RICHARD ASHCROFT – SCIENCE OF SILENCE
Well this is slightly better. Yeah, so it sounds like a rehashing of all of the best moments from The Verve, but considering all of the other absolute and painfully crap nonsense released this month it really is rather tasty stuff. (AF). Release Date: 30th December. Link: Fansite: http://www.ashcroftunofficial.co.uk/
GIRLS ALOUD – SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND
I know I should hate them, it’s in my contract to despise all tv based manufactured music after all, but hell, there’s something rather funky (baby) about this tune. Similar-ish to Addicted To Bass, and well, if there has to be crap like this inflicted upon the world, it makes it slightly more barable that it’s vaguely fine to listen too. Though it does serve to prove how detached from reality pop songwriters are these days – surely everyone knows that the sound of the underground is a lot of mumbling from pissed off commuters, and an annoying
Sorry, but there isnt one this month due to nearly all of the singles released being terrible. Oh, and it might have something to do with the garbled pc dying and being unable to get any screen grabs. Possibly.
COLDPLAY - THE SCIENTIST
MEW – SHE CAME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Proving that alt music doesn’t have to be unsentimental, this is one of the sweetest, cuddliest and warmest Christmas songs ever released. Yes. Ever. Well by an indie band anyway. And its your only real hope of stopping some tacky trash from being the Christmas No.1. So please buy it? Pretty please? (AF). Release Date: 9th December. Link: Official Site: http://www.mewsite.com
BRYAN FERRY – A FOOL FOR LOVE
Blimey he’s getting on a bit is old Mr Ferry, and, as is sadly usual in this business, the older you get, the crapper you are. Gone is anything even as slightly as innovative as what you find in old Roxy Music albums, and all you’ve got here is an tragically embarrassing old man warbling on about lurrrvvee. Oh deary deary me. (AF). Release Date: 9th December. Link: Official Site: http://www.bryanferry.com/
RAINBOW – IT’S A RAINBOW
Tacky, trashy europop with dumbass lyrics within a speeded up version of the Rainbow theme tune. And fuck it, its Christmas, so I’ll be a little more charitable than I’d usually be. So, um, well, it’s quite funny the first time you see it. And, ahem, well, the girl singer’s quite pretty, and er…Godammit, I just can’t do it. This is pop trash of the lowest level, and the only thing it’ll succeed in doing is ruining your childhood memories of the original series. Bastards. (AF). Release Date: 9th December. Link: Fansite: http://www.btinternet.com/~acbarrett/rainbow.htm
S CLUB JUNIORS - PUPPY LOVE
There’s just something quite disturbing about these pop moppets, all plastic and fake years before they really ever should have to be. That they exist at all (the band, not the kids per se) makes for all the proof you need that the charts are only about making money for the majority of the industry, but then you knew that already. Oh, and the song itself? Well it’s sounds like a school choir covering a shit kitsch song. Don’t even think about buying it for a friend, no, not even as a joke present, as violence will inevitably ensue. (AF). Release Date: 9th December. Link: Fansite: http://www.matmice.com/home/sclubjuniors2002
PINK - FAMILY PORTRAIT
Supposedly a move to a mature sound, this is just so tiresome, a whiney song
COUSTEAU - (DAMN THESE) HUNGRY TIMES
DAVID GRAY – THE OTHER SIDE
Now the singles off his last album were okay in a dull Travisy kind of way, but this is, and yes, we didn’t think it possible but it is, even more monotonous and its incredibly difficult not to fall asleep whilst listening to it. Still, perfectly timed for the Christmas market where relatives who don’t have a clue what kind of music you like will probably think ‘oooh that’s pleasant’ and it’ll end up rapped up underneath your xmas trees. You unlucky people, you. (AF). Release Date: 9th December. Link: Fansite: http://www.angelfire.com/pop2/davidgray/
EMINEM – LOSE YOURSELF
Taken from the 8-Mile soundtrack, there’s something oddly patronising about this. Lacking any of the controversy of, well, pretty much everything he’s ever released, it’s all about coming up from the slums and making something of yourself, and,
AQUALUNG – GOOD TIMES GONNA COME
Surprise, it sounds near on identical to Strange and Beautiful, but isn’t even as good as that. So its pretty sure they’ll go down in history as the new Babylon Zoo. Though slightly less pretentious than that, but still, it’s hardly good news is it. (AF). Release Date: 2nd December. Link: Official Site: http://www.aqualung.net/
THE CHEEKY GIRLS – THE CHEEKY SONG (TOUCH MY BUM)
Jesus, do I really have too go in to detail here? Cause no doubt you’ve heard it, no doubt you know it’s one of the worst songs ever released in this country (yes, even worse than Mr Collins' recent effort reviewed below) and no doubt it’ll still make the top 5. And when it does, well the whole nation should be thoroughly ashamed of itself. I’ve said it before, but it seems like I need to say it again, parents – stop giving your kids so much fucking pocket money, as they just shouldn’t be able to afford buying utterly shite europop nonsense like this. (AF). I thought the Cheeky Girls wanted to be considered as serious artists? Well it is a promising start from these girls, and I'm sure whoever has produced the track has promised them a Green Card in exchange for their efforts. Best wishes to the girls, and hopefully we'll see them reinvent themselves going through the disco phase, the covers phase, the dark phase, the indie/rock phase, before coming back to the disco phase, and turning out the best dicso tunes heard down the Usual towny Nightspots. Incidentally, Sarcasm is not the lowest form of wit, it's sexual innuendo. (CA). Release Date: 2nd December. Link: There isn’t one. Now there’s a surprise.
NOVEMBER 2002
RONAN KEATING AND LULU - WE'VE GOT TONIGHT
Jesus, Lulu must have a great agent, who’s presumbably related to Satan, as there’s no other reason I can think of why supposedly respectable (if obviously manufactured) acts keep on dueting with her. So maybe botox injections make her look about twenty years younger than she really is, but they’ve done nothing to improve her screechy, pain inducing voice. Oh, and you should know by now that Ronan falls in to our ‘most hated’ pop singers ever list too – so the two of them together make for what’s easily my most hated single of 2002. Buy only to give to much hated relatives as Christmas presents. Release Date: 25th November. Link: Fansite: http://www.ronankeating.ca/
LIAM LYNCH - UNITED STATES OF WHATEVER
Incredibly catchy, but in the kind of way that after hearing it more than five times you start clutching your head, rocking backwards and forwards and praying that it will soon end. Which it does fairly quickly, but still, thats just not enough to make it barable. Destined to be played at every Christmas party throughout the land (well, at least those hosted by relatively with it bosses) and it'll be fun to dance to whilst drunkenly clutching on to the office temp. But then, and only then.
Release Date: November 18th. Link: http://www.sifl-n-olly.com/merch/fake-cd.html
NU – DISCO HURTS
Coming across a bit like the Dandy Warhols, this is great indie stuff from the Danish Delights. Not a great deal of brilliance in the way of lyrics, but the music is as edgy as the best indie and the vocal juxtaposes the track nicely. Currently being played on 6music and MTV, this is definitely an alternatively-acclaimed hit. (CA). Release Date: 11th November.
A – SOMETHING’S GOING ON
Sounds like their last single, oh, and Feeder’s last one too. If you like em, you’ll like this, but its not going to convert anyone new to their cause. To be honest (just for a change) they were a much better band when they did the Britpop thing, but sadly sales weren’t good so they jumped on the nu-metal bandwagon and everything since has been all too mainstream. Still, could be worse I guess. But not much though. (AF). Release Date: 18th November. Link: Official Site: http://www.a-communication.com/home.html
THE MUSIC - GETAWAY
Definitely their most fun and least musowanky track so far, hell, why couldn’t this have been there first release? Then I might have had more time for the band. Still, its pretty good funky kinda indie stuff, though I still cant get out of my mind the memory of earlier sins. Worth buying, but sceptically so. (AF). Release Date: 18th November. Link: Official Site: http://www.themusic.uk.com/tm/index.cfm
TENACIOUS D - WONDERBOY
Hmmm, definitely the weakest release so far from Mr Black and his buddy Kyle. It’s a spoof of the prog rock mythological
INTERPOL – OBSTACLE 1
Another band to jump on the ‘hey aren’t New York acts so cool at the moment’ bandwagon, but it’s too dirgy and lacks The Strokes’ immediacy and sense of fun. Not hideous, but not that interesting either. (AF). Release Date: November 11th. Link: Fansite: http://theinterpol.free.fr/
SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR – MUSIC GETS THE BEST OF ME
Ah, Ms Bextor, so unfairly criticised for having a strange shaped head, when her music up till now has been more than fine in a disco pop kind of way. Sadly this is pretty average though, a similar sound to her last two, but duller, whilst the lyrics are quite frankly just uninteresting. In a recent interview she claimed she was still an indie kid, so why she produces such kid friendly pop is beyond us. Bring back The Audience, thats what we say. (AF). Release Date: 4th November. Link: Official Site: http://www.sophieellisbextor.net/
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – NO ONE KNOWS
One of those songs I’m glad I didn’t review after just one listen, as its grown and grown on me until now I cant help but mosh like crazy whenever it comes on, and it almost makes me wish I had long hair. Almost. Less obscure than ‘Feel Good Hit of The Summer’, and a track which will definitely become a fan favourite. (AF). Release Date: 4th November. Link: Fansite: http://www.kyussqotsa.fr.st/
BOWLING FOR SOUP – EMILY
Surprisingly melodic from the normally quite angry ska punksters, but that’s not suggesting in anyway that its good, as it sure as hell isn’t. So what we’ve got here is a romanticish ballad about why he was dumped by said girl, that’ll presumably only to sell to girls without musical taste called Emily. Or their ex-boyfriends of course. Whatever, hopefully it’ll be a big enough flop that they’re record company drops them and signs somebody good instead. Ah, we can but dream. (AF). Release Date: 4th November. Link: Fansite: http://www.bfsrocks.com/
PHIL COLLINS – CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU
Oh god. He’s back and this time he’s even more annoying than ever, with a remake of a Leo Sayer tune that’s actually worse than the original. You don’t believe us? Well try listening to this song the whole way through without feeling violently ill. See, you cant. Sigh. Anyway, there’s no point in going on any further, this is just a warning to let you all know that its out there, and that Radio2 should be avoided for the time being. (AF). Release Date: 4th November. Link: No, we refuse to give one out.
SUEDE - OBSESSIONS
Every time I listen to this I think at any moment Brett's going to give in to temptation and start screaming "It's trrraasssshhh" as it sounds just so much like that classic (infact perhaps their last classic) song. Unfortunately he doesn't. Like Oasis and the Manics, this is the sound of a band repeating past glories, but which just makes you just want to put on their old albums instead. By no means terrible, but not particularly interesting sadly. (AF). Release Date: 18th November. Link: Official Site: http://uk.sonymusic.co.uk/suede/home/
SUM 41 - STILL WAITING
The video takes the piss out of all the "The" bands around at the moment, ie The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Hives etc, whilst sounding like the kiddie punk pop that Sum 41 have specialised in recently, and which makes me hate it all the more. I had time for their first single, a glorious pastiche of old and nu-metal, but this has nothing interesting to say in the slightest. It's not so bad I guess, just lazy, and having a pop at decent bands makes it all the more ridiculous. (AF). Release Date: 18th November. Link: Fansite: http://www.xtremepunk.com/
COLDPLAY - THE SCIENTIST
I don't know why, but I'd always slightly resisted liking Coldplay too much. Maybe it was the all too obvious influences, or the simplicity of the lyrics (Yellow especially), but now I just have to give in, as latest album A Rush of Blood To The Head has seen the band really grow, and there's some irresistible about their latest single. Martin's voice is as beautifully fragile as always, and this should hopefully persuade many others that this is a band who deserve to be taken seriously too. (AF). I really do feel that is a lot more happening in the songs released from this album, than I did about "Yellow", "Trouble" "Don't Panic" and the like. "In my place" was rousing, and this is a wonderfully crafted track set to a great video. I would hope all that talk of this being the last album was just that typical Coldplay modesty at work, and they do stick around longer.I really do feel that is a lot more happening in the songs released from this album, than I did about "Yellow", "Trouble" "Don't Panic" and the like. "In my place" was rousing, and this is a wonderfully crafted track set to a great video. I would hope all that talk of this being the last album was just that typical Coldplay modesty at work, and they do stick around longer. (CA). Release Date: 11th November. Link: Fansite: http://www.alwayscoldplay.tk/
BRITISH SEA POWER - CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Interesting, thats for sure. A nice lowkey start sees this song slowly build and build to a crazy finale, and whilst it occasionally sounds like Bowie but with a rougher, harsher edge, this is by no means a bad thing. One of those tracks that will be perfect to dance to at the local indie disco, something which there really should be more of at the moment. (AF). Release Date: 11th November. Link: Official Site: http://www.britishseapower.co.uk/
BJORK - IT'S IN OUR HANDS
Not good folks, not good at all. I've always never been that sure about Bjork, but admired her for at least trying to do something new, but this is just lazy, as she repeats 'its in our hands' over and over again whilst the more basic of electro beats trundles on in the background. There are other lyrics, but not many, and they're not of any interest either. Tiresome, and her worst yet. (AF). Release Date: 11th November. Link: Official Site: http://www.bjork.com/
ATHLETE - BEAUTIFUL
Now if you're going to call a song that, you better make sure it damn well is, yeah? And alas it isn't in the slightest, more of an attempt to be an epic Embrace / Oasis track (but sadly not even managing that), and its let down by some terribly drab lyrics too. (AF). Release Date: 4th November. Link: Official Site: http://www.athlete.mu/flash.htm
CRAZYTOWN - DROWNING
Presumably moving away from the Chilli Peppers influences, they've opted to be somewhere in between Linkin Park, Lostprophets, and Papa Roach. It actually does fit in neatly around those acts. It is catchy enough to survive, and might get them a whole new base of fans. Whether they have jumped on the bandwagon too late, only time will tell. (CA). Release Date: 4th November. Link: Fansite: http://www.geocities.com/amen3011/
Alex Finch, Craig Aston and Izzy Brooks.
The Singles Review Archive:
September and October 2002
July and August 2002
May and June 2002.
March and April 2002.
January and February 2002.
November and December 2001.
September and October 2001.
May and August 2001.
January and April 2001.
June and December 2000.
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