Albums Of 2015... So Far

We're halfway through 2015, but which albums have already made it on our end of year list?

 Alabama Shakes// Sound & Colour

On their 2012 debut Boys & Girls Deep South quartet Alabama Shakes marked themselves out as blues-soul revivalists.  It's follow up builds on those influences with colossal riffs and psychedelic soundscapes, whilst still maintaining frontwoman Brittany Howard's trademark pipes.

Courtney Barnett// Sometimes I Sit And Think Sometimes I Just Think

The Australian slacker's long awaited and highly anticipated debut album didn't disappoint. Plugged in, the stream of conciousness lyrics of the likes of Pedestrian At Best and Dead Fox sound even more thrilling, channelling grunge and garage rock.  

 Father John Misty// I Love You, Honeybear

On his second album the former Fleet Fox writes the ultimate folk rom-com, his ingenious lyrics coming on like a more loved-up Morrissey "I just love the kind of woman who can walk over a man/I mean like a god damn marching band." If you're not a fan of schmaltzy ballads look away now.

 Hot Chip// Why Make Sense?

You wouldn't normally associate five geeks with making dancefloor fillers, yet on their sixth album Why Make Sense? London quintet Hot Chip continue to defy convention with their brand of house and funk in-debt electro-pop.

 Jessica Pratt// On Your Own Love Again

Recorded over 2 years at home in LA and San Francisco, there's a certain nostalgic charm to the 27 year old's brand of ethereal folk that's reminiscent of Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, tape hiss included.

 Jim O'Rourke// Simple Songs

Simple Songs is Jim O'Rourke's first pop album since 2001 and he certainly milks it. A melting pot of classic pop elements and more hooks than a butcher's kitchen, all backed by the Chicago producer's trademark dark humour and wit.

 Sufjan Stevens// Carrie & Lowell

Don't be fooled by opening track Death With Dignity's gently picked guitar, the follow up to the Detroit singer-songwriter's sixth album, 2010's Age Of Adz is his darkest yet. Without it's predecessor's fanfare it's both a haunting and melancholic listen, punctuated by raw emotion. 

 Sleater Kinney// No Cities To Love

In January the Olympia trio returned with the long overdue follow up to 2005's The Woods, and if you were in any doubt that they'd lost their feminist energy whilst away, you needn't have worried. No Cities To Love is full of the kind of riot grrrl angst that made them the cult concern they are today.

Jamie xx// In Colour

The London producer's debut solo album complies over seven years worth of material, calling on grime, D&B samples and The XX-esque minimal beats to provide eleven chilled-out dance anthems just in time for the festival season.  

LIVE// Patti Smith

Manchester Apollo// 08/06/15

On December 13th 1975 Patti Smith released her debut album Horses, 40 years later she celebrates it's legacy

A flash of silver grey hair from the side of the stage and the whole audience erupts into applause. 40 years on from the release of her seminal debut album, Horses, and Patti Smith is as compelling as ever. Tonight we're gathered to celebrate said album and Smith is in a celebratory mood- over the next 2 hours the punk poet jams, screams and commands her way through her 4 decade long back catalogue like it's 1975.

Gloria's opening cry of "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine" sound as incendiary as it did 40 years ago. Patti Smith's voice hasn't aged, infact it's become even more powerful, and the audience hang on to every "G,L,O,R,I,A"

Smith introduces Redondo Beach as "a beach where woman love other woman", it's syncopated rhythms never failing to get the audience moving.
Birdland follows, and whilst she missed her queue at yesterday's Field Day festival in London, she perfects it here. The whole audience is silently transfixed for the song's entire 9 minute and 16 second duration, hypnotised by it's poetry making watching Smith akin to embarking on a spiritual journey.

Land is introduced as a "Mr Wiggle story" she tells her grandson, "disguised as a song from the album." Even if it really was a children's tale the audience would be none the wiser, it's commands of "do the alligator" provoking frenzied dancing from the front row, before Smith and her band launch into a sonic jam that ends with the final chorus of Gloria that's even more enthralling the second time around.

The closing song from Horses, Elegy, is dedicated to many legendary, late musicians- Joey Ramone, Jimi Hendrix and Lou Reed, with Fred 'Sonic' Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe generating the biggest cheer from the audience. It's an emotional moment serving as a reminder to the lost talents of a generation of which Patti Smith is a survivor. Many audience members call out their own additions of Ian Curtis, Janis Joplin and Elvis whilst Smith nods in approval.


The band retake to the stage for part 2- the hits. Dancing Barefoot, Because The Night and Power To The People act as a direct contrast to the experimentation of Horses showing Smith's flexibility as a songwriter.


Her backing band- featuring original member Lenny Kaye- take the reins for a run through of Velvet Underground hits whilst Smith personally greets everyone in the front rows. She may be a living legend of sorts but she's delighted to be here, and it shows.


In fitting circular style Smith returns to her punk roots for the encore, a particularly dynamic rendition of My Generation which concludes with Smith ripping the strings off her Fender Strat. And, just as it looks as though she might smash the thing to pieces in a burst of exuberant, youthful energy, she's gone.   


Tonight we were reminded that at 68 Smith is no spring chicken, but whilst she's invented punk rock, outlived her contemporaries and become a grandmother since the release of Horses, ultimately nothing has changed, except, maybe the colour of her hair.