Drowned in Sound - Features - A Month In Records: February 2005

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? by Gareth Dobson

February was a cold, cold, bitter month. With little choice but to sit at home with a large cup of bovril, Pro Evolution Soccer 4 and a bunch of tabs, it was a good time to listen to a whole slew of records. And blimey, weren't there a whole bunch... big rock, live post rock, disappointing comebacks and crazy TNT mogo rawk, we had the whole gammut. With so many reviews passing through these pages though, it could be quite easy to miss something special, or avoid making a poor purchasing decision.
DiS gives you the ten records that aren't necessarily the best, nor the most high-profile, but arguably the LPs which have raised the most eyebrows or sent people limp with disappointment.

Doves - Some Cities
The Manchester trio return full of ashen-faced detachment and bloodied-yet-unbowed pride. It could have disappeared up it's own derriere, but thankfully 'Some Cities' is a bit of a triumph...
read Michaela Annot's full article

Death From Above 1979- You're A Woman, I'm A Machine
Mike Diver is a demanding man; he insists on full-on, balls out, nose to the floor rock. Yet even he's weeping in a vain attempt to get a grasp on quite how balls out this is. Five Stars rock, he reckons...
.read Michael Diver's full article

The Silent League - The Orchestra, Sadly, Has Refused
Simply quite, quite lovely stuff from the New Yorkers most likely to take the now-redundant crown of Best Neo-Psychedelic Americana-ists. Throughout ‘The Orchestra, Sadly, Has Refused’ runs the coherent theme of creeping, haunting lullabies, and that furrow which sees The Silent League ultimately master their own unique beauty.

read Gareth Dobson's full article

Various- Rough Trade Shops: Counter Culture 2004
Having cemented their position as THE UK's premier record store, Rough Trade have decided to release their third 'Best Of The Year' collection. Which is all good and proper as long you remember that their personal best may not necessarily be yours. Regardless, their best of the year is a damn sight more interesting, fresh and innovative than nearly anybody elses...
read Dom Gourlay's full article

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Probably the most eagerly anticipated indie record since the Franz one - there we said it - Silent Alarm will only disappoint the most demanding of all perfectionists. And it's certainly more than enough to offer a wider perspective on the band and blow away any post-punk pre-conceptions.
read Gen William's full article

The Arcade Fire - Funeral
We've w*nked on enough about the majesty of 'Funeral' so we will add little here apart from that it's the must have record of 2005 so far, and it's quite amazing...
read J.Burrows' full article

The Broken Family Band- Welcome Home, Loser
Album no.2 by the criminally underrated BFB still blows chunks of country rock spirit, but listen out for some sweet new Hammond-heavy hints of Seventies MOR soul... needless to say, it's an ace record, whatever it does...
read Toby Jarvis' full article

Slowdive- Anthology
Sway your head gently. Stare at your feet. Worry about your complicated, depressing life. And celebrate an anthology by the over-looked and hopefully not forgotten Slowdive. Ignore the fact that the cover is crap.
read Dom Gourlay's full article

Ben Lee- Awake Is The New Asleep
Two-and-a-bit years on, ‘Hey You. Yes You.’, Ben’s last album, seems like a bit of a disappointment. Sure it had it’s highpoints, but the sonic experimentations sounded rather forced, truth be told. While ‘Awake…’ has its fair share of moments that make you blush on first listen, each of the 14 songs sink in after a few spins and what’s left is the impression of a young man finally growing into himself both musically and emotionally.

read Tom Edward's full article

Mogwai - Government Commissions (BBC Sessions 1996-2003)
Dedicated to early champion of the cause, John Peel, 'Government Comissions...' Is a near-fautless pick n' mix of the band's decade-long career in the quiet/loud industry. Ageless music, and utterly, one hundred per cent essential. .
read Mike Diver's full article

DiScuss: What are your albums of the month? Which are the best/worst?

Words: Gareth Dobson

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A Month In Records: February 2005

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