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AUDIO Zara Hedderman Andrew Lambert Mike McGrath-
Bryan Killian Barry Zara Hedderman Andrew Lambert Lily Allen No Shame [Parlophone] Hozier Nina Cried Power [Rubyworks] Alice in Chains Rainier Fog [SonyBMG] Snail Mail Lush [Matador] In distancing herself from 2014’s poorly received Sheezus, Lily Allen’s follow-up is a disarming change of tack. The Londoner hasn’t entirely dispensed with her patented streetwise truculence, but true to its title, No Shame is a candid and sometimes jaded concoction that dials down the acerbic sideswipes to reflect on self-destructive behaviour, motherhood and the end of her marriage. Admirably steering clear of mawkishness, Allen even concludes No Shame in open-ended fashion, outlining the promise of a new relationship. Musically, Allen’s template of pithy shade-throw2014 saw Hozier scale Irish and International charts and embark on an extensive world tour. With several years passed, and attention fixed on the (dreaded) sophomore release, Hozier Byrne’s decision to return with a short play is a small masterstroke. Nina Cried Power has gifted Hozier some breathing room before the release for his second full length while also providing an opportunity for the songwriter to test the waters, experiment with his signature sound, and re-introduce himself to fans. Kicking off with an electrifying Mavis Staples coling atop calypso-ska and electropop broadens to embrace grime and tropical flourishes. Introspective ballads unexpectedly occupy a mellow midsection, while restrained dancehall numbers offer a link to the album’s predecessors. En route, the familiar stamp of producers including Mark Ronson and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig catches the ear. By flipping the script and rejecting the Lily Allen In the lead up to this release, Hozier played a string of intimate practice shows in The Academy. Fittingly, this four track EP plays out somewhat like a rehearsal itself. The unlikely return and second act of sludge monarchs Alice in Chains has been a turbulent affair to say the least, and while the title of the band’s sixth studio album tips the nod to the Seattle music scene of their heyday, it’s a point of intrigue that Rainier Fog is a somewhat leaner and sometimes more dissonant take on the band’s harmony-heavy grunge. But while there’s thankfully an economy on the evocations that only the late Layne Staley could really manage, the band in its current incarnation is clearly in need of the next logical step, if there’s any hope of avoiding the dad-rock fate that has befallen their peers. MMGB While her peers prepared for end of year exams, eighteen-year-old Lindsay Jordan released her debut album Lush through the label that both Kim Gordon and Kurt Vile are signed to. A concise thirty-eight minutes sees Snail Mail power through punchy guitar driven indie-pop songs akin to contemporaries Soccer Mommy and Girlpool, but with better hooks. Highlights include the lo-fi lament of Intro and Heat Wave’s buoyant licks. Overall, a thrilling introduction that will surely garner a devout following. ZH Autechre NTS Sessions [Warp] Pusha T DAYTONA. [Getting Out Our Dreams, Inc./Def Jam Recordings] The result of a four-week residency on Londonbased online radio staple NTS, in which electronic/ experimental duo Autechre went on a total of eight hours of sonic expedition, NTS Sessions is exactly as daunting a listening prospect as one might expect: four two-hour blocks of continuous new material. A jumping-off point for beginners this most certainly is not, but for hardened devotees and patient new listeners, there is a near-Homeric volume of glitchy ingenue here to study, deconstruct and generally plunge int. MMGB On DAYTONA., Pusha T demonstrates again why he may be the most underrated rapper in the game during an exhilarating 21-minute exercise in minimalism, thanks in no small part to a major assist from long-time friend and mentor Kanye West. Ye tees up seven immaculate beats for Push to knock out of the park with an old school, no-nonsense mentality perfectly complimented by his signature intensity and ferocious delivery. AL laboration, the title track and lead single suggests Byrne might lean deeper into a more soulful vibe. Yet, the 28 year-old Bray native is dabbling in a different genre for each track – delivering a mix of soul, folk and blues, across these 17 stellar minutes, with the same proficiency and flourish demonstrated throughout his first record. Ultimately, Nina Cried Power should temporarily assuage fans on its own merit while hopefully doubling as an appetizer for a more rewarding major release from Ireland’s most promising star. Based on this material, it seems reasonable to expect further greatness from Hozier. AL Like this? Try these: Bon Iver, Bon Iver - Bon Iver Pure Comedy - Father John Misty Astral Weeks - Van Morrison brand, the 33-year-old has not only outlasted her mid-aughts peers, but issued a retort to the sceptics who had written her off. Accessible without being punchy, No Shame is admittedly hampered by a lack of obvious singles and less immediate payoff. Nevertheless, one must admire Allen’s non-mercenary insistence on making the music she wants to make. Even in the absence of bangers or her brash persona, Lily Allen remains defiant and unapologetic as ever. KB Like this? Try these? Ms Dynamite - A Little Deeper Kate Nash - Yesterday Was Forever Mark Ronson - Record Collection Slow Moving Clouds Starfall [People] Lykke Li so sad so sexy [RCA] A profound recent upturn in fortunes has led Slow Moving Clouds, an Irish/Nordic folk fusion outfit, to release their second full-length via People, a platform run by Bon Iver and the National’s Dessner brothers. Lofty company indeed, and the lads’ sonic ambitions have escalated to match. Trad instrumentation meets Scandinavian folk ideas and concepts, and the end result alternates between stark capture of moments between collaborators, to moments like lead single Trin, where an understated splendour underpins the evident joy these musicians take in their process. MMGB Fans of Lykke Li’s prior releases may find her fourth, so sad so sexy, unsettling. Li has undergone a drastic rebranding, swapping sweet earworm pop-songs (2011’s I Follow Rivers still soundtracks every DJ set, globally) for grittier R’n’B beats. Enlisting Skrillex and Rostam on production, these songs have been developed with Frank Ocean, Drake, Kanye West and Lady Gaga’s hit-making tempos in mind. It may not please her pre-existing fanbase but it will certainly find an audience. ZH Exploded View Obey [Sacred Bones] Kamasi Washington Heaven and Earth [Young Turks] Evoking the haunting vocals of Nico and Broadcast’s Trish Keenan and incorporating the dark atmospheric sonic threads of Joy Division’s and elements of both Björk and Gary Numan’s electronic soundscapes. Exploded View, the project of political journalist and musician Annika Henderson, reemerges after a two year gap with sophomore album, Obey. Nocturnal in tone and incredibly spooky, these new tracks present a range of textures and moods making it a worthwhile listen. Maybe not one for a nighttime stroll during winter months. ZH Revered saxophonist, Kamasi Washington promptly follows last year’s Harmony of Difference EP with this double release, Heaven and Earth. Both albums evolved from Washington’s desire to examine the world he is part of, and which is part of him. These sixteen sprawling compositions are fantastically frantic free expressions of jazz. There are a few surprise solos throughout, notably Connections’ 1970s classic rock guitar riffs which feels a little out of place. Even to non-jazz fans, Kamasi Washington’s refined improvisation is accessible to all. ZH endless mimosas with brunch 10 Terenure Road East • Rathgar • Dublin 6 • T: 01-406 4104 • www.therevolution.ie Open 7 Days 80