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The Back Wall

Malcolm Middleton and more

Written by Waterloo Records

Thursday, 18 October 2007

Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat (Full Time Hobby)
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2nd full-length album from the former second half of Arab Strap , A Brighter Beat builds off of the previous album's ability to take what should be depressing subject matter and place it in an infectious pop structure that'll have you happily singing along with lyrics you might not typically find yourself belting out in your car. Album opener "We're All Gonna Die" has a rousing chorus about how you are gonna die alone set to upbeat instrumentation complete with string arrangements, a driving bassline and a cacophony of electro blips. "Fight Like The Night" brings in the Moogs to such success any Cars fan would jump for joy. "Death Love Depression Love Death" brings a sound that we haven't heard from the Malcolm Middleton solo material yet and that is a pounding rocker which transitions into the summery acoustic/eletro romp "Fuck It, I Love You". Gosh, I love these song titles. Seriously! The album maintains a bouncy feel with an undercurrent of traditional British folk instrumentation while weaving between electro, rock, pub songs and acoustic styles. Assistance from Barry Burns of Mogwai and members of The Reindeer Section and The Delgados round out the sound.

If you have problems and a sense of humor about them then this record is for you. Who says misanthropy and depression can't be fun!
- Edmund LeStrange

Magik Markers - Boss (Hardly Art)
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For those already familiar with the Magik Markers' brand of guitar noise, this record will come as quite a surprise. Not only is their sound much more structured on this disc, but there are actually some quiet and beautiful moments mixed in with the noisier songs. It's clear that Boss is meant to be their "pop" record. Gone are the "free rock" improvisations that formerly defined their sound. But thankfully the music never comes across as a watered-down version of the Magik Markers, instead it sees the band, and Lee Renaldo who produced the album, refining their sound and branching out musically. Track 4, for instance, features only piano, xylophone, and singer Elisa Ambrogio's haunting vocals. This is the best thing Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label has put out in quite some time.
- Andy

Eric Copeland - Hermaphrodite (Paw Tracks)
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Looking to pick up that new Black Dice record? Well, you'd be amiss not grab Eric Copeland's recent solo outing as well. Sounding more along the lines of his Terrestrial Tones project with Animal Collective's Avey Tare, "Hermaphrodite" glistens and shines with cut after cut of infectious sound collages that keep revealing more of themselves with each listen. Shying away from the kind of claustrophobic noise that characterizes much of Black Dice's output (brilliant as it is), this record actually hints at an underlying pop sensibility.
- Andy