Album review overview: Temples, Kiefer Sutherland and more
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.
Yard Act – You´re Gonna Need A Little Music
Yard Act is a four-piece of young lads from Leeds who present their third album with ‘You’re Gonna Need A Little Music’, and it will hopefully bring them a bit more into the spotlight with a wider audience. The album sounds like a large egg, with each track having its own character. Singer James Smith manages, with his sharp lyrics, to give the songs a consciousness through his sometimes spoken-word and sometimes singing delivery, which keeps the attention locked in. Opener ‘Empty Pledges’ carries a strong ‘Kickin´ against the Pricks’ feeling of Nick Cave. While in ‘New Beginning’ you unconsciously hear Beck’s ‘Soy un perdedor, I’m a loser, baby, so why don’t you kill me?’ wandering through your thoughts. As the album progresses, there are various associations that, for example, also take you towards Trainspotting, where the track ‘Thrill of the Chase’ could have fitted seamlessly. The surprise that this album creates for the listener makes Yard Act a band that, when listed on a festival line-up, is definitely worth checking out. We’re gonna need a little live music from Yard Act. (Bart van de Sande) (8/10) (An Island)
Iron Kingdom – Shadows And Dust
‘Shadows And Dust’ is the sixth album by the Canadian heavy metal band Iron Kingdom. The traditional metal that Iron Kingdom plays has clear roots in NWOBHM such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, and Iron Kingdom have also clearly listened closely to Helloween. Partly due to the excellent vocals of singer-guitarist Chris Osterman, the balance, in my opinion, leans towards US-style power metal such as Malice and old Fates Warning with John Arch on vocals. The guitar work of Megan Merrick and Chris Osterman lifts the songs to a higher level, something that is necessary since the compositions are not particularly original. All in all, an album that every lover of traditional power and heavy metal will enjoy. (Ad Keepers) (7/10) (Shark Records)
Katie Noonan – Alone But All One
Katie Noonan focuses on ‘Alone But All One’ entirely on vocal expression within a minimal framework. The arrangements are reduced to piano and subtle ambient layers, placing the voice at the centre. In ‘Falling Light’ and ‘Glass Rivers’ it becomes clear how strongly timing and breathing space determine emotional impact. The album avoids strong climaxes and opts for an even, introspective build. This gives the whole a calm and controlled character. Halfway through, there is a risk of monotony, but variation in phrasing keeps the tension subtly intact. The production is transparent and leaves plenty of space between elements. Towards the end the album grows towards slightly more layering without losing intimacy. (Elodie Renard) (7/10) (Independent)
Temples – Bliss
On ‘Bliss ‘, Temples shift further towards electronic structures in which rhythm and repetition are more important than guitar lines. The band builds layers around synths and pulse-like beats, giving the album a more streamlined direction than earlier work. In ‘Jet Stream Heart ‘, this direction is immediately clear with a direct groove and a relatively restrained vocal approach. ‘Revelations’ and ‘Megalith’ mainly work with build-up and modulation, where small changes in tone colour determine the dynamics. Halfway through, there is a more atmospheric phase where tension becomes less pronounced, but texture takes centre stage. The album moves between club influences and psych pop without fully landing in either world. This makes it consistent, but sometimes also cautious in risk-taking. Towards the end, ‘Fantasy Realm’ serves as a closing track that summarises earlier material. (William Brown) (6/10) (Fiction Records)
Kiefer Sutherland – Grey
‘Grey’ is the fourth album by the now 59-year-old actor and musician Kiefer Sutherland. It is a sympathetic collection of country-tinged narrative songs in which Sutherland captures small happiness and everyday sorrow from a first-person perspective. One could nitpick about the credibility of a successful actor placing himself in ‘America’ as a farmer struggling to keep his head above water. Yet Sutherland gets away with it. He keeps things small, avoids bombast and convincingly captures the essence of the problems faced by many American farmers. In ‘Goodbye’ he says farewell to California, looks back one last time and then drives towards the horizon. Throughout the album, Sutherland manages to hold attention. In ‘Simple Life’ he sings about the strength of a simple existence, with a warmth reminiscent of John Mellencamp. Only ‘Cruel World’, in which he sings from the perspective of someone saying goodbye to life, feels slightly less convincing. ‘Grey’ sketches portraits of people on the margins of society. With the Dylanesque ‘The Bottle’ and the traditionally styled ‘Rage in Me’, Sutherland also clearly shows where his musical inspiration lies. As a result, ‘Grey’ is ultimately much less grey than its title suggests. (Bart van de Sande) (7/10) (Maple Creek)
