As usual, my favourite album of the week, plus the best new releases/discoveries rounded up below. And if you click through any of the cover pics above the reviews, they should link you to that record on Spotify.
Album of the week
Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy
If you don’t already know Young Fathers, then it can be a struggle to explain their sound. It’s a bit pop, a bit soul, a bit indie, a bit hip-hop, a bit industrial, a bit world music…I could go on. They’ve always defied easy categorisation. But now, almost 10 years on from winning the Mercury Prize with their debut album, I think they’re established enough that we can just say that Young Fathers sound like Young Fathers – they’ve made a distinct sound of their own.
This album is more of the same, and that’s a good thing. It can feel like a full-on experience listening to Young Fathers. They’ve almost developed their own version of a Wall of Sound – as they hit you with blasts of distorted noise; incorporating child choruses, tribal rhythms, shouts, squeals, and pretty much anything else you can think of.
Even when they go for something softer, like on Tell Somebody, there’s still a sense of maximalism to their minimalism. With the prayer-like vocals supported with an epic orchestral track rising in the background.
There’s a sense of urgency and joy in pretty much everything they do, even if it’s not always clear why as the lyrics can be a bit impenetrable at time. The one theme that does seem to pop up throughout the album is new-ish fatherhood (or that might just be what I’m personally recognising in it). There’s references to healthier lifestyle choices (“I need to eat more rice”), dishing out instructions (“brush your teeth”), and that general sense of increased responsibility (“I gotta provide”).
Old fans won’t be surprised by this album, but you won’t be disappointed. And new listeners might be in for a surprise, but you’ll hopefully find something to love in Young Father’s unique brand of euphoria.
Best tunes: Rice, Tell Somebody, Holy Moly
Tunes of the week
Council Cut – Concorde/Back up North/83/HD
Council Cut is a new self-produced and occasional collab project, mixing hip-hop, indie, and electro sounds. These four tunes have been released over the past couple of months (you can find find videos on YouTube and Insta as well – links below). I was just gonna choose one, but I’ve had them all on repeat over the past week, and it’ll only take 12 minutes, so actually I’d recommend listening to them all.
Concorde serves as a nice introduction to his Midlands-accented rap style. Seemingly a confessional tale of the blunt realities of doomed dream-chasing, over a minimal and almost paranoid-sounding beat. Choice line – “Have you ever seen a man reform? I got baptised by warm tears of a newborn”. Back Up North feels like a bit of a continuation of the theme; accepting it’s time to stop the dream-chasing and head home. But with its choir-assisted backing track, it turns into a kind of redemptive celebration of home comforts.
83 is a great little tune, with doo-wop style backing vocals and a pitched-up chorus, reminiscent of Kanye West (in the classic hip-hop producer sort of way, not the radge anti-Semite way). And HD is a collaboration with Derby-based indie band, The Mease, bringing to mind early Kasabian, with its laid-back psych vibe.
Even if you’re only gonna listen to one new thing this week, then I’d recommend checking this out and giving some love to an upcoming new artist.
Beck – Thinking About You
Beck is someone I’ve never really bothered listening to. I was too young at his 90’s peak and then, by the time I might have got into him, I think I just dismissed him as a Scientology weirdo. Like, what’s he gonna be singing about? Walking the plank and shit. Walking the plank is a Scientology thing isn’t it? Or have I been confusing Scientologists with Pirates?
Regardless, this is well worth a few minutes of your time. A lovely little finger-picked, acoustic ballad. With echoes of Springsteen’s Atlantic City in the harmonica and Beck’s voice, which has developed a bit of that cool, deep croak thing over the years.
Ah, and apparently he’s not even a Scientologist anyway.
Addison Groove – Eh Wut
This is a five-minute, bass-heavy dance tune from the Bristol-based producer. I don’t really listen to enough dancey stuff to feel qualified to talk about it. But, I think you can kind of over-intellectualise it anyway. So let’s keep this simple – it’s a BANGER.
Boyan Chowdhury – Son You’re Leaving Town
Chowdhury is the lead guitarist in The Zutons, and this is his first solo outing. Judging by his Insta, he’s spent the last few years getting ripped to shreds, but that has nothing to do with this.
This tune starts with big White Stripes-y crunchy guitars, then more of a Zutons sound creeps in with the jangly guitar flourishes. The high falsetto vocals contrasted with the heavy guitars gives it a bit of a Queens of The Stone Age vibe. The song almost spilts in two, as the second half becomes an extended fade-out of dreamy, psych sounds.
Admittedly, I wasn’t expecting much from this over 15 years on from The Zutons heyday. But this is a cool debut and has me looking forward to hearing more from him.
Check out previous weeks’ best new music roundups at the link below.
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