RECORD OF THE WEEK - FRANCIS NEVE, Winterbury

FRANCIS Neve mourns the end of a relationship against stark lo-fi instrumentals while guest vocalist Lucy Randell calmly revels in the chorus to remind him “I don’t like the way you are” – essentially Ugly Kid Joe’s Everything About You but more refined. A composed lament for the polite generation. It works because it’s believable. (Out March 28).

RECORD OF THE WEEK - BEAU AND THE ARROWS, Fix

YOU know that familiar calming tone Radio 4 presenters seem to be born with?
Beau and the Arrows have managed to capture that essence of serenity, channelled it into ultra-cool vocals – and male-female harmonies recalling The XX – and laid it over a soaring all-encompassing backdrop of impatient drums and nonchalant guitar. They have mastered the art of leaving space in their tracks, allowing the raw naive vocals to cut right through. Signed to Kentish Town label Happy Release Records. (Out April 4).

RECORD OF THE WEEK - YOUNG BUFFALO, Catapilah

HERE’S another gem from the Mississippi. There’s a lot going on in trio Young Buffalo’s debut download single Catapilah – imaginative lyrics, an absorbing structure and an intense mesh of melodious energies. Although the prevailing chorus teeters on the edge of plain old teenage indie rock, the disjointed harmonies and manic overlaid affirming vocals, like an overeager friend tapping you on the shoulder, lift it into another class. (Out now).

RECORD OF THE WEEK - WRETCH 32 feat Example, Unorthodox

THERE are two ways of looking at this.
One - that Wretch 32 has taken a classic Stone Roses hook (from Fools Gold) and presented it to a "Landan"-centric generation that will never realise or understand the fundamental importance of its Manchester indie roots.
Or, two - that he has just confirmed the greatness and enduring mass appeal of the Roses and introduced it to a crop of pop aficionados who may then go on to discover the real thing.
I prefer the latter.
Either way, this is a one-listen-don't-forget kinda tune gilded by Example's popular touch that's unlikely to escape chart popularity.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - JOSH T PEARSON, Last of the Country Gentlemen

THERE’S a danger of trivialising this masterpiece by suggesting it is one for the broken-hearted.

But the anguish mournful Texan Josh T Pearson painstakingly lays out in Last of the Country Gentlemen has more than a hint of “I feel your pain and I’ve suffered tenfold” about it.
With just seven songs over 60 minutes, Pearson takes his sweet time building each sorrowful track. Stunning but not for the impatient. (Out March 14, plays Union Chapel May 11).

RECORD OF THE WEEK - RIZZLE KICKS, Down With The Trumpets

AS THE cold dark nights draw in here's a little bit of sunshine to throw off the clouds.
Brighton duo Rizzle Kicks have come up with a lively, groovy tune about...brass (until now, my least favourite instrument group). Down With the Trumpets has a ring of Man Like Me - another reason I like this one. A tea tray features heavily in the video - why not? They're unsigned but not for long - check them out on Youtube now.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - JONA LEWIE PRESENTS MAN LIKE ME, You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties

IF YOU watch X-Factor and don't get up for a cuppa during the ads, you'll have seen Man Like Me dancing around a house of kitchens promoting Ikea covering Jona Lewie's 1980 hit You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties.
Band member and - it turns out - talented impressionist Pete Duffy sings lead instead of frontman Jonny Langer (deemed too wild for this song) and replicates Lewie's voice perfectly. This is the most restrained MLM - loved for their energetic dancing - have ever been. Great song but next time Ikea use one of MLM's originals.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - WU LYF, Lucifer Calling

I HAD picked a totally different ROTW but then I heard this.
Wu Lyf – unsigned – stopped me in my tracks. They are masters of obscurity, dealing in misdirection and a leaving a web-wide trail of clues. Calling Lucifer has that rough appeal of a first gig – shredded, raw and echoing in a venue too big for it. The addictive, coarse vocals are so unclear they’re almost implied while the instrumentals are both arresting and suffocating. And they’re from Manchester. Check out their back catalogue...if you can track it down.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - EGYPTIAN HIP HOP, Moon Crooner

A BIT of plinky synth, ailing indie boy vocals and some beats here and there – this seems to be the formula for what the cool kids are listening to. Egyptian Hip Hop (who are neither of these things) have seized upon this. It’s easy to imagine hearing this on the Barfly dancefloor, though I fear the synth section, while the best feature, is at risk of being particularly annoy ing. Moon Crooner EP is out September 20.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - KELE, The Boxer

IF THE purpose of Kele Okereke’s debut solo album The Boxer is to show he’s capable of more than Bloc Party, he manages this with the first few tracks. Sadly they just sound like slightly indulgent over-distorted dance remixes. Kele begins to sound more like himself as the album progresses and this is where he excels. The moral of the story? Persist.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - MYSTERY JETS, Dreaming of Another World

THERE’S definitely a hint of Hockey in this romantic Mystery Jets single (out July 5). Listen carefully to the verses, it’s got a familiar ring. You’ll recognise Dreaming of Another World, it’s been heavily played and the carefree reverie's sure to be adopted for a mobile phone ad if it hasn’t already. Check out the cool geeky dancing in the video. 

RECORD OF THE WEEK - FAITHLESS, Not Going Home

THE festival season is upon us. And what outdoor bash would be complete without the latest Faithless anthem. Sadly, their first single in four years is not quite the banging tune we’ve come to expect. It’s more like a mellow mid-album gentle club track. Still it’s good to hear Maxi Jazz’s comforting tones remain crystal at the ripe old age of 52.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - EMIT BLOCH DICTAPHONES VOL. 1

THIS choice has nothing to do with the charming handwritten note that tumbled out of the envelope with this album, apparently from Emit himself.
But now I’ve listened to it, I hope Bloch did write it as it could be
worth something.
Dictaphones has the kind of rough quality that can fool the listener into thinking a vinyl has crept into the CD player. In truth the distortion is a result of Bloch’s rejection of glossy production, instead recording straight into a dictaphone. Americana is everywhere you look now but none so raw as this, and quite possibly the better for it.
Sadly I couldn't find any video footage to go with it - maybe I'll track down a picture.

RECORD OF THE WEEK - HURTS Wonderful Life

HURTS
Wonderful Life


I've sadly abandoned this page for the festive season but as January fades away my eyes are opening and I'm returning to the real world.
Should have posted this one before Christmas.
Hurts have evoked the best of 80s electronica with this simple, authentic track.
What do you think?

RECORD OF THE WEEK - ROBOT DISASTER Boy

ROBOT DISASTER
Boy

The CDs have been piling up and it's taken me some time to get through them but as soon as I heard this one I wanted to hear it again and again.



KISSY Sell Out's been raving about this one for some time. It's an irresistible dance track from a bunch of skinny indie kids clearly enjoying the hedonism of youth.
There's just enough synth in there to hint at dance anthem euphoria, while retaining ample warehouse guitars to ensure it's an accessible crossover track.
Ideal for late-night Barfly partying.
Their single launch was tonight at Club Fandango, 229 Great Portland Street.
Boy is released on December 7.

Check out their label's blog - http://gashdjs.blogspot.com/