My Little Problem ...
Alan Smith gets in with the new
The Academy - Album
It's time for a return to pop rock music from the 90's. The Academy,
presumably named to sit themselves next to the inexplicably popular
The Academy Is (maybe hoping that parents might pick up the wrong CD),
make light Blink 182 music but infinitely cheesier. For some reason,
they thought it would be a good idea to sing in a needlessly high pitched
nasal voice for the majority of their songs. I assume this is them wishing
to show off their chorister pasts, but it isn't really appropriate or
pleasant with what is meant to be rock music. Use of distortion on their
voices is the final straw, making them just about unlistenable. A laugh
is to be gained from their novel spelling of "Parrallel".
Their PR makes a great deal of how AMAZINGLY popular on Myspace they
are. This is somewhat hard to believe, as I can't really think of anyone
whom this music would appeal to. I'd rather listen to Busted. www.myspace.com/theacademy.
Bedouin Soundclash - 12:59 Lullaby
I first saw Bedouin Soundclash supporting The Ordinary Boys last year
and was rather impressed with what I heard. In a lot of ways they did
a much better job of building on the ska music of the past, that they
clearly love, than The Ordinary Boys did. And I'm always a sucker for
a good pop song by a decent guitar band. This is their new single and
it's a little disappointing. As an album track it would be fine, but
it's a gentle acoustic
well lullaby, and really isn't much use
as an idea of what the album will sound like. As a band statement of
intent, or a bid for radio play, it fails. It is however very agreeable
to listen to, but could really have been performed by anyone with a
guitar and the ability to write a tune. Here's hoping there's some more
upbeat creations on the album. www.bedouinsoundclash.com.
Breed77 - Blind
My promo copy of the new Breed77 single comes with a much appreciated
promotional beer mat. This is heavy-ish rock music, making my life rather
tough. But it isn't really that bad, I can even hear the words! "When
I open my eyes I'm in the dark", one rather confusing line I could
pick out easily. But once we near the end they give in and have a good
old roar. But then they start singing in what I think is Spanish. How
bizarre. As a song it never really does anything, or changes pace at
all, but then I don't think their fans would want it too. For what it
is (something I don't like) it's probably quite good!
The Librarians - Alice Loves Hippos And Spacemen
This is a fantastic quirky band who musically reminds me of bands like
Flaming Lips, mixed with the vocal style of a less-drunk-Pogues. The
bizarre title is repeated to form the chorus of a song which flits between
gentle and frantic. The b-side Who Will Police The Police is equally
enjoyable, a catchy little poppy song that owes much to their alphabetic
and stylistic neighbours, The Libertines. www.myspace.com/thelibrariansband.
Tim Pare- Trans-Siberian Express
Sit down children, Tim's album comes with a story. No, he's not a geographically
challenged Kraftwerk fan. I'll paraphrase. He quit his relationship,
job and Sheffield to moved to China. He taught kids, but got stuck on
the Trans-Siberian Express with some aggressive convicts who wanted
his belongings. So he played them some music instead and they decided
not to kill him. Whilst on the train he wrote and recorded his songs
on his MP3 player. Sickeningly he described it as "a chance to
look at my own journey". Quite why the "testosterone-flooded
killers" (his words) were placated by his gentle acoustic numbers
I don't know. But I can agree they aren't too shabby. Vocally similar
to James Dean Bradfield, he's one of the better of the large numbers
of singer-songwriters that I get demo CDs of. The songs are carefully
crafted, the vocals unoffending, and although it is a little too soppy
at times, everything is brought together in a nice little package. Needless
to say, we'll never hear from him again.
JacksonsWarehouse - Hotel By The Sea
This is the debut EP by JacksonsWarehouse, who've been around for a
while now supporting the likes of The Ordinary Boys and Art Brut. The
title track is by-the-numbers indie. It's up tempo and bouncy, energetic
and enjoyable, but indistinguishable from hundreds of other similar
bands. Vocally, it's close to the superb I Am Kloot, but the song as
a whole isn't up to their standards. They deserve their win of an unsigned
band competition, but once signed they won't be much of a force to be
reckoned with. The b-sides are much the same, pleasant but uneventful.
www.jacksonswarehouseband.com.
Underdog - Sunny Estate E.P.
This is another debut EP; this time from an Essex based 4-piece. It
comes with no press release, meaning a refreshing lack of comments such
as "similar to The Beatles, Radiohead and a token obscure band
you won't have heard of you fool". In fact this is unfussy guitar
music very much like many bands before them, but they redeem themselves
by doing this in a consummate manner that is sufficient to expect, I
feel, from a debut release. It gives them the potential to go on and
experiment with their sound further. The chorus' are catching and the
vocals satisfying. The acoustic number "Time After Time" is
a bit painful, and hasn't really worked they way they'd like it to,
but credit to them for trying something new. But don't bother again
guys. Other than that this is another reasonably promising record.
Cherryade Music - A Very Cherry Christmas
This is a collection of Christmassy songs from the Cherryade label.
And I love alternative Christmas songs. The awesome Misty's Big Adventure
kick things of with the swirling & delightful Have Yourself A Psychedelic
Christmas. Then Steveless / Syd Howells give us the abrasive Seasonal
Schizophrenia, which is an acquired taste which I find pleasurable to
the palate. One for fucking up the relatives on Christmas Day. TIGER
MCS calm things down with The Way That You Arrived, a gentle song about
how "This tiger's never even seen snow". Like many songs on
this album it is very short but very sweet. The Hot Puppies are a band
who I've been enjoying, on the rare occasions when I hear them, for
some time. I've heard this song, Green Eyeliner, before. I've definitely
seen them supporting someone recently, although I've no idea who! Either
way it stuck in my mind then as one of their best and rather fantastic
with its female vocals and indiepop loveliness. It's not really Christmassy,
but who cares, it's great! The album continues with every track a lo-fi
little gem. Das Wanderlust's Sleigh Ride deserves a particular mention,
as it is superb in every possible way. This album costs only £5
and is available from www.cherryademusic.co.uk,
and is definitely worthy of your money.
Rose Kemp - Violence
That's Rose, not Ross. And she is the lead singer who, in keeping with
press release laziness, is compared, like all bands with a female vocalist,
to P J Harvey. Whom she sounds nothing like. She's less abrasive and
more soothing. This is in fact P J Harvey but more boring. It's gentle
through most of the song, and then has sudden loud bits for no real
reason. It says its "hypnotic", which of course means repetitive.
It's definitely not bad, simply not yet up to the quality of other more
establish acts. But I wouldn't expect it to be. I do think they'd be
a very good live act. There is also a hand written note with this that
appears to be signed "Fart Farms", if so please increase this
review to "amazing" status. The b-side Fire In The Garden
repeats Rose singing the song title over and over again on top of herself
many many times. It is yet more repetitive than Violence was. Hang on,
I've realised its signed Fact Fans, the PR company. Oh well. I urge
somebody out there to name their band Fart Farms. www.rosekemp.co.uk.
My Little Problem - All These Things
My Little Problem are yet another new Brighton band, releasing this
debut single through the new Brighton label Life Is Easy Records. Their
music is perfect for filling that Grandaddy shaped hole in your life
that has existed since the aforementioned split recently. It's a very
gentle track which nonchalantly meanders along doing nothing much but
sounding lovely and tranquil throughout. The vocals are understated
which suits the music. The b-side is a very similar sounding song and
equally as good as the title track. It's a fine art to make something
very simple and gentle yet still brilliant and not at all boring. They
manage it and I recommend it if, of course, you tend to like this kind
of thing. I do, it's great. www.myspace.com/mlpsongs.
Actress Hands - Half An Hour
Another low-key release from the Alex White (ESP/Brakes) featuring Brighton
Indie outfit, clocking in at just 1.43. This would suggest a Brakes
like tune, but it is closer to ESP treading the same indie-song-with-classic-pop-feel
path. It's simple, repetitive and enjoyable, yet hardly likely to gather
any attention from the wider world. Thank fuck. They are a band to keep
for yourself and laugh evilly at the stupidity of the general public
who are ignorant of these treasured C-list bands. The b-side What's
The Name Of The Planet You're From is a bit longer but in a similar
vein. Top stuff, but please keep it under your hats.
By Alan Smith
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