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Updated throughout the month. Come back soon!
CD Album Reviews
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The Alternative by IAMX
 IAMX
are the brain child of Chris Corner, a man who has previously skirted around the
outer reaches of thecharts as a member of Sneaker Pimps. Corner has now
relocated to Berlin and these days specialises in a kind of gloomy electro-pop
that falls somewhere between seventies-era Bowie and some of Marc Almond’s solo
work. The early signs here are good as the opener, President, and the album’s
title track are both catchy and far more upbeat than one would imagine given
Corner’s credentials, while Nightlife is trance dance of most hypnotic variety
and a surefire bet for future single release. Unfortunately things go downhill
quickly after that, starting with the mournful Lulled By Numbers and by the time
we come to the oddly titled Bring Me Back A Dog, which sounds a little like
Bronski Beat after a few too many rum and cokes, any early promise has long
since departed. The album’s closing ballad This Will Make You Love Again
possesses more feeling than the rest of the album put together and simply makes
one imagine how good this all might have been, but sadly isn’t.
Review by Martin Sirl
Contact by Thirteen Senses
 This
is the second album by the highly-rated Cornish quartet and continues to suggest
that they are anything but overnight sensations. Contact is moody, atmospheric
and at times beautiful, with tracks like Spark and Spirals showing that, on
their day, these guys can knock up tunes that are every bit as clever as Keane,
a band to which Thirteen Senses bear more than a passing musical resemblance.
This album’s only failing, albeit a significant one, is that the melodies can at
times become buried under the weight of a sound which is sometimes just too darn
clever. Synthetic strings and lavish production are nice weapons to have in your
armoury, but ultimately it’s the strength of the song that makes or breaks a
track, and All The Love In Your Hands, the album’s first single, is simpler, has
a more downplayed feel and is much better for it. Yes, in many ways Contact is
almost a case of too much too soon, but still offers more than enough evidence
that Thirteen Senses will be around for some time to come.
Review by Martin Sirl
CD Single Reviews
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BY MARTIN SIRL
7 Years by The Departure
Northampton’s answer to Snow Patrol return with a beefier sound than before,
though one which remains unashamedly commercial and poppy. Lyrically this is
apparently some sort of indictment of the state of the world seven years into
the millennium and vocalist David Jones sings mournfully of ‘sad songs sung by
sad machines’. But any message here is pretty hard to make out and, frankly, not
worth worrying about anyway. All one really needs to do is sit back and enjoy
what is essentially a really damn good tune.
Bonafied Lovin’ by Chromeo
Statically charged electro funk from US-based Arab/Jewish dance combo (yes,
really) which, musically, is situated somewhere between Howard Jones and Kid
Creole but which also features the kind of streetwise humour that brings to mind
the wonderful Was Not Was. The six different mixes generously included here
feature various leading lights of the European dance scene, each of which bring
their own particular ingredient to the dance party. But the common factors
throughout are the outrageously catchy synth hooks which are consistently left
untouched and help make Bonafied Lovin’ a must-have for eighties revivalists and
modern club-goers alike.
Tokyo by Athlete
This is a mildly interesting track from Athlete’s big-selling Beyond The
Neighbourhood album. Despite it’s lyrical attack on the blandness of modern
society as seen from Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge this is actually little more than
inoffensive pop, which is a pity as there are better and more interesting tracks
on the album that could have been offered up for single release. As it stands
this will only reinforce Athlete’s status as stadium rockers in waiting. They
can, and should do better.
Left, Left, Walk Forward, Get On The Dragon by Drive-By Argument
A limited edition EP which showcases the Scottish 5-piece in jolly good form.
Left, Left is a high-energy burst of dance inspired pop on which synth and
guitars collide in one glorious melee, the whole thing held tenuously together
by front man Stoke’s yearning vocals. The remaining tracks here, the aptly named
Calm and I Want To Know What Dub Is are much less manic and significantly less
fun but will still no doubt offer ample temptation for those fans who show up at
DBA gigs throughout the winter months, for it is at those gigs that this CD will
be offered for sale.
Local Hero by Look See Proof
The 4-piece from Hertfordshire follow up their minor hit Casualty with another
slice of angular indie pop. Local Hero is a wry parable on the dangers of
turning a blind eye to the habits of a cheating partner and has an unmistakable
punk feel to it, whilst simultaneously possessing all the noughties musical
nouse of a band like Orson. Local heroes for now, Look See Proof might soon be
more like national heroes if they continue to improve at the same encouraging
rate.
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