(Morning Star, Friday 08 August 2008)
ALBUM: Five O'Clock Heroes - Speak Your Language
(Pinnacle)
IT'S with a degree of ennui that the speakers issue forth this latest emission from Five O'Clock Heroes.
In truth, this hip young New York foursome have every right to commit their music to record, but, unfortunately, it's the result of the floodgate which MySpace has opened that just about anyone is afforded a global mouthpiece for their second-rate wares.
That Five O'Clock Heroes should be incurring ire may not be fair. They're merely living their dream and, with supermodel-of-the-moment Agyness Dean offering some vox aid here, their cool credentials are certainly not in question.
From opener Judas through to Alice and the grating Who, this is all tried and tested stuff.
For a combo who would aim to be championing the new sound of yoof, this record is a barely concealed retread.
Regrettably, British singer Antony Ellis's Northampton accent gives this the reek of decade-old Britpop and nothing more. Time, gentlemen, please.
Friday 8 August 2008
Friday 1 August 2008
JOE LEAN AND THE JING JANG JONG - WHERE DO YOU GO
(AU magazine August 2008)
(VERTIGO)
SINGLE REVIEW
Being possessed of a name that sounds like an ITV children's programme circa 1989, it is baffling that 'Where Do You Go' kicks in like a punchy indie hit and rocks out for under three minutes before clearing off, leaving the distinct odour of 3am fags and lager spilt on corduroy. Well, really it doesn't do any of this - it's not one of those new-fangled scratch'n'sniff records - but those things do tell you all you need to know. It's an indie disco-tastic, made-for-live-shows, full-on, boy-baffled-by-girl indie-rock anthem, and it'll be the making of this ragtag bunch of troubadours.
THE TALKS - PICTURE THIS
(AU magazine August 2008)
(ALL OUR OWN RECORDS)
SINGLE REVIEW
Sadly not a cover of the 1978 Blondie single of the same name, The Talks are aping past music trends with all the grace of a mouldy old gorilla. Bands with jagged rock riffs and curiously poppy choruses, bands with ‘The’ in their name and painfully fashionable scruffy haircuts – the Hull four-piece are clambering onto the bandwagon a little late. ‘Picture This’ is a nice enough slice of Brit power pop, perfectly pleasant to hear on the radio. It just seems a shame that they are imitating bands from as much as five years ago considering their musical talent, on show here in fits and starts. Picture this, The Talks – an original idea. Something to think about.
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