Albums to watch

The Sovereign Self

Trembling Bells

The Sovereign Self

A fifth album of psychedelic tinged folk-rock from the Glasgow based band

ADM rating[?]

7.2

Label
Tin Angel
UK Release date
29/06/2015
US Release date
30/06/2015
  1. 10.0 |   The Skinny

    The Sovereign Self is drenched in originality and can’t escape a constant high
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  2. 9.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Demanding, uncompromising yet always musically convincing, the album veers thrillingly but never fully loses sight of the band’s more traditional territory
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  3. 8.0 |   The List

    Becomes more intoxicating with each listen
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  4. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    This is essentially folk music but with thick, joyous streaks of crackling 1960s psychedelic rock, jazz, and cacophonous, freeform passages that are almost krautrock in nature
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  5. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    It’s hard to imagine there will be another album released anywhere this year that’s quite like it
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  6. 8.0 |   The 405

    Whilst sounding altogether more psychologically and sonically cluttered, the challenges this album presents are as invigorating as its rewards - poetic beauty can still be found amidst the lysergic confusion
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  7. 8.0 |   Clash

    A vast mosaic of references and influences, what shines through most prominently of all is the sheer individuality of Trembling Bells' approach and musical voice
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  8. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Guitar wig-outs and sepulchral organ solos are all part of the plangent retro charm. Print edition only

  9. 7.0 |   God Is In The TV

    Trembling Bells contrive to sound as English as Ray Davies playing lawn bowls with the New Vaudeville Band and then sharing cream tea with the queen.
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  10. 7.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    This is a fantastically vivid album
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  11. 7.0 |   NME

    Here the quintet are a crack unit, powered by hard rock riffs, jazz and Krautrock-informed drums and flights of flute-based fancy
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  12. 7.0 |   Uncut

    Psych balladeering and Gothic tragedy. Print edition only

  13. 6.0 |   Gig Soup

    It’s an album that has a wow factor though and stands out amongst 2015’s musical landscape - constantly pushing and prodding musical boundaries to see how far it can go
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  14. 6.0 |   The Guardian

    There are some fine songs here, from the gloriously strange O, Where Is Saint George? to the epic I Is Someone Else, but the album’s excitedly noisy production would benefit from greater degree of variety
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  15. 2.0 |   The Arts Desk

    A painfully retro album that wallows in escapism and a longing for an idealised past
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Trembling Bells: The Sovereign Self

  • Download full album for just £7.92
  • 1. 'Tween the Womb and the Tomb £0.99
  • 2. O, Where Is Saint George? £0.99
  • 3. Killing Time in London Fields £0.99
  • 4. Sweet Death Polka £0.99
  • 5. Bells of Burford £0.99
  • 6. The Singing Blood £0.99
  • 7. (Perched Like a Drunk on A) Miserichord £0.99
  • 8. I Is Someone Else £0.99
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