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Nickel Eye
The Time of the Assassins www.myspace.com/officialnickeleye
The Mars Volta Octahedron
www.themarsvolta.com
To my codeine-addled mind, The Mars Volta is a band you’ve always loved or hated. Their Latin-infused funkpunk rock-jazz fusion is one you either took to immediately upon hearing 2003’s De-loused In The Comatorium, or largely ignored (until 2008’s Grammy Award-winning, Bedlam in Goliath, came along). This year’s affair offers yet more concept cool in the form of eight ‘acoustic’ songs that are more constrained than anything they have done before. This is The Mars Volta album that people who found their previous free-form jazz wanks too way out and wild, will gravitate towards. Singer Cedric Bixlar Zavala’s voice positively shines and he comes off sounding more accomplished and ‘together’ than ever. Maybe it’s just me, but here finally is a TMV album I can listen to, from start to finish, and not feel like my brain is a bowl of warm two-minute noodles afterwards. (JM)
The solo project of Nikolai (‘Nickel Eye’, get it?) Fraiture – he who otherwise plays bass for that band The Strokes – has him not only singing on this one, but also playing guitar, electric and double bass, and the harmonica. The man is clearly talented in the ways of music. Recorded as an outlet for pent-up frustrations during The Strokes’ lengthy hiatus, The Time of the Assassins is remarkably chilled in its outlook. It visits sounds borrowed from a tradition of pub rock, folk twang and ska while referencing favourites from Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, The Kinks and Frank Black. Regina Spektor pops in to drop keys and wild-haired Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs comes round for tea and a bit of a hang. The lyrics warm the soul like a favourite jersey and, all in all, you’re none the worse for having listened. Inoffensive and uncomplicated. (JM)
The Pretty Blue Guns Cutting Heads
www.theguns.co.za
The Plastics
Kiss the Plastics www.myspace.com/theplasticsband
This cutely-named, free EP is the latest release from The Plastics and it’s testament that the Capetonian band of two brothers and their best friends, really is a tight-knit unit. The underlying texture of instrumental-over-vocals makes for a rich and fun soundscape that creates a cohesive thread throughout the album. That said, the songs aren’t always the freshest. The vocalist, Pascal, lacks a maturity to cement his own style, and often borders on imitation (340ml and Arctic Monkeys immediately spring to mind). Despite being frontman for now defunct punk act, Hoax, for several years, his voice still rings of inexperience. The constant American twang in his accent riddles and soils the album, winding itself through every song like a long, slimy tapeworm. That, and lyrics such as “…like cotton candy, with lips like Cherry Cola, you won me over…” sell this potentially long-shot band very short. (LvH)
With the ageless energy of indie rock ‘n roll, these fine lads are ahead of their game. Precocious without being pretentious, their debut album is a dangerous mix of lurking insights and lashing highlights, all straightened out with blurring blues, gutted garage and raw rock. There’s little room for expletives between its instrumental outbursts and murderously ponderous meditations. It’s probably safer described as a series of metaphors – think splitting hairs, spilling beers, telling tales and running wild. After you’ve danced the devil away to its energetic overtones, sit with it a bit and let its subtler undertones stalk you with stories that will leave Goldilocks, Bluebeard and Little Red Riding Hood looking pale. It’s an album that grows on you, slowly revealing its riches and potential; especially in the animated vocals yet to claim their rightful range and meet the guitar halfway. Give it time. (JZ)
one small seed
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