“I have of late–but wherefore I know not–lost all my mirth…” okay so quoting the Dane may well be a slightly overblown way to convey our January blues but hey, that’s just how Clash are rolling today. But whilst we’re admittedly weary, the team haven’t entirely lost their sense of humour. Knowing the interminable month of dark days and skintness is at least nearing it’s end has kept us chipper; that and a couple of wee crackers in this weeks singles bag…
‘Single Of The Week
Koudlam
‘See You All’
Koudlam is a bit of a European enigma. We like that in a self proclaimed symphonic composer (even though he’s nothing of the sort) and for that he steals Single Of The Week. The electronic French alchemist builds on a beguiling beginning of traditional layered strings offset with fizzy hypnotic backbeats and low mixed vocals. The result sounds a bit like the drunken bastard son of Serge Gainsbourg and a King of Leon. That may not sound too good but we can assure you it actually is. And just what does ‘Koudlam’ mean? French slang for ‘stabbing knife’ apparently…take that!
Chapel Club
‘Surfacing’
The charming boys of Chapel Club continue to pilfer early Creation and 4AD in addition to appropriating the lyrics of Dream A Little Dream, which lends the track an air of immediate misplaced familiarity. It’s a bit like a bonbon. But take heed…we all know the craic with bonbons, tooth tingling sweet and covered in powdery gorgeousness at first, with a surprisingly dense but fruity layer just under the surface and like goddam pig iron in the middle. Bad for your teeth but always worth the effort, Surfacing is as beautiful, layered and complex as said tripartite sweetie sensation.
Glasser
‘Mirrorage’
LA based Cameron Mesirow is a lady full of interesting ideas and the Clash team have given her album more than a few listens over the last couple of months. This latest track from ‘Ring” is delicately cool, distant and spacey, warmed only by the smokey whiff of Native American inspired vocals and ethereal chiming bells. It’s avant garde electro folk in the vein of Bat For Lashes but filled with far more vim and vigour, in our opinion.
Smoke Fairies
‘Strange Moon Rising’
I so dislike the name of this band. Hate it even. With it’s ethereal, bad era Stevie Nicks, insense burning, mist over the marshland, Bronteish connotations. However, they sound way better than that suggests, certainly on this track. Sandy Denny takes a trip to the American south and jams with the White Stripes. This hybrid English folk/delta blues offering is surprisingly successful.
Noah & The Whale
Life Goes On’
Hmmm. Defying expectation is usually a good thing, especially when the world is poised for your difficult second album. Well, they’ve certainly moved away from the easygoing folk of their debut to something altogether more polished. The production has been turned up a notch, as have the guitars. It’s certainly sprightly and uplifting but fuck me…tom petty/the kinks…if you’re gonna steal a hook guys make it a wee bit more obscure.
The Go! Team
‘Buy Nothing Day’
We had hoped after a small hiatus that the retro indie mashers would have come back with something bolder and brighter. But rather than progressing they seem to have taken a step back. It’s altogether too forgettable and dare we say it, entirely disposable. Which is a shame, as they’ve utilsed the pleasing talents of Bethany Cosentino from Best Coast in this bouncy bubblegum pop offering. Disappointing.
The Vaccines
‘Post Break-Up Sex’
2 min tales of blank generation nihilism, there’s still a place for all of that. However, if this clumsy garage revivalist Ramones lite fayre is the current great white hope for rock n roll then god save us all. It’s like scuzzy New York garage after a spin cycle. i.e lost some of the dirt, a bit of the shape and all of the flavour. Must try harder.
