Louise Aubrie
Late 44
(self-released)

New York and London-based indie pop innovator Louise Aubrie presents her new album, Late 44, from the impressive environs of Abbey Road Studios. Opening with a searing single guitar line into the flick-a-punk of “Masterstroke,” the song shows off Aubrie’s limited but interesting warble. “Tearjerker” follows suit with that single guitar setting up the melody and a beat just as jumpy from David Ruffy’s drums. The chorus here gets positively Blondie-like and I like the backing no-no-no-no-no’s a lot. The almost western-sounding echo guitars in “Kiss Of Life” and the key bleat from James Knight in the chorus and Joe Holweger’s expert bass playing sets this song above the rest. There’s a veritable tapestry of guitar here (Tom Edwards and Boz Boorer are both credited on Late 44 with playing guitar) and really interesting changes throughout. It’s a very good song indeed. “Candlelight” is slower, softer and darker, with plucky guitars, cool sounds of atmosphere and ahh’s and ohh’s. It’s not a song that goes anywhere really as much as it is a thickly constructed soundscape that doesn’t sound like much else here. “One False Move” has bleeding distorted guitars and a girl group backing vocal in a very singable chorus, while we get floor tom beats and another 50’s girl group tell-off (or is that the Go Go’s?) on the album ender, “Please Don’t Touch.”