Music - Singles of the week - Friday, February 19, 2016
IndieLondon gleefully checks out the cream of the week’s singles
SINGLE OF THE WEEK 1: UNLOVED – WHEN A WOMAN IS AROUND: Spearheaded by David Holmes, in collaboration with composer/producer Keefus Ciancia, and songwriter-vocalist Jade Vincent, Unloved are a band born of ’60s girl groups and classic film scores. Having already impressed with their last offering, Guilty of Love, the band now return with the equally brilliant When A Woman Is Around. This hypnotically blends swirling vintage soundscapes (the type of which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack) with sexy girl vocals – some of which dip into deeply dreamy territory. It has a deliciously retro ’60s vibe capable of appealing to the Swinging mojo of Austin Powers, as well as the coolness of a Holmes creation that would just as easily find its way onto a future Ocean’s 11-style movie. The album is out on March 6 and, on the evidence so far, looks set to become one of the year’s treats.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2: JENNIFER O’CONNOR – IT’S A LIE: We discovered this track while listening to the latest from Plants And Animals on Soundcloud and it’s well worth taking the time to check out. A instantly catchy slice of indie-infused pop, this combines breezy, heart-melting vocals with a fizzing guitar riff, super-slick beats and a general air of cool. O’Connor’s vocals are particularly persuasive, shrouded in a beauty that belies the sorrow underpinning the central refrain of “it’s a lie”. And yet the accompanying instrumentals are as bright and breezy as you could expect from a pop song. Indeed, this is the kind of record that screams out ‘future soundtrack placement’ given its ease of access. It’s A Lie is taken from O’Connor’s forthcoming sixth album, Surface Noise, which drops on March 4.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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GWEN STEFANI – USED TO LOVE YOU: Gwen Stefani’s latest offering is an emotionally charged ballad about a break-up that is shot through with hurt. Boasting lyrics such as “I don’t why I cry but I think it’s cos I remember for the first time since I hated you that I used to love you”, this is a personal tale that finds the singer wearing her heartbreak on her sleeve. It’s set against subtle electronics and beats (some of them finger-click style), thereby allowing Stefani’s vocals to really take centre stage. It’s a moody return that somehow still remains highly melodic and even anthemic when the chorus lands. In that sense, it’s another great record to add to the Stefani back catalogue.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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TAYLOR SWIFT – OUT OF THE WOODS: “Are we in the clear yet?” and “Are we out of the woods?” These are two questions that reverberate around the chorus of Taylor Swift’s latest slice of power pop. Gone completely are the country and western twangs that used to mark her records, replaced instead by a more robust electro-pop sound. It’s a song deliberately wracked with doubt, yet also intentionally upbeat in the way that it spins its yarn. As Swift records go, this is another of the better offerings in the way that it has genuine crossover appeal. It’s catchy, it’s lively and it boasts an eye-catching video that plays heavily on the Into The Woods, twisted fairytale dynamic. Yes, Swift appears in a blue ball-gown reminiscent of Cinderella and, yes, there are some very big bad wolves. And that’s just the half of it. The video is really rather epic.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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MUSE – REAPERS: Muse have revealed a video for their new single Reapers. The fast-paced, guitar heavy track is taken from the band’s No.1 album Drones and is available online now. The live video was shot during the band’s performance in Cologne last year. It’s a typically bombastic Muse offering, with the guitar work particularly striking. There are crunching riffs mixed with sweeping solos and lots of interludes, as if to underline how guitar-focused the song is. Indeed, the weakest element of the song are the vocals, which find Matt Bellamy drifting between roaring and angsty and falsetto. They don’t really settle. But the guitar is invigorating and you can’t help but get swept along in its all-consuming path. The accompanying video merely underlines Muse’s prowess when performing live.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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JESSE MAC CORMACK – AFTER THE GLOW: Jesse Mac Cormack is a singer-songwriter from Montreal, Canada. For his vocal delivery and his guitar style he could easily be filed next to Matt Corby and Burgh Island EP era Ben Howard. His music is brooding, dramatic and emotionally fraught, as evidenced within the lyrics of latest single After The Glow, which is built around the central feeling that “I’m feeling low”. It’s a song heavy on reflection and brooding that’s delivered in a downbeat style – yet an atmospheric one too. The guitar riffs are particularly striking, especially late on when the central acoustic strum is augmented by an even more powerful electronic pulse. It’s a song designed to capture the attention, and which succeeds in doing so almost effortlessly. Hence, if you like the Ben Howard kind of sound, then this one’s definitely for you.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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PLANTS AND ANIMALS – STAY: Eight years after their debut album Parc Avenue (2008), Plants and Animals’ newest evolution, Waltzed in From The Rumbling, is set for release on April 29, 2016 (Secret City Records). Similarly recorded to tape, the new album embodies the raw musicianship characteristic of the group, while injecting symphonic crescendos, lyrical balladry, and metamorphic song developments. The album’s first single Stay exemplifies the large orchestral scope that Plants and Animals have unleashed, while channelling the gritty folk roots that bore Parc Avenue. The track opens with an acoustic folk vocal, reminiscent of past albums. Then, unexpectedly, the song takes an electric turn, exploding in sound, tempo, instrumentation, and depth, asking you to “look inside your heart”. At this moment, the song assumes an epic sweep that’s by turns sweeping and ethereal (in an Empire of the Sun kind of way). The guitars and glockenspiel chimes that accompany it are also inspired, creating an exciting instrumental backdrop to a song that continues to improve with each listen (even though the somewhat trippy finale ends things on an underwhelming note).
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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MAYFLOWER MADAME – WEIGHTLESS: Norwegian band Mayflower Madame announce their debut album, Observed in a Dream, will be released on April 22 via their own label Night Cult Records in Europe. The first single to be taken off the album is Weightless, a loud and fuzzy offering that creates a dark and haunting soundscape. The darkness of the music is reflected in the lyrics too, in an album that talks about endings and the fluctuant, passing states of relationships and life itself. Just occasionally, there’s a vibe reminiscent of bands like Echo & The Bunnymen, The Cult and Jesus & Mary Chain, albeit with an even darker, more morose tone. But while the mixture of post-punk, shoe-gaze and psychedelia does create a striking sound, it’s also a dark one that will be an acquired taste. You absolutely have to be in the right mood. Mayflower Madame are Trond Fagernes (vocals/guitars), Rune Overby (guitars), Petter Marberg (bass) and Ola J. Kyrkjeeide (drums). Additional live and studio member: Kenneth Eknes (synth).
Rating: 3 out of 5
THE ESKIES – JESUS DON’T SAVE ME: The Eskies have brought their unique brand of folk noir/gypsy jazz/sea shanty and swaggering stage spectacle to ballrooms and booze houses the length and breadth of Ireland, and some shady corners of Europe and are about to embark on their first full UK tour. Sullying soirées and lowering inhibitions of get-togethers and social occasions wherever they have venture, they also now release their latest single, Jesus Don’t Save Me. As provocative as it sounds (“Lord, leave me alone if I’m not strong enough to do it on my own”), this nevertheless boasts a fun, madcap vibe that’s totally in keeping with The Eskies approach to songwriting so far. There are stabs of brass that evoke a carnival feel, gritty/gutsy vocals, wildfire banjo and crackerjack drums. It’s a riot of energy and sometimes a mess – but it also somehow works in capturing your attention and sending your feet dizzy.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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EPHEMERALS – EVERYDAY KILLERS: Everyday killers, the new single from Ephemerals, is a sharp slap of insightful, contemplative soul, tackling negative karma. It’s wrapped up in the sharp style that has helped to make the band a world-wide name. Designed as a call-out to Western passivity towards global oppression, violence and abuse, this mixes a hard-hitting, socially relevant message with some sharp, brass-infused soul. The vocals are particularly striking, serving to lend weight to the lyrics. But while certainly message-making, the record itself doesn’t feel overbearing – the free flowing soul vibe creating a coolness that just as easily gets your toes tapping along. The track is lifted from the Ephemerals’ second album, Chasin Ghosts, which was released last year.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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