| 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 13
 SINGLE
OF THE WEEK 1: BLINK 182 - ALWAYS: Blink 182 provide
another remarkable example of their growing maturity as singer-songwriters
with this delightful track, Always. A ballad to rival
the brilliance of I Miss You, both of which appear on
the self-titled lastest album, Always is evidence that
there is more to Travis Barker, Mark Hoppus and Tom Delonge than
mere guitar-bashing rock (as fun as that was), making the track
an almost dead cert for a soundtrack filler at some point. Delonge's
vocals are as memorable as they were on I Miss You, which
should serve to ensure a bright future for the band in the long-term,
as well as a surefire crowd-pleaser during the forthcoming live
shows.
Buy
the album l Blink
182 Tour Edition
 SINGLE
OF THE WEEK 2 - ZUTONS - CONFUSION: The final single
of the year from The Zutons confirms what everyone suspected in
the first place - that this is one cool band. Deservedly nominated
for the Mercury Music
Prize, The Zutons have consistently delighted with their choice
of single from their album, Who Killed The Zutons?, and
Confusion is no exception. A slower-paced track than
Don't Ever Think (Too Much), it showcases a much more
thoughtful, even poignant side to the Scousers who can rightly
lay claim to the accolade of being the best things to emerge from
Liverpool since The La's. If you haven't already discovered Who
Killed The Zutons?, then the recently re-issued and re-packaged
version should make it on to your Christmas list.
Order
the album
 THE
FEATURES - LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND: Tennessee-based quartet,
The Features, have been credited with the ability to rock like
The Buzzcocks and look like Kings of Leon, without the beards
(ironically, they are set to support them, too), yet they have
a sound that is most definitely their own. Leave It All Behind
is a rocky, upbeat and totally infectious effort, taken from their
debut album, Exhibit A, which will be released next year,
that provides an excellent showcase for Matt Pelham's sweet, edgy
vocal style, and Roger Dabbs' grand organs. It's a sweeping affair
that could well become an anthem for the outfit, and which will
certainly go down a storm during their upcoming live shows. On
the strength of this, Exhibit A looks to be well worth
checking out.
Pre-order
the album
 ELLIOTT
SMITH – PRETTY (UGLY BEFORE): A wonderfully melancholic
song that comes tinged with tragedy, Elliott Smith’s Pretty
(Ugly Before) is an excellent example of why his final album,
From A Basement On The Hill, is so highly-regarded. Beautifully
poignant, emotionally resonant and stunningly conceived, with
some fine guitar riffs giving away to some low-key piano, this
is Smith at his best. The vocals, too, are as tender and aching
as we had come to expect. Sadly, Smith wasn’t alive to hear
the accolades bestowed upon the posthumous release of his album,
having taken his own life. He is a rich talent who, ironically,
looks set to be considered as such only after his death. If you
haven’t already heard the album, then waste no time. It’s
one of the year’s best efforts.
Album review
l Order
the album
 KATIE
MELUA - BELFAST/MY APHRODISIAC IS YOU (DOWNLOAD ONLY): Two
songs from Katie Melua’s award-winning album, Call Off
The Search, are being released as download singles from today.
The self-penned Belfast (Penguins and Cats) and the ever-popular
My Aphrodisiac Is You will be available exclusively through
iTunes from December 13 – 19 after which the songs will
be retailed through other online sites. In addition, a special
version of ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’
will be available as a bonus song - Katie is performing this song
on ITV1’s Christmas Mania. Both of the main two efforts
provide an excellent showcase of Melua's dusky style, which puts
her alongside Norah Jones as one of the premier singer-songwriters
of modern times. Remarkably, just 12 months ago Katie had only
just released her debut album. Since then she has sold five times
platinum in the UK and has become the highest selling artist of
the year. Call Off The Search topped the album charts for six
weeks and earned gold and platinum awards around the world. She
sold out the Royal Albert Hall after only three days on sale,
toured the States, performed in The Kremlin, appeared on Good
Morning America and on The Brits and most recently lent her support
and voice to the Band Aid 20 recording of Do They Know It’s
Christmas. Each of the three songs is available separately,
priced at 79p, or they can be purchased as a three-song download
bundle for a total price of £1.99. For my money, the playful,
sexy My Aphrodisiac Is You is the best bet.
Order
the album l Katie
Melua website l Download
the tracks
 DAMIEN
RICE - THE BLOWER'S DAUGHTER: Hey everyone, it's Damien
Rice, looking to do for his Christmas number one prospects what
Gary Jules did last year - namely, deliver a haunting love song.
Taken from his triple platinum album, O, the song has
emerged as one of the more popular tracks (especially live), yet
bears an uncanny similarity to previous Rice material. It's accomplished,
well-written, worthy, etc, etc, but it could do with an injection
of something more cheery. Rice fans will no doubt lambast me for
saying so, but there is something a little too professional about
this guy. Of the bonus tracks, his rendition of Silent Night,
just in time for Christmas, is probably the most notable, given
that it's composed and performed by his muse, Lisa Hannigan. The
track itself appears on the soundtrack of the upcoming Jude Law
film, Closer, which co-stars Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman and
Clive Owen and is out in January.
Order
the album l Closer preview
 ELECTRIC
SIX - RADIO GAGA: Having never really been a fan of Electric
Six thus far, the idea of hearing them cover Queen's classic Radio
GaGa filled me with trepidation. Yet, in spite of my misgivings,
their cover is actually quite good; not a patch on the original,
of course, but certainly a worthwhile revisit that rocks things
up considerably, courtesy of some sprawling guitar bursts. Dick
Valentine's gutsy vocals are no match for Freddie Mercury's but
they're a little less glam than usual, and the track still retains
that same sense of fun about it (making it ideal for the party
season). Indeed, when Electric Six start singing the anthem-style
chorus, 'all we hear is, Radio GaGa, Radio GaGa', I defy
you not to want to start singing along with it. For purists of
the band, there is even a live version of Gay Bar, a former cult
hit, that pretty much epitomises all that I didn't like about
them.
 LUCKY
JIM - LESBIA EP: Brighton-based duo, Lucky Jim (comprised
of singer/guitarist, Gordon Graham, and drummer/producer, Ben
Townsend) deliver their version of a Christmas present/reminder
of good things past. The duo's debut album, Our Troubles End
Tonight, rated among the most under-stated, undiscovered
gems of the year, and this EP provides evidence of why. Lesbia,
itself, is a wonderfully melancholic number that provokes memories
of Dylan, while eschewing all the values of top-quality, heartfelt
songwriting. But it comes complete with a well-observed cover
of the Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley classic, Hallelujah,
and the exclusive track, Somewhere Up Ahead. It provides
a nice Xmas treat for fans of the duo, while offering the uninitiated
a chance to discover what they might have missed. It's certainly
worth the discovery.
Album review l
Order
the album
 MORRISSEY
- I HAVE FORGIVEN JESUS: Only Morrissey could release
a Christmas single by the name of I Have Forgiven Jesus,
containing lyrics such as 'I have forgiven Jesus for all the desire
he placed in me / When there's nothing I can do with this desire",
and, 'Monday: humiliation / Tuesday: suffocation / Wednesday:
condescension / Thursday: is pathetic / By Friday life has killed
me'. He also appears in the video dressed as a priest, to stoke
the flames of controversy. Sensationalism aside, however, the
track isn't one of the better moments to be taken from his You
Are The Quarry album and marks a return to the whiney, tedious
vocal style that makes so much of his solo material depressing.
The hammond organ which drives it is cool, however, and it's easy
to see why the tracks on this album have helped to deliver Morrissey
his biggest success in years. The single also contains 3 b-sides
that will not be available anywhere except on these formats.
Album review l Order
the album
 GOLDIE
LOOKIN' CHAIN - YOU KNOWS I LOVE YOU: The Welsh hip-hop
collective seem to be getting themselves everywhere at the moment,
without doing anything to convince me of their charm. Hot on the
heels of Your Mother's Got A Penis, comes another novelty
effort, You Knows I Love You, which is supposed to represent
the collective's view of the culmination of alcohol and scantily
clad ladies in nightclubs across the world. Released specifically
for the Christmas period, the song is designed to leave listeners
with the haunting memories of the alcohol-induced mishaps that
occur at Christmas parties. It might also leave them scratching
their heads in a few years' time as to why they bought it. It's
a poor show that this represents one of the better tracks on their
Greatest Hits album.
Album review
l Order
the album l Audio/video
 LOOSE
CANNONS - GOT IT ALL WRONG: Having impressed with their
singles, I Like It When Ya and Superstars, The
Loose Cannons release Got It All Wrong from their funky
album, Make The Face. It's a big beat dance extravaganza,
featuring a feisty set of female vocals, warped air raid sirens,
and plenty of keyboards, that really should have you swinging.
It's not the best track on the album - which features a mixture
of dance styles - but it does provide enough of a feel-good vibe
to go down well this party season, while also dropping in a timely
hint about the album as people think about what they might want
for Christmas.
Album review l Order
the album
GENE - LET ME MOVE ON: Gene have been away for
quite a while, but return with a glorious indie throwback in the
form of the chiming anthem, Let Me Move On. Compared
to the likes of The Smiths in their heyday, Gene have sometimes
struggled to emerge from that tag, but go some way to doing that
with this lush track. The sweeping melodies are intact, as ever,
while lead singer, Martin Rossiter's vocals are aching, yet not
too much so - making the song about yearning to move on a little
more uplifting that we might have expected. Given the current
Britpop revival that's sweeping all before it at the moment, it's
good to find that some of its brightest acts have returned with
it. With Let Me Move On, Gene provide an excellent reminder
of why they were loved by so many.
Order
the single
THE ALARM - CLOSE: The third single to be taken
from The Alarm's comeback album, In The Poppyfields,
is a lively affair that should go down a storm during their support
slots for Status Quo. Containing some hard-rocking guitars, and
a 'la, la, la, la'-style chorus, it's an easy listening affair
that showcases the best of the album, while recalling the band's
catchy style. With this in mind, however, it struggles by comparison
with some of the better bands producing this sort of thing and
is neither too lightweight enough to feature prominently in the
charts, or too alternative enough to appeal to the indie listener
base. Rock fans might think it has more in common with soft-core
Bryan Adams than
it does with anything worthwhile. It's pleasant enough while on
the radio, but quickly forgotten thereafter.
 SANDRA
McCRACKEN - NO MORE TEARS: Hailed as Nashville's 'best-kept
secret', Sandra McCracken boasts a folk-rock style that provokes
easy comparisons with Sheryl Crow. As a result, listening to her
is not as tedious as the headline on her PR - 'added to Radio
2 playlist - suggests. No More Tears is taken from her third album,
Best Laid Plans, and is a catchy blend of folk-pop that
ought to go down a storm among fans of this sort of genre. The
track is reflective and intimate, yet never forgets to have fun,
containing an infectious energy that could well provide McCracken
with the UK breakthrough she would clearly relish. Interestingly
enough, McCracken gew up as the youngest of five children in a
music-loving family, and began writing her own lyrics while sitting
in her English literature class. When her first self-penned song
was performed by her fellow students to the entire school 'something
clicked' and she felt that she had established her own identity
as both a writer and musician.
Order
the album
|
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 6
 BEASTIE
BOYS - AN OPEN LETTER TO NYC: The third track to emerge
from The Beastie Boys' latest album, To The Five Boroughs,
is a heartfelt ode to the Big Apple, which casts aside the politics
in favour of extolling the virtues of one of the world's greatest
cities. With lyrics such as 'dear New York, I hope you're doing
well... you've been through hell', it's clear that the hip-hop
collective hold their home-town in deep esteem (particularly as
the cover of the album features a sketch of the old skyline, Twin
Towers and all). The track also contains the old school vibe that
is prevelant throughout the album (it contains a sample of Sonic
Reducer by the Dead Boys) and provides an excellent reminder of
why these boys remain at the forefront of the hip-hop scene. It
is certainly on a par with previous singles, Ch-Check It Out
and Triple Trouble.
Album review l Order
the album l The albums of 2004
 ASH
- RENEGADE CALVACADE: Ash may have ventured into harder
rock territory with their last album, Meltdown, but they've
been largely content to stick to the lighter material from it
in single form. Renegade Calvacade is a classic case
in point, a masterly, slow-building anthem that epitomises the
feel-good nature of listening to Ash at their absolute best. The
track eventually gives way to a gushing crescendo of guitars and
wailing choruses, but it suits the tone well, and you can't help
but sing along to it, while jumping around the bedroom with your
air guitar. Tim Wheeler's vocals are as brilliant as ever, while
Charlotte Hatherley digs up yet more killer guitar hooks. An excellent
reminder of a great album.
Album review l Order
the album l Best albums of
2004
Real™
Low l Windows™
Low
 BENT
- FLAVOUR COUNTRY EP: Bent round off a terrific year,
following the release of their sublime album, Ariels,
with a cracking EP, which delivers fans three new tracks, plus
two second versions of a couple of the album's belters - namely,
I Can't Believe It's Over and The Water's Deep.
Bent are better known as Nail Tolliday and Simon Mills and their
progression has seen them dispensing with samples, for the most
part, and writing their own material. Needless to say, the EP,
like the album, is a daydream of great melodies, beats and vocals
that effortlessly ease you into a good mood. The album is well
worth checking out if you haven't done so already.
Album review l Order
the album l Albums of 2004
 MOUSSE
T - RIGHT ABOUT NOW: Having made a big impression with
Is It Cos I'm Cool (which came close to outdoing the
Fatboy Slim style),
Mousse T reunites with singer, Emma Lanford, for another infectious
dance anthem, to be taken from the terrific album of the same
name. Right About Now contains a distinctly Motown vibe
with some ultra-sassy vocals from the deeply soulful Lanford.
It's tailor-made to go down a storm during the upcoming party
season and should really bring some new fans to the Mousse T album,
which rates among the best dance albums of the year. Heck, you'll
want to be writing your name on that T-shirt as well. This is
a long way from the cheesy likes of Sexbomb and Horny that helped
Mousse T to make a name for himself. It's downright funky stuff.
Album review l Order
the album
THE SILENT LEAGUE - BREATHE: The Silent League
are a new outfit based out of Brooklyn, New York, who boast quite
an impressive line-up. Justin Russo, who provided the orchestral
keyboards on Mercury Rev's Deserter's Songs, sings and plays piano,
while the rest of the band is comprised of a Mercury Rev-er here,
and an Interpol member there. Breathe, which is being
released in a strictly limited edition (300 copies, hand-numbered)
is an excellent showcase of what to expect, a blissful slice of
orchestral pop that recalls the scope of early REM, the sun-drenched
melodies of The Beach Boys, and some wonderful slices of guitar.
The single is the first track to emerge from the critically-acclaimed
debut album, which should be winging its way to the UK in January,
having already attracted strong reviews States-side. Try and catch
the video, too - it features a man who falls in love with a melon
(further evidence of the band's quirky, surreal style). One suspects
that The Silent League won't be staying silent for very long.
Order
the single
REPUBLIC OF LOOSE - TELL MORE LIES: Dublin five-piece,
Republic of Loose, look to end the year on a high with the release
of Tell More Lies, from their debut album, This Is
The Tomb Of The Juice. It's a bluesy slice of laidback funk
that contains elements of many of their influences, who range
from the Stones, to Rick James and Michael Jackson, while also
sounding incredibly unique to boot. Having toured with The Zutons
in Ireland and played loads of festivals in the summer (including
Glastonbury), the band have recently completed a successful UK
mini-tour, including a date at London's Metro, which went down
well. Expect them to feature more prominently among the names
of 2005.
Order
the album
 LUDES
- RADIO: The Ludes have spent the past few months honing
their punk-skank brand of rock 'n' roll and this is the result.
A loud, frantic ska infected rock track that contains a typically
cocky swagger while taking the listener well into the world in
which the band inhabits - Camberwell, complete with dodgy bedsits,
broken TVs, AM radios and, crucially, the 'devil's music'. It's
a passionate affair that is strictly for the punk-rock crowd,
conjuring memories of The Faces in their heyday. Oh, and it was
produced by Chris Kimsey, who has also worked with The Rolling
Stones, Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh in his time. Bonus track, Spanish
Guitar, slows things down a little and plays up the ska,
coming across as a sort of Talking Heads meets Franz Ferdinand
hybrid. It's ok, but unlike Radio, not really worth tuning
into.
 ANNIE
- HEARTBEAT (FREE DOWNLOAD ONLY): Norwegian dance star,
Annie, has released a download-only version of Royksopp's Mindre
Tilgjengelige remix of her single, Heartbeat, which should
go down a storm for anyone who enjoys the same sort of silky smooth
vocals of the likes of Kylie and co. The presence of Royksopp,
needless to say, funks things up considerably, playing down the
pop and lending the song a genuinely cool vibe. What's more, it
doesn't sound too European. Heartbeat follows the success of Annie's
first single, Chewing Gum, which was another insanely
catchy disco-pop single, and which paved the way for an insanely
successful year for the artist. Djs already love using her tracks
on the dancefloor, while the single has been described by many
as one of the best pop efforts of the year. And things look set
to get brighter in 2005 - acclaimed fashion designer, Peter Jensen,
is currently working on a special Annie item that will be available
through the B-store, at 6 Conduit St, London, W1, while a single
version of Heartbeat will properly be released in February
with more remixes from the likes of Alan Braxe, Maurice Fulton
and Phones (featuring Maximo Park).
Download
the single
 JOHNNY
PANIC - CHEMICAL GIRLFRIEND: Having impressed hugely
with their last single, Burn Your Youth, Kerrang! favourites,
Johnny Panic return with the download-only single, Chemical
Girlfriend. The track is typical of the feel-good nature
of the East London-based band - all fiery lyrics and excellent
guitars, wrapped around some great hooks. The track will be available
to download as a single from December 5, 2004, through Barking
Dog Records via Concept music. It will cost 99p, with all money
raised going to RAPt – The Rehabilitation For Addicted Prisoners
Trust Charity. Speaking about the single, lead singer, Rob Solly,
explains that the song isn't about a girlfriend who takes drugs,
but 'the girlfriend is the drug'. While on his involvement with
RAPt, he adds: "The band are supporting RAPt as we strongly
believe that prisoners who are convicted & imprisoned for
crimes as a result of drug addiction need the same treatment for
drugs that addicts on the outside receive. There is no point locking
addicts up and not treating their addictions, as they will simply
re-offend to feed their addiction. RAPt gives society a chance
to not only give the prisoner a drug free future, but to reduce
crime and the victims of crime." It's a worthy track and
one we'd definitely recommend for the download treatment.
Order
Burn Your Youth
www.johnnypanic.com
www.rapt.org.uk
 MAROON
5 - SUNDAY MORNING: Maroon 5 cap a terrific year with
another great single from their album, Songs About Jane.
Having conquered the ballad in style with She Will Be Loved,
Adam Levine and co now toss in some jazz for Sunday Morning,
a chilled out track that marks yet another change of style for
the band. Produced by Matt Wallace (of Faith No More fame), the
track takes a trip through some classic soul, featuring both piano
and saxophone to compliment Levine's strong vocal style. The track
is not only evidence of how eclectic the album as a whole is,
but why it has proven so popular throughout the year. It also
comes back with some live tracks, recorded at the Hard Rock. There
would seem to be no stopping Maroon 5's rise at the moment.
Order
the album
 KYLIE
- I BELIEVE IN YOU: Kylie looks set to end the year on
a high with the release of her eagerly-anticipated collaboration
with the Scissor Sisters, I Believe in You. In truth,
it owes more in style to the pop princess than it does New York's
newest sensations, but it's an undeniably catchy track that should
feature quite prominently over the Christmas party season, as
well as ensuring another long-term success for the Australian
sensation. The track is a slow-tempo, dance-pop tune taken that
pretty much epitomises the best of the artist at present, and
it's taken from the recently-released career retrospective, Ultimate
Kylie.
Album review l Order
the album
NATASCHA SOHL – GIVE IT ALL AWAY: Having
recently released her debut album, London-based Natascha Sohl
now follows it up with her first single, Give It All Away,
a feisty, fiery intro that goes some way to justifying her tag
as 'Lenny Kravitz meets Alanis Morrisette'. Sadly, the same sense
of over-familiarity that hinders most of the album is present
in the single, which could easily be just another Alanis wannabe.
The vocals are gutsy and the guitar-playing enthusiastic, but
there is something missing. That said, the acoustic version of
album opener, Are You Ready, is probably Natascha at
her honest, heartfelt best, demonstrating what a strong set of
vocals she has – if only she were to use them better in
terms of the album. One gets the impression that Natascha could
have a very bright future, if only she would develop an identity
that is clearly her own.
Album review
l Order
the album l Order
the single
 ROBBIE
WILLIAMS - MISUNDERSTOOD: Having surprised many by his
change of style with Radio, Robbie Williams now returns
to crooner mode for his latest track, Misunderstood - a neat metaphor
for his own celebrity, as well as a companion piece to the new
Bridget Jones movie, The
Edge of Reason. Given that it appears on the latest, celebrity-filled
slush-fest of a soundtrack, expect a moody, heartfelt epic slice
of Robbie as the girls love him best. It's all hopelessly tailored
to the schmaltz, of course, making it one for the women only.
As ballads go, it suffers by comparison to the standard-bearers
of the year, Keane. But it does serve as a neat reminder that
Mr Williams also has a certain greatest hits offering out for
the festive season.
Film review l Buy
the Greatest Hits l Buy
the soundtrack
 PAUL
HOLT - 50 GRAND FOR CHRISTMAS: Star of X-Factor auditions,
Paul Holt, is the latest to jump on the novelty record band-wagon,
having become famous for being turned down by Simon Cowell. His
wretched Christmas offering is a comic rant designed to prompt
record-buyers into coughing up their hard-earned cash just so
that they can collectively stick two fingers up to a certain Mr
Cowell, after he infamously stated: "You get a record deal,
get a No. 1 single and I'll give you £50,000 myself."
Hence, the single is called 50 Grand For Christmas and,
having been signed to industry giant Sanctuary, Mr Holt is looking
forward to his pay day. The whole thing smacks of the same idea
behind Bill Nighy's idea in Love
Actually (which was done far better and for the right reason).
This is just another way of stretching the whole tiresome X-Factor/Pop
Idol thing to breaking point. The song is cheesy, crap and a waste
of the three or so minutes anyone spends listening to it. To coin
a catchphrase from a recent film poster, whoever
wins [this bet], we lose!
Editor's note: Bookies currently have him on
the same odds as Madonna and Robbie Williams – 12/1.
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