this week's post ...

Sharleen Spiteri
Melody new album 14 July
Lucky Sharleen made a load of dosh from originating and selling on the radio station Beat 106 in Scotland, I guess that's afforded a long holiday. It's easy to forget that right from their first hit 'I Don't Want A Lover' in 89 Texas and Sharleen Spiteri paid tribute to the great 60s soul and R&B muted now by Duffy and Winehouse. On this new album Sharleen continues with the now contemporary theme, All The Times I Cried in the Top 40 and this album very much in that mould with the delightful opener 'It was You' setting the mood. Great

Soft Cell
The Heat The Remixes new album 1 September
A superb collection, and at 132bpm slower than the original mix the Dakeyne Remix of Tainted Love is a floorfiller with maximum bass, sounding particularly good on this 1981 electro anthem. The whole set is very useful

Glasvegas
Daddy's Gone new single 25 August
There's something about Glasvegas, their last single 'Geraldine' cracked the top twenty and this has an uneasy edginess, 'Daddy's Gone'. Very topical and deserves big success

DORP
Humans Being new album 14 July
A fine opening "Did you pay all your tax... " well ENRON didn't - 'NME' "you should get protection from me". Hey this band is superb, a very strong image - a Devo'd cross between prodigy and Pendulum sems apt. I hope they haven't missed the boat they have a real quality to them and should be up there with The Klaxons. A great collection packed with edgy chunky electro beat

Black Kids
Look At Me (When I Rock Witchoo) form the 'Partie Traumatic' album
A great track to remind us how fab Black kids are, and it works a treat. At a fully energetic 4 mins and with plenty of shared vocals this would make a fine follow-up to 'Hurricane Jane'

Esser
Headlock new single
Esser's Transgressive Records debut is a bit of a rumble "oh you got me in a headlock, nothing in the world's gonna help me now ... " A fine mid tempo electro piece which could make some big in-roads for him. Good tune

Cut Off Your Hands
Expectations new single 18 August
A fine 170 bpm single, which could well see chart action

Wild Beasts
The Devil's Crayon new single
Wild Beasts have something different to offer and if there be any justice, they'll be on their way soon. The Devil's Crayon is a fine single, somewhat reminiscent of Godley & Creme and 10cc in it's artistic unusualness

The Cure
Freak Show new single 13 July
Well up to The Cure's usual quality but the timing of this marketing ploy to hit the charts each month seems to have backfired. It's probably more to do the way the singles charts are compiled now but it also throws into question future ploys like this and Elvis and Jacko's. Nevertheless 'Freakshow' and it's brothers and sisters should create enough interest to give the new Cure album a good send off