The people who send me things to listen to never learn one important lesson. My relationship with the music of Katie Melua is non existent. I don’t take pleasure in my reviews in knocking seven shades out of her music (well, I do a bit) but in every case I feel I am justified. Today I received yet another one of her releases, If The Lights Go Out and quite frankly in the case of Melua’s career I honestly wish they would. This time round she has inflicted on us another slab of mundane featureless glossy pop that is no surprise.
The really offensive thing this time is, she’s not even made any real effort. The powers that be know full well who will buy this turgid nonsense and all concerned are quite possibly of the belief that they don’t even have to try and write something remotely decent on the strength that it will shift units anyway. To think that there is talent out there that will be overlooked for the likes of this, its rather tragic, don’t you think?
Thankfully there is immediate salvation in the form of Mystery Jets new single ‘Young Love’ with it quaint pop sensibilities and crooning earnest backing vocals. This is a vocal spar between the band and the guest vocalist Laura Marling. Lyrically this is wry and witty and comes equipped with a barbed hook that should find itself seated in your head after a couple of listens. Even that early seventies pop soul fade in is worth mentioning. They have a tour coming up in April but for now they have a couple of London shows to whet your appetite with a date at the Astoria (supporting CSS) on Feb 23rd and a show at Electorwerkz on the 29th.
