A rock gem

(Morning Star, Saturday 12 March 2005)

ALBUM: Brendan Benson - The Alternative to Love
(V2)

IT'S been said a million times - it's not who you are, it's who you know.

And lucky Brendan Benson knows one of modern rock's real movers - Jack White from the White Stripes.

But, if you assumed that Benson was just riding in on Jack's red and white coat tails, you'd be wrong.

Written and recorded by Benson at his home in Detroit, this is an album of absolutely solid alt-rock gems.

Opener Spit it Out calls to mind Thin Lizzy - a punky, blissfully brash tune with plenty of attitude and nothing to prove.

The album's packed with this kind of accessible, radio-friendly work - finely crafted melodies with jamming choruses that alternate with effortlessly thoughtful asides.

Feel Like Myself is all punch and vigour, while the title track is pleasingly reminiscent of Evan Dando's winsomely alt-country stylings.
Benson thanks White on the sleeve notes, but it's surely only a matter of time before the Stripes' bluesman extraordinaire is paying homage to the wit and invention of the new boy on the Detroit scene.

Fair's fair - Fairtrade Fortnight

(My Weekly magazine, 5 March 2005)

Plenty of wow

(Morning Star, Saturday 05 March 2005)

ALBUM: The Kills - No Wow
(Domino)

THE relentless pounding drums of opener No Wow are the battle cry of The Kills - they're throwing down the gauntlet to all the young pretenders, those who think that they can play the blues when they've got no soul or who lamely try to emulate The Smiths over Patti.

Jamie Hince's grinding guitars are the perfect accompaniment to Alison Mosshart's pouting vocals and the cold, clipped drum machine creates a space for the pair's musical - and sexual - chemistry to move and burn.

Telephone Radio Germany shudders with feverish guitar stabs, while Love is a Deserter trudges in with insistent menace. Dead Road takes off with a bruising guitar lick that Mick Ronson would be proud of.

It's clear that the intensity from the duo's 2003 debut Keep On Your Mean Side hasn't dissipated - if anything, on tracks like Good Ones, they sound closer than ever to implosion.

The Kills are essential, because there just aren't enough bands around with the cool smarts of the Velvet Underground and the icy sexiness of Patti Smith.

No Wow? What a misnomer.

Utter nerve

(Morning Star, Saturday 05 March 2005)

ALBUM: Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
(B-Unique)

THE Kaiser Chiefs' ability to repackage the oversubscribed Britpop singalong takes talent in itself and the boys certainly have that - as well as utter nerve in spades.

Opener Everyday I Love You Less and Less kicks in with crashing guitars and anthemic "na-na-nas."

But, if it seems a heady peak to hit so early, have no fear - it only gets better.

I Predict a Riot, the breakthrough single for the Leeds lads, is an ode to a typical lads' night out beset by lager louts.

It still arrests and floppy-fringed frontman Ricky Wilson really confirms his worth.

Filled with melody and bags of attitude, the Kaisers owe more than a little to the energy of New Wave - but, if any royalties end up going the Jam's way, it'll be money well spent.

Letting off steam - plus Anne Widdecombe interview

(My Weekly magazine, 26 February 2005)

A real find

(Morning Star, Saturday 26 February 2005)

ALBUM: M Ward - Transistor Radio
(Matador)

M Ward is an artist of pedigree, most notably his background touring with Conor Oberst's soul-searching Bright Eyes.

This is Ward's fourth album and the personnel involved are an eclectic mix of the great and the good from the softer side of disaffected US alt-country.

There are appearances here from My Morning Jacket's Jim James and the fantastic Vic Chesnutt, as well as musicians from Rilo Kiley and PJ Harvey's band - all of which is testament to the high esteem in which Ward is held.

And the songs more than live up to the inevitable expectations - opener You Still Believe in Me is a gently strummed lullaby, while One Life Away is a torch song with overtures of Old Orleans.

Ward's voice alone is truly something special, enigmatic and aloof and never more intriguing than on the fuzz-soaked, melodious Sweethearts On Parade and album highlight Radio Campaign.

M Ward is a real find and, after four albums, an artist who should be a driving force of creativity.

Technically proficient, lyrically romantic and experimental as anything, Ward's Transistor Radio is anything but static.

The Original Domestic Goddess

(My Weekly magazine, 19 February 2005)

A new breed

(Morning Star, Saturday 19 February 2005)

ALBUM: Willy Mason - Where The Humans Eat
(Virgin Records)

MUCH has been made of Willy Mason's age - the casual listener would be hard pushed to deduce that the gravelly voice showcased here belongs to a 20-year-old from white-bread New England haven Cape Cod.

But the soul and the strength that runs through every track shows that Mason is a prodigious talent.

He hails from strong folk singer stock and this is never more obvious than on the Loudon Wainwright-flavoured Still a Fly.

The title track sees him in mellow mode and album opener Gotta Keep Moving has more of the blues about it than Jack White could dream of.

The anthemic single Oxygen is the album highlight, a new wave of musical and lyrical brilliance, with the essence of "now" baked right in: "We can be stronger than bombs if you're singing along and you know that you really believe/ We can be richer than industry as long as we know there's things that we don't really need."

Mason delivers the musical equivalent of his home town's famous chowder - hearty fare that's full of goodness.

Fortuitous timing

(Morning Star, Saturday 12 February 2005)

LIVE: The Kills, Lemon Tree, Aberdeen

THE Kills came along at a fairly fortuitous time in the world of music.

Retro is in. Male-female duos are in. Tune-distorting feedback is in - and these are the makings of the transatlantic band The Kills.

Guitarist-vocalist Jamie Hince comes on rocking with the full-on Domino Records standard look - all retro blazer and messed-up Coxon-like mop.

Vocalist-guitarist Alison Mosshart is lithe-hipped and long-haired, with a growl to make PJ Harvey cower in shame and the most unearthly dancing since Kate Bush hung up her red shoes.

The band's first album, Keep on Your Mean Side, is in fine evidence here, with high point Cat's Claw getting an outing early doors and single Fried My Little Brains garnering a fantastic response from the crowd.

With this tour in sponsorship of the newly released No Wow, it's clear that the fans have journeyed with them onto the difficult second album - and they love it.

The act between former lovers Alison and Jamie is a sexually charged theatre as they thrash their bodies into each other and finish one track with a violent kiss.

As fascinating for their onstage antics as their music, this is, sadly, where they let us down a little - after all, the music should be enough.

But it would be a terrible crime not to admit it - The Kills are one of the best bands around today. And it ain't just cause they got lucky.

A new buzz

(Morning Star, Saturday 05 February 2005)

ALBUM: Rooster - Rooster
(Brightside Recordings)

THE buzz that surrounds Rooster is something of a pop circus - the new Busted, the new McFly - they have all the appropriate tags from neophiliac style-mongers.

Whether that's a blessing or a one-way ticket to the Woolies bargain bin remains to be seen.

This debut opens with Joy Ride, a track with a nu-country influence and shot through with the ghost of Reef.

In fact, those West Country Britpop also-rans are a heavy influence throughout the record and this is never more clear than on debut single Come Get Some.

It's all catchy guitars and singability for the Smash Hits readers and a great rock riff that you've heard somewhere before.

Standing In Line has something of the 1980s rock earnestness about it and belies Rooster's slower side which, if we're honest, isn't terrific.

Soaked in chugging guitars, it all owes more to '80s rock gods than the Busted-McFly axis and the overall impression is that Rooster love their rock influences.

It is the Chinese year of the rooster, but will it be the year of Rooster? If they're happy settling for a teenage fanbase, chances are good.