Tickling our happy place with a big fluffy feather of loveliness are:
Maximo Park ‘Apply Some Pressure’ (Warp)
Somewhat frustratingly, the mighty Maximo have decided to mess with perfection and re-jig this rather wonderful art pop gem. To be fair though, they’ve not really done much to it except add an extra instrument here and there and Kaisers it up a bit. Anyway, we love the ‘Park and we love this.
Even if one of us thinks it’s been “touched with the wacky stick.”
Out on October 24
Kate Bush ‘King Of The Mountain’ (EMI)
Once we got over the fact that this isn’t a mental nutjob of a record (we expected things like goats, Stonehenge, harps being pushed off cliffs and dried peas tumbling down a fire escape), we liked it lots and lots. Although one of us wanted to reserve judgement until he’d seen the press shots and decided whether or not he still “would”.
Out on October 24
Jamie Lidell ‘Multiply’ (Warp)
The stubbly ex-Super_Collider singer’s urban soul warblings made most of us feel all warm and fluffy inside. A bit like perfectly-cooked popcorn. Mmm. Anyway, one of us apparently “hated” it and mentioned the likelihood of Jools Holland tinkling his ‘ivories’ along to it on an imminent episode of ‘Later’. But as the rest of us said in response, “La la la, we’re not listening, Jamie Lidell is great.”
Out on October 31
Making us run hot and cold and generally act like an ambivalent lover are:
Antony & The Johnsons ‘You Are My Sister’ (Rough Trade)
Sensitive, big-boned Antony split our opinion somewhat. “It’s good,” some of us said, while one of us opined that the song was “like Tom Waits in a leather tutu singing to himself while handing out hand-made cakes in that tea bar on old Compton street.” Another of us muttered something about “further proof that Hard Fi should’ve won the Mercury Prize.” Yet another of us remarked that they’d bought the album but taken it back to the shop “within 7 hours”. So opinion not that equally split then.
Out on November 21
Magic Numbers ‘Love’s A Game’ (EMI)
The sensitive, big-boned Magic Numbers split our opinion somewhat. “I like this, it’s lovely,” remarked one of us, and another said: “I fucking love Magic Numbers.” Meanwhile, another of us pointed out: “It’s good, but, you know, you can only hear some good songs a certain number of times before you’d like to not hear them any more, for a bit.” Opinion slightly more equally split there.
Out on October 24
Mara Carlyle ‘Baby Bloodheart’ (Accidental)
Sensitive, big-boned Mara Carlyle split our opinion somewhat. [That’s enough – Ed] This sounds suspiciously like the Steptoe theme, and one of us remarked: “I’ve heard her live and she’s like a simpering Tunstall.” The rest of us considered ourselves warned.
Out on November 7
Rubbing stinging nettles into our eyeballs and bending our fingers back are:
Fightstar ‘Grand Unification Part 1’ (Island)
We’re finding Fightstar a bit tragic. As one of us pointed out: “All right pal, we understand you want to be in Buffalo Tom or whatever [How old are you, granddad? – Ed], but do we all have to suffer? Now Simpson thinks if he growls enough he’ll be wespekted. Get over it, you fucking fucker!” Quite frankly not as good as any of the rubbish bands they wish they were. Oh dear. :(
Out on October 31
Coldcut ‘Everything Is Under Control’ (Ninja Tune)
Oh Coldcut. What happened? There was a time when everything you touched turned to sunshine-studded happy niceness. Now you’re doing this half-arsed crusty effort that sounds like a Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy B-side from 1992. With crap guitars. And rubbish rapping. Sigh. :(
Out on November 7
Arcade Fire ‘Wake Up’ (Rough Trade)
Like typical children of the MTV revolution, our three-second attention spans have fallen in love with and unceremoniously dumped the Arcade Fire, and now we’re so over them. As one of us admitted: “The whining gets on my tits. The fact they never actually write songs gets on my tits. The way everyone is really wowed by the fact that there’s a lot of people on stage doing stuff gets on my tits.” Fickle? Us?
Out on November 14
And the tasty cream of Monday October 17's releases are:
The Love Bites ‘You Broke My Heart’ (Island)
Finally, the cheeky teenage axe-wielders unleash their revenge anthem onto an unsuspecting world. Oh happy day, etc.
McFly ‘I Wanna Hold You’ (Universal)
Not the best one from the album, but still, who cares? Brilliant!
Brakes ‘Ring A Ding Ding’ (Rough Trade)
One of us said: “Single of the year!” The rest of us just think it’s good.
Alex Parks ‘Looking For Water’ (Polydor)
Perhaps you should turn your stop-cock on then love, eh?
One Self ‘Paranoid’ (Ninja Tune)
Slashmusic showcase winners put out rather fabulous moody hip hop record! Hurrah!
Mattafix ‘Passer By’ (EMI)
“He sounds like a gay, like all the best singers, and the drums are nice.”
Roots Manuva ‘Awfully Deep’ (Big Dada)
Bloody marvellous. It’s no ‘Witness’, but that wonder-bass is terrifying.
Anyway, Kate Bush is the out and about winner this week! Huzzah!
