Sadly I can’t promise you substandard opinion on which student paper was less inoffensive, but rather, good old-fashioned journalism of the single-review variety. Although in the current conditions, I’d advise just sticking on the first Concretes album and looking wistfully at the snow…
Coldplay – Life In Technicolour II *
Is that intro meant to reference the Beatles’ Indian-inspired phase? Erm, is the rest of the song meant to reference U2’s The Joshua Tree? Erm, don’t I have to criticise a band for doing that every single sodding week? It’s nearly 20 years old now; get over it and, in the words of the aforementioned Concretes, say something new. One of their worst songs to date.
Daniel Merriweather – Change feat. Wale ***
This reminds me A LOT of something else famous. But not enough to place it, so this chirpy little R&B minstrel gets away with it. Wale’s cameo detracts if anything, but this tune has a good groove, its muscular drums and pert piano riff making up for the trite lyrical content.
Of Montreal – An Eluardian Instance ****
Sometime I alienate indie friends by claiming not to like this band. They sound like a really annoying version of The Shins. Said friends wax lyrical on the intelligence and craft of this veteran outfit. For once I’ll believe them: this particular single merely sounds like a less annoying version of Sufjan Stevens. This is a good thing. Excellent harmonies, summery handclaps, hi-life guitars; this is entirely inappropriate for a snowy January but also entirely enjoyable. Even if the coda is an entirely different song. Silly buggers.
Seasick Steve – Happy Man –
Either you buy into this guy completely or you don’t. I don’t. There’s something a little too artificial about the whole persona, the whole style. So let’s move on.
Something Old, Something New.
Various Artists – £3 MP3 albums
Amazon’s mp3 store has some ludicrous deals. For £3, not only can the criminally insane buy entire new records by Lady GaGa or White Lies, but you, oh discerning reader, can pick up numerous timeless classics, from Mystery Jets’ Twenty One to Bowie’s magnum opus, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, definitively the best rock and roll record ever.
Beirut – March of the Zapotec EP/Realpeople Holland EP
Just thought I should point out that Zach Cordon’s two new EPs are out strangely early on iTunes – have been for a week now – and that obviously you should buy them. They don’t make a coherent album, but rather two sets of fascinating but not entirely substantial experiments. Still beats most things out there, mind.
Till next time…
