It’s the return of the weekly review of album releases: This week, in the selection, there is Yard Act, Miles Kane, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Alexia Gredy, Silverback, Vanessa Philippe, Aurora, Lonny, Molly Nilsson, Reptaliens, The Soundcarriers, Husband, Keb’ Mo’, Biosphere, Hugar…
Yard Act – The Overload
After the last “new wave” of English bands developing an ultra-experimental post-punk that kept us busy for the past two years, it was time to move on! And that something else, it might just be Yard Act, the Leeds combo that made a lot of noise with its impressive first singles. And their first album, which does not include the famous singles, is a real bomb: mixing pop melodies, punkoid energy, hip hop phrasing, and developing an accomplished and intelligent socio-political discourse, The Overload continues the brilliant English saga of the kinksfrom Specials and of The Streets. (Universal) – listen – complete chronicle
Miles Kane – Change The Show
One thing is sure, solo, Miles Kane has never done as well as with The Last Shadow Puppets (the group mounted with Alex Turner ofArctic Monkeys). But that’s not reason enough to neglect his solo career and especially this fourth album in which pop and rock are adorned with soul and rhythm’n’blues influences with pieces with very brassy arrangements. A festive, warm and dancing disc with some good songs here and there. Not grand, but very nice nonetheless. (BMG) – listen
Jake Xerxes Fussell – Good and Green Again
The first very beautiful Country-Folk record of the year is signed Jake Xerxes Fussell. After two self-produced albums, What in the Natural World (2017) and out of sight (2019), the American singer, guitarist from Durham in North Carolina has this time enlisted the services of James Elkington (collaborator of Jeff Tweedy, Michael Chapman, Steve Gunn…). Result, this subtly arranged album, recorded in the company of local musicians, reveals an obvious charm with nine peaceful titles, full of pretty nuances. (Paradise of Bachelors / Modulor) – listen
Alexia Gredy – Out of season
She recorded her first titles with Baxter Dury and Geoff Barrow few years ago (The habit), here it is again this time in a long format. She it’s Alexia Gredya 30-year-old singer from Mulhouse who immediately seduces with her soft voice (somewhere between Francoise Hardy and Charlotte Gainsbourg), in a register that could also recall that The Feline. Fan of Francoise Sagan, Boris Vian and Bashung, Alexia Gredy signs a brilliant first pop album both in the texts and in the music, produced by Benjamin Lebeauhalf of The Shoes. We wish him as much success as Juliet Armanet andt Clara Luciani. (early records) – listen
Silverbacks –Archive Material
Came from Dublin just like DC Fountainsthe combo Silverbacks a second album is already coming back which follows fad appeared last year. This little singles machine that is Material Archive confirms all the potential of the Irish post-punk band with songs that will draw as much from English indie rock culture as American. Incisive guitars, catchy rhythms, matching melodies… Silverbacks has everything to seduce despite the fact that we are sailing on familiar ground. In any case, these 12 titles will largely make us happy while waiting for the heavyweights of the start of the school year scheduled for the weeks to come. (Full Time Hobby) – listen
vanessa philippe – Suddenly the birds
Return of the singer, dancer, choreographer and videographer vanessa philippefour after the very beautiful Sheltered from the wind with Suddenly The Birds, a record that gives pride of place to poetry and melancholy. A record dedicated to his older sister who died in August 2019. A record produced by Pascal Parisot and mixed by Angy Laperdrixmarked by mourning therefore, filled with modest and touching pop songs between lightness and gravity carried by the soft and fragile voice of vanessa philippe. Beautiful. (The Space Fish / Modulor) – listen
The selection of the week in detail:
Indie-Pop, Dream pop, Electro-pop, French Pop, Chanson, Folk…
Lonny – Ex Voto (chronicle)
Jake Xerxes Fussell – Good and Green Again
vanessa philippe – Suddenly the birds
Molly Nilsson – Extreme
Alexia Gredy – Out of season
aurora – The Gods We Can Touch
Pedro The Lion – havasu
Jana Horn – Optimism
Praise – Crash
Rock, Punk, Blues, Garage, Country, Post-rock, Stoner…
Yard Act – The Overload (chronic)
Silverback –Archive Material
Beechwood – Sleep Without Dreaming
Reptalians – Multiverse
pileup – pileup
Miles Kane – Change The Show
The Soundcarriers – Wilds
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Butterfly 3001
The Whitmore Sisters – Ghost Stories
Artsick – Fingers Crossed
John Mellencamp – Strictly A One-Eyed Jack
Eddie Berman – Broken English
Husbands – Full On Monet
Jazz, World, Funk, Soul, Groove, Afobeat, Disco…
Little North – Familiar Places
Keb’ Mo’ – Good To Be…
Rude Skøtt Osborn Trio – The Virtue of Temperance
Bachar Mar-Khalifé – The End – Music for Films, Vol. 1
Rap, Hip-hop, R’n’b…
Mello Music Group – Mandala
Ambient, modern classical, electronica, minimal, experimental…
Lucid Dreams – AI-28: Lucid Dreams
Olli Aarni – Loput
molven – Haze(chronic)
Stormy Acres – Star
John Thayer – Listening Sky
Ludovico Einaudi – underwater
hugar – Rift
Biosphere – Shortwave Memories (chronic)
Only child – Godmother (chronic)