Issue #29 February 2008
Click the headline to unveil the full story
1. Set two portable LCD screens / computer monitors up on the window ledge that looks out to your back garden and place an old packet of CornflakesTM between them to act as the stage.
2. Sit three Action MenTM upon the Corn FlakesTM box - be sure to dress one up like Matt Bellamy, the other two can wear their combat gear as no-one knows what they look like anyway.
3. Get some of those torches which shine beams in three different colours and line them up at the back of the Corn FlakesTM to act as your 'light show'.
4. Set two copies of Muse's ace new HAARP DVD playing at once so they appear on the two screens to either side of the stage.
5. Sell a limited number of tickets to your neighbours who don't like Muse and get them to sell them on at twice the price to those who do.
6. When the neighbours come round charge them £5 a time for a can of warm Carling.
Yes, the HAARP DVD boxset is released on March 17th and is your chance to relive the magic of a Muse concert - for my money the greatest live spectacle you'll see this side of a Pink Floyd gig. See for yourself with one of the clips below.
Watch! - Muse Live
Clip #1: Win Hi | Win Lo | Real Hi | Real Lo | QT Hi | QT Lo
Clip #2: Win Hi | Win Lo | Real Hi | Real Lo | QT Hi | QT Lo
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
One of the best and strangest things I've seen - not quite a fan video for Soulwax's remix of Phantom pt II by Justice but something more extraordinary. If you only click one of these links click this one.
Oh, the innocence of unblemished youth. A young, healthy and charming Pete Doherty gets interviewed on MTV and Amy Winehouse crops up on the Fast Show.
He's just an everyday normal guy. If you like that check out the sequel (but mind the bad language in both).
Sway has a new mixtape for download on his Myspace and it's as essential as the past two. The most surprising track is his collaboration with Madness on their new track 'Sorry' and there's a vid too.
It's odd to think that before Thriller there were doubts that Michael could make the step up from child star. The turning point was this legendary performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary show - Billie Jean, a white glove, some iconic dance moves and the rest was HIStory. Ahem, sorry.
I was a bit disappointed with the 3rd series of the Boosh - it was ok, but maybe lacked a few inspired flights of fancy. Midfield General ft Noel Fielding - Midfielding has what I was after.
And finally a quick whip through some current vids, kinda like watching The Box but better and without all the adverts for loans:
Mystery Jets ft Laura Marling - Young Love
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig
Goldfrapp - A&E
Gallows - Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn't Mean You're Safe
Duffy - Mercy
The Cribs - I'm A Realist
Young Knives - Up All Night
And that's your lot for now. Don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
The most alarming statistic of all is that weekend dancers in my native Aberdeen dance at an average of 190 bpm. Journalist John Lewis explains his logic,
"If you take jungle music, people tend to dance to it differently. It's supposed to be about 160bpm. But in London it's about half that speed with people dancing to the bass line. In Scotland they dance to it at the fast beat."
Let's put this in perspective: The Prodigy's 'Out of Space' is a monster, drum-led rave classic - one that you need a full tank of energy or the perceived bravado that only certain drugs can give you to keep up with from start to finish if you're 'dancing to it at the fast beat'. That track clocks in at 140bpm. Either there are a huge number of underground thrash metal and breakneck techno clubs in Aberdeen or Mr Lewis needs to learn how to count.
Elsewhere Lewis claims that Scots prefer 'anthemic Celtic rock' to any other kind of music. This should come as no surprise to anyone north of the border where Runrig's 'Hearthammer EP' is enjoying its fifteenth year at the top of the chart.
It is also rumoured that Irish people enjoy 'fast-paced, drink-orientated, folk sing-a-longs', that Welsh people only listen to the 'massed sound of fat, middle-aged male voice choirs' and people from Brighton are 'all gay and listen to nothing but Bronski Beat remixes'.
Check out the BBC's article and let us know if they've successfully captured the music in your area.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Click the headline to unveil the full story
The Jicks, for the uninitiated are Mike Clark on guitar and keyboards, Joanna Bolme on bass and Janet Weiss (ex-Sleater-Kinney and Quasi) on drums and backing vocals forming perfect rhythmical accompaniment for Malkmus' latest venture.
Those dates then...
June 2008
5 - London Shepherds Bush Empire
7 - Manchester Academy 2
8 - Glasgow Oran Mor
9 - Dublin Tripod
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The Black Crowes wrote on their website,""Incredulously, the magazine gave the album a two-and-a-half star rating, although neither the writer nor the editor could have heard more than one song - the single Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution."
Manager Pete Angelus added, [these actions are] "a disgrace to the arts, journalism, critics, the publication itself and the public".
We can sympathise with the journalist in question somewhat, printed magazine deadlines are so tight that this practice is almost certainly more common than anyone would know. For instance, we've heard tales of one very respected journalist turning up to gigs with headphones on and not removing them for the entirity.
...besides, you can argue The Black Crowes were lucky to be judged on the strength of their single alone - imagine how low the rating would have been if the journalist had to suffer another forty or so minutes of faux-classic rock garbage? ('You're fired!' - Ed)
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
This time round they're talking to Josh Homme on the subject of his band's rider, his favourite half of Korea and slapping his astonished face. Later E from Eels cuts an interview short, the hunt is on for Patrick Wolf and Guy Garvey professes his love for Bulgarian trance music.
It's enormous fun from start to finish as always - especially when your work has come over all Pakistan and banned youtube. Check it out here.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
February 2008
29 - Manchester Music Box (Sold Out)
1 - Glasgow Art School
2 - Newcastle Digital
3 - Birmingham Med Bar
4 - London (Sold Out)
5 - Koln Koln Stattgarten
6 - Amsterdam Melkweg
7 - Antwerp Patrol
8 - Hamburg Hafenklnag
9 - Berlin Berghain
10 - Katowice Szyb Wilson Gallery
11 - Budapest Merlin
12 - Zagreb Kset
13 - Graz Post Garage
14 - Turin Hiroshima
15 - Rome Officine Marconi
16 - Bologna Kindergarten
17 - Lyon Epicerie Moderne
18 - Strasbourg La Laiterie
19 - Paris Rex Club
20 - Geneva L'Usine (Electron Festival)
April 2008
4 - Los Angeles Echoplex
5 - San Francisco Mezzanine
6 - Portland Doug Fir
7 - Seattle Neumos
8 - Vancouver Richards on Richards
11 - Chicago Abbey
12 - Toronto Lees Palace
13 - Montreal Club Soda
14 - Cambridge (MA), Middle East Downstairs
15 - Booklyn (NY) Music Hall of Williamsburg
16 - Philadelphia Transit
17 - Washington DC Black Cat
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The gigs will be held at the Lancashire County Cricket Club in Manchester on 24 August, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 25 August and Southampton's Rose Bowl on 27 August with a final date at Twickenham Stadium in London on 30 August.
Tickets go on sale from the 29th February.
The band release their new album, 'Accelerate', on 31 March.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Black Lips UK Tour
1 - Cardiff The Point
2 - Swansea Club NME
3 - Dublin Crawdaddu
4 - Glasgow Barrowlands 2
6 - Sheffield The Plug
7 - Leeds Brudenell Social Club
8 - Birmingham Club NME
11 - Cambridge Junction
12 - Oxford Zodiac
13 - Bristol Thekla
14 - London 100 Club
15 - London King's College
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Here's the complete list:
Both nights: The Answering Machine, Bobby Cook, Bombay Bicycle Club, Cage The Elephant, Cat The Dog, Thecocknbullkid, The Creepy Morons, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Elle s'appelle, Fanfarlo, Florence and the Machine, Future of the Left, The Haunts, Ida Maria, Ipso Facto, Johnny Flynn, Johnny Foreigner, Ladyhawke, Lets Wrestle, Los Campesinos!, Lovvers, Lykke Li, Make Model, Noah and the Whale, One Night Only, Operator Please, Royworld, Slow Club, Sam Isaac, Sam Sparro, Tellison, This City, Wild Beasts
Friday only: Agaskodo Teliverek, Blackhole, Cheap Hotel, Cutting Pink with Knives, Eugene McGuinness, Figure 5, The Ghost Frequency, Hatcham Social, In Case Of Fire, JME, The King Blues, Pete Molinari, Post War Years, Rolo Tomassi, The Rushes, Sergeant, Shut Your Eyes And You'll Burst Into Flames, Simone White, SixNationState, Soko, Vinny Vinny, William, Yoav, Youthmovies
Saturday only: Acoustic Ladyland, The Brute Chorus, Circulus, Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds, Damn Shames, The Dirty Feel, Duels, Innerpartysystem, Invasion, Jay Jay Pistolet, Kode 9, Lucy and the Caterpillar, Nic Dawson Kelly, Pacific!, Reuben, Rosie Oddie and the Odd Squad, Skepta, Sky Larkin, Slagsmalsklubben, Stricken City, Team Waterpolo, Tronik Youth, White Lies
Tickets cost £29.70 per day and £49.20 for both Friday and Saturday.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The band have also been confirmed as support on Editors tour which begins next week and takes in the following venues:
Editors / Sons and Daughters Tour
Feb 28 - Blackpool Empress Ballroom
29 - Birmingham National Indoor Arena
Mar 2 - Doncaster Dome
3 - Manchester Apollo
5 - London Alexandra Palace
Following that they'll head to SXSW where they'll play an unprecedented five shows during the Domino showcase.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The three day event, due to take place over the May bank holiday weekend (23rd May - 25th May) however looks to be very promising. Acts announced so far include Happy Mondays, The Enemy, Reverend & The Makers, Pendulum, The Wombats, New Young Pony Club, Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong and Crystal Castles.
Many more are promised to be added, as well as a host of DJ's, a cinema and a comedy tent. The action kicks off at Westmorland County Showground near Kendal with the emphasis being placed firmly on "eschewing the impersonal feel of large scale events in favour of creating an intimate environment which will entertain at every turn". Could this become the Glastonbury of the North in years to come?
Tickets are available from ticketline (www.ticketline.co.uk or call 0871 424 4444) or from Forgotten Valley direct (www.forgottenvalley.com or call 01900 820601)
Andy J (View Original Article)
The first headline act to be announced is ethereal shoe gazers My Bloody Valentine and elsewhere on the bill are Aphex Twin, The Breeders, CSS, George Clinton And Funkadelic/Parliament, Gary Numan, The Human League, Pendulum , Jamie Lidell, 808 State , Foals, Lee Scratch Perry, Baaba Mal, Jeffrey Lewis, The Wedding Present, Metronomy, The Cuban Brothers, The Count & Sinden, Sebastien Tellier, Transglobal Underground, Two Gallants, King Creosote, Chas & Dave, Ladyhawke, Ebony Bones, Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong, The Duke Spirit, Teenagers, Crystal Castles, Ox Eagle Lion Man, These New Puritans, Tawiah, Red Snapper, Jon Hopkins, Lets Wrestle, Little Dragon, Subway, Imperial Leisure, Gideon Conn, Zombie Zombie, George Pringle, Subgiant, The Restaurant, Cage The Elephant, Vessels, The Ghost, Peter Von Poehl, St Vincent, Fuck Buttons, Drew, Micah P Hinson, Fleet Foxes, FM Belfast, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, Grand National, Christopher D Ashley, Sportsday Megaphone, Kid Carpet, Bastila plus many more to be announced soon.
And if that's not enough there will be the usual dressing up malarkey as well as a Bollywood cocktail bar, Jestival comedy tent, Farmers market, secret stages and Kids area.
This will be the festival to be at this summer, no doubt about it.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Popjustice Wonky Pop Tour April 2008
10 - Leeds Cockpit
11 - Sheffield Plug
12 - Liverpool Korova
13 - Oxford Bar Academy
15 - Nottingham Stealth (Club Night)
16 - Stoke Sugarmill
17 - Cardiff Barfly
18 - Bristol Start the Bus
19 - Brighton Audio
21 - Northampton Soundhaus
22 - Birmingham Bar Academy
24 - Newcastle Bar Academy
25 - Edinburgh The Hive
26 - Glasgow King Tut's
27 - Manchester Night & Day
29 - Tunbridge Wells Forum
30 - Southampton Joiners
May 1 - London Kings College
Watch This!
Alphabeat - 'Fascination'
Real Lo | Real Mid | Real Hi | Win Lo | Win Mid | Win Hi
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
It'll be released through the band's own Spaceman imprint on May 19th and will contain a whopping 18 tracks. A full Electric Mainline tour will support it, so get ready for when those dates are announced soon.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The band are : Tom Hewitt (v/g/k), Ed Hilliam (v/g), John Ricketts (b) and Rich Farris (d).
One of the band's greatest decisions to date has been to work with artists Pete Fowler and Mark James (best known for their work with Super Furry Animals and Gruff Rhys - cf. the supercute 'Candylion') to create a limited edition set of Russian dolls to serve as artwork for all upcoming releases. You can see them for yourselves here.
The band are also offering a free download of the demo version of 'If You Want It' which you can pick up here.
Culturedeluxe recently saw Clocks supporting latest big things 'One Night Only' and a review will appear here very shortly.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
So, that means a guaranteed live outing for 'Rockin Stroll', 'Confetti', 'My Drug Buddy', 'Alison's Starting to Happen', 'Frank Mills' and the title track - if that isn't enough to make you book tickets to Texas right away then there's no hope for you!
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Jones joined Pere Ubu in 1987 and remained with the band until 1995 during what is often described as their most poppy era turning out such albums as 'The Tenement Year', 'Cloudland', 'Worlds in Collision' and 'Story of my Life'.
Pere Ubu ("the world's only expressionist Rock n Roll band") are still relatively active, releasing the "Why I Hate Women" album in 2006.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
May 2008
9 - Cork Savoy
10 - Galway Black Box
11 - Dublin Olympia Theatre
12 - Glasgow ABC
13 - Manchester Ritz Ballroom
14 - Sheffield Leadmill
15 - Brighton Old Market (Great Escape)
16 - London Forum
17 - Minehead ATP Festival
18 - Minehead ATP Festival
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
"We have had trouble getting it together and I have had a lot of trouble finding a vocalist and we now have another one. This is about our 15th one."
As mentioned before, there will be a host of famous one-off vocals on the debut album as Hook and co try to do for heavy indie dub what Mark Ronson did for pretentious lounge including Ian Brown, Billy Corgan, Tim Burgess, Liam Gallagher and Rowetta.
Hooky also explained the role each bassist takes in the band - a conundrum that has has confused for some time:
"Rourkie plays guitar a lot, Mani and I balance each other out. He plays low and I play high. It actually works well."
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
"Ok, so here is the news you have all been waiting for. We did get thousands of emails telling us that we just have to do more gigs. We didn't want to overdo it, so have decided to do just 2 gigs." read a message on their mailing list.
Tickets go on sale to the public at 9am on February 29th and demand is expected to be huge once again - particularly for the Brixton Academy show which takes place on lead singer Jimbob's birthday.
November 2008
21 - Birmingham Carling Academy
22 - Brixton Academy
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
March 2008
4 - Glasgow Oran Mor
5 - Birmingham Glee Club
6 - London Union Chapel *SOLD OUT*
7 - Bristol Trinity Arts Centre
8 - Manchester Academy 2
9 - London Union Chapel
To claim your tickets you'll need to head over to Laura's website.
Those of you who missed out on the 'Songbox', just take a look at this lovely board game based around the songs of Ms Marling.
Eeh, makes me want to get the old snakes and ladders out again...
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
NME Publishing Director Paul Cheal is optimistic stating that "an exciting development" is planned for later this year.
Late last year a story broke that the print-edition NME was set to cease publication with all focus being switched to the website which now carries UK and US news. The electronic version has further branched out into a more pop direction with less "traditional NME" stories regarding the likes of Girls Aloud and the Spice Girls and daily tabloid round-ups bringing the magazine more in line with the likes of Heat than Q, Uncut or Mojo.
The NME also recently fell foul of Morrissey, traditionally a star that 'shifts issues', when journalist Tim Jonze submitted a story accusing the singer of racism which was turned into a sensationalist cover story sparking legal action.
I used to love the NME though. Back in the early 90s when I began reading it - newsprint, inky fingers, colour photographs at a premium - there was no better way to get your hands on the latest music information. Have Internet sites such as ourselves, DrownedinSound and Pitchfork rendered a weekly publication useless or is it simply the case that the NME is currently in the wrong hands and a change of editor could save this sinking ship? Your thoughts below as always!
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
A single of the same name is released on April 14th and clues to its sound can be heard during the knowingly enticing trailer at www.theageoftheunderstatement.com.
The album is 12 tracks in length and also features Arctic Monkeys producer and Simian Mobile DJ James Ford on drums and Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett conducting a twenty-two strong branch of the London Metropolitan Orchestra.
The Last Shadow Puppets - 'The Age of the Understatement'
1. 'The Age Of The Understatement'
2. 'Standing Next To Me'
3. 'Calm Like You'
4. 'Separate and Ever Deadly'
5. 'The Chamber'
6. 'Only The Truth'
7. 'My Mistakes Were Made For You'
8. 'Black Plant'
9. 'I Don't Like You Any More'
10. 'In My Room'
11. 'Meeting Place'
12. 'The Time Has Come Again'
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Well, the This Is My Promo mixtapes - volumes 1 & 2 earned him the respect of many and put him in a position where he could decline as many record deals as he liked waiting for the right one to come along.
When he did release his debut album proper - 2006's This Is My Demo - it was fine without being great. Nevermind though, because Derek Andrew Safo is back with a new mixtape featuring his take on Dizzee Rascal's 'Old Skool' as well as collaborations with Madness, Mr Hudson and Ian Brown.
Best of all though - it's free! Just click this link and you'll be on your way.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Grooverider, who's real name is the slightly less rock 'n' roll sounding Raymond Bingham, is expected to object to the minimum sentence (4 years) currently imposed. His temporary abscence from the Drum & Bass scene will be hard however as for many years from the rave generation onwards he has been known to rock many a club. Culture Deluxe wish him luck with his future legal proceedings and hope that he is able to resume his career soon.
Andy J (View Original Article)
The hotly-tipped Manchester two-piece, who have already tasted success as part of Dear Eskiimo, told NME.com,
"We were thinking maybe what we should do is once we’ve finished and toured this album is just start a new band!"
"The second album needs that extra little edge you didn’t have last time, and maybe the edge we’ve got is that we just fell into this. We didn’t intend to start a band, so maybe next January we should just pretend to start a band again!"
The Ting Ting's re-release debut single 'Great DJ' in its own right (it was previously a AA side) on March 3rd with an as yet untitled debut album due out on April 14th.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
'21' is based mainly on the popular book 'Bringing Down the House' by Ben Mezrich which tells the story of a group of MIT students who come up with a Black Jack card counting system that foxes nearly every casino in Las Vegas.
Other noteworthy inclusions on the soundtrack are The Aliens with 'I Am Unknown', MGMT's 'Time to Pretend', yet another outing for 'Young Folks' by Peter, Bjorn and John and, now this sounds good, a Soulwax remix of The Rolling Stones' 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'.
The album can be bought on import from March 18th but there is no date set yet for a UK release.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The twelve date tour starts in Edinburgh and takes in the following venues:
May 20087 - Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire
8 - York Fibbers
12 - Oxford Jericho Tavern
14 - London 93 Feet East
15 - Brighton Great Escape
16 - Southampton Joiners
17 - Sheffield Plug
19 - Cambridge J2
21 - Cardiff Barfly
22 - Manchester Academy
23 - Leeds Cockpit
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The Bristol outfit will set off on a tour of Europe at the end of May to promote this new collection.
Portishead - 'Third'
1. 'Silence'
2. 'Hunter'
3. 'Nylon Smile'
4. 'The Rip'
5. 'Plastic'
6. 'We Carry On'
7. 'Deep Water'
8. 'Machine Gun'
9. 'Small'
10. 'Magic Doors'
11. 'Threads'
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The tour calls in at:
April 2008
11 - Manchester Apollo
14 - London Hammersmith Apollo
17 - London Hammersmith Apollo
20 - London Hammersmith Apollo
22 - Plymouth Pavillion
25 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
28 - Belfast Waterfront
May 2008
1 - Blackpool Empress Ballroom
4 - Sheffield City Hall
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Other acts announced : Kings of Leon, Fratellis, Kaiser Chiefs, Stereophonics, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Kooks, Aphex Twin, KT Tunstall, Biffy Clyro, Erol Alkan, Amy Winehouse, The Raconteurs, Primal Scream, Feeder, Counting Crows, The Feeling, DJ Hell, Wombats, Ian Brown, Amy MacDonald, Pigeon Detectives, The Enemy, The Pogues, Justice, The Charlatans, Interpol, Hot Chip, Pendulum, Ben Folds, Slam, Reverend And The Makers, The National, Jack Penate, Alabama 3, Sons and Daughters, Lightspeed Champion, The Courteeners, Band of Horses, Seasick Steve, Ting Tings, The Law, Black Kids, Sergeant, Gabriella Cilmi.
So, plenty of time to lie back drunk in the sunshine - chances are you won't be missing anyone.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The song is released through 679 on 10th March and finds Laura sharing lead vocals with guitarist William Rees (regular Jets singer Blaine Harrison stepping out for this single) to soundtrack a one night stand from male and female points of view.
The track should whet the appetite for fans awaiting the Jets second LP 'Twenty One'. Released on March 24th, with Erol Alkan in the mixing chair, it is hoped it will follow up and eclipse the success of debut LP 'Making Dens'.
Watch the video: Win Hi | Win Lo | Real Hi | Real Lo
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The Bristol boys follow in the footsteps of the likes of Patti Smith, Morrissey and Jarvis Cocker who last year attracted the likes of Jesus and Mary Chain, Bill Drummond and even convinced Sheffield legends Artery to reform.
In other news, Massive Attack are 'almost 100%' confirmed to headline the other stage at Glastonbury this year which gives you a nice alternative to whichever one of the hopeless Pyramid Stage headliners you're avoiding that day.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The band will play two shows in Aberdeen and finish up on March 10th at King Tuts in Glasgow.
The band had been playing with Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake on bass up until recently. This will be one of the first chances for the UK to see new bassist Dino Bardot in action.
1990s Tour
23 Feb - Aberdeen Moshulu
4 Mar - Aberdeen Cafe Drummond
5 - Fort William Fired Art
6 - Inverness Mad Hatters
10 - Glasgow King Tuts
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Topping the list of female dates is mock-cockney siren Kate Nash with fellow redhead Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley in second and chart-botherer Rihanna in third.
Top male is middle-aged, sports obsessive, occasional cross-dresser Nicky Wire with the virtually unemployed Carl Barat and the inexplicably famous Drew McConnell of Babyshambles in second and third respectively.
But voting is still open so it can all change yet! Oooh, can you contain the excitement?
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The band also have a brand new single 'Heart Rate Rapid' released through the Because label on 31st March and, naturally, they'll be previewing and generally bigging this up on the tour.
February 2008
21 - Oxford Bar Academy
22 - Cambridge Barfly
24 - Glasgow King Tut's
25 - London ICA
26 - Leeds Hi-Fi Club
27 - Liverpool Academy 2
28 - Newcastle Global
March 2008
1 - Manchester Roundhouse
2 - Wrexham Central Station
3 - Brighton Digital
4 - Bristol Louisianna
5 - Nottingham Bodega
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
So, this beggars the question 'When will this album be released in their native UK?' We'll give you the news when (and if) we get it...but, come on, the double flop of 'Destroy Everything You Touch' in Blighty can't have affected you that much?
The tracklisting is as follows:
Ladytron - 'Velocifero'
1. 'Black Cat'
2. 'Ghosts'
3. 'I'm Not Scared'
4. 'Runaway'
5. 'Season of Illusions'
6. 'Burning Up'
7. 'Kletva'
8. 'They Gave You A Heart They Gave You A Name'
9. 'Predict The Day'
10. 'The Lovers'
11. 'Deep Blue'
12. 'Tomorrow'
13. 'Versus'
We're off to write 'Release your album in the UK or we'll be downloading illegally from American servers come June' on Ladytron's Myspace...
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
A source said : "We are totally devastated. There are three options. We are bought over and they keep us, we are bought over and they sack us, or we are closed down."
Much criticism has been levied at the Xfm brand since it launched in London in 1997. With a mandate to bring the nation alternative music it has instead become homogenized to the point that there's little difference between it and national radio during the day. Ironically BBC Music 6 seems to have cornered their market.
Do you listen to any of the Xfm brands? Would you be sorry to see them go?
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The new album is released by XL on 7th April 2008, preceded by single 'Hang Them All' on 31st March, and the official word is that it "rocks".
Support at The Old Blue Last comes from Strickencity and The Fucks.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The tour calls in at:
March 2008
26 - Stoke Sugarmill
27 - Nottingham Rescue Rooms
28 - Birmingham Barfly
29 - Leeds Cockpit
31 - Hull Lamp
April 2008
1 - Norwich Waterfront
2 - Northampton Soundhaus
3 - Oxford Academy
5 - Tunbridge Wells Forum
6 - Cambridge Junction Theatre
7 - Brighton Komedia
8 - Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
9 - London KCLSU
12 - Bristol Thekla
13 - Liverpool Barfly
14 - Manchester Academy 3
16 - Newcastle Academy 2
17 - Aberdeen Kef
18 - Glasgow ABC2
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
"People think I'm very well connected because I know famous singers but that's only because I've worked with them and met them before they were famous." he says. "I guess the key is to befriend people you think will become famous in the future, which requires a lot of instinct and a bit of luck."
"I'm on a roll now. I just stand outside the Brit School and the Sylvia Young Theatre School and wait for future famous kids to come out and just get their numbers."
In other news, London police are appealing for any information regarding the capture of a suspicious character believed to have a bizarre transatlantic accent, be sporting a huge, dirty mackintosh coat and clutching a copy of 'The Boston Pops Orchestra play the hits of Radiohead' covered in post-it notes who has been loitering malevolently around local schools.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The former leader of Husker Du and Sugar, responsible for such great albums as 'Candy Apple Grey', 'Zen Arcade', 'Copper Blue' and, er, 'File Under : Easy Listening' will be playing material from his new solo album 'District Line' and probably won't be throwing in the Jon of the Pleased Wimmin mix of the Village People's 'YMCA' - but you never can tell, can you?
May 2008
23 - Glasgow ABC
24 - Manchester Academy 2
26 - Birmingham Academy 2
27 - London Koko
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The back catalogue give-away comprises 'Silly Hat vs Egale Hat', 'Meetle Mice', 'Goose on the Loose', 'A Green Cobra is Awesome vs The Sun', 'Porky Pig EP' and 'Acorn Master'.
Worth a download just to marvel at some of the titles really. We like 'Moses vs Predator', 'All Wet and No Boner', 'That's a Nice Shirt (Dad)' and 'My Weasle is Married'.
Get the whole lot here.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The three new tracks were 'The Bones of You', 'One Day Like This' and the superbly named 'The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver'.
Elbow's new LP is released on 17th March through Fiction Records and a full tour follows in April:
April 2008
4 - Glasgow ABC
5 - Newcastle Carling Academy
6 - Leeds Metropolitan University
8 - Oxford Carling Academy
9 - Bristol Colston Hall
10 - Birmingham Carling Academy
12 - Sheffield Octagon
13 - Manchester University
14 - Nottingham Rock City
15 - London Brixton Academy
21 - Dublin Vicar Street
22 - Belfast Mandela Hall
Watch: Elbow - 'Grounds For Divorce'
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
These gigs represent a chance for fans of Scottish trio The Aliens to hear tracks from their new album due for release in the spring on Pet Rock.
Some tickets will be available on the door while others can be won in various promotions. For more details check out the site here.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Speaking after a show at The Armory, Lexington Avenue lead guitarist and singer Thurston Moore, who released solo album 'Trees Outside The Academy' last year, said,
"We haven’t gotten together in about four months, we’ve been taking a nice sort of break, which is good. I’ve been actually able to escape into the basement. We’re going to Australia next week for about two weeks then we’ll come back and start writing."...so that's rather good news.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
To grab your copy of 'Kriss Kross' sign up to their mailing list here.
The band are also looking to recruit a new female vocallist who can play "an instrument" or, in the words of the band, "someone with a really distinctive, uninhibited voice who could add some harmonies/noises to some of our songs."
If you have what it takes then send a clip of your voice / harmonies / noises to mail@lunchtm.co.uk.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The statement read:
"Hi all,
Well, some of you may have heard the news by now.....The Dead 60s are no more. We decided to call it a day just after Christmas. There's no big story, no falling out between us. We just felt like the band had run its course, time for us all to branch out & try other things.
A big thanks to everyone who has been partial to the success that we had and to all the amazing gigs/tours/nights out that we experienced along the way.
And so, on to new things and new music. We will keep you posted of our new projects & hope to see you all soon..
Feri bhetaula,
Matt, Charlie, Ben & Bryan"
The news comes of little surprise to Culturedeluxe as their last album showed an almost forced direction into mainstream pop which sat uncomfortably alongside their more accomplished dub rock.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
However you lucky, lucky, lucky people can listen to the B-side "Carried Away" by clicking on this link - if you so wish!
Kylie B SideThere's also a competition you can enter - isn't that nice!
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
The band announced the news on their website yesterday:
"Contrary folk that we are, we have decided the first single of our new album "Couples" will now in fact be 'Century'. The single will still be released on 24th March on 7" and download, backed by 'The Unbearable Lightness Of Buildings'. The B Side inspired by Jannis Kounellis' art work 'Untitled' (1979) which was previous available in the 'Tate Tracks' project.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The tour begins with a number of dates in his native Scotland before hitting the rest of the UK after a short break:
March 2008
7 - An Tobar, Isle of Mull
8 - Portree Community Centre, Isle of Skye
10 - Grand Ole Oprey, Glasgow
11 - Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline
12 - Reading Rooms, Dundee
13 - Liquid Rooms (tbc), Edinburgh
23 - Glee Club, Cardiff
24 - Thekla, Bristol
25 - Portland Arms, Cambridge
26 - Jericho Tavern, Oxford
27 - Cockpit, Leeds
29 - Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter
31 - Arts Centre, Norwich
April 2008
1 - Glee Club, Birmingham
2 - Union Chapel, London
5 - Bodega, Nottingham
6 - Night & Day, Manchester
7 - Cluny, Newcastle
Read our review our 'Sleight of Heart' here.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The festival will run from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th July although it is not yet known whether bands will play on the Friday night this year. In 2007 there were huge tailbacks caused by fans leaving early to catch the likes of Lily Allen, Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys and many fans (yours truly included) were left stuck in gridlock for up to ten hours.
Speculation is rife as to this year's headliners with more optimistic fans suggesting heavy metal legends Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden may have been lined up. The smarter money seems to be going on stadium-fillers Muse, Radiohead or Foo Fighters or a return for recent headliners Coldplay or Oasis.
The chances of a Scottish band headlining seem slim with shouts for both Franz Ferdinand whose recent inactivity may count against them and Simple Minds whose past twenty five years will definitely count against them.
Last year's headliners Snow Patrol and The Killers were considered by many to be the worst the festival has seen yet and organisers should be out to make ammends this year.
Place your bets now!
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Some more famous, yet interesting, inclusions are R.E.M., Daryl Hall, Was (Not Was), Hanson, The Presidents of the United States of America, Tia 'Wayne's World' Carrera and Dolly Parton.
The list is, naturally, subject to change and can be viewed in its entirity here. As always the site will expand with exact dates, venues and times and, hopefully, a considerable collection of free MP3 files to download.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Last autumn Jimbob and Fruitbat played shows at Glasgow Barrowlands and Brixton Academy billed as their last ever, both sold out spectaculars with music bridging their entire career and, it would seem, there were a lot of fans who missed out. Guitarist Fruitbat explains,
"Since the victorious Carter gigs last year, we've received a lot of emails and web messages pleading with us to play again. Messages from people who either had such a great time and wanted more or were among the many who missed out on the two shows. There have also been a number of offers from promoters for us to play more Carter shows."
"Last November we felt the Brixton and Glasgow gigs were definitely it but because of all the requests and offers and because we enjoyed the gigs so much doubts have begun to creep in... Just that one more time?"
If you'd like to drop the boys a line lending your support towards some brand new shows? A tour? An album? A biopic? then you can do so to this address: backinbed@gmail.com
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The follow up to their eponymous 2006 album has been long-awaited by fans of the raucous foursome, amazingly only just out of their teens and with a whole new disc's worth of their trademark, fast-paced, short-lasting material their sets should last now for at least, ooh, an hour.
Be Your Own Pet Tour
Mar 25 - Manchester University
Mar 26 - Birmingham Academy 2
Mar 30 - Oxford Academy
Apr 1 - London Scala
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Also featured on the release will be mixes from Nathan Fake, Deepchord, Echospace and Expanding Head Band.
Harte will not be in the UK to promote the single but does play a show at the San Francisco Bathhouse in Wellington, New Zealand on Friday. So, er get along to that if you can.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The compilation takes in mixes from the likes of Maps, Digitalism, T. Raumschmiere, Bookashade, The Juan MacLean, Kap10Kurt, Onur Ozer and Sebastien Leger - a veritable dream team of producers you'll agree.
The collection is released on vinyl only but will come with a CD copy tucked into the polythene of each release which features three bonus tracks.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Folk supergroup The Imagined Village, Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jongs, Black Kids, Gilles Peterson and the Dorset Cream Tea Appreciation Society are just some of the acts and attractions to join the ever burdgeoning roster at Bestivals new little sister festival Camp Bestival.
Taking place in the grounds of Lulworth Castle, Dorset during the weekend of 18 - 19 - 20 July we are promised diverse music as well as an 'Insect Stage',Balearic Bollywood arena,Rock n Roll tent and the magnificent Spiegel tent for Come Dancing dance offs. All this plus Comedy, Spoken Word with special guests, Theatre in the Woods, films projected on the Castle Walls, and much, much more.
Check out campbestival.net for more info
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Support comes from Dr Octagon, Anti-Pop Consortium and Eden and MC Dagha at all shows. Limited tickets go on sale at publicenemy.com from tomorrow with a full sale at 9am on Friday.
May 2008
23 - Brixton Academy, London
26 - Academy, Manchester
27 - ABC1, Glasgow
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Over the past 12 months P-Thugg and Dave1 have found themselves in high demand. Everyone from Kanye West to Hall & Oates have been singing the praises of their electro-slap-funk output.
Remixes are promised from Lifelike, Teenage Bad Girl, Paper Faces, Boy 8-Bit and Bloc Party whose 'High School Prom Mix' adds some much needed John 'Breakfast Club' Hughs bathos to the track.
The new single is out on 3rd March through Back Yard Records, no strangers to re-releases themselves having given The Gossip a career from three re- and re-re-released singles.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The album features collaborations with Steve Hillage, Battersea toaster The Corpral, Aki Omori, Andy Caine and Juliet Roberts (described by Paterson as 'the cherry on the cream on the gateau on the bed of Smarties'.
The fifteen track album breaks down like this:
The Orb - 'The Dream'
1. 'The Dream (The Future Academy of Noise, Rhythm and Gardening Mix)'
2. 'Vuju De'
3. 'Something Special'
4. 'A Beautiful Day'
5. 'DDD (Dirty Disco Dub)'
6. 'The Truth Is...'
7. 'Phantom of Ukraine'
8. 'Mother Nature'
9. 'Lost & Found'
10. 'The Forest of Lyonesse'
11. 'Katskills'
12. 'High Noon'
13. 'Sleeping Tiger & The Gods Unknown'
14. 'Codes'
15. 'Orbisonia'
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Speaking of whom...a 2008 remix of 'Erase / Rewind' by Robyn and Kleerup wil be offered as a digital download to promote the collection.
Also included on the disc will be early singles 'Sick and Tired', 'Carnival' and the rather fabulous 'I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer'.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
It has been confirmed that Jay-Z will headline this year’s Glastonbury
Michael Eavis had previously kicked off speculation as to who would top the bill on the Pyramid Stage this year by saying he had booked a big black artist from New York and now Eavis has confirmed that it will be rapper Jay-Z and not Kanye West who had also been speculated for the slot.
Speaking to BBC Somerset, Eavis explained the choice stating he wanted to "break with tradition this time and put on something totally different".
He added: "He (Jay-Z) will appeal to the young people and under-25s for sure" (not if the amount of over 30's white adults badly shaking their rumps in an urban stylee to Kanye West at last years V is anything to go by - if you really want to appeal to the under 25's lower the admission ticket price!!) "so that's a big pull for them. It's not like the traditional one we do, like Radiohead, Coldplay,Muse and Oasis."
To be able to buy a ticket when they go on sale on April 6, fans must register with the festival’s anti touting measures this month.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
"The organisers regret to announce that it has not been possible to reschedule Morrissey's 3 postponed January shows at the Roundhouse. The original 6 night run was completely sold out and the three shows that did take place were historic."
"The Artiste and Promoters tried strenuously to reschedule the three shows but it proved impossible. We would like to extend our apologies to all of Morrissey's loyal fans over this unavoidable situation."
"Ticket holders for the abandoned Friday 25th Jan show will be automatically refunded to patrons Credit Debit /Cards. Ticket holders for the cancelled Saturday 26th Jan and Sunday 27th Jan shows should return their unused tickets to point of purchase for a refund."
"Season tickets holders will receive a 50% refund of the cost of the six day ticket to reflect the three missing shows. Once again the Artiste and Promoters would like to apologise all disappointed fans of Morrissey at this outcome."
Rested up, Morrissey will appear on Jonathon Ross' show on BBC1 tonight singing new single 'That's How People Grow Up' which is released on Monday. His new 'Greatest Hits' (which it can be loosely described as if you only listened to the beginning and end of his career) follows a week later.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
You'll find the likes of Fischerspoonser, M.I.A, Cazals and Digitalism colliding together in a heady mix of electro, guitars and strict beats - enough to drum those ugly words 'new rave' out of the lexicon forever.
More details on Kitsune Maison 5 can be found here and the mini-mix can be downloaded from here.
Ayez un bon week-end!
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
February 2008
18 - London Koko
19 - Brighton Digital
20 - Sheffield Plug
21 - Newcastle Digiital
22 - London Fabric
23 - Liverpool Korova
25 - Birmingham Academy
26 - Bristol Academy
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
As always, if you were too late there will be a stack of tickets available on e-bay - sold by people who already can't make it...what bad luck these people have.
Elbow's first single in three years, 'Grounds for Divorce', is released on 10th March on limited CD and 7" all featuring brand new B-sides.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Released on their own label Nul (the band were dropped by the criminally myopic major subsidiary 679 following poor sales) the band are set to win their fans back from Maximo Park this May by proving that, although the lead singer doesn't wear a funny hat, they're the North-East band with the biggest tunes.
The album is preceded by brand new single 'The Beginning of the Twist' on March 10th.
The Futureheads - 'This is Not the World'
1. ‘The Beginning of the Twist’
2. ‘Walking Backwards’
3. ‘Think Tonight’
4. ‘The Girl With the Radio Heart’
5. ‘This Is Not the World’
6. ‘Sale of the Century’
7. ‘Hard to Bear’
8. ‘Work Is Never Done’
9. ‘Broke Up the Time’
10. ‘Everything's Changing’
11. ‘Sleet’
12. ‘What You Want’
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Correcto - 'Correcto' (Domino)
Just prior to the rise of Punk Rock there was also another scene which history
sometimes confuses with punk but instead of The Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and the Clash the bands went by the names of Eddy and the Hot Rods, Dr Feelgood, Wilco Johson, The Motors and most famously The Stranglers.
This musical movement was called Pub Rock and was very much about getting 'back to basics' with bands playing a type of rhythm and blues influenced hard rock in small pubs and clubs.
And this scene is where intentionally or unintentionally Correcto seem to have taken their cue.
With a hard, deliberately unpolished, abrasive guitar sound first track “Inuit” kicks off promisingly enough
but a vocal reminiscent of Pete Shelly without the melodic prowess that the Buzzcock
lead singer brought to the proceedings it ends up falling a little flat.
There are a few "kooky" tracks on the album (Save your Sorrow, New Capitals) and a final song that makes a Shane McGowan vocal sound positively sober in comparison but like Pub Rock there very few highlights with only single “Joni” and the New Rose sounding “Do it Better” really standing out.
All in all a solid but unremarkable LP with little to recommend it and would it be so overtly cynical to suggest that if it wasn't for the presence of one certain Franz Ferdinand sticksman it may have not even seen the light of day.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Envelopes - 'Here Comes The Wind' (Brille)
Simply presented indie Eurowegians the Envelopes return with this charming offering three years after their equally understatedly kooky album, ‘Demons’. Refreshingly unpretentious, the album combines simple boy-girl vocals and deceptively uneasy guitar with occasional ventures into electronica and candy pop, and lyrics which linger in the mind, much to your later remembered amusement. ‘Party’ is Pixies-esque, and an amusing call and answer response to a modern relationship. ‘Boat’ gives a short account of a family unbalanced by a father’s unexpected disappearances to the sea, while ‘Freejazz’ is a call to revolution which seems to get distracted most of the time to go and pick flowers.
This is not an album which will rocket to the top of the charts, and contains only one song – ‘I’d Like 2 CU’ – which could even remotely be considered as a single, with its cheery upbeatness suggesting jumping up and down clapping in a field of butterflies. Despite some drop-off in pace in some areas, this is a collection of the whimsical and intriguing which pays for repeated and careful listening.
Bryony Jones (View Original Article)
Gary Numan - 'Replicas : 2008 Tour Edition' (Beggars Banquet)
1979 - three years after anarchy in the UK been declared and twenty-one years before the end of the millennium, and post modernism had been distilled and infused into a twelve-inch slab of vinyl called 'Replicas'. Gary Numan and Tubeway Army’s finest hour. From the social displacement and dislocated new wave of ‘Me! I Disconnect From You’ to the instrumental themes of’ 'I Nearly Married A Human’ Numan defined and indeed was ‘Analogue’. A displaced aspergers suffering android, before Radiohead ever got around to inventing their own unique brand of paranoia.
'Replicas' reverse engineered the sparks of Roxy Music, and Foxx period Ultravox, along with Bowie and Eno’s Low and post apocalyptic head literature such as Philip K Dick, Bill Burroughs and perhaps more pertinently, J G Ballard’s early warnings of a new England at the tipping point of cultural insanity and urban psychosis. This wasn't an album; this was an isolationist meltdown looking back on the days of possible futures past. From the cover's sparse, bedsit setting, with Numan looking like a beautiful storm trooper in drag. This album says it all before the needle even hits the record. There should have been a sticker warning those of a nervous disposition that this slice of pop dystopia was going to be so far out and further ahead, that the Sugababes would attempt to remake and remodel its finest hour a decade later, giving a good kick in the balls to the sad NME piss taking sceptics of that papers declining and dying days. ‘Are Friends Electric?’ was a cryptic slice of homoerotic android love, with Numan remade as a cyber Quentin Crisp, unable to interact with the real world. Real humanity now slowly dissolving, this sexually compulsive isolationist sci fi love affair was accompanied by the crisp drum patterns, mini and poly Moog drones and simple repetitious chordal patterns that lacerates the vinyl itself, in a groove melting display of retro electro, long before Afrika Bambata’s Soul Sonic Force new what was happening.
The spoken word passages, reveal Numan to be an electronic beat poet, long before analogue had been superseded, but never bettered, by the cyber lab boffins of the underground bedroom counter culture. This album encapsulated audacity in perpetual motion. ‘The Machman’ is a slight return to 77 and possibly the most straightforward track on the album, betraying a new wave glam cynicism in Numan’s faux cockney vocal delivery. Now I wonder who else has adapted that style and phraseology recently? Next up we get the double whammy of two great pop thrills, wham bam one after the other. First up ‘Praying To The Aliens’ is an extraterrestrial slice of hi fi, sci fi, all bubbling synth and alien voices, like a cyber-tronic birdcall. The melody and arrangement are sublime, as is the juddering stop start rhythm. This is robot electro from outer space. Then, before we can even catch our breaths, we get ‘Down In The Park’. The hit that wasn't and should have been. In many ways equal to, if not surpassing the latter ‘Friends’. This is pure imagery and imagination. Dripping and bleeding, rape machines, machmen and humans all over the place, as ultra violence Clockwork Orange style becomes a spectator sport for the new bourgeoisie of Zom Zom’s bar and grill. Believe me, it’s not a pretty sight. ‘You Are In My Vision’ seems somewhat per functionary after these two classics, and whilst not as thrilling, acts as a pause in the proceedings before…’Replicas’ itself. This scribe's favourite Numan track ever! Anything I write here will fail to do justice to this song. Cold, emotionally detached, sparse, thrilling, astounding, heart stopping, all fail to capture the dislocated, pure emotion of this great track. It is simply the saddest of ballads, infused once again by the dystopian imagery of Ballard. All dissipating humanity and pre millennial resignation played on the iciest of synth and with the most beautiful of melodies, not to mention one of Numan’s greatest vocal performances. This cannot fail to be the album highlight like every title track should always aspire to be, but seldom ever is.’ It Must Have Been Years’ is positively rockist after what has gone before and brings us towards the end of this brain fizzing album, which ends on two of the most fabulous instrumental trax since Morricone invented the spaghetti western.
‘When the machines rock’ is a groovy punk meets krautrock metronomic freak out, before the album ends, still dripping poignancy with yet another classic in ‘I nearly married a human’ and quite possibly, one of the most heartbreaking synth patterns ever committed to vinyl. Proving once and for all that Numan really was so far ahead of his time that the kids today are still scratching their heads and attempting to reverse engineer the formula, Richard X anyone? When I was a kid, I wanted to marry Gary Numan, and hearing this seminal album all these years later, I still do. Whilst this special edition does come with some great extras, this is all you really need and a recommended buy for the paranoid android in your love life this valentines day.
Keith Haworth (View Original Article)
Goldfrapp - 'Seventh Tree' (Mute)
Blimey. I wasn't expecting this, but I'm guessing y'all will know by now that this is quite a significant change in direction from Goldfrapp's last two albums. Gone is the electro-glam. Gone are the peak time Saturday Night Anthems. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are coming down. Welcome to Sunday Morning.And blimey - it is stunning. Lush production only serves to bring out the best in this collection. It's not about the synth sounds any more. It's not about the pseudo-S&M trappings any more. It's all about Alison Goldfrapp's vocal skills which, as was painfuly obvious on debut album "Felt Mountain", is really what makes this band quite a national treasure.
There are Cocteau Twins vocal overtures (see 'Little Bird'), there are echoes of Zero 7 classy ambience (see 'Road To Somewhere'), there are deft approriations of Kate Bush's songwriting excellence (see 'A&E'), There's even the occassional rock track with deferences to Kirsty McColl (see the penultimate 'Caravan Girl'), but more than anything else, there are killer songs and melodies all over the place and that unique vocal style that seems to touch the clouds at a moment's notice.
If there's any justice, this album will reach beyond the inevitable 'coffee table' audience who will lap it up. It's without doubt the first great album of 2008. I suspect it's going to have a much longer life.
Andy J (View Original Article)
Hot Chip - 'Made in the Dark' (EMI)
Thirteen songs, while meagre pickings for thrash punk acts, seems a mite long for a dance release, but then this is Hot Chip's pop album and the tracks are shorter than usual. Hey, they're in the top 10, they're moving from dance tents to main stages at major festivals and Alexis Taylor is doing for 'wacky' glasses what Timmy Mallett and Su Pollard did in the 1980s. It's only fifty five minutes in length but seems so much longer when you sit down to listen to it and that's the major problem, there's an awful lot of filler on this album.
'Made in the Dark' begins with the substantial triumvirate of 'Out at the Pictures', the rave sirens of 'Shake a Fist' and successful recent single 'Ready for the Floor' and the scene is set for the best album yet from the London five-piece. However next track, 'Bendable Poseable' is absolutely unnecessary as, we shall find out, are later tracks 'Wrestlers', 'Whistle for Will' and 'In the Privacy of Our Love'.
There is, however, a certain dreamlike quality to the proto-RnB of 'We're Looking For a Lot of Love' and the brooding balladry of the title track and 'Don't Dance', if you make it that far on each listen, is bouncy neo-techno fun which screams Orbital.
So, is this merely an exceptional EP spoiled? No more so than Hot Chip's previous long player outings really, but you may be advised to learn the ins and outs of your favourite players playlisting options to separate the class A wheat from the remaining electrochaff.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Laura Marling - 'Alas I Cannot Swim' (Virgin)
The most anticipated albums of 2007 turned out to be a bit disappointing. Happily that trend hasn't been continued thus far in 2008. I shouted for Laura Marling in the CDX top tips and there's nothing on this album that'll make me back down from championing her.
Alas I Cannot Swim is a joy from start to finish, although perhaps joy isn't the right word - there's a flinty heart to many of the songs and a sting in many of the tales. Bad pun aside, this album takes a lightly morbid delight in dark subjects in much the same way that a Tim Burton film does - skip through the lyrics and you'll see mentions of drowning, break-ups, death, depression, failure and unrequited love.
Despite all that it's not a depressing album by any means. There are some lovely, playful moments; the giggle at the end of 'Tap At My Window', the nursery rhyme structure of 'Cross Your Fingers' ('Cross your fingers, hold your toes, we're all gonna die when the building blows') and the birdsong bridging the gap between the 'last' track and the hidden one.
Album reviewing convention dictates that I should pick out some highlights but that's proving quite a tall order. As I write this I'm leaning towards 'The Captain and the Hourglass' and 'Failure' but the impressive character study of 'My Manic and I', the jaunty 'Cross Your Fingers', the starkly defiant 'Night Terror' and 'You're No God' all press for attention. Even the weaker moments - 'Shine' and 'Your Only Doll (Dora)' - aren't bad, if anything they just suffer by comparison with the rest of the tracks.
It's hard to find an article or review that doesn't mention Laura's age or throw in patronising phrases about the maturity of her lyrics, but fast forward a few years to when her age will no longer matter and this will still be an excellent debut album.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Los Campesinos! - 'Hold On Now Youngster...' (Wichita)
There is a good chance that the wrong people will hear this album and the hurt and destruction they'll wreak will make the first split of Take That look like a cause for celebration (um...hang on). There's an equally good chance that the right people will hear it and a glow of happiness and glad tidings will engulf the land.
Los Campesinos! are a hard band to call 'ok'. Straight outta Cardiff with glockenspiels, violins, keyboards and guitars to the fore, they're leading the Tweecore charge. You'll either buy into the ethos of the energetic, call and response songs with their crazy names or it'll bring you out in a rash.
'You! Me! Dancing!' is the epitome of their sound. A ramshackle heap of instruments thrown together with a glockenspiel twinkling over the chorus, slightly cutesy vocals by the two singers and a friendly, upbeat feel. 'Death To Los Campesinos!' hops along in a similar vein, as does 'My Year In Lists' - in fact so do most of the songs. Despite the variation of instruments going into the mix the results are often very similar - the pace in particular is breakneck from start to finish.
On the whole though, the slightly nerdish, twee and excitable stylings of Los Campesinos! make a change from the grind of the more pedestrian bands we've been lumped with recently - think of them as the sorbet after The Enemy's toad-in-the-hole. 'Hold On Now, Youngster' isn't a perfect album by any means but it's a ray of sunshine.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Malcolm Middleton - 'Sleight of Heart' (Full Time Hobby)
Hot on the heels of his fellow ex-Arab Strap cohort Aidan Moffat, Malcolm Middleton is back, flushed with success after seeing 'We're All Going To Die' truly subvert the whole Christmas number 1 concept by only reaching number 31.
Sleight of Heart is his fourth solo album and is no huge departure from the rest of Middleton's output, which is a roundabout way of saying that it's good. In fact the original tracks were written during the sessions for 2007's 'A Brighter Beat' with a small helping of covers (Madonna, King Creosote and Jackon C Frank) to round things out.
Album opener 'Week Off' is the strongest track; upbeat in a measured and considered way, it's about taking a step back and counting your blessings.
Of course this is Malcolm Middleton, so where there's sweet there's inevitably sour. 'Blue Plastic Bags' follows and riffs on society's dependence on booze, self-help books and 'listening to downbeat shite' (see what he's done there?) while the cover of Madonna's 'Stay' turns a perky pop number into a dirge.
When it comes to downbeat indie/folk there are few better than Middleton. However, this is a short album - 33 minutes of which 7 are taken up by the weak 'Love Comes In Waves' - and the feeling that this is a collection of leftovers from a previous session with some covers to flesh it out, while perhaps not entirely fair, is hard to shake. Taken as a mini-album though, Sleight of Hand is very good.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Pete and the Pirates - 'Little Death' (Stolen)
"Be warned, this album is more addictive than crack!" as a warning sticker on this album may be slightly over the top, but not far from the mark. According to last.fm this is by far and away my most listened-to album of the year so far and there seems no end in sight for my insatiable hunger for young Pete and his nautical highwaymen.
Lead-up singles 'Come On Feet', 'Knots' and 'Mr Understanding' all stand out with their similar pace, melody and immediacy but are eclipsed by the tenderer moments which the band handle so well. 'Humming' is pure, gorgeous falsetto fragility and 'Dry Wing', while guitar-heavy is the finest song you'll hear all year. When the Pirate's harmonies merge effortlessly with the guitar melody it's quite simply life-affirming.
A later ballad 'Bears' is, you'll swear, a tribute to the combined ire of Mommy Bear and Dani Behr until common sense tells you Mommies tend to live with Daddies. It's one of this album's charming idiosyncracies that such a sense check is required, Pete and the Pirates cohabit the sonic universe of Young Knives so well that you expect the same outlandishness.
As we near the end of the disc, 'Song For Today' is a powerful, mature ballad that threatens to become swamped in pomp but rescues itself nicely in time for the storming riffage of album closer 'Bright Lights', a future single possibly misplaced at the tail end in front of in the front line.
What keeps this album from gaining full marks is that I'd hate for this to be considered unbeatable. Pete and the Pirates must return next year with a second album of even greater quality, no matter how difficult a task that currently seems. In the meantime, 'Little Death' shows the big birth of an act who should find a whole new batallion of fans over the festival season that will see this album prove the biggest sleeper hit of the year.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Band of Horses - 'No One's Going To Love You' (Sub Pop)
Our vikingesque Editor obviously hadn't heard this track when he chose "his choice" for this week.
I've had many, many people telling me about how good this band are for a while now but this is the first time I've had chance to listen to them and as soon as I've written this article I'm off to download the new LP off iTunes.
"No one's going to love you" is a hauntingly beautiful song that stays just the right side of Bread territory, the sort of tune that as soon as it's finished you just need to put it on again.
As uplifting as it is downbeat this could be a contender for my single of the year.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Basia Bulat - 'In The Night EP' (Rough Trade)
Added as an extra album track to the US release of the album 'Oh, My Darling', 'In The Night' fits in beautifully with that release despite a quicker tempo and fuller-feeling production than the other tracks.
The track skips along merrily and although I've no idea what it is she's singing about her natural, easy charm shines through.
The cover of Sam Cooke's 'Touch The Hem Of His Garment' is pretty good too - it's well away from her usual style but she adapts to it much better than I'd have expected.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Biffy Clyro - 'Who's Got a Match' (14th Floor)
In which the Scottish rocking rockers go all Hoosiers on us with an upbeat poppy number complete with catchy melody and the ding-a-long sing-a-long chorus of "I'm on fire and I burn, burn, burn tonight". Sounds great at the moment but with the usual over exposure songs that like this get expect it to be on a lot of peoples "most annoying songs of 2008" lists come the end of the year.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Blood Red Shoes - 'You Bring Me Down (Re-issue)' (V2)
As seems to be the wont these days, here's another re-issue from an indie band whose faces are now recognised enough in the NME to warrant a second chance for their early material. Not much has changed this time round - it sounds slightly crisper - and by no means should this be considered a second purchase unless you truly must own every artefact linked to Laura-Mary Carter - and for some people that really is reason enough.
Don't let that put you off checking out the band though, despite a slow, uninspiring start 'You Bring Me Down' is an impassioned bellow from the soul for the soul.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The Brute Chorus - 'Chateau / The Cuckoo & The Stolen Heart' (Bumpman)
The reason this is double A-side is that it'd be a travesty for either of these songs to be called a B--side. Chateau is brilliant. Think Jamie T, but a bit more 'Lovecats' until it goes all Archie Bronson Outfit (except for the brief second that sounds like 'Scummy' by the Artic Monkeys). It's all that, but more than anything else it's a bluesy creep through dark alleys.
On the other hand The Cuckoo & The Stolen Heart is a breakneck call and response track with redneck country overtones. I'm pretty sure there's no-one doing what The Brute Chorus are doing so well right now.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
The Coral - 'Put the Sun Back' (Deltasonic)
It's the third single from their third LP (not including the 'Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker' mini LP) and once again The Coral prove that they are one of the most consistently great bands around at the moment.
That said, it is business as usual for James Skelly's lads so if you don’t like melodic, jangly, psychedelic blues then ...well you're just wrong.
Absolutely brilliant!!
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Correcto - 'Do It Better' (Domino)
Ah, 'do it better', it's almost as if that were an instruction levied at this fledgling Glasgow rock band who comprise members of Franz Ferdinand and The Royal We after the comparative mediocrity of debut single 'Joni'. Their follow up, however, is breakneck melodic punk that calls to mind the genius of Howard Devoto's Magazine and even pauses for a Sparks-esque piano solo. 'Do It Better' is involving, captivating and as simple as sometimes only Glaswegian indie can be.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Cut Off Your Hands - 'Oh Girl' (679)
'Oh Girl' suffers from a very standard verse which does little to separate it from COYH's peers, but it picks up ample bonus points through a strong chorus, a great guitar solo, a gorgeous middle eight and ample use of xylophone.
So, a valiant attempt at a hit record and it may just be enough to get the fans on their side.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Envelopes - 'Party' (Brille)
I've often wondered if Envelopes are the missing link between Sonic Youth and Abba. With a terrific reappropriation of Bonnie Tyler's lyrics ('Once upon a time I was falling in love / Now I'm only falling apart / Totally fucked from the start'), some chunky, chugging verses and a final chorus the aural equivalent of a ten car pile-up, 'Party' comines art rock with melodic pop in a manner that both Thurston and Agnetha would be proud of.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Feist - 'My Moon, My Man' (Polydor)
It's a cash-in re-release, obviously, but somehow it's hard to begrudge Leslie Fiest a second stab at selling some of her tunes. If nothing else she deserved a big slice of recognition for 'My Moon, My Man', a highlight from last album The Reminder.
The song's as simple as the lyrics are obtuse. A simple, bouncing piano refrain letting Feist's vocal do her thing until the choruses when a guitar's allowed to come out and play.
The video's another one-shot choreographed mini-masterpiece too and on the remix front, dig out the Boys Noize one.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Fischerspooner - 'The Best Revenge' (EMI)
The Fischerspooner 1980's revivial finally reaches its logical conclusion with the addition of saxophones and atmospheric brass. This is lightyears away from 'Emerge' and '#1' and oh so much better for it. The fact it sounds alarmingly like 'Joe Le Taxi' is a plus, believe me!
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Frank Black - 'The Seus' (Cooking Vinyl)
Frank Black, Black Francis, Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (or whatever name he is going under at the moment) like his Mozzness and Mark E Smith is in the lucky position of having such rabid fans that anything he releases is duly snapped up like manna from the heavens.
So although this won't be played on the radio etc. it should still sell enough to keep Frank in all the pies he wants and although admittedly The Suess is not quite as good as any of his previous bands output, it could be argued that anyone even partly responsible for the Surfer Rosa and Doolittle LP's should be cut as much slack as they want.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Gallows - 'Just Because You Sleep Next To Me Doesn't Mean You're Safe' (Wea)
I'm listening to the "Dirty Edit" here. The only words I can make out are necessarily and fittingly expletive laden. Not everyone's taste for sure, but it doesn't stop Gallows being the most exciting thing happening in UK rock just now. Leagues ahead of the recent effort with Lethal Bizzle (which was pretty good if a little commercial), it brings out elements of visceral punk rock and thrash in just the right doses. No memorable melody on first listen, but play it loud enough and the purpose is served. Great stuff.
Andy J (View Original Article)
Glasvegas - 'It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry' (Waks)
An incredible amount of hype is currently surrounding Glasvegas and it's a shame as they could become overnight stars when they're surely destined to follow the same path as other Scottish bands like Teenage Fanclub, Mogwai, Belle & Sebastian et al - a lifetime on the sidelines, known by many, beloved by few and never given a chance to burn out.
'It's My Own Cheating Heart...' takes the same scuzzy-Spector recipe that the Raveonettes have been tirelessly trying to get us to listen to for years and adds a certain boozy Glaswegian intonation and charm. It'll either be a song that everyone drunkenly claims means more to them than any other before completely forgetting about it the following month or ignored by everyone and dug out a decade later for re-evaluation. My money's on the former.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Goldfrapp - 'A & E' (Mute)
A lot has been made of Alison Goldfrapps switch from electro glam madam to psych folk princess but surley re-invention is the cornerstone to longevity in the music business (see Mad-donga, U-take-a-year-old-scene-and-put-their-stadium-twist-to-it-2, Rolling on Stones etc) and after two albums peddling the same material Goldfrapp have enough sense to realise that if they are to ever reach an audience further than your average radio one/ US equivalent listener (and their goldfish musical memory span) then it's time to inject a bit of proper songwriting into their style over substance output.
So we have a stripped down Goldfrapp where melody not electro riffage carries the song and although it lacks the humour, insecurity and even bile of artists from the anti folk scene (Emmy the Great, Lightspeed Champion etc) it still stands head and shoulders over their previous techno Bolenesque repertoire.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Horowitz - 'Sweetness, I Could Die In Your Arms / Hug Target' (Filthy Little Angels)
A perfect combination of sickly sweet vocals and fuzzy guitars on 'Sweetness, I Could Die In Your Arms' haven't been heard round these parts for well over a decade so it's lovely to be able to welcome Stoke's Horowitz as they become the latest in an increasingly impressive stable at Filthy Little Angels. Flipside 'Hug Target' is as a twee-as-you-get power pop song played at least 40bpm slower than you'd expect. All because the band are that gentle they wouldn't want anyone to be hurt jumping around to their music. God bless 'em!
This is available on the same release as this week's Editors choice by Project A-Ko from www.filthylittleangels.com/.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Jaymay - 'Gray or Blue' (Heavenly)
'Gray or Blue' will be well-known to anyone who was charmed by her excellent 'Autumn Fallin' album from last year as the first track on the record. The title concerns the eyes of Jaymay's unrequited love that will never meet hers presenting the question - 'are they gray or blue?' and the track is indicative of the unique charm of Jaymay's music - hugely refreshing among her peers for originality and frankness designed to tell a story and not to shift records.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Les Savy Fav - 'Patty Lee / The Sweat Descends' (Wichita)
'Patty Lee' is easily the standout track of last year's album perfectly demonstrating the band at their best with a robust bassline and massive drums driving the song from start to the glorious abrupt finish. 'The Sweat Descends' is similar and was probably responsible for the destruction of at least one guitar pedal while recording.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Los Campesinos! - 'Death to Los Campesinos!' (Wichita)
They're a very intelligent band that Los Campesinos! After all, who else would ever dream of rhyming 'botany' with 'dichotomy', least not laying those words over one of the most stupidly catchy melodies in ages. That this track has been doing the rounds in one form or another for what seems like years doesn't enter into it, finally Los Campesinos! are on the brink of widespread adulation. A special nod must go out to the band's xylophonist for sheer stick speed!
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Morrissey - 'That's How People Grow Up' (Polydor)
Morrissey delivers yet another idiosyncratically aggressive blast of pure pop vitriol once again aimed at all and sundry. As an elder statesmen he now seems to be the spark that is igniting a whole new generation of pop music enthusiasts. Morrissey, whilst no longer young, easily surpasses those younger, who can only pretend to be vibrant, only fake it that they're really saying something about this fragility that is life. This is the man who truly put the poetry into pop. Elevating it to the level of pure art. Here Morrissey once again puts the proverbial boot into contemporary pop culture. While this is not his best effort of late, it is by no means his worst and proves to be yet another explosive moment in the archly cynical trajectory of pop music's finest ever poet.
Keith Haworth (View Original Article)
Nada Surf - 'I Like What You Say' (City Slang)
Nada Surf have soldiered on quietly since the relative success of slacker classic 'Popular' over a decade ago and new single 'I Like What You Say' is a cross between Teenage Fanclub and an episode of 'Friends' - it's structularly sound, melodious and exudes a warm kookiness but sounds altogether as if you shouldn't like it.
Taking the track at purely chorus level it's a winner, but it's married to a verse that conjures too many images of overpaid American 'comedy' actors overacting in a corny montage.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - 'Dig Lazarus Dig!!!' (Mute)
It's doubtful that this first release from Nick and Bad Seeds fourteenth LP will win over that many non converts but for anyone wanting something different from your Wombats, Enemy et all could do far worse than check out this mainly spoken word monologue overlaying a sixties vibed backing.
I love it but then I would.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
The Orb - 'Vuju De' (Liquid Sound)
How a sunny, dub lite techno track that incorporates a touch of blues and has an aisan vibe could possibly sound so uninspired is beyond me but unfortunately the new Orb song manages to wash over you without provoking the slightest bit of interest.
It may be that it just doesn't work on a cold February night.
Might sound better in the summer!!
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Pete and the Pirates - 'Mr Understanding' (Stolen)
They're only a major label PR campaign and nepotistic blanket play on commercial radio away from being the best new indie pop act in the country, and therefore, by that logic, they are the best new indie pop act in the country. Pete and the Pirates' third single is their most accessible yet taking their powerful guitarwork, joyous close harmonies and adding a vocal melody stolen straight out of The Fratellis songbook and polished thoroughly. It's catchiness demands that upon hearing it you'll be singing it for weeks - the real problem is will you get to hear it?
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The Presets - 'My People' (Modular)
Early 80's electro is back (again??), or so Australian duo the Presets would like to think.
So only time will tell if My People is another "Black Celebration" or an "Einstein a Go Go"
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
Project A-Ko - 'Nothing Works Twice / Goodbye Sunlight' (Filthy Little Angels)
A decade ago Glasgow's Urusei Yatsura were one of the best-loved acts of the acclaimed 'lo-fi' scene, successfully mixing the noise of Sonic Youth with the slacker rock of Pavement maintaining their own unique stamp on each of their four albums. Three-quarters of the band are now back (original vocallist / guitarist Graham Kemp is absent) with yet another name plucked from the world of Manga, Fergus Lawrie assuming lead vocals on all tracks and bassist Elaine Graham picking up the backing vocals. The passing of time has mellowed the threesome, the Pixies-tinged 'Nothing Works Twice' seems comparatively fast but actually like a Urusei Yatsura 'ballad'. 'Goodbye Sunlight', on the other hand, comes across like one of Super Furry Animals' more tender moments showing the band in a brand new light. So, a superb comeback with the only minus point being that it took them so bloody long. This is a must for ex-Urusei Yastura fans...and everyone else for that matter.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
The Rascals - 'Suspicious Wit' (Deltasonic)
Full marks for the Rascals "80's alternative band take on 60's garage punk sound however the lack of a memorable chorus lets this short tune down.
However it's only their second release and they are still one's to watch (not just because of their Alex Turner association) so it's well done on the music lads but next time how about giving us something we can hum along to.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
The Raveonettes - 'You Want The Candy / Forever In Your Arms' (Fierce Panda)
One of the better moments from The Raveonettes slightly lacklustre third album 'Lust Lust Lust' is, unsurprisingly, driven retro rock swimming in an ocean of echo with hooks expertly lifted from The Primitives' 'Crash', and as the title suggests, more than slightly influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain and their love for what the Americans call our 'sweeties'. 'Forever In Your Arms' is a maudlin tribute to 60's surf and serves as an ideal partner for the hit side - sweet and sour if you will.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Reverend and the Makers - 'Bandits' (Wall of Sound)
The Reverend and his errr Makers warn of the dangers from playing the old one armed bandits ( fruit machines ) on their latest release.
Bass heavy with the occasional bloops an' bleeps it rolls along on it's own steam without having enough soul to make it funky whilst also being to scared to rock out.
Forth single from their debut album. Let’s hope it's the last.
Nick Foster (View Original Article)
RJ Productions - '526' (Dice Music)
Sometimes you get gut feelings. I have a gut feeling 2008 is going to be a vintage year for Drum & Bass. I was really looking forwad to hearing this single properly after the multiple pickups it's had on the right kind of radio shows.Have to admit though, on the first couple of listens I didn't get this. Although impressed by the overdriven house stylings of the Stockholm Syndrome remix, I just couldn't work out why there is so much buzz over this. Then it hit me - the last few years have largely been all about gnarly and hook-laden sounds. This simply isn't aimed at the same crowd. It's a slow builder. Despite being immediately recognisable because of the piano flourishes, because there is no immediate hook it's going to take patience to get this track. I have a gut feeling that it's patience that's ultimately going to be rewarded.
Andy J (View Original Article)
Scott H. Biram - 'Graveyard Shift / Santa Fe' (www.krugermagazine.com)
Representing a swift shift in focus for the excellent Kruger Magazine Singles Club from quality electro to stompin' country with grizzled Texan Scott H. Biram's stripped down redneck blues on 'Graveyard Shift'. With little more than his Gibson '59, a tambourine and his cutting voice on this record, it's a minimal rock n roll stomp that should make Jack White give up and start singing bubblegum pop.
'Santa Fe' on the other hand is a heart-melting tribute to the girl who got away (well, overdosed on cocaine) and, were it not for the subject matter, could quite easily masquerade on a Kenny Rogers album.
This series goes from strength to strength and to think they're all free - thank you Kruger!
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Ste McCabe - 'Pink Bomb EP' (Cherryade)
Mancunian lo-fi punk-pop revivalist Ste McCabe has issues with everyone it seems, but especially with 'Thommo' the eponymous, hard nut, anti-hero of 'Huyton Scum' - a cumulative caricature who 'hates gays except the ones he makes suck his cock', would vote BNP if he knew what it was and even hates his family due to their age, weight and mental prowess (and that's me toning it down somewhat). This lead track brings to mind the cartoon punk schtick with a message of The Buzzcocks or Sultans of Ping FC but the production and lyrics come up somewhat short of either. Neither can it be considered a 'Jilted John' for the noughties featuring none of the charm of Graham Fellows' most celebrated music moment.
Elsewhere on the disc, 'Rant' sounds like McCarthy demoing on a tape machine around C86, 'See You In Hell features some great Martin Hannett style production overdubs and 'Selling Beauty' is musically the strongest track on the EP, despite its lack of lower frequencies and length.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Those Dancing Days - 'Hitten' (Wichita)
The Swedish indie band conveyor belt continues with Those Dancing Days looking like one of the better ones. 'Hitten' is a more poppy moment from the band who normally have more in common with The Slits having, of all things, a keyboard solo. Some excellent gritty production, however, keeps the band's lo-fi sound intact and prevents them falling into the trap of overpolished commercial pop.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
Young Knives - 'Up All Night' (Transgressive)
I must admit the first time round I pretty much ignored this band but this single has got me curious about them. Actually all I want to know is when can I see them live and join the crowd in going pogo-jumpy-mental to this tune - cos that's what's gonna happen when that chorus hits.
Sure, there's nothing much original to it - it's almost On A Rope by Rocket From The Crypt, but what a song to borrow from, eh? They're an unlikely looking bunch of rockstars but if they can nail a couple more tracks like this one I might even regret my early doubting.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
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Mark Oliver Everett fits the description of 'a certain calibre of artist' and it's not just the organ that loomed over his performance. The various tragedies that have befallen the singer have shaped his songs and his performance is one of a man who has spent a long time rolling with some heavy punches.
Ironically, given his apparent detachment from family life when he was alive, E's support act was his own father. That is there was a showing of E's recent BBC4 documentary 'Parrallel Worlds, Parallel Lives' on the subject of his father; the quantum physicist who developed the theory of parallel universes that has become a sci-fi staple.
E has been a prolific songwriter and, despite the recent release of a greatest hits package, the setlist drew material from all over; 'It's A Motherfucker', 'Strawberry Blonde' and 'I Like Birds' making early appearances.
The evening started gently with E alone at guitar, then piano. As the songs built he was joined by the very able Jeffrey 'The Chet' Lyster who played guitar and drums, triggered loops and samples, bowed a saw and tapped out melodies on a xylophone. E is no musical slouch and the pair showed their party trick of swapping places on the drums during 'Flyswatter' without missing a beat.
This lead to an aggressive 'Novocaine For The Soul', E shouting the words along to his heavier percussive style. On the subject of vocals, E's should stand as a lesson to every technically proficient but vapid X-Factor wannabe. Although his range lies between hoarse and gruff he shows that a karaoke singer's warbling is no substitute for feeling.
E cuts an odd figure. Hiding behind his beard with his cap pulled low, his slight figure hunched, you'd take him for shy but the touches of broad cabaret would suggest otherwise. Firstly there's the mysterious, booming, paternal 'voice from the speakers'. Mid-set we were treated to comedy readings from fanmail and previous gig reviews. The Chet also read from E's autobiography; first the passage relating E's arrival in Hollywood, then the story of an encounter with his spiritualist landlady shortly after his sister's suicide.
'Elizabeth On The Bathroom Floor', 'My Beloved Monster' and 'Bus Stop Boxer' provided further highlights and the night closed with two, single song encores, the first being a remarkable cover of Only Fools Rush In - E alone at the piano, digging at unintended meanings.
A note to all performers, however - commenting knowingly on the pantomime of planned encores does not excuse them. You either play the game or you don't. By the time E left the stage for good the audience, previously keen to provide an ovation, were wary of being played with. As a result E robbed himself of final acclaim and we were robbed of our chance to show our true gratitude for an excellent evening.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
The nicest things that can be said about Aasa are that she only slaughtered one Joni Mitchell song with her nasal, fussy delivery, and that she lent her piano to the infinitely more talented opening act Carly Bryant. I suggest she lets her keep it. Carly has a nice line in talking-bluesy singer-songwriting and one hell of a voice. She sings confessional and comedy lines without pretension or mawkishness and she charmingly disarms the audience within three seconds of stepping on stage. Playing solo, the strength of her lyrics has to carry her over some slightly hesitant patches of guitar playing. She'd definitely be worth seeking out with a full band.
Third slot fillers The Contenders would seem to be a Bluetones tribute band who've just had Parklife, like, totally blow their mind. To be avoided unless you've run out of all the memorable Britpop or you're a desperate A&R man in the mid '90s.
Jo Horsley sails dangerously close to chirpy Mockney pastiche. Does a song about a cocaine-addled ex-boyfriend breaking your door down really cry out for the ukulele? Does anything? Charismatic delivery, some nicely judged backup on the trumpet and lyrics that achieve straightforwardness without Lily-Allen-style clunkiness raise it into wouldn't-mind-if-it-came-on-the-radio territory. Extra points for a song about how nice festivals are.
http://www.myspace.com/bitterruin
http://www.myspace.com/thecontendersuk
http://www.myspace.com/aasamusic
http://www.myspace.com/carlybryant
Daniel Key (View Original Article)
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
In a city the size of Birmingham, for barely 40 people to make it out to see three decent, hotly-tipped bands is nothing short of embarrassing. I'm even being generous with 40 - deduct those of us sent along to review or photograph the gig, the promoters, the bar staff and the band members themselves... it doesn't bear thinking about.
So, to the bands and Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man were first up. Singer Frederick Blood-Royale (crazy name, crazy guy) acts like Jarvis with demons. He stalks around the stage making like a mop-topped Nosferatu while the band churn up some suitably gothic (but not goth) ambience. He has a nice line in theatrical posturing although you get the impression that the torment doesn't run that deep.
It was a bit Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds-lite, but I'd much rather see a band striking out in that direction than be supjected to yet another bunch of first-on-the-bill, Oasis/Stone Roses wannanbes. A decent start to the evening then.
Cazals weren't quite what I was expecting. Being signed to a label like Kitsuné means that there's no shortage of remixers available to point their tunes towards the dancefloor and so the songs that I do know, I realised I only know via samples. While I was expecting neon, synths and drum machines, the reality is sharp, power-pop.
'Time Of Our Lives', 'New Boy In Town' and 'Cut A Long Story Short' plough similar furrows, marrying lively guitar riffs and slightly gruff vocals. Now and then there's a hint of an electro influence - a synth is brought into service a couple of times and one song starts and finished with the tick of a drum machine - but they're a guitar band first and foremost.
The set was rounded off with new single 'Life Is Boring' and 'Poor Innocent Boys' and those of us that were there clapped appreciatively (not just to keep our hands warm as big-coated singer Phil recommended). The thing is, Cazals aren't a band to be watched and admired from a distance; they're a band to get involved with and move along and so were hamstrung by tonight's circumstances.
Mercifully, given the cold, Cut Off Your Hands took to the stage slightly early and seemed keen to just give a good account of themselves and get out. The Auckland quartet trade in a similar sound to fellow co-headliners Cazals although they keep the tone a little lighter.
Singer Nick Johnstone didn't seem at all happy, turning away from the sight of an empty venue at every chance and betraying his Martin Fry-clean-cut looks occasionally by leaning back and spitting above himself. An injcection of spit and bile didn't hamper the songs though - 'Still Fond' was fast-pace jangle-pop, 'You And I' was a riot of staccatto guitars and vocals and although 'Oh Girl' took a poppier, more laidback approach the choruses retained an edge.
I was impressed by Cut Off Your Hands - a great band that more than kept up their side of the deal on a bad night. When Nick signed off by announcing 'This has been the most depressing night of my life' I could only sympathise.
Photo by Lee Allen.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
First act tonight is Nick Hamilton and his band whose brand of reggae mixed with heavy guitar imparts an innovative departure, however they simultaneously sound as if they're shacking off the shackles of a former life as a The Police tribute act. In order to do this, Hamilton has clearly been taking some vocal cues from Jamie T and Luke Pritchard which finds favour and familiarity with the front of a surprisingly large initial crowd. Nick's between song banter is fantastic, however, and he should go far if his material outlasts The Police's current world tour.
I note with interest that after supporting tonight's top 10 heroes, Clocks will be hitting the road with the equally chart-bothering Scouting For Girls. One insipid pop act could be a coincidence, two certainly can't be. That said, what better way to gain exposure to a potentially huge audience? Yes sir, Clocks are either very shit or very shrewd.
It's refreshing to say that evidence points to the latter as the band launch into an impressive swamp-rock introduction, morphing into an intriguing mixture of scuzzy garage rock and candy-like harmonious pop. It's like the Beach Boys meeting Heavy Stereo and actually having a clue who they are and, ignoring a couple of noughties-indie-pop-by-numbers workouts early in the set, the boys put on quite a show.Four tracks in, a number of ears prick up to an introduction the mirror image of Katrina and the Waves' 'Walking on Sunshine' and collective sighs of relief are audible as it transmutes into great, guitar-led pop. This is immediately followed by the best track of the night which sees vocallists Tom Hewitt and Ed Hilliam share duties on a 60's-tinged sing-a-long displaying a lot more panache than Penate. Equally good is 'Call On Me' which recalls the classic jangle of fifteen year vintage Teenage Fanclub.
Clocks finish with their new single 'Old Valve Radio' which nicely completes the circle with a return to the glam stomp of the opener replete with contemporary 'uh-oh-ohs'. The new disc is not entirely unenjoyable but there's no doubt that Clocks less commercial output trounces their releases to date tonight.
Headliners One Night Only then with a strong act to follow, and the early signs suggest all they've mastered on the trail to the charts is the whereabouts of the 'cool' preset on their synth and how to sing out of tune between excruciating guitar. When the next two songs fail to improve - some awful prog-rock influenced jam and Smartprice Futureheads - I head for the door.
Richard Brown (View Original Article)
There was little time for banter before songs (Gareth later blamed his recent abstention from alcohol) as they slipped quickly into 'Don't Tell Me To Do The Math' and then into a performance of 'Death To Los Campesinos! that got the already enthusiastic crowd really bubbling up.
Not for nothing did Gareth single out the lone security guy for praise - there was a lot of crowdsurfing going on and certainly more than the venue seemed to be expecting. His job wasn't helped by the apparent presence of an Olympic shotputter in the crowd who had the knack of propelling people very far, very quickly.
A special mention goes to the charming young lady in the rather short dress who seemed shocked by how the beleaguered security bloke had to grab her top half to hoist her clear. Shocked but not displeased apparently - she crowdsurfed twice more before the end of the night beaming gleefully. Bless. Gareth got in on the act too - performing a whole rapidfire verse perfectly while lying back across the crowd, anchored by the security guy's hand round his ankle.
Anyway, back to the music. To be honest there's not much more to relate about the songs - the essential ingredients of:
were blended in slightly different ways with no let up in energy, verve, enthusiasm or crowd reaction.
If it's a criticism that the show was one-paced then at least the band maintained the level they set. They swapped instruments, danced about and generally looked like they were having fun. They played through the whole of the album 'Hold On Now, Youngster' in an order not far off that record's and added only 'The International Tweexcore Underground' to the setlist.
Ok, so my opening line wasn't strictly true. There was more to come after the shouted end to Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks (the best song of the night, incidentally) with an encore of 2007, The Year Punk Broke (My Heart). This saw the band stretching into slightly different territory, starting in a familiar manner but then dispensing with the distinctive vocals and sharpness; instead bringing the instruments together to create what, in its own way, could almost have amounted to a Mogwai cover. As the noise reached its peak the group abandoned their instruments to let the feedback play out, to be drowned out by the crowd's applause.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
Either way, there was no wariness on show here. The band slipped unprepossessingly onto the stage and from then on it was the Carter Show as the whip-thin singer twitched and flicked around centre-stage, almost an extension of his mic chord. His stage presence is reminiscent of Keith Flint's but with the cartoon menace replaced with threats of flick-knives in dark alleys.
There were early outings for 'Come Friendly Bombs' and 'Kill The Rhythm', the latter provoking a scream of recognition from the crowd louder still than the noise being produced on stage. The band were tight with Lee Barrett impressive on drums and the trio of guitarists churning up punishing torrents of sound.
As good as the rest of the band were, the show was all about their frontman. An undoubted star, he was a bundle of barely contained furious energy as he prowled, spat and provoked - thanking the crowd profusely one minute, laying into them the next. Not content with owning the stage he performed 'Sick of Feeling Sick' and 'In The Belly Of A Shark' while clambering round the length of the balcony above the heads of the crowd.
From his perch he berated the audience as "sheep" but later on he put their obedience to good use before 'Abandon Ship', making like Moses and parting the crowd for what must've been the biggest circle pit the Academy has seen.
A cursory exit from the stage allowed some respite before a run through of an early demo. This was followed by their recent single, a cover of The Ruts' 'Staring At The Rude Boys', during which Carter dived into the crowd having removed his t-shirt, shoes and belt. Very sensible, considering in Norwich the night before the crowd had nicked his shoes.
The show ended with his appeal to not to put bands up on pedestals. The mesmerised flock cheered diligently and promptly ignored him - after a thundering 'Orchestra Of Wolves' Carter returned from his second sortie into the crowd missing a sock. After a clamour for the remaining one Frank Carter left the stage to rapturous applause - slightly bemused and very barefoot.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
I was suitably impressed by the first act, Sam Beer, whose songs bumbled along with a cosy familiarity buoyed by the folk traditions of Cat Stevens and the country stylings of Ryan Adams, though I suppose that comparing a male solo artist in the country/folk genre to these artists has become a bit cliche over the years. I was less impressed however by the second act, The Smoke Fairies, although I suspect that this had more to do with a poor sound setup than with their actual performance. Think of the guitar work from Bon Jovi's 'Wanted Dead or Alive' coupled with atmospheric Lindsey Buckingham-esque vocals and you're halfway there. I did get the impression that their style of music was one that you'd either love or hate and even if you did love it you'd still have to be in a certain mood to enjoy it. However, to get a more complete view of their sound I'd recommend visiting their MySpace.
Eventually The New York Fund took to the stage and the tiny venue finally looked like it was carrying a capacity crowd. From the opening chords of the first song they had the audience hooked, many dancing wildly, others tapping their feet along to the drums and their group of travelling fans singing along in full voice. The thing that strikes you about The New York Fund is how the whole band work in perfect harmony, the drums and bass forming the spine of the sound and the guitar, occasionally understated and often right in your face (case in point being the sublime 'Nobody Home'), provide exquisite moments throughout. Then there's the vocal talent of Joe McAdam who ranges from delicate high notes down to husky low notes and then stretches to the rock and roll howl, each adding a different dimension, layer and quality to the songs. 2008 could well be the year that The New York Fund finally get the big break that they deserve so discover them now so you can say "I was there first".
Adam Gibby (View Original Article)
To the bands then. I admit I missed The Ting Tings, the band I was most curious about. If anyone reading this got there earlier than me then feel free to tell us about them below.
I saw Does It Offend You, Yeah? back in June and was impressed but thought in some ways their stagecraft was lacking. I'm pleased to say they've improved - a lot. There was a definite buzz before they came out, built on by a menacing intro of caterwauling feedback and strobes flashing across the stage. I don't know whether half the crowd chose to jump to the opening salvo of Weird Science or if the sheer force of it hoisted them off their feet. All I know is that the boys put up an irresistable wall of sound.
Current single 'Let's Make Out' sparked the night's only mosh-pit action and, while Doomed Now doesn't quite growl like the others it's the most danceable track in their arsenal with heavy drums, elastic bass and James's great, vocodered vocals.
Morgan seemed a little tamer than before, although upper-cutting himself on his guitar the night before might explain that. If he was comparatively reserved it's James that deserves plaudits for his performance - I didn't rate him much before but he's developed a much stronger presence and scores points for speaker stack climbing.
Set-closer We Are Rockstars has now been honed to a fine point but still hits like a sledgehammer. The final breakdown and build-up was perfect and the dirty riffs punched through satisfyingly. At their best, they're a visceral, exciting experience and can only get bigger.
For me the jury's still out on Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong. In terms of crowd reaction and excitement they certainly didn't rate above DIOYY? The die-hards immediately in front of the stage aside, once the crowd's initial curiosity had been sated there was much more chatting than clapping between (and during) songs.
Joe Lean & Co seem to be among the bands currently affected by hype's double-edged sword. In the short-term I'm sure any band would welcome plenty of exposure and they're not to be criticised for being promoted effectively. However, when the pay-off is an audience's disappointment that you can't meet the unrealistically raised expectations, well, that's less welcome. That said they cut some good moves and sounded decent, I'm just not certain that a less-catchy Kooks with an occasional 50's dusting is what music needs right now. We'll see about them...
And so to the main event. The NME's sponsorship of The Cribs has raised eyebrows and tainted the band's popularity in some quarters. Are they really deserving of the headline tour and slew of award nominations? Is Ryan Jarman really the 4th coolest person in music when, judging by his appearances on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, he'd have trouble outwitting his mic stand? In short is it all about who you know, not how good you are?
The proof is in the pudding and the pudding in this case is a setlist containing a sprinkling of fine, solid songs. The bands dynamic pivots on the interplay between twins Ryan and Gary while younger brother Ross spends almost as much time stood on his drums as playing them.
Our Bovine Public, Men's Needs and I'm A Realist showcased the best of their most recent album and the back catalogue was raided for Hey Scenesters, Martell and Direction.
Banter with the crowd was kept to a minimum but this didn't dent the crowd's interaction with the band - I've never seen so much clothing thrown on to a stage before. Ryan gamely donned a jumper but it's what happened to all those shoes I'm wondering about.
You don't get a lot of sophistication where The Cribs are concerned but that doesn't matter because know out some good, unadulterated rock n roll fun. The battery of shortish, energy-filled tunes had the audience singing and jumping along till near the end when Ryan, by now stripped to the waist, dived into the crowd while Gary tried to play two guitars with a cymbal(!) from Ross's partly collapsed drum kit.
The night ended on an unexpected note. No, we didn't get an appearance from Johnny Marr who turned up on stage in Glasgow and Manchester, but the sight of The Cribs silhoutted against a blue-lit stage during Be Safe while Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo delivered his monologue from video screens was a lasting one and a fine note to end on.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)
It is occasionally worrying to me that all my favourite places in central London are in basements. For example: Garlic and Shots, that Spanish bar place that I can never remember the name of, and a hazily remembered rock club somewhere in Soho with sticky walls and enough curly poodle hair to stuff a thousand mattresses. Hence, my expectations of the 100 Club are always high, and luckily always deliver – understandable given their excellent reputation for introducing soon-to-be-famous bands before anyone else really knows they exist.
On this particular evening, I almost missed The Brute Chorus due to a misunderstanding with Transport For London, and what a tragedy that would have turned out to be. This band are ultra-hot at the moment, and getting more so – their record label, Bumpman Records, was set up by that super hipster pub and venue The Hawley Arms, specifically to release their music. Although you could argue a certain amount of self-promotion in the venture (the lead singer works in the bar), it’s fantastic that there’s an actually proper ‘indie’ band for once, rather than the secret multi-million machinery behind the so-called ‘underground’ action. It makes me feel all warm and gooey inside.
The Brute Chorus rock. Essentially, that’s it. Lots of journalist have tied themselves into linguistic knots trying to describe what the music sounds like, but in this case it’s actually so difficult to pin it down that I’m not even going to try. There’s a myspace link at the bottom of the page (the wonders of the internet, eh), so bloody pull your finger out and click on it – it’s not difficult, and gives you way more of an idea than I ever could. I will say that they are luminescently brilliant live, belting out their songs with soul and enthusiasm, and often thrashing around on the floor in comedy rock fashion, so if you like the music get in to the gigs now while they’re still playing small venues and you run the risk of being hit by flying guitars. The other thing I’ll say is that I believe James Steel’s moustache style to be a cross between a Fu Manchu (1960’s Chinese evil genius and appalling stereotype), and a Soul Patch (popular with blues and soul artists of the 50’s and 60’s), and I think that that sums up their music style as effectively as any comparison with other artists. Listen to them! Now!
Following the set, I bumped into a guy who I don’t really know well except for the fact that he always seems to be at every gig I go to. Just thought you’d like to know.
And then came The New York Fund. I was going to feel sorry for any band who had to follow The Brute Chorus onto stage, but soon found that my pity was unnecessary. Although I haven’t heard much about this band, I was impressed by their almost rabidly enthusiastic T-shirt wearing, singalong fan base who stormed (well, sidled purposefully) to the front of the stage as early as possible during the break to get in close to the action. And, to give credit, the boys were good, albeit in a country and western, Deep South American way which doesn’t always rock my world. I don’t want to imprint my personal prejudices on a good band, however - they were quietly confident with well executed tracks in the very best tradition of Counting Crows, Ryan Adams, and general old-time rock ‘n’ roll. If you enjoy getting it on in a pickup under Arizona stars after breaking out of a jailhouse, you’ll love this stuff. I didn’t get on with ‘The Guns of Camden Town’ as a song, however – not because it wasn’t any good, but just because if you’re going to pick a title like that for a track you really need a bit of sinister political theory to back it up or else you run the risk of bandwagon-jumping. Comments and suggestions below however – I would greatly welcome opinions from some of the die-hard TNYF fans I saw at the gig, just for the record. Go on… we enjoy a few heated debates here at glorious Culturedeluxe.
The Brute Chorus: www.myspace.com/thebrutechorus
Single out now: ‘Chateau/The Cuckoo & The Stolen Heart’
The New York Fund: www.myspace.com/thenewyorkfund
Next single out when someone signs them. Good luck!
Bryony Jones (View Original Article)
Yes, they sure do! Alphabeat are a pop band who are in the habit of stating the obvious. Six fresh-faced, energetic Danes who do exactly what they say they do. There's no angst, subtle subtexts or navel-gazing, just honest to goodness, perky nonsense with more bounce to the ounce. You may have noticed they were a CDX top tip for 2008 and for good reason seemingly.
The boy-girl double-act of Anders (tallish, tambourine-holding dervish) and Stine (cute, Scandanavian pixie-girl) works fantastically. They dance around to the tight band behind them who produce some appropriately gleeful tuneage to keep the front pair and the crowd bopping along.
From Fantastic 6 and Boyfriend ("This is a song about having a boyfriend, it's called... Boyfriend!" - dig the literalism) though to the final song and new single Fascination (Footloose v I'm So Excited) there's no real let-up, even for what they claimed was their slow song. That's a good thing though - what sounded a mite twee on record was just brilliant party music in the flesh.
I thought they were great and as long as the sugar doesn't turn to saccharine I can see this bunch topping my list of the year's unashamedly guilty pleasures. Put it this way - if I was putting together my ideal birthday party there would have to be jelly and ice-cream and Alphabeat.
So, after the sugar rush comes the crash - enter Palladium. Look, if you like Palladium and you want to read nice things about them then go to their Myspace page and check out the comments section instead. I'd rather you did that than read on and get upset because chances are you're very young and screechy.
Now, if you're still reading then you're doing so because you want to know my opinion, understood? Firstly, I take no pleasure in criticising bands. If someone's got the balls to write some songs and then stand on a stage and sing them then who am I to stand on the sidelines and snipe? What I was going to do was be kind and mention that Fez, despite his guitar playing moves edging into Napoleon-Dynamite-dancing territory, can really play. So can the rest of the band in fact - they sounded impressively tight and had decent stage presence - Bar Academy's tiny stage was a bit limiting for them if anything. They all have rockstar names too.
However, the songs were not good. I could've dealt with that but there came a turning point from 'quite weak' to 'get me out of here' when singer Peter followed a truly flaccid, otherwise forgettable song by leaning into the microphone and announcing that "we're going to break things down now, see we've written a part 2 to that song and we're going to do it now". That's when I broke and decided that there's no point sugarcoating it and I should just be honest.
Let me do this quickly then. They have no songs that stand out as being adequate. Peter has a weak, reedy voice which disappears when he tries to sing out of his narrow range, which is often. The music is lowest common denominator indie piddle, but you get the impression the music isn't integral to the whole 'band thing' here so what the heck. They came back for an encore despite hardly anyone asking them to. The final "experimental" (their word) song sounded exactly like the rest of their set for the first 3 minutes but ended on a terrible 2 minute bass solo that actually made me laugh - Level 42 are alive and well, yay!
Alright, so most of the crowd were very young and they screamed when the band took the stage - two of them had sparkly Palladium-branded visors and someone had brought a banner - and they might've cheered for an encore if they knew that's how things work at gigs. Clearly the band have some appeal but it wasn't evident to me, not by a long shot.
What was evident is that the kids aren't out binge drinking, taking drugs and having recklessly fantastic sex after all (well, duh). No, they're getting down to safe, bland, sexless, MOR shite. Why, when they could be ripping a place up and punching themselves stupid to someone like Does It Offend You, Yeah?, I have no idea and frankly I despair.
Anyway, I feel like a low-rent Simon Cowell now so let's finish on a good note - Alphabeat are ace! Yeah!
Alphabeat photo by the excellent Lorne Thomson via Flickr, from Dublin 28/01/08.
Chris Unitt (View Original Article)