Music - Singles of the Week - Monday, June 22, 2009
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: BAT FOR LASHES – PEARLS DREAM: Natasha Khan, aka Bat For Lashes, continues to demonstrate why she’s currently one of the most interesting artists tip-toeing the mainstream. Buoyed by the Mercury Music Prize nomination she received for her excellent – but little heard – debut album, she scorched back with sophomore effort Two Suns and even made chart headway with former single Daniel. Pearl’s Dream ought to push her still further into the spotlight – a sublime, heady, ambitious and , yes, surreal mix of ‘80s influences and contempotary pop. Khan’s vocal similarity to Kate Bush is unavoidable but the instrumentation shows plenty of ambition and several beautiful flourishes, while the lyrics are trippy and typically worth listening to. Pearl’s Dream is yet another welcome reminder of Bat For Lashes’ brilliance.
Available on all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
KERI HILSON feat KANYE WEST – KNOCK YOU DOWN: Keri Hilson has taken a while to emerge as a major R’n‘B force in her own right, having built a reputation for herself based on the vocals she’s contributed to two of the biggest hits of the noughties. Those two hits were Timbaland’s The Way I Are and Scream, and she’s also penned hits for Britney Spears (Gimme More) and Pussycat Dolls (Wait A Minute). But as the recent release of her debut solo album In A Perfect World proved, she’s a formidable force in her own right. The LP is one of the R’n’B LPs of the year, in our opinion, and this new single Knock You Down is one of its biggest numbers. Featuring the combined talents of Hilson, Kanye West and Ne-Yo, it’s more in keeping with Kanye’s less rapped newer material and maintains a pop focus. The beats are a little generic, but this one ticks all the right boxes for a collaboration of its type, with Hilson even daring to sound a little more vulnerable than usual. The chorus is catchy as hell too!
Available on all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Album review
SHINEDOWN – SECOND CHANCE: Shinedown are, in my opinion, one of the better big rock acts to have emerged from the States in recent times. Second Chance, the latest track to emerge from their LP The Sound of Madness, is a power ballad of real integrity. Featuring pianos and strings to augment the big guitar riffs and skyscraping choruses, it’s certain to appeal to anyone who likes acts such as Linkin Park and Nickelback – although, it easily surpasses the latter. The Jacksonville, Florida quintet inject real emotion into their lyrics and their delivery and this soars to some epic heights. The LP is well worth a go… whether you’re a rock aficionado or not.
Available on all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Album review
MOBY – PALE HORSES: Moby does what he does best on new single Pale Horses, the latest taster from his forthcoming new album, Wait For Me. That’s to say, ambient synths and deadly beats, all backed by a serene, sensual female vocal. It’s reminiscent of 18 era chillout and great for those afternoons or evenings where you just want to kick back after a long day and reflect on what the past 24 hours have meant. As evidence of what to expect from Wait For Me, it’s another reason to feel excited… which once again finds Moby branching out in interesting new directions. A resolutely DIY effort, Moby recorded the album in his home studio (“although ‘studio’ always seems like an overly grand word for a bunch of equipment set up in a bedroom.”), drew the album artwork with a black sharpie on copy paper, asked his friends to record the vocals (“working with friends is almost always nicer than working with rock stars”) and asked another friend, photographer Jessica Dimmock, to take the press photos. We’re looking forward to hearing the results…
Available on all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
PAPA ROACH – LIFELINE: Papa Roach’s fifth album Metamorphosis has put the Californian quartet back on the rock map with its balls-to-the-wall, in-your face rock. First viral single Hollywood Whore impressed fans and critics alike, giving UK fans a taster of greater things to come. Now the Grammy-nominated group return with a new single Lifeline, a foot-stomping, fire in your belly rock track that boasts a snaky riff that snaps into a bombastic chorus. Indeed, this is about as radio-friendly and commercial as Papa Roach get. The riffs are fun and even funky, the drums just the right sound of pumped-up and pounding, and the chorus – while slightly cheesy in a not-quite-‘80s, stadium-filling kind of way – is made for singing along. Papa Roach appear to have their groove back in a big way… and expect the hits to keep on coming!
Available on all formats
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
PAPA ROACH – NAKED AND FEARLESS (ACOUSTIC) EP: Nope, you’re not seeing things… Papa Roach apparently do have two releases out on June 22. Lifeline is the big chart entry, while there’s also this acoustic EP that features the tracks Lifeline, Had Enough and Carry Me. It’s actually an inspired and hugely endearing touch. And if the track works well in rock form, it positively thrives in this stripped down, slower acoustic form. The guitar work is great (if you like Filter’s Take A Picture, for instance, you’re sure to dig this!), while bonus tracks Had Enough and Carry Me are great too. Had Enough contains some great strumming over some violent, emotive imagery, while Carry Me effortlessly manages to combine the quieter side associated with an acoustic version with something still vaguely pumped up, to ensure that fans don’t think they’ve gone soft. Would they ever?
Available on all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE – RABBIT HEART (RAISE IT UP): Strange that Florence & The Machine should choose to release their new single on the same date as Bat For Lashes, given that the Kate Bush comparisons are rife on both. But like Natasha Khan, Florence Welch is a formidable singer and performer in her own right and she’s currently riding high off the back of the band’s Brits victory earlier this year. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) is evidence of why. Instrumentally bold and lyrically ambitions, this kicks off amid harps, hushed backing vocals and flutes before exploding to life over a vibrant chorus. Lyrically, it’s packed with fairytale allusions and is backed by the type of video that makes Alice In Wonderland seem sane.You’ve just got to be impressed and swept along.
Available on all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
THE ENEMY – SING WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE: Coventry trio The Enemy release their second single from Music For The People in the form of the somewhat more mellow Sing When You’re In Love. Musically tight, it’s vocally a little shaky… the gruff, lived in style not quite befitting the celebratory lyrics that invite you to sing aloud when you’re smitten. That said, the mix of pianos and powerful guitar riffs provides a suitably rousing, powerful instrumental backdrop, while the song improves once it reaches the chorus (and its latter stages), when every band member chips in for some anthemic vocal layering. The video, too, is pretty smart, offering a ‘60s nostalgia trip that’s fun and well-observed style-wise. The Enemy may not be everyone’s favourite band – even on the indie scene – but they’re much better than some reviews have suggested and deserve the following they’re continuing to build.
Available on all formats
Rating: 3 out of 5
JUST JACK – DOCTOR DOCTOR: Following the success of Just Jack’s comeback single Embers, from his forthcoming sophomore album All Night Cinema, the singer releases his next taster in the form of Doctor Doctor. Alas, it’s not as impressive as Embers. Written and produced by Jack (and co-produced by Jay Reynolds), it’s more of a cheeky chappy effort that’s speak-sung rather than properly delivered. There are traces of The Happy Mondays and Jamie T in delivery, with a funky groove and some catchy hooks to augment it… but somehow it fails to capture the imagination as emphatically as the far superior Embers. The song itself is about people who don’t fit into situations. “It’s kind of about a guy who is obsessd with a girl at work, but he starts to hate her because she won’t notice him, which does happen… really dark resentment can come out of unrequited love,” explains Jack. All Night Cinema is released on July 6.
Available as a download
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
THE YEAH YOUS – 15 MINUTES: The Yeah Yous unleash their debut single 15 Minutes and plainly state their intention for chart domination. The song is catchy as hell in a pop-rock kind of way, embracing the euphoric feelgood tendencies of The Feeling with the tight melodies of Take That and a little indie sprinkling too. It’s effortlessly found its way onto the playlists of most major radio stations because it knows exactly what it’s doing… taking very few risks and appealing to the broadest demographic possible. And while it really ought to be a cheesy write-off that rips off the worst tendencies of chart-fixated bands like Take That and The Feeling, it somehow manages to remain on the right side of annoying. It remains to be seen whether Nick Ingram and Mike Kintish can remain on the right side of well meaning, but for now this is the type of song that you’ll probably be singing along with in spite of any early misgivings. It has summer anthem written all over it for the mainstream contingent.
Available on all formats
Rating: 3 out of 5
BASEMENT JAXX – RAINDROPS: Well, this one has something of everything… and is good and bad in equal measure. The opening few seconds suggests something approaching mellow chillout with an Indian influence, before some Ibiza-flavoured synth loops and beats drop in, and the vocals take it off in more interesting directions. It’s euphoric, tone shifting and busy… but also a complete mess. The Ibiza contingent will probably dig the comeback the most, while the vocal style soundchecks MGMT and Empire of the Sun in places. But while initially appealing, Raindrops eventually outstays its welcome amid its desire to appeal to the dancefloors of the Balearic Islands more than anything else. It’s a bold return from Basement Jaxx, whose last album came three years ago, but ultimately unsuccessful. Really, guys, where’s your head at on this one?
Available on all formats
Rating: 2 out of 5
LA ROUX – BULLETPROOF: The ‘80s revival continues unabated with the release of La Roux’s latest, Bulletproof. Sounding like a cross between Erasure and Yazoo, with the cheesy synths of early Depeche Mode thrown in, this is a kitsch, admittedly upbeat throwback to that era that tries as hard as any track can to make it sound cool. Elly Jackson does possess a semi-cool vibe about her and she clearly knows her stuff – everything from the video to the single artwork has been carefully considered. But while the hype surrounding her is approaching fever pitch, she’s still over-rated in our books. It’s poppy, decidedly mainstream and pretty darn forgettable… and once the ‘80s furore comes to an end, it probably won’t age that well. Fun in small doses, but you can get too much of a good thing.
Available on all formats
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
THE LUCKY FACE – SUNK SOUL SONG: They may be undergoing a line-up expansion and increasing workload commitments, but on the evidence of Sunk Soul Song, The Lucky Face are taking it in their happy go-lucky stride. Described as an ode to sticky kitchen sink suburbia, the third single from The Lucky Face is packed with sunshine harmonies, cute melodies and warm vocals. If you can imagine The Beautiful South mixed with a little La’s and a distinctly ‘60s sense of shimmering sensibility, that’s someway towards grasping what Sunk Soul Song has to offer. It’s not so much a drama, as a fleet-footed waltz that’s designed to bring out the smile and the warm summer weather.
Available as download and limited edition CD
Rating: 4 out of 5
JOHNNY FOREIGNER – FEELS LIKE SUMMER: Johnny Foreigner return with a taste of their forthcoming sophomore album in the form of Feels Like Summer. Short, punchy and with summer-themed lyrics, it’s designed to become a rompish blitz through summer that should get you shouting/jumping along in punk-rock appreciation as only Johnny Foreigner knows how. It’s insane, manic and kind of catchy, making the most of its boy-girl vocal trade-off, but it also lacks the finesse of the very best summer songs. That said, the production values are smart and bode well for an album that has been put together with the help of producer extraordinaire, Alex Newport (At The Drive In, Mars Volta) in New York. The LP is due for release later this year.
Available as download
Rating: 3 out of 5
DEFEND MOSCOW – DIE TONIGHT: Defend Moscow release their second single Die Tonight through the KIDS record label (home to The Wombats and The Whip). The follow-up to the sell-out debut single Manifesto, the track explores the thoughts that would go through the minds of people informed that a nuclear attack had been launched and certain death was minutes away… in other words, cheery stuff that mirrors global concerns. Fortunately, they pep things up with more ‘80s influences synths and a rather upbeat chorus that kind of makes light of the Doomsday scenario. As such, it’s a curious mix… not entirely successful, but not bad either. You’ll probably find your feet tapping along to it in spite of yourself, even though I continue to maintain that the ‘80s dependence is tiring.
Available as a limited 7”
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
TINY SPARK – FOR YOU THE WORLD WAITS EP: Tiny Spark release their second EP, the follow up to their debut Alaska, on the Animal Farm label. The digital release will be followed by the physical release of a limited edition six-track EP containing material from both releases and the video for the new title track. Combining epic, cinematically influenced indie with melodic pop tendencies, Tiny Spark show plenty of signs to have what it takes to succeed and break onto Xfm and Radio 1 playlists… they just need that break. Title track For You The World Waits certainly can’t be faulted for ambition. Described as “Bond-esque” in recognition of their film school past (where they composed original scores for independent films), it’s layered, euphoric and packs a suitably rousing feel over its shimmering chorus. It’s big in an Embrace/Doves kind of way, and is nicely layered with guitars and pianos. The Next Thing You Know, meanwhile, is a power-pop ballad of sorts, that again mixes pianos and guitars to engaging effect (with vocals that complement the highs and lows well), while September rocks things to a foot-stomping close with an ode to mischievous student living. Trust us, you should keep an eye out for these guys… they deserve to breakthrough big.
Available as a download
Rating: 4 out of 5
Heard a great single, but yet to buy it? Well, we may have reviewed it. Previous reviews:
Right Content
Related Links
- Music Home
- Music Archives
- A/V Room
- IndieLondon Gig Guide
- Singles of the Week
- Music Gallery