I’ll wait for you at the car park of the busy shopping centre..

It sounds like Johnny Foreigner have finally pulled themselves out of the dustbin they were recording in, if the new recordings on their Myspace are anything to go by. The band have gone back and put together some new versions of old favourites ‘Sometimes, In The Bullring’ and ‘Sofacore’, and they sound fantastic. This isn’t an entire sea change though, as there is still very much a DIY feel to these recordings, but in a way where you can actually hear the words now.

MP3 Johhny Foreigner – Sometimes, In The Bullring (expired)
MP3 Johnny Foreigner – Sofacore (expired)

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Now I’m not one for things like karaoke, but if I were, this just might be the greatest thing ever. A fairly lengthy list of indie songs, all done in karaoke format (no vocal, guided lyrics). While it’s largely made up of “known” indie bands (meaning shit ones), there are a few obscure gems in there like Belle & Sebastian’s ‘She’s Losing It’, Malkmus’ ‘Jenny & The Ess Dog’ and Arcade Fire’s ‘Laika’. Guaranteed hours of fun, if you like that sort of thing.

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I’ve been loving this song for quite some time now, so it’s great that I’m finally able to write about it. It’s the first single from the second album by Brakes (I’m not calling them brakesbrakesbrakes, no matter how many promo emails try and get me to), and it’s better than anything that was on their impressive first album. Like most of their songs, it’s short and to the point, including a dig at our government’s draconian anti-terror legislation (I woke up late and found my liberty lost / It had been written down in law as a security cost / 28 days and I’m presumed guilty). It also scores extra points for being able to namedrop Scarlett Johannson, which must be something of an awkward name to work into song.

MP3 Brakes – Hold Me In The River (expired)

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Pitchfork ‘for the fiftieth time, we’re not a fucking music blog’ Media wins “Best Weblog about Music” at the 2007 Bloggies. Strangely don’t feature it in their news section.

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Assembly Now have now made another one of their singles available for free download on their website, meaning you can now get hold of all of their official releases for free. ‘Leigh-On-Sea’ is the single, ‘Tenement’ is the b-side, but they are both great songs. These guys will be supporting the also rather good Wombats on an upcoming tour of the UK, including a stop near my neck of the woods in Tunbridge Wells, which should be fun.

MP3 Assembly Now – Leigh-On-Sea (expired)
MP3 Assembly Now – Tenement (expired)