IndieLondon gleefully checks out the cream of the week’s singles
SINGLE OF THE WEEK 1: ED SHEERAN – SHAPE OF YOU: Ed Sheeran’s two comeback singles – Castle On The Hill and Shape Of You – mark a hugely exciting return and another forward-thinking move for the multi award-winning, modern-day troubadour. Unveiled like a New Year’s gift in the early hours of Friday morning, the singles are Sheeran’s first releases since 2015 and showcase two very different sides to his unparalleled musical palate. Shape Of You, written by Sheeran, Johnny McDaid and Steve Mac (also on production), dismantles and rebuilds modern-pop music using little more than a loop pedal. It has a repetitive percussion loop and some sexy/edgy vocals that declare “I’m in love with the shape of you… I’m in love with your body”. On the whole, the track shouldn’t work as well as it does, but that loop is catchy as hell, toe-tappingly so, while the vocals are endearing and lend themselves to being sung along to. It looks a locked down certainty that this will be another massive hit for Sheeran – and deservedly so. It has us sold almost immediately. If anything, it finds Sheeran channelling Justin Timberlake at times, while maintaining his own keen sense of musical identity. Given that, though, you can well imagine how widespread the track’s appeal will be.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 2: THE SHINS – NAME FOR YOU: Following their warmly received Halloween gift to fans in the form of Dead Alive, The Shins have announced the release of their fifth studio album, Heartworms, which will be released on March 10, 2017, via Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records. The first official single from that LP is the utterly infectious Name For You, a resounding call for female empowerment inspired by James Mercer’s three daughters. Built around a livewire set of electronics and some slick guitars, this is an empowering rallying call that leaves you feeling giddy with appreciation. The chorus, in particular, is catchy as hell – both Shins-like in the extreme but also shamelessly feel-good. It hits some real highs and leaves you feeling genuinely excited about what else this new album has in store.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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SINGLE OF THE WEEK 3: DUA LIPA – THINKING ‘BOUT YOU: There’s no denying that Dua Lipa has a truly striking set of vocals. Her latest offering Thinking ‘Bout You is a dusky offering that is drenched in the longing of someone who just can’t get over a failed relationship. It opens in moody fashion, with Lipa’s vocals taking centre stage against some finger-click beats and an acoustic guitar strum, before introducing some subtle back-beats that enhance the overall experience, as well as some electronics. The lyrics, meanwhile, smack of heartbreak: “I’ve been working later, I’ve been drinking stronger. I’ve been smoking deeper. But the memories won’t stop.” It’s a hugely impressive offering – one that further enhances Lipa’s vocal prowess, as well as her ear for a really well constructed song. As ballads go, this is already one to beat in 2017.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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ED SHEERAN – CASTLE ON THE HILL: Ed Sheeran’s two comeback singles – Castle On The Hill and Shape Of You – mark a hugely exciting return and another forward-thinking move for the multi award-winning, modern-day troubadour. Unveiled like a New Year’s gift in the early hours of Friday morning, the singles are Sheeran’s first releases since 2015 and showcase two very different sides to his unparalleled musical palate. Castle On The Hill, written by Sheeran and Benny Blanco (also on production), pays homage to growing up in Framlingham, Suffolk. Driving beats and Springsteen-esque riffs collide to create another stadium-ready anthem that could possibly widen his reach still further. The guitars are lively, the vocals vibrant (even reaching some falsetto head-rush woohoos late on), while there’s a true sense of emotional depth to the lyrics. It’s high on melody, high on catchy values, high on classic songwriting values and yet another example of why Sheeran is so universally popular right now.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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LONDON GRAMMAR – ROOTING FOR YOU: London Grammar get their 2017 off to a striking start with the release of Rooting For You – a beguiling offering that also serves up something genuinely daring. The track is delivered mostly in a capella fashion – but not the a capella you may associate from Pitch Perfect. Rather, this is sombre and serious – invested with a sense of longing. It’s almost two minutes before there’s any semblance of backing instrumentals. But even then, there’s something sparse about them (despite the presence of a string section). The instrumentals never really get going. They’re understated as hell. It’s therefore extremely serious, utterly heartfelt but something of an acquuired taste. There’s no denying the beauty inherent in those serene female vocals but you have to be in the right mood to truly appreciate it. In that sense, it kind of reminded me of Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares To You in the way that it catches you off guard and puts a female vocalist centre-stage. Like that record, it is entirely distinct. Top marks for bravery, then; but this could well be polarising.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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THE XX – SAY SOMETHING LOVING: The xx have dropped Say Something Loving as the second release from their upcoming I See You LP. Boasting a sample of the Alessi Brothers’ 1978 track Do You Feel It?, which brings a keen sense of nostalgia, the song then proceeds to deliver a vocal duet between the husky tones of Oliver Sim and the sultry tones of Romy Madley Croft. Croft also supplies the sparse but effective guitar riffs, which enhance the overall experience. Hence, the overall result is something that’s moody, soulful yet catchy too – an encouraging new offering that builds the excitement already surrounding the new LP off the back of previous single On Hold. What’s more, Say Something Loving gets better the more you hear it, while the sentiments behind it – about finding something positive to say – are ones that we should all aspire to as the world continues to face a tumultuous future.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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SIA – DYNAMITE: Sia launches 2017 with the release of the aptly named Dynamite – an explosive synth-pop offering that pretty much grabs you from the get-go. The distinct vocals are, as ever, a powerhouse focal point, while a pounding central electronic loop gives it extra dance value – making you want to stamp your feet and gyrate your body along with it. The lyrics are fairly simplistic (“dynamite oh, you and me are meant to be”, etc), but the production values are so slick and the track so well put together to access mainstream sensibilities that you don’t really care. If you’ve been a fan of Sia’s recent output, then this continues to tick all the right boxes while explaining why she continues to be at the top of her game.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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ALL THEM WITCHES – 3-5-7: Nashville-based psych-rock quartet All Them Witches have shared a new music video for 3-5-7, the second track to be revealed from their forthcoming album Sleeping Through The War, due via New West Records on February 24. The track is at its best instrumentally, when the retro elements and Doors-like tendencies really come into their own – psych-rock combined with experimental rock. The vocals, though, have something of a sense of foreboding about them. They channel both Jim Morrison and Richard Ashcroft at times, yet without the charisma. Rather, they have a drone-like quality about them, which drags the track down. But then we guess that’s kind of the point as there’s a lot of musings on suffering from drummer Robby Staebler, who also directed the video. As he states: “All beings suffer. One of the goals of being alive should be to understand the causes of suffering. For me this video is about perspective and the process of self-realization. Once you begin to see yourself around you and in others, realizing you are a part of everything (even things that you despise) is something you have to swallow and move toward understanding so you can properly adjust. Remember that one song about that one dude who reached for the stars too soon? One of the most important and inspiring things I’ve heard is, ‘In concentration I will place my mind. For those whose thoughts are slack and wandering are caught between the fangs of their own afflictions’. Or something like that. Those afflictions become everyone’s afflictions. The cycle continues. The suffering continues. Learn to focus, you can do it! I am focused. Eye in focus.” It’s therefore a very acquired taste.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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TYGA feat KANYE WEST – FEEL ME: The presence of Kanye West on Tyga’s new record, Feel Me, suggested something a little bit special. Alas, this dreary slice of mainstream rap/hip hop is yet another of those offerings that showcases just why that musical genre is so unappealing in so many ways nowadays. Featuring onerous references to niggas and bitches throughout, as well as the usual bling-laden attitude, this is a tiresome and repetitive record that is a struggle to get through. The ominous organ in the background adds an extra element of horror – almost as though Tyga and Kanye have created their own kind of horror record deliberately. The beats, meanwhile, are nothing at all special – we’ve heard such arrangements plenty of times before. The rappers themselves may be having fun – but listeners certainly shouldn’t be. Lamentable.
Rating: 1 out of 5
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