New Singles (21st May-4th June)
Spek - I'm A Hippie
This single in any normal fortnight would be a certain single of the week, however, with The Music also releasing a single on the same day, Spek just have to play second-fiddle.
The tune is recognisable and obviously ripped off from Primal Screams classic hit 'Loaded', however Spek have added their own vocals which don't let down the funky beat the original had.
"I'm a hippie, but I've got a tattoo, I'm a rasta, but I got short hair..." raps the vocalist and the listener can easily understand why it's been playlisted by Radio 1 as well as being a favourite on London's trendy Xfm.
In a perfect world this tune would be the track of the summer. But don't totally rule that one out just yet.
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Single Of The Week/Year/Decade?
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK
The Music - Take The Long Road And Walk It (Fierce Panda)
Currently unsigned, this 4-piece from Leeds are already being hailed as the biggest thing since Oasis. This, their debut release, on Fierce Panda, created quite a storm when it was played on The Evening Session a few months back. Since then the band have grown in popularity.
This up-beat track is remarkabley good for a debut single, and the words The Stone Roses instantly come to mind. However, The Music in Robert Harvey, have one of the best vocalists around at the present time, and it's his vocals and Adam Nutters repetitive guitar noises that dominate this remarkable single.
Even the one listen draws reminisance of The Stone Roses in their peak, mixing jaggly guitar noise to form rock music to dance to. The song also bear a noticable resemblance to early-Oasis track 'Columbia'. Continuous, lazy, repetitive loud guitar riff with a catchy chorus. But mostly this debut track is original and fresh which the British music scene is very much in need of. Coldplay, Travis and Starsailor may sell millions of records but they are never going to turn the world of music on its head. On the basis of this limited edition 7" The Music possess that rare quality which Oasis and The Stone Roses famously held.
Still, if that doesn't do anything for you, the equally impressive instrumental 'The Walls Are Getting Smaller' on the flip-side will. On this amazing track the band are primarily out to create music that hasn't been produced before. This track bears a slight resemblance to the typical Mogwai-ish instrumental. Starting with a quiet building guitar line, and after a sheer tension-building drum roll the band erupt into a chorus of chaotic guitars and crashing drums.
So far the band have lived up to the hype that naturally surrounds them. But being labelled 'The Next Big Thing' is not always such a good thing in the long run. Ask Gay Dad.
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I Monster - Daydream In Blue
In a fortnight where possibly 4 of the best songs for over a year are released it's kinda hard to at least make a crical opinion on at least one single. However, Daydream In Blue is a cracking single, which has amazingly caused the Beta Band to withdraw their comeback single 'Squares' from being released because both records feature the same sample. Admittedly this is the better single, with is't blissed-out, psychedelic vocals to great relaxing, meloncholy strings. Quite brilliant actually.
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Comeback Kid's A
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Radiohead - Pyramid Song (Parlaphone)
Superb comeback single from arguably the best band of the generation, taken from the forthcoming follow-up to 'Kid A', 'Amnesiac'.
Those who wanted the band to reurn to the days of 'The Bends' will be instantly disappointed by this but, believe me it will grow on you into one of Radiohead's classics.
First few listens reveal a similarity to 'Morning Bell' from Kid A, however the song has more melody and is definitely a much more structured song than anything off Kid A (bar Optimistic). Haunting vocals and spooky piano chords, Pyramid Song sees Thom Yorke singing beautifully about jumping into a river & swimming with black-eyed angels. Weird? Yes but what else do you expect from Radiohead. Can't wait for the album.
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King Adora - Bionic
Re-released after the growing reputation of the glam-punks and to co-incide with the forthcoming debut album 'Vibrate You'. Bionic is a great, short pop song for the rock kids. Catchy, angry and loud, yet it still looks as if it won't crack them into the big time after the previous three great singles 'Big Isn't Beautiful', 'Smoulder' and 'Suffocate' all failed to reach high chart positions others have achieved. King Adora's downfall is that they aren't America. Great single though.
Catch more reviews here at NME.com
Listen online to Xfm
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King Adora
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