Top 10 albums of 2008

(Morning Star, Friday 26, December 2008)
IN REVIEW: This year's stand-out albums

ROCK: The Kills - Midnight Boom (Domino)
This year saw The Kills cross a threshold. Perhaps because one of their personnel Jamie Hince saw his love life step up a notch with Kate Moss or perhaps because they released their most breathtaking album to date. Whichever, one thing's clear - they're no longer two misfits on rock's periphery.

Midnight Boom is a showcase for The Kills' own unique brand of filthy fuzz rock. From call-and-response lead single URA Fever, it is clear that Hince and cohort Alison Mosshart have done little to mainstream their sound. Midnight Boom has seen them move further from their starting point and even on occasion into a dance sphere.

On insouciantly violent, sexy tracks such as Last Day Of Magic, they take no prisoners, while, on Cheap and Cheerful, they channel dance beats and pop lyrics but still manage to make life sound as grimy as it gets.

La Roux - Quicksand

(Muso's Guide, December 25, 2008)

Single review

Every so often there comes a pop dance single which causes bodies to act in curious ways: shimmying of bottom, tapping of feet, vocal approximation of harmony, general striking of poses in reckless abandon.

Bless you, La Roux, or should I say Elly Jackson for bringing out those physical jerks through introducing to the musical world your curiously classic yet strangely classless brand of 1980s sleaze-pop.

‘Quicksand’ is like Goldfrapp dialled up ‐ or CSS dialled back, all jerky rhythms and unfeasibly catchy tune.

Bizarrely continental, La Roux actually hails from Brixton, and is just now booking a supporting slot with Lily Allen. Despite that, she sings “When will I learn all you do is push me back in the dust” like it’s coming straight from Italian songstress Spagna’s lips 25 years ago instead of her own in the here and now.

Visually an arresting merger between Tilda Swinton and David Bowie circa 1975, La Roux’s fabulous video is all 1980s sunset scenes and leaning on giant pineapples. The grand finale shows La Roux’s face morphing into that of a leopard.

Oh, yes, it’s barmy, but that is its charm.

The autoKratz ‘Rags to Riches mix’ is even more in debt to disco, with a more upbeat tempo. ‘Beni’s Sinking at 1.56 mix’ is a little more abstract with a touch of the Depeche, but not without its charm, whilst the ‘Chateau Marmont mix’ is the truest to the original except with a terrifically 1980s beat.

La Roux makes the rest of today’s dance pop look positively old hat, by sounding like everything that came before most young clubbers today were even born. That is the true grit in the ‘Quicksand’.

Oh, and if you think this review referentially names the 1980s too much, keep on walking ‐ there’s clearly nothing for you here.

Alesha Dixon - Breathe Slow

(Muso's Guide, December 25, 2008)

Single reviews

Reinvented, reinvigorated - Alesha Dixon lives anew since she won last year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Previously languishing in a sort of post-girl band Siberia thanks to the break-up of Mis-Teeq - and the breakdown of her marriage to So Solid’s MC Harvey, Heat fans - Alesha never quite made her solo career take off - until she put on her dancing shoes.

New album The Alesha Show was trailed admirably by pop single ‘The Boy Does Nothing’ in which Alesha channels the spirit of Lou Bega. Now, the follow-up which, in R&B terms, is as might be expected.

The video for ‘Breathe Slow’ starts with Dixon exiting a rundown building in a gloomy, slightly derelict street. No matter, she still exudes the sort of glamour which has not been seen in urban music for many’s a long year.

Wandering round a dance studio in shorty shorts, stretching occasionally, it seems that there is some sort of contractual obligation to the BBC (and their eerie “keep dancing!” motif) to make sure she is always implying the continued coolness of dancing.

Despite Dixon’s being dressed as a glitzy bunny girl in a diner, the image cannot distract from the music - what is, in essence, a fairly sanitised slice of R&B fluff.

Lyrically, it’s an old story - boy meets girl, boy wrongs girl, girl warbles about what fresh hell she finds herself in but keeps her held held high because “ladies never lose composure” - the last word being stretched over at least 10 syllables to prove her point.

As far as the video goes, it’s a sad vision of Dixon’s career on the skids, as she struts her costumed self down what looks like the main Vegas script… Oh, that is a fiction, you say? Well, good news - you’d find it even harder to retain composure shaking your ass in sequins, Miss Dixon.

Wiley - See Clear Now

(Muso's Guide, December 24, 2008)

Album Review

From drum and bass to garage, genre-straddling colossus Wiley has seen it all. A founding member of Roll Deep, the 29-year-old is best-known for popularising the curiously British ‘grime’, an urban genre which has come straight outta East London in the last decade and infected music-makers across the globe with its marriage of garage, dancehall and hiphop.

Although Wiley has been on the periphery of the crossover for a time - his first two records both charted inside the top 100 in the UK in 2004 and 2007 - it is perhaps inevitable that the sniff of cash and buddying round with the Mercury Prize-winning Dizzee Rascal (Newsnight Review’s acceptable face of grime) would tempt Wiley in a more populist direction.

So See Clear Now kicks off with ‘Ryder Intro’, resonating with the maxim “It’s London living, it’s London living”. Zinging with all the menace of Pharoahe Monch, it shows Wiley in confident form.

First single ‘Wearing My Rolex’ is a clash of rave beats and hiphop. Radio friendly in the extreme, it bagged Wiley a number two spot in the UK singles chart, and studies women who have taken advantage of Wiley since his name became known. It’s rave beats and synth sound are hypnotic, and Wiley’s rap is funny and self-aware, which helps account for the worldwide smash it became earlier this year.

It certainly helps prove Wiley’s assertion that See Clear Now is his first pop album, although this has not endeared him to die-hard grime fans.

‘I Need To Be’ plows a similar pop/dance furrow, while on the album’s second single ‘Summertime’, Wiley rather confidently takes the Kanye route and samples a Daft Punk track, here ‘Aerodynamic’. A terrific track, it reinvigorates the Daft Punk classic just as Kanye’s ‘Stronger’ did for ‘Harder Better Faster Stronger’, and defies even the most rhythmically challenged not to cut some rug.

On the album’s title track, there’s surprisingly little to recommend. Wiley sings of “trying to top the charts like the Ting Tings”, but his tales of “when you get arrested and you can’t afford the bail” do little to endear him to the listener.

The ubiquitous Mark Ronson pops up on ‘Cash In My Pocket’, Wiley’s nod to the credit crunch, along with Daniel Merriweather, most famously heard on Ronson’s version of The Smiths’ ‘Stop Me’, and whose plaintive tone has not grown any less tiresome here, bleating, “all I really want is money in my pocket, cash in my hand and skrilla in my wallet”.

Wiley has already made it clear that “music is paying me well”, which grates, but with its tuneful chorus line it is set to be a favourite in places like Edith Bowman’s Radio 1 show, so its success is not in question.

On ‘5am’, Wiley is once again boasting about his funds, subtitling his Powerbook his “money-by-the-hour book” and courting those who say he has sold out with the revealing couplet, “I said I’d never leave the hood but now I look back don’t matter where you live, you’re alive and kicking”. Some might say it’s easy to say that when you’ve left the hood with your suitcases full of cash, Wiley.

See Clear Now is a sterling effort as regards a pop album. Wiley has spoken of wanting to be “the male equivalent of Missy Elliott”, and with his new direction, MCing, DJing and producing - not forgetting his dual fashion emporia - it seems that he has followed the prime ‘Misdemeanour’ down that lucrative route. But the fact that Wiley can only See Clear Now that he has wiped the grime from his vision will definitely have former followers shouting “turncoat”.

Fever Ray - If I Had A Heart

(Muso's Guide, December 24, 2008)

Single review

What is an artiste to do when she sets out on the cold, weary road to solo success? Work her knuckles to the bone to get noticed, perhaps? Play every grubby toilet up and down the land? Or maybe just relax in the comforting knowledge that anything you commit to record will be gratefully received by a public intent on celebrating your every note?

Take Fever Ray. The name for solo work from Karin Dreijer Andersson ‐ the Swedish Alison Goldfrapp, if you like ‐ there is plenty to recommend the provenance. For one thing, Andersson is still one half of Swedish electronica duo The Knife. Currently on hiatus, the band have had tremendous success in Sweden - their last album, 2006’s Silent Shout, reached number one in the Swedish charts, they have won six Grammys in their home country and their song “Heartbeats” has been turned into a worldwide hit by José Gonzalez.

Andersson’s talent really is not in question, but her wisdom at releasing ‘If I Had A Heart’ is. After all, as a trailer for March 2009’s debut long-playing release, it is a dour affair.

From its the throb of reverb which forms its introduction, the chanted lyrics “This will never end ‘cos I want more - more, give me more, give me more,” goes the vocal, sodden in repetitive bassline.

The song takes the grittiness of something off Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell’s Sunday At Devil Dirt and weaves it into a mesmeric soundscape, the tattoo of the beat holding everything together. Which is not terrible, of course - but it falls quite a way short of inspirational, or even exciting.

‘If I Had A Heart’ is stripped back, unfussy and straightforward. It is also, it seems, easy for Andersson to release without worrying how people will rate it. Must try harder, young lady.

Eddi Reader - Sings The Songs Of Robert Burns

(Muso's Guide, December 23, 2008)

Classic Album Review

One of the most comforting things about truly talented artists is their ability to ally themselves with any musical style going as long as they feel that it is right for them at the time. Take Eddi Reader. Her career, spanning more than 25 years, has seen her put in spells with artists as diverse as Gang Of Four and Eurythmics, not to mention a star turn at the head of Fairground Attraction, and yet is still being seen today as one of Scotland’s most enduring and captivating female vocalists.
The album Sings The Songs Of Robert Burns was first released in 2003, and the fact that this deluxe edition has made a reappearance just in time for the 250th anniversary of Burns’ birth could make even the most naive of music fans blush, but when the tracks on show are as timeless as these, Reader can be forgiven. In fairness, there are seven new tracks here, and from ‘Green Grow The Rashes O’ to ‘Of A’ The Airts’, they are as sensational as those on the original release.

Starting with the swooping strings of ‘Jamie Come Try Me’, Sings The Songs Of Robert Burns sets off at a canter with Reader’s distinctive cadence, leading the listener on a musical journey.

It straightaway becomes clear that the wonder and beauty of these songs owes every bit as much to Burns’ poetic soul as Reader’s melodious one. ‘My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose’, perhaps Burns’ most famous work, is rendered here as heartachingly touching. Reader infuses each word with her rich and inspiring vocals, and it becomes less the sort of thing people studied at school and more the sort of emotion that music has revealed and revered for generations.

The blissfully tuneful ‘Willie Stewart/Molly Rankin’ is determinedly Scottish, all whisking instruments and foot-tapped beats, while ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ is the most successful interpretation of parting’s “sweet sorrow” since Shakespeare took up quill to pen Romeo and Juliet.The album was produced with a bevy of skilled and accomplished artists, not least Kate Rusby and John McCusker, both of whom have gone on in the intervening five years to strike it lucky on something very special indeed in the music world, and then mine the associated success with yet more records and collaborations.

As is Burns’ wont, there is plenty on show here of an historical nature - unrest bubbles away on “Ye Jacobites” - “To whet th’ assassin’s knife, or hunt a Parent’s life, wi’ bluidy war, wi’ bluidy war!” - as Reader effortlessly retains her warmth but develops an edge to her delivery which is mildly chilling in its unexpectedness.

Eddi Reader boasts an unfeasibly beautiful vocal, and as a voice for Robert Burns, it is impossible to imagine anyone more suited. Even for sassenachs, Sings The Songs Of Robert Burns is a prime purchase - pop it on the stereo on January 25 and toast Rabbie wi’ a wee dram.

The Boy Least Likely To - The First Snowflake

(Muso's Guide, December 23, 2008)

Single review

Every so often there comes along a perfectly-formed ditty to which nothing could be added ‐ even if the artist had a decade to work on it with masterclasses from Lennon, McCartney and Garfunkel.

Let it be known that this is pretty darned close to the zenith of pop, and The Boy Least Likely To have exceeded all expectations.

‘The First Snowflake’ is the latest venture into swooning pop glory by English duo The Boy Least Likely To, and it skilfully ticks all of those ‘masterpiece’ boxes.

Opening with the tender strumming of Pete Hobbs’ acoustic guitar, ‘The First Snowflake’ is a lyrical narrative about the titular premier precipitation.

It’s a lonely life for the flake: “No one noticed as it fell all by itself ‐ it wasn’t long before it began to melt” sings Jof Owen, with all the emotion of a great lost love song.

The video is a treat indeed. The duo survey a coastal scene, then make their odyssey to find snow in the Scottish lakes. As the drums begin to build and charming Christmas bells start to jungle, the pair pause with a Thermos for sustenance then lay on, into the snow-capped mountains. Once there, they take refuge in an abandoned hut by a log fire, all the while soundtracked by the tale of the little snowflake that could: “Snow kept falling, but no two snowflakes are ever the same ‐ each one is special in its own little way”.

Is it too obvious to say the boy most likely to…?

Panic At The Disco - …Live in Chicago

(Muso's Guide, December 23, 2008)

Album Review

Grandiose, flamboyant, overblown ‐ all words which can be used to describe the band formerly known as Panic! At The Disco.

See, the Las Vegas natives rocketed into the emo-sphere in 2005 with A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out and gave other, lesser emo acts a real run for their emo-money. Did you get that they were emo?

Pitched against such emo-also-rans as Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco were always that little bit smarter, sexier ‐ and, crucially, better.

The vocal histrionics of singer Brendon Urie made sure that the band stood apart from the rest, and with song titles like ‘The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage’ and ‘Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have With Her Clothes On’, they truly cemented their witty credentials.

Panic’s overtly camp dress and pantomime videos - see Urie’s scarlet ringmaster in the video for ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’ - placed them firmly in the emo camp, although they railed against it and clung instead to dreams of being the new Radiohead.

All of this is pertinent because the Panic At The Disco (notice the discarded exclamation point = serious artistes) …Live in Chicago record is an astounding place of incongruity.

On the band’s second studio album, 2008’s Pretty. Odd., there was a pretty marked shift ‐ seismic, if you will ‐ in their music. Out are the needlessly verbose titular effects, in comes maturity and classic songcraft ‐ surprisingly more in the vein of the afore-mentioned Oxford dons.

…Live in Chicago
represents the fault line of Panic At The Disco’s career, in very real terms. For every rambunctious ‘There’s A Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered, Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought Of It Yet’ from A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out , there’s an outstanding beauty in tracks like ‘Behind The Sea’ and ‘That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)’ off Pretty. Odd.

In between the first and second record, the band have undergone a sea change, and it is a great thing to hear the two sides of Panic juxtaposed on this live album. Urie’s drama school antics have melted away to leave a band who know what to do with a tune, and it’s given them a confidence which puts the tracks off Pretty. Odd. head and shoulders above the rest on show here.

The emo screamo crowd can be heard chanting on a variety of the tracks, most notably ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’, and Urie is an accomplished leader on those, but it is terrific after all to hear that the band can move on to bigger and better sounds. Pretty. Great.

Malaventura - It Comes From Mars EP

(Muso's Guide, December 22, 2008)

Single review

As die-hard music fans are vaguely obsessed with genre, it is really worth pointing out here that there is an ever-decreasing number of classification options open to the average recording artist.

Think about it - there are so many genres! How can we possibly keep on adding to them? We’re going to have to start filing one album at a time under ‘Saturnial pirate folk’ or ‘Antipodean melodious crunk’.

Anyway, in the meantime, if there’s a niche in modern music, which can truly be termed ‘untapped’, surely it’s Spanish ambient? Fernando García Tamajón, also known as Malaventura, is a musician and filmmaker from Málaga who has heard the sound of the Red Planet and committed it, rather helpfully, to MP3.

First off, ‘Cydonia’ would not sound out of place on the Bladerunner soundtrack. All electronic beeps and blips, it is Tamajón’s approximation of a visit to Mars, and man, is it spooky. The repetitive track which underpins ‘Cydonia’ is mesmerising, and Tamajón’s vision is curiously spooky.After that, the 11-minute odyssey that is ‘Uchronia’. Referring to a hypothetical time period of our world (thanks, Wikipedia), the track is, strangely, timeless. If that’s a bit much, ‘Laestrygon’ is the aural equivalent of

Tomorrow’s World, like a horror movie soundtrack as re-interpreted by Look Around You’s Synthesiser Patel.If you’re finding that your musical world is lacking in unusual electronic peeps and dropped beats a la Casio, check out Malaventura. In truth,

Tamajón’s Martian imagining is bravely and enthusiastically attempted, but the execution is less dazzling. File under uneasy listening.

Flamboyant Bella - Absolutely Wankered

(Muso's Guide, December 19, 2008)

Single review

The newest, cleanest, freshest-faced youngsters to offer themselves up for sacrifice to the dirty gods of pop, Flamboyant Bella hail from Hitchin in Hertfordshire. So we’ve established that they’re a small town, provincial band - but that alone is no excuse for ‘Absolutely Wankered’.

The band, a four-piece - one girl, three boys - are self-confessed proponents of ‘dirty pop’, are four singles in to what can therefore be termed their nascent pop career.

The band’s previous single, ‘Touch’ saw singer Flo Kirton take the helm Kate Nash-style. It was full of smart lyrics, flirtation and not a little pop genius.

For reasons which escape normal folk, Flamboyant Bella have nevertheless decided upon ‘Absolutely Wankered’ as their fourth single. Tuneful Britpop underpinned by keyboards, it is, in essence, a ‘Tubthumping’ for the new generation, telling the tale of a drunken night out.

The song is heralded by a pounding bassline which expands to envelope synthesizer histrionics worthy of Pulp’s Candida Doyle.

Singer James McBreen’s vocal is carefully affected, although on this binge-drinking theme it does become incredibly grating. The lyrics are smartly sarcastic - “I’ve only had nine cans and now I can’t feel my hands… I feel great but I’m looking a state” - but the chorus line is one which seems only too obviously aimed at the pub crowds at the end of the night - “Absolutely, utterly, completely fucked and I can’t see a thing/Absolutely wankered I feel fucking great, get me another drink.”

The rhyming couplets can be snappy in the verses but really, the story that they tell is a sad indictment of British culture, and an unpleasant window onto time spent with Flamboyant Bella.

In comparison to their previous singles, the novelty strains of ‘Absolutely Wankered’ are disappointing and not a little insulting. It will no doubt find its way onto playlists at indie discos for a time, but will soon be forgotten, leaving Flamboyant Bella to fight another day - let’s just hope they clean up their act for their next outing.

Underground Railroad - 25/NYC (Money Money)

(Muso's Guide, December 19, 2008)

Single reviews

There’s a school of thought which believes songs which remind you of something else are tantamount to music perfection. After all, something which sounds like you have already heard it brings together the best elements of tunes you already know, tricking your ear into thinking that it’s already been a fully-formed tune in your head. That, or it’s derivative, unexciting pap.
First track off the new single from French post-punkers Underground Railroad is ‘25′, and it’s a tough call whether it’s so new it’s old or so old it’s out.

The chiming guitars and slack beat make the sound musically reminiscent of histrionic 1990s Aberdeen indie also-rans Geneva, while vocalist/guitarist Marion Andrau spouts impossibly cool, louche lyrics over an echoing guitar line - “I don’t wanna pay, I don’t wanna pay… for another day”. It truly sounds like something you’ve heard a hundred times before, but in the best of ways - it’s the musical equivalent of an old friend.

Sad, then, that its effortlessly hip sound is somewhat overshadowed by the dirgey, unimaginative, at-least-one-minute-too-long rock assault of ‘NYC (Money Money)’. Kicking in like something Kurt shunted off Incesticide for being too inaccessible, it appears to be concerned only with the central conceit - “I wanna be in New York City with plenty of money,” bellows vocalist/drummer Raphael Mura. Repetitive guitar riffs over an uneven beat, and occasional shouts of “Money money” make the whole thing vaguely unpalatable. Like an unsettling artistic installation, ‘NYC (Money Money)’ leaves you feeling uneasy and slightly abused.

Underground Railroad are French indie-rockers living in London, and should be cooler than cool. On ‘25′, they make a real play for that timeless classic, and of the 10 tracks of their recent album Sticks And Stones, it is definitely the stand-out. But following it up with the tuneless, wonk rock of ‘NYC (Money Money)’ is just a real shame.

Fight Like Apes: “I’ve just always wanted to fly”

(Muso's Guide, December 18, 2008)

Interview: Fight Like Apes

Picture the coolest band you can imagine. Pose-striking rock demons in leather and denim? Too cool for school heroes with no time for the normal folk? Seriously, everyone loves a rock star who is well aware of their status.

Which is why Ireland’s Fight Like Apes are such an anomaly. Because, well, they look just like you. Bright tees! Hoodies! Long hair! And they make great music - funny and interesting, referencing 1990s film heroes - like Jake Summers from California Man, who they namecheck on… um… ‘Jake Summers’.

It’s no surprise that such a funky, quirky band are dead good craic. Or at least, Pockets is - FLA keyboard maestro, so called because he likes to ‘pocket’ lighters.

If you don’t know Fight Like Apes, you’re really missing out. Just finished a UK tour supporting The Prodigy, their star is what might be termed ‘in the ascendency’.

When we catch up with Pockets, he’s on the tourbus, living it large - FLA-style - watching Mannequin.

“It’s a fantastic movie, I didn’t remember it being that good like. I realised that I quite fancied Kim Cattrall back in the day. Nowadays, she’s a bit much for me…”

This is very FLA - they have their limits, don’t you know. Pockets is pleased to pronounce himself “very relaxed”, and sounds like he could doze off at any time.

Pockets got together with vocalist Maykay, Tom on bass and drummer Adrian in the usual way.

“We’ve been friends for years and we’ve played in crappy little bands together that we don’t talk about.”

It seems that the experience has paid off, as the fun, interesting eight-legged behemoth that is FLA have a nice line in swagger that can only come from truly knowing oneself.

“When we started, we were just trying to please ourselves so anybody who liked us was a surprise. Anybody liking us whatsoever is a bonus so we’re just very comfortable with with ourselves and the music we make. I suppose we are kind of cocky brats.”

The cockiness paid off, and the band were snapped up in 2008 for their biggest tour to date with the Prodigy, but Pockets is characteristically laid back about supporting a Brit dance mega-act.

“It was a bit of a learning curve, adapting to playing their crowd because they’ve got such committed fans, but we were really happy with the response.”

As a Prodge fan, Pockets will admit to being daunted at first, but it’s all in his stride now.

“I loved Jilted Generation whenever it came out but never really anticipated playing with them - it’s been amazing to be able to do it. And they’re so nice as well! Keith Flint is actually really normal, he just looks absolutely terrifying.”

As well as a shared love of the Prodigy’s seminal classic Music For The Jilted Generation, FLA cite way cool lo-fi and rock acts as influences - My Bloody Valentine, Pavement. So why don’t FLA play guitar?

Pockets laughs. “We’re really crap at guitar! It’s genuinely that simple. I tried to be a guitarist when I was younger and so did Tom and we were just awful at it, so it made sense to just start a band without a guitar and look for a guitarist.”

By the time that they realised they didn’t really want an axe wielder, Fight Like Apes had already carved out their own niche.

“We always think of ourselves as being highly influenced by guitar bands, but we play it all on keyboard, and I guess that’s where we just got lucky - creating our own sound.”

Luckier still was travelling to Seattle to work with Death Cab For Cutie and Los Campesinos! producer John Goodmanson - surely the cause of some nervous moments?

“John was just so cocky, and he had done a lot of our favourite records, by Sleater Kinney and Bikini Kill. He was so chilled out and relaxed. Even when we were saying ‘are we ever going to get this record finished?’, he’d just be sitting there fixing keyboards and watching YouTube videos!”

The hard work paid off - eventually - and the band’s record, Fight Like Apes And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion, is a masterpiece. Even if they do say so themselves…

“When we did our EPs, they were initially just demos, so this time it was really nice spending some time working on the songs,” Pockets says.

“As we got better at the songs through gigging, the initial versions stood on record, so it was really nice to be able to record them, and actually think about them for the first time ever. We never really thought about them at first because we never thought we were going to play many gigs. We thought we’d get laughed off the stage and it didn’t really work out that way, fortunately!”

FLA fans foam at the mouth for the band’s terrific lyrics - witness “Hey! You! Watch your face! You’re like Kentucky Fried Chicken, but without the taste.” or “Hooks are for wimps and choruses are for gays”. Think part hilarious 1980s comedy, part excruciating emotional heartbreak. How does a band come up with a formula so off-kilter?

Pockets says it was unintentional, borne out of their peculiar lives of a few years ago.

“The cultural references came really easily from the fact that we hadn’t really been doing anything for a few years except for just watching movies and stuff, and when we started the band it was kind of a way of venting our own interests and it kind of happened really naturally.”

And so tracks like ‘Jake Summers’ and ‘I’m Beginning To Think You Prefer Beverly Hills 90210 To Me’ sit happily alongside one another on the record.

Pockets is quite fond of the Irish music scene at the moment, but says they never wanted to stick around at home - they want to get truly massive.

“I’m really looking forward to getting wires and flying during our lives shows. I’ve just always wanted to fly, so the bigger the stage, the more budget for flying.”

Well then, with big ideas like that, it’s time to start living like rock stars! What’s next on the FLA tourbus? Drinking? Debauchery? Worse?!

“We’ve got Willow set up to watch later on. I’m really looking forward to that.”

The Fight Like Apes tourbus - it’s no simian mobile disco.

The Revelations - It’s You

(Muso's Guide, December 18, 2008)

Single review

Despite being the bearers of a name which calls to mind a foreboding biblical text packed with apocalyptic portent, The Revelations are an easy-on-the-eye three piece who appear to specialise in upbeat music. Far from delivering tragedy-laden messages of the future ruination of humanity, these peppy ladies do a nice line in fempop, coming on for all the world like B*Witched tackling the 2009 Eurovision entry.

‘It’s You’ kicks off like something that would soundtrack Super Mario on one of his merry little adventures. There follows a distinct chirpiness, and it would be churlish to suggest this is not a foot-tapping record.

Three mere minutes of pop perfection - The Revelations know how not to overstay a welcome - the song is probably what could be considered ‘unfeminist’ in the extreme, with assurances that “you’re my man” and “you’re all I think about every day”. But for all the modern take on a classic act, that is in the full spirit of the 1960s girl group pop.

For the grammatically squeamish, the scheme, “work out… watch out… look out… find out…” is bound to grate, taken, as it is, right from the aforementioned B*Witched’s dusty rhyming dictionary. But there’s so much bounce, life, and love in ‘It’s You’, that it is impossible to grimace as The Revelations chirrup away.

Maybe, in 2008, the happening of The Pipettes made this cheesy girl group comeback possible - or maybe it was just the Sheila’s Wheels ads. Whichever, in these doomy times, The Revelations are just that. Dance to it at a Christmas disco or risk eternal damnation. Probably.

Cinderella with a Welsh twist is ideal for little 'uns

(Morning Star, 17 December 2008)

Cinders
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff

IN a darkened theatre, stars glinting surreally in the sky and silence punctuated by the loud whispers of some under-sevens, order suddenly seems less than assured.

The cast of characters have their work cut out.

Fortunately, they are possessed of two very important things, a neat and entertaining script and an uncanny knack for comedy.

Being for young children, the lion's share of the laughs come from pratfalls as opposed to insightful characteristics, but that doesn't mean that all four players don't give Cinders their all.

The Crimbils are elven creatures who live at the bottom of the garden.

Their native language is almost incomprehensible so they make a show of speaking in English for comprehension purposes.

The children react well to being involved in a secret language not usually for "peebles."

In this play, the Crimbils are heartsick over the story of Onnen, a Cinderella for the ages, with all the family and romantic trauma that entails.

There is a nice taste of Welsh in here - Onnen means "ash tree."

The one drawback is that the involvement of the audience doesn't occur until almost three-quarters of the way through the play, which may lead to a little drifting on the part of little ones.

Still, there's plenty of fun to be had here.

The Crimbils are excellent at mugging and mocking as the four of them act out the Cinderella story with an ever more inventive series of costumes and voices.

Perfect for "tiddley peebles."

The Horse EP - Alessi's Ark

(Muso's Guide, December 16, 2008)

Putting aside a history of religious instruction which could well be described as ‘patchy’, it’s a given even in this church that Noah built the ark. He got some blueprints from Him upstairs or something and knocked up a nifty little craft to hold two of each animal on the planet.

A nice idea, although it would be churlish to suggest that there aren’t some serious holes in this plot.

Anyway, this is Alessi’s Ark, or Alessi, if you like. This EP showcases something very special in modern music. Alessi’s voice is the windfilled sail that speeds the journey, starting with the title track. Alessi’s Emiliana Torrini-style vocal charms and whisks the listener away to somewhere very special on a musical carpet of acoustic guitars and melodious harps.

‘The Horse’ is swooning and wistful and, best of all, leaves you wanting more of the beseeching lyrics- “if you’d like me to” - coming in at just under two minutes.

‘Neighbour’s Birds’ is a multi-instrumental voyage that changes tempo at will, boasting alluring lyrics and unique beats.

On ‘Let’s Race’, Alessi channels Bjork, purring and coquettish, “I’d kiss you, we’re from the same place”. The drums and build-up in ‘Let’s Race’ has all the romantic swagger of an old-school Bond theme, with Alessi’s voice adding an otherworldly side, while closer “Patchwork Of Dreams” truly is as it says, complete with dreamy couplets like “Taking a bus with a don’t-make-a-fuss kind of driver”.

If Noah had animals filing two by two into his ark, Alessi has garnered the twin beasts of ingenuity and talent and squirreled them away until the dark days are over. Thank the Lord.

Under One Sky - The Songs EP

(Muso's Guide, December 16, 2008)

Single reviews

It isn’t often that the very cream of the music crop come together in one act - or, if you will, ‘Under One Sky’. Oh, there are artists you love, and who you put together in your fantasy music league, but in reality, they don’t come within a hair’s breadth of each other. Until now.

Acclaimed Scottish fiddler John McCusker has assembled this line-up of which dreams are made for his latest musical excursion.

First unveiled at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2007, Under One Sky has been on tour, but here we are witness to the first recordings of the artists involved ahead of the album’s release next year - and they are something very special indeed.

First of all comes english musician and actor, John Tams. ‘Hush A Bye’ is a gentle, personal song, which Tams’ deep, resonant, traditional folk voice renders utterly hypnotic, while a female vocal rounds out the sound. The instruments here blend in with Tams’ truly melodious vocal and repetition of the lyrics gives it all the sound of a real lullaby. The simplicity of the music throughout befits the nature of the song perfectly. When John’s singing fades out, the music swells and creates a beautiful, lush soundscape.

From Tams’ unique, classic folk sound, it is but a skip and a jump to Julie Fowlis‘ ”S Tusa Thilleas’ and the sound of the Highlands and Islands. The Uist native is renowned for successfully carving out a niche in Gaelic vocal work, and her exquisite voice and disarming music here are breathtaking. ”S Tusa Thilleas’ shrugs off the common rhythms and beats of folk and slinks by in the form of a moment of calm. Literally translated, the title means “it’s you who will come back”, and the song has all the hallmarks of love’s longing lament in any language.

Some will question the appearance of Graham Coxon. After all, Blur’s ex-axeman hasn’t paid any folk dues, per se. But in ‘All Is Gone’, Coxon showcases the versatility which is very familiar to fans of his solo work. This would actually not sound out of place on one of his records. It’s gentle and emotive, with a raft of emotion going through the lyrics. The musicality is unusual on The Songs EP - the ‘pom pom’ of the bass makes it stand out amongst these folk records - but McCusker must have seen something fitting in Coxon’s work, and we should be glad he did. ‘All Is Gone’ really showcases the expansiveness of Coxon’s artistry.

Another fugitive from indie rock’s cruel embrace, Roddy Woomble was best-known for his sterling work with Scottish indie popsters Idlewild in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Now with folk records of his own behind him - including the recent Before The Ruin record, recorded with McCusker and Scottish folk musician Kris Drever - the 31-year-old visits The Songs EP with ‘Lavender Hill’ like it is his natural habitat. The gentle string work and sweetness of Woomble’s Scottish burr make ‘Lavender Hill’ a haze of a song, the stuff of long days with friends and lost youth. The conglomeration of instruments is tremendous, and it truly fires the imagination to think of traditional musicians sitting in the round playing away. The song’s hook line, “I’d rather be staring at nothing”, is nothing like as existential as it sounds, but woven into the serene dream of Woomble’s lyrics like a true expert. McCusker’s fiddle brings out the emotion of the song, and the whole effect is breathtaking.

From there, it must have been tough to beat - but 27-year-old Exeter folk musician Jim Causley puts a stamp all his own on the final track. ‘Will I see Thee More’ is a tender, thought-provoking piece which begins with acoustic guitar and builds with McCusker on fiddle.

Causley has the vocal style and grace of a folk singer twice his age, and shines bright on this simple fairytale of a song.

To have a group of such astonishing musicians is fortuitous indeed, but to get them all here, Under One Sky - that’s McCusker’s miracle.

Beginner's guide to kickboxing

(Bookshelf Boyfriend, December 2008)

It's always terrific to find new ways to stay in shape. Don't dismiss new sports - they can be loads of fun, and are usually a great way to meet new people.

So if you're after fitness, friends and, above all, fun, starting out in kickboxing is a truly kicking idea!

At the suggestion of kickboxing, some women will run in the other direction. After all, it's a tough sport, isn't it? You'll be breaking nails and losing teeth all over the place - and that's not to mention the bruises...

Well, if you think that's true, you can think again. Kickboxing is not about beating someone to a pulp - it's about bettering your own fitness and learning new moves that work for your body, and could even help with self-defence. So don't worry - you'll find your confidence growing with every step!

Follow our beginner's guide to start smart - and make kickboxing work for you.

What is kickboxing?

Kickboxing is a modern sport which brings together martial arts and boxing. Practised non-professionally it is common as a means of fitness and, as such, is not intended to cause injury.

If you find yourself taking part in kickboxing tournaments, then you will find out about points and the rules of contact, but as far as its use for improving cardio-fitness goes, it is a peaceful sport - so stop fretting!

What should I know before I start kickboxing?

The sport is commonly taught in groups, meaning that there will be plenty of opportunities to improve your strength against others, but remember, you are not competitors, so don't try and 'win'.

The sport uses a combination of kicks and punches, and can be practised using boxing gloves and punching bags - or, better still, nothing at all if you want to shadow box - that is, fight with an invisible opponent - to hone your moves.

How do I get started?

Before you start kickboxing for the first time, understand that it is a sport you are new to, so it may not happen overnight. However, the joy will come from seeing your body get stronger, and becoming so confident that the moves will soon become second nature.

Many women choose to join a kickboxing class, either on their own or with friends. There are a few links below which may help you find a class in your area, but if in doubt, it can be worth contacting your local council's leisure services department and asking them if there are classes in the area.

Then just follow these 10 golden rules...

1. Dress appropriately. Loose fitting, comfortable clothing is key, as well as trainers to keep your toes from harm and provide your ankles with enough support.

2. Always make sure that you have plenty of water with you. The cardio-vascular exercise will make you sweat it all out, and it is so important to keep your body hydrated.

3. Stretch and warm up all of your muscles properly before you practise to avoid getting cramp or doing yourself damage. At the end of a session, it's imperative to warm down too - treat your body well and it'll work wonders!

4. Stay focussed on the fitness benefits when you're taking those first few swings - don't try and take your aggression out on the people around you!

5. Find a space with enough room to be able to maneuver without accidentally hitting something - or someone.

6. Take time out if you need it. Overheating or hurting yourself isn't worth it - it only takes a minute, girl, and you'll be back in the game. Just remember to stretch before you stop.

7. Do not overstretch your muscles - your body has its limits, so don't try and make it go beyond its normal range of movement. If you think you're trying to do too much, stop and take a break.

8. Just focus on kicks, jabs or punches in the beginning, as least until you understand what you are capable of. There's plenty of time later to get onto the more complicated moves.

9. Starting with one or two classes a week should be enough if you're using kickboxing as a fitness tool. Build to a frequency you're comfortable with and you'll see the difference in your body. It is useful to add on other cardio-vascular exercise, such as running, treadmill, cross-training or stepping.

10. Be aware that kickboxing will take a lot of energy. As long as you're doing it right and not hurting yourself, you should be pretty much constantly moving in a regular class, which means you'll probably ache the day after! But the rewards are fantastic, and you will be hooked before you know it.

Suggested links

www.martialartsclubs.com
www.martialartsregister.co.uk

The Fireman - Sing The Changes

(Muso's Guide, December 13, 2008)

Single reviews

The term ‘ironic’ is overused, as can be evidenced by the Alanis Morrisette song of the same name. Oh yes, 12 years after the fact, there’s still mileage in that, and there will be until people stop using it for a catch-all term to denote something which is ‘a bit of a conicidence’.

What is truly ironic is that Paul McCartney - who is famed for his membership of one of the most creatively liberated bands in British music history - has resorted to recording under a pseudonym to secure himself creative liberation.

Album Electric Arguments is the third long player from The Fireman - a duo which brings together McCartney and producer Youth - and the most prominent to date.

‘Sing The Changes’ is the second single off it, and is a song which boasts such unfettered enthusiasm and verve, why it was not the lead release is a bit of a mystery.

The chiming guitar which leads the listener in is crisp and delightful, and from the off, McCartney’s voice is clear and melodious. The backing vocal motif which is repeated throughout lends the whole affair something of Bruce Springsteen with all the air of “Glory Days”.

The video shows a starry night sky which quickly gives way to footage of everyday life projected onto the face of Macca himself. After all this time, he still cannot resist using his hands as he sings, which is something of a drawback for a man determined to look ‘cool’. The ‘thumbs aloft’-style gestures coupled with the knees-bent bobbing up and down make his appearance pretty difficult to watch straight-faced, but it’d be churlish to suggest this matters a jot.

Traffic lights showing a number of Fireman symbols in red, amber and green and we are treated to some time-lapse photography of clouds, but it is all a lesser experience than actually listening to the song, all three minutes 48 seconds of its reverb-drenched glory.

At this point in his career, McCartney knows he can’t make more of a musical impact than he already has. But the grand implications of small gestures like ‘Sing The Changes’ should warm his heart, and ours - these gestures are testament to a man who retains his creativity and vision long after many of his contemporaries have bade their own farewell, under any name.

Frightened Rabbit - Last Tango In Brooklyn

(Muso's Guide, December 12, 2008)

Single reviews

It is getting terribly hard to pigeonhole music these days. Alright, bands don’t like it. After all, why should they be forced into a niche with some other people who have similar haircuts or a female bassist too? They spend their time making art which is built to be unique and interesting in its own right, and they deserve some respect for their wishes.

Hahahaha. No, really.

Listen, that band makes one record every 18 months and calls it their very own. Music journalists - and, more importantly, fans - listen to hundreds of records every year. They hear new music on BBC radio, on commercial stations, in clubs, in pubs, at gigs, on music television, on YouTube, as mobile ringtones on the bus. And that’s not even thinking about those records they decide to buy and take home - or download - as their very own musical pet, to play ad naseum until they hear about something hipper.

Put that way, is it any wonder that there are pigeonholes? But they were meant to make things easier, and that’s not the case in 2008.

Sure, Frightened Rabbit could be loosely construed to be folk… Or are they anti-folk? Are they contemporary folk, or folk revival? Maybe folk rock or folk blues? It’s a nightmare trying to pigeonhole this Rabbit.

Suffice it to say, ‘Last Tango In Brooklyn’ is a dainty little number. It has gentle guitar strumming - complete with the comforting pluck of the fingers on the strings - and starts out telling a non-too-savoury tale of two young people getting naked.

In a broad Scottish burr, singer Scott Hutchison reports that “there is nothing sadder than sad sad sex” - so far, so tawdry - and the whole thing seems a little too much like a self-help session for the young and the restless - he slept with someone he wishes he hadn’t, so far, so 90210.

How lovely, then, that the song blossoms into something much nicer. There’s another girl, you see, who Scott is in love with, and he’s planning on singing his way back into her heart - because “the fun stuff is not so fun without you”. And therein lies the story - growing grander, Scott sings of his “two left feet” keeping him from going out tonight, as percussive aid in the form of jaunty tambourines comes in, and the repeated “the fun stuff is not so fun without you” reiterates the loss of a love of life. “I’m quite alright, I’m not depressed - most of the time” he assures somewhat hollowly, but it’s too late, we know that he’s a-hurtin’, and it’s thanks to his merry band of backing singers that the message is really driven home.

Identifying whereabouts to find Frightened Rabbit in your local independent record store would be a whole lot easier if they would just commit to a genre, but sometime you gotta make an exception - seek them out, no matter how tricky their classification.

FUTUREHEADS w/ JOHNNY FOREIGNER

('Sup magazine, December 12, 2008)

SUB 29, CARDIFF

Live review

PHOTOS: MARK THOMAS

The crowd set to welcome Johnny Foreigner onstage is a bit thin at Sub 29, truth be told. The dingy hall of Cardiff's newest music venue is sparsely populated when the Birmingham trio come onstage, save for an excitable core of fans bobbing up and down as if their whole lives have been building up to this moment. And what a moment, when it arrives. Singer Alexei Berrow has already ploughed himself quite a convincing 'frontman' furrow, and instantly the band's exuberant pop with joyful boy-girl vocals - bassist Kelly Southern, the girl to Berrow's boy - whips the assembled few into a frenzy. The band storm through selected tracks from debut record Waited Up 'Til It Was Light with aplomb, and as the venue starts to fill, a few newcomers are definitely won over to the Brummie side.


The hall fills in earnest then, with sharp-dressed gig-goers all waiting for one thing: a loud Geordie to bound onstage. It happens, in the shape of Barry Hyde, bellowing: "We're the The Futureheads from Sunderland and we're here to raise holy hell." Quite a promise, and enough to galvanise the legions of 'Heads fans into rock action.

The songs kick off with a version of Decent Days And Nights, which has such intensity and exuberance, it is hard to believe that the track is already four years old. From the off, the band are musically beyond tight - their instinctive melodiousness produces a set list packed with all hum-along tunes and terrific pogoing anthems, and all layered with those trademark The Futureheads harmonies. For a band who made such currency of their youth back in the day, they now have a grasp of their craft far beyond their years. They also aren't afraid to play from their back catalogue, and the songs which make an appearance still delight like they did way back when. Meantime and Le Garage off the eponymous debut make an appearance, sitting comfortably alongside new single I Wouldn't Be Like This If You Were Here. Hyde tells the crowd to buy the single - 'out today' - before berating himself, "As if anyone is crazy enough to still buy music."



The best part of seeing The Futureheads live is the promise of their quality banter, and they don't disappoint tonight. Hyde ribs guitarist Ross Millard onstage for his love of obscure bands, labelling him "the indie music Santa Claus", whilst Millard mildly defends himself.

The biggest laugh comes when Hyde announces that they were told they were coming to Cardiff to play the Millennium Stadium. He stops, casts an eye around the diminutive venue, and deadpans, "What the fuck is this?"

Other musical forays of the evening include the title track from the recent album This Is Not The World - which sees Hyde asking if there are dancers in the audience "because this is a waltz." Sadly no one waltzes, but it's back on track for pogoing to Radio Heart.
The accomplishment of the songs on show and the fevered excitement of the crowd would imply a greater success than The Futureheads are currently enjoying. After all, their most recent record has fared the least well of their career. But the good-naturedness of the boys and the sheer enthusiasm of their music has cemented them firmly into the hearts of true fans.

As Hyde introduces Work Is Never Done, he calls it "Ross's moment in the sun", and demands screaming from the crowd. It seems like maybe The Futureheads' moment in the sun has passed, but what's left is a truly talented band with plenty of energy and some really fantastic music. If that's not enough to raise holy hell round your way, then who knows what is?

The Computers - You Can’t Hide From The Computers

(Muso's Guide, December 11, 2008)

Album Review

“Destroy everything,” The Computers’ frontman Alex Kershaw screams by way of introduction to this, the Exeter quartet’s mini album. Yep, that’s right - anarchic existential angst from Exeter, and golly, has it been a long time in coming.

If that’s a command, like a hardcore style call-to-arms, the best bet is to obey. Destroy everything.

From opener ‘Teenage Tourettes Camp’, this musical soundtrack to your worst nightmare is an attempt to fuse the spirit of hardcore - Black Flag are cited fairly regularly on the band’s MySpace page - and the wonder of rock’n'roll like Chuck Berry. Other influences are said to include The Clash and Elvis Costello and the Attractions.

If Elvis Costello thought for a second that The Computers’ output was directly inspired by something he had put his hand to, some might be willing to bet he would bury his own family under every copy of My Aim Is True ever sold, so devoid of the sort of intelligence and purpose of that record do The Computers seem to be.

So, after ‘Teenage Tourettes Camp’, the record touches upon up-tempo ‘Love The Music, Hate The Kids’. It’s loud, and tuneless, and fairly obnoxious. ‘Must Try Harder’ is more of the same, although mercifully clocks in at under two minutes, and bizarrely has something of the ‘No Particular Place To Go’ about it. Just kidding. This is all The Computers.

By the time it gets to ‘S.O.S.’, rather wittily standing here for, er… ’save our souls’, it’s really a case of seeking something here that means The Computers have a future.

They claim to follow Black Flag, but they lack the ingenuity - they claim to respect Elvis Costello, but they lack the tunefulness. In the face of this talent void, the only answer is to destroy everything - starting with a little record called You Can’t Hide From the Computers.

Sherman Queen of the pack

(Morning Star, Wednesday 10 December 2008)

The Snow Queen
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff

AS THE children of The Snow Queen's universe barrel out of the wings, it's hard not to wonder how this version will fare in the league table of Snow Queens across the UK this Christmas.

After all, the show is playing at several other locations - Leeds, Cambridge and Perth to name but three.

However, this version, adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's original by Charles Way, may be tough to better.

The plot, for those who missed it in their childhood, centres on young boy Cei and his best friend Gerda.

An old grandmother's bedtime tale of the Snow Queen's quest for a perma-winter is cruelly portentous, as Cei takes a shard of Snow Queen evil in his eye and joins the dark side. Meanwhile, Gerda is buffeted across the land in her search for her friend.

Sue Appleby's Gerda is a thoroughly modern one indeed. Her no-nonsense delivery is engaging and committed and her rendering real panic is enough to make the children in the audience gasp with fear.

The Snow Queen, played by Anna Mountford, radiates an otherworldly menace. But the real revelation here is Cei, played by Liam Lane. He leads the audience of children by the nose through his transformation from garrulous young chap to chilly automaton.

Director Anna Linstrum is a long-time friend of the Sherman and in the Snow Queen she has brought them something special. This is a unique and complex display of the much-loved show and will enthral and delight young audiences in Cardiff.

Plays until January 10. Box office: (029) 2064-6900.

Guns ‘n Roses - Chinese Democracy

(Muso's Guide, December 10, 2008)

Album Reviews

It’s not too often that a bona fide 100 million album-selling act releases a new record. That’s a lot of albums shifted, and a lot of fans who love your work. But what if you took that love and let it make excuses for you, let it make you do crazy things? Hmmm, like, let’s say, taking 15 years to release a follow-up record - maybe that sort of madness?

In fact, to say that The Spaghetti Incident? was ill-equipped to tide fans over is to gravely overestimate the sad sack of covers it truly was - so in essence, 17 years since Use Your Illusion II made G’nR fans quiver with brand spanking new material.

Well, that’s the mythology - what about the music?

From opener ‘Chinese Democracy’ it is reassuring to note that Axl Rose has lost none of the ego and pomposity which made him the perfect rock star for the 1980s. A slew of static and distortion quickly morphs into Rose’s characteristic yelp backed with crunching guitars, and from then on, it’s truly rock’s own country. Taking as its subject, ahem, ‘Chinese democracy’ and the possibility thereof, good news. From our own correspondent, the report is, “blame it on the Falun Gong - they’ve seen the end and you can’t hold on now”, meaning Rose is sold on the revolution, baby. Who’s going to tell Hu?

On ‘Shackler’s Revenge’, Rose voices the thoughts of your friendly neighbourhood high school shooter, screaming every parent’s worst nightmare, “I don’t believe there’s a reason,” over a tightly woven axe tapestry. Way to court controversy.

‘Better’ - starting like a slicker ‘Mysterious Ways’ slows it down and makes Axl into the true rock frontman, using his voice to sing instead of his preferred higher register. It suits him, and makes the album more rounded as a result.

There’s evidence too on Chinese Democracy of the balladeer who gave us ‘November Rain’, specifically on ‘Street Of Dreams’. Known pre-release simply as ‘The Blues’, it has a bluesy swagger and a soulful centre which make it more of a radio friendly unit shifter than the other tracks on show - there’s even a nicely placed solo that would make Richie Sambora proud.

‘If The World’ is a slinky Spanish-style love ballad - really! - which sees Rose praying that this love he has found will not end, while “There Was A Time” (affectionately referred to as TWAT on the band’s side) is about the loss of the lover, and the life, of ‘If The World’, when it all just seems to drift away. There’s a great orchestration on there, though, which makes it a good listen, even if the lyrical matter is little more than fluff.

If you ever thought what Axl Rose would sound like channeling Holden Caulfield, it’s on show on the snappily-titled ‘Catcher In The Rye’. For those who thought that the disaffected anti-hero of J.D. Salinger’s 1951 book had long since ceased to be relevant, Rose is here to tell you different - and how. He’s got a similar bone to pick with, well, one would assume Arabs, in ‘Riyadh And The Bedouins’. Some sort of Middle Eastern polemic, the song unfortunately sees Axl telling those ‘furriners’, “I won’t bend my will to live - you aggravate me”, so hopefully they get the message there.

Closer “Prostitute” is more about Rose selling himself than about a “My Hooker Hell”-style confession and it’s a real epic, six minutes of the real deal of choosing love over “fortune and fame” which leaves the listener feeling drained, morose and not a little older.

There are some genuinely good songs here. Axl hasn’t lost it, he seems to have actually refined those talents he had. The production is pretty smooth, but that’s true of any band these days, and the guitar work, in some cases, easily surpasses Slash’s signature riffs for effectiveness and sheer simplicity.

The question on everyone’s lips is pretty much “was it worth the wait?”, and that is a tough call. Put it this way - the Chinese have been waiting almost 60 years for democracy, and G’nR fans have had just 15 years in the shade. When you put it like that, it’s not been very long at all.

Get Well Soon - Listen EP

(Muso's Guide, December 9, 2008)

Single Review

Another day in December, another Christmas release. This time from German singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Konstantin Gropper, aka Get Well Soon. What Christmas songs are made of is anyone’s guess. Will it mention the word ‘Christmas’? Ideally. Should it be packed with comfort and joy? Not necessarily. What about the baby Jesus, should he be in there? You’re not in church now, mate. Get Well Soon do a sterling job of representing the secular side of Christmas, starting with opener ‘Listen! Those Lost At Sea Sing A Song On Christmas Day’. Bringing out the big Radiohead guns, all elegiac lyrics and full of aching wonder, this track easily forges the link between intelligent rock and - bizarrely - festive music. The lyric is beseeching, a crew on the verge of madness - “just believe they’re after us” - giving a sense of disturbed minds, and a removal from reality thanks to the shipwreck. Ho ho ho.

Second track ‘Christmas in Adventure Parks’ is festivity-laden from the off, complete with Christmas bells and a smattering of Tindersticks, Phantom Planet and Muse - and all the festive fun that entails. But the guitar work is truly enjoyable, and there’s a great tune lingering subtly behind the layers.

On ‘It’s A Race For Our New Home’, there is a foreboding which has been hinted at elsewhere on the EP. Gropper’s vocal reflects mourning, whilst the lyrical matter has taken an evermore darker turn in the nominal ‘race’ - “The first one to own is the first one to kill”. The music takes the form of a dirge, layered with vocals. Told almost like a cautionary folk tale, it strikes a chill into the festive heart. But if that is dark, it’s nothing compared to EP closer ‘We Are Cannibal Corpse’. Beginning with a percussive skeleton scale, this is the most Muse of all the tracks on display here. The choral implications of the start give way to Get Well Soon’s take on ‘Space Dementia’, sharing tempo and drum sounds with that Muse track from 2003’s Origin of Symmetry. Gropper tries something quite special with the backing vocals which makes it just that little bit different, but overall, it’s not an altogether new sound.

As far as festive records go, this is about as seasonal as Christmas Hits From Norman Bates’ Personal Collection but it is beautiful and strange and Get Well Soon are obviously something very special indeed. Cannibal corpses and lost shipwrecked souls - so that’s what Christmas songs are made of.

The Lucksmiths - First Frost

(Muso's Guide, December 8, 2008)

Album Review

First of all, some confusion to clear up. Is a lucksmith someone who makes luck, like a ’smith’ would have in the old days? If so, there must be someone whose bought up all of The Lucksmiths’ bright, shiny, new luck, because this Aussie band have been going for 15 years and they’re still not a household name. Maybe that’s down to more than just bad luck, but still, the irrepressible Lucksmiths smile on through their troubles!

‘The Town & Hills’ starts this off for all the world like a Beautiful South record, and there are plenty more similarities to that band here - the wry look at the state of things, the sideways swipes at life. Really, there are enough sideways swipes on First Frost to make a whole year of columns for Liz Jones in the Daily Mail. This opener is a jaunty pop rendering of a somewhat darker story - where human civilisation is overtaken by nature - told in an impossibly cheery manner!

On “Good Light”, there’s a crisp guitar which can’t hide the similarity that The Lucksmiths bear to Crowded House, manifested in delicious rhyming couplets and chiming melody, and all with their trademark twinkling smile.

It really is enough of the cheer by the time ‘A Sobering Thought (Just When One Was Needed)’ comes round. It is, in truth, slightly flat, and is really the start of the signs that it is all getting away from The Lucksmiths just a bit.

They retain their ingenuity in the world of the lyric - ‘California In Popular Song’ is an ode to the U.S. state which is a muse for many - but by the time that ‘South-East Coastal Rendezvous’ comes round, it’s all quite tired.

The Lucksmiths make lovely songs, but they are all in the same vein and there’s never a lot to mark this one out as different from the last three perky little ditties.

That said, ‘The National Mitten Registry’ is the album high point, telling a day in the life of a lost glove, a sort of woozy Dream of the Rood for misplaced accessories, and where an astonishing theme for the broken hearted is born.

There’s so much in this album that makes you want to shout about The Lucksmiths from the rooftops, and then something like ‘How We Met’ comes on and you’re really thankful you didn’t because it’s not terribly good. Perhaps they should readjust their trusty smiles and see about getting themselves some good luck.

Glasvegas - A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)

(Muso's Guide, December 8, 2008)

Album Review

Christmas records are a real curse on the music world. Take an artist who has previously confirmed themselves as a chart big-hitter and watch them compromise their ideals for a song with 15 mentions of ‘Rudolph’. As a fan, it’s disheartening, and not a little embarrassing. As an artist, it’s a pension, because after all, there are only so many Christmas records out there, right?

Well, until this year. The market has been flooded in the 2008 holidays, with Christmas singles from not just the usual pop suspects, but from everyone who ever dared consider themselves alternative - The Killers, The Hives, The Wombats, to name but a few.

Of all the artists to have appeared this season with a collection of Christmas crackers, Glasvegas may at first seem ‘the band least likely to’.

Their hard-edged Glaswegian rock is heavy on distortion and light on laughs, after all. ‘Daddy’s Gone’, their debut single, told the tale of a child neglected by his father, while ‘Flowers And Football Tops’ addresses a Scottish teen who is abducted and killed. Edgy stuff.

But by the same token, the band, hailing from industrial Dalmarnock in Glasgow, carved out a sound on their eponymous debut which owes a lot to the King of Christmas recordings, Phil Spector. Even on non-seasonal songs, they delve heavily into the ‘wall of sound’ aesthetic, with nothing but respect for it.

So it is that Glasvegas spent 12 days in Transylvania recording this most atmospheric of records. As the first chimes of opener ‘Careful What You Wish For’ ring out, it seems clear that this is much more than a cynical recording exercise - it’s the chance for this band to do something truly entertaining and exciting. “Christmas time is here again,” intones James Allan in his inimitable Glaswegian accent, and it feels like something truly wonderful and terrifying all at the same time. The song showcases the vocal stylings of the Romanian Concentus choir, who do seem to offer some unnecessary gilding on a particularly ungainly lily, but all in keeping with the gothic emphasis of the sessions.

Unfortunately, the build up to greatness is hampered by “Fuck You, It’s Over”, apparently Allan’s trawl through his sixth form diaries. The guitar sound is strident, strutting in with menace, but quickly softens out to leave the title words baldly stated. The whole thing - fairly self-explanatory from that title - plays like an exercise in juvenalia, and really jars against the other songs on here.

“Cruel Moon” addresses homelessness, with its honest lyrics making a mockery of the deliciously lush guitars. There’s a whole lot of soul in every vowel Allan spits, and even though the literal nature of the lyrics can be unnerving, it is refreshing to hear “It’s Christmas Eve and I’m out on the street” without a hint of irony.

The payoff for the whole venture comes with the title track. Graced with a gentle musicality which brings to mind the stoic Christmases of Dickens, Allan’s vocal cracks with emotion, a harsh juxtaposition beside the delicate orchestration.

Playing out with the Concentus Choir’s “Silent Night (Noapte de Vis)”, there’s a lasting impression of Christmas from Glasvegas, but with added doom. Their ’songs in the key of the Jesus and Mary Chain’ schtick is a refreshing change, and making it a Christmas record has only served to lend the songs a tinge of melancholia which they richly embrace. A stellar Christmas star - and it felt like a kiss.

Trost - Trust Me

(AU magazine, January, 2009)
Album review

TROST - TRUST ME
(BRONZERAT RECORDS)

Annike Line Trost is best known as half of electro-pop duo Cobra Killer and this, her second solo record, owes no small debt to the work she has done there. But to settle for that is to get only half the story. From opener 'Cowboy', Trost's trilingual sauciness captivates and entertains. 'Man On The Box' is pop with a nice line in coy, while 'Even Sparrows Don't Like To Stay' crackles with atmosphere. 'Trust Me'. It's a richly hued gem indeed.

Real life: "A Christmas pudding could poison my daughters"

(Somerfield magazine, December 2008)

Guest chef: Nick Nairn

(Somerfield magazine, December 2008)

Interview