Cults – Cults
As the singles testify, the secret to Cults’ success is the way the group takes reference points that have been cited to death by now and breathes new life into them, putting a twisted twist on what only appears to be lovey-dovey girl-group pop through their edgy, inventive compositions and the effed-up romances Follin sings about. Even though Follin and Oblivion seem especially reverent of their influences, they’re also riffing off ‘em in clever and ingenious ways. Like on “You Know What I Mean”, where Follin conveys the cool doo-whoppy sway of the Supremes’ yearning-and-burning vocals as sparkling synths and sound effects play behind her, only to bring her simmering mood to a boil when she shout-sings the chorus. And you might swear you hear the Supremes’ pop symphonies peeking through here and there on “Most Wanted”, with just the right hints of swelling strings and gently tinkling ivories. All in all, Oblivion’s deft orchestration really takes center stage on “Most Wanted”, as a thumping bass line and old-timey blues guitar get across an authentic blast-from-the past feel as they accompany Follin’s honeyed vocals. Read the full review on Pop Matters

Kate Bush – Directors Cut
Her new album, which admittedly took only half as long to make as its predecessor, isn’t actually a new album, despite Bush’s insistence to the contrary: it consists entirely of new versions of songs from 1989′s The Sensual World and 1993′s The Red Shoes. In fairness, you can see why she’s chosen to point them up. They tend to be overlooked in her oeuvre, more because they separate her twin masterpieces Hounds of Love and Aerial than because of their content, although The Red Shoes is perhaps more muddled than you might expect, given her legendary perfectionism. Nevertheless, the decision seems to have bamboozled even her diehard fans, whose trepidation was not much mollified by the single Deeper Understanding. Again, you can see why she wants to point it up: its lyric about abandoning social interaction in order to hunch over a computer seems very prescient in the age of Facebook and Twitter. Read the full Review on The Guardian

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Boatman’s Call (Reissue)
More than any other album in this batch of reissues, The Boatman’s Call is greatly enriched by a remaster that amplifies the magnitude of Cave’s loneliness, from the burning-ember ambience of “Lime Tree Arbour” to Ellis’ trembling violin lines on the absolutely devastating “Far From Me”. But even though The Boatman’s Call is Cave’s most confessional, open-hearted album, its sense of sorrow and catharsis transcends a strictly personal interpretation. It speak volumes about the album’s universality that its songs have soundtracked everything from Michael Hutchence’s funeral to Shrek 2. Read the full review on Pitchfork

Our good friend and Pure Pop compatriot Herb has left the building – and though he is gone, the emotional trauma he inflicted his memory lives on, namely in the music he played instore – and a faint mildewy odor that still lingers on around the bathroom. Below is a list of songs that that have that watery smack of herb we’ve all come to love, albeit in that way you love a retarded child.

Richard Harris – McArthur Park

This is a great example of herb’s ability to look past schmaltzy production staight to the emotional sentiment of a song. Where a lesser music appreciator would only see an obscure reference to mid 20th century poet W. H. Auden’s musings on a long life irrevocably lived – Herb looked deeper stating “Dude, it’s not about a cake. It’s about a girl. Who left his cake out in the rain.”

Sparks – Equator

Herb loved his joke bands. If you wore a hitler mustache and used puns in your album titles Herb’s probably commented on your youtube videos.

Husker Du – Eight Miles High

Any time we’ve ever done lists here on Pure Pop Online herb will inevitably sneak in a Husker Du song. Don’t ask me why. I think he had his first kiss while listening to Zen Arcade, when he was 25.

Guided By Voices – My Valuable Hunting Knife

Herb may be alot of things, but one thing he is not not is a Rob Pollard apologist… Give it a second.

Prefab Sprout – When Love Breaks down

As i said previously, herb has an uncanny knack for seeing right through the trappings of a particular period or genre and right to it’s frosted tip’ed, tear stained, incredibly self indulgently over-emotional core. And his introduction of Prefab Sprout to my life finally allowed me to listen to something other than Kate Bush, for about a week.

Pulp – Common People

Herb: “See lecherous, bitter misanthropes CAN make great music!”

Daft Punk – One More Time

There’s this dance that herb does – it’s sort of like the Carlton Banks but whiter. Sorta like this:

New Order – The Perfect Kiss

Though i may never forgive herb for making me listen to ol’ Berny’s side project Bad Lieutenant, i can never thank him enough to for finally opening my eyes back in the mid aughts to this band. These guys changed my perspective on what “Electronic” and “Punk” and “Dance” meant and much like Herb, introduced me to a whole world of excellent and under appreciated artists.

Thanks buddy, you’ll be missed.

We’ve all seen those annoying “Before They Were Famous” bits on tv and in print. Well, here at the Pure Pop Blog we’re not above indulging in cliches. The truth is a lot of you have probably seen this stuff before. However, those that haven’t need to. We must never forget that these beloved artists are fallible.

Phil Collins – Flaming Youth

Claim to Fame - Phil Collins is currently shorthand for soulless mainstream garbage but he used to be pretty cool. He’s a first rate drummer who’s elevated many classic albums with his contributions and he revolutionized the way we feel about things coming in the air at night. His first high-profile gig was drumming for Genesis, a band he would go on to lead into the upper stratosphere of musical success.

Before All That - Collins was the drummer for Flaming Youth, a pastoral rock quartet who to be fair weren’t all that bad. They never really went anywhere, prompting the young and eager musician to pursue other projects. How much does this video remind you of Spinal Tap playing “Gimme Some Money?”

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Last night we held one of our semi-regular poker nights. It was attended by elder statesmen of the Pure Popperverse, the newest blood being myself and Mr. Michael Breiner (pictured on the far right) who have been in the Pure Pop employ for six years or so. We were joined by former employee Chris Miller (pictured on the far left), a fine man and card player.

Breiner, for the second time in a row, won the proceedings with some deft playing. It was a pretty close game for the most part, with just about everyone enjoying chip-leader status at some point. The great exception to that was yours truly (not pictured). I won all of two hands, played with cowardice and swore off playing poker ever again about a dozen times over the course of the night.

As you might imagine, we listened to quite a bit of great music over the course of the evening. The night was hosted by Tanner (pictured middle left), who’s digital music collection rivals any I’ve ever seen. Our other Michael (pictured middle right) treated us to a Neko Case-themed playlist that I initially resisted only to find myself enjoying thoroughly.

In situations like these, one hopes and can expect to hear something new. Some of the better stuff we heard that I was unfamiliar with included bands called The Assembly, The Records (who Breiner emphatically recommends) and the Flamin’ Groovies, a band I’ve grown to absolutely adore over the course of twenty-four hours.

We also delighted in many Pure Pop favorites, including Kate Bush, Nick Lowe, XTC, Wire, Morrissey and the like. A fine night, all things considered.

It’s been while since a modern singer has hit me in that mythological / metaphorical / emotional sweetspot that Bat For Lashes’ Natasha Khan has so easily done. Perhaps the last time was on Bjork’s Homogenic, and more recently in rediscovering Kate Bush and The Cocteau Twins.  While i maintain some reservations when a contemporary artist uses the trappings of previous and like minded artists; synth washes, synthetic tribalish drums, sweeping grand metaphors, etc – Ms. Khan takes those sounds and by merit of her songcraft and own unique vision blends and warps them into something contemporary and unique.

Tracks Glass and Daniel are the immediate winners giving fans what they’ve come to expect from a Bat for Lashes track, sultry, fantastical, vocals rolling over a background of watercolor synths and propulsive yet understated drums. But where Two Suns really shines is in it’s periphery tracks. Songs like Moon and Moon and Siren Song burn with dark intensity illustrating Khan’s romantic introspection through her high concept alter-ego Pearl. While closing duet with Scott Walker is the summation of her intentions to create a fully realized conceptual album.

There isn’t a weak track on Two Suns, and it’s a testimate to her skills that while some of her textures are referential to her influences, she never resorts to simple idol warship at the very worst she channels some of greatest voices and hearts of her millleu, at the very best she’s creating stunningly new emotional landscapes.