Air 'Le Voyage Dans La Lune' album review (for kevchino.com)

Amour, imagination, rêve (love, imagination, dream). This is the backronym Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel constructed to form Air in 1995. Since then the duo from Versailles have been delighting us with just that—albums full of love and great imagination that take us into dreamlike states and beyond. The very same can be said in regard to their latest work, Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon).

A celestial work with twinkling synthesizers, heavenly harmonies and spacey computer tones, Le Voyage dans la Lune is the definitive soundtrack to any space voyage. The slow, heavy tom-toms and blasts of brass in “Astronomic Club” serve nicely as an opening track, giving a sexy yet sinister feel as rocket ship captains prepare to enter the unknown. “Moon Fever” is a soft, calming, melodic space ballad, perfect for floating weightlessly through the cosmos, taking in the Moon and all its splendor. “Parade” and “Cosmic Trip” bring a nice element of disco-rock to the album, with “Cosmic Trip”’s heady monotone male and female voice-overs welcoming you on to your space voyage and ensuring you will have a pleasant trip and “will return home safely.”

Inspired by Georges Méliès’s classic 1902 silent science-fiction film A Trip to the Moon, Air recently had the honor of composing an original score for a new version of the film, which is currently being played at film festivals worldwide, and a better duo they could not have picked. Air’s work transports you into outer space with the greatest of ease and leaves you flying high with each and every listen. Another fine effort from a musical act for whom it seems creativity knows no bounds.

The Maccabees 'Given To The Wild' album review (for kevchino.com)

The UK’s favorite lads the Maccabees are back with their highly anticipated new offering, Given to the Wild. With such fine efforts given previously in Colour It In and Wall Of Arms, the band set the bar quite high and have failed to disappoint.

There’s no question Given to the Wild differs greatly to their previous offerings and is a much more intricate album. The tracks have a lot more depth and weight to them involving an eclectic range of instruments, lots of layering, and some great production. The album has an almost esoteric sound, like the whole band went on a month-long Yoga retreat to find themselves, and what they found was utterly creative and inspiring.

The first single from the album, “Pelican” is pretty much the only solid-sounding rock song present. It’s punchy, poppy, and has the Maccabees’ usual edge to it. The remainder of the tracks play like a soundtrack that run into one another in a dreamlike state, ebbing and flowing across a rich musical landscape. The starting track, “Given to the Wild (Intro),” opens almost like a soundtrack with minimal vocals and soft instrumentals, leading into “Child,” which starts off slow, but eases into a faster finish with the band’s signature disco drums and high-paced guitars.

“Glimmer” does just that, with sparkling guitar riffs and floating melodies, followed by the eerie and macabre “Forever I’ve Known,” which features less of the higher-toned vocals you hear throughout the album and more of the old English-accented vocals we’re used to. “Went Away” is one of the more electronic-sounding tracks on the album, an upbeat piece with good solid drums and sweet dripping guitar melodies. “Go” is another electronic-based track with nice fades, interesting bass lines, and some beautiful guitar solos.

Given to the Wild is by far the most complex album produced yet by the Maccabees. It takes you places you never thought they’d go, and they do it well. But one can’t help feeling they’ve lost a little of their musical innocence on this album, which was part of their allure and charm on previous albums. The vocals and guitar effects are much more heavily produced, and the little simplicities of the previous two efforts that brought them such critical acclaim have been lost. That said, all bands must grow up at some stage, and the Maccabees are surely one you can take home to Mum. They have definitely matured beyond their years musically and created an album already fit for the top ten of 2012.

Tasseomancy 'Ulalume' album review (for kevchino.com)

I sat down to review Tasseomancy’s latest effort, Ulalume, alone in my house at night. Possibly a questionable idea. A melodic and beautifully haunting epic, the album could almost double as the soundtrack to a weird, twisted psycho-thriller, perhaps set in an abandoned mental hospital or ancient graveyard, or a once enchanted forest now taken over by the Dark Lord.

Formerly known as Ghost Bees, Tasseomancy consists of Canadian twins Sari and Romy Lightman. Ulalume is their second full-length release and tends to move on from their earlier, more acoustic-based arrangements into experimental, ambient, and brooding tones laden with the sisters’ uniquely sweet and harmonic vocals (not unlike those of Karen O or perhaps fellow Canadian songstress Feist).

“Heavy Sleep” features a nice, slow, tambourine-soaked drumbeat, and eerie and intense keyboards with high-pitched ethereal vocals floating over the top. “Diana” has a choral, almost hymnlike sound to begin with, then transcends into a harmonious chorus backed by 60s-style keyboards and light acoustic guitar. “The Darkness of Things” is the only track containing male vocals, with an angelic female accompaniment—a sweet and light track conveying that there is perhaps a light through the darkness. “Night” starts off lighter and happier also, but then draws you into the dark night with heavy guitar breaks and menacing riffs.

Named after the Edgar Allen Poe poem “Ulalume,” wherein a man finds himself following the night sky and wrestling with his jaded heart, only to find the moon and stars have led him to his long-lost love Ulalume’s grave on the year anniversary of her death, it’s no wonder this album is as haunting as it sounds. Though it may not be a crowd favorite at parties, I must give credit where credit’s due. Ulalume is a creative and uniquely original work and a fine second effort from the Tasseomancy twins.

Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral' review (for kevchino.com)

Blues Funeral is the latest album to hit the airwaves from the Mark Lanegan Band. His seventh release, and first release of new material in eight years, it would make you think he couldn’t go wrong. But alas, you’d be wrong. Unlike its title suggests, it lacks any semblance of what is generally considered blues, unless the actual death of blues is what he was going for (hence the funeral).

Lanegan’s deep, sultry, smoky vocals are the only thing that holds the album together, along with the one standout track, “The Gravedigger’s Song,” which opens the album with a gritty, heavy bass line, eerie guitars, and spooky synthesizers—a walk of the damned, if you will. After this, the album falls apart like a decomposing corpse. “Riot In My House” and “Quiver Syndrome” are two good basic rock songs, but lack any standout riffs or the edginess we’ve witnessed from the band on albums past. “St. Louis Elegy” features some nice Latin-esque country guitar riffs in the chorus, which would prove handy for a Mexican standoff, and “Deep Black Vanishing Train” is a quieter, moodier piece, with some nice deep vocals and haunting cellos to match. But though the aforementioned are bearable, it seems most on the album are not.

“Gray Goes Black” does nothing of the sort and stays a banal and bland shade of gray. “Ode To Sad Disco” is exactly that—sad, contains elements of disco, and goes for 6.24 minutes too long. And “Tiny Grain of Truth” completely misleads, with any true musical talent being lost in over seven minutes of hippie, trippy, esoteric synthesizer improvisation that makes you wonder if the machine simply got stuck on a loop.

The primary track is exciting and outstanding, which makes the rest all the more disappointing. An avid fan of his past work, it pains me to say it, but I wouldn’t even play this at a funeral.

Faces On Film 'Some Weather' album review (for kevchino.com)

Avid exploration and conquering new worlds does not come easy these days. With the world being so overpopulated and intertwined the only real place for exploring new and wild frontiers is music, and that's just what Boston act Faces On Film have done. Based on a recurring dream of lead singer and guitarist Mike Fiore their latest offering 'Some Weather' is a cross country caravan ride of heartfelt lyrics and musical excellence.

With sultry bass lines and drum fills, guitar riffs laden with sweet country twang, 60's influenced keys and Fiore's eerie crooning vocals, likened to those of Jim James (My Morning Jacket), the album eases you through a musical landscape unlike any other. Loosely based on a dream Fiore had of being an explorer, crossing uncharted territories and discovering new lands, the songs seem to follow his journey in a sense, starting off heady and striking before mellowing out into a deep heavy hearted tone.

Stand out tracks are definitely openers 'Knot In The Vine' and 'Moon's Row' with their striking guitar chords and almost tribal drum beats, followed by melodic ballad 'Harlem Rose' which melts like treacle over the ear drums. 'Great Move North' also impresses, exuding such sexiness and feeling it's almost like a prom dance number sung especially for those making out in dark corners. And with the addition of tribal sounding drum beats and jingling bells on tracks such as 'Make Nice' and 'Garrison' the album truly gives the feeling of crossing quiet eerie plains by caravan convoy at night.

Beautifully written and exceptionally executed this is a sure fire favorite you will never tire of listening to.

The Strange Boys 'Live Music' album review (for kevchino.com)

If indeed you can, imagine if The Strokes grew up in Texas… The results may have sounded a lot like Austin band The Strange Boys. With an ever-present country twang, quirky crooning vocals, surly guitar riffs and a side of harmonica all rooted solidly in old blues and R'n'B the band offers up an eclectic range of tunes on their latest effort 'Live Music'.

Opening with a cute piano-based pop ditty entitled 'Me and You' the album is off to a promising start. Tracks such as 'Punk Pyjamas', 'Omnia Boa', 'Mama Shelter' and 'My Life Beats Me' follow through with an upbeat country feel and great blues guitar riffs which show that not all country/blues artists' baby's have left them, nor are they down and out - at least not all of the time. And 'Omnia Boa' has a fantastic locomotive drum beat that makes you feel you've just hopped a freight train heading straight to the Mississippi delta.

Other tracks like 'Walking Two By Two', 'Saddest' and 'Over The River & Through The Woulds' follow a true slow surly country style, and the vocals on 'Right Before' are reminiscent of a lowly hound dog howling his blues at the moon.

I've never been averse to a bit of country and The Strange Boys certainly breathe some much needed new life into the genre. It may take a few listens, but 'Live Music' is a good little album bringing the old school to the new school with it's mix of blues piano, gritty country tones and subtle indie twists.

Lana Del Ray 'Video Games' review (for kevchino.com)

The new 2 track EP 'Video Games' from New York local Lana Del Ray (aka Elizabeth Grant) is short and sweet. And thank god for that.

Her voice is amazing, husky, sexy and has great depth. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for her songwriting. While the music itself is unique and inventive and there are some great samples and beats used throughout 'Blue Jeans', the eternally overdone lyrical storyline of a woman being jilted by a man is enough to bore you to tears. No matter how beautifully heartfelt you sing it everyone gets dumped at some stage or another so let's move on.

The emotional climax that is 'Video Games' does not stray much further. The crooning chorus of 'It's you it's you it's all for you' almost mirrors the previous tracks chorus of 'I will love you till the end of time', and once again Del Ray seems to base her entire existence on whether or not a man wants her needs her can't do without her. The only thing that truly inspires on this track is the amazing string section backing her up.

There is great passion, there is great heart. But here's hoping Del Ray can come up with some more creative, less depressing tunes once she decides to look past the subject of love as a crux for her songwriting. I'm sure this will come with time and in the end what we will end up with is a great songstress. Fingers crossed…

Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'Unknown Mortal Orchestra' review (for kevchino.com)

One of my most favorite acts when living at home in Sydney was a band from across the waters called The Mint Chicks, hailing from New Zealand. They came, they repeatedly kicked ass, then sadly they seemed to disappear into the musical ether and I always wondered what became of them. Until now…

Mint Chicks front man Ruban Nielson has unleashed yet more of his amazing creative talent upon us in the form of Unknown Mortal Orchestra - a psychedelic plethora of funky, groovy, kitschy 60's sounds fused with epic 60's rock'n'roll and blues riffs, and some of the most get-up-and-dance drum beats I've ever heard. Their latest self titled album is what Austin Powers would have listened to if he'd taken all the right drugs.

Tracks such as 'Ffunny Ffriends' and 'Strangers Are Strange' are definitely the most modern sounding of the album, leaning towards an MGMT sound at times but still utilizing the old school crackle and turntable effects. 'Bicycle' and 'Thought Ballune' really kick back to the old 60's rock'n'roll guitar riffs, coupling them with trippy lyrics and oh so funky drums. 'Jello and the Juggernauts' and 'Little Blue House' go even more trippy with some warped and spaced out effects not unlike that of Donovan's 'Hurdy Gurdy Man'. But stand out track is definitely 'Nerve Damage' with it's dirty gritty old school punk feel producing a really raw sounding killer rock track.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra have brought back the 60's without rehashing old formulas, and they've done it extremely well. The album is unique, original, modern and pays homage to their old school influences without getting buried in the past. An amazing listen from an amazing band.

Apteka 'Gargoyle Days' review (for porkandmead.com)

Apteka have listed some of their 'likes' as "…large kick drums, amplification and face melting…" and these are certainly prevalent on their newest release 'Gargoyle Days'.

The Chicago 4 piece have produced a solid indie rock album with some nice heavy overtones, creating a sound not unlike that of Stone Temple Pilots or Janes Addiction (the latter who they have also previously opened for). Fuzzy droney riffs and almost tribal drum beats on tracks such as 'Gargoyle Days' and 'We Know Time' certainly do melt the face as intended, and softer tracks such as ''In Clouds' and 'This Time' have a more melodic feel with some truly special instrumental breaks thrown in. Stand out tracks are 'Striking Violet' with it's swing style drum beat coupled with a nice punk sound, and 'Where Days Go' which could pass as the modern day soundtrack to a good old Mexican stand off.

Their at times old school rock sound laden with overtones of early 90's grunge and heavy riffs makes for a heady album full of good riffs, great loops and samples and stimulating vocals. Well worth a listen.

The Rapture 'In The Grace of Your Love' album review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted HERE!

With dissension in the ranks and the eventual loss of a member it's no surprise The Rapture's latest offering 'In The Grace of Your Love' was turned out a good 5 years after their previous critically acclaimed release 'Pieces of the People We Love'. Frontman Luke Jenner took time out from the band in 2009 due to personal issues - many of which themes are present on the album - and rumored creative differences with bassist Mattie Safer who eventually left the band altogether. But we all know tumultuous times often produce the most inspired works, and with the help of Phoenix producer/Cassius member Phillipe Zdar The Rapture have turned their respective frowns upside down.

The album plays host to an astounding cross section of genres - from their usual electro-pop sound to indie rock to 80's disco (no doubt stemming from Zdar) to gospel, reggae and afro-beat. This is an obvious testament to the talents of the band and is put across with a good line of continuity. There is an ever-present dark and moody underlay throughout which may stem from the loss of Jenner's Mother to suicide in 2009 as well as the loss of a band member, but coupled with the at first slightly odd but eventually obviously essential 80's-esque dance and disco overtones, the album generates an impressive bass-laden, all-encompassing sound.

Each song is an epic musical exploration within itself but there are some true stand out tracks. 'Come Back To Me' is a fantastically simple dance number that turns from a jaunty island romp reminiscent of Boney M into a deep dark house track without skipping a beat. Title track 'In the Grace of Your Love' transports us back to the 80's with it's classic synth backdrop but keeps us at the modern forefront with it's brooding bass line, indie rock riffs and cymbal smashing drum fills. 'How Deep Is Your Love' hooks with it's dramatic piano from the get go and keeps you going with it's fantastic fuzz baseline and funky, almost tribal percussion effects. Closing out with 'It Takes Time to be A Man' ends the album on a definite high note with it's sexy bluesy tone and slow smooth tempo.

A fine piece of work from a fine NYC outfit. It's very clear that, even with familial loves lost and creative ties severed, this band will never have anywhere to go but up.

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks 'Mirror Traffic' review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted HERE!

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks are a great band, and definitely the only good thing to come of the 1999 dissolution of Pavement. With ever-evolving members coming from acts such as Sleater-Kinney and The Decemberists, the musical talent within this band is astonishing before even touching on the abilities of their well-known lead singer.

Mirror Traffic is the band’s fifth studio release, and by collaborating with none other than Beck, it seems they're just getting better and better. A full-bodied album with great eclectic depth and musicianship, Mirror Traffic is the perfect punchy, rocky, upbeat, dance-around-the-house-on-a-Sunday-afternoon-in-your-underwear soundtrack. It's fifteen sweet tracks of glorious vocals and melodies that will make you want to sing out loud.

The signature Malkmus melodic guitar and vocals are ever present throughout, but the album has an underlying tone of bluesy rock that definitely sets it apart. Coupled with that true indie rock sound (of course reminiscent of Pavement at times), the result is a triumphant collection of rock-out tracks, tongue-in-cheek ballads, and lyrical metaphorical twists and turns. “Senator” is a tight, cutting, punchy song, perfectly matched to its political content: “I know what the senator wants / What the senator wants is a blow job.” “Spazz” follows suit with erratic riffs and time changes, reverting to a raw punk sound, as is also done in “Tune Grief.” “All Over Gently” is a humorous look at breakups that all couples should live by: “There's been some soft grass growing between us / When they talk about bad blood, they don't mean us.”

But it must be said that the standout track of the album is “Share the Red,” a slower, cruise-ier, more blues-laden ditty that warms the heart—“Have you no tears, have you no heart / You've got no idea what sets you apart, and still you're winning”—and includes some great guitar solos to boot. Plus, the epic climaxes at the end of almost every track make the song endings just as anticipated as their beginnings.

An amazing offering from an amazing act that will never disappoint. Enjoyable, inspiring, full of character, and impossible to turn off.

Cloud Control 'Bliss Release' review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted here: http://kevchino.com/review/cloud-control/bliss-release/2283


Hailing from the Blue Mountains near Sydney Cloud Control are a creative force to be reckoned with. Winning various local accolades, including most recently the Australian Music Prize, the band have jut released the follow album up to their self titled debut EP, the aptly titled 'Bliss Release'.

The band offers up a fairytale musical landscape featuring intricate, rich guitars and vocal melodies paired with constant-tempoed almost tribal drum beats to create a whimsical sound that spirits you away. The haunting choral-like backing vocals ever present throughout the album give it a depth and tone reminiscent to My Morning Jacket. 4 singles have already been taken from the album: 'Meditation Song #2' - a country-esque ballad that opens the album, 'There's Nothing in the Water We Can't Fight' - a funkier, up tempo number, 'This is What I Said' - a fun, sing-a-long track, and 'Gold Canary' - voted Single of the Week on BBC's Radio 6. Tracks like 'Ghost Story' and 'Beat of Love' give the album an eerie interlude, with 'Just For Now' and 'Hollow Drums' stripping back their folk sound to bare, basic acoustics.

All in all a fine sophomore effort from the Australian 4 piece. If this is what they're capable of on a debut album I look forward to seeing what the future holds!

Holy Ghost! 'Holy Ghost!' review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted here: http://kevchino.com/review/holy-ghost!/holy-ghost/2281


Holy Ghost! are a duo from NYC comprising of Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel. The two met in Elementary school and started out as part of a hip-hop group called Automato. When things went awry with Automato Millhiser and Frankel paired off together to become Holy Ghost!, releasing their debut single 'Hold On' in 2007 and becoming label mates with the likes of LCD Sound System, Hot Chip, The Rapture and many more.

It therefore comes as a sorry surprise that, surrounded by so much talent, they can succeed at being so musically bland. All the elements are there - an 80's electro-pop feel with steady, funky beats, ear pleasing vocals and simple, relatable subject matter. But once it's all put together they come out with basically a whole lot of nothing - a dance music puzzle with many pieces missing. All the songs sound the same - a steady walking beat that merely changes tempo from time to time, the same tired old 80s synthesizer sounds that have been sampled over and over again within an inch of their lives, and plain, uninspiring vocals and lyrics that simply fade into the background. Upon listening to the album it feels as though you may have mistakenly put the soundtrack to 'The Wedding Singer' in by mistake. The only 2 stand out tracks are the single, 'Hold On', which contains an excellent deep electro bass sound and a less 80's feel, and the following track 'It's Not Over', which is a lot more up-tempo than the rest of the album and features some nice tribal drum overlays.

Other than that it's an album you'd put on at a party just to have some background noise that no one really listens to. There's hints of Cut Copy, MGMT, Mystery Jets and even Phoenix in there, but in the end nothing seems to stand out. The album lacks backbone and personality barr the 2 aforementioned songs, and I live in hope that with time and more performances this duo matures into a much more creative and inspiring act - for the sake of both their careers and our ears.S

'And Then We Saw Land...' - Tunng Album Review

*AS FEATURED IN SYDNEY'S Mx MAGAZINE*

Picture this: One of those annoying young couples that are totally in love and immersed in themselves, laughing, caressing and kissing each other as they head off on their first ever road trip, innocently unaware this long uncharted period of time together will either make or break their whole relationship. This is the album they would be playing in their car.

Tunng have brought together beautiful harmonies, soft vocals and excellent acoustic sounds backed by a myriad of instruments ranging from piano to banjo to synthesiser, however overall it all comes across a little too sickly sweet. While the arrangements are daring and complex a lot of it gets lost in the mix. At times the quiet love-laden vocals are almost inaudible under the deluge of layered instruments that are thrust at you through the fold. And yet somehow, despite all this, the songs end up sounding the same, their having used the same formula throughout the album just with different means. The one song that truly stands out - October - does so only because it’s almost a mirror image of Simon and Garfunkles’ version of ‘Scarborough Fair’.

Great changes were afoot in the Tunng camp of late and you can tell. Original singer, songwriter and group founder Sam Genders is no longer with the band meaning the induction of a new lyricist and lead vocalist. Though these tasks have since been fulfilled by two of the remaining five members the album comes across as confused and chaotic. Though there is artistic merit in their work and the talent is definitely there, ‘And Then We Saw Land…’ certainly does give the feeling Tunng is a band lost at sea without their Captain.

SHOW REVIEW: Friendly Fires, Kentishtown Forum (31/4/09)

Spark Me Up

Thursday 31st April 2009
The Kentishtown Forum

Friendly Fires are relatively new to the scene so to sell out The Kentishtown Forum is nothing to sneeze at. The album they’ve produced is great, with good dance beats, funky guitars and nice melodies and harmonies in the vocal department. I’d seen them blow everyone off stage earlier in the year at the NME Awards with a Brazilian carnivale and exploding confetti rendition of ‘Jump In The Pool’, so this was their time to shine with a whole set to themselves.

Their stage presence was larger than expected with various risers full of saxophones, trumpets, keyboards, percussion and the 3 main players - Ed Mac, Jack Savidge and Edd Gibson. Essentially they’re a 3 piece so I was excited at the prospect of seeing them with a bit of oomph behind them, but unfortunately the oomph failed to hit the spot. The songs are great and the crowd was pumping but as of yet they only have one full album. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a new band with so much hype behind them so no doubt the lack of material will soon be rectified. Their renditions of ‘Skeleton Boy’, ‘On Board’ and ‘Strobe’ were stand out’s, as well as crowd favourites ‘Jump In The Pool’ and ‘Paris’.

However there’s no denying that this band are young, inexperienced and short of tunes as it showed. The set had no flow, no direction and was at times halting and mood breaking. The lead singers dancing and the bands overall enthusiasm are great factors and with more touring and material they will be one of Britain’s stand out acts in no time at all. But tonight came across as a hurried, unplanned, mismatch of songs that left us all high, dry and wanting more. I have no doubt they’ll be able to deliver it, it’s just a question of when.

SHOW REVIEW: The Prodigy, Brixton Academy (18/4/09)

Survival Of The Fittest
Saturday 18th April 2009
Brixton Academy

Greeted with ‘Dizee Rascal has cancelled due to illness’ notifications we made our way through the doors of Brixton with less than happy faces. The fact he’d played a sold out O2 Arena the previous night and probably just had a hang over made the announcement all the more disappointing. Nevertheless the line up for the night remained stellar – Kissy Sell Out, Chasing Status and of course, The Prodigy – so we carried on through to quench our thirsts and boogie.

As you may know I have worked at Brixton for over 6 months so it may surprise you to hear I’ve never been to the venue as a punter. So with Prodigy being my first ever attended gig it was somewhat of a baptism of fire. Having worked 2 Prodigy Christmas shows last year I was well aware of how hectic a night it can be, but was nowhere near prepared for experiencing it on ‘the other side’ (please refer to ‘Creatures of the Night: Lesson 1 - http://sistersin-creaturesofthenight.blogspot.com/) . Walking into the foyer and through to Ra Bar was almost enough to make me turn around and flee. There were people everywhere – and I mean EVERYWHERE! The lines at all bars were nothing short of monumental and navigating through to each one was akin to being in a human washing machine.

Cutting our losses we grabbed a water from the kiosk and made our way down front to review the situation, and thankfully were pleasantly surprised. Everyone was rushing to get their drinks in before Prodigy leaving the front of stage area relatively roomy, so we decided to stake our claim and stay put. From what we could gather Kissy Sell Out’s set had been lengthened due to Dizee being a Rascal, and I won’t lie, I wasn’t impressed. I love these guys on record – ‘Her’ and ‘Let There Be Blazing Light’ are 2 excellent dance tracks and if I ever heard them live I’d cut a hole in a rug deep enough to hit China. But I’ve seen Kissy twice now – once at Glastonbury and then tonight – and never have either been played. What we were given before Prodigy was a set of mistimed, mismatched, badly cut tracks with a few solid anthems in between. Apologies to Kissy Sell Out if it wasn’t them as no amended line up was posted, but if it was I was sorely disappointed.

And then they came. 10 minutes early and as prolific as ever. They haven’t changed one bit in the 15 years I’ve been listening to them. Everything was loud. Everything was dirty. Everything was Prodigy. It’s hard to put on paper what this act means to many. To me they represent a time when I appreciated dance music without the lifestyle enhancements that come along with it these days. And as a teenager dreaming of England, to see Prodigy at Brixton Academy with 5,000 peaking Brits… awesomely quintessential. One of the finest memories I have of Brixton is working a Prodigy after party in the Ra Bar and watching everyone go crazy, dancing uncontrollably to ‘He’s Ebeneezergood’ (or whatever that song was called), and I hate that song!

‘Their Law’, ‘Smack My Bitch Up’, ‘Voodoo People’, ‘Firestarter’, ‘Out Of Space’ and a fine selection of new tracks – the list goes on and on – I’ve no need to tell you (if you’re on FB check out my awesome videos: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/?id=501673841). Liam is still the mad scientist and master of all blasting basslines, beats and electronic mayhem. Leeroy is still fit, fine and crazy-eyed as ever. And Keith, well we all know Keith – he’s the fire starter. And according to my friend Kelly the only 40+ man who can pull off tight red leather trousers, and I agree. Then there’s the over shadowed drummer and guitarist who can actually keep up with them all. Those two deserve medals, without a doubt.

Keith and Leeroy’s constant shout-out’s to those in the pit goes to show they’ve not forgotten where they came from and know most of these hard cores have been there from the beginning. And after seeing tonight’s efforts I deem being in a Prodigy pit not unlike being in a death metal circle or even heading off to war. They make you lose all sense of control and dance like your life depends on it, driving harder and faster and making you forget there’s anything else. And then they were gone.

It was over. Everyone collapsed on the floor, scrambled for shoes, clothes, brains and any kind of liquid refreshment they could ingest. Chasing Status had the daunting task of following them and playing until 3am but they did a damn fine job. It’s hard to imagine anything could follow mayhem like that but they did it, and they did it well with fine drum and bass, jungle beats and just enough rhymes slapped on top to keep the bulk of the crowd cheering at The Academy until closing (plus they had nowhere else to go as the Victoria Line was down – how unusual). And to be honest a bit of drum and bass and jungle came as sweet relief after what Prodigy put us through.

I hereby surrender. It’s over. I’m done.

Take
Me
To
The
Hospital.

SHOW REVIEW: James Morrison, Hammersmith Apollo (30/3/09)

Where have all the real men gone?
Monday 30th March 2009
Hammersmith Apollo, London

Being greeted by a queue with the average age of 12 on my way into work I knew it was to be a long night. Singer-songwriters must have a special something to be truly enticing as when it comes down to it all entertainment value lies with them. I’d heard a few James Morrison songs back in my HMV days (usually the same song repeated 2000 times in a day) and was never that excited by him. Unfortunately for Mr Morrison this feeling hasn’t changed.

Both supports were in the same vein, and by that I mean they sounded almost exactly the same. First up was Karlma, an extremely talented singer-songwriter who appeared to hail from London and was extremely young. Karlma gets 10 points just for making it this far at such a young age and in time will develop their own style and be a class-A knock out, but at the moment they’re playing the exact same music as Mr Morrison bar a not too shabby cover of Kings Of Leon’s ‘Use Somebody’. Unfortunately Karlma’s debut at the Apollo was marred by the fact that no-one could tell if they were watching a boy or a girl (and nor could I)! Clad in a grey sweat shirt, tight black jeans and sporting a fine looking well-groomed Afro with clip at the back he/she simply confused most of the audience. 1 out of every 2 customers was coming to the bar not for a drink, but for gender clarification.

Next up were English band Vagabon. Not much to say here but music by numbers. Think the voice of Terence Trent D’arby with the slight funky style of Living Colour, then dumb it down by 1000 and you may come close to how average they were, but the youngin’s seemed to like them... the guitarist was cute… not much else to report really…

Mr Morrison then joined us for what was to be a night of complete and utter total boredom. With a sterling group of session musicians and back-up singers behind him the music didn’t sound at all bad, it was just as unimaginative as all hell. He has a good voice, I’ll give him that. Call me an old cynical spinster but I am well wary of any straight man that sings about love so much. Every song was about love – EVERY SONG. Has this boy had nothing else in his life? I’m all for a good love song but every lyric ended with ‘Ooooh baby. I love you baby. I need you baby. Hold me baby’. Please stop before I puke baby.

He played his various hits and a long drawn out cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Uptight’, much to the delight of the 12-18 year old females and varied couples that filled the Apollo, so all in all he provides a good night of wholesome family fun - though he did say shit once, and an older couple in front of my bar definitely should have been done for indecent exposure the way they were carrying on, they very nearly swallowed each other whole. But by no means is this boy ever going to make a long lasting or legendary mark in British musical history. By the end of the night my bar manager and I were devoid of either of our bubbly personages, that’s how truly boring he was – he literally sucked the life out of us. In the end he simply left us thinking he was no more than a chav James Blunt.

Please don’t get me started on James Blunt…

SHOW REVIEW: You Am I, The Electric Ballroom, Camden (27/3/09)

Where do I start, Where do I begin
Friday 27th March 2009

Electric Ballroom, Camden

Until now I hadn’t seen any Australian bands play in London. I’ve often thought paying pounds to see bands I can see at home was slightly pointless and I should be immersing myself in British and European culture. But if ever there was a reason to break tradition it be You Am I. Plus I knew a few people from home were going and I hadn’t seen them for an age, and I love Tim Rogers. A lot.

I hadn’t been to Camden for a while and was glad I opted for black jeans and a black cardigan as apparently black is compulsory when walking the streets of this London borough, along with black hair, metal studs, stripes, piercings and a massive chip (burnt until black) on your shoulder. I’m afraid I let the team down on the latter. Once inside the Electric Ballroom however it could have been any capital city in Australia. I did pick a French accent here; a Polish accent there; but most of the audience were Antipodeans. I admit I missed the support act due to a nice glass of white and a vegetarian pho down the road, but if I hadn’t have done my friend Oli and I wouldn’t have scored free tickets from the lovely lady sitting next to us in the restaurant (thanks so much Mel Crawford, I owe you one!). So instead of forking out our hard earned pounds Oli and I took on the guise of Stephen Pritchard +1 and swanned our way through the door. Gracias Mr Pritchard, whoever and wherever you are.

With drinks in hand we watched You Am I take to the stage looking extremely dapper in various vest, neck scarf and trilby hat ensembles – I’m not sure if this was purely for the UK or their normal attire nowadays as I haven’t seen them for nigh on 2 years, but they looked great and their usual fiery spark was ever present. They filled the first ¼ of the set with a good mix of fast and slower paced newbies – apologies for not providing a proper set list but as I mentioned, being out of Oz for almost 2 years has lead me to neglect the Australian music scene somewhat. One thing I can tell you is that Mr Rogers has been practising his dance moves in the mirror, looking somewhat like a cross between Iggy Pop and Steven Tyler he smashed, shimmied and hip-thrusted his way across the stage like a bawdry burlesque dancer, all the while using his axe as a tool of sexual persuasion. And as always has been and forever will be Davey Lane sang to us through those magical finger formations backed by the ever-solid never-swayed rhythm and beats of the mighty Andy Kent and Rusty. You can tell this band has been together forever as their shows are effortless but still full of fire and passion every time.

They made my night complete by playing Cathy’s Clown, Berlin Chair, Purple Sneakers and Mr Milk – cliché I know but they excite me no end! They also threw me for six when in the encore they returned to sing Thank God I’ve Hit The Bottom, as it was the first time I had ever seen them play it and therefore the first time I had ever seen Tim Rogers without a guitar strapped to him - EVER, let alone singing! It wasn’t at all an unpleasant experience but I must admit it unnerved me somewhat. So after a two hour Australian sing-and-dance-a-long You Am I left us to return home with a four-pronged salute and vivacious waves.

Mid-way through their set I accidentally bumped the girl next to me whilst dancing and turned around to apologise, only to find it was a French girl I work with at the Hammersmith Apollo, which was quite random indeed. When I asked how she knew the band she told me she lived with two Australian boys who insisted that she come and see them. She then asked me how well I knew the band which got me to thinking – You Am I were the very first band I went to see at my very first all ages gig, taking place at The Metro Theatre in Sydney. Little did I know then that I’d go on to book both the venue and band throughout various stages of my venue booking career. Funny how it all begins…

SHOW REVIEW: Franz Ferdinand, Hammersmith Apollo (9/3/2009)

All Good Things Begin With F
Monday 9th March 2009

Hammersmith Apollo, London

I could go so far as to say I’m a musical snob. If a band changes their stylistic or musical trajectory it must be for the better, for the greater good of music and rock’n’roll itself, or they face a downhill slide on my popularity front. I am ashamed to admit I thought Franz Ferdinand had failed in their recent plight and turned their FF Porsche in the wrong direction. I would like to admit publicly that I was so very, very wrong.

Supported by San Diego outfit The Soft Pack (www.myspace.com/thesoftpack) - an indie pop quartet who with time and a good run on the show circuit are definitely one to watch – Franz Ferdinand eventually took to the stage in a packed and pumped Hammersmith Apollo. I haven’t seen this band for a very long time (I’d say at least 4 years!) and by god how they’ve grown. Their sound is impeccably tight and they play like all four were born joined at the hips. I recall once going to see the red Hot Chili Peppers and being astounded at the amount of songs I knew every single word to (Ie: all of them), and tonight was much the same. The boys have an unbelievable amount of hits (and misses, or so I thought…), all of which I sang at the top of my lungs, and all of which are done nowhere near to justice when listened to on CD.

They cranked out such familiar hits as ‘Dark of the Matinee’ , ‘Do You Wanna’, ‘Take Me Out’, ‘Ulysses’, ‘Michael’, ‘Walk Away’ and countless more, all of which were crowd pleasers – an outstanding set list for sure. Plus their stage presence is electrifying – from their finger mirrored guitar progressions to their heart thumping walking beat drum sequences. I’ll be the first to say I think their drummer is not the best in the world – his simple drum beats seem void of technicality and would be perfect for your first ever drum lesson – but if he ever missed one of those beats the whole outfit would fall apart. Their guitar chords cling to and flow forward with every simple yet astoundingly effective pulse on the skins, and the result is an immaculate and stylish rock’n’roll performance.

As for the rest of the band their chords are always perfectly synchronised and delivered with such strength and execution it makes you want to scream and shout. And every now and then Alex and Nick let go and break into sporadic guitar improv’s and solo’s that leave you for dead and show you that beneath this well-kept disco rock outfit lies and ripped-jean denim-clad guitar wolf waiting to attack. Alongside that, I have always loved their well-timed use of ‘la la la’s’ and ‘do do do’s’. My Stepfather always taught us the use of such measures were a cop out so as to avoid writing proper lyrics, but these four have sullied his wisdom. It’s cute, it’s catchy and I found myself la-la-la-ing and do-do-do-ing their songs all the next day long.

Image-wise I consider them to be the most stylish band in rock’n’roll. Even with four Scottsmen present the closest thing we came to tartan was the immense checkered video screen backdrop displaying scenes of sexy girls, street-scapes, fire and various psychedelic swirls and shapes Pink Floyd would be proud to call their own. And as a lady there’s no denying it – dressed head to toe in jet black bar a striking red belt, coupled with deep Scottish dulcet tones and a commanding presence Alex Kapranos is nothing short of modern rock’s 007 – he looked gooooooooood!

And after all that they left us on the most amazing synth keyboard intro and 5-man strong everybody-solo drums finale I have ever seen! So, in short, Franz Ferdinand rock. They’re classy, they’re cool, they rip their instruments apart and if you dare to challenge them they’ll tear you to bits.

Their fire is outta control, and they burned this city.
Burned this city.
Yeah.

SHOW REVIEW: New Kids On The Block, Hammermsith Apollo (25/1/2009)

THE KIDS AREN'T ALRIGHT

Sunday 25th January 2009

Hammersmith Apollo, London

Over months passed I have been lucky enough to witness the pop party travelling circus that is the New Kids On The Block reformation tour, not once, but twice! Yes, I be one of the privelidged few. The first time was at an in-store for the music chain I worked for on Oxford Street, the second being at their not-so-sold-out show at The Apollo (bearing in mind they did play the O2 Arena the night before).

Let's face it - the kids are old. Every now and then you catch a glimpse of their former glory - Joey's big blue eyes, Jordan's brunette blow wave - but apart from that they're just five mature-aged crooners going through the motions both physically and vocally.

None of this was a suprise to me, as I see boy band comeback's through cynical eyes. Don't get me wrong - I loved NKOTB as a child and even recall having a Jordan night shirt - but I'd like to think my musical tastes have graduated somewhat, and I find it hard not to laugh when they pull out the old 'doing it for the fans not the money' routine. But the thing that suprised me most about this tour was not the still over-priced but somewhat tackier 'bedazzled' merchandise, nor the exhuberant ticket price, the flourescent stage set up or their hideous cover of The Stones' 'Start Me Up'. No, all these things paled in comparison to the aging, screaming mass that was their audience.

At Oxford Street I saw mature working women and mothers alike camp outside the store for over 2 days on the hard pavement in the freezing weather just to catch a glimpse of The Kids - some carrying with them their very own kids! Once inside, said babies were tossed aside and CD browsers were crushed, all in a vain attempt to get to the front and then scream solidly for 3 hours prior to their appearance. The spectacular fashion in which they were greeted once they took to the stage (late) was nothing short of Beatlemania - minus the musical talent of course. The store had to be closed due to overcrowding in the end whilst everyone got their autographs and pictures taken with the fab five.

The scenes at Hammersmith Apollo were similar if not worse. The massive line of one-gig-a-year mothers and wall-to-wall females (I didn't see one male - not a one) stood in the rain - some for over 8 hours - screaming, crying, re-doing their dampened hair and make up and giving the evil eye to the 200+ women who paid over £300 for a ticket that included a meet-and-greet with The Kids before the show. I later discovered, to my horror, these women belonged to a group that were following The Kids to every show around the UK on their very own tour bus, staying in the same hotels, and even running competition's such as 'Guess the NKOTB room number' for prizes and such...?!?!?!

And as The Kids eventually graced the stage house staff and security feared for their lives. Hair was pulled, tears flowed and the balcony shook concerningly as screaming hysterically became the order of the day and The Kids rolled through classics such as 'Step By Step', 'The Right Stuff', 'Hang Tough' and various new tunes I don't know the names of.

Screaming? Crying?? £300 tickets??? I feel I may have missed the boat on this one, as being a 29 year old female and former fan myself I can think of a thousand things I'd rather do with my money and two thousand places I'd rather be. I suppose you could say these women are a testament to that little part of us that never grew up. The part that loves jumping on the bed, watching cartoons, spending £500 in one night and coming home with a bad case of tinitus and a new t-shirt to wear down the local.

In saying all this I must admit to feeling a twinge of excitement, a rush even, as I got to meet The Kids very briefly. As they ran briefly through the rain and up the backstage stairwell from main stage to the balcony (to perform the aforementioned in-the-crowd cover of The Stones' 'Start Me Up') I had the illustrious duty of mopping the stairs dry whilst they sang, as one of them had slipped over backstage earlier and they didn't want a repeat of that on their swift return back to the stage.

They said 'Hi!'. I said 'Hi! Please don't fall or I'll get the sack!'; standing there, mop in hand - not unlike Baby carrying the watermelon in Dirty Dancing - thinking how close I'd just come to the 5 boys I'd drooled over constantly for many of my teenage years, and realising everyone gets old one day.

But not all of us chose to do it with dignity.