"Airplanes" - Local Natives

Part of me really likes this song; the part of me that loved Mumford & Sons and the part of me that can listen to Belle & Sebastian for hours and hours on end. The odd honky-tonk piano intro, with the addition of bar-brawler cheering, is reminiscent somewhat of The Drums, though the meat and potatoes of this song bears a signature resemblence with New Orleans-esque Cold War Kids (who are actually from California). The low-key nature of the verse compared with the louder, soul-raising chorus is particularily common to their first album, Robbers & Cowards.

Another artist that "Airplanes" evoked memories of was Hot Club de Paris; not so much the happy-happy, polka-dot sunshine riffs of Live At Dead Lake but the internal, post-it note songs like "Hello, I Wrote A Song For You Called 'Welcome to the Jungle'". So yeah, I like this. It's sweet, laid back and pared down, following the wider movement carved out by minimalist mystery kids The xx. Enjoy.

Genius reccomends; Fitz & the Tantrums, Wild Beasts, Django Django, Michachu and Gold Teeth.

"Edith" - The Hot Melts

Slamming into fifth gear this week are The Hot Melts, with chart-ready single "Edith". With a air-guitarist's riff and a bassline to match, the Hot Melt's sound like post-How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb U2, and it's not just the guitarwork that's similar; the singer has a discernably Bono-ish inclination to jump off of the vocal high board. Other reference points could be Nine Black Alps' song Cosmopolitan or a non-emo Lostprophets (whose video for Rooftops appears to actually be about misunderstood middle-class kids with piercings. And then one screams and plates explode. Obviously we need to take care to not insult Urbis).

Anyway, overall, "Edith" is a fun, jumpy, track - a fist-pumping gig-favourite. I liked it, but I wouldn't plumb the depths for any serious substance. A modern pop-punk, indie-rock hybrid for fans of The Big Pink or Theoretical Girl.

Genius reccomends: Blakfish, Glamour of the Kill, Die! Die! Die!, Proceed, The Subways.