5 Slices of Killer Filler

Posted on by edwardlayland

Once upon a time the album format ruled the music business, particularly in the seventies and then again with the CD boom of the late eighties early nineties. However, with the changing landscape of the digital age, singles or individual downloads, legal or otherwise, were the preferred method of consumption for the internet generation. In a somewhat surprising twist it appears that vinyl is making a comeback, and also with the save to device features of streaming platforms being at their most efficient when downloading the whole album, the good old long player format is once again at the fore with all its pros and cons.

The case in favour is basically one of context, artists don’t decide running orders lightly – ever make a playlist? – this shit is important and the combination of songs can make or break a track. For instance, Blur‘s ‘Song 2’ only works as track 2, preferably right after ‘Beetlebum’. I mean can you imagine listening to GnR’s Appetite for Destruction and ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ not being followed by ‘It’s So Easy’? Also, the fact that each track is normally intended as part of the ebb and flow of the album’s mood makes each and every song important – at least in the eyes of the artist.

Which brings us to the downside – filler. Unfortunately, not every track on every album can be a classic and sometimes artists stamp their feet and hang on to tracks they have a real personal thing for, but just don’t always strike a chord with the listener. So stuff gets included that maybe would be better left on the studio floor and we start reaching for the skip button, something more complicated for vinyl junkies, but easy as pie for streamers and CD & Mp3 listeners. How many twelve track albums have you heard that would be all killer if they were cut to nine or ten? Then there’s the one hit wonders who build albums around that one awesome track and just don’t have the songs to merit a full LP. You ever buy an album for that one song?

Whatever the case may be, every now and again the lack of patience that has us reaching for fast forward, or the “I love that one killer track” mentality, or even the greatest hits approach, means that certain less well known tracks don’t necessarily get their dues. Sometimes the filler can be killer, check out these low fliers….

Oasis’ debut album, ‘Definitely Maybe is a certified classic and has a lot of very strong songs. ‘Live Forever’, ‘Supersonic’, Cigarettes and Alcohol’ and ‘Slide Away’ all have an enduring popularity, but one song that is often overlooked and was never given enough runs on stage was the mighty ‘Columbia’. Ok, it’s not exactly pushing any boundaries lyrically speaking but it’s got hooks and is just so damn loud. The guitar sound is gigantic and it builds and builds, layer upon layer, lick upon lick as the hypnotic rhythm rolls along in mesmerising fashion; it is surely one of their most unique songs – mad for it.

1991’s ‘Screamadelica’ is a classic album of indie acid house that came about after Andrew Weatherall had deftly deconstructed Primal Scream‘s ‘I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have’ into the dance floor hand waver and top twenty hit ‘Loaded’. The album is overflowing with dance beats, chill out music and house piano lines that neatly capture the pervading drug culture on (and off) the UK’s dance floors. The album is famous for the aforementioned ‘Loaded’, the uplifting gospel of ‘Movin’ On Up’, the ultra chill of ‘Higher Than The Sun’ (and its dub symphony on side four), floor filler ‘Don’t Fight It Feel It’ and the monumental ‘Come Together’. But hang on a minute, what’s that tucked away half way through side three of the vinyl? A ballad? Yep, and it’s one of the Scream’s most underrated songs. ‘Damaged’ owes a lot stylistically to ‘I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have’, the song which prompted the whole thing, and is a piano based acoustic strum of summer love featuring sublime guitar work from Robert ‘Throb’ Young, who also did the vocals on ‘Slip Inside this House’, literally impersonating Bobby Gillespie, who was too wasted to sing. ‘Damaged’ stands up as a quite beautiful song, very much in the vein of their regular indie rock style, and is deserving of way more recognition than it gets.

Buried on side seven of the ridiculously overblown ‘Use Your Illusions’, ‘Locomotive’ is one of the most criminally overlooked Guns n Roses songs. The song ebbs and flows through Axl’s story telling and is jam packed with time changes as they drop in all kinds of twists and turns; musically speaking it’s a superbly arranged track, with the piano break in the finale accompanied by understated soloing to provide a classy finish.

‘Hatful of Hollow’ (‘Louder Than Bombs’ in the U.S.A, albeit with a slightly different track listing) is a compilation album of tracks The Smiths recorded for sessions at the BBC, besides a couple of singles. While not exactly a greatest hits album it does feature slightly altered versions of a number of their most famous tracks like ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’, ‘Hand in Glove’ and ‘This Charming Man’, but wait, what’s that little gem nestling at mid-album? It’s a song that was only ever recorded for a Peel session in September of 1983 – This Night Has Opened My Eyes’. I’m no Smiths aficionado, but this track has everything that made them great; laid back guitar melody, disturbing lyrics and a subtly twisted pop aesthetic, only it finds Morrissey delivering a beautifully understated vocal while Johnny Marr‘s guitar lines meander along atmospherically; sublime.

Elbow‘s universally acclaimed, million selling, Mercury Music Prize winning album ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is one of the most important records of the last ten years and is filled with many a beautiful moment. With Guy Garvey‘s thoughtful lyrics and the band’s intricately woven musical tapestry it’s a record that is nothing short of superb. The stand out tracks like the massive Grounds for Divorce, ‘The Bones of You’ and ‘One Day Like This’ in all its glory tend to steal all the thunder, yet it’s the rich textures and the subtle details that make this such a fine album and one of the less obvious tracks that repeated listens reveal to be quite stunning is ‘Weather To Fly’. Featuring one of Garvey´s most measured yet brilliant vocals, a delicate piano melody and gorgeous lilting orchestration that takes on a whole new dimension on the Abbey Road version with the BBC Concert Orchestra, it is a song of restrained beauty that is sorely underrated.

What’s Hot In My House – May

Posted on by edwardlayland

This month I have been largely listening to metal, because there are times when one simply must thrash. Ok, so I’m also researching a top ten thrash albums piece and have just finished reading part 2 of the superb Metallica biography, ‘Into The Black’ by Paul Brannigan and Ian Winwood, but whatever, I’ve been doing some serious memory lane metalwise, reliving the halcyon days of my hard rocking youth, besides checking out some new shit. Here’s what else I’ve been binging and purging on during the month of May.

I have been hammering the quality new album from Bay Area thrashers Death Angel. It’s a furiously fast blend of old school rifferama with plenty of modern twists to the arrangements to keep it sounding fresh. ‘Lost’ is one of the most sublime metal tracks I’ve heard in years, while ‘Hatred United, United Hate’ is eyebrow scorching stuff; check them out below…

I’m in the middle of writing a monumental piece on Iron Maiden for http://www.alreadyheard.com, so my Deezer is wall to wall with the metal giants right now. Despite my surprise at how good some of their later releases are, I keep going back to ‘The Number of the Beast’, which totally deserves its exalted place in rock history. There are so many great songs on this album; ’22 Acacia Avenue a personal favourite. “Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number….”

I don’t really have a good reason for this, just that I think it’s a great album, so end up playing it a fair bit; it’s also a bit easier on the ear after all that metal mayhem! Ok, it may not be “cool” to like Lenny Kravitz right now, but fuck it ‘Mama Said’ is a fine album on many levels, taking in rock, pop, jazz, funk and soul in Lenny’s own inimitable style. The big hitters aside, there are some seriously classy moments like the funky Stop Dragging Around’, the soulful blues of ‘When The Morning Turns to Night’ and the jazzy chill of ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’; great record.

Lonely The Brave – Things Will Matter Review

Posted on by edwardlayland

LonelyTheBraveI recently wrote an article on the “difficult” second album, highlighting a variety of bands that under pressure of time, money and success either failed to meet expectations or totally fucked it up. So, you’ve got to hand it to Lonely The Brave, not only have they taken their time, but they haven’t succumbed to the lure of the big time and staked all their chips on their commercial appeal. They have instead come up with another fine record, building on the template of debut album ‘This Day’s War’, only slightly darker and a little more substantial.

The atmospheric ‘Wait in the Car’ opens proceedings at a melancholic pace with a wonderfully understated vocal before segueing into the massive ‘Black Mire’, its goose bump inducing guitar lines crawling all over the power chords and rumbling bass line. Again it’s a fairly measured track but its powerfully intense and has classic written all over it.

This arena sized intensity that is something of a signature sound for LTB pervades throughout; the meandering guitar lines of ‘What If You Fall In’ soon giving way to big riffs in the intensely hooky chorus, while tracks like ‘Strange Like I’ and ‘Boxes’ find them delivering enormous guitars and soaring vocals in no nonsense fashion. ‘Rattlesnakes’, meantime, twists around a guitar motif before reaching its own searing climax.

Another thing that shines through is the superb musicianship adding so many different dimensions to this collection. ‘Diamond Days’, for example, rolls effortlessly along in melancholic reflection, while the restrained guitars shape a laid back vibe and vocalist David Jakes shows his versatility with a great vocal. The more urgent ‘Play Dead’ then builds hypnotically to a car crash finale, whereas the clattering percussion on ‘Tank Wave’ collides into its atmospheric chords, giving it an uncomfortable air, before gaining in power and emotion on the back of another stirring vocal.‘Dust and Bones’ comes across as quite ordinary by comparison, but it’s got a good hook and links nicely with the power rock riffing and frantic beats of ‘Radar’.

However it’s closing track ‘Jaws of Hell’ that really shows what this band can do, as well as how they might develop in future. The erratic rhythms and brooding atmosphere gather in power as the track cuts back and forth, layering texture upon texture until flurries of feedback close it out. A one minute silence is then followed by ponderous piano and a poignant vocal lamenting that “time goes quicker now” to provide an enigmatic closure.

In the end, what we have here is a selection of deeply textured tracks that play to the multiple strengths of this talented band. This is the future of British Rock right here.

9/10

lonelythebrave.com/

Six Second Albums That Actually Nailed It

Posted on by edwardlayland

Ah yes, the difficult second album – there’s so much that can go wrong and it so frequently does, more often than not ending up in the shadow of the classic debut and the all important third album. The list of second albums that fall somewhere between the disappointing and the disastrous is immense. Bristol triphoppers Massive Attack are prime example of a band that falls into the former category, 1993’s ‘Protection’, despite being a nice enough album with some quality tracks, is positively lukewarm in comparison to their monumental debut ‘Blue Lines’. Florence and the Machine‘s ‘Ceremonials’ is another culprit; Iron Maiden get beyond the artwork on ‘Killers’, but it’s hardly a tour de force; ‘Van Halen II’ is but a shadow of the first album and despite positive criticism The Strokes sophomore effort, ‘Room on Fire’, was never going to live up to ‘Is This It’. As for categorical failure of a follow-up, look no further than Stone Roses’ ‘The Second Coming’ – can it get any worse than this?
Yes – Kula Shaker, ‘Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts’ – nailed that band’s coffin closed.

Actually, there’s a whole bunch of other records that were never really what you’d bought into on the debut, the list is endless; Portishead, Finlay Quaye, Terence Trent Darby, Duffy, Elastica and so on and so forth, and as we can see, failing to deliver the goods is irrespective of genre, although it has become a far more common phenomena in the days demanding instant success. It seems that the second album basically runs into trouble because of pressure resulting from the first record. Bands get caught up in the touring and the success and are too busy “making it” to get the next record written. Then there’s the inevitable come down when they find themselves in the studio under pressures of time and money to deliver a new product, but this time, barring a few leftover tracks not quite good enough for album number one, they’re starting from scratch, having spent the last few years playing to death that first batch of songs they so lovingly created. Bands get so focused on establishing themselves with the first album that they don’t have time to really think about there being a next one, let alone what to put on it. They almost need to fuck up the second album a bit to take the pressure off and get the hunger back for album number three – if there is one!

However, despite the all too common let down of a band’s second record, there are also plenty of killers. Once upon a time, artists were given the chance to develop; their record labels actually helped them progress. Bands were often signed to seven album deals, so labels were in it for the long haul – they wanted to see their artists improve and sell progressively more records. Also, it wasn’t unusual to sign a band based on potential rather than one that already had its bangers primed and ready. Blur is a great example of a band that had potential, but had yet to find its songwriting chops on debut album ‘Leisure’, it’s their second album ‘Modern Life is Rubbish’ where things start coming together. Then there’s the thrash metal scene; in the beginning it was all a bit rough and ready, but by their second albums Metallica, Megadeth and the like were coming on in leaps and bounds. So, here’s a bunch of second albums that not only progressed but blew away their predecessors and quite rightly became classics.

The ultimate second album is surely Nirvana‘s ‘Nevermind’, possibly the most game changing record in history. It’s predecessor, ‘Bleach’, had hinted at the band’s potential, but was miles short of what would follow. Cobain had long harboured the desire to harness the aggressive energy of punk and marry it to more accessible melodies and the final pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place whilst writing the songs for Nevermind. Kurt borrowed the Pixies loud – quiet – loud template and suddenly not only his fury, but also his talent had a vehicle; the rest, as they say, is history.

Radiohead‘s debut album, ‘Pablo Honey’ is a fairly unremarkable affair, save for the ubiquitous ‘Creep’, which the band grew to hate; its follow up, The Bends, however, is one of the finest albums of alternative rock ever to see the light of day. The entire album is all killer, ‘High and Dry’, ‘Fake Plastic Trees, ‘Just’, ‘Street Spirit’, I mean, it’s quality track after quality track that propelled the band towards the big time. They may have taken a more arty direction after the fairly conventional songwriting on display, but without The Bends and the bold statement that is ‘OK Computer’, Thom Yorke and co never would’ve gained the leverage to follow their chosen path.

If you go back and listen to the first Lenny Kravitz album, ‘Let Love Rule, you’ll here a soulful young man blending a kinda laid back hippy-like innocence into some funky folky rock n roll toons, and it’s a highly enjoyable record. The world’s one time highest paid session musician was breaking in slowly though, as on his second effort, ‘Mama Said’, he came back pimped up, jazzed up and funked up and knocked it out of the park. Fields of Joy is a ‘Stairway’ for the 90s, ‘Always on the Run with Slash is a sublime rocker; there’s quality rock pop a plenty, funky reverb on ‘Stop Draggin’ Around’; soul fueled crooning on ‘All I Ever Wanted’ and the whole album is peppered with bass groove and jazzy licks. Where did it all go wrong?

Led Zeppelin II. It’s Led Zeppelin, only more so – every song a winner. Nuff said really.

Björk shook off the Sugacubes on ‘Debut’, but it was on ‘Post’ that it all came together. This urban soundtrack remains as one of her finest albums and is jam packed with hard edged indie pop in the Icelander’s own inimitable style; from the sinister opening to ‘Army of Me’ you just know it’s going to be a winner. There’s the manic Hyperballad, the irrepressible ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’, ‘Isobel’, ‘The Modern Things’, ‘Enjoy’ and so on and etc not a dull moment to be found.

I will readily admit to not being the biggest Foo Fighters fan in the world, but you gotta love Dave Grohl for just being such a nice bloke, and on his/their second album, ‘The Colour and The Shape’ he delivered the goods. Besides the killer singles ‘Monkey Wrench’, ‘My Hero’ and ‘Everlong’, which are without doubt some of the most iconic alternative rock songs of the nineties, the album is imbued with a cathartic quality that runs surprisingly deep. Ok, so there’s plenty of upbeat snippets where Dave and co sound like their having a great time, but it’s the raw emotion on the ballads that really picks the scab on Dave’s then recent divorce. Besides, the emotional moving on, this record really exorcised the whole Nirvana thing and paved the way for Foo Fighters to be respected in its own right – respect. Check out this live version of ‘Hey Johnny Park’, Dave looks so young and it’s got such raw emotion.

Sixx:A.M. – Prayers For The Damned Vol.1 Review

Posted on by edwardlayland

SixxAM_Cover_PrayersForTheDamned-960x960There aren’t too many surprises on the ‘Prayers for the Damned Vol. 1’, the new album from Sixx:A.M., but hey, if it ain’t broke, why try to fix it? Nikki Sixx and co have hit upon a formula for their killer brand of hard rock that works; there’s massive choruses, massive guitars, massive bass lines and massive harmonies that all make for a massive sound on this loosely biblical album of pop metal.

Pop metal? Yep. When your lead singer is a man who writes hits for the likes of Kelly Clarkson and has an ear for a melody Katy Perry would kill for, if you took out the totally badass guitaring of the superb DJ Ashba and Sixx’s penchant for a bit of twisted darkness, make no bones about it, you’d be left with radio friendly, commercially appealing, uber positive pop.

From the word go on the first single ‘Rise’ we get everything this power trio holds dear; a hard rock groove from the low slung guitar, a hook filled chorus that flies ever higher as it progresses, a killer solo and Nikki’s bass bubbling away in the background. Damn it, there’s even the a ‘capella line before the grand finale. It ticks all the formula songwriting boxes, but when your band is this tight and your production this slick, you can’t fail to deliver.

How do you follow that? With another swaggering riff straight from Sunset Strip of course! It’s a thin disguise though, You Have Come To The Right Place is about as perfect a piece of hard driving pop as you can get. I’m Sick starts out as more of a slow boiler, but soon picks up to continue in pretty much the same vein, but what the hell, I love a bit of radio friendly rock as much as the next man, like they say in the song: “I’m sick, gimme some more of it!. There’s a particularly awesome solo though, as the song gathers pace for the climax.

The middle section of the album takes on a more serious tone with a more measured pace, the Sixx:A.M. brand of self help delving into issues of making amends, finding hope out of the darkness and turning to God. Better Man possesses an undercurrent of melancholy to the atmospheric guitar lines and James Michael’s vocal is a little more understated, while ‘Prayers for the Damned’ and ‘When We Were Gods’ have a particularly epic feel to the uplift as they push the religious imagery, the latter mixing things up a little arrangement wise with an unexpected twist towards the end.

Sandwiched between is ‘Can’t Stop’ with its marching vibe, but there’s an air of filler to it, although it is sure to work better in the live arena. ‘Belly of the Beast’ pricked my ears up a little further though, it really showcases what Michael can do vocally when he leaves his comfort zone and it’s a cool switch up.

There’s more than a hint of Motley Crüe in the opening chords to ‘Everything Went To Hell’ but the comparison ends there and it turns into something of a vehicle showcasing Ashba’s playing. DJ has to be one of the most underrated guitarists in the game and his playing throughout this album is nothing short of stunning, the killer riffing and sublime soloing a constant, adding another dimension to otherwise ordinary tracks like ‘The Last Time (My Heart Will Hit The Ground).

Album closer ‘Rise of the Melancholy Empire’ rounds things off in predictably epic style, though the delicate piano and atmospheric guitar lines add a touch of class. It is a quality way to end Volume 1, with the second half of this double album project set to drop later in the year.

This is probably Sixx:A.M’s strongest record since ‘Heroin Diaries’, pretty much every track has a winning hook, the playing is first rate and the production superb. Ok, so they like a pop melody and know how to deliver a chorus, but it’s not like they have art rock aspirations and what they do is done in style. There is a massive market for this kind of music, so when a band are writing songs with a message and turning in such great performances, superstardom is pretty much a given, not bad for what started as a side project.

8/10

Check out more on Sixx:A.M. here:http://sixxammusic.com/
For some superb photography of the band and a whole load of other rock stars visit this amazing webpage: http://www.stephansdotter.com/gallery/people/

What’s Hot In My House – April

Posted on by edwardlayland

The big problem with music is that there’s too damn much of it. I mean, I was just putting a playlist together, so I was going through the gargantuan collection on my phone and I was like: “oooo haven’t heard that for ages; I miss that album; shit, I used to love that” and so on…. Anyway, I was basically left marvelling at what a wonderful thing it is to be so damn spoilt for choice, and everyday there’s more and more of the stuff!

As such, my listening is more often than not dominated by things I’ve been reviewing or researching for whatever reason, and April had been a busy month! I’ve heard a lot of seriously excellent records – the new albums from singer songwriter Kevin Morby and Canadian rockers Greys being particularly outstanding, although it’s the sublime new album from Ben Watt that’s taken up most of my journey’s home. However, as coincidence would have it, over the last couple of weeks I’ve had three EPs, all alternative rock, all female fronted, but all distinctly different, vying for my undivided attention. Check them out…

Haybaby – Blood Harvest EP
This power trio from Brooklyn are an intriguing mix of indie, grunge and sludge punk (whatever that may be) and last year’s ‘Sleepy Kids’ was one of my favourite albums of 2015. So, I was understandably excited to discover they had new music hitting the racks, and after managing to get an advance copy, was not disappointed. In fact, Leslie Hong and company have built on their loose style and added a little more bite on five scathing tunes stacked with cool bass grooves, histrionic guitar lines and massive riffs; not to mention the excellent vocals. Check out the killer ‘Kramer/Dreams’:

False Advertising – Brainless EP
Like Haybaby, False Advertising also released an album towards the end of 2015 and have followed it up with an EP less than six months later. In the case of Jen, Chris and Josh, who describe themselves as “twisted power grunge” and have a more nineties feel to their sound, it was a case of not only maintaining creative momentum but also dealing with some personal issues. As a result, their sound has also toughened up a little more, yet they still mange to include some killer hooks. What you get are five furiously energetic tunes that neatly blend punky grunge rock and angular indie with a touch of pop sensibility – frantic guitars with badass choruses. Here’s a snippet of their live show and the disturbing ‘Alopecia’.

Making Monsters – Bad Blood EP
This record won’t actually be released until the middle of next month, but the Northern Irish quartet are definitely ones to watch – whatever ‘it’ is, they’ve got it and I for one am loving it. Besides being blessed with a heavy alternative sound, bursting with top drawer guitar work and some really well constructed songs, in Emma Gallagher they have an exceptionally good vocalist of quite stunning versatility. This is a band that definitely stand out from the pack and there are plenty of moments on ‘Bad Blood’ that really nail it – watch this band rise.

Ben Watt
Like I said above, Ben’s new album, ‘Fever Dream’ is quite sublime, but I have also been revisiting the previous offering, ‘Hendra’ with some regularity of late. Both records are packed with quality songwriting, where the attention to the tiny details of everyday life manages to paint vivid pictures of loss and regret or love and relationships. The accompaniment from Bernard Butler is nothing short of superb and both albums make for a truly involving listen.

Here are a bunch of links to find out more about everything I’ve been going on about and maybe even purchase some the bands’ music at ridiculously low prices – some of the earlier releases may even be name your price!
http://haybabyband.com/
https://falseadvertising.bandcamp.com/
https://makingmonsters.bandcamp.com/
http://benwatt.com/

Greys – Outer Heaven Review

Posted on by edwardlayland

v600_greys_outer_heaven_900Greys are a quartet from Toronto that have really come of age on their second album, ‘Outer Heaven’. They succeed in blending chaotic punk frenzy and expansive textures on ten well thought out tracks that are as engaging and reflective as they are furious and cleansing.

‘Cruelty’ begins with a slightly jarring intro and downbeat vocals, giving it a shoegazey feel, but the calmness is deceptive – the song is about a group of teenagers brutally killing their classmate – and is soon blown away by the rocky ‘No Star’. Another song inspired by last year’s Paris attacks, it’s punk rock vibe builds into an aggressive wrecking ball of wild abandon, the chaotic guitar sound pleasingly abrasive.

There’s plenty more where that came from too, ‘If It’s All The Same To You’ blends the expansive elements of their guitar sound with the aggressive approach, while the indie pop vocal melody makes for a catchy thrash around. ‘Blown Out’, which tackles the issue of depression within a relationship, has a similarly vibrant energy to the melody, though the dirty grunge riff and histrionic guitars hint at a deeper sense of disquiet.

There are multiple levels to this record and the band has succeeded in slipping all kinds of killer moments into its fabric. For instance, ‘Complaint Rock’ is pure punk rock and brilliant in its simplicity, but then an atmospheric interlude of crashing percussion and guitar lines offers some reflection before the bass kicks back in for a frenzied punk finale. On the other hand, ‘Strange World’ works in the opposite direction; the dreamlike opening of lazy chords and measured beats rolls along reflectively, while a background of feedback gives a slight air of disquiet that suddenly explodes with occasional bursts of screaming chaos – did not see that coming – it gets even more expansive and chilled thereafter, but a melancholy piano played over feedback finishes in style – sublime.

A particularly enjoyable aspect of this album is its variety, although they do have a kind of signature sound, they manage to explore different aspects of it in different ways. For example, ‘Erosion’, one of the standout tracks, takes a more measured approach, employing an atmospheric guitar sound, yet there’s a kind of urgency to the melody that takes a slightly darker feel as it progresses. Conversely, ‘Sorcerer’ is a furiously hard anger fueled track with a killer hook and a sludge punk feel, while ‘In For A Penny’ is upbeat and frenzied, but throws a curve ball with the twee melody of the midsection that is pure indie.

There is not one bad track on this record and it all draws to a somewhat disturbing finale on ‘My Life As A Cloud’. The use of a drum machine, in reference to the emptiness of technology, gives a dystopian feel to this atmospheric meandering and the long instrumental section rounds it all off with a real sense of disquiet, excellent stuff.

All in all, this is a cracker of an album – it’s punk, it’s rock, it’s indie, yet very individual sounding and infused with a sense of daring to the songwriting that gives it a freshness and energy that really set it apart. Superb.

9/10

‘Outer Heaven’ is out now and available here: http://store.carparkrecords.com/categories/greys

Kevin Morby – Singing Saw Review

Posted on by edwardlayland

kevin-morby-singing-saw-album-newIt’s well worth immersing yourself in the deeply textured reflections of ‘Singing Saw’, the third solo outing of atmospheric folk rock from ex Woods bassist (and The Babies front man) Kevin Morby. The Texan singer songwriter proves himself a prodigious talent on this highly enjoyable collection of songs packed with subtle details that punctuate the album with sublime moments of musical brilliance.

‘Cut Me Down’ gets things off to an atmospheric start, the laid back folky vibe and intimate sound accentuating the subtle guitar lines and bluesy acoustics, while ‘I Have Been To The Mountain’ follows in more upbeat style. There’s an easy funkiness to the bass line and a swirling quality to the acoustic riff that make for a hypnotic groove; throw in some percussion, layers of horns and backing vocals and we have a very cool track.

The first half of the album is probably the stronger; there’s a dark air to the stark acoustic guitar underpinning ‘Singing Saw’, which is one of the stand out tracks. It slowly builds to a mechanical drum sound and guitar licks and is an unhurried richly textured gem, the spidery solo adding to the atmospheric seven minute sound scape. ‘Drunk and On a Star’ follows with more unhurried beauty and some nice touches of orchestration.

There is a slight change in direction half way through with the up tempo rocky riffing and Jesus and Mary Chain-esque melody of ‘Dorothy’. It’s cool enough though, with plenty of nice touches of piano and horns between the lines. ‘Ferris Wheel’ is slightly laboured by comparison and is a bit of a mid album lull of piano led reflection.

Prior to the country style meanderings of album closer ‘Water’ we get a couple of mighty fine, albeit slightly quirky, songs in ‘Destroyer’ and ‘Black Flowers’. The mechanical melody of the former gains another dimension when the strings come in, the lilting violin superb, and when the horns enter it takes on a vibe of free jazz to contrast with the piano monotony. Meanwhile there is a slight Oriental feel to ‘Black Flowers’, its easy acoustic picking underscored by an almost jaunty rhythm – instrumentally speaking it’s really quite lovely, delicate drops of piano punctuating the song as it subtly increases in tempo, growing ever richer; excellent stuff.

On the whole this is a fine record from Morby; it is beautifully executed and has so many layers, yet also allows individual passages to stand out in breathtaking style. Well worth exploring deeply to get to know it intimately.

8.5/10

‘Singing Saw’ is out now.

http://deadoceans.com/artist.php?name=morbykevin

Nine Cover Versions That Are Cool As

Posted on by edwardlayland

The good old cover version, you gotta love it. Some are so ill advised that they’re cringeworthy – All Saints ruination of ‘Under The Bridge’ by the Chilis immediately springing to mind – but every now and again the cover becomes more famous or respected than the original. I mean, can Bob Dylan really say ‘Knockin on Heaven’s Door’ or ‘All Along The Watchtower’ are still his songs? One strange thing about covers is that when a pop band does a rock/alternative tune, a few notable exceptions aside, it’s more often a miss than a hit, whereas the opposite tends to be true; it’s probably a credibility thing I guess. Anyway, a good cover version involves paying tribute to the original while putting just enough of a twist on it to make it your own. There have been some surprisingly awesome (unlikely) cover versions over the years and here are a handful I particularly like. Check em out.

Jane’s Addiction – Sympathy
‘Sympathy for the Devil’ is such a quintessential Stones song that it borders on the untouchable, but on their live self-titled debut album Perry Farrell and Co. pretty much nail it. Their version of Velvet Underground‘s ‘Rock n Roll flows neatly into ‘Sympathy’, which fits Farrell’s voice perfectly, his unusual vocal style giving the track an intensity way beyond the woo-hoos. Throw in the understated guitar rhythms, Dave Navarro‘s scorching soloing and the rich percussion sound of bongos and tambourines that build to the final meltdown and we have a superb version of a classic on our hands. They actually did a second version a few years ago, and although it’s beautifully arranged and is a damn cool version of the song, it lacks the passion and intensity of their original cover.

Chris Cornell – I Will Always Love You
Watch this and try to not get goose bumps.

Florence & the Machine with Dizzee Rascal – You Got The Dirtee Love
There’s only one thing better than a good cover and that’s two good covers (Ok, one and a half) in a mash up! ‘You Got The Love’ has long been Florence’s own, the ‘Candi Staton’ original barely a memory, and Dizzee’s reworking/sampling of The Adventures of Stevie V classic ‘Dirty Cash (Money Talks)’ worthy of respect, but when the two came together for this unlikely collaboration, the Brit Awards were ecstatic and a partnership formed. A few other live performances followed its release as a single, which entered the UK charts at number 2, this version from Glastonbury being nothing short of amazing. Check it out.

Mary J Blige – One
The vocal performance on Mary’s own version, not the one with U2, is so sick that she totally wipes the floor with the original. It’s got so much power and emotion that Bono sounds bland by comparison (maybe because he is).

Stereophonics – Nothing Compares 2 U
The Prince penned heart breaker originally made famous by Sinead O’Conner got dusted off and reworked by the Stereophonics for an NME/Warchild compilation back in 2002. It stays true to the original, but Kelly Jones raspy voice adds an emotional edge to this already classic break up song. Pass the tissues.

Cake – I Will Survive
This version of the Gloria Gaynor banger has got it all; funny yet stylish with its own louche cool, pure genius.

Leona Lewis – Run
Radio One’s Live Lounge has thrown up all kinds of killer performances over the years and one of the most notable is Leona Lewis’ version of Run by Snow Patrol. Leona succeeds in taking it to a whole new level. Damn that girl can sing.

Disturbed – The Sound of Silence
Oh. My. God.
How powerfully epic can you get?
Awesome.

Homeless Mustard – Creep
Left me speechless.

Ben Watt – Fever Dream Review

Posted on by edwardlayland

Ben Watt Fever Dream PACKSHOT - HI RES AmazonOn 2014’s Hendra, Ben Watt rekindled his solo career with a deeply reflective album of hauntingly beautiful songs. The writing, recording and subsequent touring caused the singer-songwriter to rediscover his voice and helped open up a rich vein of creativity to produce a flurry of new songs.

The resulting album, ‘Fever Dream’, is a loosely conceptual voyage musing on the ever evolving complexities of love and relationships, purposely progressing from a hard edged, almost difficult, atmosphere to a lighter feel of hope as the album develops. It builds on the template of the previous outing, both stylistically and in terms of personnel; Bernard Butler once again contributing sublime guitar work, while new double bassist Rex Horan adds a little extra depth.

The first single ‘Gradually’ kicks off with atmospherically bluesy guitar lines from Butler and is a spacious slow burner with a hard edge. The textured layers of guitar build intensely to give a gorgeous richness to the sound as Ben fires off an emotive vocal performance. The title track, ‘Fever Dream’, follows with an acoustic melody and understated touches from Butler, who seems to be plucking notes out of the air with ease. M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger adds a subtle layer of vocals, while Watt seems to be stretching his voice a little more; an emotional edge also appearing on the brooding ‘Women’s Company’, with its killer hook to the chorus. Watt’s ability to work a hook is evident throughout the album, especially on the upbeat ‘Between Two Fires’, with its subtly shifting percussion, and on the otherwise melancholy atmosphere of ‘Winter’s Eve’.

The second half of the album is no less textured, but takes a noticeable turn towards a more relaxed vibe. ‘Faces of My Friends’ has rhythms reminiscent of Everything But The Girl and is a light but sophisticated pop song on how people’s lives intertwine as “We fall through the world like flakes of snow”. There is a similarly tropical feel to the rhythms of ‘Running With The Front Runners’, the double bass sound superb, though it contrasts sharply with the living on the edge lyrical content.

Watt has the ability to paint such vivid pictures with the everyday details of his words, ‘Bricks and Wood’ being a master class in simple yet descriptive story telling. Here he turns a drive to the (now ruined) family home into a reflection on the importance we attach to physical things, when it’s the untouchable memory that carries the warmth or pain. The song manages to retain that sense of hope underpinning the laid back reflection of previous track ‘Never Goes Away’, with its bluesy guitar licks and whispers of organ.

Although many of the songs capture a similar vibe, they are all distinctive in terms of style; none more so than closing track ‘New Year of Grace’. The delicate folk melody is spacious and airy, the guest vocal of Marissa Nadler providing beautiful accompaniment to this understated tale of enduring love. It’s a simple yet emotional note with which to finish.

The ten songs on offer here make for a quality listen, the space and richness to the sound with the altered tunings, reverb and blurred lines between the instrumental textures packed with sublime subtleties. As well as finding a little extra edge to his vocal, Ben Watt has once again proved himself a damn fine songwriter, repeated listens revealing ever more detail; in a nutshell – excellent.

9/10

Fever Dream is out now on Unmade Road through Caroline International.

Catch Ben, Bernard and Co. on tour during the coming months: http://benwatt.com/dates

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