intro.
Is it okay to begin with a giant thanks to our reviewers this week. Toon is taking some personal time—come back soon Toon, and so John Robinson has taken on some of the heavy lifting. Everyone's away so staffing is a problem! Meanwhile, this is brief, you may be glad to know because really great friends have contrived to get me to WOMAD, so there I will be. Can't wait. Stay out sunshine! This week's reviews brought to you by... Tim London (1), David O'Byrne (1), Ogglypoogly (1), LamontPaul (1), Lee Paul (5), Alan Rider (7) and John Robinson (4)
singles.
by David O'Byrne
Hinds are back with a third single from their new album, Viva Hinds - due out September 6. Following En Forma last month - their first single in their native Spanish, Superstar sees the duo return to English, and an altogether lusher, more traditional production. In contrast to the proto feminist punk stylings of Raincoats and Kleenex, of their last outing, Superstar is a dreamy up tempo rock number more reminiscent of New Order—circa power Corruption and Lies—albeit without Peter Hook's thundering bass. Despite the title, the song the song deals with disappointment and loss and is apparently directed at their two former band mates who departed without warning at the end of 2022. Thankfully the remaining duo of Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote, decided to continue with Hinds, and channelled the experience into their writing. Superstar talks about the disappointment and the pain you feel when someone you love deeply, disappears with no explanation,” says Hinds. "People need closure, and this song is ours." Let's hope it works. September sees the band hitting the road on a six month marathon, 31 date world tour to promote Viva Hinds, with the first date in London already, predictably sold out.
by Tim London
Just about long enough for a wait at an efficient dentists, the latest AC release is a direct current of nervous fun, as if several Latin percussionists were forced into a very small lift and not allowed to leave until they got it down robot like. There is a dark heart behind this: it's fun, Jim, but not as we normally expect it. If JG Ballard decided to make music on Ritalin doses, thinking he'd written an opera but waking up to the reality, making a rictus smile while he weeps into the cornflakes of the morning of his hung over mind.
by Lee Paul
Truly, Stella The Begonia is Rubblebucket's gold medal olympian anthem for sure. Eurovision winner from the classic euros age. Lie Abba with energy. What joy! And they are called Rubblebucket. Admirable. "Stella- oooh, do, do, do." Oh Wow. And I just know how much out writer Duncan Jones is loving the "Stella you're an angel, Stella you're a starlight," talking part. Stella the Begonia has everthing and then they throw in the horns at the end. And they are big epic horns. Amazing.
by John Robinson
Joe Geni has worked around the UN for a long time, and made music on the side "soundtracking the Anthropocene": his recent, professionally recorded albums have extended his normally synth based sound, added guitars and instrumentation with the words "operatic", "stunning" and "evocative" studding the press release. The producer is Charlie Nieland, who has a serious track record. Now, I'll reserve judgement on the full album, but out of context, this track is ridiculous. It's about a guy whose date has been rained off and he has to wait for the rain to stop to go outside, rendered as a tragedy, "gazing out a double-pane stained by exploding rain": his vocal range is impressive, although there's clearly post production in there, somewhere between Ferry/Bowie and Stuart Staples. Billy Mackenzie without a sense of humour. It's absurdly earnest, yet with the guitar and other elements sometimes out of tune, not pleasantly and not to good effect. There's a half minute of wailing at the end which is just irritating. There's a good tune in there somewhere, if he could just subside a bit himself.
by Alan Rider
What is a Calamatix? Answers on a postcard please. Just write 'Outsideleft Competition' on the outside and drop it through the nearest letterbox. Any house will do, they all know us. Despite the rather bleak life the main protagonist claims to live, with "love, lies and alibis" being "all I have in my life", or so she says, she seems to spend her days riding about in a great big Cadillac in the sunshine. She should cheer up a bit. Her life looks a lot better than most. Musically, this is summery light Ska of the sort that used to fill up the charts back when people used to bother about what was in the charts, or even knew what the charts were. Go on then, tell me what is Number 1 then? And don't just guess at Ed Sheeran. See? You don't know either.
by LamontPaul
Who the hell is Karen O I used to think? Who is Danger Mouse? Not the dude with the TV show, in a mouse suit I took my kid to see for 2 minutes in Dudley. No. You know who. “Super Breath”, is this dynamic duo's their first new song since their 'Lux Prima' collab LP in 2019. As unrequited love songs go, it's pretty cool. Cool enough to make me yearn to not be loved? Okay let's not go crazy that wouldn't be this good.
ZERO s
by Ogglypoogly
I’d lament at how derivative Blossoms are, if their songs weren’t so annoyingly catchy. Latest offering ‘Perfect Me’ is no exception. It could, yes, be a 3 minute game of spot the influences, but it’s a difficult game to play, because you are consistently swept away on a bouncing melody of sunshine and sherbert - which for a song that opens more than a lot like Baba O’Reilly is quite the turn around. This is radio friendly music at its most smile inducing, like a fizzy drink on a ridiculously hot day - you know it’s not the best thing for you, but it makes you happy.
by Alan Rider
A collaboration between Jem Tayle (ex Shelleyan Orphan) and drummer Boris Williams of The Cure, Vamberator make a pretty big sound on their debut single, ‘Sleep the Giant of Sleeps’, taken from the forthcoming album 'Age of Loneliness'. Apparently, it has something to do with a giant saving you in your dreams (or something like that), but more to the point, it grinds and swirls and curls its way through, displaying an odd Celtic folk/pop vibe, with added strings to boot, and a blurbly synth somewhere in there too. Its a heady mix, full of tempo switches and key changes that can take you a bit by surprise, and an unexpectedly sudden fade out at the end. That kitchen sink approach makes it feel a little overloaded, but since when did restraint have anything to do with Rock?
by Lee Paul
New! Pop! Tamar Berk is good at putting a new spin on some older moves, so here tasty, palatable powerpop.
by John Robinson
Tedious mid-tempo soft rock love song from a band named after a throwaway Bowie song from one of his least essential albums, led by an ex Kaiser Chief, Nick Hodgson. It's well written, yes, it's a song such as you might write having followed a template, with lyrics such as "You know I love it when you call me baby and I love it when you phone me up in the middle of the night", and "it makes me feel like I'm the only one woah like the only one". You can hear it now, no doubt, no need to actually listen to it. Just go and listen to Keane, or Travis, or Del Amitri, or your big fat dog instead.
by John Robinson
Opening with a sound effect which puts me in mind of Black Mirror perfectly suits the theme of this synth pop track about the futility of modern app dating, the cycle of chasing, rejection, acceptance, domestication, boredom, abandonment and renewed pursuit. There's much to be said in favour of a song structure and sound which mirror the lyrical intent as well. According to the PR, it's specifically about "dating cis men.. who don't see you as a full person", but this is a stronger song than that narrow minded self review suggests, while clearly bearing a feminist reading. Along with their previous single track 101, it bodes well for the full album release in September.
by Alan Rider
Esoterik describe themselves as a 'Pagan Synth Duo' (for which, read 'Goth'). Although most of the Pagan girls I have ever known tend towards fulsome hippy chic skirts and big hats with bits of foliage attached, in Esoterik's case its just the usual Goth fare of leather skirt and bra clad girl writhing around in front of a morose male synth player. Like a Goth Yazoo really. Sound-wise, Evanescence have a lot to answer for, having spawned many imitators over the years, including this one. You could practically press a button on the mixing desk marked 'Evanescence' and this would pop out. I'm being uncharitable here, but the only way to sum this up accurately is as unremarkable and derivative Goth land fill.
by John Robinson
A love song to Kristen Stewart by a queer indie band makes me wonder if I've dropped something other than sugar in my tea this morning. The lyrics position Kristen as a sigh inducing queer icon for a multitude of women and that must be something I missed, but I guess it must be the case. The humour in the lyrics just about outweighs how clunky they are: "hey Kristen, which lucky lady are you kissing?" "Having a quick spliff, showing your midriff". The song describes seeing her filming the terrible film Spencer, and rhymes "saw ya" with "Porsche" and "Spencer" with "Immense". This is a comedy song though, so I'll have to go by the music, which is perky, hooky, lo-fi post-punk and rattles by pleasingly. Three stars? One? Five? Really depends on your sense of humour. And your opinion of Ms Stewart, I guess.
long plays.
by Alan Rider
3 CDs full of blasphemy, bell, book, and (black) candle, reviewed, right here→
by Lee Paul
Parlor Greens’ debut LP, In Green / We Dream, a new highly anticipated project from heavyweights (Jimmy James, Adam Scone, Tim Carman) of the instrumental funk/jazz scene. Gritty, classic sounding organ trio funk is the order of the day. Targeting all things in the funky and instrumental spaces. I guess this library adjacent music is for you or not. It's a lot of what I listen to. Love it all, as things go.
ZERO s
by Alan Rider
Are you a balding Heavy Metal fan? Fancy pissing away £21 on a pointless CD and DVD live set of a band most sensible people have forgotten about, when the whole thing is available on Youtube for free? Then this is the one for you. Yet another criminal waste of the earth's precious resources and your dwindling brain cells.
so, have you got anything else.
by Lee Paul
This is here because while Beyonce controls everything, always, permission was quickly given to Kamala Harris to use this for her events... You can imagine you are there! If you've ever been to a campaign event, you'll know the hysteria. I went to a Clinton one. Pacific Amphitheatre. Couldn't get in. Too packed. He was on the way to winning.
by Lee Paul
Walsall's finest! Jorja Smith will probably not make an appearance at Walsall's Lakeland Live Festival on August 4th. So. Not joining Ancient Champion on stage, principally I suppose because "We don't have anything for her to sing." Be Honest is a lesson in how to make a great pop record.
by Alan Rider
Godflesh live at Sonic Rites 2024 Helsinki, Finland. You need to see this. Godflesh live are just incredible. So exciting. Don't just take my word for it. Listen.
by Alan Rider
French electronic punk from 1982. Wonderful stuff, and some very out of time miming on the video too! You may not have heard of Kas Product before. You have now. Go find out more, then Never Come Back (see what I did there?).
essential info.
Main image Hinds by Dario Vazquez
The previous Week in Music 'Outsideleft Week in Music Gets Mouthy' is here→
