One of those professional obligation sessions in the Uncut office right now: we’re on Track Eight of the Panic At The Disco album, “Pretty. Odd”. Interest piqued by some frothing and slightly dubious suggestions that “Pretty. Odd” is a landmark of WEIRD! and AMBITIOUS! rock music, imagine our surprise when it seems to sound a bit like The Feeling and those shabby Beatles pastiches that Tears For Fears came up with in the ‘80s. We do, however, have new records by Paul Weller, Peter Walker and James Blackshaw. Weller’s “22 Dreams” is interesting because it seems he’s finally stopped talking about various jazz musicians and started trying to incorporate their influences in his music. Hence “Song For Alice”, a creditable and commendably transparent stab at Alice Coltrane. I’m really not qualified to talk about this, but to an unbeliever like me, it’s nice to see Weller having a go at something a bit weirder – weirder even than Panic At The Disco, if you can countenance such a thing. The Blackshaw album is a new solo record and, as an obsessive fan, I think it might be the best thing he’s ever done. But I’ll deal with that properly in a few days. Oh, and after the blog on Sun Kil Moon yesterday, Mark Kozelek got in touch to say he’s publishing a book of his lyrics, which sounds good. Anyway, today’s playlist. As your comments suggest, the Raconteurs album gets better and better, I think. . . 1. The Raconteurs – Consolers Of The Lonely (XL) 2. Joan As Police Woman – To Survive (Reveal) 3. James Blackshaw – Litany Of Echoes (Tompkins Square) 4. Sun Kil Moon – April (Caldo Verde) 5. Fleet Foxes – Sun Giant (Bella Union) 6. White Denim – Let’s Talk About It (Full Time Hobby) 7. Paul Weller – 22 Dreams (Island) 8. Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs (Esoteric) 9. Animal Collective – Water Curses (Domino) 10. John Fahey – John Fahey Visits Washington (Ace) 11. Various Artists – Nigeria Rock Special: Pyschedelic Afro-Rock And Fuzz Funk In 1970s Nigeria (Soundway) 12. Peter Walker – Echo Of My Soul (Tompkins Square) 13. Panic At The Disco – Pretty. Odd (Decaydance/ Fuelled By Ramen)
One of those professional obligation sessions in the Uncut office right now: we’re on Track Eight of the Panic At The Disco album, “Pretty. Odd”. Interest piqued by some frothing and slightly dubious suggestions that “Pretty. Odd” is a landmark of WEIRD! and AMBITIOUS! rock music, imagine our surprise when it seems to sound a bit like The Feeling and those shabby Beatles pastiches that Tears For Fears came up with in the ‘80s. We do, however, have new records by Paul Weller, Peter Walker and James Blackshaw.
Weller’s “22 Dreams” is interesting because it seems he’s finally stopped talking about various jazz musicians and started trying to incorporate their influences in his music. Hence “Song For Alice”, a creditable and commendably transparent stab at Alice Coltrane. I’m really not qualified to talk about this, but to an unbeliever like me, it’s nice to see Weller having a go at something a bit weirder – weirder even than Panic At The Disco, if you can countenance such a thing.
The Blackshaw album is a new solo record and, as an obsessive fan, I think it might be the best thing he’s ever done. But I’ll deal with that properly in a few days. Oh, and after the blog on Sun Kil Moon yesterday, Mark Kozelek got in touch to say he’s publishing a book of his lyrics, which sounds good.
Anyway, today’s playlist. As your comments suggest, the Raconteurs album gets better and better, I think. . .
1. The Raconteurs – Consolers Of The Lonely (XL)
2. Joan As Police Woman – To Survive (Reveal)
3. James Blackshaw – Litany Of Echoes (Tompkins Square)
4. Sun Kil Moon – April (Caldo Verde)
5. Fleet Foxes – Sun Giant (Bella Union)
6. White Denim – Let’s Talk About It (Full Time Hobby)
7. Paul Weller – 22 Dreams (Island)
8. Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs (Esoteric)
9. Animal Collective – Water Curses (Domino)
10. John Fahey – John Fahey Visits Washington (Ace)
11. Various Artists – Nigeria Rock Special: Pyschedelic Afro-Rock And Fuzz Funk In 1970s Nigeria (Soundway)
12. Peter Walker – Echo Of My Soul (Tompkins Square)
13. Panic At The Disco – Pretty. Odd (Decaydance/ Fuelled By Ramen)
