Music - Singles of the Week - Monday, November 22, 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…
EP OF THE WEEK: KASSIDY – THE RUBBERGUM EP VOL 3: Glaswegian alt renegades Kassidy continue to underline their credentials as a great new band with the release of The Rubbergum EP Vol 3. Produced by Gang of Four bassist Tomas McNiece, the lead track Oh My God is a retro-pop fusion that combines classic alt rock values with husky vocals, gospel backing and a melody strewn chorus. It’s a lively offering that really gets your feet tapping along, combining the style of early ‘70s greats such as Crosby, Stills & Nash with a contemporary vibe more akin to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Howl era). But the remaining tracks are every bit as good, with the dusky That Old Song a low-key acoustic gem that almost seems to be channelling Johnny Cash and Gamble Does The Gambler a breezy, folksy refrain that once again underlines just how good these guys are at conjuring up a pleasing melody. Rounding off the EP, meanwhile, are the Deep South flavoured The Next Move On, which is stripped of almost all instrumentation and flooded with vocal harmonising, and Heart, a pop-rock uplifter to send us on our way dreaming of what could be possible for these boys in 2011. They really do look set to become huge.
Available as a download
Rating: 4 out of 5
SINGLE OF THE WEEK 1: FUN. – WALKING THE DOG: New York based three-piece fun. Re-release their – ahem – fun single Walking The Dog, taken from their equally terrific album Aim & Ignite, which was released earlier this year. With a name like fun. you’d be right to expect plenty of it… and it certainly delivers. Walking The Dog has an early Vampire Weekend and Good Shoes sensibility about it, tripping along its musical pavement amid a wealth of loopy melodies, “na na na” chants and a genuinely breezy kooky pop vibe. It’s a radio friendly pick to brighten your mood whenever it’s played – especially in the colder autumnal months. And in keeping with the brash sense of appeal that fun. bring to everything they do, it could even grace a Broadway/West End production. It also serves as a great reminder of that brilliant album, which looks almost certain to be included in our round-up of the LPs of the year.
Available as a download
Rating: 4 out of 5
DUFFY – WELL, WELL, WELL: Well, Well, Well is the first single from Duffy’s eagerly anticipated new album, Endlessly, and is a funk driven slice of retro pop that was co-written and produced by the legendary Albert Hammond (best known for the classic songs When I Need You and The Air That I Breathe) and the singer herself. Short, sharp and sassy, it shows that Duffy is clearly not having any ‘difficult second album’ hang-ups, given that it boasts a typically feisty attitude, some sharp beats, some equally sharp stabs of brass and the sort of vibe that Mark Ronson would love to call his own. Those vocals sound as fresh as ever… suggesting that this is a strong declaration of intent: Duffy is back and ready to sweep all before her once again! The track was recorded in both New York and London and features the incomparable hip-hop group The Roots, who also feature further as the rhythm section throughout Endlessly.
Available as a download
Rating: 4 out of 5
GORILLAZ feat DALEY – DONCAMATIC (ALL PLAYED OUT): The jury may still be out on whether Gorillaz are a viable live act, especially in festival form, but there’s no denying there’s real talent and ambition behind their musical productions. But then Damon Albarn continues to be one of the most fearless and innovative talents working in modern music, via his various incarnations. Doncamatic (All Played Out) is another compelling example of why Gorillaz continue to be such an enigmatic act… a surprise single in many ways, it takes its name from a 1960s Japanese drum machine and is led by the vocals of rising British R’n’B star Daley. The resulting track combines a perky, toe-tapping rhythm with some free-flowing melody, a laidback track and the trademark anime production values. It doesn’t actually feature on their latest LP, Plastic Beach, but arrives in the wake of their recent UK tour dates when the vibe and debate about them is fully raging once again.
Available in all formats
Rating: 4 out of 5
PARAMORE – PLAYING GOD: Fresh from two sold out nights at London’s O2 Arena, Franklin, Tennessee five piece Paramore release the fifth single from their latest album in the form of Playing God. It’s unmistakeably the sound of Paramore, but it’s one of their more melodic, slow-burning efforts… combining a melodic verse with a more lively chorus and only occasionally letting the trademark guitar riffs off the leash. It’s a live favourite and it’s easy to see why… offering easy appeal to all-comers that even boasts a certain crossover appeal. It’s radio friendly, melodic and boasts an equally fun video. Now we can start looking forward to some new material from them!
Available as a download
Rating: 3 out of 5
Website l Playing God photos and video
THE SCRIPT – NOTHING: The Script follow the runaway success of their No.1 album Science & Faith with the release of Nothing, which looks destined to easily follow For The First Time into the higher echelons of the singles chart. Billed as a towering guitar ballad, the song represents the band’s take on the thoroughly modern matter of a drunken, lovelorn mobile phone call to a lost love. It’s something that frontman Danny O’Donoghue says everyone can relate to and is delivered in suitably angsty fashion… albeit with the towering, epic and downright cinema guitars providing a formidable, even rousing, backdrop. It’s a pretty trademark offering for The Script, but indicative of their easy appeal, their keen ear for a melody married to emotive lyrics, and their ability to deliver tracks that have the type of emotional sweep that’s ripe for a position on a movie or TV soundtrack. It’s shamelessly enjoyable stuff, in other words.
Available as a download
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
MILES KANE – INHALER: Miles Kane – former frontman of The Rascals and one half of The Last Shadow Puppets alongside Arctic Monkey Alex Turner – has announced plans for the release of his guitar-grinding debut single Inhaler on Columbia Records. A fast, funky and downright scuzzy offering, it’s a little repetitive lyrically but there’s a real charge about the delivery, which wisely places guitars to the fore. The vibe also leans towards the retro, which is another plus. Kane doesn’t have a bad set of vocals (as demonstrated through his various guises), but this particular track really does benefit from the guitar-work and snappy beats that give it the hip appeal it carries. The limited 7” and digital download B-side features a cover of Lee Hazlewood’s psych-pop classic, Rainbow Woman.
Available as a limited edition 7” and download
Rating: 3 out of 5
JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW – JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW EP/IF I HAD A BOAT: Dublin’s James Vincent McMorrow will release his self-titled debut EP, which is comprised of two album tracks and two unearthed demos. The EP is designed as an introduction to the singer-songwriter, which will precede a record due to be released early next year. The EP’s lead track – the stirring If I Had A Boat – is also available now as a free download. Overall, the EP offers an atmospheric and beautifully crafted debut that marries McMorrow’s Irish upbringing with some more American, West-Coast sounds. Lead offering If I Had A Boat is a fine example of this, emerging as a slow-burning, eerie yet oddly emotive introduction, spearheaded by McMorrow’s sweet, soulful voice. It starts out very stripped back, but is gradually layered to include rousing percussion elements as well as the odd banjo flick. It’s both inspiring and beguiling. This Old Dark Machine, combines brooding intensity with pleasing folk-rock elements and is another strong indication that McMorrow will be a potent force in 2011, when he drops his full album. He knows how to deliver a keen, evocative set of vocals and how to surround them with some lush, epic instrumentals. Rounding off the EP are two sparse early recordings (From The Woods and Like The River) which are delivered in 8-track demo form. Without really blowing you away in the same way as the lead tracks, the songs demonstrate that McMorrow is capable of some fine intimacy (lyrically and musically) and isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. He looks set to become a fascinating new artist to get to know.
Available as a download
Rating: 4 out of 5
KID ADRIFT – A4 IN ECSTASY: Inspired by Aphex Twin and Pretty Hate Machine era Nine Inch Nails, Kid Adrift’s new single A4 In Ecstasy is a propulsive dance offering that really does hit some heady highs. Self-consciously forthright and knowingly emotional, it drops a forceful set of vocals, a compelling beat, some Nails inspired guitar riffs and an industrial sound that force you to sit up and take notice… but in a good way. It’s a massive leap on from Kid Adrift’s Oxytocin EP, which left us feeling a little indifferent… a bolder, more emphatic statement of intent that marks Kid Adrift out as a potent musical force to watch. And is it me, or is there a touch of the Peter Gabriel about it as well? No matter, it’s a great comeback.
Available as a download
Rating: 4 out of 5
OLLY MURS – THINKING OF ME: The trouble with a lot of pop acts is that they want so desperately for you to like them… and this is especially true of any X-Factor derivative. Hence, having tried to charm his way into our hearts (and succeeding with the majority of people) on first single Please Don’t Let Me Go, Olly Murs attempts to repeat the formula with the breezy, reggae-inflicted pop song Thinking Of Me, which advocates care-free love and thinking of summer’s warmth in the midst of winter. It’s written with a lot of clichés, strangely resembles Dodgy’s Good Enough, but overall lacks the charm necessary to differentiate between smug and self-satisfied and pleasing on the ear. Murs has charisma, as shown in the video, but he needs to take a few more creative risks to really be worth listening to.
Available as a download
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
STATELESS – ARIEL: Stateless return with the first single from their forthcoming album,“Matilda (their first for Ninja Tune), in the form of Ariel. Working with producer Damian Taylor (Bjork, The Prodigy), Stateless have taken a more electronic line for the new album and it shows immediately. Chris James’ vocals remain centre-stage, but Ariel finds him laying out the melody over West African guitar lines, crunching snare snaps and thunderous kicks, dub-step sub-bass splatters and glitch-tronic interference. It sounds like it could backfire… but the results are strangely compelling, especially early on when the West African guitar lines take centre stage. And it suggests that Stateless’ new direction could yield big rewards and another success for the unstoppable force that is Ninja Tunes. An extensive remix package includes an alternative take by Rustie, which gives the original an even more glistening electronic feel. Up-and-coming dubsteppers Dark Sky speed things up for a garage-influenced dance-floor number that keeps building and changing right to the end, while the Midland Inflight remix locks into a Voodoo Ray-ish dub-house groove that emphasises the melancholy of the original. Matilda is due for release in February and it’s worth adding it to the albums worth checking out in 2011 list.
Available as a download
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
GOODLUCK JONATHAN – THIS IS OUR WAY OUT EP: In September a Brighton five-piece called Goodluck Jonathan released the first of three EPs. The EP track Broken Heart was immediately picked up by the NME as a Daily Download. The second EP, This Is Our Way Out is now available with track three, Backs To The Wall, going to radio as the lead track. It showcases, perhaps most potently, the band’s ability to mix melodic riffs with unabashedly raucous vocal energy and an edgy, indie-alt-punk rock vibe. It’s by turns intense and packed with biting social commentary. But while there are elements to admire throughout the EP, there’s something that still doesn’t click about them as a whole. Vocally, the punk inflicted vocals are difficult to take to, while the brash approach eventually becomes wearying, and the songs difficult to pick apart… with the notable exception of Away From Here, which actually does surprise with the most melodic structure on the EP and shared vocal duties. It offers far more hope for the future for them… albeit with reservation. It should probably have been the lead track. The third EP in the trilogy follows on February 7, 2011, with the band’s debut long player due in March. So, there’s still plenty of opportunity for them to make us think again.
Available as a download
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
NEEDS MUST – THANK FOR YOU FOR CHOOSING: Part protest song, part working class clarion call, Thank You For Choosing Us is a brash, politicised shard of garage punk rock, complete with thick fuzzy bass, raw chiming riffs and gravely Weller-esque vocals. It builds from a quietly seething verse of sneered grievances – “The import rates are getting higher, all sold out to the biggest buyer, the fast food chains are getting fatter, leaves our metabolism in a tatter” spits vocalist Patrick Minhard – into a genuinely angry chorus of firework guitars and drum spills that thumbs its nose at authority and resolves to go its own way. Says Patrick: “The spark for it came from a McDonalds drive-thru. There’s this sign that read ‘Thank you for choosing us’, and that got me thinking…”. Lyrically, it might also get you thinking… but not about too much that’s not already on your mind! And likewise, Needs Must struggle to escape Jam or Clash-style comparisons… which render them a little less effective. They’ve clearly got a lot to say – and are not afraid to call a spade a spade – but it’s all very overbearing and intense.
Available as a download
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
IS TROPICAL – SOUTH PACIFIC: Is Tropical’s South Pacific is the kind of song you’ll want to like more than you probably do. The second release to be taken from their forthcoming debut album (out next year), it’s a synth-driven piece that, instrumentally at least, holds you in a trance and is vaguely reminiscent of acts like Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. But the vocals add little or nothing and aren’t forceful enough to be anything other than unnecessary and a little annoying. Left to the instrumentals, though, this would be really good. Instead, it’s a curiosity piece. Formed last year, Is Tropical line up of Gary Barber (vocals, guitars, keys), Simon Milner (vocals, guitars, keys) and Dominic Apa (drums and programming), and they have developed a reputation for their stunning live shows, which sees them taking to the stage in masks and cloaked by self-made video projections. It sounds and looks great from footage available on the web. To celebrate the release of South Pacific, the band have put together a FREE MIXTAPE featuring their favourite new tunes. Cassettes will be given away at their live shows, but it can also be downloaded from their website
Available as a download
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
AJ UNITY – JUPITER: We were quite taken with AJ Unity when we heard their album, Sweet Roses, and so it comes as little surprise that one of the more striking tracks to be taken from it has now been released as a single. Jupiter offers a very interesting variation to the classical tune Thaxted, a hymn tune by the British composer Gustav Holst, based on the stately theme from the middle section of the Jupiter movement of the orchestral suite The Planets and named after the English village where he resided for much of his life. Secular songs have included World in Union, by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, a song that has become synonymous with the Rugby World Cup. In AJ Unity form, it retains the piano element, embellishes it with the hypnotic vocals of Naomi Suzuki and adds some atmospheric beats. It won’t be to everyone’s tastes but it’s a useful indicator of why this band is such an interesting act… as well as a firm reminder of why the album is definitely one to check out.
Available as a download
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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