Music - Singles of the Week - Monday, June 23
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 1: POP LEVI – DITA DIMONE: Pop Levi continues to be one of the most impossibly cool artists attached to the Ninja Tune label right now. Following hot on the heels of the effortlessly feel-good Never Never Love, new single Dita Dimone is pure class. A low-slung, sexed-up effort about having a hex put on you by a girl, Mr Levi describes it himself as “astral-future-soul-hip-hop” – which kind of gives you some inclination of the scope of this adventurous artist. At a time when so much of the mainstream is beginning to sound the same (across genres), Pop Levi has craftily created a sound of his own and seems to be revelling in the funkiness that comes with it. This is euphoric, party-pleasing material that brightens up the wettest summer day. You’ll be singing and dancing along deliriously by about the second or third listen. Levi’s sophomore LP, Never Never Love hits record stores very soon and it would be remiss to miss out on what’s shaping up to be one of the LPs of the year! Of the remixes available, the hip hop slant applied by Xrabit and DMGS completely transforms the song and takes it into interesting new territory that’s well worth checking out, while Pink Enemy space things up even more than the original and almost take it completely out of orbit. Bonus track, Semi-Babe, appears in an acoustic-based Astral version that’s suitably trippy and really rather lovely, while even more remixes come from Dirt Lab (not very good) and Mumdance and High Rankin (sped up but largely disappointing). As you can tell, though, there’s much to admire – and not just in original form.
Rating: 5 out of 5
SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2: MGMT – ELECTRIC FEEL: Now here’s something to get excited about from one of the undisputed breakthrough acts of the year (for us, anyway!). Electric Feel is the cool, sharp, vivid new release from Brooklyn-based newcomers MGMT. Combining elements of the ‘70s and ‘80s to hip effect, the song effortlessly winds up the synths and drops a genuinely funky backbeat all over some disco era falsetto vocals to sweep you along in its feelgood aura. MGMT are, of course, the act behind another of this year’s best singles, Time To Pretend (used on the 21 soundtrack) and this is a very worthy follow-up that should deservedly bring more admirers to their excellent debut LP Oracular Spectacular. The video, too, is as future-thinking as we’ve rapidly come to expect, having been directed on this occasion by Ray Tintori.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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WEEZER – PORK & BEANS: Pork And Beans, the first single to emerge from Weezer’s excellent Red Album (or just plain Weezer) contains all the contemporary sharpness of Jacknife Lee’s kick-ass production values combined with a distinct Weezer sensibility that draws favourable comparisons with their Buddy Holly/Beverley Hills material. As Weezer material goes, it’s not really a stretch – but I suspect that’s kind of the point. As a lead single, it’s designed to keep the fans onside and draw them to the LP, which it should do successfully. And when Weezer are this fun, they’re great. The lyrics are full of sly pop-culture references such as “Timberland knows the way to reach the top of the charts, maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art”. Terrific stuff!
Rating: 4 out of 5
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TOKYO POLICE CLUB – IN A CAVE: In A Cave is the bright, energetic second single from Tokyo Police Club’s excellent debut album Elephant Shell (which was released in May). It’s a spiky effort that recalls the similarly effervescent brilliance of early Idlewild or Hot Hot Heat that’s utterly infectious and invigorating. Since their inception, the band have been tearing around the world in a beat up transit van. In the States, they’ve toured with Bloc Party and Cold War Kids, while also making notable appearances at Lollapolooza and Coachella (among the many festivals they’ve graced). In the UK, meanwhile, they sold out their first headline tour in seconds and were many people’s surprise highlights of last year’s Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds. In A Cave provides firm evidence of why and is the sound of what to expect from this cracking little LP.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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DIRTY PRETTY THINGS – TIRED OF ENGLAND: In the absence of a football anthem to unite pub crowds during the European football championships (because England didn’t make it!), Dirty Pretty Things attempt to fill the void with this rousing attempt to extol the virtues of England. It’s actually quite a tongue in cheek appraisal of London and the Home Counties that speaks of the Queen, “the blues, the greys, the green, the brown” as well as bingo cards and boozing. There’s a sharper sense of indie-pop melody in the guitar work, while Carl Barat’s vocals are sharper than usual, dragging the band further away from more obvious Libertines comparisons. It may just fall short of really inspiring any great sense of patriotism (we all have to pay extortionate taxes after all), but it’s an endearing listen that suggests the band’s sophomore album Romance At Short Notice could well mark an improvement on Waterloo To Anywhere. What’s more, it adds further proof that Barat – and not the over-hyped Doherty – was the real brains behind The Libertines success.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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GLASVEGAS – GERALDINE: And here’s another cheerful ditty from Glasgow-based Glasvegas, which is high on epic values and heartbreaking emotion, but a little devoid of summer cheer. Geraldine marks the first proper single from the outfit following the rapturous limited release that was Daddy’s Gone and it’s certain to keep them well stocked with good reviews. For me, though, it’s just a little too earnest and plodding at times, tackling as it does teen angst, prescription medications and suicidal urges. Instrumentally, it’s very polished and boasts a keen sense of melody that doesn’t quite drag you down with its sentiments – but don’t dwell on those lyrics for too long!
Rating: 3 out of 5
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DAEDELUS feat MICHAEL JOHNSON – MAKE IT SO: One of the highlights from Daedelus’ latest album Love To Make Music To is this funky dancefloor filler featuring a vocal contribution from Michael Johnson. It’s a composition that boasts happy melodies and sad vocals and which draws from Italian disco, twisted trance, French house and more than a smattering of early ‘80s English new romanticism. A word of warning, though, if you’re thinking that Make It So is a useful indicator of the standard to expect from Daedelus’ latest LP offering, then think again. It’s one of the few exceptions to the rule as, overall, this homage to early rave is really rather bland and disappointing. Of the remixes of the single, XXXChange’s take threatens to make it a little bit of a cumbersome listen, but hats off to Moonstarr for making things a little more kick-ass and funky. It’s certainly the pick of the remixes and well worth heading to the dancefloor with.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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BLACK KIDS – HURRICANE JANE: Taken from Partie Traumatic, the debut album from new indie rock darlings Black Kids Hurricane Jane offers a laidback contrast to the more zippy style of previous single, I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You. Built around some staccato guitar riffs and spacey keyboards, it boasts a set of vocals that wouldn’t sound out of place on the new material from The Cure, as well as a hint of that now overly-familiar ‘80s influence. As such, it’s less successful than their previous single and marks a step backwards in Black Kids’ career progression. Saying that, it’s never a bad listen, merely more straightforward and formulaic in this over-crowded genre.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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FIVE O’CLOCK HEROES – WHO: Recorded in New York in March, Five O’Clock Heroes’ new single Who features guest vocalist Agyness, whose bittersweet tones add a nice boy-girl effect to the song (think Mytsery Jets and Laura Marling without being quite so successful). The recording itself came about after Agyness heard a demo of the song on a night out with Heroes singer Anthony Ellis and they subsequently hit the studio to give it some polish. The track is now the lead song to be taken from the Heroes’ sophomore album Speak Your Language (out, June 30) and it’s a punchy effort that’s driven by some jangling guitar riffs, a laidback percussion and some effective vocals from both Ellis and Agyness. Try listening to it a few times and it’s appeal becomes even more pronounced.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
VIVA CITY – KATE BUSH: Hotly tipped electro-indie four-piece Viva City release Kate Bush as their debut UK single. Mixing dark, throbbing baselines with snappy electronica, the Newcastle tunesmiths attempt to create a unique sound that leaves fans demanding more. But while the heady fusion of rock and electro certainly has its moments, it’s not quite as genre-recreating as some of the reviews suggest. Rather, it gets a little messy and noisy, to the detriment of the overall enjoyment. Still, if the hype is to be believed, they’re an exciting new prospect and while we’re not completely convinced, there are signs of potential. Certainly, our scepticism is in the minority as Kate Bush is already creating a buzz after airing on the BBC, XFM and Virgin, with renowned musician and BBC DJ Tom Robinson declaring: “Viva City’s Kate Bush is a storming two minute slice of leery swaggering electropop. Sheer genius.” Hmmm…
Rating: 3 out of 5
THE COURTEENERS – NO YOU DIDN’T, NO YOU DON’T: Manchester based indie rockers The Courteeners release the melodic No You Didn’t, No You Don’t as the latest offering from their debut LP St Jude. But while the guitar strums and riffs are certainly accomplished and the song moves along at a brisk, snappy pace, it’s just too formulaic. Throughout their album, The Courteeners provoke too many easy comparisons with bands like Babyshambles, Arctic Monkeys and even The Smiths and it inhibits its ability to really appeal and suggest they’re doing anything different from countless other guitar bands of the moment. If you like your music to possess a sound-alike quality, then this ticks the right boxes. But we really ought to expect a little more and No You Didn’t, No You Don’t is just too ordinary to really be worth getting excited about.
Rating: 2 out of 5
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ELLE MILANO – LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE PLANK: Elle Milano release the opening track from their debut album Acres Of Dead Space Cadets in the form of the punchy Laughing All The Way To The Plank. It’s actually one of the few highlights – beginning as though it’s taking a leaf out of the Kaiser Chiefs’ shouty book and then proceeding to drop a rousing, anthemic chorus and some muscular guitar riffs. It’s about job dissatisfaction and money concerns and is suitably angry in a defiant kind of way. Elle Milano hail from Brighton and are another indie-rock act tipped for potentially great things. But while the album sadly disappoints more than it impresses, it’s well worth downloading this spiky offering as well as their excellent former single, Meanwhile In Hollywood, which really does mark the sound of them at their very best.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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CAPITOL K – LIBERTANIA/GO GO GO: Renaissance man Kristian Craig Robinson, aka Capitol K, releases two tracks from his upcoming fifth album in the form of Libertania and Go Go Go. Boasting a DIY sound of processed beats and Casio-style electronic blips, it’s a strangely kooky listen that’s basically about a voyage to utopia. It certainly showcases K’s ability to conjure a likeable pop melody, without every really blowing you away. Go Go Go, meanwhile, is a livelier offering that was inspired by the early days of the Beat period, where people shouted “go, go, go” at poetry jams to accelerate events. Needless to say, there’s lots of “go, go, go” repetition but it has a catchy quality that actually helps it to become the more instantly catchy of the two tracks. The new album Notes From Life On The Wire With A Wrecking Ball is being released through Capitol K’s own label, Faith & Indutry (the same label, in fact, that brought us Patrick Wolf).
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
NICKELBACK – PHOTOGRAPH: This song seems to have been around for ages, especially if you have Virgin Radio as your wake up station in the morning! A slightly more laidback offering to the over-played Rock Star, it boasts a lived in kind of quality that’s distinctly Nickelback in style and design. The song itself finds frontman Chad Kroeger getting all misty-eyed over an old school photo and reminiscing about the implications it holds. It’s formulaic as hell but somehow not the terrible listen this all suggests. Rather, it has an easy listening, guilty pleasure kind of quality that means you never actually tire of hearing it even though you may never feel compelled to rush out and buy it. Nickelback on auto-pilot, but picture-perfect for their particular kind of rock sound.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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FLO RIDA feat TIMBALAND – ELEVATOR: You can feel the presence of Timbaland all over Flo Rida’s latest, Elevator, a thumping dancefloor filler that’s a decent guilty pleasure. Featuring many of the same production values that helped to turn Timabaland’s own album into such a monster smash, as well as the latest LP from Nelly Furtado, it’s up-tempo, funky and suitably inspiring. The horns that flit in and out have a definite touch of the Rocky Balboa about them (a nice touch), while the vocals are bright and busy, featuring all kinds of layering (from sensual female tones to Flo Rida and Timbaland singing over the top of each other). It won’t win awards for originality but then, hey, sometimes all you need is a thumping track to get all those body parts shaking – this certainly does that, whilst providing a lively R’n’B-styled summer anthem to boot.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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NE-YO – CLOSER: Grammy Award winning Def Jam artist Ne-Yo returns with Closer, the first track to emerge from his third album Year Of The Gentleman (released on June 30). Written by the artist himself and produced by Stargate, it’s billed as an electro-excursion into the glam of Euro-disco that was inspired by his time hanging out in London’s clubs. Apparently fed up with the sloppiness of current R’n’B, the Las Vegas native has been moved to draw on some outside influences to add some extra polish. Regrettably, this lead track does nothing to suggest he’s doing anything to really shake up or enliven the R’n’B scene – it’s disco feel is a little flat, it’s smooth groove vocal style way too formulaic and the song as a whole pretty bland. Needless to say, it has hit written all over it.
Rating: 2 out of 5
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MARIAH CAREY – BYE BYE: Mariah Carey comes over all sweet and melodic on the R’n’B slow-burner Bye Bye, one of the more risible tracks to emerge from her latest best-selling album, E=MC2. Opening with the lyric “this is my people who just lost somebody… your best friend, your baby, your men or your lady”, it’s a schmaltz overload of epic proportions. Mariah’s vocals adopt a softly, softly approach that’s augmented by the sappy piano chords and some low-key backbeats. But the presence of a backing male vocalist going “hey” every now and again is much less re-assuring than Mariah would have us believe, serving to put a mainstream, radio-friendly gloss over what could – and probably should – have been a much more intimate record. Don’t be suckered… when Mariah sings “I never knew I could be hurt like this”, your ear drums may feel the same too.
Rating: 1 out of 5
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CRAIG DAVID – OFFICIALLY YOURS: More dishearting warbling from Craig David, taken from the latest long-player Trust Me. Described as a heartfelt, intimate love song with “a refreshing acoustic edge”, it’s designed to provide evidence of David’s mature and well-crafted songwriting. It hints of a massively inflated ego that needs to actually sing about being faithful, rather than just quietly putting fidelity into action. Like, hey babe, I’m officially yours… there’s no need to worry! If this is deemed romantic, then more fool you for falling for its slushiness. But this is tedious stuff that’s more yawn-inducing than anything else.
Rating: 1 out of 5
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