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The High Llamas Cold and Bouncy (V2/Sonic Unyon)
Forget the Verve's all-knowing, all-seeing epic sound and Oasis's easy-listening lad rock; the Stereophonics are the voice of the people, comrade. They're as down to earth as a shared can of lager in a fish 'n' chips shop. Imagine a Welsh Kurt Cobain singing a Mike Leigh soundtrack and you're almost there. Britpop as God intended, with great lyrics that'll have you kicking yourself for not being born in Cwmaman, S. Wales. Old Tom Jones should be proud. 8/10 (Toby Blakey) Tortoise TNT (Thrill Jockey) Some have concluded that Chicago's Tortoise, flagship of the chin-stroking, post-rock fleet, are more fun to talk about than listen to. I would submit that "some" aren't listening. You have to work at this shit, and it doesn't work while you're washing the dishes. That said, the third Tortoise album is the most "fun" yet: they cross-pollinate with Stereolab (brass 'n' blips, strings 'n' things), loosen up and mess around with "sincere" easy-listening (Feliciano!), and occasionally let a drum machine program itself. TNT? F-U-N. 8.5/10 (Chris Yurkiw)
Joining a growing list of prodigal alt.rock sons who've returned to the indie farm, after being in the belly of the big-label beast, are the Halifax-based Inbreds. All the more fitting that it's to the imprint run by Sloan (who had a similar trajectory) and perhaps a reason for the duo's return to their skeletal bass-and-drum arrangements and fuzzier sound. Nice to have one of the family back in bed. 7/10 (Chris Yurkiw) With Mishima, Mold and The $ellout$ at Foufounes, Thurs. March 12
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Bouncy? Rather. Cold? Decidedly not. Although the High Llamas constitute a Stereolab satellite (Sean O'Hagan presiding), the ubiquitous analogue beeps and squiggles are anything but frosty and detached. They scurry around like neat little bugs in the spaces between the delicate beats, the vibes and the keys, the brass and
shimmering strings. You see, O'Hagan is the ambitious type, aspiring to duplicate what the Beach Boys achieved with, say, Smile... and that's something to smile about. O'Hagan's skill as an arranger, and as a juggler of things subtle and silly, suggest that this offshoot may well outshine the Stereolab mothership. Cold and Bouncy is an exquisite little pop masterpiece, as mouth-watering as a dessert bar and as graceful as a Japanese flower arrangement. 10/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Stereophonics Word Gets Around (V2/BMG)
The Inbreds Winning Hearts (Murder/Universal)