Singles of the Week

The entire front row prayed for a few more metric units.

Metric

Monster Hospital (Last Gang Records)

Dodgy name, Metric. Sounds like an Irish pub cover band, or, worse, a modern rock band that may as well be a cover band. Thankfully, the Metric in question are neither of these. They hail from Canada, are led by Broken Social Scene contributor Emily Haines, and deliver raucous, no bullshit indie-fuzz. Monster Hospital is the proud owner of one of those classic radio refrains, in the form of “I fought the war, but the war won!”, an instantly memorable lyrical hook that’ll have you belting it out with gusto, first listen, guaranteed. On either side is a lazy, jangly drone – punctuated by intermittent squeals of both guitar and voice – whose sole purpose seems to be to provide lead-in space for the ‘good bit’.

Zero 7

Futures (Atlantic / Warner)

José González lends his effortless vocals to this track from UK duo Zero 7, sending the already laid-back groove to a new depth of latté-friendly laziness. Futures is a double-edged sword. It’s daggy in a trendy way, or perhaps vice-versa, the kind of inoffensive electro-soul you’d expect to hear melting from the steel-encased fixtures of an uber-modern café. Still, and perhaps due to the vibe provided by González, it threatens to emit some kind of organic warmth, though the image of some ponytailed (though shaved at the front), black-apron-clad barista is never far from the mind.

Ripe

Galaxies And Stars (Timberyard)

In the immediate post-Nevermind musical landscape, Ripe emerged with a indie guitar arsenal which sounded more fried than fuzzed. Now, more than a decade on, the four-piece return, their heady wall-of-sound still intact, now sounding the antithesis of all that has ever been ‘angular’. Comeback single Galaxies And Stars screams and squeals with what I’d like to interpret as visceral, pent-up frustration, its guitars swirling to form a delicious anthemic cacophony, suggesting that this is far more than youthful nostalgia. And Mark Murphy still does Adam Franklin quite well.

The Dears

Ticket To Immortality (Speak n Spell)

The Dears’ previous album, No Cities Left, was generally defined by its glorious moroseness, which makes latest single Ticket To Immortality seem like a veritable joyous romp in comparison. Much like No Cities Left, the track takes a while to reveal itself, with the dense sonic layers unpacking themselves slowly, and much on their own accord. If not for the ominous, thumping tom drums, this would introduce itself as a flat-out pop number, with the requisite amount of doopy-doop melodies and jangly guitar. Soon enough, serrated guitars take centre stage, the pace quickens to a skiffle and Murray’s finding himself singing “the world is really gonna love you”, amidst soaring harmonies and the white noise of chaotic instrumentation. And to think this is the lead single from their self-described “stripped down” new album…

The Gingers

Love You Long Time EP (Illicit Records)

Falling somewhere between The Spazzys and The Spice Girls are local teens The Gingers, who have gigged relentlessly for the last 18 months, developing their energetic guitar pop numbers. Evening Rose (the punk tune) and So Long (the garage rock tune) show some spark, until things progress down a path of Nickelodeon-approved bubblegum pop. I would suggest to whoever is ‘looking after’ these girls to spend less time trying to make them look rock, and more time getting them to sound that way.

(In a sterling show of willpower, please note how the preceding review restrained from embarking on any kind of gender-study rant.)

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

Rahim

Forever Love (Frenchkiss Records / Popfrenzy)

Never has the term ‘skewed pop’ been more appropriate than with Forever Love, taken from New York band Rahim’s debut album, Ideal Lives. Combining the sunniness of the Beach Boys with DC-inspired post-punk, Forever Love (forget the twee title) places gently understated, clockwork guitars upon a canvas of childlike Moog tones and lush harmonies. The mid-section heralds a robotic, math-infused breakdown, with the synths taking on more of a sinister quality, before sunlight again reigns supreme. In under three minutes, Rahim provide a masterclass in not combining, but rather contrasting influences to create a new entity, infused with intrigue, and ultimately vital.