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singles -
march 2007
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Packing more energy into five minutes than some outfits manage in the
course of an album, this debut double-A side from London-based four piece
The Svengalis is the sound of a band enjoying their music.
By crossing bright guitar riffs last heard on the Strokes’ first album with
harmonies borrowed from the Beach Boys, Matt Svengali and his band of merry
men create a warm and, at times, rather cluttered atmosphere. This is
particularly evident on Swimming Upstream - the stronger of the two melodies
- where the bass line positively bubbles beneath the soft vocals of frontman
Matt Svengali. Meanwhile, lyrical themes of heartbreak and “degenerate
friends” ensure that these songs avoid becoming too saccharine for their own
good.
There is much to enjoy here: both tunes are engaging and summery amid plenty
of breathless stops and starts. But even with the help of celebrity
endorsement (Steve Lamacq), a more distinctive sound will be needed on
future singles to ensure The Svengalis rise above the crowd.
www.myspace.com/thesvengalis
Chris McCague |
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Recent winners of a South Bank
breakthrough award and allegedly a bit good when playing live onstage in a
live, not pre-recorded scenario, this is my first exposure to the ARB and I
have to admit to feeling a wee bit under-whelmed. They do a good job of
sounding full yet sparse at the same time, coming on like The Birthday
Party’s more sensible nephew, and I can imagine that the atmospherics they
conjure up would be far more potent in the flesh, but on record it all
sounds rather constrained.
www.archiebronsonoutfit.co.uk
Watch video for 'Dart
For My Sweetheart'
Will Columbine |
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If Will Oldham was actually a
prince, what would he be the prince of? Porches? Dungarees? Premature hair
loss? Let’s all think about that for a while. Anyway, I like this more than
the last BPB single that I’ve long forgotten – it’s both prettier and more
haunting. Let’s face it though, this is a classic case of preaching to the
already long ago-converted, and Billy’s devoted fans will gobble up the
three b-sides of old versions of new stuff and new versions of old stuff
like rather famished locusts.
Will Columbine |
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Open Mouth is Seymour Patrick,
singer for Miss Black America, a band I’ve heard of but sadly never actually
heard. Therefore, I can make no comparisons to his day job, although “Castle
Keep” is probably as emo as you can get without a drum-kit to hand. The
guitars are, however, by turns dreamy and savage, and overall I give it the
thumbs up although following it with a 90 second instrumental is probably
not wise, pretty though it is.
Dexy has also made a bit of a name
for himself, having supported The Spinto Band and played a festival slot
prior to Bob Dylan. To these ears, “Waiting for an Accident” is the
equivalent of Elliot Smith in a good mood and having a sing-song with the
locals of an East End boozer. Believe me, it works. Packaging two artists
together will inevitably invite comparisons but I’ll just say that they’re
both good in their own ways and leave it at that.
www.myspace.com/openmouthmusic
www.myspace.com/dexyspace
Will Columbine |
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The constant bleeping on the track suggests that
there’s a life support machine on somewhere in the studio. Perhaps it’s the
one keeping Joakim’s career alive. Ouch. Lonely Hearts isn’t really sure
what it wants to be- the instrumentation is minimal, (drum track and syth
with a brief appearance by a guitar) and the tempo is slow so it isn’t a
club track. But it’s too fast to be a “chill-out” track, and the lack of
melody stops it being anything else. It’s nice enough to listen to but its
ambiguity makes it unfulfilling.
http://www.joakimikaoj.com
Catriona Boyle |
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Minus Ten is three minutes of glorious, sweeping,
melancholic Beach Boys, smoothed over Shins, heartfelt acoustic happiness.
Faultless, aside from that damn feeling of hope (despite bitter coldness) it
instils inside you after just one listen. Little Lately follows suit,
displaying Archer’s voice that is so full of emotion is almost breaks on
every word, coupled with a lovely wavy melody. As if he hadn’t tugged on
heartstrings enough, When It Kicks In sounds so delicate it might smash into
a thousand pieces if you mistreat it. The simple guitar picked melody sits
perfectly alongside Archer’s pained voice and honest lyrics. Cockle-warming
brilliance.
Catriona Boyle
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Sadly there hasn’t been a terrible mistake at the
printers, this really is four versions of the same song, with two of them
clocking in at over eleven minutes. Despite its clumsy title, the original
version of Don’t Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up is actually a nice slice of
minimalist ambient pop, akin to the likes of chill-out merchants Zero 7.
Courtney Tidwell’s vocals have an ethereal quality to them, and the track
feels like basking in the sun on a summer’s day.
The remixes are, as suspected, boring and over long.
Apparently all remixing consists of nowadays is using a drum beat, a few odd
noises here and there, and doing very little else with the track. The
instrumental version is nothing short of an endurance test. Aside from the
original track, everything else here is unnecessary.
Catriona Boyle |
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Two tracks with three remixes of both. My favourite review of this saw
Trent Reznor described as an 'industrialist' - I was just picturing him
marching through his satanic mills like Titus Salt. It's not entirely clear
where Reznor's influence starts and El-P's ceases in 'Flyentology' but it
does manage to tuck up the unlikely bed companions of west coast rap with a
pulsating if not entirely industrial heavy beat in a rather cosy manner.
Satisfyingly warped in a Nine inch Nails meets Ice Cube type of way.
www.myspace.com/elproducto
SB |
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A very simple four chord riff and butter wouldn't melt lyrics conceal a
long overdue super-snide sideswipe at the whole indie scene. I'm not sure
the music would keep me riveted for long but clever lyrics just keep
bouncing out of this track 'indieviduality', 'I get my clothes from Oxfam,
apart from that top what I got from Topman' and 'look at my hair!' all
describe the commercialisation of 'indie' music as the must have fashion
accessory of the year. Neat stuff.
www.myspace.com/theukofa
SB |
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'Set The Free' is a strange understated affair, full of atmospheric
electronic beats and gentle vocals - a bit like listening to Imogen Heap
while on Mogadon. A few sparse piano chords and disembodied vocal harmonies
harmlessly fade away as the track fades away leaving you wondering if it
ever even existed. Strange but vaguely compelling.
SB |
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My favourite track from their album, 'h'Aon
Dó' blends the Irish and Ainu musical cultures together beautifully with the
Tonkori getting equal precedence with the guitars and Oki's vocals hair
along at a rap pace. Delicate but uplifting.
www.kila.ie
SB |
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This is an impressive release from a trio of guys whose combined age
still makes them younger than Keith Richards apparently! 'Slowdown' is a
breakneck combination of rock and blues riffs that is delivered with
conviction and no small helping of talent. As long as the band manage to
avoid sounding like Ocean Colour Scene (the likes of which occasionally
sneaks up during this single) then good things can only follow.
www.rosehilldrive.com
SB |
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Always an exciting time at Tasty towers receiving offerings from Viva
Stereo and this beautifully manilla packaged split CD is no exception.
'Alpha State' sees the continuation of their divergence from guitar music
towards a warmer, electro fuelled sound. There are still nice sections of
guitar filling out the track but the overriding essence is the warbling bass
and velvety production over the mashed up vocals.
Con Brio aka Dave Millar forges recorded acoustic instruments into silky,
effervescent electro with just a touch of Aphex inspired unpredictability.
'Indiana Bloom' sees order rise from the chaos of a seriously staccato beat
and gentle, ambient keyboard loop. 'Deep Blue' is an equally schizophrenic
track with electro clicks and bleeps mutating out of the clean ringing
strings in a surprisingly coherent and enjoyable way.
www.de-fencerecords.com
SB |
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Once the crisp yet rough and ready few bars of guitar opening give way to
the tune proper, New Yorkers Five O'Clock Heroes quickly merge into the ever
growing merry band of indie rockers with 'whoa-oh-oh' choruses and three
minute pop songs dressed up as something edgier. If that's your bag then go
for it, it's not bad but it's nothing that you couldn't already find in any
indie bar on a Saturday night.
www.thefiveoclockheroes.com
SB |
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In the absence of any kind of biography or press release with this single
I managed to glean little extra info from Busy P's Myspace page. But initial
reactions that 'they sounded a bit foreign' were confirmed as it appears the
artists reside in Pairs. There's something distinctly French about the way
they break down their tracks with warped effects and slightly off-tempo
beats - kind of like a deconstructed techno. This is the sound of a buzz saw
being put through a synth while the carpenters mate bangs out his slightly
out of kilter beats on various assembled scaffold poles. And damn good it
sounds too - can just see myself dancing pathetically robotically to this.
www.myspace.com/busyp
SB |
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Blimey - it's a cut throat business this nu-rave electro pop malarkey. In
a field saturated with young hipsters, Deluka don't just scramble to the top
of the pile, they positively jump around on it smacking their contemporaries
over their heads with their synths on the way. I'll wait has a mechanical
beating bass of a heart, a jump start of a guitar riff and sassy vocal that
sees them way up there with the likes of Dead Disco. Just one sound may not
be enough - seek them out some more.
www.deluka.com
SB |
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Todd and Nelson from Buckcherry had a stint playing with the Guns n Roses
mutation that was Velvet Revolver. This should provide all the clues you
need for the sound of this record - technically proficient, earnest west
coast hair rock. Coming soon to a rock bar near you.
www.buckcherry.com
Watch the video to 'Next
2 You'
SB |
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It's hard reading a press release that looks looks like the small print
of the side effects of a prescription drug but the effort is made worthwhile
with the news that in order to achieve their 2 stated objectives of 'making
people more aware of the alarming problems of human kind' and 'getting
people to empathise for the weak and powerless who can't stick up for their
own rights', Finnish rockers Lines of Leaving 'invented their own kind of
melodic, touching and catchy rock music'. Yeah - rock n roll! If this sounds
a bit Wayne's World then perhaps you can forgive them as this is a charity
single for the homeless of Finland. Jolly good show. And the music isn't bad
either - a bit of a Muse/Placebo hybrid with largely gothic overtones.
www.linesofleaving.cjb.net
SB |
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Sadly not a reprise by good old Henry (I could do with a bit of 'Pink
Panther' right now) but an electro guitar duo who sound remarkably like
Roxette at times. The track goes on and on too (well actually only 3minutes
30 but it seems like a long time - this can't be a good sign). A bit too
plain to tickle my musical tastebuds.
www.myspace.com/manciniband
SB |
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A few years ago, aged 19, young American
singer-songwriter Willy Mason sent whispers of ‘next big thing’ and ‘the new
Bob Dylan’ through the underground music scene. Although there was little
interest in his debut ‘Where The Humans Eat’, the lyrics to his song
“Oxygen” almost became an anthem in what is quickly becoming a soulless
consumer-driven world.
Mason has resurfaced with a new album and the single
‘Save Myself’. He offers simple, acoustic folk songs and subtle social
commentary in a voice that sounds like it belongs to someone twice his age.
The song opens with a simple set of chords repeating, and then you hear
Mason singing his outtake on modern America in lines such ‘when I live in a
country without history/one that’s buried its root with it’s identity/ we
are still searching for liberty/ we are still hiding from reality’ while a
smaller voice sings behind it ‘I gotta save myself, just save myself’ before
lapsing into a slow and steady chorus.
But who needs another kid with an acoustic guitar
telling us to save the planet?
Well, sometimes the message really is in the delivery:
there is something reassuring in Mason’s low, clear voice and his
unpretentious manner, his youth, and the calm, laid-back vibe to the way he
sings of society’s ills. It is music that convinces you that maybe it’s not
too late to save ourselves.
www.willymason.com
Watch video to 'Save
Myself'
Willa C |
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It's never comfortable to single out one aspect
of a band that seems to hold them back but in this case it is hard to avoid
the fact that the strained, out of tune vocals are neither catchy or
endearing and detract from a couple of good tunes. Time for an add in the
back of NME.
www.freestateprophets.com
SB |
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After five albums and twelve years of dark ‘goth-pop’
(‘Popular in Germany!’ if anyone remembers the Suns emo/goth rant) tinged
with morbid humour, Alkaline Trio have decided to release and album of
rarities and B-sides on their ‘Still Remains’ records, including b-sides,
songs from various compilations and split cds, three new live songs and DVD
footage.
‘Burn’ is just funny at first, the confusing, slowed
down and played over a chilled reggae beat but soon you get into the swing
of things, and kicking back and listening to Matt Skiba lament ‘like hell we
are anxiously waiting!’ over some Jamacian brass actually kind of works.
Huh.
The album shows a clear timeline of their recorded
material over the years, and how they’ve progressed as a band, none better
than the track ‘Hell Yes’.
‘Hell Yes’ from the EP of the same title is an early
recording and even though not as neat and evolved as Alkaline Trio’s later
material, it’s a good song that illustrates the kind of catchy hooks that
make you want to teeny-bop while crying ‘hail satan!’ - and that’s the same
feeling that’s lead them here five albums and twelve years and to a
well-deserved collection of B-Sides & rarities.
Willa C |
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It's funny how things have changed
and how now it is so commonplace to hear electronic beats with a 'proper'
indie guitar song that when an out and out dance track such as 'Squelch
Freak' suddenly creeps in through the shadows it rarely raises even the
slightest of heckles. And why should it? This track is six and a half
minutes of pulsating, uplifting freaky squelchiness but with it's roots
firmly entrenched in the simple and repetitive melodies championed by the
likes of Joy Division. Or at least that is what you can tell yourself if you
are still uncomfortable with this new fangled electronic music in the
hit parade.
www.myspace.com/stylusrex
SB |
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The man behind Breed, Jocke Samuelson, had
the fortune to grow up in the wonderfully named Swedish town of Norrk Ping.
Obviously due to being constantly ridiculed about his address, Jocke sort
solace in the rawk tones of Motley Crue and at puberty decided to blend them
with his electronic gadgetry to produce 'The Grace of Me'. In another era
this would sound a bit trite and distinctly Scando rockish (think Roxette).
But at the moment you can get away with anything.
www.breed-swe.com
SB |
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Dreadful name for a band but then
what chance did they stand when their parents christened them Ditch GBH and
DawnyVic? However, the improbably sounding duo have managed to produce a
decent track which sounds like the Human League or Heaven 17 with a
distinctly modern twist. Not sure why there are a number of shots of the
female front person sprawled on a bed in the press release though...
SB |
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What a great pair of tracks this
is by Italian postpunkers Disco Drive. Very New York in style, this three
piece work their magic seemingly independently of each other but then come
together with mesmerisingly good harmonies anchored by pin sharp song
writing. The outro to 'Factory of Minds' is absolutely superb with an
acapella hand clap breakdown finishing things off. If you like The Rapture
you'll lap this up.
www.myspace.com/discodrivepunk
SB |
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Impressive split single release from North East based Sweet Records. First
up we have 'Partisan', a slice of irresistible indie-pop cleverness from
Minotaurs. Built around a swirling guitar riff with more twists and turns
than a corkscrew, this stuff is so infectious it should come with a health
warning. Simply ace.
Second, but by no means least, we have Blackflower's 'Crying Shame'.
Pounding, energetic indie-pop with a spiky lead guitar melody and
melancholic lyrics delivered with such emotion that you expect the singer
to explode at any point. Compelling stuff.
Two great tunes, and definitely two bands to keep tabs on.
www.myspace.com/minotaurs
www.myspace.com/blackflowermusic
Tony Robinson
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An
unashamedly catchy disco filler, 'Anyway You Choose to Give It' has a
squelchy synth line and continuous throbbing beat that initially tempts you
to dance but eventually gets a little tiresome. Maybe it's the almost
continuous onslaught of vocals that never let up - sometimes less is more.
www.myspace.com/blackghosts
SB |
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Sounds like someone has been listening to their Dad's Rolling Stones
collection. 'Cold Hearted Business' is a little disguised homage to Keith,
Mick & Co. - quirky and upbeat enough for the disco but not offering a lot
on the record player at home.
SB |
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I'm obviously just not hip enough. Although this mash up of Latino beats,
squelchy synths and party rapping in Portuguese by Brazilian three piece
Bond do Role is apparently 'the sound of now' it just sounds damn annoying
to me. I'm off to wash my chinos...
Watch video to 'Solta
O Frango'
SB |
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Pearson is a young man with a deep seating in country music and his
gentle, lilting melodies and winsome song writing will please many who
follow that genre. 'Lost at Sea' is a simple guitar and kick drum number
that is set apart from the mainstream due almost entirely to Pearson's
distinctive vibrato vocals.
However, it is in 'Shatter Proof' that Pearson introduces a slightly
different indier edge that has a lovely gentle yet angst atmosphere. The
constant and prominent vibrato may put some people off but Pearson will
certainly be compulsive listening for plenty of others.
www.gethinpearsonandthescenery.com
SB |
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7 Remixes? 7 Bloody remixes?! 'Woozy with Cider' is a lovely track mixing
Yorkston's spoken word soliloquy over an electronic glockenspiel melody
which runs almost constantly through the song. Lilting and literally woozy.
But the remixes, while being a nice little added bonus probably aren't
individual enough to warrant taking them all in with one sitting.
watch the video to 'Woozy
with Cider'
www.jamesyorkston.co.uk
SB |
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I'm sorry but I've had enough of poppy piano driven mainstream
balladeering to last me a lifetime. There may come a time in my life when I
want to dip my musical ear in the murky waters of this type of song writing
again, but for now it is leaving me completely turned off, as bereft of
ideas for writing as they are bereft of ideas musically. And they can't
spell Antartica properly.
www.hiflyerofficial.com
SB |
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Like a Daily Mail book review, I'd have to describe this 'an enjoyable
romp'. The Wombats sound like the sparkly young pups that they are and
'Backfire at the Disco' documents the breakdown of a potentially successful
date by the time the pair go clubbing. This would not happen to any of
tasty's writers, we are all banned from dancing. There's a bit of The
Sunshine Underground going on with the vocals which all seem to be belted
out at volume 11.
www.myspace.com/wombatsuk
watch the video to 'Backfire
at the Disco'
SB |
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For those of you who, like me, fell in love with Keith
Kenniff aka Goldmund’s full length release ‘Corduroy Road’ nearly a year and
a half ago, the release of a 7”of six brand new piano solos is an exciting
prospect indeed.
Building on the ideas and sounds within ‘Corduroy
Road’, Goldmund crafts short delicate and uncluttered pieces that come off
as sounding like an overheard snippet from a lost movie soundtrack from
European cinema. Short, intensely beautiful and yet another glimpse into
the talented mind of Keith Kenniff.
Luke Drozd |
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I like a bit of Damn Arms and this is no exception. Fuzzy, frantic vocals
and general hyperactive busyness as always in 'Homewrecker' and the B-side
'Wooden Leg Civil Claw' is even better, a bass driven chant and synth fest
of epic proportions.
SB |
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A band playing a curious mix of pop, folk and prog, Man
Aubergine appear to be a band content on ploughing their own musical path.
Side A, Bastard Brother is bizarre ditty that showcases MA’s delight in
creating tight hooks and flippantly twisted lyrics.
Side B, Twin Sisters begins with a gentle banjo before
bursting into anthemic folk as infectious as syphilis that calls to mind
Warren Zevon’s ‘Werewolves of London’ and with a chorus line like ‘She’s in
love with her own twin sister’ its impossible not embrace their wily charms.
Man Aubergine, consider me hooked.
Luke Drozd |
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My first real listen to Air Traffic and I've got to say I'm highly
impressed. It's hard to stand out from the crowd as a four piece guitar band
but Air Traffic have a sprightliness and crisp guitar sound even in this ode
to unrequited love. A masterful use of dynamics and tempo to boot - I can
even listen to the instrumental version of this without getting bored. Fab.
www.myspace.com/airtraffic
Watch video to 'Charlotte'
SB |
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Having recently been privileged enough to have caught
The Twilight Sad live and witnessed their blend of folk, post rock and pop
in the flesh it was some excitement that I received the promo for the debut
7” and, joy of all joys, they have managed to capture the same urgency and
splendour their live sound has and commit it to record.
Both tracks here display a sense of sonic depth mixed
with a pop sensibility that manages to create a tone both accessible and
razor sharp. If this is the quality of the rest of the album due out later
this year then we are certainly in for a treat.
Luke Drozd |
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Digital ska is a very good description of this single. Sadly I didn't
come up with the term but it fits like a glove so why not re-use it. The ska
keyboard sounds provide the bulk of the backdrop to the vocals in a move
which could be straight from a Gorillaz album. Little surprise when you
consider the incestuous connections of the production team behind the group.
The remixes on the other hand are well worth the purchase alone - especially
the Central remix which is a warped beast that would be more at home in the
Sheep on Drugs back catalogue.
www.radar.tv
Watch the video to 'War
Out There'
SB |
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There are few things in my currently rather pathetic
life that excite me more than a package arriving from Brighton’s finest, Fat
Cat Records. The only thing better is opening it up and discovering it
contains a new Animal Collective release.
Seemingly of late they are a band going from strength
to strength including their solo ventures and ‘People’ is no expectation.
The title track is a hazy and dub inflected number covered in yelps and
screams so joyous its impossible not to end up grinning to yourself in some
dreamy coma.
Ep highlight ‘Tikwid’ follows and is one of the finest
examples of modern and complex pop I heard in a very long time. Addictive
and shimmering it is a beacon of light shining straight into your joy
receptors.
Topped off with the curious wonder that is ‘My
Favourite Colors’, a song that sounds like an old music hall record filtered
through the darkest depths of Brian Wilson’s mind and a live take of
‘People’, this EP is yet another reminder that no-one out there does it
quite like Animal Collective, probably because only they know what ‘it’ is.
Luke Drozd |
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The little known co-artist on the Donnie Darko version of Tears for
Fears' 'Mad World', Michael Andrews releases these two winsome tracks which
have a slight touch of Cat Stevens about them. 'Just a Thought' has a
faintly eastern European sounding guitar line to back Andrews very gentle
voice. 'Orange Meets Lemon' is driven by a double bass and has a very
languid lounge bar style about it. Not exactly dynamic but satisfyingly
chilled out for a Sunday evening.
SB |
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Pull Tiger Tail have certainly been mixing with the right types to get
plenty of media exposure - tours with Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., We Are
Scientists and Pigeon Detectives among them. Which is a good thing because
for all their lively jingling guitars and earnest ranting they aren't
amazingly distinctive from every other young indie guitar band doing the
rounds at the moment. All this youthful exuberance makes 'Let's Lightening'
seem a bit frantic and out of control rather than pacey and energetic.
www.pulltigertail.net
Watch the video to 'Let's
Lightning'
SB |
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Steeped in the trappings of a record deal with a major and a mainstream r
'n' b recording history, Robyn decided to buy herself out of her record
contract and start her own label so she could exercise greater artistic
control over her career. Bravo Robyn. 'Konichiwa Bitches' then, is
presumably the result of this strike for freedom. Although still loosely
based in r 'n' b, Robyn has a lazy, slurred delivery and combines it with
some quirky b-movie style electronics. I don't think it is distinctive
enough to drag hordes of indie kids into r 'n' b venues but it is at least
an individual take on the genre. Still depressingly full of trite 'urban'
lyrics though.
www.robyn.com
watch the video to 'Konichiwa
Bitches'
SB |
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One Click Corvette's sound is clearly an amalgamation of all the artists
they admire, in differing proportions with each song. 'Impetus' being high
up the list for Jilted Generation era Prodigy, 'Live Fast' for Orbital,
'Mean it All' for Lionrock/Death in Vegas with a bit of Front 242 thrown in
etc. As such none of this remotely threatening to be ground breaking.
However, what this actually does demonstrate is a keen attention to detail
in these near perfectly crafted tracks, almost like an introduction to the
best electronic music from the last decade. This is the sort of stuff that
you'd want to hear played loud in a club rather than out of a pair of PC
speakers and that's got to be a good thing - music should be a social beast.
It's also just the sort of thing I like so I'm quite happy thank you very
much.
www.oneclickcorvette.com
SB |
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It's all well and good to have a hobby you love and can enjoy in the
privacy of your own home. But when you start to hurt people then it's time
to stop. On the basis of this being a truly painful listen maybe it is time
for Collaborator to desist. Seriously shaky vocals and a completely
non-ironic rawk-god piano-guitar axis of evil ensure this falls soundly in
the pub band bracket, and a bad pub band at that.
SB |
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For a song that sounds like a Bonnie Tyler b-side, 'All the Same'
promises great things from the press release such as being 'the most
refreshing and liberating band you will have come across for a long time' -
maybe if you've been living in a sealed cellar in Middlesbrough for the last
15 years. the hyperbole doesn't stop there - 'This 5-piece band has
the potential to imprint its music on your soul and become the soundtrack to
your life'. If this happens please promise to organise an exorcism for me.
Not that Go Cadenza are bad, they are just travelling down a route
extremely well trodden by the likes of Coldplay and Keane (yes, this
comparison is relevant). Except that Coldplay are better (and I wouldn't say
that very often). 'Hot Air Balloon' typifies the problem - quite a nice
little track but it never takes off and really soars like it could do,
always tethered firmly to the ground of safe but uninspiring. With a little
more effort maybe Go Cadenza could forge something, but this single does
nothing for me.
www.gocadenza.com
SB |
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Staggering - this CD actually smells of celery. Maybe something to do
with the printing process but definitely an avenue to look into - the whole
music/vegetable crossover potential.
'Part One' is the first of the planned four releases this year from the
Leeds based quartet and shows enough promise to keep an eye out for later
work. There's also a reassuringly modest press release where the band just
admit they like to make music and if anyone else likes it then that is good
too (take note Go Cadenza). 'Seed' is a satisfyingly direct lurch through a
post punk landscape of urgent jabbing guitars and insistent basslines. The
riffs are kept nice and simple and remind in places of early Therapy? before
they became obsessed with emulating Metallica. 'Ribbons' starts well with
growling bass riff before settling into a more orthodox 4 minutes of dark
indie guitar work.
I do have some minor gripes. I don't like the recording/production at all
- it sounds like a toy drumkit was used and the vocals sound thin, reedy and
permanently distorted. But these are all things which are easily remedied so
on balance a tentative thumbs up.
www.myspace.com/aomc
SB |
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I always think there is something slightly dishonest or lazy about cover
versions but in fairness this is sufficiently distinct from the original to
warrant some attention. Indeed, even the great Mozzster himself has
apparently given it his seal of approval (though I'm not sure this would
satisfy tasty's very own quiff-sporting Smiths-expert-in-residence Comrade
Metcalf). I always found the original version strangely uplifting and
euphoric whereas this big beat version with strings and brass seems
strangely melancholy. And the mixing of The Supreme's 'You Keep Me Hanging
On' just seems a bit contrived. Don't mess with the Moz - that's my advice.
www.markronson.co.uk
Watch the video to 'Stop
Me'
SB |
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Ha! Bang on cue from one be-quiffed warbley-voiced crooner to another.
And this one must be smelling paydirt with an album of Bob Dylan covers on
the way too. Extremely disappointing Bryan, perhaps you should spend more
time at parenting class to prevent your fox-chasing oikish offspring
breaking into parliament, tsk.
www.bryanferry.com
SB |
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Forgotten Sleep sound like a band in a rush to do things. Although it's
only a little over three minutes long they cram an awful lot of good stuff
into 'The Hard Sell'. Light hearted quirky, poppy tunes suddenly get
underlined by massive wedges of growling guitar - they don't half make a
racket for just a threepiece. 'Say Something' is equally accomplished
bringing together the three unlikely components of another ball breakingly
good guitar riff in the chorus, a fine bubbling bass line and an angelic
choral vocal cameo, presumably from Hannah. Dammit, this is good track
- takes me back to the finest of Soundgarden's layered guitars.
There's also plenty of glimpses of other more contemprary tasty faves such
as Victorian English Gentlemens Club, Twinkie and The Half Rabbits.
Things slow down for a shoe-gazy interlude in 'If I Wait To Long' before
the EP rounds off with 'Year of the Dog' a suitably growly new wave track
bringing in a bit of electro trickery. I'm impressed, very impressed.
www.forgottensleep.com
www.myspace.com/forgottensleep
SB |
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Yes, they have returned. Although I failed to catch more than a passing
glimpse of XisLOADED the first time round, this sudden exposure has proven
an eye-opener. Taunting the listener with a single track from their upcoming
album ‘Trench’ (released on 23rd April), this ltd edition split 7” single
(500 copies only on red vinyl, get in there fast!) with label buddies I Am
The Door is a tantalising snippet of what we can expect from the Bath
4-piece in 2007. ‘Momentum Fails’ is a solid chunk of grunge-soaked pop
melody, with a guitar lick that’ll stay with you for hours. As the song
closes around a prog-esque outro, we get one more chorus, almost as if to
remind us that they can still rock. The contribution from label mates I Am
The Door is a decidedly more disco affair, not normally my kind of thing but
‘Our Own Radio’ is a catchy tune with the strong vocals especially standing
out.
With riffs-a-plenty and a hook that would reel in the biggest of cynics,
XisLOADED look certain to create waves in 2007. Here’s to it.
www.myspace.com/xisloadedtheband
www.myspace.com/iamthedoor
www.myspace.com/sugarshackrecordsuk
JimmyP |
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If you come from Stoke then it's a damn good idea to try and find
something that gets you out and about a bit. The Disappointments are three
angry sounding young men who thrash out their frustrations (stop sniggering
at the back) on their fast paced, serrated punk rock tracks, very much in
the style of Rancid. It's fully committed but I still have the same problem
as I used to have with Rancid - when everything is as full on as this, it's
like being beaten into submission when you want to be or not - there's no
room to sit back and take a breath. on the other hand ,. it's better than
listening to fucking Keane.
www.myspace.com/thedisapopintments
SB |
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Four throwaway dollops of Scottish teen guitar girl-pop, affected by the
same jauntiness as The Fratellis and the humour and feistiness of The
Chalets. At their best they recall The Grates and some of the playfulness of
Bis. They reference Napoleon Dynamite and start one song (We Expected) with
the line ‘you got accepted for Cambridge Uni, fell in love with a long
haired loonie’. As you might guess, this is going to win over a few
schooodents and youths and there’s nowt wrong with that but ultimately this
is inane and a decade out of date, recalling the more throwaway moments of
Catatonia and the youthful exuberance of Shampoo but without the balls.
Harmless but will annoy the fuck out of you eternally if it manages to get
playlisted on Radio 1.
Watch the video to 'Tiger'
Craig Wood |
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I’m really wary about bands like this – you know, the
ones that claim to be rejuvenating British rock; whom are promising the best
bits of their best contemporaries, only their offering will be ballsier with
music louder, faster, better and lyrics which the common man can enjoy a
closer kinship with. In short, they’re gonna be a breath of fresh air and
won’t you know it…
Fortunately for the listener in this instance, This
Stone is a Bullet is a rip-roaring three minutes of adrenaline driven rock
with not so much as a nano-second wasted. They’re not original… of course
they’re not, but you knew they wouldn’t be. They share in common the
excitement of the Jam with the power of the Who, which by my reckoning makes
them as fresh sounding as the boozer’s lament, but they’re a damn fine
example of modern British rock and I’ll give ‘em that.
Alex Clark |
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Thank goodness for indie-pop; a
genre you can always rely on for its limited ambition, DIY mentality and
songs that can say so much in so few words and so little in so many words.
But wait a second, some people are
saying that indie is on the way down; that as the word “indie” is being used
more frequently about bands that look like they’ve been made in a factory by
someone whose sole intention is to find the (yawn) next big thing, real
independent, underground music is being driven away in favour of a watered
down version, bereft of even the merest hint of passion and feeling.
A point they may have, but with
bands like Das Wanderlust, Decoration and Buen Chico making brilliant pop
music for pop music’s sake, I don’t think it’s time to start worrying that
what once was a driving underground phenomenon has now turned into a
corporate trend which will be forgotten next month. In fact, I would
advocate that the “indie scene” (if that’s what it is) is in fine health and
that Manchester 5-piece Amida are a welcome addition to the crop of bands.
Amida’s Arts & Crafts EP has six
shining examples of the sort of short, jangly, laidback music that isn’t
afraid to be happy, albeit dourly; it’s the aural equivalent of a lazy
summer, and as we’re only in March, it wouldn’t be unsurprising to find that
a couple of months down the line, the name Amida a well regarded one amongst
the so-called right people.
With a vocal style across between
Dave Cooke and Malcolm Middleton of Being 747 and Arab Strap respectively,
Amida’s John Ammirati writes lyrics that are slightly nonsensical at times
(“all this talk and indecision made her forget her long division”), but
never grate, and fit perfectly with the delightfully simple instrumentation,
with exactly the right amount of fancy guitar solos (i.e. none).
As final track Virtue Was Your
Downfall’s charming yet slightly discordant guitars reach their climax – or
anti-climax – it seems hard to imagine that you’ve just listened to 6 tracks
of music. Now everyone knows that short songs are the best. Of course, there
are exceptions, such as The Fall and most post-rock, but it’s still lovely
that the longest song on this EP is just 2 minutes and 18 seconds long. Song
length, though, is incidental when they’re of this calibre. Give Amida a
listen.
Patrick Dowson |
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If I am entirely honest I had heard of Havana Guns but
never heard any of their music, after listening to them just once I was
really hooked. With the likes of the Long Blondes, The Like, The Gossip and
New Young Pony Club bursting through on the indie scene it has paved the way
for hundreds of all girl bands, or bands with a girl lead singer to start
releasing tracks. Only a few of these bands will last or even make a track
but The Havana Guns look to be a little different as it would be very
difficult to say something bad about them - they are that good! Both songs
are very catchy and the band only made 500 copies of this song so it’s well
worth getting even if it’s just for an investment. Go out and buy this
now!!!
www.havanaguns.com
Lewis Carter |
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A slightly lighter than normal outing for Buen Chico sees the poppy 'Gold
from Lead' bounce out of your speakers and ping around your room for three
fun filled minutes. 'La La La (I Can't Hear You)' is a bit more garagey and.
if I'm honest, my favourite of the two tracks. It has a creaking, stuttering
guitar line that eventually galvanises into a surf pop chorus as Morgan
bereaves the missing content of some of his musical heroes of yesteryear.
It's a bit Supergrass but the way the guitars break down and build up is
genius.
www.buenchico.com
SB |
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Well this is one of those 4 piece indie bands that grow
on record label trees. No doubt that this band will be tipped for great
things, then fizzle out and play local pubs. None of the four songs on the
album are what you would call technically or musically gifted or even that
good. All four songs come across as pop/emo/indie, the first song Kelly you
are the teacher is a little bit whiney and reminds me of Busted which is
never ever good! Take a listen as I might be wrong and you might really like
them
Lewis Carter |
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Bejesus! Already another single from the trend-setting
knob-twisters, I Was a Cub Scout. This duo are confident beyond their years
are their latest and greatest, ‘I Hate Nightclubs’ is testimony to that.
These two young men are awesomely accomplished at what they doing, that is a
seamless hybrid between raunchy teen-punk and effervescing electro.
The sentiment of the song is a little wishy-washy and
the punk element slightly pedestrian, but the electronic-coasting gives the
piece its much needed third dimension and the wing-power to elevate them
above the quagmire of orthodox punk.
And I echo the comments I made in my review of ‘Pink
Squares’ – considering how young the two are, they’re prowess could be
ungodly in ten years time.
Alex Clark |
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Russell Joslin can produce driving rhythms with interesting acoustic
flourishes. The sound of his voice suits the music, but he sometimes sounds
like he's singing out of his register. The result is some of his lines sound
a little bit whiny, but this is ultimately forgivable because his choice of
rasping words and the style of the song suit each other.
Track 2, Blind Tour Guide is similar to Story Gang, which preceeds it. Not
necessarily a bad thing, it comes in a more melancholy flavour with cool
supporting harmonies both for the acoustic guitar and the vocals.
Don't be fooled though, things take a turn for the optimistic by the time
you get to Tinsel And Metal, my personal favourite, which waltzes along with
what sounds like an upbeat, summery take on acoustic led folk. It comes as
pleasant refreshment after the more sobre opening tracks.
Sea Shanty No.1 is a high-pitched Spanish folk vibe, with flowing words
layered on top of a quick chord sequence. Joslin sings another tale of woe,
this time introducing menacing percussion that starts off in the distance
but approaches like a storm. Which I thought was cool.
You're Pretty Tall When You Stand Up is a brooding song, and Joslin returned
the rasping lyrics that are slightly less kind on the ear, but it doesn't
detract from the fact that he's clearly a solid talent when it comes to
being a singer song writer who's able to tell you a story that any listener
finds themselves relating to on some level.
Nick Wood |
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Holy Molar are something of a super
group made up of some the finest bands from the fringes of punk and
hardcore; more specifically one of Get Hustle, three members of The Locust
and one of das Oath. My suspicion was that Holy Molar would sound like a
mixture of these three bands, and the first track ‘Cavity Search’ confirmed
my suspicions. It’s lurching spasmodic hardcore, accompanied by primitive
stabbing keyboards and what sounds like a Theremin at points. All the while
das Oath vocalist Mark McCoy’s vocals shriek, wail and moan over the top of
the music, creating an even more frantic cacophony. This pace doesn’t
continue for the remainder of the EP, by the final two tracks the tempo is
considerably slower. This however has the effect of making the whole affair
seem even more unhinged, it’s deranged carnival music for hardcore kids.
‘Cavity Search’ is witty in terms of the samples and electronic elements,
demented, and brutally aggressive. If you’re a fan of The Locust or Genghis
Tron this will more than likely make you turgid / moist (delete as
appropriate).
Michael Pearson |
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Largely conceived on the remote O Sea Island in the Thames, 'The
Heritage' is a sublime piece of folk music that stands out head and
shoulders above the current slew of folky singer songwriters for its
starkness and intensity. Immaculate entwined finger picked guitar builds up
to a rousing chorus before b-side, the spartan 'Ashes Over Embers' delivers
an effective and moving outro.
www.marchofthelonely.com
www.myspace.com/martinegrechofficial
SB |
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