Singles + EPs

Single Review Shorts: 15 September

[Artist: A Silent Film]
[Single: Thirteen Times The Strength]
[Label: Xtra Mile Recordings]

Oxford 4-piece A Silent Film have been going from strength to strength in recent months, and on the back of this new single, ‘Thirteen Times The Strength’, I can see why. The four minutes of intelligent and melodious alternative indie-rock are both spacious and convincing. The vocals are excellent and overall the different layers and guitars, pianos and percusssion offer an almost cinematic experience without suffering with an overdose of sound.

For Fans Of: Lights.Action, Superkings, Keane
Release Date: 15 September
Reviewer: Rich E

Band Link:
A Silent Film

Shop:
Amazon US

[Artist: The Black Keys]
[Single: Oceans And Streams]
[Label: V2/Co-Op]

It has been a good year from the Akron, Ohio blues-duo. The Black Keys successfully managed a set of sold out dates in the UK and have planned a couple more for November at larger venues. They have been making such an impression as of late that I even heard a couple of tracks by them in Guy Ritchie’s average crime escapade ‘Rock N Rolla’. ‘Oceans And Streams’ is one of the better tracks from ‘Attack and Release’, and in particular you can hear the difference DJ Dangermouse makes to their collaboration by adding a strong influence during the chorus.

For Fans Of: The Black Keys, Tom Waits, Soledad Brothers
Release Date: 15 September
Reviewer: Rich E

Band Link:
The Black Keys

[Artist: Model Horror]
[Single: Catch This Disease]
[Label: This Is Fake DIY]

With the abundance of electro-indie bands out there right now it is sometimes hard to pick out what is good and what is bad, and what the real difference is between them all. The Model Horror are one of those bands where you know that they are stronger than some of their tour mates, though you can’t quite put your finger on it. They are a band who are obviously capable of creating their own distinct spin on indie-goth-80s-disco-pop or however you want to call it, and their infectious ‘Catch this Disease’ is equally good as the B-side ‘Lead The Way’.
For Fans Of: Clarky Cat, Late Of The Pier, Blood Red Shoes
Release Date: 15 September
Reviewer: Rich E

Band Link:
The Model Horror

[Artist: Modern Cliches]
[Single: Falseness & Fairytales]
[Label: Crash Records]

Is it bad that I could list three other, better, bands that you’d rather listen to down below within ten seconds of first track ‘You Don’t Know What You Want To Be’. An ironic name really when you consider that the boys of Modern Cliches know exactly what they want to be, coming off like a poor man’s Arctic Monkeys. The title track screams ‘Fake Tales of San Francisco’, and final track ‘Exactly the Same as Always’ sums itself up.

For Fans Of: Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks
Release Date: 15 September
Reviewer: Mike Copus

Band Link:
Modern Cliches

[Artist: The Chemists]
[Single: Something For The Weekend]
[Label: Distiller Records]

Bristolian quintet The Chemists have, in Johnny Benn, a frontman with a rich, bullish vocal that not only drinks in the glory of the chorus but dwells in the shadows of the verse too. He’s accompanied by a wailing wall of fuzz-rock guitars which sit in a warping cloud of sustain allowing the drums to bullet all around. This single itself is formulaically structured but simply cannot be faulted for drawing on every last drop of joy that such a construction restricts it too. The B-side, ‘Tazamanian Devil’, lacks finesse with the dirty guitar disconcertingly aggressive in places. It’s certainly as upbeat though - you simply can’t fault the enthusiasm this band display, maybe just the direction they’re aligning themselves in.

For Fans Of: Keane, The Delays, Feeder
Release Date: 15 September
Reviewer: John Skibeat

Band Link:
The Chemists

Shop:
Amazon UK

HMV

[Artist: The Dodos]
[Single: Fools]
[Label: Wichita]

This is sadly, one of The Dodos middling tracks. It has a repeated rising vocal but accompanies it with the odd sample of what sounds like a frog throwing up. The drums are simplistic rim shots and the guitar follows along with a steady strumming pattern. It’s upbeat enough to work as a single but it isn’t quite special enough - by all means check out the album, there’s better Dodos tracks awaiting there.

For Fans Of: Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver
Release Date: 15 September
Reviewer: John Skibeat

Band Link:
The Dodos

Shop:
Amazon UK | Amazon US

HMV

[Artist: Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan]
[Single: Come On Over (Turn Me On)]
[Label: V2 / Co-Op]

The pretty cascading violins are pretty much the only thing on show here that will tweak any interest, whilst the deadened, lazy vocals of this odd couple are sure to send you off to slumberland. It’s a tired reworking of a well-worn blues pattern. Someone will inevitably enlighten me that this is a cover but my research team are struggling as we go to press. If you like Belle And Sebastian, Neil Young or Tom Waits you’ll be all over this like a rash. Personally, I’d rather spend the time counting sheep jumping. Handy that.

For Fans Of: Tom Waits, Martha Wainwright, Belle & Sebastian
Release Date: 15 September
Reviewer: John Skibeat

Band Links:
Isobel Campbell

Shop:
HMV

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