After a decade of making music, French indie-pop band Phoenix finally hit the nail on the head with 2009 album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, catapulting themselves into the European music scene. There are many expectations surrounding their follow-up album, Bankrupt!, and it seems that Phoenix have continued to deliver.

Entertainment begins the album in good stead. With riffs so sunny they’re almost blinding, and more than a smidgen of 1980s throwbacks, this track has everything that Phoenix’s previous album represented, but somehow more mature and certainly more epic.

A fun-filled whirlwind romance with dance music, this album unfolds into something special. The tracks become increasingly anthemic with all the joy of the opener, and the odd addition of something grimier.

The title track unveils a meditative sort of minimalism; trance-like modernism at its best, Bankrupt! offers a dreamy mid-album descent into the stranger depths of Phoenix’s music.

Drakkar Noir and, in contrast to its antecedent, has all the effervescent pop reminiscent of the band’s 2009 album. Powerful electro and more-than-catchy melodies marry up into a glorious dance track.

Chloroform is somewhat dirtier with a brooding bassline, while the penultimate track Bourgeois has all the ingredients of something more pensive and mature.

The album ends with the categorically anthemic track Oblique City; passionate, charismatic and undeniably cool, this track is a definite high-point in this gem of an album. Bankrupt! is effortlessly slick and a sure sign that Phoenix are simply getting better with age and experience. 

5/5

Natalie

Brighton-based music makers British Sea Power have consistently created wonderful albums, receiving equally wonderful receptions on both sides of the ocean. I’m certain that their latest creation Machineries of Joy will be no exception.

The album opens with the suitably joyous title track. It is sweet, and it is sunny with a rather pretty melody and particularly catchy chorus. The intriguing lyrics are at no less than the high standard that is expected of the band, while the twanging guitar echoes and a touch of folky violin-playing add complementary elements. The overall effect is notably optimistic, and the track itself is a pleasure to listen to.

The follow-up track is entitled K Hole, and has a little more charismatic roughness, without compromising one bit on the melody or the subtlety of the poetic lyrics. It still shines with as much sanguinity as the opener. Hail Holy Queen, on the other hand, is more contemplative, unhurried and rather beautiful. There are some definite folk influences with magnificently amateur violin-playing, reminiscent of the glorious folk indie band My Latest Novel.

What You Need the Most adds an extra dimension to the album, as it unravels to become a lazy lethargic ballad. Luscious strings rise in dramatic romantic phrases are juxtaposed against Yan’s disinterested vocals, adding a bitter taste of irony. In contrast, Monsters of Sunderland stands out as Maccabees-esque fun-filled, foot-tapping, head-banging diamond of a track. It’s suitably loud for young ears with a sing-along chorus to boot. This album is proving particularly difficult to fault.

The penultimate track, A Light Above Descending, is a beautiful duet between Yan’s husky voice and the soaring mournful sounds of guitar and violin. Heart-aching poetry forms the lyrics to this bleak love song. Mature in its resonances, this track winds the album down into a perfect state of melancholy before the final track, When a Warm Wind Blows Through the Grass, follows into the depths of despair. With a defined minimalistic vibe this song succeeds in enchanting the listener into a meditative state of something between seduction and desolation before completing the album with an unfinished sonority.

British Sea Power are a band with a stellar reputation, and this constellation of songs doesn’t let them down. An infinite amount of pleasure can be gained from listening to this album, and my only criticism is that it simply ends too soon.

4.5/5

Natalie

The Strokes’ fifth album Comedown Machine has been eagerly awaited after the disappointment of 2011’s Angles. Eagerly awaited, and with high expectations, despite the band’s gradual deterioration over the last decade.

Listening to the first track, Tap Out, and I’m already worried. The track is cool, crisp and minimal, with fun use of electro sounds and unrecognisably youthful vocals. It’s a great song, it’s modern, but it sounds far too familiar, and all too far from The Strokes’ usual energy. There’s something too careful about it, and I can’t help but wonder if the band’s heart is really in the music. Still, it’s certainly a new sound. Perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Drifting rather pleasantly through a second uplifting, albeit underwhelming, track All The Time, the album arrives at One Way Trigger. A fun-filled child-like electronic backing track teamed with falsetto from Julian Casablancas as I’ve never heard before. There’s little melody to speak of, and the backing track gets painfully repetitive. The belting chorus, however, offers some redemption, but I’m not sure how this simplistic track was dragged out for a whole 4 minutes.

A similarly simple funky guitar-based track entitled Welcome to Japan follows with little lasting effect before we’re forced to trudge through the lethargy of 80’s Comedown Machine. There is reward, however. 50/50 glistens like a diamond among rock, with the driving rhythm section and glorious vocals that we as listeners have been so desperately craving. For the first time this album, Julian Casablancas actually sounds passionately involved in his own song, which fits him (and the rest of the band) like a glove. It’s powerful and writhing with angst.

It isn’t long, however, until we’re back to the more sophisticated, modern, composed sound of Slow Animals and Chances (straddling some brief fun-filled dynamo of Partners in Crime), the latter with some magnificent falsetto and somewhat predictable 80s trance-like synthesising. Happy Ending follows with more foot-tapping Strokes goodness and a truly catchy chorus before a bizarre finale.

Call it Fate, Call it Karma brings a whole new sound to the album, just 3 minutes before the album is about to end. The new sound is distant, wavering, a little ethereal, a lot strange, and, yes, kind of beautiful. With scratchy echoes of a vintage era, this final track fades into contemplative silence.

The Strokes have always been agonizingly cool, but this album is almost too laidback. The crisp modern sound is sophisticated, but the result is undeniably lacklustre. It’s unlikely that the band will ever regain the glory of their debut album, but I’ll give them credit where its due, Comedown Machine was a damn good try.

2.5/5

Natalie

Devendra Banhart has been making music for a while; through eight studio albums, in fact. And this, Mala, his eighth, is no less unique and absurd than the Venezuelan musicians other offerings.

The album begins with an earthy atmosphere in Golden Girls; Banhart’s voice and lyrics both authentic and enchanting. The magic continues with second track Daniel, its trembling nature with laidback swing; deliciously fragile and heartfelt, this track is simplicity at its best.

Fur Hildegard von Bingen follows in understated, eerie ethereality. Sparse in melody, harmony, texture, just about everything; the echoing voices sound empty. However, as the texture gains instruments and momentum the listener is drawn in. And yet it feels curiously unfinished.

Fortunately Never Seen Such Good Things is decidedly more melodic. Still fairly bare in other areas, but the guitar picking out the melody as it’s sung just highlights the sweet melody. The echoes and electric sounds add some fun and something of an otherworldly atmosphere; a wonderfully laidback track.

Mi Negrita is a short and curious authentic Spanish interlude, adding the truly bizarre to an album that’s already unveiling itself as something quite different. The uncomfortable track, Your Fine Petting Duck only adds to the peculiar. Coarse and quivering, sounding something like a Beatles track played underwater, this track is almost painful to listen to, and yet oddly riveting. Towards its conclusion the song transforms into an intense European electronic experience; a strange transformation indeed.

The album halts temporarily for a sweet and sublime instrumental, The Ballad of Keenan Milton, somewhat clumsy and utterly endearing. In contrast, desolation and darkness is created by the following short, repetitive track A Gain, with disturbing lyrics and even more disturbing string sounds coating the vocals with despair.

Won’t You Come Over comes as something of a relief; light-hearted, soulful and beautifully melodic. It is entirely wholesome, foot-tapping goodness. Cristobal Risquez follows with plodding electro fun, a track that exudes smiles and sunshine.

Hatchet Wound begins in avant-garde glory and moves into a fuzzy but fun-loving pop song, albeit not without Devendra Banhart’s particularly peculiar sounds and lyrics.

The album continues in comfort with title track Mala, a short song consisting of luscious sleepy guitar work and a few words of positively lethargic vocals. This blends beautifully into Won’t You Come Home. Its sliding guitar riffs, sparse offbeat percussion and the calmest of vocals practically lull the music to sleep as it quietly fades into nothingness.

The concluding track Taurobolium begins with a percussive start; something of a rhythmic wake-up call after its sleepy predecessors. The catchy melody in Devendra’s distinctive vibrato soars above thin instrumentation, creating something both strange and enchanting.  

This surreal album is to be heard to be believed. It’s entirely laidback whilst simultaneously being entirely intense. Banhart’s own musical flavour is prominent in every beat, note and rest; this is a noble, if not bizarre, contribution to pop culture.

3.5/5

Natalie

Darwin Deez’ quirky sound shot to the forefront of indie pop with the release of their debut single ‘Radar Detector’ in 2010. Famous for their sunny sound, I thought I knew what to expect with their latest album Songs for Imaginative People. As it happens, I wasn’t entirely correct.

The opening track, (800) HUMAN, is quirky and disjointed, full of distinctive attitude whilst remaining light and listenable. It’s certainly robotic in sound, as the title would suggest, but not without emotion. You Can’t Be My Girl follows; light, fluffy and bursting with sunny sound rays. The joyful music juxtaposed with attitude-ridden lyrics makes for a refreshingly good track.

Moonlit is bejewelled with funky 80s-style accompaniment, complete with cowbell and maracas, even a cheeky call-and-response guitar solo, while a luscious lyrical vocal melody soars above. Again, this is impressively enjoyable music.

No Love follows, a little differently; it’s cool, calm and collected. Sparse and slow, a little static, and more than a little strange, this track alters the tempo of the album for a rather special 4 minutes. This fades away before Good To Lose kick-starts with joyous vigour, showcasing Darwin Deez’ beautiful ability to make bop-along sunshine pop better than any other.

Alice echoes a little of a 60s sound mingled with eccentric Vampire Weekend-esque vibrations. However, a lyrical melody with a disjointed guitar counter-melody ensures it sounds undeniably like a Darwin Deez track.

As one of the stand-out tracks of the album, Redshift begins so laidback it could be a sun lounger on a cool summer’s day. Sleepy and slick, the track oozes careful carelessness, if that could be such a thing, until little stabs of heated passion arise in the chorus. This passion unveils itself more throughout the track until the ending somehow becomes a heartbreaking confession of love: “The universe is mostly empty space without you”.

The album returns to upbeat pop with Free (The Editorial Me), with much heavier guitar-driven undertones, gloriously zealous vocals and the contrast of lazy verses. This makes way for the percussive track All In The Wrist, which itselfeases its way into sparse pretty melodic lines. It remains rather static, which isn’t particularly a bad thing after the driving tunes earlier on in the album, providing something of an oasis.

After such a glorious album, the final track, Chelsea’s Hotel, begins as something of an anticlimax. The passionate vocals and lyrics, with serene instrumental accompaniment are not unlike several of the tracks already heard. Thankfully, the tone accelerates into an upbeat and unearthly quirky sound midway through the song. However, it’s not quite enough to do the rest of the album justice.

Despite this, however, the magnificence of the album as a whole isn’t damaged. I began listening to this with the belief that Darwin Deez were a one-dimensional band, and Songs for Imaginative Peoplehas proved me to be spectacularly wrong.

4.5/5

Natalie

Her Bright Eyes is made up of vocalist Johan Brolin, guitarist Niclas Sjostedt, guitarist/vocalist Peter Nilsson, bass guitarist/vocalist Jolle Karlsson, and drummer Jonas “Mr.X” Gudmundsson. But their names aren’t even the coolest part.  This Swedish pop punk group, formed in 2005, has big things coming for them if they keep producing music like the tracks on their new album, Rivals, released today.  

The album starts off with a guitar heavy tune entitled “Working Class Punx” (yes, it is spelled with an ‘x’). The song actually made me a little nostalgic for Put Up Or Shut Up All Time Low. It’s fast-paced with a strong chorus and an overarching “chase your dreams” type of message. It sounds like a blast to hear (and for them to play) live, or even to blast out a car stereo, though I’m not sure I’d recommend it for softcore headphone listening. 

The album then transitions into “Up & Away,” which has a familiar sort of feel, and I almost wish it came at the end of the album. The construction is nothing terribly original, but an easy listen.

And “Bonnie & Clyde (The Revolution),” well, “Bonnie & Clyde” is beautiful.  In preparing this review, I had a hard time keeping my mouse away from the “repeat one” button on iTunes after listening to this gem. A little louder than the typical ballad, Her Bright Skies had me singing along to this one after the first chorus. 

“Loveless,” the fourth track, reverts to the heavy guitar we heard in “Working Class Punx,” but plays on the power of repetition (“I’ll take, take, take what I want, want, want…”) to keep listeners engaged. I wouldn’t call it “repeat one”-worthy, but the guitar riffs toward the end are brilliantly executed. 

I’ve always had a soft spot for gang vocals, and “Pain” does it right from the get go. Again, fairly run-of-the-mill, but well developed and the changes in tempo do wonders for the piece as a whole.

Next we come to the namesake for the album, “Rivals.” The song starts off with some slow keyboard, and picks up for a moment with the guitar added in. The first minute or so highlights Brolin’s smooth vocals with some pretty lyrics. The rest of the song seems to alternate with heavy guitar and soft singing.

“I’ll Be For You” brought out something I wasn’t expecting; is that violin I hear? The band pulls out the acoustic guitars and tones down the percussion.  I’d call this song a punk-rock-ified lullaby. 

“You Are The Ones” hit another soft spot. Who doesn’t appreciate a good song that speaks directly to mom and dad?

The ninth track, “Diamonds” brings together some aspects the band has already showcased: the strong guitar, rhythmic percussion, repetition, and some slightly passive aggressive lyrics (“You and your one million friends…”)

If I had to pick out the catchiest track, I’d definitely go with “Débutante.” This is a song I feel like I’ve heard in one form or another a hundred times over, but with an interesting twist and very cool instrumental harmonies. 

Finally, “Sweet Sweet Revenge” closes off the record with a style I’d tie right back to the first track, “Working Class Punks,” with larger display of vocal range from Brolin. 

I can see Rivals appealing to fans of Blessthefall, Man Overboard, The Used, and Blinded Black. I really enjoyed hearing this album, and it is definitely worth a listen!

Also, fun fact I found on the internet: “Lead singer Johan ‘Jaybee’ Brolin is notoriously known for his stage presence. He often maintains eye contact with a single member of the audience throughout a whole song.” So if you have any stories about Jaybee Brolin staring you down please share. 

4.3/5

- Panya

     For the past few years November rolls around, and you know what that means, a brand new Punk Goes Pop volume covering the infectious pop songs you would otherwise switch the station as soon as they came on. The great thing about the series for me is there’s something in it for everyone; there is a band you enjoy, bound to have a cover somewhere on the record. From Yellowcard, to Like Moths to Flames, and even Mayday Parade, the Fearless Records family is there to deliver.

“Grenade” starts the twelve-track album off promisingly with Matty Mullins showcasing his mostly clear vocals, while throwing in a bit of unclean ones too, which is quite uncommon for a PGP record. Secrets accomplish the same mix with their notable performance of Gym Class Heroes’, “Ass Back Home”. In a sea of overly done breakdowns, Memphis May Fire and Secrets seem to have found the sweet spot.

Upon seeing that The Maine covered Cyndi Lauper’s, ” Girls Just Want To Have Fun”, I initially grew nervous that they strayed from the now-standard approach of a current song, with a 1983 release, but in the end, they absolutely exceeded my expectations. They take a somber approach to the original’s upbeat tone, but incredibly, it only seems natural. Personally, the icing on the cake was the seamless integration of Taking Back Sunday’s, Adam Lazarra’s, guest vocals, which fit in perfectly. This notable track came to be one of my favorites of the album.

Another well done rendition would have to be Mayday Parade’s version of Gotye’s, “Somebody I Used to Know”, featuring Vic Fuentes of Pierce The Veil, taking over Kimbra’s portion. They stick to the original’s flow, but with a definite Mayday Parade feel to it. Craig Owens nails Coldplay’s “Paradise” for the most part, dragging on slightly in the end.

Not all the songs did it for me. Although, The Maine surprisingly did well on their cover of a song “‘83”, Breathe Carolina did not do so hot. Their over-manufactured attempt at Billie Jean misses entirely. Upon This Dawning’s, “Call Me Maybe”, had the same likability for me that the original has, causing me to wish I could turn it off within the first few lines, as does The Word Alive’s version of “Mercy”. “We Found Love” was disappointing, meanwhile Justin Bieber’s, “Boyfriend”, was somehow butchered even further by Issues than the original. I appreciate being able to understand Crown The Empires every word, but other than that, the song seems bland, and too try-hard. For me the song I would not listen to again is easily “Some Nights” by Like Moth To Flames. The intro’s vocals are off-putting, only to be followed by a lengthy breakdown-fest.



Despite the many fall outs of the record, a few gems do lie within, gaining a 2.5/5.

First Step to Failure recently released their newest EP called “Our True Enemy is Yet to Reveal Himself” as a follow us to their previous release “New Wheels” that was released back in 2010! The Glaswegian band released “Our True Enemy is Yet to Reveal Himself” through Glasgow’s newest record label Cold War Legacy Records. After I received the email containing this bands EP I was instantly excited and enthusiastic to review and listen to the album as I am also from Glasgow I love to check out the local music scene!

The EP consisting of 7 tracks (including one small instrumental) was two years in the making; however vocalist Niall Penman gave us a explanation into why it took so long: “This EP should have come out much sooner, but with a line-up change came a chance to write something better than anything we’d ever written in the past. We’re really happy with how it’s turned out, and can’t wait for the world to hear it.”

With the EP taking as long as it did to get released, I am a little disappointed that the EP is only 7 songs long due to the fact I love First Step to Failure’s new release and more tracks would have been a complete bonus!  After listening to the record from start to finish, I instantly felt that EP reminded me of bands such as The Story So Far; however although the sound from them both is similar, both bands are truly unique and are they are all talented musicians. First Step to Failure have put together a collection of upbeat 90’s style pop punk which will definitely attract the attention to all listeners and have the guitar lyrics and hooking vocals locked inside their heads for a long time. Their previous EP “New Wheels” does sound slightly similar to the new release however we were told: “With this EP we felt like we’ve really grown up. To start with, we can actually all play our instruments now!” jokes Niall. Never the less I love both EPs and they are definitely worth a listen!

4/5

Want to know more about the band? Or listen to some previous releases? Check them out using these links below;

http://www.facebook.com/firststeptofailure

http://twitter.com/FSTF_Glasgow

http://soundcloud.com/firststeptofailure

Emma

I Call Fives’ self-titled and first full-length album was released in the UK today. This record is definitely a step up from their 2010 release “Bad Advice”. Its sound is much more mature and certainly very well put together.

The sound of the entire album has a heavier sound and a faster tempo in comparison to “Bad Advice”, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. The bass intro in “Backup Plan” intertwined with the guitar riffs creates a song that definitely catches your ear. While tracks like “Obvious” and “Enemy” are faster in tempo, “Stuck in ‘03” is one song on this record where I Call Fives went back to their roots a bit resembling much of their work from “Bad Advice”. Overall, the entire album was composed of different arrangements and interesting riffs. The energy never backs down throughout the entire record.

While this record is definitely a step up from their previous album, it doesn’t present anything that makes it stand out from the rest of the “pop-punk” scene. In this genre now a days, a lot of “pop-punk” bands sound the same which is why I was hoping that I Call Fives would have choruses and hooks that would be more ear catching.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good album which has some ear pleasing songs but, I was hoping for more.

3.5/5

After desperately googling Hostage Calm to get something of a background before diving into their latest album, I find review after review likening them to The Beatles. Intrigued to say the least, I begin listening to this album with more than a little scepticism. After praise like that, it is surely impossible for me not to be disappointed.

At first listen of the opening track On Both Eyes (and the two following), Hostage Calm sound young, raw and full of angst; certainly reminiscent of Greenday. Don’t Die On Me Now especially is catchy, simple and an unrefined example of fearless shouty pop-rock, with more than a touch of The Libertines in the overall sound. So far the Beatles comparisons are way off, this album starts much more 1990s teen rock than the clean-cut pop of the 1960s.

The soft acoustic introduction to Woke Up Next To A Body sets up an instantly different timbre towards the second half of this album; all the shouting has made way for a little internal monologue. The beginning of the track is pretty and wholesome, but soon makes way for the classic rock sound to burst through. Melodic, with the guitars turned up a little too high, the band is fast conjuring an image of a talented group of kids in their parents’ garage; and this is by no means a bad thing. Their music has a sort of reality, or authenticity, which is so rare in today’s pop culture.

Impossible! is foot-tapping fun with a hard edge, and propels itself into May Love Prevail that has much the same sound. So far I’ve been searching for the 1960s influence that so many critics have raved about, and at last here it is. The heart harmonies, sleigh bells and inclusion of a xylophone give all the right impressions.

The “M” Word is sort of beautiful. The acoustic guitar, little string sections, even a brass band makes an appearance; it’s not really what I was expecting after the powerful angst of the first few tracks. This is very much a pretty, retro love song.

Carrying on the 60s theme, Patriot is a track The Beach Boys would be proud of: the driving a cappella shows a whole new dimension to this band. One Last Salute is a relatively serious track, with a pretty melody, fantastic guitar solo and lashings of cymbal; a dramatic end to a rather good album.

The mixture of genres and cultures that make up the music of this band is fascinating, and somehow it really works. Please Remain Calm is very much a pleasant surprise of an album.

3.5/5

Natalie