‘The Forgotten Arm’ Aimee Mann
I must admit before I heard this album, I was an Aimee Mann virgin.

Donning the cans for her 5th solo album, I didn’t know what to expect, but was immediately struck by Miss Mann’s strong plaintive singing on the opening track ‘Dear John’. The record unfolds to reveal an alt. country concept album where every song is an episode in the lives of John + Caroline, a star-crossed couple falling in and out of love along the motorways and motels of America.

Recorded in just 5 days last summer, The Forgotten Arm sounds wonderfully fresh and uncluttered. Sharp, poignant lyrics overlap simple but strong melodies to create a record with more than its fair share of memorable tunes.

In keeping with the boxing theme on the album, The Forgotten Arm packs a pretty strong punch.

‘The New Fellas’ The Cribs
The Cribs are a young three piece band from Leeds, who are all brothers. They are the kind of band you might see on the cover of the N.M.E being touted as the ‘next big thing’, but don’t hold that against them. This is their second album, produced earlier this year by Edwyn Collins and a pretty fine effort it is too.

The New Fellas has the same pop sensibilities as new British bands like Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, and Hard-Fi. The music isn’t terribly accomplished but three chords and a killer chorus is still going to get a lot of toes tapping.

The band has obviously been listening to The Stokes. You can hear the spirit of Julian Casablancas on certain tracks. Hailing from the north of England, The Cribs are also au fait with the acerbic quality of Mark E. Smith lyrics. ‘Hey Scenesters’ and ‘Mirror Kissers’ would bed down nicely on an early Fall album.

The brothers Jarman might wear their musical influences on their sleeves but there’s enough pop promise on The New Fellas to suggest this gang can go the distance.

‘A Temporary Dive’ Ane Brun
It’s time once again to be charmed by Norwegian pop music. The boys from Bergen, Royksopp are creating quite a stir with their new album, so lets hear it for Miss Brun, the acoustic (rather than the dancing) queen of Scandinavia. A Temporary Dive, out now on V2 Records, is her second album and it is real delight. Singer-songwriters are ten a cent these days, but leave it to our Nordic neighbours to bring a fresh twist to an old genre.

The opening track ‘To Let Myself Go’ reels one in straightaway. It’s the perfect pop song with some gorgeous guitar chords and a vocal delivery that makes you wonder if there is life on other planets. The quirkiness continues throughout the album, but matching the Arctic eccentricities are tracks of real power and emotions such as ‘My Lover Will Go’ and ‘Where Friend rhymes with End’.

A Temporary Dive is definitely worth checking out.

‘New Dawn Breaking’ The Walls
This is only the second Walls album since their 2000 debut ‘Hi-Lo’. The band were royally ripped-off over royalties on that record, hence the re-appearance of The Stunning a couple of years back. With the revenue raised from a sell-out tour and the re-release of the first Stunning album, The Walls were able to finance this CD on their own Dirtbird label. The result is a more back to basic, straightforward rock ‘n’ roll record than their previous effort.

New Dawn Breaking is quickly off the blocks with the first three songs showing The Walls at their best. There’s a nice change of pace on ‘Black and Blue’, the new single, a slow subtle ballad. Unfortunately, things get a little stodgy and uninspired in the middle before ‘Drowning Pool’ and ‘Highwire’ lift us up again.

New Dawn Breaking makes a solid, if unspectacular return for the boys from Connemara. Here’s hoping the next Walls album doesn’t take quite so long.

NEWS

Bob gets to the Point
Tickets for Bob Dylan’s concert in the Point on November 26 sold out within half an hour. The promoters have added a 2nd date on Sunday 27th.

Plant on Irish soil
Ex- Led Zed man, Robert Plant flies in to promote his new album and band with a gig in the Olympia on December 9. Ticket prices are a very reasonable 39.50 for standing or 44.50 for those old fogies who can’t quite manage the mosh pits anymore!

The Odd Couple
Keeping up the old masters theme, Paul Mc Cartney’s new album is due for release on September 12. Entitled ‘Chaos and Creation in the Backyard’, the record was produced by Nigel Godrich, the man behind Radiohead’s masterpiece ‘OK Computer’.

All I want for Christmas is Oasis
After selling out Marley Park last month, the Gallagher brothers return for a Yuletide show in the Point on December 21. Tickets are on sale now- that’s if they haven’t all being all snapped up already!

Gray on his way
Those of you wondering what ever happened to David Gray will be relieved to hear he is back with a vengeance with a new album and tour. ‘ Life in Slow Motion’ will be released on September 9, his first album since ‘A New Day at Midnight’ in 2002.

The boy David will also play the Olympia on September 8 for one night only.

NEWSFOUR'S MUSIC4 By Brian Kelly