Paula Frazer & Tarnation

After two band-assisted albums under the moniker Tarnation and three as a solo artist, San Francisco based Paula Frazer seems to have struck some sort of compromise with current incarnation, Paula Frazer & Tarnation, for her brand new album ‘Now It’s Time’. It does seem as if she has been missing the band, or someone at least, though, as this is a morose collection of lonely ballads.

Ms Frazer is clearly a lady with a rather good voice and she shows it off throughout ‘Now It’s Time’, no more so than on first track ‘August’s Song’. Singing “Do the new things you know bring you happiness? I don’t know, but I hope so”, she sets the tone for the album with a song of yearning and passion.

Right through the collection, Frazer and Tarnation play around with different (but always traditional) backing, with elements of folk, country, pop and easy listening all present. Moody strings and finger picked guitar are beautifully arranged to provide the blue backdrop to the Joni Mitchell-esque ‘Pretend’, the miserable ‘Nowhere’ is stripped down to just acoustic guitar and harmonies, while the likes of ‘Bitter Rose’ and ‘I’ll Never Know’ are classic country tracks, piano led and swathed in slide guitar respectively.

Elsewhere ‘Shadows’ is related with suitable otherworldliness, while title track ‘Now It’s Time’ provides the sole shining light of hopefulness on an almost exclusively dark album. ‘Sleeping Dreams’ is the perfect example of this. A song about giving up, Frazer urges the listener to “Lay down your sleeping dreams, there is no place to go / Silently watching the flames disappear, I’m silently wishing it so, / Silently watching it go”. A sadly beautiful country ballad it is an album highlight

What remains constant regardless of the backing style is Frazer’s exquisite voice singing about loss of love and direction. She adapts to suit the differing styles and at times (on ‘Pretend’ or in the background of ‘Another Day’ for example) she even manages to make it sound like a woodwind instrument, lending further texture to her songs. She is ably aided in this task by Patrick Main’s piano, Jasmyn Wong’s restrained drums and some wonderfully arresting harmonising from the Moore Brothers.

Filled with songs about leaving and being left, ‘Now It’s Time’ is an album of heartfelt country and folk tinged ballads related gorgeously through Frazer’s excellent voice and backed with a restrained sparseness that suits it perfectly. It is probably not an album for the indie kids: if you don’t like women singing sad country songs you’ll hate this. However, if you appreciate quality female singing and song writing look no further than ‘Now It’s Time’.

****

First published on rockfeedback. See it here.

Various Artists - Ed Rec Volume 2

Showcasing the best of cutting edge Parisian dance music is a dirty job but I guess somebody’s got to do it. And that’s exactly what Pedro Winter’s Ed Banger Records do. In fact “dirty” is certainly the order of the day in Paris* with the recurring theme on this collection of grimy beats being one of pure filth.

Things have hitting Eiffel Tower-like heights for Ed Banger in the last 12 months, having had a hand in sound-tracking the clubs of 2006 with Justice’s stupidly popular, genre straddling remix of Simian’s ‘Never Be Alone’. Along with the growing reputation and general ubiquity of DJ Mehdi and Uffie in London and beyond and having Levis’ own veteran ornithologist Mr Oizo on board, it is not so much the sound of the underground anymore for Ed Banger, but the sound of the moment.

And so, as if to educate those poor hapless souls who may imagine Ed Banger has something to do with long hair and heavy metal, this collection provides a 45 minute sample of just what it’s all about. There are beats that can be ham-fistedly forced into a variety of pigeon holes within these 14 tracks – electro, crunk, rave, grime and more – but each fits into an overall Ed Banger mould of, for want of a better word, “cool”.

There are, unsurprisingly, tunes throughout. Uffie is up to her usual shenanigans, espousing about crack pipes with her potty mouth on ‘Dismissed’, while the New Ravers will have smiley faces for Mr Flash’s ‘Disco Dynamite’ and SO ME’s KLF style Klaxons mash-up ‘Golden Skans to Interzone’. Alongside cuts from heavyweights Justice and Sebastian (with his soundtrack to a steelworks that is ‘Greel’) and stable-hands including Krazy Baldhead, Feadz and Vicarious Bliss, there is plenty of evidence that Ed Banger is keeping its finger firmly on the pulse. The only “stick out like a sore thumb” moment is the ill-advised 80s disaster that is Mr Flash’s ‘Eagle Eyez’. Thankfully this is a mere sub two minute bridge between industrial-sounding rave tunes and the filth is quickly restored.

In the world of underground dance, it doesn’t get much cooler that Ed Banger Records, and, as with all label samplers this provides a decent overview of what Ed Banger is all about. At 45 minutes, though, it falls somewhere between a proper mix album and a good length compilation and if this is your thing then you’re far better off picking up the individual tracks or albums than the teasers on offer here.

****

*NB At this point I’d like to point out how difficult it was to resist a joke about the French not washing here. I hope you’re all proud of me.


First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

Apostle of Hustle - National Anthem Of Nowhere

Now we all know that Canadian music is a kind of no holds barred melee of band swapping, collectivism and collaboration. Even so, the fact that Apostle Of Hustle, led by Broken Social Scene’s Andrew Whiteman, began their incarnation playing Cuban and Brazilian folk songs in a Toronto bar is bohemian even for the Canucks.

On this, AoH’s second album (following 2004’s psychedelic debut Folkloric Feel) the bohemian does not stop there as Whiteman claims to practise a Yeats-style technique of ‘automatic writing’ which involves getting really high and singing randomly over the music. Nice.

The project itself is a melting pot of ideas that originated in a two month stay in Havana. As a result Whiteman’s BSS roots mingle with the roots of the sultry Latin folk music from whence this project originated to form a bewitching hybrid. It immediately sounds like a Canadian record with its lo-fi grandeur but the influence of indigenous folk music is also ubiquitous, whether through Daniel Stone’s percussion or a variety of instrumental twists.

The record does not simply follow one formula, however. There are the out and out Latin folk songs, like the castanet-backed ‘iRafaga!’ and ‘A Fast Pony for Victor Jara’ which borrows from the eponymous Chilean folk singer. But there are also the more traditional tunes, be they gentle brass or string backed ballads like the closing duo ‘Jimmy Scott Is The Answer’ and ‘NoNoNo’, or the guitar-led indie of the title track.

Between these two poles each song lurks as an individual example of diversity in music. ‘Haul Away’ is like a BSS song with a tribal chant transposed onto it, ‘Chances Are’ is a jazzy cabaret showstopper and ‘Justine, Beckoning’ is memorable for its campfire singalong outro that puts one in mind of ‘Mrs Robinson’. Other moments of note – on album full of them – include the layered ‘Cheap Like Sebastien’ with its Siren-esque backing vocals and the schizophrenic ‘Rent Boy Going Down’. The latter takes in several different musical styles, with guitars, piano and beats all vying for supremacy, but always returning to the dark exhortation “Shadows on the wall, shadows on the depth of his face”.

The Canadian brotherly love is of course present, with album guests including members of The Stills, Stars and BSS. And like both the cast of contributors and the title itself, National Anthem Of Nowhere has something of a nomadic quality to it – you never really know where you are with it. It transports you on a journey which is at once chaotic and intoxicating, but is always held together by a colourful web of sounds.

Damon Albarn went to Mali and was so taken by the local music that he made an album of ‘Mali Music’. Andrew Whiteman went to Havana and was so taken by the local music that he created a fresh, exciting, beautiful mash-up of contrasting styles. On National Anthem Of Nowhere each song has its own entirely unique tale to tell both lyrically and musically and each one gets told with considerable energy and skill. If ‘Nowhere’ wins any medals at the next Olympics, I look forward to hearing this gem of a collection played as Apostle Of Hustle stands proudly on the podium.

****

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

Seventeen Evergreen - Haven't Been Yourself

Being based in a house between a Deaf Old People’s Home and an Alcoholics Anonymous building is bound to make for interesting – and possibly quite disturbing – living. This is, very literally, where San Francisco’s Seventeen Evergeen are coming from. Coupled with the fact that their debut album is entitled ‘Life Embarrasses Me On Planet Earth’, it seems likely the duo (real names Caleb Pate and Nephi Evans) have taken a fair amount of inspiration from their surroundings.

Debut single ‘Haven’t Been Yourself’ seems to confirm this theory. Based on a real neighbour, they convey a schizophrenic mind through a lush, pastoral soundscape that reflects the haunting nature of the subject matter. Divided into distinct sections to echo the different sides of the personality, it opens with slow but heavy drums which combine with the moody backing and abstract questioning of “I bet you / Have been to / Warm places / Cold places too” to create a feeling of atmospheric confusion. In contrast, the ‘verse’ part is one of introspection, with the significant “Haven’t been yourself lately…” sung in a different tone over a different rhythm. The eerie assault of the ‘chorus’ slowly fades out to a sea of calm and the song wanders into a meandering middle. Though ‘Haven’t Been Yourself’ disappears abruptly at the end, the oddly disturbing tone of the song means it leaves behind a kind of aural scent and rather impressively you can almost still feel the song hanging in the air after it has finished.

There are obvious Pavement comparisons to make due to Seventeen Evergreen’s lo-fi strangeness, but when this single is listened to alongside the more beat-heavy b-side ‘Superbus’, the most recent touchstone is probably Secret Machines. ‘Haven’t Been Yourself’ is an original, very well constructed song that is more affecting than you might realise on first listen. It does, however, sound more like a lost part of a whole rather than a standalone single. This bodes well for the forthcoming album but means the song just misses out on real distinction.

And check the video out. Like the bearded lady on the cover of the CD it is very strange indeed.

***

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

The Tailors - Wakey Wakey

There are three reasons to love The Tailors before this CD even escapes its cellophane cocoon. First up, it is the first full-length release from illustrious label Trash Aesthetics. The label that gave a couple of groups of young gents better known as Bloc Party and The Rakes their first breaks with debut 7”s, also gave this London-based band that opportunity last year (it sold out in a week). Secondly, they run the wonderful monthly Sadder Days night at Brixton’s The Windmill. And thirdly, in a true rock and roll moment, their barely risqué album cover has been banned by that paragon of virtue known as Myspace.


Thankfully, when you stop staring at blurry breasts on the cover and actually get round listening to Wakey Wakey, it becomes apparent that there are another 11 reasons to love the Tailors. The album opens with the lo-fi power pop of ‘Belle Vue’, a song dedicated to the down and out who just can’t help going out to drink away his problems: “My family picked me as a waster now / But there’s no work tomorrow and I’m going out / Growing old’s all they know about and time is running out, / Can I sleep on your couch?” A buoyant slice of americana it’s an arresting first track.


This theme of self-pity is one that remains consistent throughout this album. ‘Belle Vue’s upbeat restlessness is followed by the similarly bittersweet ‘Now The Good Times Are Over’. The singularly negative sentiment of the song is twisted and actually manages gives a sense of release with the help of an anthemic chorus: “Now the good times are over / There’ll be no more bad times / Now the good times are over / We can all get down”. Again it’s a song that rejoices in its own negativity, typified by the defiant “Tell your mother I’m sorry but I’ll never be a CEO”. ‘Tales From The Deep’ continues the juxtaposition of downbeat subject matter onto upbeat Americana with a confessional tale of a man who is trying to impress a woman. Like the previous two tracks it does so with admirable lyrical quality, relating the perils of pretending to be something you’re not: “Practising looking so deep…from the hollow shallows...my home made heavy heart embarrasses me.”


The brief, self-referential ‘Segue Song’ (“Just an old seque song that doesn’t mean anything”) is something of a bridge between this opening alt-country rock trio and a more fragile middle section of the album that is dedicated to the pain of relationships. Slow-burning ‘The Little Things’ relates the breakdown of a flawed love affair (“I don’t expect you to give a damn about the little things”) with long, meandering lyrical lines that are prominent features of The Tailor’s brand of alt-country. The delicate ’Mi Mye Cat’ is a similarly tortured number with lines such as “Both hands are tied / One says I’m so down on the world / Another says I’m in love with this girl” done justice with some dazzling harmonies. It is ‘Telephones’ though, placed slap-bang in the middle of the album that is the real highlight. An aching song focusing on the refrain “Oh my love have I neglected you?” it is a triumph. Like the songs around it, it speaks of loneliness, alienation and desperation (“Deep in your heart a secret’s concealed / Far from your grasp but further from mine / Oh darling I’m lost”) managing to do so with pathos but without indulgence.


Along with the lovely ‘Fireplace’ and album closer ‘One Last Time’ (which neatly sums up the dejected tone of the album: “One last time for me / Make believe we’re in a band / And everything’s still sweet / Cos it’s just pretend”), Wakey Wakey’s ballads are every bit as good as the more upbeat americana elsewhere. Each one is full of poignant, moving words, sung beautifully by Adam Killip and complemented by touches of pedal steel, fiddle and slide guitar. It is by no means an original concept, but rarely is it done this well. Even more rarely is it done this well by a British band in this most American of genres – in fact, the most surprising thing about this album not that it is so good, but that the Tailors don’t hail from middle America. ‘Lonely Pockets’ and ‘Backslap Club’ are two more examples of outsider americana carried off with aplomb, ensuring the second half of the album doesn’t become overwhelmed with the desolation of the slower numbers.


Wakey Wakey was recorded over a year in an old townhouse in Wakefield (hence the title) leading to contributions from some 11 musicians. Despite these varied influences and the length of recording time it is a very cohesive album, combining touching desolate lyricism with lush arrangement. At times it sounds like Whiskeytown (‘Tales Of The Deep’, ‘Lonely Pockets’), at times like early Wilco (‘Belle Vue’, ‘Backslap Club’) and at its most fragile (‘Mi Mye Cat’, Fireplace’) even the likes of Nick Drake, but always Killip’s warm voice delivers the melancholic themes impeccably. An examination of tragic flaws in a tragic world it is an admirable debut.


****

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

Willy Mason - If The Ocean Gets Rough

Still just 22 years old, Martha’s Vineyard’s favourite son Willy Mason releases his second album If The Ocean Gets Rough to considerable anticipation. Aiming to repeat the huge and perhaps surprising success of 2005’s debut Where The Humans Eat, this follow up aims to confirm his place in the upper echelons of the current crop of singer-songwriters.

Where The Humans Eat was so successful largely thanks to the huge radio success of ‘Oxygen’. Mason and record label Virgin go for the same trick second time round with ‘Save Myself’ being a similarly radio-friendly lead single. In fact this overtly political protest song sums up a lot of what this singer-songwriter is about. Thoughtful, at times provocative lyrics (“When the culture’s drowning in a bad dream…when the vultures copyright the word ‘free’”) relayed in his unmistakeable deep drawl are backed by simple song structures with careful, restrained arrangement. Though well produced, with some delicate touches of strings and wonderful backing vocals when necessary, it is a far from lavish album and his songs are left to speak for themselves without overblown backing.

The richness of Mason’s voice leads to immediate Johnny Cash comparisons, nowhere more than on album opener ‘Gotta Keep Walking’. Referencing his folk singer mother, Jemima James, it sets the scene for the record, much of which was written during the exhaustive touring of the last album. Opening with the lines “On the road, no way home / Guess I gotta keep on rolling on / Until the lights come on” it is a song about being away from home that hints at other grander themes, such as war and the meaning of life itself.

One of the keys to Mason’s appeal is highlighted here and on bluesy third track ‘We Can Be Strong’. As on the likes of ‘Oxygen’ and ‘Save Myself’ he manages to mix the more complex themes and lyrics of the verse with a memorable, universal, repetitive, sometimes even meaningless chorus. It’s a formula that works rather well, particularly on ‘We Can Be Strong’. He tells the story of a man contemplating his path in life through the verse in his usual, eloquent manner (“Plenty of time to think about / All of the kids that went the college route / Chasing their tomorrows”) but what you take away from the song is the catchy “We can be strong, strong, strong” of the chorus.

If The Ocean Gets Rough is, actually, a very ‘strong’ album on which Mason proves that his song writing ability extends beyond just a catchy chorus. The song structure, phrasing and texture are often skilfully worked to reflect the subject matter. The incessant rhythm of ‘Gotta Keep Walking’ invokes the restless theme of the song while the dream-like ambience of the impressive ‘I Can’t Sleep’ really manages to convey a feeling of insomnia. Similarly, the percussion and persistent bass line of folk song ‘When The River Moves On’ means the song flows like its eponymous water. Throughout what is generally a downcast album, Mason’s trademark melancholic drawl also manages to lend the songs a depth that others may not achieve.

There are no real weak tracks on If The Ocean Gets Rough, though the lilt of Mason’s voice does mean some of the later songs can pass you by somewhat. While the bigger, bouncier songs are more attention grabbing, the darker ballads are equally as arresting. The poignant ‘Riptide’ and gothic ‘Simple Town’, for example, are both excellent, but it is ‘The World That I Wanted’ that is one of the real highlights of the album. With affecting lyrics, he tells the miserable story of a man dealing with family issues, unfulfilled promises and bereavement: “He watched as the old man laid down in the Earth, / And he looked all around for a sign of his worth, and he cried / ‘Oh Daddy what was it you wanted?’” backed with little more than finger-picked guitar and drums. It is beautifully sung with Mason stretching his range more than usual. It truly sounds like a timeless song and could grace the canon of any number of greats, including Cat Stevens or Leonard Cohen.

All in all, this is a fine second album that more than matches its predecessor. Mason’s voice is not to everyone’s taste but his songs should be and he proves with this collection that he really is one of the more promising songwriters of his generation.

****

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

RJD2 - The Third Hand

This is US artist/producer/DJ/multi-instrumentalist RJD2’s third album now, and in a move that is on the verge of gobsmacking in the somewhat stale music industry, he has recorded an album that bears little resemblance to his previous efforts. Having gained a great deal of credibility and plaudits with the hiphop-centric albums Dead Ringer (2002) and Since We Last Spoke (2004) it is interesting and bold move for his debut release for XL.

The initial differences are that it is the first time that live instruments have been used, all but four of the fifteen tracks feature the singing of the man himself, and, as a result of the first two it is pretty much an album of pop songs. That said, while there is no doubt that it is externally a stylistic departure, below the surface RJD2 sticks to what he knows as far as production values go, with the whole album sounding extremely slick.

For the most part there are more layers to each song than you can identify, with multi-tracked, effects-laden vocals on top of a variety of instruments and other knob twiddling. After a brief instrumental intro, ‘You Never Had It’ proves that the drum machine is still an important weapon in RJD2’s armoury. A keyboard-heavy pop song with a traditional chorus it is an introduction to the pervading sound of the album – namely quirky pop melodies over well-constructed beats. The majority of songs follow this pattern, generally climaxing in a simple, single phrase chorus. Whether it is “You never had it so good”, “Have mercy” or “Take it easy”, this simplistic approach on top of more complex, well-produced backing tracks proves that that the man knows a thing or two about writing pop songs.

It seems Mr D2 has been listening to a lot of soul records because a lot of the time, The Third Hand sounds like just that – a 21^st Century soul record in the Gnarls Barkley mould. ‘Have Mercy’, ‘Work It Out’ and ‘Sweet Piece’ in particular mix soul, hiphop and rnb sounds to good effect. There is still time for more traditional RJD2 fare with the beat-heavy instrumentals: ‘Get It’, ‘The Bad Penny’ and ‘Paper Bubble’, but the highlights of the album are ‘Work It Out’ and ‘Beyond’. The former is a brilliantly strange song that sounds like something from a futuristic musical. With its bizarre chorus “Whoah lazy man, you broke the laws of the gods” and babbling about philosophy, it would not be out of place on the Klaxons’ record. The latter’s old school hip hop beat and keyboard is a pleasing reminder of just whose album you are actually listening to.

Clearly RJD2 has lots of ideas. And in an attempt to introduce his new sound and still find time for more conventional RJD2 tunes the album stretches to a rather excessive 15 tracks. As a result, at times the smooth, laid back almost “jazz club” groove of some of the tracks can mean they pass by without notice.

Sounding somewhere between Simian before they went mobile, Gnarls Barkley and Scandinavian pop, this album is certainly different. Though a reinvention of sorts, it seems unlikely that RJD2 is after world domination with The Third Hand. It has the hallmarks of a pop album but remains singularly quirky and reliant on beats and samples. Once you get past the shock of the different sound, it is a rather pleasant album that perhaps just drags on a bit long. It is hard to predict whether existing fans will appreciate the change, whether he will attract many new listeners and, indeed where this music fits in the overall scheme of things. In any case god bless RJD2 for having the inclination, nay balls, to do something different.

***

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

The Butterflies Of Love - Famous Problems

For Connecticut’s The Butterflies of Love, the road to Famous Problems has been a long one. After a successful debut album (How To Know, 1998), an NME single of the week, John Peel literally applauding their debut single on air, a less successful follow up album (The New Patient, 2002), and their crowning glory – being called “crap” by Blink 182 – their 13 years have been problematic if not that famous. The band led by Jeff and Daniel Greene (who remarkably enough aren’t related) return for one more go at things with this, their third album.

“At such times, I’ve got feelings about everything” is the first line of album opener ‘Take Action’ and for 13 songs the Greenes proceed to convey these feelings above a swirl of guitars and vocal harmonies. They are tales from Middle America that range from relationships to juvenile delinquency and even the “smiting” of mythical birds, but more of that later.

‘Take Action’ is a great way to get this attempt at career resurrection started. Full of long, held, notes it is a simple but effective hymn to a factory girl who teaches the protagonist the meaning of, unsurprisingly, taking action. Immediately you are into the bouncy, funny ‘Act Deranged’, a much lighter proposition: “You’re going to have to act deranged to get out of this one…You’re in trouble with your Mum”. A breezy 2 minutes passes pleasantly with the help of a cheerful bass line and added handclaps for good measure. The altogether more sinister single ‘In A Blizzard In A Lighthouse’ comes hot on its heels as part of a psychedelic double with ‘No Moon No Sun No Stars’, the discordant guitar of the latter echoing the literal darkness of the song’s title. Then straight into ‘Lies Will Sound Like The Truth’ and before you know it you are almost halfway through the album. This constant barrage of songs becomes a recurring theme of the Famous Problems. It is full of songs with grand soundscapes that feel like they are of epic length, when in fact they rarely go over the 3 minute mark (in fact only 3 of the 13 songs do). This gives an immediacy to the songs that could easily have gone astray under sheer weight of sound.

It is only by the sedentary sixth track ‘Sunshine’ that you get time to catch your breath as Famous Problems takes a more reserved turn. Sometimes the effects on the grander songs are taken too far (‘Conquer Every Woe’ is going along nicely with melodic harmonies and handclaps until slightly spoiled by the unnecessary backwards guitar) and it is in the slower second half that the album hits some of its real highs. The atmospheric ‘Ghostride’ is a nostalgic look at the apparent joys of drink driving, while the Dire Straits sounding ‘Orbit Around You’ and organ filled ‘Know My Sign’ are both very good indeed. The quirky ‘Smite The White Eagle’ provides the centrepiece and standout song of the latter part of the collection. The persistent Leonard Cohen-esque drawl of its vocals and imagery of the lyrics – “She gathered her armies and planned her attack on the battleground inside her mind” – combine to make it a dark triumph.

There is barely a bad song on Famous Problems, with ‘All Of A Sudden’ being the one really weak link. The Greenes are ably supported throughout by a cast of five, most notably Jason Mills, whose guitar work (particularly on ‘No Moon No Sun No Stars’ and ‘Ghostride’) along with the benefits of a 7 piece band helps to create the depth of sound that defines Famous Problems. A bit like Doves covering Pavement, it is an album that carries you along on a sea of swirling guitars and backing vocals with little chance to pause for breath. An excellent return, it has been worth the five year wait.

****

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

The Fratellis - Baby Fratelli

The latest single from The Fratellis’ widely lauded debut album Costello music is another glam rocker with a chorus that belies the title. The guitar intro lays down the tone for the song with an attention grabbing, simple but effective riff and the moment Jon Fratelli’s instantly recognisable Mark Bolan-esque vocals burst in with “She said ‘Oh my’”, you kind of know what’s coming next. The engaging if slightly whiny verse explodes into a huge glam rock chorus with Jon in full Noddy Holder mode backed by a suitable amount of shouting.

A story in the same vein as ‘Chelsea Dagger’, ‘Baby Fratelli’ focuses on the eponymous girl about town: “Everybody says she’s uptight, / Sick in the head, first in the bed / So easy to be Friday’s nightmare”. Like ‘Chelsea Dagger’ before it, the song evokes a night out in Glasgow with the band and an array of motley associates, but as with its predecessor this song is all about the singalong chorus – something these boys seem remarkably adept at creating.

It’s another pretty good song from this Glasgow trio, but it smacks a little of a filler single while the band continue to tour their album and swan off to America. They’ve had the “breakthrough EP” (featuring Creeping Up The Backstairs), the “successful debut single” (Henrietta), the “big song” (Chelsea Dagger), the “slower number that shows another side of the band” (Whistle For The Choir) and now they’re in the “next best song on the album” territory in a bid to keep people interested until they release some new material. The Fratellis are lucky that they have more than four good songs on their album (lets face it, a lot of bands don’t) but frankly most people interested in the release of this single already own the album. It’s pleasant enough in the meantime but let’s hope for some worthwhile b-sides and roll on the new songs!

***

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

Autokat - Late Night Shopping

Autokat are the latest band to emerge from the Akoustik Anarkhy Manchester scene that gave a leg up to Nine Black Alps and The Longcut – as well as causing a shortage of the letter ‘k’ across the North West. With debut album Late Night Shopping they launch a sonic assault more akin to The Longcut than their grungy scene-mates. Clearly influenced by post-punkers including Joy Division, Autokat mix indie rock with post rock to create a dark and ultimately impressive debut.


The band has already earned a good deal of praise from the likes of The Guardian and The Independent and you can see why the broadsheets are on board: this is an ambitious, intelligent record. Late Night Shopping has the same cynically urban feel as the likes of Bloc Party (Indeed, the opening notes of first track ‘Shot’ sounds rather similar to ‘Like Eating Glass’ at the start of Silent Alarm) and they wear this firmly on their sleeve. Right from the album’s title (which is apparently in reference to kids going out on the rob at night, not the 24hr Tesco) the claustrophobia of city life is thrust upon you through both sonically and lyrically.


More often than not they get it right, switching effortlessly from punky, dancy guitar music to more elegant post rock. There are highlights throughout, including the layered guitar and thrashy ending of ‘Shot’, the drumming on the slightly more melodic ‘Get Off The Bar’ and the punk vocal of ‘Innocence’ to name three. Elswehere, ‘Seven Years’ is the story of a broken man who is “off his face / without a clue how he’s got here” told with chiming guitars and on ‘Dish Out’ they are at their most like Bloc Party (in a good way). If every song featured the driving guitars and similar vocal style that these songs do, you’d quickly tire of this album. Luckily when Autokat go for more of a post rock sound on the likes of ‘Bowling’ and the broody ‘Fill Your Cup’ they manage to pull that off too. The post punk of ‘Frantic Below’ is a suitably schizophrenic conclusion to an album that straddles genres without losing cohesion.


Sometimes it doesn’t quite work as well. The short phrasing of the lyrics, while necessary for the style of music, means they can verge on the meaningless or throwaway: “A shot / in the dark / comes down / into the city” (‘Shot’), “When you get down on it / I don’t want to know” (‘Fill Your Cup’) or the repetition of “To learn / to live / to love” on ‘The Driver’ for example. Equally, the band suggest that instrumentals ‘Dealy’ and ‘Uber Patriot’ “help the album to breathe” but you can’t help thinking the space could be better used.


What the likes of Bloc Party or Kasabian had on their debuts that Autokat lack is straight up pop songs – there is no ‘Helicopter’ or ‘Banquet’, nothing as radio-friendly as ‘Club Foot’ or ‘L.S.F.’ on Late Night Shopping – but in many ways this is entirely to their credit, as they opt instead for the more challenging. The most obvious example of the ambition of the record is ‘Bowling’. Instead of the middle of the road ballad it could easily have become, it is actually a gorgeous post rock dream of a song.


Recorded and self-produced in their own rehearsal space and guitarist’s front room, Late Night Shopping is an impressive record that just lacks something that would make it a true standout. Perhaps former single ‘Dish Out’ is the perfect example. It is put together well with some great atmospheric backing vocals but just when you expect that soaring chorus to come it never arrives. Nonetheless this is an admirable debut.

****


First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

The Loves - Technicolour

From the opening bars of 'Je T’aime, Baby' you get the feeling that Technicolour might be quite a special album. The first song on Cardiff’s The Loves second album sounds so authentically like it could be taken straight from a Velvet Underground album that you almost check to see if it’s a cover.

After seven minutes of this fantastically sparse and atmospheric first number that slowly builds into a psychedelic instrumental, comes a couple of 2 and a half minute pop songs that sound like they must have been recorded a good 40 years ago. 'I My She Love You' is somewhere between The Pixies’ 'Here Comes Your Man' and the Kingsmen’s 'Louie Louie', while 'She’ll Break Your Heart…Again' is a lost 60s girl group classic. After the first three tracks you are firmly caught on Technicolour’s pop hooks and it is already apparent that resistance is futile.

Seven years and (at last estimate) 25 members after Simon Love founded the band, he and the current line up have crafted a collection of pop gems. 'The Rainbow Connection' and its breathy vocals is a VU-inspired ballad, which, along with the lonely 'So Sad' and 'How Does It Feel To Be Loved?' (which itself references the same band’s 'Beginning To See The Light') gives some much-needed respite from the barrage of instant pop classics that makes up the remainder of the album.

Two years in the making, Technicolour is aptly titled, with a rainbow of sonic hues to outdo any dream coat. Listening to it is like having your very own pop time machine and The Loves sound like they have made a few stops on the way. They’ve been surfing USA with the Beach Boys, jamming in the Factory with the Velvet Underground and out on the street with the Shangri-Las, before somehow ending up back at Frank Black’s house listening to Monkees records with The Ramones.

Along with the cracking opening trio, the highlights of Technicolour are the singalong rock’n’rollers 'Xs and Os' and '(Gimme Gimme) The Good Times'. The former is a pick me up for the broken-hearted: “Do all the things that you feel you should do / But not another 100 hours with the beer bottle blues / When all the women in the world can’t undo all your bad news / Xs and Os for you”. Like The Ramones at their most melodic with great backing vocals it is 1m52s of pop perfection. '(Gimme Gimme) The Good Times' is similarly upbeat and the blow out that the end of the album needs. By the end of it you are already cracking open a beer with a smile firmly on your face: “All the things that were on your mind / Close the door and leave them all behind / Love the love you give, stop the negative and gimme gimme the good times”. Having said that, you’ve probably been smiling for quite a while by track 11, for the line “singing sunshine in the summertime” (from 'Summertime') pretty much sums The Loves and this album up.

That there is little real substance below the surface of this record doesn’t actually do it any harm. Sometimes music is about pushing the boundaries, sometimes rebellion, changing the world or a thousand other things, but sometimes it is there just to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. This is an album that does that. There is no angst (despite the band’s apparent revolving door of members), just great tunes and almost everything about Technicolour works. From the title and sleeve design that reflect the eclecticism and sunshine of the music, the under-production, the way they manage to pull off sounding like some of the most influential bands of all time, right down to the Rita Lee quote on the sleeve: “We’ve heard it all and we’ve used it all”. It is referential without being indulgent, psychedelic without being overblown, indiepop without being painfully twee and a little bit French without being, well, at all French. Get ready to tap your feet, nod your head and dance like its any time in pop history you want – The Loves are here in glorious Technicolour.

****

First published on rockfeedback.com. See it here.

John Cale - Circus (live)

Throughout an extraordinary career that has so far spanned five decades, John Cale live performances have earned themselves notoriety to say the least. From the Welshman’s experimental ‘Drone’ work with The Theatre Of Eternal Music in 60s NYC, through the early days of one of the most influential bands of all time – The Velvet Underground – to his solo career, he has always courted controversy. Following his pioneering 60s career, he confrontationally wore a hockey mask during his solo shows a long time before Friday 13^th and famously chopped off the head of a live chicken onstage – something that caused the vegetarian drummer to quit his band. The question is, following two well-received albums in the last 3 years, is the Cale of 2007 still relevant as a live performer?

Inspired by the chemistry with his new backing band (Dustin Boyer, guitar; Joseph Karnes, bass; Michael Jerome, drums) on the recording of his 2005 album Black Acetate, performances from the following year’s tour were recorded and the result is this monster of a double live album, entitled Circus (Live). The majority of the set is made up of songs from his solo heyday of the early-mid 70s and the two recent albums Black Acetate and Hobosapiens (2003). Also thrown in are a couple of Velvet Underground classics and a handpicked selection from the rest of his solo career, including his astonishing versions of rock and roll classics 'Heartbreak Hotel' and 'Walking The Dog'. The summation of all this is over 3 hours of live performance that can at times be challenging but is in general totally absorbing.

The live band sounds extremely tight, in particular some fantastic, wah-wah heavy, guitar work from Dustin Boyer, which makes sure that this is not just a vehicle for Cale’s multi-instrumentation, but a true band experience. Throughout Circus (Live) Cale adapts his menacing baritone to a variety of musical styles and as a foursome the band manages to deliver the kind of performance fitting for such a body of work. It is a dark and broody collection of live takes that is so saturated with menace that it sounds for the most part like it could be a live recording of the resident house band at the gateway to Hell.

The first CD opens with one of only two VU songs included, a typically intense version of 'Venus In Furs': a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Reworking songs by a band you were in but that you did not originally sing can go either way and we get both sides of the coin on this album. 'Venus In Furs' works perfectly well with Cale’s vocals and arrangement differing little from the original Lou Reed fronted take. The string-sampling 'Femme Fatale', on the other hand, is virtually unrecognisable until the chorus and this time the vocals (both Cale’s and those backing him) actually make you yearn for the characteristic German warbling of the Nico sung 1967 version.

Following very bass heavy, almost heavy metal sounding, renditions of 'Save Us' and 'Helen Of Troy' (both 1975) comes 'Woman', the first of three songs on Disc One from Black Acetate. Along with 'Hush' and 'OuttaTheBag', as well as 'Look Horizons' and 'Magritte' from Hobosapiens, the modern songs prove that Cale continues to evolve (and succeed doing so) as an artist. They stand up as well as virtually anything in this collection, with the guitar interplay of 'OuttaTheBag' and Cale’s trademark viola on 'Magritte' particularly pleasing.

Other first disc highlights include a great, relaxed version of 'Buffalo Ballet' which is a joy despite the occasionally out of tune singing, the beautiful 'Set Me Free' and the impassioned vocal performance of 'The Ballad Of Cable Hogue' that climaxes with the repeated “Cable you can’t leave me here like this / Cable please…” becoming a strained emotional wail drawn from Cale’s lips. The funky 'Dirty Ass Rock and Roll' provides a fittingly upbeat conclusion to Disc One.

The second CD is a more challenging experience than the first with more sonic experimentation. The dark 13 minute version of 'Gun' melts into a sparse and atmospheric 'Hanky Panky Nohow', while the 'Pablo Picasso/Mary Lou' medley lasts a demanding 12m25s. Calm is restored with effect-laden performances of ballads 'Zen' and 'Style It Takes', before the fantastically haunting cover of 'Heartbreak Hotel' that is virtually indescribable. On this and the final track 'Mercenaries (Ready For War)' a performance of remarkable diversity culminates with vocals that range from sung to whispered to spoken word, coupled with intensely moody backing. It is a fittingly unpredictable ending.

Live albums are strange beasts. They give the dedicated fan something extra, be it a rare song, the chance to relive a gig they witnessed, or just different takes on songs previously committed to record, but rarely can they fully capture the exhilaration and atmosphere of a live performance. At their best (The Who’s Live At Leeds for example) they can be a fantastic document and at their worst a complete money-spinning letdown. This album is certainly right at the former end of the spectrum and gives you a fascinating insight into the Cale live experience. It is worth listening to just to absorb the breadth of work that this man has blessed us with (and continues to) and to be reminded of the range of contemporary bands he still influences.

John Cale is a musician’s musician: classically trained, true to his ideals, innovative and truly inspirational. He has been an avant-garde experimentalist, a punk trailblazer, a masterful producer (The Stooges, Patti Smith et al), a film sound-tracker (Sid & Nancy, American Psycho) and much more. Circus (Live) demonstrates his ability to remain vital well into his 5^th decade as an artist. It is a must for any John Cale fan and well worth picking up for any fan of music full stop.


First published on glasswerk.co.uk and rockfeedback.com. See it here and here.

The Feeling - Love It When You Call

You know The Feeling. They’re that band that released those three songs that you didn’t want to like because they weren’t very good but you secretly did and you couldn’t get those damn choruses out of your head anyway so you might as well just go along with it.

Well this song is pretty much the same but slightly less catchy and even more mediocre. Their 4^th single from remarkably bland debut album 12 Stops And Home, ‘I Love It When You Call’ mixes things up a bit by plugging in the guitars, but unfortunately ends up sounding like a watered down version of The Darkness. And that’s saying something. This band has been much compared with Supertramp and this single is no different, but surely I am not alone in thinking that that is not a good thing?

It’s difficult to describe just how MOR this song is – it makes Razorlight singing about America seem cutting edge. The overall sound is in fact very ‘American’ and both lyrically and musically it is devoid of any actual ‘feeling’. The phrase “best time buddy” is like nails down a blackboard, while the chorus (“I love it when you call, but you never call at all”) sounds a bit like Fountains of Wayne without the wit. There is even the odd ‘whoop’ to make it sound like they are enjoying themselves, but somehow I just don’t believe them.

Fair enough to The Feeling, summer hit ‘Fill Right Up’ had the most ridiculously catchy melody that one can be forgiven for enjoying it on a sunny day when very drunk, but this song and its probable chart position raises an important question. Should pop music be allowed to be MOR, does universal appeal make it ok to be mediocre? Is it like watching meaningless crap on TV because you’ve had a hard day earning enough money to pay the bills and still get drunk at the weekend and all you want to do is relax and not think anymore? If this sounds like you then you might just enjoy (if that’s the right word) this song and everything they have done.

This song is probably on an advert. Probably for a mobile phone. You will probably buy the product. It is a song for the millions of people who bought the Arctic Monkeys album because everyone else did (not because it is a great, great album), then proceeded to buy every other piece of second-rate guitar pop because they thought it was ‘indie’. This is why the Kooks have had 6 (count them) hit singles from their decent album. This is why the Feeling sell records and why this song will probably end up in the top ten.

You know The Feeling. You probably won’t a year from now. Unless one of them develops a ‘drug and alcohol problem’ and ends up in the Priory and the Sun, in which case give it 13 months.

First published on glasswerk.co.uk. See it here.

Yoriyos - Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

Singer-songwriters are rather abundant these days, as I suppose they always have been. Within this narrow genre, though, there is currently a dramatic discrepancy in talent – for every Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy or Bright Eyes, there are James Blunt and James Morrison ploughing the MOR furrow. However, now and then there is still the odd songsmith who slips through the major label net and blesses us with a collection of songs worthy of some of the greats.

Step forward Yoriyos, whose debut album Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, released on his own label, has the promise of being just such a collection. Clearly influenced by some of the finer songwriters of the 60s and beyond, Yoriyos songs are a mix of storytelling and philosophising backed by acoustic guitar and a variety of instruments (from accordion on ‘Endoscopises’ to the fitting South American panpipes of Querido Che). Leonard Cohen’s ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ is referenced in the poignant ‘Run Dry’, while ‘Hurricane John’ sounds like Cat Stevens. You could point to a whole lot more influences (Dylan, Neil Young etc) but Yoriyos certainly has his own voice.

The title of the album evokes the snowy massacre representative of the wrongs done against Native American Indians by white settlers and throughout the album there are references to revolutionary or political themes, at times reminiscent of the original protest singers. Yoriyos is better at the storytelling than he is the protesting though. The poetic hymn from Alberto Granado to a young Che Guevara – ‘Querido Che’ – is more successful than the “start another revolution, stand up for your own rights…this time we’re going to fight for love” of anti-war ‘Another Revolution’ for example.

As well as political protest, these are also songs that argue for art over office, creativity over capitalism – summed up in ‘If All Else Fails’: “If all else fails I could buy a suit, and look just like one of you…I won’t need all my dreams, I won’t be free”. There is a lot of ‘Everyman’ sentiment on this album, with several songs playing with universal themes. Opener ‘Endoscopises’ speaks of the “journey of life”, Nomad’s Dream asks “What is the meaning? Where do I turn? When will I get there? When Will I learn” and ‘The Pied Piper’ wants to know “Who will stand with me when I find wrong and right?” However, whether he is talking about universal ‘truths’, politics or lost love, Yoriyos tends to do so with a lyrical quality that penetrates deeper than the theme.

Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee is a collection of well-crafted, at times beautiful songs sung in a voice that works equally well on both the more melodic numbers and the deeper notes of the Cohen-esque ‘The End’. There are standout moments and barely a weak link throughout this extremely promising debut - one can only hope that he never puts on that suit.

First published on glasswerk.co.uk. See it here.

Jamie T - Panic Prevention

The buzz surrounding Jamie T throughout 2006 means that Panic Prevention is likely to be one of the most eagerly awaited debuts of 2007. The 20 year old has made his name so far with storming live performances featuring just him, his straight talking MC-inspired lyrics and his bass guitar. With a couple of big singles now ensuring some mainstream attention, many will be keeping a close eye on this release.

Comparisons have been numerous and are unavoidable. Panic Prevention proves that: yes his lyrical realism, song subjects and clever wordplay is a style with which the Arctic Ms have had huge success; yes his vocal texture and occasionally shambolic, stripped down delivery is at times reminiscent of a Sarf London Pete D; yes his poetic and at times anthemic treatment of urban themes is influenced by Mike S; but crucially, the similarities are incidental and the talent is entirely Jamie T’s. With Panic Prevention he makes the transition from quirky live act to serious music maker thanks to an eclectic mix of influences, some beats, some samples, a poet’s insight into youth culture and above all some great tunes.

The album kicks off with an homage to his instrument of choice: Brand New Bass Guitar. As a song it sums up a lot of what Jamie T is about. It is left stripped down and performed live with little other than him and the eponymous guitar. His unique vocal style is allowed to stand on its own (he is somewhere between an MC and Pete Doherty, and his “hello baby” is even reminiscent of a 50s rock’n’roller) while his finest quality – his lyrics – are clear and accessible. As with most of the album, they are witty takes on controversial themes. Here gun crime, alcohol and drink driving.

Along with Back In The Game, Brand New Bass Guitar will keep those Jamie T purists happy with their faithfulness to the original live versions of the songs, showcasing lyrical and musical talent that does not need overblown production and padding. The rest of the first half of the album, though, is largely made up of altogether ‘bigger’ songs. First up is Salvador, which is lyrically among his finest work. The pounding bass line is accompanied by bittersweet study of nightclub nights, of “Bang bang Anglo-Saxons at the disco”. There are hints of darkness under the surface of the fun and frivolity by the subtle references to underage girls who lie to their parents to go out: “when I’m on the floor all the boys feel me and dear diary’s never been a friend of mine”.

Next up is the anthem of the collection, the Streetsy current single Calm Down Dearest. String laden, full of swagger and with a gorgeous chorus, it relates the highs and lows of drink and drugs excess. The “I sedated hatred…and all my rage” is contrasted with the “It’s heavy, it’s on my mind, you say you feel just fine” indicating that for all the euphoria of “I’ve been drunk forever” and “racking and stacking your lines”, there is a price to pay. Despite the warnings, musically Calm Down Dearest remains the perfect soundtrack to a night out. It is followed up with the even darker So Lonely Was The Ballad, another insightful examination of the same theme, this time with more emphasis on the potential for violence: “Lets go dancing with the average Joes who talk with their fists and argue with their friends”. There is also a sample from a self-help tape (his own) on how to deal with having panic attacks, a reference to drug paranoia – “living life in the fast lane…this is definitely all for you”.

After the simplicity of Back In The Game, Operation takes things to a new level. A behemoth of a song that evolves as it develops, it is probably the most like a traditional Indie song with its Strokes-like guitars, but is still unique in its sound with hints of both Ska and Drum’n’Bass. Again it is peppered with lyrical pearlers like “I ain’t no abacus but you can count on me” and the hilarious refrain: “take your problem to United Nations, tell poor Kofi about the situation”. A song about the “lost boys in the lost towns, lost girls in the lost and found”, it is a highlight.

Summer single Sheila is the centrepiece of the album. Destined to be one of the great songs about London, the leading couplet “Sheila goes out with her mate Stella, it gets poured all over her fella” is possibly the most memorable rhyme not written by Alex Turner for a long time. Though not directly Ska sounding, this song is reminiscent of the band to whom Jamie T may owe more than any influence: The Specials. The poetic but direct treatment of youth culture and the downtrodden characters draw a direct parallel with Terry Hall’s band. The samples work well to complement the story as it unfolds and listeners are even treated to a bit of culture with a reading of Betjeman’s poem ‘The Cockney Amorist’ sampled. The combination of Jamie’s wit, the lyrical realism of the characters’ dark stories and the wonderful chorus make Sheila an instant classic.

The second half of Panic Prevention sees Jamie T’s songs become more eclectic and experimental. Pacemaker finds Jamie in full MC mode with another pulsating bassline and fast ‘pace’. It carries you along ceaselessly with the story of the song with the help of some sparse chords, leaving you almost breathless by its climax. With incessant rhymes full of teenage colloquialisms, he again exposes the highs and lows of the endemic alcohol-fuelled life of the British post-Millenium youth: nights out, coughing up blood, swearing, peer pressure and fighting.

Though both influenced by Reggae and Ska, Dry Off Your Cheeks and If You’ve Got The Money are polar opposites. The former is a Babyshambolic, atmospheric number with snarled vocals and very little backing. With the absence of much accompaniment Jamie T uses his voice and his lyrics as another musical instrument, using repetition in a similar way to the way Van Morrison does on Astral Weeks. The latter is a faux-love song with the typical witty Jamie T twist, on this occasion a tongue in cheek poke at both the girls who are interested in a boy’s money and the boys who have it. Sandwiched in between these two is the dance-influenced Ike & Tina, probably the poorest song on the album with its one-dimensional beat. The broody Alicia Quays closes the collection with the most hip hop sounding vocal and is another atmospheric song. As a song it is fine but in the context of the album I found my concentration drifting after 45 minutes of having so many characters and ideas thrown at me. In truth I was already itching to skip back to some of the more immediate earlier tunes for a bit of a singalong.

Panic Prevention has the distinction of wearing its influences on its sleeve but yet sounding entirely fresh. Because of the different genres at work here (Jungle, Garage, Drum’n’Bass, Indie, Metal, Hip hop, Punk, Reggae and Ska to name a few) listeners will be drawn to different songs depending on their taste. The beauty of the album is that Jamie T turns his hand with equal verve to each style and as a result leaves few disappointed.

There are some aspects of the album and Jamie T himself that people may not like. For one, certain critics may distrust the fact that he is firmly middle class, went to Grammar school (though so did a certain Joe Strummer) and hometown Wimbledon is about as far from the ghetto as you can get. Second, those who are already riding shotgun on the Jamie T bandwagon and have had the privilege of seeing him live with just his voice and his bass guitar may be wary of the production on some of the tracks with the likes of ‘Sheila’ and ‘Calm Down Dearest’ treated rather lavishly. Similarly, the interspersing of the tracks with clips of his mates is at times funny but can be irritating and give a bit of a school project feel to it. On the other hand it is indicative of the personal nature of the relationship between some artists and their fans that exists today, a phenomenon first developed by The Libertines that has since exploded thanks to the likes of Myspace. Jamie T and this album are invested with the same DIY attitude (early EPs were put out on his own label and he used to post personal mixtapes to his fans) - though not really a concept album, the characters, stories, personal clips and themes give it a kind of blog-like feeling.

In their own respective ways The Streets and the Arctic Monkeys have summed up the feelings and captured the imagination of the British youth in recent years (and sold a fair few records doing it) – Jamie T is set to join them in the coming few. There is very little else around that so accurately captures what it’s like growing up in New Labour Britain. As an album it will also appeal to fans of several genres of music, not just because there are several at work influencing the sound and content, but because of the quality and individuality of the song writing. At his best Jamie T writes songs that draw you in and never let you rest, carried along with his incessant rhymes and downtrodden characters. If I were a betting man I’d put money on Panic Prevention being nominated for the Mercury Prize and if this album is anything to go by, Mr T could be an important figure in British music over the next few years. I pity the fool who doesn’t buy this record (sorry I had to do it…)

First published on glasswerk.co.uk See it here.