It’s Friday (hey, where did the week go, uh?) and we have a veritable selection of songs we’ve listened, either because we like them or because we were bribed with Mars bars.
God, I love Mars bars. But I digress…
This week brings us: Hey Sholay!, Toy Horses, (the) Smashing Pumpkins and Humanfly. Read on.
Hey Sholay – Dreamboat
Check this : these fellas are the cuddly equivalent of The Residents. That has nought to do with the song. The song, however, is extremely catchy, with the staple Hey Sholay sound that is upbeat, happy and as infectious as a gram-negative microorganism (the likes they carry in their pedalboards). With a lot of “oohs” and a very jangly guitar sound, this is a keeper. You can get your copy by becoming a fan on Facebook (and giving them your soul).
Toy horses – Interrupt
Starting with some sort of interpolation from Pachebel’s best know hit (you know it), Toy Horses lure you into some sense of security. And it is security what defines this song: poppy until the cows come home. Nought wrong withthis. There’s variety on instrument choices too, with piano and violins staying around for tea and rarebit. The final coda is pretty nifty.
Smashing Pumpkins – The Fellowship
Ichabod! Billy Corgan gets his way-too-cool synth (called Ichabod, really!) and reworks the song entirely (check the original version here). It sounds like nothing else from the previous Teargarden by Kaleidyscope songs the band has been releasing for free over the last year, and it’s this sort of variety on their palette what made me a fan. The chorus is extremely catchy (“are you with us, or against us?”) but it fits perfectly with this song, a calm call to unity and defiance.
The best thing about this project by Mr. Corgan and company is that you can see how a song evolves over time. ‘The fellowship’ started very folky and now is a very electronic piece. Check the original version:
Humanfly – Stew for the murder minded
After that delectable title (Chianti not included), you know you’re in for a heavy track. I do not possess the evidence to prove that there’s something in the water supply in Leeds that is producing so many hard rock bands, but Humanfly got the chops to join those ranks. There’s some prog sensibilities here too, specially on the second half of the track, a relentless instrumental bit that deserves your attention. Get your own copy of the track for free at Humanfly’s Bandcamp.
—Sam
Links
Hey Sholay
Myspace. Twitter. Last.Fm. Facebook.
Toy Horses
Myspace. Facebook. Twitter.
Smashing Pumpkins
Humanfly
Myspace. Facebook. Last.fm. Bandcamp.
Sloucher.org 