Calling All Killers
Alan Smith vs a Mega Tsunami
Nick Harrison Something Special
A feel good track in the vein of The Zutons or Mystery Jets, Something
Special has a catchy chorus that suggests big things beckon,
whatever that may mean. It terms of musical style, its clearly
a lightweight version of Arctic Monkeys or The Automatic. The production
of Paul Epworth is very evident, giving that clever combination of sounding
both polished and haphazard at the same time. On the evidence of this
one song, its a bit too undemanding to get me excited, but it
will be interesting to see what else he comes out with. If he can put
together an album with both single material like this and a few more
eclectic and diverse tracks it really could be Something Special indeed.
www.nickharrisonsongs.com.
Late Of The Pier Bathroom Gurgle
Although Id heard the name, it occurred to me upon placing this
CD in my player that I hadnt actually heard anything by Late Of
The Pier. This has clearly been my misfortune, as they prove to be a
very intriguing prospect. This re-release single is quite simply bonkers.
It veers all over the place, from squeaky but epic sounding ballad-y
bits, to frantic hands-in-the-air Klaxons shout-y bits, to warped electronic
bits to 80s classic dance bits; it really does have it all in one single.
And Im a sucker for a single that doesnt sound at all like
a single. Its modern, diverse, inventive and enticing. Like a
modern day Pink Floyd gone clubbing with MGMT. And whilst Klaxons comparisons
are commonplace, its sufficiently different, and in fact quite
removed from their sound, to stand-alone proudly. In fact, its actually
inspired me enough that Im going to track down the debut album
ASAP.
www.lateofthepier.com.
The Raid Oh Lillee
Primal Scream from their rock days crossed with rockier early Stereophonics,
sadly forgotten could-have-beens Kinesis and, dare I say it, even a
splash of the Manics. This is pace, angsty, earnest rocknroll,
all frantic riffs and cymbal smashing. How can anyone dislike a band
with such straight-up honesty? No clever tricks, just a yearning to
give it their all, which they certainly do. A song to cheer you up and
get you dancing, I cant see The Raid disappointing with this or
any of their future tracks as they obviously have the knack for rhythmically
pleasing inventions. www.myspace.com/wearetheraid
Grammatics The Vague Archive
Grammatics play furiously with a vocal range that flits about seemingly
randomly. Theyve gone for a crazed approach that leaves you trying
to pick out exactly where the song has gone. I get the feeling they
are being quirky for quirkys sake rather than actually knowing
what they are trying to achieve. Its all a bit of a mess really,
like Keane off their meds attempting to play 20 songs in 3 minutes.
The full version has a nice gentle calming bit at the end that doesnt
fit with the rest of the song. Sadly this has been removed from the
radio edit, which never manages to carve out any coherent sense of identity.
The musical equivalent of your friend who talks so fast you loose track
of what theyre talking about. Slow down boys. www.myspace.com/grammatics
Inertia Blooms Mega Tsunami
The word Tsunami was abandoned out of irrational fear after the famous
one. My mums favourite puzzle magazine changed its name, as did my unis
swim team. Strange given that its simply the name of a naturally
occurring weather phenomenon. Im sure the Manics would have been
happy to still play Tsunami. But I digress. What Im getting at
is that there really arent enough songs called Mega Tsunami. None
in fact. This song is not something destined to create great waves;
against all expectations this is a gentle little instrumental that turns
out (5 of 7 minutes in) to not be an instrumental at all. I wish it
hadnt turned out this way as the nasal vocals are superfluous
and add nothing of note. Second track Pilgrims & Monuments is heavier
with a Smashing Pumpkins style largely created by the guitar sound.
The vocals are more in line with Pearl Jam and a million other American
acts. It has 4 minutes of song and then 4 minutes of instrumental tacked
on the end. A fairly brave and novel step that I applaud. Final track
Mexicant is similar, but not quite as good. www.inertiablooms.com.
Silversky Calling All Killers
A solid effort this and relatively straightforward to describe. There
are 3 catchy little songs that tread familiar indie territory with immediate
appeal providing no challenge to the listener. This is not necessarily
a bad thing. However second track We Should Be Dead has vocals that
are less Morrissey style, more so identikit they sound like a rip off
or pastiche. He even does that rolling letters thing. If they want to
be taken seriously, this needs some serious toning down. www.silversky.info.
By Alan Smith
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