The Twilight Singers - A Stitch In Time

Rating: 8.2/10
EP Review
Alternative Rock
The Twilight Singers are a side project for Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli.

"A Stitch In Time", which consists of five new song, opens with a cover song of Massive Attack.
In the song, smoky, whiskey-like voice Mark Lenegan appears. Keep this as a secret, actually i've never been disappointed by any Greg Dulli's work whether Twilight Singers or Afghan Whigs. Their albums must exist in your archive. "Sublime" which is the second song brings the complex outstanding work of Twilight Singers, at the top of R&b rhytims, guitars solos, back soul vocals. It's totally awesome and
it's for people who loves rock music really very much. As you see from the name of "Flashback",
it's a song which recalls previous Afghan Whigs songs. Yeah it's rocking like Afghan Whigs'
heyday.

It's been almost perfect EP. "They Ride" is another greater power, any Afghan Whigs or Twilight Singers fan should listen it. Creative grunge-like guitar solos on the center of the song and Greg Dulli's captivating voice on backround to draw you in. On the other hand its arrangements aren't very different from his previous works. It's what it has to be. The songs are usually liquid. The closing song is little exhausting, though.

Greg Dulli, name of a powerful rock artist despite his buried works. Along with being stunning, it can be also refreshing to you mood. This Ep definitely is more precious than some of the other albums in the year.
MM picks: They Ride
Listen: Live With Me
A must have: The Afghan Whigs - 1965

New great rock singles!

1. Tom Waits - Lie To Me
2. The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever
3. Paul Weller- Wild Blue Yonder
4. Luke Haines - Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop
5. Incubus - Anna Molly
6. The Shins - Phantom Limb
7. Tokyo Police Club - Nature Of The Experiment
8. The Long Blondes - Once And Never Again
9. Midlake - Head Home
   
10. HIM - Join Me in Death (Strongroom Mix)

Tom Waits...! Still listening Orphans (consists of 30 new Waits song and rest of them rarities, unreleased tracks) , review will be coming soon. Eh, the third disc which is called "Bastards" is really some kind of wicked bastard, hooked up with it. You hear about the new song of Paul Weller?. If not, i'm sure you like it. There will be good music on MM as usual, keep up reading!

Memphis - Little Place In The Wilderness

Rating: 6.8/10
Modern Music Review
Indie Rock
Memphis' sophomore LP, "A little Place In The Widerness", by Stars singer Torquil Campbell and Chris Dumont features Metric's James Shaw, Josh Trager.
My dreams... I saw that words when i unwraped the Cd. I liked the cover and diary-like lyric papers which beg of you to draw you at a truelife story. It's been a illustrative info about the concept. I've always been a dream pop fan, i've always wanted to be in a place where music dreams softy. Softly, i said because nighmares are another part of dreams. Soft dreams remind of beautiful dreams.

Soft as snow dreams which you have to keep to yourself. Because, while we only care about ourselves, who cares about your dreams? So it's risky try to write about only your dreams on your songs. As the worst scenario, listeners will fall apart. On "A little Place In The Widerness", most of the songs include the same word, "Dream". According to me it's a blemish.

However, there are quite vivid songs on the cd ; romantic "In the Cinema", brilliant "Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey" and "A Ghost Story". We all make love in the cinema, sometimes we want to be as drunk as a fool, everyone thinks about ghosts at times. These are the moving themes of Torquil Campbell on songwriting. At the same time, it's hard to say these for some melodies on the album because of their lack of harmony. Actually it's even hard to remember them despite several spin. Horns, saxophones, airy electric guitars are jazzy, especially violins are harmonious with childhood memories included extraordinary "A Ghost Story".

It's broken and sensitive record, stucked in the middle of cloudy dreams that belong to Torquil Campbell, easily charming everything around of it. Turn off the lights, watch the beautiful world out there.
Like John Lennon said before: ' Dream, dream away -- Magic in the air, was magic in the air? I believe, yes I believe -- More I cannot say, what more can I say? '
MM picks: Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey, A Ghost Story
Mp3: I'll Do Whatever You Want
Memphis the band

PJ Harvey - The Peel Sessions 2006 (1991-2004)

Rating: 8/10
Modern Music Review
Alternative Rock
A collection of PJ Harvey’s Peel Sessions will be released for the first time, during a month of commemorative events, to mark the second anniversary of the inspirational broadcaster's death.
Polly Jean Harvey whose lyrics appear front of you like a dark humor, a flower at the middle of night, thorn of a rose, the roses which are growing on savage gardens and a ferocious female as
far as she can. PJ Harvey shows the other dark side of humanity themes; most often time they're sex, love, and religion. Mostly sexy expressions are a little disguised lyrically. Expression of mine is exciting, i know how it seems from there, but i really don't know how to write about unique artists.

There are few female songwriters who have different perspective with respect to being a girl! Amazingly she thinks like a man at times, also she's one of that distinctive rock lunatics. I think her lyrics are odd and very active and alert. If you check out the songs in this collection you'll consider that these are mostly rocker ones.

The twelve tracks were chosen by PJ, span her career; from early versions of the songs on debut album Dry (1992) to her seventh album Uh Huh Her, released in 2004. I must admit that her selections are some kind of wicked tongues, some kind of beautiful feelings.

'Oh my lover -- Don't you know it's alright -- You can love her -- You can love me at the same time -- Much to discover -- I know you don't have the time but '

As you can see from the lyrics, i was right with what she has, an odd odd perspective in
songwriting! I recommend you to listen the song at night and alone! I prefer to listen some artists at night, Harvey is one of those artist. Also i've Wire, David Sylvian, Girls Against Boys and more for the long nights.

This is a kind of collection which every home shouldn't has. On the other hand it's a record which every PJ Harvey fan must have. As an advice, put the cd a place where little girls won't reach! 'Gonna wash that man right out of my hair, Heard it before, no more, Gonna take my hips to a man who cares, Turn the corner, there's another one there.'
MM picks: Oh My Lover, Naked Cousin, Snake
Mp3: Oh My Lover

The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home

Rating: 5.4/10
Modern Music Review
Indie Pop/Rock
This is the first LP for the Sheffield, England co-ed five-piece fronted by Kate Jackson. Steve Mackey (Pulp) produced.

Hmm! The Long Blondies , Am i wrong? May someone please bring my glasses! I'm too young for some party musics, i don't use drug, i don't smoke, i'm a good family boy. I'm afraid they won't accept me to their parties becuase Kate Jackson says '19. you're only 19 for God's sake, Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.' Yeah i know, you have to be 60 years old for being in a relationship.Wtf i'm talking about here! Enough fun!

"Once And Never Again" it seems that the song lyrically devoted to young hearts, it fits completely with strong guitars despite its crap lyrics. You think that Smiths' songs were so entertaining because of the lovely music, because of the lyrics such as 'I would go out tonight ,but I haven't got a stitch to wear'. But i'm afraid they were fulled up with Morrissey's gloomy lyrics. We see the same disguised misery on "Someone To Drive You Home" at times.
"Giddy Statospheres" in which they're supporting new disco style indie rock trend such as Dead 60s' "Riot on the radio" and Datarock's "Fa Fa Fa", also it recalls those songs.

They'll compare them with Blondie properly for Kate Jackson. As for the musics on the record, completely Smiths influence can be seen,capturing lovely, punky guitars. Its indie pop style helps you to dive in record at first spin. Without reading any info about them i noticed those
gothic-like vocal performing which Kate's borrowing to Siouxsie Sioux from Siouxsie and the Banshees. Their origin comes from punk, but, they follow the trend, defining their music
as indie because of excessively rhythmic guitar chords, concordant disco or party style
rock music. I found melodies too girlish (lyrically, musically) as a man. Singly, they are
powerful, cheerful and restless songs, but then, when you listen all of them, same beats can be a big big trouble. Think The Organ's melancholic bass guitars and mournful melodies, add some energetic, less complainant soul to it and here's your The Long Blondes. That's for sure other reviewers give high ratings because of it deludes you at first listen. First spins are always deceptive.

This debut mostly sounds 'hey girl power is within indie rock now!'. More of it, i found the lyrics rubbish! Rollicking but short-lived, only some good guitar lines save this album. I don't think the vocal performance is original, imitation.
Also give a listen: The Organ - Grab that Gun
MM picks: Swallow Tattoo, Madame Ray
Mp3: Once And Never Again

Desert Hearts - Hotsy Totsy Nagasaki

Rating: 8.2/10
Modern Music Review
Melancholic Indie Rock
Desert Hearts, a trio from Belfast, Ireland, play a brand of indie rock that is just as prone to bursts of guitar-generated noise as it is soft, quiet, melodic pop.

After i finished my daily research about the new indie rock bands, i saw that their debuts were generally conspicuous, but, second ones were going down. As you know, stabilization is one the most important thing in music. When it comes to Desert Hearts' "Hotsy Totsy Nagasaki" after their debut, it's easy to see stability, furthermore; melodically it's blowing from Ireland's skies to the world, instrumentalist sections of the songs are breathtaking. Check out "Sea Punk" for breathtaking guitar lines which are usually a hidden mirror to previous post-punk father Joy Division and stable rockers Sonic Youth. With "Gravitas" my thesis becomes stronger and stronger. Sonic Youth! is reason for losing yourself while you're listening them, Desert Hearts who knows what to say and how to play , are the same.

As always, there are superfluous tracks on this record too (Goodbye to Everything), but, they
have good relationship with the others at least. At that moment, the tracklist order covers this superfluous spotty tunes. Yeah check out "Urchin", its melodic drama will cause to forget extreme trial flights .

Thus far, it wasn't real performance of this ambitious, good-natured band. It's starting to play lovely by means of melodic pop songs after the first six song. "Black Albino", "Bone Song", "Apple" i can call these as wonderful trio.

Perfect opening songs, relaxing middle cuts and shaking closing noises. Aha! "Apple" is one the most creative melody in this year that i've heard. Instantly i noted that. Believe or not, sometimes music needs mathematics, i multiplied, divided and deducted the results but still this album sounds well, so this is what we have to say: 'Good stuff is good stuff'. Ok, last sentence "Apple" still rings in my ears!
MM picks: Urchin, Apple, Hotsy Totsy Nagasaki
Mp3: Sea Punk
Band's Myspace

Annuals - Be He Me

Rating: 9.2/10
Modern Music Review
Indie Rock
Adam Baker (vocals), Kenny Florence (guitar), Mike Robinson (bass), Zack Oden (guitar), Anna Spence (piano), and Nick Radford (drums) create the shiny happy indie rock sounds of Annuals.
This month have been very plentiful, a bunch of spring albums, heaps of falling leafs; therefore, i drank more coffee overmuch but i'm happy with that. Eh, let me introduce, the music is Annuals' "Be He Me" playing backround while i'm writing this. Definitely an autumnal album, including some rhythmic pionos, playful, airy and independent guitars, sentimental singings, electronic beats. Colors are mostly pale combinations of grey, brown. Sky is cloudy, however, you're happy. If you're reading this, you're some kind of bright people, looking for some good music to fill the emptiness in your life. I'm sure with that you're on right way. Due to Be He Me's funky merriment, sometimes you can get out of control. You can find yourself as smiling, rejoicing to the skies. It's very sweet record at all points. "Annuals" teachs us how to use complex sounds at the same time. Variety of instruments never interrupts listeners' cheerful moments. The magic is same with Arcade Fire's, The Playful moments are a bit more than Sufjan Stevens'. If this record were dropped by a band like Flaming Lips, i'm talking big, it would exist all critic's Top 10 indie rock album of 2006. That was surprise, i couldn't find any unworthy song on "Be He Me".

Still i want to listen again, i'm not satisfied because there are many many things that need to be discovered. Interesting, "Be He Me" is both affecting, gleeful. It's open and shut, one of the best indie rock story of the year. 'Sugar on my tongue, yippee yippee yum yum ! goodie goodie gum drop! '
MM picks: Bleary Eyed, Carry Around, The Bull And The Goat
Mp3: Carry Around
You may also like: Flaming Lips