We cut through the hype and give the one thing lacking in so many places these days: an honest opinion. We're not going to put something down for the sake of it either. For an honest outlook on music (and other subjects), you're in the right place!
If chart friendly urban tunes float your boat then this produce-by-numbers track will leave you smiling. To be fair, Meleka has a pretty good voice, but the song feels like it’s just trying to touch as many bases as possible. Numbers don’t lie though, and Meleka’s myspace is buzzing with visits, so this may well crop up in the top twenty.
MOSCOW DRIVE – Colossal
Hockey Records
Melodic indie rock this may be, but it lacks the jangly guitar of cliché, instead replacing it with some subdued six string work and a bass drum that kicks like a metronome. These guys seem to have made their name the old fashioned way, by building a local fan base, earning support slots with some well known bands and then working hard to raise their profile. ‘Colossal’ is a good first single for them, catchy in a subtle and thus much more enjoyable way.
RICHARD WALTERS – Weather Song
Kartel
We’re moving the other way now with this, a relaxed singer/songwriter affair. Walters has a superb voice, a gentle and oftn heart-wrenching falsetto. If you prefer your music simple then this tune, bascally a man and a guitar (with the odd hint of piano) will be right up your street.
MIDDLE CLASS RUT – All Walks Of Life
Bright Antenna
We’re back to something a bit louder now with these Californian punk rockers. Larynx shredding vocals and a punishing riff give this an almost garage rock feel, but either way it’s a more-ish piece of upbeat fun.
FENECH SOLER – Lies
Moda Music
If you liked what you’ve heard before from these guys, then you’ll be happ as ‘Larry’ (and why is he so happy anyway?) with this . Conjuring up a sound that can only be described as ‘Daft Punk – if they’d grown up in a London suburb’, this is engaging stuff and if there’s any justice in this world, it’ll be massive in clubs.
So, time for another root through dome of the most interesting and exciting new videos. So, what delights do we have for you this week? How about Foreign Beggars and their council estate hip-hop? Check out the remix that kicks in toward the end of the track, potent stuff! From there we leap into some abrasive electro grooves courtesy of Uffie and ‘Pop The Glock’. With a Pharrell duet in her near future, check out Uffie before she gets massive! We’ve got funky electro tinged pop courtesy of Fenech Soler, and the promo for ‘Lies’, expect this to have people involuntarily taking to the dance floor, this is massively infectious stuff. Next up are the next pretenders to Girls Aloud’s UK pop throne. Bubbel G may have an awful name, but this is a great little pop tune and the video is certainly easy on the eye. Lastly, a complete change of direction as we visit idiosyncratic indie-folk darlings The Decemberists. ‘The Rake’s Song’ is a good little tune, but the video is brilliant, it wouldn’t be understating things to say that this may be the best we’ve yet hosted.
One of TSDOLE’s best newer tracks, this manages to take a simple melody, couple it to Adam Woolway’s larynx stretching vocals and some very sweet and innocent backing vocals and forge a song that nestles away at the back of your brain only to pounce when you least expect it! This single, released especially to commemorate their theatre show (check out our review…) is strictly limited edition and only available through the bands myspace!
KILL IT KID – Send Me An Angel Down
One Little Indian
A nice relaxing tune this, the violin especially – or so you think, before the band blindside you.. Chris Turpin’s vocals are, frankly, bizarre, but somehow these guys make it work. This reminds me a lot of Moriarty, in a very good way. Melodramatic, folk with a distinct vocal that will mark these guys out instantly to the listener – with an album on the way these guys look all set to follow in the folkie footsteps of Mumford & Sons and CUTA favourites Lupen Crook and the Murderbirds.
THE JOY FORMIDABLE – Whirring
Friends Vs Records
Another act harking back to the darker fringes of eighties music, The Joy Formidable set up their stall between Ladyhawke and White Lies and, with this tune at least, have crafted a song that takes the best elements of both bands and hones them to a penetrating point. If these guys don’t end up massive then there is something seriously wrong with the world!
WAVE MACHINES – I Go I Go I Go
Neapolitan Recordings
If Hot Chip went out on the lash with the Pet Shop Boys and Calvin Harris, this might be the drunken result. One of the barmiest slices of electro pop I’ve heard in a while, I can’t help thinking I shouldn’t like this with it’s casio keyboard beats and Neil Tennant-esque vocals. But as I listen I’m beaming away and my feet are tapping enough to make me consider dancing around the living room a good idea!
DEFEND MOSCOW – Die Tonight
Kids
It’s fair to say this is the first time I’ve discovered a band coupling lyrics about what it would be like to deal with impending nuclear holocaust to a dance beat. What a beat though, this is invoking the very best of the eighties, with it’s boy-girl vocals invoking the spirit of The Human League and coupling it to a modern pop sound that their former touring partner Sam Sparro would be proud of. If you haven’t heard these guys yet, you’re missing out!
FENECH SOLER – The Cult Of Romance
Vulture
Yet another electro-dance-pop type act, there’s a fair few of them this week, but can this bedroom band match up to what’s gone before? Well, yes and no. It certainly doesn’t have the same chart potential, but to be fair, it’s more of a club track anyway, and for those who spend their nights on the dance floor, this is likely to be a great track. Sorry though guys, it’s not one I’ll be listening to at home!
DUB PISTOLS – Back To Daylight
Sunday Best
Much more out and out dance than the other tracks here, there’s something about this track, featuring Ashley Slater, that reminds me of Faithless (they don’t sound to similar though, so I can’t quite put my finger on it. Adding a relaxed hip-hop vibe makes this really stand out, it’s already on my summer play list and it might well end up on yours too!
