Chinatown Slalom
Some big names starting to stir at the end of summer, Getintothis’ Steven Doherty checks out the new platters that matter.
Dry Cleaning: Goodnight (Single Of The Week)
Incredibly only their second single, Dry Cleaning bring us a Buzzcocks style indie thrash with a sneering yet deeply personal lyrical message.
The spoken word lyrics about both losing a cat (“goodnight sweet princess”) and a grandparent, as well as some swearing and something horrible about a Travelodge carpet, whilst constantly reminding those of old enough of 90’s smashers Prolapse.
All this and so much more in just over two and half minutes.
“Imagine being able to stack the odds of lasting love in your favour.”
A stunning single.
Chinatown Slalom: Where U At?
Single of the week in most other weeks, the mysterious rise of Chinatown Slalom rumbles on.
The single itself is something of a mystery too, it’s tough to describe what it actually is, it’s a funky splurge of a song, different to anything else out there at present.
A trippy Avalanches feel, all chopped melodies, a patchwork of samples, it fizzes along at pace.
Yet to be heard in a live setting, it’s easy to understand the lack of gigs so far, this would be messy, in every sense of the word, to replicate.
Bat For Lashes: The Hunger
This comes ahead of Bat For Lashes (aka Natasha Khan) new album Lost Girls, which is out next month.
It’s a dark, seedy widescreen drama, led by what sound like a church organ, with Khan’s usual eloquence and poise very much in play.
It sweeps where others would fall flat, it haunts where others would merely scare, a film-noir of a single which bodes well for the forthcoming long player.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: This Is The Place
The latest attempt to pretend that he was never anything to do with Oasis, Noel appears to have released a mere sliver of a single.
Sounding as bored as the listener, I would guess that you know what it sounds like before it starts, and it’s so nondescript, you could actually forget you were listening to it halfway through.
Appearing to think he’s revolutionised his sound by adding a female vocal, music historians will look back at this period of his career in the same way they look at Paul McCartney when he made Spies Like Us and We All Stand Together.
“The road is long and I’ve been losing my way, the night is long and you’ve got nothing to say.”
You’re not kidding.
Albums Club #39: Sacred Paws, Bill Ryder-Jones, Slowthai, No Hot Ashes, Black Pumas, Thom Yorke
Sfven: Closure
Sfven, also known as Jamie Clarke, creates his works from his Leeds bedroom, not that you could ever tell.
It’s a warm sounding heady mix of sparse electronic beats, an infectious chorus and choppy melodies.
His particular type of “sad stories entwined in happy tunes” (his words) are just the type that could easily find it’s way to a mainstream audience, as a play already on Radio 1 would testify.
Interesting.
Sunset Sons: Say Hi
First coming to our attention as one of the unexpected highlights of last year’s Sound City, which saw them play to a massive Hangar 34 audience, despite operating largely below the radar, Sunset Sons are back.
They’ve a ton of instantly accessible, simple rock-pop tunes like this one, taken from their November released second album Blood Rush Deja Vu, and it is surely time that they are going to go massive.
This year’s Imagine Dragons.
Chloe Foy: Without You
Named as one of the 2019 BBC Introducing One To Watch alumni, Chloe Foy is building up quite the following and it’s easy to see why.
Hitting 10 million Spotify listens takes some doing these days, and with lilting anthems such as this, she can look forward to the next milestone.
Grief laden yet uplifting, it’s just a bit lovely.
If you’re not one for streaming, then check out the video below, it adds another layer.
Liverpool Arts Diary: new Almodóvar film, a trip to the Moon and Unity Autumn season; August 2019
The Joy Formidable: Chwyrlio
Celebrating it’s 10th anniversary, The Joy Formidable are releasing a special version of their debut A Balloon Called Moaning.
The double album will consist of the original, plus a recently recorded acoustic Welsh version of the album, from which this track (originally entitled Whirring) is taken.
Replacing the bluster with nuanced strings really does work, hopefully the rest of the album is re-worked as beautifully as this.
Skynd: Taylor Hadley
Listen up Noel, this how you make music interesting.
Skynd are an industrial-tinged duo who explore brutal criminal cases (Taylor Hadley was written about a boy who killed both his parents because he wanted to throw a party) and then write about them.
The single is deranged, it’s like the meeting of a Venn diagram where the circles consist of CSI Miami, Rage Against The Machine and a Eastern European Eurovision entry.
Inspirationally barmy, creative, terrifying, ridiculous, we have listened to it numerous times now and still can’t decide. The video is even more bizarre, the (presumably unintentionally hilarious) part where he’s about to kill his father is the highlight.
Has to be heard and seen to be believed.
Grade 2: Graveyard Island
Not many ways to follow that, we end this week’s varied selection with a touch of something shouty.
From the forthcoming album of the same name, and fresh from last weekend’s Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, Isle Of Wight punksters Grade 2 hammer home this slice of dissatisfaction with a fierce yet melody led riff fest.
Tellingly produced by Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, whose label is also to release the album, this retains the passion and unhappiness with their lot mentality of the old school, whilst still overflowing with the snottiness of youth.
[paypal-donation]
