Young Heart Attack – Rock and Awe album – 21.03.2008
When I first heard about Young Heart Attack’s split in 2006 a sudden rush of melancholy came over me. After all, their debut album ‘Mouthful Of Love’ was pretty much my soundtrack to the summer of 2004. Driving round with the windows rolled down and ‘Starlight’ blaring out on the stereo (which may I add was turned all the way up to ’11’ of course) so when I heard that a plucky British label (Not On Your Radio) had decided to give them a 2nd outing I was chuffed to say the least. I won’t lie to you though, I was a tad apprehensive putting the CD into my laptop for the first play with thoughts such as “Can they do it again?” and “Is the memory of my excitable youth acting as a potential melpomene for disappointment?” rolling around in my head, but then the unforgiving drum roll intro kicked in for the Albums title track ‘Rock and Awe’ and all worries were cast aside. An instant grin came flooding across my face; I was 18 years old again.
This is a bloody enjoyable album which actually shows real progression from their first LP. Not as rough-around-the-edges as Mouthful of Love and the songs a tad more polished and with far better production qualities throughout. Songs to point out include ‘Munki’, ‘Runaway’ and ‘Hell On Earth’ which are guaranteed shoe-in’s for the next mix CD I make.
Be warned though; if you like Foals then you’ll fucking hate this. It’s not clever and it doesn’t try to be. It knows what it is and it sticks to it rather unapologetically; it’s rock and roll. Enjoy it or shut the fuck up and listen to something else.
Looks like the summer of 2008 now has its soundtrack sorted for this humble reviewer.
4/5
Green Man Says Go – Las Vegas single – 19.03.2008
The debut double A side offering from Sheffield’s adopted sons ‘Green Man Says Go’ is a synth fuelled adventure that is enjoyable to listen to when sober as a proverbial judge so I can only imagine that it’s simply ‘the tits’ when you’re intoxicated on various substances and in a room full of people in a similar situation. ‘Las Vegas’ is by far the stand out track of the 2 with its disco drums and singalong chorus. A track that was influenced by the drummers recent trip to said sin city and for anyone who’s ever been lucky enough to waste their money in the Nevada desert will nod in agreement to the lyric “I can see the lights above my head, flashing like a good idea”, because let’s be honest; that $350 bet on a pair of 2’s was a good idea at the time…
Rating 4 out of 5
Onions – Pickin up the Pieces single – 19.03.2008
The Mancunian 3 pieces latest offering comes in the form of ‘Picking Up The Pieces’. Despite the somewhat questionable band name they do deliver chirpy and poppy indie foot-tap-a-longable songs that will no doubt be heard playing across the parks of Manchester this summer on the various portable CD Players that aid the cities students in their procrastination.
Picking Up The Pieces is one of those songs which on the first listen makes you wonder if it is actually in tune or not and makes you contemplating cringing somewhat, however any thoughts of said discomfort are soon cast aside when the memorable chorus kicks in. And lets be honest; everyone loves a song you can sing-along too and at the same time feel you’re as good as the geezer singing it.
Rating 3 out of 5
