[sic] Bag #3
The [sic] Magazine Download Round-Up.
The Indie Dad filters his e-mail spam so you don’t have to.
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Wolfmother –Back Round
Not without a certain excitement but under “pointless” in the dictionary there is photo of the only member of Wolfmother who survived to album two. As the only possible points of reference are 70s rock – starts like Wishbone Ash, rocks like Technical Ecstasy era Sabbath till the Bon Scott talking bit. Did I mention it’s pointless?
Listen
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Theophilus London – This Charming Mixtape
A great little taster (well, not so little – 18 tracks) and more than enough to get me to buy a ticket for what was to be a cracking gig at The Fly on 28th April. NYC dude London is clearly an Anglophile – from the mixtape title to the This Years Model cover. Rather worryingly time-line wise this is no more recent to him than when The Clash took off the This Is Elvis cover. I am old, Father William, this is really nothing…but I digress.
Theophilus (and it’s tempting to think his Anglophilia runs to Lenny Henry) has the deft touch of a Michelin starred chef – whipping up a light confection that rises well and never falls. The edits here are generous and give ample evidence of his talent – personal standouts are Crazy Cousins’ bongo driven funk jive (this is a HIT, no messing), Fatality’s filth fuck beats under dark lyrics and the inevitable Kraftwerk at midnight of Computer Love.
TL is his own man but it’s a fair bet if you like early to mid Prince, Outkast or August Darnell this will be your cup of java.
A Mute Irregulars EP (track titles in brackets)
3 bands in the wings of Mute records – 2 I’ve seen live – all various degrees of good, 1 potentially great.
Poppy & The Jezebels (UFO) have flitted about my radar but this is the first thing I’ve heard. On paper this is the biggest gun here – produced by Mike Chapman (MIKE BLOODY CHAPMAN) – it is Pop, as you might expect. But rather bland girl Indie Pop with a superficial sheen (M Chapman, presumably) and a gum chewing LND insouciance.
Tiny Masters Of Today (Ghost Star) hold the honour of being two of my kids first gig and are always fun. When first album “” came out it was good and exceptional for their age (about 8 and 11 when they wrote it, I think). This is more of the same (with just the hint of a funky twang) and as they are still ludicrously young I shouldn’t expect more. Album 3 when it comes will be the test – another one like this will be wearing.
Pull In Emergency (Planes) A couple of downloads on MySpace (must be three years ago) alerted me to “yet another” young teen band with much promise. Live they were assured without being cocky or too rehearsed. Nearly 2 years on from my live experience at 1234 Festival, and Planes is a marvellous piece of urban (not Urban) Pop – all vim and longing, looking between the tall buildings to the promise of planes above. It doesn’t say much but in it’s almost studied brevity it speaks volumes. And the band name is still a good joke.
The Hours – These Days. For some reason I think of The Hours as some sort of “quality song writing” band – meaning dull shite of the sort Embrace used (I hope it’s “used”) to peddle. This isn’t that awful but it is still overly portentous – they think they are imparting great emotional truths (eyes close, fist clenches as arm moves towards body).
They aren’t.
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Wave Machines – Keep The Lights On
WM sound like the lite white funk that young America seems to specialise in at the moment (MGMT, Passion Pit) and on the strength of this could be as good as the best of MGMT (THOSE singles).
Sonic Youth – Sacred Trixter
The aging Youth don’t disappoint with this Kim Gordon fronted rocker or the interesting spelling. She really shouldn’t sound this spunky (none of them should). 2.11 mins, no more needed to rock my world and prove the GRRL’S still got it, while encouraging the GRRLS to do it.