Bandwatch Special: 10 for ‘07
By: Thomas Hannan
It's shaping up to be the year of the comeback, of consolidation, of fulfilling promises made in earlier times. Yep, this year not only will debuts from the likes of Klaxons and The Good The Bad & The Queen finally become physical, tangible records (unless you choose to - legally - download 'em, of course), but our calendars also have names such as Bloc Party, Arcade Fire and Kaiser Chiefs written threateningly on them. Not to mention that bloody new Shellac record which they've been recording for seven friggin' years and will probably only last half an hour. Yes, it's the year of that difficult comeback album, and we're licking our lips in anticipation.
What we're most excited about however is introducing the public to the following bands. But as you know of us by now, we're not about a build 'em up, knock 'em down style of reporting. We're not going to tell you Cold War Kids will be headlining Wembley come October. It's unlikely you'll see Foals schmoozing on Jonathan Ross. And yeah, we'll be as surprised as you lot if Richard Swift gets to number one for the third time in a row with a re-release of 'Beautiful Heart'. But regardless of how big they should or do become, we can tell you with utter conviction that in 2007, this bunch of brand new bands will release some excellent records. Rockfeedback has ten eyes, and each of them is firmly on one of this lot:
COLD WAR KIDS
Their album 'Robbers & Cowards', released toward the end of last year, had many who'd been following this lot for a while quietly but sincerely impressed. The onslaught proper starts this year however, when tracks such as 'We Used To Vacation' and the impossibly brilliant post punk / soul juxtaposition of 'Hang Me Out To Dry' should become staples at indie discos around the land. Perhaps it's the way they smack their instruments about on stage that looks so much fun it's all you can do to stop yourself from clouting a security guard around the head and running on stage to join in, but Cold War Kids feel like some kind of cult, something you really want to align yourself along to. They'll happily take you along for what will undoubtedly be one of the rides of the year, and beyond.
FOALS
There have been all kinds of silly things said about Foals, things like 'the disco Shellac' and 'Math Rock Dance Pop', and most of those by us. What's important to remember is that foolish as such things sound, they were born out of love - each time we've witnessed their music, whether live or on record, it's been the case that we've been so utterly blown away we've been rarely able to form a proper sentence. Honestly, we've contemplated writing entire reviews just with exclamation marks. You're lucky you even got the drivel you did out of us. Now signed to our beloved sister label Transgressive Records, we shall dance on the grave of New Rave to whatever soundtrack they provide for us this year.
RICHARD SWIFT
Kind fellow, Richard Swift. Knowing we were unlikely to have latched on to his hard to get hold of, US only releases, he bestowed upon us the marvellous double disc opus 'The Richard Swift Collection, Vol. 1' as a way of enabling us to catch as 2006 drew inevitably to a close. As you might have noticed, we spent the rest of the year telling you how great it was, and how pleased we were with ourselves for finding it. And now we're all up to speed, we can prepare ourselves and the year ahead for 'Dressed Up For The Letdown', the new album of Swift's that'll be receiving a full UK release. If the pointers are correct, it'll will contain influences ranging from Bob Dylan to Lee Scratch Perry and everything in between, and with it, one of our discoveries of 2006 looks set to become one of the most important singer songwriters of 2007.
THE NOISETTES
Stars of some of the most incendiary Basement Club sets ever, our long beloved Noisettes finally release their debut LP 'What's The Time Mr. Wolf?' in the coming months. It's an incredible record, clued up on classic rock and roll and full of desire to be the fastest, loudest, simultaneously most raucous and tuneful album in your collection. Seeing this band live should be mandatory, as should ownership of their awesome debut album, and daily worship of Shinghai Shoniwa, the band's inimitable frontwoman. Trust us, all other rock and roll was just a prototype for this.
CATS AND CATS AND CATS
Their mathematically faultless claim that they're '110.4% better than three Oasis songs' is both a statement that we staunchly back and deem not good enough to describe what's really going on here. First off, although both are, like, bands, containing people, C&C&C sound nowt at all like Oasis. Although it is more than a little bit prog, does go on and on and indeed has a silly name, added elements to the mix such as a sense of humour, an admittance that from time to time the sun shines on us all and an ability to rock the bollocks off've a crowd are all reasons that this is a band who should be embraced and not shied away from simply because their debut LP 'Sweet Drunk Everyone' only has five (long) songs on it. Good and Good and Good.
GOOD SHOES
Seemingly, there are a few ways you can go if you're a fan of tuneful indie guitar music at the moment. There are your Fratellis, your Views, your Blood Arms - the ones who snag you with a good tune and promises that everything will continue to be as much fun as one of their choruses all the time, like a drinking binge that doesn't warn you of the hangover. Or there are bands who have that little bit more depth, who are honest enough to suggest that from time to time, things are crap. Good Shoes are one of these bands. The Maccabees are another. This is jangly music, instantly memorable, melodic as the prettiest hymn. But there's something about Good Shoes that can be desperately sad, and it's for this reason that you're more likely to return to their work time after time than you are with any of those other beery louts.
THE MACCABEES
The second in our instalment of accessible indie it's OK to trust. The Maccabees too will seem instantly appealing because their tunes are so darn friendly, but throwaway pop this certainly isn't. There's real thought behind these jittery rhythms, in the same way that the Futureheads or The Young Knives spend time thinking about things and subsequently writing darn cool songs. Though it won't be something bafflingly complex or impenetrably dense, their February debut (including the singles 'First Love' and 'X-Ray') will contain the kind of considered, vital melodies many bands can only wish they loved their own music genuinely enough to come up with. See them on the NME's 'Rock and Roll Riot' and MTV's 'Brand Spanking New Music' tours should you need more convincing.
FIELDS
Like the board of directors at West Ham United Football Club (a few of 'em from Iceland, a few of 'em from England), this lot have been promising to improve our lives for a while now - and it's time to deliver. These pioneers of electronic indie have been touring with the likes of Editors, Wolfmother and The Zutons (as well as fellow tip-ees The Maccabees), yet have only released a few delightful, earthy yet futuristic EPs and singles so far. This year amends that situation, with a whole album due in the Spring with legendary producer Michael Beinhorn (a man who's worked with everyone from Herbie Hancock to Marilyn Manson, brave fellow) at the desk, when the band will also be supporting the returning Bloc Party throughout the UK. That's quite the ticket.
NEATPEOPLE
For so long, even before The Strokes were a twinkle in a certain publication's eyes, having good clean fun and smiles all round for the world to see was deemed to be 'uncool'. But thankfully, Chelmsford / Colchester's NeatPeople have come to reclaim pop music back for the masses. Managed by ex-Food Records honcho Andy Ross, they've already released a debut single 'Baby I'm Bored' in September 2006 to much acclaim, with the video having legendary status (those who've viewed it will attest to this). If the melodies don't capture you the first time around prancing in your confined rooms twirling like a giddy schoolgirl, you have a heart of stone.
BLOOD RED SHOES
Brighton x ((Steven Ansell & Drums) + (Laura-Mary Carter & Guitar) + Voices) = Blood Red Shoes. That's the maths of it, but the situation in hand is far more human, far more personal, often so much so that you wonder whether you should be listening to it without specifically letting the band know your intentions - it feels like spying. Yes, these are people who love their band. But also people who love you, if you give them the chance - how's this for a manifesto? - "we want to move people, make them dance or shout or get excited, and we don't want to come off like rock stars or some amazing otherworldy beings - we're just two people making music and the whole "fan" and "band" divide is boring and old now." The imagery alluded to in the band's name should point to how you're meant to react - dance until your feet bleed, with no pretension, like two people hitting drums and guitars is the most important thing in the world - just as we've long suspected it is.