POTS #8 - July 2007
By: Various Scribes
ALEX LEE THOMSON (STAFF WRITER):
In the middle of what's going to be a ruddy demanding summer festival season, The Subways are playing at my favourite venue in the country, The Sugarmill in Stoke, and while I know it'll be a pain to make it up there I'm so excited that I've dug up all my old Sub-material, from the sly Transgressive release of '1 Am' to that bonkers Beatles b-side... and have once again remembered that they were - nay - are one of the best acts in the freakin' world. Their music is so fresh, the album jumps off my turntable with excitement, and with that old Pixies-like soft/hard thing going on it's difficult not to love, sometimes several time s a day, every last one of their blinding garage rock anthems.
At the risk of being obvious, Bright Eyes have yet again materialized on my most played list, with Conor's older material being favoured over his itself extraordinary new album. My bedroom has been alight with 'Lava Monster'; an edgy little track sang with the angst that only a teenage old boy could know, and 'If Winter Ends'; possibly the most engaging of all Bright Eyes tunes... I love this guy and his words flow like lava from the mouth of a volcano, weaving in and out of various moments in my life as they should yours.
The Hives are at last returning with a new album and the odd UK date. 'Tyrannosaurus Hives' is dangerously one of my favourite albums and they're easily in my top 5 live bands of all time - and with some 19 shows of theirs under my belt, I'm pretty qualified. I'm now on my third copy of this album, the other two having been scratched and warn away to mere drink-coasters, and yet I still love the buttocks off it in every achievable way.
I've picked something a little less known for my final choice, and it's a song that I have to thank a friend of mine for putting me in touch with (the quiet but introspective Dean). 'Turn Up The Faders' by Nathan Asher is a fairly customary song; starting slow, then building up and going a bit mad before quietening down again and getting all sombre like. The lyrics to it are unsophisticated and simple at times, with obvious annotations, but it's the sheer amount of words and the imagery that it invokes that has you haemorrhaging at the ears, and when the beat is - as he says - brought in, it's kind of spine tingling. He isn't a Conor Oberst, but this is still nonetheless a great track and one I've meticulously enjoyed listing to over the past few weeks.
TOM HOCKNELL (FUTURE SOUNDS EDITOR):
The Isley Brothers' 'Summer Breeze', with its unmistakable keyboard intro, slides into a not yet over familiar, blissed out anthem - the grace of cool amongst the shimmered, summer heat. As it progresses it ascends into a full, rock-funk wig out, tearing through the jasmine and gospel. This kind of soul makes one eager for the re-release of one of Marvin Gaye's final albums, 'In Our Lifetime'.
Segueing perfectly is Scritti Politti's 'Sun in Snow', an album track as sublimely romantic as anything this unsung pop hero has ever done, from his 'White Bread Black Beer' album from a few years ago. His voice flows with easy, soft soul, and the coda drifts effortlessly into the hip-hop beats of his previously (again under-rated album - does he have other sorts?) 'Anomie & Bonhomie'.
Tracks like 'Do People Ever?' from the 'Her Handwriting' album of the Trembling Blue Stars is the kind of indie firework that the iTunes shuffle sometimes throws up and stops you in your tracks; probably not recommended listening for train drivers then, but certainly for anyone else who's interested in slightly whimsical, acoustic indie. It's the unmistakable tones of Bobby Fratten, and another song no doubt written for his muse, and once band mate/partner from The Field Mice: Anne-Mari Davies. Bobby's voice and guitar pine like I doubt even James Blunts' dog does while his owner self-promotes on the arms of models in Cannes. Me, bitter, after the inexplicable success of Blunt's two dimensional, hollow 'Bedlam' album? Nope, he deserves every bikini honey he gets and for all the right reasons.
Lastly Midlake just hit the road-trip button that my every move seems to lean on during these damp times. It's 'Head Home' in particular that is the counter part to the Isley Brothers. The piano and hurt is 'Rumours'-era Fleetwood Mac, but thank god someone's doing it, and doing it this well. Get your motor running....
CHARLIE POTTER (STAFF WRITER)
Tapes, tapes, tapes...
My friends would probably tell you that it is pretty typical of me to start buying tapes as soon as they have been proclaimed dead, but after having so many CD players give up on me just because a small piece of plastic has broken, and various broken needle escapades with vinyl decks, I cannot tell you how much joy I get from my housemate's ever-reliable little tape player we have in our kitchen.
My first tape purchase was the second release from Ceephax's Funbox label, which I reviewed and can be read here. Since then I've managed to acquire the first release on said label, for the embarrassing sum of £22. Yep, I really wanted this tape that much, and I've not been disappointed. A split between Ceephax and The Acid Quiff, it is for the most part more acid madness, with a very similar feel to Ceephax's 'Eurostar Acid'. But there's a much wider array of instruments being utilised here, including Ceephax's bonkers guitar playing techniques. There is also more variation - at times this recording is intense, fast cascading melodies happening over building rhythms, at others the music breaks down to bizarre, other worldly sci-fi landscapes of wonder. There's one part when Ceephax almost sounds serious... It's a brilliant thing to stick on in the kitchen. Wicked.
I also bought an Envenomist tape along with some other brilliant noise masterpieces from the Hanson Records site (click link). I sympathise with people that can't be bothered with noise because it all sounds the same, but this is a bit different from your usual run of the mill noise. Envenomist has mastered the art of creepy drone, and although there's a lot of stuff out there similar to this, this seems to just have a really addictive creepiness that gets under your skin. I was very happy with the service on the Hanson site bearing in mind that the goods are coming from America, I got some real bargains, and am currently planning my next load of things to buy. It'll certainly include a lot more tapes.
The most recent tape I bought was the Trencher / Esquilax split. Yeah, I already had it on 10" but for £2.00 I very much appreciate having such a beautiful thing as part of 'the kitchen collection'. I have listened to the 10" thoroughly many, many times. I really think that most people should probably own a copy of it, as if they have even the remotest interest in silly grind, it doesn't get much sillier than this. John Cage thought that it was a good idea to use elements of music that you didn't like in your compositions, and I think that the chord progressions on the Esquilax side of this prove his point perfectly - the bizarre, surprisingly cheesy pop chords make the discordant conclusions so much more satisfying, not to mention the incredibly deft utilisation of hardware, software and more traditional instruments. There's so much more in these 20 odd minutes of music than most bands achieve in three albums. Get it! Stop thinking about it!
I have also been getting so much out of Scott Walker's 'The Drift' (#2 in Rockfeedback's albums of 2006 poll, and an all time classic) of late, not to mention the newer additions to my SW collection 'Tilt' and 'Scott2'. I have an enormous amount of respect for Scotty boy oh boy boyey boy. He makes music in a way that I have never known before. There's not really much more I want to say about Mr. Walker, but he deserves all the credit he can get.
YOUSIF NUR (STAFF WRITER)
This month it's been all about the ladies, keyboards and drum machines.
Metronomy the other night at our own Basement Club were easily the best band I'd witnessed thus far at the legendry night. I'm a notoriously hard individual to please and for me to make such a bold statement is quite something, as I've seen Bloc Party, Magic Numbers, The Subways et al down there - Joseph Mount, you blew 'em all away, mate. But you know you're onto something if I turn up wearing your merchandise emblazoned on a t-shirt. With that in mind, his self-released debut album 'Pip Paine, Pay The £5000 You Owe' has been on rotation many a time. I'm even hammering the unreleased stuff on MySpace. Now that's devotion.
Staying with electronica for the moment, I'd like to switch attention to the Hot Chip DJ-Kicks Compilation. It only features one track by HC, but do not let that put you off whatsoever, as it has a mish-mash of old Motown, New Order, Post-rock and other eccentricities. I won't go on about it, just look it up.
Brighton two-piece girl group, Peggy Sue And The Pirates, are a revelation. I discovered them whilst performing a session on Xfm and they also played a show with my own NeatPeople. From then on, it was love at first sight/listen, however one wishes to look at it. Their demos show great, great promise, with an anti-folk/Slits/Regina Spektor feel. I strongly suggest the next show they perform, you go and see. MYSPACE.
The Amberblacks are a Colchester-based outfit who have come in time to join the ranks of those coming to save guitar music from a tidal wave of synths and day-glo. No nonsense stuff from these lads, great anthemic indie, a drummer who has Keith Moon's spirit within and great presence. Check 'em out: MYSPACE.
JO-ROSIE HAFFENDEN (BRIGHTON CORRESPONDENT)
Weirdly sexy like Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands, 'Wretched Boy' by The Charge sounds like a David Firth animation featuring Mr. Soft (from the well loved 90's mint adverts) in a K-hole. Competent, sleazy vocals drive this sticky-to-touch, oddly compelling musical mushroom trip with side kicks which include swinging circus synths and melodic, mocking guitar. Mr.Charge himself (the guitarist from Czar Creek) authors profound lyrics, deep, assertive and with a temperate anger, creating a strange, novel yet completely desirable composition which is dynamic, catchy and fresh. MYSPACE.
CHRIS HELSEN (STAFF WRITER)
Sonic Youth - 'Daydream Nation'. Genius. Need I say more? It's been my iPod soundtrack to a lot of journeys this month. Talking of which, The Cribs' album, while ace in its own right because it's by The Cribs, is worth buying purely for the 6 minutes of brilliance that is the Lee Ranaldo-featuring 'Be Safe'.
Having reviewed the album, done an interview and seen them live, it would be a denial of epic proportions for me to suggest I haven't been listening to Rockfeedback's own sometime Band of the Week The Strange Death Of Liberal England. But, my, am I glad to have been doing so. The mini album 'Forward March!' is without doubt one of the best records I've heard this year. I have said enough about them recently so I shall just recommend the album or a live show to all.
I have also been listening to country punk geniuses The Gun Club a lot recently, in particular their 1981 debut 'Fire Of Love'. They are a hugely overlooked band, which I find remarkable since strong elements of their style come through in some of today's most popular and critically acclaimed rock bands - most notably The White Stripes and Kings Of Leon. In songs like 'She's Like Heroin To Me', Jeffrey Lee Pierce and co put blues and country music to a punk soundtrack in such a way that it really works.
Other albums of note I have been listening to this month include: Richard Hell and the Voidoids - 'Blank Generation', Destroyer - 'Destroyer's Rubies', Bruce Springsteen - 'Nebraska', Interpol - 'Our Love To Admire', Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - 'Streetcore' and many, many more!
TOM HANNAN (EDITOR)
Rick Wakeman's 'The Six Wives of Henry The Eighth' is a solo album recorded by the keyboard playing loon from Yes on a break between his mother-band's albums. It's a wholly instrumental piece, consisting of six tracks (one for each wife) of curiously funky, unsettlingly techno and completely f**king barmy, long keyboard solos. As if that wasn't weird enough, each track is supposed to be Rick's own personal interpretation of the characteristics and personalities of every one of Henry's tragic wives in relation to modern keyboard instruments. Every piece of literature out there relating to this album is very informative, telling you of all the funny effects and playing techniques that Rick employed, and pointing out that this is supposedly a prog rock classic. What every other piece of writing on the topic seems to have avoided however, is that the entire thing, from concept to execution, whilst thoroughly entertaining, is COMPLETELY, UTTERLY, TERRIFYINGLY and WHOLLY INSANE. I'm sure Rick's a lovely bloke, he does 'Countdown' and everything these days, but he's also a total f**king lunatic. Buy this album.
Perhaps even stupider still is that there exists a four way split seven inch pack, on green vinyl, housed in a comic book, on a Chemical Underground offshoot label, between The Golden Mile, Bis, The Delgados... and 51 year old Japanese noise terrorist Merzbow. Yeah, it's one of the guy's most accessible pieces of hideous noise ever (listen to it in the right frame of mind and you could even class it as jaunty), but there's something totally demonic about how you can just flip over the vinyl and be hearing a Bis song instead. Whoever put this marvellous pack together is a genius, but one who might know nothing about music at all.
Occasionally I listen to records for purposes other than inciting personal merriment. Sometimes I listen to records because I want a soundtrack as I scream the words 'I repent!' at the top of my voice whilst horrible tears stream unconsciously down my bumfluffed face. When I want to do this, I put on 'Let Love In' by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. And after its hour is through, I'm ready to face the world again.