Hinterland – Day Two

Jeffrey Lewis

May 1, 2009

It’s Day Two of Hinterland, the Whole Foods Market to the Camden Crawl’s Sam Smith ethos, and we’ve fallen in love with Glasgow entirely by this point. But no time for rose-tinted glasses, just a simple fact that we fail to see any acts short of at least noteworthy tonight. At all.

The first is Miss The Occupier, an unsigned trio purporting to love riot grrl and Sonic Youth but actually sounding a little more like Gang Of Four. Fronted by the sublime Roz Davies, it’s a fair enough observation that they wear their influences on their metaphorical bearskins, but they do it with panache. Maybe a tad unmemorable in the long run, but snappy and enjoyable for the moment all the same.

Two Door Cinema Club combine the one syllable, one note mentality of Vampire Weekend with the propensity for stadium-fill of Editors into something more interesting than most of the post-Foals club. Lacking the time to decide whether they fall on the wrong side of the Wombats/Envy and Other Sins divide (killable/laudible, in that order), they do the trick nicely for a cheery early Friday evening.

Something a little more challenging is occurring down the road at the beautiful Classic Grand, by the name of Juno !. Easily dismissed on first glance as duff, unfilleted post-nu-rave cod, it turns out that the seven-piece (I think) are to my ears what Art Brut are to my heart. With glowsticks wrapped around their glasses, they’re all simply adorable. The two frontmen jump around in a joyous frenzy, and the rest of the band play plinky, disco-led funpop including ‘Party Music’ and successfully bring the fun back in. And it’s a bonus that Bis’ Manda Rin appears for a song, a bit of a “wow, my gosh I’m in Glasgow and it’s buzzing and I bloody love it” moment to be quite honest. What a sap.

To continue on that affably foppish note, Sheffield duo Slow Club are back at The Arches ahead of the release of their debut album Yeah, So? They manage to pull in a decent-sized crowd with their cutesy tête-a-têtes, but any more self-depreciation and they’ll get a bit too cute. ‘Me and You’ et al are performed straight-up with panache, wry glee and a hint of disbelief. At one point, they come out into the crowd and play unplugged, which causes us to temporarily believe we’re in the middle of a Dickensian scene. Nice, but could do with being a smidgeon less ambrosial. … Continue Reading

Hinterland – Day One

Mark E. Smith

April 30, 2009

You’re used to my reviews by now, you’ve accepted the way I like to splice them with abstract observations. And here’s some inspired from Hinterland:

(1) Never mind stupid-on-purpose becoming the new smart, why doesn’t precocious-in-hindsight eventually find the musically retarded?
(2) Do I have ADHD or is everyone else not moving for a reason (this isn’t a new abstraction, merely the recollection/grandiose coming together of an old one)?

Glasgow is a strikingly independent city. Those I encountered were interesting, interested and constantly striving. Maybe it’s a magnetism thing, but it’s pretty unusual (self-obsession: check). So it’s only fitting that it has its own festival, Hinterland’s mostly locally-formed line-up aptly tailored to the brief. The most salient observation from the two-day festival are the amount of venues on around one-fifth capacity; only The Fall at The Arches 1 and Jeffrey Lewis at King Tut’s are full (albeit bursting), even Metronomy at the fairly small Arches 2 could do with around another 50 audience members. It’s completely unjustified – there’s around 100 noteworthy acts on the bill, but maybe it’s only novel for me because I’m not a local? Just a sidenote, really.

… Continue Reading

Shy Child, London Koko

July 6th 2007

In a city that never sleeps, for a 12.30am stage time you need an outfit that can create intrigue and give off energy in the same quantity and there is probably not a new band around today, as well qualified in those stakes as Brooklyn, New York duo Shy Child.

Incongruous, but energetic and captivating, skirting towards the funk disco rock of The Rapture and swinging back into a range of Whirlwind Heat musical spasticity and rawness, keeping the crowd on their toes. ‘Drop The Phone’ stands out for the lurking vocals of Pete Cafarella that have more than a hint of Eamonn Hamilton (Brakes) to them. The catchy Friday night flavour is conjured up with ease, ‘The Noise Won’t Stop’ and it is this number that will win over trendy folk, like many of those in attendance tonight.

… Continue Reading

Z-List Tears, Warrington WA1 Bar

July 26th 2007

Getting the citizens of Warrington to close down their Arctic Monkeys MySpace page for one night and, to venture out in support of the growing opportunity to see a vibrant local band, is a thankless task on a Saturday night. Therefore, to ask this of them on a Thursday evening is as worthwhile as asking Amy Winehouse if she’d like a glass of orange juice.

… Continue Reading

Maximo Park, Manchester Apollo

Saturday October 7th 2007

There is something strangely comforting about hearing your native accent when you live away from the place you grew up. Luckily for me, I can experience this feeling whenever I go to see Maximo Park. Paul Smith’s Teesside twang, to be mistaken for a Geordie accent at one’s peril, is music to my ears.

Manchester Apollo sold out months before this much-anticipated gig, and the treat of two hotly-tipped support acts, Blood Red Shoes and Good Shoes, was a none-too-shoddy (ha!) move by the Park. The North East’s most important band kicked off with the rabble-rousing ‘The Coast Is Always Changing’, highlighting an unshakable tightness that certain NE teams’ defences could take note of.

… Continue Reading

David Ford, Leeds Brudenell Social Club

Monday October 8th 2007

When I think back to my favourite gigs of all time, it is not necessarily seeing my favourite band Blur for the first time at Leeds festival, nor watching the Arctic Monkeys in a dingy club before they got big. David Ford’s show in a small pub in Huddersfield at the back end of 2005 had that special something that you just can’t put your finger on.

… Continue Reading

The Twang with Little Man Tate, University of Liverpool Student Union

October 12th 2007

Despite their Sheffield roots and a strutting “write about what happens to you” approach, the debauchery-espousing Jon Windle quintet of Little Man Tate has managed to carve their own model of modern life gazing.

Undoubtedly, their bouncing pop slant and Windle’s calming, yet punchy, vocals has helped them steer enough away from the Arctic Monkeys base, to establish their own identity. A pop-friendly and underpinning mod streak takes a more pronounced display through the fatter, newer numbers.

… Continue Reading

The Rumble Strips & The Answering Machine

They have expanded to a four piece and swapped the drum machine (proudly called Mustafa Beat) for the less programmed and more colourful touch of Ben.

The Answering Machine have veered towards a psychedelic early-The Pixies vibe, coated by a flowery brit-pop backdrop that Cast used to catchy or irritating effect, depending on your perspective. Bassist Gemma provides the steely foundation from which guitarist Patrick and singer/guitarist, Martin, expand colourfully and boldly, taking them close to the strides made by The Dead 60s. Twisted power pop and lyrically bemused tune ‘The Hold Up’ highlights this approach.

The crowd take time to figure out where The Answering Machine lie, as they flit from raw and rocky to sturdy indie and then to heart filled pop. The adventurous ‘Your Father’s Books’ neatly encapsulates all three musical styles and an eccentric megaphone haunt has the impact of Martin effectively heckling their own song. A winding blues filter gives forthcoming single ‘Lightbulbs’ a languid touch and Martin does a The Pigeon Detectives vocal impersonation to end proceedings on a yearningly catchy note. This has the effect of driving indie connoisseurs to scribble this Manchester troupe into their notebooks.

Having the ability to startle crowds at a showcase event or a festival earns you a badge of respect, but doing so at your own gig as well – that must put you on the New Year’s Honours list.

This is the impact of Tavistock quintet The Rumble Strips, and the opening stages of their first tour since they released the adventurously bold ska and rockabilly merging debut, ‘Girls and Weather’. Eerie, soulful cooing precedes the Dexy’s Midnight Runners-backed delinquent flash of ‘Cowboy’. Country bumpkin-clad singer Charles Waller produces a bemused yet defiant vocal push, as the horns rampage and the guitars rock with rhythm, but the crowd remain a little dazed.

This colourful outfit – inclusive of handle bar moustachioed keyboard and horn player – continue their beleaguered lyrical push, through the ska-reviving ‘Hate Me You Do’. True lyrical depth peers out of the veil of brazen horn led instrumental exuberance, waking up the thinkers in attendance, with ‘Building A Boat’. It is through this thoughtful interlude that the subtle, stroking percussive touch of Mathew Wheeler (formerly with Action For Heroes) is noticeably crafted and adds an air of calmness. This low key touch then trickles into the falsetto reaching crowd favourite, ‘I Ain’t Got No Soul’ plus the blues bolstered ‘Oh, Creole’, as the full range of these Devon delinquents is explored.

When the brass element is discarded for a poetic Wordsworth-admiring moment, ‘Clouds’, a completely different band emerges as does a radio friendly pop touch to rival Van Morrison. This slightly wistful break gives the band and crowd a like the chance to preserve energy for the horn hounded big hitters, ‘Alarm Clock’ and the day-dream extolling ‘Motorcycle’. Before a striding indie inclusive encore, ‘Don’t Dumb Down’ takes the evening to its conclusion.

A smaller than expected crowd makes their way out, slightly invigorated. It makes you wonder whether headlining the NME New Bands Tour, an honour that was bestowed on Da Strips earlier this year, is indeed a good thing. Wandering attention spans of modern audiences these days probably rendered their efforts a little redundant. Not tonight though – attentions remained fixed.

Alphabeat

£3 is the price of a bottle of Budweiser at most of the bars in this city that is arguably unrivalled in its contribution to pop music. Tonight, for the same price, you can see six Danes who form Alphabeat stomp through a bubbly and colourful set of striding boy/girl vocal interchanging pop.

For the most part these cheery Danes, who make Romeo Stoddart seem manic depressive, swerve between flighty thrust of The Concretes and the quirkiness of Scissor Sisters. Sprinkling in some feel-good frivolity a la Mika, who they supported across Europe and it seems like that was a match made in heaven.

This comes off through the front pairing of Anders SG and Stine Bransen. Troll Hansen and Anders Rheinholdt step to the fore provide the thrust and push for a drum and bass thrusting snap, ‘Fascination’.

This turns into a rawer, light, yelping vocal release to match the potency of fellow Scandinavians The Sounds. Taking matters to a more new wave plain. Recent single and gush of pure inhibition airing pop, ‘Fantastic Six’ demonstrates oomph and cheery abandon that starts to rub off on the initially wary local gathering, who don’t quite know how to fully respond at times.

It’s only upon hitting the rain soaked street outside when a sighting of an obligatory Sex Pistols t-shirt catches the eye. Then the realisation sets in as to what Alphabeat might actually be achieving. They are producing a sound independently that is usually so manufactured, it should be sold in tins. This is done, especially in a live setting, with such joy and enthusiasm oblivious to what anyone would dare to write, say or criticise them for.

Their approach almost says “sod you” to any prospective backlash before it is written or even fully thought out. Isn’t this spirit what true punk was all about, ironically?

The Good The Bad & The Queen, Leeds Irish Centre

Irish Centre, Leeds – 29.01.2007

Rarely has a band’s album release been so significant in the current cultural climate, and yet so overlooked because of this climate.

The Good The Bad & The Queen, Damon Albarn’s latest innovative project, brings together men from all walks of life to create music that defines today’s Britain. Albarn is now considered as an ethnomusicologist for his work with musicians in Mali and his world music mash-ups with Gorillaz. This is highlighted by his choice of bandmates: Paul Simonon, bassist for The Clash, steeped in reggae-rock rhythms; Tony Allen, an experienced Afrobeat drummer; Simon Tong, guitarist from indie stalwarts The Verve – but long time collaborator of Albarn with Blur. He considers The Good The Bad & The Queen to be the natural follow-up to Blur’s seminal Parklife album, both timely descriptors of London, its inhabitants and its hang-ups.

And so to the live shows, in which the band play the concept album in full and in its running order. In true Albarn fashion, the project has been sculpted to perfection – the support acts at tonight’s gig are a combination of circus acts, compered comedy and a Victorianesque bluesgrass group. The venue, Leeds Irish Centre, rarely holds events such as this, and the odd choice of venue is another clever Albarn choice – everything about The Good The Bad & The Queen commands attention.

As expected, TGTB&TQ sounds live exactly as it does on record – muffled bass, distant vocals and an eerie atmosphere mixed with beautiful melodies, African rhythms and lonely lyrics, on a greying landscape backdrop. It would almost have felt like being at a classical concert, if it weren’t for the applause in between songs. Albarn is the same as ever if you discount his wonky top hat, whilst Simonon is constantly active, throwing shapes and strutting just like he did in The Clash.

You get the feeling that the audience know that this project is highly intelligent and all-encompassing music – but it is music that welcomes everyone, and is probably relevant to us all, too.

In a country whose media is currently obsessed with race rows, Albarn pops up at just the right time with an album full of musical nuances that can be traced back through countless races, cultures and traditions and thousands of years of music. Clever, very clever.

http://www.thegoodthebadandthequeen.com/