News & reviews

This page is the weekly round-up of what is new and exciting here at Norman Towers.

For all you history buffs (and to assuage my vanity) I keep previous weekly reviews.

This week's reviews

9 May 2008

We made a very serious decision last week that from here on, Team Norman are to act like different animals each week. This ridiculous move has led us to being crabs and suchlike creatures for this special "Crab and Mollusc week". As a result we have been moving round the office walking only sideways. This has proved to be an enormous boost for our morale but led to me crushing 26 Jewel case CD's into smithereens with my big meaty claws... It's not all been fun however as Brian forgot he wasn't really a crab and almost got run-over by the 73 bus while walking sideways across Stanningley Road, then got arrested for helping himself to reduced price sushi rolls at Tesco. The proceeds from all sales of records this week will go to the "Free Brian The Crab Fund". Donations are welcome. He's a bit of a hermit old Brian, but mention The B52's "Rock Lobster" and he really comes out of his shell. Phil decided to be a sea cucumber and slinkily slip away to tan his moist green Northern behind on Anglesey for a few days (he works bloody hard and he deserves a break!) but in his absence we all pulled together and got our big jobs done. We looked out for each other, cos we're not really that shellfish. Mingus the mussle has abandoned the use of packing tape in favour of sealing packages with his special mussle mucus...Crustacean Clint has even bubbled in from the depths this week, between writing graffiti on barnacles with octopus ink... Look and sea what records we got... (next week is donkey week... Lookout!)

Album Of The Week

Wildbirds & Peacedrums - 'Heartcore' CD/LP on Leaf

Well it's been out low key style before has this album i'm clutching in my lobsteresque pincer. But rightfully so, Sweden's Wildbirds and Peacedrums have their strange and wilfully unhinged 'Heartcore' album reissued by Leaf for the widest possible audience. The lady on vocals is a right mentalist, I can tell thee. She's possesed by some real voodoo spirits, like she's attempting a tribal raindance, whooping it up in a well abstract stylee whilst the (beautifully recorded) drums tumble & rumble around her like a freeform avalanche. Then there's a tender downtempo tune where she showcases her slightly wonky lilting voice, full of earthy soul. & wonder. I can't really compare this bizarre & compelling record to anything except maybe early Scout Niblett & the first Leila album in it's experimental scope & organic percussive nature. Also Cocorosie and Bjork come to mind when absorbing some of the remarkable vocal gymnastics but honestly, this fucker is out there on it's own. Minimal, sensual & beguiling, there's some real magic afoot here, twinkly twilit interludes amongst some serious improvised pagan rhythms & stargazing mountain folk. I feel cleansed after listening to these sounds because a great deal is merely rudimentary percussion & Mariam Wallentin's swooping, soaring tones. Taken as a whole, it's got a real sense of the new, but this duo's utterly heartfelt attitude is steeped both in the purity of traditional music & the wild abandon of the avant garde, resulting in quite wonderful, special tunes. A spiritual & unique work, I can't recommend it highly enough! Looks like that's our AOTW x Brian

Single Of The Week

Get Well Soon - 'You/Aurora/You/Seaside Ltd 7" on Nude

Get Well Soon: You/Aurora/You/Seaside (Nude) Curious sleeve on this seven inch from an unknown to me, swirly 17 century (William Morris even?) styled furnishing fabrics collaged into anonymous/blank, clutching couples. The music is a weird, compulsive blend of klezmer/mariachi horns backed by furious sounding drums, hand claps and mournful vocals in an amazing arrangement. Reminded me of Beirut, so it could be hit amongst you lot! Also Brian has to put his twopenn'eth worth in. This is a rather splendid blend in a week when there was so many contenders. It could almost be Tortoise or Radiohead subtly remixing Beirut this, a very rousing tune that had all our ears pricked up eagerly. Very emotive stuff from this German (?) prodigy, if yr a Hawk & a Hacksaw or Zach Condon freak then insist on this. Ltd to a mere 500 so get yr skates on!!!

Other top news

Highlights and lowlights:

Some records we ate our dinner off this week

It's Clinton. Hello. Hello Hello. I have four records to tell you about. Number one is a release by One Little Plane (aka the unfortunately named Kathryn Bint) on Text (aka Keiran Hebdens label) with a single called 'Sunshine Kid'. If you are expecting forward thinking experimentation you've come to the wrong place, instead what you get are two very sweet folk lullabies that could have appeared on K records in the early '90's (i.e the Lois, Courtney Love (the band not the car crash) axis, or The Softies, Tender Trap etc). Does anyone know what I'm on about? No, ok then.......and did i beat the records for most brackets in (a) record review?

Next up Nick 'Dick' Cave with a new single which you'll like if you like him. The lead track 'More News from Nowhere' seems a bit tame to me at first but turns out to be a pleasant enough romp and what is known in the trade as a 'grower'. It kind of plods along like a man with a moustache fixin' a faithful old truck. If you want to buy one Australian record this week buy either this or the Robert Forster album from last week which is just stunning.

Next up the most over-rated band in the country, Hot Chip with 'One Pure Thought' Their occasional useful grasp of melody is so often marred by dreadful tinny production and an overwhelming sense of smugness. Alexis 'Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards' Taylor's vocals are far too fey and weak for the type of dance tunes they are attempting. Still, as I say, a memorable melody kind of saves it and so I wouldn't really mind hearing this on the radio so long as they edited out the dreadful guitar solo. On the B side you get a bland soulless ballad and the worst remix you'll ever hear that is sure to go down well amongst London's be-mulleted elite.

Oh dear oh dear....The Cure are back with a single called 'The Only One'. From the very first second onwards it sounds exactly like The Cure, tuneful indie with a Fat Bob vocal so whiny that it is actually dangerous to the ears. This song is a form of torture and proceeds to go precisely nowhere. It has the feel of a sweaty middle aged double glazing salesman going through the motions one last time knowing that the young brash newcomers are using his old tricks and getting better commissions. Poor old millionaire Fat Bob - trying to keep up with the kids and getting it hopelessly wrong - I mean who uses wah wah guitar these days for Christ's sake? He actually sounds pissed on the B side on a song which somehow manages to be even worse. Retire. Now.

Anthony the daddy crab has been snipping his crabby ears off to these audio crustations

Look away! There's nothing to see hear.... Oh actually there is... So you dug that Health album on Love Pump United Yeah? Then you might be interested to know that there is a remix album full of neo disco, primal funk, techno jam space biscuit type mixes. It's interesting to hear what these electronic artists have done with the tracks here on 'Disco'. You can notice bitst of the percussion from the originals but the interpretations are totally different. This includes 'Crimewave' off of the 7" with Crystal Castles that literally shat out of these four walls. I must admit I'm not familiar with any of the other artists chosen for the remixes. I'm clearly not funky enough. The remixers are: Acid Girls, Pictureplane, Narctrax, Thrust, CFCF, C.L.A.W.S, Nosaj Thing, Pink Skull, Curses!) No doubt you folks that read Vice magazine will be falling all over each others mullets to get yer mitts on this. There are actually some pretty decent mixes on here...

Acid Mothers Temple And The Parasio UFO have CD and LP out on Important records. I've never really got on with this band although I can see the appeal. I've just found them a bit over the top super mega widdly prog in the past. 'Recurring Dream And Apocalypse Of Darkness' is by far the least annoying thing I think I've heard by them. The guitars do get a bit widdly like but the overall sound is a lot doomier, heavier and darker. The sleeve is smart. It's by seldon Hunt and Looks well techno. I've probably said it before but I much prefer Kawabaa Makoto's solo gear. I'm gonna turn this off now before I say bad things.

It seems like ages since I heard anything by Errors. In between eating deep fried cream eggs this Glaswegian bunch are back on the case with a 7" called 'Toes' which precedes the forthcoming debut LP for Rock Action. I seem to remember the last 7" was a bit more electronic sounding. There's a bit of a kraut rock thing happening in the repetition and they get a bit of a groove going as the track builds from gentle guitar into a stomping thing that makes me think of a Mogwai dancing with Battles with electronics. The track shifts around a fair bit and all. It doesn't blow me away but it's worth a punt.

This Eli Keszler 'R.L.K' CD is very interesting. There's just so much happening I find it difficult to lock into any particular part before another sound or rhythm attracts my attention. The tumbling percussion and big cymbal crashes are great . Then there's some brooding electronics, very sleepy sounding and dreamy guitar washes and drones. I honestly can't think of anyone this sounds like. If you liked the release Eli did on the Something on the Road label then this is well worth checking out. Quality avant/ experimental/ improv stuff. Comes in lovely hand embossed, painted and stamped sleeve.

'I Can Hear Your Voice' is the third single from The Accidental in what seems like a matter of weeks. My perception of time is a bit fucked like, but it really seems like just moments ago. This is a little more jolly and light-hearted than the previous two singles. It's a fairly reduced sound that plods along nicely and really leaves space for the vocals to do their thing. There are a few voices overdubbed and harmonizing about moomins or something. It's one of those sweet ones that grow on you. Red vinyl to boot. (I don't recommend kicking it though).

The Octopus Project have an enchanting little happy indie guitar pop single out as part of Too Pure's singles club. I'm kind of reminded of Stereolab although this is definitely out on its own. There's an ample smattering of electronics too. On second listen I actually think 'Wet Gold' is a pleasant feel good tune. Perfect for the hot weather we're currently experiencing. I must play this to Brain. I think he might dig it.

Future Sound Of London are back with volume 4 of their 'From The Archives Series' this 12 track CD is another fine comp of tracks they've been sitting on for years. From early pioneering acid and breakbeat experiments to more Balearic and tribal tunes. They have a good balance of accessible melodic tracks and weirder ones, well worth a peep.

Mingus moves words around with his ..........

Tupelov: Memories of Bjorn Bolssen is an achingly slow paced nine track CD on Valeot Records. At once jazz driven- which drives our man at the helm crazy, it's just as well he's away as we've got it on full blast today. Played at huge volume levels brings out the marvelous attention to compositional details, which take in elements of contemporary composition through inflections of electro-acoustic textures, classical style dramatic dynamic; sudden halts in pace counterpointed with droning interludes and cello solos. It's very soundtrack like, one that's often blue and contemplative.The striking thing about the cover is the portrait of a serious looking gentleman who looks like he's about to burst into tears. Very earnest but good earnest if you get my meaning.

Santogold: L.E.S. Artistes (Lizard King/Atlantic) Wherein we catch a unique phenomenon: a lone black female singer songwriter bucking the usual trend/stereotype of singing bling/consumerist tales of getting the man and the money. There's something of the Anglophile in her that comes with the clipped, nasally delivery, rockist/electro pop backing and the deployment of a dub wise pop bubbler on the flip. If I'm sounding a bit breathless, then maybe I'm getting excited at the prospect of a girl living up to my expectations of one Nelly Furtado.Probably our single of the week, in a perfect world. Goddamn the sun's even out! First single of the week contender.
Yo i'm Brian, and not one to meddle with the heavyweight words of our Mingo, I just wanna state that this is one of those amazing tunes I just cannot shake from my head. It's like a bolt of lightning to me, a subtle mid-tempo pop beauty with a blinding 80's radio twist. She's like a M.I.A./Liz Frazer hybrid singing a classic Cyndi Lauper tune and sends huge shivers up my spine everytime the chorus kicks in. One to unite the crowds at the end of a tough night clubbing, this is this years 'Umbrella', totally perfect, like a glug of posh brandy in a cold avalanche.

Get Well Soon: You/Aurora/You/Seaside (Nude) Curious sleeve on this seven inch from an unknown to me, swirly 17 century (William Morris even?) styled furnishing fabrics collaged into anonymous/blank, clutching couples. The music is a weird blend of klezmer/marachi horns backed by furious sounding drums, hand claps and mournful vocals in an amzing arrangement. Reminded me of Beirut, so it could be hit amongst you lot. Second single of the week contender.

Alaska In Winter: Close Your Eyes-We Are Blind / Marianne Dissard: Trop Expres (split 7" on Regular Beat) Is more mournful, yearning vocals backed by a buzzing accordian and intro-ed with what sounds like a ukulele . The vocals get distorted later on through a vocoder or some such effect. The beats are lolloping (w/ an electro acoustic fizzing undertow) and the one finger keyboard melodies and a sweet chorus that makes the first side quite a treat. Again comparisons w/ Beirut abound. The flip is a french chanteuse: whispered/spoken/part-growling... backed by simple, swinging guitar licks. Both sides are a suprising treat. Third single of the week contender.

Bulbs/Wobbly: Tiny Tongue/Imagos (Ache) Seventh in Ache's divorce 7" series takes on a clash of hillbilly/bluegrass type acoustic strings and sloppy hip hop beats with acid fried vocals that wouldn't be out of place on a Butthole Surfers or the UK's much overlooked and underrated Wevie Stonder. Our Brian's got a hangover so you can imagine what the frayed attitude, flayed keys and twisted atmospherics are doing to his head. Fourth single of the week contender, and I've not heard the other side yet. Bulbs mangle a mixture of fuzzy drone and crawling, scattering insect type textures that build into a percussive-dubwise thrum. Like an exercise in tension without the release-then the locked groove kicks in. Heap good!

Hayman, Watkins, Trout & Lee: S/T (Fortuna Pop) Fourteen tracks of metropolitan (East London, UK) country/blues folk. Tales of falling asleep listening to Sly and The Family Stone, which is maybe what our man at the helm may do given the chance. There's also a song about amorous young ladies on the underground train network, songs of keeping lovers and losing lovers. When I first heard this I was quite dismissive, Phil compared the songwriting to Johnny Flynn, but no i'm not warming to it's quaint Englishness. What other songwriter would write about eating jam with a spoon, or being too lazy to use a napkin or side plate. Oh sorry, I've not even mentioned that the blend of guitars, banjos, bass and violin that bring to mind; down at heal barn dance stomps and country bumpkins with straw hanging out of their gobs. Cliched I know, but you get the picture I'm sure. I Think there's some covers or standards in amongst some of the groups' and Darren Hayman's compositions. I think I can leave all the comparisons to you dear reader/listener. If you like Mr Haymans' previous works on Static Caravan etc then you know the story...

Shooting At Unarmed Men: Sometimes The Best Thing You Can Do Is Die (Too Pure) Yeah Right! as our Brian would have it. Maybe if you're foolish enough to sign up to be a soilder, but not if you are Charles De Menezes. I suppose the name of this outfit goes someway to reminding peeps that a cop is a cop is a cop, wherever you may be. A scratchy guitar intro that leads to an angry sounding thrash out with lo-fi sound and a pub/punk approach to disposable pop. Someone needs to sort out the quality control at Too Pure HQ...or maybe I'm a dad not dad.

Violet Violet :Spicy Noodle Treasure (NR One) First part of this two part single set, or "part one of a two wheel set" as the label would have it. Screechy vocalised all girl pop/trash with clattering beats, percussion and a caterwauling guitar. Just goes to show that the boys don't have the monopoly on trash aesthetics. Here, everything's kept to a minimal un-fussy DIY approach. The vocals on the flip remind me of the sort of punky wail Peel used to champion. Just to up the bitchin' factor, our Brian reckons this craps all over the recent effort by Effi Briest. At least the girls can put that in their Myspace bong and smoke it!

Yo yo yo. I'm Brian the crabmeister & here's some choice audio morsels i've got my claws into today......

I bloody love Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. He's a great tunesmith & only releases records when he's poured his heart into them & is truly happy so the market doesn't get totally saturated in his melancholy jingles. Talking of jingles, you don't get much more jingly than 'Ice Cream Truck', the lead track on this clear vinyl 7" EP. It's a CFTPA classic, chuffing along in a swirling analogue dreamworld, his hazy downbeat mumble complementing the euphoric keyboard that really does sound the most ice creamy thing ever. 'Town Topic' is a countryesque instrumental tune that'd sound great as the theme to Postman Owen, the miserable as fuck & oppressed Royal mail worker who loves nothing more than dumping all the letters in a woodland copse & buggering off to the boozer to drown his (profound) sorrows. Both jaunty & sad at the same time. How does he do it? Another instrumental opens the flip, more sweet, simple & melodic pop sounds that burrow into yr heart and set up home. He gets out the distorto pedal for closer, an alternative version of 'Green Cotton Sweater' that sounds like the most beautiful song ever made buried under a jackhammer electro beat stuck in a fuzzy loop. Genius, but then again there's hardly any really decent albums this week & tons of wonderful singles, something there's usually a dearth of!!!!!! The 'Town Topic' EP is out on OIB who manage the ace feat of having a squirrel eating a record as the logo, worth it for that alone!

noise noise noise. Sissy Spacek make noise like theres no tomorrow. On 'French Record' squalling fuzz gives way to some abstract tinkering like a retarded chimp trying his hand at tuning a broken guitar. Then the cerebral rinsing hits you in the face like a juggernaut of hateful audio vomit. Now ambles in the chimp again with his mates to smash the studio in half. I think they've drunk a case of stella & done some real strong acid. This is a CD of men breaking sound really badly and kicking it around in a bored, nihilistic fashion. Quite simply very entertaining & a little unsettling. John Weise & Kevin Drummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm are the main protaginists here & they sound like they're having a right old hands-on frown & grimace at everything including the kitchen sink. I bet they never tidied their bedrooms as children and told their mums to go suck a fuck when requested to do so. This is just (not) lovely. On the ever bizarre Dual Plover, like an Aussie V/Vm test recs.

Ladytron crash back with a new single 'Ghosts' which is a right old scratchy electro glam pop gem. It's the cute voiced one who sings this catchy little anthem. It's kinda mid period Goldfrappy but more lo-fi & indie, a return to roots with a lovely analogue pulse & a really addictive lyric. There's a little bit of a Death in Vegas feel to it all, you can't help but happily tap yr foot & wonder if the album to follow will at all rub shoulders with their classic debut. However all the remixes are useless & sound like Alter Ego's 'Rocker' or summat. Totally pointless, none of them improve on the original or even come near but hey-ho. It's good to have 'em back!!!

Port-Royal are named after my favourite Caribbean takeaway in Chapeltown, Leeds (well actually, they're from Italy so that's a big fat lie....) and have served up a delicious double vinyl edition of their splendid 'Afraid to Dance' album. Drifting, moving, spellbinding, meaty, drifty, beaty & aromatic. Just buy it, it's really lush OK!!!!

Fuck Buttons, the singularly most hilariously named band since Holy Fuck (just stick a big fat fuck in your band name & watch me chortle like the main dwarf in that bizarre Werner Herzog celuloid classic) have had their 'Street Horrrsing' opus re-pressed on lush CLEAR vinyl through ATP. Can't imagine it hanging round too long as everyone's creaming themselevs to this lush maelstrom of supersonicsound!

Also, Oren Ambarchi's 'In the Pendulum's Embrace' is on fat double wax too, all lovely on Southern Lord

Ida Maria is some lady who's been on Jools Holland cos my ex was enquiring as to whether i'd heard owt by her. Well 'Queen of the World' is wholesome, perky and catchy indie-ish rock & roll with soul & a bit of vim & vigour. The music reminds me a little of Larrikin Love or Mystery Jets & her voice has a slight Scandinavian burr. In fact i'm looking forward to checking the album out on the strength of this celebratory & charismatic tune. Ltd 7" & CDs thru RCA

Didn't know what Shout Out Louds are like but having thrown 'Our Ill Wills' at the stereo and screamed at the failing Japanese technology till it reluctantly trundled into life, i'd say these Swedes make perfectly palatable indie pop with a mature thoughtful edge that's been compared to the Cure & the Shins. It's all masterfully assembled & very catchy, like bird flu. So nothing original but if yr a fan of scando-pop & radio friendly guitar anthems then I think these chaps will appeal. It's all a little commercial for this bitter & jaded man-boy (i can hear the likes of A-Ha in there somewhere!) but you can't fault tunes this full & focussed, buzzing with ideas & stuffed with great melodies.

Thats yer lot you munters. Have a great weekend and thanks for your continued support - Team Normski X