Single Of The Week
Thunderegg : I Turn Automatic
This song could be a humorous look at romantic mishaps, or it could be a psychological inquiry into the degree to which we control our thoughts and feelings. On the surface it’s a straightforward, albeit very catchy, indie-rock song, not far from the worlds of Guided By Voices and the Mountain Goats. Among many self-analysing witticisms, the standout line comes in the song’s final stages. “I’ve heard that life’s supposed to be hard / How else can we tell if we deserve to be who we are.” Find it on the Egg’s new LP, Cosmos.
Phantastic Ferniture : Fuckin ‘N’ Rollin
Sydney’s best kept secret are back with a breezy indie-pop number centred around three interlinked chord sequences and a groove that just screams of the weekend. There’s not much in the way of complexity, but that doesn’t prevent the ‘Fern rom making genre allusions to new jack swing and space rock, as well as offering us a singalong bridge (which contains the title phrase).
Tirzah : Gladly
The first single from Tirzah’s debut LP suggests it’ll be one of the year’s top alt-R&B releases. Led by a circulating chord progression played on a woozy keyboard and a lethargic kick-and-snare pattern, ‘Gladly’ speaks of life-saving love without sounding the least bit hackneyed. The verses feature rap-like vocal phrasing with Tirzah unafraid to let her native Essex accent show. The beat mightn’t pick up pace, but ‘Gladly’ gradually lulls you into an understanding of the singer’s devotional gaze.
Arctic Monkeys : Four Out of Five
The most immediate song on the Monkeys’ curious new LP, ‘Four Out of Five’ begins with a spikey guitar riff vaguely redolent of the band’s early work. But here it’s surrounded by baroque-pop furnishings, while Alex Turner croons like he’s vying for a spot in the Walker Brothers. Vocal harmonies enter in the chorus, speaking of moon-based gentrification and a rooftop taqueria that’s received four stars out of five. “And that’s unheard of,” snipes Turner, enjoying his fantasy while also taking a jab at the Yelp generation.
