Instead of reviewing a single album from time to time, I'll now review my “week in music”. Week 13 / 2008 is starting with The B-52's new studio album Funplex, Club Des Belugas' Swop, The Kooks' Konk, M83's Saturdays = Youth and Songs On The Rocks by Nôze.

The B-52's – Funplex

32 years of The B-52's and 16 years since their last studio album. What took them so long? I don't know, maybe they needed some time to upgrade the equipment in their studio.

The B-52's
Funplex

No, I don't want to sound disappointed, as I didn't expect anything great (I didn't expect anything at all from them). They once were catchy, pop and funny, and with this new album they're still catchy, pop and funny (although I do miss and prefer their beehives – Amy, do you hear me?) - it's like they were never gone. Only they're somewhat more "electrified" in their sound, but still distinguishable. Good pop music, and that's about it then. My favourites: Ultraviolet and Eyes Wide Open.

Would I buy it? No. Not in a disapproving way. I like their music, but it's still the same naïve sounding music (that may has combined rock'n'roll, pop and funk) as twenty years ago, and I think pop music is for consuming, not for collecting. Out now on Astralwerks.

Club Des Belugas – Swop

If you know The Murky World Of Barry Adamson, Ben Liebrand's Move It To The Big Band, De Phazz and The Dining Rooms, you already have a good idea what you may expect from this album. If not: It got lots of bass, trumpets and saxophones, a piano, complacent and easy-going singers, swing and jazz and the occasional flipping of fingers. My favourites: the opener What Is Jazz and Wearing Out My Shoes.

Club Des Belugas
Swop

Would I buy it? No. It's good and well made music to listen to for a while, but then, I can't even listen to De Phazz anymore, as I've “listened them to death”. Out now on ChinChin Records.

The Kooks – Konk

In a recent Twitter shout I complained about the (for me) not instantly noticeable difference between the sound of The Kooks and The Young Knives. That's not meant as mean as it may sound like, but boy, you just wouldn't know you're listening to a different band when you queue them up in line in a playlist. Maybe the latter are composing more like The Beatles and former more, well, not like The Beatles.

The Kooks
Konk

It's probably because I'm not really into this whole “whoah we're so alternative” thing that came up the last years. For the record: I can't stand the Kaiser Chiefs and the bigotry they impersonate, and about The Kooks and their alike: John Cale already made and still makes solid “alternative” music, way before you came up with a revival of “The” bands. Why not try something with substance? No real favourites, all the same.

Would I buy it? No. Still, they're fun and easy to listen to, but then they're not as catchy as The Young Knives. If you really want to spend some money on any of them, rather go for Superabundance by The Young Knives. To be released 2008.04.11 on Virgin.

M83 – Saturdays = Youth

I don't dig 1980's music too much. It's not only the clothes, the hairdo, the “a-Ha or Duran Duran” (which wasn't in the end if you look retrospectively), the bad synthesizers or the C64. (There's never an excuse for bad taste.)

I've probably just been lucky enough to grow up with classical music and jazz and not I Should Be So Lucky in the 1980s, without arguing in the elementary school about “who owns the rights” to sing A License To Kill by Gladys Knight rather than I've Been Looking For Freedom by David Haselhoff, I hadn't known Elite as I already had a PC by then. I was so out of touch with the 1980's culture in the 1980's that my most present memory of listening to music back then was listening to New York, Rio, Tokyo by Trio Rio on a cool cassette tape recorder I got for my sixth's birthday.

M83
Saturdays = Youth

But back to the album: Saturday = Youth = 1980's like music for me. The end. My favourite track, because it doesn't completely fit and it's “house-esque”: Couleurs.

Would I buy it? No. Maybe I'm completely missing this whole spherical ready-for-action music and I don't get it. If you like this kind of music, give it a try. To be released 2008.04.15 on Mute.

Nôze – Songs On The Rocks

I've never heard of Nôze before, but I sure know this is a loss. It's a really interesting and charming eclectic mix of chansons (yup, french), 1920's and contemporary piano music, polka, rock ballads, piano house, minimalist electronic music à la Akufen – and more. Last time I had this much fun was when I discovered Kaizers Orchestra (and bought their albums instantly). My favourites: Danse Avec Moi and You Have To Dance.

Nôze
Songs On The Rock

Would I buy it? Yes – and I'd love to see and hear them live as I imagine their performances to be really funny and entertaining. Go for it if you don't mind the permanent four to the floor. To be released 2008.04.25 on Get Physical Music.