Top 5 One-and-Done

Long time, no see.

I know what you’re thinking – “whatever happened to those fine young chaps with their insightful musical commentary on that there website?”  Well, whilst I’ve been distracted by, you know, living, ML’s been giving it large at MusicOMH (get a picture up there, son).Yet to give a review under 3-stars, I await the day he gets to unleash his venom on a sub-par record with nervous excitement.

As promised in my last post, here’s a quick edition of ‘Axl Watch’. In just the last month, Guns N’Roses screecher Axl Rose has placed a blanket ban on T-shirts worshipping false idols – namely former guitarist Slash – at GN’R’s latest slew of moneybags arena dates. Rumours have also continued to circulate that Axl is throwing back two tanks of oxygen before every show, taking O2’s sponsorship of venues too far, quite frankly. And the legend of his backstage rider requests continues to grow. In fairness, I didn’t even know that square melons existed until Axl’s extravagance made me aware of them…

Everyday's a school day...

Since we last spoke, we have also lost a Beastie Boy and a Bee Gee, as the musical Grim Reaper brings down his scythe in an alphabetical fashion that will no doubt have Ben Folds looking over his shoulder. Whilst a full blown personal tribute to either would be built upon sand - an admiration rather than a true reverence held for both – it’s fair to say that our thoughts are with their bandmates, friends and families. Except Barry Gibb, he’ll always be a tosser to me…

Anyway, enough Bee Gee baiting.

Anyone who has read my debut thought-piece on this site will be aware of my disdain for the music industry’s current lack of quality long-form output, album tracks seemingly constructed as an afterthought. For this entry, I have decided to turn this paradigm on its head, and celebrate my own personal one-hit wonders – bands who have drawn me in with one single morsel of their portfolio, never to tempt me again after the purchase of said track.

The criteria: I have deliberately avoided tracks with high charting positions – mostly dance singles, the nature of that fast moving market driven by House DJs and their ongoing quest for the freshest grooves. So, no room for number one singles ‘Another Chance’ by Roger Sanchez or the Chic-sampling ‘Lady’ by Modjo, however much they may encapsulate an early 2000s summer. Also disqualified are those tracks I wish had been acquired solus; if I own the album, or even just a second track, that artist is disregarded. No matter how much I may want to fawn over ‘Brave Gravity’ by Northern Ireland’s finest,  Jetplane Landing (yeah, you heard right Snow Patrol), or the sublime ‘Rubber Lover’ by Biffy Clyro pop sideline Marmaduke Duke as standout indie singles of the last ten years, these tracks do not make the cut. Finally, one-off singles featuring the collaborative efforts of two or more artists, where there is no body of work thereafter, are not allowed - an incredibly difficult decision which eliminates Mint Royale’s sumptuous summer love song ‘Don’t Falter’, the result of a co-effort with mackem maiden Lauren Laverne. On the upside, this also removes the Jagger/Bowie ill-advised indulgence ‘Dancing in the Street’ (author’s note – I do not own this).

My list, in no particular order…

Captain – ‘Frontline’

A perfect example of coming across a song by unconventional means, from a band who made nary a dint in Britain’s musical history. Having been booked to open for Captain at our friendly neighbourhood venue, I headed straight over to MySpace (ask your Dad) to check them out. What I was presented with was ‘Frontline’, a starry eyed stomp which lit up my ears and drove me to bounce around my bedroom like Zebedee with an ear-to-ear grin. Thankfully for all concerned, my room was on the ground floor.

Me, circa 2005

Unfortunately, the band cancelled their appearance at the gig (yes, we headlined, and yes, we owned it) and as a result, I was never exposed to the rest of the band’s wares. Yet this solitary track managed to set up home in my tympanic cavity. That’s part of the ear, you weirdo.

Produced by chief-Buggle Trevor Horn (yes, that guy), ‘Frontline’ is built around keyboardist Clare Szembek’s effortless, instant vocal which lays the foundations for the captivating hook. Grounded by a viscous, anthemic bass from which the track draws its propulsion, frontman Rik Flynn’s distinctively drawling lead vocal allows the song to flourish by merely adding colour, never distracting from the smooth, dreamy chorus.

The band were dropped by ailing record company EMI as part of a restructuring operation in 2008, having only released a solitary album.

The Rumble Strips – ‘Not the Only Person’

An exceedingly British song by an exceedingly British band, Devon’s The Rumble Strips enlisted the help of walking cover-version /producer Mark Ronson to record second album ‘Welcome to the Walk Alone’. This track showcases Ronson’s penchant for lush production, but is dominated by the flourishing string arrangement of Arcade Fire collaborator Owen Pallett.

Vocalist Charlie Waller wails his way through the rhythmic stabs of guitar and violin, neatly packaged into a little over two and a half minutes, which combined with its orchestral overtures holds up as a tribute to a golden age of soulful pop songs.

The accompanying video seemingly relays the story played out in the lyrics, with Waller singing about the potential mugging related pitfalls of a drunken walk home. Although one suspects that he may have embellished the ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ style ending for effect…

The Subways – ‘Alright’

A band best known as the inaugural benefactors of the ‘Glastonbury Unsigned’ competition in 2004, I have always taken issue with The Subways’ path to the big time. Admittedly, my umbrage is of the green eyed variety, their big break coming at a time when I was trying to attain that most elusive of covets, a record deal. In the meantime, Michael Eavis plucked The Subways from obscurity and facilitated a rock’n’roll media circus that had PR and marketing departments at eventual home Infectious Records taking extended holidays; their triumphant story wrote itself.

As if winning a talent contest endorsed by Britain’s favourite chin-strap-bearded farmer wasn’t enough of a golden PR hook, The Subways were fronted by boyfriend /girlfriend combo Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper, who satisfied many a lady bass fetish.

Not what I meant…

This media friendly back-story did not reap long-term rewards however, as memories of their Somerset victory faded fast. Then, during the recording sessions with Grunge production legend Butch Vig for second album ‘All or Nothing’, the band were almost ripped apart by the end of Lunn and Cooper’s eight year relationship.

Having managed to transcend the change to their sleeping arrangements, ‘Alright’ was released in June 2008 - the last Subways single to threaten the UK charts, modestly peaking at 44. A shameful state of affairs really, as this is a barnstormer of an indie-rock anthem.

A song about redemption and second chances conveyed with a sense of hope, the track hinges on the one word titular chorus. Such a simple hook, yet so difficult to execute with this level of splendour, Lunn’s Hertfordshire timbre and Cooper’s shiny silk backing harmonies interweave flawlessly. The fall-out from their break-up is beautifully encapsulated in the middle 8, as the former lovers sing at each other “And I wonder / When we fall / Who do we need? / Who do we call?”

Too good to let the final chords just fade out, proceedings are ended with an almost comedic simultaneous chord hit 10 seconds shy of 3 minutes. This is rock-pop at its finest.

PS. As an aside, Butch Vig’s daughter is called Bo Violet? This was allowed to happen? Social Services? Anyone? Bueller?

Delorean – ‘Deli’

Confession time – I am not cool.

Okay, so no new news there, but my discovery of this particular gem really epitomises how very uncool I can be. It didn’t appear on my radar as a result of attending an über-hip jamboree in a converted warehouse hosted by a continental DJ. Nor did I come across it by way of hipster track-du-jour word-of-mouth. Hell, I didn’t even hear about this track in the NME or as part of a late night MTV viewing (you know, when they actually open the doors to something, anything different). No, I first became aware, besotted and addicted to this track by way of a video-game.

In a hip-hop heavy soundtrack with flashes of indie and rock, Delorean’s  Balearic beats stand out. Incidentally, the same platform fantastically yet unexpectedly introduced me to mannequin-bothering Kiwis The Brunettes and Canadian indie-synth poppers The Russian Futurists. Well played music licensing guy, well played.

Despite sharing their name with the greatest movie-car of all time, this Spanish collective remain firmly under the radar - unsurprising really when you consider that the only Spanish artist to have had any degree of international success is this guy… and his Dad. That’s it.

This track from the group’s 2009 release, the ‘Ayrton Senna EP’, revolves around both synth and funk hooks, but is so much more than a synth-funk record, underpinned by a driving sense of purpose not dis-similar to that of Brighton alternative dance purveyors The Go! Team. A ghostly choir of a synth permeates the track, present in the verses over stabs of slap-back guitar, sampled vocal chops and a staccato ascending bass. This tight focus eventually gives way to a joyous, free-flowing chorus, a celebration of a one-time friendship or fledgling romance that never fails to elicit a smile. Awash with erroneous grammar (‘Up, up, they break my legs up’, ‘I like the time I spent for you’), the track has a sense of charm so often missing from the Dance genre. Any road, their English is way better than my Spanish - all power to them.

Those Dancing Days – ‘Hitten’

Band names are often great indicators of influence, and hence subsequent style. Yet when these five school friends from Stockholm took their moniker from the title of a Led Zeppelin song, you’d be forgiven for jumping to an incorrect conclusion and expecting a riff-heavy onslaught of blues rock. Endorsed by quintessential scarf-wearing-kitten-lovers Belle & Sebastian, no less, Those Dancing Days’ 2008 single ‘Hitten’ is the twee-est entry on this list and possibly in my entire record collection.

Belle & Sebastian (stock photo)

A lo-fidelity guitar twang and melodic synth set the scene for this song of acceptance and self-discovery (‘Now I know what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling / What I want my life to be’). It feels somewhat cobbled together, the keyboard line being overbearing in the mix, detuned effects throwing the listener off kilter, and drum fills feeling like they have been improvised on the spot.

Real cohesion for the track comes in the form of vocalist Linnea’s voice, the yearning when she delivers the opening stanza, ‘Slow down, please, slow down’. It’s the emphasis and passion in her vocal delivery which really sets this track apart. Simply sumptuous.

So, whether it be a slice of a sound that I’m not ordinarily a fan of, an opportunistic proposition that captured a particular time or mood, or that moment within a band’s lifecycle when the stars align and a back-catalogue of mediocrity gave way to 3 minutes of genius, these tracks all have one thing in common – they remain unsullied by disappointment past, present and future; my perfect musical moments.

Share your own personal one-hit wonders in the comments…