Mando Diao- Mean Street EP

I love Sweden, the girls, the places, the saunas… But I love her most for her musical exports (ABBA and The Cardigans) and the next to keep this legacy going are guitar band Mando Diao and their Mean Street EP.
Opener, Mean Street is shimmering light of early Rolling Stones type 60s rock and roll. Driven by a playful piano and a shuffling drum beat, the single really zips along feeling modern and old school at the same delightful time.
Give Me Fire is a slightly more hard edged song which is slowly softened by a tingle on the keys giving way to a beautifully written middle 8 section and a rousing finish.
Third track, Blue Lining, White Trench Coat is yet another riot of guitars and soaring vocals. Final track, Burning Up is built around the patter of drums and wonderfully sung imagery and is like all the other songs on this EP- an utter joy to behold. Note the woodwind at the end of the song which is a nice touch.

The Swedish music scene has come up trumps again.

Review by George McSorley

Franz Ferdinand- Can’t Stop Feeling

Franz Ferdinand, that Scottish arty band named after a duke who indirectly started the First World War are capping a few fab festival performances with the release of the single Can’t Stop Feeling.
A tale of lament of being left alone in the club (the band’s spiritual home for the quite good third LP) is given the classic keyboard driven dance indie treatment which few bands can match. It’s all hooks and beats blend together with Alex’s unique delivery. B side, Die on the Dance Floor is the single’s dub step half brother with all the same lyrics but a different more chilled out twist. Lovely.
No way is it Take Me Out but I just can’t stop feeling that beat has I dance around the laptop.

Review by George McSorley

Asher Roth- Be By Myself

After his successful debut single, Asher Roth has recruited Cee-Lo to give second single a little sparkle. However somewhere between this being recorded and it hitting the music press, this sparkle seems to have disappeared without a trace. If found please facebook/myspace Roth and tell him where you found it and he’s not having it back.
Roth does have good rhythm and style played against a pastiche 60s soul background, all whirling keyboards and the like. It’s not too dissimilar to a Gnarls Barkley record, sadly though one which should of stayed in their head rather than in everyone else.
All I want to do is sing Cosmic Girl (Jay Kay you have a lot to answer for) when Cee-Lo kicks in with the chorus which adds the shabby state of affairs. Cee-Lo, you can do so much better than this…
The instrumental is good, mainly because it’s an instrumental.
As for the Roth-mister well only time will tell if he is the next big thing in rap. With my knowledge of rap, I give him two minutes before he’s back lugging garbage into the truck. Go be by yourself for a while Mr. Roth and think about what you have done.

Review by George McSorley

Eminem - We Made You

A few weeks ago, I proclaimed the return of a rap god- only problem was that wasn’t the first single back, this one is instead and I am not a happy camper.

This single is flawed- it sounds like a nursery rhyme and Eminem is clearly on autopilot has he raps about the rock star culture and his filthy mouth. Yes the references to Amy Winehouse and Jessica Simpson are slightly out (he has been working on for since 2004) but he sounds like he’s rapping using a phone in a call centre.

Will the real Slim Shady please stand up- because I think this version is faulty.

Review by George McSorley

Innerpartysystem – Heart Of Fire EP

Hailing from Pennsylvania, American band Inner Party System attempt that well trodden path of dance beats and rock lyrics with a degree of success.

Opening track Heart of Fire (and current single) mixes 30 Seconds to Mars lyrics with the Ministry of Sound. Surprisingly this works with a degree of success and sets the tone for the rest of the EP.

The Way We Move is an all guns blazing keyboard driven dance floor filler. Glows sticks should be included with the listening of this record and is possibly the best track on the EP. Third track, Night is Alive really fizzes along at a pace. The Heart That Heals is slow burner with a gives way to thumping dance anthem which ebbs and flows nicely.

Final track Lover’s Dancing and Lover’s Dancing Remix are roughly cut from the same electronic rock cloth. It has a definite rock edge to it in its lyrical content which keeping to the dance beats of the previous tracks. The remix sticks a little too close to the original although it is a good attempt at remixing an already good song.

Has my inner party system been woken? Well almost.

Review by George McSorley

Delta Spirit- People C’mon

Any song which comes with a promo of a lumberjack (complete with full beard and fuzzy hair) eating a chicken drumstick and drinking a glass of wine surrounded by a table of food has to be good surely?

Thankfully, a-side People C’mon fits the bill. A rousing call to arms to go out and have a good time is beautifully driven by a 1930s western style piano which drifts in and out and action to be finally taken out by a buzzing guitar sole.

B-side Trashcan is again a piano driven masterpiece. This instrumental is the almost perfect dovetail to the a-side. The effect of the recording the song out in the California desert is written all over it- it’s bright, breezy and lovely.

People c’mon and buy this single.

Review by George McSorley

Ok - Tell The World EP

Wales has provided the world with some of the best singers (Sir Tom Jones and Dame SB) and bands in world (Catatonia, Feeder, Super Fury Animals). Ok that might be stretching it slightly- but Wales has a canny knack of producing great music. Ok is the next in line to keep the tradition alive.
Lead single, 'Tell The World' is a delightful slice of jaunty guitar driven music, all hooks and bouncing rhythms which draw the listener in. There is a certain nod towards their peers like The Wombats and others of that NME loving types. This is not a bad thing though because the song is bursting with energy and is not nearly half as annoying as a Wombats tune. Wishing Well is another slice of the same tasty pie.
Final track, 'I Don’t Know' wonders aloud about our relationships with each other- how they fall apart and fade away. There are is The Doves sound about the record which shows a different direction the band can explore.
Ok are on the right tracks to becoming another great Welsh band.

Review by George McSorley

Jason Mraz - Make It Mine

James Blunt has a lot to answer for. Since that single and that video, every man in Britan suddenly had up their game and try that little harder to woo the lady folk. Enter Jason Mraz has cottened on this and has made his stance with the track 'Make It Mine'.
The lets-fall-in-love-and-live-a-sugar-filled-world formula is present and stuck to pretty rigidly. Although this is not to critise the song- it has all the right hooks in all the right places, lyrical there are some nice metpahors and Mraz can hold a tune. All the elements are there for him to win over the majority of the population especially with mother’s day around the corner.
In short it is bright brezzy guitar driven pop which your mum and commerical radio would love.

Review by George McSorley

Asher Roth - I Love College

We’ve all watched those American teen movies where it appears everyone turns up at the house party and gets totally wasted, Blink – 182 play in the living room and the geeky girl turns out to be some hot fox- why this never happens over here is beyond me. This song sums all these movies up in one neat package.
Hailed as the next hip-hop sensetation Asher Roth paints the perfect American college scene which all wish we could be apart of- but we live in Gosforth and the police have turned up to ask if we cold turn do the Kyle CD.
It has an old school hip-hop vibe with crackling vinyl sounds opening up the track and sloppy drum beat. Asher is clearly enjoying himself with his stories and advice to the student in all of us- judging by the party he went to last night (apparently it was so good we should have taped it) he also knows how to party hard. It’s not a clever record or very insightful and at times it is immature with its freshman chanting. But it is a fun record which all we can all relate and enjoy.
Now where do you sign up for some of this fun?

Review by George McSorley

Eminem Feat. 50 Cent and Dr. Dre - Crack A Bottle

Guess who’s back, back again, shady’s back, tell a friend. Yes that’s right little boys and girls the boogie monster of rap yeah the man’s back. If you have not got the hint, Eminem has re-entered the building and he’s brought along his best peeps to show the whole world how rap should be done.
Growing up in the most gangster ridden area of the world (The Cotswolds), me and my crew loved a bit of Eminem with his crazy ideas after school and slowly we brought up the albums like Eminem took painkiller pills at his peak – his ideas were really nightmares for white parents. However, since departing stage right in 2005, Eminem has keep pretty quiet. Sure we were enticed by the beats of 50 Cent, Kayne West (before he went weird) and the Game. But what we yearned for was Eminem to reignite our passion for rap music- in 2008 he called his own radio show and declared he was back.
The song itself isn’t classic Eminem in the way Stan, Lose Yourself or Without Me are, but what is a solid return by the world’s favourite rapper. It is has a hit guaranteed written in large spray can typeface all over its peroxide blonde hair. Lyrically, Eminem keeps it simple, talking drinking and generally having a good time without being too controversial. Dr. Dre lends himself to excellent production and an intelligent rap section. 50 cent’s slower rap section is again well crafted. The boxing match introduction of each character is a nice touch and adds a touch of theatre to the song- Eminem’s self introduction is tongue firmly in check.
It’s no less then what would be required from the three of the six biggest names in rap- the other’s being Kayne West, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg. However it cleverly leaves you wanting more…let’s hope the album delivers that knockout blow.

Review by George “Insert Rap Name Here” McSorley

Richard Emberstone - Amazing Love EP

Soul music has given the world some of the very best signers the world has ever seen: Marvin Gaye, Al Green, and Stevie Wonder all spring to mind. Today soul music is a different beast, indented to sell on a mass scale especially the all American brand churned out by Neyo and others of that ilk. They are all very successful and probably will not feel the effects of credit crunch.
However, over here on this little island we have in the North Atlantic; soul music has never had the same pull especially when it’s made by someone from Southampton- yes I am talking to you Mr. David. Yet it hasn’t stopped us trying and next to take up this most noble task is a Mr. Richard Emberstone from that cultural epicentre known as London.
If Emberstone’s music was a cooking ingredient, it would be the sweetest sugar ever produced, and would make even the worst baker appear like some cooking demy God. His voice could quite possibly seduce even the most ardent man hater. This lady would then run off with him and have a jolly good time.
Track wise, the five songs on offer owe a debt to the aforementioned Mr. Neyo, Brown and David. Yet this is not a bad thing though- reworking a proven formula is what science does all the time and they are not accused of plagiarism. Each song is nicely crafted and shows off Emberstone’s vocal ability well. Opening track When It Suited You is your archetypical soul love song complete with a few cheesy lines. If You Were A Secret continues in the same manner. You get the feeling at times that he’s trying to write the ultimate seduction album which is a noble cause yet flawed because Marvin’s won that one. This is not to dismiss Emberstone- he can write and song a good song and it will seduce someone somewhere although where I am not sure. The title track is yet more slushy love but with a slightly funkier twist. Penultimate track Move On slows down the action with a crying violin and slow piano riff. Although it is more of the same lovely stuff. Final track has a jazz feel to it and the breakdown towards the end of the record is a nice touch.
Emberstone may not be everyone’s cup of sugar filled tea, what he is though is a solid soul signer who maybe should be given a chance.

Review by George McSorley

Peter Bruntenell - 8 Lane Highway

Acoustic driven, folk based pop with a subtle hint of psychedelic delivered in a very British manner...hasn’t that be done before? Probably, but give him his due, Peter Bruntenell is actually pretty good at it.

Eight Mile Highway fits the bill’ and sets its self out as a typically English song with its tale of lost and found love placed over catchy instrumental back up. Fitting almost perfectly into the soft radio friendly guitar genre which gets eaten up regularly by Radio 2 and commercial radio- which is confusing because according to the Rolling Stone Magazine, Peter Bruntenell is England’s best kept secret- so why not release him into the wider world for everyone to enjoy?

Review by George McSorley

Drop Science - Cocaine Nation

Dropscience have decided that what we need is a ska punk look at how drugs are taking over our streets
This track starts with a might hit of noise, then settles into a speed fuelled jaunt, the effects Charlie has had on our dear island. The song is driven by a vivacious drum beat and the keyboard gives the song is distinctive ska edge. Its social commentary is witty without being overly clever.
This is defiantly the harder punky edge of ska, although this is not to dismiss the song. It is well executed and played out with a lot of passion.

Review by George McSorley

Diarmaid O Meara - Paranoid EP

Irish and techno are not normally found sitting snugly side by side in a loving embrace. However it has not stopped Irishman Diarmaid O Meara from trying.
“Paranoid” is a standard techno fare with pulsating drum loops and sirens. However underneath the noise is quite a decent dance song which will get most places jumping. “Blue” is the better of the two on offer with its retro keyboards and sound effect loops. Again underneath there is a good dance beat which will get people moving.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fans of the techno scene will embrace it with welcoming arms.

Review by George McSorley

Eugene McGuiness - Fonz

Never judge a book by its cover is a phrase best served by this song- the promotional material had me ridged with fear with its picture of an old man in a leather jacket doing a half baked Fonz from Happy Days impression. But when placing music into a genetic mp3 player an amazing noise of guitar dance music came throbbing out of the speakers and into my little room.
Although being over in 2.22 minutes, it is well crafted and constructed piece which engages the listener from the first to the last beat. This is surely to become a staple of indie dance nights across the nation.
Remember: Never judge a book by its cover.

Review by George McSorley

Shirley Lee- The Smack of the Pavement in Your Face

Country music is normally written by people with straw in their mouths living in the world of The Dukes of Hazards and My Name is Earl. Thankfully Shirley Lee is none of these things- mainly because he is from London.
The song is has real jiggle jangle feel to it with bouncing guitar rifts and playful bass line. Coming in at just over 3 minutes, it has all the elements of great modern take on country music. The lyrics are uplifting, witty and heartfelt, making the record a joy to listen to.

Review by George McSorley

The Fake Lazy Supernovas- Golden Boy/ That’s The Day

Golden Boy is delightful pop gem. The lyrics transport you to wonderland where the credit crunch is far flung myth and everyday the sun shines bright. It has a definite Spanish feel with its wandering guitar- this further heightens the feel good nature of the song. A great feel good song just to kick back and enjoy after a hard day.
That’s The Day is slower number built around a choir. It’s a reflective song exploring hopes and dreams. It has a late summer feel to it- just relaxing on a beach with this song on could be someone’s idea of heaven.
Overall The Fake Lazy Supernovas are creating a little piece of the sun- taking the listener far away from the cold and darkness of winter.

Review by George McSorley

Kaiser Chiefs- Good Days/Bad Days

It is starting to feel like another day, another Kaiser Chief single- these boy’s arms must have fallen off by now surely?
This up-tempo number is ticking all the Kaiser Chief single boxes- bouncy drum rhythm and general optimism. It makes you wonder if the Kaiser Chiefs live on Earth because as the world collapses they still churn out positive noises. However it does sound slightly like they are going through the motions on this but it will sell.
The Kaiser Chiefs are unshakably commercial and this song will further cement their place as one of the most marketable bands in Britain.

Review by Alan George McSorley

Geo Da Silva- Do It Like A Truck

The British clubber is a drunken lout who loves either a fight or one nightstand, which give them a variety of problems the next morning which ever option they choice. This summer Club Euro dance song will take you straight back to that hedonistic time.
For the song expect the classic drum loops, crescendos of keyboards and daft lyrics that you chant on the way home. Its like Falariki, Magluf and Ibiza getting it on in a trashy hotel room. Its replays your summer experiences like a graphic novel.
With thumping, drum loops and hooters blaring the start of the Megastylez remix hit you like neon green vodka cocktail- you know you have had one! It continues at quite a pace and will get the dance floor hotter than the inside of truck exhaust- you have probably been there too!
Its probably has the IQ of a truck this song, however when out on the disco dancing scene of British club land you will not care one bit because you will be doing it like a truck.

Review by George McSorley

The Beat Poets- Staring Stars Down/G. I

With the possible exception of Snow Patrol, Northern Ireland does not always produce big hitting bands on regular bases like Wales and Scotland does. However, The Beat Poets are a mission to put this country on the map.
Both tracks are guitar driven gems, which burst with energy and panache. Opener Staring Stars Down with its story of love is laden with wonderful imagery built around a great vocal. In contrast, G. I displays a more rock and roll edge to the band. From a slow beginning, the song rackets its way up the gears and ends with a pulsation rhythm, which draws the listener in.
Look out Snow Patrol; the Beat Poets are after your crown as Northern Ireland’s number one musical export. A great edition to the indie-rock frat pack.

Review by George McSorley