VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Father of the Bride (Sony)
At 18 tracks spanning just shy of an
hour, Ezra Koenig and Co. explore a
wealth of evocative pop modes, from
the freakishly groovy Sunflower to
the opulent and folky Hold You Now,
Rolling Stones-y Harmony Hall and Van
Morison-esque This Life, right to the
techno-flamenco banger Sympathy.
It’s that bright, retro-tinged pop that
makes the most significant impact
on the ears, though, Koenig bellying-up hooks that immediately
get stuck in your head à la punchy percussion and lush guitars.
Instrumentation in general is phenomenal—deep, dulcet horns,
fizzling fiddles and twinkly synths gel in such vociferous harmony
with the tonally broad, prismatic guitars that we’re really not
surprised it took Koenig six years to crack the code. Matt Doria
STAY AROUND
J.J. Cale (Because)
The first posthumous release from
country crackerjack John Jacques
Cale (he assumed the nickname J.J.
to avoid being confused with John
Cale of The Velvet Underground) is a
stunning reflection of the Oklahoma
soul-mover’s enduring legacy. From
his signature crisp Americana singe
to deep, bluesy chugs, Stay Around
pays tribute to all the sounds and
styles Cale explored throughout his career. A venerable boatload
of renowned players aided in bringing this album to life, but rest
assured, it’s Cale who shines on this hour-long adventure, his bluesy
drawl and acidic plucking taking centre-stage on every cut. There’s
a reason it took six years to piece Stay Around together: it’s a blunt,
buoyant, and ultimately authentic celebration of Cale’s life with not
a corner cut nor an acoustic twang spared. Britt Andrews
AFRICA SPEAKS
Santana (Sony)Despite going strong for over half
a century now, Carlos Santana’s
inimitable virtuosity hasn’t waned
one iota. Africa Speaks is another jaw-
dropping journey through sound from
the Mexican-born, American-bred
icon, stuffed from corner to corner
with slick and searing guitar solos,
dreamy licks and psychedelic effects
(shock and awe: Santana still loves the
wah pedal—he puts it to good use though, so no complaints here).
The African influence blends wonderfully with his playing style, the
tribal beats and glittering atmospherics adding a lucid new layer
of idiosyncrasy to whatis alreadya masterful array of classic guitar
jams. Especially worthyofnote,too,arethe collaborations with
Spanish singer Buika. Britt AndrewsMIDDLE KIDS
New Songs for Old Problems (Universal)Between the punky grit lacquered
over Call Me Snowflake, the emotional
pangs that sear on Big Softy
(Sidenote: killer use of an accordion
here) and the instant sing-along-
ability of Real Thing, the six-track
New Songs for Old Problems easily
rivals most albums twice its length
for assortment. It’s a thundering
follow-up to last year’s ‘Lost Friends’
LP, capitalising on the striking indie vibes that made that album
so brilliant while allowing the band to explore new sonic liberties
concurrently. Expectedly enthralling is the chemistry between
husband-wife duo Hannah Joy and Tim Fitz, spiritedly bouncing
off each other as guitarists whilst Joy tackles the emotion-soaked
vocals with her typical angular wistfulness. Matt DoriaTHE DAMNED THINGS
High Crimes (Nuclear Blast)
Never before has a supergroup
made as little sense as The Damned
Things, whilst somehow sounding
as goddamn brilliant as they do.
Following their severely underrated
2010 opus Ironiclast, High Crimes
offers all the best elements of its
constituents’ day jobs: there’s the
pop-centric joviality of Fall Out Boy,
the fierce thrashiness of Anthrax,
the punishingly catchy melodicism of Alkaline Trio and the slick
Southern twinge of Every Time I Die, fusing, across ten blisteringly
sharp and resoundingly dynamic cuts, into a visceral avalanche of
new-wave punk anthems. The unlikely coupling of Scott Ian and Joe
Trohman on guitars shines especially bright on the breakneck-paced
Cells and kaleidoscopic Storm Charmer. Britt Andrews
EATYOURHEARTOUT
Fluorescence (Fearless/Caroline)Equal parts delicate poignancy and
explosive fun, the debut LP from local
trailblazers Eat Your Heart Out offers an
unmistakably clear argument for why
they should lead the next generation
of pop-punk greats. Though a touch
more distortion would’ve bolstered
some of the jammier tracks, guitars are
unfailingly sharp and punchy, Andrew
Anderson and Will Moore dosing every
cut with a stunning spate of energy
(sans the battered acoustic strums of Pear Tree, wherein frontwoman
Caitlin Henry’s vocal adroitness truly shines). And although it’s an
electrifying nostalgia that Eat Your Heart Out reign in, the band explore
a full gamut of tonal options, the end result a rollercoaster of sounds
that are sure to help Fluorescence stand out on shelves. Matt DoriaAustralian Hi-Fi 69
TOP PICKS by Matt Daria and Britt Andrews