As I ventured home last night on the underground I was met by a train of fierce middle-aged women fresh off a Take that concert. Amongst the excitement of these 40somethings which packed out the train there were a group of youths. As I walked off I heard them behind me, singing along to ‘Parklife’ with glittery shirts bearing the word ‘blur.’ It was obvious where they’d come from. Ironically it was in this instance that my iPod decided to switch to ‘(Whats the Story) Morning Glory’ and my mind trailed back to a review of Blur’s performance on their opening night in The London Paper. The journo suggested that with Blur’s magnificent comeback pressure was on Oasis for their Wembley Arena gigs next weekend, he rounded the article by saying the Britpop battle was on again – I shuddered.

If you’ve read any of my reviews or posts around these parts you’d know I was a fan of musical progression and experimentalism, the last thing we need in an age where these things are practically dead with mainstream bands sticking to the jangly guitar guidebook is to take fifteen years worth of steps back and reignite the Britpop battle.

It says something about the times I guess, that Oasis could hold a weekend residency at Wembley yet most bands formed post-2000 would struggle to fill the arena. The lasting legacy of these two bands is still widely apparent and the fact that kids are still picking up Blur records and singing along on tube stations shows just how influential BOTH of these bands are. However we must also accept that their music is rooted in another decade, and any suggestions of refueling the battle in the mainstream would do nothing other than damage the artists of today.

The last thing we need at the moment is another Blur vs. Oasis, so perhaps nostalgic journos should give it a rest eh??

I’m loving the fact that Bloc Party are simply releasing material whenever it suits them, not waiting for predictable industry schedules to release their music. If only the rest of the industry had their balls, I thikn it wouldn’t be struggling so much. Good music, good ideas. How the industry should be.

Enjoy the sun everyone, and have a great weekend.

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Growing up amongst the records of Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzergald, VV, real name Vanessa Brown, declined places from the likes of Oxford and King’s College London University in order to pursue her own musical passions. She purchased a guitar from a charity shop, removed all it’s strings but one and alas, her dream was born. With it’s catchy doo-wop hooks, ‘Crying Blood’, VV’s debut single, proved to be her big breakthrough hit. Since then, Brown has gone from strength to strength – most recently returning after her performance at Glastonbury Festival this weekend.

‘Shark in the Water’, VV’s upcoming single, is solid musical proof of this stylish lady’s ability to produce genuinely well-crafted songs. Starting off with kooky “Ooh ooh oohs” echoing the girl groups of the 60s, powerful Winehouse-esque vocals proceed to kick in as Brown sings “Sometimes I get my head in a divvy, feeling so lost, ticking you off.”. Then, in kicks the full-blown, emotionally epic chorus. “Baby, there’s a shark in the water!”, VV passionately sings to the backing of tippity tap percussion and retro brass. Basically – this soulful ballad has Radio 1 playlist stamped all over it.

Liking the sound of it? Well, why not watch the video to ‘Shark in the Water’, below

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Pre-order a digital download of the single, which is released on Monday (July 6th), for just 50p over at 7Digital

VV Brown’s debut album, Travelling Like the Light, meanwhile, is set to be just released a few weeks later on July 20th. Pre-order the record now over at Amazon.co.uk for just £6.98

Hello Richard. What are you up to today?

We’re painting our bedroom and some furniture, and generally melting in the heat.

For the uninitiated amongst our readers, what do you reckon you sound like?

A heartbroken choirboy. A really well weathered, 27 year old choirboy.

How are you finding Paris in comparison to Oxford? Anything you really miss from the UK?

Paris really reminds me of Oxford in many ways, especially in the summer. I think it’s the museumy feel of both places – lots of grand buildings and hidden green corners. I love being over here, I like getting lost, and being new enough here to still be able to get completely lost… It’s a bit of a maze. There are so many things I miss, all small though… All very English… Decent tea, Marks and Spencer’s overpriced food, eavesdropping on the train…

Oxford’s about a 30 minute drove for me (I’m in Southern Oxfordshire)… where were / are your favourite places in the city?

I used to live in Jericho, so ended up spending far too much time on the Jericho Tavern, the Victoria, G & D’s… I spent a lot of time in East Oxford too, Cowley Road, South Park, the Star…so many amazing places.

I love that you’re writing about topics other than the usual love stories. Was this intentional, or just something that happened naturally?

Thank you very much. I think it happened over time; I tried to find twists and different angles to move away from the straight ballad that it’s so easy to fall into writing when you’re younger. It’s a good starting block for a lyric, but love songs more often than not end up sounding hideously contrived and like a complete lie… It has to be soul-baringly honest to carry any real weight, or you have to mess with the delivery of the words and sentiment.

On songwriting – how does it start for you? Lyrical concept? A riff? Turn of phrase? Or a drug fuelled orgy that results in a great song?

Hahaha, I tend to avoid group sex song writing. I’ve always found that a song just happens… If I sit down with the intention of writing a song, most of the time it’s not going to achieve an awful lot, or not anything that I’m willing to air… I tend to write when I least expect it, and it’s always words and melody together… Just singing lines that jump out, revising it, cutting and changing melodies and structure, building it then knocking it down again and again. It’s probably not the most efficient route but anything else feels like cheating to me.

Before going on stage, do you have any rituals?

I cross my fingers on both hands 2 times. I have no idea why, I’ve just always done it, a secret superstitionist… or maybe I’m stretching my fingers.

Finally, what’s one thing we wouldn’t normally know about you?

I was a bit metal when I was younger, I listened to a lot of Machine Head, Pantera, Monster Magnet… Until I was about 16, my life’s ambition was to appear in Kerrang. I don’t see that happening now.

Enjoy these two tracks, which are both multicoloured, multilayered, and quite different to much that’s out at the moment. I don’t know what else to say really – every listen I hear more, it’s very intricate and glorious. Take a listen.

MP3: Wolf Gang – Night Flying
MP3: Wolf Gang – Pieces of You

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MP3: Johnny Foreigner – Feels Like Summer

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The gazed indie-folk reaches a seventh cloud peak on ‘Go Walking,’ a track as calm and laid back as they come. They lyrics are simple and the looped guitar riff maintains the simplicity of the track. Producer Danger Mouse is on top from (as always) and this ‘unique’ combination is both intriguing and oddly fantastic.

Perhaps it’s just that I’m a sucker for softer female vocals but the album encaptures the essence of hippy-esque folk which has been missing for so long. There are plenty more highlights through the record as Costas continues to reinvent the initial appeal track by track. Danger Mouse’s influence is apparent on many tracks (The Last Laugh) and the mix of gentle acoustic strumming and electronic beats works magically through the rest of the record (Under the influence of Jaffa Cakes,Chasing Tickling Crocodile).

The album maintains more of what we might expect (Jelly Belly) and juggles a step in a new direction with traditionally generic features without making an absolute mess of it all which must be comended (considering how many artists fall into the dreaded progression trap). Overall a sound effort and a solid album which is bound to go unnoticed by the mainstream (for now at least) though lets hope that by album number two Ms. Costas is given the bigger push in the limelight she deserves – especially when we consider the standards of some of mainstream pops leading ‘ladies’ (Lady BlahBlah).

MP3: Defend Moscow – Sign of Life

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- A Tribe Called Quest ‘After Hours’

And so is the inspiration for the title of North London indie quartet Bombay Bicycle Club’s debut album. We spoke to the band last year fresh off their Levi tour about gigging and recording as a young band from London.

Two brilliant EPs behind them there was always a question mark about when the band would get round to dropping an LP and whether it’d be any good. The break between EP and album was good, it allowed the band to graduate from scenester teens to more mature musicians and ‘I had the blues..’ marks the arrival of a fresh band. Still maintaining their laid back indie stance they’ve evolved and dropped a rather remarkable debut [review to come soon hopefully:P]

Can’t wait ’til July 6th?? Stream the entire album for free here!!