No Time is a biting, growling, whiskey-sodden tune, a delicious rock song with an ice cold southern drawl. Fans of The Black Keys, early Kings of Leon and The Dead Weather will feast on this gorgeous rock and roll treat. Taken from their second album, The House That Dirt Built, "No Time" tears its way through the air to land in your ears with a crash. Southern blues, made punch-drunk and mixed in with sharp acid funk give this track a modern twist on blood n'tears brawler rock.
With fast, lyrically fireborne vocals juxtaposed to the introductory riff and percussion, funky horns and brass, and eardrum-crunching guitar, Kelvin Swaby's first haunting wail fires the starting pistol for Dan Taylor's opening guitar salvo. Overall, No Time is delicious. It's got a fanstastic, uplifting chorus that blends heartache and alcahol-blurred rock, and is a thouroughly enjoyable track for followers of that rockin', rollin' star in the sky.
Genius reccomends; The Go, The Black Angels, Port O'Brien, Marmaduke Duke, Drummer
Sunday, 13 December 2009
"Pon de Floor" Major Lazer & Vybz Kartel
The collaborative project of DJs Diplo and Switch, Major Lazer is - apparently - a veteran of the secret Jamaican zombie war of 1984; he rides a hoverboard, battles nocturnal nasties such as vampires and the undead, and "parties hard". Moving aside from the musical persona of the Major, the duo have just ended a US tour and were nominated in the MTV Video Awards for Best Breakthrough Video (for Hold The Line)
Taken from the debut album "Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do", Pon de Floor is remeniscent of Basement Jaxx, Santigold or Chemical Brothers; catchy repetetiveness hooked up to an beat. If you wanted more of a sound compass, vocalists such as Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal and Nina Sky. Pon de Floor is a turbulent, choppy track, slipping in and out of consciousness - a rolling, thunderous electronic sea. It should be used as the soundtrack to a mobile phone advert. Basically, if Mr T was into dub, this is what he'd come out with.
Genius Reccomends: T.O.K., Chase & Status, Diplo, Turbulence, Vybz Kartel
Taken from the debut album "Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do", Pon de Floor is remeniscent of Basement Jaxx, Santigold or Chemical Brothers; catchy repetetiveness hooked up to an beat. If you wanted more of a sound compass, vocalists such as Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal and Nina Sky. Pon de Floor is a turbulent, choppy track, slipping in and out of consciousness - a rolling, thunderous electronic sea. It should be used as the soundtrack to a mobile phone advert. Basically, if Mr T was into dub, this is what he'd come out with.
Genius Reccomends: T.O.K., Chase & Status, Diplo, Turbulence, Vybz Kartel
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
"Apple Bobbing" - Joe Goddard
The first single from ex-Hot Chip Joe Goddard’s debut solo album, “Apple Bobbing” is an eclectic, blissful skydive through a kaleidoscope spectrum. Or, it sounds like the original Donkey Kong theme tune – depends how cynical you are, really.
“Apple Bobbing” bears all the hallmarks of Hot Chip’s easy-going repetitiveness – all hooks and lines; rarely a sinker. Goddard has created truly kineticised electro pop here and the beats and keyboard-riffs vibrate like atoms colliding in an audible chain reaction - the burning heart of a musical star.
Genius Reccomends: Bibio, Hot Chip, Capacara, Fuckpony, Zomby
“Apple Bobbing” bears all the hallmarks of Hot Chip’s easy-going repetitiveness – all hooks and lines; rarely a sinker. Goddard has created truly kineticised electro pop here and the beats and keyboard-riffs vibrate like atoms colliding in an audible chain reaction - the burning heart of a musical star.
Genius Reccomends: Bibio, Hot Chip, Capacara, Fuckpony, Zomby
Sunday, 22 November 2009
"Some Misunderstanding ft Mark Lanegan" - Soulsavers
"Some Misunderstanding" is a resurrected antique from times past. With a delicious guitar that could have been lifted from a Neil Young song, and searingly emotive vocals, Soulsavers have created a gorgeously listenable track. Their third album shows a marked departure from previous efforts, and this new direction adds gravity and authority to Lanegan's rough-edged sound.
A slow-burning, flame grilled epic of a song, "Some Misunderstanding" could be likened to O.A.R., early Stereophonics or even late Oasis - filled with grinding voices, raging guitars and classic rock/folk/americana influences. Overall, it's a sturdy, heart-rending track, tinged with melancholy, a reverbrating rock soliloquy.
Genius reccomends: Pissed Jeans, Star Club West, Graham Coxon, Theoretical Girl
A slow-burning, flame grilled epic of a song, "Some Misunderstanding" could be likened to O.A.R., early Stereophonics or even late Oasis - filled with grinding voices, raging guitars and classic rock/folk/americana influences. Overall, it's a sturdy, heart-rending track, tinged with melancholy, a reverbrating rock soliloquy.
Genius reccomends: Pissed Jeans, Star Club West, Graham Coxon, Theoretical Girl
Monday, 16 November 2009
"Living The Life Of A Dreamer - Mr Scruff Remix" - Alice Russel
"Living The Life of a Dreamer" is pretty rubbish. Even the description on the iTunes store doesen't sound very enthused, instead pointing out the rather ambigious fact that Alice Russel has been featured on Free Single before.
However, aside from the initial bad impressions, Russel sounds a lot like Laura Izibor or even Belleruche, with clear influences of Stevie Wonder and 70's funk/soul. Skillful vocals mix in with a toe-tapping beat and in general is a fun party song. But seven minutes of slipping in and out of soul, jazz and dubstep gives a haphazard, haywire feeling. The song lacks focus and direction, having no clear themes and lacking any sense of collection - a winding, unexciting and self-indulgent track that could be from a bad 90's Pringles commercial.
Genius reccomends: Kylie Auldist, HardKandy, Diplomats of Solid Sound, Uptown Funk Empire and The Boogoos.
However, aside from the initial bad impressions, Russel sounds a lot like Laura Izibor or even Belleruche, with clear influences of Stevie Wonder and 70's funk/soul. Skillful vocals mix in with a toe-tapping beat and in general is a fun party song. But seven minutes of slipping in and out of soul, jazz and dubstep gives a haphazard, haywire feeling. The song lacks focus and direction, having no clear themes and lacking any sense of collection - a winding, unexciting and self-indulgent track that could be from a bad 90's Pringles commercial.
Genius reccomends: Kylie Auldist, HardKandy, Diplomats of Solid Sound, Uptown Funk Empire and The Boogoos.
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
"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.
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.
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.
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