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CD Album Reviews
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Cold Caller by Burningpilot
 These
days we seem to be continually looking backwards in order to move forwards and
this is yet another example of a band seeking a little too keenly to relive the
magic of the 70s and 80s.
Think Fall meets Kraftwerk and you just about have
Burningpilot’s sound canned. They sound like a group of sixth-formers who have
discovered a cache of electronic keyboards and are having a lot of fun playing
with them. And while they have become rather good at it much of their output
becomes tedious rather quickly with only the occasional hint of something more
substantial showing through, such as the mildy intriguing Entertainment
Correspondent which mixes melody lines in a way that suggests there may be more
going on here after all.
Lead singer Michael James certainly does a mean Mark E Smith
impersonation, most notably on the punky Case History but this only serves to
emphasise the fact that too much of this album is derivative rather than
inventive and that ultimately Burningpilot are at their best when working with
more simple, angular pop songs like the album’s closing number, International
Poster Campaign (which reminds one of The Pop Group for those of us old enough
to remember) rather than trying in vain to re-invent the musical wheel.
Album review by Martin Sarl.
CD Single Reviews
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BY MARTIN SIRL
She Was Always Cool by The Brute Chorus
The Brute Chorus are becoming more interesting all the time and this offers yet
more evidence that they are a cut above most other new acts treading the boards
today. Not quite blues but not quite rock, this has a delightfully clean sound
with singer John Steel’s excellent voice given space aplenty to work with on a
song that has so many twists and turns it’s almost a 3 minute and 40 seconds
epic. And there are even kazoos too…
Send Me On My Way by Le Reno Amps
There is touch of Country & Western about this catchy traveller’s tale with
Glasgow’s finest indie-popsters somehow managing to sound like the Levellers and
Byrds at the same time. Catchy as a meat hook this is easily the best offering
from the band to date, and the the accompanying Airwaves is another wonderfully
succinct slice of pop that proves that the art of great songwriting didn’t die
out with the Difford and Tilbrook after all.
Sinners & Winners EP by The Holloways
Strange but interesting mix of songs from North London’s finest. The title track
is a Lonnie Donegan-style slice of cockney cheekiness. PSB, which paints a bleak
picture of modern day Britain has a real folky feel to it. Kill This Day is a
good old blast of indie pop, while Forever is a real treat: a full-blown ballad
which comes complete with heart-wrenching lyrics and string quartet. If the aim
of this release is to illustrate the Holloways’ versatility then it’s very much
mission accomplished.
You Can Call Me Fido by Phil Roberts
On part Typically Tropical’s Barbados, one part 10CC’s Dreadlock Holiday and one
part Jack Johnson’s sun-soaked pop and that’s pretty much all you need to know
about this piece of calypso nonsense. Had this been released back in July it may
just have caught the public’s imagination and become an unlikely summer hit. As
it is it all seems just a wee bit silly.
Rather be by The Verve
After the thrill of the summer’s Love Is Noise this is all a bit disappointing.
Rather Be is grim and moody with lyrics that echo The Rolling Stones’ Sympathy
For The Devil and a melody line that owes more than a few pesos to Dylan’s All
Along The Watchtower. If this is an intended homage to The Verve’s heroes then
I’m clearly missing the point but classy production, gutsy gospel-style backing
vocals and several repeated listens did no more for me than just make this sound
more annoying.
Last Night by Fifty Phantoms
Beautifully put together R’n’B which will sound as good on the radio as on the
dance floor. Fifty Phantoms are London boys Sam, Mustafa and Leo and Last Night
with its soulful verses, lush strings and sweet singalong chorus demonstrates a
musical maturity way beyond the years of these three young individuals. Add in
an ear for tune so often missing in new acts today and the result is something
quite promising.
Accelerate by Burningpilot
Burningpilot are a band about which I know next to nothing other than that they
sound a bit like The Stranglers. Not that this is necessaraily any bad thing;
this has real echoes of that glorious clash of punk and art rock that occurred
in the late seventies and which gave us acts like The Bunnymen and Joy Division,
other bands whose influence shines through here. The problem is that Accelerate
simply doesn’t cut it as a song so, while this may be as an interesting
appetite-whetter for the forthcoming debut album it does not, in itself, tempt
me to reach for my credit card.
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