SINGLES REVIEWS, EPs TOO! and Demos also
David Holmes - Don't Die Just Yet (Go! Beat)
Here we go, I'm buying dance again. Haunty, eerie strings crash in at selected intervals, as a wayward horn occasionally blows reminding me of Ornette Coleman on the Naked Lunch soundtrack. I'd liken it to being in the tiniest corner, in the largest city. I feel safe but threatened. Arab Strap's mix makes me pine for lost loves. The Delakota mix vocals are down right twisted and frightening. And Mogwai's mix uses Slint's masterpiece in pieces, layered underneath a madman's gibberish which climaxes with feedback and drum and bass flooding in. This is my most played song this year. Fact!
Sawyer - Bunny And Sunshine EP (self produced)
Fine sounds from Scotland. This reminds me of Fugazi crossed briefly with June of 44 and tinges of the Fall. Dry Heat launches with catchy repition before flying away. The World Is Endless tastes like a heavier Joy Division and so it sounds like Mark Of Cain. No Rule stabs and explodes and Frankie & Madelaine is a pop bomb. All six songs are terminal and exciting. They hint at being an earth moving live band.
Six By Seven - 88-92-96 (Mantra)
88-92-96 really reminds me of a Magoo song I'm not overly fond of (it may be Playing Cards With Stars). It's lengthy and pretty twisted. Slow with a warped, distant guitar sound. Halfway through the vocals become loud and really remind me of Lennon. Shit, a post rock Beatles? I don't think so. Your Town resembles a boppy Fall song until the vocals again change mid song but fuck knows what they were thinking when they wrote/recorded This.
The Make Up - Free Arthur Lee (K)
Free Arthur Lee is Make Up cheesy. Forgivable from them only. Funk monkey. The Calvin Johnson remix on the b-side, Tell It Like A Version, however is very good and well worth the price of admission. Alone Again Or.
Eska - Last Man On The Moon (Scared Of Girls)
After Running On Six Sum Dew I would never have imagined anything like this. A cool thing to say about the main track would be that it sort of sounds how I'd imagine Mudhoney covering Selling Jesus would sound. Finding It Hard Do So Little is the heaviest I'd never imagined Eska could be.
Bangtwister - Grounded (B.M.B.)
I don't want to upset anybody by saying this sounds as old as Ocean Colour Scene but it doesn't sound a bit like Captain Craddock. The word that springs to mind is raw. Raw and hungry. Yes! Fantastic bass parts, vocals delivered by some one who means it and guitar wig outs to make your ears bleed. Yes I do like Bangtwister.
Bette Davis And The Balconettes - Shergar (Damaged Goods)
Champion The Wonder Horse wasn't a punker. Neither was Shergar. What Bette Davis does takes talent. Poor Lester. Listen to the drum action on White Food. They're so basic, direct and simple its genius. Sam executes her vocals in the manner of an expert. Not as good as Paul Power but a million years better than John Power.
Yo La Tengo - Little Honda (Matador)
Yo La Tengo have moved a lot of people with their latest album. This single is full on Mary Chain, a band I'm about to welcome back home with open arms, and so its an action packed treat of twisted pop and loud guitars. A cover of a song by the lesser famous B-Boys.
A - Foghorn (London)
A fair attempt to be the new Jane's Addiction which does not achieve this feat sounding more like the Wildhearts. It does however produce a half decent, energetic song. I would have been really into this once but not now. Their first single (this is about their fourth) however, 5 In The Morning, was fantastic so I guess this shows they're declining. Cool cover.
The Lilys - A Nanny In Manhatten (Che Ltd)
This is that song off the Levis advert, an ad that conjures sickening images. That very cheesy sixties, summer song. The annoyingingly catchy song. As far as retro goes this is alright and the Lilys have a good reputation however there is no denying that this is selling out. And its a re-release from Che who Gringo have had big trouble with. Ad songs must not be touched with a bargepole, file this with Stiltskin and Babylon Zoo. Pompus fucks.
Glitterbox - Scared Of All The World
Another Norwich band I believe. Dave Eringa has produced yet another sub-Manics friendly rock band. Whoever compared this to Pavement hasn't got ears. This is boring poo drops. And Henry Miller influenced, my arse. Death 2 everyone.
Pepperman - Demo (Organ)
From Southend hardcore comes Pepperman. It reminds me a bit of a looser, kinder Shellac and a lightweight Helmet. The guitars are thick and direct and despite Hangnail going Korn-like (don't do it kids) these are 3 very good tracks.
Idlewild - Chandelier (Fierce Panda)
Comparisons to the Stooges and Nirvana will get me very excited. Said comparisons will also make me very disappointed. That said punky gubbins are good fun and at times, all I need. I feel richer for the manic b-side I Want To Be A Writer.
Dee Dee Ramone - I Am Seeing UFOs (Blackout)
The main track features Joey Ramone on lead vocals and is pop not punk Ramones. The b-side, Bad Horoscope, features Lux Interior on lead vocals and pretty much sounds like the Cramps. Its all dispensible and really just what I expected.
Furry Things - Frequent Lunacy EP (Trance Syndicate)
From the future, in industrial world come the Furry Things. Sparce soundscapes form above futuristic cities. Here is another act that employ whispering vocals, suggesting it may be a pre-millennium thing. Theres something (nasty?) brewing under the surface. Burn For sounds like being trapped inside a bomb shelter as outside the enemy does its worst. I feel Ruby, Garbage and the like would kill to sound as seductive as on Luxate. And then they dub me.
Travis Cut - Complicated EP (Fluffy Bunny)
This comes from the same pub as Bad Religion. Exciting pop punk where the guitars actually sound punky. Complicated is direct and prosperous. Unfortunately Look I'm Wrong is a tad cheesy. Something to do with Travis Bickle.
Pink Kross - Scumbag (Teen C Recordingz)
Cool punk stuff. Basic like the Ramones. The saving grace is really angry sounding vocals.
Hirameka Hi Fi - Munchin' (Gringo)
A slam fry experience as Munchin' dashes and splashes, rallying against the man. Surf guitar breaks into an ambulance like riff and the usually quiet Chris Wig opens up. Towards the end it all breaks down only to fly back into action. Donny Faster gives another slant of Hirameka Hi Fi, bass driven with a fire engine riff. A release on Gringo I like, what a surprise.
Dawn Of The Replicants - Rhino Rays EP
EP #4. Radars is lovely but upsetting. Mellow and regretful. Bionic Stardust takes a nice route like a bus or milkfloat. The Wrong Turnstile is questioning and considerate. Also upsetting. And Seasick Odyssey sounds like it was recorded on British Rail with Arab Strap. And a horse. This is all atmospheric. If any object lying around makes a noise, it gets used. I feel suitably confused.
Beacon - Weakness Change (Subjugation)
It changes direction about every 30 seconds and its to its credit. The problem with most UK hardcore is the angry/hard vocals which make a lot of bands sound metal but this stands out with, shock horror, actually decent vocals. Obviously they remind me of Helmet but also a heavier Understand, not surprisinging considering who recorded it! And while I'm at it they've managed to get a fucking aces sound out of an eight track.
Arab Strap - The Smell Of Outdoor Cooking (Lissy's)
I actually think this is much better than the Girls Of Summer but it still isn't a patch on the album. The Smell Of Outdoor Cooking is the sound of things going wrong and Theme Tune is the sound of screwy guitars.
Scarfo - Cosmonaut No. 7 (Deceptive)
It would be such an insult to this song to compare it to Placebo. Dreamy and wonderful but without going soppy its a bit like getting bitten by a pretty dog. I spent new years eve with a Molko clone ("he was like that before") and I nearly killed him. Scarfo beware.
Naked I - Kite Flyer (Here Be Monsters)
An old one but one I only just got recently. Imagine Ash without the weak guitar sound. Imagine Three Colours Red with diversity and imagination (hard I know). Unfortunately they're no more now but still well worth checking out.
Drift/Jonah - split single (Anima)
There is a really crappy Colchester band called Drift who are Oasis ripoffers. However I have some bad news, which is that there is already a band from Canada called Drift. Their contribution here, Life Goes On, is kinda thrash/death metal. Miles better than Colchester's Drift. It just gets better as on the other side Jonah turn out to be livelier. Available from Subjugation.
Prolapse - Autocade (Radar)
Without Mick they miss so much. Without Mick they sound like Stereolab. Dare I point out that the saving graces here are the b-sides? Testation is Prolapse at their best. The bass loops in, the guitars kick their way in and Linda's sounding bratty and angry. Mick sounds like he's the one talking sense for once. Prime rib Prolapse. The Autocade remix is much better than the original for the additional of mass atmospherics on top a drum scoop. And Pro-Loop is a hangover, migraine groove.
Dub Narcotic - Wasted/Groove (K)
Smokin funk disco. Lurching, bass driven with karate kick guitar licks and wasted vocals. Wasted Grove is the perfect description and I dare you to better it. If this disco plate doesn't grab you, I'm surprised.
Dawn Of The Replicants - All That Cheyenne Caboodle EP
A new, improved Diggin Bear starts this one. Fucking hell, its nitro injected. In the same way that Nirvana were the Guns N' Roses it was OK to like, Dawn Of The Replicants at times sound like the Oasis its OK to like. Its quite a departure from the version on So Far So Spitfire. Ditto for Lisa Box.
Unfortunately if you wrongly read into that statement, you may get the idea that they are one dimensional rock shitheads when actually nothing could be further from the truth. Time invested into Dawn Of The Replicants is time well invested.
Trout/Cha Cha 2000 - split Celtic single (Flighted Miskick)
If Sympathy For The Devil was about "the green and white and Rangers shite" and the Ageing Stones were Celtic fans then Trout could sue them for ripping off their song Green And White. Cha Cha 2000 (aka Mick and Pat Prolapse) is atmospheric like the best of Arab Strap and the classic soccer sample from bygones
Flying Saucer Attack - Coming Home (Domino)
I like these shockwaves. The guitars scream all the way through it. You can barely hear the vocals but you can't hear whats being said. Its just comforting to know they're there. Despite the scrawling guitar sound, its a pretty refined noise and most important, it has drive. I once dreamt bands like this killed Debbie Gibson in her sleep. Hope is less targeted/directed but still yay noise. Like hoovering in a vaccum.
Dinosaur Jr - I'm Insane (Trade 2/Island)
It seems this is likely to be the last Dinosaur single. I'm now regretting not going to see them last year. Unfortunately now its hard ever imagining them meaning something. This is unmistakable Dinosaur. I'm Insane sounds like J lashing out in a drunken fit. He still hits hard. The Thompson cover on the b-side, I Misunderstood, reminds of the shit that nearly hit the big time. I tend to think of J as a wooly mammoth rather than an actual dinosaur. They're extinct also. I fear a future of acoustic dinosaur rock is on the way. Thank you for the music.
Bette Davis And The Balconettes - 0898 (Baby Boom)
Carrying on from were Paul Power finished, this is more blistering spite. Of course its like Paul Power but about telephones. I Wanna Be Your Moog is a departure for them and them only. They're slower but just as crushing. Why am I reminded of Urusei, when this is way more intense? The cover shows a man in the recovery position (first aid lingo). If you look close its Liam with acne.
Arab Strap - The Girls Of Summer EP (Chemikal Underground)
With notoriety comes change. The Strap's post album output hasn't stunned the way the album did.
Hey! Fever is ruined by the cheesy chorus at the end. The Girls Of Summer however features them veering in a cool direction. One Day After School is the clear, trademark Arab Strap narrative that makes them so fucking special.
Sportsguitar - Right On (Solve)
I was sent this from France. I understand that they're from Norway but they certainly aren't what I would expect from Scandinavia. Its a lot like Lou Barlow slo fi. B-side Hands In Gold more so. They had an album out on Matador, which isn't surprising. And Sportsguitar is now one of my all time favourite band names.
Callous - Demo
This is actually a really good demo. The main track sounds like a cross between Helmet and Black Flag. And even though the second track sounds like Bush trying punk, this pishes over all the pop punk pap everyone loves right now.
Lillian - Demo
This sounds like shit because of the way it was recorded. Lillian remind me of Girlfriendo and Bette Davis And The Balconettes but not as good. They're metal influenced though. Cool!
Dream City Film Club - If I Die, I Die (Beggars Banquet)
Ain't that the truth. The lonesome crooner bleeds his heart as a distant guitarist accompanies it for a laugh. Re-released and regal.
Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
I bet you hate NIN. Good! You're not supposed to like them. I have a bucketful of time for Trent Reznor. He does silly bugger lyrics but more often than not I think a lot of his music. Here he's sneaking in drum and bass in. I haven't got the willpower though to get through the 5 remixes including Meat Beat Manifesto and the Orb.
Freeboy - Rocketship
Not for me. Not for you.
Teletubbies - Say something
You have to love the Teletubbies, they're the stupidest fucking thing going. Anything that has parents stealing toys from other peoples shopping trolleys and having fist fights has to be good. There is less novelty in buying and enjoying this single than buying Robbie Williams or Mark Owen pretending to be indie rock, Oasis pretending to be a hard rock Beatles or Ocean Colour Scene pretending its the sixties. Theres more honesty in this single than in any of those I just mentioned. If I was in charge I'd put La La's head on Po's body, Tinky's on La La's body and so on. Fuck with kids heads early I say.
Oasis - that long shitty one that got to number one (Creation Records Ltd)
Its depressing just how much Oasis have tarnished the Beatles in my mind. These days it seems, to be Bealtes influenced is to be like Oasis wankstain. My heart is broke but I have some glue. However watch the MTV video just for the wink Liam gives Noel at the end. Incest suggestion! Napalm the pair of 'em I say.
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