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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, MAY 26
 SINGLE
OF THE WEEK: RADIOHEAD - THERE, THERE: Radiohead have long
been hailed as the best thing since sliced bread - often without
reason. The delirium which greets any release has often confused
me, especially since there are many who believe they have yet
to recapture the brilliance of their best-known album, The Bends.
It comes as quite a surprise, therefore, to find that their latest
release, There, There, is our single of the week. Yet the
record marks something of a return to their roots, a guitar-driven,
drum-heavy rock track which retains the band's moody edge, without
veering into more exploratory territory. Thom Yorke's vocal style
remains as distinctive and as strong as ever, though slightly
less melancholic than usual, making this Radiohead's most mainstream
outing in ages. As a glimpse of what to expect from the new album,
Hail
to the Thief, this suitably gets the adrenaline pumping. More
of the same please!
 JUNKIE
XL feat. SOLOMON BURKE - CATCH UP TO MY STEP: Having leapt
into the dance limelight last year with the Elvis Presley, A
Little Less Conversation, chart-topper, Junkie XL comes close
to repeating the trick with Catch Up To My Step - another
collaboration, this time with living legend, Solomon Burke. Rip-roaring,
feisty, and virtually guaranteed to fill the dancefloors this
summer, this is a sweaty slice of big beat heaven, underpinned
by a heady guitar sample groove and those unmistakable vocals,
which build to a rousing, Blues-soaked chorus. It probably won't
repeat the phenomenal success of A Little Less Converation,
but it might come close and is always one to turn up when it's
on the radio. Terrific fun. Click here
to listen, here for more
on JXL, or here
to order the album.
 TURIN
BRAKES - AVERAGE MAN: Sung as an ode to Prime Minister Tony
Blair during the band's recent Brixton
live date, Average Man marks the third single to be taken
from the Ether Song long-player and is a typically impressive
combination of Olly Knights' intoxicating vocal style and Gale
Paridjanian's shimmering acoustic guitars. The song itself is
about reaching the point at which you realise you’ve reached
a point in your life when you can’t fulfil all your dreams
- which is ironic, really, given that the sky's the limit for
what this Balham-based duo look set to achieve. Another class
act from two of the greatest singer/songwriters of the moment.
The track also features an acoustic version of Where I've Been,
recorded during an XFM session. Click here
for a review of the album, or click here
to listen to the single...
 MARTINA
TOPLEY-BIRD - NEED ONE: Former partner and collaborator of
Tricky, Martina Topley-Bird makes her break for solo stardom with
this suitably feisty debut single, which shows a great deal of
promise and comes backed with some notable collaborations of her
own. Co-written and co-produced by Martina, Need One features
Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan from US alternative rockers, Queens
of the Stone Age, with Josh on guitar and ex-Screaming Tree’s
man, Mark, providing additional vocals. The guitars are as heavy
as you might expect, but the accompanying beat reveals Martina's
real roots, while her bluesy vocals lend the track a strangely
seductive feel. Roll on the debut album, later this year. Click
here to listen to the single, or
here for more Martina
details...
 BUSTA
RHYMES feat MARIAH CAREY - I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT: Yet another
in the seemingly endless line of hip-hop/r'n'b ballads (such as
Nelly and Kelly or Jaz-Z and Beyonce), Busta Rhymes' latest mixes
the gangsta attitude of old (albeit with a more sensitive side
to the rapper), with the 'sweet' sound of a typical Mariah Carey
single. It features another well-observed guitar loop, and boasts
lush production values (from Rick Rock), but you can't help but
feel, while listening, that this is merely trying to jump on the
cashcow that greets any of these type of singles. Okay in small
doses, but hardly ground-breaking and nothing new.
 BON
JOVI - ALL ABOUT LOVIN' YOU: It's been a long time since Bon
Jovi put anything decent out, and this tired ballad arrives like
one of those awkward love scenes in a Jerry Bruckheimer movie
(witness Armageddon or Pearl Harbor), with droll lyrics such as
'every time I look at you, I see something new', and the crap
chorus, 'I'm all about lovin' you'. Cringeworthy, dated and a
waste of any good listening time, expect it to crop up on the
soundtrack to some wretched rom-com, or worse, during the next
Bruckheimer-produced love scene, punctuating the action like an
unwanted burp.
MONDAY, MAY 19
 STELLASTARR*
- SOMEWHERE ACROSS FOREVER: Hotly-tipped New Yorkers, StellaStarr*
finally release their glorious UK debut, Somewhere Across Forever,
off the back of a couple of barnstorming London gigs. Fusing the
heavy guitar sound of several nu-wave acts, with a somewhat Eighties
feel that harks back to The Pixies and early Cure, Somewhere
Across Forever is the type of track which sounds great when
you first hear it, and then keeps getting better. You could almost
imagine it figuring on the soundtrack to an 80s movie such as
Pretty in Pink, and is an excellent introduction to one of the
bands of the moment.
 STEREOPHONICS
- MADAME HELGA: Continuing with their 'hard edge' and rocky
vibe, as exemplified with the previous likes of Vegas Two Times
and Mr Writer, this tune may go a bit further in converting
those who associate Stereophonics with their more trademark acoustic-based
songs. Turn it up... (Simon Pinion)
 AUDIO
BULLYS - THINGS/TURNED AWAY: Simon and Tom Audio Bully follow
up their top 20 debut single, We Don't Care, with another
accomplished slice of punk house that owes a lot of its style
to the likes of The Beloved in their heyday. Played to death on
stations such as Xfm and Radio One, Things is a defiantly
catchy record, which manages to veer from its rave basslines to
house, garage and even rock in places.
 OUTLANDISH
- GUANTANAMO: Denmark-based hip-hoppers, Outlandish, are comprised
of three members - Isam, from Morocco, Waqas, from Pakistan, and
Lenny from Honduras - and their sound represents a fusion of three
cultures with lyrics in English, Spanish, Urdu and Arabic. Debut
single, 'Guantanamo', a former Xfm breakfast show record of the
week, is an enticing mix of strings and laidback guitar, that
should appeal to the pop contingent as much as the alternative
crowd. Laidback and cool, this is an effortless listen and a very
promising debut from a hip-hop act with a difference.
 TANTALIZE
- BODY ROCKIN': The PR boasts that Tantalize are a trio of
stunning girls who will soon be enticing and exciting music lovers
across the nation with their fresh, in your face, pop-r 'n' b
sound. But while they may look enticing on the sleeve of the single
(and probably in the video), there is nothing exciting about the
single. Typical of the laborious sound of the charts at the moment,
this is sub-Sugababes, sub-All Saints, sub-Destiny's Child and
sub-standard. And as for the notion there is anything in 'yer
face about the record, forget about it. This is designed to appeal
to the early teens only and will have you reaching for the button
marked 'off' long before it reaches its limp conclusion. Second
track, Green with NV, attempts to toughen things up with a dirtier
beat and some scratching, but it's still a long way off realising
the all-girl attitude it is clearly striving for.
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MONDAY, MAY 12
 NADA
SURF - INSIDE OF LOVE: Having greatly impressed with their
last single, Hi-Speed Soul, California's Nada Surf return
with another cracking example of why they are so highly rated,
critically, but under-rated by the masses. Less Weezer-sounding
than previous efforts, Inside of Love owes itself much
more to a more rocky version of Travis, with Matthew Caws' powerful
vocals drawing favourable comparisons with Scotland's finest.
Best described as an acoustic rock ballad, that nicely offsets
the sun-drenched, post-grunge sound of the rest of the album,
this single is finally beginning to generate some of the radio
play it so richly deserves and, if there is any justice, should
help to win Nada Surf the wider fanbase their music warrants.
Click here
to buy the album.
 SHED
SEVEN - WHY CAN'T I BE YOU? Shed 7 have hung in there, although
their fan base may not have widened over the last few years, tunes
like this show them at their best, and make you wonder why they're
not a household name. It is a track which harks back to their
glory days. I bet they'd like to ask this song's title to Oasis...
(Simon Pinion)
 LESS
THAN JAKE - SHE'S GONNA BREAK SOON: SKA punkers, Less Than
Jake, deliver a relentlessly upbeat slice of anarchic mainstream
rock, which should appeal to any fans of Blink 182 or early Sum
41. Fast, furious, but fun, this comes complete with a hopelessly
catchy chorus and some neat trumpet midway through, making it
a slightly more refined record than anything so far released by
the aforementioned two. And with two cracking bonus tracks, The
Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out (featuring Billy Bragg) and
ASAOK, which lend the band a Green Day vibe, it is little
wonder to find the presence of former GD producer, Rob Cavallo,
as a noticeable presence on the record. With a new album on the
way soon, it's a great time to be a LTJ fan, so click here
for more details of the long-player and tour, or click here
to listen to the record in our AV room.
 DEFTONES
- MINERVA: Hugely anticipated by any Deftones fan (it's been
two years since the last single), this typically dark slice of
metal will probably be hailed as another work of genius by followers
of the outfit but, to me, it lacks the accessibility of, say,
a Limp Bizkit or Soundgarden classic. The track is produced by
Terry Date, who has worked with both of the previous two bands,
and opens with a deceptively slow guitar riff, before unleashing
into its trademark barrage of grunge/metal guitars, drums and
brooding vocals - albeit with a quiet lull in the middle. Atmospheric
and furious it may be, but this is one strictly for the metallers.
The bonus track, Sleepwalk, provides an interesting alternative
to the rage, but keep this on long enough, and sleepwalking is
the last thing you'll be doing. Click here
to pre-order the album, or here
for Deftones news.
 LISA
SCOTT-LEE - LATELY: Former Steps singer, Lisa Scott-Lee makes
her solo break with this distinctly average slice of pop-dance
crossover, that is likely to appeal to its target audience of
teeny-boppers. Vocally, Scott-Lee owes much of her style to Moloko's
lead singer, while the production values evoke memories of the
Minogue sisters, without as much of the flair. The best that can
be said for it is that, at least, the song has come from the pen
of the artist herself, which is never a bad way to announce a
solo start. But with remixes which range from the bland to the
switch off, this belongs firmly in the bin marked for most of
Capital FM's 'artists of the moment'.
MONDAY, MAY 5
 DANDY
WARHOLS: WE USED TO BE FRIENDS: The Dandy Warhols return with
a cracking first single from the new album, Welcome
to the Monkey House, which looks set to propel them further
into the mainstream than ever before (and rightly so). We Used
To Be Friends is one of those instantly likeable tracks, featuring
some trademark tight bass, some fresher electronic influences,
and a cracking chorus from Courtney Taylor-Taylor. As fresh and
exciting as Bohemian Like You was when first released, let us
only hope that no advert seizes upon it. A welcome return from
one of the great bands of the moment, even if the bonus track
cover versions of Relax and Blondie's Call Me do
little but add kitsch value to the single.
 FEEDER
- FORGET ABOUT TOMORROW: Fresh from supporting Coldplay on
their recent tour, Feeder return with the fourth single to be
taken from their acclaimed Comfort
in Sound album, which only narrowly misses out on our single
of the week slot. Sweeping, wistful and completely addictive,
Forget About Tomorrow, is a day-dream of a single, driven
by some typically solid guitars, a nice strings-based underscore
and some typically impressive vocals from Grant Nicholas. Off
the back of the equally feelgood, Just The Way I'm Feeling,
this really puts Feeder up there among the best bands of the moment,
and provides another compelling reason as to why you should own
the album. And, as if to emphasise how far the band has come since
the death of its drummer, bonus tracks, Lose The Fear and
Tinseltown (acoustic) are similarly excellent - both heartfelt
and enchanting.
 GOOD
CHARLOTTE - GIRLS AND BOYS: US punk-rockers, Good Charlotte,
follow-up the addictive Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
with another inconsequential but fun slice of chart-friendly rock,
which ought to cement their reputation as one of the better bands
to emerge from across the pond. Girls and Boys sounds like
it belongs on the soundtrack to one of the 80s Brat-pack movies
such as St Elmos Fire or About Last Night, particularly drawing
its retro-verses, before unleashing into the type of chorus that
evokes memories of the Blur track of the same name, albeit rockier.
Expect it to deliver another massive hit for them.
 ANDROIDS
- DO IT WITH MADONNA: More of a gimmick, than a single, this
is the type of track which puts a smile on your face when first
heard (because of its cheeky value), but then dates really quickly.
In short, it is the type of track you buy when you're young and
then find yourself wondering why, years later. Described as a
tongue-in-cheek ode to the world's most iconic pop star, Do
It With Madonna marks the first foray into the UK record scene
from Australian rockers, The Androids, who are apparently generating
quite a buzz States-side. Sadly, their inability to sound unlike
any other punk-rock band of the moment renders them a little tired
from the outset - although the idea of coaxing Madonna into bed
with Kylie, as suggested in the cheeky lyrics, does manage to
raise all manner of possibilities...
 SNAP
- RHYTHM IS A DANCER: The biggest selling UK single of 1992,
Snap's Rhythm is a Dancer gets a timely revival for the
Ibiza-bound dance crowd this Summer. For sheer retro value alone,
this provides a glorious nostalgia trip and retains a timeless
energy reserved for all of the classic singles. A remix comes
from CJ Stone, which merely serves to pump up the basslines and
make it appear more contemporary, but the original is still king
and well worth revisiting.
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