If, however, your budget will extend to a second, you’d be well served to pick up labelmates USA Nails’ latest release, No Pleasure, a powerful, gut-punch of an album. Unrelenting and frill free, what this lacks in memorable songs it makes up for in aggression and spiky delivery. Recorded live, No Pleasure is probably best experienced in the same way. HR
VARIOUS **** Artifact: The Dawn Of Creation Records (Cherry Red) This fairly posh-looking anthology, consisting of five CDs packaged inside a hardback book rich in both images and text, isn't released by Creation Records, of course. The London-based, Scotshelmed label came to define the success, excess and self-regard associated with nominally 'indie' music in the 90s, and imploded at the end of the decade. Its catalogue, however, stretches back to 1983, when Alan McGee founded Creation as a twentysomething idealist with a taste for jangly guitar pop, and it's this early period (until late 1985) that repeatedly fine archivists Cherry Red have collected here. Discs one and two concentrate on singles: The Jesus And Mary Chain and Primal Scream both debuted on Creation, selling tens of thousands in the former case, while less famous – but highly thought of in indie circles – names include The Pastels, The Jasmine Minks and The Loft. Discs three to five comprise, respectively, rarities, demos and BBC sessions; notable among the curiosities herein is most of the Alive In The Living Room compilation LP and two songs by McGee's preCreation band The Laughing Apple. NG
VARIOUS **** Dragon Era Vol. 7 (Dragon Era) South Wales’ Dragon Era flies the flag for experimental electronic music in a region that has been enthralled by the hegemony of hard rock for far too long. Most of the 12 artists here draw influence from the early 90s, with dubby techno explorations dominating – but not in the minimal Basic Channel mode. Standouts include Boris A Bono's Gold Panda-like Shynessness [sic], as does the heavy digital dub of Cardiff Skank by Tribal Hooligan and the early Aphex-aping Funny Turn by Melltith. SE
singles AFRO CLUSTER ***** Basic Questions (self-released) As cool as ever, Afro Cluster return with more funk-laden hip-hop that whispers blaxploitation movie soundtrack. Skunkadelic’s Tumi Williams bosses the vocals as usual, with some more than dope assistance from Greg Blackman. And the music that holds it together is on point, too. Not a bad word to say! JE
BABY BRAVE *** Tacky Birthday EP (Drum With Our Hands) Since 2014’s King Horse EP, Wrexham’s Baby Brave have been riding a wave of lucrative support slots and radio plays. The new EP is a little punchier, and once you’ve adapted to Emmi Manteau’s vocal style, you’ve got yourself a quintet of commendable powerpop songs reminiscent of the 4AD releases of the 90s. BG
BEACH FATIGUE **** Drunken Grrrls (self-released) The name has changed, but the style hasn’t. The band formerly known as Heavy Petting Zoo have cleaned up their sound but you still get the slick Cramps-esque surf-sleaze that has been their speciality over the past few years. Long-standing live favourite Deathproof makes an appearance as a slickly produced B-side. BG
HARKIN / CINERAMA *** Split 7” (Come Play With Me) This new label is named after a song by The Wedding Present, David Gedge from Cinerama’s other band, and not the more notorious dirty movie which predates it. High levels of indieness thus confirmed, this Leeds-based two-hander is sweetly enjoyable: Cinerama moon over girls to a tinkly backing while Katie Harkin covers the band Apostle Of Hustle in jangly fashion. NG
JO BARTLETT'S MODULATION FREAKS *** EP1 (Double Snazzy) Bit of a curate's egg, this one. An instrumental EP of rocky guitar-based tracks overlaid with the occasional wibbly-wobbly synth, the tracks bounce around from pseudo-metal to space-pop, along with the occasional nod to Battles, but mostly end up sounding like the B-side to some forgotten 90s indie single. DG
LEO STANNARD *** Free Rein EP (Black Butter) When asked about this debut EP, Leo said, “I stopped thinking about what I was going to write and just wrote what I wanted to write.” Lost, 19, and My Friends Got Love are radio-friendly with their poppy beats and catchy refrains; the smoother I Need Time (about taking time out) is late-night feet-up listening. LN
LEWIS & LEIGH **** Hidden Truths EP (ALM/Sight Manner) Welshman Al Lewis and southern American Alva Leigh are a perfect pairing of Celtic and country harmony. They go together like PB&J, or laverbread and grits! Their third EP is also a bit rockin’ pop and folk with lots of twangy guitar and downhome horns. Pure, real, new talent. RLR
demos
THIS MONTH’S
DVD PICK
INSIDE OUT PG (Pixar) In the running for 2016 Oscar Best Animated Feature, this imaginative and original film delves into the troubled mind of a young girl, Riley, and explores her hilariously exaggerated emotions in a way that captures audiences of all ages. Despite drawing out the predictable happy ending, it is undeniable that Pixar have succeeded yet again. ****HM
THE DIABOLICAL 15 (Campfire) It’s difficult not to roll your eyes at the thought of another clichéd Halloween film but first-time director Alistair Legrand certainly challenges some of the classical stereotypes in The Diabolical. From the beginning the audience are thrown in at the deep end with immediate scares but the film feels somewhat unfinished. **HM
THE END OF THE TOUR 15 (Modern Man Films) Based on journalist, David Lipsky’s interview with American writer and icon David Foster Wallace, The End Of The Tour presents the Infinite Jest novelist in a heartwarmingly honest light as the pair take a road trip filled with discussions on fame and authenticity. ****HM
SELF/LESS PG (Endgame Entertainment) The idea of being able to transfer your soul from your current dying body into a newer and significantly fitter (Ryan Reynolds) version is an appealing one and the basis for a potentially captivating storyline. Unfortunately, Self/Less doesn’t quite live up to initial expectations. ***HM
MR HOLMES PG (AI-Film) Mr Holmes aka Ian Mckellen brings a significantly ageing Sherlock Holmes to the screen. This time the detective is to discover the mysteries of his own life as the narrative takes us back into the past to unravel the memories Holmes thought he’d forgotten. Slow and drags in parts, but watchable. ***AL
PAY THE GHOST 15 (Arrow Films) The one true God Nicolas Cage makes any film. As in, he will accept a role in any film, as well as making said film an automatic cult contender. Cage plays the distraught father of a lost little boy who went missing on Halloween. A year on, he is haunted by visions and travels across dimensions to find his son. Fun for Cage fans. **LOB
CARAMEL
MINIONS
caramelcdf.bandcamp.com
U (Universal Pictures International) I don’t know what it is about these lemon Tic-Tac bastards that makes them so hateable, but hate I do. The film is a money-grabbing spinoff from the somewhat likeable Despicable Me, and follows the story of the Minions as they work with a supervillain to take over the world. *LOB
Late last year, a few months before their first gig, Caramel were described to me by one of its members as "sassy boy music". As it's turned out, the Joanna Gruesome and ex-Saturdays Kids personnel in the band have been joined by various singers who are sassy, but not boys: on this recording, Twisted's Livi Sinclair. She's an arresting presence on four songs which sometimes resemble early Fugazi gone garage rock. An upcoming Caramel 7" should be at least this splendid. NG
WINTER COAT
TERMINATOR GENISYS 12 (Paramount Pictures) He told you he’d be back. After 12 years, the former Governor of California has reprised his role as the Terminator in this confusing and pretty unnecessary sequel. It’s fun to watch, and features some impressive scenes, but it’s too convoluted to be truly enjoyable. **LOB
www.facebook.com/wintercoatuk Showing dedication to the cause, one of Winter Coat is indeed wearing a big coat in their press photo, even though it was taken in late summer. The Cardiff-based four-piece's music is not innately wintry, but it's easy on the ear: languid, lightly reverbed chiming indie guitar, hinting at Beach House on Waiting For The Stop and someone like Tender Trap on Drifting. These are two songs, of four in total, from a self-released EP which should be out by the time you read this. NG
ANT-MAN 12 (Marvel Studios) Paul Rudd stars as Scott Lang, a cat burglar armed with a suit that allows him to shrink but become stronger, hence the name Ant-Man. This is a typical Marvel film, and on the high end of the spectrum. Plenty of good vs evil saving the world jargon in this well-done, fun superhero flick. ***LOB
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