New Releases - 9th August

New Releases - 9th August

04 August, 2010
by: Music Team

Eminem gets angry again, good music follows.

Eminem ft. Rihanna – Love The Way You Lie.
Shady / Interscope Records/ defjam

Get ready to hear another generic r'n'b/rap collaboration all over the radio. This is very likely to be our next number one.

Rihanna is no longer all ballsy and vengeful, she's in willing victim mode. Eminem's taken off his joker hat and is all dark and angry about something again: “Next time I'm pissed, I'll aim my fist at the drywall” - a little close to the bone, no? It's got that infectious heartbeat quality of Umbrella and Em's classic, violent urgency. So essentially, this is a chooon! 4.5/5.
NK

Magnetic Man – I Need Air
Columbia

Three particular dubstep tracks stand out as crossover hits. Midnight Request Line by Skream, Night by Benga & Coki and Skreams remix of La Roux's In For The Kill. If you didn't know, the men behind Magnetic Man and this top ten hit, are...wait for it... Skream, Benga and Artwork. Skream and Benga are men on fire. 

I Need Air gets in your head with its euphoric, ravey sound and floaty sing along lyrics. This is a classic already. Magnetic Man's album drops in October. 4/5.
LG

Pearl and the Puppets – Make Me Smile
Universal Island Records

I woke up in a foul mood this morning, maybe it's because I have taken about 7 different routes to work this week alone from my new house  or maybe because every tube I get on seems to have a school trip on it.

But within seconds of sticking on Pearl and the Puppets new single with its upbeat strumming, joyous 'do do do' verse and its 'Let It Go' refrain, I felt myself slipping back into my chair and even contemplated smiling. Oh, the pleasures of music. 4/5.
TT

Allo Darlin' - If Loneliness Was Art
Fortuna Pop!

Another beautiful example of the floating, wistful bedroom indie sound that is essential for every good summer playlist. This track sees the Brit/Aussie four-piece settle firmly into melancholy territory, which is arguably when they're at their best. 

The vocals by Tender Trap's Elizabeth Morris are at once poignant and dreamy, whilst super sweet steel guitar and ukelele chords in the background set the cider-in-a-beer-garden-at-sunset vibe firmly in place. Perfect lazy Saturday listening. 4/5.
SK

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Collapsing Cities
Cooking Vinyl

If you don't mind the robust sound of the humble trumpet blaring in your delicate ears then this one's for you. If you do however you might be equally annoyed by the chorus, which through trying to become infectious comes out a little forced. Emphasised by the drawn out use of the S in nightsss – when you notice this it's really hard not to get distracted. 

A little too long and kind of mundane. But if you like Get Cape then you'll probably love itsss. 3/5.
LD

The Soft Pack – More Or Less
Kemado Records / Heavenly Recordings

The Soft Pack must be confused by now, having been criticised then praised and the criticised again since changing their name from The Muslims. ‘The Muslims is too offensive. Burn them!’ or ‘The Soft Pack is too boring. Burn them again!’ It seems they can’t do anything right.

More Or Less is all jangly guitars with slightly dull, droning vocals, making for a tame and unusual choice for a single release when there were far sprightlier and lyrically interesting alternatives to pick from on the album. 2.5/5.
JG

Tinchy Stryder- In My System 
Island records

Grime- pop? Surely that's an oxymoron? I'd say "Bubblegum Rap" would be far more appropriate. You know the drill: the gist of the song is that he's hung up on some girl who's way out of his league; and, as is standard, the video sees some girl writhing around in a swimsuit droning "in my system" every so often.

I tried very hard to pay attention to the content of the verses but got distracted by the underlying production, kinda 90's esque euro trance synths, which injects a bit of life into this otherwise uneventful song. 2/5.
CW

Discharge – Beginning of the End. 
Vile Records 

Pretty much the second this song starts, you're transported right into the world of 70's punk, complete with shouty vocals, fast, loud guitars and relentless drumming - which isn't really a surprise considering Discharge formed in 1977. 

I do love a bit of punk, but this just feels a little bit too formulaic for my liking - perhaps it's because the track was written in the noughties instead of the 70's, but come on guys, aren't we over the whole 'you can't understand what I'm saying, but don't worry the lyrics are really politically charged' thing yet? 2/5.
LB

That's all for this week folks, try not to get as angry as Eminem and punch any walls. As a distraction, how about checking out our Facebook page, deep breaths. 

Music Team