Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

An ode to a dying mother, All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu sees Rufus Wainwright strip away the orchestral arrangements, and sit alone at his piano exploring his own sorrow and heartache. The result is a bleak but beautiful album whose bare bones gloom may drive some listeners away, but will treat those who can stomach it to some of the most beautiful and vital works of mourning ever penned. The album's undoubted highlights are it's emotional lows "So Sad With What I Had", "Zebulon" and the beauteous "A Woman's Face"; all stand alongside Wainwright's greatest works. Ultimately this is Wainwright's return to form and a reminder that when he's suitably motivated, he remains a songwriter of unmatched quality.

Confused, incoherent and direction-less, My Best Friend Is You is a mess and a direct reflection of it's creator's internal narrative. Kate Nash has come to a cross road in her life, she wants to say something, she feels compelled to say it, and she has the creativity and talent to deliver it, but unfortunately she doesn't know what "it" is. As a result Nash has created a study of early life frustration, capturing a fleeting moment of confusion, that we all get over sooner rather than later. Musically her malaise manifests itself in the form of musical experimentation, as Nash reaches out in all directions desperately searching for a spark. While she rarely fails, she rarely inspires, borrowing the clothes of her heroes but never truly establishing her own identity. At times My Best Friend Is You can sound great but it never truly satisfies, and while her struggle may be complex; Nash simply becomes the latest artist to succumb to the dreaded "difficult second album".

It's hard not to feel bad for Kristian Matsson, there's just no getting around it, he sounds like Bob Dylan, a lot like Bob Dylan. Bizarrely enough his finger picking style oft surpasses the rudimentary arrangements of Dylan's early career and his narrative structure and charming pop narrative are hardly Dylan-eske. Yet it's his creaky throaty rasp that will eternally draw comparision and turn so many off, yet if you can see beyond his tone, and hear the charming pop melodies and stiring narratives you'll uncover a prodigious talent and perhaps the greatest hope for a true 21st century folk sensation. Ultimately Matsson's greatest strenght is his ability to take the minimal and transform it into the epic. His bare bones guitar can easily be mistaken for the wide open spaces of the countryside with cavernous and spacious jaunts that recall the great imagery of the folk genre; rolling valleys, endless seas of green. Intimate and yet expansive The Wild Hunt is an album that takes hold of the listeners imagination, if only you can see beyond those Dylan comparisions.



New Amerykah Part Two (Return Of The Ankh) couldn't hope to live up to it's predecessor and for the most part it never tries to. By presenting a study into love and longing Badu casts aside the role of the social commentator and instead opens her heart to introspection. At the same time Badu changes tact musically swapping elongated jazz fusion structures for more simplistic sample orientated arrangements. As a result a floaty, shimmering and ultimately charming album is created, full of beautifully sung choruses and familiar if forgettable arrangements. Only the albums two stand outs "Window Seat" and "Out Of Mind, Just In Time" manage to feel vital and heartbreaking while the rest of the album settles for approachable and pleasant. As a result New Amerykah Part Two is worthwhile and enjoyable but distinctly inessential and lighweight. It does beg the question if, as Badu states on "Love", life consists of two states from which all others devive; "fear and love", then what's left for New Amerykah Part Three?



Nothing is so thrilling as a genuinely talented band taking a risk and going for broke. Congratulations sees MGMT risk all their hard earned scenester credibility and pop dominance by creating an album of challenging twenty first psychdelia. Fear not, for those of you enjoy dancing to the Klaxons but find yourself scratching your heads when contronted by Animal Collective; Congratulations is not without melody. There just harder to uncover, "It's Working" is a gorgeous cacophony of sound and light sixties psych surrounding a powerhouse vocal performance that captures the imagination. The real joy in Congratulations is found not by searching for elusive hooks and sing along chorus but by delving headlong into the albums richly textured arrangements that are bigger, bolder and more moving than anything on Oracular Spectacular. As a result Congratulations works best as a continous peice with each densely layered track rolling onto one another, only then do bland singles and in jokes like "Flash Delirium" and "Brian Eno" stand out as the dynamic striking pieces they truly are. For all this boldness Congratulations fails to achieve greatness and will disappoint many; but those willing to delve into MGMT's world will be treated to some of their greatest work to date, like the glorious "I Found A Whistle".

The Radio Department - Clinging To A Scheme

Indie with a shozegaze twinge hmmn...where have I heard that before, oh yes, I only found myself writing that exact phrase three or four times in last years album of the year column. Thankfully, Clinging To A Scheme feels completely detached from Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and Primary Colours and instead sees a lighter pop sound. The Radio Department seemed to have changed focus from guitar fuzz to the light and oft forgotten melodies that comprised My Bloody Valentine's work. In fact The Radio Department have nearly made the full transition to pure pop with shimmering synths, feel good horns and yes bouncy pan pipes. Of course there's still room for some sleek riffs, some accoustic crunch and some epic walls of hazy sound but now the melody takes centre stage and by the half way point you find yourself hit by the realization that every single track that you've just exprienced is a potential single. Dreamy, hazy and incredibly infectious Clinging to Scheme may well be the most irresistable collection of pop songs released since The Fame Monster.

The Wild Card:

Fatboy Slim & David Byrne - Here Lies Love

Okay lets face it Norman Cook hasn't been relevant in an eternity and even his once vaunted live show have now become a tedius bore, so expectations were chronically low for Here Lies Love, despite David Dyrne's inclusion. Yet surprisingly Here Lies Love sounds surprisingly intriguing but more importantly it's a hell of a good time. This new sense of fun and adventure comes in large part from the broad and largely female list of guest stars, starting with a gorgeous performance from Florence Welch we are then treated to appearances from Tori Amos, Santigold, Rosin Murphy and even Cyndi Lauper. Of course the result are beyond hit and miss and across twenty two tracks the album is not only bloated but features countless misteps; but if your selective and astutely pick your favourites you'll find a refreshing and enjoyable twelve track playlist waiting to be uncovered. Here Lies Love is a risk, but a risk worth taking.