Weekly Column - The Hot Five

Track Of The Week: Kodaline – ‘High Hopes’

I get the feeling that I’m little behind the times with this track. Nevertheless it’s become my track of the week. In the middle of last week I was sifting through lots of new tracks on both Spotify and SoundCloud in order to build this playlist. I’d realised that most of the music I wanted to include (Bowie, Atoms For Peace, etc.) was almost a month old. As a result I was looking for something new, and this track jumped out as soon as I pressed play. It turns out Kodaline were on BBC’s Sounds of 2013 list – and this proves why. The fragile yet warm vocals made my hair stand on end even before the chorus kicks in. The song is atmospheric, and there’s a great anticipation of changes that makes the song so subtle.

Clutch – ‘Gone Cold’

Okay, so I’ve got to be honest here, this is my first experience of Clutch. This is a track from the band’s 10^th album, Earth Rocker. I first heard this track whilst strolling around a high street record shop (not that there are many left …) a few weeks ago. My main reason for paying any attention in the first place was mistaking it for a Nick Cave track. However, after realising my error and consulting Shazam (well worth a download), I began to take note of what was playing. The song has a bluesy swag to it, which usually accompanies the classic southern American rock sound that Clutch has produced. Earth Rocker as been described by the band as “heavier” and “faster” than previous material, but this track seems to suggest that they really are good at the slower stuff. It is fantastically subtle, and Neil Fallon’s vocals really are alone entrancing enough to make it worth a listen.

Terry McDermott – ‘Pictures’ (Acoustic Version)

I was definitely in two minds about including this song. I thought the song was great after a first listen, and then I discovered that Terry McDermott was a runner-up on The Voice in America. Okay, so maybe I shouldn’t let that influence me at all but I know that it would put a lot of people off – and usually it would with me too. However, this song is a great example of a type of acoustic rock that is so popular in America. The original version was released after a demo posted online received a huge response. I know the lyrics are cheesy, but the melody is just fantastic and, as with the Kodaline song above, really make this track.

Cold War Kids – ‘Miracle Mile’

‘Miracle Mile’ is the lead single from Cold War Kids’ new album Dear Miss Lonelyhearts, which has been released this week. It has been said that Cold War Kids have struggled to replicate their early success, but 'Miracle Mile' definitely contains elements that gave their earlier works their impetus. It’s short and sweet – a catchy, uplifting three-minute indie pop tune that certainly grows on you, and there are elements of dance in the rhythm section coupled with the blues- influenced vocals that compliment each other very nicely indeed. If this is a sign of what to expect from the new album as a whole then will definitely once more be a band to look out for. 

Hidden Track Of The Week: Ledbetter – ‘Things You Can’t Say’

This is an interesting one … I still don’t know how I stumbled across this song. I’ve tried multiple times, but I can’t find much information on this band other than that they are from London and that they are unsigned, according to their out-of-date myspace page. This song was released on their one and only EP This Spark, which came out in 2008. It’s a great British pop/rock track, and has a really memorable bridge/chorus. There are intelligent harmonies and good production, making this a really decent track. If only they’d written a bit more material! Also, there seems to be a theme with the songs this week, this is another song heavily reliant on strong melodies and vocals.