Black Lips

– GORILLA, MANCHESTER –

Rowdy Black Lips enter the stage among chilly gusts and misty fog, perfect set for their opening track ‘Sea Of Blasphemy’. “Sea of vandal/Lost my candle…”. Pure classic garage, with broken bones, glass effects and everything.

This gig at Manchester’s Gorilla is their only show in the North of the UK, so the forecast says it’s gonna be fun. Garage Fun.

The Atlanta, GA outfit is keen on choosing not-the-most-common places to perform in, so we must be proud of choosing the always exotic Manchester.

The four of them (Cole Alexander –guitar, vocals; Jared Swilley –bass, vocals; Jack Hines –guitar; Joe Bradley-drums, vocals) seem to ask for more to the man on the decks. Louder, louder! The mosh-pit is already insane and it’s a sea of teen vandals, a wave out of control – and that’s exactly what is meant to be and the less you can expect from a Labios Negros’ gig.

Second song ‘Modern Art’ is a smashing pop masterpiece that adds more fuel and squeezes our minds with its spooky underlying melody. These cheeky handsome guys with their Zambia scarves, cool caps and rockabilly sleeves claim to be “not musicians but entertainers”, bassist Swilley once said.

‘Family Tree’ arrives just in time to join the fresh air gusts that keep the feverish crowd cool. “It feels so cold/Walk with me…”. A raw and straightforward tune from the Arabia Mountain album (2011), produced by the super cool and stylish Mark Ronson, under the wing of Vice Records, the label that has launched the band’s last four albums.

They play fast and loud, as any punk-rock show should be. They leave their guts and sweat on the stage and that’s already worth your ticket. ‘Justice After All’ chills out the wild kids a bit – just a bit. The song belongs to their latest album, Underneath The Rainbow (2014), and it could be labelled as a trite ‘mature’. This new material could also explain the more relaxed vibes of their live shows. It doesn’t seem to be the “violence” of the early days any more. Neither the “nudity, vomit and other antics” that inevitably caught the media eye. Anyway, Swilley justified the passionate crowd very well in an interview with Westword.com: “Young dudes that aren’t getting sex very often like to smash shit. Even if they are getting sex, they like smashing shit”. Loud and clear.

‘Dirty Hands’ is an obviously Ramonian sweet rotten ballad that drives the crowd mad again with a busy stage diving. Flashing lights. More fog. Hormons. Fluids. Meet the perfect storm. ‘O Katrina’, what an insanely catchy and well-meaning tune! “O Katrina why you gotta be mean/You broke my heart way down in New Orleans.”

Cole Alexander is at times off pitch while performing ‘Drive By Buddy’ but it doesn’t matter, really. Superb final instrumental part. By the way, welcome back to guitarist Jack Hines after being away from the band for a decade. He’s back since now former guitarist Ian St. Pe decided to quit after ten years (2004-2014) of duly service to the band, apparently to go solo –although sharp-as-a-tack Jared Swilley points to the wife-kids-dogs-settled-down-life theory.

After a mind-blowing ‘Drugs’, ‘Boys In The Wood’ is a beautifully performed garage blues. Drummer Joe Bradley is lead singer in ‘Make It’, a reloaded folkie song, and he even makes funny sound effects and weird canned laughter. Galloping and absorbing ‘Not A Problem’ is gorgeously dressed with almost shamanic shouts tailored for any teenager: “They can’t tell me/what I can and cannot do.”

After a ridiculously punk ‘Stranger’, tunes like ‘Stuck In My Mind’ places them somewhere between a polished Ramones and a raw protoCramps. A brief pop truce -‘Smiling’, ‘Raw Meat’, before what happens next with final ‘Bad Kids’: EPIC stage invasion! Nothing to be envious of the largely comented one at London’s Heaven back in 2008.

There’s a soothing encore of two more songs before they disappear. “That’s our mission. We’re into procreation. We make people want to fuck and we make people want to drink. Sometimes we make people want to fight. But that’s human nature and I think we are human nature and we don’t care about anything in between”*. Mission: complete.

Black Lips  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtZYa-X2TAE

Howe Gelb

“When the planet glows dim, things tend to get more intimate”

Parishioners at St. Michael’s Church in Ancoats can expect to hear tomorrow (24^th June 2016) some music “never heard before as if it’d always been there”. Howe Gelb will be performing alone with his piano, supported by Erika Wennerstrom. Now that his Giant Sand long-life project has just “plopped in bed”, the piano is his “new desk” where he writes his unique music. Gelb’s ‘official’ biography claims that he has been raised by wolves and maybe because of that, he believes that “when the planet glows dim, things tend to get more intimate”.

Amaia Santana: After 30 years of plenitude you (sadly) announced the “death” of both Giant Sand and Giant Giant Sand, although there’s this Giant 3 Sand… So, is the family getting bigger, perhaps?? (Come on give us some hope! J)

Howe Gelb: I like that word plenitude. I hope you just made it up. It has come time for giant sand in any form as we know it to be put to bed. It’s not dead.  It’s not even sleeping. It’s just plopped in bed. No more albums or venue tours. The odd festival now and again, yes. It has had a grand run and the last 2 years have been the best ever for me. So it’s a fine time to call it a day.

AS: “I’m very eager to see what the next blink will bring. Piano for now. Songs forever”, you said when announcing the band’s ‘sunset’. Why the piano? What has this ‘blink’ brought ?

HG: The piano is my new desk when I hit the office. It’s been waiting there for a long time so patiently.

AS: You’re performing at St. Michael’s church in Ancoats, Manchester. Would you say that your music is kind of ‘church-like’? In terms of pure spirituality, that is…

HG: I would say music is a spiritual thing even when it’s not. My music is not church like. I don’t even know what would be like.

AS: I would also (dare to) say that your music is more suitable for the night-time, what do you think?

HG: Well it’s an intimate thing most of the time. A one on one thing. When the planet glows dim, things tend to get more intimate.

AS: What shall the audience expect from your upcoming Mancunian gig?

HG: Songs they’ve never heard played as if they’d always been here.

AS: Will you meet Guy Harvey when you come to Manchester? That’s a funny story: you’re friends thanks to a ‘lyrics robbery’… http://www.mojo4music.com/24142/guy-garvey-talks-mojo-through-his-meltdown/

HG: He’s a fine fellow. Not sure if he’s in town. Had his hands full with a meltdown I hear

AS:  I can’t help checking if you’ve included Spain in your current tour and there’s certainly a Spanish city, but surprisingly enough it’s not the ‘common’ Madrid nor Barcelona, but Cordoba… I guess this is not a mere coincidence, given your musical link with the Spanish traditional guitar and your beloved gypsies…

HG: Cordoba is more like Tucson than Tucson is.

AS: Which is the latest music discovery that you’ve come across?

HG: I don’t do that anymore. .. But you might listen to Pieta Brown or always Lonna Kelley

Tickets available via Hey! Manchester here

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg8Nwh9zazk

Love Revisited

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER –

It’s a suspiciously warm evening on the eve of the so-called ‘Independence Day’. The storm, in every single sense, is dangerously approaching.

After a proper warm up courtesy of Proto Idiot and Nine Black Alps, Baby Lemonade comes full of love, with a very special guest star: Love’s original guitarist Johnny Echols. Big applause, please. This UK Summer Tour pays tribute to one-of-a-kind lead singer Arthur Lee, on the 10^th anniversary of his sad passing.

The Syd Barrett song inspired Baby Lemonade are Rusty Squeezebox (guitar, vocals), Mike Randle (guitar), David Chapple (bass) and David ‘Daddy-O’ Green (drums). Don’t get it wrong though, they’re not a Love tribute band, as Echols clears up in a recent interview with Coventry Telegraph: “They don’t try to pretend they’re Love – they let everybody know that they are fans of the music who want to replicate it and do it justice.”

The crowd are mostly oldies and middle-aged fans. I wonder where the youths are. Are they at Glastonbury? Doing what?

Anyway, this flawless, easy-going band chooses ‘House Is Not A Motel’ for a glorious opening, although it’s a bit dull due to the poor quality of the sound. There will be a couple of songs before everything is properly adjusted. Thank God. Next songs ‘Can’t Explain’ and ‘You I’ll Be Following’ set a fine example of what true pop is really made of. Mind-bending melodies, wonderfully performed. Fresh, no rush, no unnecessary additives.

While performing the smoothy ‘Orange Skies’, Echols grins at the singer and nods. It certainly must be a bittersweet feeling, evoking Arthur Lee so honest and faithfully. Surely on purpose, he remains the whole show playing on the dark, no flashing lights for no ego. True rock legend.

‘Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale’ –the title is before the Twitter era, you see, gains a huge “Wow!” from the audience. Well deserved, no question. Fun fact: on one of the band’s setlists (I assume it’s guitarist Mike Randles’) this song has penned the telegraphic instructions “Drive-Delay-Boost”.

Sublime ‘Alone Again Or’, a classic ode to love… and loneliness begins. However, I think there’s no need for that artificial reverb on the mic as Rusty Squeezebox’s voice is simply wonderful by itself. An electrical discharge arrives with the hard-edged ‘Bummer In The Summer’, a rush of fuzz for ‘Live And Let Live’ and ‘The Daily Planet’, all of them hymns of the World-Heritage-Masterpiece that is Forever Changes. I do hope that Echols will soon achieve his goal of releasing the second part of this album, under the name Gethsemane.

Killer bass for ‘My Little Red Book’, hypnotic suggestion on ‘Your Mind And We Belong Together’, with its somewhat childish majesty and gorgeous final chaos. There’s a permanent nervous look on Echols’ face, as if he was a silent Peter Pan who is pretty conscious of his innocence.

By the time they play ‘The Red Telephone’, everybody at The Ruby Lounge certainly believes in magic and we all end singing to “Freedom!”. Singer tells us that we are running out of time, but there’s still room for B-Sides like ‘Laughing Stock’, the melancholic yet always reassuring ‘Robert Montgomery’ and the bluesy ‘Signed D.C’, with an admirably fit Echols both on guitar and vocals.

They say goodbye with a torrent of out-of-control power that are the insanely performed ‘Revelation’ and the weird gem ‘7 and 7 Is’.

Squeezebox asks a favour: “Spread the word because the music sucks right now!”. Wow, someone is getting overexcited… Although I must admit: I was born in the wrong decade. Bad timing!

Linked to the flower power movement, Love’s music seems so far from any kind of diluted or deadbeat pop. It’s so meaningful, so full of healing energy. Smooth guitars on pure poetry. It’s a thorny beautiful rose. They create music that certainly meant SOMETHING, in a time when music really mattered.

And now… I honestly can’t think of a better time to spread LOVE.

Love Revisited  Facebook | Official

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMIXI8hm0Qs

Ed Harcourt

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER –

The world certainly seems to be on fire, as Ed Harcourt warns a lurking crowd. He and his band – with silent John J Presley guest starring, are warmly welcomed. There’s a misty atmosphere surrounding this track, ‘The World Is On Fire’, from his brand new album Furnaces, produced by Flood and out on 19^th August. Smartly dressed, Harcourt shows a gorgeous, perfectly warmed up voice from the very beginning.

The apocalyptic zen sound quickly turns into a magnetic spiral encouraged by piercing guitars. No more fog, the end is nigh so let’s get straight to point, right? He leaves the keys and takes the guitar instead for a while. He performs undeniable gems such as ‘Immoral’ and ‘Loup Garou’ with a howling black look that blows you away.

He sounds much rockier than expected. In fact, I was worrying about all the couples around me. I was expecting something much more cheesier, to be honest… Thank God I was completely wrong! Ed Harcourt’s fine music is also for the nihilists and the heavy hearts, hallelujah!

As the gig goes on, he seems to be running from a storm – the one that John J Presley has invoked previously*, just to plunge into a hurricane. Now on keys now on guitar, lyrics suit the fiercely driving melodies in a disturbing harmony. I just love that psychobilly bridge on ‘Occupational Hazard’, eerie and sweet at the same time.

‘You Give Me More Than Love’ starts with some indie-rather-experimental noises – he’s said that he’s been keen on synths lately. “You could be my saviour…”. Heart breaking cries at small hours.

A little break to ask the audience how evreyone is doing today, and a sharp fan mentions the now omnipresent ‘Brexit’ topic. Harcourt gulps before he answers: “Well, I’m glad that we are all here UNITED…”. Perhaps not to take the risk of going deeper on the issue, he swiftly proceeds to introduce the band. Good move, gentleman. Anyway, that was a spontaneously apt introduction to his new album’s title track, ‘Furnaces’. Don’t ask me why, but the first notes of this song mentally take me to a port. He ends with an insane pounding on keys. On the contrary, ‘The Music Box’ invites us to sit back and be indulged by the finest, reassuring pop.

There is a strategic break before we embrace the chaos with the new ‘Dionysus’. Action-packed, warlike drumming, painfully honest lyrics. ‘Watching The Sun Come Up’ gives me the proof of why the term chamber pop is linked to Ed Harcourt when you google him. ‘Last Of Your Kind’ is a deceitful classic pop ballad with a sudden turnaround that catches the crowd. We are in the eye of storm already. Finally, ‘Antartica’ freezes our souls with a Laneganesque touch. The outro is just mental.

At the encore he asks the audience for any suggestions. A “wisecrack” man shouts: “Ghostbuster!” The smooth key player partly obeys. It’s time for long awaited soulful ballads. Soon afterwards he takes a vintage mic and walks among the crowd, spreading some love. It takes effect, as we witness a funny proposal. Harcourt invites a man to go up the stage and surprise his girlfriend. “At some point… In the future… Will you marry me?” Hilarious! By the way, the answer is, after a few seconds of meaningful silence, yes – well, more or less.

There’s been 15 years since Ed Harcourt released the highly acclaimed Here Be Monsters album. He has not wasted the time since then and it seems pretty likely that Furnaces is going to cause a stir. Actually, some people have already started to refer to the new album as the soundtrack of these strange times. Agree. There’s fury and kind violence on his new songs, as a catalyst for the current mood of anger and frustration. Still, there’s harmony and a remarkable symphonic pop aura.

Ed Harcourt  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3b48tADb1E

(*) Encore’s corner: John J Presley

Shoegazer John J Presley duly supports Ed Harcourt’s show with a blend of dirty blues alt noir. You can’t escape from his black treacled, rough voice. “Rain is coming”, he deeply whispers.

Enigmatic music suitable for insomnia nights and tormented days. He plays the guitar with determination and sings his dark poetry with guts and intention.

“You already know me,” grins with a rather shamanic voice.

Stormy desert of the soul… It’s so obscure that enlightens you.

Toots and the Maytals

– ACADEMY, MANCHESTER –

Ska is sadly mourning when Toots & The Maytals arrive at Manchester’s Academy. Prince Buster has just died and a vivid legend is born. What a better way to pay tribute than with a superb performance by ‘Toots’ and Co.? This is a special show for another reason too: it’s the last one of the come back tour of singer/songwriter Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, after a “nasty incident” at a gig in Richmond, Virginia (USA), that put him aside from the music scene for three years. Some drunken half-wit threw a bottle of vodka to the Jamaican musician with so much bad luck that it seriously hurt his head.

It’s sad to read the letter he wrote to the judge: “I continue to suffer from extreme anxiety, memory loss, headaches, dizziness and most sadly of all, a fear of crowds and performing.” Luckily, he’s still a great performer. He still has the reggae. He has the soul, definitely. No one would say that he’s afraid of any crowd anymore. He’s in such an enviable good shape.

Circa 9pm and the packed audience is pretty excited, courtesy of Cardiff’s reggae/ska/soul artist Captain Accident and ‘The Disasters’. The crowd mostly consists of young people, all tribes gathered: mods, rastafaris, skinheads, authentic reggaes – the dress code is to not have a dress code at all.  There’s a certain post-derby euphoria in the thick air.

The opening song is ‘Pressure Drop’, a revengeful ode to karma. Certainly, ‘Toots’ receives a warm ovation as a welcome back! Dressed in an outrageous black leather outfit, he smiles and I guess that his eyes are also glowing behind his dark sunglasses. I hear a faint, inexplicable booing next to me after ‘Never Grow Old’. (WTF?)

By the time the mighty Maytals perform peace-makers hits such as ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Time Tough’, waves of beer are already overflowing the place. What is all the “sorry, sorry” about if you’re showering me with your beer anyway? Guess I’m just getting old for this kind of ‘communion’, so, never mind.

“Higher and higher…”. Upwards and onwards, as Kingston’s Alpha Boys School’s slogan says.

The CEO and founder of the term reggae and his rather rocksteady band are in full swing –superb chorus girls by the way, featuring ‘Toots’ daughter Leba Thomas. Like father, like daughter. If it wasn’t for the absence of a proper quality sound, the show would be spot on.

I hear the racket surrounding me much louder than the music on stage. This is a shame, especially if you’re looking for something more than the party vibes, which of course are guaranteed with these guys. ‘Toots’ is the kind of man that makes you smile every time he smiles, as well as you feel pleasantly good as long as he’s singing. Soulful, well-tempered voice indeed.

‘Louie Louie’ cover goes ska, therefore the crowd goes nuts. Smoke gets in our eyes, too.  We get into an operatic reggae experience with more smashing hits like ‘Sweet and Dandy’, ‘Funky Kingston’, ‘Do The Reggay’ and a sublime ‘BAM BAM’, a song that proclaimed The Maytals winners of the first Jamaican Independence Festival Popular Song Competition, back in 1966.

Seriously, where’s all the sound have gone? Could it be that the crowd has just absorbed it all? Anyway, ‘Toots’ takes his sunglasses off to solemnly dedicate ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ to his beloved Jamaica. Everybody sings along.

It’s followed by a rather nostalgic moment with fluttering lighters (‘Light Your Light’). It has taken a while but finally comes ‘Monkey Man’ and the crowd goes berserk again. A grand finale whose mind-bending encore is a never-ending ‘54-46 That’s My Number’. Epic, super funky and soulful goodbye with a song that means so much for the great ‘Toots’, as it tells about his time in jail. 

“You’re the best audience EVER!”, he cajoles us. Sweet.

None of us want to end the party, so we divert towards Big Hands and, naturally, The Thirsty Scholar, where Dj Martin The Mod is paying a special tribute to the late Prince Buster. Enjoy yourselves and keep the faith.

Toots and the Maytals  Facebook

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhH1Lxv-8sA

Danny & The Champions Of The World

– GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER –

“I love camaraderie” asserts Danny George Wilson. Attending a live show with his fantastic band (The Champions of the World, no need to be humble at this point) is enough to prove his point.

The always warm and cosy venue at Northern Quarter’s Gullivers is quite packed, mostly with a nice bunch of folkie-oldies.

The “Sutton soul” men enter the stage bravely, defying all the Northern cheekiness. “All right? All right!!” Without any gap for clapping, they smoothly blend the first couple of songs ‘Consider Me’ and ‘Colonel And The King’. I think they could be playing endlessly, in a perfect Southern sweet harmony.

Harmony between the soothing pedal steel guitar and the skilful roughness on the electric guitar. Harmony between the gentle drums and the progressively insane keys. And then there’s Danny with his cracked guitar. Heart full of soul. Supporter Dean Owens has aptly warned us about the happiness and feel-goodness that’s approaching down from South London. That’s why he sings sad songs – happiness is ridiculously overrated, after all. He encourages, nevertheless, to “go nuts” each time he plays the harmonica. We all agree.

There’s a faint Dylanesque touch in Danny at first, although the Springsteen tone arises soon and it will prevail. It’s rather stuffy by now, totally Southern like tonight. A mere coincidence? Don’t think so. Love is in the air, by the way. Funnily enough, they play and claim that ‘This Is Not A Love Song’, from their latest album What Kind Of Love, released in June 2015, once again under the wing of Loose.

Said new album has been recently awarded at the first edition of the Americana Music Association UK 2016. Triple crown, to be exactly: UK Artist Of The Year, UK Album Of The Year and UK Song Of The Year (‘Clear Water’). Certainly, they’re a timeless winning-formula: a bunch of all-feel-good songs, good musicians, good vibes. That’s it.

All that’s left now is to spread love. Precisely this all-embracing topic is the leit-motiv of their new album (there’s a hint on the “Blue Note like” title). “Every song on the album is a love song of some fashion. There are love songs about friends, ex-friends, wives… All different kinds of love”, explains Danny on the album’s press release. They perform some of those case stories, such as ‘Thinking About My Friend’, ‘Just Be Yourself’ and, of course, the award-winning ‘Clear Water’.

All of them painkillers and perfectly suitable for sing along. Actually, there’s a lot of sing-along tonight. Loads of “ooh-oouh-oh” and even the classic “sha-la-la”. Gospel epic moment with ‘It’ll Be Alright In The End’. If you listen to songs like these, there’s no need to practise yoga anymore. To hell with the mat and the chakra. With me: “Oooh-uooh-uooh…”.

Danny and his Champs know well how to engage the crowd. Drinking beer and telling funny anecdotes –OMG, Danny, are you drinking red wine from a plastic bottle? That’s a crime! There’s a certain sense of camaraderie. “What time is it?”, asks Danny. “Sunday!”, shouts a truly Mancunian fan. It’s Tuesday, really, but it doesn’t matter. It could be Sunday, for all we know.

There’s room for a sneak preview with ‘Never In The Moment’ and old gems, too like ‘Stay True’, ‘Henry The Van’, ‘(Never Stop Building) That Old Space Rocket’, and closing with ‘These Days’ – best music video ever!.

Overall, they live up to the band’s name expectations. They’re flawless and they’re the rightful champions of their soul. Danny continues singing heart warming melodies, smiling, eyes-closed.

“I was glad my father was an eye-smiler. It meant he never gave me a fake smile because it’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself…” (from ‘Danny and the Champion of the World’, by Roald Dahl).

Danny & The Champions Of The World  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOh70XdT-X0

Off The Record

– The Northern Quarter, Manchester 04/11/2016 –

CONFERENCE: “Discover your new favourite band”. Off The Record Conference & Gig Festival’s slogan couldn’t be more appealing. It’s 10am sharp and the main room at the Northern Quarter’s Methodist Building is full. It’s time to figure out How to get heard over the Noize!, with Shell Zenner (Amazing Radio), Elena Jimenez (Popped Music), Sean McGinty (BBC Introducing) and Silent Radio’s editor Simon Zaccagni. They’re moderated by the omnipresent John Robb (Louder Than War).

Here’s how to stand out among the noize: Be passionate and show enthusiasm, but do not spam! Do your homework (research, research, research!), but do not stalk!

Of course, being accessible is key. There’s no point in creating a Social Media profile if your contact details are not clear/available. It might seem obvious, but it’s a rather common mistake. “Interaction with your audience is now more important than ever”.

Owner/editor at Popped Music blog Elena Jimenez also recommends searching for what’s going on in every city, as she doesn’t care where the next new favourite band comes from. She just focuses on the sound, so she avoids watching any videos first: “I don’t want to get distracted by the visuals”, she explains.

Above all, be patient and polite. “Just keep plugging away, someone will spot you”, adds Simon Zaccagni. The speakers also agree that “Sometimes you just need one person, at one gig, to get noticed and get something started”.

Under the inspiring title If you’re gonna do it, do it right – Putting a gig on properly, The Ruby Lounge’s Jay Taylor moderates Tom Lovett (Sofar Sounds), Lucas Wilkinson (Fiesta Bombarda), Jeff Thompson (Off Axis Network), Miriam Rahimov (MEAN Music/When In Manchester) and Nick Fraser (Tim Peaks/Ogenesis).

Ideally, the promoter should aim for “something special”, rather than just another gig. “Make your ticket worth every penny of it, from the very start to the end”, advises Jeff Thompson. Thus, it will be more likely to make your audience come back again. Another sensible piece of advice, courtesy of Nick Fraser: “Focus on the gig in question, not on where you’ll be playing the next day. Take responsibility”.  Mindfulness rules: one gig at a time. Live (up to) the moment.

Tom Lovett highlights building a brand as a promoter. “The audience trusts us”, agrees Miriam Rahimov. Fans rely on your good taste -Make the choice for us.

As always, the word of mouth is key. Even if it’s a highly competitive playground, the speakers recommend to engage with the audience and be part of the community. “People like more than one band, so don’t worry”.

With barely five minutes between talks –go for the free coffee and you’ll miss them!, New music from an old friend – making the most of the help that’s out there gives us a few good ideas when applying for some public funding. Luckily enough, now there are “lot of ways” of getting some fresh cash to kick start your music career, from organisations such as the Arts Council, PRS Foundation or Help Musicians UK (via the wonderful Funding Wizard tool) to getting fans involved in a crowdfunding campaign.

Alright, the money is out there, but how to get to it? “You must show a project which is relevant for you and also for the funders”, considers Chris Bye from Arts Council England. “That’s why is so important to do your homework first and make sure you’re ready before rolling out your project”, he adds.

But, if it happens that your funding application is rejected, keep the faith and “try again, please”, encourages Ellie Moore (Help Musicians UK).

I miss most of the conversation between John Robb and hip hop artist Shadez the Misfit, but I jot down this dead-right-quote by the latter: “Do not imitate, create your thing”.

Summer of Love – How to get on the festival circuit is joined by moderator Jim Mawdsley (Association of Independent Festivals), Andy Smith (Kendal Calling), Becky Ayres (Sound City), Nick Simcock (Liverpool Psych Fest) and Yaw Owusu (Liverpool International Music Festival). They all agree that any festival should be committed to promote new talents, as it’s a good platform for new audiences.

Beyond the submissions policies, here’s an interesting clue: “Approach the curators in different ways, manage to play in front of them”. Plus, they take taste makers such as music bloggers as a reliable source when recruiting new bands, “because they just love the music”.

XamVolo

A match made in heaven – Exploring the Musician/Manager Relationship puts together Nicola Wright (Red Light Management), Jenny Carroll (Air MTM) and Kaiya Milan (The Sorority House). Keeping updated and adapting constantly are key skills in a music manager, as well as feeling truly passionate about the band you’re managing. That band could be found on Facebook or SoundCloud, but also via your friends, colleagues or other band you’re already managing. “Go to 100 capacity venues and see gigs. Bands playing at that size of venue usually are looking for management”, reveals Jenny Carroll.

The last talk I attend on this happily busy day is My Generation: Breaking the industry, led by the legendary Phil Saxe (Factory Records). Main lessons learned from this panel are that a (Music) Degree might not be enough (“You must do some odd jobs and plenty of networking: go out and socialise!”); “people like doing business with people they like” and despite that being a social, nice person is key, it’s even more important to be honest. Reputation is a long-term career.

GIGS: XamVolo & The Pearl Harts:

It’s dark and cold outside. It’s raining rather heavily, too. But as soon as I get into the iconic Night & Day, the soulful voice of XamVolo certainly helps warming up. Surrounded by a jazzy ensemble, singer/songwriter and producer Sam Folorunsho a.k.a XamVolo is currently promoting his EP The Chirality. The sound is mint and his voice just flows at ease all over our heads. He’s dressed in total black –sunglasses included, and he sings with his right hand in his pocket. Classy and smooth. ‘Down’ is one of his favourite songs, he says, as it’s “quite jazzy, which is my thing”, he briefly smiles. I can’t help imagining the late Amy Winehouse joining him in a perfect duet. The soon-out ‘Money’ turns to deeper, rockier sounds. Great tune, great band!

He seems quite aware of the importance of building a brand as he repeats his artistic name once and again. Remember my name…

Chosen by Yaw Owusu and Mark Ryan, XamVolo says goodbye with the gorgeous ‘Runner’s High’, whose creepy intro foretells a thunderstorm that inevitably hits your body and soul.

It’s still raining and a heavy, electrifying storm is about to fall upon us at Gulliver’s. Kirsty and Sara, also known as The Pearl Harts, give a raucous, high-octane set. It’s a rather known hard rock formula, still, it works driving you insane. Stomping drums and fierce guitar, anger and passion on vocals, sometimes it’s vaguely reminiscent of the superb, one and only, Alison Mosshart.

Among their showcase –they’re promoting their debut album on PledgeMusic, it’s the very apt ‘Bonfires’. The crowd nods all at once, in due harmony.

Last song, ‘Black Blood’, is a rather Black Sabbath-ish song to end a stunning performance, full of presence and kerosene. Thanks Joe Morrison and Elena Jimenez for choosing them!

Special mention to the insanely wild and muddy Blackwaters as well as the twisted cherubs Her’s. They both have the youth, the attitude and the (body) language.

So, here’s the key message that I would highlight Off The Record: What today is an emerging band, tomorrow could be playing at arenas. Beware of the newbies!

OFF THE RECORD Official | Twitter | Facebook

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiaC4ZW7v64

The Wave Pictures – Brushes With Happiness

Gloomy in the wind

Ironically enough, the nice guys from The Wave Pictures bring us the brand new and rather melancholic album titled ‘Brushes With Happiness’ out tomorrow Friday 22nd June, under the wings of Moshi Moshi. Don’t be misled by the title then. Expect a bunch of songs that will very likely break your heart. But it is worth it.

There are no punk-length tracks either. Most of the songs exceed the 5-minute-panic in-the-radio-length, leading you into a certain resigned, dark aura that goes up to 6 or 7 minutes. That could be explained by the fact that they have recorded the whole album in one single, minor-key day. They have been there already, as they also recorded the acoustic album ‘A Season in Hull’ (2016) in a very prolific January day. “We recorded this album live in a small room, playing music into the wee hours. Listening to the album feels like being in a ceremony”, reveals guitarist and songwriter Dave Tattersall, who’s perfectly joined by Jonny Helm (drums) and Franic Rozycki (bass) in this intimate rite. The lyrics were written in advance, “but the music was an improvisation”. Thus, the result can’t be other than a spontaneous and brutally honest album. “I cannot help how I feel”, Tattersall opens up. If you really love music from the guts, then you’ll join this ethereal, yet so earthly ceremony.

‘The Red Suitcase’, inspired by the great musician Django Reinhardt, sounds pretty depressing as it seems there’s no hope at all. Take the final moan: just heart-wrenching. Slowly by slowly –“invisibly slowly”-, ‘Rise Up’ is the perfect tune to come apart with superb elegance, with that exquisite violin touch. “I don’t care about what you own me, as you open your jacket to the afternoon…”. One of the many virtues of this band from Wymeswold lies in their pure-gold-songwriting. You can easily relate to the extraordinary pictures of common emotions and day-to-day disappointments.
Smooth and silent blues ‘Jim’ –poor him, he got cursed in the kitchen-, which matches the genuine sound of the band; as sweet as sharp. So is ‘Laces’, disturbingly reassuring. Hats-off to ‘The Little Window’, with those Patti Smithesque vocals. Raw and temperate, there’s something breathtaking in its pure simplicity. Yet, you just have to listen to the lyrics to realise that nothing is that simple.
Piercing guitar in ‘Crow Jane’; church bells and country sounds for ‘Volcano’; 100% The Wave Pictures style in ‘The Burnt Match’ litany: “Something to be learned from this burnt match”… Poignant voices, some tearful choruses. Dave Tattersall invokes Jonathan Richman so much, yet he’s so unique. And what about ‘Brushes With Happiness’? Well, take that Fight Club movie scene where Tyler Durden chemically burns poor Jack’s hand. “This is your pain”. Focus. And it hurts. It really does. But hey, that’s ok. You still have coffee and cigarettes. Good music. Life. So, keep going. Despite all the odds.

The band seems against any current wave or hype. So blue for the Summer, and by the Fall of bright and warm days -cause there’s must be a Summer somewhere-; they’ll come back with “a more up-beat party” album, Look Inside Your Heart, due on October. So, first they tear us apart and later they’ll cheer us up. Fair enough, right? How on earth couldn’t you just love these guys?

Remaining tour dates at time of publishing, be quick…
22 June – LANCASTER – THE YORKSHIRE HOUSE
23 June – CAMBRIDGE – STOREYS FIELD CENTRE
24 June – SHEFFIELD – PICTURE HOUSE
25 June – BRISTOL – THE FLEECE
26 June – OXFORD – THE JERICHO TAVERN
22 November – LONDON – KOKO

Release Date 22nd June 2018 (Moshi Moshi Records)

The Wave Pictures Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbo4glUq2-o

Idles – Joy As An Act Of Resistance

– A Celebration of Vulnerability –

The highly anticipated second album by Idles is pure vigour underneath a bunch of songs where the guts, the cries and the sing & shout still prevail from their outstanding debut Brutalism.

The Bristol based outfit’s new record, Joy as an Act of Resistance, is due on Friday 31^st August under the wings of Partisan Records.

The death of the loved ones is, unfortunately, still present. If Brutalism saw light in the wake of the demise of singer Joe Talbot’s mother, Joy as an Act of Resistance regrets the one of his new-born daughter.

Yet, this album is much more about mindfulness than nihilism, which Talbot claims to be totally against. Thus, there’s plenty of room for hope, optimism and clear-headed irony. “I think humour’s a really great vehicle for inclusivity”, as singer explained in the above-linked interview. In fact, beyond personal relationships, that ‘act of resistance’ has a lot to do with political/social affairs such as Brexit, immigration and also the old-fashioned idea of masculinity.

Produced by Space and mixed by Adam Greenspan & Nick Launay (Arcade Fire, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kate Bush), it might not have such an impact on the first listen as their debut, but as you dig in the circumstances surrounding the album, you inevitably empathise with the band and sympathise with the message (“Love yourself”, “Go with your flaws”?). Take, for instance, ‘June’; a heart-breaking, grief-stricken ballad. “Baby shoes, for sale, never worn”. There can’t be anything worse in this world. You don’t have to be a mother or father: you just picture the painful scene and crumble.

But, as said, the album has some funny songs with the now distinguishable Idles sound as well. ‘I’m Scum’ is pure joy-oi! punk. A song to, literally, hit the floor.

Speaking of literalism, the opening tune, ‘Colossus’ –the one that followed the superb first single ‘Danny Nedelko’; is simply overwhelming, not to mention its wild reprise –meticulously made to go nuts, and that is so healthy!

In their particular way, that is, a cheeky-attitude-ferociously-funny, you can’t help laughing as you read song titles such as ‘Never Fight a Man with a Perm’.

Anyway, ‘Samaritans’ is the one that seriously deals with this controversial topic.’“This is why you never see your father cry…”. Along with a forceful, slow-burning song, they question a whole establishment built upon a certain prototype of man. It is also worth mentioning the instrumental twist followed by an eloquent nod to Katy Perry’s famous smash: “I kissed a boy and I liked it!”.

As for ‘Danny Nedelko’, what a hit! Musically, it provides the perfect vibes for a glorious night of panic and fun down at the pub.

Regarding Danny himself, the “beautiful immigrant”, he embodies what this album is all about: World is evil, Brexit is pure shit. So, what can we do as an individual? Well, spread love and smile. Build a community out of joy. That’s what real citizenship should be about, right? Thanks for the clarity (and the lovely music video too), Idles.

Furthermore, can a ‘Love Song’ be obscure and sweet at the same time? Of course it can! It’s not only the fact that both theme and lyrics are ace, as it talks about much more than “only sex, sex, sex, sex…”. It praises honesty, genuine friendship and true, “modern love”. Plus, it’s easy to foresee epic live shows judging by songs like these!

‘Television’ reveals a clear message: “Love Yourself”. Again, the truest punk band from Bristol brings us a healthy rage propeller –same as ‘Great’ or ‘Gram Rock’; where the latter points out our reluctance to speak openly about death, especially the closest ones. The surprising thing is that they manage to address such matter and quote Harry Potter’s imaginary in the same song. And it works. Bravo.

‘Cry To Me’ is another weird ballad, dark yet strangely sexy. “I will hold you until everything’s all right”. Talbot tries to escape loneliness in this song, always with that irreverent touch in his guttural voice. 100% “loveable”, indeed.

The rebellious joy comes to an end with ‘Rottweiler’, a very Idles song in terms of rhythm, tempo and, needless to say, guts. This catchy tune is ideal for wild mosh pits. Take the raucous instrumental outro, with powerful messages/shouts: “Keep going! Smash it! Destroy it! Burn your house down!” Hello, mayhem. Feeling better already?

Personally, if the discovery of Brutalism became the perfect original soundtrack for my anger, I find Joy as an Act of Resistance as the main theme of hope.

You’re right, I just fuckin’ love this band.

Idles: Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VODKZxsRa_E

The Wave Pictures – Look Inside Your Heart

Joy Against The Machine(s)

So, here’s the promised party. After the circumspect ‘Brushes With Happiness’, The Wave Pictures are back on the road with the joyous ‘Look Inside Your Heart’, a spontaneous bunch of songs to celebrate long-term friendships and long-live-drunken-parties. You listen to their new album and suddenly wish you could be part of that brotherhood, not to mention joining those drinking bouts full of fun and cigarettes (as we all know by now, crucial in any love therapy, right?). As in previous episodes, expect everyday pictures that certainly make a difference as a whole. They highlight the mundane, with its lights and shadows, which gives us hope, or some kind of solace, at least.

The prolific band has referred to electric folk to describe their music, but they also pay tribute to the roots of blues and classic rock n’ roll –take catchy tunes such as ‘House By The Beach’ or the cowboy blues ‘Brian’. Moreover, they add all the beautiful nonsense that comes along with improvisation. Thus, they are also genuinely punk, too.  Recorded late at night in a mad jam session at the Booze Cube Studio (Stoke Newington), this is a totally hand made album. No computers of any kind allowed in this party, sorry. Not tonight.

The opening track ‘Roosevelt Skyes’ is firstly introduced by giggles –real giggles, not the (bloody) canned ones! It’s an endearing homage to the above-mentioned piano blues maestro, as well as to friends, dreams “and all firemen”, according to singer and guitarist Dave Tattersall. “Musically, (it’s) an African pop party in the vein of Zimbabwe’s The Four Brothers and The Bhundu Boys, but done with absolutely no puritanical slavery at any kind of authenticity or even accuracy”, he explains. Judging by the music video (below), it is also an invitation to happy-go-lucky dancing. Howlin’ wolves take their part in the cheeky ‘Dodge City Blues’, which ends with more giggles and self-praise: “Got it!”. Happily ironic, sweet and sharp, ‘Sugar’ softens tunes like ‘Shelley’, a heartbreaking, smooth parade. Speaking of heart-wrenching songs, take ‘I Came To You Once’. What a gem! So neat, so delicate. A true love song –and there are not as many as you could think.  It’s a minimal ballad about a friendship/love that now seems to be gone, as Tattersall sings in desperately –but still, stoic- past voice: “I came to you once/and I did my best”. Still, he’s glad he did. So, is there any kind of happy ending, maybe?  By the way, mind the weird, old cabaret piano ending.

‘Goodbye Spiderman’ also seems a farewell song that sounds fairly optimistic despite everything. No strings (or spider web) attached. Whisky and “Yei-yei-yei” singing. “Drums solo!”, shouts Tattersall. That was fun. More self-praise for an epic final shout: “Perfect!”. That is: Humans 1 – Robots 0.  ‘Close Your Eyes Mike’ has this beautiful harmonica sound, which is always a safe bet, isn’t it? Great choice adding female voices on the chorus of ‘Look Inside Your Heart’, also embellished with a skilled guitar solo. In fact, guitars –along with its witty lyrics, are key for maybe to sugary melodies (i.e. ‘Tell Me That You Weren’t Alone’ or ‘Hazey Moon’).

“So the blues player, he ain’t worried and bothered, but he’s got something for the worried people”. That Roosevelt Sykes’ quote perfectly describes The Wave Pictures spirit. In a nutshell, don’t expect accuracy but laid-back talent…. So have a look inside your heart. I’m sure you’ll find them.

Look Inside Your Heart Release Date 9th November 2018 (Moshi Moshi Records)

Check the forthcoming UK Tour dates:
22 Nov – London (UK) @ KOKO
8 Dec – Paris (FRA) @ Point Fmr
18 Jan – Edinburgh (UK) @ Summerhall
19 Jan – Glasgow (UK) @ CCA Saramago Cafe Bar
20 Jan – Newacstle (UK) @ Cobalt Studios
21 Jan – Leeds (UK) @ Brudenell Social Club
27 Jan – Guildford (UK) @ The Boiler Room
28 Jan – Oxford (UK) @ The Jericho Tavern
29 Jan – Bristol (UK) @ Exchange
30 Jan – Birmingham (UK) @ Hare and Hounds
31 Jan – Chester (UK) @ Telford’s WarehouseS
1 Feb – Manchster (UK) @ Soup Kitchen
2 Feb – Cardiff (UK) @ Clwb Ifor Bach

The Wave Pictures Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUuzCx9-sbA

It all started with ‘Donuts’, apparently. Not the fatty treat but J Dilla’s very explicit and eponymous album. The Dream Syndicate’s lead singer Steve Wynn got obsessed with the DJ and cratedigger’s work and his approach to that mix-and-match of music of his very own. “I was messing around with step sequencers, drum machines, loops—anything to take me out of my usual way of writing and try to feel as though I was working on a compilation rather than more of the same”, as Wynn explains, referring to their latest LP ‘These Times’ (ANTI- Records, 2019).

Recorded, once again, at the Montrose Studios in Richmond (Virginia); it’s been co-produced by the acclaimed John Agnello.

Expect a psychedelic, “kaleidoscopic” journey through loads of layers and outer-space-atmospheres.

Let’s take the opener ‘The Way In’, which appears to us as that drone always watching us, 24/7. The propeller comes with the urgent ‘Put Some Miles On’, a rather disturbing yet quite radio friendly, energetic tune.

The first psychedelic turn arrives soon via ‘Black Light’, a very clever and powerful paradox of our time, indeed. The LA based band skillfully plays with your already twisted mind, with a complex army of loops and subtle sound effects.

A more melodic streak (‘Bullet Holes’) of the always gentle Steve Wynn tries to calm us down, with its reassuring pop lyrics (or mantra, if you prefer): “It’s alright, it’s alright…”. There are some harmonious backing vocals, too. Musically, it’s rather atmospheric, (almost) idyllic.

It’s worth pointing out that the music came first when composing the album, so the songwriter Wynn added the words “in the studio, after the band finished tracking, so that they would be dictated by the sound, rather than the other way around. This process contributed to the urgency of the album’s title”, according to the press release. “There is no avoiding the existential panic of a world that’s hurtling somewhere quickly, evolving, and shifting course by the hour. It seems like a lie to not address or reflect the things that we can’t stop thinking about —the whole world’s watching indeed”, the band reflects.

Consequently, there’s also space for more reflexive, weird ballads (‘Still Here Now’). Poignant keys and words, with guitars translating a restrained melancholy. Here’s the magic of this band, precisely. They always sound relevant. No need to innovate, really. Although they try to do it in every chance they come across.

Another track, another world. We’re now trapped in a great midnight escape. The psychic country fuelled ‘Speedway’ has that Dylanesque singing, along with a playful organ that makes the whole thing almost hilarious.

Don’t even bother to take a breath. Not even with ‘Recovery Mode’, such a disturbing, slow-paced-hip-hop-like tune. Again, the harmonious backing vocals alternates with sharpen guitars, along with synths and so on, in a dialogue between the human and the bot. “I’m losing grip on the mother lode / Sliding into recovery mode…”.

Powered by an intriguing instrumental intro, the funky-spatial ‘The Whole World’s Watching’ encapsulates the album’s leitmotiv. Let’s just take verse 1: “Somebody stop all that noise /

Making it hard to think / I got it coming from every direction / In waves of white and pink”.

The journey comes to an end with a rocking take-off request (‘Space Age’), that concludes with a great coda (‘Treading Water Underneath The Stars’), which inevitably drives us into our inner self… outer space, again. The algorithmic alchemy works, then: a very special brew made out of psychedelic rock guitars, mesmerising synth sounds and hypnotic words.

Overall, their second album since their 2012 reunion is an interesting experiment, that is, a proper soundtrack for our current dystopia. Nevertheless, it doesn’t exceed the previous album: the superb, mind-blowing “How Did I Get Myself Here?” (2017), with its glorious gems such as “The Circle” and, especially, its eponymous epiphany.

Anyway, as said, The Dream Syndicate’s new stuff is always inspiring, especially in these times…

Dream Syndicate – These Times: Out Now (Anti Records)

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As a happy accident of this devastating, pandemic situation, Domino Records’ boss Laurence Bell came up with the wonderful idea of gathering The Kills’ B sides and rarities in a double album, aptly titled “Little Bastards”: A bunch of 20 lost, hidden-in-digital-platforms gems that the British-American duo released between 2002-09.  All tracks have been remastered by Barry Grint at Alchemy Mastering (London), and as usual, twisted artwork is courtesy of The Kills.

Like many bands, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince were also working on a new record when the lockdown happened. You know how the story goes. The world collapses, your plans enter the stand-by mode.

Hince admits that he was at first reluctant to publish an old rarities album (No room for nostalgia, thanks!), Mosshart showed some doubts too… Until they both started to listen and revisit their own primitive, “prehistoric” sounds. One guitar, one vocal and a drum machine. That was all at first… and they still sound pretty much like that. So (apparently) simple, so raw. So damn hot. “This lo-fi and anti-everything attitude”, as Hince describes. Thus, expect to hear The Kills’ characteristic artful garage plus Bourbon soaked, electrifying blues rock. 

“Little Bastards” starts with a good pop punch via “Superpowerless” -when Mosshart & Hince practically whisper “Super-power-less”: OMG!-. This song, ‘rescued’ from the 7” EP “Last Day Of Magic” (2008), always makes me jump triumphant/ridiculously. From their very oldest song “Jewel Thief” to the acidly robotic “Passion Is Accurate”, the songs compiled in this double album show us this tandem’s logbook of camaraderie, chemistry and mutual admiration.

Even their demos are bloody gold. Take the never-before-heard “Raise Me” demo (2009), with its groovy -even funky, catchy beat. Such a disturbing music video, by the way! “Kiss The Wrong Side”: sexiest tune ever. Mind the lyrics though! It may serve as a good lesson on how to beat a toxic relationship. 

The absorbing, hypnotic “Night Train” drives you insane with its mantra for the sleepless ones; whilst their sing-along in “Half Of Us” seems as if they were sending a message one another: “The heartbreaking sound of my town/beats the heartbreaking sound of your town”. “London Hates You” is so depressing yet so reassuring, in a (weird) way. The Velvet Underground meets The Jesus and Mary Chain kind of aura. Note: why didn’t they include the last lyrics (“Stand still like a hummingbird…”) in the album’s inner cover? “Baby’s Eyes” reminds us of The Velvet Underground as well (so Lou Reed like). “I Call It Art”, written by the great Serge Gainsbourg and Boris Bergman, was covered by The Kills and included in “Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited” compilation (2006). It’s simply heartbreaking; so perfect in its musical, lyrical minimalism.

Judging by The Kills’ cover of “Forty Four”, by Howlin’ Wolf, it’s a fact that Mosshart definitely has the blues within her veins. It sounds raw, it goes straight to your guilty conscience. It strikes you and yet it reassures you. The blues sour medicine. This is a song to regret the bad decisions made last night (mind the funny final drums!). Chew raw tobacco and never look back. No further questions added.

They have also included some other great blues versions such as Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” and Dock Boggs’ “Sugar Baby”. Not sure if it kills weed, but no doubt the killer guitars in “Weed Killer”, with a wild Mosshart on vocals, will shake you out. “Love Is A Deserter” (XFM version) doesn’t seem to match this collection very much. Yet, it’s a kickin’ tune. “The Void” contains The Kills’ pure essence: it has the punch, the bluesy guts, the endless road trip to nowhere. By night, of course.

About the near future, who knows -seriously: who knows-, the killer duo claims to have loads of demos and unreleased material from 2009 on; not to mention the album they were already working on before all this sh&% happened. “We want to write a record for the future, not about a pandemic”, as Mosshart points out in a recent interview with NME.com. “We want to make something incredibly uplifting”, Hince adds (and reassures). Can’t wait. We need a new raw power boost so badly.

The Kills: Little Bastards – Out Now (Domino Records)

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