Northamptonshire – the denizen of cool. Well, Getintothis’ Neil Jones thinks so…
Fenech-Soler: Stop and Stare – Single of the Week
Northamptonshire has never been so cool. With a beat that could have been handed down from New Order, some pretty smart dance vocals and a tempo that gets it spot on, this could well go on to become something of an anthem. Stop and listen to Stop and Stare.
Gavin Kaufman: 10 10 10/Fall In
It terrified me at first. I thought The Wanted had slipped in their latest single. Then it sort of morphed into Don Henley‘s Boys of Summer (which I like) and all was forgiven.
Gavin Kaufman is a Liverpool-based lad, unsigned, and this offering is a polished affair with a classy tempo. Listen to this, and tell me that the likes of One Night Only deserve indie pop careers ahead of him….you can’t.
Fall In is a little more reclining, slightly more Idlewild in its execution. No worse a track, though.
Birdy: Skinny Love
Ok, confession time, I love Bon Iver and I love this song. Therefore, the thought of someone singing it who isn’t me or Justin Vernon is likely to make my stomach turn.
Fortunately, Birdy does a bloody good job. Bon Iver‘s version is better, and so is mine, but this is a decent enough cover.
The Streets: OMG
A tale about seeing a girl you like being ‘in a relationship’ on Facebook. Turns out that relationship is with you.
Rubbish premise, rubbish track. Listen to ‘We Can Never Be Friends‘ a few times instead. Or, better still, stick Original Pirate Material on and remember the good old days.
Errors: Magna Encarta
Neat and tidy electronica, but it is hard not to wish it ended about three minutes earlier than it does.
Kraftwerk can get away with it, Errors have made an, er, mistake in allowing this half-decent track to drag on. And on.
Kitty, Daisy and Lewis: I’m So Sorry/I’m Going Back
Ah, a touch of ska from this brother and two-sister outfit. It is nigh-on impossible to listen to I’m So Sorry without thoughts turning to Danone Actimel to be honest. And when you consider that Olly Murs managed to produce a more enjoyable Specials tribute, it doesn’t bode well.
I’m Going Back, however, has plenty more about it. Bluesy rock which seems to suit Daisy’s voice better than its A-side did Kitty’s. Nothing to open jaws, in truth it sounds a bit like one of those poor Coral songs that you’d skip through, but neat enough.
Mr Fogg: Answerphone
‘A one-man wall of intelligent electronica,’ apparently.
Mr Fogg‘s vocal and musical talents can’t be faulted, this flows nicely and has enough about it to prompt a listen or two.
Where he falls down is lyrically. The repetitive chorus is obviously deliberate, but grates, and he drifts towards sounding like The Upper Room (remember them?). Which is never good. Do check out the self-made video though.
Thomas Tantrum: Sleep
Ignore the fact that the first bar sounds horrifically like Lulu‘s Shout, this is breezy, throwaway indie-pop at its best.
Expect The Inbetweeners to commandeer this track. It might be called Sleep. but it’ll keep you singing along, whether you like it or not.
Moon Duo: Mazes
Sounds immediately familiar, which is always a good sign. Moon Duo feature Wooden Shjips guitarist Ripley Johnson, and that can only be a good thing. Classy rock and roller with a highly addictive hook.
Wynter Gordon: Dirty Talk
I know this one! Its the one I hear when I walk past bars like The Office and the one that used to be The Arena in town!
What do they call it? A club banger is it? I’d have danced to this when I was 22, and I’d probably do the old bottom lip bite to it now at 26. Pop trash, but everyone loves a bit of that don’t they?
Trogons: Contina
This is the first release on new indie Xray Recordings and it’s a jolly little blighter mixing Phil Spector girl group beats and the kind of foxy vocal shuffle usually employed by Sons & Daughters. (PG)
