Singles Round Up - November 30th

Well that's November been and gone.

The queues in the shops are starting to get longer as desperate parents realise that perhaps leaving things to the last minute before venturing near Toymaster was a slight mistake...

Still, the new releases are flooding in and the journey to and from the office stereo is providing some much needed exercise ahead of the mammoth booze-bout that we at Clash like to call 'Christmas'.

Under the critical microscope this week are Kid Sister, Ian Brown, Buraka Som Sistema and a furiously impressive band from New York by the name of The Drums...

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Single Of The Week

The Drums - I Felt Stupid

Boy it’s freezing. Like, REALLY COLD. On the way to work today I saw a man in UGGs, braving outright humiliation in a desperate attempt to keep his feet warm. The Drums are here to help us all, though, with their sun kissed pop inspired by the endless blue seas of Florida. Following on from their debut EP ‘Summertime’ this is yet more bittersweet pop that is at one self-effacing and earnest. Instantly catchy ‘I Felt Stupid’ is the sort of thing indie dancefloors were built for, back in the days when people still danced to guitars. Ending with vocals collapsing over one another like exhausted kids in the back seat of the car, ‘I Felt Stupid’ surely marks The Drums out as one of America’s brightest hopes in 2010.

And the rest...

Kid Sister – Right Hand Hi
Aided by the Swedish House Mafia, ‘Right Hand Hi’ is another dancefloor rocket in the making from Kid Sister. Rave synths blaze through the vocals like day-glo effects, while Kid Sister herself makes a stylish and provocative entrance. Sure, it’s a little on the slick side but Kid Sister could set the charts on fire in 2010.

Buraka Som Sistema – Restless
The international language of bass continues to twist and turn to fit new tongues. Hailing from Portugal, Buraka Som Sistema have a tough job following up their startlingly energetic debut album ‘Black Diamond’. However this is a good start – ‘Restless’ is a belting track that seems to take all the energy of their full length debut and distil it into a four minute blast of seismic tribal percussion. As good as this is, something tells me the best is yet to come.

Johnny Flynn – Sweet William EP
Deeply English, Johnny Flynn seems to embody something of the true spirit of traditional music. Far from professional, what the singer lacks in technical prowess he seems to make up in heart. Cutting deep into the traditions of English music Johnny Flynn has found something vital and affecting. Stripped bare with minimal accompaniment, ‘Sweet William’ is an enticing yet bewildering release.

Pearl Jam – Got Some
Alright so ‘Bleach’ is a good reminder that grunge was one a good and creative force in the musical universe but the continued career of Pearl Jam has done a lot to counteract that notion. Taken from their new album, ‘Got Some’ is all fuzz and bluster – sure it’s not the worst thing they’ve done but against the startling backdrop of their early material it falls short.

Sad Day For Puppets – When You Tell Me That You Love Me
Swedish indie poppers Sad Day For Puppets are blessed with some of the sweetest harmonies around right now. Soft enough to make Brian Wilson blush, new single ‘When You Tell Me That You Love’ is enough to turn the biggest brute in the most humble of gentlemen.

Newton Faulkner – Over And Out
The ginga rasta returns! But sadly we’ve heard this all before. Over and out, Newton.

Ian Brown – Just Like You
It’s a hard old job being an Ian Brown fan. The sporadic solo career, the wayward singing voice and the odd bit of onstage nonsense means that at times ol’ Brownie can be a difficult man to defend. That said, recent allegations of assault against his wife could land the singer in pile of horse manure so deep not even The Stone Roses legacy could pull him out. A half decent track from his half decent new album, I sadly can’t bring myself to listen to his music right now.