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MUSIC
Arctic Monkeys - five minutes with
Limited to 1000 copies and only released for one week it’s
hardly surprising that the debut single from the Arctic Monkeys
(released on their own
label) has been selling on
eBay at up to £50 a time.
More than 2000
people tried to cram
themselves into a tent
with a capacity for 750
to catch the Sheffield
four-piece at this year’s
Reading/Leeds festival
so it’s obvious that the
British music scene has
something very special.
With lyrics like ‘You're
not from New York,
you’re from Rotherham,
so get off the bandwagon
and put down the handbook’ putting the boot into wannabies,
sung with passion over the razor sharp riff of Fake Tales of San
Francisco it’s no surprise their gigs have turned into fan riots.
Alex Turner and company have played things very close to
their chest, only giving a few rare interviews, instead opting to
build a fan base by hard gigging, which has paid off as the band
have recently signed to Domino Records (home label of Franz
Ferdinand). With only one release to date, all 16 shows on the
Monkeys’ forthcoming tour have sold out.
17 October sees the release of I bet you look good on the
dance floor so prepare yourselves for Arctic Monkey mania.
Believe me it’s coming.
Tezza
Editors – The Back Room
Birmingham four-piece
Editors are another new
band tipped for great
things. However, when
compared to their
Futurehead or Kaiser
Chief counterparts, it’s
clear to see why they’re
described as the darkest
of the bunch. With a
sound that recalls Joy
Division (the band claim their
influences to be the more modern Strokes and Elbow) their
debut is a moody affair that boasts many memorable tunes.
The album darts between the intense grooves of Munich and
forthcoming single Bullets to heartfelt slowies, like album
highlight Camera, which can melt the hardest of hearts.
While this won’t be to everyone’s taste, it is a strong,
emotive debut by a band that has what it takes to be
around for quite a while.
Rob Dixon
The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers have attracted lots of attention. Their music
has sent many a festival-goer home with a smile on their face
and singles Love Me
Like You and Forever
Lost have been the
soundtrack to many
people’s summer.
Their first album carries
on the vibe of those
singles with many
catchy, sing-along
moments, but it also
has more reflective
moments like the dark
lament of Mule. Another
highlight is the
bittersweet I See You, You See Me, a gorgeous duet between
vocalists Romeo and Angela.
An album ideal for sensitive types, if you don’t fall for the
melodies on this album, I’ll bet you a tenner your girlfriend will
love it.
Rob Dixon
Common – Be
Common's sixth album, Be, is a return
to his roots, but unlike many hip-hop
artists, a return to his roots in no way
implies a step back. Lacking any skits
and at just over 42 minutes, Be, is short
compared to many of today's rap
albums. But the album is more concise
than short and what it lacks in length it
makes up for in sound quality and
concentration. There are very few if any,
throw-aways or songs worth skipping.
The guest appearances by Bilal and
R&B sensation John Legend are well
timed and complementary and don't
dominate the album or seem like an
attempt to use guest appearances to
boost sales. It’s a breath of fresh air
compared to the albums that are
coming out today where almost every
song is about a female’s body or what
she can do for the rapper in the back of
his Range Rover.
Great LP, my second fave by
Common, but you can tell wire-jawed
Kanye West produced this album, and
for someone like me who dislikes
Kanye, he has way too many verses
on Common’s product. Battlechasers
Fun Lovin' Criminals -
Livin' In The City
Listening to the Fun Lovin' Criminals is a
lot like drinking a crate of Special Brew;
you know it will end up with guns, bitches
and a police chase. I sat through seven
tracks of this album with not so much as a
hint of the cartoon criminality that I was so
looking forward to. Instead I had to listen to
Huey waxing lyrical about New York City
and how much he likes walking his dog.
The boredom lifted when track eight
(City Boy) kicked in. This was FLC as we all
know and love them. Girl With The Scar
follows with a sax solo that could have been lifted straight off a Groove Armada
song. Recent single Mi Corazon maintains the momentum and my mood started to
thaw. Will I Be Ready is a solid enough finale, but nothing special and then it's all
over – far too little far too late.
My advice – buy a crate of Special Brew.
Neal B
Supergrass - Road To Rouen
Gaz Combes and co have ditched the
old and returned with a more
experimental, mature sound on this, the
band’s fifth album. Most of the songs
have a mellow melodic feel to them
such as the excellent piano-led single St
Petersburg and Sad Girl. Other
highlights include the Coral-esque
Coffee In The Pot and Kick In The Teeth
with its Beatle-style looping guitar riff.
Supergrass have outlasted most of their
contemporaries and Road To Rouen
shows they still have what it takes
Ṫezza
Gorillaz - Demon Days
The second album from Damon Albarn's side
project Gorillaz. On first listen there doesn't
seem to be much of a structure to Demon
Days. It jumps from guitars to cello, from
drums to bass and from Neneh Cherry to
Dennis Hopper?! (The latter provides a
spoken word story on Fire Coming Out of the
Monkey's Head). I was still impressed but I
couldn't put my finger on why.
The more I played the album, the clearer it
became. It may all be a bit jumbled, but on
repeated listens this morphs into variety.
Most of the tracks are well-written little
numbers. A lot of the songs could, and
probably will, end up being released as singles. Good Feeling Inc and Dare (with
Shaun Rider) have already been released and have fared well. As for follow-ups,
take your pick from Dirty Harry, Kids With Guns or All Alone (with Rootz Manuva) any
one will surely hang around in the charts until we are all thoroughly bored with it.
Not bad for a side project.
Neal B
NOVEMBER 05 19