Call it a day

(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.

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.

Set the juice loose!

(Somerfield magazine, August 2008)

Real life: "My son's best friend helped him to live again"

(Somerfield magazine, August 2008)

THE HOLD STEADY - SEQUESTERED IN MEMPHIS

(AU magazine July 2008)

(ROUGH TRADE RECORDS)

SINGLE REVIEW

The hoary old rock that The Hold Steady pour out is their strength and their weakness. They are, of course, pan-generational, pleasing wrinklies with their musical nod to the classic rock combos of the 1970s, while critical acclaim keeps them front and centre for the kids. But this limited edition single does a terrific job of representing their Eagles influences and is less than convincing at making the youngsters happy. Even their name lets you know they're a safe pair of hands, so nothing shocking here. It just seems that The Hold Steady would do better to distance themselves from rock's long and illustrious history, perhaps - lest they end up sequestered in a home for the elderly.

INFADELS - UNIVERSE IN REVERSE

(AU magazine July 2008)

(WALL OF SOUND)

The Infadels are this pop year's great success story. How can they fail to be? Their sophomore record has made a terrific fist of ripping off success stories of pop years passim. Opener 'Circus Of The Mad' is a charming homage to our friends in the north, The Zutons, while single 'Make Mistakes', the strongest thing on here, is a clear nod in the suspect direction of The Pigeon Detectives. From Maximo Park's 80s-style synths on 'Code 1' to the nauseatingly juvenile 'Chemical Girlfriend', the trouble is their apparent obsession with fitting into a scene. Perhaps pouring their definite talent into carving out their own niche reverse this dire universe for Infadels.

THE OFFSPRING - RISE AND FALL, RAGE AND GRACE

(AU magazine July 2008)

(COLUMBIA RECORDS)

Aging punks are the saddest sight in rock. The disenfranchised youth of yesteryear all grown up with a major attitude adjustment - it's enough to make emo kids weep. Well, listen up, because The Offspring were punk in the early 90s, but the ensuing decade plus means they look more like working stiffs with a cosy 401k than youth warriors with their eye on the punk prize. The Offspring's eighth record sees them heading down the lonely road as marched by Green Day before them. Stadium rock with a nosering never looked so conformist - or sounded so lame. From staccato opener 'Half-Truism' to pseudo-empathetic 'Kristy, Are You Doing OK?', the original pranksters are sounding more like the offspring of Def Leppard and Plain White Tees. This'll be their titular 'fall', then.

THE SUGARS - THE CURSE OF THE SUGARS

(AU magazine July 2008)

(BAD SNEAKERS RECORDS)

A timeless, ageless romp through musical genres and rhythms, The Sugars' debut album is a rich tapestry of rock. From opener 'Black Friday' on, it's hard to believe the trio hail from Leeds, England and not New York City. Phill Jupitus fave 'Monsters' is comedic and dramatic, whilst 'Gossip' brings radio-friendly populism in a riff-laden package. The use of complementary male and female vocals give the record the perfect sweetness - and enough spice to make sure it's never too saccharine.

THE ENEMY - WE'LL LIVE AND DIE IN THESE TOWNS

(AU magazine July 2007)

(Warner Bros. Records)

It seems to be quite a fad for modern bands to focus on the mundanities of day-to-day life.
Take The Enemy. On their debut, they address not intellectual abstracts of misery and existential angst, but the working man’s burden, like the drag of 9 to 5.
Single Away From Here - "I don't want a company car - promotions aren't my thing" - covers the same sort of lyrical ground as Hard-Fi and their ‘working for the weekend’ schtick.
It is a misstep for these Coventry rockers, because musically speaking they are awash with catchy tunes and singalong choruses, and with two phenomenally strong singles.
The Enemy have issued a rallying cry for the working man, but if they were aiming for Springsteen, they fell short.