Kevin Courtney's guide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams
INTERPOL The Heinrich Maneuver ***
"How are things on the West Coast?" sneers Paul Banks on the lead track from the NY band's new album, Our Love to Admire. Interpol have moved from Joy Division doom to Psychedelic Furs fuzziness, and though this tune is fairly standard, it'll still grab you. Hear it on www.interpolnyc.com and download some cool, rocky mountain wallpaper.
JAMES MORRISON One Last Chance Polydor **
Like Joss Stone, Morrison is blessed with a great, soulful voice and cursed by middle-of-the- road material. Now that James Blunt is on his way back, this is one last chance for Morrison to prove that he is more than just a manufactured white soul boy. Oops - last chance gone.
DRAGONETTE Take It Like a Man Mercury ****
She's the saucy Canadian who sings on Basement Jaxx's Take Me Back to Your House, and fellas, she takes no prisoners. If you think you can take it, visit their website at www.dragonette.com and follow a labyrinthine route to watching the racy new video.
STEPHEN FRETWELL Four Letter Words Polydor *****
The Mancunian bard is back with a mighty four-track EP of downbeat acoustic soul. The Scheme slopes along on a lugubrious offbeat rhythm, Sleep floats on a submarine piano motif and William Shatner's Dog scratches below the surface to find an empty space.
50 CENT Straight to the Bank Shady/Aftermath/Interscope **
Ha ha, said the rapper. You bought all my gangsta guff, and now I'm laughing all the way to the cashier's desk. Fiddy's rolling in so much moola he doesn't even have to rap anymore, but seeing as he's such a nice guy, he'll lay a few more rhymes on us just to top up the account. If you didn't laugh you'd cry.
THE THINGS The Wild Psychotic Sounds of The Things EP Big Neck ****
Who needs The Horrors when Dublin has its own blood-soaked purveyors of psychobilly gore- punk? This six-pack of slime-rock includes The End, Horror Movie and I Hate You. The Things have gathered quite a cult following, so if you see an army of zombies shuffling down Arran Quay tomorrow night, it's just the fans heading for the EP launch party at Voodoo Lounge.
