Albums

It was by complete chance that I came across this release. The chain of events that led me to it are not worthy of a mention, honest. My initial thoughts were that I must have missed something somewhere, I did.

Karen Elson’s The Ghost Who Walks marks the debut solo release from the British singer/songwriter. Her transformation from fashion’s favorite redheaded ingénue to beguiling chanteuse has been something of a slow burn. In 2003 she provided vocals for a version of Robert Plant’s “Last Time I Saw Her”

The latest record from Baltimore based duo Beach House is their best and most complete yet. Teen Dream is just that, a dream of a record that rekindles the tender wide-eyed sentiment of a teenager open and ready for the world ahead.

Talk about a transformation. In a move motivated by nothing more than the need to try something new, Casey Dienel transformed her piano-led White Hinterland project from a pitch-dark jazz revue to a looking-glass take on the bleeding-edge of pop music.

Strap in for travels beyond the galaxy, to tranced-out cosmic bliss! Sick Thirst presents Vol 2, the second compilation of hard-to-find Wooden Shjips tracks.

Orla Wren is Tui. North East bred, Tui broke away early from the unnecessary trappings of the modern world ( little things, like bank accounts and living in buildings ), becoming that most unlikely ofindividuals ; a be-dreadlocked, lap-top wielding, soundscape creating Neo-Gypsy.

We Are All One, In the Sun represents a humble tribute to Robbie Basho, a truly original and passionate American guitarist, musician and composer.This labor of love curated and realized by musician, producer, and acoustic guitar maker Buck Curran (along with his wife Shanti performs as the duo Arborea) who after first hearing Basho, many moons ago, instantaneously felt Kindred Spirit to his music.

The press have managed to shape a large hook of Charlotte Gainsbourg’s past to hang her latest album IRM from. So I’m not going to over indulge in this, only to say, it had people clambouring for video clips of her infamous musical debut with her father, Serge Gainsbourg, as well as clips from her appearance in Antichrist

I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose is the debut album by Jack, Jamie, Suren and Ed, four old schoolfriends from North London, known collectively as Bombay Bicycle Club.

Following on from his previous solo outing Baby, Wolves Abound, Owl Service guitarist Jason Steel continues to fingerpick his way through classic bluegrass and Americana on this massively enjoyable new full-length.

Stornoway have newly signed to 4AD and their pastoral pop-folk and crystalline four-part harmonies have been getting a lot of attention with references to them being the Mumford and Son of 2010.

Armed with little more than an acoustic guitar and her fragile alto, San Francisco folk singer/songwriter Emily Jane White offers complex tales of melancholy and isolation. While comparisons to contemporaries like Cat Power and Hope Sandoval are frequent, Emily’s music owes a clear debt to classic female jazz and blues singers such as Billie Holiday.