Reviews under 500

Killing Floor (PC game)

2009-08-24T20:55:00.001+01:00

Who doesn’t love Zombies ey? A likely statement made in a pitch to produce ’Killing Floor’ and essentially it’s correct, the mass public tends to have an overwhelming appetite for zombie (or do we called them “infected” nowadays? ) based media which shows no signs of slowing down, especially in the video game market.

So the premise is there, Left 4 Dead was hugely successful so who wouldn’t want a piece of that pie? But that’s the biggest problem with Killing Floor; it’s trying so hard to replicate a successful formula that it fails to gain any real identity of its own. The only area Killing Floor really flourishes is in showing us how fantastic Left 4 Dead really is!

I’m sure on paper Killing Floor reads like a riot, it has some ideas and hints of originality that it wanted to achieve but is simply let down by its delivery, for example; ’Zedtime’ in principle is a great idea, time slows down mid attack to truly regale in the violent destruction of the unfortunate zombie, and it works...sometimes. The problem being that you don’t actually trigger it! It’s just kicks in completely at random (or if there was a trigger point I sure as hell wasn’t seeing it) so sometimes it’s perfectly timed to enhance your violent decapitation of the nearest undead, other times it kicks in when your turning round to try and see the zombies behind you, not really ideal.

Another neat idea is the welding gun, during waves of Zombies you can back yourself into a bottle neck style situation and in true ’Aliens’ fashion weld the door shut, although this is more of a tactics treat and less of a visual one.

So something I’ve failed to mention so far is the single player and there is a perfectly good reason for that, it’s pretty much none existent! Sure you can play it on your own but you’re simply recreating the online multiplayer environment with you on your lonesome, words of advice, DO NOT buy this game unless you plan on playing it online.

While we’re rolling out the flaws (or ’floors’ if you love a good pun!) the presentation is nothing short of hideous, the menus lack any kind of simplicity and are extremely over cumbersome, not that they’re not manageable but it’s in dire need of streamlining, the graphics also lack any real quality although they’re nowhere near as bad as the menu screens might imply.

So in closing; the story feels useless and irrelevant, the dialogue and aesthetic are embarrassing and the single player mode is redundant, but do you know what? There are far worse shooters out there and if you want some quick and easy yet strangely satisfying zombie destruction then you could do far worse, just don’t expect a revolution.

2/5

Poker Simulator - Iceberg Interactive

2009-08-21T13:45:00.002+01:00

Fancy a game of Minesweeper? How about Solitaire or perhaps Freecell? Imagine if I told you you’d have to pay £8.95 for the privilege and also an inferior version? Doesn’t sound like deal of the century does it? So why should people ever consider buying Poker Simulator? The answer is, they shouldn’t.

Before I even stuck the game in my first thought was “can’t you already play this FOR FREE on Facebook?” and then it went a little deeper, there are literally dozens of websites dedicated to online server based poker, and the majority deal in the real tangible that makes poker fun, money.

Despite my early cynicism I was more than willing to give poker simulator a chance after all, not everyone is interested in playing for money. Unfortunately what I discovered is that not only does this game lack any real thrill of the gamble, it also lacks everything that makes all other poker clients playable.

The positives, the game runs perfectly fine, no frame rate issues and / or noticeable bugs, and the fact that my PC is quite average shows capable programming tailored to the likely audience. The AI (Artifical Intelligence) however, shows the complete opposite. Not once did I notice the AI bluff, you could always guarantee that if the Computer was playing a hand; he had something worth playing, which in turn saps any sort of thrill one might have in the competition; not to mention, the rival opponents are literally complete pushovers, you can and I did bully your way through a game with ease, clearly the AI thinks you’re as dumb as he is!

One step up a retail game should have over the free games is it’s graphically engine, and if this was still 2002 then these character models and textures would have been acceptable, they hardly do a lot in poker either, but most of the males look like extras from a wrestling game, all ripped to shreds with enormous shoulders, my guy was wearing a hat and when I say wearing, I mean it might as well been floating above his head.

I was having no joy playing the computer so I thought I’d try out it’s online mode and play real opponents, the games been out around a month or so, the servers should be white hot...no one, not a single soul, perhaps I caught a bad time or their servers were in maintenance, it’s an excuse, however unlikely it possibly is.

Clearly I’m not a fan, although the game wasn’t completely without merit, the mini games were marginally fun versions of classic games like high or low and pairs, standard affair but they play perfectly fine. The poker school is also perfectly acceptable for beginners but nothing you couldn’t learn from any other source you can think of.

I hate to completely destroy things that clearly people have put effort and time to producing, but I’m also not a liar...do not buy this “game”.

1/5

Ash - Return of the White Rabbit (single)

2009-08-21T13:43:00.001+01:00

The music business can be tired formula, Physical media is at an all time low, now is the time to evolve or die, Ash clearly have their hearts set on bucking the system and doing things just that little bit different.

So in a nutshell Ash are releasing 26 singles (this is not a typo) under a subscription based download service labelled ’A-Z series’, of which; ’Return of the White Rabbit’ is A. Certainly a brave and bold move, the outlandish nature of such a stunt could pay off in a time where they’re not quite darlings of the media they once were. The other side of the coin however is that this could fall flat on it’s face and 26 singles could have been used in vain, but life is all about risks and taking them, and you have to commend the daring originality.

So as interesting as this concept is I’m supposed to be reviewing the first single, ’Return of the White Rabbit’. Ash have certainly came along way since Girl from Mars and the song shows an obvious maturity to it, the 90’s are over and unlike some bands, Ash have grown with the times. Penned by bassist Mark Hamilton which explains the lack of huge chorus which is usually standard affair with the average Tim Wheeler track, but not every single has to have a huge chorus and then the predictable key change, despite what Simon Cowell might think.

Some interesting ideas have been thrown at the track, subtle touches of synth and electro drums, not to mention the filthy bass effect and steady groove. This is certainly a different Ash and personally, I absolutely love the electro toms mixed into the standard kit, it sounds like it would be abysmal but trust me, it works.

By no means is this Ash’s strongest ever single; far from it, but it’s different in an age where they need to be different. Ash have progressed, matured and evolved into a fresh act who appear all brand new again, and with these original ideas you can really tell that care about changing the systematised routine nature of the industry, I personally hope for Ash that it pays off.

4/5

Haunted By Humans - Live @ Godiva Festival '09

2009-08-21T13:40:00.001+01:00

On at 1pm to an audience primarily there for bands such as Toploader, rain clouds looming over head and nightmarish problems with a guitar, things certainly didn’t plan out well for Haunted by Humans but perseverance is definitely one of their stronger character traits.
A lot of bands might have buckled under such pressure and scrutiny, a well versed act with plenty of experience, but I hazard a guess this is easily the biggest crowd they have ever played in front of, just when you don’t want this little issue to arise, fate has a funny way of planning things out.

Things didn’t start as great as they might have hoped. The first track failed to garner the full attention of the already fickle crowd and interest was waning; but then Haunted by Humans struck back something fierce with ‘Get Dangerous’, living up to the billing with haunting vocals and a sublime chorus hook, suddenly; everyone’s curiosity was spiked.

The momentum by that point changed distinctly, this wasn’t the sort of festival music you expect to hear at one in the afternoon. The strength and power behind the set was endearing enough to draw the crowd in, the set peaked (although by no means was there a radical drop off after) sometime mid set with a song that the band themselves proclaimed was “brand new” called ‘Killer Waves’, The kind of epic pop song every alternative band could do with to push them over to the next level. No question, this is there mainstream hit.

If I was going to dissect some flaws (and I guess that means I am) then Haunted by Humans lacked a massive amount of variety, at least in the seven or so songs I heard, and their set list layout didn’t seem to work in this crowds favour. Although these are minor niggles in an otherwise sterling performance, and they kept Toploaders crowd perfectly entertaining, I can imagine that’s no mean feat.

4/5

Killaflaw- Holy Funk (single)

2009-07-07T19:33:00.001+01:00

Skipping past the meat of the content, there is no getting past it, Killaflaw certainly sound a lot like The Prodigy, but considering I’m a massive fan I’m more than certain this review is going to bode well.

So yeah, I’m sure they’ve heard it a million times already and they will likely forever get it (unless their music drastically changes any time soon) but it was really unavoidable. Normally something that strikes me as over familiar promotes negative feelings, but not this time, there is just enough of Killaflaw unique finger prints here to create distinction, mainly via Benn Helm’s massively strong and frankly awesome vocal.

So at its root this a down and dirty dance track, touches of drum and bass and sprinkles of most other dance genres, but perhaps it’s biggest merit is the melody perfectly placed on top of the thumping bass, Killaflaw have achieve what a lot of drum and bass acts fail to do and have created a pop song around their dancefloor beat.

So clearly I’m a fan, but that’s not to say there isn’t slight niggles with the track, the production although solid lacks a touch of final polish for my liking, perhaps another pass on the mix is required to make it a touch more radio friendly (it’s certainly club friendly right now!). The sub bass also lacks the complete punch and more could be made of its assets but like I said, these are only minor niggles on a product that produces a fantastic vibe.

The time is now for Killaflaw, they sound relevant and with the resurgence of The Prodigy and rise of Pendulum they should certainly strike now and strike fast and with tracks like Holy Funk; they shouldn’t have much problem catching people’s attention.

5/5

The Blizzards - Buy It Sell It (single)

2009-07-07T19:29:00.000+01:00

It’s one of these again, those darn middle of the road indie tracks that I somehow always accidentally pick up to review, not that I have anything against indie music in general it’s just that there’s just so much of it!

The Blizzards aren’t without merits and what I’ve picked up from the single ’Buy It Sell It’ they certainly have a little extra something to help them stand out from the crowd, although it’s more like popping your head up briefly from the crowd just so people can catch a glimpse.

So the good, Niall Bresin’s vocal and the harmonies in general are very lovely and all put together superbly, The middle 8 is packed with strength that really does a great job of driving home the last chorus and the whole rhythm is genuinely interesting and a little different from the standard affair, the artwork is also superb.

But something is missing, breaking it all down it seems to work perfectly and perhaps that’s the problem, it’s all constructed right, a little too right, almost like it’s had its soul sucked out of it and I’m sure that’s not how it started. Thinking about it a little further leads me to the conclusion that it’s simply over produced.

So a pleasant track that I’m sure will gain fans and it’s likely that The Blizzards will add to the success that they’ve already achieved, I’d just like to hear more edge to the production instead of the over the top safe approach.

3/5

Wasters - FILM (Rotunda films)

2009-07-06T19:22:00.000+01:00

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and if that applies, writer/director Luke Rufo is sure trying to flatter Kevin Smith (Clerks).

On paper that sentence reads far more negative than I’d like to imply, expanding on the statement or rather putting it another way would be to say that Clerks is worn proudly on ’Wasters’ English sleeve, the premise is familiar but it’s sensibilities are truly rooted in the Midlands which give a fresh approach, not to mention this is a good 15 years after Clerks, fresh for a whole new batch of “wasters” and enough to feel like a hearty salute (as opposed to a carbon copy) to the original “clerk”

At it’s bare essentials ’Wasters’ delivers a heart felt lover story intertwined with a buddy comedy, the character list is short but strongly developed, you know these characters, you’re likely to be one of these characters, or at worst know somebody who resembles their traits. Sometimes they can be slightly stereotypical and caricatured but it’s more a flaw attached to the side characters.

Sticking to pretty much one location is a brave move, you need the script to deliver, fortunately ’Wasters’ delivers albeit in an over the top brash and blatantly disgusting manner, you get what it said on the tin and trust me, I’m reflecting this as a positive. I wouldn’t be surprised if Luke Rufo had experienced many of these conversations in real life because they felt extremely natural for a mid twenties midlander and considering I fit that demographic, I have a right to validate it.

The films not perfect by any means, maybe a tad long for it’s style and some of the ADR needs fine tuning but considering the likely minimal budget (this is an independent film after all) they achieved great success, an extra note must be made to the four main characters who were beautifully cast and had extremely legitimate chemistry, Amelia Tyler was particular outstanding and at times, truly hate-able.

Recycled premise, limited budget and lacking a big studio polish but you know what? Wasters shines through that with all the heart and genuine passion that any big Hollywood blockbuster could provide.

4/5

Pendulum - Live @ Brixton Academy DVD

2009-07-06T19:19:00.001+01:00

So after watching ’Live at Brixton Academy’ I noticed one huge flaw, something that stopped me truly and completely enjoying the show, it was simple, I wasn’t there!

As cliché as this sounds, watching the DVD is the next best thing and for the benefit of the review I have actually seen Pendulum live before, maybe that’ll add a little credence to the blatant sycophantic nature of this love-fest.

The show is just outstanding, amazing energy coupled with a fantastic light show that can only be described as an epileptics worst nightmare and the crowd (much like the one I experienced) are insanely enjoying everything Pendulum throws their way.

I can imagine trying to reflex this experience onto DVD is a challenge and special mention must be made to the editor who certainly had his work cut out but completely delivered with his lightning fast cuts.

What with only two albums under their belt Pendulum do a fantastic job in keeping the energy and excitement constant, all their big tracks from ’Propane Nightmares’ to ’Slam’ are perfectly performed to an adoring crowd, they also throw in their own versions of The Prodigy’s ’Voodoo People’ and Metallica’s ’Master of Puppets’ just to add a bit of spice to the mix.Essentially however, this is a tour for ’In Silico’ and this album is fully represented with it’s best work.

So I guess I should add some negative comments for variety but the problem is, I can’t find any! It’s literally delivers everything you could expect from a live Pendulum DVD and if you’re buying this sort of thing you’re already a fan. So no real discouragement but if I’m hard pressed I could say that MC Ben Mount’s rapping style has a slight penchant to annoy, mostly the odd freestyle he adds although live this is nowhere near an irritation like it can be on the DVD.

The timing of this release is perfect, Pendulum over the last six months have certainly fired on all cylinders and they’re currently striking while the iron is hot, the crowd is absolutely in love with Pendulum and in this day an age who knows how long that’ll last.

5/5

Wave Machines - I Go I Go I Go

2009-07-06T19:16:00.000+01:00

Five years ago this would have been something different, we were swamped in bands thrashing out garage rock and this would have been a great change of pace, unfortunately for Wave Machines, they’re simply lost in the crowd.

’I Go I Go I Go’ is no bad song by any means, in fact, it’s rather decent. It has a certain child like quality that is hard to ignore and it’s pure simplicity is executed perfectly, sure they wear their influences on their sleeves but it’s by no means obnoxious although maybe the one man hand clapping section was ill advised.

The lyrics are very straight forward and tell a simple, yet common story, although there is some attempt at social commentary it’s never overly stated but never dealt with quite the panache of someone like Alex Turner.

So why not the better score? Well as I suggested in my opening paragraph it’s simply feels and sounds like the majority of new bands breaking through, there is definitely a huge synth driven market exposed and in the small independent community it’s over exposed, no slight on the band it’s just currently not doing it for me.

2/5

Defend Moscow - Die Tonight

2009-07-06T19:13:00.001+01:00

My biggest gripe with new bands is when they don’t take that extra care in their presentation, When I first received the Defend Moscow CD I instantly dismissed it, a poorly put together package and awful (at least from my point of view) artwork.

Fortunately I made it through this barrier to entry (and it was a barrier) and discovered that the track; is rather good.There is absolutely nothing overt here, it’s the basic and original layout in its purest form, but if it ain’t broke...

The pre chorus delivers a perfect build with perhaps the strongest part of the melody in the song and hits the chorus in exactly the right place, if it seems familiar to you it’s because it is! but it’s a formula used by some of the greatest song in history so you can hardly blame them.

Imagine your standard indie club and this would instantly be at home on the dance floor, the beat, the structure and timing are all laid out for the night clubs and the radio alike, so much so in fact, perhaps it wasn’t all a natural construction as I may hope.

A solid pop song that has great potential let down by the outer package although fortunately, the mass public are less likely to be as picky about presentation as me and it has it where it counts.

3/5

Enter Shikari - Juggernauts

2009-07-06T19:09:00.001+01:00

It’s one of the biggest clichés going, every band claims that they’re original and that they combine all sorts of genres (primarily indie bands when they try to convince you that they have influences of jazz in their generic tripe), but Enter Shikari, they nail it, with style.

So after the success of their first record Enter Shikari are back with ’Common Dreads’ and the first single ’Juggernauts’ and in turn the problems labelling it. Sure there are roots in hardcore with a massive pop chorus combined but there are so many more nuisances than that. From the opening insanity of the synth attacking you something ferocious to Mike Skinner like observational lyric driven verse and then acoustic soft melody ending, then is no shortage of styles and remember, this song is 3 minutes and 43 seconds long.

So you thinking with all these styles it’s gotta sound like a complete mess right? Well you couldn’t be more wrong and the annoying part is, I don’t know how they do it! When reading back my observations it appears this track should be a big pile of noise but it completely works as a song and better yet for their mass appeal, a pop song.

It’s not perfect, some lyrics are a bit naff and the vocal has a slight hint of irritation but these are niggles that aren’t even worth considering with this solid effort, it’s almost like they’ve worked out how to be completely original in 2009 and that’s no mean feat. The world is theirs for the taking until the replica arrive and completely ruin the moment.

5/5

Metric - Sick Muse

2009-07-06T18:31:00.001+01:00

The world is awash with low level indie bands, any reviewer can validate this. They’re everywhere and anywhere but the trick is to move out of the middle of the road and into the fast lane.Metric took 3 years out to attempt this and if the single is anything to go by... they could have done with another year.

Don’t get me wrong, ’Sick Muse’ is more than decent, a nice steady beat controlling the rhythm while the strong melodies take centre stage. Couple this with disjointed guitar riffs and a nice verse to chorus layout and you have a decent indie pop song. But where is the 3 years work the press pack promised me?! There is nothing particularly outstanding and it lacks any real creativity it’s just kinda, you know, there.

I’m sure Metrics fan base would disagree with me and I’m positive some people out there are happy with their 3 minute fill of Metric and if that’s the case then consider the single a thumbs up. From a personal opinion though, I fail to see how this track cannot be completely discarded ten minutes after hearing it, it’s just not memorable enough.

I was being a tad facetious with my 3 years statement because this is just a single and not an accurate representation of an album which I’m sure Metric feel is heartfelt, I was just a little, underwhelmed.

2/5

Interview with Orlando Weeks (The Maccabees)

2009-07-06T18:26:00.002+01:00

Interview With Orlando Weeks from the Maccabees conducted by Dale Driver.

So you’re a few dates into your tour, how do you think it’s going? What’s the feedback so far?

Yeah it’s going alright I think, everybody seems to be going away happy at the gigs so yeah, must be going alright.

What songs from your new material do you feel are going down the best?

Erm, ’Love You Better’ is going down great, ’Can you Give It’ is going down well, the song ’Wall of Arms’ is going down pretty good I mean, the album’s only been out a week now so it’s pretty amazing already that people seem to be responding to them.

After the success of your first album what did you do differently for Wall of Arms, how was your approach?

We wrote this one to be a record, we wrote it knowing it was gonna be made into a record, that was kinda of our mission, to write a record as opposed to writing songs for an album or to play live to people. That’s kinda what happened with the first one, they were the songs we’d been playing and we had to kind of set them in stone in some respect and that’s why we made the record I suppose. This one we knew we were going to get to record it and we were going to figure out afterwards how to turn that into a set.

Toothpaste Kisses was quite exposed when it was featured on the Samsung advert, did you ever feel the pressure to match or repeat that success?

Not really I mean, did you ever see the Samsung advert?

Yes, that was one of the first times I heard it.

Really? I never ever saw it; I kinda just thought they forgot to put it on. The only thing it really did for us was that we got to go on Jonathan Ross’s radio show, beyond that I don’t think it really helped or hindered us particularly except that it meant obviously some people had become aware of us as a result of it so it can only be a good thing.

You recorded your new album in Paris, how did you find that whole experience being out of your comfort zone?

I dunno, we just kinda felt isolated and lucky, that was kind of it. We wanted to not be round friends and family and concentrate and work really hard on writing the songs, being “marooned” felt the best way about it.

Did you purposely choose Paris?

Yeah, we figured it was close enough to home that the record company felt like they could keep an eye on us but far enough away that people could just come and hang out all the time.

Which song from Wall of Arms in your proudest achievement?

I can’t really answer that I’m just proud of us for getting a second record together really; I couldn’t single one out that makes me swell with pride particularly. I just think the whole thing and all of us being happy with it is the biggest achievement.

How much input do you have on your music videos?

Just, everything really. We decide who makes it, ones like ’No Kind Words’ we had such a little budget it’s easier for me to art direct it, find the people to shoot it, find the cameras, find the space, find the actors and figure out the story line and the concept. But with ’Love You Better’ we had a budget so we could find a director and sit down with him and see how we find a middle ground between his vision and what we want.

You Worked with Markus Dravs on Wall of Arms who has worked with Bands such as Arcade Fire and Coldplay in the past, did you find that his influence rubbed off onto the album?

Well Arcade Fire is pretty much my favourite band in the world. But I think we reigned in ourselves a huge amount though because we wanted to have choirs and all that and I think Markus more than anything said look, you can’t lose the point of what made you as a band. He’s all for taking steps forward but there is steps forward and there are steps to the side.

So he kept you focused?

Yeah, yeah he’s very good at that, very good at keeping the momentum going without losing hindsight.

Thanks very much for your time Orlando, good luck with the tour and the album.

Your very welcome, thanks very much.

The Maccabees LIVE Birmingham O2 Academy.

2009-07-06T18:23:00.002+01:00

The Atmosphere was electric, the crowd was rowdy and enthusiastic and the house was packed. Essentially all the ingredients for a great show was set up and it almost completely delivered...almost.

Off the back of the successful ’Colour It In’ The Maccabees returned back to the public eye with their new album ’Wall of Arms’ and in turn, the tour to promote it which we were a few dates into, the album had barely been out a week so this was the perfect test to see if the album, put simply, worked.

Storming onto the stage they opened with ’No Kind Words’ with its dark tones but intense drilling beat, the light show perfectly complimented the track and the audience literally threw themselves into the beat.

The Maccabees proceeded to blast (and I mean blast) through their hour set with vicious speed, they like to play very fast that’s for sure and new drummer Sam Doyle certainly proved his value to The Maccabees.

A brief break was made for ’Toothpaste Kisses’, the romantic subtle tones which contrast the rest of the set so badly it could almost be another band however, I get the feeling it’s perfectly placed to give the audience a breather and take in some lyrics, and certainly the love struck couple in front of me seemed to appreciate it.

At one point during ’Precious Time’ there was actual audience participation (something they lacked for the first half of the set) and singer Orlando Weeks seemed genuinely happy and humble to have the lyrics sang back at him, interviewing the guy beforehand he showed me how grateful he is for all the support and the love they receive and this made it extremely obvious.

So far so good right? Well unfortunately there was one blip in the entire set which was a song predictably labelled ’Accordion Song’. Orlando moved from main vocal to play the accordion and although it was a change of pace it was ruined by Felix Whites accent driven vocal and the fact that I really couldn’t hear the accordion! Perhaps a temporary glitch at this particular gig but it was completely lost in the sound.

After the short trip off stage for the cliché encore (nothing against the Maccabees, it’s something that irritates me at all gigs) The Maccabees ended their set on ’Love You Better’, an insanely well written strong pop song which was the perfect way to seal off the gig and everyone left with happy face, and surely that’s all that matters.

4/5

Captain Dangerous - The Terrorist / Merrow song

2009-07-06T18:20:00.002+01:00

This is it, the very first in a seemingly rare occasion that I literally can’t think of a single negative thing to say. Simply and unprofessionally put, Captain Dangerous are awesome.

This wasn’t what I was expecting though, the CD arrived like all the others and besides the great name (a breath of fresh air considering the last review I wrote was from a band with the most generic and cliché name possible) nothing really struck me. Perhaps this helped slightly I mean, I was vaguely interested until the music won me over proving it’s unquestionable strength and great ability to leave an outstanding first impression.

So instead of me fawning over my experience (although that’s kind of the point of a review) maybe I should tell you a little about the tracks and let me make this point right now, the two tracks are completely different yet strangely familiar, perfect for showcasing variety in material yet not sounding like a ’Now That’s What I Call Music’ compilation.

The Terrorist kicks off the CD with an eclectic range of sounds all put together in a charming ramshackle kinda way, it’s unique enough to stand out but never loses direction, at heart is essentially a 3 minute pop rock song, although it definitely doesn’t come across as average as that description sounds, parts of the song sound like a soundtrack to an 80’s video game on acid.

So flip the coin and we have The Merrow song which sounds like a track specifically written for the finish of an album although I very much suspect there was never any predetermined mentality behind the constructing of this track, it’s far too beautiful for that. It reminds me in parts of ’Butterfly’ by Weezer with fantastic strings and lyrics that feel completely genuine and delivered with precise passion.

It’s apparent right now that I’m sounding sycophantic but I can only be honest with my review, everything about these tracks screams a band who know exactly what they’re doing and what they are, but there also something innocent there that implies to me this could all just be a happy side effect of just simply being talented.

5/5

White Light Parade - Wake Up (single)

2009-07-06T18:18:00.001+01:00

Big choruses can make or break a what might just seem an average indie band, that extra little hook that drives the track over into the mainstream and get Joe Bloggs whistling your melody can make the world of difference. The issue with White Light Parade is, the chorus only wants to be big.

On the surface this is generic pop rock you’ve heard all before, not really an original concept here but as the case proves that isn’t always an issue, the problem is the hook just isn’t there, they’re kind of like The Enemy without the powerful melodies and half the character, they’re essentially for want of a better word, average.

The CD as a whole isn’t without it’s merit though, the B side is a ’reggae remix’ of the single and the vocal lends it’s self far more favourably to this, so much so I would have suggested that this was the single, it’s far more interesting.

Despite the improvements of the remix there is isn’t really much being said here, the lyrics are generic and at worse mundane, and they wear thin very quickly. Nothing offends me and the content isn’t terrible, but why celebrate mediocrity?

Hopefully I haven’t condemned White Light Parade too much because after all, this is only one song and the rest of their repertoire could be far superior, but if that’s the case I debate why this is a single?

1/5

The Maccabees Album sampler

2009-07-06T18:10:00.001+01:00

Now this is a challenge, how do you review an album sampler? I could dissect it and analyse all the individual tracks but I can’t help but think that ruins the spirit of the album as a collective. The simplest conclusion I can come to is to review my forecast based on a taster, early predictions are it’ll be rather delightful.

My previous experience with The Maccabees was a very brief one, I thought ’Toothpaste Kisses’ was pleasant enough but nothing earth shattering, if I’m honest they nearly all but passed me by unnoticed. Fortunately by reviewing this sampler me and the Maccabees had a second chance and the impressions were much stronger.

To touch back on my earlier problem I found it particularly hard to capture the album ’Wall of Arms’. Trying to gauge pacing and concept on only four tracks proved to be tougher than I thought, I can only assume they went for the more mainstream friendly tracks and that they’ll be broken up with something a bit more melancholy, but as I said, that’s only an assumption.

My first concern about this sampler was that it might lack variety as it’s more than common with bands of this assortment; fortunately what they do show is diversity in techniques. The perfect example is the drumming, never once overt or over the top and always does exactly what is require, but the style and capability hasn’t gone unnoticed, coupled with the intense BPM of ’Kiss and Resolve’ and this sampler proves that The Maccabees have more than enough range.

’Love You Better’ is the first single from ’Wall of Arms’ and features on the sampler. A wash of delayed hypnotic guitar that is extremely striking coupled along with minimal but effective brass, a very nice touch that adds that little more impact to the crescendo.

This sampler isn’t completely devoid of issues though, my main gripe is as lovely as the vocal are I can’t help but feel the melodies are all a bit familiar to each other, although this didn’t occur to me until I truly noticed how similar singer Orlando Weeks tone was to Win Butler from Arcade Fire (no bad comparison, quite the opposite in fact).

With the right pacing and production this album has the potential to easily out do there earlier efforts and truly thrust The Macaabees into the mainstream, I look forward to hearing the final effort.

4/5

Sinking Cities - C Throo / End of an Era (single)

2009-07-06T18:07:00.002+01:00

Apparently you only get one chance to make a first impression and Sinking Cities originally made a bad one, fortunately for them, I’m all about second chances and by then things definitely improved.

Perhaps it was me being overly superficial, but the all the instant feelings I got from ’C Throo’ and ’End of an Era’ were negative due to a few key factors. The main one being the overall production (or lack thereof) on the tracks.

Getting the recordings right in this day and age can make or break a band, with enough polish a track can gain far more accolades than it deserves, but on the opposite end potentially great songs can be ignored without the right final touches, Sinking Cities are the latter. But let’s forget about the production, it’s the actual songs I’m reviewing and once I got past the first barrier I was pleasantly surprised.

’C Throo’ fights past it’s awful name (why ’leetspeak’ was used is beyond me ) to be quite pleasant, the harder elements of Snow Patrol with a darker edge and a drilling bass line, the chorus has potential and could have been more but that brings us back to the production talk again.

’End of an Era’ is more of a complete package, genuine lyrics that have sparks of ingenuity and very nice use of harmonies that they should make the most off, and the chorus is far stronger than you’d expect.

Dig deep, and you discover there is definitely potential here, it’s just a shame that the critical first impression is its Achilles heel.

2/5

Jointpop - Please Don’t Tell my In-laws (I’m an Outlaw) / Monday Morning Love Situation (Single)

2009-07-06T18:04:00.003+01:00

"This is how pop music should sound” something I’ve read a thousand times in reviews, feels kind of like a cop out and an easy / lazy thing to say but I’m going to have to bite the bullet and use it just this once, Jointpop’s double A-side is how pop music should sound.

The name’s a dead giveaway, there is no doubt Jointpop are self aware and fully acknowledge the cut of their jib. This is pure pop music for the riotous, the jaunty type and for people who just like a bit of fun with their musical entertainment.

A problem with this sort of genre is that it can be easily discarded or forgotten, fortunately for Jointpop they have significant quality’s that will likely (although not definitely, I haven’t had my copy for that long!) withstand multiple plays, that coupled with the unique vocal of Gary Hector provides the tracks with much needed character, even if sometimes I’m pushed to make out the lyrics.

Jovial and animated, I can only speculated what there live show would be like and if they’re ever in my area i'd definitely seek them out, hopefully they'll match the energy of the recorded medium.

Clearly I’m a fan but the key ingredient for any track to resonate with Joe Public is its main vocal hook, or in layman’s terms, is it sing-along-able? To which I answer, abundantly so.

4/5

Rieser - The Drinking Den EP

2009-07-06T18:02:00.002+01:00

Often the easiest reviews to write are for the extremes, for the great it’s very is easy to write a glowing report and for the abysmal it’s easy to completely condemn them. Unfortunately for me (and perhaps Rieser) this is a tricky one.

Essentially ’The Drinking Den’ does absolutely nothing wrong, perfectly acceptable middle of the road indie music, but that’s it, it’s distinctly average in possibly the most insulting way the term ’average’ can be used.

The problem seems to be a complete lack of hooks; there are literally no features that catch your attention. It’s all pleasant enough and every song ends in a crescendo (which is nice but nothing endearing), Plus the artwork is lovely, but the whole pub / beer aesthetic feels a little too cliché for my liking and it’s appearance is very perceiving, it all feels like a slight over compensation.

I’m trying my hardest to be positive in this review I mean, 90% of Bob Dylan’s work didn’t have hooks but that didn’t stop him, the difference being though Dylan wrote pure poetry and ’The Drinking Den’ definitely doesn’t do that. Some lyrics are better than the majority you might hear from some of their peers, but they’re still nothing to write home about, especially the track ’The Ringmaster’ which at times felt so contrived and forced, as if they predetermined to write a song about the Circus. I won’t lie though, when the Circus guitar riff kicked in it raised a smile.

To summarise, ’The Drinking Den’ is just too average to stand out from the crowd, but it doesn’t offend me and can and will mostly likely be pleasant listening for people who enjoy this kind of thing.

2/5

Katlow - Gorgeous / 57 Manchester Road (Single)

2009-07-05T22:58:00.001+01:00

I tried, I really did, but I honestly can’t shake of the obvious comparison that Katlow is likely to draw. Although I don’t consider it to have negative connotations but my first thought was an instant similarity to Kate Nash.

Maybe it’s the fact that she’s a young girl with a slight twang in her vocal, maybe it’s because she’s singing about everyday life which in my opinion is a market currently being over saturated. But maybe there’s room for one more and if I’m hard pressed, I haven’t came across another that warrants it as much as Katlow.

So the basics, strong vocals, catchy melodies, well structured and paced songs, all pretty standard affair. The lyrics are very much in waves, often having great touches of observational and social comments with the odd well laid out metaphor at its peak, and blatant telegraphed and uninspired lines at its depth, although fortunately for Katlow there is far more of the high points.

Personally I wasn’t too overwhelmed with the CD until I reached the last track, my attention was truly caught by the change in time signature and great use of harmonies, this is a song that appears upbeat and positive but once you truly embrace the lyrics you decipher that there are very dark distinctions to the content, a feature I always admire in a song and basically adds that touch of depth.

Katlow ticks all the boxes and there is no doubt the potential is there, I’m sure once she reaches her peak her potential will be endless, she’s just not quite there yet.

3/5

Go:Audio - Drive to the City (single)

2009-07-05T22:56:00.002+01:00

Anvilicious is a buzz word I’ve recently noticed, in literal sense it’s not an actual word but what it describes is types of media which are so heavy-handed and unsubtle about delivering their point that it’s like being hit with an anvil.

So how does this relate to Go:Audio’s new single ’Drive to the City’? Well my point is this single wants to be a huge catchy pop / rock song and Go:Audio’s delivery is completely anvilicious. It almost feels like a laundry list of criteria that this track set out to achieve and I’m sure if you listen closely enough you could hear all the boxes being ticked.

There is no doubt that is a pop song though, it could definitely cater to the masses as with its overly infectious chorus melody, there’s no doubt about it, the line ’Drive to the City’ is certainly cemented into your subconscious.

Although this may seem like a negative review it’s really not, this song does everything it was designed to do and does it well, my gripe is more at the way it was put together with all its key components, it’s all so, safe.

Go:Audio know what they’re doing and what they want to be and I’m quite sure they’ll achieve the success they demand, I’d just personally like to hear a few more risks.

2/5

Delta Spirit - Ode to Sunshine (album)

2009-07-05T22:54:00.002+01:00

Describing an album with one word certainly seems like a challenge, but I can’t think of a better word that encapsulates Delta Spirit than California.

Let’s break it down though; California is an American state not a musical genre. But think of every general mental image that California inspires and you wouldn’t be far off the mark with what this album achieves.

I know what you’re thinking “ haven’t The Thrills already done this?” and yes you’d be right to a degree, but Delta Spirit are far more versatile than any of their best efforts, the perfect example would be track 3 entitled ’People C’mon’. It somehow manages to project the images of sun, sea and BBQ’s yet does all this with a prevalent sinister over tone hinting to the best work that bands like The Coral have achieved, no mean feat from my personal opinion.

Speaking of BBQ’s, this is the situation I can most imagine this album thriving in, the sun shining and the meta party atmosphere, chance for the melodies to be indulged and the range of instruments to be enjoyed.Delta Spirit certainly wear their influences on their sleeves during Ode to Sunshine, familiarities can be noticed from bands such as Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, The Kinks and Bob Dylan. Fortunately though none to similar to be labelled copycat but more nods to the greats that have inspired, and there’s certainly no Oasis style ’let’s copy that’ attitude.

Perhaps I’m being overly positive but I enjoyed Ode to Sunshine so why not be? If I was being picky and deliberately trying to spot faults I could say the production is lacking and perhaps some songs lack a certain punch to have any great substance, but these are niggling issues which do not alter the general experience I had with the album.

Delta Spirit certainly put together a well paced and thoroughly enjoyable album, while perhaps not an essential purchase it’s certainly worth your time, it was mine.

3/5

Reverend Payton - The Whole Fam Damily (album)

2009-07-05T22:51:00.000+01:00

I’m a sucker for a little bit of originality in my names, quirky song titles and band names always catch my attention and convince me to give things I might have otherwise overlooked a listen, The Whole Fam Damily packs a plethora of unique titles, first impressions? I’m interested.

Trying to describe Reverend Payton is definitely tough, saying it’s a blues country hybrid sounds way too generic for my liking and this album deserves more credit than that. It’s a fast paced, stomping mesh of slide guitars, washboard and dirty ramshackle fun.

The Reverend and his Big Damn Band are a different kind of animal, with members such as his wife, Washboard Breezy, and brother Jayme, they certainly have stacks of originality when it comes to their set up. I honestly don’t think middle America could have been caught in a nutshell better than it has on ’The Whole Fam Damily’. It symbolises everything about life for the average guy in Indiana (or at least the stereotype of one). As endearing as this is, I can’t help but think this might be a stumbling block with new markets, other countries just might not be able to connect with this kind of material.

I’m pretty sure I’m not far off the mark when imagining what Reverend Peyton’s live performances are like, a riot infusing mass stomp-along, I suspect their live show is far superior to simply listening to the CD which leads me to my main complaint, the whole album has the potential to be completely forgettable, something you listen to and instantly get along with but in the long haul will soon disappear to the back of your record collection. And why? There are simply no singles, no choruses, nothing with lasting appeal, just short bursts of entertainment.

Although I’d choose to see them live over the recorded media, I still believe this album has a place for music lovers. Every now and again you want something fast and fun, something energetic and unique and this delivers in huge doses, just nothing that you’re going to remember in ten years.

3/5

Dan Black - Alone (single)

2009-07-05T22:48:00.002+01:00

Sometimes you come across songs that you know more could be made of, there is something there but it’s not been truly capitalised on.

Dan Black’s single ’Alone’ unfortunately suffers with this. On the first listen the song felt completely throwaway but the more I listened to it the more I saw what it could have been and what it failed to achieve, there was potential there, no doubt.

To simplify things Dan Black gives me an idea of what it would sound if Hot Chip covered Prince, there is no doubt that the production is slick and polished, they were clearly going for a less is more approach but I however felt that is its biggest downfall.

The problem is except the jazz funk bass line that rides the verses nothing stands out, it’s all nice and tidy and sits there doing its job but feels way too middle of the road. The chorus definitely has something there, but due to the way it sneaks up on you there is no real way to gauge how strong it could have been made, there are glimpses of this in the outro but by then it’s too little too late. The lyrics although very safe do their job, but there’s no great insight here, not that it’s always needed but I feel they could have done with slightly more depth.

On the whole the track is a decent electro pop number, nothing overt and it’s straight to the point but I fail to see how it could stand out from the crowd.

2/5