Marathon Artists レコード& CD

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


If you're even close to 35-years-old, the initialisation "MTV" and the word "Unplugged" likely conjures images of peak-hype Nirvana, arguably the most defining and revered of all this format's many moments. Nevertheless, Courtney Barnett's electric-free contribution to the series, recorded live in Melbourne, may well be the best conceived in the episodic series. Rather than going down the usual "Unplugged" route - hits, covers of classics and a few from the new album, sans power chords, - Barnett confirms what those paying close attention have always known to be true. Yes, she's an inspiring and inspired artist, as work like "Nameless, Faceless" shows (here turned into a duet even more resonant and chilling than the original). But she's also a community leader, a gifted collaborator who has nurtured peers - and with half this album reimagining others, she's clearly still determined to let them shine.

Review: This Australian and now London-dwelling three-piece made their name by balancing out their psychedelic explorations with a somewhat Madchester-derived pop sensibility, and this second album sees them throwing this delicate balance into orbit by effectively offering more of everything - the sonic textures here are more adventurous, the hallucinogenic swirls of sound more lustrous, yet the choruses are as indelible and infectious as ever. A party album with a 'Screamadelica'-esque experimental edge, 'Every Now And Then' makes these three space cadets sound like genuine contenders.