IT’S been two years sincethe groundbreaking albumCreatures thrust Motionless InWhite under the spotlight.Infamous, proves the

Pennsylvanian metalcore five-piece have been anything butmotionless.In a caustic fusion, channel-

ling the pomp of MarilynManson and the serrated-edge of Slipknot, MotionlessIn White have delivered on apromise of brilliance.Infamous, featuring the

eerie Sinematic, is in the huntfor Heavy MetalCorner’s album ofthe year.Watch this

band rise . . . RL

RETRO-styled music has oneproblem: it’s been donebefore.But if it sounds as fresh and

addictive as California’s Allah-Las, I’m more than happy toshelve any criticism.They’re rooted in the

Sixties, with nods to genresincluding surf pop andgarage rock, as well as Britacts such as The Kinks andThe Zombies.But there’s also something

vital and contemporary aboutthis self-titled reverb-drenched debut album.You won’t fail to be smitten

by a song like theshimmering ElaNorvega.It’s groovy,

man!SC

4.5

4.5

MOTIONLESSINWHITEInfamous

IT HAS taken almost a yearfor the 2011 X Factor winnersto release their debut album.And that’s a long time in the

pop business.But with many of the songs

written with the band’s input,most will agree it has beenworth the wait.The manically percussive

No1 single Wings opens thealbum with a big burst ofsassy, in-your-face attitudefrom the British four-piece.Other highlights on DNA

are the T-Boz collaborationRed Planet and GoingNowhere, co-written by NicolaRoberts.Girls Aloud

might be back butLittle Mix areclearly no smallcompetition. JS

EXAMPLEThe EvolutionOfMan

LITTLEMIXDNA

ALLAH-LASAllah-Las

ROCK chick MicheleStodart is having hercake and eating it.She plays bass in popband The Magic Numbersbut has just gone solowith debut album Wide-Eyed Crossing.And she plans to keep BOTHcareers going — even thoughher album was only releasedbecause it sounded better thanshe expected.Michele, 29, said: “I’m notleaving the band — they can’tget rid of me that easily — andby doing my stuff and thenThe Magic Numbers, I get torock out on the bass and I getto sing.“Some of these songs on myalbum are quite old but it wasnever my intention to go solo.“It was only my intention torecord the songs and once I’dfinished, it suddenly soundedgreat — I knew I had to dosomething with it.”

ExperienceBut instead of shopping itaround labels, Michele took thebull by the horns and releasedit herself.She explained: “It’s a differ-ent experience altogether fromthe band. I’ve been a lot morehands-on.“I wanted to build it up.That’s one thing I loved aboutThe Magic Numbers — we builtit up for two years. Everyonethinks it just happenedinstantly but it was gradual.“I wanted this album to startoff like that in a small way onits own legs.”The next step on thatladder is Michele’s UKtour — which hits Edin-burgh’s Electric Circuson Monday night.But she insists itwon’t be a rabble-rousing affair.Michele added: “I

don’t know how to describethe show apart from it can getquite intense.“I don’t think I’m quite therewith being at the front of thestage — it’s really hard to dothe talking on the mic.“That’s quite strange and Idon’t think I’ll ever get used toit but there will be a realatmosphere and a reflectivesort of vibe at the gigs.“I’ve done a lot of open micnights recently, to a completelydifferent audience to what I’mused to, and lots of them havecome up to me and said, ‘I’venever heard of The Magic Num-bers but I liked your stuff’.“So that’s really nice and I’dlike to think I’m spreading theword about the band as wellas my record.“It’s nice to see fans of theband there too, they accept medoing this and I’ve seen somefamiliar faces.”Some of the tracks werepenned when Michele was only17. So bringing out the albumhas been like a weight liftedoff her shoulders.Michele — who has a Scotsdad but grew up in New Yorkand London — admitted: “I’mjust happy to have the albumout there.“I just hope people listen tothe record with an open mindand without reservations aboutme being in The Magic Num-bers — just make up their ownmind about the songs and we’llsee how it goes.“It’s such a nice feeling tohave it all out there and hugeclosure for me.“I had been singing thesesongs for too long in my

bedroom, so it’s nice tohave finally releasedthem properly.”Q Get the albumand tour tickets atfacebook.com/MicheleStodart

THE success of Playing InThe Shadows revealedExample, aka Elliot Gleave,as one of those rare breedscapable of tapping into whatpeople like to hear.He continues on the genre-

mashing path with his newalbum and ultimately deliversa track list awash with poten-tial chart-topping songs.Standout tracks include

Are You Sitting Comfortably?,which boasts a productioncredit from Skream, and leadsingle Say Nothing – all gutsyguitar riffs and stadium-fillingchorus.While evidence of Gleave’s

sonic evolutionon this album isquestionable, thelikelihood of itssuccess is unde-niable. PC

3

3

ByJIM

ByJIM

GELLATLY

GELLATLY

ONE2SEETHE folk at King Tut’s aredoing their bit to get 2013started in style.Their annual New Year’s

Revolution is back. It’s 50bands playing over a jam-packed two-week scheduleat the legendary Glasgowvenue. There literally issomething for everyone.Get all the info at

kingtuts.co.uk/NYR

ByCHRIS

SWEENEY

ByJIM

ByJIM

GELLATLY

GELLATLY

JOSH KUMRA is keepingthe pedal to the metal.He bagged a No1 hit

earlier with year withrapper Wretch 32.And he’s lining up more

big things — kicking offwith top new singleWaiting For You.It’s out on January 6 but

watch the video now atjoshkumra.com

NEWMUSIC

NEWMUSIC

By JACQUI SWIFT

ON stage at SouthamptonSolent University, Stoosheare being put through theirpaces by the fresherstudents.After performing three numbersfor the crowd, they answer ques-tions and prove that they’re threegirls putting fun back into pop.The trio — Karis Anderson,Alex Buggs and CourtneyRumbold — have had an excitingbreakthrough year with two topfive singles and a MOBO nod.What’s more, they supportedNicki Minaj on the UK leg of thePink Friday tour.“Yep, you could say things aregoing really well,” says Courtney,today sporting blonde hair exten-sions. “We’ve loved everythingthat’s happened to us this yearand we just can’t wait to traveland grow.”With their feisty image andsoul-pop sound, Stooshe havebeen compared to Destiny’s Childand TLC — indeed their latestsingle, Waterfalls, is a cover ofthe 1995 TLC tune.“We are huge fans and havemet T-Boz, who told us she lovedour version,” says Courtney.“It’s meeting heroes like thatthat spurs us on, and we havethe most loyal of fans.”Those fans who have turned upat Solent go wild when the girlsperform an acoustic version ofWaterfalls and their biggest hit,the No3 single Black Heart.

StyleStooshe formed in January 2011when Courtney, 20, and black-haired Alex, 23, were spotted inBluewater shopping centre, Kent.“We thought it was a joke atfirst,” says Alex. “But we wereintroduced to Karis, who wasa graduate of The BritSchool. She had been spottedvia MySpace by the lady thatfound us, Jo Perry, who is nowour manager.”When they put their singleBetty Woz Gone on YouTube, itgot more than 150,000 views injust two days.Alex says: “It was exciting tosee how fans were reacting fromday one.”The trio even turned downSimon Cowell, who tried to signthem to his Syco label.Courtney explains: “We wantedcreative control. We didn’t wantto be changed or moulded intosomething we’re not, and wecouldn’t come to an agreement.But we still respect him. Therewasn’t any fall-out.”The girls say everything that’shappened so far with Stooshehave been “pinch yourself”moments — chief among themgoing to LA to record their videofor their song, Love Me, whichwas originally called F*** Me.Alex says: “That was a realmoment for us, and gettingTravie McCoy of Gym ClassHeroes to perform on the tracktoo, we felt like real stars. Wehad stylists and make-up artiststreating us like glamorous stars.”Performing at Wireless and V

Festivals in the summer showedhow far the girls have come.Courtney says: “Last year atWireless there were about 10 peo-ple watching us. This year therewere thousands and thousands.“At V, everyone in the tent wassinging Black Heart back to us.We didn’t have to sing anymore,it was simply amazing.“That song really launched us.It was all over radio and reallysuits our voices.”It’s been a good year forfemale singers but Stooshe saytoo many of them play it safeand don’t speak their minds.Alex says: “We are role modelsand we take it seriously. We singabout being you, friendship, loveand we speak our minds.“There’s no holding Stoosheback and it’s always fun.”Stooshe’s debut album will give

the girls a good start to 2013when it is released in March.Courtney says: “We’ve workedso hard on it — we were up untillate last night adding thefinishing touches.“It’s a fun album with lots ofattitude and we think our fanswill love it.

Style“It’s very representative of us —three girls who live by no rulesand do what we want.”Three individual characters ascolourful and loud as each other,they say the fact their styles andpersonalities are so different hasenabled them to become friends.“As our music has grown sohas our journey and we’ve sharedso many fun times,” says Karis,23. “But there are times when weneed space and miss home.”Courtney joins in: “I’m the baby

of the group but Karis and Alexare like big sisters to me. They’rethere for me and help me when Ineed them. I can’t imagine howawful it would be in a band withpeople you hated.”Next year the girls are alsolooking at taking their musicacross Europe and hopefullyAmerica — and further afield.“There’s been talk of Swedenand across Europe,” reveals Alex.“America is somewhere we reallyhope to go to — fingers crossed.”Karis adds: “And I really wantto go to Australia and Japan too.“I think our music has an inter-national flavour. We’re all intodifferent music so we’ve got pop,reggae and Motown styles onthere. We are here to last andhopefully in five years time we’llbe on as many albums — be likeRihanna and do one a year. Thatwould be fantastic.”l The album Stooshe is out in March

ALAN R DAVISONWHO: Alan R Davison (vocals/guitar), Andy McCarroll (bass/vocals), Kristian Labak (guitar/vocals), Andy Farquhar (drums)WHERE: EdinburghFOR FANS OF: Travis, Snow Patrol,ColdplayJIM SAYS: Belfast boy Alan Davisonmay be making his music inEdinburgh these days, but he’srecruited a couple of notable fellow

countrymen for his debut soloalbum.

Ash drummer RickMcMurray is joined by SnowPatrol guitarist NathanConnelly on The WhiteEagle Lounge. SnowPatrol’s Dundoniankeyboard player TomSimpson also features onthe record. In all, Alanrecruited around 35musicians of differentstandings to create his

debut. From multi-million sellingchart toppers to family members,guests include his wife Louise,nephew Scott McClure, 13, andniece Lucy McClure, 11. Snow Patrolheralded the release of The WhiteEagle Lounge on their website.Alan told me: “That was nice. I

went to school with Gary(Lightbody) and Jonny (Quinn). Wedidn’t know each other well, thoughwe did bump into each other on theBelfast music scene in the 90s.”Despite the Northern Irish roots,

The White Eagle Lounge is verymuch an album born and bred inScotland. Alan added: “Sincecoming to Edinburgh I made a pointof going to see as much live musicas possible. The community feel,coupled with old-fashioned rivalry, iswhere I got my collaborative streak.”For more see AlanRDavison.com

Q Jim will be playing Alan R Davison onIn:Demand Uncut this Sunday from 7pm onClyde 1, Forth One, Northsound 1, RadioBorders, Tay FM, West FM & West SoundFM. See indemandscotland.co.uk

ByCHRIS

SWEENEY

NEWMUSIC

NEWMUSIC

ONE2SEEONES2WATCH

Michele’sgotsoloNumbers

ONE2HEARONES2WATCH

Friday, November 16, 2012 691S