Tags: Subsource, The Prodigy, The Reason
Multi-national band, Subsource, have been honing their dirty-electro craft now since 2005. They’ve been hailed as the next Prodigy and, having worked with Liam Howlett himself, 2010 could be the year they take over the mantle. Already they are beginning to dominate the live circuit. This three track single is an interesting brew of high energy punk spirit, showcasing the band’s varied influences. ‘The Reason’ is a dark, brooding bass howler with more than a nod to Rage Against The Machine. Their vibrating bass detonation continues with ‘The Ides’ which also gives their reggae influence to shine amidst the wreckage. Closer, ‘Street Soul Music’, utilises the same thunderous back drop with a mysterious 80s vibe creeping in via synths and high-end vocal stretches. If you’re a dance addict who’s also looking for something to mosh to then Subsource could be your new reason to celebrate.
If I was to ask somebody to watch me bleed, I doubt they’d be very entertaining of my offer. But if Kick To Kill were to offer, I’m sure there’d be a raft of people eager to take them up on their generous offer. And, indeed this single is a good basis for such an offer as it does exactly that in a manner that would certainly get many people in the mood for the abrasive, dirty sound that this nihilistic song is built on. Reminiscent of The Stooges’ pure rock and roll ethos, singer Dave Cook gives a performance so convincing you almost can picture the blood flowing out of his veins as the guitars fuzz, the drums bang and the rock gets harder. Amidst their dirty sound it has deceptively smooth production to it all, a pulsing beat and probable guitars smashing against any near bye walls. Perfect for a head banging session like none before ‘Cut Me’ really will literally cut you off from your idea of music and get you rocking out like you’re in a club with The Stooges in their heyday.
Whether this song will follow in the steps of it’s boldly given appellage is up for debate, but Moscow Drive have definitely made a good start to their career with this gently energetic guitar driven song that wants us to appreciate what we have or or find something that we truly can appreciate. A good sentiment for a debut single, because someone will surely discover this and grow to appreciate the simple and clear values that are on offer even if it isn’t groundbreaking or particularly innovative. This is not however a disservice, as its simplicitydoes not serve as a slice of melancholy to our collective ear. The passion in the lyrics deliver aim to deliver a meaningful message rather than moan on about how bad their lives are in rhyming couplets. And ultimately one would certainly hope that this song gets somewhere near colossal for it’s chorus alone!
Buzz band of the moment, Fenech-Soler undeniably seemed destined for great things. They have created/captured a sound that is becoming ever present within the world of popular music, one that picks up where nu-rave left off. Electro-pop/synth-pop/techno pop – whatever you want to call it (watch this space – I’m sure the genre will be given an atrocious name very soon) – is everywhere at the moment and these guys have got it on lock down. Not bad for a few lads who are still in their teens and hail from a part of England where you would expect to find a wealth of chavs, not a wealth of musical talent. Their second release ‘Lies’ is a catchy little number that has the perfect mix of indie and electro to make it a very current pop hit. The verses are vocal lead and backed up by old school funky house-style filtered synths, which bursts into a chorus of electro synth leads, rasping bass and 4×4 beats which are both catchy and anthemic. This is a big song from a band whose popularity seems set to explode in 2010. If Fenech-Soler don’t get big – I’ll eat my hat.
‘I Still Love You More’ by Pama International is a sun-kissed blend of Trojan Records-brand 1970’s dub, Northern Soul and Two Tone Ska. In fact Trojan, still going strong on the back of a treasure trove of an archive collection, signed up Pama International a couple of years back – making them the first new act on the books for 30 years – before they moved onto their own label, Rockers Revolt. To be fair, the B-side ‘Equality And Justice For All’ is probably a slightly better track than the single; built upon a fabulous, rolling dub bassline, with some nice organ flourishes and smooth vocals from Finny. The horns on both tracks are superb, with Gary Alesbrook on lead trumpet, and the kind of tight, yet effortless-sounding rhythm guitar you’d expect from ex-Special Lynval Golding. With ‘I Still Love You More’, Pama International seem unashamedly rooted in the glory days of British reggae, and with this summer spent playing to large audiences at festivals and supporting the Specials, they could well hit the ground running in time for next year’s festival season, provided the album ‘Pama Outernational’ released in November hits the mark. Perhaps the album can display more of an edge and engagement with today’s Britain than is evident in these two tracks, but good stuff nonetheless.
Zico Chain are back, but this is not a late shout for a soundtrack to Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Birds’, even this is rather too alarming for that movie. After somewhat of a transformation Zico Chain trio Chris Glithero, Paul Frost and Ollie Middleton return to their trodden musical pastures with a more visceral onslaught for their disciples. After their debut album ‘Food’ was infused with American pop-punk, they return marks a more primitive intent. They still have an arsenal of monumental riffs backed with the hardcore spewed chorus “These birds will kill us all” but it seems Zico Chain have found their rightful sound. We starting to love it!
If Shabby Rogue were really Secret Agents, they’d be in trouble for telling us about it, but on the showing of this wonderfully bizarre single, they’d have my protection if they were. Maybe it’s the energetic pace of the song that could easily qualify as it’s own dance if put to movement, or maybe it’s the songs relative brevity that makes it so listenable in the end. But there is definitely inspiration present in the mix as the suitably spy-moviesque melodies mix up with the lyrics that were apparently inspired by a drug addled period of paranoia according to singer Shaun Litton, who channels every bit of his nervous energy into making this song the paranoid surf rock spy tune that it is. The remarkable thing about ‘My Life As A Secret Agent’ is that it quite literally tells a story that isn’t pretty, remarkable or even that interesting in these modern times and yet the listener feels a sense of edgy artistry that transcends the events that inspired it. And it all makes good of the anxiety, paranoia and drug abuse that caused it in the first place. Nothing new in rock, but something we don’t hear much of these days.
Maybe there’s something in the air north of the border, but Scotland certainly seems to spawn more than its fair share of top notch indie bands. It’s a reputation that Copy Haho’s latest single ‘Wrong Direction’ does nothing to dent. Released courtesy of Too Pure – recently rejuvenated as a shiny new monthly singles label – ‘Wrong Direction’ is a satisfyingly skewed slice of old school alt-rock goodness. On paper it’s a pretty orthodox guitars ‘n’ drums affair, but once Joe Hearty’s fractured opening vocals have grabbed your attention there are enough angular rhythms and stutter steps to keep it ensnared for the rest of song’s smidge-over-three-minutes duration. ‘Wrong Direction’ leans more towards pop-rock than experimental avant garde, but there’s enough quirkiness and individuality to make Copy Haho stand out from the crowd – a quality shared by the band the four Stonehaven lads are currently supporting, Los Campesinos. B-side ‘Demons And Gods’ may not be quite as immediately catchy as ‘Wrong Direction’ – I guess there’s a reason it’s the B-side – but the tune grows on you after a couple of listens and makes for a good companion piece. Coming hard on the heels of their pleasingly titled ‘Bred For Skills And Magic’ EP, Copy Haho’s latest single is another step in the right direction for a young band on its way up.
