Benji Hughes - A Love Extreme

New West Records

Releasing a 25-track double disc debut record is something that is at best unique. Often this smacks of egoism and lack of decision-making, however A Love Extreme is a good record. Bearded, strawberry haired songwriter Benji Hughes has a good voice (which recalls Ed Harcourt and Elliott Smith) and an ear for melody, this is also mixed with an impressive electronic sound which feels relaxed and intense at the same time. The production is impressive with much attention to detail while keeping the integrity of the songs intact. Benji Hughes has obviously impressed some top artists, most notably Jenny Lewis with whom he has just completed a short UK and Ireland tour. All this seems to represent good fortune for Mr Hughes; if his drive is as extensive as his output then he might well make it all the way. David Hamilton

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DOWNLOAD: ‘TIGHT TEE SHIRT’, ‘WAITING FOR AN INVITATION’.
FOR FANS OF: ED HARCOURT, LCD SOUNDSYSTEM.

To Me You Are A Work Of Art

Is this the cover of Moz's latest album?

It seems that the artwork for Morrissey’s forthcoming new album, The Years of Refusal has been leaked. The picture which is curiouser than the tale of Benjamin Button shows the dapper Don resplendent in Fred Perry’s finest and cradling a baby. The image is probably terribly symbolic and more profound than mere mortals can understand but, still, it is odd. For a start, what’s that growth/scar/symbol/parsnip on Mozzer’s arm? Who knows.

The Years of Refusal is released in the UK on February 16 with the single ‘I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris’ arriving on February 9. AU has already circled those dates in its calendar. C’mon the Moz.

Johnny Foreigner - DJ’s Get Doubts / Lea Room

Best Before

Messy haired, English indie kids Johnny Foreigner are back, but this time there’s a twist. Far removed from their fast footed indie-pop of yore they’ve introduced some unvarnished feeling to their repertoire with a romantic acoustic ballad, ‘DJ’s Get Doubts’. We’re pitched in at the emotional deep end as vocalist Alexei Berrow, stripped naked with only an acoustic guitar to keep him company, sings forlornly about how people believed poet Sean Walsh saved England. The addition of his usual anecdotal lyricism and quirks bring us back to more recognisable terrain, Kelly Southern joining Berrow to sing about things we can all relate to, “There’s no such thing as a free night out,” they lament.

At a brisk 2.37 minutes long the song pinches all the right nerves in our body. The addition of Christmas like bells, violins and vocal harmonies providing a romantically epic sheen. It’s less rollercoaster ride, more dreamy, imaginative dander. Perfect to fall asleep to, but who would want to, it’s far to good to miss the hearfelt howls that bring the song slowing to a halt.

Feeling one acoustic tune was enough, Berrow picks up his Fender Telecaster again to batter out the familiar jagged guitar chords we all know and love for second track ‘Lea Room’. It contains some wonderful, chant-along refrains, not least “get off before the ship goes down, get off before the ship sinks,” Berrow wailing out each verse without coming up for air. Thundering bass rattles alongside a Maccabees–esque, drum beat that is reminiscent of a schoolboy dashing to catch the bus home on the final day of term. The track ends with a bang, the vocalists yelling like playground hooligans. Even if you don’t want to, you’ll be singing it all day after just one listen. Damn them. Travis Gilbert

We Care A Lot

Faith No More to reform?

Ooh Santa, you were listening. Faith No More to reform, it’s all a good boy could want for Christmas. Ok, so it seems unlikely, very unlikely, but rumour has it that a number of UK venues have been put on standby as potential locations as part of a Faith No More reunion tour. The rock noisemongers extraordinaire split up in somewhat acrimonious circumstances but, sweet Roddy Bottum, how amazing would a reunion be? That’s a rhetorical question. It would of course be mutha flippin’ amazing.

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Death of the Neighbourhood - Death of the Neighbourhood

Atic

Despite suffering from the usual double album problem, there are more than enough good moments throughout these rangy CDs to make it worth your while. Going from the Weatherall/Fearless style title track to the hip-hop of ‘Cokeholes’ in the opening two songs shows off Stephen Jones’s range (not to mention that he is the same Stephen Jones that was responsible for Nineties indie-pop act Babybird), but overall there’s too much filmic delicacy acting as filler. At its best, the record is a Damon Albarn-esque world effort, but it’s better to dip in and out. William Johnston

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DOWNLOAD: ‘COKEHOLES’, ‘FUCK THE RADIO (WHUP WHUP)’, ‘CRUCIFIX SURFHOLES’.
FOR FANS OF: GORILLAZ, RJD2, BECK.

Holly Roller, Not Again

Kings of Leon kick-off

The Kings of Leon boys have reportedly fallen out with each other once again. With the band beginning a massive world tour in support of latest album Only By The Night, this worsening of relations couldn’t come at a worse time.

The southern cowboys have been at ‘blows’ say fellow family members. We do hope the once Seventies- hillbilly rockers, turned pristine and poised superstars, haven’t got too big for those old John Wayne’s.

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The Shortwave Set

Dry Bar, Manchester

The infamous Dry Bar, once owned by Factory Records, is an interesting choice of venue for the elegant sophistication of The Shortwave Set. The city-centre drinking den has seen various Gallagher skirmishes and Happy Mondays-induced debauchery, and is tonight unacceptably empty, as the London-based trio peddle their excellent album, Replica Sun Machine – one of 2008’s finest offerings.

The band are flawlessly understated, save for Ulrika Bjorsne flowing purple dress and ox-blood Dr. Martens, and they effortlessly move through their set-list of divinely crafted nougats of pop perfection. ‘No Social’ should be being performed in front of 1000s and not dozens and a beefed up ‘Glitches ‘n’ Bugs’ is about as good as opulent electronic pop can get. Ulrika and co-vocalist Andrew Petitt giggle nervously through “a new one – sorry it sounded like a rehearsal,” before airing the staccato-twitch of debut single ‘Slingshot’. We even get a fabulous, lithe version of Grace Jones’ ‘Slave To The Rhythm’. The band end without an encore, before being literally dragged back onstage by a couple of ultra-fans. They improvise a couple of tracks from their debut album (to the aforementioned fans’ delight), before leaving the sparse crowd dangling in the glow of a perfect gig moment.

It’s a strange world when The Shortwave Set play in front of two men, a dog and an AU reviewer, whilst those cheeky Gallagher brothers can sell a trillion tickets in a nanosecond. A very strange world indeed. John Freeman

Essie Jain - The Inbetween

The Leaf

New York-based Londoner Essie Jain’s second album The Inbetween is a deceptively diverse, haunting and full-blooded record. Flourishes of strings and brass gracefully embrace the piano-led compositions and everything is presided over by Jain’s spookily seductive voice; a voice as thick and sweet as honey. Off-kilter arrangements and avant-garde trimmings create a Weimar-esque cabaret atmosphere on tracks such as the theatrical ‘The Rights’, a Gothic waltz of a song that hangs heavy with decadence and grandeur, licked at by a playfully morose clarinet. Sleepy French horns shine over the unfolding heartache of ‘Please’ and gentle folk ruminations become apparent behind the mournful and heart-melting ‘You’. The blues-tinged and smoky ‘Stop’ is another alluring highlight. This record is hypnotic in its melancholic beauty and it richly rewards the ears with each subsequent listen. James Gracey

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DOWNLOAD: ‘WEIGHT OFF ME’, ‘EAVESDROP’, ‘GOODBYE’, ‘I REMEMBER IT JUST LIKE THIS’.
FOR FANS OF: ST. VINCENT, DRESDEN DOLLS.

Fight Like Apes

Roadhouse, Manchester

“What’s black, white and blue, and stands in a field?” asks Pockets, the hairy-arsed Fight Like Apes synth-basher during tonight’s rowdy gig in the tomb-like Roadhouse. “A cow in a tracksuit,” he concludes and the very wonderful lead singer MayKay cracks up at the ridiculousness of his comedy banter.

But that’s the joy of the Apes; their 50-minute set of fizzing, shouty rock has more chat than music, and includes mock-fighting between band members, flying chairs and a brilliant moment of comic timing in which ‘doofus-in-waiting’ bass player Tom actually stops the gig as he had received a text message. And he genuinely seemed amazed he had got one.

In amongst all this pantomime punk are some top tunes, which you’ll know and love by now. ‘Jake Summers’ is anthemic – well, as anthemic as you can get in front of 80 people – and ‘Lend Me Your Face’ is deliciously faux-vicious, after which MayKay notes that “if you didn’t like that one, we’re screwed.” The camped-up title of ‘I’m Beginning To Think You Prefer Beverley Hills 90210 To Me’ hides an elegantly structured pop gem, and we loved the longwinded introduction to the five-second ‘Megameanie’. The small but perfectly informed crowd lap it all up.

Fight Like Apes have the making of a great live band. MayKay is funny, sexy and endlessly watchable, whilst the banter between the band is warm and very amusing - the audience are made to feel like they are part of the FLA gang. At times, the general hilarity overshadows their actual music, but if they ever run of tunes, Fight Like Apes can always become a weird punk version of The Goon Show. John Freeman

Little Death - Untitled

Self-released

Note to aspiring bands. Don’t put “Zane Lowe is a huge fan” on the press release. Most journalists translate this as, “the doctor has had a look at your test results and would like you to make an appointment to discuss them, at your earliest convenience”. Little Death have gathered in London from various corners of the earth to plot world domination through the medium of bland pop-rock. This untitled mini-album sounds like a collaboration between Tom Morello, Feeder and Snow Patrol. It’s as aggressive as Elvis doing karate and as essential as flip-flops at a festival. And if they laid off the weed long enough they’d realise that ‘Baby Can You Dig Your Man’ is a contender for ‘most rubbish song title of the year’. Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook, guys. Kenny Murdock

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DOWNLOAD: ‘BROKEN HILL’.
FOR FANS OF: FOO FIGHTERS, FEEDER.

Blur To Reform

Britpop heroes get it together again

Yet more reformation news today. After quite a long time of speculation and conjecture, Graham Coxon and the boys are finally putting their differences aside and heading into the rehearsal studio again early next year. It’ll be the first time that the original lineup will have played together since Coxon quit in 2003. It’s not clear as to whether or not we’ll hear anything from the sessions, but if things go well who knows what might happen. 

* During the search for an image to go with this post we found one of Blur dressed as Blondie. Isn’t it awesome?

Issue #51 - I Told You This Would Be A Good Issue

Featuring Biffy Clyro, Of Montreal, Duke Special, Frightened Rabbit, Cold War Kids, Jay Reatard, Pat Mills, and more.