This week we review the latest albums from the Noisettes, Son Volt, Six60, DubXanne, and Eyes Set To Kill
4 stars (out of 5)
A world away from the guitar-driven maelstrom that was 2007's What's the Time Mr. Wolf, the latest release from London indie band Noisettes is an irresistible blend of glitterball glamour and edgy soul.
Effortlessly tapping into the vogue for retro sounds, singer Shingai Shoniwa channels the spirit of soul sirens past, particularly in the aching balladry of 24 Hours and Atticus.
Yet it's far from merely bleeding hearts, as infectious lead single Don't Upset the Rhythm and the standout title track - whose chirpy blend of "la la" and handclaps ooze commercial appeal - would attest.
Single download: Wild Young Hearts
For those who like: Breezy pop with a soulful centre
- John Hayden
> Son Volt. American Central Dust. Rounder Records.
4 stars (out of 5)
Every note on Son Volt's sixth album is delivered with restraint - no room here for the roadhouse country-rockers that have heretofore peppered the band's catalogue.
Ex-Uncle Tupelo frontman Jay Farrar's observations on the lives of everyday American folk in a world approaching crisis are given room to breathe, set against melodic backgrounds of acoustic and electric guitars, pedal and lap steel, keys, drums, viola and violin.
Drawing from real history (an 1865 shipwreck in Sultana) and urban legend (Keith Richards snorting his father's ashes in Cocaine And Ashes), Farrar presents a poignant collection of dusty folk-rock stories.
Single download: Down to The Wire
For those who like: Early REM, Long Riders
- Jeff Harford
> Six60. Self-titled (EP). Independent.
4 stars (out of 5)
The members of this Dunedin five-piece take their name from the address of a Castle St flat they shared for a while. Given recent events, perhaps they should return and give the area a dose of their relaxed, loved-up vibe.
Working within the borders of reggae, roots and drum and bass, Six60's debut seven-song EP highlights consummate playing skills and an ear for production that, while slick, conveys the live intensity with which the band has turned more than a few heads.
Songs build up, break down and flow on, driven by glistening guitar lines and a rock-solid rhythm section. Good vocals, too.
Single download: Freedom
For those who like: Fat Freddy's Drop, Black Seeds
- Shane Gilchrist
DubXanne. Police in Dub. Echo Beach.
3 stars (out of 5)
There is a fitting inevitability to a dubbed-out collection of Police songs.
Sting's old band was at its best when it mixed deep reggae vibes with pop polish; this 13-track collection simply takes the likes of Walking On the Moon and and Message In A Bottle and tweaks them further, while adding a gritty dancehall vibe.
MCs chat and skat across the top of songs as an assortment of filters and echo boxes work their magic. Mega-hit Roxanne, despite (or because of) several stoppages and U-turns, is particularly fun.
Single download: Spirits In A Material World
For those who like: Um, The Police
- Shane Gilchrist
> Eyes Set To Kill. The World Outside. Shock Records.
2 stars (out of 5)
EMO, as a label and a genre, remains hard to define. Most will call to mind the image of a black-clad teenager with facial piercings and vampire-like features.
That seems to be the type of person this album is aimed at.
The alternating Slipknot/Kelly Clarkson vocals are nauseating, and the instruments make a map of the stylised Gothic apocalypse typical of the genre.
It's moody, broody music made to sound epic and cathartic, and it's aimed at a market supposedly wrapped in its own adolescence.
If you are emo and you know it, you might be a fan.
Single download: March of the Dead
For those who like: Evanescence, Poison The Well
- Thom Benny
