Virgin

So the bankers are all getting bonuses, it’s chucking it down with rain outside, the snow was apparently the worst thing to happen since the last Reverend and the Makers single and (ok, this one’s just for me) there has been gunfire outside the flat. Still, there’s always some new tracks to brighten the mood, in the shape of The Killers and St Etienne this week. However, wallowing in the gloom can be as good as stamping in puddles from time to time, so Antony & The Johnsons and Morrissey bring a more morose quality to the mix. Cheesy and cheerful or gloriously gloomy – take your pick.

Morrissey – I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
In classic Catchphrase lyric writing, Morrissey says what he sees. Yes, isn’t Paris lovely – where’s the tune though? The Guardian valiantly calls it “nothing new, nothing exciting. One for the stage-jumping fanboys”. MSN praises it for containing “the usual wit and darkest of dark humour”. But Digital Spy is on the mark by suggesting “the fire in Mozza’s belly may already be fading” and giving it 6/10/ It is basic and uninspired, though the vocals are warming, which sees it snatch 5/10.

MySpace / iTunes / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

The Killers – Spaceman
Brandon Flowers sparkly clan come back with lots of overlapping vocals and in-sync synths. “It’s still really sonically dense, as it packs in a pulsating verse and chorus,” observes Unreality Music.  The Beat Review has “no negatives” and awards 8/10, claiming “they’ve quite stepped up their level”. Angry Ape praises its “gliding synthesizers, chugging bass and thumping disco drums”. Meh. There is a feeling they aimed for Ziggy and then settled on a Pet Shop Boys B-side. 3/10.

MySpace / iTunes / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

Saint Etienne – Method of Modern Love
Taken from a greatest hits, there is a surprising freshness to this. Digital Spy gives 6/10 commenting on the “chiffon-smooth vocals with an old-school dance beat that’s just waiting for the Ibiza summer madness to start”. “Shimmering disco romps don’t come much more shimmeringy than this,” croons Popjustice. My Chemical Toilet simply and sweetly suggests that it’s “really rather good”. It does have a Fever-era Kylie optimistic glow about it, but is a bit disposable and sneaks 7/10.

MySpace / iTunes / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

Antony & The Johnsons – Epilepsy Is Dancing
Mercurial Mercury winner Antony is back on the day job with the Johnsons, singing delicate ballads about dancing and disorders. Contact Music gushes about the “more neo-classical feel” to the track, while The Guardian calls it “pretty brilliant, a twirling wee number that never quite settles in one place”. Ohmpark is equally impressed, claiming “you’ll find everything you’ve come to love from the gifted vocalist on this record”. It is the single of the week for its lyrical adventurism alone, and gets 7/10.

MySpace / iTunes / last.fm / Amazon / Spotify

“Shyness is nice and shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you’d like to.” Many people dream of getting up onstage and prancing around like Morrissey, but most are too bashful and are consigned to SingStar in the safe haven of their living rooms. Lots of Smiths fans hold delusionary wishes of a reunion and head to Mozza’s solo sets hoping for a smattering of his former band’s hits. The Smyths go out every night and not only dress up as their heroes, but sound like them too.

As tribute acts go, they are quite a draw. Scores of bands struggle to sell out venues such as the Islington Academy, but The Smyths manage it, with punters paying £10 a piece too. It’s clear why as soon as they enter the stage – the singer looks and sounds more like Morrissey than Morrissey does these days. The flailing arms, the darling pomposity and, most importantly, the carving, cavernous voice are all here. Bigmouth Strikes Again sounds spot on, while William, It Was Really Nothing rarely sounds less than something.

The rest of the band don’t fit their characters so snugly, but are competent at filling the sizeable shoes of Rourke and co. It is Johnny Marr’s distinguishing guitar that is most difficult to reproduce, but it’s managed manfully except on the considerable challenges of How Soon Is Now and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. Nevertheless, everybody knows every syllable and is determined to pretend they have just walked into Salford Lads’ Club. It’s a raucous but friendly crowd, tipsy and jolly, empathising with rather than adoring the men onstage.

Still, that distinctive feeling just before a band takes to the spotlight is absent. It’s the spark of uncertainty that flutters around dimly-lit venues around the world, in those fleeting moments of anticipation. Will they be any good? Can the singer be bothered tonight? Are they worth the hype? A cover band doesn’t trigger this indistinct nervousness – you know what you are going to get. However, it’s big business; the likes of The Bootleg Beatles, Guns 2 Roses and Bjorn Again are bigger than most original acts.

It’s a desire to share something loved, rather than find something new, which drives this peculiar niche. This is the same feeling that has placed Mamma Mia in one in four households in the UK and allowed Bruce Forsyth to continue presenting prime time television despite being older than the jokes he recycles. When The Smyths ask Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before, nobody even considers it.

The barmy Christmas season is well and truly in full flow with yet more rumours of bands reforming - fuelling festive nostalgia. Following the news about Blur and then Ska heroes The Specials who are now all set to play together next year - albeit minus an apparently snubbed Jerry Dammers - come more rumours that The Smiths might be on the road to reformation. But perhaps even more unlikely than that are the rumours surfacing that The Stone Roses might also be considering playing together again.

Even though Johnny Marr has only said something along the lines of ‘maybe, who knows?’ - this is more than enough for a few thousand gladioli-growing fans to start earnestly praying and growing their Morrissey quiffs once more. Although the thought of a legion of 30/40-something old Smiths fans bravely ignoring their paunches beneath flowery shirts and charity shop blazers should be reason enough to kill off all thoughts of healing rifts. Or if some big promoter could top a £40 million offer that Morrissey said was most recently on the table then there might be panic on the streets of London once again…

Now Primal Screamer Mani has dropped a big old teaser about the dream you should never dare to dream - that The Stone Roses might get back together. He said to Channelbee that both him and John Squire might be keen but they have yet to persuade Ian Brown. And of course 2009 is the 20th anniversay of their legendary debut album.

So what do you think? Is it a good idea for these bands to hit the comeback trail? Who would you rather see - The Smiths or The Stone Roses? Any other bands ripe for reformation?

It would be an understatement if I said I liked festivals. Theres just something about a day packed full of bands you can’t wait to see and falling in love with bands you never heard of in the breaks in between. Jumping up and down next to strangers who feel the exact same way as you as you crush your ribs against the barrier. Playing spot the dodgy toilets and paying a insane prices for that beer you just got to have. And my next 2 fests pose no exception, a healthy fusion between the old and the new not to mention 3 of my top 5 performers of all time.

O2 Fest, Friday the 4th of July

Though I am not American I do very much look forward to celebrating my independence with the King of English rock music Morrissey himself. Lead singer of The Smiths till the group broke up in 1987 who influenced such bands as Radiohead, The Cranberries, Oasis, Blur, Belle and Sebastien, The Killers, Placebo and The Organ. The UK music magazine NME went so far as to call him called him the “most influential artist ever” for his role in the band. After the Smiths broke up in 1987 the Morriessey went onto a very successful solo career which includes ten top 10 hits in the UK.

Siouxsie is most notably remembered as the lead singer of the group Siouxsie and the Banshees, pioneers of the “rock is dead” philosophy of the post-punk movement. Siouxsie is the quintessential rock goddess who’s energy and vocals influenced the likes of Robert Smith of the cure (who was even a guitarist in 1979), Garbage, Jane’s addiction, Scissor sisters to name a few. With last year’s solo album, ‘Mantaray’, Siouxsie demonstrated that she remains a powerful presence within the UK music scene and Morrisey himself said “None of them are as good as Siouxsie and the Banshees at full pelt. That’s not dusty nostalgia, that’s fact.”

Wild in the Country, Saturday 5th of July

18 hours of jam packed of artists in six marquees and 1 out door stage. It’s true that a whole lot of music is going to go down including the current indie stars of 2008 Foals, mixing and DJ maestro Soulwax and Sydney favourites The Presets, which yes I am excited about. But I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t going to go for one reason and one reason alone. Björk. With her first recording contract at aged 5, a delve into the punk scene in The Sugarcubes, an astonishing solo career not to mention nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award and two Golden Globe (including one for acting). Need I say more? Love her or hate her but either way everyone has an opinion. Björk is nothing but an entertainer and I have to say that I have nothing but love for the swan wearing Islandic pixie.

So stay tuned as I bring you the news in two weeks time from up against the barrier as always in sweet anticipation.