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singles - september 2006
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It is rare that a small slice of vinyl gets me this
excited but as this record means two of the worlds most beguiling presences
are brought together on one piece of white vinyl its hard not to.
Josh Pearson’s offering here is a reworking of the Hank
Williams standard ‘I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry’ done to truly haunting
effect. If you thought the original in all its boozed soaked pity was a
bleak and beautiful number well wait till you hear what Pearson’s done to
it. With a pace close to crawling, the track glides by with breathy vocals
and a crypt like throbbing and wheezing accompaniment as if Hank’s very own
spirit were propelling it along. It takes everything you have in you not to
just break down into tears by the end. Frankly if Pearson’s solo record (if
it ever appears) is half as good as this I may struggle to cope.
Dirty Three’s track, ‘Doris’, is very much from the
more upbeat end of their body of work and perhaps has more of their live
sound to it than usual. Tight percussion and an Eastern-European folk slant
to it its reminiscent of a barn dance in Hades and just goes to prove that
absolutely no-one else sounds like Dirty Three.
A strictly limited pressing of this release has been
made so I say bag one now or regret it for eternity.
Luke Drozd |
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Two Leeds bands go head to head with a cover of a
Jonathan Richman track each, frankly what could go wrong?
I’ll admit I’ve often found myself unsure of what to
make of Pifco but their cover here of ‘She Cracked’ oozes with lo-fi, punk
rock delight that its damned hard not to fall for.
Flipside finds Leeds heroes Bilge pump in fine fettle
and treating ‘Government Center’, a personal favourite Richman track of
mine, to its very own Pumpian rendition. Its tight, handclap filled musical
joy that unsurprising sounds like Bilge Pump covering Jonathan Richman. A
record guaranteed to put a smile on your face and not just because it’s on
lovely crimson vinyl.
Luke Drozd |
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Take two Leeds based rock behemoths with a love of
being noisy buggers and ask them to pick a King Crimson song each to cover
and pray tell what do you get? Well a bloody lovely bright green 7” of
rockovian proportions that’s what.
Monster Killed By Laser opt for ‘Larks Tongues in Aspic
(pt 2)’ and give it a damn good going over too. Its like prog rock with a
filthy aftertaste.
That Fucking Tank then offer up their unique take on
‘Red’ and rather than a mere cover we find them honing in on the songs riffs
and grooves and teasing them out to create a repetitive and rather sexually
stirring number.
As one in an ongoing series of split 7”s from the Run
of the Mill stable all I can say is keep them coming.
Luke Drozd |
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Okay I know that Thom Yorke has been coy about his
reasons for wanting to work solo, lets just say he wanted to do something
different with more electronica, that’s fine. The problem is his sneering
vocals are Radiohead, are how they sound. Therefore this sounds like
Radiohead with more electonica. A bit dull if I’m honest.
MJL
As a confirmed hater of Radiohead, this fills me full
of dread. My fears are realised when I find out that this is the whingeing
twatbag’s ‘ambient’ ‘project’. Is there anything more bloated or
self-important than that? This is as boring as every other thing this man
has drawled across for the last 15 years, and I, for one, won’t be having
it. Next!
Sam Metcalf
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Not content with being with being hugely successful over the last 40
years the Stones are still churning out this stuff. All the Stones
signatures are there, the Richards guitar sound, distinctive Jagger vocals
and the three part vocal harmonies. In fact it isn't that bad. But they are
filthy rich and should be spending their fortunes falling out of palm trees
rather than clogging up young ears well into the 21st century.
www.rollingstones.com
SB |
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Cassius were part of the pioneering group of French artists who managed
to fuse jazzy hip hop with more common club dance sounds. 'Toop Toop' is the
first single of their new album '15 Again' and settles nicely into a bouncy,
vaguely reggae-based number complete with Zdar's megaphone distorted vocals.
Damn cool these Frenchies.
watch video to 'Toop
Toop'
www.cassius.fm
SB |
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Probably the best track from their album 'It's Never Been Like That',
'Consolation Prizes is all summery and optimistic. Much like The Kooks, I
still don't see what all the fuss is about but each to their own.
watch the video to 'Consolation
Prizes'
SB |
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Having very much enjoyed Adem’s 2004 record ‘Homesongs’,
with its charming mixture of folk and electronica, I was delighted to
receive ‘Launch yourself’ to review. However it has left me somewhat cold.
This single contains three remixes of ‘Launch yourself, as well as the
original album version. The album version is pleasant enough, but no-where
near as striking as any of the material on ‘Homesongs’. The radio mix seems
to me absolutely identical to the original, and the two others remixes, by
Four Tet and Hot Chip, add very little to the track Without meaning to be
coarse, you can’t polish a turd. Which is slightly unfair, ‘Launch yourself’
isn’t a turd, it’s simply too bland to have much of an opinion of.
Michael Pearson |
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I remember getting The Wombat's album some time back and consigning it to
the 'unreviewable dull' pile of CDs. I can only conclude I was having some
kind of breakdown as 'Moving to New York' is a truly magnificent slice of
indie pop. Harmonies, ludicrously high guitar parts and a boundless energy -
it's like listening to The Lodger on speed.
www.myspace.com/thewombatsuk
SB |
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You almost didn't get this review.
For some hours last night, I was drinking alone and I fell asleep, dropping
a bottle of beer that ejaculated excitedly all over a stack of CDs I had to
review. Fortunately it was shielded by a Ludes album, which sadly, is no
longer with us.
'Why Won't You' is an excellent
rocker, courtesy of two sisters with a zero tolerance for the mediocre. Play
this one loud the morning after your zappy neighbours have kept you awake
all night with gabba. With a little bit of luck, the relentlessly heavy and
merciless guitar riffs, with the pounding drums and no-nonsense yelling will
cause their brains to seep out of their ears.
The remix of 'Sooner or Later' is a more chilling offering. With layer upon
layer of haunting nuances and ethereal ghostings that emanate from well
beyond the wall of infinity, this is a delightful piece of music and not in
the least comparable to the industrial strength of the first track. Brilliant
stuff. When's the album due?
Alex Clark |
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Someone's grown up listening to The Cure on repeat methinks. complete
with Smithsian vocals and 'Lovecats' style double bass sound. Still quite
agreeable mind.
SB |
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With an intro that sounds like it is born of a Killers B-side I may
have been hasty in quickly categorising this release in the plagiarist
camp. It suddenly sneaks off in a completely different twinkly guitar
direction before returning to the touchstone shouty chorus again. Most
unexpected.
'Candles' is like the Arctic Monkeys meets The Police doing a post punk
rendition of Walking on the Moon'. At pace. Most unexpected.
'He Got No Game!' is another weirdly Police inspired guitar frenzy of
twinkling guitars cutting across each other and played very high up the
fret board to give that quick, short sustain sound. A bit new wave, but
not. Most unexpected.
www.jackbutler.co.uk
SB |
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This is exceptionally good filthy electro/industrial techno stuff to get
your teeth into. Samplers and sequences are ritually mashed through an angle
grinder before being dismembered and mashed with a pile driver beat.
Two slightly more accessible remixes for the weak of heart too - very
considerate.
SB |
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The Black Tulips do not do things by halves. 'The Dogs' Home' is a full
on gothic operetta complete with harpsichord-noir. 'Under the Skin' has the
potential to be a gentle love song to soothe the soul before the genius of
the butchered vocals tear it to shreds and the bass wobbles slightly.
Uncategorisable and intriguing - you always get value from The Black Tulips.
www.theblacktulips.com
SB |
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One of the poppier numbers from sleepy voiced
Yorkston's forthcoming album 'Year of the Leopard', 'Steady as She Goes'
would still not exactly get the dancefloors brimming over. But in much the
same vain as Jose Gonzalez, Yorkston continues carving out his very own
non-niche market in personal melodic folk-based pop.
SB |
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I gather that The Needles have been gaining a bit of
momentum recently and with ‘Summer Girls’, it’s easy to understand why.
It seems as though Dave Dixon has taken Brian Wilson’s
song-writing ideals by the scruff of the neck and dragged them kicking and
screaming into 2006.
Sure, the song’s a whimsical flight of fancy all about
girls and good times, but it’s got a very modern catch to it. Expect this to
stand head and shoulders above all of the other young pretenders.
‘How Come it Doesn’t Rain’ is mercifully far withdrawn
from a drab lamentation. Instead, it’s upbeat, shining and most importantly,
there’s something to groove to.
‘Starting to Worry’ is an excellent rocker with a
guitar that sounds as though it could’ve come from Led Zeppelin’s ‘Physical
Graffiti’ sessions.
The three songs on this single barely even reach a
total play time of seven minutes, yet it yields such a rich listening
experience.
And there’s something here for the ladies… Dave Dixon
has a certain something of the Ville Valo about him.
Alex Clark |
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Overlooking their abuse of the caps lock in their title, SiXeR produce a
powerful dreamy sound full of reverb, echo and pounding drums. Quite an
achievement for just a twosome though at times the vocals suffer from being
a bit weak, especially on the B-side 'Inside My Heart She Grows'. Otherwise
though, VeRy GoOd.
www.sixermusic.co.uk
SB |
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Yo La Tengo’s recent work seems to
fall into one of three styles, leftfield American rock, late night beauty or
pop ditty, this, taken from the forthcoming album ‘ I Am Not Afraid Of You
And Will Beat Your Ass’ sits nicely within the pop ditty area and confirms
the bands enormous talents again. Not many bands could produce such music
without it sounding simply twee and annoying, however, these poppy moments
are best enjoyed when heard within the context of a whole album, so it’s not
until such songs are heard sandwiched between two eight minute instrumental
drone tracks their true genius is discovered.
Ron Beasley |
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Wussy piano driven ballad which breaks into pompous string chorus from
indie pop's prime woolly hat wearer ? Someone explain what all the fuss is
about please.
www.badlydrawnboy.co.uk
SB |
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Not your average cup of tea The Dresden Dolls. No guitars for a start.
But their is a faded Vaudevillian glamour to the powerfully delivered
'Backstabber' as the keys are hammered out and the drums form their own
patterns rather than just providing a backing. By far the most
uncompromising of the current swathe of keyboard driven bands and also
probably the best.
www.thedresdendolls.com
SB |
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Any band which name checks Stevie Nicks and The Cars as reference points
has me reaching for the eject button. 'You Got Me Singing' is a ludicrously
simple verse-chorus-verse-athon that somehow does not sound as jaded and
dated as it should. Credit probably goes to vocalist Rebecca who manages to
animate the simple but dynamic guitar hooks. Unlikely but gets a tentative
thumbs up.
www.thevitamins.co.uk
SB |
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A screeching string sound running right through this track will mean you
will either love it or it will drive you mad. Harbouring a long standing
suspicion of The levellers I am on the back foot but 'Can't Look Down' is so
slickly produced that it carried off the sound with ease. But there are
warning signs like 'Thirsty' which sounds like the bastard offspring of We
Are Scientists and Dexys Midnight Runners. Be vigilant comrades. A cover of
The Pixies 'Where is My Mind' settles the nerves to close with.
www.zoxband.com
SB |
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Slick packaging. nice photography. Good production. But what makes us
want to listen to this? 'Watching and Waiting' sounds a lot like a Marillion
song spliced with The Killers - not a good combination. Underdog are not a
bad band but they are just so derivative. I bet there is a really talented
band lurking under there but someone has pummelled them into this corner
because they think it will make a few quid. Sad really.
www.underdogtheband.co.uk
SB |
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If there is any reward for hard work then The Authentics should have
their feet up around a pool in the Caribbean by now. Over 50 gig s in 8
months, running your own label and putting out three EPs a year must take it
out of you. They don't pretend to be doing something they are not - this is
out and out riffmongous rock of the type that the Manics were doing early on
when they still gave a damn. The energy in the music provides the
explanation as to how they keep up such a workload - they really love to do
it and they want to succeed. I don't think I would buy this myself but you
have to admire their effort.
www.theauthentics.co.uk
SB |
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A tumbling guitar riff set to a raw drum beat and some cute melodies. So
simple, scratchy and yummy that I have descended into baby talk.
www.popuptheband.com
SB |
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This is the first single from Australian Music Prize
nominated album “Coal”.
With a guitar melody that’s repetitive to the point of
insanity, “take you home” gives the feeling of some kind of indie pop post
rock. Its not and if its meant to be then its not. It’s not DOOP either
however.
“Can I take you home so I wont be alone tonight?” Sings
the lead singer. Maybe that’s also the reason they made a band (to not be
alone) instead of writing good music. Either way I wont judge to harshly,
they got nominated for a music prize. Plus Australia gave us the
Go-Betweens, The Chills and Gina G.
There’s a pointless Velvet Underground cover for the
B-Side which suggests some merit or possibly not.
Chuck.A.Wobbly
Devastations are the Australian Buffalo Tom, and as
I’ve missed Buffalo Tom a bit over the last few months, then ‘Take You Home
is mighty fine by me. It’s a driving song with a harrowing middle eight that
would probably feature in a film where a someone is pining over a dead
puppy, or something. Kleenex at the ready, comrades.
Sam Metcalf
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Ex-Pavement frontman goes dancey in funk pop shocker? That's right, at
least on this bunch of remixes which weigh in at over 25 minutes long.
There's a lo-fi dubby mix by the ubiquitous Hot Chip and a very minimal
chopped up Polmo Polpo mix (my own personal fave). But what is going on
Stevie? 70's funk?
www.stephenmalkmus.com
SB |
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This being Tapes’n’Tapes second single from their debut
album “The Loon” is suitably fast paced and short. Not fast like thrash oh
no. It just begins with a sliding bass line and the drums hammering away 4/4
before the funny little singers’ wobbly wine comes and then every one sings
in the chorus. It’s enjoyable and as I’m finding with Tapes’n’Tapes they
write songs I don’t like but then put something in that makes me like it.
Does the singer sound like Frank Black?......I don’t know.
The best thing though is the remix buy the Black Keys
because it’s better.
Chuck.A.Wobbly |
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Is anything as joyously twinkly as a PSapp single? I think probably not.
This one, complete with trademark kitchen sink percussion and velvety vocals
is no exception. Marvellously summerific!
www.psapp.com
Watch video to 'Hi'
SB |
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As soon as you hear this single it conjures up an image
of a smoky room filled with skinny spods in tight jeans at the Faversham.
Some in velvet blazers, another in an old soldiers jacket with a hair cut
like a fat African porcupine, all having the time of their lives in a fine
pair of winkle pickers.
I’d be outside though with some brandy in a smoking
jacket picking up all the young girls who couldn’t get in like a
heterosexual Jonathon King. “Don’t worry dear have some of this it’ll warm
you up. What’s that? You’re in a new wave band but no one will sign you, how
very awful.”
Any way they sound a bit like OMD so check them out
remember I said “a bit” obviously no one can come close to the Demi-Lords
Paul Humphries and Andy Mclusky.
Chuck A. Wobbly
Aww, this is dead pretty. To My Boy are futurepop to
the max. Imagine Devo playing Bis songs. Yep, that good. And catchy as fuck,
too. If the future is To My Boy, then the future is going to made of pop
songs full of bleeps and loops and cute vocals. I love the future.
Sam Metcalf |
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This is totally ace! Chapter 24 sound like they just make it up as they
go along with a gloriously chaotic sounds complete with strug-out wacko
female vocals. 'Albatross Candyfloss' seems to unravel to the point of no
return then suddenly drags itself back together with a whiff of audio
smelling salts before cruising back off with another verse. Weird space
synth guitar effects too. How brill is this?
the answer is just a little bit less brill than Chapter 24 and the 'Hep
Cats' which lurches along on a catchy guitar hook but is wholly underpinned
by the reliable bass. It's not immediately obvious that vocalist Claire
actually knows the words and that this is not some kind of freeform
creation. And they pick their set list from a tea pot on stage. Chapter 24
you have made my night!
www.myspace.com/chapter24
SB |
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There's a bizarre rockabilly vitality about this EP that makes it hard
not to like, even though the second track (sorry, no track listings
included) makes me feel wistful about Patrick Swayze in the film Roadhouse
and makes me wonder if Jeff Healey is now working in the kitchen of a Little
Chef in the Norwich area...
SB |
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I think someone’s been listening to Arctic Monkeys. Hot
Club De Paris’ new single jumps all over the place, without really going
anywhere, and is mercifully short at just over two minutes. It’s even got
northern vocals. Okay, so they might be northern. But no-one quite that
northern…dull at best.
Sam Metcalf |
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Weird how Breed 77 are a 100% British metal band but manage to fuse
almost every one of their tracks with some Latino rhythms or in this case,
some spoken word Spanish (I think it was Spanish) - we truly are a
multicultural society. A lot more refreshing than your standard grindcore.
www.breed77.net
SB |
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Imagine is Cast had been locked in a shed for 10 years,
and had been unleashed onto the world with at least three half written
songs. Imagine then if Paul McCartney was asked to supply vocals. Imagine
then if you had to listen to it. Unimaginable, isn’t it?
Sam Metcalf |
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Lovely echoey guitar sounds kick off this pleasing pop quintet of songs.
the short guitar hooks keep coming, interspersed with little peeks of horns
and strings. No real stand out songs but a sound EP all the same.
Watch video to 'Soft
& Warm'
SB |
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Like a post punk Johnny Cash, Dan Sartain’s new single
is quite wonderful. Half 50s rockabilly, half country, it slides all over
the place like a snake about to attack Steve Irwin…oh. Anyway, if you wanna
shake quiff in the air like you just don’t care, this is a great place to
start.
Sam Metcalf |
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Another day another earnest singer songwriter. And this one is a year old
too. 'Certain Kind of Light' is OK although the delicate vocals verge on
being weak. Ultimately forgettable though.
www.gusmusic.com
SB |
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Lovely, tense indie spaz pop from Screaming Mimi – a
name I’ve been aware of for a while now, but have been able to hear anything
from. Think Long Blondes mixed with Pixies, and just sit back and wonder how
good that sounds. Wonder no longer, for it is here. ‘Who is Louise’ is a
quite marvellous piece of nouveau-pop. Listen to it. Immediately.
Sam Metcalf |
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An original mix of squelchy electronics and old school rock and roll
disguise the fact that 'poseur' is all about the effect and not the content,
which is thin on the ground. A riotous crowd pleaser rather than needing
some cerebral effort, you get the feeling that this might appeal to 17 year
olds more than 27 year olds.
www.babypinkstar.com
SB |
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Okay, we’re in the emo/indie field of tunage here. Originally from Dublin,
‘Pilotlight’ relocated to London in late 2005 after already releasing two
singles in their native Ireland, apparently to a good deal of acclaim.
Anyhew, new record ‘Music to Cross the Road to’, seems to offer nothing new
than many other UK bands of the same genre and tendencies. That’s not saying
there’s anything bad with this release; both tracks are really lovely and
there’s something about their ‘stadium’ sound that is very familiar and
comforting. Even the b-side, ‘all purpose underneath’, though not having the
punch of the title track, is indeed well crafted and played. I like records
like this from time to time. It’s good to just sit back with the headphones
on and listen to some guy wailing his heart out.
www.pilotlightmusic.com
TM |
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One of the more overtly Pixie-ish tracks from their album, 'Impossible
Sightings Over Shelton' is all military snare and thrumming bass set to
male-female yelping vocals. The VEGC sound like nothing else around at the
moment, some achievement in itself. Add to that a song of psychedelic
dizzyness that deconstructs itself before conking out completely and you
have got one superbly kooky bunch.
Watch video to 'Impossible
Sightings Over Shelton'
SB |
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Like Oasis on some kind of pyschedelic disco space dust. If this sounds
exciting to you then listen away. Otherwise move on please.
Watch video to 'The
Happy Song'
SB |
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Poptastic! I really hope to God these guys aren’t all in their forties
because it might make this single less good and a bit weird. Sort of how the
‘The Get Up Kids’ are still called ‘The Get Up Kids’, but haven’t been
“kids” for a very long time. As it happens, they all look quite young and
carry the scraggy pop look which is needed almost as much as the songs these
days.
There’s a real ‘80’s feel to the opening track ‘Baby I’m Bored’. Maybe a
bit of ‘Dexy’s…’ I don’t really want to get wrapped up in listing loads of
bands that put there instruments away twenty years ago. The whole record is
in general very uplifting, even if the lyrics to both tracks are fairly
melancholy. In fact, I was in such a good mood after hearing this that I
told my 7 months pregnant wife to get up off of her knees and stop scrubbing
the kitchen floor and offered to do it for her.
The band are making this single available to download so you won’t even
have to leave the house to buy it. You can stay indoors, buy it, buy an
I-pod, have it delivered, buy your food online, and have it delivered. In
fact the only time you’ll need to leave the house is if you go to see
Neatpeople on their tour supporting the release of the single where they’ll
be playing some of the greatest toilets up and down the country like most
hard working bands. Do I advise you to go see them? Yes. Yes I do. And make
sure you pay.
http://www.neatpeople.co.uk
by TM |
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The acoustic offspring of Seymour Glass from Miss Black America, this
4-track demo is really quite impressive. Great melodies and velvety vocals
that ebb flow instead of just wandering aimlessly. Opening track 'Castle
Keep' builds like a majestic storm cloud to a massive finale without ever
leaving the acoustic field. Glass has an impressive ability to change mood
without ever sounding trite. There is also an amazing, swirling cover
version of Nirvana's 'Love Buzz' Perhaps the start of a marvellous new
thing.
www.openmouthmusic.co.uk
SB |
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Some ambient electro synthpop here from Calderdale-based Signal
Generator. With a penchant for weird titles like 'Cerebral Sit', Legno Lungo'
and 'Radix Lecti', the EP starts of at the bouncy, fuzzy, friendly end of
the spectrum and moves through various phases before settling into the
slightly disturbing final track - which is very 'I Care Because You Do' era
Aphex Twin. Not ground breaking but pleasing enough evening entertainment.
SB |
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Not only is this unfathomably dreary teen indie pop but it has an
embedded video file which has shagged up my media player settings. Out damn
spot!
SB |
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Falling firmly into the ever-popular
female-singer-songwriter-with-angelic-voice category, Nerina Pallot does
have a fantastic sound. Try to block out the over produced string and
keyboard sections and enjoy Miss Pallot's unfeasibly high voice.
www.nerinapallot.com
Watch video to 'Sophia'
SB |
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Always a pleasure to get unmarked CDs with no blurb and no bio. A quick
squiz on WhySpace yields little clue either so on with the listening
experience unhindered with hyperbole and marketeering.
Suffice to say Eftus Spectun will not be bothering Top of the pops
anytime soon. In fact, it seems they have little mastery over their
respective instrumentation at all. This is obviously to be commended as why
should making music be merely within the realm of the musically gifted? In
this 14 minute track, all remnants of conventional song writing are eschewed
in favour of intermittent chords of dread, apparently meaningless vocal
chants and the occasional spatter of drums. This is either genius or total
tosh depending on your standpoint.
SB |
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As unmarked demos go this one if pretty middle of the road. Not
horrifically terrible but sadly not amazingly terrific either. More in the
frustrating 'competent' bracket I'd say. Guitar based indie rock, not too
leaden, not too dynamic. Four tracks, not too long , not too short. Don't
write them off but don't queue for tickets either. getting the picture here?
SB |
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I didn't realise that there was anything salvageable from 'Vision Valley'
by The Vines but heard in isolation this track isn't too bad. It's got a
great soaring chorus and is a snappy 2 minutes long with that Supergrass
style feelgood factor about it.
www.thevines.com
SB |
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Ok - so I'm going to put myself firmly in the untrendy camp again. I
don't sit around wearing badly smudged mascara and I don't have a particular
penchant for black leather or spandex combinations. But I do like a bit of
Placebo and this is no exception. Despite the earnest lyrics (boo hoo!) it's
a top tune that builds and builds. I'm off to hide in a dark room away from
the fashionistas...
Watch video to 'Meds'
www.placeboworld.co.uk
SB |
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A taut guitar triplet of songs greet us here dear listener. The guitars
seem to work tirelessly through each song weaving new and intricate sounds
so the tracks never become formulaic or boring. They possess a slightly dark
side that lends some additional gravitas to the proceedings. Indie pop for
grown ups.
www.silvertop.co.uk
SB |
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Another The Sleepy Jackson single leaves me asking the question, 'What is
the big deal here?'. A featureless Abba-esque pop song (without the ironic
cheesiness) begs the question how many more unfortunate session musicians
were culled by control freak Luke Steel during the making of this record?
Call our advice line to help them out...
www.sleepyjackson.com
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First of the Giants carry a stately grace like a musical elder with some
forceful guitar parts that both power the single 'Obsessive Compulsive' and
chop it up into definable segments. They use some slightly quirky key
changes that make this edgy and modern sounding (urgh, what a horrible
description - I do apologise). In the minus column the vocals sound a little
wobbly and weak in places (though this does add a certain vulnerable charm
to things). A useful debut, to use a football parlance.
www.firstofthegiants.co.uk
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With a title like that, this was never going to be a charming little love
song. But for the first minute or so it sounds like a proggy Stevie Nicks
offshoot. But once Kemp's slightly nasally vocals give way to the
destructive wall of distortion in the choruses you know that this is a bit
more powerful than a Fleetwood Mac B-side. Backed by an intriguing and
haunting vocal round that only concedes the bare minimum of guitar feedback
as accompaniment, this makes for a pretty interesting release.
www.rosekemp.co.uk
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Not quite as superb as previous single 'We Only Stayed Together for the
Kids' Luxembourg still know how to get a good hook into a song and the 'It's
not enough Friday to Sunday, I want you here from Tuesday to Monday' chorus
delivers the goods. It's a bit more twee than some of their other stuff and
tasty comrade columbine even described them as 'glam' recently. Hmm, maybe
he's right but there's nothing wrong with having a good old jig around your
kitchen while wearing your Marigolds is there?
www.luxembourgband.com
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We maybe a bit outside Tasty's comfort zone here - reviewing hip hop
records - whatever next? But this is not your aggro hip-hop nasty shooty
gang type thing. No, this is lovey dovey hip-hop with sprinklings of summery
love, a chorus of school children and the awesome rhyming couplet of 'when
the sun's blistering, I'm gonna have to take an antihystamine'. Medical
advice too - who could argue with a release like that?
To regain some credibility 'Boom' is all about, err, smashing things up,
including Elastica's 'Connection' (and by definition, Wire's 'Three Girl
Rhumba from which Elastica stole the riff). Enough scary Britpop knowledge
from me - time you went and listened to Akira the Don.
www.akirathedon.com
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Born to Please indeed - pleasing rattly guitar hooks left to reverb
around the mix while the vocals remain understated and feature a few
little two part harmonies on the way. Very agreeable.
www.soundteam.net
Watch video to 'Born
to Please'
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Rampantly energetic stuff that sees Archer describing his experiences of
growing up in terrorist rife Belfast. His voice lifts the lid on the
choruses, tearing away from the rapid delivery of the verses. Just proves
you don't win an Ivor Novello award for nothing.
Watch video to 'When
it Kicks In'
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The Pipettes seem firmly entrenched in the sound of a previous age. If
that means lovely girly three way harmonies then so be it. If that means
parpy horn led choruses then so be it. If it is means describing childhood
friendships so be it. But mixing them all together in this hackneyed mish
mash just bores me. Plus I listened to the single edit loads of times as I
thought there might be a rude word in it (the promo version also listed a
'clean' version) but not a jot. How disappointing.
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'Dave? Funny name for a Girl' sounds suspiciously like 'We Didn't Start
the Fire' by Billy Joel in places. Hmm, I wonder if self confessed child
carer Zealey has similar leanings to tree-hugger Joel? Either way, this
collection of three songs are expertly produced like a labour of love but
they won't exactly get you scrambling for the rip button on iTunes. Good
luck to John combining his family and music ambitions though. And he does
have some very funny pictures of his previous career as a robotic dancer on
his press release.
www.zealey.co.uk
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It's easy to see why this band are touring with The Sunshine Underground
as they share that same kind of intelligent break beat intelligent indie
funk a la The Rapture and counterparts. As such, 'Drop the Decade' is
achingly now but no worse for it, especially the hollowed out snare drum
sound.
www.myspace.com/shutyoureyesandyoullburstintoflames
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Lovely clean guitars and a great
tune give this track a really well finished feel. The impossibly named
Glaswegians share more than just a record label with This Ain't Vegas. There
is a similar DC hardcore sound. But where TAV really push the raw energy in
their sound, Danananaykroyd really weave in some great melodies that make
their sound a little bit more accessible to your average music listener.
great stuff.
www.myspace.com/danananaykroyd
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Another onslaught from Irish rockers
The Answer which will polarise opinion more than Marmite. the difference
since I listened to their last single is that I recently saw a repeat of
that dog of a film Roadhouse in which Jeff Healey does a lot of the
soundtrack. This sounds very similar. Which means the Answer are very
talented musicians, not necessarily very inventive musicians.
www.theanswer.ie
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Various reggae break beats and a slightly punky vibe string together the
scatter gun drums and pristine guitar licks. A bit like The Police, a bit
like 10CC. But there's even a bit of an interlude suggesting that Circuits
are happy top break out of the late 70's sound and, errr, even further back
to brass bands.
www.circuitsband.com
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An Imogen Heap single is a dizzying mix of electronics, orchestral
arrangements, airy vocals and sudden thundering choruses. 'Headlock' is no
different and there's even some harp thrown in for good measure. This single
has a radio friendly veneer but retains a slightly leftfield attitude. Maybe
it is this very property which seems to polarise opinion about Imogen Heap
so viciously.
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Another search for the 'next big thing' leads to us being afflicted by
this piano led disco frenzy from US disco fiends Holy Hail. Similar to the
Scissor Sisters but possibly worse.
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I've heard quite a bit about Orson, much of it positive media hype and
the rest negative reaction from friends. Which is slightly confusing because
this isn't even by Orson - aargh - they get everywhere. no dear readers,
this is neat sampler from The Two Headed Monster's forthcoming album and
mainly features Warp-style minimal beats and electro sounds that just seem
to noodle and nurdle along quite happily without any need for a strong
song structure. From what I can make out, the album is a compilation but it
seems many of the contributions are pretty similar in format. 'Spot the
Difference' features some squelching and icy tingling and there's a really
annoying sample in 'Cocopuffs' but otherwise the method is not to stray too
far fro the Warp path. Nice stuff.
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