tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50615816813036820122024-03-14T04:33:07.458+00:00Russell's ReviewsMusic reviews and other related stuff, by me, Russ.Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.comBlogger375125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-35466688544558573432012-08-01T13:29:00.002+01:002012-08-01T13:29:23.011+01:00The Melting Ice Caps – Permissible Permutations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BPGyF_fpSY4/UBkgH96MoDI/AAAAAAAAAyU/gwGVd7jDbH0/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BPGyF_fpSY4/UBkgH96MoDI/AAAAAAAAAyU/gwGVd7jDbH0/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The debut
album from The Melting Ice Caps is a delight; chock full of wonderfully crafted
songs and beautiful singing. It’s the kind of thing that people often describe
as being terribly English, when really its just what happens when someone
savours singing every word and takes great care when writing every word and
crafting melodies. This confusion is perhaps best shown by the Divine Comedy
who are often thought of this way, despite the main and only man being Irish,
but qualifying for the latter qualities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It kicks
off with a brief title track, a minute in which space is plenty, but a lot is
packed in. He’s a hopeless romantic. He being David, the main man and centrepiece
of the band. The romance is not just in beauty, but in the everyday, in the
downbeat and downtrodden. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">With <i>Ghost
Writer</i> a disco beat arrives and I’m reminded of the Pet Shop Boys. Often I hear
hints of The Associates in the music too. David doesn’t soar like Billy
Mackenzie used to, but he has that delicious arch quality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The
pinnacle of the album is the nigh on perfect pop song that is <i>Indian Summer</i>. As
well as the joy of summer it has the hope of Spring and warmth of Autumn.
Closer <i>Medical Advice</i> is fun, and reminds me of Marc Almond doing his Jacques
Brel thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Find the Melting Ice Caps website <a href="http://www.themeltingicecaps.co.uk/">here</a>, which also tells you where you can buy it.</span></div>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-57974080220702787252012-06-03T20:47:00.000+01:002012-06-03T20:47:18.696+01:00Disc-0<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtPkHtvTX8I/T8u7fC8Nk9I/AAAAAAAAAyI/0MQn5yywxGY/s1600/product_thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtPkHtvTX8I/T8u7fC8Nk9I/AAAAAAAAAyI/0MQn5yywxGY/s1600/product_thumbnail.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, here's the reason for the lack of updates. I've been spending my time on my debut novel and it has now been published. I wrote the first draft for NaNoWriMo 2008 and it was then shelved for a couple of years, before further work was done to bring it to its finished state. The back cover blurb reads thus:<br /><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“Did you know desire's a terrible thing<br />It makes the world go blind<br />But if desire, desire's a terrible thing<br />You know that I really don't mind”. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Danny didn’t particularly have The Sundays ‘Can’t Be Sure’ in mind when he was thinking up the soundtrack to his Australian trip. It was about as quaint and English as you could get. Yet his sun-kissed playlist faded into the background after his chance encounter with a desired record. From then on in Harriet Wheeler’s vocals ran round his head with increasing regularity as he tried to fend off all manner of petty thieves, corrupt bank managers and disgruntled ex members of the group that made the record in his attempts to hold on to his holy grail. And with a DJ and journalist as his only allies, the odds were stacked against him. As they careered through Sydney and its suburbs and the casualties piled up his seemingly mundane life took on an excitement he could never have expected.</i><br /><br />Which hopefully should give you a good idea of what it's about. We've managed to keep the price down to a fiver, so hopefully some of you will find it worth a try at that price. Click here if you'd like to buy it:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lulu.com/commerce/index.php?fBuyContent=11352496"><img alt="Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu." border="0" src="http://static.lulu.com/images/services/buy_now_buttons/gb/orange.gif?20120522115846" /></a><br /><br /><br />Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-6196764880235900672012-01-02T18:25:00.003+00:002012-01-02T20:11:08.350+00:00Buy Nothing Year update 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dKkJAXjhlBo/TwH9AgKlvyI/AAAAAAAAAyA/oKT8UVkmjxc/s1600/index.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 141px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dKkJAXjhlBo/TwH9AgKlvyI/AAAAAAAAAyA/oKT8UVkmjxc/s320/index.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693109589049196322" border="0" /></a>With the new project two days in and having survived the first day of shopping today, I thought it might be interesting to keep a log of what I have been listening to with the new free time.<br /><br />Yesterday Blur's Leisure and Girls and Boys single got a spin. It's remarkable how well Leisure has held up, and it shows a youthful zest and spark. Even then, amongst the singles There's No Other Way and Bang, there experimental side was there in places.<br /><br />This was followed up by Phosphorescent's Here's To Taking It Easy, a lush new addition purchased from Rise in Swindon at the tale end of 2011.<br /><br />Next came Cud's Elvis Belt, a b-sides collection from back in the day. Cud are none more indie, but those who let this put them off are missing a treat. The covers of Urban Spaceman and Lola are throwaway at best, but Slack Time, Only (A Prawn In Whitby) and I've Had It With Blondes are northern disjointed indie pop classics.<br /><br />Finally something newer in the form of Veronica Falls 5 Demos EP, some cracking little arch pop tunes.Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-89829030369797271542012-01-01T20:09:00.003+00:002012-01-01T20:16:40.467+00:00Best of 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-udRi0E_NTk8/TwC9sVYySNI/AAAAAAAAAx0/6q_XCrwkwDU/s1600/images2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 230px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-udRi0E_NTk8/TwC9sVYySNI/AAAAAAAAAx0/6q_XCrwkwDU/s320/images2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692758498349304018" border="0" /></a>I normally can't be bothered with end of year lists, but I've finally done one, which is mainly for my brother's benefit, but here for the world to see. Here's my Top 13 albums of 2011. This may be the only list to not include PJ Harvey, but that's only because I haven't heard it and have no real interest in doing so.<br /><br /><br />1. Half Man Half Biscuit - 90 Bisodol (Crimond)<br />2. Luke Haines - 9 and a half Psychedelic Meditations on British Wrestling in the 1970s and early 80s<br />3. Frankie & The Heartstrings - Hunger<br />4. Jonny - Jonny<br />5. Summer Camp - Welcome To Condale<br />6. Yuck - Yuck<br />7. The Lovely Eggs - Cob Dominoes<br />8. Billy Bragg - Fight Songs<br />9. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues<br />10. Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo<br />11. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Everything's Getting Older<br />12. The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh<br />13. Bon Iver - Bon IverRusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-35063010761664009252011-12-31T15:29:00.005+00:002012-01-01T09:34:17.379+00:00Buy Nothing Year<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QprlDMVa-Q0/Tv8qdOT_aFI/AAAAAAAAAxc/v9GJYKp0ZEI/s1600/images.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 189px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QprlDMVa-Q0/Tv8qdOT_aFI/AAAAAAAAAxc/v9GJYKp0ZEI/s320/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692315135566112850" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0cm; }ul { margin-bottom: 0cm; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">I have decided to set myself a challenge for 2012, which is called Buy Nothing Year. Now obviously the thought of buying nothing at all is crazy, but the idea is to not buy any new (to me, as opposed to new releases) CDs, books or DVDs in the year.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Over Christmas I have been looking at a carrier bag full of CDs to be listened to, one whose contents have fluctuated over the year, but has stayed at pretty much the same level. And unless I address this, I’ll always be playing catch up. Some albums deserve to be listened to repeated times, and some take a few listens to fully appreciate them. Hopefully doing this will free up time to enjoy the albums I already have more. It’s also one of the reasons I have virtually stopped doing reviews and gigs for now, as I was wading through so much new music and so much of it was pretty awful. Listening to eight submissions takes up the time I could have listened to a good album. On top of this, there is similar pile of books and a smaller pile of DVDs that need attention too.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The other reason for doing this is the lack of space in the house to put more and more stuff.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ve no doubt I’ll find this difficult, but it’ll be an interesting experiment. The main difficulty will not be stopping buying new stuff, but avoiding record fairs and charity shops.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">This has been partly inspired by the following:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2001/may/31/artsfeatures1">The National Pop Strike</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day">Buy Nothing Day</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Music_Day">No Music Day</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Music_Day"><br /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And this article <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/30/doing-it-german-way?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038">here</a> makes interesting reading in conjunction with this challenge.</p>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-49353817189149901382011-11-06T14:27:00.001+00:002011-11-06T14:29:45.555+00:00Richmond Fontaine – Bullingdon Arms, Oxford 16/09/11<style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">Empty Room Promotions have served up quite a treat tonight, bringing Portland, Oregon’s Richmond Fontaine to the back room of the Bully. They are here principally to promote their tenth studio album, The High Country, an album that on first listen seemed disappointing, but on repeated plays turns out to sneak up on you and be their best ever. This is quite an achievement for a band on their tenth album, more so when you realise it is more than a concept piece, rather a short story cut up and set to music. The album is set amongst the logging community in small town Oregon, and tells the tale of a secret love between the counter girl of an auto parts store and a mechanic. The weirdos of the community terrorise the young couple and their innocent ways. That this type of album should work so well will be no surprise to anyone familiar with their back catalogue, or indeed singer Willy Vlautin’s three novels.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Willy announces at the beginning that they are going to play the album in full, followed by a brief selection of their back catalogue. It helps that there is an audience of Uncut readers present to allow them to do such things. Deborah Kelley of The Damnations is here to reprise her vocals from the album, and to provide extra instrumentation. She seizes the initiative immediately, with her affecting spoken word opening piece, <span style="font-style: italic;">Inventory</span>. The band run with this, on the haunting instrumental <span style="font-style: italic;">The Girl On The Logging Road</span> and then launch into the gently ferocious <span style="font-style: italic;">The Chainsaw Sea</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Angus King Tries To Leave The House</span> swirls and kicks like a toy boat in high winds, disorientating wildly. They even pull off <span style="font-style: italic;">Driving Back To The Chainsaw Sea</span>, the sound of a radio between retuned between awful country stations. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">After a short break for beer, the band returns for a run through past favourites. In some aspects this merely accentuates the giant leap the band have made with The High Country, but it also shows they can be a great rollicking alt country bar band too, like a slightly defter Hold Steady. When they play <span style="font-style: italic;">Lonnie</span> from the album We Used To Think The Highway Sounded Like A River, you remember what great things they have done previous to that great current album.<span style=""> </span></p>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-41939430073162238572011-11-06T14:22:00.002+00:002011-11-06T14:26:55.997+00:00Secret Rivals – Make Do And Mend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ti11nRlYte4/TraYiKYl7VI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/CrfgUiQGvOw/s1600/MDAM%2Bcover.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ti11nRlYte4/TraYiKYl7VI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/CrfgUiQGvOw/s320/MDAM%2Bcover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671888493390196050" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">As someone who has followed the Secret Rivals path with increasing interest, from the scratchy early recordings and collapsible gigs through to the point where they unleash their debut mini album, I was intrigued to see how they had further progressed. And it is a cracking record. I don’t think anyone saw this coming in the early days, not even myself who had picked up on how much better the band were getting with each release. The vocals are much more effective, Claudia’s lead vocals are much more assured, while Jay’s back up and incitingly harsh yelps are much better controlled than the awkward shrieks of old. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The music used to have the roughness of The Wedding Present, but now slots effortlessly among the new indie wave of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and their ilk, while still harking back to the likes of Bis.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">If Secret Rivals can keep up the momentum they are currently creating, there is no reason they can’t be the next big thing out of Oxford. Not necessarily chartbound, but a rather nice position of indie credibility. </p> <br />Make Do And Mend is out now on Kittiwake Records<br />Secret Rivals website is <a href="http://www.secretrivals.com/">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-78953848184276276632011-08-27T15:49:00.003+01:002011-08-27T15:53:26.722+01:00Foxes! – The Panda Bear Song<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-U7sHqE6QY/TlkEIzULuSI/AAAAAAAAAxI/qBMJU03KOy4/s1600/ER-283.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-U7sHqE6QY/TlkEIzULuSI/AAAAAAAAAxI/qBMJU03KOy4/s320/ER-283.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645548157145954594" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">Foxes! continue to shift shape, with Kayla taking on most of the lead vocals on this EP. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Panda Bear Song</span> is quite ramshackle yet thoroughly catchy, a sweet piece of lo-fi pop. <span style="font-style: italic;">Alex Badamchi</span> is an old favourite, quite oddly ethereal and insistent in turns. <span style="font-style: italic;">Sailors</span> reminds me of Sophie Ellis Bextor’s pre fame band theaudience, it has those arch vocals and perfect pop melody. <span style="font-style: italic;">Boatswain</span> follows and rounds off their EP in similar fashion.
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<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Panda Bear Song is out now on Elefant</p><p class="MsoNormal">Foxes! website is <a href="http://foxesfoxesfoxes.co.uk/">here</a>
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<br />Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-28460880360980421742011-08-27T15:39:00.003+01:002011-08-27T15:44:37.427+01:00The Magic Lantern – A World In A Grain Of Sand<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUi8tpr4u38/TlkBx7HQg_I/AAAAAAAAAxA/CPK91w7JNOY/s1600/The%2BMagic%2BLantern%2BAlbum%2BCover.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUi8tpr4u38/TlkBx7HQg_I/AAAAAAAAAxA/CPK91w7JNOY/s320/The%2BMagic%2BLantern%2BAlbum%2BCover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645545565078979570" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">The Magic Lantern are a quite delightful little band. I can hear elements of King Creosote in their music, bits of Stornoway too and an overall genuinely lovely and bucolic feel, with gently parping brass abounding but in a non-intrusive fashion. They’re a band you could easily see fitting in at one of the events Fence Collective put on. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cut From Stone</span> burbles and flows like a babbling brook, while <span style="font-style: italic;">Laura’s Song</span> is sad and maudlin. The music of <span style="font-style: italic;">Laura’s Song</span> sighs with a heavy heart and elongated vocals stretching out every word. It’s a beautiful song, but not one to listen to when you’re feeling down, as it’ll pull on your emotions. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Ship That Washed Away</span> floats along serenely before unexpectedly crashing on the rocks near the end, dissolving into a cacophonous cascade. <span style="font-style: italic;">Shine A Light On</span> feels like a jaunty show tune, something like Neil Hannon might write, but complete with a reggae-tinged breakdown in the middle. <span style="font-style: italic;">Patriots</span> has a raggle taggle Decemberists feel to it. There follows some more rather lovely tunes, nothing too odd about these, with The Magic Lantern seemingly settling down into a comfortable but not dull formula. Finally <span style="font-style: italic;">Romeo and Juliet (III)</span> is a downbeat lament on a rather splendid album.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">A World In A Grain Of Sand is out now on Hectic Eclectic Recordings</p><p class="MsoNormal">The Magic Lantern website is <a href="http://themagiclanternuk.tumblr.com/">here</a>
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<br />Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-60756015446937878452011-07-20T22:11:00.003+01:002011-07-20T22:23:08.098+01:00Pocketbooks - Promises, Promises<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pP4FXJ1wAdQ/TidEm43DytI/AAAAAAAAAw4/ioRlDbMr7do/s1600/promises300x300.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pP4FXJ1wAdQ/TidEm43DytI/AAAAAAAAAw4/ioRlDbMr7do/s320/promises300x300.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631545293939133138" border="0" /></a>Pocketbooks are back with a new single <span style="font-style: italic;">Promises, Promises</span> ahead of their second album <span style="font-style: italic;">Carousel</span>, due in September. If you like sumptuous, pristine pop, then this is just the thing for you. It follows in a similar vein to the material on debut album <span style="font-style: italic;">Flight Paths</span>, which is no bad thing considering how good an album that was. Emma sings this time, and if anything her vocals are getting even better and the melodies sweeter.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Promises, Promises</span> is a free download available <a href="http://www.box.net/shared/e7uipl4kt9l5yu3jkhvs">here</a><br />The album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Carousel</span>, is out in September but their label Oddbox Records are shipping advance copies now. Order <a href="http://www.oddboxrecords.com/shop/release_details.php?cat_no=BOX008">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-8838910213727802002011-07-19T22:43:00.002+01:002011-07-19T22:51:26.292+01:00A novel ideaI guess some of you may be wondering why the dearth of posts in recent months. Well, time is short for many reasons, but mainly because I've finally gotten around to doing more work on the draft novel I wrote as part of NaNoWriMo 2008. Work is going well and subject to a couple more read throughs and tweaks I think it's getting close to the point where I try and get it published. If anyone has any sage advice or helpful contacts in this area they would be much appreciated! Normal service will hopefully be resumed soon. Either that or I'll be sidetracked on the fanzine I've been collating work for. One way or the other I hope you will stick with me and keep reading the blog...Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-50044160061974743022011-07-19T22:40:00.003+01:002011-07-19T22:42:14.357+01:00Airship – Kids<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sCMaGccSxHQ/TiX503EQtGI/AAAAAAAAAww/28Ipn2JjPYY/s1600/images.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 160px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sCMaGccSxHQ/TiX503EQtGI/AAAAAAAAAww/28Ipn2JjPYY/s320/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631181595627009122" border="0" /></a><style>@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; </style><span style=""><span style="font-style: italic;">Kids</span>, the second single from Airship sounds like Richard Hawley fronting an unashamedly over the top pop band. It’s a song that goes over the barricades and into the charts many times over, with a surging chorus and irresistible verses that can’t wait to be reacquainted with that chorus again. Here’s a song that the word effervescent was invented to describe.</span> <br /><br />Kids is out now on <a href="http://www.playitagainsam.net">Play It Again Sam</a><br />The Airship website is <a href="http://www.airshipband.com">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-81600604212689508682011-07-19T21:48:00.002+01:002011-07-19T21:54:11.524+01:00Deportivo – Neighbourhood<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CUtBx9MjyzE/TiXt3Q1I7CI/AAAAAAAAAwo/IeI-CUi_EEU/s1600/index.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CUtBx9MjyzE/TiXt3Q1I7CI/AAAAAAAAAwo/IeI-CUi_EEU/s320/index.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631168442763111458" border="0" /></a><style>@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-style: italic;">Neighbourhood</span> is the second single from West London band Deportivo. Despite the clunky clichéd lyrics and slightly plodding tune, <span style="font-style: italic;">Neighbourhood</span> isn’t all bad, but only in a kind of Athlete excitement way. The <span style="font-style: italic;">DPPLGNGRS remix</span> starts brilliantly with chiptune bleeping, thumping synth beat and zooming electronic car noises, which transform the song into something else entirely. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Arclite Productions remix</span> doesn’t add a lot to the tune particularly, it tries its best and perks it up a fair bit, but the first remix is the one for me. </span><br /><br />Neighbourhood is out now. Find Deportivo on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deportivo/50898862760">here</a> and Twitter hereRusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-72520776355516125442011-07-15T21:47:00.003+01:002011-07-15T21:58:35.012+01:00Findlay Napier & The Bar Room Mountaineers – File Under Fiction<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dCCGdV-WGq0/TiCpYqXvHWI/AAAAAAAAAwg/XvijLipVG2w/s1600/images.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 217px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dCCGdV-WGq0/TiCpYqXvHWI/AAAAAAAAAwg/XvijLipVG2w/s320/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629685775368920418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; color: black;">One thing about Findlay Napier, is he is dependable and has therefore delivered a solid album here. The title track is a suitable rousing opening and <span style="font-style: italic;">One For The Ditch</span> is a closing time blues. You also get the cracking singles <span style="font-style: italic;">Raise A Glass</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Valentine’s Day</span> that I’ve gone on about before on here. There is also <span style="font-style: italic;">Spread Thin</span>, which is an altogether more interesting thing, a bit of a quick swerve and something that goes from sounding like Arab Strap to a big old Del Amitri chorus. Fine stuff. <span style="font-style: italic;">Cut Me Off</span> is a feisty fiddle led tune, while <span style="font-style: italic;">One For Me</span> is a beautiful melancholic duet to close the album. </span><br /><br />File Under Fiction is out now and available from Findlay's <a href="http://www.findlaynapier.com/">website</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-5394649385206762422011-06-26T15:31:00.003+01:002011-06-26T15:43:56.328+01:00Miss Geo - The Story<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mo5V4x-Ew0Y/TgdDSO_EFrI/AAAAAAAAAwY/gOqxaWU5Spg/s1600/300.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mo5V4x-Ew0Y/TgdDSO_EFrI/AAAAAAAAAwY/gOqxaWU5Spg/s320/300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622536640334665394" border="0" /></a>Miss Geo is one Abby Gutierrez from Newport, Rhode Island and The Story is her self released debut. It's a cracking piece of work, very much in the style of Juliana Hatfield, but without the neurotic aggression of said lady. While there may be nothing challenging about the music, it has to be said that oftentimes you don't need that and the pure cutesy melodies are worthy of drowning in.<br /><br />Go have a listen at Miss Geo's website, which is <a href="http://missgeomusic.com/MISS_GEO_OFFICIAL/HOME.html">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-40520238017133127882011-06-01T16:24:00.003+01:002011-06-01T16:29:31.391+01:00Bourgeois Heroes – Ole/Hola<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zK3D82HpSBU/TeZZt6UxOVI/AAAAAAAAAwM/prOP2eMrUOk/s1600/bhalbum.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zK3D82HpSBU/TeZZt6UxOVI/AAAAAAAAAwM/prOP2eMrUOk/s320/bhalbum.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613272630849255762" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">Bourgeois Heroes have a new single out. <span style="font-style: italic;">Ole/Hola</span> is a neat little tune, unfussy and uncomplicated. Its natural home is somewhere between the fuzzy vibe of laid back Super Furry Animals and the twee sweetness of Belle and Sebastian. <span style="font-style: italic;">When You’re Dancing</span> is a mantra like fuzzy disco tune, without being a dancer. It just seems made for swaying in a club. A neat little brace of fizzing pop.</p> <br />Bourgeois Heroes website is <a href="http://www.bourgeoisheroes.com/">here</a><br />Buy or listen to the single <a href="http://bourgeoisheroes.bandcamp.com/">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-88493690121275768612011-06-01T15:36:00.002+01:002011-06-01T15:46:52.392+01:00Seun Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80 – From Africa With Fury: Rise<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L49dcLAH1EI/TeZOy1fRWzI/AAAAAAAAAwE/Nkg0cu6MJ74/s1600/images.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 222px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L49dcLAH1EI/TeZOy1fRWzI/AAAAAAAAAwE/Nkg0cu6MJ74/s320/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613260620822567730" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">Firstly, a confession. I don’t know a terrible lot about African music. Aside from an appreciation of The Four Brothers and The Bhundu Boys in the eighties, and Amadou and Mariam more recently, it is fairly unchartered territory for me. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">What I do know is Seun Kuti is the son of the renowned Fela Kuti, and his father was a previous leader of the band that plays on this album, Eqypt 80. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The album may only be seven tracks long, but most of the tracks clock in at about seven minutes, meaning plenty of value for money. <span style="font-style: italic;">African Soldier</span> reminds me of something Pigbag might have ripped off back in the day, an odd reference point maybe, but remember I’m starting from a fairly blank canvas here. Generally guitars are sprightly, rhythms are bouncy and horns and squealing. From the lyrics I can make out, these are songs of the fight for freedom, the fight against oppression and corporations, and inspirational words to his fellow people.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Musically and lyrically Seun has won me over, and I can wholeheartedly recommend this as a good starting point for a foray into African music. </p> <br />From Africa With Fury: Rise is out now on Because MusicRusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-79982781876579217852011-05-26T21:36:00.003+01:002011-05-26T21:44:54.697+01:00Medicine 8 – Mercury Injection / Rock Music Pays Off<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RshspatH4eE/Td67DaovKxI/AAAAAAAAAv8/k1-It8Wq-4s/s1600/193373_162281573825408_159604064093159_320364_5050646_o.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RshspatH4eE/Td67DaovKxI/AAAAAAAAAv8/k1-It8Wq-4s/s320/193373_162281573825408_159604064093159_320364_5050646_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611127853114403602" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">The new one from acid house duo Medicine 8 shows off two disparate sides to their output. <span style="font-style: italic;">Mercury Injection</span> is a futuristic electro babble with hi energy beats and robotic sensual vocal from tattoo artist Leticia La Bruja. It’s a right catchy piece of work, one that would have the less trendy of us attempting pathetic robot dancing in the club. The Hip House remix of <span style="font-style: italic;">Rock Music Pays Off </span>features the idiosyncratic and immediately identifiable vocals of outsider artists Wesley Willis. The vocals take the form a Grammy Acceptance Speech Willis gave on Howard Stern’s show, bent and sliced out of shape. This is pushed forward by hi energy house, like Black Box used to make, along with funky Daft Punk squelches. Whatever you say about them, Medicine 8 know what’s catchy and danceable and have delivered two great slices of it on this, their first single in some time.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Mercury Injection / Rock Music Pays Off is out now on <a href="http://www.trashmouthrecords.com/">Trashmouth Records</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Medicine 8 facebook page is <a href="http://www.facebook.com/medicine8">here</a><br /></p>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-55804036582089362742011-05-08T18:04:00.002+01:002011-05-08T18:13:35.284+01:00Gorillaz – The Fall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tSPOqkUXU6A/TcbOuz_MSKI/AAAAAAAAAv0/JEiZqcW-AME/s1600/images.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tSPOqkUXU6A/TcbOuz_MSKI/AAAAAAAAAv0/JEiZqcW-AME/s320/images.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604394089933719714" border="0" /></a><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Times; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal">Released to little fanfare here’s a new Gorillaz album. After the opening toodling intro of <span style="font-style: italic;">Phoner To Arizona</span> we get <span style="font-style: italic;">Revolving Doors</span>, a blissed out tune with a reggae vibe, yet not sound. Albarn’s plaintive vocals are present and correct and there’s and a mantra of the title which goes all through the tune. This itself is lovely, but I find myself not even noticing the next few tracks go by. And this is something that goes on through the rest of the album. Apparently this album was written by Damon (and let’s not keep up the cartoon façade) on his iPad during downtime on tour and boy it shows. It’s mostly half-baked and unfinished ideas. Some of the tracks you wonder if he hasn’t booted up the Bloom app, or something similar and randomly chucked items at the screen to make the tunes. I’ve always thought of Gorillaz as more of a singles than albums band, and this is the full proof, if it were still needed. This was originally released on vinyl as a special item for Record Store Day, and before that as a download to fan club members, which is quite appropriate given that it is something for completists only. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Maybe repeated listens would enable the charms of this album to become apparent to me. I somehow doubt it though. The other thing to take into account is my mere passing interest in Gorillaz, and their experimental side more so. But it still remains that this appears to be a mere ragbag of cast offs that wasn’t particularly worthy of a wider release.<span style=""> <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">Find Gorillaz multi-media extravaganza <a href="http://gorillaz.com/">here</a><br /></span></p>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-52577935984818080702011-05-02T09:48:00.002+01:002011-05-02T09:52:11.048+01:00Not Made In China - Not Made In China EP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DNb6dhH-_2E/Tb5wFnhS65I/AAAAAAAAAvs/Ixs1WZ-Fh20/s1600/300.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DNb6dhH-_2E/Tb5wFnhS65I/AAAAAAAAAvs/Ixs1WZ-Fh20/s320/300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602038228305767314" border="0" /></a><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Times; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s not often you listen to a band and agree wholeheartedly with their own description of themselves, or previous press reviews, but in the case of Not Made In China you have a band who know their identity and make it clear to everyone else. The review description was The Smiths crossed with Paul Simon’s Graceland, while the band themselves note Vampire Weekend as one of their main inspirations. There is also more than a dash of twee influence here, with the cutesy female vocals reminiscent of The Sundays or even Talulah Gosh. The thing that sets them apart from the current slew of overly fey and twee bands is that they have evidently concentrated much more on the melodies than some affected knock kneed stance.</p> <span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">My favourite track is <span style="font-style: italic;">Retro Rejects</span>, about the discarding of childhood toys. It has the twiddly white man take of the African sounding guitar line, great lyrics which include whole lists of toys and a nice attitude. If this sounds too much like I Love the 80s to you, then I’ve failed in my job of describing it. The rest of the EP is rather unassuming yet beautiful, and I can recommend you invest in a copy. </span><br /><br />Not Made In China myspace is <a href="http://www.myspace.com/manufacturedintheuk">here</a> and you can buy the EP <a href="http://kytemusic.bigcartel.com/product/not-made-in-china-ep">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-80546804483413569132011-05-01T22:49:00.002+01:002011-05-01T22:55:28.102+01:00T.C. Folkpunk - T.C. Folkpunk<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uxuknY4Q8O0/Tb3Vn1E2JHI/AAAAAAAAAvk/ZJ7Ime0d6EA/s1600/TCFolkpunkcover.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uxuknY4Q8O0/Tb3Vn1E2JHI/AAAAAAAAAvk/ZJ7Ime0d6EA/s320/TCFolkpunkcover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601868391757784178" border="0" /></a><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Times; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal">Folkpunk is certainly the name for it. The mini album kicks off with <span style="font-style: italic;">The Age Of Nefarious</span>, a barrelling tune and the wordplay contained within is as good as the title. It has this cool trick of delaying the launch into the chorus, building up and up and up, before finally launching. The sneer and stance of <span style="font-style: italic;">Zero To Hero</span> reminds me of the Clash, with insertions of twanged Duane Eddy style guitar. It collapses into a squawking, squealing end. <span style="font-style: italic;">Take A Look Around You</span> is the nearest the album gets to pop, a straight forward clear melody and some words of advice. <span style="font-style: italic;">Feeling My Way Around In The Dark For You</span> reminds me of Dylan at his best, just gone electric, harmonica wailing and having a whale of a time. <span style="font-style: italic;">She Has Everything</span> is a more stripped back tune, but gritty nonetheless. Then we’re back onto rambunctious form with <span style="font-style: italic;">Instant Coffee Lifestyle</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Whenever I Sink My Teeth Into You</span> sees things stretch out, an almost joyous and devil may care climax to the album. It’s like the last track let’s really go for it, throw everything into it, and it comes off rather well. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">You can buy the CD <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tcfolkpunk">here</a> and his website is <a href="http://www.folkpunk.com/">here</a><br /></p>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-78884805791795262732011-05-01T22:09:00.002+01:002011-05-01T22:17:54.743+01:00Julius Way – The Slow Death Of Julius Way<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNHLQMHJ9Iw/Tb3NGbMU05I/AAAAAAAAAvc/NhkyIrPdJx8/s1600/2224475609-1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNHLQMHJ9Iw/Tb3NGbMU05I/AAAAAAAAAvc/NhkyIrPdJx8/s320/2224475609-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601859021781128082" border="0" /></a><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Times; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal">Although Julius Way has been making music for years now, he now finds himself in the middle of a genre of music that is suddenly in vogue. Think Fleet Foxes, Stornoway, older Iron & Wine stuff and any of the alt folk pastoral artists. Recorded last year in Dartmoor it has certainly taken on it’s surrounding. It may not be a log cabin in the Catskills, but we have places of such beauty here too.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">I Will Live</span> leads you in gently to the album, before the joyous clattering and clinking of <span style="font-style: italic;">Jessie’s Yurt</span>, when everything feels so alive. <span style="font-style: italic;">Cradle</span> is a delightful surprise, awash with fuzzy effects to start with, which pop back in now and again. The effects free bits feel a bit fey in comparison, but it leaves you in anticipation of the hazier stuff. <span style="font-style: italic;">Friends</span> is beautifully ethereal, the gorgeous voice of Bex Baxter interweaving with that of Julius Way wonderfully. Enemy goes all medieval on us, then <span style="font-style: italic;">The Dusk</span> does remind me a lot of the aforementioned Stornoway, strong vocals and deft touch. There is a sense that the album is a bit too long at 13 tracks for this type of music to hold your attention, but when you persevere to final track <span style="font-style: italic;">Slow Death</span>, where Bex Baxter is back with her heavenly voice, everything seems worthwhile. </p> <br />Everything you want to know about Julius Way, plus streaming and album download are <a href="http://juliusway.bandcamp.com/album/the-slow-death-of-julius-way">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-88139456621065243702011-04-24T21:41:00.002+01:002011-04-24T21:57:04.221+01:00The Voluntary Butler Scheme – The Chevreul EP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JsNL_vkOV_o/TbSL1OxfTII/AAAAAAAAAvU/F_tYrQ6beAc/s1600/index.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JsNL_vkOV_o/TbSL1OxfTII/AAAAAAAAAvU/F_tYrQ6beAc/s320/index.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599253983343365250" border="0" /></a><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">The Voluntary Butler Scheme is, being Rob Jones alone, one of those mavericks that people love unreservedly, when in reality his output is wildly hit and miss. Songs like <span style="font-style: italic;">The BT Tower and The Eiffel Tower</span> are absolute melodic gems, but like many artistes, he is prone to the noodling and avant garde. Unless you enjoy listening to abstract squiggles, this stuff is best left alone.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">The EP employs a weird trick of starting with two versions of <span style="font-style: italic;">Do The Hand Jive</span> rather than book-ending the record with them. Having them together merely accentuates how similar they are, although the Go Team remix has a tad more fizz. The tune itself is a weird one, and you can see why the Go Team have been asked to lend their hand to remixing. It’s very much their knock kneed little brother blinking in the bright lights as he steps onto the dancefloor, to their brash exuberant disco dancer. That said, it is interesting and repeated plays might throw it up as a right earworm. <span style="font-style: italic;">To The Height Of A Frisbee</span> employs his cool trick of seemingly nonsensical rhymes and sharp dashes and changes of melodic direction to provide hooks a plenty. <span style="font-style: italic;">Satisfactory Substitute</span> is one of his annoyances, employing well spoken samples to try and come off like the Avalanches, but falling flat and well short. <span style="font-style: italic;">DOPL</span> rounds off the EP with an unsatisfactory pinging instrumental. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">If only Jones would write more like Frisbee and his other gems and did less of the messing around, more people could come to love him. </span></p> <br />The Chevreul EP is out now on Split Records<br />The Voluntary Butler Scheme myspace is <a href="www.myspace.com/thevoluntarybutlerscheme">here</a>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-64630839167436276502011-03-06T14:57:00.007+00:002011-03-06T15:17:00.792+00:00Your new favourite band is Pris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k3R4zmA6H-0/TXOi2hJgSFI/AAAAAAAAAvM/2plm3VxQT8Y/s1600/l.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k3R4zmA6H-0/TXOi2hJgSFI/AAAAAAAAAvM/2plm3VxQT8Y/s320/l.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580983420737046610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0cm; }ul { margin-bottom: 0cm; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">Pris could well be my new favourite band. They don’t have a single out, just a fascinating web presence and some top tunes. Here’s why you’ll love them too;</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <ol style="margin-top: 0cm;" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">They deploy the classic cool line up. That being a four piece, three girls with a bloke shoved away behind the drums.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">They always look like they are having ridiculous fun. Probably because they are.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Their melodies course through the veins of their pop songs, before infiltrating your heart.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">They are DIY and beautifully so. Not in an ‘I can’t be arsed to learn to play my instrument way’, but in a ‘let’s have a crack at this ourselves’ way, and part of the fun is the hiccups along the way. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Because if you love Kenickie, Shampoo, Voodoo Queens and their ilk, you’ll love them. Because you obviously have great taste.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">They want to kill all indie landfill bands, and leave us with a purely glamour filled pop world. </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Remember when the Manics were young and glam and proper dangerous? That’s Pris.</li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">There you are, the magnificent seven reasons to love them. If you want one more, check out the video for <span style="font-style: italic;">Blue Tack Baby </span><span>below</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span> </span><span>or find them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Love-Pris/136772306359180">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://www.myspace.com/prisoff">Myspace</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/po-05al-dTk" frameborder="0" height="390" width="440"></iframe></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></p>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061581681303682012.post-92024956087950041712011-03-05T21:16:00.001+00:002011-03-05T21:22:16.621+00:00The Go Team! – Rolling Blackouts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pYJDQPTZmwQ/TXKo3AqgrdI/AAAAAAAAAvE/K9ypJdgML3I/s1600/TheGoTeam_RollingBlackouts_art.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 318px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pYJDQPTZmwQ/TXKo3AqgrdI/AAAAAAAAAvE/K9ypJdgML3I/s320/TheGoTeam_RollingBlackouts_art.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580708551290039762" border="0" /></a><style>p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">Recently I saw a documentary about New York in 1977. Crammed into an hour and a half was the emergence of disco, The Loft and Studio 54, hip hop, DJs and their street light hotwiring, punk and CBGBs, the Son of Sam serial killer, the blackout, the suburbs on fire and being looted, swingers clubs and chaotic mayoral elections. I’d wager this sensory overload is somewhat akin to an album by The Go! Team. As you’ll see from their third album, the appropriately named Rolling Blackouts, they were born for those times. Most of the stuff here could easily have been made then or soundtracked that documentary. For example <span style="font-style: italic;">Tornado</span> sounds like a cut up blaxpoitation movie, with kids breakdancing outside the movie theatre and cops sirens blaring past, while <span style="font-style: italic;">Apollo Throwdown</span> is like double dutching it around the floor. When the clouds part and some space is allowed in, such as on recent single <span style="font-style: italic;">Buy Nothing Day</span>, it all makes perfect sense. When this happens the hundreds of disparate pieces gel together sweetly rather than elbowing each other for room. It does often feel like there is a tendency to throw everything into the melting pot and see what works, rather than pick and choose and use some quality control. An instance when they do take a step back on <span style="font-style: italic;">Yosemite Theme</span>, things are spacious and less cluttered so they work much better. It’s beautifully panoramic and slow moving.<span style=""> </span>There are good parts to this album, and a good band here, if only the producer or someone would step in with some good advice. One to cherry pick from.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Rolling Blackouts is out now on <a href="http://www.memphis-industries.com/">Memphis Industries</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Go Team! website is <a href="http://www.thegoteam.co.uk/">here</a><br /></p>Russhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00619641237425543036noreply@blogger.com0