Music - Singles of the Week - Monday, May 19
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: THE YOUNG KNIVES – TURN TAIL: The third single to be taken from The Young Knives’ Superabundance album is one of its highlights. Possibly one of the biggest records the band has ever written, Turn Tail is a melodic slice of indie-pop that’s epic, hopeful, dark and mysterious. It also comes complete with a 16-piece orchestra that really does set it apart from most other indie-pop singles being released this week. The notable chorus, featuring the lyrics “we’re all slaves on this ship, we’re all slaves on this ship, this ship’s sinking… we will not reach the shore, we will not reach the shore”, is designed for singing along to as well as boasting a melancholy sensibility that begs you to find out more about its meaning. Superabundance may be a hit-and-miss album in many ways, but if they continue to write songs of this quality, the future is very bright for The Young Knives.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single l Album review
ROYWORLD – DUST: The latest single to be taken from Royworld’s forthcoming debut album Man In The Machine is an impossibly euphoric record that defies easy categorisation. Dust is propelled by an unashamedly upbeat set of vocald from lead singer Rod Futrille, as well as some stirring keyboard melodies that Keane would be proud to call their own. Part Keane, then, part Embrace, during the big moments, and more than a little ‘80s sensibility courtesy of those soaring vocals that flirt with falsetto style without ever properly hitting the highs. If you liked Hall & Oates, then this is oddly familiar too. And if you’re in love, then swoon. A guilty pleasure that marks Royworld as an interesting new addition to the alternative-laced pop market. Whether they can build on the promise over the course of a whole album remains to be seen, though. We’ll find out on June 2.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
AMY MACDONALD – POISON PRINCE: Glaswegian singer-songwriter Amy MacDonald re-releases her debut single Poison Prince in the hope of enjoying more success now that she’s found incredible fame. It would be no more than she deserves as this recaptures the same sense of vibrancy that helped her to first breakthrough off the back of hits such as Mr Rock & Roll and This Is The Life. The track capably displays both the melodic influence of Travis as well as the shimmering pop sensibility of some of her contemporaries, such as KT Tunstall. It’s a gutsy, rollicking, guitar-based effort that finds the singer in typically fine voice (even a little spiky) and which is another pick to be taken from the debut album, which deservedly put her on the musical map.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
THE FUTUREHEADS – RADIO HEART: Radio Heart is the second single to be taken from The Futurheads’ forthcoming third album This Is Not The World and it’s actually a little disappointing. All the components are in place to appeal to diehard followers – angular guitars that come over occasionally jangly, a strong sense of backbeat and those distinct Northern vocals – but the song is not really doing anything different from countless other Futureheads singles and feels like its really playing things safe. The chorus is catchy but after hearing it a few times, you tend to feel that they need to shake up their act somewhat to avoid becoming too repetitive. We all know they’re capable of much better.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT – BLEEDING ALL OVER YOU: One week after releasing her latest (and excellent) sophomore album I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too Martha Wainwright now drops the single Bleeding All Over You – and impressive stuff it is too! opening with a low-key backbeat and some lush acoustics, the song then unfolds into a dark love song that tackles an affair (“my heart was made for bleeding all over you” and “you’ve got a girlfriend but I can only talk about her for so long”) that’s perfectly captures Martha’s dark sense of humour. It’s beautifully composed and should be dripping in heartache, but instead there’s a playfulness about the singer’s delivery that makes the song all the more appealing. It’s the opening track on the album and a firm highlight – but there’s plenty more to savour, including collaborations with The Who’s Pete Townshend and brother, Rufus Wainwright.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single l Album review
SPIRITUALIZED – SOUL ON FIRE: Spirtualized don’t do things by half measures. Jason Pierce has long been an explorer of modern psychedelia in his songwriting and epic new single Soul On Fire continues to combine drugged-out weirdness with classic British pop/rock values and a healthy dose of space-rock. The song has an almost lazy quality about it, as it meanders towards the really big moments, but it’s never less than beautiful and utterly compelling. Pierce’s aching vocals sound so fragile, at times, they might break, while the string accompaniment piles on the heartbreak and yearning contained within the lyrics. It’s a strong song to have chosen for the lead track to current album Songs In A&E (out, May 26) and evidence of why they continue to be so highly regarded as an intelligent songwriting outfit. One to sit back and savour in all its mesmerising haze.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
JOHNNY FLYNN – TICKLE ME PINK: Twenty-four-year-old troubadour Johnny Flynn releases Tickle Me Pink as the lead single from his forthcoming LP A Larum. It’s a typically folksy effort that showcases Flynn’s kooky vocal style and slightly leftfield sensibility, while also coming to life during the rousing chorus. There’s bass, guitar, cello and violin (the majority of it played by Flynn), not to mention backing support from Matt Edmonds and Lillie Flynn that really works well. It takes a little getting used to but once you’ve given it a couple of spins, the song – like the album – leaves you feeling with the right kind of glow. Just to add to Flynn’s kooky appeal, the single is being released on pink vinyl, as well as CD and download. It features two exclusive new tracks, Old Tricks and The Ghost of O’Donahue. The album, meanwhile, follows into stores on May 26.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
ISOBEL CAMPBELL AND MARK LANEGAN – WHO BUILT THE ROAD: Isobel Campbell returns with her muse, Mark Lanegan, after their Mercury nominated 2006 effort, Ballad Of The Broken Seas. Who Built The Road is the pair’s first single from their second outing and is full of dusty country melody, whistful lyricism and beguiling melody. As usual, Campbell’s sweet, dream-like vocals serve as a nice contrast to Lanegan’s gruffer style, while the impossibly laidback style could well help to ease even the most whisky-soaked hangover. It’s a quietly effective record that looks set to build on the success of the couple’s debut album, while – quite possibly – winning them an even bigger fanbase. The album, Sunday At Devil Dirt was released on on May 12.
Rating: 4 out of 5
THE DAVES – NOT IN ENGLAND: Ilford’s The Daves sound very much like they’re striving to be the new Oasis. Debut single Not In England is a confidently brash slice of indie-rock swagger that boasts the same style of drawn out vocals that made the Gallagher brothers such huge hits. The lyrics, too, are defiantly nationalistic, while the guitars possess the same kind of easy going vibe as past Oasis classics The Importance Of Being Idle and earlier efforts. Fortunately, the presence of spiky, husky vocalled B-side Left Behind contains more of a London element that borders on the punk-rock in places. It means that The Daves intend to be doing more than just chasing the Mancunian sound and it’s all very encouraging – especially the guitar work, which provides several excellent solo moments. Let’s hope we hear more from them.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES – GIVE ME WHAT I WANT: Kids In Glass Houses are a five-piece rock band from the surrounding valleys of Cardiff, Wales, who cite influences as diverse as The Police, Blur, Pulp and Glassjaw. Their latest single Give Me What I Want used to be known as Me, Me, Me and it’s a loud, proud power-pop anthem that’s destined to become a festival favourite on the live circuit. But while there’s no denying the song has a certain vibrancy around it, the composition once again feels like its borrowing from too many influences without really creating anything original of its own. Hence, it struggles to maintain an identity among the current crop of guitar-pop bands plying their trade at the moment. Catchy in small doses, one feels it will also quickly fade from the memory, or become boring with repeat play. It’s taken from the album Smart Casual.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
MORGAN PAGE – THE LONGEST ROAD: DJ/producer Morgan Page releases The Longest Road as the first single from his debut album Elevate, a semi-impressive mix of remixes and original songs that’s capable of appealing to a wide variety of dance tastes. Fortunately, this original composition is one of the album highlights (along with his remixes of Maneater and F**k I Was) given that it features an endearing blend of electronic dance and folk music, as well as a strong set of vocals from Californian folk artist Lissie that work genuinely well with Morgan’s catchy instrumentals. If you’re a fan of dance music that doesn’t conform to the mainstream trend for incessant beats and Ibiza friendly electronica, then Elevate is still worth checking out.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Album review
RIHANNA – TAKE A BOW: Rihanna is the latest artist to be releasing a Deluxe package of an earlier album (following last week’s release by Kelly Rowland). Take A Bow is one of the new songs that will be featured on Good Girl Gone Bad (out May 26) and it’s a contemporary R’n’B ballad, written by Ne-Yo and produced by Stargate, that finds the singer in deeply moody territory, lamenting the end of a relationship. It’s built around some soft piano melodies and a subtle hand-clap back beat (and comes complete with an instrumental version for added effect) but while certainly dripping in sentiment, it’s pretty familiar territory for this kind of thing. What elevates it just above the average is Rihanna’s voice – but in a lot of respects this feels pretty standard stuff, which is hardly a compelling reason to rush out and buy the Deluxe package (especially if you own the original already).
Rating: 3 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
NATTY – COLD TOWN: Fresh from supporting Kate Nash and Adele on tour and following the release of the acclaimed The Mixtape, Natty returns with his debut single, Cold Town, a generally upbeat ska tinged pop track with a very candid meaning. Reflecting the singer’s upbringing and life in North London – where the singer grew up around an eclectic mix of sounds – it boasts some insightful lyrics (including those about survival and moving to the countryside) as well as a lush acoustic vibe that’s reminiscent of both Bob Marley and Jack Johnson. There’s also traces of soul and a reggae/ska vibe that’s genuinely infectios. Indeed, with so many elements working in its favour, it’s clear that Natty is one to watch as the release of his debut album approaches.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
STORY OF THE YEAR – WAKE UP: Story Of The Year release the roaring new single Wake Up as the, erm, wake up rallying call for their new album, The Black Swan. A collaboration between guitarists Dan Marsala, Ryan Phillips and bassist Adam Russell, it took lyrical inspiration from Carl Sagan’s book, Pale Blue Dot and aspires to a global perspective. Explains Dan: “When you think about just how small the earth really is and just how small the human race really is, our existence is almost insignificant in the greater scheme of things. You think of how the wars and all of the fighting and killing are just so unnecessary. It’s pointless, ad we should all be living our lives to the fullest.” It’s a notable sentiment but the song is pretty formulaic and not that inspired – wall of sound guitars, stadium-filling wails and a rock sensibility that’s born from the likes of My Chemical Romance and The Used – both of whom Story of The Year have supported. For heavy rock purists only.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single l Album review
MICK HUCKNALL – POVERTY: Poverty is the lead single to be taken from Mick Hucknall’s first ever solo album, A Tribute To Bobby. The Bobby in question is soul legend Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and Hucknall’s album is designed as a fitting tribute that recaptures the joy of that soul era. Sadly, it disappoints. The vocals aren’t really a stretch for Hucknall and his distinct style lacks the urgency and vibrancy of Bland, or the best soul music. There’s a nice piano underpinning things, while the jazz element adds some swing, but given this is a much-hyped first solo project, it doesn’t really put any distance between Simply Red and Hucknall as a lone performer. It remains to be seen whether the remainder of the album can offer anything more.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Order the album l Album review
ASHLEE SIMPSON – OUTTA MY HEAD: Ashlee Simpson, younger sister of actress/singer Jessica Simpson, returns with the throwaway single Outta My Head. Featuring a rather cheesy back beat and some lazy “ay ya ya” lyrics, it’s a pop-lite offering that’s designed to help Ashlee make a comeback of sorts – but which kind of falls flat in the face of comparisons with the likes of Sugababes, Robyn, Gwen Stefani and Madonna; all of whom she seems to be emulating. The “ay ya ya”’s are a particularly annoying addition – the sort of useless device that winds up worming its way into your head and refusing to budge for the day, no matter how hard you try to get rid of it. The video is fun, but then we’ve come to expect that from the Simpson sisters. The new album, Bittersweet World, is out on May 26.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
NELLY & FERGIE – PARTY PEOPLE: The best thing that can be said about this heavyweight collaboration between Nelly and Fergie is that it wears its intentions blatantly on its sleeve: to deliver a banging club anthem that will fill the dancefloors and keep people sweating throughout the summer party season. As such, it succeeds in the sense that it’s perfectly tailored towards the people most likely to buy it. In all other respects, though, it’s lazy, derivative and not really a worthwhile use of either artists’ talents. We have a grinding urban percussion, lots of shouty background vocals, a repetitive chorus, and plenty of boy-girl posturing and attitude, but the result is soulless, empty and more than a little flat.
Rating: 2 out of 5
DOWNLOAD SELECTIONS
ROGUE WAVE – LAKE MICHIGAN: Californian outfit Rogue Wave release their brilliant new single Lake Michigan digitally on May 19, with a 7” release the following week, on May 26. A typically catchy, sunkissed offering, the track heralds the release of the similarly enchanting new album Asleep at Heaven’s Gate on June 2. Featuring a shimmering piece of guitar work, some fine vocal melodising and a vibe that’s reminiscent of The Shins and The Beach Boys at their best, this is a warm, deeply melodic single that’s designed to make you feel good about yourself. There’s even an element of psychedelia that works to its advantage. For those that haven’t heard of them, Rogue Wave first came into existence in 2002, and have since released two critically-acclaimed albums on Sub-Pop, Out of the Shadow and Descended Like Vultures. Both LPs garnered widespread critical acclaim and lent songs to TV Shows such as The O.C., Nip/Tuck, Scrubs and Heroes, and earned the band support slots alongside alt-pop contemporaries The Shins, Death Cab For Cutie and Spoon. The release of Asleep At Heaven’s Gate could finally see them break into the UK with the bang they deserve.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
ALPHABEAT – 10,000 NIGHTS OF THUNDER: Alphabeat return with another shimmering, upbeat single in the form of
Rating: 4 out of 5
Order the album l Order the single
Heard a great single, but yet to buy it? Well, we may have reviewed it. Previous reviews: