Glam rocking, electro tinged frivolity continues DORP’s quest to demonstrate enthusiasm as well as an irreverent edge to the way they ply their trade. The cosmopolitan quartet show a grizzlier side this time around, as ‘London Out There’ builds eerily from a base of fuzzy low-key guitars and the eerie percussion drill of Ricko Walsh. Then the glam rock electrolysis of Fred KU picks up the tempo, along with Piet Bez’s grizzly, but well projected vocals.
Funky guitar trotter, Nick Harrison is as equally crisp as he is rugged and he makes use of a tempo building element to elevate his slightly leery, but crisply coated delivery. With one foot towards the dialogue-driven contemporary camp and another that’s more in with 80s disco, Harrison gives off energy and a degree of cheekiness.
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These folks have done some good things in the past, suffering for their own brilliance with a song that everyone wanted to hear all the time and, four years on, is still like to get many an airing in your local indie disco. Unfortunately they still seem trapped in ‘04, unable to follow it up with anything of equal magnitude; the rest of that album was very good, but didn’t quite match up. Even the press release for this new single mentions ‘The Rat’ in “you thought that was good,” kind of a way. It was only ever going to end in disappointment, a silly manoeuvre akin to The Strokes pretending to have bettered Is This It (twice). I did intend to ignore the comparison here, but they started it…
‘The Blue Route’ starts off with some jangly guitars and a slightly un-melancholy feel which is nice enough but takes too long to really do anything. Then it happens and you’re still waiting for something else. The repeat of “What happened to you?” seems prescient as you start to worry for the sanity of a band releasing this as a lead single for their new album. We were promised fun, more positive stuff but this is neither, it’s distressed boredom in sound format. The song opens with the lines “Keep replaying through the days/And it brought you to this place,” which by the end of the song sounds like a warning to other bands to at least keep up to your own standards, or you’ll end up on ‘The Blue Route’.
B side ‘Canadian Girl’ passes by pleasantly enough, but by now the damage is done. A look at the charts shows that, if you’re willing to forgo self respect, it is possible to at least sell lots of records by becoming a bad copy of your former glory. The Walkmen though have tried to retain their indie appeal to create a bland song that is hopefully just a bad choice of single rather than an accurate advert for their album.
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Stampeding percussion powers forward for Shinedown to unleash their post-rock/metal core crush, ‘Devour’. Eric’s sliding and robust bass lunge gives profile and tension to a murky, lyrical foundation delivered through an urgent and fervent push by Brent Smith, mirroring the impact of Chiodos.
This bracing vocal element builds up into a rhythmic defiance, shedding Shinedown’s customary metallic lunges for a clearer emo build-up towards a frustrated chorus. Vocal versatility keeps the intrigue ticking over, as Smith’s ability to bob and weave in line with the intensity of the track truly stands out. This track’s also got the feeling needed to get the across their tale of personal judgement and redemption.
The grit, boldness and pace-changing ability of these Florida tykes will ensure that their rhythmic moodiness won’t go unnoticed.
Tah Mac
 It’s Kanye West’s younger brother! Not really, but if he was, he would be one of those brothers that idolises his older sibling…
Like an ever attentive host, Mac begins by welcoming us all to “Tah-land” over the type of old-school soul beat that West made his trademark early on in his career.
‘Time Of My Life’ lyrically follows that age old rappers trick – he is basically introducing himself to the world as a rapper (much like Eminem [My Name Is], The Cool Kids [Mikey Rocks] and, um, Yes Boss [Meet The Boss] amongst others, have done) after production duties for the likes of Leona Lewis and Artetha Franklin. Mac greatly enjoys telling the world how great his life is at the moment and how he’s been on MTV…
The remix on the b-side shows versatility, kind of… Tah Mac shows us that he loved the last Kanye West album just as much as the first by paying homage to West’s electro-tinged dabbles. I may sound like I’m being a bit down on Tah Mac. I certainly don’t mean to be. I like the track – it’s a nice, soulful slice of hip-pop. No, that is not a typo. This is a hip-hop track made for the pop charts.
It may not have the hooks to become an instant hit, but there is enough there to bed in Tah Mac as a name to look out for, as both producer and artist. I mean, having someone doing so well what West has set the standard for is certainly a good thing. Especially if you have heard West’s ‘Love Lockdown’…
A soaring surf/indie/folk vocal lob bears out the deep and searching soul that encompasses the earthy, endearing nature of Paolo Nutini with the escapism touch of Matt Costa. Welcome to Newton Faulkner’s world.
… Continue Reading
Everybody’s talking about the new Bloc Party single. Is it a super-fantastic modernist triumph, or just a bit weird? We chat it out.
Building up with a strolling, uncompromising Amy Studt-veined defiance and self-assurance into a quirky Cat Power chorus, this underlines the promise of 23 year old Norwegian. Ida Maria parades independent minded lyrics through slightly eccentric but endearing vocal lag.
‘Queen Of The World’ is moody yet uplifting and shows an increasing cosmopolitan depth to modern pop music, with an old fashioned guitar lob providing a touch of nostalgia.
Small town rebellion is delivered with hearty abandon and builds upon the promise shown on two singles released through her own label, Nesma Records. Ida is determined to do things her own way and this single shows a certain defiance of current trends.
This summer sees the release of Ida’s debut album, Fortress Round My Heart, and the signs are there already to suggest that it could be the perfect accompaniment to a balmy summer’s evening in front of the campfire.
This single is released one week before the Brighton pair’s debut album Box Of Secrets is blessed with the task of opening minds and starting the resurrection of pop music (yeah, it is possible!).
Laura-Mary Carter and Steven Ansell, use ‘Say Something, Say Anything’ to parade their brazen guitar spiked pop drawl to give another preview of what they are about, harvesting the insecure vocal whip of Ansell, who also provides the steady percussion base steering them towards a “blood”-fuelled Editors vibe.
The pair continues to show a gripping cohesion and captures that awkwardness of moments that everyone suffers in communicating with a significant other. Tempo builds, as soul-searching and teetering rhythm moulds the song together.
A sub-three minute swirl is produced that will act as an attention grabbing bill-board, as Blood Red Shoes prepare to bring the basics of heart and mystery back to pop music.
Supple-structured Americana/indie/folk uses the dual vocals of Nema and Alexandra (also the bassist) to produce a drama-building flight, resulting in the sort of impact you would expect from a tempered down Sons And Daughters.
This dual gender Cockney quartet build from a low-key guitar-grounding provided by Ruban, allowing the two vocalists to intermingle their crisp but assured femme range with a tender, yet masterful, male leading lag. This helps to showcase the starkly poetic lyrical appeal:
“It’s like sand/Desperate people running through their hands/And it slips every time/They’re dressed up holding words like they were mine/Dressed up fools they’ll live out wasting lives.â€
Up-tempo acoustic slide and warming male vocals, courtesy of Nema, gives ‘Story End’ a more wistful tug to draw out a subtle and piercing edge. Hush The Many (Heed The Few) are on the brink – but of what? That’s part of the mystery!
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