Local Natives move in

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GORILLA Manor, the forthcoming introduction to Californians Local Natives, is one worth going ape about.
Because the LP from the group, who amazingly remain unsigned in their native USA, sees the group assuredly occupying similar ground to recent success stories Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest and Fleet Foxes' Fleet Foxes.
The group's sweeping orchestral indie is crisp but remains inventive throughout, with unexpected vocal directions and beautiful little interludes hidden mid-song to reward repeated listens.
A mature release for a debut from a band that's at least partially-unsigned, Gorilla Manor is a stately effort.

Colourmusic not a full spectrum

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THE Yes! EP sees psychedelic folk fivesome Colourmusic taking a positive step with their art.
Because up until now, the group - who sound like they take their inspiration from acts like The Flaming Lips and The Polyphonic Spree - have taken their main inspiration from colours, and released EPs about them called Yellow and Red.
However musically, after the eponymous anthemic opener sets out the group's stall, the whirring psychedelia here doesn't quite evolve to do anything to tickle the listener pink.
It's a shame - especially given the glut of ideas the band have reputedly brought to their live shows.
At one show, having not shaved or cut their hair for six months, the band invited the audience up to chop off their hair and clothes as the set progressed, while at another the audience were free to come onstage and paint the band with emulsion, and at another they faked the death and carried out the funeral of guitarist Nick Turner.
If Colourmusic can capture a little more of that on next year's studio album, they should have something to really whet the palette.

Chemists find the right formula

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I ONLY get this excited about a debut album from a band once or twice a year - the last time I can recall would be Fighting With Wire's Man Vs Monster back in March.
It's the sheer joy of finding a band I've never heard of whose music just makes me smile - and the reason I listen to endless Threes, Fives And Sevens and Understanding Electricitys.
Because at the first time of asking, with Theories Of Dr Lovelock, The Chemists have found the right formula.
The Bristol band's LP is a sparky compound of indie, alt rock, punk and a little pop, which what it lacks in originality it makes up for in sheer exuberance, not least on opening This City and Radio Booth - although probably not on unexpected Britney Spears cover Toxic.
Destined to be pffff-ed at by a slew of critics for not being oh-so-clever, for fans of sweaty straightforward rock I prescribe The Chemists.

Lightspeed Champion's turn

ANOTHER new single featuring another star guest with another new video - Basement Jaxx continue the Scars comeback with My Turn.
Check out the track, featuring Lightspeed Champion, here -

Young Guns go for it

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ALTHOUGH a group in its infancy, judging by Elementary Of Youth, Sound Of Guns are targeting the very top.
Because despite there being a few tweaks needed, all the elements are here for a stadium-filling rock band in the vein of The Enemy and The Music.
You only need to listen to the various elements floating around in tracks like Galaxy to know this band are thinking big.
So when a full length rolls around from Sound Of Guns, it'll be worth a shot.

Nick Jaga

EXPERIMENTAL jazz act Jaga Jazzist have a new album out early next year, One Armed Bandit.
And to celebrate, Ninja Tunes have offered a taster of the Norwegian nine-piece's album in the form of title track and forthcoming single, One Armed-Bandit.
Click here to grab a copy.

Back into the 'fold

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PERFECTO Vegas sees dance stalwart Paul Oakenfold back where he belongs - behind the decks, that is.
Because it's no gamble putting the legendary DJ in charge of a two-disc mix of less trancey, more progressive house music like this, inspired by his residency at the Palms Casino And Resort in Las Vegas.
The mixing is seamless and although never close to chill-out nothing here is rushed, with each track given its chance to grow - much like Oakenfold's hair, it seems.
There is a real flow to the album, which heads straight for the dancefloor before slowly building in more and more vocal turns, which do stray towards the cliched at times.
Oakenfold is set to release a new album of original material next, titled Pop Killer, and it almost seems a shame - as there are few better at picking and mixing other people's work.

Albums Of The Decade

Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)

DJ Shadow - The Private Press (2002)

Glassjaw - Worship And Tribute (2002)

LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (2007)

Libertines - The Libertines (2004)

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (2000)

NERD - In Search Of... (2002)

Portishead - Third (2008)

Radiohead - Kid A (2000)

Strokes - Is This It? (2001)

Broken Places a quick fix

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IF YOU'RE planning on checking out The Broken Places, the forthcoming EP from Last Tide, you'd better make sure you're wearing some interesting footwear.
Because five-track release from the Washington DC outfit is shoegaze all the way.
Taking its lead from late '80s acts like My Bloody Valentine, the EP is a droning collection which when it works, such as on Shapeshifter, is a perfect quick fix.
And don't worry, your welllingtons/espadrilles/winklepickers/clogs will get you through the less inspiring moments.

The roaring noughties

A HEADS up for you readers, it's nearly time, this is the end of an era - and my Albums Of The Decade are compiled and ready to go.
That's right, my top 10 of the past decade - assuming nothing mind-blowing is released in the next couple of months, that is - will hit the blog on Monday.
Of course you'll still have to sweat on the Albums Of The Year, but I think it's safe to say that the decade-defining albums should be set in stone by now.
Of course, I'd love to hear your picks - let me know on the forum, or leave your comments below.

Looking back

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IT'S nearly time for When This Was The Future, Lisa O Piu's new album.
As the name of the LP implies, the atmospheric folk here is not very 'now' - I suppose timeless would have been the aim.
And rich vocal tones of frontwoman Lisa Isaksson have a warm quality over tracks which add layer upon layer as they progress, creating a tapestry of voices and flutes and guitars, while an air of melancholy still pervades the record.
There's not a drum in sight here too, giving a campfire feel to proceedings.
But while the retro feel is nice, for me the Swedish act jars with the likes of Noah And The Whale, Jim Moray and Mumford And Sons - who of late have been making great strides to bring folk into the 21st century - by only looking to the past.

Beak> marginally greater than average

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BRISTOL'S Beak> and their self titled album are the latest project from Geoff Barrow, the force behind Portishead - whose album Third was 2008's Sound Advice Album Of The Year, no less.
But the trio's post rock-meets-instrumental hip hop is disappointingly one dimensional - sounding like Portishead, only on tranquilisers, in a bag.
At times, such as on I Know and Iron Acton, a Get The Blessing-referencing groove is added to the mix, adding much needed drive to proceedings - and at these points Beak> are a force to be reckoned with.
But ultimately, the meandering Beak> seems to have little point - perhaps they should have called it Bill).

Young Knives strat their stuff

A STRATOCASTER designed by Young Knives is to be auctioned off in aid of Oxfam.
The root vegetable-themed Fender electric guitar is one of several designed by acts including Glasvegas and Starsailor being sold online on Sunday for charity, as part of the Oxjam Kilburn music festival.
Organisers hope the guitar will raise £1,000 for the good cause.

4hero out of five

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THIS latest LP from 4hero extends the group's back catalogue to nine albums - and as you'd expect with so much under their belts this is pretty slick stuff.
Taking the group's ascent from pioneering early drum and bass through their chill out phase - which gained the group a Mercury Prize nomination for Two Pages - to their more jazzier efforts to the next natural extension, Extensions sees a subtle Herbie Hancock feel added to the group's lush jungle jazz.
However they're not alone here - this album sees some of their previous work delicately revisited with acts including Sonar Kollektiv Orchester, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Vince Vella's Cuban Collective and [Re:Jazz] stringing along.
Soulful and subdued, if you're looking for something to tear the roof off a rave, 4hero are not your men - but if you're looking for something altogether lovelier from your drum and bass, Extensions would augment any collection.

Hot Damn'

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METALCORE outfit Atreyu take a huge step towards the recognition they deserve with new album Congregation Of The Damned.
The LP, the Californian band's sixth studio effort, sees a fine balance between accessibility and brutality being struck.
And if it wasn't for indulgences like the awful closing ballad Wait For You, this could be one of the best metal releases of the year - with simple, unstoppable riffing on tracks like Black Days Begin, string-backed flourishes on Bleeding Is A Luxury, and relatively melodic tracks like Insatiable sitting side by side.
It's a mish mash for sure, but ultimately that means there's something for everyone here - just be sure to skip the last track.

Let it Snow

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STOCKHOLM'S Miike Snow, actually a three-piece band, fall on the UK this Monday with a self-titled LP.
And if there's any justice the flurry of electro-soul pop tracks here should see Miike Snow storm the charts - there's enough potential singles here.
Cod reggae opening number Animal, which is more Sting than a bumblebee's backside, the vocoder electropop of Silvia, the soulful synthfest Black And Blue - any of these Andrew Wyatt-penned, Bloodshy and Avant-produced tracks could settle into the top 10.
And standouts aside, Miike Snow overall is pretty cool, pretty consistant and well worth checking out, if you catch my drift.

Spectrumtious

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THEY say beware of false Prophets - but Spectrum 7 might be more than just pretenders.
The Surrey group play electro-infused nu-metal which is musically a mere stone's throw from Welsh band Lost Prophets - not a bad thing, considering the latter group have grown to Download-headlining proportions.
And Spectrum 7 colour this mini-album So Silent The Night with a wide variety of sounds - from the pummelling riffs of Blue Wray to the full-on electronica of Glass Houses, the release rarely relents.
On this form, I predict a bright future for the band.

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Coto-new

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FOLLOWING last year's The Vodoun Effect - a collection of rare recordings made by Benin's Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou - comes Echos Hypnotiques, a compilation of their major label efforts.
And the the collection continues to deliver more of the same from the prolific yet practically unheard-of group, who were one of the African nation's hottest acts back in the 1970s.
Each track is full-on funky and energetic - this is music as borne out of voodoo rituals as James Brown funk after all - and is as likely to make you shake and sweat as a malarial fever.
Thank god - or gods, voodoo worshippers - that Analog Africa continue to push this awesome act that fans of funk really should check out.

Strictly songs

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JUST Songs? well durrr!
The female voice of Strictly Come Dancing, Hayley Sanderson, releases her album of cover versions next week.
However the razzmatazz is pared back here, with a less-is-more approach - most of the time it's just Hayley's voice, keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman on pianos and guitarist Mitch Dalton.
There's not a paso doble or American slow in sight - just songs like Coldplay's Yellow, Paul Simon's 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover and David Bowie's Life On Mars.

The sound more is reminiscent of a mellow Eva Cassidy, Katie Melua style, and should see Sanderson's suitably radio-friendly approach see her beginning to hotstep in the aforementioned's footsteps.

A toast to Butter

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IF I told you about Hudson Mohawke's new album Butter, would you spread it?
Because the sought-after Glaswegian has crafted a strange and wonderful IDM soundscape with his first formal album.
For instance Mohawke, real name Ross Birchard, is strange on tracks like the Outkast-esque Joy Fantastic, and wonderful on bleeping hip hop beat-driven masterpieces like No One Could Ever and Fuse.
Wild with invention throughout, the 18-track collection is out of this world - like a rave on a spaceship.