Back to reality with a bump today, as a week of musical antics and psychogeographical wanderings comes to a close. However, one of the delights of returning home is to pick through the Songs Heard On Fast Trains inbox to see what we've missed. So, here's a hastily prepared edition of "Single Tickets" to celebrate a couple of really exciting releases from bands who we've mentioned pretty often here and who have exciting developments in the pipeline...

French Wives - Numbers

There are some bands who you just can't keep down - and who are consistently working away to get their music heard as widely as possible via endless gigs and a growing canon of self-releases or records on small independent labels. French Wives are just such an outfit, and this release finds them in the midst of recording their debut album with Tony Doogan and feeling pretty damn excited about the results. Excited enough to release some of the early fruits as a single - and "Numbers" is testament to just how exciting this record is going to be. If you've heard the bands previous EPs and singles, you'll be familiar with their brand of intelligent, multi-layered pop - but this track tantalisingly hints at further developments of their sound and unmistakably shows the benefits of bands working with producers who truly understand what they're trying to achieve.

Built around a core of insistent drums, an epic wash of strings and an absurdly catchy chorus, "Numbers" is scattered with plenty of dramatic lifts and swoops of deliciously crunchy guitar riffs courtesy of Scott Macpherson. The carefully arranged strings, led by Siobahn Anderson's violin, embellish but never drown proceedings - and perhaps the biggest benefit of the production is evident in how these wind sinuously around the track, supporting rather than dominating the proceedings as is so often the case when bands include strings in the production. Stuart Dougan's vocals soar with a confidence which has grown audibly since earlier releases, while his lyrics appear to ruminate on the apparently random nature of advantage and success in a fickle society. But if there's any justice and it's not just a "numbers game" then the hard work will pay off, and this single will achieve the recognition French Wives deserve. Whatever else it achieves, it makes the prospect of the forthcoming album on Electric Honey even more exciting. This one absolutely deserves your attention.

French Wives - Numbers

"Numbers" will be released on October 24th, and will be launched at Mono in Glasgow on October 20th with the band supported by the mighty Blochestra and an acoustic set by Endor. Tickets can be purchased online at the band's new website.

Yusuf Azak - Prizefighter EP

This is the first release from Yusuf Azak since last year's sublime debut album "Turn On The Long Wire" and in some senses it's more of the same woozy, breathless acoustic pop which earned that record a place on our end-of-year list for 2010. However, a close listen indicates a few changes in approach here too - notably things feel a little simpler and stripped-back to basics in places, with the songs rather than the unique delivery taking centre stage. Opening "Soft Vision" is the secret pop gem of the piece, with the vocals perhaps a little understated and a gorgeously dextrous acoustic guitar solo. This is coupled to an entirely singable chorus and joyous leaps in the melody as the guitar is picked, hammered and strummed to produce Azak's trademark complex style. However "Swim" abandons the guitar entirely, opting for a gentle piano and string accompaniment instead. This somewhat downbeat ballad explores textures and tones which have been less present in Yusuf's recorded work so far, and harks back to some of the more pensive moments on his first couple of self-released EPs.

"New Deal Decadence" revisits the approach taken on his debut album with a swooning, string-flecked feel. Some fantastically twangy country style guitar work adorns the middle section too, with Yusuf's voice back to it's exuberant, breathy finest as he glides around the music. Finally "Moon New Moon" is a little more lo-fi, just voice and guitar with little treatment or polish - and it displays the remarkable musical talent that sits beneath the complex layers of sound. The "Prizefighter EP" is, somewhat remarkably, a free download - and I can't recommend enough that you visit Bandcamp and download this. I hope that it's release signifies further new work from Yusuf Azak in the near future too.

Yusuf Azak - Soft Vision

The "Prizefighter EP" is available from Bandcamp now as a free download. Yusuf's debut album "Turn On The Long Wire" is stil available via Song, By Toad Records.