Monday 3rd October 2005 - Use our review page here as a shortcut to official website's for these new CD's .... Civita, The Composers, The Dirty Looks, The Feeling, Ben Folds, My Morning Jacket, Nickelback, Nine Black Alps, Roadrunner United, Tom Vek, and a great V2 Compilation 'Modular' ... Want your stuff reviewed here? Drop us a line e-mail miketv@xplosure.com
previous review pages
Littl'Ans, Brakes, Lady Sov, FFAF, Paul Weller
Franz Ferdinand, Cardigans, Elbow, Paul Anka
Foo Fighters, Him, Super Furry LP, Mew, Mohair
Ian Brown, Rakes Bloodhound Gang Subways, Dogs
Babyshambles, Rakes, Kubb, Craig David
BEN FOLDS - JESUSLAND
new single released 10 October (Posted 30 Sept) Ben Folds is certainly one of the most talented singer songwriters to break through in the past ten years and this is an excellent single taken from his quite brilliant second solo album Silverland. If you like edgy - you'll love this and for £22.50 you can see Ben live in the UK just before Christmas:- Birmingham NIA on December 12, Brixton Academy on December 13 and Manchester Apollo on December 15. XXXxwww.benfolds.com
CIVITA - GOING FOR YOU
new demo available now (Posted 4 Oct) Meze Lounge Steve and his two chums have got some unusual material together here, starting with the name Civita. Three curious tracks demonstrate an unusual approach to things electronica, and vocals to suit, 'The Corrections' and 'I Waited' make up the remainder of this demo - which you can see performed live at Cardiff Barfly tomorrow night - Wednesday 5th October. With perseverence and a bit of dosh to fund recording Civita could make some interesting recordings.www.civita.co.uk
MY MORNING JACKET -
OFF THE RECORD
new single released 10 October (Posted 30 Sept) Kentucky's My Morning Jacket trail their new album 'Z' Produced by John Leckie with this single 'Off The Record'. MMJ obviously love their guitar and this has their trademark riffing in plenty of evidence, however ... 'Off The Record' as a song doesn't quite cut through. Still they are rather different from the norm and I can't quite say why .. that's usually a good thing! XXXwww.mymorningjacket.com
TOM VEK -
new single released 24 October (Posted 30 Sept) Often requested Tom Vek may be about to make a breakthrough, his highly acclaimed debut album 'We Have Sound' spawns another single here. 'Green Lights' is a pounder and there is I am sure just a little inspiration drawn from David Byrne. Vocals rather aloof and a bassline kind of reminiscent of 'Once In A Lifetime'. See him on tour with a four piece band from earlier musical incarnations - see him in Portsmouth on 5 Oct, then Bristol, Falmouth, Nottingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield Club Zero, Brighton, Brum & London Mean Fiddler. XXXwww.tomvek.tv
NICKELBACK - ALL THE RIGHT REASONS new album 3 October (Posted 30 Sept) This is rather an awesome collection of new songs that sound so familiar. Nickelback inpress immediately with a snappy drum roll into opening track 'Follow You Home' - a kind of spooky lyric from a psyche point of view. There the tone is set ... sex, sex and more sex ... innuendo and very explicit "When you're going down on me", as in 'Fight For All The Wrong Reasons', into the single 'Photograph', and even more loose talk in 'Next Contestant'. This is the follow-up to the 9million selling Silver Side Up and it kicks. Superb material and production by Nickelback & Joey Moi gives them then edge. XXXX www.nickelback.com
NINE BLACK ALPS - JUST FRIENDS
new single released 31 October (Posted 30 Sept) Just Friends will be the fourth single from their debut album 'Everything Is'. At 2'10" I feel it's going to be their biggest hit to date. The wonderful Unsatisfied is followed with an "are they?/aren't they?" type lurv tune. Following their support of Weezer, V2005, Reading and Leeds Festivals a full headline tour commences through October and big gigs too ... Manchester Academy, Sheffield Leadmill, Bristol and Birmingham Academy's and Christmas Shows at Manchester Ritz and London Astoria! XXXxwww.nineblackalps.net
MODULAR - VARIOUS ARTISTS
new single released 3 October (Posted 30 Sept) This is an awesome idea for a two CD set. One ready mixed with two minute segments of tracks which appear on the other CD in their full versions. What a great idea!! Featured are The Rakes, Cut Copy, the excellent Long Blondes, Bloc Party, Fiery Furnaces, Tom Vek, The Kills, The Knife, and The Killers. A brilliant addition to your collection if you want some uptempo / electronic mixes to set the atmosphere or if you like alternative versions of hit chunes! XXXX www.modularpeople.com
ROADRUNNER UNITED - THE END
new single released 10 October (Posted 30 Sept) On October 10th Roadrunner Records celebrates it's 25th Anniversary with 'The All-Star Sessions' a "master-class" in hard rock. Trivium, Fear Factory, Coal Chamber, Soulfly, Machine Head, Medication, Front Line Assembly members all contribute to this fascinating project. The preview single 'The End' should attract much interest and look out for the DVD (included with the album) featuring interview and behind the scenes stories on the making of the album. XXXwww.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk
THE COMPOSERS -
A WAY OF BEING FREE
new single released 10 October (Posted 30 Sept) East London outfit The Composers release this on their own Discotheque label on 7th November. Three songs on this 'EP', perhaps 'Vein Jane Blues' is the best of them, sadly I don't think this material is strong enough to break through. A bitty, disjointed collection which will probably make it difficult for them to gain radio play. XX www.the-composers.co.uk
HUMANZI - FIX THE CRACKS
new single released 7 November (Posted 30 Sept) Fix The Cracks and Get Your Shit Together is Humanzi's debut through Fiction Records (The Cure's label). "A kick in the face"? Certainly strong stuff and perhaps heralding a major assault on the charts, Humanzi have just been confirmed as support for Ian Brown and Hard-Fi .. you can see them in October and November in Bournemouth, Northampton, London Electric Ballroom, Glasgow Academy, Cardiff Uni, and Brixton Academy! XXX www.humanzi.com
THE FEELING - FILL MY LITTLE WORLD new single released 17 October (Posted 30 Sept) The Feeling are a London College Band who answered an ad for a covers band to play in the French Alps for a season. After three months in a shoebox together they thought it may be worth a shot at the real thang. Starting point - their name - The Feeling is the name of a bar in Paris they passed on the way back to Blighty. They're on tour in October Leeds, Liverpool, Winchester, Brum, Wolverhampton, London and Manchester. It's not a bad debut, an intriguing drum beat intro blends into the heart of the song - quite pleasant. XXx www.thefeeling.com
