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SINGLE OF THE MONTH!
JANE'S ADDICTION - "Just Because"
This, of course, is what you want your rock songs to sound like. Poised perfectly between the tautness of the grunge scene they spawned and the head-spinning world of '70s stadium rock that you suspect they secretly worship, "Just Because" is the killer comeback single we were all hoping for from Jane's Addiction. Star of the show is Dave Navarro whose guitar playing here is simply out of this world and has a cocky flamboyance that's sadly all too often missing among bands of this ilk nowadays. Add to it Perry Farrell's spectacular-as-ever vocals and you've got a winning combination. Stick this one at the top of your shopping list now or die a sad man. (5/5)
THE REST
D'you know something? There's too much hate around in the world today. And yes, it's often good to get your dislike out of your system in one ferocious bile-spitting invective as the new Killing Joke album proves. So, in the interest of sounding a bit more positive I'm going to get all the slagging off done nice and early on this month so we can concentrate on the stuff out there that you might actually want to buy. Like Mis-Teeq for example. I mean what the fuck is that all about? Crap Destiny's Child-lite male-hating two-step dance shite that adds on a rub-a-dub angry female MC to make it look "street". Yup, you've guessed it, "Can't Get It Back" (1/5) is yet another shite song from a shite band. Send 'em back to Kwik Save, it's evidently all they're good for.
Ditto Black Box Recorder whose "School Song" (2/5)...well, the nicest thing I can say about it is that it's not as bad as Liam Lynch. But really, who in their right minds is buying soulless sneering cack like this? Stop it now.
More stuff that can be classed as shite this month - Something Corporate's "If You See Jordan" (2/5) (that's "generic sub-Blink 182 frat-punk shite"), Madonna's "Hollywood" (1/5) (that's "past-it OAP diva dull-as-ditchwater electronica shite"), Longview's "Further" (2/5) and Haven's "Tell Me" (2/5) (that's "boring sub-Coldplay unambitious major label indie shite"), The Polyphonic Spree's "Soldier Girl" (1/5) (that's "teeth-grindingly irritatingly twee US indie where all those involved deserve to be flogged by a bearded lady at the Download festival before being fed to the moshpit" shite), Avril Lavigne's "Losing Grip" (1/5) (that's "kiddy skatepunk which sounds a bit like Alanis Morrisette with a lip piercing" shite), Lisa Maffia's "In Love" (1/5) (that's "knackered UK garage which surely went past its sell-by date in 2001 shite") and Kosheen's "All In My Head" (1/5) (that's "trying to start a Republica revival - why why and thice why?" shite)
Ah, see how much better that feels? Right, let's get down to business proper now then shall we. And what better a way to wind down a bit with the Coral's rather excellent new single "Pass It On" (4/5), a quite lovely downbeat West Coast psychedelic lament which could almost be Teenage Fanclub/Cosmic Rough Riders if you squint a bit. Best thing they've ever done? Yeah, probably. Similarly impressive is the new 'un from British Sea Power, "Carrion" (4/5) which is a superb slice of downbeat menacing indie a bit like Echo and the Bunnymen used to do when they were good. We like.
For those seeking more simple thrills this month, you might wanna try the Star Spangles' glorious slice of sleaze-trash-garage rock that is "I Live For Speed" (4/5) which sounds like the ghosts of Johnny Thunders and Stiv Bators going down the all-night garage for some beers and a spot of rock 'n' roll hedonism and is fantastic. Similarly, the Murderdolls' version of Billy Idol's classic "White Wedding" (3/5) could have been absolutely disastrous but is actually strangely listenable as Wednesday 13 and co get the chance to let their most deranged Motley Crue wannabe fantasies run riot.
In the more sedate corner, the Webb Brothers make a return with "Who Wants To Get High?" (2/5) but to be honest it's a poor relation to the Super Furry Animals' rather excellent new 'un "Golden Retriever" (4/5) which is out this month and as usual is a near-perfect fusion of warped psychedelia and pure pop sensibilities. Blur's "Crazy Beat" (3/5) meanwhile is similarly warped and fun although not quite as good.
Back into the rock corner then - the Transplants are basically Tim from Rancid and Travis from Blink 182's other band and, on the evidence of their new single "DJ DJ" (2/5) they're trying to break away from the three-chords punk format with this dub-heavy effort. Sadly, all it really goes to prove is that sticking to what you're good at tends to make for better listening. A bit better is Placebo-wannabes Serafin's new 'un, the langorous "Day By Day" (3/5) or the Stereophonics' "bit dull but it's got a decent enough tune behind it" new single "Maybe Tomorrow" (3/5). Meanwhile, Crackout have returned with "Out Of Our Minds" (3/5) which has a good stomping beat behind it but is a bit anonymous otherwise and the mysteriously popular Hot Hot Heat's "No Not Now" (3/5) is passable enough but still doesn't solve the mystery of how such an ordinary-sounding band is getting so much hype behind them in the mainstream music press.
Meanwhile, over in hangover-land, Mower continue to count the cost of last night's drinking binge with the "just the right side of average" slouch-rock of "The Morning After" (3/5) while Cerys Matthews has evidently undergone a transformation from irritating soundbite-spewing indie banshee to countrified West Coast songstress judging by her new single "Caught In The Middle" (3/5). As transformations go, it's not one of the more unpleasant ones of late.
Of the rest of the rock stuff, Radio 4's "Start A Fire" (3/5) is satisfying but somewhat derivative sub-MC5 politico-rock while Funeral For A Friend's "Juneau" (2/5) is simply crap goth-indie sub-Cure rubbish. You'd be better off getting your kicks with the new post-Duran Duran electro-sleaze of the Dandy Warhols. Although "You Were The Last High" (4/5) is ostensibly a comedown song, they play with such a superb icy cool that it's impossible to resist. Proof positive that a bit of fun never hurts anyone.
All singles reviewed by Andy James
