Music That Makes You Go

Painting By Numbers - July 07

2007-07-25T23:46:00.000Z

I think I’m going to make this a regular, monthly review point, these Painting By Numbers gigs. A good friend of mine, Lorri, and her pal, Johnny, put on lovely shows once a month in and around Dundee, brining together some fantastic bands and individual players from all over our humble little island. And it gets to me every time; there is so much talent out there. Tonight served only to highlight that point, if not exemplify it. So keep an eye out on their MySpace page for upcoming shows.

Tonight took place in the quiet, unassuming basement area of Droughty Neebors, a pub along the Perth Road, just over the road from the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art; a somewhat fitting setting for an acoustic night. Three musicians, ranging in musical styles and tastes, though all equally as impressive and all of whom have left those present with a warm and fuzzy feeling for the rest of the night. To begin with, the turn out was worrying, being just a few friends and family of the organisers, a close-knit band of hipster kids, looking to support the talent present. However, hope was not lost; by the time out first act appeared upon the stage, the crowd had thickened and a good turnout was promised. So, the first act.

Mr Gavin McGinty gave us quite a show, mixing everything from traditional blues themes to political statements into his tracks, along with some clever lyrics and skillful harmonica playing. It would be an understatement to say that he had a great grasp on the genres he played, and an insult not to mention it. Gavin has an understanding of his instruments, his voice included, and the music he plays with them that would rival some of the greatest names in music. We see so many bands these days whose music leaves a lot left to be desired, who really don’t push the envelope and who are just happy with settling for one style, without even trying to break the mould. Gavin gave us more than this, he hit hard with some of his chosen tracks, such as “Prime Minister, The Scapegoat” which tells the story of Tony Blair and David Kelly, over the shenanigans of the Iraq War, and it’s build up, especially. I have to admit, I was a little taken aback. Some of the lyrics really hit home, and the overall feel of the song is sombre, to say the least. However, to say that Gavin solely depends on the depressing to convey his music would be a lie; there were some very humorous songs, such as “Cinderella” and “Hungover”, as well as my favourite, “Nethergate News.” Overall impressions are high and, because I’m such a big fan of the blues genre, I’d usually be reserved about giving too much credit to someone who attempted it, but Gavin really did a good job tonight, so kudos to him.

Second up was the ever-popular Uncle Fritz, who we’ve not seen in the acoustic scene for a while and, unfortunately, it showed a little. Fritz plays bass guitar for a local band, Alamos, who’ve really skyrocketed in recent years, with BBC Radio1 DJs Steve Lamacq, Rob Da Bank, and Vic Galloway giving “Photograph It” airtime. The video for the single also featured on the MTV2 Daytime Playlist for 5 weeks, so it’s no small statement to say that this is a band going places. But Fritz has been out of the game a while, so far as I’ve heard, and like I say, it showed in the forgetting of lyrics and chords, and the slightly strained vocals for certain higher notes, also. Then again, though, it’s not to say that he’s not talented, or hasn’t got it in him, or should quit while he’s ahead, oh no; Fritz’s guitar melodies are haunting, to say the least, beautiful renditions that are proof that he still understands the vast amount of different and original songs that he can create, and the talent he holds and respects. Still a brilliant performer, with shows peppered by the usual ironic comments and dry humour, Fritz needs little more than a bit of practice to get himself back up to the level that he once attained, not so long ago.

“The remedy to anything – charming, poetic, entertaining and he’s got a great beard… what more do you need?” – Paul J Creegan
I shake my head, reading that last comment. A good friend of mine, Paul never ceases to have something to say about anything, though his usual sarcasm and sharp, scathing wit was held back by our headliner tonight. Ben Goddard, hailing from southern England, travelled all this way to play before a small audience when he is surely capable of so much more. To put it straight, Ben has that rare ability to take emotion in it’s pure, core form and transform it into music. He is the Alchemist of the acoustic scene, with his deep, soulful singing, light and carefully selected guitar playing, laced with perfectly chosen harmonics, not so much haunting as heart warming. The guitar playing was reminiscent of Gordon Giltrap, and reminded me of summer afternoons and quieter times. It would scream of innocence, if it weren’t for the fact that ‘scream’ is the last term you’d think about. Ben displayed passion, skill and affection both for his audience, his music and appreciation for the gift he was given, a matured and humble style, without ego or expectancy. From the heart wrenching and emotional “Broken Hearts” to the reminiscence of “Old Pound Note”, there’s a story behind each of them, either written for someone or about a certain experience, and Ben has managed to lend this talent he has for writing a tale to give his songs not just expressive feeling and a developed style, but a personality as well, making his tracks, himself and his entire performance a singular experience, and one which is not to be missed.

Acoustics nights are a brilliant way to wind down a stressful period, take stock and just relax with friends. I’d advise anyone reading to go along to more, and to take something away from them, as I have done, be it a new friend, or a new favourite band or even just that warm and happy feeling afterwards. Kudos to all involved in tonight’s gig, to the guys playing, to the audience that turned up, to Droughty Neebors for hosting the venue and especially to Lorri and Johnny, for setting it up.

M_x

How'd ya like them apples?

2007-07-19T12:55:00.000Z

Man, it’s been a while since I reviewed a band or a gig or an album or even just talked about it to someone who knows what the hell is going on. It was nice, therefore, to have both last night, Wednesday 18th July, at 9pm in the Westport Bar, Dundee. Four local bands, three hours of music, two pizzas and one bottle of wine later, and we’re all set for a good evening.

If only that were the case.

It was one of those nights that, the longer you stayed, the better it got, but I really wish I’d turned up about 10:15 or so, because it was difficult to enjoy what happened before that. But first, a note on punk rock. Now, I’m not really into it all that much. I’m the kind of guy that’ll go to a gig and stand at the back with my arms crossed, tapping my foot every now and then and just enjoy the experience along with three hindered other indie-kids who, god forbid, you make eye contact with. Biggest social faux-pas possible, trust me. But when it comes to rocking the hell out, I’ve done my fair share, growing up with everything from Blink 182, the Offspring and Nirvana through to Megadeath and Metallica, and I can still do it, let me tell you. It’s just that I’d rather not, to be honest.

With punk rock, these days (and I hate people that elongate these genre generalisations to things like post-post-punk rock. Seriously, if we’re going to do that, we’re on about post^7-punk rock.), it just doesn’t appeal to me, the whole smash as many mic’s as possible and try to put your foot through the amp, even though it’ll cost you later. I’ll listen to it, but I don’t make a habit. So, explanation over, you can see my own view of last night will be a little bit skewed. That being said, there were some gems.

And an advanced apology is in order as well. Sorry guys, but the first two bands names have escaped me. Even though I had a hunt through MySpace to see if any one I knew had links to them, it was a fruitless venture. So, if upon reading this, you know you were one of those two, please drop me a line, so I can edit and give you the credit you deserve!

As is always the case with local gigs, they tell us we will be treated to musical delights an hour before they are actually ready to play, what with the setting up and the arguing with the venue staff over whether or not free beer is an option, it understandably takes a while to get rockin’. So, though doors were at eight, upon arriving with fashionable tardiness around the hour of nine, my friend Dean and I found ourselves just in time for the first set to start. And to be honest, it wasn’t that bad at all.

Like I said, I’m not huge on punk rock, but I wasn’t displeased with the performance. It was a little samey to start with, a couple of songs melding together without any real differentiation between them. However, diversity was not dead, and the quad-piece pulled together a last few rather hyped up and jumpy tracks to round off the set. The only pointers I’d have given were to give the set list a bit of a shake down, try throwing in a few slower, more mellow songs if only to show us that you have the talent to write for more than one, distinct genre. There was a fair amount of skill involved between the two guitarists, their timing and queue’s taken from each other were near enough to perfect and the rhythm/lead relationship seemed well founded. Vocals could use a little work, but then, so do most people.

I don’t get to bitch a lot. You’d be surprised, for all the snarky, sassy comments I make and the pointers I give, I really don’t bitch about people a lot. I give constructive criticism, that’s all. But on this occasion, I really can’t hold back. Second band, again, I didn’t catch the name, but who told this guy he could sing and should play in a band? It’s like telling a penguin it can fly, and to go jump off that cliff. The drumming was on time and barely held the performance together, so kudos to that guy and, though the riffs from the guitars and bass were primarily the same for every song, it wasn’t sloppy or broken, so that was a saving grace, I suppose. But the singing; oh, the singing. This guy should take up a different hobby, like balloon modelling, or sculpture, because the only time I’ve had a more difficult half hour of music was listening to the View desecrate the good name of the Dundee music scene. I pray that these guys don’t start stalking Pete Docherty, or we’ll be awash with more wailing over the radio. Practice, for the love of god, before you play live again. You cleared out the audience.

Which was a shame, because the third act were a breath of fresh air. Cole Appleyard (got that one!) are a three piece that have just laid down their first EP and, to be perfectly fair to Coop, Kieran and Dave, it’s pretty damn good. It’s jumpy, catchy, full of life and balanced, not too samey and not so diverse that you’re left wondering what style they are trying to go for. I have to admit, I was a little worried, because I had heard a fair bit about them and, judging from the description of their genre and style, I wasn’t salivating. But, though it didn’t make me want to run to HMV and buy album upon album of similar tastes, it was still enough to keep me in my place rather than leave after the previous act. I only picked up on one or two botched notes, both vocally and on the guitar, but they were quickly rectified, showing the singer, Dave, as one who knows his capacity, and is capable of controlling his voice well. A good job, guys.

And that takes us to the last band, State of Affairs, and again, I’d been told all sorts of things about these guys, good and bad, light and dark, sarcastic snipes as well as praise, so I didn’t really know what to expect when they came on, which is best, I think. Not having a predisposed opinion of someone is the best and quickest way to get to know them, and after hearing their opening song, I’d like very much to get to know these guys. Where as the rest of the night so far, as I’ve said, had been mainly punk-based, State of Affairs brought with them a much more balanced and mature form of music, combining some really mellow vocals with harder riffs as well as showing the crowd that they knew what they were doing. A truly commendable performance, I saw a lot in the set that I enjoyed and I will certainly be keeping an eye out for future performances.

So a somewhat varied night, in terms of everything from musical taste to talent, but in the end, it’s the overall picture that will out, and my overall feeling is that I still love the Westie for it’s gigs.

Back from the dead, Fopp and missing gigs...

2007-07-19T11:55:00.000Z

Jeese, it's been a while, huh. To say the least, I've been somewhat absent from the music scene, what with all the writing I've been trying to do, the art I've been trying to draw and the dropping-out-of-uni-to-get-a-full-time-job-only-to-realise-it-was-a-mistake-and-re-apply-to-the-same-course, *breathe*, well... you can tell I've been kinda busy.

I tried to write a novel; twice, in fact, but they both fell through. It started out with one story line, based loosely on a role-play world I wrote for at the time before I got bored of it, realising that the genre was outdated and not as reflexive as I originally thought they might be. Then I moved on to possibly the most original story line I have ever concocted in my life, called Redermia, a steam-powered future city built under the surface of a post-apocalyptic Earth. It was fun, but I just didn’t seem to have the patience for it. Still in the works, Redermia will most likely become my final year project in uni, so all is well that ends well.

I was going to make a webcomic based around it too, but that also fell through. Instead, I’m currently laying down a storyline for “Finding Tokyo”, a story about a boy (me) who goes to Tokyo on holiday but ends up staying there, as he loves it so much. I have a few online friends in Japan who are going to help me with stuff like geographical and cultural references so it should be a laugh.

As for the music, well, I’ve been on the hunt. Did you hear about Fopp? Oh Noes! I used to love that shop! And it shut down over night. I mean, seriously; they were only accepting cash in a lot of stores as their “card systems were temporarily down” which translates into “we are so sure we’re going into administration, we won’t have the time to process payments.” Kinda funny, really.

I’ve been getting into The Mars Volta in a big way, recently, after a friend of mine leant me their ‘Deloused in The Comatorium’ album. I was blown away, frankly; it was somewhat awesome. And from that, stemmed the seeds of venture, finding such bands as The Sleeping, People in Planes, Mars Volta’s predecessors At The Drive In and a great band I have to mention at least three times today to anyone who’s listening, Wax on the Radio. Seriously, get out there and buy an album, I’d recommend ‘Exposition’. Big thanks to the guys are Pandora.com for their ever vigilant updating of the site and music databases. It really is the best way to find new music these days; eat your heart out Radio 1.

So I’ve been trying to take in a lot of gigs locally recently, also, due to encouragement from many people to start this back up again (thanks to Casper and Lorri especially), and I was absolutely outraged to find that I missed Nine Black Alps in the Westport Bar on Monday night. I really need to keep an eye on Groucho’s ticket sales for this kind of thing, because that’s no small amount of awesome, with a band like that playing in the Westie, as all who frequent affectionately refer to it. But I did take in a good one last night, Wednesday. I’m not going to rant about it here, I’ll put up a review later on today, as this is a “hullo, I’m back from them dead” post and not a “woo! Music!” post.

It’s good to be writing again, though. I’ll update the blog and the myspace as much as is humanly possible from now on. Also, with money being as tight as it is, gigs are difficult to get to, but more on that later, too. Keep an eye on the myspace bulletins, as they’ll tell you where and when and, more importantly, whom I’ll be reviewing. Link to the myspace is on the right, there. Add me, I love friends!

Love and that.

M_x

I Think, Therefore I Am

2006-08-23T15:42:00.000Z

It’s 4 am when Myk stumbles back into his house after a night out. He was determined to go out and enjoy a gig without writing about it afterwards. Now he’s sitting down to write one. Reasoning being, he just saw Descartes play…

When I go to a gig, I pretty much expect it to be in a place I know, like the Doghouse or the Westport or the Reading Rooms. What I don’t expect is to see three bands crammed into a small pub which has no reputation for live music whatsoever. I have never been to a gig at the Globe Bar and I am doubtful I will again but that night, Sunday 20th August, I’m glad I did. I’ll throw in the negative now so that I can deal with the positive with a higher profile.

The set up was awful. Giving it credit would be slanderous from the out start, I’m sure; the Globe is not a good place for a gig. The acoustics are wrong, the layout of the floor is cramped beyond that ‘intimate’ setting for a small show and the vocals for all three bands were audible, but only to the point of muffled noise. Unfortunately, the words and lyrics were all lost in a sea of guitars and drums, which sucks as lyrics are the foundation for a song. Without them, a song is only half what it can be, unless said song is stupendously intricate enough to become a great instrumental piece. Pointing out that this set up wasn’t the bands fault but the venues would be preliminary and superfluous, so I won’t do it. At all.

Another 3-band-set kicking off with ‘Dave?’, a four piece with a ridiculously young drummer (young maybe, but good) who produced some rocking numbers, a little too Libertines-esque for my tastes but talented nonetheless. With a number of gigs already under their belt and a few nicely original songs written, I look forward to hearing more about them, though I’m not sure what to make of the rhetorical band name. Catchy though. Second up on the list were ‘The Inside Story’, a three piece with a number of inventive songs. Again, pretty punky, a band that clearly enjoys themselves when playing and, nearer the end of the set, they produced some seriously awesome tunes which I found myself drumming the table along to. I liked these two bands a lot and I endeavour to see them both again soon. However, it was Descartes I came to see, after being invited along for the third time.

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the four guys who have been hollering at me for weeks to get me along to one of their gigs. And why, oh why, did I not go? I refuse to miss another performance, if this was less than good for them, which I’m told it was. My meaning being the set up, again ruining an otherwise top-quality performance. It saddens me to see a really good band blame themselves for a bad performance when they had no control over certain aspects of it at all. That being said, I know they’ll probably hate me for this, but I’m going to say it anyway; why the hell is this band not signed?

Playing favourites such as ‘Fever Never Felt This Good’, Descartes had the entire crowd up or at least watching what they could see over those damned tall indie boys (!) and singing along to most tracks. A band that can do that to a crowd is going somewhere and fast. I hope they remember me when they release their 6th platinum album.

I have to say though, I’m pretty sure the pink Telecaster© did it for me…

M_x <3

Clowns To The Left Of Me, Jokers To The Right...

2006-08-22T20:11:00.000Z

It’s occurred to me before that local gigs might be difficult to write about; most people reading this have probably never heard of the bands mentioned. For some reason, I thought for a moment that this made the reviews pointless before realising that it made them even more important. Now, after reading this review, I invite you to find yourself at gigs with any or all of these bands and decide for yourself your opinions. I am merely a candle by which to light the way. Apparently.

Local bands are fun. There’s always a debate raging of whether or not you can criticise them for their performances. Generally, unsigned bands hate being criticised and scrutinised but, in my opinion, if a band of any calibre can’t take it, then they should really reconsider their future in music industry. That said, most of them are just there for a laugh, to have fun and make a few bucks here and there which is fair enough. But there’s a difference between having a good time and letting yourself slip.

Our story begins at the Westport Bar, 8pm on Thursday the 17th of August, 2006. After receiving multiple emails from some of the bands involved, I decided that this night would be a great opportunity to get dug in to some new bands, all of which I was unfamiliar with. Opening the set were the Velocettes, playing to a smaller audience than most had anticipated; alas, the curse of first band up. Now, I’ve heard things about this band, I’ve heard their recordings on MySpace and, through word of mouth, I became somewhat excited about seeing them. Unfortunately, I was less than rewarded for my anticipation, finding instead a rather sub-par performance. The sound system (admittedly, not the bands fault) was a little too loud, to the point where all sounds melded together and became grey. The songs are brilliantly written and where as they aren’t something completely new, the Velocettes certainly have talent, even if it was wasted tonight. And as far as the showmanship is concerned, to be perfectly honest, the whole performance seemed much more like a practice session rather than a live show. And vocal harmonies need a think, guys.

Next up, the Grace Emily’s who came across immediately as much more refined. Their sound was clear, clean and invigorating, their music much more polished and professional. They knew they were playing to an audience who had paid to see them and they lived up to expectations too. After hearing a few of their songs numerous times on their MySpace page (god-bless MySpace), I was glad to hear their live performance was as good as, if not better than the online recordings. Playing the crowd is always important to local bands and the Grace Emily’s gave us something to watch, though, due to the size of the guy in front of me, I pretty much failed to see them at all. The music was more important. All in all for the ‘Emily’s I would offer only once piece of advice; spread your wings a little. About half way through the set, I found myself losing attention as the songs began to melt together, each one becoming the next, just a little differently. ‘Samey’ is what I would say, but nevertheless, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Just fine tune it.

The Harlequin Abattoir’s were the main attraction, performing just as spectacularly as usual. They were also the band who invited me along and for that, I send my grateful thanks. Luckily for them, I had nothing to really pick up on and so have nothing really to bitch about. The sound was clean and clear, the songs were strong and fresh and the one band member in particular actually promoted the band anonymously in the bathroom, which made me laugh. Again with the MySpace, the Harlequin’s produced top-quality renditions of their recorded songs along with some others; I may be wrong, but I think I could pick out some new material? I’m not too sure, but whether it was new or not, it was good. The songs were different enough to hold your attention and yet they all held a crystalline quality that held them all together. Ending the story, late, late on, the Harlequin’s are a band to watch.

To hear the songs for yourself, don’t forget to visit the forum and check the ‘Links’ section.

M_x <3

Turning It Up To Eleven

2006-08-03T23:12:00.000Z

There aren't many times I'm inspired to come home immediately from a gig and turn on my pc with writing a review firmly set in mind. Especially at midnight, when I should, really, be drinking more. It also isn't very often that I am somewhat acquainted with the band, though this time, I'm happy to say that they at least know who I am. And that's a start, at least; we've all got to start somewhere, huh?

"The Piranha Tank" is the brain-child of Pet Piranha Records, a label inspired by likes of Organart.com and Chemikal Underground and aiming to be one of Scotland's most exciting and hard working record labels / zines with a nose for discovering and helping new bands and artists. Originally set up to release records by Dundee rock band Mercury Tilt Switch, the label has expanded to help otherwise ignored Scottish bands release records, gain exposure and tour, including Dundee band, Alamos. Now, "The Piranha Tank" is once a month started tonight, Thursday 3rd August at Satchmo's Basement in Dundee. The idea is we take over the basement (which has a bar) and we play whatever we want from Tool to Mogwai, Mclusky to Refused. There will also be an unadvertised band playing, ever month and it's from 9pm to midnight. People can then go to 'Felt' at The Reading Rooms if they wish. Alamos were tonight’s unadvertised band, though the air this week was rife with the rumour of them playing and the crowd was drawn like moths to the candle light.

Alamos, on form, are peerless. There's no doubting that, it's just plain fact. And on most performances, they are beyond expectations. Like Muse, the Brothers Keiller and Fritz, back on bass after his departure some many moons ago, Alamos just keep getting better with each passing show. And this is saying something, as due to my unacceptable lack of going out as a result of 'cut funding', my appearances at gigs are few and far between. All to change, I might add. Bringing out some true Mclusky-come-Shellac vocals and riffs, the threesome turned it all the way up to eleven, causing vibrations that probably created some severe internal haemorrhaging.

Playing favourites such as Kill-Baby-Kill, Small Ships and Polemics, all from the debut self-titled album, I found myself somewhat inspired to jump up on stage and join in with the brilliance of the band that I've been a fan of since their beginnings, back in the day and under a different name. Though, to be fair, comparing the modern Alamos to their past selves, Yardstick, just isn't worth it; there is no competition. The immaturity in the writing and style is gone, replaced with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of strength and insightful writing, the bass lines in particular sending some shivers up your spines as you're reminded that you're watching a local band play in a basement instead of the enormously popular group playing an equally enormous gig, like they should be.

One thing I've always thought Alamos lacked though, was a touch of humour. I've always felt that the boys were a tad too serious during play and outside of the gig-time too, but now, with the much anticipated return of Fritz, the fun's back. Supplying the crowd, such as it was, with witty remarks and running commentary, the bass-thundering-machine that he is still knows how to separate the concentration that comes with great playing with the banter in-between songs and sets. A welcome return to a winning combination, in my opinion.

This 'party' happens but once a month, but get yourselves down to Satchmos Basement next month (keep your eye on the forum for the date) and see it all for yourself. Again, as ever, the band for September's party will be un-advertised, so it'll be a 'Surprise! ... Lame!"

Don't forget to visit the links page and check these bands out for yourselves!

M_x <3

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

2006-07-28T17:20:00.000Z

Debut albums always bring tricky situations with them; for new, aspiring artists the challenge is steep indeed, having to try and force oneself upon the general public and get noticed, find funding... all that jazz. For artists and musicians who are already very well known and are striving to reach out and make it on their own, the task at hand is an even greater challenge. Making your music sound as good as it has in the past but at the same time trying to create something new and different enough to set you apart from that past is a goal that is not easily tackled. Hell, just writing that down broke a sweat. Thom Yorke, the singularly brilliant lead vocalist and inspiration behind Radiohead has decided to tackle this mountain. And truth to tell, he could have done better.

Getting the obvious out of the way first there are extremely obvious Radiohead influences in there. Very good ones too. If you're asking my opinion (and you better be), Radiohead more recently have been going steadily down hill. We have an announcement of a seventh album and quite frankly, I'm not getting too excited. Back in the day, with Pablo Honey and The Bends, we could be satisfied with the tingling sensation the brilliantly written tracks gave us but which, unfortunately dies out as the albums progress after Kid A, which was half and half, as well as Amnesiac off of which I can claim to like 3 tracks only and Hail to the Thief which I downright cannot listen to. So to see that Yorke has gone back to his roots, drawing from his earlier work to stem the flow of rubbish and mould it into a sound that we all want to hear is a warming feeling. Unfortunately, this also rather lets him down; the album is just too much of a Radiohead album and doesn't strike away from the band enough to allow us see Yorke on his own. Still, there are a few jems to be sure, certain songs stand out above the usual 'modern' Radiohead and actually make you turn your head and listen.

Album title-track opener, The Eraser, starts the whole thing off on a hiccupping piano sample and some gently insistent vocal acrobatics: "The more you try to erase me/ The more that I appear," sings Yorke, in the first of the album's many lines that could just as easily be about environmental crises as personal. Next up is the skittering Analyse, which marries a twinkling piano lead to a breakbeat made of crushed glass. Lyrically, Yorke is in solid form, singing about algebra, candles in the city, and "no light in the dark." He's not nearly as sharp on the sleepy-eyed Atoms for Peace ("Peel all your layers off/ I want to eat your artichoke heart" - please, you can do better than that!), but it provides some of the album's most serene moments, wherein he sets his falsetto against a wall of discordant keyboard drones to gorgeously vertiginous effect. Better still is the closer Cymbal Rush, a wash of digital burbles and woozy drones, the song's second half relents to a set of galloping piano chords and complex rhythm tracks, making it, from a producer-ly standpoint, the most accomplished thing here.

Where The Eraser sags is in the middle, with tracks 3-5 falling particularly flat. Like too many of Radiohead's new songs (and here, again, is the comparative medium of band to solo artist), they contain a single weak idea dragged on interminably. The Clock is a tuneless clatter of insect noises and acoustic guitars that never changes course; Black Swan is a swamp bucket I Might Be Wrong retread that barely even flaps its wings (never mind gets off the ground); and the horrorshow talkie Skip Divided, with its cursory arrangements and total absence of melody, feels like second-rate performance poetry.

On a smaller scale, the problems afflicting these tracks afflict the album as a whole; even allowing for the better-crafted songs, there's little-to-no dynamic range on The Eraser. As a listening experience, it's claustrophobic and compressed, and with rare exception, offers little in the way of wide open space. What little breathing room there is usually comes courtesy of Yorke's vocal, and while it's nice to see him once again testing the limits of what he can do naturally with his voice, it might not be enough to save the record for some. The word 'gray' will be used to describe The Eraser, and with good reason; unless you're predisposed to loving everything Yorke sets his voice against, you mind fight this an oppressively dreary affair. My totally catty suggestion: don't bother with this unless you've already worn out the grooves on Jonny Greenwood's much less-heralded but completely brilliant Bodysong soundtrack. Or maybe, if you're really jonseing, set up two stereos and play both solo records at once, Zaireeka-style. I wouldn't be surprised at all if that worked.

Through it all, the main thing that brings The Eraser down is Yorke's adherance to Radiohead's ideals and just doesn't push himself far enough away from the band he is so inclined to be associated with. Stick with the old stuff and you can't go wrong. Continue in this vein and end up the way of MetallicA; greatness falls easily. It just takes one album to far, St. Anger.

5/10

M_x <3>

A Homecoming

2006-07-26T19:22:00.002Z

We now have a place to chat. http://z6.invisionfree.com/MusicThatMakesYouGo
Feel free to visit and join up, chat about music and other things in the world and spread the word... These forums are fun and friendly.

On a swift tangent here, Bottleneck John, the blues artist from the Dundee Blues Bonanza that I wrote about a while ago contacted me the other day, wanting to use some of my review on his site and to send me a CD with some of his tracks on it to review also. I must say, I am honoured and a little surprised that he found the site and would love to know who else is watching.
That said, those who are reading, please feel free to join up at the above forum and chat to me about anything you wish... especially music. My banner also links to the site now.

Cheers all.

M_x <3

Sandi Thom - Smile... It Confuses People

2006-07-20T17:20:00.000Z

Sandi Thom’s route to musical stardom is very much a traditional one, albeit updated for the internet age. Whereas unsigned or upcoming bands used to hit the road and tour until they became successful, Sandi Thom played her “21 Nights From Tooting” tour entirely from her home, broadcasting to audiences via the internet on Myspace.com. If the rumours are true, she was attracting stadium sized audiences by the end of this period, with “crowds” of up to 70,000 people tuning in, but there is now some doubt over this. Whether true or not, I wasn’t overly distracted by the hype, even though I was aware of it, which in itself is a novelty for me. Usually, if something is hyped this much, I tend to avoid it, but this time I was swayed by the sheer quality of the debut single, which had me humming it for the best part of a week the first time I heard it. But so many artists who come to fame suddenly only have one decent tune, so could Sandi Thom buck that trend and put out a decent album?

The album certainly gets off to a good start with “When Horsepower Meant What It Said”. It’s a bouncy pop tune, driven by her vocals and the guitar. There’s a slight country feel to it, making it sound a little like something Sheryl Crow would do if she was in a really good mood. You can almost hear the enjoyment Sandi Thom is getting out of this tune and it’s a jaunty little song that gets your feet tapping. Next up is the debut single and the song that got stuck in my head for a week. “I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in my Hair)” is far more laid back than the previous track, largely driven by the vocals, but with quite a driving beat. If you have a portable music player, this is an ideal song to be walking along the street to. The vocal delivery is quite reminiscent of Tracy Chapman, although there’s not the same political message, with the exception of a slight dig at Tony Blair.

Things calm down a little for “Lonely Girl”. It’s more of a ballad and more heavily weighted towards the pop end of the spectrum, without the folk influence. It’s more rounded musically as well, with more than just the guitar and vocals this time, like any other pop ballads. It sounds close to something from Amy Studt’s “False Smiles” album, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but without the whiny teenage angst, which definitely is. The pace stays low and the feeling laid back for “Sunset Borderline”, which is a simple guitar based pop ballad. There are shades of Amy Studt here again, which is a worry as her album had a couple of decent songs and then went horribly wrong. It feels as if the album has lost its way a little here, as this track doesn’t really go anywhere.

Fortunately, the opening to “Little Remedy” is far more upbeat and promises to be another jaunty pop tune. It’s not quite as bouncy as the album opener, but it’s certainly got some of the same elements, with a slight folk tinge to the music and a backing vocal that could have been borrowed straight from the Corrs. If there was a slight hint of country before, it comes far more to the fore in the guitar intro to “Castles”, which sounds slightly reminiscent of some of the Dolly Parton songs my Dad used to play around the house when I was younger. It doesn’t quite descend into a full on country ballad, but the influence is definitely there, albeit with a pop edge. Sadly, this is much like “Sunset Borderline” in that it doesn’t really do too much to grab you, which is a shame as it’s the longest track on the album, being the only one over 4 minutes long.

As earlier in the album, Thom shows that she has the quality to bounce back from a minor upset like this with “What If I’m Right”, which may be the next single. It harks back to the album opener again, with a jaunty, bouncy beat and a slight folk influence, although it’s definitely a pop tune. It’s a slightly slower track than “…Horsepower…”, but no less jaunty for it. The lyrics are well worth a listen as well, as they add to the song’s sense of fun, which is confirmed by the ending. The guitar intro to “Superman” sounds worryingly like Paul McCartney’s “Mull of Kintyre” and that’s not a sound that changes greatly throughout the song. It’s a very simple mid-tempo pop track, but doesn’t really do a great deal, apart from the falsetto vocal in the chorus.

Once again, there’s a delightful track to follow up a slightly lacklustre one. “Human Jukebox” plays to Thom’s obvious strengths, with a slight folk-rock tinge to what is already a decent, bouncy pop tune. The lyrics make it sound like an updated version of Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing”, but it sounds more like a Michelle Branch or Sheryl Crow song in many parts. The album finishes with a down tempo number, which haven’t proved to be Thom’s better tracks. In contrast to this, however, “Time” is a simple acoustic ballad and the higher vocal is again in evidence and the lyrics are well observed. True to it's title, the song makes you feel the passage of time, familiar pangs reach you from well back in your childhood, the lyrics reflecting experiences we all remember. Beautiful, haunting almost and most certainly brings you to the brink of tears.

From a promising start, the album does fade slightly; giving the feel of using whatever songs Thom happened to have lying around. I wonder if she has held back some of her better material, waiting to see what might happen to her fledgling pop career before unleashing them onto the public. If that is the case, then her second album were certainly be worth watching out for and it suggests she’s playing the game a lot smarter than your average “Pop Idol” discovered artist, although she does have more freedom to do that. However, despite the slight up and down nature of the quality of the songs here, it’s not a bad album, all told. The ballads certainly aren’t Thom’s strong point, but they’re far from being offensive, settling instead for being lacklustre and uninteresting. But that is more than compensated for by the better tracks here, which are great to listen to and a lot of fun. When Thom is good, she is very, very good and when she’s bad, she’s not really all that bad.

If you’re a fan of pop music with an edge, such as the likes of Sheryl Crow or K T Tunstall, this will certainly be your thing, as it’s not too dissimilar to their work, but with a happier edge. If you’re into pop music as a whole, you need to buy this album, as it’s full of decently crafted pop songs, with frequently intelligent lyrics and a bouncy beat. The only down side is that at only 32 minutes long, it’s not great value at the Play.com price of £8.95, or for £8.75 from CD Wow or £7.99 on Amazon, no matter how good it might be. However, prices are coming down elsewhere, with £4.29 the best from the Amazon Marketplace and there being plenty of copies on eBay from 99 pence. Forget the length of the album; this is good enough to be an absolute steal at that price. If ever an album deserved to put all the hype aside and be listened to on its merits, this is the one. No matter how she came about it, Sandi Thom is talented enough to have deserved her chance at the big time and I think she’s done well enough to get another album, which will be the really testing one. For now, don’t believe all that you may hear, just listen.

7/10

M_x <3

Bands Beat Back at the Blues Bonanza

2006-07-04T13:34:00.001Z

I hate my job, I’ll tell you. Ever weekend I have to spend 7 hours on Saturday and 7 hours on Sunday tidying a department store and this weekend, I got to do it while one of the best two-day mini-festivals was in town; the Dundee Blues Bonanza. Thirty-two bars and clubs around the west-end of the city played host to eighty-six bands (yes, eighty-six!) over 48 hours and it was fantastic.

Or it would have been, had I been able to catch the majority of it…

Luckily for me, I don’t work past eight o’clock, so immediately from said work I headed out to see if I could visit any of the musicians and bands in all their splendour. Lo’ and behold, I actually managed to catch a few on Saturday night; The Jed Thomas band, a mix of Celtic, Blues, Psycho Billy and good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll and, as ever, Jed put every part of his being into his music. Playing a variety of upbeat, toe-tapping tunes, the four-piece band, including a double-bass and harmonica (as only the best blues can), rocked it up something fierce in Lloyds No.1’s. Not so much playing the crowd, the four guys seemed so absorbed in their music to care who was listening; I think we could have all walked away and they wouldn’t have noticed. One let down I feel, was that all their songs were so upbeat, it got a little tiring after a while, feeling the same speed or faster come at you time and again. That said however, if it isn’t broken don’t try to fix it, and Jed and co. are pretty damn good at what they do.

Moving ever forwards in our quest for music that night, Pack of Lies, a 3-piece from Dumfries just didn’t cut it in the Nether Inn. After being told that they were “a young Band with a mature sound encompassing many Blues styles and influences”, I expected to see talent, energy and showmanship, yet all I saw was noise and rock. It was like any normal gig in town, a fairly generic band whose blues influences must have stemmed from Led Zeppelin; the sound was there alright, just buried beneath layers of vague sounds. A shame really, after all I’d heard and read about them, I’d expected something superior to the Nether’s usual tastes but to no avail. I was greeted instead with the samey, 3-4 minute repetitive riffs until the band finally settled on one good idea for thirty seconds, at which point the song ended. The talent is there, no doubt, it just needs work. A lot of work.

50 ml of bourbon later, I was about ready to move on to the highlight of the night; the After Hours Club in the Basement. Something should be said about the venue first here, I feel. The Basement is located in South Tay Street, directly beneath and connected to Number 25’s (what is it with bars are number-based names, now-a-days?). On any normal weekend, this late-night club is packed to the brim, its size dictating ‘packed to the brim’ as about thirty people. The live D.J.’s and bands that play regularly bearing down upon their loyal subjects a plethora of blues, jazz, soul and acoustic rock all night, all week. So now that the scene is set for the kind of person that frequents the Basement, you can imagine just how busy the cosy little place was when the Bonanza was in town. The After Hours Club was the conjunction of two artists who had already played elsewhere in town in the early afternoon; Bottleneck John has vast European festival experience, his sound that night transported the listener to a universe where Clapton reigned supreme. The Rattle Snakin’ Daddies were on after John but, due to current work-in-the-morning laws, I didn’t get to stay for the band who are well know for flirting with their audiences. So imagine the scene; a big, brown leather chair and a roaring fire, cocktails and bourbon in abundance, friends, talk and laughter and the very best in laid back blues and acoustic guitar, with a voice that can lift your soul. That, in short, was Bottleneck John and most definitely my favourite act of the night.

Unfortunately for me and for the length of this review, I didn’t get to see anything of Sunday’s performers, but I’m told good and bad things in a positive ratio. To find out more about any of the bands and about the Bonanza itself, visit the link on the right.

Marten <3

Post-Modernistic Paranoia, Or Just Plain Crazy?

2006-06-23T15:22:00.000Z

So I've been thinking about music reviews a lot recently, especially about their ability to push someone towards or away from a certain musical genre or band. Maybe it's just paranoia, but I'm suspicious of whether music reviews colour my opinion of bands that I might otherwise feel different about. Some reviews seem to just scream “this is a fucking good band, go buy the album now!” and some reviews tend to be a little morose about it, saying “if you want to waste your money on this post-grunge crap, be my guest.” In my opinion, a reviewer’s job is not to force upon you his or her own preferences but to make reference to the good and bad qualities in an album and let you decide. That’s the common misconception about criticism.

A good review doesn’t tell you whether you should like or dislike something. It discusses strengths and weaknesses and invites you to make up your own mind based on the information and perspective given to you. But then that’s it; perspective. Two different reviewers could find different positive and negative sides to an argument and then it’s up to you which one to trust. I guess my big worry is that what if, deep within my subconscious, there’s a Good Charlotte fan waiting to be let out and I tell myself “No, Martey, don’t go down that road! There are parts of ourselves that we are never meant to know…”

I worry that I’m being a hypocrite when I write my reviews, that I’m subliminally forcing my opinions upon those who read them. But then, as long as I’m true to my own ideas, and no one argues with me or points out my mistakes, I’m pretty sure I can deal with the slight nagging paranoia!

Reviewing the new Thom Yorke album ‘The Eraser’ when it comes out, so keep an eye open for that. Release date in the U.k. is 10 Jul 2006.

Martey <3

Muse - Black Holes and Revelations

2006-06-15T13:51:00.000Z

Muse are a funny band, aren't they? Just when you think you know them, they go and change just about everything it is possible to change. I'm just surprised they haven't yet changed, say, their own names, intermarried and had the ugliest children the world has ever seen. Let's be honest here, it's the only surprise left for them. The new album can be described as the mix of pre-symbol Prince or Marilyn Manson on helium with some sort of Prodigy/Queen hybrid. The end result is something of great beauty and a continued haunting infatuation with war and global destruction. That said, Matt Bellamy is certainly taking us somewhere new.

Opening track, 'Take A Bow', takes over where 'Absolution' left off with dark space age synths and Matt's "2000 AD"-like preacherish declarations of sin and hell fire. From here, we're suddenly thrown into a tangent of tracks like 'Starlight' (an Abba gig on the moon) and 'Map Of The Problematique' - a dance-floor electro impersonation of a Bond theme. 'Supermassive Black Hole' brings a turn into space funk with their lead single. Already tearing up the airwaves, it sounds even more like the pure pop genius it undoubtedly is within the confines of the album. Hardcore fans scared off by the single take note; it'll all make sense when you hear it in context.

Every Muse album is jam packed with brilliant songs, as we know, but there's always one track which stands out completely, one song which you just know the boys sat down with for 40 minutes before even writing anything down. 'Showbiz' had 'Cave', 'Origins' had 'Bliss' (in my opinion, though you can argue 'Plug in Baby' and 'New Born' too), at the helm of 'Absolution' was 'Hysteria', of course. So what about 'Black Holes and Revelations'? Will it be 'Supermassive Black Holes', 'Map of the Problematique' or 'Knights of Cydonia'? Hard to say, really, they all have the makings of a track synonymous with the other leading examples. But in the end, it's 'Knights of Cydonia' I keep coming back to time and again, when the monk like chanting and a falsetto that will send canines running for cover kick in. Backed by a brass section and completely crammed with a maddening amount of vibrato, it's the first ever space western; the kind of song that would be great in post-River-awakening Firefly. A shootout at high noon for three minutes before we get a Muse-come-Queen Bohemian Rhapsody of harmonies. Mix in a good amount of an AC/DC sized riff and the world promptly ends.

The sad thing is, the whole album is going to scare off a lot of hardcore fans who won't grasp that change is good. Whereas 'Absolution' viewed the world in helplessness at the subjugation of humanity by corrupt world leaders and encroaching environmental or galactic disasters, 'Black Holes And Revelations' calls for nothing short of a global revolution. Yet again, Muse have shown us there is no end to the change they can reap upon themselves and their fans. The music in the 60's really didn't inspire the hippies to stage a world uprising (being that stoned leaves little room for action). Muse, however, have a shot at it. The time has come and the New Muse Order is on the rise.

8/10

Martey <3

Zero 7 - The Garden

2006-06-14T18:22:00.000Z

If we're talking methphorically here, as we so often do, I want these guys to come and give my garden a make over. If, in some parallel universe, Zero 7 are actually gardeners, you can expect to see their creations buzzing with warm pop plantations, lush instrumentational hanging baskets, unobtrusive electronica evening lights, and '60s-style water-feature harmonies.

The first album had me hooked. Simple Things brought with it an echoing beauty normally represented in Greek myth as a beautiful naked woman with the rough sultry vocals and acoustic stratchings in songs like Destiny and Out of this World. Add that to a bowlful of wahwah and synth piano-flvaoured grapes and we get Distractions. Ok, we're picking on the obvious bests but still, it's an overview; deal with it. Following sharply with the, if possible, even better When It Falls, the band begin to develop their musical intuition further, experimenting with more bassy beginnings, as in Home and, on my part, an almost exclusive love of the acoustic Somersault. The title track openining with a similar electronica rising creshendo to the Garden's own Throw It Away.

So yes, the similarities are there, between the first two albums and Zero 7's latest creation, but what about the differences? The Garden has a more balanced calm-to-upbeat ratio, to start with, with songs such as You're My Flame and Futures more likely to get your foot tapping than the beautiful remix of Jose Gonzales' Crosses (who, by the way, makes a number of special appearences - not to be missed). To be as unbaised as I can be (Zero 7 are one of my top 3 bands of all time), I have to admit that the band took a huge risk, changing themsleves as much as they have clearly tried to. Although thoroughly brilliant albums, the first two did have a little too much in common; put them back to back on media player, hit shuffle and watch as those infidels who know not of Zero 7 struggle to pick one album apart from the other. Try this with The Garden, however, and the fresh, edgy and more experimental new album pokes it head up above the rest.

So after the first and second great albums, the Garden is Zero 7's first really out and out amazing creation, moving their music career in a new direction. This direction is still beautifully plush and atmospheric, stimulating your sensual mood. But, what differs on the Garden is their formula; subtract some of Zero 7's more typical downtempo elements (becoming a bore over time as numerous groups copy and paste it over and over again) and add in interesting elements of classic soul and we get the 60's/70's feel to it, which is socially conscious. While I salute downtempo groups who are so damn cool (Air) and while it hurts me to see downtempo groups become stagnant and repetative (Theivery), the Garden yet again places Zero 7 as the most interesting.

9/10

Marten <3

Up and Coming

2006-06-14T17:37:00.000Z

Hay there. I'm Marten and I'm here to create the musical musings of the next generation. On a weekly basis, at least at first, there will be postations of my smartass comments and sassy innuendo on my favourite albums and new releases.

On top of my favourite releases, everyone loves a good bitch, so slating will be a plenty, as well as reviews of local bands around Dundee and gig's i have had the privilage (and money) to frequent.

Hype over, read up, kids.