Single reviews

Joe Matson

DTA

Self released

Trip-hop has always been a mystifying genre. Too banal to be either trippy or hoppy, its protagonists sailed lethargically through the scene before shipping off to new shores once they realised no-one actually cared. So, with this in mind, the proposition of self-confessed trip-hopper Joe Matson�s new single fails to fill the heart with hope. And from the first silky smooth down-tempo beat its clear �DTA� won�t breathe a fresh lease of life into a dying scene. Inoffensively bland, it�s a late night smoking track for those unable to solve anything more taxing than what makes the best roach material. Trip-hop: seriously, who needs it?

Billy Hamilton

The Maccabees

First Love

Polydor

South Londoners The Maccabees not only have to contend with the hundreds of angry young men playing music in Lahndahn , they now have to live up to their tag of constantly being called the best new band in Britain. But rest assured �First Love� gives it a darn good shot. In fact, seldom do a band come along so fully formed for taking a country. �Do you miss home?� weeps Orlando Weeks like Robert Smith�s heartbroken little bro amidst a shuffle of Bloc-beats and Kim Wilde strumming. Then it bursts completely naturally and unforced into a ray of spiky-Strat sunlight. They�ve managed to make the turmoil that life throws at you sound every bit as vital and romantic as it certainly isn�t. An intriguing few spins and consider this essential.

Clarke Geddes

James Morrison

The Pieces Don�t Fit Anymore

Universal

As wet and uninspiring as a Glasgow day in January, �The Pieces Don�t Fit Anymore� is the latest slow-paced warbling from the gravel throated and tortured soul of James Morrison. It doesn�t seem different from his other stuff and it could pass for a Westlife song. Very poor indeed.

Andy Reilly

Muse

Knights Of Cydonia

A&E

The Magnificent Seven meets Mars Attacks! in the latest single from Mercury-nominated album Black Holes & Revelations, and not a moment too soon. Mixing Queen-style operatics with a sci-fi sensibility and that trademark Muse sound, this is the soundtrack to the weird battles that rage inside Matt Bellamy�s head. Supercharged, supernova, and just downright super, this is quite possibly the best thing the band have produced to date, and one of the most original singles to be released this side of 2010. Revelatory.

Dan Coxon

Mr Hudson and The Library

Too Late, Too Late

Mercury

Mr Hudson and the Library are a self-described ‘cross-pollination of hip hop, reggae beats and classic song writing’. That sounds like an interesting blend from the start.
It is clear from the first listen that Mr Hudson sees himself as part of the new breed of British artists who wax lyrical about today’s ‘yoof culture’. Now this we know works for some, Lily Allen has done quite well signing about going for a walk through London and watching old women get mugged. Arctic Monkey’s have won a Mercury Prize for documenting trips to the local indie club and hiding in bushes from policemen. Mr Hudson recounts similar tales over his horn-tinged, summer reggae beats with subtle hints of electronica, (Now I need a line/This time the chat-up kind). Unfortunately he comes across more Robbie Williams goes ska than Mike Skinner. One of two things have gone wrong for Mr Hudson; he doesn’t have the charm or gimmick appeal many off his peers do, or he’s missed the boat with the crossover step taken by the likes of Miss Allen or Jamie T. All too ironically, Mr Hudson may be ‘Too Late’.

Laura Jane Donnachie

My Alamo

994

Seventh Star

Oh Lord, do we really need another Welsh rock band with strangely convincing American accents? Judging by the look of the art work, (which is laden with rough typography and ghostly butterflies) this single probably consists of yet another bunch of whiney emo kids drowning their sorrows and lining their eyes with smoky kohl. But as it turns out, My Alamo are actually a completely different breed from Lost Prophets. There�s some heavy palm muting and meaty metal riffage, with the middle eight offering something a little more interesting as it stumbles into an insanely catchy barrage of Feeder like �oos�. �Doctor Doctor� is more grungy, but again incorporates metal elements. Most definitely not my cup of tea, but would do well amongst the Kerrang generation.

Vicki Cole

The Noisettes

Don�t Give Up

Universal

The Noisettes are Shingai Shoniwa and Dan Smith, formerly of Sonarfly and Jamie Morrison, who joined the duo in December 2003. Their 4-track debut “Three Moods of the Noisettes!” was released in the summer of 2004 and only a taster of what was to come.
Rhythmic rock and sleazy blues influences create their schizophrenic, rough and explosively theatrical, yet detached, calm and composed tunes. Shingai is a confrontational character with the most undeniably beautiful voice you’ll ever hear. Often compared with Karen O and Billie Holiday � can�t be all bad.
On tour in the UK until 20th April � the live show is even better than the record. Shingai struts around the stage occasionally playing the bass, the rest of the time she can be found clambering over the P.A system or diving into the crowds. Well worth a few bucks.

Carrie Macintyre

Nightmare Of You

My Name is Trouble

Fulltime Hobby

Why Americans and a certain group of UK teens love this kind of insipid emo nonsense is something that I feel doomed to never understand. Nightmare Of You are dull beyond dull from the tips of their perfectly tousled hair cuts to their almost designer battered converse. Two songs of vague indie mush with a Killers undertow do nothing for me.

Alex Botten

The Ordinary Boys

I Luv You

B-Unique

The boys’ first ballad; makes you wish they hadn’t bothered slipping on the sharp suits, Cocker-esque glasses and started supping from champagne glasses. Perhaps they’re embracing their tracksuit-clad roots, giving in to their inner chav, what else could have inspired such a title? Claiming there are twoo many clich�s to tell someone how you feel, they apparently decided to revert to being fourteen and texted it to their ‘tru l.u.v.’ Considering it’s been three months since their last release, you’d expect they would have had time to amend the painfully simplistic first draft of their lyrics – or thought better of it and binned them altogether. That and they should have left the strings accompaniment for professionals. Mind you, they don’t have to try anymore to sell records, eh? Heat magazine will be reviewing it too.

Jennifer S

Pray for Hayden

Death of Me

I can�t work out if they�re trying to sound like Hell is For Heroes (when they�re shouting) or Lostprophets (when they�re not). It could go one way or the other, perhaps it could be promising. It�s the whiny voice that does it, every time. Whilst it�s not exactly breaking the boundaries of all that is shiny and new, it does a Ronseal job. Nobody can say they don�t work hard, though. Off to South by Southwest festival, they plan to make a name for themselves. With this much enthusiasm and perhaps a little fine tuning they could perhaps do just that. I can�t get a Biffy Clyro drum solo out of my head, though� still they could aspire to worse.

Jennifer S