Once Upon A Time In The West - Hard-Fi

I doubt I'll be surprising any regular readers of this site when I tell you that I hate Hard-Fi. Actually that might be a bit harsh. Truth be told they have done a couple of half decent songs which don't see me wishing death on the band every time I hear them. The problem is the band themselves. Rightly or wrongly, and there is the chance that they are great blokes, every time I see them, be it performing a song or doing an interview my first thought is "what a bunch of tossers".

So there. I am going to be biased in this review because I don't like them.

But by the same token I'm not going to totally dismiss them because of that, nor just because the whole "No Cover Art" thing is the biggest load of bollocks since Vinnie Jones' spoken word intro on the last Joss Stone album.

Occasionally there is something akin to genuine emotion on the album and it's at those times that Hard-Fi are almost likable. One example is Help Me Please, written in response to the death of Richard Archer's mother; it's perhaps not a typical Hard-Fi song, which probably explains part of it's appeal.

But really for the most part it's one of those records where I sit there and find myself thinking "what's the fuss?". It's relatively catchy and will sell by the bucketload, but that doesn't make it an astounding piece of work. I'm bored with it now, Christ knows how I'll feel in 12 months time once the radio has played the singles to death.

Single Releases 27/08

If only for the absolutely preposterous video Maroon 5's Wake Up Call has to be one of the worst singles of the year. I mean come on, who does that lead singer think he is kidding?

How could a song with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland on it be so absolutely awful? Yes, that's right, it also has 50 Cent on it. It's no wonder Ayo Technology has bombed in the US charts; Kanye is going to murder him in the chart "battle".

It's greatest hits time for Natalie Imbruglia. Although of course I do believe her when she say's she's only agreed to the compilation CD on her own terms. Yes dear. Glorious is the first "new" track to get an airing; like most of her stuff it's ok, but not great. Indeed, that just about sums her up. But then again what do you expect when her most famous song was, shall we say, misrepresented as her own song when all along it was a cover version....

I know no-one believes me, but the new Hilary Duff album was quite good. I know no-one belives me because it's remix time in order to shill some units. They can't even bring themselves to admit it's a Hilary Duff song as it's released under the name Wawa Vs Hillary Duff or some such nonsense. It's ok, but not as good as the proper version.

The Twang are as pointless as ever.

Mammoth by Interpol is good though.

The Young Knives come back with new track Terra Firma this week; it starts of distinctly unpromisingly, but soon becomes something a lot more agreeable. "It looks like mother nature's got a whore, with no regard for health and safety laws...". You can't argue with genius like that can you?

Nine Lives - Kat De Luna

I cannot pretend that first hearing of an artist when they provide a soundtrack song for WWE Summerslam fills one with confidence. Although lets face it, it was something of a thrill to hear a song on WWE tv that wasn't your usual pop-rock-metal nonsense.

Kat De Luna is a native of the Bronx, and offers up an eclectic blend of pop, reggae, dance hall, hip-hop, merengue, R&B and bachata in her debut album, 9 Lives. Well that's what the press blurb says anywhere.

So needless to say, if the idea of Rhianna or Beyonce totally detests you then you might as well look away now. But if, like me, you appreciate that those two have done some cracking pop tunes (in amongst, I would be the first to admit, the dross) then you might at least want to check out the best cuts on this album.

There's nothing particularly subtle anywhere on the album with the emphasis placed firmly on fun pop tunes. And there are tunes to enjoy in this vein. In The End is a funky pop tune, mixing an addictive guitar motif with a euro-disco beat to surprisingly good effect and Animal sounds like Shakira at her most mental...which is a good thing.

The real surprise is just how adept Kat De Luna is at balladry (which, lets face it, is where pop usually goes tits up nine (ahem) times out of ten. Love Me, Leave Me may well sound similar to Rhianna's Unfaithful but is both more restrained, moving and utterly adorable.

Sure most of the rest of the album passes by in an unmemorable, albeit jolly, mode, but the odd moment of brilliance ensures this isn't a complete waste of time. Not one to buy then, but one to keep an ear out for.

Girl Talk - Elin

I can't find anything out about Elin. I presume she's Dutch/German/Something, or at the very least that's where she attempted to make an impact on the charts.

This lack of knowledge about her might suggest that the album can't be very good. And no, it isn't. It's not awful, but if I were to suggest that Elin is a watered down Avril Lavigne, you'd pretty much be able to sum up her sound.

Not offensively awful, but neither does it have anything that I'll be listening to ever again.

Diamond In The Dark - Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles

I don't know, you go years without reviewing a rockabilly CD and then two come along in succession. Although really, "rockabilly" doesn't really cover quite the range that Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles have on this album.

The Day We Met certainly opens up the album on a rockabilly bent, but before long we're onto the pop-rock cracker Stop And Think It Over (think Avril Lavigne with a genuine ear for a tune), the retro-traditional Country sound of False Eyelashes and the blues driven Open Up Your Back Door.

The lack of a real cohesive tying together of the album does make the overall listening experience more than a little bit chaotic but if an individual track fails to capture your attention then it's a case of don't worry, something completely different will be along in a minute.

Thankfully, most of the tracks ARE crackers. Borges has the charisma to pull off the chameleon approach, and backed by a tight backing group the end results are often something very special indeed.

Black Cat Bone - Lee Rocker

If I was going to do a Sam Beckett and travel back in time (ignoring the "leap within your own lifetime nonsense") the one place I would go back to, in a musical sense, would be the mid-late 50's and Sun Records. I don't know former Stray Cats member Lee Rocker, but on the basis of this album I'd wager that he'd gladly join me for the ride.

And I can also safely say that if you're one of those people that know Jerry Lee Lewis is The Killer and that Elvis' most vital work was done in those early days at Sun then this is an album that you're going to love.

From start to finish it's a rock 'n' roll delight.

He's just as good at tackling old classics (Bob Dylan's One More Night, Hank Williams' Lost Highway) as he is at churning out great originals.

For any fan of rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, twanging guitars and straight up rocking melodies, this is an absolute must.

Rilo Kiley LIVE

Ok, so there was no restaurant meeting with Jenny Lewis this time around although we did have to put up with two South Africans in the pub who were cheering for India in the cricket. Jimmy Anderson soon put pay to that though.

Manchester Academy 3 was packed to the rafters which naturally offered us no protection from the tossers. Highlight of the evening from that point of view was probably the girl who about three or four songs into the set stood right in front of me then complaining to her fella that the person she'd stood behind was blocking her view. Don't mind me love.

Anyway, onto Rilo Kiley. Some fans have been terribly upset with the new album but all clinged to some hope that in the live arena, the songs would still kick ass. Well I like the album anyway, but it is safe to say that live, the majority of the new songs do indeed kick ass.

They started off with It's A Hit mind you, and tossed in Portions For Foxes and Paint's Peeling within the first four songs.

Of the new songs, Close Call was particularly good (but then again it is probably my favourite off the album) as was Under The Blacklight. I also thoroughly enjoyed Smoke Detector and Breakin' Up.

Blake Sennett took over for two songs; Ripchord was better than I remember the More Adventurous version ever being but Dreamworld was as dull as it's album counterpart.

The "Crazy Cover Version" of the evening was a version of Jenny Lewis' own Rise Up With Fists; it was funked up and, in all honesty, fairly perfunctory as well. Most bizarre moment of the evening had to be when Lewis preceded 15 with a "warning" to a 15 year old girl down the front which prompted some wag in the crowd to shout out "Jenny's going to piss on you." Quite.

The encore saw a sneak peak of Fergie's new single, no sorry, it was Give A Little Love, and they finished off with a spine tingling version of Does He Love You?

Anyway, it was a quality concert all around. Being quite taken with the new album I enjoyed the new stuff and the old stuff and the band were certainly on form. And as much as some long-standing fans may disagree, Jenny Lewis' attempts to "sex" things up are alright in my book.

Under The Blacklight - Rilo Kiley

Well Moneymaker certainly "divided" the fans and pre-release reviews of this album seem to have been similarly divided.

For the record, I like Rilo Kiley and the "shocking news" that they'd somehow gone "pop" on their 4th album was never going to upset me that much was it? Neither was the proclamation from some sources that RK had "sold out" by making a catchy album with one eye on actually selling a few copies.

If anything my "fear" was perhaps that Jenny Lewis' solo album Rabbit Fur Coat had somewhat raised the bar. It was a sublime record that was perhaps better than anything Rilo Kiley had ever come up with; which is high praise indeed.

The album starts on a pair of very high notes indeed. Silver Lining, which had been previewed online in the weeks leading up to the album release, is in many ways a typical Rilo Kiley song. It's message seems to concern the collapse of a close relationship, not that you'd particularly tell by the upbeat and catchy tune, and the only thing different is an added sheen (which some fans labelled an "over production"). Close Call is just as good.

Moneymaker turns out not to be typical of the album, and as such does reveal itself as a rather strange lead single, but if long term fans were apoplectic at that change of sound, Breaking Up, with its disco stylings, may well give them a heart attack.

The album's title track in some ways sums up the whole album; the beginning sets it up as something akin to a hip hop track, yet it soon dissolves into a typical guitar led track. For all the hype that this is a "new" Rilo Kiley, there is a distinct impression that it's a moving forward from what's gone before, rather than starting from scratch.

I've never seen the point of giving Blake Sennett vocals on a Rilo Kiley album (perhaps that's just me being biased mind you) so we'll somewhat skip over Dreamworld. It's better than Ripchord from More Adventurous mind you. (I'm aware I'm being a little harsh there, but I can't imagine anyone listening to Dreamworld and not thinking "this would sound better with Jenny Lewis singing it").

Dejalo sounds something like Gwen Stefani would come up and is no doubt another track that will send the rabid fans scuttling to the corner with their heads in their hands. Those with an open mind however might just find it difficult to resist.

15 shows that RK have lost none of their lyrical bite (concerning as it does an older man grooming a 15 year old girl on the internet); it's brass fuelled chorus is delightful and will have you singing along with scant recognition of what you're actually singing!

Smoke Detector is reminiscent of early Rilo Kiley, and indeed whilst catchy never really seems to go anywhere; it's saved by a criminally catchy chorus though. The Angels Hung Around is the most "Rabbit Fur Coat" esque song on the album before we close with the electro pop gem Give A Little Love which once again marries an extremely catchy tune with sentiments that are quite literally heartbreaking.

So all in all it's a triumph. Some, perhaps wishing to sentence Rilo Kiley to life-long "cult" (i.e. not selling many records) status will try and tell you that the album strips away everything that made them great in the first place but that is absolute nonsense. This is the sound of a band stepping up their game.

It's everything you loved about Rilo Kiley...and more.

Single Releases 20/08/07

Suburban Knights by Hard-Fi is not a bad tune at all. But the whole cover art debacle just seems to confirm that the band themselves are a load of tossers. So whilst the tune is ok, I can't really look past the fact that I hate them.

Similarly, Ricky Wilson and the drummer from the Kaiser Chiefs, annoy the hell out of me. SO whilst Angry Mob is a decent single, it doesn't change the fact that the video is crap and that I hate them.

I seem to be one of the few who prefer the new Maximo Park album to their first one, but even with that said I have to admit that Girls Who Play Guitars is not one of my favourites. It's ok, but that's as far as it goes.

Remi Nicole...Remi Nicole. I could do the old Gorilla Monsoon line and say don't commit her name to memory as she won't be here for long. Go Mr Sunshine is alright, but really is not something I ever want to listen to again. Which can't be a good sign can it?

I can't quite believe I once thought Linkin Park were "quite good". I can't even blame it on a woman.

I still don't see the point of hellogoodbye. It's pop, but rubbish pop.

As for The Gossip. Isn't Jealous Girls just the same as every other recent single? Oh I forgot, Beth Ditto is officially cool isn't she?

The Underdog by Spoon is great. But those of you have read my album review will know that already!

How Can We Be Silent - BarlowGirl

I don't know what it is recently with me and "Christian" rock. Following hot on the heels of Britt Nicole come BarlowGirl, three Chicago born sisters preaching the good gospel of abstinence from sex before marriage.

Musically this is out and out Evanescence territory. Indeed if you were to happen upon a song of theirs on the radio without any prior knowledge of who they were you might well assume that BarlowGirl were Evanescence.

Of course any closer inspection would serve to realise your folly. As much as Evanescence were championed as Christian rock at the beginning of their rise to fame I doubt they ever had a song like The Guy Song, which appears to be challenging us men to be the kind of people God intended us to be, or Keep Quiet, which seems to be admonishing those people who seem to find Jesus so offensive.

If you are a big fan of Evanescence then you'll probably mildly enjoy this album without ever really being able to get past the fact that its not as good as the band its aping. It's target audience will no doubt lap it up, the rest of us might struggle to come up with any genuine enthusiasm for the album as a whole.

Incidentally it's the most adventurous moment of the set that captivated me the most (or at all). One More Round hits you with a slinky Jazz back beat that elevates it from the pack and shows that with a bit of fine tuning, and an attempt to reach for their own unique sound, there could be a lot to admire about BarlowGirl.

Hand Built By Robots - Newton Faulkner

I might as well admit from the beginning that I'm predisposed to dislike Newton Faulkner. As if the comparisons to Jack Johnson weren't bad enough, young Newton replies to them by saying that he'd rather be compared to him than someone like Girls Aloud.

Well quite frankly Newton, I would suspect that Girls Aloud wouldn't want to be compared to an album as "pleasant" and insipid as yours. A two word review would be as follows; pleasantly dull.

That's not to dismiss Newton completely. Whilst the comparisons to Jack Johnson are fair musically Faulkner seems a lot more likable than his surfer inspired forerunner and, from my point of view, nowhere near as earnestly annoying. But for all the technically accomplished playing that's on show, there's an alarming black hole where the soul should be.

If you were mad about single Dream Catch Me then I dare say that you'll enjoy this album to a certain degree. Me? Well I'm not sure I'll be listening to this very often in the future, other than as background music next time I go to a Chinese restaurant.

Translated From Love - Kelly Willis

It might be a fact that the last place you'd expect to find a cover of an Iggy Pop song is on a country album, never mind one by Kelly Willis. And if, by some miracle, that's where you found it then I doubt you'd expect it to be very good...but you'd be wrong.

In fact, Success may well be the highlight of Kelly Willis' first "proper" album in five years (because no one counts Christmas albums my dears); crucially however it is far from the only song worth investigating on the album and merely it appearance on the album in the first place gives a good indication of how varied the album is in terms of sound.

Teddy Boys opening guitar riffs evoke the spirit of Chuck Berry whilst Loving You, with it's banjo and pedal steel combination is much more traditionally country. The More I'm Around You brings to mind a 60's pop vibe whereas Don't Know Why has a much more 1980's country sound to it.

Incredibly though, the album hangs together as a cohesive work, helped by Willis and a fantastic band.

"New Country" can be said to be a lot of things; rarely however, is it quite as good as it is here.

Sophie Ellis Bextor LIVE

So it was a brand new venue, indeed a brand new town, in the Warrington Parr Hall. Lovely meal in the adjoining Olive Press beforehand (to overhear the waitress saying that only 500 tickets had been sold for the concert) and then it was into the venue itself.

Support act was a group called The Sylvias. They seemed to go down quite well with the crowd but really although they were alright their songs did seem to go on quite a bit. I tell ya, they could teach the Editors a thing or two about stretching out two small verses and a chorus into as long a song as possible.

As the crowd swelled in anticipation of the main event, it was clear that if ever Sophie Ellis Bextor loses her record deal, she will be able to make a killing doing PA's at Gay Clubs and for hen nights. There also seemed to be about 6 men in total in the building who were heterosexual and not with their WAG's.

Indeed at one point in the evening Bextor acknowledged that her make-up was "drag queeny as the best of times" and whilst at times it did seem like the show had been genetically engineered to appeal to the pink pound, it would be wrong to dismiss it on that level.

I personally found myself surprised at just how many good pop singles she's had, and all were met with delight by the small, but very appreciative crowd. Even the album tracks were warmly welcomed, including the more dreary ones.

Ok, so none of this was reinventing the wheel but it was exactly what you would want in a pop concert. Catchy songs, sung with gusto and a hell of a lot of fun.

And on a final note, Bextor's version of David Bowie's Lets Dance in the encore may have been one of the greatest things ever.

Roots & Echoes - The Coral

I'm not what you could call an avid fan of The Coral. I like a few of their singles but have never really felt the need to submerge myself in their back catalogue. So when I put in the album and get faced with Who's Gonna Find Me things aren't looking good. It reminds me of the sort of song that would be used to advertise a Beefeater Pub. And no, I'm not saying that's a good thing.

Indeed, things don't immediately get any better.

It's track 4, Jacqueline, before things start to look up. But even this, with its admittedly catchy melody fails to really spark up like the best songs of The Coral can.

From this point forward there's as many good (ish) tracks as there are distinctly average ones but there is a distinct sense that The Coral have lost, or perhaps intentionally put to one side, the quirkiness that made them an intriguiung proposition.

Listening to Roots & Echoes you can only come to one conclusion; this is the sound of a band playing it safe.

One Cell In The Sea - A Fine Frenzy

A Fine Frenzy is basically singer/songwriter Alison Sudol, and I suppose you could say that it's a wise decision to at least have the pretence of a stage name. After all, female singer-songwriters are ten a penny these days.

The blurb tells us she taught herself to play piano and is a fan of classical music, Motown, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Louis Armstrong, amongst others. A disparate array of influences perhaps, but ones that are brought together to surprisingly haunting effect.

The music is beautifully pitched, with delightful piano that never descends into the pop parody of a, say, Delta Goodrem, and Sudol has a disarming voice that you'll not be able to resist falling in love with.

What marks this album out from the pack is it's lyrical excellence as well. The claimed fantasy influences of such authors as EB White and CS Lewis is clear in the "tale" songs in her repertoire (such as The Minnow & The Trout) yet the songs which are more firmly based in the heartfelt real life side of things (such as You Picked Me) are just as good.

As ever, or so it seems, the criticism would be that it's all a bit one-paced and there is nothing much that differentiates each track from the one that follows it. It's not that much of a criticism, given that there isn't a track that you'd really want to skip every time and the lush production and Sudol's beautiful voice are just as good every time.

The one exception to the similarity is album closer, Borrowed Time, which sees Sudol pick up the acoustic guitar and pluck out a delicate, fruity melody that might recall Travis' best moments to some.

There's a lot to admire on this debut, and it's faults shouldn't dissuade you from checking it out, especially if it sounds like your kind of thing in general. In essence it's a pretty good debut that simultaneously marks A Fine Frenzy as one to watch and also suggests that there's more to come next time around.

And that fact that she kind of reminds me of a red-haired Rachel Bilson has nothing to do with this review at all; that's just a bonus.

Single Releases 13/08/07

You know, I like Kanye West's songs, but you cannot change the fact that he simply isn't a Grade A rapper. In fact he's a long way down the list. He gains marks for the Daft Punk sample in Stronger, but still, he's not a good rapper. If only he'd added "I's only got's four minutes to sing this song" intro, this would have been superb.

Feelings seem mixed in the world of Rilo Kiley fans about new single Moneymaker but I'm starting to like it. Ok, so it's not what you would expect from the band, but since when has that ever been a crime?

Amy Winehouse stayed out of the crack house for long enough to release a new single, Tears Dry On Their Own. I've never been totally convinced by the Winehouse; catchy though some of her tunes may be, I always wonder just how much she had to do with the Mowtown direction herslef. Still, I think I would speak for us all when I say I just hope she can get her life sorted out.

So Do I Say Sorry First? Well, Stephanie McIntosh, I think you bloody well should. Dreadful, abysmal etc.

David Guetta proves the law of diminishing returns with Love Is Gone. No, it's not bad, but no, it's nowhere near as good as his last car advertisement, sorry, single. Close your eyes and it could very well just be a bad remix of the song you already know.

Will MIA break out with Jimmy? Probably not in the huge chart scaling sense but she deserves a wider audience and this may well give her the chance to speak out to them.

I like Calvin Harris. And I like Merrymaking At My Place. Not that that is a myspace style invitation to come around to my house and party.

And that's me done for another week. Apologies to the likes of Ross Copperman, Polyphonic Spree and Ben’s Brother but I just can't be arsed getting around to you this week.

The Else - They Might Be Giants

Ever since the girl of my dreams inadvertently paved the way for me to buy Flood, the They Might Be Giants album with the superlative Birdhouse In Your Soul on it, I've always sort of liked They Might Be Giants without ever really paying any attention to them. I suppose that is just the foibles of modern life.

So it was with a certain restrained form of anticipation that I was looking forward to this album as I put it in the CD player.

It wasn't a feeling that lasted for long.

Don't get me wrong, it's not an awful record, just not a very good one.

There are indeed moments that would almost sit up there with the aforementioned Birdhouse; I'm Impressed is understated but undeniably catchy and Climbing The Walls is something Weezer would be proud of (if it was slightly beefed up a little). But there's too much generic geek rock on display to provide anything more than a sporadically, and moderately at that, interesting album.

Super Taranta! - Gogol Bordello

My fear before putting this album in the player was one that whilst Not A Crime was a sublime slice of punk-pop-gypsy rock (or something) and previous album Gypsy Punks was entertaining, if charmingly ramshackle, there is only so far the Gogol Bordello sound can go and, dare I say it, only so much this listener can take.

It's a fear that is partially, if not totally, dissolved over the course of Super Taranta!

When it hits the spot, it's hits the spot sweetly (although at the same time nothing quite matches Not A Crime). American Wedding is a wry look at the subject title ("nothing gets these bitches going, not even the Gypsy Kings" is one of my favourite lyrics of the year) and has me tapping my foot every time I hear it. And funnily enough another standout, Alcohol, could be a Gypsy Kings outtake (albeit one recorded by them whilst on crack) and humour obviously is a Gogol strength, as the title track proves with it's "attack" on Christianity ("second time I read the bible, I thought it was alright" sets up the track perfectly).

If you love accordions and fiddle then you'll be loving this. If not, you might want to take this in small doses. Myself, well I found it a good record but not necessarily one I'll have on repeat play forever and a day. As an album to dip into on a semi-regular basis though, this has it's undeniable charms.

The only thing left to question is Live Earth....WHY?

Coco - Colbie Caillat

America's Lily Allen? Well at least in terms of using Myspace as a springboard to success. Musically, whereas Allen offered something new, Colbie Caillat could well be any one of a hundred cookie cutter singer-songwriters currently plying their trade. Now before we start, that's not necessarily a criticism of any great depth, just an observation that Caillat offers us nothing new.

What she does offer us though are perfectly pleasant pop songs, which are both easy-going and extremely radio-friendly. Indeed, I'm not aware if she's been playlisted on Radio 2 yet, but if not it can only be a matter of time.

Indeed there is an undeniable charm surrounding tracks such as Bubbly, the reggae tinged The Little Things and the understated Oxygen that will keep you listening, but not exactly having you reach for the repeat button when the album is over.

The standout may well be Midnight Bottle. It's not the catchiest of songs on the album, but seems the most "together" and has the most absorbing lyrical content.

So whilst this album is impossible to hate, it's also extremely hard to love. Like maybe, but not love. It's the musical equivalent of that sweet girl who lives down your street. You like her, and on a hot summer's evening you may even wonder whether you could ever love her, but deep down you know you will never think of her as anything more than a friend.

But perhaps the last word should go to Caillat herself from Bubbly; “You make me smile, please stay for a while" just about sums up her appeal. I certainly wouldn't be against hearing what she comes up with next.

With Lasers - Bonde Do Rolé

Whilst constantly lumped in with Cansei De Ser Sexy, Bonde Do Rolé are going to struggle to match the worldwide success that their fellow Brazillians have acquired.

For a start, whilst the sound is similar, on the surface at least, With Lasers lacks the out and out pop genius of, say, Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above, and its this lack of a killer tune that will preclude this from making the kind of splash that CSS did.

Still, that is not to say that this is entirely without merits. Those that do listen to it will immediately find this a likeable and rowdy experience, like all good party's should be.

Whether its the kazoo (and indeed the Hollaback Girl-esque drum beat) that accompanies Geremia, the Fannypack style minimalism of Solta O Frango or the 80's Hair metal intro to Bondallica you'll be having fun, even if it's difficult to ever be fully aware of what exactly is going on. Indeed, you don't need to be fluent in Portugese to know what territory we're delving into here and, if I'm being honest, that's half the fun.

Of course you might well decide that one Synth-heavy Brazillian disco pop troupe is enough for your life, but if you did you might be missing out on something quite special indeed.

Insomniatic - Aly & Aj

Ok, I know. It doesn't sound too promising does it? Two blonde teen sisters singing Disney Teen Pop is enough to turn anyone right off isn't it? And normally I would agree, but there is something borderline genius about the recent single from Aly & AJ, Potential Break Up Song.

Now I'm not one to say such a thing lightly, but it's good enough to be a Girls Aloud single. It's three and a half minutes are packed with more invention than you'll find in the entire Hard-Fi back catalogue and shows an exuberant personality not often found in American by-the-numbers pop.

Of course the real thing to ask is whether or not this is a one-off, or indicative of the new album as a whole?

Tracks such as Bullseye, Like Whoa and Like It Or Leave It prove that the brilliant single was not simply a one-off but sadly there are a lot of tracks that also show that overall they've not moved that far from their previous style.

In many ways that makes this an ideal album for their fan base. It's got enough of what you would expect if you liked what you've heard previously, but also shows just enough invention to keep those same fans hooked.

More, ahem, mature pop lovers may not need to concern themselves with this album as a whole, but there are a smattering of pop classics that will keep even the most cynical of listeners on their toes.

Made Of Bricks - Kate Nash

Any regular readers of this site, and there must be at least three of you, might think that you know exactly what's coming up in the space of this review. Well let me just say right off the bat that you might be a little surprised.

Because although I should absolutely love this record, given the fact I like Nash, think she's great live and I'm in love with her, there is just something that stops me a little short of outright adoration.

For instance, whilst I'm fully aware that the previous versions of We Get On are not supposed to be the "official" versions, I prefer them to the version that turns up on this album. Similarly, whilst the album version of Merry Happy isn't a million miles away from the demo/Myspace versions I've heard it's new polish takes a little away from what made me fall in love with the song in the first place. And, stop me if this is getting a tad boring now, the same thing applies to The Shit Song. And whilst we're at it, lets lump Mariella in there as well.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't dislike any of those songs at all, they're just not the versions I fell in love with. And it's not as if I've some aversion to all the more polished studio versions. Dickhead is transformed by it's haunting backing, and Birds has just enough "beefiness" added to the backing to elevate it from the much sparser single version.

Then there are the songs I'd previously not heard, such as Pumpkin Song (which ironically, given Nash's recent press statements, is the song that most sounds like Lily Allen) which I enjoyed greatly.

So it all places my in a difficult position. I like the album, in fact I like it quite a lot, but at the same time I can't help but feel disappointed by it. Maybe it's my own fault for expecting so much, but then again that expectation was based on already hearing most of the tracks and seeing her live twice. Who knows, maybe in the weeks to come I'll grow to love these new versions just as much as the old ones.

Or then again, I'm disappointed with what I would call a "great album"...perhaps I'm just mental!

Single Releases 06/08/07

Is it hilarious, or just plain sad, that Kula Shaker are releasing a new single in 2007. I didn't think they were any good when they had their moment in the spotlight. I think even less of them now.



Similarly I have absolutely no love for the Magic Numbers. I just don't see the mass appeal of them. Their first album was boring, and their second one followed suit. So needless to say, I'm not exactly over the moon at their new EP either.



And Hellogoodbye. What is it with people liking them? Baby It's Fact might even be worse than the last one.



On the other hand, Richard Hawley's new single is amazingly good. Tonight The Streets Are Ours sounded great from the first time I heard it; it was one of those catchy little ditty's that sounded so familiar right from the off (and I mean that in a good way).



Why Sophie Ellis Bextor has released Tonight's The Sun's On Us when there are much better singles on the album is beyond me.



I know the Robyn single was out last week but I missed it last week. It's good. In fact it's very good. No doubt Edith Bowman is championing it as we speak as a hot new tune from a hot new artist...

Here Lies.... - Betty Curse

It's a testament to how greatly the Betty Curse experiment flopped that her album was released in October 2006 (download only, with a physical release earlier this year), and here we are, in August of the following year, before I even realised the album was out. Ok that's not strictly true; I was aware in general that the album was being released to cash in on the Halloween season but having never seen anything about it since, nor ever seen a copy of it in the shops, I forgot about it entirely until a recent chance occurrence.

The big question has to be then, was I missing anything?

Well, as ever, the answer is yes and no.

Am I any more convinced months down the line that this is nothing more than an elaborate play act from the former Megan Burns? Well no, but neither does that make some of the tracks any the less catchy. Artifice is not necessarily the tool of the devil you know.

There are catchy choruses to burn (God This Hurts, Rot In Heaven, Excuse All The Blood) and Curse can belt them out with energetic pop aplomb. Indeed, if the songs ever did get mainstream airplay, you certainly wouldn't be turning your radio off when they came on.

But in all that lies the problem with the whole project. It's "goth" approach doesn't entirely convince, which may have been the problem in appealing to the target audience and even if it did, the out and out "pop" splendour of some of the tracks would have a hard time gaining favour with the eyeliner-heavy crowd it professes to appeal to.

That said, I quite like it. But I can also see why it's lack of success was, in hindsight, all too obvious.

This Is The Life - Amy Macdonald

It's no secret that I've not been overly enamoured by the singles that Amy Macdonald had put out prior to this album, although upon reflection I may have been a little harsh. Yes, even a seasoned veteran like myself occasionally gets blasé when the latest "big thing" gets thrust in our faces.

The first thing I have to say is that I just can't get used to her voice. She can sing, don't get me wrong, but there are times when I cannot look past the fact that something weird is going on with her voice, to my ears at least. It's not an insurmountable barrier thanks to some very catchy songs, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it's a barrier that somewhat lessens my enjoyment of the album.

There are times, such as on Let's Start A Band, This Is The Life and, yes...I'll admit I was wrong, Mr Rock And Roll when Macdonald sounds on the verge of something really spectacular but sadly it's not promise that she capitalises on throughout her debut album.

Although the song titles alone suggest Macdonald has a lot to say, the overly earnest approach does begin to grate over a full album (what a difference a bit of Kate Nash esque joie de vivre on a few tracks might have made) and whilst in some ways the fact that Macdonald doesn't come across on record as the 19 year old she is may be a positive thing, it can also occasionally have the effect of making her songs sound a little too generic.

That said, like most reviewers have picked up on, if you're looking for something to tide you over until the next KT Tunstall record, this fits the bill perfectly. It also shows that Macdonald is a girl with genuine talent; she just needs to grow into it a little bit more. If she does, next time around the results could be spectacular indeed.

Say It - Britt Nicole

They tell me that Britt Nicole is "Christian" music. I'm glad they told me because by listening to Say It, you wouldn't particularly guess.

Some might prefer to label her the latest in a long line of Avril Lavigne wannabees who will never make a career out of this music malarkey. Indeed, a cursory glance over her mere existence would probably lead you down that path, but that would not be doing Miss Nicole any justice.

Becuase whilst there is no escaping the fact that this sounds a lot like Avril Lavigne and her ilk, there is plenty of evidnce that Nicole has the ability to stand out from the pack (although admittedly, how much this is down to her, and how much to her "team" is not something I can answer at this stage).

Sure there is a lot that blends into the "teen-pop" pack, but there are a smattering of genuinely catchy, knock-out pop moments on her debut album.

Sunshine Girl is the sort of radio-friendly pop ditty that you can imagine blaring out of your car stereo whilst someone like Fearne Cotton (shudder) babbles on about the ususal nonsense. Holiday has a slinky electro vibe, with a lovely string riff (or whatever you want to call it) and a positively addictive drum beat. Believe has the sort of chorus that would have teen girls across the world singing along.

Of course there is a fair amount of tracks that don't really go anywhere and fit the template a little bit too tightly to really become anything memorable.

Still this has enough good stuff to give it a reccomendation, if it sounds like your kind of thing. And lets face it, if Kelly Clarkson had released this hook-laden album instead of her recent one, she might not have to be apologising to Clive Davis on bended knee...

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon

Ok so this is Spoon's sixth album, and I hadn't heard of them until a few days ago. Well you can't keep a track of EVERYTHING can you? So whilst most reviews of this album you will find will make great play about how good this is in respect to their vast back catalogue, I can't do that.

I can only tell you how good it is...full stop.

Clocking in at a little over half an hour, there isn't an extraneous moment on this album. From start to finish this is a delight. True, it's hard to escape the feeling that, ultimately, everything on this album, from the piano hooks to the handclaps, has been obsessively put in place on each track but the most important thing is that it never actually feels like that's the case when you're listening to it.

You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb's Mowtown feel sits alongside the minimalism of My Little Japanese Cigarette Case, which in turn sits nicely alongside the bouncy pop of The Underdog. Better still, in my case anyway, only Black Like Me sounds anything like approaching a ballad; this is half an hour of bouncy, hook laden pop-rock which, at the risk of upsetting Spoon fans across the world, reminds me a lot of The Fountains Of Wayne (which is a good thing).

If you like your pop mixed in with a bit of "indie" then this is well worth a listen.

The Con - Tegan And Sara

Whilst Tegan and Sara have been "on the radar" for some time I can't say I've ever really warmed to them all that much. A pleasant diversion they may be but they've never really done a record that had escaped purgatory in the CD cupboard, pushed to the back and only really brought out when a search for a lost classic reminds me that the CD is there.

Lead single, and album title track, The Con didn't really bode any better for their prospects with this record. Pretty forgettable really.

But then, quite by chance, I happened upon a track called Are You Ten Years Ago, which really did catch my ears. A little bit ambient, and a whole lot bleak, it may be but it sounds fresh, exciting and vital. And I'm happy to say that whilst the style of that track may not be typical of the album as a whole, the excitement of that song certainly is typical of this great album (although I would also have to admit that nothing quite matches up to this song either).

Nineteen amps up the big guitars and booming drums into power-pop territory, Call It Off is an aching ballad, which soars thanks to it's light touch of string orchestration and the bouncy pop of Back In Your Head merges guitar and keyboards to uplifting effect.

I certainly can't escape the "this sounds a lot like Laura Veirs" vibe I continually get from the album, especially in the vocals, but that's no bad thing in my view as Veirs is one of the great "lost" (as in few people have heard of her) songwriters of the modern age. More ardent fans may disagree, but I think this is Tegan and Sara's best album yet.

Galore - Dragonette

For all my liking of the Popjustice website, I don't always tend to see eye to eye with their "next big thing" proclamations. Dragonette are a case in point. None of the singles and/or songs I'd heard prior to picking up this album particularly horrified me, but neither did they particularly leap out, smack me on the head and proclaim their pop genius loudly.

And in the final analysis the album hits me in pretty much the same vein.

At times you'll find yourself thinking this would make a good, if not especially great Britney Spears single (Marvellous) or that this is a good No Doubt out-take (Black Limousine) but more often you'll be thinking what on earth Dragonette's reputation was based on.

There are a couple of moments of genius I must admit, the outright highlight being Jesus Doesn't Love Me, which comes across as exactly what would happen if Depeche Mode wrote for Girls Aloud. Sadly moments like this are outweighed by the sheer mediocrity of most of the album.

Much like the Kaiser Chiefs, in that it's a "pop" album for people who don't want to admit to liking "pop" music it actually makes me a little sad that this might well be a huge smash hit. I think I'll stick to my Girls Aloud records if it's all the same to you.

Single Releases 30/07

Gotta Work by Amerie and Pussy'Ole by Dizzee Rascal are both choice cuts off choice albums. I know I keep getting raised eyebrows when I say Dizzee's album is very good, but honestly, it is.

Green Light by Beyonce is not as good as those two, but is still the kind of song that she does best.

Gym Class Heroes do not sound at all like I expected them to given the people who were attending their concert in Manchester the other week. That isn't a compliment by the way.

Laura Veirs releases Saltbreakers this week. It was one of the highlights of the same titled album and although I realise it isn't going to be a "hit" it is a fantastic song.

Similarly, Carla Bruni isn't going to have a hit with Lady Weeping At The Crossroads, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a great track.

I still can't quite "get" Kate Walsh. Don't Break My Heart is alright, but that's about it.

I don't care that it's quite good, that new Nelly Furtado one is still the 37th single off the Loose album so I want something new.

Finally, in a shocker to end all shockers, I "quite like" the new The Coral single. Ok, so that might seem like damning it with faint praise, but it's an amazing thing for me to even contemplate....

Seastories - Minnie Driver

Quite randomly, I've never liked Minnie Driver as an actress. Don't ask me to explain as I wouldn't really know how to. And whilst her first album Everything I've Got In My Pocket didn't exactly reinvent the wheel it was shockingly competent in terms of an actress branching out into a musical career.

And that vein continues with Seastories.

Once again I doubt it is going to sonically astound most listeners, and indeed the gentle lilting alt-country vibe (it is not for nothing that Ryan Adams' Cardinals pop up on a handful of songs) is nothing new; there is however the sense that Driver is good at what she chooses to do.

Mockingbird ramps up the bluesy kind of rock that KT Tunstall could do very well, whilst the more gentle, piano driven ballad How To Be Good shows that Driver is just as adept at that side of things as well.

Granted, lyrically Driver's efforts are a little weak, but this isn't necessarily a death knell for the album as a whole. There is a kind of earnest simplicity on this collection that works really well. Go on, give it a go. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Latest 2007 Concert List

27th January - Ben Folds - Manchester Apollo
29th January - Nerina Pallot - Manchester Academy 2
30th January - The Hedrons - Night & Day, Manchester
11th February - Sandi Thom - The Lowry, Salford
18th February - The Long Blondes, Manchester Academy
222nd February - Bat For Lashes - RNCM, Manchester
10th March - Lily Allen, Manchester Apollo
28th March - Kate Nash - Night & Day, Manchester
17th April - The Pipettes - Ritz, Manchester
20th April - Lucy Porter (comedy gig) - The Lowry, Salford
20th May - Girls Aloud - MEN Arena, Manchester
3rd June - Kate Nash - Late Room, Manchester
30th June - Suzanne Vega - Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
12th July - Bat For Lashes - Manchester Academy 3
19th July - Feist - Manchester Academy 3
16th August - Sophie Ellis Bextor - Parr Hall, Warrington
21st August - Rilo Kiley - Manchester Academy 3
9th September - Natasha Bedingfield - Manchester Apollo
27th September - New Young Pony Club - Ritz, Manchester
7th October - Frank Skinner (Comedy) - Lowry, Manchester
14th October - Editors - Manchester Apollo
19th October - KT Tunstall - Manchester Apollo
23rd October - Amy Macdonald - Barfly, Liverpool
5th November - Kate Nash - Manchester Academy 3

Teenager - The Thrills

I know I've said this in respect of a few artists lately, but really, in 2007 is anyone actually eagerly anticipating a new Thrills album? No, thought not.

Don't get me wrong; I consider Big Sur and One Horse Town to be minor classics, but to be honest, if you've heard those two songs you've prety much heard all that you really need to hear from The Thrills.

Connor Deasy's voice hasn't got any better with age by the sounds of it, and there's only so much faux-Californian melodies that this reviewer can bear. (Incidentally, the band apparently crafted this album in a Vancouver, in a conscious effort to avoid the sunny LA vibe which personified their first two albums - well all I can say is you'd be hard pressed to notice any change).

To put in into perspective, it's not a bad album and indeed it has its moments whilst you are listening to it, but 10 minutes later, when the CD is safely back in the rack I defy you to remember any of the tunes. If this is the last I ever hear of them, on this form I can't say I'll be particularly upset.

Whatever Happened To Romance? - Victoria Hart

You know how it goes; one minute you're singing at a private party in Cannes and then the next minute you're releasing your debut album. Of course it didn't really happen quite like that (the private party was three years ago and it was only a repeat performance recently that the record label interest kicked in) but it's still quite the story for Victoria Hart.

What might be even more amazing is that this sassy and exciting collection has only the one cover version (Sunny Afternoon - and what a corker it is too) meaning that thought has actually been put into this beyond her having a great voice and, I have to say it, a cracking pair of tits (that one's for you Gee!).

But all of you fearing that the "jazz" part of her oeuvre discounts you, then you should think again. There is a clear sense that she's positioning herself, or being positioned, as much more than that.

Her playful, sultry vocals are part of the allure, no question, but she carries a tune and comes up with some blinders. If you can resist the likes of A Girl Like Me, Je M’Oublie or Smooth Talker then you might want to check if your heart is still beating.

I don't think we'll be seeing her waitressing at the Naked Turtle for £7 an hour again any time soon.

Absolute Garbage - Garbage

There was a brief moment in time, right about the moment they performed I'm Only Happy When It Rains on Top Of The Pops, that Garbage were officially the hottest thing in music in my young mind. As you might expect, the feeling didn't last. But that's not to say that an overview of Garbage's musical output is an unwelcome thing.

At their best they were very good indeed; at their worst they were below even Republica. Well ok, maybe not THAT bad, but you get the picture.

So therefore for every Stupid Girl there's a Bleed Like Me, for every Queer there's a When I Grow Up and for every #1 Crush there's a The World Is Not Enough. Indeed, if I'm being honest, the only track past their first album I have any real interest in (#1 Crush aside, although that was from the same time, just not on that album) is the catchy Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go). That's not to say that everything past the first album is worthless, just that for me, having the debut album and that song is more than enough to satisfy my Garbage craving. Throw in a distinctly underwhelming new song and this is a collection I can well do without.

But if you liked their singles, and haven't yet got a Garbage CD in your collection, this might be a pleasant trip down memory lane.

Sexy! No No No

So the new Girls Aloud single is "out there", and trust me to be away when it's all kicking off.

Anyway, it's good.

But not as good as the introduction suggests it's going to be. Still, it's early days and no doubt I'll start loving it soon.

Whatever, it's a brave choice as a first single and proof that they're still going to absoultely amazing.

And it's a nice excuse to post a picture of my Daisy...

Single Releases 23/07

Mutya Vs Groove Amarda is brilliant. Song 4 Mutya is the best thing by a country mile on Mutya's new album and really has very little to do with her anyway. So what we are really saying is that Mutya's solo venture is a bit crap, but this song is a bloody blinder.

On the other hand, Mika is just very, very crap. Big Girls (You Are Beautiful) is so obviously channeled from Big Bottomed Girls, but someone really should point out to the cheeky chappy that he is most certainly not Freddie Mercury. In fact this song is so offensive that it may even be worse than Grace Kelly and that other god-damn awful single he released a while back.

Thankfully, Amy Winehouse was sober for a few days last year so her single releases aren't on the same "will she, won't she" level as her concerts. Mind you at least if you buy the CD of Tears Dry On Their Own she won't spit on you, forget her lyrics or have a domestic with the hubby in your living room.

At one point I thought it might just have been the "Edith Bowman" and "Jo Wiley" thing that made me not like Newton Faulkner, but upon closer inspection of his new single Dream Catch Me I think it's fair to say that's just an ironic side product.

BWO are still rubbish.

Oh sod it, I've had enough.

Popjustice £20 Prize Shortlist

Sod the Mercury's, this is the one that counts...my witticisms won't be as funny as Popjustice's but here are my opinions anwway;

'Acceptable In The 80s'
Calvin Harris
Yes, this is good. I hated it at first, but quick as a flash it grew on me.

'Rehab'
Amy Winehouse
Now if it was the Girls Aloud version....

'Beware Of The Dog'
Jamelia
The best number one single never to have got anywhere near number one. But Jamelia doesn't like it now, which has nothing to do with her being dropped from her record label.

'Catch You'
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Well it's better than her follow up single, but not as good as some of the album tracks.

'Don't Give It Up'
Siobhan Donaghy
The days where something can be good purely because it's "that ginger one who used to be in the Sugababes" are long gone I'm afraid. As a "pop" single this is fairly pointless.

'Foundations'
Kate Nash
I love Kate Nash. That is all.

'Overpowered'
Roisin Murphy
See this is the good version of the Donaghy "classic" above.

'She's Madonna'
Robbie Williams
Well I liked it, even if most people didn't. MEMO TO THE PUBLIC - Rudebox (the album, that is) was not that bad.

'Shine'
Booty Luv
I detest this song. This winning would be akin to The View winning the Mercury.

'Something Kinda Oooh'
Girls Aloud
Their best single since, well, erm...Biology at least.

'Stop Me'
Mark Ronson
Bringing out the not-so-latent gayness of Morrissey turned out to be inspired.

'Yeah Yeah'
Bodyrox feat Luciana
Daft, but one of the few "dance" things I've enjoyed over the past year.

So yeah, it's Calvin Harris or Kate Nash for me. Probably Nash. Because she's lovely.

Planet Earth - Prince

Does anybody really need Prince's 24th Studio Album (or indeed his 46th career album)? Or perhaps more pertinently is there anyone else left who really cares? "Releasing" this free with the Mail On Sunday in the UK was a smart move if for no other reason than the fact that his last album sold 80,000 copies in the UK, whereas the Mail On Sunday has a circulation in the region of 2 million.

But all questions of whether its a good business move for himself, or for the industry at large, is not the concern here. The concern is simply, is the album any good?

And the answer is, well, yes and no.

It had been hailed as a return to form but to be honest, I don't think it's as good as his last effort 3121. And to be honest it's much like most of his recent output; there are flashes of the old brilliance but most of it sounds, at best, distinctly ordinary.

As a freebie it has a certain curiosity value, and there are moments that any Prince fan will love but on the whole there's far too much that is simply boring for it to have any real worth.

A Lily For The Spectre - Stephanie Dosen

According to the blurb at least, Stephanie Dosen's musical talent was first brought to bear when she wrote lullabies for swans and foxes on the peacock farm where she was raised (and that's before we've got to the "Stephanie composed songs for boys at school and now mostly writes for ghosts gone astray"section of the blurb...).

So far, so "kooky" then for the folk songstress. Of course it wasn't the said animals that signed her up to some George Orwell influenced record label, but former Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde, who not only signed her up but was heavily involved in creating the musical backdrops for this album.

And it really is something quite special indeed.

Dosen has a positively enchanting voice, both beautiful and poetic, which immediately takes this out of the ordinary scheme of things.

The album isn't without faults; by the time you get to the last, and title track, you're aware that there's nothing too dissimilar to the brilliant opener This Joy and also that there's nothing that quite matches up to the magic of it either. You might also find yourself thinking that Dosen is a little too impossibly sweet and that you can't wait for that third album when she's goes for a darker sound. But the fact that I'm sat here already thinking about what her third album sounds like should tell you all you need to know.

Stephanie Dosen is quite the talent and I hope she's around for many years to come. Even with it's "faults" this is an enchanting album.

Feist LIVE

Compared to last week's Bat For Lashes pre-concert fun, this week was relatively dull, unless you count my mate Alan pulling some bird in the Oxford and the domestic squabble we witnessed in the Pizza place.

Luckily we turned up to the venue around about 9 o'clock. Luckily I say because Feist was due on at quarter past. The venue was apparently sold out (although I've been in Academy 3 when it's seemed busier) and, the few trendy bores aside who just wouldn't stop talking, most were ready for a great night.

And a great night it was too. Occasionally, and this is not necessarily a criticism, Feist can come across as a bit of a "Jazz-Lite" proposition on record but that is most certainly not the case in the live arena. The girl can rock out with the best of them.

It does create a slightly jarring effect on stage, as does the tendency to lump the more up-tempo numbers together at various points in the evening but there is no doubt that Leslie Feist it quite the talent. She's disarmingly funny as well.

The highlights of the evening include stunning versions of 1,2,3,4, My Moon My Man and a rollicking version of Sealion. She also managed to "out Tunstall" KT Tunstall at stages of the evening, using a loop to create waves upon waves of sublime harmonies.

All in all a great night with a great talent. And if her tendency to cross genre's sometimes makes for a slightly uneven evening, in the end it's just proof of how talented she really is.

Mercury Music Prize 2007 - My Thoughts...

Well the nominations are out.

I am pleased simply becuase Bat For Lashes got nominated (as I said they should be back in January when I reviewed the album) but that aside it was a pretty uninspiring list in many ways. Still I have seven of the albums, and there's only one artist I hadn't heard of, or had some musical contact with, prior to the list being announced.

I shall proffer some thoughts, in an alphabetical stylee, complete will William Hill odds (as of today's date).

Amy Winehouse (5/2) - The favourite with the bookies now (started off joint favourite with the Monkeys); it's five years since a woman won it (Miss Dynamite) so it may well be the year for Winehouse. No doubt they're taking bets on how drunk she'll be at the finals night too.

Arctic Monkeys (5/1) - It would be unprecedented if they were to win it twice in a row, and it would be undeserved too. Not that I didn't enjoy Favourite Worst Nightmare but surely it lacks the innovation compared to the debut that would heighten it's chances.

Basquiat Strings (12/1) - The token "out there" nomination. It's a stretch, given the lack of variety in the list, that it would win, but stranger things have happened.

Bat for Lashes (10/1) - My personal choice, both from the list of 12 and in general. It's now neck and neck for "most famous musician" I've met given this nomination and Nerina Pallot's Ivor Novello nomination. That aside, it's an album that, at least in my opinion, would be a deserving winner.

Dizzee Rascal (10/1) - This is another fantastic album, and I don't care what you might think of me saying that!

Fionn Regan (12/1) - I don't mean this to offend any of his fans out there, but I think this would be too much of a "middle of the road" choice for the Mercury panel. He's not got the huge success that would make him a winner, neither is his music fantastically different.

Jamie T (6/1) - This guy does nothing for me at all.

Klaxons (8/1) - This album is not very good. It's three or four good songs, surrounded by fairly poor tracks.

Maps (12/1) - Wouldn't be my choice at all, but if the judges want a surprising winner, he may be in with a chance.

New Young Pony Club (12/1) - A very good album indeed. Stands an outside chance but I can't see it winning.

The View (10/1) - Pah. I really hope this one doesn't win. I kind of liked it at the time of release, but I am now of the conclusion that it's all a bit rubbish.

The Young Knives (12/1) - The idea of this getting nominated completely passed me by when I was thinking what might get the call up, but for all that, it is a wonderful album.

So basically I want Bat For Lashes to win, (not only because they are my favourites from the list but that I genuinely think its the best British album of the year), but think that in all probability 2007 will be Amy Winehouse's year for the prize.

Now Listen - Shakin Stevens

Look, we all have our "blind spots" and Shaky is one of mine. I've loved the guy since I was two years old (as an aside I once wrote to Jim'll Fix It to get to meet Shaky - I didn't, but was sent a signed photograph AND Shaky once sent me a get well card when I was in hospital). Here we are over 25 years later and his new album Now Listen hits the shelves.

Not that anyone in the UK would have noticed, given that despite the fact its "non-releases" (this has been on the schedules at least two previous times) got plenty of publicity, this actually release doesn't appear to have been a priority.

It probably goes without saying that if you like Shaky, and his brand of Rock 'n' Roll then you'll find plenty to enjoy here. Similarly, if you don't like Shaky, this is hardly going to change your mind.

Standout tracks include the Elvis Vegas era-esque Fire Down Below (which songwriter Jerry Scheff wrote for Elvis, but who never got around to laying down vocals - which is ironic given Shaky's music career beginnings), It's A Shame, a soothing ballad, and his riotous version of Pink's Trouble.

Yes, it's like we never had the 1990's (or hell, the 2000's either) in terms of sound and attitude but as the unmistakable sound of Shaky signing what he does best it's certainly a pleasant forty minutes of good old fashioned rock 'n' roll.

Single Releases 16/07/07

Despite the fact that I'm' falling out of love with Lily Allen to some degree, I do enjoy her collaboration with Mark Ronson on Oh My God. Horns maketh the music, that's what I say. It's joyous in a way that the Kaiser Cheifs are no longer.

If you want my opinion on Joss Stone's new single, I think that my album review said all that needs to be said.

Well Thought Out Twinkles by the Silversun Pickups is quite the hidden gem. Check it out.

Jarvis Cocker is as relevant as ever on Fat Children. It's quite the song too. Not destined to see him top the charts of course, but in some cases chart positions can take a back seat.

Someone please explain the point of Biffy Clyro.

Nothing Changes Around Here say The Thrills. Well that just about sums it up. The Thrills are the sort of band that everyone sort of likes without ever really being able to say why. They're not bad, but in the final analysis they're not that good either.

I like the Victorian English Gentlemens Club, and their new single La Mer / Stupid As Wood is the kind of thrash noise stuff you'd expect from them. Not the best thing they've ever released but still something I enjoy.

In one of those regular "drunk on a Saturday night" moments I caught the video to XX Teen's Darling on MTV. Very funny video, but the song just seemed to be sub-par Young Knives to me.

Elvis Perkins is quite the talent. While You Were Sleeping is quite the tune. Ace, is how I would describe it.

Amy MacDonald is getting a lot of hype at the moment in certain places. Given the sheer ordinariness of Mr Rock And Roll, I fail to see quite why.

Icky Thump - White Stripes

I'm pretty easy going as far as the White Stripes go. I like some of their stuff and there are bits of their canon I don't care for. And whilst the pedestal on which most music critics seem to hold them on seems bizarre to me, neither would I wholly castigate them either.

The temptation is of course to subscribe to the "it's the White Stripes so automatically it must be great" thesis but first impressions are that this album is a regression after the daring Get Behind Me Satan. Indeed those that thought the last album wasn't White Stripes enough will be pleased with what they get here.

But the intriguing thing about the Stripes for me has always been that feeling that they are always searching for new ground and this album has the other effect. When it hits the spot, it's great but the overriding feeling is that they've stuck on the safe ground for this effort.

A definite backwards step then, but not one without its moments.

We Are The Night - Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers have had a remarkably consistent career for a dance act, singles wise at least. Like the statistic that we're never more than 20 feet from a Rat, it seems like we're never more than a couple of months away from a great Chemical Brothers single in the charts. (Of course, before anyone starts, I'm aware that's not strictly true, but you get my meaning).

Lead singles from We Are The Night was no different. Whilst Do It Again may not have been the most outright catchy single they've ever done it was one of those that slowly but surely got under your skin, before lodging itself in your brain.

And in a sense, this consistency has applied to their albums; in an ever changing world you at least know exactly what you are going to get from a Chemical Brothers album, right down to the guest appearances.

This time around we get the likes of The Klaxons, Willy Mason and Midlake. Ironically it's the two collaborations that you would perhaps be the most wary of (Mason and Midlake) that really hit the spot and the one that everyone would have been excited about (Klaxons) that falls flat. Indeed All Rights Reserved merely sounds like the Klaxons, and not one of their better songs at that.

Mason on the other hand steps up to the plate with aplomb for Battle Scars, whilst The Pills Won't Help You Know is perhaps the perfect "come-down" track.

Ironically it's the more straightforward "dance" moments that fall most flat although the absolute nadir has to be The Salmon Dance which wouldn't sound out of place on some CBeebies under 5's show, (if one ignores the lyrics) and as such will probably be a number one hit for weeks.

So all in all it's exactly what you'd expect. Some decent songs, some dreadful ones and a couple of stormers.

Our Love To Admire - Interpol

It's tempting, given the proximity of their release, to immediately compare Interpol's new album to that of Editors. Indeed, on this very site, I compared their recent singles (The Heinrich Maneuver to Smokers Outside the Hospital Door) and I could only come to one conclusion...Interpol's superior effort almost consigned the Editors' to becoming an irrelevance.

This feeling is heightened during the opening of the album; Pioneer To The Falls is everything you'd want Interpol to be and then they throw a curve ball ( in the form of a song not being unremitting doom) in the shape of No I In Threesome. Daft title aside, for once there is actually the sense that Interpol might actually be having, you know, fun.

But despite the very promising start there's just something that is a little too hard to like about this album. It might be the lyrical clichés, or the continually transparent attempt to ape Joy Division but its more than likely to be the constant "harbinger of doom" attitude that hangs over the album.

More infuriatingly, when they lay off the daft imagery and overwrought misery, on the likes of Rest My Chemistry and The Lighthouse (even if the latter's lyrics would put it firmly in the camp of misery), they can sound very impressive indeed. Still, the sad thing is, I doubt anybody will be buying this record to hear that side of Interpol's repertoire.

Bat For Lashes LIVE

In an event not entirely unconnected to me being told off for leaving work early last Friday, it was gone half past five when I set off down Poolstock. It wasn't as bad as normal so maybe I've cracked it. I mean although I arrived later than I would have done if I'd left at five as usual, the journey itself didn't take as long...

Enough of that though because what happened when we got to the Oxford was much more interesting...we met Superman. Yes, that's right. THE Superman. Ok, so it wasn't THE Superman but it was someone who thought he was and he was surprisingly well up on his Superman life-story. The killer was when he took off his coat to reveal his Superman Cape. That was AWESOME.

As we got to the venue, some Spanish kid accused my mate Alan of dressing like a "hardcore" whatever that is. "Sneakers and combats" must have other connotations in Spain .

We had further "celeb" moments in the Manchester Academy 3 as we found ourselves stood behind "Amy Winehouse" (without the hair thankfully). Mind you this young girl in question made Winehouse look like a sober individual and I must admit that sniffing Nail Varnish Remover is a new one on me. Kids, hey?

Anyway, enough of the waffle and onto the concert. We caught some of the support act Kid Harpoon. Best described as a comedy James Blunt he ripped through his songs proficiently enough, but really just made me laugh so I can't really say much more about him.

Bat For Lashes, on the other hand, were great as ever. There isn't much I can add to my previous concert review from February. There is just a raw power about Natasha Khan and her crew that makes a great record (and still my hope/tip for the Mercury Music Prize this year) into a spellbinding live concert.

The highlights are too many to mention, but I'll always have a soft spot for What's A Girl To Do and once again Khan's solo version of Sad Eyes was hauntingly beautiful.

Second time around they were just as good and I'll definitely be there for a third time when the chance arises.

Zeitgeist - Smashing Pumpkins

My "history" with the Smashing Pumpkins is a strange one. Prior to 1998's Adore I ignored them. After 1998's Adore, I also ignored them (save for buying their greatest hits album and never listening to it). Quite why I don't know. Even back at High School people were recommending them to me, but I never bit. Neither do I know why I "bit" in 1998 but the fact I did (and it coincided with my university years) means that I have an inexplicable soft-spot for them.

Of course Zeitgeist (a naff title, and which the album itself points to Billy Corgan not being anywhere near the Zeitgeist) is hardly a Smashing Pumpkins album. The feeling from the off (their being only one other former member of the group on this record) is that this is merely a Smashing Pumpkins album because no-one would care in the slightest if it were a Billy Corgan solo album or even, god forbid, a Zwan one.

I'm sure long term Pumpkins fans will find something to enjoy here (I particularly liked Bring The Light and Tarantula) but most people will just let it pass them by. It's not particularly awful, but neither is it likely to propel Corgan back to the heights he once was at.

Fantastic Playground - New Young Pony Club

With the recent success of Cansei De Ser Sexy (I refuse to call them merely "CSS"), The Klaxons and The Gossip (as rancid as I find their music) you could argue that the New Young Pony Club have certainly picked the right time to unleash their particular form of "Disco" music onto the general public.

Indeed, the album is reminiscent of Cansei De Ser Sexy but with one major difference; on Fantastic Playground, the New Young Pony Club offer up a much more consistently fantastic album.

The highlights cover virtually everything. In fact it would be pointless trying to summarize the three or four best songs because I could never limit it to that. Quite simply, any of these songs would deserve to top the charts if they were released as singles.

There are some who criticise the album for merely being 10 fantastic hit singles on one smart package. I would say, what in the hell is wrong with that? As for the critics who suggest that they're trying too hard to be "trendy", the fact they've arguably come up with the pop album of the summer means they should be given more than the benefit of the doubt on that score.

UK Single Release 09/07/07

Well it's nice to see Bat For Lashes' What's A Girl To Do get another release. Probably the best track off the album and lets hope we get some nice success for it this time around (not that I'm holding my breath sadly).

I'm not too keen on that new Arctic Monkeys one. It's not bad, but not one of the better tracks off the album.

Wouldn't you believe it. Mere days after playing Live Earth, Razorlight are cashing in with a single release. Never in a million years will you find me saying anything other than that being a totally random coincidence.

Nerina Pallot keeps the wolves from the door this week with a cover of Steeley Dan's Peg...with Richard X at the production helm nonetheless! It's a good effort. I could of course compare this to not wanting "pop" remixes of songs of a certain other album but that would be me being churlish. And anyway folks, it's not selling out. There is nothing wrong with selling records.

Sarah Nixey releases her Human League cover The Black Hit Of Space this week as well. I like this, as readers of my album review will already be aware,

Am I the only one who doesn't see the point of Bloc Party anymore?

And Travis? Yet another dull single in Selfish Jean...thanks boys.

My Chemical Romance seem to keep getting worse as well. I know you might not have thought that possible, but The Teenagers certainly seems to point to that fact.

Keren Ann - Keren Ann

Israeli-born, French-raised and New York-based...Keren Ann has quite the varied background and it shows in her somewhat schizophrenic sound. Indeed, the thing that may most come to mind upon listening to her 5th album is a French version of the Velvet Underground, not something you would have labelled her previous efforts.

The problem is that whilst the ideas, in of themselves, are interesting and it is clear that Keren has ambition and talent, few are the times that the album really grabs your attention.

There are certainly the odd moments of genuine brilliance; Lay Your Head Down, with it's strings and handclaps, might be the best composition of the lot, whilst In Your Back, the track most like her previous work, is perhaps the best song.

But all too often the album passes by in a largely unmemorable state. If you take the time to listen you will find things to enjoy, but in the competitive world of the female singer-songwriter, Keren Ann may find that most won't have the time to listen more than once.

New Rilo Kiley Video

Hmm. I love Jenny Lewis. This new video on the other hand...well it's a little weird. If I could I wouldn't link to the twelve minute version (it's for the over 18's only shall we say) but the three minute version is worth a viewing.

Jenny Lewis is lovely isn't she?

From Paris To Berlin - Infernal

There is a moment in the track A To The B that is so laughable that you have no option but to admit to yourself that you're actually having a good time listening to this somewhat dreadful album. If the lyrics themselves ("You see, it seems to me that all us strong, independent women make men lazy. All of a sudden they think they don't have to court us properly. But boys let me tell you something: there's nothing like a man who knows how to treat a lady") aren't enough to have you giggling then the transvestite looking (although I'm sure some of you still would) singer's horribly faux posh British accent as she says it sure will floor you.

It gets better. My absolute favourite has to be "When you nibble my ear, the bass is softly pumping when caressing my rear". Crucially it proves that whilst they appear to be serious about their "art", they're not too serious.

And therein lies the rub. I am not in any way suggesting that this album is in any way good, but neither can I deny it's entertainment factor. It's cheese, for sure, but it's enjoyable cheese and a guilty pleasure if you're the kind of person who, back in the day, bought something by Aqua or The Real McCoy or Maxx but would never admit it. Not that I'm making any comment on that myself.

And anyway, to put it into perspective its a hell of a lot better than the likes of Cascada.

Tim's House - Kate Walsh

It's tempting to think that this is another one of those occasions where the hype has overtaken the actual product (naming no names...OK, I mean you Sandi Thom) but whilst I can be accused of burying my head in the sand on occasions, it was only after this album shot to the top of the I-Tunes download chart that I heard of it. Which in the long-term would appear to bode well for Walsh - it won't be a case of everyone being bored by her almost in the same instant that she's topping the charts.

So, whether or not it was helped along by an unseen hand, we're talking word of mouth here. So you would expect something spectacular wouldn't you, given that we were assured that downloads would bring respectability back to the charts.

So it's a little disappointing that whilst this is a pleasant enough album, and indeed a likable one, it's one paced and not exactly earth-shattering. Don't mistake me, Walsh has a gorgeous voice and one that you'll certainly fall in love with, but whilst in the short term this helps you to avoid the fact that the songs are all the same, mellow vibe repeated over and over again. I personally got to the stage when listening to the album for the first time of hoping that at any moment now she was going to really kick off with something different...alas that moment never came.

There is the odd moment of genuinely affecting emotion, one prime example would be Don't Break My Heart - I defy you not to moved by that one, but for the most part the album just drifts along, rarely causing you to stop what you are doing and think "wow". Of course that won't stop the critics who love this kind of thing trumpeting this album, and it's success, as another kick in the teeth for the genre's of music they don't like, but that's just life.

I've definitely heard a lot worse and there's just enough of intrigue to make me curious about what comes next, but on it's own there's not enough to entice me back for repeated spins.

Sing, Memory - Sarah Nixey

"This is Sarah Nixey talking" is hardly the most exciting of opening gambits to an album on paper, but within ten seconds of putting the CD into your player it immediately draws you in her crisp, English diction proving to be a strength, not a novelty gimmick. (Incidentally the vocals remind me a lot of Natasha "Bat For Lashes" Khan).

What is clear is that for all the "art" that Nixey brings to any project (erstwhile of Black Box Recorder) she's acutely aware that in pop music its the tunes that matter.

Strangelove and The Collector are two great singles but are only the tip of the iceberg. The likes of Nothing On Earth, Hotel Room and Masquerade (the latter of which may be the standout track) are also sublime and leave a lasting impression. Nixey even manages a winner with her cover of the Human League's The Black Hit Of Space.

If I'm being critical, at 15 tracks (albeit with two spoken interludes) it is perhaps a tad too long and could well have benefited from a couple of omissions. Having said that, that is a minor criticism at worst.

Those of you who canonise Sophie Ellis Bextor as the arch queen of detached disco pop should listen to this to find out just how wrong you really are. Those who see Siobhan Donaghy as the shining light of proper pop music should listen to this and see how "commercial" concerns can be married successfully with catchy tunes. Quite simply, this is sublime.

Ten Feet High - Andrea Corr

For a brief period in 1997/98, The Corrs were one of my favourite bands (probably helped by that time in Birmingham when Caroline Corr blew me a kiss). It helped that I'd "discovered" them before they got really huge, around the time of their debut album, but of course that also meant that even as Talk On Corners was propelling them to worldwide success I was beginning to get bored of them (and the lamentable In Blue killed me off).

The first question that springs to mind is that in 2007 do we really need to hear any more from The Corrs, never mind a solo album from Andrea? Perhaps not but whilst it's clear from only the most cursory of glances that this is a far from essential project, it is considerably better than the three previous Corrs albums which has to count for something does it not?

At times, such as Anybody There, Hello Boys or Champagne Through A Straw you find yourself impressed. They are catchy numbers and whilst they may not be anything exceptionally new would you, for instance, have ever thought you'd heard Andrea Corr attempting to ape Goldfrapp (Hello Boys) or incorporating a catchy latin rhythm to great effect (Champagne...)?

The problem is that for most of the rest of the album, the effect is less pleasing. Rather than really going for it, Corr and producer Nelee Hooper have gone so far and then receded back to what you would expect to hear. So whilst some of the album is good, there's more of it that's distinctly mediocre. In a lot of ways its better than I thought it had any right to be, but also not as good as it's best tracks suggest it might have been.

One thing I can't decide on mind you is the merits of the Squeeze cover. Genius reworking or pointless novelty? Hmm...

UK Single Releases 02/07/07

So this time around Avril Lavigne has gone back to the miserable version of herself, lest we actually think she might enjoy her profession. Well done love; When You're Gone isn't awful of course, but neither is it particularly good.

Soulmate by Natasha Bedingfield makes certain people cry. I just think it's another of those decent but ultimately dull songs that she tends to turn out every so often.

Beverley Knight keeps plugging away god bless her.

I do like that new Fall Out Boy one. One of my favourites from the surprisingly good album.

The Heinrich Maneuver by Interpol is a good indication of what Editors should be doing instead of going all Coldplay on us.

That's about as far as I get, but at least it's a less cursory glance at the weeks singles than my last couple of efforts.

In closing I would just like to say how happy I am that Kate Nash is at number two in the new charts. It's astounding on so many levels, not least that by the very fact of me liking her prior to this I should currently be ecstatic that she's reached number 74 in the charts or something. In fact her presence in the top 10 makes up for the fact that The Enemy, The Hoosiers, Jack Penate (aka The Gay Lumberjack *) and Kelly Rowland are also in this weeks top 10.

* Please note the term "Gay Lumberjack" when used in reference to Jack Penate is the copyright of EG Enterprises

An End Has A Start - Editors

I never had much truck with Editors the first time around. Well no, that's not strictly true. I didn't have at the beginning, but actually quite warmed to their debut album over time (and saw them live twice). So whilst I wasn't exactly frothing at the mouth at the prospect of a follow up, I was intrigued to the point that I was quite looking forward to it.

In the space of five minutes, lead single Smokers At The Hospital Door completely turned me off. Tom Smith's strangled cat vocals sounded worse than ever, the song was dull and the attempts at meaning, never really an Editors strong point, were laughable to say the least.

But what of the album as a whole? Sad to say, I don't find it particularly exciting or thrilling.

There are certain points, Bones and the title track, that echo at the possibility of future glory, but ironically they are also perhaps the two tracks that most resemble their best work from The Back Room. At other time the monotony is startling, as is the unremitting gloom. You've heard one Editors song, you've pretty much heard them all.

After the initial buzz dies down, I'd be very surprised if this has anywhere near the same impact as their debut.