The Rivers Love Or Whatever, NoCarbon Records, Download Single, October 6 ******
THEY say time flies by - and if anything is proof of that it's this debut single by Brighton's The Rivers.
This is a band who grew up listening to Razorlight and sound like an impressive tribute band. Luckily for them, Razorlight grew up listening to the Strokes and the Hives, and Love Or Whatever is a good, oldfashioned rock 'n' roll song.
Jaunty, bloke guitar pop about lusting after a girl, it's radio-friendly fun that should propel them from open mic nights to the top 10.
The nation's favourite brit-rockers in waiting.
Antony and the Johnsons, Another World, Rough Trade, EP, October 6 *****
IT'S BEEN a long wait for those still spooked by Antony and the Johnsons' haunting 2005 breakthrough, I Am A Bird Now.
To plug the gap between next year's third album, Antony Hegarty lent his voice to tracks by Bjork, Hercules and the Love Affair, and film soundtracks galore - and now this EP is set to whet fans' appetites in time for the big release.
Just one listen to the title track will remind fans of what they've been missing. It's stark and lonely - just Hegarty's distinctive vocal accompanied by thick, velvety piano. He sounds constantly on the verge of tears and his sadness is infectious.
His is a voice that deserves indulging - he doesn't need or want big instrumentals, instead choosing subtle strings, and echoes of Nico to create a creeping, gothic cabaret.
The remaining four tracks don't quite reach the heights of the opener, but it's a great reintroduction to one of the most unique voices in pop today.
El Guincho, Alegranza, Young Turks, Album, October 6 *****
VAMPIRE Weekend may be the Afro-pop darlings of the moment, but El Guincho - aka Pablo Diaz-Reixa - looks set to steal their crown.
Not satisfied with steel drums and African rhythms, he's also packed in the sounds of Brazil, Spain and Bollywood to create the global village sound Dee-Lite only dreamed of.
Repetative, hypnotic beats and samples, he plays into the hands of the trend for retro synth fetishism. A psychadellic, sunshine record that will have you packing your suitcase and heading for the airport.
