Singled! Out With The Futureheads - May 19th 2008

In a special Singled out! this week, Jason Gregory has been usurped by Ross Millard and Dave from The Futureheads. We gave them five new singles to listen to and they gave us some frank reviews...

Sebestian Tellier – ‘Divine’

Ross Millard: “I didn’t mind that actually, I heard the single that was out before that and thought it sounded a bit sexy and forced and over the top, where as this one sounds just like a summer time single, it sounds like good fun. I don’t know how memorable it is like, I don’t know if I could walk home humming it because it just kind of washes over you. Although, certain elements of electronica I think that’s its intention really – it just kind of smothers you like a blanket for three minutes and then you just forget about it. If it’s in for Eurovision I think that makes it a bit more interesting; a bit more of a credible release.

Dave: “It was alright, better than us having Jordan or whoever we’ll inevitably have, it’s very typically French in that respect.”

Check out the video for Mr Tellier’s fantastic Eurovision entry here.

XX Teens – ‘The Way We Were’

Ross Millard: “Well I don’t like that. I seemed to like all of its influences but it sounds far too much like LCD Soundsystem playing the Rapture for my liking so I wasn’t into that at all and if they’re not from New York then they should feel bad. I think it sounds like its just too late to be relevant to me. If it had come out in 2005 then it might have been a little more fresh and a little bit more exciting. That’s as annoying as that disco back-beat that bands have.”

Dave: “It’s a thumbs down for that one I think.”

XX Teens don’t rank very highly with the Futureheads but where do they come on your radar? Check out the video to their last single here.

Young Knives –‘Turn Tail’

Ross: “I like it because it proves that they’re an ambitious band because it doesn’t sound that much like their last record; in fact it doesn’t resemble it at all. I like the fact that they’ve used an orchestra and done a bit of an arrangement like that because a lot of bands are aware that’s a bit of a cliché and they shy away from it but in spite of all that they’ve done a good job I think. It’s kind of a dodgy ground to go on but they’ve manged to pull it off - it sounds massive. I think that anybody who had them down as an idiosyncratic British indie band will be surprised by that because it’s pretty massive sounding, you can imagine it on daytime radio and all that kind of stuff.”

Dave: “It does have a bit of an Arcade Fire sound about it.”

Ross: “I think Arcade Fire will have more influence that you’ll ever release. Stuff like that from the Young Knives, I don’ think you’d have had that if it wasn’t for the first Arcade Fire album.”

A bit Arcade Fire? Sounds interesting doesn’t it? Check out the video for ‘Turn Tail’ here.

Late of the Pier – ‘Space and the Woods’

Dave: “That’s alright. It’s OK.”

Ross: “I didn’t like that tune. It doesn’t sound like the sort of thing the Futureheads will be having on in the bus. It’s got some good references, Gary Numan, direct punk – it’s infinitely better than the other pre-eminent dance rock band Enter Shikari so it gets some good marks from me."

Dave: “I like it because it reminds me of Fun House and the twins.”

Ross: “I liked it, I think you can imagine it being full of energy, the live show could be full of energy. That’s one of the main things you look for ina band the fact that they rock the house a bit. I’d like to hear more from that band I’ve heard good things about them.”

Contrary to what Jaff said, Late of the Pier have no association with Pat Sharp’s Funhouse. You can watch the video for 'Space and the Woods' here.

Feist – ‘I Feel It All’

Ross: “I liked that, she’s got a lovely voice.”

Dave: “I like gentle music like that.”

Ross: “He means that as well, it’s all he ever listens to - gentle tunes. Good song, good singer, simple really.”

Dave: “The girls got bloody talent.”

Ross: “12 million viewers (to Feists’s videos on YouTube) can’t be wrong.”

The Futureheads were so stunned by Feist they could barely articulate their thoughts. What do you think of ‘I feel It All’? Click here to watch it and let us know by commenting below.

What are your thoughts on this week’s new releases and The Futureheads reviews? Leave your musings in the form of a nice comment below...