Singles Round Up – May 18th

With our guest reviewers School Of Seven Bells...

Clash is sat backstage at London’s ULU venue with the three members of School Of Seven Bells (pictured), a couple of hours prior to the New York band’s headline set (their support act, Telepathe, briefly comes in to say hello, too).

Former Secret Machine member Benjamin Curtis is flanked, sort of, by twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, primed for subjection to no fewer than eight new tracks. Clash has its tape recorder at the ready, and will be taking notes.

Which read as follows…

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Single Of The Week

Micachu And The Shapes – ‘Golden Phone’
A worthy re-release of one of the many highlights from Micachu’s ‘Jewellery’ album (REVIEW), which immediately clicks with our guest reviewers…
A: I think she’s amazing. Her voice is incredible, but weird – it’s got this wonderful raspiness to it, which doesn’t pander to a particular audience. It’s amazing.
B: That’s really cool. It’s really unique – pop, but really not, too.
A: I’d definitely like to hear more of her.
B: That’s our single of the week, easily.
C: Definitely.
B: Can you play it again? Victory lap!

Micachu – ‘Golden Phone’ (audio only)

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Also out today…

Regina Spektor – ‘Laughing With’
Acclaimed songstress returns with the first single from new album ‘Far’, due for release at the end of June.
C: If I didn’t know this was Regina Spektor, I never would have guessed. She’s done so much that I really love, but if this came on I’d probably change the station. There’s so little of her character in this, the vocalising that she’s been known for.
A: I agree – if you’d not said who this was, I never would have known from the song.
B: It’s not bad… it’s pleasant enough.
C: It’s a bit VH1.

Kap Bambino – ‘Dead Lazers’
Sizzling French electro duo dish out the rapid-fire beats; tinnitus is an inevitability.
Clash: Oh dear… The shaking of heads can mean only one thing.
C: That’s really not for me.
A: I’m not sure it’s really aimed at our generation.
B: We’re the previous generation.
A: It’s… I dunno. It wasn’t great. I know loads of people who love that shit, but it wasn’t for me. I’m sure it’s a lot of fun in a basement, where everything’s really chaotic. At the present moment though… no.
B: The thing about music is that it always has a context.
A: It always has its place.
B: But its place isn’t here.

Graham Coxon – ‘Sorrow’s Army’
This track, lifted from Coxon’s new ‘The Spinning Top’ album (REVIEW), showcases the Blur guitarist’s newly stripped-down solo sound.
C: Um, I wouldn’t buy this.
A: I’m really surprised – really surprised – by how this sounds.
Clash: The whole album’s pretty stripped-back, and some of it’s very ‘classic’ folk.
B: I think it’s pretty cool. He’s made a lot of records, and some really well-produced records too, so it’s cool that he’s made something like this, basically with just an acoustic guitar. I could never fault somebody for going out on a limb like that. Go for it, Graham.
A: His guitar playing is amazing. He’s shredding, but he’s shredding clean…
B: “He shredded clean”… I want that on my tombstone.

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Graham Coxon – ‘Sorrow’s Army’ (Rockfeedback session)


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Metric – ‘Sick Muse’
The Emily Haines-fronted Canadian indie-rockers (INTERVIEW) self-released their latest album ‘Fantasies’ over here; this is the latest single to be lifted from it.
A: I like her.
B: If I ever found myself in the studio with Metric, my one critique would be… Well, it’s not even a critique really, but I’d want them to do more. This sounds like they’re colouring inside the lines, and I’d want them to scribble a little more. They could be a little less perfect, a little less twos and fours and major chords. I think that they could do it, as they sound great and are clearly a good band, but it does sound like they’re not pushing themselves too much. The vocals are great.
C: There’s not too much of a ‘vibe’ to the song.

The Invisible – ‘OK’
Much-loved around these parts, London trio The Invisible have delivered one of the best British debuts of the year so far (REVIEW)… but will SVIIB dig their new, rather laidback single?
(Heads are again shaking)
Clash: That’s, in fairness, maybe not the best representation of a really good album.
A: Can we hear another song?
C: I think that’s analysis enough.
B: Maybe we need to hear it on a better system. They’re probably really nice guys… I just don’t dig that song.
Clash: They’re playing with Foals pretty soon.
A: That’s really weird. Why?
Clash: Why? Maybe that’s just not the best song…
B: It sounded very ’96.
C: It’s a little too prissy.

Datarock – ‘Give It Up’
Norwegian dance duo introduce their forthcoming third album ‘Red’ with a slice of ‘80s-echoing dancefloor fare.
B: It needs to relax.
C: There was a lot of bass slappage.
A: It’s definitely a little dated. But maybe that’s cool? I don’t know…

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – ‘Young Adult Friction’
Debut UK single from New York foursome, whose self-titled debut album is reviewed HERE.
B: It sounds really good, I like how natural their approach is.
C: They make it sound very ‘real’.
B: It’s not as good as something else I’ve heard from them, but it’s still good. I see what the idea is, and it’s very British sounding – it’ll sound familiar to the British public. They’re a really cool band actually; I’ve nothing bad to say about them.
A: I like the sounds that they use a lot, and how dense this record sounds.

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The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – ‘Young Adult Friction’


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Further single releases for Monday May 18 include Left With Pictures’ ‘Every Stitch, Every Line’, Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Bonkers’, Marilyn Manson’s splendidly titled ‘Arma Goddamn Motherfuckin Geddon’, and Flo Rida’s ‘Sugar’. As you were.

Find School Of Seven Bells interviewed HERE.

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