Album Review – TT

TT -‘Lovelaws’ (Caroline)

TT is perhaps better known as Theresa Waynan, singer and guitarist with LA indie band Warpaint. Having given us three albums and an EP, she now unveils her debut solo album.

It’s perhaps not unreasonable to ask how it compares to Warpaint. This record sees her explore a more keyboard driven sound than Warpaint, closer to electro-pop than indie guitar and it is mostly a one-person affair. Bandmates Jenny Lee Lindberg and Stella Morzgawa help out on bass and drums respectively.

In its favour, the songs hang together to produce a coherent atmosphere that evokes the likes of Goldfrapp and Bat For Lashes. There are some solid songs – particularly ‘Mykki’ and ‘Too Sweet’ which bookend the album. The problem is that whilst the album is perfectly pleasant, even repeated plays fail to get the songs to linger once they have come to an end.

It’s certainly not a complete failure as a record, but it needs to have more substance to elevate it beyond being merely very pleasant.

**

(yes, I know this album has been out for a few weeks now…I am trying to catch-up with a number of records!)

New from Tracey Thorn

Photo credit: Edward Bishop

One of my favourite singers, Tracey Thorn, has announced her first album of new material in seven years.

Entitled Record, the video for the album’s opening track ‘Queen’ can be watched below. In her own words ‘It’s a great opener for the album – driven along by Ewan Pearson’s unashamedly glittering electro-pop production, drums and bass from Warpaint’s Stella and Jenny, it features me playing electric guitar for the first time in a while, and singing my heart out.”

The album tracklisting is as follows:

1.  Queen
2.  Air
3.  Guitar
4.  Smoke
5.  Sister
6.  Go
7.  Babies
8.  Face
9.  Dancefloor

‘Nine feminist bangers!’ she reportedly (well, it’s what the press release says, so you know…) jokes about how the album sounds. It’s released on March 2. Bring it on…

Album Review: Warpaint

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The new self-titled Warpaint album is fantastic, and I have been getting excited about its release for a while now.

It’s even on target to enter the UK album charts in the top 5 this weekend, which is great news and means that the brilliant reviews the album has been getting have had an effect.

Check out my review over at God Is In The TV and if you haven’t heard the awesome ‘Love Is To Die’ and ‘Biggy’ below.

Getting ready for 2014 part 2

warpaint

Well, after keeping us waiting for several years and teasing out half a second clips of music here and there (well, that’s what it seemed like), Warpaint have announced that their sophomore album will be released on January 20, 2014 (the same day as Mogwai’s new album, better start putting some money aside for post Christmas, eh?)

The tracklisting for the self-titled record is as follows (according to NME)

1. Intro
2. Keep It Healthy
3. Love Is To Die
4. Hi
5. Biggy
6. Teese
7. Disco//Very
8. Go In
9. Feeling Alright
10. CC
11. Drive
12. Son

(Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/warpaint/73476#h5A2yt6PS2r4EEK0.99)

The first track to be released in its entirety is ‘Love Is To Die’ which can be streamed below:

The debut album of the year? Discuss

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Warpaint’s debut album The Fool is getting quite a few publications frothing excitedly. such as The Guardian, The Fly, the NME and across the blogs too.

It has of course been a year for some awesome debuts – Scotland alone has produced Kid Canaveral, Mitchell Museum, the Unwinding Hours,Sparrow and the Workshop and the forthcoming Scottish Enlightenment album, and there have also been strong releases from The Drums and the Soft pack, and that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head (also the last Battle’s debut, which I can’t add to the list as I put it out!)

See what you think…

I know I’ve posted this before but what the heck!

Finally, this track is not on the album, but is a beautiful cover of an awesome song, David Bowie’s ‘Ashes To Ashes.

Warpaint -‘Ashes To Ashes.’ mp3

And as ever, I would love to know what you think!

Presenting…Warpaint

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I’d opened this email kinda idly, and within thirty seconds knew I’d done the right thing.

Warpaint are the latest signing to Rough Trade and hail from the US of A. On the evidence of this track alone, they compare very favourably to the likes of Belly, Throwing Muses and Veruca Salt. They are Jenny Lee Lindberg (vocals/bassist), Emily Kokal (vocals/guitar), Theresa Wayman (vocals/guitar) and Stella Mozgawa (drums/keyboards).

Their debut album is out on October 25, entitled The Fool and this has been made available as a free download and has a gorgeous video to go with it, to boot. It’s directed by Shannyn Sossamon, who is Jenny Lee’s sister, no less…

They are about to hit the UK, having been touring with the XX in the US. Let me know what you think…

Warpaint’s website/myspace