Ah, the life of a pop princess. What must it be like to be adored 24/7, have your every whim gratified, commanding an entire major record label to indulge every creative urge, whilst occasionally finding time to meet ones public whether it be a casual wave from a red carpet, or opening the latest branch of Netto somewhere in Milton Keynes. This former girl band diva has it all, smouldering cosmetically damaged looks, a figure that fluctuates across the entire scale of dress sizes, dependent on what Cosmopolitan tells her is acceptable this month and an attitude that can only be described as appalling…….she is the envy of everyone…..or so she thinks

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Ah, the life of a pop princess. What must it be like to be adored 24/7, have your every whim gratified, commanding an entire major record label to indulge every creative urge, whilst occasionally finding time to meet ones public whether it be a casual wave from a red carpet, or opening the latest branch of Netto somewhere in Milton Keynes. This former girl band diva has it all, smouldering cosmetically damaged looks, a figure that fluctuates across the entire scale of dress sizes, dependent on what Cosmopolitan tells her is acceptable this month and an attitude that can only be described as appalling…….she is the envy of everyone…..or so she thinks

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Perhaps not an obvious choice for the second single from Supernature, as it lacks the rhythmic pace of say ‘Ride A White Horse’ or ‘Satan Chic’, but a slow burning classic nevertheless. Number One has an understated quality about it, no growling synths or thumping electro beats or even an explosive chorus line, just an almost apologetic melody travelling across Jean Michelle Jarre-esque keyboards. It’s also  a perfect excuse to exercise Alison’s sultry vocals to the full.

Number One is  more seductive than all out raunch, but the original album omitted thunder bolt, ‘Beautiful’, appears on the B-side, so you get the best of both worlds.

8/10

James Heward

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Remixed from the album ‘Alligator’, and the third single from it, ‘Lit Up’ combines classic U.S alternative rock of The Pixies with more traditional styles of the likes of Tom Petty and The Heart Breakers. Sounding generally larger and beefier than the original with chanting backing vocals throughout the chorus. It is by far their most commercial offering, whilst maintaining a safe distance from the usual rock cliché’s. After some highly impressive festival appearances, The National may well be a band to watch in the coming months, though the album is a little light on radio friendly singles, ‘Lit Up’ is probably the last  workable track from their debut,  

8/10

James Heward

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Proving that New York is still capable of creating innovative guitar bands despite the well overdue British explosion hogging the limelight of late, Calla are amongst the new breed of underground garage acts beginning to be noticed, accepting the baton from them likes of The Stills and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, they ply reverbed lead guitars and deep casual vocals, melodically stark bur forever developing, It Dawned On Me grows and grows. An eerie atmospheric rock gem  that will sound great emerging from behind any damp clubs smoke machine.

7/10

James Heward

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Every now and again a band as good as this emerges and for the select few privileged enough to appreciate it, they hold a special place in their record collection from then on, transcending the ipod shuffle mentality.

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Has someone just turned the light off? No, it’s the 11th? Depeche Mode album. Their first since 2001’s ‘Exciter’ and an album that sees them revitalized and as dark as ever.

Unlike New Order who are dragging their legacy into the ground, Depeche Mode prove there’s life in the old dog yet with an album which is their best since 1993’s ‘Songs of faith and devotion’

Following the solo success of Dave Gahan’s 2003 debut ‘Paper Monsters’, he finally breaks the song writing monopoly of Martin Gore and provides three of the tracks on this set.
One of them being the excellent ‘Suffer Well’, which is easily the best thing they’ve recorded in over a decade showing Billy Corgan that the Smashing Pumpkins may have managed a convincing Depeche Mode album with ‘Adore’ but only 25 years experience in miserablism can sound this good and get away with it.

‘John The Revelator’ is equally as good with the Mode doing their electro rockabilly skank with confusing lyrics about claiming religion. Elsewhere the usual subjects of sex death and Jesus are all present and correct.

It’s pretty heavy going but Depeche Mode were never a barrel of laughs anyway were they?  7/10

Chris Todd

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Ah, what we’ve all been waiting for, another Robbie album, I know you’ve been lying awake at night wondering when it will come, well, it’s here and the world is better for it.

Supposedly recorded in his ‘bedroom studio’ (this is Robbie Williams and EMI so don’t patronize us by trying to make it sound underground please, it doesn’t work), this, his sixth album is also his first without main collaborator Guy Chambers, his place being taken by 80’s two hit wonder Stephen Duffy.

Having never had the pleasure of experiencing a whole Robbie album, I had many questions I needed to be answered, how long will it take for the first arrogant statement about being great to be made, when will he allude to being gay and when will the self loathing and whinging about his life start, it doesn’t take long.

The answer to the first of those questions is with the very first lyric sung on the albums opener, ‘Ghosts’, “Here I stand victorious, the only man who made you come”, oh, you can see that, sorry, I’ll clean it up.
It’s typical Robbie fodder that will have the Homebase inhabiting couples who only go to one gig a Year (either Robbie, Coldplay or if they are feeling adventurous – Keene) fumbling about for the lighter and moving their lips to the words not actually singing because they can’t remember them, business as usual, then.

Comeback single, ‘Tripping’ has more charm especially when the sweet trumpets kick in, it’s one of his finest efforts and a track which has constantly being referred as ‘only number two’ due to its chart performance, number two what a failure, I bet Robbie is thinking of packing it all in.

Elsewhere, ‘Make me pure’ is a great attempt at an early 70’s Stones ballad with Robbie moaning about telling a joke that no-one laughs at, a rarity in that it’s a track he’s made that is still bearable after a few listens.
As for tracks like the annoying rocker ‘Your gay friend’ and ‘A place to crash’ these are the kind of cringe-worthy wannabe Oasis pap that made you want to slap him in the first place.

All in all, not a total waste of fifty minutes but fifty minutes that could be used more resourcefully. 6/10

Chris Todd

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Ah, what we’ve all been waiting for, another Robbie album, I know you’ve been lying awake at night wondering when it will come, well, it’s here and the world is better for it.

Supposedly recorded in his ‘bedroom studio’ (this is Robbie Williams and EMI so don’t patronize us by trying to make it sound underground please, it doesn’t work), this, his sixth album is also his first without main collaborator Guy Chambers, his place being taken by 80’s two hit wonder Stephen Duffy.

Having never had the pleasure of experiencing a whole Robbie album, I had many questions I needed to be answered, how long will it take for the first arrogant statement about being great to be made, when will he allude to being gay and when will the self loathing and whinging about his life start, it doesn’t take long.

The answer to the first of those questions is with the very first lyric sung on the albums opener, ‘Ghosts’, “Here I stand victorious, the only man who made you come”, oh, you can see that, sorry, I’ll clean it up.
It’s typical Robbie fodder that will have the Homebase inhabiting couples who only go to one gig a Year (either Robbie, Coldplay or if they are feeling adventurous – Keene) fumbling about for the lighter and moving their lips to the words not actually singing because they can’t remember them, business as usual, then.

Comeback single, ‘Tripping’ has more charm especially when the sweet trumpets kick in, it’s one of his finest efforts and a track which has constantly being referred as ‘only number two’ due to its chart performance, number two what a failure, I bet Robbie is thinking of packing it all in.

Elsewhere, ‘Make me pure’ is a great attempt at an early 70’s Stones ballad with Robbie moaning about telling a joke that no-one laughs at, a rarity in that it’s a track he’s made that is still bearable after a few listens.
As for tracks like the annoying rocker ‘Your gay friend’ and ‘A place to crash’ these are the kind of cringe-worthy wannabe Oasis pap that made you want to slap him in the first place.

All in all, not a total waste of fifty minutes but fifty minutes that could be used more resourcefully. 6/10

Chris Todd

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A sustained gritty guitar riff, giving way to a pounding drum intro, closely followed by a fat dirty bass line and distorted synths. Ladytron have arrived and are already stealing the breath of their audience with the stunning opener to their third album The Witching Hour, High Rise.

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