New Tracks - what's caught our eye...
Track of the Month
In this section - new for 2019 - we pick out our track of the month. Note - these tracks may NOT have necessarily been released during the month in question. It just so happens to be the track that's impressed us the most during that time.
July 2019 - THE SOFT CAVALRY - Spiders
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The Soft Cavaly dominated our July. What a fantastic debit album it was, as Slowdive's Rachel Goswell supplemented her husband Steve Clarke's incredible yet previously hidden songwriting talents with her own inimitable vocals. There were five moments of true magnificence on the album but we reckon Spiders was the cherry on the cake.
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June 2019 - FROTH - Department Head
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Plenty of contenders for our favourite track for June, but Froth battle it out within their own album Duress for our best of the best. We could have picked any of the three crackers that are A2, Department Head and Xvanos but it's Department Head that gets the nod.
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May 2019 - COLD SHOWERS - Shine
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Los Angeles' outfit Cold Showers plough a familiar field, that of post-punk early 80's The Cure and The Psychedelic Furs to name but a couple of obvious influences. Third album Motionless is an excellent collection that any self-respecting muzo freak should check out; best of the bunch is lead single Shine, a supremely sparkling pop-nugget.
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April 2019 - BEAR'S DEN - Crow
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Following on from the success enjoyed by Red Earth And Pouring Rain, Bear's Den's third LP So That You Might Hear Me boasted more of the same folky efforts tinged with a streak of sadness. Tough to pick out a top track but Crow just edges it from Breaker/Keeper, both tracks in our view being for the essential pile.
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March 2019 - STRAND OF OAKS - Weird Ways
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Since 2014's HEAL, Timothy Showalter has excelled with his Strand Of Oaks album releases and Eraserland continues the trend strongly. Pick of the bunch is six minute opener Weird Ways, a colossal track that builds in intensity throughout as his band mates - namely My Morning Jacket this time round - gradually pitch in to create a sparkling gem.
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February 2019 - FOALS - In Degrees
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Foals albums these days are eagerly awaited items and delirious fans will undoubtedly herald 2019 as The Year Of Foals, with two collections promised. The first, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Pt 1, yielded three singles before it was released but In Degrees was surprisingly not one of them; we think it's the best of the lot, though.
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January 2019 - THE TWILIGHT SAD - VTr
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The Twilight Sad's 5th album dropped during January, and lifted from that album is a track initially released in November 2018, VTr. It epitomises everything that's good about this excellent Scottish band.
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