December 2023 Album of the month: Harp – “Albion”

Although December is traditionally low on releases, I managed to find seven interesting albums for your oral pleasure. Stay tuned for our traditional and world-wide famous best of the year list ; it will be published on the first week end of January 2024!

Album of the month: Harp –“Albion” – Middle Age Pop – Harp is the new project of former Midlake band member and founder Tim Smith and his partner Kathi Zung. This is actually more than ten years since he left his previous band and the least one could comment is that he took his time. One can indeed hear the sound of a perfectionist in this record and also the fantasy of a Texan man on how a record about the English countryside should sound like. A very peaceful record in which you can listen to some many ‘thee’ rather than ‘you’ that sometimes you are not sure it was not recorded fifteen hundred years ago.

Runner-up: Peter Gabriel – “i/o” – Pop Rock – After releasing all songs on a monthly basis, Peter Gabriel decided to eventually release his new record in different formats (you will get two or three different mixes with your purchase). The production is great, the musicianship is excellent, there is a good balance between pop songs and experimentation…but a sparkle is missing. The kind of record I guess you need to listen to again and again.

Also recommended:

Jonathan Rado – “For Who The Bell Tolls For” – Pop Rock – Half of great band Foxygen 3rd solo record, dedicated to his late friend Richard Swift.

Ambrose Akinmusire – “Owl Song“ – Jazz- Beautiful and contemplative new record from jazz trumpeter extraordinaire.

Bory – “Who’s A Good Boy” – Pop Rock – Nothing beats a good power pop rock record.

Neil Young – “Before And After” – Pop Rock – The great man decided to cover old songs solo. Not uninteresting but this is a mixed bag.

Rough Trade Shops – “Counter Culture 23” – Pop Rock – The annual compilation from our favourite records’ stores in the world. 35 tracks!

U.F.A of the month!: Therion– “Leviathan III” – Metal – Let me say it again and once and for all: Metal and Opera do not mix very well together!

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – John Francis Flynn – ”Look Over The Wall, See The Sky’‘

All December releases I listened to!

All records reviewed in 2023 (but Neil Young’s and the Rough Trade compilation…)

November 2023 Album of the month: John Francis Flynn – “Look Over The Wall, See The Sky”

We will celebrate a very singular artist this month and also the great renewal of the Irish music scene.

Album of the month: John Francis Flynn –“Look Over The Wall, See The Sky” – Drone Folk – I had the pleasure in catching live this bearded Irish giant at the End of the Road festival again this year. If you go over the clichés of seeing an Irish folk singer playing his flute but if you open your mind and ears to what you actually see and hear, the reward is immense. He is one of the most creative and subtle musician of our times and his music can go one from one minute to the other from a hidden Van Morrison gem to an extreme lost Sunn O))) track. Not to be missed for any reason. The record also ends with a splendid cover of The Pogues‘ ”Dirty Old Town”. R.I.P. Shane MacGowan.

Runner-up: Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee – “Los Angeles” – Pop Rock – It should not work, right? Former The Cure member + former Banshees drummer + Irish U2 producer invite a list of prestigious guests (Bobby Gillespie, The Edge, James Murphy,..) to sing and play on their subtle and catchy electro-pop songs. Wrong! It works and this is a fantastic record!

Also recommended:

Bar Italia – “The Twits” – Pop Rock – 2nd very recommended album of 2023 from the mysterious Matador-signed band.

Kurt Vile – “Back To Moon Beach“ – Pop Rock – It is not supposed to be an album but an E.P….but this is a very long and beautiful one. Specific mention to the Wilco cover.

Ghost Woman – “Hindsight is 50/50” – Pop Rock – Edgy new album from Canadian duo of Ille van Dessel and Evan Uschenko.

Raze Regal & White Denim Inc.– “Raze Regal & White Denim Inc.” – Psychedelic Rock – Great collaboration between these two talented musicians.

Hotline TNT – “Cartwheel” – Pop Rock – Excellent new release from this band, mixing Shoegaze and Grunge styles with their own sound.

U.F.A of the month!: Daft Punk – “Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition)” – Electro Pop Rock – And he we are with The Man milking the cash cow like in good ol’ times. What is the point in spoiling one of the greatest albums of all times with this drumless mix… especially when Omar Hakim brought so much to that record! What next then? ”Random Access Memories” released with one note out of two and only on bass? Ludicrous…

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – The Rolling Stones – ”Hackney Diamonds’‘

All the new monthly releases I listened to!

The best of the year so far: 7 albums for each month!

October 2023 Album of the month: The Rolling Stones – “Hackney Diamonds”

Here, at VirginsandPhilistines, we are not afraid to support young unknown bands so here you go!

Album of the month: The Rolling Stones –“Hackney Diamonds” – Pop Rock – I would never had thought to elect The Rolling Stones’ as my favourite album of the month and I must confess this is quite an emotional moment. Years in the making and with no original material since ”A Bigger Bang” in 2005, the fear was to eventually get a entirely useless and bad LP but that was not meant to be. To make it short, Mick Jagger put a friendly pressure on Keith Richards, Ron Wood and the other musicians on this album not to overthink too much but play the tracks as they were written. This ‘fight perfection’ motto is actually what made them one of the best bands of all times and this is what makes this album such a amazing piece of music. Does Mick Jagger’s voice make sense for a 80-year old man? Not at all. Despite his arthritis, does it make sense to hear Keith playing such inventive guitar licks? Not at all. Does it make sense to have Stevie Wonder, Elton John or Paul McCartney putting their discreet and subtle touch on such a record? Not at all. Does it make sense that the 7-minute plus ”Sweet Sounds of Heaven” is one of their best song ever, thanks to Lady Gaga‘s amazing contribution? Not at all. Miracles can happen sometimes and this record is to be played and cherished.

Runner-up: Sofia Kourtesis – “Madres” – Electro – It would have been cooler to reward this female Peruvian DJ’s excellent new record by Album of the Month but bad timing… To be discovered at any cost though. It personally reminded me of Björk‘s early records in terms of freshness and creativity.

Also recommended:

Sufjan Stevens – “Javelin” – Pop Rock – I used to love his music so much that I am probably a bit disappointed by his lack of evolution but this remains a very solid and nice record.

A. Savage – “Several Songs About Fire“ – Pop Rock – Second excellent solo album from the Parquet Courts frontman.

Rat Columns – “Babydoll” – Pop Rock – Another great release from the World of Echo London label.

Sampha– “Lahai” – Urban Soul – Welcome return from the man with the most beautiful voice in the world.

Flyte – “Flyte’ – Pop Rock – Now on their own label and reduced to a duo, Flyte still deliver the goods on this enchanting new album

U.F.A of the month!: Roger Waters – “The Dark Side Of The Moon Redux” – Pop Rock – Of course Roger Waters is entitled to revisit the Pink Floyd catalogue but what is the point here? I fell asleep from the first minute and I did not get it at all. The same as the original…but badly sung and pointless. Try a reggae version next time, mate ; at least it will be fun.

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – Wilco – ”Cousin”

All the new monthly releases I listened to!

The best of the year so far ; 7 albums per month!

September 2023 Album of the month: Wilco – “Cousin”

…and like every year, the month of September was full of amazing releases and choices needed to be made to keep our favourite seven. For those interested to know more, new albums from The Coral, Kristin Hersh, Corinne Bailey Rae, Woods, Das Koolies and Modern Nature are also very recommended.

Album of the month: Wilco –“Cousin” – Pop Rock – To use an expression readers of this blog are familiar with, this is a real grower. The beauty of this great band is that every record will give us something new and after the Country/Americana atmosphere of their previous effort (called ”Cruel Country”), they went back to their experimental side, thanks to Welsh musician Cate Le Bon‘s excellent production. If like me, you are a fan of The Bear, probably the best series of this decade so far, you have noted the extraordinary use of Wilco songs. However, as mentioned by Jeff Tweedy during their recent London gig, the name of the album has nothing to do with the series…

Runner-up: Teenage Fanclub – “Nothing Lasts Forever” – Pop Rock – The choice made by bass player Gerard Love to leave the band a few years ago meant more than losing a musician… They also lost one third of the songs’ creator and their future looked a bit uncertain. Hiring keyboard player Euros Childs (from gorgeous Welsh band Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci) was the best choice to do and you can hear his influence throughout this new record, one of their best in recent years.

Also recommended:

Pale Blue Eyes – “This House” – Pop Rock – New excellent album from this English band, whose title is dedicated to the parents’ singer.

Slowdive – “Everything is Alive“ – Pop Rock – Difficult to realise the shoegaze veterans were no more for a few years as urgent and fresh these songs sound. A very welcome comeback, backed up by fantastic live performances.

The National – “Laugh Track” – Pop Rock – Totally unexpected second album of the year and probably a better one, with a renewed sense of purpose.

Blonde Redhead – “Sit Down For Dinner” – NY rock – Another great comeback, this time from the excellent noise veterans.

Steven Wilson – “The Harmony Codex” – Prog Rock – Long and beautifully crafted new record from the Porcupine Tree leader.

U.F.A of the month!: Chilly Gonzales– “French Kiss” – Nothing, really – Chilly Gonzales used to be an interesting artist 15/20 years ago when we was making dance records or his first beautiful piano solo album. He is a spent force now and this album is probably the worst of the 20’s… Everything is a cliché, the music is totally bland, the lyrics a torture…but nothing compared to the guests! Richard Clayderman, Arielle Dombasle,… really??!

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – Girl Ray –”Prestige”

And for once, a recommended eighth album with very good French band Howlin’ Jaws and their new opus ”Half Asleep, Half Awake”, recorded last year in London’s Toe Rag Studios. For French speakers, my review below in the September issue of Rolling Stone Magazine.

All the new monthly releases I listened to!

The best of the year so far ; 7 albums per month!

August 2023 Album of the month: Girl Ray – “Prestige”

Who said this blog does not like pop?

Album of the month: Girl Ray –“Prestige” – Pop Rock – This is the third album from this London female trio and by far their best. Everything song is a potential hit, mixing a laid back pop approach with a indie attitude, not that far from late 80’s female bands, like The Primitives to give an example. This is also a grower album; the more you will listen to it, the more you will like it.

Runner-up: Margaret Glaspy – “Echo The Diamond” – Pop Rock – This is also the third album from this Brooklyn , NY, female singer although I must confess I was not familiar with her until now. The formula is not revolutionary: a young woman with a punchy electric guitar sings about her life and all aspects of it. However, the way she does it is amazing as each song could really be yours.

Also recommended:

Public Image Ltd. – “End Of World” – Pop Rock – John Lydon and his band still have interesting things to say and sing.

Bonnie Prince Billy – “Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You“ – Folk Rock – It had been a quite long time without any news from Will Oldham. Like meeting back an old friend.

Willie J Healey – “Bunny” – Pop Rock – Youngsters are lucky to have a contemporary artist like this young and talented man. A Jonathan Richman for modern times!

Jaimie Branch – “Fly Or Die Fly Or Die Fly Or Die ((World War))” – Jazz – Final ambitious work from the recently deceased trumpet player.

Quavo – “Rocket Power” – Hip Hop – Excellent new release from the Migos member.

U.F.A of the month!: Miles Kane – “One Man Band” – Pop Rock – It makes me sad to put Miles Kane under the U.F.A tag but I am not sure he is really showing any progress in his career. Was he overrated? Is it a question of losing the plot? Difficult to know but nearly impossible to get a grab any of this songs which all sound a bit bland and samey.

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – Blur –”The Ballad Of Darren”

All the new monthly releases I listened to!

The best of the year so far ; 7 albums per month!

July 2023 Album of the month: Blur – “The Ballad of Darren”

What a joy to have an unexpected album from one of the greatest bands of our times.

Album of the month: Blur –“The Ballad Of Darren” – Pop Rock – To accompany their recent amazing shows, including the London Wembley dates, Damon Albarn came back to his band mates with a few songs already written and ready for Graham Coxon to put his magic touch. One will find everything they love about Blur in this record: punky numbers, pop songs, beautiful ballads and experimental tracks as well. There is even an ”Oi!” to start the record! The fact that both ”St Charles Square” and ”The Narcissist” were played during this tour says it all really ; they both sounded like instant classics. The cover picture taken by photograph Martin Parr is also to be noted. First impression is that this man looks a bit strange but the reason he swims is that he is recovering from a legs’ post-surgery trauma…

Runner-up: Dexys – “The Feminine Divine” – Dexys stuff – Kevin Rowland‘s birthday was yesterday and he is now 70-year old…which is crazy to be honest. He is back on form though after a few health issues and this is a pleasure to hear him sing new Celtic soul-influenced songs in such a great voice. There are a couple of tracks I could have lived without for sure but the huge majority of them are really gorgeous. Looking forward to catching them live in September!

Also recommended:

PJ Harvey – “I Inside The Old Year Dying” – Pop Rock – Polly Jean Harvey stopped making immediate records a few years ago but this new one sounds more spontaneous (and therefore more to my taste) than her previous efforts.

Anohni – “My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross“ – The voice! – Her best album in years.

Blake Mills – “Jelly Road” – Guitar music – Another very interesting release from one of the best musicians of the young generation (and main musical force behind the recent great series ”Daisy Jones and the Six”).

The Clientele– “I Am Not There Anymore” – Rock – Excellent new LP from a quite underestimated band.

Bush Tetras – “The Live in My Head – Pop Rock – One of the major bands from the NY No Wave late 70’s / early 80’s movement is back!

U.F.A of the month!: Travis Scott – “Utopia’‘ – Hip Hop – I have never understood the hype around this not very talented musician and this new record will certainly not change my mind…

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – This Is The Kit –”Careful Of Your Keepers”

All July ’23 releases I listened to!

The best of the year; 7 albums per month!

June 2023 Album of the month: This Is The Kit – “Careful Of Your Keepers”

June was without the slight of a doubt the best month ever in terms of quality records since this regular review has been created. What? New excellent records from Lanterns Of The Lake, Protomartyr, Foo Fighters, Squid, The Boo Radleys, King Krule, Lloyd Cole or against Geese not in the selection below, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

Album of the month: This Is The Kit –“Careful Of Your Keepers” – Rock Folk – Kate Stables has done it again. With her compadres of This Is The Kit, including the awesome Rozi Plain, she has delivered a new classic record, mixing sensitive lyrics and an extraordinary sense of melodies and arrangements. I also think that her voice keeps on improving with time. Catching her recently at Rough Trade East was a real joy and we had a few words together in French (she has been living in Paris for more than fifteen years). Very hip as well to have ‘bisous’ signed on my LP rather than the usual ‘xxx’!

Runner-up: Queens Of The Stone Age – “In Times New Roman” – Stone Age Rock – This album would have been first on the list any other month of the year and let me be clear here: this is already a classic and one of their best! Those interested by the band are aware that their leader Josh Homme had personal struggles in these latest years and hearing him, back with a revenge, is not to be missed. I was lucky enough to catch them in the (slightly surreal) Pause Guitare Festival in Albi and they were awesome either in terms of musicianship or pure energy.

Also recommended:

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – “Council Skies” – Pop Rock – Contrary to another brother of his, Noel keeps on releasing beautiful records, mixing classic melodies with psychedelic rock, growing up not that far from the work of a certain Paul Weller.

Janelle Monae – “The Age Of Pleasure“ – Sensual urban – The title says it all, the most brainy woman in soul and hip hop lets it go and shares the pleasure of summer sex!

Swans – “The Beggar” – Noisy Folk Rock – A very long (2 hours!), less noisy than usual and fascinating record from Michael Gira‘s band.

Cory Hanson – “Western Cum” – Rock – A great ‘a la Pavement‘ record from the previous Wand leader.

bdrmm – “I Don’t Know” – Shoegaze Rock – This young UK band are delivering the goods on their best album so far.

U.F.A of the month!: Christine And The Queens – “Paranoia, Angels, True Love’‘ – WTF music – Apologies Christine, Héloise, Redcar, whatever your name is but every time I want to like your new record, I end up being tortured to be forced to go until the final track…

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – BC Camplight –”The Last Rotation Of Earth”

All June ’23 releases I listened to!

The best of the year; 7 albums per month!

May 2023 Album of the month: BC Camplight – “The Last Rotation Of Earth”

..and he did it again!

Album of the month: BC Camplight –“The Last Rotation Of Earth” – Pop Rock – If I were lazy, it would just advise my beautiful readers to look at the cover of this great record and if they are indeed half smart as they pretend to be, they will get it all. The end is near and we all have our demons so let’s CE-LE-BRA-TE! BC Camplight is the alias of Brian Christinzio, a New Jersey-born musician who has been living in the North of England for a few years now. His new album was made very quickly on his own and is about a romantic break-up,…well his actually… Every record he releases could be seen as a cure for his personal trouble (depression, break-ups, being deported from the UK to the US,…) but his music is everything but gloomy. I would say the opposite as a matter of fact. His voice is also a real asset to his music and the quality of his lyrics makes him to my mind one of the great composers of our times. To discover at any cost.

Runner-up: The Wedding Present – “24 Songs” – Pop Rock – I confess it may be considered as a sort of compilation as it gathers all 24 songs (clever title…) released last year by the band with a frequency of 2 per month. But who cares about the format really when one can get such a great and fresh record? David Gedge is a real example of what a musician should be and nobody would guess that his band will be close to be 40 years in the music business soon.

Also recommended:

The Lemon Twigs – “Everything Harmony” – Pop Rock – Another great release from the d’Addario brothers, who are now very old men at respectively 24 and 26-year old…

The Smashing Pumpkins – “Atum“ – Opera Rock – A ambitious and very long project. There are a few so-so tracks but when it works, it is fantastic!

Bar Italia – “Tracey Denim” – Pop Rock – Excellent post punk debut from this young London band.

Califone – “Villagers” – Experimental Folk – A great come back from Tim Rutili‘s band

Pere Ubu – “Trouble On Big Beat Street” – Experimental Poetry – David Thomas remains the only original member and creative force behind the Cleveland band. Long may he live.

U.F.A of the month!: Alison Goldfrapp– “The Love Invention’‘ – (boring) Pop – You do not love music, you never buy a record, you go to a concert every 2 years? This album is for you then!

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – Everything But The Girl –”Fuse”

All May ’23 releases I listened to!

The best of the year; 7 albums per month!

April 2023 Album of the month: Everything But The Girl – “Fuse”

A beautiful comeback.

Album of the month: Everything But The Girl –“Fuse” – Pop Rock – Who would have thought that a) married-couple and band coleaders Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt would eventually make a new record twenty four years after their last effort b) that it would be so good? As a fan, I have spent this period of time buying their solo records, reading their respective books, catching Ben on stage with Bernard Butler, listening to Tracey at a Rough Trade Q&A or seeing her in the audience of a concert by The Apartments…but here we are with the real stuff! What has always made this band so special is that despite not having A sound or style, one can very quickly realise what is a EBTG song. This album is probably closer to their late 90’s records, which is not a surprise when one knows Ben’s subsequent career as a DJ. Tracey’s voice has beautifully aged and is very similar to that already found on her recent solo LP’s. I was lucky enough to attend a recent Q&A of theirs at Rough Trade East and Ben described how very quickly they knew which kind or record they wanted to do: ‘minimalist, simple and at times, overwhelming’. I would not have put it better…

Runner-up: The National – “First Two Pages Of Frankenstein” – Pop Rock – This band has always been on the edge of losing it all and stop making records or even existing…and every time their beautiful friendship makes it a story which goes forward. There is no such thing as a bad record by The National but this one sounds like a real classic after a few listens.

Also recommended:

Desire Marea – “On The Romance Of Being” – Experimental Pop – Very interesting second album from this young queer South African artist

Tiny Ruins – “Ceremony“ – Folk Rock – Another excellent release from one of the best current kiwi bands.

Ben Gregory – “Episode” – Minimal Pop – A very sensitive record by this young musician.

Spencer Cullum – “Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2″ – Country Prog Rock – What happens when a young English guitar player ends up living in Nashville, TN? Well, he does this kind of Byrds & Neil Young-influenced music

Kara Jackson – “Why Does The Earth Give Up People To Love?” – Folk Soul – From Chicago, this young lady may end up being your new favourite artist.

U.F.A of the month!: Mac DeMarco– “One Wayne G’ – Instrumental music – Our favourite Canadian singer and songwriter just released demos of songs recorded in the last five years. We are talking there about 199 tracks for 8h43minutes of music. VirginsAndPhilistines being the real stuff, I listened to it all in three days and I must say I enjoyed it (well, maybe not the tracks where he discovered the pan flute is an instrument!)

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – Flavien Berger–”Dans cent ans”

All April ’23 releases I listened to!

The best of the year; 7 albums per month!

March 2023 Album of the month: Flavien Berger – “Dans cent ans”

The third part of a wonderful trilogy…

Album of the month: Flavien Berger –“Dans cent ans” – Pop Rock – After ”Léviathan” in 2015 and ”Contre-Temps’‘ in 2018, ”Dans cent ans” (to be translated as ”one hundred years from now’‘) is the third (and final?) record in the so-called trilogy built by this young and talented French musician. Non-French speaking people may lose a bit of the meaning of it all but not that much. While keeping what makes him a young Parisian man of his time, Flavien Berger’s music is also very much international in its overall sound and quite out of these times. Like its previous masterpiece, there are tens of subtleties and inventions in this record but the latter always serve great melodies and a sense of melancholy, not far from Brazilian saudade. Very much recommended.

Runner-up: Boygenius – “The Record” – Pop Rock – Older readers of this review may remember the age of male supergroups in the 70’s or 80’s. Very often those were a better idea than a reality and male egos very rarely made interesting pieces of music. This is the complete other way round here as Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers really sound as a great entity, even better than the sum of their respective parts.

Also recommended:

Sleaford Mods– “UK Grim” – Boom box and rage – Always the same, always different!

Ulrika Spacek – “Compact Trauma“ – Pop Rock – Good to have this excellent Sonic Youth-influenced London band back after a long hiatus.

The Reds, Pinks And Purples – “The Town That Cursed Your Name” – Pop Rock – Another excellent record from San Francisco’s Glenn Donaldson, one of the hidden gem bands of our times.

London Brew – “London Brew” – Jazz – A dream come true… Plenty of young musicians from the UK jazz scene we love so much, making a record influenced by the amazing ”Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis.

A Certain Ratio – “1982” – Funky Rock – One of the most influential Manchester bands of all times still delivering the goods.

U.F.A of the month!: Fall Out Boy – “So Much (for) Stardust’ – Emo Rock – As usual, not an ounce of emotion in the new record of this plastic band. I never understood how such a band can have such a dedicated audience… Avoid at all cost.

Lest we forget: album of the previous month – Robert Forster –”The Candle and the Flame”

All March ’23 releases I listened to!

The best of the year; 7 albums per month!