Public Enemy yo!

After Flava Flavs disturbing appearance on celebrity Big Brother a few years ago, one would think that the reputation of Public Enemy has went downhill.
But Fear of a Black Planet remains one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all times. Inspiring artists such as Zach de la Rocha and Dr. Dre, it is the revolutionary lyrics of Chuck D in ‘Fight the Power’ and ‘Welcome to the Terrordome’ that makes this politically heated album give a voice to civil rights and put the bitches n’ bling hip-hop we hear now to shame.

Public Enemy still fighting the power

Nine Inch Nails album review

Over the years, Nine Inch Nails have created different sounds ranging from screaming metal guitars in Pretty Hate Machine to the slower pulsation of The Fragile. NIN have not ceased to disappoint until now. The somewhat repetitive clatter of debut album The Slip was released shortly after the instrumental Ghosts I–IV. Even though frontman Trent Reznor decided to be generous by giving the entire album away for free, the dabbling with disco in tracks such as ‘Discipline’ proves to be an unworthy move. Although ‘Head Down’ and ‘Echoplex’ rekindle the early days of Reznor’s poignant creations, The Slip leaves you feeling like NIN have been there done that.

NIN live in Edinburgh

Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours

Cut Copy are yet another clean cut ‘electro-pop’ band springing up from Australia along with the likes of the Presets, the Midnight Juggernauts, and the vanishing rock band Wolfmother.

Dan Whitford giving it

Brought to you by Modular’s love child Punkdafunk, Cut Copy surprisingly have a New Order taste to them mixed in with a spoonful of the Petshop Boys.
So far, 2008 has proved to be an overflowing year of boy bands with synthesizers and multicoloured hoodies.  But Cut Copy have taken a different
approach to electro-pop with their debut album In Ghost Colours. This fresh sound will make anyone run to the dance floor. The vocals of Dan Whitford
makes ‘Hearts on Fire’ the prized song of the whole album. Combined with sassy beats and a sexy saxophone, the Melbourne trio pull if off nicely. Along with ‘Lights & Music’ and ‘Far Away’, the 80’s influence of disco and spinning funk makes it difficult to find flaws in this album.

The smooth beats of ‘Feel the Love’ creates originality as a mellowed love song which helps Cut Copy distinguish themselves away from the likes of Calvin Harris style rhetoric. Their beats are kept simple and flowing with excitement. And it works.