In Depth by Wendy Roby
Single of the Week!
Health - ‘USA Boys’ (City Slang)
Not the sorts to do anything by half, Health begin ‘USA Boys’ with some kaleidoscopic organ that spirals and morphs in a rather ominous way. And as openers go, it’s dazzling. Here is God; here he»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Single Of The Week!
Everything Everything - ‘Schoolin’ (Geffen)
One of the things I like most about The Shins, is their knack in pitching lyrics on the right side of impenetrability. For it seems to me the best lyrics – the ones that compel you t»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
A couple of days ago, I had a Skype chat with Everything Everything. They would like Beyonce's thighs. And so would I. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Eurockéennes, or ‘Les Eurocks’ (should you wish to appear down with les Fronch) is a music festival in Belfort, near the Swiss border. Jay-Z, Missy, Fuck Buttons, Hot Chip, The XX, Janelle Monae, LCD Soundsystem, Health and Mr. Julian Casablancas will be there. Here's why you should join them. »
Review
by Wendy Roby
Not many peoples turned up to see Hurts, Everything Everything and Darwin Deez in Norwich. Shame, cause it was brills. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week: a plea for more nice things [NO REALLY], whether it is worth being the sixth man on the moon and a mahoosive dose of Good Ache. Also: Giving Up On Going Out With People, But Not Getting All Boo-Hoo About It. Some good advice there. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week's dispatch is late because poor old Wend has been Unwell. And though it is not 'unwell' in the Jeffrey Bernard sense, we are going to talk about drunkeness. Also stalking, wisdom, Aladdin lamps and Zoetropes. Yay!»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week I am fairly sure there is something for everyone. Even if you don't like Xenomania at their most shiny, or insanely pretty indie pop, or singles that wouldn't sound out of place at Wigan Casino (even though they come from Tel Aviv).
Also, someone, somewhere, is going to really regret giving me access to high res, press-only images of Tom Out Of Keane. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
As an experiment, this week I am approaching the singles as you might, giving them one (and only in exceptional cases, two) spins, like you would at the shops. That is the Big Idea, anyway, and it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the fact that I am (woe me) rather under the weather.»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week's selection contains enough wacky to sink a shipful of clowns. It's not all bad though - as the sane likes of Villagers, Mariachi El Bronx, Seams, Ariel Pink & Fool's Gold have singles out too. And they wouldn't be seen dead in fluoro socks.»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
If you can bleeve it, well-balanced mawkishness, some Brazilians who want to take you to a party and French girls who call you 'Sugar' all feature in this week's round-up. I LOVE JOE GODDARD MORE THAN I LOVES MY MUM. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Lore, it is a proper mixed bag of amazingness this week. In the end, Summer Camp steal it; their blonde, beachy hair and mournful pop being a fitting soundtrack, now the weather has gone all peachy. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Dammantle & Darwin Deez come in for some fulsome (and some might say turgid) prose praise this week. Also: some 'scatalogical grime' - should you be in the mood for labelling a new genre drawer.»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
A Spotify playlist of all the best singles? As in, them things that were hactually released - proper singles - not just common-or-garden 'songs'? Oh, go on then.»
Review
by Wendy Roby
The afternoon of the day I go to see Kelpe, I dream I am having an affair with Beyonce Knowles. So he is going to have a tricky job, if he wants to be the best thing that happens to me on March 27th.»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Beach House and Django Django win the red rosettes this week, while some predictably harsh words are doled out to Scouting For Girls and any band who decide to ruin Animal Collective's 'My Girls'. Is this what the end of the world sounds like? Don't be silly, everyone, it's only music! »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
No pre-amblage from me this week - because when there is this much good stuff to tawk about, we need to be getting on. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Something for everyone this week - from a tune designed for Mother's Day that you should NEVER play to yo Moms, a single in which someone calls for Death By Sex AND a song nearly-but-not-quite about girls called Wendy. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
DiS goes to Paris to meet Broken Bells - James Mercer & Brian Burton's ongoing collaboration - and talks about what happens when you get two Alpha creatives in the studio, the inspiration behind the songs AND the tricky question of how you make an album you're both entirely happy with. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Having stayed up all night to watch the Oscars, I am in a right funny mood today. And you will have to read what follows if you want to work out if that is funny-ha-ha, or funny-she-is-kerrrazzeee. Of course, if it is the latter, I am going to top myself. »
Review
by Wendy Roby
‘I Met Up With A King’ and ‘Winter Is All Over You’ both sound sublime - but its when FAK abandon their mics altogether that things get most impressive. »
Review
by Wendy Roby
Past the pop songs, past the soaring (and let’s not make any bones about it, this album soars in places) this is a supremely clever album. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week: a lady what can kill a man with her bare thighs, a delightful videothing from OK GO and, and, and, and, and, and, and, right, AND, the Single of the Week is free to download. I am too good to you. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week: a cheap joke at the expense of The Courteeners, some MZN Dram Rock from Muse (or, as my Mum says, 'Moo') and heaps of wondair plastic loveliness from Tunng, The Witch & The Robot and Yeti Lane.»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week I was at the seaside, drowning in neon with a headful of wonderfully gaudy tat. And while it was taybly amusing watching hoodied hoodlums trying not to miss any notes of Bloc Party's 'Helicopter' on a kicked-in game of Guitar Hero in Caesar's Fun Palace (it is like the one in Vegas, only funner) - mostly, I had Cloud Control and dEbruit for my arcade soundtrack. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week's selection leaves me feeling utterly spoilt, such is the munificence of the delights therein. It is all a bit PRAISE BE - but not in a God way, because that would be dread.»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
I will hadmit that this week there is quite a lot of nearly-but-not-quite singling going on - and that is Indie's fault, not mine. It is also absolutely nothing to do with how bad mooded I am today, having been LOCKED OUT OF MY OWN HOUSE. Luckily The Strange Boys manage to rise above the dirge with their messy old thing of a seven and make it alright again. Thank heavens for boys. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
Even though there is nothing worse than those who indulge in stress-based or who-is-the-most-busy competitiveness, I still intend to make a vulgar bid for the throbbing-veined, red-eyed rosette today. You see, not only did I move house (and not one of those 3 taxi-loads, from one end of the borough to another affairs - I mean a Proper Move, cross-country, involving the help of VANS and BURLY MEN who seemed to think it appropriate to CAST ASPERSIONS on my sexyal REPUTATION). I also went to Paris and back, did a tax return, DJed at a five year old’s birthday party and bore the weight of the BIGGEST, most CRASHINGIEST writing deadline you ever did hear about. Oh, I has it so very very hard. And there is you, swanning about there in actual jobland in actual offices. AY ME.»
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week's winners are Oh No Ono, Princeton and Emika. But then along came dEbruit - with his line-jumping, bump-hop marvellousness - and it marched him something cheeky; right to the front of the queue. Thing is, I love him so very, very much, I didn't even snark, even though I am very definitely the Sort That Would. I don't mind telling you, weeks this flipping good are not very common. »
In Depth by Wendy Roby
This week the music industry goes Back to School – so while These New Puritans, Yeasayer and Maps (fourth years, dripping with swagger), Madness (Upper Sixth, if not Head of History, definitely Senior Prefect) all dust off their favourite novelty erasers and sharpen their pencils - new signings Standard Fare are busy drooping themselves into new schooliforms what are that little too big and roomy; making them seem even fresher of face. They grow so fast, you know.»