Round-up Tracks: Thom Yorke, Kendrick Lamar & More

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, and sound the big red alarm button, because the time of reckoning has arrived. Let today be remembered as ‘Thom Yorke Day’. Suddenly springing up onto the internet in one quick, dainty leap, ‘Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes’ clattered its way online this afternoon, and like all proper Thom Yorke releases, it comes via a slightly alternative platform - BitTorrent. The opening track, ‘A Brain In A Bottle’ is free to download and stream on the special album widget, below. Rising from mulchy, swampy beginnings, Thom Yorke’s return is a fidgety mesh of cawing sirens, and drum sounds more compact than two dozen commuters rammed shoulder to shoulder in a train carriage. Thom’s vocals soar and stutter simultaneously in a haze of manipulation and - oh shucks, let’s get to the point. This really is Thom Yorke making his return by doing exactly what he does best. (El Hunt)

“We got a young brother that stands for something / we got a young brother that believes in all of us. Brother Kendrick Lamar. He’s not a rapper, he’s a writer.” Something suggests Kendrick Lamar’s gained a big chunk of confidence since he released 2012’s ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’, a record that’s barely stopped picking up momentum, despite attention turning to a follow-up. “I love myself” is a fitting mantra to shout from skyscrapers for someone that’s been declared one of the best rappers on the planet, if not the very top of the game. It’s interesting, in that case, to hear Lamar shunning the dark storytelling of his previous LP for something way more optimistic, sunny-side-up. ‘i’ is all glorified guitar licks, shameless solos and cheery piano hums - it’s radio-friendly for the most part, and it’s undoubtedly the sound of Kendrick taking the obvious next step towards greater mainstream attention. That’s not to damn the song’s closing minute and a half, which swerves between musings on depression and a dazzling to-and-fro between jazz percussion and dallying baselines. ‘i’ isn’t one big pat on the back. It delves into grizzly darkness by the end - Kendrick’s far from forgetting the trade he specialises in, and he remains an unpredictable talent that’s pretty much as peerless as he thinks he is. (Jamie Milton)

There’s a reason that so many people get so worked up about Weezer. It isn’t simply a case of snobbish elitism - an ‘I preferred their earlier work’ circle jerk gone viral. It’s that, when in full flow, Weezer were special; a shot of unadulterated grungy pop joy with a salted caramel tint of dumb luck and misery. ‘Lonely Girl’ is the third full track to appear from the appropriately titled ‘Everything Will Be Alright In The End’, but it could well be the one that seals the deal. Concentrated Weezer, complete with Rivers’ pleading vocals, the satisfying chug of the guitar, those harmonies that no other band has ever quite managed to better - it’s like the last decade never happened. A rejuvenated, reassured band back on the top of their game; stick this in your pipe and smoke it, haters. (Stephen Ackroyd)

There is always room for more bubblegum pop. No exceptions. Kero Kero Bonito are leading the charge in this respect, and it should really be medical advice to gobble up a listen of their EP ‘Intro Bonito’ every single morning. There’s no scientific proof – yet - but it probably increases serotonin levels by at least 500%. Arguably one of the best things Kero Kero Bonito have cooked up yet, ‘Flamingo ‘ already stands up on its own two – well, one – feet on the strength of its gaudy plastic whistle instrumental alone. Then there’s that chorus. “Black, white, green or blue, show off your natural hue, flamingo.” It’s an absolutely mammoth challenge to dislodge ‘Flamingo’ from your cranium. Actually, it’s impossible. Don’t even bother trying to fight it. (El Hunt)

Call it chemistry, but it’s difficult to imagine most new producers hitching up and successfully managing to merge extreme worlds the way TĀLĀ does. ‘Alchemy’ manages to pack a slick, effect-free vocal line (the first time this Londoner’s put herself upfront), and a chorus that essentially works as a call to arms, a primal chant that’s stepped straight out of another world. TĀLĀ says her upbringing’s had a big bearing on the music she makes. Her father played instruments the average kid won’t see in a lifetime, while her mum liked to listen to Michael Ball, of all things. ‘Alchemy’ continues a fascinating process where for TĀLĀ, there genuinely doesn’t seem to be a limit. It’s a miracle she finds the stop button, to be honest. Each second showcases something different in a song that backflips its way into eternity - a shape-shifting triumph that couldn’t be made by anyone else. (Jamie Milton)

A looming force of powerhouse vocal gymnastics and emotional outpouring, there’s no beating Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’ for sheer gut-punching impact. It’s euphoric, massive pop music at its best, and you’d expect nothing less from a song with Sia in the writer credits. Sydney’s Josef Salvat approaches it with an altogether different tact, though, and unearths a completely different side to ‘Diamonds’. He lingers on every single lyric and finds pockets of quiet where they never even seemed to exist before. It’s no mean feat. On the evidence of this cover, and Salvat’s excellent EP, ‘In Your Prime’, it looks like he’s shining bright like a diamond of his own accord. (El Hunt)

No one in their right minds can claim that Black Honey don’t interact with their fans; as of now you can drop ‘em a message or a virtual ton of emoticons on 07578 533359. Yet, as open and social as this may appear, the Brighton pop-rockers currently remain anonymous; which is not only all rather enigmatic, but also highlights the fantastic use of contradiction that Black Honey evoke. Most pronounced is their surprisingly perfect blend of sweet, rich guitar notes and dark, grungy overtones. ‘Taste It’ exploits this to the full; it’s one half piercingly melodic vocals and the other half distorted fuzz. And Christ on a bike do they sound like Wolf Alice. Which is a good thing. A bloody good thing. (Kyle MacNeill)

Just when you think you ‘get’ To Kill A King they do something wildly different. They never cease to surprise and keep us on our toes, but they’re still consistent in their ability to deliver a rich and colourful canvas. ‘Oh My Love’ manages to fuse subtle synths with huge fanfare choruses and jagged electronic drums. The London band are never afraid to pull back from their huge sound and stick true to their folky roots, and this has a harrowing middle 8 of lone vocals and acoustic guitar; it appears as though it was a one mic, one take deal. The lyrics tell a pretty melancholy tale of an impending and entirely unavoidable demise, but between the uplifting brass and their patented infectious backing vocals we are reassured that we’re all in this together. Somehow everything will be okay. We’ve not heard new recordings from To Kill A King in a while, but its not like they’ve been resting on their laurels, embarking on several UK/European tours along with a stint across the states with long time friends - Bastille. ‘Oh My Love’ is the first peek at their upcoming EP, “Exit, Pursued By A Bear”, out 20th October via Xltra Mile. (Joe Dickinson)

Tags: Kendrick Lamar, Thom Yorke, Listen,