Category: Pop rock
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Jeff Buckley: You And I
Poor old Jeff: died too young after rashly going swimming in a big river with his boots on, leaving us with one album and memories of a fantastic voice. That lone album Grace contains his cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, one of the finest tracks ever recorded. Never mind scouring the world for inspiration, Nasa…
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Deltino Guerreiro: Eparaka
Guerreiro is from Mozambique and while you could call this world it’s actually pop, Guerreiro drawing in influences from a variety of musical cultures. It most reminded us of Moonflower vintage Santana, which combined the energy of Brazil with tribal rhythms and western rock. Guerreiro developed his sound travelling from the north to the south…
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Molotov Jukebox: Tropical Gypsy
Most albums start off well and then tail off; Molotov Jukebox do the opposite and opener Pineapple Girl (nice snare solo at the start aside) is a little saccharine for us, like the music from a kids’ television show. But it’s not bad, with its horns and energy, and it gets the party started.…
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Poliça: United Crushers
You wait ages for one moody electronic album to come along and then you get two. Christine and the Queens (published shortly, or above, depending when you read this) is poppier than this, which combines the sparse electric feel of The xx with something meatier; Portishead perhaps (though the female vocals made us think of…
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Various artists: The Long Road
This has to be one of the coolest charity records ever made. Instead of various boy bands you’ve never heard of mixing with a few big names to produce ear wax that’s at least in a good cause, this is a genuinely good mini album. And Robert Plant is on it. ROBERT PLANT. The Long…
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Chris Isaak: First Comes The Night
We’ve had a couple of Chris Isaak albums in the last few years, but we struggled to find much to say about them. Well composed and sung tunes, often with intelligent lyrics, but all a bit, well, worthy. Often a euphemism for dull. Still best known for Wicked Game, a career-defining tune. He’s popular in…
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Josef Salvat: Night Swim
Salvat has had a hit with the album-opener Open Season and it’s easy to see why: it’s a catchy and likable pop tune. Soulful, tightly played and underpinned by his warming vocals, it’s almost a masterclass in pop writing. The same is true for the remix-ready Paradise, which is possibly even better. A sophisticated, dance-friendly…
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Basia Bulat: Good Advice
This is the Canadian singer’s fourth album and it’s a fairly run of the mill, even pedestrian, pop album. Two things lift it above the average: her voice (she’s a bit Sade and has the same glamorous sound) and the production, from Jim James of My Morning Jacket, which adds a pleasing retro echo to…
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Mind Enterprises: Idealist
We liked this more than Frøkedal (posted below/yesterday) but it just proves how tastes differ. You could argue this was bland, inoffensive electronic pop that merits a bit more edge and and that Frøkedal has the voice of angel, but we’re writing this and not you. The title track opens and a tune Rob…
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