Eliza Doolittle – Eliza Doolittle

Weird one this. Eliza Doolittle is a 21 year old whose debut album kicks off with Moneybox, where she sounds like someone trapped somewhere between Lily Allen’s street mateyness and Marina & The Diamonds over the top affected vocals. This combined with a chirpy, almost ragtime tune sprinkled with tinkling sounds, makes for a weird listen indeed. What follows however isn’t bad at all, if hardly likely to set the world alight critically or commercially. Go Home is a delightful shoop shoop, sixties pop shimmy for instance, something I never saw coming after the first track. Mr Medicine you see is pure Lily, but lacking a certain edge. Same with Missing. Some may think this is an easy and cheap comparison to make, but it’s a true one and it’s inevitable that a second wave of songstresses will come forward, as it happens with most scenes. A Smokey Room is slightly sassy, but still not riveting. And so it goes on. It’s all thoroughly pleasant, but terribly derivative. You see, Nobody is a lovely little tune, full of the joys of spring, but also one I’ve heard done better before. Pack Up swings in a lovely way and has some great bluesy backing vocals courtesy of an unidentified gent. It finishes with Empty Hand, a rather sweet lullaby to ease you out. So overall it’s nice enough, but not ground breaking.

The album is released by Parlophone sometime in June and is preceeded by a single, Skinny Genes, on April 5th.

Eliza Doolittle's website is here

You Me At Six – Liquid Confidence

You Me At Six are a very popular band I’m lead to believe. They’re also utterly cack and hideous in a screamo gone Nickleback way. I really don’t know what else to say about it. Radio 1 will doubtless play it loads and make it a hit for the kids who want something soulless to scream along to. The instrumental version is even more pointless, adding nothing apart from the strange feeling that they forgot to switch the singer’s mike on.

Liquid Confidence is released by Virgin on 19th April

You Me At Six website is here

Jonsi – Go Do

If Sigur Ros have been going more minimal and glacial of late, then Go Do is the more uplifting side, courtesy of lead singer Jonsi. There’s an electronic pulse that suggests the incidental music on a surreal children’s program. Jonsi’s ethereal warblings are more beautiful than ever. He sounds positively glorious and life affirming. All manner of electronic effects and noises caress the tune, yet they never become intruding. The song is something weirdly odd, but with enough of a melody to be on the Radio 1 playlist. The idea of the general public’s head being messed with appeals immensely. Kolnidur (I wish you could do a thorn on this computer, to make it look correct, but a d will have to suffice) moves at a funereal pace, before there is a false epiphany as the songs threatens to burst into life and then doesn’t, but once the surprise is over Jonsi is floating on clouds above your head. He’s worked a wonderful wrong footing as the song appears to build ever so gradually to a squeaking end. The final track on this single, Grow Till Tall paints an evocative picture of flowers growing in slow motion by camera trickery; it’s a song that reminds you of the beauty of nature. I’ve no idea what it’s really about, but that’s the beauty of Jonsi.

Jonsi website is here

Go Do is released by Parlophone on March 22nd, followed by the album Go on April 5th

David Gibb – This Young Boy

Like a chirpy extra folky Frank Turner, eighteen year old Derbyshire based singer David Gibb takes a rambling look at the follies of youth. The chorus is especially pleasing, pretty singalong and going with the old way of using repetition to win people over. The chorus is in fact the main bit of the song, and somehow reminds me of the Levellers in their pomp, before they got old and disillusioned, somewhat appropriately. There’s an album and EP in the back catalogue, which would appear to be well worth checking out.

This Young Boy is self released on 10th May. Go to David's myspace for details of how to get a copy.

Findlay Napier and the Bar Room Mountaineers – Raise A Glass

Findlay is a Glasgow based folk musician, currently cultivating an alternative folk scene in the city. This song is like the Decemberists peculiar old folk tales relocated to Scotland. It has emphasis on the fiddles and accent, and a sometime harsh and strident vocal tone, like Chris TT. Fine rousing stuff.

Findlay's myspace is here and website here. Go to the website and sign up to the mailing list to receive a free copy of the single.

Thunder Bunny – My Love, Thou Art A Monster

Here is a new EP from New Jersey based Thunder Bunny. Hustle It shakes and shimmies like a glacial Mary Chain, the beauty being somewhat smothered in the squalls of guitar effects rendering the whole thing more of a mess than the drugged up beauty that was intended. Yes, I Remember These Bones is a churning dirge that goes nowhere. The Whole World Gathered To Watch Him Fade Away is sluggish but fine Ride like indie, but without the killer hook and proof that more time is spent on song titles than melodies. Finally The Hungry Ghost (part 2) is eight minutes of discordant mess and nonsense.

My Love, Thou Art A Monster is released by Spanner Records on March 15th

Thunder Bunny myspace is here

The Loves – Sweet Sister Delia

The title track of the new single from The Loves is fantastically infectious; in the way the Pooh Sticks used to channel sixties bubblegum pop. The chorus repeats the title over and over, sometimes doubling up the word sweet in a joyous chant, in a way that reminds me of something I can’t quite put my finger on. There’s also a ropey 4 track demo of Low from 2001, of which you can see why it hasn’t seen the light of day before, and a faux country number credited to Simon Love and the Turkeys called God Saves Our Souls, a drawled redneck piece of cheese. Worth it for the lead track though.

Sweet Sister Delia is out now on Fortuna Pop!

The Loves myspace is here

Danny And The Champions Of The World – Streets Of Our Time

Danny And The Champions Of The World is the new act fronted by Danny Wilson and this is their debut album, released by home of alt country Loose Records. Lead track Henry The Van is an elegy to a defunct tour van, lovely harmonies and maudlin yet reminiscing vocals set to a whirring banjo tune that ticks along nicely. Swathes of cymbal swishes accentuate the sadness of the song. Restless Feet is a much more standard country tune, with a hometown sweetness and warmth, but nothing remarkable. Follow The River is a funky trad country thing, Danny’s voice decent enough on this one. Wandle Swan has some lovely lap steel licks, and a hurried demeanour, plus an excited melody. The title track is pretty much one of Neil Young’s downbeat beauties, even down to the vocals. Yr People Here is a false rapture, Bluebird is how it should have been done, a sunset soundtrack, propelled by the ever delightful banjo and Parakeets ends the album on a standard country note.

Streets Of Our Time is released on April 19th by Loose Records

Danny And The Champions Of The World myspace is here