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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, OCTOBER 27
 SINGLE
OF THE WEEK - ELBOW - FUGITIVE MOTEL: Elbow cap a memorable
year with this beautiful ballad, which arrives just at the right
time, ahead of their new tour dates (supporting Muse) and the
remixes, which are generating a fair bit of excitement among industry
insiders. Fugitive Motel, in itself, is a sincere and heartfelt
song from the heart, while the multi-CD formats include remixes
from the likes of hop-hopster RJD2, Andy Cato, of Groove Armada,
and Kinobe, on tracks such as Ribcage and Newborn.
The RJD2 mix is suitably laidback and funky, courtesy of some
neat snare drums, while Kinobe's mix of Ribcage is, quite
simply, wonderful. A must-own set for any fan of this Bury-based
outfit. Click here
for CD2, or here
for CD3/DVD. Click here
for a review of the album...
 UNDERWORLD
- BORN SLIPPY 2003: It's been ten years since Underworld burst
onto the scene with their breathtaking dance anthem, Born Slippy,
from the Trainspotting soundtrack. To celebrate the track's place
in music history, and to herald the arrival of the greatest hits
anthology, Born Slippy is given a makeover, with Rick's
2003 new edit coming across as an even more breathless dancefloor
filler, with an alternative type of piano. It's nowhere near as
good as the original, of course, but nowhere near as bad as it
could have been either. And even though Paul Oakenfold's Ibiza-driven
version is a little too gung-ho to warrant much affection, Atomic
Hooligan's electro-based rendition does require some of your attention,
particularly as it contains that synth chillout which made the
original so distinctive, and so loved. More interesting than essential.
Click here
for the anthology, or here
for the DVD, which featurds a special four-minute Trainspotting
video from Danny Boyle.
 JANE’S
ADDICTION - TRUE NATURE: The second single to emerge from
Jane’s Addiction’s Strays long-player cranks
it up a notch, as only the opening track on an album can. Though
not quite as addictive, for want of a better word, as Just
Because (the first single), this is still a powerhouse of
a record, with Perry Farrell's screaming vocals complimented neatly
by Dave Navarro's no-holds barred riffs. Roll on the forthcoming
gig dates, is all we can say! Click here
to order the album, or here
for tour news...
 FUTURE
KINGS OF SPAIN - HANGING AROUND: Xfm favourites, Future Kings
of Spain, seem to be quietly going about gaining a significant
following. Hanging Around is actually the third single
to emerge from the band’s eponymous debut album and, probably,
their finest to date. Taking longing and rejection as its themes,
the track then proceeds to deliver a blistering Brit-pop record,
one which positively thrives on the angry vocals and thrashing
guitars which are rapidly becoming the band’s trademark.
If anything, the grittier edge leant by the brooding guitars,
lend the band a better vibe than the over-hyped Thrills, who also
hail from Ireland. Bonus track, Where's The Kim, is a terrifically
brooding ballad, strengthened by its simple guitar riff, while
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is as glam-rocky as its title
(and the movie it is derived from) suggests. Click here
to order the long-player.
 PINK
- TROUBLE: Pink describes her latest as ‘more than just
an attitude song’, seemingly having progressed from that
type of thing as the release of her second album approaches. Yet
Trouble, while certainly a better than average pop rock out, from
one of the charts better performers, lacks the freshness and easy
appeal of the recent Charlie’s
Angels smash, Feel
Good Time. On that record, she teamed up with super-producer,
William Orbit, to winning effect; while this time around, it’s
Tim Armstrong (of punk band, Rancid) who takes the honours, and
the punk influence is easy to spot. Unfortunately, it failed to
make as big an impression on me. Click here
to pre-order the album...
 BRITISH
SEA POWER - REMEMBER ME: Ok, so this actually came out last
week, but we thought we'd catch up with it anyway (better late
than never!). The Brighton-based four piece, British Sea Power,
once again demonstrate why they continue to be recommended by
so many, thanks to another enticing blend of angst-ridden powerhouse
vocals, and equally fiery guitars. The vocals, especially, conjure
memories of Young Americans-era Bowie, mixed with Suede's Brett
Shaw, although the distinctly indie-based guitars, which wail
nicely throughout, ensure the track itself maintains its rock
focus. Bonus tracks, Salty Water and Good Good Boys,
confirm that there is much more to them than pure rock out, with
the former, especially, a beguiling blend of haunting guitars
and soaring vocals. If BSP continue to deliver music as good as
this, they could well be riding the crest of the wave pretty soon.
Click here
to order the album...
MONDAY, OCTOBER 20
 MARK
RONSON - OOH WEE: Mark Ronson is one of the biggest names
in music that almost no one has ever heard of. But that's about
to change. The producer/songwriter/DJ, who first made a name for
himself as a genre-hopping DJ with an ear for culture clashing
mixes, has decided to put out his own album, Here Comes The
Fuzz, and has effortlessly enlisted the help of some of the
biggest names in the industry to give it a little higher profile.
Hence, first single, Ooh Wee, arrives with the help of
Wu-Tang Clan members, Ghostface Killah and Nate Dogg, and emerges
as one of the most hip, feelgood and dowrnight funky records of
the moment. Think David Holmes, in party-mode, and you might be
approaching somewhere close to the cool that is being associated
with this record. We love it, cos it makes you want to shout,
Ooh Wee, whenever it's on! Click here
for the album, or here for
a feature on Ronson.
 KOSHEEN
- WASTING MY TIME: Kosheen continue to show why they are such
a highly-rated dance act, and how far they have moved on from
the heavy drum and bass that was associated with their last album.
Wasting My Time is far more relaxed, boasting another of
those distinctive choruses, a really chilled beat and some nicely
observed guitars. Lead singer, Sian Evans' powerful vocals remain
as haunting as ever, while the track itself provides another compelling
reason to go out and buy the long-player. Click here
to order the album.
 KINGS
OF LEON - WASTED TIME: The third single to emerge from Kings
of Leon's acclaimed Youth And Young Manhood long-player,
this finds the Tennessee foursome in somewhat repetitive mode,
courtesy of some uninspiring lyrics, a regular drum beat and some
routine guitar work. It's currently going down a storm on the
likes of Xfm, but I can't find the allure, and, like its title
suggests, this just might be a waste of time for anyone who might
be considering rushing out to buy it. ZZ Top were creating this
type of sound far better when they were first starting out. Click
here
for the album...
 DAMIEN
RICE - CANONBALL: Current Virgin Radio favourite, Damien Rice,
shows an incredibly assured touch when it comes to writing strong,
heartfelt records, with this folk-driven track, which screams
of personal anguish without every coming across too depressing.
Powerful lyrics are a feature of Rice's work, and this boasts
some gems, including the chorus of ‘Love/ Taught me to lie/
Life/ Taught me to die’, which gives way into ‘Love/
Taught me to cry’. It makes for a heady mix and one which
will probably have you baying to hear more from the acclaimed
debut album, O. Click here
to order...
 MR
SCRUFF - GIFFIN: Acclaimed DJ, Mr Scruff, gets remixed for
the release of Giffin, from the highly-acclaimed Trouser
Jazz long-player, and the result isn't as good as you might
think! The DJ Take Me Away radio edit, by Speechless, and
featuring Nke on vocals, is an ok mix of laidback, chilled beats
and soulful crooning, but you just know you have heard it done
better, while the album version merely serves to emphasise why
it should have been left alone. That said, the amalgamation
of soundz mix funks things up a little, and it is this version
which is likely to make he bigger impression on the club scene.
Click here
to order Trouser Jazz...
 SHERYL
CROW - FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST: As Sheryl Crow unveils her
greatest hits compilation, she also releases this single, a cover
of Rod Stewart's 1977 hit (which was written by Cat Stevens),
which certainly won't win any new fans, but continues the tradition
of what we have come to expect in suitably well-done style. The
harmony is as strong as ever, while Crow's powerful, distinctive
vocals are wrapped around the usual acoustic-driven country folk
of old. Competent, rather than spectacular, but one suspects the
true fans will wait and buy the album. Click here
to do so...
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 13
 AQUALUNG
- BRIGHTER THAN SUNSHINE: Aqualung is back with a beautiful
new single, Brighter than Sunshine. This new track is a
more confident and powerful than Aqualungs’ earlier work,
and shows development in Matt Hales' songwriting. Brighter
than Sunshine sees Hales’ delicate vocals supported by
sliding strings, that are reminiscent of George Martin’s
Beatles arrangements. With lyrics like ‘freedom in my soul,
love burns brighter than sunshine’, you can’t help but
feel good to this simple, joyful love song. Click here
for more details about the album.
 BONOBO
- FLUTTER: The shuffling beats of Bonobo, aka DJ Simon Green,
get a welcome outing for Flutter, a completely chilled
out, effortlessly feelgood reminder of just how great his latest
album, Dial M for Monkey,
really is. This one fuses the finest hip-hop beats with some typically
choice sitars, and keeps things upbeat and uptempo throughout.
It doesn't seem long ago that we were hailing Bonobo's work on
the smaller, Tru-Thoughts label. Now he has joined the higher-profile,
pioneering Ninja Tune, his range has been extended. The Fourtet
remix of Pick Up, with its retro-Seventies funky vibe,
and Lalo Schiffrin-esque pianos and shuffles, is neatly made over,
while Something (Longer) for Windy, with its haunting whistles
and mellow guitars, is another reason why the album should be
added to your collection right now, if it hasn't been already.
Click here for a review
of the album.
 REM
- BAD DAY: A glorious throwback to old-school REM, which effortlessly
evokes memories of crowd-pleasers such as It's The End of the
World As We Know It, Bad Day is an excellent way to announce
the arrival of a greatest hits LP. Fun, feelgood and downright
sing-along, Bad Day is the type of record which comes along
and brightens up even the worst kind of day. Michael Stipe's vocals
are typically strong, and typically distinctive, making this a
safe bet for instant classic status among fans and non-fans alike.
It should make the promotion for the greatest hits compilation
all the more easier, as it easily reminds you of why the band
are such shiny, happy people. A blast with a terrific nod to the
past.
 SUPER
FURRY ANIMALS - HELLO SUNSHINE: Hello Sunshine is the
second track to emerge from the Super Furry's highly-acclaimed
Phantom Power album and is brilliant proof of why the band continues
to generate such warmth among listeners. Laidback to the point
of being horizontal, the single contains elements of Cocteau Twins,
early on, before giving way into the type of Beatles-inspired,
Sixties-set psychedelia that makes it such a strong listen. It
is also a little more serene and pensive than usual, marking the
maturity which runs throughout the album. The type of track which
is difficult not to fall in love with. Click here
for a review of the album.
 50
CENT - P.I.M.P. - The 50 Cent phenomenon continues to grow
with this third single to emerge from the hugely successful hip-hop
album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Featuring the high-profile
presence of Snoop Dogg, as well as a steel drum (in reflection
to 50 Cent's Jamaican roots, where he was born), it is a typically
addictive hip-hop affair, laden with attitude and hard-hitting
lyrics - this time concerning his preference for money over women,
as they come and go. Dogg's presence elevates the track to somewhere
approaching the status of In Da Club, although the overall
feel of this record is far more laidback than previously. Click
here
for the album.
 SUGABABES
- HOLE IN THE HEAD: The Sugababes continue to be at the very
top end of the pop record medium, largely because of their ability
to consistently flirt with different styles, which enables them
to feature as prominently on the Xfm playlist, as it does Capital
FM's. Their Numan/Adina Howard mash-up of Freak Like Me
set the template and helped to ensure that Angels
With Dirty Faces was a huge crossover success. And Hole
in the Head, the first track to emerge from the forthcoming
Three long-player, is pretty much the same, although a
little more straight-forwardly pop in outlook. That said, the
'skanking' acoustic guitar sample adds a somewhat indie edge,
while the trance elements help to ensure that the appeal will
be as widespread as usual. Click here
to pre-order the album.
 THURSDAY
- SIGNALS OVER THE AIR: A female alternative to the type of
rock track we have come to expect from Hundred Reasons, Thursday's
Signals Over The Air is a suitably fired up power-ballad,
which somehow fails to engage as strongly as the opening moments
suggest it might. Perhaps it is down to the somewhat strained
vocals, or the humdrum nature of the music, but you just come
away with the feeling that you've heard this too many times before
- and done better.
 EMMA
BUNTON - MAYBE: Emma B attempts to appeal to a sort of French
chic more associated with the Marilyn Monroe era (especially if
you've seen the video), but really comes up short on this one.
It's the type of flirtatious pop record designed to appeal to
the likes of Capital FM's Dr Fox, and the teenie crowd who'll
no doubt find themselves bopping along to it, but which really
sounds like the manufactured nonsense it actually is. Emma Bunton
doesn't have a bad voice, but this is just too trite and polished
to do it justice. It'll probably be huge, of course, but then
there's not really any accounting for taste these days.
DAVID GUETTA - JUST A LITTLE MORE LOVE: Another electronic
dance number with a strong 80s vibe, featuring the vocals of Chris
Willis, is a somewhat tired affair, that has already gone down
well in the dance clubs of Ibiza, but which does very little in
the way of making you want to listen to it more than once. This
is everything an indie fan has come to hate about the mainstream,
content merely to play to an established formula. Overly repetitive
and completely soulless, and we're not even talking about the
Elektro edit or eight-minute marathon that is the Wally Lopez
remix. Give it a wide berth. Click here
to order.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6
STROKES - 12:51: The Strokes are hotter than hot at the moment,
and their forthcoming album, Room on Fire, looks set to
be every bit as strong as their debut, if the strength of this
first single is anything to go by. 12:51 marks something
of a progression for the band, with a sweeter melody drifting
throughout, the guitar melodies remaining as strong as ever, and
Tarquin Casablancas-Littleton’s vocals content to remain
in the background a little more, allowing the music itself to
shine through. As a result, the single sounds far more breezy
than previous efforts, thereby ensuring an even wider listener
appeal. Click here
to pre-order the album.
 BLUR
- GOOD SONG: The latest single to emerge from Blur’s
excellent Think Tank long-player
is further proof of why the album remains one of the most consistently
enjoyable of the year. Effortlessly feelgood in a simplistic way,
the track finds Damon Albarn in a breezy, almost surreal mood,
spouting lyrics such as 'TV's dead and there ain't no war/in my
head'. The mellow bass lines and sweet horns are also expertly
realised, making the absence of Graham Coxon less noticeable than
on previous tracks. Another class act.
 SUEDE
- ATTITUDE: Suede deliver a timely reminder of why they continue
to be so highly-regarded within the UK music industry. Attitude
is a glorious throwback to the band’s early days, when singles
such as Animal Nitrate catapulted them into the limelight. So
while more recent material has been something of a disappointment,
this remains an excellent way of heralding the arrival of the
Greatest Hits compilation, as well as the forthcoming UK tour
dates. With this, and the ICA dates behind them, it seems Suede
have stamped their authority on the UK music map once again. Click
here
to pre-order the greatest hits, or here
for more information on the album and forthcoming tour.
 BEYONCE
feat SEAN PAUL - BABY BOY: Following up the phenomenal success
of Crazy in Love was always going to be a tall order for
Beyonce but, to be fair, Baby Boy isn’t a bad effort.
Produced by former Dr. Dre protégé, Scott Storch,
the song makes the most of the singer’s breathy vocal style,
and Sean Paul’s monotone, by wrapping them around a dancehall
bass arrangement, some nice Eastern strings, and some clicktrack
drums. It won’t match the runaway success of the previous
single, but it will be massive nonetheless. Click here
to order the album.
 JOE
STRUMMER AND THE MESCALEROS - COMA GIRL: Joe Strummer, former
singer/songwriter of The Clash and punk icon, may sadly have passed
away on December 22, 2002, at the age of 50, but his memory lives
on thanks to the release of the first single to be taken from
his final album, Streetcore, with new band, The Mescaleros.
It’s an affectionate rock ballad, penned as a tribute to
Strummer's 17-year-old daughter, Lola, which sounds all the more
poignant given the significance it now holds. It is also one of
the stand-out tracks on the album. One for the Strummer fans to
cherish. Click here
to pre-order the album.
 THRICE
- ALL THAT’S LEFT: Another of those angst-ridden, tortured
songs which appeals to every teenager finding their way in love,
Thrice’s first single to emerge from the Artist In The
Ambulance long-player is an intriguing affair, which offers
plenty of promise for the future, without really sounding like
anything new. Musically accomplished, and suitably pain-ridden,
with lyrics such as ‘we tried to bleed the sickness/But we
drained our hearts instead/We are the dead', this should appeal
to the tortured souls among you. Click here
to order the album...
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