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singles - may 2006
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Promising demo from a Cambridge electro threesome. '90
Seconds Over Nanterre' is a great opener, having Fatboy's winning way with
a sample, though it could be a little heavier. Literalists will also be
offended at its 105 seconds. 'The Baltic Fleet' apes Aphex and Berlin
Bowie, all ghosts in the radiators and insects in the life support.
'Hawaii' thrubs and complains like a generator going twice as fast as it
should, and would come alive with a suitably dirty vocal. Interesting
tunes, evocative titles, even a press release that hints at a manifesto.
Huzzah!
www.deadmedia.co.uk
Robin Fahy |
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Akira do not follow any trends or musical fashions in any way and this
split single just reinforces this point. Despite the disc getting glued into
the hand produced packaging resulting in getting stuck in my CD player by
globs of glue, 'Patriot' eventually managed to play and didn't disappoint.
Mantra like solo vocals give way and build into wailing guitars with drum
and bass solos which keep breaking up then building into viciously delicious
finale. Like a warped amalgamation of three or four separate tracks all
equally worthy of hassling your ears.
Atom is a much quieter affair (until the last couple of minutes when
normal noise service is resumed) with a really strange clipped production
that skips and breaks up. Or that could be the residue of the glue from the
CD again. You just don't know with Akira.
www.akiraband.com
SB |
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By the time you read the
review of this, this song will have imprinted itself in your brain as a
permanent fixture and it’ll probably still be in the Top 5. It’s perky and
bouncy and summer-y, but has one annoying factor – the singing man’s voice,
well his accent really, reminds me of Dick Van Dyke trying to be a cockney
in Mary Poppins, or Blink 182 in “I Miss You”. It grates on my lugholes.
Still, this band has got everyone pronouncing the word Kook properly, so
some praise there too.
Watch
video to 'Naive'
Dave Procter |
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No, not a typo but a bizarre spelling - the kerrazy Swedish cats. I mean,
how on earth do you say that? But this EP is a lot easier to work out - a
mighty fine symbiosis of screechy new wave guitars, electro bleeps and beats
and some rather trippy Doorsian interludes.
'Spin' keeps up the tempo with some bass driven funk that seriously rocks
out and the whole package is rounded off nicely with the synthfest that is
'Closer', despite the vocals sounding dangerously like Gwen Stefani. a minor
indiscretion on an otherwise blissful creation.
www.revl9n.com
SB |
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In the dark days before Gutenberg's movable type works of importance had
to be transcribed again and again by teams of monks. However diligently
they laboured errors would creep in, and be compounded through generations
of a text. Something similar has happened here - the first two tracks -
'No One Cares' and 'Piccadilly' - are a chinese whispers account of
Babyshambles. 'Keep On Talking' takes its cues elsewhere and is all the
better for it, a fab slab of 70's white blues that doesn't hide its
influences but isn't enslaved to them
www.pilotsofthesixth.blogspot.com
www.repeatfanzine.co.uk
Robin Fahy |
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Light and uplifting dance synth, though I say dance in the loosest
possible terms. Reminiscent of Air in the deftness of touch and production
but with some more soulful overtones a la Massive Attack. Great to chill to
on a summer evening.
www.roebeck.co.uk
SB |
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Lovely, double sided 7”
vinyl action, I like these moments. Miss The Occupier give us a blast of
noisy, 3 minute, Sonic-y punk. Very satisfying. Freezer Burn kick off
sounding like The Wedding Present, then all hell breaks loose as the sonic
cathedral pedal is stomped on, then it cools down a bit and goes a bit
Cribs-y. It’s breakneck speed a gogo here mostly and the drummer plays like
a new world record of bpm for a human could be achieved. They also find time
to fit in a gentle, looping triple harmony part in the song as a, gulp, type
of coda. Ideas you see and top stuff.
Dave Procter |
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The second EP from midlands based bizarro-rockers Hey Pablo! Which leaves
us with an interesting conundrum. To look at the kitsch 'wacky' packaging
and 'zany' artwork you would be left thinking this is a pet project gone to
far. But 'Police Car' is really good. Seriously. And even 'Rise Up' has a
certain professionalism about it's rap rock crossover, a bit reminiscent of
Faith No More/Boo Ya Tribe from Judgement Night.
'$5 Shake' sees Hey Pablo! striving for that early Chili Peppers funk
rock sound but gets mired with some joke vocals. 'Dr Laydon's Theory' is
pretty similar too, with some kick ass bass but bonkers vocals like 'Magic
Johnson' from the Chili's 'Uplift Mofo Party Plan'. Great in parts, daft in
others. Just what are you Hey Pablo!?
www.heypablo.com
SB |
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Undistinguished emo pop. Of the five tracks 'Wish you were her' is the
closest to a single and could slip easily into a eighties TOTP. 'Kingdom
of England' pares things down without significantly foregrounding the
vocals, lyrically reminiscent of b-side Suede (not an insult) or their
coda The Tears. They could do with another couple of speeds - 'Eve's Song'
gets closest, but it flirts awkwardly with trance when it should be moving
in for the grope.
www.myspace.com/tensandunits
Robin Fahy
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Short and sweet at 1 minute 58 seconds long, 'Anysound' is probably the
high point of The Vines' 'Vision Valley' album. Scratchy guitars and
crashing drums are mauled by Craig Nicholl's powerful rasping vocals. But
then one man's powerful rasping is another man's forced and unwanted. You
decide.
SB |
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This is so now it’s painful.
There is Talking Heads, Orange Juice, The Associates, Gang Of Four and much
early 80s synth action. And some The Rapture. And, of course, plenty of
disco hihat action. Last song “160” shows the most promise, but the rest
shows someone a band that wants fame soon before this sound is tomorrow’s
lift music.
Dave Procter |
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Uncle Ray is 'a disciple' of erstwhile Rolling Stones producer Jimmy
Miller and has put together a whole album of 'chilled out' reworkings of
classic Stones tracks including this one, 'Miss You'. It includes a full sax
solo by Mel Collins which was cut from the original apparently. It all
sounds like it should be banished to late night listening on Radio 3 to me.
www.singerrecords.com
SB |
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Ruby Slippers Records
The sticker on this promo version of this single has a quote: 'The Best
Band in Britain' - Rolling Stone. Nothing unusual in displaying this -
hell, if I got a review like that I'd tattoo it on my face - but it
creates unavoidable expectations.
'Emotional Junkmail' doesn't cut it. It's a satisfyingly lean slice of
angst punk, and both it and b-side 'It's Alright' have vocals from Seymour
Glass that hook consistently above their lyrical weight, but it's
primitive stuff. This route one approach to rock is a light year from the
nod and wink arch-ery that currently pervades the British indie scene, and
has always found less favour here than in the US...home of the Rolling
Stone. Going back to downloads 'Dot Dot Dot' and 'The White Noise Inc'
makes their case rather better, showing greater dynamism and
dimension, and this single at least suggests it's the recorded tip of a
live iceberg.
www.missblackamerica.net
www.rubyslippersrecords.com
Robin Fahy
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Uber-glam new wave cum electro rockers Dead Disco haven't been around
long but are certainly causing pleasant ripples across the Leeds musical
pond and beyond. I won't be the first person to suggest the Blondie-esque
vocals and the tightly constructed song writing. 'City Place' seems to belt
along, all glitzy and sophisticated but just lacks un peu de passion. No
doubt that would all come to the surface when they play live.
SB |
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A recently unsettled existence which has seen The Hungry I creator Jon
Stobler move from the south coast up to Edinburgh and back down to the
dubious delights of Northampton surface on this brooding and unsettling
release. Opening with some grandiose, almost Bond-theme horn sounds,
'Birthday' contorts and switches between what sounds like several separate
songs. But they all slide past each other in an ethereal soundscape made up
of eerie falsettos and huge reverb.
'The Jaws of Love' sounds like something is playing at the wrong speed
then does the schizo thing again before culminating in huge orchestral
choruses. Final track, a remix of 'The Idiot' inhabits a much bleepier
synthetic electro territory and is probably the nearest thing to an easy
listen on this EP made up of massive compositions and moods.
www.thehungryi.co.uk
SB |
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2 mixes of the same song, a
song of hope and positivity – the Peace Mix is all sitar drone, slide
guitar, overlapping vocals and folky to fuck drumming on what sounds like
cardboard boxes. Pretty ace then. Disappointingly, The War Mix seems to be
exactly the same, except for the nicking of “Sympathy For The Devil”’s
bassline in parts. Oh there’s some more slide and some plinky plonky piano,
which sounds like me playing piano, such is its occasional randomness. Not
as good as the Peace mix then, but when is War ever better than Peace?
Dave Procter |
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Yes yes yes! Parisian discoteers Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Auge have
cooked up another winner with this bumpy funky reworking of Simian's 'Never
Be Alone'. Seriously good - I defy you not to dance or at least wiggle just
a bit.
SB |
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'How's Your Lovelife' is a raw brute of a single which could just as well
have been crafted in the mid sixties using big valve amps and antique
recording equipment. Savannah Elias provides a female equivalent to Mick
Jagger and the basic drum pattern shared with The Stone Roses' 'I am The
Resurrection' hammers on right through the whole track. Nothing much new to
hear then but a decent effort all the same.
www.wallspaceband.com
SB |
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Don't share a mic with these guys, you'll catch something. Sleazy,
lascivious funk akin to Add (N) to X with the infection rate of Junior
Senior. At some point between b-sides 'C'mon, Do You Like It?' and 'Girls
Don't Like Guys' I got lost in a metaphor about Prince out at sea in an
ashtray, caught in the perfect storm... Forthcoming album 'The New Black'
promises a collaboration with Jamie Cullum - I fear for his soul...
Robin Fahy
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Little Heart is a generous mix of twinkly guitar and thunderous bass,
drum and distorted choruses. Simple yet not formulaic, bludgeoning yet
delicate, 'Little Heart' is a track of sublime contrasts.
'Open the Oceans' is a much more jerk-pop affair, more angular and
sinister but certainly no worse off for it. A pair of gems.
www.vformation.net
SB |
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A 4 track fuzzed up beast of
an EP, clearing out the wax, and it’s dark. The vocals are Siouxsie Sioux
and PJ Harvey, the beats are more punk and mushy. Nice.
Dave Procter |
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Sheffield eccentrics Champion Kickboxer release this classic as a free
download only single from the SPC website. I don't think there is any other
band quite like Champion Kickboxer (or indeed, as tall). With their highly
considered twiddly guitar motifs and deliberately stilted vocals which
suddenly explode into a kaleidoscope of harmonies this will be one of the
most interesting records you'll hear this month. So go on, download it.
www.theespc.com
SB |
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Anyone who listened to the Nyquist Theory compilation album will be
familiar with the staggering work of Oom. 'Poison' follows up on the success
of 'Black Heart' and sees a continuance of the bittersweet theme. Seriously
menacing and catchy electrics which have been beefed up by some live guitar
and drums are the perfect counterpoint to Debbie Clare's soothing vocals.
It's easy to see how she managed to blag a guest vocal on the latest Massive
Attack album.
'Coming Alive' is a much more rock orientated number in which the
live drums really make their presence felt with a rockabilly style beat.
This sits a little bit uncomfortably with the atmospheric soundscapes which
sandwich the track on this ep. The acoustic version of 'Drive' really lets
Debbie showcase her vocal range and highlights the crisp songwriting of the
band.
www.oomroom.co.uk
SB |
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There are two types of melancholy. The first, the expression of universal
woes, timeless gut punches we can all raise a salutary glass to - as
evinced by Macgowan, Cohen, maybe even James Blunt. Then there is the
other, the self pitying ramble that has your friends putting their phones
on divert. Horse and his Boy maunder tunefully but largely unappealingly.
'So Unnatural' is the best, the least solipsist, but a refrain of 'Is
there really any point in trying?' will test even bleaker folk than me. To
be fair some of the damage was done by a press release which seemed
written by Dr Raj Persaud: 'The tracks are themselves some sort of music
therapy, for without expressing pent up emotions you run the risk of self
destruction.'. And on line two...
www.horseandhisboy.co.uk
www.repeatfanzine.co.uk
Robin Fahy |
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As mentioned elsewhere in the album reviews I don't really get
Sucioperro's brand of math-cum-emotive rock. There are plenty of taut, fast
riffs but the vocals do come over all emo which seems at odds with some of
the heavier parts. Each track cuts back and forth between riffs and time
signatures so even when Sucioperro hit on a winner it is short lived.
Witness for example the schizophrenic 'Conversation with a Wasp' where a
central section of jack hammer dropped guitars gives over to an angelic
alter boy vocal. Maybe if I wore wrist bands?
www.sucioperro.com
SB |
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'Visit from the Dead Dog' is is a largely piano driven song considering
it features the guitar of Graham Coxon. But the guitars are kept pretty low
in the mix well below the 2001 Mercury Prize nominee's trademark breathy
vocals. A tootling little song, a bit lacking in substance to get me excited
but not awful either.
www.edharcourt.com
SB |
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More hyped than a riot, the Raconteurs arrive on our
shores in a blaze of publicity. A modern day ‘supergroup’ of sorts,
containing Jack White, (a man whose doubtless talent is hampered by an
ability to distinguish between blues and bluesy,) and some other blokes,
most notably Brendan Benson.
Apparently the Raconteurs owe their existence to the
fact that Benson and White wrote this song together in an attic and were so
impressed that they just had to form a band. That is like me deciding to run
a marathon simply because I’ve bought a decent pair of trainers.
It is a reasonable song though, a sort of fluffy rock.
Catchy and mindless it does the job, but you can’t help thinking of them as
the sort of band that session musicians tend to form. They’ve one good song
and then…what?
The b-side reinforces this idea: ‘Bane Rendition,’ a
truly pointless instrumental. It sounds like a
‘Teach-Yourself-The-Guitar-Effects-Pedal-CD’ (chorus and reverb edition.)
Timelessly mediocre, unfortunately this is definitely
less than the sum of its parts.
MJL |
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Seems like while Placebo have been away they have picked up on a few tips
from The Killers about how to put a hook in a song. Seems like the synths
were nicked good and proper. Other than that, the normal Placebo style emo
and hackneyed lyrics about making mistakes and bad lifestyle choices blah de
blah...There is the curiosity of a Radio edit which is actually longer than
the album version and an instrumental which is a different length than both
the others. How interesting.
www.placeboworld.co.uk
SB |
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Brutal stuff indeed from Job For A Cowboy. The first
‘song’ is an incredibly predictable keyboard introduction, the sort of thing
Arkangel would be proud to put their names to. However when the first track
proper, ‘Entombment of a Machine’ kicked in I felt like my lungs were going
to collapse. As a friend of mine so eloquently said upon hearing this “it
grabs you by the balls”. ‘Doom’ combines elements of metallic hardcore,
technical metal bands such as Dillinger Escape Plan and in terms of some of
the vocals, death metal. They don’t sound dissimilar to Cephalic Carnage.
Unfortunately, like Cephalic Carnage and a great deal of music of their ilk,
the initial impact soon wears off, and it rapidly becomes rather tiresome.
To continue the earlier testicular metaphor, the grip on ones balls is
rapidly loosened. ‘Doom’ is only an EP and I felt I’d heard more than enough
of Job For A Cowboy by the time the final track finished. Not that it’s bad
by any stretch of the imagination, fans of the material that Relapse records
tend to release would do well to check this out. However this didn’t quite
manage to maintain my interest. Must be getting old, bet the kids love this
shit.
Michael Pearson |
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Beck's vaguely retro and slightly winsome folk indie is a bit too bland
for my liking. A bit too 'I love you, you love me' to get really excited
about. That said there are some highlights - the trombone sections in
'Alice' provide an unusual fill for instance, but mainly this is pretty
sedentary folk.
www.howiebeck.com
SB |
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Preston three-piece knock out a fantastic jerk pop anthem in 'Sherlock
Groove Holmes'. Much high-hat action, multi riffery and funkalicious bass
sections make this a track to play over and over. Much in the style of The
Sunshine Underground or The Rapture, this is an exciting frantic four minute
introduction to the band.
SB |
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If you check out the album reviews you’ll see I tackle
the long-player there as well. Read that instead. Don’t get me wrong, I like
the album, the music and this song, but I can’t understand why you’d want to
own this as a single. Save up and buy the album instead.
MJL |
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For all of its intricate guitar picking and effects trickery, 'Elevate'
never really seems to go anywhere in its ample 6.12 minutes lifespan other
than a bit of a rock out a from the 3 minute mark. This gives the song a bit
of a Jekyll & Hyde effect but I expect the baggy jean brigade will love it.
But they are doing it with guts and passion, even if it is a bit strangled
by some shoddy production. 'Bruised and Hairless' is a heavier staccato
speed metal thing with rumbling basslines which speeds up and slows down
more times than you can say 'would you like a throat lozenge?'. Heavy as
John Prescott's wallet.
SB |
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Another triumphant real-life musical drama from Sheffield guitar monkeys
Little Man Tate. Get a hook, write and sing about the things you have seen
your life and record. Simple innit? Although equally fast, 'Young Offenders'
is a bit more of a bluesey attempt which actually ends up sounding like a
bit of a cowboy film soundtrack during the chorus - no mean feat.
www.littlemantate.com
SB |
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According to the press release ‘Guilty Pleasures’ is
largely about the thorny topic of masturbation. Now upon listening to
‘Guilty Pleasures’ the topic of ‘self-abuse’ does not seem to be
particularly addressed. My disappointment at this was thankfully tempered by
the quality of the material. Atki2’s music is a mixture of Arabic folk and
the kind of fucked-up dance music that Warp records mainly specialise in.
Excellent stuff, which DJ Rupture fans would do well to check out. I’d even
go so far as to describe this as ‘banging’.
Michael Pearson |
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A touch of irony at work here methinks. Leading off with album opener
'The View From the Afternoon' gets things rocking in a South Yorkshire way
on safe tried and tested territory. The remaining four tracks are all new
and an perhaps interesting tester to see what the Monkeys can come up with
for that 'difficult 2nd album'. There is a definite travel related subject
matter perhaps testament to the bands current hectic travelling on the road.
There's also a more soulful and introspective take on things with out all
the big singalong choruses. I'm not sure if they'll make the cut for the 2nd
album but certainly worth a a couple of quid if you are a fan.
www.arcticmonkeys.com
See
video to 'The View From the Afternoon'
SB |
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This four track EP from Telepathe combines tribal
drumming and left-field electronica in a manner not dissimilar to Gang Gang
Dance. In fact with vocals in part tribal chanting and part Bjork-esque
wailings, the similarity to Gang Gang Dance is more than slight. No matter
though, Gang Gang Dance are a damn fine band, as are Telepathe.
Michael Pearson |
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I love Archie Bronson Outfit. Everything they do contains more energy
than a warehouse full of Lucozade and 'Dead Funny' is no exception. This is
a raging stomp through massive drum beats, rattling guitar chords and dada-esque
vocals. It may sound like a bizarre pair of comparisons but it evokes the
likes of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' and also proper deep American country and
western. There's a hoedown in a pharmaceutical factory style vibe about it
and that has to be a good thing.
Watch
video to 'Dead Funny'
SB |
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Monolog aka Mads Lindgren from Denmark, possesses a dizzying array of
technological gadgetry, most of which seems to have been put to good use in
producing this intricate 20 minute ep.
Swirly percussions which seem to phase between compression and deep echo
occupy a good part of the CD and on 'Travel Song' there is practically no
melody other than that offered by the various percussive clicks, bleeps and
rhythms. This isn't as bleak as it may appear and a minimal amount of
shimmering sound is laid over this background of beat to produce a rich and
complex composition.
There are heavier moments such as 'Prinshaglgevaer' which is more mechano-industrial
to begin before outroing with some gentle sampled guitar parts. There are
obvious Aphex Twin and Foetus comparisons throughout though the breakbeats
of 'Heartbox' come over as a more original take on the genre. It is also the
only departure on the EP from a varied but consistent palette of sounds and
techniques which perhaps could have been varied a bit more during the
earlier tracks. Good no-wave jazztronica stuff all the same.
www.tender.nu
SB |
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What a strange beast Christiansilva seem to be with this sprawling hybrid
of a Queen meets Kiss meets Gary Glitter prog-glam falsetto stomp. God only
knows what they were thinking of.
By contrast there are four B-sides which are infinitely more agreeable.
'One Little Atom' is many things- catchy, lo-fi and warped to name but a
few. 'How to Be A Man' sees the falsetto lost and the power chords dismissed
and replaced with a fine little acoustic number. A bizarre 40 second choral
number about 'Dustmites' is finally followed by the melancholy 'Can You Feel
It?' which is intimate and orchestral all at the same time. Not a band to do
things by halves then.
www.myspace.com/christiansilva
SB |
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Top 100 in the German Club charts and selected to front a Cheerio
breakfast cereal campaign? Need I say more?
SB |
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Classically trained violinist fronts Icelandic alt/pop/rock band is not a
hopeful start. But this is not Vanessa Mae thank christ. 'Drugs' is a
suitably trippy stomp through a bizarre range of influences such as Tears
for for Fears and even Primal Scream while the vocals are phased in and out
of the actual music during the track with an arresting and disturbing
effect. And like most music emanating from Iceland these days, this is
excellently composed, produced and recorded. I feel a bit ashamed but I
think this is really rather good.
www.cynicguru.com
SB |
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Jerky staccato falsetto vocals and stop start guitars are the name of the
game from these precocious youngsters from the US. Sounds like this tune
should belong on the title track of one of those shity TV shows such as
Saved by the Bell. It's that annoying. Nice doggie on the cover though.
www.spintoband.com
SB |
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Vocalist Wake has a really strange vibrato wobbly voice somewhere between
Brian Molko and Ralph McTell - a pretty unusual combination. Which is more
than can be said for the tracks on the EP which is fey indie jingling affair
with the addition of a bit of phasing. There is no stand out track among
them, all twanging along in much the same way. Sends me to sleep to be
honest.
www.dastards.com
SB |
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I think this wonderfully DIY offering comlpete with hand written CD-R and
original Staples jewel case may have been lurking anonymously in the pile of
singles demos for a while now. But it's often these little fellas without
all the fancy artwork that yield the real gems. Not so this time
unfortunately as 'The Grey Room' is a lesson in mediocre guitar based rock
that has been done to death. Pearl-Zeppelin-Reef-alikes are ten a penny.
Maybe they sound better live. Maybe not. At least they didn't waste a load
of cash pressing CDs.
www.page44.co.uk
SB |
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A classic four piece vox/guitar/bass/drums which starts very promisingly
with some seriously bubbling bass and pace. 'Look Away Now' is only two and
a half minutes long and crams in a stack of energy and excitement which,
after the third play, eventually makes it to the end without the sound
breaking up in my CD player. Worth the wait though.
www.centuryman.co.uk
SB |
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More sublime sublime indie-folk from Argintinean-Swede Jose Gonzalez on
this 2-track single. His distinctive layered vocals are accompanied by a
beautifully taut double guitar part on 'Cosses' whereas 'Storm' is a more
melancholy and minimal track. Both are fantastic. Both should be listened
to.
www.jose-gonzalez.com
SB |
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'Swim' opens with some twinkling guitars and languid beats that provide
the backdrop to Phil McMinn's sensitive-type vocals a la Pablo Honey era
Radiohead. 'There Are Statues' has a bit more of an urgency about it but
follows in much the same vein, perhaps a little more post rock orientated,
as, even more so, is 'Send in the Angels'.
But the by far the best is left until the end when the stop starting
guitars of 'We've All Felt the Voltage' eventually explode into life and
uplift what could otherwise be quite a shoe gazey EP to something a bit
different. But it's a genre that is already packed with competition that is
not a million miles different (Snow Patrol, Redjetson et al.) so for all
their undoubted talent. it's tough to see how Fell City Girl will make a
lasting impression.
www.fellcitygirl.co.uk
SB |
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A not so subtle anti-Imperialist swipe at our not so glorious world
leaders in this four track EP from Glasgow's Masque. Leading off with a
cheesey marching band intro which may well be metaphor for blatantly
following whatever leaders tell us to believe, 'Induction' soon crashes into
violent electronic hailstorm of sound. First song proper, 'Let's Play God'
features the trademark overdubbed vocals which are overlaid a background
track muck akin to something The Revolting Cocks were doing in the nineties.
but this has been all mashed up and re-assembled into a Frankenstein's
monster of a song.
'Peacekeeper' picks up where 'Let's Play God' left off in pummelling home
the anti-war message with a similarly nihilistic lyric and RevCo backing
track. Where things do take a departure is final track 'Just Believe What
You're Told' which is an incongruous acoustic rant in a Billy Bragg stylee.
Oops - no it's not - half way through our balladeer is replaced with an
industrial clatterbang of beats and the mantra 'We Are the Good guys, They
are the Bad guys, we must destroy them' plus a million samples of the word
'terror' taken from any number of populist television and radio programmes.
Does four tracks of the same subject matter which almost literally (well,
sonically at least) hammer home the same message constitute overkill?
Possibly. But some messages are worth making a point over.
www.topplers.net/masque
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The first release from Yesternow, a label dedicating
itself to the production of acoustic music in all its guises, Shoreline’s
debut release is a record of soft quintessentially British folk music.
Opener ‘Lightning’ is a simple track featuring harps,
bouzouki, acoustic guitar and vocals and while being quite nice it fails to
really be anything more than that. However by half way through the following
track ‘Shipwrecked’ its hard not to have fallen for the delicate building
harmonies and repeated vocal hook. ‘Sounds like’ feels a little too twee to
ever be truly endearing whereas ‘Kings’ shows a nod to the likes of Vashti
Bunyan and Espers.
All in all a rather pleasant release which shows a huge
amount of potential for Shoreline providing they manage to steer themselves
from the jagged rocks of twee folk ramblings.
Luke Drozd |
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Deep panic sets in after 5 seconds as Celine Dion style pipy things
accompany the pedestrian guitars and the oh-so earnest story-telling vocals
of Mr Morton. This is some kind of horrible country-folk cross over
concoction that is too horrible for words.
www.finlaymorton.com
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A purely instrumental band? And not dance-based? Surely some mistake?
Apparently not as former Luton post-punkers 'Thrilled Skinny' have evolved
into The Knockouts and eliminated the words. A bold move which the Tasty
jury is still out about. No amount of Theramin activity can make up for the
limitations in contributing sounds though the deliciously scuzzy third track
sounds like it was recorded on a dictaphone and mixed in a Kenwood Chef.
Generally it's an analogue surf punk vibe that you'll either groove along to
or get bored of very quickly.
www.theknockouts.org.uk
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There are few things quite as exciting as the prospect
of a new release from Leeds premier kraut rock visionaries Quack Quack.
Following on from their excellent debut release we have here a wee slice of
vinyl featuring double A-side ‘Mars’ and ‘The Great Catsby’.
‘Mars’ is already a firm live favourite with its double
drumming shenanigans and John Carpenter-esque haunting keys and shows Quack
Quack to be more than mere mortal men. With its throbbing bass and complex
rhythms it ensures a sense of foreboding that your legs tell you only a slow
sexy dance will help to lift.
‘The Great Catsby’ is the sound of audio treacle sifted
through Blackpool Pleasure Beach straight into your brains pleasure
receptors. With the gentle electronic backing of the intro to its wonderful
bass break in the middle it’s a complex and wondrous surreal pop
instrumental that leaves a more than pleasant aftertaste.
This single is the reason you have a stereo and if you
don’t buy it you probably don’t really like music at all. Quack Quack wish
to show you a good time so just relax, that’s it relax. Slip off that tie
and let them unbutton your shirt. It’s going to be all right. You know why?
Because Quack Quack know exactly what they’re doing.
Luke Drozd |
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There's a wickedly roguish keyboard melody which seems to creep in and
out of this otherwise guitar bop single from Phoenix that keeps the
attention span going just long enough to avoid the skip button. Unashamedly
upbeat and summery. Bah!
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Blimey - this is brill. The title track is like Bryan Ferry singing pulp
songs and is full of poppy musical complexity which is only surpassed in its
complexity by its catchiness. A bitter sweet ironic take on the age old
conundrum of a dying relationship.
'A Secret Public' does not disappoint either and features a vocal that
sounds as clandestine as its subject matter. A rip roaring chorus featuring
of all things a bit of saxophone (which is kept well in check by the
production) bring this little gem of a release to a fine close.
www.luxembourgband.com
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