Beatnik Filmstars Boss Disque Merge Legions of British bands have been fed on a indie rock diet consisting of Guided By Voices, Pavement, and Sonic Youth. And Beatnik Filmstars are no exception. But what does make this Bristol band the exception is how they utilize their nutrients. Their latest record is one of lo-fi greatness. They've earned scores of fans on these shores. They are cult heroes among the indie rock squad. Their songs are disjointed, melodies are fragmented, and the result is one of the most pleasurable records to be released all year. Funny, since they are so rudely ignored in their home country, a land that pays homage to flash in the pan bands that wouldn't know a good tune if they had one programmed in their brain. It's a shame, but then again, we can feel like Beatnik Filmstars are all our own. And you couldn't ask for anything more. The Candyskins Death of a Minor TV Celebrity Velvel This is a band I haven't thought about in years. So I received a bit of a shock when this cd arrived in my mailbox. And I must say the time off did wonders for the Oxford band. This record is great pop fun-quite similar to, dare I say it?, Fountains of Wayne. Great pop sensibility, catchy hooks, and sugary tunes. A nice welcome back indeed. Embrace The Good Will Out Geffen At first, I used every power in my body to resist this record, disregarding this band for two years running. I just didn't want to like The Good Will Out and I used every reason, every excuse to criticize it. So I listened to it again and again, purely to justify my critiques. But the problem was, every time I put the record on, it started to grow on me. And the songs started to pop in my head in the middle of the day. Danny McNamara's voice was haunting me and I couldn't believe that I was succumbing to the Embrace way. So it's been just about two months since I first received this cd. And it's the one record I feel like listening to most. (Funny isn't it?) Okay, some of the tracks are kind of wimpy, you just want the guitar to kick in and stir up some noise. But a few others are just plain beautiful in their excruciatingly heartfelt way. "Retread" and "Fireworks" prove my point perfectly. And love lost is a predominant theme on this record, but that's no suprise. But it is the exquisite orchestration on many of the tracks like "Your Weakness Is None of My Business," that brilliantly adds to the forlorn tone of the album. None of this is contrived, it's just perfect. And yeah, I can hear you saying that they're just Oasis copyists. Granted, that's the first thing I said and the similarities are uncanny. But Embrace are a lot more than that. Unlike Liam Gallagher, Danny can carry a tune, with the ability to belt it out like his life depended on it. And the song writing is far more passionate than anything Noel Gallagher has penned. While his brother, Richard, writes the music, Danny pens the words-one thing is for sure, too-Danny McNamara is one emotional boy. And when a boy can croon like Danny, the effect is even more powerful. For a band that have been together for only 2 years, it's amazing to see what they've become. The strength found between the members alone is unprecedented. And if you thought Oasis were genius... 1