ALBUMs
- Album Reviews
Tuff Love will be releasing their debut album 'Resort' on Friday (29th Jan). 'Resort' brings together on one album the sell-out EP's ‘Junk’ and ‘Dross’ (both now unavailable) togther with the new EP ‘Dregs’.
I actually love track 13 - 'Threads', one of the new songs on an album of 15 tracks. The EP's are in the order they were released and unlike their self deprecating names they are superb, full of bright fast grungy garage pop numbers.
'Threads' has such a happy sound although the words are a bit more serious ("I wasted all my years on you"). It gets straight in at a fast paced drumming with guitar riffs which get stuck in your head, changing patterns throughout and interplaying with the soft vocals. It’s great when everything stops dead at 1 min 50 in and kicks off again a second later.
The first song 'Sweet Discontent' has a much rawer sound as do the first five older numbers. All good though, moody, grungy fast paced with fuzzy guitars. The whole album is packed with great guitar hooks and hauntingly fine melodic vocals.
Tuff Love are Julie Eisenstein (guitar, vocals) and Suse Bear (bass, vocals). They are from Glasgow and are on Lost Map the indie record label run by Johnny Lynch. They make all their music in Suse’s flat, self-engineered and self-producing everything.
Live, we were very impressed with them at Johnny’s Howlin’ Fling festival on the Isle of Eigg in 2014. They worked so hard, playing numerous sets including one at 03:30 in the morning! They have been constantly gigging ever since so, hat's off to them both! For their live gigs they are joined by Iain Stewart who is also a drummer with The Phanthom Band.
Ken
9/11
Shows:
Feb 5th - Stereo, Glasgow UK
Feb 22nd - Summerhall, Edinburgh UK
Feb 24th - Trades Club, Hebden Bridge UK
Feb 25th - London Fields Brewery, London UK
Mar 29th - La Salle du grand Marais (LSFM), Riorges FR
Apr 1st - Le Divan du Monde (LSFM), Paris FR
Apr 2nd - Les Trinitaires (LFSM), Metz FR
May 19th - The Great Escape, Brighton UK
- Album Reviews
Lost Property represents Turin Brakes’ 9th album, if you include a couple of live albums, their 3rd on Cooking Vinyl and their first since 2013’s We Were Here.
It’s easy to forget the band have been knocking around since 1999, releasing magnificent debut album The Optimist LP in 2001, and also scoring a top 5 hit with Painkiller.
The new album starts with the trademark and familiar acoustic guitar strumming, before the rest of the band pad out the fabulous opener 96. I had to check I hadn’t put The Optimist on by mistake...
Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian of course are the mainstays of the band, ably assisted by longterm bandmates Ron Allum and Eddie Myer, and throughout their career although attempts have been made to change their sound from album to album, they have never really shaken off the reputation of being a founder member of the new acoustic movement. And good for them.
This is a beautiful, lush and gorgeously produced album that seems to transcend time and place. To hell with trends and gimmicks, the Turin Brakes do what they do, and they do it fantastically well.
Orchestration makes an appearance on soaring ballad Save You, emphasising the fact that “Time will save you, you don’t need to save yourself”
Martini is a little acoustic ditty, played on a couple of guitars, whilst Jump Start has a more epic feel to it with Knights’ crystal clear, almost choirboy vocals which remain unchanged from their debut.
Epic 6 1/2 minute closer to the album is Black Rabbit, which has a dreamy, almost Floyd like sound, screaming guitar solos and all. Fabulous way to end a fabulous album.
This album has been on rotation since I got it, and even prompted me to listen back to the Brake’s best of compilation Bottled at Source. I would suggest that any track from Lost Property would easily sit alongside the songs on that album.
9/11
Keith
Order from Turin Brakes website
- Album Reviews
'I Welcome the Flood' is the new EP from Adam Scott Glasspool and is a stripped back dark delight.
After almost a decade in various bands with fuzzy guitars and deep sounding synths, Adam has gone the route of a haunting singer/songwriter. Five songs, finger picking acoustic guitar and the ocassional beats machine make for a sweet EP with some dark stories therein.
The record starts with 'Hunted' a story of a lost soul of everyday life that concludes "Put your cards on the table and tell me which you believe".
Title song 'I Welcome the Flood' intones, "So far from home with Teardrop playing on the radio" ... "No matter where I go I am always chasing rain" and 'Pace Car Driver' starts "If there is a god he’s got it in for us, I heard you say between mouthfuls of red wine"
'Madison' is a gentle acoustic instrumental before the closing song of the Ep 'All it Ever was' which seems to evoke the end of a relationship over the most gentle of guitar playing.
Talking about the EP Adam says “I had intended for the first EP to be a really simple endeavour when compared to my previous life in bands - one man and a guitar with simple but effective songs. When I came to play them live I realised I‟d put loads of guitars on top of each other and all these effects and stuff. So I had to strip them down even further and get a loop pedal and all sorts of nonsense. With these EP I‟ve tried to keep that in mind, and so these songs are kind of stripped to their basics. I‟m sure when I come to play them live this statement will come back to bite me in the arse.”
Pete
8/11
'I Welcome the Flood‟ will be released on 15th February 2016 on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and "basically anywhere else you can think of". The CD release will be available exclusively through Adam's BandCamp page.
Live Dates:
Feb. 13th - Junkyard Dogs, Brighton (EP Launch Party)
Feb. 15th - Sound, Liverpool
Feb. 16th - Mr. Lynch, Newcastle
Feb. 18th - The Village, London
Feb.19th - The Chequers, London
Feb. 20th - The Art House, Southampton
Feb. 21st - Como Lounge, Oxford
- Album Reviews
A new year, a time for change or new beginnings. In this spirit of new beginnings the seven-piece folk, classical, acoustic, jazz influenced group The Old Dance School have renamed themselves The Fair Rain. The first release under their new name is 'Behind The Glass' which is scheduled for release in early Spring this year.
First track is the moving (in both senses of the word) 'All We've Ever Known' written by lead vocalist and guitarist Robin Beatty inspired by a story he heard about relatives emigrating from rural Ireland to Liverpool and the shock at the change in culture involved. It's amongst the best track I've heard from them. The twin violins of Helen Lancaster and new member Charlie Heys start the track with a looming motif which is reminiscent of Michael Nyman's soundtrack work. Robin's vocal describes the simple life they are soon to leave behind “Raised beneath a tin roof, Me and my sister cut the peat slabs for the fire.... But it was all we'd ever known.”. There's a lovely melody line picked out by Laura Carter's woodwind which carries their boat across the water as the towers and spires of their future life appear for the first time. The inequalities revealed by forced emigration 170 years ago which are still relevant today.
We have the usual collection of lovely instrumentals where their individual backgrounds of classical and jazz training (they met and formed at the Birmingham Conservatoire) are brought out. There's the characteristic interplay between the violins, brass and the complex rhythmic patterns of Jim Molyneux on 'Dream of White Horses' . 'The Hollow' has a bright violin pattern which lifts the whole track. 'As Starlings Gather' starts with a plucked guitar and a distant almost scratchy violin the track builds as the mumuration gathers and then fades back as it disperses again. 'Blue Horse' which was written as a tribute to Jim's trusty sky-blue touring van is the track with the fullest band sound on it which starts with an almost funky feel and leads onto their signature sound of a trumpet-violin marriage, before the double bass and trumpets return.
Another highlight has to 'Mannequin' . It's 1912 a time when the first modern parachutes were being trialled and a tailor in Paris named Franz Reichelt decides that he can design a wearable winged flight suit for the World War I aviators “Men'll fly for the war. With nothing to break their fall.” The press gather under the Eiffel Tower to witness the unfortunate end of this brave and selfless man as he leaps from the tower in his manned trial. The shocking footage is available via Pathe News to view.
The name may have changed but fortunately for those of us familiar with their previous albums, the captivating tunes of utter beauty created by their stunning musicianship has not ; it may have enhanced and evolved them into something better.
Alisdair Whyte
- Album Reviews
Hailing from Seattle, Night Beats return with their third offering of American psychedelic garage rock, Who Sold My Generation, their first release with Heavenly Records. If you’re looking for your new favourite band, you’ve found them.
Their dynamite sound steams from their inspired, insanely catchy second record released in 2013, and a continuation of that buzz is evident in this new album. Front man Danny Lee Blackwell, whose guitar produces sounds you won’t commonly hear on records this year underlies the potential the band has to win over an entire new UK fan base of people eager to loosely rebel in their musical choices in 2016.
Who Sold My Generation, starts with a spoken word almost poetic introduction, and nearly tripping your senses just a small amount before the driving beat kicks in. Whilst sometimes you wonder how mystic the lyrics really are, their dynamite sound creates an electric feel throughout the record. The distorted guitar sound and killer riffs that feature throughout brings this psychedelic garage band to life, however have no doubts they have the beats to match. Thundering through 12 songs of equal billing that breaks your expectations of Blackwell’s trippy guitar sounds and foot stomping rhythm, you’ve defiantly found a gem in this record.
You can almost imagine a lot of these songs as the soundtrack to the epic car chase through the floodlit streets of downtown Seattle, or if your imagination can’t quite picture that it would be equally suitable for your next wet Tuesday morning commute, never fear.
The album, Who Sold My Generation, is released on Friday 29th January on Heavenly Records.
9/11
Stand out tracks: Celebration #1, No Cops, Sunday Mourning, Last Train To Jordan.
By Joe @thejoeeley
- Album Reviews
From the stomping drum and bass beginning to 2 minute opening track “You And Me Should Leave Together Tonight”, the rules have been set for this urgent, garage rock debut from newcomers Sauropod.
Turns out the band are a 3 piece, all the way from Oslo, Norway ; Jonas Royeng on guitars and vocals, Kamilla Waal Larsen on bass and vocals and Jorgen Naitland Apeness on drums, and are named after the long necked herbivorous dinosaur, and coincidentally they themselves are vegetarians. Morrissey would definitely approve.
The often shouty vocals are primarily from Royend, however Kamilla shares duties on several of the tracks, which adds another dimension to tracks such as Sunny Day and Headphones, and one brings to mind a heavier Wannadies vibe.
Winter Song has a strong, and very welcome Pixies influence, with its thudding baseline, and screaming vocals including the line from which the album takes its title. Powerful and impressive stuff.
The album is far from one dimensional however, with Running Song showing a different side to the band, with its acoustic instrumentation and cute vocals, although next song up, Fugue, starts like a death metal track is about to erupt out of the stereo, but thankfully we are spared the death roar vocals.
Edge of a Cloud is again a different beast altogether, with its sing along chorus and Royend sounding like a Norwegian Alex Turner.
Final track On The Hill concludes the 30 minute or so album, and we’re back in pretty mid-paced territory, with a blast of keyboards just to add to the textures present on the release.
In summary, although the album is relatively short in length, its a very sweet ride across different influences and styles although at heart, it’s a grungy garage-rock romp. A band to keep an eye on especially if they visit these shores for some live shows.
Keith
8/11
- Album Reviews
A coming of age rock record for The Temperance Movement with their new album, 'White Bear' which is the follow-up to their self-titled debut from 2013. All the live work in between these records has certainly paid off if the ten songs on ‘White Bear’ are anything to go by.
The first single, "Three Bulleits", is the opener and it hits the pace in a bluesy rocking style. Drummer Damon Wilson, Nick Fyffe on bass, guitarists Luke Potashnick and Paul Sayer make for one mighty power unit. Singer, Phil Campbell is in fine fettle and reminiscence of Paul Rodgers or Chris Robinson quite often. He really has a rock voice, full throttle or gentle depending on the song.
'Get Yourself free’ the second track is a real gem of rock for any year let alone 2016. ‘A Pleasant Peace I Feel’ keeps the pace rocking along and only three songs in, you really start to feel this is a special album and we are only in January!
‘Modern Massacre' with it's George Thorogood and the Destroyers overtones means that there no rest from jumping around the room. ‘Battle Lines’ casts aside any doubts, this is one very fine Rock n’ Roll Band indeed!
For Phil and Paul this band and this album are all that matters. The guitarist was pleased to hear that sentiment echoed by one of his heroes.
"At one of the Stones shows I had a chat with Keith Richards. And right at the end he said: 'Just keep this together.' And he was serious. He was saying: 'The hardest thing is keeping the band together.' That had quite a profound effect on me. It's hard being away - we've all got families - but you can't moan about it obviously. But when you're in this situation with five guys all the time, it can be tense and it's hard to be creative. But you have to get your head down and get on with the next thing. And the next thing was making the record."
Next time you want to let your hair down, this is the album for you!
Pete
10/11
UK Tour dates:
Jan. 16 - Portsmouth, UK - Pyramid Centre
Jan. 17 - Norwich, UK - UEA
Jan. 19 - Aberdeen, UK - Beach Ballroom
Jan. 20 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowland
Jan. 21 - Newcastle, UK - University
Jan. 22 - Leeds, UK - Becket University
Jan. 24 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2
Jan. 25 - Birmingham, UK - Institute
Jan. 26 - Cardiff, UK - Y Plas
Jan. 27 - London, UK - Shepherd's Bush Empire
- Album Reviews
Muscle Shoals singer/songwriter Dylan LeBlanc returns with his third Album, Cautionary Tale, which is released on 15th January. The album is a masterstroke from the 23 year old. There is a maturity about this record that really belies such a tender age, the acoustic led songs give you the feeling that they were recorded live there and then on each track.
A lovely variety of music, on listening, you could quite honestly be in Laurel Canyon on ‘Cautionary Tale' and 'Roll The Dice'. Leaving the canyon for the city on, 'Look How far Wev'e Come', Philly on ‘Beyond the Veil' and Greenwich Village on 'Lighting and Thunder' and 'Balance or Fall' and back to the canyon for album closer ‘Paradise’.
Overall the impact of the album is that Dylan himself is there sitting in front of you as he sings his songs. Cautionary Tale features Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) and is produced by John Paul White (Civil Wars) and Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes). Both guys also perform on the record as well.
'Paupers Field' was released in 2010 and it was 2012 for the follow up 'Cast The Same Old Shadow'. There has been time off the road and no doubt some life experiences in the intervening years that have been channeled into this new record. An album that really should see Dylan start to break into the Jonathon Wilson / Ryan Adams / Jason Isbell stratosphere of songwriters.
There is fine musicianship and beautifully subtle orchestration throughout this soothing record. We look forward to the live shows next.
Pete
10/11
- Album Reviews
I am of an age that any new album of original material by David Bowie is a seismic event. Perhaps the greatest icon of my generation musically and a lot else, his recent productivity with two albums in three years is very welcome.
Bowie on record is back to his best on 'The Next Day' and 'Blackstar', surrounding himself with first class musicians his creative mind musically is totally on song.
'Blackstar' the nine minute plus opening and title song is well known to us all now yet, it still remains just as epic on listening to the album today as it did two months ago when part of the song was used on the exceptional Sky Atlantic drama, The Last Panthers.
'Blackstar' the album it is said came about after Bowie become influenced by some Jazz musicians he was listening to and the idea was born to place them in a rock environment. What Blackstar has is, a depth and variety of sound & movement. Almost very play you can hear something new. This is no Jazz/Rock record. The voice? Well the voice that we have heard so often in our lives is as magnificent as ever on this record.
'Tis a pity She Was A Whore' brings the Jazz element to the fore merged with Bowie's voice, it's a myriad of sounds. 'Lazarus' returns to the brooding theme, "I' am so high, it makes my brain whirl" A magnificent song which concludes an epic side one of the vinyl LP.
Side two and the pace picks up 'Sue (or In a Season of Crime)' has a percussion driven, room filling sound. The pace of this album is key, every song is different, 'Girl Love Me' has a 80's slight, Let't Dance vibe jazzed up and slowed down.
'Dollar Days' has a dreamy feel "If I Never See The English Evergreens I'm Running To" and a gorgeous sax acompliment. The song slips seamlessly into the final track on the album 'I Can't Give Everything Away' and I start to run out of superlatives.
A truly great record released on David Bowie's 69th birthday, perhaps there is hope for all of us after all!
Pete
11/11
Monday 11th January, 2016; David Bowie - 8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016
- Album Reviews
Perhaps like our own UK version of Jason Isbell, when Jason Isbell was under a lot of peoples radar, our very own under the radar gallant singer/songwriter from the Peoples Republic of Essex, Matthew Boulter is a musician who works tirelessly at his craft. So much so, that with each solo record he reaches new peaks in the Americana mountain range.
Singer/guitarist with The Lucky Strikes. Matt was a constant sideman to Simone Felice for a time as well as contributing and recording with numerous artists in the UK Folk/Americana world. Still based on the outer reaches of the Thames coast in England, yes Essex, Matt’s first collection of songs was released in 2008 under the moniker, Blue Vinyl Island The follow up, The Whispering Pines, was released by Stovepony Records in 2012 and in July 2013, Matt’s third solo album, The Water or the Wave, was released by Harbour Song Records.
The same label for new album ‘With Wolves The Lamb Will Lie’, which immediately upon hearing that title it conjures up thoughts of the meaning ? Are we talking global or personal, where in the world today do the lambs lie with the wolves? This sublime record actually deals more with the latter, individual characters, relationships and thoughts.
The drunk down and out in ‘Sean Or Patrick’ “He was lost out on the branch line, out here in the sticks, far fron the Harrow Road’ ‘In sight of the Cellar' “I was born in the dark, I was born to raise hell” ‘Some day the Waves’ "I shed my friends to go dancing, to go out dancing alone" Twelve songs to immerse yourself in, warmth on a cold winter’s night, or just plain contentment when listening to this record after a hard day's toil.
Matt has some earnest help on the album from the likes of Ben Nicolls, Toby Kearney, Neil McSweeney and Lucy Farrell (Lucy is a member of Emily Portman’s tourning band along with Matt himself) which, means the musicianship and arrangements of the songs are quite spellbinding.
Released on 29th January by which time winter should have hit our shores but, please do not let any snow storm prevent you from getting your hands to this record. You can pre-order HERE
Pete
10/11
- Album Reviews
Every time I start to to compile that best of 2015 list, another record comes along that vies for contention. Anna von Hausswolff, 'The Miraculous' is a big powerful, widescreen album via City Slang. Much like Sunn O ))) with a female vocalist, the record is steeped in drama, It’s like a psychedelic opera from this very accomplished Swedish singer-songwriter who has now released three full length albums.
Combining the organ with Anna's incredible vocal range makes for a record enveloped by dark shadows and angelic soundscapes all at the same time. In 2013, following the release of her second album, ‘Ceremony’, Anna was invited to perform at Lincoln Cathedral, such a setting for the new record would be very appropriate.
Much of enormous drone like sound on 'The Miraculous' comes from Ann’s use of the Acusticum Pipe Organ in Piteå, Northern Sweden, whose colossal sound, with nine thousand pipes, is one of the biggest of its kind in the country. Inaugurated in 2012, and designed by Gerard Woehl, this is what supplies the album's dramatic feel. The title track is a prime example of an organ drone like ambience.
In total, five days were spent recording the majority of the album’ live with her band, Ulrik Ording (drums), Joel Fabiansson (guitar), Karl Vento (guitar) and Filip Leyman (synthesiser), also the record’s producer). Afterwards, they decamped to Gothenburg for a further month’s work, before mixing it Filip’s studio.
This is no summer pop record, it’s an early winter release that's just perfect as the dark night nights draw in and the fire rages in the hearth.
Anna has an uncompromising approach to her art, of the record’s potential commercial impact, she remains unperturbed. “I can´t afford to care about the market´s approval. I would lose too much artistic energy, and that would only ruin me. As Lars Norén once said of his work as a writer, ‘The market is the most lethal of all poisons’.”
Anna will play London's Oslo on 8th December , not to be missed I suggest.
Pete
10/11
- Album Reviews
Bianca and Sierra Casady otherwise know as Coco Rosie released their new album Heartache City last month on their own label this time following records for City Slang, Sub Pop and Touch & Go.
"This is our sixth record! Like many of our past records, we wrote and gathered much of the material at our farm studio in the south of France with minimal equipment, vintage toys and antique instruments. Going back to a '4-track' style approach, we limited ourselves to essential, acoustic accompaniment, played by us, and select percussion, toys from our old suit cases dating back to the "La Maison" days. Unlike our more psychedelic/electronic explorations of the last two records, our latest songs have a dusty southern feel with old-timey poetry. We ended up in Argentina where we finished the recordings and mixed the record with engineer Nicolas Kalwillwith whom we've worked on two previous records. The spirit of Buenos Aires added to our already teen-romance-nostalgic-mood where we spontaneously shot a music video casting over 30 local girls."
That's how the band summed up this very sweet record that is quite joyfully unique and unlike anything else you are likely to hear this year. Perhaps a Joanna Newsome record is the closest you would get.
The record seems alive with sound from fragile beauty to progressive and challenging rhythms. To this end the record rewards with each listen.
Just two years on from ‘Tales of A Grass Widow’, Bianca and Sierra are a composing tour-de-force always coming up with original ideas. However fragile the lyrics sound there is always a darkness to to lyrics that keep the listener entranced.
“Warming the hearts of tragic hoodlum spirits
Brighten the eyes of petty thieves who crawl at night
Who feign to use a knife
Jingle jangle the cosmo's are on fire
The blazing lines of the criminal choir”
So it’s that late night comfortable chair, glass of malt type record. A fine rare thing indeed.
Pete
10/11