Album review of Devins ‘Romancing’ published for State.ie on May 16th 2012.
Looking to the past for inspiration is common place in modern music, after all, isn’t everything is borrowed? However, 2012 is unlikely to throw up another artist so keen to embrace the past than young New Yorker, Devin. Just a quick glance at the cover of Romancing and these suspicions are confirmed, it is an unashamed throw back to rock ‘n roll of yesteryear, an ode to the days of The Stones, The Ramones & New York Dolls.
As the album and song titles like ‘Born to Cry’ ‘You’re Mine’ and ‘In My Solitude’ suggest, this is a journey through the time-honoured themes of love, loss, and heartache. Apart from this, what strikes you as soon as you set Romancing loose on your speakers, is the raw energy and spirit that drives the album. From the thundering, lightening fast opener ‘Masochist’ to ‘Run’ and ‘Forever Is Only a Moment’ the flamboyant energy never dies.
This flamboyance transposes an effortless, carefree sense of fun and a remarkable danceable quality to his songs, an admirable quality. The hip-swinging ‘New Horrors’, ‘I Don’t Think I’ and ‘Too Soon’ hit the heady heights of Supergrass at the top of their game. It may be a predominantly hyperactive mesh of lively pumped up punk and garage riffs but despite the gritty production, Devin’s soulful blues-tinged vocals inject a touching sense of emotion to proceedings. Originality is obviously not his forte and you will probably feel you have heard these songs before but Romancing offers Devin’s take on a genre and style he loves, doing it justice with an album which sounds passionate, edgy and genuine. A worthy addition to any record collection.
Blood Red Shoes have unveiled a video for their latest single ‘Blood’, which featured on the blog back in February. It’s an absolute beast of a tune, so, there is no harm in using any excuse to draw attention to it again.
‘Cold’ demonstrates why they are such a formidable force, exposing us to a torrential whirlwind of pummeling drumbeats, fuzzed up guitar and the vocal interplay between the duo is so, so good.
‘Cold’ is out on Monday, March 19th and is followed by third album, In Time To Voices, on March 26th.
Do you like your garage rock trashy, with a dash of chaotic fury? Well then, you’re going to want an introduction to Dublin’s Cheap Freaks.
Formed in 2009, Cheap Freaks recorded their debut album, Bury Them All, over a few days in late 2010 and early 2011 with Sean Coleman. On listening to Bury Them All you get the feeling you’re rifling through a record collection of the finer moments of rock n’ roll. It channels inspiration from a host of blues, country, classic rock, punk and indie stalwarts into their very own muddied sound through a haze of powerful vocals and guitar riffs.
From the foot stomping and fist shaking tenacity of ‘No Where To Go’, ’1984′ and ‘Cryin’ Shame’ to the Them-esque ‘I’m Coming Home’ and the apocalyptic ’Asahara’s Nightmare’, this album grunts along wildly with the ferocity of a live set. In keeping with this there are softer moments too, breathers fif you like, most notably the stirring renditions of the more downtempo ‘Cruel World’ and ‘Free Of You’. what makes this collection of garage rock jams stand out is the execution, the exceptional creative talents continually shine through the haze of raucous fury.
There is a deep sense of familiarity to this record, like meeting an old friend for the first time in ages and as with all good garage punk, it is best played loud.
Exciting news this. Blood Red Shoes have announced the release of third album, In Time To Voices, which will follow-up to 2010′s superb Fire Like This on March 26th
That’s not all, the Brighton duo will precede the release with the single ‘Cold’ on March 19th. It’s an absolute beast, from the opening you’re hit with a torrential whirlwind of pummeling drumbeats and fuzzed up guitar. The vocal chemistry and interplay between the duo remains one of the band’s strongest assets, along with the sheer noise level.
I expect Blood Red Shoes will feature quite prolifically throughout the year, don’t just take my word for it, give ‘Cold’ the once over below.
LA collective Fiore tread, in a sense, along a similar path as bands like Tame Impala, MGMT and even The Coral with their huge appreciation for psychedelic rock music.
Fiore’s self-titled, debut LP is a record that reveals it’s true worth with repeated plays. It wins the listener over as it meanders along accompanied eerie vocals and fuzzed up riffs. This is a must for fans of the likes of Tame Impala, The Coral or any psych-rock bands.
There’s not much else to tell apart from that. You can download the album for FREE from their website. Here’s 3 reasons why you should.
Jape has remixed And So I Watch You From Afar’s new single taken from the exceptional Gangs, ’7 Billion People All Alive at Once’.
It is a very different remix from Jape, in fact, it has been reworked it into a pretty indistinguishable dance number with only mere echoes of the original coming through.
’7 Billion People All Alive At Once’ is out via the Richter Collective on Sept 16th. Listen to both superb versions below.
After an impressive but sparse Friday, Saturday had a lot to live up to but spirits were raised as Punchestown basked in glorious sunshine, a rare occurrence in recent years.
Away from the sunshine was Belfast 5-piece Cashier No.9 who were wooing punters in the Heineken Green Energy tent with their brand of shimmering indie. The set which opened with EP title track ‘Goldstar’ was cheerful and charming and also included ‘Oh Pity’ and latest single ‘Lost at Sea’. A really enjoyable set and there’s little doubt these guys are ones to keep and eye on.
Over on the Main Stage fellow Northerners Two Door Cinema Club drew the biggest crowd of the weekend so far. The Bangor trio’s cheery and energetic indie-pop perfect complementing the mood of the crowd, buoyed by the sun, they lapped up tracks like ‘Something Good Can Work’ and ‘Undercover Martyn’. It was a performance full of energy and confidence as they continue to grow in stature, they seemed perfectly at home with the Main Stage billing. They also announced we can expect an album in early 2012.
London trio Kitty, Daisy & Lewis have already carved out a niche as fine purveyors of genre-hopping retro sounding music. A sound molded from a mixture of R&B, Swing, Country and Western, Rockabilly, Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll filled the 2FM Hotpress Academy. A wonderfully charming set full of feel good, toe-tapping infectious rhythm.
Next up was Miles Kane, who is probably best known for his role in The Last Shadow Puppets alongside Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys. This boys got skills, confidence, swagger and supreme stage presence. He swaggered through a set of whirlwind of ’60s psych-soul swathed in twangs and spooky feedback and pulse-raising rock’n’roll riffs, including ‘Inhaler’, ‘Rearrange’, ‘My Fantasy’ and ‘Quicksand’ while the live ‘Kingcrawler’ almost makes the neck hairs stand on end. As the set progressed, for the first time all weekend the symbiotic relationship between artist and crowd was exploited to the full as each goes for it, pushing the other further and further. Kane’s blistering show is Saturday’s high point so far but there is still the small matter of a certain band from Sheffield to come.
For me Saturday’s main attraction was always going to be Arctic Monkeys who somehow I had never seen live. Four great albums in and they have solidified into one of the most formidable bands on the planet, surely they couldn’t let me down?They were in no mood to mess around launching into ferocious performances of ‘Brianstorm’, ‘Still Take You Home’ and ‘This House Is A Circus’. As the rolled through their set much like The Strokes the previous night, it is real drilled home how good they really are.
The new material sounded fantastic even if some of the momentum ebbed away somewhat as the rump of the crowd seemed unfamiliar with tracks like ‘Brick By Brick’, ‘Suck It And See’, ‘She’s Thunderstorms’ and to a lesser extent ‘Library Pictures’. ’Don’t Sit Down Because I’ve Moved Your Chair’ in particular was glorious with Turner’s voice sounding fantastic.
The punters played their part too and when ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ and ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ got an airing all hell broke loose throughout the crowd. ‘Teddy Picker’, ‘Florescent Adolescent’ and ‘Crying Lightening’ sounded great too before Miles Kane joined them on stage to close a memorable set with ’505′. The performance was a glorious success if a little distant at times, the next time they announce their own Irish dates I’m there.
Have you got enough riffage in your life? If not Event Horses are the answer to all your problems.
Formed in April 2010, the punk-pock and hardcore trio have already become a hot favourite within the North of Ireland music scene following some high-profile gigs and their critically acclaimed debut EP, Faces.
The Antrim 3-piece’s second EP, Dance With Devil serves up three savage slices of aggressive rip-roaring punk-rock fury. We are confronted with a relentless aural assault of gritty, raw and energetic songs as they screech their way through dangerously addictive riffs and foot stomping drum beats that are ‘Dance With The Devil’, ‘From The Start’ and ‘Desperate Times’
A caustic racket to be reckoned with no doubt, these guys are going destroy places with their live shows.
Dance With The Devil is out now on Generation Peace Records.
It’s been a while since I did any posts about live gigs. I’m not sure why because so far this year I’ve been to piles of shows.
Friday was a scorcher in more ways than one. The one day Irish summer was here as was the SquareD showcase in Whelan’s.
First up was Avalanche Ammo‘s (aka Kildare man Anthony Boland). Remarkably this was his first live show but apart from some first show nerves you would never tell. The one-man racket machine, ably assisted by a desk top PC (old school) ramped out a short but impressive set of LOUD melodic post-rock. Hopefully there’s plenty more live shows in the tank from this guy, interested to see if a full live band will be introduced in future.
What more can be said that hasn’t already been said about We Are Losers? Since seeing their first show at Hard Working Class Heroes last year they have endeared themselves to me no end, seeing them umpteen times since. There live shows continue to impress as does the new material. Their jangly, fuzzy lo-fi indie was bursting with energy and feel-good-vibes, just the trick to wash down a glorious days sunshine, including ‘Empty Head’, ‘The Narcissist’, ‘Cheerleader’ and a new tune (both of which are below).
Instrumental Dublin four-piece Alarmist rounded things off, obviously superb musicians, it just wasn’t my thing.
Anyway, a couple of video clips to indulge you including ‘Cheerleader’ and a new tune from We Are Losers.
So far 2011 has been characterised by bands slinking and sliding towards an ’80s and ’90s vogue, not a bad thing is it? After all everything is borrowed.
A brief respite is offered by Dublin 4-piece The Pacifics who roll back the decades, embracing their predilection to ’50s and ’60s sounds. Their debut EP, Play Favourites is an homage to Little Richard, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. As the title suggests, Play Favourites EP is a collection of their favourite songs.
While the idea of a covers EP doesn’t really promise much, this one manages to surpass whatever the initial scepticism. They succeed in delivering the record on a tide of roaring Sixties garage rock and R&B swagger. They haven’t just copied the songs they have added their own little touch of magic, giving these old songs a new lease of life. They have paid tribute to true classics with a mixture of admiration and personal interpretation.
It will be very interesting to see what comes next, original recordings would be a plus but for now this will do nicely.
Their debut EP Play Favourites is out now on Bandcamp and all the usual spots.
The Bristol duo Malachai carved themselves an enigmatic position on the musical landscape with 2010 debut Ugly Side Of Love. Listeners were treated to a unique and scatty ride through ’60s psychedelia, ’70s prog, ’90s trip hop and howling garage-soul, a nice breather from the tide of indie/electro-pop.
Return To The Ugly Side bares all the hallmarks of its predecessor but sees the Bristol duo overcome their more obvious influences to perfect their scatterbrained aesthetic into a cohesive sound of their own.
It is and album clearly designed to be experienced in one sitting. Songs seem to have a symbiotic relationship as they flow effortlessly into the next. Each is bound together by an overwhelming sense of unease. This unnerving feeling exists from the thudding demon stomp of ’Mid Antarctica (Wearin’ Sandals)’ to quieter moments like the gorgeous, haunting duet with Katy Wainright on ‘Rainbows’ and even the fuzzy The Beatles circa Revolver ‘(My) Ambulance’ and ‘The Don’t Just’.
Return To The Ugly Side is fresh and organic whilst feeling remarkably vintage and yet it admirably avoids clumsy nostalgia. The veracity with which they deliver their fusion of 60s/70s psych-rock, trip-hop and soul is all the more impressive. It deserves to make a much bigger impact than last year’s Ugly Side Of Love. It was never going to be easy to follow up such a great debut, but somehow they have managed to create and equally enthralling and inventive record.
.
Mp3: Malachai – Rainbows (Feat. Katy Wainwright) via MeccaLecca
There seems to be a never-ending flow of great music emanating from Kildare but who’s complaining?
The latest, Avalanche Ammo, is the work of Anthony Boland who has released his debut EP Animals, in which each song is cleverly named after one. Animals is 4-tracks of lively melodic post-rock, tight riffs and samples; not to different to that of Adebisi Shank. Hard to believe so far this is the work of just one guy, yes one guy.
This is his debut release and it’s free to download via bandcamp. Keep an eye of out for some live shows in the future.
Recent Comments