ALBUMs
- Album Reviews
A dark, brooding, reverb fuelled record from ‘Crystal Stilts' landed on the doormat this morning.
The new album called 'Nature Noir’ is released via Sacred Bones Records and fortunately for us, the Brooklyn based band, have a
‘Nature Noir’ sees a psych, retro, reverb, guitar sound emanate from the speakers, a natural progression on from 2011’s ‘In Love With Oblivion’ album. Recommended to play loud, this is the band’s third LP and a focussed platform from which to expand further into the physcedlic void of our minds.
The record is the band’s third full-length release since they formed a decade ago in 2003 and as ever Brad Hargett’s baritone delivery dominates the record in fine style. Easy comparisons can be drawn with Jesus and the Mary Chain as an influence and contemporaries, The Black Angels, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Horrors to name but a few.
A decade on and the record finds this five-piece band making a transitional leap as an established force in the psych rock field, the challenge will be, to make themselves more unique next time around, to reach the pinnacle. Bring on those live dates ………
Pete
9/11
- Album Reviews
Bass player with Red House Painters when they existed to envelop our minds with their songs and now touring partner of (Red House Painter) Mark Kozalek in Sun Kil Moon, Jerry Vessel also has a project or two of his own.
His second album as 'Heirlooms of August' following the sublime 'Forever the Moon' in 2011 is ‘Down at the 5-Star' again on Kozelek’s label, Caldo Verde.
If 'Forever the Moon' was sublime then the overall feeling after listening to 'Down at the 5-Star' can only be described, as one of contentment.
A truly beautiful album with Vessel's haunting vocals (not a million miles away from the style of Mark Kozalek himself) accompanied by deliciously gentle instrumentation. The acoustic guitar itself is enough to ease the soul after a hard day at the coal face or, wherever your job takes you.
Try the warmth of the slide guitar on the album's title song for size, as the story unfolds around a day's activity about regularly meeting a girl called Julie at a truck stop, as she waits for her drug dealer. You can see, even feel the harsher side of life can sound comforting when wrapped in exquisite instrumentation and Jerry Vessel’s vocals.
'Annabelle' is next, the slide guitar is there, and that leads to a beautiful acoustic guitar seamlessly. Harmony vocals from Frances Everett (‘coffeescup’ on You Tube) tell the story of his mysterious lady in sublime style.
The songs on the album are all stories that will keep you warm his winter in front of the fire or whenever you care to listen to them. Stories sung with feeling, told with passion about places, events and people.
Next steps, someone needs to get this guy over to the Union Chapel for a
Pete
10/11
Songs
Down at the 5-Star
Annabelle
Jerusalem Ridge
Mariachi Music on Valentine's Day
Antonio De Torres
Cleopatra Eyeliner
All the Rainfall
Cello Suite No.
Buzz Lightyear
Out Among My Flowers Unique
- Album Reviews
Not the easiest album to listen to in the world, then again most of the time, really great music creeps in your coconsciousness gradually as it will with “Ghost Republic” which, is the first album from Willard Grant Conspiracy since “Paper Covers Stone” in 2009 and the first album of entirely new music since “Pilgrim Road” the year before.
The album was written and recorded in
Curry is the band’s viola player and on this record a viola that takes on many parts, mainly different guises of sorrow. Robert's vocals on the album, at times almost Lou Reed like, are the perfect baritone pitch so, instrument and voice combine to great effect.
The high desert, Robert’s home in
“First there is living in the high desert.
The ghost town of the album is high in the Sierras, a town called Bodie. A closed and, abandoned mining town. The town is the subject of a hallucinatory group of collaborative poems written by a loose confederation of poets for a book conceived and organized by the
Robert Fisher was asked to add a character to the book and long story, short, this resulted in
Pete
9/11
- Album Reviews
The follow up to ‘Low Down Time’, Nashville’s Buffalo Clover have released ‘Test Your Love’ which was recorded at the Bomb Shelter in Nashville.
The album is one of those time machine efforts, step back into the 70’s country Rock, Little Feat, Big Brother & The Holding Company era. Honky tonk piano, funky guitar, bluesy vocals, just that pure 70’s groove which for a certain generation is iust like goin’ home.
Buffalo Clover have a musical soul from the mid west via the deep south and lead singer Margo Price’s vocals are the primary focus of the record. Margo has worked with Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) on several projects in the past and this time Brittany adds backing vocals to the single Misery.
This band wear their rock n roll heart on their collective sleeves, ‘Same Side’ is a song that demonstrates that perfectly with it’s Black Crowes vibe.
The UK release of the album features the exclusive track Josiah, recorded just after the initial album sessions and is available from Angry Badger Records.
The band have a few dates left on their UK tour, so if you are free this week, get out there and step into the time machine.
Pete
9/11
A free Download of 'Misery' is HERE
UK Dates
26th Aug The Hobbit, Southampton
27th Aug The Troubadour, London
31st Aug The Dublin Castle, Camden
- Album Reviews
Released on 27th August ‘What's In Between‘ is the first album from the Pedaljets in twenty-three years.
The band first returned to the studio in 2009 without lead guitarist Phil Wade who was unavailable at the time. Paul Malinowski (Shiner) stepped in on second guitar duties and so joined Rob Morrow, Mile Allmayer and Matt Keeler and the band was reborn.
Back in the days when the band were formed in Lawrence, Kansas they soon became regular touring partners for the likes of Dinosuar Jr., The Meat Puppet, The Replacements and Husker Du but, after six years of non stop touring, the group disbanded in 1990 after just two albums.
Fast forward to 2013 and the Pedaljets have made a very creditable return. Whist What’s In Between‘ remains true to those 8o’s America Alt Rock days, the record has much more variety than just that.
Rockers, Road trip toe tappers, ballads and song that with the back catogulue should make for a great live show. There are hopes for UK dates next year and the new album is out now.
Pete
9/11
Our interview with the band earlier this year is HERE
- Album Reviews
Washington D.C.based band Dot Dash have had their third album ‘Half-Remembered Dream’ just released on the Canadian indie label , The Beautiful Music.
A dreamy pop, 'guitar walled' spectacular album, it’s a toe tapper from the off. There is nothing complex here, this a Saturday Night record, to blast from the speakers with a beer (even the non alcoholic variety if you are driving home) in hand.
The 10-track Half-Remembered Dream, was preceded by Winter Garden Light (released in September 2012) and spark>flame>ember>ash (released in September 2011) and the progress on each album is noticeable to the point that the new album steps up to a new league.
For the new record the band traveled north to Baltimore, and recorded at Lord Baltimore Studios. There must have been something in the water there because, these songs would go down a storm on any concert or festival stage.
The band line is Terry Banks – guitar & voice; Bill Crandall – guitar; Hunter Bennett – bass; and Danny Ingram – drums.
Half-Remembered Dream is available as a CD directly from The Beautiful Music’s PayPal-enabled site HERE and the album is also available as a download via iTunes, Bandcamp, eMusic, and Amazon.
Dot Dash have asked a question … Where are your dancin’ shoes for the next 30 minutes??
Pete
9/11
You can download the first song on the album '(Here's to) The Ghosts of the Past' HERE
Dot Dash info is HERE
- Album Reviews
4 tracks from this York based rocky pop band. Deceptively simple lyrics and tunes that grow on you, like the Likely Lads if they formed a band. Arctic Monkeys spring to mind at first, but Pulp may be the best reference point. They have an old and jaded soul for such a young band. However words that sound sleazy at first, turn out to be funny and sad on further listens. Winners of York Battle of the Bands and championed by Tom Robinson on his BBC6 Music new music show.
‘This Town’ is a heartfelt plea for acceptance backed with Mott the Hoople bombast, ending with a strange spacey fadeout.
‘Blue Eyes Black’ is a gentle attack on the acceptance of marital violence, and ‘Away with a Stranger’ is a similar indictment of cheating on your wife in behind the scenes in suburbia. A new feminist Oasis perhaps?
‘Deborah’ is my favorite, and not just cos it was the name of my first unrequited love. It’s a kitchen sink drama set to a jaunty happy tune, powerful enough to get the crowd dancing too.
Playing the main stage at Galtres Parkland Festival August Bank Holiday weekend – should be good to see them live!
Kevin
- Album Reviews
Richard Buckner has been around for a while now and with numerous albums to his credit. Over this time, not only has he remained prolific but also, his albums have maintained such a consistently high quality that, it remains a mystery why this man’s talents are not more widely recognised.
What shines through on 'Surrounded' is the variety of instrumentation on the songs. Gentle finger-picking on the guitar, on the title track, a harmonium (?), on 'When You Tell Me How It Is'. A strummed acoustic guitar, and keyboard on ‘Beautiful Question'
These pieces of new gear are actually, a Suzuki QChord electronic autoharp and an Electro-Harmonix POG2 pedal according to the Merge Records website.
What are constant are Richard's deep rich vocals, layered over the instruments and words. The lyrics actually come from his musing over creating some short stories at the end of his last tour.
The story goes that after working on these short stories Richard found himself back in the music room taking the opposite approach to his last album, ‘Our Blood’ was where songs were re-recorded and re-worked over and over again so this time, working with producer Tucker Martine the songs on ‘Surrounded’ were composed, recorded and then pushed out of the door.
The overall effect is a superb record and one which should become your constant companion for some time to come.
Pete
10/11
1. Surrounded
2. When You Tell Me How It Is
3. Beautiful Question
4. Foundation
5. Portrait
6. Mood
7. Go
8. Cut
9. Lean-To
Surrounded is out on 3rd September on Merge Records.
- Album Reviews
Reformed and revived, Joe Pernice and the gang otherwise known as the Scud Mountain Boys are set to release their first album since ‘
The original Scud Mountain Boys band members Joe Pernice (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars), Stephen Desaulniers (vocals, acoustic guitar, and bass), and Bruce Tull (electric guitar, lap steel, pedal steel) returned to the scene in late 2011 with some live shows followed by the reissue of The Early Year also via One Little Indian on 8th July, which was a compilation of their first two albums Pine Box and Dance the Night Away.
Joe Pernice has recently been on the road with Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake under the moniker of The New Mendicants and the reformation of the Scud Mountain Boys, Joe explains for himself below.
The record is beautifully paced from the gentle rolling melodic songs that book-end the album, title track 'Do You Love The Sun' and 'You're Mine' to harder edged tunes like, ‘Double Bed’ and 'Shes Falls Apart' to the folk influenced ‘Orphan Girl’ and even the theme from ‘Midnight Cowboy thrown in; There must be a story there?
There's more; the sweet mandolin led 'Crown of Thorns and the tender 'Learn To love Him' all add up to a very fine and long awaited record indeed.
With a few local shows listed on the band’s website, we can only hope it stretches to more and in the meantime, we can just enjoy this fine new album.
Pete
10/11
1. Do You Love The Sun
2. Double Bed
3. Crown of Thorns
4. Learn to Love Him
5. The Medicant
6. Orphan Girl
7.
8. Theme From Midnight Cowboy
9. Drew Got Shot
10. You're Mine
- Album Reviews
Featuring over twenty musicians, The Love Language songwriter and front man Stuart McLamb has now delivered ‘Ruby Red’ to an expectant audience following, the release of 2009¹s The Love Language and ‘Libraries in 2010.
The record is a grower, by the third listen it really shines through as a widescreen indie pop/rock dream. By the seventh or eighth listen, it is the Road Trip album of choice of the summer of 2013!
Opener ‘Calm Down’ is an instant toe tapper followed in the same vein by ‘Kids’ ‘Hi Life’ takes a swerve with some sprinkled 80’s ‘New Romantics’ stardust’. The ten songs are nicely paced ‘First Shot’ has a harder edge and ‘For Izzy’, is a pop gem in Shins / Grizzly Bear territory.
The twenty musicians on the album, some of who apparently straddled several time zones, as the Love Language¹s lone mastermind and his engineer BJ Burton put this beautiful record together in Black Mountain, North Carolina and later in Minneapolis.
Love Language is a community art project made by “responsible citizens of a loosely packed scene who know that McLamb will match whatever they contribute”.
So let’s hope the all keep contributing.
Pete
10/11
1. Calm Down
2. Kids
3. Hi Life
4. First Shot
5. Golden Age
6. For Izzy
7. Faithbreaker
8. On Our Heels
9. Knots
10. Pilot Light
- Album Reviews
5th August 2013 sees the release of ‘Yes it’s True’ is the fifth band installment from The Polyphonic Spree. Now in the 13th year of their career, ‘Yes It’s true’ is anything but ‘unlucky 13’.
Released in the UK by Cherry Red Records this is an extended leap for the band in production, presentation and continued original song writing.
The first album from the band in five years, excluding 2012's Christmas songs release, front man ,Tim DeLaughter is now back with a real band focus, seemingly refreshed after numerous side and band projects including, scoring the motion pictures “Thumbsucker” and “Visioneers writing an Emmy nominated theme song for the Showtime series “The United States of Tara” plus the Spree’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” excursions last year.
Again recording with former Tripping Daisy band mate and ex-Secret Machines man Philip E Karnats, The Polyphonic Spree currently runs with 22 band members (which should be fun, seeing how they will all fit onto the stage at the Village Underground in London on 4th August).
11 songs, upbeat, rhythmic, joyous, reflective and powerful, the album does not lack in variety. ‘Hold Yourself Up’ has a lyric, ‘ She’s got Rollercoaster eyes’. After listening to the whole album, you will find it is a thrilling as a rollercoaster ride.
Welcome back to the Polyphonic Spree!
9/11
Pete
The Polyphonic Spree return to the UK:
04 Aug - Camp Bestival
06 Aug - Village Underground London
07 Sept- Bestival
- Album Reviews
The Third album from Glasgow’s Haight-Ashbury, seems to have slipped out a bit, ‘under the radar’ at the beginning of July on Lime Records.
‘Here In The Golden Ray’s was the debut for the brother/sister, best friend band, in 2010, followed by ‘The Ashburys” in 2012 which, was a massive step-up in terms of sound and performance and now, 12 months later comes …perhaps
This is a sparkling record of widescreen West Coast rock psychedelia from a band that just gets better and better with each release.
The record drips grooves from heady days of a psychedelic past. Sitting on the grass on a summer’s day, eyes shut and drifting off on to clouds that this music takes you to (no, substance of choice required).
The musicianship and instrumentation guitars, sitar (?), drums, keys are really first class, giving the whole album an immense sound.
The band have played over 100 shows on mainland Europe over the last two years and now the U.S. market must be beckoning. This album really should tap into that Tame Impala, Pond, White Manna, Wooden Shjips, psychedelic movement that is back out from the underground, at the moment.
Go buy this record; there is another heat wave on the way!
Pete
9/11