PICK OF THE WEEK
Drones Club
Soul Of A Spaceman (PMR Beat Club)
These enigmatic hype merchants claim to be influenced by the social theories of Adam Curtis and invaded London Fashion Week dressed as patchwork militia. None of that has much bearing on their excellent debut single, a slow-building cosmic pop throb defined by deft piano chords and a precocious lyric about abandoning boyfriends in the desert. It’s hard to tell whether Drones Club are dreamers, schemers, or a bit of both. But until they are cruelly unmasked as former members of Noah And The Whale, let’s just go with it.
Will Young
Brave Man (Island)
Just putting it out there: Brave Man is better – and braver – than anything on Adele’s 25. Granted, it’s easier to take the odd risk with your power ballads when the future of the entire music industry doesn’t hinge on your next release, but kudos to any Radio 2-friendly artist who opens their single with 13 seconds of minimal techno pulsing and accompanies it with a powerful video denouncing transphobia. Will even leans in for the full growl on the second chorus. Maybe he’s more George Michael than Michael Crawford after all.
Duran Duran
What Are The Chances? (Warners)
Evidently suspended in cryogenic animation for much of the 21st century – why else would you name a song after a Harry Hill catchphrase? – you do wonder if the gallons of Garnier Ultra Lift it must have taken to reanimate Duran Duran were really worth it. This is a reminder of the horror of 80s pop: once you’ve factored out Prince and the odd Stock, Aitken & Waterman banger, it was basically just Club 18-30 reps with bleached mullets belting out dreary and overblown synth ballads like this. Kindly hang up your elasticated PVC trousers and leave the 80s revival to kids who don’t know any better.
Sparks
Christmas Without A Prayer (Lil’ Beethoven)
Having generously revived Franz Ferdinand’s career, the evergreen Mael brothers are now attempting to bring a little droll perspective to the season of schmaltz. They’re dreaming of a wry Christmas! Sadly, though, this tinny blast of mock-rock opera doesn’t deliver on the LOLs front, relying on some pretty hackneyed gags about unwanted presents. Jona Lewie’s annual royalty cheque is safe for another year.
Sigala
Sweet Lovin’ (Ministry Of Sound)
As you ogle this video’s rollergirls, you’re meant to forget the track was made by a boy-man from Norfolk called Bruce Fielder, whose closest brush with the Pacific breeze was the time he chugged a six-pack of Desperados to make previous hit Easy Love (true story). That one sampled the Jackson 5, whereas Sweet Lovin’ makes do with generic diva wailing. But the effect is the same: within a few bars of uplifting house piano you’re transported… to a dingy bedroom studio, downing watery beer with a nerdy bloke called Bruce.
