“Survival”… Sometimes depends on video game tie-ins
The rest of this week’s singles: Eminem, Kim Deal, Phoenix & R. Kelly and more!
Published on August 22nd, 2013 | Jonny Abrams
Go on, have the rest of this week’s singles.
Seriously, they’re yours, have them. And this week’s singles was a pretty strong bunch, so there are lots of good ones here.
Come on. All yours. My treat.
*slides the rest of this week’s singles across the table*
*waits*
STOP BEING POLITE AND JUST ****ING WELL TAKE THEM ALREADY.
Bell.
Beady Eye – “Shine a Light”
One of the better tracks from their recent second album BE, which frequently threw up moments of genuine quality only to be dashed at every turn by Liam’s mind-numbing lyrics.
They ain’t so bad here – “See the man of the cloth / Got it wrong from the off” is quite endearing in its unintentionally daft way – and this is a lean, mean ‘n’ moody number touched by the gods of psychedelia.
Credit where credit is due.
Three and a Half Quails out of Five!
Camera Obscura – “Break It to You Gently”
Cute video, but perhaps someone should have ‘broken it gently’ to Camera Obscura that it had kind of already been done by the video for Blur’s “Coffee & TV”.
“But it’s a suitcase, not a milk carton!”
Yeah, fair enough.
The tune? Also cute.
Overall analysis: if you like cute stuff, you’ll love this.
Rocksucker says: Three Quails out of Five!
Dawes – “Stories Don’t End”
I Am Kloot ‘lite’. Which isn’t altogether bad. Quite nice, actually. Elegant, certainly.
Good fireside fare.
Rocksucker says: Three Quails out of Five!
Eminem – “Survival”
“Yes, he’s back…”
On this evidence, Slim Shady’s not lost any of his remarkable technique or abundant character, but the production errs uncomfortably close to the unappealing realms of power chord-wielding rock/rap.
Fortunately this is alleviated by some buzzing synth and rumbling drum fills, all of which ‘busies’ the mix to an acceptable degree of ‘not making you think about Kid Rock’.
Apparently “Survival” is featured on a popular computer game. Good for it. For our part, having heard this, we’re actually quite looking forward to see what lies in store on Eminem’s forthcoming eighth album.
Rocksucker says: Three and a Half Quails out of Five!
Kim Deal – “Are You Mine”
Suitably fragile, coming as it does in the wake of her latest split from Pixies, this latest solo number is like a sweet spot of sunlight on the wall. How about that?
Deal’s got a fine grasp of melody to go with that enduring voice of hers. We want to describe this as ‘arrestingly tender’ or something like that, but that doesn’t do justice to the subtle sophistication of the songwriting.
Fine work indeed.
Rocksucker says: Three and a Half Quails out of Five!
Lizzie and the Yes Men – “Unstoppable”
The first twenty seconds, with their monotone bass line and familiar pounding drum beat, do not bode well.
However, “Unstoppable” unfurls itself with lashings of gorgeous dark melodrama and deliciously weaving melody.
Each week there seems to be a single that we come close to skipping on from, but we stick with it and end up really liking it. Lizzie and the Yes Men provide this week’s edition.
Rocksucker says: Three and a Half Quails out of Five!
Phoenix feat. R. Kelly – “Trying to Be Cool”
Phoenix and R. Kelly? How frightfully confusing.
Ooohhh, we get it. Daft Punk and Pharrell. Yes, there’s major mainstream success to be had, folks.
It’s, erm, actually pretty good. We’d let R. Kelly out of the closet for this one.
Board the bedroom windows shut, though: the lad believes he can fly. Crazy old acid head.
Rocksucker says: Three and a Half Quails out of Five!
Those have been the rest of this weekend’s singles, just for you.Have a splendid weekend, all!
Related Articles
100 best albums of 2013 countdown: 80-71
100 best albums of 2013 countdown: 90-81
Review: Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP 2
The rest of this week’s singles: Pearl Jam, Babyshambles, Eminem and more!
About the Author
Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.
Pingback: Rocksucker: The rest of this week’s singles: Eminem, Kim Deal, Phoenix & R. Kelly and more! | moonblogsfromsyb
Pingback: The rest of this week's singles: Pearl Jam, Babyshambles, Eminem and more! - Rocksucker