The Promise by Bruce Springsteen

Back in 1975, Bruce Springsteen, the man described by critic (and later manager) Jon Landau as “rock and roll’s future”, was almost down and out. His debut album, Greetings from Ashbury Park, N.J., had become a critical success but a commercial flop, selling only 25,000 copies in its first year. Springsteen had one last shot at the stars, and he took it. He released the epic Born to Run and catapulted himself straight into rock and roll legend.

However, following the release and success of Born to Run, he was kept out of the studio for three years due to a bitter legal battle with his former manager Mike Appel. When he returned, gone was the drama and optimism that characterised Born to Run, replaced by the feelings of uncertainty and the need to press on through doubt that made his next album, Darkness on the Edge of Town, feel so different from its predecessor.

Three decades later, Springsteen releases The Promise, a compilation of music he wrote and recorded during the Darkness sessions. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a record made of music that didn’t make the cut, though. They just simply didn’t fit in with the feel that Springsteen wanted for Darkness.

The album opens with an early cut of 'Racing in the Street', the epic street racing ballad from Darkness. While maybe not as brilliant as the finished product, its bittersweet piano building into a truly magnificent rock elegy and the lyrics lamenting the very same Americana he celebrated in Born to Run, reminds you just what the man was capable of at his best, and how he could turn ordinary American life into something so glorious.

Other songs on the album stand out. 'Because the Night' and 'Fire', tracks that became hits for Patti Smith and the Pointer Sisters respectively, show Springsteen at his pop writing best. 'Outside Looking In' showcases the effect that the likes of Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly had on Springsteen’s musical career, and the title ballad 'The Promise', mixing sombre piano and a driving drumbeat, reveals The Boss’s troubles after his legal disputes , and his doubt in the American Dream he had loved so much.

This collection of music from a rock superstar at the top of his game, while maybe not one of the classics like Born to Run or Darkness, definitely should not be simply written off as the off cuts from his early days, but instead it is a compilation revealing the wealth of music we never got to hear from what was probably his best song writing period. A great album from a rock legend at his peak.

Scores (out of 10)

Lyrics - 8
Vocals - 7
Instrumentals - 8
Album arrangement - 8
Overall - 8

Favourite track - 'Racing in the Street ('78)'

Interpol by Interpol

Hello again all, sorry for the delay. Uni is a cruel and demanding mistress. However, I am now reviewing albums for the Warwick student newspaper, the Boar, and when the reviews are published I will post them here a few days later. Should make the reviews a bit more regular. Anyways, enjoy.

Since first coming to attention with their 2002 debut album Turn on the Bright Lights, Interpol have won a reputation as one of the more interesting imports from the New York indie scene. Their layered guitars, icily detached vocals and dark, brooding feel have led to comparisons to the likes of Joy Division and Radiohead, and they have slowly but surely racked up record sales as well as fans both here and across the pond.

That said, the feeling you get from this eponymous album, the band’s fourth and last with bassist and founding member Carlos Dengler, is that the party could well be over. The band has found success, for sure, but they question it and what sort of people it has turned them into. The first track, 'Success', sees frontman Paul Banks crying out over and over “I am a good man”, an effort to justify himself in the world he is now a part of, the world of fame and accomplishment.

The rest of the album feels just as aimless as the band themselves. 'Lights' tries to inject the album with some much needed drama and atmosphere, but ends up fading away and disappointing. 'Always Malaise (The Man I Am)' trudges along wearily, full of those two most unattractive of qualities, self doubt and self pity. And the album closes with 'The Undoing', the utterly forgettable ending to what should have been a magnificent last hurrah for Carlos D and this incarnation of Interpol.

There are some exceptions. 'Barricades' sees the band abandoning its newfound pretentions at grandiose atmospherics and returning to the tight guitar hooks, throbbing basslines and tense, edgy sound their fans will both recognise and appreciate. The tingling piano of 'Try It On', melting seamlessly into the swelling 'All of the Ways', is another highlight.

However, the overall feel of the album is bleak, listless and badly directed; this, coupled with the fact that Paul Banks vocals often fall into the category of the downright boring, leads to an album that verges on the soporific. The band attempts to stretch out into sweeping soundscapes and expansive arrangements, but ends up losing the tight, distinctive sound that made them so popular with the post-punk revival crowd. Maybe, when the band has regrouped after Carlos D’s departure, they’ll make a magnificent return to the form of Turn On The Bright Lights and Antics. This album, though, sadly isn’t it

Scores (out of 10)

Lyrics - 5
Vocals - 3
Instrumentals - 5
Album arrangement - 4
Overall - 4

Favourite track - 'Barricades'

The India EP by Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling and The Dharohar Project

Sorry for the delay in posting a new review. Its been all go at our end, but we should be back and posting a little more regularly now. To kick off, here's the review of the new EP by Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling and The Dharohar Project I promised a while ago.

As I wrote of late, Mumford and Sons, together with Laura Marling, recently went on a tour of India, where they teamed up with Rajasthani folk group The Dharohar Project. There they performed several live gigs, as well as collaboration to produce a new 4-track EP, entitled The India EP. After seeing all three perform live in Bradford, and loving it (see my post from a few weeks ago), I thought I’d check it out.

The EP is intended to bring Indian folk music to a wider audience than it might otherwise enjoy, as well as to create new music and experiences by blending it with its English counterpart. This fusion of musical styles and cultures, through the use of both familiar and exotic instruments, vocal styles and even languages creates interesting and striking music with a sound and style all its own.

The EP opens with ‘Devil Spoke/Sneh Ko Marg’, a combination of a song from Laura Marling’s last album ‘I Speak Because I Can’ and one from the Dharohar Project’s repertoire. The music starts off almost identical to the English original, but soon the tempo picks up, weird and wonderful Indian instruments come in, and the strange but highly enjoyable Indian vocals begin. The rest of the song then carries on in the same vein, the familiar English mixing with the alien Rajasthani to create an up tempo folk track with a twist.

One of the other titles on the EP, ‘To Darkness/Kripa’, is very similar, reworking a more familiar Mumford and Sons song in an Indian style. The other two songs, ‘Anmol Rishtay’ and ‘Mehendi Rachi’, are more Indian in style, but they are still very enjoyable, even for those (like me) who have never listened to Indian folk music before, or even have a clue what the song is about.

This is a very enjoyable EP that creates an extremely interesting sound by blending familiar English folk music with very, very unfamiliar Indian folk. It introduces listeners to a different and exciting musical culture, but mixes it with the recognisable to make the experience much less daunting. Overall then, a highly recommended and entertaining experience for fans of folk music.

Scores (out of 10)

Lyrics - N/A
Vocals - 7
Instrumentals - 7
Album Arrangement - 6
Overall - 7


Favourite Track - ‘Devil Spoke/Sneh Ko Marg’

An offer you can't refuse....

Just a quick post, well more of an advert really, to let you know bout subscribing to this blog. If you've had a peep at it and like what you see, then you can subscribe either through the links at the bottom or through the Google Friend Connect/Follow thing at the bottom of the sidebar. Then you'll know as soon as we post anything new, and the support will help the blog to grow and get better. Cheers!


Nathan

Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling and The Dharohar Project, St George's Hall, Bradford, July 12th 2010

Me and Josh both went to see Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling and the Dharohar Project perform in Bradford recently. We couldn't decide who should review the gig, so we decided we both would and then post them both. Enjoy.

Josh's Review

On July 12th, I went to a concert to see Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling and The Dharohar Project with my good friend and musical companion Nathan. The gig was at St. George's Hall in Bradford, which is only a small venue, but still rather beautiful and quite large inside with space for about 500.

Mumford and Sons was founded in London, England, by Marcus Mumford (the lead singer), who is also 'romantically linked' to Laura Marling (lucky bloke), a talented folk singer/musician/song writer. After doing a successful UK tour, the band was offered a tour of India, which they accepted. While there, they were promptly teamed up with an Indian group, The Dharohar Project. Laura Marling and her band also tagged along. Whilst in India the three groups created a 4-song EP, combining all of their talents and musical experiences.

After a couple of drinks, I entered the Hall to be greeted by the man himself, Marcus Mumford. Not personally, unfortunately, but he was on stage talking about their tour. After finding our seats, which were actually pretty good, The Dharohar Project walked on. To be honest, I was not really looking forward to them. I didn't really look into The Dharohar Project before the concert and it is not the kind of thing I usually listen to, but I managed to tackle this problem with a combination of beer and an open mind.

I had no idea what they were playing instrument wise, or what they were actually saying but both the instrumentals and the vocals were incredibly impressive. Our favourite members of the group we named 'The Turbanator' with his suave moves and crazy maraca things, 'Crazy Hands' with his self-explanatory skills on the barrel drum and 'Wafer' because of his stylish turban. The performance itself was incredibly interesting, fun, enjoyable and far better than I originally anticipated.

After The Dharohar Project had performed, Laura Marling entered with her band (don't know the name). I can't really remember what song's she played, and I think we missed the first song because the queue to the bar was really long. I recall hearing 'Goodbye England', 'Hope in the Air' which was really good and one of my favourites, 'I Speak Because I Can' and ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’. All the songs were extremely good and I enjoyed all of them, so nice to listen to, enjoyable and so much better live. She was also quite witty which makes her all the more attractive. I love Laura Marling and her live performance did not disappoint, and even without knowing the words I attempted to sing along. I would seriously recommend seeing this women live, especially if you are into folk. She has a beautiful voice, she knows how to write a good song and she is also a talented musician. What more do you want?

Then, after an interval of pure excitement, Mumford and Sons came on and were, quite frankly, amazing. I have never enjoyed a live performance so much in my life; I don't believe it is even legal to have so much pleasure in a public building. Again, I can’t really remember what songs they played but I can recall 'Timshel', 'Awake My Soul', 'White Blank Page', 'I Gave You All' (one of my favourites) and ‘Little Lion Man' (by far my favourite song of the night). They ended with 'The Cave', their most recent single. They also played two new songs, one of which I got a bollocking for recording and the other was called 'Lover of the Light'. Both were immense. I loved every second these guys were on stage; they are by far my favourite band at the moment. I would recommend these peeps to anyone and I believe they are arguably the best folk band of our generation if not the best in a very long time. If you like folk then you must see Mumford and Sons live, they are the leading folk band at the moment (my opinion). Now my lips are sore after all that arse kissing...

After all had performed, they all came together to form some super folk group which I don't believe they have a name, but I shall call 'Wafer and The Gang'. I also don’t know the name of any of the songs, except one which was a cover of one of Laura M's songs 'Devil Spoke'. It was well sung and the mixture of Indian instrumentals plus vocals seems to combine well. All the songs were fun and exciting; these guys clearly make a good team. They have brought out an EP which I’m sure will make for good listening, I haven't checked it out but from what I heard on the night I would recommend it. It was both interesting and enjoyable and would suit those who are in to a combination of English and Indian folk aka Engdian folk.

Overall I had an amazing night, listening to the best music with my best mate, with whom there is no one else I would rather have gone. If these groups are playing in a venue near you either together or performing separately then go watch them. I guarantee you will have fun and not be disappointed. Gorza out.

By Joshua Owen-Gorza

Nathan's Review
 
This is the first proper gig, by fairly well known acts at a pretty big venue, that I’d ever been to. Normally, my forays into the world of live music have been limited to acoustic nights and local bands at pubs. Needless to say, I was a little excited, and maybe a little apprehensive too. What if they weren’t as good as they sounded on my iPod? What if I didn’t enjoy it? What if, what if, what if.


Walking in to the St George’s Hall in Bradford, the first thing that struck me was the huge cross section of people who had come to watch the gig. The folk music revival, represented by acts like Mumford and Sons and Laura Marling, had always seemed to me to be more interesting to student-y types in waistcoats, jeans and Converse (like me), than to 50-somethings. How wrong I was. Old and young, rich and poor, all sorts from all walks were there. Shows what I know.

The venue itself was pretty good, a beautiful building with plenty of the essentials (bars and toilets) for such a small place. Our seats were cracking too, in the centre of the upper tier. We had been worried that we wouldn’t be able to see, but we had a good view and could hear everything. Although, to be honest, the venue and the crowd (about 500-600 people) were so small, that I think we could have seen and heard no matter where we were.

When we walked into the hall, we were greeted by Marcus Mumford himself explaining the program for the evening and how the three acts had come together during a recent tour of India. The first act of the night was the Dharohar Project, an “Indian folk collective from Rajasthan in India”, apparently. In all honesty, I wasn’t really looking forward to them. I had heard some Indian music before and not enjoyed it, and I thought that this would be more of the same. Big mistake. I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of strange and interesting instruments, beautiful vocals (although I didn’t understand a word) and the energy and enthusiasm of the performers. A pleasant surprise to start the evening, then.

After a short interval, Laura Marling came onto the stage to perform. We missed the first song, thanks to Josh’s refusal to return to his seat without a drink. However, we were back in time to hear a brilliant performance, including ‘Hope in the Air’, ‘Goodbye England’, ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’ and ‘I Speak Because I Can’. Laura Marling is an excellent singer/songwriter, with an amazing voice, powerful songs and no mean talent on the guitar. She was well supported by her band, who gave her the instrumental backing her voice deserves. Definitely one to check out if she’s performing anywhere near you.

Another interval later, and we were back in our seats to hear Mumford and Sons take to the stage. They were, without doubt, my favourite act of the night. I think that their music tends to be more “live-performance friendly” than the other two acts, with lyrics that are easier for audiences to sing along to. They did not disappoint. Performances of songs like ‘Timshel’, ‘The Cave’, ‘Awake my Soul’ and ‘White Blank Page’ had the audience singing along and even dancing in the aisles. When they broke into ‘Little Lion Man’, all the audience were up, belting out the words and cheering. They definitely earned their standing ovation at the end of their set, and they are a band I would unquestionably recommend to anyone looking to go see some outstanding live music.

Straight after Mumford and Sons, all three acts took to the stage to perform the music from their new 4-song EP (check it out). The mixture of English and Indian folk music was both interesting and highly enjoyable, the groups seemed to gel well together, and it was an enjoyable end to a brilliant night. Throughout the whole gig, the music was amazing, and small audience meant that the gig felt intimate and very personal. The banter between those on stage and the audience was witty and enjoyable, and all the acts had good stage presence to make the night even more enjoyable. If any of them are playing anywhere near you, and I know Josh will say the same, go and see them for a night of excellent live folk music that you won’t soon forget.

By Nathan Murphy

21st Century Breakdown by Green Day

Three years in the making and 71 minutes long, punk heroes Green Day return with another concept album to rival their last, American Idiot. The intervening years have seen several punk bands trying to imitate their sound and style, making it much harder for us to take them seriously. This is a shame, as Green Day really know their punk. They’ve given iconic songs to a generation, and now they’re back with their latest effort, 21st Century Breakdown.

The band split the album into three acts Heroes and Cons, Charlatans and Saints, and Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. It's loosely based around a young couple, Gloria and Christian, and their trials and tribulations in the modern age. Musically it's business as usual, taking the punk template and stretching it into stadium size songs.

One of the key songs on the album shows up in act one, ‘!Viva La Gloria!’. After the heartfelt opening bars of piano, we're jolted into glorious, raw punk. A great song to add to the others that make this album so great.

Another of the songs that really sticks out is ‘21 Guns’. Here’s a true stand-out, a stick-in-your-head, mid-tempo anthem that establishes Armstrong as a major vocalist. Oh, you think he did that already on Time Of Your Life? That was singing, sure, but here he digs down deep. A fantastic track.

Massive hype greeted the album, and though it can’t possibly live up to it all, it’s impressive just how strong it is. The plight of Christian and Gloria may be a bit dark, and you may not care what Armstrong has to say about the world around him, but 21st Century Breakdown succeeds where it needs to. It sounds amazing, and re-establishes Green Day at the forefront of the modern punk revival.

Scores (out of 10)

Lyrics-6

Vocals-8

Instrumentals-7

Album Arrangment-7

Overall-7

Favourite Track-21 Guns

By Jacob Murphy

A Larum by Johnny Flynn

A Larum is Johnny Flynn's first album, released in 2008. The album is released under the name Johnny Flynn but it is technically Johnny Flynn and his band, The Sussex Wit, who are pretty ok as folk bands go. The album was considered the 37th best album of 2008, a rather decent achievement I must admit, as folk is not as popular today. Random Fact: It has recently been discovered that the album A Larum is a Shakespearean word meaning 'alarm', it is also said to be an anagram of Laura M aka Laura Marling, a fellow folk singer and friend of Johnny (all folk fans should check her out. Nathan should be reviewing one of her albums soon, she is rather good)

The songs throughout the album are consistently enjoyable, however some tracks lack a certain je ne sais quoi. I’m not sure what that is but some songs definitely lack it and don’t rise to the standard of other songs on the album. The songs that stand out to me are 'The Wrote & The Writ' which is a nicely composed track, with well written lyrics. The other two are 'Tickle Me Pink' and 'Cold Bread'. Both are entertaining, easy to listen and interesting.

However, I have no idea what these songs or most of the songs on the album are actually about, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it does not seem to reduce their quality. I think that all the songs have some kind of metaphor behind them, with subjective meanings, so different songs may mean different things to different people. But I see no point in trying to decode the philosophical underlining meanings of these songs. I merely want to sit back and get my listen on, and this album seems to allow that. Johnny Flynn also has an interesting voice which is pretty good and suits the music well. It can be slightly monotonous at times but his vocals can really portray the emotion of most of the songs.

A particular track i enjoyed is called 'Shore To Shore (reprise)' which is an instrumental add on to an early song in the album called 'Shore To Shore', it is a rather short yet beautiful piece in my opinion and is played on, what I believe is, an organ which seems to work seemingly well and is a nice way to end the album.

Overall this is a pretty good album with some really good songs. On the other hand, there are some tracks which, while not necessarily bad, don’t seem to rise to the same standard as the best songs, which brings the albums overall quality down slightly. Also in some songs e.g. opening track 'The Box’, the violinist of the band is a little off. It sounds like the player is scraping at the strings, this could put off first time listeners and it seemed to ruin the song for me the first time I listened to it. You do get used to it though, and it happens only rarely throughout the album, although personally I think it shouldn’t have been put in in the first place. However, the album is still enjoyable and fun throughout with imaginative and interesting lyrics and I would be happy to recommend this to any followers of the folk scene as a good album to add to their collection.

Scores (out of 10)

Lyrics: 8/10
Vocals: 7.5/10
Instrumentals: 6.5/10
Album Arrangement: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Favourite Track: The Wrote & The Writ

By Joshua Owen-Gorza

Ghost By Radical Face

This next album review is of Radical Face's 2007 album, Ghost. Radical Face is a name adopted by Ben Cooper, of Electric President, because he thought it was funny, and this is the first album he's released under the moniker.

Whereas Electric President indulge in catchy electropop and hi tech digital sounds, Cooper uses this new persona to bring to life his more traditional songwriting desires. The album is full of sweeping, swelling choruses, forceful banjo, rattling drumbeats and accordion, augmenting the acoustic guitar that provides the beating heart of most of the songs.

The album takes on the concept of a house which is able to remember and relate tales of the events which have taken place within its walls. This provides songs with a unique viewpoint of a house looking at its occupants, and can create some very interesting lyrics. This particularly stands out in the song 'Wrapped In Piano Strings', which tells an emotional story of turbulent relationships and death over powerful guitar  and clapping percussion. Its a strong track, and one of the highlights of Ghost.

There are several other very enjoyable songs on offer. The opening, 'Asleep On A Train', blends a beautiful tinkling piano, wheezing accordion and gorgeous a cappela vocals to create a track that's so peaceful and serene that it almost puts the listener to sleep before the album can get into its stride. And that would be a shame, because the second song, 'Welcome Home, Son', is definitely the best on the album. Again, the weighty guitar chords and persistent clapping carry the song through to the immense, soaring chorus, which lifts the listener up and, if they're anything like me, actually creates a genuine feeling of longing. A brilliant song, that I can't stop listening to. 

In the majority of the songs, the instrumentals work well, providing excellent melodies and carrying the songs along nicely. However, on a few tracks, the audio range is a little limited and the sound isnt all it could or should be. This could be bad instrumentalism, or more likely, the result of limitations in the home studio equipment Cooper used to record the album. However, this only affects a few of the numbers, and doesnt present a great problem in the majority of the album.

One problem does present itself throughout Ghost, however. Ben Cooper's vocals. He has a very nasal tone and a flat vocal range, which greatly limit his ability to make the most of the good songwriting and production that has gone into the album. Its a shame, because it comes close to spoiling what could have good, if not great, first album. It is worth a listen though, if only to check out the first two songs and make your mind up for yourself.

Scores (out of 10)

Lyrics: 7
Vocals: 4
Instrumentals: 7
Album arrangement: 6
Overall: 6

Favourite Track: Welcome Home, Son

By Nathan Murphy

Farm By Dinosaur Jr

Dinosaur Jr. is an American band originally formed in 1984 and consists of 3 highly musically talented members: guitarist/vocalist Joseph Donald Mascis, bassist Louis Knox Barlow and drummer Emmet Jefferson "Murph" Murphy III (instant respect just for the name). Their music mainly falls into the alternative rock genre, which I find extremely easy to listen to and to just simply relax to.

Farm is one of Dinosaur Jr.'s most recent albums, released in 2009. The music in this album consists of well composed melodic guitar solos, rhythmic drum beats and an enjoyable bass that subtly plays in the background. All this gives the song's both a rock and a chillout factor which will suit the taste of many musical enthusiasts, especially those of this particular genre.

The opening track is a song called 'Pieces'. I'm not quite sure what it's about. I originally had a guess that it was about a man who loves his jig-saw puzzles a bit too much and has, perhaps, lost a vital piece. We've all been there and it’s definitely near the top of the FML moments. However, some may argue that it is actually about devoting your love to someone, and both are equally plausible. The album then plays through 'Ocean in the Way' and 'Plans', which, to be honest, aren't the most exciting songs on the album but they still follow the usual style of well composed guitar riffs. The next song, 'Your Weather', is one of my favourites on the album. I believe it is sung by Barlow, although I could be mistaken. If so then he is not only a talented musician but an excellent singer.

The rest of the album is as enjoyable as the first part and does not disappoint by continuously showcasing Mascis's imaginative guitar solos and progressions which I wish would never end. This is portrayed well in 'Said the People', which is not only my favourite track on the album but my favourite song in general at the moment. Although this song isn’t miserable, I would not recommend it to anyone who is eyeing up tall buildings. It is not a depressing song as such, but the emotion of the lyrics well express how a person would feel if they were let down by the people around them. Less-than-cheerful lyrics aside, this particular song is well written, and amazingly creative guitar solos always encourage me to listen to it again and again.

Overall, I love this album; its combination of cool rock with a non-aggressive approach make for easy listening and a relaxed, chill out feel to the album. The vocals may let this album down, but I think Dinosaur Jr. knows this and so would rather their instruments do the talking. The album is well organised and does not get boring, every time I hear one of Mascis’s guitar solos I get a small chill of excitement. I would recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of alternative, or to anyone looking to broaden their musical horizon. Check these guys out, you will not be disappointed.

Scores (out of 10)

Lyrics: 7/10
Vocals: 6/10
Instrumentals: 8.5/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Favourite Track: Said the People

By Joshua Owen-Gorza

Gulag Orkestar by Beirut

I know I said the first review would be coming up soon, but I didn't expect it to be this quickly. I had a bit of time on my hands though, so I thought I'd get the ball rolling.

For my first review, I'm going to be taking a look at Gulag Orkestar, the debut album from Zach Condon's Balkan indie/folk band from New Mexico, Beirut.  The album was released back in May 2006, so its a bit of an old one. I only discovered it three days ago, though, and it's already become a firm favourite.

Beirut were formed by Zachary Condon in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2006, after staying with his cousin in Europe and becoming influenced by Eastern European and Balkan folk music. The majority of the music for Gulag Orkestar was written by Zach in his bedroom, created with help from Jeremy Barnes (Neutral Milk Hotel) and Heather Trost (A Hack and A Hacksaw) then published under the Ba Da Bing! record label.

The music on the album has been likened to a slightly drunken gypsy parade, or that which workers in some imagined Eastern Bloc factory would listen to when relaxing after a hard day of toiling for "Peace, Bread and Land" for the proletariat. The album, with its use of loping percussion, majestic, melancholic brass, plucky highlights from ukulele or banjo, and lyrics sung through an acrobatic, and above all, genuine voice, make for a heady, original and mostly enjoyable mix of Western pop music and traditional Eastern European folk. Sometimes Condon's lack of experience of life in the places which have provided his inspiration show in lyrics that don't always ring true or themes that are a little vague, but this does little to diminish the effect of the album as a whole.

The title track opens the album and sets the tone with deep piano and slow, slightly despondent horns that fade away, to be replaced by a foot stamping march which leads into 'Prenzlauerberg', an accordion filled and percussion heavy waltz that establishes just how different and "foreign" Gulag is to the usual indie rock debut. The music makes me feel like I should have just come off a work line making tanks in Serbia, to drown my sorrow's in vodka at the nearest Comrades Club. The album moves through 'Brandenburg', another march that instantly seizes you with the desire to beat the ground with your feet and demand freedom from the bourgeois world of Western music, and into what is, for me , the standout track of the album, the liltingly magnificent 'Postcards From Italy'.

The regal trumpets and horns, tinkling ukulele and rattling percussion, overlaid with Condon's agile, Jeff Buckley-esque drawl, come together to create a captivating, beautiful tale of love and death. This definitely is my favourite track on the album, cheerful yet somehow sad, majestic and thoroughly enjoyable, and it gives me chills every time I hear those first few opening cords. Sometimes I really just don't want the song to finish. Florence and the Machine did a cover of this song as a B-side to their single 'Kiss With A Fist', so they clearly didn't either.

After the brilliance of 'Postcards From Italy', the second half of the album does tend to appear not quite as good as the first. It is redeemed though, by both the slow, relaxing beat and blaring trumpets of 'The Canals of Our City', and the surprising, synth laden tracks 'Scenic World' and 'After The Curtain'. These should stick out like a sore thumb amongst the acoustics of the rest of the album, but somehow they don't. Instead, 'Scenic World' is a joyful interlude amongst the darker tone of 'Rhineland' and the heavy march of 'Bratislava'. And Condon's slightly haunting croon in 'After The Curtain' serves to round off what was a brilliant debut for Beirut.

Overall, I totally love Gulag Orkestar. The mixture of the beauty and powerful themes of Balkan folk, together with Zach Condon's brilliant voice, perfectly matched to the music he makes, make an amazing album that I would seriously recommend to anyone into indie, folk or acoustic music. Or into music at all, for that matter. Beirut have since gone on to release a second album, The Flying Club Cup. It's an excellent follow up to Gulag, and I strongly suggest that you check out both that and the Beirut EP's for some incredible listening that, if you're anything like me, you will love each and every time you hear it.

Scores  (out of 10)

Lyrics: 6
Vocals: 9
Instrumentals: 7
Album arrangement:8
Overall: 8

Favourite track: Postcards From Italy

By Nathan Murphy

First post, suppose I better start somewhere...

Hello to anyone reading this, and welcome to my blog. I wanted somewhere for reviews of albums, singles, gigs and discussion of all things music. So here we are, I hope you enjoy it!

As far as taste in music goes, I will quite literally listen to anything. Classic rock, folk, hip hop, indie, glam rock, classical, punk rock, opera, rap, grunge, anything at all. So expect a fairly eclectic bit of musical discussion on here, because I may review pretty much anything. Except maybe emo. I just don't "get it". If you get my drift.

Im going to be joined in this blog by a great mate of mine, Joshua Owen Gorza. He's witty, funny as hell and know's his music, and he's going to be writing a few reviews that are going to be posted up here as well for you to enjoy.

Having never written a music review before, I suppose this blog is more about me learning to write well than anything else. So any constructive criticism is welcome, and if you want to send any, you can contact me either by leaving a comment or through my email address (in my profile). Suggestions for reviews and your opinions are always welcome too!

The first review should, hopefully, be coming up soon. I spose that all that's left to say is, enjoy!