You never asked for an audience

Most unfortunately slept-on album of the year: Sons & Daughters - This Gift

It felt like 'The Repulsion Box' got some blog attention when it came out a few years back, and their U.S. tour with the Decemberists probably helped, but when S&D's second album was released in January, it barely registered. This is a real pity, since it was a really solid album. Not as gothic and and inward-looking as they were, this was a more concise, harder rocking set of songs from a group that's really finding its sound. The songs are compact, taut, radio-friendly (like the band gives a hoot about that), and like I said, just plain more shit-kickin' than ever. It's still dark - Adele is threadbare on the bathroom floor on the hot-as-hell title track - but this time you can dance to it.

[download Sons & Daughters - Split Lips]

[Sons & Daughters myspace / official]

Avarice is all that he's made of

Rejoice, for here's the new single from much loved Scottish four-piece Sons and Daughters, which just got its first play on 6Music earlier this week. It's produced by Bernard Butler who used to be in some band (McAlmont and Butler), and is the first taster from their second album 'The Gift', due in the new year.

And to answer your immediate question... No. They haven't become shit.

[download Sons and Daughters - Gilt Complex (radio rip)]