The Dirty Dozen – September 2010

Philadelphia Grand Jury – Going To The Casino (Tomorrow Night), (Communion Records, 13 Sep)
I like this. It's got a sixties garagey feel to it, with maybe a little Stooges thrown in. It's good fun but there's not much else I can say about it. I think the kids will love it. Given that ten is Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye, I think I'll give this a 5.

Caitlin Rose ft Rayland Baxter – Shanghai Cigarettes, (Names, 27 Sep)
Super retro here. It's not the sort of thing I would buy, but I didn't hate it. I do like a bit of country and western from time to time. I'll give it a 5.

Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip Feat. Kid A – Cauliflower (Sunday Best, 20 Sep)
That's Dan le Sac and Scroobius Pip isn't it? Yeah, I really like them a lot. I think it's a good track and would really suit a club. Very danceable – for people who like dancing. Nice crisp production and a nice vocal from the lady, whoever she is [that'll be Kid A]. It's a winner, I think it's a 6.

Ólöf Arnalds – Crazy Car (Indian, 6 Sep)
[CD starts skipping] Interesting production, this is the re-edit? [Ten seconds of normal play later] I've heard enough. Make it stop, it's not for me. Folk music drives me around the bend, especially really twee stuff like this. It sounds like an advert for fucking Orange or something like that. So I'm going to give them a 2.

Ramona – How Long (Play it Again Sam, 13 Sep)
Again, it's fucking retro. If she's influenced by, whoever she is – let's be honest, it's definitely Blondie – well then the chorus just isn't strong enough. Maybe it's my age, because I remember Blondie, and maybe if you're 18 or whatever and don't then you're going to be like 'Fuck! What an amazing talent'. But it's nowhere near as good, so I'm going to give that another 2.

David Lyre – Tear Them Down (East City Records, 6 Sep)
The vocal melody isn't strong enough for me but I like the drums and the rhythm is good. It doesn't feel like there's much of a song there though. And I thought it was a woman at first. He's only twenty, can you put that in the review? So he's got all his best years ahead of him...it's still not too late to get a job, or a transgender op. But, it's going to be four. As I said, nice rhythm.

The Coral – More than a Lover (V2 Records, 6 Sep)
This is a bit of a step forward for The Coral, I think. There's a bigger production sound. I like it a lot. I'm going to give them 7 because I want a support gig with them in the very near future.

Silver Columns – Always On (Moshi Moshi, 13 Sep)
Ok. Basically someone's been listening to a hell of a lot of New Order and Arthur Russell. I know Johnny [Lynch] so I can't be too horrible, and don't put that in big words at the top. It's alright. It didn't blow me away and I wouldn't buy it. What can I say? 4.

Pulled Apart By Horses – High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive (Transgressive, 6 Sep)
I like this, but they left too big a gap in the middle where they're not singing the chorus. Again, I wouldn't buy it but I'm sure a lot of people would like that. What was he talking about in the lyrics? His balls on fire? At least someone is dealing with the basic issues of life. Another 4.

Tricky – Murder Weapon (Domino, 30 Aug)
(On hearing the Blues Brothers riff and Frankey Riley vocal) Are you sure that's Tricky? I was expecting a bit more really. It is nice, but more chorus is needed, I think. The last thing I heard from him that I really liked was a Drums of Death remix, but this I would give a three to, just because he used to be so great, and now he's disappointing me.

Pumajaw – Billy Rose (Bedevil, 20 Sep)
Dreadful. This didn't do anything for me or touch me in any way. Honestly, I'm trying to be positive. As I said, Sexual Healing is ten, so that's 4, only because they put quite a nice delay on the snare drum.

Single of the Month: Crystal Fighters – Follow/Swallow (Kitsune/Zirkulo, 20 Sep)
This is probably the track I liked most. The vocals are nice, so I'm going to give that a 7. The vocals were enchanting, the beginning lulls you into a false sense of security because you think it's going to be a terrible folk song and then it develops into a kind of Russian polka. So yes, really good. Good luck to them, whoever they are.