Agnes Obel – Myopia
Fourth album from the Danish singer-songwriter is a work of elevated beauty and originality. There are echoes of mid-80s Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, early Goldfrapp and Fever Ray, but this is because this also feels like another landmark, her ethereal sound made by a cohort of classical string and percussion accompanists joining her own light piano touch, and that blow-down-bottle effect on vocals. from Camera's Rolling to Island of Doom to Broken Sleep to Won't You Call Me. Elevating, otherwordly, graceful, and nerve-tingling. Out on Deutsche Grammophon.
Agnes Obel – Broken Sleep
Grimes – Miss Anthropocen
Fifth album from the eclectic Canadian Claire Elise Boucher is a work based around the idea of anthropomorphising climate change into the figure of a villainous, cartoonish goddess (human epoch versus/mixed with misanthrope) has taken five years to overcome outside difficulties and is a album of contrasts, from the breathily thumping dance number Violence with i_o, a style favoured by Christine and the Queens, to the folkier pop of Delete Forever. It's a novel sort of otherworldly pop concept album, but you get the feeling of self-conflict, that this might designed to be about the public, but is more about her own private life. She's engaged to Elon Musk after all. Out on 4AD.
Grimes - Delete Forever
The Pictish Trail - Thumb World
First album since the acclaimed Future Echoes (2016), this is a gorgeous work of electro-acoustic psych-pop from Johnny Lynch, the eccentrically amusing and charismatic inhabitant of the Hebridean island of Eigg and label boss of Lost Map Records. Fire Recordings are however releasing this one, hopefully introducing a wider audience to this strange Beta Band-ish, creative world of alien abductions and endless scroll thumbing, always tenderly inventive, with key tracks including Lead Balloon, the exquisite Slow Memories and the gently joyous dance number Turning Back. Out on Fire.
The Pictish Trail – Slow Memories
King Krule – Man Alive!
Third album from teh 25-year-old Londoner Archy Marshall, who exploded onto the scene with the highly 2013 debut, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon, before 2017’s The Ooz. This is a far more downbeat affair – dark, bitter, despairing and dissonant at times, this feels a bit like Connan Mockasin on ketamin. It can be a challenging listen, but it's throwaway, woozy grumbles still hold the attention because you expect something to happen. Noteworthy tracks include Stoned Again, Cellular, (Don't Let The Dragon) Draag On, and Alone, Omen 3, which secretes a dark, dry humour. Out on XL Recordings/Matador Records
King Krule – Alone, Omen 3
Lanterns on the Lake – Spook The Herd
Fourth album from the Newcastle indie five-piece fronted by Hazel Wilde confronts the difficulties of the present with a moody, stormy, slow simmering mix of piano, guitar, percussion and beautiful vocals. The nine songs, including the title, are pointed comment at the dangerously manipulative tactics of ideologues - from hopelessly polarised politics, social media, addiction, grief and the climate crisis. The album is packed with beautifully telling, killer lines. When the climate apocalypse comes, and let us hope it never does, at least there’s something as superb as this to go out on. Out on Bella Union and PIAS.
Lanterns on the Lake – Every Atom
Douglas Dare – Milkteeth
Third LP from the London-based singer-songwriter and pianist from Bridport is a serious heartbreak work of some beauty, produced by Mike Lindsay of Tunng and the co-collaborator with Laura Marling on LUMP. There's a singular intimacy here, these sparse songs mostly featuring one or two low-key instruments only from Silly Games to I Am Free to The Joy In Sarah's Eyes. Understated, resonant, emotional. Out on Erased Tapes.
Douglas Dare – The Joy In Sarah's Eye
Peggy Sue – Vices
The London-based duo of of Katy Young and Rosa Slade, return with their first LP for four years, and as their name suggests, these 10 songs are a snappy pop that's inspired by the late 50s and early 60s, but performed more in the style fo 90s indie, with most subject matter, fro Motorcade to the floatier In Dreams, focusing on heartbreak and relationships. Out on Peggy Sue.
Peggy Sue – Motorcade
Best Coast – Always Tomorrow
The duo of Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno from the California band best known for songs about the beach, walking dogs and smoking weed, have survived and matured a little, to bring out a sound that rounds up more like the Go-Gos, or the Bangles and a dash of Joan Jett on the rocky Everything Has Changed. The running theme might be about change, and seeing things in a new light (Different Light), but this very much rockin' mid-80s power pop alongside the slower song True. Out on Concord.
Best Coast - True
Don’t forget to also check out our favourite albums of 2019:
Aldous Harding to Richard Dawson to Michael Kiwanuka: favourite albums of 2019 – part 1
Billie Eilish to FKA twigs to Weyes Blood: favourite albums of 2019 – part 2
This week's selection is by The Landlord.
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