Single Reviews: 1st April, 2003
Carpet Bombers for Peace - SALT in the wound (Jungle)
Punk rock against war, three tracks, featuring the collected efforts of such well-known names as Jello Biafra, Penny Rimbaud (producing Change), Conflict and members of Chumbawamba. It's very political, noisy, messy, real punk rock with a circled A. Say no more, buy this single and kick at least one crap single out of the charts.
review by Donnacha DeLong
The Amharic - False prophets (Square Biz)
I really want to like the Amharic. They look so cool on the box that I just don't want them to be shit. Whew, am I lucky. They sound like a nice mellow version of Harry Bellafonte. The music is light and sparse and the vocals are direct and bright. The sun is shining and fuck it, I'm not in a bad mood for once. Well done lads.
The Hidden Cameras - Ban marriage (Rough Trade)
With a title unlikely to impress any priests or denizens of Vegas, these guys are off to a good start. Pity that the song is absolute garbage. Believe me, I am typing pretty quickly just so I can turn it off. I defy anyone to actually like this. Search your soul and tell me this repetitively bouncy slice of utter banality has any musical value at all. I think this may have been played on one of those weird digital xylophone things Rolf Harris used to sell. Complaints to the usual address, thanks.
Pulszar - Out of time (Schism)
Oh please, I want that happy feeling back again. Can the Pulszar deliver? With some interesting opening bars, it seems that we're onto a winner. Then they hit me with their secret weapon. Just when the band pick up the pace, Andrea Corr jumps in and sings all over their efforts. Not literally of course, but it sounds like it. It could have been a disaster, but for some reason it seems to work. Grand, two and one as they say in America.
Edgeweather - Make a mockery (Schism)
They're asking for it with that title. Imagine my disappointment when this turns out to be the best single I've received for ages. A little Nirvana-ish until the mid section kicks in and then the impressive dynamics of the song become clear. Pounding riffs and sections of light relief spin the listener around, while vocalist Shane sings way beyond his range with considerable success. I still feel compelled to get angry about something, so I'd like to point out that coleslaw is filth.
Katatonia - Ghosts of the Sun (Peaceville)
I've heard a lot about Katatonia, I just haven't actually managed to hear them yet. Five seconds into this single and I'm a fan. After the kind of riff I thought only Opeth wrote shakes me, the puzzlingly Jimmy Eat World vocals knocks me senseless. The juxtaposition, it's more than post-modern. This is ominous, belligerent stuff, the musical equivalent of a stroll through the city centre at dark. You keep looking over your shoulder waiting for something nasty to happen. Even when it does, you feel slightly detached. Bring on the album.
reviews by Dominic Body unless otherwise stated
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