EMA - The Future's Void

I bought EMA's first LP, Past Life Matyred Saints, just after The Future's Void came out. I'd seen the new one in record shops and remembered that I'd been meaning to check her solo stuff out after having greatly enjoyed Gowns. I really enjoyed Past Life Matryed Saints and decided to pick up The Future's Void when I was in Truck Records one day last summer. A year has now passed and I still don't feel that this album has clicked with me anywhere near as much as the first did.

On the whole, I'd say that The Future's Void is a poppier affair and draws more comparisons to alt-pop artists like PJ Harvey and Tori Amos than it does to industrial music. The opener, Satellites, is pretty strong but I was really hoping it would go somewhere like The Grey Ship did on the last LP. So Blonde is probably the most jarring moment on the album for me, which is ironic since it's also EMA at her poppiest - the acoustic guitar just sounds odd to me. All that said, Cthulu is an incredible song and justifies putting the album on alone; it's everything I want from an EMA song.

The Future's Void is by no means a bad album, just one I don't enjoy as much as I wanted to.

Format: 12", picture sleeve, 24x12" insert
Tracks: 10
Cost: £19 new
Bought: Truck Store, Oxford
When: 06/09/14
Colour: Blue
Etching: None
mp3s: Download

Above Them - Are We a Danger To Ourselves?

I had some trouble getting this album and, strictly speaking, this is the second copy of it I bought (although I never actually saw the first). I'm a big fan of Above Them and when I was living in South Wales we saw them play all the time. I try to go and see them play now whenever I can, but it's less often these days. I pre-ordered the LP as soon as it was announced from Yo-Yo records and waited eagerly. The album was released and people started getting their copies but mine was yet to arrive. I spoke to Jan at Yo-Yo who said some records got stuck at customs. The postman would often leave records on the doorstep, so there's the possibility it got stolen that way, or maybe the postman fancied it. Either way, I never received that record. 

I eventually gave up waiting and bought this copy from Banquet when they got it in. I passed comment on Twitter about my missing copy and the guys in the band said they'd sort me out with a copy (proving what excellent guys they are). I didn't take them up on the offer - I thought that of the four parties involved, Yo-Yo Records, Above Them, Banquet and me, it'd be better that I pay twice than an independent business/band take the hit (plus, two copies of this LP still costs less than most new records these days). Also, I was mostly just really keen to actually hear the record.

Are We a Danger To Ourselves? is as strong as Blueprint For a Better Time as far as I'm concerned; again are the huge hooks and great songs - there's nothing not to like. It starts off strong with A New Year and Concrete Forgiveness (two of my favourites), Feel Alive and Something to Keep You Positive are great too. In fact, the final trio are all really strong and "woah-ohs" are a brilliant note to finish on. I like it.

Format: 12", insert
Tracks: 12
Cost: £11 new
Bought: Banquet Records, Kingston
When: 09/07/12
Colour: Brown
Etching: Side A: "Rainbow, riches and cider", Side B: "Regenbogen, Reichtum und Apfelwein"
mp3s: no