Our penultimate week of 2024 hit a few lows...
Lowest set of scores all year, in fact since Oct 2023.
Fennesz are now the bottom of the ‘24 pile, just saving J Spaceman this ignominy, and are in our bottom 5 overall.
Nia Archives is the winner this week, surprising a few perhaps, and unusually had 6 different tracks chosen for TOTW.
Mark 😀 and Andy ☹️ swap the faces from last week.
Emmy and Tim’s Christmas cheer was a spread a little thin and sit with Jean Michel Jarre and The Smiths on the classics.
Also, overlooked last week that we’ve hit 900 new albums 👏👏.
Andy
Nia Archives - I listened to this in the summer as she was in at the festival. Didn’t really like it then and it didn’t encourage me to see her set, nothing’s really changed since. Nice enough voice but the incessant drum and bass sound doesn’t work for me 4.5
Fennesz - Nope 1
Lauren Mayberry - I’ve always found Lauren’s voice to be my favourite bit of the Chvrches sound so a solo effort was always going to be most welcome and this doesn’t disappoint. Terrific all the way through and may just sneak in to my top 10 for the year, good work 8
White Denim - I feel like I thought White Denim were something else entirely so after the initial shock of discovering a kind of smooth jazz/indie hybrid this was pleasant enough without being particularly great 5.5
TotW - Sorry, etc from off of Lauren Mayberry
Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler - Bonus points for timeliness, this is a very pleasant first time listen and has added a new track to my Christmas playlist in Christmas Day (I wish I was surfing) 7
Guy
Nia Archives – Hmmm. There are one or two tracks on this that are pretty decent such as ‘So Tell Me’, but D&B isn’t my cup of tea and some of it is a pretty tough listen as a result. She sounds a bit like Kate Nash vocally – 5.5
Fennesz – I was expecting ambient house, but this sounds more like the background to an interactive experience at a museum - 2
Lauren Mayberry – As expected, this was a cracking album. Arguably dipped a bit in the middle but plenty of quality either side of that. Like Andy, I love her voice. Strong lyrically too. I did miss the keyboards and big drops that are trademarks of Chvrches songs though. – 7.8
White Denim – Not what I was expecting. The name sounds like they are going to be much heavier. It was lightweight and wafty though, and largely unremarkable - 5
TOTW – Lauren Mayberry Crocodile Tears
Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler – If I wanted to listen to this sort of album, I’d have gone into Primark and done my shopping at the same time. The surfing track was easily the best of the bunch – 5.1
Justin
Nia Archives - not my favourite genre. Reminded me of Katy B. Fine listen and some tracks will get extra play. 6.7
Fennesz - I enjoyed this album. Last track is maybe too challenging but otherwise an interesting take on ambient 6.9
Lauren Mayberry - the Chvrches make Disclosure seem hard-core. Remove the little synths they have and it is even more insipid 3
White Denim - seemed to vary between Country and Stevie Wonder. Would sound good on Sunday morning in a coffee shop. Not really rock. 6.1
TOTW. Heliconia - Fennesz
Emma the Great & Tim Wheeler - I love a good Xmas song and I thought for Xmas music this hit the spot of fun and seasonality. 7
Matt
Nia Archives - high energy, jungle indie and poetic lyrics with a couple of TOTW contenders: Cards on the Table; Off wiv ya Headz. 7.5
Fennesz - so ambient it was barely there. 2
Lauren Mayberry - laser sharp vocals running through a versatile set of songs from uplifting electro to introspective ballads. Suave, polished, fragile but confident. Great stuff. 8.1
White Denim - Blace Lace? Sounded like suburban lounge music. Shame because later track Precious Child had Stevie Wonder /blues languidity. 5
TOTW - Sunday Best, Lauren Mayberry
Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler - A great contemporary Christmas album that doesn't rely on cow bells and kids choirs with a modern classic in Home for the Holidays. 8
Phil
Nia Archives – 7
On first listen, this rushed by without making much of an impression, aside from the thought that pop music doesn’t generally use drum’n’bass as its rhythm section. Listening again, I noticed that Nia’s phrasing is, at times, reminiscent of Amy Winehouse. The lyrics are similarly striking – baldly honest and unapologetic. Nightmares is an hilariously brutal putdown, and it’s far from the exception.
Fennesz – 5
I wanted to like this and, for about five minutes, I did. As readers may have noticed, I do like dreamy, synthy shit – it’s just the dance beats that I’m not normally into. But thinking of the way that Mogwai use ambient sounds and then bring the guitars crashing in, it’s not hard to see how Fennesz could have beefed this up. Get Braithwaite and co in!
Lauren Mayberry – 6.5
Catchy indie-dance with strong vocals and upbeat melodies. Something in the air and Sunday best are the standout tracks for me. The rest vanished from my memory as soon as they had finished.
White Denim – 6
This wasn’t what I was expecting at all, thinking like everyone else that White Denim were rock. Instead, this sounded like Kid Creole and the Coconuts on an off day. Not terrible but not that good either.
TOTW – Nia Archives - Nightmares
Classic
Emmy the Great/Tim Wheeler – 6
Gets points for not being All I want for Christmas is you, Stop the cavalry and especially for not being Wonderful Christmastime, by some distance the worst festive tune ever. But it was fairly dull and I did get fed up with the sleigh bells introducing each track, just to remind you that “Hey! This is a Christmas tune, even though it’s kinda cool”. Maybe I’m just channelling my inner Grinch.
Simon
Nia Archives: never been much of a drum n' bass fan so this started on the back foot, but did begin to win me over second time round without ever blowing me away - vocals certainly add an interesting flavour although the last two tracks are the only ones that really stuck with me. 6.5
Fennesz: some diverting washes of sound and effects, but the complete absence of beats removes any sense of structure and point of focus so it just passes you by without leaving much of an impression. 5.5
Lauren Mayberry: slick synth pop that occasionally crosses the line into '80s chart cheese - works best when she turns up the dial, e.g. Sorry, Etc. 6.5
White Denim: difficult to know what to make of this, initial impressions were that it was a 70's college radio throwback but there's definitely a bit more going on with some soulful and jazzy elements - doesn't particularly float my boat but it's quite intriguing. 6.2
Emmy the Great, Tim Wheeler: might point my daughter in the direction of this as she's already got the usual Christmas albums on repeat in the kitchen, and this is certainly an improvement on Chris bloody Rea. 6
TotW: Nia Archives - Killjoy!
Mark
Nia Archives - would normally run a mile from drum and bass so surprised how much I enjoyed this, inventive sampling and fantastic vocals, I see she was at Reading in the summer just gone, would have liked to have seen that, would have gone off - 7
Fennesz - yes there are some lovely atmospherics going on here, but really it's more like the soundtrack to an interactive modern art installation than a traditional album and the lack of beats, vocals or anything resembling an actual song makes it a hard one to mark - 5
Lauren Mayberry - I'm not the biggest Chvrches fan but fair play I thought this was pretty decent and different enough to warrant badging it as a solo album, some beautifully put together tracks - 7
White Denim - mmm, a conundrum wrapped within an enigma as the old saying goes, was expecting more frazzled southern rock but there's all sorts going on here. Think I'd like it given time for more plays, but for now it's a - 6.5
TOTW - Cards On The Table, by Nia Archives
Adam
Nia Archives - comes out of the traps strong with Silence is Loud then heads into thee lighter Cards on the Table. Good mix of more up tempo and lower. Constant d&b tracking in background but to be expected. Fairly enjoyable. 7
Lauren Mayberry - some catchy tracks in Sorry, Etc, Crocodile Tears but you’d expect that from our dear lead singer of Chvrches - 6
White Denim - bit of a weird one to pin down this - some folksy//indie contraption to try and work out. Won’t be rushing back 5
Fennesz - maybe one week we’ll have a banger transcendal album but this is not it. If they’re making money off this I’ll go record the crackhead sounds of Hackney and put a soundscape over it. 3
TOTW - Nia Archives - Silence is Loud
Emmy the Great - a nice breather from the typical Christmas tunes on repeat everywhere at the moment 6
Jim
Nia Archives 7.5
A smooth take on the genre that zipped along nicely. Shame I missed her at the fest.
Fennesz 4
Possibly OK when wishing to doze on a hot beach
Lauren Mayberry 6.5
Decent debut solo although feels a little fluffy and weak at times
White Denim 5.5
Hard to pin down for sure. At its best I was reminded of the recent Danny Goffey offering, but it was often just a bit odd
TOTW: Nia Archives - Unfinished Business
Emmy the Great - 6.5
Defo better than most of the annual Xmas cheese fest.
Erol
Nia archives – generally mellow lyrical delivery combined with mid-tempo drum and bass is an unusual combination but, for the most part, it works. Hats off for trying something new, with a vocalist that sounds not unlike Maisie Gray. The final track (So Tell Me) was definitely worth the wait and takes my score up by a point. 7.5
Fennesz - trippy and full of monotone ambience, this is probably best listened to at 4am after a big night out. Listened to while sober however, it was just one dimensional and ultimately tiresome. 3
Lauren Mayberry – all very mainstream, middle of the road pop. I didn’t mind it and it would probably be more fun to listen to in a sunny field with a cold beer in hand, but this didn’t do a great deal for me while walking the dog in the midst of storm Darragh last weekend. 6
White Denim - I really quite enjoyed this. Difficult to pin down the genre but it’s fresh, light, fun and occasionally funky. A refreshing change from indie and rock music. 7.5
TOTW - Swinging Door, White Denim
Emmie the Great and Tim Wheeler – I have never been a fan of Christmas music and this did little to change my view. By and large, what a load
of (jingle) baubles. 3
Annette
Nia Archives: 7
Fennesz: 3
Lauren Mayberry: 6.5
White Denim: 6
TOTW: Nia Archives - Crowded roomz
Classic: 6
Sam
Nia Archives : DnB not my fave form of dance music and her voice is a tad annoying , but overall a 6 .
Fennesz: who ‘produced’ this nonsense? Rubbish : 2
Lauren Mayberry : I love Churches and she has a good voice . But This could be any pop album from the last 5 years . Mainly average : 6.5
White denim : they do wander all over the musical landscape but there is some good stuff in here , some of the time . 6.9
TOTW: Hand out Giving by White Denim .
Emmy and Tim Wheeler . Tim is a legend and Emmy can sing . It’s a bit twee but fun enough while I wrapped presents today ! 6.6
Comments