EOIN BUTLER'sguide to downloads, singles and free audiostreams
THE CAST OF CHEERS
Family ****
McSweeney’s Internet Tendency once published a list of e-mail addresses it would be awkward to give out over the phone. They included MikeUnderscore Smith_at_ yahoo.com, Mike_SmithAll OneWord_at_yahoo.com, and MikeSmithAtYahoo DotCom_ at_hotmail.com. This band’s moniker, by comparison, seems almost unnecessarily straightforward. In the UK, Family has nabbed Zane Lowe’s prestigious Track Zane Lowe Gushes Idiotically About for a Week Award. (There, I fixed it.) thecastofcheers. bandcamp.com
LITTLE MIX
Cannonball
Syco**
X Factor shocker No 1: There were the usual howls of outrage when this Damien Rice "classic" was unveiled as the show's official 2011 Christmas single. It's hard to see why. Sure, Little Mix's cover of Cannonballis listless, uninspired and so saccharine it could come with a diabetes warning. But lest we forget, so was the original.
SINEAD O’CONNOR
4th and Vine
One Little Indian***
O'Connor rounds off a turbulent year on a high note, with an impressive brace of tracks from her How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?album. 4th and Vinetells of a woman who marries on the spur of the moment and lives happily ever after. Well, stranger things have happened. http://soundcloud.com/ sineadoconnor
LEONA LEWIS
Hurt
RCA**
X Factorshocker No 2: A song written about drug addiction, performed by someone who – shock! horror! – isn't a drug addict! Again, lest we forget, Johnny Cash (who recorded the best-known version of Hurt) never shot anyone, served time in prison or went by the name of Sue. But that didn't prevent him singing about those things. Having said that, this is total rubbish.
LANA DEL REY
Born to Die
Interscope****
Finally, Del Ray's Video Gameshas racked up over 11 million YouTube hits. Her follow-up single is poised to repeat that success and a debut album (also called Born to Die) follows in January. In the meantime, expect to see her on every Ones to Watch list from Pitchfork to the Irish Farmers Journal.
