ALBUMs
- Album Reviews
Simon Lock formed Terrace in Vancouver in 2010 "As a band, we have one main goal, which is... to create and play unpretentious dance music that pays no attention to current fads. Rather than follow the rest of the herd, we pull strongly from our deep roots in House Music, Techno, Funk, Disco, Brit Pop, Post Punk, and Ambient and throw it all together in one ear pleasing mix."
A pretty good summary for 'We Fall Together' that stretches the soundscapes and produces a super cool summer sound. Influences are too numerous to mention but any electro compilation from the Eighties or Nineties would give you a good idea of what to expect from the ten songs on the album.
The feel however sounds anything but stale, bright vocals and sweet musicianship mean it's a toe tapper from the start and leaves you with a big smile on your face at the end.
Terrace the band are Simon Lock (Vox, Guitar, keyboard, drum programming), Kalani Polson (Drums, Percussion) Alex Cooper (Guitar, Keys, Backing Vox).
Pete
9/11
Songs
Special Place
Cote D' azur
Surfrider
Nights as Villians
White Heat
Vivant
Time's Up
Shine Thru
Moana
Exit Stars
Casse
- Album Reviews
This album must have slipped out under the radar when it was released in March on the Soleil Apres Minuit label. With all the excitement around the Ride reunion, 'Universal Road' by Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and Mark Gardener (Ride) must have made an unassuming debut on the shelves.
Now it seems the album is getting a bit of a push so, it's rather like discovering buried treasure. This is an absolute gem, a very fine album indeed, just how did we not know about it in March?
Shimmering guitars abound as one would expect, except it's Robin's electric guitars, bass, keys, drums and production and Mark's blissful voice and acoustic guitars across the album. There seems a deep chemistry in this collaboration. Across the ten songs, the listener gets rewarded via repeated listens; it does become a dreamy album to have on a loop.
The title and opening song, has a beautiful texture that builds over the lyric "I'll carry you, wherever I go" into a crescendo of guitars. 'Dice' starts with the guitars upfront and the ambience is set to dreamy, eyes shut, bliss.
That wall of sound guitars become much more subtle on 'Amnesia' and 'Old Friend' and by the mid-point of the record, the songs are just sweet. A nice intimate gig at say The Shepherds Bush Empire would suit these songs perfectly.
The remaining songs sweep and soar through the headphones, so I am going to enjoy this new found treasure, I hope you do as well.
Pete
10/11
1. Universal Road
2. Dice
3. Amnesia
4. Old Friend
5. Yesterday's News
6. Cry for Survival
7. Sometime
9. Reason
10. Blind
- Album Reviews
Kathryn Williams has released her twelfth album today. The songs were inspired by Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar' and the record is called 'Hypoxia' which, is released via One Little Indian Records.
I guess perhaps when you get over the ten album mark it not unreasonable to think that a certain amount of 'treading water' may occur. In the case of Kathryn Williams nothing could be further from the truth.
This is a gem of a record and one that should stick with you as a musical companion for some time to come. The original idea for the album came back in 2013 when Kathryn received a call from New Writing North asking if she would accept an open commission to write something about Sylvia Plath for the Durham Book Festival's celebration of her life and work, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of The Bell Jar's publication.
In October of 2014, Kathryn performed five original songs inspired by The Bell Jar at Durham Town Hall - alongside writer Andrew Wilson reading from his book 'Mad Girl's Love Song - Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted' - "it was a surreal experience to share these songs that felt like secrets," she says of the show.
Kathryn continued to write songs 'for' the book over the next year ("This strange little cuckoo that had pushed my other records out of the way was demanding to be fed."). With 8 songs ready, Kathryn enlisted the help of friend and collaborator Ed Harcourt who produced and engineered the album, also co-writing a ninth song, 'Cuckoo'.
This is an album of many twists and turns from angelic gentleness 'Electric', Cuckoo', 'Beating Heart' to groovy tunes 'Tango' with Marco' 'Mirrors and 'The Mind is it's own Place. There are many musical textures over the ten songs which just drift into and out of you subconscious as you listen.
Kathryn Williams is a massive talent from this Island of ours; let's hope album number 12 brings this lady even more recognition for a very fine piece of work.
Pete
9/11
Tour dates
Wed 17th June The Black Swan, York
Thur 18th June The Burgess Foundation, Manchester
Fri 19th June The Victoria Theatre (Green Room), Halifax
Sun 21st June The Voodoo Rooms (Speakeasy Bar), Edinburgh
Wed 1st July The Kitchen Garden Café, Birmingham
Thur 2nd July Octagon Chapel, Norwich
Fri 3rd July Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate
Sat 4th July The Folk House, Bristol
Wed 8th July The Green Note, London
Thur 9th July Cluny 2, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Album Reviews
This is an impressive debut from the band from North London who have been pounding the boards recently.
Released on the Transgressive label, the first thing that hits you on the opening song ' Dizzy Ghosts' is just how good it is.The album seems style personified. Touchstones like The Shins, Modest Mouse, Pavement and Fugazi jump out but, this is a very individual album by a fine young band.
Pretty much a heavenly voice for a guy, Felix Bushe sings his vocals above his own guitar and some excellent musicianship from Hugh Schulte (bass), John Victor (guitar), Danny Ward (drums / vocals).
Apparently the band describes their successes to date as “happy accidents” but, they sound like they have been together for years. These are summer songs but also songs that with keep the lights burning bright this winter.
Plenty of variation, yet, I guess they with find themselves categorised as 'indie' but, there is a lot more to the music of Gengahr than that, there are even some jazz lines on this record in places.
Sure to be a big hit on the festival circuit this summer, let's hope they are back in the studio this time next year recording the follow up.
Pete
10/11
1. Dizzy Ghosts
2. She's a Witch
3. Heroine
4. Bathed in Light
5. Where I Lie
6. Dark Star
7. Embers
8. Powder
9. Fill My Gums With Blood
10. Lonely As a Shark
11. Trampoline
The band are playing various festivals over the summer and autumn tour dates follow:
6th October - Brighton Komedia
7th October - Bristol Exchange
8th October - London Scala
9th October - Nottingham Bodega
10th October - Oxford The Bullingdon
12th October - Birmingham Hare & Hounds
13th October - Norwich Arts Centre
14th October - Cambridge Portland Arms
16th October - Manchester Deaf Institute
17th October - Leeds Wardrobe
19th October - Glasgow King Tuts
20th October - Newcastle Think Tank
21st October - Sheffield The Harley
- Album Reviews
Following 2013’s EP Happiness Hungover, LA 4 piece Northern American release their lovely debut album Modern Phenomena on Heist or Hit Records.
Comprising Nate Paul (Guitars/vocals), Shane Alch (Keyboards), Augusto Vega (Bass) and Bruno Calenda (Drums), the band purport to be a genuine collaboration with all contributing lyrics, rhythm and melody, and all clearly influenced by the California sunshine.
Kicking off with 'Feel Like Whatever', with its Elbow-like cascading synths, and Paul’s lazy drawling singing style, this is an assured, confident start, and sets the tempo for the summer-tinged rest to come.
The gorgeous 'So Natural' follows on, with its gently lilting rhythm and meandering manner, before heading into title track 'Modern Phenomena'. The collaboration seems most evident on this track as all instruments seem to have an equal bearing and weight to the overall feeling and emotional impact.
Mid way through we reach my album highlight which is the very lovely 'You Remind Me', which surely is destined for extensive radio play and single release ? A mid tempo, lazy and lugubrious sentimental ballad best listened to while lying on a beach..
The acoustic lead, and fabulous 'Elysian' closes the album in fine style, again with a beautiful interplay of instruments, and introduction of some wonderful lap steel.
One criticism is that the album may be one paced, but when it's this lovely and executed so well, who cares. You can almost feel that the album was created in a warm climate, and that everyone was smiling while recording.
Best touchstone is perhaps Real Estate with a touch of the aforementioned Elbow loveliness, but this is an album that’s been shutting out everything else since I received it, and will definitely be keeping me company during the summer months. Here’s to chill rock.
Keith @kjsmith4082
8/11
- Album Reviews
Peur is the French word for fear and pronounced "per" – The band are Joe Lomax (guitar/vocals), Ryan Greenhalgh (bass) and Sam Tempest (percussion) and they hail from Manchester.
Formed in 2013 the band has since released four singles and now two EPs. The latest EP Future Architects is a rocker, start to finish. It’s a big sound, screaming guitars, a bedrock percussion and the classic vocals of Joe Lomax.
Not a growl in sight, this is, classic, classic rock, next must come a fully-fledged album from this trio, who really the talent to pick up legions of followers with their music.
Pete
9/11
Track Listing: Future Architects EP
1. Intro
2. They Have Destroyed Everything
3. Explosions
4. It Ends Before It Starts
5. Hollow Skies
You can find the band and all their music on Bandcamp
- Album Reviews
Returning from an evening yoga session I put this on, then read a review of a new translation of the works of St Julian of Norwich. it’s how I live life these days and this music all seemed very appropriate.
I do get sent some interesting records. Lets say first off that this 10” mini Lp is not something that by rights should be reviewed on a website called the Rock Club but, we are all very broadminded here.
It’s beautiful and relaxing yet interesting, and of high quality. The genesis is intriguing, it seems that Canadian singer/trombonist Doug Tielli and British pianist Adam Hibberd met at something called the Tin in the fine city of Coventry, where Adam was playing, and Doug was on tour. They hit it off, and had just 3 days to record together before moving on. Each brought 3 pieces to the mix, and they also brought in Sarah Laughton on clarinet.
My only complaint would be that some people reading this might expect someone called Superheroes Dream to be at least a rock band…but when you are in the right mood, reading that art mag in the bath, maybe this is what you really need.
Kevin Hand
Superheroes Dream - ‘Waiting or Flying’ is out now on Tin Angel Records
- Album Reviews
Well Summer is around the corner (they promise) and this is just the album to play with the car windows wound down!
Danny & The Champions of the World are legends of the British music scene, always a quality band, always friendly and always, always, giving a great show on the road.
The road was where DCOTW spent most of 2014 including a spot at Jack White’s Third Man studios. A Live album emerged from that year on the road (still waiting for the vinyl version) and now there is a studio album release this week on Loose Music. An album that just burns with an affirmation for life and music.
Opening song ‘Clean Water’ kicks off with horns flying, funky guitar, steel guitar, drums, bass, harmonies and the gritty road harden voice of Danny Wilson. It’s super stuff! ‘Precious Cargo’ and ‘This is not a Love song’ are sweet smile on face songs after which is the Philly soul of “Can I Change my Mind’.
The story around the recording of the album is described by Danny “We’d been playing festivals all summer, did 17 shows in Scandinavia in September, and another 25 shows in October, We had all of two days off, and then we went into the studio (Chris Clarke’s ‘Reservoir Studios’). I had a hacking cough, everyone was ill, but I told everyone, we’ll be in the studio two weeks and then it’ll be Christmas and we can all collapse.”
The result is ten songs, all gems, on ‘Words on the Wind’ the guitar is worth the price of the album alone. As you would expect the band are out on the road from next week and it’s summer, what’s the excuse? Get out there and enjoy one of the best live bands around!
Pete
10/11
SIDE A
1. Clear Water
2. Precious Cargo
3. This Is Not A Love Song
4. Can I Change My Mind
5. What Kind Of Love
SIDE B
1. Words On The Wind
2. Just Be Yourself
3. It’ll Be Alright In The End
4. Thinking About My Friend
5. The Sound Of A Train
Tour
09 Jun CAMBRIDGE, Junction *
10 Jun BRISTOL, Louisiana *
11 Jun LONDON, Islington Assembly Hall *^
12 Jun READING, South Street Arts Centre *
13 Jun OXFORD, Bullingdon Arms *
16 Jun COLCHESTER, Arts Centre *
17 Jun NORWICH, Waterfront ^
18 Jun WAKEFIELD, Hop
19 Jun PRESTON, The Continental ^
20 Jun GLASGOW, Broadcast ^
21 Jun NOTTINGHAM, The Maze ^
26 Jun BRIGHTON, Bleach *
31 Jul STANDON CALLING FESTIVAL, Hertfordshire
* with Michele Stodart
^ with The Goat Roper Rodeo Band
- Album Reviews
Carnation is a sweet sounding and thrilling third album from Daughn Gibson, a man who has a superb voice in the Bryan Ferry, Matt Berninger mode. Like Father John Misty (Josh Tillman), Daughn is a drummer now out front of the stage.
A soothing voice on a rich album of reverb guitars, strings, bass and choral ambiance is an absolute charm on the ears and a great stepping stone on Daughn’s ‘Me Moan’ that was released in 2013 and started to see a critical acceptance for his music.
‘Shattered you Through’ was the obvious single, a hip shaker, bass line driven song from the off but, as the title indicates there is a brooding nighttime nature to the song as well as the album as a whole, which Daughn produced with (Earth/Tim Hecker/Sunn O))) producer Randall Dunn.
The lyrics can be a dark ride for sure, there are no simple pop stories here. Tales of despair, regret and the general challenges of life prevail. ‘I let him deal,’ for example would sit well on any National Album.
"Shine Of The Night," comes apparently from time serving in Iraq for the man from Carlisle, Pennsylvania., (born Josh Martin") You die when you die" croons the lyric before a sweeping saxophone eases the burden.
This is an exceptional album and one you won’t regret adding it to you collection!
Pete
10/11
Carnation is out now on Sub Pop records
1. Bled to Death
2. Heaven You Better Come In
3. Shatter You Through
4. For Every Bite
5. Daddy I Cut My Hair
6. A Rope Ain’t Enough
7. I Let Him Deal
8. Shine of the Night
9. Runaway and the Pyro
10. It Wants Everything
11. Back With the Family
- Album Reviews
Jenny Hval’s debut on Scared Bones certainly starts off with a narrative unheard before. The unique album that is ‘APOCALYPSE, girl is out on 8th June, question is; is the world ready?
This Norwegian artist has produced a record that touches on Bjork, Kate Bush, Auteche and John Grant. This lady is not afraid to explored sounds and ideas providing the listener with a challenging album.
What it also is, is a grower. You will find yourself rewarded with repeated plays. Jenny’s third album revolves around an ambient background on which rests the lyrics. Language is is the key to the record whose theme is told through the dreams of an old science fiction movie.
“Gospel choirgirls are punks and run the world with autoerotic impulses. It’s a gentle hum from a doomsday cult, a soft desire for collective devotion, an ode to the close-up and magnified, unruly desires”, explains the background information to the album.
This I can imagine would be a very visual show live. The song ‘Heaven’ is epic and would translate well to the stage.
The album closer is a 10 minute ambient piece with vocals right at the end. The song is called ‘Holy Land’ and can only really be listed to with your eyes firmly shut, until you come out the other side.
Jenny will be supporting Perfume Genius across North America and with a London show on 10th June at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, this should turn out to be a wonderful pairing. Jenny also then has a series of dates across the UK in June.
Pete
8/11
Apocalypse, girl Tracklisting:
01. Kingsize
02. Take Care Of Yourself
03. That Battle Is Over
04. White Underground
05. Heaven
06. Why This_
07. Some Days
08. Sabbath
09. Angels and Anaemia
10. Holy Land
Jenny Hval Tour Dates;
June
10 - London, UK @ Royal Festival Hall w/ Perfume Genius
11 - Manchester, UK @ Gullivers
12 - Brighton, UK @ The Hope & The Ruin
13 - Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
14 - London, UK @ Cafe Oto
17 - Amsterdam, NL @ Muziekgebouw
18 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique
19 - Paris, FR @ Espace B
20 - Cologne, DE @ Stadtgarten w/ Circuit de Yeux
22 - Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain w/ Circuit de Yeux
23 - Hamburg, DE @ Kampnagel w/ Circuit de Yeux
24 - Copenhagen, DK @ Jazzhouse w/ Circuit de Yeux
- Album Reviews
Looking for a blissful album or a record just to chill to, well, you can relax and let the ‘Silkidrangar Sessions’ from Samaris sweep over you. A companion to last year’s debut, it contains re-worked tracks from that original,recorded live in session.
The idea for the ‘Sessions’ album became about, as singer Jófríður describes -“To try and capture the moments that happen live when we surprise each other and play around with our parts. I guess the main difference between ‘Silkidrangar’ and the ‘Sessions’ album lies within the rawness and improvisation that the sessions contain and the speediness with which they were recorded - we deliberately went into the studio with only a very loose idea of what we wanted to come out with.”
Recorded over two days in Reykjavík, the band invited contributions from local musicians who added tabla drums, cello, saxophone and modular synth to the record. “Before recording we'd play them the song once, loosely describe the arrangement and then hit record,” says Jófríður. “The unexpected element, the session player, who has never heard the song and has a completely different feel for it, added that extra thing it needed to make it fresh & unique. We allowed ourselves to play them for as long as needed so a song that used to be 3 minutes is perhaps now 7 or 8.”
Hailing from Iceland where artists always seem to have a distinctive sound, Samaris have really created a vast musical landscape on the sessions album, whist the ethereal sound is there as the base, the music veers to many different tangents which in turn, makes the album so interesting.
Samaris really could become quite a visionary band; we eagerly await the next instalment of their career.
Pete
9/11
Side One
01 Intro
02 Ég vildi fegin
03 Lífsins ólgudub
04 Þótt hann rigni
Side Two
05 Hrafninn
06 Brennur Slauga
07 Nótt (One for the Girls)
- Album Reviews
For those of you reading this who only know They Might Be Giants for their ubiquitous 90s single Birdhouse in Your Soul (myself included), what I’m going to tell you next may surprise you. Glean is TMBG’s 17th album ! Yes, 17… It is actually a compilation of the band’s 2015 Dial A Song project, which was originally a phone number and has turned into a streaming service offered to TMBG fans here.
The NYC based band is essentially John Flansburgh and John Linnell, and they have been churning out material since the early 80’s, including of late finding success in children’s music and theme tunes for several TV programmes. Boss of Me from Malcolm in the Middle is I guess the best known over here.
Glean doesn’t really depart from their quirky, alternative indie blueprint - and literally from the first 5 seconds of opener Erase, this could only really be TMBG, from the ridiculously familiar vocals, to the bouncy singalong style.
2nd track Good To Be Alive starts with a popcorn style intro, then into smooth acoustic guitars and synths with a mood as lovely as the title suggests.
The quirky, abstract lyrics are still a feature and endearing part of the bands DNA. On Underwater Woman, a song about a mermaid (I assume !) : “Brushing her hair, eating a pear, no-one can tell when she cries…..” Brilliant.
Anyone fancy a trip to the Music Jail ?? The 4th track offers a change in style, and I wasn’t sure whether to sit and listen to it, or get up and tango.
And so it goes on. The track titles get increasingly bizarre, such as “I Can Help The Next In Line”, “All The Lazy Boyfriends”, “Aaa” and “Let Me Tell You About My Operation”…..but the overall mood is good natured with a big broad smile on its face.
Penultimate track on this 15 song collection is Let Me Tell You About My Operation, and this time its ragtime, with thumping double bass and horns, before leading into closer and title track Glean which is again, a quirky unexpected step and this time an instrumental.
This is a collection of songs to put a smile on your face. Always upbeat whilst slightly off-beat, but don’t underestimate the skill of the song writing and the playing just because they’re having a good time.
Keith @kjsmith4082
8/11
