DZ Deathrays, Hatcham Social and more - Singles for the Week starting 10 October!

DZ Deathrays
Gebbie Street
(Too Pure Singles Club)
* * * * *

Similarly to international conspiracy theorist David Icke, we too at Artrocker believe there is a global conspiracy going down. Don’t panic though, because we’re pretty damn confident we can nail these sons of bitches. They’re not Lizards, I’m afraid, no no – but they do pose a threat to our cherished ideals. Shall we name these scoundrels? Yes! They are DZ Deathrays, an Australian rock group who rock ten times harder, funkier and feistier than any band alive – with just two members.

Like Tweak Bird, The White Stripes, the Black Keys and others of their ilk, they pose a dire threat to bass players… but it’s not just in their number they seek to undermine us, it’s in their economy – see this single readers! ‘Gebbie Street’ barely seeks to show off at all, it just does its distorted groove thing, peaks like a motherfucker and stops. It poses a threat to folk bands and piano ballad bands alike – one whiff of this and the global population of Coldplay fans will be perverted! Twisted! Forced to acknowledge the existence of sex!

Something must be done before DZ Deathrays infiltrate our media. If they were to somehow use their subliminal powers to become Single of the Month for example… wait! It can’t be… it’s not possible! NOOO! IT’S TOO LATE!
Ric Rawlins

Run, WALK! / Sirs
Split 7”
(Holy Roar / Topshelf)
* * * * *

What do you get if you put your bass through seven shades of shit, whack it up front and play the beast like a Greek Minotaur? You get to be run WALK! – the first of two bands who are bunking up for this most endearingly heavy split 7” release. Run WALK have already sprayed SXSW like a malevolent kitten marking its territory, and the Winchester band’s contributions here mark them out as seriously creative hardcore types: ‘Rainhouse’ in particular feels like someone plugging a petrol pump into your mouth then lighting your nostrils; it savages remorselessly, but is kind enough to warn you before the savaging begins with a guitar build up, so at least you know you’re about to be savaged. Another way to describe it would be to be Mogwai, compressed into a very compact cube, and dropped on your head.

The second band, Sirs, are more gibbering and raving but equally enjoyable. ‘Bering Straight’ is their depraved masterpiece here, souping up US garage rock into something that sounds like it’s busy escaping the garage, as tempos blitz in and out of focus, and the group suggest meaningless but exciting things such as “Holy shit! Let’s take it to the bottom of the river!” Pop fans will need airbags installed into their iPods to protect them from this release, but as a snap shot of two wilfully independent and freakishly unique punk acts, it’s a thing of beauty.
Ric Rawlins

LaFaro
Meat Wagon
(Smalltown America)
* * * *

This kicks as fiercely as the thousands of teens who stomped their way around Reading Festival, back when the event took pride in its grot ‘n roll lineage. To put it another way, LaFaro certainly aren’t shy of bare chest pounding, if the verve of their guitars is anything to go by.
Here’s a fantastic reminder that not everything ‘heavy’ requires shredded screaming, and although not every cliché is avoided on ‘Meat Wagon’, we’re pretty sure that everyone can get behind its good old “hey” chant, and lyrics about falling in love with an undertaker.
Emily Kendrick

Tellison
Edith
(Naim Edge)
* * *

These Hammersmith-based laddies seem pretty determined to get fists pumping and hearts swooning, via the not entirely unlikely medium of power rock. Although the production might suggest a post punk rawness, ‘Edith’ is a big pop song underneath its gnashing guitars, sharing the kind of chart-friendly simplicity of a Green Day mega-seller. Passionate, not entirely original but passionate.
Danny Canning

Hatcham Social
Like An Animal
(Fierce Panda)
* * * * *

Good to know some things never change: Hatcham Social still know how to whack acoustic guitars into subversive indie anthems while injecting both melodic brilliance and humour into the equation; in this case represented respectively by a werewolf storyline (“Shoot me down! Shoot me down! Shoot me down!” sings Toby, taking the wolfman character on board) and samples from An American Werewolf In London. Awesome.
Cindy Suzuki

Antlered Man
Buddhist Soup EP
(Goo Grrrl)
* * * *

The first thing you’ll experience of the amazing Antlered Man is a combination of ancient Egyptian tribal chanting and hardcore madness, on this ace little EP. Following on, ‘Better The Calamity You Know’ features a cheerleading chorus, a paranoid, UFO B-movie verse and a drillcore breakdown, while the title track is a – you guessed it – Buddhist mediation which quickly gets vacuumed into heavy riffage and milkman-style whistling. Subversive fun from an imaginative band; I can’t wait for their next release.
Chris Canning

Mausi
Sol
(Racecar Music)
* * *

Had ‘Sol’ been released in March it would have captured a nice uplift into the summer: wood block percussion and a nice crossover between indie disco and electronic stomping come together to lend the track a sense of dawning optimism. They could do with defining their own uniqueness a bit, but this single comes together (as long as you don’t look at the calendar!)
Chris Canning

A Genuine Freakshow
Our Bodies/New Houses
(Peartree Records)
* * *

Take a seat and let’s learn today’s lesson; of how to seamlessly merge mammoth soundscapes with coastal indie-pop. A Genuine Freakshow have some neat tricks up their well-tailored sleeves. They draw on a free buffet’s worth of influences (The National, Sigur Ross and Imogen Heap among them), while banging their heads together to create a precious journey into pleasant walls of sound. In fact, they do it so well the only downside is the wait for an album.
Jessica Acreman

Spectres
Family EP
(Howling Owl Records)
* *

The latest in a seemingly endless parade of UK-based bands mining the records of our brothers and sisters across the pond for inspiration, Spectres tick numerous hipster boxes. Recorded with Rory Bratwell in his Hackney studio, with a head full of influences like MBV and Sonic Youth, they’re so ‘on trend’ it hurts. This EP; an exercise in low slung slacker aloofness and distorted misery; has promise but is it too much to ask that new bands actually try and develop their own identity instead of hiding behind that of their forbearers? It’s early days for Spectres and they clearly know their way around an effects pedal and a minor key melody, so let’s hope for the best.
Mark Wall

Givers

In Light

(Glassnote)

* * * *

From the drum-stick count in through to the ringing of the last chord; the distinctive sound of the Glassnote label can be heard all the way through this track. Rubbing metaphorical shoulders with Yeasayer and Phoenix has lead to the upbeat pop sounds of both bands leaving their mark on Givers, while fans of Animal Collective will also find joy here: the band’s album was mixed by Ben Allen of ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’.
Add a dash of their recent tour buddies Dirty Projectors, a twist of female vocals half way through and serve over ice for a perfectly refreshing afropop cocktail.
Joe Woolmer


Masters In France

Inhale

(Bone Dry)

* * *

A debut release from promising Welsh outfit Masters In France, released on their own label Bone Dry Records. ‘Mad Hatter’ kicks off the EP with a surging electro-bass beat followed by an augasmic [sic], catchy guitar riff that sounds like The Strokes injected with the tenacity of 100 Kasabians. ‘Greyhounds’ too, flaunts more than a hint of Kasabian cockiness and swagger. The last two tracks falter somewhat and distil the initial ferocity of the EP. ‘A.I.’ makes almost no impression at all and despite some interesting Morello-esque guitar effects, the bass line of ‘Little Girls’ (undeniably funky though it is) is simply too repetitive, while lacklustre lyrics further let down both songs.
Joe Woolmer


Saint Saviour

Suukei

(Guerrilla Music)

* * * * *

A subtle undercurrent of electronic bass meanders through the first minute or so of this record like an old 40watt bulb, but then, akin to an atom bomb falling unexpected from the skies an explosion of the dirtiest sub-bass knocks you off your feet and sends you flying into nearby buildings, accompanied by a trance beat that makes you wonder why people bother with MDMA. This is Saint Saviour’s second EP, and this crashing together of such contrasting styles creates the most unlikely yet magnificent fusion; the only drawback being it doesn’t continue throughout the EP. This is by no means a criticism though: the remaining three tracks stand up well, and there’s no getting away from the stunning vocal range on ‘Some Things Change’.
Joe Woolmer


Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside
I Swear
(Fargo)
* * * * *

Schuwop, du wop, da bop, da boop, de boo! Sallie Fords latest single reeks of ‘60s nostalgia, and given the current state of the charts that ain’t no bad thing. “Do not turn on the radio. It all sounds the same”, she wails, voicing a rallying cry against the Jessie J’s and Adele’s out there. Filled with sass and fuelled by rage, Sallie Ford is THE girl to get down and boogie too.
Ryan Bassil

Richard Warren
The Lonesome Singer In The Apocalypse Band
(TV Records)
* * * * *

Quentin Tarantino would’ve had a field day with this track, had it been surfing the radio waves while Pulp Fiction was being penned. As it is, he’ll have to make do with writing a film just to have it included in the score. The song is essentially an Ennio Morricone style, slide bottleneck-backed whirl of romance for one man’s love of cocaine. His pretty white lady even has him whimpering like ol’ suede-y shoes himself.
Just to be absolutely clear, we’re not fans of the mono-nostril ecscavating demon ourselves, but you sure can get on board with Richard Warren’s musical tribute.
Emily Kendrick

Clock Opera
Lesson No 7
(Moshi Moshi)
* * * * *

Guy Connelly, the leading component of so called ‘chop pop’ group Clock Opera, is back with single number four and this time round he’s enlisted some help. For ‘Lesson No 7’ Clock Opera have become a four piece,
and as such their sound is quite different from previous releases. This time the studio wizardry takes a back seat in favour a more traditional ‘band sound’, resulting in an exhilarating blend of art pop and rock – and their best single to date.
Mark Cousens

Mint Julep
Days Gone By
(Village Green)
* * * *

I’d never heard of Mint Julep before, but their name kinda suggests drippy and instantly forgettable summery pop, so when I pressed play I it’s fair to say I wasn’t expecting much. I certainly wasn’t expecting my ears to be met by lo-fi distorted drums and crunching guitars. Before I had chance to recover from the shock, the assault continued as guitars alternating between shimmering and distorting, punchy keyboards and dreamy reverb laden girl vocals all kicked in a stunning orgy of melody that has left me literally desperate for more. Nurse!
Mark Cousens

Gemma Ray
Runaway
(Bronze Rat Records)
* * *

Gemma Ray’s new EP ‘Runaway’ demonstrates how to appease the converted while offering the possibility of a back door chart hit with its title track. Like a lo-fi addition to the South Pacific soundtrack, it’s
bathed in orchestral sunshine, has an infectiously catchy chorus but remains on Artrocker’s radar with vocals thankfully more akin to Dot Allison than Eliza Doolittle. ‘Lights Out Zoltar!’, strangely omitted from her debut album, is the best of the rest, with Ray’s bluesy vocal chords languishing against a menacing bass and ghostly piano. ‘Runaway’ is the perfect tonic to a miserable summer.
Steven Belfrage

St. Spirit
Build a Life
(Self Release)
* * * *

St. Spirit are a promising group of youthful South Londoners who perform tales of adolescence via the kind of seasoned sound that most nineteen year-olds can only dream of. ‘Build a Life’ is vulnerable sounding but confidently crafted, with Miles McCabe’s frail vocals sitting somewhere between Roddy Woomble and the odd burst of cocky twang. Their music has a lot of harmonies but is somewhat sombre and similar in tone to Elbow.
B-side ‘Ferrous Vessel’ is a powerful piano led number which takes the poignant mood to new levels of gloom. Impressive stuff - etch their name on your brain.
Steven Belfrage

Lana Del Ray
Video Games / Blue Jeans
(Stranger)
* * *

The word ‘Lynchian’ has been muttered about Lana Del Ray – but then, the word ‘Lynchian’ is muttered about many bands these days. So does ‘Video Games’ press the right buttons?
With ominous church bells it certainly begins in a cinematic fashion, progressing via its honestly romantic lyrics and pizzicato strings to suggest a perfectly lonely 1950s diner. While all this is going on, Lana purrs through a torch song in a lovely, affectingly melancholy way. We’d advise hanging about a bit before crowing this lass too readily, although to be fair with 500,000 Youtube viewers jumping on her homemade videos, it’s possible that a permanently bequiffed, maple syrup and pancake eating higher power has already spoken.
Stuart Gadd

Emmy The Great
Paper Forest
(Close Harbour)
*

Oh please, save me now. Do we have to bare anymore faux-folk? Surely there's a limit to this all before we all become so infinitely dull that every element of the society's vitality is reduced to apathy.
This latest single is a wholesome acceptance of the terrible state of coalition party politics. It's a proud acceptance that we have no other option but to genuflect before the idiot bi-partisan PR we are fed on a daily basis. ‘Paper Forest’ straddles the wholesome and the acceptable while alluding to something slightly kooky. Cameron, Clegg, we give in.
Samuel Breen

Patterns
Induction
(Melodic Records)
* *

If only bands would decide on whether they make sweeping pop or beat-driven rock. Pattern's latest single falls between these two overly familiar stools - briefly captivating with the former and anaesthetising with the latter. Are we meant to accept that if an artist has the audacity to straddle these polar ideas that they are destined for stadium sized success?
The inherent problem with ‘Introduction’ is that it so neatly conforms to these predictable forms without any deviation, that we arrive in a vapid half-baked house of ideas. What a terrible excuse for pop music.
Samuel Breen

Drugstore
Standing Still
(Rocket Girl)
* *

"If you were this busy getting high," is a great opening line. You can imagine a thousand tracks where such a phrase could form a keystone lyric. Drugstore are aware of this, repeating the lyric without any subtlety. On top of this the vocal tone introduces notions of the exotic.
Unfortunately, beyond this we are subjected to very mandatory song-craft, balanced by light guitar and light decoration, which only detracts from the exciting potential of the vocals and the classical lyrics.
The track dances around, failing to provoke anything that could resemble interest, despite poorly imitating a band breaking into something heavier.
Samuel Breen