When I went to see Brendan Benson recently he came on stage and said “let’s play pop rock”. This is how I would describe this single. In fact is does sound very similar to Brendan’s minor radio hit “Spit It Out”. This is a slice of decent indie pop. Hailing from Wales, they have signed to new indie label Main Spring Recordings. Currently on their first headline tour they seem to be ones to watch. With the current music scene drenched in mediocre rock, they seem to have potential to breakthrough.

Review by Sonia Pagliari
www.thecaves.co.uk
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Produced to promote Twisted Charm's regular club night, this cd contains tracks by three bands to have recently played the night.

First up, Rapid Fiction deal in dark atmospheric indie of a slightly sinister nature. 'Narcostar' features deep melodramatic vocals, menacing keys and a guitar line that sounds a bit like the theme from Nightrider slowed to half the normal speed. It's a servicable chunk of apocalyptic rock, but is eclipsed by the far superior 'Discourse' which ploughs its own dark furrow into the part of your brain where monsters still live under the bed and a mugger is hiding around every corner waiting to jump out at you. Nervous listeners are advised not to approach this track without mummy holding their hand.

Next come club patrons Twisted Charm, whose crooked melodies inhabit an entirely different universe to just about anyone else around at the moment. A friend who saw them live recently attempted to describe them as 'kind of post rock punk/funk', but this simply will not do, Twisted Charm are far stranger than this awkward collection of fashionable pigeon holes could ever suggest. The tight rhythm section (presumably the basis for the punk/funk comparison) hurtle along at breakneck speed, punctuated by Nathan's aggressive snarl, jagged stabs of guitar and blarts of sax, and if 'Clone Baby' doesn't convince you that this is infinitely preferable to the hordes of Gang of Four tribute acts that Twisted Charm have been lumped in with, I'd suggest consulting your local audiologist

Rounding off the collection is Wearesix's 'Shop Around', which revolves around a simple but compulsive bassline, over which a female vocalist purrs seductively before being assaulted by caustic blasts of guitar.

A promising collection of tracks then from three bands that share a common bond without the need for replication - get yourself along to the next installment of Twisted Club for more of the same.

Review by Paul Madden
www.tlm-design.com/clients/twistedcharm
www.rapidfiction.co.uk
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Good Shoes are Joel Cox (bass), Rhys Jones (guitar/vocals), Steve Leach (guitar) and Tom Jones (drums). They play fast paced, catchy, twangy, singy songs, that almost force you to jiggle your leg/tap your foot (assuming footwear is adequate of course).

With Rhys Jones' playful, almost flirtatious vocal over the similarly appealing instrumental, it would be hard not to enjoy a single song on the 5 track primitively recorded acoustic demo (put together on a transcription machine that they probably did their French/German oral on at school). They have a sort of sound you'd expect from an acoustic Libertines set, Pete strumming away with friends in a rich girl's front room perhaps.

They've kind of shot themselves in the foot with the low-quality garage recording though. It might be romantic, but its hard to get a hold of what they are really about. Having said that, when the cd came to and end, I promptly put it straight back on. Definitely a band to look out for.

Review by Thomas Highstreet
www.goodshoes.co.uk
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