INTERVIEW: Babybird's Stephen Jones reviews the singles
While looking through some old copies of Melody Maker a while ago, one particular regular feature that I enjoyed was the singles review pages. Each week different indie stars were invited to review the week's releases, often making for entertaining and interesting reading. One particular issue featured Babybird's Stephen Jones reviewing a number of songs, with receiving top marks, and one of Geri Halliwell's hideous singles being named the stinker of the week.
So 12 years later it is with great pleasure that I introduce very special guest reviewer Stephen Jones, the creative force behind BabyBird and writer of classics such as 'Bad Old Man', 'Back Together', 'Goodnight' and 'Unloveable'. Stephen is currently working on a new musical project. He is also writing his third novel as well as planning a musical. Mr Jones has very kindly took some time out from doing these things (as well as being weird and hilarious on Twitter) to share his opinions on some of the latest releases...
THE CROOKES - Maybe In The Dark - New
single from Sheffield indie types The Crookes. Taken from their second
album 'Hold Fast', released this week and funded via fans through
PledgeMusic...
"First
off i should say that no one gives a monkeys what i think and so they
shouldn't, so on that understanding i can proceed...
Having
started off in Sheffield and lived there for 2 years it's nice to see
there's more to it than Joe Cocker. I'd better be nice. Well, I like the
chorus and the flamenco clapping midway through. A quick cheap video i
imagine. Nice black and white. Reminds of Franz Turdinand in it's
choppyness." 5/10
THE VACCINES - No Hope -
The first taster from 'The Vaccines Come Of Age', the second and hotly
anticipated album from one of the very few successful new guitar bands
of the last few years...
"Its
alright, but what's with the cut-off denim ? Big change from the first
album. Watched them at a festival and the guitarist looked like a Barbie
Ken cliche. He looks like a stockbroker from 'American Psycho'. Hope
it's deliberate. The song's OK. But it's not 'Post Breakup Sex', which
was wonderful. Makes me mourn for The Strokes - album one and
'Reptilia'. The Vaccines are just one of those bands you can feel that
have the record company all over them and dripping out of the songs.
Sorry." 5/10
JIMMY CLIFF - One More - The reggae legend returns with 'Rebirth', an album produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong...
"No
idea what to say about this, or how to score it. It feels very
commercialised. I'm more prone towards Trojan (not the condoms), The
Ethiopians, The Specials and Barrington Levy ('Money Move' is a great
song). I eagerly await Vanilla Ice's crossover reggae funk fusion album,
with Jedward on the steel drums, tied up and covered in honey and fire
ants..." 5/10
THE KING BLUES - Wasted Words -
They began life as a ska-punk band with a fondness for dub reggae, but
gradually morphed into some sort of hip hop/rock crossover. A few months
ago they announced they were splitting up. This new single is taken
from their fourth album 'Long Live The Struggle', which has just been
released and is the band's final album...
"Oucho.
At first i thought 100 out of 10 but then I rounded it off to 0, so i
left it. Don't people like this stumble across these reviews then vow to
hunt you down and kill you? Ah well.
Did
Brian Harvey's East 17 and So Solid die for nothing? Innit. That
singer's look reminds me of those hats JoBoxers and Haircut 100 used to
wear. It's the Querelle down by the docks look. Quite Topman as well." 0/10
BOBBY WOMACK - The Bravest Man In The Universe -
The 'last soul man' has returned with his first album in 18 years. It's
a great piece of work too, produced by Damon Albarn and Richard Russell
of XL Records. Here is the sparse, confessional title track...
"I
met Damon Albarn once. He had a massive head and he told me not to wear
my 'chart music' glasses. He said "you are being too clever for pop
music". He was right. For me this track doesn't gel, voice and music
clash, unlike, for example 'Spartacus' by Terry Callier/Zero 7 which
does. One of my favourite all time songs is 'Harry Hippie' by Bobby
Womack, as is 'Across 110th St'. Wonderful, but this feels like a
project." 5/10
JAKE BUGG - Taste It -
Hotly tipped new talent from Nottingham. His last single 'Lightning
Bolt' received plenty of airplay on 6Music, XFM and even Radio One
(although his appearances were mainly confined to Zane Lowe's piss-awful
evening show) and now he releases another single taken from his
self-titled debut album due for release in October...
"Fucking
crap thats scary. Right lets make a music cake. Put in Alex Turner,
Oasis, in fact all bands with moptop haircuts, stick them in there. He's
a record companies desperate wet dream. I wonder how many back-handers
were used in getting this on the radio? Bankers, politicians, radio
stations all work the same way operating above the law. I'll shut up
now..." 5/10
CHELSEA LIGHT MOVING - Burroughs -
So Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon have separated after many years of
marriage, casting doubts over the future of this influential band. So
with Sonic Youth on hiatus it's good to see that Thurston is keeping
himself busy with a new band. 'Burroughs' is their first single and is
out now on Matador Records...
"Great
to see the video, just to watch William Burroughs. 'Junkie' is a
wonderful book. This is a silly song banged out in an afternoon i guess.
There's shitloads of this stuff everywhere. It's not Godspeed You Black
Emperor is it? I could leave it or leave it. Do some washing up
instead. Sonic Youth - bit overrated." 5/10
MUSE - Survival -
You've probably heard this one already. It will impossible to avoid
over the coming weeks, since it has been chosen as the official anthem
of the London 2012 Olympics. It's big, loud, dramatic and very pompous
indeed. What do you think Mr Jones?
"Its
been said a thousand times before but it's Queen rehashed. When i've
been in America Muse are on every station, so the theory that 99% of the
public there are stupid is correct. I was in a cafe in North London a
while back and Bellendamy and Kate Hudson came in with her kid and they
seemed very nice and quiet. You half expect his Freddie Mercury pants to
explode and for him to jump on the table and finger fuck his axe, but
no. Quite disappointing. The government should put Muse on top of East
End highrises and play - that would scare the shit out of terrorists..."
Minus 0/10
LEVELLERS - After The Hurricane -
Yes they're still going after many years, and remain a hugely popular
live act. This new single is the second to be taken from their new album
'Static On The Airwaves' and was written about 2005's devastatingly
destructive Hurricane Katrina...
"In
the video, I love the typewriter and 'Day Of The Dead' dolls but then
you realise a crusty is typing, so I kind of switch off. Then it goes a
bit whirlygig and i fall off my chair. Now I need to go up stairs to get
a plaster, so i miss the end. What happens to the soap dodger? I can't
bear it. If anyone knows please write in. I'm guessing that after the
hurricane there's a massive clean-up operation and people try to get on
with their lives. So that's quite positive." 5/10
THE VIEW - How Long -
New single from indie popsters The View, attempting to revive their
fortunes following a bit of a career decline. Now on their fourth album
entitled 'Cheeky For A Reason'. The album is out this week on Cooking
Vinyl...
"They
are cheeky little scamps aren't they? But when i listen to song and
look at the static photo advertising their new album on YouTube there's
no cheeks, just a ladies pair of leopard skin pants. Wouldn't it have
been better if she'd turned round for the photo? Surely? It's definitely
a song. Not sure what sort. At first i thought Rain by the Beatles,
then i thought don't be ridiculous. When i see The View i always think
of Hannibal Lecter. Maybe this is more suited to the likes of serial
killers than me. They're locked away, and they need a view or indeed The
View more than i do. Mental. 5/10
ALBUMS: Stephen has also recommended some albums that he has been listening to recently...
Saeen Zahoor Ahmed - 'The Best of Saeen Zahoor Ahmed'
- "He is a peasant Sufi singer. Without sounding like a ponce, I can
understand the meaning of music that induces spirituality. I don't like
religion, so it's interesting, listening to its meditative effect . I
love hypnotic trance like Tinawaren etc.
Trawling through all the shit on YouTube then finding this makes it worth it." 10/10
Hammock - 'Chasing After Shadows' - "Big epic mostly instrumentals in the vein of 'Explosions In The Sky'." 10/10
Anything by Olafur Arnalds - 10/10
