OUT THIS WEEK

EBONY BONES – ‘Bone of My Bones!’ (Sunday Best)

While La Roux andthe synth set are getting lavished with attention, spare a thought for Ebony Bones who has this gem on offer. Part carnival, part psychotic wig out, with lashings of urban and pop, and lyrics that are wittily caustic – Ebony Bones is where the party is. Stuttering handclaps on ‘W.A.R.R.I.OR’, dangerous pop on ‘I’m Ur Future X Wife’, the warped tribal screams on ‘When It Rains’ – Ebony might have missed the boat that M.I.A and later on, Santigold, pushed out, but this is well worth a listen. In this current heatwave, it’s perfect to have a block party to.

ME MY HEAD – ‘ Tumbling Down’ (Best Before Records)

If there is one band MMH remind me of from listening to ‘Tumbling Down’, it’s ill-fated 90s heroin-chic Marion. Why? Because it does. Why are you arguing? Ok, don’t remember them? Then this is basic stuff – over used chorus, wizzy synths via The Killers, fuzzed out vocals.  High aspirations, not so high results.

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB – ‘Dust On The Ground’ (Mmm… Records/Universal)

If White Lies have replaced Editors as the purveyors of dark sonics and heart gripping atmospherics, then they should be ready to give the torch over once more as these also Londoners prove that after spending much time on the specialist lists and slogging early festival slots they are worthy ascendents.  Gentle guitar chords cradle Jack Steadman’s intimate, resonant voice which trembles effortlessly when called upon to; the near perfection of this track is welcome to colour our summer.

THE RUMBLE STRIPS – ‘Not The Only Person’ (Island Records)

When Charlie sings ‘poor poor boys’ you do think, hmmm, not much progression here, but thankfully the rest of the track is leaps and bounds into greater territory. Swathes of orchestral magic give this single pomp and splendor, much in the way Blur’s The Universe became a grandiose statement, but The Rumble Strips infuse a 60s influence and their usual sunny disposition to create something that in amongst the 80s synths and dad rock stands out a mile.

SOLID GOLD – ‘Bible Thumper’

Solid Gold, who haven’t made quite the impact of Empire of The Sun and their ilk, return with this delectable, low key, funk slash psych dreaminess. And even better, the sleepy chillout of b-side, ‘Getaway’, is equally decent. If anything is wrong with ‘Bible Thumper’ it’s that it’s not entirely immediate; not driven by a juddering beat means it may not be setting dancefloors on fire despite having all the other elements of a hit. Solid Gold are the quiet contenders of the genre but no less impressive than their counterparts and worth investigating if face paint and dancing in deserts are getting on your nerves.

YEAH YEAH YEAHS – ‘Heads Will Roll’ (Polydor)

Brilliant. Absolutely 100%  smackdown. And watch the video because it’s a ripper. Or a thriller, even. Yes, that’s it.

Review done.

LA ROUX – ‘La Roux’ – (Polydor)

It’s all going well for Ms Jackson who is actually making good on her massive hype from the beginning of the year, with No1′s stacking up and great reviews across the board. So is the album any cop? Once you get past the singles, which are stacked up front of the album, you have the chance to explore what is essentially a love letter to the early 80s synth-pop bands. Many of which were shite, but Jackson and her silent partner Ben Langmaid have plundered the best of them, including the ground breaking Human League (who are best known for their shittier songs while their best material i.e ‘Labanon’ is overlooked) to create this heavily retro feel while her high pitched warble flutters to the forefront.

Strangely, it may well take several listens to appreciate what ‘La Roux’ holds; at first it feels as if they’ve played their hand too early, the singles are by far the most impressive work, but behind this lies tracks like ‘Tigerlily’, which snaps and needles at the ear, its spoken word bridge a welcome menace, while ‘Fascination’ combines her wistful soprano with a perky electro soundtrack. It tends to drag towards the end, bonus track ‘Growing Pains’ simply pulling Human League’s ‘Sound Of The Crowd’ off the shelf for a dust off and a melody re-write, but there is no denying that La Roux has delivered. How special the package is, though, will be a debated subject for sometime.