THE mitchell brothers, pigeon detectives and more - singles for THE week beginning 5th november!

THE TEENAGERS / STARLETT JOHANSSON (XL) While the Mitchell Brothers’ love of Michael Jackson comes from a innocent and pure place it’s fair to say that The Teenagers devotion to Scarlett Johansson is fuelled by much more sinister motives. “Starlett Johansson” is a seedy little tune/stalkers manifesto about the Lost In Translation star. Whatever Bill Murray whispered in her ear at the end of that film we hope it was more romantic than “I’ll sell my mum to be lost with you”. The world needs more unsettling electro pop songs about stalking celebrities and if the Parisian three piece had come up with a chorus with a bit more Va-Va-Voom they’d be waltzing off with the single of the week prize. For now they’ll have to make do with nod of approval from us and restraining order from Ms Johansson. AIM / BIRCHWOOD (ATIC) Everyone needs a bit of instrumental hip-hop once in a while to cleanse their soul and make them feel like they’re living in the future. “Birchwood”, the first single from Aim’s ‘Flight 602’ album, does both of these things. The song combines a pulsating, throbbing beat with weird growling bass noises to wonderful effect. Even if it was awful it would get a good review because it’s got a picture of an Astronaut sitting on a park bench feeding pigeons on the sleeve. THE PIGEON DETECTIVES / I FOUND OUT (DANCE TO THE RADIO) In what way can the The Pigeon Detectives prove that they’ve been influenced by Bob Marley? Or Joni Mitchell? In a better world than this bands would not be allowed to claim on their Myspace pages that other cooler acts have influenced them unless can get pop scientists to back up their claims. “I Found Out” sounds nothing like “Redemption Song” or “Blue”. It sounds like a bad karaoke version of The Clash and I would rather be mauled by a tiger than have to listen to it again. GLASVEGAS / DADDY’S GONE (SANE MAN) As their name suggests, Glasvegas are a band who aim to combine the grittiness of life in Scotland’s second city with the glamour of life in Sin City. Sadly they’ve got the formula the wrong way round on this single which is as glamorous as night out in a Glaswegian working men’s club and as edgy and subversive as a Siegfried and Roy show. ‘Daddy’s Gone’ is a leaden slab of indie pop that thinks it’s a cut above the norm because it’s heard a few Phil Spector records. Poor Phil is currently having an even worse time than Michael Jackson and so until the Mitchell Brothers get around to writing a song about him he will remain uncool and unloved - and so should Glasvegas.