2K, or the artists forever known as The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu, blast back on the scene after their insane
pyromaniac stunts with yet another working of seminal house anthem "What Time Is Love". More of a performance
than a single at 14 minutes, "***K The Millenium" features chanting, brass bands, hymns sung by the National Retired
Lifeboat Men's Choir and more hatstands than a lobster convention. Is it art, Art or arse? Who cares - it sounds damn
good played loud. And it's certainly the most maverick thing I've heard in a long while (probably since Tammy Wynette
sang "They're justified, and they're ancient and they drive an ice cream van" The world would be a duller place
without the JAMMS.
B-sides are all mixes and alternative versions of the main track (the Acid Brass is priceless), some radio-friendly and
some decidedly radio-hostile but all off their collective rockers.
Rating: 10/10
The Rest
The best thing about young bands is watching them grow up in public. Kenickie and Supergrass have both evolved in the spotlight,
producing some of their best material after crashing through the New Kids On The Block barriers placed in front of them. Ash, here
with the theme to the new movie from the directors of Trainspotting, have also come up with something a little less disposable and
bubblegum than "Girl From Mars". Harmonies, grown-up production, Sonic Youthy bits, new member Charlotte and a lack of vomitting noises
make "A Life Less Ordinary" a cracking indie rocket of a song, and mark a progression in Ash's career. Top tune, too.
First b-side is "What Deaner Was Talking About", a Ween cover, very US slacker lo-fi, but still unmistakably
Ash. "Where Is Our Love Going" is a metal jacket, previously worn by The Ramones and Sonic Youth, and now sitting comfortably
on Tim and the rest's shoulders. There's even a big Black Francis scream in there somewhere. Last track on this excellent EP is
"Halloween", an autobiographical song in the style of "Oh Yeah" which sees Tim wittering on about nothing much other than
feeling "actually alright" at a Halloween party.
Keep on growing boys, you're doing fine...
Rating: 9/10
You'll have heard it by now, of course. The latin number which sees the Spices coming on like Gloria Estefan down the disco,
encouraging the whole world to spice up your life. As the whole world is now drinking the drinks, eating the crisps, wearing
the t-shirts and wearing the underpants (are you sure about that last one..?), they seem to largely be preaching to the
converted. But they do it in such a sassy, unashamedly upfront and exciting way that you've just got to love them. Especially
Sporty Spice.
There may be a backlash brewing, but the Spice Girls are still our number one Pop Group. No-one else comes even close,
although many would like to think they do. And "Spice Up Your Life" is a pretty damn good return to the music (remember that,
Girls? That's what you started all this to do...) after fears that new material would not be up to much. I bet you've found yourself
singing, humming or whistling it at least once anyway, and if like me you've been whistling it at work much to the annoyance
of others who would rather be humming "Candle In The Wind" and musing on their own hypocrisy then you know they must be doing something right.
Rating: 8/10
The acceptable face of Lad Rock, Glasgow's Travis have one important difference between them and their contemporaries: they
actually seem to be enjoying themselves, instead of wondering how cool they look in their new designer anoraks. With "Happy", they
preach this hedonism, big grins almost audible in the mix. Like nine out of ten Travis songs, its about shagging ("and with some
luck we'll be lying together tonight"), but they present their material with such charm and a musical style that encompasses the best
in pop (Monkees, glam, even a bit of punk sneer) that it is pretty hard to dislike them.
Investigate the album for a lot stronger material though.
"Unbelievers" is first up after the a-side and shows a side of Travis that they are less eager to show off, but should be at least as
proud of. Slower of style and smoother of voice, "Unbelievers" (which is I think a Blue Aeroplanes cover) is a gentle and marshmellow song full of melting moments and
sunshine. Spot on. "Everyday Faces" is last, and is a wonderfully growing number, full of passion, almost Spanish rhythm and
ambition bigger than the sky. Preferable to the a-side, in fact.
Rating: 8/10
Pure unabashed pop, but sadly a little bit too dated and contrived to be truly classic. Sounding more like Bucks Fizz than the
sci-fi disco androids Dweeb think they are, "I.O.U. Everything" gets full marks for effort, but points off for vanishing on the
breeze before its even over.
"Clean Sheets" is more of the same, to be honest, although it has a little more pop punk energy than "I.O.U.". Next is "Cheer". Which
is exactly like the previous two songs (do you see a pattern emerging here?).
Rating: 5/10
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