New records for the masses (winter edition, part two)

So, let's continue summing up the major records I got over the last months.

The Horrors, "Skying" is not the continuation of their previous album which I liked a lot. There are some similarities in style, of course, but it doesn't have the same focus and there are not so many convincing titles. (6/10)

I also got the new record from Äl Jawala, "The ride" for review, which, while mainly instrumental Balkan-Beat style has a wild variety of other influences, also didn't quite fit in. I like the record, but it's hard for me to keep going all through it. But they made me search for similar records from other artists. (6/10)

Then I recently reviewed Deep cut, "Disorientation" for plattentests.de which is a nice shoe-gaze style band, with some guitar pop thrown in for good measure. Think Lush or Sing-Sing, if that means anything to you. (7/10)

Wild Flag, "Wild Flag" is an ex-sleaze riot girls afterthought, more guitar power-pop oriented, but also a lot less interesting. (5/10)

Very interesting is "In the pit of the stomach" by We were promised jetpacks: its alternative crusade between noise and more quiet tones reminds me a little bit of Broken Social Scene, although the references to bands like the Twilight Sad are also appropriate. (8/10)

Another addition is "Belong" from The Pains of being pure at heart which sounds to me like a more pop-oriented variation of "We were promised jetpacks". A nice and light record, recommended. (7/10)

Similar in style is the self-titled album from Yuck, which has some voice-coder stuff, which I typically don't like at all, and also some low-key songs but is overall a pretty nice album. (7/10)

And then we have the christmas special "Anthology" by my long time favourites The Throwing Muses. I reviewed the two CD set, which is a nice and non-obvious collection of their material from 25 years. If you like complex accoustic and electric guitar songs (from Independent style to alternative rock) with great female singers (Kristin Hersh/Tanya Donelly) this is for you. (8/10)

Just by chance I found out that Carlo van Putten has two new records out: White Rose Transmission, his former collaboration with Adrian Borland released "Spiders in the mind web". Adrian is clearly missing but it's still a nice record. (6/10)

The other one is with his new band Dead Guitars who released "Stranger". Actually, I find it hard not to mix up the two records, because they are stylistically quite similar, although difficult to classify. Certainly an alternative sound, but alternative what? Guitar-pop? Wave? (6/10)

Records from the crypt:
Another missing piece filled in, I finally have a best of collection by The Rolling Stones, "Rolled Gold". It contains two CDs full of hits. Unfortunately, it focusesses pretty much on the older stuff, the newer songs from the end of the last century and the newer songs are missing. (6/10)