CDs of the week

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Star quality: Florence Welch's first album is mischievous, sexy and unhinged

Benny Anderson Band

The Duckworth Lewis Method

Acoustic Ladyland

Tinariwen

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Florence and the Machine, the Benny Andersson Band, The Duckworth Lewis Method, Acoustic Ladyland and Tinariwen release new albums.

Florence and the Machine
Lungs (Island)
*****
For all the current glut of interchangeable female singers (Little Boots, La Roux etc), they also share a lack of genuine quality. Enter Florence Welch, niece of Craig Brown (the satirist rather than erstwhile Scotland manager) and her Machine. For all the hype, shes oozes a mischievous, sexy and unhinged quality. Indeed, not since Kate Bush has a British singer taken such musical chances without losing her accessibility. On these 13 beguiling songs, whether she's trading punches on Kiss with a Fist, having fabulous sex on Howl or brimming with optimism on Dog Days Are Over, Welch is a star. Better still, she's a star who uses a harp or clattering drums where lesser mortals might prefer a guitar. Brave and brilliant.
JOHN AIZLEWOOD

Benny Andersson Band
Story of a Heart (Polydor)
**
Benny is the songwriting genius who propelled Abba into the stratosphere but was, from his earliest days, something of a folkie at heart. Benny's Band are playing on Hampstead Heath tomorrow as part of the Sweden on Stage celebration, so you might like to get the full live experience before investing here.
There are a couple of pop songs: the title track and You Are My Man — both co-written with his Abba partner Bjorn Ulvaeus — are passable, while Fait Accompli could have been co-written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. You would have to be very old, Swedish, or unnaturally young at heart to relish this collection.
PETE CLARK

The Duckworth Lewis Method
The Duckworth Lewis Method (Divine Comedy)
****
Those with a knowledge of cricket will know about the Duckworth Lewis Method, which is a fiendish equation used to enable a result to be achieved in weather-affected, limited-overs cricket. Divine Comedian Neil Hannon and chum Thomas Walsh have put together an album dedicated to the joys of the game. Those of you who couldn't give a toss about cricket will be delighted to hear that there's plenty of decent pop music on offer. The Age of Revolution swings along merrily, while The Nightwatchman is a tremendously affecting tale of man suffering a sleepless night through love of the game or a game girl.
PETE CLARK

Acoustic Ladyland
Living with a Tiger (Strong and Wrong)
***
Since 2006's Skinny Grin, Acoustic Ladyland leader/saxophonist Pete Wareham has
re-located to Hastings, shuffled his band's personnel and banned vocals on this fourth album. Even so, the results on this appositely titled 10-track affair are much the same: powder-keg, edge-of-the-seat, drum-led instrumentals which merge the technical prowess of jazz with the breathless attitude of punk and, on Gratitude, a delightfully sleazy guitar solo. Meanwhile, Death by Platitude is as wry as its title and The Mighty Q shows they can momentarily take their foot of the gas and the wind out of their hair.
JOHN AIZLEWOOD

Tinariwen
Imidiwan: Companions (Independiente)
****
Tinariwen are Touareg rockers dressed in flowing blue robes wielding electric guitars. You may have caught them in the Glastonbury coverage last weekend. This is their fourth album and, while the temptation may have been to bring in some star guests — Robert Plant is a big fan — they are bravely sticking to what they do best: bluesy vocals, powerful guitar work and laid-back rhythmic grooves have, after all, brought them mainstream popularity. Unlike the glowing Aman Iman, they recorded this album out in the Sahara and it's audible in the raw, sandy grit of the 13 tracks. Lulla is glorious, sounding like a heavy, late-night celebration with fiery guitar licks and distant ululations.
SIMON BROUGHTON

 

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