Tag Archives: CD

Mammoth Penguins : Here, LP released May 2024

The long-awaited new album from Mammoth Penguins arrives, opening with the powerhouse blast of ‘Species’, previously released as a single and superbly showcasing their musical clout and lyrical acuity. Following next is the light touch of ‘I Know The Signs’ where the simplicity of the words ‘…It’s all in the way you smile…I had my guard down…I wasn’t trying to impress anyone…’ belie the deeper feelings.

The attractive dissonance of ‘Flyers’ fires another neat anthem; a mini-history of many a struggling band. ‘Everything I Write’ is a pure but dark pop gem ‘…you don’t listen to what I say….I have to tell you the same thing two to three times a day…’. The title track ‘Here’ departs into a lusher sound featuring strings and builds a rich atmosphere over five and a half minutes.

The staccato guitar of ‘Old Friends’ underpins a realistic sentiment delivered wistfully by band composer Emma Kupa ‘….I can’t believe we made two lemonades last all night….why did we wait twenty years to laugh like old times?….’ while ‘Lost Friends’ acoustically echoes some of the same regrets.

And there are more tracks to savour on this excellent collection; the sleeve artwork may be monochrome but the songwriting, performance and production is full of depth and colour.

(Catch Mammoth Penguins Live!, at The Blue Moon in Cambridge 23/05/2024 with support from Huia Fun Club and Broken Chanter)

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Chloe Mogg : The Crazy One, LP released September 2023

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The debut album from singer/songwriter/guitarist Chloe Mogg opens with the dark country blues of the title track ‘The Crazy One’, the noisy guitar duelling with Chloe’s bitter words. ‘Permission’ is another strong vocal performance with a great hook ‘…I don’t recall asking for your permission….I was in control all the time, wasn’t I?…’. ‘Bryony’ revels in an atmosphere of sinister nostalgia with an unusual rhythmic pattern while the compact pop of previously released single ‘Heaven Sent You’ revolves round a neat hook and another bold vocal.

‘Better Off’ has the changing dynamics of Chloe’s voice weaving around a stealthy guitar riff to great effect. ‘Understood’ is a key track on the LP, an extended musing pivoting around the anguish of the recurring phrase ‘…..Oh it must be love or something close…. ‘cause I’ve never understood….’ with the song being given plenty of time and space to immerse the listener. There are quieter moments; the acoustically driven ‘Cut Me Off’ and the reflective swirling waltz of ‘The Only One’ all add to the rich emotional depth and musical texture of this impressive debut.

https://www.facebook.com/chloemoggmusic/

Soloman Smith : Y’dig That !, LP released 1 August 2023

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The new album from singer/songwriter Soloman Smith is full of jazzy and thoughtful tracks, laced with some acerbic social comment but always retaining the sanctity of the groove.

Opener ‘Analog’ bemoans the passing of simpler forms of communication ‘…only reel-to -reel feels real…’ in a dense lyric over a relaxed backing from his band. This is followed by the more insistent ‘System ain’t equal ain’t fair’ using examples from US politics and bringing in some spicy electric guitar from key collaborator Chris Newman. The lightness of touch of ‘Toulouse’ is a pleasure to listen to, with the travelogue lyric woven through with sparkling piano.

‘Nora’ is possibly my favourite on this LP; a simple ballad in waltz time, infused with introspective emotion. ‘The Devil and Mister Leech’ is an upbeat rendition of a macabre local folk tale, before the wistful piano ballad finale ‘The Crooner’s Elegy’.

With this mixture of styles and immersive lyrics along with warm playing and production there is plenty to enjoy on this fine collection of original songs.

solomansmith.com

Panic Pocket: Mad Half Hour, LP released June 2023

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A new LP from Panic Pocket starts with the bold ‘Get Me’, a two chord fuzzy guitar riff underpinning an unsettling lyric, before the playfully acerbic ‘Still the Bad Guy’ restores the balance musically. Title track ‘Mad Half Hour’ has the catchiest chorus to lodge in your brain then big ballad ‘Say You’re Sorry’ features sweeping sixties vocal and instrumental flourishes which is all rather gorgeous and is my favourite song on the album.

The darkish heart of the collection is reached with stories that inhabit the melancholic minutiae of relationships in ‘Boyfriend’ (‘….I’m so glad you’re happy…but don’t swap every “I” for “we”….) and ‘Cheryl (Red Is The Bluest Colour)’ (‘…everyone else has a plan…comfort’s no substitute for romance…’).

This album is recorded as a four piece with a full sound but it is the vexed fun of older songs ‘Mr Big’ and ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ that bring bank the duo’s lo-lo-fi origins and as on all these tracks their knack for strong song writing continues to shine through.

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Bouquet Of Dead Crows : Hemispheres Part 2 – Cerebral, EP released October 2021

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A new EP from Cambridge quartet Bouquet Of Dead Crows, following on from Part 1 ‘Celestial’, released back in April 2020 (see review below)……

1.Idle Thoughts : Don’t be fooled by the quiet intro, the deep dark guitar and bass soon steers the track into raw rock territory, as the vocal calls across the wasteland in this ever-changing epic.

2.Standing At The Precipice : Faster work-out for the band, especially the fireworks drumming, but full of surprises with time signature and dynamics changes all packed into two minutes thirty.

3.One More Sunrise : Straight into the soulful tones of a thoughtful ballad structure which alternates with some of the heaviest rock on the collection.

4.The Longest Road : The Crows are adept at creating longer conceptually rich pieces; this elegantly brooding anthem has the time and space to deliver the full emotional impact.

5.Somewhere In The Static : Built around the most satisfying bass and guitar riff at the start the vocal builds over the descending chord pattern to a false finish part way through. This song has many moods; weaving together the finesse of some of the prog rock directions of the band with sections of sledgehammer power to make it a fitting end to the double EP.

https://bouquetofdeadcrows.bandcamp.com/

Bouquet Of Dead Crows : Hemispheres Part 1 – Celestial, EP released April 2020

Chloe Foy : Where Shall We Begin, LP released June 2021

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A track by track review of the debut LP from singer/songwriter Chloe Foy….

1.Where Shall We Begin. Setting the tone for the collection, an acoustic dreampop delight where the guitar shadows the vocal line. Gorgeous.

2.Deserve. A slow and longer meditation, peppered with restrained electric guitar, layers of vocal lines and gradual build up of atmosphere.

3.Work of Art. More tightly structured than some of the tracks, this compact pop song is driven by the insistent melody line; grounded by the bass, drums and empathetic guitar.

4.Evangeline. A definite favourite of mine, the musical triplets are joined by an endless selection of musical combinations as the stately melody serenely soars above with the sensual lyrics ‘…Evangeline…you are my queen I promise that I’ll keep you warm…’

5.Asylum. A prime example of the haunting-folk genre that Chloe inhabits, where the sonic textures of strings and harp complement the vocals perfectly, carefully arranged and produced by album collaborator Harry Fausing Smith.

6.Bones. Adrift on a becalmed sea, the rich vocal from Chloe is adorned by a dark and moody instrumental mix.

7.Shining Star. Uptempo, hypnotic and mysterious ‘…fears untold and false absolve be true to who you are…faster now, you’re dancing now…you’ll be my shining star…’

8.Left-Centred Weight. Previously released as a single this is a showcase for the smooth and mellow tones of Chloe’s voice as the languid strings emerge over the horizon and create a semi-orchestral extravaganza.

9.And It Goes. The longest track on the album, a free form late night jazzy-folk reverie with contrasting sections, unpredictable diversions and finally drifting off into the cosmos.

10.Square Face. Possibly saving the best till last, this is a timeless and traditional sounding folk melody over a reassuring background of strings and a waltzing piano. The unaccompanied vocal towards the end lingers long in the memory as an emotional representation of this superb album.

Chloe Foy

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Bitch Hunt : Shapeshifter, EP released 28 May 2021

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A new EP from London quartet Bitch Hunt, following on from their split EP with adults in 2020, featuring the incisive ’23’ and the lo-fi high-concept pop art of ‘Spaceman’ (complete with fun video!)

Opener ‘Out of Eden’ is built around a descending chord sequence that arrives as if from a distant horizon before the arresting lyric sets the sombre tone ‘….under the apple tree…is where I was when he found me…’. The full four-piece sound is dissonant and disturbing to go with the implied subject matter but the music is punctuated with gentler interludes. ‘Identity Clinic’ is a punkier track and shows off the ability of the band to mix up the musical styles from distorted funk guitar under the catchy chorus to a sprawling instrumental workout at the end.

‘Eau Claire’ was previously released as a single and the companionship and water themes seem to carry an undercurrent of darkness, ‘…two died in the river that year…dull water…filled with parasites…’. It could be a companion track to cult classic ‘Next of Kin’ by indie dreamers Alvvays.

‘Shapeshifter’ is probably my favourite, a plaintively sung lyric, ‘….nice to meet you… sometimes I wish I could be you …sometimes I could eat you…’ as the guitar and bass lines quietly jump around. The drums and vocal harmonies control the dynamics of the song, until a short jazz influenced coda. Bonus track ‘I Wanna Be Un/Happy’ pulls many aspects of the band’s music together for a brooding and echoing finale, raising the noise level when the chorus kicks in.

This is a satisfying, energetic and thoughtful EP full of wit, warmth and wisdom.

Bitch Hunt | Facebook

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Fightmilk : Contender, LP released 14 May 2021

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Frequently reviewed on this site, roisterous London powerpunks Fightmilk release their sparkling new album….

Lucky Coin : After a brief linking introduction this track means business, as the mix melds the band together into a sharp backing for a post break-up tale of uncertainty ‘….yes I’m building something new…..and I’m a lucky coin, I just flip myself back over…’

Hey Annabelle! : An underused name in pop songs, this was a pre-released single and another energetic burst of pop delight with an edge ‘….Annabelle if you see her, can you check if anybody is there….please don’t make it too obvious because I definitely don’t care…’

I’m Starting to Think You Don’t Ever Want To Go Into Space : full review here

The Absolute State Of Me : A lyric of self-doubt inhabits the 1970s sounding production of this gleaming pop gem, which could be my favourite track on the LP. Savour the middle eight ‘….you’d look just like your picture…I wouldn’t be so useless…’ and the lively instrumental playout.

Girls Don’t Want to Have Fun : This is the more pensive side of Fightmilk, with the addition of strings, keys and drum machine sounds to create a platform for some surreal imagery in Lily’s vocal ‘…..when we talk about dying it feels like a pipe dream….
I can be your guinea pig baby…. I can make you like me….’

Cool Cool Girl : Recalling the quartet’s early EPs this is a mighty powerpop explosion with a wittily acerbic lyric delivered with conviction, great answering vocal backing from the band and a killer chorus.

Banger #4 : Drum driven spectacular, with full-on adventurous bass lines and molten guitar lines duelling with a big vocal, all adding up to the accurate description of the title.

If You Had a Sister… : full review here

You Are Not the Universe : Another character dissection, gradually building in lyrical complexity until the pay-off of ‘…the plays unread…the script is unrehearsed….but you’ve made your bed and you are not the universe…’

Maybe : With some instrumental link sections as brief respite this album does not lose forward momentum, even after the calmer acoustic introduction this track becomes another punchy anthem with a playful but lingering short phrase melody line that flawlessly hits the spot.

Overbite : This is a classy pre-released single, complete with animated video and distilling many of the elements of the band into the perfect blend. Over the dynamite bass line the lyric weaves a clever obsessional spell summed up in the chorus ‘….I think you’re cool….I like your overbite…’.

Long awaited and anticipated, Fightmilk have delivered another excellent collection of noisy pop gold.

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Fightmilk : Not With That Attitude, LP released November 2018 | cambridgemusicreviews

Fightmilk : Both Types Of Hayfever (EP Collection), released May 2018 | cambridgemusicreviews

Such Small Hands : Carousel – Raw Home Sessions, LP released May 2021

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A re-imagining of the Such Small Hands (singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Melanie Howard) release from September last year, now featuring just voice and guitar. Packaged as a limited CD edition of 150, each in a unique hand-painted sleeve to hold the precious cargo of these ethereal songs.

The original versions had the extra dimensions of changing keyboard and vocal treatments but on this new album the guitar sets a distinctive tone for each track. There are the gently strummed chords for the unhurried opening meditation of ‘Lonely Is The Rain’, followed by the hypnotic triplets throughout ‘Do I Belong Here?’ and the fast walking urgency of the steps in ‘Drifter’.

In all of the tracks it is Melanie’s voice that is the key; listen to the vocal performance on the timeless waltz of ‘O Patient One’, it is like the gentle unwinding of a silk thread. Sometimes extra harmonies augment the raw recording – used to great effect on the counterpoint chorus of ‘Electric Touch’ and the waterfall of music and voices of ‘Why Am I Like This?’.

Title track ‘Carousel’ retains the otherworldly atmosphere of the original in this sparsely layered version while ‘Anhedonia’ is starkly beautiful. Bonus track ‘Ghost’ sinuously brings the gorgeous collection to a graceful end.

Such Small Hands | Facebook

Carousel : Raw Home Sessions | Such Small Hands (bandcamp.com)

Such Small Hands : Carousel, LP released 18 September 2020 | cambridgemusicreviews

Kammahav : Distans, LP released 22 February 2021

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Kammahav are Christian Gustafsson from Forshaga in Sweden and Tony Jenkins from Cambridge, composers and performers of this new double CD.

It is a rewarding and dense mix from the start; emerging from a collage of sound effects is the grandiose pop of ‘Stitches’, referencing the assassination of Swedish politician Olof Palme in 1986. With distant vocals and fuzzy guitars like mid-period Neil Young it is a standout track. ‘Carrying On’ showcases the acoustic pop of the duo then the orchestration richly fills out the sound to impressive effect. ‘It’s Not Me…It’s You’ picks up the pace in a cinematic relationship song which the title line succinctly describes.

There are depressing political reflections on ‘The 52’ and in comparison the list of possible fates for the singer ‘….I could drown …I could suffocate…I could be stranded beneath the ice…’ sounds strangely uplifting. A strength of the duo is when they meld together the Scandi-noir soundscape of melting guitars and strings with the personal but disconnected words, evidenced on the slow-burning ‘Hea’.

And there is much, much more including the compact pop burst of ‘Seaside Ghost Town’ and the mellow play out of ‘…To The Sea’, as well as a whole disc of bonus tracks, remixes and alternative takes, showing the endless inventiveness of this creative pairing.

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