Music - Singles of the Week - Monday, June 28, 2010
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: BROKEN BELLS – THE GHOST INSIDE: Dream team Broken Bells – aka producer Danger Mouse and Shins frontman James Mercer – release another glorious reminder of the brilliance of their debut album, Broken Bells, with new single, The Ghost Inside. Boasting the type of laidback, borderline hip-hop beat that would be more in keeping with a Gorillaz record, especially since Mercer adopts a Damon Albarn-style falsetto vocal and, again, the track really catches you off guard in a good way. It marks a change in style from the breakthrough single, The High Road, which was more Shins-like, but is evidence of the band’s versatility across the album, which really does continue to rate among the year’s best. The video, too, oozes class right down to its guest appearance from Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks. Music-making doesn’t get much better than this… so lap it up (heck, even the instrumental works as a fine piece of stand-alone music).
Released across all formats
Rating: 5 out of 5
Order the album l Album review
SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2: BONOBO – STAY THE SAME: The latest single to be taken from Bonobo’s Black Sands is the typically beautiful Stay The Same, featuring another vocal performance from Andreya Triana. The track finds Simon Green merging woozy, off-kilter strings with some deceptively simple drum-work, a rising bassline and some subtle sax work from The Portico Quartet’s Jack Wiley. It’s a deliciously laidback offering that showcases Bonobo’s continuing ability to create tracks of understated brilliance that also possess a cinematic quality. As if to underline the subtleties of the music, the single release comes complete with an instrumental version of the track, which properly showcases the layering intrinsic in every Bonobo track, as well as a lovely live version that showcases his in the flesh brilliance. Bonobo is Ninja Tune’s most successful artist. On this form, it’s easy to see why and Black Sands, for those who haven’t yet indulged, is one of the year’s best.
Released across all formats
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Order the album l Album review
ALBA LUA – BALLAD OF JOSEPH MERRICK: Alba Lua hail from Bordeaux, a city with a beguiling cultural image. On the surface it would appear to evolve mostly around wine but take a closer a look and you will find a thriving rock scene. The cities Bar and Club caves play host to musicians with diverse musical references, from the Sergio Leone inspired Alba Lua, to the Post Punk Shake-down of Adam Kesher and the infamous Pop-Rape of Kap Bambino. Comprising of three members, Alba Lua are Pepo Durantez (lead-vox and rhythm guitar) Pascal Hoerner (lead guitar, backing vox and bass) and Renoi Jacob Mathieu(drums and percussion), and Ballad of Joseph Merrick is their debut EP. Recorded in Barcelona, just two days after the band saw Neil Young, My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Deerhunter, and Michael Nyman play at the infamous Primavera Sound Festival, the recordings capture the band’s live dynamic. Produced by New York born Dave Bianchi, it’s comprised of three tracks and is utterly great for kicking back to and chilling out with on a hot summer’s day (preferably with a glass of wine in tow!). The highlight is the Sungaze, a daydream of a song that begins with a glockenspiel chime, some innocent whistling and a completely lovely guitar riff. It’s a trippy, lazy ode to sunshine and shoe-gazing that’s distinctly European (think Serge Gainsbourg mixing with Air) and a real belter of a track. But Ballad of Joseph Merrick is lovely in its own way, once the folk guitars and dreamy vocals properly kick in (it’s well worth keeping patient until the two and a half minute mark!) and Valley of Abra is a nice comedown, too, that combines Leone elements with some smart ‘60s guitar pop… albeit delivered with the band’s apparent trademark haze.
Released across all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
KYLIE MINOGUE – ALL THE LOVERS: Given everything that Kylie has been through over recent years, it’s nice to have her back with a new album, Aphrodite and a lead single, All The Lovers. Written and produced by Kish Muave, it’s a mid-tempo electro-disco offering that’s very much in keeping with current trends, while showcasing a suitably lush set of vocals from the one-time pop queen. Synths soar, vocals seduce and the whole track washes over you in mildly pleasant fashion, without ever really threatening to set the world on fire. As comebacks go, it’s safe, crowd-pleasing and effortlessly radio friendly… with the type of chorus that’s destined to become a reassuring presence over the summer, both for chilling out with during long, hot BBQs, or hitting the club scene before the big anthems really drop. It’s good to have Kylie back… but this ticks all the right boxes without coming close to her best.
Released across all formats
Rating: 3 out of 5
LADY GAGA – ALEJANDRO: With Lady Gaga, you never get anything by half measures. Hence, the video for her latest is typically provocative and boasts big screen style production values and an eight minute plus running time. It’s also rife with undressed male models, outlandish outfits and provocative imagery. The song itself is typical Gaga… synth-pop that’s catchy, dark and boasting a great, Abba-inspired, Madonna nodding (well, almost!) chorus. Away from that chorus, however, Gaga’s vocals are probably at their least convincing, especially during the sing-speak moments, but the chorus is undeniably grand and intoxicating, while the synth flourishes contribute to some head-rush, euphoric highs. Gaga is undeniably a grand performer on the biggest stage and all those production values are present and correct, contributing to another memorable entry into the ongoing pop circus that is the Lady Gaga show. You can’t help but admire her…
Released across all formats
Rating: 3 out of 5
ENRIQUE IGLESIAS – I LIKE IT: I Like It marks the first single to emerge from Enrique Iglesias’ latest album, Euphoria, which is described by the singer himself as “like nothing I’ve ever done before… it taps into so many different styles of music”. Produced by Red One, it features a vocal cameo from Lionel Richie, reprising the chorus of his timeless hit All Night Long, and comes backed with a remix from #1 selling US rapper Pitbull. Essentially, it’s a big, upbeat dance anthem (and ode to sexy girls performing equally sexy late night moves) that features head-rush synths, track sampling, Pitbull rapping and a celebratory lead vocal that even hits some falsetto highs. If you like cheesy, mainstream dance-pop, then it hits all the right ‘guilty pleasure’ notes. And Enrique delivers his sentiments with such enthusiasm, it’s hard not to get caught up in his flow. The album also boasts guest appearances Akon, Nicole Scherzinger and Puerto Rican Reggaeton duo Wisin and Yandel and is also the first Enrique album to feature songs sung in both Spanish and English.
Released across all formats
Rating: 3 out of 5
FEEDER – CALL OUT: Feeder release Renegades, their seventh studio album, later this summer, featuring 11 new songs that are said to capture the heavier side of the band. The trio – aka vocalist Grant Nicholas, bassist Taka Hirose and drummer Karl Brazil – are also going back to their roots, self-releasing on their new label, Big Teeth Music. The first taster of what to expect is the anthemic statement of intent Call Out>, which blasts out of the stereo amid a wail of towering guitar riffs, pounding drums and power-rock choruses. You can well imagine the song going down a storm in live format, where the central refrain of “if you wanna hear this song, you don’t have to wait too long, just call out” is likely to have people shouting from the rafters to belt it out loud! As ever, however, Feeder manage to combine the heaviness with a melody that’s distinctly radio friendly… while channelling the widespread, cross-Atlantic appeal of acts like Foo Fighters. Welcome back then!
Released across all formats
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
SKEPTA – RESCUE ME: Following on from the insatiable single Bad Boy (UK Top 20), Skepta returns with Rescue Me, an Agent X produced club-pleaser that’s almost certain to become one of the big sounds of the Ibiza party season. The track is already gaining a juggernaut of support with airplay on Kiss FM and Choice FM and has already been added to the 1-Xtra daytime playlist. Plus BBC Radio 1 are fully behind the track. Rescue Me has already featured on the Scott Mills Breakfast Show (in for Chris Moyles), Annie Mac mid-morning show (in for Fearne Cotton). It’s a deceptive offering that fuses a David Guetta style sung chorus with Skepta’s urban rap… and a club sound fused with an urban drum ’n’ bass change of pace, as if to keep dancers on their toes. It works best during the Guetta style chorus, when you can easily imagine it being embraced as an anthem of the summer. But the grime elements do sit uncomfortably alongside it and diminish the song’s overall impact… which was limited to begin with. Needless to say, there’s a number of remixes.
Released across all formats
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
ESTEBAN – JUMP SHIP: Following the success of their last single, She Goes Out, Esteban release the follow-up Jump Ship. Described as an infectiously catchy piece of Latin influenced rock about good times multiplied until “my legs can’t stand me any more”, it’s a pretty decent offering from this promising new act. The guitars are vibrant, the Latin vibe is appealing and the chorus is definitely catchy (and delivered complete with some nice layering). Esteban are a band whose reputation is growing. They’ve been favourably compared with Vampire Weekend, and have been featured on both sides of the Atlantic, including landing one of their tracks in a Hollywood movie (Below The Beltway… a track called Shanty Mansion). They would appear to be on the cusp of really breaking big in 2010 – and with songs like this, they’re well worthy of anyone’s attention.
Released across all formats
Rating: 3 out of 5
THE VOLITAINS – UNDERGROUND/THIS LOVE: Underground alt-rockers The Volitains possess a combined passion for artists such as Patti Smith, Kurt Cobain, Karen O and The Stooges, which they established after a freak meeting involving a train as they were in their formative stages. Some of those influences are rife throughout their Underground EP, which hits a dark, dusky, punk-rock strut that’s of possible appeal to fans of those aforementioned acts. Lead track Underground, in particular, finds lead singer Candice Ayery in Karen O and Patti Smith inspired form, rolling out her desolate lyrics to a stirring background riff supplied by Nick D’Amico (part Hole, part White Stripes/Dead Weather at their dirtiest). It’s the pick of the EP, and builds to quite a rock out finale, while This Love somehow feels ever grubbier and grittier… and almost Gossip-like in delivery. The Volitains may not have the type of name to roll off the tongue, but they are probably worth keeping an eye on as the year progresses.
Released across all formats
Rating: 3 out of 5
Heard a great single, but yet to buy it? Well, we may have reviewed it. Previous reviews:
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