2nd December, 1996

Everyone's holding back their single releases in the hope of that big Christmas hit now...

Single of the Week

"Australia" by Manic Street Preachers

The fourth single off the recent "Everything Must Go" LP, "Australia" is an upbeat driving epic from the consistently brilliant Manics. In a similar mode to past classics such as "You Love Us" and "Motown Junk", the new single is a punky spunky spiky thing, guitars sticking out of it likes thorns on a rose. Featuring a killer helter-skelter of a chorus, it is superb.

The b-sides on the 1st of the obligatory 2 CD set are definitely worth a mention. All covers, the first is "Velocity Girl", originally by Primal Scream in their anorak days, pre-Loaded. Bringing back memories of cider and blackcurrant, plastic sunglasses and floral miniskirts (not worn by me, I hasten to add), this is a faithful cover of a mid-80s stormer. Next up is the again faithful take on all-time classic, Camper Van Beethoven's "Take The Skinheads Bowling". A must-have. Last up is the gentle easy-listening of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You": the Manics as wedding band shock!

These covers underline the fun side of a band far too often swamped in serious polemic and weighty debate. They are the sound of a band messing about, enjoying themselves and having fun. Bless 'em.

The second CD features the customary remixes. The Lionrock mix of "Australia" turns the song into a barely-recognisable astral trance: preferable to those remixes that do little more than turn up the bass. The other two mixes are Stealth Sonic Orchestra takes on Motorcycle Emptiness, turning an already poignant song into something even more delicate.

Rating: 10/10

The Rest

"Kootchi" by Neneh Cherry

This sensual, erotic and hard guitar-backed song sees Neneh Cherry at her man-eating and vampish best. "All I wanna do is kootchi-koo with you" she gasps, reminding you of stories about female insects that mate then eat the male as a post-coital snack. A fantastic, sexy, scary blast of girl power.

"Somedays" is on more mellow, dancier ground; ground on which Neneh Cherry is more familiar. Nice production and a simple piano backing track elevate this above the norm. "Crack Baby" sounds as though it's been lifted from the soundtrack to the remake of Eraserhead, with its eerie sampled baby cries and coughs, and the harrowing and depressing rap. Unsettling, but powerful. The last track on the cd is the "12 Rounds" remix of the title track, which removes the guitar and replaces it with a mighty metallic trip-hop beat, making it even scarier.

Rating: 9/10

"Don't Marry Her" by The Beautiful South

In the face of critical disdain and derision, the South carry on regardless (no doubt cheered in part by their astronomical LP and live concert sales). I don't understand the scorn myself, as Paul Heaton and his band consistently produce some of the finest slices of bittersweet ironic pop around today.

Anyway, "Don't Marry Her" is a maddeningly catchy bit of modern country-tinged AOR, sung from the point of view of someone's mistress. Full of typically barbed lyrics ("she's a PhD in I-told-you-so, you've a knighthood in I'm-not-listening") and more hooks than a fisherman's bag, it is music for twenty and thirty-somethings to sing along to, unaware of the message behind the words until it has sunk into their heads and taken up residence. Clever stuff.

B-sides are the gospel swing of "God Bless The Child" and the dark catchy pop of "Without Her".

Rating: 8/10

"Snoops Upside Ya Head" by Snoop Doggy Dogg

Taking the obvious "Oops Upside..." and adding a dope beat with the laid-back vocals of the Doggfather charting a gansta rap over the fat n squelchy bass, "Snoops Upside Ya Head" is a mighty big slab of funky rap. Should manage to trouble the charts due to its familiar tune and the popularity of Snoop, this is the sinister cousin to The Fugees classy but safe covers.

B-sides are forgettable remixes.

Rating: 7/10

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