Music - Singles of the Week - Monday, September 29
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: WEEZER – TROUBLEMAKER: Weezer release Troublemaker as the lead track from their eponymous sizth album, Weezer (The Red Album). Coming hot off the back of the YouTube propelled phenomenon Pork & Beans, this is trademark Weezer at their absolute finest. Boasting catchy guitar hooks, a keen sense of melody and one of the most deliriously feel-good sing-along choruses in their arsenal, it’s made for playing loud and acting rowdy. Written by singer-guitarist Rivers Cuomo, it’s a tongue-in-cheek two-fingered salute to normality from an outlaw guitar hero. Recorded in Malibu and Santa Monica with producer Jacknife Lee, it proudly plays on Cuomo’s enigmatic image, marrying punchy chords and a deft melody to satirical wit and geeky bravado. We simply can’t get enough!
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2: ELBOW – THE BONES OF YOU: Elbow continue the most successful year of their career with new, digital download only single, The Bones Of You, taken from the Mercury Music Prize winning LP The Seldom Seen Kid. A typically classy, thoughtful offering powered by another moodily laidback set of vocals from Guy Garvey, it pretty much encapsulates why Elbow are so highly regarded by so many. Beginning with a low-key but effective acoustic strum, it gradually layers on the elements (from powerful electric guitar riffs and gospel-laced backing vocals, to brooding drum beats), to reach a real high of an emotional crescendo. It effortlessly marries the beauty of most recent single On A Day Like This with the power of Grounds For Divorce. A band’s success has never been so richly deserved as this is undoubtedly one of the albums of the year- it’s just a shame the single is only available as a download.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 3: NEIL HALSTEAD – QUEEN BEE: Neil Halstead is often hailed as one of Britain’s best kept singer-songwriter secrets. Formerly part of Slowdive and Mojave 3, he’s also an accomplished solo artist in his own right, specialising in twilight folk. Evidence of his magic is rife throughout Queen Bee, the first single to be lifted from his excellent new album, Oh! Mighty Engine. A delicious slice of warm twilight folk that channels the feel-good vibe of Jack Johnson, as well as the classic songwriting sensibilities of Simon & Garfunkel, it demands to find a very wide audience and turn Halstead into a household name. It’s a lush listen, beautifully underscored by some brilliant acoustic guitar work. We’d advise you to check out the album.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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OASIS – THE SHOCK OF THE LIGHTNING: Oasis return and they’re sound, well… the same as ever. To the undemanding, that’s a good thing. To those tiring of hearing the Gallaghers brag about how good they are, it’s simply more of the same. Forget the inventive title of this lead track, it’s pretty bog-standard fare – loud, wailing guitars, brash Liam Gallagher vocals, pounding drums and a distinctly Oasis vibe that incorporates all their trademarks and nothing new. As comeback tracks go, it’s pretty uneventful, even though there’s a guilty pleasure surrounding the overall package. Any Oasis new material IS worth hearing, even though it’s now almost inevitably couched in disappointment. The real reason for owning the single ahead of the album – and for awarding it a 3.5 instead of a 2 out of 5 – is the Chemical Brothers remix of Falling Down, which brings a big beat sensibility over a psychedelic set of vocals and some warped guitar riffs. It actually sounds different and exciting and started me pondering what an Oasis album of Chemical Brothers remixes might sound like. Certainly, on the evidence of this and past Gallagher/Tom and Ed collaborations (including Setting Sun), it could only be a positive thing!
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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PINK – SO WHAT: Pink is a rebel – we all know that now. But it’s not going to stop her proclaiming it time and time again with each new release. So What is the lead single to be taken from her latest LP Funhouse and it’s a typically brash slice of rock-tinged power-pop. A break-up anthem that finds the singer in defiant, even feisty form, it has plenty to say about the nature of coming to terms with grief, handling celebrity (or not) and picking fights for the hell of it. Pink has done better, but there’s a certain pop fun about it that – rather like the return of Oasis – has to go down as another of the week’s guilty pleasures. You won’t necessarily mind hearing it on the radio. The video, which finds Pink copying elements of Fight Club, The Straight Story and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, is kinda fun in a barbed sort of way too.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND – KICKING AND SCREAMING: Welsh rockers Funeral For A Friend release the second single from their eagerly anticipated fourth album Memory And Humanity in the form of the hard-rocking Kicking And Screaming. Written about the experiences of growing up in the valleys of South Walves, it’s one of the most autobiographical songs the band has written and is sure to strike the biggest chord with home-grown fans. It’s also a fairly decent rock offering, with the meaty guitars making an instantly favourable impression, and the catchy chorus confirming its wider appeal. Drummer Ryan Richards says of the track: “It’s basically a pop song played loud, hard and turned up to 11.” He’s not wrong. The album is released on October 13.
Rating: 3 out of 5
THE STREETS – EVERYTHING IS BORROWED: Everything Is Borrowed is arguably the stand-out track on an otherwise disappointing (and possibly final) album from The Streets. It benefits from some strong background instrumentation and some lovely observations (“just when I love life, it seems to start changing” and “I came to this world with nothing, and I leave with nothing but love”), as well as some female vocals running throughout. Essentially, it’s an attack on consumerism in many ways, but much more positive and constructive, with Stephen Street eschewing some of his more trademark hard-hitting observations for a little bit of positivity. It rubs off well… shame about the rest of the album.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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YOU ME AT SIX – JEALOUS MINDS THINK ALIKE: You Me At Six are clearly going places in hard rock circles. They’re recently received a Kerrang! Award nomination for Best British Band, bagged a headline show at Kerrang!’s Week of Rock and received rave reviews for their Reading and Leeds appearances. Now, they unleash the loud single Jealous Minds Think Alike, which showcases their ability to marry heavy-hitting guitar riffs with radio-friendly, sing-along choruses. It’s not perfect (far from it), but if you used to dig the sound of bands like Bush, or currently get your kicks from Funeral For A Friend, then this should boast plenty of appeal. What’s more, it contains the type of sound that’s perfectly suited to success across the Atlantic as well.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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THE DATSUNS – HUMAN ERROR: Human Error is the lead single from The Datsuns’ fourth album, Head Stunts, and is a full throttle speed anthem for the disaffected. Featuring wailing guitars, pounding drums and shouty vocals, it’s a head-spinning re-introduction to them that, we’re promised, paves the way for an equally rowdy album. If you’re of a nervous disposition, dislike underground rock, or prefer polished riffs and vocals to raw and ready, then stay away. The single is available as a limited edition coloured vinyl 7” and as a digital bundle, and features the previously unreleased track You’re No Good, which is even more loud, shambolic and obnoxious… and yet somehow likeable!
Rating: 3 out of 5
NE-YO – MISS INDEPENDENT: After hitting the top spot with his last single Closer, Ne-Yo now returns with the far better Miss Independent, from his recently released album, Year Of The Gentleman. A highlight of the long-player, it replaces the more trademark piano sound with some snappy synths, a smooth groove Michael Jackson-style vocal (Billie Jean era), some hand-clapping beats and a keen sense of style. It’s perfectly tailored towards the Kiss FM crowd but it’s a better-than-average offering for this type of R’n’B that goes some way to explaining why Ne-Yo’s album garnered so many favourable reviews. The Las Vegas native clearly has a respect for women, which is echoed in the traditional values he places throughout his lyrics. It makes for a refreshing listen and earns him extra points. The instrumental version of the single works well too.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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HEY NEGRITA – ROOM SERVICE/THE LAST THING THAT I DO: Hey Negrita have been hailed as a twisted cross between Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones because of the way they blend raw Americana with old school British rock ‘n’ roll to create a unique brew of transAtlantic music. New double-A side Room Service and The Last Thing That I Do is evidence of their particular rock charm. The former is a classic slice of Americana, with guitars built around short, sharp riffs and a wonderfully gruff set of vocals to accompany them, while the latter comes complete with campfire whistling, banjo licks and a big band extravaganza. Put together, the two songs book-end the album and there’s plenty of good stuff in between. So, if you dig the songs, then rush out to check the album. It’s great stuff. A live version of Room Service also serves notice of just how good they are live, too!
Rating: 4 out of 5
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THOSE DANCING DAYS – HOME SWEET HOME: Swedish five-piece Those Dancing Days release another irresistibly catchy piece of indie-pop in the form of the effervescent Home Sweet Home. Taken from their forthcoming debut album In Our Space Hero Suits (which hits shops on October 6), it combines slick guitar licks with perky Hammond organs and all-girl vocals to create an upbeat and utterly infectious listen. The chorus, in particular, is really well delivered to kind of send you on the musical equivalent of a sugar-rush. The girls are touring the UK in October and this song should easily emerge as one of the tour highlights. The album itself features the previous singles Run, Run, Those Dancing Days and Hitten, as well as the song Shuffle where every line is a song title, including Tomorrow Never Knows and This Modern Love amongst many others!
Rating: 4 out of 5
HYDRO – CROWD GOES WILD (feat BUSTA RHYMES)/SUGAR (feat CHE’NELLE): After last years summer hit Celebrate, Glasgow rapper Hydro returns with two new singles – Sugar and the weighty Crowd Goes Wild. A firm favourite on the Tim Westwood playlist, Crowd Goes Wild is the heavier of the two and is a synth driven slice of urban hip-hop that drops an incendiary support vocal from Busta Rhymes. It sounds very American and could easily grace the soundtrack of some cop drama dealing with drugs and the hoods. In contrast, Sugar has the deliberate air of summer about it with its laid back, melodious hip hop style. Produced by Clinton Sparks [Akon, P. Diddy] and featuring Australian/Malaysian/Indian R’n’B singer Che’nelle [who had a hit with her track I Fell In Love With The DJ], this smooth hip-hop groover also features a sample of the classic The Makings Of You by Gladys Knight and Curtis Mayfield. It’s a slick crowd-pleaser that showcases Hydro’s diversity within the field. Both songs are worth hearing and bode well for the forthcoming album Crucial, which drops on October 6.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
THE RASCALS – I’LL GIVE YOU SYMPATHY: Reeling from the release of their debut album Rascalize, Miles Kane (guitar), Joe Edwards (bass) and Greg Mighall (drums) – aka The Rascals – are back with another hard-hitting track in the form of I’ll Give You Sympathy. A firm favourite on the live circuit, and one of the highlights from the album, it’s a gritty mix of guitars and organs that finds the Liverpudlians channeling the classic energy of bands such as The Inspiral Carpets, whilst sounding as vibrant and contemporary as ever before. The guitar solo is a particularly thrilling aside. I’ll Give You Sympathy is released through Deltasonic Records and will be available on download and 7”.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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CRYSTAL CASTLES – CRIMEWAVE: Taken from their debut album Crimewave was originally released a year ago as a limited 7” on fledgling label Trouble. A meeting of Crystal Castles and noise terrorists Health, it’s a hypnotic slice of robot-pop that’s synth-heavy, vaguely haunting and occasionally very appealing. If you’re a fan of Crystal Castles material in general, this will probably rate among your favourites; but it also could appeal to newcomers even though the whole synth-disco scene is threatening to become a little stale. The new release of Crimewave is available as a download and 12”, featuring a special remix package from the likes of LA Riots, Keith and Sinden. It’s arguably at its most appealing in the short radio friendly version, when it doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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NIGEL OF BERMONDSEY – OVERLOAD: Nigel Hoyle – aka Nigel of Bermondsey – was a founding member of infamous, hype-propelled glam-rockers Gay Dad, a band who courted controversy, column inches, and chart positions in equal measure during the late nineties and early noughties (To Earth With Love and Joy went Top 10 and Top 20 respectively). During time-off between his duties as one-half of DFA Records-signed dance act Cage and Aviary, Nigel wrote and recorded his debut album as Nigel of Bermondsey, the name he first began using as a session musician. He played every instrument except the drums himself, with percussive duties undertaken by Michael Leigh. The result is an 11-track collection of sunburnt psychedelic pop suffused with a heart of shimmering folk-rock.
The first single to be taken off the eponymous album is Overload, a song inspired by Chernobyl. As Nigel explains: “I had become fascinated with the disaster; there are a lot of documentaries about it on YouTube. I imagined what it must have felt like to be a technician that night in the control room, as the situation went from a routine test into a nightmare scenario. The head technician was apparently being reckless and overruling some of the more junior technicians fears. I have also always loved the OMD song Enola Gay so I went nuclear.” The result is a genuinely catchy slice of psychedelic pop that even dares to drop a chorus that continually threatens to go into Soul Asylum’s Runaway Train. It bodes extremely well for the remainder of the album – as does even more psychedelic bonus track I Believe In You.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
BOYZONE – LOVE YOU ANYWAY: On the plus side, this new single from Boyzone isn’t a drippy ballad. Rather, it’s an upbeat pop tune and love song that strikes some distinctly retro sensibilities. And it’s arguably one of the more bearable songs the boys have produced in recent times. But let’s not get too carried away. It’s also pretty formulaic for this kind of thing and finds the boys trading on their established good looks (especially in their sharp-suited video), and their obvious pre-established appeal. The girls will swoon, even though lyrics such as “it’s so hard to love you but I love you anyway” might (and should) probably make them think otherwise. The song is taken from the forthcoming greatest hits collection, Back Again… No Matter What, which is released ahead of Christmas in October.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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IDINA MENZEL – BRAVE: Idina Menzel is previously best-known for her outstanding performances on Broadway and in the West End in Wicked. She also appeared in the Disney hit Enchanted. Not surprisingly, she’s decided to branch out into the world of radio-friendly pop and delivers her first, self-penned single Brave. The vocals, as ever, showcase a strong new talent but the song itself is pretty tepid. An empowering ballad, it’s a risk-free, hopelessly earnest offering that’s designed to tug at the heart-strings – but which actually does the complete opposite. Idina probably has more to offer (and we all know she can sing), but she’s going to have to do better than this worthy but dull offering to really grab our attention and keep it. The song appears on her album, I Stand.
Rating: 2 out of 5
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DOWNLOAD SELECTIONS
THE VINES – HE’S A ROCKER: The first blast from The Vines’ forthcoming new album Melodia is the short, sharp, energetic He’s A Rocker. Available as a digital download bundle only, and featuring two new songs – Hey Now and Blue Jam – it’s a gutsy two minutes and four seconds of pure rock ‘n’ roll fun. The chorus is made for chanting along with, the guitars are sure to provoke bouts of air guitar thrashing, and the whole vibe is effortlessly inspiring. It’s a return to the power and glory of the band’s Get Free era – and proof that you can still create loud, fun rock without sounding as ponderous and self-important as Oasis (sorry dudes, but this IS the way to do it). Bonus tracks Hey Now and Blue Jam are shorter still. The former a one minute, 16 second volatile ball of fury that harks back to the style of Nirvana in their prime; the latter, one minute and four seconds worth of guitar distortion. Somehow, it still sounds good… so just go wild.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
SCARS ON BROADWAY – WORLD LONG GONE: Ex System Of A Down duo Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan provide a first taster of what to expect from their new LA rock group Scars On Broadway, in the form of the emotive World Long Gone. A fiery record that talks of disaffection with the world (“I look at the sky fading, I read the stars, maybe I don’t know how many people are starving”), it goes from powerful, monster riff-heavy verses to melodic choruses with casual ease. It takes a few listens but the omens appear good for another great new band from this prolific duo. The video to the single was shot by Joel Schumacher, of Lost Boys, Falling Down, Phone Booth and, dare we remind you, Batman & Robin fame – well, at least the first three are classics. And the video is worth checking out too!
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Website http://www.scarsonbroadway.com/
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