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Shiver: Maggie Stiefvater
Just when I thought Icouldn’t take yet anothersupernatural romance, alongcomes Shiver to blow thatnotion out of the water!
Shiver is the unashamedlyromantic story of a teenagegirl, Grace, who falls in lovewith a werewolf, Sam. Grace has had alifelong fascination with…
Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack: Karen O & the Kids
Shaping up to be one of thefilms to watch this summer,Where the Wild Things Arehas a fabulous soundtrackwritten by Karen O & TheKids (the frontwoman ofthe Yeah Yeah Yeahs, an assortment of indierockers and an untrained children’s choir).This…
Dark Eyes: Tomasz Stanko Quintet
The great Polish trumpeter, long a Readingsfavourite, unveils his new young Finnish/Danish quintet. He’s added guitar, and theheartbeat of the group is now a primal,pulsing electric bass. Make no mistake,Stanko’s singular trumpet is still the mainvoice here – his hypnotic…
Sweetheart Rodeo: Dawn Landes
With Sweetheart Rodeo,Dawn Landes delivers anenthusiastic country/poprecord, leaving listenersunsurprised that this trueAmerican gal was raised inMissouri and Kentucky. Never taking itselftoo seriously, the record showcases Landes’modern perspective on old traditions,mixing traditional guitar, double bass andharmonica with ‘Suzanne Vega-esque’ vocalsand…
Love 2: Air
Recorded in Paris, Love 2is a record that sees Airproduce more of the blissfulsounds that assertedits reputation with theawesome Moon Safari. Thishighly anticipated release from the Frenchduo seduces listeners with chilled beats andcheeky electronica. Incorporating synthmelodies, minimal vocals…
Colour Me Free: Joss Stone
Last year, Ms Stonethreatened to forfeit hercontract with EMI overtheir lack of support. It wasgoing to cost her twomillion pounds to do this,so reluctantly she agreed to stay. This is herfourth and final album with the companyand after several delays…
Gee Whiz but this is a Lonesome Town: Moriarty
Moriarty takes its cue from the worlds ofDepression-era American folk and Europeancabaret. This stripped-back ensemblecomprises four men on various acousticinstruments, fronted by the haunting vocalsof the enigmatic Rosemary. Also singing inEnglish and with a sound that’s been variouslydescribed as early…
My Friends All Died in a Plane Crash: Cocoon
This French duo release an album with thesaddest title this year. Mark Daumail andMorgane Imbeaud combine on this beautifulnew album, self-described as a folk-popversion of The White Stripes. A nod to thenew folk sound of Sufjan Stevens and DevendraBanhart, along…
BQE: Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan is famously attemptingto make an album forevery state in the union,but has slowed down oflate; this is his first releasein over three years. TheBQE is the Brooklyn Queens Expressway,but it is unclear if this is his New Yorkalbum…
Declaration of Dependence: Kings of Convenience
The third album from theNorwegian pop-folk duo(Erik Boe and Erlend Oye),Declaration of Dependence isthe story of two peopleliving two very differentlives, sensing that they are immensely morepowerful together than apart. In that sense itis the most adult, the most…
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