November's Hottest Tunes

Gin Wigmore Holy Smoke
The Cardinals are onto something special. Having married Mandy Moore, Ryan Adams was a little too busy to pay much attention to his backing band, but luckily, they had a trick or two up their sleeves – a pint sized kiwi with an impressive set of pipes, soulful style and knack for a catchy tune - our very own Gin Wigmore. Game, set and match, this impressive concoction breeds an impressive debut album.

Holy Smoke is completely accessible while maintaining that all important sense of emotion and honesty. Written post-break up, the tracks are coloured by the ensuing dramas but are never bogged down by it. In fact, Gin’s soul invigorated pop is completely relatable. And also fun. With hand clapping moments in the fiery lead single ‘Oh My God’, a bit of attitude and a rough around the edges style and sound, this is an exciting debut from a very exciting artist.
 

Sarah Blasko As Day Follows Night
It’s a Blasko you’ve never heard before. It’s beautiful, it’s heartbreaking, it’s organic and it’s tremendously honest. Making the most of the basic elements - voice, bass and drums - this album goes for a stripped back approach while still staying safely within the Blasko orbit. An acclaimed writer with a stunning voice, this shift allows for a more complete focus on Blasko’s whimsical vocals. Still pop at heart, the album shifts between jazzy moments to twirling pianos and flamenco stylings for a stunning and laid back album that is well worth a listen.
 

Whip It Soundtrack
Both strangely eclectic and super-cool fun, Whip It has one pretty bad ass sound track. This is Drew Barrymore’s mix tape for you, and it’s quite an appreciable one. The sound track to a movie about a small town Texas girl escaping town to become a roller derby player, based on the Shauna Cross novel and directed by Barrymore, the selection is, as you can imagine, a little bit rockin’ and a little bit rough around the edges. And that’s just fine. Featuring everything from Tilly and the Wall, Ramones, Peaches and The Go! Team to Dolly Parton, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Cut Chemist, this collection succeeds in the mix tape vibe.
 

Twilight New Moon Soundtrack
With vampire aspirations, the selection on this one definitely takes a turn into the nocturnal and melancholic. Also characterising the record is a strong dedication to Bella Swan’s boy-problemos and heartfelt despair ala many mournful moments with tracks such as Lykke Li’s ‘Possibility’, Anya Marina’s ‘Satellite heart’ and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s ‘Done All Wrong’. Not the perfect pick-me-up but featuring a nice array of indie-friendly rock n’ roll royalty, defiantly worth a pick up.
 

Mariah Carey Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
Mariah’s going back to her old-school self with more 90s etched RnB grooves, signature trills (and spills), sassy breakup tracks and pretty love songs. Heaps of them. Memoirs of an Angel is definitely an album as opposed to a collection of tracks, but with a saggy second half this flow seems to come at the price of variety and a bit more of a cull was needed.

Produced by legendary singer/songwriters Terius Nash (The-Dream) and Christopher Stewart (Tricky), the dynamic duo oversaw every track lending its hand to the coherency of the release, but again possibly contributing to a stale second half ala more variety please. Over all it’s a return to core principles for Mariah, with an album that will continue to polarise her lovers and haters.