A quiet week this one, not much going on as I still work my way through a stack of music I’ve been given and acquired recently. So to brighten up the week, here’s a couple of recent reviews:

Bright Eyes - Noise Floor (B-Sides & Rarities)
Releasing records of rarities and b-sides has always intrigued me. Most die-hard fans have already sought out and bought, downloaded and acquired all the material even vaguely associated with their favourite artist. Sometimes it becomes glaringly obvious why the tracks were unreleased in the first place. As for Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst’s full time band, after his rush of activity with the release of I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn on the same day back in 2005, things have gone a little quiet. So, whilst he’s holed up in studios across the length and breadth of the US of A, something to fill the silence. Full review.

The Album Leaf - Into the Blue Again
The Album Leaf have gone about their business for four records and a couple of EP’s, quietly creating beautifully simplistic and haunting musical soundscapes that have only recently seen them break into the public conscious, especially with their previous and much vaunted album, In A Safe Place, which included contributions from Sigur Ros. Full review.