Burn Your Witness For No Fire – Angel Olsen – With her sophomore album, Angel redefines her singer songwriter loner folk Billy “Prince” Billy approved experimental classic songs for electronic full band and it works on nearly every track. High five.
Three women have ruled February: Angel Olsen, Katy B and Lydia Loveless which, despite disappointment (relatively speaking) in Little Red is still a very strong effort. Lydia reminds me of Liz Phair, or do I mean Elvis Costello, on her immense and sprawling album of disastrous love affairs. Angel Olsen came of age.
All modern dance, all the time. Real simple, only A Great Big World doesn’t fit the EDM profile one oh one. Mostly soul, some hip hop, some House, all electronic, all DJ whatever the name on the package might say. And remarkably strong.
The Brit Awards effect, not unlike the Grammys. see one lousy album after another reach the top of the charts. And look at that, four of these albums could certainly be considered modern soul UK-EDM style; what Rudimental and Disclosure have brought together…
I’ll Always Remember You – George Strait – 30 years into his hugely successful career, Strait paid tribute to his audience in what amounts to a love song for us folks who cheer him on every day of his life. Nice to be appreciated – B+
It doesn’t live up to the hype; in theory the sound of modern EDM finds a young English woman in search of more than dancing after the lights on the disco are turned on. In practise, one too many ballad makes it a little less than the tight grip on the dancefloor we were hoping for
Marry Me – Drive-By Truckers – Off their best album, this is a pure slice of Rolling Stones style hard country rock and holla by one Mike Cooley, which revs and revs to a blasting guitar solo before Cooley’s rasp takes em home – A
Tuesday for Katy B, right? I can’t wait, this is one of the biggies this year, three years in the making and the buzz has been absolutely humongous. Everything I’ve heard is aces and so here is the question… where is it??? And when is she playing New York?
Zedd is wonderful modern EDM with Hayley handling the lead, Clean Bandit leads the year as far as hit songs in the UK go, Katy B is a fascinating intro to the new album, Pitbull and Pharrell we know by now but they are both excellent. Wow, England rocks (or at least dances)
Terrific olde English minstrel song about the cowardly Sir Robin, Knight of the round table. After fighting for seconds and seconds, Eric Idle scarpers, his retreat immortalized in song: “When trouble reared its ugly head, he bravely turned its tale and fled” – B+
I kinda missed the bus on 2011’s On A Mission by Katy B but listening to it now, it is a terrific terrific terrific dance album and I can’t wait for the newbie which is getting raves and may well end up being one of the best of the year. Xiu Xiu are always good, Bombay Bicycle Club have their moments, Little Mix are ready for their close up and Broken Bells…
