New This Week: Bob Mould, Flying Lotus, Beth Orton & More
Bob Mould, Silver Age Described by the man himself as “38 minutes of rock” (no syntactical varnish here), this is a guitar-driven adrenalin rush that plays to Mould’s strengths so well it could almost be a compilation of his hits. As richly melodic as his other mineral-inspired masterpiece, Sugar’s Copper Blue, this suggests Mould’s Silver Age is becoming a golden one.
Tim Burgess, Oh No I Love You Burgess’s second solo album is an unlikely creative partnership with Kurt Wagner of Lambchop. Andrew Perry writes:
“Oh No I Love You is an intriguing collision of country music and Burgess’s more esoteric, Charlatans-incompatible interests… This is an album where, very understatedly, miracles happen.”
Flying Lotus, Until The Quiet Comes The L.A. producer’s madcap, mercurial fourth album, featuring Thom York and Erykah Badu, is already a contender for the electronic album of the year. Michaelangelo Matos writes:
“Until the Quiet Comes plays like something Jimi [Hendrix] didn’t get to stay around and make: both reflective and madcap, full of details scurrying in the margins.”
Beth Orton, Sugaring Season Orton’s fifth album, her first for six years, is a subtly powerful exploration of redemption and renewal. You can read our exclusive interview with Beth here.
UltraÃsta, UltraÃsta Producer Nigel Godrich proves he’s worthy of the tag ‘Radiohead’s unofficial sixth member’ with his UltraÃsta project, a bold experiment in noise. Laura Studarus writes:
“Named for a 20th-century Spanish literary movement that declared surreal variations on minimalism are superior to more ornate styles, Ultraista hews close to these ideals – using sonically commanding elements in sparse arrangements. As a result, their 10 dark, twisted pop compositions are given room to slowly unfold.”
Hidden Orchestra, Archipelago The second album from the Edinburgh-based quartet takes the art of cinematic atmospherics to the next level. Victoria Segal writes:
“Densely layered and dynamically structured, this music is as much about the head as that mythical underbelly, and Hidden Orchestra have the skill to ensure these imaginary motion pictures genuinely move.”
Damien Dempsey, Almighty Love The Irish singer-songwriter releases more of the spirited protest songs and heartfelt ballads that have made him so celebrated in his home country. Ian Gittins writes:
“Almighty Love finds him in personal rather than political mode, pledging his devotion on the title track and mourning a late gay friend on the moving “Chris and Stevie”… His sincerity is palpable.”
Lo’ Jo, Cinema El Mundo The French band’s 13th album is as adventurous and global in scope as you’d expect from the band who co-founded Festival in the Desert with Tinariwen. Chris Nickson writes:
“Deep into their long career, Lo’ Jo have come up with something that builds on their globetrotting and sounds fresh, vital and beautiful. It might just be the best thing they’ve ever released.”
Moon Duo, Circles Fantastic sun-baked psych-rock from a couple of longhairs from San Francisco. Jayson Green writes:
“The duo stretches out the basic materials of stoner rock so far that the result teeters on ambient music. Things happen in Moon Duo’s songs, but on their own sweet time.”
