NB These following reviews were done in haste late at night between sporadic episodes of self hatred and unfounded confidence. That’s why they might be… yeah…
In a vain attempt to catch up with last year, I shall be eschewing my usual verbosity and circumlocution for a touch of brevitas… it is a new year after all. Better brief and late than never…
Late Of The Pier – Bathroom Gurgle
“We have all been wasting our time.” Ooh, listen to those early eighties keyboards squelch like Spongebob Squarepants on MDMA. Very Human League. Then some kind of mad prog rock Hammond interlude and we are in Roxy Music territory. I’m not sure if this is Future Sailors or Yello, but it is certainly silly post nu rave fun albeit with an identity crisis.
Charli XCX – Emmeline/Art Bitch
More electro bitching in a kinda Crystal Castles early Kate Nash vein. In fact, ‘Caroline’… ‘Emmeline’… hmmm. Slight Sapphic feel and a touch of Toni Basil. Taunting and… okay, but hardly the reinvention of the wheel. ‘Art Bitch’… Myspace, photoshop… “ you are an art bitch at heart.” Tender, high energy but still splicing the Nash and the Allen. Plus plenty of ‘Skins’ baiting remixes. Big beats, yah?
Tony Christie – Born To Cry
“That coat that I gave you – so shiny and black, I’m sorry my darling, I’m taking back.” Sheffield crooner supreme teams up with Jarvis Cocker and Richard Hawley to channel the spirit of Jimmy Webb, add some electric guitar and throw in a bit of emotional stuff. He’s still a powerful singer and does Glen Campbell better than Richard Hawley – so much more to him than ‘Amarillo.’ Now that must make him cry.
The Raid – Oh Lillee/On A Scale
I’m thinking Franz Ferdinand, Hives, The Movies, Reef – Hammond, distorted guitar, stripped vocal chords, high hat rhythm. Lively in a concerted fashion but fairly forgettable. ‘On A Scale’ has a bit of Muse skiffle, so… maybe they can annoy on a glorious scale in later years. One to watch unless there’s something better on.
Screaming Lights –Glow/GMN
“I love – to stare – at you – across the room” intrudes the voice of Jay Treadall over a baggy-ish beat and slightly distorted bleak guitar. Old Manchester (Happy Mondays) meets older Manchester (Joy Division) in this voyeuristic but passionate single from Liverpool. It’s simple but pointed, immediate and obsessional. Nice glow.
‘GMN’ is more electronic, even more immediate and a different kind of bleak. Neon tube crackle and underground paranoia that is dispelled slightly by the piano of reassurance. Spacy, pacy and pretty bloody good.
Popularity: 74% [?]
