Singles
The title says it all really; the sound of hazy evenings in the middle of summer. Shame it's come a bit late then isn't it? But, thankfully that's one of the few things that can be criticised about this second single from Mr Manuva's second album. One of the leading lights of UK hip hop, while his first single, eWitness (1 Hope)' was more forceful and energetic, eDreamy Days' swoons and glides with its haunting strings, backing vocals and the odd tinkle of piano, in amongst its deep bass and self-examining lyrics. Indeed, it is a remarkable marriage of laid-back beats and the sort of darkness more usually reminiscent of Massive Attack. Just a bit of a shame about the MJ Cole remix, which manages to exclude almost all of the beauty of the track.
Olafur Gottskalksson
Now this is more like it; a group of nice young men singing about their personal feelings and anxieties, to the backdrop of distorted guitars and a drum beat you could easily set a video of a man with a pick-axe to. None of this nu-metal malarkey; oh no. I mean, what was wrong with old metal to begin with? Come on; you can actually hear what he's singing here, and there's none of those nasty masks or boiler-suits. And then there's this really great guitar solo, the like of which hasn't been heard since the death of Guns'n'Roses or Queen. I really like the way it's all quiet, and then suddenly, quite without warning, it gets loud. And, y'know, you can really feel the guy's emotions, and like, y'know, it's really great how he can just pour these out on a record y'know what I'm saying? Bollocks.
Richey Foran
"When I look into your eyes, I see a yellow butterfly". Right.... I reckon there are two possible explanations for this. Firstly, they're a slightly kooky lot in the psychedelic and frankly, mental, spirit of the Super Furries and Simian. Or secondly, they're French chaps with the source of ABBA's success; an excellent English rhyming dictionary. Or drugs. Obviously. They do follow it up later though by telling us not to "waste your time trying to find the meaning of everything".....hmm. I suspect that might be the best approach. Yes. As for the music, it's a cheerily poppy little ditty, which would have been kind of nice during the summer, with some sweet melodies and swooning brass. Unfortunately the over-excited chorus doesn't really fit in with the lazier side of what they do, and the vocals are slightly annoying in their wispyness.
Glen Little
An altogether calmer, more pastoral Pulp return to ease the pain of summer's departure by convincing us that Autumn is alright, after all. A luscious string sample underpins a tale of lost love and fallen leaves. But what's this? The opening line of eThe Trees' suggests that all is not right in the Pulp world: "I took an air rifle, shot a magpie to the ground/And it died without a sound." So much for Jarvis Cocker's new nature-loving persona. eSunrise', meanwhile, which closes new album We Love Life, is a less obvious single choice, and makes much more sense as a grandiose wig-out climax to a festival headline set than it does occupying a five minute slot on Radio One. But the big news is that (a) Pulp are back, and they've lost none of the charm that made us fall in love with them in the first place, and (b) Contrary to rumours, inviting Scott Walker to produce the new album was an inspired decision. Hurrah! Go tell it to the trees.
Clifford Stern
There are certain bands, who, one feels, can only really survive in certain seasons. Whilst Joy Division will always be the sound of the bleak midwinter, bands like Sugar Ray, hailing from (where else but) southern California, are suitable only for the summer months. There is a warm feel to the lounging bass and simple but catchy drums. So why aren't they singing about surfing and girls and other summer things like frisbee? They really don't conjure the soundtrack to a broken heart, and you have to wonder why they're trying to.
Lloyd Owusu
It's been quite a year for Elbow, what with their album Asleep in the Back being up for the Mercury Music Award having charted at 14, and similar chart success for the singles eRed' and ePowder Blue', and here is a welcome re-release of the track that first brought them to the public's attention. Whether it'll do as well as the other two singles is open to debate though, since seven and a half minute epics are hardly the things of mainstream radio - a fact noted by the frankly criminal decision to cut off the immensely powerful climax; all building keyboards and explosive guitars, but at least on the release it's there in all its glory. Guy Garvey's heart-warming lyrics of love in old age are delivered once again in the angelic sort of voice you really can't imagine coming from a bloke built the way he is. All in all, glorious.
David Eyres
There's something terribly reassuring about bands such as Turin Brakes; you know exactly what to expect, and they rarely disappoint. Some might cite this as a sign of predictability, but despite the same basic format there is always something to admire and latch on to, whether it's the appearance of an electric guitar here, or the light touch of some keyboards there. That said of course, by the time it comes to getting a fourth single out of an album, you have to question its credentials to be a single in the first place.
Martin Rowlands
Okay, so the album came out nearly a year ago, but hell, it's just won the Mercury Music Award so "let's put out a single" they say. Coincidence? Who knows, but it should certainly do the job of opening the album out to a new, more commercial, audience. eThis is love' is Polly at her most dominating and seductive, and one of many highlights on the album, the distorted guitars beautifully contrasted with the keyboard lines which float effortlessly over the top. In contrast to this is eYou said Something'; one of the more mellow and contemplative songs on Stories...., and certainly not an obvious choice for a single, but it shares with eThis is love' the fact that it's pretty damn good. So they're blatantly cashing in? Certainly, it seems that way, but I think we'll forgive her this one. With the album already in the bank I think we can afford to.
Alan Moore
I'm going to put in a little bit of a disclaimer here, cos I'm fairly sure that, no matter what I say now, and no matter what I think, this is still going to sell shitloads. It's very straightforward r'n'b by numbers, with very little to recommend it really. He's got a decent voice; hits all the right notes and that sort of thing, but despite the press release's comments to the contrary, it doesn't seem to carry emotion that well.
The ridiculously slick production probably contributes to this, since everything is just too well done. It seems perverse, but the song has basically been sterilised of feeling, whilst the lyrics fail to come up with anything original enough to make up for the shortcomings in other departments. Hell, it's that dispiriting I can't even be bothered to make the obvious joke.
Julia Casablancas
4th Oct 2001