Dan Black - Un

Dan Black is one of the bright new talents coming out of the U.K’s geeky Wonky Pop movement. This combines pop, rock, dance, rhythm and blues and hip-hop in a unique mix. There are lots of influences; Peter Gabriel, Prince, Calvin Harris, Madness and Jay-Z to name a view. The end result though is unlike anything else, hence the title of the album “Un.”

There is another reason for the title though. The album was produced while Black was living alone in digs in Paris and ‘un’ of course is French for one. The artist admits that the album was the culmination of a period where he had to be incredibly focussed. This was a very fruitful time but he felt very isolated and alone.

The result though is the key to the album’s appeal. There’s an intensity and passion which few artists today can equal, each song has an energy which you can’t stop help but rock along to. There are massive hooks here to each song but Black is not just a singer/songwriter he is also a master technician of intelligent electronica.

The slight weakness is bound to be cited as his nasal voice but in his defence a lot of huge singers over the last few decades have struggled with their voices and it hasn’t stopped them from becoming famous; Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Leonard Cohen to name but three. What’s important though is the strength of the songs and like the aforementioned he certainly scores. The other thing to say is that there is perfectionism here, the execution is well controlled and he always seems to hit the notes absolutely correctly.

Favourite tracks on the album are the opener Symphonies which shows the artist’s originality and creativity with atmospheric use of string and choral samples, Pump My Pumps has so much energy and a stomping good beat, Wonder has everything, a great drum riff, impressive vocals and the catchiest chorus line, while the concluding Let Go shows Black has the sensitivity for a touching, beautiful, slower number.

All in all, this is an incredibly good first effort. The twelve tracks join together to achieve a highly pleasing coherent whole. Whether he will scale the heights of stardom remains to be seen but this is a very impressive start.

Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

Bat For Lashes second album Two Suns does not disappoint. Anybody who enjoyed Natasha Khan’s first offering Fur and Gold is sure to like this though the artist has moved things on with less emphasis on acoustic folk and much more on electro-pop. This is no commercial sell-out though and the atmosphere is still dark and moody. If Two Suns suggests more light then don’t be fooled the songs are still steeped in nocturnal doings and ages past.

Bat For Lashes is a bit of an enigma. There’s shades of 60s/70s pop, a touch of Celtic folk, a dose of Goth, a bit of opera and a slightly bigger dose of ethereal electronica. The result is music that is impossible to pigeon-hole. Comparison with other artists or styles is not easy. I’ve seen others mention Kate Bush, Tori Amos and Bjork, but they are all more firmly in the real world that Natasha Khan seems to have transcended.

There are eleven excellent tracks on the album.

1. Glass shows how versatile the Khan voice is, effortlessly going up and down the scales and blending in beautifully with guitars and percussion.

2. Sleep Alone is more folky, a slight Clannad feel to it perhaps but the voice again excels.

3. Moon and Moon is a slower piece, eerie but exquisite, with moody piano accompaniment.

4. Daniel is so simple and dreamy, well chosen as a single.

5. Peace of Mind has a choir backing and tribal feel, absolutely stunning.

6. Siren Song has soft beginnings that build in tension to a great climax.

7. Pearl’s Dream is another intense number with clever vocals and clapping.

8. Good Love is a smouldering love song with simple vocal, talking in places, and organ accompaniment.

9. Two Planets has a tribal feel with effective clapping and drumming, sounds like something, which would be sung round Stonehenge.

10. Travelling Woman is one of my favourites, a simple ballad which would have single potential and I could see it getting covered at some stage, gives me goose bumps.

11. The Big Sleep is different again, operatic in style but intriguing and enjoyable, is that really Scott Walker accompanying on vocals?

If Natasha Khan is portrayed as a wild child or wayward it doesn’t affect the polished end result. In fact what strikes you more than anything over the two albums is the authenticity of the artist. There is progression, evolution and breaking new ground but great care is being taken to protect the mystique and atmosphere that has become the BFL brand. The mark of a great artist is when the second album builds on an excellent first effort and Natasha Khan has certainly done this.

The Maccabees - Wall of Arms

As a 54-year-old music lover who grew up on a diet of The Beatles, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd and Van Der Graaf Generator, it has to be said that the current crop of pop groups don’t really generate the same sort of interest. When you look down the ranks of the album download charts most of the groups I either don’t really get or I don’t really enjoy listening to. This could be a sign of my age but I like to think that I still have a fairly broad taste in music. One group that has stood out for me in 2009 though is The Maccabees.

Wall of Arms, the Maccabees second album, is one that definitely improves with repeated listenings. The sound is darker but richer than their first offering Colour It In which was released in 2007. In the interim they have concentrated on their writing as they did not want to become just another indie guitar band. That’s not to say that they are not an excellently tight guitars and drums unit but there is now so much more.

Apparently, the five members of the London based group are all into different types of music and it shows. Rather than making the listening experience a problem though, the flying off on routes that you wouldn’t necessarily expect make this band stand out from the crowd.

Their producer for the second album Markus Dravs, who has worked previously with Coldplay, Arcade Fire and Bjork has done such a good job adding depth. This is evident right from the first track, Love You Better, where the addition of a brass section two-thirds the way through sets the scene. This is quickly followed by the indie-disco of One Hand Holding and semi-anthem of Can You Give It. The latter had an excellent video of the Gloucestershire cheese rolling to promote it.

When it came to videos though the prize had to go to the disturbing but highly poignant No Kind Words. This is such a simple idea of two guys facing one another with speech and thought patterns coming out of their heads. The story of a relationship where there has been deception, words said and silence needed has never been so cleverly portrayed in a 3-minute production.

Variety then in the tracks but what’s consistent throughout are the vocals and lyrics. Lead singer Orlando Weeks sounds stressed but it’s a distinctive voice and style which adds intensity to the songs. The words touch on relationships and the problems people have. The mood set seemed well suited to a year of such uncertainties but this is not dirge music and the band’s drive and energy will stop you from feeling suicidal.

From 4^th February the Maccabees will be headlining the NME Shockwaves Awards Tour. They have got a reputation for being one of the best live bands after their highly acclaimed appearances at the Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2009. Who knows, there may be even bigger times ahead?

Lily Allen - It's Not Me It's You

In the ultra-competitive world that we live in mega-stars need to be ahead of the game if they want to keep in the forefront of the public's attention. The media are totally ruthless in destroying artists, especially those that seem to have made a meteoric rise to fame. Artists like Madonna have continuously re-invented themselves to secure their position and Lily Allen showed signs in 2009 that she is well capable of doing the same.

Ms Allen's second album It's Not Me It's You transcended style and influences. She seemed to have moved on from her first album Alright, Still which had a much more contemporary hip hop/ rap/ indie/ ska feel to it and in stead we had a mix of electronic/ country/ vaudeville/ fairground and pure pop. With the musical accompaniment and big production many of the tracks seemed to have a feel of the past especially the 80s and 90s. If ever there was a chance that Kate Nash, or any other artist for that matter, was going to tread on her toes with their similarity, this record certainly moved the goalposts.

It's strange really, Lily Allen doesn't really sing, she talks but she is very melodic. The words are as you would expect hilarious and naughty and you certainly get value for money, no other artist seems to pack as many words into each track in such effortless fashion. There's a huge amount of self-appraisal but it's all tongue-in-cheek and playful, like on The Fear, "It doesn't matter, 'cos I'm packing plastic And that's what makes my life so f*****g fantastic."

The Fear with it's fairytale-style video was a download chart number 1 at the beginning of 2009 and further success followed with the country and western spoof Not Fair. Other really catchy tracks on the album are I Could Say, Never Gonna Happen and He Wasn't There.

In September 2009, Lily told the press that she couldn't see a way that she could ever make a profit making new records and because of this had no plans to make another album. She also said she would not be renewing her record contract and would take a two year break from performing, starting in March 2010. Apparently she is planning to launch a record label and open a fashion rental shop. Whatever happens it is to be hoped that she wont be disappearing from recording for too long as she is currently one of the most original and exciting talents around.