Easily one of the best new acts to come out this Year, Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys have confirmed a new UK, European and USA tour.

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• REJECT - All those idiots who walk about Camden with either - a mohican and ripped leather jacket. 1 - You’ve never heard of Crass and 2 - it’s not 1977. Or how about those cool punks all wearing the same sparkling Ramones t-shirt from punk chic shop Top shop - You’ve never heard anything by The Ramones and no, they DON’T sound like Green Day
• REJECT - catwalk models. You are all wastes of space (a very small space granted), you get thousands of pounds to walk and do drugs, why cant i get a job doing that, aww look at little Emily peachy-twat, she can walk and have a debilating eating disorder at the same time – that’s my girl!
• REJECT - proving you give money to charity and you are not a racist by giving money to charity and collecting another tacky wristband. Hey, I helped make poverty history by giving two quid AND got this wicked wristband. WELL DONE!!
• REJECT - purchasing your individuality off a rack in a high street clothes store, yeah yeah, it looks great and every fucker is wearing it as well.
• REJECT - anybody with a mullet or ponytail.
  Mullets – Billy ray Cyrus
  Ponytails – Have you seen what’s underneath a ponytail on a pony? You are that.
• REJECT - images of heterosexuality projected by fat dancers from shit boy-bands – why bother – WE ALL KNOW!
• REJECT - anybody with a loud car stereo, why is it the only people whose car stereo you can hear have the shittest music taste?
  
  If you too get angry at any of the above, you are at the right place, we have come to save you from mediocrity and whilst we are at it we will REJECTMUSICALTRASH

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Soulwax presents ‘Nite Versions’ Live
Full UK Tour with supporting line up.
‘Nite Versions’ album released on September 26th 2005

SOULWAX have announced that their unique RADIO SOULWAX clubnight will tour the UK later this year in support of their highly anticipated ‘Nite Versions’ album, which will be released on September 26th on [PIAS] Recordings. 

The ‘Nite Versions’ album features brand new interpolations of tracks inspired by and taken from their highly acclaimed ‘Any Minute Now’ album and was inspired by the idea of extending and expanding a song to make it work on the dancefloor and on the 12” format – a la bands like Duran Duran, Talking Heads, The Human League and many of the club pioneers of the 1980’s.  The album already features tracks that will be familiar to club-goers the world over; their Nite version of ‘E Talking’ was one of the biggest club records at the end of 2004, their highly sought after Kawasaki Dub of ‘NY Lipps’ is featured here, amidst the dramatic new tracks, their collaboration with DFA ‘Another Excuse’- Perhaps the best DFA mix to date, and their cover of Daft Punk’s ‘Teachers’ all sit together, mixed together into one cohesive and definitive album by the brothers David & Stephen Dewaele (2 Many DJs/Soulwax).

Soulwax have recently completed a brace of stellar live performances throughout the UK including an appearance at Brixton Academy with LCD Soundsystem at Carling 24, triumphant festival sets at Wireless and Glastonbury and the unannounced premiere of the “Nite Versions” set at their own recent Radio Soulwax event at Fabric. Just as in their 2 Many DJs guise, they have brought you a new sound in clubland and a new party aesthetic to the tired art of mix compilations, Radio Soulwax nights will bring a selection of the world’s finest live acts/DJs together for a series of genre splicing, news making and cutting edge club experiences curated by the pair.

They will bring the full Soulwax live Nite Versions experience first for an exclusive RADIO SOULWAX launch event at Fabric on September 9th where they will take over the main room of the club for the night, followed by the rest of the UK throughout September/October on a special and extensive Radio Soulwax tour with support from 2 Many DJ’s, labelmates Vitalic (live) and special guest DJs.  You can also catch 2 Many DJs this summer at Global Gathering, Bestival, Jersey Festival, Dublin Electric Picnic and Creamfields. Soulwax will also perform live at Bestival on September 10th.

radiosoulwax presents:
soulwax nite versions (live)
2manydjs
vitalic (live) – 9/9 & 5-16 oct inc.
& special guests
www.soulwax.com/radiosoulwax  //  www.ticketweb.co.uk

September
9 – Fabric, London – ticketweb.co.uk Information (0207) 3368898  Ticketmaster: 0870 902 0001 / www.fabriclondon.com
28 -  the academy, Bristol - Tickets www.ticketweb.co.uk 0117 927 9227 - £14 advance, £16 on the door
29 - leeds metropolitan university, Leeds -Tickets: 0161 832 1111 - £10/£12
30 - the custard factory, Birmingham  Tickets: 08707 544 445 - £15

0ctober
1 - Chibuku at the Barfly, Liverpool  - 01517085051 www.chibuku.com/ www.ticketweb.co.uk  £15
2 - The great hall, Cardiff Tickets: 0870 4444 400,  www.bristolticketshop.co.uk or Union Box office - £14
3 - Stealth and rescue rooms, Nottingham Tickets: Tel: 0115 9412544 www.seetickets.com - £13
5 - The Old Firestation, Bournemouth Tickets: 0871 220 0260 - £12
6 - Event 2, Brighton Tickets : Rounder Records.01273 325440. £12.50
7 - Warwick University, Coventry Tickets: 0247 657 2794 - £13
8 -  Sankeys Soap, Manchester Tickets: WWW.TRIBALGATHERING.CO.UK - £15
11 - The Waterfront, Norwich Tickets: 01603 508050 www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk - £13/ £15
12 - Newcastle Uni Union  -Tickets: 0191 233 0444 www.ticketline.co.uk - £12.50
13 - City, Edinburgh - Tickets: Ticket Scotland 0131 220 3234, www.ticketweb.co.uk, 01786 409010 - £15
14 - Barrowlands Ballroom, Glasgow  Tickets: www.ticketweb.co.uk 0141 204 5151 / 0870 2201116 / £15
15 - Shine, Belfast - Tickets: www.shine.net/tickets  also from venue and Virgin 02890323744 - £15
16 - The leadmill, Sheffield Tickets: 0870 010 4555  www.ticketweb.co.uk - £13

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The leap Kele and co have made from their debut ‘Silent Alarm’ at the start of the Year to this gem is breathtaking.

Despite easily being one of the best albums of the Year, the band who made it sounded so fragile and introverted you felt like you were intruding listening to it and now, this which demands that you listen to it, you listen to it LOUD and LOVE IT!

‘Two more Years’ is an astounding piece of work and shows what a Year of success has done to the group, they sound assured, confident and like world beaters.

Kele has obviously had singing lessons over the Year as where once he yelped, his double tracked vocals on the chorus are a thing of soaring harmonic beauty backed by the brilliant musicianship of the rhythm section which is still easily one of the best in the Country right now.

The chorus line of ‘Two more years to hold on/to stay strong’ is pure pop fodder but who minds them sounding like Take That when it produces anthemic brilliance like this?

Where Franz Ferdinand have come back with an insipid Go West pastiche, their supposed pretenders to their throne have gone so far ahead of them they can barely see Nick Mccarthy’s glittery red guitar.

Single of the Year anyone?

• 10/10

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The switch from ambient chill-out heroes to peddlers of pure aural filth from Alison Goldfrapp and producer Will Gregory’s first two albums (2001’s Felt Mountain and 2003’s Black Cherry) was quite a startling one that you’d expect a switch equally as extreme for their third album.

Luckily, they have continued with the formula that worked so well with that switch and built upon the foundations they set with an album so deliciously dirty you should really be asking your parents permission before you listen to it.

From the obligatory comeback sizzler ‘Ooh La La’, they take you to the darkside of pop with the following two track combo of ‘Lovely to see you’ and the albums highlight, the throbbing nod to T-Rex ‘Ride a white horse’ being particularly good examples of their perv-ect pop.

To compare this (like so many seem to do) to Kylie is a total insult to the pure genius at work here. They have created electro-pop that reeks of post-coital sex and cigarettes which evokes the spirit of much more challenging stuff like early Eurythmics (particularly on the dreamy ‘Koko’) much more than the aforementioned Ms.Minogue over-stylized manufactured pop. 

Saviour this stuff while we have it, never have you heard sounds like this before and you never will again. Having said that you’ll find sounds that are familiar, influences such as disco to Gary Numan are both splattered with Goldfrapps brand of sleaze and the hookline for another highlight, ‘Satin chic’ inexplicably sounds like an ice-cream van jingle covering Erasure in a honky-tonk style fused with crunching guitar riffs, what makes this even odder is that it works brilliantly.

Lyrically it’s anyone’s guess what she is on about but if you want a prime example of unadulterated artistic forward thinking pop, look no further.

• 9/10

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Considering Editors are currently one of the most talked about guitar acts on the circuit, it perhaps wasn’t the best time for The Cockpit to carry out building work on their main room…

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It’s fair to say in terms of the sheer volume of new innovative guitar acts, we’ve never had it so good. Not too long ago, dragging ones self out to a gig on a Monday night required unhealthy levels of enthusiasm and effort, usually resulting in annoying disappointment as that latest ‘next big thing’ tag proved to be a miserable lie. These days however there is a genuine buzz of anticipation for bands, who, often like tonight have travelled over seas to get their message across, adding to the well of exciting talent. The Organ don’t disappoint. This Northern American all female five piece take to the stage with the calm suavity of Ladytron, launching into a set that immediately demands attention. Guitarist Ashley Webber’s cool vacant persona, ply’s us with riffs the envy of Interpol, whilst vocalist Katie Sketch illuminates the stage with her unique presence, the tortured intensity of Ian Curtis married with the striking tones of Deborah Harry. She paces the stage feeling every lyric, an almost autistic relationship with her audience, making us feel we are witnessing something truly personal. These songs, though simplistic in arrangement, unravel into complexity held together by Sketch’s dynamic vocal skills, Their live sound is a lot harsher than we are led to believe on their new e.p ‘Sinking hearts’. They launch into ‘We’ve Got To Meet’ the closest thing you will get to New Order and The Smiths on the same stage, melodically minimalist with a heavy heart of aching emotion that captures the very soul, the same can be said for ‘It’s time to go’ a repetitious but cleverly implemented riff adding weight to a breathtaking song.

         I was informed after the show that The Organ have an album of songs ready for release but no one to put them out, from what I saw tonight, it would be nothing short of criminal not to see these songs in the public domain.

James Heward

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Arrogant, precocious little oiks if you believe certain people’s dealings with them but that’s partly The Ordinary Boys appeal. A self-proclaimed intelligent ‘lads’ band. Their name taken from a Mozzer track, but their influences were embedded deep in mod/post punk culture of The Jam, The Clash and Specials. Unfortunately, Brassbound falls short of delivering the catchy power punch energy of their debut. The ideas are a little thin on the ground and messy as they indulge worrying Elvis Costello leanings and misplaced Ska influences and try to fuse it with guitar pop and Reggae bass lines. It doesn’t quite work, mainly because the songs aren’t strong enough. The recent single ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ featuring a rap from Rankin Junior, set them up for media ridicule they really didn’t need when trying to convince us of their longevity.

Brassbound is by no means a bad album just very disposable. The words one trick pony seem very prevalent and in an era of such exciting new acts, The Ordinary Boys will need to raise their game to survive.

James Heward

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It’s not very often a band assumes the status of living legends, but shortly after the release of Interpol’s second album, ‘Antics’, late last year, it became apparent that this New York outfit had outgrown their indie stereotype and moved on to universal hero worship. Tonight will be the 4th time I’ve seen them live and even I can’t fully explain the aura and captivation they exhume. Perhaps it’s the dark semi gothic imagery, and their unique reclusive nature that adds to their mysterious appeal, well that is partly it but it’s the fact that Interpol sound like nothing else out there at the moment which instantly sets them apart. Singer Daniel Kessler’s almost detached Ian Curtis style cuts across  jaggered guitar riffs that are transformed by Carlos Deans choice bass lines, and through the dry ice and an excitable crowd they deliver a spellbinding set, from the melancholic tones of NYC to the racing anthems of the singles ‘Evil’ and ‘C’mere’, Interpol are reminding us once again just exactly why we love them so much.

James Heward

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Much has been said of Supergrass’ new direction of late, so what does it sound like? Hardcore Alec Empire style drill n bass? Aphex Twin’s minimalist doodlings? Shiny mass produced pop? Or a world weary, mellow Supergrass album?

The brilliant ‘Kiss of Life’ which was included on last Years greatest hits set promised a future of Talking Heads
minimal funk, that promise however goes begging on this, their  fifth album, promises long forgotten about.

Recording was fraught, Gaz Coombes’ mother died, the band temporarily split up and of course there was drummers Danny Goffey’s brush with the tabloids via the Jude Law incident but what about the music?

Weighing in at a refreshingly short 37 minutes long, ‘Road to Rouen’ is as you’d expect, a million miles from the fresh faced pop of their debut ‘I should coco’ but still undeniably Supergrass. On that subject, even though Supergrass have spent a long old time pleasuring our ears, Gaz Coombes is STILL under thirty…bastard.

Anyway, the wacky pop is put on a backburner which is a good thing because on tunes like ‘Grace’ and ‘Seen the light’ from their 2002 album ‘Life on other planets’, they were becoming a parody of themselves, ooh look at those nice Supergrass boys, aren’t they wacky with their upturned eyebrows and crazy sideburns? Well, no and continuing to do that would of course be embarrassing.  

The soaring harmonies and great musicianship are still in place as they always have been with the highlights being the trippy Beatlesque ‘Roxy’ which shows their harmonies can still hit the right spot with ease along with title track is easily the funkiest thing they’ve recorded.

The introspective nature does drag the album down slightly especially from a group you wouldn’t expect to be so, however, if organic rootsy rock ala Weller then this is the road you want to be taking.      7/10

Chris Todd

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