“I play drums in Babyshambles but don’t let that put you off.” Good thing it didn’t, because whilst I adore Marmite, I’m not a fan of Babyshambles. 

Adam Ficek, performing under the monicker Roses Kings Castles, is a DJing songwriting multi-instrumentalist whose talents would leave any baby in a shambles.

 Adam says Bletchley, Milton Keynes, where he was born is an, “odd satellite suburban juxtaposition of a place, it doesn’t quite know whether it’s farmland or city“. This perpetually British suburban conundrum has clearly impacted Roses Kings Castles eponymous debut album.

I admire music that connects with the context in which it is created. Take for example the superb The Imagined Village or Jim Moray – both acts successfully unite British folk and urban music.

Roses Kings Castles initially started as a filler during Babyshamble’s break (see The Sun, The Mirror or the Daily Star for more details). It soon spiralled into much more, and Ficek’s home made Lo-Fi has been received with much deserved praise.

The debut album is available from Amazon, but you can preview Roses Kings Castles either with the remix of Entroubled by Boy + Girl from Fried My Little Brain.  Or you could simply listen to the exclusive to holeytonal radio edit:

Roses Kings Castles – Entroubled (mp3)

Major labels should know sounds that sell – with rosters full of great artists or at least great assets. So why was I so surprised at a gig featuring two singers signed to Universal and Warner?

Because the two unsigned acts also playing put the big boys to shame.

I don’t care if artists are signed to a major, an independent or are unsigned. Its the music that counts. What does irk me are major labels wasting money on generic muck when there is spectacular talent on their doorstep.

Life In Film

Unsigned Life In Film were one of the bands that deserves the rewards of being signed. Their infectious and unique indie pop could sell many records. Festival crowds will love their sing along choruses, whilst mud dancing to the funky rhythms. Life In Film’s live set did lose some subtlety from their recordings – but add a glockenspiel and problem solved.

Actually nothing was subtle in the Water Rats – you’d have been lucky to hear a 747 if it sat on your face – its stupid and dangerous. I’d still like my hearing when I reach 30.

I’m Sorry, You Don’t Know What You’re Doing

I was instantly put off Doug Walker (Warner) and Gary Go (Universal) – they’ve been manicured into  such characterless manifestations of mediocrity that if they chanted their own names in every chorus you still wouldn’t know who they were. A Life In Film track on the other hand could play on the radio and you’d know who it belongs to. We can only hope they get more radio play, especially if they keep on writing songs like I’m Sorry, I Didn’t Know What To Do. If I did tune of the month this exclusive from Life In Film would be October’s flavour:

Life in Film – I’m Sorry, I Didn’t Know What To Do (mp3)

I haven’t had that feeling since listening to OK Computer, but Wrecking Ball by Dead Confederate certainly came close. Since my previous post about them they have created a musical behemoth which is sublime, beautiful and amazing.

There’s No Need For Prunge

Crudely, this album could have happened if Pink Floyd collaborated with Nirvana, making err, Prunge – no don’t be silly. But it is fascinating to hear Dead Confederate‘s influences mix together so seamlessly.

Paranoid About Your Size?

Out of the 10 songs, only three are less than five minutes, and Flesh Colored Canvass holds your attention for over 12 minutes. My friend commented that “if you’re planning on writing 7 – 12 min songs maybe take a leaf out of Radiohead’s book and diversify a little“.

I absolutely adore Paranoid Android, but on closer inspection its just three songs stuck together. Where Flesh Colored Canvass triumphs is through its peaks and troughs, leading to build up only to fade to the ether, rather like the Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.

Can You Hear the Dead?

To fully appreciate Wrecking Ball, don’t put it on whilst doing something else. Give it the attention it deserves. If you don’t you’ll miss everything special about this album.

Now follows, Goner, a track from Wrecking Ball. I know there’s a recession on the way, but you really should buy this album.

Dead Confederate – Goner (mp3)

Under the pseudonym James and The Jewellery Store, Marples weaves burlesque lined tracks with lyrics encompassing “the courtly-love of the Romantic poets to the dust bowls of 20th Century American Social Realism.”

I met the self exiled Ozzy before I went on holiday, and swung to his tunes whilst sun bathing in a typhoon. There are more songs available for free at his MySpace and you can expect a music video form James and The Jewellery Store at holeytonal soon. For now though, enjoy these gems:

James and the Jewellery Store – Lights go Dim

James and the Jewellery Store – Swing for This

Watch James and The Jewellery Store with me this Wednesday, August 20 @ Strongrooms, 120-124 Curtain Rd, Shoreditch.

But the world is big and music doesn’t only come from the US and the 51st State. Not even rock. BLK JKS are from Johannesburg. They rock. South African Style.

Urban music is the mainstay in East Rand, but the brave BLK JKS broke the mould. Their dubby art rock splinters stereotypes. Their charm? You know you’re listening to South African rock.

They’re universally loved at home, and gaining momentum universally. Recently featured in Observer Music Monthly, and at Along the Waterfall the band are surprisingly still unsigned. Not for long I’m sure.

I’ve been struggling to find good music recently. But Lakeside has been stuck in my head and I can’t seem to move it. If this is the start of BLK JKS then I can’t wait for more.

BLK JKS – Lakeside (mp3)

Then he played. He sang. The world rejoiced. Well, maybe not the world, but 30 people in a church west of London did. Luke Sital Singh stole the show.

Despite having a bad case of man flu, his voice and lyrics were mesmerising. His melodies and harmonies catchy and clever. His performance wiped the fear from my face. Only to be replaced by a glare reading something like ‘ok, so this guy is good, bloody good’.

Luke Sital Singh is being modest when he compares himself to ‘a lovely bowl of soup’. Then again my favourite dish is a Vietnamese soup called Pho. So maybe he’s not so modest after all. Soup or no soup, he’s certainly not soupy, proven in the demo he kindly agreed to share. Its a fantastic song on tape. Even better live.

Luke Sital Singh – A Mile on Broken Legs (mp3)

I peeped Peephole through Bell’s MySpace. Glad I did. Their main man is called Kent Odessa. What a name. Its nearly as good as mine.

Aside from great nomenclature, their music is really where its at. The currently unsigned, Peephole, draw from the legends Prince, Bowie and Serge Gainsbourg. MGMT aren’t too far from their imaginations either, with some great driving and distorted bass lines a la Electric Feel. Peephole’s USPs are their experimentalism, with some interesting use of minimalism, as heard in their song Traitor. They also receive counseling from fruit.

You can download all these and more MP3s from their MySpace, but if you’re too lazy to go there, then just listen to these:

Peephole – Strawberry Told Me (mp3) Counseling from Dr. Strawberry and Dr. Cranberry.

Peephole – Half a Soul (mp3) Can you hear Serge?

Peephole – Traitor (mp3) Minimalist piano freak out

I’ve seen Redvers Bailey perform solo at the Half Moon in Putney a few times now, but his new project, the band One could take him to new heights.

If you imagine Jeff Buckley without depression, you might get somewhere near to describing One. You can hear tinges of jazz and funk in their sound, but darker rock creeps in giving the music a grittier edge.

Considering they first performed in December 2007, I’m impressed with their current demos. Listen to these two contrasting tracks showing off One‘s musical diversity:

One – Hounded By Ghosts (mp3)

One – What You Get (mp3)

I’m becoming a sucker for epic popular music, but is there anything wrong with that? The front man of Camphor, Max Avery Lichtenstein, is already known as a film music composer. More recently he decided to step back from his incidental musings, and instead made an album inspired by Wabi Sabi. Thats epic in my book.

Listening to Camphor reminds me of the great Eels, with their American folk influences alongside Lichtenstein’s gravelly vocals. There are also Moriccone style gun slinging lead guitars. Epic orchestration features too.

Camphor‘s debut LP, Drawn to Dust, has been receiving plaudits from the likes of Obscure Sound. The record is only available on import to the UK, but you can still buy it for under a fiver. My copy is in the post. Eight days, grrr.

Whilst you wait for yours to arrive, here’s a snippet; look out for the string’s uber harmonies at the end:

Camphor – The Sweetest Tooth

I heard of Alba Nova as they formed at Durham University (formerly the University of Durham which sounds much better) where I studied, but didn’t get the chance to watch them. In fact, thats a lie. I was just a lazy student bum.

I wish I hadn’t been such a sloth, as I’ve missed out on Alba Nova for the past 5 years. Who’d want to miss a band living in a ‘lost England full of chandeliers, fake fur coats, masquerades and mistresses’? Its nice to bring fantasy into music, without becoming a goth metal band. I respect Alba Nova for not being ashamed of their Englishness, which sadly so many bands from the green and pleasant land try to hide.

Their debut EP, The Beautiful Way to Fall generated quite a lot of industry interest. I’m sure you can hear why from this stunning track they’ve so kindly let me share with you:

Alba Nova – The Stranger and the Streetcar (mp3)

Alba Nova are headlining Inside Out at St Peter’s Church in Kingston on 20 June. I’ll be playing too!