#09109 The Bravery

The Bravery – Stir The Blood
US: 1st Dec – Island

Third album from NY’s New Wave retro band The Bravery, who chose a abadoned church to record this album, to darken their sound. Unlike The Killers, gone mainstream, The Bravery towards the contrary direction to keep indie.

Outstanding track: ‘Slow Poison’

Back catalogue:
The Sun And The Moon (Island, 2007)
The Bravery (Island, 2005)

#09108 The Twilight Sad

The Twilight Sad – Forget The Night Ahead
UK: 5th Oct – Fat Cat

Second album from Scotland’s Indie/Shoegazing band The Twilight Sad, Forget The Night Ahead is a mixture of traditional Shoegazing and heavy Hardcore. Thinks Biffy Clyro meets My Bloody Valentine.

Outstanding track: ‘Seven Years Of Letters’

Back catalogue:
Killed My Parents And Hit The Road (Fat Cat, 2008)
Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters (Fat Cat, 2007)

#09107 The Horrors

The Horrors – Primary Colours
UK: 4th May – XL

Second album from Psychedlica retro band The Horrors, who have abandoned their visual shocks but did more in music itself instead, a change of direction was made, and now the band turn to a more Shoegazing sound ever, making this album sound like Spacemen 3 meets The Cramps.

Outstanding tracks: ‘New Ice Age’ & ‘Who Can Say’.

Back catalogue: Strange House (Loog/Polydor, 2007)

#09106 Luke Haines

Luke Haines – 21st Century Man
UK: 2nd Nov – Fantastic Plastic

The man who were in a band called The Servants, and then found fame with The Auteurs, and later went to form the popular Black Box Recorder. Luke Haines come back with his new solo album, 21st Century Man which is like an autobiography, with his landmark brethless voice, making a fine Chamber Pop/Indie Pop record. Limited edtion comes with a bonus disc titled Achtung Mutha.

Outstanding track: ‘Klaus Kinski’

Back catalogue:

Solo works
Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop (Degenerate, 2006)
Luke Haines Is Dead (EMI, 2005)
The Oliver Twist Manifesto (Hut, 2001)
Christie Malry’s Own Double Entry OST (Hut, 2001)

with The Auteurs
Das Capital (Hut, 2003)
How I Learned To Love The Bootboys (Hut, 1999)
After Murder Park (Hut, 1996)
Now I’m A Cowboy (Hut, 1994)
New Wave (Hut, 1993)

with Black Box Recorder
Passionoia (One Little Indian, 2003)
The Worst Of Black Box Recorder (Jetset, 2001)
The Facts Of Life (Nude, 2000)
England Made Me (Chrysalis, 1998)

with Baader Meinhof
Baader Meinhof (Hut, 1996)

COM002 Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol – Up To Now
UK: 9th Nov – Fiction/Polydor
US: 10th Nov – Interscope

The career of Snow Patrol can be split into two parts, part one the indie label years under Jeepster with more Indie sound and the second part in major label Polydor with mainstream sucess. Up To Now is their first best of compilation collecting tracks from all five studio albums up to now. Thirty tracks are included in this double disc collection with each disc contains fifteen separately. Most tracks are from three Polydor albums, with only six tracks from the first two Jeespster ones, along with three new or previously unreleased tracks, and two live tracks, also a cover of Beyonce’s ‘Crazy In Love’. In additional, two tracks of The Reindeer Section (one time Scottish supergroup) are also included.

Back catalogue:
A Hundred Million Suns (Fiction/Polydor, 2008)
Eyes Open (Fiction/Polydor, 2006)
Final Straw (Fiction/Polydor, 2003)
When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up (Jeepster, 2001)
Songs For Polarbears (Jeepster, 1998)
& The Reindeer Section
Son Of Evil Reindeer (Bright Star, 2002)
Y’All Get Scared Now, Ya Hear! (Bright Star, 2001)

#09105 Sugar Ray

Sugar Ray – Music For Cougars
US: 21st Jul – Pulse

From their early terrible Alternative Metal works then onto massive sucess Hip-Hop single ‘Fly’, and later platinum album ’14:59′, Sugar Ray eventually turned to a Ska/Pop Rock band. Now part away with major label, the band return with a sixth album, their first for six years. Highlight is the cover of Weezer’s ‘Love Is The Answear’ which appeared as ‘Take It Easy’ on Rivers Cuomo’s Demo Recording, and Weezer also features the track on their recent album.

Outstanding tracks: ‘Love Is The Answear’ & ‘Rainbow’.

Back catalogue:
The Best Of (Atlantic, 2005)
In The Pursuit Of Leisure (Atlantic, 2003)
Sugar Ray (Atlantic, 2001)
14:59 (Atlantic, 1999)
Floored (Atlantic, 1997)
Lemonade And Brownies (Atlantic, 1996)

#09104 Islands

Islands – Vapours
US: 22nd Sep – Anti

Third album from Canadian Indie-Rockers Islands, which emerged from The Unicorns. Before the recording of Vapours, the line-up had changed with some members being replaced and the return of the original drummer. Programming and other electronic stuffs were heavily used to creating a different sound from previous records.

Outstanding track: ‘On Foreigner’.

Back catalogue:
Arm’s Way (Anti/Rough Trade, 2008)
Return To The Sea (Equartor/Rough Trade, 2006)
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone? [The Unicorns] (Rough Trade, 2004)

#09103 Collective Soul

Collective Soul – Collective Soul
US: 25th Aug – Lond & Pround/Roadrunner

Their first album after signing to metal label Roadrunner, but that wouldn’t affect Collective Soul’s own Alternative style. For more than fifteen years Collective Soul always insists making their own music, including this (second) self titled album, which seems to be a new beginning.

Outstanding track: ‘You’.

Back catalogue:
Afterwords (El, 2007)
Home: A Live Concert Recording (El, 2006)
From the Ground Up (El, 2005)
Youth (El, 2004)
7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits, 1994-2001 (Atlantic, 2001)
Blender (Atlantic, 2000)
Dosage (Atlantic, 1999)
Disciplined Breakdown (Atlantic, 1997)
Collective Soul (Atlantic, 1995)
Hints, Allegations, And Things Left Unsaid (Atlantic, 1993)

#09102 Dinosaur Jr

Dinosaur Jr – Farm
US: 23rd Jun – Jagjaguwar
UK: 22nd Jun – PIAS

Second album since Dinosaur’s reunion, which line-up features the return of long departed Lou Barlow, who written two songs for this album. On Farm, J Mascis sounds brighter than ever before.

Outstanding track: ‘Pieces’.

Back catalogue: [main releases]
Beyond (Fat Possum, 2007)
Hand It Over (Sire, 1997)
Without A Sound (Sire, 1994)
Where You Been (Sire, 1993)
Green Mind (Sire, 1991)
Bug (SST, 1988)
You’re Living All Over Me (SST, 1987)
Dinosaur (Homestead, 1985)

#09101 Marcy Playground

Marcy Playground – Leaving Wonderland…In A Fit Of Rage
US: 9th Jul – Woz/Deep South

Best known for their Modern Rock hit ‘Sex And Candy’ in 1997. Here comes their fourth album, which was originally planned for John Wozniak’s solo album, but end up the first Marcy Playground for five years. Leaving Wonderland…In A Fit Of Rage is more Folker than previous albums with serveral short ballads and even a Piano contribution from Danile Powter.

Outstanding track: ‘Good Times’.

Back catalogue:
MP3 (Reality, 2004)
Shapeshifter (Capitol, 1999)
Marcy Playground (Capitol, 1997)