Just in case anyone was reading this and wondered about the sudden hiatus, I've got a new gig to be found here: www.aaamusic.co.uk
So yeah. Tty is moving up in the world? I'll possibly update this from time to time, but that's probably my main do from now on. See you on the other side.
05/07/2010
05/06/2010
Gig: The Damned 4/6/10 Shepherd's Bush Empire
The Damned were once called the musical version of the worst bits of 'Tiswas'. And yes, there's some truth to be found there, although I'd gladly argue against the "worst". Anarchic, unpredictable and borderline bewildering, they've played a massive part in the UK music scene, but they're more infamous than recognised as that band with the silly names and Dracula singing, who went all prog. But there's more to them than that.
I've seen The Damned before, supporting Motörhead as their pet punk band. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but whatever it was was totally blown away by the first moment of "hi, we're The Damned, and we sound something like this" followed by a load of gloriously fun noise. So when I heard they were playing a headline show in London, I jumped at the chance to go.
And that is the obligatory prequel to my ramble. It was my first time at Shepherd's Bush Empire, and despite a rather unpleasant toilet, I'll happily place it as a venue I like. The atmosphere is surprisingly unique for an O2 venue (the musical equivalent of a chainstore) being a repurposed theatre complete with all the decor you'd expect, a good stage, and impressively clear sound.
(Roundhouse take note: if I ever return, please fix the air conditioning, and for the love of all that is holy, sort out your sound. It is currently an indistinct splurge. You are being shamed by smaller, less iconic venues.)
Anyway. I was one of the bratty young rocker contingent. The audience was split into the younger lot and the old guard, and it was a distinct yet friendly contrast. The Damned seem to attract the more good-humoured side of punk.
The opening act was Texas Terri Bomb. How do you even begin? I suppose "if Iggy Pop was a woman" would be a reasonable starting point. They're a howling collective of that same garage-punk sound where the music sounds malignant and possibly unhygienic. Like you should go have a tetanus injection after listening, and it's all fronted by the calculatedly unhinged Texas Terri, who has a presence and then some, on and off the stage, in lurid red hair and lipstick and a voice that is almost the epitome of rocker. Some of their onstage antics seemed contrived, but with a band that fun, it is hard to criticise.
Next up was Ed Tudor Pole, who is not so much calculatedly unhinged as genuinely insane, playing a set on an instrument that seemed to be more sellotape than guitar, eyeing the audience in a way that left me unsure as to whether he thought we were a crowd of zombies and if so whether he would suddenly react in a suitable fashion, and singing about meeting his wife at a sweet shop, his nephew getting a fake moustache in a Christmas cracker, and of course the crowd-pleaser 'Who Killed Bambi?', which became a singalong with several inebriated members of the audience. In the spirit of punk, he also gave his colourful opinion on the government before confirming the location of the bar.
The Damned were perhaps more theatrical this time, I suppose being the headliners allows for more flourish. They entered the stage to the sound of 'Nature's Dark Passion', an atmospheric track from their recent album, and this was followed by 'Disco Man', and 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today'.
Unlike many bands who've experimented beyond their roots, The Damned aren't afraid of their back-catalogue, playing songs from all over their 30-year career, which is no mean feat considering their evolution. How many bands could still pull off sharp and searing renditions of 'Neat Neat Neat' and 'New Rose' alongside the gothic 'Shadow Of Love' and their druggy, chart-bothering cover of 'Eloise', and still find time to work in 'Thrill Kill' and 'Song.com'? (Please send answers along with a note of money, £20 preferred but £50 welcome, to etc.)
The Damned, as well as being in possession of a collection of songs and a fanbase many bands would give limbs and otherwise to have, also have a smart way of being able to blend their material, and the setlist flowed, Sensible's stage banter filling the gaps with the familiarity of a mate down the pub. The pacing may have been a little uneven, but for every moment of instrumental showing off and poking at the softer side, there was a rattling freight train of a punk milestone to get us all pogoing and shouting like it's 1976 again. Seeing as I missed it the first time, this is a welcome opportunity.
It might disappoint some to find that Vanian no longer dresses as Dracula, but instead has matured into a suitably ageless frontman, and his voice is still as impressive as ever, ranging from a deep croon to sudden barks, especially the immortal 'Neat Neat Neat', where it is greeted by a good couple of thousand raised fists and raucous voices. As for the rest of the band, Pinch provides a sturdy and talented backbone behind his lightshow of a drumkit, Stu West is able to handle any and all basslines, be they chugging or finger-bending, that come his way with ease, and Monty Oxymoron still causes no end of confusion, intermittently pogoing behind the keyboards while looking like a cross between the prog rock generation and the Victorian era while adding his own contributions to the early punk material as well as driving the more recent melodic tracks.
And Captain Sensible? Oh Captain Sensible, where do we even begin? In possession of a long-suffering roadie who seems to function as a nanny (last time, Sensible refused to leave the stage and was carried off while determinedly singing 'Happy Times', this time the roadie was fussing over a guitar strap and was shooed off with a towel) and a contingent of fans who chanted, conga-style no less, "Sensible's a wanker!" at every opportunity. This is a man who steadfastly refuses to look on the upper side of 23, and the band is all the better for it. He provides the anarchic side of the proceedings in his trademark red beret and sunglasses, goading the crowd and joking with them in the best of bad taste. That said, he is a truly underestimated guitarist able to rattle off some impressive solos and riffs without batting an eyelid.
They held off playing 'Smash It Up' until last, and some might feel like they were on the windup, but what else could you expect, and the waiting only makes it sweeter.
The set was over much too soon. No two ways about it. Jumping around drenched in sweat and covered in eyeliner, I realised that this was the most fun I'd had at a gig in a while. And this is an important thing to remember. For every deep and meaningful sharing of wounds with music, you do need a band who aren't afraid to crack jokes involving Michael Jackson and heavenly llamas. All this with knobs on and a light-up drumkit and we could jump and sing along to 'Love Song' all night long.
I've seen The Damned before, supporting Motörhead as their pet punk band. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but whatever it was was totally blown away by the first moment of "hi, we're The Damned, and we sound something like this" followed by a load of gloriously fun noise. So when I heard they were playing a headline show in London, I jumped at the chance to go.
And that is the obligatory prequel to my ramble. It was my first time at Shepherd's Bush Empire, and despite a rather unpleasant toilet, I'll happily place it as a venue I like. The atmosphere is surprisingly unique for an O2 venue (the musical equivalent of a chainstore) being a repurposed theatre complete with all the decor you'd expect, a good stage, and impressively clear sound.
(Roundhouse take note: if I ever return, please fix the air conditioning, and for the love of all that is holy, sort out your sound. It is currently an indistinct splurge. You are being shamed by smaller, less iconic venues.)
Anyway. I was one of the bratty young rocker contingent. The audience was split into the younger lot and the old guard, and it was a distinct yet friendly contrast. The Damned seem to attract the more good-humoured side of punk.
The opening act was Texas Terri Bomb. How do you even begin? I suppose "if Iggy Pop was a woman" would be a reasonable starting point. They're a howling collective of that same garage-punk sound where the music sounds malignant and possibly unhygienic. Like you should go have a tetanus injection after listening, and it's all fronted by the calculatedly unhinged Texas Terri, who has a presence and then some, on and off the stage, in lurid red hair and lipstick and a voice that is almost the epitome of rocker. Some of their onstage antics seemed contrived, but with a band that fun, it is hard to criticise.
Next up was Ed Tudor Pole, who is not so much calculatedly unhinged as genuinely insane, playing a set on an instrument that seemed to be more sellotape than guitar, eyeing the audience in a way that left me unsure as to whether he thought we were a crowd of zombies and if so whether he would suddenly react in a suitable fashion, and singing about meeting his wife at a sweet shop, his nephew getting a fake moustache in a Christmas cracker, and of course the crowd-pleaser 'Who Killed Bambi?', which became a singalong with several inebriated members of the audience. In the spirit of punk, he also gave his colourful opinion on the government before confirming the location of the bar.
The Damned were perhaps more theatrical this time, I suppose being the headliners allows for more flourish. They entered the stage to the sound of 'Nature's Dark Passion', an atmospheric track from their recent album, and this was followed by 'Disco Man', and 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today'.
Unlike many bands who've experimented beyond their roots, The Damned aren't afraid of their back-catalogue, playing songs from all over their 30-year career, which is no mean feat considering their evolution. How many bands could still pull off sharp and searing renditions of 'Neat Neat Neat' and 'New Rose' alongside the gothic 'Shadow Of Love' and their druggy, chart-bothering cover of 'Eloise', and still find time to work in 'Thrill Kill' and 'Song.com'? (Please send answers along with a note of money, £20 preferred but £50 welcome, to etc.)
The Damned, as well as being in possession of a collection of songs and a fanbase many bands would give limbs and otherwise to have, also have a smart way of being able to blend their material, and the setlist flowed, Sensible's stage banter filling the gaps with the familiarity of a mate down the pub. The pacing may have been a little uneven, but for every moment of instrumental showing off and poking at the softer side, there was a rattling freight train of a punk milestone to get us all pogoing and shouting like it's 1976 again. Seeing as I missed it the first time, this is a welcome opportunity.
It might disappoint some to find that Vanian no longer dresses as Dracula, but instead has matured into a suitably ageless frontman, and his voice is still as impressive as ever, ranging from a deep croon to sudden barks, especially the immortal 'Neat Neat Neat', where it is greeted by a good couple of thousand raised fists and raucous voices. As for the rest of the band, Pinch provides a sturdy and talented backbone behind his lightshow of a drumkit, Stu West is able to handle any and all basslines, be they chugging or finger-bending, that come his way with ease, and Monty Oxymoron still causes no end of confusion, intermittently pogoing behind the keyboards while looking like a cross between the prog rock generation and the Victorian era while adding his own contributions to the early punk material as well as driving the more recent melodic tracks.
And Captain Sensible? Oh Captain Sensible, where do we even begin? In possession of a long-suffering roadie who seems to function as a nanny (last time, Sensible refused to leave the stage and was carried off while determinedly singing 'Happy Times', this time the roadie was fussing over a guitar strap and was shooed off with a towel) and a contingent of fans who chanted, conga-style no less, "Sensible's a wanker!" at every opportunity. This is a man who steadfastly refuses to look on the upper side of 23, and the band is all the better for it. He provides the anarchic side of the proceedings in his trademark red beret and sunglasses, goading the crowd and joking with them in the best of bad taste. That said, he is a truly underestimated guitarist able to rattle off some impressive solos and riffs without batting an eyelid.
They held off playing 'Smash It Up' until last, and some might feel like they were on the windup, but what else could you expect, and the waiting only makes it sweeter.
The set was over much too soon. No two ways about it. Jumping around drenched in sweat and covered in eyeliner, I realised that this was the most fun I'd had at a gig in a while. And this is an important thing to remember. For every deep and meaningful sharing of wounds with music, you do need a band who aren't afraid to crack jokes involving Michael Jackson and heavenly llamas. All this with knobs on and a light-up drumkit and we could jump and sing along to 'Love Song' all night long.
01/06/2010
Gig: Sunny Day Real Estate 31/5/10 HMV Forum
And so after an explosive act of God (in their words) postponed their first-ever UK gig for a month, Sunny Day Real Estate finally get to play in London. I would have said something along the lines of "introduce their music to London", only the audience were more than familiar with it. And was it worth the wait? Hell yes.
So after a small adventure in the Underground, the almost revelatory discovery that Sainsburys has self-service coffee machines, and sitting outside the venue for a couple of hours, it was that most-loved of nondescript evening hours. 7pm.
The HMV Forum (or Kentish Town Forum, for those of you able to remember a time when venues weren't all owned by a brand) is one of those venues I have a love/hate relationship with. It's far from bad but the sound is uneven, being ear-nukingly loud up front and almost inaudible further back.
In the absence of Saves The Day, a "surprise support act" had been threatened, and so most of the audience were none the wiser as to who was to be opening for such a massively influential band. We watched a semi-acoustic setup being assembled with an air of mystery.
The support came on, and it was none other than Biffy Clyro! It was only a short set (seven songs or so) but it was sweet. They weren't their normal rock-god selves, but they have a gift in that their songs can translate very well to soulful acoustic numbers. I got the distinct impression that they were quite humbled at being asked to open for Sunny Day Real Estate (perhaps even a little afraid of trying to upstage them) and hearing the two bands together in one gig it suddenly made sense: Biffy Clyro are Sunny Day Real Estate fanboys. Albeit with a rockier edge and a different take on things, but the bones of their music come from Sunny Day Real Estate. Their performance was muted slightly in the lack of electrics and a drumkit, but it allowed for the subtleties and emotional power of the songs they had chosen to shine through. So that was a lovely set and a great surprise.
Sunny Day Real Estate were next, and this signalled a return to the land of electric instruments with a bright red bass, Gibson SGs, and a spangled drumkit. (I am too shortsighted to see what Dan Hoerner was playing.)
The band came on stage at nine, and launched into their set after greeting their fans, and believe me, they were fans. Sunny Day Real Estate may have passed under the radars of many, but the people who love their music really and truly adore it. And after watching them tonight, it is easy to see why. The original lineup haven't been together for a decade, but watching them last night it felt as if they had never taken a break. The whole set seemed natural and each member knew what to do and how to work with one another, and looked genuinely happy to share a stage again.
They are often namedropped as the creators of emo, but that may be a little unfair. "Emo" suggests angst by the shedload and a sense of gravitas that weighs as much as a shed, but Sunny Day Real Estate don't have that. Yes, their songs are emotional, but that's just what they are: emotional. There are sad songs, but their music style is an uplifting thing, a kind of grungey pop sound with some interesting tweaks in melody and rhythm that adds not one but several new dimensions to their songs. It's a beautiful, beautiful moment for everyone involved. Their lyrics are cryptically mournful, describing love gone wrong and emotional pain, but the sound upon which they are carried delivers a message of hope. Yes, you may feel bad, but it will get better.
The funny thing is, that although they are known as a rock band and they do indeed rock out with the best of them, it's all done at their own pace. There's no urgency. You couldn't rush a band like this, and you wouldn't want to. The songs need time to sink in. This meant that the set felt slow, but it didn't drag. Stage banter was kept to a minimum, but they don't seem the kind of band who need to make small talk.
They left the stage profusely thanking their fans and came back for a small but welcome encore.
After their encore, the stage lights remained up, but for all the cheering and clapping, the band didn't reappear for a second encore. It was never established whether they decided not to reappear or if the venue had made a mistake, but either way, it felt like the show we were given was worth waiting for.
So after a small adventure in the Underground, the almost revelatory discovery that Sainsburys has self-service coffee machines, and sitting outside the venue for a couple of hours, it was that most-loved of nondescript evening hours. 7pm.
The HMV Forum (or Kentish Town Forum, for those of you able to remember a time when venues weren't all owned by a brand) is one of those venues I have a love/hate relationship with. It's far from bad but the sound is uneven, being ear-nukingly loud up front and almost inaudible further back.
In the absence of Saves The Day, a "surprise support act" had been threatened, and so most of the audience were none the wiser as to who was to be opening for such a massively influential band. We watched a semi-acoustic setup being assembled with an air of mystery.
The support came on, and it was none other than Biffy Clyro! It was only a short set (seven songs or so) but it was sweet. They weren't their normal rock-god selves, but they have a gift in that their songs can translate very well to soulful acoustic numbers. I got the distinct impression that they were quite humbled at being asked to open for Sunny Day Real Estate (perhaps even a little afraid of trying to upstage them) and hearing the two bands together in one gig it suddenly made sense: Biffy Clyro are Sunny Day Real Estate fanboys. Albeit with a rockier edge and a different take on things, but the bones of their music come from Sunny Day Real Estate. Their performance was muted slightly in the lack of electrics and a drumkit, but it allowed for the subtleties and emotional power of the songs they had chosen to shine through. So that was a lovely set and a great surprise.
Sunny Day Real Estate were next, and this signalled a return to the land of electric instruments with a bright red bass, Gibson SGs, and a spangled drumkit. (I am too shortsighted to see what Dan Hoerner was playing.)
The band came on stage at nine, and launched into their set after greeting their fans, and believe me, they were fans. Sunny Day Real Estate may have passed under the radars of many, but the people who love their music really and truly adore it. And after watching them tonight, it is easy to see why. The original lineup haven't been together for a decade, but watching them last night it felt as if they had never taken a break. The whole set seemed natural and each member knew what to do and how to work with one another, and looked genuinely happy to share a stage again.
They are often namedropped as the creators of emo, but that may be a little unfair. "Emo" suggests angst by the shedload and a sense of gravitas that weighs as much as a shed, but Sunny Day Real Estate don't have that. Yes, their songs are emotional, but that's just what they are: emotional. There are sad songs, but their music style is an uplifting thing, a kind of grungey pop sound with some interesting tweaks in melody and rhythm that adds not one but several new dimensions to their songs. It's a beautiful, beautiful moment for everyone involved. Their lyrics are cryptically mournful, describing love gone wrong and emotional pain, but the sound upon which they are carried delivers a message of hope. Yes, you may feel bad, but it will get better.
The funny thing is, that although they are known as a rock band and they do indeed rock out with the best of them, it's all done at their own pace. There's no urgency. You couldn't rush a band like this, and you wouldn't want to. The songs need time to sink in. This meant that the set felt slow, but it didn't drag. Stage banter was kept to a minimum, but they don't seem the kind of band who need to make small talk.
They left the stage profusely thanking their fans and came back for a small but welcome encore.
After their encore, the stage lights remained up, but for all the cheering and clapping, the band didn't reappear for a second encore. It was never established whether they decided not to reappear or if the venue had made a mistake, but either way, it felt like the show we were given was worth waiting for.
21/05/2010
Gig: I Am Ghost 20/5/10 Camden Underworld
Post-hardcore, screamo, scene, metalcore... call it what you will, there's a music style coming over from America that in its own quiet manner is claiming a substantial and obvious fanbase over here. At best, it combines the powerful spirit of American hardcore punk and combines it with the technical meedly-meedly flash of metal. At worst, it squeezes the messiah complex of hardcore and the egotism of metal into the aggression shared by both scenes.
I felt slightly out of place among the queue given that I've toned down my 14-year-old sartorial dabblings in emo/scene as I discovered goth, whereas many people were there in their hairsprayed fringes and skintight neon/black ensembles. After slightly too much time in the sun, we flooded into the Underworld, which I'll happily list as one of my top venues on accounts of being small, independent, and above all, nicely air conditioned. Slightly treacherous due to the lack of light, but that's all part of the charm of a reputable metalhead sweatbox, as you'll agree.
The first band up were Lower_Than_Atlantis, a young band that is very much part of this emerging scene, embracing its questionable incorporation of internet-inspired namings. They had some problems with their instrument tunings at first, but were acceptable enough once they got going, provoking a rather impressive circlepit with their chugging guitars and habit of jumping. Musically they were entertaining if unremarkable, but I'll readily say that their drummer was impressive, taking fast-paced hammering and adding a little zing and showmanship. If they find a way of breaking into an individual style, they could be worth keeping an ear out for.
Next were Confide, who are the epitome of scene - a five-piece ensemble of near-total androgyny and technicolour tattoos, most of whom shared vocal duties to some extent. The guitars were chugging like Megadeth on a caffeine rush in between rattling off your typical metal solos to the crowd, and the impassioned screaming about being different provoked more and increasingly violent circlepits. As a sidenote... I'm not a fan of metalcore moshing - it seems to involve a lot of showing off and attention-seeking and very little in the way of respect for others. If you fall on the floor here, it is entirely your own lookout, even if you were pushed over, and a lot of people will insult one another, which is something I haven't really encountered anywhere else. However, that said, there are nice people to be found here and there, and I'm not here to review the crowd. Confide, for all their posturing, noodly guitars and "we really mean it, man" left me unimpressed. I would say it was the use of an ironic basketball shirt, and say that they are in truth talented individuals whom I do not understand, only I have an issue with anyone who decides that their fast-forward drummer isn't quite fast enough and so their breakdown involves a lightspeed drum machine and bewildering techno happenings.
The first two bands left me with a punched ear, a feeling that I may be losing touch with "tha kids" at the ripe old age of 17, and worryingly, a sinking feeling that the gig may continue in this vein.
Eyes Set To Kill are one of the more established bands of "post-hardcore", and are in all honesty an intriguing band. Yes, they have the obligatory drummer than sounds like a cymbal being machine-gunned, as well as the caffeinated Megadeth guitars and a lot of Godzilla vocals. However, they've got a certain flair and individuality incorporated into their sound that may be a byproduct of having been around for a while, but it is enough to hold a crowd together without feeling the need to beat the snot out of one another, and the biggest selling point of Eyes Set To Kill is in fact the vocals. For all intents and purposes they have two vocalists: one does the screaming and the other does clean vocals and guitar. This leads to some interplay and overlap between the two, and this contrast actually works. They played their known songs, including 'Darling' and 'Liar In The Glass', which the crowd ate up, and for their last song the female guitarist/vocalist was left on her own to do a quieter solo number. This proved to be a rewarding moment of beauty, as she has a soulful voice that, while flawed, is able to carry a tune with a passion normally reserved for acoustically-inclined songer/songwriters. This versatility in being able to switch between snarling rage and soulful solo numbers along with some inventive musicianship and a genuinely good stage presence from the two frontpersons left me in a much more optimistic mood.
The headliners, I Am Ghost, occupy a darling space in my heart as they were one of my earliest "favourite bands" as it were. At the time they incorporated a violin, choral chants, duelling guitars, screaming, male and female vocals and generally played all the bells and whistles set to broodingly teenage and poetic lyrics about death and vampires, somewhere between Byron's little-known emo phase and Bach's lesser-known metalhead years. However this lineup rutured and they rearranged themselves as a much purer blood and thunder metallic band with a tendency to dress like vampires, leaving aforementioned bells and whistles behind for a sound that is like a classically-rooted cross between a more intellectual Aiden and a louder modern AFI, with rumbling ominous bass and angry, angry guitars. And many cymbals.
However, as much as they have indeed put out some gubbins in their time, they are able to form a huge rapport with their audience, putting on one hell of a show while making sure that people feel they are played to rather than at - the guitarists and bassists throwing shapes and grinning/glowering at the crowd like their lives depended on it while their frontman Steve Juliano thoroughly engaged with the front row to the point of practically being a part of it, allowing people to sing into the mic, holding hands and hair of those he could reach and generally making sure those near enough felt as though they were part of the show. It has to be said... Juliano is not in possession of the world's most tuneful voice, but what he lacks in range he makes up for in ability to utilise the notes he can hit, and an impressive capacity for screaming.
The rest of the band are equally good at their chosen tasks, with Chad and Timmy the guitarists duelling and harmonising with equal skill, and Ronnie doing his usual trick of spinning while rattling off heavy bass, and Justin drumming a sturdy backbone into the affair.
The set was one that was built to please fans from across the eras, including the unhinged hardcore-influenced 'Eulogies And Epitaphs', the poetic singalong 'We Are Always Searching', 'Dark Carnival Of The Immaculate' - a personal favourite of mine with an atmosphere think enough to suffocate a lesser human, and the arguable juvenile yet hard-rocking and intense 'Smile Of A Jesus Freak'. The biggest surprise of the setlist was the inclusion of 'This Is Home', their only "true" love song that lifted many members of the crowd into a state of euphoria.
Throughout their set, crowdsurfers and stage-divers were coming in thick and fast, often pounced upon by a bandmember before being thrown back into the periodically seething moshpit. This reached its inevitable climax in the final song, where the crowd flooded the stage, your intrepid reviewer included, and the band, valiantly playing on after having redeemed the evening, were lost in a sea of moshing fans.
If you ask me, the bill was a little mismatched, but one and a half years on I Am Ghost still have the ability to deliver a blinder regardless.
So. This new scene of ours. It thinks it is big and it thinks it is clever... and for all its embarrassing features, if it springs more live bands like I Am Ghost, it may just have a point.
I felt slightly out of place among the queue given that I've toned down my 14-year-old sartorial dabblings in emo/scene as I discovered goth, whereas many people were there in their hairsprayed fringes and skintight neon/black ensembles. After slightly too much time in the sun, we flooded into the Underworld, which I'll happily list as one of my top venues on accounts of being small, independent, and above all, nicely air conditioned. Slightly treacherous due to the lack of light, but that's all part of the charm of a reputable metalhead sweatbox, as you'll agree.
The first band up were Lower_Than_Atlantis, a young band that is very much part of this emerging scene, embracing its questionable incorporation of internet-inspired namings. They had some problems with their instrument tunings at first, but were acceptable enough once they got going, provoking a rather impressive circlepit with their chugging guitars and habit of jumping. Musically they were entertaining if unremarkable, but I'll readily say that their drummer was impressive, taking fast-paced hammering and adding a little zing and showmanship. If they find a way of breaking into an individual style, they could be worth keeping an ear out for.
Next were Confide, who are the epitome of scene - a five-piece ensemble of near-total androgyny and technicolour tattoos, most of whom shared vocal duties to some extent. The guitars were chugging like Megadeth on a caffeine rush in between rattling off your typical metal solos to the crowd, and the impassioned screaming about being different provoked more and increasingly violent circlepits. As a sidenote... I'm not a fan of metalcore moshing - it seems to involve a lot of showing off and attention-seeking and very little in the way of respect for others. If you fall on the floor here, it is entirely your own lookout, even if you were pushed over, and a lot of people will insult one another, which is something I haven't really encountered anywhere else. However, that said, there are nice people to be found here and there, and I'm not here to review the crowd. Confide, for all their posturing, noodly guitars and "we really mean it, man" left me unimpressed. I would say it was the use of an ironic basketball shirt, and say that they are in truth talented individuals whom I do not understand, only I have an issue with anyone who decides that their fast-forward drummer isn't quite fast enough and so their breakdown involves a lightspeed drum machine and bewildering techno happenings.
The first two bands left me with a punched ear, a feeling that I may be losing touch with "tha kids" at the ripe old age of 17, and worryingly, a sinking feeling that the gig may continue in this vein.
Eyes Set To Kill are one of the more established bands of "post-hardcore", and are in all honesty an intriguing band. Yes, they have the obligatory drummer than sounds like a cymbal being machine-gunned, as well as the caffeinated Megadeth guitars and a lot of Godzilla vocals. However, they've got a certain flair and individuality incorporated into their sound that may be a byproduct of having been around for a while, but it is enough to hold a crowd together without feeling the need to beat the snot out of one another, and the biggest selling point of Eyes Set To Kill is in fact the vocals. For all intents and purposes they have two vocalists: one does the screaming and the other does clean vocals and guitar. This leads to some interplay and overlap between the two, and this contrast actually works. They played their known songs, including 'Darling' and 'Liar In The Glass', which the crowd ate up, and for their last song the female guitarist/vocalist was left on her own to do a quieter solo number. This proved to be a rewarding moment of beauty, as she has a soulful voice that, while flawed, is able to carry a tune with a passion normally reserved for acoustically-inclined songer/songwriters. This versatility in being able to switch between snarling rage and soulful solo numbers along with some inventive musicianship and a genuinely good stage presence from the two frontpersons left me in a much more optimistic mood.
The headliners, I Am Ghost, occupy a darling space in my heart as they were one of my earliest "favourite bands" as it were. At the time they incorporated a violin, choral chants, duelling guitars, screaming, male and female vocals and generally played all the bells and whistles set to broodingly teenage and poetic lyrics about death and vampires, somewhere between Byron's little-known emo phase and Bach's lesser-known metalhead years. However this lineup rutured and they rearranged themselves as a much purer blood and thunder metallic band with a tendency to dress like vampires, leaving aforementioned bells and whistles behind for a sound that is like a classically-rooted cross between a more intellectual Aiden and a louder modern AFI, with rumbling ominous bass and angry, angry guitars. And many cymbals.
However, as much as they have indeed put out some gubbins in their time, they are able to form a huge rapport with their audience, putting on one hell of a show while making sure that people feel they are played to rather than at - the guitarists and bassists throwing shapes and grinning/glowering at the crowd like their lives depended on it while their frontman Steve Juliano thoroughly engaged with the front row to the point of practically being a part of it, allowing people to sing into the mic, holding hands and hair of those he could reach and generally making sure those near enough felt as though they were part of the show. It has to be said... Juliano is not in possession of the world's most tuneful voice, but what he lacks in range he makes up for in ability to utilise the notes he can hit, and an impressive capacity for screaming.
The rest of the band are equally good at their chosen tasks, with Chad and Timmy the guitarists duelling and harmonising with equal skill, and Ronnie doing his usual trick of spinning while rattling off heavy bass, and Justin drumming a sturdy backbone into the affair.
The set was one that was built to please fans from across the eras, including the unhinged hardcore-influenced 'Eulogies And Epitaphs', the poetic singalong 'We Are Always Searching', 'Dark Carnival Of The Immaculate' - a personal favourite of mine with an atmosphere think enough to suffocate a lesser human, and the arguable juvenile yet hard-rocking and intense 'Smile Of A Jesus Freak'. The biggest surprise of the setlist was the inclusion of 'This Is Home', their only "true" love song that lifted many members of the crowd into a state of euphoria.
Throughout their set, crowdsurfers and stage-divers were coming in thick and fast, often pounced upon by a bandmember before being thrown back into the periodically seething moshpit. This reached its inevitable climax in the final song, where the crowd flooded the stage, your intrepid reviewer included, and the band, valiantly playing on after having redeemed the evening, were lost in a sea of moshing fans.
If you ask me, the bill was a little mismatched, but one and a half years on I Am Ghost still have the ability to deliver a blinder regardless.
So. This new scene of ours. It thinks it is big and it thinks it is clever... and for all its embarrassing features, if it springs more live bands like I Am Ghost, it may just have a point.
17/05/2010
Gig: Voices Of Masada 15/5/10
And so somehow in the course of a day I had managed to rehearse Sartre and follow fashionistas around Brick Lane costume shopping for a pencil skirt, and now found myself in the Electrowerkz/Slimelight, a venue that is almost like Fight Club in that if you don't know about it, chances are you really don't know about it.
I'm perching on a cushioned seat, looking warily around this room and for the first time in a long time I am the least gothic person in the building, which is about right. The whole place is done up very... goth, with lighting fixtures that look like a razorblade, a candelabra and a fluorescent tube had an orgy, mirrored walls and a crazy green scribble projection, and the DJ is playing a mix of Gene Loves Jezebel and Specimen. Oh, and there is an unclaimed half-pint of milk sitting on a ledge.
The bands in question were as follows: Nightporter, The Mumbles, Luxury Stranger and Voices Of Masada. I was, for all intents and purposes there to see The Mumbles, although I'd done my research on the other bands playing too. This was Voices Of Masada's last ever UK show.
First band up was Nightporter, who had supplied their own lights, and had enough effects pedals to outfit any self-respecting shoegaze band, leading to a guitar sound that was... well, it was in many different ways. Musically, they're not exactly my do as it does get goth-by-numbers, however they were having fun up there and what audience there was that had shown up for the opening act were dancing away. I suppose that if you imagine Fields Of The Nephilim via Specimen (or vice versa) you've got a half-decent idea. The main gripe here was the sheer amount of technical problems: the backing track was producing evil levels of humming and feedback and more than once they got the songs mixed up. Also, the guitar wasn't working for a while. However, they soldiered on nonetheless and played their set with any shame and self-consciousness left firmly under lock and key at home, so I'll tip my hat where it is due: good on ya, brave men, long may you continue having fun and making people dance.
Second were The Mumbles, and I will admit to probably having a rather biased opinion on them (lovely, lovely people, very good music) so I'll try to remain objective as I can. I suppose that if I was to try and describe their sound in a nutshell, they took the song '1959' by The Sisters Of Mercy in the sense of utilising keyboards/piano-driven melody and deep vocals and made a band out of it. In the process they've carved some interesting and individual facets into that sound. Their stage presence is a little out of the ordinary given that they are two guys and their iPod, but they make the most out of this, and can hold an audience well enough with an understated power in their music and a sense of confidence and unity. Their more minimal sound (keyboard, vocals and backing track) was also a lot easier on the venue's rather beleaguered PA system and so the sound was clearer for their set than most of the others. They're still a young band, but they show promise in their rather unique take on goth music and assured stage presence.
Third were Luxury Stranger, who were the only band of the evening to have a drummer, and so didn't have backing tracks, which made the boozed-up rocker that lives in my head happy as he/she wasn't too keen on the people always fiddling with their gadgetry before each song. The rest of me then promptly smacked him/her over the back of the head and told them to sit quietly in an out-of-the-way synapse.
Anyway, the band... another X via Y combination would have me place them as 'Faith'-era Cure via Motörhead. I have not seen such guitar shapes thrown by goths outside of a 69 Eyes gig, and this is quite a different school of goth. Recorded, their songs are actually very good - I'd enjoyed them and put them as firm second favourites as I have a strong weakness for gothic post-punk type sounds. However someone had decided that the venue's sound system could handle going up to 11 and so their set was drenched in NOISE OF THE HIGHEST ORDER, which fair do's, I would not normally complain about, but it seemed out of place and in such a small room proved to be an uncomfortable volume. The band themselves played on, seemingly oblivious to this. Shame, really, as they seemed like kind of band that if at audible levels could prove good.
As a result, I watched Voices Of Masada's set from a bit further back to give my ears a chance to recuperate without losing out on the show. Unfortunately my being short meant I couldn't see sometimes. As for sound, Voices Of Masada could be closely compared to Rosetta Stone. Their set was very much a bidding farewell to their crowd, with smiles and that little extra bit of show thrown in for good measure. Their cover of 'Cuts You Up' was a poignant moment, and there were some islands of people in their own emotional worlds among the crowd of dancers. 'Shine', their closing song, was majestic in its own low-key manner, and the music and atmosphere meant that its position as the band's favourite was well-deserved, as the set closed with a lift that comes when a song is loved by both band and audience. And as their music presence fades into the goth music afterlife of dry ice and eyeliner, I am left feeling that even if a massive resurgence isn't happening, the goth scene is far from dead.
I'm perching on a cushioned seat, looking warily around this room and for the first time in a long time I am the least gothic person in the building, which is about right. The whole place is done up very... goth, with lighting fixtures that look like a razorblade, a candelabra and a fluorescent tube had an orgy, mirrored walls and a crazy green scribble projection, and the DJ is playing a mix of Gene Loves Jezebel and Specimen. Oh, and there is an unclaimed half-pint of milk sitting on a ledge.
The bands in question were as follows: Nightporter, The Mumbles, Luxury Stranger and Voices Of Masada. I was, for all intents and purposes there to see The Mumbles, although I'd done my research on the other bands playing too. This was Voices Of Masada's last ever UK show.
First band up was Nightporter, who had supplied their own lights, and had enough effects pedals to outfit any self-respecting shoegaze band, leading to a guitar sound that was... well, it was in many different ways. Musically, they're not exactly my do as it does get goth-by-numbers, however they were having fun up there and what audience there was that had shown up for the opening act were dancing away. I suppose that if you imagine Fields Of The Nephilim via Specimen (or vice versa) you've got a half-decent idea. The main gripe here was the sheer amount of technical problems: the backing track was producing evil levels of humming and feedback and more than once they got the songs mixed up. Also, the guitar wasn't working for a while. However, they soldiered on nonetheless and played their set with any shame and self-consciousness left firmly under lock and key at home, so I'll tip my hat where it is due: good on ya, brave men, long may you continue having fun and making people dance.
Second were The Mumbles, and I will admit to probably having a rather biased opinion on them (lovely, lovely people, very good music) so I'll try to remain objective as I can. I suppose that if I was to try and describe their sound in a nutshell, they took the song '1959' by The Sisters Of Mercy in the sense of utilising keyboards/piano-driven melody and deep vocals and made a band out of it. In the process they've carved some interesting and individual facets into that sound. Their stage presence is a little out of the ordinary given that they are two guys and their iPod, but they make the most out of this, and can hold an audience well enough with an understated power in their music and a sense of confidence and unity. Their more minimal sound (keyboard, vocals and backing track) was also a lot easier on the venue's rather beleaguered PA system and so the sound was clearer for their set than most of the others. They're still a young band, but they show promise in their rather unique take on goth music and assured stage presence.
Third were Luxury Stranger, who were the only band of the evening to have a drummer, and so didn't have backing tracks, which made the boozed-up rocker that lives in my head happy as he/she wasn't too keen on the people always fiddling with their gadgetry before each song. The rest of me then promptly smacked him/her over the back of the head and told them to sit quietly in an out-of-the-way synapse.
Anyway, the band... another X via Y combination would have me place them as 'Faith'-era Cure via Motörhead. I have not seen such guitar shapes thrown by goths outside of a 69 Eyes gig, and this is quite a different school of goth. Recorded, their songs are actually very good - I'd enjoyed them and put them as firm second favourites as I have a strong weakness for gothic post-punk type sounds. However someone had decided that the venue's sound system could handle going up to 11 and so their set was drenched in NOISE OF THE HIGHEST ORDER, which fair do's, I would not normally complain about, but it seemed out of place and in such a small room proved to be an uncomfortable volume. The band themselves played on, seemingly oblivious to this. Shame, really, as they seemed like kind of band that if at audible levels could prove good.
As a result, I watched Voices Of Masada's set from a bit further back to give my ears a chance to recuperate without losing out on the show. Unfortunately my being short meant I couldn't see sometimes. As for sound, Voices Of Masada could be closely compared to Rosetta Stone. Their set was very much a bidding farewell to their crowd, with smiles and that little extra bit of show thrown in for good measure. Their cover of 'Cuts You Up' was a poignant moment, and there were some islands of people in their own emotional worlds among the crowd of dancers. 'Shine', their closing song, was majestic in its own low-key manner, and the music and atmosphere meant that its position as the band's favourite was well-deserved, as the set closed with a lift that comes when a song is loved by both band and audience. And as their music presence fades into the goth music afterlife of dry ice and eyeliner, I am left feeling that even if a massive resurgence isn't happening, the goth scene is far from dead.
12/05/2010
Review: Black Sugar Transmission
So I'm sure most people who have encountered me are aware of my love for Acey Slade in his various musical incarnations and projects, and if you're in most rock/alternative music circles you'll probably have heard of him anyway. Anyway, moving on... via his latest project, I got introduced to an intriguing guitarist by the name of Andee Blacksugar. His approach to music struck me as being an neat take on things, and so I looked into his other projects and discovered his mostly solo project: Black Sugar Transmission. So here I go with the 3-year-old (how current am I?) self-titled release, 'Black Sugar Transmission'.
The Review
This album opens with the fist-pumping Shock My Blood Into The Bitter Sun, a genre-bending piece of glittery punk metal many artists would give fingers to have made, complete with a fist-pumping chorus and a drums that are begging to have people from all walks of life feeling an irresistible urge to jump and headbang. Compliment all this with melodies so infectious they are likely to cause an epidemic very soon. This melts seamlessly into the chugging Bangin' The Door. While perhaps not as visceral as its predecessor, it is a great showcasing of Andee's talent for merging sarcastic, up-yours punk rock with a sense of fun so glam it sneezes glitter.
An abrupt stop brings us to Slide, a tongue-in-cheek track featuring a distortion sound Nine Inch Nails would be proud of and a loop to end all loops, over which Andee's unique vocals drawl another tale of wasted efforts. It has to be said that Andee's vocals are something you either like or hate, and perhaps given another music setting might prove irritating (bearing a similarity to Perry Farrell), however here it works very nicely. Kiss The Ground brings back the heavy-boots pogo stamp drumming of the first track, hybridising it with something that could be tentatively referred to as disco-funk with jangling guitars, a dancy bassline and a chorus melody that flirts playfully with pop falsetto, and the guitar solo is a great example of Andee experimenting with more unusual melodic forms (is that a harmonic minor interval I hear?) with an almost metallic framework. The Burning Wreck Of Love drops the disco to rock out with its devil horns shamelessly on display, yet keeping the seductive X-rated pop sound of its predecessor, which works well with the dark lyrics, Andee happily unleashing one hell of a chorus that while not exactly singalong is a fantastic collection of words to have going through your ears, and yet more of his guitar mastery is hiding just below the surface.
Gotta Be On Top Of Me slows the mood to a pretty little drumkit, guitar and keyboard interplay for a pop number that once again gives Andee's melodic side a chance to shine as the pace picks up again. Things do get repetitive towards the end though, and you find yourself waiting for This Is The Night which, after a momentary dip into the surreal world of what can happen with vocals and editing tools, is a sharp-toothed guitar-driven rocker with a sense of urgency in the tense lyrics and the up-and-down guitar solo. Wind It Up is a manic hybrid of industrial and pop, skipping about rhyming words with carefree abandon to drums a metal band would be proud of. A fine piece of distortion-pedal sunshine for the boys and girls to enjoy.
Girls Gone Wild takes the decision to suddenly spring a techno song on the listener, and if it weren't for Andee's distinctive vocals and subtly aggressive lyrical style, you'd swear it was a different band. This makes for a slightly jarring moment in an otherwise fluid album, however it does manage to find its glittery DM booted footing in time to tiptoe into Nine Butterflies, which once again shows Andee's exploration of melodic forms unusual in American rock music, fusing a distinctly Oriental scale form with gritty synths, and distorted guitars. The lyrical content is a little confusing, however it is poetic and slots into the song nicely.
Dressed And Desperate careers wildly into chaotic drums and desperate guitars, channelling Jane's Addiction here to good effect, occasionally teetering into copycat territory, however never quite falling in, being much more contained and focused, and keeping its individual stamp on things even when Andee's guitar playing is almost wearing a sign saying "Hello my name is Dave Navarro". Mary Jane Child Interlude is pretty throwaway, however it is a nice enough way to spend a minute, if a little confusing as to why it is there other than to perhaps lead into the grinding closer Losing My Mind which gives a sound so heavy it is like lead on a neutron star, pounding any notion this album has given way to commercialised pop into the ground. Andee's vocals sound like they are underwater half the time, whereas the other half of the time they are very raw. A NIN-esque synth provides the rusted icing on the iron cake, and the only issue is the confusingly abrupt ending.
So I suppose if you wanted to know what would happen if you put the 1991 Lollapalooza lineup all in one band, this might be a good estimate. It gets confused in places and some tracks seem superfluous or cut short, however it is overall an interesting little diamond in the rough that deserves recognition in a market flooded with identikit this that and the other outfits. Andee, we salute you and your relentless drive to do something unusual.
8/10
(And if that isn't enough to pique interest, the disc not only looks like a vinyl record, but is textured too.)
http://andeesvault.com/index.html
This album opens with the fist-pumping Shock My Blood Into The Bitter Sun, a genre-bending piece of glittery punk metal many artists would give fingers to have made, complete with a fist-pumping chorus and a drums that are begging to have people from all walks of life feeling an irresistible urge to jump and headbang. Compliment all this with melodies so infectious they are likely to cause an epidemic very soon. This melts seamlessly into the chugging Bangin' The Door. While perhaps not as visceral as its predecessor, it is a great showcasing of Andee's talent for merging sarcastic, up-yours punk rock with a sense of fun so glam it sneezes glitter.An abrupt stop brings us to Slide, a tongue-in-cheek track featuring a distortion sound Nine Inch Nails would be proud of and a loop to end all loops, over which Andee's unique vocals drawl another tale of wasted efforts. It has to be said that Andee's vocals are something you either like or hate, and perhaps given another music setting might prove irritating (bearing a similarity to Perry Farrell), however here it works very nicely. Kiss The Ground brings back the heavy-boots pogo stamp drumming of the first track, hybridising it with something that could be tentatively referred to as disco-funk with jangling guitars, a dancy bassline and a chorus melody that flirts playfully with pop falsetto, and the guitar solo is a great example of Andee experimenting with more unusual melodic forms (is that a harmonic minor interval I hear?) with an almost metallic framework. The Burning Wreck Of Love drops the disco to rock out with its devil horns shamelessly on display, yet keeping the seductive X-rated pop sound of its predecessor, which works well with the dark lyrics, Andee happily unleashing one hell of a chorus that while not exactly singalong is a fantastic collection of words to have going through your ears, and yet more of his guitar mastery is hiding just below the surface.
Gotta Be On Top Of Me slows the mood to a pretty little drumkit, guitar and keyboard interplay for a pop number that once again gives Andee's melodic side a chance to shine as the pace picks up again. Things do get repetitive towards the end though, and you find yourself waiting for This Is The Night which, after a momentary dip into the surreal world of what can happen with vocals and editing tools, is a sharp-toothed guitar-driven rocker with a sense of urgency in the tense lyrics and the up-and-down guitar solo. Wind It Up is a manic hybrid of industrial and pop, skipping about rhyming words with carefree abandon to drums a metal band would be proud of. A fine piece of distortion-pedal sunshine for the boys and girls to enjoy.
Girls Gone Wild takes the decision to suddenly spring a techno song on the listener, and if it weren't for Andee's distinctive vocals and subtly aggressive lyrical style, you'd swear it was a different band. This makes for a slightly jarring moment in an otherwise fluid album, however it does manage to find its glittery DM booted footing in time to tiptoe into Nine Butterflies, which once again shows Andee's exploration of melodic forms unusual in American rock music, fusing a distinctly Oriental scale form with gritty synths, and distorted guitars. The lyrical content is a little confusing, however it is poetic and slots into the song nicely.
Dressed And Desperate careers wildly into chaotic drums and desperate guitars, channelling Jane's Addiction here to good effect, occasionally teetering into copycat territory, however never quite falling in, being much more contained and focused, and keeping its individual stamp on things even when Andee's guitar playing is almost wearing a sign saying "Hello my name is Dave Navarro". Mary Jane Child Interlude is pretty throwaway, however it is a nice enough way to spend a minute, if a little confusing as to why it is there other than to perhaps lead into the grinding closer Losing My Mind which gives a sound so heavy it is like lead on a neutron star, pounding any notion this album has given way to commercialised pop into the ground. Andee's vocals sound like they are underwater half the time, whereas the other half of the time they are very raw. A NIN-esque synth provides the rusted icing on the iron cake, and the only issue is the confusingly abrupt ending.
So I suppose if you wanted to know what would happen if you put the 1991 Lollapalooza lineup all in one band, this might be a good estimate. It gets confused in places and some tracks seem superfluous or cut short, however it is overall an interesting little diamond in the rough that deserves recognition in a market flooded with identikit this that and the other outfits. Andee, we salute you and your relentless drive to do something unusual.
8/10
(And if that isn't enough to pique interest, the disc not only looks like a vinyl record, but is textured too.)
http://andeesvault.com/index.html
05/05/2010
Gig: Ash 4/5/10 Electric Ballroom
Yes, I have branched out into gig reviews. Might as well have a stab at it. What could go wrong? (Don't answer that.)
So. Ash. I'm pretty sure that most people have encountered Ash at some point in their lives, and they are so sci-fi that having been in space for the past seventeen or so years is not an excuse.
They're one of those bands who are well-known for their hit singles as opposed to whole albums, although it gas to be said that with songs like 'Girl From Mars', 'Burn Baby Burn' and 'Return Of White Rabbit' among a huge list of great stand-alone songs, you don't really need albums to justify them. So they've recently taken a very logical approach to their music by deciding to release a series of singles over a period of time as opposed to a whole album all at once.
The Electric Ballroom is a great venue as it is neither too small nor too big to pose any real issue, although they sold this show out and had to book another at the Koko, and the sound capability of the place is definitely up to standard.
First support act was Joe McAdam (thanks for the name reminder, Emma). It was centred around the frontman and they did a nice line in semi-acoustic songs of the vaguely blues/folk thing that is sweeping indie music right now, although it was far from a bandwagon act. Out of the two support acts, I think they suited the venue much better, and were more enjoyable as they connected with the audience much better. Remember folks: Joe McAdam.
The second support band were the Parlotones, who are a massive stadium band in South Africa according to the music oracle that is my friend Will. This was very evident as they put on one hell of a show, however it has to be said that while the music was enjoyable, it was much less of a connection between band and audience. I got the sense that being in a smaller venue cramped their style somewhat, especially the frontman, who had an almost messianic approach to being on stage, as well as some rather impressive eyeliner. Musically, they weren't half bad. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of that Killers-esque style of rock, but it was good to watch and nod along to although I passed on making a note of getting anything to seriously listen to. If you're into The Killers you'll like them, and if you get the chance to see them in their arena/stadium environment it might be worth going, but it was a bit lost in translation on a smaller stage.
Ash completely blew them out of the water, as they should. They're possibly one of the most pop bands I'll admit to listening to on a regular basis, however live they are surprisingly heavy, even their more gentle and casual listener-friendly songs having a grunge edge to them that really helps hit home exactly how good they are as a live band. In addition to this, they are loud. Incredibly loud. In fact, I can honestly say from barrier experience of both that they could quite easily give Motörhead a run for their money in terms of volume.
Their stage presence is that of a truly gifted and passionate rock band, with all the moves and attitude combined with a rapport with the audience the the Parlotones could take a note of and all the skill that comes from doing this kind of thing for most of your life. Adorable enough is the fact that they are at heart still nerdy teenagers, of course greeting the audience with "May the Fourth be with you", and the fact Tim Wheeler seemed to be constantly switching between an effortlessly cool rock frontman expression and a massive grin.
The setlist itself was a blinder, combining songs from all through their considerable career, and they treated both new and old material with the same explosive energy. The audience were slightly more receptive to the familiar songs, going absolutely crazy during 'Kung Fu', however the band's massive enthusiasm for every single song they played was contagious, and there wasn't a single low moment for the whole set, even though it lasted for nearly two hours. This alone is a testament to Ash's gift for writing great songs that are able to stand as great songs outside the context of an album. Yes, they can vary the tempo and mood with the best of them (the aforementioned total chaos of 'Kung Fu' easing into the emotional and soaring 'Arcadia' without a single awkward moment) but there was no "okay you can go to the bar now" songs that many bands slip into the setlist to retain some of their better standalone material for later. No, this was solid. This came at the cost of not being able to play everyone's favourites, but I don't think anyone could possibly be disappointed. Except perhaps the bloke beside me for the latter half of the set, who was totally motionless and looked abjectly miserable. However, he is definitely the exception as the whole crowd from the punks to the indie kids to my vaguely gothy self and beyond were all jumping around and having fun. And in the end, what more could you want from an Ash gig?
After all these years, Ash are still able to pull off a truly fantastic gig, and with their music as fresh and interesting as you could hope for, now's a good a time as any to get yourself their songs, and get yourself down to a gig ASAP.
So. Ash. I'm pretty sure that most people have encountered Ash at some point in their lives, and they are so sci-fi that having been in space for the past seventeen or so years is not an excuse.
They're one of those bands who are well-known for their hit singles as opposed to whole albums, although it gas to be said that with songs like 'Girl From Mars', 'Burn Baby Burn' and 'Return Of White Rabbit' among a huge list of great stand-alone songs, you don't really need albums to justify them. So they've recently taken a very logical approach to their music by deciding to release a series of singles over a period of time as opposed to a whole album all at once.
The Electric Ballroom is a great venue as it is neither too small nor too big to pose any real issue, although they sold this show out and had to book another at the Koko, and the sound capability of the place is definitely up to standard.
First support act was Joe McAdam (thanks for the name reminder, Emma). It was centred around the frontman and they did a nice line in semi-acoustic songs of the vaguely blues/folk thing that is sweeping indie music right now, although it was far from a bandwagon act. Out of the two support acts, I think they suited the venue much better, and were more enjoyable as they connected with the audience much better. Remember folks: Joe McAdam.
The second support band were the Parlotones, who are a massive stadium band in South Africa according to the music oracle that is my friend Will. This was very evident as they put on one hell of a show, however it has to be said that while the music was enjoyable, it was much less of a connection between band and audience. I got the sense that being in a smaller venue cramped their style somewhat, especially the frontman, who had an almost messianic approach to being on stage, as well as some rather impressive eyeliner. Musically, they weren't half bad. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of that Killers-esque style of rock, but it was good to watch and nod along to although I passed on making a note of getting anything to seriously listen to. If you're into The Killers you'll like them, and if you get the chance to see them in their arena/stadium environment it might be worth going, but it was a bit lost in translation on a smaller stage.
Ash completely blew them out of the water, as they should. They're possibly one of the most pop bands I'll admit to listening to on a regular basis, however live they are surprisingly heavy, even their more gentle and casual listener-friendly songs having a grunge edge to them that really helps hit home exactly how good they are as a live band. In addition to this, they are loud. Incredibly loud. In fact, I can honestly say from barrier experience of both that they could quite easily give Motörhead a run for their money in terms of volume.
Their stage presence is that of a truly gifted and passionate rock band, with all the moves and attitude combined with a rapport with the audience the the Parlotones could take a note of and all the skill that comes from doing this kind of thing for most of your life. Adorable enough is the fact that they are at heart still nerdy teenagers, of course greeting the audience with "May the Fourth be with you", and the fact Tim Wheeler seemed to be constantly switching between an effortlessly cool rock frontman expression and a massive grin.
The setlist itself was a blinder, combining songs from all through their considerable career, and they treated both new and old material with the same explosive energy. The audience were slightly more receptive to the familiar songs, going absolutely crazy during 'Kung Fu', however the band's massive enthusiasm for every single song they played was contagious, and there wasn't a single low moment for the whole set, even though it lasted for nearly two hours. This alone is a testament to Ash's gift for writing great songs that are able to stand as great songs outside the context of an album. Yes, they can vary the tempo and mood with the best of them (the aforementioned total chaos of 'Kung Fu' easing into the emotional and soaring 'Arcadia' without a single awkward moment) but there was no "okay you can go to the bar now" songs that many bands slip into the setlist to retain some of their better standalone material for later. No, this was solid. This came at the cost of not being able to play everyone's favourites, but I don't think anyone could possibly be disappointed. Except perhaps the bloke beside me for the latter half of the set, who was totally motionless and looked abjectly miserable. However, he is definitely the exception as the whole crowd from the punks to the indie kids to my vaguely gothy self and beyond were all jumping around and having fun. And in the end, what more could you want from an Ash gig?
After all these years, Ash are still able to pull off a truly fantastic gig, and with their music as fresh and interesting as you could hope for, now's a good a time as any to get yourself their songs, and get yourself down to a gig ASAP.
13/04/2010
Tty reccommends: The Night Terrors
I suppose this isn't really as review as such, but I'm going to be plugging a band I rather like without reference to any particular album. More a general overview.
Back in November, I went off to see Dope Stars Inc. at the Scala. Just for the record, they're a great live band and I highly suggest seeing them. Totally chaotic, but even the things that go wrong seem like a part of the set and are just part of the evening's fun, and in between the mishaps they're a much underrated band.
Anyway, they had three support acts: the first I can't remember and weren't much cop (hence not remembering) and then there were two enjoyable ones: Ghost Of Lemora are a London-based goth band that have a good handle on distorted-guitar post-punk goth, all done with a sickly sense of humour and a surprisingly powerful stage show. (Once again, worth seeing. I'll probably work my way round to mentioning them again some point.)
However, the band I'm writing about here is The Night Terrors, who are from Australia and are really unlike anything I've heard before or since. I suppose that if you have any familiarity with Nine Inch Nails' 'Ghosts' double album you might sense some similarities, but this is an entirely more surreal beast.
I suppose I should've been aware that this won't be a normal band as soon as the skinny blond guy started setting up a box with metal bits sticking out of it and my friend said "oh my god, he's got a theremin!" The guy then proceded to have technical difficulties setting it up (the tech problems plagued all the bands, yet all but the first forgotten lot battled with them and came out victorious) and a man at the back shouted: "More power, Miles! Give it more power!" Which provoked a smile from this enigmatic man with his box. To be honest, as a general rocker I was a bit confused by the drums/synth/theremin setup that seemed to be growing on stage.
Anyway, Miles came back on stage with his other theremin that worked, went away, and came back with a rather fetching bass guitar and the other two members came on stage and got ready to blow some minds.
How do I describe The Night Terrors? Well, for a start, it is an instrumental act. Miles is for all intents and purposes the frontman, but instead of using his voice he alternates between grindingly distorted yet melodic bass playing, and some of the best theremin playing I've ever come across. He treats it not as a novelty wee-woo spookbox, but as an honest instrument in its own right, and it serves as good as any vocals when he uses it, bringing out some really great melodies. Not to mention a rather adorable accidental thumbs-up noise. Complimenting this dual-layered sonic attack is the synths, that once again are treated as a real instrument, creating some really amazing soundscapes. The drumming is like a schizophrenic metronome, skittering around the melodies yet holding them together brilliantly.
Live, they're a truly surreal phenomenon: totally enigmatic in their style, yet incredibly approachable in their occasional good-natured banter with the audience in between launching into fierce yet beautiful pieces of music. Despite the lack of a conventional lineup that might prove fatal for many bands in a live setup, this lot were able to keep a floor of cyberpunks, deathrockers, goths and metalheads pretty much awestruck for a whole set. Despite the synth and theremin, there's an incredible sense of energy and passion in the band, with the musicianship holding you in place and if things start getting a bit static, the bass comes out and you watch Miles suddenly launch from mysterious master of the box with bits sticking out of it into his own little metal act. Hell, they even rattled off a recognisable Motörhead cover with style, although apparently on that night they were "a bit more jazz-sounding" than usual.
On CD, their musical ability is even more evident. They've got one full-length album out: 'Back To Zero', and two EPs: 'The Night Terrors' and 'Lightless'. In all of them, the bass offers up a crunching undercurrent that gives a real momentum to the strange, often eerie and intensely atmospheric synth playing. The drums clatter madly from start to finish yet never overstep the mark, and the whole thing blends together fantastically right from their earliest work. The only complaint I can think to offer is that occasionally they get a little carried away in the chaos, and it begins to feel slightly confusing and/or self-indulgent, but these moments are few and far between, even over the course of three CDs. I could happily listen to their entire discography without break and feel like I've spent my time well.
Despite the lack of vocals and lyrics, each track has a recognisable 'mood' and feel to it, with some obvious tearjerkers and moments of beautiful melancholy mostly provided by a fluid synth/theremin duet, some raging punk rock rants, often heavy on the growling bass and pounding drums, and even some uplifting moments where the synth really comes into its own. But in all honesty, I have never come across a lineup like this, and neither have I come across anyone able to express so much through a theremin. It can go from wailing dirges through to angry tirades to expressions of joy with no contrivance and not a single word, and even though it is constantly masked in a fog of growling distortion that sounds like an angry jet-propelled train coming at you over cobblestones, the bass is capable of just as much pure human expression. If these make the characters, the synth is the scenery. It uses a multitude of sounds to create a backdrop to the emotion, expressing anything from the shadowed recesses of the human psyche to a beautiful innocent realm. The drums are wonderfully versatile, being both arrhythmic yet constantly keeping everything in line with itself, and at times are what saves the whole thing from getting a little too artsy and noodly for its own good.
Basically, this band are a totally alien experience, but definitely something worth experiencing. Entrancing on both stage and CD, they're a necessary part of the musical underground and deserve a huge recognition for being brave and adventurous enough to do what they do. And anyone who names a track 'Existential Revelation In The Circle Pit At Slayer' has my respect.
Whether you're into Pink Floyd or Motörhead, anyone with an ear for melody or just a good sound will probably find at least one thing to smile about here.
http://www.myspace.com/thenightterrors
Back in November, I went off to see Dope Stars Inc. at the Scala. Just for the record, they're a great live band and I highly suggest seeing them. Totally chaotic, but even the things that go wrong seem like a part of the set and are just part of the evening's fun, and in between the mishaps they're a much underrated band.
Anyway, they had three support acts: the first I can't remember and weren't much cop (hence not remembering) and then there were two enjoyable ones: Ghost Of Lemora are a London-based goth band that have a good handle on distorted-guitar post-punk goth, all done with a sickly sense of humour and a surprisingly powerful stage show. (Once again, worth seeing. I'll probably work my way round to mentioning them again some point.)
However, the band I'm writing about here is The Night Terrors, who are from Australia and are really unlike anything I've heard before or since. I suppose that if you have any familiarity with Nine Inch Nails' 'Ghosts' double album you might sense some similarities, but this is an entirely more surreal beast.
I suppose I should've been aware that this won't be a normal band as soon as the skinny blond guy started setting up a box with metal bits sticking out of it and my friend said "oh my god, he's got a theremin!" The guy then proceded to have technical difficulties setting it up (the tech problems plagued all the bands, yet all but the first forgotten lot battled with them and came out victorious) and a man at the back shouted: "More power, Miles! Give it more power!" Which provoked a smile from this enigmatic man with his box. To be honest, as a general rocker I was a bit confused by the drums/synth/theremin setup that seemed to be growing on stage.
Anyway, Miles came back on stage with his other theremin that worked, went away, and came back with a rather fetching bass guitar and the other two members came on stage and got ready to blow some minds.
How do I describe The Night Terrors? Well, for a start, it is an instrumental act. Miles is for all intents and purposes the frontman, but instead of using his voice he alternates between grindingly distorted yet melodic bass playing, and some of the best theremin playing I've ever come across. He treats it not as a novelty wee-woo spookbox, but as an honest instrument in its own right, and it serves as good as any vocals when he uses it, bringing out some really great melodies. Not to mention a rather adorable accidental thumbs-up noise. Complimenting this dual-layered sonic attack is the synths, that once again are treated as a real instrument, creating some really amazing soundscapes. The drumming is like a schizophrenic metronome, skittering around the melodies yet holding them together brilliantly.
Live, they're a truly surreal phenomenon: totally enigmatic in their style, yet incredibly approachable in their occasional good-natured banter with the audience in between launching into fierce yet beautiful pieces of music. Despite the lack of a conventional lineup that might prove fatal for many bands in a live setup, this lot were able to keep a floor of cyberpunks, deathrockers, goths and metalheads pretty much awestruck for a whole set. Despite the synth and theremin, there's an incredible sense of energy and passion in the band, with the musicianship holding you in place and if things start getting a bit static, the bass comes out and you watch Miles suddenly launch from mysterious master of the box with bits sticking out of it into his own little metal act. Hell, they even rattled off a recognisable Motörhead cover with style, although apparently on that night they were "a bit more jazz-sounding" than usual.
On CD, their musical ability is even more evident. They've got one full-length album out: 'Back To Zero', and two EPs: 'The Night Terrors' and 'Lightless'. In all of them, the bass offers up a crunching undercurrent that gives a real momentum to the strange, often eerie and intensely atmospheric synth playing. The drums clatter madly from start to finish yet never overstep the mark, and the whole thing blends together fantastically right from their earliest work. The only complaint I can think to offer is that occasionally they get a little carried away in the chaos, and it begins to feel slightly confusing and/or self-indulgent, but these moments are few and far between, even over the course of three CDs. I could happily listen to their entire discography without break and feel like I've spent my time well.
Despite the lack of vocals and lyrics, each track has a recognisable 'mood' and feel to it, with some obvious tearjerkers and moments of beautiful melancholy mostly provided by a fluid synth/theremin duet, some raging punk rock rants, often heavy on the growling bass and pounding drums, and even some uplifting moments where the synth really comes into its own. But in all honesty, I have never come across a lineup like this, and neither have I come across anyone able to express so much through a theremin. It can go from wailing dirges through to angry tirades to expressions of joy with no contrivance and not a single word, and even though it is constantly masked in a fog of growling distortion that sounds like an angry jet-propelled train coming at you over cobblestones, the bass is capable of just as much pure human expression. If these make the characters, the synth is the scenery. It uses a multitude of sounds to create a backdrop to the emotion, expressing anything from the shadowed recesses of the human psyche to a beautiful innocent realm. The drums are wonderfully versatile, being both arrhythmic yet constantly keeping everything in line with itself, and at times are what saves the whole thing from getting a little too artsy and noodly for its own good.
Basically, this band are a totally alien experience, but definitely something worth experiencing. Entrancing on both stage and CD, they're a necessary part of the musical underground and deserve a huge recognition for being brave and adventurous enough to do what they do. And anyone who names a track 'Existential Revelation In The Circle Pit At Slayer' has my respect.
Whether you're into Pink Floyd or Motörhead, anyone with an ear for melody or just a good sound will probably find at least one thing to smile about here.
http://www.myspace.com/thenightterrors
29/03/2010
Things you should have part 1
Sorry for the delay, it's that ridiculous pre-holiday push right now and there are essays coming out my ears when I'm not discussing the possibility of breeding ovens with my friend. Anyway, this is your typical cop-out "I can't think of an actual thing to write about" list of things that will improve your life. If you do not own these then I look sadly at you.
Katie's Albums to Improve Your Life
1) The Holy Bible - Manic Street Preachers
My close friend and musical adviser handed me his copy of this CD with the words "this will change your life" or something to that effect. And it really has in a subtle way. I didn't have much of an epiphany, but it dwelled on me enough to buy my own copy and it has wormed its way deeply into my head. This is a pretty infamous album for, in all technicality, being Richey Edwards' last, not counting the use of his lyrics in later work. It's a chilling descent into the visions of someone with a razor-sharp observation of culture that still rings eerily true years later in its criticisms of politics and society, and exploration of the darkest parts of the human mind backed by a truly gifted band. Terrifying, intelligent, inspiring.
2) The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me - Brand New
This was my answer to the above album, as it was my epiphany. I got hold of it at the tender age of 14 in my early musical explorations and I am very grateful I found it. The music here can and does shift effortlessly and passionately from whispered and tired acoustic into passionate raging emotion in a split second. The vulnerable and eloquent lyrical musings cause you to question your own deepest convictions in sympathy with Jesse Lacey's own anxieties and stories of lives turned bad with a single unclear wrongdoing. Relaxing and beautifully chilling.
3) Devils - The 69 Eyes
Just in case you felt things were getting a little too serious, here's something to shake up the stagnant goth/sleaze scenes. As far as this band goes, there is a lot to be said for 'Blessed Be' being their finest moment, however this album is well worth a special place in your collection as well as a great starting point to open the avenues of both sides of this band, the gothic and the glam metal. From start to finish it's a tour de force of enjoyable rock 'n' roll in the vein of a gothed-up AC/DC, both darkly poetic and utterly silly. This band are here to prove you can have fun in leather and eyeliner, and they succeed in this task with incredible style. Catchy choruses, fantastic guitars, and horns cues you can set your watch to.
4) Join Hands - Siouxsie & The Banshees
The Scream was groundbreaking. Kaliedoscope the hit machine. Either side this is surrounded by incredibly worthy records that need to be heard but this deserves a huge mention that it doesn't often get. This is a galloping ride around the twisted fairytale world that this band seemed to occupy. Childhood seen through a house of mirrors, guitars that sound like they're jet-propelled around paper bags and tin cans, driving rhythms and a fifteen-minute stream-of-consciousness track that replicates the incredible energy of this band early on. This is possibly one of the finest moments of Siouxsie & The Banshees showing the art and punk of their music in equal measure.
5) The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails
Many people say this is overrated, and perhaps it is but only in comparison to the overall genius that is Trent Reznor. By turns beautiful and savage, this rips too close to the bone for a full listen sometimes no matter how big a fan you are. It's not his angriest, nor his most artistic, and perhaps less deep than some but this is a total epitome of a talented man at his devastating best.
6) Who Killed Amanda Palmer? - Amanda Palmer
What can I say? This woman has a totally unique take of life and music that shines through perfectly here, talking of the world in all its ugly hilarity. There's something incredibly endearing in the honest eccentricity shown here and a clear ability to embrace the total absurdity of life in the highs and lows. Simple yet effective piano and a unique voice, great.
7) Love - The Cult
If you only own one album by this band, make it this one. It borders on nonsensical but the band here are so obscenely good at what they do that it's all excused. Passion and talent just ooze off the guitar riffs here, and the sound is something else.
8) Jane's Addiction - Jane's Addiction
If you haven't heard of this lot through 'Ritual De Lo Habitual' then you've probably experienced one of their many "reunions" or at least encountered Dave Navarro somewhere. There's more than enough to be said and that has been said about 'Ritual' as a masterwork of rock, but this is a live album of grotesquely unappreciated proportions. Here is the power and urgency of a band just coming into a world that will never fully understand it but love it, albeit in the way someone loves a slightly embarrassing cousin who tells confusing and controversial anecdotes in polite company. There's an incredible energy and fun that is a little lost in some of their studio work, and it is this energy, where you can find it, that made this band complete.
9) III - Billy Talent
I was hard-pressed to decide between I II and III as in their own way they're all blindingly good. However I chose this because it seems to be the one tying together everything this band have learned over the years. Although some argue that they've lost the driving anger that made them stand out so much in the earlier days, in its place they've got a gravity and maturity in both lyrics and musicianship that cements them as a truly great modern band. They've always been unique and why would they suddenly stop developing if they still have things to do?
10) Disintegration - The Cure
This has a huge reputation and deserves every single fragment of said reputation as a pinnacle of whatever it is you're comparing it to. I think it's all been said before.
I tried to restrict myself to 10, so with my habit of liking too many things, there is of course a lot more to add, but as a starting point, find these albums and hopefully you'll love them as much as I do.
Katie's Albums to Improve Your Life
1) The Holy Bible - Manic Street Preachers
My close friend and musical adviser handed me his copy of this CD with the words "this will change your life" or something to that effect. And it really has in a subtle way. I didn't have much of an epiphany, but it dwelled on me enough to buy my own copy and it has wormed its way deeply into my head. This is a pretty infamous album for, in all technicality, being Richey Edwards' last, not counting the use of his lyrics in later work. It's a chilling descent into the visions of someone with a razor-sharp observation of culture that still rings eerily true years later in its criticisms of politics and society, and exploration of the darkest parts of the human mind backed by a truly gifted band. Terrifying, intelligent, inspiring.
2) The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me - Brand New
This was my answer to the above album, as it was my epiphany. I got hold of it at the tender age of 14 in my early musical explorations and I am very grateful I found it. The music here can and does shift effortlessly and passionately from whispered and tired acoustic into passionate raging emotion in a split second. The vulnerable and eloquent lyrical musings cause you to question your own deepest convictions in sympathy with Jesse Lacey's own anxieties and stories of lives turned bad with a single unclear wrongdoing. Relaxing and beautifully chilling.
3) Devils - The 69 Eyes
Just in case you felt things were getting a little too serious, here's something to shake up the stagnant goth/sleaze scenes. As far as this band goes, there is a lot to be said for 'Blessed Be' being their finest moment, however this album is well worth a special place in your collection as well as a great starting point to open the avenues of both sides of this band, the gothic and the glam metal. From start to finish it's a tour de force of enjoyable rock 'n' roll in the vein of a gothed-up AC/DC, both darkly poetic and utterly silly. This band are here to prove you can have fun in leather and eyeliner, and they succeed in this task with incredible style. Catchy choruses, fantastic guitars, and horns cues you can set your watch to.
4) Join Hands - Siouxsie & The Banshees
The Scream was groundbreaking. Kaliedoscope the hit machine. Either side this is surrounded by incredibly worthy records that need to be heard but this deserves a huge mention that it doesn't often get. This is a galloping ride around the twisted fairytale world that this band seemed to occupy. Childhood seen through a house of mirrors, guitars that sound like they're jet-propelled around paper bags and tin cans, driving rhythms and a fifteen-minute stream-of-consciousness track that replicates the incredible energy of this band early on. This is possibly one of the finest moments of Siouxsie & The Banshees showing the art and punk of their music in equal measure.
5) The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails
Many people say this is overrated, and perhaps it is but only in comparison to the overall genius that is Trent Reznor. By turns beautiful and savage, this rips too close to the bone for a full listen sometimes no matter how big a fan you are. It's not his angriest, nor his most artistic, and perhaps less deep than some but this is a total epitome of a talented man at his devastating best.
6) Who Killed Amanda Palmer? - Amanda Palmer
What can I say? This woman has a totally unique take of life and music that shines through perfectly here, talking of the world in all its ugly hilarity. There's something incredibly endearing in the honest eccentricity shown here and a clear ability to embrace the total absurdity of life in the highs and lows. Simple yet effective piano and a unique voice, great.
7) Love - The Cult
If you only own one album by this band, make it this one. It borders on nonsensical but the band here are so obscenely good at what they do that it's all excused. Passion and talent just ooze off the guitar riffs here, and the sound is something else.
8) Jane's Addiction - Jane's Addiction
If you haven't heard of this lot through 'Ritual De Lo Habitual' then you've probably experienced one of their many "reunions" or at least encountered Dave Navarro somewhere. There's more than enough to be said and that has been said about 'Ritual' as a masterwork of rock, but this is a live album of grotesquely unappreciated proportions. Here is the power and urgency of a band just coming into a world that will never fully understand it but love it, albeit in the way someone loves a slightly embarrassing cousin who tells confusing and controversial anecdotes in polite company. There's an incredible energy and fun that is a little lost in some of their studio work, and it is this energy, where you can find it, that made this band complete.
9) III - Billy Talent
I was hard-pressed to decide between I II and III as in their own way they're all blindingly good. However I chose this because it seems to be the one tying together everything this band have learned over the years. Although some argue that they've lost the driving anger that made them stand out so much in the earlier days, in its place they've got a gravity and maturity in both lyrics and musicianship that cements them as a truly great modern band. They've always been unique and why would they suddenly stop developing if they still have things to do?
10) Disintegration - The Cure
This has a huge reputation and deserves every single fragment of said reputation as a pinnacle of whatever it is you're comparing it to. I think it's all been said before.
I tried to restrict myself to 10, so with my habit of liking too many things, there is of course a lot more to add, but as a starting point, find these albums and hopefully you'll love them as much as I do.
16/03/2010
Review: Max Raptor EP
Well hello there. Once again reviewing an EP. Shorter CDs make me ramble less so it's probably a good thing. Today is Max Raptor's EP. I have a lot of love for Max Raptor. Saw them supporting Billy Talent back in June and fell in love with their music almost instantly, and strong enough to remember to actually look them up afterwards which, considering that any Billy Talent show would normally blast any lesser support bands into total insignificance as far as I'm concerned, is a big achievement.
The Review
The good thing about this CD is that it does actually retain a lot of the energy that makes Max Raptor such a great live band. If you could imagine The Cribs with rabies you're part of the way there - they've got a fair amount of the 2000s 'indie' in their sound, but enough punk rock to really give it some oomph and reach an almost transcendent level of good for such a recent band.
First up is 'The Great And The Good', which kicks off with pounding drums and a chant that leads fluidly onto guitar noise. The gang vocal interplay is very well-done here, and the change in tone and dynamics between song and chant work very well. The instruments here are straightforwards enough but with more than enough flair and enthusiasm, vocals are tuneful yet powerful, lyrics powerful, and the structure and style of the song very enjoyable.
'Ghosts' is much more immediate in noise, although this is no bad thing. The melody here is very distinctive and adds another level of enjoyment. Once again the gang vocals feature heavily, although the singer on his own is a very good vocalist. The distortion and fuzzy bass work very nicely with cutting drums to create a wonderfully dark and paranoid sound. This is where Max Raptor rise above other bands of a similar sound: they're able to inject the most unlikely aspects of other things into their music. This is in-your-face indie punk via film noir thriller. Also, their lyrics once again prove to be smart and to-the-point, attacking the disappointment of modern life.
'Sparks' starts out with an incredibly upbeat and bouncy riff, although the lyrics, despite their soft and cheery delivery, reveal yet another sarcastic and vicious attack on modern life, and the song builds frantically towards an explosive chorus with pounding cymbals. Gang vocals get slightly superfluous here but this can be forgiven. The handclaps and guitar break only add to the tongue-in-cheek happiness of this song. The screams aren't the most impressive recorded but trust me, live they're something to listen for.
'Conversations With Death' is the closing song, opening with a stilted stop-start riff and a clear vocal sound that works well before the gang reappears for the pre-chorus. A definite strength of this band is the intelligent way they fit their lyrics into songs, toying with pacing and delivery to create something that really holds the attention. Their guitar sound is another enjoyable part, sounding like it's coming (very loudly) from a tin well, creating a nice contrast with the thundering train sound of the bass and drums.
So yeah. Four songs that are totally necessary in your life. How many other bands can produce a debut EP of four consistently great songs that not only work together but also as stand-along anthems for us new generation to jump around to.
You don't quite understand exactly how you're missing out or how much you're missing out on until you put the CD on and wonder where these guys have been your whole life. (Answer: Birmingham.)
Expect big things from these guys.
First up is 'The Great And The Good', which kicks off with pounding drums and a chant that leads fluidly onto guitar noise. The gang vocal interplay is very well-done here, and the change in tone and dynamics between song and chant work very well. The instruments here are straightforwards enough but with more than enough flair and enthusiasm, vocals are tuneful yet powerful, lyrics powerful, and the structure and style of the song very enjoyable.
'Ghosts' is much more immediate in noise, although this is no bad thing. The melody here is very distinctive and adds another level of enjoyment. Once again the gang vocals feature heavily, although the singer on his own is a very good vocalist. The distortion and fuzzy bass work very nicely with cutting drums to create a wonderfully dark and paranoid sound. This is where Max Raptor rise above other bands of a similar sound: they're able to inject the most unlikely aspects of other things into their music. This is in-your-face indie punk via film noir thriller. Also, their lyrics once again prove to be smart and to-the-point, attacking the disappointment of modern life.
'Sparks' starts out with an incredibly upbeat and bouncy riff, although the lyrics, despite their soft and cheery delivery, reveal yet another sarcastic and vicious attack on modern life, and the song builds frantically towards an explosive chorus with pounding cymbals. Gang vocals get slightly superfluous here but this can be forgiven. The handclaps and guitar break only add to the tongue-in-cheek happiness of this song. The screams aren't the most impressive recorded but trust me, live they're something to listen for.
'Conversations With Death' is the closing song, opening with a stilted stop-start riff and a clear vocal sound that works well before the gang reappears for the pre-chorus. A definite strength of this band is the intelligent way they fit their lyrics into songs, toying with pacing and delivery to create something that really holds the attention. Their guitar sound is another enjoyable part, sounding like it's coming (very loudly) from a tin well, creating a nice contrast with the thundering train sound of the bass and drums.
So yeah. Four songs that are totally necessary in your life. How many other bands can produce a debut EP of four consistently great songs that not only work together but also as stand-along anthems for us new generation to jump around to.
You don't quite understand exactly how you're missing out or how much you're missing out on until you put the CD on and wonder where these guys have been your whole life. (Answer: Birmingham.)
Expect big things from these guys.
07/03/2010
Review: A Little Something For You - Voodoo Six
Ack, sorry about the delay. The life of a student is never easy, ahaha. It is incredibly hard to find the time to doss about like the lazy sod you are when you need to research gothic literature ('Carmilla' by Le Fanu being my favourite traditional gothic story) and learn scripts. And try to remember how on Earth A-level co-ordinate geometry works.
However despite that, I have found time to attend gigs last week. One of which was a spontaneous decision on the part of my dad to go see Albert Lee. Country music isn't normally my thing, but I know when someone is good and damn that man can play guitar.
The other gig was my idea, and it was Voodoo Six, a local rock 'n' roll band that are sadly neglected. This was their first live outing with their new singer, and so it was a bit touch and go and you could tell he was a bit shy at first, but as the set progressed he found his feet, and to be honest, the rest of the band were so fantastic that you sometimes got the impression that the songs were more a conduit for musicianship than a focal point. This might just be due to his being new, as the studio recordings have a slightly more even focus. However, either way their songs are great. Tonight I'm going to be rambling about their latest release: 'A Little Something For You'. Lucky for you guys it's a five-track EP, not a full-length album, so you don't have to read my ramblings for too long.
However despite that, I have found time to attend gigs last week. One of which was a spontaneous decision on the part of my dad to go see Albert Lee. Country music isn't normally my thing, but I know when someone is good and damn that man can play guitar.
The other gig was my idea, and it was Voodoo Six, a local rock 'n' roll band that are sadly neglected. This was their first live outing with their new singer, and so it was a bit touch and go and you could tell he was a bit shy at first, but as the set progressed he found his feet, and to be honest, the rest of the band were so fantastic that you sometimes got the impression that the songs were more a conduit for musicianship than a focal point. This might just be due to his being new, as the studio recordings have a slightly more even focus. However, either way their songs are great. Tonight I'm going to be rambling about their latest release: 'A Little Something For You'. Lucky for you guys it's a five-track EP, not a full-length album, so you don't have to read my ramblings for too long.
The Review
So I suppose it ain't exactly easy being in the music business, and Voodoo Six are definitely a casualty of this. Not that they've been majorly screwed over, it's more an ongoing lack of recognition. If you want to know how I found them, you're going to be disappointed because I can't for love nor money remember. (Although money is readily accepted. Love may be negotiated.) Anyway, this EP in its purest form is just the band introducing their modified sound to their fans, with Luke's passionate bark taking over from the previous vocalist who, while good in his own way, had a higher and vaguely more 'glam metal' vocal style that sometimes got lost.
'Live Again' kicks off with one hell of a driving sound. The kind that makes the boozy rocker in my straight-edge kid's heart smile. Luke's vocals are an interesting and enjoyable mix of hard rock, heavy metal and a tiny tweak of grunge. The instruments here are masterful. Backing vocals slightly questionable but easily forgiven. The guitar-work is just delicious. The structure of the song does get a bit repetitive, but in all honesty, I could listen to that chorus many times and still enjoy it.
'Long Way' starts in much the same way, with the distinctive twin guitar and cymbals attack the band seem to favour. However this time the verse vocals are left alone with a throbbing bass and the other staple of rock 'n' roll drumming: kick drum. The whole effect gives the impression of a musical motorcycle revving up. And yes my friends it is turbo-charged and driven by Ghost Rider's brother. Not much differentiating this from the previous track as far as chorus sound goes, but instrumental breaks are where this band excel. Just sit back and enjoy. These guys, as I discovered when seeing them live, seem hell-bent on rehabilitating the guitar solo as something totally unapologetic. These guys are good and they aren't afraid.
'Something For You' is slightly heavier and deeper from the outset, but once again employs the full-throttle charge. However there's a tantalising little riff happening here in the verse, adding texture to the sound. Luke's talent for "yeahs" really comes through. Trust me, it is a useful skill. Lyrically they aren't anything phenomenal, but they're not hideously derivative either. It's forgiven. The chorus here slows and soars nicely. I am tired and will write pretentious imagery. It has to be said, there's a whole new layer in this song in the way it sounds that hooks the listener in.
'Take The Blame' was the first thing I heard by these guys. It starts with a brief a capella bit that is admittedly a slight nonsequiteur (spelling out the window) but works nicely with the overall feel. There's a bit of a Hendrix vibe happening here. Lyrically this actually makes more sense too, so it's definitely a highlight, as well as the rather catchy nature of it as a whole. The whole band are really going for it full throttle here, and it pays off no end. Vocals soulful, guitars controlled and skillful, bass driving and rhythmic, drums crashing and possessing the momentum of several runaway trains. The slower sections (complete with effects pedals) are also well-thought-out and expertly placed, exploding into action perfectly.
As an amateur rock bassist, I have to say the riff at the start of 'Where You Want Me' is the kind of riff I want to have a wild and torrid love affair with. It's easy to learn and sounds bloody good. Whatever he's using for that sound, I want it. The guitars follow this riff once they come in. This is a slightly more bluesy track in its own way, adding to the variety of things happening here. (And it has to be said the Hendrix thing is happening here too.) Lyrically there's a hint of the pseudo-spirituality happening. They're one of those bands who have that kind of thing not in any specific form apart from the worship at the altar of good rock music. Overall, nice little closer.
Basically, this is a bloody good set of songs by a bad who've really found their footing and had a lightbulb moment. Recommended to anyone who enjoys unapologetic guitars, heavy sounds, and fists-in-the-air ROCK.
I believe that 'Take The Blame' is kicking around for free download if you're curious. I shall leave you with two things from the gig I went to:
First up, a video of 'Live Again'. Pretty good as far as youtube quality goes. And you can have a fun game of spotting my hands. Hint: black fingerless glove/armwarmer hybrids, studded wristbands and a camera.
Next up: a photo from aforementioned camera. METAL FACE!!!
'Live Again' kicks off with one hell of a driving sound. The kind that makes the boozy rocker in my straight-edge kid's heart smile. Luke's vocals are an interesting and enjoyable mix of hard rock, heavy metal and a tiny tweak of grunge. The instruments here are masterful. Backing vocals slightly questionable but easily forgiven. The guitar-work is just delicious. The structure of the song does get a bit repetitive, but in all honesty, I could listen to that chorus many times and still enjoy it.
'Long Way' starts in much the same way, with the distinctive twin guitar and cymbals attack the band seem to favour. However this time the verse vocals are left alone with a throbbing bass and the other staple of rock 'n' roll drumming: kick drum. The whole effect gives the impression of a musical motorcycle revving up. And yes my friends it is turbo-charged and driven by Ghost Rider's brother. Not much differentiating this from the previous track as far as chorus sound goes, but instrumental breaks are where this band excel. Just sit back and enjoy. These guys, as I discovered when seeing them live, seem hell-bent on rehabilitating the guitar solo as something totally unapologetic. These guys are good and they aren't afraid.
'Something For You' is slightly heavier and deeper from the outset, but once again employs the full-throttle charge. However there's a tantalising little riff happening here in the verse, adding texture to the sound. Luke's talent for "yeahs" really comes through. Trust me, it is a useful skill. Lyrically they aren't anything phenomenal, but they're not hideously derivative either. It's forgiven. The chorus here slows and soars nicely. I am tired and will write pretentious imagery. It has to be said, there's a whole new layer in this song in the way it sounds that hooks the listener in.
'Take The Blame' was the first thing I heard by these guys. It starts with a brief a capella bit that is admittedly a slight nonsequiteur (spelling out the window) but works nicely with the overall feel. There's a bit of a Hendrix vibe happening here. Lyrically this actually makes more sense too, so it's definitely a highlight, as well as the rather catchy nature of it as a whole. The whole band are really going for it full throttle here, and it pays off no end. Vocals soulful, guitars controlled and skillful, bass driving and rhythmic, drums crashing and possessing the momentum of several runaway trains. The slower sections (complete with effects pedals) are also well-thought-out and expertly placed, exploding into action perfectly.
As an amateur rock bassist, I have to say the riff at the start of 'Where You Want Me' is the kind of riff I want to have a wild and torrid love affair with. It's easy to learn and sounds bloody good. Whatever he's using for that sound, I want it. The guitars follow this riff once they come in. This is a slightly more bluesy track in its own way, adding to the variety of things happening here. (And it has to be said the Hendrix thing is happening here too.) Lyrically there's a hint of the pseudo-spirituality happening. They're one of those bands who have that kind of thing not in any specific form apart from the worship at the altar of good rock music. Overall, nice little closer.
Basically, this is a bloody good set of songs by a bad who've really found their footing and had a lightbulb moment. Recommended to anyone who enjoys unapologetic guitars, heavy sounds, and fists-in-the-air ROCK.
I believe that 'Take The Blame' is kicking around for free download if you're curious. I shall leave you with two things from the gig I went to:
First up, a video of 'Live Again'. Pretty good as far as youtube quality goes. And you can have a fun game of spotting my hands. Hint: black fingerless glove/armwarmer hybrids, studded wristbands and a camera.
Next up: a photo from aforementioned camera. METAL FACE!!!
25/02/2010
Review: Brijitte West And The Desperate Hopefuls
Hi. Sorry about the break, but at least I've remembered as opposed to accidentally having a very long hiatus. Anyway, fulfilling my duty as a teenager who is one step away from being a hipster, here I am with a bright and shiny CD that came through my letterbox only today from a new group: Brijitte West And The Desperate Hopefuls. I'll not even pretend to have any familiarity with the frontwoman herself beyond awareness of her as a known-in-certain-circles character. However the band involves members of Kitty Hudson, who are a band I like quite a lot and whose music I will probably get around to wringing through my clumsy review style some point in the future.
Anyway, quick history of the band: I was reading Über Röck's writeup and liked what they said, so I checked their Myspace. (Yes, I still own a Myspace. I mostly use it to keep tabs on various bands and to run a small and typically angsty teenage blog whose sole reader is either myself when I post, or my friend, or possibly both on a particularly good day.) The tracks hit me almost immediately as some music does, so nothing ventured nothing gained, I figured out how much money I had kicking around after the recent gig ticket onslaught and ordered a copy of the CD. This is my first listen to it as well so it'll either be very honest or a bit clueless. Onwards into the relatively unknown.
Anyway, quick history of the band: I was reading Über Röck's writeup and liked what they said, so I checked their Myspace. (Yes, I still own a Myspace. I mostly use it to keep tabs on various bands and to run a small and typically angsty teenage blog whose sole reader is either myself when I post, or my friend, or possibly both on a particularly good day.) The tracks hit me almost immediately as some music does, so nothing ventured nothing gained, I figured out how much money I had kicking around after the recent gig ticket onslaught and ordered a copy of the CD. This is my first listen to it as well so it'll either be very honest or a bit clueless. Onwards into the relatively unknown.
The Review
Okay, so here's the deal so far from the Myspace tracks. Here we have some straightforwards punkish rock fronted by a rather gritty-voiced woman. If I was very familiar with Joan Jett, there would probably be comparisons bandied around. But I am unfortunately musically lazy at times and so am not familiar. My main concern is that with Brijitte using members of an established band as her own, it might just feel like one of their albums entirely with a guest vocalist.
Track 1 is 'Hard To Believe', which starts with a spoken part: "I'm so glad I know you because if I saw you and didn't know you, I'd have to know you." Confusing, yes. And from there we take a leap into a fast-paced riff and Brijitte's drawling rocker voice backed by Richie's own equally drawling growl. I have to say I'm loving the bass and guitar riffs here. This is also a pretty great song in that lyrically it reverses the usual man/woman dynamic in a lot of slightly sleazy punk. Brijitte's voice is sweeter in tone than a lot of female punk rock vocalists but the song here isn't the typical "boys-don't-you-want-me" deal, or the spurned love song. This is a simple statement of "I want you". And for a female-fronted band, or at least the ones you typically find, that's pretty unusual and I'm happy to hear it for a change.
'Mess Of Myself'. This is the song that hit me enough to make the purchase when I heard it as the lyrics hit me on a personal level. Anyway, the buildup of this song like a spring being compressed in the tense guitars and stomping yet restrained drums works really well here. Once the main refrain hits, there is a sense of disappointment as it could have been more explosive, however the song picks up a good momentum that carries it through, and it has to be said, this is very catchy. The oh-oh-na-na bridge is slightly confusing, however that could just be my own musical preference here as it fits well with the song, Brijitte's more sugary tones pulling it off nicely. The chorus springs back to a sudden end.
'It's Not My Fault' abandons the build approach of the previous two for an instant kickstart, the fast-paced hopping drums and jaunty guitars reminiscent of Kitty Hudson, however the more obvious control and sense of style is very much a Brijitte West influence, turning the pissed-up boys' ROCK AND FUCKIN' ROLL brigade (I love them but that is what their music is about) into something more streamlined and clean. However she hardly waters it down. The gang vocal style feels a bit superfluous in places however Brijitte holds her own very well, the grit in her voice lending her plenty of power. The whole thing is very tight, being a fast track with hurtling cymbals and another guitar/bass riff attack that goes at a speed you'd probably get knobbled for on a motorway. Very, very fun. Also the stop-start trick is used to good effect here.
'Walk Out' brings the buildup back with some very nice riffwork and the obligatory bass sliding zoom that must happen once in every rock album for it to be cool. Lyrically, this album seems to have a certain thread of someone who is dyed-in-the-wool child of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, even if they try otherwise and deep down, they know this.
'Bleeding Heart' starts with the instruments dropping in one by one, the clicky drums and newly-distorted guitar and chugging bass. This has pop much more at the forefront, and here is the missing-you love song of the album. However there's still a sense of the driving force left over from earlier to carry this through, and Brijitte adds a sense of playful fun to this slightly melancholy and sentimental song, her grit-and-sugar singing style even giving way to a whoop. The structure of the song is fresh enough to be fun as well.
The start of 'Bitter And Twisted' is a slow, melodic guitar playing alone, a hangover from the previous song, if you will. Brijitte's voice here loses the grit and she sounds like a woman who has dropped her guard to speak her heart. The album seems to have lost some of its momentum and attitude in the land of power ballads, however this feels like a natural mood to turn to, unlike many of its ilk. The whole lyrical content feels like the confessional of someone and this switch to soulful hands-in-air style isn't half as awkward as it can be. Also, this doesn't drag. Well done Desperate Hopefuls, you've done good here. Thanks for a good slow song.
'Hey Papito'. A momentary runup from the heavy bass and off we go again after the two-song breather into rocking out to chugging guitars and stamping cymbal-filled funtimes punk rock. Once again Brijitte isn't afraid to assert herself in her songs, if she wants someone she wants them. The song itself can get a bit grating but the punky riff underneath carries it through the dubious pop tones. Also, nice and fast. Most songs here barely cross three minutes, none hitting four, meaning there isn't much room for superfluous happenings.
'Long Island Lolita' starts with a stomping build that seems to be part of the general tone of this album. This is a tongue-in-cheek, attitude-filled song of a ruthless teenage girl who doesn't let things get in her way. The stop-start comes into play and there's a very nice instrumental part here that showcases the talents of the band backing up Brijitte's voice.
'All Roads Lead To You' has the typical intro, yet Brijitte's take on things gives a nice perspective here. The chorus bounces along at a fair clip too, leading to brief battering of the drums and the next verse. Fun solo here.
'How To Be Good' has a good bassline happening here, and a laid-back feel to the music, and Brijitte's voice sounds as she's come to terms with some of the shadows written earlier on. This song is a duet with her and Jesse Malin, and their voices compliment each other very well here, with a similar sound. There's a very American tone to the music that comes into its own here and works nicely as opposed to feeling slightly suppressed in earlier songs. The handclaps are questionable, but overall a pretty damn good way to finish off an album, signing off with a kiss, a grin and an up-yours.
So overall, patchy in places but pretty damn good to be honest - an album that remembers that music is entertainment. It is very much a musical entity of its own with a voice and sound that is worth a listen. And it has to be said that if I owned a hairbrush, these are the songs I'd sing into it.
Track 1 is 'Hard To Believe', which starts with a spoken part: "I'm so glad I know you because if I saw you and didn't know you, I'd have to know you." Confusing, yes. And from there we take a leap into a fast-paced riff and Brijitte's drawling rocker voice backed by Richie's own equally drawling growl. I have to say I'm loving the bass and guitar riffs here. This is also a pretty great song in that lyrically it reverses the usual man/woman dynamic in a lot of slightly sleazy punk. Brijitte's voice is sweeter in tone than a lot of female punk rock vocalists but the song here isn't the typical "boys-don't-you-want-me" deal, or the spurned love song. This is a simple statement of "I want you". And for a female-fronted band, or at least the ones you typically find, that's pretty unusual and I'm happy to hear it for a change.
'Mess Of Myself'. This is the song that hit me enough to make the purchase when I heard it as the lyrics hit me on a personal level. Anyway, the buildup of this song like a spring being compressed in the tense guitars and stomping yet restrained drums works really well here. Once the main refrain hits, there is a sense of disappointment as it could have been more explosive, however the song picks up a good momentum that carries it through, and it has to be said, this is very catchy. The oh-oh-na-na bridge is slightly confusing, however that could just be my own musical preference here as it fits well with the song, Brijitte's more sugary tones pulling it off nicely. The chorus springs back to a sudden end.
'It's Not My Fault' abandons the build approach of the previous two for an instant kickstart, the fast-paced hopping drums and jaunty guitars reminiscent of Kitty Hudson, however the more obvious control and sense of style is very much a Brijitte West influence, turning the pissed-up boys' ROCK AND FUCKIN' ROLL brigade (I love them but that is what their music is about) into something more streamlined and clean. However she hardly waters it down. The gang vocal style feels a bit superfluous in places however Brijitte holds her own very well, the grit in her voice lending her plenty of power. The whole thing is very tight, being a fast track with hurtling cymbals and another guitar/bass riff attack that goes at a speed you'd probably get knobbled for on a motorway. Very, very fun. Also the stop-start trick is used to good effect here.
'Walk Out' brings the buildup back with some very nice riffwork and the obligatory bass sliding zoom that must happen once in every rock album for it to be cool. Lyrically, this album seems to have a certain thread of someone who is dyed-in-the-wool child of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, even if they try otherwise and deep down, they know this.
'Bleeding Heart' starts with the instruments dropping in one by one, the clicky drums and newly-distorted guitar and chugging bass. This has pop much more at the forefront, and here is the missing-you love song of the album. However there's still a sense of the driving force left over from earlier to carry this through, and Brijitte adds a sense of playful fun to this slightly melancholy and sentimental song, her grit-and-sugar singing style even giving way to a whoop. The structure of the song is fresh enough to be fun as well.
The start of 'Bitter And Twisted' is a slow, melodic guitar playing alone, a hangover from the previous song, if you will. Brijitte's voice here loses the grit and she sounds like a woman who has dropped her guard to speak her heart. The album seems to have lost some of its momentum and attitude in the land of power ballads, however this feels like a natural mood to turn to, unlike many of its ilk. The whole lyrical content feels like the confessional of someone and this switch to soulful hands-in-air style isn't half as awkward as it can be. Also, this doesn't drag. Well done Desperate Hopefuls, you've done good here. Thanks for a good slow song.
'Hey Papito'. A momentary runup from the heavy bass and off we go again after the two-song breather into rocking out to chugging guitars and stamping cymbal-filled funtimes punk rock. Once again Brijitte isn't afraid to assert herself in her songs, if she wants someone she wants them. The song itself can get a bit grating but the punky riff underneath carries it through the dubious pop tones. Also, nice and fast. Most songs here barely cross three minutes, none hitting four, meaning there isn't much room for superfluous happenings.
'Long Island Lolita' starts with a stomping build that seems to be part of the general tone of this album. This is a tongue-in-cheek, attitude-filled song of a ruthless teenage girl who doesn't let things get in her way. The stop-start comes into play and there's a very nice instrumental part here that showcases the talents of the band backing up Brijitte's voice.
'All Roads Lead To You' has the typical intro, yet Brijitte's take on things gives a nice perspective here. The chorus bounces along at a fair clip too, leading to brief battering of the drums and the next verse. Fun solo here.
'How To Be Good' has a good bassline happening here, and a laid-back feel to the music, and Brijitte's voice sounds as she's come to terms with some of the shadows written earlier on. This song is a duet with her and Jesse Malin, and their voices compliment each other very well here, with a similar sound. There's a very American tone to the music that comes into its own here and works nicely as opposed to feeling slightly suppressed in earlier songs. The handclaps are questionable, but overall a pretty damn good way to finish off an album, signing off with a kiss, a grin and an up-yours.
So overall, patchy in places but pretty damn good to be honest - an album that remembers that music is entertainment. It is very much a musical entity of its own with a voice and sound that is worth a listen. And it has to be said that if I owned a hairbrush, these are the songs I'd sing into it.
02/02/2010
Review: Funhouse - Iggy and the Stooges
Yes, this is anything but a current release. However, I belong to a school of thought that states that most problems can be soothed, if not solved, by quality rock 'n' roll and a good cup of coffee, and this album is one of the staples of this belief.
The backstory here is that over Christmas I was doing Maths revision and my brain suddenly said "Iggy Pop" and that thought lurked there until I went out and bought this album. Up until this point the only song I'd heard by him was 'China Girl', which I like, but I hadn't heard much of his earlier stuff until this point, so I didn't really know what to expect.
The backstory here is that over Christmas I was doing Maths revision and my brain suddenly said "Iggy Pop" and that thought lurked there until I went out and bought this album. Up until this point the only song I'd heard by him was 'China Girl', which I like, but I hadn't heard much of his earlier stuff until this point, so I didn't really know what to expect.
The Review
Iggy Pop. Prior to this I knew him for those rather embarrassing insurance adverts, and for being another inspirational artist that I hadn't really listened to. So knowing next to nothing, I ploughed into this album and found something... well, I can't describe it. Something you don't find much of these days. Raw, dirty, angry, yet with a sense of genuine intelligence and artistry behind the fog of absolute chaos.
Things kick off with 'Down On The Street' and its straightforwards rock 'n' roll riff. What starts off as tinny punk explodes briefly before settling back into its groove, and Iggy's drawling snarled vocals continue before once again everything kicks into overdrive, yelping and snarling and giving your eardrums a good kicking in the process before leaving them in the corner dazed to listen to the solo, which gives another surprise in that it is actually very good. Most early punk seemed to be angry people with instruments. This is angry people who are good at playing instruments.
Next up is 'Loose'. Things pick up with a faster and unhinged riff and the warning to watch out. Well hello. It has to be said that Iggy's vocals are still not entirely there, occasionally seeming a little too relaxed but every so often they surprise you with sudden yelps and snarls that lift the song. This track is where the true nature of this album begins to shine. Yes, it is the roots of punk rock and as such has an aggressive and mostly very basic and functional approach to music. But behind this lurks what is, in essence, a malignant and truly phenomenal jam session. The rhythm section keeps chugging along as the guitar unleashes some great sounds and the vocals enter a whole new dimension. And they are not afraid to change the tone, tempo and feel of the song when they want to.
And now: 'TV Eye', which even I had heard of prior to listening, if only because The 69 Eyes covered it at some point. As much as I adore that band to the point of getting as many EPs, live covers and B-sides as I can, they could not prepare me for the addictive insanity that is this song. Here, everything that was previously brewing in the music just blows up. A shout, a whoop, and glouriously chaotic and unhinged riff and fantastically simple yet tight drumming and off we go. This song has a crazy momentum driving it forwards that defies words, yet retains the languidly cool air of raw dirt that the previous tracks held. Once again, great instrumentals and possibly one of the most addictive basslines I've played. Things just keep getting more and more intense as things go on until it falls into an ominously chugging riff accompanied by all kinds of strange noises, building in a madly frantic manner with an aggressive riff until it grinds to a halt and starts at the beginning with that great riff before ending with another quick noodle on guitar.
'Dirt' starts with a chance for the drums to show their stuff before loping into a bluesy slow-jam. This is the band's statement to the world: "Dirt, and I don't care." This epitomises the attitude of this album. Yes, it is alien and filthy and will probably be questioned and attacked, and it just doesn't care. It is here to do what it does and do it well regardless of what anyone might say. The slow tempo works great here, showing the versatility of the band, Iggy's harsh staccato vocals blending wonderfully with the guitar, which retains its rough tones but develops a new facet where it almost shimmers and blends with itself. The bass keeps everything under a steady guidance, allowing the drums the occasional flourish. As the song progresses, things relax again to their state of defiant cool, and Iggy's voice softens slightly before things pick up for a moment, showing that the band might have slowed down but the chaos shown in previous tracks is still just below the surface, and the song tails off to its natural end with a satisfying feeling.
'1970' once again unleashes whooping and a stomping drumbeat to artistic chainsaw guitars and a beautifully simple and driving bassline. This is a real punk rock predecessor: fast and streamlined and angry, but in a controlled manner that makes it feel perhaps more threatening than much of the snotty shouting that punk came to mean. Never have the words "I feel alright" sounded so ominous than when they accompany another great moment of musicianship. This starts out as a more recognisable and typical rock 'n' roll than some of this album, but it is a good example of this. And the sudden saxophone makes an interesting addition, then the song descends into another demented and ominous jam session.
'Fun House' picks up where this left off, the saxophone blending with the other instruments to create a solid wall of musicianship. This is almost punk-jazz, and the vocals drawl and yelp and snarl over this, only adding to this volatile mix of attitude and talent. Whereas a lot of music is used to draw attention to the lyrics and singing, here the vocals serve more as an accompaniment to the musicianship, which once again lurches between simple yet powerful riffs and some fantastic solos and melodies. Everything gets its chance to be heard, and at times it can feel like the instruments are jostling to be heard in a crowded space. Imagine a small sweatbox venue somewhere, the ones where the support band have to stand on one another, and this is where this song seems to have grown out of, and sprawled out of the constraints of that venue into something else. Possibly a jazz club, and assimilated what it heard in there and worked into into this snarling monstrosity.
Finally, 'LA Blues', staring off with yelping and hammering drums and wailing guitar and saxophone and madly spiralling bass that build like an elastic band being stretched to breaking point and further before seeming to fly off in slow motion in a fog of distorted guitar and clattering drums and every aspect of the music being pushed as far as it will go before it seems to implode into a black hole of its own making. This is how the track continues, with everything sounding like it is being dragged into this black hole of feedback and sound, occasionally reaching out and being pulled back in before it is eventually swallowed up and fades into something like otherworldly tinnitus.
So yeah, not sure if what just happened is punk in the strictest sense, but it has the beginnings of the movement in there and is well worth a listen if you have the attention span of eight minutes and an appreciation of rock as music. Or jazz. Or music in general I suppose.
Iggy Pop. Prior to this I knew him for those rather embarrassing insurance adverts, and for being another inspirational artist that I hadn't really listened to. So knowing next to nothing, I ploughed into this album and found something... well, I can't describe it. Something you don't find much of these days. Raw, dirty, angry, yet with a sense of genuine intelligence and artistry behind the fog of absolute chaos.
Things kick off with 'Down On The Street' and its straightforwards rock 'n' roll riff. What starts off as tinny punk explodes briefly before settling back into its groove, and Iggy's drawling snarled vocals continue before once again everything kicks into overdrive, yelping and snarling and giving your eardrums a good kicking in the process before leaving them in the corner dazed to listen to the solo, which gives another surprise in that it is actually very good. Most early punk seemed to be angry people with instruments. This is angry people who are good at playing instruments.
Next up is 'Loose'. Things pick up with a faster and unhinged riff and the warning to watch out. Well hello. It has to be said that Iggy's vocals are still not entirely there, occasionally seeming a little too relaxed but every so often they surprise you with sudden yelps and snarls that lift the song. This track is where the true nature of this album begins to shine. Yes, it is the roots of punk rock and as such has an aggressive and mostly very basic and functional approach to music. But behind this lurks what is, in essence, a malignant and truly phenomenal jam session. The rhythm section keeps chugging along as the guitar unleashes some great sounds and the vocals enter a whole new dimension. And they are not afraid to change the tone, tempo and feel of the song when they want to.
And now: 'TV Eye', which even I had heard of prior to listening, if only because The 69 Eyes covered it at some point. As much as I adore that band to the point of getting as many EPs, live covers and B-sides as I can, they could not prepare me for the addictive insanity that is this song. Here, everything that was previously brewing in the music just blows up. A shout, a whoop, and glouriously chaotic and unhinged riff and fantastically simple yet tight drumming and off we go. This song has a crazy momentum driving it forwards that defies words, yet retains the languidly cool air of raw dirt that the previous tracks held. Once again, great instrumentals and possibly one of the most addictive basslines I've played. Things just keep getting more and more intense as things go on until it falls into an ominously chugging riff accompanied by all kinds of strange noises, building in a madly frantic manner with an aggressive riff until it grinds to a halt and starts at the beginning with that great riff before ending with another quick noodle on guitar.
'Dirt' starts with a chance for the drums to show their stuff before loping into a bluesy slow-jam. This is the band's statement to the world: "Dirt, and I don't care." This epitomises the attitude of this album. Yes, it is alien and filthy and will probably be questioned and attacked, and it just doesn't care. It is here to do what it does and do it well regardless of what anyone might say. The slow tempo works great here, showing the versatility of the band, Iggy's harsh staccato vocals blending wonderfully with the guitar, which retains its rough tones but develops a new facet where it almost shimmers and blends with itself. The bass keeps everything under a steady guidance, allowing the drums the occasional flourish. As the song progresses, things relax again to their state of defiant cool, and Iggy's voice softens slightly before things pick up for a moment, showing that the band might have slowed down but the chaos shown in previous tracks is still just below the surface, and the song tails off to its natural end with a satisfying feeling.
'1970' once again unleashes whooping and a stomping drumbeat to artistic chainsaw guitars and a beautifully simple and driving bassline. This is a real punk rock predecessor: fast and streamlined and angry, but in a controlled manner that makes it feel perhaps more threatening than much of the snotty shouting that punk came to mean. Never have the words "I feel alright" sounded so ominous than when they accompany another great moment of musicianship. This starts out as a more recognisable and typical rock 'n' roll than some of this album, but it is a good example of this. And the sudden saxophone makes an interesting addition, then the song descends into another demented and ominous jam session.
'Fun House' picks up where this left off, the saxophone blending with the other instruments to create a solid wall of musicianship. This is almost punk-jazz, and the vocals drawl and yelp and snarl over this, only adding to this volatile mix of attitude and talent. Whereas a lot of music is used to draw attention to the lyrics and singing, here the vocals serve more as an accompaniment to the musicianship, which once again lurches between simple yet powerful riffs and some fantastic solos and melodies. Everything gets its chance to be heard, and at times it can feel like the instruments are jostling to be heard in a crowded space. Imagine a small sweatbox venue somewhere, the ones where the support band have to stand on one another, and this is where this song seems to have grown out of, and sprawled out of the constraints of that venue into something else. Possibly a jazz club, and assimilated what it heard in there and worked into into this snarling monstrosity.
Finally, 'LA Blues', staring off with yelping and hammering drums and wailing guitar and saxophone and madly spiralling bass that build like an elastic band being stretched to breaking point and further before seeming to fly off in slow motion in a fog of distorted guitar and clattering drums and every aspect of the music being pushed as far as it will go before it seems to implode into a black hole of its own making. This is how the track continues, with everything sounding like it is being dragged into this black hole of feedback and sound, occasionally reaching out and being pulled back in before it is eventually swallowed up and fades into something like otherworldly tinnitus.
So yeah, not sure if what just happened is punk in the strictest sense, but it has the beginnings of the movement in there and is well worth a listen if you have the attention span of eight minutes and an appreciation of rock as music. Or jazz. Or music in general I suppose.
24/01/2010
Apologies and a new review
Well, it has to be said that this blog was a pretty spectacular flop on my behalf. Sorry about that. I'm going to try and re-start this now. Bear with me and one day I may hopefully get this right.
And I will offer my apologies for any mistakes and/or unnecessary ramblings. This was written at midnight on a Sunday and so probably isn't the most coherent thing I've ever written.
Anyway, the subject of tonight's review/ramble is Acey Slade's latest venture: 'The Dark Party'. It arrived in the post last Saturday and has been, well, noticed.
First, a quick word about the artist. It has to be said that being part of Acey Slade's fanbase is a little bit like accidentally signing up to be the straightman in a sitcom. You find yourself in this situation where a part of your life keeps doing these incredibly odd things. In Acey's case, this is primarily done by seeming to have a kind of musical ADHD, although this is by no means a bad thing. From what I heard, Vampire Love Dolls were pretty good, I can't confess much knowledge of Dope, and Trashlight Vision were fantastic. As for the Murderdolls, well they were kind of another Wednesday 13 vehicle, which means that I'm on board pretty much on principle.
As for this newest project, the sound has gone back to the sort of twisted glam rock influenced stuff that happened on Vampire Love Dolls, although with a much more electric sound overall. This is what took me by surprise at first. I'll confess that on the whole my music tastes tend to shy away from anything particularly pop or overtly electro, with certain exceptions. And of course, there is the tracklisting. Song names such as 'Sugarcum' and 'Plastic Lego Queen' don't necessarily help my easily-swayed teenage mind. However, I have quite a bit of love for Acey and the EPs I'd already listened to had some promising songs on it.
The first time I listened, I had no idea what to think. There was a whole lot of odd electro noises happening, and more pop melodies than I am used to hearing on a CD. In fact, there are still aspects I'm trying to work out. I can sense the shadow of Bowie, and Bauhaus, and there's a definite hint of Hanoi Rocks lurking in the corners as well as a few other possible similarities to NIN. The man himself names Gwen Stefani and Slayer as influences. But there's no real way of pinning down any particular sound that people can recognise. The only real way is to just get a listen for yourself.
The thing starts out with 'Darklexia', which is a spoken-word track that is somewhere between an almost '1984'-esque political broadcast and an infomercial. This definitely sets the mood for a lot of the album, as it is both dark and yet has a twisted sense of humour as it tells the listener to question everything, especially members of The Dark Party.
The album then kicks into full swing with 'Here Today'. Well, at first it has this incredibly confusing tinkly synth melody that starts out like one of those irritating processed pop songs, but within the first loop become sinister, then the song kicks in and yes, beneath this alien new sound the music is definitely Acey's, complete with his sense of glam rock style, punk rock attitude and sarcastic and occasionally vicious lyrics. The most surreal thing in this track and the album as a whole is that he still has the same vocal style, which I once described as a demonic Jack White, and this jars somewhat with the incredibly slick sound of the instruments. However, by the end of the track you do grow used to this and are able to appreciate the song somewhat. So please don't run away when you hear the intro. I know that tinkly sounds tend to intimidate rockers, but if you leave now, you're going to miss out.
Now... 'Sugarcum'... not the most attractively-titled song ever but it is part of the humourous side to the album, yet it is far from empty. The vocals and music gel much better here, creating something that doesn't scare any new listeners so much. It also has to be noted that it is obscenely catchy, with a fantastic bassline and a singalong chorus, complete with backing vocals. Lovely. The rock guitars reappear make friends with the new synth in this song to create something that is much more enjoyable than it really should be. It was by this point that I'd decided that this album might actually be pretty damn good.
'Nothing's Gonna Change' was on one of the EPs and therefore I knew what was coming. And of course being as religiously dedicated to Nine Inch Nails as I am, I was sold from the second I heard sludgily distorted guitars. The lyrics here are some of the most bluntly angry, and this song is probably the strongest link between this project and Trashlight Vision, so if you're looking for a link to ease this rather sudden progression in styles, this might be it. It's also one of the songs that best accommodates Acey's snarling yelp of a vocal style. (I love the man's voice but I've never heard anything quite like it.) There is a heavy reappearance of electro at the end which works fantastically well, and serves to fully mix the two styles.
Next is 'She Brings Down The Moon', another EP track that has a great atmosphere and is once again catchy to the point of being ridiculous. It's deceptively simple, music-wise and has a very... interesting... drum sound I can't fully describe. A bit like someone hired a pnuematically powered robot to drum for this song. Can't say I was a huge fan of the backing vocals here, and to an extent I still find them a little cheesy. However the lyrics and music are sharp and smart and if I did the whole singing-into-my-hairbrush thing, this is what I would do it to.
Next is a cover of 'She Sells Sanctuary' by The Cult. It has to be said that it is an incredibly straightforward cover, with very few tweaks beyond introducing a heavy synth. Still, why mess too much with what already works? Yes, some people might call it unnecessary or unoriginal. But it is still a pretty enjoyable way to pass a track. (Plus it introduced me to The Cult, which I'm going to say is a good thing for the moment.)
Things slow down a bit for the next track: 'Baby The Stars Shine Brightly'. Hell, it even has a sound that might have originally been based on an acoustic guitar in there somewhere. This is Acey's "it's going to be alright" moment to the people who are feeling down. The electronic element creates a pretty atmosphere and Acey's vocals are very unprocessed here, which adds to the mood of the track. There's a slightly unexpected picking-up of the pace towards the end but it's mostly a moment to relax and feel comforted.
Just in case you thought the sense of humour got lost, up comes this aural sandpaper riff of the next track leading to a stripclub-esque drum/bass groove of yes, 'Plastic Lego Queen', which is officially the oddest-titled song on my iPod. Lyrically it is sleazy and displays its sense of humour like a flag. It eventually descends into a chant (hello punk rock roots) still backed by a bassline and rhythm that sound like Soho made into music. As for why he chose to include the phrase "plastic lego queen" I'll never know.
'Coming Down' sounds like every element of the album so far suddenly went into overdrive and fell apart, which fits the subject very well. It must be said that some of the lyrics are a bit clumsy in this song, but musically this is rather good. Have to say it isn't my favourite track though.
Next comes up the slow, ethereal sound of 'Spiders In A Snowglobe'. Once again, I wasn't entirely able to get into this song but I do still enjoy it and its unusual charms. I feel that this will be one of those songs where over time I'll grow to like it.
'Reptile House'. Ah, yes. This was on the first EP and I fell in love with its ominous piano and distortion charm instantly. Lyrically great, musically amazing. Well worth the wait. It has a different character to a lot of the album, being much more overtly dark than the rest of the album in both sound and subject. It still displays a heavy glam (and to an extent, pop) influence, however here creeps in the heavier, more rock and metal side once again. Everything here is tight and works, every effect and note and word fitting together. The breaks in melody to emphasise the drums work very well and the whole thing is drenched in an oppressively ominous tone, with the vocals sounding like they're being called from the bottom of a well. Overall, a great way to end a very good album.
Basically, approach this album with an open mind. Fortunately I do quite like it, but I can see quite a few ways in which I might have equally disliked it. So do give it a shot, as it is definitely a very unique sound from a talented person who seems unable to do the same thing twice.
And I will offer my apologies for any mistakes and/or unnecessary ramblings. This was written at midnight on a Sunday and so probably isn't the most coherent thing I've ever written.
Anyway, the subject of tonight's review/ramble is Acey Slade's latest venture: 'The Dark Party'. It arrived in the post last Saturday and has been, well, noticed.
First, a quick word about the artist. It has to be said that being part of Acey Slade's fanbase is a little bit like accidentally signing up to be the straightman in a sitcom. You find yourself in this situation where a part of your life keeps doing these incredibly odd things. In Acey's case, this is primarily done by seeming to have a kind of musical ADHD, although this is by no means a bad thing. From what I heard, Vampire Love Dolls were pretty good, I can't confess much knowledge of Dope, and Trashlight Vision were fantastic. As for the Murderdolls, well they were kind of another Wednesday 13 vehicle, which means that I'm on board pretty much on principle.
The Review
As for this newest project, the sound has gone back to the sort of twisted glam rock influenced stuff that happened on Vampire Love Dolls, although with a much more electric sound overall. This is what took me by surprise at first. I'll confess that on the whole my music tastes tend to shy away from anything particularly pop or overtly electro, with certain exceptions. And of course, there is the tracklisting. Song names such as 'Sugarcum' and 'Plastic Lego Queen' don't necessarily help my easily-swayed teenage mind. However, I have quite a bit of love for Acey and the EPs I'd already listened to had some promising songs on it.
The first time I listened, I had no idea what to think. There was a whole lot of odd electro noises happening, and more pop melodies than I am used to hearing on a CD. In fact, there are still aspects I'm trying to work out. I can sense the shadow of Bowie, and Bauhaus, and there's a definite hint of Hanoi Rocks lurking in the corners as well as a few other possible similarities to NIN. The man himself names Gwen Stefani and Slayer as influences. But there's no real way of pinning down any particular sound that people can recognise. The only real way is to just get a listen for yourself.
The thing starts out with 'Darklexia', which is a spoken-word track that is somewhere between an almost '1984'-esque political broadcast and an infomercial. This definitely sets the mood for a lot of the album, as it is both dark and yet has a twisted sense of humour as it tells the listener to question everything, especially members of The Dark Party.
The album then kicks into full swing with 'Here Today'. Well, at first it has this incredibly confusing tinkly synth melody that starts out like one of those irritating processed pop songs, but within the first loop become sinister, then the song kicks in and yes, beneath this alien new sound the music is definitely Acey's, complete with his sense of glam rock style, punk rock attitude and sarcastic and occasionally vicious lyrics. The most surreal thing in this track and the album as a whole is that he still has the same vocal style, which I once described as a demonic Jack White, and this jars somewhat with the incredibly slick sound of the instruments. However, by the end of the track you do grow used to this and are able to appreciate the song somewhat. So please don't run away when you hear the intro. I know that tinkly sounds tend to intimidate rockers, but if you leave now, you're going to miss out.
Now... 'Sugarcum'... not the most attractively-titled song ever but it is part of the humourous side to the album, yet it is far from empty. The vocals and music gel much better here, creating something that doesn't scare any new listeners so much. It also has to be noted that it is obscenely catchy, with a fantastic bassline and a singalong chorus, complete with backing vocals. Lovely. The rock guitars reappear make friends with the new synth in this song to create something that is much more enjoyable than it really should be. It was by this point that I'd decided that this album might actually be pretty damn good.
'Nothing's Gonna Change' was on one of the EPs and therefore I knew what was coming. And of course being as religiously dedicated to Nine Inch Nails as I am, I was sold from the second I heard sludgily distorted guitars. The lyrics here are some of the most bluntly angry, and this song is probably the strongest link between this project and Trashlight Vision, so if you're looking for a link to ease this rather sudden progression in styles, this might be it. It's also one of the songs that best accommodates Acey's snarling yelp of a vocal style. (I love the man's voice but I've never heard anything quite like it.) There is a heavy reappearance of electro at the end which works fantastically well, and serves to fully mix the two styles.
Next is 'She Brings Down The Moon', another EP track that has a great atmosphere and is once again catchy to the point of being ridiculous. It's deceptively simple, music-wise and has a very... interesting... drum sound I can't fully describe. A bit like someone hired a pnuematically powered robot to drum for this song. Can't say I was a huge fan of the backing vocals here, and to an extent I still find them a little cheesy. However the lyrics and music are sharp and smart and if I did the whole singing-into-my-hairbrush thing, this is what I would do it to.
Next is a cover of 'She Sells Sanctuary' by The Cult. It has to be said that it is an incredibly straightforward cover, with very few tweaks beyond introducing a heavy synth. Still, why mess too much with what already works? Yes, some people might call it unnecessary or unoriginal. But it is still a pretty enjoyable way to pass a track. (Plus it introduced me to The Cult, which I'm going to say is a good thing for the moment.)
Things slow down a bit for the next track: 'Baby The Stars Shine Brightly'. Hell, it even has a sound that might have originally been based on an acoustic guitar in there somewhere. This is Acey's "it's going to be alright" moment to the people who are feeling down. The electronic element creates a pretty atmosphere and Acey's vocals are very unprocessed here, which adds to the mood of the track. There's a slightly unexpected picking-up of the pace towards the end but it's mostly a moment to relax and feel comforted.
Just in case you thought the sense of humour got lost, up comes this aural sandpaper riff of the next track leading to a stripclub-esque drum/bass groove of yes, 'Plastic Lego Queen', which is officially the oddest-titled song on my iPod. Lyrically it is sleazy and displays its sense of humour like a flag. It eventually descends into a chant (hello punk rock roots) still backed by a bassline and rhythm that sound like Soho made into music. As for why he chose to include the phrase "plastic lego queen" I'll never know.
'Coming Down' sounds like every element of the album so far suddenly went into overdrive and fell apart, which fits the subject very well. It must be said that some of the lyrics are a bit clumsy in this song, but musically this is rather good. Have to say it isn't my favourite track though.
Next comes up the slow, ethereal sound of 'Spiders In A Snowglobe'. Once again, I wasn't entirely able to get into this song but I do still enjoy it and its unusual charms. I feel that this will be one of those songs where over time I'll grow to like it.
'Reptile House'. Ah, yes. This was on the first EP and I fell in love with its ominous piano and distortion charm instantly. Lyrically great, musically amazing. Well worth the wait. It has a different character to a lot of the album, being much more overtly dark than the rest of the album in both sound and subject. It still displays a heavy glam (and to an extent, pop) influence, however here creeps in the heavier, more rock and metal side once again. Everything here is tight and works, every effect and note and word fitting together. The breaks in melody to emphasise the drums work very well and the whole thing is drenched in an oppressively ominous tone, with the vocals sounding like they're being called from the bottom of a well. Overall, a great way to end a very good album.
Basically, approach this album with an open mind. Fortunately I do quite like it, but I can see quite a few ways in which I might have equally disliked it. So do give it a shot, as it is definitely a very unique sound from a talented person who seems unable to do the same thing twice.
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