Album Review : AU

I've reviewed a few The Line of Best Fit recommended records in the past year or so, but very few would have a first track that's as explosive, euphoric and downright brilliant as the first track on AU's new album Both Lights.

Starring the elemental saxophone work of Colin Stetson, 'Epic' sets the tone for a wild ride across psych/folk/punk/metal/choral music in the space of the album's 11 tracks. I've always liked AU since I heard their Verbs record, but nothing prepared me for near-perfect construction of this album. It really is quite something.

You can read more by making the jump here, and I'd thoroughly encourage you to do just that.

Album Review : A-Sun Amissa

With a name that makes absolutely no sense to me, A-Sun Amissa probably belong in the realms of experimental music. And that, of course, is where they reside. New album Desperate In Her Heavy Sleep is an instrumental epic: bleak, forbidding and the sound of the end of the world. Lucky me to get to review it for The Line of Best Fit.

To be honest, Godspeed You! Black Emperor got there first and do the whole gloomy thing a lot better, and for the moments where you focus in on the strings, Rachel's do that with a lot more beauty, style and gravitas.

Still, there are some not bad moments to be found, and you can read more by lifting your skinny fists and clicking here.

EP Review : Young Liar

More? You want MOOOOORRRE?

Alright then, here's another review I've done for The Line of Best Fit in March, it's been a rather busy month all told, and I'm off to do an interview later today as well. The fun never stops round here....

So, EP2 is the latest release by a bunch of young Geordies by the name of Young Liar. It's a short instrumental EP, heavy on guitars and the post-rock vibe, but with some small surprises: you might be able to have a wee dance to a couple of the tracks. File alongside Explosions In The Sky, (Neu!), Mogwai et al in the quiet/loud section of your record collection, but it remains to be seen if Young Liar's career is a brief one - they could go on to release more fine records, or they could disappear like a slew of similar bands before them.

To read more, head on over to TLOBF.

Album Review : The British Expeditionary Force

Alright then? It's been a busy old month so far here at 78s Don't Wobble, and it's not letting up with at least two more reviews due in the coming weeks after this here one. Still, always nice to get the work, and who knows, you might eventually see an original post from me rather than a link to The Line of Best Fit.

But not today! This time, you can read my review of the new album by The British Expeditionary Force, Chapter Two: Konstellation Neu over at TLOBF. For fans of post rock, electronica and shoegaze, the album is not too bad, and you can read more by making the jump.

I'll be back real soon, with more post-rockin' nonsense to come next week. Pip pip!

Album Review : White Rabbits

I saw White Rabbits live in King Tuts in Glasgow one Valentine's Night, supporting the wonderful Spoon, and was blown away. The band were excellent, thriving on rattling percussion from two, sometimes three, drummers and there was plenty of the same to be found on second album It's Frightening. Well, the boys from Brooklyn are back a couple of years down the line with new album, Milk Famous.

Over at The Line of Best Fit you can read about the studio trickery learned at the knee of Spoon's Britt Daniel that's resulted in a record with a different sound to the previous rattling White Rabbits experience. It's still pretty good, and you can read more in my review, available right here!

EP Review : Daniel Rossen

I bloody love Grizzly Bear. What a band they are. Yellow House and Veckatimest are two of the best albums in recent memory, wonderfully layered excursions into chamber pop and just a sheer joy to listen to.

So, when one band member releases a solo record I've really got to take an interest. To be honest, we already know how good Daniel Rossen is away from GB through his work with Department of Eagles, so it's hardly a surprise that his new EP Silent Hour/Golden Mile is really rather brilliant.

I've written about it over at The Line of Best Fit, it might be the finest 20minute passage of music you'll hear this year outside of a full-length album so it really could be worth clicking here to read more.....

Interview : Peter Broderick

I recently spoke to the wonderful Peter Broderick for The Line of Best Fit to discuss his new record http://www.itstartshear.com/ and the concept of an album title that's not just a website address, but acts as hub for everything you need to listen to the album: the music is on there, plus liner notes, stories behind the songs, and further video and audio clips.

It's quite an achievement, an original concept that marries together Peter's constant experimentalism and his still extremely accessible music. This might be my favourite article so far: not for my words as such, but just for the answers Broderick gave to my questions.

So, to read more please click here, or visit the features section at the top of TLOBF....

Live Review: Gotye, Glasgow O2 ABC, 4/3/12

It's been a while since one of these appeared on the pages of 78s Don't Wobble, but last night I got the opportunity to go see Gotye, the UK's current number one no less, and write about it for The Line of Best Fit.

Wally (who you'll remember I interviewed here last November) and the band put on a fine show for the people of Glasgow, and I've got to say it was quite a sight to see him restlessly switch between drums, synths and electronic percussion for over an hour. There were some cracking songs on display, and you can read all about it here.

Apologies to Reverieme: I only caught your last song thanks to a useless box office at the ABC, but if I'd seen more I'd have some words for you in the review.

Album Review : Kevin Tihista's Red Terror

You may not know this, but Kevin Tihista's Red Terror released a wonderful record in 2001 by the name of Don't Breathe A Word. Since then, very little indeed. Until, that it, this month when we find Kevin back with his new album On This Dark Street.

Back in 2001, his work was classed as soft pop and the influences of The Beatles, America, Bread, Bob Dylan etc etc were obvious, but without boring mimicry. This time, he's toned down the electrics but his darkly comic wit is still intact.

You can read more over at The Line of Best Fit or make the jump direct to my review by clicking here!

Album Review : Team Me

Most of the time I find myself drawn to downbeat and depressing music, I can't really say why, but sometimes I do come across a record that's sunny and upbeat and it doesn't want to make me run to the hills. The Flaming Lips are one of my favourite bands, and I'll always have time for the likes of Teenage Fanclub and anything that sounds a bit like The Beach Boys. So, it was with great delight that I realised after listening to the opening two tracks of Team Me's debut full-length To the Treetops! I had another band to add to the happy list - maybe one day it'll balance out....

The band are from Norway (which means we automatically love them over at The Line of Best Fit) and won an award for the best pop album at the country's version of the Grammys, but the important thing is that they make multi-layered,multi-instrument music that has hook upon hook upon hook across its running time.

If you like the sound of that (and you should, it's TLOBF recommended) then click here to read more.....