STEREO MC’S - Double Bubble

The band, who are mainly known for their hits ‘connected’ and ‘deep down and dirty’ are principally Rob Birch and Nick Hallam, and have spent the last two years in their studio in Brixton, which was paid for by the success of their debut album, putting together this record.

Double Bubble gets straight into the mood with Get on it, which features those familiar beats and synths. It is upbeat and radio friendly, with a hint of M.I.A. The Here & Now pushes along with bass and drums, with electronic embellishments, whilst Karaoke, one of the best tracks on the album, is similar to the Happy Mondays, with percussion, cowbells and those loping vocals.

City Lights has a slightly sleazier feel, but is still upbeat and at it. Gringo, which appeared as a dub track on their recent EP, now features echoed beats and laid back, yet urgent vocals, bringing together different musical genres. Pictures has a slightly darker feel, but the melodic embellishments lighten it up. It has an 80’s feel to it, much like Revolution.

Things get a little formulaic towards the end. Black Gold is forgettable and Show Your Light is Moby-esque. Coming Home feels a bit samey, with standard beats, but does have a nice bass line and is in a similar vein to Ian Brown. Closer Human is a bit more uptempo, and features a nice piano line. Overall this is a good album, although it doesn’t have the urgency of their early work, and it feels as though they ran short of ideas towards the end.

The Stereo MC’s are about to embark on a mammoth European tour, and they will be playing London’s Brixton Academy on 11th October and Edinburgh and Sheffield later in the year. For further information go to www.myspace/stereomcsofficial. AC

For their second album, The Automatic have dispensed with charismatic keyboard player Alex Pennie and replaced him with Paul Mullen from Yourcodenameis:milo. The band have aimed for a ‘fatter’ sound for this record, which was recorded in London, Wales and Los Angeles. The album is certainly driven by the urgent sounding guitars throughout.

The opening tracks of the album are the best, with Responsible Citizen providing a lively start.  It is a song about being told repeatedly about what’s bad for you by the unimaginative, nannying state (sound familiar?) and is a melodic, poppy tune, with heavy embellishments. Lead off single Steve McQueen is an urgent sounding, straight ahead guitar pop song, in a similar vein to Monster, which promises to be a live favourite.

Accessories has sharp guitars and drums but fails to hit the spot, whilst Magazines sounds like a filler track. This Ship is a better track, with a nice guitar line and a catchy chorus. In The Mountains is one of the best tracks on the album, with layered guitars and vocals. It has a lightness and sounds like one of the tracks that will receive radio play.

The album loses focus in the second half, with the songs sounding formulaic and samey. Some of the guitar lines feel as though they’ve been added as an afterthought. The title track lacks focus and is a clash of drums and intense guitars. Bad Guy verges on emo, moving away from guitar-pop whilst Sleepwalking is forgettable. Secret Police is a bit better, although lacks the hooks of the big singles from their first album.

Make The Mistakes is a slower affair and lacks clarity and Light Entertainment starts with heavier guitars, but sounds like previous tracks, and is a weak finish to the album.

This album is a bit of a let down for me. I agree that bands shouldn’t just repeat a winning formula but This Is A Fix lacks a ‘Monster’ or ‘Raul’, with only Steve McQueen and In The Mountains coming close. The best tracks on the album are those where they edge towards their poppier side.

For Seventh Tree, their fourth album, Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory move on from their Disco/Glam incarnations to a more folky, earthy inspired sound, layered with lush strings and those fantastic vocals. The album, in turns, sounds poppy, fragile, celebratory and elegant. Clowns is a gentle, acoustic opener, with strings and vocals floating over the top. It sounds fragile and silken.

Little Bird features an organ that sounds a little like ‘There goes the fear’ by Doves but has a gentle vocal over the top. Drums kick in about half way through which moves the song on again and it is a wonderful track. Happiness has the opening couplet ‘join our group and you will find, harmony and peace of mind’. It has a folky/Beatles feel to it and when I heard this song I wanted to embrace someone, just to make sure they were alright. It is a fantastic track, uplifting and catchy.

Road To Somewhere is a slower track, which is very atmospheric, and again, has a delicate sounding vocal, while Eat Yourself features double bass and piano, and has depth and beauty. Some People is a gentle piano led affair with added strings and the vocal floating above. Lead off single A&E is a beautiful track and is the most straightforward pop song on the album and appears to be a plea to someone for some TLC.

Cologne Cerrone Houdini is a bass heavy track, with dramatic strings and a voluptuous vocal. It draws you in and you’re hooked, humming it and allowing yourself to be enveloped by its beauty. We move then to Caravan Girl, which is a poppy, melodic track, with guitars and drums. It reminds a little of an 80’s pop tune and I can imagine British Sea Power covering it. The album finishes with Monster Love, which features the backing track played backwards, with added strings, bass and drums over the top. It has a folky, almost psychedelic feel and the strings give it a cinematic feel, being used to soundtrack a dream sequence.

The Courtesy Fall is the debut album from American singer-songwriter Dawn kinnard. It was recorded last year with Producer Martin Terefe who has worked with the likes of KT Tumstall. Kinnard’s voice is smoky, for one so young, but also has a delicate, vulnerable feel.

The album starts slowly and atmospherically with All In Your Head, which sounds similar to Coldplay, with piano and drums, whilst Devil’s Flame features swirling guitars and has a vaudeville feel to it. No Different Way is a more poppy number, and features organ and strings, and reminds me a little of Susanne Vega. The pop feel continues with Island.

Fortuneteller is slower, more moody affair and has cinematic feel to it. The song is very atmospheric and has a wonderful vocal and, in the middle of the song, it has a beautiful organ/Hammond swirl. You can imagine sitting in a smoky club, drifting away on the music. Clear The Way returns to the poppier sound but with some lovely little percussion touches. It has a delicacy about it, and again, you can imagine it being used in a film or TV program.

You’re My Kite features piano and drums, set against strings and more radio friendly, reminiscent of KT Tunstall and Coldplay. Stop And Start follows in the same vein whilst the pace slows with Lean To The Glass, which features guitar, piano and vocal.

One Little Step Away, co-written with Cerys Matthews, is a half spoken affair and seems a little disjointed, which conveys the fractured emotions of the lyrics, which is in contrast to Pennsylvania, which is a more straight ahead pop tune. The album draws to a close with White Walls, which is a slow number, again atmospheric and emotional and features a Hammond sound and an electronic flourish at the end, akin to a sci-fi soundtrack.

Watershed is Lang’s first new material for seven years and it mixes the styles and influences she has become known for. For instance, opening track I Dream Of Spring features a picked country guitar and lush strings, and is similar to her work on the fabulous Ingénue.

Je Fais La Planche is a slower, more atmospheric number, with picked guitar and strings, whilst Coming Home features wonderful bassline, violins and percussion and then a country-style banjo lick. This a beautiful and well crafted song.

Once In A While has the volume turned low, and is a gentle affair, with bass, strings and guitar. Track five, Thread, has a haunted feel, with bass and delicate guitar, and again, is layered with strings. The ‘thread’ continues into Close Your Eyes, which a slow, middle of the road affair, again with vocals and strings and, again, has a haunted feel, which you can imagine being used as a backdrop to dramatic point in a film.

Sunday has a jazz club feel to it and features a wonderful organ and double bass throughout. Flame Of The Uninspired continues the gentle theme, featuring picked guitar and piano. Next track, Upstream, follows the same pattern, whilst Shadow And The Frame features Lang playing the harp, and is a gentle, almost fragile number. Closing track, Jealous Dog, has a melancholic, downbeat feel, featuring banjo, piano and low vocals.

The Residents are an avant-garde music and visual arts group, probably best known for their eyeball masks and imagery. This album is a concept album based on a short story by an obscure Russian author called E.T.A. Hoffman. The Residents specialise in left of centre subject matter, with their last album being about a sex addict who wished he had become a clown.

Thus, this whole album feels like a movie soundtrack, with dramatic music and monologues, telling a story as it unfolds. Opening ‘scene’ The Sandman starts with a telephone and frantic answer message, which is the song, and follows with said monologue and music.

The main protagonist is a character called Nate, and the album follows his story of what appears to be his descent into madness, which was apparently, the main theme of Hoffman’s stories. The descent seems fuelled by his dreams, which are haunted by a character called The Sandman. The following tracks, or ‘scenes’ follow the same pattern, with the haunting and atmospheric music, setting the scenes for the spoken word and the story as a whole. The music is interspersed with sound effects, such as footsteps and telephone calls, mixed with the music of, amongst other things, orchestration and dramatic drums.

Mental Decay features piano and strings and is almost a self-confession of Nate’s mental decay, whilst In The Dark is set against horns and military style hi-hats. The Telescope is set against dramatic drums, strings and piano whilst True Love features singing and playing piano and is almost haunting. It also features the line ‘love is the feeling you get, dropping eyeballs into the mouths of children’. Seven Cats is set against backdrop of electronic sounds and drums, with high-pitched vocals, and details the discovery of bodies and heads, all without eyes.

Catatonia features a snippet of a telephone conversation mixed with Nate’s dreams of The Sandman interspersed with eerie music, whilst The Proposal has tribal drums and haunting synth sound. The Tower is atmospheric, set against strings and outlines Nate falling off a tower, after having just heard his wife is pregnant and believing The Sandman to be the father. Finally, the Epilogue, has a vaudeville style backdrop and a funeral march.

Hallam Foe is a leftfield film, starring Jamie Bell, which tells the story of Hallam who is deeply affected by the death of his mother. His behaviour is strange, but becomes stranger when he develops a crush with someone at his place of work.

The opening track is Blue Boy by Orange Juice, which is moves along like a train, with shuffling drums and sharp guitars (it’s good to see Edwin Collins on the mend by the way). Next is Here On My Own from U.N.P.O.C which is a slower, more dream like number, with the woo-hoo’s in the background lending it dreamlike quality.

Then comes King Creosote with The Someone Else which starts with a dreamlike accordion and picked guitar. This is a beautiful piece of music, with the vocal drifting over the top. From there its to Sons and Daughters with Broken Bones, which again, is a lovely tune, very simple but well executed, and features just drums, guitars and vocal with the occasional addition of bass, giving some depth.

Double Shadow by Junior Boys has an 80’s feel, featuring a fragile vocal with electronic beeps, whilst If You Could Read Your Mind by Clinic features a lovely guitar lick with high pitched vocals. Track seven is a Ska tinged number from Future Pilot AKA called Battle At The Gates Of Dub and is a short instrumental number. Lines Low To Frozen Ground from Hood is a quiet, again dreamlike affair, with almost whispered vocals and minimal instrumentation. An aural pleasure that is a new Franz Ferdinand track follows. Called Hallam Foe Dandelion Blow, which is a beautiful, tune, with wonderful instrumentation and Alex Kapranos’s voice sounding delicate and emotional.

The soundtrack gets even mellower towards the end with Tricycle by PSAPP shuffling in a folk style, with again, a lovely vocal. James Yorkston And The Athletes pop up next with a tune called Surf Song featuring picked guitar and vocal. If an instrumental can be poignant, then Also In White by Bill Wells Trio is it. It sounds a little like Belle & Sebastion’s work on Storytelling and features harp and harmonica.

Juana Molina takes you to another place with Salvese Quien Pueda, which is a gentle affair with delicate vocals and minimal instrumentation. It’s a beautiful track. They Nicknamed Me Evil by Cinema follows and features a delicate piano set against a haunting soundtrack. The mood continues with Woodbine and I hope That You Get What You Want, which is a slow dreamlike number, with wispy vocals. The album ends with Ocean Song by Movietone, which again seems to drift along in a dreamlike fashion with minimal guitar, drums and vocals but builds into crescendo with added brass and a louder mix.

It’s fair to say I have been anticipating this album for a while now. I adore British Sea Power and this album is a beauty. The band decamped to Canada and the Czech Republic as well as London, Brighton and Cornwall to record this record. It kicks off with the chanting of All In It, which starts slowly and features the chant of ‘we’re all in it and we close our eyes’, which gets slowly louder and features guitars and church organs.

Lights Out For Darker Skies takes things up-tempo and features sharp guitars and drums. No Lucifer is an epic sounding track, with soaring guitars and a delicate vocal and sounds a little like Arcade Fire. Waving Flags is bound to a live favourite, with soaring guitars and Yan’s great vocal, sounding as he does, like David Bowie. It is typical BSP song, strong, melodic and very catchy.

Canvey Island has intensity. It starts slowly, and builds with those guitars and drums. The opening lines are “H5N1, killed a swan’, and the song is about bird flu. That’s the wonderful thing about BSP – how many other bands write a song about bird flu and make it sound majestic. Down In The Ground again features sharp sounding guitars and drums and again, is very catchy and sounds like it will be a favourite when played live.

A Trip Out builds on the previous tracks, with raw, sharp guitars, sharp drums and a great vocal. It’s a great song and reminds me a little of Echo and the Bunnymen. Following this is an instrumental track, called The Great Skua, which is beautiful, with the music evoking images of waves and tidal movements. Atom starts slowly but moves up-tempo early on, having a punk feel to it. Things move down-tempo with No Need To Cry, which is almost haunting, with an emotive vocal and organs.

Open The Door features a great melody and a wonderful guitar line, and is a beautiful song. Album closer We Close Our Eyes starts with a church organ and features a serious of sound effects and bird noises, mixed with sound of the band singing the title of the song, in a similar vein to the opening.

The album kicks off with the funky sax groove of Sharpshooters, before the wonderful Massive Attack, with their debut single Any Love, take over. We glide straight into Pete Rock & C.L.Smooth, with the Will Smith sounding They Reminisce Over You. Next we have the great bass lines, guitar, horns, and of course, bongos of the Incredible Bongo Band.

Powerhouse 3 carry the vibe on with the insanely catchy Everybody’s Gotta Make A Living. Things move towards the old school with Captain Rock and Paul Hardcastle. Most people know Hardcastle for the track 19, but some of his work, as in here with Rain Forest, is well worth exploring.

Tyrone Brunson’s The Smurf continues the electro feel, whilst the pace changes slightly with the more glam feel of Whomadewho. Ed Solo & Skool Of Thought, steer a different course again with We Play The Music before Nas takes centre stage with one of his better tracks Nas Is Like.

The Soul Searchers Ashley’s Roachclip has a northern soul feel to it and is one the best tracks on the album. It gives way to the main man and the delightfully funky Roll Over Baby. I Can’t Wait by Nu Shooz still sounds fresh in this context and is mixed seamlessly into A.D.O.R. and Let It All Hang Out, which again is slight change of direction, featuring heavier bass and rapping.

Brighton’s Black Grass lends a mellower feel to proceedings with the laid back grooves of Yesterday’s Gone. Next is the legend that is Roy Ayers with Searching. He remains as wonderful as ever. The last track, Krafy Kuts own Summer Samba rounds things up with a laid back samba vibe.

The first track on the album reminded me instantly of the harmonious cover of Hounds of Love by The Futureheads. Then as I read the bands bio, I wasn’t too shocked to hear that Barry Hyde from The Futureheads played guitar and sung on the third track Disappointment ’99.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  David Brewis practically created this album himself with the help of his laptop and a cut-and-paste programme. The first two tracks aptly called Rockist Part1 and Rockist Part 2 are instantly likeable and just as you start really getting into it, “A, E, O, O, O M, M” and all (you’ll know what I mean when you listen to it), it all starts getting a bit too much to handle and I had to skip onto the next tracks.  Poor Boy is a superb track that is just what the music scene needs at the minute.  Its edgy, has some astounding guitars in it and doesn’t let up the whole way through.  We then get onto Keep The Water, which starts off as eerie as Pink Floyds, Brain Damage and carries on mesmerising your very soul.  This track could have come straight from the 70’s and no-body would be none the wiser. 

Anyone who is familiar with Snow Patrol started could be forgiven for thinking this was their latest album offering.  It’s amazing how front man Iain Morrison sounds so much like Gary Lightbody.  Not a bad comparison to start off on in my book. The quartet from Glasgow formed 3 year ago and have since played sell out gigs in King Tuts and appeared at T in the Park.  It’s a very tranquil album, which will please the ‘indie’ generation.  Maybe is a more up-tempo track that got them aired on XFM and invited to play at Glastonbury.  Sandshoe Blisters is a beautiful little number that is complete with glockenspiels and violins.  Omu Prin & Me is a curious track, which starts off very funky and bluesy with trumpets and a wandering bass line, then emulates the rest of the album.  Oh and if In Dreams sounds familiar its been used in American teen drama The OC.  Not bad for only been together for 3 years!

When I first heard ’System’, Seal's first studio album for 4 years, I thought I was listening to Madonna's ‘Confessions on a Dancefloor’. It has the same amazing sound and style, but with the added bonus of someone who can actually sing! After investigating the CD sleeve (check out some very strange musings from Seal on there) I spotted that the producer was Stuart Price who'd worked with Madge on that very album.

This collaboration has given Seal a more dance-orientated sound but his fabulous voice is still as sexy and soulful as ever with lyrics that are optimistic and positive. He's attributed this latest up-tempo sound as coming from the happy and contented life he has with his supermodel wife Heidi Klum and their 3 children. He even sings a duet with her on "The Wedding" a song he wrote just hours before their own ceremony. All this wedded bliss has taken away the raw edge he had when he was the leather clad, dreadlocked singer of the amazing "Killer" and "Crazy" in the early nineties - we all have to group up sometime!

Welcome back Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel. You've been missed! Nicole Robson

The debut album from Lanark born lads the Dykeenies is out and on the shelves and believe me when I say this, you are missing out if you haven't grabbed yourself a copy.  The first song ‘the panic’ almost spits out from the speakers at you, closely followed by back to back singles ‘stitches’ and ‘clean up your eyes’, there
is only one thing to do... crank up the volume and keep the tunes pounding !!!

Ok, now where do I start! The other day a fellow music addict handed me a disc with no track listing, no cover art and not even a band name, "name that price" he said! Let's get to the point, as soon as the forst note hit the speaker the penny dropped, it was the new Radiohead album only available on download (for now), which is breaking the music industry in many ways. For a start you can download it for whatever price you want, 1p if you choose but more to the point the tracks are outstanding! Songs such as 'Video Tape', 'Body Snatchers' and 'Reckoner' are dressed typically with the Radiohead unique style.

The thoughts in my mind while I listened, were that this record was not produced in the studio, but at the top of a falling star watching the world go by. With 18 songs all potential singles its hard to pick out a favourite, however one thing I will remember to pick out..."Name a price"....PRICELESS!!!! CM

Animal Collective are four friends hailing from Maryland, USA. They go by the names of Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Geologist and Deacon. In their live shows and albums, Animal Collective try to mix genres, creating something they hope will be refreshing. Going by the fact their live audiences have increased, they seem to be getting something right.

The blend of different genres is apparent throughout Strawberry Jam, with each track sounding like an individual art project. Opener, Peacebone, starts with a jumble of noise, into which drums, bass and vocals emerge with a country/folk feel, set against an electronic backdrop.

Unsolved Mysteries is again, country style song mixed with electronic noises and has a vaudeville feel, with a fairground style organ swirling throughout. Chores again sounds like Lone Pigeon and features a swirl of music behind the vocal. The track sounds as though it is a demo, with the band running out of steam and abandoning the song, only for it to be given a new lease of life.

For Reverend Green is a jumble of words and music, featuring organs and harmonica and high vocals, sounding like a pop song that has been given a dark makeover. Fireworks features drums and repetitive beats, and moves along like a train, with vocals drifting above. #1 has swirling organ and an almost an ethereal vocal and is backed by drums with echoes and effects. Unfortunately, it could do with being a little shorter.

Winter Wonder Land again is a mix of elements, featuring organs, mixed with drums and vocal and again, is reminiscent of Lone Pigeon. Cuckoo Cuckoo starts with a haunting funeral bell sound, mixed with effects of the wind and floating vocals and is a collage of noise featuring piano, drum effects, almost like a dream sequence, with haunting interludes. Again, it could do with being a little shorter. The album closes with Derek, which is a jaunty little number, skipping along on percussive backdrop and vocal, before moving into heavier drums. The vocal is a little like Brian Wilson and the track blends different genres.

The Sohodolls front-woman says she wants to breathe life into her generation as she claims they have become numb, dumb and un-questioning. Amen to that. She also says the group pull in a number of different influences to inform their sound. The album was recorded in Cornwall with producers Robert Harder (Babyshambles, The Sunshine Underground) and Steve Lyon (Depeche Mode, The Cure).

The album conjures up images of sexy, glamorous young people, full of dreams and spirit, getting it together somewhere cool and pulls together influences such as electro, disco, glam and rock and rock and roll to create a great, up-beat album, which is very radio friendly and would go down a storm in the right bars. The album also features Maya’s lovely vocals throughout and non-more so than on first track Stripper, which features pounding drums and sharp guitars. Prince Harry has a an up-beat dance sound, sounding a little like Madonna’s recent efforts whilst My Vampire is electro, very melodic and club/bar friendly.

Recent single Right and Right Again is a nod to Goldfrapp whilst Trash The Rental returns to the electro theme. I’m Not Cool is a slower, jazzy/lounge/rockabilly style number featuring double bass and the slower style carries on with Bang Bang Bang Bang, seemingly about putting your glad rags and having a cool night out to escape the dreariness of life. The Rest For The Wicked is again, an electro track, with dark drums and lovely vocal and seems to be a song about finding someone through the mess of failing relationships whilst Weekender is very up-beat and radio friendly, and appears to be a song about someone thinking they’re in for a one night stand, but discovering the person has other plans.

Pleasures Of Soho is a slower track, and again nods in the direction of Goldfrapp, and last years single No Regrets features heavier drums and a great bass line, punctuated with synths. The album closes with the darker synths and syncopated drums of 1724, which again is very club/bar friendly, with a relaxed style, yet instantly catchy.

Overall, this is great for getting ready for that big night out, full of catchy and delightful electro tunes and one that will be jostling for a place on my albums of the year list.
AC

You are told from an early age not to judge a book by its cover. Well this obviously doesn’t apply to cardboard CD covers with the title “Ten Years of Big Dada Recordings” written on. I am being continuously drawn to the cover design which has all of BD’s vinyl releases encased in a glass cabinet. Quietly suggesting that inside lies a well-preserved hip hop past.

In the words of the label themselves “Well Deep” is not so much a “best of” but an overview of the labels history and philosophy of keeping things new and fresh. With 31 tracks to this little jukebox, there is an abundance of diversity which somehow manages to keep each track as relevant as the next.

There are excellent contributions from all across the globe including artists such as TY, New Flesh and Roots Manuva from the UK, Spank Rock and King Geedorah/Mf Doom from the U.S.A. and French group TTC amongst others. The cd has been a very enjoyable listen and will no doubt hold sway within reaching distance of the disc player should I need a diverse dose of beats in one fell swoop! Such is the eclectic feel on the CD, that where everyone else has beers and ice in their eski’s, Big Dada has a full case of mouth-watering beats in the form of UK grime master Wiley.

Speaking of liquid refreshment, grab your drinks and raise a toast to this stylish label, and have yourself a quality taste of some forward thinking music.
Guest review by NozL

The Reverend, as we know, is Jon McLure, who was born in Sheffield and is close mates with Alex Turner, having shared digs and previous bands, prior to them both finding success. He also hosts regular ‘Reverend Soundsystem’ nights in his home city.

Having been courted by a number of record labels, McLure signed to Wall Of Sound and recorded debut album, The State Of Things. The album kicks off with title track The State Of Things, which sets the tone for the album with it’s mix of indie-dance, driven by pounding bass lines. The Machine has an 80’s pop feel to it and is a song about life, work and downing tools, featuring the lines ‘don’t forget, you can get off the conveyor’ and the backing vocals of Alex Turner.

One of the tracks of the summer, Heavyweight Champion Of The World is next up, featuring a lovely bass line and it is immediately catchy. It is a song about wondering where your life and ambition went, and realising that you’re never going to score that winning cup final goal, or travel the world, and accepting your fate. Bandits has a spikey guitar line and is a song about playing the bandits. It runs like a conversation in a pub, people giving advice on how to win at the bandit.
Open Your Window is a littler slower, with again a lovely bass line and heavy drum effect. Sex With The Ex starts with a picked guitar line and is about, unsurprisingly, a bloke still fancying his ex, and her looking better than when he last saw her. 18-30 brings us back up-tempo with a song, set to bass, drums and percussion, about wanting to get away and it causing a bit of grief.

Previous single He Said He Loved Me is very catchy, with a tale of a women bemoaning the fact that her boyfriend got off with her ex, set to a lovely organ line, bass and drums. What The Milkman Saw is another story of suburban gossip, questioning the parentage of a local family, set to guitar and again, a wonderful bass line. Sundown On The Empire is slower number which has a reggae/Ian Brown feel to it and is a song about the struggle for the hearts and minds of young British Muslims.

Miss Brown has that now Reverend feel to it, with those indie-dance guitar, bass and drums, which also feature on closer Armchair Detective which is about people offering their opinion when they have no knowledge on the subject, a scenario we all know only too well.

Overall, The State Of Things is a good album, with great tunes and lyrics throughout. The band are currently on a UK tour and you can catch them at Newcastle University on Sunday 14th October. AC

We have already been treated with 3 ‘Back to Mine’ releases this year, from Royksopp, Mercury Rev and Bugz in the Attic. October will see Brit award nominees Guillemots follow in similar fashion and give us a CD packed with 17 intriguing tracks.

As well as offering the listener a collection of artists from multicultural backgrounds, it also seems the guillemots are revealing who and what influences them. It’s no surprise to find music from every corner of the earth when the guillemot’s members are built up of four nationalities – English, Scottish, Brazilian and Canadian.

The album starts with a mundane selection from Sonic Youth, the track ‘Providence’ serving as an introduction, but not of things to come. As soon as the digital counter hits 2 on the CD player, the speakers are filled with the instantly recognisable banging bass line of‘Witness’ by Roots Manuva. The album continues to flow in this way and each selection jumps from one musical genre to the next. However it’s the first seven tracks that hold the repeat listening factor. Joan as Policewoman gives us the soulful ‘The Ride’. Daniel Johnston drops in with an American flavoured ‘’Speeding Motorcycle’ and local Sunderland band ‘Kenickie’ gives us ‘I w
ould fix you’ which doesn’t seem to have aged at all.

The choices of tunes might surprise fans of the Guillemots and for once its good to see somebody put together a mix without including their own material. Essentially this compilation gives you over an hour full of wonderfully selected music, some you will know and others you wont. 17 tracks for £9.99 – a nice little bargain. GS

SixnationState mean business. Jumping straight into their debut album with ‘Can’t Let Go’ sets the pace for the rest of the album. There’s no turning back now. Edgy lyrics mixed with punk, ska and a touch of indie. What an ingenious combination! ‘Keep Dancing’ carries this theme on and it’s just what the music scene needs at the minute. Raw animal ferocity, fuels singer Gerry to rip right through this track. ‘Caught The Sun’ is a calmer more radio friendly tune, which has instant appeal to it. Then in comes the drums and ‘Taking Me Over’ takes you right back to where the album first started. Angry lyrics fuelled by treachery bring the album back up to speed. ‘I Hate The Summer’ & ‘Everybody Wants To Be My Friend’ carry a reggae undertone that really works with Gerry’s husky voice. ‘So Long’ and ‘Where Are You Now’ show the bands softer side, lyrically speaking, boasting sincere vocals. ‘Up And Down’ is another fast paces track that tells of a drug taking, gun toting gangster kid.
Then the album takes an unexpected twist showing the bands versatility with ‘Don’t Need You Anymore’. A beautifully composed love song with truly honest lyrics. Then we jump straight back in with ‘Blow Your Mind’ and my favourite lyrics of the album ‘I’m often inclined to blow your mind’. The album finishes with ‘We Could Be Happy’, which is one of the weaker tracks on the album. Although it’s a pleasant track, it hasn’t got the same impact as some of the earlier ones on the album. This is by far one of the best debut albums of 2007. Its out to buy now on Jeepster or go to www.sixnationstate.com for more info. Also read an interview with sixnationstate here RD

A debut outing for the Banshees front lady with this solo offering. Personally I have never favoured the band front person turns solo idea, it just seems like a pointless task, first of all most of the fans who follow a band around want to hear the band in their original form, not some attempt in a similar vein by one member and a couple of session men. The same can't always be said however of Siouxsie, who's band The Banshees were always one of the more original sounding bands of the late
70's and early 80's.

Never short of ideas or scared to experiment (just listen to Siouxsie with her offshoot band The Creatures) we find Siouxsie at times sounding dare I say it like Madonna during her experimental periods. Opening with a burst of feedback laden guitar " Into A Swan" is Siouxsie as she is best known and track two follows a similar vein, but the album has so many dips and peeks it makes for difficult listening at times. I don't really want to, and shouldn't categorise this album as it would be virtually impossible, and that said, I find it hard to find a niche to fit it in to. It sounds strangely like an album of Film sound tracks, indeed track five "If It Doesn't Kill You" is reminisent of a James Bond theme and could sit easily alongside recent Bond classics.

There are however no real stand out tracks and I doubt whether this will draw any new fans to the fold. It is in a class of it's own and for this reason I can't say if it's a winner or not. If you are are looking for something totally different then this could be the album for you, however if you are a fan of Siouxsie's early work with the Banshees then buy the recently released best of Siouxsie & the Banshees and listen to Siouxsie when she really was breaking new ground. IJ

Ben’s Brother are a London 5 piece lead by Jamie Hartman. The band’s name comes from the fact that Jamie’s brother Ben passed people CD’s of Jamie singing whilst teaching cricket in South Africa, and those listening were told it was Ben’s brother. The title of the album refers to being the second son, and feeling like the Beta male, and not the Alpha male, of the family.

His voice seems fragile at times, letting his emotions permeate through the songs, sounding like Turin Brakes with some added croaky-ness. Every song on the album is about love, whether it’s going strong, fading away or not really going anywhere. Most of the songs follow the same format, either using a hammond organ sound (Rise, Find Me An Angel), a piano (Let Me Out, I Am Who I Am, Home, Bad Dream, God By Another Name, Time), Harmonica (Beauty Queen, Harmonica In F) or just vocal and guitar (carry on) and they drift along gently.
Live features a mandolin and is a bit fuller than the rest of the album, whilst Harmonica In F is a pleasant instrumental.
The whole album feels a bit samey for me personally, but if you are a fan of plaintive vocals, yearning for love, over light accompaniment, then this could be for you. AC

Laid back, tantalising and uplifting. Those are the three words I choose to describe this album. I imagine myself lying in a meadow somewhere making shapes out clouds whilst listening to these tracks. They capture you in a sense on wonderment. Reminiscing of lazy days gone by. It’s been hard work for these guys especially as songwriter Paul had to deal with a personal tragedy whist writing the lyrics. Its chilled out, quality pop music at its best. Simple lyrics, catchy riffs and a hint of the Verve. Yes I’m sticking to my previous statement. Listen to this album and tell me ‘Little Me, Little You’ does not sound like it could have been sung by Richard Ashcroft. ‘My Guardian Angel’ is a heart-rending tune and Jason’s voice carries the tone flawlessly. The only criticism I have is that I tried to find the track ‘Sleepwalking’ and I released I couldn’t tell one song from another. This could just mean each song glides to the next. Buy it and see what you think. They are currently touring at the moment playing Newcastle Academy 2 on 30th October check out www.myspace.com/theorangelights for more info RD

‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’, Dan la Sac vs. Scroobius Pip is where this album really starts. This live version exuberates energy and if I close my eyes I’m there! The guy is a lyrical genius. One of the best hip-hop tracks since White Lines. Pissing on everything thing that is wrong with this world from Coca Cola to Hollyoaks. To be honest I’d heard little about the Bestival until earlier this year. To my understanding they mix a bit of old with a bit of new which is what they have done on this album. Devised by Radio 1’s Rob da Bank, he gave artists free reign over the album as long as the artists names ran in the A-Z format. Instant fav’s for me are as mentioned above along with ‘Ankle Injuries’- Fujiya & Miyagi, ‘Mean Son of a Gun’ – Kitty Daisy and Lewis, ‘Floating’ - Jape, and of course ‘Come Together, - Primal scream. This album is a welcome break from the norm and oozes psychedelia man! The artwork for the album is rightly matched to the sound of it. Vibrant colours and peaceful illustrations. Other artists on the album include The Chemical Brothers, The Earls, Dub Pistols and our editor’s favourite DJ Yoda. I guarantee you will not get bored of this album. 5 lucky winners will also find a pair of golden tickets to next years Bestival, yes Willy Wonka styleeeee! The album is out now, for more information check out www.bestival.net RD

The Coral almost disintegrated after their previous album and tour, with guitarist Bill Ryder Jones temporarily packing it in, their spirits were at a low. With Ryder Jones back in the fold and with the encouragement of Noel Gallagher, they re-grouped at his Wheeler End Studio and recorded Roots & Echoes.
Although the band hate the phrase, the album has that ‘Coral sound’, by which I mean it is packed with melodic, poppy, instantly catchy tunes, with their 60’s influences to the fore. The album begins with the single Who’s Gonna Find Me, which is insanely catchy, featuring those typical melodic guitars and a sing-able chorus.
We move swiftly to ‘Remember Me’ which has a hint of Ennio Morricone about it, with the rumble of drums and bass, with a gentle guitar lick underneath. Put The Sun Back is a slower number and is a song about love and the yearning to make it work, while watching it slip away. Jacqueline is a wonderfully catchy track, featuring a lovely guitar line throughout and again, tells the story of love falling away.
‘Fireflies’ sounds like a soundtrack to a 60’s film, with elements of John Barry and the vocals sounding a little like Scott Walker. We move up-tempo again with In The Rain with punchy drums and a bluesy style guitar refrain. The mood is slowed again with Not So Lonely, which is a lament about a love that has slipped away, with just vocal, flute and guitar.
‘Cobwebs’ is reminiscent of the Invisible Invasion, being wonderfully catchy and very radio friendly. We slow down again for Rebecca You, which features guitars, strings and oboe. She’s Got A Reason features heavier drums and bass, whilst still retaining that melodic guitar, and builds to a heavier crescendo. Closing track Music At Night has a gypsy feel to it, with percussion, strings and oboe, with the lamenting vocal over the top.
If there were any justice in the world, The Coral would be the name on everyone’s lips. All the tracks on this record are well crafted, as you would expect. They are very catchy and they seem to have a bit more room in them to grow and breathe, if that makes sense. It will definitely rank as one of the best records of the year for me.
The band are on tour in October, but unfortunately have not announced any dates in the North East at the time of writing. AC

Fresh from playing the Glasonbury and Latitude Festivals, and playing live sets for Radio 1, Eugene McGuiness releases his debut mini-album on Double Six Records. He turned his back on a career in fine art to go to Liverpool and make music and spends much of his time shuttling between Ireland, Liverpool and London.
Opener, High Score, is an acoustic folk style number, with a sometimes precise, occasionally floating vocal, reminiscent of Freddy and The Dreamers. Previous single Monsters Under The Bed starts with a few sound effects and becomes an upbeat poppy number, with an end of the pier feel, featuring swirling flute, harpsichord and gentle backing vocals.
Vampire Casino is a slower affair, with a haunting backdrop and effects on the vocals. Things move up a gear with Bold Street, which has a fairground style backdrop, set against a strumming guitar and vocal. It has a wonderful vaudeville feel and includes the lyrics to twinkle twinkle little star.
Things tail off a little in the second half of the album. A Child Lost In Tesco is a track that shuffles along with guitars and an occasional high-pitched vocal. Vela has vocals and guitar and drifts along gently, almost dreamlike. Madeleine is another slow, gentle number, featuring a haunting piano with a floating vocal over the top.
The album closes with A Girl Whom My Eyes Shine For But My Shoes Run From, which features just vocal and piano. There is certainly some promise shown on this record. I would certainly be interested to see McGuiness perform live to see how he pulls together his influences and delivers them to the audience. AC

The Happy Mondays are back. Apparently, a few years ago, someone expressed surprise that Shaun Ryder was in a band and exclaimed “I just thought you were a drugs dealer’. Such is Ryder’s notoriety with the stuff. Once, he walked out of a meeting to clinch a deal with a major label to buy heroin, but the news is that he’s clean now and has thus, regained a focus of sorts.
Ryder’s lyrics were always his strong point, along with his laid back, yet funky compositions, which always nodded towards his influences. This album follows that style, with some great bass lines throughout, from opening track Jellybean, which follows that laid back and funky formula and sounds like some of the stuff on Bummed.

Angels And Whores features a Kasabian style bass line and is an up-beat, funky affair. Deviantz features horns and bass, and Rats With Wings features a slightly heavier bass line, with both sounding like Gorillaz, which is unsurprising, as Ryder featured on their track Dare. Cuntry Disco starts with a car alarm and features Ryder’s half spoken, half sung vocals, telling us he’s been ‘banging on your bedroom window’, to what again is a funky, disco like bass line.
In The Blood features a melodeon and Anti Warhole (on the dancefloor) features little electronic embellishments throughout, with both sounding again like Gorillaz. Rush Rush is, unsurprisingly, about drugs and features a heavy, yet funky bass. The track that gives the album its title, Dysfunktional Uncle, is a very catchy number, one of those that instantly gets your attention, and again, sounds influenced by the Gorillaz.

Dr Dick is a very catchy, up-beat affair, and alternates between a lighter and heavier bass, and sounds like it could’ve been on Yes Please, which in my opinion is an underrated album. Closer, Somebody Elses Weather, has Ryder telling us that he’s got what we’ve got, which is, you’ve guessed it, somebody else’s weather and again is set against that familiar funky bass.
All in all, it may not be a classic like Pills, Thrills and Bellyaches, but it is a good album, which is very catchy and funky, and should be enjoyable if you are a Mondays fan. The band are setting off on a country-wide tour later in the year and stop off at the Newcastle Academy on Tuesday 2nd October. He’s great when he’s straight.. AC

Trabant are already massive in their native Iceland, and their live shows are renowned for being hugely camp affairs, often involving nudity. They release their debut album on fatboy Slim’s Southern Fried imprint and have played a number of live shows to support this.
There is a huge 80’s pop influence running through this record, which starts with Overture, which sounds exactly that, and is reminiscent of the opening to Tommy, with the epic sounding synths. We then launch into Maria, which has a disco feel, with heavy bass, and feels a bit Prince like and ascends into an almost rock and roll climax. Nasty Boy features Raggi’s high pitched vocals, telling us he’s a filthy little dog and a nasty boy, against an electro-pop backdrop.

I Love You Why ? is a laid back, jazz style affair, sounding a little like a cross between Gomez and the Gotan project with a dose of sleaze mixed in. It is a slower track, as is Pump You Up, which features heavy bass and high-pitched almost plaintive vocals. Things move up-tempo again with Loving Me, which features scissor sisters style pop with percussion, including tablas, and is very radio friendly.
Galdur is a mish mash of electronic beats and bleeps and scratching, sampling what sounds like Buffalo Girls by Malcolm McLaren. Emotional Meltdown sounds a little 80’s rock, such as Europe, it starts slowly but speeds up slightly towards the end to a climax of sorts. The disco feel is back for The One, which is littered with electronic embellishments and sounds as though either Donna Summer or Phil Oakley would make an appearance.
The album closes with Arms, which features delicate high-pitched vocals and sounds as though it was used on an 80’s romantic comedy soundtrack. It peters out into a quiet ending, which is a shame because an up-tempo disco closer might have left the listener a little more positive about the whole thing. AC

Goldspot have been earning plaudits on both sides of the Atlantic with their 80’s influenced guitar pop, including the praise of some very famous names who themselves have drawn on those inspirations. Tally Of The Yes Men is their debut release and mixes the guitar styles of The Cure and The Smiths through to the more contemporary style of Travis and The Doves. The album starts with Rewind, which is a gentle introduction, starting acoustically then being joined by bass and drums.
Second track, Cusp, is again, a gentle affair with an almost plaintive vocal and an electronic backdrop, whilst Friday starts with strings and again is a gentle pop song and quite radio friendly, with a melodic guitar line throughout. The Guard is an almost haunting affair, featuring strings and piano, in contrast to Time Bomb, which is a more up-beat affair with a poppy guitar line.

It’s Getting Old features Franz Ferdinand style guitars, bass and drums, with the influence of the Editors thrown in, but needs a heavier bass to reach its potential. The Feel Good Program Of The Year starts with a fairground style backdrop and sounds a bit Travis-y. So Fast is a slow number, featuring just Siddhartha’s vocals and guitar. The Assistant reminded me a little of Caught By The River but with a lighter bass and Motorcade is again, a little like Travis. The album finishes with In The Post, which is a slow track, with piano and vocals, and which comes to a quiet finish with the sound of a door closing at the end.
Overall, this album doesn’t really do it for me, but if you are a fan of Travis and the like, it may be worth investigating. AC

Jack White is certainly not a man to rest on his laurels. After touring widely with his other band, The Raconteurs, he has recorded a new White Stripes album. The album took the longest to record of any of The White Stripes catalogue, but still only took three weeks. It was made in Nashville and produced by Jack White himself. The album begins with the title track, which as you will be aware, is a Lancastrian colloquialism, and features those guitars and drums that is the familiar White Stripes sound. That sound, as you would expect, is right through this record, but also features some extra instruments, such as bagpipes and mandolin on track 6, Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn, which has a Scottish folk song feel to it and an organ on I’m Slowly Turning Into You.

You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told) feels a little like a rock song from the 80’s, and Bone Broke is similar to their early work. 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues is a quieter number features little explosions of guitar. Conquest features a trumpet and heavy drums, and has a Spanish feel to it, and is a story of a woman finally getting her man.

St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air) follows straight on from Prickly Thorn… and is sung by Meg, following the same style as the previous track but with a slightly more ramshackle feel. Little Cream Soda returns us to the familiar bluesy guitars and drums and features Jack’s half sung, half spoken vocals. Rag and Bone starts with a nice bluesy guitar lick, quickly joined by drums and tells the story of a rag and bone man, urging people to give him their junk.

A Martyr For My Love For You features an organ, guitars and drums, switching from quiet to loud, and tells the story of a love that never will be. Catch Hell Blues starts with Jack speaking the lyrics over the top of the guitar lick, but soon moves to the familiar White Stripes sound. The album closer is Effect And Cause, which has a folk feel to it, with Jack strumming an acoustic guitar with minimal drums from Meg.

Again, this is a great album from The White Stripes, but it does leave you wondering whether Jack ever takes a break. AC

This a collection of B-sides from the first ten years of Clinic, the Liverpool band known for appearing live dressed in clinicians face masks. The album moves around to encompass different genres and musical styles, from the opening sounds of The Majestic, which has a dramatic movie soundtrack feel, with harp, horns and guitars to the closing John Barry feel of Golden Rectangle.

The second track, Nicht is very short and sharp, punky and slightly ramshackle with sharp guitars and sounding not unlike Primal Scream at their most frenzied. Christmas is a gentler affair, with delicate vocals and backdrop. The Castle returns us to the upbeat tent (well, it is festival season) with slightly fuzzy, yet melodic guitars and a high vocal. You Can’t Hurt You Anymore has a slightly ramshackle feel to it. It is an instrumental track featuring a cowbell throughout, ending with an electronic climax of noise. The next offering is Dissolution: The Dream Of Bartholomew has, unsurprisingly, a dreamlike feel to it and features tribal drums, guitars and chimes.

The next two tracks, Magic Boots and The Scythe feature sharp Franz Ferdinand style guitars, with Magic Boots adorned with punk style vocals and The Scythe being another instrumental track. Lee Shan plods along with guitars and vocals. J.O./Love Is Just A Tool is a great little tune and feels a little woozy, and is reminiscent of an early Happy Mondays track. In contrast, Circle I has an urgency to it and sounds like an late 70’s punk number. The album as a whole clocks in at around 30 minutes which means it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. The band recently played The Meltdown Festival and will be appearing at the Green Man Festival. They will also be playing their first ever show in Russia in July. AC

Irish blues rockers, The Answer, have been touring a lot recently and will be supporting some of the biggest names in the business, including The Who and Aerosmith. With worldwide album sales sitting at around the 100,000 mark, the band are re-releasing their album, complete with a bonus disc of live versions, B-sides and covers.
Unfortunately, I’m not into heavy guitar rock, so this album sounded quite formulaic to me. It starts with a squall of guitars on Under The Sky, which with the lines ‘under the sky I crawl for you/you are the reason why’ is the closest they get to a love song. The rest of the album follows the same formula, with squalls of heavy guitars and drums on Never Too Late and No Questions asked. Come Follow Me sounds very AC/DC, whilst Be What You Want is a slightly gentler affair, but still with those heavy guitars.

A couple of the tracks veer towards the bluesy, Memphis Water and Preachin’. A couple of the tracks go on far too long, including Into The Gutter, with thudding drums and heavy guitars and Leavin’ Today, whilst Sometimes Your Love sounds like those American rock bands who troubled the charts a few years ago.The only respite from those guitars is on closing track Always, which laments a lost love. It starts quietly, with strings but soon includes guitars, albeit slightly softer than on previous tracks.
If you’re a fan of heavy guitar rock, then you may wish to investigate this. If you’re not, best avoid. AC

Bonde do Role are from Brazil and pull in a number of different influences to inform their catchy, party music, from Brazilian percussion, hip-hop and heavy guitars. They are ploughing a broadly similar furrow as fellow compatriots CSS. The album kicks off with Danca do Zumbi, which is an instant party tune, with percussion, sharp guitars and call and response vocals, with electronic embellishments.
Solta O Frango uses electronic squelches, beats and percussion sounding like M.I.A. on Bucky done gun. James Bonde uses heavy tribal drums, beats and guitars and is instantly catchy. Tieta sounds like the theme tune for the cricket on the telly, and is an electronic samba tune.
Previous single Office Boy features sharp New Order style guitars, percussion and electronic beats. Marina do Bairro has pounding drums and catchy vocals.
Track seven Divine Gosa features handclaps, bongos and chugging synths. It is reminiscent of an early 90’s style tune and would be great in the right bar. Gasolina has effects on the drums, lending them a heavy feel and again sounds like M.I.A., with the lyrics name checking Afrika Bambata. The heavy drum beats are repeated on Caminhao de Gas, but with high pitched squelches over the top and again, great percussion, with what sounds like a cowbell, and stuttered vocals reminiscent of the early 90’s.
Geremia starts with what sounds like a kazoo, with heavy beats and vocals over the top and sounds like what you might hear at the famous Rio Mardi Gras. The early 90’s feel is continued with Quero te Amar, which has stuttered beats, reminiscent of 19 by Paul Hardcastle, and is covered with lots of electronic embellishments. The album closes with Bondallica, which starts with heavy guitars and beats, with percussion and vocals over the top and darts between heavy guitars and lighter moments.This is a good, up-beat album, ideal for getting ready to go out to a club, or for when you have those select few people round. Each track is short and sharp, which means the album enjoyable and never outstays it’s welcome.
The band will be playing the Latitude Festival, The Lovebox Festival in London, The Get Loaded festival in London and Cardiff and the Bestival in the Isle of Wight throughout the summer. Check their myspace site for details. AC

James Yorkston was an integral member of The Fence Collective, a group of musicians who have counted KT Tunstall, The Aliens and King Creosote among their ranks. Roaring the Gospel is his fourth album, following on from 2006’s The Year Of The Leopard. It contains ‘lost’ and previously unrecorded songs, which is normally a poor prospect, but not in this case. Yorkston’s quiet voice is on form throughout, proving he is more than a match for the new players on the folk scene.
The album starts with A Man With My Skills, which moves us gently along with shuffling drums and piano. A number of different instruments are used throughout this record, such as the Concertina on Someplace Simple and the Banjo on Blue Madonnas.
Seven Streams starts with just vocals and banjo but is soon joined by what sounds like a Harmonium. The track has a woozy feel, taking you off to another place. A couple of the songs sound like Alfie (remember them?), such as The Hills & The Heath, and Are You Coming Home Tonight? which both start quietly and feature low vocals and a clarinet.
Song To The Siren is a very sparse affair, quiet throughout but with small musical embellishments. Then comes Moving Up Country, Roaring The Gospel, which sounds a little like Neil Young, again with a lovely melody and lots of musical embellishments throughout. Blue Bleezin’ Blind Drunk tells a good story and sounds like Shane McGowan singing a quiet folk tune, with the lines ‘I married a girl for her money/and she’s worse than the devil himself’, Yorkston tells us he is drinking to escape from his woes, just out of spite, he’s going to stay out all night and get blind drunk. Sleep Is The Jewel is a more upbeat affair, again with those hushed vocals and shuffling drums and a Mandolin.
The Lang Toun moves along like a folk/instrumental version of The Boy With The Arab Strap, mixed with The Beatles Within You, Without You, with those shuffling drums, the melody picked over the top and featuring Concertina and Sitar embellishments. The final track, La Magnifica, starts with a picked guitar and hesitant vocals and is a quiet, almost reflective closer. AC

Candie Payne has been steadily earning plaudits and her recent appearance on Later with Jools Holland has bought to the attention of an even wider audience. Music is in the blood of the Payne clan, with brother Sean being the drummer for The Zutons and brother Howie the main man for the sorely missed (by me anyway) Stands. This debut was produced by Simon Dine of Noonday Underground and you can hear his influence throughout, with a backdrop not dissimilar to his own fantastic offerings.

The album starts with the title track, which showcases those Dusty style vocals against a soundtrack remi