New Releases 31st October 2005

The Kills - No Wow

PB: At last! The Kills are releasing this song as a single. The song follows what seems to be the biggest pop trend of 2005 – Horses! (see ‘I Said Never Again (But Here We Are)’, ‘Oh La La’ and Madonna). This song canters along slowly and timidly, but you get the feeling it could burst into a full blown gallop at any moment. Then halfway through the bass hits! But it still canters, it just canters a bit louder than before. Then towards the end we hear guitars properly and the song begins to actually resemble a proper song and this horse starts to gallop. But that’s not all. It’s a show horse. And what a show.
If this song were an animal it would be: a horse. Clip-Clop!

IG: Not really a wow for me either I’m afraid. For me this a bit of a letdown of a track compared to The Kills earlier offerings (my favourite being “The Good Ones”) This track seems boring in comparison. The track continues to build up and build up and build up for so long that I get bored. And even when the songs reaches it’s “climax” I am still not enthralled. I think it is a good thing however, that The Kills are retunring to the charts. As they are good, just not here.

Unfortunately, I have not got animals to compare the songs to, or anything else in a matter of fact. Ho hum.

Patrick Wolf - Tristan

PB: In the second At Last! Moment of the week Patrick Wolf releases the ever so epic and mighty ‘Tristan’, one the bestest but leastest sounding like Patrick Wolf song on the whole of his brilliant album ‘Wind In The Wires’. Patrick lives up to his name on this track by both literally and metaphorically growling with debauchery, lust and promiscuity. I once kissed a boy called Tristan who was debauchered, lustful and promiscuous. And he was alive. This is of course the vital point of the whole song. And if that beat doesn’t getting you tapping your foot or nodding your head even a little bit then you are made of stronger stuff than me.
If this were an animal it would be: a wolf. Growl!

IG: Oh my fucking god, oh my fucking god. Oh excuse me there, but I think I may have just experienced a bit of a musical orgasm. Forever and ever I have been hearing this name mentioned everywhere I go. I hear Popjustice boardies bigging Patrick up all the bloody time on every thread that mentions a singer-songwriter and did I bother taking action? No. Until now when Pop Boy suggested this track for reviewing. I got a hold of it and on first listen. Wow. I mean. Wow! Why did I never listen to this man before? Why did I never take notice?!? And after listening to Tristan and fellow album track The Libertine (also from Patrick’s critically acclaimed second album), I am now planning on buying “Wind In The Wires” and if I have money I’ll stretch to his first album as well. I just need more Patrick and I need it now!

Goldfrapp - Number 1

PB: This is Indie Girl and Pop Boy’s national anthem, our theme tune as it were. Goldfrapp are our favourite band and if they aren’t already they’ll soon be yours. The moaning, longing synths seem to sinew beneath brilliant lyrics (“I’m like a dog to get you”) which are hard to decipher as sentimental and lovely or lustful and horny, which really, is how everything should be. The Frapp appear to take every little thing we were ever taught about what makes great electro music by Ultravox, Gary Numan, Visage and New Order, roll it all up into just one song (well, actually into a album as well, it’s called ‘Supernature’. Buy it!) and create what is quite modestly the greatest electro song of this whole drawn out electro-revival (yes! Even better than ‘One Word’, ‘Pop!ular’ and ‘Negotiate With Love’!!). A message to all writers, producers and popstars: STOP THE ELECTRO REVIVAL! It just peaked. You are all out of jobs. Ha! Ha! Goldfrapp have stomped you down like the genius Godzillas of music that they are. Ha! Ha! Ha! Anyway, onto Darren Hayes….
If this song were an animal it would be: a big fucking robot Alsatian that would eat all your asses. Woof! Bleep!

IG: Frapp! Glorious Frapp! Electro and doggy dancers! Ah yes, our gods have returned. All hail Alison and Will back with the second track from one of my favourite albums of the year, “Supernature.” Oh, and what a return it is! The lyrics... sexy and animalistic whilst still being quiet and lusty. Accompanied by that catchy electronic thump guiding us along. Just perfection. It doesn’t get better than this. Fuck all the wannabes. This is the holy grail and I like it. A lot. BUY IT! (or we’ll set the dogs on you.)

Darren Hayes - So Beautiful

PB: Completing a hat-trick of At Last! moments this week, Darren Hayes has got a new single out. Not that you’d know. I don’t think I’ve heard this song on the radio or seen the video once. It’s like ‘Pop!ular’ all over again. And it really is, because yet another great Hayes song is being washed down the gutters of pop to be almost totally forgotten. Without meaning to sound horrid and cliché, I can quite honestly say that the sentiment that’s dripping like honey from a fork from this song’s lyrics really is so beautiful. Ok, yes, that was bad. But the song isn’t. Let’s round this up. Nice song, but I think you should let people hear it Darren. Everyone else, buy the Savage Garden greatest hits package for yourself (or your mum) this Christmas.
At least I didn’t refer to Darren’s Australian-ness, or try to be all clever by referring to Savage Garden song titles. That would be immature and juvenile.
If this were an ‘Animal Song’ that animal would be: a big cuddly koala bear, mate. D’oh!

IG: Meh. I really don’t rate this. A damp squib of a song. Perhaps it just sounds crap next to the genius of Goldfrapp and Patrick Wolf or dull next to the amazingly campy and fabulous “Popular” or the old favourites from Savage Garden, particularly my favourite “I Want You” but this track is poor Darren. Poor. It’s sounds like middle of the range pop and I definitely think Mr Hayes can do better. Tut tut.

Best & Worst?
PB: Best - Goldfrapp, Worst - Everything else. EVER! In the history of the whole entire world!
IG: Best - Goldfrapp, Worst - Darren Hayes (only a crumb of genius compared to Goldfrapp's whole rich gateaux)