QUILT – PLAZA
‘Plaza’ is the third album by Quilt; a name implying a meeting place, a crossroads, a coming together. In the space of ten songs, ‘Plaza’ clarifies Quilt’s musical stance of a congregation, mixing folk, pop-psych, and wanderlust into a common ground where each form takes on the characteristics of one another to create something wholly satisfying, styles and sentiments hand in hand, the purest and sharpest distillation of Quilt’s group aesthetic to date.
On ‘Plaza’, Quilt has pivoted their sound on a new foothold. The guitars shimmer, squawk, warble, swell, and tense up. The organs and synths flow in the background as mood-enhancers. The drums dig in a little deeper. We hear flutes and harps, a string quartet, grand pianos and Casios, feedback and distorted violas. Among all these sounds the group’s shared and solo vocals showcase some of the strongest lyrics and hooks the band has made to date. Plaza showcases a tighter, more concise version of Quilt, particularly as the members have learned to encourage each other’s strengths and allow each other to confidently exist as distinct voices cooperating within a very intimate creative space; their songcraft has tightened up, their singing now crystal clear, vis a vis personal experiences of loss, frustration and isolation.
LP – Black Vinyl housed in a Gatefold Sleeve with Download.
LP+ – Limited Clear Vinyl housed in a Gatefold Sleeve with Download.
MOTHERS – WHEN YOU WALK A LONG DISTANCE YOU ARE TIRED
Limited Copies come with a Bonus CD ‘Demos and Early Cassette Recordings’ which contains four previously unreleased musings written and recorded solo by lead singer Kristine Leschper before Mothers as a band existed. Beautifully delicate and captivating, it is an intimate record of a songwriter navigating the future foundations of what Mothers were to become. ‘When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired’ is the debut album From Atlanta’s Mothers who were the toast of CMJ 2015. Produced by Drew Vandenberg – who has worked on albums by Of Montreal, Deerhunter and Porcelain Raft – at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, Georgia in December 2014, ‘When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired’ features collaborations with Josh McKay of Deerhunter on vibraphone as well as McKendrick Bearden of Grand Vapids, who played bass and provided string arrangements throughout. Comprised of eight songs – the majority of which were written while Leschper was finishing art school in early 2014 – Mothers’ debut LP is an introduction to the foundations of the young band, a snapshot of a particular period of their genesis that maps both where they began and where they are heading.
LP – Limited Green Vinyl With Download plus digital bonus track.
BLOSSOMS – AT MOST A KISS
2015 proved to be something of a seminal year for Stockport five-piece Blossoms. Hotly tipped for this year, the band have been announced as number four on the BBC Sound of 2016 list as well as being included in MTV Brand New for 2016. Blossoms release their brand new EP ‘At Most A Kiss’. James Skelly and Rich Turvey produced the EP at Parr St. Studios in Liverpool. The emphatic, fast paced title track sees Blossoms channel their unique pop-rock sound with shimmering synths, crashing drums, a catchy bass line and Tom Ogden’s now unmistakable vocals. ‘At Most A Kiss’ is released on 10″ Single. It’ll come on standard vinyl in a striking purple and black sleeve.
PINKSHINYULTRABLAST – GRANDFEATHERED
Pinkshinyultrablast are a five-piece band from Saint-Petersburg in Russia. They’ve been compared to Lush among others. But this is no mere throwback tribute. Second album ‘Grandfeathered’ is a more experimental listen compared with the debut album ‘Everything Else Matters’, it’s the sound of a band unafraid to try new things and embrace those fine lines between visceral noise and restrained subtlety. The band saying of the new sound. The new album has been recorded and mixed much faster than the previous one. The songs have more density to them and are generally more complex. Recent single ‘Kiddy Pool Dreams’ features on the album. Described as “A flashback to the glory days of ’90s alt-rock, which builds into thundering instrumental interludes. In between are trickling synths and echoing vocals backed by a rhythmic danceable guitar.” If that single offers a glimpse of what to expect from the rest of the record, it’s only the smallest of hints – this is an album that consistently demonstrates diversity and eclectic ambition. Influences on this record certainly suggest a new direction for the band, Lyubov claiming “Hardcore, metal and afrobeat” were all instrumental in its formation.
DMA’S – HILLS END
Australian Britrock enthusiasts DMA’s release their debut album. Called ‘Hills End’, the band recorded the album in guitarist Johnny Took’s bedroom in Sydney, with noted producer Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (Oasis, Madonna) coming on board to mix it. The twelve track album showcases the band’s unique talent in writing both anthemic and heartfelt tunes which manage to sound like immediate classic guitar-pop songs. The album is looking to be one of the most exciting releases of 2016 and can only further the buzz the band have already created. The album includes such exciting hits as ‘Lay Down’ and ‘Too Soon’ sitting next to tender ballads such as the Radio 1 A list ‘Delete’, ‘Step Up The Morphine’ and ‘So We Know’. For fans of Oasis, The La’s and Stone Roses.
LP – Heavyweight vinyl housed in a Gatefold Sleeve and download card.
The Fat Angel Sings 