Broken Records @ The Arches 12/11/10

I’ve never reviewed a gig through light before – but here goes. Supporting tonight, EagleOwl are lit by an insipid blue. Reflecting these drab surroundings their music is cold and soulless. This is the sort of earnest band that I end up irrationally hating. Every song is a dirge, always one chord sequence and never going anywhere. The sound they produce is an interesting one, what with there being a double bass and a violin on the go, but the overall effect is morbid and uninteresting. Add that to a total lack of presence or likeability on stage and the audience appears glad to see the back of them.

When the lights come up on Broken Records they are bathed in a glorious red. Perhaps this was all an intelligent rouse to play with my emotions but suddenly the mood changes. Everything about Broken Records embodies warmth. The guys onstage play with an obvious love for the songs and singer Jamie Sutherland seems genuinely excited to be here; proudly regaling us with the tale of meeting Huey from the Fun Loving Criminals for example.

I’ve come to the band criminally late but tonight’s set justifies all the critical acclaim they’ve been lauded with. Proceedings move from fast paced, guitar heavy numbers, through gypsy infused rambunctiousness and into quieter, introspective moments with consummate ease. The focus is on the new record and a raft of new songs are enthusiastically received. I Used to Dream is a slow burner that is beguiling in its simplicity. Two drummers playing both the skins and the rim simultaneously are accompanied by simple piano notes and measured violin. It’s a beautiful effect and one that works well onstage.

Instruments are pretty interchangeable between band members and If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It leads a run of older songs that get toes tapping and hips swaying. Amidst all the instrument swapping Wolves particularly stands out. A huge piano intro leads into a near military drumbeat and vocals that soar to the very top of the domed arches. The new songs are the more memorable tonight and feel like a real step up from the first album. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with Until the Earth Begins to Part whatsoever; rather it’s a mark of just how strong the new record really is.

We end on Slow Parade which feels a bit like the last dance at a High School prom, one to sway to under the twinkling lights of a glitter ball. The passion onstage is infectious and as the red lights fade to black the venue calls in vain for a second encore. It’s fantastic when a band can bring a little light into your life – just as long as its red and not blue of course...

Picture: Ingrid Mur

The French Wives / Washington Irving / Rachel Sermanni @King Tuts 29/07/10

‘If I take this wave to sea,’ sings Rachel Sermanni as she opens the penultimate gig in King Tuts Summer Nights series. It’s an apposite line as song after beautiful song proceed to lap gently before us. She is flanked by two violinists, with everyone in the band minus the drummer (male) clad in exquisite dresses and looking wonderful. On looks alone they are a thumbs up but the songs are what’s really striking. The quieter moments harness Sermanni’s vocals, which work particularly well with the plucked violin notes and low key backing. When things get louder the Celtic purr underpinning the music becomes a roar and the foot-stamping boisterousness is great fun.

It’s pleasing to see a full house from the very first band and an enthralled crowd stay put as Washington Irving take to the stage. This is a different proposition altogether, a stage full of bodies wielding guitars, mandolins and a flute. The ensemble is the thing here and the band are built to make a glorious din. As songs reach their conclusions arms strum wildly, lungs are exhausted and fingers blistered to create a sound that is truly captivating. The only dampener is that every songs seems to drift along the same path and all roads lead to crescendo. Without a doubt, however, there is charm enough to make for an enjoyable set that keeps up the momentum of the night.

When The French Wives reach the stage they find a crowd bursting at the seams. With festival appearances and more gigs that anyone can remember the Wives are becoming firm favourites in Glasgow but tonight’s set is a little different. It’s distinguished firstly by the presence of four new songs that fall neatly into the repertoire. Big Brave Boy has a darker, minor chord feel than the material we’re used to and hits the ground running whilst the newest of the bunch is quick paced and exciting, a perfect precursor to Me v Me.

And then there’s the crowd. It’s testament to Tuts and the organisers of the evening for matching up the bands so neatly and selling the place out but the atmosphere is really something. Clichés they may be, but when a band asks the crowd to sing along and they do and then asks them to clap and they do then they are doing something right. The relationship between band and audience is strong and the appeal and enjoyment in the songs is matched by the onstage persona of the band. The night ends on a dance-laden high and it’s blindingly obvious that the Wives are on top form. I’m tempted to end with an ‘Oh.... those Summer Nights’ joke, but I won’t. I would only spoil a perfect gig.

Harlem @ The Captain’s Rest 13/06/2010

It’s really easy to be scathing, to just let vitriol seep out of your fingertips and onto the page. For that reason, it’s usually best not to really let rip on a band but rather to carve your opinion into a subtle and fair minded critique. Let’s dispense with that immediately. Boycotts, supporting tonight, are just awful. Each member of the band operates at 11 by default, which sounds nice written down, but in reality bludgeons out any light and shade, smashes through any sense of coherent song structure and crushes every tune into the same ‘didn’t they just play that one?’ shaped mess. Added to that is a front woman who looks so cringingly uncomfortable as she goes through the motions of pre-rehearsed moves that her stage presence is at absolute zero. Words like spiky and angular are probably what they are after in their music but after seven or eight songs any spike they had has entirely blunted. In all, they are trying way, way too hard – a problem Harlem couldn’t even begin to understand.

Rather than starting with a bang the Austin three-piece kick things off with Michael Coomer (sometimes singer, sometimes drummer) announcing that he feels unwell. And it’s written all over his pale face too. Inauspicious beginnings, but it takes seconds for the essence of the band to emerge. Harlem play scuzzy, grimy, badly recorded pop tunes that are intensely charming. An utterly laidback approach allows for tremendously effective simplicity and it almost feels like the songs are being made-up right before your eyes. Number One, presented at breakneck speed, has a 50s lilt and meandering guitar parts whilst Faces is barely two minutes of sweaty exuberance. Friendly Ghosts, a standout from the album, then really allows the trio to exhibit all their energy both musically and physically as sheer joy at playing hook driven, overdriven guitar fuelled songs translates into something terrific.

It’s fascinating just how loveable Harlem can make tunes which are so shambolic musically. Torture Me, for which the chorus is essentially a drum roll and some noise, somehow works, whilst Cloud Pleaser is not entirely in tune or well put together but equally wonderful. Singer and drummer swap singing duties, providing a nice variety to the songs, whilst the bassist takes enormous pleasure in bopping around to whatever simple bass line is place before him. It’s a strange gig, but one that is oddly compelling.

Three drunken Boycotts fans, as the night advanced, have taken control of the front of the audience and the rest of us are now forced back. The result is that a question as to whether any of us know the band’s music and have any requests is met with some inebriated ramblings from those who don’t and frustrated silence from those who do. Harlem announce that they will play four more songs. They play two. As they leave the stage the bass is placed on the floor, the singer trips over the bass and the drummer, in saluting the crowd with his beer, spills a large proportion of it onto the already stricken bass. I stumble onto Great Western Road beguiled and bewildered – but strangely satisfied. Which is the effect Harlem’s music in a nutshell.

Astral Planes EP Launch @ Stereo 29/05/2010

Tonight’s launch of Astral Plane’s new EP has something of an air of intrigue. The Planes are well known in Glasgow but the EP brings with it a raft of new songs. In contrast, then, to The French Wives celebration of the songs we all know and love last week, the Planes have more of a job to do in impressing with new material.

The chosen location is Stereo and unfortunately for the spectacle a lukewarm crowd gives something of a lukewarm response. With its high stage and cavernous roof Stereo is a strange venue whose walls and corners always seem to do odd things with the sound. The result is that the crunching notes from guitarist Chad’s Vox Phantom get slightly squashed and dampened. On the plus side, however, Jen Paley’s vocals are the loudest thing on stage and the progress she has made is clear. The new songs showcase her talents and on ‘Sleep of Reason’ in particular it’s the voice that stands out.
A set that starts with four new tracks in a row is brave but the EP is allowed to speak for itself. ‘Rotten’ continues the Planes trademark sound giving tremolo guitar riffs and a pleasantly uneasy atmosphere. ‘Disguise’ and ‘Eddie’ are deceptively engaging and pull together punchy choruses whilst ‘Sleep of Reason’ has the bittersweet lyrics ‘You were so pretty and I was so mean’ at its heart.

Things perhaps come together most completely in ‘Shut the Door’ and the band sound wonderful. Chad’s deft guitar lines are enhanced by an echoing, evocative drum sound and the track is one of real quality. The night ends in familiar territory with the stomping ‘Doris Day’ but it’s the new songs rather than the night which will linger in the memory. The Planes give proof positive that they are capable of producing fantastic pop records and Sit Still Child is an exceptionally interesting EP. After a summer of festival appearances expect the profile to take a sharp rise.

Sit Still Child is availability here.

Band of Horses – Infinite Arms

One of the problems in using itunes to listen to music (and having a slightly dodgy memory) is that I often find it difficult to place songs to albums. Nowhere is that better exemplified than with Band of Horses, for debut Everything All the Time and follow-up Cease to Begin are pretty interchangeable. This is no bad thing. Simply providing more of the same is great when it produces two terrific albums like those, it’s only when the sideways step becomes dull that there’s a problem. Enter Infinite Arms.

This, it must be stated explicitly, is a good album. Opener ‘Factory’ sets the marker for what is to follow and would have happily sat onto either of the existing albums. All the hallmarks of the sound remain, the lush vocals and the wistful guitar sounds, but the track isn’t one that particularly stands out. Neither is the next, or the next, and indeed the whole of what might be considered Side One passes pleasantly enough but without much event.

On Side Two we get a change of pace and more promise. ‘Evening Kitchen’ takes the simplest of guitar lines and carves out something melancholically beautiful. A lament to missed opportunities, lines like ‘I'd go tonight but I know you'll be there too’ give a reflective and regretful air. Whereas the lifting moment in the band’s songs tends to come from big drumbeats and layers of sound, the same effect is created on the chorus here with just two sets of vocals. There’s more to get behind on tracks like ‘Dilly’ and ‘NW Apt.’ The former feels almost like a laid-back Strokes record and has a pop charm whilst the latter has an urgency absent from the rest of the record and steps a little further outwith the the usual formula.

In all Infinite Arms is something of a missed opportunity. It’s extremely difficult to dislike a band and an album so generally worthwhile and amiable but the high points and standout tracks are sorely missed.

The French Wives – Me v Me Single Launch @ The Art School 14/05/2010

As a veteran follower of The French Wives it’s a real treat to open the doors to the Art School and find the place absolutely packed. In Glasgow the road to success is paved with gigs playing to five people in the 13th Note and mismatched support slots behind metal bands in Sleazys. For those talented enough and dogged enough to stick it out this is the reward – the release of a single and an evening to showcase it. As a result, gigs like this are a celebration of the survivors and a satisfying confirmation that they have what it takes.

As the lights go down we are treated to the outtakes from the fantastic promotional video (here) produced to promote the single and featuring the band fifty years into the future. Violinist Siobhan Anderson’s gran finally speaks directly to the crowd and welcomes the band on stage to wonderful effect. The tone of the video, with a sense of a humour and the ability not to take themselves too seriously, in many ways sums up the charm of The Wives and is a fitting introduction.

This is a set that most of the crowd have seen many times before but the sense of occasion brings a renewed appreciation and the atmosphere is terrific. Tight as ever and rising to the occasion, The Wives rip through Dogfight and Your Friends and Mine with the vigour and energy that we are all accustomed to. Confidence, one of the newest tracks, adds a different dimension and builds towards a sprawling conclusion infused with trombone and violin, a wonderful sound akin to Broken Social Scene when they take the breaks off.

With a song that befits the venue, a cover of Orange Juice’s Blue Boy is an unexpected addition to the set and a great conclusion to the night. Things end, quite naturally, with Me v Me and the single has all the punchy dance-ability that it has on record. It’s a great track that captures the essence of the band and an enormously effective three minute pop song. The Wives manage then to pull off a single launch with the same sense of enjoyment they seem to invest in everything they do. The night is a real success and the single is released on Monday 17th May and available through itunes. You should buy it you know.

Surfer Blood @ King Tuts 09/05/2010

Sometimes a support band just get under your skin. Opening tonight, St Deluxe are the sort of band who have far more fun onstage than they generate off it. I mean I’d be enjoying myself too if I had a Marshall stack, a scuzzy guitar sound and twenty minutes to replicate Sonic Youth riffs, but that’s beside the point. The songs are dull and overlong and next band Funeral Party are welcomed with relief. The word dull certainly can’t be applied here and the energy, and indeed volume, are a welcome change of pace. The LA band rattle through a solid little set and leave a good impression on a half-full venue, although time constraints mean we don't get to see quite as much of them as we would like.

The amount of floor space can be attributed to the fact that tonight’s headliners are, as of yet, relative unknowns. Florida’s Surfer Blood, four guys and a percussionist that’s part Jarvis Cocker part Animal from the Muppets, seem way too young to be this assured. Debut single Swim is a fast paced, urgent track that has rightly earned the band many fans already. It’s a three minute, get in and get out, take the money and run sort of song that makes its point and doesn’t overstay its welcome. This breathless enthusiasm is Surfer Blood’s default setting and makes for an exciting set.

There’s a real mix of influences dripping together here but the line ‘now we need to redefine’ in Harmonix pretty much sums up the result. Songs switch between the reverb heavy riffs of Twin Freaks to the more meandering, experimental structures of Anchorage whilst somehow maintaining a uniform sound all of their own. The overall sound seems to be the focus and the combination of the two guitars is crucial, with wistful looks from singer to guitarist as they trade lines seeming to hint at the relationship that creates these songs.

The guitar lines are near perfect, simple and effective throughout. Just as Joey Santiago’s deft additions to Pixies records draws life and the colour from the most unlikely of places the songs on show tonight are given a certain edge by guitarist Thomas Fekete. Fast Jabroni centres on a four note riff which is made far more interesting than it has any right to be because of all that is going on around it. The faces might seem youthful but there’s a poise and maturity in the writing here that sets them apart. When a band proclaims ‘this is a new song’ and proceeds to play something that was better than anything else on show then it’s a fair bet that they’ll be one to watch out for. Surfer Blood do just that and leave Glasgow with a lasting impression – the album can’t come soon enough.

Pics: Alan Dunlop

French Wives Video

As a promo for their new single Me v Me (released May 17th) The French Wives have created the following video. What could be better to whet your appetite?

The Futureheads & Oran Mor Glasgow 29/04/10

It’s only on stepping into Oran Mor that I realise this is something of a special gig. The Futureheads have seen their stock fall in recent years through lukewarm critical response to a solid third album and have been quiet on the touring front. It’s easy, then, to forget how wonderful a band they are and how great it is too see them play such a small venue.

Tonight’s gig is sponsored by Miller and saturated to near breaking point with Miller promos, Miller posters, Miller reps and Miller adverts. There’s even a free Miller with the price of admission. Still, the company’s commitment to live music can draw a good roster and before the main event we have the artists formerly known as Brother Louis Collective.

Admiral Fallow, as they are now known, provide a short set that whets the appetite but fails to truly engage. The songs are pleasant enough and build to beautiful crescendos, novel and intricate in a line-up that encompasses double bass and woodwind, yet there is something lacklustre about the overall feel. What’s missing is an energy, a passion for the songs – in fact what’s missing is something like The Futureheads and as they arrive on stage the difference is striking.

Whilst introducing ‘Le Garage‘ front-man, Glasgow resident Barry Hyde proudly declares that the band have been together for ten years – ‘twice the length of the average band!’ It’s not difficult to spot why. Le Garage is one of the first songs they wrote together and the four guys on stage perform it with all the excitement and vigour of a band who are glad just to have a stage for the evening. It’s an ethos that makes for a sparkling performance and a set that spans all four albums with ease.

Favourites like ‘Decent Days and Nights’ and ‘The Beginning of the Twist’ are warmly received and the tight guitar playing and even tighter harmonies are as impressive as ever. Hyde stops singing during Skip to the End just to marvel at the sound being produced by bassist Jaff and the enjoyment on the faces of all four on stage is wonderful to behold.

Material from the new album is filtered seamlessly into the set and impresses. ‘Heartbeat Song’, introduced as being the poppy-est song ever written in the history of the world ever, is unashamedly crowd-pleasing and charming into the bargain. But there’s a harder edge too; the ‘The Chaos’ snarls and shakes whilst ‘I Can Do That’ adds harmonies and a sing-along chorus to a punchy punk song.

The biggest cheer of the night comes, quite naturally, for ‘Hounds of Love‘ and the cover has the same power as ever. As a performance this is flawless and, with the reminder of such a strong back catalogue, it’s a memorable gig. The Futureheads might have becomes slightly forgotten in the grander scheme of things but there are few better live bands in the country and few who enjoy proving it just as much.

Pics: Alan Dunlop

The Horrors @ King Tuts 28/05/09

In a city boasting its very own Clockwork Orange a capacity Tuts awaits a performance which is proper horrorshow. Paper Planes open the evening with a stellar set delivered in their trademark bravado –a perfect warm up for anything. The sound owes a lot to traditional punk, there’s certainly a kinship with the sound of Blondie with the elaborate fuzzy bass lines and reverby surf sound of the guitar, from songs ‘Studio 45′ to ‘Diamond Diner’, the band radiate energy and effortless cool and with the stomping riff from ‘Doris Day’ still resonating in our ears the anticipation for the main attraction is palpable.

The Horrors are an interesting proposition. Debut album Strange House might have divided opinion but the band got a certain celebrity status all the same and then disappeared from view. With their second album they appear to have stopped toying with their hair and started gazing at their shoes and their sound and mood have altered drastically.

‘Mirror’s Image’ represents this to perfection. It’s menacing and lopsided, an intense little something that sits uneasily but draws you in all the same; like watching someone that could snap at any moment. And current single ‘Who Can Say’ is a real standout with a soaring synth hook acting as the lynchpin to a frenzy of noise. The resulting sound is peculiar but undoubtedly engaging, midway between threatening and anthemic.

Towering singer Faris Badwan has a spot of trouble managing with the low ceilings but before long is swinging from the rafters. Literally. His presence provides a real focal point and as he ambles and shuffles towards the crowd there are surges to get near enough for some fleeting contact. Enough of an excitement level is boiling under to get the Tuts audience properly involved and with each passing song it becomes more and more clear that their enthusiasm is altogether warranted.

For a set mostly encompassing new songs it’s remarkably strong and is refined by a degree of maturity. It’s easy to ravage a guitar like My Bloody Valentine and throw in all sorts of synth sounds but the Horrors use their new tricks to hone their style and to embellish upon their prior successes. An encore brandishes the old favourites and ‘Count in Fives’ and ‘Sheena is a Parasite’ sound markedly different to that which preceded them. All that’s really new, however, is subtlety. A greater understanding of their own sound and leaner means of recognising it have emerged, and whilst we came for the visceral rawness of the earlier stuff we stayed for album number two. Impressive stuff from a band moving in the right direction and a set full of welcome surprises. You can catch The Horrors and Paper Planes at T in The Park in July.
 
Pics: Euan Anderson

Beerjacket @ Oran Mor Glasgow 17/06/09

The setting couldn’t be better for an album launch. Flickering candles light the tables and a single spotlight waits for Beerjacket to arrive. The setup is telling in its simplicity and it’s the toughest of musical challenges to face; alone with a guitar. All that you have to do to make it work is be wonderfully talented and Beerjacket happens to be just that.

‘Animosity’ is played in its entirety and enthrals the busy venue. At times it’s difficult to know where to focus, the deft guitar playing or the poised vocals, but the two are combined to perfection and present an impressive body of work.

‘Violent’ starts things off and evokes Elliott Smith at his most stripped back. There’s beautiful restraint, nothing fancy, nothing showy, just precisely what is required to let the soft vocals shine. Something in the lyrics feels heartfelt and lines like ‘What have I become these days’ rather set the tone.

It’s easy to fake melancholy, and insincerity always comes through in a song, thus the note of authenticity in songs like ‘Screaming Hallelujah’ is a joy to behold. A few stamps on the tambourine draw colour but there’s enough in the performance alone to make the song shine. Beerjacket teases light and shade from seemingly nowhere and can get toes tapping and heads nodding to something like ‘The Blues’ before carving out an air of sadness from Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’ that I never knew existed.
The album sounds fantastic and the show ends with a run of old favourites which get the venue clapping along. A disarming display comes to a close with a rare encore and an audience reminded of this little known talent.

Pic: Bart Photography

The French Wives are back. They never went away of course, but guitarist Scott is back and the Wives are fully formed and writing once more. After some support slots and a successful jaunt to Rockness the band find themselves headlining in Glasgow again and a packed Captain’s Rest waits with bated breath.

Something is definitely added to the live sound in Scott’s return and seeing the band whole and with one of their main creative influences back is to see a band with a bit of a shot in the arm. Old favourites like ‘Your Friends and Mine’ have just a stab more conviction and there’s renewed vigour in the performance. Of course ‘Halloween’ and ‘Capilano’ are as entertaining as ever, but there’s something else afoot tonight.

At somewhere around the midpoint of the set there comes a moment which seasoned Wives-watchers have waited a long time for – a new song. ‘Dogfight’ fits right in. A stop start chorus and the usual glorious abundance of violin are more than enough to spark interest in more to come and the tune is well received.

We end the night in rather odd fashion with the Wives coming down into the audience and doing an acoustic rendition of Passion Pit’s ‘Sleepyhead’, a song first performed in a little caravan backstage at Rockness for the Vic Galloway BBC Radio 1 show only days earlier (listen to the full session here). Synths are replaced by the ensemble of voices, the striking motif over the chorus transposed to violin and the whole thing terribly ambitious. It works, performed with sufficient lightness of touch to let the venue go with it and provides a fine ending to the show. There are more songs on the way and, on tonight’s evidence, plenty of interested parties.

Pic: Fraser McFadzean

Bruce Springsteen @ Hampden Park Glasgow 14/07/09

Here at Rokbun we pride ourselves on being devoted to new music. We trawl tiny venues searching for hidden gems and get terribly excited about little known indie bands with barely and EP to their name. Thus it may seem out of place to review a fifty nine year old man playing to a stadium audience of seventy thousand people. Tonight normal rules don’t apply. Tonight is Bruce Springsteen and the amazing E Street Band.

The Boss hasn’t played in Scotland for thirteen years and steps out before a drizzly Hampden . It’s worth the ticket price alone just to feel the hairs stand on end as Nils Lofgren walks on stage playing Flower of Scotland on his accordion. There was also the sight of the ‘biggest Scotsman you ever did see’ saxophonist Clarence Clemons, inexplicably dressed as a priest for the evening. After shouts of ‘Is there anyone alive out there!’ that stir things up to fever pitch, ‘Badlands’ arrives as the first song in a truly enormous set.

As the sound reverberates around Hampden Park we are treated to a band that sound better by the song. Old favourites are interspersed with more obscure numbers and the balance is struck to perfection, allowing for some surprise highlights. ‘Outlaw Pete’, for example, being one of the most recent songs played and one of the best of the night.

Just like at Glastonbury, Springsteen spends ten minutes picking out banners with song titles from the crowd before sifting through them and playing four or five requests. The result is rare outings for tunes like ‘Pink Cadillac’ and ‘Cover Me’ to the backdrop of a delighted audience. Thereafter, and as the skies grow dark, the big hitters emerge and the gig shifts into another gear. ‘Born to Run’, ‘Thunder Road’ and ‘Dancing in the Dark’ are about as good as music can get and with ‘The River’ Springsteen achieves the rare feat of creating a moment of intimacy in such a big horrible venue!

What’s truly glorious about The Boss is that his mere presence is magnetic. I’ve never seen so many people smiling in one place and his every move, gesture and word are greeted with fervour. It might seem clichéd, cheesy and incredibly American to note songs like ‘American Land’, or the fact that the night closed with a cover of ‘Twist and Shout’, but whilst bathing in the communal love for the man on stage none of this mattered. He could have sang the phone book and the reaction would have been every bit as riotous.

Of course it had to end sometime but after twenty eight songs we were still crying out for more. Springsteen’s energy at fifty nine and his visceral love of playing live are staggering. The effort and industry of the man are a joy to behold and the gig feels truly memorable. Three hours, no support and barely a moment to draw breath. The band walk off stage to teh sound of Bruce announcing

‘We’ll be seeing you Scotland’. Don’t leave it so long next time!


Bruce Springsteen played:
Badlands
Out in the Street
My Lucky Day
She’s the One
Outlaw Pete
Working on the Highway
Working on a Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
Atlantic City
Raise Your Hand (Instrumental Gathering Signs)
Incident on 57th Street
Pink Cadillac
Cover Me
Waitin’ on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
The River
Kingdom of Days
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born to Run
Thunder Road
American Land
Bobby Jean
Dancing in the Dark
Twist & Shout

Paper Planes @ Studio Warehouse 04/07/09

If you’ve never been to Studio Warehouse then it might as well be in deepest Marrakesh. Near the Clyde, beside a ship, along a never ending street and under some railway arches is this gem of a venue, a centre for performance arts. It might appear unconventional but there’s a real atmosphere in the room and a wonderful setting for any band. After a flurry of confused text messages and people lost in taxis, a respectable crowd forms and Paper Planes take to the stage.

T in the Park is a week away and Paper Planes are warming up for their slot on the T Break stage. With the stars and stripes pinned to her jacket, New Jersey native Jen Paley brings her usual confidence and cool to the microphone and the Planes headline a night loosely in recognition of Independence Day.

The band have been gigging incessantly and there’s a growing momentum which flavours the performance. In stark contrast to that which preceded them, the Planes have an impeccable sense of the subtleties and nuances required to make songs work. You can throw as many gimmicks and unnecessary theatrics at something as you want, but ‘Permanent Marker’, two minutes, a blast of noise and a chorus you can shout at, is perfect because of it’s poise. Tunes speak for themselves. ‘The Sway’ doesn’t need dressing up and ‘Disconnected, I Know’ wouldn’t be improved upon by some on stage antics. Gimmicks merely show a lack of talent and confidence and it’s those latter aspects that the Planes have in abundance. The Scotsman have prominently listed them as ones to watch at T in the Park next week and on tonight’s evidence you’d be mad to miss them.

Pics: Alastair Mitchell

The Cribs - Ignore the Ignorant

So album number one gained you a glowing reputation and the difficult second album turned out to be a stormer. Number three only increased the momentum and wielded your biggest hit to date. What next then? Probably best to hire the guitarist from The Smiths I suppose. Such is the odd and wonderful tale of The Cribs and after two years spent growing accustomed to their new member ‘Ignore the Ignorant’ finally reaches the shelves.

The big question posed by the record is not hard to spot. At last years Glasgow gig, and I presume gigs worldwide, the audience formed a rather odd shape. All was as it should be apart from the incredibly busy spot of clamouring fans standing to the left of the stage and straining every fibre of their being to be a little closer to a legend. So is this an album overshadowed by new presence or simply more of the same?

Immediately, in classic Cribs fashion, any worries that this is a new direction or a new sound are allayed. We Were Aborted is a no-nonsense affair full of clattering guitars and a spiky chorus that get things off to an aggressive, confident start. The opener sets the tone for an album of punchy tracks that have lost nothing of the old the charm.

Marr’s integration into the band is certainly noticeable, but noticeable for all the right reasons. Every now and then a trademark flicker of guitar is quite unmistakably his however nothing has been compromised to integrate the new sound. Indeed the cleaner, sharper touches nestle beautifully amidst the standard Cribs melee of noise and serve only to draw character. Take forthcoming single ‘Cheat on Me‘; it has all the usual ingredients with straining vocals and that certain melancholy distinctive to the band, but things are topped off by a simplistic Marr solo that forms the icing on the cake.

The Cribs sound was always something of a barrage of everything they could throw at you and the addition of another snarly guitar to fight with everything else feels absolutely natural. ‘Emasculate Me‘ shows the band at their finest, wonderfully disjointed and just precisely as messy as it needs to be, whilst ‘Hari Kari ‘is a gloriously tuneful stramash that lives long in the memory.

Anyone expecting a sudden explosion into best band in the world territory will be disappointed but album number four is an undoubted step forward that bears some fantastic tracks. Noting a steady progression might not seem terribly exciting but it’s testament to theirs talent that The Cribs keep moving forward and Ignore the Ignorant is certainly an album to get excited about.

Bell Orchestre @ The Arches 07/09/09

I’ve learned a lesson tonight – never be late for a gig. After rushing through the labyrinth of ever-changing routes in The Arches I find that The Luyas are already half way through their set. Several of Bell Orchestre are also involved here but the main focal point is the diminutive singer who looks too small for her guitar. The sound is unique, some instruments homemade and the set beguiling and bizarre but after only four songs I’m majorly disappointed to watch them leave.

The Luyas are a good barometer of what else was to come. Bell Orchestre perform instrumental pieces and manage to create the sound of an orchestra with only six members, two of which (Richard Reed Parry and Sarah Neufeld) are also members of Arcade Fire. The sound of the latter band is present here but Bell Orchestre are working on another plain, creating beautiful soundscapes from horn sections, slide guitars and an upright bass. Their new album ‘As Seen Through Windows’ was recorded between a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts, to the forests of Quebec and Vermont (made popular by Bon Iver), and back to their hometown of Montreal but tonight is their first show in Scotland.

This set is much a performance piece as it is a concert. All but the violinist are in suits and she stands at the heart of everything, a naked flame of intensity in a white dress. Barefoot, the horn players jump down from the stage to meander around the audience whilst three of the band drum the floor manically. Bells and loops and whistling and an astounding array of weird and wonderful instruments make for a memorable experience.

The secret to success is not difficult to explain – the band are simply ludicrously talented. Many a band will try and up the quirk factor by making all sorts of odd noises on stage and the result is invariably interminable. There needs to be a creative leap, an instinctual understanding of where to find melody and how to corral transient sounds into a structure. With Bell Orchestre at the helm segments flow beautifully into one another and haunting harmonies can change to an affront of horns in the blink of an eye.

And the climaxes are breathtaking. Never has my skin been so disturbed by goose-bumps quite so frequently in the space of a few hours. There are undulations more than steady builds with the expansive sound of all six together breaking down to allow for dramatic slide guitar sections or the dulcet tones of the upright bass when you least expect it, listen to ‘Air Lines - Land Lines’ below to hear for yourself.
The band take their bow and leave the stage after ‘Icicles’, a subdued piece that tends more towards the delicate than the wow. A fitting close, but one that feels rather tame until the six figures re-emerge for an encore. The final song of the night is a triumph, an embodiment of all they can be and a sound that knocks the wind from your sails.

Pics: Bart Photography

Paper Planes - Doris Day

One part American, three parts Scottish, Paper Planes came together in January 09 born out of mutual respect of The late 70’s New York Punk scene, the upshot is Surf/Rockabilly guitars with Post Punk bass runs and beats, all played over East Coast American yelps and drawls. The single arrives from a band on top of their form and is every bit as good as their reputation would suggest. ‘Doris Day’ is the perfect embodiment of their sound – all the energy and impact of their live shows distilled into three glorious minutes. It’s a punchy and confident track with it’s foundations in a stomping riff.

Few bands can make the jump from being merely interesting and talented to being absolutely essential but the Planes have pulled it off. Paper Planes feature regularly on this site and will be releasing their first single ‘Doris Day’ on Lucky Number Nice Records on 7″ vinyl & Download on Monday 12th October with a show at Glasgow’s legendary Grand Ole Opry on the 8th of October!

Pic: Takeshi Suga Paper Planes @ T in The Park 2009

Mumord & Sons @ King Tuts 12/09/09

With Tuts stuffed to the rafters, and a palpable sense of excitement in the air, an empty stage waits for Mumford & Sons. All eyes are on the stage door and as it is teased open a huge cheer erupts, swells and then turns to disappointment and ironic boos when a sole roadie emerges. Glasgow, it seems, has fallen in love.

But let’s take a step back. A proportion of the credit for the high spirits in the crowd must go to support act King Charles. With bags of charisma and a glorious head of hair, Charles himself is an intriguing presence amidst a colourfully dressed band. The set they deliver as is near to perfect as a support set can be. Song after song of real quality sets Tuts toes tapping and draws a huge reaction, the two gorgeous girls in the band also help proceedings along nicely. A band to watch out for.

Glasgow has tasted Mumford and Sons twice before in smaller venues and many of us have waited since April for this postponed gig to go ahead. Perhaps absence makes the heart grow stronger, but when the stage door opens for a second time and the band finally emerge the response is deafening. There’s noticeable surprise from a band who only have three limited edition, self-produced EPs under their belt. The crowd are silenced by the quiet opener, with the trademark four part harmonies a joy to behold, before things build to a bluegrass crescendo.

The straining, distinctive voice of frontman Marcus Mumford would be exciting enough on its own, with songs like ‘White Blank Page’ benefiting from his passionate delivery, however its the moments when all four voices combine that draws shivers of delight. Glorious harmonies with banjo and an upright bass might not seem an obvious recipe for success but the effect is spectacular and songs like ‘Little Lion Man’ draw boisterous singing with each passing chorus.

The performance is a real treat, and the sold outcrowd may well have to make the leap to larger venues to catch the Sons in future. A near riot of noise meets Mumford’s question as to whether people are enjoying themselves before he rubs his ears and declares ‘yea we can kind of tell!’. An encore is demanded more than it’s requested and a new song closes an almost euphoric evening.

Mumford and Sons release their debut album, ‘Sigh No More’ through Gentlemen Of The Road / Island Records on the 5th October 2009. It will be preceded by a new single, ‘Little Lion Man’, on the 28th September.

Pics: Euan Anderson

Michael Feuerstack (Bell Orchestre) Interview

What definition would you give of how Bell Orchestre sound? Have you experienced any odd attempts by journalists?

Fortunately that’s not our job! We make the music, and we’re lucky enough to have people help us tell people about it. One thing that seems to come up a lot is that our music is cinematic. By that, I assume that people mean to suggest that it is evocative of images, which is a nice compliment. We never really think of it as film music. In fact, we’ve worked on film music before, and it invariably comes out very different from what we do on our own impulses.

How do the songs emerge – are they written about specific themes or are they the result of experimenting with the band?

We write mainly through improvising with each other. We record everything and piece together the parts that sound best to us. It truly is collaborative, and as such quite painstaking and slow. Improvisation is at the heart of what we do, although the pieces are ultimately composed. I think there are themes, but that’s not  something we discuss very often.

All of the band appear to be multitalented on stage – were you all from musical backgrounds?

We’re all from wildly different backgrounds. Sarah has played violin since she could walk and talk. Richard has played every instrument in every type of band. Pietro is highly trained, but he’s forgotten everything. Stef is the merging of discipline and freedom. Kaveh lives in the moment and plays music there too. I grew up on punk rock and I’m really good at writing lyrics, so naturally I play lap steel. Colin Stetson, our erstwhile  woodwinds associate, is the Barack Obama of the saxophone.

You’ve recorded songs in a tunnel in the past – are tunnels the future of recording?

Not unless our first record was made in the future! I’d have to say tunnels are the past of recording. We use whatever tools are available to us to get our ideas across, regardless of the era to which they belong. We just walk toward the light.

Are there any influences that stand out above the others that have been crucial to the band?

There is some music that we all love, but mostly it’s a really wide spectrum. We each bring our own  inspirations and experiences to the table. Further to that, we inspire each other. So, the more we do together - and the more experiences we go through together - the more inspired we become as a group.

What is it about Canada that is producing so many great bands at the moment?

Canada has always made great music, it’s just received some notice lately. There’s good music everywhere.


How does the experience of touring with Bell Orchestre compare to touring with Arcade Fire?

That would be one for Richard and Sarah. I think it is safe to say that there are a lot of major differences. Our audience is much smaller, and as such, more intimate maybe. Our music is well off the mainstream map.
While we’ve obviously benefited from some spill-over attention, the two projects are really very separate.

What does the future hold for Bell Orchestre?

We are excited to get working on some new music, since we’ve mainly spent our time touring in support of As Seen Through Windows. Now that we are back home, we’ll take a short recuperative spell, and then get
back to what we love best: hanging out and making up music.

Montreal’s Bell Orchestre release ‘As Seen Through Windows’, on October 5th 09 through the Arts and Crafts record label.

Pics: Bart Photography

Fanfarlo @ King Tuts 30/09/09

I love Tuts. There I’ve said it. Tonight Glasgow’s best small venue plays hosts to three vastly different bands and blends them together with complete perfection. Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, who take to the stage first, sound like, and in fact look like, a punch up at a truck stop in the Deep South; all John Deere and Jack Daniels. These are stomping country tinged numbers infused with blasts of trumpet from a makeshift brass section and they are enormous fun into the bargain. The difference is the deftness of touch in the song-writing and the sheer enjoyment that tonight’s band get from tearing up the stage for half an hour.

And then for something completely different. Hailing from Sweden, First Aid Kit consist of two female singers that look very young indeed to be standing in front of such a crowd. Talent, however, makes concerns like that irrelevant, and both voices are sublime. Beautiful harmonies waft over quiet folk songs and utterly compel Tuts to silence. Individual shuffles and breaths can be heard above the notes of the autoharp and the intriguing little duo leave smiles on the faces of all.

Fanfarlo are next, or at least half of them are. The set opens with an acoustic rendition of ‘Drowning Men’ and the first hint of the multitalented personnel on show. Banjos, violins and bells emerge and we are treated to the unique sight of someone attempting to mic up a saw. Yet none of this is for show. The Fanfarlo sound is something special and as songs like ‘Comets‘ or ‘I’m a Pilot’ swell to glorious conclusions the effect is astounding. Having six members on stage who are all doing so much only ever works if you are just this good.

The quality of self-released debut album Reservoir has recently earned the band major label status and it’s not difficult to see why. Every song is a standout and they move beautifully through the gears from the shouty chorus of ‘The Walls are Coming Down’ to the poppy wonder that is ‘Harold T Wilkins‘. ‘Luna’ (below) finishes the set and embodies all that is wonderful about the band – sweeping instrumentation, wonderful song-writing and a overpowering tone that is unavoidably uplifting. And as if that wasn’t enough – the new songs on display tonight point to a very exciting sophomore release.

Pic: Euan Anderson

The xx @ The Captain’s Rest Glasgow 05/10/09

A quick perusal of The xx's tour dates shows that tonight Glasgow is in for something of a privilege especially with. Tonight a mere one hundred souls squeeze into the sold out locker below The Captain’s Rest and the sweaty intimacy of the venue is the perfect backdrop for the performance that ensues.

Visually the band are an odd assortment of notably young folks whose look is entirely their own; or rather their lack of a look. Everywhere there is black and everywhere there is jewellery, yet this is fitting, for The xx aren’t about singles and magazine covers. This is a body of songs that have the potential to be about much more.

There’s barely a chord to be seen and the minimalist approach creates a distinctive and immediately intriguing result. The strict beat and staccato guitar stabs in ‘Basic Space’ demonstrate this beautifully and the swapped male/female vocals add a softer layer. ‘Islands’ continues in this mould and has heads nodding vigorously throughout the venue amidst the stripped back number.

Importantly though, the songs on show tonight all have a distinctly personal feel. Lyrics feel like whispered declarations of love and lines like ‘teach me gently how to breathe’ have an intense effect. It’s the marriage of this sentiment to the slow pound of the bass and the deceptively simple guitar lines that are all important. ‘Heart Skipped a Beat’ feels almost uncomfortable to watch in such close proximity; making eye contact with the band and watching the sweat form on their brows. Vocalist Oliver Sim declaring that ‘this is a bit cosy’ doesn’t quite cover it.

It’s only on their cover of ‘Teardrops’ that the tempo lifts beyond a rhythmic thrust and that constant restraint fuels The xx sound. This is their great strength, and they know it, finishing the night with ‘Stars’. At first glance it’s a subdued way to close a set but, like everything on show, the fact that you want more is all important. And everyone in The Captain’s Rest wants more.

Pics: Heidi Kuisma

Girls @ The Captains Rest 13/10/09

Dominic from Swanton Bombs was clearly born in the wrong decade. Waif thin with flowing locks and an enormous and complicated board of guitar pedals he fits firmly into the mould of a 70s guitarist just discovering distortion for the first time. From the word go we are treated to a series of outrageous licks and riffs that are the nights first full frontal assault on the ears.

Tonight’s openers create a searing noise for a mere duo and Brendan on the drums resembles Animal from The Muppets as he flails and sweats over some frantic stick action. The songs revels in excess and both members look visibly agitated during quieter segments, warily storing energy like a spring as they wait to explode into solos Rory Gallagher would have been proud of. Enough charm in their commitment to the cause then to please a quickly filling venue.

By the time Girls arrive on stage and we get to giggle childishly at their declaration ‘We’re Girls from San Francisco’ The Rest is full to the brim. The band arrives in Glasgow just as a bristle of hype and excitement is growing around them after their debut effort 'Album'. Girl’s songs are saturated with sunshine and ‘Lust for Life’ a sumptuous single that excels live. Its pure and unadulterated pop and the ultra laid back look of the guys on stage make it undeniably cool. The West coast feel is present throughout the set and they take the best aspects and sentiments of bands that pine for harmonies by the surf.

And then there’s the flipside. ‘Big Bad Mean Mother Fucker’ is a distorted blast of noise that I’m still recovering from. Still smiling and still delivering lines like Elvis Costello, the noise shakes the foundations of the building and leaves jangly guitar chords far behind. A band with plenty going on then, with ‘Hellhole Ratrace’ perhaps representing the middle ground in which they thrive. A simple start with honest lyrics moves and gathers pace towards a wall of fuzz and glorious noise. An impressive showing from a band to look out for – just keep the earplugs close at hand.

Pic: Euan Anderson

Blue Roses @ Captain’s Rest 08/11/09

The audience tonight in The Captain’s Rest provide something of a philosophical problem - either the venue is half full or its half empty. This depends on your point of view of course, but the intimacy this allows and the feeling of exclusiveness to those of us hidden away below ground make this something of a privilege.

A highlight for us at Glastonbury this year, far too few people will know the name of Blue Roses, or indeed Laura Groves, the diminutive Shipley lass and pixie like singer to whom the moniker refers. Released on XL Records her debut album of the same name fits neatly into the bracket whereby critical acclaim and public profile mismatch. Indeed other rokbun favourites Wild Beasts are already singing about ‘Girls from Shipley’. Yet to see her in the flesh is something very different and with a violin player and a sparsely used drummer a simple setup focuses all attention on the vocal talents of Ms Groves.

And boy are they special. Shuffling nervously towards the piano, and endearingly managing a barely audible hello, she sings and the hairs on the back of our collective necks stand rigidly to attention. Comparisons to Kate Bush or Joanna Newsom provide a ballpark but do an injustice. The lyrical, folksy, ‘I am Leaving‘ is the perfect example as Groves vocals rise and fall like a swelling tide and something in those soaring high notes is utterly compelling.

Every song is beautifully measured and striking in simplicity, something never more potent than when she performs solo. The opening portions of ‘Rebecca‘ are spellbinding and the venue hangs on her every word. Whilst the album is played in full this is less a recital and more a live interpretation in the best sense. Without the ability to create the sense of a choir of Blue Roses singing at any one time we have two voices and a violin, the deficit of big production filled with delicate exchanges and a wonderfully personal feel.

The night ends with ‘Moments Before Sleep‘, the most idiosyncratic of the songs of the lot. The voice is as high and prominent as ever but a bed of synths and thick strikes from the bass drum give an altogether more expansive and anthemic feel. So a perfect set, a perfect voice and a singer that everyone falls instantly in love with. What more can you ask for?

Pics: Bart Photography

Los Campesinos - Romance is Boring

New albums can often be a worry - have the band found an interest in Belgian jazz? Have they gone for one avant-garde hour length track? The first line of the third offering from Los Campesinos is ‘Let’s talk about you for a minute, with the vomit in your gullet’ and any such fears dissipate immediately. The band has typically declared this to be an album about ‘the death and decay of the human body, lost love, mental breakdown, and football.’

Such a synopsis might seem glib, but the chaotic nature of the songs allow for the four themes to intermingle quite happily within any given four minutes.

Take the title track. ‘Romance is Boring’ is Los Campesinos doing what they do best - a mixture of competing vocals, sudden changes and lyrics about disappointment and boredom that all sounding strangely uplifting. There’s an aggressive clatter not unlike the most recent Cribs material but only if the Cribs were more of an extended family than three brothers. The big soundscape is present throughout, seen at its boisterous best with ‘I Just Sighed’. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know. Countless layers of instruments are somehow corralled into something coherent and the resulting sound is fantastic, something done to similar effect later in ‘The Sea Is a Great Place To Think About The Future’.

On the other hand, ‘These are Listed Buildings’ is a cheery affair, infused with brass but every bit Los Campesinos and a joyous little pop song. Noticeably, this one is cleaner and perhaps more accessible than songs on the previous albums, but nothing has been lost in the process. Infectious guitar lines still crop up where you least expect them to and sudden crashes of noise punctuate the verses. Similarly, In Media Res meanders through scratchy noise, strange interludes and clattering crescendos but somehow retains the thread of being a standalone song. The restlessness is fascinating.

Romance is Boring is an album that does exactly what you want it to. Lurking amongst the many and varied tunes are still fantastically individual vocals which stray from the weird of ‘the frequent public displays of sisterly affection/They left her feeling safe/Left him with an erection’ to the wonderful ‘We are just two atheists in lust’. There’s something unexpected around every corner and plenty of memorable tunes to fall in love with. Los Campesinos are on strong form and this is a record well worth the wait.

Romance is Boring is released on the 1st February 2010

Fyfe Dangerfield @ O2 ABC Glasgow 20/01/10

Celtic Connections, as with all such festivals, provides a wonderful arena for odd combinations of music to be corralled together into one night. Tonight is a perfect example and, with the peculiar sight of chairs covering the dance floor, an assortment of devoted fans and interested neutrals come together under one roof.

We begin with Villagers, of whom tonight there is only one. Conor O’Brien shuffles below a single spotlight to one side of the stage and dons a guitar over his woolly jumper. Awkward greetings are made and a quite beautiful voice, lilting at times towards Celtic melodies, is a welcome arrival. The songs are nice enough but tend to run together and some clear talent gets a little wandered in the tedium. He finishes with an ill-advised version of Roy Orbison’s Crying and gets unintended guffaws by recreating a rather famous scene from Only Fools and Horses. You can catch Conor again solo at Stereo on the 1st of February.

And then there are Stornoway , who are not from Stornoway. The Oxford lads are a cheerier affair, brisk and poppy in their sensibilities, and raise smiles for more welcome reasons. The set is well received and an entirely different proposition to what preceded them or what was to come.

Fyfe Dangerfield, of Guillemots fame, headlines the night in support of his debut solo effort Fly Yellow Moon. His wiry frame has a lot of stage to fill without his band-mates but he lets the music make his presence felt. Opener ‘Livewire’ is quite at odds with the layered arrangements of his band and, with only an acoustic guitar for company, the strength of his voice shines through. The album is a pick and mix of styles and influences and lots of guitar changes and loop pedals are required to recreate this live, yet somehow it all comes together for a charming display.

Two violinists soon join proceedings and accompany Dangerfield’s vocals particularly well. Quieter songs like ‘High on the Tide’ benefit from the melancholic backing whilst upbeat tracks like Firebird find an anthemic edge to give them the necessary lift. Even a cover of Girls Aloud goes down well. The album might not be quite up there with his earlier work, and it’s true that the loudest cheer of the night is for an encore version of ‘Made Up Love Song’, but this was a confident performance and one that demonstrated wider talents. New Guillemots stuff is on the way, but for tonight we have an impressive end to a refreshingly varied show.

Pic: Euan Anderson