Hey Kids, Rock ‘n’ Roll! Yeah, David Essex knew the score and this week’s round up of all that’s good and not so good in the world of pop music is dedicated to him. Rock On indeed David! Let’s get started…

The Yeah You’s: Getting Up With You
It’s a bit like the theme to Countryfile being performed by Crowded House. A story of urban mundanity which, through liberal use of orchestration, makes losing the car keys seem like an epic adventure. So slick it is almost too commercial. (SB)

Senser: Resistance Now
You know that times must be dire when bands are coming out of retirement to have a go at the establishment. It is 10 years or so on from Senser’s last hurrah and not much has changed, politicians are still corrupt and Senser are still juxtaposing rap with crunching metal riffs. RATM without the guitar solos. (SB)



Alberta Cross: ATX
Alberta Cross return with a much beefed up sound reminiscent of Neil Young at his wigged out best. Inspired by The Man Who Fell To Earth ‘ATX’ is a vast, epic song about being an alien, of feeling out of place. They are certainly bucking current trends in music and I reckon they may be on to something here. Stirring stuff. (SB)



Hockey: Song Away
If you’ve ever wondered what the result of Bob Dylan taking David Byrne’s place in Talking Heads would have been then wonder no more. Having heard this infectiously joyful tune I am now unfeasibly excited about the forthcoming album. Wonderful stuff. (SB)

Steel Panther – Community Property
Step aside Spinal Tap! This wonderfully ironic glam metal spoof is laugh out loud funny and extremely offensive, but it's very cleverly written to make the band the target of most of the jokes. I'm not normally one for comedy stuff, but this is done in such a clever way it deserves substantial praise. (AM)

The Dodos – Fables
“We spoke today to a jury” sing the shins-a-like jingle-jangle folk threesome, but no, they aren’t hosting their own version of Family Fortunes. They are instead making those hospitable harmonies that clasp hands with amiable arpeggios, ready to cascade from the speakers like a million tiny kooky American teens skipping down a hill to get their first braces. Just when you think you’ve heard all that’s on offer there is a sudden about turn for the final minute-and-a-half into a groovy little folk jam that would stir even the most reluctant beaver into action. (AM)

Phonat: Set Me Free
One of the stronger tracks from the exiled Italian’s debut album Set Me Free takes the Hagar era Van Halen formula and subjects to the euro house treatment. A surprisingly successful experiment it is too. (SB)



Deadmau5 Vs Melleefresh – Attention Whore
A fat bassline can't hide the fact that this electro house track, courtesy of dance music's man of the moment and his "club bunny" pal, Melleefresh, is strictly by numbers (i.e. tired and boring). (JD)

Thomas Dybdahl – From Grace
As substantial as Posh Spice, more fleeting than a poly bag in the wind. Just as well this is being reviewed at 10:20 on a Sunday morning. Its country inflections, wispy guitar and falsetto vocal would be lost at any other time, but right now, as I sit clad in slightly stained boxers and nurse a strong cup of coffee, From Grace sounds almost perfect. (JD)

The Hush Now –Hoping & Waiting
The comparisons to The Lemonheads and Teenage Fanclub seem about right. Hoping & Waiting could be some long forgotten early 90s indie track (albeit with surprise bursts of brass and opera). (JD)

Skunk Anansie – Because of You
You can't mistake Skin's distinctive voice on the reformed band's new single, a track that recaptures the feel of the band at their prime. A couple of woeful remixes sour the overall package, but the track itself is a timely flash back to Nineties indie-rock. (CP)



Madonna – Celebration
Reinvention is the name of the game with Madonna's latest. Teaming up with DJ extraordinaire, Paul Oakenfold, Celebration is the perfect club tune with a solid beat and great sound. There's no doubt that Madonna is the queen of pop, but there is something a bit disconcerting about seeing a skeleton belt out a tune. (CP)



Jade Ewen – My Man
The perfect stop-gap until The Saturday's return, Jade Ewen's debut is a fantastic example of pop-flavoured R&B with a good beat, good lyrics and pitch perfect vocals. She's definitely a strong new talent and going on this single, her album is going to be a strong contender for the top of the charts on its release. (CP)

Funeral for a Friend – Wrench
This isn't going to be a popular opinion amongst fans, but Wrench is little more than heavy noise to this listener's ears - and at any volume is more likely to draw blood than enjoyment. There's no doubt that fans of the band will lap this up. (CP)



Taio Cruz – Break Your Heart
With an ego the size of Canary Wharf, Taio Cruz' latest is a strange meld of the Ibiza club sound and cheesy Euro-pop and it has no lasting appeal whatsoever. With a dreary voice and banal lyrics, Taio may think he's going to break some poor young lady's heart, when he's more likely to break their CD player with this dirge. (CP)

Paloma Faith – New York
There's nothing particularly wrong with this influx of mega-capable soul girls but this latest from the allegedly kookier-than-the-others Paloma is 'Back to Black' lite, and an army led by her mother carrying Pixie Lott's head on a stick is gonna struggle to convince me otherwise.

Tiga – Beep Beep Beep
I'm up right now for a memorable slab of electro, something that marries an inexorable beat to a fully barbed hook and lodges itself in the brain. 'Beep Beep Beep' doesn't really do it for me, largley by virtue of managing the former but not really bothering with the latter.

FrYars – Olive Eyes
FrYars is 19 year old Ben Garrett. There's no doubt something going on here. The ambitious arrangements on the album are laudable and 'Olive Eyes' is electronic pop with chamber leanings. I suspect people are going to pick up on the whole slightly mental aspect of the endeavour but, to be frank, the vocals are done a little too knowingly for my liking. There's only so much eyebrow raising I can take.



After much deliberation, with much blood shed in the name of Steel Panther and Hockey this week’s victorious Music Fix Single of the Week is:

Moby: Mistake
This 7 minute groove appears to be Moby’s attempt to do a landgrab on the territory vacated by Sir David of Bowie. Much like Eldridge did with the Sisters of Mercy this takes the Bowie formula and contemporises it with aplomb. The best thing Bowie hasn’t released since Floodland. (SB)

Comment on this content - sign up for a Times Network ID, or sign in now Username: Password: Remember: Register now!