Luke Brazier braves the gig of a band he's never heard of
James Arden reviews Arcade Fire's latest album.
Fifth album from the Canadian group fails to meet Simon Cocks's high expectations
Louise Gardnier adds to her memory bank of unmissable live music with the Alicia Keys O2 Arena show
Having never been particularly taken by Gossip before now, I can’t deny that I was a little taken aback at how fantastic this taster-single for their forthcoming album Music for Men is. The creeping riff of the opening really grabs (and holds) your attention as it builds in gravitas before finally being unleashed into a tornado of full-on indie-funk; think Franz Ferdinand with a bit more bite. The highlight of 'Heavy Cross', however, is undoubtedly Beth Ditto’s voice; she’s on absolutely outstanding form, overflowing with soaring, visceral passion.
Rich Powell
The second single from Wolf’s fourth album, The Bachelor, has it all. Commencing with static and techno-beats, ‘Hard Times’ explodes into melodramatic life. With lots of strings offering the rhythm and Wolf’s blending of Bowie and Cocker, this track is an ostentatious element for this intriguing extrovert. Yes, Bowie does it better and you would do well to listen to Ziggy Stardust or Hunky Dory; but Wolf is surprisingly entertaining.
Jonathan Wilkes
Norse gods, Röyksopp, have hurled us another electrifying bolt of electro-pop lightening. Robyn’s breasty (don’t check, it’s not a real word) voice complements perfectly Röyksopp’s distinctive syncopated thudding beats, spacey whooshes, and ‘aahaahs’. Maybe it’s just because I have a soft spot for R2-D2 (it destroyed me when I found out there was a midget in there), but the story of a jealous girl in love with a robot feels genuinely emotionally stirring.
Tom Longstaff
The simply-titled lead single from the eponymous seventh Wilco album (Wilco (the Album) is out in Week 10) marks a welcome fuzzy return to the band’s alt-country roots. The traditional setup more resembles Jeff Tweedy’s earlier output than his mid-period experimentation; whilst Nels Cline’s sustained guitar underpins a catchy organ riff, Tweedy warmly sings that “Wilco will love you, baby”. Perfect for Summer, ‘Wilco (the Song)’ is a friendly introduction to a great band.
Pete Burgess
Check into the Singles Club next week for the likes of Bat for Lashes and Florence and the Machine.
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