NEW ALBUMS
A to Z
This month…
P28
NATALIE BERGMAN
P30
MARK STEWART
P32
MURRY HAMMOND
P34
THE NEW EVES
P36
BEN LAMAR GAY
P37
MIKE POLIZZE
P38
REBECCA SCHIFFMAN
P39
US GIRLS
ALLO DARLIN’
Bright Nights
FIKA
7/10
Timely reunion record from Anglo-Australian indie-poppers
From the sun-dappled opening notes of “Leaves In The Spring”, the first album in 11 years from the reunited Allo Darlin’ feels like a balm for troubled times. The Anglo-Australian quartet – who reconnected over Zoom during the pandemic – retain their skill for bright melodies but here set them to a softer sonic palette, often drawn from country and folk. “Tricky Questions” and “Historic Times” are packed with tender, observational detail, raising everyday moments to tenderly nostalgic poetry: apricot juice running down a loved one’s chin, the moon “a custard cream”. When, later, Elizabeth Morris sings “We’re not in it for the ride, we’re in it for the long run”, you’ll find yourself hoping she means it.
LISA-MARIE FERLA
AUTOCAMPER
What Do You Do All Day?
SAFE SUBURBAN HOME
6/10
Manchester quartet swerve tweeness on endearingly energetic debut
Guided by Catholic Action’s Chris McCrory, Autocamper embrace their inner Glaswegians on a debut whose charming twin vocals recall The Pastels and whose lively jangling evokes Orange Juice. A Vaselines poster was doubtless hung on the studio wall. Woodwind wraps itself around Niamh Purtill’s girlish voice on “Red Flowers”, Jack Harkins sounds similarly carefree on “Map Like A Leaf”, and on “Somehow” all three combine with scratchy guitars for a display of guileless cheer. “Foxes” and “Linnean” open with The Wedding Present’s early impatience, too, while “Dogsitting” hints at Felt with Purtill’s Martin Duffy-like organ.
WYNDHAM WALLACE
ELLE BARBARA
Word On The Street
PERENNIAL/K
7/10
Montreal-based trans/queer community organiser’s lavish, inventive post-transition debut
Audacious activist Barbara has already sung with Madonna and plans to marry herself soon, but even this can’t roll the pitch for the caustic satire of “Hitler, Satan & Associates LLP”, its corporate Christmas greetings – “...unless you’re Jewish or Buddhist or Muslim or Hindu” – set to a sparse, dreamy groove and chamber-pop Stereolab would relish (Barbara has also duetted with Laetitia Sadier). There’s similarly inspired absurdity behind ludicrously titled opener “Caramelized Onions (You Bet!)”, its simplicity belying its spacious retrofuturism, while “BBQ All-Dressed” at times pairs Abba with Giorgio Moroder. Still, like Propaganda’s best, “Poor Guy Misunderstood”’s synth-pop can’t disguise Word On The Street’s underlying tension.