This Weeks Reviews.....

Redlight Feat Ms Dynamite – What you talking about?

Ms Dynamite tee-heeeee is back and isn’t pulling any punches about what she wants and that’s a hit and she indeed may have one on her hands.” What You Talking About?” is a one-two combination of club dance floor bass and in the words of its producer/artist Redlight (or Hugh Pescod to his mum) a “jet-propelled banger”, nothing like a bit of restrained quiet optimism it seems, although as it’s already
been Zane Lowe’s Hottest Record of the Week back in June it’s not without merit.

The only thing first off that clenches my teeth is the heavy use of Auto-Tune on the vocals, the games up, the cats out of the
bag and when even 70 year old ladies on the bus are talking about “that vocal effect thingy used on x-factor” you know that maybe artists should own up and record their songs warts and all. But this is a small ding and simply personal taste after all using it
as an effect ( as used here) as opposed to band aid to dodgy pitch is an art within itself and could be one of the hooks that drives it.

Lyrics have always been Ms Dynamite’s strongest asset (aside from cooking skills on Hells Kitchen obviously) and this is no different, I’m sure this song will be getting a rinsing at clubs and on the radio if only for the giant clattering Bass line sure to be rattling the speakers of many the mobile phones on my bus journeys in the next few weeks. The new “Bonkers”? Redlight has built a slick dubstep beat and with rave style synths mixed with some M.I.A flavours are used as a perfect catalyst for the vocals. The video is also released and after a few watches think for the good of my fragile mind all the directors’ smartie’s and fizzy pop need to be taken away from him, subtle it ain’t…like an acid trip in Willy Wonka’s factory and would make MGMT opt for more browns and greys in their palette, but till then time
to dig out your dodgy 80s tops, luminous socks and rebook pumps and bounce to this dark horse for club classic in the making, expect a multitude of remixes coming soon.


Edwyn Collins – 'Losing Sleep'

Edwyn Collins is a survivor. He is in it for the long haul and isn’t about to start a clothing line, new perfume range or
be a guest judge on X Factor. He is a artist through and through. He started as a guitarist and principle songwriter in Orange Juice
with their angular guitar work and early 60s pop-tastic chorus’s in Collin’s deep Scottish brogue onto his solo years culminating with
his biggest hit “A Girl Like You” a song used in many films and montage clips on TV since.

John Lennon once said in a Rolling Stone interview “I'm an artist, and if you give me a tuba, I'll bring you something out of it” the same
could be said to Edwyn Collins. Due to his well publicised double brain haemorrhage back in 2005 he is now incapable of playing the guitar,
the instrument that was his tool to bring to life the backdrop of his lyrics and even though it’s been a long journey back from the end he has
kept moving and kept heart. Guitars on the album will be played by a host of indie luminaries such as Johnny Marr, Alex Kapranos, Ryan
Jarman from The Cribs and Barrie Cadogan from Little Barrie handling 6 string duties on the single. Showing that his inspiration and influence
is already spanning a generation.

“Losing Sleep” is the first single off the new album of the same name and on first listen sounds like he’s back, not with a vengeance but with a
new set of eyes and perspective of the world. His new world. The lyrics are more direct; less embellished with synonyms or rhymes after all if you
fall in the ocean you don’t reel a list of reasons why you would like saving you just scream AAAAAGH! Simple, direct and to the point or in Collin’s
own words “Fast and quick and speedy!” the overall mantra of the album and while still a labour of love, the first idea was the best, get the first or
second take and move on.

This song “Losing Sleep”with its pounding Northern Soul unrelenting drum lick and with the guitars cradle his voice perfectly. His voice sounds stronger than ever and with only that to consider now (his own guitar playing now sadly diminished) gives pure tone and unleashes the crooner within without being schmaltzy or fake. Listening back I would go as far to say as he has finally found his voice he was aiming for. Or he now has the voice he deserves.
Vintage is a word that is over used in every aspect of music and fashion but this track is definitely “worn in”, great sound, loud guitars,feedback and horn section so far removed from the Mark Ronson trade-marks its almost like an old Coasters 45.

If this is the taster for the album it’ll be
a wait worth savouring, welcome back Edwyn…


Screaming Tea Party – The Witch From Oregon

Bring the noise with a spoonful of sugar to help the power pop go down and you have this great slice of psychedelic pop at its fuzziest. From the opening growling bass to the pitch shifted buzz saw guitar hook that circles and repeats itself surprisingly without ever outstaying its welcome.

Screaming Tea Party are a mom and pop store band definitely. No guru, manager, A&R scout or son of tricky dickie could put this lot together, vocals buried in the mix under layers of distortion and feedback mean a lot of the lyrics are indistinguishable but somehow still manage to create a memorable hook (even if I have no idea what I'm saying I'm at least making similar vowels). With elements of The Cure, Dinosaur Jr and gorgeous female 2 part harmonies mixed with the already mentioned non-discript lyrics (something about a witch and a butterfly?) who knows? Never mind it could be the “Louie Louie” of our generation. In a time where music, trends was going through the Byron-esque trilby poetry and heroin phase before coming out in 2010/1984 with Duran Duran wannabes who would have thought it would be a band that wants to make a racket and nail their colours to the flag pole of alt.noise.pop that were taking the gold medal. Possibly the more accessible of their tracks currently available and this is no bad thing and this band know the beauty of a 3 min pop song and deliver it in a ear drum shaped My Bloody Valentine wave of sound.

Definitely one to be played loud. Catch them live when you can as a band this much fun aren't going to stay underground for long. The video is now up on youtube and looks like it cost a tenner to make but is a hundred times more fun then the next slice of MTV $10 million production to hit these shores any time soon. Right time for one more play....