Lots of buzz, plenty of which is self-generated, about the forthcoming album and tour. It is mainly being sold on the reputations of the protagonists; I am wondering whether to invest but actual evidence of Their Monstrousnesses genius has been in short supply until this week.
Say Please from ooh a few days ago, sounds a whole lot like ELO once did; latest output The Sandman, The Brakeman is a dreamy train ride, a soft, polished and rhythmic affair with moments that refer back to Glenn Campbell and Paul Simon, and more besides no doubt. Dear God seems to be an unhappy chiding of His Good Self that moves from chugging harmonic folkish territory into keening blue-eyed soul with a warbling guitar that picks up the vocal and takes it on further. This song suffers from a VERY ANNOYING DRUMBEAT.
All very shiny, but not really moving into interesting musical territory; on this evidence I would accept a freebie, but not shell out for either an album or a ticket.
30 July 2009
29 July 2009
First Aid Kit/ Blue Roses/ Kill It Kid
The Lexington
28 July 2009
The Lex is one of those unfortunate locations where a certain amount of tension is generated around simply getting into the place. The ground floor bar is full of terribly fashionable types who always look totally relaxed; despite which there tends to be a lot of awkward shuffling around the entrance to the venue upstairs, especially once the performers have been seen to arrive.
Luckily the loitering period when everyone (but no-one!) was discreetly assessing the queue development allowed me to have a chat with Sarah Anderson, aka Sadie, the multi-instrumentalist Person Friday for Blue Roses' live shows, although this was mostly about her involvement with Chrome Hoof (see review for June 5th). With a different identity for each band, apparently it is sometimes a bit challenging at festivals when both bands play on the same day. No kidding!
The fussing around early upstairs access seemed to be about claiming the limited seating available rather than the more typical rush for Position A in front of the stage; once upstairs it was time for Kill It Kid, not previously on my radar.
VERY young, they gave us a set with a pronounced American country flavour, all fairly unrefined and with an open throated vocal style from lead singer Chris Turpin that has more in common with Antony Hegarty than might have been anticipated from a lad in a - surprise! - checked shirt. Energetic and fairly tuneful although not exactly sophisticated, they had some heads nodding as they fitted the vogueish general direction of Mumford & Sons; all pleasant enough but not exactly convincing.
Blue Roses played what has, on my fourth viewing, become a familiar set. Laura Groves was in fine voice, perhaps better than as seen at the ICA recently in support to St Vincent, with the usual meticulous accompaniment from her band. Sometimes close to being straight-down-the-line folk, the often uplifting harmonies and varied instrumentation move this far beyond a predictable range of folky references and although there are no huge surprises an elegant musicality was amply demonstrated, and clearly appreciated, as the venue was at its busiest while they played.
Movie credit: Someone else, somewhere else
First Aid Kit are even younger than KIK, at 15 and 18 (still? do these girls have birthdays?), and already have an unusual albatross to deal with. First and best known (720,000+ youtube plays) for an al-fresco cover of a Fleet Foxes song, it is still an obligatory part of their set and they have developed a bit of awkward schtick around introducing it with "This is for you, Fleet Foxes; it's a little gift from us" as seen on the video. It is a spine tingling performance, although not as good to these ears as Robin Pecknold's solo live version. The set is mainly taken from their enjoyable first album, although some songs do have slightly jarring themes for ones so young, and when Klara announced that "this is for all the housewives in the audience" the sea of 20-year-olds sniggered into their tattoos.
A lack of stagecraft is apparent with some pre-planned lines that were designed to engage with their London audience, but it was hard to tell whether they actually heard any of the suggestions about how they might spend their couple of days in town but anyway they spieled on, decrying their ability to take notes quickly enough. There was also a heavy hint before the 'last' song of the set that there would be more to follow, which was unfortunately timed as it came at the point when a number of folk had already decided it was time for the tube; as we had already been told what to expect, the atmosphere wasn't helped by a slightly perfunctory pre-encore break (is there a name for this?), although the girls were game and came back before the applause had evaporated. To conclude they played two beautiful new songs, and were rewarded with a proper ovation.
28 July 2009
The Lex is one of those unfortunate locations where a certain amount of tension is generated around simply getting into the place. The ground floor bar is full of terribly fashionable types who always look totally relaxed; despite which there tends to be a lot of awkward shuffling around the entrance to the venue upstairs, especially once the performers have been seen to arrive.
Luckily the loitering period when everyone (but no-one!) was discreetly assessing the queue development allowed me to have a chat with Sarah Anderson, aka Sadie, the multi-instrumentalist Person Friday for Blue Roses' live shows, although this was mostly about her involvement with Chrome Hoof (see review for June 5th). With a different identity for each band, apparently it is sometimes a bit challenging at festivals when both bands play on the same day. No kidding!
The fussing around early upstairs access seemed to be about claiming the limited seating available rather than the more typical rush for Position A in front of the stage; once upstairs it was time for Kill It Kid, not previously on my radar.
VERY young, they gave us a set with a pronounced American country flavour, all fairly unrefined and with an open throated vocal style from lead singer Chris Turpin that has more in common with Antony Hegarty than might have been anticipated from a lad in a - surprise! - checked shirt. Energetic and fairly tuneful although not exactly sophisticated, they had some heads nodding as they fitted the vogueish general direction of Mumford & Sons; all pleasant enough but not exactly convincing.
Blue Roses played what has, on my fourth viewing, become a familiar set. Laura Groves was in fine voice, perhaps better than as seen at the ICA recently in support to St Vincent, with the usual meticulous accompaniment from her band. Sometimes close to being straight-down-the-line folk, the often uplifting harmonies and varied instrumentation move this far beyond a predictable range of folky references and although there are no huge surprises an elegant musicality was amply demonstrated, and clearly appreciated, as the venue was at its busiest while they played.
Movie credit: Someone else, somewhere else
First Aid Kit are even younger than KIK, at 15 and 18 (still? do these girls have birthdays?), and already have an unusual albatross to deal with. First and best known (720,000+ youtube plays) for an al-fresco cover of a Fleet Foxes song, it is still an obligatory part of their set and they have developed a bit of awkward schtick around introducing it with "This is for you, Fleet Foxes; it's a little gift from us" as seen on the video. It is a spine tingling performance, although not as good to these ears as Robin Pecknold's solo live version. The set is mainly taken from their enjoyable first album, although some songs do have slightly jarring themes for ones so young, and when Klara announced that "this is for all the housewives in the audience" the sea of 20-year-olds sniggered into their tattoos.
A lack of stagecraft is apparent with some pre-planned lines that were designed to engage with their London audience, but it was hard to tell whether they actually heard any of the suggestions about how they might spend their couple of days in town but anyway they spieled on, decrying their ability to take notes quickly enough. There was also a heavy hint before the 'last' song of the set that there would be more to follow, which was unfortunately timed as it came at the point when a number of folk had already decided it was time for the tube; as we had already been told what to expect, the atmosphere wasn't helped by a slightly perfunctory pre-encore break (is there a name for this?), although the girls were game and came back before the applause had evaporated. To conclude they played two beautiful new songs, and were rewarded with a proper ovation.
22 July 2009
DM Stith
Hoxton Bar & Grill
20 July 2009
Sometimes something special just smacks you between the eyes.
Having offered our ears to, and then withdrawn them from, firstly, Oh Ruin, and secondly Caroline Weeks, it was with rather depressed anticipation valves that we reassembled for DM ("Hi, I'm Dave") Stith.
Courtesy of having just played a nice gig at Somerset House supporting Bat For Lashes, Mr Dave is joined by a larger-than-might-have-been-expected backing band featuring viola, cello, baritone sax, drums and a second guitarist/bass. Kudos for the coolest kit in town with only two drums and three cymbals, including bass drum slung round the neck of the slight but obviously sturdy drummer.
Knowing only one mySpace-worth about Mr Dave it was a largely hunch-based visit that was richly rewarded. Singing gentle, sometimes ghostly, classically-infused folk pop in a high register that warbled up to falsetto in places, Mr Dave treated everyone to a display of musical intelligence that is all too rarely heard. The music shares some sensibilities with Daniel Rossen's work in terms of arrangements, dynamic range and modulated pacing, also often using open guitar chords to form songs that often build and develop, not afraid of taking an unexpected turn.
Dissonant backing vocals were artfully deployed, provided by the string players, and lengths of tuned pink plastic hose added a mournful gentle hum when whirled about the heads of the band at a couple of points, and when a syncopated, slightly reggae-style rhythm was used it was with the lightest touch, adding bounce and momentum, not feeling like a misappropriation, as so often elsewhere.
Displaying musical wit and invention at almost every turn it was a joyful performance; the hour they played was almost over before it began. Looking around the room - and, London, you don't know what you missed, as the venue was at barely half of capacity - people everywhere were beaming.
20 July 2009
Sometimes something special just smacks you between the eyes.
Having offered our ears to, and then withdrawn them from, firstly, Oh Ruin, and secondly Caroline Weeks, it was with rather depressed anticipation valves that we reassembled for DM ("Hi, I'm Dave") Stith.
Courtesy of having just played a nice gig at Somerset House supporting Bat For Lashes, Mr Dave is joined by a larger-than-might-have-been-expected backing band featuring viola, cello, baritone sax, drums and a second guitarist/bass. Kudos for the coolest kit in town with only two drums and three cymbals, including bass drum slung round the neck of the slight but obviously sturdy drummer.
Knowing only one mySpace-worth about Mr Dave it was a largely hunch-based visit that was richly rewarded. Singing gentle, sometimes ghostly, classically-infused folk pop in a high register that warbled up to falsetto in places, Mr Dave treated everyone to a display of musical intelligence that is all too rarely heard. The music shares some sensibilities with Daniel Rossen's work in terms of arrangements, dynamic range and modulated pacing, also often using open guitar chords to form songs that often build and develop, not afraid of taking an unexpected turn.
Dissonant backing vocals were artfully deployed, provided by the string players, and lengths of tuned pink plastic hose added a mournful gentle hum when whirled about the heads of the band at a couple of points, and when a syncopated, slightly reggae-style rhythm was used it was with the lightest touch, adding bounce and momentum, not feeling like a misappropriation, as so often elsewhere.
Displaying musical wit and invention at almost every turn it was a joyful performance; the hour they played was almost over before it began. Looking around the room - and, London, you don't know what you missed, as the venue was at barely half of capacity - people everywhere were beaming.
15 July 2009
Exciting news day!
Alec Ounsworth, running solo, is lining up an album release, Mo Beauty, on October 20th - and with even giddier emotions stirring it is reported that Le Loup are ready with Family on Sept 22.
Oddly coincidental inverse trainspotting moment: Le Loup now number 5 members in an exactly opposite shift to the CYHSY scenario.
Spooky!
Oddly coincidental inverse trainspotting moment: Le Loup now number 5 members in an exactly opposite shift to the CYHSY scenario.
Spooky!
14 July 2009
The Dodos - Time to Die
Time to die is perhaps a bit harsh as judgements go - Time to write some decent songs would be a bit more like it.
Two Medicines and Acorn Factory follow the spirit of Visiter, as does the title track to some extent, but surely the idea of a second album is not, as we find here, simply to put forward a set of tunes that wouldn't have made it onto the first.
This album is so put-downable.
Two Medicines and Acorn Factory follow the spirit of Visiter, as does the title track to some extent, but surely the idea of a second album is not, as we find here, simply to put forward a set of tunes that wouldn't have made it onto the first.
This album is so put-downable.
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