#NowPlaying

As some on twitter like to use, a # that indicates what you are listening to, along with #CommuterTunes and #MorningMusic and many others there are many ways that people share music and bands that they like, some old classics and quite a lot of new releases can be found with not much effort on a daily basis.

So what has been tickling the turntable here this week I hear almost one of you ask, well, a couple of new albums have made me press repeat which I think is a good sign that they are worth listening to Adding to this getting a free copy of the classic Happy Mondays album Pills, Thrills and Bellyaches with the paper on Saturday it has been a good week for my ears.

Cinemawave - Can You Hear The Silence

For reasons too complicated to go into here, it was indirectly thanks to a former incarnation of this band that my discovery of new music took a different direction, and I have been awaiting this album release for some time. Playing live up and down the country has built their fanbase and they have featured on Soccer AM recently, so things are looking positive for the album that came out this month.

The sound is where "Brit Pop" was heading with the blending of a dance beat with guitars making a blend of heavy beats with a rock and roll attitude. An easy comparison would be to The Music, but there is more depth here - this is an album that has been built from a live band who have taken the time to make it work on record as well.

Monsoon Love, an earlier single, sets the tone early it makes you sit up and listen, there is no background music here. Robs voice is strong throughout the album, and on Miracle Machine takes you away on a journey, that then changes tack into (You left your dreams in) San Jose which could do with being a bit longer as it ends as suddenly as you start to feel it. The Compass a favourite from when they were called Projekt gets the beats fully pumping and leads into Projektmusic which has the arrogance of the Gallaghers but with far more musical talent than they ever managed to get onto record. Just over six minutes that has hints of Led Zep, Echo and the Bunnymen and Underworld wrapped up in it, this would fit into most DJ sets comfortably at all nights.

The album ends on the calmer Goodnight, Goodbye and So Long and it's ending makes you wonder if like the Manics they are intending to only make one album? They have quite a few live dates, as always, coming up soon - go see them and buy the album, you will not regret either.

Emily Wolfe - Directors Notes

For the second time in as many weeks I am listening to an album with mandolin involved in the making of it, this time from a US singer / songwriter. She plays almost all the instruments on the album, but her voice is the key instrument that makes you listen here. Soulful but uplifiting in equal measures, the opening track Dance On The Record Grooves is just about worth the price of the album alone. As with all acoustic artists the lyrics have to be strong and clear as there is no hiding place for weak songs, and there are none on here. There are faster moments such as Heavy where the tune is faster and harder, but retains the melody created by her voice.

This really needs sunny and warm evenings to be perfect, sitting outside with a beer unwinding with this playing as the sun sets would be the ideal setting. My personal favourite track is Before You Were Mine towards the end of the album which makes you just feel positive about being in love.

I found out about her on the Justin Wayne show, and if you want a lot more detail, and an interview with her you should listen to the podcast here.

Unless you are from Austin it is unlikely you are going to see her live in the near future, but don't let that put you off giving this a go - the evenings will get warmer soon, and you will want this for when they do.