August 2008 Archives

I think someone should have a word with me about this. I am getting later and later with these single review things. Anyway, as it's the start of the Spanish football season (far more entertaining and technically superior to the Premiership) and Barca kick off tonight against Numancia, the songs will be rated against the following former Blaugrana players guide:

***** Pep Guardiola
**** Ronaldinho
*** Patrick Kluivert
** Edmilson
* Oleguer

"My Apocalypse" - Metallica
This sounds as thrashy and angry as some of their earlier singles (ie pre-Enter Sandman et al) such as Battery.
And it's good to see a truly great metal band still able to deliver without sounding like a parody of themselves and not peeing all over their legacy.
****

"Boyfriend" - Alphabeat
Deary me, this sounds like a poor cast off from the Stock, Aitken and Waterman 1980s catalogue. I bet even Sonia would reject this.
Is it any wonder some people find them so annoying?
*

"Daddy's Gone" - Glasvegas
I know I might be lynched for saying this but I really didn't think much of their last single "Geraldine", which actually seems to have propelled them on the road to superstardom (well, this year's NME band anyway).
But this anthemic, atmospheric reworking of a song they released last year (it's slower than the original) is much more like it. Kind of explains some of the hype anyway.
***

"Stepping Stone" - Duffy
You know the drill by now. A quality singer with a delightful slice of blue-eyed soul adding a touch of class to the charts.
Virtually impossible not to like and Duffy is one of the real treats of the year.
****

"If You're Out There" - John Legend
Oh my word! This is a breath-takingly beautiful song. He used to write songs and perform for a number of other stars but releasing his solo album in 2004 was his smartest move yet.
I'm so impressed with him that I'm going to avoid the obvious line about his surname will be an apt description of him in years to come if he carries on producing like this.
****

"Bruised Water" - Chicane vs Natasha Bedingfield
Not too sure about this one. Ok, this - a mash up of Chicane's "Saltwater" and Tash's "I Bruise Easily" kinda works to a certain degree.
But there are far more inspired and better mash-ups around such as the truly amazing collision of Iggy and Stooges' "No Fun" and Salt N Pepa's "Push It" on 2 Many DJs. If you haven't heard it, then I suggest you sort your life out and start making some serious changes.
**

So Michael Jackson turned 50 yesterday. Headlines across the world celebrated the "King Of Pop" reaching this milestone, while those who dared to risk the wrath of his fiercely loyal (and slightly unhinged) fans focused on the controversies that have dogged his personal life in recent years.

One thing that is often overlooked, however, is the fact he simply hasn't released a decent album since 1987. Maybe three great albums (Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad) and, of course, the wonderful music he made with the Jackson 5 is enough, for some people, to warrant his nickname but I can't help feel that the King Of Pop label needs to be prefixed with the word "Former".

And I'm sorry, but the greatest pop music moment involving Michael Jackson of the last 20 years or so is easily the Brit Awards 1996 when "Sir" Jarvis Cocker invaded the stage during that awful performance of that awful "Earth Song" and mooned at him. Pure class...

To put it in the mildest and least controversial terms, it's been a rollercoaster past week or so. What with the threat of redundancy and an uncertain future casting a shadow over more pleasant moments such as fantastic birthday presents and catching up with family and friends I haven't seen in a while.

But, whatever is going on, I always manage to find a suitable soundtrack - a selection of songs that sum up my mood, whether it's good or bad. It lifts spirits, it comforts, it helps make sense of a crazy world. It captures a moment in your life in a way that films, TV, books, theatre etc just cannot.

I've always felt music is the most taken for granted art form. I mean, what sort of awful concept is background music? Would you put a copy of Dog Day Afternoon in the DVD player and then start doing the ironing?? But, I digress...

Once again, music has provided some much needed relief in an intense week. It wasn't quite my first love (that was probably Kylie when she played Charlene in Neighbours back in 1987), but I'm glad we met...and if the last week of my life was a movie, then this would be the soundtrack:

1. "Paper Planes" - M.I.A.
2. "Birthday" - The Sugarcubes
3. "Enjoy Yourself" - The Specials
4. "Black Swan" - Thom Yorke
5. "Mercy Mercy Me" - Marvin Gaye
6. "Their Law" - The Prodigy
7. "Career Opportunities" - The Clash
8. "Ola Kala" - I'm From Barcelona
9. "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" - The Beach Boys
10. "Once In A Lifetime" - Talking Heads
11. "Olsen Olsen" - Sigur Ros
12. "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - REM

Must be a first this week, as I have not given any song less than three stars! For more on this shocking revelation check out the reviews of the following selection of this week's new singles which will be judged against the following ratings guide:

***** Boys From The Blackstuff
**** Black Sabbath
*** Black Velvet
** Cilla Black's records
* Anti-footballer Robbie Savage's transfer to Blackburn

"Look Out Sunshine" - The Fratellis
All the money from this record goes to the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Fratellis have decided to uphold the tradition that most charity songs must be feeble.
But, fair play to them. It's a good cause, they didn't have to do it and I wish them every success with it.
***

"Mountains" - Biffy Clyro
Oh, I like this. Crunching guitars dominate but there is still a sweeping melody lifting it well above the mundane.
Could be the single that propels them into the 'bigger' league, but the British music buying public is notoriously weird so I wouldn't count on it.
****

"In Praise Of The Vulnerable Man" - Alanis Morissette
The great thing about Alanis these days is she is a singer with nothing left to prove and this is helping her create effortless, pop gems.
This moves along just nicely and is another example of her very welcome return to form.
****

"Many Rivers To Cross (Live)" - Ali Campbell feat Ladysmith Black Mambazo
On paper, attempting to cover one of Jimmy Cliff's timeless classics was asking for trouble as you are unlikely to get anywhere near the original.
But credit to ex-Yoob Ali Campbell and the Ladysmiths, when they performed this at Goal 4 Africa. Good effort.
***

"Breaking It Up" - Lykke Li
This is a cracking, minimalist track and another damn good reason to rate the Swedish singer.
With the number of talented, female singer songwriters on the increase, Lykke Li offers something a little different.
****

"Work It" - Thomas Tantrum
Thomas Tantrum are far superior to The Ting Tings. Fact. And this is exactly how, throwaway, bublegum guitar pop should sound like.
Short, sweet and something that refuses to take itself seriously in any way. A bundle of fun.
****

It's hard to believe but Madonna is 50 years old today! It only feels like yesterday when she was cavorting around singing about holidays and being a virgin. So a very happy birthday to the Material Girl and this week's batch of new singles will be reviewed against the following Madge-related ratings.

***** Like A Prayer
**** Justify My Love
*** Borderline
** 4 Minutes
* Madonna's movies

"She Left me" - Go: Audio
I'm not surprised she ran a million miles if this is the best they can come up with.
Like a poor McFly b-side. And considering McFly's a-sides are crap, that is stinging criticism indeed.
*

"Man-Sized Wreath" - REM
Another superb example of their magnificent return to form with this year's Accelerate album.
Fuzzy guitars, great harmonies - vintage REM and, at just two and a half minutes, it doesn't out stay it's welcome.
*****

"Spiralling" - Keane
Bless 'em, they are still trying. But the harder they try the further down and down and down they go.
This just sounds like an attempt to jazz up their usual style but it only mamages to come across like an 80s cast off.
*

"Mercury" - Bloc Party
This is one of those that you'll either love or hate, so to help I'm going by sitting on the fence.
On one hand, it's a slightly disappointing effort compared with Silent Alarm but on the other hand, it's brooding, dark and awkward, daring to be different. Oh, make your own minds up...
***

"The Perfect Boy" - The Cure
The final of their four "13th" singles which precede the new album out on September 13.
Not a bad single but not as good as the previous three. Still, the new album is set to be a fine addition to the Cure back catalogue.
***

"Keep It Simple" - Delays
This has bugged me pretty much since they released "Long Time Coming" three or four years ago, but Delays are criminally under-rated.
And this gem of a track probably won't propel them into the bigger leagues - because people are dumb.
****

"See You Again (Rock Mafia Remix)" - Miley Cyrus
As you all probably know, her dad is country star Billy Ray Cyrus! And that's probably the most interesting thing about the Hannah Montana star.
Because don't tell my ears, my achy breaky ears to listen to this weak, poor man's version of an Avril Lavigne song ever again.
*

For the first time in five years, I won't be at Weston Park in Stafford for the V Festival. And I have mixed feelings about this. On the whole, there is no one performing who I would be desperate to see but, at the same time there are plenty who I would be more than happy to check out.

I've often come across people who dismiss the V Festival, dismissing it as corporate, bland and, bizarrely, too clean. But, especially in recent years, the organisers have come up trumps with some fantastic names signed up.

This year's line-up looks pretty solid and varied. The Verve, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Squeeze, Lenny Kravitz, Muse, Kings Of Leon, Roots Manuva, Ian Brown, Delays, The Stranglers, Echo And The Bunnymen and Duffy. And for those not already in the know, try to check out Sia. A fantastic singer...

But, as I won't be there to enjoy any of it, here are some of my most memorable moments from V over the past few years:

*Radiohead playing on my 30th birthday in 2006. Amazing. (not that I'm dropping any hints that my birthday is around this time of the year...but it's on August 20...)
*Meeting Mani, formerly of the Stone Roses and now Primal Scream, in 2004. He is a true legend.
*Getting emotional after finally seeing The Pixies live in 2004.
*Getting emotional after finally seeing The Las live in 2005.
*Dizzee Rascal stealing the show last year
*Beck playing a typically eclectic and wonderfully bizarre set in 2006
*Meeting ex Blues, Everton and Wales midfielder Barry Horne in 2002. The look of joy and surprise on his face that someone recognised him was priceless.
*Being dragged to see The Polyphonic Spree in 2005 - and loving every second of their set
*Getting more than my fair share of free beer in the VIP area (almost every time!)

What I won't miss this year? Queues for the toilets outside the VIP area, the state of those toilets, the mud all over my clothes, the rain, trying to leave Weston Park in the car on Sunday night and the Kaiser Chiefs.

So to al those going, stay safe, have fun and I hope it doesn't rain and that Amy Winehouse shows up this year...

A singer-songwriter, musician, producer, actor and humanitarian, Isaac Hayes was a legend. Just check out his collaboration with Sam & Dave on "Soul Man" when he worked at Stax, or his debut Hot Buttered Soul or, of course, the Shaft soundtrack or maybe even his role as Chef in South Park and you will see why.

He died on August 10, just 10 days short of his 66th birthday.

Another week, another batch of new singles and another round of "reviews" by yours truly. And this week, I will judge the said records against the following ratings guide:

***** Batfink
**** Batman
*** Bat Out Of Hell
** Nora Batty
* David Batty's penalty against Argentina in France 98

"Love Is Noise" - The Verve
Not quite the amazing comeback they achieved 11 years ago with Bittersweet Symphony but then, it would have been some single to beat that one!
But, despite the weird background vocal sample, this is a fine, upbeat return and will have pleased existing fans while picked up a few along the way.
****

"It's Not About You" - Scouting For Girls
Are these guys having a laugh or what? Do all their songs sound exactly the same? How did they get a record deal?
Utter, utter rubbish and the biggest joke is there are people out there who will buy this AND enjoy it. Get out of my life.
*

"I Kissed A Girl" - Katy Perry
Ooooh, how naughty! An account of a girl experimenting with lesbianism being number one in America for weeks is headline news itself, especially in some of the, shall we say, less liberal states.
Personally, I think it's simply a bland power pop effort. And, let's be honest, if it wasn't for the subject matter gimmick, this wouldn't be going anywhere near the top of the charts.
**

"Midnight Madness" - The Chemical Brothers
While their albums have still been good, the Chemicals have not reached the ecstatic peak of their 90s output so far this decade.
Again, this is good rather than spectacularly brilliant but there is enough here to keep fans excited for the new album out next month.
***

"The Only Way" - Gotye
Instantly enjoyable and infectious with a great bassline driving this song along.
He seems to throw in a host of influences, especially Beck and perhaps some 1960s pop and the result is excellent.
****

"Again And Again" - Roots Manuva
Taken from the forthcoming Slime & Reason album out next month, this is a big improvement on his last single "Buff Nuff".
A cheery, dancehall/rap crossover that will stay in your head for ages after you've first heard it. Trust me, I speak from experience!
****

"Lights Out" - Santogold
When I first heard Santogold, I thought she was just an M.I.A. clone, but after hearing her album, she clearly has a head bursting with some cool ideas.
This is a fine indie/soul effort and she deserves far greater success than she'll probably end up with.
****

I'm From Barcelona are set to make a welcome return. The Swedish band are set to release their second album "Who Killed Harry Houdini?" on September 18. And before that, the lead single "Paper Planes" will be out on August 18.

But if you want new music from them right now, head over to http://www.imfrombarcelona.com/ now and sign up for the email newsletter and you get a stonking mp3, "Music Killed Me" for FREE! How cool is that?!

It's not all good news though, I'm afraid. They will be touring England later this year but they are not coming to Birmingham!! Anyone who went to their show at the Carling Academy 2 last September (a real five star performance and cracking night) will know they should return. The manic, post gig rave, which saw the band join the crowd for some crazy bopping and huge congas around the venue, will live long in the memory.

Hopefully, they will be back in the Second City soon. If you haven't already discovered them, they are a real, delightful treat. Do yourself a favour and check them out...

It's that time of the week again when I run the rule over a few tunes out this week. This batch will be reviewed against the following ratings guide:

***** Coronation Street
**** EastEnders
*** Emmerdale
** Family Affairs
* El Dorado

"Letter From God To Man" - Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
Ok, I'm going to count to 10, go for a walk and pretend they haven't dared to sample "Planet Telex" by my beloved Radiohead!
Actually, having listened to it a few times, it's not as bad as I first thought. Although the impassioned sermon being delivered over the sample might grate after a while.
**

"The Other Side" - Pendulum
This is more like dance a la Prodigy rather than the drum n' bass older Pendulum fans are used to.
Not as good as their previous efforts but head and shoulders above most of the dance music out there.
***

"If This Is Love" - The Saturdays
Right, listen girls. You are not Girls Aloud. In fact, you are not even Bewitched, so get over it.
If this is love then I'd rather be consumed by hate. A poor, poor, triple poor, weak pop effort that even Hear'Say would have rejected.
*

"The One" - Kylie Minogue
Strangely, this is a digital only release, with no promo video as yet, which is a shame as it's a little corker of a tune.
There are small traces of her under-rated mid 90s era clashing with her recent electro-disco style and it sure works for me.
****

"Sleep Through The Static" - Jack Johnson
More whimsical, acoustic driven, laid back, adult pop from old JJ.
Alright, I'll level with you, I'm struggling to avoid saying this is dull as a dishcloth.
**

"Gossip" - You Me At Six
That's a really silly name and this is really just a cliched, typical "indie" rock effort which will no doubt see them lauded in the NME of something.
Next...
**

"Lend Me Your Face" - Fight Like Apes
Oh this is much more like it! Frenetic, fuzzy guitars with vocalist MayHay shrieking her vocals over the sonic assault going on around her.
A few rounds with this punky lot and you will be knocked out! Fantastic, single of the week without question.
****

"Everybody Wants Me" - The Pigeon Detectives
It seems fashionable to mock the Pigeons and, I have to say, listening to this forgettable effort shows why.
But having just basked in the glory of Fight Like Apes, I'm in a better mood so even though I'm under-whelmed I'm going to cut them some slack and give them at least two stars more than they deserve.
**