30th March, 1998


Hey, it's summer time...

Single of the Week

"More Than Us" by Travis



As well as being a cheeky bunch of monkeys capable of churning out anthems as quick as Fran can flash a grin, Travis can produce some moments of quite startling loveliness. "More Than Us" is one of those moments; a moment drenched with warm strings, gentle vocals and angelic tunes. Slightly Beatlesque, it swells and takes off majestically, flying closer and closer to the sun until it disappears into the dazzling glare of its own wonder. More than nice.

First b-side is the Lennon-penned "Give Me Some Truth", a more jagged and rougher sound than the soothing calm of the a-side, and is perhaps a little too rough for its own good. Next is "All I Wanna Do Is Rock", Travis' anthem par excellence, with a certain Noel Gallagher guesting on guitar. Recorded live at Manchester when they supported Oasis, it succeeds in capturing the self-destroying burnout of the song's brilliance (despite the Oasis fans clapping along like a herd of sheep). Last b-side is "Funny Thing", remixed by Tim Simenon, making this an all-star EP. Another of Travis' gentler moments, it has a few extra layers of guitar and beat added to it by Mr Simenon, turning it a bit of a sheep in wolf's clothing. Which, as it's the second time in this paragraph I've mentioned sheep, means I'd better stop.

Rating: 9/10

The Rest

"Ain't Going To Goa" by Alabama 3

A rerelease from the triptastic church of Alabama 3, "Ain't Going To Goa" is a cooler-than-you shuffling attack on New Age hippydom and those that buy into it cos it's trendy. Featuring a gospel choir, harmonica-playing that would make Ian Brown give up and go home, and a stupendously acerbic rap/preach ("I want consciousness expansion, I go to my local tabernacle an' I sing with my brothers and sisters"), the song is a trippy bit of dub-gospel that deserves a place in your heart. Say halleluhah.

"Hypo Full Of Love" is a trancey evangelical sermon from the House that moves around your hi-fi in a mysterious way. "Sister Rosetta" brings up the rear, with a blues-tinged slab of dub that slinks its way into your home and converts you to the cause.

Alabama 3 are wonderfully, gloriously deranged, and they have come to save your soul.

Rating: 8/10

"Two Sonic Scratches Of The Big Bad Rock Arse" by Magoo and Mogwai

A Fierce Panda split single tribute to metal meisters extraordinaire Black Sabbath, this features Chemikal Underground bands Magoo and Mogwai, covering "Black Sabbath" and "Sweet Leaf" respectively. Magoo take their subject down the lab and turn it into a comedy horror creation, all theatrical guitar and mysterious soundscapes. More Rocky Horror than Ver Sabb, it is still a good cover.

Mogwai stick closer to the plot, with the riff-heavy "Sweet Leaf". Featuring the band talking very quietly in the background, like some backwards-recorded message telling you to dismember your parents, the track sees Mogwai stand with one foot on the monitor, bollocks out and rocking like mantra-making muthas. Then, all goes quiet, as though the spirit Ozzy Osbourne's fallen asleep, full up on chickens and bats. Mogwai continue to chat, cough and laugh ghost-like over a feedback drone that dies out, leaving the band chatting away, stoned to the max and challenging as ever.

Rating: 7/10

"Number One" by A

You may think you've heard all power pop has to offer, with the likes of Silver Sun and Symposium pogoing about all over the place, but until you have heard A's glorious racket, you have not. Rocket From The Crypt, The Jam, Faith No More and Foo Fighters playing poker together whilst every garage band in the world ever knocks on the door trying to get in. "Number One" will be lucky if it gets to number 101, but it is still as full of more energy than whole of the bands/artists in the top 40 put in a big pot and brought to boil over a bonfire. Which, in the case of the likes of Celine Dion, can only be a good thing.

"Ouch" is next, and echoes the Manics at their most rock-sounding. Not having the generation terrorists' grasp of a tune however, A sound slightly less vital and "Ouch" is a pretty forgettable moment in rock history. A laid-back remix of "Number One" follows, preceding the full on punk rock attack of "Foghorn", more dated than grandad's "Anarchy In The UK" t-shirt, but bleeding good fun all the same.

A1.

Rating: 7/10

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