There Will Be Fireworks- 'There Will Be Fireworks' (The Imaginary Kind)
From the very start of There Will Be Fireworks’ self-titled debut, you know you’re in for something a bit different. Atmospheric clicks and noises give way to an elegiac ascending guitar melody as Stornoway poet Kevin MacNeil enters with a spoken-word monologue. ‘There Will Be Fireworks’ he promises in his buccaneering tones, ‘And they will light-up your eyes.’ It’s a bold way to open any album, never mind your first, but it soon becomes apparent that There Will Be Fireworks are not your average band.
The sleepy, low-key meanderings of ‘So The Story Goes’ is followed by the melancholic majesty of ‘Midfield Maestro’, as Nicholas McManus sings ‘Your unravelling in my arms’ while Gibran Farrah’s guitar wails in the background. The pretty guitar arpeggios of ‘Guising’ then segue into a maelstrom of distortion, as ‘Off With Their Heads’ explodes with the sound of a band rocking-out at full-force.
‘A Kind of Furnace’ features an achingly beautiful piano part while ‘We Sleep Through The Bombs’ is swept along by propulsive drum rhythms and soaring vocals. It’s the sheer scale of musical ambition on show which is most impressive. There’s a real spirit of experimentation, with piano, strings, brass, accordion, glockenspiels and swirling feedback all being used to serve the texture of the songs. However, on an album with such a lush sonic palette, ‘Foreign Thoughts’ still manages to stand-out. ‘She says she barely sleeps/and when she does it’s fitfully’ sings McManus over a startlingly evocative guitar refrain.
It’s rare for a band to have such a daring artistic vision for their first album, but There Will Be Fireworks have pulled it off spectacularly.
'There Will Be Fireworks' can be ordered from the band by going here
It seems everyone’s been falling in love with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart of late. The band’s gloriously pure pop songs carry a kind of blissful optimism, even when the lyrics hint at a more melancholic undercurrent.
The Pains’ lead singer Kip tells me the band all share an affection for noisy pop music. “We were friends before we started the band” he recalls. “We were all pretty amateur to begin with-Alex had never played bass before- but we just enjoyed making music together.”
The band’s first gig was at a Brooklyn warehouse for keyboard player Peggy’s birthday party, alongside fellow New Yorkers Titus Andronicus and The Manhattan Love Suicides. “Our aim was to get good enough at our instruments to play at the party” says Kip. “We ended up playing and had a lot of fun!” As for the origins of their name, it came from the title of an unpublished children’s story written by a friend of Kip.
In the beginning the band only had three members and played with a drum machine. “It was a bit of a problem because we could only program the drum machine to play one beat!”Kip remembers. “It got a little bit repetitive after a while, things definitely improved when we got Kurt to drum for us! “ The Pains self-released their first EP as a three-piece in 2007 before Kurt came onboard for their self-titled debut, which was recorded in Brooklyn. The album was released on renowned American indie label Slumberland in February and has received a warm reception, drawing comparisons with bands like The Field Mice and My Bloody Valentine.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- 'Everything With You'
While The Pains hail from New York, the band has a very strong appreciation for Glasgow’s musical heritage. “The music coming out of Glasgow has been incredibly influential for us” he says. “We all love bands like Aztec Camera, The Pastels, The Jesus and Mary Chain. We love Teenage Fanclub as well, they’re an incredible band for just playing great melodic pop music.”
Indeed, the band’s devotion is such that the last time they were in Glasgow they made a pilgrimage down to Mono “to shake Stephen Pastel’s hand”. Kip continues to name check other Glaswegian favorites, as he gushes over the likes of Camera Obscura, Belle and Sebastian and Wake The President. “The thing that amazes me about Glasgow is how many great bands there are for its size” Kip says. “I always say that if we formed in Glasgow we would be maybe the 27th best band there!”
While Kip is passionate about Glasgow bands, he’s also enthusiastic about the musical vibrancy of his hometown. “Yeah you’ve got lots of good stuff like the Crystal Stilts, Vivian Girls, Titus Andronicus and The Manhattan Love Suicides” he says. “We’re friends with those bands and we really like their music.”
Certainly the New York music scene is nothing if not diverse. For example, the Pains’ good friends Titus Andronicus have a raucous, spiky punk sound which is a far cry from their more twee leanings. “Some people might find it surprising that I’m into a band like Titus Andronicus but the music you love is not always the same as the music you make” notes Kip. “You know, I’m really into glam rock stuff like Suede and T-Rex but I could never make that kind of music myself, it just wouldn’t be me!”
The band’s songwriting process starts with Kip recording rough demos in his bedroom. However, he feels the songs only come into their own when he takes them to the rest of the band. “Everyone in the band contributes to making the songs sound good” he says. “I wouldn’t want to take too much credit for writing the songs because they only become special when the whole band plays them.”
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's self-titled debut is out now on Slumberland
The Cutaways- 'Earth and Earthly Things' (self-released)
Jagged guitar sounds compete for space with shouty vocals and pounding synths on the debut from Belfast trio The Cutaways. The boy-girl vocals of guitarist Paul McIver and keyboardist Grace McMacken work well, particularly on tracks like ‘Milo of Kroton’ and ‘Lovers are Lunatics’. I Spilled Your Drink So You Broke My Heart’ is also a well-executed pop song, featuring such quirky lyrical gems as ‘If the ground hasn’t already swallowed anybody whole could it please start now’
‘Earth and Earthly Things’ is certainly one of the more upbeat albums you’ll hear and there’s almost a scatter-gun approach to some of the melodies, particularly on ‘Weapon of Choice’ and ‘Wrong Cause, Right Words’.
At times the songs have a feeling of barely contained chaos but the band still manage to retain a sense of coherence to their overall sound as their pop sensibilities shine through. The album’s highlight is probably ‘I Don’t Understand What You Don’t Say’, which is a bit less frenetic and features some nice vocal interplay and funky guitars.
The pace never lags throughout and there’s enough unexpected interludes and odd tempos to keep things interesting. All in all, ‘Earth and Earthly Things’ is a very likeable effort, and I imagine The Cutaways’ energetic indie-pop makes them an exciting proposition live
Peter Parker- 'Swallow The Rockets' (Lucky Number Nine/Say Dirty)
Peter Parker’s debut single has an infectious quality that grabs you right from the start, as Roz Davies’ rapid vocal delivery combines with a deliciously scuzzy guitar riff. Roz’s vocals are pleasingly punchy and abrasive, a bit like when you’re in a bad mood and want to start an argument for no reason.
Everything about this song-the vocals, guitar, bass and drums- just sounds right. ‘Swallow The Rockets’ is the kind of exciting, messed-up pop that makes you want to pogo like a hyperactive child who has just smashed theirneighbors’ window with a football. There’s nothing contrived, no fancy bells and whistles, just a band who know what a killer tune sounds like. And make no mistake, ‘Swallow The Rockets’ is a killer tune.
‘Temper Temper’, the B-side, is pretty nifty as well. From the disjointed, punky verse to the catchy-as-hell chorus, it’s a brilliantly addictive, sharp-edged pop song. More of this please!
With their emotive vocals, driving guitars, and finely crafted melodies, The Xcerts is a name you’re going to be hearing more of. Their debut album ‘In the Cold Wind We Smile’ displays a maturity of songwriting that belies the fact that the average age of the band members is around 20.
Singer-guitarist Murray Mcleod and bassist Jordan Smith formed the band while in High School in Aberdeen before moving down to Brighton, which Jordan describes as being like “Aberdeen in Technicolor”. There they met Tom Heron, who joined the band on drums when their original drummer left.Although Brighton is still their base, Murray says they haven’t been back in months. “To be honest our tour van is more like our base these days” he says.
The Xcerts have certainly done their fair share of touring and have supported the likes of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Make Model, Fighting With Wire and Twin Atlantic as well as performing at a variety of festivals including T in the Park, Rock Ness, The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, and Connect. As a result of their relentless gigging the band have developed a formidable live reputation “We’ve always worked hard as a live band” says Murray. “If you put in the effort when you play a gig then word of mouth will eventually spread.”Jordan is adamant that playing live is what the band does best. “When someone comes to us and says they really like a recording of one of our songs, I always tell them ‘come to one of our shows because you’ll enjoy it even more live’.”
However, the band feels that ‘In the Cold Wind We Smile’ has captured the energy of their live show better than previous recordings. “I think the new record is definitely closer to what we do on stage” says Murray. “Having said that, we don’t want it to be identical to our live performances. In the studio you’ve got the scope to do whatever you want to enhance your sound and I think it’s important to make use of that so you can produce the best album you can.”
The Xcerts- 'Just Go Home'
The man enlisted to help achieve this was Dave Eringa, who has produced the likes of Idlewild and the Manic Street Preachers. “Dave’s a fantastic producer” says Murray. “He’s just got a really good ear for rock sounds. As a band we all loved his production on Idlewild’s ‘100 Broken Records’ album but he decided to take a bit of a different approach for us. He knew we needed more of a polished pop sound.”
Judging by the emotive lyrics on ‘In the Cold Wind We Smile’ it’s clear a fair amount of angst was involved in the songwriting. “There was a lot of personal tragedy, heartache and other nasty stuff that was going on in the lead up to recording the album” Murray admits. “It was unintentional, but we’d had a bad year so all this dark stuff ended up pouring out of us. Hopefully the next album will be a nice happy record!”
The tour for ‘In the Cold Wind We Smile’ has taking the band on some exotic jaunts so far. They recently spent a week in Japan and played their first show there to over a thousand people alongside The Fratellis. “That was pretty crazy considering we’d never set foot in Japan before” laughs Murray. “We were like a ‘buzz band’ over there! They were all taking pictures and wanting autographs and stuff. We met one girl who actually had an original 7-inch of our first single! It was pretty good for the ego. We’ve got allies in the embassy over there now so hopefully we’ll be able to go back soon!”
The recent launch party for their album was also a novel experience, as it took place on board a boat in Loch Ness. “That was strange” recounts Murray. “For some reason the boat started speeding-up halfway through and it got pretty rocky onboard. I was finding it hard to sing because I was practically in hysterics!”
Bassist Jordan also had problems. “I’d be pogo-ing, and when I came back down the floor just wasn’t there” he says. “I’m glad it was just our friends and family who were there and it wasn’t some sort of showcase with all the heads of the major labels. Maybe next time we launch an album we’ll play on a plane or something!”
It looks like 2009 will be a busy year for The Xcerts. There will be another single from the album in a couple of months, some festival dates, and a headline tour is also on the cards. However, the band have their sights set on the end of the year. “I think that deep down in every band’s heart, all they really want is to write a classic Christmas song” says Murray. “It doesn’t matter how left-field you are. I mean, look at Shane MacGowan- he’s got enough money to buy all the Guinness he needs. He’ll never be thirsty again!” We’ll have to wait and see whether The Xcerts write a Xmas classic to rank among the likes of Slade, Wham, and Cliff Richard but ‘In The Cold Wind We Smile’ is sure to win them many new fans in the meantime.
‘In The Cold Wind We Smile’ is out now on Xtra Mile Recordings
Nu-twee favourites Foxes! are a Brighton-based trio so deliciously sweet they’ll make your teeth tingle. They’ve been perverting electro-toy instruments to a shambling mutiny of shimmering guitars and heavenly vocals since 2006, and the band have already enjoyed popular releases on hip indie labels like Shifty Disco, Alcopopular, and Sounds eXPerience, supporting the likes of Art Brut, Emmy the Great, and Wild Beasts along the way.
New single 'Who Killed Rob?' will be released on the 1st of June and is taken from the band's forthcoming debut album 'Boxes'.
Hot on the heels of Hinterland, the stag and dagger festival runs from 6pm till late in Glasgow this Saturday (23 May) and Tickets are £16.50. Here's the line-up...
Captain's Rest The Mae Shi: 11.15 - 11.45 Dananananaykroyd: 10.30 - 11.00 Tubelord: 9.45 - 10.15 Paper Planes: 9.00 - 9.30 Miles Benjamin- Anthony Robinson: 8.15 - 8.45 Blue Roses: 7.30 - 8.00 The French Wives: 6.45 - 7.15 Over The Wall: 6.00 - 6.30
Classic Grand Black Lips: 9.45 - 10.30 Mika Miko: 9.00 - 9.30 Gringo Star: 8.15 - 8.45 The Elvis Suicide: 7.30 - 8.00
Nice 'n' Sleazy Hot Club DJs: 11.00 - 3.00 Cursive: 9.45 - 10.30 The Gay Blades: 8.45 - 9.15 Findo Gask: 7.45 - 8.15 Boycotts: 7.00 - 7.30
Stereo Men & Machines DJs: 2.00 - 3.00 JD Twitch (Optimo): 00.30 - 2.00 Men & Machines DJs: 11.00 - 00.30 The Aliens: 9.45 - 10.30 Bmx Bandits: 8.30 - 9.15 Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers: 7.45 - 8.15 St Deluxe: 7.00 - 7.30
The Art School Club Art Of Parties: 2.00 - close Dolby Anol: 1.00 - 2.00 Record Playerz DJs: 11.00 - 1.00
The Art School Downstairs Dolby Anol: 1.30 - 3.oo Art of Parties: 00.30 - 1.30 Record Playerz DJs: 11.00 - 00.00 The Joy Formidable: 10.30 - 11.00 Chew Lips: 9.30 - 10.00 Lemonade: 8.30 - 9.00 Everything Everything: 7.30 - 8.00 Record Playerz DJs: 7.00 - 7.30
The Art School Upstairs Konx-Om-Pax: 2.30 - 3.00 Clark (Warp): 1.30 - 2.30 Konx-Om-Pax: 1.00 - 1.30 Tim Exile: 00.00 - 1.00 Konx-Om-Pax: 11.00 - 00.00 Phantom Band: 10.00 - 10.45 White Denim: 8.45 - 9.30 Jacob Yates & the Pearly Gate Lock Pickers: 7.45 - 8.15 Meursault: 7.00 - 7.30 David Barbarossa DJ: 6.30 - 7.00
Since its release in March, Le Reno Amps’ third album ‘Tear It Open’ has attracted glowing reviews in both underground fanzines and the mainstream press. The quartet’s upbeat, catchy songs are a breath of fresh air and as they take their energetic live show around the UK it seems Le Reno Amps are attracting an ever-growing fan base.
Fronting the band are the dynamic duo of Al Nero and Scott Maple, who share lead vocals and form the band’s core songwriting partnership. Nero and Maple played in separate bands in Aberdeen before joining forces for the industry showcase ‘Go North’ to play an acoustic session. They enjoyed it so much they decided to write some more songs together, later releasing their first LP ‘LRA’ in 2004. The duo then decided to decamp to Glasgow and released ‘So For Your Thrills’ in 2007, recruiting bassist Lindsay and drummer Jason in the process.
‘Tear It Open’ is the first album Le Reno Amps have recorded as a full band and Al Nero is happy with the outcome. “I dare say we’re a tight-knit live band and I feel this album really captures what we’re about” says Al. “For the first time there’s four of us, so you’ve got Lindsay playing bass and singing and Jason playing drums instead of Scott. In the past it was just me and Scott layering all the instruments, but this one is a lot more about playing in a room live and getting everyone’s contribution.”
The album was recorded at Chem19 studios with funding from the Scottish Arts Council and was produced by Sons and Daughters cohort Andy Wallace. “Andy’s great, Chem19’s great and we really feel we’re on an upward curve with this album” says Al. “I think we’re well past the stage of just jamming as a band. I mean, that has its place, but when Le Reno Amps started it was just me and Scott. Because there was just two of us we had to really make sure our songs stood-up and we take the same approach when we write together now.”
Le Reno Amps- 'Outlaws'
According to Al, the band’s main aim with ‘Tear It Open’ was to reflect the upbeat, punchy sound of their live show. “We wanted to make a short, sweet, up-tempo album” he says. The band were also unafraid to get experimental in the studio. “‘Gilded Road’ was just this dumb song, with only four chords but we tagged this electronic intro onto it” says Al. “That’s one example of doing things a bit differently, but mostly we just wanted to build the songs around the melody.”
A lot of bands get tagged as being great live, but anyone who has seen Le Reno Amps in action will tell you they justify that description more than most. “We enjoy playing together, and people see that” says Al. “Some bands just go through the motions but we like putting on a good show and having a banter with the crowd. Sometimes me and Scott like to throw each other off by playing something different in a song or changing it in some way- it keeps us on our toes!”
Describing the sound of Le Reno Amps has certainly given a fair few reviewers headaches, as the band draw on a potpourri of different influences. “Yeah, people say power-pop, indie, country…we don’t know what we want to be” Al comments. “When we make the album it’s basically the best ten or eleven songs we’ve written over the past couple of years that make the cut. If we waited to have, say, ten ‘power-pop’ songs then it would take ages.”
Perhaps part of the reason Le Reno Amps are so hard to pigeon-hole stems from the different influences of their two songwriters. “When I met Scott I was listening to stuff like Blur and Weezer, while he was more into punk and metal.” says Al. “He’d go ‘listen to this’ and stick on some Metallica and at first I thought it was rubbish but eventually your music tastes kind of cross-over. Another thing is there’s an eight year age gap between us so I guess Scott grew up with different bands than I did.”
Whatever the reason for Le Reno Amps’ unique sound, it’s worth checking out. Whether you think its rockabilly, indie, power-pop, or Caledonian mariachi the chances are there will be plenty for you to enjoy.
Le Reno Amps play Tigerfest at Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh on 10th May
The annual Tigerfest festival takes place throughout May and it looks like it will maintain the high standard of previous years. Over the space of three weeks venues in Dunfermline, Edinburgh and Aberdeen will play host to shows from the likes of James Yorkston, Aberdfely, King Creosote, De Rosa, Found and Amusement Parks on Fire.
With such a rich seam of musical talent peddling their wares, it seems that May will be a busy month for music lovers on the east coast.
Here's the line-up in all its glory.....
Aberdeen Thu 21 May: Alasdair Roberts, Kitchen Cynics, Amber Wilson. Playing at The Tunnels. 8pm (£8) Sun 24 May: King Creosote, The Pictish Trail, Player Piano. Playing at The Lemon Tree. 7.30pm (£14)
Dunfermline(Carnegie Hall) Wed 13 May: James Yorkston, Lisa Knapp. 7.30pm (£10) Thu 14 May: Cruiser, Found, Swimmer One. 7.30pm (£6) Fri 15 May: ballboy, Audrey Sings Nico, The Rosie Thomas Project, Saint Jude's Infirmary. 7.30pm (£6) Sat 16 May: Lord Cut-Glass, De Rosa, Angil & The Hiddentracks. 7.30pm (£6)
Edinburgh Wed 6 May: Amusement Parks On Fire, The Gothenburg Address, Cryoverbillionaires. Playing at Cabaret Voltaire. 7pm (£8) Thur 7 May : Meursault, Inspector Tapehead, The Japanese War Effort, Playing at The Bowery. 8pm (£5) Fri 8 May: Aberfeldy, Ex Lion Tamer. Playing at Cabaret Voltaire. 7pm, £10 Sat 9 May: Ordinary Allstars, SupersonicSims, B-burg (DJ set). Playing at Cabaret Voltaire. 7pm (£7) Sun 10 May: The Stantons, The Gillyflowers, Le Reno Amps. Playing at Cabaret Voltaire. 7pm (Free).
Dropkick specialise in the kind of breezy pop melodies that bring to mind the likes of Attic Lights and Teenage Fanclub. The band’s alternative-country sound is strewn with sing-alongs and they indulge in vocal harmonies that would make Brian Wilson blush. The prominent use of pedal steel guitars and banjo also lends a strong Americana feel to ‘Patchwork.’
‘Nowhere Girl’ opens things at a gentle pace, before the driving power-pop of the excellent ‘Breakdown’ kicks-in. There are cathcy hooks aplenty and a breezy vibe which is perfect for when the sun’s out. ‘Where I’m From’ revels in folksy sentiments as the banjo plucks away in the background and ‘Listen To You’ has some lovely harmonica flourishes. Title track ‘Patchwork’ also works well and has more of a power-pop element to it than, say, the relaxed country of ‘The State That Remains’.
‘Patchwork’ is certainly a strong collection of tunes, which could be down to the factthat the band features three songwriters- brothers Alastair and Andrew Taylor along with the unrelated Roy W Taylor. One of the best things about Dropkick’s sound is the quality of their harmonising vocals as all the band members possess strong, distinct voices.
This album may be a bit ‘folksy’ for some, but if you have a penchant for laid-back Americana then Dropkick are your band.
It seems that Brighton’s Fin Greenall aka Fink, is a songwriter in demand. He recently worked with John Legend on his ‘Evolver’ album, and being the ‘Legend’ he is, John returns the favour by co-writing two songs on Fink’s latest offering ‘Sort of Revolution’. Fink produced, mixed and mastered his third album himself and it proves to be a fine showcase for his talents.
For the most part the only accompaniment to Fink’s voice and guitar is Guy Whittaker on bass and Tom Thronton on drums. There is an understated, yet almost hypnotic quality to Fink’s music, as the sparse song arrangements bring his laconic vocals to the fore.
The mesmeric opener ‘Sort of Revolution’ draws you in as Fink’s subtle vocals intone over a falling chord sequence. He then teams-up with John Legend on the brooding ‘Move on Me’. It’s certainly a far cry from Legend’s poppier style, but he makes his presence felt with some backing vocals and the occasional piano flourish.
On the lush ‘See It All’ Fink sings about the ‘bright lights in New York’ and the playful a-capella of “Q & A” features some stunning vocal harmonising. ‘If I Had A Million’ just features Fink and his acoustic, as he speculates on how life would change for him and his woman if he became a millionaire
Fink collaborates with John Legend again to potent effect on ‘Maker’, which manages to sound both soulful yet slightly menacing at the same time, particularly when Legend’s powerful vocals lend weight to the chorus.
The dark undercurrents of ‘Maker’ are cleansed with the last number, a beautiful rendition of Jeff Barry’s 70s classic “walking in the sun”. However, while the cover is a nice closer, its Fink’s own low-key indie-folk which makes an indelible impression.
The Hinterland Music and Arts festival is taking place in Glasgow from April 30th to May the 1st, with over 100 acts spread around 15 city centre venues.
Here's some of the acts to look out for......
Thursday, April 30th- Beerjacket, Dead Kids, De Rosa, De Salvo, Fangs, Jesus H Foxx, Mersault, Popup, The Fall, The Invisible, The Xcerts, Tommy Reilly
Friday, May 1st- Broken Records, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Foxface, I Like Trains, Isosceles, Juno, Ming Ming and the Ching Chings, Miss The Occupier, Sons and Daughters, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Y'All is Fantasy Island, Zoey Van Goey
There aren't too many details on who's playing what venue at the moment, but we do know this...
Thursday- The Fall are at The Arches, The Xcerts are at the Art School and Tommy Reilly is at King Tut's
Friday- Sons and Daughters are at the Arches, Broken Records are at the Classic Grand and We Were Promised Jetpacks are at the ABC 2.
A 2 day ticket costs £42 and a 1 day ticket costs £23.50. If you want more info then you can check out the Hinterland website
Support from Smackvan and Northern Alliance Is this music?@13th Note, Thursday, 19th March
Doug Johnstone usually plies his trade in alt-folk types Northern Alliance, but for the purposes of tonight it’s just him and his acoustic guitar. In addition to his musical escapades Johnstone is also an author. His recent book ‘The Ossians’ charted the fortunes of the eponymous fictional Scottish band, and tonight Johnstone plays songs he wrote for his creations. A bit confusing, perhaps, but you don’t have to have read the book to appreciate Johnstone’s songwriting. ‘My Evil Twin’ is a quality blast of slacker indie, and ‘St. Andrews Day’ is a pleasing exploration of Scottish psyche. The Ossians may only exist in Johnstone’s head, but he does a pretty good job of channeling their spirit.
Next up is Smackvan, who are something of an enigma. Their debut single was released around a decade ago on a label created by Belle and Sebastian’s manager especially for that purpose and they hardly ever gig, which makes tonight’s appearance at The Note feel that extra bit special. Let’s just say you wouldn’t stick their music on at a party. It’s dark, downbeat, introverted stuff, with mournful guitar arpeggios combining with affecting vocals. Yes, the mood is bleak and subdued for the most part, but through the darkness the band creates some sublime moments.
The new Le Reno Amps album ‘Tear It Open’ is an exuberant blast of rockabilly punk which really comes into its own live.The band clearly know how to have a good time onstage and throw themselves into their performance with reckless abandon. There’s also a sense of playfulness about the band- on ‘Outsiders’ they pause for what seems like ages before launching back into the song with gusto.Songs like ‘You Do Your Thing’ and ‘Going Under’ show that the songwriting partnership ofScott Maple and Al Nero know their way round a killer hook and a catchy riff. Not only that, but they have a commanding stage presence that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and refuses to let go until the end of the set. Le Reno Amps do indeed tear up the stage tonight, much to the delight of the 13th Note punters.
“I don’t know” says Erik Sandberg. “People go on about that but Postcard only lasted for a couple of years. We have a lot more respect for Chemikal Underground.”
Perhaps that’s not what you’d expect to hear from the singer of Wake The President, as the mention of Postcard Records acts like Orange Juice, Aztec Camera and Josef K are usually never too far away when people talk about the band. However, with their newly released debut ‘You Can’t Change That Boy’ , Wake the President are set to blaze their own trail.
Erik Sandberg and his guitar-playing brother Bjorn have been in bands since the age of 16 but Wake The President’s current line-up, which features bassist Mark Corrigan and drummer Scott Sieczkowski, has been together for 3 years. “When we met Mark that’s when things really started to click musically” says Erik. “We shared similar influences like Felt, The Smiths and The Beatles.” Erik was a student at Stow College when he asked Douglas MacIntyre, director of Stow’s Music Industry Management course, if he would be interested in working with the band. During the course the students release and promote an album from a band of their choosing on Stow’s Electric Honey imprint, with previous acts having included Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.
Wake The President got the nod, and they are grateful for the time and resources Electric Honey have invested in them. Indeed, although the college usually just works with bands for around a year, they are now in their third year of working with Wake The President. “We’re the first band they’ve worked with for that length of time” says Erik. “They’ve given us time to breathe and develop. “
The band recorded ‘You Can’t Change That Boy’ last summer at Chem19 studios. They enlisted the production services of ex-Delgados drummer Paul Savage but admit recording was a fraught process. “There were times when it was amazing and times when it was very stressful” admits Mark. “The studio’s out on this industrial estate and it’s a bit like a nuclear bunker because its has no windows. I think we got cabin fever after about three days.”Indeed, such was the stressful nature of the process, the band recall they had to do 19 takes of the song ‘Professor’.
Despite the stresses of the recording processes, Bjorn says he is happy with the outcome. “Paul pushed us in the studio and I think it worked” he remarks. “He also made sure we kept things fairly stripped-back and didn’t add too much extra instrumentation.” Mark is also satisfied with how things went. “For us, recording at Chem19 was like the holy grail” he says.“I remember listening to the drums on Arab Strap’s ‘Philophobia’ and thinking I’d love to record there, and I’m happy we did”
Wake The President’s songs offer tales of deceit, infidelity, and West End debauchery. “Glasgow’s a very hedonistic city and I’ve found myself in situations I perhaps shouldn’t have been in” says Erik, adding that many of the songs stem from his own relationships and break-ups. As for the songwriting process itself, Erik says it starts with him writing something then taking it to the rest of the band. “When I first write something it’s basically just a ditty” he says, “When the others get involved it becomes something else.”
Wake The President - 'Sorrow For Clothes' video
The band isn’t Erik and Bjorn’s only musical venture. In 2006 they set-up ‘Say Dirty’ records, which has put out acclaimed releases by the likes of Endor, Zoey Van Goey and Bela. Erik and Bjorn say they were inspired by the DIY attitude of famous Scottish labels like Postcard and Chemikal Underground, but at the moment the label is being put on the back burner as they focus their energies on Wake The President. “We couldn’t give everything to both the band and the label, and our heart is set on the band at the moment” says Bjorn. “However, the label’s always there and I dare say we’ll put out a lot more records in the future”.
While the Glasgow music scene is much lauded at the moment, Wake The President feel somewhat detached from it. “I don’t think we really fit into anything” says Erik. “To me the Glasgow music scene isn’t anything special. I mean, there’s good bands like De Rosa and The Phantom Band but I’m more interested in American acts like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at the moment.”
The band admits they have a gang mentality, and Erik feels that they’re often wrongly pegged as Postcard Records copyists. “Nobody seems to take us seriously here, whereas if we go somewhere like London people seem to get it a lot more quickly” he says.
They may see themselves as musical outsiders but you can’t keep a good band down and Wake The President are adamant that they will continue to plough their own furrow. Their combination of upbeat pop and twisted lyrics is an intriguing and rewarding listen, and is sure to find many new admirers in the months ahead.
‘You Can’t Change That Boy’ is out now on Electric Honey
Support from The Invisible @ABC, Glasgow, Sunday 15th March
You have to commend The Invisible for trying something original. Their unusual, progressive sounds take a while to get your ears round, but when you do you realize there’s plenty of interesting stuff going on. Experimental rhythms, funky bass, and the superb vocals of frontman Dave Okumu create a rich aural tapestry. They don’t have the immediate accessibility of the headliners, but it’s clear The Invisible are a talented bunch.
It’s been three years since the Doves last toured and frontman Jimi Goodwin smiles broadly as his band take the stage to a warm reception. They make the bold decision to start with a new track and launch into ‘Jetstream’. It’s a cracking tune, and its taut synths and brooding rhythm section sound fresh and inventive. The song gets a positive response from the crowd, suggesting it was a good move for the band to make it available as a free download on their website. Another new song, ‘Kingdom of Rust’ also does a fine job of whettingthe appetite for the album with its understated, majestic sound.
Ostensibly thisis a gig to promote Doves’ new album ‘Kingdom of Rust’ but it’s not released until April 6thand the band decide to play it safe by drawing on their older songs. Their 2002 breakthrough album ‘The Last Broadcast’ is well represented, with the likes of ‘Pounding’, ‘Words’, ‘The Last Broadcast’ and ‘Caught By the River’ all get an airing tonight.
Unfortunately for Doves, their performance can mostly be described as competent. There’s no doubt they’re trying their best but they seem to lack confidence tonight, giving away the fact they’ve spent almost four years out of the live domain. The band’s new album may be called ‘Kingdom of Rust’, but they’ll hope their sound is a little less rusty by the time it’s released!
The band manages to blow-off the cobwebs eventually, ending their set with the euphoric rush of ‘There Goes the Fear’. As the song draws to its triumphant, tribal-drumming conclusion, Dovesremind everybody just how good they can be when they’re in full flight.
Doves release their new album 'Kingdom of Rust' on April 6th and play Glasgow Barrowland on 22nd April
Support from Ross Clark and The Scarfs Go Missing and Over the Wall @Oran Mor, Glasgow, March 8th 2009
Over the Wall look like they’re having a good time on stage, which, in turn, makes the crowd warm to them and have a good time themselves. The duo of Gav Prentice and Ben Hillman write catchy, slightly eccentric pop songs with a sense of humour.There’s certainly not afraid to experiment either, switching between mandolins, trumpets, keyboards and guitars during their set. Plus, any band that high fives each other during songs knows a thing or two about showmanship!
‘Keyboard heaven’ is a brilliant ode to casio love and new song ‘Angela’ features a mesmeric riff and glorious trumpet flourishes. The magnificent ‘Thurso’ is a superb closer, ending, as it does, on a euphoric distorted guitar and trumpet solo!
Ross Clark is a lad who’s not short of confidence. Along with his band- The Scarfs Go Missing- he gives an assured and accomplished performance tonight, with Clark’s compelling vocals drawing you into his lovelorn songs. Meanwhile the rest of the band create, a full, raucous, accompaniment, with their backing vocals and layers of guitar reverb lending a powerful dynamic to the sound .
It’s tempting to describe it as a Glaswegian take on the Americana of artists like Hank Williams and Ryan Adams, but songs like ‘Silversword’ and ‘Sex Is For Losers’ have their own unique personality. Not only that, he can work a crowd to! Definitely one to watch.
Fresh from being voted the Is this music? best live band of 2008, it’s safe to say that We Were Promised Jetpacks have built-up a strong reputation for delivering the goods, and tonight they don’t disappoint. The slowburning intro to ‘Keep Yourself Warm’ has the crowd’s rapt attention, and as the songs bursts into life its clear we’re in for a scintillating set.
The massive-sounding ‘Quiet Little Voices’ is next, cranking the intensity up another notch with Adam Thompson’s soaring vocals and the guitar pyrotechnics of Michael Palmer. It’s worth mentioning just how tight the band sound with the rhythm section of Sean Smith and Darren Lackie propelling along songs like ‘Roll Up Your Sleeves’ and ‘Moving Clocks Run Slow’ with aplomb.
There aren’t many bands who infuse their music with the same uplifting energy as We Were Promised Jetpacks. Make no mistake folks, their time is now!
Le Reno Amps come from a similar tradition of left-field songwriting as the Pixies and The Violent Femmes. The Aberdonian quartet’s music is hard to pigeonhole, which is a pretty good thing in itself. Whether you call it rockabilly, power pop, or alternative country, there’s no doubt that the songwriting partnership of Scott Maple and Al Nero have captured a distinctive voice for their band. Le Reno Amps are upbeat, quirky and rollicking good fun.
The stripped-back production from Sons and Daughters cohort Andy Millar serves the direct style of the songs well. There’s no mucking about here, just punchy, tightly arranged tunes with ear-catching melodies.
‘Outlaws’ is a stomping start to the album, as Scott Maple describes his attempts to salvage his relationship with his girlfriend while having to deal with her disapproving parents. ‘You Do Your Thing’, ‘Threads’ and ‘Going Under’ also offer tales of estranged relationships over some beefy riffage.
Things come to a head on ‘The Stand Off’ as Maple yells ‘I’ve Got My Pride’ in anguished fashion before a deranged heavy-metal outro kicks in. The song then segues nicely into the serene acoustic finger-picking and plaintive slide-guitar of ‘Body’ in what is the album’s most sublime moment.
Musically, Le Reno Amps are ploughing a more unfashionable furrow than most, so they probably won’t attract too many skinny-jean clad indie hipsters. However, those who are simply fans of good music should embrace this band in all their energetic, hard-rocking glory!
Yet again, top Scottish bands are descending on the South by South West Festival from March 18-22. Every year Austin, Texas plays host to the music industry showcase and in the past it has proved a valuable platform for Scots to promote themselves Stateside.
For the first time ever Scotland will have its own evening showcase. Primal Scream will headline, with support from Glasvegas, The Proclaimers, Camera Obscura, Dananananakroyd and We Were Promised Jetpacks.
The Scottish Arts Council is also giving financial backing to send some more of our best up-and-coming acts, including screamo-upstarts , Flood of Red, rockers Twin Atlantic, Glaswegian Post-Punk outfit Nacional and Edinburgh's Come On Gang.
The excellent Shetland based singer-songwriter Astrid Williamson was also scheduled to perform but unfortunately took the decision to pull-out. She says she has decided to visit Texas later in the year because her album will not be coming out until June.
Previous festivals have seen the likes of Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro, The Fratellis, Franz Ferdinand and Frightened Rabbit make their mark.
Wake The President- ‘You Can’t Change That Boy’ (Electric Honey)
Released on StowCollege’s student-run record label Electric Honey, ‘You Can’t Change That Boy’ is an immensely accomplished debut.Those Stow kids have taste, having previously put out albums by Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro. Wake the President are certainly worthy of such company.
The band are very much a product of Glasgow, and reflect both the city’s character and musical heritage. ‘Wake’, for example, references the River Kelvin, and the influence of Postcard Records bands like Orange Juice and Aztec Camera is there for all to hear.
However, it would be wrong to dismiss Wake The President as just a parochial indie band in thrall to their heroes. There’s something vital, something necessary about their music, as they evoke the spirit of the city in a way few others have managed.
Lyrically there’s a lot to appreciate, as singer Erik Sandberg displays a biting wit and a knack for a wry turn of phrase. On ‘You Can’t Change That Boy’ the melodies bristle with effervescence as Sandberg sings “Evening is a time for mirth and gaiety”. The irresistable pop hooks of ‘Remember Fun’ bob along brilliantly as well, describing a girl with a ‘Lovely Body’ and a ‘Promiscious Mind’ as the guitars jangle.
Perhaps there’s something slightly twee about songs like ‘Remember Fun?’, but in truth most of the album has a darker undercurrent reminiscent of Arab Strap. These are tails of deceit, infidelity, and dark passions wrapped-up in infections melodies.
‘You Can’t Change That Boy’ is a rich, rewarding and beautifully-realised album. Glasgow may be Wake The Presidents spiritual home, but there sound is sure to win hearts much further afield.
Wake The President are holding an album launch party at Pollockshields Burgh Hall on Fri 6th March
We Were Promised Jetpacks are a name to look out for in 2009. Recently I chatted with Adam from the band about singing to Fat Cat, recording their debut album, and heading out on tour...
We Were Promised Jetpacks are a young Scottish band with a lot to look forward to. Last October they signed with Fat Cat Records, home to fellow Scots The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit, and now they’re hoping to bring their energizing indie-rock to a wider audience.
While WWPJ have made a name for themselves in Glasgow, they actually formed at High School in Edinburgh. Singer/guitarist Adam and guitarist Mike have known each other since primary school, and when Adam met bassist Sean in his third year computing class he was introduced to drummer Darren. They then spent a summer in Darren’s attic honing their sound, before playing their first gig at their school. “Our earlier songs had a lot more jagged guitar and the singing was a bit higher-pitched” says Adam.
We Were Promised Jetpack’sdebut is due for release in June and is currently being mixed by Peter Katis, who has worked on albums by The National, The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit.“It’s a bit stressful waiting for it to be mixed ” admits Adam. “You’ve only got one ‘first album’ and you want it to turn out right.”
In order to capture the energy of the band’sperformances, the album was recorded live. “We all just played together in a room without wearing any headphones, and they just recorded the instruments separately” explains Adam. “So, on my guitar part, for example, you can also hear a bit of the other instruments, which helps gives the sound different layers. We want it to sound live, but also quite polished.”
The Jetpacksgot their first taste of a proper UK tour last September with their friends Frightened Rabbit and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “It was great to get an introduction to touring from people that we know and like” Adam notes. In addition they recently shot a video for their forthcoming single ‘Quiet Little Voices’. “We were told we needed a video for the single so we decided to make one with one of our friends” says Adam. “We shot it in a wood in Corstorphine but unfortunately it didn’t end-up being the best quality. However our manager knew someone in Dublin who could shoot a video for us with proper HD cameras and stuff, so we ended-up doing it over there instead.”
In some ways the singing to Fat Cat has come at an awkward time for the band, as three of the four are in their last year of university. “It’s a bit of a hassle having to go down to gigs in London in-between classes” Adam admits. “I don’t really want to do uni stuff at the moment, I just want to do stuff with the band, but I don’t think my parents would be best pleased if I dropped-out in my last year! At the moment we’re just doing a few shows here and there but hopefully once we graduate we can tour the UK properly and go to Europe and the States.”
The album was initially scheduled for an April release but was pushed back to July because the mixing was taking longer than expected. “It’s a blessing in disguise” says Adam. “If they’d released it earlier it would have been right in the middle of exam time!”
The band will get the chance to play a couple of stateside shows in March, as they have received funding from the Scottish Arts Council to attend the influential South By Southwest festival in Texas. They will be playing as the first act on a bill which includes The Proclaimers, Glasvegas and headliners Primal Scream. Not only that, but Seattle radio station KEXP have organised a show for the band in The Bowery Ballroom in New York. “It means we can have a four day holiday in New York before we go to Texas, which is pretty fun for us!” says Adam.
So, with a seemingly bright future ahead, how is Adam enjoying life as a Jetpack? “It’s really exciting at the moment, there’s news coming through about the band every day” he says.“I can’t wait until uni’s finished so that I can travel with my friends for a year and play music. Hopefully if the album doesn’t bomb then we’ll get to do it for a bit longer than that!”
Adam probably shouldn’t worry too much. The reputation WWPJ have built-up on their home turf is spreading not only south of the border, but to the other side of the Atlantic as well. Let’s hope there’s plenty of fuel in those Jetpacks, because they might be scaling some dizzy heights in the future!
We Were Promised Jetpacks play the Oran Mor, Glasgow on Sun 8th March with Over the Wall and Ross Clark
Alrighty, well the month of February has been a bit low on content, so I thought I'd post some reviews I've written recently for Scotland's premier indie website Is this music? To kick things off, here's a review of the brilliant King of Conspiracy single 'Youth Against Empire' King of Conspiracy – ‘Youth Against The Empire’ (Catcutter)
Parisian art-punks King of Conspiracy offer-up a blistering blast of primitive energy with their debut single.
Propelled by dancefloor-baiting drums, overlaid with distressed guitars and topped-off with anguished vocals, ‘Youth Against The Empire’ is an uncompromising maelstrom of punk fury. They’re like a super-abrasive version of And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead combined with the trailblazing spirit of At the Drive-In. Comparisons can also be made with the DIY-ethic and blatant anti-commercialism of sadly departed Welsh noise mongers McLusky.
King of Conspiracy sound like they desperately want to start a revolution. What kind of revolution it is, I can’t be sure, but it sounds like fun!
Mean Poppa Lean – ‘Smash and Grab’ (self-released)
If the Red Hot Chilli Peppers had grown-up in Brighton instead of Hollywood, then they’d probably sound a lot like Mean Poppa Lean. These funky upstarts clearly don’t take themselves too seriously and after giving ‘Smash and Grab’ a spin you get the feeling they know how to have a good time.
There are some moments that make you cringe a bit, like when the singer declares ‘Poppa Time’ in homage to MC Hammer before a particularly funky breakdown. Then again, it’s hard not to smile at the same time.
Mean Poppa Lean are fun to listen to on record, but I get the feeling they really come into their own live. This is best demonstrated with a call-and-response bit on the first song which sounds a bit anaemic on the album, but would probably whip the crowd into a frenzy at gigs.
Comparisons with the Chillies are easy to make but you can also feel the spirit of the late, great James Brown being channelled as well as a strong Northern Soul influence. It seems these guys have honed their chops by listening to funk’s finest ambassadors, and it’s paid off.
Mean Poppa Lean clearly revel in their own funkiness, and when they proclaim ‘We Eat Funk For Breakfast’ I for one am not going to argue with them. If you’re after some mindless, pelvis-thrusting, crotch-grabbing, funky action, then this is your band!
Will Richards- ‘Ready to Talk Now’ (self-released)
Will Richards wrote, produced, mixed and played most of the instruments on ‘Ready To Talk Now’ which I suppose could be considered an achievement in itself. His vocals are a bit like Jeff Buckley and stylistic comparisons can be made to the likes of Richard Ashcroft and Ed Harcourt.
There’s no doubt Will Richards is a musically talented individual- he produced and mixed ‘Ready To Talk Now’ as well as playing most of the instruments, which I suppose could be considered an achievement in itself.
His vocals are a bit like Jeff Buckley and comparisons can be made to the likes of Richard Ashcroft and Ed Harcourt. The album is very well produced, and the level of instrumental performance is of a high standard. Where things fall down for me is with the actual songs themselves. Richards has a good voice but his lyrics are often less than inspired. ‘Can’t help admitting you’re tired of praying to Jesus/And this sales pitch no longer leaves you with a self-righteous high’ he sings on ‘Good as Gold.
As well as religion, Richards sings about his dreams, relationships and money, All his songs pass by pleasantly enough but the problem with ‘Ready to Talk Now’ is that there’s nothing that really excites the imagination. Unfortunately for Richards, no amount of slick production or flashy musicianship can compensate for the fact his songs are pretty average. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some interesting moments, but ultimately its all just too well-polished and innocuous. Maybe he should spend less time multi-tasking in the studio and more time on his songs.
The Bubble Project- ‘The Technicolor Dream Machine’ (Stop Looking)
Judging by the psychedelic collage on the front of the Bubble Project’s album you’d expect a strange ride. And you’d be right.
The deranged stomp of ‘Saturn 5 Death Squad’ is a ferocious way to open the album, but isn’t representative of the more melodic treats that lie within. ‘I Only Fall in Love With Scientists’ is a lo-fi monster of a pop song, reminiscent of early Ash only with an eccentric, space-age vibe. The Sunderland outfit describe themselves as ‘Pop Scientists’ which seems like a good description given the weird samples and sci-fi sound effects which pepper their songs.
The Spectacle of Magic Dan is a nifty wee tune with a cool bassline, some nice piano flourishes, and a sing-a-long chorus. The song then blends seamlessly into ‘Mr X and The Girl with No Face’ which features woozy synths and a spoken-word outro by a Stephen Hawking-esque computerised voice. It’s pretty bizarre, but with lines like ‘She was the most perfect female specimen he had ever known/Even though she had no face’ also strangely touching!
‘M.P.O.G;’ or the ‘Mystic Pigs of Genocide’ offers-up more scuzzed-up pop before a respite from all that madness comes in the form of the instrumental surf guitar of ‘Planet Thunderfuck’ and Beach Boy harmonies of ‘Bring Back All My Smiles’
Like most of the album, ‘Oh!!! Her Joyous Brains’ is basically an other-worldly love song and boasts a cool lo-fi drum sound. Last track ‘Will You Marry Me Astro Girl’, has similar romantic sentiments, with poetic lines like ‘When we get married/I’ll give you one of Saturn’s rings/To show you how much I care’.
The Bubble Project create imaginative, slightly demented pop that seems to exist in its own little universe. Take it from me, its worth paying a visit!
Rapal is a music TV show based in Stornoway, and if you haven't caught it yet then I'd highly recommend giving it a look. I guess you could say its like a Gaelic version of Later With Jools Holland featuring some of Scotland's best young bands and musicians. I first came across it last year when it was airing on terrestrial tv as part of the BBC's Gaelic programming slot and was delighted to see acts like Strike the Colours, Broken Records and Crash My Model Car doing their thing.
Nowadays it airs on the new digital station BBC Alba on Wednesdays at 10pm, with the last episode featuring a superb set from Endor and a song from Lewis singer-songwriter Iain Mackinnon. Tomorrow night's show looks like being another corker, with the Americana-tinged folk of The State Broadcasters and a look at There Will Be Fireworks' new video.
Don't worry if you can't get BBC Alba- you can check out the show on the BBC's iplayer,which also features a rather nifty archive of performances from the likes of Frightened Rabbit and Attic Lights.
Spokes are an exciting new band who I first came across when I reviewed their album 'People Like People Like You' forIs this music?I chatted to them about their plans for 2009......
Hailing from Manchester, Spokes offer up sweeping, instrumental soundscapes that leave you with a warm glow inside. They may be little-known at the moment but if there’s any justice 2009 should be a good year for the five piece, who are responsible for the rather magnificent ‘People Like People Like You’ , an elegiac album of orchestral indie beauty.
As I speak to the band they are ensconced in their rehearsal space, preparing material for their new album. Their first , ‘People Like People Like You’ was released on their own label ‘Everyone’ last year and since then their fanbase has grown from strength to strength, attracting the interest of Ninja Tune Records in the process. The label, which is home to the Cinematic Orchestra and Mr Scruff, signed the band at the beginning of this year and now plans to re-release ‘People Like People Like You’ in March before an album of brand new material in the Autumn.
It’s hard to pin-down Spoke’s influences by listening to them, so what do they get inspired by? “I was brought up on Tubular Bells, man” says guitarist Owain, to guffaws from the rest of the band. It seems that Owain is keener to talk about the musical tastes of the band’s other guitarist, Liam, who’s not present at the interview. “He loves Papa Roach and all that” he says, to more laughter. Despite Owain’s insistence that “he’s a bit of an emo kid” it turns out Liam prefers electronic music rather than dodgy nu-metal. The band are also fans of Radiohead and Sigur Ros, as well their cohorts on the Manchester scene, which include post-rockers Arficeden and Charlie’s Hero .
They describe their writing process as a collaborative effort, with each member having input. “Maybe someone will have a four-bar idea, and then the rest of us join in and we go from there” says Owain. He says that for the new album the band have had more time to work through their ideas than before. “People Like People Like You started off as a demo we made to get gigs and stuff, so we just used the songs we already had” he says. “Now we’ve got a good few months to write the songs, so we’ve got the luxury of scrapping ideas and trying out different things.” So how are the new songs shaping up? “It still sounds big, upbeat and melodic” says violinist Ruth. “There are quieter moments as well as loud, euphoric bits.” She adds that more vocals will feature than last time, but they’ll be “like another instrument”.
Having completed two jaunts round the UK, Spokes have found the touring lifestyle to their liking.“I’m quite a shy person really but its easy to meet loads of people when you tour. You get talking to other bands and get inspired by each other” says Owain. “ There ‘s a band from Leeds called Worried About Satan who we’ve become friends with and we’ve ended-up touring with them. It’s good craic, definitely better than working!”
Spokes are embarking on a third tour in March and are close to confirming venues for the 20th in Edinburgh and the 21st in Glasgow. Life on the road doesn’t always go smoothly, however. “Everytime we come up to Glasgow, Johnny’s bass breaks” says Ruth, “we call it the ‘Glasgow Curse’”. The band hopes to defy the curse when they return, however. “Glasgow’s a great place to gig” she says. “We’ve played the Captain’s Rest and the 13th Note and they’re both great little venues.”
As for the rest of the year, Spokes plan to tour extensively round the UK when they release their new album in the autumn. “Hopefully we can get to some festivals as well, and it would be great to do some dates around Europe” says Owain. “It sort of feels like a dream talking about what we might be doing a few months from now, but we’ll see what happens.”
Ok, I'm a little bit behind the times on this one, but I thought it would be worth posting about anyway. For those who haven't seen it yet, Heavy Metal in Baghdad tells the story of an Iraqi heavy metal band's fight for survival during the Allied invasion and occupation of their country. It was originally released in 2007 and was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival that year, before being selected for the Berlin International Film Festival in 2008. I first came across it when an hour long cut-down version of the film was shown as part of the BBC's arts strand Imagine in December and it blew me away.
Acrassicauda, the subjects of the film, embody the spirit of rock n' roll like no other band. Heavy Metal music is frowned upon by Muslim culture, but with the fall of Saddam the band saw an opportunity. Baghdad has a very small, but devoted metal following, and the band started staging gigs for their fans. However, as the insurgency started to rage, the band found it impossible to even practice together.
Heavy Metal in Baghdad- Trailer
Despite this the band continued to pursue their metal dreams as they fled to Syria, before becoming refugees in Turkey. What comes across in this film more than anything is the band's love for music, which endures despite the extreme socio-political circumstances they find themselves in. Truly inspiring stuff.
Many generous donations have been made to the band since the film's release, but they are still facing uncertain and challenging times as they remain refugees in Turkey. The film-makers help the band record a 14-minute demo of their music, and there are hopes of one day recording an album, but for now the band's main priority is their battle with the authorities to obtain visas.
Acrassicauda are extremely talented musicians and I honestly think they're one of the best metal bands I've heard in ages, so I hope they get the chance to rock-out in the studio. The film has given them an international fanbase, so now all they need is the opportunity.
I've contributed to such publications as The Herald, The Big Issue and the News of the World amongst others. I also write and sub-edit for the website 'Is this music?'. I hope Sonic Contact will be an entertaining addition to the deluge of music-related insights that already exist on the vast, amorphous plane known as the blogosphere!
