Album Review: Two Sunsets - Pastels / Tenniscoats

BlackPlastic may not be familiar with neither The Pastels nor Tenniscoats (an yes, they are two bands) but what we are pretty damn sure of is the fact that this album is beautiful in such an inclusive fashion that it seems hard to imagine someone not enjoying it.

Sure, it is very, very nice - you won't find anything that will scare your nan - but here on Two Sunsets that is definitely a good thing. With carefully picked melodies and a joyfully lazy pace this is an album that feels like a sit down with a cup of tea and a good book.

With The Pastels' experience seeking out and releasing Japanese pop-folk records on their Geographic label, the progression to collaborating with Japanese pop duo Tenniscoats is a natural one.  And the influence is clear, and not just on the several tracks with Japanese vocals, including Title track 'Two Sunsets', but also in the space and atmosphere in the songs.  The result feels distinctly inclusive.

And it is inclusive because these tunes are just so approachable and the instrumentation so interesting. The songs are catchy as hell even when the vocals are intelligible. BlackPlastic struggles to come up with an example of anything similar that doesn't hail from Iceland - a telling thing given how successful Sigur Rós continue to be despite very rarely singing in a language that much more than half a million people on the planet even understand.

BP x

Two Sunsets is out now on Domino, available from Amazon.co.uk on CD.

Album Review: Humbug - Arctic Monkeys

It doesn't matter how many times we hear it, how much the hype grows, how many hip producers get involved or just how much money they generate for Oxfam (which should, admittedly, be applauded): The Arctic Monkeys continue to spectacularly fail to do anything for BlackPlastic.

The problem is that this is music that just feels like it has no real ideas. The praise heaped upon Alex Turner and his band would suggest that they cured cancer but re-visit their first two albums and it seems much more likely that they simply managed to collectively a paint-by-numbers... but everyone got so excited that they failed to notice. Have you listened to 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' lately? Embarrassing, no?

It's not that there is no talent or merit here. Turner's The Last Shadow Puppets side-project was genuinely interesting but sadly there is no danger here - it all feels far too safe. There are no real risks and no invention. Compared to Queens of the Stone Age (whose Josh Homme co-produces here together with James Ford), the White Stripes, hell - even Franz Ferdinand's last album shines like a beacon is sheer experimentation next to this. The trademark razor-wire lyrics may be here but BlackPlastic can't make out the songs from the drudgery they so frequently attempt to portray.

When people continuously comment on the Arctic Monkey's Sheffield background BlackPlastic can't help but fall into a spasm inducing fit of rage. This is a city that has been responsible for some great bands - Pulp, Heaven 17 and Human League. If the Arctic Monkeys have always left you cold Humbug won't change your mind. Do yourself (and Sheffield) a favour and go and listen to one of the aforementioned bands instead - we would recommend Human League's pioneering remix album Love & Dancing, made by cutting up and sticking together the recordings manually. Now that was invention. That took guts.

BP x

Out now, available from Amazon.co.uk on CD, LP and MP3.

Album Review: Temporary Pleasure - Simian Mobile Disco

It's a realisation BlackPlastic made after seeing Simian Mobile Disco live last year but it is worth stating now: we were wrong when we poo-poo'd Simian's stop-gap EP Clocks last year. Once framed within the context of a live or DJ set the tunes suddenly made much more sense.

BlackPlastic may have been longing for another 'Hustler' or 'It's The Beat' but ironically Temporary Pleasure proves that our suspicions were wrong - SMD are best when they go instrumental. It is just unfortunate that this only becomes apparent when listening to their latest album, on which all tracks bar one have a vocal.

Just as Simian Mobile Disco's début album's greatest moment was without doubt the storming, instrumental opener 'Sleep Deprivation' Temporary Pleasure is never better than on the tweaking epic '10,000 Horses Can't Be Wrong'. The difference is that where the last album gained pacing and variety through the different vocal tracks too many here feel a little lazy and phoned-in, with SMD seemingly happy to include them just so they can name-check some people on the sticker that goes on the cover.

The problem is that Temporary Pleasure spectacularly fails deliver on the promise offered in those acidic, tweaking live sets and the glistening album cover, itself suggesting a prog-rock analogue synth concept album. Instead we have an album that feels like a collection of the weakest points from each of the last few Chemical Brothers albums.

Temporary Pleasure - unfortunately an all too apt description: occasional moments of joy but some way short of greatness.

BP x

Temporary Pleasure is out now, available from Amazon.co.uk on CD, Special Edition CD, LP and MP3 [affiliate links].

Album Review: Don't You Remember The Future - Jamie Jones

Such is the case with genre-music, your enjoyment of any particular album rests on what you think of that style of music. Don't You Remember The Future is what it is: a plodding, proggy, tech-house work out that is at turns groovily Balearic, lamely portentous and mind numbingly dull. Billed as a kind of concept album dreamt up in a fourteen year old's bedroom, Jamie Jones says: “The idea that this is the year 2116, when music has become some kind of controlled means of manipulating humans, and the rebellion consists of artist like myself who are hiding underground creating sounds that explore outside that control.”

BlackPlastic might have been able to keep a better sense of humour about this had we been able to get any genuine enjoyment out of listening to it. It nods along nicely enough and the Prince flavoured 'Summertime' is an early highlight that at the same time had us begging the question - why aren't we just listening to Prince? Mercifully, things improve towards the end and 'Absolute Zero' is a trip-hoppy number followed by the more jacking ʻGalactic Space Barʼ featuring The Egyptian Lover.

As with anything more progressive, this benefits from being listened to front-to-back but in the same breath it doesn’t really work outside of the dancefloor, not that it would really be much fun on the dancefloor. It feels like a sampler for anonymous tech-house DJs.

The fact remains however, that if you are a fan of this kind of stuff you'll probably like it. Maybe we don't understand, maybe we don't want to understand, maybe we take the wrong drugs or go to the wrong parties. It’s ok for what it is but frankly life’s far too short.

BP x

Don't You Remember The Future is released on Crosstown Rebels on 7 September, available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk on CD.

Album Review: My Heart Beats Like A Drum - Natural Self

Natural Self's new album, My Heart Beats Like A Drum, represents a bit of an evolution for the artist - with a more mature, emotive sound than previous work it feels like there is much more colour to this record. The overall impact of the album is improved by the inclusion of guest vocals, provided by French vocalist Elodie Rama. It's an approach that undoubtedly works - adding colour and variety to an album that only really falls down when it stops changing.

There is a good chance you may not have heard of Natural Self and if this is the case then for your benefit he is Nathaniel Pearn and he produces laid back, soulful, rhythm based music. Much of it is instrumental and there are times when the music shines enough to warrant the space. The Cuban summer jam of 'Days Get Brighter' for example, or the drowsy 'Even Planets Get Lonely' - a track that sounds like it is literally buckling under the strain of staying awake in the midday sun.

The problem with all the instrumentals is that, taken together, they do not feel distinct enough to the casual listener to ensure engagement. A shame, given that they are generally pretty good. What saves My Heart Beats Like A Drum are those vocal tracks, fulfilling a palate cleansing role and throwing in a bit of spice to make thing just that bit more interesting.

There may only be three tracks with full vocals but they play a vital role in giving the album life. Of the three it is actually Natural Self's own delivery on the bluesy 'Every Day' that shines the most. Packed with bags of space and feeling it feels like a dip in the pool compared to the dry heat of some of the instrumentals here.

My Heart Beats Like A Drum is an album full of beautiful timing and textures and it will create a perfect soundtrack to lazing in the summer sunshine. A few more vocal cuts and a bit more variety could make Natural Self's next album great - in the meantime this one will simply have to settle for being rather good instead.

BP x

My Heart Beats Like A Drum is released on Tru Thoughts on 19 October 2009.