What do you get if you cross PJ Harvey, Curve, Janis Joplin, Garbage and - one of my favourite bands ever - The Heart-Throbs? A bloody racket probably, but each of these artists' influences is discernible in this startling track from 20 year-old singer/songwriter Naomi. "Be My Lover" comes prowling over the horizon, seductive as
Louise Brooks wearing black pvc; half bluesy rock sweatathon and half sensual string arousal. Over this, Naomi exudes the lyrics: all erotic come-ons and feline purring ("I want to taste every inch, every part of you" - ooh, matron) and the whole thing is a sleazy juggernaut of loin-grinding majesty, the chorus in particular spurting forth quite magnificently, steam practically emanating from out the hi-fi. Cold showers all round.
"Amazing Grace" is the first b-side, and sees a complete change of style and pace, its acoustic folk managing successfully to avoid the pitfalls of the genre, instead creating a subtle and mesmeric track, not a million miles away from gentler Led Zep moments, when they were recovering from firing Wagnerian riffs at each other.
In "Black Eyed Blues", the PJ Harvey influences are most evident, in an eerily-lit and nightmarish trawl through
boozy blues explosions. Although echoes of other artists can be heard - and such inspirations are hardly denied by Naomi herself - she brings enough of her own style and character to the songs to create something she can truly call her own - and that I can truly call well worth a 10 outta 10.
Nice hair too (these things matter, y'know...)
Rating: 10/10
The Rest
We've not had a good old dose of technified dance smelling salts round this way for quite some time, so Underworld's pulsating piledriver of a track is welcome indeed, coming on strong like New Order being attacked by Zebedee with a pneumatic drill. Not quite as moment-defining as "Born Slippy" (but then it doesn't have a cult film's coat-tails to ride), "Push Upstairs" shows up Fatboy's cut and paste trickery for what it is, with a masterful example of how music like this should be treated: as molten beats pouring out from over a mixing desk, shaped into something unique and monumental.
You shouldn't be surprised to learn two remixes (Roger Sanchez and Adam Beyer) comprise the b-sides. The first is a sparse, robotic disassembly, whilst the second is ripped up and put back together to make something faster and more lethal than a cheetah on pcp.
Rating: 8/10
Although starting their career as the Bootleg Portishead, the artschool experimentalism of Moloko has carved out a path undeniably its own, with "Sing It Back" a prime example of their own peculiar blend of trip-hop, mischievous pop and MGM musical style. What marks Moloko out from some others treading water in the same pool is that they seldom lose sight of an identifiable tune, and here they clasp onto one tightly with both thighs.
Remixorama on the b-side, Booker T and DJ Plankton this time being the people wielding the chainsaw and blowtorch. The first changes little, adding some slightly more ambient sci-fi sounds to the picture; but the second slows things down and strips the song bare, revealing a dub skeleton behind the pulsing veins of the original.
Rating: 8/10
Macca and the lads' decision to reform was certainly sounder than some (are you listening, Ms Harry??), and this, representing the second wave of next gen Bunnymen, is as lush, rich and romantic as anything the band
have ever done. "Rust" is a mellow, downbeat number that winds itself around you seductively, squeezing the breath out of you python-like as strings reach a crescendo and the lights go down. Gloriously doomed sonic poetry, complete with "la la las" and "everything's gonna be alright" outro that tiptoes up and down your spine. 'Snice.
A respite from remix hell, with "Fish Hook Girl" the first b-side. It could have been lifted straight out the 80s, big black overcoat and all, but nevertheless this puts some much more supposedly "vital" band's offerings to shame. "See The Horizon" completes the lesson, a thoughtful and sugar-spun thing of fragile beauty (The Vengaboys it's not, in other words).
Songs to learn and sing indeed.
Rating: 8/10
I would hate to be Guy Chambers. To write songs the calibre of this, only to have some cocky little egotistical git take all the limelight. That said, "Strong" is one of the Chambers/Williams double-headed monster's better tracks, but still shot through with that distasteful Spoilt Bastard "me me me!" mentality. So are you not as strong as we all think you are, Robbie pet? Shame - you just sniff some more coke out of Nicole's navel to try and keep your spirits up.
B-side includes the performance of "Let Me Entertain You" from The Brits (so you can remind yourself that yes, he does look as smug as he sounds) and "Happy Song", which Robbie would like to think is like Blur, but which isn't fit to crawl in Damon's shadow.
Oh yeah - one more thing: you are not Sean Connery playing James Bond, you tedious little prick. There, feel better now. Back in my box for another week.
Rating: 3/10
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