The Big Pink-Velvet (4AD)

One of the latest signings to wonder label 4AD, Velvet, is The Big Pink’s first release for the people that last year brought us the likes of Deerhunter and TV on the Radio. Its a slow shoegazey build up to a HEALTH-esque noisy climax which is nothing short of huge. However, just when you think you’re ready to file this away into your obscure collection clear, emotional yearning vocals kick in and a late 80s early 90s Manchester influence is added to the mix and the track immediately grabs you. One of the strangest things about this seemingly bizarre combination of influences is how well they work together. A My Bloody Valentine meets Stone Roses sound finished off nicely for today’s audience. Velvet has the droning dirty feel of bands like Crystal Castles and Liars but the clear unaltered vocals give the heartfelt lyrics an instant emotional feel and make the track more accessible than the distorted screams of their peers.

Myspace

Enjoy the Gang Gang Dance Remix!

The Big Pink-Velvet(Gang Gang Dance Remix)

Jim Noir-’All Right’ EP

In 2005 Jim Noir released his debut album ‘Tower of Love’ to a very warm critical reception. Despite this wide acclaim, the album’s most memorable moment in the ears of the English public was the appearance of single ‘My Patch’ on an advert for a well known brand of pasties. Undeterred, Noir plans to release his second album this year on My Dad Recordings and like ‘Tower Of Love’ before it, the album has been preceded by an EP.  

The ‘All Right’ EP shows Noir exploring a more electronic sound in his music which can be seen in the EP‘s title track which has a very delicate sound not so dissimilar to that of Zero 7. The track also sows a departure from Noir’s almost trademark kitsch lyrical style, using juvenile catchphrases and slang in his songs. In this track at least it seems his lyrics have given way, slightly, to a more complex musical direction as the mix of electronics and drums create a much bigger sound than alot of Noir’s previous work.

The EP’s highlight has to be ‘Standing On A Corner’ which is a wonderfully charming piece of work which builds, with soft waves of crashing cymbals, to a gloriously big crescendo filled with catchy Futureheads style vocal harmonies which perfectly compliment it’s bustling electronic-folk sound.  The track captures are real Beach Boys-style summer sound which is just screaming out to have pride of place on a summer driving mixtape.

Overall, ‘All Right’ is an entirely pleasant collection of sounds expertly into three songs in a way that gives each track an individual sound while still allowing the EP to have a definite flow to it. However, while the compositions are far more interesting, Noir has slightly let himself down on the lyrical side of his music on this EP. With far more simple lyrics which are mostly lost under a much busier sound Noir seems to have lost the individual sound that earned him his earlier critical acclaim.

Hear the EP in full on Jim Noir’s myspace.

Los Campesinos! “The International Tweexcore Underground”

Los Campesinos! have, over the last year or so, found a place in the hearts of many music fans despite not really doing much “band” stuff. They’ve hardly played any gigs since March and have done pretty much no promotion of themselves yet the likes of “Please Don’t Tell Me To Do The Math(s)” and “You! Me! Dancing!” are already some sort of indie underground/myspace anthems.

Now, having recorded their debut album and about to embark on a national headline tour, Los Campesinos! begin the assault with their next, first “proper” single- “The International Tweexcore Underground”.

On first listen, the song is fairly good but leaves you asking- where’s the heart felt melodies of “Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks”, where’s the ingenius, hilarious lyrics of “We Throw Parties” and where the hell are the joyous, shouty bits of “You! Me! Dancing!”?

Then, within the next few listens, “The International Tweexcore Underground” suddenly clicks into place. From the driving guitars and pounding drums to the trademark girl/boy vocal sparring of LC!, this song is absolutly fantastic. Gareth’s vocals are urgent, frantic and passionate while Aleksandra’s are cool and soulful which makes for a great combination and works excellently with the theme of the song- two musical worlds- twee indie and hardcore punk- colliding and clashing together.

The song ends in a flurry of excitment and energy. After a melodic breakdown section, the song builds up again and then kicks in with a whirlwind of guitar, violin, glockenspiel and thumping drums by which point you won’t be able to think of anything except jumping over 40 garden fences on a big pogo stick whilst wearing a silly, silly grin. Los Campesinos! have done it again and surely this will be as popular, if not more so, than any of their other songs.

Los Campesinos!- Brain Surgery 6music session (Link removed by request of label)
www.myspace.com/loscampesinos

I Was A Cub Scout-’Our Smallest Adventures’

‘Our Smallest Adventures’ by Nottingham duo I Was A Cub Scout opens with organ tones alongside the soft, innocent voice of singer Todd Marriott which creates a haunting beginning. Drums, guitar and synth are added, one by one, evolving the track into a glorious emo-pop masterpiece. Marriott uses tender and delicate lyrics to talk about how the small, almost irrelevant events of our youth can be our most important and treasured. At its peak the song is a rich blend of sounds mixed with forceful vocals sounding like they’re sung from nowhere but the heart and not only justifies the increasing interest in this young band but shows them to have great promise. ‘Bless You’ provides a more than worthy b-side to the single and ponders over the uncertainty surrounding a break up. The track showcases the outstanding creative talent of drummer William Bowerman and is another triumph. 

The single is out now.

The band will be touring the UK with Kill Hannah from September 19th.

MYSPACE

I Was A Cub Scout-Our Smallest Adventures

The entertaining and animated pair of childlike musicians, Andy Elliot and Laura Simmons, identify themselves as ‘wrong pop’. It’s hard to say exactly what’s wrong with an anthem like The Orange Shop.

Let’s face it, the song hits every note on the musical scale of melodic ingenuity. It starts very fittingly with someone chuckling to herself before launching into a vibrant introduction which seems to be primarily played on some form of toy instrument. Both the lyrics and the vocalist’s tone of voice conjure an image of an excitable five year old, unsure of what she wants to say, but adamant that she must be heard by all.

The second song on their single, entitled Red Sauce, Brown Sauce, concerns itself with the age-old dispute of which sauce to condiment your food. They are not biased, and endeavour to guarantee that both sides of the argument are validly depicted and equally received.

It opens with the brazen statement “Red sauce!” which clearly preempted as the counter argument is just as strong “Brown sauce!”. This level of lyrical discussion is maintained for 20 seconds before the finely constructed, again strangely youthful, and shockingly fast-paced instrumental kick starts. It only slows down to give stage to cut-and-stick pieces of conversation which narrowly avoids being intelligible. The second round of“Red sauce! Brown sauce!” then commences, quickly followed by an instrumental reprise. After a couple of crashing notes from the guitar, the song retreats into a range of seemingly unselected sounds and then dies out.

Das Wanderlust are currently on tour in the UK and have an Irish tour planned for August.

They have also released their single The Orange Shop/Red Sauce, Brown Sauce on CD and Vinyl and their second single Sunday School is due out soon.

You can buy their single and view their tour dates through their myspace.

The Orange Shop (Removed)

Red Sauce, Brown Sauce (Removed)