*Single of the Week*
Thee Vicars – Feel So Good
Dirty Water
As any hardened Bury St Edmunds resident will testify, the town hasn't changed much since the '60s. They acquired a Starbucks a few years back, but the locals still just sit outside gawping at the bright lights and peculiar smells.
Perhaps that's how these four were raised on a diet of Billy Childish, The Sonics and The Standells. That this live favourite could slip seamlessly on any of the 'Back From The Grave' compilations is testament to their non-derivative brilliance. The best thing to come out of Bury since Greene King IPA. 4/5
MF
Jamie T – Chaka Demus EP
Virgin Records
It's been a while since 'Panic Prevention', but Jamie T has released a few teasers in recent weeks. This latest is a mini EP featuring the song 'Chaka Demus' off new album 'Kings and Queens'.
With a pretty similar sound to his previous work, it might be a bit disappointing if you were expecting something completely different, but 'Chaka Demus' is still a top tune and well worth the listen. 4/5
GB
The Cribs – Cheat on Me
Wichita Recordings
Predictable! The Cribs have gone all woeful with Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr now on board. 'Cheat On Me' employs the same sell as 'Men's Needs' and 'Hey Scenesters' - melodic guitar lines and the Jarmans rasping like they've got incurable tonsillitis - except it's less sprightly and plods on dangerously into tedious, Kasabian territory.
Ryan Jarman has urged fans to forsake a McDonald's burger to buy, rather than illegally download, this single. It's not a bad tune, just not as great as a quarter pounder. 3.5/5
SL
Erol Alkan ft Boys Noize – Waves
Boys Noise Records
Short of a three way with Justice, this must be the ultimate wet dream for any electro nuts out there. Two lords of the genre, Boys Noize and Erol Alkan have released two collaborative tracks 'Waves' and 'Death Suite' on one 12".
Both are a little heavy on the acid overtones for my liking (particularly 'Death Suite'), but are undeniably dancefloor bangers. If you like trance noises, you'll love 'Waves'. Sadly I don't, but look out for the drum breakdown around 2 minutes, easily the best bit. 3/5
EM
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Come Saturday
Fortuna Pop
Me and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart got off on the wrong foot. Their emotionally indulgent name and school-girl use of <3s in their description had me dreading a trip down emo lane, full of wrist slashing ballads and I heart you post-its.
Yet while the song is a little nostalgic, its also rather charming; with raw guitar and percussion, a smattering of synths and barely-there vocals it reminds me of frolicking in the apple orchard with the boy next door. 3/5
GM
Prodigy – Take Me To The Hospital
Take Me To The Hospital Records
I'm not one to deter or slag off heartfelt creative output, no no no. But it makes sense for new productions to be original, agreed?
The Prodigy are obviously great. I'd never dispute this, but I have to say that there is absolutely nothing fresh about this tune. Yeh, it's a smasher, it's got the classic Prodigy break, the old skool rave sound we all know and love and it's set in a mental hospital. But (sorry Liam) it just sounds dated. 2.5/5
LC
Manchester Orchestra – I've Got Friends
Favourite Gentlemen
They're neither an orchestra nor from Manchester. Indie rock not really being my thing, I expected to be at a loss for words describing what I normally deem to be a fairly boring genre of music, but was slightly surprised. My head nodded and feet tapped as this tune wound up, with tormented lyrics and guitar that built into crashing crescendos and hard rock harmonies.
They've not done badly, but this track still sits quite securely on the laid-out path of 'indie-rock' conformity. 2/5
SG
Sugababes – Get Sexy
Island Records
The Sugababes have successfully jumped on two bandwagons: 1. sounding like a second-rate Black Eyed Peas (which even the BEP are doing these days), and 2. ripping off the chorus to a bygone hit (cheers, Flo Rida).
This time it's Right Said Fred's 'I'm Too Sexy', but at least the original had fun with itself. By contrast the vibe here is humourless, and when the trio instruct you to 'Get sexy right now', an eye-roll is more likely – the track sounds as sexy as erotic fiction read out in Auto-Tune. 1/5
NH
Jonas Brothers – Fly with Me
Columbia
Jeez, why do I always get the Jonas Brothers? Maybe because I lamed out and admitted to finding them catchy. Oh well, at least I can report with hand on heart that this latest effort is complete crap: lyrically trite, formulaic drivel.
This song is meant to have emotional depth I think, but you can't have that when you're a virgin. Teens who only have sex with themselves are fundamentally dull, not to say repellent. Like this song. 1/5 point awarded for actually playing piano
JH
Booty Luv – Say It
Hed Kandi
In Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time an autistic child bangs his fists against his ears and gnashes his teeth upon hearing the sound of a tube-train for the first time.
That is how I felt when I first listened to Booty Luv's 'Say It'. This new track is shiny, overproduced, lyrically vacuous vocal dance, still warm from the loose bowels of Hed Kandi.
More feculent house than funky house. 1/5
RC
Blau! Par to Booty Luv! Drapessssssss. Come on now girls, don't give us that sexy, wounded look! If you don't want to get slammed, don't make such awful music. Mind you, there's a lot of drivel out next week. If you agree or disagree OR if you have some cool 'urban' lingo to share with us, comment below. Join the Facebook Group to get updated with this stuff every week.
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