The mention of One-Two’s love of 60s pop bands The Kinks, The Beetles and The Beach Boys in their press release rang alarm bells for me. At least their modern day influences (Air, DFA, LCD Soundsytem) are more encouraging but the pop overwhelms the disco and we have eleven tracks debut album that I struggled to enjoy.

The duo One-Two, Frederic and Severin, made their first impression with a pop remix of ‘Warning Siren’ by Tiefschwarz. This remix led to their first single and opening track on the album, ‘Oh Yeah Alright’.

In fact, ‘Oh Yeah Alright’ is very ‘Hot Chip’ and it’s definitely catchy; you can tell they’ve got some Blur albums in their collection. Even more so on the next, the electro-Brit pop ‘Heady Melody’ and ‘Love Again’. ‘Blissful Boy’ is a dreadful Kinks/Beach Boys mush and ‘Say It Loud’ starts all Tony Newly and slips into some Pet Shop Boys chant. ‘10am’ and ‘Have You Ever Been Blue?’ just shouldn’t have been recorded, if for no other reason than some awful couplets. The first half of ‘The End Of Your Song’ is another stinker.

The next single, ‘O-Hot Brain’ is released on 4th July and is the best of the set as; finally, ‘LCD Soundsystem’ gets a look in.

Daytime radio is guaranteed for the single but I’m not sure the album is the one to break them. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if they get some more remix offers and find themselves with another hit as they’ve clearly got a pop heritage and ethic. One-Two have already appeared in London and made some fans (see Vice blog link below) but if pushed, I’d say stick to the singles.

Hectic Mix nomination - O-Hot Brain
One-Two - Love Again (Fine Records/Four Music) Cat. No. FOR 82876814192 Release Date: 24th July 2006
Tracklisting
1. Oh Yeah, Alright (3:12)
2. Heady Melody (3:39)
3. Emma Needs A Love Song (3:21)
4. Blissful Boy (3:06)
5. Say It Loud… (4:27)
6. O-Hot Brain (3:25)
7. Have You Ever Been Blue? (3:14)
8. 10am (4:27)
9. Love Again (2:54)
10. Pretty-Pretty (4:10)
11. The End Of Your Song (3:30)

Links:
www.one-two.info
One-Two on myspace.com www.myspace.com/powerpopuptothetop
http://www.finerec.co.uk [check the video of Mocky feat. Feist - ‘Fightin’ Away The Tears’]
www.fourmusic.com
www.listentofeist.com
Vice Magazine LONDON - ONE-TWO