It Was All One Stream

Something for the weekend

2012-01-27T13:08:00.000Z

We all look forward to the weekend, right? And after five days of screen staring, strip lighting and decidedly below-par coffee who can blame us. Those last few hours of keyboard bashing can really feel like they last forever (no offence intended workmates). Well. Here are three of the very twinkliest indie pop records to ease us all through that difficult transition period between work and weekend. Nothing particularly new or challenging on the ears - just what the music doctor ordered for a Friday afternoon...

A very indie Christmas...

2011-12-22T17:01:00.000Z

In a time when pop groups claiming to have the 'we can make Simon Cowell a lot of money' factor dominate the charts, it's easy to feel a bit cheated that Christmas no longer means a congregation of new festive themed songs. But fear not, the trend for covering old favourites and releasing original Christmas tracks seems to be on the up among folk and indie bands. Hurrah!

Unfortunately these songs will never be Christmas number one, so you do need to know where to look to get your Christmassy fix these days. I've pulled together six of the best from the last couple of years to get you feeling all festive again...

This year was brought to you by the letter B

2011-12-18T14:39:00.001Z

Well, I can hardlybelieve it but somehow it’s the end of yet another year, and that means (amongother, more important things) writing about a few of my favourite albums for my seriouslyneglected blog! Instead of last year’s rather lazy approach, I’veactually put a bit of thought into selecting this year’s top three. It wastough though, because I think it’s been an amazing year for music. In fact,this should probably be a top 11, because the albums listed at the end of thispost are also bloody brilliant.

Some of the albumshave probably missed out on being in the top three simply because they werereleased later in the year. And it’s also telling, that the top three are allbands that I managed to catch live – perhaps if I’d seen some of the otherbands with new releases this year I would have picked them. Anyway, this is arun through of my top three albums this year.

And weirdly, myfavourite artists of this year all begin with the letter B…

Beirut – The Rip Tide

This whole album isjust kind of magical, and despite its short length (I think the running time isjust over 30 minutes) I could listen to it over and over again, and still enjoyit as much as I did on the first listen. I mean, I defy anyone not to crack asmile at some point during Santa Fe. And if, like me, you’re someone who’sborderline obsessed with musical instruments of various shapes and sizes, thenthis band will never disappoint you. Afterall, it’s not often you get to see aguy performing a sousaphone solo, but Zach Condon’s bandmate pulls it off.

Bombay Bicycle Club – ADifferent Kind Of Fix

This was thesoundtrack to my summer. Well, actually this was the soundtrack to my ‘summerholiday’… to Cornwall… in October. Me and eight or so friends packed our bagswith boardgames, CDs and, in my case, a ukulele and left the big smoke for abeautiful house on the cliff’s edge in Port Isaac. We spent a week just hangingout and drinking (and eating, the boys even caught us some fish), but thisalbum was often on in the background. The increasing and decreasing energy ofthe tracks mirrored our own (yeah, drink-induced) highs and lows... much likethe ebb and flow of the tide outside the window.

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

This is an album that creptin as one of my favourite listens while I wasn’t really paying attention (I wasprobably busy avoiding haircuts, or wondering if flowery Doc Martens wereacceptable for work). Plus, Bon Iver’s gig at the Hammersmith Apollo in Octoberwas one of the most emotional I’ve ever been to. The title of most emotionalbelongs to Blur at Glastonbury 2009. Just ask my friends – blubbering wreckdoesn’t even cover it, I'm surprised they still speak to me. Anyway, the girlssitting in front of us back in October sobbed all the way through, and althoughI managed to keep it together, there is no denying the enchanting quality ofJustin Vernon’s almost otherworldly music. The band is one of the tightest I’veever seen live too, and create sounds that can really transport the listener toanother place.

Special mentions:

Alexander – Alexander,Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues, Florence and the Machine – Ceremonials, Metronomy– The English Riviera, Other Lives – Tamer Animals, Primal Scream –Screamadelica 20^th Anniversary Edition, Slow Club – Paradise, TheVaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

Live review - Bombay Bicycle Club, Brixton Academy, 19/10/11

2011-10-31T21:22:00.004Z

Written for and published by the wonderful For Folk's Sake

Bombay Bicycle Club gave the crowd at Brixton a real treat, rattling through the best of their material from the last couple of years as seamlessly as a band that has been together for decades.

They opened with ‘Shuffle’ a track from new album A Different Kind of Fix, and immediately the energy was through the roof. ‘Your Eyes’, a standout from the album, was next and heralded the entrance of Lucy Rose (onstage for the second time that night after playing as support as well as band Dry The River). If, at this point, the crowd thought they were in for a ‘new stuff only’ type of gig, they were swiftly proved wrong. Jack Steadman and his pals then embarked on ‘Dust On The Ground’ from first album I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. Given that this song is a quieter offering than many of the tracks on that album, the boys really rocked it on the night.

They revisited a lot of their much-loved older material throughout the set, even stopping to admit just before launching into the raucous ‘Open House’, “We haven’t played this for a couple of years.” This bit of communication was unusual in itself as the band barely stopped for breath between songs (which kept the energy rising relentlessly). By the time we made a return to the most current album with ‘Leave It’ the crowd was well and truly warmed up. ‘Lights Out, Words Gone’ got perhaps the biggest reaction of the night, indicating that a large proportion of the crowd were recent converts.

‘Always Like This’ was a true highlight and made us wonder whether the band hadn’t taken a (small) leaf out of Beirut’s book – the addition of some brass gave the track an almost Latin vibe.

Jack took to the stage alone for the first song of the encore and sang a beautiful, more than faintly Thom Yorke-tinged, version of ‘Still’ – the last track on ‘A Different Kind of Fix’. Just Steadman’s powerful yet vulnerable voice and the piano echoed through the Academy, bringing everyone down to earth a bit before ending on a storming version of ‘What If’. The contrast between these two tracks provided a great example of what Bombay Bicycle Club can do: in one instant write beautiful music that, at its best, rivals the likes of Radiohead, and in the next make a venue full of people jump around to what has become an indie rock standard.

EP Review - My Crooked Saint, To Kill A King

2011-10-25T12:41:00.002+01:00

Written and published for The 405, here.

Having already made some small waves on the folkscene, thanks largely to their signing to legendary London label Communion, To Kill A King look set to make a name forthemselves with their extremely competent EP called My Crooked Saint.

Hailing from Leeds the band did some early gigs atCommunion and have since won praise from Zane Lowe among others. So what’s allthe fuss about? Well we begin with ‘Bloody Shirt’ a stomping and upbeat tunethat shows off the bands musicianship and the brooding voice of singer RalphPellymounter, which incidentally has got to be one of the best names I’ve heardin a while.

‘Wrecking Crew’ runs with Pellymounter’s moodierside and confirms this band have rock running through their veins as well asthe folksier stuff, which have lead to the inevitable comparisons with Mumfords and Sons, Noah and the Whale etc.

Perhaps what makes To Kill A King stand out thoughis that they are keen not just to make a good song but to tell a story too. Theband have talked about releasing four music videos to go with each of thetracks, where the same characters pop up and the narrative develops with eachvideo. This approach goes some way to proving the thoughtfulness behindPellymounter’s songwriting and how this band put songs together.

To Kill A King aren’t all doom and gloom though,’We Used To Protest/Gamble’ is a joyous and multilayered number, the janglypiano really helping to lift this song to approaching anthemic territory. ‘Family’is more stripped back but there’s still plenty of evidence of careful arrangingand orchestration, perhaps why the Guardian dubbed the band’s musicorch-folk.

To Kill A King have all the tools they need tocarve out a name for themselves in the folk circuit as a band that offer littleof what we know and like about the genre already, but with perhaps a littlesomething extra.

Interview - Matthew Lawes

2011-09-19T21:51:00.003+01:00

The BBC Music Video Festival kicks off this week and runs until October 1st. It's the only dedicated music video festival in the UK and specialises in promoting talented, up and coming filmmakers.

Matthew Lawes is one such filmmaker/ director, founder of City Sessions and all-round lovely man. His first film, a vibrant animated music video for Fyfe Dangerfield’s Faster Than The Setting Sun, is one of 30-odd shortlisted acts that will be shown on big BBC screens all around the country. IWAOS caught up with him to talk about the festival, his plans and the importance of live music.

Fyfe Dangerfield - Faster Than The Setting Sun by Matthew Lawes from BBC Music Video Festival on Vimeo.

How did you getinvolved in the music video festival?
Ages ago I read aboutit online and I wanted to do it because if you get selected they playthe videos on these huge screens all across the UK, apparently they go out to1000s of people. And I chose the Fyfe video because it was the first thing Iever did, it’s the most lof-fi and I thought it sort of represented what I'mabout.

So how did making avideo for Fyfe first come about?

I wasstarting to do animation in my bedroom because I wanted to get into film. Iseemed to be listening to Fyfe’s song a lot, I had it on all the time andI was thinking it would be so great if I could do something for him but Iwasn’t really thinking it could be a something that could actuallyhappen. But then Fyfe was playing in Rough Trade East, just a solo show and Iwent up to him at the end of theshow and showed his some stills that I’d just done and I asked, ‘Do you fancymaybe letting me make a video for you?’ And he went, ‘Yeah alright then!’

How did City Sessions start?

Well basically me andJoe [Bulmer, sound engineer], were looking a lot at how to get into film and wewere wanting to focus on music, but more in a live sense and making it reallyraw. I bought all the equipment, just totally ruinedmy bank account and then we started filming – Kevin Tuffy, MarquesToliver, then Kit Downes at the Royal Festival Hall. Then Bea Kerlin came on board as producer and everything accelerated after that to where we are now.

City Sessions_Film Four_Kit Downes from City Sessions on Vimeo.

How did you get tofilm at the Festival Hall?

I got in touch with Kit,and he said they couldn’t really do anything acoustically outside of a gig sohe asked if I wanted to do it at the Royal festival Hall. So we said yes, ofcourse! So I’m sitting down on the side of the stage, crouching out of the waywith my camera and I was trying to find the right song and then he kind of gaveme this look so I went in and filmed it in all in one go. A lot of thesessions are really high pressure because the artists have got almost no time but that’s the other thing about what we’re trying to do with these musicvideos – it’s easy for the artist to do, we only get them to do one or maybe twotakes and we choose the best take. The videos will only ever be as good as theyare so and I’m just trying to work with the talent rather than hiding behindpostproduction, mirrors and effects, all that kind of stuff.

City Session - Film Twenty - Rosey Chan from City Sessions on Vimeo.

What do you hope comes across from your work?

Well I want people to realise that it doesn’t have to be about going to film school and getting into film that way, I’m completely self-taught and I’m not saying that I completely know what I’m doing but I have learnt everything from scratch! It shouldn’t be about high production values it should be about the talent that’s there – not from me, from the musicians and I want to be able to film that. All these musicians are just amazing and as long as they do their thing, it doesn’t really matter.

City Sessions - Film Ten - Michael Kiwanuka from City Sessions on Vimeo.

Is there an ethos behind your films about supporting up and coming talent or is it just that you like them so you film them?

We really want to push those acts who are up and coming and it is such a buzz to catch someone who is just on their way up. It’s amazing. It’s not like we’ve found them or anything but if we can help in anyway and put them out there and help their careers… that’s just such a buzz. And we’re in a same sort of place as them because we’re starting out too. But we also like having a go with more established artists, I think the main thing is that they have to be good live – if they’re not good live, we don’t do it.

You've certainly worked with some great new talent, how does working with these acts come about?

I mean someone like Marques [Toliver], I actually saw him busking when we were getting started and, I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this, but he was basically busking for money for food because he was so broke. He was unsigned, I think he had just come over from America, and he was trying to make it. I saw him in the street and thought he was amazing. Fast forward three weeks when we did the session with him and he had been signed, he had been on Jools Holland and we just thought 'Wow!' So with all these acts, it’s just great if we can give them a platform. There are lot of other session websites and you know, you can look at it like we’re all competing but I think we’re all just promoting good music, which is so important.

City Sessions_Film Three_Marques Toliver from City Sessions on Vimeo.

And your films were shown at Latitude this year too?

We were selected to showcase a selection of our videos at the Festival by Tania Harrison who runs the Film & Music Arena at the Festival. We compiled a half hour edit with films including Michael Kiwanuka, Goldheart Assembly and The Turbans. It was shown to 500-odd people, which was such a buzz. We would love to do more festival slots in the future.

How do you come up with locations?

Well sometimes it’s not really up to us. Like when we filmed We Are Scientists we caught them just on the back of their tour so we filmed them in their dressing room because it was literally the only place they could do it, which was a bit of a shame because really I like to do something different, do it on a boat, for example! Location-wise I just really want to explore – there are so many amazing locations in London and people are so generous, there is no money changing hands in any of this at all. So we’ve had churches, where they’ve given it to us for two hours and then the Royal Festival Hall. The thing is people are so nice and supportive of the whole thing.

City Sessions - Film Seven - We Are Scientists from City Sessions on Vimeo.

And now you’re expanding City Sessions...

We do a monthly night at the Wheelbarrow in Camden but we are also going to do some residencies with Goldheart Assembly so there’s four nights at the end of October and beginning of November at the Spice of Life in Leicester Square. Joe is actually building a studio at the moment which will be the City Session studio and on the back of that we really want to start a record label. It’s really about promoting live music, that’s the real buzz for us and people seem to enjoy it.

Any tips on a band that we are likely to be hearing about soon?

There’s a band called Other Lives who we did recently who are going to be massive, I just think they are absolutely amazing. Just after we filmed them they confirmed a support slot for Bon Iver so they are just going to be huge. They’ve got a real Fleet Foxes/ My Morning Jacket appeal to them and it’s all stripped back.

City Sessions - Film Seventeen - Fishing from City Sessions on Vimeo.

So what does the future hold for you?

Well I'm working on some scripts and film music but with City Sessions there’s a couple of things we want to do. I really want to be making a music video a week just to keep really pushing that and learn as much as I can. And we’re looking to getting it out there to more people, widening the appeal and doing a hell of a lot more bands, playing all different kinds of music. I hope we are going to do a City Sessions roadtrip in the States and get a van and a projector and get round some events. And the studio with Joe and record label. And of course, film as much and show off as many amazing artists as possible. Its’really good getting to work with so many amazing people – I have to pinch myself sometimes.

Keep an eye out for the big screens all over the country that will be showing Matthew's and other new and talented filmmaker's videos over the next couple of weeks and don't forget to visit City Sessions for more live music videos.

3 new bands making 'old' music

2011-08-31T22:29:00.011+01:00

If you've visited IWAOS before you might know I like new music and that I love tracking down new bands but what you may not know about me is that I also love old music. In fact nothing makes me happier than if Shirley Ellis' 'The Clapping Song' comes on while I'm on the dance floor. So in some ways this is a post on two of my favourite things - new bands who make 'old' music. One I have followed for a while and two are brand new to me but all of them have blown me away with their new take on an 'old' sound.

First up is the Allah-las, who must be pretty new as they only have two songs out, this one 'Catamaran' and the equally jangly and brilliant 'Long Journey'. According to one of my favourite music blogs Aquarium Drunkard (the reading of which makes me want to move to California immediately) the Allah-las are resident band at the Echo club in San Francisco where they play a free gig every month - it's just the getting there that will set me back then.

Then a band which I have sort of tried to follow for ages. I say tried to because every time I go to check them out they've changed their name. I think at this stage they were called Jack Lewis and the Cutoffs but now they're named Jack Lewis and Awkward Enemy. Anyway, I love the low-fi sound of this track 'Shadow Party' and the video is cool too.

And finally to Nick Waterhouse who I get the impression is something of a dude in his hometown of San Francisco, and with a soul sound like this you wouldn't expect anything less.

It's got me thinking that soul and rhythm and blues could well be on the up, perhaps the genre might even enjoy a massive revival a la folk music. American acts like Janelle Monae and Aloe Blacc have already made an impression on the charts in the UK and drew impressive crowds at Glastonbury. But if not I'll have to continue tracking down retro nights and the best of the new 'old' stuff coming out of the USA's west coast.

When twitter goes bad: London riots rumours

2011-08-09T20:14:00.020+01:00

I joined twitter all the way back in January 2009 and ever since then I've been keen to champion the network to anyone and everyone. I truly do believe that twitter is a force for good but as I followed the ongoing dramas of the London riots last night and today, I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. I was especially keen to keep tabs on Camberwell where I live and which thankfully escaped the brunt of the terrible riots on Monday night. But what I couldn't have known was that Camberwell was to become central to some very quick spreading rumours.

Camberwell is where I have lived since moving to London two years ago and, as well as wanting to know if I'd be able to make my way home OK from my job in King's Cross, I wanted to make sure my sister, who was at home in our flat, would be alright. This is where it all began to go wrong.

Keeping half an eye on twitter at work, I was staggered to read mid-morning that rioting and fires appeared to be kicking off in Camberwell.

The Telegraph reported disturbances in Camberwell, and included a report from an eye witness

As I glanced at my computer just before I headed out for a sandwich it appeared that the Guardian and the Telegraph were also reporting early signs of trouble in Camberwell. I gave my sister a call but she was blissfully unaware of the apparent mayhem that was happening just couple of hundred metres away.

I continued to find tweets that were reporting that the local McDonalds was on fire, just as the Guardian described in their live blog (these early entries have since disappeared from the website).

Soon though a number of people started tweeting contradicting the reports of riots and fires. In fact, lots of people were saying that everything was normal in SE5.

Still the tweets announcing trouble in Camberwell piled up - ranging from the very believable: groups gathering on the Green, British Transport Police warning they were diverting public transport away from Camberwell and Co-op being set alight - to the downright bonkers: King's College Hospital being evacuated.

Thankfully out of all the madness a couple of very sensible tweeters emerged, @Camberwellblog and @Sephora_Monroe. Sephora even appeared to go on a one-woman mission to quash every Camberwell rumour in the twittersphere and dear @Camberwellblog was clearly getting infuriated with the rumour-mongering and very carefully directed people to the local businesses and people who were actually on the scene.

In the end King's College and the Police had to tweet denying the rumours - proof of how widespread they were and how serious people were taking them.

I left work a little early, still unsure of what was going to meet me when I got back and of course, it was obvious straight away that everything was indeed fine. I set off for a little walk around Camberwell - partly so I could see for myself that Camberwell remained untouched and partly because I didn't want to feel like I was being forced to stay at home. I even took some pictures:

McDonald's, definitely not on fire.

Co-op, not a victim of rioting or arson but perhaps of some panic buying.

The Camberwell rumours are probably just one example of what has been happening across the capital and the entire country today, but regardless of location it's the ease at which these chinese whispers were spread that's most worrying. Especially because the rumours were picked up by the national press, perhaps without proper confirmation.

Making people feel afraid for no reason is definitely not what twitter is about, and the people who began tweeting the rumours probably didn't do so in malice. Twitter can be an extremely useful tool in times like this, so we should all make an effort to keep twitter rumour free.

Album Review -For Each a Future Tethered, Butcher The Bar

2011-07-28T20:47:00.015+01:00

Originally written and published for Amelia's Magazine, here.

Butcher the Bar by Cheryl Windahl

Butcher the Bar's album For Each A Future Tethered is Joel Nicholson's second stab at this album malarky and if, as I suspect, this time he set out to create a collection of sweet and sunny folk-pop songs then he has succeeded.

There are a few artists that Nicholson in his Butcher The Bar incarnation brings to mind and many come from across the pond. His sweetly sung, breathy songs definitely evoke Elliot Smith but perhaps without the darker edge – from the amount of sunshine that comes bursting through the songs on this album it’s certainly difficult to believe that Nicholson is of a similar disposition to the late Smith.

Butcher the Bar by Emma Carlisle

Shoegazey ditties like Alpha Street West conjure Josh Radin or Jason Schwartzman’s band Coconut Records and there’s definitely something Eels-esque in the rousing Lullaby. As for a homegrown influence then you wouldn’t be far off if you imagined the best of Badly Drawn Boy’s back catalogue.

Butcher The Bar’s sound is quite a full one – layers of clarinets, keyboards, glockenspiels, trumpets, and guitars all pile up to make for some pretty hefty choruses. It would definitely be interesting to check them out at a gig to see if they can translate this big sound into their lives shows.

Inspiration for most of the lyrics seem to be taken from the every day with many tracks recounting little stories – including walks with loved ones, imagined romances and teenaged mums – giving the album a really lovely, personal feel.

Butcher the Bar by Natasha Hughes

Stand out tracks include Sign Your Name (“sign your name upon my heart for me”) and Silk Tilts, which will give anyone in need of a instant banjo hit a great deal of pleasure – just try not to continually misread and mishear the title, as I keep doing!

Giant with it’s refrain of “you’re my favourite, favourite one” is a good example of the material on offer here – it’s not complicated stuff, but it’s so sweet and backed-up by some pretty impressive musicianship. In fact most of the songs don’t surpass 3 and-a-half minutes so there is no hint that Nicholson is trying to do anything particularly wacky or experimental. For Each A Future Tethered is simply a collection of delightful indie-pop songs, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Album Review - I Want That You Are Always Happy, The Middle East

2011-05-25T10:57:00.006+01:00

Written for and published by The 405.

In places this album hints at a change of track for Australian band The Middle East, and certainly there are more experimental sounds and sometimes just the bare bones of songs on I Want That You Are Always Happy, but just beneath the surface is a collection of achingly beautiful tracks. The sound might be simpler than their debut The Recordings of the Middle East, but this album will not disappoint fans of their previously more intricate acoustic sound.

First up and Black Death 1349 is a downbeat start but it’s a perfect introduction to Jordan Ireland’s voice, which is as bewitching a voice as I’ve heard in a long time and it’s this voice that still draws me to listen to Blood, perhaps their most well-known track to date, again and again.

The decidedly more chart-friendly Jesus Came To My Birthday Party is a standard in indie pop. I don’t know if the inclusion of songs like Jesus is a deliberate attempt at creating something more commercial or just a new direction the band wanted to explore? But it works – the song topped the charts in Australia as soon as it was released.

However, this is one of those albums that takes a few listens, perhaps because listened to together the tracks appear bitty and disconnected. At 14 songs, it’s quite a long album, which makes me think we could do without the more experimental tracks on the album – Mount Morgan and Sydney to Newcastle – that detract from the wonderful simplicity of the other tracks.

For those who are gagging for more of the pretty ditties that we heard on the first record, and it can’t be denied that this band can come up with the prettiest of ditties, there are plenty to choose from, including Land Of The Bloody Unknown, Dan’s Silverleaf, Months and the countrified Hunger Song and As I Go To See Janey.

The move away from the more complex, multi-instrumental arrangements of their first album has definitely landed The Middle East with more of a country vibe and they pull it off well. Americana is a common thread – Deep Water with its slide guitar and Ninth Avenue Revenue brings to mind the bluesy Ray LaMontagne – with their lyrics, “You say you can’t stop crying/ it’s just the power of the song/ riding along the midnight grass again”, it’s a potent combination and may well move you with the power of the song.

I hope The Middle East will find new fans with this release. Afterall since their debut in 2008 the folk scene has really exploded worldwide and anyone who is a fan of the likes of Fleet Foxes and their banjo touting and ethereal-voiced contemporaries should certainly feel happy that they’ve discovered The Middle East.

I Want That You Are Always Happy is released on May 30.

Ear worms

2011-05-19T21:15:00.006+01:00

Here's a little post that I'm writing for no real reason, other than wanting to share what have been my latest musical addictions. I guess that's what so-called music blogs do, right? Well here we go.

Bon Iver needs no real introduction, but this is the single from his latest record and it makes me desperate to see him play live again. He reduced a whole field of people to tears at Glastonbury a couple of years ago. This clip of him and his buddies singing a beautiful a cappella rendition of For Emma will give you an idea of how.

I've recently discovered Jon Ronson's (writer of fabulous The Men Who Stared At Goats) programme for Radio 4 called Jon Ronson On. I only really discovered the show because Adam Buxton of Adam and Joe recommended it and now I've discovered this track by Husky Rescue. I'm basically like some kind of cultural magpie. But do listen to Jon Ronson On, it's really fantastic, especially the one on Voices In Your Head, you can listen to them all, here.

I just found this version of Alela Diane's wonderful Tatted Lace, I think it probably speaks for itself. It makes me wish I was better at better playing guitar.

Album Review - Screaming Is Something, The Travelling Band

2011-05-18T22:07:00.008+01:00

Written for and published on Amelia's Magazine.

The brand new album from The Travelling Band features all the trademarks of a good folk pop album, including introspective lyrics, fantastic harmonies and, as no self-respecting nu-folk band would be without, banjos a-plenty. With their sound deeply rooted in rock, folk and country The Travelling Band’s second offering Screaming Is Something will please the ears of acoustic music lovers everywhere.

Illustration by Natasha Thompson, you can see her blog, here.

The Travelling Band hail from Manchester, so the group are joining the ranks of some pretty impressive acts including Oasis, Elbow and Doves – although they much more closely resemble the latter two of that particular group. The first single from the record, Fairweather Friends could well have been inspired by their fellow Mancunians, the layering of instruments, shimmering guitars and affecting harmonies create a ‘big’ sound a la Elbow, perhaps even X&Y era Coldplay.

You’re reminded of their heritage every now and then too, when a Manc accent sneaks in, such as on Horizon Me And You. This is a fantastic folk pop song and shows real promise in their ability to create a catchy tune and yet make it their own.

It’s Sundial that claims the prize for best track on the album though, and it’s a real highlight – anthemic but all the while remaining sweet, “If I had a home to call my own/ then I wouldn’t need a sun dial/ to stop me roaming around” – it’s calling out for a sunny afternoon at a music festival one day this summer, and it stayed on repeat for a long while before my housemates and neighbours tired of it. Just give it a listen and see how long you can go without humming the chorus.

Indeed the band are no strangers to music festivals and actually got their break by winning the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition in 2008 where they then performed – I for one, am sorry to have missed them. A homemade video shows the boys hanging out, enjoying the sunshine, and performing Horizon Me and You at The Park at Glastonbury last year (above). And what an idyllic scene, boys performing their pretty music in the pretty countryside, makes you proud to be British.

Tracks Under the Pavement and Hindsight are perhaps a bit confused – the folksier sound definitely suits this band more than rocking out to guitars, but perhaps live this would actually work better. All-in-all this album passes in a hazy stream of sunny guitars and lilting harmonies, the slower songs are perhaps slightly less successful than the more upbeat tunes, which is where the band appear to really flourish, but if you’re looking for a soundtrack to kick off your summer then The Travelling Band’s new album Screaming Is Something could very well be the record you’re looking for.

Illustration by Melissa Dow, you can see her website, here.

The album is released on the 30th May 2011 on Cooking Vinyl. The band kicked off a UK wide tour this summer with a gig last night at The Nest in London. Details of further dates can be found here.

Album Review - In Love With Oblivion, Crystal Stilts

2011-05-12T20:08:00.001+01:00

Written for and published on the ever so amazing Amelia's Magazine.

The new album from Brooklyn based Crystal Stilts is out now on Fortuna POP! The Joy Division comparisons are impossible to shake off, but we're still impressed by this second outing.

I was hoping to be able to stay away from the Joy Division comparisons while writing this review of New York band Crystal Stilt’s new album In Love With Oblivion, but like many before me I’ve found it basically impossible – the influence of Ian Curtis flows through the band’s second album like a vein of precious metal. It’s singer Brad Hargett’s drone-like vocal that does it, strongly recalling Curtis as well as the similarly enigmatic Jim Reid of The Jesus and Mary Chain. (And now I won’t mention the J D words ever again…promise.)

In fact quite a lot has been written about Hargett’s singing style, sometimes scathingly, and his vocals are a little monotonous. There are points on this record when I really wanted him to surprise me by stepping out of the echo chamber to give some these songs a bit of extra punch. On Silver Sun for instance, the whole band are doing some pretty great stuff – the guitars and the organs and the jangle of the tambourine but Hargett maintains his monotonal drawl. There are few upbeat tracks on this record and if Hargett switched his style up a bit on some of them, it would lift the whole album.

But perhaps I’m missing the point, this appears to be an album that is more concerned with creating atmospheres or feelings than totally nailing each individual track. Hargett’s obvious attachment to the echo effect and the whole lo-fi approach towards recording and production makes this album sound dreamlike, almost as if you could be listening to it underwater, and to over-produce or clean up the sound would mean losing some of this otherworldly charm.

There’s also a kind of filmic side to the album, thanks to the murky sound and doom-laden lyrics, not forgetting the use of sound effects. Songs open and end with gusts of wind, car crashes, and crickets – it’s totally atmospheric and a big hint that Crystal Stilts aren’t your average Brooklyn-based hipster garage band.

Illustration by Stephanie Thieullent, see more of her amazing work on her blog, here.

The band clearly includes some skilful musicians, the Johnny Cash-inspired guitar licks of opening track Sycamore Tree provides as good an introduction as any – this is a track that sounds like it’s been around for the last 50 years. In fact there are clear 1960s influences throughout and pretty convincing in places, like the band went to sleep in 1964 and woke up in 2011 and continued making music like nothing had changed, which for someone like me, who happens to love the music of the 1960s, makes this album a really interesting prospect.

There are peaks and troughs with this record though, the seven minute Alien Rivers is a needless addition but those that follow like stand-out track Flying Into the Sun is a fantastic listen and includes the inspired lyrics “There’s a black hole/ behind these eyes/ takes everything with it/ when it dies.” Like the album title suggests there is a bit of an emo vibe running through much of Hargett’s songwriting.

This is the kind of album then, that may well find itself providing the soundtrack to a whole host of late night gatherings and post-party hangouts, and I suspect could sound even better when you’re burnt out but not ready to go to bed just yet.

Crystal Stilts are playing in XOYO in London on June 21 – their only UK date and by the sounds of it, well worth getting down to.

Live Review - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Old Vic Tunnels, 12/03/11

2011-03-13T23:57:00.011Z

I’d been desperate to see this band of beautiful hippies as soon as I heard their magnificent track ‘Home’ and I admit, I immediately bought into the barefooted, long haired, guitar-strumming-round-the-camp-fire universe of Edward Sharpe (actually Alexander Ebert) and his Magnetic Zeros (see, here).

The venue for the night, the Old Vic Tunnels, is one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited. Bursting with an eerie, Ripper-tinged atmosphere – I’d already been exposed to the maze of cavernous tunnels near Waterloo station when I went to the premier of Banky’s film Exit Through The Gift Shop so I knew it was going to be a special night.

It didn’t disappoint! A beautiful giant moon hung in the void of one of the tunnels (below); burlesque dancers winked in the pop-up Texan Tavern, and all kinds of performers mingled with the crowd. One guy dressed as a cowboy pressed a suspicious cling-filmed brown square into my palm, that got me in trouble with the Mars police and meant I had to be searched, “is you brain organic?” he said before popping a sweet in my mouth.

Among the band’s ‘proper’ support acts were a harpist and two amazing beatboxers but the best of the bunch was Rocco DeLuca. He stood alone on the main stage – highlighted by just single light, his trademark silver Dobro glinting – and completely mesmerised the small audience with his Jeff Buckley-esque vocals that echoed around the arches.

Then the time came for Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros to take to the stage. The distant echo of chanting and bells announced their arrival and soon they were pushing their way through from the back of the crowd in a long line of beards and smiles. ‘40 Day Dream’ got us off to a good start and the excitement didn’t dwindle throughout the lengthy set. In the crowd we were squeezed together to within an inch of our lives, but we bellowed along to every track from the album ‘Up From Below’ and stood trance-like for the tracks that were new. I felt as if I'd finally been let into their 1960s throwback universe and the undeniable charisma of Alexander Ebert (or at least, in his guise of alter ego Edward Sharpe) pulsed through the underground audience. At midnight exactly it spilled out onto the street and into the night…

Album Review - Skin & Bones, David J Roch

2011-03-13T23:37:00.005Z

City Sessions_Film Two_David J Roch from City Sessions on Vimeo.

I was lucky enough to see David J Roch at the launch of exciting film/music venture City Sessions, which has been set up by the lovely Matthew Lawes (@mattylawes if you’re on twitter.) The video I’ve included is one of the installments from Matt and co’s City Sessions, check the rest out, here. Anyway, more about that another time, what follows is my review of Roch’s album, originally written for The 405, published here.

Say what you want about David J Roch but one thing is for sure; he possesses a pretty impressive set of pipes. Pretty outstanding actually, he can switch from bluesy baritone to soaring falsetto with not so much as a second thought – making his debut album one that can’t fail to make you sit up and listen.

The first track, ‘The Lost Child’ is as good a showcase of this as any. It starts quietly, just an electric guitar and Roch’s voice residing very much at the higher end of the scales – almost piercing, but as instruments join in so Roch’s voice warms up, leading to an impassioned chorus of “all I’ve got is love.”

Roch definitely appears to have adopted the wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve approach to songwriting. For example, in ‘Hour of Need’ he sings, “I’m so ashamed of what I’ve done and yet so afraid of what’s to come, you gave me up to be lonely with another boy” – making for a heartwarming and honest listen.

The comparisons are many and varied; Damien Rice is one, and there’s something Michael Stipe-esque about his delivery in songs like ‘Bones’. British Sea Power also come to mind, so it’s unsurprising then that Roch provided support for British Sea Power on their most recent tour and I can only imagine won himself a few fans in the process.

‘Lonely Unfinished’ is especially atmospheric mainly because of the use of a church organ, “love is splendid agony” goes the refrain, like a tortured medieval lullaby, and Roch uses his higher range to perfection on this track.

‘Dew’ is reminiscent of some of the more recent sounds of say, Zola Jesus or Hurts both of whom manage to make current music with clear 80s and 90s influences – proof that Roch has more than one string to his bow. ‘Devil Don’t Mind’ harks to a southern gospel sound and Roch has admitted he is a fan of this style of music and indeed jazz. Of course, he has put his own slightly macabre spin on proceedings here as everywhere, which results in the killer line, “there’s no point in being well behaved, when you’re stood in your own grave.”

These gothic undertones are common throughout the album and Roch is clearly a bit preoccupied by thoughts and ideas surrounding mortality – ‘Bones’, ‘Skin and Bones’, ‘Devil’ – all are darkly romantic and yet thrillingly uplifting. ‘Skin and Bones’ has single written all over it – close enough to anthemic folk to perhaps permit it some serious radio time ala Mumford & Sons.

Album Review - The King of Limbs, Radiohead

2011-02-21T19:28:00.003Z

Published originally over here by The 405.

This album, to me, is one of two halves, although the use of echo, and the decision to let Thom Yorke’s lyrics almost take a back seat, creates a relationship between each and every track.

The first half of the album is characterised by its agitated rhythms – a slightly aggressive tone even, such as on second track ‘Morning Mr Blackbird’ where Yorke asserts, "you’ve got some nerve coming here.” This section of the album seems to be where the band is really stretching the limits and experimenting with their sound.

The second half, especially the last three tracks, is easier to listen to and perhaps picks up where In Rainbows left off. ‘Codex’ is my personal favourite, cool and ethereal and including a really beautiful use of brass. This mellow vibe continues on ‘Give Up The Ghost’ and on ‘Separator’. The last song on the album, ‘Separator’s’ refrain of “wake me up” is fitting because when The King of Limbs finished you almost feel as if you’ve woken up from a deep and wonderful dream.

My very lazy top 3 albums of 2010

2010-12-29T15:52:00.014Z

Time for the obligatory 'my best albums of the year' post. Usually I don't bother, and yet the world manages to remain spinning on its axis, so why this year? Well, actually I was a bit intrigued. And I'm more than a bit lazy. So I just checked out my 'most played' on itunes and it yielded quite a good representation of my favourite 2010 albums and my year in general. Also a lot of favourites that had nothing to do with 2010, but I'll stick to the brief.

Yeasayer's album Odd Blood came top. And just to keep things super neat their track 'ONE' was my number one most played track, which makes me think that deep down maybe I'm not an 'organised chaos' kinda girl but actually more psychotically OCD than anyone could imagine. Now, it would have been at this point that I'd have pointed out that the video below was one of the weirdest music videos of the year, but since Klaxons came along with their 'Twin Flames' video, Yeasayer's efforts may as well be an episode of Playdays.

I got to enjoy seeing Yeasayer perform earlier in the year and tracks 'ONE', 'Ambling Alp', and 'I Remember', still make me hop about excitedly if they come on in a bar. All-in-all a worthy choice for the top spot.

Arcade Fire is up next with their spectacular album The Suburbs. In contrast to Yeasayer, this was definitely not an album that got me throwing shapes all over London, but rather one that helped put my brain back together after all the shape throwing (and sometimes, throwing up) was done. In fact the lilting melodies and shimmering instrumentation of this Canadian band are partly responsible for getting me through the final stretch of my Masters. Having just been annouced as the winner of HMV's album of the year I'm ready to admit that I might not be alone in cherishing this particular release.

Finally, Stornoway and their debut Beachcombers Windowsill have snuck in as my third most played 2010 album. Not surprising that there should be a folksy entry but I think one word can sum up it's inclusion in the top 3, Glastonbury.

The Park, Saturday afternoon, glorious sunshine - the stage is set for what would be some of the best moments of this year's festival. Stornoway kicked off proceedings, and then having swayed in the sun for a little too long already that day, we retreated to the shade where we heard Biffy Clyro do a storming secret gig, had a groove to Candi Staton and the original 'You've Got The Love', and regained our strength in time for Laura Marling and a night of mischief. Clearly I've been trying to recreate that afternoon ever since as 'Boats and Trains' has racked up over 100 listens.

Right, and that's it. My very lazy top 3 albums of the year. For someone as indecisive as me that was a winning formula - letting my itunes do all the hard work.

I think I'm going to go and download a Lucky Number 8 Ball app and let it choose what I'm doing in 2011.

Album Review - Long Live, Snowblink

2010-11-09T12:27:00.005Z

Written for and published on The 405.

Having already become firm favourites among hundreds of music bloggers everywhere, Snowblink’s full album is finally being released.

Snowblink, made up of San Franciscans Daniela Gesundheit and bandmate Dan Goldman, have produced a beautiful album in ‘Long Live’ that brings a touch of the ethereal to the increasingly popular folk genre. Providing a link between the nature-inspired lyrics of Fleet Foxes and the pretty vocals of Leslie Feist of Feist and Broken Social Scene, Snowblink are very ‘now’ but manage to be wonderfully nostalgic at the same time.

Gesundheit’s voice is really quite mesmerising and thankfully this voice is allowed to be the focus of every song on the album, indeed in parts like ‘Divining Rod’ it is all you hear. The songs might deviate in style – a hint of gospel in ‘Sea Change’, indie pop vibes on ‘Heckling the Afterglow’ and country on ‘The Tired Bees’ - but Gesundheit’s voice forges a close relationship between each and every one. Long Live is very much one whole rather than simply a showcase of fifteen disconnected but well written tracks.

'Ambergris' is the highlight of the album, finger-picked guitars and layers of lovely instrumentation make this song quite anthemic but in the most understated way. The song has enjoyed some popularity thanks to the internet’s capacity for sharing and helped along some way by the 70’s inspired music video, which shows the band in a hippy utopia, walking among wildflowers, complete with floaty dresses and frolicking children…sounds pretty good to me! By the time ‘Ambergris’ is nearing its end with the nonsensical refrain of “I hope you find your ambergris” it has crept all the way up to spine-tingling territory.

Snowblink’s first full album is essential listening for anyone enjoying the present folk music take over, especially those who like their folk with a country twist. Twinkling melodies and understated it truly makes ears happy, ‘Long Live’ Snowblink.

Live Review - Lissie/ Ramona, Heaven

2010-11-07T10:02:00.005Z

Written for and published on For Folk's Sake

Lissie played a sold out gig at London’s Heaven, but not without the help of her trusty superglue. She followed a storming set from Brighton four piece Ramona, who were first to take to the venue’s lofty stage and provided a more than satisfactory warm-up for the powerful lungs of Lissie that were to follow.

It might be a lazy comparison, but the punk-influenced musical stylings, the blonde hair, and the pouty attitude of Ramona’s lead singer Karen Anne brought a young Debbie Harry to mind. Single ‘How Long’ was another nod to a punk era gone by: a perfectly modern take on the punk-rock sounds of the late 70s, it reminded me of the Undertones’ ‘Teenage Kicks’. With the addition of 90s classic Blue Boy’s ‘Remember Me’, the highlight of the set, Ramona proved that they are a group with many strings to their musical bow.

Then it was Lissie’s turn. The atmosphere was buzzing as this much-talked about musician opened up with ‘Wedding Bells.’ It’s often a worry that a much-hyped act will struggle to live up to expectations. This was certainly not the case with Lissie. Her powerful and soulful voice – whether she’s singing softly on ‘Bully’ or belting it out on her first single, ‘When I’m Alone’ – changed my cynical mind right from the start.

Appearing totally comfortable on stage, she told a bemused audience that she had to briefly stop the gig to get some superglue. “I don’t play with a pick, I guess I should learn. I actually have this long nail…” she explained to the thoroughly disgusted crowd. But after covering her fingertip with super glue, and as if to prove her method certainly works, she played a truly magnificent and heartfelt rendition of ‘Everywhere I Go’.

The band had chosen to cover Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway To Heaven’, as performed on Radio 2 recently, as the ultimate finale (especially appropriate at a venue named Heaven). Lissie and her band produced a particularly magical rendition of the rock anthem, that would have brought a smile to even the most hardcore of Led Zep fans.

Having listened to Lissie’s album I wasn’t quite so sure what made her stand apart from the veritable gaggle of girly singer/songwriters currently in vogue. Actually her album Catching A Tiger just doesn’t do her justice, her powerful and soulful voice is totally unique and definitely one to see live. Lissie is one of the best singers around at the moment.

Exhibition Review - The Museum of Everything

2010-10-28T16:58:00.005+01:00

Illustration by Emmeline Pidgen

Published on the ever so amazing Amelia's Magazine.

It’s back but not for long. The Museum of Everything has once again put on one of the most intriguing and eccentric exhibitions in all of London and one not to be missed.

Returning for the third time the Museum of Everything’s simply named Exhibition #3 has been put together with the help of British pop artist Sir Peter Blake. It only opened on the 13^th October to coincide with the Frieze art fair and is due to close again at Christmas so get down there quick before it’s gone, I promise you’d be sorry to miss it.

A strange little place, the Museum of Everything can be found tucked away down a back street in Primose Hill next to the local library. However, although small in stature this curious museum will still require a good portion of your morning or afternoon to get round because every little space, spot, and shelf is covered with intriguing things to peer at.

Entering through the colourful striped doorway and paying a voluntary donation to a lady in a small kitsch ticket booth and you may be well on your way to guessing that the circus is the theme this time round. Indeed circus mirrors greet you, transforming you into a giant, a dwarf and…God forbid! someone wider than they are tall! Apt then that round the corner is the ‘gallery of unusual people’ and the beginning of an interesting peek into the world of the carnival and the freak show. The gallery is a selection of historic sideshow memorabilia depicting everyone from bearded ladies and dwarves to a man with the completely smooth appearance (yes! including ‘downstairs’) and webbed feet of a frog. This vast collection of posters and postcards are a “celebration of difference” because “nobody’s perfect”, or at least that’s the idea as Sir Peter Blake himself explains in a video later on.

By Emmeline Pidgen

Giant banners advertising, among other things, “strange little people”, and “the world’s most grotesque creature” are strewn all over the walls in the main hall. Painted by the so-called ‘king of the sideshow banner’, Fred Johnson, his is just one among the many all but defunct crafts that are revered at the Museum of Everything. There’s even a wardrobe door emblazoned with a leopard painted by sign painter Joe Ephgrave, who also painted the iconic drum skin on the award-winning cover of the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album that Sir Peter Blake designed.

In fact that’s the really lovely thing about the Museum of Everything, iconic artworks are mixed in without fanfare among work from less known, brilliant, and usually eccentric artists’ - like the embroidery of Ted Willcox. Ted was taught to sew in hospital while recovering from injuries incurred in WW2. He then went on to spend the rest of his life indoors finding inspiration in everything from Alice in Wonderland to pictures of reclining bare-chested beauties, recreating them all in needle and thread.

By Natasha Thompson

In many ways the Museum can be viewed as a potted history of Great Britain, though told from a thoroughly left field point of view. Nothing sums this up better than the Walter Potter section, an example of Victoriana at its most bizarre if ever there was one. Cleary no relation to animal lover Beatrix, Walter Potter’s tableaux are made up of stuffed rabbits, a variety of birds, squirrels, rats, frogs, puppies and kittens - all in a surprising range of poses. They are completely grotesque but also fascinating, and of course, today taxidermy is very much back in vogue with artists like Polly Morgan picking up and popularising the ancient craft once again.

The Museum of Everything managed to impart on me the same kinds of feelings that I imagine may have flashed through the minds of the archaic freak show audience. A mix of morbid curiosity, delight in viewing the strange, and a childish excitement over being reminded what a beautiful and odd world we live in. Catch it while the circus is still in town!

Open Wednesday – Sunday, 10.30 am – 6.30 pm until Christmas

Album Review - Timber Timbre, Timber Timbre

2010-09-30T20:10:00.007+01:00

Written for and published by the ever so amazing music site The 405.

Album opener ‘Demon Host’ had already been around a good while before the recent release of Timber Timbre's debut album and had earned the band a number of fans among those who like all things American and blusey.

And 'Demon Host' did appear to be about as American as it could get. In fact the official music video (above) showed the man behind Timber Timbre, Taylor Kirk, sitting in a large countrified barn, picking his guitar, singing about God and repentance, and all in his finest Southern drawl.

So convincing is this stateside charade that it might be a surprise to find that Kirk is actually Canadian. Nevertheless Timber Timbre’s self-titled UK debut (Kirk has released two albums previously in the States) provides a journey through some of the best musical influences that America has offer. From the hillbilly ode of ‘Demon Host’ to gospel number ‘Trouble Comes Knocking’, where you don’t have to make a huge mental leap and you could be listening to the American-influenced rhythm and blues bands of the 1960s - we’re talking The Animals’ ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ in particular.

‘We’ll Find Out’ continues the decidedly gospel vibe, this time with Kirk’s deep and rich voice barely singing but instead talking, preaching even, “Do your actions mention your heart’s intentions? We’ll find out. Is your mind mistaken? Is your conscience not at ease? We’ll find out.” Indeed, although the musical styles vary from one track to the next, the common thread throughout are the dark and mysterious lyrics. There’s always an underlying threat of some sort, like in ‘Lay Down In The Tall Grass’, “In a late basement séance that brought us to tears, dreaming every night of you, I’ll be shaking at the sight,” there’s something very film noir about the overall feel of the album.

Other parts of the album, such as ‘I Get Low’ and ‘Lay Down’ sees the addition of some seriously gothic sounding organ chords that work well with the generally macabre tone. The pairing of this TV horror organ with twinkly piano notes and strings also immediately bring to mind the soul standards of legendary crooners such as Al Green.

‘Magic Arrow’ brings us up to date with an ‘almost pop’ feel – if you squint your ears you can imagine the likes of Brandon Flowers having a hit with this song. But with Kirk at the helm we have dirty bass riffs punctuating this track making it, well, pretty epic really. As in the rest of the album it is coloured with a feeling of menace - there is too much darkness for it to be a radio hit but it’s all the more interesting for it.

Interview - Jamie Ley

2010-09-27T21:07:00.005+01:00

Jamie Ley - 'Goodbye' from Tommy Leigh on Vimeo.

Written for and published by fabulous folk blog For Folk's Sake

Emerging from London’s seemingly never-ending and ever-talented pool of wonderful folksy-types, Jamie Ley has been packing out a variety of the capital’s venues with people, all eager to hear his soulful and timeless tunes. Emma Barlow caught up with him to talk about the rise and rise of folk, his inspirations, and what the future holds.

FFS: Do you describe your music as folk? Or is it a label that has been somewhat thrust on you?

JL: I guess it is folk, but I don’t really think we are this or we are that. We usually get described as folk or nu-folk, it’s always got some folk in there somewhere. I don’t consider it anything I just consider it my songs played as best as we can play them!

London has become something of a haven for up-and-coming folk acts, who do you most admire?

Most admire…I dunno. I like what’s happening with folk and it’s exciting to be in anyway involved in it. I admire how massive and how mainstream Mumford & Sons are now. Like I still cant really believe it. Usually bands takes like 5 years to get that big. I’ve played with them in Cardiff and I know them. That gig in Cardiff – about 2 years ago, there were about 20 people in a room and now they’re headlining Reading or whatever. So I admire what they’ve done for folk – the fact that they’ve made people more aware and bought this kind of music to people’s attention. And they’re great musicians, really great.

I think that’s what people like because it’s less of the kind of manufactured pop music and more people on stage with cool instruments like the banjo and the mandolin making honest music and that’s what appeals, that’s what appealed to me about it forever and that’s what I think people are starting to see. And I’ve always admired Johnny Flynn, he was one of my favourite artists while I was at uni and now I’ve had the privilege to like play with him. Bands like that – I always thought they were cool are suddenly much cooler, which is good for me, so I’m a bit cooler now too!

So that’s you’re more recent influences what are some of your older ones?

Bloody hell! Well, obviously The Beatles, so boring! Have you heard of the band Love? Arthur Lee, he’s a bit of a legend, Bob Dylan. But my true greatest hero of all time is Johnny Cash. Yeah I love Johnny Cash. And also songwriters like him, I kind of aspire to be like Leonard Cohen. As a lyricist he’s incredible and his poetry… even the way he sings them…he sings them as the poems they are, which really appeals.

Okay, so what about the poets that inspire you?

Well I used to be into the Romantics, you know the Shelley’s of this world and the Dylan Thomas’s but I’ve recently kind of moved away from that, just because, you know, it’s healthy! I’m into a few German poets and writers – they have a theory about pure imagery and it’s less about words and more about telling things like straight to the point. It’s all about writing in a purist way rather than using fanciful words so yeah: I’m trying to do that with my songs.

Is songwriting something that comes easily to you then or is it really hard work?

Um…sometimes I can sit there for like a week and nothing will come out! Or even a month! And I’ll just be banging my head against the wall. But other times I can write three in a day so it just depends. It’s cliché but if you’re sitting there with your guitar and you just feel you’re in the zone, you’ve got your music mojo or whatever so it just comes out. That’s the time you’ve got to sit there and make yourself keep working at it because that’s the time that’s going to be the most fruitful.

Are you more at home with a band behind you on stage these days or do you miss going it alone?

Yeah at the moment we are doing kind of a mix. So we play three songs as a band and then I’ll do a few. Because there’s something really special and intimate when you’re on your own on stage with an audience. But personally I prefer having my pals around me on stage and I get more into it. Now I feel a bit naked when they leave!

And how did the current band line-up come to be?

I played some gigs in Steeles in North London because my friend Rodney Fisher, who is an amazing musician, he runs a folk night there. We used to have lock-ins and things and I got chatting with one of the barmen, Matt. We just got playing some stuff together and he ended up becoming my bass player and then he knows Jack our drummer from a former band. So we pinched Jack from his old band. Elena Tonra – we had played a lot of gigs together and got on well so she started singing and then we’ve got Bobby on piano, who is our newest sort of musical hero. So basically we just went pilfering from other people’s bands. But in a really charming way so no one seems to mind…yeah so, don’t tell anyone that!

So what can we expect from Jamie Ley, what are the big plans?

Well expect to see a release, quite soon. I’m doing my showcase on the 20^th October at the Flowerpot. So getting a lot of people down, lots of people that haven’t seen me who want to see me um….and hopefully that will be a great night and we’ll push on from there with a tour and a release and everything that follows.

The Barclaycard Mercury Prize – A Preview

2010-09-07T14:28:00.009+01:00

Written for and published on Amelia's Magazine

Laura Marling by Natasha Thompson, for more of her work click here.

Started in 1992 during the height of Brit pop cool, the Mercury Prize still exists to champion the best of British music. Judged by a range of musicians, journalists and executive muso types the winners get a massive cash prize and usually see their album sales soar. Unless of course, they are one of the unlucky ones who fall victim to the ‘Mercury curse’, which will see them become a distant musical memory - a fate suffered by last year’s winner Speech Debelle. Or ‘Who?’ as you might know her.

As the twelve nominated acts gear up for tonight’s awards we run through the shortlisted nominees. As usual some are well known, legends the likes of the ‘Modfather’ himself — Paul Weller, some have burst onto the scene just this year such as the banjo-loving Mumford & Sons, and some are less well known such as experimental jazz outfit Kit Downes Trio.

The xx by Gareth Hopkins

The xx and their debut album, the imaginatively named ‘xx’, are joint favourites along with Dizzee’s ‘Tongue N’ Cheek’. When you consider the young rapper has already claimed the prize once in 2003 for debut album ‘Boy in Da Corner’ it could be looking quite hopeful for the indie trio. The xx, infamous for their quiet unassuming indie anthems — a description that also fits the band’s demeanour – have enjoyed a brilliant first year. Winning fans on both sides of the Atlantic and among music stars and the public alike, they were perhaps a safe bet for a Mercury nomination. In fact much has been made of the rather impressive list of nominations this year. Important though the Mercury’s are to British music, there is usually criticism that the list is perhaps not representative enough, or trying to be too representative, or, that the judges are guilty of tokenism. 2010, however, sees one of the strongest line-ups of recent years.

Laura Marling and her beautiful second album ‘I Speak Because I Can’ will compete with boyfriend Marcus Mumford’s, of Mumford & Sons, debut ‘Sigh No More’. The boys have enjoyed a pretty meteoric rise to fame this year in contrast with Laura’s steady rise in popularity since she started winning over fans with her pretty folksy ditties as far back as 2007 — her album ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’ was shortlisted for the prize in 2008. And it could be argued that either Laura or the Mumfords would be deserving winners. After some thrilling performances at this summer’s festivals, 2010 really has seen folk rock re-enter the mainstream.

Mumford & Sons by Natasha Thompson

Nominees Villagers and I Am Kloot also belong to the folksier side of British indie rock, the genre to which The Mercury’s remain the most faithful ever since the Brit pop days. Villagers enter the fray as total newbies with debut ‘Becoming A Jackal’. As beautiful as their songs are, eerie and driven by some powerful ‘80s pop influences, some critics argue that front man and chief songwriter Conor J O'Brien still has some scope for growth. I Am Kloot are definitely not newcomers; having come together from various bands in 200, Kloot are a mishmash of some of British music’s biggest names. Nominated album ‘Sky At Night’ was co-produced by former Mercury winner, Elbow front man, Guy Garvey.

Villagers friends — Conor and co. have been touring with the Cumbrian group — Wild Beasts are next, with second album ‘Two Dancers’. It impressed fans and critics upon its release and is finding new fans all the time, possibly thanks to their sound belonging to a genre similar to a range of upcoming and forward thinking American outfits like Animal Collective, Yeasayer and Grizzly Bear.

Biffy Clyro by Natasha Thompson

Biffy Clyro have been around for the best part of a decade but it is this year’s ‘Only Revolutions’ that made an impact on the Mercury shortlisters. Perhaps their increase in sales and fan base is largely down to the securing of admirers among the Radio 1 playlist compilers and consequently listeners, but their Scottish slant on stadium rock certainly appears to have taken off this year.

Then to Corinne Bailey Rae’s moving second album 'The Sea', Rae admitted that many of the songs are about her late husband and the album would probably be up there among the favourites if the list of nominees was not as strong as it is. The follow-up to her million-selling eponymous first album ‘The Sea’ sees a shift from upbeat lounge-friendly soul to songs packing a whole lot more emotional punch and meaning, understandable after the tough couple of years that punctuated the recording of the two albums.

Another Mercury act making a shift in styles between albums is, of course, Foals. Where 2008’s ‘Antidotes’ was all about bounding in with all guns blazing; guitars on the attack and punctuated chant-like vocals, 2010’s ‘Total Life Forever’ showcased another side of the Oxford five piece’s musical talents. This time round it is about quieter melodies, hushed voices and layers of instrumentation that gradually build into something really beautiful like in stand out track ‘Spanish Sahara’.

Since going solo in the early 1990s Paul Weller has released an impressive ten albums, although always selling amazingly well none have particularly made much of an impact, apart from within the circles of his hardcore followers perhaps. His 2010 effort ‘Wake Up The Nation’, however, received some critical acclaim upon its release in April making the Modfather a deserving nominee for a Mercury. It’s the second time Weller has made the shortlist, 1993 album ‘Wild Wood’ made the cut in 1994 — the same year that saw M People controversially snatch the award from firm favourites Pulp.

And then to left-field nominees the Kit Downes Trio and their album ‘Golden’, perhaps proving that the Mercury’s can be guilty of a little tokenism after all? So maybe it was the case that someone on the panel felt the list was lacking an experimental jazz band, but actually the album is totally worthy of inclusion. Beautiful in its brave attempt to forge something different and new — it wouldn’t be that unusual for the Mercury’s if outsiders, the Trio, got the prize – unfortunately for them it could be the last we ever hear of them.

Film Review - Certified Copy

2010-09-03T10:42:00.003+01:00

Published over at the divine Running In Heels.

Certified Copy is a film which is as beautiful as it is painful. Provoking questions about the relationships between us and those we love the most, whether mother and son, husband and wife or even between two strangers.

Written and directed by Iranian-born Abbas Kiarostami, Certified Copy is a story which Kiarostami professes ‘could happen to anyone, anywhere’ but it is not, however, like any film you are likely to have encountered before. And despite its focus on a romance between a man and woman, it is by no means your usual Hollywood romcom.

The many themes that construct this film, including art, marriage, and children make for a complex plot but then, life is complicated and that is surely one of the messages Kiarostami is trying to impress upon the viewer.

Juliette Binoche is completely mesmerising in the lead female role; she won Best Actress at Cannes for her performance in the film. Unlike the famous Binoche, however, in the male lead is the relatively unknown William Shimell. Although highly respected in his usual vocation as opera singer, the British protagonist had never acted in a film before Certifed Copy.

The film focuses on Binoche and Shimell’s characters, almost exclusively. Most of the film happens in real time, making the dialogue extremely important – just as well then that it is an exquisitely written script.

The cinematography is truly stunning, helped of course by the glorious rural Italian setting. Self-consciously naturalistic the film has no soundtrack, instead focusing on each scene’s unique background noise and the long lingering shots from a hand-held steady cam make for an almost uncomfortably intimate effect.

Shimell’s character is writer, James Miller, in Italy to talk about his latest book (called Certified Copy) and Binoche, known simply as ‘She’, is an antiquities shop owner who attends his talk with keen interest.

It appears that she has an overwhelming desire to be original, as seen when she spontaneously whisks the middle-aged writer away to the countryside. She is also searching for originality in her life – perhaps why she maintains such a strained relationship with her son – in many ways a copy of her and/or his father.

He, however, has little emotional attachment to original things, placing just as much importance on cheap imitations and causing much debate between the pair.

While away the strangers are mistaken for a married couple in a café and appear to keep up the charade. Walking through the beautiful village nestled in the Tuscan countryside the couple talk about their wedding, their life together, and decide it’s their anniversary but of course it’s all an act. Or is it?

If you leave Certified Copy unsure of anything else you can console yourself in that Kiarostami’s film certainly leaves ample room for interpretation and therein lies the catch, and it will either thrill or infuriate you.

Album Review - Memphis, Magic Kids

2010-08-20T18:17:00.004+01:00

Also published over at amazing The 405.

Much like the bands’ hometown and the name of their album, Memphis, Magic Kid’s debut evokes thoughts of a bygone era, Elvis Presley, 1950’s high schools, and vintage rock and roll. The group of five’s debut provides 11 snippets of sunshine-filled surf pop that verge on the sickly sweet.

A lot has been made of the band’s Beach Boys influences, and there is no getting away from it. The lilting pop melodies, smooth vocals and backing harmonies are in full swing from opener Phone and are more than reminiscent of some of Brian Wilson and co.’s best work.

There are modern flavours too though – the electric guitars that appear in some of the album’s best tracks are the kind that have been made cool again by the likes of Vampire Weekend and the instrumentation, when it is stripped-down, is not dissimilar to the work of Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion fame.

Stripped-down instrumentation, however, seems to be missing from Magic Kids’ vocabulary. In some instances you wonder if while recording the album they couldn’t have benefitted from perhaps telling the best part of the orchestra to go home that day.

Horns, strings, pianos, guitars, sleigh bells, handclaps, you name it they are all thrown into the mix making a big sound which can detract from what are essentially well crafted little pop songs. Literally little, many of the songs are just over two minutes long.

Candy gets the ball rolling with the cutesy indie pop theme that runs throughout most of the lyrics and pretty melodies on Memphis: ‘There’s no baby sweeter than my baby”, they trill.

Hideout is as close as Magic Kids are willing to get to a ballad and it works to provide a quiet breather from the almost relentless cacophony of pure pop.

By far the best track on the album, however, is Hey Boy. Yes it comes complete with dreamy choir, horn motifs and other 60’s influences but it also goes to show that the fundamentals of making a brilliant pop song have remained the same for decades and Magic Kids are masters of their craft.

Sailin’ is similar in that it feels as if it could have been around forever, the lyrics are twee as ever - there is not much depth of meaning here, “We’ll cruise around the Isle of Man, I could be working on my tan.”

And perhaps therein lies the biggest flaw of this album, after a few listens some of these songs change from the endearingly sticky sweet to sickly sweet, and you do begin to hope Magic Kids might change the record.

Released August 31 2010.

Live review - The Middle East/ Temper Trap, Somerset House, 12.07.2010

2010-07-14T16:23:00.004+01:00

It was the night that the Aussies came to Somerset House and both the crowd and the bands, The Temper Trap and support band The Middle East, seemed to get a kick out of being at one of London’s prettiest venues.

Part of a run of outdoor gigs called the Summer Series, this years bill included Air, The Mystery Jets, Florence + The Machine, The XX , and The Divine Comedy. The outdoor setting, in the courtyard of Somerset House, did add a bit of extra magic to the proceedings as well as some nice acoustics, which were particularly good to the impressive vocal talents of both The Temper Trap and The Middle East.

The Middle East had the harder task as they are still relatively unknown in the UK but it didn’t take them long to win over the crowd of Temper Trap fans with their wistful, acoustic, indie folk sound.

A band of six talented musicians, they are not afraid of adding layer after layer of instrumentation including banjos, flutes, and accordions to the mix leading to really beautiful melodies and truly dreamy songs.

By the time The Middle East got to ‘The Darkest Side’, one of the best from their eight track 2008 album, ‘The Recordings of The Middle East’, the crowd had stopped their conversations altogether to listen to the guys and girl on stage fingerpick and sing — in perfect harmony, of course, — their way through another song.

The band also played a couple of promising-sounding new songs but their most famous song, ‘Blood’ (above) was kept until last supplying another fantastic showcase of their poetic lyrics, mesmerising melodies, and proof that The Middle East are definitely worth looking out for.

Then The Temper Trap took to the stage to a rapturous response from the crowd, which continued throughout their hour-long set.

Starting with ‘Rest’, the group of four stormed through some of their hits from debut album ‘Conditions’, the audience of fans with them all the way, singing along and clapping in all the right places.

New song, ‘Right Here’, went down a storm — slower-paced but still with that great force of energy that is largely down to lead singer Dougy Mandagi’s amazing voice, it left fans whispering to each other that they “can’t wait for the new record”.

‘Fader’ soon got everyone shouting along again, providing a reminder that Temper Trap have already managed to create some great pop songs in their short existence.

Lead singer, Mandagi, has clearly picked up a few crowd-pleasing tricks too — tipping water over the drum he was smashing the heck out of during an epic version of ‘Drum Song’, it sprayed up, hitting the lights and wowing the already spellbound crowd.

Of course, ‘Sweet Disposition’ was the finale, and the crowd really kicked into life when that guitar riff started up, even the rain that immediately started spitting down couldn’t dampen that level of audience enthusiasm.

Interview - Jessica Dance, accessories designer and all-round creative-type person

2010-07-13T14:12:00.015+01:00

This interview was originally done for fab lifestyle site Running In Heels.

Despite only just graduating from The Arts University College Bournemouth, Jessica Dance, 22, has already had success with two quirky jewellery and accessories collections. Her latest, called 'Couture Creatures', is available to buy from Kabiri. She was awarded winner of this years Per Aquum Creative Marketing prize at London Graduate Fashion Week and her delightful blog is well worth a visit if you'd like to see what else this creative star of the future is up to.

Have you always wanted to be a designer?

No… I wanted to be a vet when I was 6, but that was short lived. I think I have always known I would not work in a 9-5 job, my overactive imagination meant that I would definitely work in the creative industry.

How did you get to where you are today and would you do anything differently?

Persistence! And always being confident in my work, my work is an acquired taste so it’s so important to really believe in what I am creating.

How did you get started as a designer?

I studied fashion at university. When I started uni I had no idea what I wanted to do. I didn't find my place of study inspirational and I felt I didn't fall into this category of 'fashion'. My way of working seemed to confuse people. I created my own little world; in my mind handmade rabbits lunching in the garden with a picnic set was humorous, endearing and exciting; and that to me was a fashion shoot, is it not? There were quite a few people who advised against my way of working, however being stubborn and probably a bit naive I shunned this advice and this drove me to work harder and inspired me to design my own collection.

How would you describe your overall aesthetic?

My props and accessories are very often playful. I love tactility so my pieces take on a three-dimensional form, inviting people to touch and interact with them. I always make my props and accessories by hand and I always make them myself. I suppose I'm a bit of a perfectionist but I think this is reflected in the overall quality and personality of the finished pieces.

Couture Creatures from Rob Francis on Vimeo.

Influences?

Fantasy stories and vintage craft books.

Do you feel British or European?

British, I love old fashioned English eccentricity and….tea.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Yeasayer.

Jewellery trend for this season?

Tactility, handmade and a return to time consuming craft.

What couldn't you live without?

That’s difficult it’s a tie between animals or all-in-one suits.

Dream purchase?

Electric blue silk, Kenzo Jumpsuit.

Favourite movie?

My favourite film seems to change from month to month…. My current one has to be Fantastic Mr Fox. The attention to detail is meticulously perfect.

One piece of jewellery every girl should own?

Everyone needs to own a little Happet brooch from my current Couture Creatures collection!

Favourite European city and why?

Poland, I love all the little cellar bars and interesting shops.

Desert island book?

Fluffy by Simone Lia.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I never really know where I will be in 5 days let alone 5 years…. I like to think I'll be working in my own studio making ridiculous props and accessories for a variety of projects from music videos to fashion shows.

Can you run in heels?

No I can barely walk in them. But I own vast amounts.

Festival review - Glastonbury

2010-07-07T14:39:00.009+01:00

Published over at amazing Amelia's Magazine, here. Laura Marling by Natasha Thompson

There is no denying Glastonbury 2010 was a really special one. So if, like me, you are still feeling a touch of the post-festival blues read on and let us reminisce about some of the musical moments that made this years festival truly great.

In the weeks before the 40th Glastonbury there was an anticipation that everyone down on Worthy Farm would be pulling out all the stops. And sure enough, ecstatic festival-goers arrived to a spruced up site; a beautiful patchwork sign spelling Glastonbury surveyed the beauty of the colossal site from its perch on the hill near The Park; a giant wicker man stood proudly in the middle of the stone circle; and a ravetastic new henge made from glowing cubes provided a place for guys and gals of Glastonbury to come and worship in the dance fields. I’m sure there was much much more but all this added to a general impression that Glasto 2010 was going to be bigger, brighter and better than ever before.

Then, of course, something really magical happened, something that no one could have predicted. The sun shined for the entire festival – and boy did it shine! Umbrellas found a novel new purpose in life protecting their owners not from rain but the unrelenting heat of the sun, and wellies remained slumped in dark corners of tents or abandoned by the very optimistic in cars.

As with the extra effort put into everything else, the line up was incredible — too good! Everyday my heart was broken a little as I realised that two, three or four of the bands I would have liked to have seen were on at the same time. The line-up was an eclectic music fan’s (such as myself’s) dream. Neatly summed up, of course, in the festival’s headline acts; Gorillaz, Muse and Stevie Wonder — three acts big enough to hold their own on the famous Pyramid Stage but definitely diverse in their musical stylings. I’m going to end on Stevie but first to another of his namesakes.

Seasick Steve took to The Pyramid in what felt like one billion degree heat in the middle of the day on Saturday. The cider in my hand was hotter than the sun and doing nothing to quench my thirst but Seasick Steve was all the refreshment that the large crowd who had turned up to see him needed. He’s been on the summer festival circuit for a while now but his stripped-down act, wailing three string guitar, and songs about life on the streets in the USA were still as thrilling as ever. ‘Burning Up’ managed to sum up quite succinctly the general atmosphere among the sea of sweating fans but we all stayed with him despite the heat for his tremendous trademark finale of the ever-accelerating bluesy number ‘Dog House Boogie.’

Then, later that day, Laura Marling’s gig provided one of the most memorable moments of festival. After a blissful and beautiful Saturday afternoon Marling emerged just as the bright ball-like orange sun dipped behind the trees. She said very little but the hush over The Park as everyone stopped to listen to her was such that my friend aimed a “Shhh” at a low flying helicopter above us. Her set was a combination of the now veritable folk standards from the old album such as‘Ghosts’, ‘My Manic and I’ and the countrified ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’ and pretty ditties from new album I Speak Because I Can. She began ‘Blackberry Stone’ to whoops of delight from the crowd and by the end of the delicate guitar-based ballad from her latest work Laura had herself a few new fans and a boy at the front had himself a new fiancé. “I don’t know if you saw, but someone just proposed and got a good answer,” Marling told the mesmerised crowd.

Mumford & Sons caused me a fair bit of heartache, an ill-timed arrival meant that I could barely get near the tent. Recently the Mumford boys have pretty much exploded — planting their banjo-touting and harmony-singing selves firmly at the forefront of the British antifolk scene. Their gig at the John Peel Stage was a monument to how popular they have become. The audience and, really endearingly, the band were completely overwhelmed. As their set saw some of the biggest sing- a-longs of the festival it was all the boys could do to steal glances at each other with looks of utter disbelief. The intimacy of their songs and acoustic nature was not lost among the huge crowd though — proving once and for all that these are folkies who really know how to rock. In fact many were left wondering why the boys had been billed for the John Peel and not The Other or West Holts Stages, they definitely proved they can draw a big enough crowd.

Dizzee Rascal, a bit of a festival staple these days, was perhaps one of the only acts who could have drawn me away from the Mumfords. Ever the entertainer he bust out his best hits including ‘Bonkers’, ‘Holiday’, new one ‘Dirty Disco’ and a version of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ — all unbeatable at geeing up a cider-fuelled rabble for a night of raging away in the dance fields, Shangri-La, their own tent, or whatever it might be. And, of course, his set wouldn’t have been complete without an appearance from Florence for ‘You Got the Dirty Love’ (her own gig on The Other Stage another massive festival highlight for many). After also appearing withThe xx, Florence actually sung ‘You Got the Love’ three times this Glastonbury. In fact if you watched Florence at her gig and all her guest appearances and then went to see Candi Staton croon her way through her original version, you could have gotten a whole four renditions — I’m not sure that’s ever happened before at Glasto and surely that’s more than enough love for anybody?

But it was Stevie Wonder who stole the show for many, proving that 50 odd years in the business only makes you more of a superstar not a washed-up one. Ripping a keytar to shreds, Wonder promised a night of celebrating Michael Jackson’s life as well as 40 years of Glastonbury. Now, I would never have bought a ticket to see Stevie Wonder play but clearly this was going to be a once in a lifetime experience and anyway, his music holds some pretty serious sway in our house (my Mum requested songs by Stevie to be played out on hospital radio after the births of me and my sister!) But even my friend, who couldn’t claim to be a Stevie Wonder fan — “I don’t know any of the songs, sing one to me!” — soon realised that basically everybody knows Stevie Wonder’s music. His songs are all around us and like some kind of musical oxygen have been seeping into our brains via osmosis since the dawn of time! Stevie unashamedly rattled through the biggest hits of his half century-long career, saving ‘Superstition’ until near the end of his set, unleashing a rapturous response among arguably the biggest crowd of the festival.

Stevie Wonder by Abi Daker

Then the ultimate finale to what has since been reported as the best Glastonbury ever, Stevie’s legendary soul interpretation of Happy Birthday. Glasto founder Michael Eavis was dragged out on stage and serenaded by the superstar — providing the ultimate warm fuzzy feeling in the stomachs of everyone who witnessed it. Even if Eavis’ singing was less than easy on the ears.

The People’s Supermarket: a new approach to food shopping

2010-06-14T20:09:00.009+01:00

Do you dream of an antidote to Tescos? Don't we all?! Well, a group of gourmets have done more than just dream, they've set up the ultimate food coop in Holborn.

A new era in food shopping could have dawned a few weeks ago as The People’s Supermarket in Holborn opened its doors for the very first time.

It’s ultimate aim? To bring an end to the big supermarket chains one potato at a time of course! At least that’s what team ‘People’s Supermarket’ believe; chef, Arthur Potts Dawson — already known for his Acorn House restaurant in King’s Cross and London’s first eco-restaurant, the Waterhouse Restaurant in Hackney; retail consultant, Kate Wickes-Bull; and self proclaimed social entrepreneur, David Barrie.

So what’s so special about The People’s Supermarket (TPS)? Well, modeled largely on the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, established in 1974, it will work as a totally nonprofit venture. Run fully by teams of volunteers, all profits will be invested back into stocking the shop with great food at minimal prices and TPS hopes to help families and low income groups in the community along the way by providing work experience, training, and low cost shopping. A sign outside listed the number of members as 124 on my trip but I can imagine this will soon start to rise, and anyway Potts Dawson reckons they need at least 300 members for the shop to actually become a sustainable business. Anyone can shop at TPS but the team hopes that as customers visit this unique project and see the quality of produce and with the added incentive of getting great discounts they might become a member — pledging to work at the shop for a few hours every month and paying a £25 annual membership fee. The website promises, in Marxist-like terms, a supermarket that is “run by the people for the people, selling the best food at the lowest possible prices.”

Located on Lambs Conduit Street near Russell Square tube, TPS doesn’t stand out as exactly being a glamorous shop, nor has it in anyway been made to look trendy as I was half-expecting — seeing that this is the natural habitat of posh delis, coffee shops and boutiques. Instead TPS doesn’t appear to look much different to the private local supermarket that went before it, and originally belonged to the enemy — Tesco. Now the place has been spruced up by an army of helpers — all volunteers of course, but the main decoration is the addition of posters to the walls – which, although sadly lacking images of Lord Kitchener, famous for appearing in YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU posters – appeal to customer’s philanthropic side, stating in block capitals, “The people’s supermarket needs you, join today”. All this does go to show, however, that TPS is serious about saving money. Instead of investing in funky counters and arty light fittings, TPS has clearly poured all available funds back into stocking the shop with the best produce.

The fruit and vegetables, which are laid out on old second-hand tables like in a market or old-fashioned green grocers, are sourced from some of the best farmer’s markets around. There are also selections of handmade breads and cakes as well as most of the usual foodstuffs you would expect to find in a small local supermarket. But if it turns out that there is something that isn’t available customers can simply scribble a note of it up on the blackboard for the managers to see — grapefruit juice, curry powder, lentils and ghee were among the omissions when I visited on Saturday 5 June.

Todd was store manager when I made a trip to TPS on Saturday. Delighted at how quickly word of the store was spreading Todd said they had been really busy since the shop opened on Tuesday 1 June, so he was quick to make an appeal for more staff — then he could have a decent lunch break, he told me jokingly. Todd was also happy about TPS’s reception in the local area too, saying that he really felt the whole community was getting behind the project.

Which is good because the setup will make the greatest difference to those who live or work near the shop who will be able to use it fairly often and make the most of the discounts, after paying the £25 membership fee of course. There might be another reason why people will volunteer to work for free at TPS though — an added bonus for some maybe? The running of the shop is to become the subject of a new prime time Channel 4 documentary, which I’m sure will put a shine on the prospect of volunteering for any self-promoting types out there. There are also plans for a cookbook, packed full of recipes for dishes made with ingredients from the shop. I guess lentil curry is out for the time being then!

Perhaps the best thing about TPS though, is the whole ‘niceness’ of it all. There has been a wealth of comments on the twittersphere about the enthusiastic staff, the smiling customers, and the general buzz in the air that something new and exciting is happening. Certainly while at university I used to pop along to a small fruit and veg cooperative each week and I remember the more grass roots approach to buying and selling food being an enjoyable experience. And it seems the tweeters were right — the same pleasant atmosphere is already in full swing in Holborn. Katie, a student from the nearby University College London, spotted me taking some pictures outside, “It’s great isn’t it?” she said, “I think it’s the atmosphere which is nicest, I came in on opening day and people were chatting to each other. Chatting to complete strangers — I mean that doesn’t happen in London very often does it?”

Chatting to strangers, volunteering in a supermarket and reaping the benefits and all while being filmed for Channel 4 — I don’t think that happens anywhere very often.

Published over at the divine Amelia's Magazine, here.

Live review - The Strokes, Dingwalls, 09.06.10

2010-06-13T14:59:00.005+01:00

The Strokes’ first gig in four years saw Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond, Jr., Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti make a truly triumphant return with an epic gig that literally was awe-some.

The buzz of excitement was palpable outside Dingwalls, on Wednesday 9 June, everyone knew that this venue was about to host one of the most epic comebacks in recent years and The Strokes certainly did not disappoint. Hundreds of fans descended on the central stableyard in Camden Market, of course, all 500 tickets had sold out within minutes the night before, but that didn’t stop plenty more fans from turning up, touting “Will sell kidneys for a ticket” signs, or simply hanging about in the hope of catching a glimpse of Casablancas et al.

The gig, their first since October 2006, was probably one of the worst kept secrets in recent musical history. Playing under the alias of Venison, The Strokes started posting hints on their website early Tuesday morning and before the day was up the news was all over the net, as fans geared up for the scramble of getting their hands on one of the limited tickets when they went on sale later that night.

The teeny venue was packed to the rafters with punters including the young, the old, and the famous—from where I was standing I could see most of Coldplay, including Chris Martin, and Radio 1’s Edith Bowman all enjoying a drink and the electric atmosphere.

Then, at exactly 9:30 the group sauntered on and opened with a stomping rendition of “NY City Cops”, to which the crowd immediately went mental and the raucous mood didn’t abate throughout the 18-song set. The hits kept coming, the band clearly not afraid of giving the throng of fans exactly what they wanted with a fairly even spread of favourites from all three albums. By the time the group got round to playing first major single, the amazing “Last Night”, Casablancas was all but drowned out by the holler of the crowd who definitely made up for in enthusiasm what they lacked in numbers.

Casablancas was sparing with banter inbetween songs but was obviously enjoying the adoration, saying: “This is our first show in like four years, this is crazy—this is too much.” And even though it felt like a million degrees in there and the sweat was not only clearly visible on the members of the band and audience but was also forming a sweaty cloud of mist above the crowd, settling on the ceiling and dripping from the lighting rigs, until eventually the sound guys threw towels over the mixing desk, Casablancas kept his trademark leather firmly on along with big black shades, proving he operates on whole new levels of cool.

The singer also had words for some of the slightly jumpy security staff, “This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen, it’s feeling weird”, he said, “Are you trying to make a human barricade? I don’t think you need to, the kids are cool!”—cue a massive cheer from the ecstatic crowd.

After the gig ended—the same way the band ended their super-hyped debut album—with the now indie rock standard “Take It or Leave It”, heartfelt phrases such as “life changing” were being banded around outside and everyone who was lucky enough to have got tickets went home that night realising they had just witnessed something really special.

Published over at Strangers in Stereo, over here.

Album Review - The Good Ship, The Climbers

2010-06-03T18:39:00.005+01:00

The Climbers debut album The Good Ship has been a few years in the making. Turns out it was definitely worth it though. This album is a joyous collection of songs covering a whole lot of ground and demonstrating a rare and wonderful talent for composition and song craft.

Full-time Climbers are Tim West, Christian Hardy and Nick Hemming but with Christian and Nick also releasing music as The Leisure Society, The Climbers have been recording in fits and starts over a period of six years.

Recorded predominantly in hired cottages in Wales and Devon, The Good Ship, as the band explain on their MySpace, was about wanting to capture the sounds of houses packed with friends just making music, as it happened. This provides a truly refreshing change from the barrage of over-produced, auto-tuned nonsense that seems to be endemic at the moment.

Second track ‘Anything’ works as a good introduction to The Climbers’ sound, demonstrating at once some truly beautiful instrumentation and yet an impression of simplicity. The pretty guitar strumming, piano, and organ is reminiscent of some prime Eels territory - even a bit of Counting Crows is conjured up in the fingerpicked banjo, which becomes somewhat of a motif throughout the album. Tim West’s tones rattle though the chorus: “I call on my brothers,” and after strings kick in what appears to have been a simple and melancholic song at the start is lifted up to being something quite impressive.

It seems then, that The Climbers are about a really full-bodied sound and that probably comes from the 19 friends they list as part-time band members on their MySpace. Mouth organs, strings, trumpets, electric guitars, banjos and a choir of voices frequently come together to lend an anthemic slant to many of the songs on The Good Ship.

In fact the title track is a great example of this, the oomp-pah-pah style piano riff and "la la las" will make you sway - by the time by the time the dramatic “You won’t sink the good ship” refrain comes in you’ll be a fully paid-up member of The Climbers crew.

The folk influence is also pretty apparent throughout so any music fans that have been enjoying the banjo touting Mumford and Sons and other anti-folk outfits would do well to give The Climbers a listen.

Lending the album some proper country influences ‘I Will Never’ is a banjo and guitar-led ditty with an almost Grizzly Bear vibe in places. But what really makes this album stand out is the voices - coming together so seamlessly that they add an extra bit of magic to each and every track. Perhaps it is unsurprising though, that this is a band which sounds almost perfect – it’s those six years of being together before releasing a debut that has done it.

Published over at The 405.

A musical mixed bag

2010-06-02T15:43:00.006+01:00

'Mixed bag' is probably an understatement really and I'm not sure anyone could have predicted the inclusion of the Great British Ukulele Orchestra on IWAOS but all these varied musical stylings are equally brilliant in their own - and perhaps slightly eccentric - right.

Starting with the divine Snowblink and their luscious video, which totally allows me to indulge my 'one-day-I'll-be-a-beautiful-hippy-type-wondering-bare-foot-around -1970s-America-with-a-small-elfin-child' fantasy, you know the one? Well, it can't just be me. Anyway. Their MySpace labels them as belonging to that well-known Soul/Tropical/Surf genre(!) but I think I might agree with them, they're not really like anyone else around that's for sure. You can read a little bit more about them at The 405, here.

Second is Nika + Rory who are actually Zola Jesus and her bandmate Nick Turco. Zola has been intriguing me for a while and I just love how this track manages to sound at once utterly modern but somehow also tinged with a dose of 80s dramatic pop, which is echoed in the slightly creepy video.

The See See next, I caught them a couple of weeks ago when they were supporting the amazing Brian Jonestown Massacre. Quite a difficult slot I should imagine, warming up for the less than predictable BJM, but they were really good fun and gave the psychadelia-hungry crowd exactly what they were looking for.

And last but not least, a nod to my latest obsession - the ukulele. I bought myself one a couple of weeks ago and am quickly becoming a kind of mad ukulele band groupie. Plus the concept of this video is great - the idea of being stalked around town by a ukulele orchestra really cracks me up.

Single review - Sylvia - The Woe Betides

2010-05-28T19:52:00.002+01:00

Published here.

The Woe Betides must have some of the most colourful names in pop and new single ‘Sylvia’ is equally as colourful.

Firstly you have founding members Simon Mastrantone and Grundy le Zimbra, but these pale into insignificance thanks to the drummer Colonel Sexlife – not his real name, just a guess.

The single ‘Sylvia’ provides some serious pounding pop rock that certainly blows away any of the proverbial cobwebs.

The words “Sylvia you’re a terrible person but I’ll never love anyone else” drone along beautifully with the thrashing guitars.

The sound is indie but with a little more bite and there is definitely a nod to American skater rock within this song. It’s the kind of music you can imagine was floating out of band practices in suburban garages circa 1992 but in a good way.

EP Review - Angus and Julia Stone -Big Jet Plane

2010-04-27T22:49:00.004+01:00

This review is published over at the 405, here.

The Aussie brother and sister duo have produced a somewhat yin and yang record in their Big Jet Plane EP. Two tracks, including the single 'Big Jet Plane', are very good and two of the four tracks are…well, just not so good.

The habit to alternate between which sibling takes the lead vocal contributes to the unconnected feel of the record, although they at least have one excellent track each.

The single 'Big Jet Plane' (above) is beautiful — a real example of the less is more philosophy. It’s chorus, “Gonna take her for a ride on a big jet plane” is catchy and radio-ready without going all-out cheesy indie pop. Instead it’s classic Stone siblings — all melodic guitar riffs, plicky plucky strings, and punctuated by the smooth surfer tones of Angus Stone.

‘Living On a Rainbow’ has some moments of promise but disappointingly doesn’t really seem to get going and horror of horrors ‘climaxes’ with a children’s choir. Always tricky, kiddy choirs in pop songs — at best they sound sickenly twee at worst they are just downright creepy, and ‘Rainbow’ falls into the latter category.

‘My Malakai’ is a strange meander into some slightly passé musical territory but all without managing to add anything new. But ‘Malakai’ does at least serve to provide a nod to some of the band’s influences — there are hints of Neil Young, Al Stewart and Simon & Garfunkel.

But the EP’s final track is a different story altogether. A brave and bare cover of ‘You’re The One That I Want’ — yep! as in the uber cheesey karaoke classic from Grease — it provides a heart meltingly moving demonstration of the power of Julia Stone’s unique voice. It drifts up and down, echoing and shaking over the well-known lyrics and adding layers of emotion to the song that were just never there before.

‘Jet Plane’ then, is a schizophrenic record — half brilliant and beautiful, and half overstretched in its attempt to be interesting.

My latest obsession

2010-04-26T23:22:00.006+01:00

I'm not going to lie, I'm not really a fan of Marina & The Diamonds even though in admitting this - I have probably rendered myself terribly uncool.

But since her 'I Am Not A Robot' tune has fallen into the masterful hands of Clock Opera I literally just cannot. get. enough.

This track is screaming out for a summer night in a sweaty, hazy tent packed full of blissed-out, in-love-with-life and cider-fuelled festivalgoers, and I for one can't wait.

Single review - Dreaming, Allo Darlin'

2010-03-26T20:02:00.007Z

Published online at the 405, here.

Elizabeth Morris’s sickly sweet vocals and lyrics come together to make yet another perfect pop tune.

Joined by Monster Bobby from The Pipettes, and his extreme baritone, the duo make an unlikely couple but this all just adds to the charm of this thoroughly enchanting song.

You could say this latest offering is very much in a similar vein to last year’s 'Henry Rollins Don't Dance' and 'The Polaroid Song', but we’re certainly not tired of these yet so if you liked them you’re sure as hell going to like ‘Dreaming’.

The runaway bass line and layers and layers of pretty instrumentation from ukuleles, drums and dreamy guitars stop this track turning into a boring old ballad. And all with the sort of cutesy lyrics that any romantic city dweller will relate to: “Take the night bus with me tonight, frost on the window. It’s freezing out here on the pavement, but here in your arms it’s heaven.”

Recent Discoveries

2010-03-23T21:19:00.009Z

I don't know an awful lot about any of these artists other than the fact that I fudging love them and have been alternating between listening to all four on repeat over the last couple of weeks.

The Middle East really intrigue me, firstly because they are described as a 'musical collective' and not just a 'band' like everyone else and secondly because like many amazing bands I love - they really should be bigger than they are. The only album they have released, the imaginatively named 'The Recordings of the Middle East', is absolutely beautiful. Grizzly Bear obviously realised this because they got The Middle East on as support early in their most recent tour. Plus this music video is so lovely, so so lovely...

And I am totally sold on this particular track by Dan Auerbach but then I was always a bit partial to the musical stylings of Ray Lamontagne - to which this particular song sounds very similar. Having checked out his myspace, however, this is definitely a stand out track - eerie and pretty at the same time and even more so because of its simplicity.

First Aid Kit must be destined for great things, at least in the UK anyway. They manage to marry the female singer/songwriter thing with the folky thing - surely the holy grail of current popular music outfits?

Probably don't need to say much about Broken Bells, the pairing up of Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins...it was always going to be this good wasn't it?

Single Review - Religious, Gloria Cycles

2010-03-18T19:06:00.003Z

Now published at The 405, here.

Gloria Cycles latest single ‘Religious’ is unashamed upbeat indie pop and what’s wrong with that.

Including the Jack Penate-esque vocal stylings of Kenny McCracken – an imposing chap, with his waxed ginger moustache and waistcoat he looks like he’d be happier perched on top of a penny-farthing than holding an electric guitar.

It’s a song about proving to a lover and perhaps yourself that you’re in love with them. Nothing unusual there. The feel-good raucous chorus states: “Do I need ya? Yes I need you here my love. I’ll try to never leave ya, never make you get up and run”. And it will be in your head for days.

But there’s nothing wrong with this track, even if it is just a slightly new slant on a very well gone over theme.

The Brighton-based band have managed to provide us with little piece of musical sunshine in ‘Religious’ during what must be the longest winter on record.

Your work can be copied

2010-03-16T14:08:00.011Z

Published online, here.

One independent illustrator made the news recently when she accused stationery giants Paperchase of copying one of her designs.  

The illustrator, who goes by the name of Hidden Eloise, draws and creates a range of items that are sold online via the craft site Etsy. 

In November 2009 a buyer informed Hidden Eloise that Paperchase were using a design almost identical to one of hers on a range of their products.  

The image of a dark-haired girl leaning against a mushroom appeared to be an exact copy of her original illustration of a girl leaning on a large brown bear titled, “He says he can hear the forest whisper” (see video).
 Despite the obvious similarities between the works, Paperchase denied the design had been copied. The company said it had bought the print from an agency called Gather No Moss who claimed one of their designers had created it.  

Hidden Eloise maintained that she had created the design in March 2008 and put together some very strong evidence, which demonstrated Paperchase’s version was indeed, a copy.

Hidden Eloise told artsLONDON news: “Sadly there is not much one can do to protect from copying itself. However, it’s a good idea to have public records of when you created your art so you can fight plagiarism.”  

Then, on February 11 this year, the story unexpectedly began to receive global attention after Hidden Eloise's fans began to twitter about Paperchase’s treatment of the case. And it was reported that Paperchase and the agency received thousands of complaints.  

Later that same day, Paperchase's blatant plagiarism made it on to The Guardian’s website. Pressure was clearly mounting on the stationery company and they finally released a statement admitting they were “not without blame” for the situation.  

A statement from Paperchase was released alongside apologies from the agency. The freelance designer admitted: “I copied the outline pose of the Hidden Eloise character called – “He says he can hear the Forest Whisper” to create a new pose for my character.   I did not intend to copy the girl but use her pose to create a new design for my own character, I now realise it was wrong to do this.“  

Hidden Eloise has decided not to pursue the case into the courtroom and has returned the cheque for £350 that Gather No Moss sent — the fee, which they claim, was paid for the design in the first place. 

Hidden Eloise had no reason to expect her work would be copied; she was careful to present her work alongside the copyright symbol and always signed and dated it. 

She told artsLONDON news that the situation would not change how she publishes her work: “The internet is a great way to have your work recorded, through an online shop or just flickr and so on.

“And that way you can show dates if you need to fight for your intellectual property. I have always used Creative Commons for all the content in my blog. Making it easy for people to talk about your art is very important.”  

Visit Hidden Eloise's blog to see more of her work and read more about her story.

Single Review - Body - Thao with The Get Down

2010-03-10T21:26:00.004Z

Published over at The 405, here.

With all the ska influence and swagger – not to mention strong female vocal, of an early No Doubt, ‘Body’ is a brazen return to the sort of ‘90s pop rock sound long forgotten under a barrage of indie.

Just as easy is imagining The Zuton’s Dave McCabe belting this out or even The Coral, if switching our aural attention to this side of the Atlantic for some comparison.

“What am I just a body in your bed? You are a dead man. I just have to shoot the gun.” Thao questions with serious attitude, and you can’t help but believe her.

It’s a classic angsty study on the “why don’t you love me” theme but this band delivers it with so much punch and exuberance that it feels totally new.

Album Review - Everybody Knows It's Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight - The Go Find

2010-03-09T17:20:00.010Z

Published over at The 405, here.

The latest offering from Belgian group, The Go Find is the incongruously named ‘Everybody Knows It’s Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight’ and it happens to sound a lot like, well, a lot of other bands.

The similarities and influences are just too obvious to omit, these include Kings of Convenience, Peter Bjorn and John, a rather large dose of Phoenix and even Royksopp.

The lyrics on title track 'Everybody Knows It’s Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight’ sets the theme of wistfulness and nostalgia, “Let me take you back, back to the 90s, when we were teens…with secret desires”. They are pretty but again are reminiscent of a number of The Go Behind’s predecessors.

And unfortunately when you start comparing one band to another or others, it’s very difficult to stop and this album seems to positively egg you on in doing so. It continues with ‘Automatic’, which injects a welcome dose of energy into the mix using one of pop music’s most favoured devices, the days of the week.

Perhaps channeling The Cure - the song opens, “Monday morning, I’m not able. I don’t think it’s gonna work. Friday evening, I am ready. But sleepy I’m not going out”, but of course, it reminds without being as good as Robert Smith’s 'Friday I’m In Love’.

Then there’s ‘Cherry Pie’ and ‘One Hundred Percent’ which demonstrate that The Go Find can produce as decent an indie pop tune as Peter Bjorn and John, and although pleasant enough to listen to, it’s still nothing new.

The album finishes on pop-ballad ‘Heart of Gold’. Starting promisingly enough, ‘Heart’ boasts electric guitars, big drums and key changes – all of which appear to have been transported into your ears via 1983 and with the quiet whispered singing of front man, Dieter Sermeus, this is quite a beautiful track. But without a big chorus ‘Heart of Gold’ ends up feeling a bit like the over-emotional noise playing over the credits of a Hollywood flop.

All in all The Go Find do dreamy electro pop pretty well, but this album evokes so many comparisons with bands that actually do it better that you might be better off listening to them instead.

Theatre Review - Little Fish

2010-03-09T17:12:00.004Z

Published on Running In Heels, here.

Sarah-Lisa Wilkinson's new play at The Space, shortlisted for the Old Vic New Voices Award last year, depicts a young family trying to come to terms with their tragic family history.

Cici (Helen Clapp) and Jamie (Damian Cooper) are twins who live together in the family home. Their mother has passed away some months before.

They are joined one stormy night by older sister Claire (Lucy Laing) who they have not seen since she became famous after having sex on a Big Brother-type television show.

Drunk and high on drugs, Claire is the definitive celebrity gone bad and her presence disturbs the twins. Particularly troubling is that although she has spilled her out to gossip magazines, she refuses to talk to her sister about her feelings so instead they fizz just beneath the surface.

As a member of the audience sitting in the Round, you feel drawn into the lives of the three siblings to an almost unbearable degree.   The tension is palpable. So much so that when Jamie throws a fit of rage throwing sheets of paper around, it feels almost paranormal.   

Just like the dark fairy tales Cici makes up, what is really going on in this multi-layered plot is revealed gradually, until you realise - this play is fundamentally about grief.

Grief haunts each sister. One turns in on herself, finding refuge in her imagination and the family home. The other turns to the outside world and seeks comfort within the confines of an altogether different house.

With fantastic performances from the young cast, this is a story that captivates you from beginning to end.

Little Fish is an intriguing play, simple on the surface but touching on big and thought provoking themes. (Photo: White With Two Sugars)

Film Review - Exit Through The Gift Shop

2010-03-05T14:28:00.012Z

Now published over at Running In Heels.

I wish all cinema experiences were like the one I enjoyed at Banksy’s advanced screening of Exit Through The Gift Shop yesterday.

Under the railway arches on Leake Street by Waterloo station Banksy had converted a large, dark and dank space into his cinema, the ironically nicknamed Lambeth Palace. Not usually somewhere I would choose to spend a sunny afternoon, there was a hushed anticipation as us lucky selection of arts students queued outside a small door barely visible under the graffiti covered walls. To get a taste look here.

Inside we were invited to look round some examples of the work that has catapulted Banksy to international fame. A fake bonfire ‘burned’ in one room — fuelled by replicas of great works of art, among them portraits of Elizabeth I and Napoleon.

One piece showed a smiling Queen and Prince Phillip unveiling a piece of graffiti reading ‘Die Nazis’ and we picked up some popcorn from the bashed up ice cream van which had previously been parked at Banksy’s extremely successful and free exhibition in Bristol last year.

The documentary itself was as surprising as the venue, brilliantly pieced together and really funny — the rowdy student audience was laughing out loud throughout.

Banksy who appears on screen as a grim reaper figure with his black hoodie and face obscured by shadow, speaks with a strong Bristol accent despite the voice distortion, only adding to the comic effect - see below.

In fact throughout the documentary I frequently questioned whether we were perhaps all the butt of a particularly elaborate joke from the mysterious street artist — brilliantly executed but a joke all the same.

And indeed, stealer of the show, Frenchman Thierry Guetta, seems too good to be true — as Banksy says drolly “he’s more interesting than me”. Guetta, a compulsive and obsessive character, he could have walked straight out of a story imagined by fellow Frenchman and director Michel Gondry. He films absolutely everything and takes his video camera everywhere but locks away his tapes without cataloguing or any desire to watch them back.

Thankfully Guetta’s obsessive need to film is put to use as he finds himself at the fore of an exploding trend in street art. He becomes an unlikely friend and documenter of some of the movement’s biggest stars, including the illusive Banksy.

I recommend wholeheartedly going to watch Exit Through the Gift Shop to see how the story pans out, unfortunately for you it will probably be in the regulation settings of a chain-owned cinema. You may miss out on some of the atmosphere provided by the trains rattling overhead and our battered up seats but the charm of this low budget documentary will not be diminished, offering a very enjoyable 90 minutes to everyone, anywhere.

Album Review - IRM, Charlotte Gainsbourg

2010-02-16T17:30:00.011Z

Now published over at Running In Heels.

Charlotte Gainsbourg’s new album is sexy, moody and slightly disturbing.

It has been well documented that the title track of ‘IRM’ (Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique) or MRI in English is based on the noises she heard inside said MRI machine. It probably says a lot about the artist that when faced with being scanned to establish the seriousness of the brain hemorrhage picked up after taking a fall water skiing, Gainsbourg thought —I could make music with this.

Indeed the lyrics “can you see a memory?" "register all my fear" and "tell me where the trauma lies," continue the macabre tone of the track and indeed give an impression of the moody overtones of the album in general.

Another moody although less dark track is Le Chat du Café des Artistes (above) a cover of Jean-Pierre Ferland’s classic. Gainsbourg’s trademark hushed and sexy tones, the piano chords and sweeping strings give an ominous almost film-noir soundtrack impression. And as a fan of another of the song’s incarnations, this time the French DJ Gut’s version, this is one of the best tracks on the album for me.

Other tracks such as ‘Vanities’ whip up a dreamy atmosphere with other worldly harps and orchestra sections quietly battling against each other

Then there are the songs like ‘Master’s Hands’ ‘Me and Jane Doe’ and ‘Heaven Can Wait’ which giveaway the influences and presence of American star Beck in the role of producer. And this is no bad thing, they are all pleasing and cleverly arranged pop songs with a definite leaning towards an acoustic sound.

And changing tracks entirely and literally ‘Looking Glass Blues’, ‘Trick Pony’ and ‘Greenwich Mean Time’ offer up an unashamedly indie rock vibe but even these cannot help but continue the theme of a kind of sexy moodiness which feels inherent across the entire album.

Charlotte Gainsbourg has never quite had the level of recognition she deserves in the UK despite being a popular musical figure in her native France and the States. She certainly can’t be accused of simply riding on the coat tails of her infamous Father Serge especially after her collaborations with electronic efficandos Air but maybe IRM — with its ‘something for everyone’ appeal will be the album to introduce her to British music fans.