Suede "Trash" (Nude) After an 18 month absence, Suede are back with their first post Bernard Butler offering, and what a lovely piece of rubbish it is too. Trash is a taster for the band's third album, Coming Up, and it's probably their most direct and immediate pop statement to date. "We're trash, me and you/ It's in everything we do," croons Brett Anderson, sounding even more louche and lascivious than ever, making mockery of lad rock with his wasted, androgynous stance. How can you refuse?
Radiohead "The Bends" (Parlophone) The title track from the fabulous album of the same name, this single is an exclusive Ireland only release, so I suggest you snap up a copy and sit back, while UK and American collectors beg and cajole you to sell it to them (you'll refuse, of course). It's not the strongest track on the album, but still, it's good of Thom Yorke to bend over backwards for his Irish fans, and to give us extra live versions of My Iron Lung and Bone to boot.
East 17 "Someone To Love" (London) Now that Take Thai are out of the way, and Gary Barlow is busy trying to emulate George Michael, the field is clear for the Walthamstow boy wonders to hog the hearts of the girls. Someone To Love is a well crafted ballad which builds nicely from an acoustic guitar strum into a fully orchestrated love fest. The best bits come right after the choruses, when the music suddenly soars into hyperspace, before alighting on to the next emotional level. Ohmigod, I've given the thumbs up to a boy pop band.
Joyrider "Rush Hour" (Paradox) Northern Irish post punks do a cover of a Jane Weidlin hit everybody out of the way! You might think that Joy rider are taking a short cut to the charts by doing such a commercial tune but the fact is that this tune suits them right dawn to the tarmac. Like an out of control automobile, Rush Hour swerves recklessly through the senses, leaving you dazed and fumbling for a pen to take down the licence number. This could well crash the charts now, that would be Matthew Singen Kennedy "To Think I Never Told You" (Like It Love It) An upperclass Daniel O'Donnell who sounds like he's had too many elocution lessons, Matthew Singen Kennedy is being touted as Ireland's newest heart throb. To Think I Never Told You is a shameless exercise in mawkish romanticism, and the saxophone of `Snake' Davis from M People is almost drowned by the dripping sentiment. Strangely enough, young Singen's awfully proper enunciation makes him sound a bit insincere.
Christy Moore "God Woman" (Columbia) No better man than Christy for tackling the issues of the day, and his new song settles the age old debate about God's gender. He's also nailed dawn the place of origin of the human race, and, coincidentally, it just happens to be Christy's own birthplace of Kildare. After the big U2 production job of North And South Of The River, Christy goes back to his trusty old acoustic guitar for this rather earthbound ballad. Only Christy Moore could sing about the creation of the world and make it sound like someone taking up their shovel and digging a ditch.
Frances Black "When You Say Nothing At All" (Darn) Nice to see A Woman's Heart is still beating, and Frances Black's new single is yet another soft, murmuring tune which follows the standard pattern set by her sister Mary and a whole bevy of Irish easy listening ladies. This tune, as its title suggests says nothing at all, but Black's voice trembles with the determination at someone who's got something very important to communicate. As usual with A.W.H. songs, every lyric is gift wrapped in elaborate acoustic guitar twiddles, and the whale thing shuffles safely along like a quiet stroll dawn passionless avenue.
