New Releases - 3 August

New Releases - 3 August

29 July, 2009
by: Music Team

*Single of the Week* 
Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle – Never Leave You
Island Records 

Tinchy's riding high. His last outing with Dappy, 'Number 1', lived up to its name. This follow-up makes me want to wind down my car windows and shout 'tuuuuuuuuune'.

There's nothing really original: addictive looping synth beats; Amelle crooning in a top made from artfully-placed duct tape; loved-up lyrics; done-to-death rapper/babe combo. 
 
But by the time Tinchy chimes in with a gruff 'woah, woah', your hands are inexplicably and against better judgment, in-the-air-like-you-just-don't-care. Be afraid, Dizzee. 4.5/5
SL 


Simian Mobile Disco – Audacity of Huge
Kitsune Recordings

Simian Mobile Disco do it again. This electro pop love song manages to be a slick wedge of super-funked, dubbed-out delight as well as poking massive fun at the ostentatious nature of the celeb-set with their 'grape koolaid filled swimming pool' and oiled nipples.
 
This will surely be one of the tunes of the summer. But the smart money's on the remixes. Already flying off the press is one by Italian techno hotshot Dusty Kid, plus a superb rerub by French producer Maxime Dangles. Smokin'. 4/5
LC


The XX – Basic Space
Young Turks 
 
With previous song 'Crystalised' crowned single of the week back in April, The XX have a lot of Spoonfed pressure on their shoulders this week, with the release of 'Basic Space'.  
 
Oliver and Romy, lead singers of The XX, once again fuse haunting melodies and that all-important techno beat, to create an effortless sound that makes 'Basic Space' a winner. The song is another first-class listen, and again displays the promise of an up-coming band. Phew! 4/5 
GB  


Peter Doherty – Broken Love Song
Parlophone
 
This is the first Pete(err) Doherty tune I've listened to (post-Libertines that is) and I quite like it. Critics always complain that his voice is his Achilles heel but I think it suits the languid melancholy of this song. 
 
Co-written by Peter 'Wolfman' Wolfe, it follows the duo's Ivor Novello-nominated 'For Lovers' track and while it may not be as poetic or as delicate; it's moody and memorable. Certainly one of the highlights of the 'Grace/Wastelands' album. 3.8/5
EM  


Young Rebel Set – If I Was
Our Broadcast

Young Rebel Set's début single is a beautiful folk ballad about love, hopes, dreams, regrets and the woes of being a young musician struggling to find a balance between music and romance.
 
It opens with a solitary guitar and simple vocal melody, then gradually introduces tambourine followed by a single drum beat, before all seven band members get involved and guitars, mandolin and bass kick in. Despite the slightly worn-out indie-band-token-northern-accent and grating pronunciation of the words 'much' and 'love', it's actually rather lovely. 3.5/5
GT  


Rotting Out – Vandalised
6131 Records
 
As everyone who's been in a hardcore band will tell you, there's not a lot you can do with the verse-chorus-verse-break-down format that the genre forces you to adhere to. Sure some bands have experimented (Nation of Ulysses and Refused come to mind), but unless you're on Dischord, messing with the programme will probably get you shunned.
 
Therefore, Rotting Out's 'Vandalised' EP is as solid a six tracks of American Nightmare-style stuff that you can dropkick your mates to as anything else. It does a good job with what it's got, but it's hardly Fucked Up. 3/5
DH  


Eminem – Beautiful 
Polydor

Eminem has his 'Streets of Philadelphia' moment  - a homage to his hometown, once-proud Detroit. Problem is, while Springsteen sings about the American condition, poor ol' Shady can't help bringing back everything to himself.

With a rocking sample from Paul Rodgers, Eminem kicks off 'I'm just so fucking depressed' but proceeds to celebrate enduring spirit and beauty in a grimy, difficult life. It should be a credit crunch anthem but the guy is so far out of the trailer park he's rapping about the pitfalls of sycophantic butlers. 2.5/5
JH


The Blackout – Save Ourselves (The Warning)
Epitaph

As anyone who read my Download Festival 2009 review will know, I like The Blackout. So naturally I jumped on the chance to review their single. Sadly this is definitely one of their weaker songs. Mainly because I find it hard to forgive a band for using their own name in a very repetitive chorus.
 
Naturally, as with every annoying song in the world, it's going to be in my head for the rest of the day. 2/5
SL 


Raygun – Just Because
RCA

Raygun have rewritten the age-old caveat of 'don't do drugs, stay in school', with a subtext of 'but as we're rock stars and don't have to be literate, we can'. But banal lyrics aside, this tune is a reasonably catchy bundle of electro beats, poppy melodies and rocky guitars. Although this may just be wishful thinking on my part as after about four plays of 'Just Because' I had to give my aching earoles a rest. 2/5
GM  


Pink – Funhouse 
RCA

This whole Pink sobriety kick is starting to get up my nose. And not in a good way.

'Funhouse' is an extended evisceration of her former friends, a lyrically deft, melodically predictable warning that the 'evil clowns' from her psychedelic period are about to get torched in a purifying fire. If she's not partying, how dare they? 

Boring! I preferred it when Pink was coming up. Basically she's on a sanctimonious tip and if there's one thing duller than a pill-head, it's a puritan. 1/5
JH


Finally! Some summer tunes worthy of the name. Mind you, the weather's not exactly conducive to cruising with the top down in a Jazzy Jeff stylee. Anyway, please let us know if you agree or disagree with our assessments by commenting below, and to get this article every week, join the Facebook Group. It's hot!

Music Team