Music - Singles of the Week - Monday, December 4
IndieLondon gleefully checks out the cream of the week’s singles. All you have to do is click on the pictures to order them…
SINGLE OF THE WEEK: BRAKES – HOLD ME IN THE RIVER: Brakes provide an excellent reminder of why you should go out and buy their latest album, The Beatific Visions with the release of this lively single Hold Me In The River. Kicking off with an ultra-sharp guitar riff, the track blasts out of the stereo like a lightning bolt amid a whirlwind of dizzying but endearing beats and melodies. The central guitar riff weaves cheekily in and out, disrupting the flow of the otherwise driving guitars, while the vocals are edgy in a punky sort of way. It’s a firecracker of a start to the album and a welcome reminder of why Brakes are such a great little super-group. They are, of course, comprised of Eamon from British Sea Power, Mark from Tenderfoot and Tom and Alex from Electric Soft Parade.
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THE RAPTURE – WAYUH (PEOPLE DON’T DANCE NO MORE): The Rapture deliver their contender for party track of the festive season with the disco-strutting effervescent punk rock of W.A.Y.U.H (People Don’t Dance No More). Taken from the album Pieces Of The People We Love, this finds the hip New Yorkers issuing a call and response to the dance generation to get down and funky with the new cool sound of the Big Apple. It’s a track that contains plenty of crossover appeal, especially if you dig both the rave scene or the Scissor Sisters, yet curiously it’s not one of the better tracks to emerge from an otherwise great album. It’s the sort of offering that’s fine when you’re in the party vibe but which quickly fades from the memory once it’s gone. By the way, the full meaning of W.A.Y.U.H is ‘whoo! Alright-Yeah… Uh Huh – just in case you were wondering!
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THE SCISSOR SISTERS – LAND OF A THOUSAND WORDS: Scissor Sisters return with their epic new ballad Land of A Thousand Words, the follow up to the No.1 smash I Don’t Feel Like Dancin which topped the charts for four weeks in September. Land Of A Thousand Words – written by Jake Shears and Babydaddy – is described as the band’s homage to film opening songs and, in particular, the movies of James Bond. It’s delivered in a thrilling style, complete with piano melodies and a vocal style that’s pure Elton John of the Yellow Brick Road era. “It’s an exploration of a three and a half minute pop song that goes from nothing to high drama”, says Babydaddy. Whatever, it’s excellent stuff and evidence of the New York outfit’s ability to change tempo at will and maintain a high standard. It’s taken from sophomore album Ta-Dah.
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PAOLO NUTINI – REWIND: Paolo Nutini looks to cap a memorable year with the release of heart-rending single, Rewind, a string-laden ballad that marks the third single to be taken from the platinum selling debut album These Streets. It’s as powerfully delivered as ever, full of yearning and regret yet, crucially, not as depressing or drippy as some ballads I could mention. Nutini’s distinct, gruff vocals lend it an extra element of maturity and grittiness that make it really worth listening to, while the strings and acoustic guitars slow build to a nice intensity that marks Nutini’s music at its most accomplished. If you haven’t had chance to check out the album yet, then it’s well worth adding to any Christmas list – particularly if you’ve been seduced by this single.
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JAY-Z – SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT: Hip hop icon and cultural phenomenon Jay-Z returns with the first single to emerge from his new album Kingdom Come in the form of Show Me What You Got. Kicking off amid a strident trumpet fanfare, the track then kicks into gear with Jay-Z’s distinct delivery proclaiming his return in emphatic fashion. The hand-clap supporting beats work well in tandem with the soulful brass that also hints at a Motown vibe, while there’s a sample of Shaft In Africa to keep a close ear on. The overall impression is that Jay-Z has returned in as confident fashion as ever, triumphantly placing himself at the forefront of the mainstream hip hop movement once again. The album, as you’d expect, is packed with similarly slick production values and all manner of supporting talent.
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EMBRACE – I CAN’T COME DOWN: As we approach Christmas, Embrace decide to come over all tender with their latest single I Can’t Come Down, the sort of deliberate ballad that seems tailor-made for the soundtrack of a slushy movie such as Love Actually or the forthcoming chick flick The Holiday. It slow builds into an epic finale of guitars and swirling strings, while Danny McNamara’s vocals are as serenely delivered and heartfelt as ever. But when compared to the more inspiring likes of Nature’s Law and No Use Crying, this isn’t one of the better offerings to emerge from the otherwise excellent This New Day album. An acoustic version, available in some formats, merely adds to the ponderous feel of the track – it’s for the hopelessly romantic only!
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MORRISSEY – I JUST WANT TO SEE THE BOY HAPPY: The latest single to emerge from Morrisssey’s Ringleader Of The Tormentors album is I Just Want To See The Boy Happy, a lively mini-rock opera that features some gutsy guitar work and a brass section finale that adds an extra dimension to proceedings. It’s inspiring in a way that’s not usually associated with some of the singer’s more downbeat tendencies and finds the artist, vocally, sounding really determined to bring a little happiness to an otherwise sad life. The release of the single comes backed with a haunting B-side, Sweetie-Pie, a melancholy lament about depression and ending one’s life that feels much more in keeping with some of the singer’s previous work. It’s quietly effective but takes a little getting used to. The release is rounded out with a live version of I Want The One I Can’t Have recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002.
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GOODBOOKS – LENI: Formed in early 2005, GoodBooks’ early releases marked them out as one of the most promising young British bands. Signing to Columbia Records in early summer 2006, they released a download only single, Turn It Back in August, and have performed alongside the likes of Art Brut, Mystery Jets and The Young Knives to much acclaim. Citing the likes of Kraftwerk, XTC, Pulp and Hot Chip as influnces, the band are currently finalising plans for their debut album in 2007. On the evidence of the catchy Leni, it could be worth keeping an eye on. The track is built around some lively guitar hooks (that flit between angular and melodic) while the vocals also leap from strained and edgy to falsetto and heartfelt. It all combines to create an exciting mix.
THE ROCKS – HEARTBREAK CITY: The Rocks release Heartbreak City, an effective blast of pop-rock that contains nods to Motown and the punk ethics of the best of ’76. It’s just under four minutes of breezy guitar-based pop that marks the newcomers out as a band to watch. They’re comprised of James (vocals), Mauro (lead guitar), Sarah (rhythm guitar), Chris (bass) and Nick (drums) and they deliver their music with breathless abandon, incorporating many classic songwriting vocals. The guitar solos are particularly impressive, while the vocal layering that brings the track to a close serves to deliver an effectively rowsing finale. The single is backed by a live studio recording of the late night, live favourite and Jonathan Richman classic I Was Dancing In A Lesbian Bar. It’s just as impressive.
AGORIA – BABOUL HAIR CUTTIN: Baboul Hair Cuttin’ is the second single to emerge from Agoria’s acclaimed new album The Green Armchair. It’s a slightly more restrained dance track than the dancefloor ripping Code 1026 that highlights the artist’s expansion of his own sound palette. It’s more song-based and includes a haunting set of vocals that drift in and out of the synths. For this single, the Lyon-based DJ/producer has united with fellow Frenchman Scalde to deliver an electro track full of low end fat bass and discordant melodies. It’s certainly a different dance track but for all of its endeavour, it doesn’t really stand up to many repeat listens. The album, however, could well be a different prospect as Agoria is at least trying to do new things within the medium.
Heard a great single, but yet to buy it? Well, we may have reviewed it. Previous reviews: