Reviews

British IBM – Psychopaths Dream in Black and White Review

Posted on by edwardlayland

British IBM Image Even though I readily admit to being a bit of a sucker for folky Indie melancholy, the somewhat strangely titled ‘Psychopaths Dream in Black and White’ turned out to be a delightful surprise. As well as possessing some comforting down beat slices of introspection from the Cambridge three piece, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the beautifully rich swathes of Anna Scott’s Cello, which adds another dimension to the wistful sound of the prolific songwriting skills of front man Adrian Killens.

The folky bliss of ‘All the time’ opens proceedings with an almost childlike comfort to it, which spills over into ‘Hey Mikie’ with its well worn acoustic guitar sound over the bubbly bass line. However, it’s ‘Just Get By’ that first grabs the attention with its melancholic air and beautiful orchestration; the Cello providing a depth and sophistication to enrich their sound. Anna Scott’s orchestral contribution transforms otherwise average tracks such as ‘I’m just like you’ and ‘We were stars’ into soothingly hypnotic slices of aural tenderness.

‘Nothing ever lasts that long’ is another of the stand out moments, conjuring up memories of evenings spent with friends in a laid back vein of easy percussion and acoustic strum to accompany the orchestral melody.

“We walked back through the city lights / Watched the girls on the corner fight /
But now the evening’s gone and nothing ever lasts that long / And all the money doesn’t count / I made a choice to be here now.”

Equally lovely is ‘Silver Cigarette Case’, which once again uses strings to define the melody, though the addition of horns adds another dimension, providing a rare moment of perfectly timed uplift. Although one or two tracks like ‘Tread Carefully’ and ‘Evolution’ are on the predictable side they still make for pleasant enough listening.

So as ‘What more can I Say?’ draws the album to its downbeat close (it takes a minute to realize that’s it and the next track ain’t gonna start) what you are left with is the warm glow of pleasant tunes, evoking that almost elusive feeling of bittersweet nostalgia. It’s most definitely an album to go to after a long day when you need something chilled, but would also be perfect for a boozy night in chatting with old friends about times gone by.

8/10

Psychopaths Dream in Black and White is a self release out on September 4th

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Tairrie B. – Vintage Curses

Posted on by edwardlayland

Tairrie BThis is not your usual rap album, but then again Tairrie B. Murphy is not your usual artist; she’s a fifty-year-old feminist heavy metal screamer (of My Ruin fame) and she does things on her terms, period. So what’s a woman like this doing making a rap record? – Well, because she can! The thing is, back in 1990 she learnt her trade with the legendary Eazy-E, yes, THE Eazy-E from NWA – go see Straight Outta Compton, which (not so?) coincidentally was released the same day, and you’ll get it. So if you’re wondering if she can actually rap, put your fears aside because Tairrie B. possesses a flow many a younger rapper would kill for.

Opening track ‘Beware the Crone’ sets the tone for things to come; smooth well rhymed verses, the occasional well placed sample, some dark rhythms (courtesy of husband Mick Murphy on drums, bass and guitar!) and plenty of bruxaria. The overriding theme of the record is witchcraft, with Tairrie cast as coven leader in this West Coast Helloween (sic). However, this, for me at least – make up your own minds by downloading (or naming your price) on the link below – is the one thing which is a little OTT and makes it a little difficult to take some tracks seriously, notably ‘Wicked Witch of the West Coast’, which is best taken with tongue firmly in cheek.

That said however, Tairrie does approach the subject of witchcraft as a form of empowerment much more seriously on the highly credible ‘Down as Dirt’ and `Carpe Noctem´, which both work the theme well. Speaking of empowerment, when the subject matter is a bit closer to home, such as the role of women in the music industry, she really nails it – ‘Ad Nauseam’ standing out for its lyrical content and hard edge rapping – killer.

Equally killer are ‘Spirit Queen’, which successfully blends rap with her hard rocking side, and the genius sampling of ‘Grease is the Word’ on ´Sky Above, City Below´. Throw in the superb bitchin finale to ‘BTCHCRVFT’ and you’ve got some really stand out moments.

I think it’s fair to say that Tairrie B. more than holds her own on the rap front and has put together some highly listenable well worked tunes, with more than a touch of the old school. She proves that a well placed sample is an art form in itself and that there is a place for the dark side in hip-hop, although in my humble opinion a little less witch and a touch more bitch would really nail it; even so, worth a listen, check it out.

7/10

http://tairrieb.bandcamp.com/

The Maccabees – Marks to Prove It

Posted on by edwardlayland

b0ffeb97d813799ac7300b9768c33196-98You know those retro Nikes, the ones that hark back to the seventies but actually look fresh and have a certain cool about them? Well, I see the Maccabees as their musical equivalent; there are some old school influences bubbling away under the surface yet there is something fresh and confident about them that sets them apart from their contemporaries. I was a big fan of the expansive sound scapes of 2012’s Mercury nominated ‘Given to the Wild’, so I was anxious to hear the follow up, and thankfully, I’m not disappointed.
On ‘Marks to Prove It’ the Maccabees have upped their game, following an extensive US tour with Mumford and Sons and some trials and tribulations in the studio, and have produced a somewhat introspective mature sounding album, reflecting harsh urban landscapes and themes of love, friendship and the challenges of growing older.
Title track, ‘Marks to Prove It’ is a hectic opener with a crunchy guitar sound in a clear cut nod to their Indie kid days, but there is much more depth to the sound and you can hear their development. They actually experiment to great effect throughout; no two songs sound alike and Orlando Weeks varies his vocal delivery to offer another new dimension, as on the atmospheric ‘Kamakura’ and the multi-faceted ‘Spit it Out’ with its tender piano intro and high tempo rocky climax. ‘Silence’ starts out similarly tenderly and is frankly a rather beautiful song – “understand that it never ends / she’s waiting round every corner every bend” – to which ‘River Song’ is quite a brooding contrast of histrionic saxophone.

I love the emotional urgency of Orlando’s voice and it’s evident in the moody bass rich ‘Slow Sun’ and the intense ‘WWI Portraits’; possibly the most accomplished track of the album. As the record progresses so does the sound, with ‘Pioneering Systems’ and ‘Dawn Chorus’ showing the band’s maturity; the latter being especially interesting with melodic guitar lines, thoughtful vocal and even some horns to give it another dimension, not to forget the female backing vocal which helps bring the album to a meandering hypnotic close.
The one track which I find lacking credibility is the second single, ‘Something Like Happiness; it’s kinda jaunty and actually sounds like something the Mumfords might write rather than a Maccabees song – disappointing.
Nevertheless, ‘Marks to Prove It’ showcases a well developed band offering up their most accomplished release to date; I like the fact that they have progressed steadily throughout their career and have put making great music ahead of achieving instant commercial success. For me they embody the philosophy of do what you love and the success will come. Lovely record, listen as a whole.

9/10