Random Tuesday Reviews

The Middle East - Jesus came to my birthday party (PIAS, single)

This great swinging folk-rock tune has a distinct flavour of Sparklehorse at his laconic best. From the album I want that you are always happy.



Roshi feat. Pars Radio - To bio (Rif Mountain, from the Mehregan EP)

Prepare to be enchanted and transported by Welsh-born-of-Iranian-descent Roshi Nasehi on vocals and electronic backing by Graham Dids (Pere Ubu). The title translates from Farsi as "Come to me beloved" and the mood has an appropriate emotional heft to it, with deft, minimal soundscapes adding colour. A voice capable of making a name for Iranian folk music.

Larsen - Annie's rap (Tin Angel Records, from the album Cool cruel mouth)

A monotonous ringing guitar, an ominous bass tone, a freestyle drum pattern, then a female monologue recounts a strangely gripping tale of getting an early drink in midtown Manhattan. She meets a man in a bar who offers to buy her a drink, to which she replies "I like that in a man". This becomes the deadpan refrain, leading to musings on life, relationships and gender politics. The words are by New York singer/painter/performer Little Annie (Crass, Nurse with Wound, Baby Dee) and the relentless musical backing by Italian band Larsen.

And here's another showstopper from the album, the old Sinatra classic It was a very good year, which manages to add a real air of menace and decay to the line "when I was seventeen".

Larsen - It Was A Very Good Year by Tin Angel Records

Alphabet Saints - Jessica's heartbreak (Go Gentle Records, from the album Raptureland)

Intriguing driving rhythm with Leonard Cohen style delivery (down to the female chorus backing), leaves a very much end-of-the-world atmosphere, but still uplifting somehow. There's even room for a Roxy-like sax solo and "inconsequential" rhyming with "existential". "Alternative/Glam/Gospel" is the soundcloud tag, which sounds good to me. Brilliant.

Jessica's Heartbreak by Alphabet Saints

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 6, 2011 at 2:14 AM

    Enjoyed that The Middle East track on yesterdays show, must check out the playlist as there were a few others I particularly liked also.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UOHJuly 6, 2011 at 5:42 AM

    good tune alright the middle east...i'm not completely decided on their album yet...

    ReplyDelete

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