New music releases

There were too many albums in the pile this week, and not enough time. So we thrown them up in the air and the ones that didn't land behind the radiator get reviewed. It might not be a fair system but it's our system.

4Music Album Of The Week

L'enfant terrible of the folk scene, Jim Moray famously shocked the establishment with an audacious, performance art meets drum 'n' bass version of 'Early One Morning' at the BBC Folk Awards a few years back. But you can't be an enfant forever and being terrible can quickly lose its charm. So where previous albums strove, possibly too hard, to do the unexpected, 'Low Culture' triumphs by using only what works best to serve the song and the singer, and is all the stronger for it.
That's not to say it isn't bursting with clever arrangements, odd instruments and 'beats', but none of the cleverness overshadows Jim's best vocals to date, and certainly his best song selection as amidst the traditional tunes is a gorgeous reading of Bella Hardy's 'Three Black Feathers', confirming it as a modern classic, and a surprise cover of XTC's 'All You Pretty Girls', returning the band's 1984 single to its sea shanty roots.
Perhaps driven by the acclaim his sister Jackie Oates received for her marvellous second album, or the ever growing talents of an even younger generation of trad musicians, Moray has delivered a remarkably complete and satisfying record. And while the appearance of a rapper on 'Lucy Wan' mightn't be to everyone's liking, it wouldn't be a Jim Moray album if it didn't get up at least someone's nose.

In a world full of hip hop 'legends', the title has long become meaningless. Which probably means the fact that Nas has turned in a ninth album (the self-titled 'Nas'), that more than justifies his inclusion in the hip hop hall of fame, will go somewhat overlooked. Naturally, the sole contribution from Mark Ronson earns itself a sticker on the front despite it being, disappointingly, the weakest track on a great record.

We first saw Micah P. Hinson supporting a young Joanna Newsom, playing her very first show on these shores. He didn't stand a chance really, and we can't remember anything about his performance. So away from the shadow of greatness we find that the Texan singer songwriter's fourth album, 'Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra' is something we might unfairly call Smog-light and fairly call a well-meaning, lovingly crafted, but ultimately non-essential collection of world weary, dusty Americana.

When we interviewed Liam Finn the temptation to ask him if, everywhere he went, he always took the weather with him, was almost too strong. Liam, you see, is the son of the great Neil Finn of Crowded House, you see, and that's one of their songs and... oh. 'I'll Be Lightning' is his self produced debut of perky, harmonic bedroom pop. It's quite nice but after a few tracks we got a bit bored and went to listen to the new stuff by The Streets instead. Oh. Dear. Embarrassed. Face.

Eine Kleine Nacht Musik is a bit of an odd name for a band (and an album), and we might've assumed it was a budget Mozart CD if we hadn't noticed it was on Modular, home of many a promising exponent of all things wonky and pop, these days. EKNM, as no one is calling them, are more wonky than pop, filtering all things German, vintage and electro through a more modern (though still twentieth century) dreamy techno sensibility. Not an original idea but a rather fine set of beeps and bleeps all the same, that we reckon would sound best while driving at night. Give it a go.

We've never really got the point of Brooklyn's The Hold Steady. It's true, much of their fourth album 'Stay Positive' does remind us of 80s, hardcore-with-a-heart, sacred cows Hüsker Dü, but that only serves to remind us that Hüsker Dü really weren't all that good unless you were drunk at a festival and simply needed something with some volume and a tune. They served their purpose, music got better, we moved on.

Finally, the Sparkadia album 'Postcards' sounds quite good but we have literally run out of time and need to go and do a thing for a man. But we say, buy it. What have you got to lose?

» Reviewed by: Tim
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