Some more reviews

'Big City Life' – Mattafix [BuddhistPunk/EMI]
An engaging composition that melds a pop sensibility with warm yet restrained dub-influenced beats and a social conscience, this single from UK duo Mattafix is lifted from their debut album Signs of a Struggle. It recalls the Bristol sound of 90’s bands such as Massive Attack and Portishead, and with its restrained take on contemporary hip-hop, is sure to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

Australian Tour EP – José González [Imperial/Shock]
Swedish-born singer-songwriter José González (whose parents are of Argentinian extraction) was a recent visitor to our shores, and this EP will be a treasured memory of his gigs for those of you lucky enough to have seen him performing live. For the rest of us, it’s an aching reminder of what it was we missed. From his simple and affecting acoustic covers of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and Kylie Minogue’s ‘Hand On Your Heart’, to his subtle, low-fi pop originals, González plays his guitar as if it were our heartstrings. His gentle voice and the warm production of this EP will ensure a new and loyal audience at his next tour.

First Impressions of Earth – The Strokes [Sony/BMG ]
Following the adulation heaped on their 2001 debut Is This It?, a second album from The Strokes was always going to face a rough reception, and sure enough the underwhelming Room On Fire generally disappointed. On their third full-player, New York quintet The Strokes have a chance to salvage their reputation and display their versatility. Opening track ‘You Only Live Once’ is a classic Strokes tune, taut, aloof and rocking, but not particularly exciting. It’s with the driving, bass-heavy first single ‘Juicebox’ that things start to get interesting, while on the heartfelt ‘Ask Me Anything’ vocalist Julian Casablancas takes a dig at those who criticise his lyrics as meaningless and his bandmates swap guitars for a melancholy pairing of cello and synth. While a handful of tracks are little more than filler, overall First Impressions of Earth is a vigorous album from a band who are trying to shrug off the hype and focus on their music.

The Rude Boy Returns – Neville Staple [Reign]
The former lead singer of ska legends The Specials, and a founding member of Fun Boy Three, Neville Staple, returns with a new solo album on which he playfully updates his sound instead of wallowing in nostalgia. On The Rude Boy Returns, Staple mixes up Jamaican dub, reggae and even Indian ska to great effect, as well as exploring remix territory on a curiously effective ‘duet’ with Leadbelly. Overall the album’s vibe is laidback, but there’s enough energy in tracks such as ‘Pressure’ to get you up and skanking in no time.

Amber – Clearlake [Domino/Remote Control]
The third album from English band Clearlake is out of step with the current UK rock trend, and sounds all the better for it. On Amber, Clearlake hold off the irony and invest in passion, mixing a shoegazing vibe with a darker, sharper guitar sound – and even throwing a harmonica into the mix on ‘Neon’, the heaviest track on the album. A superb CD that’s full of surprises, creativity and sonic diversity.

Kitchen Tea Thankyou – Minimum Chips [Trifekta]
Melbourne-based, ex-Brisbane quartet Minimum Chips create winsome, warm and organic electro-pop on this, their long awaited debut album. Kitchen Tea Thankyou is quite simply inspired: a CD that blends icy beauty with 60’s-inspired creativity in equal measure. Its complex yet melodic blend of drums, gently-droning guitars, keyboards and occasional dissonance, coupled with the distant, breathy vocals of Nicole Thibault, are an aural treat, and are sure to delight fans of Stereolab or Saint Etienne.

Sound Mirrors – Coldcut [Ninja Tune/Inertia]
Featuring a dazzling array of guest artists, from Jon Spencer and Roots Manuva through to Beat Generation poet Amiri Baraka, the new album from producers, promoters, VJs and DJs Jonathon Moore and Matt Black – the fourth released under their Coldcut non-de-plume - is quite literally breathtaking. With its hard-hitting funky beats, dancehall influences, euphoric waves of electronica and diverse vocals (a different guest artist is featured on every track) Sound Mirrors is a thrilling and delicious musical banquet for newcomers and old fans alike.

Voices – Matchbook Romance [Epitaph/Shock]
Compared to their 2003 debut album on Epitaph, Stories and Alibis, the new album from emo outfit Matchbook Romance is darker, heavier, and more interested in mood than instantly catchy hooks. Swapping accessibility for intensity, the band admirably demonstrates their passion and diversity, with Voices featuring everything from hardcore guitars to keyboard-driven introspection. Cleanly produced without being over-produced, Matchbook Romance have birthed an album that might just save emo from total derision.

The Life Pursuit – Belle and Sebastian [Rough Trade/Shock]
The seventh full-length album from Scottish indie outfit Belle and Sebastian sees the band at last scaling the dizzying heights of pure pop to which they have long aspired. Co-founder Stuart Murdoch’s lyrics are still literate and clever, but instead of his former art-school melancholy he now sings observationally about everything from laundrettes to playing football. On tracks such as ‘Another Sunny Day’ and ‘The Blues Are Still Blue’ the band, similarly, embrace a fatter, stronger sound than their previous, slightly fey standard. There’s a hint of soul, a dollop of glam and a lot of funk on this album, proving that Belle and Sebastian have truly earned their right to adopt a rock and roll swagger.

'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' – Arctic Monkeys [Domino/EMI]
British Quartet Arctic Monkeys are in the running for the most intensely hyped band of the year, and it’s only February! This single is the first taste of their debut album Whatevever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not to be released locally. Its abrasive intro quickly segues into a tight, angular piece of rock-pop that recalls label-mates Franz Ferdinand, while lyrically the song concerns itself with a a robotically-dancing girl. The song’s frenzied guitar-drum combo sounds speed-assisted, and is sure to capture local fans in a very short time.

Self-titled EP – Anal Traffic [Independent]
This six-track EP by Brisbane band Anal Traffic is exactly the kind of CD that would have excited me 10 years ago, when queercore bands such as Pansy Division first burst onto the scene. From the opening track ‘Six Beer Queer’, documenting the familiar story of a straight guy who strays after a couple of drinks, to songs about fisting and anonymous sex, Anal Traffic’s in-your-face honesty can’t be denied. Sadly their limited punk rock chords are as simplistic as their often-basic lyrics.

Lay – The Morning Birds [Mescalito Records]
Lay, the debut album from Melbourne trio The Morning Birds is a revelation. It bristles with alt-country anguish, lyrical balladry, robust arrangements and sun-drenched warmth. Colin Wynne’s vocals are accomplished, engaging and rough enough around the edges to ensure that these 11 songs don’t sound over-produced, while a range of guest musicians, and the versatility of core members Simon Bailey and Anita Quayle enrich the band’s flexible sound.

Tender Buttons – Broadcast [Warp]
Having slimmed down to just two members, dreamy vocalist Trish Keenan and musician James Cargill, UK outfit Broadcast have taken a similarly stripped-back approach on their new album, a collection of 14 aloof electro-pop songs. They’ve also moved beyond their previous homages to their influences, for Tender Buttons sounds more original than anything the band have previously released. Emotionally detached, contemplative and glacially cool, its avant-guard approach to electronica should win new fans and delight existing Broadcast devotees.

Guerolito – Beck [Interscope/Universal]
A track-by-track remixing of Beck’s inspired eighth album Guero could, in the wrong hands, be a masterpiece of self-indulgence. The likes of The Beastie Boys’ AdRock, Air, and Boards of Canada ensure that this project, while not always delectable, is still a rich and mostly satisfying musical banquet. The best tracks are those that accept the challenge set by the original track and run with it, such as Homelife’s inspired take on ‘E-Pro’, which replaces the original song’s guitars with Casio keyboards. Fans expecting every song to be reworked for the dancefloor will be in for a surprise; this album is an exploration of the remix as art, not as disco fodder, and it’s all the better as a result.

These reviews originally appeared in my weekly column in the queer community newspaper MCV in the last couple of months, which is why they're so brief: I only get 300 words each week, and there's always a lot to try and squeeze in!