Single Reviews 15/07/12

Sorry for the sparse updates these days – we’ve been so busy organising the London 2012 Olympic Games, coaching Andy Murray on how to express emotion in public, and masterminding Hard Rock Calling. By the way, Macca and The Boss, apologies for that thing with your mics the other day, but hey: when your phone needs charging, it doesn’t matter what’s plugged in. Anyway, Single Reviews, anyone?

First up, it’s Kasabian. For a band whose sound is so quickly-identifiable, it’s a surprise – and a good one, at that – to hear something that takes such a bold step away from the norm. Switchblade Smiles proves a much more desk-twiddled affair than previous material, understated and dark, with Tom Meighan’s vocals just sitting above the unremitting white noise. Somehow, it works. Whether it heralds a whole new direction is unknown, but it’s a pleasing departure all the same.

Daniel Powter – of all people – makes a comeback this week, with the inoffensive melodies and cheesy strum of Cupid. And yes, it inevitably does rhyme ‘Cupid’ with ‘stupid’. There’s very, very little to say about it. It’s every bit the hackneyed Jason Mraz sound you’d expect, and the few ears that might actually respond positively won’t even hear it, as you’d be hard pushed to find a single radio station that might consider it relevant. *disappears in puff of smoke*

Single of the Week is bestowed upon one of the few genuine talents in last year’s X Factor, the refreshing Misha B. Her debut release Home Run begins life as a gushy, soul-heavy Jennifer Hudson tribute, but kicks in after mere seconds with a fistful of pure attitude and an electro-dancehall backdrop. No wonder Tulisa turned to underhand tactics to deny Misha of viewer votes – Home Run absolutely tears the diabolical Young to shreds without even breaking a sweat.

And finally, an act who are about as country-and-western as the UK will allow, and even then, it takes a Gary Barlow/Cheryl Cole rendition to get noticed. Yes, it’s Lady Antebellum, who try to hurry things along from Need You Now’s resurgence with the AOR ballad Wanted You More. It’s hardly groundbreaking stuff, but a slightly rockier, larger sound, complete with grand strings and an engaging piano riff bring the whole thing to quite an impressive climax. Who saw that coming?!

Macy Gray - Covered (429 Records)

Rewind 13 years, and it was hard to picture Macy Gray achieving anything less than world domination. The acclaim flowed thick and fast, the sales figures rose quicker than river levels in a UK “drought” period, and her mantelpiece heaved under the weight of many an award.

But for whatever reason, things petered out for Macy Gray, and pretty quickly. So after a decade of non-starter albums and a ropey stint on Dancing With The Stars, she’s decided to return with what can either be described as a clever move or a desperate gimmick: a covers album.

A subdued start via Eurythmics’ Here Comes The Rain Again may not be the huge, audible bang needed to kickstart a record, but it’s a tender, affected and stirring rendition. There’s no overall theme on Covered; merely a selection of tracks given the once-over, and for the most part, successfully.

It’s a fairly predictable exercise on Radiohead’s Creep, but in all fairness, there’s little that can be done with Creep without it verging on sacrilege. Similarly, it’s no huge surprise on Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters.

However, her take on My Chemical Romance’s Teenagers is truly inspired. The melody is adhered to strictly, but a plinky, jazz-lite arrangement almost gives it a bizarre lullaby quality. And the frenetic, quickening race through Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is brimming with character.

I Try makes an appearance in the form of an ill-advised skit, in which the odious Nicole Scherzinger rips the piss out of Alanis Morissette, Shakira and Britney Spears. It’s hard not to wonder whether the latter comes from some X Factor-related sour grapes, but whatever the hell it is, Covered isn’t the place for it.

On the subject of I Try, it was a track which, in spite of its successes, proved to be quite the albatross. There were those who identified its classically-brilliant songwriting but didn’t take to the package Gray offered as a performer; and since, there’s been those who have stamped her with the one-hit wonder tag.

What Covered does is underline exactly what Gray can do as an artist. These are songs that are (largely) well-known and much-loved, and thus, the only scrutiny to apply to the project is based solely on the choices Macy Gray makes as a vocalist. And while the Marmite quality is still indubitably there, Covered is an album of personality, of intelligent choices, and of tracks which showcase a genuinely unique talent rather nicely indeed.

Single Reviews 17/06/12

Welcome to this week’s Single Reviews. And completely by accident, it’s a ballad special here on The Sloppy Dog. If this were a late-night radio station, we’d be introducing it as ‘back-to-back love songs’ in a deep, husky voice, inviting you to get squelchy with your significant other until a vulgar ad for 118 Maureen curtly interrupts proceedings.

We’ll ease you gently into the Single Reviews with Fiona Apple, whose comeback starts with the hushed, fluffy Every Single Night. In fact, it’s barely even there. Obviously, this is Fiona Apple – no Dr Luke production or Flo Rida cameos here, but even within the sphere of what she can do, it’s hard not to be perplexed by the melody-lite stillness. And it doesn’t say much about her musical legacy when the first thing that comes to mind is an Officer Barbrady quote.

Stooshe’s second single (or fourth, depending on your perspective) comes in the form of Black Heart, a Shaznay Lewis-penned ballad with Motown leanings and huge vocals. After the noise made by Love Me, it does well to show a different side to them, but ultimately, isn’t quite up to the same quality. Still, in a world where The Saturdays are the UK’s biggest girlband, a group like Stooshe are a very welcome proposition.

From an exciting, ballsy pop group to... well, One Direction. Aside from What Makes You Beautiful, you’d be hard pushed to recall anything else they’ve done. Unless you’re a rabid 14-year-old Twitter-hijacker, that is. They’ve not done a bad job on More Than This, a melodious ballad precision-engineered to induce tears in females under a certain age. And hey, releasing a slowie gives them an excuse to not dance. Y’know, aside from the fact they CAN’T dance.

And off the back of that, it’s ironic that an indie band can do vocal harmonies better than a boyband. Case in point: The Futureheads, with their frankly peculiar acapella single Beeswing. Save for the occasional finger-snap, it’s nothing but voices, as is the case with the entire Rant album. It’s a strange move, but Beeswing is blokey, full of character, and unashamedly Geordie. And bravery deserves rewarding, so it’s a well-warranted Single of the Week.

Honking Box Preview: The Voice Final

Amidst all the fanfare about the Diamond Jubilee, the onslaught of the Olympics, and the impending European Championships, the fast-approaching final of the inaugural series of The Voice UK hasn’t quite grabbed the attention of the nation. But is it that it’s gotten lost amongst the numerous other events, or has the show itself gotten it all wrong?

When the series was first announced, our main worry was that the BBC wouldn’t give it the budget or the hype that it required, following in the limping footsteps of So You Think You Can Dance. But, in fairness to Auntie, the show has been gifted a healthy, impact-making budget, and a real sense of event.

So where exactly has it failed? Or has it even failed at all? Of course, detractors (and rabid Will Young devotees) are quick to call it a flop, and the ratings do give that theory some credibility, but it’s certainly got the nation talking, and numbers-wise, has hardly plummeted in a pattern emulating Celebrity Wrestling.

The main problem seems to be that the series is back-to-front – it begins with the most exciting component, and goes downhill from there. The blind auditions caught everyone’s attention, and wiped the floor with Britain’s Got Talent. The battle rounds were pretty clumsy, but still made for an interesting twist. Then we come to the live shows, and it’s pretty much Fame Academy all over again.

Quite how we’d do Series Two differently, it’s hard to say. Where it’d take all of 20 minutes to come up with a lengthy and detailed list of how to improve The X Factor, it’s difficult to determine exactly what needs to happen to The Voice. It’s entertaining, it’s found some great talent, but it’s lacking that certain something you can’t quite put your finger on... that ‘x’ factor. Cripes.

Back to Series One, and the final is looking fairly interesting, in that at least 75% of the acts have a decent shot at an actual music career. It’s a shame the exceptional Ruth Brown fell at the last hurdle, but it was hard to overlook her shambolic version of Emeli Sande’s Next To Me the previous week, in which she contorted her face into that of Pumbaa whilst taking a massive dump all over the concept of enunciation.

So, who are we left with?

Tyler James

Heading up Team Will – and far more deserving of a place in the final than Jaz Ellington, whose backdrop of his wife’s 15-foot-high face was irrevocably tasteless – is nu-blues proto-crooner Tyler. The most we know about Tyler as far as the show’s official storyline goes is that he was mates with Amy Winehouse. They’ve failed to mention he supported her on tour numerous times, and has a selection of Top 40 hits under his belt. But he’s got something fairly special, and The Voice might just give him the break he very nearly had six years ago.

Likely position: 2nd

Leanne Mitchell

Team Tom was never the most contemporary line-up, a point proven by its last hope, Leanne. She boasts some impressive pipes, but everything about her screams cruise ship. The best she can hope for beyond The Voice is a half-decent stage career – a touring production of Blood Brothers, perhaps? Or, more realistically, the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at the Stockport Garrick opposite Gary Lucy and Siren from Gladiators?

Likely position: 4th

Vince Kidd

...Or, to go by the name on his birth certificate, the little one from Futureproof. But Vince has been proof of just how stifling The X Factor is, unleashing an outlandish, gritty, shamelessly camp musician. A good representative for Team Jessie, Vince probably offers the most unique qualities of all the remaining acts, but that could well go against him. Come on – do you really see Middle England voting for the peroxide dwarf in the wife-beater and the vinyl leggings?

Likely position: 3rd

Bo Bruce

Maybe Danny O’Donoghue had the right idea filling his team with interchangeable pubescent white boys – it only served to highlight the brilliance of Bo Bruce. She’s been likened to Diana Vickers, Dolores O’Riordan and Alex Parks – all of which are fair comparisons – but there’s a real sense of quiet artistry about Baroness Bo that should see her crowned the winner, and a deserving one at that.

Likely position: 1st

But where Bo will go from here is the real acid test. Will she rush-release a clunky covers album to cash in on the series, or take her time to cultivate her sound until the public have forgotten her altogether? Presumably, they can’t get it as catastrophically wrong as Syco manage to get it, year in, year out, but it’s worth noting that, as far as the public are concerned, the mark of a talent show’s success isn’t ratings or column inches. It’s talent. And if The Voice can handle that talent correctly, it should set itself up pretty nicely for Series Two, and beyond.

Single Reviews 27/05/12

Yikes. We’re a bit late with the ol’ Single Reviews this week, eh? Nice weather plus birthday celebrations equal slight tardiness. That’s a hint to send well-wishes, by the way. Under scrutiny this time around are a piss-weak ‘we’re-not-a-boyband’ boyband, some 90s bastions of brilliance, the return of an art-rock popstrel, and the rare sight of an X Factor winner with a record deal. So, without any further ado...

Ladyhawke starts us off this week with Sunday Drive, which somehow outclasses even My Delirium as her best offering yet. A heady fusion of cheeky piano and dizzying electro-swizz makes the perfect backdrop for a swooning, covertly-striking, melancholic chorus. The greatest thing to come out of New Zealand since... since... The Almighty Johnsons? Nice backdrops for Hollywood films? Bloody Kimbra? Actually, it’s not all that complimentary, is it?

Meet Lawson, another dreary British boyband who think a few instruments conjures up immediate credibility. Granted, they’ve got more substance than One Direction or The Wanted, but When She Was Mine is a miserable mid-tempo marshland, beyond bland and stuffed to bursting point with tired ideas. Trying to do what BBMak did better 12 years ago probably isn’t the greatest starting point for a career.

Single of the Week is proudly awarded to a band whose output never seems to falter in quality. After a good couple of decades in the proverbial biz, Saint Etienne have got their craft of sophisticated synth-pop down to a fine art, with I’ve Got Your Music the perfect example of infectious but understated house-lite indie we’ve come to love them for. Whose head to we have to put a gun to for this sort of thing to make it onto a playlist?

And finally, the foray into strident Euro-noise continues for Alexandra Burke, and it actually suits her rather well. Let It Go has a marginally more recognisable appeal than previous single Elephant, but overall it’s fairly unimaginative stuff, and has to rely pretty heavily on the personality Alexandra injects liberally into proceedings. Christ knows what dreary results we’d get if Leona Lewis had to tackle the same problem.

Single Reviews 20/05/12

Oh, it’s you. Sorry, didn’t see you there – we were busy toasting marshmallows on the Olympic Flame. Well, what else is it good for? On the Single Reviews this week, a good band, a crap band, a rather annoying pop diva doing something quite good, and a former Ash member doing something a bit rubbish. It’s all very unsettling...

The amazing Charlotte Hatherley unveils her peculiar electro sort-of-alter-ego Sylver Tongue, although anyone hoping for another Bastardo will be truly gutted. The busy, fieldmousey keyboard squeaks of Creatures carries precisely no melody – or perhaps it’s about 54 different melodies, we’re not sure yet – and overall makes for a seriously difficult listen. We want to love it, really. But we’ll have to concede this one’s passed us by.

Single of the Week is brought to us by London five-piece Spector, with the dynamic stadium indie of Celestine. It boasts immediate wallop, but from there, goes via bouncing guitars and dirty breakdowns to a soaring climax. Sounding rather like Editors after a few too many Red Bulls, and yet still boasting a vibe all their own, there’s a good chance their upcoming debut album could well be a 2012 highlight.

Jennifer Lopez, of all people, pulls the proverbial rabbit out of the proverbial hat with the surprisingly impressive Dance Again. Alas, it gives yet a further platform to serial collaborator and all-round rap-bore Pitbull, and the whole thing is Red One by numbers, but its tune is strangely spellbinding, and makes for a high point in a career of wishy-washy, overtwiddled R&B. Reluctant kudos awarded.

And finally, The Wanted kindly provide yet another example of how not to do pop, with Chasing the Sun every bit as predictable and forgettable as everything they’ve done post-All Time Low, all off-the-shelf house beats and a chorus of ohs and whoas. And let’s also address the video, in which they play vampires. Wow! That’s such a bold move! As daring and as original as the song itself. Now do fuck off, please.

Single Reviews 13/05/12

Welcome to the Single Reviews, on a week Great Britain learns it has a Prime Minister who doesn’t even know what ‘LOL’ means. Hell, that’s even worse than the fact he was schmoozing Rebekah Brooks in the first place. As a nation, we are truly doomed. Still, if you’re looking for recommendations for your apocalypse playlist, then read on, as we can offer a fine selection...

Nigerian rapper D’Banj is up first, with the hypnotic thump of Oliver Twist. Nonsense lyrics about arse-shaking and listing celebrity ladies he’d like to bone may not be the most appealing aspect of a song, but it’s hard to resist the mesmerising tribal beats and brilliantly daft rapalong chorus. Mix that with the lucrative Kanye West stamp of approval, and it’s safe to say we’ll be hearing Oliver Twist for some time to come.

Blood Red Shoes score a Single of the Week with the robust rhythms and brooding licks of Lost Kids. For the most part, it’s a solid, if fairly standard, indie-rock effort, but the intense, growing chorus brings Lost Kids into its own: a sharp-edged, attitude-laden anthem from one of Brighton’s brightest. If rock has any fighting chance of returning to the charts, it bodes well that it’s got Blood Red Shoes in its corner.

Neon Hitch drops a good few storeys in our estimations with the grotesque F U Betta, a messy, runny McHouse number with precisely zero relevance. She’s clearly going for some sort of legs-akimbo Rihanna skankfest, and she does achieve it on the most base of levels, but any vague credibility she may have once carried is lost amongst the overprogrammed beats, AutoTune hell and presumably whiffy quarter-leotards.

And finally, The Saturdays miraculously turn out a good song in what’s become one of the most dull, personality-free girlband catalogues in music history. It’s not quite on a par with Up, but 30 Days is playful, danceable, entertaining and a step away from the faceless, forgettable squelch that’s made up most of their recent output. (We’ll overlook the atrocious video shot in a motorway diner on a budget of £150.)

Single Reviews 06/05/12

Some things you can always rely on, can’t you? Some shitty song by something called Carly Rae Jepsen top of the Singles Chart again; Louis Walsh returning to The X Factor again; the London Mayoral frontrunners a two-man shitshower again. But hey, just as well you have those things to rely on, cos the Single Reviews have been rather intermittent of late. At least we managed it this week...

Opening the reviews this week are Kasabian, with the shadowy, menacing beats of Man of Simple Pleasures, yet another impressive cut from Velociraptor! (curse that naff exclamation mark). Tom Meighan’s vocals really come into their own on comparably mellower numbers such as this, and while it may not be obvious single material, it’s an intriguing new window into a band most people probably thought they knew pretty well.

While the omnipresent dubstep trend has grown beyond tiresome, it’s been given a novel boost in the form of Rita Ora featuring Tinie Tempah, with the ballsy gusto of R.I.P. It doesn’t boast the same frenetic brilliance of Hot Right Now, and it’s hard to even pick out a chorus amongst all the industrial squelch, but the crystalline vocals and brawny attitude are testament to Rita Ora as an artist worth keeping a close eye on.

Carrie Underwood might finally get round to making her mark on this side of the pond with the charismatic, resilient Good Girl. The country twang is hard to conceal, but the overtones of oestrogen rawk and mighty vocals make it a much more appealing prospect – at least to British ears – than previous material. Prepare to see a whole lot of new album Blown Away gracing many a supermarket shelf. Whether it shifts or not is another matter.

Finally, The Subways reinvigorate interest in the now-eight-month-old album Money and Celebrity with the first-single-worthy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. You’re ensnared within a couple of bars, the mix of Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper’s vocals giving proceedings some extra clout. But it’s the chorus that truly sells Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a forceful and compelling refrain that grants it Single of the Week status.

Single Reviews 29/04/12

Welcome to this week’s Single Reviews, in which we find out which genre a one-man band is tackling this week, discover the reality TV ‘sad music’ of the future, slip in a negative remark about Rihanna, and try to review Tulisa without mentioning her sex tape. Although this probably counts as a reference itself, doesn’t it? Oh well, we blew that one. BA-BOOM-TISH! Thank you, we’re here all week.

The debut solo single from First Lady of N-Dubz and Tiresome X Factor Misha-Baiter, the aforementioned Tulisa, is first on the chopping block this week. Young is a ‘hey-aren’t-we-crayzee’ Ibiza cliché-fest, all predictable keyboard stabs and constructed abandon. For all N-Dubz’ failings, at least they had a modicum of originality in their output. Were it not for the desperate attempts to amplify Tulisa’s profile, this would be eternally forgotten on the lamest of compilation house CDs.

Single of the Week is given to Get Cape.Wear Cape. Fly, with a strikingly different offering in the form of Daylight Robbery. Admittedly, Sam Duckworth has become one of the most unpredictable artists of recent years, switching from shoegazing indie to atonal drum ‘n’ bass without any warning. Daylight Robbery boasts an immediacy nothing in Duckworth’s catalogue can lay claim to, armed with an exhilarating pop hook that could well make the track his new calling card.

Snow Patrol unveil perhaps their most introverted, mellow single thus far, the modest but highly effective New York. The unassuming verses are made all the more effective when the final chorus swells into a refined crescendo, while Gary Lightbody’s voice presents a real poignancy throughout. Anyone desperate for another Run could do a lot worse than give New York a few repeated spins, but such comparisons would detract from what’s actually a significantly more mature offering.

And finally, proving that a certain dead-eyed, atonal cumsponge is by no means the best Barbados has to offer (whoever could we mean?), Cover Drive follow up their Ashley Tabor-instigated Number One with Sparks, a hard-edged demi-ballad with a sweet, enchanting melody. The juxtaposition of male and female vocals is an effective one, plus there’s a real craft evident in what Cover Drive do. Plus, they’re mentored by Eddy Grant, which = ace.

Single Reviews 15/04/12

Greetings, and a belated Happy Easter. And a belated Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and Happy Valentine’s Day too. Yes, we know updates have been sparse of late, for which we apologise, but... um... the dog ate our homework. Anyway, we’re here now, with some lovely Single Reviews just for you (and we can guarantee this is one of the few media outlets on the globe that isn’t harping on about the sodding Titanic this week).

Opening the show is (are?) Marina & The Diamonds, with what’s arguably the greatest track of her (their?) career this far. Seriously, these soloists with their stupid band-sounding monikers need to cut that shit right out. Primadonna jumps between a fluttering, perfumed ballad and a crunching electro beat, her high, dramatic vocals selling the story convincingly. In short, it’s impressive stuff.

A slightly less appealing offering comes from Brighton newcomer Conor Maynard, whose tweenage chestnut-fest Can’t Say No is every Noughties boyband cliché squished up into one miserable song. Clearly, there’s some sort of boardroom-based attempt to forge a British Bieber here, but you can’t help imagine Maynard would be a whole lot happier doing something very, very different.

Sorry For Party Rocking, the latest wretched, juvenile effort from LMFAO, has been doing the rounds for some time, but only gets its official release this week. Mind you, it’s hard to differentiate this from anything else they’ve recorded. Yes, you like girls and dancing and drinking. But let’s break this down to what it is: an uncle and nephew, both old enough to know better, dancing in their pants.

And finally, a well-deserved Single of the Week is bestowed upon fun. featuring Janelle Monae, with the anthem-in-waiting We Are Young. Enjoy it while you can, because it’ll soon be sacrificed to the Gods of Overkill. The astonishing fusion of indie sensibilities and hip-hop wizardly, the atypical changes of pace, the gentle twinkle of Monae’s humble contribution, and the marathon chorus make for something very special indeed.