Luminous Plectrum predicts: the end is nigh. AN NME interview with Interpol's Sam Fogarino sent alarm bells ringing here at Luminous Plectrum. Despite his reassurances about the close future of the band following Carlos D's departure, Fogarino seems somewhat unconvinced on where they might be in a year or two's time, admitting the vibrant bassist will be missed. Talking to NME, Fogarino said: "I don't think we're afraid to work on music without him but it's just so far away. Who knows how we'll feel in a year-and-a-half or two years." He added: "As to whether [Dengler's talent] will be missed, yeah, how can it not be? "The band will just rely on other strengths in the future. Emotionally, it will be missed but pragmatically, no. We're all pretty capable musicians." Interesting, yet unconvincing, words there and It's difficult to see a future for this band after the release of their self-titled album some time this year.
ICELANDIC 14-piece Benni Hemm Hemm take the "less is more" approach with this glowing five-track EP. Retaliate sounds like it barely jumps out of the starting blocks but the warmth radiating from its every pore is enough to keep the record burning - albeit slowly. Album opener Retaliate combines feather-light acoustic guitars with delightful piano chimes that build to its pleasant finish, while Blood of My Blood follows a similar route. Rousing shanty Shipcracks is, without doubt, the record's high point and gives the record a welcomed lease of life before the triumphant conclusion of Blood on Lady Lawson, which can only be described as breathtaking as an Icelandic waterfall. Retaliate is a simplistic pleasure.
MINKS' Funeral Song, which featured on Luminous Plectrum's week 3 mix, has received the video treatment and been premiered on the wondeful Pitchfork TV.
Minks -- Funeral Song:
The song is a huge fave here in Luminous Plectrum towers and, despite it's gloomy title and black and white, grainy video set in the scummier parts of what looks like Brooklyn island, it's been one of the sounds of the summer. Check it out.
IT’S official. Interpol have ditched the glorious thick claustrophobia of Turn on the Bright Lights and the dry, honest sentiment of Antics for good. Barricade, the next song to be leaked from the up-coming self-titled album, is a clean, crisp affair but it’s shamefully similar to anything from Our Love to Admire. Is it any good? It’s polished to an inch of its life. Paul Banks’ vocals aren’t tested too much but the quintessential Interpol rolling guitar riffs are here. The sadly departed (from the band) Carlos D provides a tangled melange of a bassline while drummer Sam Fogarino, the band’s secret weapon, keeps the song ticking along at a frantic pace. It’s not a bad song, a grower for sure, but it’s nothing new. I’m not holding out much hope that the new album is going to be anything more than a half-arsed, mediocre effort. From a band that could have had the world at their feet in 2004, to this – it’s massive shame.
Interpol -- Barricade (from the up-coming self-titled LP)
Better late than never, eh? HYPE can either make or break a band. In the case of four-piece The Drums, the hype machine has gone into overdrive. Luckily for us, it’s done little to alter their ability to make refreshing, joyous music. Last year’s superb Summertime! EP showcased The Drums as perfect pop-making machines and gave us some of the songs of the year in Submarine, I Felt So Stupid and breakthrough hit Let’s Go Surfing. The EP, though released in October, propelled UK listeners to a warmer place and now the summer’s actually here, let’s see if their debut long player matches the standard they’ve set themselves. Sadly and surprisingly, there is no place for Submarine or I Felt So Stupid, but the fantastic I’ll Never Drop My Sword and Me and the Moon make a much-welcomed appearance. Album opener Best Friend is arguably one of the best pop songs of the year. It’s drenched in Morrissey-esque melancholy - lead singer Jonathan Pierce wails in his distinctive vocals “you’re my best friend, but then you died” - with a rolling, infectious drum beat and the most simple of guitar riffs. Its charm is in its minimalism. Throughout the album, most of the songs revolve around the theme of love. Me and the Moon tells of a stressful and turbulent relationship that keeps on rolling because of the undying love for one another and the majestic Forever and Ever Amen shows The Drums at their fullest, with Pierce triumphantly declaring that he and his love are unstoppable - it's going to last “forever and ever and ever and ever.” There is a downside to the album, for all its high points. We Tried seems rushed and should have been titled We Tired. It could easily have been replaced with, say, a meatier cut like Submarine. It Will All End In Tears is the album’s stand out track. It’s not quintessentially Drums-y. It’s strained rather than airy pop and shows Pierce at his most vulnerable, fearing the death of a relationship. The music is reminiscent of Joy Division, (think Closer), and early New Order and without doubt takes strong influence from their 80s counterparts. The album concludes with The Future, the album’s biggest and most layered effort. It’s an ideal way to round things up but ultimately leaves the listener wanting more. Pierce’s vocals climb higher as the song progresses and the jingling glockenspiel in the background shows the band isn’t afraid to tap into its creative side. It's also the only song on the album that's co-written between Pierce and Conor Hanwick, so hopefully we can look forward to what Hanwick has to offer in, well, the "future". It’s another highlight. But this leaves us asking what’s next for The Drums? Surely another album of summery pop isn’t going to work? The worrying aspect is their lifespan. How can they progress from this? It’s an interesting question and if they’re going to want to obtain longevity, they’re going to have to tap into originality. They’ve admitted themselves they’re not an original band, just trying to bring music back that shouldn’t have gone away in the first place. This is ideal for the time being, but isn’t going to “last forever and ever and ever and ever.” Now though, Pierce and co have the world at their fingertips and there's no sign they're going to let that slip.
KELE Okereke ditches his Bloc Party chums to produce his first full-length solo LP – and the results are mixed. Titled The Boxer, not to be confused with a million other albums with the same name, it delves into Kele’s influences – anything from early UK garage to Africana – with a grimy, urban feel throughout. It’s refreshing, in a way, and you have to give the guy some kudos to branch away from one of the most successful UK bands out there but it doesn’t quite work out. Tenderoni, the first single, is an impressive floor-filler that we’ll be hearing no-end of all summer. Its delicious, grimy reverb bassline gets the heart pumping and Kele’s recognisable vocals are put to the test as he shouts out “She said she was more than this/and she would rot the brain in the head”. It's awesome. Unholy Thoughts is probably the only song on the album that comes close to being a Bloc Party track. It’s punky and pulsating, yet charming, and one of the album’s highlights. The regimental feel to Silent Alarm’s Price of Gas returns for the opener Walk Tall as the military chant of “I don’t know what I’ve been told…” rings in the ears. It’s catchy and shows Kele is not afraid to, well, walk tall. Rise, another stand out, evolves into an electronic delight after a slow start. But there are some disappointing low-lights. On The Lam is a terrible Garage Nation ’99 track that failed to make the cut while Everything You Wanted is a non-starter, even with the welcome didgeridoo throughout and New Rules tries too hard to be a difficult listen. Kele’s talents cannot be denied and he has every reason to produce a confident LP for his first solo effort but it fails to deliver something that will be relived, say, more than a handful times. There are a few highlights – and I say few – but the album drags and is a mishmash of thoughtful, yet hollow, ideas. Some will say it’s pretentious muck but I won’t go that far. Better luck next time.
Luminous Plectrum predicts: the end is nigh.
