Reviews / Album

It took approximately six years, but The Laurels have crafted a flawless debut record with Plains.

He shoots in all the directions you’d expect over just 34 minutes but rarely for long enough, making this feel more like a sampler of his skills than an album proper.

For Rumer, it’s obvious that it’s the song, and the quiet emotional core within it, that attracts her, the nugget that a songwriter finds most resonating.

If you ever wished Ween would tone it down and grow up a little (though why would you?), then this’d be damn near perfect.

Slugabed’s real gloss, though, lies where he explores his obviously ample creative side, but also manages to maintain some sense of cohesion between all of a song’s elements.

Bedroom-budget, basement-fidelity electronic pop music is the order of the day here, like an under-funded Phoenix who’ve had their ‘80s record collection taken away.

The Dublin four-piece are already making it clear that they’re the harbingers of something new, unique and genuinely interesting in indie-rock with this standout record.

Katy Goodman, of noise poppers The Vivian Girls, is saying goodbye to a relationship with a knowing shrug instead of an ugly cry.

You may liken the hearty sing-alongs to brashness upon first listen, but before you press eject, give this record a good thumping (above the civil decibel count) and you’ll be rallying around these guys in no time.

Then there is the wretched version of Moby’s Go which seems recorded purely to earn an easy buck from an arty car commercial. Put this disc in your Excel’s stereo and you can safely say it’s over.

Diver is a sinuous, warm, complex record, and one that’s comfortable as the lone traveller in its sonic landscape.