Sonic Contact Album of the Year: Vampire Weekend

As Vampire Weekend's debut is Sonic Contact's Album of 2008, I thought I'd post a review of the album I wrote when it was released back in January...

Vampire Weekend are an unusual proposition- a bunch of preppy, Ivy-League educated New Yorkers with influences such as Lady Smith Black Mambazo, Kanda Bongoman, and Orchestra Baobab. However, their self-titled debut album displays an uncanny knack for pop, which is a lot more accessible than the sum of its disparate influences.

The idea of white indie kids using African rhythms to propel their tuneful tales of campus life sounds terrible in principle. It’s all the more remarkable, then, that Vampire Weekend have pulled it off with such panache.

‘Mansard Roof’ begins with some chirpy organ stabs, setting the tone for the upbeat mood of the album. So often these days bands feel the need to grab you by the scruff of the neck from the opening chord, making Vampire Weekend’s relaxed approach a refreshing change. You won’t find much angst or edginess here. Instead, there’s the kind of laid-back vibe that conjures-up images of sunny days spent sipping punch in the garden.


Vampire Weekend- 'A-Punk'





Despite having a name that sounds like it should belong to an 80’s Hair Metal band, Vampire Weekend don’t pretend to be rock and roll. Instead, in the song ‘Oxford Comma’, they talk about the finer points of grammar. The line “All your diction dripping with disdain/Through the pain” always raises a smile with its loving use of alliteration.

Sure, this is pop music, but its clever pop music. The band are all graduates of Columbia University, and aren’t afraid to bring some intellect to their art. Singer and lyricist Ezra Koenig is wilfully obtuse at times, with lines such as “Corination Rickshaw Grab” sounding bizarre, even in the context of the song. He does have a way with imagery and detail, however, describing the “pollination yellow cab” and delivering the arresting couplet: “A thousand years in one piece of silver/she took it from his lilywhite hand”.

Koenig delivers his lyrics with a relaxed vocal style that fits perfectly with his band’s music. However, while Koenig may be the frontman, the contribution of Rostam Batmanglij cannot be underestimated. His classy keyboard arpeggios are ever-present throughout the record, and he also penned the wry lyrics for ‘Campus’. Batmanglij is also responsible for the album’s crisp sound, having taken on production duties.



Vampire Weekend- 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'




Bringing in ‘world music’ influences could be seen as a brave move for a band releasing their first album. Usually such meanderings are the preserve of well-established artists such as Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, and Paul Simon. When white artists decide to ‘borrow’ ideas from African music the results are often cringe-inducing, but Vampire Weekend have avoided this by blending their influences organically into the songs.

The band have crafted a fresh, exciting sound that sets them apart from the current crop of literary-minded US indie bands like Modest Mouse and The Shins. Originality is a rare commodity in music these days, so expect to hear much more from Vampire Weekend in the future. Who would have thought world music could be this cool?

Albums of 2008

The year has almost drawn to a close, which can only mean one thing... it's time for Sonic Contact to pitch in with it's Top Ten Albums of 2008! Here's the rundown....



10) Fleet Foxes- 'Fleet Foxes'

Seattle has been responsible for producing a lot of awesome music and Fleet Foxes are no exception. The band, who describe their music as ‘baroque-folk jams’, have made an astonishingly original debut, overflowing with deft musicianship, lush harmonies and evocative lyrics.




9) The Gaslight Anthem- 'The '59 Sound'

The News Jersey band’s second album was, as their name suggests, chock-full of stirring rock anthems delivered with a genuine punk spirit. All the usual tales of love, loss, being young and growing old are infused with an honesty and passion that makes this album truly great.


8) Coldplay- 'Viva La Vida'

From the instrumental beauty of ‘Life in Technicolour’ right through to glorious conclusion of ‘Death and All His Friends’ this was Coldplay’s most well-rounded album, and probably their best.




7) REM- 'Accelerate'

It was the return to form we’ve been waited for: stripped-down, rocked-up and energized by Stipe’s rage against the Bush administration. Incidentally, REM are still one of the most incendiary live acts you’ll ever see.

6) TV On The Radio- 'Dear Science'

This album topped many an end-of-year poll, and it’s not hard to see why. TV on the Radio may be experimental, but their songs retain a directness and accessibility that many band’s lack.



5) Radiohead- 'In Rainbows'

Many prominent publications seemed to overlook this album on their end-of-year polls. Maybe they thought it was too obvious a choice, and wanted to give the push to more underground acts. Whatever the reason, ‘In Rainbows’ might well be Radiohead’s best album yet. And as anyone who caught one of their gigs this year can testify, the ‘head are still a force to be reckoned with live.


4) The Hold Steady- ‘Stay Positive’

Craig Finn hasn't quite learned to sing yet, when your songs are as good as The Hold Steady’s, that’s not really a problem. They’re like your favorite pub-rock band, only with anthems to rival Bruce Springsteen.

3) Glasvegas- 'Glasvegas'

The hype surrounding the band’s debut could well have backfired, but it turns out that Glasvegas really are something special. While James Allen writes about the harsh, gloomy realities of life, he does so with a warmth and sincerity that is ultimately uplifting.



2) Frightened Rabbit- 'Midnight Organ Fight'

Many people took this album to their hearts this year. Scott Hutchison's songs take you on a journey with honesty, emotion and humour and leave you with a goofy smile on your face. Any band that can incite a sing-a-long with the line “I’ll get my hole” deserves to be treasured!



1) Vampire Weekend- 'Vampire Weekend'

The album was released back in January, but the sheer verve, excitement and joy of songs like 'Mansard Roof', 'A-Punk' and 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' have lost none of their appeal. A small minority have scoffed at the way they have incorporated African influences into their pop sound, but the rest of us have just enjoyed it. What's more, they're even better live than they are on record.

Pipette Goes Solo

Rose Elinor Dougall, ex-singer with girl group The Pipettes, has just released her first single, 'Another Version of Pop Song.' It's pretty ace and sees her leave behind the girl-group's harmonies and develop a distinctive voice for herself. As the title might suggest, it's pop music, but has a level of sophistication and intrigue you don't come across much these days. Anyway, it all bodes very well for Ms Dougal but don't take my word for it, check out her myspace!


For those of you wondering what The Pipettes are up to these days, 'RiotBecki' has left the band as well as Rose, with Ani Saunders (Gwenno's sister) and Anna McDonald drafted in as replacements. However in late November it was announced that Anna had decided to leave as well. According to their myspace, the rest of the band are searching for the 'perfect Pipette' to replace her and still plan to record a new album...

The Return of Blur

Britpop icons Blur have reunited and are set to play two dates at London's Hyde Park on July 2 and 3. Understandably this is causing a great deal of excitement amongst those eager to relive the heady days of the mid-90s, and there's no doubt the band are going to make big bucks from the comeback. The thing is, unlike a lot of reunions, it doesn't seem like money is the main factor for the band.

After all, Damon has done well with Gorillaz and his Monkey opera, Coxon's done alright from his solo stuff, Rowntree's been standing as a Labour candidate and Alex James has been judging TV talent shows and making a name for himself in the world of cheese. From the outside, it would seem that the respective members don't 'need' to reform the band because their individual careers are flagging.

Furthermore, it seems that Albarn and Coxon are genuinely mates again, which is quite a turnaround considering the previous animosity between the two, with Coxon branding the frontman an "egomaniac".

I wouldn't consider myself a massive Blur fan, but for some reason I find their reunion an intriguing prospect. I was just on the cusp of my teenage years during the bands heyday, maybe slightly too young to fully appreciate them. When it came to the Blur v Oasis wars I tended to lean towards the Gallagher brothers, but in truth I was only really a casual admirer of both bands.

However, when Blur released the single 'Out of Time' from 2003's Think Tank I was taken aback. It was absolutely captivating, and unlike anything I'd ever heard from the band before. The sitars, Albarn's transcendent vocals, it was unlike anything else on the radio. 'Think Tank' itself was a mesmerizing work, and showed Blur had a spirit of musical adventure absent from contemporaries like Oasis.

When Blur play their Hyde Park gigs, and probably Glastonbury, they'll dust-off 'Girls and Boys' and 'Parklife' and it'll be one big nostalgia trip. There's nothing wrong with that, but what I'm really interested in is the prospect of the band recording new material. 'Think Tank' was their last record (albeit with a sparing contribution from Coxon) and it would be great to seem them progress further in that direction, instead of reverting back to the 'classic' blur sound. Time will tell.


Just so you know, not everyone is welcoming back Blur with open arms. You may remember a certain Glasgow band used to sell a T-shirt on their merch stall bearing the legend 'Blur:Are Shite'. Well, now Mogwai have sensed a business opportunity and think they could shift a few 'Blur: Are Shite Again' shirts!

Hallelujah, It's Christmas!

While the bookies will tell you that the X-Factor winner's version of 'Hallelujah' is destined to be Christmas number 1 this year, determined Jeff Buckley fans are hoping to mount a challenge. Groups have appeared on Facebook encouraging fans to download Buckley's version of the song on December 15th to compete with the X-Factor. One group now has over 3,000 members and hopes to reach the 10,000 mark by Monday. However, if that number were to join, each member of the group would have to download Buckley's cover of the song twice for it to have any chance of hitting the top spot.

While 'Hallelujah' was , or course, written by Leonard Cohen, it seems that many regard Buckley's cover as the definitive version. As a fan of Jeff I can't deny that I love his spine-tingling treatment of the song, and it would be nice to see it beat Simon Cowell et al. While it'll probably have a hard time competing with the populist juggernaut of the X-Factor, it's a noble effort all the same. I wander what good ol' Leonard makes of it all, eh?

For those of you unfamiliar with Buckley's warbling magic, enjoy.....

Unsigned Scottish Talent on TV

Anyone who has been watching T4's Orange Unsigned show will have noticed that some exciting Scottish talent has been winning plaudits. Tommy Reilly, a 19 year-old from Glasgow, has wowed the judges with his enchanting songwriting and fellow Glaswegians Hip Parade have also impressed with their power-pop stylings.

To be honest, there's a lot about the T4 show that grates. It's a bit like an 'indie X-Factor', as it tries to spice-up proceedings with backstage happenings and dramatizes the ups and downs of each act's fortunes. The criteria the judges use to assess the acts also comes across as a tad superficial and it often seems like they place as much importance on the band's look or onstage posturing as they do on music.

That being said, I can understand why the show is produced in this way as without the 'soap opera' element a lot of casual viewers would turn off. Ratings are important, and I guess a show that airs alongside re-runs of Friends as part of a major channel's teen programming needs to pander to a wide audience.

I'd never heard of Tommy Reilly or Hip Parade before the show aired, and now these talented young musicians are getting national exposure. That's got to be a good thing. What's more, they weren't the only talented Scots on the show- Dundee folk rockers Luva Anna and Glaswegian goth-disco outfit FANGS also impressed the judges before they were voted off last week. I have to say, I admired both bands for refusing to compromise their music or style in any way for the judges approval and they both reacted to their exit with dignified nonchalance. Perhaps it was the satisfaction of knowing that while they didn't fit into the show's agenda they now have the chance to build on the national exposure it gave them.

Here's some footage from the show of young Tommy Reilley performing 'Give Me A Call'. Go on yersel wee man!

Matt Berry- Man of Many Talents

Tonight heralds the comeback of comedy show The It Crowd and with it the return of Matt Berry as psychotic sex deviant and corporate head honcho Douglas Reynholm. What has this got to do with music? Well, in addition to being an actor, Matt Berry is also a musician. Around a year ago he performed a gig at Glasgow King Tut's to a rapturous reception, laying down some funkadelic beats and synth-heavy grooves. In terms of sheer entertainment it was probably one of the best I've been to, and while there were plenty of comic moments, the music could stand-up on merit alone. I talked to Mr Berry before his gig, and I've posted the finished interview below. It's a year old but hopefully still of interest, particularly with the It Crowd returning to our screens! In the interview Matt mentions that he plans to release a new album called Witch-hazel but it's yet to surface. However, a quick perusal of his myspace page indicates that the album is 'coming soon' and features a rather delightful track from it called 'Take My Hand'. Hopefully it'll see the light of day soon, but in the meantime enjoy the interview!

There’s something disarming about the first time you speak to Matt Berry. That rich, booming, dramatic baritone he displays on ‘The IT Crowd’ is conspicuous by its absence. Instead there is a soft, laconic North London accent. Lounging on a settee in the backstage area of Glasgow King Tut’s, the actor is the definition of self-assured composure. Not only is he a fast-rising comic talent, but also an increasingly popular musician. Later this evening Berry and his band will play to a rapt audience, but for now he is happy to talk.

Matt Berry is something of a rarity these days; an actor who also turns his hand to music. In doing so he joins an elite group which includes such diverse names as Denis Waterman, Steven Segal, and William Shatner. Indeed, Shatner’s version of the Elton John classic ‘Rocket Man’ is so bizarre it has to be heard to be believed. Berry, however, is dismissive of the Star Trek legend’s talents. “I don’t think he covered that song with the intention of being funny” he says. “I think he thought that was good. Now I think he realises he can make money out of it so he sort of plays along.”

Berry is familiar to most for his portrayal of Douglas Reynholm in The IT Crowd, but he first appeared on TV screens in the cult hit ‘Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place’. Berry played the part of actor Todd Rivers, who himself played the part of Dr. Lucien Sanchez, a charming doctor who has a habit of losing lip-synch. Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace was essentially a show within a show. Mathew Holness played horror writer Garth Marenghi, who penned the script for Darkplace, a show from the 80s that was so ‘ahead of its time’ that it was withdrawn by Channel Four before its first episode was aired.

During the show there are frequent cuts to Garth giving commentary on various scenes. They often include his character Dr. Rick Dagless, who has to combine his fight against the forces of darkness with the day-to-day demands of running a modern hospital. While Darkplace didn’t attract huge audiences, it became revered amongst those who did tune in. Word-of-mouth spread, and in October 2006 Channel Four repeated the show, whilst simultaneously releasing it on DVD. Darkplace is close to Berry’s heart, but while he is delighted with its rise to prominence, he wasn’t surprised by its lack of initial success.

“It’s like Only Fools and Horses” he says. “The first series of that did absolutely nothing. I’m not saying anything I’ve done is as good as Only Fools and Horses, but when something’s completely different people don’t know what to think. If you’ve come back from a day at work and just want to sit down and watch something which makes you laugh immediately, then you’ll watch someone like Catherine Tate. You don’t need to use your brain, you just sit there and enjoy it. But if there’s a concept behind the comedy then only a certain number of people are going to be interested.”

However, Berry is slightly reticent when asked whether Darkplace was genuinely ahead of its time. “Well, I don’t know” he says, “But I am really proud of it, because we weren’t told what we could and couldn’t do. We were all unknown then so Channel Four just left us to it. I think they just thought- ‘If it catches on we’ll look like geniuses. If it doesn’t- fuck it, just forget about it.’ Because it didn’t come back for a second series and it didn’t get that many viewers, they just wiped their hands of it.”

After Darkplace Berry played the part of sinister villain Dixon Bainbridge in ‘The Mighty Boosh’, but left after the first series. Since then the show has garnered strong viewing figures and much critical acclaim. However, Berry has found mainstream success of his own in The IT Crowd alongside his old Darkplace cohort Richard Ayoade.

A third series of the show is due to start filming in March. For both men it’s a far cry from their offbeat beginnings. Indeed, with viewing figures of four million for the second series, there is no doubting The IT Crowd’s mass appeal. “When you compare it to the things Rich and I did before, you couldn’t get more mainstream” Berry admits. However he is quick to point out that the show itself is not typical comedy fare. “It’s written by Graham Lenehin, so the comedy’s never going to be that broad with him involved. He did Father Ted, which I love. I love Graham as well, he’s such a nice guy.”

Berry entered the show in the second series as Douglas Reynholm, the son of Denholm Reynholm. Douglas takes over Reynholm Industries when his father commits suicide after a scandal involving the company’s pension scheme. Denholm was played in the first series by notorious satirist Chris Morris, and Berry admits to being slightly daunted by the prospect of stepping into his shoes.

“Everyone must have been thinking ‘Who the fuck is this guy, I thought it was going to be Chris Morris’” he says. “But you can’t let it worry you, you’ve just got to do your thing and do it as best as you can.” While he concedes that taking on the role was “scary”, Berry is remarkably frank about his lack of reverence for Morris.

“I don’t hero-worship any comic to be honest. I never have.” he states. “I don’t go- ‘Oh man, it’s him, shit, what am I going to say’ I don’t really care enough about the genre. I was more concerned about the fact that the audience was looking forward to seeing Chris. Y’know, how fucked off would they be when he died and they get the guy from Darkplace instead?”

He needn’t have worried. Berry has been embraced by The IT Crowd’s audience and was nominated for Best Male Newcomer at the 2007 Comedy Awards. While he lost out on to James Cordon from ‘Gavin and Stacey’ for that particular award, there’s no doubt Berry is in the ascendancy as a comic actor.

However, while being better known for his TV work, he is adamant that his first love is music. In 2005 he released his second album ‘Opium’, the belated follow-up to 1995’s “Jackpot”. Berry describes Opium as a spoken-word concept album about “the horrors of the city.” He is unwilling to elaborate much on these sketchy details, but says the album is semi-autobiographical.

“When you’re writing certain things happen to you which give your songs similar themes” explains Berry. “For me there were two or three large themes that affected most songs.” When it comes to identifying what these themes are, Berry is intriguingly vague. “Just degradation” he says. “Over-doing things. Horrible things.” It would seem Berry is no stranger to the libertine tendencies he often portrays on screen.

In addition to recording and performing live, Berry was able to combine his musical and comedic talents in the show ‘Snuff Box’. He wrote and starred in the show with his friend Rich Fulcher, and took it upon himself to write all the music. “I loved it because it was quite quick” he says. “I cheekily used one of the songs from Opium as the theme tune and did a variation on that for the whole show. The new songs I wrote came together quickly as well, because I wrote them all with a particular scene in mind.”

Set in a ‘gentleman’s club for hangmen’, Snuff Box aired on BBC Three in 2006. While it was not to everyone’s taste, Berry says the BBC have commissioned Fulcher and himself to write another show. “They’ll be more of a narrative this time” he says. “We’re not going to be hangmen anymore but they’ll be a similar dynamic between us”

Berry’s solo musical endeavours also continue next year with the release of a new album called ‘Witch-hazel.’ “It’s ninety per cent written” he says. “This time it’s going to be about the horrors of the countryside."

The title of the album refers to Witch-hazel oil, which Berry used as a child to get rid of spots. “It’s an extract from the plant Witch-hazel which you put on your face” he explains. “I always thought it sounded really creepy. But it worked for me, to be honest.” So was Matt Berry an acne-scarred teen? “Well…as much as any kid is at that age” he responds hesitantly.

There was no plan to go into acting in his youth. “I did fine art when I was at college” he recounts. “I got bored of that and then I was in some bands. But a mate of mine was acting and there were a lot of girls involved, so I decided to give it a go. I thought the best way to be a good actor would be to do stand-up.”

With that ambition Berry started performing at an Islington pub called the Hen and Chicken. “I used to play these really horrible rude, childish songs because I wanted to keep the music going” he says. It was there that Berry met his future Darkplace collaborators Matt Holness and Richard Ayoade, as well as Noel and Julian from the Mighty Boosh.

While he has come far from those obscure beginnings, Berry harbours no desire to make the jump to mainstream TV. “It depends, if I go and lose all my money or whatever then I guess I’ll have to” he muses. “You’ve got to be sensible I guess. But I wouldn’t do anything I’d be embarrassed of. You want to die knowing you’ve done decent stuff.”

Compromises have been made however. Most notably, Berry lent his voice to ‘George the Volcano’ in the ads for Evian mineral water. “ I needed some money to buy my first flat” he explains. “It was only my voice! I wasn’t like I was holding the bottle of water and saying- ‘drink this’.”

It’s clear that, while voiceovers are a means to an end, Berry is more motivated by creative satisfaction than commercial gain. “The most important thing is to stick to your guns” he says. “It’s about doing the thing that really makes you laugh as opposed to seeing what the comedy trends are. I think it shines through if you mean what you’re doing.”

Later this evening Berry takes the King Tut’s stage with a sleazy swagger. The relaxed demeanour of before is replaced with Douglas Reynholm’s cocksure arrogance as he greets fans with that distinctive booming voice. Judging by the reaction, they’re pleased to see him. Matt Berry may be an accomplished musician, but he shouldn’t give up the acting just yet.