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.

Kate Bush 'The Directors Cut' review (for Kevchino.com)

See the original article posted here: http://kevchino.com/review/kate-bush/director-s-cut/2269

Kate Bush's latest release, Director’s Cut, is the first on her own label, Fish People. Comprising of four tracks taken from the original album Sensual World (released 1989), and seven tracks from original album The Red Shoes (1993), the songs have been rerecorded by Bush to offer a new take on various old favorites. While most of the instrumentation has remained the same, many of the tracks have been recorded in a lower key due to Bush’s now lower vocal tones.

Bush has even gone as far as to alter the lyrics to The Sensual World’s title track, giving it the new moniker “Flower of the Mountain.” The reasoning behind this being, when originally recording this song, Bush wished to set an excerpt from Ulysses by James Joyce to an instrumental piece she’d composed, but was refused the rights. Upon asking a second time around for the Director’s Cut project, permission was granted, and the initial concept came to light.

The two original albums have an endearing and unique Bush-esque quality about them that is no doubt also swayed by memories associated to them around the original release dates. Both were outstanding albums and did relatively well at the time—The Red Shoes being the last album Bush recorded before taking a twelve-year hiatus, and being accompanied by a short film Bush produced herself, titled The Line, The Cross and The Curve. The new album is available in a deluxe box set, which includes all three albums, enabling the listener to sample both the old and the new and survey the merits of having new life breathed into the tracks.

However, one cannot help but wonder the point of all this. Why rerecord these albums? Were the original recordings not a worthy caliber within themselves? And if Bush was stepping into the studio, why not simply record new pieces instead of altering older songs? While the recording of the aforementioned “Flower of the Mountain” is an interesting story in itself, most of the remaining tracks come across as overproduced, erratic, and sometimes just plain bizarre. The addition of bloodcurdling screaming at the finale of “Lily” is a fine example of this, and “A Woman’s Work” has not benefited from the rerecordings whatsoever.

In theory an interesting project to undertake, but in the end a seemingly pointless one.

Beirut 'The Riptide' review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted here: http://kevchino.com/review/beirut/riptide/2258

Listening to a Beirut album is like taking a round-the-world trip. Their aptitude to swathe the musical elements of different cultures makes them shine like a star in the world of modern music. They’ve been described as world music, folk, and indie, all the way over to Balkan and Eastern European Gypsy. What they are is simply outstanding, and The Rip Tide further showcases their pure talent and ability to think outside the box.

Founding member Zach Condon’s vocals both comfort and haunt as they lead you across the landscape of this latest offering from the US-based act. Staying true to their original Eastern Gypsy feel with the use of a great range of horns and brass, accordions and waltz-tempoed drum rolls, the album does include hints of modernism within its folds, making it pure poetry in motion.

The first single released from the album, “East Harlem,” medically depicts another love lost on the deceptively small island of Manhattan—“uptown, downtown, a thousand miles between us.” Ballads such as “Goshen” and “The Peacock” present perfectly the strength and character of Condon’s vocals and tug sharply at the heartstrings. And title track “The Rip Tide” sways with rousing string and vocal compositions that leave you adrift in a sea of worldly harmonies.

An inspiring listen that leads you to thoughts of the finer things in life—dancing, kissing, singing, a fine glass of wine, a moonlit night—The Rip Tide transports you to lands far away in an instant and leaves you full of life and humbled by Beirut’s musical prowess. Sweet, beautiful music indeed.

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.