2nd February, 1998

Will they get a hit with it this time??

Single of the Week

"Never Never" by Warm Jets

Not a cover of the heavenly All Saints crooner, this was a HeadCleaner Single Of The Week when it first came out in April last year. And here it is again, with no apologies for making it top of the heap once more. With slightly more hype and media interest behind it this time (due no doubt to a certain Ms Z Ball and her...erm...closeness to frontman Louis Jones), "Never Never" should see the Jets in the charts at last. I remember the first time that I heard this last year, I rang up my significant other and played it down the phone to her, enthusing about it's Bowie-if-he'd-been-a-New-Waver melodramatics, Blondie style guitars and utterly majestic tune. Even she was impressed, and that doesn't happen very often. If you're discovering this for the first time, lose yourself in its rollercoaster rush and fly with its angelic buzz of a chorus. Then phone someone and play it to them.

Four b-sides to dissect, as I got both CD1 and CD2. "On The Floor" is a post-punk homage to the Buzzcocks with it's dirty guitar and frenetic-paced harmonies. And as the chorus consists entirely of "doo-doo-doos" and "wooo-hooo-ooo-ooos", it is therefore wonderful. The instrumental "There Is Still Mystery" is closer to Radiohead territory, with a moog-ish drone in the background that buzzes like a headache. A rising and falling keyboard riff fills out the sound like a child playing on the stairs and the overall effect is an Eno-ish soundscape that dazes with its 10-minute monotony (but in a good way).

Over on disc 2 now is "Never Never" again (wot? no remix? You could've had Zoe playing the triangle or something in it, at least). Then comes the New Wave sci-fi sensurround of "Underground" with a bassline the Jam would be proud of and one of those big bombastic choruses this band seem to be capable of producing with depressing (if you're in a band playing the toilets of West Lothian) ease. "rtz" completes the offerings from the band, and is a more modern sounding opus, coming over all ambient on us as it lopes gymnastically to its end. Another instrumental, this is far more abstract and directionless than "There Is Still Mystery", but then it does sound as though it should be on the soundtrack to a remake of "Barbarella", so that's ok.

Clasp this band to your hearts.

Rating: 10/10

The Rest

"I Think I'm In Love" by Spiritualized

Jason Pierce has had but one trick since the days of Spacemen 3, but it's a damn good trick so we'll let him off. With more pharmaceuticals than Bobby Gillespie lost in the Amsterdam branch of Boots, Spiritualized provide the soundtrack to everyone's slightly more detached moments, ranging from completely monotonous mantras, through gospel music for astronauts (who are the new conquistadors - have you heard?) to psychedelic reworkings of 1950s style rock and roll. "I Think I'm In Love" manages to touch on all these areas at least once during the course of the song, and by the time its finished your mind's wandered so much that you will probably find yourself standing on the windowsill wearing nothing but your socks, wondering quite how you got there.

In which case, don't go anywhere near the Chemical Brothers remixes on the b-side, or there's no telling what might happen. These (a vocal and an instrumental mix) take the original and stretch it out until you can see the other side of the universe through it. Is it just me or is it all smoky in here?

Rating: 9/10

"Higher Than Reason" by Unbelievable Truth

Try not to think that Unbelievable Truth's singer and guitarist is Thom Yorke's younger brother, as the comparisons with Radiohead are unfair. Not as groundbreaking, frightening, original or (fill in your own complimentary adjective here) as his elder sibling's outfit, Yorke Jr's band are still worth a few minutes of your time. A largely acoustic group, Unbelievable Truth recall the days of the tortured troubadour of the 80s, such as Prefab Sprout's Paddy McAloon or Aztec Camera's Roddy Frame. Having that same serious, slightly coffee-table feel to it, "Higher Than Reason" is the acceptable face of AOR, and has a chorus capable of coaxing the angels down from heaven to listen more closely. Just a little too studied to be vital, however.

"Who's To Know" is similar, yet darker in tone, all muffled drums, lush production and sombre lyrics; angst wrapped in velvet. "Coming Round" is a little livelier, underpinned with a tune that carries the song forward like a river. Yet again however, it sounds a little too dated and serious for its own good, and comes across as the sort of thing you think you ought to like. Which means its trying too hard. Last is "Revolution", but I'm afraid I'd gone to sleep by then.

File under worthy. Then go and listen to "Dr Jones".

Rating: 6/10

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