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Lebanon – Overdose/Overload
Southern Lord
Strong riffs and good beats from hardcore Portland band, Lebanon. The only flaws of this hardcore rock song are, ironically, in the middle. The singer starts to lose his voice (Soothers, anyone?), the lead guitarist hogs the high strings, and there's an empty section begging for another verse or solo.
'Overdose/Overload' falls short of being a great song, but it's definitely worth a listen for the best rock intro heard this year. 4/5
HS
Imelda May – Inside Out
Decca Records
Imelda's got the kind of voice that makes you wanna sit back and relax with a glass of something good. With its seductive rhythms and cheeky Jungle Book-style trumpets, Inside Out retains the classy, sassy, rockabilly blues quality that the Irish singer is becoming increasingly more known for.
Although the track's infectious/bordering on repetitive at times, it's hard not to raise a smile when all she's asking is for you to love her like a hobo! 4/5
JJB
La Sera – Devil’s Heart Grow Cold
Hardly Art
A sweet nugget of ethereal dreampop from Vivian Girls' DIY bass aficionado Katy Goodman. This smacks of a stripped down Polyphonic Spree with its heavenly, layered vocals and choral sweetness. It's a little bit folky, while somehow recalling early '50s pop.
It seems to actually exude its very own gently glowing, golden halo as the chords are strummed and Goodman's faded, drifty vocals veritably lilt. Like honey. Or dappled sunlight through leaves. 3.8/5
LC
Clinic – Bubblegum
Domino
Sometimes Sunday mornings aren’t all that bad. Despite the previous night’s liquid intake and the consequences you endure from such activities, you still obtain that butterfly buzz in your gut which confirms, yeah, that was fun.
And although work may loom or the bathroom is calling out for you, there’s often an overriding sense of excitement which provides the catalyst for normal human activity, and Clinic have crafted a wee wah-wah squeeze to soundtrack these sorts of times. Escalating up into trippy poignant peaks of swaying guitars, it croons like lovechild of The Doves and The Archie Bronson Outfit. 3.5/5
DJ
Punks Jump Up – Blockhead
Cassette Records / Kitsuné
With a name like ‘Punks Jump Up’ I couldn’t help but brace myself for an onslaught of what I thought would be noise bursting through my headphones and into my eardrums. However I must report that I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself tapping my foot along to the music.
This is one of those songs that lifts you up and draws you spiralling into it. A perfect soundtrack for those Mario 64 days of old, Mario rushing through the psychedelic levels away from Bowser and into Peach. 3/5
AM
Luke Abbott – Trans Forest Alignment
Border Community
Strangely hypnotic, aside from the frankly irritating blurry bass noises during the intro, this manages to combine the robotic nature of electro with big club beats and a mesmerising melody. Building to a trance-like climax before falling away into a gentle pulsing wave of sound means the musical journey manages to be both euphoric and yawn-inducing.
Abbott’s ambient minimalism won’t be for everyone, but the rhythmic repetition cleverly transcends genres, and means it certainly plods along nicely. 3/5
MK
Ringo Deathstarr – So High
Club AC30
Great name for what it turns out are a modern version of the Primitives. By 'modern version' I of course mean - 'sound exactly the same as'.
Did you miss the '80s and therefore think they were great? This is for you. Did you live through the '80s but for some reason still think they were great? This is for you. If, however, fairly bland, indie pop makes you want to shove the Soup Dragon's Wedding Present right up The Jesus and Mary Chain until they Primal Scream, you may not like it very much. 2.5/5
TO
Girls on Top – Schizo Pogo
Ace
This single from 'the loveable London trashlettes' is distressing, loud, and embarrassing for their children. Mid-life crises don't get much worse than this. 0/5
NH
Ouch. On that note - see you next week!
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Frieze Art Fair to launch new section for young galleries in 2012
Frieze have today announced details for the 2012 edition, their tenth art fair in London. Taking place...