Album Reviews!

Marina and the Diamonds : The Family Jewels

So seldom do artists who have been subjected to such an intense hype as Marina and the Diamonds manage to deliver the goods, La Roux has disappointed and it’s likely that many will have forgot who Little Boots is in 12 months...
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Lightspeed Champion : 'Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You'

Everyone loves a bit of pretension now and then, as Dev Hynes knows only too well. Yet striking a balance has always been a notoriously tricky business, and not one that the offbeat dandy has so far managed to quite master...
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by 4orTheRecord on 06-Mar-10 14:47

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Jose James : 'Black Magic'

What a mess. There is no doubting Jose James has some talent. But, well, he does some job hiding it. Black Magic, sadly, starts as it means to go on...
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by 4orTheRecord on 06-Mar-10 14:23

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Broken Bells : 'Broken Bells'

Being genuinely unique is becoming increasingly hard, yet it is something that Broken Bells accomplish deceptively well. With their synonymous debut album they not only stand out from the crowd, but stamp a distinct...
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by 4orTheRecord on 01-Mar-10 21:21

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Two Door Cinema Club : 'Tourist History'

Full of energy and often striking beauty in their song writing, Tourist History fulfils every bit of promise and hope held out for Two Door Cinema Club's full length debut...
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by 4orTheRecord on 01-Mar-10 20:35

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Bustin' Out: The Post Punk Era 1979 – 1981

A transitional and fiercely unique period in music, the Post Punk era is one that divides opinion more often than not. Sparse, bare and often very raw it certainly provided an antidote to the previous decade...
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by 4orTheRecord on 27-Feb-10 18:54

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The Who : Greatest Hits and More

Released on the back of an oh-my-word performance at Superbowl 4,000, Greatest Hits and More is yet another look at the Who’s back catalogue, packaged alongside a disc of live tracks, many seeing the light of day for the first time...
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by 4orTheRecord on 27-Feb-10 17:16

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The Features : 'Some Kind of Salvation'

You would have probably heard of The Features mainly because of some friends of theirs. Some band Kings Of Leon. The Tennessee four-piece - of which I mean The Features, not the Followills are...
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by 4orTheRecord on 27-Feb-10 16:46

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Plasticines : 'About Love'

Bonjour. Ca va? Apart from a sub-phrase book grasp of the language the only other thing I took away from a brief residency in France was the impression that French pop music is utter merde. I'm happy to say after...
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by 4orTheRecord on 21-Feb-10 16:10

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Danielle Spencer : 'Calling All Musicians'

The first two tracks of this album filled me with dread, here comes a 40 minute chunk of ‘kooky’ (for kooky read I don’t like wearing socks they’re just so restrictive dude) piano poop pop...
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by 4orTheRecord on 21-Feb-10 13:53

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Owen Pallett : 'Heartland'

As an avid fan of Beirut, I openly admit Owen Pallett is someone I should’ve heard of before today. Previously known by ‘band’ name Final Fantasy, this young Canadian has collaborated with the likes of...
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by 4orTheRecord on 12-Feb-10 22:54

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Massive Attack : Heligoland

You've got to feel a degree of sympathy for Massive Attack. Despite boasting a discography of four solid albums and no less than sixteen singles, many would happily admit they know them because of “that track...
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by 4orTheRecord on 12-Feb-10 22:35

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Kris Drever : 'Mark The Hard Earth'

Continuing the youth-led resurgence of the folk genre, Mark The Hard Earth sees Kris Drever once again on top form. What makes folk music different from other musical genres is that you will often find artists involved in...
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by 4orTheRecord on 12-Feb-10 22:24

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The Casualties : We Are All We Have

Known as one of the most infamous punk bands that our generation has seen so far, The Casualties surely deserve to be acknowledged for releasing yet another breath-taking album...
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by 4orTheRecord on 12-Feb-10 22:00

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The Kabeedies : 'Rumpus'

e are (officially) out of the recession. And we are (supposedly) about to enter Spring. To add to the general feeling of all things bright and uplifting come the quirky, wacky sounds of the Kabeedies...
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by 4orTheRecord on 07-Feb-10 22:16

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Four Tet : 'There Is Love In You'

2009 wasn’t a bad year for Keiran Hebden, with various great remixes and THAT collaboration, along with the rather fabulous Joy Orbison remix of single “Love Cry”. And so 2010 heralds the release of “There Is Love In You”...
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by 4orTheRecord on 27-Jan-10 23:39

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First Aid Kit : 'The Big Black And The Blue'

You know you're in for something special when an artist's mantra is to “aim for the hearts, not for the charts.” And with this inscribed firmly on their lips, Swedish duo First Aid Kit are certainly achieving it...
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by 4orTheRecord on 27-Jan-10 23:29

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Jonny Du Bois & the Hoo-Hah Conspiracy : 'Tips & Tricks for the Modern Age'

am recovering from deafness and liver bruising due to my recent visit to Café 1001 in Brick Lane. I believe it was the late Errol Flynn who said: “My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income.”...
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by 4orTheRecord on 24-Jan-10 23:26

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