Looks like the sudden change in the weather has led to the nation's broadsheet music reviewers ignoring the bulk of this week's new releases and heading out into the sunshine, or writing up some of next week's records ahead of time, obvioulsy hoping to bag a long weekend out of it. Anyway, we'll bring you these next week when they come out, although we're going to be slighlty biased towards the Eels: Blinking Lights And Other Revalations because what we've heard so far has been a very welcome return to form.
So rough scratching from the online press, but it looks like Nashville's The Features grab the bulk of the pixel points this week and therefore are awarded the very prestigious Londonist Album Of The Week. And also because it's far too hot to be doing much thinking, and we're still too busy listening to Lou Barlow's wonderful Emoh at the moment. But enough of this, ladies and gentlemen of the jury: Exhibit A
Gigwise deliver an adequate 3 stars for this solid debut. Sounds a bit non-commital but that's not the case. In fact this
brief but lethal quirky shot of psychadelic rock (is) like The Coral with a high voltage cable running through their spines.
So should that have been 4 stars then? After all there are also
quirky up-tempo verses combined with searing choruses, crafted with a mix of garage rock guitar riffs, edgy vocals, and retro organ melodies.
And they're not even too worried about the 32 minute running time. We don't know, you don't know. Does the Guardian know?
No, because they also hand over the honourable 3 star review despite also enjoying this debut offering where
every second is stuffed with bright, brittle melodies that make you feel as if you've done too many turns on a fairground waltzer.
Perhaps that's it. A little too much uptempo guitar pop. Everyone's overdosed on previews of the new Hal album.
So we'll leave the final word to This Is Fake DIY who award a more admirable 4 stars for a band that's actually impossible to hate. Indeed
they have a natural talent for creating instantly accessible, danceable, simply wonderful rock n' roll music.
Well you can't say fairer than that.
And so to the other migraine-inducing, nerve-shattering end of the spectrum where The Guardian seem almost bludgeoned into submission by the Flood produced Ignoto, another debut, this time form Newcastle based YourCodeNameIs: Milo, and offer a 4 star review probably to make them stop.
Listening to them is a little like getting beaten up by a drunk. First the grinding guitars hit you, with heavy drums pounding against the dense wall of noise.
This is of course no bad thing, and although comparisons to the Pixies may be slightly pushing the boat out, they're definitely going to be joining up with fellow noisemakers; Lost Prophets and Funeral For A Friend as the next big thing in British rock. The title by the way comes from the names carved onto the tombs of unknown prisoners of war in Rome during the second world war.
So looks like we're staying on the heavy side with the eponymous debut from The Glitterati. This time Gigwise don't pull their punches, dropping a hefty 4 stars on this all out ROCK album. If we told you that Guns 'n' Roses producer Mike Clink produced this record then you'll knw what territory we're in. In fact reading their review is about as dizzying as the band's full on riff assault. It's all: fireworks, cannon to pistol power drumming, and tracks that
hurl you around the place, caress you for moments, and then bounce you off the walls again.
Full of rock style, lots of chords and solos designed for all the air guitarists out there, with dead on drumming and bass playing that holds the sound tight. The Glitterati have managed to produce an album full of strength without overpowering you.
So there you have it, no OK Computers as yet, but three honest debuts. The budding air guitarists amongst you can listen to The Glitterati on the XFM Listening Post
