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We Are The Night | The Chemical Brothers
Astralwerks | 19th June

Review by Jigantor

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Astralwerks
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Sounds like … The Chemical Brothers. If you don't know what the Chemical Brothers sound like, you need to stop redecorating your rock.

The Chemical Brothers are huge. Even if you don't like electronica and don't know your big beat from your trip-hop, you know the Chemical Brothers. You may know them because you took too much E and collapsed at Big Day Out. You may know them and claim they're 'too mainstream' because you're a self-respecting raver. You may know them because they were the token electronic track on the Triple J Hottest 100 album you bought in year ten. Point is, you know them.

So any new release from them is exciting. It's news. It's number one on the UK charts. Unfortunately, it's almost invariably disappointing. See, the Brothers create undeniably brilliant, compelling tracks. But since Surrender, they have created disjointed, underwhelming albums, which are always less than the sum of their parts. Who remembers anything except 'Galvanise' off Push The Button? Nonetheless, there's some killer tracks on this album: 'All Rights Reversed', featuring the Klaxons, is 4:33 of genius, 'Do It Again' is the obligatory infectious radio-friendly track, and the title track is utterly engrossing.

As a whole though, the album leaves you feeling somehow empty. Closing track 'The Pills Won't Help You Now' is a radical change in tempo from the rest of the album, and a wonderful track on its own, but rather than closing out the release it feels like an afterthought. 'The Salmon Dance' is an irritating Sesame Street novelty track that stops any mood or sense of continuity from building. Like their last few releases, this provides plenty of fodder for your best-of-the-Brothers iPod playlist. Just don't expect a unified listening experience.

7 out of 10

Carry On | Chris Cornell
Interscope | 5th June

Review by Jigantor

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Interscope Records
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Sounds like … Jeff Buckley after a really bad night.

Chris Cornell has an incredible voice. It’s full of longing and pain, like a beautiful, innocent child corrupted by booze and cigarettes and one night stands, now left with only a sense of stolen potential. He has been recorded at A above high C, but all the time he is cracking and howling and ragged edges. It is a beautiful voice, beautiful but poisoned. It is, I say again, incredible. And utterly compelling.

But listening to this album, I had a flashback to Audioslave's eponymous debut: a record of immense potential with moments of genius, but overwhelmingly unsatisfying. Songs which showed such potential for power and intensity dissolving into a mishmash of forgettable choruses and ill-conceived lyrics.

Carry On suffers from exactly the same problem. Take the example of the first single 'No Such Thing'. It begins with suitably rawk guitars, segues into a soft, tense verse, gradually builds to a killer bridge and you're waiting, you're gagging for the killer blow - but suddenly there's this stupid, shouty chorus that could have been written by two year ten dropkicks whose fondest hope is to one day feature on Russ Kellett's Melbourne. And that's one of the better songs.

The sole standout exception is, bizarrely, a cover of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'. It is everything this album should have been – so tender, powerful and raw that you can almost taste his pain. Perhaps Cornell's real problem is that he needs a decent songwriter. His voice is so incredible, listening to it trapped in such a pathetic, lacklustre cage makes this one of the most frustrating releases of the year. Somebody, please, let him shine.

6 out of 10

Baby 81 | Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
RCA Records | 1st May

Review by Jigantor

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RCA Records
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Sounds like … yet another garage-rock band.

The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club really only have one idea: a blues drawl over fuzzy rock guitar. Now, this is by no means a bad idea. It's just that, well, there's so much of it. Baby 81 goes for 60 minutes and, like everything Dallas Frasca has ever recorded, all their songs just blend into each other. To be fair, 'All You Do Is Talk' starts with extended string noodling, and 'Killing the Light' even uses compound time(!). But the rest of the songs are basically medium pace, fuzzy garage rock. Like every other pub band.

The lack of distinguishing features is made worse by the fact that half the songs remind me of other songs. Now don't get me wrong: they're not blatantly stealing riffs á la Jet. It's just that their songs all sound so similar, I think my mind starts wandering. So the opening riff of 'Took Out A Loan' becomes Metallica's 'Some Kind Of Monster', 'All You Do Is Talk' becomes Dido's 'See The Sun' and so on. The lyrics don't help: Baby 81 is full of unmemorable but vaguely pretentious lines like 'you wanna pick something up/you gotta lay it down', or 'your lucky words don't bleed/you tie the end of all we see'. Apparently they're supposed to be political or religious or something.

I want to emphasize that this is by no means a bad album. It's perfectly acceptable Triple J rock. It's pleasant enough listening for the most part, and on occasion they hit the mark ('Cold Wind', 'Weapon Of Choice'). But it's nothing that you haven't heard before. If you like rock music, or if you like to be kinda 'alt-trendy' (after all, BMRC do have the coolest logo in the world), Baby 81 will make you perfectly happy. Just don't set your expectations too high.

6 out of 10

Myth Takes | !!!
Warp Records | 5th June

Review by Jigantor

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Warp Records
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Sounds like … The Music with a turntable.

Rock music good. Dance music good. Dance-rock music? Dodgy at best. At least, that's what I thought until I heard !!!'s (you can call them Chk Chk Chk) new offering. Finally, someone has taken the best bits of rock and the best bits of dance and put them together. Praise the Lord.

So what happens when you slip this in your CD player? Within three seconds, the reverb-soaked title track grabs you and draws you in. One of the highlights of the album, ‘Myth Takes’ is less frenetic than most of the other tracks, but just as compelling. Before you know it you're dumped into the swirling dancefloor frenzy of 'All My Heroes Are Weirdos'. Then you're in the bedroom watching Nic Offer make a fool of himself – it 'Must Be The Moon' - and, boy, are you enjoying it. On the album travels, barely giving you a chance to draw breath.

Every track, with the possible exception of the weaker 'Sweet Life', has an infectious groove that won't leave you alone. The dead weight of their previous two releases has disappeared (hence the 48-minute running time), leaving you the diamonds without the rough. Even the longer tracks 'Bend Over Beethoven' and 'Heart of Hearts' hold your attention so well you lose track of the time. Basically, this album is a party from beginning to end.

Now, dear Reader, I am not a dancer. The last time I danced was at a house party in 2004 after spending far too much time with Comrade Smirnoff. Nevertheless, this album just made me want to jump around like a lunatic. And believe me, that's some feat. If you're still in your chair after hearing this album, it's time to call the undertaker.

8 out of 10

SideA/SideB

Cassadaga | Bright Eyes
Saddle Creek | April 10th

Reviews by Tom Fairman & Jigantor

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Saddle Creek Records
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In this regular feature, two of our writers review the same album, providing two perspectives on the same record. After all, when it comes to music, beauty really is in the ear of the beholder.

Review by Tom Fairman

Sounds like … the love child of Neil Young and Bob Dylan with a dash of M Ward.

Conor Oberst, the mind behind Bright Eyes, is not the new Bob Dylan. Oberst has been plagued by this comparison ever since his brand of semi-political folk-rock was brought to a wider audience with 2002’s Lifted. He is, however, an extremely prolific and dedicated songwriter. And Cassadaga is another chapter in his saga following 2004’s double heavyweight I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn.

Of the divergent musical paths forged in the wake of his previous albums, Oberst seems to have pursued the Western-essence found on I’m Wide Awake. Opening ominously, Cassadaga crystallises the ills of modern society in a single sentence – “Corporate or colonial/the movement is unstoppable/like the body of the centrefold/it spreads." Four Winds follows, complete with a violin riff bizarrely reminiscent of Santa Clause is Coming to Town, which works surprisingly well.

The highlight of the album comes midway through, on Middleman - a potential rock song that has been oppressed and distilled into a suspiciously gentle acoustic piece, which works exceptionally well for Oberst. The song simmers, threatening to burst its mere musical constraints, listeners eagerly anticipating a slash of distorted guitar – or something loud - to break the tension. But this never comes, and by the conclusion, it’s not a track of wasted potential - rather, a cause to marvel at Oberst’s fine grasp of restraint and ability to weave boundless energy within every guitar chord and soft string pluck.

Oberst doesn’t always nail it - Make a Plan To Love Me takes the tempo of 2004’s single Lua, but holds none of its strength, beauty or potency. This sentiment pervades the album. Yet the mastery of Oberst’s work is that which initially appears to be mostly repetitious country ballads, with dedication, reveals a taciturn glow that refuses to be extinguised and compels you to return.

7 out of 10

Because Of The Times | Kings Of Leon
RCA Records | March 31st

Review by Jigantor

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RCA Records
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Sounds like ... the bastard spawn of the Pixies and Charlie Daniels, with extra filth.

The Kings Of Leon reek of knife fights in back alleys, flannel shirts and Louisiana dirt. They will not seduce you, make love to you and treat you nice like Ol' Blue Eyes or Mickey Bubble. They will take you behind the church shed, and you will like it, and you will beg for more. Now you're knocked up, but it's okay, because Caleb don' care 'bout nothin' and he's gonna stay with you, all down that long, lonely, open road.

Indie kids, be warned. This is not Aha Shake II. This is no collection of wham-bam-you're-fucked jumpalong garage scum rock with the occasional slower number so you can tell your Brunswick St trendster friends the band has 'depth'. This is a wild rodeo through the dark, a Southern ghost train, a sonic molestation that is at times jubilant, bitter, energetic and relaxed. There are discordant shrieks, 50's pop 'ooh's, mournful guitars, driving distortion, sparse arrangements and walls of noise. There is open-road cruising, traditional rock, sinister power ballads, honesty and heartbreak. There is alcoholism, rape, love and fast cars. There is Caleb Followill's voice. Knocked Up is a glorious road trip tinged with regret, Camaro is a reminder of the Kings of old, The Runner makes you cry. Black Thumbnail is arena rock for the Devil, Fans is perfection and Arizona takes you home.

The Kings may be sons of a preacher man, but they are not pure. They will rip your heart out and call it love because they know no better. They pick you up, knock you round, screw you over, beg your forgiveness and never let you go. The Kings of Leon thank God for this album. And so do we.

9 out of 10

Strange Form Of Life | Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy
Domino | March 19th

Review by Jigantor

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Domino Records
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Sounds like … Nick Drake in the frail body of a mortal.

Will Oldham is hurt. Will Oldham is gentle. Will Oldham observes, and loves.

Will Oldham's voice cracks. He knows the notes, he's straining to get there, but he can't quite manage it. He's playing a broken guitar by the fire, as the rain comes down outside your hut. You don't know how you got here, and you don't care, you just know that you never want to leave. He looks like a biker when he lets his beard grow; he looks like a lost boy when he doesn't. He is singing his gentle songs that he's written for you. They are bare, free of distractions, just the music and words joining together in beauty. He is beautiful. He is captivating. He is perfect.

Thank god, this is not emo music. This is not the overproduced Emotion™ that EMI tries to sell you. This is music in its most pure form. This is music that goes straight for the heart and you can't help but respond. If you think that James Blunt is heartfelt, it may take you a few listens to appreciate this record. But do it. You will never look back.

8 out of 10