Singles (2007/05)

It's a grim month for singles, hence the lack of reviews so far. My girlfriend is making me watch the Eurovision Song Contest tomorrow so perhaps I'll throw in a few reviews of outrageously camp Euro-pop just to keep you on your toes. Or maybe not.

. . .

13 MAY, 2007

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - "3's & 7's"

Interscope (Listen at MySpace)

I loved the first two Queens of the Stone Age records, played them to death. I saw the band's original line-up play a couple of incendiary live shows too but for some inexplicable reason, just before the release of Songs for the Deaf, I lost interest in the band overnight. I still don't know why exactly but one thing's for sure: 3's & 7's isn't going to draw me back into the world of QOTSA. It's a solid, competent rock tune, but I can't escape the impression that I've heard Josh Homme playing this riff before, only a little bit harder. I still go back to the band's debut occasionally and the more I hear their new material, the more I'm convinced that Queens of the Stone Age marked the band's creative peak. In other words this is ok but I'd take Regular John or If Only any day. (6) DC

. . .

11 MAY, 2007

VON SÃœDENFED - "Fledermaus Can't Get It"

Domino (Listen at MySpace)

What do you get when to mix Mouse On Mars with Mark E. Smith? This rather odd collaboration apparently. Set to a throbbing electronic backing track The Fall frontman's demented vocals sound totally reinvigorated and while I'm not sure if I'd like to listen to a whole album of Fledermaus Can't Get It clones, it certainly sounds fresh at the moment. (7) DC

. . .

BOWLING FOR SOUP - "London Bridge"

A&G (You really should know better)

Ah, the novelty cover version, how we've missed you. I can almost forgive Bowling For Soup for cranking this out at a live show - that might possibly have been mildly amusing to an inebriated teenager - but the fact that they've committed hard studio time to perfecting this shit kind of kills the joke stone dead. Who actually needs this in their life? Bowling For Soup shout and scream but the true irony here is that there's probably more testosterone in Fergie's original. Er... (1) DC

. . .

SHINY TOY GUNS - "You Are The One"

Mercury (Listen at MySpace)

Sterile synths, conventional beats, overly processed vocals, a boy band chorus... You Are The One sounds like the Killers gone soft. Someone please make it stop. (3) DC