ALBUM: BIRDEATSBABY Here She Comes-A-Tumblin’ (myspace.com/birdeatsbaby)
Fans of the Dresden Dolls will apparently find lots to love here, as we’re assured there’s a shared theatrical drama at play within the recorded remits of both bands. We don’t know the Dolls, but the Birds certainly have all of that in droves; gypsy rhythms veering into piano polka with a string-laden backing on some rather twisted song narratives. There’s some enormously catchy stuff going on here – the sound won’t initially be for everyone but will wear any resistance down. (NC)

DEMO: ICE BLACK BIRDS (myspace.com/iceblackbirdsuk)
Featuring the bass playing talents of last month’s SOURCE Street Style star Harry, Ice Black Birds make the kind of sound you hear in Jump The Gun while browsing the Fred Perrys. This is music unencumbered by influences from within any of the band’s lifetimes, preferring to mine the 60s and 70s glory days of blues rock in a kind of early Kings Of Leon fashion. They make a decent fist of it too – bringing a bit of proper rock’n’roll nostalgia to Brighton isn’t going to earn any complaints from us. (NC)

DEMO: SURFACES (myspace.com/surfacesbanduk)
Barely a year old, SurFaces are a polished and perfected taskforce, with just a three track it’s easy to see where inspirations come from, but where so many of the current death metal and metalcore bands tread through thrashy speed licks, SurFaces replace with the most infectious grooves you will hear this side of electro-pop. The highlight is This Broken Black, which has what sounds like the greatest hook ever. If this is what they can do in a mate’s basement, you’d better be prepared for their inevitable label release within the next year. (AP)