New Releases - 16 June

New Releases - 16 June

01 August, 2008
by: Music Team

*Single of the Week*
Jamie Lidell – Another Day
Warp
Like a more obvious Leila, the fun of listening to Jamie Lidell used to be working out why anyone would mix Motown vocals with hardcore sound processing. And then on 'Multiply' he did a straight-up crooner turn, but with some interesting, modern production.

Now he's decided that really, he was the white reincarnation of Al Green all along. The fact Green's still alive tells you that's not true, but if Lidell reckons he's made a slice of sunshine soul good enough for any time in the last 40 years, then he's dead right. RH


The Jonas Brothers – SOS
Hollywood
These Disney-backed pop rock teens have been making blue-eyed American girls swoon for years but 'SOS', lifted from their second album, is the Brothers' debut foray into the European market.

Beginning with a riff reminiscent of Prefab Sprout's 'King of Rock & Roll', when has it been acceptable to include text speak in a song? The answer is never. This strives to connect youngsters with their 'emotions' but for the rest of us it just makes us thankful to be out of that hormone-ridden era, FYI. SS


Presets – This Boy's In Love
Modular
Not vaguely similar to the Burt Bacharach ditty of the (almost) same name, but with the second single from' Apocalypso' Presets do at least seem to have discovered a softer side to their dancefloor-smashing, chemically-enhanced sound.

They've not completely abandoned their formula – this track is built on the same synth rushes, staccato keys and ethereal harmonies that have made the Aussie pair's tunes stand out on the dancier side of nu-rave. But even Julian Hamilton's incessant Ian Astbury impression can't hide a little bit of tenderness amongst these beats. MF


The Subways – Alright
Infectious
Remember about four years ago, when the radio was full of bands like All American Rejects and The Ataris playing starred and striped indie/pop punk? Well, the Subways new single 'Alright' definitely has that vibe to it.

This song works really well if you're pissed up in your local indie club, where you can belt out the chorus arm-in-arm with your meathead mates, but anywhere else and it seems to have a curious capacity for fading into the background. DH


Sportsday Megaphone - LA
Sunday Best
Electro-pop has tackled many issues in its history, so it was only a matter of time until one of the new crop had a pop of the establishment. Sportsday Megaphone have landed the first blow with this song about the shit state of US Welfare.

'LA' sounds like the sort of information film you watched in science, but it's hard to not like, even if it sounds a bit like an emo update of the Faints 'Your Retro Career has Melted'. Oh, and full marks for the subtle dig at Scientology. DH


The Rascals – Freakbeat Phantom
Deltasonic
Miles Kane returns to his day job following his Shadow Puppet sojourn with Alex Turner, with the final teaser before their long-awaited debut album. But 'Freakbeat Phantom', all swirling psychedelic melodies and Merseybeat-style background cooing, just doesn't quite hit the mark.

The tune is nice enough, but there is too much of The Coral and Scott Walker in the mix – great ingredients, but the end product is one that has been kicking around for four decades, and has gone slightly stale. MF


Son Of Dave – Lover Not A Fighter
Kartel
In this track, Son Of Dave transports an old genre of music into the future by mixing blues with a hip-hop sound; except he's white and the lyrics are decidedly un-gangsta: 'If you want to be a lover put your toys away'.

The tune, accompanied by handclaps, honky-tonk piano and harmonica warbles is catchy on its own but even better coupled with lyrics like 'I'm a lover not a fighter, that's why I'm up here on this riser, selling records for the Kaiser'. EM


Craig David – Officially Yours
Warner Bros
Remember when Craig David did catchy tunes? 'Seven Days', for instance, and the Artful Dodger thing: not actually good, but catchy nonetheless.

'Officially Yours' combines the plangent guitar intro and melodic style of Take That's 'Back for Good' with the skipping quasi-soulful lyrical stylings of an Usher album track. It is utterly forgettable. The lyrics were, one suspects, written with a girl band in mind, and subsequently rejected on the grounds of being too sappy. JH


Infadels – Free Things For Poor People
Wall of Sound
Rock-tronica band Infadels' latest single from second album 'Universe In Reverse' has the trademark driving beat of their earlier stuff but a lot less energy and a rather wishy washy vocal.

Previous single 'Make Mistakes' is better – but 'Free Things…' has landed on the Radio One playlist so is bound for success. It will no doubt be a hit in the UK's muddy fields this festival season (the band are touring excessively) as it has the necessary bounding positivity and you know the lyrics after one listen. LC


Panic at the Disco - That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)
Decaydance
A jingly blend of Beatles-chewed-up-by-Oasis melodic pop from recently unpunctuated Panic at the Disco's doubly punctuated new album 'Pretty. Odd.' The mood is a lot cheerier ('I'm NOT emo, mum') and there's a pleasantly rousing outro; PatD's version of 'Hey Jude' perhaps, but less interminable.

But it's all a little contrived. And Brendan Urie's voice remains as irritating as ever: the kind of voice that if it were a china teacup you'd hurl it at a wall and delight in the smugly smashy noise it made. TJ

Music Team