reviews: oh no ono, first aid kit, ardentjohn

another trio of good reviews written for the skinny (good as in positive - the quality of the reviews themselves is not for me to judge. can you imagine? a review of a review? then what - a review of a review of a review?!? WHERE WILL IT END).

Oh No Ono - Eggs (****)

Already named fifth best Danish album of the decade at home, Eggs arrives in the UK at the best possible juncture. With the musicianistas and opinio-bloggers spending the tail-end of the noughties frantically neologising the likes of Animal Collective’s day-glo confuso-pop (word-invention is fun!) and Dirty Projector’s symph-oddities (ok, I’ll stop now), rarely has eccentric yet tuneful pop music possessed such high cultural capital. Oh No Ono aren’t likely to capture imaginations in quite the same numbers, but a cornucopia of delights await those giving it a crack: psychedelic wooziness coexists with church choirs, reflecting Electric Light Orchestra’s genre-hopping, while songs like Icicles are ignited by Sparks of Mael peculiarity. Throughout, high-pitched vocals recall Jonas Bjerre of Mew (having never been to Denmark I assume all Danes sing this way), and, like their higher-profile compatriots, Oh No Ono are on an unconventional sonic journey. It’s one worth taking.

Out Feb 1st

First Aid Kit - The Big Black and the Blue (****)

As befits a duo who first captured hearts with a Fleet Foxes cover (one million Youtube views and counting…), and whose live shows are dominated by a version of Universal Soldier (the Buffy Sainte-Marie protest song as opposed to the Van Damme classic), First Aid Kit’s debut album is firmly alt-country. Its campfire confessional vibe evokes Kentuckian porches more readily than frozen Stockholm, with only the Swedish “en, två, tre, fyra” that counts in Sailor Song’s gentle rockabilly swing, suggesting non-Yank heritage. Echoes of Jenny Lewis’s work with the Watson Twins resonate frequently, with sparse instrumentation placing all attention on the teenage sisters’ remarkable harmonising. Hard Believer showcases their vocals best, its central message (“love is tough”) genuinely affecting in its defiance and directness. Their palette might lack variety, but with voices to rival Emmylou Harris at her most soulful, what they achieve is exceptionally done.

Out Jan 25th

Ardentjohn - On the Wire (***)

The partnership at the heart of Ardentjohn stretches back to a playground scrap between singer Keiron Mason and bassist Al Shields on the Isle of Bute. Reunited in Edinburgh and expanded to a six-piece, their pluck appears to have dissipated along with the hostilities, with soporific balladry the order of the day. While ‘pleasant’ isn’t a particularly inspiring adjective, it fits: On The Wire soothes and relaxes, but its soft strings and jangling guitars are unlikely to stir anything more invigorating. Its eleven tracks mumble by on the low-down, but are pleasing enough that the prospect of another spin is never a chore. It leaves feathers unruffled and deposits little residue in the mind, but compensates with a breezy disposition and an assured sense of melody. Is that enough to sustain interest long-term? Possibly not, but this is an accomplished full-length debut that’ll keep those lazy Sundays ticking over nicely.

Out Jan 25th