Music reviews 12/01/09: Travis, Ten Bears, Dan Le Sac and more

Jan 12 2009 by Andrew Hirst, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TRAVIS: Song To Self. Mistitled in the sense that come summer this will be sung by thousands at festivals such is its instantly anthemic, singalong status. A song to share.

TEN BEARS: Dirt On The Radio. An unsigned Manchester band that has a staunch following in its city, but may be lucky to find themselves signed up on the strength of this scratchy, staccato offering. Funky, bare-sounding rock that works itself up to virtual pogo pace.

DAN LE SAC Vs SCROOBIUS PIP featuring POS PLUG WAN FROM DE LA SOUL. Thou Shalt Always Kill. Judging by the title this lot aren't short on words and that's certainly the case here as this eccentric, entertaining and in-yer-face rap runs the full gamut from politics to actors to passing fads. Wit and intelligence are scattered liberally around as they hit their targets at breakneck speed. Nothing like as gruesome as the title suggests.

PAUL CARRACK: I Don't Want Your Love (I Need Your Love). He's something of an old romantic – after all he's been around for decades with the likes of Ace, Mike And The Mechanics, Squeeze and countless more – and wrote this retro ode to love that draws in shades of the early 60s. He shifts up a gear to roar off in melodic overdrive, powered by a bluesy guitar throb.

THE BRONX: Young Bloods. Sheer, unmitigated rock firepower from the LA band that's out to pummel your sense without the merest hint of mercy. The Bronx seems a mighty long way from LA though.

THE BOSSHOSS: Shake And Shout. If you're into country rock n' roll then this beefed-up beefcake lot are your ultimate. It's fun too with some strange covers – the weirdest of the lot a twang thrash go at Plastic Bertrand's 70s hit Ca Plane Pour Moi featuring the great Frenchman himself. Others include a gritty version of Burt Bacharach's 60s classic I Say A Little Prayer, a ramming rendition of that old standard On The Sunny Side Of The Street and a cantering gallop of a go at 80s synth funk hit Word Up. But they are originals too as they range wildly – but never idly – from dusty road country to bluegrass to bar-room brawl bust-ups. There's even a washboard in there somewhere.

HELENE: Heliotrope. The London band headed by songstress Helene Dineen may have folk and country yearnings with a touch of sublimity and you can't knock the intricate way she's weaved her songs around her warm and fuzzy voice. But it veers dangerously towards the boring far too often even though the lyrics jump from complicated love affairs to loneliness and mental illness. There’s more than a glimmer of hope though.