Singles
The Last Shadow Puppets lament their mistakes this week
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Friday, 17, Oct 2008 11:27
More musical merriment, malarkey and utter mediocrity courtesy of this week's brand new singles releases including the Last Shadow Puppets, Nicole Fermie and Keane.
Single Of The Week
Nicole Fermie: Taxi
Top Cat Music; out October 20th
In a week choking upon the dross that makes up the output of Keane and the Last Shadow Puppets comes a glowing nugget of musical of goodness in the shape of Nicole Fermie.
Taxi is part-Prince, part-Sophie B Hawkins and simply sizzles with funky bass and Fermie's punchy yet sensual vocals.
Track two on the single is Start Somewhere, a beautifully acoustic number, delicate and warming.
The single's rounded out by Stay, a song that cuddles your soul thanks to Fermie's effortlessly soulful voice.
Nicole Fermie is a singer-songwriter inspired by the Roots, Funkadelic and Sly & The Family Stone.
Her outstanding voice led her to providing backing vocals for Goldfrapp.
In 2006 she signed to Tim Oliver's Top Cat label and her debut album is due out in early 2009.
Last Shadow Puppets: My Mistakes Were Made For You
Domino; out October 20th
The Puppets are back with another track lifted from their Mercury-nominated album The Age Of The Understatement.
And it's yet another pile of dross with lacklustre vocals and lazy 60s-inspired guitars; the only saving grace being the sublime orchestration that bubbles underneath Alex Turner and Miles Kane's self-indulgence.
I just wish someone would cut these puppets' strings and spare us any more ear-splitting pain.
The Last Shadow Puppets have been touring the UK this month and the tour includes a BBC Electric Proms gig at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall on October 24th.
Then the Puppets play London's Hammersmith Apollo on the 26th and Newcastle City Hall on October 27th.
Keane: The Lovers Are Losing
Island Records; out October 20th
This is the first single from Keane's new album Perfect Symmetry and it's tedious in the extreme.
Yawn-inducing vocals over a plodding, go-nowhere dirge of guitars.
If only we could scoop up Keane, Snow Patrol, Razorlight and the rest of their ilk and consign them to the dustbin of musical history, but I digress. In the meantime, wher''s the off button?
Charlatans: Oh! Vanity
Cooking Vinyl; out October 20th
Oh! What inanity! Instantly forgettable album track fodder from a band who really should know better.
The single's taken from the Charlatans' new album You Cross My Path.
Having formed in 1989 the Charlatans enjoyed chart success with The Only One I Know.
Bloc Party: Talons
Wichita; out October 20th
Oops, sorry. Did I miss something? Oh, was that the new Bloc Party single?
I thought it was the sound of a dead horse being flogged over and over again.
Threatmantics: Big Man
Double Six Records; out October 20th
Phoned-in vocals and shameless riffing on the James Bond theme is what this three-piece from Cardiff offer up on Big Man.
You should've stayed at home, folks, it wasn't worth the little effort you did put in.
Big Man is lifted from the band's forthcoming album Upbeat Love out November 3rd.
Luigi Masi: Strobelight
Bunx Records; out October 20th
Luigi Masi's been listening to far too much Daft Punk for his own good.
The result is Strobelight, a pointless electro-dance exercise.
Fight Like Apes: Jake Summers
Model Citizen Records; out October 20th
Big hits on this summer's festival circuit, Fight Like Apes are similar to Flight Of The Conchords, tongue in cheek but musically astute.
New single Jake Summers, a homage to 90s cult show California Dreams, is a delightfully fizzy lollipop of geek-rock.
Catch the Apes, namely Pockets, MayKay, Tom and Adrian at Club NME Brighton on October 22nd; Club NME Swansea (24th) and the Boiler Room Guildford on October 31st.
Fight Likes Apes' debut album Fight Like Apes And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion will be released in early 2009.
Foxes: Trauma Town
Room 10 Records; out October 20th
Praised by the NME and no doubt ideal airplay material for the musically-challenged Q Radio and 6 Music, the Foxes' new single is another entry in the great slop bucket inhabited by the Kaiser Chiefs and the Last Shadow Puppets.
Also released
Girls Aloud: The Promise
Polydor; out October 20th
Jack White & Alicia Keys: Another Way to Die
BMG; out October 20th
Lee Davis