CD Review – My Brightest Diamond – A Thousand Sharks Teeth

Shara Worden has a solid musical pedigree being a former member of Sufjan Steven's touring band, a student of Opera and the daughter of a National Accordion Champion (!). Her debut album as My Brightest Diamond was released in 2006 and purveyed a fairly conventional rock/indie sound. The follow up, A Thousand Sharks Teeth, is the other side of the same coin.

As a child Worden was exposed to a range of musical styles such as gospel, jazz and classical as well as contemporary rock and pop and on first listen A Thousand Sharks Teeth feels original. However, after a while it's clear who Shara Worden's influences are. Her vocal has elements of Beth Gibbons' detached chill and Bjork's stop-start intonation and her operatic power gives many of the songs added drama.

Lead single Inside A Boy is the perfect example of when all of these ingredients blend together perfectly. It's brooding and epic and shimmers with confidence. Another highlight is the devastating To Pluto's Moon that seems to be going nowhere before suddenly seven minutes have passed and you are back on earth.

There are a few slow burners so just when you think you've got it all figured out another song blooms and the album is renewed. It's all very serious though and it is a pity Worden is not a little more playful once in a while. Perhaps she could follow Sufjan Steven's example in that it is possible to make an artistic statement while still having fun now and then.

Some of the slower tracks are short on melody and the kind of thing you might expect to hear at parties you are not cool enough to be invited to. All in all this is impressive stuff and it will be interesting to see My Brightest Diamond's next step.

CD Review – Simple Plan

In Quebec in Canada in 1995 some friends came together and formed a band called Reset. Four years later the band evolved into Simple Plan and three years after that in 2002 they released their debut album, the classily titled “No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls”. The success of this album led to two more, the latest of which being this self titled release.

For fans of the first two albums this picks up where they have left off ploughing their now familiar furrow of pop rock. For the uninitiated Simple Plan sound like a Canadian McFly or The Fray-light and believe me, that is light. Pierre Bouvier has that typical inoffensive middle-American “rock” voice that is impossible to pick out from the crowd. His delivery is bland and ensures that the hairs on the back of your neck remain seated. Unfortunately for Simple Plan the standout track on the album is the opener, “When I’m Gone”. It begins with a reggae flavoured keyboard before a pleasant thumping drum arrives and soon your head is nodding its’ answer. So far, so good. Then track two, “Take My Hand”, comes and goes – strike one. Unfortunately strikes two and three arrive straight after and it’s hard not to give up there and then.

However, there are some surprises to be found across the rest of the eleven angst heavy songs. Apart from the ballad “I Can’t Wait Forever” (my toes may never uncurl) there are some half decent soft rock moments. It’s very definitely background music but that’s okay, sometimes the background needs a little music. I can imagine a lot of these songs in a teen romance/coming of age movie. There is nothing complicated here, it’s all very standard but at least there is a slight attempt at individuality with the synths weaving in and out of the guitar sound. The lyrics are the kind of thing you might find on the back of any 14 year-olds’ copybook. “Hey oh let’s go it’s going down tonight. Hey oh let’s go we’re gonna do it ‘til we die. Cause I’ve got no reason to apologise. That’s my generation, don’t need to say I’m sorry.” - this was written by band members now nearing 30 years of age.

In saying that, at least they do write their own songs, play their own instruments and produce some moderately catchy pop rock. If you have a 13 year-old daughter and you want to be a cool parent, buy her this.

CD Review - The Guillemots – Through The Windowpane

The Guillemots have garnered many plaudits for this album. No doubt their name has suddenly popped up in office and pub conversations having been surprisingly nominated for the 2006 Mercury Music Award. Having seemingly come from nowhere now the question is, “Are they actually any good?” The answer is not so straightforward.

Formed in November 2004 by eccentric front man Fyfe Dangerfield, the band comprise of MC Lord Magrão on guitar, Aristazabal Hawkes on double bass and Greig Stewart on percussion. The band hail from Scotland, Canada, Brazil and England respectively and each members’ musical heritage plays a significant part in defining The Guillemots sound, though never does any influence dominate too much. The mix works well and occasionally stunningly so on standout tracks such as “Trains To Brazil”, “We’re Here” and current single “Made-Up Lovesong #43”. These three songs are unashamedly uplifting and will have your head nodding and your heart beating in your ears.

However it’s not all good - there are hints of self-indulgence throughout and every once in a while Dangerfield’s voice sounds not just a little out of tune, but way off. Bizarrely enough this lends the album a kind of endearing quirkiness that gives it a sweet and innocent feel.

A special mention must go to the monstrously fantastic final track “Sao Paulo”. Full of baffling nonsensical lyrics this twelve minute emotional tornado perhaps sums up The Guillemots in one epic foul swoop. At times a heartbreakingly tender ballad where Dangerfield’s trembling voice seems barely able to go on, it catches you completely unawares by erupting into an orchestral nuclear bomb filled with spite and joy and venom and rapture!

As albums go “Through The Windowpane” is not perfect and you get the feeling that is exactly the way the band wants it to be. Slightly ragged, sometimes off tune but real, very real and bursting with energy, soul and vibrancy. Add to that soaring melodies, innovative arrangements and Dangerfield’s flawed, yet spookily expressive voice and you’ve got something very exciting. This band should be tingling spines for the next thirty years if there is any logic in the world at all.

It won’t win the Mercury Music Award but it has the warmth of the sun and for that reason alone it should.