Interference: "Looking For Someone" (Shack); The Fat Lady Sings: "World Exploding Touch" (eastwest)

Lovelorn, well-crafted and obviously well-meant, both these records suffer by comparison with the borderline desperation of the Aslan and Sack releases and seem almost anachronistic, redolent of a time - and not so long ago at that - when it was enough for an Irish record to be competent rather than driven. They're not bad singles by any means, Interference's Fergus O'Farrell sings soulfully on a song which would be a beacon of skill and intelligence on any Hothouse Flowers album and Nick Kelly's carefully-wrought lyrics grace one of the few standouts from the The Fat Lady Sings' disappointing Johnson but there's something tired and resigned about these performances which certainly doesn't make this listener feel particularly compelled to play them for personal pleasure. If you're not going to even attempt to convince me, then why should I force myself to be convinced?