The Charlemagnes
Three Chords and a Half-truth
(Raritan Records)
★★★★★

ROCK Royalty The Charlemagnes roll back the years on an album that's not so much a rejection of nostalgia but a glorious embrace of what lies ahead.

These nuggets, mined from their 1960s pre-punk heyday, have Benny Caution layering sax over revitalised rhythms and Marty Polpette’s sneery mid-Atlantic twang unable to disguise his vocal origins after a journey from the South Bronx to Catford. They've produced a record more relevant than any of today’s pretenders to their throne,

The twelve infectious tracks are a masterclass in precision, technique and speed, with the jarringly catchy Hot for Crime harking back to their roots. First single Look Back, Heart Attack stuns, with Polpette crooning: “Do I have to go on Cable TV before you believe I love you” and those of a certain age will fondly remember Sugar on my Cereal.

Defying health warnings, the band are in healthier shape than ever — even with a sweet tooth that’s “black and rotten”.

Naked Citizens
Naked Citizens
(Country Mile Records)
★★★★★

EMPEROR'S clothes these are not. These 12 excellent songs are woven from the finest cloth by a cornucopia of talent, styles and influences.

A songwriting collaboration between Rob Smith (Wonderbrass), Dan Smith and Chris Walker (Railroad Bill), along with a superb South Wales collective of local artists and musicians, Naked Citizens follows up the summer success of their glorious 1970s disco single Space Touring.

With everything from vaudeville, gospel, glam, tango, 1950s rock'n'roll and swing, the album's in turn sad, uplifting, funny, angry and political, a truly eclectic compilation underpinned by the consistently high quality of song writing and playing.

Wandering into the Twilight lovingly tackles dementia: “Promise me this while I remember who you are” —Snatching Her Away will resonate with anyone who has a possessive husband and Tom Waits would be proud of Bringing Her Home Today.

Spectacular and undoubtedly compilation of the year.
 

Spencer Segelov
Loser Leaves Town
(Country Mile Records)
★★★★

IT TAKES a remarkable talent to impress on the first listen and from the opening piano chords I was hooked by Loser Leaves Town.

Segelov wrote and arranges all the songs and plays all the instruments, creating a familiarity that makes you think you have heard some of them before — Nice Work If You Can Get It is better than the Gershwin version.

With a soulful voice tackling heartbreak, unhealthy nostalgia, depression and spiritual desire, these are personal reflections of life growing up in Swansea.

Working on a Feeling has a glorious molten melody, Anne Marie is saturated sweet emotion while the melancholic The Records in Your Dad's Collection asks: “What is it about music and the strange connections.” Precisely.

This is the final instalment of six albums in six different styles and, if all the others are as good as this, it looks like Wales has another musical genius to be proud of.