Leeches of the Automatic Metropolis,

I’d find it difficult to say that I’ve been disappointed with any of the albums that I’ve bought. I understand that this could make my CD reviews terribly repetitive; ergo I’ve invented a new format for this edition of The Bellyaches.

The lad calls himself “Robert Gomez” and he has released an album named Brand New Towns on the marvellous Bella Union label (it sounds like they've done it again with The Kissaway Trail). I saw Robert Gomez and a cast of musicians support Midlake a while back and I was rather impressed so I was looking forward to the release of this album. This album does utilize the electronic, but it’s mostly about the acoustic, with emphasis on the instrumental layering. Robert is credited in the sleeve notes with playing 7 different instruments, 12 other musicians are also credited for increasing the array of instruments used, that’s how I like my music - lots of instruments. The album opens with a song called Closer Still of which the beginning is a few quick, loud riffs on the electric guitar; this is soon replaced by quieter instruments, most notably the horn and the Space Invader synths. It’s as if the instruments are luring the listener into the album in the nature a spider might trap a fly in its spiralling web or matter might be dragged spinning into a black hole, it gets a bit dizzy. All We Got reminds me of Elliot Smith, but perhaps Robert Gomez hides himself amongst the strings and that flamin’ vibraphone a bit more than Elliot would have on this song, but vocally, Robert Gomez does resemble him quite closely at numerous points in the album. The Same Sad Song sounds irritatingly familiar to something else, it’s great, but is it the same sad song that Grandaddy, Sufjan Stevens or Gomez's Denton chums, Midlake, have already released? Lyrically, it’s all about loves past, present and future, Robert Gomez keeps the words simple and the verses aren’t long-winded. The lyric from You Need Somebody, “We’re selfish creatures, hell-bent on happiness. This can’t end pretty. We do it nonetheless.” is highlighted, it’s an appropriate example of what to expect but the lyrics aren’t this album’s main feature. I really like this album; it has exquisite instrumental arrangements and layering that convey atmosphere, mood and sentiment.

I borrowed a copy of The Good, The Bad and The Queen. The first three tracks just seemed to pass me by, I’ve listening to them again but repetition doesn’t help them lose that over-repetitive insipidness. The single, Kingdom of Doom is nearly alright, if only for The Kinks-like nature of the chorus. The other single, Herculean, is made to appear rather eponymous by the rest of the filler on this bland, bland album. Damon Albarn and his cohorts have tried to attain a haunting ambience throughout this album, but somehow, the sparse nature of the vocals, which aim to be chilling, only serve to expose the unimaginative and ineffective backing music. I did like the whistling at the end of Nature Springs but that was the only time the song attempted to take on any character. A Soldier’s Tale seemed to me to trivialise the rigours of being a soldier. However, the worst thing about this album, for me, was the song called Green Fields; this was a song written by Damon Albarn and sung by Marianne Faithfull on her album, Before the Poison, where it is called Last Song. It’s a particular favourite of mine and although the song so obviously belongs to Damon Albarn, Marianne Faithfull seemed to give it so much more feeling and the sense of time that a tale about a parent possibly being reunited with a dissident son after many years (time for green fields to turn to stone) demands. I had to listen to Last Song several times to recover from The Good, The Bad and The Queen.

I also loaned Hats Off to The Buskers by The View. I have to say that The View have been marketed brilliantly, the three best songs from this album have all been released as singles to create a sense of anticipation and clamour for this album. I’ve enjoyed Wasted Little DJs, Supeehhhhrrrrsteehhhrrrr Treehhhddsmeeehhhhnnnnn and Same Jeans much more than I’d have liked to. Those are the only assets this album has; the rest is needlessly brash, horribly unrefined (not in a charming way) and neither here nor there. The whimsical key and tempo changes are just irritating. Face for the Radio is a quiet acoustic number that fails to be touching or earn the sympathy it asks for, it's also amateurishly segued before Wasted Little DJs. They might squeeze another single out of this album in the shape of Dance Into the Night but they might be pushing it. I liked The Libertines and for me, The View fall well short of matching their forerunners with this effort.

The new format was a bit painful, it involved criticism and by the time it was swallowed, The Bellyaches massive have forgotten all about how good Robert Gomez might be. Maybe it is the year of the 7” single.