A concept album of sorts, Nitin Sawney's impeccable taste appears to have left him in this collision of a musical collage. Loosely based on the city's reaction to the post-9/11 terrorist threat, it starts with the personal reflections of regga
e toaster Natty on 'Days Of Fire', and ends with 'My Soul'. The guest vocal on that comes from Paul McCartney. It's mildly embarrassing – a bit like grandad trying to get down at the Mela. Instrumentals in the latter stages of the record are partially redeeming, but this is a puzzlingly incoherent piece of work.
Download this: Bring It Home, Firmament
KEANE
Perfect Symmetry
**
Island1785645, £12.99Having battled his drink and drug demons – including an alleged weakness for port – Tom Chaplin and the other two Keanes return with their third and least depressing album.
It has a blandness that should guarantee huge global sales, while the more rollicking approach on songs such as 'Black Burning Heart' aspire to the Nordic pop majesty of A-Ha. The faithful piano still gets a pounding, but Tim Rice Oxley seems to have augmented it with keyboard sounds borrowed from Howard Jones.
'Better Than This' sounds like Bowie's 'Ashes To Ashes' as interpreted by Sparks.
Download this: You Haven't Told Me Anything, Lovers Are Losing
ATTIC LIGHTS
Friday Night Lights
****
Island 1781232, £10.99 Basted in Beach Boys' harmonies and drizzled with Flamin' Groovies' guitars, the Scottish five-piece are still uncompromisingly contemporary. 'Wendy' and 'Walkie Talkie' are wonderfully chunky – the sort of pop music it is cool for boys to like – while 'Dark Eyes' proves they can do piano-led ballads with aplomb.
Their references are impeccable, with the sumptuous 'Nothing But Love' recalling the Jayhawks at their best, and the effervescent 'Dirty Thirst' favours that rolling hook perfected by Teenage Fanclub.
Download this: Bring You Down, Nothing But Love
The full article contains 326 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
