Kevin Courtney's guide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams
THE SAW DOCTORS I Useta Lover for RTÉ People In Need Telethon *
Do we still love those loveable shams from Tuam? People in Need hopes we do, and that we'll fork out for this special re-release - all in a good cause, of course. Not to be a killjoy, but is People in Need running out of ideas?
KEANE The Night Sky for War Child Island *
When you wish upon a star . . . here's a another charidee single from the twee threesome, a simpering ballad that they probably couldn't give away, let alone expect it to generate bags of cash for War Child. Their hearts are in the right place, even if the music is not.
THE PROCLAIMERS Whole Wide World W14 **
The twin Scotsmen re-released 500 Miles for last year's Comic Relief, but they can hold their own without help from Little Britain. This, punk fans, is a non- charity version of the Wreckless Eric classic. Me, I preferred it with an East End accent.
LARGE MOUND Your Holiday Sounds Boring/ Rock Is for Sanity Scientific Laboratories ***
You know when people go climbing Kilimanjaro backwards or pulling a washing-machine across the Andes for charity, and they come back all smug and suntanned? And then you find out they raised five grand but the trip cost €4,995. Well, aren't you glad that, instead of sponsoring them, you spent the fiver on this tune by the grunged-out Irish band?
ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI Hold Music Tailem Bend *****
Enough about charity: here is more avant-disco fun from Australia's fake Finns - think B-52s meets CSS meets Rip Rig & Panic at the indie disco. Put this on your call waiting and you'll find yourself with a lot of friends.
THE KILLERS FT LOU REED Tranquilize Universal *
Las Vegas glitz meets downtown New York sleaze in this unlikely meeting of minds. Sadly, nobody wins with Tranquilize, a mogadon- drenched dirge that tries to blend widescreen pop with back- alley rock'n' roll, and ends up sounding like Meat Loaf covering Killing Joke.
