LISTENING POST
previous incarnation as go-to ‘‘beautiful girl’’ in music vids for Kylie Minogue, Ed Sheeran and Jessie J); her music videos (and every one of her tracks released so far comes complete with sensuous visuals) push an overtly sexual but ever-so-slightly forbidden agenda; her look is carefully tweeked and photoshopped to display a mix of dollish vulnerability and vampish confidence . . . there’s no doubt that Barnett is a true megastar-in-waiting. And to think the 26-year-old has just two years of songwriting and production behind her, track-by-track,
exudes class – Two Weeks owns a sexy hook to die for, Pendulum has the confidence of an early Maria Carey voice over a relentless icy-sparse production, Numbers sounds like the ballsiest 90s hip-hop taken to the future and then gifted back to the present by some benevolent dance god. This is strong, feminine pop which mashes brutal beats with bruising lyrics and then houses it in a sugar-spun pop casing . . . simply outstanding. AN IMPRESSIVE debut from this rising Louisiana-based singer, whose style has been described as ‘‘a well-mixed musical cocktail of punk, folk, and New Orleans blues’’. He cites The Gun Club, Blind Willie Johnson and T Rex as touchstones, to which I would add The Clash, especially given the careering Chuck Berry-goespunk style of lead single, Violent Shiver, with Florida drummer Max Norton channelling Topper Headon on the tom toms under Booker’s raw-throated holler. The sparse blues of I Thought I Heard You Screaming shows Booker can do slow and soulful just as easily as he does reckless and urgent. IT MUST be the Irishness in her but Sinead O’Connor has sustained a public profile as much for what she says as what she sings. Age hasn’t wearied her nor, seemingly, has a more benevolent Pope as head of the Catholic church for which she has saved her most brutal barbs. But on her 10th studio album she’s more intent on exorcising the phantoms of romantic love and sexuality in a series of imagined conversational tracks such as Kisses Like Mine, How About I Be Me, the sex-ed up James Brown and Take Me To Church. The music industry does take a hit on 8 Good Reasons. DARK BROODING 4am grooves born of an Englishman with his roots as much in early 90s Orbesque space dub as the more familiar guitar-based Smiths and Cure. The result for ex-Ninja Tunes DJ Fin Greenall ranges from the insistent Elbow-like dirge Pilgrim to the spiralling Shakespeare – his guitar and touring three-piece band cementing the atmospheric comedown sound usually associated with more a electronic musician. Six albums and collaborations with the likes of John Legend, Nitin Sawhney and Bonobo in, however, fans (and we are many) might have expected a more left-field offering.