22 September 2008

by Rob McCrae

The Aliens, Yo Majesty, St Etienne, Sportsday Megaphone, Ironik, Shri, Thea Gilmore, Spectrum 7, Chaos Days, X-Press 2, Drums Of Death, HK 119, Frightened Rabbit, Colin Macintyre, White Lies, Dead Young Club Volume 1

"It’s hard to know how they could top this track which has about four different sections that together form to create some sort of audio nuclear fission."

The Aliens – Magic Man
Two former members of The Beta Band have transferred their droogy psychedelia to a new band who manage to hammer together elements of Kasabian with a quick burst of Queen era Flash Gordon. A very obvious talent that reveals itself like a furiously rubbed scratchcard.

Yo Majesty – Club Action
Clearly these two lesbian rappers from Florida were created by Doctor Controversy with ribald lyrics which certainly aren’t out for the Bible belt dollar. The insidiously catchy hook goes Fuck Dat Shit over and over again which is pretty toe tapping in its deliberately provocative way.

St Etienne – Burnt Out Car
Early nineties stalwarts St Etienne are back with a Best Of… to hawk and they’re ever so regal, trawling through some breathy couplets that sound so timeless that they could hop decades and still be baffling on point. Sarah Cracknell’s voice occasionally sounds like an erotic computer.

Sportsday Megaphone – I Think It’s Love
No doubt Megaphone composed this zeitgeist-bobbing tale of painful love in a rundown squat overlooking the American Apparel shop in Shoreditch. Trailing its scenester credentials like a tail this sounds like it would evaporate once the year of 2008 comes to an end.

Ironik – I Wanna Be Your Man
Rapping with the same street enunciation as Skepta, Sway and all that crew, Ironik even pulls off the reasonably big coup of bling producer Agent X. There’s still something missing and it doesn’t help that there’s the tinny accompaniment of what sounds like a forgettable European dance floor effort deflating in the foreground.

Shri – Just For A Minute
The vibrations of a drum and bass murmur hum in synch with this sultry vocal that recalls the majestic female foils used by Massive Attack in their heyday. Nothing to fault in this expert mashing of voice and its perfect accessories.

Thea Gilmore – Come Up (With Me)
Even if you can’t bear to put folk and exhilarating in the same sentence then you’d still be hard pushed to deny the thudding heartbeat at the centre of this gallant number. If you heard this exiting a gift shop in Memphis then it might encourage you to linger, purchase some American chintz.

Spectrum 7 – Serafin
A press release that stretches to two pages with a staple and coloured blocks is entirely deserved because this band are in the waiting room to greatness. Slabs of guitar combine with a voice as powerful as a truck of steroids. A winning formula to absolutely anyone with earholes.

Chaos Days – Under The Weather EP
If can grit your teeth and embrace the vocal histrionics normally associated with disenchantment emo as practiced by POTD and Fall Out Boy then Chaos Days fit adroitly into that very same category. Perfect for confused teens toying with their mother’s collection of eyeliner, whilst texting.

X-Press 2 – Lazy
The David Byrne voiced dancefloor hit is re-released under the thinly veiled disguise of attaching more remixes (48 minutes worth) and if you let the CD run and run it can feel like you’re in slightly refracted déjà vu moment lasting officially forever. Of course it’s an amazing tune and then by the eighth remix it’s a horribly repeating nightmare.

Drums Of Death – Step Into The Ring EP
The pick of this four track is the remix of Breath which features an ominous warlike drum march getting ever closer then swooping away like fancy planes at an airshow. The drums are truly terrifying throughout, creeping up on you like an SAS crack team and hammering on your eardrums demanding your constant attention.

HK 119 – C’est La Vie
Robotic pop from Finland via St Martins College, visual arts graduate Heidi has a delivery that occasionally offers the kind of nuance that you’d associate with a barking drill sergeant, a discordance that’s almost overpowered by her impressive sonic foundations. Calling yourself HK 119 hardly makes you want to cheer loudly at the mention of her name.

Frightened Rabbit – I Feel Better
Lead singer Scott Hutchinson has an engaging unsure vocal like he’s delivering his inflected Americana from behind a lamppost, reluctant to step into the glare a band as good as his will soon attract. The anguish has a ring of Counting Crows to it, a positive point in this case.

Colin Macintyre – Famous For Being Famous.
Fourth album in and Macintyre (formerly recording as Mull Historical Society) allows his flickering eye to rest on celebrity culture crafting a song that is accomplished without blowing your hat off. He could slip into the whole Portland scene without anyone furrowing a brow.

White Lies - Death 
White Lies exude that intangible effect that get A&Rs sweating and pushing the contract across the table. It’s hard to know how they could top this track which has about four different sections that together form to create some sort of audio nuclear fission. A guitar band with every letter of epic resting in their palms.

Various - Dead Young Club Vol. 1
A compilation of four different artists all affixed to Dead Young Records and an eclectic bunch they are ranging from the Gregorian prog of The Lucid Dream to the whiskey rasp of The Cubical. A surprisingly worthwhile collection with at least one band for your memory.
DW said on September 23rd 2008 [report abuse]

Saw white lies at both latitude and field day and thought similar things. as you say, just have that something about them

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