlike say Mahogany’s last album - this isn’t one which gives shoegazing music a shot in the arm, in fact it’s more like a record which waves a portable fan over the forehead of the listener.

Rather than rely on hooks and clever key changes, the tracks on ‘Begin Civil Twilight’ merge into a dreamlike whole. ‘Broken Heroes’ seems to borrow the bird calling noises from The Delays’ ‘Long Time Coming’ but here our feathered friends are content to just float away in a sea of glistening effects and ethereal harmonies. Likewise the title track is just a wash of glacial textures. ‘Stanfield Echo’ is a more tangible affair thanks to its acoustic flavour whilst ‘Arc Of An Outsider’ swoops and glides in the most elegant of fashions. Otherwise the music is somehow elusive; beautiful but a little superficial.

Web Sites:
Auburn Lull Official Site
Auburn Lull MySpace
Darla Label Site

Further Listening:
Slowdive, Mahogany

The Minneapolis-based Dallas Orbiter are another group to have successfully fused space and psychedelic rock with pop music. Now on to their third album, this record of full of fascinating ideas and an abundance of tunes. In fac, the only problem the listeners may have is not having their mind fried by such a vast array of sounds and styles.

Bonkers fairground keyboards provide the backdrop for ‘Ampbuzz Is For Lovers’. It’s one of the less coherent songs but despite that it’s decidedly off-key melody is still a winning one. ‘The Dawn & Jitters’ uses verses that build up like a creepy fairy tale before a dreamlike chorus takes hold. ‘Stabbed By Grace’ starts off elegantly and wistfully like a long-lost effort by The Sea And Cake but by the end it sounds more like a power ballad. It’s probably a compliment to their diversity that the only song which does sound like The Flaming Lips, ‘The Damocles File’, is the most commercially viable moment on ‘Motorcycle Diagrams’. Elsewhere there’s post-punk guitars (’Maybe Soon The Lakeflies’), girlie harmonies (’Brow Of Zeus’), Krautrock instrumentals (’Bzzjh’) and AOR (’Hallelujah, The Jetpack Dandies’). Given their wilfully subversive songwriting, Dallas Orbiter will doubtless remain a cult concern but this is still wonderfully creative music that deserves wider audiences.

Web Sites:
Dallas Orbiter Official Site
Dallas Orbiter MySpace

Further Listening:
The Umbrella Sequence

Listen to The Diggs’ second album in full by clicking here.