A decade of the Arctic Monkeys

Last week marked the 10th anniversary of the Arctic Monkeys' first gig at the Grapes in Sheffield (pictured above). They got paid a measly £27 and mostly played cover versions. One notable exception included a scrappy proto-punk number called, magnificently, Ravey Ravey Ravey Club.

Arctic Monkeys - Ravey Ravey Ravey Club

You know the rest: First single goes straight to number one; First album is the fastest-selling debut in history; Band increasingly surly in interviews; Band boycott the Brits; Dressing up as characters from The Wizard Of Oz; Teaming up with Queens of the Stone Age; Going bowling with P Diddy; Playing at the Olympics Opening Ceremony; and, most importantly, getting covered by the Sugababes.

Next Friday, they'll headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury and tradition demands a new single so there's a lull in the set where everyone can go and get a beer. The thing is, the new single is too good to miss... It's out today, it's called Do I Wanna Know? and it comes with an unusual animated video with shades of Pink Floyd's The Wall. Approved.

Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?

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Angry women video bonanza

Why is everyone so flaming angry all of a sudden? Is it the E numbers in your milkshake? Is it the lack of E numbers in your milkshake? Is it people who keep going on about milkshakes for no discernible reason?

Whatever the cause, the result is some corking pop music. First up is Chvrches' new single Gun, which is basically a four-minute threat over a synth riff. "You had better run from me with everything you own," snarls Lauren Mayberry. "Cause I am going to come for you with all that I have."

Yikes.

Chvrches - Gun

Next up is Chlöe Howl, whose furious No Strings, is finally getting a proper release in August. "You're so immature," she berates some poor schmuck. "You don't even know if I'm the right sex, do ya?"

Again, yikes.

Chlöe Howl - No Strings

Now, can everyone please have a milkshake and calm down?

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Bruno Mars: Not from the archives

He's the Instagram of pop: Bruno Mars keeps putting retro filters over his videos. Treasure, the fourth single from Unorthodox Jukebox, takes me back to Kool & The Gang on Soul Train in 1977. Look at the way the spotlights burn out the camera, and that hopeless strobing effect at 1'15". It's all done with such loving attention to detail, you've got to admire it. And the song's not bad either.

Bruno Mars - Treasure


Update: IndieGoPop just tweeted to ask the question "wouldn't it be better if Bruno synced up his track to proper Soul Train archive footage?" I'm paraphrasing - but it's a valid point. Especially when you see the Daft Punk video they attached.


AMAZING.

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Aluna George continue to drive you insane

Once she's caught that huge inflatable ball, Aluna out of AlunaGeorge is going to serenade you with one of the classics.

You Know You Like It is a song the duo first released in August 2011. Two years has done nothing to diminish its awesomeness - so their label has wisely decided to re-release ahead of the band's debut album, Body Music, in July.

Even better, they've stumped up £80 for a brand new video in a swimming pool and made Aluna dress up as one of Five Star. Bloody brilliant.

AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It

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(Almost) the return of Mutya Keisha Siobhan

After announcing they were reforming in October 2011, Mutya, Keisha, Siobhan have had a mere 600 days to put together their new single, Flatline. Apparently, that wasn't long enough. The clip they've plonked online today is just 1'11" long and, unusually, it's the last section of the song -- so we hear all of the warbly vocal gymnastics, but precious little of the actual melody. Maybe they haven't finished it yet.

Here's what the snippet tells us.

:: It is mid-tempo.

:: They have deployed the "meaningful" Coldplay snare drum.

:: They have deployed the "meaningful" Coldplay woah-oh backing vocals.

:: Mutya doesn't "want to be in love".

:: The chorus goes: "I can feel the flatline / There oughta be a way / Something, something, something. / Darling I will hang on."

:: Their harmonies are still smack-your-tits-off amazing.

WELCOME BACK YOU INDOLENT POP GODDESSES.

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Nina Nesbitt poetry contest

"I'm working in a retail store
It's not what I'm cut out for."
These are the opening lines of Nina Nesbitt's very good new single Way In The World - a song that captures a teenager's dogged desire to get on with being a proper adult with no curfews and a fridge of their very own.

It's a good couplet, but I wonder if it could be improved with a little more detail? Here are a few alternatives, provided free of copyright for Nina to use in her forthcoming concerts and televisual appearances.

"I'm working in a retail store.
The biscuits are in aisle four."

"A job in telesales have I,
Were you ever mis-sold PPI?"

"I'm working in a laundromat,
Some guy just tried to wash his cat."

"I'm glad to have a job today.
The economy's in disarray."

"My job is in a branch of Homebase.
I have a disdain for customers that borders on the psychopathic and my knowledge of our stock could be rivalled by that of a two-year-old. Do you have a Nectar card?"

Fair play, Nina, it's harder than it seems. If you think yo can do better, leave your effort in the comments (or on Twitter) and I'll send a personalised mix CD or something to the best one.

Way In The World is out on 22 July. The video is full of jolly seaside-based antics, as you can clearly see.

Nina Nesbitt - Way In The World

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