Reviews

WEEKLY REVIEWS FOR MAY 16th 2004

Review Index

I am also Assistant Editor & reviewer at MetalUK.

I also contribute reviews to getreadytorock

Recent reviews include
Rush - Chronicles (The Video Collection)
Deep Purple - The Early Years
Damageplan - New Found Power
Whitesnake - The Early Years

You will also find some reviews at spacerock.co.uk

The Rocker
New releases from;
Superczar - Pop Art
Various - Further Adventures of the Telepathic Explorers
When's The Future - Then
And many more....

 

New Reviews

T3O CONTROL| EMMA RUGG | GOLDFRAPP | JOSS STONE | THOMAS PATRICK MAGUIRE |

T30 Control - Blade of the Sun

T30 Control is a project from musicians Vincent Rees and Peter Smith, which heads straight down ambient avenue, turns into krautrock crescent, then makes a bolt for spacerock street. All of which are very good things.

Their promo bumph bigs up Brian Eno, German electronica and Hawkwind among their influences, but it's the Germanic influence that permeates most of the music on offer here. Listening to tracks like "Paradox", you can almost see Klaus Schulze bobbing away behind a monstrous bank of early seventies keyboard racks, although "Turn Of The Blade" does head back into spacerock for a few minutes. There are a few nods to the new century with "Too Near The Sun" picking up on Anubian Lights and System 7, and inserting some dance rhythms alongside their more traditional influences.

However, all of this is a prelude to the monstrous "Sunphazer Suite", which is a headphones track par excellence. A mixture of spacerock and John Cage like tone pieces, it evolves over its lengthy time frame, taking the listener on a metaphysical journey that it's difficult to shake off. Former Hawkwind bod Nik Turner pops in to add some spoken word moments, which add to the minimalist, throbbing feel of an inner body experience.

As a piece of music it is truly outstanding and dwarfs it's companions, which is a shame, as there is a lot of merit in the earlier numbers. But people are going to look back on the "Sunphazer Suite" as a defining moment of electronica.

Contact via snail mail c/o The Earth Science Group; 17 Elizabeth Rd; Chichester; West Sussex; PO19 7JF; England.

Emma Rugg - Isolated Impression

Born in York, brought up in Hull, self taught on guitar, and a background including conducting the school orchestra, singing in choirs and playing in brass bands. Not a CV to make me go, 'ooh!', but Ms Rugg has delivered a truly outstanding album. Reminiscent in tone and structure of my beloved Jo McCafferty, 20 year old Emma has begun her recording career on a high

Mind you, prior to going solo Emma did spend 18 months slogging round the Yorkshire pub circuit in a band, so she can hardly be a delicate young thing. And even then, it required some time busking to raise the money for studio time, to make this album

These ten songs are primarily stripped down vocals and guitars, singing songs about the personal and the spiritual, looking for answers in a world primed to only ask question. I defy anyone not to be touched by the devastating "Read Your Mind" or the heartrending "To Love You"..

Emma has a naturally open singing style, timeless in its purity. There is nothing but good things to be said about this release, with nary a misplaced word or chord. Honest and affecting, and one of the finest releases I have heard in some time, I urge you to get a copy now.

Goldfrapp - Strict Machine (2004)

Well, this was a fabulous release last year, but did you make it No 1? No, you didn't. Shocking. Well here's a chance to make amends on the back of a television advert, an Ivor Novello nomination, and a timely rerelease.

Now, as then, it's a compulsive, driving electropop anthem, that gets inside your head, and won't let go. And when Alison launches into "Wonderful electric / when you send me a pulse / feel a wave of new love through me", then it's lights out time. Juicy, sleazy and utterly trashy, you need this record.

Joss Stone - Super Duper Love

As I'm in 'blowing my own trumpet' mode, I would just remind you that when I reviewed the US import of "The Soul Sessions" I said;

'.. this is one of the finest soul albums I have heard in years, knocking India Arie, Angie Stone etc into a fabulously talented cocked hat. Granted, Ms Stone doesn't write her own material, but when that voice lets go, the world becomes, temporarily, a better place.'

And this is a super, sultry, soulful summer single, which should see serious airplay, and another leg up the ladder for Ms Stone. Complemented by a live crack at James Browns' "It's A Man's Man's World", this is a quality release..

Thomas Patrick Maguire - Pissing Streams

Now I frankly have no idea what the hell 'anti-folk' as a genre is supposed to be or mean, but I am informed that Mr Maguire is one such performer. I assume that it is a marketing concept aimed at attracting the bright young disaffected things who've heard a Beck song they liked to pay attention.

And if they do, then a job well done. New York based Thomas Patrick Maguire readily fits into the whole lo-fi acoustic idiom, and fortunately, the number of songs about urinating is limited. There are some wry observations tucked away in these grooves, but with 21 tracks on offer, there is some chaff to be sorted through to get at the really good stuff.

There are some Lemonhead momenst, especially "My Situation", probably the best rack here, some keen slices of life on "Drunk Stumbling Guy" and "Sometimes",and a way with words that keeps you listening. And even if there are too many songs, the CD only sets you back $7, so you can make your own compilation from your favourites. Different and interesting.