Spin It or Bin It 10/08/07

SPIN IT

Eugene McGuinness - The Early Learnings of Eugene McGuinness

Reviewed by Jade Wright

Eugene’s debut album is everything we could have hoped for - fabulously quirky songs, sung with a fluid, lyrical voice that harks back to his Irish roots, and all accompanied by instruments bought from the Early Learning Centre.
This album is so good it’s hard to pick out highlights, but the bitingly funny anthem to Liverpool, Bold Street, Child Lost In Tesco, the wistful Girl Whom My Eyes Shine For But My Shoes Run From all show just how talented the former LIPA student is.

5/5

New Model Army - High

Reviewed by Rikki Wright

I thought I’d heard everything that Bradford's New Model Army had to offer but High shows just how much more they still have to delight with.
The sheer dark gothic energy of this album took me by surprise. Epic words are brought to life by the mighty beautiful vocals of the sublime Justin Sullivan, who also uses his soaring banshee of a guitar to drive the music to an eerie and intoxicating place. Taken with the other band members' outstanding performances, there are echoes of the Bunnymen, King Crimson and Therapy? but more than that, this band have their own distinctive sound, and that sound is better than ever on this album.
A rich and haunting joy to listen to.

4/5

BIN IT

Newton Faulkener - Handbuilt by Robots

Reviewed by Josh Green

This uninspiring offering will be highly unlikely to worm its way into the mass consciousness, or become the soundtrack of anybody's life.
Lavishly produced, clean, acoustic guitar and piano-based music in a snazzy, jazzy vocal style reminiscent of Jack Johnson. The lyrics are ordinary - not profound, not life-changing and not really good enough to weave decent songs from.

2/5