Products in this catalogue
MUSIC REVIEWS Simple Minds Direction of the Heart Opening lead single Vision Thing - a New Order- esque standout track from this pioneering Scottish band's 18th studio album — is a tribute to Jim Kerr's dad/"best pal” who died in 2019. Founding guitarist Charlie Burchill’s fancy fretwork shines like a glittering prize throughout First You Jump ("..then get wings") and Human Traffic features guest vocals from the legendary Russell Mael (Sparks). Co-written by bassist Ged Grimes, Solstice Kiss harks back to classic, Let There Be Love-era (early-'90s) Simple Minds and Act of Love is a reimagining of one of Kerr/Burchill’s earliest co-writes, penned ahead of the group's debut performance in 1978. After Simple Minds explore some pressing contemporary concerns - including the moral bankruptcy of the information age (Who Killed Truth?) and the climate emergency (Planet Zero, which showcases Sarah Brown's transcendent vocals) — Direction of the Heart concludes with their faithful cover of The Call's 1983 single The Walls Came Down, resplendent with satisfying "na-na-na” chant-along ops. Hearing Kerr's timbre throughout Simple Minds’ self-described "feelgood “electro-rock’ record” is like reuniting with your long-lost bestie. (BMG) Bryget Chrisfield Bruce Springsteen Only the Strong Survive For his 21st studio album — named after the 1969 Jerry Butler hit single, and only his second covers album after We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006) - Bruce Springsteen said, “| wanted to make an album where | just sang, and try to do justice to the Great American Songbook of the ‘60s and 70s" Backed by himself on guitar, The E Street Horns, string arrangements and backing vocals which include two duets featuring Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave), Springsteen shines a new light on classic soul tracks such as Don't Play That Song (Aretha Franklin), ! Wish it Would Rain (The Temptations), 7 Rooms of Gloom (Four Tops), The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore (Walker Brothers), and What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (Jimmy Ruffin) (Sony) Billy Pinnell Neil Young World Record Neil Young's dedication to activism, philanthropy, and conservation inspired the writing of the songs on his latest album, recorded live in his home studio with longtime band Crazy Horse. Fusing folk, country, and rock, Young reminisces about the events and condition of his world - our world - and the responsibilities we all have to make it a better place. While most of the songs suggest the album could have been titled I Love My World - with Young celebrating the gifts the Earth has given him — these are identified with folky guitars, piano, accordion, and one in the form of a waltz; the more ominous cuts feature Young's trademark distorted electric guitar, which still sounds like it may fall apart mid-solo. (Reprise) Billy Pinnell Credit Dean Chalkley Weyes Blood And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow is the second chapter of Natalie Mering AKA Weyes Blood’s apocalyptic-pop trilogy. “It’s been so long since | felt really known?” Mering croons on opening track It's Not Just Me, It's Everybody, her concerns about the state of the world unfolding into a glorious, cinematic apex complete with flourishes of harp. The ambience of God Turn Me Into a Flower allows Mering’s breathtaking voice to shine as she vocalises alongside minimal instrumentation, before a harpsichord steals the show on the album’s title track. A lamentation of our times and the many changes we've endured over the last two years, Mering has turned her existential dread into something remarkable (Sub Pop) Holly Pereira visit stack.com.au Panda Bear & Sonic Boom Reset Joining forces for their first collaborative record are Animal Collective's Noah Lennox and Spacemen 3's Peter Kember, better known by their musical monikers Panda Bear and Sonic Boom, respectively. Built on a series of samples from 1950s and 1960s classics, Reset demands to be listened to on headphones so one can appreciate the intricate production work on display. Edge of the Edge layers doo-wop vocals. from Randy & the Rainbows’ Denise (the track famously covered by Blondie in 1978) to create an immersive, almost transcendental experience, only to be followed by In My Body which further induces a meditative state. Though the album is separated into nine tracks, Reset very much feels like one long piece to be savoured. (Domino) Holly Pereira Credit: Anna Maggy Asgeir Time on My Hands While leafing through one of his poet father Einar Georg Einarsson's collections, Asgeir stumbled upon a poem that he translated into the title track’s lyrics. And as this album opener gently oozes through our speakers, it's like finally hearing music again after an extended period of enforced abstinence. We feel uplifted and “carried on a breeze” while listening to Borderland's bittersweet synths as mind-boggling glacial landscapes awaken in the mind's eye. “Higher, higher, white lights guide me on the icy road... | don't know who or what, if anyone, is really in control” — although Snowblind vividly captures a heckers scene, it's also heart-achingly beautiful; those squelchy electronic fizzes invite hands-in-the-air rave euphoria and would perfectly soundtrack being whisked away on a magic carpet ride. Asgeir's intoxicating vocal seems to whisper well-kept secrets from mysterious, yet-to-be discovered nooks. Crediting Moses Sumney's Rank and File for the inspo, Asgeir recorded his own voice to use as bass in Golden Hour to spectacularly forlorn effect. Elsewhere: Brass oozes in — used sparingly to delicious effect — during the expansive Giantess; the gently aching Like / Am spellbinds; and closer Limitless is rejuvenating as a surprise, post-heatwave sun shower. To embellish the hypnotic beauty of Asgeir's truly unparalleled voice, nuanced instrumental textures hover nearby like intuitive shifting weather patterns. There's also an ever-present edginess to his work that's as sharp and glistening as his homeland Iceland's breathtaking black ice. His everso-slight lisp renders us powerless as well. (BMG) Bryget Chrisfield ibhifi.com.au JE/HIKFI,
| Name | Details |
|---|
