James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
After their emergence in 2008 attracted some lazy accusations of imperialism, Vampire Weekend’s return continues what they started regardless. Maintaining the debut’s Afro-beat influences and lyrical nods to their Ivy League education, Ezra Koenig and company haven’t bowed to the pressure to change.
Whilst the band continues to wear its influences on its sleeve, Contra comes across as a more considered affair than their debut. There might be fewer immediate pop songs on offer, but the hooks are still plentiful and the combination of intricate string arrangements with clean guitar and polyrhythmic drums makes every track worth hearing. The likes of ‘California English’ and ‘Holiday’ are guaranteed to excite existing fans, whilst the final pair of tracks show how far Vampire Weekend have come since then.
Not previously associated with sampling, they borrow a vocal loop from M.I.A. for penultimate ‘Diplomat’s Son’, using it to underpin a pastoral string arrangement and a reggae-influenced piano. Unsurprisingly, the mixture makes for Contra’s most intriguing listen. Immediately following, closer ‘I Think UR a Contra’ focuses on looping ambient guitar and stilling vocals. Its lyrics touch on the end of a relationship, and provide the album with the same kind of refreshing closure as ‘Videotape’ provided Radiohead’s In Rainbows.
Pete Burgess
The first exposure that most people in the UK will have had to Krystle Warren will have been on a very impressive Jools Holland set a few months ago. With this very emotional, and somewhat jerky, performance displaying her Tracey Chapman-like voice the expectations for her debut album Circles were undoubtedly high. However, it is sad to listen to how underwhelming this debut album truly is.
The promise that was made was an album that would provide a seamless lacing together of jazz and soul with her very unusual voice, but what has been released is an album that is better suited as background music to a dinner party rather than actual listening material. There are artists and songs where a large production is suitable, Lungs by Florence + The Machine is a perfect example as to how it can be used to bolster a truly amazing voice, but here Kyrstle Warren ends up sounding over-produced and lost in a sea of guitars and needless percussion.
There are of course glimpses of what lies ahead in this songstresses’ career if she does make a sophomore album. The tracks ‘Sunday Comfort’, ‘This Means To Be’ and ‘Yuletide Carol’ get the balance absolutely right and allow her voice to soar and be truly evocative. Yet, the large majority of tracks try too hard to commercialise her that she just sounds like just another Amy Winehouse or Duffy trying to find their place in an overcrowded marketplace.
Regardless of this, she really is an artist that should be watched for the future as there are huge screams of potential living inside this former busker from Kansas City. If you have to get one track in order to judge this woman then download ‘Yuletide Carol’ and you will see why she may one day be a vocal force to be reckoned with.
Peter Searle
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