March/April 2003

FUTURE KINGS OF SPAIN Face I Know (Red Flag Recording Company)

Face I Know is prime Seattle grunge, ticking over with power till the whole thing bursts furiously like a ripe spot in the chorus.  It shares a Nirvana fetish with the Vines and, indeed, the screaming chorus resembles Craig Nicholls at his throw-my-toys-out-of-the-pram most deranged.  The other tracks tip the hat and every other bit of headwear to the late 80s-90s, especially The Perfect Wait with its percolating rhythm bubbling away with controlled, buzzing power reminiscent of classic Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.  

Reviewed by Ged M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE TRANSPLANTS Diamonds and Guns (Hellcat Records) 

In the late 90s Rancid were the perfect antidote to the up their own arses Britpop preeners.  Loud, aggressive yet tuneful they were unapologetically old school punk.  Rancid’s frontman Tim Armstrong now has another band The Transplants, which also features Blink 182’s drummer.  The template has been tinkered with to feature Clash c77 reggae garage, a dash of Ghost Town Specials and a bit of punk rapping.  The result is four minutes of rattlingly good skiffle snared punk.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS Dark Wave  (Domino) 

I always do this with Malkmus. First 2 listens are sloppy rubbish. Then somewhere around 2.5 it just clicks. It's a more stripped down than anything that was on the last album; the rhythm pokes you in the ribs, guitars chicane around like nobody's business and Steven 'Oooh-Ooh-Oos' for all he's worth through a comb rapped In greaseproof paper. He's also gone a teensy weensy bit goth too, which to be honest, was the last thing I expected- I think he must have found the 'Dark and Brooding' setting on his Bontempi. Lyrics are absolute nonsense as per (not a bad thing kids; it's a song, not an instruction booklet).   Overall result: Melodically tangential (Get in!)

Review by Ben M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE VINES Homesick EP (Promo only)

This is a numbered promo only release timed to coincide with their UK tour.  It opens with an edit of the Homesick track from the album.  This is the lovely simple Beatles-ish ballad, vocal harmonies accompanying acoustic guitar and Coldplay style piano.  Track 2, Get Free, is of course the Vines when Craig goes all Kurt on us, a spittle encrusted wail alongside a grungey riff.  Whilst superb, it’s obviously freely available elsewhere on the album and as a single.  Track 3 has also previously been released, albeit on a soundtrack to Son of Sam.  It’s a rendition of I’m Only Sleeping, fairly faithful but lacking the Lennon drawl. Lastly there’s the video of Homesick which is little more than a pretty cheap montage of live stuff and publicity poses.  All in all, good but no surprises.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE BLUETONES Fastboy (Superior Recordings)

Don’t let the definitive article in front of this band’s name kid you that they are anything but the same old dull second rate Britpop no-hopers that plagued the lower reaches of the top forty throughout the late 90s with their inoffensive but dreary tunes. This is more of the same, given only the most microscopic of harder edged guitar layers and still very much unimaginative XFM daytime fodder.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

TURBONEGRO Fuck the World (Burning Heart)

(Presumably) tongue in cheek 80s style cod rock metal, with all the horribly familiar lead breaks and crashing drums. Spinal Tap was a genuinely side achingly funny film but why would you want to buy the soundtrack? 

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE APPLICATORS U Got It All EP (B-Unique)

Sex sells undoubtedly so the cover of the debut UK release by American riot grrl four piece shows them heavily made-up and pointing cleavage at the camera.  If you can get past the cover though you’ll find at least two passable punk numbers worthy of a couple of plays.  First up is the Donnas play Elastica vaguely Sleeper-ish title track followed by the Go Gos-ish punk pop of Good Things.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE CAESARS Jerk It Out (Virgin)

Welcome reissue for the stomping Swedes finest moment.  It's a simple tune very reminiscent of vintage Inspiral Carpets with parping organ and catchy chorus and is either about a new dance craze sweeping Scandinavia or a quick fire way to go blind.  Still, if myopia is to be the outcome, pass me a tissue and count me in because this is friggin' great.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

It’s not just garage, it’s not just blues but they’re creating a whole new genre.  The whole sound is edgy and jittery, like being lost in the wrong part of town (the city as a jungle motif is perfectly captured in the cover art of leopards dismembering a Karen O clone).   The tremolo in Karen O’s voice is perfect for the menacing, driving beat and hypnotic rhythm, where the “chop chop chop” lyric matches the choppy guitar riffs.   Dynamic and unsettling, it’s perhaps the best thing they’ve done so far.  

Review by Ged M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE SUN Back in the Summer of 72 (Rough Trade)

It may not have worked for John Major and his sleezy pants dropping Tory hypocrites but in musical terms, Back To Basics is often a good thing. Whether it means stripping the record down to a drummer and guitarist in Jack and Meg's case or in this one, throwing it all together in what sounds like a rusty old boiler and seeing what comes spluttering out.  However whilst the result may be a semi shambolic almighty mess it's one that's breathtatingly wonderful all the same.  It has the gasping Farfisa of the Seeds, the bare chested rawness of the Stooges, the rattling snare of a skiffling busker and the gasping yelps of a man with an inhaler but if I hear a better psyche garage record this year I'll house a family of voles up my bum. Fittingly and inevitably the lunatics controlling this asylum are American and the two B-sides also show why Rough Trade must currently have some pretty good contacts on the west side of the Atlantic.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE MENDOZA LINE It’ll Be The Same Without You (Cooking Vinyl)

A treasure you scuff up in the dust.  It’s Dylan or the Stones doing country, the catchiest thing from the excellent ‘Lost In Revelry’ album and full of edgy vocals and gorgeous harmonies.   It swings but at the same time, lyrically, it reminds you of troubled minds and tortured hearts.  The Big Letdown (a typical ML title) is another melancholy rocker, with Dylan-ish vocals and a staggering “ooh-ooh” bridge that twists into the ultra-melodic chorus.  Reservation highlights Shannon Mary McArdle’s folky fascination, with barrelhouse piano prominent.   The Mendoza Line are some of the sharpest blades in the Americana toolshed. 

Review by Ged M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

OOBERMAN First Day of the Holidays (Rotodisc)

Sometimes you despair at the stupidity of the music industry and the way that they hire and fire bands in a frantic rush to find the next example of the current fad.  Whilst the Strokes, Vines or Datsuns may be stunning examples of their genres, it's sad that every A&R man and woman then has to spend the next six months attempting to find carbon copies of them for their labels.  Inevitably other bands who produce more timeless quality music get ignored. Cue Ooberman, born at the fag end of Britpop but producing wonderful little symphonies of layered keyboards, strings and delicate harmonies.  Two of these three tracks are gentle yet beautiful pieces of semi-classical music matched with sweet vocals, part Delgados melancholia, part Wickerman weird folkery and part Mozart.  The third and A-side First Day of the Holidays is prime time Pulp, the whole song building to a joyous crescendo of pumping basslines, soaring strings and air punching synths. Wonderful.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE FAINT Agenda Suicide (City Slang)

Agenda Suicide is the latest release from the latest release of the latest dance/rock/electronica darlings of the music press, The Faint – yet don’t let this “prestigious” accolade deter you, because it ain’t ‘alf bad. For what is essentially a dance-driven rock song with a Simon Le Bon sound-alike on vocals, it rocks. Hard. Think Duran Duran de-cheesed a thousand times, then fed through a synthesiser. The notably groovy b-sides also ensure that even those without a penchant for electronica will enjoy this single, which should be played very loud for full effect.

Review by Lauren M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

CHIKINKI Time / Scissors Paper Stone (Fierce Panda)

"alt.rock squelch noiseniks with soaring vocals married to bastard rock songs". "Robo-punks playing glam-racket electroclash Krautrock while wearing space age sunglasses". Sounds like the sort of music-press journobabble that's written about those "next big thing" bands that rarely fail to disappoint. But there's always an exception to prove the rule, and that exception is called Chikinki.

Formed at Bristol University, Chikinki used to be a nine-piece jazz-funk band - which is about the only musical influence that you can't spot in their work. This ultra-limited edition single release catches them on the edge of moving into the musical big-league. If Richard D. James ever remixed Gomez (without throwing the track down the pan and send ing back something completely different) it might just sound like A-side "Time". An initial undulating bass and half-whispered vocals lure the listener in, before boxing them round the ears with an edgy, frantic, techno-rock gem, mixed with an utterly addictive pop hook.

Chikinki's skill in pulling this off is awesome. A hugely diverse set of styles and influences are brought to bear, but the result feels so effortless. This is an astonishingly competent, breathtakingly brilliant piece of work. The B-side brings in a different sound, and a fresh set of influences. Scissors Paper Stone comes from their 2001 album Experiment with Mother - a towering, throbbing, grinding chunk of proggy-alt-rock. Terrifying, dark and edgy, yet utterly intriguing, it's Add N to (X) in a head-on hundred mile an hour car-crash with Peter Gabriel. A must-listen, whatever you're listening to.

This is quite simply one of the best single releases I've heard for years. If you have to sell your kidneys to raise the cash, get it.

Review by Simon K
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE ROOTS the seed (Island)

Some records take 20 plays before they burrow their way into your skull and refuse to leave.   Some are recognised as quality on a first hearing and save a lot of time.  One of these, is this saucy little beauty from American rock/rap crossovers the Roots.   Lyrically it's about as near the knuckle as you can get ("I push my seed in her bush for life") but married to a riff not far from the Clash's Guns of Brixton and delivered by a voice as sweet as Terence Trent D'arby's it gets away with it and leaves you as gooey as jar of honey. The b-sides suggest this may be a one-off though as both are schmoove modern US r&b and quite hideous. 

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE KILLS Fried My Little Brains (Domino)

From off the excellent Keep on Your Mean Side album, Fried My Little Brains is  modern minimalist dirty blues.  A slow stomper that barely moves along in its brief 2 mins, it’s greatness lies in the 2 note (I’m guessing) distorted bass and guitar riffs, ‘L’ plate drumming, and powerful PJ Harvey-like vocal performances.  Gloriously simplistic and clichéd.  Terrific.

Review by Kev O
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE D4 Ladies Man (2xCD, Infectious Records)

Ladies Man is a heavy sixties Nuggets guitar and organ-driven choon, about as dumb and dripping in testosterone as its title.  Then again, sometimes only mindless and horny guitar riffery will do and this one hits the spot perfectly.  It’s fitted with a device that, if you play it below “annoying the neighbours” level, your stereo explodes.  Both CDs contain tracks recorded live.  The D4 don’t sound like they make much use of pro-tools and overdubbing in the studio anyway so the live versions aren’t essential but they are faster, more ragged and very scream-y.   They play it to the max on Invader Ace especially while Pirate Love captures Johnny Thunders’ heavy lidded junkie style to a T (or a D).   

AGENT BLUE Snowhill (Fierce Panda) 

One of Stoke-On-Trent’s most famous exports is that ugly mong of a “fat dancer from Take That” Robbie Williams. Actually, I can’t think of any other famous export from Stoke-On-Trent, so errr…Williams is about it. Also from Stoke are teenage indie-kids Agent Blue, who release their debut single Snowhill on Fierce Panda this week. I think it’s safe to say that they won’t reach the ‘dizzying’ heights of fame that their fellow townsman has, however – Snowhill is unremarkable, indistinguishable and completely formulaic indie-rock. The pervasive bass guitar throughout almost succeeds on drowning out the lead singer at several points and though they come close to redeeming themselves with b-side Gear, they still ultimately fail to impress. Williams’ crown as musical King Of Stoke-on-Trent is safe for now. Unfortunately.

Review by Lauren M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

FOURTET She Moves She (Domino)

AGK Planet Earth (white label)

Ah, the eighties. White socks, shoulder pads, stupid hair, and your baby sister's Duran Duran obsession. It's frankly nothing short of terrifying, and it's a brave bunch of sould who'll try to resurrect any of the manufactured girly-pop which so blighted that decade. So, step forward AGK, who not only take on the challenge of producing a cover of Duran Duran's "Planet Earth", but threaten to do it in the style of (mrecifully post-Vince Clarke) Depeche Mode ...

Planet Earth was about as "dark" as Duran Duran ever got, and AGK capture and amplify this wonderfully - with maybe a hint of dark-meister Biosphere about the first few moments of the intro. Beyond that, AGK stay loyal to the structure of the original song - no Aphex-style dismemberment here - right down to the deliberately, strangulated, distorted vocal. AGK teeter on the edge of obvious pastiche as the track unfolds and those eighties references keep on coming - a bit of Kraftwerk here, a touch of middle-period New Order there, but the result is an interesting take on the original, and more than dark enough to scare the living lip-gloss out of those 12 year old Duranies.

AGK give us two bites of the cherry, and on repeated listening it's the second, Motorix mix which is the sweetest. A dulled, pounding beat drives gives the track a touch more momentum, despite the swooping, sensuous, sybaritic backdrop provided by some cool-as-fuck low-tech synths. The B side is just lovely - described as "an electronic pilgrimage to Calcutta through urban austerity and cinematic landscapes", it's a simple but perfectly-formed, asiatic influenced melodic motif, repeated and embellished through two different mixes. Again, it's the second mix ("Pushkar") which is more engaging, with more than a hint of cheery Plaid-esque tongue-in-cheekiness.

The record's available as a white label 12" from independent Londond record shops, and by mail order from Rough Trade. An intriguing bunch, AGK can be found DJing at Big Chill events, and they're working on an album towards the end of the year. We await with interest ...

Review by Simon K
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

RELAXED MUSCLE The Heavy (Rough Trade)

This is the Pulpless Jarvis Cocker producing a goth version of his darker moments.  Yes even blacker than This is Hardcore.  It'll no doubt go down reasonably well with the white faced black clad vamps in Camden with its
Killing Joke bass line and the theme continues with Rod of Iron, Jesus and Mary Chain accompanied by Bis keyboards.  It's all reasonably good though doesn't bear repeated playing.

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

COIN-OP The Curve/Playpen (Fierce Panda) 

The Curve, the third single from young Brighton quartet Coin-Op, is a frenetic two minute blast of pure pop-punk that begins with a pounding intro not unlike that of The Vines’ Get Free and builds around the Jagger-esque vocals of Nick Hills and the superbly catchy riff, beautifully. Even better though, is the b-side, Playpen – a fantastic four minute instrumental which showcases the musical talents of Coin-Op splendidly and which is constructed around a verse based on a singular hook, eventually breaking into a marvellous euphoric chorus. Definitely one to watch.

Review by Lauren M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

VARIOUS ARTISTS  The Squirrel EP (Fierce Panda Records)

Fierce Panda (love that title) have been knocking out these six-track EPs since ‘94’s ‘Shagging in the Streets’.  Previous releases have featured Green Day, Supergrass, SFA, Ash and The Parkinsons.  This one is devoted to up-and-coming British bands who we’re destined to hear more of.

Things get off to a cracking start with Rotherham four piece thisGIRL’s Ocean of Thanks.  The opening 10 seconds sounds like it’s gonna be some jazz-rock effort before it quickly changes to hardcore/emo with a touch of Nirvana.  Great vocals from Liam Creamer.  Check out their album ‘Short Strut to the Brassy Front’ on Lockjaw and www.thisgirl.co.uk.

Funeral for a Friend (presumably named after the Transformer’s story rather than the song by that aging queen Elton John) continues in similar vein with Juno; fantastic driving guitars but the vocals have an unfortunate tendency to venture into realms that make Raging Speedhorn sound like the Teletubbies.  www.funeralforafriend.com.

An earlier press release for Essex trio Engerica called them 'a much louder Placebo/Pumpkins versus System Of A Down’.  While I can see the similarities Crooked Sex is a great slice of thrashing punk-metal.  www.engerica.com (didn’t work when I tried it).

The first truly stand-out track (and it’s a corker) is Coronary by The Copperpot Journals.  I know I shouldn’t get too enthusiastic about a band from just one track, but this displays far more virtuosity than the restrictive emo label the band has, veering between mellow rock and powerful riffing, with a hint of Peter Gabriel in the vocals.  This song displays huge talent, maturity and confidence.  Fan-bloody-tastic!  Their eponymous EP is out of print but downloadable from http://www.blindbear.co.uk while their much-praised album ‘Plotting to Kill Your Friends’ is available on Firefly Recordings (FFLY011CD).  Check out www.copperpotjournals.com.  The band plays a rare gig at Camden’s Underworld on April 24.

Second stand-out track is Destructor/Creator by Welsh rockers Jarcrew, a great, blazing track with more than a whiff of art-school punk.  Two singles and the ‘Breakdance Euphoria Kids’ album are all on Complete Control.  They play the Underworld on April 25 along with final band Million Dead.  www.jarcrew.com.  

Reforming the Challenge to Archism from the half-Brit/half-Oz Million Dead begins as fairly standard melodic hardcore but the extended outro featuring a great bassline and some twinkling guitar hints at something more.  www.milliondead.com (the band’s resume is hilarious).

All bands gave their services for free, some tracks are exclusive (including The Copperpot Journals), the EP is limited and was destined to be deleted on the day of release.  You can still order it from www.fiercepanda.co.uk though.  This is a ‘must have’.

Review by Graham S
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE PROJECTS: Entertainment (Track & Field 7”)

Entertainment is edgy, fractured post-punk spliced with spacey Europop.   The initial, staccato effect is like the Slits or Kleenex until it glides into a warm bath of swirly synth noises and Lisa’s caressing French-pop tones.  It’s lo-fi but high quality.  The B-side What To Do, which is no longer in their live set, is a meaty garage rock riff which collides with synthy twizzles and ends in sampled electronica, a bit like the Standells playing Stereolab at Space Invaders.    

Reviewed by Ged M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

CALEXICO  Quattro (City Slang)

Quattro overlays a shuffling train rhythm with a delicate vocal, lightly twanged prairie guitars and the occasional, relieving, burst of Mexican horns.  The overall effect, somewhat surprisingly for an act linked with the alt.country brigade, is to revive the classic, mid-eighties AOR-pop perpetrated by Don Henley and Glenn Frey after the Eagles split.  The other tracks with it are a couple of instrumentals - Praskovia, a much livelier slice of accordion driven slice of cheesy Eastern European circus music, and Pampa - a banjo-plucking bit of Hicksville post-rock.  The main track seems to be the US end of the 80s revival (don't let it happen folks) - if it catches the right car ad it might sell a few.  Horns apart, it doesn't get my vote though.

Review by Matt H
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

ROCKET SCIENCE Run Like A Gun (Eat Sleep Records)

A band currently touring with the Vines, Run Like A Gun is out of the gates pretty neatly with the riff from I Can't Explain but then runs out of ideas. The b-sides are bog standard garage (Burn in Hell), and a couple of dark quirky blues numbers with Captain Beefheart style vocals (Copycat and Six Foot 4).

Review by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

HOMESCIENCE Small Music EP (Fortuna Pop)

Recorded around the same time as the wonderful Songs for sick days album [see albums reviews], the four tracks on Small Music are sepia tinged, lo-fi, slacker americana nuggets.  The title track itself -  acoustic strumming, electric note picking, descending bass line – sounds like a companion to that album’s excellent Volcanoes.  Quirky sounds, sad melodies, good tunes. What more do you want? 7” vinyl only.

Reviewed by Kev O
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE FALL Touch Sensitive (Apex/BMG)

The recent bizarre but welcome coupling of this old single with an ad for a family car (Vauxhall Corsa) sees this re-release and no doubt a big fat cheque for Mark E Smith to spend on beer and fags.  It’s pretty much standard fayre for more recent Fall; with catchy chants a-plenty *You know, you know, you know!” and the customary trademark Smithy “Hey Hey Hey”s but it’s great and hearing it used for a prime-time ad makes it almost seem like the TV revolution has started.  What next, Marilyn Manson for Lego or Joy Division for Coca Cola?     

Reviewed by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

MUNKSTER Help Me Breath (Toast)

The best rock critics will always try to avoid the lazy approach of likening bands to existing ones. Accordingly, I will compare this lot - directly or indirectly - to no fewer than six other acts. The Red Hot Chili Peppers and David Gray were the first two that I scribbled down. And I mean both of those as a compliment. Munkster's lyrics are unimaginative but the decent tunes make this forgivable. The band have a professional but uncluttered, unpretentious sound (hence the reference to the boring 'Babylon' bloke) with a diversity and musicianship that puts them at least in the same ballpark as the 20 year-old Chilis. This is best demonstrated in the main track's seductive tune and half-way point crank-up. The acoustic version of previous release 'If You Want Me In' allows Seb Wesson's voice to dominate and it's a welcome addition to what seems to be a relatively recent British phenomenon (ignited by Radiohead and continued by Muse, Coldplay, Aqualung, etc) of uninhibited, piercing male vocals. Munkster's sound is not yet special enough to match the stars of indie rock but it would be surprising if they don't make great gains pretty soon. An impressive and enjoyable collection
of tracks.

Reviewed by Alex M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

HAR MAR SUPERSTAR  Power Lunch

Ever looked at the funny little man Prince and wondered exactly how he became known as Mr Sex? Well listen to the music, idiot. Similarly, here's little Ron Jeremy look -a -like taking up the mantle from Beck and becoming a Prince for the new millenium. Following the hilarious(?) live shows comes this single, a funky little number in which Har Mar sings to his "sweet baby mother" about going for a power lunch. Dirty dirty dirty. Get past the huge dollops of irony and you'll find a good little tune here.

Reviewed by Rob B
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE THRILLS One Horse Town (Virgin)

Lovely warm harmonies accompany a simple but effective tune and the result is a terrific radio friendly piece of summery pop from these Byrds/Beach Boys wannabe Dubliners.  The B-sides are less impressive, the second, Car Crash, has a layer of grated cheese for a tune and the third Don’t Play It Cool is MOR pap with weak vocals.

Reviewed by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

ALPINE STARS Burning Up (Riverman)

At first listen this slow, simple track from the Alpine Stars' second album confirms my belief that the band are doing colour-by numbers Kraut-rock which require little more than one finger at a time on a bog standard synth.  With further plays the track begins to get at you and I did find myself humming it a few times. Maybe they are on to something with their modest approach but there's so little to this track (simple guitar loop over minimalist synth wash and mellow vocals) that I can't help feel that its appeal is due to the fact that simple songs are simpler to learn. The two B sides are stripped down mixes of the title track, which is a shame because it was stripped down enough to begin with. Nothing to get excited about.

Reviewed by Alex M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

THE HIDDEN CAMERAS Ban Marriage (Rough Trade)

Just when you thought the Polyphonic Spree had the preposterous band size market sewn up here come a 14 piece Canuck version.  Musically there are indeed similarities with soaring multi-voiced harmonies and catchy musical style tunes spread across four great tracks. The new angle however is that they are gay and most definitely not in the closet as the wonderful A-side tells the humourous tale of a same sex wedding ceremony.  It's the Flaming Lips produced by Phil Spector whilst wearing a purple satin jumpsuit and as frantic as a schoolboy on orange Smarties. Poptastic!

Reviewed by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

LIBRIUM Leave No Trace (Rule)

I assume that Librium aren't attempting to break any new musical ground because if they are they have failed miserably. The sound here is run of the mill British indie fare of the Gene variety, i.e. unspectacular verses that are hurried through to get to a belted out - and reasonably catchy - chorus, but I suppose that's bound to keep plenty of people happy. One of the B-sides - Ashtray Heart - is actually better than the main track and as if to acknowledge this the 'hidden' fourth track is a slowed down, acoustic version of it. However, even this sounds too similar to Placebo's 'Special K'.  Not a bad effort really - in fact, the musicianship is pretty good - but I've definitely heard more interesting songs.

Reviewed by Alex M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

DELAYS Nearer than Heaven (Rough Trade)

If you like your music gentle pop performed by melodic castratis you could do a lot worse than this soaring anthemic number by a Southampton four-piece featuring a pair of brothers whose inter woven vocals evoke memories of Kate Bush, old folkies Renaisance, JJ72 and Geneva.  Too many hearings and it quickly grates but it's pure summer kissed pop at its most sweet.

Reviewed by Paul M
Top | Comment on this artist or review on the Forum

Top