New Tracks - what's caught our eye...
Track of the Month
In this section 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 been our favourite listen during that month. So, theoretically, anything ever released has a chance of featuring...
May 2022 - SHARON VAN ETTEN - Home To Me
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Unusually, Sharon Van Etten chose not to release anything from new album We've Been Going About This All Wrong before the album itself. The intention was to experience the whole thing, as new, at one time, without the knowledge of already knowing what a handful of songs are going to be like, immediately drawing your attention away from the rest. It's a clever approach and has ensured that the album remains fresh for far longer, in our opinion at least. We could have picked anything from the album really, it's an absolute stunner from start to finish.
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April 2022 - EDITORS - Heart Attack
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It's been a long time since we've seen a music video as stunning as this one. Back in the day, half of the excitement upon a new release was seeing what kind of video was accompanying it but that's not the case anymore. Luckily in this instance, the quality of the track is right up there with the quality of the video too.
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March 2022 - KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS - Like Exploding Stones
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We love a bit of KV chill out time at CWax. New single Like Exploding Stones is exactly that. Just a shame that KV is yet another going on a world tour without stopping at Brighton. Booo!
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February 2022 - STEREOPHONICS - Forever
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Playing catch up a bit here. Forever is the latest single from Stereophonics' new album Oochya! and was released in January. However, it was actually the b-side to You're My Star from way back in 2008 as an accompaniment to their Best Of album Decade In The Sun. So a little bit older than what we're used to sharing, but it's a classic bang on the money Stereophonics tune.
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January 2022 - BEAR'S DEN - All That You Are
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OK, we're cheating a bit here. This song was actually released in November 2021 but we had to put it on hold due to the brilliance of Biffy Clyro's double. With an album due in May, Bear's Den have been gradually teasing a few tracks and they are all fantastic if we're honest, but All That You Are just knocked us over with its hauntingly sorrowful lyrics.
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December 2021 - BIFFY CLYRO - Holy Water
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Well, this is a first. Two months in a row the tracks of the month go to the same artist from the same album, how original. Separate Missions was, as we said in November, accompanied by another track that could quite well be a contender for Biffy Clyro's best ever track, Holy Water. The record stayed on our turntable for much longer than usual, hence it was inexplicable to leave this out. Superb effort once again.
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November 2021 - BIFFY CLYRO - Separate Missions
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Biffy Clyro's album from October slipped under the radar at CW somewhat. We were, to be quite frank, expecting nothing special - solid without frills, as this seems to have been the 'Foo Fighters-like' route the Scottish rockers have recently taken. But we were wrong. Not only is The Myth Of The Happily Ever After their best album, it's also got possibly their two best ever tracks on it. This is Separate Missions: enjoy.
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October 2021 - THE WAR ON DRUGS - Harmonia's Dream
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Harmonia's Dream from the album I Don't Live Here Anymore is as good as it gets for fans of The War On Drugs. Playing to their strengths rather than playing it safe with their all too often inoffensive cuts, this song is like all your WOD Christmasses at once, sounding like all your favourite tracks have been bundled up together. Glorious.
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September 2021 - PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING ftg ANDREYA CASABLANCA
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Lifted from the disappointing album Bright Magic, Blue Heaven is pure pop perfection. Being big fans of a motorik beat, we were always gonna be suckers for this one - not the only shining light on Bright Magic but certainly the brightest.
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August 2021 - SHARON VAN ETTEN & ANGEL OLSEN - Like I Used To
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OK, OK - so this track came out in May so we're pushing our luck a bit here, including it as our track of the month for August...but it's one of our favourite artists (Van Etten) coupled with the amazing voice of Olsen and it just gets better every time you hear it. Late to the party, perhaps, but we just had to squeeze it in...
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July 2021 - WOLF ALICE - How Can I Make It OK?
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With the release of their third album Blue Weekend last month coming after two fantastic efforts already, one winning a Mercury Prize, it's hard to believe that they may have surpassed both. But we believe they have. There is so much to love about their latest collection and favourites come and go, but perhaps sitting at the top of the pile is slow builder How Can I Make It OK? Another must have album from Ellie Rowsell and co.
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June 2021 - JAMES - All The Colours Of You
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James have always been favourites here and All The Colours Of You didn't let fans down. Perhaps surprisingly this far into a career, they are still churning out anthems that you just cannot help but connect with. For us, it's the title track that's the highlight here, though.
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May 2021 - MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA - Bed Head
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Manchester Orchestra are one of those bands that seem to fly under the radar of so many for whatever reason. It's about time more people took notice, and what better way than to tune in to one of the highlights from their latest album The Million Masks Of God. Bed Head is arguably the best track on the album - trot off to your local record store, buy it and find out for yourself. In the meantime have a listen to our pick...
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April 2021 - MOGWAI - Ritchie Sacramento
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You either like instrumental bands or you don't. There's something comforting in vocal content in a song that you can't quite put your finger on; this could explain why Mogwai have never shot up the popularity ladder at Critical Wax - we like an instrumental but not too much. So it's no surprise that possibly our favourite Mogwai track of all-time, Ritchie Sacramento from the Mercury award nominated As The Love Continues, features vocals.
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March 2021 - TEENAGE FANCLUB - Home
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Teenage Fanclub have always been on the periphery of the Critical Wax playlist, for whatever reason. Album wise it's hard to argue that they haven't released several worthwhile efforts over the years but perhaps they have struggled to produce really standout tracks. Home, from Endless Arcade though, at over seven minutes long, is a standout all right. Phenomenal guitaring? You've got it...
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February 2021 - MAXÏMO PARK - Versions Of You
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Well, well, well! When Maxïmo Park burst onto the scene with more energy than a crate of Red Bull, earning themselves a Mercury Prize nomination in 2005 for A Certain Trigger, you had the feeling they might be also-rans within a few months. With so-called indie land-fill saturating the soundwaves, their vibrancy was anything but; to find them still going strong over 15 years later is, then, surprising, easily outlasting so many inferior peers and Versions Of You, from latest album Nature Always Wins, is right up there with their best tracks.
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January 2021 - THE BESNARD LAKES - Our Heads, Our Hearts On Fire Again
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We love the dreamy soundscapes of The Besnard Lakes here at Critical Wax and have been fans of their delicate touches of genius for several years now. From latest album - that we'll abbreviate to Thunderstorms to save a considerable amount of typing - Our Heads...is a top, top cut but it may not even be your own favourite from the album, which is undoubtedly one of their very best, as highlights are aplenty.
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December 2020 - DODIE - Cool Girl
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Not the most typical Critical Wax favourite you will find amongst our monthly picks, Dodie's Cool Girl is considerably more subtle and subdued than our usual head-turners. But that's where this stunningly minimalist track's strength lies and it's a worthy addition to this page - simply gorgeous.
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November 2020 - KATY J PEARSON - Take Back The Radio
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What a dismal winter it's been in 2020. But an early anecdote was this bundle of indie pop fun from Katy J Pearson. An unexpectedly impressive return, it'll give you that pick-me-up you and everyone else needs in this troublesome times.
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October 2020 - ANDY BELL - Skywalker
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It's taken Ride guitarist Andy Bell half a century to release a solo album but The View From Halfway Down was worth the wait. More of a collection of sounds rather than songs - his own words - there are a few exceptions to the rule and the excellent Skywalker with its motorik like beat is the best of the bunch.
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September 2020 - ALL THEM WITCHES - See You Next Fall
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All Them Witches have an uncanny knack of writing superbly slow burning stoner rock crackers and latest album Nothing As The Ideal boasted a couple with the brilliant See You Next Fall the pinnacle of the album.
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August 2020 - I LIKE TRAINS - PRISM
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On I LIKE TRAINS fifth album, they've moved from post-rock to, er, post-punk. OK. Anyway, this is firmly in the Joy Division mould, but it's Joy Division blended with The National and at times Editors, so what's not to like, right? Kompromat is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the greatest albums of the year, the decade, the century. GET IT NOW! PRISM is just one of so many fantastic tracks, but maybe just shades it.
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July 2020 - DOVES - Carousel
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One of Critical Wax's favourite artists, Doves, have been gone too long. Sure, we've had solo albums, notably Jimi Goodwin's Odludek from 2014, but we have had to wait ELEVEN YEARS for a new Doves album - that is too long, we all thought the terrible thought in that Doves were no more! Let's not wait that long again, eh? Carousel was the first new music to appear and it's an instant Doves classic.
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June 2020 - THE WATERBOYS - My Wanderings In The Weary Land
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Mike Scott seems to go on for ever and ever with his Irish act The Waterboys. Forever etched into history with classics from the 1980s such as The Whole Of The Moon thanks to repeated airplay, you could well have lost track of the band since as their profile never reached those giddy heights again. But on latest album Good Luck, Seeker there is one of the greatest Waterboys tracks of all-time, if not one of the greatest rock tracks ever to have graced us, period. You NEED My Wanderings In The Weary Land in your life...NOW!
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May 2020 - ROSE CITY BAND - Wildflowers
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Erik 'Ripley' Johnson is a favourite over here at Critical Wax, whether it be with main band Wooden Shjips or his project with wife Sanae, Moon Duo. Rose City Band peel back the layers of swirl and fuzz to create something completely different, though, leaving you wondering if this is the same guy at all. Best of a classic grower of an album is, perhaps, Wildflowers. Give it a spin now.
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April 2020 - BADLY DRAWN BOY - Is This A Dream?
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Damon Gough has been missing in action for several years now - eight in fact. So Banana Skin Shoes, his first since the 'Being Flynn' soundtrack, was a welcome return for the man that made a beanie cool again. Banana Skin Shoes is an excellent collection, one that sits well amongst an already impressive catalogue, and top of the pile here is the super catchy pop song Is This A Dream?
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March 2020 - ARBOURETUM - Let It All In
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Arbouretum have released many albums but the title track from 2020's Let It All In is simply stunning. If you like your lengthy motorik jams like their label mates Wooden Shjips, then this is for you.
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February 2020 - NADA SURF - Come Get Me
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These guys have been around for a long time but rarely have they released anything as perfect as Come Get Me from recent album Never Got Together. The best thing they've ever done? Quite possibly.
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January 2020 - COURTEENERS - Better Man
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Turn on the radio and wait for a Courteeners track. Nine times out of ten - if they're even on the station playlist - it'll be Not Nineteen Forever. As unfair as this may seem, it's undoubtedly one of the best tracks they've ever released even if it does hark back to their very first record. Finally, maybe the radio stations have something to challenge it for airtime. The irresistibly catchy Better Man is possibly the best thing they've done since and easily sits proudly at the top of their new album for 2020, 'More. Again. Forever.'
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December 2019 - UNDERWORLD - Listen To Their No
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Underworld have been around forever, right? So to find them putting together an experiment where art was released every week - not ONLY songs - was astounding. Innovative, fresh and captivating, the DRIFT series was an immense undertaking and largely highly successful. Of the sample edition album, the mesmerising Listen To Their No takes some beating in our opinion, see what you think.
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November 2019 - MICHAEL KIWANUKA - Final Days
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Michael Kiwanuka's latest album 'Kiwanuka' is an absolute must-have. There were four or five tracks we could have selected as our track of the month but after much deliberation we've settled on the stunning Final Days. Great artist, great album.
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October 2019 - FOALS - The Runner
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Second of the Foals albums featured one of their best ever singles, with fans of the FIFA game series treated to this as part of the FIFA 20 soundtrack. In fact, it's almost the perfect single - catchy as hell, decent guitar solo, singalong chorus. Neither album quite nailed it, though, but there's no arguing at the quality of this and our February 2019 entry.
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September 2019 - MOON DUO - Lost Heads
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After its first couple of cracking singles, the new Moon Duo album Stars Are The Light was eagerly awaited. However, it soon became clear that we'd already heard the best of the new collection, with brilliant second single Lost Heads clearly being head and shoulders above anything else you will probably hear from Moon Duo in a long time.
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August 2019 - FEEDER - Youth
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It's not often we hear something rather special from the bands we followed more closely years ago. Although not particularly at the top of our ex-favourites or all-time favourites list, Feeder have always been there or thereabouts and Youth, from their latest album Tallulah, rolls back the years in style.
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July 2019 - THE SOFT CAVALRY - Spiders
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The Soft Cavalry dominated our July. What a fantastic debut 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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