That Fucking Tank - Tanknology

When a band proclaims that works "challenging the assumption that 'good' music has to be made 'professionally' " and also has songs with names like "Keanu Reef", "Dave Grolsch" or "Bruce Springstonehenge" is not unusual not being taken seriously. Fortunately this seems not to be a concern for That Fucking Tank, English duo formed by Andy Abbott on guitar and James Islip on drums, who in "Tanknology" delivered 10 songs of instrumental psycho-hard rock with touches of stoner and progressive rock, so close of bands like Monkey 3 or, nowadays disappeared, The USA Is A Monster. By combining progressive structures, of some complexity, with catchy, almost metal, riffs, the couple link up pieces to create long passages that sometimes sounds as if Abbott is playing in his living room testing his new effects processor while Islip drums sounds impetuous and ease. Taking the do-it-yourself philosophy for a fun and carefree (but not careless) road, That Fucking Tank delivers a record with playful, powerful and imaginative music. -CORANNIEIT-

That Fucking Tank, Tanknology
Gringo Records, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
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Noah And The Whale - The First Days Of Spring

Noah And The Whale debuted last year with "Peaceful The World Lays Me Down" a good album but not more than the average dozens of records from indie bands with a semi-low fi acoustic folk /rock that included, but of course, some violin. Something really interesting must have happened so that now they can deliver a record as "The First Days Of Spring", an ambitious and sophisticated work conceived as a sort of accompaniment (or vice versa) to the homonym film created by guitarist and vocalist Charlie Fink. Curiously, although Fink and ex-band mate Laura Marling break up seems to be the inspiration and guiding line of the album, "The First Days Of Spring" has a joyful spirit even though has moments of fully melancholy. Combining gentle & introspective folk/pop with nice orchestral arrangements that are used either, give a twist to songs like "The First Days Of Spring", which opens the album in a majestic way, or to create a divertimento, choirs included, in "Instrumental I"/"Love Of An Orchestra”, Noah And The Whale have given a turn of the screw that has led them a big step forward. -CORANNIEIT-

Noah And The Whale, The First Days Of Spring
Cherry Tree Records, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
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Pelican - What We All Come To Need

Pelican is one of those bands that hardly make a bad record. His discography is probably one of the most consistent of the post-metal scene and "What We All Need To Come," their fourth album, is not exception. In it, these young masters of metal plays long pieces of heavy music full of chiaroscuros in which Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec guitars continue alternating distorted riffs and chords, full of power, with moments of lightness and, if we can use the term, a certain delicacy, playing an instrumental heavy metal that at times approaches to progressive rock, post-rock and stoner rock. For some tracks the band includes Greg Anderson (Sunn o)))) and Aaron Turner (Isis) in addition to Allen Epley (Shiner) vocals in "Final Breath", first non-instrumental song recorded by the quartet (although actually this does not improves the sound of the band). Perhaps slightly more relaxed (so to say) than "City Of Echoes" or "The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon The Thaw", "What We All Need To Come" stay at the same level as their predecessors but specially keeps the well known Pelican´s dark power. -CORANNIEIT-

Pelican, What We All Come To Need
Southern Lord Records, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
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Joaquín Sabina - Vinagre y Rosas

Sabina breaks a 4-year silence with "Vinagre y Rosas" a generous album that includes 14 tracks with the classic "Sabina stamp": elaborate, poetic and smart lyrics. Songs full of sensibility but also with touches of cynicism and black humor. Musically, accompanied by his inseparables pals "Pancho" Varona and Antonio Garcia de Diego, Sabina walks on several roads from ballads to blues and from disguised "rancheras" to New Orleans sound and even 2 or 3 rock songs that he was debt us for a long time. So, along about an hour we're found in "Vinagre y Rosas" the different faces of Sabina: the eternal love's outsider in "Tiramisú de Limón" and "Agua Pasada", the incorrigible in-his-sixties, and picky father in law, in "Viudita de Clicquot" and "Oh! Carmela ", the bard of the times in "Crisis" (surprisingly rocker) and the lifetime rebel in "Violetas Para Violeta", some kind of adaptation of chilean songwriter Violeta Parra song "La Carta", converted by Sabina and company in an exquisite blues that the pace of military drums close the album with Sabina singing "Preguntale a los milicos/Que hicieron en La Moneda" (Ask the milicos (militaries)/What have they done in "La Moneda"). So, showing a great shape, Sabina deliver his fifteen album. A great album. Long life to "El Flaco". -CORANNIEIT-

Joaquín Sabina, Vinagre y Rosas
Sony BMG, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site

Soulsavers - Broken

Third album from English musicians and producers Rich Machin and Ian Glover who have created an exceptional album, musically sophisticated but emotionally raw, in which they composed all the music and for vocals called for a multitude of partners led by Mark Lanegan (ex-Queen Of The Stone Age) and Australian Rosa Agostino (best known as "Red Ghost") but which also involve Mike Patton (Faith No More, Fantomas, etc..), Jason Pierce (Spiritualized) and Richard Hawley. "Broken" is a brilliant and thrilling album that walks rock, soul and some blues giving us over an hour of dense, sensual and dark music, with a delicacy that contrasts, and is complements at the same time, with Lanegan's rough and slummy voice (perhaps one of the best kept secrets, and wasted talents, of the American scene) reaching moments of absolute beauty and emotion. From the poignant desolation of "You Will Miss Me When I Burn" (original by Bonnie "Prince" Billy) to the hopeful "By My Side", "Broken" is a profound and luminous record. A masterpiece. -CORANNIEIT-

Soulsavers, Broken
V2 Records, 2009

Links:
Official Website
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Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

Wolfmother broke out loudly in 2005 with a superb debut album, in which they exploited their power-trio formation playing an impetuous hard rock, strong and with a remarkable freshness despite its obvious references to the seventies sound of bands such as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. After 4 years, an internal fight that left Andrew Stockdale, guitarist and singer, as the only original member of the band, and a change of lineup that includes a second guitar in the hands of Aidan Nemeth, the nowadays quartet presents "Cosmic Egg", their second album, in which they maintain the direct evocations to 70's hard sound but it seems that on this occasion Stockdale bets for a simpler and raw sound leaving aside the elaborated and semi-progressive passages of his previous record going now more to stoner and hard rock in its purest form. With a first part with a lot of punch but without any transcendent, "Cosmic Egg" go better from the second half with solid songs in which they recover some of the freshness and vitality of "Wolfmother" album doing songs like "In The Castle", "Phoenix", "10,000 Feet", which flirt with heavy metal (including a riff that evokes "Kashmir" by Led Zep) and even "Far Away", some kind of power-ballad. At the end, "Cosmic Egg" is a just good enough to muddle through but without the brilliance of its predecessor. -CORANNIEIT-

Wolfmother, Cosmic Egg
Interscope Records, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
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We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls

Imagine Los Campesinos! becoming profound and melancholic. Or perhaps Frightened Rabbit with double power. It would probably be something similar to what the Scottish band We Were Promised Jetpacks does in "These Four Walls", their first album, in which, without any leaks, delivers 11 songs that combine frenetic attacks of rhythm guitars, evoking in someway Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah first album, with some of The Arcade Fire melodic drama doing music that by moments reach an impressive force. Through compelling harmonies and some energy that borders on punk, the quartet constructs in crescendo songs, stretching the rope slowly until blow up, going from intimacy and sweetness of plucks and softly chords, to moments of explosive catharsis in which the guitars of Adam Thompson and Michael Palmer, coupled with the intense Thompson performances that, just like music, goes from shyness to euphoria, transform songs like "It's It's Thunder and Lightning", "Short Bursts" and "Keeping Warm" into truly anthems. "These Four Walls" is an album effusive and intense. A fortunate debut for these Scots. -CORANNIEIT-

We Were Promised Jetpacks, These Four Walls
Fatcat Records, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
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Rammstein - Liebe ist für alle da

The good thing about being a band like Rammstein is that no one expects that each album sounds different. With a sound practically patented what we expect in every Rammstein album is furious music. Hostile music. And this is precisely what these industrial metal veterans does in "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" their sixth studio album, which, considering what they did in very regular (not to say mediocre) "Reise, Reise "(2004) and" Rosenront "(2005), is not to be overlooked. It seems that this 4 years pause has enable these Germans to recalibrate the gears of the machinery that produced records like "Sehnsucht" or "Matter" and deliver 11 songs (15 in the special edition of the album) of aggressive and tense metal, with the guitars of Richard Kruspe and Paul Landers bringing back their impetuosity with sharp and overwhelming riffs, while Christian Lorenz left electro adornments to do arrangements a little bit more complex and symphonic that together with the always threatening and theatrical performances of Till Lindemann gives the music a slightly sinister touch. Although at times the sextet drops his guard to make themes with semi-acoustic and melodic touches as "Roter Sand", quiet and dispensable, or "Frühling in Paris", a power-ballad in which Lindemann shows that sometimes even him has a "sweet-heart" by singing "softly" (for his standard) a few lines in French, "Liebe ist für alle da" is equilibrate by pieces like "Rammlied", "Ich Tu Dir Weh" or "Wiener Blut" with the classic "Rammstein sound": hard, crushing, unsuitable for delicate ears. Not the best record from Rammstein but the more decent that the band has delivered this decade. -CORANNIEIT-

Rammstein, Liebe ist für alle da
Universal Music, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
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The Cave Singers - Welcome Joy

Among the sea of bands and singers sailing nowadays through the indie scene under the trendy flag of folk, find a band like The Cave Singers is a balsam to be thanked. Unlike many of their colleagues who use folk and americana just to sound cool enough, this trio from Seattle has no restraints to play folk & country music with no conditions frequently crossing the border with rock. With a basic and direct sound, "Welcome Joy" is a warm album, with no false claims, in which Derek Fudesco and Pete Quirk (who also plays harmonica and melodica) vivacious guitars are accompanied by the soft drums of Marty Lund. With gentle and acoustic pieces like "Summer Light" or "Leap" as well with songs a little bit more rocker and energetic such as "At The Cut" or "Shrine", "Welcome Joy" always maintains a cozy and vibrant mood despite the "simplicity" and, at times, austerity of the music. A good record for those looking for a taste of folk and americana without poses. -CORANNIEIT-

The Cave Singers, Welcome Joy
Matador Records, 2009

Links:
Official Web Site
My Space Web Site

Street Sweeper Social Club - Idem

After a long time flirting, Tom Morello and Californian rapper and MC Boots Riley (The Coups) finally concrete their collaboration by presenting their first recording "Street Sweeper Social Club" an album with 11 "hymns for the revolution ", says Morello candidly (sorry for the mistrust, but now days i do not believe too much in revolutions, especially those that are called from 1st. world comfort), who in addition to the guitar also takes over the bass while Stanton Moore plays drums. With Riley rap and Morello's always fierce guitar, the music of Street Sweeper Social Club brings nothing new to what Morello have done before and may possibly be a throwback to his time with Rage Against The Machine. So, while Riley (maybe less singer but so much better rapper than Zach de la Rocha) raps flawlessly so "incendiary" lyrics that inevitably fall into political correctness (strike out the "mo-ther-fuck-ers" Wall St. speculators and the corrupt lords of war is now days revolutionary? really?), Morello deliver solid and sharp riffs with some occasional solos, garnishing the whole thing with catchy choruses and the slightly funky drums by Moore. Although it is unlikely "Street Sweeper Social Club" becomes the soundtrack for a revolution, it is an acceptable album, or funny at least, with austere and repetitive music, but also with moments of power and vitality that for over 40 minutes can make happy to RATM nostalgics and, of course, some globaliphobics. -CORANNIEIT-

Street Sweeper Social Club, Idem
Warner Music, 2009

Links:
Official Website
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