Rough Trade Album Club October 2009 Pack

What a month! Three cds of pure goodness!

Atlas Sound - Logos - 10/10 + bonus 6 track cd
A Place to Bury Strangers - The Exploding Head - 9/10
Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport - 10/10

my ears are in heaven!

Rough Trade Album Club September 2009 Pack

Another strong month. It seems that this month's pack is quite ethnic:

The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa + Bonus Mixtape - I would rate the album a 9/10 but the mixtape is a masterpiece and gets a full on 10/10

Taken By Trees - East of Eden - 9/10. A very beautiful album. Victoria Bergsman went to Pakistan and recorded this album there using traditional instruments.

Amanda Blank - I Love You - 8/10 Bitchfork (mistake intentional) gave this 2.0 - IGNORE. If you're a fan of Diplo/Switch/M.I.A./ Santigold and so on this album is for you. Favela funk meets hip house.

Well that's my next three weeks sorted. Africa Pakistan and Brazil. A global treat if there was one.

Rough Trade Album Club - August 2009 Pack

Needless to say that the guys @ RT have done it again and sent one excellent package

The xx - xx + bonus 3 track cd - 10/10 perfect fantastic - must have

Wild Beasts - Two Dancers - 9/10 - I already liked these guys debut and this follow up is even better!

She Keeps Bees - Nests + Bonus 10 track cd - 8/10 very good raw blues.

Happy? I sure am!

Album Club - July Pack

As the club sends a new package every four weeks, I receive 13 packs July was the month where two were sent out.

What a month! I've been truly spoilt for riches.

Riceboy Sleeps - Self-titled + a first class bonus cd of the band's influences - 9/10. I have to admit that it's a night record though.

Major Lazer - Guns don't Kill People, Lazers do + quite good bonus cd of remixes - 9/10 - furious dancehall from diplo and Switch

Tinariwen - Imidiwan : Companions + an interesting 30 min documentary on the making of the album and Tuareg life. 9.5/10

fantastic - im very happy!

Album Club - July Pack

Again I cannot complain - The club's been good to me

White Denim - Fits + Mix from the band - 9/10
Tony Allen - Secret Agent - 9/10
Miles Bnejamin ANthony Robinson - Self-titled - 9/10 - however I bought this one already from the rough trade shops so I found it only fair to exchange it for

Valerie & Friends - a compilation of new french electronic artists

I'm happy!

Rough Trade Album Club - June Pack

After May's slightly weak selection I was pleased to see that June's package compensated me well. As I hoped Veckatimest was the core album and that definitely made my day. Here's what I got :

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest + 4 track CD - 9/10
Joker's Daughter - The Last Laugh - 9/10 - Marvellous stuff
Sleepy Sun - Embrace- 8/10 - A grower, In a month's time I'll appreciate this more. I find slightly heavier albums a bit difficult to take in at once.

I'm hoping that The Emperor Machine will feature in July's package - you never know!

Rough Trade Album Club - May Pack

So this month's selection is not as strong as the previous 4 months but I am pleased

The Horrors - Primary Colours + mixtape compiled by the band - 8.5/10 - considering that I thought that their debut was boring, this comes as a nice surprise.

The Felice Brothers - Yonder is the Clock - Last year I received the debut by these Dylanesque folkies and I liked it although I thought it was overlong. This is much better. They definitely will have a classic album in them in the near future - 8/10

Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Twice Born Men - for me this is what the album club is about - discovering these treats. I would have never bought this on a whim. In essence it's laptoptronica but oddly catchy - 8/10

I am hoping that Veckatimest will feature in the June pack