Back when I gave my glowing review of Mystery Jets‘ previous album Serotonin, I described it as the perfect indie pop album from a band at the top of their game. I stand by the perfect indie pop album comment, but not the top of their game. They’ve only gone and outdone themselves. Radlands, so named after an area that they came across while recording the album in Texas, is an album from a proper band. There is more talent on show here and more sound. Instrument is laid over instrument perfectly to produce a sound that no band that recorded ‘Zoo Time’ (I love Zoo Time by the way) should be able, or even allowed, to produce. The theme is still love, but this is no longer young love. This is very well observed comments on break ups, rebounds and the like.

Shortly after recording the album Kai Fish left the band. He was there for the recording, but won’t be touring or with them for future releases. I hope that this isn’t the beginning of the end for the band, because things are getting properly exciting now.

8.5

He’s taken his time but Jack White finally feels the world is ready for a solo album from him. He’s right too. Blunderbus is a storming 40 minutes of blues, rock n roll and country. I’m already a big fan of his thanks to The White Stripes and The Dead Weather (and to a lesser extent The Raconteurs) and there is definite influence from all here. Despite this what he’s managed to do by shedding bandmates is put together a record that is very much Jack White. It wouldn’t sound out of place playing in a wild west saloon and anything to do with wild west saloons is fun. Expect to see this scoop up a plethora awards come the end of the year. It will deserve every one.

9

I imagine everybody is looking forward to Camden Crawl? I mentioned before that you have to make sure you see Niki & The Dove. Well apparently they’ll be at Koko at about 7pm on Saturday. I haven’t seen the official times etc yet, but go with that for now. To get you in the mood, here’s a taster of the forthcoming album Instinct.

I’m actually going to post some new album reviews this week. I’ve got four planned. Forget about that for now though because more important things are here to be talked about. Namely THERE’S NEW TOM VEK! Seriously Tom. You have us wait all that time and then come back with something so soon after Leisure Seizure I haven’t even had time to write my begging letters to you yet. And the video is just you playing with a remote control car. Brilliant. You can stream it below as well, but that way you wouldn’t get to watch Tom playing with a remote control car would you.

Just popped onto YouTube and top of my feed was the brand new video for ‘Champagne Coast’, one of my favourite tracks from Blood Orange’s superb Coastal Grooves. And what a lovely video it is too.

I was meant to go and see Oberhofer last week but couldn’t make it at the last minute. I was meant to review Time Capsules II, the BRILLIANT album from Brad Oberhofer, recently but haven’t got around to it yet. In the smallest possible way to try and make up for this, please watch the above video. It’s pretty fucking excellent. Plus, it gives me the perfect opportunity to tell you about a couple of shows coming up. If you’re a Manchester based person, get yourself down to the Deaf Institute on May 21st. If you’re London, you need to be at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen the following day. See you there. At London that is, not Manchester. Although I am in Manchester for the evening of May 29th, so if you would like to tell me what to get up to, that would be great. Thanks.

On my list of bands to see live, NO CEREMONY///, Zulu Winter and ∆ (Alt-J) all figure in the top five. Here they are together as NOC rework a track from each of the other two. It’s all in celebration of the forthcoming ‘Heartbreaker’, which NO CEREMONY/// release next month. Both remixes are sounding mad and that’s just how we like it. Especially the Alt-J one, which is one of those tracks you just have to keep on repeat for an evening or two. You can download them below.

By the way, who would have thought that in a post about different three bands Zulu Winter would have the most normal name.

Many moons ago, in the days when I blogged regularly and wasn’t swamped in work I met some friends at the WigWam above The Queen of Hoxton. As we sat there drinking, eating and freezing ourselves to death a young man started playing music. As he was doing his post set rounds getting us to sign up for his mailing list we got talking. I mentioned this place (I have very little other conversation unless you like cheese and/or buses). The rest is history. Or at least it would have been if I wasn’t so shit.

Now, finally, I can bring you Joe Innes & The Cavalcade. It’s folky anti-folk or whatever you call it, and it’s very good. You’ll already know that of course because you’ve no doubt listened to the infectious ‘The Frighteners’ and watched the superb Grindhouse meets Hammer style video. With a slow start that builds into a jingly joy it is a great introduction and opener to the debut album, which is available from the usual online outlets.

Joe is launching the album at The Slaughtered Lamb in Clerkenwell on the 28th of this month and you should really go and check him out. It’s free and you can see the full info on this handy poster. Go for the Fish Finger sandwiches. Stay for the music.