Pop, rock and moreGilla Band – PugnelloIt’s tempting to say that Ireland’s Gilla Band have quietly become one of the most innovative alt-rock bands around, but there’s absolutely nothing quiet about their music, which owes as much to extreme avant garde electronics as it does to punk. The two singles thus far released from Pugnello display no letup in the intensity of their approach: Placeholder might have been shoutier than Giraffe, but both deal in thrillingly intense sonics.
Released 25 SeptemberJohnny Marr – The Age of EverythingThe former Smiths guitarist’s fifth solo album arrives hot on the heels of his appearance at Gorillaz’s lauded shows at Tottenham Hotspur’s ground. For a musician who once seemed an eternal sideman, Marr has made an impressive fist of his solo career: Top 10 albums, gigs bolstered by his willingness to sprinkle Smiths classics throughout. If the wheel is unlikely to be reinvented on The Age of Everything, he remains a rich and purposeful songwriter.
Released 2 OctoberTwo Shell – Infinite NowThe London electronic duo clearly prize their anonymity, or at least their ability to wrongfoot their audience: they’ve sent decoys to interviews and to DJ for Boiler Room; their last album, a remix collection, appeared for sale online then vanished without trace or explanation. This is diverting, but it’s ultimately the music that matters – and the four tracks already available from Infinite Now are brightly hued pop-dance that’s also somehow deeply weird, even unsettling. It’s a unique and fascinating space.
