New Releases 9th January 2006

Sunblock - I'll Be Ready
IG: A summer dance anthem at the wrong time of year to sum up.

I think this could be real smash in July with some real airplay and everyone getting in the summer mood but thinking about people running in slo-mo along a beach is almost unthinkable in January.

The track itself it’s a bit predictable in that it’s pretty much the same all the way through, it’s very much like it’s predecessors in that it does have a market in the (chavvy) clubs but I don’t think it will have that much impact at this time of year.

PB: How ace is this? I’m probably the only one besides a group of aging chavs who appreciate the brilliance/awfulness of this. I hope I’m not, but I probably am. And let’s face it, it’s been a long time coming (a dance record sampling the Baywatch theme) and it was never going to make the charts quiver with fear, but, then that was never the intention. In my personal opinion they should’ve probably waited until the summer to release this, but then the charts are going on their post-Christmas slim line diet (which I suspect they’ll give up on next week looking at the releases) and I suppose any new music at all – even if it does use a tired 80s sample – is a good thing.

Richard Ashcroft - Break The Night With Colour
IG: The return of Richard Ashcroft. Slightly yawn enducing. This is kind of like, if Athlete were a solo artist… or perhaps really if The Verve were a solo artist.
I find this track quite nice in general but I get bored easily listening to it.. I expected something more gritty like Ashcroft’s previous work (ie: Bittersweet Symphony) but this is more like drivel for the “ooh guitars on it? I’ll take five” market. Better than Blunt though, slightly better than Blunt.

PB: The lead singer of the Verve makes his comeback in the quietest, most shittest period for singles (January) in an attempt, surely, to debut higher than he normally would or should. The single itself is typical Ashcroft, a slow drudging indie ‘anthem’ that thinks it’s more emotive than it is. With faux-inspirational lyrics this song clearly wishes it was ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ and Richard Ashcroft appears to be grasping at straws to replicate the success of that song and justify his undeserved status as indie-subgod.

Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats
IG: A song that still sends shivers down my spine whenever I hear it. Such a simple track yet so affecting and wonderful to listen to. His voice haunts along to the subtle guitar playing in the background.

Oh, how I wish I hadn’t had to find out about this from a bloody advert! (a good advert at that though). Though I did feel a slight smugness when I was listening to everyone phone into Jo Whiley asking what that beautiful song was and she replied that it was Heartbeats. I had seen Pop Boy listening to this ages ago on msn and I’m sure he sent me it. How I regret not listening sooner.

It’s also a great cover of this track originally by The Knife and I can’t decide which I love more.

PB: Known by the meek and lowly as ‘that song off the Bravia adverts’. Known by me as the highlight of Acousti-Swede Jose Gonzalez’ all-in-all quite meh-ish album ‘Veneer’ and a cover of calypso-pop Swedes The Knife who at the very least, can be described as ‘kooky’. But on it’s own, regardless of the album, or the fact that’s it a cover, this song is wonderful. A subtle, gentle, beautiful and chillingly tingly story of… well, I’m not quite sure what. Is it a partner having an affair? Having an affair? Having a one-night fling? I don’t know, but the song has the aura of a dangerous sexual liaison. And now, it’s helped flog some TVs too.

Elvis - Heartbreak Hotel
IG: He’s still re-releasing, eh?

Well, it’s still a true classic and I would have more time for Elvis if I hadn’t been to Vegas and seen dozens of rubbish look-alikes trying to sing on the streets but anyway…

It’s such a simple but wonderfully thought-out tune and I guess that this must be nearing the end of Elvis’s re-releases so that’s a good thing. Now, all we have to look forward to is Michael Jackson releasing an old hit every week. Er, yay.

PB: Is Elvis still releasing all of his singles? Did this actually appear on the actual release schedule or just the one I looked at? So many questions, so much indifference, so little time. Anyway, let’s go on and talk about Elvis. ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was Elvis’ first ever release and to be honest, I can’t really understand the hype. Perhaps that’s because hindsight is such a beautiful thing and I live in a world of Girls Aloud, Spice Girls and Arctic Monkeys and therefore general expectations are much higher than they were fifty years ago.

Best & Worst?
IG: Best - Jose, Worst - Richard Ashcroft
PB: Best - Jose, Worst - Richard Ashcroft