Neu This Week In New Music (22nd September 2012)

Photo credit: Emma Swann

Asking someone if they’ve seen Savages (top picture) live, when you’re fully aware that they haven’t, is almost like sharing an in-joke with a friend, in front of the other person’s very eyes: It’s a bit of a dickish thing to do, but you’re spent if you’ve got to avoid doing it. The finest new music related news of the week has to be handed to the ‘Biggest Hype Band Of Our Time’ for helping to spread the word on their frantic, flooring live shows. A new live EP from Savages is due out next month and even the trailer - see here - is enough to leave you in a sorry wreck. So, Savages like stealing the show. That much was clear from the moment they stepped onto a Great Escape stage in gloomy Brighton and blew everybody’s heads off. But can they outshadow the best tracks and videos of the week? The competition is tough:

TRACK OF THE WEEK
All-encompassing and not even the slightest bit overbearing, Chvrches well and truly made their mark this week, with an outrageously catchy new single in the form of ‘The Mother We Share’ (stream above). The Glaswegians sure are capable of producing the kind of pop music DIY and Neu are craving; sophisticated, gung-ho in outlook and totally irresistible. It lacks nothing. One of the songs of the year, hands down.

Then again, King Krule made a real effort of ripping up the script. When I first heard this guy I didn’t know what to think; sure the originality was plain to see but I didn’t think he’d have a lasting impact. ‘Octopus’, I think, is the final proof that this guy’s here to stay. Put anything behind his unique vocal delivery and it works, and on this occasion floaty synths resembling a circa-2000 chillout song had his back, and Archy actually pulled it off. It’s the flipside to the forthcoming single on Rinse. It’s very good indeed. Stream below:


VIDEO OF THE WEEK Drop Out Venus are the most raw & exciting new band in the country and I’m still yet to find anybody who can tell me otherwise. The video for ‘Elastic Teen Rent’, filmed just outside of Brighton in a fancy manor house, the band tore apart the acres of land with an “ironic” reality TV pastiche, where singer Iva puts on a wig, dances around a bit and subsequently burns it. It’s provocative. It gets the people going.
But let’s get things straight: FIDLAR are the coolest new band in the world. Before the hyperbole feds take me away, just watch the new video for ‘I Just Wanna Die’, sing along, pour yourself some cheap beer and punch yourself in the face. It’s streaming here.

DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK
One listen to Cubs and it’s as if someone’s come up behind you, placed one of those microwavable bean bags around your neck and whispered “everything’s going to be ok, Autumn isn’t going to eat you up.” It’s everything a worrier and shiverer like me requires: Music of the most comforting disposition. Thankyou Amber Bain for being alive. Please make some more music when the chill ceases to bite.