Remember when you listened to the album that changed your life for the first time? It give you goosebumps and made you shiver like you’ve just been possessed - you maybe even wanted to cry?
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.
My colleagues think I lie. They don’t believe I was in Casino Royale. Maybe it shows I have a problem - that despite my recent 25th I’m still just a kid. I’d hope so anyway.
Kids Love Lies - and these kids also love to fuzzy guitar your ears to heaven.
Praise the lord for perseverance - Ellen Murphy answered a band’s final plea for a lead singer and in her they found their messiah. And although this only happened last year, Kids Love Lies‘ raging pixie sounds have been winning plaudits amongst those who know, including Radio 1.
Expect more material early 2009, followed up by a UK tour. As I’m sure you can’t wait that long, here’s an excellent exclusive courtesy of Kids Love Lies for your pleasure:
They have quite a few gigs coming up which you can see on their MySpace, but I’ll see then at the Notting Hill Arts Club on Wednesday 3 December. With my camcorder. Sad, I know.
Building the website for my opera group, operatique, was supposed to be a nice little project - but no. It took over my life. It’s not even properly finished yet. I’ve been sleeping with my html and css book for the last month. I know how to do it now, so I’ll never have to go through the pain again.
Before my love affair with my inner geek began, myself, Kaziu and Ellis went to see The Brute Chorus at 93 Feet East. Powered by a Brick Lane curry and armed with my new Sanyo Xacti HD camcorder - I captured their single, Lets Grow Fins, for your pleasure. Sadly its quite compressed, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. More videos and music on their way very soon.
Spontaneity rocks. I read a blog post, featuring a shop, featuring a band, went to the shop, watched the band then wasted money on CDs. Damn! It costs too.
At least it doesn’t waste my time. The Brute Chorus were worth it. Well worth it.
These East London blues punk rockers are on the verge of a brutal worldwide conquest of headphones.
Maroon 5 - who are shit - were supposed to herald a new era of blues rock. Then The Brute Chorus showed up and the new era dawned, bringing with them a great balance of grit and glee, crunch and fluff and madness and sanity.
Reading fantasy is a guilty pleasure of mine, but tells me two things: I want to be taken some place else and that I love all things epic. And despite The Brute Chorus‘ tight musical confines, their sounds are unworldly and their lyrics most certainly epic. Babylonian kings, Biblical saints and Greek heroes are even older than Margaret Thatcher, but the front man, James Steel, sings about them in a way that would even make the Iron Lady attractive.
James Steel says “St. Vitus himself taught me to dance“, so beware, you may get infected with Saint Vitus Dance Disease listening to this holeytonal exclusive:
More tracks, including their new single Grow Fins, are available to download from iTunes or order the Singed 7″ Vinyl from Pure Groove - I bought one and I don’t even have an LP player.
Be sure to join me at their gig at 93 Feet East in London on 14 August.
“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.
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.
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’sdebut 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:
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.
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:
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:
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:
The internet has smashed our attention spans to pieces. We spend less time focusing on one band and instead skim from one MySpace page to the next.
I picked up that habit, but still make sure to buy as many albums as Mr Mastercard can afford. They’re the only way for me to get under a band’s skin.
If you have something to say in popular music, you should do so with an album. Once you achieve that, then you’re sorted. And yes, I listened to OK Computer a lot!
Thats why I’m excited by the prospect of an upcoming concept album set during the Californian Gold Rush featuring money, love and murder by We Happy Few. I caught these guys a few months ago at the Half Moon Unplugged in Putney. Their old school Americana vibe has stuck with me ever since.
Its refreshing to find a band take on something so challenging. Especially when its so easy to screw a concept album up. Judging from the opening track, I hope we won’t be disappointed. In fact, We Happy Few were kind enough to give you a sneaky listen:
We Happy Few are playing at The Gallery near Turnham Green Tube this Thursday (29 May). I’ll be there, and you should come too. The new album is due for release in the next few months.
A record store is reaching for my wallet again. The new album, Arm’s Way by the Islands is out on 19 May. I’m going to have to buy it, along with their first album Return to the Sea. I wish I came across this band from Montreal sooner.
Islands are descendants of The Unicorns. I found some tracks from their ancestor’s 2003 album Who will Cut our Hair when we’re Gone at Covert Curiosity, its interesting to hear their pedigree.
I have to admit I initially wanted to hear Islands based on their photo. Stumbling on multi-ethnic bands is rare, but thankfully becoming more common; Bloc Party, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, and Mala (hehe) come to mind. Its only a good thing. Naturally I don’t base my music on race, but I love musicians breaking racial stereotypes. Sadly I think there are still race problems in music.
You can hear in their music a range of international influences. They’re also chums with Arcade Fire and the raptastic Canadian Cadence Weapon. Islands’ songs are catchy and clever, what more could you want?
@TartyTart ah, i don't play online - i know i will never stop. I play with a few friends around London and also in some clubs. Always Fun! 19 hours ago
@stephenfry don't rub it in, its a rainy cold day in London! 2008/12/02
Editing your own copy is a nightmare! grr. 2008/12/02
It may be cold, but at least its not as sweaty on the tube. 2008/12/02
@TartyTart you play poker? cool... welcome to Twitter, and thanks for the follow! 2008/12/02
Remember when you listened to the album that changed your life for the first time? It give you goosebumps and made you shiver like you’ve just been possessed - you maybe even wanted to cry?
, has been receiving plaudits from the likes of 
. I don’t think I can get any more excited by this track from the EP:
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