Iechyd Da

Six years after the sad and somnolent Yawn, Bill Ryder-Jones arrives at his next project with a renewed sense of purpose. Iechyd Da is a Welsh term that translates to "good health" and it serves as a welcome mat for some of the more buoyant material in the singer/songwriters catalog. Given the roguish nature of his former band, the Coral, Ryder-Jones solo work has always been marked by understatement and quiet self-reflection. His dusty vocals hardly exceed a whisper, and his brand of earthy chamber pop beats with a uniformly slow pulse. While these attributes persist on Iechyd Da, they are heightened by some of the most gorgeous production of his career and lyrics that celebrate resiliency and the sweetness of life. Stately cellos punctuate "If Tomorrow Starts Without Me," a quasi-jaunty love song about appreciating the moment. "I Know That Its Like This (Baby)" pairs a supremely laid-back Velvet Underground groove with themes of domesticity, while the dramatic "This Cant Go On" scales up to widescreen grandeur with lush string sections and wobbly synths. One of the albums more endearing characteristics is the childrens choir that imbues songs like "We Dont Need Them" and "Nothing to Be Done" with an unexpected sense of whimsy. This tenderness is the heartbeat of the album. Ryder-Jones still favors tranquil ballads and laid-back pop songs more than anything else, but the intimate, detailed arrangements and overall sonic scope of Iechyd Da are transformative. ~ Timothy Monger

英・ロンドン出身のロックバンドによる6枚目のアルバム。UKのギターロックシーンを牽引するバンドで現在も本国では大活躍している彼らの最新作は、HalseyなどをプロデュースしたAndrew Wellsが担当。王道ギターロックサウンドは疾走感と爽やかさがとにかく最高。明るくメロディアスな《Lunar Eclipse》や、ノスタルジックとパンキッシュが合わさった《Love To Walk Away《など、これぞ彼らの真骨頂といえるアルバムになっています。今作もUKのアルバムチャートでランクインしており、まだまだ躍進し続ける彼らの素晴らしい1枚です。
intoxicate (C)石田真生

昨年は古巣コーラルのアルバムにも助力していたシンガー・ソングライターのソロ5作目。冒頭でガル・コスタのサンプリングを用いた"I Know That It's Like This(Baby)"を導入に、ストリングスの効いた美しいフォーク・ロック"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me"など名曲が連発される。子どもたちの合唱や荘厳な音響を活かした親密な歌声の滋味に深く浸れる傑作だ。
bounce (C)出嶌孝次