Long Blondes, The – Giddy Stratospheres
Long Blondes hot on the heels of the success of their debut album reissue their debut single, all different and dressed up. The song is just as good the second time around. First, you get hand claps to grab you, and Kate’s vocal sounds very vintage and the subject matter are all very interesting things to note.
By John Siwicki
Royksopp – Only This Moment
“Melody AM” Royskopp’s big debut album was released way back in 2002. “Only This Moment” is their long awaited comeback single; the soft Air-esque honed, melancholic electronica sound is still featured here but they have upped the ante a bit. The track has an upbeat feel, the female vocals do seem a bit out of place at first but they really bridge the song well. It has a great summer vibe and it’s a step in the right direction from their previous work.
By John Siwicki
The Tears – Lovers
The second single from Bernard, Brett and company is the amazingly catchy “Lovers.” It’s the one track on the album that could provide the band with some big chart success. Brett(singer) sounds utterly fantastic here, it’s been ages since I’ve heard him sound this confident. The lyrics are… well its hard to be nice here but they are pretty awful “we are the lovers/we are different colours” The lyrics are daft but they are fun to sing a long to and they could only be pulled off by a certain duo.
By John Siwicki
O’Connor, Sinead – Collaborations
Sinead had recently announced that she will “retire from singing” so naturally a Greatest Hits would follow. “Collaborations” is a little different, it collects track that Sinead has added her vocals to. There has always been a bit of a back lash to Sinead, but after hearing these tracks you will be changed. She has an amazing, powerful voice. She guest on a wide variety of tracks ranging from Asian Dub Foundation, U2, The The, Terry Hall and loads more.
This compilation is expansive and covers tons of genres. It shows that Sinead has the capabilities to excel in all types of music. Her performance on Massive Attacks “Special Cases” sounds so smooth and natural. Bomb The Bass “Empire” and Afro Celt Sound System tracks really standout because they just so different, there are so much going on in both. The tracks with The The and Peter Gabriel aren’t quite up to the calibre of the rest. Her work on Terry Hall’s “All Kings Of Everything” is a nice way to round off proceedings. It’s a simple and gorgeous track and of course features a solid vocal from our girl.
I really enjoyed this album from start to finish. It had its bumps in the road but a lot of these tracks are quite stellar. If you’re a fan of her work this is an must. But if your willing you will be quite surprised by what’s here.
By John Siwicki