The Boggs— Forts (Tangled Up!) ****
Essentially the work of one man—Jason Friedman, ably assisted by members of Liars and Au Revoir Simone—this latest outing from The Boggs is a tremendous showcase for his skewed musical imagination.
An incredibly eclectic melange of garage rock, punk funk, folk and Americana, this album is as difficult to define as to become bored of. Infectious and propulsive rhythms such as on "Poor Things" reminds me of the Beta Band, however just as alluring is the sweet folk of "One Year On. "
It's not a faultless work, but is almost always interesting and continues to reveal hidden surprises on each listen. I only hope the return of The Boggs gets the attention it deserves amidst the hype surrounding fellow American innovators MGMT, Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors.
Patrick Healy
Caz Mechanic— The Secret Life Of... (Big Potato)
Once part of cult outfit Seafood, Caz Mechanic hasn't decided to veer off on a more populist tack on this her debut solo outing.
Beginning like a ramshackle fireside sing-a-long the album revels in its understated production values, teaming them with an air of improvisation which gives the feeling that this album was not long in the making. In reality this is probably wide of the mark but it does add some charm to what is a pleasant if ultimately insubstantial collection of songs.
"Cold Black Eyes" probably leaves the strongest lasting impression, however the album itself is certainly more memorable for its pervading sense of wistful introspection than for any particular song. Music for a power cut, although you'll need a pedal-powered stereo.
Patrick Healy
Correcto— Correcto (Domino)
A super group of sorts, containing members of massively overrated art pop behemoths Franz Ferdinand and interesting one album wonders The Royal We, Correcto have a head start in the media coverage stakes, and with the album being released by the venerated Domino Records, expectancy is high. In truth though, this is a middling effort, lacking in the kind of energy one would look for from this kind of straightforward art school post punk. It does possess a certain charm, and at its best such as on single "Do It Better" it does hint at better records to come.
However the big tunes and killer hooks that would differentiate Correcto from the multitude of similar acts following this well trodden path are sadly absent. A disappointingly mediocre effort.
Patrick Healy
Merz— Moi et Mon Camion (Gronland)
The bar was set high with Conrad Lambert's last album, Loveheart , which wrapped delicate and heartbreaking tales of loneliness in its own "warm cigarette room". Merz has an admirable ability to combine poppiness with intimacy, acoustic with electronic, epitomised by his one-man-band liveshow where he plays all the instruments.
Moi et Mon Camion is, dare I say it, a more obvious—albeit warmer—album than Loveheart , with Merz's pop sensibilities foregrounded, and "real" instruments providing a spacious but not entirely interesting backdrop.
The one foray into electronica on "Shun" (with Orbital's Paul Hartnoll) spoils itself with crude synth stabs, but elsewhere there are joys to be found in the delightfully expansive 'Silver Moon Ladders' and horn-inflected "Malcolm."
John Smithies
Gary Numan & Tubeway Army— Replicas Redux (Beggars Banquet)
Released on the eve of a UK tour, and to celebrate Numan's 30 years in music, this expanded Replicas features an additional CD containing B-sides, out-takes and a complete earlier version of the album.
Originally released in the fertile post punk era of the late 70s, Replicas shares common ground with the works of electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and the robotic Devo. But Numan's pop sensibilities also produced synth driven hits like "Are Friends Electric"—an early version of this classic here features Numan sounding almost human.
There's a futuristic alien chill about Replicas that at times hints of Berlin-era Bowie (with less of the haunting atmospherics), but can also sound just cold and mechanical, dated yet oddly contemporary.
Simon Miller
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