New Releases - 26 Oct

New Releases - 26 Oct

21 October, 2009
by: Music Team

*Single of the week*
The Dead Weather – I Cut Like a Buffalo
Third Man Records

Yet another blistering rock gem from the band of the year. Their latest single is bristling with bluesy restraint. 

The bass hook is pure-laid back blues, with the shit-kicking elements of rock which temper the groove with Jack White rawness. It's the restraint which is so rocking, it simmers with muted violence, makes you hang for the break. Makes you want to punch something/someone. (Is that just me?)
 
The sounds of choking and squealing ('is that you choking?') only add atmosphere ok? 5/5
LC


Lemonade – Bliss Out
True Panther Sound/Sunday Best

Imagine the scene: Monday arrives, a wet autumnal morning, decomposition and death all-encompassing, as Transport for London set out to ruin your week again before it's even started. There are only two remedies to this soul-sapping situation, one of which involves a length of rope and a quiet room.
 
The other is a shot of unbridled joy straight to the ear canal. Your prescription, Lemonade combine the sun-drenched chill-out vibes of their San Francisco upbringing with the jungle-tinged hedonism found in their adopted home of Brooklyn, to forge a rampaging Balearic belter that lives up to its name. 4/5
PL


Armand Van Helden ft A Trak – Anyway
Data
 
Still riding on the waves of success from megahit 'Bonkers', Armand Van Helden teams up with Kanye West's buddy A-Track to give us 'Anyway' a shining example of the compatibility of disco and house – when done right.
 
It doesn't re-invent the genre but instead acts as a comfortable slice of dancefloor heaven by a duo from who you'd expect no less.
 
Safe from the 'annoyingly repetitive' label that plagues all too many disco-house efforts, Anyway is an unashamed crowd pleaser. 4/5
AW


Ou Est le Swimming Pool – Dance The Way I Feel
Stiff Records

It would be so easy to hate Ou Est Le Swimming Pool? Their immaculately ruffled hair, ironic moustaches and quirkily obtuse name suggests they are just another bunch of Klaxon Klones looking to ride the last nu-rave wave.
 
'Dance The Way I Feel', however, is undeniably a smashing song. A great synth riff, straight out of the 80s, leading into an anthemic chorus that will push anything else out of your mind for at least a couple of days. This is sure to be a staple on any indie rave set for a long while. 4/5
PL


That Ghost – Never Have Fun
twosyllable Records

A happy, if strangely detached indie pop song with pounding, surf-style drums and jangly, Pavement-esque guitar and laconic, other worldly vocal track, it's not as if That Ghost's song isn't good, it's just that it lacks anything to make you really sit up and take notice.

Sort of like Blank Dogs meeting The Shins, it's fine if you like that sort of thing. But in an increasingly saturated lo-fi market, most people will give it a shrug at best. 3.5/5
DH


Miley Cyrus – Party in the USA
Hollywood Records

Wow. Miley Cyrus really is something quite amazing, like a kind of pop-tastic Terminator. There's a school of thought that believes the only way the world will ever be rid of the evil is to launch her into a vat of molten steel. Once again, the world needs Arnie.
 
So this song is obviously really, really bad: a horribly nauseating load of old saccharine bibble. And yet, and yet, oh dear god no, please no, I think, I think, aaaaaaaaargh, I kind of actually like it.  2/5
TJ


Maxïmo Park – 12
Warp

Indie remixes are a strange beast, coming across as desperate pleas for crossover appeal to the Friday night Koko and Fabric crowds. Yet occasionally this sub-genre yields a formidable result – the Schneider TM/Smiths cover and a couple of the Phones/Bloc Party mixes spring to mind.

Unfortunately, the nuances of MP's sound are lost on this 12" with Paul Smith's processed vocals a bit too Pete Burns for my liking. Only the Tom Middleton mix of 'Let's Get Clinical' adds anything, and though these tracks would make fine B-sides, they barely warrant their own pressing. 2/5
MF


Los Campesinos!  – There Are Listed Buildings
Witchita
 
This track starts with happy electric guitar riffs and a chorus of backing singers, but very quickly descends into another frenzied discordant song about a girl, sung in a fairly typical indie/emo fashion.
 
Occasionally repeated hearings might enamour you to a track or give you something to say, but in this case I just don't have the patience and would rather just throw my headphones to the ground. Lack of any interesting subject matter, poetic content or real melody leaves me with a feeling of stark ambivalence. It's not necessarily bad, it's just not that good. 2/5
SG


Pitbull – Hotel Room Service
J Records

American crunk artist Pitbull thinks that sampling a highly recognisable riff from an early 90s house track will lend his charmless dance floor romp some appeal. It's like hoping gourmet sauce will turn your 9p SmartPrice noodles into a palatable meal.

Adding to the song's shortcomings are a gruff rapping style and a video with a sleaze factor rivalling anything by Akon. When Pitbull cockily requests 'Meet me at the hotel room', he might as well have added: 'and contract syphilis'. 0/5
NH


Westlife – What About Now
Sony

Westlife released a statement: "Dear Fans… much to tell you! Earlier this year... the search for new songs began. There WILL be a new album... we are very happy with the new songs and... cannot wait to hear what you think."

Well... this song went platinum in 2008 for American Idol veteran Daughtry. If all your 'new' songs are going to be cover versions from the last couple of reality TV series, unfavourable comparisons are inevitable. And this version sucks ass. What's next? 'Hallelujah'? 0/5
JH


Sorry about the 30 second preview at the end. Actually, we're not sorry, blame Sony - douchebags.

Anyway, to make up for it here's a video about a crimesolving cat that you can watch after you're finished signing up for the Facbook Group. Meow!

Music Team