30th September, 1996

As bands return from playing festivals and big summer gigs, so the single release front looks healthier and healthier.

Single of the Week

"Setting Sun" by The Chemical Brothers

This is the much-feted collaboration between thumping dance mantra merchants The Chemical Brothers and the elder Gallagher sibling. And what a marriage this is: deep and sexy bass rhythms woven around almost Eastern-style sequencer bleeps and skull-crunching drums; this provides the backing to an instantly recognisable Gallagher song (or snippet of one at least - there aren't enough vocals here to call it a song). Being a better but less charismatic singer than Liam, Noel sounds on top-form here, standing alone in the eye of the storm The Chemical Brothers conjure up around him. Much more than a sum of its parts, this is a huge stellar explosion of a single and shows that should Gallagher's other little band falter, his talents have many other directions in which they can successfully journey.

The other tracks on the CD single are a couple of mixes of "Setting Sun" (just really an extended version and an instrumental) and The Chemical Brothers-penned "Buzz Tracks", an addictive bit of trance dance with sampled speech that sounds as though it's from a space mission (Buzz Aldrin? Maybe).

Rating: 10/10

The Rest

"Kevin Carter" by Manic Street Preachers

Any other week, this would have made SOTW, but due to the excellent offering above - and to the fact that "Kevin Carter" is familiar to most by now - the Manics have to settle for second place.

Which is not to say "Kevin Carter" is bad: on the contrary, it is a typical piece of grand Manics bombast. Emotionally-charged (it deals with the subject of the eponymous Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who killed himself, unable to deal with the fame brought about by his harrowing pictures of war and suffering) and musically impressive as usual, it is also notable for being the coolest song yet released to feature a trumpet solo. As vital as ever.

The three extra tracks on the first CD single are strong also. "Horses Under Starlight" starts deceptively like a piece of 70s muzak - complete with omnipresent trumpet and "ba-ba-ba-ba" vocals - then ends in a flurry of distorted guitar. Ironic or just the new optimistic Manics messing about? You decide. "Sepia" is the Nicky Wire-written tribute to the absent Richey: yet is again upbeat and positive. No self-pitying wallowing in the past, but rather a frank statement of regret. Above criticism therefore, but also a great song. The last of the extra songs, "First Republic" sees the band back - musically and lyrically - in "Generation Terrorists" territory.

The second remix CD single (the Manics are one of the few bands I would consider buying both parts of the cursed "2 part set") features an epic Jon Carter take on "Kevin Carter", adding subtle dance rhythms and textures to the song, but never losing sight of the original tune. The other tracks are the Stealth Sonic Orchestra remix and instrumental; both bringing out the mellow qualities of the tune (and the trumpet!).

Rating: 9.5/10

"Rotterdam" by The Beautiful South

The much maligned Paul Heaton and his popular music combo return with this catchy number (sung by..er...the female one...y'know, the one that replaced Briana Corrigan..erm), full of typical Heatonesque biting cynicism ("and everyone is blonde and everyone is beautiful, and when blonde and beautiful are multipled, they become so dull and dutiful") and backed with almost C&W guitar. A strong return.

B-sides are "A Minute's Silence" is a piano-accompanied lament sung by Heaton, and "Pollard", Heaton singing nonsense lyrics through a megaphone as the band wig out behind him. In today's retro musical climate, the intelligent songs of The Beautiful South are welcome gatecrashers at the party.

Rating: 8/10

"You're Gorgeous" by Baby Bird

Treading a similar path to Momus before, this is a very British and highbrow bit of indie pop. Almost easy-listening, this uses a lot of keyboard and cheesy sounds, together with that trademark indie strum. Lyrically, "You're Gorgeous" deals with role reversal and exploitation in a slightly twisted, Pulp-like way. Good, but not vital.

"Bebe Limonade" could be a Julee Cruise number sung in French (complete with Badalamenti-style guitar) and is suitably dreamy, yet with an edge of menace - admittedly perhaps only because of these associations. "Ooh Yeah" hijacks a dance rhythm and laces it with sensual and guttural moans and grunts, whilst the last song on the CD, "Carcrash", is more like the a-side in style. A good value purchase, but not likely to storm the charts.

Rating: 7/10

"What's Come Over Me" by Frente

This deep and moody bit of female-fronted indie-rock has echoes of Throwing Muses, Pixies - even a bit of Jesus & Mary Chain. Mid-tempo, this is the kind of fare an alternative disco would play between two floor-fillers, leaving two awkward student types throwing idiot shapes around the dancefloor. As the song fades out, they would find themselves sheepishly standing in the middle of the floor, as the track, although showing promise, would not really have taken them anywhere.

Robin Guthrie (of arch-etherealists Cocteau Twins) provides a suitable floaty remix of the a-side by way of the first extra track, whereas "The Angel's Sub Journey" mix of the main song is a dub take on it. Both are competent, neither outstanding. The other extra song on the CD is "A Real Miracle", a slow and melodic pleasant enough set-closer.

Rating: 6/10

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