Kate Nash

When I first heard this song I breathed a huge sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from my brow and slept well that night, so glad was I to hear that Kate Nash “has a family” and “drinks cups of tea.” Good for her, I thought. Now I actually liked her last song, Foundations, much to the general amusement, incredulity, ridicule, public shaming and resulting social exclusion from friends and loved ones. This song is so, so bad, however. Shite lyrics, annoyingly bad vocals and lack of depth make this song a massive disappointment. Despite being nowhere near as loathsome as Lily Allan, Kate Nash has gone from looking like a singer/songwriter with the promise of something new and different to a talentless, opportunist chancer who’s 15 minutes are just about up.

Jyrojets

Jyrojets are the latest Scottish band highly-tipped to be massive. Unsurprising then, that Hollywood, hold on is a soaring, epic, radio-friendly anthem. The big guitars, strings and catchy chorus aren’t a million miles away from, say, Jet ‘doing an Oasis‘. It’s a highly-polished and well-produced effort, but the faux-American vocals let the song down. You wouldn’t believe these lads come from Inverness, which is a shame because there’s not a lot in this track to make the listener connect the band to the Highlands, or anywhere in Scotland for that matter. So has all that time spent in the states made next-big-things the Jyrojets forget their roots and IS Colin Fraser basically the new Lulu? Watch this space, gentle reader, watch this space.

Bricolage

The Waltzers

Glaswegian four-piece Bricolage are flying the flag for Scotland and proving to be the greatest export we have date. more… “Bricolage”

The Cribs

Moving Pictures

The Cribs have been branded ‘the next big thing’ since the release of their debut album back in the mists of time that was 2004 and are seen as many to be one of the most under-rated bands in existence today. more… “The Cribs”

The Ballarats

Someone’s Jealous / Code Red

This debut release from the Newcastle five-piece is a double A-sided gem! Both tracks have the edginess of punk; yet have the melody and hooks, which should make The Ballarats more widely accessible to daytime radio listeners. more… “The Ballarats”

The Teenagers

Starlett Johansson

Get Bill Murray on the phone! ‘Starlett Johansson’ sounds like Kraftwerk’s Ralf Hutter pretending be Terminator over a sloppy, sordid 80’s synth pastiche. more… “The Teenagers”

The Coral

Jacqueline

‘Jacqueline’ sees The Coral coming of age, not only in that it sounds a tiny bit like Ocean Colour Scene but also because in today’s flouro-ravaged ‘indie’ scene it sticks out like a well-gnawed thumb. more… “The Coral”

Headlines

Headlines

With a combined age which is probably still less than that of your average Rolling Stone, Manchester’s Headlines must surely have been busted tuning into the Lamacq Sessions when supposedly revising. more… “Headlines”

Machine

Please Yourself

Machine are a Shoreditch trio constructing brooding electro-pop doused in enough sleaze to make your average politician blush. more… “Machine”