U.K. Imports: presented by ........................................................................................................................... Simian Mobile Disco Attack Decay Sustain Release Wichita Emerging from the wreckage of largely unloved early Noughties band Simian, knob-twiddlers Jas Shaw and James Ford had their work cut out clawing back a career. Six years, a gajillion DJ gigs, underground releases and chaotic club nights later, here’s the first full-length result. Having exorcised their guitar-based demons by producing Klaxons and Arctic Monkeys records, SMD have turned out a punchy electrofest long-player that doesn’t outstay its welcome. “It’s The Beat” throws ants down all nearby rave pants with the help of Go! Team rapper Ninja; “Tits & Acid” skitters like a pantechnicon on corrugated iron. Only thing: where’s the bass The album seems to have been mixed, Spector-style, specifically for mobile phone speakers. What about the rest of us, you bastards CHARLIE IVENS Air Traffic Fractured Life EMI There’ve been some dark days at EMI these past years. Luckily, Air Traffic have “pulled an Athlete” and produced an album of startling beauty and depth—with sizeable doses of homage to Muse and Coldplay, naturally. They’re at their best on the lovely “No More Running Away,” which has the lustful innocence of Parachutes’ Chris Martin. Air Traffic are on the edgy side of mainstream pop—people want whole albums like this, not just one poppy single. While Chris Wall could do with laying off the falsetto a bit, it’s great that the concept of “longevity” over quick hit seems to have been rediscovered. VIC JAMES The Enemy We’ll Live and Die in These Towns Warner Oasis: brilliant band, crap role models. Since Definitely Maybe swaggered into the mid-’90s and stuck a huge size 9 in the balls of the competition, thousands of other rubbish lad bands think they can do the same. Fortunately for Britain, the Enemy have brains to back up their sizable clout. Their debut is an album that pinches from the lyric-books of Weller, Burgess and Ryder, and marries them seamlessly with balls-out, radio-bullying tunes. “Aggro” is as spiteful an opening track as the Gallaghers’ “Fuckin’ In The Bushes,” while the anthemic “Away From Here” sounds like the View crossed with Dario G’s “Sunchyme” (er, seriously). Yes, the influences are more than obvious, But if your heart’s not on your sleeve, then you’re just not Mad Fer It, are ya JJ DUNNING The Pigeon Detectives Wait For Me Dance to the Radio Like the reviled scavenger that partinspired their moniker, the Pigeon Detectives could be criticised for opportunistic pilfering: tidbits of Television, Beatles, Motown, Buzzcocks, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly litter their perfectly pecked poppath. But this is no robbery with plagiaristic intent; the sole agenda is to chart this youthful existence—sex, booze and heartbreak—as it comes. The result is often reassuringly bittersweet: the key refrain of “You Know I Love You” is followed by the significantly less romantic hormonal desperation of “take off your clothes.” There’s something incredibly admirable about the Detective’s anti-pretentious adherence to songwriting simplicity, but, like their Kaiser Chief kindred, they’ll need to plot future pickings carefully in order to avoid a limiting ‘signature’ formula without losing the live-for-the-moment honesty that makes them so compelling. DAVE BEVERIDGE The Thrills Teenager EMI When the Thrills first appeared in 2003, the Dublin quintet was the pre-Keane staple of white van men across the nation. And whilst the band may have swapped L.A. for “the worst neighbourhood in the whole of Canada,” it doesn’t sound particularly like Teenager was recorded in anything approaching a slum. “Long Forgotten Song” could easily be off Keane’s first album, while “Restaurant” is like a more twinkling Bright Eyes with chocolate sprinkles. Opener “Midnight Choir” is wholly sublime—trademark Thrills in every way, heaving out the kind of heavenly saccharine harmonies the Magic Numbers are too bumbling and arrogant to find. Ultimately, though, it’s still music to do your Christmas shopping to. VIC JAMES The Fly is the U.K.’s second largest circulated music magazine. Focusing on emerging talent, it’s the essential guide to new music in the U.K. Subscriptions are available, priced at £40 for 12 months (11 issues), by contacting subs@channelfly.com, or online at www.the-fly.co.uk. 32 filter good music guide
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