February Singles

Following on from last month's post, I've picked another 5 singles released in February (+/- a week or so for some of them). Conspicuously absent are the new Vampire Weekend singles: Sunflower and Big Blue. I am not a fan.

Stray Cats - Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like Me)

Hearing Brian Setzer decided to get the band back together was very exciting news. I've always looked up to his guitar playing and not many musicians can claim to have saved a genre. If you are of the opinion that rockabilly wasn't worth saving in the first place, you will be disappointed, you can skip to the next song. Cat Fight is everything you expect (and want) from Brian Setzer. Frenetic guitar, a yelled chorus, and of course, far too much whammy bar use. These aren't his finest lyrics, but honestly, who cares?

J S Ondara - Torch Song

Hyped by both NPR and Rolling Stone, J S Ondara has some expectations to meet. Ondara was born and raised in Nairobi before moving to Minneapolis - home of Bob Dylan - and apparently unexpectedly cold. Though his singing in Torch Song reminds me more of Tallest Man on Earth, Ondara is clearly steeped in classic American songwriting. His lyrics are cryptic like Dylan's and the interplay between his voice and his guitar makes for a touching listen.

Phosphorescent - Wish I Had Not Said That

I first listened to Phosphorescent on the same Mojo album that inspired my first ever post. Since then, Matthew Houck kept a low profile until releasing C'est La Vie late last year, and then a Spotify Single a few days ago. Wish I Had Not Said That is a cover of a J.J. Cale track from 1981's album Shade. The song appears to be having something of a renaissance - Houck's cover is the third in three years I can count on Spotifiy, including one by released this month! The recording is faithful to the original, but Houck's distinctive voice deepens the sense of contrition making it well worth a listen.

Loyle Carner - Loose Ends

Loose Ends is beautifully, if subtly produced, Carner raps over himself but otherwise everything feels live. Jorja Smith's vocals capture your ears straight from the start, before Carner jumps in with his usual introspective imagery. While his lyrics touch on themes similar to his Yesterday's Gone (2017), there is an added sense of maturity and responsibility. Very different from his last two singles, Ottolenghi, and You Don't Know, I'm excited to hear what Carner releases next.

Catfish And The Bottlemen - Fluctuate  
 

Catfish and the Bottlemen have always been in the periphery of my listening habits. I think I listened to The Ride (2016) when it came out, but I can't say I remember much of it. Fluctuate reminds me that I really should listen to them more. 'Remind' is an important word. This is classic XFM stuff, but not a game changer - the backing vocals at the end sound like they were lifted straight from the Arctic Monkey's AM (2013). The lyrics are entertaining ('you've switched my faith and phone off') and all round Fluctuate is an enjoyable indie banger.