Columbia Schallplatten & CDs

Review: "Nature's first green is gold. Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So Dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay." Robert Frost's 1923 poem about the noble art of letting go and accepting that life is about ebb and flow, impermanence, comings and going formed the jumping off point for Swedish duo First Aid Kit's third LP. And it certainly catalysed some big thinking for the folk-leaning pair. Released in 2014, Stay Gold was their most ambitious and grand work at the time, both instrumentally and thematically. Dealing directly with their life experiences, making themselves more vulnerable than ever is commendable, while the movements, melodies, and musical ideas move us almost beyond the band's folk roots, into stadium-sized leagues.

Review: The past two years have been tumultuous for every band on the planet - the old you-know-what rendering all except the biggest streaming stars and those still holding up on the sales front commercially unviable. Kasabian likely faired better in those stakes than many, but nevertheless the past 24 months or so have been northing short of challenging, with leading figure Tom Meighan's 2020 departure swiftly followed by a conviction for assaulting his partner.

Enter the new and improved incarnation of an outfit that has always straddled a line many falter on - one foot in lad rock for the Stella crew, another dipping its toes into higher concept, more daring and experimental waters. Main man Serge Pizzorno, largely responsible for the more out there moments in the back catalogue, no longer has to compromise with Meighan and it shows. The Alchemist's Euphoria is packed with plenty of ideas, from Latin-ish opener to the grand overdue of 'Scriptvure'.

Review: It's safe to say Happenings is the least Kasabian sounding record we've ever had, although realising that makes you start to wonder what Kasabian ever really sounded like. Experts at hybridity, they've built an enviable reputation - and huge following - from mixing a kind of lager indie rock with more experimental elements, nodding to synth, post punk, electronica, even nu rave at times. But we can't think of many times they've come as close to sugar-coated MGMT territory as on 'Darkest Lullaby', the second track on this latest outing. Things don't stay there, though. 'GOAT' is a strange mash up of grit and candy floss with guitars and keys blazing, 'Passengers' threatens to take flight with its soaring (and decidedly sing-along) pop chorus, 'The Hell Of It' introduces growing bass music tones, 'How Far Will You Go' approaches a kind of jump up nu-metal.

Review: Six years ago, an iconic and emotional concert at Madison Square Gardens marked the end of LCD Soundsystem. The accompanying documentary 'Shut Up and Play The Hits' delved into frontman James Murphy's reasons for the decision, with self-examination, a need for change and a fear of old age playing a part. Fast forward to 2017, and the surprise release of three singles accompanying the announcement of a comeback album triggers anticipation and a sigh of relief from fans everywhere. 'American Dream' meets expectations and at times surpasses them, with the familiar driving disco rhythms, strutting funk basslines and heartfelt morning-after-the-night-before ballads feeling like a well-needed catch up with an old friend. The current musical, social and political climates provide Murphy with platforms for his self-effacing and acerbic witticisms. This strong return to form was needed now perhaps more than ever, but simultaneously feels like they never left in the first place.

Review: Declan McKenna returns with his third studio album What Happened To The Beach? and he manages to be both ambitious and restrained throughout. It is a hugely personal record that finds him tapping into an all-new creative language that allows him to dissect his sense of self while also encouraging anyone else to take more confidence in their own identities. There are many gorgeous moments here from the subtle brass and loose grooves of 'Mezzanine' to warming choruses on 'Elevator Hum.' They all make for an album that plots a real narrative journey with elements that are familiar to all along the way.

Review: This troupe, fronted by the honeyed tones of vocalist and former child actor Jessie Rutherford, have their set their stall out with a sound that could scarcely sound more like their homeland of California - expansive, carefree and slick as always. 'Wiped Out' takes their R&B-tinged indie-pop sound, to a beachside destination where the sun-kissed retro-pop of Phoenix melds with both quasi-surf ambience and the midnight R&B of Frank Ocean to result in an atmosphere for daydreaming and nightlife alike. 'Wiped Out' may win no awards for earthiness or grit, yet these winter months seem an ideal time for such easygoing escapism.

Review: Just when you thought all hope was lost along come The Strokes to fulfil the promises they made way, way back with their startling debut 'Is This It'. That was 17 years ago, and while the outfit have made plenty worthy of note in the years between then and now, we'd be surprised if we're the only ones thinking this latest is their best effort since that inaugural outing. Confident but also hungry, rather than bloated and lazy, there's plenty here that you won't be able to get away from in a hurry. 'Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus' might define the package best, delivering some powerful pop energy in an all-round homage to and critique of the 1980s, an era revisited again on 'Bad Decisions', which owes plenty to Billy Idol's Generation X classic, 'Dancing With Myself', with tracks like 'Why Are Sundays So Depressing' diverting to a synthdom route and 'Not The Same Anymore' throwing crooner styles into the mix. Exceptional stuff.