Goldfrapp
Fly Me Away
Mute
Aloof, not afraid of a bit of glitter, resolutely unwilling to talk about her age: Alison Goldfrapp is a fantastic popstar (much as she professes to hate that term). And last year’s thrilling Supernature album should have been enough to turn her into a chart-hogging, unit-flogging pop colossus. But, in spite of the T Mobile ad ‘success’ of lead single Ooh La La, household name status still eludes her. Fly Me Away, the fourth single from the album, lacks the grab-you-by-the-balls impact of its predecessors, but it’s still a sexy, uber-melodic mid-tempo pop song. And Alison’s seductive vocals really set off its mellow electro groove. What more can the ‘spray say? Maybe women called Alison just aren’t meant to be superstars.
You like reading singles reviews, don't you? Specifically ones by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Laura Michelle Kelly, Captain, Beatfreakz and Kubb? Why, that's exactly what we've got after the jump, you lucky bleeders…
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Dani California
Wea
We didn’t notice it at the time, and we can’t quite pinpoint the exact moment at which it happened, but some time after Californication sold, like, a gazillion copies, the Red Hot Chili Peppers went a bit dadrock. You don’t believe us? Well, Anthony Kiedis is forty-three now; and the Chilis sell out Hyde Park gigs these days. Did we mention that the band’s upcoming album, Stadium Arcadium, is a double? And we’re guessing that its moniker will prove apt, because everything about lead single Dani California is stadium-sized: pounding drums, blistering guitar licks and the sort of chorus that only truly makes sense when 100,000 sweaty, half-cut people are singing along to it. Girls and boys, it’s time to get your lighters out.
Laura Michelle Kelly
There Was A Time
Angel
Let’s get one thing straight: Laura Michelle Kelly has talent. Musical theatre isn’t really the ‘spray’s bag – there’s too much smiling from the mouth, jazzy hand gesturing and general larkin’ about for our liking – but even we couldn’t fail to be charmed by her Olivier award winning turn in Mary Poppins. But now the raven-haired beauty wants, as those in ‘ver industry’ say, to crossover. Her remit? Lovely old-fashioned, grown-up love songs like debut single There Was A Time. To her credit, her vocal is surprisingly subdued – there’s no cod American accent and crazed over-enunciation to bely her theatrical roots – and There Was A Time is a lot less schmaltzy than you might expect. Trouble is, it’s about as interesting as an afternoon spent choosing wallpaper paste with Wayne Rooney.
THE ‘SPRAY INDIE BAND FACT FILE #4: CAPTAIN
Print off and keep each week. Store in the pocket of your skinny jeans!
Name of single: Broke
Domicile: Cambridge
Current level of popularity: Err…well…let’s just say there’s “a bit of a buzz”.
Current state of play: Broke is the band’s first ‘proper’ single after the limited edition release of Frontline in December.
Critical acclaim: Nobody’s foaming at the mouth or hailing them “The Most Important Band Of The 21st Century!!!” yet, but Captain are slowly but surely winning plaudits.
Key Words: “male-female vocals”, “indie disco”, “widescreen”.
Suggested Conversation Piece: “What do Captain and the Pet Shop Boys have in common? Why, both have new albums produced by Trevor Horn, of course!”
The ‘Spray’s final word: Broke will slot in nicely between Blue Monday and I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor next time we’re on a night out at Koko.
Beatfreakz
Somebody’s Watching Me
Data
On which three anonymous club-going Dutchmen remix Rockwell’s paranoid anthem from 1984* in commercial radio-friendly fashion. But here’s the kick: the original featured vocals from the King of paranoid anthems (and then King of Pop) Michael Jackson. As does Beatfreakz’ remix. Hurrah! Those clever, clever Dutchmen have managed to snap up some premium Jacko vocals at what the ‘spray presumes was a bargain price. What more can we say? If you’re currently loving Infernal’s From Paris To Berlin you won’t be able to sit still for days after downloading this tune. That said, you might start to feel a little bit self conscious after a few spins…
*well, what other year could it have been?
Kubb
Remain
Mercury
After the top twenty success of Grow – not to mention a gold certification for their Mother album – Kubb have now decided to re-release their debut single Remain. It’s stately and melodic guitar pop but, ultimately, it’s like a twelve-session course of hydrotherapy: it just keeps on washing over you. And, unfortunately, Kubb just aren’t as interesting on record as they seem on the press release. They’re a band led by a Liverpool-born, Tobago-raised son of born again Christians – a man discovered by Dido’s brother singing Happy Birthday in a London café, for chrissake – but their sub-Keane whinefests make three hours spent in a locked room with nothing but a crossword dictionary seem exciting.
[reviews by Nick Levine]