Pop news and views

THERE once was a time when we could savour the arrival of a euphoric summer anthem.

Unabashed house synths and a chorus that would span the decades were often recipes for the standout tracks that most of us will look back on through a fun-fuelled fog.

There was something about those slightly cheesy three-minute wonders that would evoke sheer joy throughout the summer.

And yet fast-forward to 2011 and a stagnant slump of dance music-by-numbers is festering in the top ten of the charts.

Forget the odd breakthrough dance smash, it seems every man and his semi-naked leading lady wants to lather their tunes with Ibiza-style beats.

There’s only so much euphoria we can take - especially when waiting for the 181 bus on a cold drizzly Tuesday morning in Oldham.

What was once a welcomed seasonal uplift has turned into a relentless stream of soundalike so-called ‘club hits’.

David Guetta is the evil lord behind this sound, bursting on the scene with loveable tracks last year but 18 months later still milking the genre for all it’s worth.

The purest pop of today’s stars has been replaced by sledgehammer beats.

The Saturdays, Rihanna, The Wanted, Chris Brown, Neyo, Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, Usher, Kesha - have all given it a go, singing from the same hymn sheet with varying results.

A similar pattern emerged in the recent past, when the term landfill indie was coined after a quick succession of dull copycat releases.

But give me the Killers, Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand — swallowed down with a bit of the Cribs and the Fratellis — over this sonic purgatory any day.

Those days seem practically thrilling in comparison.

We’ve got to take the rough with the smooth, maybe the creative plateu that our artists have reached will make us appreciate it all the more when something mind-blowing knocks us for six.

Those willing to push the boundaries are still there, it’s just a shame the mainstream has become so scared of taking a risk.

So in the meantime, whether queuing at the post office or putting petrol in your car, blast out the tunes, wave your glowsticks and get sexy to these faux good time anthems - because the party is bound to end soon.

Fingers crossed.




BOOKING NOW
DUE to popular demand rockers Incubus have added another Manchester date as part of their If Not Now, When? world tour.

The California boys will play the Manchester Apollo for second consecutive night on Thursday November 10.



Echo and the Bunnymen are set to head on the road in celebration of their most heralded album Ocean Rain. The band will perform the album in its entirety at the Manchester Palace Theatre on Saturday September 24.


The mighty Kasabian will flex their muscles across the country this winter with a monster UK tour.

Anticipation has been building for their Velociraptor album, due to hit stores next week.

They’ll be treating fans to new tracks plus old favourites at the Manchester Arena on Wednesday December 7.



Rock n Roll legends Motley Crue and Deff Leppard will be tearing up cities across the UK this December as they embark on a joint tour for the first time. Catch the bands, both multi-million sellers, at the Manchester Arena on Sunday December 11.



GIGS
Tonight; Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - HMV Ritz; Jolie Holland - the Ruby Lounge; This Is A Standoff - Night and Day Cafe; Treefight For Sunlight - Manchester Castle Hotel; the Black Angels - Academy 3; Beirut - Academy 1; Joan As Police Woman - St Philips Church.

Tomorrow: Swingin Utters - Night and Day Cafe; The Fresh and Onlys - Ruby Lounge; Cannabis Corpse - Star and Garter; Public Enemy - HMV Ritz; Junip - Manchester Sound Control; The Jezabels - Deaf Institute; The Rapture - Club Academy.

Thursday: This Frontier Needs Heroes - Manchester Castle; Grandmaster Flash - Ruby Lounge; King Cresote and Jon Hopkins - Deaf Institute; PJ Harvey - Apollo; Owl City - Academy 1.



Friday: Planes - Night and Day Cafe; Indigo - Moho Live; Robyn - Academy 1.


Saturday: Jez Kerr - Night and Day Cafe; Firewind and Wolf - Moho Live; David R Roch - Manchester Castle; The Whip - Ruby Lounge; Vains of Jenna - Club Alter Ego; Big Deal - Deaf Institute; The Bluetones - Club Academy. Sunday: Panic Room/David R Black - Ruby Lounge; Route 66 - Band on the Wall; Dolly Parton - MEN Arena; Ugly Harmonies - Club Academy; TesseracT - Academy 3.

Monday: Wise Blood - Manchester Castle; Scott Matthews - Band on the Wall.



THIS WEEK
Dolly Parton - Manchester Arena

Still going strong, the queen of country and all things plastic makes her way to Manchester to serenade fans with hit singles that have spanned decades.

Busty, bold and able to belt out a tune, fans can expect hits such as 9-5, Jolene and Islands in the Stream from the sweet superstar.


DON’T MISS
Beirut - Academy 1

Melodic and moving, Beirut’s latest album the Rip Tide was an upbeat delight.

Keeping the trademark clattering instrumental but turning the volume up on the horns section, front man Zachary Condon will no doubt delight with his heart-wrenching vocals.


INTRODUCING... Tesseract
“The concept is to have music that just has a pulse, a heartbeat.

“We only ever wish to create music with subtle power and emotion, to avoid genre-specific clichés and tired old tricks,” says guitarist Acle Kahney, who sparked the vision for the band way back in 2003.

The metallers unleashed their debut album One in March this year.

With big ambitions the five-piece count Sigur Ros, Pink Floyd and the Doors among their musical heroes, and have forged forth in creating an atmospheric album with a nod to prog and experimental metal.

Catch them live at Manchester Academy on Sunday September 11.