music Johnny Marr — Adrenalin Baby Shorts Real Lies - Real Life The debut effort from the London electronic duo, Real Life is the late night sound of the capital’s suburbs backed up with rave and house. The album is split into two halves, with the opener a reflective look at the group’s upbringing and struggle to be noticed. Meanwhile, the latter is a rowdy, more uplifting sequence which emphasises, now they’ve ‘made it’, how they intend to keep the party rolling for as long as possible. The album occasionally tries to cram too many genres into its runtime, but there’s some clear talent nurturing here. The Enemy - It’s Automatic The Coventry trio are back with their fourth album, and, as always, the lyrical content is very on-thenose as a form of social commentary. This particular album documents lead singer Tom Clarke’s deliberation over quitting the music industry following the ‘bullying’ he received in the media over his appearance and musical credentials. It’s Automatic features a more polished, contemporary sound featuring a lot of synths and reverb, which might appeal to those who like heavy production, but is grating to those of us who sometimes prefer the raw sounds of instruments and little else. Deerhunter - Fading Frontier The popular American exports return with yet another album inspired by traumatic events within the band. This is an unflinching album focusing heavily on breakdown and recovery, not on the excitement of embracing a second chance in life but on the slow and painful process of licking your wounds. Despite the bleakness and often downright depressing subject matter, there’s a determination to persevere in the lyrics, and the instrumentation is often innovative and reveals more depth with every listen. What’s the story? This is the first live album by the legendary Smiths guitarist. Recorded at shows in Glasgow, Manchester and Brixton over the last couple of tours, it is a live document of those and encompasses his best work. Worth a listen? Marr’s shows in support of his solo albums have been wonderfully energetic, celebratory affairs and they are truly encapsulated on this disc as the live feel gives the songs extra power and authority. He not only honours past glories throughout, he establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with. Of course, The Smiths songs will be of particular interest to fans of the band. In fact, part of the motivation for the record was to make his versions of the songs available. His distinctive guitar work is as much a barometer of their greatness as Morrissey’s magic with the microphone. When you hear the riff for The Headmaster Ritual on this release, you can tell instantly that it’s Marr playing: there’s just something authentic about the guitar tone that imitators can’t achieve. This release also gives licence for Marr to play some extended jams that really show his adaptability and creativity. Verdict: Staggering release from the man that keeps on giving. November 2015 81 www.bahrainthismonth.com
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