# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Chris Jones - Reviews


Project Skyward


Moved by Opposing Forces
Indigestible shoegazing/electronica on second album from Project Skyward, the moniker for New York musician Ryan Field


Hush Now


Hoping and Waiting
Upbeat power pop-influenced first single from their second album for Boston-based group, the Hush Now


Cancel the Astronauts


I am the President of Your Fan Club
Innovative and playful rock on five song debut EP from offbeat Edinburgh-based band, Cancel the Astronauts


Aerosol


Airborne
Unique-sounding space rock on second album from Aerosol, the project of Danish-based post-rock musician, Rasmus Rasmussen


Declining Winter


Haunt the Upper Hallways
Familiar-sounding, but also fresh and inventive second album from the Declining Winter, the side project of Hood member Richard Adams


Avrocar


Against The Dying Of The Light
Other worldly and enigmatic-sounding space rock on hypnotic latest album from Birmingham-based electronic group, Avrocar


Glissando


With Our Arms Wide Open We March Towards The Burning Sea
Dark and disturbing but haunting ambience on debut album from Leeds-based group Glissando, the project of one-time couple Elly May Irving and Richard Knox


For Against


Shade Side Sunny Side
Haunted and enthralling dreampop on seventh album from Nebraskan post-punk survivors, For Against, which sees the return of original guitarist Harry Dingman after a 16 year absence


July Skies


The Weather Clock
Reverent and thoughtful largely instrumental fourth album from July Skies, the project of Antony Harding, which with evocative tenderness displays a deep longing for the past


Asobi Seksu


Thursday
Optimistic-sounding first single from New York bliss-rockers Asobi Seksu's long awaited second album, 'Citrus'


Magic Bullets


A Child But in Life Yet a Doctor in Love
Astonishing C*6-influenced debut album from the Magic Bullets, who surprisingly come from San Francisco rather than Britain


Meeting Places


Numbered Days
Powerful second album from Los Angeles band the Meeting Places, who self-describe their sound as "noisepop"


Brighter


Out to Sea
Fabulous second compilation on the Matinee label for late 80's/early 90's shoegaze/indiepop group and former Sarah Records act Brighter


July Skies


Where the Days Go
Sublime and delicately evocative post rock on third album from July Skies, the project of London-based musician Anthony Harding


Welcome


Sirs
Diverse and unpredictable 60's-style psychedelic pop on Fat Cat label from Seattle-based band, Welcome


Harper Lee


He Holds a Flame
Familiar-sounding, but also excellent electropop on new EP from Brighton duo Harper Lee, the seventh of Californian indiepop label Matinee Records


Lovejoy


England Made Me
Melancholic, but perfect new EP from Lovejoy, the moniker of Brighton-based indiepop musician Richard Preece, which includes a cover of the June Brides' 'In the Rain'


Destroyer


Destroyer's Rubies
Compelling and forceful new album from Destroyer, the moniker of part-time New Pornographer and full-time solo artist Dan Bejar


East River Pipe


What Are You On ?
Bleakly humorous latest album from New York's East River Pipe, the project of one-time homeless alcoholic FW Cornog


Clue To Kalo


One Way, It's Every Way
Initially baffling, but ultimately totally compelling second album from Clue to Kalo, which combines a West Coast/60's pop feel with electronica


Sealevel


Beach From Last Summer
Debut album from new Berlin-based jangly indiepop band the Sealevel, who have formed out of the ashes of the critically acclaimed the Seaside Stars


Lovejoy


Everybody Hates Lovejoy
Soothing melancholic indiepop on third album from Lovejoy, the moniker for Brighton-based singer-songwriter Richard Preece


For Against


Echelons
Timely re-release on Words on Music label of brooding Nebraskan post punks For Against 1986's lost masterpiece, 'Echelons'


July Skies


The English Cold
Haunting, eccentric post rock from July Skies, the solo project of Avrocar's Anthony Harding, dedicated to airmen killed during the Second World War


Tim Bowness


My Hotel Year
Intimate and subtle post rock on debut solo album from Tim Bowness, who has previously worked with Porcupines Tree's Steven Wilson in No-Man, Centrozoon, Richard Barbieri and David Torn


The Morrisons


Songs From The South Of England
Appealing compilation on Germany's Firestation label of songs from long lost 80's UK jangly pop band, the Morrisons


Pinkie


Sharon Fussy
Finely-crafted new albumof indi epop from former Brighter guitarist Alex Sharkey, who shows himslef able to recall the sounds of the Sarah Records era


Mr Wright


Metropolitan
Rich and orchestral pop on third album from Kevin Wright, who shows that he "hasn't lost his ability to create incredibly lush, intelligent songs that both define and transcend pop"


Rocketship / Trace


Split Ep
Excellent split release spread across two CD EPs featuring new tracks from long-serving and increasingly reclusive Californian electronica acts, Rocketship and Trace


Frenchmen


Sorry, We Ruined Your Party
Hyperactive, derivative indiepop from Sacramento group the Frenchmen, which possibly borrows a little too freely from C86 groups the Flatmates and Heavenly


Album Leaf


In A Safe Place
Organic-sounding new album from long-serving electro act Album Leaf, which has found mainman Jimmy La Valle abandoning the sunny climes of California to travel to Iceland to work with Sigur Ros


Bark Psychosis


Codename : Dustsucker
Compelling first album in ten years from influential and still revolutionary pioneers of the post-rock and electronica movement, Bark Psychosis


Soft Set


Only Lovers Left Alive
Second official album from upbeat Texas-based indie poppers, who intriguingly have ended up on UK based label Becalmed


Steve O'Donoghue


Martha
Promising and pleasant-on-the-ear acoustic rock on debut solo album by new British singer-songwriter, Steve O'Donoghue


Various


The Matinee Autumn Assortment!
First-rate sampler which provides an excellent introduction to the many fine bands that make up the Matinee roster


Margo


Catnap
"Subtle and soft" electro-pop debut album from French trio Margo, who the indie world will hopefully be hearing much more from in the future


Movietone


Sand And The Stars
Subdued, relaxed rock from Bristol's Movietone, portions of which were written on a beach under the stars, whose quietness is its very power


Mice Parade


Obrigado Saudade
Remarkable fifth album from the Mice Parade, the solo project of Adam Pierce, which adds new meaning to the term post-rock / electronica


I Am Robot And Proud


Grace Days
Ironically "warm sounding electronic pop" on second album from I am Robot and Proud, the moniker of 22 year old Toronto-vased electro wizard Shaw-Haw Lien


Mira Calix


Skimskitta
Chris Jones that the age of industrialization has not quite died with 'Skimsitta', Mira Calix's third album for the Warp label


Phony


First Love
Familiar -sounding , but eclectic indiepop on debut full length album from Berlin-based band, Phony


Astronaut


Times New Romance
Sepctacular slowcore/postrock from new Spanish group, Astronaut, which manages on one hand "to capture the dynamic power of Slint and the beauty of Ida on the other"


Ambitious Beggars


Parallel Universe EP
Easy-going, enjoyable indiepop on first release in many years from much-loved Manchester-based Brit pop act, Ambitious Beggars


Deadly Snakes


Ode To Joy
Darkly enjoyable third album from unpretentious Toronto-based garage rockers, the Deadly Snakes, which finds them moving in a more gospel-influenced direction


Turin Brakes


Ether Song
"Beautiful" , thoughtful, acoustic pop from Balham's much acclaimed Turin Brakes, back with their second album


Comet Gain


Realistes
First rate and soulful mod-rock from the reformed Comet Gain, which owes a strong debt to the Jam, the Television Personalities and above all Biff Bang Pow !


For Against


Coalesced
Stunning heartfelt "dream pop" on sixth album from long serving, but obscure Nebraskan group, For Against


The Girl With the Replaceable Head


Ride My Star
Enjoyably 'mellow" acoustic pop on debut EP by new girl singer from Newcastle upon Tyne


Lato


More Art Than Convenience
Solid Brit-rock from ironically German-based group, which features first-rate cover of the Style Council's 'It Just Came to Pieces in My Hands'


The 05


Pretty Nonsense
Eclectic debut album, which runs through a range of styles from punk to synthesiser pop to ska, from the German label Firestation Tower's latest signings


Mum


Finally We Are No One
Stunning "combination of electronic sounds and... dreampop" on second album from increasingly rated Icelandic four piece


Tram


Kind Of Closure
Third album from the always "incredibly sombre", but beautiful-sounding Tram, which finds them continuing down a path of "sparseness and desolation"


Aberdeen


Home Sick & Happy To
Long awaited debut album, and first recordings in seven years from one-time Sarah label artists, Aberdeen, which brings back memories of "the glory days of indie pop/rock"


Should


A Folding Sieve
Lush and beautiful re-release/compilation by the American shoegazing band, Should


Overflower


Water On Mars
"Engaging", but also somehow lacking shoegazer/dreampop from East Coast based four piece


Brian Jonestown Massacre


Bravery Repetition and Noise
Broad sounding new album from San Francisco's notoriously controversial and scary psychedelic rockers, the Brian Jonestown Massacre


Bows


Cassidy
Second album from drum 'n' bass act the Bows which takes "elements of trip-hop, dream-pop, and drum'n'bass and fuses them together perfectly" to create a sound which is reminiscent of both MBV and Roni Size


Neil Halstead


Sleeping On Roads
"Mellow" debut solo album with a surprising electronic element from Slowdive and Mojave 3 frontman, Neil Halstead


Ides Of Space


There Are No New Clouds
Debut album by Australia's Ides of Space is "a very strong album that fans of noise pop, the harder shoegazer sound, and spacerock will connect with very easily." 


Wordsound


Below The Radar. The Best Of Wordsound Dub
"Deep and somewhat dark - maybe even sinister" dub compilation from WordSound label with minimilistic feel and which focuses on basslines at cost of all else







Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors