EOIN BUTLER'Sguide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams
CHRISTINA AGUILERA
Not Myself Tonight
RCA **
“You wanna get crazy?” asks Xtina. Well, she’d better. It’s been four years since her last album now and her thunder has rather been stolen by Lady Gaga, among others. Post-Telephone, though, she knows what’s required to reclaim that scary/sexy crown: bondage, SM and the simulation of sex acts so obscure this writer had never even heard of them until he saw the video. You can’t fault the effort, but this shtick just looks tired now.
RICHARD HAWLEY
Shallow Brown
Mute ****
Released next month, Hawley's False Lights From the LandEP is inspired by his stint hosting a BBC Radio 2 series about British seafaring culture. Shallow Brownis one of the highlights, a West Indian sea shanty recorded with the Smoke Fairies.
THE DRUMS
Forever & Ever Amen
Moshi Moshi **
I'm guessing the Large Hadron Collider has caused a rupture in the space-time continuum and we're now plunged into a weird parallel universe in which indie types name-check tracks from Randy Newman's catalogue in their song titles. It's really the only logical explanation. The Drums debut single Let's Go Surfingwas sublime – unfortunately, everything they've done since has seemed pedestrian.
DIRECTOR
Play Pretend
Crapshoot Economics ***
A live performance turns into a grizzly bloodbath in this new video directed by Eoghan Kidney. Let’s hope there’s not quite as much gore when Director tour Ireland next month. myspace.com/ directormusic
GOLDFRAPP
Alive
Mute ****
The second single from the group's recent Head Firstalbum takes their retro synth-pop fixation to incredible lengths. This could almost pass for a lost Abba hit. The video is a hoot too: with Alison Goldfrapp as an Olivia Newton John-esque fitness instructor teaching aerobics to what looks like the Kiss army. I mean, who on Earth even comes up with these ideas?
