Kevin Courtney's guide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams
THE KILLERS For Reasons Unknown **
Another wannabe epic from the Las Vegas branch of the Church of Bruce. This one doesn't quite have the sweeping scope of Bones or When You Were Young. Time for the gang to high-tail it outta Sam's Town.
LUKE TOMS Another Day Island ***
Start stocking up on moustache wax now - if this Cornwall chap has his way, we'll all be groomed like Victorians and singing songs by ELO and Al Bowly. This doesn't quite live up to the promise of his fab EP, Fools with Money, but it's packed with enough influences to satisfy any trainspotter.
OWEN BRADY Waiting for the Sun SonyBMG **
Must be the bad weather: here's another Dubliner with a neat line in breezy-listening summer lounger tunes with a 1960s flavour. Brady comes on like José Feliciano on a daytrip to Brittas Bay. It's kitsch, it's retro, and it melts away faster than a Cornetto.
HYBRASIL God Bless the Devil Manazo Records **
These Wicklow lads blend rock riffs and rave beats, but do they have to go on about it in their lyrics? God Bless the Devil sees them pontificating on the eternal guitars v synths question - you don't hear Radiohead singing about sonic experimentation, do ya? B-side Tail Lights Flashing is a meatier tune, and all the better for it.
GHOSTS AOLSession http://music.aol. co.uk/sessions ***
They may be haunted by the spectre of Coldplay and Starsailor but Ghosts are well capable of carving their own path to the public's hearts. This AOL session features tracks from debut album The World Is Outside plus a cover of, yes, Pussycat Dolls' Don't Cha.
RICHARD SWIFT The Songs of National Freedom Polydor ****
Jaunty piano alt.rock. Super- stardom still eludes Swift, but this would have easily knocked Silly Love Songs off the top slot in 1976. You can download Swift's paean to Paisley Park on
