Summer Camp – Ghost Train

Summer Camp

So Summer Camp are not Swedish, but in fact Jeremy Warmsley (interviewed here) and Platform Editor Elizabeth Sankey.

We also now know there’s this single which is really rather good, and painfully few songs on their MySpace that hint at a band who are great in creating the kind of hazy music that you can quite happily get lost amongst this summer. ‘Ghost Train’ is such a song.

As with Summer Camp’s other tracks ‘Ghost Train’ begins with a line from another ’80s movie classic. This time Cameron Crowe’s, Say Anything…. “I’m sorry, it’s just you’re a really nice guy, and we don’t wanna see you get hurt” before the response, “I wanna get hurt!”. While ‘Ghost Train’ isn’t homage to the film, it does share themes of interactions and potentially putting distance between them.

It has that traversing landscapes aura about it. Coupled with overtones of adolescent long distance relationships, struggling to exist via poor connections and cross-country trains amid changing seasons. It’s a sweet and airy chug along with an O Superman-esque “Dear, dear, dear, dear, dear/I, I, I, I, I/You, you, you, you, you” over an awkward, infectious and darling synth line. The vocals are subtle and light yet bloom on the chorus.  … Continue Reading

Spectrals/Fair Ohs Split 7″

Spectrals/Fair Ohs

The current D.I.Y scene in East London seems to be producing quality bands and recordings at an incredible rate, with a range and depth of sounds that means if one of these bands aren’t for you, then the chances are two or three others will be. A few of these artists have recently been brought together on the Italian Beach Babes/Paradise Vendors Inc compilation available here, which serves as both a summation of and introduction to what has been going on. While the scene’s most prominent band and driving force behind Paradise Vendors Inc, Male Bonding, are off to tour the U.S. with Vivian Girls before the release of their debut album on Sub Pop, back in the UK Fairs Ohs and Spectrals are busy building up their own followings with limited releases like this split 7”. … Continue Reading

Parenthetical Girls – Privilege, pt. 1 EP

Parenthetical Girls - Privilege, pt. 1 EP

A favourite of a certain Gareth Campesinos!, this is the first part of what promises to be an exciting endeavour – a series of five self contained, self released EP’s to release, in the words of singer Zac Pennington, “short, appetising bursts of anima”.  And appetising it certainly does sound. … Continue Reading

Boris Dlugosch – Bangkok

Boris Dlugosch

When I loaded the latest single from the German deep house producer Boris Dlugosch onto my iPod I was half expecting it to go into a state of shock due to the presence of such a foreign body on its hard drive. Not that I have anything against German deep house but I guess I always tended to equate it to doner kebabs, brilliant at 3am when you’ve had a skinfull but not so advisable at any other time. Which is why I was somewhat shocked when I heard ‘Bangkok’… and actually quite liked it!

This German barrage of bass kicks off with a rather straight drum beat and synth line, however this is just regular façade of what is, on the whole, a rather edgy track. The main hook sounds like a Smurf with a hollow wooden arse having its head slammed in a door whilst being smacked on the rear end with a drum stick, well it does to me anyway…..and I love it, and you should too!

The background to this Smurf-related assault is provided by a deep, crunching bass beat so dark and murky it should be housed in London Dungeons; equally brilliant.

However, this track also seems to have one foot in the past as a vintage sounding ascending synth line conjures images of old Daft Punk albums, before being crushed by the London Dungeon bass blob and Smurf assaulting drummer.

Thank you, Boris Dlugosch, for giving me my first pleasant sober experience of deep house, and thank you also for deciding what I should have for lunch tomorrow… extra salad and garlic mayo please!

Cass McCombs – Dreams Come True Girl

Cass McCombs - Dreams Come True Girl

The inclusion of the word ‘girl’ is a tricky one. Musically, depending on its placement within a sentence, it can have the detrimental effect of dating a song quite dramatically.

Glancing at the title to Cass McCombs’ debut single, from his forthcoming album Catacombs, may work to instantaneously highlight how the song might sound. It does. Add to this the fact that when Cass McCombs croons in with, “You’re not my dream girl/You’re not my reality girl/You’re my dreams come true girl”, the plodding patter of the music weighs down the words in a way that renders them simply drab. The aforementioned line requires straining the “dreams-come-true-girl” over an already flaccid beat. It’s cringeworthy. … Continue Reading

The Blackout – I Don’t Care (This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things)

The Blackout

Ah, emo, I’ve missed you. Only kidding. You might hide behind a lie of being “post-hardcore”, but I can spot you a mile off. The preposterous band name, the pretentious song title, the dumbness of having yet another heavy rock outfit from Wales (we already have to put up with Lostprophets, what have we done to deserve this?), it’s just not possible to take it seriously.

That said, this The Blackout song’s not all bad, it crunches along happily enough for a bunch of depressed kids, Sean Smith has the perfect voice for the band and it all seems harmless enough. It’s disposable, mass produced commercial fast-food mush. You won’t be “begging for more”, as Smith hopefully claims. … Continue Reading

Allo, Darlin’ – The Polaroid Song

'Allo Darlin'

There’s a special place in every girl’s heart for twee pop. The Cardigans doing ‘Carnival’, Belle and Sebastian doing, well, any of their songs – it’s enough to make any red-blooded chick wear Hello Kitty slides in their fringe, get a uke and wear their boyfriend’s ratty brown cardigan.

… Continue Reading

Mumford and Sons – Winter Winds

Mumford and Sons

Mumford and Sons played a gig in New York a few months ago, at the legendary Mercury Lounge, as a warm up to their SXSW performances.  Foolishly, I didn’t go, despite all the hype I’d heard about them.

… Continue Reading

The Toxic Avenger – Toxic Is Dead

The Toxic Avenger

Simon Delacroix, better known as The Toxic Avenger has released another electro-thrash single (although from what I’m hearing it would be better coined electro-trash for the 4 minutes of pain endured by my ears!).

… Continue Reading

Blue Roses – Does Anyone Love Me Now?

Blue Roses

Let’s get this straight – Blue Roses (aka singer-songwriter Laura Groves) is in possession of a ‘voice’.

And not just a pretty voice, not even just a strong voice – but a voice with a remarkable, unique quality which may have warranted legions of favourable Kate Bush comparisons, but ultimately means Laura transcends them.

… Continue Reading