Rock with heart

(Morning Star, Friday 03 November 2006)

LIVE: We Are Scientists, Mandela Hall, Belfast

In a music world full of pomposity, KIRSTIE MAY senses a breath of fresh air in the pithy lyrics and good-natured rock tunes of We Are Scientists.

There's a nauseating tradition of comedy in music, but it's long been accepted that there's a happy medium between the insanity of Tenacious D and the inanity of Coldplay.

Herald the happening of New York's We Are Scientists, a sensible three-piece who have cut their teeth playing well-crafted rock with heart, but with a nice line in pithy lyrical couplets and amusing videos.

Their debut album With Love and Squalor is composed of the sort of new wave-tinged, tuneful angst that'll give the proggy leanings of the recent trend of "emo" rock music short shrift.

Their website gives the lie to the doubted US understanding of irony and, in point of fact, the very ethos of "funny."

Sold out and packed to the rafters, the crowd grows restless during their support act The Blood Arm, a worryingly shambolic approximation of a band about whom the best thing is their song I Like All the Girls and even that tires quickly. Frontman Nathaniel Fregoso will hopefully one day front a great band, but The Blood Arm is not it.

For the main event, the lights dim and up comes the anthemic Against All Odds by Phil Collins.

As Keith, Chris and Michael bound onstage, they take over from Collins to massive cheers, flashing bright US teeth in recognition of the enthusiastic reception.

We Are Scientists' very catalogue lends itself to thrashing through all the hits, with an average song length of around two-and-a-half minutes.

Tearing from Collins's choice through Cash Cow, Lousy Reputation and the inimitable Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt, the trio are as demonstrative of their intelligence and humour live as on record.

Keith responds to calls to remove his shirt with "This is art, people," clearly making the most of a feverishly giddy audience.

The interplay between the band is fun to watch and their comments about the crowd have also a humanising impact on proceedings. They're cool guys, yes, but they like playing live and seem happy to acknowledge that, without these fans, they would be nowhere.

There are a few new tracks on show tonight and they sit well with what fans know already, all angular guitars and melodious harmonies from Keith and Chris.

The last three tracks are a blistering run of With Love and Squalor's most enduring hits This Scene is Dead, Inaction and single The Great Escape.

A swift goodbye and they're off, but an encore sees the boys return, replete in suit jackets and ties for an R'n'B a cappella classic Boyz II Men's The End of The Road.

Joined by The Blood Arm for the last verse, there's a great deal of laughing and back-slapping, but a distinct lack of smuggery, which is all anyone has come to expect of We Are Scientists.

Truthfully, there's a lot going on on their album, which comes out a lot better live. The energy and good nature of the performance makes them an immeasurably better band and one for whom success seems assured.

In the meantime, their comedic routine is a breath of fresh air for music fans so used to pomposity and sincerity being wrung out of every note, but there's an element of world-weary heartbreak shot through these songs which give them a weight and wisdom that doesn't weigh heavy on the listener and that translates perfectly between record and stage.

As they make their final bows, it's an unspoken pledge to the fans going mental from the pit down the front right up to the balcony.

The pledge is "trust us - We Are Scientists."

Birds of a feather

(Morning Star, Friday 20 October 2006)

LIVE: Guillemots, Mandela Hall, Belfast

KIRSTIE MAY comes across a motley crew of musical misfits who play thoughtful indie ballads about lost summer days.

There's a degree of fabrication to bands like the Guillemots.

Idiosyncratic, eccentric, begging to be adored - if any of these characteristics in a band leave you cold, Guillemots may not strike the right chord at first listen.

Are they trying so hard that they're strangling their own natural impulses?

Riding out the suspicion of pretension is worth it, though, because, after the initial discomfort, it is going to get so good.

Let's start at the beginning. Fyfe Dangerfield formed Guillemots in 2004. Hailing from Birmingham, he collected an unusual international elite of musical brains and they have been untouchable ever since.

There's an effort to be individual in their make-up that can be vexing and the concept of the four piece, who cite birdsong as one of their main influences, have had the music meeja foaming at the mouth since before their Through the Window Pane album went on the Mercury Music Prize shortlist earlier this year. But don't let that put you off.

Live, Guillemots are a daunting prospect to say the least. There's a broad social spectrum represented in the assembled crowd, from shouty lager types to thoughtful beards, as well as the obligatory loved-up couples with their claims staked on the quiet, thoughtful ballads.

From the second the band hit the stage, it is clear that they are in the most natural of habitats.

Dangerfield writes lyrics of rural paradise which have a place where trees and fields speak of summer days and the endless possibility of space becomes truly apparent, unfettered by buildings and urban grime.

But, failing that, it seems clear that a dingy basement in a students' union will substitute just fine, with the focus firmly on the spectacular showman that Dangerfield is.

There is a well-paced set on show, moving from tiny little quiet songs to big crazy rocking numbers, but never losing the momentum or the crowd.

Most of the tracks come off Through The Window Pane, including the crowd-pleasing Made-Up Lovesong 43 and epic set closer Sao Paulo, replete with Samba-style bin lid thumping.

Dangerfield makes sure of some good banter with the audience, including a request to rent the crowd and take them on tour with him.

Multi-instrumental breaks are a-plenty, where Dangerfield and fellow bandmates Brazilian MC Lord Magrao, Aristazabal Hawkes and Scots tub-thumper Greig Stewart hit various percussive instruments and body parts to form the resultant cacophony.

Canadian-born Aristazabal injects a degree of sexuality into the show which is frankly astonishing, as well as hitting a mean double bass.

Technically almost perfect, Guillemots are plainly a mad muso band, classically trained and invested with the sort of passion which makes timeless must-have albums.

By turns simple and then orchestral, they are at their best when invested with a wall of sound which boosts the whole live experience.

Coming across as a bunch of kooks and misfits, Guillemots are birds of a feather flocking together - and what could be more natural than that?

Success beckons

(Morning Star, Friday 13 October 2006)

INTERVIEW: Driving by Night

KIRSTIE MAY talks to pop hopefuls Driving by Night as they look forward to one of Britain's hottest talent showcases.

PRIOR TO hitting this month's In The City seminar, Belfast's Driving by Night are quietly confident of their success, as are those who've swooned over their melancholy pop.

In the world of pop, it has to be said that there's a recipe for success - and Northern Ireland's Driving by Night have it.

Abiding by all the tried and tested trademarks of rock, from charismatic frontman to soulful tunes, soaring melodies to insightful lyrics, the band are a poorly kept secret at best in their native land and even that looks set to change within the next month.

Driving By Night found their feet two years ago in Belfast when the afore-mentioned charismatic frontman Neal Hughes met bandmates Jason McCord (guitar/piano), Dave Gordon (guitar), Dave Newell (bass/piano) and Terry Lavery (drums).

Neal explains, "We used to be in an old band called Tyler and split up. Then we got bored with normality and started playing music again.

We were writing more and more songs and we started thinking about maybe gigging these songs."

From a somewhat inadvertent launchpad, Neal and co have since gone from strength to strength, landing a recording deal with BMG music and they are now lined up to appear at In The City, one of Britain's hottest showcases for unsigned acts.

They have played countless gigs across the six counties, including supporting Keane and The Thrills, and are currently squeezing in some last-minute warm-up gigs before heading off at to In The City. This is a festival known for being a hotbed for the A&R scramble, with every record company in the land sending talent scouts on the sniff for the next big thing.

So, are the guys ready for the big time? There's anticipation, certainly.

"We all do have day jobs, but I think we're itching to get rid of those day jobs," Neal admits. "We have had some interest across the water and there are people coming to see us at In The City," he adds, hopefully.

Depending on the outcome of In The City, there's a plan for a nationwide British tour and then, who knows?

When it comes to their own musical influences, Driving by Night tick all the best indie pop boxes - a little Radiohead, a little Echo and the Bunnymen, well, a lot of Echo and the Bunnymen, actually.

Neal remembers: "I was in my brother's car one day and he was playing The Cutter and I realised then that there was a similarity there."

Listen to Fears of Men and it's an easy spot for any Echo fan.

Still, the band members each bring a little something to the mix and what comes out is a real treat for lovers of well-crafted songs, nothing more.

"We're songwriters, so we write songs," Neal is keen to emphasise.

"Our style is buried in song. We have our own sound now, and it's strong."

He describes their sound as being "melancholic, strong melodies, tuneful, really standard strong indie pop songs. I think our songs are anthemic."

Playing heartfelt anthems of love and loss for the heartbroken, Driving by Night are mere steps away from the adulation that they deserve.

• Driving by Night's single Fears of Men is out now. Find out more on www.drivingbynight.com

Disco drama with the feel of 1976

(Morning Star, Friday 06 October 2006)

ALBUM: Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah
(Polydor)

EXPLODING onto the scene in a cloud of glitter and, um, nipples, it's hard to believe that the Scissor Sisters haven't been with us for the last 30 years.

After all, their disco drama is pure Donna Summer and the outfits have their roots firmly in 1976.

But there is more to these flash, brash New Yorkers than harking back to the glory days of disco.

Their Elton John-style ballads and good-time pop songs seem to have captured the imagination of the music-buying public and, possibly most importantly, they have straddled the twin worlds of dinner party and clubbing music, which is to their credit.

As a result, like something that stepped out of Priscilla Queen of the Desert into the real world, the impossibly camp Ta-Dah kicks off with the - somewhat overplayed - "comeback" single I Don't Feel Like Dancing.

In itself, releasing a song that contains the line "I don't feel like dancing when the old Joanna plays" and, furthermore, having the kids kick up their heels in rhythm is a feat indeed.

Elsewhere, in Land of a Thousand Words, the spirit of the '70s is alive and kicking, all soulful piano and winsome lyrics.

Paul McCartney is an astonishing drum-driven freakout with a funk edge and Transistor is a drawn-out jam in the style of a Greek chorus, all vocal overlays and sonic effects.

Melding nauseating cheesy disco with boozy country swagger, music hall-style knees-ups with some occasional rock-outs, the Scissor Sisters are as much a musical surprise as any you'll hear all year.

Sass and spice

(Morning Star, Friday 06 October 2006)

LIVE: The Pipettes, Spring & Airbrake, Belfast

KIRSTIE MAY experiences The Pipettes and discovers a girl band all set to redress pop's historical imbalance.

A TRIO of angel-voiced singers dressed in identically patterned outfits takes to the stage.

Despite their diminutive size, they belt out top pop hits and whip the attendant crowd into a frenzy.

Ladies and gents, meet The Pipettes - Gwenno, RiotBecki and Rosie.

The idea of harmonising girl groups may have gone out with the ark, after all, we've had Joplin rocking out, and choking on her own puke, PJ Harvey giving it the raw sex appeal and Lily Allen whacking anyone who doesn't move fast enough.

But there's been a gap all along. Since the days of the Ronettes, the Velvettes and the Shirelles, the spirit of togetherness that a girl group offers, and the unmistakable popness of it all has been lost.

But the Pipettes have decided to redress the pop history imbalance - and how.

Support tonight is a terrifying experience, coming as it does from one of the Pip's actual band, a curious fellow named Monster Bobby.

There's little of the monster about him, but certainly a rumbling horror in his drum machine, which seems to be reacting violently against poor Bobby and all that he's trying to do.

But from the second the band burst onstage, all monstrous thoughts are dispelled. The girls, complete with matching dance moves, romp through the best of the album, from the tremendous Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me and One Night Stand, through new track Baby Don't Leave Me. With genuine banter from a thoroughly nice band, the Spring and Airbrake seems to shed its dour grime and explode in a bright pop light, all polka dots and flowers.

The assembled crowd react very strongly to the antics onstage, cheering and chatting with cheeky Gwenno and sweet Becki.

When new single Judy comes on, there's a general squeal of delight and the faithful mouth along to every word of a song which has long since been a Radio 2 favourite.

The best thing about The Pipettes is their ability to take the spirit of Spector and add their own sprinkle of sass and spice. There's rarely a lyric on show which doesn't demand a smile, from Judy's "I never said anything to her face, cuz my friends thought she'd kick my arse all over the place" to the closer, and total highlight, I Love a Boy in Uniform. "I Love a Boy in Uniform (school uniform)."

The Pipettes' deceptive innocence covers up the fact that they can be a bit dirty, but, when it sounds this good, even your dad would agree that they've taken the spirit of something fabulous and infused it with a new life.

Top hit Pull Shapes gets the best dance moves of the night, but there's never been a pertinent observation than the lyrics of their very own theme tune, We Are The Pipettes. "We are the Pipettes/And we've got no regrets/If you haven't noticed yet/We're the prettiest girls you've ever met." Too true.

Not part of music royalty

(Morning Star, Friday 06 October 2006)

ALBUM: Fergie - The Dutchess
(Polydor)

ONE can only imagine that former Black Eyed Peas songstress Fergie has endeavoured to infuse a little class into her get-up, punning her album title on the given name of a lady of state.

How handy, then, that the only actual duchess with anywhere near this much filth emanating from her is also Fergie's namesake, mother to Princess Eugenie and the other one.

You may think that we're lucky that we don't have to listen to Duchess of York rap in a sickening fashion about toe-sucking or any of the myriad scandals she has involved herself in, but you'd be wrong.

There's not really much anyone could say to recommend this album. Like the BEP, Fergie takes "sampling" and turns it into "ripping off" at various stages.

Her little-girl-lost sluttiness is the epitome of clubland horror, so it's guaranteed to fill dance floors, but there's nothing more unsettling than hearing her take off Pink in Big Girls Don't Cry, hard house in Get Your Hands Up and, bizarrely, Limp Bizkit in Wake Up, all without a flinch.

Fergie's a chameleon of sorts, but it's no recommendation and she certainly ain't no duchess.

Down the house road

(Morning Star, Friday 08 September 2006)

ALBUM: Basement Jaxx - Crazy Itch Radio
(XL)

THE Jaxx - if I may - are a funny one. A dance band who burst onto the scene with a raft of exciting, illuminating tracks. Red Alert, Rendez-Vu, Romeo - all dancefloor fillers, but all with a little soul, a little heart and, yes, a little pop.

How disappointing to learn, then, that curiously handsome Felix and that other one have gone down a house music route with no return.

Fans of Kish Kash will probably be delighted to find more of the same sort of thing, but, sadly, that amounts to pretty soulless, pretty dire dance puff with not a lot of bright spots.

Single Hush Boy has a catchiness to it that repetitive beats beget, taking its rhythmic cue from Earth, Wind and Fire et al, with all the horror that entails.

Hey You melds disco with Mexicana, while On The Train lifts Hit The Road, Jack and makes it a little bit banal.

Their past has proven that Basement Jaxx have a vision of dance music. It was fun and listenable and, crucially, unique to them.

Unfortunately, Crazy Itch Radio portrays a couple of lads who've lost the plot, producing the same old, same old as all others of their ilk.

There's more than this to the world of dance, but the Jaxx have clearly forgotten the steps.

Healing balm for the world

(Morning Star, Friday 08 September 2006)

ALBUM: Peter, Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
(Wichita)

IF the summer seemed frighteningly brief and the autumn rains have set in all too soon, this record will make it all better.

Putting Writer's Block onto your stereo will make you younger, the sound of sunshine that spills forth from your speakers proof enough that there is such things as light and love and, truthfully, that the world is better and more interesting than awarding the Mercury Music Prize to the Arctic Monkeys.

From the opening title track onwards, Peter, Bjorn and John explore a world of youth, heartbreak and hope, creating a soundtrack for young people in flared trousers moving to the music as in an episode of Ulysses 31.

Single Young Folks has the aural appeal of an afternoon spent chilling out with Felicity Kendal, all wholesome harmonies and an irresistible chorus, the like of which Air would be proud.

Amsterdam is a fine example of relaxed, folky pop and Let's Call It Off is a harmony-heavy delight with a chorus that stays with you as you enter the real world once again, refusing to be brought down by the dull and vexatious.

Buy this record and make it a family heirloom. Music like Peter, Bjorn and John play is the road map for world peace and it's destined to make everything better.

Another corker

(Morning Star, Friday 01 September 2006)

ALBUM: Outkast - Idlewild
(RCA)

OUTKAST have plundered through their musical career, confounding critics with their intelligent soul-tinged rap and rap-tinged soul on a wave of publicity from famous relationships and acting careers.

So it is quite surprising that they have managed to turn out, once again, a fair corker of a record.

Sadly, Outkast's sound is less individual nowadays and the prevalence of trumpets which once set it apart from the pop landscape in 2002 are now de rigueur for a band with pretensions of soul.ut, from the Outkast-by-numbers funk of Mighty O, the bluesy Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me) is a breath of fresh bluegrass, a modern take on a musical tradition which swaggers with their unmistakable sound.

Elsewhere, Morris Brown takes in a strong gospel influence and The Train exhibits anthemic positivity, while PJ and Rooster trundles in sounding like Star Wars's own Max Rebo Band, all indefinable but enjoyable noises.

Outkast are a classic band in the making, with all the heart of pop, the soul of Motown and, now, the inspiration of a bluegrass twang. They're an international treasure and their place in music history is cemented.

New York disco-rock groove

(Morning Star, Friday 01 September 2006)

ALBUM: The Rapture - Pieces of The People We Love
(Mercury)

NEW YORK band The Rapture make music that is an aquired taste. It's a sound that everyone should make acquiring their top priority.

Three years after their debut burst onto the impossibly cool disco-rock scene, the quartet are back to basics with this confident document to life as an established act.

From opener Don Gon Do It, it's clear that the winning template that they carved out in 2003 has been dusted off for this new journey into stereophonic sound. Without wanting to paint a vulgar picture, it's balls-out funky-assed pop-rock in the most strenuous sense.

Title track Pieces of the People We Love is a melodious meander with its roots in a drum beat enthused with the spirit of My Sharona, all tight and twitchy and teasing dance moves out of the lifeless limbs of passers-by.

Get Myself Into It is like a disco groove as belted out by Robert Smith and standout track Whoo! Alright, Yeah, Uh Huh is more jerky disco rock with a delightful call-and-response refrain.

There's a gear change in softer songs such as Calling Me, proving that hi-energy is not their only setting and, the maturity of the vocal on The Sound gives the lie to doubters of the band's breakout pop-funk smash House of Jealous Lovers.

The party line is that The Rapture are having way too much fun to care whether or not they're cool.

Listening to the hip sounds on this record, it's hard to believe that it's a by-product of the in-studio hilarity that their press speaks of.

But it's not important. They are cool and when their music is this much fun, who cares if it's studied?