What has happened to Ian Brown? This guy really needs to stop making solo albums. The World is Yours is his fifth studio offering since The Stone Roses split 11 years ago, but this has to be his worse musical offering to date. The sound is old and stale, and no number of orchestral accompaniments can save it.
Generally admired as a talented songwriter, here he’s singing songs that could have been penned by a teenager. You know what sort of direction an album is going to take when you see that there is a duet with Sinead O’Connor on it. Has anybody managed to hold together a decent duet with Sinead in all these years (excluding Prince)?
Tracks like “Illegal Attacks” are unpleasant to listen to lyrically, while other songs are so dull musically that the lyrics become immaterial. Every track sounds like it could have been an Ian Brown B-side 10 years ago. It’s sad to listen to, because there were high hopes for this album.
The production work is too clean and adds nothing to the album. It’s not rock, it’s not indie, it’s kind of hip hop, but it’s got no soul.
He’s done many great things and been a part of many great tracks, but you won’t fid any of them on The World is Yours. It sounds rushed and it sounds like Ian Brown just doesn’t give a f*ck any more.
Bat for Lashes are an all-girl, four-piece band from England. They’re something special though. If you can imagine Bjork and Tori Amos and Kate Bush merged into one, you’re still nowhere near the power behind the music of Bat for Lashes.
The 2006 album Fur and gold was one of the underrated classics of last year. Natasha Khan is the girl in charge of the troop, and what a damn fine job she does of it. Her voice mesmerizing. It’s soft and captivating, and yet it has emotion behind it, as you’d expect with Bjork, but somehow it’s easier to relate to.
Fur and Gold should have won this year’s Merucry Music Prize, but sadly it lost out to those godawful Klaxons. What’s the world coming to? Tracks such as “Horse and I” and “Bat’s Mouth” are pure magic. The music has a real dark edge to it. It’s down tempo with real hints of folk in it.
Bat for Lashes should go on to great things and we are awaiting a new album eagerly. The sort of music they make isn’t to everybody’s liking, which is probably why Bat for Lashes are yet to really burst into the mainstream, but for casual listening, it’s inspiring.
Blonde Redhead’s seventh studio album, 23, is a wonder to behold. Japanese former-art student Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace are back after a three-year absence with what could be the album of the year. They perform in English, Japanese, Italian and French.
The music is sweet, radiant pop and indie with a dark edge to it. Makino’s voice is soothing and peaceful, but it has an unmistakable power to it. The drumming is precise with the guitar chords simple yet effective.
23 is 10 tracks of genuine emotion. From the melodic title track, through the beautiful “Top Ranking” to the unsettling “SW”, this is a band at the top of their game. Although they have been active for almost 15 years, Blonde Redhead have failed to achieve widespread popularity in the past, but with an album like 23 they’ve begun touching base with a new audience of listeners.
This album has romance, it has tragedy, it screams from the hills and whispers from beside you – it’s an intense music journey that stands out from the rest of this year’s album releases because it’s original.
Simply put, if you buy this album your life will be better. Blonde Redhead are a class act.
