Wombats, The - Backfire at the Disco (KGB Remix)

It seems that the Liverpool boys are back at it again reissuing another single yet again. “Backfire at the Disco” was only release last May but it was in “limited” release so they feel the need to go at it again. We reviewed the single previous so lets take a look at one of the remixes on the single instead. The KGB had already remixed the boy before with “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” which, was already ripped for the remix. The mix is based around a lot of heavy bass and a cowbell hidden in the background. As the song progress more elements get introduced including some strange space aged effects. The problem is that the song runs about two minutes to long. I understand that the song is for the clubs but it just got boring after awhile.

By John Siwicki

The Little Ones - Ordinary Song

I haven’t heard a song this bad in a very long time. California five piece are signed to Heavenly Records who have released records by such fine acts as Magic Numbers and Doves. So, naturally if you call your song “Ordinary Song” and release it as single its going to be opened up for some jokes. I did go in with an open mind and the first 3 seconds of the song made me openly laugh for a few seconds and once that happens its very hard to recover. The first few seconds of the song being “ordinary song, I love to sing along with you.” The hook and the bridge provide some nice harmonies but the lyrics are to bad that its very hard to over look. On the bright side, I have heard Electrelane’s remix of this song.

By John Siwicki

Wombats, The - Moving To New York(Paul Van Dyk Remix)

The second go around for this single so for the review I decided to look at its bsides as they are very compelling. You have superstar/legend Paul van Dyk putting his touches on a hot new indie band. Its just a match-up you do not see very often. It starts off as a relaxing piece of European trance. But, when most of these rock songs get the dance treatment it just doesn’t sound right. I think the work that Paul did on the track was excellent, nice ambient piece of music and some added sounds of New York was nice. The vocals for the song just didn’t fit in well here, maybe a few more effects or something to make them blend a little better. Still, as remixes go and the bar isn’t very high it was worth a spin or two.

By John Siwicki

British Sea Power - Waving Flags

British Sea Power instantly struck a chord with me. All of their music hits all my check marks. On the eve of their third album anticipation couldn’t possible be any higher. “Do You Like Rock Music?” will brighten up the early part of 2008. “Waving Flags” follows up the “Krankenhaus?” as the first official single from the new record. “Waving Flags” just feels right and it feels like another classic BSP song. The track does have the more polished epic feel like “Please Stand Up.” The big hook that gets those juices flowing inside. Yan delivers another stellar vocal performs as he welcomes in those eastern European immigrants. Another sweeping and huge epic from BSP, and it is another song that will fit up their nice with some of the best of the band so far. After, all this it seems like “Do You Like Rock Music?” will be another gem. January can’t come soon enough. “Waving Flags” is such a compelling piece of music that will have your attention and with the subject of immigration taken on this song it requires many listens.

By John Siwicki

Parka - Disco Dancer

Usually when you see a group of young men have a song called “Disco Dancer” it could only be a few things really. Parka’s new version of “Disco Dancer” is a fun track but it feels a bit all to familiar. it is a rather fast and infectious little punk track. Comparisons can easily be made to The Dead 60s as the track at times does sound like “Riot Radio.” The saxophone is a dead give away. But, the track is got a good tune to it and you cant help but tap your foot to it and sing along to it. It is not the most original song out there but the saxophone infused punk is always nice to hear from time to time. It was hard for me to shed the toned down Dead 60s that it kept reminding me of.

By John Siwicki

Basia Bulat - Oh, My Darling

Female singers are a dime a dozen but once this young Canadian was signed to Rough Trade you knew she must be something really special. The singer/songwriter is based in London, Ontario and she brings a bit of elegance to her songs that you don’t often see. The album’s opening track “Before I Know” is one of the simplest songs on the album but it really sums up the beauty of Basia. Her vocals are very wide and have great range. They actually sound a bit like a rougher Sarah McLachlan. “Little Waltz” is just as the title says a sweeping little dance tune with some crunchy strings. “Oh My Darling” has 60s feel with the simple acoustic guitar and those back up singers just humming. “The Pilgriming Vine” is a very interesting track musically, the marriage of hard strings with Basia’s storytelling make a really fascinating listen.

“Oh My Darling” had a lot of moments, the first half of the album was very punchy and quick but some of the track in the final few might make you stray. Basia has a classic voice and her songwriting at times is breathtaking. All the pieces where not here yet but she will get them.

By John Siwicki

Adele - Chasing Pavements

This will a trend that becomes much more predominate but Adele was discovered via myspace so naturally some comparisons to fellow myspacers Kate Nash and Lilly Allen will happen. She is according to wikipedia best friends with Jack Penate so that will have helped her as well. We can try to avoid them but lets just get the out of the way. Adele is a much different singer then the other ladies. Her style is very soulful , strong and rich. You can tell her voice can carry her own and it would sound out of place on a rap song unlike Kate and Lilly who have done that well. “Chasing Pavements” is surely on set to be a massive pop song. It has wide appeal everyone from Mom to a 20 something males will like this song. It has the feel of elegent and classy pop that is usualy made by people way beyond the years of Adele. It is surely a song to track down and have a listen but I have a feeling it will be all over very soon.

By John Siwicki

Blood Red Shoes - You Bring Me Down

The Brighton duo originally released this single back in late ‘06. The band claimed that is version is heavier and louder than that release a year and half ago. After, countless seven inch singles, this will be the bands first on CD and a nice preview of what we will get on the debut album in April. The band are just Steven Ansell (vocals and drums) and Laura-Mary Carter (vocals and guitar) so for the two of them they can make a lot of noise. The sound like the correct balance of The White Stripes and The Kills. There songs are bang, bang but they still have a fun danceable quality to some of them. The song has it all memorable riffs and a great shout worthy hook that made me keep replaying it over and over again. This is a excellent single and I like the fact that its got some more meat and bones than the original. This duo is going to have a massive ‘08.

By John Siwicki

Sons and Daughters - This Gift

Although ‘Gilt Complex’, the opener to Glasgow band Sons And Daughters’ third release, begins with pounding drums and a mixture of blues and grunge guitar, the intensity of the piece is ultimately let down by lead singer Adele Bethal’s apparent lack of vocal power. She simply hasn’t got the muscle to sing lead vocals with conviction here, and again on most later tracks, where she sounds somewhat squeaky, breathy, and out of her depth above her backing band’s brasher, country-punk sound - even despite Bernard Butler’s immaculately clear production. It seems that for all the band’s hybridised folk, blues and grunge elements, (not to mention the near-Motown beats of ‘Chains’ and ‘Rebel With The Ghost’), Butler has seen the pop-potential of the band shining through, and has re-directed the primary focus towards this element. To her credit, Bethal is an adequate pop vocalist; plus Sons And Daughters clearly do write feisty, melodic, genre-hopping instrumentals; but either in rehearsals or production, the attempts to blend the girl-pop and country-punk elements fell short.

This album’s shortcomings are perhaps most evident in the title track, which features a call-and-response duet of “waa-ooh-ah-ooh”s, that only serves to highlight how thin and reedy Bethal’s vocals sound alongside the much beefier and commanding tones of guitarist/vocalist Scott Paterson - and frankly, the rest of the band.

By Ryan Daff

Dead Meadow - Old Growth

1) Ain’t Got Nothing (to go wrong) – This is a great track and at just under seven minutes, it never tires, the depth of sound is awesome, the dark undercurrent of sound really comes to the fore part way in with a great instrumental intersection, which slows to a fantastic sound which to my ears is vaguely psychedelic in nature the vocals are also great. This is an outstanding track.
2) What Needs Must Be - A little lighter with a good beat and those vocals, another great track, this music carries you away.
5) ’till Kingdom Come – A simply mesmerising intro leads you into a great sound full of drums, and though this track takes a while to build it’s well worth the wait.
7) Seven Seers – Much lighter than other tracks this is another track which bubbles with fantastic sound, it’s also much slower paced initially but picks up speed and tempo further in, and the vocals come over amazingly well in this.
12) Either Way – Guitar dominates this track, melancholy vocals shift your mood down in the most delicious way, this, in my opinion is the best way to close an album of this calibre I will be playing this album through again, right now.

I absolutely loved this album, I simply can’t find a thing I didn’t like, it will be going directly into my mp3 player, if you see this buy it it’s fantastic, great work guys, you have a new fan!

By J. Greenwood

Next Page »