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IndieLondon gleefully checks out the cream of the week's singles.
All you have to do is click on the pictures to order them...
MONDAY, DECEMBER 15
 SINGLE
OF THE WEEK - ANDREW MICHAEL/GARY JULES - MAD WORLD: First
heard on the soundtrack to the movie, Donnie
Darko, this hauntingly beautiful cover version of Tears for
Fears' Mad World could be a smart outside bet for Christmas
number one, given the vibe surrounding it on just about every
radio station. It consistently tops the listener led top tens
of Virgin and XFM, while being hailed by everyone from Radio One's
Zane Lowe, to Capital's Chris Tarrant. And it's worth every accolade,
for this is classy stuff - beguiling, sing-along, intriguing,
poignant and a damn fine alternative to the Christmas songs which
are threatening to drive everyone mad at the moment. If there
is any justice, this will top the charts for ages. Hell, even
Tears for Fears have said this version outclasses their own. CD2
has another Donnie Darko track, The Artifact & Living
and the video. Click here
to buy...
 TRAVIS
- BEAUTIFUL OCCUPATION: Travis make more political statements,
without sounding too pretentious, or preachy. The Beautiful
Occupation begins with the lyric 'don't just stand there,
watching it happening' but proceeds to deliver a really catchy
record, that sounds more uplifting and lighter than much of their
early work. The guitar hooks, and soaring melodies, ensure that
this remains radio-friendly, while also retaining a hard-hitting
focus, and a greater rock element, courtesy of a snappy guitar
solo midway through (which sounds every bit as angry as the words
themselves). We said that 12 Memories may be Travis' most
enduring album to date; this is one of the reasons why. Classy
stuff. Click here for
our verdict on the album...
 THE
DARKNESS - CHRISTMAS TIME (DON'T LET THE BELLS END): The Darkness
could well be favourites to reach the Xmas number one spot with
this gloriously glam festive feast of guitar excess, which evokes
memories of Queen, Slade and AC/DC in their heyday. It's wild,
childish and fun, all at the same time, and hopelessly catchy
in that annoying Christmas sort of way. It's got a children's
chorus, tubular bells and boasts production values from Bob Ezrin,
whose worked with everyone from Kiss and Aerosmith to Jane's Addiction.
With so much going for it, don't bet against a festive number
one spot, even though frontman, Justin, is predicting second best.
If you don't buy Gary Jules' Mad World, then this has to be the
ticket for preventing the facile pop tarts from ruling the roast!
Double A-side, Friday Night, aint bad, either, evoking
memories of The Cure's Friday, I'm In Love, while remaining
more infectious than most of their previous material combined.
 SUGABABES
- TOO LOST IN YOU: The latest tune to emerge from the soundtrack
of the film, Love Actually
(after the terrible Atomic Kitten and Bill Nighy's hilarious
spoof, Christmas Is All Around), the Sugababes release
this sultry number, which also appears on their latest album,
Three. And it's a class act, produced by Rob Dougan. who
famously composed 'Furious Angel' which later became the theme
to the Matrix movie, and slowing things down considerably from
the dancefloor groove of Hole In The Head. That said, the
Sugababes have proved equally adept at power-ballads as they are
at catchy pop records, and this is an excellent showcase of their
talents, as well as what to expect during the weightier moments
of Richard Curtis' popular slush-fest. Bonus track, Someone
In My Bed, allows things to get funkier again, containing
a slight Round Round vibe during its chorus, while the
Kujay Da Da's Bass Shaker Mix of the single is nothing more than
just a laboured dance anthem, wrapped around the flimsiest shred
of the single itself. Click here
for our verdict on Three. Alternatively, click here
for a review of Love Actually...
NB. CD 2 contains yet another mix of Too Lost in You, which
is better than the version on CD1, as well as the bonus track,
Down Down, which is merely average. Click here
to order it...
 TURBONEGRO
- SELL YOUR BODY: Glam-metallers, Turbonegro, return with
another overblown rock anthem, which desperately has them sounding
like Norway's answer to The Darkness. In truth, these lads came
first, but split in 1998, after ending up in a psychiatric emergency
ward in Milan. Sell Your Body is a suitably extravagant
return for them, all big guitars and wild choruses, which harks
back to a bygone era of stadium rock, a la AC/DC, etc. You'll
probably be playing air guitar along to it if you hail from Norway,
or like this sort of thing anyway, but it sounds a little too
dated, and not enough fun to me.
 JOE
STRUMMER & THE MESCALEROES - REDEMPTION SONG/ARMS ALOFT: This
double A-side from Strummer's Streetcore album is an excellent
insight into what to expect, and a fitting epitaph from one of
the great singers of our time. Redemption Song is Strummer's
melancholic, but beautifully-observed, acoustic version of the
Bob Marley classic, while the rockier Arms Aloft contains
plenty of echoes of The Clash. It's thoughtful and fiery all at
the same time, with both tracks providing a nice counter-balance,
while demonstrating the eclectic nature of Strummer's ability.
It also serves to highlight what a great talent his death has
robbed us of. Click here
to order Streetcore...
 BILLY
MACK - CHRISTMAS IS ALL AROUND: Worthy buying just to prevent
one of those crappy Christmas number ones from happening (as in
the movie), and for the sheer joy which Billy Mack, aka actor
Bill Nighy brings to both Love
Actually and any promotional stuff he does for it, but really,
really bad nonetheless. Christmas Is All Around is so cheesy
you can practically choke on the taste of it, but it's backed
by a gloriously funny video (which is included on the CD) and
the type of seasonal goodwill it's difficult not to admire. Bad,
but knowingly so, and fun with it....
 ATOMIC
KITTEN - LADIES NIGHT: The Lord save us from turgid, manufactured
pop pap such as this. Another cover, and yet another unremittingly
awful single to emerge from the Love Actually soundtrack, Atomic
Kitten's bid for the Christmas number one spot is even more cheesy
than Kool and the Gang's no-less impressive original, and the
type of record which is set to fill the dancefloors of drunken
Christmas office parties. It's terrible and one can only hope
that this signals the last of the Love Actually abominations for
good.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8
 NELLY
FURTADO - POWERLESS (SAY WHAT YOU WANT): The newfound maturity
of Nelly Furtado is comprehensively displayed in Powerless, the
first single to emerge from her surprisingly good second album,
Folklore. After the easy pop-based hip-hop of Whoa Nelly!, Folklore
demonstrates a much bolder style of songwriting, which isn't afraid
to experiment and explore the musician's roots. Hence, tracks
such as Powerless arrive with an authority that forces you to
take notice. This one is a no-nonsense, and powerfully defiant,
record, given extra edge by some upbeat African percussion and
Bela Fleck's addictive banjo. Compelling stuff. The CD is backed
with an acoustic rendition of 'Powerless' and an Asian remix by
JoSH. Click here
for our verdict on the album, or here
to view the video...
 GOOD
CHARLOTTE - HOLD ON/YOUNG AND THE HOPELESS: A double A-side,
from Good Charlotte's Young and The Hopeless album, this
boasts the title track and Hold On, a message song to any
teenager who might look towards suicide as an answer to their
problems. It's all very fiery, typically rocky stuff, which manages
to rise above the serious nature of its material to sound both
uplifting and feelgood. It's also not that dissimilar from a lot
of Good Charlotte stuff, or the American rock sound it is derived
from. Fans will love it, but the unconverted won't find any appeal.
Click here
for the album...
 MADONNA
- LOVE PROFUSION/NOTHING FAILS: A double header from Madonna's
American Life album, which
merely serves to set the record straight and prove that she hasn't
lost her status as one of the world's leading singers. Both tracks
here smack of class, whether it's the electronic folk of Love
Profusion, or the epic, heartfelt Nothing Fails, which
gives way into a terrific gospel chorus halfway through. Both
are intensely personal - the latter, a ballad to her husband,
and the former, in tribute to both her hubby and kiddies, and
both, without question, evoke memories of the quality of work
found on her Music long-player. Had she released either of these
individually first, rather than the awkward, rap-laden title track,
she may never have had to face questions over her status. A timely
release then, which serves as an excellent reminder of just how
good the album is. Click here
for a review of the album...
 LOST
BROTHERS - CRY LITTLE SISTER (I NEED U NOW): Lost Brothers
are sure to do massive business with this reinvention of the cult
80s classic, Cry Little Sister, which found fame on the
soundtrack to the Kiefer Sutherland movie, The Lost Boys. While
sounding a little more contemporary, the main elements of the
track have been kept intact, complete with the atmospheric background
noises, and the child's choir during the haunting chorus. It also
features the vocals of Gerard McMahon, who wrote and performed
the original version. A surefire hit, then, which already features
prominently on the listener-led playlists of several top radio
stations.
 ALICIA
KEYS - YOU DON'T KNOW MY NAME: Alicia Keys attempts to follow-up
her efforts from Songs
In A Minor with this somewhat slushy ballad, which marks a
possible change of direction for her. The beats set it apart from
the usual pop diva territory, but you can't help lamenting the
lack of something grittier, particularly when compared to former
tracks, such as Fallin'. The track is said to be about a secret
crush but there's very little to fall in love with here. Click
here
for the album, The Diary of Alicia Keys...
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 STING
feat. MARY J BLIGE - WHENEVER I SAY YOUR NAME: The second
single to emerge from Sting's latest studio album, Sacred Love,
is a well-chosen ballad with diva of the moment, Mary J Blige
(who, herself, has been promoting a new solo LP). Whether it works
that well, though, is a mute point. It's all terribly earnest,
and designed to showcase the stretched vocal talents of both performers,
who rise to the challenge, while forgetting to really entertain.
A by-the-numbers duet, then, which should really be a great deal
better than it is. Just too self-important. The album it's taken
from isn't bad, however, and has become Sting's biggest-selling
for some time.
 CHRISTINA
AGUILERA - VOICE WITHIN: The fifth single to emerge from Aguilera's
hugely-successful Stripped long-player, this sickly sweet ballad
begs the question why; why when the album has sold so many copies,
does she feel the need to subject us to yet another track from
it? It may seem churlish, because her teenie fans will no doubt
be suckered into buying it, but five singles from one album seems
more than enough for any artist. The Voice Within is the
type of ballad this kind of pop diva churns out in their sleep.
Its designed to cater for the hopeless romantics out there, yet
has me reaching to change the station whenever it is aired. Terrible.
 JAY-Z
- CHANGE CLOTHES: Change Clothes represents the first
track to emerge from Jay-z's so-called final solo album, yet it
fails to reach the heights of some of the rapper's more recent
work, largely because it lacks the presence of someone like Beyonce
(who helped to make Bonnie and Clyde so memorable), and
because it is too content to trade on an easy formula for success.
Hence, production values come courtest of The Neptunes and Pharrell
and the accompanying soundtrack sounds exactly like a variation
on the same thing they have been doing with Justin Timberlake
and/or Pharrell for some time now. Jay-z fans will, no doubt,
lap it up, but this feels lazy to me, and is endemic of what's
wrong with mainstream music today. It simply isn't daring enough.
Click here
to pre-order The Black Album...
 RACHEL
STEVENS - FUNKY DORY: From its stupid title alone, you might
be forgiven for thinking that the second single to emerge from
Rachel Stevens' burgeoning solo career is a typically insipid
pop record, that will only do well because of the singer's undoubted
sex appeal, and her scantily-clad video. Well, you'd be partially
correct, but there is a glimmer of hope in the record, which suggests
that, should she be as daring as, say, Nelly Furtado, a long career
beckons. While still hopelessly mainstream in focus, Funky
Dory contains some neat R'n'B rhythms, as well as a hint of
latin, which actually forces you to take notice for a moment,
before the inevitable Aguilera-style chorus kicks in. Stevens
certainly possesses a promising set of lungs (vocally, chaps!),
but it remains to be seen whether she will choose to use them
effectively. Routine fare, then, which may just provide a tantalising
glimpse of better things to come...
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1
BLOCKHEAD - INSOMNIAC OLYMPICS: You have a lot to live up
to when being described as 'the new DJ Shadow/RJD2' but New Yorker,
Blockhead, sets his stall out in promising fashion with this atmospheric,
and supremely moody, EP, which certainly provides plenty of reason
to get excited. First track, Insomniac Olympics, is a truly
laidback record, the type of which seems tailor-made for a soundtrack,
which mixes a big, thumping beat, with some spine-tingling piano
and the odd orchestral tone. It is easy to see why the comparisons
with DJ Shadow have been made, even though the music itself is
slightly more darker, and possibly less mainstream, than anything
Shadow would put out as a single. But this is hugely impressive
stuff, with the other three tracks - Carnivores Unite, A New
Day and Triptych Part 3 - provide a wonderful insight
into why the DJ is earning such favourable comparisons. Click
here for more information
on Blockhead...
 PUDDLE
OF MUDD - AWAY FROM ME: With a single like Blurry,
Puddle of Mudd set themselves the almost impossible task of surpassing
it - which they still haven't managed to do, seeming content,
instead, to slide into the territory reserved for many a Nirvana
wannabe. They do it well, but even new single, Away From Me
(the first to emerge from the long-awaited second album) does
little to suggest they are anything other than a good replacement
for those greats. Lead singer, Wesley Scantlin, who is apparently
notoriously unkucky in love, once again dips into the angst-ridden
well to take another look at the failed relationship genre, with
the fiery guitars backing him up in suitably grandiose fashion.
It's good stuff, of course, designed to get your head shaking.
A welcome return. Click here
for the album...
 MUSE
- HYSTERIA: Muse continue to crank things up in their own
inimitable style, courtesy of this pulsating guitar-led rock opera,
which also evokes memories of the stadium-anthems Queen were so
revered for (and I Want It All, in particular!). The guitar
loops come thick and fast, taking your breath away at times, such
is their intensity; while Matt Bellamy's tortured vocals sound
as beautifully painful as ever. A more urgent record than Time
is Running Out, Hysteria is another excellent insight into
why the band's latest album rates among the finest of the year.
If you haven't got caught up in the Muse hysteria yet, then now
is the time... Click here
for our verdict on the album...
 THE
RAPTURE - SISTER SAVIOUR: The Rapture return with the second
single to emerge from their hugely acclaimed debut album, Echoes,
the disco-punk orientated Sister Saviour. One of the better
tracks on the long-player, Sister Saviour contains a far
more dance-orientated vibe than a lot of punk-based stuff coming
from New York, and feels funkier as a result. It is a trait which
appears throughout the album, and which is probably helping to
earn the band the good reviews they consistently seem to be attracting.
Remixes come courtest of Black Strobe, Tiefschwarz and NYC production
experts, the DFA, who have also provided a new extended version
of the album's title track. Click here
for our verdict on the album...
 M83
- 0078h: French electronica duo, M83 (aka Anthony Gonzalez
and Nicolas Fromageau) deliver a synth-laden insight into what
to expect from their acclaimed long-player, Dead Cities, Red
Seas and Lost Ghosts. At times hypnotic and trance-like, at
others driven by an electronic beat, 0078h is a vast, sweeping,
epic journey into the duo's ambient soundscapes, which frequently
thrills from the moment you first hear it. The track has been
likened to 'Mogwai recreating Joy Division', so you ought to know
what to expect. The single comes complete with a moody, and deeply
atmospheric, live version of the track, Gone, as well as
a classy remix of In Church, by Groom Disque label buddies,
Cyann and Ben. Click here
to order the album...
 DIDO
- LIFE FOR RENT: Dido releases the title track of her latest
album, Life for Rent, which marks something of a progression
from the bland White Flag, at least. Ever-reliant on her
trademark vocals, and softly, softly, approach, Life For Rent
finds the artist exploring her inner-self, courtesy of lyrics
such as 'If my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy/I just
earn nothing more than I get because nothing I have is truly mine'.
It's all terrifically emotional and breathy for the loved-up among
you, but it's the type of track, equally, which will have women
singing it for days, and the boys running for cover. Click here
for the album...
 EVAN
DANDO - IT LOOKS LIKE YOU: A rock-tinged country tune from
former Lemonheads frontman, Evan Dando, It Looks Like You is
a hit-and-miss affair, which disappoints more than it ultimately
delights. While it's refreshing to hear Dando back on the radio
again (and not sounding that different from the Lemonheads days,
vocally), the country aspects of the single become a little tiring,
making this a hugely missed opportunity to showcase what else
is on the album. We still hark back to the guitar vibe of tracks
such as It's A Shame About Ray and Into Your Arms.
Click here
for the album...
 BLACK
EYED PEAS - SHUT UP: Having broken through in spectacular
fashion (courtesy of Justin Timberlake's help) with the massive
number one, Where Is The Love, the Black Eyed Peas provide
a further demonstration of what they are about. Shut Up features
Will.I.Am, Taboo and Apl de Ap doing what they do best - rapping
- and while the result isn't quite as effective, or as endearing
as their former number one, it's still a good effort which should
stand them in good stead for future records, while confirming
that Where Is The Love was no mere fluke. The track is
taken from the well-received album, Elephunk. Click here
for the album..
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