“Reminds me of gap year students smacking bongos trying to save the planet” was my friend’s reaction to world music. Sadly, a view echoed by many.
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)
August 2007 was a long time ago, but I still have vivid memories watching Revere at the now defunct Spitz. Severely impressed, I departed expecting Revere to make it big in 2008.
But, despite being lauded by the Guardian as ‘one of the best bands you’ve never heard of’, they’re still largely unknown. Despite featuring on the Hotly Tipped for 2008 iTunes compilation, they’re still largely unknown. Despite being finalists in Q’s Glastonbury New Talent competition (they didn’t win it, which is probably a good thing), they’re still largely unknown.
You get the picture, but I’m going to paint a new one. The arty and epic Revere deserve to be known and, dare I say it, revered.
Fronted by Liverpudlian Stephen Ellis, the 9 piece from north London boast instrumental forces including violin, cello, harp and trumpet. They sight influences such as Bjork and Buckley, but I’d say if you cross-bred Muse and Sufjan Stevens, Revere would come out the mongrel. Its best though not to expect anything from Revere, they are quite unpredictable.
I’m looking forward to Revere’s debut album, which is currently in the works and will be released on their own imprint, Albino Records.
This title track from their 2006 EP Learning to Breath is simply sublime:
Revere - Learning to Breathe
Be sure to buy more Revere tracks from 7 Digital.
Fear flashes across my face when the often tiresome pair of singer with acoustic guitar walk to the stage. At Insideout in Kingston, I couldn’t have been more scared when the singer introduced himself saying he’s ill and might collapse half way through his set. How I trembled.
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)
Anyone got a ticket to Brooklyn? I need to go. I can’t take it anymore. I have to find out how so much good music can come from one place. Here is yet another great group from the Big Apple.
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)
My name is Rylan and I’ve been a homeopath for the past 24 years. Great. But how many songs are there about homeopathy? As far as I can tell, only one. It’s by Bell.
Olga Bell, born in Russia, raised in Alaska and now living in Brooklyn, has vocal and musical qualities that instantly remind you of Björk. Theres even an interesting cover of Its Oh So Queit on Bell’s MySpace.
At first I reacted against what I thought was a blatant rip off of the Ice Queen, but I kept coming back for more. Throwing IDM into the mix did it for me.
So, homeopathy? Bell’s Echinacea is the IDM infused Björkathon, with a great trippy beat, and clapping. Its a bit of a shame Bell didn’t make more use of the cheering at the opening of the track, otherwise its quite the tune:
Bell - Echinacea (mp3)
I have always wanted to spread the word about Swiss born American composer, Ernest Bloch. Especially as his music has recently been undeservedly overlooked. Hopefully the 50th anniversary of his death in 2009 will help to bring Bloch back to the forefront of classical repertoire.
Although Bloch is best known for his powerful Jewish works, I love his innate ability to compose in a variety of styles with great skill. His Concerto Grosso No. 2, for example, won the New York Music Critics’ Circle Award (a Concerto Grosso is a baroque form of composition).
Today I received some very sad news, and as usual I turned to music to console me. I listened to Prayer - No 1. from Jewish Life, for cello and string orchestra. I find it to be one of the most moving and lyrical pieces of music ever composed. This performance is from Jan Vogler’s excellent cello album My Tunes
.
Ernest Bloch - Prayer, No. 1 from Jewish Life (mp3)
In stark contrast to Prayer, his String Quintet No. 1, showcases Bloch’s academical prowess in composition. The first movement opens with ghostly quarter tones in the string quartet. In the meantime the piano plays the leitmotif which forms the basis for the whole Quintet.
I have been completely spell bound by this quintet since I bought the critically acclaimed Hyperion recording. Every time I listen to it I make another discovery.
Ernest Bloch - String Quintet No. 1 - 1st Movement - Agitato (mp3)
I was too abrupt. The boy wonder, Esser, deserves part two.
Esser fuses tuneful trippy electro experimental pop with raw lyrics that rub the underside of your skin. Call it what you like, but lets hope Esser continues to write the best pop in ages.
Alphabeat, just stop now! In fact, I wish you never started. Esser is going to eat your heart out.
Formerly the drummer in the defunct Ladyfuzz, Esser has re-signed to Transgressive Records. Tickets are available to see him on the Transgressive Summer Tour, I’m looking foward to his Cross Kings gig in London. Especially after hearing session tracks from his appearance on BBC Radio 6 over at the The Daily Growl. His upcoming second single, the fantastic Headlock, can be heard at Esser HQ.
Those skin crawling lyrics I mentioned? Well taste this, “I have a habit of getting my foot stuck in my mouth, you are the only person I know who can help me get it out” . Reads about as well as anthrax, but maybe its the cheeky cockney accent that makes it sound like Wordsworth. I love it, but you can make up your own mind…
Esser - Lets Work It Out (mp3)
My family use this substance not only as a moth repellent, but also as a way to ward evil spirits. Its powerful stuff. So is the band with the same name, Camphor.
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
Is it weird that a fresh sound can be back to basics rock? Probably not. We’re all getting bored of electroindie. I certainly am. Well a little bit at least.
There are no synths to be seen around Dead Confederate. Just bloody great songs. Dead Confederate recently wowed many at SXSW (South by South West) in Austin, Texas. They opened for R.E.M. They’re going to be huge if they’re not careful.
Sadly, Dead Confederate are apparently best heard live. Sad because they’re not currently scheduled to tour the UK. I have to see this band. Otherwise I’ll end up a member of their confederation.
They’ve just been in the studio to record a debut album, but if you can’t wait, an EP is available on import
. I don’t think I can get any more excited by this track from the EP:
Dead Confederate - The Rat (mp3)
Theres nothing like playing an impromptu gig. Especially after only one rehearsal. Last week I was drafted in by Alba Nova to add some cello love.
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!
They won the European category at the 2008 BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, and you can hear why. Son de la Frontera are a flamenco band like which you have probably never heard.
Their flamenco looks back to the legendary Diego del Gastor, however Son de la Frontera win awards because their influences aren’t confined to Spain alone. You can hear inflections from Morocco, Afghanistan and India. The reason for their worldly soundscape is to trace back to the ancient roots of flamenco. Occasional hints of raga and ghazal surprise, but blend in so snugly to create a magical universal touch.
Their second album, Cal
, has completely blown me away. The opening features palmas or flamenco clapping, which in many ways reminds me of the complex rhythms of Asian music. Virtuoso clapping, who would have thought:
Son de la Frontera - Un Compromiso Toda Una Vida (mp3)
“Reminds me of gap year students smacking bongos trying to save the planet” was my friend’s reaction to world music. Sadly, a view echoed by many.
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