ALBUM: STEREO DE LUXE Monosyllabic (Freshly Squeezed)
Tightly quantized electro funk is the order of the day here, as Brighton-based Freshly Squeezed Music brings us a career summation of this Berlin production duo. Guest vocalists are layered over the top of the multi-instrumentalists’ work, in a deliciously and decidedly European vibe that sounds straight off the FIP radio playlist. Despite being a part tidy-up of previously scattered releases, the album also features a brace of new material, delivering a rich and cohesive collection that, like much of their previous work, will win them as many advert syncs as Moby ever did. (NC)
SINGLE: WAY TANGENT Everyone Knows One (South Coast Sounds)
We covered Way Tangent’s debut ep Try a while back, so were glad to see this new single pop through the letterbox. As it sat twitching on the SOURCE mat with the bills and fan mail, it emanated infectious rock energy through its very Jiffy bag, grabbing a pizza flyer and moshing it straight into the recycling bin outside. Everyone Knows One is the best thing we’ve heard from them so far, and certainly deserves national attention. They’re playing The Hope on Tuesday 21st. Be there, do it, get the t-shirt. (NC)
DEMO: THE CRAVE The Stray (myspace.com/thecraveband)
All too often the pile of rock CDs nestling in the SOURCE in tray tries too hard to be dangerous and shocking, with the consequence of just ending up a bit rubbish. There’s little worse than bring self-consciously ‘edgy’ and not quite pulling it off. Thankfully The Crave don’t aspire to such pretentions, this is a band getting the mix between heavy Foos and QOTSA riffing and radio-friendly, catchy vocal hooks just right. Currently blowing Justin Hawkins’ ridiculous Hot Leg outfit off stages nationwide, The Crave are really too good for that.
DEMO: THE GYPSY SQUAT POP PROJECT (myspace.com/gypsysquatpopproject)
Imagine if Tom Waits was a woman, could sing like it didn’t sound like he was doing it for a drunken bet, and had a rhythm rocket up his arse. The resulting sonic brew might not be a million miles away from this; a dirty bar room bundle with duelling Imelda May-style brass and double bass overshot by Cordelia Fellowes’ sultry vocals. The band’s name might suggest a new subsection of alt-pikey, but this has got Later With Jools and Terry Wogan ubiquity written all over it.
BOOK: GLITCH Fug (myspace.com/thefugspeaks) The 6thprinted collection of Fug works, Glitch is an assemblage of disparate poetic spewings, ranging from the William Burroughs random cut-up styles of Locus Operandi’s place name recollections to the almost Raymond Carver-esque beauty of A Recollection and Town Hall Clock. Elsewhere there are poetic interpretations of medicine application instructions and bizarre tales like a partner shooting and skinning squirrels in the kitchen. Inspiring and original, this is well worth a look.
