Singles for the week starting 12 December!

The Wombles
Wombling Merry Christmas
(Dramatico)
* * *

It's a welcome re-release for what could be a genuine contender for this year’s Chrimbo number one spot. Yes, it might feature the standard sleigh bells, but the glam guitars are a firm nod to the legendary Christmas hits that the likes of Slade were able to churn out in the ‘70s, while the backing synths give the tune an air of seasonal magic. It’s utterly pointless of course, but also quite charming – and if you were forced to choose between this or whatever sonic-guff that the X Factor will bellow then it's a no brainer really.
Max Raymond

Junior Boys
You’ll Improve Me
(Domino)
* * *

It requires an incredible amount of talent to make a minimal track – or, more accurately, to make a minimal track that isn’t so crushingly boring that you’d actually welcome the sweet release of death. For that reason alone, we doff our various caps in the direction of Junior Boys.
While other acts will smack you around the face with guitar riffs and bass lines, Junior Boys take a more subtle approach: a simple, understated bass line here; an assortment of bleeps there; and a consistent vocal line that ties the piece together.
Nothing overstays it’s welcome; every small addition to this slow-burning track has its place, ensuring that ‘You’ll Improve Me’ remains a pleasing listen.
Rory Carroll

Buffalo Ink
We Are Your Bones
(Livid Recordings)
* * *

Play it hard. Play it fast. Play it loud. These are the three golden rules for all two-piece guitar/drum bands. London noise merchants, Buffalo Ink, know this all too well and by god does it show.
‘We Are Your Bones’ is a fierce, three-minute racket that builds on the success of previous releases and puts significant distance between them and the tired clichés often ascribed to boy-girl guitar/drum combos.
It also contains a riotous chorus that smashes the overdrive pedal and calls back to Kick Up The Fire And Let The Flames Break Loose-era Cooper Temple Clause – and we defy anyone to try and tell us that’s a bad thing.
Rory Carroll