I felt I wasn’t selling this blog well enough…anyway, it generally looks like I chose the wrong term for singles; the slavering polygamous beast that is the first half of this year snapped them all up.
Maybe I should diversify. Tell you actually useful things like how La Cucina on St Clement’s is the best overlooked restaurant in town. How neoplatonism and scholasticism were not mutually exclusive. How, over at Guardian Music, they’re giving away really good Goldfrapp tracks this week. Maybe I should just stick to slagging off successful musicians. Here goes.
Razorlight – Wire To Wire ***
See what I did – setting this up for another rant about Razorlight? Problem is, I’ve always sort of liked them in a guilty way, ever since I saw them supporting Suede back in ’03, before ever releasing a single. Anyway, remember that U2 thing I was going on about last week? This is another one. There are some silly bits – a particularly inappropriate falsetto moment should get the Borrell-bashers their kicks – but I’m actually impressed by how they keep the whole thing understated, the agonising bombast you expect never kicking in. Not a bad tune, in a gospel-lite kinda way. The video is truly absurd, mind.
Vampire Weekend – A Punk ****
You can see why they’re rereleasing this; a summer of touring and award nominations has boosted their profile considerably since it last came out. Not much to say though; it’s about the sixth best song on an amazing album, and the most conventionally indie. More importantly, there’s a new track, Ottoman, on the ‘Nick & Norah’s Infinite Soundtrack’ OST. Get that instead.
Adele – Make You Feel My Love **
The reason indie types laid off criticising Adele was that she wrote her own songs, and some were pretty damn slick. This Dylan cover, then, a predictable and well-worn choice, should open the floodgates. Annoyingly, though its bar-room piano twinkles and subtle strings are schmaltzy as can be, she actually seems to care about what she’s singing. A good song, well sung, but still, you’d never buy it…
Katie Melua – Two Bare Feet *
At last, something to savage! Promoting a Best Of collection? With a song that’s a kitsch karaoke version of KT Tunstall’s ‘Black Horse and the Cherry Tree’ with all the bluesy edge removed? What sounds like Rolf Harris playing wobbleboard in the background? A ‘jazz’ piano solo that sounds like those default tracks on school keyboards? No discernible tune? God, I love how bad this song is…
Anastacia – I Can Feel You *
She’s back like it’s the ’90s again, and she’s a walking, squawking caricature of herself! The tune is an identikit copy of previous singles ad infinitum; her voice has with time become self-parody; the lyrics are frankly embarrassing but thankfully upstaged by the sub-Stevie Wonder tack of the backing ‘groove’.
Top of the Ox: Local Band Of The Week
The Mules, equine relatives of Foals and once members of the same band, have been passed over in the quest for glory. Their more traditional indie blend of folk, pop, and polite ska – they call it ‘pubstep’ – underpinned by Duncan Brown’s rich vocal tones, has failed to set the industry alight. But at their best, as on the glorious This Is Your Life, they combine intelligence, funk, and a heroic chorus. There’s a baffling remix on their myspace if you’re interested.
Next week? Dido, Christina Aguilera, Leona Lewis, Scouting For Girls – it’s probably best to get out of town…until then, ciao.
