7
For some it has been a long wait, for others, agonising. Finally, The Shins are back with a new line-up and a slightly new direction. The first single from their new album Port of Morrow is 'Simple Song'. According to James Mercer it is a much more personal effort than their previous work. It still contains Merce...
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8
Mike Marlin returns with a new cut from his second album, Man on the Ground (Feb 13), a throwback to 80s pop which tosses in Marlin's growly voice, an infectious chorus and some catchy melodies. "It's better than it's ever been but I'm never go...
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7.5
Though comparisons with New York's The Strokes have blighted The Vaccine's rise to fame, using the former's guitarist as producer on new track 'Tiger Blood' means imitation has now taken on a new form. With Albert Hammond Jr twiddling behind the scenes, it's clear that on the back of one of this year's...
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10
Ah, the Christmas single. Tradition dictates that we've got to hear Slade, Wizzard, Wham!, Mariah Carey, Cliff Richard and that Band Aid one everywhere we go. All this while being constantly reminded of how many shopping days are left until the big let-down commences. Bah, humbug, and so on. Of course, the general consensus s...
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7
The name Craig Finn might not mean too much on its own, but say The Hold Steady and you'll get a reaction. Finn is, after all, the driving force behind the bombastic American rock bar-band stories in The Hold Steady. Well, now he's gone solo with an album due in January called Clear Heart Full Eyes. Is it the end...
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7.5
November might seem an odd time for Oxford five-piece Alphabet Backwards to release such a delightfully summery EP, but at least someone's trying to keep the winter blues away. Following on from May's successful White Russian EP, this new three song offering sees the band in chirpy mood. Whether ...
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7.5
'Love' and 'death' might just be the basic elements Lana Del Rey's (aka Lizzy Grant) second album, Born to Die. It's a combination of something oh-so-lovely yet oh-so-fatal. The female alternative pop artist du jour has already made a name for herself by consistently delivering deep and dark vocals, and she stays true to her signature, sexy strut on her new release. Though some tracks may not deserve as much praise as others, Del Rey definitely posses...
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9
Errors are back with their third album Have Some Faith in Magic and have seemingly grown some big balls and manned up, as musically it's much more muscular and braver than 2010's Come Down With Me. Keeping with their post-electro sound with a light smattering of ethereal vocals throughout, it's a kaleidoscope of cinematic chunks of electronica but on a much larger and grandiose scale than anything they have done previously. The four-piece continue to focus on the...
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5
Cry Along With the Babies is not a new full-length album but a short, six-song EP of lo-fi home recordings. The songs are simple and the result is a slightly dull, albeit charming, bridge for their next album. Throughout, the guitars sound like they're being played through treacle, they're sticky and warm with little attention given to the levels or the accuracy of playing. Vocals are swapped between male and female lending them a Moldy Peaches style.
They never really...
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5.5
Former Sunny Day Sets Fire lead Mauro Remiddi first caught my attention in his solo guise as Porcelain Raft towards the end of 2010, performing an excellent, intriguing set at Manchester's In the City conference. He followed this with 'Tip of My Tongue', a charming simple song which left the listener wanting more. Hot on the heels of a UK Tour backing M83, his debut LP
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7
Initially, it's a disappointment. You mean to tell me that this London via Edinburgh four-piece aren't a tribute act to jazz-guitarist Django Reinhardt? Well, that would explain why they're in the NME. Then you listen to the record and you can see why they chose to name themselves after such an innovative, forward thinking musician. It's still a million miles away from jazz, though; the trouble is describing exactly what it is Django Django do. The &...
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