Record reviewer Peter Baker brings you the releases you need to know about. This week, there’s an excellent, mature album from a Britpop quartet, a tribute to English folk musician Nick Drake from the likes of Aldous Harding and Nadia Reid, and a shimmering, percussion-forward EP.
Blur — The Ballad of Darren
Blur released their debut album Leisure in 1991, and in the ensuing years, they’ve released nine studio albums, feuded with Oasis, behaved poorly, and helped popularise the Britpop genre. It’s been eight years since Damon Albarn and co’s last effort The Magic Whip, which was released in 2015.
The Ballad of Darren is an excellent outing from this quartet. Albarn, Graham Coxon, Dave Rowntree and Alex James seem relaxed, having left behind the riotous and flamboyant glam of their early days. Happier to simply be Blur and all the trademarks that come with that, the catchy choruses, subtle bass, driving drums and sparse guitar result in a compelling and mature album.
Record label: Parlophone
Release date: Out now
Listen to: St. Charles Square
For fans of: Oasis, Pulp and The Verve.
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Advertise with NZME.Aphex Twin — Blackbox Life Recorder 21f
Electronic pioneer, DJ and composer Richard D. James performs under the name Aphex Twin and, for almost three decades, he’s been pushing musical and artistic boundaries. The Guardian recently called him one of the most influential and important artists in contemporary electronic music.
James hinted at new music during his DJ set at Sonar Festival earlier this year, which set many Reddit forums alight. Blackbox Life Recorder 21f is finally available, proving quality trumps quantity. The four tracks that make up his new EP are stark and sombre. It’s driven by fast, glitchy electronic beats, gliding from big-beat through to techno and drum and bass, with cut-and-paste samples and his trademark synthesizers adding a melodic overtone to each composition. A welcome return from this true genius.
Record label: Warp
Release date: Out now
Listen to: ‘Blackbox Life Recorder 21f’
For fans of: Burial, Four Tet and Squarepusher.
Various — The Endless Coloured Ways: The Songs of Nick Drake
Tribute albums can be hit and miss, to be fair they are generally more miss, as talented artists struggle to put their own mark on another’s already respected work. The Endless Coloured Ways: The Songs of Nick Drake project was helmed by Jeremy Lascelles (Chrysalis CEO) and Cally Callomon (Nick Drake’s estate manager), enlisting 30 artists to interpret 25 Drake originals.
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Advertise with NZME.Across the album, there’s such a varied and acclaimed cast of musicians (including David Gray, Fontaines D.C., Ben Harper, Joe Henry, Liz Phair and John Grant, to name a few) re-working Drake’s stark and poignant songs. Of special note are the inclusions of Aotearoa’s own Nadia Reid and Aldous Harding, both offering outstanding creations. All artists were encouraged to stay true to their own musical lane, rather than simply mirror Drake’s musical take, and that’s what makes this collection a definite hit.
Record label: Chrysalis
Release date: Out now
Listen to: ‘Three Hours’ by John Parish and Aldous Harding
For fans of: Nick Cave, Tiny Ruins, and Elliott Smith.
Nick Drake — Pink Moon
English-born Nick Drake was a singer-songwriter and early pioneer of the British folk scene. He released three albums on Island Records, but never made any real impact or chalked up massive sales. He struggled with depression, crippling performance anxiety and sadly passed away at the early age of 26.
However, he has received post-humous critical acclaim and success when his music was discovered by a whole new audience, such as the likes of Peter Buck (REM) and Robert Smith (The Cure), who cite Drake as a huge influence on their career and musical output.
Pink Moon is Drake’s third and final album, recorded over two evening sessions. Here, he plays and sings his way through 29 minutes of haunting but beautiful acoustic folk. Frustrated by the over-production of his previous album, Drake instructed engineer John Wood to capture these deeply personal outpourings in their rawest form. An immaculate album from a truly gifted musician who left us too soon.
Record label: Island Records
Release date: Out now
Listen to: ‘Pink Moon’
For fans of: Tim Buckley, Scott Walker, and Vashti Bunyan.
Peter Baker is a local industry stalwart with 30 years of experience and musical tastes from 80s electronic through to reggae, soul, jazz and country. If you’re lucky, you’ll find him in Tāmaki Makaurau behind the counter at Marbecks.co.nz, sharing his love of music. Read his album recommendations on Viva every Saturday.
