this week's post ...

Black Daniel
Say Hello / It Gets Cold new single
What a superb track 'Say Hello' is, kinda Eels-ish and a rumbling 125bpm, distorted spoken vocals over an atmospheric soundtrack. 'It Gets Cold' is again 125bpm and has drawn comparison's with Queen's 'You're My Best Friend' with it's keyboard intro, but with these ears that's where the similarity ends. Championed by MP's son Eddy Temple Morris, Black Daniel arel from South London and comprise two Londoners, one New Yorker and 'three visions stitched up with love and blood'. Black Daniel are; Craig Louis Higgins Jr on vocals, Liam May on vocals/guitar and Luke May on drums. They describe their own sound as; 'Pulling tape off a hairy chest mixed in with a little bit of Old Spice leftover from Grandpa’s treasure chest'. That's good enough for me, one to watch

Forever The Sickest Kids
Whoah Oh new single 13 October
143bpm, think Panic at the Disco and that'll give you a good idea of Forever The Sickest Kids. Their debut album 'Underdog Alma Mata' is due on 20 October and this charming up-beat debut single 'Whoah Oh Me Vs Everyone' arrives a week earlier. Hit potential

Golden Silvers
Magic Touch / Another Universe new single October
Following Londoners Golden Silvers excellent 'Arrows Of Eros' here's quite a follow-up, another unusual record with a different kind of accoustic emphasis. The 173bpm hectic Magic Touch is pleasant enough and then the surprisingly mellow, almost mourneful 62bpm piano and vocal accompanying 'Another Universe' shows plenty of Radio 2 Arts Show appeal. Golden Silvers are so different there may be a chance for them here

Katy Perry
One Of The Boys new album 14 September
Why would Lily Allen be afraid of a chart battle with Katy Perry? Oh yeah Katy's got the lot. These lyrics are on another level, Katy's the edgy teasing temptress who's thoroughly beautiful and knows it while our Lily, though edgy is soft in comparison - still a bit of more of 'Vindaloo' Keith's daughter. "You're so gay and you don't even like boys" and a vid with a barbie like doll pulling action man's pants down to reveal ... yep dickless. 'Thinking Of You' - "Coz when I'm with him I'm thinking of you, he kissed my lips I taste your mouth, he pulled me in I was disgusted with myself". Listing her influences as Queen, Beach Boys, Heart, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Alanis, Imogen Heap, Gwen S, your mom and Rufus Wainwright, her one UK tour date at The Scala in London is obviously sold out. It's only bubble gum pop music but this girl got power! See the Thinking Of You vid here

The King Blues
My Boulder new single 13 October
The King Blues may have a surprise hit here, a 'paen' to friendship which had a tent full singalong at both Reading and Leeds. An important referee in Zane Lowe who has recommended it already to Sir Noel of (richest club in the world now) Gallagher. It's a good song at around the same tempo as The Fratellis 'Chelsea Dagger' perhaps not quite as easy to singalong with as the 'Dagger' but with radio repetition maybe. See them headline their biggest gig to date at Islington Carling Academy on 22 October. Hit potential

The Last Shadow Puppets
My Mistakes Were Made For You new single 20 Oct
Alex and co. plan on taking a full orchestra on tour with them, and you can here the subtle additions on this excellent new single which should go Top 5. Sharp writing, moody atmosphere - brilliant!
see the video here

The Metros
More Money Less Grief new album 15 September
We helped launch this spunky, punky debut album by The Metros last Friday, an album with twelve lyrically strong if beligerent trax. Former single 'Education Part 2' is a witty little ode, another stand out in this collection is 'Sexual Riot'. Things are looking good for the band at the moment but it would be unwise to count too manty chickens before they've hatched, when they played at Cardiff Barfly recently having pulled in around eighty fans in they lost a few important ones (management / cleaners) with their Banksy like love of grafitti and dissin'. A reasonable debut, tip 'Sexual Riot' for the next single

New Education
Today new single 27 October
From Stoke-On-Trent come New Education with plenty of 140bpm power riffing on the new single 'Today', a Liam-esque vocal delivery 'it's time to short your shit out', top track. Then there's the pleasantly surprisingly stripped down 147bpm self titled 'New Education' accoustic guitar and vocal only, it's good. I like it

Red Light Company
Scheme Eugene new single October
Another fine anthemic single from Red Light Company, the clever 135bpm 'Scheme Eugene' short and sweet at around 2 mins 45 secs could pick up important radio play for the band. Hit potential

The Raid
Oh Lillee new single 27 October
Winners of Zane Lowe's Fresh Meat, here comes an excellent single fro The Rivers. The 127bpm 'Oh Lillee' - not sure if she's related to the Lily Pete Townshends has fondly recalled pictures of but it sounds like she may be. It's a pounding track and at at around three mins, pretty well perfect

The Rivers
Love Or Whatever new single 6 October
Brighton band The Rivers new download only single 'Love Or whatever' romps along around 120/240bpm's, very uptempo, catchy atmosphere, lyrics. Two years non stop touring, 160 shows. you may have seen them support for Kooks, maximo Park and The Enemy. It's a nice song, not sure it's strong enough to break through, second track 'Heroine Hero' is jaunty 160bpm accoustic guitar and vocal and again a pleasant enough lighter playlist item.

Scars On Broadway
Wind Long Gone new single 6 October
A strong 161bpm, short sharp 3 minutes as you'd expect from former SOAD'er Daron - a stand-out track from the Scars debut album, this should deliver more airplay for the album and is worthy of a chart chance

Sleepercurve
The Midnight Resistance new EP 13 October
Five tracks feature here with an strong opener 'Trinity' with it's hookline 'genocide'. South London trio Sleepercurve have invented their own genreof which to boss. Dystopian Space Rock ... yes. Influences like Interpol, Elbow, Biffy, Depeche Mode, Soundgarden and Smashing pumpkins can be heard here. Another uptempo track, the 140bpm 'Suffer', and then mmm it's a kind of spooky, keyboards to the fore with two very bare slow tunes the 65bpm 'Trust' and the very unusually titled slow/fast 70-175bpm 'Old Lady' ???. Then the 147bpm six minute finale 'Slaves'. Sleepercurve could find a home, but it's a bit grim this Dystopian thang. Unusual value

To The Bones
Rex new single 22 September
Hey this is a good single, at 168bpm as the press release describes To The Bones - imagine Hawkwind & QOTSA or Motorhead & The Pixies. There's a bit of a hooky chant going on and To the Bones have won some important admirers - that well known UK-based charter firm Astraeus pilot Bruce Dickinson, who in his spare time is Iron Maiden bossman, Xfm's Kennedy and One's Lowe. A good ad for the band, excellent

Towers Of London
Naked On The Dancefloor new single 22 September
Oh I really like this band but I wish Donnie hadn't gone on Big Brothel. I know his probable idol Sir Jon of Rotten did Celebrity bolloks but he's establishment inne. For me the thing is with towers Of london they're not really punk, more glam T.Rex-ish gone a bit cabaret. It's an interesting task in these I Kissed a Girl, Sex On Fire days to continue the trend by writing I saw her 'Naked On The Dancefloor', and it's a steady 123bpm, but I don't know, maybe they just missed the boat. See them on tour in October, Manchester Academy, Birmingham, ULU London, Glasgow, Nottingham, Southampton and York Fibbers. These guys will have been well worthy support for Guns'n Roses and New York Dolls and I like the sound of the new track 1984 (Nanny Nation) due when their new album is unleashed soon. Check our March 2007 Mad4it pics with Towers Of London here www.xplosure.com/towersoflondon.shtml

The View
5Rebecca's new single 27 October
5Rebeccas and one's a junkie ... Owen Morris has produced this first taste of The View's new as yet untitled album due in 2009. It's a bit of a surprise .. again a pacey 166bpm .. headsdown boogie or Tayside sea shanty? I'm not sure but The View are much requested and there is a certain charm here which should see Top Ten for sure

You Me At Six
Jealous Minds Think Alike new single 29 September
Surrey quintet You Me At Six are releasing their much anticipated debut album 'Take Off Your Colours' on 6 October through Slam Dunk Records, and their new single 'Jealous Minds Think Alike' on 29 September. A spunky 173bpm, 'punchy singalong' again kind of American emo soundalike a full UK tour is due in October to showcase their album. Good name, chart chance