Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Bud Fox/EMI) album review

Photogenic Stockholm chamber-pop five-piece Shout Out Louds breezed onto British shores earlier this year with a handful of moderately modest support slots and ambitious, delightful debut UK single 'Very Loud'. And now Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, a Cardigans-esque compilation of SOL's previous Scandinavian-only releases, is here - rejoice, for it's an absolute belter. Like the dream Truck Festival line-up spliced together, HHGG cavorts from the reverent Grandaddyism of 'The Comeback', to the twee New Orderness of 'A Track And A Train', and the chugging Shins-ish power-pop of 'Hurry Up Let's Go' - before collapsing in a heap on tour de force B&S-go-prog finale 'Seagull'. Every last track is a smiling, waving pop child, aching to be cherished. Don’t miss out.

Charlie Ivens

originally appeared in The Fly magazine, September 2005 issue

The Dandy Warhols - Odditorium Or Warlords Of Mars
(Parlophone/EMI) album review

Thanks to the twin weirdnesses of having their funniest - and possibly best - song on a TV ad, and being among the subjects of a critically acclaimed documentary (Dig!, well worth a slice of your life), The Dandy Warhols are now a strange kind of famous. But it seems that their detractors have had more impact than expected. Long accused by their Portland indie compadres of "selling out" to commercialism, Courtney Taylor-Taylor and co have responded by writing an album with no tunes, or indeed prominent features, at all. After 14 tortuous listens, nothing from this lazy, smug, arrogant and painfully uninspired album remains in my head. Agonising single 'Smoke It' is just the beginning. Avoid like a piss-streaked iceberg.

Charlie Ivens

originally appeared in The Fly magazine, September 2005 issue