New music releases

We recently realised that, while we own just about every album Icelandic wafty pop, effetes Sigur Rós have made, we've never played any of them more than twice. Chances are, fifth album, 'Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust' (that's easy for them to say) will fare the same. It's not that we haven't enjoyed hearing the new-found perkiness, or marvelled at the way recording much of the record live (with orchestras and choirs) has given it an energy and vitality often lost in their over-attentive production, we're even charmed by the final song being in English for the first time. It's just that, until we move to somewhere glacial, music this pretty just sounds wrong in our East London flat, with scrambled egg-caked pans amassing in a filthy sink as our socks hang on the radiator to dry. It'd be like reading Baudelaire on the toilet.

We're quite excited by the discovery that the lead singer of Miami cutie-pop trio The Postmarks is a girl called Tim. 'Goodbye' is a feather light and kitten fluffy collection, exquisitely arranged with bells, muted brass and Bacharachian strings. The songs aren't as good as the sound, however, and our finger started reaching for the skip button all too frequently.

We first heard about The Jonas Brothers when Simple Plan
expressed dismay that the attractive girl in their video was going out with one of them. We've since learned that they're a Disney-affiliated phenomenon in the US. Despite the rabidity of their fans (they're not entirely un-good looking, in a cross-eyed kind of way) their Busted meets Hanson, E-number pop has failed to sell in significant amounts in the UK. But perhaps they were waiting for this, their self-titled second album. We don't imagine The Jonas Brothers are all that fussed either way, though

What do Weezer mean to people in this modern world where Crème Eggs come in bar form and iPods are slightly smaller than they used to be? This is, hilariously, the third of their albums to be titled 'Weezer' and with that we're instantly reminded of the thin line the LA band have walked between witty and wacky, since 1994's 'Buddy Holly' (irritating song, amazing 'Happy Days' video). There are probably some who see frontman Rivers Cuomo as an unheralded genius. Not us, unless someone can explain the difference between the RHCP pastiche of album track 'Everybody Get Dangerous' and anything by pop parodist Weird Al Yankovic. We're waiting.

Cage The Elephant also have a self-titled album (three in one week has to be some kind of record). The band from Kentucky make self-assured, swaggering funk rock - somewhere between the Chili Peppers (them again) and Beck (when he's not being weird) - that sounds tailor made for an open air stage, sunshine and a beer in your hand. Very good, if you like that sort of thing.

Infadels 'Universe In Reverse' is the second album by the London electro rockers that, if it were more shouty would make them Kasabian and if it were more poppy would make them The Killers. So if a less rocky Kasabian and a less poppy Killers is what you're after then this is the album for you. Yes, you.

» Reviewed by: Tim
» Talk on the boards