Various Artists - ALCOPOPULAR (Vol 2)
ALCOPOPULAR VOL2
Ahh, a mix-tape. Literally as it would seem in essence, though I have it here in a more modern format, one which is sliding dreadfully and unavoidable into the same waste bin of history. Good on Alcopop for keeping the tradition alive and providing the world with 15 snippets from its brothers and sisters in analogue, though it sadly lacks the dizzying heights to complement the terrifying lows. Nevertheless like many an obscure compilation, contains the odd gem that makes it all worthwhile and that whirring rewind sound all the more satisfying...
1. Arthur - Complications
We kick off with a brattish, Lush-esque female vocal sitting next to spindly little guitars sounding as good as spindly little guitars can sound. A great tune and worthy of starting the show and joyously instating a benchmark for the rest to live up to. "I dunno what I done wrong" the singer protests, showing a natural lack of grammar that Kate Nash would kill for but is doing quite nicely faking at the moment. Check them out.
2. Dave House - Beep Beep (Hi Hi)
Another slice of feel good indie complete with wistful augmented chords married nicely with bright and sunny major ones and ‘strawberry fields’ keyboards. Lacking that special something to make it great, Beep Beep (Hi Hi) is pleasant enough but weak competition for those with more talent, of which (bad news for Dave House) there are plenty.
3. Kid Carpet - Employee of the month
"I think I got RSI, from picking up the telephone and telling a lie…", a two fingered salute to the crapness and soulless drudgery of a day's work in the office that you will do anything to get out of. A manic mix of silly noises, toys and those ‘hilarious’ drum fills that your Casio keyboard did back in 1988. "I don't wanna go to work today" is a phrase that if you don't understand you have led a charmed and lucky life.
4. Decades - Mary Angel
Laid back, sentimental and complete with a pluck of banjo strings that always sounds better than it should. The song ain't half bad in principle, but the sugary sweetness of the melodies is turned distinctly sour by the wanky vocals and sickly lovelorn words. Next!
5. Dartz! - Latin and Greek
What is it with these new indie kids, they are trying way to hard to actually sing properly and in the process making themselves sound like a strained and diarrhetic Rod Stewart or Sting. Spoiling any clever little funky licks and confirming half assed lyrical ideas that are inevitably too lame to live up to the song titles. Not the worst thing you might hear of an afternoon but a billion miles away from the best.
6. Harry and the Potters - Wizzard Chess
Sarcasm and literary based silliness notwithstanding, this is a complete waste of 1 minute and 22 seconds of your life. Considering it most probably only took a similar time to write, nobody is that inconvenienced. A lick of a yoghurt lid and it’s descent into the bin. Let’s move on…
7. Sky Larkin - One of Two
The first truly interesting piece of music on the compilation. Starting with a Foals like crash of droning notes and percussion and developing into something not entirely unimpressive. Falters slightly into predictable “we like gang of four” territory, but nevertheless is touched with a skill at songwriting that 80% of indie bands in 2008 lack horribly.
8. The Young Playthings - Hot Sex with the girl I love
Every boy's dream and a great song subject which needs a great song to back it up. The Young Playthings don't really come up to scratch with their Weezer-lite anthem and messy ideas, though you are prepared to give them another chance. A lovely playful mid section and some dueling guitar solos do a lot to reprieve what went before and the song continues in a more interesting vein there on in. Takes a couple of listens before any charm reveals itself but the jury remains out.
9. Sam Isaac - When the Silhouette drops
One of the more famous additions to the tape is inevitably going to be one of the worst. Disgustingly drab and a painfully vomitous gush of alt-folk, here is truly a victim of the myspace generation's false ideal that ANYBODY can do it. All the Glastonbury performances in the world will never detract from the fact that shit like this is polluting the musical landscape for the poorer.
10. Wojtek Godzisz - If you Hurt Me
Impressive display of alternative rock complete with a Seattle twang of harmony and reminds you of what the Foo Fighters could do before they started selling 100 zillion albums and lost their way a little. A bit more beef to the guitars and this would be something special. "If you hurt me, I will hurt you…It’s not a good idea" has wickedly malevolent connotations both physically and mentally and beats the hapless attempts of a lot of their peers hands down.
11. Winterminute - Ask a Stupid Question
A bit of anger and brooding melancholy was exactly what the doctor ordered after the ‘twee city central’ of many of the songs here. An assault of trebly minor chords and ennui-soaked counter melodies to bang your head against a brick wall to, before getting your arse in gear to actually change things. Heavily indebted to At the drive in, but one of the few copyists who actually get it. Keep a keen eye on these.
12. The Honey Brothers - O Dear
With a big TV star on drums (Adrian Greenier of Entourage fame), you could easily give the Honey Brothers the Jamie Oliver treatment and dismiss them off hand as cheats and undeserving of any success. Well, give them a chance because this is actually pretty good. Here we have a big, singable surf rock anthem that could have been penned by Rivers Cuomo and is just as catchy as if it were. Using familiar but effective power chords to go round a carousel with the echo of reverberant piano and a simple refrain of "O dear, O dear, I think my heart is showing here..." Nothing spectacular but a triumphant 3 minutes nonetheless.
13. Jeremy Warmsley - Ice.River.Cold
An outsider on a bigger label and a name that stands out proudly on the track listing, this special donation does not disappoint. The exquisitely eerie piano plays in another room as beats and wintry lyrics are called out across a musical plane of frozen water. The electronica outstays its welcome towards the end and the production doesn't really do the song justice, but this is by far the most unique item on this compilation and gives you a nice little taster of Mr Warmsley's talents. Too close for comfort but in the best way possible.
14. Johnny Foreigner - Cranes and Cranes and Cranes and Cranes
Back down to earth and riding on the conveyor belt of the indie hit factory we have Johnny Foreigner who, despite the raucous guitars, spiraling drums and energetic performance are little more than crap pixies rip-offs. Includes those truly fucking annoying girlish screams that penetrate every one of these new band’s songs like a trademark bile attack. Tick them off any of those woefully off the mark "BIG IN 2008" lists now. Quickly!!
15. Windmill - Florescent Lights
In stark contrast to most of the output here, ‘Fluorescent Lights’ starts from humble beginnings into a huge, shimmering anthem of Arcade fire proportions, that is deftly arranged with strings, keys and one of those instantly recognisable odd but glorious voices that has singing coaches tearing their hair out. Sounding like a cross between Martha Wainwright and Regina Spektor but without the sometimes grating cabaret, the vocals are a treat, being as adept in the crescendo of the choruses as in the calm eye of the storm like verses. Nice.
A mixed bag, but one that was not a chore to explore. The discovery of Arthur, Winterminute and Windmill being highlights enough to mask the skippable and pruneable wastrels of the likes of Sam Isaac, Dartz! and Johnny Foreigner. A label with its heart in the right place, choosing its bands for all the right reasons. No one gets it right all the time..