SOUND JUDGEMENT
The latest album releases reviewed
EVERYTHING WAS FOREVER SEA POWER ★★★★✩
Despite waves of social media criticism for dropping British from their name – not wanting to be associated with the rise of insular jingoistic nationalism – the six-piece pledged to remain the band they’d always been, and opener Scaring At The Sky’s epic sweep is instantly familiar while Transmitter and Doppelganger step up the pace with urgent guitar.
The anthemic Lakeland Echo is at the heart of the album, about the days when singers and brothers Hamilton and Jan left their Cumbrian council home to deliver the now defunct newspaper of the title – it shows Sea Power are firmly rooted in this island nation.
In Folly, Sea Power sing “everything was forever, until it was no more” and while the name has changed, the quality remains as high.
EARTHLING EDDIE VEDDER ★★★✩✩
Outside his day job fronting multimillion record-selling grunge heroes Pearl Jam, Vedder has been unafraid to experiment during solo ventures yet, for the most part, Earthling treads a path that is not all that dissimilar to the 57-year-old’s main outfit, with the punky riff on Rose Of Jericho, the jaunty undercurrent in Power Of Right and the standout Brother The Cloud all sounding like they could have slotted comfortably into one of his Seattle band’s modern offerings.
But there are fresh deviations. Picture sees Sir Elton John (Stevie Wonder and Sir Ringo Starr also guest on the album) lend some countryesque pop sensibilities.
This album might not quite leave the stratosphere, but it is certainly great company here on planet earth.
LAUREL HELL MITSKI ★★★★✩
After a brief hiatus, the Japanese-American indie Mitski returns with this 11-track offering. Love Me More and The Only Heartbreaker juxtapose pondering refrains with 80s inspired synth beats designed to move your body.
She also still provides the tender, melancholic escapism in songs like There’s Nothing Left Here For You and I Guess which will satisfy those who turn to the artist for their ‘sad boy/ girl’ moments.
However, it is Mitski’s signature vulnerable and self-reflective lyrics which are the connecting thread throughout as she embarks on some of the biggest shows of her career touring as herself and supporting Harry Styles.