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singles - june 2006
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This is so ‘now’ it hurts. Imagine Bryan Ferry
singing with a band of angular haircuts, and you’ve pretty much got
yourself the SFL sound. ‘Ghetto Ways’ is particularly vapid, whilst ‘Save
It Cory’ is basically The Killers. It couldn’t be more generic if it
tried, basically. Last track, ‘Marsha’ is more straightforward, poppy, and
therefore BETTER, and reminds me a little of Beulah. But I can’t help
feeling that SFL would wind me up a treat if I ever saw them live. Shame.
Sam Metcalf |
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How many more great tracks
can Clearlake lift from their album 'Amber'? This one has a great retro vibe
with big rolling toms and whispering strings threaded through a simple
guitar hook which is perfect for the unfashionable subject matter of the
song, getting together with an old friend and losing track of time while
catching up. a masterpiece.
www.clearlake.uk.com
SB |
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Wow, it’s not exactly fashionable to
be so blatantly enamoured of Big Star in this day and age, but when I read
of this quintet’s Glaswegian origins it all made sense. Following in the
footsteps of Teenage Fanclub and Cosmic Rough Riders, the crystalline
chords, wistful strumming and laid-back charm of “Wendy” and “Nothing but
Love” would make Alex Chilton proud and Evan Dando jealous!
However, it’s the sweet Burrito’s
pedal steel and heavenly harmonies on “Martin” that makes it the cream of
this collection and the track I just can’t stop playing. It’s kind of a
shame we don’t get many offerings of this calibre here at Tasty Towers, but
at least there’s less danger of this CD not making my end-of-year top
ten…unless their album turns out to be even better, of course.
www.atticlights.co.uk
Will Columbine |
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A curiously schizophrenic effort
here which manages to combine the unlikely recording techniques of both
guitar feedback and kazoo action. There is a refreshing quirkiness to the EP
which manages to borrow from a whole host of styles but always holds them
together with a distinctly home grown and intimate feeling. Gentle but
moving.
www.lowsparks.com
SB |
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I wouldn’t say this is a bad indie pop/rock record, but
there have been millions made like this. This reminds me of a wet Tuesday
night at The Adelphi in Hull, watching a local band that will never go
anywhere apart from on their own walls. ‘Oh!’ is way too lush, too forced
and too bloody long to ever register on your brain for more than 30 seconds.
A shame, cos The Trudy have an ace name. There really aren’t enough people
called Trudy around at the moment.
Sam Metcalf |
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Noodling ambient electronica awash with finger picked guitars, analogue
synths and 'soulful' vocals. All very nice but I would not recommend
listening to this and watching Ukraine v Switzerland in the same evening if
you wanted to stay awake.
www.roebeck.co.uk |
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What seems like the 10th single from
'Meds' and, again, I feel myself feeling ashamed into admitting that I quite
like it. Plinky synths and massive layered guitars, and the normal Molkoisms.
Can't knock it really. Other point to note from the video - when did Brian
Molko get so good looking? Damned annoying.
www.placeboworld.co.uk
watch video to track
here (.wmv file)
SB |
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Horrific, riff-heavy metal. The kind which should’ve
died in The Barge in Grimsby in 1991, but, mystifyingly, continues to be
popular. There’s nowt so queer as folk.
Sam Metcalf |
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I’m ashamed to say this CD has been
lying around my gaff for a while now, and my esteemed colleague Mr Blanchard
has already beaten me to the punch with a review of his own. Well, there’s
no good reason why a band who sends badges should suffer on account of my
negligence, and what’s wrong with a second opinion anyway?
As it turns out, I can’t help but
agree with Shane on this one. Radiohead-esque without being annoyingly so,
Fell City Girl tick all the right boxes when it comes to sensitive, anthemic
rock but offer no real clue as to why they choose to affiliate themselves
with Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky in their press release, other than
that their lead guitarist uses a lot of delay. But then so do Johnny
Buckland and The Edge…you see what I’m saying?
www.fellcitygirl.co.uk
Will Columbine |
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Another test for the tasty typewriter with all these funny
symbols...Anyone who has seen those simpering BBC adverts for Wimbledon will
already have heard this as the backing music is by Sigur Rós. Building up to
a simple but layered and anthemic 3 chord chorus, a touch of lightness is
supplied by Jonsi's falsetto vocals. The three other tracks on the EP are
very minimal, mainly instrumentals, and, to be honest, other than some
gentle keys in 'Refur' which acts like an outro to 'Sæglópur', the other two
are pretty forgettable.
www.sigur-ros.co.uk
Watch video to 'Sæglópur'
SB |
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Spiky, spunky and much like The Pretenders, The
Delilahs aren’t ones to be messed with, clearly. ‘Let’s Tango’ falls just
the right side of pop metal, and reminds me a little of Elastica in places.
Like a sneaky earworm, methinks this could manifest itself on my mental
jukebox for some time. How annoying.
Sam Metcalf |
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Terrible name isn't
it? Everyone knows Tarka was an otter, not some kind of musical scientist.
This is a very earnest release packed with full bodied vocal bawling and
Jimi Page-like distorted slide guitar sounds. Reef - the 2006 return anyone?
Track 2 is a pleasant quiet one with some simple yet effective song
structure and a far more effective, almost whispered smokey vocal style
which morphs into a vocoded affair which peters out a bit disappointingly.
Tracks 3 and 4 seem to be an amalgam of the first two, in various guises.
that, or the vocalist actually does have a voice that sounds like it is
vocoded. How cool would that be?
SB |
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'Cut your Hair' is the peculiarly disjointed opener from this EP where
the vocals sound like they were recorded a whole land away from the rest of
the track and leaves me struggling to get the volume right on my CD player.
Which is a pity because there is some interesting stuff going on. 'Fort
Washington' by comparison hits the mark straight away and is chock full of
unexpected key changes and chord progression that keeps the vocals bobbing
around like a discarded corn plaster in the local swimming pool. The track
breaks down and reconstructs itself brilliantly.
An unexpected but very successful falsetto accompanies the finger picked
guitars to final track 'An Equation' which swells and ebbs away. Another
fine offering from LED.
www.loveendsdisaster.co.uk
SB |
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Yikes! There’s more metal to deal with this month
than you can shake your flame shaped guitar at. Billy Talent are where
Green Day meets Metallica, and therefore have no place in wider society.
Billy Talentless, more like. That took me ten seconds to think of.
Sam Metcalf |
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Transatlantic jerky synth pop is the name of
the day, though there is definitely an inkling of the PR hyped Bauhaus-New
Order vibe, especially in B-side 'Holy Divine'. But the main course, 'Moving
Forward' goes on a bit too long for my liking - though on the plus side -
I've just had time to go to the loo and by the time I've come back, the
track is still playing. Swings and roundabouts then. SB |
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For a 21 year old, Mike Rosenbery doesn’t half sound
like he’s in Mike and the Mechanics. ‘Stray Dog’ is something you’d hear on
Steve Wright (in the afternoon), and can easily be lumped in with the James
Blunt School of Deadly Dull cunts. That’s better. More swearing in the
singles reviews.
Sam Metcalf |
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I have a terrible confession to make. No,
really - a bad. OK - here goes. I don't like Pink Floyd. never have done.
Maybe never will. There. Glad that is off my chest but I am steeled for the
hate mail. Taking this into account but also giving David Gilmore's solo
work credit in its own right, what can we say about this single?
Well, it's a perfectly lilting, gentle ballad loosely based around
acoustic slide guitar. Perfectly acceptable. Perfectly unassuming. Perfectly
uninteresting. Would anyone take any notice if it wasn't by Dave Gilmour?
Probably not.
www.davidgilmore.com
Watch video
here (.wmv file)
SB |
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Pounding electro-pop from a
Portsmouth posse who met while auditioning to be extras in Dr. Who, and who
have apparently got a couple of Radio One DJs slobbering into their cereal
(their own, not the band’s…although you never know). I dunno…just when
you’ve got rid of one Test Icicles, along comes another. Quite catchy but,
at the same time, quite annoying.
www.autons.info
Will Columbine |
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Kobai are one of those bands so achingly 'now' that you
feel like you have heard it all before. Not to say that they aren't very
good, but you should be good when there are 6 of you all plugged in and
kicking out a noise. Throw in the obligatory slowey and you have a well
rounded, if not ground breaking EP.
www.thekobai.co.uk
Watch video to to 'Seratonin'
SB |
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In a desert of decent singles this month, The
Research are a delightful oasis. ‘The Hard Times’ is the one with the
spazzy keyboard riff. Oh, that’s every Research song, isn’t it? Anyway,
this is a great POP song. Ideal for picnics in the park this summer, and
one for nodding your head along to in times of great strife and joy alike.
Thank heavens for The Research.
watch video to track
here (.wmv file)
Sam Metcalf |
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Thank Christ - I thought I had lost this CD down the back of the sofa or
something but it turned up sandwiched between some Swedish electronica and
some hardcore techno. But then O Fracas defy any standard pigeon-holing.
'Follow Sue' is a perfect case in point where the grating guitars,
splattered drums and little anguished yelps all seem to act against each
other, or at the very best, don't really compliment each other. But by god,
somehow it really does work, colliding together to form something beautiful.
Definitely a case of the whole making up more than the sum of the parts.
Thank god the band haven't gone through with their threat to start doing
funk records yet...
www.ofracas.com
SB |
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the
cider pub…
New Model Army have been going for just over 482 years.
That’s a FACT. BD3 is certainly an anomaly these days. Of course, back in
1989 all records sounded like this, but nowadays this sounds almost
different and vital. But then you remember it’s new Model Army, and you go
back to having a little chuckle to yourself. Harsh, but fair.
Sam Metcalf |
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2 minutes 17 seconds of
belting indie rock here. Fortune Drive are a five piece from Bristol but the
number of contributors does not clutter up this recording which is a lesson
in directness and energy.
www.fortunedrive.com
SB |
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Hell, this has been a struggle. ‘The Perfect Gift’ is
nothing but a Feeder b-side. And not a particularly good one, either. How
are bands allowed to get away with such mediocrity? In my day they would’ve
been caned and forced to join the army. It never did me any harm!
Sam Metcalf |
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Being described
as a reggae infused punk 4-piece made me instantly suspicious. But what
followed happily did not live up (or down?) to the description. Instead it
rather formed a twinkling lo-fi pop one-two. Sure, 'Half Read Book' has a
slightly quirky time signature, but you won't need to file Circuits in the
same section of your record collection as UB40. Think more like The Police
but without that annoying tree-hugger up front.
www.circuitsband.com
SB |
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This is the first widely available single by
Leeds/Bradford based This Et Al. The first interesting thing I noticed was
that there was meant to be 4 tracks but there were only three, and that was
about the only thing interesting thing I noticed to be honest. Don't get me
wrong, this isn't bad, not at all really, I could see, or hear it easily
alongside the likes of Biffy Clyro and most other fairly noisy post punk
indie rock bands that have a tendency to break into a Doves-esque melodic
droney, sorry, anthemic, chorus.
This Et Al are tight, confident and accomplished group
but for me they don't really offer much beyond the mould that has been cast
and used time and time again and is beginning to show it. Sorry but this
ain't that good.
Will Edmonds |
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Lovely squelchy beats that
sound like they might have been generated by some kind of bashed up 80's
Casio synth meet a slightly eerie melody and vocal style before building
up into a guitar-squawl of a finale. Slightly quirky, slightly leftfield
and all the better for it.
www.thefallouttrust.com
watch video
here (.wmv file)
SB |
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Ireland has committed many crimes
against music (JJ72, The Corrs, B-Witched…and we haven’t even started on the
boy bands) but Mr Charbagz’s rather likeable EP atones somewhat. Bolstering
these four acoustic tracks with layered harmonies, synth and drum-machine,
his vocal style mixes Jim Reid’s drawl with Richard Ashcroft’s phrasing.
“Whispers in Darkness” and “Night of
the Worm” are both reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac, while the opening chords of
“California Games” evokes some of the quieter moments from “The Bends”. The
last track has a sleazy Afghan Whigs feel about it, which makes
“Fuckability” an apt title. Mickey may have questionable taste when it comes
to woolly jumpers, but I wish him all the best in taking his musical message
to the Leeds massive.
www.myspace.com/mickeycharbagzband
Will Columbine |
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Wow - this is a pretty impressive demo. 'The Ghost of Simon Taylor' is a
difficult act to follow, packed full of great melodic guitar riffs and vocal
harmonies. In some ways they remind me of stuff from the Manic's 'Generation
Terrorists' where it seemed they could pack more ideas and riffs into one
song than most bands would find in a whole album. 'Light the Vermilion
Lantern' is a heavier number but I had to check that I wasn't actually
playing two tracks at once - the drum part just sounds completely off kilter
to me. Demo closer 'Seven Instances Where You Have Caused me Harm' rallies
the cause with another storm of riffs and time changes that don't let you
get your breath throughout the full four minutes. Watch this space.
www.catostreetconspiracy.com
SB |
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The increasingly incestuous Leeds scene sees the Kaisers-endorsed Yes Boss
hitting our doormat again. And what a nasty piece of work they seem to be.
Yes Boss seem to specialise in a low key delivery with a bit of a minimal
backing track. But the lyrics are the star here. 'They Think it is All Over'
is a three minute rant about shagging the wives of sad blokes who are more
interested in football than their spouses - piss funny.
www.dancetotheradio.com
SB |
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Since growing up in Devon and
boredom go hand-in-hand (and I speak from experience), what better way to
release all that pent-up frustration than by forming a band? It certainly
was a good move on the part of Thousand Natural Shocks, and beats
vandalising phone boxes or committing incest.
Coming on like At the Drive-In on
sedatives, the title track blends the bounciness of The Kooks with chugging
QOTSA guitars and is probably the best of the three, although the jerky
rhythms of The Rapture-inspired “Never Say Never Do” are also pretty
infectious. All that hard graft in their secret Dartmoor hideaway has
obviously done the trick.
www.myspace.com/thousandnaturalshocks
Will Columbine |
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Hype alert - 'creating a
sound ...that transcends music and offers an otherworldly atmosphere...'
Sure. On the other hand, 'Drain Cosmetics' from Norway's Serena Maneesh is
rather good, in a swirly Primal Scream sort of way. There are only 4.5
million people in Norway and at least 6 of them make up this band - perhaps
explaining the depth and richness of sound they produce.
The other tracks on this EP are also pretty good - very trippy and
layered with loads of stuff phasing in and out and some overlapping dirty
male- clean female vocals.
www.serena-maneesh.com
Watch video to 'Drain
Cosmetics'
SB |
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A curious folk
meets rock pomp a la Led Zeppelin from The Eighteenth Day of May.
Actually, that may be a bit unfair - just when you are expecting this to
mutate into some horrible rock-based hybrid it, err, just doesn't. This
restraint and (and perhaps the clue from the band name - very Ralph McTell)
show that the band are more interested in making proper bouncey folk-based
ditties rather than pandering to any pre-conceived stereotypes. Very
summery.
www.theeighteenthdayofmay.com
SB |
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Not as good as 'Sherlock Groove
Holmes' but a perfectly lively effort all the same. Second track, the
eponymous 'KBC' is much more exciting and the tight thumping remix of 'Not
Anymore' by Performance is also worth a spin. With KBC , Performance and The
Whip, the disco-goers of the north west are truly getting spoiled at the
moment.
www.thekbc.net
SB |
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Good grief - Radar are a bit weird. Despite sounding like dub reggae
meets The Adams Family theme and including the most obvious demonstration of
a bass vocal underdub since 10CC's 'Dreadlock Holiday' (shudder...), this
single will more than likely get you bending your knees and dancing like
your Dad at a Christening.
www.radar.tv
Watch the video to 'Lunacy'
SB |
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It’s probably safe to assume there hasn’t been a
barrage of well-known indie bands hailing from Norwich but Cord are
determined to change that. Seemingly touring non-stop over the past couple
of years with bands such as Orson and The Upper Room, Cord are now ready,
willing and eager to unleash their debut single. The summer release the
ironically titled Winter, is a swish of a song. Guitar rifts are heavily
doused in strings and adamantly towed along by buoyant drumbeats creating a
charmingly satisfying record. Lead singer James’ whines of “You took the sun
out of my summer sky, and it might as well be winter” are delivered with
such an aching sense of rawness and emotion, that by the end of the song you
can’t help but hope the climate perks up for him. Just as the record
threatens to become wetter than an Embrace album in a paddling pool, lines
like, “If I’m crawling back into bed beside you, you know it’s just to kill”
swoop in to fish it back out. Radio playlist friendly and grazing from a
similar indie-pop pasture as Starsailor, Cord’s Winter might just save any
future Norwich jibes from featuring, “Partridge” or “Delia”.
Victoria Levitt |
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Not only a song of epic proportions but a very complete background into
the impossibilities of cultivating a truly black tulip - that's value for
money. A deliciously filthy and clipped bassline is the mainstay of this
most noir of indie-noir tracks. And you would expect nothing else from a
band which looks like it could single handedly keep the Loreal counter at
your local Boots in business for a year just through mascara sales. At over
5 minutes long perhaps a little meandering but that is all part of the
building atmosphere. I am now quite scared.
www.theblacktulips.com
SB |
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I may be bucking the trend of the massive list of organs that seem to
have been raving about this single. 'Dragging Wires' has a beautifully
building melody built around strings and brass section which provides a
certain type of optimistic melancholia. But contrary to the aforementioned
publications, I find the drawled vocals a bit tedious. Can anyone really
have such a naturally laryngitic voice? Shame really.
www.bone-box.com
SB |
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How disappointing for “London’s
answer to Broken Social Scene” to turn out to be yet another band that
mistakes “epic” rock for throwing in everything including the kitchen sink
and banging on for six minutes without a hook in sight. The ghost of
Radiohead looms into view once again but this time with a bit of brass and
vocals that sound like Starsailor. Nothing that would warrant a second
listen.
www.revereonline.co.uk
Will Columbine |
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Sailing the seas of commercial paydirt by getting your single featured a
on a primetime world cup advert? Oh yes. But The Bees retro analogue vibe
and generally admirable facial hair mean this single isn't too unpalatable.
www.thebees.info
SB |
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Very good. Acoustic guitars, harmonies and the wonderful Christopher
Walken as subject matter? Sounds too good to be true. Not sure how
continually threatening to 'kick your ass' (amongst other far worse threats)
can be construed as a 'tribute' to the actor but hey ho, it's a bit gimmicky
but it is good.
www.aeline.co.uk
SB |
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Schizophrenic metal five-piece who
have already impressed me with their shambolic live shows and no doubt
disturbed others with their weak grasp of the laws of grammar (see
interview!). They don’t seem to know how they want to sound, a fact that
this six-track CD demonstrates. Beery shout-a-thons (“Tramps”) sit alongside
Libertines-lite (“Boy Racer”), jostle for space with full-on rockers (“Dancefloor”,
“I Own the Floor”), and rub shoulders with jangly songs about girls (“Dying
to Know Nothing”, “Cows”).
Always mindful to leave space for a
guitar workout, some tracks do tend to go on a bit too long but you can’t
deny they have a way with a catchy chorus, not to mention some interesting
subject matter. Perhaps too rough around the edges to ever be loved by the
masses (and they aren’t doing themselves any favours with those
biscuit-barrel drums either), give me a band with character such as this
over yer usual slick but vapid fare any day of the week. Safe!
http://www.myspace.com/chopchopbeartouch
Will Columbine |
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Like their previous singles, including 'Naive' which apparently got to
No. 5 in the charts, 'She Moves in Her own Way' is another mainly acoustic,
unobjectionable offering, the sort of which is regularly peddled in indie
bars up and down the land where the music policy is vaguely indie but
nothing too challenging that would scare off the Magners drinking weekend
clubbers. Rant over.
www.thekooks.co.uk
SB |
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Hard to believe that this
multi-layered delight is the work of just a single person, in this case Will
Holland from Cleveland, Ohio. Vocally he’s a dead-ringer for Built to
Spill’s Doug Martsch although the music is more an indication of what Arcade
Fire might sound like if they went acoustic, especially on the excellent
opener “London” which features the universally recognisable lyric “My
parents paid my way through school/I still don’t know what I want to do”.
Elsewhere, particularly on the
beautiful “Thank You Music Guru”, there’s the kind of Scandanavian kookiness
that I’ve enjoyed so much recently from bands like Mew and Shout Out Louds,
while “Ophelia” could not be influenced by anything other than the Pixies.
On the press sheet, it says Will’s ambition is to be able to quit work and
“just screw around on guitar for the rest of his life”…well, he’s definitely
got my support.
www.lostonpurpose.com
Will Columbine |
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One can only wonder at what the psychological consequences of watching
Ronnie Moore's meagre footballing outfit over the years might have been. But
musically, The Tivoli are probably best defined as a Beautiful South meets
Del Amitri supergroup, again, not an easily imaginable proposition. But the
melodies have a bitter sweet tinge and 'Drop Me Off at Rotherham' contains
an indomitable spirit that would warm the cockles on even the coldest
Saturday afternoon on the stands at Millmoor.
www.thetivoli.co.uk
SB |
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Just four tracks here but spanning over 40 minutes with a couple topping
out longer than a quarter of an hour each - phew. So little surprise then
that The Seven Mile Journey sound is that based in a type of minimal post
rock. The highlights are an interesting overlap of beats and a kind of
phasing of different guitar layers (that, or my speakers are the blink). The
weak points being those which affect a lot of this genre - a lacking of any
direction during some songs which means despite the seemingly arbitrary 4
bar repeats, no real sense of purpose or tension is built up quickly enough.
When two of your songs are over 15 minutes long, this can lead to a
particularly ponderous sound.
www.thesevenmilejourney.dk
SB |
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Hmm, how do I get through this
review without mentioning Death From Above 1979? You see, Evil Beaver are a
bass and drums rock combo with some serious credentials behind them: not
only have they played toured with such big names as Shellac and the White
Stripes but drummer Gene Trautmann is also a fully paid-up member of Queens
of the Stone Age. But do they put all this experience to good use?
The answer is yes. First track
“Believin’ Deceivin’” sports some mighty riff-age which makes it hard to
believe there are only two instruments at work here – it’s amazing what a
little studio pixie dust can do. Singer Evie Evil comes across like a female
Perry Farrell with twice as much attitude and, just when you think they’ve
stretched the gimmick as far it can go, they also serve up an electro-clash
version of “I Wanna Be Your Dog”!
www.EvilBeaver.us
Will Columbine |
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Tinkly xylophone-smitten, piano driven retro indie foppishness has no
place in my heart and this effort from The Concretes is no exception. Much
like the Magic Numbers, I just don't know what all the fuss is about. Maybe
if I wore a polka dot dress I'd like it, but that is a step too far even for
this intrepid reporter my friends.
http://www.lickingfingers.com
Watch the video to 'On
The Radio'
SB |
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Bloody shift key sticking on the keyboard at Junkbait Music then or what?
Apparently not. But ignore the weirdo spelling and immerse yourself in this
soundtrack techno which has an equally strange staccato style like a Moog
with a stammer. The sound is heavily percussive which maintains a certain
driving urgency to the composition as a whole, avoiding the all too easy
risk of just swirling round like an amorphous mass of samples and loops.
They even wear lab coats and gas masks on the sleevepack - what more could
you want from a leftfield electro outift?
SB |
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Before receiving this single I had never heard the
music of Mojave 3. Before listening to this single I heard an old Mojave 3
album. Despite reading that this single was their poppiest music yet, this
wasn’t what I expected and maybe I was a little disappointed.
It shows great songwriting and arranging and has a
charming summery niceness but I couldn’t decide if it was intelligent pop or
indie pap. I still can’t, though maybe because the b-sides let it down. In
the end I think you’ve just got to go with the optimism of this.
After all if all throwaway pop music was this great
then we wouldn’t need this, but it isn’t, so we do.
MJL |
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Another strong outing from guile who build on 'My Salvation' with this
twin release. Serendipity has bouncey tempo much like the Rawhide theme tune
put through a gothic blender to give it a typically Guile-esque darkness.
B-side 'Yesterday's Karma' is a much bluesier affair with Neal Sawyer's
vocals and the stacks of guitar layers doing a decent job of sounding like
The Screaming Trees.
www.guilemusic.com
SB |
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Not so much a split EP
as an album split between two artists...if that makes sense. Pacific Ocean
Fire tease out world weary Americana that sounds like a last orders
singalong in a honky tonk saloon. Looser and more rambling than
contemporaries like the Broken Family Band and South San Gabriel. The
fantastically names two piece, Don's Mobile Barbers produce the kind of
wistful, unashamedly gentle pop of the early nineties. Four tracks are
offered up here and they are remarkable for the fact the duo play every
instrument between themselves. The soundtrack of a lonely stagger home from
the pub down cold wet streets at closing time.
www.pacificoceanfire.com
www.donsmobilebarbers.co.uk SB |
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Oops - the tasty filing system fails again - I've had this CD since early
May - muchas apologeticas all round. And what a mistake as The Antec Sonata
seem to bristle with all the chaotic frenzy of a hive of bees on crack.
Impressively scuzzy guitars that sound like they have been put through a
£29.99 amplifier from Argos seem to chop in and change at will, not
slavishly following the bass and percussion lines. And the vocals are
delivered with the languid swagger of a less annoying Brian Molko which
provides a smothering honey like quality which smoothes over the more
abrasive qualities of the guitars. Fine stuff.
www.theantecsonata.co.uk
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I am a big fan of the Tindersticks, (fronted by your
man here,) but always feel a little disappointed when I listen to them. They
always reach 8/10 but then seem unable to make a truly spectacular album. I
was quite interested to see how S.A.S. would fare.
In truth this sounds very similar to the Tindersticks.
(Though that’s fine by me.) It has the typical
Townes-van-Zandt-esque-but-more-cinematic-instrumentation, and the Lee and
Nancy style vocals. (Which they do better than any other young pretenders.)
It is a great song.
The B-side is also off of the new album and this also
sounds like the Tindersticks, this time their poppier recent style with the
burbling Hi-Records style organ. It is only a good song.
I kept coming back to the A-side, it really is a great
song, and I am now very excited about hearing the album…. 8½/10.
MJL |
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Erm, not sure what all the fuss is
about here, judging from this very MOR jangly indie. Apparently fan pressure
ahs resulted in the band gaining a new record deal. Personally, I'd rather
encounter one of John Wyndham's man-eating plants.
http://www.dominorecordco.com/triffids
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Formed from the ashes of the awesome Prefects way back
in the ‘80’s, Nightingales were a post-punk band with great songs and sense
of humour to boot. Now back touring again we have the first new single from
them and it shows they’ve lost none of their verve and direction. ‘Let’s
Think About Living’ is a rockabilly tinged pop single that wouldn’t sound
out of place on a Broken Family Band record but it is B-side ‘Seconds’ that
is the highlight here. Sounding far closer to their post-punk beginnings its
all repetitive bass and great rhythms. It’s a choppy, angled song that
really shows just how poor these skinny jeaned little shits currently doing
the rounds really are. Now all we need do is cross our fingers for a new
album. Come on boys, don’t disappoint.
Luke Drozd |
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It's always going
to be difficult to stand out from the company of this mellow rock genre,
especially when your choruses sounds like Foo Fighters' reject tracks. And
despite some edgy guitar these tracks never seem to get out of first gear,
whether hampered by some slightly muddy production or just a lack of
ambition and fresh ideas.
www.lowdrive.co.uk
SB |
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Sir Richard Bishop is indeed a living guitar legend.
Taking tracks from his own seminal group Sun City Girls, Bishop proceeds to
offer to live acoustic re-interpretations of them. ‘Space Prophet Dogon’ is
a meandering and melodic number whereas ‘Esoterica of Abyssinia’ is an
urgent acoustic exorcism of a track played like it’s being uncontrollable
forced from Bishop’s body through his guitar. A wonderful 7” showing bishop
is still as urgent and important as ever.
Luke Drozd |
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What starts as a catchy precise guitar riff soon becomes annoying as hell
after three minutes. A bit like that bridge part in Suede's 'Metal Mickey' -
shudder. The monopaced drum part which is clearly turned on and off at the
flick of a switch makes for a wholly disappointing opener in 'Who's
Alchemical Now?'. 'Marina Walks in Circles' suffers similarly - the use of
electronic drum equipment again strangling the potential of rabid guitar
part. Will final track 'There Is No You & I' save the day? Sadly not really.
It is a bit more bombastic and does achieve some kind of crescendo at least
but still sounds more like something from U2's 'Unforgettable Fire' than
something produced in 2006. But do not dismiss completely out of hand as
there is definitely something more to come from these chaps. They just need
to find what it is.
www.cognoscenti.org.uk
SB |
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Ahh, this is more like it.
Some lovely psychedelic summer folk from the mysterious Four Fishermen. The
only info I have, gained form their MySpace page, is that they hail from
Nottingham/Wirral and they like to lie around in sand. Cleanly picked
guitars, strings and even some (tastefully done in a non-Galway-esque-manner)
flute make up these largely instrumental compositions. This EP comprises
four tracks, all splendid in their own way, especially 'Folklore' which
definitely takes advantage of the wonders of stereo sound (you'll just have
to listen to understand) during it's brief lifespan. Ahh, I feel all calm.
www.myspace.com/the4fishermen
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The latest single to be taken from Smog aka Bill
Callahan’s most recent record ‘A River
Ain’t To Much To Love’ and its an introspective slice
of subtle American folk complete with Callahan’s usual baritone vocal and
sparse backing.
Followed by another album track, ‘I Feel Like the
Mother of the World’ is a more uptempo offering but coated in Callahan;s dry
wit it manages to feel far from uplifting. However the highlights for fans
will be the two new bonus tracks.
‘Bowery’ is a song for Callahan’s grandfather (if it is
indeed autobiographical) apparently an Irish Bowery bum and about the
relationship between him and Callahan’s own father and it proves to be a
powerful and moving track. Finally ‘Fools Lament’ isn’t quite as arresting
but it still shows Callahan to be leaps and bounds in front of many of his
contemporaries. Add to this the two rather splendid videos and think you
have yourself a bit of a gem all in all.
Watch video to 'Rock
Bottom Riser'
Watch video to 'I
Feel Like the Mother of the World'
Luke Drozd |
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Any band which namechecks The Smiths, Joy
Division and The Fall has got to be good by me. And having heard some of
their previous singles I think I can confidently report this is their best
work yet. Leon and Christianne's vocals still weave effortlessly without
ever trying to upstage the precise rhythm section provided by Karen and
Claire. It still sounds like a garage band but that is a positive in my
book. Perhaps a little bit more experimenting with different tempos for the
different tracks would have given the overall EP a more varied appeal but
it's still good demo of what Pale Man Made are about.
www.palemanmade.co.uk
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Dreadful name, good record. Finally a four piece from New York that is
not agit pop or post punk. No doubt they are still achingly cool but 'Ride
Between the Eyes' is trippy 60's inspired narco rock with big reverbing
guitars that tumble through their riffs and sound more than a little like
BRMC. Great for a road trip.
www.thesoftexplosions.com
SB |
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A distinctly European sounding slice of nu-ambient electronica here. In
fact, it is so ambient that I almost forgot to listen at times. Would be
good music to do the ironing to.
SB |
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An unexpected act of consistency as I instantly recognised this single as
the strongest track from Liner's album 'Proper Tunnel Vision' and decided
that I still liked it a lot. Alternating between neat, clipped guitar verses
and massive ringing choruses, 'Money' fair bops along. Even managed to
review it before it got released (by one day at least) - miraculous.
SB |
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She of the tortured vibrato vocals releases another single from the
highly successful 'Comfort of Strangers' album. There is no other way to
describe it than easy listening and I'm at a bit of a loss as to why people
go for it so much. It's not going to really annoy you but you'd be
disappointed if it turned up from Auntie June in your Christmas stocking.
www.bethorton.co.uk
Watch video to 'Shopping
Trolley'
SB |
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If I’m honest, I was slightly unsure over the presumptuous punctuation in
the band’s name. Exclamation marks reek of a cocky self assurance and give a
We! Are! Great! sort of message but after listening to this Floridian
quartet’s latest offering, I soon found I had little reason to doubt.
Throughout the album the lead singer frequently squeals like an over-
excited Yorkshire terrier which, surprisingly, is not an insult as Captured
in Colour is a joyful thrash of a record right. The Strokes-esque guitar
rifts of Easy To Love Me help keep things perky and fun whilst the early
Green Day sounding punk tracks, Girl You Ain’t Righteous and Two Tablespoons
Of Attitude inject the album with an over- healthy dose of rumbling fun. A
bumptious indie- rock feast of a record, Très! Bien! appear to live up to
their modest continental title. Very! Good! Indeed!
Victoria Levitt |
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Some kind of horrific Sheffield based Napalm Death meets Shampoo
screamathon anyone? Some 8 bit bleeps and beats are soon swallowed up by 2
chord distortion and laryngitis inducing vocals. Put you feet up, have a
nice Horlicks and calm down chaps.
www.babypinkstar.com
SB |
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'Relevee' is s 7 minute trance-inducing slice of analogue synths that
duel and compliment each other in equal measure. Like taking a rowing boat
across a giant washing up bowl of Fairy liquid, this track pops and bubbles
with no respite. Not ambient, not techno but somewhere not far from either.
It is backed by three remixes including a very Wink-esque 10 minute mix by
Carl Craig which keeps building then crashing down with a huge rumbling bass
rumble like an explosion deep underground. This is earsplitmongous. Will
annoy the hell out of your neighbours too.
SB |
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Don't get me wrong. Four Day Hombre are very, very good. Good song
writing, pristine musicianship and heartfelt vocals. Trouble is, do we need
another Coldplay? I just get the feeling that they will forever be compared
to the likes of Chris Martin's mob, Snow Patrol et al. So if you don't want
to pay £35 for a ticket then just go and see Four Day Hombre on their
current tour - you'll hardly notice the difference.
www.fourdayhombre.co.uk
Watch video to 'Don't
Go Gently'
SB |
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'The Bends' by Radiohead - one of the finest albums of all time. Needless
to say various tasty colleagues will disagree but then they are probably in
their fusty bedrooms dusting off obscure 12 inch singles by Bulgarian folk
groups as we speak. But surely they would agree that this soulful
bastardisation of 'High & Dry' is one of the worst music crimes ever
committed. Truly horrendous. Which is curious, because the B-side re-working
of 'Street Spirit' by Telefon Tel Aviv featuring Lindsay Anderson is a thing
of beauty. Pros and cons then.
SB |
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Scouse scamps in enjoyable indie romp scenario. Also includes a splendid
three way vocal harmony bridge. Think The La's but with angular haircuts no
doubt.
SB |
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This is so achingly like The Cranberries that is quite obvious that there
is the hand of Noel Hogan involved. Whether in the clean picked guitar parts
or the minimalist electronic swooshes that punctuate the track, the only
discernable difference from the Cranberries is the male vocals provided by
Richard Walters. 5/10.
SB |
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