The complexity of the ideas that can be brought by two drummers while inhaling the fresh air of Brighton is a reason to like this project. Rachel & Ed, aka Gaps were experimenting with electronic and folk sounds during the past year and the outcome can only promise great things. Very fresh and interesting sound with atmospheric vocals that reminded me why browsing through soundcloud is always rewarding.
enjoy
…after 414 gigs and three years on the road
London is full of opportunities, surprises and interesting people. Arni Arnason (or Hjorvar), the bass player of The Vaccines, is not only one of London’s interesting people but someone who grabbed London’s opportunities and surprised the world with studio albums and live appearances. London is home for Arni, to which he had just returned after a three year long absence. Only because during the past three years, The Vaccines were busy touring across Europe and America, recording two and a half studio albums and becoming famous.
-You have been on the road for three years. So how does it feel to be back home? I just came back last week and immediately after I came down with a terrible flu. Today is the first day I am out of bed, so didn’t have the time to do much yet.
–What have you gained or lost during the past three years? I’ve lost a lot of acquaintances unfortunately, as it is very difficult to keep relationships when you are on the road for three years. The friends that are close become closer, but those who are on the perimeter – it’s difficult. I’ve gained an extortionate amount of experiences and I’ve been to every single imaginable place and, yeah, that’s the upside to the whole experience
-You had the chance to be the opening act for the Rolling Stones. Is there any story you want to share? I’ve got a picture with all of the Rolling Stones. But it came with a disclaimer saying if you ever share the picture with anybody then you’ll get sued to fuck. So unfortunately the only story I can share is that I admit having a picture with the Stones.
-What do you think when reviewers draw comparisons to the Ramones? Ramones is one of the most important bands in history of music and just being mentioned in the same sentence is quite an honour. But you know, people need attachments when it comes to music. They need to be able to put something down to a very tangible idea in a very simple sentence. The Ramones? Yeah, I can’t really complain about that.
-Will you be doing 414 gigs over the next 3 years? It has been a great experience and amazing three years, but I am planning to stay still for a while.
@KOKO, Camden Town, London
The first signs of winter arrived yesterday night in London with the mass appearance of people wearing scarfs and gloves as they queued outside KOKO with anticipation for the performance of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos, aka Mount Kimbie.
The London duo was formed in 2008 and recently released their second album Cold Spring Fault Less Youth through Warp records joining the celebrated list of bands including Nightmares On Wax, Grizzly Bear, Boards of Canada etc. The genre of Mount Kimbie is often described as dubsteb, a false label to both my ears and my brain as the album also contains strong elements from electronic, indie rock even the jazz scene. The release of their album was great timing for me personally, appearing just when I questioned whether the English electronic scene could ever offer anything new.
KOKO remains a great venue to find a mixed crowd and have a great music night, although on this occasion the venue was so packed that you literally had to fight for your right to get a view to the stage. But the fight was undoubtedly worth it as the boys were changing instruments, changing positions, calling other artists on stage, enjoying their show as much as we were.
The great quality of the sound, due to both the band and their sound engineer, became clear on Home Recording, a personal favourite, which is a so atmospheric, emotional, headphones song that I thought it would be difficult to capture outside of a studio recording, yet the live experience was brilliant. Blood & Form gained a new personality during the live performance, overcoming the controversial album version.
The duo was thanking the crowd after almost every song, which to me seemed as a sign of modesty and appreciation to London crowd. King Krule came on stage to sing along You Took Your Time to crowds acclaim. The structure of the live was cleverly put as there was a constant uphill to the tempo and mood. The last twenty minutes of the night (including Made to Stray) reassured me that there is in fact a new London electronic scene.
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@TheForum, KentishTown, London
After reading about Trentemøller coming to London for the first of his tour gig to partake in the LEAF – or the London Electronic Arts Festival, you find yourself buying tickets and anticipating for the date. That was still the mood I was in when I entered the Forum, in Kentish Town and saw a very nice mixture of people spread out in a great for gigs venue.
Mystical and misty atmosphere but a milder than expected and hoped for intro. Anders seemed disconnected from the crowd maybe anxious about his first of the planned gigs just after the release of his last album titled Lost. Too many guitars on the stage and a half times visible base alongside with a great drummer and Anders in the middle with his deck and keyboards, a very unexpected rock band format probably influenced by their recent tour supporting Depeche Mode. Copenhagen vocalist Marie Fisker seemed to occupy a large part of the act, but undoubtedly a sexy talented part. Everyone including Trentemøller seemed to have equal place and time in the show making Trentemøller a band rather than a lone act which is rather weird, if you consider that Trentemøller is in fact Anders’ last name. You are certain that it wasn’t a good night for Trentemøller, when you pick Even Though You’re With Another Girl as the most memorable moment of the night.
The background setting with light and shape alternations alongside with the dance routine by the girls of the band made it clear that they really wanted the show to go well. However, in terms of getting to the crowd , it was a home victory for “dry ice” smoke effect against a rather awkward performance from Trentemøller.
I had a constant feeling of anxiety, as I was trying to convince myself to enjoy it. It was as if you were on a plane that was speeding on the runway but never took off. It wasn’t until the last twenty minutes of the performance that I decided to stop expecting the night to be better than it actually is and stepped back to enjoy the rest of it. A night of an uncomfortable performance by an otherwise brilliant artist.
D.
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Saw them on Jools and it took me four minutes, as long as this song, to become intrigued by them. An American band from cold and innocent Minnesota is bringing a cool electronic – RnB kind of sound with seductive vocals and sexy presence. Their album is called Shulamith with twelve interesting (strictly describing them) tracks.
Tindersticks – Across Six Leap Years
Across twenty-one musically vibrant years, the band from Nottingham marks their anniversary with the release of their tenth studio album. Across Six Leap Years becomes part of the proud list of albums recorded in Abbey Road Studios by bands as famous as The Beatles or Pink Floyd. The sound of a band can change over twenty years and if these ten songs from the past were first recorded today, this is how they would sound.
The message that this isn’t an attempt to correct old songs is established by the first two tracks. Both Friday Night and and Marseilles Sunshine retain their originality while gaining fresh layers of new sound. Stuart Staples’ baritone voice keeps seductive and sentimental with a new sense of confidence, only a result Abbey Road studio can bring. He has one of those riveting voices that you would find yourself being hooked by its timbre even if he was just reading a shopping list out loud.
The new ending of Sleepy Song with the dithyrambic trumpets, violins and cymbals, is almost like an emotional outburst of the song itself after being trapped for many years in a pre-sleep state. Dying Slowly, originally written as a response to Cobain’s death, seems to lose its former negation of life and becomes, instead, an emotional narrative that tells a story. If You’re Looking For a Way Out brings a new swing and Say Goodbye To The City gains new life with the female vocals.
With two decades of experience, reworking old songs while keeping their essence solid can yield great outcomes. On this occasion, even if the only difference had been the Abbey Road recording, undoubtedly it was worth it. This album is for fans and for fans only.
D.
http://albumstreams.com/s/tindersticks/across-six-leap-years
@LaRouteDuRock, St Malo, France
D.
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My Life in gigs 