Love Is All – Used Goods (What’s Your Rupture? 7”)

If evocation is their raison d’être then Love Is All are doing pretty well: every twist and turn of this single ignites the senses, brings forth its resonance, deep soulful memories even. They seem to have got hold of one of those primitive drum pads whose toms sound like enemy craft depositing load in some original Space Invaders machine. Dubby Clash guitars one moment, new wave choruses the next. Imagine The Long Blondes with colour to their cheeks, or with a tune, a killer tune to shout about. Still, Love Is All remain agonizingly obscure and out-of-the-loop, but few bands in this genre emit the same degree of passion. Actually, there is no genre; I sometimes feel Love Is All have created a room of their own.

The Eighteenth Day of May - Cold Early Morning (Transistor 7")

Right now this lot are probably my favourite English band. I suppose their only rival to the UK folk rock crown would be Circulus – but Circulus are such a silly thing, aren’t they? (Their album wasn’t up to much; half a dozen fillers and one glorious moment in ‘Swallow’ which wasn’t really their song anyway but that of Marianne Segal.) But The ’Day have the class to let their music do the talking not their wardrobe department. They are no re-enactment society – but a gorgeous folky blend of Collins, Fairport, and Paisley Underground. Again, this is a lovely record: poised, restrained, sensitive, but vibrant with shimmering guitars. The vocals never quite give me what I want but that, in a strange way, keeps me hooked. The two tracks on the b-side are pretty dazzling too. There is a part of me, a hot-head or musical sadist, that would love to hear the results of them being locked in a studio for the best part of a year and fed nothing but 17th Century poetry and LSD. Can you still get LSD on the NHS?

The Upper Room - All Over This Town (Columbia 7”)

This lot seemed to have appeared from nowhere. This is a pleasant record although it’s pretty predictable and slick. I prefer The On-Offs’s rough urbanity. Can’t think of much else to say about it really. In one ear and out the other. Clever sleeve concept – it’s been thought about.

Holloways – Happiness & Penniless (Sensible 7”)

Fantastic singles are coming ficknfast at the mo. It’s amazing how many people are missing out on this sheer joy just cos they’ve yet to discover vinyl or have no faith in singles. The bloody fools. This one’s really sweet. Two more deft tunes to prove that ‘Generator’ was not a one-off. More urban observations, more breadline indie-ska. They’ve got a find a different studio, however, cos it sounds like the vocalists have cardboard boxes on their heads. Or have flu or summit. Anyway, buy this record and ‘Generator’ if you can still find it! And get Les Incompetents' new one too!

Blood Red Shoes – Stitch Me Back (Try Harder 7”)

Considering that they’re just a duo – Steven Ansell and Laura Mary Carter – they make a big noise. You might think of Comanechi but I would say they’re slightly less manic, less sexy and more local-sounding - which is not good. It’s alright though – I quite like the b-side with its repetitive hey-hey back and forth, and ‘Stitch Me Back’ has its moments. But overall, I don’t think Blood Red Shoes are the finished article just yet. I suspect there’s a hint of forlorn irony in the name of the record label – Try Harder. When you’re demo gets rejected and the label-man tells you to try harder, well, screw them – start your own label.

Jamie T – Salvador (Panic CD single)

I was kinda wondering why people were paying thirty quid for a debut single by a complete unknown. Now I know. This, his second release, this whole EP is extraordinary. If Jamie T continues in such a vein it won’t be long before we’re hailing him as the most gifted singer-songwriter of his generation. ‘Salvador’ is fantastic; dark, atmospheric, brooding, yet glittering with deft touches and intertextual magic. It also comes out of leftfield, which is always a great sign, as if to say, ‘Make way – new star coming through!’ Did I mention it is incredibly commercial too? Judging by his haircut, I suspect Jamie T will be the new Sting rather than Pete Libertine but, hey, that’s a long way down the road. Having said that, this is such a varied EP that you pigeonhole Jamie at your peril. It’s usually emotion that moves your heart but in this kid's case it’s the sheer scale of his talent. If it ain’t genius, what is it?

Sunny Day Sets Fire – Brainless (Brikabrak 7”)

Ah, who was it who once said ‘the French Horn will never let you down’? I think it was me. I was right. (Actually it's probably just a bog standard bugle, my knowledge of brass being what it is.) How bleedin’ catchy is this record? It’s almost obscene. Sunny Day Sets Fire – I can see them now: all teeth and short guitar-straps - the new Haircut 100 perhaps. If this record had airplay and full release, a few TV appearances etc, it would be Number One. I always feel, however, that it is by the quality of their b-sides that one might more successfully gauge a band’s character. And, in this case, ‘Nations Underground’ is a real treat. I reckon they’ve been listening to that classic Beatles outro to ‘All Too Much.’ Why the hell not. It beats listening to Oasis.

Good Shoes – We Are Not The Same (Brille 10” EP)

I must admit I’m slightly disappointed by this one. I tend to thrive on the instant fix – which is probably why I review so many 'tracks' and so few albums. Or EPs. Not that I don’t appreciate the longer form but it just so rarely compels you to grab the pen and write down your instant thoughts, sprawled out Kerouac-style with so little recourse to facts, grammar, objectivity. After the thrill-ride that was their debut single last year this EP feels reserved. I’m not sure how much it has to say to me. They’re similar in style to Les Incompetents but lack the concomitant madness to drag you from your seat and down to the mosh.