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Friday 6th April 2012
All Day BBQ Festival

Sparrow and the Workshop
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On Our iPod

Golden Grrrls - New Pop 7”

Chris Devotion & The Expectations - Amalgamation & Capital (album)

Trailer Trash Tracys - Ester (album)

Throwing Up - Mother Knows Best 7”

Howling Wolf - Complete Chess Masters 1951-60

The Ketamines - A Rotten Bond/1 Yr (from Oddbox Singles Club Pt 2)

Cardinal - Hymns (album)

Proper Ornaments - Taking the Gamble Out of Buying 12”

Darren Hayman - January Songs (album)

Various: Marshall Teller EP 12”

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Single/Download Review

Allo Darlin' / Delphic/ Good Shoes / Erland and the Carnival / Slow Club
Singles Round-up Various Labels

Article written by Paul M - Dec 13, 2009

A bunch of 45s

I perused the recent BBC list of great musical hopes for 2010 and sighed. There wasn’t really a lot there to inspire me to turn on the radio, let alone pay Ticketweb their 20%. Amongst the list of representatives from current popular cultural trends was Delphic, a trio from Manchester. Doubt, their forthcoming single, ticks the right boxes for some; the indie/dance cross over mass appeal (nods towards Bloc Party), the local heritage (acknowledgement to New Order’s Technique) and the smart image (three nice good looking middle class boys). Unfortunately it’s also safe, predictable and frankly tedious. Bring on 2011.

Unfortunately it feels like I’ve stumbled into a crap student union disco because the next track up, Under Control by Good Shoes, also has that irritating rolling percussion and funky bassline that’s much loved by the A-list compilers at XFM. Good Shoes were once, briefly, an exciting, edgy outfit who had us in such a froth, they walked off with the SoundsXP Writers award for single of the year. That was 2005 and this is dull, dull, dull...

If you’re not a big lover of crimbo and all that festive nonsense you’ll probably be mightily irritated by Slow Club’s six track EP which offers a whole sackload of streamers. Luckily they have a twisted take on the tinsel topped time and all the tracks are enjoyable in a gently strummed campfire way. Christmas TV was offered up free last year and shows up again but it’s Christmas, Thanks for Nothing that is bad santa’s money shot, a swaying, round the old Joanna singalonga effort. I’m not sure they’re really living up to the hearty promise of those magnificent first two skiffle folk singles but this is better than anything the Grinch might offer. Out now.

Trouble in Mind is lovely, a psych-tinged slice of folk from Erland and the Carnival, who feature ev-Verve fella Simon Tong on guitar and the soothing Orkney Islander Erland Cooper on vocals. Their eponymous debut album should be worth seeking. (Out January 18th).

The Polaroid Song by All Darlin’ is another melodic gem from the queen of uke, Elizabeth Morris and her folky indiepop chums. It’s an uplifting triple whammy of jangly guitars, woawoahing harmonies and tooting woodwindery and already a contender for single of the year 2010. Oh and the b-side has whistling on it and who doesn’t love songs with pursed lipped accompaniment?

Links:
http://www.myspace.com/allodarlin