Heavy Rotation

A new section where I'll give mini reviews of what I've been listening to this week. Mostly it'll be new stuff (or new to me anyway unless it's of particular note).

This week I have been mostly listening to:

Stephen Fretwell - Man on the Roof

I loved the first album ever since I picked it up cheap in Woolies. This isn't as instant a listen but it does reward the effort. The tunes emerge as do the bitter sweet lyrics. It's basic stuff. Man guitar and the occasional flourish of piano or strings but Fretwell combines them so well to stir the emotions. As soon as it stops I want to put it right back on again. It would be a classic barring a duff music hall style first track and a rather bitter tuneless track in the middle.. pruned to 12 tracks it would've been *****. As it as throughly recommended ****

Forever Like Red - Distance

I've switched from read The Mail on Sunday to the The Times on sundays. Partly to appease Nish but mostly due to it's excellent review section. This record got four stars in last sundays issue. The review name checks Snow Patrol, Coldplay and U2 (Stop! Come back!) so of course it was a definite purchase for me. Eventually found a sole copy buried in the A - Z racks of my local HMV so I doubt they'll be selling out Wembly anytime soon.. However if you like the aforementioned bands (and even if you don't) you'll probably like this. ****

Foo Fighters - Echos, Silence, Paitence and Grace

All the pre-release reviews I'd read seemed to be positive for this latest Foos release but for me Dave Grohls 'other' band remain a singles band. They can knock out 3 or 4 classic slices of awesome Zep inspired rock every couple of years but the consistancy to pull of a whole album seems to elude them. I think the 'Greatest Hits' will be the only essential Foos album..

But it'll be worth the wait ***