ALBUMs
- Album Reviews
This Man has soul even though he sings "Rock n Roll is Cold" on the first single lifted from a very fine second album. The band is tight, the harmonies sweet and the music, well, it has to be rock n' roll soul.
The deep soul groove opens the record with 'Take Care my Baby' and pace grooves along with ‘Holly Molly’ and ‘Circle around which the Sun’ taking the soulful vibe even deeper. This really should be a band from Philadelphia but the singer, guitarist and bandleader of this brilliant musical ensemble is Matthew E. White and he hails from Richmond, Virginia.
The album has a really in-depth soundscape, the tribute to Phillip Seymour-Hoffman 'Tranquility' even verges psychedelic. This is a late night record for that comfy chair, eyes closed moments or live, under a warm dark starry festival night sky.
The album was produced by Matthew and Spacebomb partner Trey Pollard and mixed by Pat Dillett
Fresh Blood will be available from 09 March via Domino Records on CD, vinyl and via digital download. There is also a special edition of the album, which is a double LP gatefold heavyweight vinyl containing a bonus LP titled Fresh Blood: No Skin – a full length mix of the entire album, minus strings/horns or choir which would be an interesting listen.
Pete
9/11
Track Listing
Take Care My Baby
Rock & Roll Is Cold
Fruit Trees
Holy Moly
Circle 'Round The Sun
Feeling Good Is Good Enough
Tranquility
Golden Robes
Vision
Love Is Deep
- Album Reviews
The return of Cold War Kids with a new album is always something to look forward to, not only because in Nathan Willett do they have one a front man with a unique voice but because the band are just such great musicians that you know much like any TV on the Radio or Interpol record, it is going to be quality.
‘Hold My Home’ is the band’s fifth studio record and it’s no grower, straight out of the box it’s on fire with the single ‘All This Could Be Yours’. Next up ‘First’ is classic Cold War Kids, those catchy hooks that just lodge the song into your brain.
The album was recorded over three months in Nashville and Los Angeles, and the band enlisted the help of Jacquire King whose previous credits include Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, and Modest Mouse in the producer's chair and this seems a match made in heaven.
Live shows and festival dates are hopefully on the horizon because these songs are built for the stage. In the meantime you will just have to bounce around the house or apartment. Question is will you have any energy left after the end of ‘Hotel Anywhere’ at the mid point of the record?
This is a brilliantly addictive and well paced record, penultimate song ‘Harold Bloom’ for example is a beautiful ballad and the album closer ‘Hear My Baby Call’ is soulful. Songs that demonstrate Nathan’s voice in it’s prime which, is precisely where this band is at, as a whole today.
Pete
9/11
All This Could Be Yours
First
Hot Coals
Drive Desperate
Hotel Anywhere
Go Quietly
Nights & Weekends
Hold My Home
Flower Drum Song
Harold Bloom
Hear My Baby Call
- Album Reviews
It may just help to come from a prog upbringing to fully appreciate to work and, work rate of Grammy-nominated writer, producer and Porcupine Tree & Blackfield mainstay Steven Wilson. The man 'to go to' for some quality remastering on old prog classics (his work includes Jethro Tull, Yes & King Crimson to name just three) has now released his forth solo album, the stunningly good 'Hand.Cannot.Erase' and is heading out on tour this month as well.
Follow up to 'The Raven That Refused to Sing' the new album raises the bar even further. To deliver a progressive Rock influenced album that sounds as fresh as this record does is no mean feat. Songs varying in length from two minutes to thirteen all knit together very nicely and with CD, Audiophile vinyl and Blu-ray versions of the release available, we are all covered sonically as well.
Don't get hung up on any progressive tags though, the record is inspired by the real-life story of Joyce Carol Vincent, who lay dead in her apartment for nearly three years before being discovered. It contains thoughtful song writing on its musical journey. There are plenty of changes in direction, style and pace, with a quality of musicianship that cannot be faulted.
This guy should be selling out Arenas, let's just be thankful that he is playing the larger theatres this time around.
Pete
10/11
1. First Regret
2. 3 Years Older
3. Hand Cannot Erase
4. Perfect Life
5. Routine
6. Home Invasion
7. Regret
8. Transience
9. Ancestral
10. Happy Returns
11. Ascendant Here On
- Album Reviews
LA based Mahalia Barnes (daughter of Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes) has teamed up with her band The Soul Mates to produce a sexy, sassy album of Betty Davis cover songs. The Soul Mates also feature a certain Joe Bonamassa on guitar, and he’s all over this album but while the usual blues have taken a backseat in favour of soul, funk and R&B, his signature guitar sound is still intact.
Betty Davis, once married to Miles Davis in the late 60’s, was regarded as something of a genre buster in her day, releasing several albums that defined description, although Barnes herself describes her as "wild, free, nasty, far, funky, intense, powerful and sexy”. A great description of this album.
Two things jumps out of the speakers for me. One is the production (from Kevin Shirley). The clarity of production, along what is clearly a phenomenally talented band makes this a wonderful listening experience whether on headphones or over the stereo, and the other is the power of Barnes’ voice. On song 7 of this 12 song set, she belts out that “I ain’t nothing but a nasty gal”……I”m not going to argue.
Opening track If I’m Lucky I Might Get Picked Up sets the trend with its stomping beat and sassy theme. The rest of the album continues in this passionate, defiant mood and anyone threatening to get in her way had better make room.
Give this album a go, even if R&B, Soul or Funk aren’t usually your thing, and take the time to appreciate the level of performance on show.
Keith @keithsmith4082
9/11
- Album Reviews
A stunning EP from Shield Patterns. Much along the lines of Kate Bush fronting Sigur ros opening song 'Splinter is seven minutes of enchantment.
Shield Patterns are a Manchester-based duo of Claire Brentnall and Richard Knox whose debut album ‘Contour Lines’ was released in June 2014 via Gizeh Records. The Violet EP is the follow up to that album and is released on the 9th March on the same label.
The second song on the EP finds us more in a Bjork dub field on ‘Silver’, which is mesmerising over the next six minutes. Fragile vocals so delicate on 'Age of Ice' that you fear for singer Claire Brentnall coming out the other side of the song. Clear and beautiful piano just adds understated beauty to the song.
The final track ‘Monument has an experimental almost ambient backdrop that makes this a very varied EP. If you like the EP the next step is to check out their album Contour Lines’
Pete
9/11
Violet is out on March 9th and pre-orders are now open for the limited edition, letter-pressed CD. A first edition of 500 copies will be hand-numbered by the band via Gizeh Records
- Album Reviews
For a band that play over 120 dates a year, it’s a wonder they have time to make a new album let alone one that lasts close to 60 minutes of soulful rock n' roll.
‘Ol Glory’ contains 12 new songs which feature a deep, soulful blend of blues, rock, folk, funk, gospel & Motown R&B. There are even some songs like the title track which is over seven minutes long that contain all those styles of music in just one song!
The material we are told represents sentiments portrayed on the entire JJ Grey & Mofro catalogue, "a strong sense of place, and finding happiness with where you are in life". Well, we are pretty happy listening to this record, I musy say.
Ol' Glory was recorded at Retrophonics Studio in Saint Augustine, FL, with the band Anthony Cole (drums and percussion), Andrew Trube (guitar), Anthony Farrell (piano/organ), Todd Smallie (bass) and Dennis Marion (trumpet) and Jeff Dazey (saxophone). Special guests include Luther Dickinson on dobro and electric slide guitar and Derek Trucks guesting on electric slide guitar.
This band are certainly carrying the torch very finely for those greats like the Allmans and The Grateful Dead in both musical ability and work ethic. There is a fair bit of The Black Crowes in the sound of JJ Grey & Mofro for those those who don't come from the seventies. In their own right though, the band provide consistently great music with quality musicians in one the tastiest and tightest sounding bands around.
This ain’t no indie, this some of finest rock driven soulful grooves around. Euro tour dates are below for a quality night out!
Pete
9/11
March Euro Tour
18 Islington Academy - London,
19 New Morning - Paris,
20 Kaufleuten Zurich - Zurich
21 Technik Museum - Munich,
23 Batschkapp - Frankfurt
24 Kesselhaus - Berlin
25 Bluestage - Nuremberg
26 Rockpalast Crossroads Festival - Bonn,
27 Paradiso Main Hall - Amsterdam
28 Paard van Troje (Main Hall) - Den Haag
- Album Reviews
Windfall may be Texan Joe Pug’s 3rd album, but probably the first to get any sort of attention in the UK due to being the first to be released on the wonderful Loose Music label. Is this label capable of making a duff signing?
The album nearly didn’t happen, as apparently after 4 years of intense touring, Joe hit the bottle big time and almost quit the industry completely. Thankfully, something inside spoke to him, and he sobered up and decided he needed to get back to the essentials of music again.
Essentially a mid paced acoustic album, it also benefits from sparely used piano and orchestration here and there, over Joe’s distinctive drawl.
The 10 songs kick off appropriately with ‘Bright Beginnings’, a lovely guitar picked opener, although the song sentiments don’t match the title.
The first half of the album continues this theme, with each song lyrically dense and describing a story and/or sentiment. It takes until ‘Burn and Shine’ to up the tempo and feel like a full band song.
This is by no means a criticism, and in fact for me its a relief to get to next track, and my album highlight the gorgeous pedal steel flavored ‘O My Chesapeake’. Vocals duties are shared with a female voice to lovely effect.
‘If I Still Can’t be Found’ closes the album, with its lovely subtle backing and chorus.
Hopefully, this release will kick on Joe’s career and expose him to a UK audience in the same style Ryan Adams’ did all those years ago now, and I hope he makes it over to play some shows this year.
Keith @kjsmith4082
8/11
SIDE A
1. Bright Beginnings (3.34)
2. Veteran Fighter (3.36)
3. Stay And Dance (3.31)
4. The Measure (3.17)
5. Great Hosannas (4.07)
SIDE B
6. Burn And Shine (3.33)
7. O My Chesapeake (5.09)
8. Windfallen (3.07)
9. Pair Of Shadows (3.09)
10. If Still It Can’t Be Found (4.49)
Windfall will be released on 9th March 2015 on Loose Music
- Album Reviews
It seems ages since this band was known as Rachel Unthank & the Winterset. Since 2009 the band have been The Unthanks and sisters Rachel and Becky and the rest of the band just grow musically stronger with each record.
Like a good malt whisky, the taste does change depending on where and when you are drinking it. A Sunday afternoon for ‘Mount the Air’ is just perfect.
Eleven songs, beautiful voices and harmonies sung so sweetly it’s enough to make you melt during the ten minutes of the opening and title song with it's lovely instrumentation, brass and strings abound.
The songs on this record are beautiful and there is no shying away from letting every one of them flow to a natural conclusion. ‘Foundling’ is also a ten-minute epic, this time with a cinematic widescreen undertow.
Two years in the making and recorded in their “own makeshift studio” in Northumberland, this is the first Unthanks record to feature writing from all 5 core members of the band and this really does show in the depth of the songs.
Ingrained in the folk world this record should bring the band to the attention of a wider audience with no risk of loosing any of their loyal fanbase. Already Mercury nominated Geordies; ‘Mount the Air’ should take them to the top of the pile this year.
Songs of Love and death as you would expect. Stories abound from the speakers that keep the listener entranced over a fair few cuppas!
Pete
10/11
Website to check out those tour dates is HERE
- Album Reviews
Myths and Heroes follows the trend of recent (the word recent is relative as we are in Fairport Convention's 48th year) Fairport albums as it contains a mix of Chris Leslie composed tunes, a couple of instrumentals and tunes begged, borrowed and stolen from friends and contemporaries. There's no re-interpretation of the classic back catalogue, perhaps 2012 fan -request album 'By Popular Request' got all those out of the system.
Opening with an Eddie Cochran-style rockabilly riff is the title track, a lively track about people believing in things which aren't what they seem : the founding of Rome myth ; constellations ; shooting stars, etc. 'Clear Water' by frequent collaborator Ralph McTell uses the metaphor of the sea voyage a boat crossing the rough and stormy waters before sailing onto a steady and calm future to represent the history, present and future of Fairport themselves.
First of the instrumentals is 'The Fylde Mountain Time / Roger Bucknall's Polka' which was written by Chris and bass player Dave Pegg as two separate bouzouki tunes co-incidentally both about Roger who is the maker of both of their instruments. 'The Gallivant' written by main fiddle player Ric Sanders as a follow up to 'Danny Jack's Reward' on 'The Festival Bell' is another instrumental, heavy on mandolin and fiddle and featuring for possibly the first time a horn section provided by Joe Broughton's Conservatoire Folk Ensemble who played at 2014's Fairport's Cropredy Convention festival.
Two songs from semi regular contributors/friends, 'Bring Me Back My Feathers' by Anna Ryder a banjo-led track featuring Chris on lead vocals which stared life about a parrot, but now features lost loves, lost tears and lost footsteps. 'Home' from PJ Wright about being content in one's place “This is home, and here I'll stay” with trepidation of the future, which is beautifully sung by Simon Nicol.
Best of all is 'John Condon'; a young recruit from Ireland is sent to fight in Flanders during The Great War, “Wee lad who'll not grow old - Heroes who don't come home. Here they lie in Belgian fields and Picardy”, Simon's rich baritone and beautiful acoustic guitar playing perfectly accompanied by Chris on chromatic harmonica; you can almost see that young Irishman standing alone in a trench playing the harmonica himself.
It might go too far to describe Fairport Convention as heroes to younger generations of folk musicians, but it's no myth that in the 18th year of the current line-up 'Myths and Heroes' is one of their best albums.
Alisdair Whyte
9/11
- Album Reviews
The Twerps are certainly not what it says on the tin, unless in Australia 'Twerps' means something different?. Formed in Melbourne in late 2008 the band have toured consistently to where they have now reached the point of following up their 2011 self-titled debut album with 2015’s ‘Range Anxiety’
This is a fine record that after just a few plays grows and grows into an album that just stays in your mind so much that you find yourself humming the tunes when not even listening to to record! Much like Big Star jamming with Sonic Youth and The Shins the songs on Range Anxiety are instantly re-playable.
It is a magic sound that they have captured. There are the guest appearances on the record but it’s the base of the band that brings the songs to the table. Marty Frawley - Guitar/Vocals, Jules McFarlane - Guitar/Vocals, Alex Macfarlane - Drums/Vocals and Gus Lord – Bass.
As singer-guitarist Julia McFarlane explains, "The title Range Anxiety is both descriptive and comic. The album at times feels like it was built on uncertainties; some purely practical and some emotional obstacles were present around the start of writing." Twerps are a very collaborative band, with most songs being written in rehearsal rooms. "Obviously, we write the lyrics separately, but the band is best when everyone is being creative,"
Once the sun is out this spring, it’s going to be hard to get this record off the car cd player or, the turntable at home as you bounce around the room to an album full of life.
The record is out now via Merge Records and the band are on a massive tour including SXSW. UK dates are below. Do not miss this band!!
Pete
9/11
1. House Keys
2. I Don't Mind
3. Back to You
4. Stranger
5. New Moves
6. White as Snow
7. Shoulders
8. Simple Feelings
9. Adrenaline
10. Fern Murderers
11. Cheap Education
12. Love at First Sight
13. Empty Road
UK Dates
May 15 Brighton, UK – The Great Escape
May 16 Bristol, UK – Start the Bus
May 17 Manchester, UK – The Eagle
May 18 London, UK – Shacklewell Arms
Full OZ U.S and Euro Dates Here
- Album Reviews
UnEvolution is the new album from Alt-Rock outfit Never A Hero. This hybrid band has finally settled on their latest line up and is looking to make a statement with this 12 track rocker. The style is somewhere between Pendulum and Stone Sour and for the majority the tracks play well as stand-alone singles with It’s The Way, The Idiots Are Winning & The Crow That Follows You Home being the winners for me on a strong album.
There may be a little indulgent orchestration in places and the track to track flow is a little staccato but on the whole it’s a good album for those of you looking for new bands.
Looks like the band will be touring the album during Feb, along with the excellent Us Amongst The Rest, so an opportunity for those inclined to see if the future is bright.
7/11
Iain @docswallow
Track Listing:
1. A Thousand Days Wasted
2. Mr Munchausen
3. Nightboy
4. Not Too Cool To Dance
5. It’s The Way
6. The Crow That Follows You Home
7. God Is Complex
8. Kramer
9. Falling Up
10. The Idiots Are Winning
11. Succubus
12. Time To Crucify
- Album Reviews
Ratworld is the debut album from Leeds based, 5 piece fuzzed-up pop noise-makers Menace Beach; core Menace Beachers Ryan Needham and Liz Violet are assisted by members of fellow Leeds band Hookworms, including Matthew “MJ” Johnson who produced the album.
First track 'Come On Give Up' takes 30 seconds for the first squeal of feedback and by the time you've heard the bass rumble and falsetto vocals of the chorus kick in they've got you hooked.
Early 90's grunge influences are everywhere: My Bloody Valentine's chiming drone guitars on 'Elastic' and notably 'Dig It Up'; early Nirvana in the title track and 'Infinite Donut' and Pixies stuff all over the place.
'Lowtalkin' ' is a two minute punky thrash , with the backing vocals screaming the title through the first minute which then turns into a Dinosaur Jr. style instrumental for the second half of the track.
Single 'Taste Likes Medicine ' starts with dreamy vocals, then speeds along before crashing into the chorus, which you'll still be singing long after you've first heard it.
Last track 'Fortune Teller' cleverly mixes grungy 90s ringing guitars into vocals from The Beatles in their dreamy acid daze.
If you like your early 90's pop-grunge; fuzzy guitars with sing-along melodies brought into 2015 check out Menace Beach, you'll not be disappointed.
On tour with The Cribs during March.
Alisdair Whyte
7/11
