ALBUMs
- Album Reviews
Rivals, Hounds & Rebel Sisters is the Blackburn quartet Sky Valley Mistress 2nd EP release and although the title may be as long as the tracks on it, it’s all about the quality rather than the quantity.
Kayley Davies’ lyrics and delivery may have a certain sense of menace and aggression (as recently witnessed live) but the spirit of the release is 70’s rock behemoths, especially Black Sabbath.
Wishbone has the classic Tony Iommi riffing throughout and impresses hugely considering these are a bunch of late-teenagers.
Smoke Fairy is a more swaggering slab of classic rock over which Davies spits and snarls in that classic rock chick style.
This is a hugely talented band, musically and stylistically, and this is a release that leaves the listener wanting more. A sure sign of greater things to come.
7/11
Keith
@kjsmith4082
- Album Reviews
I first came across Darren Hayman as part of John Peel favourites Hefner back in the late 1990's (check out The Best of Hefner 1996-2002 for examples of their clever, catchy pop tunes), briefly caught him again as a member of The French in 2003 and then lost contact; so I was interested to find Chants for Socialists and that Darren had regularly released albums in the intervening years.
This album is named after a pamphlet of lyrics published in 1885 by William Morris the Victorian textile designer, poet and social activist, a facsimile of which Hayman found whilst wondering around the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow. Hayman has altered and truncated Morris' words but attempted to remain true to his thoughts and sentiments according to the notes in the record's booklet.
The album opens with an unaccompanied male choir singing the anti-war song 'Awake London Lads'. The gentle poppy 'May Day 1894' provides a contrast with a lovely, bright Summery guitar.
A mahogany-cased piano built in 1800, which is part of the furniture collection at Morris' Gloucestershire home Kelmscott Manor features on 'The March of the Workers'. In fact the album was part recorded at three of Morris' homes and the sleeve of the vinyl version was printed at the press at Kelmscott House in Hammersmith.
'Down Among the Dead Men' features military style drumming with keys, brass and raises a glass to the fallen and to a brighter future, “ Drink we the unforgotten dead, That did our deeds and slipped away, Before the bright sun brought the day.” with a memorable, affecting chorus of the title sung by a choir.
Hayman readily acknowledges that the lyrics in many of the songs such as 'All For the Cause', 'The Voice of Toil' and 'No Master High or Low' come from a different time to ours and the sentiments presented are perhaps too simplistic for our own complicated times, but this succeeds as a intriguing, collaborative project bringing the words, sentiments and locations of Victorian William Morris' times into 2015.
Alisdair Whyte
8/11
- Album Reviews
Celebrating 25 years since the release of their award winning debut album Taking on the World legendary Scottish rockers GUN return with a stunningly mature and powerful album Frantic. Possibly forever associated with the outstanding 90’s cover of Cameo’s Word Up by those not aware of their body of work, this new album is a celebration of the evolving work that runs through their albums to ensure they are always contemporary and relevant.
Always known for their well written, hook laden tracks, the vocals of the fantastically moniker’d Dante Gizzi delivers a joyous 10 track rock fest. Although not the original vocal line up this is unequivocally a GUN album through and through, with ever present guitarist, and brother to Dante, Jools Gizzi refining every track with warm powerful riffs.
The spiritual opening of the album, Let it Shine, clearly alludes to the bands emergence from their hiatus and demands that historic fans will be dusting off tour shirts and new fans will be won. Recent single Labour of Life defines the album standard with a massively radio friendly clap/chant beat. There is genuinely not a poor track to be heard here and, for me, Seraphina is the stand out track showcasing all their strutting talent. This album will no doubt become a classic on a par with both heyday albums Gallus and Swagger.
There is a special edition offering of the CD with a live bonus disc covering a classic 10 track set recorded at Glasgow’s iconic King Tuts Wah Wah Hut.
There is also opportunity to see GUN in full flow on a select UK tour to celebrate the release which closes at a hometown gig at Glasgow’s Barrowlands.
11/11
Iain
@docswallow
Track Listing:
- Let It Shine
- Labour Of Life
- Beautiful Smile
- One Wrong Turn
- Our Time
- Frantic
- Hold Your Head Up
- Big City
- Seraphina
- Never Knew What I Had
March Tour Dates:
23rd - Newcastle O2 Academy2
24th – London Underworld
25th – Wolverhampton Slade Rooms
26th – Nottingham Rock City
27th – Manchester Academy3
28th – Glasgow Barrowlands
- Album Reviews
A perfect band for Liverpool's Psychedelic Festival, (they played there in 2013) The Lucid Dream’s self-titled 2nd album is a stormer!
Prepare yourself for a head spinning onslaught when the album gets a general release on 30th March. This is a Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo type blast of sonic sound. You could actually go the extra mile and fill your lounge with dry ice and coloured lights to gain the full effect!
The band were formed in Carlisle in 2008 and throughout 2010-2013 they released a string of sold-out 7”s, an EP and a debut album, ‘Songs Of Lies and Deceit’.
The Lucid Dream have since been earning their spurs on the road having completed four European tours, and various festival appearances.
The new album kick-offs with a seven minute instrumental ‘Mona Lisa’ which well and truly sets the widescreen scene of sound to come. ‘Cold Killer’ is another epic that leave the head spinning. ‘Morning Breeze’ delivers a feedback maelstrom yet the album closes with ‘You + I’, a nod to early 60s pop and a prime example of the change of pace and style of the album.
This is a band to keep an eye on!
Pete
9/11
CD/Digital via Holy Are You? Recordings
Coloured vinyl via The Great Pop Supplement
- Album Reviews
I just wonder if it is possible for Nick Hemming to write an under-par song? On the evidence of The Leisure Society's fourth album, 'The Fine Art of Hanging On' that seems doubtful. Perhaps when the band releases their 20 year celebration box set with some studio outtakes sometime in the distant future, we will find out the answer to that question.
For now rest assured, this is a supremely fine record with classic Leisure Society tunes, harmonies and storytelling that will keep as warm as wrapping yourself in that handmade quilt to ebb out the last days of winter.
The title track which starts the album leaves you with a beaming smile, 'Nothing Like This' has a lounge jazz vibe and 'Tall Black Cabins' a haunting ballad, all highlight the variety and intrigue we have come to expect from a Leisure Society record. This time around we get all that in the first three songs.
It's well documented that the album was written against the backdrop of one of Nick's friend's battling cancer and a more life affirming album you could not wish for. The overall style of the record is typical Leisure Society but there is nothing wrong with that, this band has carved a niche for themselves much like say Belle & Sebastian, both are recognised for a style of music and deliver every time with a real passion for their craft.
The closing and eleventh track on the record, ‘As the Shadows Form’ is a song explicitly about death – intentionally sequenced as a poignant and literal ending - “a full stop” - as Nick describes it. Elsewhere, the ‘hanging on’ theme explores the plight of single boat fishermen.
“I took a visit to Hastings and I noticed several tall black cabins, which inspired the song of the same name. These structures are used by local fisherman for drying their nets. Theirs is a small and shrinking industry, but they have a passion for their trade and keep it going, even though it’s not always financially viable. We recorded the album onto analogue tape at Konk studios and mastered it at Abbey Road Studios. We wanted to make the best record we could, so despite the expense we crafted it in this way - not for money, but for the love of making it.”
'The Fine Art of Hanging On' can mean many things but in terms of song writing and musical performance, this album shows that The Leisure Society are doing anything but that!
Pete
10/11
1. The Fine Art Of Hanging On
2. Nothing Like This
3. Tall Black Cabins
4. The Undefeated Ego
5. Outside In
6. I'm A Setting Sun
7. You Are What You Take
8. You'll Never Know When It Breaks
9. All Is Now
10. Wide Eyes At Villains
11. As The Shadows Form
The Fine Art Of Hanging On is released on 13th April via Full Time Hobby
There will be UK live dates in April as well;
Mon 13 UK, Bristol, Colston Hall Lantern
Tue 14 Oxford, Oxford O2 Academy 2
Wed 15 London, Islington Assembly Hall
Thu 16 Cambridge, Junction 2
Fri 17 Birmingham, Rainbow
Sat 18 UK, Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
Mon 20 Manchester, Deaf Institute
Wed 22 Glasgow, Oran Mor
Thu 23 Newcastle, The Cluny
Fri 24 Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Sat 25 Norwich, Arts Centre
Mon 27 Brighton, Komedia
- Album Reviews
A sweet EP from the trio known as North Atlantic Oscillation, a band that should be as well-known as Steven Wilson in modern day progressive rock circles indeed, the EP includes a Steven Wilson remix of ‘Wires’ from last year’s album ‘The Third Day’.
Due for release on 16th March vai Kscope the EP includes the striking and previously unreleased track ‘Glare’ from ‘The Third Day’ recording sessions, a Leonard Cohen cover of ‘Sisters of Mercy’ and an alternative mix of ‘Penrose’.
The EP is just a taster, The Third Day is well recommended as are the band's tour dates below;
North Atlantic Oscillation UK dates
17/03 – UK, Manchester Soup Kitchen
18/03 – UK, London – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
19/03 – UK, Birmingham – Alfie Birds @ The Custard Factory
21/03 – UK, Newcastle – The Cluny
22/03 – UK, Glasgow, Broadcast
- Album Reviews
You can take the guitarist out of Wooden Shjips, but you can’t take Wooden Shjips out of the guitarist….
San Francisco’s Ripley Johnson from the aforementioned Wooden Shjips, along with Sanae Yamada, trade as Moon Duo and release their third long player Shadow of the Sun. Similarities with WS back catalogue are inevitable, however there are some subtle differences too.
What is constant is the droning and somewhat hypnotic repetitive nature of the tracks, however where WS are somewhat single minded in this approach, Moon Duo shed some lightness in on the dark, and even indulge in the occasional chorus.
Opener Wilding could have been lifted from WS’s last album Back to land, all fuzzy guitars, pounding psychedelic beat and keyboards, but the production is somewhat clearer and gives the overall impression of an upbeat mood.
Second track Night Beat continues in the same wonderful vein with the same repeating beat and structure almost hypnotising in its nature. 6 minutes doesn’t feel long enough for this track.
First surprise on the album come from In A Cloud, which is as light and fluffy as the name suggests and almost gives a welcome change of pace and mood to the album. Gorgeous.
The second surprise for me come with penultimate track Ice, which I could almost imagine baring out of some club in Torremolinos this summer…
The nine track album is wrapped up by urgent new single Animal, the shortest track on the album at just 2 minutes.
So this is an album that may polarise, if you a fan already of Wooden Shjips, what’s not to love, however if you prefer the more straightforward song structure of verse chorus verse, this may disappoint. For this reviewer, another essential album of the year.
Keith @keithsmith4082
10/11
Shadow of the Sun is out now via Sacred Bones
- Album Reviews
Like a lot of the best things in life, the idea for this EP came in a dream - to make a song with a boss nova beat, and call it Caramel. The dream was expanded into a story, which flows through the tracks and tells the story of Caramel - a sweet tempered girl with a heart of gold and looks that could kill. From her introduction in 'Caramel' she seems to get in trouble with the law in the 70s film noir-tinged 'Bamboo'. By third track 'Bodhi Tree' she's seen the error of her ways and had a spiritual enlightening.
Musically the songs are a blend of Todd Terje and The Scissor Sisters, with a touch of Sophie-Ellis Bextor thrown in for glamour. And while it's not necessarily the most original thing you'll hear this week it should put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. The Acid Washed Remix of the title track is particularly good.
7/10
Go Satta is available via Emerald & Doreen Records
- Album Reviews
Seeming Emptiness is the brainchild of German solo artist Kevin Mockel, and in his own words the idea was to interpret thoughts and feelings directly into music.
The completely instrumental album is just over 51 minutes long, and contains 6 tracks, each of which convey their own stories and emotions, although the overall theme is melancholic and thoughtful.
Blending metal, post rock and even prog rock, this should appeal to fans of Mogwai, Dream Theatre (without vocals) and even early Anathema.
The relatively short 3 minute opener Nothing kicks off the album, building from chiming guitars and into a reflective gentle opening piece.
This leads into the 6 minute Apparently Forlorn, and the tempo is lifted with overlaid guitars with metal riffing over a synth backdrop. Exhilarating stuff - who needs lyrics ?
Things take a proggier turn for next track Conversion, all 12 and a half minutes of it. Many twists and turns, changing directions and tempos and taking a listener onto a sonic journey into the unknown.
Wavebreaker is a more straightforward rock track, with swelling guitars and pounding drums, but the level of musicianship and production makes it all the more impressive that it’s the work of 1 man.
Whether it’s considered as ambient, prog rock, post rock, doom rock it really doesn’t matter, and after a couple of tracks, you won’t even notice the absence of lyrics. If you have the patience to let this album into your life, you certainly won’t regret it.
Keith @kjsmith4082
9/11
Seeming Emptiness – Conversion is out now via Fluttery Records
- Album Reviews
Hands up who likes feedback, screaming guitars, wah wah pedals, massive drumming, rasping vocals buried in the mix…..? No ? Then look away now.
Dundee’s The Shithawks (surely the best band name around at the moment ?) release new EP Gimme 5, containing, you guessed it, 5 new scuzzy, raw and chaotic tracks.
Probably best described as a punk band, they definitely have some Motorhead influences in their back pocket, especially on track Big Mike, and I’m guessing the same eardrum splitting live shows.
Straight Up, Straight Down even has a false start to the track - deliberate or not, it adds to the shambolic, ramshackle approach.
So, not a band to put on the stereo when the Vicar pops round to visit, but after a few plays, I’m looking forward to a live date in a sweaty back room of a pub somewhere.
Keith @kjsmith4082
7/11
- Album Reviews
A big month for One Little Indian Records with the release of Bjork’s ‘Vulnicura.and on the 30th March from across the Atlantic arrives Jesse Malin’s ‘New York Before The War’ and the guy is back with a classic.
This album is the follow up to 2010's ‘Love It to Life’ and on listening to the sweet opener, the piano led ‘The Dreamers', a ballad that has you thinking Jesse has taken a big change of direction, second song ‘Addiction’ puts the guy back in the guitar driving seat with a sweet toe tapper and you know that this record is going to be interesting.
Jesse’s ambitions for New York Before the War, were high: "I wanted to make a record that encompassed everything I've done, and I wanted to challenge myself sonically and rhythmically. I also wanted to create a soundtrack to battle these apathetic times."
This is a record that really counts and one that will be on the car stereo all summer long. ‘Turns Up the Mains and ‘Oh Sheena’ are pure street fighter rockers!
Jesse had forty songs to choose from for the record and the final seeds of the chosen songs were first planted when arriving home from tour. Jesse looked out of his apartment window to see "The War" painted on the side of an old building. "I tried to carve out a place where I could once again exist and sat down and wrote the rest of this record."
She's So Dangerous, a guitar ballad about disintegrating relationships and one last grab at happiness whatever the consequences is a song that works a charm. There are also plenty of guests helping out on the record, epic closer ‘Bar Life’ features Craig Finn, ‘Freeway’ has the MC5's Wayne Kramer on board and the aforementioned ‘Turn Up the Mains’ features Alejandro Escovedo. Peter Buck contributes guitar to ‘I Would Do It For You’.
So many of Jesse’s piers seen more than happy to help out, Why his man’s career has not jetted off into the big venue stratosphere remains a mystery.
Sessions for the album began in rural Virginia, before moving on to New York, finishing up at the Magic Shop in Soho. The band contained Derek Cruz, Catherine Popper, Randy Schrager and Paul Garisto.
Jesse Malin is a survivor and his music has a story to tell. Listen up!
Pete
10/11
- Album Reviews
Sheffield two piece Nai Harvest continue the current Yorkshire trend for scuzzy punk influenced indie rock alongside Eagulls and Menace Beach.
Second long player Hairball builds on their debut Whatever, but adds some muscle and meat to the bones to create this melodic, hook riddled trip through these ten tracks.
Despite being only two members, guitarist and vocalist Ben Thompson (22) and drummer Lew Currie (24) and in a similar vein to rock darlings Royal Blood, they create a wall of sound that belies their age and numbers. Best friends Ben Thompson on guitars and vocals and Lew Currie on drums have put in the hard yards touring relentlessly, and I’m sure hoping for a little luck that Royal Blood have enjoyed recently.
There’s no reason why Hairball should not bring more recognition to Nai Harvest as it’s an intelligent mix of power, scuzz with harmonies and hooks.
Melanie and Buttercups are fine examples of this, proper grown up sing along rock songs you want to play over again, while closing and title track Hairball finishes the album with power to an adrenaline rushed conclusion.
It’s fabulous stuff, and you should be able to catch the live act at a town near you in 2015 as their relentless touring schedule continues.
Keith @keithsmith4082
9/11
'Hairball' out 28 April via @topshelfrecords