‘My Town’, the debut single and album amuse bouche from Brighton Trio Reverence, is something of an anti-triumph for indie rock. From the opening guitar riff to the thankfully accelerated conclusion, My Town is hopelessly amateur with all the imbalance of a live pub recording and instrumental expertise of a sixth form band. The melody is a humdrum dirge defined by the nasal strain and limited vocal range of lead guitarist/lead singer Bob Duffield’s oratory. And just when you thought it was safe to acquiesce to the possibility of him being in tune, in come the insipid harmonies of the backing vocalist and bassist Mark D.Evennett. The lyrics and rhymes are wincingly trite, teeming with ham-fisted humdingers such as “there’s been deals I’ve been making, hands I’ve been shaking…Roads I’ve been paving and lives I’ve been saving’ and the curdling crème de la crème “if this is hospitality in a broken-up reality”. ‘My Town’ is a blunt and dim stab at Razorlight, indie rock by numbers yet hookless and dismally tame. As a debut single, there is no risk of The Reverence exploding onto the scene, they will barely tiptoe through the back door.
‘O Maybe I’, the follow-up single to Chapel Club’s debut single ‘Surfacing’, is a perfect combination of 1980s pop noir and contemporary Brit pop polish. It blends the dirty bass sound of early Dépêche Mode, the distorted electric strumming of U2’s the Edge and the self-questioning, conversational narrative and vocal clarity of Morrissey. The lyrics are considered and the rhymes are thoughtfully drawn out of pararhymes and assonance, mercifully steering away from the more obvious pitfalls of slovenly songwriting. (Though one does feel lead vocalist Lewis Bowman is suppressing the vibrato at the end of his lines to avoid the more blatant comparisons with the daffodil-flinging, quiffed crooner). At a time when the industry is plumbing and exhuming some of the worst elements of eighties pop (that we spent the nineties and noughties apologising for), Chapel Club have done their homework and returned to the godfathers. This is unquestionably a band to gig-stalk and integrate into your daily sound stream. There is a sophistication and technical confidence to ‘O Maybe I‘ that can’t help but tempt even most cynical of critics to make big claims for this band.
After drawing parrallels to the likes of Mercury Rev, it would come as no surprise that The High Wire purvey the same beautifully crafted dreamscapes as their elder statesmen did with such adroit. After been “holed up in some darkened studio” since their last release ‘Odds & Evens’, this single straddles a tight rope of dreamy indie-pop, driving rootsy melodies reminiscent of Mercury Rev, harnessed by the solemn purr of Alexis Hagen. Although avoid a state of narcosis as these daydreaming melodies and harmonies have the power to rock you asleep, albeit till that bell sounds. Spellbindingly compelling pop music!
If you like teeny-bopping American pop-rock then We The Kings will be the Prince’s duly waiting to take their throne through your blurry eyes. However, if your taste isn’t obscured by a dirge of over lauded guitar solos and insipid lyrics then you may want to swerve Virgin’s latest signing’s. This single comes from their sophomore album ‘Smile Kid’ and although they’re all over the U.S charts like a skater boy’s drawl on Avril Lavigne’s greasy chops it does nothing but grate with its pristine production and shimmering synth back drop. The vocals are whiney -as you may expect- and fundamentally ‘Heaven Can Wait’ really just doesn’t cut it. It may be a long wait for them to succeed any available pop-rock throne. Well, at least in this Monarch anyway.
After garnering somewhat of a cult following, Dutch aural assassins Noisia release their debut single ‘Machine Gun’ from their eagerly anticipated disc ‘Split The Atom’ due to hit stores on April 5th. This exposure came through a string of high-profile remixes of Moby and Prodigy tracks. Also, Noisia are widely respected for their Drum & Bass bomb blasts, so it’s no surprise that ‘Machine Gun’ is a relentless tide of glitches, beats and euphoric arpeggios. It’s slick production is only out shone by its driving bass that mirrors a piston in full flow. Even for a timid soul not entirely bowled over by Noisia’s obvious tendencies for industrial dance chic, it’s hard to not think of revelling in a seedy warehouse party with beer-swilled walls and sweaty carcasses amass.
The latest single release from last year’s debut album, ‘Old Man Chicago’, is a classic slice of open road Americana from New York’s Alberta Cross. Slower than much of their material, this fine single encapsulates a fresh and alive summer night’s vibe. ‘Old Man Chicago’ starts with a burst of guitar, drums break down to a rich riff, with Hammond organ, a strong chorus which explodes into life, with the vocals styling’s of Peter Ericson Stakee adding a life-affirming sense of positivity to the lyrics. Alberta Cross are a band who can mix it up with the best of them, and can pull off the Kings of Leon trick of turning out traditional rock ballads with mainstream appeal. There is a carefree 1970’s feel to this single; you can hear American greats like The Band and Credence Clearwater Revival. ‘Old Man Chicago’ has an easy good times charm that can only end with a cross-state car chase, with a portly state trooper plunging his patrol car into a bayou whilst our heroes race off into the sunset. Alberta Cross’ latest single captures alot of what is great about American rock music, whilst retaining an individual sound.
Taken from fourth album ‘Rum and Coke’, ‘Ganja’ is a reggae infused track which documents the experience of smoking your brain dry. Obvious? Maybe so, but the Dub Pistols were probably too high to care at the time. On board is UK hip-hop oracle Rodney P whose sharp flow rolls atop of the steel pans hypnotically, so laid back that it leaves the listener in a state of narcosis. This feeling is maintained throughout the track with subtle trumpet synths and occasional whistles of flute. This track is sure to be a stoners dream and a government nightmare. If you smoke, this will probably become a classic, if you don’t it’s still worth an aural toke.
‘The Last Blast’ has a confrontational Fall-like quality, with pounding drums and distorted vocals competing to pummel a decent melody into the ground. Oddly skewed a couple of times by expletive laden lines, this seems an unusual track for a lead single. Curiously, the song itself is about the German war novelist Sven Hassel, who specialised in psuedo-autobiographical boys own war adventures, which are full of swastikas and splurging intestines. Horns raise the tune up a notch, but it’s all a bit of a mish mash by that stage. The B-sides on this release are the real find however. Thomas White’s version of Mission of Burma’s Einstein’s Day is a gorgeous, up-tempo, drifting song. A wonderful, melodious creation and a far superior track to the single. White’s cover of ‘Brazil’ is a dizzying and demented Acapulco lounge-lizard of a tune which oozes with cheese. Though be careful when listening to this tune, there is a strong chance that Englebert Humperdink may appear at your door in a velvet bath robe, offering to give you a neck massage. So with a lot to like, and a couple of unfathomable choices to ponder, it’s a good showcase of what promises to be an intriguing second album from the former Brakes and Electric Soft Parade man. A little lower…ooh that’s the spot Englebert!
Collaborations between two artists that include the term ‘versus’ instead of ‘with’ can sometimes be a bit of a worry. Step up dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip, a long term pairing producing UK hip-hop, electronica and spoken word with latest release ‘Get Better’. The minimalistic Casio sounding backing, has a sort of retro eighties platform game feel. Lyrically, Scroobius Pip can no doubt string lines together with imagination, balance and a broad vocabulary. ‘Get Better’ has enough of a hook in the chorus to stick in the memory, but the message is frankly, all a bit patronising. Prophetic social commentary this is not. . Some of the imagery of British youth is well versed, but other lines, about how an individual can improve their lot: “it’s about self motivation and nothing more” are too simplistic. There are enough professionals and community development volunteers who understand the issues clumsily raised in “Get Better’, who would tell you that messages like these, for those who need to hear them, have little impact at the best of times. Especially when they don’t really speak the language of teenage Britain. Stay in school kids.
