Five new albums to try this week: Sleater-Kinney, Mark Ronson and more
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Version 0 of 1. Sleater-Kinney – No Cities to Love (Sub Pop) Why you should listen: Back after breaking up in 2006, the trio continue to inspire the next generation of female riot grrls and serve up an offering of suitably visceral rock. It might not be for you if … I don’t know, you hate the idea of happy-ending comebacks? Or if you were never sold on Sleater-Kinney’s brand of rattling, relatively shouty rock. What we said: “No Cities to Love is a towering, fists-up record of thundering guitars and soaring hooks”, wrote Jenny Stevens, in the Guardian. Click here for Kitty Empire’s four-star review from Sunday’s Observer. Score: 4/5 Mark Ronson – Uptown Special (Columbia) Why you should listen: Because chart-topping single Uptown Funk “gon’ give it to ya”, obviously. Otherwise, to hear the fruits of uber-producer Ronson’s labour in the studio with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Pulitzer-prize winning author Michael Chabon. It might not be for you if … You’re convinced Ronson is just a well-connected extension of the hyper-capitalist bourgeoisie and here to ruin funk music for everyone (given his recent webchat on the Guardian music site, he does seem rather lovely, though). What we said: “One of the primary influences on the album seems to be the sort of smooth 70s LA rock collected on last year’s Too Slow to Disco compilation – there are a lot of breezy guitar solos and jazzy, Steely Dan-esque chord changes,” wrote Alexis Petridis, in his lead review for the Guardian. Kitty Empire, in her three-star lead review for the Observer, decided that Uptown Special “feels and sounds like a Ronson album, expertly engineered to be retro, bouncy, eclectic and rather good in parts”. Score: 4/5 Belle and Sebastian – Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance (Matador) Why you should listen: On this ninth album, Belle and Sebastian do on-brand indie and the odd disco flourish with bright splashes of humour. Plus, frontman Stuart Murdoch apparently gets more personal than ever before on opening track Nobody’s Empire. It might not be for you if … You tend to see this band as more of a self-referential indie-music punchline than an act worth exploring. Harsh, but everyone’s entitled to an opinion. What we said: “Despite some indications that Belle and Sebastian’s ninth might be a politically motivated album … Stuart Murdoch and co ultimately focus on matters of the heart, whether in Glasgow or Gaza,” wrote Harriet Gibsone, in the Guardian. In the Observer, Corinne Jones handed out a four-star review. Score: 4/5 Curtis Harding – Soul Power (Anti) Why you should listen: Detroit-born, Atlanta-inspired Harding’s debut didn’t pull in an ecstatic review from our paper, but treads some interesting ground between contemporary soul, scuzzy Stratocaster riffs and shoe-leather blues. It might not be for you if … You believe that soul is best left to the veterans – did Aloe Blacc and his new-school cohorts teach us nothing if not to leave a good thing alone? What we said: “[Soul] purists will appreciate the craftsmanship, and Harding is an undeniably versatile vocal talent, as you’d expect from someone schooled firstly in gospel choirs and then as a backing singer for Cee Lo Green,” wrote Tim Jonze, in the Guardian. Score: 3/5 The Decemberists – What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World (Rough Trade) Why you should listen: On this seventh album, the wordy purveyors of intricate folk sound open wide songwriter Colin Meloy’s personal musings, with unabashed pop gusto. It might not be for you if … The Crane Wife represents peak Decemberists in your opinion, and you don’t care who says otherwise. What we said: “Evocative songs about lost love and distant summer glows nestle against introspective confessionals and Morrissey-type wordplay,” wrote Dave Simpson, in the Guardian. Phil Mongredien also reckoned the album deserved four stars, in his Observer review. Score: 4/5 This week also sees new releases from Fall Out Boy, rapper Joey Bada$$ and others. What are you keen to listen to? Let us know, in the comments. |