Maps


Single Reviews
*Superman Revenge Squad* Idiot Food (God Is In The TV Singles Club) When writing a song you may want to address the big issues such as those of life, love etc. In doing so it's all too easy to overlook the mundane, the desolate, and the essentially everyday. Superman Revenge Squad combines the two, creating heartfelt tracks wrapped up in deadpan humour. The social commentary could have made things too serious, the resigned tone may have made things too dull, and the playful lyrics too stupid. Fortunately though, the songs are infused with genuine feeling, so they rise above mockery and knowingness.
Overlook the awkward name and you are left with something raw and relevant. The Britain-centric casual, straight up tracks are easily identifiable, and despite the sombre atmosphere, highly enjoyable. *Review by Nathania Hartley* *www.myspace.com/supermanrevengesquad / www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk*
Young Knives Terra Firma / Up All Night (Transgressive Records) It seems the Young Knives have long been on the cusp. Whilst the eccentric Englishman styling and names to match may alienate some, you can’t deny that they cultivate catchy indie pop, perfectly demonstrated in the brief but to the point ‘Up All Night’. Two minutes and forty-nine seconds seems to be the length of choice for Young Knives and ‘Terra Firma’ exactly matches fellow single ‘Up All Night’, both taken from long player Superabundance. It’s a musical mystery as to why this band doesn’t have a profile to match, say, Maximo Park. Review by Holly Wild www.theyoungknives.com / www.transgressiverecords.co.uk
Seagull Strange Love's Sick Disease (Shifty Disco) Oxford based label Shifty Disco have a naughty habit snaring great bands and sneaking out surprisingly high quality releases – too many of which, sadly, still manage to worm their way beneath the popular radar. This release from Seagull Strange is a good example of the diligently toiling and ultimately under appreciated musical talent presently flowing in the UK substrata, spring-fed by these huggably scrupulous Indie labels. To the less discerning ear, the delicate piano and (borderline whiney) heartfelt vocals automatically tar ‘Love’s Sick Disease’ with the Coldplay brush, but
this subtly prog-tainted sound, washed with expansive guitar overlays and shoehorned in to off kilter key signatures, shares much more in common with cult European imports such as Mew. (The B-Side Will Brownlie Remix accentuates this to great effect!) Admittedly the first listen might leave you a little cold, but Seagull Strange combine their understated musical prowess with crisp, self administered production to truly charming effect. Much more than first meets the ear – give it another spin and the magic might grip you too. Review by Carla Washborne www.seagullstrange.com / www.shiftydisco.co.uk
Los Campesinos You! Me! Dancing! (Wichita) Death Cab For Cutie aren’t the only band in recent memory releasing epic radio un-friendly singles. Though 'You! Me! Dancing!' doesn’t quite breach the eight and a half minute mark, it’s getting quite close. As with Death Cab, this is no bad thing and doesn’t drag at all in it’s post-Strokes indie pop offering. Backed with It Started with a Mixx, which balances out the length, coming in at just over a mere minute and swaying slightly more towards a more traditionally British indie sound with some anti-folk leanings evident in the lyrics. Review by Holly Wild www.loscampesinos.com / www.wichita-recordings.com
Loney, Dear I Am John (Regal Recordings) Loney, Dear manages to merge the singer-songwriter tendencies of Bright Eyes with a more traditional Scandinavian indie pop sound and come out on the right side of twee. ‘I Am John’ is taken from Loney's first major album released outside of his native Sweden ‘Loney, Noir’ and is backed by ‘Warm, Dark, Comforting Night’ from earlier album ‘The Year of River Fontana’.It's packaged as a 45 R.P.M record which is a nice touch and reflects the simple, yet effective nature of the well crafted songs. Review by Holly Wild www.loneydear.com / www.myspace.com/regalrecordings
Dinosaur Jr Crumble (PIAS Recordings) After a 10 year break, J. Mascis returns with the original line up for more country tinged fuzz rock. 'Crumble' bears all the hallmarks of Dinosaur Jr’s sound: the jangly guitar; the almost asleep delivery of the vocals and lazy noodles where the guitar solo should be. Established fans of the band won’t be disappointed by what is on offer here, even if it is one of the slower tracks from the 'Beyond' album. Previous singles 'Almost Ready' and 'Been There all the Time' showcased the more up-tempo, rockier side of the band, represented here by the much
heavier b-side, 'Yer Son', which would not sound out of place on any Sub Pop compilation. Plenty of dirty riffs and half mumbled vocals driven along by some fairly solid drumming. Not a half arsed comeback at all but a welcome return to form. Review by Andy Jesse www.dinosaurjr.com / www.pias.emakina.com
The People's Revolutionary Choir Do You Feel Like I Do? (Weekender Records) A posthumous review: For me ‘Do You Feel Like I Do?’ is a flashback to the heady, early 90’s when Britpop was the order of the day and shoe-gaze was still a complimentary term. The Peoples Revolutionary Choir proffer a skilfully concocted aural melting pot of Stone Roses psychedelia and eastern tinged Kula Shaker percussion, throwing in vocals and epic guitar outros which the young Gallaghers would have been proud of.
This single is precisely the sum of its parts, a product of its considerable influences, the undying love of British guitar music innovators such as the Rolling Stones and Primal Scream worn proudly upon its paisley sleeves. Throwing in bridge slides like they were going (further) out of fashion, dripping with chimes and throbbing bass, this track has the sonic blood of the baby boomers coursing in its veins. More reminiscent than revolutionary perhaps, but a well shaken cocktail of landmark guitar-pop stylings crafted lovingly in to a perfectly passable single / homage. TPRC – RIP Review by Carla Washborne www.myspace.com/thepeoplesrevolutionarychoir / www.weekenderrecords.co.uk
My Sad Captains All Hat & No Plans (Fortuna Pop!) 'All Hat And No Plans' is the kind of track you could see being a mass sing-along anthem at a headlining main stage festival set. This is probably because it was a mass sing-along anthem, some years ago. Following in the footsteps of now indie stalwarts the single sounds somewhat dated, and past its sell by date. There's nothing in the song itself that is particularly wrong, but peel away the veneer and you will discover it has little, if anything to say. It's an accessible albeit dreary number that provokes a nostalgia recollecting similarly unremarkable bands such as Coldplay, Travis etc.
You'd be better off listening to the b-side 'Great Expectations', which is actually the better of the two. If you care to look there, you'll find a little optimism, and a little life. *Review by Nathania Hartley* www.mysadcaptains.co.uk / *www.fortunapop.com*
Black Lips Veni, Vidi, Vici (Vice Records) Another slice of 60’s style retro groove from Atlanta’s Black Lips. Most of Black Lips' previous singles sound as though they were made to appear on a future edition of a Rubble compilation and this one is no exception. A laid back affair which sound like it was recorded on a sunday afternoon at Keith Richard's house at the 1969 equivalant of a chill out party. There are elements of new wave alongside the baggy sound of mid 80’s Madchester. These guys should fit in perfectly with the current UK indie scene. They manage to pull off the trick of sounding like a loose jam session whilst still having avery tight rhythm section. A Dub N’ Bass version is included on the CD. The B-side on
the 7”, 'Buried Alive' is a morbid take on garage punk as played by Mexican gypsies. Overall this is a pretty good single and a band worth checking out. Review by Andy Jesse *www.black-lips.com* / www.vicerecords.com
Shocking Pinks Emily (DFA Records) Disappointingly, lead track ‘Emily’ is by far the weakest on this multifarious offering from DFA luvvies the Shocking Pinks, the demi-acoustic, raw edged ballad falling hard by the wayside of its electronically pampered and remixed siblings. The minimalist, striking intro, combining tinny drums and understated bass holds promise, but any innovative guise soon flakes, the drums fading to a mid-ground drip, the tired bass line beginning to sound almost as washed out as the vocalist. Dreamy synths desperately attempt to wrestle the track from
the doldrums, jarring awkwardly with the discordant percussion, culminating in a devastatingly attenuated wall of sound. Clocking in at only 2:14, it is stunning how effectively ‘Emily’ begins to drag upon the consciousness, a regrettably underachieving track from a well-connected collective with much greater creative promise. An ill considered release perhaps, but let us be thankful for small mercies - it may not be great, but it is, at least, short. *Review by Carla Washborne* www.emichrysalis.co.uk/players/shockingpinks / www.dfarecords.com
Adam Green Morning After Midnight (Rough Trade) Boldly journeying through the fields of Yorkshire, Peter Pan is embarking upon another adventure. Take a closer look beneath the tri-cornered hat though, and peeking out you find the cheeky face of Adam Green. It's Leeds Festival circa the early noughties, and Green has just finished his set with Kimya Dawson, under the stage name of Moldy Peaches. In this duo it all makes sense, two kooky kids having fun, armed with catchy quirky songs where their dress up seems to belong. But encountering Green out on his own most would wonder whether this is simply some crazy drunk in fancy dress festival gear, or they may just be simply bemused. Since going solo, his sonic escapades have
often felt a little out of place too. Albeit charming, you were never quite sure what to do with the music he made. The cabaret crooner could almost be seen as some sort of parody or jest yet it didn't fully fall into that realm, nor that of the serious songwriter. And yet, it didn't sit comfortably in between either. While there was no denying the songs were good, they didn't make for an easy listen. Definitely the boy who refuses to grow up, there lurked cheap gags a plenty, though rescued with a healthy dose of integrity nestled in the fact that he remained true to his boyishness. Now we have 'Morning After Midnight'. Something has happened. He has decreased the crude banter whilst managing to retain his style. He does seem to have matured, and everything runs very smoothly. However, the effect is that everything else is toned down too. He can sit comfortably in between the crowd, but is that really what we want? It's twee, it's cool, it will be a welcome addition to the i-pods of many, but it lacks the bounce of previous endeavours. Perhaps compromising his uniqueness slightly for the sake of the masses, this is a nice, pleasant melody if a little lacking. Maybe it needs to be a little more dislocated. Review by Nathania Hartley www.adamgreen.net / www.roughtraderecords.com
The Tacticians Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys (Setanta) The music business is now a truly tactical place, subtly yet omnipotently dictating a certain way to look and a certain way to sound – paving the golden path of indie homogeny. Woe betides the bank balance of the non-conforming maverick! As such, ‘Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys’ tries its hardest to be a well contrived estimation of the indie-niche sound, flogging out the über lucrative post-Libertines rabble rock made unfathomably huge in credible British guitar music’s epitaph by any number of floppy haired ‘The’s’. Combining the worst
elements of jangling guitar, and ill-considered pronunciation, this offering toddles along the misguided road of megabucks pop-by-numbers. Whilst entirely unremarkable, some instrumental kudos must be given, but by far the most defining aspect of this track is the sheer dreadfulness of the lyrics. ‘Do you really understand my madness? You don’t really understand my madness. Stop trying to understand’. Ok. The pivotal track of a generation, come five years too late (and three minutes of my life that I will never get back). Review by Carla Washborne www.thetacticians.com / www.setantarecords.com
Grand National By The Time I Get Home There Won't Be Much Of A Place For Me (Sunday Best) Trumpeted up to be the next big thing, what with their years of constant touring, kudos from Sascha, support slots for Electric Six, and cool credibility as they drink 'fine red wine on the banks of the Seine', you have to wonder what all this actually means. Sure, they flirt with rock, dance, electro, indie and post-punk to create what may be considered by some to be 'a perfect slice of melodic pop'. But it's nothing that others before them haven't done better, and with more passion.
Nowhere in 'By the Time I Get Home…' hints at their supposed hedonism, rather it's all held back sophistication. Withdrawn and self assured they may be easily digestible. However, they'd be better to let go, and apparently they do - people say they produce decent, life affirming lyrics, and dance worthy material that sees them as saviours knocking the dust off current acts. Maybe they do, but not in this one. *Review by Nathania Hartley* www.grand-national.net / www.sundaybest.net