singles
june '05
morning runner - drawing shapes ep
new hopefuls on emi. lovely packaging, and lots of good vibes always makes me wary. and on the first listen i just heard a de facto rip off of several currently in demand bands, but actually there could indeed be something special going on here. opening track, 'work', starts off all noisy like a muse b-side making the heckles rise, but i hung on in there and after 1 minute of stop-button temptation things suddenly take a turn for the better, as the band hit the hands in the air chorus and raise the interest stakes, proving that people still listen to the waterboys sanctioned 'big music' in 2005. things get even better with 'hold your breath', a more laid back piano led track, the stylistic connections are obvious, but while the song may be a total coldplay take on the emotionally packed and depression filled melodies, i actually really grew to love this song. the ep's finale, 'it's not like everyone's my friend' revisits the guitar noise opening and then cutting it all back to the piano, once again. whether i could take a whole album of these spins on muse/coldplay/embrace mid tempo groove all depends on my mood of the day, and the quality of the songs on offer. so far these 3 starting points indicate the chances are quite good.
video (real)
video (widoze media)
tom vek - c-c (you set the fire in me)
for a few days back in march i loved the tom vek album. played it over and over and rejoiced in the old school beck-like lo-fi production groove, the hit-n-miss styles and complete disregard for any kind of spit and polish. then after the saturation i put the album to one side, never to be played since. except recently i though 'go on', and you know the very ingredients that i found so appealing really became annoying, meaning the album never reached it's conclusion. having said that - in short sharp bursts like this album highlight then tere really is nothing better. cracking song. i await the second album with a lot of anticipation - just get some decent production behind you tom.
special needs - blue skies
not sure how to tell you about this new poptones release, and being all stressed and rushed i will play the easy game : the smiths, the libertines, the proclaimers - mash'em all, and voila - special needs. the song is a really good rabble rousing catchy song which will certainly go down a storm during the festival season. let's see what happens.
idlewild - el captain
another fine track lifted from the grower of an album 'warning/promises' comes in a revised radio edit, and lovely acoustic version. yes the ramshackle mess of noise of the earlier releases has waned in favour of a more refined, mature take on music making. and why on earth shouldn't they. the lads have a real talent with some cracking tunes. so despite not being a big fan, i have thoroughly enjoyed the album. and this is a good'un to get pressed onto the airwaves. certainly a lot more interesting than anything rem have done in recent time. which is of course the kinda playing field that idlewild are now playing in.
the cribs - mirror kissers
first crack of tunes to be lifted from the bands forthcoming second album. never heard their first album so i have no idea how this rates in compariso. it's a vibrant uptempo punky (78 styled - not usa 2000+) number, with thin guitars and treble to the max sonics, all kept in check by the legend that is edwyn collins. while i thought this garage kind of thing had seen the end of its run i guess we're due for the second round now that all the genres bands have their second albums good to go. while 'mirror kisses' doesn't thrill me there is a cracking tune bursting through. did any one say 'these animal men' ? nah. guess not. only i would remember them.
the scaramanga six - horrible face
latest pop directive from my favourite gang. this time though i suspect they may have slipped up with their choice of lead track. the sheer unpleasantness in the lyrics of 'horrible face' are not going to endear any radio play lists, which is a shame, as for this single the band have revisited 2 tracks off the 'cabin fever' album (the far more addictive and direct 'elemental' is the b-side) and added a ton of string sections/orchestrations to flesh out the sonics. there was the chance that this was going to end up as a mini-lp as the session resulted in 7 or eight tracks, i am sure the rest will surface at some point. in the meantime, enjoy this slice of anti-pop (ie pop that aint for your aunties). extra bonus track is non-lp feature 'the throning room'
overseer - horndog/doomsday
leeds studio boffin, rob overseer, along with his partner dave creffield, has been trapped in his sound bunker for last few years waiting his time in the spotlight. now at long last after a lot of sample issues his uk operation can now start in earnest. so welcome back the big beat sound. lot of chunky samples, rock guitars and a high quotient of fun dance noise makes this the ultimate combination of apollo440 and fat boy slim grooves, remix duties by dylan rhymes just adds more of the usual extras to the game. these two tracks are lifted from the forthcoming 'wreckage' album which sees overseer drift into far more interesting avenues.
in the meantime just let the beat go ..
gorillaz - feel good inc.
full rundown on the various b-sides : here
ambulance ltd - primitive (the way i treat you)
excellent track. one of the albums best. guitars swell, bass lines rumble and generally all is well with the world when a song like this is spinning, it may drag you into the spot the dandy warhols reference game ('oooh, is that a piano riff from the velvet underground i hear in the background), but when the chorus kicks in all negativity is dropped in favour of a big cracking smile. i love this.
dfa 1979 - black history north
my first exposure to all thing dfa 1979, having read a lot of press i was fascinated. now i am not so .. a duo who make a right bloody racket with their drums and guitars. admittedly its pretty fine, and when the hand clap chorus declaring the kids to hold as their mother and father are leaving then it becomes apparent that this is not happy music despite the use of fuzzed up glam styled guitars. so instead lets see whet else they add to the mixture - well there is a remix by sammy danger (i swear i am not making this up !) that cranks up the slow and low groove of the original to a beat frenzied monster with added distortion, trent reznor could become interested if they are not careful. then comes the indie folks wet dream - a cover of bloc partys' luno. which is just mad and strange. fuzzed bassline, guitar noise and that melody line we all know so well. its truly excellent in all its rough and ready glory stripping away all the careful studio sheen that the bloc'ers crafted so carefully. finally there is a remix by electro-disco godheads alan brake and fred falke which is for the more standard clubs with a totally radio friendly club groove. all bases covered i'd say.
now i'm interested in hearing more !
the departure - all mapped out
the bands debut single gets another airing prior to the release of the album which is due out shortly. chunky-n-spikey bass twangs and handclaps kick off this fine track prior to the funked up guitars and edgy vocals. being honest - i love this. i realise a lot of people are getting a bit run down with the post punk funk thing, and i can see the end of references to gang of four is drawing close. but hey give me this type of song over a hives/stooges/mc5 rehash any day. thank you.
coldplay - speed of sound
i dont really need to tell you about this one surely? switch on the radio - it wont be long. never a big fan of the band, but even i i cannot deny the all round gorgeousness of this song.
the house of love - gotta be that way
only recently heard the last album which celebrated the union of guy chadwick and terry bickers once more, and realised that on certain days their spin of classic indie styles really hits the spot. the lead song goes through all the usual house of love tricks - dual layered harmonies (hello simon and garfunkel), guitars strum, delicate solos and being honest, if this had been released during the bands golden era then all would have been happy. the single comes backed with a mogwai remix which strips away the vocals and adds a little sonic twist in the beats. and to finish the set off there is a live take on the old classic 'love in a car' bringing unbridled joy to the diehards.
lo-fi-fnk - change channel/wake up
more weird pop released via moshi moshi. 2 tracks that have found favour from such places as fluxblog. the two tracks on offer supply mad, fast furious splattering chunk of synths, cheap drum sounds and general sonic gameboy noise chaos (change channel), or pleasant 80's electropop. there are elements of early buzzcocks in the vocals. with this type of style-fashion groove you takes your choice, in this case i'm still undecided.
the black velvets - glamstar
if you've heard any of the black velvets previous singles then you should know what this is going to be - rock music. loud. brash. and not subtle at all. sitting alongside the glitterati. obviously with the genre declaration in the song title this is their take on the 70's. hmm. call me picky, but i always though glam was about frivolity, fun and mascara, this is just far too masculine and serious sounding. yes its got a mighty hook, and stomps all over the living room when the volume is appropiate but hey where are earl brutus with their updated glam groove in 2005 when we really need them ?
autokat - the driver/television
new 7" single on the interesting aa recordings label involving more noises from the underground manchester scene. just a warning though : oasis fans need not apply. instead this is quality post punk styled fun with its focus on the groove. 'the driver' has a pumped up simplistic beat, almost krautrock-esque in its manner, despite being crafted out of tight clean clipped guitars, monotonous bass lines and a straightforward drum beat while singer, john allen, chants out a life affirming call to arms, but more importantly, it is really really good. flip over to the far more fan friendly 'television', where the band have crafted a wonderfully addictive modernised buzzcock styled guitars and vocals. making for an excellent debut that has been spun many many times at ireallylovemusic hq and still hasn't overstayed its welcome.
the chicharones - pork rind disco ep
2 blokes from halifax (nova scotia version - not up north, uk), josh and the interestingly named sleep, have been making underground hip hop now for a while, but this is the first time the rest of the world has a chance to hear this now that bella union have signed up to their slushy stringed, looped horns, 70's funk styled hip hop. it's nice and easy, suits the sun and will make people feel good when played out across the festival fields this summer with their stereo mc's groove and fine-n-funky flow.
3 tracks and one video from this long established south west based uk hip hop crew - 3 separate tracks (freaks, falling, village idiot) and one excellent video making this a lovely package. hard beats, warp styled bleeps and a range of dubbed up beats and free flowing lyrics with the odd old tv sample thrown in for good measure make this is an very fine introduction to the whole current uk hip hop groove.
is it summer already ?
certainly feels like it when this is dropped on the deck.
every move a picture - chemical burns/signs of life
new 7" from the ever interesting something in construction label. debut from this tipped-for-the-top san francisco gang - taking up with the current passion for pumped up guitars and basslines with a smattering of analogue synths and vocals that take a leaf out of early doors psychedelic furs, should indicate the area within which we are dealing with here, plus they are gigging pals of the killers and the futureheads. best of the 2 is the urgent, straight to the central nervous system of 'sign of life' - echoed vocals, old school punked up funk grooves and a chorus that hits on first listen - could be interesting watching this lot over the next 12 months.