STACK #213 July 2022

MUSIC REVIEWS

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in real time, during Superorganism’s latest single On & On ? Elsewhere: purposeful, T. Rex-inspired drum beats underscore Teenager ’s schoolyard-taunt chorus; standout track It’s Raining (feat. Stephen Malkmus & Dylan Cartlidge) sees Superorganism flying closer to The Avalanches than ever before (there’s even a whinnying horse sample, à la Frontier Psychiatrist ); and Oh Come On concludes with a ‘pop’ that sounds suspiciously like plucking the inside of your cheek with your pointer finger. Do Superorganism retain the qualities that made them so immediately appealing – sing songy hooks, eclectic soundbites, Noguchi’s insouciant vocal delivery – on album number two? Absolutely. Plus, the group’s attention to instrumental detail throughout World Wide Pop – those triangle plinks burst from Solar System like they’re punctuating 'a-ha' moments! – further enhances their trademark glitchy, cut-and-paste aesthetic. “The latest craze, can't relate…” – if you don’t understand them, you’re not in their league. Superorganism sound like a sizzle reel of all the cool parties you were never invited to. (Domino) Bryget Chrisfield

Laura Veirs Found Light US singer-songwriter Laura Veirs' new album was inspired by her determination to overcome a number of issues that threatened her personal and professional growth. Her 12th studio album (earlier releases include a collection of folk songs for children, a movie soundtrack, and a collaboration with k.d. lang and Neko Case) is a semi acoustic, self-produced collection of songs that document her emotional liberation. Autumn Song ("I made a list of ways to be free"), Ring Song ("I pawned my wedding ring/ I also felt a weight go flying"), Signal ("I feel like smoke, I'm curling and I'm rising"), and T&O (the initials of her children; "sunbeams of the house, you are"), are testaments to Veirs' emotive realignment. Among 2022's must-have releases. (Bella Union) Billy Pinnell MUNA MUNA On their third – and arguably best – record, MUNA have created a beautiful and gripping portrayal of what it means to be queer in the world, exploring self-definition and catharsis, whilst also navigating faltering relationships and self doubt. Runner’s High is a true standout (on an album that is so cohesive it almost feels wrong to single any track out); with stomping synths and ethereal vocals dancing around each other to create a heavenly partnership, it’s impossible not to imagine it being right at home in any nightclub in the late '90s. Otherworldly, engrossing and utterly true to form, MUNA is another beautiful collection from a band who seem incapable of delivering anything other than musical splendour. (Saddest Factory) Jacqui Picone

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also scouring royalty-free sound effects websites for inspo. And when their debut single Something for Your M.I.N.D. (2017) went viral, jaded musical palates the world over were refreshed. A sound collage of endorsements for Superorganism – including one from Sir Elton John – wink cheekily midway through opener Black Hole Baby , with its repeated “Welcome back” hook borrowed from ‘70s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter ’s theme. “Am I insane or is it now the normal way?/ Reason’s out, just hope and pray/ And switch off ‘til it goes away” – is speak-singer Orono Noguchi reading our minds,

Superorganism World Wide Pop

Championed by Frank Ocean and Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), Superorganism are, unquestionably, a product of the internet. This London-based collective has always made sweet music by emailing electronic files back and forth, while

Post Malone Twelve Carat Toothache

Eric Clapton Nothing But the Blues

black midi Hellfire Prolific London experimental trio black midi release their second album in two years; third record Hellfire well and truly defines the band’s now idiosyncratic style. See-sawing between frenzied instrumentation and spacious interludes with an enviable dexterity, the visceral Eat Men Eat is a spectacular example of the band’s power, flipping between chaotic and blissful with an ease that keep listeners on their toes. Though each song feels improvised, every composition is meticulously crafted, and paced to be as dramatic as possible without feeling histrionic. Stripping things back on Still and The Race Is About to Begin , black midi offer a delicate side that continues to be unveiled on the album’s simmering second half. (RoughTrade/Remote Control) Holly Pereira

A more mature reflection on melancholy is the defining characteristic on Post Malone’s fourth LP, Twelve Carat Toothache . Although still marked by his signature twang and the occasional dirty joke, the record offers a sincere self-reflection from an artist seemingly swimming between joy and regret, never quite knowing where he stands amongst these grand emotions. While Post Malone has never struggled to present a catchy hook and thumping beat, this offering feels cleaner and more concise than his last LP; each track is purposeful, polished, and stands to mark the beginning of a new era. (Sony) Jacqui Picone

The soundtrack from Nothing But the Blues – a documentary film recorded during Eric Clapton's 1994 tour in support of his Grammy winning album From the Cradle – is to be released on CD and double LP, with the full film (which only ever aired briefly in the U.S. in 1995) also out on DVD. The music includes more than an hour of previously unreleased live performances of blues standards, and lesser-known blues songs. Clapton's legendary status as a blues guitarist was born of his deep understanding of the genre as evidenced by these performances, that refer to some of his main inspirers, Robert Johnson ( Crossroads ), B.B. King ( Everyday I Have the Blues ), Freddie King ( Have You Ever Loved a Woman ), Elmore James ( It Hurts Me Too ), and Buddy

Guy ( Five Long Years ). (Reprise) Billy Pinnell

58 JULY 2022

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