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AUDIO Killian Barry Zara Hedderman King Krule Man
Alive! [True Panther Sounds] Tennis Swimmer [Mutually Detrimental] Since the wonderfully woozy patchwork of spookily-spirited songs, broken-up by various soundbites, that made-up King Krule’s acclaimed 2017 release The Ooz, Archy Marshall – the Londoner operating under the alliterated moniker – and his partner, the photographer Charlotte Patmore, became parents. Between adjusting to a new role and routine, the 20-something found time to write Man Alive!, his third, and most accomplished, LP. There are few certainties stepping into a King Krule record. Undoubtedly, a looming sense of doom, dread and despair saturating the lyrics (“What am I good for?” he queries on the infectious opener, Cellular) while the lo-fi arrangements restrict any overambitious inclinations. This approach culminates in an album that is subtle in its dynamism; creating an unexpected lushness in the calmer moments. That’s not to say, however, that this is a lullaby or a walk in the park. Marshall has an aptitude to unsettle his audience. Take Slinky, a softly strummed melody which lulls the listener to an aural assailment of a thunderous sax and percussion. Similarly, Energy Fleets’ pretty melody soothes until the scratching rasp of his vocals takes over in the final moments of the song. Curiously, the sax accompaniment across Man Alive!, notably on Comet Face, suggests a likeness to David Bowie’s final offering, Blackstar. Amidst an array of scintillating textures, Archy Marshall’s latest body of work is completely engrossing. ZH Like this? Try these: Broadcast - Work and Non Work (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar Mount Kimbie - What Love Survives Active for a decade, husband and wife duo Alanna Clarke and Patrick Riley return with their fifth LP of sickeningly sweet indie-pop melodies which draw sonic motifs from the 1960s and 1970s before polishing them with a stroke of ‘90s sensibility. Tennis’ latest, Swimmer, while easily digested, offers little variance from their previous records. Clarke’s vocals shine with the golden rays of a Southern Californian afternoon at the beach and the arrangements amble along diligently. An accessible album but not one which will pull you in regularly. ZH Justin Bieber Changes [RBMG/Def Jam] Owing to numerous collaborations and a marriage, Justin Bieber has never gone away, yet Changes ends a dormant spell for the reformed pop veteran. Consider it a conscious retreat from pop’s epicentre: out with the dance pop that punctuated 2015’s Purpose, replaced by a limp lead single and a clump of homogenous slow jams that call the album’s title into question. Changes may be an inevitable outcome of Bieber’s pre-existing R&B inclinations and a new-found devotion to monogamous married life, but this forgettable series of doe-eyed tributes to his spouse understates and underwhelms. KB Jeff Parker Suite For Max Brown [International Anthem] Ash Teenage Wildlife [ECHO Music] Multi-instrumentalist Jeff Parker dedicates his seventh solo LP, Suite For Max Brown, to his mother. Fittingly, the record showcases eleven warm and comforting compositions; maternal in their nature. Throughout, there’s ample tenderness ready to envelop the listener; from Parker’s sublime rendition of John Coltrane’s After The Rain to the metal-toned crank being wound on a jack-in-thebox toy on Gnarciss, another cover. Through these beautifully nostalgic jazz instrumentals, listeners are transported back to childhood at one moment and a dimly lit New York lounge at the next. ZH Marking 25 years of a 28-year-old band is a rather spurious basis for any Greatest Hits, but Tim Wheeler and co. are forgiven for this bumper compilation, a non-chronological anthology of a singles band which operates more like a curated playlist. That the material still lands a quarter-century after the group first bottled the giddy effervescence of teenage life is testament to Ash’s staying power. As either starter pack for the uninitiated or a collector’s edition for devotees, Teenage Wildlife chronicles a band defying the ravages of time. KB CLICK IT OUT… 82 We know it and so should you food, fashion, photography, film, books, magazines, music, design, drink and a curated section of events for you to consider www.totallydublin.ie