Our mother says to get things done, you'd better not mess with Alesha Dixon...
Warpaint / The Sister Crayon – Bowie Split
Manimal
The first single taken from Amnesty’s tribute to David Bowie, Warpaint’s ‘Ashes to Ashes’ might not be quite as mournful as Bowie’s original, but it has a whole different type of trouble going on.
Armed with one of the best bass sounds I’ve heard in a good long while, the ladies' sweet voices and ramshackle drums give it a sort of sun-washed, spaced-out make-over that deserves to be played at the aftermath of LA coke parties from now 'til domesday. The Sister Crayon’s ‘Bewlay Brothers’ is pretty good too. You should buy this! 4.899/5
DH
James Owen Fender – The Cloud
Plumpton Presents
A warm slice of melodic indie pop from this newcomer from oop north, The Cloud is fresh, buoyant and yet somehow feels vintage. Maybe it’s the faded glamour of the beach resort in the video, all miniature golf and BMXs, but it has a golden age feel and his northern twang chimes in a pleasing, lilting manner. It's nostalgic, poetic - and catchy as hell.
Quintessentially British this, and lovely. 4/5
LC
Thee Single Spy – OK Corral
Robot Elephant Records
Beginning with tangled and eerie guitar lines, 'OK Corral' soon transforms into a stark arrangement that pushes lead singer Alex Mattinson's voice to the forefront of proceedings.
Barking his twisted tales at the audience as aggressively as you can in folk-rock, the song falls into a delightful rush of a chorus that captures the relief in the words but also sounds touchingly poignant underneath layers of brooding brass. This is captivating from the start and grows into a textured arrangement. 4/5
TT
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – If You Want It
100%
Years ago I baked a cake. Oh it was such a delicious cake: rich but exquisitely delicate, it oozed a sort of soft chocolatey glamour. Yet ever since I've struggled to reproduce the perfection of that delightful dessert. The ingredients have been identical, the preparation process I'm sure the same. But somehow it just hasn't quite worked.
The same might be said of OMD, whose new single – their first since 1996 – comes a full 30 years after 'Enola Gay'. It's all still there – thumping, soaring synthpop, archly knowing vocals – but it just falls a bit flat. Rather like this whole unweildy analogy, in fact. 3/5
TJ
Orianthi – According to You
Geffen records
Apart from the slightly more soulful voice you'd be forgiven if you mistook this for Avril Lavine. However after a bit more of a listen you'll notice some nifty guitar work.
This is the girl who was chosen to be the lead guitarist for Micheal Jackson's 'This Is It' tour. Jackson might have been as out of his tree as Screaming Lord Sutch but he still knew his music; Orianthi can play that guitar! 2.5/5
LG
Grinderman – Heathen Child
Mute
Why? Why be the legendary Nick Cave and produce something this dull? Why am I signing in to YouTube to watch flagged content that turns out to be nipples and an orange merkin?
This is the kind of song Jools Holland pretends to get excited about; you're better than that. The lyrics hint at a borderline mental health issue, which is a bit of a win but ultimately all you get is muffled guitar tone and some damn stupid effects. 2/5
NK
Goldfrapp – Believer
EMI
'Head First' is not Goldfrapp's finest album. Cashing in on the whole '80s synth-pop sound that faired La Roux, Little Boots and LadyHawke so well last year, not only does ‘Believer’ (the album's third single release) feel outdated but it's bland beyond belief. It sounds like one of Kylie's latest campthems.
Much more interesting are the dreamy disco remix from Brighton newcomer Little Loud and Joris (middle name Amazing) Voorn’s tech-house rework. Now those I could listen to without glazing over. 2/5
EM
Alesha – Drummer Boy
Asylum
Alesha's singing in the old pop language of lust...
So here's some translations:
1. 'I need a drummer boy, a better drummer boy' = I need a new sexual partner that can fulfil my needs.
2. 'They wanna bang my drum but it can't be done' = they want to have sexual intercourse with me but I'm hard to get.
3. 'They like the way I shake my tambourine' = sub tambourine for ass.
4.'I can't feel it, I wanna feel it, harder, harder, harder' = well there's no need to translate this one. 1/5
LD
Does anyone else think that Alesha song sounds like this crossed with this? Hmmmm
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Lucian Freud exhibition opens today at the National Portrait Gallery
Amongst other things – the Olympics, the Jubilee, Damien Hirst – 2012 is the year of Lucian...