09 May 2008

by Lisa Holmes

Laura Marling, Lightspeed Champion, Wiley, Get Well Soon, Death Cab For Cutie, Kylie, Jason Mraz,Animal Collective, The Laurel Collective, The Maple State, Attic Lights, One Night Only, Modernaire, Exit Ten, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, Post War Years

"It matches the fantastically dark lyrics, “Cross your fingers, hold your toes / We’re all going to die when the building blows.” Now to persuade the public to actually buy the damn album."

Laura Marling – Cross Your Fingers
Sadly this track is likely to lead only to more critical pant-wetting for Ms Marling. Her voice is suitably disdainful, sorrowful and hopeful. It matches the fantastically dark lyrics, “Cross your fingers, hold your toes / We’re all going to die when the building blows.” Now to persuade the public to actually buy the damn album.

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – 5 Track Demo
Channelling a traditional jazz feel with a heavy brass presence filtered through sixties sass, these Europeans have a unique take on soul. Sadly it is a little more watered down B52’s than The Supremes.

Exit Ten – Technically Alive
Technically this is post hardcore, and yes, technically this band is alive. It is also pretty non-descript despite being technically fine, and nothing we technically haven’t heard before.

Modernaire – Distraction / Scalpel
Mancunian electro-indie courtesy of the delectably named Chesty La Rue and Cruella Da Mill. It is a shame that the names are about the most interesting part of this rather Gallicly restrained pairing of tunes – even the space raider effects on Scalpel sound at a rather lacklustre sample of a 90’s house tune. Top marks for lyrics though, “Cuts like a scalpel / sweet like calpol.” Brings back childhood memories.

One Night Only – It’s About Time
Take The Kooks, The Pidgeon Detectives, The Wombats, and a smidgen of the Arctic Monkeys, put them through the corporate ringer and this is what you get.

Attic Lights – God
Slightly presumptive title for what is essentially a nice slice of vocal harmonies and pop pleasantness. This is in the vein of The Beach Boys and Peter, Bjorn and John – nothing particularly religious about the experience.

The Laurel Collective – Vuitton Blues
Strange romp that is at once off-key but in tune, there are flashes of Modern Lovers immersed in indie guitars, male and female vocals and a song that begs you to follow it. A compelling mishmash that deserves more than one listen.

Post War Years – Black Morning
So, after the war was over everyone was happy and ran around singing ‘roll out the barrels’, but not according to PWY’s. Instead it seems open, electronic tinged instrumental led indie was the order of the day- unlikely to have them rolling in the aisles.

The Maple State – For The Temperate Lives
Think Biffy with slower guitars and the inclination to use the word ‘chipper’. They throw in a group sing-a-long for added emotional effect, it is rousing stuff but difficult to spot a suitable niche.

We Are Scientists – Chick Lit
Big rock ‘tude from the comedians/support act/real band who are We Are Scientists. Not quite as catchy as some of their earlier offerings but this is the sound of a band coming out fighting.

Animal Collective – Water Curses EP
Flashes of brilliance emerge amidst the disjointed time signatures and jumping rhythms. At heart these are simple folk songs cleverly disguised in bonkers musical camouflage. From the (comparatively) straightforward title track to the echoey, bittersweet, seven minute long ‘Street Flash’ surprise is the name of the game.

Lightspeed Champion – Galaxy Of The Lost
Merging The Cure and Weezer is genius in anybody’s book, especially when you add lyrics about throwing up in someone’s mouth. Essentially this is one of the best odes to a hangover ever written. Can’t get over the retro slowed down harmonised ending either “I will shudder at the mention.”

Kylie – In My Arms
Hoods up, lip gloss on, robotic dance moves prepped, Kylie is heading back to her dance roots, and it suits her. This is a perfect Madonna pastiche, it is pumping and catchy and you may just find, ahem, that you can’t get it out of your head.

Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
Universal happy clappy sing-songwriter who clearly idolises Marley and does a very similar thing to Jack Johnson only with a more exaggerated reggae vibe. “Rid yourself of vanities and just go with the season.” Is exactly the sort of philosophy that bursts out of the song from all angles.

Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Possess Your Heart
From the band name you’d think they were some kind of psych-rock outfit, instead of a rather lacklustre ‘meh’- inspiring indie band. There is no dark undercurrent despite the title’s obsessive tone, it is all rather suburban and neat.

Wiley – Wearing My Rolex
Wiley’s a party guy and we knows it, to prove it this track is a dance floor smash espousing the perils of getting drunk and giving away your Rolex to the first girl to catch your eye. Sampling DSK’s ‘What Would We Do’ and produced by new comer Bless Beats this track tell us Wiley is back and will be a force to reckon with.

Get Well Soon – EP
Sounding like a bizarre fusion of Beirut and Muse, GWS (or Konstantin Gropper as he is otherwise known) skips from overly-complicated to the simple operetta of Pulp and their last singles.

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