SWEET BABOO & THE VOLUNTARY BUTLER SCHEME @ THE DEAF INSTITUTE 14 JULY 2008

Well three quick observations:
1. There's me posting yesterday about having no gig tickets booked for July and August but then managed to fit this gig in at short notice.
2. The Deaf Institute is now my new favourite venue.
3. This was a bloody brilliant night.

The Deaf Institute is (literally) the building that housed Manchester's Deaf and Dumb Institute. Rescued and renovated by the lovely people who run Trof in the Northern Quarter, it now has three floors: basement bar, ground floor bar and cafe, and first floor Music Hall. The latter is a large high ceiled room with a high stage at one end and a huge alcove opposite it that has tiered wooden pews inside. On the stage left there is a bar down one side and an exit to a rooftop terrace; stage right more seating and a glass and steel balcony. The late Victorian building has period wallpaper on every level but feels light, airy and the contemporary bars and lighting give it a warm, bohemian feel. And the Music Hall has a fabulous and rather large mirror ball. It all felt decadent and welcoming at the same time. And on this night the sound was great too.

First up were Walton Hesse who were new to me. A six piece who play country-rock in a Jayhawks/early Wilco-style; the male vocal lead was very Jeff Tweedy at times (this is a good thing). And despite the checked shirts and facial hair to give that authentic Americana look they are, apparently, "local". More dates coming up in Manchester in August - definitely worth seeing.

Following a short tour of the Deaf Institute's three floors to admire the decor, it was back for more drinks and The Voluntary Butler Scheme. Saw him last here and since then he has supported Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong and confused their Smash Hits (sic) teen audience expecting ROCK with his kazoo- and ukelele-accompanied songs. Floppy of fringe and casual of demeanour, Rob Jones ("a sportsman's name" hence the convoluted 'band' name) is a talented multi-instrumentalist who loops live samples (e.g. tapping back of ukelele or tambourine) to create rhythm tracks he then plays keyboard or guitar over. It's very inventive and great fun to watch but he's got the tunes to back it up too. He included a cover of The Foundation's Build Me Up Buttercup (played for a Radio 2 session recently because they wanted something 'appropriate') and I felt that most of his songs were better.

And then Sweet Baboo. I tend to avoid anything "hotly tipped" as preposterous hype. And it was interesting to note appearances in the relatively small crowd (of about 80?) of radio DJs Marc Riley and Stuart Maconie (sessions ahoy?) plus also poet Simon Armitage(?!). Now good though Sweet Baboo was, he just ain't going to be the huge star this suggests - he's just too plain odd for mass acceptance.

SB performs solo, seated, with only an acoustic guitar. But he is as much an acoustic singer-songwriter as Daniel Johnston is. Or as much a blues singer as Tom Waits. He spins surreal tales involving rabbits, girls, drugs and going to town, mostly at a sedate tempo. As self-deprecating as The Voluntary Butler Scheme between songs, he is also very funny in reflecting on his own short-comings. He confessed to only knowing two covers and played both: 'I'm A Tiger' by Lulu (must get a copy of the original!) and 'True Love Will Find You In The End' by Daniel Johnston. The latter was heart-stoppingly beautiful - particularly with the mirrorball throwing light across him, the room and the audience. He then finshed with a song called 'Jonathan Richman' (a duet for one!) and then 'Tom Waits Rip Off' (a radio session version of this is on his MurdochSpace site).

Three acts in a beautiful setting for £5 (or £3 if you are on the mailing list - here - and get on the Cheapo List). Bargain.

Accompanied tonight by Ms L, I asked her what she made of our two surreal solo performers: although she enjoyed both she did confess "I prefer a lot going on". And we'll leave it there.

TABASCO SOLE
ALARM CLOCK
The Voluntary Butler Scheme [BUY]

TRUE LOVE WILL FIND YOU IN THE END
Daniel Johnston1990 [BUY]

THE GIGLESS SUMMER

Well summer is here in the UK at least for one sunny day. But I find myself without any tickets in hand for gigs in July or August (or September for that matter).

And despite the exceptionally good time had here last year, unlikely I'll be getting to any festivals this summer either. So a pretty bleak prospect. And not due to plenty of good things on.
So to make up for this, I'll construct my ideal summer festival circuit. If I had the cash and the time and no other commitments. All on the boutique side and all programmed by people who love music.

TRUCK FESTIVAL 19 & 20 July Steventon, South Oxfordshire

The grandaddy of the festivals here at 10 years old but still doing well what it always has: putting on great music on a small-scale (5,000 capacity) supported by local suppliers and with profits going to local charities. The site is a working farm with bands performing on the back of trucks and in cow sheds.

As usual, we will not be making a full line-up announcement: TRUCK is about discovering your new favourite band, and rediscovering those resident eccentrics on the fringes, whilst chewing a burger from the Rotary Club or an ice cream from the Vicar, before buying a few pints from those cross-dressing bar staff!
We can announce that The Lemonheads will be headlining! their set will include a start-to-finish rendition of the classic LP 'It's A Shame About Ray'

[BUY TICKETS]

CONFETTI
IT'S A SHAME ABOUT RAY

The Lemonheads
It's A Shame About Ray [BUY]

VELVET UNDERGROUND
The Television Personalities
My Dark Places [BUY]

SUSPENDED FROM CLASS
Camera Obscura
Underachievers Please Try Harder [BUY]

INDIETRACKS 26 & 27 July Midland Railway, Butterly, Derbyshire
Well this is an indiepop festival. With indiepop. Lots of indiepop. Played on a train and in a station. If indiepop or trains are not your thing, avoid. However if they are ... plus there is lovely double CD available here from Make Do Or Mend Records: 45 songs for only £6 including postage. Bargain.
A Classic Education, Airport Girl, Allo, Darlin, Amida, Ballboy, The Bobby McGees, Brontosaurus Chorus, Cocoanut Groove, Colin Clary, The Colliding Lemons, Comet Gain, Darren Hayman, The Deirdres, Dirty Fingernails, Esiotrot, The Foster Kids, The Good Natured, Gregory Webster, Harvey Williams, Je Suis Animal, The Just Joans, The Kabeedies, KateGoes, The Kick Inside, Lardpony, Liechtenstein, Little Things, The Lodger, Los Campesinos!, The Mai 68s, The Manhattan Love Suicides, Marjit Vinjerui, Mexican Kids At Home, The Middle Ones, Milky Wimpshake, Mono Taxi, The Occasional Flickers, The Parallelograms, Pocketbooks, Punk TV, Red Pony Clock, The Retro Spankees, Roadside Poppies, Rory Hill, The Rosie Taylor Project, Shrag, Silence At Sea, Silverdrop, Slow Down Tallahassee, The Smittens, Socks & Shoes, Still Corners, The Starlets, St Christopher, Strawberry Story, Tortoise Shout!, TottieTown Bike, Voluntary Butler Scheme, Winston Echo, The Wave Pictures, The Wedding Present, The Zebras, Zoey Van Goey.
[BUY TICKETS]

DEATH TO LOS CAMPESINOS!
Los Campesinos!
Hold On Now ... Youngster [BUY]

CLASS OF 2000
Amida
Arts and Crafts EP [BUY]

HEY BOY YOU'RE OH SO SENSITIVE
The Just Joans
Hey Boy You're Oh So Sensitive EP [BUY]

OFF FESTIVAL 8 - 10 August Myslowice, Poland
A festival put together by musician Artur Rojek near his home town in Poland which blends local bands (Dick 4 Dick?! Kammerflimmer Kollektief?!) with some great alt-rock names. And very cheap tickets!
Mogwai, British Sea Power, Clinic, Of Montreal, Iron & Wine, Caribou, Hey, Izrael' 83, Leszek Możdżer z projektem Lutosphere, Waglewski Fisz Emade, Menomena, James Chance, Dat Politics, So So Modern, Singapore Sling, Kling Klang, Modified Toy Orchestra, Felix Kubin, Kammerflimmer Kollektief, Homo Twist, Budyń i Sprawcy Rzepaku, Dick 4 Dick, Lao Che, L.u.c & Rahim, Czesław Śpiewa, Kawałek Kulki, Transkapela, Afro Kolektyw, Baaba, Muchy, Reuber, Klangwart, Shofar, Karpaty Magiczne i The Band Of Endless Noise, The Poise Rite, Bajzel, Renton, Karol Schwarz All Stars, Plazmatikon, Polpo Motel, Jacaszek.
[BUY TICKETS]

HARVEST
Clinic
Visitations [BUY]

PASSING AFTERNOON
Iron & Wine

Our Endless Numbered Days [BUY]

HEAVYDALE
Kling Klang
The Esthetik of Destruction [BUY]

END OF THE ROAD FESTIVAL 12 - 14 September, Larmer Tree Gardens, North Dorset
Well you get the well-known headliners (Mercury Rev, Low, Conor Oberst, Tindersticks) plus some of my personal favourites (BSP, The Wave Pictures, Darren Hayman, The Mountain Goats. And I could go on) but what made EOTR last year for me was discovering new and unfamiliar bands. In a great setting. With peacocks. And The Somerset Cider Bus. In addition to the published line-up below there's a couple of additions worth seeing in The Local: The Pictish Trail and The Singing Adams.
A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Absentee, The Accidental, The Acorn, Akron/Family, American Music Club, Angelo Spencer, Baby Dee, Billy Childish, Bob Log III, Bon Iver, Bowerbirds, Brakes, British Sea Power, Calexico, Cate Le Bon, Cats in Paris, Christopher Rees, Congregation, Clare and the Reasons, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Darren and Jack play Hefner songs, David Thomas Broughton, Dead Meadow, Devon Sproule, Dirty Three, El Guincho, FM Belfast, Friska Viljor, The Gentle Good, Gossamer Albatross, Hey Negrita, House of Brothers, Hush The Many, Jason Molina, Jeffrey Lewis, Kelley Stoltz, Kimya Dawson, Kurt Wagner (Lambchop), Laura Marling, Lets Wrestle, Liz Green, Lonely Ghosts, Low, Mercury Rev, Micah P Hinson, The Mountain Goats, Mumford And Sons, Noah And The Whale, Over the Wall, Pete And The Pirates, Peter And The Wolf, Pyramids, Revenge of Shinobi, Richard Hawley, Robyn Hitchcock, Screaming Tea Party, Seabear, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Sons of Noel and Adrian. Sun Kil Moon/Mark Kozelek, The Sylvias, Thinguma*JigSaw, Threatmantics, Tindersticks, Two Gallants, The Wave Pictures, Woodpigeon, Zombie Zombie
[BUY TICKETS]

PEACOCKS
The Mountain Goats
Tallahassee [BUY]

OWL WALTZ
Seabear
The Ghost That Carried Us [BUY]

EVERYTHING BEGINS
Kelley Stoltz
Circular Sounds [BUY]

And it's not quite a festival but special mention must be given to A Day At The Races on Saturday 2 August here in Manchester. Line up here and tickets here.

FROM THE VINYL RACK ... "Mister Heartbreak" by Laurie Anderson

Well I've never worked in a record shop. And I will never own a record shop. But I do own a record shop rack to keep my vinyl in. (Mrs A can barely bring herself to mention its existence she thinks it is so tragic).


The vinyl that I still own is quite selective though. In the early 90s I sold out huge chunks of my record collection to 'upgrade' it CD. What I kept was what was important to me (The Smiths, Pixies, Pere Ubu) or to Mrs A (her Kent Northern Soul albums - more of this on a future occasion) or the stuff I wasn't sure I wanted to 'upgrade'. So I'm left with an odd selection of loved and overlooked - most of it, almost exclusively, from the 80s.

Part of my justification (not that it's needed) for having a rack is that it's easy to access this part of The Archive. Well hasn't happened much to date. But here's where I start digging out old favourites or unfortunate mistakes.

First up is Laurie Anderson's Mister Heartbreak - her second album from 1984.

Now Big Science is an essential purchase in my book; and I swiftly replaced my vinyl copies of this and Home of the Brave. But Mister Heartbreak languished in the 'vinyl-only' pile. I remembered an over-reliance of of-the-moment early 80s synthesisers and a really annoying duet with Peter Gabriel.

Well listening to it today, the duet with Gabriel I still find annoying but there is plenty to admire and enjoy. And I forgot what a fantastic collection of musicians are on the record (Nile Rodgers, Bill Laswell, Anton Fier, Adrian Belew). Here's what All Music says:

Probably the most pop-accessible of Laurie Anderson's recorded work, Mister Heartbreak features a number of stunning luminaries on the cutting edge of popular music at the time. Striking guitar work by King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew permeates this disc — notably on "Sharkey's Day" — punchy and angular. The production and bass work from Bill Laswell is superb. Peter Gabriel — at the time still coming off the buzz of his departure from Genesis — is featured in a duet with Anderson on "Excellent Birds." There is a heavy reliance on early-'80s synthesizers which would normally be very off-putting, but here they are executed well. Nowhere does the music slip into irreparable '80s cliché; it is still an entertaining listen. Lyrics are typical of Anderson' work — complex, literate, provocative, difficult to fully comprehend. Haunting "Gravity's Angel" borrows imagery from Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. Spoken word delivery on "Sharkey's Night" is given by the legendary William S. Burroughs. This is a very satisfying listen and a great intro for those unfamiliar with Anderson's work.

I'd still say start with Home of the Brave or Big Science ...

BLUE LAGOON
SHARKEY'S NIGHT

Laurie Anderson

Mister Hearbreak [BUY]

Here's My Hello From Where The Filthy Flowers Grow

I first came across Thomas Function on the Obscure Sound blog and on the strength of hearing a couple of songs bought the album Celebration. It's great. As simple as that.

It's good sometimes to hear music without any prior knowledge/reference points/baggage. It turns out they (a four-piece band rather than a person) are from Alabama, signed to a label based in California, with an album recorded in Ohio at the legendary Suma studios. But that doesn't tell you about the music.

After a few listens I'm still hearing different bands, from different decades. There's some alt-roots-rock (Filthy Flowers could - almost - be Green on Red); there's stomping punky garage rock (Can't Say No), there's late 70s power-pop meets new wave (Swimming Through a Sea of Broken Glass) and in the yelping, nasal whine of vocalist Joshua Macero I hear both Violent Femmes AND the Buzzcocks at different times. So a refreshing breathe of old air. But still sounding fresh. Highly, highly recommended.

I think Can't Say No could be on a end of year compilation or two ...

CAN'T SAY NO

2012 BLUES

FILTHY FLOWERS

Thomas Function

Celebration [BUY]

MBV AT ROLLERCOASTER 1992

My Bloody Valentine play Manchester Apollo tonight as their comeback tour continues. I'm not there tonight but I did see them as part of the Rollercoaster tour at Brixton Academy in 1992.

At the time this created quite a stir: The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur Jr, three of the loudest bands around at that time, plus young upstarts Blur sharing a bill on equal footing. And the running order of the bands would be drawn each night. Well that's what they said. When Jesus and Mary Chain came on last and a huge lighting rig descended no-one was in doubt about who was headlining. JAMC and Dinosaur Jr can be pretty terrifyingly LOUD at the best of times. But MBV was something else.

I seem to remember the band emerged from four plastic pods - just like in Spinal Tap. I might have this wrong, memory has failed me many times before. But what I have no doubt about was the noise. Now this wasn't just loud. I watched MBV from the very back of the Academy under the overhang from the first floor. And my diaphragm was vibrating painfully. All my internal organs were being shaken up by the waves of sound hitting me. And I was at the back.

This seems to be borne out by reports of their recent London gigs with ear-protectors given out on the way in (here and here). The mystique of MBV is about more than noise but if you are going tonight, I'd advise body protection as well as ear protection.

SOON
OFF YOUR FACE

My Bloody Valentine
Glider EP [BUY]

KILL SURF CITY

HEAD

The Jesus and Mary Chain

Barbed Wire Kisses [BUY]

FREAK SCENE

JUST LIKE HEAVEN
Dinosaur Jr.

Fossils [BUY]

Also tonight The Fall plus John Cooper Clarke and Bobby Peru at Manchester Academy. Spoilt for choice! Tickets here.

BRITISH SEA POWER @ MORECAMBE DOME 18 JUNE 2008

A one-off British Sea Power gig sandwiched after 50+ date US tour and before Festival summer appearances PLUS happening in the North West of England PLUS on my birthday EQUALLED a road-trip from Manchester to sunny Morecambe.

Unfortunately it wasn't sunny. It was pouring with rain. And it was very windy on the promenade. However did manage find some shelter in Sam's Fish Bar for a spot of warmth and a large plate of good ol' British sustenance before the gig:

First visit to Morecambe and boy does it need it regeneration. I thought it would be 'quaint', 'neglected', all faded grandeur and hidden charms. Nope, it was just a dump. A depressed seaside town that could have been Hastings or Rhyl or Blackpool.

So Morecambe Dome. Well if you look at the venue's listing (here) this is clearly a case of a "credible" band playing an 'ironic' venue. Surely. Or maybe being so close the Lake District the Dome was a source of early inspiration for the band growing up. Childhood Memories anyone?

And guess what? It is a DOME. From the outside it is definitely a faded/neglected relic (from the 70s?) looking suspiciously like a roller-disco. Inside it is slightly better. Mainly because it is dark and beer is available to buy. There is a stage formed at one 'side' of the Dome with a level floor in front, tiered seating at the opposite side, and then a bar to one side. The ceiling of the Dome is transparent plastic that appears to be filled with corrugated cardboard. Capacity of about 800-1000 at a guess.

BSP were on at 9.30pm and played a pretty similar set to those on UK dates in January mixing lots from new album Do You Like Rock Music? with some older songs. Competent but a little lack-lustre in terms of atmsophere; not helped by a fairly sparse crowd. Did pick up towards the end but overall enjoyable rather than exceptional.

Only surprises were finishing with Lately/Rock in A and also a rendition of Happy Birthday Ronald played apparently for Yan's Dad who was 84 last week. But come on people! We know whose birthday it was today don't we?

During Rock in A, Noble went walkabout over the heads of the crowd (fairly brave given the large gaps) and took the air raid siren with him. Not sure if this was the intended rock 'n' roll pose he was aiming for:

Set-list:

Atom

Lights Out For Darker Skies
Waving Flags
Down on the Ground
Blackout
Happy Birthday Ronald
Remember Me
Canvey Island
The Great Skua
Larsen B
A Trip Out
No Lucifer
The Spirit of St Louis
Carrion
Lately/Rock in A

LIGHTS OUT FOR DARKER SKIES
A TRIP OUT

British Sea Power
Do You Like Rock Music? [BUY]

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
British Sea Power
Childhood Memories single [SEEK]

I would write about support band Djune but it would be a waste of effort beyond saying I hated them: competent musicians but bland songs. Third-rate metal played by indie rock kids. Except when they brought on the acoustic guitar (then it was third rate stadium rock played by etc. etc.). And then they MURDERED New Order's Blue Monday. And they had dire banter. Get the picture? All of which means they will be huge this time next year.

Finally thanks to Mr P for the driving, the ticket and arranging the sing-song.

LEONARD COHEN @ MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE 17 JUNE 2008

Managed at short-notice and unexpectedly to get a ticket for this gig. Leonard Cohen is not one of the artists I'd previously list in my most admired or favourites but great to get a ticket for these sell-out theatre shows in Manchester (rest of summer tour is stadia or festivals) and even better to see a legendary artist and understand why he is a legend.

Leonard was backed by a nine-piece band - three singers, keyboards, drums, bass, saxophone/'instrument of wind' and two guitarists - all suited and booted in black (good to see a drummer with a tie and waistcoat). They were clearly exceptional musicians but their role was to provide a subtle backdrop to his voice and to the lyrics. Some of Leonard's backing music, particularly on latter career albums, does tend towards the muzak/smooth end of the spectrum; and this was reproduced (with class) here. But purposely to foreground Leonard's rich voice and those distinctive lyrics. Dressed in a charcoal grey suit and with a brimmed hat, he appeared humbled by the rapturous reception he met - his entrance, after an absence from the UK of 15 years, was of course met with a standing ovation.


The revelation that followed (to me) was then what a performer he is and just how funny he is. In a set that lasted three hours (including a "fifteen to seventeen minute" break), he was witty, self-deprecating and humble in his banter, and truly delivered his songs. Most were performed with his body tensed, slightly hunched, knees bent and cupping his hands around the microphone intently. Despite his years, the voice was captivating.

Obviously he was playing to a crowd on his side - standing ovations at every stage exit/entrance, shouts of encouragement and love throughout - but he appeared genuinely moved by this. To me the highlights were when he kept it simple like Tower of Song: just him, a drum machine, some swirls on the Hammond B3 and the three backing singers. I overheard conversations in the interval about memories of seeing him "in Croydon in 1972". This was another performance that people will be remembering in 36 years' time. Worth going out of your way to see on his summer travels if you have deep pockets.

Set-list:

Dance Me To the End of Love

The Future

Ain't No Cure For Love
Bird on a Wire
Everybody Knows
In My Secret Life
Who By Fire
Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
Anthem
- interval -
Tower of Song
Susanne
The Gypsy's Wife
Boogie Street
Halleujah
Democracy
I'm Your Man
A Thousand Kisses Deep
Take This Waltz

-----
So Long, Marianne
First We Take Manhattan
That Don't Make It Junk
If It Be Your Will
Closing Time
I Tried To Leave You

FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT
Leonard Cohen
Songs of Love and Hate [BUY]

AIN'T NO CURE FOR LOVE
Leonard Cohen
I'm Your Man [BUY]

DEMOCRACY
Leonard Cohen
The Future [BUY]

DARREN & JACK PLAY HEFNER SONGS @ RUBY LOUNGE 11 JUNE 2008

The Ruby Lounge was temporarily converted into a small shrine tonight; a holy place for all those who worship Hefner. This included Darren Hayman, accompanied by old band mate Jack Hayter. Darren arrived on stage frazzled, clutching T-shirts and CDs and reflecting on how in the business of rock 'n' roll, musicians also end up running clothes stores. He pointed out tonight's gig was NOT Hefner ("that's four people; and there's only two of us") but that he and Jack were, like us, Hefner fans. And you couldn't get better affirmation of that than the first song A Hymn For The Alcohol. Not only was it lovingly sung and played (Darren on electric guitar, Jack playing electric pedal steel), the audience were word-perfect in singing too. This set the tone for the evening - touching renditions of Hefner songs with every word sung back to Darren by a devoted following.
After the first song the calls for favourites from Hefner's back catalogue began. Darren pointed out they would be starting gently but would pick up speed and get to cover those requests. He was true to his word about the former but despite a set that covered all five albums including a few from final 'experimental' album Dead Media, there were many of those classics they simply couldn't fit in. Most noticeably Pull Yourself Together. But plenty of others - including some inspired requests from the crowd (Painting and Kissing and The Baggage Reclaim Song being the best).

By the final part of the set Darren, Jack and crowd were truly in their element. The final songs they played, finishing the main set with The Day That Thatcher Dies, were pure joy to hear live - even with Darren starting to lose his voice. This was a relatively short evening (on stage for about for 75 minutes or so) but also one bathed in affection, warmth and the simple pleasure of hearing great songs played in such intimacy. A night to treasure.

The set-list:
The Hymn For The Alcohol
The Librarian
The Weight of The Stars
Junk
China Crisis
The Greedy Ugly People
Don't Go
As Soon As You're Ready
Half A Life
Hello Kitten
The Sad Witch
The Hymn For The Cigarettes
The Day That Thatcher Dies
-----
The Hymn To The Postal Service

Arrived to catch the last two songs from Pierre Hall. Next support band was Amida: five blokes who if you saw them drinking together would look an odd mix but put them in an indiepop band and they all 'fit'. They subscribe to the narrow definition of 'indiepop' - short, jangly, unpolished pop songs played fast including some 'whoa-a-hoos' and lines like "I will kiss you in a month of Sundays". Interested in hearing more on record.

THE SAD WITCH
Hefner
Breaking God's Heart [BUY]

THE GREEDY UGLY PEOPLE
PAINTING AND KISSING
Hefner
We Love The City [BUY]

THE BAGGAGE RECLAIM SONG

Hefner
The Hefner Brain EP [BUY]

THE HYMN FOR THE CIGARETTES

Hefner
The Fidelity Wars [BUY]

Tonight to Sunday Darren and Jack play shows in Leeds, London and Cardiff. More here.

UNCLEVER BARGAIN

Keith John Adams' new album UNCLEVER is officially available in the UK this month. "Officially available" however appears to mean the same as before - order it via kja's website or MySpace page and once paid he'll post you one. I did this earlier this year (when saw it was released in the USA on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records) and got this little note:

Whether you will get a note or not now, I cannot say. However if you do order a copy (and I really would recommend it) you get a fine record of infectiously good indie guitar pop and all for the unbelievably good value of £5. Including post and packaging. Beat that major labels.

The album is in the same vein as kja's 2005 release PIP - but with more guitars. The kiddie piano/toy box percussion moves aside to make way for lots of stomping guitar riffs - every song has it's own big hook. It's not lofi (recorded in Athens GA with Jason Nesmith) but has an intimacy and charm of someone playing at home with friends for fun. And as well as the catchy hooks it has bags of wide-eyed exuberance as it stomps through 12 tracks in a breezy 35 minutes. A real winner.

BED
ELIZABETH HODGKINSON WARZONE
Keith John Adams
Unclever [BUY - and you really should]

Keith with band is playing in London this Thursday at The Gramaphone, Commercial Street, London E1 - book tickets HERE

BAND ON THE WALL - "A LONG PLAYER"

Band on the Wall is a Manchester institution that has played host to a dizzying array of bands and artists (if you don’t know the full story go here or here).

More than simply a live music venue, it has sadly been closed for the last three years but should be re-opening in Spring 2009, on the same site in the Northern Quarter but with expanded facilities.
Tonight a celebration event was held at Manchester’s Town Hall in advance of that opening to which yours truly blagged an invitation. The event was aimed at sponsors and those with influence or deep pockets. Sadly I possess none of these. But I did enjoy the free Tuborg and came away with a BOTW mouse mat.

However if you have spare cash or bags of influence please consider BOTW and go here.

I last went to BOTW in.....and this is why ticket stubs are so important. Without them you rely on memory. Hmmmm. 2004? 2005?

Anyway The Earlies were headlining and Working For a Nuclear Free City and The Longcut were supporting. Came in mid-set for WFANFC and remember being annoyed at missing out - excellent stuff, only topped by an impassioned performance by The Longcut. A shouting drummer-singer! He drums, he shouts, they play loudly. Unfortunately next came The Earlies. This was around the time their first album came out - and their performance was greeted as a combination of album launch party-cum-homecoming ticker tape parade.

Sorry - but I hated it. I thought they were dull, the material was poor (the 'best' song by a mile was a cover of Rachel Stevens' Sweet Dreams My LA-ex) and the sound a mess. Yet the crowd lapped it up - clearly their families were in that night. I was so shocked I stopped Stuart from The Longcut and told him they were ten times - no a hundred times better. He agreed. Some old tracks from both bands.

THE KISS OFF (Demo)

THE LAST ACT OF A DESPERATE MAN

The Longcut

A Call and Response [BUY]

OVER

Working For a Nuclear Free City

Working For a Nuclear Free City [BUY]

WFANFC are playing The Irish Club in Chorlton, Manchester tomorrow 6 June [INFO] and The Longcut are playing The Deaf Institute, Manchester on Friday 20 June [BUY TICKETS].

We've Got Photographs Of Men On The Moon

A form of currency when I was young was the C90 cassette - either home-made compilations or with the John Peel show taped on them. This was the very early 80s when indie music meant 'independent'. Cherished amongst my tapes was the one with Red Guitars on. And in particular their first single Good Technology.

Red Guitars had many good songs but this was the stand-out. There's a good history of the first incarnation of the band here. If you want to finish the story best to read this too but the second album/second incarnation of the band just didn't measure up. I saw them (first incarnation) live in spring 84 at Liverpool Uni. They were meant to be supporting The Smiths but Morrissey's voice gave out so Red Guitars got the headline slot. My memory is pretty hazy but I remember how good they were and how powerful Good Technology was live. It's a great song that somehow manages to be prophetic and retro, optimistic and apocalyptic all at same time.

I kept that tape for an awful long time but managed to get hold of the 12" version of Good Technology in the early 90s in (of all places) Hull at Golden Oldies second gand shop on Princes Avenue. By this point I had the album Slow To Fade on CD but without that great first single. Good to see there is an re-issue (still self-released) that covers both - see below.

And for a hilarious thread about the crapness of record shops in Hull go here.

GOOD TECHNOLOGY (12" Vinyl rip)

Red Guitars

Self Drive Records SD008

DIVE
MARIMBA JIVE
Red Guitars

Slow To Fade

All re-released with the singles included on GOOD TECHNOLOGY [BUY] and, I quote, "Get a free natural cleaning solutions chart with every order"

Dissolve in Scottish Rain

Late to the party as ever, I just started listening to Frightened Rabbit's The Midnight Organ Fight. Hearing they were on FatCat records I found a bit intimidating - I was expecting two laptops and lots of bleeps, clicks and whirrs. But no. This is a proper rock band. From Selkirk. And they play proper rock songs. I was hooked from the first listen.

Now if you wanted to make a crass and lazy comparison you could say FR are a Caledonian The National (listen to Fast Blood especially the first 40 seconds before the vocals come in and tell me it wouldn't fit in on Boxer). But who would make such a crass and lazy comparison?

There are the three things that draw me to this record, other than the consistent quality of all the songs. They are proper rock songs: spare, slow-building but also anthemic (hey a bit like The National). They also draw on a great Scottish tradition of self-deprecation and vulgar humour (Arab Strap comes to mind) - listen to Keep Warm below. Then what helps them stand out is Grant Hutchinson's voice. His delivery veers from bitter growl to plaintive despair. The songs are great depictions of anguish, rejection, illness and suicide with Grant centre-stage but almost wishing he wasn't there. A bit like that Matt Berninger from that other band...

It's an intense listen but well worth the admission price. Annoyed to miss them playing Night and Day last month (The Indie Credential has a write-up here) but good to see them back in Manchester for this. Roll on August.

KEEP YOURSELF WARM
THE TWIST
Frightened Rabbit
The Midnight Organ Fight[BUY] or [BUY]

THE YOUNG KNIVES @ MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3 18 MAY 2008

You know those free CDs you get with music magazines? Well as I am constantly reminded, they are not 'free' because you have had to pay for the magazine. There's no such thing as a free CD or a free lunch.

But somehow I ended up with free tickets for The Young Knives which was not a bad thing. I've missed them on previous visits to Manchester and was keen to see them live. Slightly worried that thus far I hadn't enjoyed the latest album as much as the previous one - they seemed to have abandoned the earlier wit and invention and concentrated on a catchy riff and a shouty chorus over and over again. Which wears after a bit.

But live? What more do you want - catchy riffs and shouty choruses?! So free of the polished but flat production of Superabundance, songs like Terra Firma, Up All Night and Light Switch had the 'mixed' (age/dress sense/sobriety) crowd shouting along enthusiastically.

In person they are a mix of self-deprecating but cocky, they have terrible dress sense (“he’s wearing slacks!” said Ms L with horror) but an air of confident coolness. And live the songs are excellent, played with conviction and punch. Not bad for a free ticket.

Set List:
Part-Timer
Fit 4 U
Counters
Terra Firma
Light Switch
I Can Hardly See Them
Loughborough Suicide
Turn Tail
Up All Night
Weekends and Bleak Days
The Current of the River
-----
The Decision
She's Attracted To

Support was not announced in advance. First up was Mon Ouisch (me neither) who were a four piece who played The Undertones song book with aggressive shouting over the top. Sounded pretty good if a little blunt until the song with the chorus “Hey you fucking fashionistas, you’re all fucking cunts” (honestly) when the bluntness outweighed anything else. Back to the drawing board…


And second support was Pete and the Pirates (see here and here). Much as I enjoy them live I still am looking forward to a set from them breaks 40 minutes (what would an hour be like?!). They played all the singles from the album (finishing with C’Mon Feet) plus some new songs: one about a cat, another a nautical tune. Excellent stuff – although playing to a small’ish crowd.

FIT 4 U
I CAN HARDLY SEE THEM
The Young Knives

Superabundance [BUY]

LOUGHBOROUGH SUICIDE

The Young Knives
Voices Of Animals And Men [BUY]

Sunshine on Pilgrim Road

Damn this fine, sunny weather we are enjoying in the UK at the moment. It doesn't really suit the sombre mood I was looking forward to listening to the new Willard Grant Conspiracy album in. Surely based on past performances, Pilgrim Road was going to be a long wallow in dark misery? Well....

I first heard WGC's The Work Song on a compliation (What Young Kids In London Are Listening To) from Mr N. I loved the song, bought the album but didn't fall in love with this straight away. It took several months, if not years, for the whole album to work its way into the brain. But I kept buying WGC, particularly their masterpiece Regard The End.

And so the new album released this Monday just gone. But it's something different; for starters the song-writing is a collaboration with Scottish composer Malcolm Lindsay, who also provides the arrangements - more chamber orchestra than rock band.

So after a couple of listens the thing that stands out is the small differences; rather than the usual deep-voiced growl, Robert Fisher's voice is almost a stately croon (and probably why a cover of American Music Club's Miracle on Eighth Street works so well. Wouldn't have thought it but ruminative Mark Eitzel rather than fire and brimtone preacher Nick Cave vocal style works here). Rather than brooding misery of the past what strikes me is the refined, delicate settings: the strings don't suggest loneliness or despair as previously but grace, even redemption. The whole thing is more graceful baroque than noir gothic. And certainly different from some of the last album Let It Roll where the guitars were definitely set to 'rock' on songs like Crush.

Two listens in it is early days and this not a review (I don't do reviews, just uninformed, biased, opinion) just some initial observations but so far I think it works. I suspect Pilgrim Road will be a slow burn but hopefully will be listening to it long after the warm weather has gone.

And will be interesting to see how this album but also older songs fare when played by The Pilgrim Chamber Orchestra. The UK dates are:
May 14 Manchester, Academy 2
15 Edinburgh, Queens Hall
16 Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
17 Bristol, Trinity
18 London, Bloomsbury Theatre

THE WORK SONG
Willard Grant Conspiracy
Mojave [BUY]

THE GREAT DECEIVER
PAINTER BLUE
Willard Grant Conspiracy
Pilgrim Road [BUY]

MIRACLE ON 8TH STREET
American Music Club
Everclear [BUY]

THE WAVE PICTURES @ NIGHT & DAY 3 MAY 2008

You can't go wrong with four bands for six quid. Well you can if a) the band you are going to see only gets a 30 minute slot and b) one of the other bands is Wild Beasts.

Arrived to catch the last few minutes of the final song by Spokes. Does exactly what it says on the post-rock tin. Sounded great - shame to miss them. Next up was Eyes Wide - noisy, punky, guitar thrash. None too subtle but this is where a 30 minute set works: similar but unfamiliar songs knocked out one after the other. Their roadie Tony tried to act as cheerleader/pied piper of pogo at several points but no-one was joining in. Again, none too subtle....

And then The Wave Pictures: in an eight song set they only played three from the new album which is out on Monday. Jonny the drummer claimed afterwards this is because "we have so many good songs". And he's right.

The three piece come across as unassuming even timid at first glance. And the first two songs felt a bit tentative. But they then nailed that chugging Modern Lovers rhythm perfectly for the rest of the set, only slowing it down for a ballad.


A sixty minute slot would have felt too short I reckon. And though the songs I didn't know (from the first album, future B-sides, new songs? Please enlighten me) were good, where was "Friday Night in Loughborough" or "Now We Are Pregnant"? In the end though, sheer enjoyment outweighs any frustration. So please come back to Manchester soon and stay a little longer next time.

Very rough set-list:

Swim

I Love You Like A Madman

Kittens

Feels

Leave The Scene Behind
Baby It's Alright

We Dress Up Like Snowmen
Strange Fruit For David

LEAVE THE SCENE BEHIND

The Wave Pictures

Instant Coffee Baby [BUY]

Which leaves Wild Beasts. Had previously seen them here and hadn't enjoyed it but prepared to give them a second chance. After all, they are signed to Domino who don't many mistakes do they? However they were terrible - again. A horrid mix of music hall, math-rock and Freddie Mercury. With braces. Got an appreciative response from the small-ish crowd but they lost me after the second song.

THE BAD REVIEW(S) & THE FOURTH ESTATE

Photo credit: Mark Mawston

Pere Ubu premiered its musical adaptation of the theater of Ubu Roi, Alfred Jarry's groundbreaking 1896 play and the theatrical precursor to the Absurdist, Dada and Surrealist art movements, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, on April 24 and 25. The adaptation, written by David Thomas, features 10 new songs as well as various musical "interludes." Independent film-makers The Brothers Quay have devised a unique visual staging in the form of animated projections. Sarah-Jane Morris (ex-Communards, Happy End, etc) features as Mere Ubu, partnering David Thomas as Pere Ubu. Gagarin adds an atmospheric soundtrack by means of electronica. Band members perform various minor roles.

Last week's gig/event "Bring Me The Head of Ubu Roi" by Pere Ubu attracted less than favourable reviews. See here and here.

With a show like this and with a band like Pere Ubu press reviews are rarely going to be kind. They are hardly media darlings. My first reaction of reading some of these reviews of a concert I really wanted to see but failed to was one of relief. But the press rarely tell the full story....

Reports on the Pere Ubu forum were kinder (naturally) and more informative:
It was absurd, grotesque ... wonderful ... ubuesque! It was not a representation of the Alfred Jarry's play, it was a Pere Ubu (the band) show playing a "strange set-list" based on the play !The ten new songs are great, familiar and innovative too

Good stuff, I enjoyed it - always difficult to tell how much of the slapdash-ness is staged and how much genuine :-) The new music was good, too.

Report from David Thomas posted on ubuprojex.net:
Thursday night, opening night, was a bit of a shambles. For various reasons, it was the first time we were able to run thru the piece from beginning to end. And a number of structural and technical problems were exposed. The most disruptive problems were (1) on stage we were unable to identify fade to blacks at the end of scenes (the stage was dark to start with and a fade to black on an already dark stage, we discovered, is hard to determine. Confusion amongst on-stage cast and musicians ensued); and (2) since the play's narrative is driven by song lyrics the audience had a hard time making out what was supposed to be going on. (I have subsequently discovered that the narrative of a musical is not usually carried by song lyrics. Hey! Who's to know these things? I thought that was the deal.) In any case, I inserted brief narrative interludes between scenes for the Friday performance and this seemed to fix the principal issues. Friday went relatively smoothly though some noted that they missed the tension and chaos of Thursday's performance during which I tried to cover clunky bits by throwing "rages," which had always been the backup plan.

All of which makes me REALLY wish I had seen the concert. I'd rather see a brave experiment - with rages and slap-dashness - than miss it. And I'd much rather trust the opinion of a punter than a pundit.

THE BAD REVIEW
Bongwater
Too Much Sleep [BUY]