SINGLES
A
P
R
I
L
2
0
1
3
P
R
I
L
2
0
1
3
LET'S SLOUCH!
HORSE PARTY "BACK TO MONO" (STURM UND DRANG RECORDINGS)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? This lot are
described as an 'alt-blues' trio
and you'd be forgiven for
wanting to kill them just for
that, just for that, because
that's how edgy and righteous
you are when it comes to the
blues, but we'd consider it a
bit of a favour if you'd put the
hammer down and the turn
the volume up because, listen now, Horse Party are doing no alt-blues nonsense, but they are chugging and grinding out some impressive sub-Patti Smith stuff. Sure, it's most likely an accident and they're trying to sound like The Kills, but the failure of Horse Party to sound like shite blues-punkers just means that we get a cool track that's tricky to pigeonhole. Everybody wins, let's dance, let's slouch!
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes, the Horse Party single called ''Back To Mono'' is good, very good.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/sturmunddrangrecordings
HORSE PARTY "BACK TO MONO" (STURM UND DRANG RECORDINGS)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? This lot are
described as an 'alt-blues' trio
and you'd be forgiven for
wanting to kill them just for
that, just for that, because
that's how edgy and righteous
you are when it comes to the
blues, but we'd consider it a
bit of a favour if you'd put the
hammer down and the turn
the volume up because, listen now, Horse Party are doing no alt-blues nonsense, but they are chugging and grinding out some impressive sub-Patti Smith stuff. Sure, it's most likely an accident and they're trying to sound like The Kills, but the failure of Horse Party to sound like shite blues-punkers just means that we get a cool track that's tricky to pigeonhole. Everybody wins, let's dance, let's slouch!
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes, the Horse Party single called ''Back To Mono'' is good, very good.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/sturmunddrangrecordings
DRUNKEN LAUGHTER ALL ROUND
JAY LEIGHTON "WISH I WAS SPRINGSTEEN" (STRATA)
RELEASED? 29th April.
SOUNDS LIKE? I too wish that Jay Leighton was Springsteen. Then I'd be listening to Bruce Springsteen instead of some white bread, brain dead, pop-pap, plodder-fodder. This sounds like Coldplay have let themselves go and started playing damp and dismal cardigan ballads.
IS IT ANY GOOD? I wish I was deaf.
WHERE IS IT? www.jayleighton.com
JAY LEIGHTON "WISH I WAS SPRINGSTEEN" (STRATA)
RELEASED? 29th April.
SOUNDS LIKE? I too wish that Jay Leighton was Springsteen. Then I'd be listening to Bruce Springsteen instead of some white bread, brain dead, pop-pap, plodder-fodder. This sounds like Coldplay have let themselves go and started playing damp and dismal cardigan ballads.
IS IT ANY GOOD? I wish I was deaf.
WHERE IS IT? www.jayleighton.com
NOT OFFENSIVE
THE LIGHTWINGS "CHEAP RICHES" (BEATNIK GEEK)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? Mid eighties jangle pop ripping the tits from the mid sixties. Someone should be cross, but it's not going to be me. The Lightwings are doing well crafted pop beats in my ear with both of these clean n lean numbers. Of course, they get a bit a stroppily adventurous with the b-side, that's where they get a bit squally with the guitars and get a bit a snappier all round.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yeah, it's proper pop and they though they probably worry about their hair, The Lighwings are cool enough ear candy.
WHERE IS IT? www.thelightwings.com
THE LIGHTWINGS "CHEAP RICHES" (BEATNIK GEEK)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? Mid eighties jangle pop ripping the tits from the mid sixties. Someone should be cross, but it's not going to be me. The Lightwings are doing well crafted pop beats in my ear with both of these clean n lean numbers. Of course, they get a bit a stroppily adventurous with the b-side, that's where they get a bit squally with the guitars and get a bit a snappier all round.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yeah, it's proper pop and they though they probably worry about their hair, The Lighwings are cool enough ear candy.
WHERE IS IT? www.thelightwings.com
WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?
BLACK MOTH "SAVAGE DANCER" (TOO PURE SINGLES CLUB)
RELEASED? 29th April.
SOUNDS LIKE? Deep Purple and, or Black Sabbath. There, now we know, but that's not all of it. Black Moth are also young, muscled, nasty, cute and
channeling the late sixties hard rock jukebox with a massive sneer and even more massive riffs. Riffs that are gleefully bounced up and beyond glam rocking, just because they can. Round about now, you might come across the idea that Black Moth are a big band. To me, maybe even to a hip young person like you, they have appeared fully formed, taking the measure, taking the mickey and taking over the Purple / Sabbath songbook and sprinting off into their own distance. Black Moth don't sound like Queen, but they feel like early Queen, instant and inexplicable mastery of their art and a casual assumption of a throne.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Fuck off, this is fucking excellent and you know it, so buy it.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/themothpit
BLACK MOTH "SAVAGE DANCER" (TOO PURE SINGLES CLUB)
RELEASED? 29th April.
SOUNDS LIKE? Deep Purple and, or Black Sabbath. There, now we know, but that's not all of it. Black Moth are also young, muscled, nasty, cute and
channeling the late sixties hard rock jukebox with a massive sneer and even more massive riffs. Riffs that are gleefully bounced up and beyond glam rocking, just because they can. Round about now, you might come across the idea that Black Moth are a big band. To me, maybe even to a hip young person like you, they have appeared fully formed, taking the measure, taking the mickey and taking over the Purple / Sabbath songbook and sprinting off into their own distance. Black Moth don't sound like Queen, but they feel like early Queen, instant and inexplicable mastery of their art and a casual assumption of a throne.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Fuck off, this is fucking excellent and you know it, so buy it.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/themothpit
CRADLING THE VODKA
ALBINO "BRAND NEW FEAR" (GUTS
FOR GARTERS)
RELEASED? 13th May.
SOUNDS LIKE? Well, the title track is
a shitty bit of smug git pub rock, but
''Solarman'' is outstanding in so many
ways, most of them brilliantly wrong, but let's home in on the
brilliance... ''Solarman'' is a late fifties, cold war collage of
a hymn to manhood, nationhood and dead dogs and
it's set in a Conway Twitty pastiche ladled with chorus
and snips of Soviet spaceman chat, all static and
black n white and it really is excellent and I really can't believe that it's the same people who thought that ''Brand New Fear'' was something to show to people.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Look, you need to listen to ''Solarman'', and so do Albino.
WHERE IS IT? www.albinomusic.com
ALBINO "BRAND NEW FEAR" (GUTS
FOR GARTERS)
RELEASED? 13th May.
SOUNDS LIKE? Well, the title track is
a shitty bit of smug git pub rock, but
''Solarman'' is outstanding in so many
ways, most of them brilliantly wrong, but let's home in on the
brilliance... ''Solarman'' is a late fifties, cold war collage of
a hymn to manhood, nationhood and dead dogs and
it's set in a Conway Twitty pastiche ladled with chorus
and snips of Soviet spaceman chat, all static and
black n white and it really is excellent and I really can't believe that it's the same people who thought that ''Brand New Fear'' was something to show to people.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Look, you need to listen to ''Solarman'', and so do Albino.
WHERE IS IT? www.albinomusic.com
ARTY FARTY KICK ARSE ROOLS, OK?
MAYORS OF MIYAZAKI "MORTISE AND TENON" (WE BE RECORDS)
RELEASED? 3rd June.
SOUNDS LIKE? Mental, this is shit kicking brilliant there are lots of things that make this so, many of them contradictory... This track is trailer for the ''Holy Cop''
album that's out in June and it sounds like an American jazz punk take on what Yes used to do. Yes, I know that you're already moving towards the math rock aisle, but don't,because although the Mayors can play and the overall thang is a complex thang it's made up of zillions of simple things done very well. Things like scrawling guitars that scribble lines all over a mix that's also home to some kind of vocal domestic between a yelping, mockney bloke and a drawlingly bored female, a ducks arse tight bass and drum combination and the production is pitched to get the best out of the worst headphones.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes, very. It's not often that you get stuff that you can truthfully call interesting and enjoyable.
WHERE IS IT? http://mayorsofmiyazaki.blogspot.co.uk/
MAYORS OF MIYAZAKI "MORTISE AND TENON" (WE BE RECORDS)
RELEASED? 3rd June.
SOUNDS LIKE? Mental, this is shit kicking brilliant there are lots of things that make this so, many of them contradictory... This track is trailer for the ''Holy Cop''
album that's out in June and it sounds like an American jazz punk take on what Yes used to do. Yes, I know that you're already moving towards the math rock aisle, but don't,because although the Mayors can play and the overall thang is a complex thang it's made up of zillions of simple things done very well. Things like scrawling guitars that scribble lines all over a mix that's also home to some kind of vocal domestic between a yelping, mockney bloke and a drawlingly bored female, a ducks arse tight bass and drum combination and the production is pitched to get the best out of the worst headphones.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes, very. It's not often that you get stuff that you can truthfully call interesting and enjoyable.
WHERE IS IT? http://mayorsofmiyazaki.blogspot.co.uk/
I'm the thoughtful one
And I used to be Thomas Dolby
I wish I was French
Too obvious
I'm close to the edge
NOT ENTIRELY FULL OF SHIT!
COCOVAN "1 - INTRODUCTION" (LE STUDIO XOXO)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? I don't know
and that's why we need
Cocovan, This is, on the face
of it, lazy and loose euro
indulgence, but you might,
hell, a smart person like you
will understand that Cocovan
has, for this track, gone for
the bright light, but broody
take on shoving a mirror at us
and wondering, nicely, gently,
but pointedly and with arch, what it and we are all about.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Impossible and arrogant to decide, but it sounds good and she feels right and looks fabulous and, for a young person, is not entirely full of shit, or herself, so love Cocovan and do it now.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/iamcocovan
COCOVAN "1 - INTRODUCTION" (LE STUDIO XOXO)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? I don't know
and that's why we need
Cocovan, This is, on the face
of it, lazy and loose euro
indulgence, but you might,
hell, a smart person like you
will understand that Cocovan
has, for this track, gone for
the bright light, but broody
take on shoving a mirror at us
and wondering, nicely, gently,
but pointedly and with arch, what it and we are all about.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Impossible and arrogant to decide, but it sounds good and she feels right and looks fabulous and, for a young person, is not entirely full of shit, or herself, so love Cocovan and do it now.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/iamcocovan
SMOKING IN THE YOBS ROOM
HOPPER PROPELLED ELECTRIC "MEMPHIS GREENS" (VANDER WALL DAIRY RECORDS)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? The Stooges hanging around Brownsville Station and then an early version of Alice Cooper takes the mike and the microphone as well. This is great, sleazy, but smart riffola a go, go, go. There are four tracks on this one and we like ''Broken'' the best, pretty much a straight shooting dirt bag of thunder drumming being slashed by barbed wire guitaring, top tock stuff.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes, this is what we signed up for.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/VWD.Records
HOPPER PROPELLED ELECTRIC "MEMPHIS GREENS" (VANDER WALL DAIRY RECORDS)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? The Stooges hanging around Brownsville Station and then an early version of Alice Cooper takes the mike and the microphone as well. This is great, sleazy, but smart riffola a go, go, go. There are four tracks on this one and we like ''Broken'' the best, pretty much a straight shooting dirt bag of thunder drumming being slashed by barbed wire guitaring, top tock stuff.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Yes, this is what we signed up for.
WHERE IS IT? www.facebook.com/VWD.Records
CONTAINS VEGAN ABUSE
HOMELESS HILL "THEY DON'T KNOW"
(SOUNDCLOUD)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? Generic southern fried rock.
Alright, this one is a shuffling and shimmering
ballad and damn yankee friends report that they
are stunning live and this is a pretty well perfect
slice of rawk, but it wouldn't be out of place on
that ghastly ''Nashville'' show. So, do as we did
and go check out them out properly, you'll find stuff like ''Ain't No rest For The Wicked'' and that makes Ted Nugent sound like a lettuce eating, limp dick vegan.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Top rawk band.
WHERE IS IT? http://homelesshill.com/
HOMELESS HILL "THEY DON'T KNOW"
(SOUNDCLOUD)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? Generic southern fried rock.
Alright, this one is a shuffling and shimmering
ballad and damn yankee friends report that they
are stunning live and this is a pretty well perfect
slice of rawk, but it wouldn't be out of place on
that ghastly ''Nashville'' show. So, do as we did
and go check out them out properly, you'll find stuff like ''Ain't No rest For The Wicked'' and that makes Ted Nugent sound like a lettuce eating, limp dick vegan.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Top rawk band.
WHERE IS IT? http://homelesshill.com/
FROM MERKIN TO BIRKIN
WOLF ALICE "BROSS" (CHESS CLUB RECORDS)
RELEASED? 20th May.
SOUNDS LIKE? Stunning and very annoying for the French as a British outfit produce some perfect black n white pop and wire it up to some deceptive rock voltage. Your sound-a-like guidebook points out the attractions of Garbage, Blondie and Wolf Alice.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Genuinely good pop is a rare commodity and this is great pop.
WHERE IS IT? https://www.facebook.com/wolfalicemusic
WOLF ALICE "BROSS" (CHESS CLUB RECORDS)
RELEASED? 20th May.
SOUNDS LIKE? Stunning and very annoying for the French as a British outfit produce some perfect black n white pop and wire it up to some deceptive rock voltage. Your sound-a-like guidebook points out the attractions of Garbage, Blondie and Wolf Alice.
IS IT ANY GOOD? Genuinely good pop is a rare commodity and this is great pop.
WHERE IS IT? https://www.facebook.com/wolfalicemusic
What were we thinking?
THEY HAVE THINGS ON THEIR SHOULDERS
EMPIRE OF THE SUN
"ALIVE" (EMI)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? It doesn't
really matter. What counts
is that some post puberty
people are happy to have
their form and face in visuals
that make 'Dune' look like
'''Last Of The Summer Wine''
and are also okay with their
voices, yeah, I know, their
voices becoming part of a
soundtrack that makes
Duran Duran and their ''Rio''
excess sound crisp and restrained. This all means that Empire Of The Sun are just fucking boss and that anyone who can't lurve their ten minute rule is an idiot.
IS IT ANY GOOD? I eat cannibals.
WHERE IS IT? http://empireofthesun.com/
EMPIRE OF THE SUN
"ALIVE" (EMI)
RELEASED? Out now.
SOUNDS LIKE? It doesn't
really matter. What counts
is that some post puberty
people are happy to have
their form and face in visuals
that make 'Dune' look like
'''Last Of The Summer Wine''
and are also okay with their
voices, yeah, I know, their
voices becoming part of a
soundtrack that makes
Duran Duran and their ''Rio''
excess sound crisp and restrained. This all means that Empire Of The Sun are just fucking boss and that anyone who can't lurve their ten minute rule is an idiot.
IS IT ANY GOOD? I eat cannibals.
WHERE IS IT? http://empireofthesun.com/
