Irma Vep 'Embarrassed Landscape'

The new album from Irma Vep Embarrassed Landscape is out now from Gringo Records

Irma Vep is the alias of Edwin Stevens, a Glasgow based polymath musician, a man who has reached the potential now in his fourth album release.

Vep has garnered quite a reputation in recent years as a singular songwriter with immense confidence using a multitude of influences from across the musical spectrum to still sound like a unique voice.

From the outset, album opener 'King Kong' is as big a song you are likely hear as it is both bold, fresh and exciting.  It sets Stevens out as the sort of performer who has that intangible that you cannot measure - ambition. It is both brave and ballsy to open with a ten-minute track on any album, but it is neither grandiose nor showing off, it is a statement of intent to grab the listener from the beginning.

It continues in the next tracks which are more insular and reflective using violins and piano for atmosphere on 'Disaster' and 'Standards'.

More rockier numbers return with 'The Feeling is Gone' and 'Purring' which gives a balance to the open as a whole.

This album seems like the work Stevens has intended to make for several years, his growth as a person and artist has come to full fruition in the work of Embarrassed Landscape which is both a pleasure and privilege to witness.

Embarrassed Landscape is out now from Gringo Records.

My thanks to One Beat PR for the review opportunity.

Lewsberg - In This House

New album from Dutch quartet Lewsberg released from Cargo Records Distribution on March 27th

Very much along the same lines of recent releases, sparse, on paper disjointed but when a group is allowed to play out an idea it becomes something bigger and greater sum of its parts.

Another example of the strength in numbers in vogue at moment bands which have more than the traditional four person set up. From Black Country, New Road to Pet Shimmers bands are not afraid to have more people on stage to create a sense of community and togetherness making for a richer sounding collaborative effort, in essence a feast for the earlobes.

Lewsberg are akin to the other albums released today by Activity and FACS, songs that are struck by the discord of the individual in a woe begotten society and expressing themselves in a cultural art form

The Dutch group find it in making songs about drinking at lunchtime and they are very much a band who are not forcing ideas to happen and yet if you stay with them, the persistence and perserverance will pay off in dividends.

While it does not reach the heights of the aforementioned releases from the American bands, Lewsberg have nevertheless created an album that is great for the headphones and if you want to forget about the troubles of today.

In This House is out on 27th March on all formats from Cargo Records Distribution

My thanks to One Beat PR for the review opportunity.

Doe 'Grow Into It'

The London outfit Doe return with their new album Grow Into It; and it shows a band who are moving on and maturating into a grown up sound as the album title would suggest.

Those unfamiliar with the band - they are a punk garage band with rock and roll sub-text - the sound of the group is one indebted to the early 1990s garage sound reminiscent of The Breeders and The Pixies; with male and female voices vying for superiority across songs.

From the sombre sounding strum of guitar strings on album opener 'My Friends' this album is explicit in showcasing how growing up is hard to do; how strong bands diminish when personal feelings come front and centre in an ever expanding world.

The band though are not merely a loud crash and thrash band, they have pop capabilities as evidenced on single 'Labour like I Do' which has a funny video with the band wearing alien head masks to show how even though you may look different you still experience the same problems.

The band are making big strides with a push for them to break the mainstream in this country, yet they have played sold out gigs in the USA also; the sound of the band is distinctly American which may be the stumbling block to break the airwaves in the UK yet if you give the band a chance you will come away with something from this album.

Full of sonic sounds and indie rock hook, this album explodes with life and authenticity which is rare to hear and see nowadays.

The energy from such tracks as 'One at a Time' to the thoughtful 'But It All Looks the Same' which has a drive to the anthemic climax is indicative of a band growing up both personally and collectively.

The album Grow Into It is out from Big Scary Monsters on 28th September and they are on tour supporting Speedy Ortiz throughout October.

My thanks to One Beat PR for the audio link opportunity to review.

illuminati hotties 'Kiss Yr Frenemies'

From the esteemed indie label, Tiny Engines, this album from producer Sarah Tudzin, the album features a plethora of female talent that has enthused this album Kiss Yr Frenemies with a passion and energy that you rarely hear on albums.

Focusing on relationships, friendships, love and loss with the odd message of skateboarding; this album from the sunshine of California is of a sunny disposition but has an abundance of layers and subtext.

From the slow build of short album opener title track we crash into the jaunty '(You're Better) Than Ever' which is reminiscent of recent female stars Courtney Barrett and the band Goat Girl.  The illuminati hotties have a catchiness and hook to their work which is at times infectious.

This trend continues in Track 3 'Shape of My Hands' and then into single 'Cuff' there is the riffing guitars and the powerful vocal lead.

Other good tracks are 'Paying off the Happiness' and while the albums intensity does slow down come the end of the eleven tracks; the initial response to the album's beginning is a favourable one that will stay with you.

Following on from the Wild Pink album, Tiny Engines remains a label to keep an eye on; one of promise and potential married with the passion of young artists.

Wild Pink 'Yolk in the Fur'

Its funny sometimes how albums come into your life, by accident by recommendation. On the off chance one morning of browsing via Twitter, this album was reviewed on my feed and I read the review. Part from appreciation of the person's taste but also the gorgeous album cover of the album in question - a birds eye view shot of a landscape but from a different perspective resembles Mr. Incredible pointing westward ho to something if nothing.

So via an Amazon Music app you take a chance on listening to the album; this writer has always had a soft spot for fringe albums the type that may not even engage with the mainstream or near UK radio stations nor garner deserved airplay (I could rant about the 2018 Mercury Music Prize shortlist but I will not).

The album by Wild Pink is one of those growers, an album that is large in scale but small in stature. Lead writer John Ross writes about the environment and the landscapes his feet tread upon in sharp juxtaposition to the band hailing from the urbanity of New York City.

Ross writes about hills in the album opener 'Burger Hill' and lakes in the second 'Lake Erie' with the recurring refrain 'You thought you'd never get out' then the title track itself. Most tracks run at over four and a half minutes allowing songs to form an identity of their own - it reminded me of a little heard album called 'Amusement Parks on Fire' a self-titled album by a Nottingham band which was large in scope but never got the acclaim it deserved.

This is an album rich in harmonies, at times almost tranquil but breezy making the album seem almost laidback to the point of coming across as too easy in terms of production; yet there is more to the album than mere lushness. There is a wanting for simpler times than the ones Americans find them living in now - one where they were in touch with their country thanks to pioneers as Theodore Roosevelt

The euphoric crescendo of 'The Séance on St. Augustine St.' is reminiscent of anything by Doves or My Morning Jacket; these are songs that take time to breathe and become more than humble beginnings.  This is an album that is inventive and seamless with tracks knitting together to form an overall personality.

This is an album that is full of ideas and imagination that you rarely find nowadays in American and perhaps rock music; bombastic and fantastic in equal measure, Wild Pink may well have written the great unknown album of 2018.

Wild Pink's Yolk in the Fur is released by Tiny Engines and available in all formats now.

Lawn - Blood on the Tracks

The new album Blood on the Tracks by Lawn, out now from Forged Artifacts.

It is weird how certain bands and albums come into your life; my brother is a big fan of The Gaslight Anthem, but I missed the release of The '59 Sound; a seminal album of that generation and now 10 years old, as if I need reminding how old I am getting.

The beauty of music and albums is that it connects with you on an emotional level. That is why some people like The Smiths more than Led Zeppelin and vice versa.  Sometimes an album comes out of nowhere that connects with you on a level that is hard to explain, but you know you love the album because it is a breathe of fresh air.

One such album is the album 'Blood on the Tracks' by New Orleans based band Lawn.  Oddly, the band followed me on Twitter before I had ever heard of them, partly because I tweet new music videos and they must have taken a punt on me.

Lawn are comprised primarily of Mac Fogler on guitar and vocals and Rui De Magahales on bass and vocals, with support from Nicholas Corson on drums and percussions and Duncan Troast on keyboards; and they prove to be a tight unit together.



So through the link on their twitter feed, I went to Gold Flake Paint website which carried an album stream which was released on 11th May by Forged Artifacts and was blown away by the simplistic 1960s feel of the tracks and with the swelling punk rock energy.

With a mixture of good songs swaying from serious to fun. There is an energy of abundant glee running throughout the album, from opener '2000 Boy' to the ear catching quality of the title track. Interspersed throughout are quick fire cuts like 'Rats' and 'Suzanne' full of fire; as well as the sheer driving force of 'Restless and Tired' which reminded me of early REM and Orange Juice.

A lot has been made in press releases that the band show the influence of The Kinks and The Beatles on their tracks, which is great to hear and there has been a plethora of bands in recent years mining the swinging Sixties for inspiration from Lab Coast and Major Murphy, evident in 'Vinnie' track 6.

The reason being is that there is a colourfulness to the music being produced, a vitality that is being lost in the programmed mainstream, music that is lovely to listen to - the type of music you can put on in the background at work or a BBQ and it slowly earworms its way into your consciousness.  The music of the 1960s laid down the foundations for future musics, it was rock and roll that would eventually morph into glam, heavy and metal.

All songs start with a guitar and the music of Lawn is the type that firstly sounds great to listen to, but also sounds like fun to play - it comes full circle as they have sing-along hooks and a hum-ability not often given the credit or airplay. For this just listen to 'My Boy' track 5.

Lawn have done some shows in America recently as well as playing at South By Southwest - and this album is very much an album of context and location; hailing from the Big Easy in New Orleans there is an almost horizontal laconic ease to their performance and playing that could almost be too laidback, but this comes across in a swath of cool not arrogance.

It has been a while since  an album got me this excited about and left me wanting to share with my followers in sometime; there is a track for everybody on this and it should be heard by as many people as possible with this album being one for music lovers as much as anything.

Too often albums like these get lost in the graveyard shifts of late night alternative radio or playlists, Lawn deserves to be heard by more people.

Blood on the Tracks is out now from Forged Artifacts.

Check out more music at Gold Flake Paint

Ezra Furman 'Transangelic Exodus'

Part concept record, part novel, part tale of America in this Trump-era Presidency; the song is a great example of the album on a whole - catchy hook, erstwhile lyrics and a yearning for a better world full of hope despite the anxiety with the current climate, as Furman himself vouches:

“What’s essential is the mood - paranoid, authoritarian, the way certain people are stigmatised. It’s a theme in American life right now, and other so-called democracies.”

Full of intensity but paired with a bracing honesty that has been missing from recent rock records that focus on nostalgia and catchiness, Furman along with his backing band The Visions, may well be able to breakthrough to the mainstream - following critical acclaim for 2015's 'Perpetual Motion People' - by making the first true rock and roll artefact of the Trump administration.

There is a swell of anger running throughout the album, an undercurrent of rage at how minorities are being misunderstood or shunned to the sidelines by the 1%-ers in power.  This comes across in the lead single 'Suck the Blood from my Wound' but there remains the need to be honest with yourself and your own being, Furman coming to terms with his sexuality 'Compulsive Liar' and the catchy 'No Place' where the yearning for acceptance is paramount.

Following on from minor or smaller albums, this is Furman's break for the mainstream by making his most personal open record to date.

Transangelic Exodus is out from Bella Union records this Friday. Furman is doing a small selection of sold-out shows in the UK this month, followed by a bigger arena tour including the Brixton Academy in May of this year.

Rips 'Rips' - Album review

Released on Friday 16th June by Faux Discx, the debut self-titled album from New York City, also release their new single Losing II which is a great introduction into the band's sound. The Brooklyn based Rips have a sound that is very much one of their own, however it is reminiscent of two eras of NYC rock.

From the pouting pomp of 1970s rock from the New York Dolls or Television with driving basslines, it also encompasses the early 2000 era of Interpol and The Strokes; hooks that will stay with you.

The album has 11 buzzing tracks of guitar rock that is full of rhythm and passion, think of it as an album that is bearing out a path to the future but not afraid to show the gratitude to the past.

One minor tripe would be that two songs - Track 2 Malibu Entropy and Track 8 Vs - both have a similar sounding bassline.  Perhaps the inclusion of both was a bit unnecessary and flounders this reviewer's overall thoughts of the album due to a sequencing oversight.

Rips is available from Faux Discx on their website for £8.00
Follow the band on their website

My thanks to One Beat PR for the review opportunity