SINGLES CORNER! 11/03/2010

THE STRANGE DEATH OF LIBERAL ENGLAND – Flagships
tsdole.com

Magisterial, strangely timeless, this track from TSDOLE comes on like the national anthem of a small but very cool country that you’ve not come across before. As always Adam Woolway’s unique vocal is right up front, but there’s instrumentation aplenty, before the track breaks down into a slightly more mellow refrain before fading out. Overall, a strange little tune at first listen, but one that grows and grows… grab it while you can!

BUKOLA – Make Your Move
Slip Disc

Make Your Move has surprisingly subtle instrumentation for an R&B track, but it really works, letting Bukola’s voice lead, and the girl certainly has some good pipes! The only let down here are some really weak synthesised beats, but as they’re hidden pretty low in the mix you probably won’t pick up on them anyway!

NORTH ATLANTIC OSCILLATION – Drawing Maps From Memory
Kscope

This is a curious song, starting abruptly as if you’ve dipped in midway through the track, it throws you off a little. From there it’s difficult to get into the swing of things. This is a step up from their EP though, and definitely has a bit of momentum about it.

NEVER MIND THE STARS – Holiday
All Seeing Eye/Strfckr

Underground heroes in The Netherlands, Never Mind The Stars cite Hot Chip, Daft Punk and Ultravox as influences, and each is writ large on this tune. Nevertheless it’s a catchy track with a big fruity bass beat and a tune that’s all too easily sucked into your subconscious… I’ve been humming it for a week!

NOISIA – Machine Gun
Essential Music

More music from Holland, this time in the form of ace remixers Noisia who are now beginning to take the spotlight in their on right with some brutal drum & bass attack! This is an anthemia beast and almost feels like the missing soundtrack piece from an action movie set in Eastern Europe!

BERTIE BLACKMAN – Black Cats
Forum5

Described as The Australian Florence, Bertie Blackman reminds these ears more of Ladyhawke, which is no bad thing. A very eighties sound, coupled with Blackman’s sultry and sexy vocal has created a rather special track that we cannot urge you stongly enough to seek out!

ALBERTA CROSS – Old Man Chicago
Ark Recordings

This song has probably been around as long as any from this band (it was on the EP of theirs I bought a few years back when I caught them supporting Scott Matthews) and, to these ears, it’s their best. Unlike other parts of their album, this doesn’t feel like it’s apoing anyone else, instead the languid blues seems natural and organic.

SOUND OF GUNS – Alcatraz
Distiller Records
Pounding drums, riffing guitars… we sometimes forget there are still bands writing back to basics rock music. It tends to be Sound Of Guns who remind us, and Alcatraz is another example of why, even though this band aren’t doing anything new, they bear further investigations. The song is catchy as hell, with a chant along chorus that’s clearly been written with hopes of a future playing stadiums…. Follow the dream guys!

MCLEAN – My Name
Asylum records

The synth heavy production here is immediately off-putting, I can’t help but suspect this will be cookie cutter R&B and I’m gonna hate it. Thankfully though, McLean has a smooth and sophisticated vocal that helps this track rise above the crowd. Stripped down to basics, this would be a great tune… less is more folks!

LYNYRD SKYNYRD Live @ Cardiff International Arena, 05/03/2010

Though billed as a tour in support of new album Gods & Guns, Skynyrd are acutely aware of why they are still filling arenas in the UK, and attracting fans young (That Smell – played to an ecstatic response – recently used on the popular vampire soap opera, True Blood) and old – the majority of the set drew heavily from the original line-up’s pre-1977 material. Albeit, the few new songs promoted did fair well; opening in suitable fashion with the exuberant Skynyrd Nation (“Put your hands in the air/Give us what you got… Rock this joint the way it’s supposed to be…”), the mood was set for a celebration of arguably the best rock outfit of the ‘70s. Although only one founding member remains (lead/rhythm guitarist Gary Rossington), this is still an older band, but this didn’t show in the relentless delivery of classic song after classic song, with the audience out of their seats throughout – cue impassioned sing-alongs, flag waving and chest thumping for a steroid enhanced version of Gimme Back My Bullets; a moving highlight in Tuesday’s Gone; and a spectacular, if predictable, Free Bird encore, which gave the three guitarists and bassist plenty of opportunity to strike standard ‘guitar god’ poses, and lap up the crowd’s adulation. Taken in the cold light of day, this was essentially a tribute band, with six aged southern rockers (replete with cowboy hats, tight/flared jeans, long hair, shades, US flag emblazoned denim…) pulling out all the clichés, but with Johnny evoking the spirit of his late brother, Ronnie Van Zant, such faithful/well executed renditions, and a good spirited fanbase urging them on throughout, you couldn’t help but find yourself lost in the goodtime nostalgia.

KATHRYN WILLIAMS – The Quickening

Similarly to Caitlin Rose’s new album this show’s a string folk influence however from the first song “50 White Lines” seems a lot darker, especially with the backing vocals chanting the song title in a lingering manner, it becomes slightly haunting. “Just a Feeling” has something very Fleetwood Mac about it, which I enjoy, purely in the music not so much the vocals, although these remain soft and interesting with its calm backing vocals once more.
“Wanting and Waiting” seems a little more upbeat and positive, with rings of Belle and Sebastian in a way, which is always a lovely sound to adopt. Although I have to say I would prefer some dramatic instrumentals from what I have heard so far. “Just Leave” does this to an extent with more interesting concoction of sounds… However the vocals remain very much the same, although- Kathryn Williams’ voice is still impressive and I seem to be warming to it with the more I listen to.
“Cream of the Crop” has a more bluesy and jazzy sound to it, and is a little Corrine Bailey Rae at times, in the very best of ways. I imagine to see this performed live would be atmospheric beyond belief. Another track that particularly caught my attention is “Noble Guess” which made me realise the one thing that attracts me to this album is the similarities it holds to Joni Mitchell, an all time favourite of mine.
“Little Lesson” is a lovely track, with a more upbeat and folk feel which i thoroughly enjoy, followed by “Up North” which proves that “The Quickening” would be the perfect album for a summers day and will definitely be played throughout by myself and many more i imagine.

FRENCH FOR CARTRIDGE – Liquorice

This band is truly something unique. And with the two minds that make up the group, Catherine Kontz and Henri Vaxby hailing from Luxembourg and Scandinavia respectively, it might not come as much of a surprise that the mixing of cultures would produce something so different.
The use of instrumentation on the album borders genius, mixing your usual instrumentation with more exotic means to create some wonderful sounds that aren’t heard in your run of the mill pop nuggets.
Depending on your opinion, the lyrics are either another stroke of crazy inventiveness from French For Cartridge or irrelevant nonsense. For me, lyrics have always been a big part of any record but on this album the rulebook is thrown out the window. For example, one of the songs takes its lyrics entirely from a TV guide. At least it shows some originality, and the music business could certainly do with bands who take risks, even if it means some of the songs essentially have nothing to say.
Whether you end up loving it or hating it, this is an album that must be heard once purely to experience it. While it is experimental in almost every sense, there is still a strong sense for a good pop melody throughout their songs that will lodge themselves in your head and refuse to move. While this particular brand of liquorice may be too sweet for some, give it a taste and you may just fall in love with it.

THE GOOD THE BAD – From 005 to 008 EP

Dave Keuning, of The Killers, has called From 005-008 ‘a two guitar attack on the senses…’.  Drowned in Sound have said The Good, The Bad are a band who ‘write great quality rock songs’, and we here at Call Upon the Author have to completely agree.
 It goes past in a blur of stunning guitar solos and by the time it’s over it successfully leaves your senses wanting more. It is nowhere near enough to leave the ears sated, yet to have more offered up on this EP might ruin such an exceptional experience.
  It’s an entirely vocal free zone, which has turned out to be great. It is a whole lot easier to get lost in the music without having somebody’s voice dragging you back to reality and actually it’s quite refreshing.
The first two tracks, 005 and 006, are brilliant; they’re fast paced, upbeat, similar to one another yet not too much the same, they’re relaxed yet repeatable. There isn’t really much that they’re not.
 007 and 008 are slightly rockier than the first half of the EP, offering more variety. Even though these two tracks aren’t as upbeat as the ones before they’re just as skilled. They showcase just how great The Good, The Bad are with their guitars and raises the bar they set at the start of the EP even higher. Hopefully, if things go extremely well, they will be around for a lot longer and produce many more tracks, just as enjoyable as the four on this EP.

FIGHTSTAR Live @ Heaven, London 17/02/2010

Supported by All Forgotten, Cars On Fire, and The Xcerts, I already had high hopes for this gig. They were all impressive, but seemed to just get better and better as they went on. Then came the time everyone had been waiting for… Wow.
From the moment Fightstar were on stage, the crowd was alive. With the brilliant set list including a variety of hits from their albums Grand Unification and Be Human, there was something for new fans as well as those who have followed them for years. Opening with War Machine and closing with a cover of Deftones’ Be Quiet and Drive, with songs such as Paint Your Target and Mercury Summer in between, every song was different, it never dragged on. Charlie, Omar, Dan and Alex were all really lively onstage throughout the entire gig, and made the crowd feel a part of it. The venue itself was fairly small, but that just made the atmosphere even better, as it was a more personal experience. This was a fantastic night out, Fightstar are really impressive performers who are obviously passionate about what they do, which is clear after seeing them play live. Since the gig I’ve been listening to their albums non-stop, I’ve become addicted to them.

NME AWARDS TOUR Live @ Portsmouth Pyramids, 18/02/2010

With the indie market awash with new acts, the NME showcase have got some of the big chart hitters to battle it out on stage.
First on the list, hidden down amongst the bigger draws, The Drums provided not merely a warm-up but a declaration of intent with a confident, well tuned performance which took many by surprise. They, like many, have been mentioned as a band that everyone will be talking about before the end of the year and for once is seems justified.
The Big Pink are up next and they just really tear into it with driving baselines and a much heavier sound than you’d expect. The really make an effort with the crowd in trying to win then over, really wanting to impress, but the crowd was still split in their feelings. There is a much draker tone to their much and much distortion, it really sounded like they’d blown a few speakers. Their sound was very distinct to them and they have a good varied range of songs. Velvet sounds much thicker and richer live, it really comes to life rather than being a slow, poor follow-up to dominos. Dominos, played last, obviously goes down well.
The crowd are much more alive for the arrival of Bombay Bicycle Club, possibly again due to being hugely promoted amongst DJ’S. The hype for me is short lived, again much heavier than expected, but they suffer a huge lag and its a good few song in before things pick up with Evening Morning. Even this failed to capture the crowd, they merely looked on in acknowledgment that what they were doing was good. Musically they were solid, but there was no real killer instinct about their performance, they were simple there to give their 30 minutes. Always Like This gets a sing-along, but the song just seems out of synch to the rest of the set. The entire set pretty much lacked cohesion and direction.
The Maccabees enter to the Talking Heads. The ‘veterans’ of the night have a much more rounded and consistent set. Precious Time lifts the crowd from its disappointed slumber. X-Ray and Can You Give It go down well and it starts to feel like a real gig, not merely a showcase.
In all a very awkward night filled with surprise and disappointment. Love You Better stopped it from being dissatisfying.

SINGES CORNER! 03/03/2010

So, here we are, back again with part two of this week’s singles roundup. Looking at the tracks below (and our ever growing pile of singles to review), it’s nice to see that not only is the quantity of tracks available to us increasing, but the quality too!

TWIN ATLANTIC – Lightspeed
Red Bull Records

For those of you who haven’t heard Twin Atlantic yet (and why not, we’ve written about them a few times not?), this is the perfect introduction to the Scots rockers, encapsulating their pacy guitars and highlighting Sam McTrusty’s vocal – lovely stuff!

WITH THAT KNIFE – This Place, A Thousand Times
Withthatknife.com

This, the debut single from a bunch of lads who met at Manchester University mixes punkish vitality with the sort of modern Britsh alt-rock sound that is growing ever more prevalent – good stuff!

DAN LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP – Get Better
Sunday Best

Casiotone electronics create a contrasted backing to Pip’s spoken word musing on why society seems to be going down hill. It’s not deep reaching social commentary, but it rings true, and as well as being thought provoking, it’s very catchy. What more could you ask for, really?

THOMAS WHITE – The Last Blast
Cooking Vinyl

The Electric Soft Parade/Brakes man’s solo work is every bit as interesting as the songs he performs with his bands. This one, a driving beat, fuelled by staccato drums is strangely engaging, all the more so because of the laconic vocals.

ANGUS AND JULIA STONE – And The Boys
Flock Music

I saw this pair a couple of years ago and really wasn’t impressed, but this track is a world away from that bland live show, endearing quirky folk fronted by a sweet and off kilter vocal, this bodes well for their forthcoming album.

CAITLIN ROSE – Dead Flowers

I first listened to “Dead Flowers” on a long old train journey and as soon as I heard “Shotgun Wedding”, it felt very fitting for cheering up a gloomy day ridden with typical British weather- a definite good mood setter. “Answer in One of These Bottles” puts across a feeling I think every one of us has at least twice a month, if you’re annoyed, stressed, confused… Have a drink, and why not write a song about it along the way? Due to realistic contents alone this song was immediately in my good books. Caitlin Rose’s voice although strong has something very calming about it which i believe is enjoyable throughout the album.
The next track “Three Cigarettes in an Ash Tray” sounds dated, but in no means is this a bad thing- there are certain points the vocals remind me of Stevie Nicks- I can’t quite pin point why, but it’s a good thing none the less. “Docket” however Rose’s voice is much softer and the guitar similar to that of Carla Bruni in “Quelqu’un M’a Dit” (ignoring the obvious cultural difference) simply meaning it’s a lot more subtle therefore making you concentrate on the lyrics again, “all I’ve ever wanted is to be free”. Yes, It is another song about belongings not creating happiness, but it’s a lot more general and honest as opposed to idealistic and full of fantasy which pulls it away from the rest. As soon as I saw the title “Gorilla Man” I automatically expected something similar to “Apeman” by The Kinks, purely because it’s a favourite of mine, but how wrong I was. In all honesty the tambourine wears a little thin by the end of the song, and it is a track I’d more than likely skip often, but every album has one of those.
The album title track “Dead Flowers” Rose reminded me of a more vocally harsh Alison Krauss in her acapella version of “Down in the River to Pray” a strange comparison, I know but it just has something similar about it, i think it may even be the pace of he chorus and the obvious similar style of “take me down”. The final track “T-Shirt” continues with the tambourine, which I think I’ve just discovered I dislike, not just in this album but in fair few- well you learn something new every day. The song itself is more poetic and like a conversation or letter, which is lovely. “Dead Flowers” is an enjoyable album which I imagine will go down very well in the summer on the seafront; I would say chilled would best describe it.

SINGLES CORNER! 02/03/2010

Well, here we are, into March already, and there are so many singles on the desk this week that we’ve had to do two roundups. So, without any delay, let’s get cracking on the first…

WILL AND THE PEOPLE – Addicted
Myspace.com/willandthepeople

We saw these guys support Paulo Nutini late last year and were swept away by the sense of fun in their set and this song captures it perfectly. A tasty slice of pop that you’ll be whistling without even realising it, we like this… we like it a lot!

LATE OF THE PIER – Blueberry/Best In The Class
Phantasy

The more astute of you may already be aware that  Blueberry was released for download last year, but now it’s available on the vinyl too. To be honest though, the track lacks a punch and feels like three minutes of build up without the payoff, and it’s flip side (or the second mp3) isn’t too much better, a pity because there are some great ideas here that just need a little push to turn into flly fledged songs.

MUMFORD & SONS – The Cave
Island

We like Mumford and his progeny, and this track is a great example of why. Building slowly and, despite it’s simple and folksy sound, it swells into something gorgeous!

EXPATRIATE – Blackbird
Expatriate Music

A pinch of Killers, a hint of Elbow, all blended with plenty of Editors… this is a recipe for commercial rock. That said, it’s by no means bad and if it turned up on the radio, I’d be more inclined to raise the volume than change the station.

THE MISERABLE RICH – Somerhill
Humble Soul

I’ll be honest, prior to hearing this, I’d heard of these guys, but never actually listened to them. What an intro though, quirky music, charismatic vocals, this is stirring stuff indeed and I can’t recommend it highly enough!