Fickle Friends are the first act in the November Flying Vinyl box. Unfortunately they aren't featured in the accompanying booklet so I've no further information about them other than that they get three tracks on their transparent green 45 - 'Broken Sleep', an upbeat slice of pop if ever there was one. A summer song released at the end of autumn. 'The Moment', more of the same. Thankfully seemingly light on the autotune (if used at all) and 'San Francisco' again with the poppy and pleasant air. Each tune deserves a bit of attention this summer if they're lucky. The internet shows the band have played the Far East but not released any new music for a while.

 

Secondly, on red vinyl, we have Bristolians Swimming Girls doing their bit for the '80s revival. 'Back Of Your Car' is nicely upbeat but the lyrics are nothing special and overall it's forgettable compared to the Fickle Friends songs. 'Asking For It' is slower and again nothing of note. They've not risen any in my estimation since their 2017 release. The band's site shows they've just begun playing a few festival dates in Great Britain.

 

Eliza Shaddad has a breathy singing voice. Not unpleasant but 'This Is My Cue' is in no way the sort of thing I'd choose to listen to. all a bit too angsty as it gets going. 'Just Goes To Show' is a bit more considered but still strives towards the anthemic at times. Well crafted and she probably deserves better attention on the back of it. Eliza's site shows she has one live date coming up.

 

Loners apparently have the "undertones of the anthemic early '00s indie" in their sound but all I'm getting is more '80s and Erasure on 'He Looks Like Me'. Less Erasure and more Simple Minds on 'Give Up', which I do before the halfway point. Facebook indicates it's a slow process for new music coming out.

 

Lucy Lu's cover for 'Adonis'/'Down For The Third Time' flatters to deceive, giving the false impression that you'll be in for some muscular jazz funk. Instead you get fairly tepid and unmemorable modern soul. Definitely not my choice for the soundtrack of my lazy Sunday morning, unless by way of encouraging me to get up so as to turn it off. No one seems to want it on Discogs either so it's into the flea market pile. The band's site shows they have one live date still to come this summer.

No September review folks as someone at the pressing plant or Flying Vinyl HQ left my discs for that month shrink wrapped so they're up for sale in mint nick, much as I think I like Kagoule and a couple of the other discs actually looked interesting. If only I could download the tracks to find out ...

 

Anyway, October 2018 instead and first up are Black Honey, who I think I disliked last time they featured in a box. Apparently they've "stormed the charts" since then, which says a lot about that institution and why many people pay no attention to them. 'Blue Romance' passes by barely noticed as I'm typing the above and 'Crowded City' isn't too bad, in a Gwen Stefani-like way when it cuts loose but outside of those bits it plods. The band's site shows them to be touring Europe & England over the summer.

 

Nancy get a nice purple vinyl disc for the oddly wobbly 'Teenage Fantasy'. Think Tame Impala and you'll know what to expect. The B side just features a remix of the A side so nothing very special overall. Facebook shows the band are still active.

 

Elle Musa has a nice voice. 'Lime Green' is pleasant, in the singer-songwriter vein. It could though be any number of falsetto-voiced folk singing and strumming away. It's also a very short song. 'Rosa & Henri' adds a piano to the mix and things come over all Amelie OST. Pleasant. Facebook advises that Elle now has an album out.

 

Mint (this week's other act who are likely hard to find online) hail from Grimsby and are another act seemingly styling themselves on The Wonder Stuff, if their photo's anything to go by. 'Nothing Seems To Get Me High' is a pretty good track in the thumpy/shouty vein of rock. The band have elements of The Hives in their sound but, as seems to be the case often with songs in this column, the track ends too soon. 'Superglue' chugs along at a good pace but there's a comedic element about the band's sound which makes it hard to take the whole thing seriously. Maybe that's the point - they're here for a good time not a long one. Overblown solos abound but this time the unexpected ending is pulled off fine. Have a click on the band's site to see what they're up to at present.

 

Blood Red Shoes are an act I'm surprised to see in this box, thinking them a bigger act than would need the association. Here they are though with 'Mexican Dress' and 'Beverly'. Our regular contributor (and instagram guru) Steven is a big fan of the duo but I've never been bitten deep by their work. This single seems unlikely to change that. The A side is efficiently melodic and a bit dark with a tune which, if heard repeatedly might be something you'd find yourself humming snatches of. As I'll only be playing it once that won't happen here. 'Beverly' goes down the moody & slow route. Fine if you like that kind of thing but I don't get past halfway. The web shows the duo are touring Europe & the UK from now until the end of November.