Secrets And Lies

Not surprisingly then, many unhelpful myths about the music industry have spread over the years.
Let's look at some of those myths and see if we can eradicate them from our minds for at least a fortnight.
If we could only get a good manager all of our problems would be solved. (No they wouldn t, particularly if you don t really know what a manager can and can t do for you.)
Once we get a record deal we're home and dry. (Not so. That's when the real work actually starts.)
I'm a talented artist so I deserve to make lots of money and become rich and famous. (The world is overflowing with talented artists and it can probably manage without you if it has to.)
You have to be from Dublin to get anywhere. (Tell that to The Cranberries, Divine Comedy, Paul Brady, Van Morrison, Therapy?, The Corrs, Kieran Goss, Westlife et bloody cetera.)
I'm young and gifted, therefore everybody should break their bollocks trying to help my career. (Sorry, there's nobody here by that name.)
There is a simple formula for success but the bastards in the business won t tell anybody. (Quite right. I'm a complete bastard and I m not telling you.)
And so to today s in-tray. First onto the CD player is the new demo Innocent Girl from Orphee, a band lead by singer-guitarist Helene Borrelli from St Etienne (that's the French town, not the band, I presume).
Helene sounds a bit angry, but her vocal style owes far too much to Siniad and Dolores to reveal her as a truly original talent yet. However, her soulful approach makes her a captivating performer. There s an honest and refreshing rawness about the performances and the material, not least on the opening track Mummy with it s slurred guitar and aching vocals.
The Sun Yells moves a little away from Sinead territory but sounds confused to these ears. But Suffering could be the real winner here, with more balls than Green Day, and thumping guitars, bass and drums all driven by a passionate vocal.
Unfortunately, there s not much here to hum in the shower, although one must applaud Helene for not taking the road most travelled.
Onto the cassette machine pop Evolve, made up of five sturdy blokes from Dublin who look like stars even if they still need to pay some dues.
Their package is enhanced by a decent photo of the guys who at least look as if they belong in a band together. There is also a well-written biog, although if their songwriter Colm Brennan really believes there s less drudgery in a rock band than in a nine-to-five job he needs to get real, and fast.
What you hear is high quality rock-pop of the contemporary variety played and performed by a bunch who obviously have an instinctive feeling for the rock beast, with influences ranging from The Who to Stone Roses and beyond. Something To Someone is a raucous guitar-laden track that should blossom with better production and a bigger budget.
Twentyone is even more impressive, with Manzaresque organ fills and a clever fade-in that snares the listener from the getgo. Sadly, it fails to keep that attention.
For all that, Four Fingers is a delightful slab of slow and raunchy country-punk that struts and swaggers, proving that Evolve are most effective when they re not trying to get down your throat.
But the real gem in the would-be pile is the new CD from The Same whose brand of snappy pop songs bring such past exponents as The Beatles, The Housemartins and Crowded House to mind. Proving that you can have loads of past influences but still offer something fresh, their fluffy opener Indiana chugs along merrily with a great melody, harmonies galore, a neat synth part followed by some blistering guitar work. It rises way beyond demo level.
Keep It Green and the instrumental Friendly Fire are heavier outings, which may be confusing given the pop lightness of the first track, but are handled with equal competence (and confidence). The Same seem to know exactly what they re doing and I for one have no plans to argue with them.