Band Number 8 – Tommy Reilly
Who?: Dunbartonshire youth and winner of the much under appreciated Orange Unsigned Act. A singer songwriter with a coarse Scottish brogue, hardly the plums of senor Blunt.
Why?: The mantel of ‘British singer songwriter’ is often slammed on anybody and anyone who can’t be neatly spray-spainted with an eletrco-, synth-, wheat-free-label. However, Mr Reilly is far from a ballad-based bland vessel setting sail for Mother’s Day gifts the country-wide. Bringing a forlorn and broken enunciation to his stripped-away and sincere sounding set, Tommy looks set to get a major push from Polydor in the wake of winning the E4 talent show.
Strengths: Raw is a branding that should only really be added to usually cooked meat but in this instance it does well to prevent more generic terms such as ‘heart-felt’ or ‘genuine’. There is a real sense of hurt in what Reilly is doing.
Weaknesses: The catch-22 of a reality show is that it gets you in the public light but always with the caveat ‘winner of a reality show’. Like saying "Look at my awesome hat...that I found in some bins".
Download: While his debut single Give Me a Call is resplendent, it is his unique (as it should be) cover of Mr. Brightside that really gets goose pimples...um...pimpling?
Band Number 7 - Blood Red Shoes
Who?: Deadly
Why?: In a musical world perforated by inane models posing as artists it is refreshing when someone says ‘check this band out’ and they are not in fact, twats. Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter came to together like cockroaches surviving a nuclear blast after their previous bands disbanding and decided to just ‘jam’ with the oddly terrific Blood Red Shoes being the end result. I realise I just likened them to cockroaches but trust me these self-described ‘grunge/punk/disco house’ rockers are exciting.
Strengths: The shared vocals mean that you get a good change of focus from song-to-song and their ability to cut loose with a tasty roof is always gobbled down with approval.
Weaknesses: There is a tendency to teeter on the brinks of being a budget Ting Tings, and that could be more annoying than the actual Ting Tings.
Download: I Wish I Was Someone Better, a disaffected plea that makes you hope that they manage it but are quite content if they stay this bloody good.
Band Number 6: Devendra Banhart
Who?: The beardy wonder that is Devendra Banhart isn’t a gimmick act or Bill Bailey alter ego but a fully functioning messiah-lite. Coming complete with a multi-named backing band and enough irreverence to form his own genre under the banner New Weird America.
Why?: So many people play fast and loose with the term ‘weird’ when in fact they are character deficient, in Banhart’s case we maybe playing with the real deal. Music that rides the waves of melody from the soft gentle seas to the crash of the craggy points of amped up rock and bypassing some foul-mouthed Spanish sailors. He’s a showman but not a show-off and the man behind some of the greatest ‘floaty’ music ever set down. Put your hands behind your head, rock in your chair and let it envelope you...like a musical zombie plague.
Strengths: He’s not a one-trick odd-job pony. If you look past the socks and the frocks, under the individualist persona lays a truly gifted singer/songwriter with a knack for a variety of styles.
Weaknesses: Those snooty-boots over at Pitchfork claimed that 16 tracks is the equivalent of over-dosing on the genre bender.
Download: It didn’t matter what band was here in big fucking letters it would say ‘Seahorse’. An 8 minute odyssey that languishes in bedroom acoustic guitar, stops momentarily in a jazz quartet and lands funk first in a 70s finale of Robert Plant proportions.
xlrecordings.com/devendrabanhart
Band 5: The Weakerthans
"their steadily, sturdily conventional rock and roll is more compelling and rich than most people would admit as they're busy gawking at the sight of the Amazing Lyricist and his Kinda Weak Voice"
Ian Mather, Stylus Magazine
Who?: Winnipeg loving/hating four piece introspective rock band formed from the ash of punk pioneers but touched with the lyrics of poets all doped up on the nuances of life.
Why?: The Weakerthans are your friend's older brother who went to Uni and came back as wise as before but somewhat more aggrieved at the world. Soft, harmonious songs about anything and everything with esoteric lyrics that make The Shins look clumpy and unimaginative. With songs from a bloody cat's perspective (Plea From a Cat Named Virtue) to whistful laments at the futility of their home town (One Great City!) all expose the soft, dare I say it, listenable nature of the band. Cynicism curls in at the edges but doesn't over-shadow the beautifully constructed little presents that John K. Samson and his merry men merely call songs.
Strengths?: Hard to hate, easy going and without drifting into anonymity. Songs like The Pamphleteer are drizzled with honey-like sentiment and don't leave you gagging up your din dins.
Weaknesses?: Mather's comment is spot on, Samson is - despite his punk heritage as a member of Propagandhi - a little to soft to really push home his intelligence with gusto! (Just wanted to use 'gusto' for once). And no that doesn't contradict what I just said in 'Strengths'. There good but could be fandabby-dosie.
What to download?: Download?! Heresy! New album Reunion Tour is out a ce momente. But if you are a fickle fuck think Reconstruction Site, The Pamphleteer or Left and Leaving.
Band 4: Bat For Lashes
"natasha khan of bat for lashes ain't scared. i love the harpsichord and the sexual ghost voices and bowed saws. this song seems to come from the world of grimm's fairytales, and i feel like a wolf."
Thom Yorke. (Radiohead)
Who?: The stage name for Brightonian Natasha Khan. Usually helped out by Lizzie Carey, Abby Fry and Ginger Lee. Like Sri Lankan MIA without the stupid rhymes and the haunting quality of Bjork.
Why?: The term 'experimental' can be used and in cheesy DJ way - 'heavy on the mental'. Stumbled across on late night MTV2, the bizarre video for 'What's a Girl to Do', as Khan peddles along followed by BMXers with the heads of animals. If the video wasn't whackjob enough the song is a harrowing portrayal of a teen about to end a loveless relationship which surely those who haven't found something great to cling onto can take solace in. Other songs follow the same arrangement and fuse electronica with a melodious harmony.
Strengths?: In a music scene clogged by manufacture any spark of originality is grasped like a white hot flame. Who knew harpsichord sounded so good?
Weaknessess?: Probably get snapped up by Radio One in a vane attempt to look connected. Not exactly date music either.
Dowload: What's a Girl to Do is a spoken-word sleeper hit in the making. While Prescilla has its charms.
Band 3: Angus and Julia Stone
Who?:Oz brother-sister duo who croon folksy blues over acoustic guitars. Think The Carpenters if they surfed and had the butter-wouldn't-melt Gap look.
Why?: Time's have changed and I have matured into a Radio 2 man...like my Dad...and stumbled across this pairing having merry banter with the cynical Mark Lamarr who they proceeded to win over with Private Lawns, a trumpet solo spiking between 'Calamity Jane' references and the slow, weary drawl of Julia.
The band share vocal time and have a more than profficient handle of their instruments, even if Julia decries her trumpet playing. Often utilizing a throbbing drum beat as a platform for a small Jack Johnson-esque slow surf ballad with a bit more impetus. (If that sentence made sense to you can you explain it and email the answer to me...cos I didn't understand it).
Download: Private Lawns is like jazz for people without beards and smoking jackets...well its got a trumpet.While Paper Aeroplanes broods along to the sound of Angus' 'hmmmms'...works well.
Mini-CD 'Heartful of Wine/Chocolate and Cigarettes' Out Now. Best bet = iTunes.
Band 2: The More Assured.
Who: Claiming to hail Trafalgar Square...no reason to doubt them I suppose. This oddball triad is comprised of the quirkly named 'Al Your Pal' on vocals and guitar, 'Slinky Sunbeams' on bass and 'Norway' on drums.
Why: Having stumbled across their myspace on the back of the 'All Ages' fad that featured such bands as Cajun Dance Party and Bombay Bicycle Club they bounce forth with an enjoyable and in-offensive mix of infectious tunes. Having caught wind of I Want Your Despair amidst the Easter heat it seemed appropriate soundtrack material for the glowing sunshine and expect it to be even more applicable as global warming gradually toasts our feet this summer time. The cocky little rapscallions also have the auspicious honour of being mentioned alongside the reason story of Hugh Grant's violent bean-filled rage against a journalist by setting up a placard complete with extra supplies of beans for the foppish journo-basher.
Strengths: They are obviously having a good time and I don't mean 'cast of Ocean's Twelve' having a good time where the end product ends up being shite. Its easy to dance to with a good use of rhythmic guitar work.
Weaknesses: Their Myspace doesn't really exhibit any specific range of talents and the four tracks seem to all have fallen from the same safe-rock tree within mere inches of each other.
What should I download: I Want Your Despair is not likely to fail to impress but also give All In Your Head a look.
Band 1: Said Mike.
Who: According to their myspace (myspace.com/saidmike)
"A five piece rock band from Pontypridd, South Wales. SaidMike have been together for over 3 years with the recent addition of a synth player to add that little more to their sound and live shows."
Why: Stop what you are doing and enjoy this. Having seen them headline a rather unsubscribed to set in Swansea's makeshift venue DV8 earlier this year/term/whatever Said Mike live is like taking a drive in a gale force wind - you know you shouldn't but you can't help but get swept up in it. The spunky Ponty quintet have an excellently polished style and exuberance that can only strengthen over time. Their Myspace shows off their array of infectiously catchy pop punk hooks and growing production quality which can only mean that this band will soon be challenging the likes of Enter Shikari - who they have actually supported before - for hottest live property around. This band is more catchy than chicken pox in primary school and EP 'Stop the Clocks' is due out soon which will hopefully shed some more light on these hidden Ponty gems. If you just want to cut the bullshit and dance to something this is for you.
Strengths: Live they are a force to be reckoned with and jump more than a kid pumped full of lemondade on a pogo stick. Maddeningly sweaty seeing them perform...wait...that sounds overly homo-erotic...um...ignore.
Weaknesses: Not wholly original in their sound and likely to be dwarfed in an ever advancing Welsh music scene led by...*shudder* Lost Prophets or NME and its darlings. Fuck what I said about originality...new song Let Yourself Go has the funky sensibility of Hot, Hot Heat without betraying the shuddering guitars of Said Mike.
What should I download?: Go with Alleyways. Head-stompingly raucous sing-a-long madness.