Belated Single Review: Jarvis Cocker - Still Running The World

BlackPlastic has been without a broadband connection for so long that this little gem has pretty much been and gone, nonetheless, it's too good to let it go under the radar.

BlackPlastic's opinion of Pulp and Jarvis Cocker have changed somewhat over the past few years, and our feelings for 'Babies' have already been detailed previously. 'Still Running The World' is the punk anthem of the year. Fantastic production and insightful lyrics come together to create something good enough that it ends up getting played six times in one morning. That doesn't happen very often these days.

When Jarvis sings "Well, feed your children on lobster and crayfish tails, find a school near the top of the league; in theory I respect your right to exist, but I'd kill ya if you moved in next to me" you just know there's a nation of Daily Mail readers out there living it for real. And the chorus. What a chorus.

Cunts are still running the world...

Easy enough on the ears that it's almost punk for radio two, were it not too punk for radio.

Album Review: The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love

The Rapture undoubtably landed in the right place at the right time when they decided to follow up their debut LP with a dance infused record produced by The DFA back in 2003. Three years later Echoes is still fresh in the mind yet there is a feeling that this is a band that are yet to achieve their best.

Yet it is with some trepidation that BlackPlastic approaches Pieces of the People We Love. Gone is the support and production of the DFA label and it's time to see if Luke Jenner and Co are the real deal.

First single, 'Get Myself Into It' offers a promising glimpse of what is to come. The usual strung out vocals complement a spacey dubbed out sound in a manner that proves Dangermouse can do more than just hip-hop.

It is 'First Gear' however that really gets things moving. Over six minutes long it is an acid-pop-rock epic and by the fourth chant of "My, My, My, My Mustang Ford" BlackPlastic challenges you not to wonder why all bands can't be this fucking balls-out brave.

Nothing else comes quite as close, although 'The Devil', 'Whoo! Alright Yeah... Uh Huh' and 'The Sound' all try. Sadly elsewhere Pieces of the People We Love gets a little to The Charlatans for comfort (see 'Down For So Long').

It's a shame, since Pieces of the People We Love is not just good, it's great. Here The Rapture sound here like they want to simultaneously kill the naysayers, re-invent pop music and have a bloody good time, it's sad that at times these aims get in the way of each other.

Single Review: Imogen Heap - Headlock

Imogen Heap releases another single off of the back of her re-released LP Speak For Yourself.

Slightly re-tooled for the radio, 'Headlock' this time features a few more strings in the intro but little else has changed.

The single is backed with a mix by Hospital Records' High Contrast. Drum 'n' Bass meets Heap is much as you would expect, but this, lacking the sensitivity of the original and the edge needed for the dancefloor, certainly does not stick in the mind as a potential anthem.

'Headlock' is by no means a major album highlight but does benefit from a certain fragility. It just seems a little suprising a release when there are stronger tracks elsewhere on the album.