Earlier on this year I successfully submitted some reviews to 'Sandman', a then online-only publication after being a free printed one had proved increasingly unworkable. Just as I hit my stride, they folded completely. Serves me right for not trying harder to get published by them 4 years previously. However, let's not go there as that was the year I lived in 'fucking' Leeds and was lucky to get out alive.
So for what it's worth, here they are - and in most cases, the only thing worse than the writing itself is the music being reviewed!
Goonies Never Say Die
In A Forest Without Trees
Opening with an atmospheric intro track, Blackpool's Goonies Never Say Die would seem well-qualified to delve within the realms of desolation, being from a town which, during the summer months may well bustle with summery life, but in the more wintery months seems to embody an unavoidable sense of bleakness. In addition to this, they must be one of few seaside based bands indebted to the post-rock aesthetic, particularly art-rock kingins such as Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky and 65daysofstatic. It's a blueprint whihc suits their suroundings well, and 'This One Took Forever' is a majestic soundscape in which evocactive synths and restrained, yet comforting basslines are merged together with cinematic chord seqences and pulstaing rhythms to form a wash of epic, tearful melancholia.
Elsewhere on the album, heart-tugging piano motifs lend weight to a poignant wall of sound which all in all wouldn't sound out-of place on Mogwai's 'Rock Action' label, whilst suggesting that vocals would add nothing to the palette which hasn't been expressed already by the rich layers of instrumentation on offer. As most tracks hit the 6-minute mark, they are given room to breathe to the point where every component is displayed and allowed the chance to shine, whilst the influence of barren, stark early Cure rears it's head on several occasions. On the downside, over 10 tracks, their general manifesto does become rather samey, and the loud-quiet dynamics of their sound are exploited to the point of impotence, which means there is never enough to let the band stand outside from a pretty generic post-rock standpoint, and ultimately contains nothing their heroes haven't surpassed. Without a unique selling point, Errors they are not.
The Hidden Revolution
Manchester Ruby Lounge
Space-rock Rochdale quartet The Hidden Revolution are on the up, and today marks the launch party and release of debut double 'A' side single 'Nightmares / Conscience'. There's a self-assured sense of prog-cinerama, and the (suspiciously uncited) Muse comparisons will doubtlessly rear their head with great regularity, yet despite their ambitious stadium-rock aesthetic, there's something frustratingly transparent and derivative about the loud-quiet dynamics, mid-tempos, gargantuan choruses and droning, chugging riffs that comprise much of their set. Singer Chris Wise is gifted with a versatile pair of lungs more than capable of a convincing Matt Bellamy falsetto, whilst his QOTSA (an influence I don't hear) / Led Zep-loving bandmates are equally proficient.
However, when they employ vaguely experimental drum loops underneath the layers of hyperbole, it all starts to resemble a bottom-of-the-food-chain 'Planet Telex', whilst the more urgent 'Conscience' is non-negotiable Muse-by-numbers. Having played a series of increasingly high-profile gigs, THR may yet both develop and bestride the towering platforms their music obviously aspires to, but in an industry growing increasingly sceptical towards generic guitar bands, perhaps being fleetingly reminiscent of Spacehog is a terminal Achilles' Heel. There's no doubting their talents, and welcome, Floyd-esque ambience is apparent in their more reflective moments, particularly during the memorable 'Nightmares' but they would do well to both expand their musical palette and explore the benefits of subtlety more regularly. As their set comes to a close to the ecstatic approval of the Ruby Lounge crowd, this writer elopes quickly having witnessed something decidedly non-revolutionary.
The Unstoppable Team
Get Back
Shades of long-forgotten Manchester rap-rock stalwarts the Dust Junkys come to the fore in this debut single from a band whose employment of an MC arouses interest. 'Get Back' is a perky number built around a determined funk element and an assured chorus. It's no masterpiece, but the band's confident gang-mentality is apparent throughout, and a liberating middle-8 is symptomatic of a promising songwriting ability. Typically Mancunian in it's self-belief, it suffers from a handful of ghetto-friendly lyrical cliches (one reviewer cited Plan B, not without reason), but it garners points for it's potential to rouse, and it's anthemic, soaring guitars. By all accounts responsible for some semi-infamous live performances, they're not the artiest proposition the city has ever offered up, but an energetic, animated one nonetheless.
EDIT: That was a bloody awful track really - I was just trying to spread the love. All 2 milligrams of it.
The one thing I submitted in 2006 is also on there, but I can't actually bear to read it, so scroll down now, if you absolutely must. This is 2006, remember.
InFlightMovie
@ Mixing Tin, Leeds
Formed in 2005 through Leeds College of Music, In Flight Movie appropriate an experimental yet accessible soundscape, assisted in no small part by keyboardist Richard's melancholic synths and subtle introductory drum loops- complimenting the chugging guitars, exhilarating drums and colossal choruses to a great degree. Note-perfect harmonies and usually unintrusive, gliding riffs conjure up a modern, clean take on indie pop, a world away from the yobbish indie rock of Kaiser Chiefs or Arctic Monkeys, but reminiscent of Keane during 'On Your Own', and if we're sticking with lazy comparisons, the now familiar pounding disco-rock beats of Bloc Party et al.
The sound particularly comes into it's own during the second song tonight 'Cassbah', which is held together by an addictive Grandaddy-esque sweet piano motif, allowing space for the odd raucous clattering passage of the chorus and swirling guitar patterns. It's progressive in a necessary way, creating a gangway for all five members to show off their individual styles. A couple of mid-set ballads sag a little, including the aforementioned overlong 'On Your Own', but InFlightMovie excel when they pump up the rhythms towards the end with the urgent 'Fracture' and the digitally enhanced tight melodic pop of 'Tell Me When' - tonight's most radio friendly track. In a playing field often riddled with indie-rock clones, bonus points to InFlightMovie for at least attempting to hint at what accessible alternative pop should sound like in 2006- futuristic and clean, with a swirling poignancy at it's core. A little less bluster (particularly in the guitar department) and more high octane ambience, alongside a tad less self indulgency in running time, and In Flight Movie are a mouth watering proposition.
EDIT: What was I thinking? I didn't even like them! Only joking.
So there you have it. I really need to get my 26 year old reception-dwelling, navel gazing, over-masturbatory arse in gear I think!
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
GWENDOLINE SPITROAST IN ACTIVITY SHOCKER
BLUR
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS ARENA
Friday June 26 2009
After a series of intimate gigs chosen for the nostalgic weight of their locations, Blur make the step-up to the MEN Arena tonight, prior to heading off to Glastonbury and London. After a prematurely-dated Klaxons set bereft of any new material whatsoever, the four-piece begin their show as they began their career back in 1990, with the dreamy if naïve ‘She’s So High’, an unremarkable baggy homage which betrayed little of the invention to come over the next decade. Instantly following with ‘Girls and Boys’, the track which arguably kicked the Britpop movement into fifth gear, it’s a hits-heavy set, with scant room for obscurity - although the devastating ‘Trimm Trabb’ and immensely funky ‘Oily Water’ (part of three consecutive choices from the underrated ’Modern Life Is Rubbish’) are amongst the less well-known highlights. It’s a pretty conservative yet effective setlist, with many tracks grouped together according to their particular era, and more single-led than the recent compilation would have us believe. Predictably, the crowd reserve their most ecstatic levels of enthusiasm for yob-rock staples such as the hollow ‘Country House’ (preceded by a rather ambiguous observation/analogy on the death of Michael Jackson) and a breakneck run through ‘Parklife’ with special guest Phil Daniels intact but, other than an overlong rendition of the arguably plodding ‘Tender’, it’s a tight, thrilling show, and a constant goosebump-inducing moment to gaze down onto the stage and see Graham Coxon finally completing the jigsaw once again, adding spine-tingling melancholia to a previously Coxon-free ‘Out of Time’ or roly-polying through ‘Popscene’, delivered as if by particularly ferocious twenty-somethings. Closing with the immense warmth of ‘For Tomorrow’, and ‘The Universal’ - a track now impossible to disassociate from British Gas marketing campaigns - it remains to be seen what their plans are after these summer dates, and it seems somehow strange to see Damon Albarn intoxicated on verse-chorus-verse indie nostalgia after the massive eclecticism of his numerous side projects, but if they were to carry on where they left off at the start of the decade, a new album would be more than welcome, if not that then simply more dates with a larger focus on fan favourites would suffice. The public anticipation (or great relief after rumour-upon-rumour) directed towards the reunion reminds us that not one single chart-bothering band has emerged with one iota of the timelessness, natural giftedness, invention, wit and poignancy of Albarns’ combo during the largely piss-weak, polished, diluted, shallow, backwards and scenester-friendly 2000s UK guitar scene.
It has also been pleasing to note the instantaneous vanishing of the Kaiser Chiefs since the announcement of these gigs.
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS ARENA
Friday June 26 2009
After a series of intimate gigs chosen for the nostalgic weight of their locations, Blur make the step-up to the MEN Arena tonight, prior to heading off to Glastonbury and London. After a prematurely-dated Klaxons set bereft of any new material whatsoever, the four-piece begin their show as they began their career back in 1990, with the dreamy if naïve ‘She’s So High’, an unremarkable baggy homage which betrayed little of the invention to come over the next decade. Instantly following with ‘Girls and Boys’, the track which arguably kicked the Britpop movement into fifth gear, it’s a hits-heavy set, with scant room for obscurity - although the devastating ‘Trimm Trabb’ and immensely funky ‘Oily Water’ (part of three consecutive choices from the underrated ’Modern Life Is Rubbish’) are amongst the less well-known highlights. It’s a pretty conservative yet effective setlist, with many tracks grouped together according to their particular era, and more single-led than the recent compilation would have us believe. Predictably, the crowd reserve their most ecstatic levels of enthusiasm for yob-rock staples such as the hollow ‘Country House’ (preceded by a rather ambiguous observation/analogy on the death of Michael Jackson) and a breakneck run through ‘Parklife’ with special guest Phil Daniels intact but, other than an overlong rendition of the arguably plodding ‘Tender’, it’s a tight, thrilling show, and a constant goosebump-inducing moment to gaze down onto the stage and see Graham Coxon finally completing the jigsaw once again, adding spine-tingling melancholia to a previously Coxon-free ‘Out of Time’ or roly-polying through ‘Popscene’, delivered as if by particularly ferocious twenty-somethings. Closing with the immense warmth of ‘For Tomorrow’, and ‘The Universal’ - a track now impossible to disassociate from British Gas marketing campaigns - it remains to be seen what their plans are after these summer dates, and it seems somehow strange to see Damon Albarn intoxicated on verse-chorus-verse indie nostalgia after the massive eclecticism of his numerous side projects, but if they were to carry on where they left off at the start of the decade, a new album would be more than welcome, if not that then simply more dates with a larger focus on fan favourites would suffice. The public anticipation (or great relief after rumour-upon-rumour) directed towards the reunion reminds us that not one single chart-bothering band has emerged with one iota of the timelessness, natural giftedness, invention, wit and poignancy of Albarns’ combo during the largely piss-weak, polished, diluted, shallow, backwards and scenester-friendly 2000s UK guitar scene.
It has also been pleasing to note the instantaneous vanishing of the Kaiser Chiefs since the announcement of these gigs.
More false promises!
No, I'm really back this time! This is actually the only thing I'm good at therefore it makes sense to try and build up some momentum. The imminent piece was actually accepted and uploaded by someone, would you believe.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Back For Good
Hey kids, time to exhume blogging duties. Now I'm actually submitting stuff to certain publications I'm hoping the worst of the writer's block is over. I've seen a fair few gigs recently and enjoyed venturing down musical paths that I had previously shied away from, so let's get the ball rolling...
WET PAINT
Channel M Studios
Manchester
29th January 2009
Comprising 60% of Absentee, and James Wignall of Economy Wolf, Wet Paint visit Channel M's Manchester studios at short notice this afternoon, replacing the 'tired' Of Montreal, who gig at the Academy in the evening. Currently touring with Bloc Party, the four-piece make a convincing, introspective clatter, seemingly inspired by the best bits of the late 80's / early 90's slacker movement, and embody very little in the way of traditional British guitar music, channeling generous amounts of Pavement and Dinosaur Jr into their sound rather than nodding to any cliched UK lineage of Kinks and Smiths, although some raw Coxon-esque fretwork is evident in several of their tunes this afternoon, although it's more 'Coffee and TV' than 'Country House'.
Tweaking their usual setlist for this pre-recorded TV performance, Wet Paint offer up half a dozen slices of vulnerable, scuzzy lo-fi, incorporating guitars that clang and shimmer in equal measure, solemn yet impassioned basslines, and moshpit friendly drumming. Vocals are buried shyly in the mix but singer Babak Ganjei is more than capable of a cathartic Cobain throaty growl as well as a Malkmus drawl when required.
Wet Paint may never achieve blanket radio play and promotion but with their understated, DIY image and college rock sound they are a kind reminder of when the alternative music scene offered shelter for the outsider rather than empty credibility for the scenester.
WET PAINT
Channel M Studios
Manchester
29th January 2009
Comprising 60% of Absentee, and James Wignall of Economy Wolf, Wet Paint visit Channel M's Manchester studios at short notice this afternoon, replacing the 'tired' Of Montreal, who gig at the Academy in the evening. Currently touring with Bloc Party, the four-piece make a convincing, introspective clatter, seemingly inspired by the best bits of the late 80's / early 90's slacker movement, and embody very little in the way of traditional British guitar music, channeling generous amounts of Pavement and Dinosaur Jr into their sound rather than nodding to any cliched UK lineage of Kinks and Smiths, although some raw Coxon-esque fretwork is evident in several of their tunes this afternoon, although it's more 'Coffee and TV' than 'Country House'.
Tweaking their usual setlist for this pre-recorded TV performance, Wet Paint offer up half a dozen slices of vulnerable, scuzzy lo-fi, incorporating guitars that clang and shimmer in equal measure, solemn yet impassioned basslines, and moshpit friendly drumming. Vocals are buried shyly in the mix but singer Babak Ganjei is more than capable of a cathartic Cobain throaty growl as well as a Malkmus drawl when required.
Wet Paint may never achieve blanket radio play and promotion but with their understated, DIY image and college rock sound they are a kind reminder of when the alternative music scene offered shelter for the outsider rather than empty credibility for the scenester.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
And then I resurfaced...
Having just re-emerged from the most creatively-barren couple of months imaginable, like Blur, I now see fit to return to the fold. Many ideas are currently in bloom, including over the coming days a singles-of-the-year rundown (have sampled many many artists this year, rather than losing myself in long-players, in a trend somewhat symptomatic of our times) and many other things I haven't quite thought of yet. Blogger may only be a temporary home for 'Piss Holes In The Snow', considering it's limited, generic visual possibilities amongst a few other things, but for the time being I'm quite excited about posting a couple of strong features a week, and when a new home is found, transferring the best bits of previous work onto there. Sickeningly, I only managed 3 singles round-ups before succumbing to the afore-mentioned writer's block, but they'll definitely be back very soon (post-Xmas, when people start releasing things).
Of course, I'll be dipping my toes into non-musical waters as and when I deem it appropriate, hopefully with some regularity, and would aim to get my reviews and features to a publishable level in due course.
So, as I mentioned in passing, Blur announced their reformation this week, which surely puts both the irrelevance and inferiority stamps onto the careers of a certain quintet from Leeds. 'Everything Is Average Nowadays'? You're about to made completely surplus. I can't be the first person to describe this as indie's equivalent of the Take That resurgence. I always said the 90's eclipsed this sorry decade.
So to celebrate, I'll leave you with a clip of Blur performing one of my favourite compositions.
'The Universal (Live MTV Europe Awards 1995'
Of course, I'll be dipping my toes into non-musical waters as and when I deem it appropriate, hopefully with some regularity, and would aim to get my reviews and features to a publishable level in due course.
So, as I mentioned in passing, Blur announced their reformation this week, which surely puts both the irrelevance and inferiority stamps onto the careers of a certain quintet from Leeds. 'Everything Is Average Nowadays'? You're about to made completely surplus. I can't be the first person to describe this as indie's equivalent of the Take That resurgence. I always said the 90's eclipsed this sorry decade.
So to celebrate, I'll leave you with a clip of Blur performing one of my favourite compositions.
'The Universal (Live MTV Europe Awards 1995'
Saturday, 4 October 2008
Crowd urges troubled teenager to commit suicide
I, for one, was mortified this week when encountering a report of an incident involving a crowd of shoppers instructing a depressed young man to take his own life. Shaun Dykes, who was 17, stood at the top of a multi-storey car park in Derby last Saturday afternoon, whilst morally-bankrupt onlookers urged him to 'get on with it' and even filmed the action on their phones. No arrests were made, and Dykes eventually fell to his death.
Although reportedly the majority of onlookers were concerned for his well-being, the actions of those responsible raise some bleak questions about the outlook of British citizens. How anyone can display such uncaring, brutal behaviour, especially in full public view is absolutely astonishing, and to my mind, they should take some responsibility for his eventual fate. I've been increasingly coming round to the viewpoint that there is an inhumane culture of negativity in this country, encompassing a complete lack of compassion and respect for those suffering from mental illness. In a country where the media is fuelled by such an energy of negativity, greed and contempt, it is no wonder that this atmosphere seeps into the wider world. The media are powerful enough to change opinions and promote an understanding of the issue of mental health, yet our soaps, newspapers and news programmes rarely cover the issue, choosing instead to brush it under the carpet, making it a taboo subject, intangeable to the supposedly 'sane'. Coupled with a culture of 'bear-bating' as exemplified on the unbelievable Jeremy Kyle show, where the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society are dehumanised, humiliated and blamed for their own predicament with no regard shown to the motives behind their actions, and a half-heartedly compassionate Conservative opposition going further up in the polls the further they revert to their old fascistic party line, and this country resembles a grey old unfeeling shithole I don't feel overly proud to inhabit. Remember when Frank Bruno was at a low ebb and The Sun reported it as 'Bonkers Bruno In Mental Home'? Exactly.
Respect in this country it seems can only be granted when the recipient is materialistically successful or has a borderline-psychotic sense of emotional strength. Who gives seven shits who is at the top of the 'Sunday Times Rich List'? Our celebrities are worshipped for being shallow and talent-starved, our media have a God complex to put Bob Geldof to shame, our politicians are self-serving crooks and our footballers are cunts.
Rule out Britannia!
And R.I.P., poor lad.
Although reportedly the majority of onlookers were concerned for his well-being, the actions of those responsible raise some bleak questions about the outlook of British citizens. How anyone can display such uncaring, brutal behaviour, especially in full public view is absolutely astonishing, and to my mind, they should take some responsibility for his eventual fate. I've been increasingly coming round to the viewpoint that there is an inhumane culture of negativity in this country, encompassing a complete lack of compassion and respect for those suffering from mental illness. In a country where the media is fuelled by such an energy of negativity, greed and contempt, it is no wonder that this atmosphere seeps into the wider world. The media are powerful enough to change opinions and promote an understanding of the issue of mental health, yet our soaps, newspapers and news programmes rarely cover the issue, choosing instead to brush it under the carpet, making it a taboo subject, intangeable to the supposedly 'sane'. Coupled with a culture of 'bear-bating' as exemplified on the unbelievable Jeremy Kyle show, where the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society are dehumanised, humiliated and blamed for their own predicament with no regard shown to the motives behind their actions, and a half-heartedly compassionate Conservative opposition going further up in the polls the further they revert to their old fascistic party line, and this country resembles a grey old unfeeling shithole I don't feel overly proud to inhabit. Remember when Frank Bruno was at a low ebb and The Sun reported it as 'Bonkers Bruno In Mental Home'? Exactly.
Respect in this country it seems can only be granted when the recipient is materialistically successful or has a borderline-psychotic sense of emotional strength. Who gives seven shits who is at the top of the 'Sunday Times Rich List'? Our celebrities are worshipped for being shallow and talent-starved, our media have a God complex to put Bob Geldof to shame, our politicians are self-serving crooks and our footballers are cunts.
Rule out Britannia!
And R.I.P., poor lad.
Singles #3
Just thought I would note that the singles I pick aren't necessarily grouped together with respect to their release date. I generally pick a mixture of high-profile and more obscure releases that will provoke the most entertaining writing from myself. This generally means, that as (in the age of the dying CD single) release dates these days are a sketchy business (some tracks being released digitally one week prior to a physical release, others 3 weeks, or even available long before that as part of an album, or not physically at all. Which begs the question, what's the point in a single released in no tangeable form that gets no airplay? But that's for another post), I choose to review singles just as they hit their stride in terms of profile, which is generally before their physical release as a self-imposed rule. When I've overlooked something until not long before it's 'official' release which I think warrants a review, I will include it. So, this week I've included a mix of singles due to hit the shops at various points during October. Keane are in there, though their song isn't out fully for a fortnight, but presumably it's in the public consciousness by now anyway, so a review might seem pretty redundant by that point, as are MGMT, whose 'Kids' is out on the 13th, though, as the album did the rounds all summer, their tune could be labelled old hat too.
Also, as gratfifying as it is to belittle the achievements of some major-label mainstream 'indie' band who resemble Simply Red with Mod haircuts (Scouting For Girls being an obvious example) I can see how the cheap shots could get tiresome, so I will be attempting to cover increasing amounts of interesting releases alongside these in the future - nonetheless I've given Kooks and Kaiser Chiefs at least semi-positive reviews during the last few posts, so I'm not 100% prejudiced.
I will be posting other material during the coming weeks too. The single reviews were an excercise to familiarise myself with the blogging process, but if a news story or somesuch event strikes me as blogworthy, then I hope to compose well-researched, balanced and entertaining posts centred upon whichever issue has provoked me to write. Obviously, it's wandering outside my musical comfort zone, but in a world where some unresearched, prejudiced newspaper columists pull in over £1,000,000 per annum for legitimising their readers' bigoted views, quite confidently in fact, I don't think much real damage can be done.
Keane - 'Lovers are Losing' (Island)
Starts off with a highly reverberated guitar note along the lines of David Bowie's 'Heroes', maintaining the (relative) anger apparent on the last LP, which of course coincided with Tom Chaplin's oft-ridiculed rehab spell. Sounds EXACTLY like a close relation of U2's 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' and, of course will grace the airwaves of Housewife FM as happily as a particularly formulaic Westlife single, but at least the Snowplayisms are kept to a minimum. Has no indie pretensions whatsoever, but with a fine, fiery chorus, in it's field it's no failure at all. File next to Tears For Fears.
Is it 1989 again? As much as it pains me to say it...
8/10
MGMT - 'Kids' (Columbia)
You may have heard this all summer, but not in this slightly remixed form. Perhaps tweaked to sound more like 'Time To Pretend', this version is unnecessary as the original was radio-friendly to begin with, but the instantly recognisable synth hook is as just as euphoric as before. They might look like they've just stepped off the Mighty Boosh set, but with a chain of singles this fine, there are no musical shortcomings to make up for. An ecstatic flashback to summer in an already-unforgiving Autumn.
9/10
Dananananakroyd - Pink Sabbath (Best Before)
Messiahs in the blog world, and as clattering and frenetic as Johnny Foreigner, with McLusky-esque levels of throaty screeching, this Scottish 'post-hardcore' combo are apparently far more indebted to cult US bands like Sonic Youth and At The Drive-In than the traditional British lineage of Smiths and Kinks. Not necessarily one's cup of PG, but at least the Americanisms come from a rawer melting pot of musical history than many Brit Yankophile bands. Sounding raw, live and unprocessed, the overall feel is that of a noisier 'Captain'-era Idlewild, only spoiled by very un-Glasweigan vocal delivery that this writer can't help but feel unconnected to, possibly because I'm too fuckuckuckucking old.
7/10
Late of the Pier - 'Bathroom Gurgle' (Parlophone)
Early single sees the light of day again. Whilst typically indie in image, the spirit of Gary Numan looms large in the work of this young (and, sorry, but ridiculously posh) Donnington quartet. The synths are steeped in New Romanticism but the execution lies somewhere between the Klaxons and the Sex Pistols. 'Bathroom Gurgle' incorporates several sections, whose lack of structure suggests a lack of flow but work nonetheless. Erol Alkan's production is far more suited to LOTP, than Mystery Jets and The Long Blondes, who previously had little of the old electronica in their sound whatsoever. 'Bathroom Gurgle' inhabits the regrettably unpopulated space between Muse's 'New Born' and 'The Time Warp', from a band so ambitious their music may have a shelf-life shorter than a pint of milk, but sound sufficiently relevant at the time of writing.
7/10
Red Light Company - 'Scheme Eugene' (Columbia)
Presumably SonyBMG's 4-years-late answer to The Killers, Red Light Company employ quiet-loud dynamics, which seemingly exist only to enhance the perceived power of the production-line chorus. RLC are so contrived they make One Night Only look uncompromising, and not one second this song fails to scream 'major label laziness'. There is no excuse for anyone over the age of 15 to be interested in this record. If you thought White Lies were a Psychedelic Furs tribute band, then the major-chord formulaism inherent in 'Scheme Eugene' is a masterclass in cynical songwriting.
2/10
Port O'Brien - 'Close The Lid' (City Slang)
Instantly charming, 'Close The Lid' is laden with dramatic hooks which linger in the consciousness long after it reaches it's finale. Whilst obviously comparable to The Shins, a direct lyrical style suggests at least an admirable fanbase, and it should, like it's parent album, be of some comfort to disaffected Arcade Fire fans. Accessible enough to achieve wide appeal, and equally heartfelt.
9/10
Also, as gratfifying as it is to belittle the achievements of some major-label mainstream 'indie' band who resemble Simply Red with Mod haircuts (Scouting For Girls being an obvious example) I can see how the cheap shots could get tiresome, so I will be attempting to cover increasing amounts of interesting releases alongside these in the future - nonetheless I've given Kooks and Kaiser Chiefs at least semi-positive reviews during the last few posts, so I'm not 100% prejudiced.
I will be posting other material during the coming weeks too. The single reviews were an excercise to familiarise myself with the blogging process, but if a news story or somesuch event strikes me as blogworthy, then I hope to compose well-researched, balanced and entertaining posts centred upon whichever issue has provoked me to write. Obviously, it's wandering outside my musical comfort zone, but in a world where some unresearched, prejudiced newspaper columists pull in over £1,000,000 per annum for legitimising their readers' bigoted views, quite confidently in fact, I don't think much real damage can be done.
Keane - 'Lovers are Losing' (Island)
Starts off with a highly reverberated guitar note along the lines of David Bowie's 'Heroes', maintaining the (relative) anger apparent on the last LP, which of course coincided with Tom Chaplin's oft-ridiculed rehab spell. Sounds EXACTLY like a close relation of U2's 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' and, of course will grace the airwaves of Housewife FM as happily as a particularly formulaic Westlife single, but at least the Snowplayisms are kept to a minimum. Has no indie pretensions whatsoever, but with a fine, fiery chorus, in it's field it's no failure at all. File next to Tears For Fears.
Is it 1989 again? As much as it pains me to say it...
8/10
MGMT - 'Kids' (Columbia)
You may have heard this all summer, but not in this slightly remixed form. Perhaps tweaked to sound more like 'Time To Pretend', this version is unnecessary as the original was radio-friendly to begin with, but the instantly recognisable synth hook is as just as euphoric as before. They might look like they've just stepped off the Mighty Boosh set, but with a chain of singles this fine, there are no musical shortcomings to make up for. An ecstatic flashback to summer in an already-unforgiving Autumn.
9/10
Dananananakroyd - Pink Sabbath (Best Before)
Messiahs in the blog world, and as clattering and frenetic as Johnny Foreigner, with McLusky-esque levels of throaty screeching, this Scottish 'post-hardcore' combo are apparently far more indebted to cult US bands like Sonic Youth and At The Drive-In than the traditional British lineage of Smiths and Kinks. Not necessarily one's cup of PG, but at least the Americanisms come from a rawer melting pot of musical history than many Brit Yankophile bands. Sounding raw, live and unprocessed, the overall feel is that of a noisier 'Captain'-era Idlewild, only spoiled by very un-Glasweigan vocal delivery that this writer can't help but feel unconnected to, possibly because I'm too fuckuckuckucking old.
7/10
Late of the Pier - 'Bathroom Gurgle' (Parlophone)
Early single sees the light of day again. Whilst typically indie in image, the spirit of Gary Numan looms large in the work of this young (and, sorry, but ridiculously posh) Donnington quartet. The synths are steeped in New Romanticism but the execution lies somewhere between the Klaxons and the Sex Pistols. 'Bathroom Gurgle' incorporates several sections, whose lack of structure suggests a lack of flow but work nonetheless. Erol Alkan's production is far more suited to LOTP, than Mystery Jets and The Long Blondes, who previously had little of the old electronica in their sound whatsoever. 'Bathroom Gurgle' inhabits the regrettably unpopulated space between Muse's 'New Born' and 'The Time Warp', from a band so ambitious their music may have a shelf-life shorter than a pint of milk, but sound sufficiently relevant at the time of writing.
7/10
Red Light Company - 'Scheme Eugene' (Columbia)
Presumably SonyBMG's 4-years-late answer to The Killers, Red Light Company employ quiet-loud dynamics, which seemingly exist only to enhance the perceived power of the production-line chorus. RLC are so contrived they make One Night Only look uncompromising, and not one second this song fails to scream 'major label laziness'. There is no excuse for anyone over the age of 15 to be interested in this record. If you thought White Lies were a Psychedelic Furs tribute band, then the major-chord formulaism inherent in 'Scheme Eugene' is a masterclass in cynical songwriting.
2/10
Port O'Brien - 'Close The Lid' (City Slang)
Instantly charming, 'Close The Lid' is laden with dramatic hooks which linger in the consciousness long after it reaches it's finale. Whilst obviously comparable to The Shins, a direct lyrical style suggests at least an admirable fanbase, and it should, like it's parent album, be of some comfort to disaffected Arcade Fire fans. Accessible enough to achieve wide appeal, and equally heartfelt.
9/10
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