Artrocker Magazine’s Single Reviews for the week commencing February 14th

Mojo Fury
Colour of the Bear
(Graphite Records)

Every morning we're faced with a choice. Lethargy? Or A*C*T*I*O*N! And let's face it, lethargy is pretty tempting when you're faced with a radio station blurting out random words such as 'cuts' and 'rain' and the DJ's no good and... hey! Wasn't that last dream quite interesting? Let's go back there. Reality's a tough one though, because in the end you've got to engage with it, and not just engage with it but ride the f*cker - grab its horns and punch it into the shape you need. It's not easy, but the best bands at least make it easier.
The second single from Mojo Fury's forthcoming debut album, 'Colour of the Bear' is the kind of song that sees a challenge, contemplates the challenge, then fillets the spine of the pesky thing and moves on; it don’t hang around.
There's barely a verse to speak of before the cave collapses around the best rock chorus of the year so far ("Let's try to make this work / One... more... TIME!") and when that chorus kicks in, there's a kind of unspoken deal going on: they know they're got righteous energy, you know that's currency - and your boots are walking before Nancy's even asked if they're ready.
Yep, this is a song that endorses A*C*T*I*O*N! and this Northern Irish bunch are pretty sneaky too, because once the chorus is done, they hold the bait just above your snapping jaws and go into a psychedelic interlude before slamming their foot back on the gas and ramming the damn thing home.
There's an At The Drive In video going round the web at the moment, and it features the band dropping Bonzai bombs on the set of Later With Jools Holland. The video's preface is a Bill Hicks quote; ""Does anyone remember when music had balls?" Now Bill Hicks - the man had his flaws - but his stance was basically anti-corporate pop: he just wanted to hear music that had a large dagger in its mouth, lunging towards you, coated in dirt. No surprises that the Brit School professionals 'aint about to deliver that, but in the year that rock is so famously dead, this Northern Irish band might well prove that rock's just a zombie: more viscous when it's deceased.
Ric Rawlins


Villagers
Becoming A Jackal
(Domino)

Formed in Dublin in 2008 by frontman Conor J. O'Brien, Villagers are the musical equivalent of a computer with an intermittent problem. Most of the time there seems to be nothing wrong but every so often just when you least expect it, it falls over.
In this instance the intermittent problem lies within ‘Becoming A Jackal’, a re-release of a single originally released in April 2010. It’s generally a good folk tune, played predominantly on acoustic guitar, well produced and with some interesting lyrics (“each time they found fresh meat to chew/ I would turn away and return to you/you would offer me your unmade bed/feed me til I’m fed/read me til I’m read”). But then the chorus comes and just as the protagonist turns to a Jackal, Villagers turn to Simon & Garfunkel and it all falls over.
Mark Cousens


Maps And Atlases
Living Decorations
(Fat Cat)

'Living Decorations' is a fairly strong, Afrobeat-flavoured pop song, which brings to mind a sort of tribal dance in the woods with just a hint of jagged rock guitars.
Undermining the drama is the vocal which feels a bit lost in the mix, although this mishap is corrected by the Breton Labs remix, which whacks the voice upfront, takes out only the bouncy guitar and sends it in the direction of electroclash. This has much more presence.
Stuart Gadd


Lulu & The Lampshades
Cold Water EP
(Moshi Moshi Records)

In these days, when it seems every new songstress is ‘something and the somethings’, you’ve got to be careful not to immediately assume you’re dealing with a cliché. It’s unfortunate for Lulu that she and her posse of two ladies and one boy are likely to be lumbered with these preconceptions, but that doesn’t alter the fact that ‘Cold Water’, awash with ukulele and interwoven vocals, is nigh on impossible not to hate.
Conversely ‘Cups’ goes some way in improving relations – there’s some super hand clapping and imitations of The Carter Family, making for good ole country times.
‘Moccasin Mile’ is far quirkier than anything Florence would put her name to these days and, yes, there are flutes, trumpets, ukelele and intricate percussion to deviate our focus, but ultimately this EP is a yoghurt manufacturer’s marketing wet dream.
Emily Kendrick