Mazes - A Thousand Heys (Album review for Buzz magazine)

Words originally for Cardiff's Buzz magazine and can be found in the April edition of the print magazine.

MAZES *****
A Thousand Heys (Fat Cat Records)

As much as Mazes debut is a huge nod to the past (saying that here lies a Pavement influence would be a big understatement), it’s also an album that is very now. Wading their way through the swathes of bloggers leaping to hype their lo-fi alternative rock jams, the London band have seemingly been entirely unaffected by it all. Although A Thousand Heys will be especially adored by fans of Male Bonding, Lovvers, and Spectrals, it has a lot to offer to pretty much anyone and will undoubtedly find itself on plenty of end of year lists. JM

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Belong (Album review for Buzz magazine)

Words originally for Cardiff's Buzz magazine and can be found in the April edition of the print magazine.

PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART ***
Belong (Play It Again / Fortuna Pop!)

The follow up to their much loved and critically acclaimed, Belong will need to live up to some high expectations for many. The New York band’s self-titled 2009 release mixed saccharine and twee pop with noisy, jangling guitars and boy/girl harmonies to wonderful effect. Unfortunately this doesn’t reach those expectations. Not quite, anyway. It’s still a strong showing along similar musical lines to the debut, if slightly more downbeat, with plenty of strong tracks – but, ultimately, might leave some underwhelmed. JM