Rock/Pop

The latest releases reviewed

MOBY
Last Night EMI **

Poor Moby. Less than a decade ago, he was at the epicentre of a dance music hurricane, breaking new ground and clocking up astronomical ad royalties. His last effort, Hotel, was an ethereal mess, snubbed by fans and critics. So in what sounds like a last-ditch attempt at relevancy, he has returned to his sample-heavy roots. Where once his rave soundtracks were edgy, now they reek of bargain basement. The production clings to a mid-1990s vortex of bad piano house and Euro dance (summed up, ironically, by Everyday It's 1989). Last Night is not short of ideas - it zips through most sub-categories of dance - but none of them are new. Moby has said the album captures the feel of a night out, but based on these dated rhythms, you're better off staying in. www.moby.com SINÉAD GLEESON

Download Track: I Love To Move In Here

WHY?
Alopecia Anticon/Tomlab ****

Alt hip-hop fans will recognise Yoni Wolf's moniker from his adventures in cLOUDHEAD alongside Doseone, his solo run as Why? for the Oaklandazulasylum debut album from a while back and myriad other releases and collaborations under the Anticon banner. These days, Wolf is not the only dude in Why?, and Alopecia is a further sign that Wolf and co (his brother Josiah and Doug McDiarmid) are sailing in increasingly interesting waters. Alopecia is about odd angles, loose-limbed musical patterns and an eccentric flow of words from Wolf. Whatever about Why? blending folk, hip-hop and rock ideas, the music plays second fiddle to Wolf's lyrics and observations, which build astonishing pen-pictures throughout. You'll certainly travel many a long road before you hear something else as arresting and attention-grabbing as opening track The Vowels Pt 2. www.myspace.com/whyanticon   JIM CARROLL

Download tracks: The Vowels Pt 2, These Few Presidents

PRENUP
Hell to Pay Red Eye ***

Greyer of hair, balder of pate, wider of girth and - we assume - far more learned and cynical than they were 20 odd years ago, the mature and experienced musician is either going to go through the motions or react honestly to their creative instincts. Prenup are Hothouse Flowers members Fiachna Ó Braonáin and Dave Clarke, and former Pogues bassist Cait O'Riordan. On paper it has all the hallmarks of a curate's egg (in the press release, Hothouse Flowers are described as one of the greatest bands in Irish rock history; this is, quite frankly, bullshit), but the music is a very good amalgam of the edgier side of the people involved. Corralling influences from the likes of sleazy Rolling Stones, strung-out Heartbreakers, raunchy David Bowie and down-to-earth U2, the record rocks in all the right places. Listen without prejudice and you just might learn a thing or two. www.myspace.com/prenupmusic   TONY CLAYTON-LEA

Download tracks: Cold Wind, Wedding Ring

Yeasayer
All Hour Cymbals Now We Are Free ***

Bubbling away under the surface of Yeasayer's panoramic debut is a theme of opposites. Here are a band who sound unbelievably forward-thinking and yet they've built their sound from the bones of the past. They inhabit Eno-era Pink Floyd, the floaty prog of ELO, even elements of ancient rhythms, but deliver these anthems with technological aplomb. The Brooklyn four-piece are terribly aware of the world we live in, hence the environmental odes and warnings (2080, Waves), pastoral riffs on seasons and weather (Wait for the Summer), even synth samples that sound like whales. Each song endeavours to bolt as far from its starting point as possible, with moods dipping and rising with multiple layers of percussion. Like Animal Collective, they're an acquired taste, but are infinitely more accessible. Think hippyish Grizzly Bear with woozy four-part harmonies. www.yeasayer.net   SINÉAD GLEESON

Download tracks: Sunrise, 2080

BOY KILL BOY
Stars and the Sea Vertigo ***

From the London Calling riff that opens Promises to the Coldplay sincerity that governs Two Souls, Boy Kill Boy's second album basks a little too much in reflected glory. Chris Peck's persistent lyrical vagueness - with more abstract nouns than the bloody Lisbon treaty - matches the risk-averse character of the band's sound perfectly. Which is a pity, as Stars and the Sea does mark a real growth in melodic sophistication over 2006's Civilian. If these guys would only turn and face the strange a little, they could stop competing for attention on page 13 of NME and start creating their own drama. And what rough beast persuaded them to leave their finest song to date (Time) off the album altogether? www.boykillboy.com  DARAGH Ó DÚBHÁIN

Download tracks: Be Somebody, Rosie's On Fire

PANTHER
14 Kt God Kill Rock Stars ***

Portland, Oregon creative laptop manipulator and one-man band Charlie Salas-Humara has always known about the funk. On 14 Kt God, it comes thick and fast, but there's a new twist to the sound. That's down to the number of personnel on board, doubling between Panther's Secret Lawns debut and the new album. Bringing one-time math-rock drummer Joe Kelly into the fold has allowed Salas-Humara to plough new grooves that tether a toughness and tautness to the sound. Instead of twitches and glitches, Panther now ooze rhythmic confidence. Tracks like Violence, Diamonds and Puerto Rican Jukebox are focused and tight, with Kelly's percussive sweetness and strength keeping Salas-Humara's inclination to doodle in check. It's not the finished product, but it means you'll probably pay much more attention to their next strike. www.myspace.com/panthertouch JIM CARROLL

Download tracks: What You Hear, Puerto Rican Jukebox

DAVID TURPIN
The Sweet Used-To-Be Kabinet Records ***

Nestled amongst the 19th-century-inspired album art of his own creation, cherubic Dubliner David Turpin wears his wistful eccentricity like a cravat. Fascinated by the compatibility of indie electro pop and the principles of visual art, his debut is a smorgasbord of influences. From the R&B-flavoured Dancing on My Grave to sampling Nico on the playfully macabre Pony Tears, he could be the love child of the Pet Shop Boys and a Velvet Underground slow number. Lyrically, the odd track does dip its toes into cliché (Nobody Knows) but, as Turpin's breathy vocals grow on you, you realise that there's a naive quality to this selection box of quirky pop that's confident, endearing and just a little bit different. www.myspace.com/davidturpin DEANNA ORTIZ

Download Tracks: Pony Tears, Fly Away, Dancing on My Grave