Alt J
Relaxer Atlantic
With more than a million Facebook fans the British indie heavyweights have come a long way from the beautiful city of Leeds. Yet this third album doesn’t stray into completely watered-down corporate rock territory, with Relaxer upholding the band’s brand of quirky and eclectic alternative rock. Lead single and opener 3WW, for instance, is a fine crossover of folk and electronica with a slight tinge of trip-hop. An eerie and superb rearrangement of traditional folk tune House of the Rising Sun works brilliantly with the voice of frontman Joe Newman. Kiwi fans will be amping for an Auckland Town Hall appearance on December 12. – Hugh Collins