The High Wire, Odds and Evens. Download here.
They may rock Ramones t-shirts and Castro caps, but blissed-out indie newcomers The High Wire are the real thing. Their sound has definite elements of Band of Horses and the more chilled Mercury Rev tracks. While their debut album The Sleep Tapes was an immediate hit among critics – popular acclaim was that bit slower in coming.
They have, however, been pencilled in to play a set at the V Festival so that may be about to change. With an expansive, drifting melody and an inexplicably catchy chorus Odds and Evens has to be the stand-out track from The Sleep Tapes.
Listen here:
Speech deBelle, Daddy’s Little Girl. Download here.
Irish act Villagers’ debut album Becoming a Jackal made it onto the short-list for this year’s Mercury Music Prize, but last year’s gong was rightfully snatched by South Londoner Speech Debelle’s Speech Therapy.
Although showing signs of a rise to prominence across the small water, the Londoner’s melodic, soulful rapping style has yet to see her earn much by way of airplay here in Ireland. She is currently working on her second album and here’s hoping it matches up to the quality of her first.
Daddy’s Little Girl, from her Mercury-winning debut, tells the story of how her father walked out on her family when she was six. The heart-breakingly honest lyrics, emotionally charged delivery and the fact that she is a virtual unknown in this part of the world earns her a spot on this week’s Download Tracks of the Week. Deadbeat dads, look away now.
Listen here:
Klaxons, Echoes. Download from 13 August.
The fluorescent paint-wearing darlings of NME are a back with a new album and single set for release next week. An avalanche of alternative rock bands emerged around the time of Klaxons but clever marketing set them ahead of the likes of The Dykeenies who in fact were far stronger musically.
However, Klaxons have shown that despite the bulls**t that seems to come with them, they have the capacity to put together a decent song – and Echoes is a case in point.
The desert-at-dusk video is an arsey, pretentious version of the one the Stone Roses’ did for Fools Gold and is further proof that if ever there was a band that needs to concentrate less on their ‘look’ then surely Klaxons are it. The track that goes with it, however, is actually very good.
Do your best to listen to the song without looking at the video. It’s basically just a group of lads in a desert fretting about which has the most Clash-like button-studded sleeveless leather jacket anyway.
Listen here:
