HOME

REVIEWS

- RSS Feed

SoundsXP Presents

tba

On Our iPod

Weird Dreams - Choreography (album)

Crocodiles - Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9) 7”

The Hairs - I’ve Been Working Out 7”

King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - Third Swan single

Cate Le Bon - Cyrk (album)

Tashaki Miyaki - sings the Everly Brothers 7”

Antony Harding - The Birds Sing Goodnight To You And Me (album)

Veronica Falls - My Heart Beats 7”

Latest Forum Posts

Single/Download Review

TV on the Radio / The Loves / Eugene McGuinness / The Social / Sparky's Magic Piano / Memory Cassette
Singles round up

Article written by Paul M - Dec 24, 2008

Singles round up

If you're the type who removes a 15 foot santa inflatable from your roof on January 27th just because of complaints from local Air Traffic control, you'll not worry too much about the fact that a couple of the records included in this very late singles round-up are Christmas-y. In fact The Escape from Aled Jones by Sparky's Magic Piano is scarcely festive at all. Yes, it may have references to sprouts, snow and cracking nuts but with its great indiepop melody, it could be, nay should be, savoured long after the mince pies have gone musty. (out now on Melody Factory)

Snow on Snow on Snow is a FREE download EP by Liverpool minstrel Eugene McGuinness and is well worth setting the sherry to one side for, especially the excellent Pogues-esq Irish jig Christmas in Killarney. You can get your copy from the Domino site.

A band who probably indulge in mistletoe and wine 365 days a year are SoundsXP faves Cardiff's The Loves and The Ex-Gurlfriend is a Nuggets-style garage toe-tapper about frontman Simon's hapless exploits with the ladies. It's free on download now but you're advised to pick it up as an EP on 12th January, as one of the extra tracks, Around & Around, is definitely worth the dosh. (out on Fortuna Pop)

When the Press Release announces that a band have "bollock rocking brilliance" (a quote from Artrocker) you really have to strap down your loveblobs and listen to the accompanying CD. Unfortunately A Call to Arms by The Social completely fails to rock my gonads, or any part of me. The entire five track EP is weighted down by its 80s influences, chiefly The Smiths but clearly others like the Jam too. It takes talent to play a guitar like Johnny Marr so there's clearly ability here too but wholesale copying takes the surprise out of it, especially when the sub-Mozzer lyrics struggle to match the quality ("sausage meat" should never ever appear in a song line). (out on Divided London Records on 19th January 2009)

Fortunately, Rewind While Sleepy, a lovely EP by Memory Cassette slowly unfurrows my mangled brow with its four tracks of dreamy girl fronted shoegazing synth pop. (out on Something in Construction on 23rd Feb 2009)

Brooklyn's TV on the Radio complete my listening session. They stormed back in 2008 with their Dear Science picking up hearty praise in most respected music journals and broadsheet papers. The second single off that album, Dancing Choose, is a frantic rock rap with synths and parping brass and while it takes a few listens to sink in, it's worth the patience. The main B-side Make Love All Night Long is Prince-style sleazy pop funk, while Dancing Choose (Prefuse 73) and Crying (Telepathe remix) complete the dance package - the latter is especially good, evoking vintage Associates. (out January 12th on 12" and download on 4AD).

Links:
http://www.tvontheradio.com/