STACK #150 Apr 2017

REVIEWS MUSIC

The New Pornographers Whiteout Conditions The Canadian stalwarts are back with their seventh album, bringing their rousing choruses and infectious sound to thrilling new heights. The magnetic trio of Neko Case, Kathryn Calder and A.C. Newman lead the band, guaranteeing you'll never hear the same sound twice – an exciting prospect. This quality, along with a newfound Krautrock influence, revitalises the band’s classic sound while offering something new to veteran fans. Second Sleep and Juke impress with their sonic experimentation, while We’ve Been Here Before mesmerises with its sparse arrangement. There’s a lot to be said for the consistent delivery of strong albums which still manage to be inventive with each release; for The New Pornographers, this skill has become their defining feature. (Concord/Caroline) Holly Pereira The Smith Street Band More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me Melbourne quartet The Smith Street Band have delivered another album about being ‘sad weird dudes’, and realising that it’s OK, because you aren’t the only one feeling that way. Shine in particular has that classic Smithies build-up and Birthdays broaches new territory with a synth-laden bridge. Lyrically, frontman Wil Wagner has always expressed himself with the approachable, misanthropic familiarity of a long-time mate. Whether he is tackling social anxiety ( Passiona ), submissive relationships ( 25 ), or unrequited love ( Song For You ), his lyrics are agonizingly real, and that’s the most appealing thing about TSSB. (Pool House Records)Tim Lambert

Father John Misty Pure Comedy

Ali Barter A Suitable Girl

Future Islands The Far Field If there’s a more soothing record to enter the alt-mainstream this year, show your hand now. While kinetic frontman Samuel T. Herring threw the band into the international spotlight back in 2013 after their captivating Letterman performance, on record, Future Islands are considerably more reserved. On paper that’s an unlikely statement: sprightly bass lines dance around wails of noise and Herring’s gravelly delivery, but it’s mixed so tightly together that The Far Field becomes almost hymn-like. Which is suitable; the record is predominantly hopeful and empathetic, optimistic in a time that offers plenty of reasons for pessimism. These sneakily seductive earworms will envelop you like a womb – shutting out all the bad, keeping in all the good. (4AD/Remote Control) Jake Cleland ANOHNI Paradise EP Hopelessness was the debut solo album from ANOHNI last year; it's an impassioned, uncompromising, sorrowful and ecstatic work created in collaboration with electronic producers Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never. Anthemic electronic tracks provided the backdrop to reflections on subjects such as climate change, conflict and control. It was a call for radical action that echoes in this new companion EP. Paradise interrogates those themes further, examining interconnectedness and personal responsibility for the fate of the world. Cavernous bass, uneasy beats, and tense melodies underline the urgency of ANOHNI's message. (Secretly Canadian/Remote Control) SimonWinkler

The Big Moon Love In The 4th Dimension With Catherine Marks (Foals, Wolf Alice) producing alongside lead singer Juliette Jackson, The Big Moon’s debut was always going to be a compelling record of indie- rock anthems. Straight out of the cannon is Sucker which features a gloriously melodic guitar alongside Jackson’s enticing vocal. The band’s strength lies in their undeniable knack for great pop hooks paired with some seriously dreamy guitar riffs and a tight rhythm section. They can also do thoughtful and restrained, delivering the goods via the wonderfully bitter Cupid which erupts into some rather spectacular noise. Formidable impresses with its empowering message, while closing track The End manages to reference The Wizard of Oz while lamenting a paramour. Here’s to women in rock: we salute you. (Caroline) Holly Pereira Josh Tillman continues to satirise the concept of being an entertainer with this, his third album under the moniker Father John Misty. While I Love You, Honeybear was a portrait of Tillman’s marriage, Pure Comedy is full of political rhetoric. Now backed by stunning orchestral arrangements, Tillman’s sound possesses a new, profound quality. Highlights include Leaving LA , a 13-minute insight into Tillman’s career and easily the most transparent we’ve ever heard him. His comedic timing is razor sharp, delivering iconic lines like “The dying man takes his final breath, but first checks his news feed to see what he’s about to miss”( Ballad Of The Dying Man ). While we may not always think to turn to him for words of wisdom, Tillman is proving to be a voice of reason, here to stay. (Sub Pop) Holly Pereira

Since at least 2013’s Run You Down , Ali Barter’s music has always had a feminist edge, but the lead-in to A Suitable Girl has remodelled the malleable Melbourne songwriter as a contemporary riot grrrl. Invoking the fist-swinging riffs and lyrical bluntness of alt-rockers like L7 and Veruca Salt, A Suitable Girl is Barter uncaged. Part of that delivery is weighing the conflict between love and frustration: for every blazing riposte like Girlie Bits there’s a smouldering love song like Please Stay ; for every beguiling stomper like Delilah there’s a tender cut like Tokyo . Of all the guises Barter’s tried on, this one suits her best. (Inertia) Jake Cleland

Little Dragon Season High Sweden may be known for its midnight sun, but if you sit by the window and stare outside on any given day there’s a good chance the skies will be grey. The rain will fall, and maybe a gloom might even descend. So for years, over many albums, Gothenberg fourpiece Little Dragon have sought to create their own source of light in their shared studio with ever more luminous music. On Season High Little Dragon push further upward - beyond the clouds - into realms of pure imagination. Talking about the album the band have mentioned the importance of escapism and feelings and experiences that elevate the spirit. As always, the productions and performances shine, offering an inspired mix of experimental pop, electronic soul, and inventive club tracks. (Because Music/Warner) SimonWinkler

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