10037 Rod Jones

Rod Jones – A Sentimental Education (UK: 26th Apr – Borough)

Rod Jones, the guitarist with Scottish band Idlewild, now comes with his debut solo album, shortly before the band announced a hiatus. Influenced by those west coast folk artists such as The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash, the album consists song mostly acoustic around two minutes. Outstanding track: ‘Wonderful’.

COM005 Idlewild

Idlewild – The Collection (UK: 26th Apr – EMI Gold)

All good things come to an end, Idlewild will be on indifinite hiatus. Their previous label asked the band to select their own favoutire songs to make up this compilation, which includes their finest momnets from their Food/Parlophone years. Just two years before, another compilation called Scottish Fiction was released by EMI for commercial purpose. Back catalogue

10036 The Lodger

The Lodger – Flashbacks (UK: 26th Apr – This Is Fake DIY)

Leeds’ The Lodger may be the happiest band in UK, back with their third UK label for a third album. Like their previous works, Flashbacks is also simple and easy. Are there really so many reasons to be happy or maybe a sad album will be better? Outstanding track: ‘The Back Of My Mind’. Back catalogue: Life Is Sweet (Bad Sneakers, 2008), Grown-Ups (Angular, 2007).

10035 The Futureheads

The Futureheads – The Chaos (UK: 26th Apr – Nul)

Fourth album from Sunderland Punkers Futureheads, The Chaos, which sounds like an album that made by certain American Emo-Punk bands with some Northern English accent from those musicians without tatoo. Outstanding track: ‘Heartbeat Song’. Back catalogue: This Is Not The World (Nul, 2008); News And Tributes (679, 2006); The Futureheads (679, 2004).

10034 Foals

Foals – Total Life Forever (UK: 10th May – Warner Bros.)

It was said before Total Life Forever came out, Foals would be doing a Funk influenced second album, but the first taste is such stunning Post Rock like epic Spanish Sahara. Then the album, with some later era Talking Heads tracks mixing Electronic/Math Rock/SHoegazing. Produced by ex Clor frontman Luke Smith. Outstanding tracks: ‘Spanish Sahara’ & ‘Miami’. Back catalogue: Antidotes (Transgressive, 2008)

10033 MGMT

MGMT – Congratulations (UK: 12th Apr/US: 13th Apr – Columbia)

As a extended five-piece now, New York’s finest MGMT returns with anticipated second full length, Congratulations, which was dubbed their version of Kid A. It’s a total Psychedelica experience listening to this nine-track LSD influenced album, weird art work and imaginary song titles, anything you can find except hits like a Kids or Time To Pretend. Congratulations is more like a band album, in spite of its anti mainstream. Outstanding track: ‘Siberian Breaks’. Back catalogue: Oracular Spectacular (Columbia, 2007)