If you like your music jerky, spiky, loud and performed by a
band named slightly like an episode of Thunderbirds then Go-X
may be just up your street. They sound pretty hyped up and the
singer manages to spit out an unfeasible number of words per minute
while the caustic guitars do their thing as backing. 7/10 www.myspace.com/gox
SB
Alvarez
Kings – Patience is Strength EP (Of
National Importance)
I don’t get it. I really don’t. They write a song as good as
Patience is Strength - an upbeat rush of endorphins for the ears,
with its yelped chorus of “This is your last chance!” and for
a brief, brief moment, Alvarez Kings suddenly become important.
They force the clouds away, the sun to shine and enter the running
for the essential component to an upcoming hedonistic summer.
Then they utterly ruin it by delivering sub-standard Sheffield
indie drivel over the EP’s other four tracks. I mean appalling,
derivative pastiche nonsense dominated by the sound of Reverend
and The Makers (“You, Me, Them, Us”), the not-from-Sheffield-but-still-mercilessly-aped
Kings of Leon (“Funeral Reunion”) and the other two tracks which
are so forgettable, I can’t even remember their names but the
Arctic Monkeys stood hovering like a giant jobby in the corner,
wafting its influence across the room. In a way I’m gutted; I
actually stopped what I was doing to listen to the chorus of “Patience
is Strength” the first time I listened to it, that’s how much
it grabbed me. A wise soul once said “every band has one song,
one song where it all goes right”. I really hope this isn’t the
case with Alvarez Kings because if that’s them shot all their
songwriting jizz into this one song (and what a song), then, frankly,
they are fucked.
9/10 for Patience is Strength, big fat zero for the rest of the
EP. www.alvarezkings.com
Rory Mac
Jack
Beats – All Night (feat. John B) / Elevator
Music (Cheap Thrills)
Although slightly disappointed that Jack Beats is a group name
and not a very coolly named individual, generally speaking I have
enthusiastic feelings about this one. Although the intro to ‘All
Night’ is definitely in the cheesoid realm, things perk up markedly
as the skronky synths warp their way through the rest of the track.
It sounds as though Jack Beats turntables are powered by a hamster
and he is definitely in need of some Lucozade as the sounds speed
up and slow down randomly but pleasingly. It’s still a bit cheesey
though. ‘Elevator Music’ is a much trendier beast altogether,
melding acid house and techno in a clinical way (well, the sort
of clinic where they grow ears on the backs of mice maybe). Ironically,
if you did hear this in an elevator, you would probably be sick.
7/10
SB
The
Graceful Slicks – demo 3
Wow – headline billing on the press release from one of our previous
reviews. I hope we like this one then or we will look like right
charlies. Happy days indeed as it turns out that the third demo
from Oxford based The Graceful Slicks does not disappoint. Not
only does the track ‘Bul Bul Tarang’ sound very nice and psychedelic
but it is also informational, teaching me what a bulbul tarang
is. This is no Kula Shaker hippy chic though – if anything, the
undertones to this track are more of the Death in Vegas kind –
live music which sounds more trip hop than shoe gaze.
The slashy chords played through an analogue amp/effect of ‘Jalapeno’
form the driving backdrop to what could otherwise turn into a
bit of a monotonous effort but the stacks of reverb are back in
‘Fire’ which has a big, baggy jam feel to it. This is the sort
of endearing stuff which we are more used to hear coming from
the Sonic Cathedral label. 8/10 www.myspace.com/thegracefulslicks
SB
Yonderboy
– All Bob Minor / Too Easy
No matter what you think of the song writing, you can’t help
be struck by the clarity of the guitar work and production on
‘All Bob Minor’. And all this is recorded just down the road from
Tasty HQ – we never even realised there was a studio there as
we wondered past to the New Inn pub (now known as the ‘snot in
a glass pub’ following an unfortunate incident) and the Cottage
Road Cinema. As the songs go – I am finding ‘All Bob Minor’ a
lot more impressive than ‘Too Easy’ which, frankly, is nothing
more than aural wallpaper to me (though I do still get to listen
to those lovely guitar tones). So just put ‘All Bob Minor’ on
repeat and marvel at the falsettos vocals, the calmly building
crescendo and the good old Yorkshire brass. 7/10 http://soundcloud.com/yonderboymusic
SB
The
Musgraves – Lost in Familiarity EP
(Lookout Mountain)
Very sunny cheery pop here from The Musgraves. Sounding like
a cross between the Kooks and Leo Sayer, this isn’t a sound which
will universally appeal (don’t they know there is a recession
on?) but I guess they do it as well as anyone else around at the
moment. 6/10 www.myspace.com/themusgraves
SB
Bad
Sign – Exit EP (Bangers, Clive!)
Bad Sign sound like a very serious sort of band. There’s no lightweight
frivolity or playfulness about the ‘Exit’ EP. Via a combination
of wrought vocals, heavy basslines and cinematically epic guitar
soundscapes, this band have a ruthless streak which can’t help
but leave you impressed. The counter argument is that the complete
lack of any levity can make the recording as a whole feel like
cracking a walnut with a sledgehammer. But I’m all for kernel
destruction so Bad Sign get the thumbs up from me. 8/10 www.facebook.com/badsignband
SB
Pigeon
Detectives – Done in Secret (Dance
To The Radio)
I was never a fan of The Pigeon Detectives, always thought they
just seemed to be surfing along on the wake of the whole Leeds
music scene wave. But bugger me if I don’t quite like this single.
It’s their typical jerky power pop with no great musical ability
but they know how to write a hook and get the crowd going. A 2011
resurgence is fully on the cards. 8/10 www.thepigeondetectives.com
SB
Mamas
Gun – On A String (Candelion)
Leo Sayer meets Mika anyone? Not really for me either. 3/10 www.mamasgun.co.uk
SB
XisForEyes – Insidious Existentialism
Hmm, quite heavy this one. Like an explosion in a rivet factory.
Wang in a few pretentious titles like ‘Inisidious Existentialism’
and ‘Ubiquitous Deterrent’, deliver every track like an exploding
stick of dynamite and you’ve pretty firmly pigeon holed yourself
into the metal scene hierarchy. People with normal hearing, who
can‘t really perceive more than 5 kicks of the bass drum per second
will probably welcome this release in a more lacklustre manner.
I do really like the name of the band though. 5/10 www.myspace.com/ukxisforeyes
SB
Damn
Vandals – Bayonet (Sexy Beast)
Presumably named after their shared love of graffiti art, Damned
Vandals don’t sound like they look. When you see their admittedly
posed press shot, dressed in sports wear with miniature angry
dog in a scene of urban decay the last thing you are expecting
is a band that sounds like an angry Chris Isaacs. Good though.
7/10 www.soundcloud.com/damnvandals
SB
The
Sounds – Dance with the Devil (SideOneDummy)
Well this is a bit bombastic from these Swedish new wavers. 50%
modern and 50% cheesey euro dance but you can’t argue with a lyric
like ‘we conquer our planet with dance’. 6/10 www.myspace.com/thesounds
SB
Detachments
– Audio/Video / The Flowers That Fell (Thisisnotanexit)
Not a band, not a duo but a ‘troupe’ apparently. Whatever the
distinction, despite the outwardly synth-noir vibe at face value,
the more listens you take of both these tracks, the more you start
to pick out little elements which warm the cockles in an otherwise
icy electro tundra. 7/10
SB
Lotus
Mason – Rust ‘n’ Roll (GlowB)
Musically there are obvious Suede comparisons here. But that
all kind of pales into insignificance when you read, with admirable
understatement, ‘the single was not one of the easiest to record
with guitarist Rhys John Hughes encountering a bizarre health
issue in which he faced his ribcage eventually collapsing and
puncturing his lungs within days. After numerous procedures, Hughes
had metal rods inserted through his body in order to survive and
recording finished.’ What?! The next time you hear of a gig being
cancelled because some singer has a sore throat, spare a thought
for Mr Hughes. 6/10
SB
Terhi
– Diaries of a Mending Heart (Rockhopper)
Truly abysmal. As if Terhi’s dead vocals weren’t bad enough,
the song writing and performance are awfully plodding too. Too
dismal to even contemplate a second longer. 1/10 www.myspace.com/terhi
SB
Arnaud
Rebotini – All You Need is Techno
(Blackstrobe)
Every bit as ear grinding as Rebotini’s April release ‘Personal
Dictator’, in fact, possibly moreso. This time the hardcore Germanic
techno beats and bleeps are punctuated by a sonic laser show.
It’s definitely not easy listening which is what makes me like
it even more. 8/10
SB
Aloe Blacc – I Need a Dollar (Epic)
Surely some typographical mistake when down at the registry office
when this guy’s parents were sorting out the birth certificate?
‘I Need A Dollar’ certainly hits a resonant political note at
present and Blacc’s easy hip-hop/soul sound lends itself perfectly
to delivering this song. 7/10
SB
Owen
Franklin – The Not-So-Great Gatsby
It seems to me that during
the course of this four track EP, Owen Franklin sometimes gets
a over-ambitious mixing up different genres and influences when
perhaps the strongest song is one where everything is pared back
and kept nice and simple – ‘The Tempest (Part 1)’. For example
the title track sounds like Frank Turner then mysteriously turns
into Ocean Colour Scene. I know it is part of the narrative of
the track that things suddenly turn on their head but musically
it just sounds disjointed. But all praise to ‘The Tempest...’
which admirably retrieves a bit of poignancy. 6/10 www.owenfranklinmusic.com
SB
Limozine
– Deep Fried Love / Drink Ya Self Out Of It (Beat Atlast)
Deep
Fried Love – what is that then? It certainly doesn’t sound very
healthy does it? Similarly ‘Drink Ya Self Out Of It’ doesn’t sound
like brilliant advice either. Aspiring to the likes of the Cramps
and The Stooges, Limozine just sound like a good pub band – I
bet they are having a wail of a time being in a band and good
on them for it. It’s just that personally I don’t think they are
very good. 5/10 www.myspace.com/limozine
SB
Hal
Flavin – The Talk EP (Watt Blizzard)
I thought I’d heard of this guy Hal Flavin before but then on
reading that Hal Flavin is a band from Luxembourg, I guess I was
wrong. But then perhaps I should have heard of them (the band,
not Luxembourgers in general) because this is quite a polished
and impressively put together release.
Essentially electro at the poppier end of the scale, they do
dark and icy (‘The Talk’), they do bleepy swooshy verging on industrial
(‘Higher Life’), they do minimal iron lung sound effect Aphex
Twin alike (‘Broken Waves’) and they even roam into the territory
of proggish (‘Animals of the Future’). But they always touch back
to their start point of making them catchy pop tunes and not some
esoteric exercise in musical experimentation which has minimal
appeal to Joe Public. 7/10 www.hal-flavin.com
SB
Burn
the Fleet – River Song
It’s almost as though Burn the Fleet actually
read my review of their previous single ‘Black Holes’ and then
followed it up with this one as a direct response to my criticisms.
Avoiding any traditional verse-chorus-verse patterns, when the
heavy parts of this track kick in, they really do kick, a vast
improvement on ‘Black Holes’. Euphoric and cinematic, they remind
me a little of Iliketrains in this respect but just utilising
a different set of instrumentation. 7/10 http://burnthefleet.bandcamp.com/
SB
Cattle
& Cane – Sold My Soul EP (Toasty
Recordings)
I have to sadly
admit that sometimes we only get one shot at listening to some
singles releases. Normally it’s two or three and if we are feeling
really luxuriant, it can be more. Due to a combination of circumstances
this CD has been on the player now a good dozen times but I’m
still failing to warm to it. All four tracks are beautifully played,
mainly by members of the Hammill family. The picked guitars are
particularly pleasing, the vocal tones of singer Joe are a little
bit Mark Lanegan and some strings add an extra layer. All these
components sound positive but it just comes across a little bit
like a lacklustre Mumford and Sons. In the case of ’Falling Over
You’, it just seems plain lazy. Fortunately things finish strongly
with the pretty ‘We Stand’ which has lots of vocal layering and
echoey guitar. 6/10 www.myspace.com/cattleandcanemusic
SB
Amida
– The Spite House Plot (Fika)
The lo-fi nature of this 6-track
collection crackles pleasingly out of the speakers from the very
outset. Whether its slow building shoegazey affairs like ‘Midweek
Debauchery’ or more clattery offerings like ‘A Month of Sundays’,
Amida eschew the opportunity to jam up the recording with lots
of over-dubs and effects – it’s very much an as-played sound,
in the case of ‘Black Balloons’ based o little more than a demo
Casio drum pattern. Amida are one of those indie nuggets who everyone
claims to love but who ultimately seem to remain on the fringes.
I don’t expect this trend will change here but I’d still recommend
this EP for a bit of old school indie nostalgia if nothing else.
8/10 www.mypace.com/amidaband
SB
Big’n
– Spare the Horses EP (African Tape)
I have thus far through
my life managed to completely avoid crossing paths with Big’n
who, some rather difficult research later, were Chicago noise
mongers making a bit of a splash in the 90s. Here they are back
with a 4 track EP of new work which frankly is an ear-breaking
glory. Like an angry version of Shellac (or a livid version of
Fugazi) – the practically indecipherable vocals are spat out through
a very fuzzed up mic as the drums and guitars pummel and drive
remorselessly. I admire their single mindedness, this relentless
nihilistic stream of spite which bombards me out of the speakers.
8/10 www.myspace.com/bigchicagonoise
SB
Kitten
– Sunday School (Fierce Panda)
Similarly precocious as LibDem
MP Sarah Tether but much cooler, 16 year old Chloe Chaidez fronts
Kitten who sound far from adolescent and frankly sing about things
which might get Esther Rantzen’s ears twitching. For all the overt
commercial appeal of these fizzling guitar pop songs, I can’t
help being impressed by Kitten. It all seems so wrong but I reluctantly
find myself liking them – their songs are so perfectly formed
and despite her tender years, Chaidez is a formidable front woman
– part Pink, part Karen O, she powers her way through the morally
dubious EP closer ‘Kitten With a Whip’ with a disturbing amount
of sassiness an self confidence. 8/10 www.myspace.com/kittentheband
SB
The
Lagan - Work Away EP
The Lagan are a London Irish Celtic Folk band, and I feel like
that sums up all the parts you need to know about their identity.
Not Ireland Irish, not American Irish, but that peculiar brand
of London Irish which always seems to me like it wants a good
riot much more than any other subgenre of the type. It's refreshing
to hear an English accent in this type of music! It doesn't happen
often enough.
The Irish and Celtic parts are self-exposing, and on a scale
of Flogging Molly to Dropkick Murphys the Lagan lie in the middle.
They're less likely to start a fight than DKM and they retain
the gentle folk parts of Flogging Molly, like the fiddles and
tin whistles which are judiciously scattered throughout the songs.
The Lagan are, like many others of their ilk, seemingly obsessed
with religion. Work Away is a song that Flogging Molly's Dave
King could have written (and he's probably wishing he did) with
a catchy refrain that is begging for a crowd to be singing along.
The lyrics of Guinness and Chips are somewhat too prosaic but
being backed by that gorgeous Celtic feel saves the song from
blandness, plus the line "I'm just full of piss and vinegar"
could probably save entire albums in my opinion. Sunny Day in
Southie has a comfortingly familiar backing chorus of 'ohhh's
that will be at home at every gig this band probably ever play.
Their website is currently running a campaign to get them opening
for Flogging Molly over here (http://www.thelagan.co.uk/2011/05/flogging-molly-are-coming.html)
which would NOT be a bad thing - do help out if you can.
I have absolutely no criticisms of the music because I love it
- jaunty tunes, clever lyrics, nice sing-a-long bits - but this
EP, at three tracks, is woefully short. Come on lads, where's
the rest?
Rebecca McCormick
Land
of Bingo – Bottle It In (mini album)
(Peski)
7 tracks? That’s not that mini an album is it? 7 good ones though,
including plenty of variety. There’s the annoyingly catchy ‘Headwarmer’
which really reminds me of the music of another previous Tasty
reviewee whose name temporarily eludes me – suffice to say they
were very lo-fi Casiocore. But then towards the end of the track
there is a nice grumbly bass sound – very Death in Vegas. ‘Company
Hymn’ sounds in parts like it is actually being played backwards
and makes me wonder why and indeed who did Barry Fry give the
sack to.
The more serious moments are very polished pieces of electro
pop such as ‘Bottle It In’ but always delivered with a certain
refreshing levity. It’s just a shame I lost the download for so
long and the record has now been released for over a month. 8/10 www.myspace.com/landofbingo
SB
Tokimonsta
– Creature Dreams (Brainfeeder)
Apparently Jennifer Lee, the nom de plume of Tokimonsta likes
to work late, between 2am and 7am, and ‘Creature Dreams’ is the
product of these nocturnal outings. And it kind of makes sense
when you listen to it – a lot of the tracks feel a little fuzzy,
a bit spaced – the way you feel when you have not been getting
enough sleep but you get through the day with unhealthy quantities
of caffeine.
But scrape a little below the insomniac surface and there’s a
wealth of intricate, overlapping ideas going on here. Unfortunately
the complexity leaves me feeling a little bit bombarded with sounds,
like listening to long wave radio when the signal is being bombarded
with foreign shipping forecasts and sinister sounding foreign
voices. It’s a lot to take on but undoubtedly an impressive piece
of work. 7/10 www.tokimonsta.com
SB
Ladytron
– White Elephant (Nettwerk)
We love a bit of Ladytron here at
Tasty. This track isn’t a classic but it’s OK – it sounds a little
more like Dusty Springfield than Ladytron courtesy of the airy
orchestration but after two or three listens you’ll start to find
your head swaying back and forth appreciatively. 7/10 www.ladytron.com
SB
I
Am in Love – I Want You (Robot Needs a
Home)
Very much rising
from the ashes of dark 80’s synth pop, ‘I Want You’ is a very
moody, catchy little number. I have a slight issue with the vocal
which I think collapses a bit o some of the high notes but if
you overlook this minor flaw you are left with a little pop belter
– the guitar and synth interplay during the outro alone is worth
buying this for. Like a more mild mannered Minaars (try saying
that when you are drunk). 7/10 www.facebook/iaminlovemusic
SB
Eskmo
– We Got More / Moving Glowstream (Ninjatune)
Seven great tracks
here on one EP but only the one that features the work of Eskmo
alone so we will concentrate on that one. Well, it’s bloody brilliant
actually. A crazily deep dirty bass drop over some organ work
and a robotic chant make this feel like a track wrought in some
futuristic, steam bellowing ironworks. 9/10 www.eskmo.com
SB
Jim
Kroft – The Jailer (Jackalope)
Lovely packaging here reminiscent
of Clockwork Orange style imagery starts things off well but unfortunately
the music within sounds like it’s free fallen from 1980s Rocky
training scene. Plod plod plod of the bass, twang twang twang
of the guitar, blah blah blah of the voice – it wouldn’t inspire
me to do a hundred press ups. www.jimkroft.com
SB
Black
Circles – Final Straw
There’s nothing complex at work here, take
power trio, write songs like Queens of the Stoneage / Foo Fighters,
perform with gusto, cash in. And I’m not suggesting this in a
cynical way – Black Circles are bloody good. 8/10 www.myspace.com/blackcirclesband
SB
Grey
Reverend – One By One (Motion Audio)
Very much one for any fans
of Jose Gonzales – Grey Reverend has one of those taut song writing
abilities and focussed performance skills which are immediately
arresting and continuously transfixing. Nothing but acoustic guitar
and voice, there’s arguably a folk heritage at work, despite his
very urban NYC upbringing. Excellent. 9/10 www.motionaudiorecords.com
SB
The
Strange Death of Liberal England
– Come On You Young Philosophers!
Strange Death just don’t do loose, throwaway three minute pop
songs. It just seems that each track is a mini epic with a message
which is sung out like the final wish of a dying man. The tumbledown
world weary vocals are given a clever polish by the vibrant brass
parts and everything rip roars along like a sea shanty on speed
thanks to the military drumming. Rabble rousing. 8/10 www.tsdole.co.uk
SB
The
Savage Nomads – The Magic Eye (Alaska
Sounds)
Startling stuff
here from Londoners ‘The Savage Nomads’ who eschew any traditionally
standard song structure to wreath their sounds around 5 minutes
of slightly goth/math/art house indie with some glorious Adam
Ant style chants and baritone vocals musings. It’s just a snippet
– intriguing to see what follows. 8/10
SB
India
Mills – Morning Song
This is good old fashioned rock music with
the emphasis on good. Although you will have yourself grabbing
at influences and derivations, ultimately the songs are well written
and strongly performed, even if they do sound a bit dated. In
fact I’d go as far to say that the lead track was my least favourite,
being a little bit earnest while the other two seem to revel more
in their own comfort zones rather than trying to appeal to a non-existent
stadium audience. 7/10 www.myspace.com/indiamills
SB
Husband
– Love Song / Slow Motion (Robot Elephant)
This is all a bit
confusing seeing as this disc features 6 tracks numbering what
appears to be various remixes of the two title tracks but none
of which match the titles exactly. A more generalist approach
to the review required then. Most generally, it’s a really good
listen. There’s a rather claustrophobic, dark atmosphere to a
lot of the tracks despite their echoey psychedelic reverb and
I’m putting this malaise down to the very industrial style beats
and loops which wouldn’t be out of place on a Coil CD. Contrary
to all that, there are also light moments of euro disco. I said
it would be a generalist review.
Post review note: Ha! My misinterpretation of the poor CD typography
was to blame – the two lead tracks were indeed played in their
original entirety! 8/10 www.myspace.com/husbandworld
SB
Michael
Franti & Spearhead
– The Sound of Sunshine (EMI)
Sickly summery
– this is the sound of Radio 2 apparently. Speaks volumes. Oddly
anodyne for a guy who was in an industrial punk band before starting
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and who, according to Wikipedia,
does not wear shoes. 6/10 www.michaelfranti.com
SB
Smod
– Ca Chante (Because)
Because Music seem to have a conduit straight
into the epicentre of the finest Malian talent, such as it is.
Recorded at Amadou and Mariam’s home, ‘Ca Chante’ probably lends
more to the sounds of the French banlieue rap than any indigenous
influence (though there is undoubtedly a hint of local instrumentation.
Smod is a great name but this track seems to fall between two
corners. Neither owt or nowt as they say round these parts. 6/10
SB
The
Naked and Famous – Girls Like
You (Fiction)
This Kiwi fivepiece
have little in common with their better known comic countrymen,
The Flying Conchords. This might please some people but will probably
displease an equal number. To cut to the chase it’s finely honed
pop, temporarily euphoric but ultimately a bit forgettable – like
a candy floss inspired sugar rush. 6/10 www.thenakedandfamous.com
SB
Delta
Maid – Of My Own (Geffen)
I never cease to be amazed that someone
could be called Delta Maid. But this warbly voiced, faux blues
driven by simpleton piano does nothing to impress. 5/10 www.deltamaid.com
SB
Sophie
Barker – Seagull album sampler (Ho
Hum)
As the voice of some
Groove Armada tracks and others, this album sampler comes from
Barker’s forthcoming second long player. She certainly possesses
a great whispish, breathy voice but the songwriting, although
solid, feels very derivative – the Morcheeba meets Carly Simon
of ‘Bluebell’ as a classic example. Then again, those are two
worthy influences. 6/10 www.sophiebarker.com
SB
The
Victorian English Gentlemens Club
– A Conversation (This is Fake DIY)
It continues to baffle me why more people aren’t aware of
The VEGC. They are by far one of the most inventive and playful
of a group of art rock bands knocking about and ‘A Conversation’,
written describing a woman’s conversation with her executioner
(as you do) is typically off kilter but manically catchy. The
two part vocal with near unintelligible female falsetto droning
in the background is pretty eerie next to the growly guitars and
the drumless chorus embellished with ghoulish fairground sound
effects is equally ace. 8/10
SB
Hanson
– Give a Little
Eh. Hanson? The Hanson? Yes indeed it is and
with some grizzly curiosity I decided to give this one a listen.
It appears that Hanson have grown up a bit since their ‘mmmBop’
days. They’ve even got facial hair (though one of them looks uncannily
like Darren Osbourne from Hollyoaks). Well, they were never going
to turn into Radiohead – this is still jive-pop for teenagers
but it’s harmless enough. 6/10 www.hanson.net
SB
All
Mankind – Break the Spell (So)
Does name-checking Coldplay and
Keane in your press releases these days act for or against you?
Seeing as we don’t read musical press we aren’t in much of a position
to judge, but last time we checked these two were anathema. And
that would be a bit unfair to All Mankind. Sure they have pianos.
Sure they have vocal falsettos but this is actually a pretty good
tune. Bugger, I guess I’m just not down with the kids anymore
(or maybe I am, in kind of ironic way).7/10 www.allmankind.com
SB
Urchins
– Xylophobe/Whispers (Cheaper Thrills)
First things first – there’s
a good two minutes at the start of ‘Xylophobe’ which could be
culled straight away before anything of interest starts happening.
From there on it’s very Orbital but without any twiddly bits.
Plus it has a truly dismal ending which just fizzles out. Onto
‘Whispers’ then. I had to check I hadn’t put the same track on
again as it seems Urchins are going for a very similar vibe from
the outset. But happily ‘Whispers’ has a much funkier bass drop
and some twinkly little key sounds. Sounds even more Orbital than
‘Xylophobe’ but I could definitely get into this one.7/10
SB
Sparrow
and the Workshop – Snakes
in the Grass (Distiller)
‘Snakes in
the Grass’ sounds like some glorious anachronistic ramble which
has been displaced from 1970’s San Francisco via The Gorbals.
Vocalist Jill O’Sullivan powerfully and adeptly soars through
the song with able accompaniment both vocally and musically from
the band. Oh, and the guitar break sounds like it’s penned by
Joey Santiago. It’s just great really. 9/10 www.myspace.com/sparrowandtheworkshop
SB
Various
Cruelties – Neon Truths (Almanac)
‘Set the night on fire, we’re
gonna tear it apart like a young messiah’...not a promising start
is it? Musically damn near indistinguishable from Last of the
Shadow Puppets, I’m afraid Various Cruelties are doing nothing
for me with this release. 5/10
SB
Our
Mountain – Wooden Hearts (Dancing Daughters)
This is bloody marvellous
– kind of like a gothic, evangelical David Bowie fronting the
Bad Seeds. ‘Wooden Hearts’ is the brainchild of slightly tapped
Australians via New York Our Mountain. I imagine a live show would
be equal parts exhilarating and scary. 8/10 www.our-mountain.com
SB
Kill
Cassidy – Animals (Sugar Shack)
Kill Cassidy? Are they like, quite well known? The name kind
of rings a bell and they are produced by Chris Sheldon so someone
has got a few quid to spend on them. Then there’s the rock star
names which battle with one another for the most impressive; Tim
Sensation? Martino? Andrejs Anonims? Dan Imperial? You are kidding
right?
Then again, ‘Animals’ is really bloody good. Poignant without
being too earnest. Beautifully played without getting too mathy.
I’m seriously impressed – I should never have doubted their rockstar
credentials with names like that? 8/10 www.myspace.com/killcassidy
SB
Mike
Marlin – No Place Like Home
Another impressive outing from the
consistent Mike Marlin. That said, this time, ‘No Place Like Home’
sees Marlin in more reflective mood, very much an album outro
sort of track, it feels more genuinely ‘Marlin’ rather than calling
on any of his many influences for musical style.7/10 www.mikemarlin.co.uk
SB
Mind
Museum – Rat Race
I have to admit that Mind Museum seem to have
successfully steered bang slap between the ideas of alt-rock and
post punk without pigeon holing themselves in the mire of either.
There’s a technicality about ‘Rat Race’ which is also matched
by an immediacy which will appeal to fans of more basic rock music.
Singer/bassist Justin E Percival oozes frontman charisma, Will
Slater’s guitars are slick and powerful and drummer Chas Bacon,
well he’s got a good name for a drummer. No, that’s uinfair actually
as even our Chas makes his presence felt a little bit more heavily
in ‘Everything Eventually’. Lap it Up. 7/10 www.mindmuseum.com
SB
Scumbag
Philosopher – God is Dead So
I Listen To Radiohead (Words on Music)
Currently supporting The Fall on tour, this should give you a
little clue to Scumbag’s sound. It’s outwardly punky but a pretty
neat version of punk where all the menace is in the reserve of
the delivery. I really like this track and its playful poke of
fun at over-serious but ultimately superficial urban philosophers.
8/10 www.scumbagphilosopher.com
SB
Herman
Dune – Tell Me Something I Don’t Know
(Fortuna POP!)
Fantastic
beards. That’s what I remember of Herman Dune last time I saw
them. That and the way they skulked around the Brudenell Social
Club like ghosts in between sets. This tracks sets the world weary
motif of the title against an unrepressable upbeat summery pop
tune very nicely. 7/10
SB
Comet
Gain – Working Circle Explosive (Fortuna
POP!)
Fine purveying of the scratchy, noisy 2 minute poppy nugget on
offer here from the Comet Gain. Think The Fall at their most melodic.
Not quite so sure about the inspiration for the track though so
I’ll leave the description from the press release to explain.
“’Working Circle Collective’ is a furious paean to the Baader-Meinhof
affiliated ‘proto-illness’ group SPK (Socialist Patients Collective)
who, diagnosing a deeper cultural malady behind the individual’s
experience of psychological and physical sickness in a capitalist
society, organised themselves around the exhortation to ‘make
illness into a weapon’. Got that? 8/10 www.myspace.com/thecometgain
SB
Aviv
Geffen – Mr Down and Mrs High (Mars)
I don’t like this from the
outset. There’s something horribly polished about the Tony Visconti/Trevor
Horn produced title track that cannot scatter any stardust over
the lack of song writing. He may be a cross dressing political
activist but I’m always wary of artists getting involved in politics
- concentrate on your craft first before using it as a vehicle
to espouse your views. 5/10
SB
Common
Tongues – Jumping Ships
This is kind of a free-flowing folky
effort which is impressive as the vocalist crams in his glut of
words into the most unlikely of places. Brings to mind a simplified
version of Arcade Fire. 6/10 www.myspace.com/thecommontongues
