Album Review: Twenty One - Mystery Jets

It's worth pointing out, as a mild preamble to the main course, that Twenty One is being called such things as a marked departure for Mystery Jets... A maturing of their sound. Without wishing to let the cat out of the bag, let's just say this is a good record. But let us also take a moment to note that Making Dens, the album it follows, is far better than many would have you believe. 'Can't Fool Me Dennis' is beautiful pop and 'Horse Drawn Cart' makes progressive rock sound accessible and is certain to inspire empathy. What's more, 'Soluble In Air' is the sound of fresh, youthful, unrequited love... Boundless in enthusiasm and impossible to criticize or rationalize. Far too many folk have written this album off and to do so is foolish.

Twenty One wastes no time now it is finally here... 'Hideaway' starts the precedings with an air raid siren and the type of bassline the Klaxons would be proud of. It's a desperate yelp of a record, a lover spurned and frantic to set things right. Lead single, 'Young Love' still has cult-classic written all over it, capturing the curious affection of a stranger's infactuation perfectly with Laura Marling's vocals adding a further layer of class.

Every track here can justify its own comments but in a bid to save some surprises for the listener we shall merely highlight a few. The eighties touches present on 'Half In Love With Elizabeth' take the song to a whole new place following the rough edits that leaked last year whilst 'Flakes' is still nothing less than a beautiful, heart-stopping ballad that melts away in the head. Totally irresistably, 'Two Doors Down' is an eighties pop song recreated perfectly and is Twenty One's own 'Soluble In Air': romantic and unstoppable, you know if you lived two doors down from the Mystery Jets you wouldn't stay single for long, such is the determination on show here.

Erol Alkan's production shines through on this album and he truly demonstrates his worth. Whether it is in the shimmers that break through the melodies on 'Young Love' or the eighties stabs of 'Two Doors Down' he brings something new to the mix. More importantly he never fails to use the lightest of touches. Nothing here gets even remotely close to being a gimick, which ensures the record maintains a timeless sound.

The other reviews are right when they argue that Twenty One is a mature record. Where they are wrong is in their assertions that Making Dens wasn't and equally that this album is anything less than excellent.

BP x

Do you want fries with that?

On the eve of a Blackplastic review of the new Mystery Jets album, produced by Erol Alkan, let's pause for a thought about Erol's
greatest work yet: his Glam Racket remix of Franz Ferdinand's 'Do You Want To'.

In one fell swoop Erol managed to decimate a band's career by contorting one of their own creations into something far better than anything they will birth. It impatiently screams at the listener: "I
don't care if you face is falling off and you are bleeding, I don't care if you insides just turned to mush and your brain is keeping out of your ear. Someone ordered some fucking acid and I'm here now. So, do you want fries with that or what?!?!"

Erol: we applaud you.

BP x

Album Review: Get Awkward - Be Your Own Pet

Maybe it is BlackPlastic or maybe it is the world that has changed, but 2008 seems a much more suitable time for Be Your Own Pet. Their self-titled debut certainly made an ikpac on those that listened to it but, with the exception of the cycling anthem 'Bicycle, Bicycle, You Are My Bicycle', and in contrast to their peers Death From Above 1979 nothing quite managed to transcend the general racket it was born of.

Times have changed and a scuffle with the same album leaves BlackPlastic wondering why it wasn't on heavy rotation at the time. No matter: BYOP are back and Get Awkward sees all the attitude left in-tact.

Crashing down like a band determined to tear through their setlist as quickly as possible, 'Super Soaked' wastes no time or effort in demonstrating what Get Awkward is about: More of the same. If the world doesn't get what you are trying to do then just knock the volume up, increase the tempo and do it some more...

...And maybe it's just BlackPlastic's punk tendancies shining through but, in BYOP's case, this form of near religious fanaticism sure is appealing. 'Heart Throb' is a fantastic trash-ode to the joys of an extra-curricular crush whilst 'Becky' creates the perfect soundtrack to high-school bullying.

If noisy, bluesy, lo-fi punk-metal isn't you thing you will probably still not like Be Your Own Pet... But if the last album left you at least luke-warm then BlackPlastic suggests you re-visit. Be Your Own Pet may not be prepared to change, you might.

BP x

Album Review: Antidotes - Foals

Along with The Friendly Fires, Foals are potentially the most exciting band currently pushing the envelope of the rock / dance crossover, with previous hit 'Hummer' managing to convey the feeling and sound of minimal and glitch-house through rock music.

'Hummer' and Foals' other hit from last year, 'Mathletics', are notable for their absence on Antidotes. In their place we have the more recent 'Balloons' and current single 'Cassius'.

'Cassius' represents a good taster of what is on offer here: the precision of previous efforts is in place, the multitude of details conjuring something that is reminiscent of falling up the stairs in
slow motion. In addition to this and prevalent throughout Antidotes is a new notion of space. The sound is given more room to breath and the brass instruments are given room to bounce through the mix.

Whilst Dave Sitek (of the fantastic TV On The Radio) had his final mix rejected the influence is still clear, not just in the space and reverb but also in the multitude of genres absorbed into one piece. The production work is never less than staggering: 'Red Sock Pugie' and the brief 'Like Swimming' both sounds as though they were recorded underwater and indeed water almost appears to be a theme of the record... Olympic Airways sounds like warm rain.

The mood here is dark, the lyrics shattered like a broken pane of glass. "It's just another hospital" goes the chorus on 'Electric Bloom'. The meaning is unclear though it certainly doesn't sound positive - the music, however, shines through.

Antidotes is a record that strives for more. Foals could easily have churned out another seven tracks and add them to the four singles everybody knows. They didn't do that and the fact that they abandoned two fantastic tracks to make something new and cohesive is a testament
to their ideals - the fact it works is a testament to their abilities.

BP x

Album Review: X Marks Destination - The Whip

With the likes of The Foals (album review very shortly...) and Friendly Fires, 2008 is really looking to be the year Nu rave went 2.0. It's growing up - less about gaudy trouser / trainer combos and more about the music.

In the midst of this, signed to this minute's world's coolest label (Kitsuné... Durr), are The Whip. Last year 'Divebomb' proved pop music could be completely instrumental, completely dancefloor derived and completely vital, whilst more recently 'Sister Siam' and 'Trash' have proven this band can, well, function as a band.

X Marks Destination is neither a rock album nor is it a dance album and if it is close to anything, it's a New Order album... Not necessarily a bad thing, the references are obvious and the likeness demonstrated most of all on the melodic 'Frustration', which even has a title that sounds like it could be New Order.

So what's right with it? X Marks Destination manages to sound sufficiently "now", most of the time. All of the previous singles still glitter in varying and different ways and 'Divebomb' continues to give pleasure in new ways with further listens: It sounds like the soundtrack to the most exciting 16bit videogame you ever played. The album also benefits from an interesting "monochromatic" sound, and it undoubtably hangs together as a cohesive body of work.

Where it falls down is perhaps where it strays from the formula. "Perhaps" because, at times, the tracks that stray work too... The almost ballad-esque 'Sirens' works better than it should, conjuring an eighties soft-rock dream that is almost as lush as Van She's take on the genre, 'Kelly'. When sandwiched amongst tracks that outshine it so much however, the overly rock inspired 'Muzzle #1' is simply dull. The singer's comparitively gruff tones are also in danger of simply making the band sound too old for the music when compared to their contempories, a shame given that when they are applied aggressively such vocals can really cut the mustard.

X Marks Destination is still likely to crop up on some year's best album lists: it contains nine good songs and five great ones... It is just a shame it only contains one fantastic one.

BP x

Album Review: Hlllyh - The Mae Shi

What happens if you get every good band on the planet to play at the same time? This does...

The Mae Shi's latest album, the utterly unpronouncable Hlllyh, takes its cue from The Flmaing Lips' kitchen sink approach and then fuses that punk asthetic to thick electronic melodies and basslines.

Opener 'Lamb and the Lion' sees the band fall down the stairs and pelt it out of the door, simultaneously hitting all the right notes whilst the amusingly titled 'Pwnd' is the sound of a pissed-off god wreaking his vengance: "Get 'em out of those bodies!"

Hlllyh boasts not only terrific ambition but a terrific variety and, more importantly, enthusiasm too. For evidence of the former just check out the ten-minutes plus 'Kingdom Come', a track that sounds like tech-trance and a Postal Service at once and is just one of the tracks here that sounds nothing like anything else on offer. Enthusiasm abounds on the likes of 'The Melody', punk rock vocals failing to drown out stuttering drums and inncessant Casio-esque melodies, creating something reminiscent of the fantastic Shy Child.

If you want to hear one band mastering a single concept look elsewhere. If you want to hear one band melting down the sound of almost every exciting band of the past five years into one piece you could a lot worse then check out Hlllyh, an album that sounds like ever last cell of your body having its own little revolution.

BP x

Album Review: Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair

Without doubt the most anticipated release from the DFA stable this side of Sound Of Silver, Hercules and Love Affair (the album) already has one classic single in the form of 'Blind'. A disco atonement for your sins, a unifying stomp of a record, 'Blind' seems destined to cross-over. Does this long-player give it the ammunition it needs?

First off let's get the awkwardness out the way: vocals on many tracks here are provided by Anthony of Anthony and the Johnson's. Every other blogger and journalist feels the need to mention this so BlackPlastic best not break tradition. BlackPlastic has its own opinion on Anthony and the Johnsons and it mostly centres around the fact that their music is pretentious and a chore to listen to, anyone who thinks otherwise must be determined to impress someone. It is the musical equivalent of self-flagulation: it might get you closer to God but it's still painful.

A digression.

Hercules and Love Affair represents a much more suitable vehicle for Anthony and this fact is obviouse from the off: 'Hercules' Theme' is a gorgeous spoon of sugar molasses, a throbbing disco funk bassline carries Anthony's vocals along but the strings and bass provide all the star-quality on this summer anthem in waiting. Elsewhere 'You Belong' is classic Chicago house and Anthony's vocals feel right at home. You should alreasy know 'Blind', but in case you don't it is a mournful disco cut for the 21st century, an anthem for the dancefloor and for your heart, all soulful strings and tearful vocals.

The songs without Anthony are equally strong. 'Athene' is all sparkles and sounds organic whilst 'Iris' sounds like delicate letter to yourself.

What Hercules demonstrates best is a deft touch. The production is immaculate and, to his credit, DFA's lesser-known label co-founder Tim Goldsworthy's touch is all over it, the considered and deliberate touch here very reminiscent of his other work. Hercules and Love Affair seem destined for big things - BlackPlastic cannot wait to see the mainstream reaction to a record so fresh and different, yet so approachable and enjoyable.

BP x

EP Review: Clocks - Simian Mobile Disco

Not so long since their debut long-player proved them to be ones to watch for the future and with member James Ford benefiting from continued success following production work for The Klaxons and Artic Monkeys, SMD treat fans to four new tracks on this new EP.

All are instrumentals and as such demonstrate the duo stripped of some of the bells and whistles that garnered Attack Decay Sustain Release and what it loses in pop sensibilities it gains in velocity and efficiency, with all four cuts geared towards dancefloors and reminiscent of the technical prowess displayed in early Chemical Brothers tracks.

'Clocks' is a relatively tame, melodic effort with bouncy drums whilst 'Simple' persues a somewhat more direct line, with waves of acid and nasty electronic stabs turning it into the equivalent of Attack Decay Sustain Releases' awesome 'Sleep Deprivation' only this time it
follows a bad trip.

'3 Pin Din' squeaks and squelches its way through three minutes before climaxing in a puddle of acid. Final track 'State of Things' is a little sapling, determined to grow and grow into a big Goliath made of live sounding drums but never quite gets there.

It will be interesting to see if this more dancefloor focused effort is a direction that Simian Mobile Disco choose to follow in the future. Whilst there are undoubtably four cuts here to please the
heads BlackPlastic finds itself growing a little tired of the reverb that drenches all four and longs for something with the universal appeal of 'Hustler' or 'It's The Beat'.

BP x

Album Review: Guns Babes Lemonade - Muscles

Call this a belated Valentine's card from BlackPlastic to you: Guns Babes Lemonade is the debut album from Modular's latest (yes, we know there are 'other labels'), Muscles, and it gets BlackPlastic hot under the collar.

Muscles sounds like your best friend getting loved up and recounting all of the best nights outs you've ever had: Guns Babes Lemonade may not be clever, but golly BlackPlastic loves its sweaty little gurning face.

'Sweaty' opens the album like a night out at your shit but favourite local:

"I'm getting tired and I'm sweaty,
But I still want to touch it if you let me.
Because we hugged a few times and it was special...
And we'll be working all night because it's pumping"

The opening line is unlikely to set the world on fire on poetic merit alone but the excitable nature of the vocals perfectly encapsulated the excitement when a random night turns out perfect.

Nothing here is exactly 'new', it simply sounds like every guilty dance-pop pleasure of the last five years in one. It's sickly sweet and one has to be careful not to consume too much at once, but when Muscles declares that "Ice Cream is gonna save the day. Again" on 'Ice Cream' we can't help but want to believe.

Give us remixes, b-sides and more, more, more please!

As the album closer states:
"Hey Muscles, I love you, I wanna have your babies!"

BP x

Album Review: Reality Check - The Teenagers

Record labels still aren't doing their jobs properly as the debut album from The Teenagers seems less to have been released, more just turned up, unannounced, on your back porch. However, take comfort in the fact that The Teenagers themselves are very much excelling in their job - that is creating the music to soundtrack Bret Easton Ellis' own debut effort, Less Than Zero.

Reality Check is what you may expect - ice cold, self-referential lyrics abound amongst layers of fuzz. This sounds like a stream of conscious from a selfish 19 year old. And yet it is still good.

"Homecoming" has been re-tooled and re-edited and sounds fresher as a result. Were it not for the genuinely revealing bridge, new single "Love No" would sound like the most dishearteningly portrait of relationship dysfunction. It's still dysfunctional, but the honesty gives the dysfunction a context and a reason.

"Starlett Johanson" is still the name-dropping victory of style over substance it aims to be. "Feeling Better" manages optimism and features a picked out guitar line that it sounds like they stole from a mid-era New Order record no-one was using.

Reality Check succeeds in achieving it's goals and as a result it not only deserves respect and success, it also deserves to be regarded as one of 2008's coolest records. The question is more: where can we go now? Can this thin sheen of fame-riddled post-punk survive another album or is this more a case of 'Disappear Here'?

BP x