Let's face it - Harry Connick, Jr., has given the white male jazz singer a pretty negative stigma. Jamie Cullum's Twentysomething, a collection of jazz renditions of popular rock songs that won over the hearts of VH1, didn't help either. On The Duper Sessions (streaming), indie folk heartthrob Sondre Lerche teams up with the Faces Down Quartet in an attempt to subvert the genre. Lerche is charming - I've been excited about this release since he covered Chet Baker's "The More I See You" on last year's Starbucks comp Sweetheart - and his voice is engaging. Unfortunately, the arrangements are not as lush or exciting as they could be, and there's a bit of a sleepy feel to the album. Not that it's ever boring, and there are amazing moments - the dreamy "Dead End Mystery" and the lovely chorus on "Minor Details." I just would have much preferred the best handful of these tracks alongside songs of another nature. I do, however, respect Lerche for thinking outside the box. 3
Josh Rouse has a rather unique ability to follow up a brilliant song with a rather cheesy one. When he's at his best, he's pretty hard to top, but Subtitulo is not anywhere close to his best. The first release on his newly launched Bedroom Classics label, Subtitulo is largely about Rouse's experience moving to Spain. Opener "Quiet Town" is pleasant, but not much else. The production is sparse, giving a demo/one-take feel to the songs, leaving this listener rather underwhelmed. The high point is found in the chorus of "It Looks Like Love," remeniscent of his previous record, Nashville, and full of that wishful thinking ("And just when you stopped believing in it/It looks like love is gonna show its face) that only he can get away with. Rouse is undoubtedly gifted in songcraft, but this one is for diehard fans only. 2.5 
On their 2005 debut, LP, Ambulance, LTD meshed indie pop and folk with classic rock influence, creating beautiful melodies in the process. The trend continues on the fantastic New English EP, leaping right away from shoegazy '60s (title track) to Steely Dan-ish '70s ("Swan Song"). The real highlight is the acoustic cover of Pink Floyd's "Fearless" - complete with pretty, Turin Brake-like harmonies. Demo versions of "Heavy Lifting" and "Sugar Pill," and solid new songs "Country Gentleman" and "Straight A's" fill out the ep. 4 ::Also Out Today::
Dying to Say this to You, The Sounds (review; streaming)
The Back Room, Editors (review; streaming)
Bring it Back, Mates of State (streaming)
Drum's Not Dead, The Liars (streaming)
"Steady as She Goes," The Raconteurs (review)
2 comments:
I don't mind Sondre Lerche at all, but haven't heard the Chet Baker cover. I'll have to look out for that. Now Chet Baker, he was cool, well till he got his teeth knocked out.
Haven't heard of Sondre Lerche. I'll give it a listen.
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