Category: Album Reviews

Posted in Album Reviews

Boards Of Canada – Inferno (2026)

Posted on by Michael

The buzz around record stores a few weeks ago was on the new Boards of Canada album that was about to come out, Inferno. The Scottish duo’s first album in 13 years is a cause for excitement, their glowing reputation in the electronica world has never dimmed since their classic debut from 1998, Music Has The Right To Children. “Introit” welcomes the listener before the religious overtones start to appear throughout including on “Age Of Capricorn”, a mysterious track that takes vocals from a church sermon, messages from the ether. Talk of God and religion continues on “Father And Son”.  

“Naraka” goes on a trip through the depth of beats making for a menacing sound. A low rumble through the sinewaves pushes through “Acts of Magic”, a rumble that recalls 90s Leftfield. Tracks like “Into The Magic Land” has a bit of a new age feel, sounds coming from the forest. The new age sound is disturbed on “Blood In The Labyrinth” with an unholy vocal sample. The demonic vocals of “All Reason Departs” are terrifying in dark corners, the organ on “You Retreat In Time And Space” lift you back up into the light.

It’s astonishing that an album like this could make the top ten across the world, but Inferno did. Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin have created a soundscape that can be serene but with demented vocals and sounds that cut down into the dark depths of the earth.

7.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Ride – 4 EPs (2022)

Posted on by Michael

The Smile compilation of Ride’s first two EPs was originally released in North America in July of 1990. The classic shoegaze band then added their next two EPs released from that time period and released them as the 4EPs compilation in 2022. Filled with crashing guitars, “Chelsea Girl” and “Drive Blind” are two early highlights, noisy but tuneful 90s indie rock. “Like A Daydream” adds a 60s psychedelic pop swirl to the band’s ever-growing sound.

It is with the Fall EP released in the fall of 1990 that the band really propels forward with their own sound. “Taste” is blast of super charged joy with a driving beat and fine vocals from Mark Gardener.  To counteract that sound, “Nowhere” is a darker, moodier take.  Ride’s final EP from this period was released soon after their debut album Nowhere.  Today Forever adds the melodic “Sennen” and dreampop of “Today” to finish this collection. 

The EPs were a hit for their label Creation Records with the first three hitting the top 75 in the UK, a remarkable feat at the time. After four albums, the band called it quits before reforming 30 years later.  In the meantime, Andy Bell notably joining Oasis in 1999 and has been releasing solo albums over the years.  Ride’s early track, “Here And Now” describes the original sound as “the train above me sounds like the music in my head”. A cacophony of melodic noise played with youthful exuberance is what really stands out on this compilation.

8/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Kacey Musgraves – Middle Of Nowhere (2026)

Posted on by Michael

It’s been eight years since Kacey Musgraves released her Golden Hour album to rave reviews. Since then she has released a couple of good albums before releasing Middle Of Nowhere in May on her original record label, Lost Highway. Of the thirteen tracks, only one is over four minutes long with all of them breezing by, moving effortlessly between pop and country on a number of tracks.

A pedal steel guitar powers “Back On The Wagon” with the ambiance of a slow trot about a guy who keeps trying again and again and again. The cowboys on “Uncertain TX” just can’t seem to make up their minds but she does find common ground with fellow country star Miranda Lambert on the fun “Horses and Divorces”.

The album starts off with two of the album’s high points. Musgraves sings the title track with co-producer Daniel Tashien, the extra voice is a great addition as she sings, “It’s just me and me, and that’s all I need”. “Dry Spell” is her take at Lily Allen themes, the double entendre lows of being between partners on the catchy as all heck single. The whole thing closes on the heartfelt acoustic finale “Hell On Me”.  At just over 40 minutes, there is a lot to like on Middle Of Nowhere as Kacey Musgraves makes handling the highs and lows of life sound like an easy pop tune.

8/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Beach House – Beach House (2006)

Posted on by Michael

The Beach House catalogue and influence has expanded over the years since this debut was released in 2006. Then a duo, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally originally met while part of another Baltimore band that eventually broke up. Surrounded by organs/keyboards and a guitar, the duo recorded their first batch of songs in Scally’s basement on a 4-track recorder. More spare than their later elaborate recordings, the heart of the dream pop sound is there right from the beginning.

Opening track “Salt Water” about unrequited love using Legrand’s deadpan vocals as she sings, “you couldn’t lose me if you tried” before the song abruptly stops. “Auburn and Ivory” uses a harpsichord to give it a dark whimsical sound, “Apple Orchard” uses a pulsing beat with Legrand invoking a 60s chanteuse vibe. “Childhood” sounds like a charming 70s country song playing on a Casio keyboard.

“Master of None” is the track that really stands out as the future direction of the band and one later sample by The Weeknd. The echoey drumbeat and cascading keyboard sound, it includes the best vocal performance on the album. At times, sounding more like demos, the self-titled debut from Beach House is subtly engaging, already with a warmth in their sound that would later glow far brighter than the dimly basement they started in.

7.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Leonard Cohen – New Skin For The Old Ceremony (1974)

Posted on by Michael

The sound on New Skin For The Old Ceremony adds a few more musical touches but is still unmistakably Leonard Cohen. On his fourth album, Cohen sings of relationships, two in particular. The sexual encounter reportedly about Janis Joplin on “Chelsea Hotel #2” is ended with the harsh send off, “I don’t even think of you that often”. More romantically he sings about Nico on the poetic “Take This Longing”.  

Talking to God, the repeated refrain on “Lover Lover Lover” is sure to get stuck in one’s head before the strings come in on the second verse of “Field Commander Cohen” that adds a certain majesty to the proceedings. The back-up singers add a bit extra to “There Is A War”, one that takes place between different groups of people, more harshness in the line “I guess you call this love, I call it service”. 

The standout track is performed with singer Janis Ian, “Who By Fire” sounds simple at first but is about the way people often meet their maker.  It’s a powerful tune at under 3 minutes, one that has been covered many times after.  Regularly regarded as the end of his first recording period, the songs recorded on this 1974 collection are not as well known but in Cohen’s voice and style, they still carry a certain amount of power.

7.5/10