Filthy Little Angels
Singles Club 2007
Okay. Ten bands, twenty-six songs and I ain’t got the next two days free to blither on in any detail (was that a hurrah from the back?) So in a nutshell, here we go…
ShiSho – ‘Courtney Sat on a Rock’ and ‘Rocks and Penalties’
Laid back pop grooves, out of tune teenage-girly-vocals and silly lyrics. Catchy and annoying in equal measures. Eminently slappable, yet subversively endearing. There should be laws against this sort of thing…oh, there are!
Hyperbubble – ‘Supermarket Casanova’, ‘She’s So Technical’ and ‘Pop Star’
Bleep, bloop, blurp. It’s all early Depeche Mode/Howard Jones set behind gentle, clear and ‘not saying anything in particular’ his and hers vocals. Do you like 80’s electro pop? You’ll like this! I don’t – I was there the first time round and still haven’t fully regained my equilibrium!
The Vichy Government – ‘The Blues Will Have To Wait’ and ‘Heart-Shaped Box’
Tell you what, let’s hit the demo button on that Casio keyboard over there and see if I can talk a bit like Renton from Trainspotting over the top of it. Tidy yeah? No, it’s bollocks pal.
Yes, I understand what you’re trying to do with the deep philosophical lyrics, but find some better bloody music to set it to, or get on the lecture/soap box circuit. Now go away and stop wasting my time.
Gay Against You – ‘Gay Unicorn’, ‘Gold Unicorn’, ‘Princess Diana Walkman’ and ‘P Panda’
Super Mario meets Trent Reznor’s camp alter-ego on a big pink electro mushroom and decide to rock their little 2D world. It’s jarring, looser then a pair of my Dad’s Y-fronts and unashamedly crap. Result; I quite like it – well ‘P Panda’ at least, the other three songs are rubbish really.
Captain Polaroid – ‘When the Calendar Comes Down’, ‘This Is Part 1’ and ‘Your Mistake is Thinking You Have Won’
Hurrah, a decent tune! The first one, anyway. Robert Smith’s lazy vocal drawl sat on top of what sounds like a human low-fi indie band. Can’t hear what the vocals are about but its all quite jolly stuff and a breath of fresh air amongst this window-ledge teetering collection. Last track is as nearly as cool as its title as well.
Beacons – ‘I’ll Be Here’ and ‘What Great Relief’
The sort of thing that you can expect to hear as support for the main act at a real ale and folk festival. It has lyrical hooks in the chorus, but that’s it. Inoffensive and unmoving – unless, that is, you wanted to get a pint of Old Thunderflaps in before the rush at the bar at the end of the set. Second song sounds like it was recorded in a padded cell. Maybe it should have been!
The Fairies Band – ‘Random Boys’ and ‘Groupies’
Trash rock sung by Debbie Harry/Wendy James/Fuzzbox muses. It’s punchy, fun, throw-away and the best two songs on this damn album by a country mile so far. If these girls exert the sort of energy and attitude they’ve put into these two tunes when on stage, then you’re going to have to beat your way through me to see them! (Metaphorically speaking of course)
The Peeptoes – ‘Eat This’, ‘Loverobot’ and ‘Parasite’
My lord this album seems to be clawing its way out a very nasty smelling hole with every track! First song has a hint of ska, along the lines of The Beat, but with more guitars and some decent female vocals. The second cuts a more rock groove with a great chorus and the third is almost surf music! All from a girl band from Hamburg!
The Art Goblins – ‘Fuck the M.S.P (Acoustic Party Mix)’ and ‘My Conscience Died with Those Prostitutes’
The M.S.P. are the Manics and the Art Goblins aren’t too impressed with them I can tell you! Let’s all join in for a sing-a-long to “Nicky Wire can suck my cock” shall we? Mind, credit where credit’s due – what an awesome title for the second track! The song ain’t that bad either – post-punk, psychobilly, screamo silliness anyone?!
Billy Ruffian – ‘Music Vs Money’, ‘My Secret Life’ and ‘Whipping Boy’
Humour, attitude, melodies and Limerick-style lyrics. It’s all really quite good, well-meant and very engaging. It’s rock, just twisted and ever so slightly unhinged i.e. great fun!
So, like the beautiful game, it’s an album of two halves. One half that fails on nearly every count that, as each song goes by, it consistently amazes by plunging new depths of tawdriness. The other just gets better and better, showing that those Filthy Little Angels have certainly got an ear for a tune. I’m not sure what the other ear was doing for the first half of this CD though!
Written by Habert on
