Here are 10 additional albums, released in April, and for which we have not offered you long-format reviews. They are by Thom Yorke, Brainstory, English Teacher, Tourist, girl in red, Bonnie Banane, Local Natives, Claire Rousay, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and Lucy Rose.
Thom Yorke – Confidenza (Original Soundtrack)
Never short of ideas, Tom Yorke has just released his second album under the banner The Smile that we already find him at the helm of a film soundtrack, in this case Confidence from the Italian director Daniele Luchetti. An exercise in style that the leader of Radiohead knows since he composed the OST of Suspiria of Guadagnino a few years earlier. Throbbing music, bordering on worrying, full of strings from the London orchestra, we find the complete package for a captivating sound journey. (XL Recordings)
Brainstory – Sounds Good
A delicious new release at Big Crown Records with Brainstory, a Californian trio led by the Martin siblings. Solar soul, with a little pop or psych sugar depending on the band’s desires, all supervised by Leon Michels, expert in the field of mellow sound. An album as pleasant as its cover is terrible, which shows the quality of the product. (Big Crown)
English Teacher – This Could Be Texas
If we were to look for a summary of everything that the indie rock/punk scene can currently offer across the Channel, this first album from English Teacher might be a good sample. Right in all the movements, the band from Leeds draws as well from the post-punk side as from the baroque impulses of a Black Country New Road. All with stunning confidence, embodied by the lead of Lily Fontaine. (Universal)
Tourist – Memory Morning
Between two productions for various artists from the British pop scene, Tourist still finds the time to publish EPs and albums on his own account where his electro leanings can be freely expressed. Memory Morning is part of this line with calibrated titles, serious if not a Source of originality. If the first part serves as a warm-up, the listening gains more consideration at the end of the disc. (Monday records)
girl in red – I’M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!
No surprises with this second album from the Norwegian artist girl in red, following on from the success of his first attempt in 2021. The same teenage-rock energy to punctuate his pop, the same talent for composing indie hits right in the TikTok algorithm and which only require a little help from the destiny to break through. There is material in any case. (Columbia)
Bonnie Banana – Nini
Close to the R&B and alternative hiphop scene when she made her mark, the elusive Bonnie Banana has evolved her music in a broader, more abstract form but above all very much her own. Sexy Planetfirst album, covered French variety in a sophisticated pop version, a little mystical and Neither nor, the new kid, to take this same path with even small jazz or even rock breakthroughs to add a good dose of psychotropic drugs to an already very sweet cocktail. For the rest, the magic speaks for itself or not depending on the sensitivities and the degree of acceptance of the eccentricities of Madame, who cannot be blamed for the bias towards authenticity and completeness. (Great Music Management & Cute Sin)
Local Natives – But I’ll Wait For You
Recorded at the same time as its predecessor last year, But I’ll Wait for You is therefore a continuation/a parent made from the same wood. A soft, delicate and conscientious indie-pop rock, wise and which never goes out of the box. Enough to satisfy the fanbase of Local Natives failing to surprise her a little. (Loma Vista)
Claire Rousay – feeling
Undeniably ambient, feeling of Claire Rousay is a suspended moment where the tranquility is sometimes disrupted by surges of indie-rock as soaring as this voice under auto-tune. A successful combination which brings a little concreteness when the compositions of the Canadian-American begin to purr. (Thrill Jockey)
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – Skinwalker
Backhand Deals, the first album of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard attracted my curiosity a little over two years ago. The young group from Cardiff returns to us in a spirit as fanciful as ever, with titles that are at once playful, festive, danceable and once again very marked by “glam rock”. We will therefore always find the same influences there, those of Queen, T-Rex and other glittery English groups from the 70s. Nothing really new, but it still remains as pleasant and delicious because the group knows how to compose songs just right, as they should. (CommunionMusic)
Lucy Rose – This Ain’t The Way You Go Out
Pop, r’n’b, soul, jazz… the new album of Lucy Rose covers a very broad musical spectrum, undoubtedly, in part, thanks to the production of Kwesknown for having worked in particular with Solange Or Loyle Carnerand which here brings an obvious plus to fragile songs, each more touching than the other, like the title No more with his beat style Teardrop of Massive Attack. An almost perfect album, both refined and varied, with the addition of very pleasant Californian soft rock tones. Do not miss. (CommunionMusic)
