Glasvegas - Euphoric/Heartbreak (2011)

I had great expectations on Glasvegas new record since I liked their first one a lot (and especially the Christmas special version - A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss). However, this new one is slightly disappointing (perhaps due to my high expectations) but I fell that it’s just more of the same with no positive development. As with the first record you need to listen to it a couple of times and be in the right mood to enjoy it but you should expect more evolution after having waited three or four years for a new record.


Rating: 6/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=glasvegas

No more advertisement for Spotify since it isn’t free anymore as of 1 May 2011.

The Revelators - Let A Poor Boy Ride... (2009)

Stripped down trio (vocals, guitar and drums) The Revelators is a nice acquaintance with their bluesy and punky sound (almost like a rougher version of the White Stripes). This is the second record I've bought by them and it's as though as the first one. The CD is ended by two excellent songs in a cover of "Rainin' in my heart" and "Jitterbug Swing". Recommended if you liked "We told you not to cross us".

Rating 6/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-Poor-Boy-Ride-Revelators/dp/B00005O55T/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1295985569&sr=1-4

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/49MBRE4soh3XXDTpHwy3na

Frankie Rose and the Outs (2010)

A record, which I only listened once or twice when I bought it (on recommendation) and thought nothing more of it. However, last couple of days I've listened on it on repeat and I like it very much. Classic girl pop in a fuzzy disguise like the Ronettes actually meeting the Raveonettes (with Glasvegas in there somewhere). Especially "Girlfriend Island" is a masterpiece. Recommended!

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frankie-Rose-Outs/dp/B003UW1R4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295900282&sr=1-1

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/4rBjVifZd7GaZv2kwmKmZK

Girls - Album (2009)

Excellent debut pop record from San Francisco duo. The whole record echoes of some kind of lightweight Jesus and Mary Chain (and that can never be bad) or twisted Beach Boys - this combination always makes me happy (had there been some references to the Ramones as well it would have been perfect)! Moody and lo fi but still good. A record that I've come back to again and again. Recommended!

Rating 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Album-Girls/dp/B002JMLJ7U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1278237222&sr=8-1

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/4oo6giAIivkoxt9ZDj4FmY

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Live (2009)

2-disc (one CD and one DVD) live record with B.R.M.C. recorded in Glasgow, Dublin and Berlin. Nothing much to argue about - typical live record with the songs you'd expected and with the typical sound. A fun cover of 'Dirty Old Town' is included. Very good sound on the DVD. For the fan or collector, otherwise the studio records covers them good.

Rating: 6/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Black-Rebel-Motorcycle-Club/dp/tracks/B002OL53OQ/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1

Unfortunately not on Spotify

The Soft Pack (2010)

The Soft Pack (formerly the Muslims) from San Diego delivers good indie pop with great songs and melodies. I like this very much! Recommended.

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soft-Pack/dp/B002USUJCY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267462917&sr=1-1

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/1vqcjzTQYIhnveYEaFWDAz

The Raveonettes - In And Out Of Control (2009)

Latest record by the Raveonettes is another great record from the Danish duo. For someone, who always have had Jesus and Mary Chain as one of the greatest bands of all times, this is an excellent surrogate with excellent fuzzy guitars and great pop feeling in the tunes. Not quite as good as "Chain Gang Of Love" from 2003 but still very good and a must if you like this group. I spent six hours in the car with this record last weekend with a happy smile on my face. Recommended!

Rating: 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Control-Raveonettes/dp/B002L9PQ4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1259181029&sr=8-1

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/3UXVTefPnXVligMzMFjYT7

Wavves – Wavves (2009)

An impulse buy after having read some review somewhere. Wavves is some sort of solo-project for a Nathan Williams, who I haven’t heard of before. However, the record is nice pop/punk record drowned in the kind of noise I like (think JMC and BRMC) with nice songs stuck inside the distortion and feedback. A pleasant surprise with gems like “So Bored” and “To the Dregs”.

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wavvves-Wavves/dp/B001QWEE1C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1245755922&sr=8-1

The Kills – Midnight Boom (2008)

The Kills is a group that has received very good reviews from critics that I usually trust with good taste. But after having listening through this record a number of times, my opinion is the same for this records as for the last I bought with the group (“Keep on Your Mean Side”) – I’m not impressed… Don’t know if I’m in a bad mood today, but this isn’t up to my taste and now I’m giving up on them.

Rating 4/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Midnight-Boom-Kills/dp/B0012RCMO2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1240171051&sr=8-1

Jesus And Mary Chain - The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities (2008)

The new JAMC box sums up the career of this extraordinary group in the form of their b-sides and other rarities. However much has already been heard by the hardcore fans (especially if you have the “Barbed Wire Kisses” and “The Sound of Speed” records). Thus the box doesn’t add much more than showing that this is one of the greatest groups of all time and that their three first records probably is among my top-20 of all time. A box with 81 tracks of course covers many good songs including an excellent acoustic version of “Taste of Cindy” showing how good the pop-songs are behind all the white noise and feedback. Other good tracks are “Kill Surf City” and “Everything’s alright when you’re down” (excellent title on a song!).
Recommended to the fans!

Rating 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Negative-Thinking-B-Sides-Rarities/dp/B000TXNBDQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1238913583&sr=1-3