UK veteran indie rockers South have put together a seamlessly elegant work of art with their fourth LP You Are Here. Though the tracks on this album I find a little inconsistent, there are some highlights (including the album cover, which is just gorgeous). I think it’s the focus on this elaborate elegance that ultimately detracts from the music, but there are also some wonderful tracks that sha’nt be missed. Listening to the piano-riffed “Opened Up” is complete ecstasy, and “Better Things” is a fantastic pop rock song.
UK funk-soul purveyor Adam Gibbons (aka Lack of Afro) has been dabbling with a variety of instruments since the age of 7, and after listening to his first long player Press On, there’s no telling that he’s going to stop anytime soon. For those who are fans of Quantic Soul Orchestra or The Go! Team, Press On is sure to impress you in its genre breadth and musical scope. “Touch My Soul” seems like a straight-up The Go! Team A-side with its hopscotch rhythms and its lo-fi warmth. The sexy “For You” has got an incredibly infectious beat that will conjure up thoughts of former underground heroes Jurassic 5 (a la ‘Concrete Schoolyard’). Overall, this is an thoroughly enjoyable album that is sure to spice up even the most wintry of days. So grab a blanket, curl up next to that stereo, and pump it loud.
Well, UK quartet The Rumble Strips sure are! Their peppy little LP Girls and Weather is simply sugary sweet, complete with some lovable vocals and some high-charged guitars. If you remember the post about fellow countrymen The Holloways (and hopefully you liked it), then you will surely get a kick out of the jangly rock-pop delivered by these guys.
UK trip-hop electronic collective Neon Heights has just released their proper LP You Make Love to Robots & You Wonder What People are For. I’ve always been partial to epic-long album titles, and the music really does justice to the expectations. I have been following Neon Heights over the past several years now, and this release is certainly the most mature and ambitious to date. You Make Love spreads itself over a wide range of genres, hitting dub, hip-hop, downtempo lounge, and even some classic rock in all the right spots. “Walked Out This Morning” is a drawn out lullaby of the famous line from James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain”, perhaps the highlight on this album. The track “A Delicate Thing” is coated in pure sugary goodness–a 6:16 vocal delight. “Hot n Freezing” is an upbeat Zero 7-ish tune, that leads well into the loungey “Stop Playing” and the Gnarls Barkley-esque “Dreaming”. It’s hard to go wrong with this album, so get yourself a copy of You Make Love…
UK electro-folk collective Tunng has got a new album Good Arrows is not what I would call spectacular, but I have thoroughly enjoyed a couple of the tracks from the album. Although it is quite hit-and-miss, I can’t help but find this album with its quirky found-sounds and audiophilic tendencies to be a perfect soundtrack for the day’s end. Put on “Cans” and watch the sun dip below the horizon. Enjoy…
Fresh out of the UK comes the trippy, feel-good outfit The Holloways. Their debut album So This is Great Britain? is a collection of laid-back, rhythmic rock tracks, accompanied with some pretty nifty vocals. Lyrically, The Holloways aren’t really anything special but the music itself is simply delightful. “Great Britain” is a great crowd-pleasing chant with a mean guitar solo, while “Generator” is a cheery reggae and ska-influenced ditty. They remind me a good deal of The Basics from Australia or even if The Strokes were on higher seratonin levels. So go and check out So This is Great Britain?. You just might enjoy it.
For fans of Coldplay who want an edgier sound, Air Traffic comes to the surface with their full length debut Fractured Life. Loaded with catchy drum loops, infectiously delicious guitar hooks, and dripping with power chord piano, Fractured Life is a near first masterpiece. The production quality is at a high, emphasizing the band’s impeccable timing and skill as musicians. Highlights on the album are “Shooting Star” which exudes a palpable energy that lasts throughout the album, along with the neat-rhythymed “No More Running Away”. Be sure to go out and get Fractured Life.
Listen to “Charlotte” (4.6/5) Watch “Shooting Star” (4.8/5)
Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream will serve as a blog for me to share my thoughts and musings, with a special emphasis on music. The music that will appear in this blog is for evaluation/sampling purposes only, and is designed to promote up and coming bands. Remember, if you like the artist(s), buy the CD! If you are the owner of a sound file and would like it removed, please contact us and we will kindly take it down.
Are you ready to rumble?
UK trip-hop electronic collective Neon Heights has just released their proper LP You Make Love to Robots & You Wonder What People are For. I’ve always been partial to epic-long album titles, and the music really does justice to the expectations. I have been following Neon Heights over the past several years now, and this release is certainly the most mature and ambitious to date. You Make Love spreads itself over a wide range of genres, hitting dub, hip-hop, downtempo lounge, and even some classic rock in all the right spots. “Walked Out This Morning” is a drawn out lullaby of the famous line from James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain”, perhaps the highlight on this album. The track “A Delicate Thing” is coated in pure sugary goodness–a 6:16 vocal delight. “Hot n Freezing” is an upbeat Zero 7-ish tune, that leads well into the loungey “Stop Playing” and the Gnarls Barkley-esque “Dreaming”. It’s hard to go wrong with this album, so get yourself a copy of 
