With no record companies ever breathing down his neck for a follow up to a hit album, singer-songwriter Jeff Cannata has always been left to his own devices to make records in his own time. While this has meant that he hasn’t always been particularly prolific – with just a couple of albums per decade to his credit since the early 80s – you could never say his work was shoddy. Whenever an album with Cannata at the helm appears, you can be assured it’ll be filled with shiny, multi-layered goodness…and 2013’s ‘Harlequins of Light’, released under the Arc Angel moniker, is no exception.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
FRANK PALANGI – I Am Ready EP
At the beginning of this second EP by New Yorker Frank Palangi, the music ambles a little, while his voice – subject to some slight filtering – fills the space. If you’d never heard Palangi before, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled upon yet another US rock/pop singer-songwriter, especially with the choice of sleeve art…
NATHAN EDWARDS – The Music of Stephen Foster
In 2011, DIY singer-songwriter Nathan Edwards released his full-length album ‘New Season’. While not always perfect, it featured music delivered straight from the soul, its pastel shades often gently uplifting. For his second release, Nathan explores a few songs from the catalogue of Stephen Foster, a man credited as being the “Father of American music”. Foster’s catalogue of songs is centuries old – and the weariness of age and the heartfelt nature of some of his lyrics are both well suited to Nathan’s own sense of warmth.
THE TERRACES – Extra Time EP
T
his EP from Anglo-Australian punks The Terraces may only be a stop-gap release…but quality is the watchword here. ‘Extra Time’ should in no way be considered [a] for existing fans only, or [b] purely disposable. It’s three previously unreleased tunes are as strong as anything found on their full length LP, while the extra material – a couple of re-recordings and a well chosen cover – show a band who’ve improved in the relatively short space of time since that previous release.
AESTRID – Box
With a huge set of influences from 80s new wave, synth rock (more specifically the more commercial end of Krautrock) and more than a touch of 80s goth and 90s alternative for good measure, this second album from Dutch electronica/alt-rock band Aestrid represents the sound of a band reaching early maturity. Although its base sounds will probably sound familiar to listeners over a certain age, the albums eleven songs blend dense sounds with a sense of optimism in a way that is almost magical.