The Dirty Dozen – October 2010

Mitchell Museum – Tiger Heartbeat (Electra French, 4 Oct)
Johnny: This makes me want to get my skateboard out.
Josie: Their press release is telling a really good story. You can’t help but want them to win.
Johnny: I quite like it. It’s maybe not something I would buy, but... (He hears the bridge). Ok, maybe I would.
Josie: I like it and I wish them every success. Thumbs up.

Engineers – In Praise of More (Kscope, 11 Oct)
Josie: I’m going to pretend in my head that this is a band formed from men who actually work as engineers, like a colliery band, and if that’s the case they’ve done very well.
Johnny: If it was on in an indie disco – which I wouldn’t frequent – but if I happened to be there against my will, I still wouldn’t dance. It’s fine though. Thumbs in the middle.

Southern Tenant Folk Union – Old Black Crow (Johnny Rock, 4 Oct)
Josie: They’re nominated for the Mercury.
Johnny: Really!?
Josie: Yes, it says here...Oh, “unofficially nominated for the Mercury”. We’re all unofficially nominated for the Mercury!
Johnny: At the beginning you’re thinking ‘ah, we’re in the Delta here’ and then... Cliff Richard! They’re a Scottish band, doing an American thing but actually sounding very English. Thumbs down?
Josie: I’d prefer not to give it thumbs. I’d give it fingers.

Admiral Fallow – Subbuteo (Lo-Five, 4 Oct)
Josie: I like how Scottish he sounds. I like it when people properly sing with their accents. The problem is the melody is reminding me of Babylon by David Gray. But, you know, David Gray’s in a film that Kathy Burke’s in. It’s alright.
Johnny: So that means this band are alright!?
Josie: There’s been lots of fun little twists and turns.
Johnny: Yeah, it’s quite a different record by the end. Thumbs up.

Kelis – Scream (Interscope, 4 Oct)
Josie: (20 seconds in) God I hope it has a good chorus, I’ll be so happy if it does.
Johnny: If it goes really Euro-disco in a minute I’ll be quite happy.
[It goes really Euro-disco]
Johnny: (arms aloft) Oh my!
Josie: You sir, are a prophet.
Johnny: I should make her records. Actually I don’t need to. She’s doing a great job. Thumbs up.

Carl Barât – Run With The Boys (Arcady, 4 Oct)
Johnny: It’s a night out in London’s fashionable Hackney. He’s with the boys. He’s running. (Pauses to listen to the song) Well, slow jogging.
Josie: If you’re middle class and you think ‘oh, I’m going to smoke crack’ then you’re a fucking cunt.
Johnny: Yeah, Carl’s career has been tainted somewhat by his association with Doherty. So I find it hard to listen to this. Please stop it.
Josie: Half-way through that song I remembered how much I like Pulp. Not that this is like Pulp, but I was thinking that everyone who wastes time listening to this could be listening to Different Class.

Dinosaur Pile-Up – Mona Lisa (Friends Vs Records, 27 Sep)
Johnny: Promising name. It’s a bit like Ash.
Josie: But Ash can write a catchier tune.
Johnny: I want to hear vomit! If this ends in vomit, I’m with it.
Josie: I forgot about that; the secret track on 1977!
Johnny: Basically, if there’s no vomit, it’s getting a thumbs down. They’ve got twenty seconds to puke something up... No, I can’t do it, it was actually alright. It made me think of Ash so I quite liked it. Thumbs in the middle.

Chapel Club – All The Eastern Girls (Loog Label, 11 Oct)
Johnny: It’s slightly too earnest for me. I’ve a feeling they’ve got better songs.
Josie: I agree. I listen to it and I wish it well but, yeah, the song itself isn’t that inspiring.
Johnny: (unconvincingly) Middle thumbs?

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool – The Key (Fire & Manoeuvre, 11 Oct)
Josie: I can see this being really popular.
Johnny: It’s reminding me a bit of the Mitchell Museum song. I like the keyboard bit – just like A-ha.
(Later) I kept waiting for the chorus but I’m quite glad there wasn’t one in the end. It could have made it too anthemic. So, thumbs in the middle.

The Bees – I Really Need Love (Polydor, 4 Oct)
Johnny: This sounds like busking a little bit. Maybe that’s quite a good thing; buskers only really sing really massive songs.
Josie: (clearly paying attention) Oh is this The Bees? I prefer this to their older stuff.
Johnny: It sounds really seventies. It’s a great song but if you were busking it people would think you were singing Rod Stewart. That’s a thumbs up overall, though.

Villagers – That Day (Domino, 4 Oct)
Johnny: The stuff I’ve heard from them before sounded very Conor Oberst-y. This one sounds a lot less like that. I’m not really getting from his voice what he’s trying to put over. I don’t really know what I’m meant to feel. Now I do feel it sounds like Conor Oberst, cos that’s exactly how I feel after listening to him.
Josie: At least Conor Oberst really hams it up. Needs more ham in this. Middle thumbs.

Badly Drawn Boy – Too Many Miracles (One Last Fruit, 4 Oct)
Johnny: I think his voice sounds more like it did on his earlier stuff.
Josie: There’s something so loveable about just hearing his voice, eh?
Johnny: I like how he can make such a simple melody, or almost a lack of melody sound melodic in a good way.
Josie: He’s gone back to what he really loves.
Johnny: I really enjoyed that. It’s made me want to listen to his album. Thumbs up and Single of the Month. Carl Barât definitely lost.