11TH DREAM DAY Eighth (City Slang)
11th Dream Day are yet more American sonic terrorists with Tortoise connections (the ubiquitous John McEntire plays keyboards and produces, Douglas McEntire plays bass), and on the strength of what appears to be, bizarrely, their seventh album they brew up a Velvets-meets-Stereolab-with-Neil-Young-(again!)-on-guitar-and-variously-Nick-Cave-and-Hope-Sandoval-singing kinda noise. All very welcome, of course, especially the "By The Time I Get To Phoenix"isms of "April", but much like the Built To Spill album above (and entirely unlike the Trans Am album below) you’re left with a shoulder-shrugging sense of indifference. Not my preferred platter, despite sounding like just about every band I care about, but don’t let that put you off.