Album of the Week – 12/05/23

It’s Friday, so what does that mean? You probably get tomorrow off, but also… it’s your favourite ‘Album of the Week’ slot again! This week sees new releases from Alison Goldfrapp (The Love Invention), James Ellis Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco – The Hum) and Mike Gordon (of Phish – Flying Games). They’re all worth a listen, but none of them took the top prize. That went to the troubled soul that is BC Camplight, and his new album The Last Rotation of Earth!

Album of the Week – BC Camplight – The Last Rotation of Earth

Is there a curse that says Brian ‘BC Camplight’ Christinzio cannot move forward without being knocked back? That the greatest material is born out of emotional trauma? Whilst making his new album, The Last Rotation Of Earth, Christinzio’s relationship with his fiancé crumbled after nine inseparable years. The album follows this break-up amid long-term struggles with addiction and mental health. The outcome is an extraordinary record, with Christinzio describing it as “more cinematic, sophisticated and nuanced than anything I’ve done before.” He goes on to describe how the separation altered his creative focus and caused him to “scrap 95% of what I’d already recorded”, finishing The Last Rotation Of Earth in two months and making what he believes is his most vital album.

Still, Christinzio doesn’t see any of this as a story of redemption. “This is not a story of victory,” he says. “It is a document created in the shadow of incredible darkness. One from which the creator hadn’t planned on escaping, and still doesn’t. Hence the title of the album. It is the result of an illness that I’ve battled my whole life. It isn’t something that the world has done to me. It’s the world I live in and it’s no one’s fault.”

Albums of Note:

— Alison Goldfrapp – The Love Invention

— Ane Brun – Songs 2013 – 2023

— James Ellis Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco) – The Hum

— Mike Gordon (of Phish) – Flying Games

— Softee – Natural

Albums Released on May 12th:

— 2nd Face – utOpium

— The Acacia Strain – failure will follow

— The Acacia Strain – Step Into the Light

— Alfie Firmin – Absentee

— Alison Goldfrapp – The Love Invention

— The Amity Affliction – Not Without My Ghosts

— Ane Brun – Songs 2013 – 2023

— Animal Collective – Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished (Reissue)

— Aoife O’Donovan – Age of Apathy Solo Sessions

— A R I Z O N A – A R I Z O N A

— Armin van Buuren – A State of Trance 2023

— Bailey Zimmerman – Religiously. The Album.

— BC Camplight – The Last Rotation of Earth

— Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Zakir Hussain feat. Rakesh Chaurasia – As We Speak

— Belinda Carlisle – Kismet EP

— Bohannons – Night Construction

— Bruce Cockburn – O Sun O Moon

— Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite

— Charlie Hall (of The War on Drugs) – Invisible Ink

— Charlotte Cornfield – Could Have Done Anything

— Chloe Gallardo – Defamator

— Chuck Strangers – Boys & Girls EP

— The Courettes – Boom! Dynamite (An Introduction To The Fabulous Courettes)

— Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (10th Anniversary Edition)

— DevilDriver – Dealing With Demons Vol. II

— Dropkick Murphys – Okemah Rising

— Duskwood – The Last Voyage

— Eluvium – (Whirring Marvels In) Consensus Reality

— Esben & The Witch – Hold Sacred

— Exitium – Imperitous March For Abysmal Glory

— Fatoumata Diawara – London Ko

— Feral Family – PLAYTEST EP

— George Birge – Mind On You

— girli – why am i like this?? EP

— Godsnake – Eye For an Eye

— Harriet – The Outcome

— Heem – From the Cradle to the Game

— Hot Mulligan – Why Would I Watch

— Iguana Death Cult – Echo Palace

— Island of Love – Island of Love

— James Ellis Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco) – The Hum

— Janka Stucky – Ascend Ascend: Janaka Stucky Live In Seattle With Lori Goldston

— JasonMartin (FKA Problem) and Harry Fraud – Family Tree

— Jeff Carson – 448

— Jeffrey Silverstein – Western Sky Music

— Johnny Polonsky – Rise of the Rebel Angels

— Kesmar – Always Chasing Rainbows

— Ky – Power is the Pharmacy

— Lauren Daigle – Lauren Daigle

— Libby Rodenbough (of Mipso) – Between the Blades

— Little Hurt – Lovely Hours

— LP Giobbi – Light Places

— Lucy Liyou – Dog Dreams (개꿈)

— Madison McFerrin – I Hope You Can Forgive Me

— Memorials – Music For Film: Tramps! & Women Against The Bomb

— Mike Gordon (of Phish) – Flying Games

— Moby – Resound NYC

— Nat & Alex Wolff – Table for Two

— Nighthawk – Prowler

— NIKI – Nicole: Live at the Wiltern

— Oval – Romantiq

— Overmono – Good Lies

— Pap Chanel – Paptivities

— Parker McCollum – Never Enough

— Parker Millsap – Wilderness Within You

— Pete Francis (of Dispatch) – PTRN SKY!

— R. Stevie Moore – On Earth

— Rahill – Flowers At Your Feet

— Rick Astley – Hold Me In Your Arms (Deluxe Edition)

— The Rocker Summer – SHADOWKASTERS

— The Rough & Tumble – Only This Far

— Roxy Gordon – Crazy Horse Never Died (Reissue)

— Run-DMC – Tougher Than Letter (Vinyl Reissue)

— sadeyes – Glitchy EP

— Sam Zalta (of Bambara) – Memento Mori

— Savannah Conley – Playing the Part of You is Me

— Scott Weiland – 12 Bar Blues (Digital Deluxe Edition)

— Seán Barna – An Evening At Marci Park

— Soft Cell – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret…And Other Stories: Live

— Suarasama – Timeline (Reissue)

— Sub Focus – Evolve

— $uicideboy$ – Yin Yang Tapes: Summer Season (1989-1990) EP

— Symphony Orchestra (Max Turnbull & Michael Rault) – Radiant Music

— Tears for Fears – The Hurting (40th Anniversary Edition)

— Teri Gender Bender – CATSPEAK EP

— These Were Wires – These Were Wires (Reissue)

— Various Artists (feat. Celine Dion) – Love Again (Soundtrack From the Motion Picture)

— Veil of Maya – [m]other

— Victoria Anthony – New Disaster

— WAR – The Remixes EP

— waveform* – Antarctica

— Wila Frank – Black Cloud