January is always a funny time of year for shows; everyone is still skint following Christmas excess, it's cold - it's easy to see why most will want to just curl up in front of the TV and forget the world outside. Tonight clearly that was the case, with only the dedicated few turning up to see what is a great line-up, and for me my first show of 2012.
It's been a long time since I've been to a show in this venue, just under 3 years by my calculations. Formally known as the Little Civic, it's now reopened under the somewhat questionable name of the Jagged Rock Lounge- but honestly it's great to see a venue I saw many of my favourites at back in the early 2000s reborn. Sadly the posters that lined the walls are gone (removed by previous owners Loose Lucies), but the room looks much bigger for it. My only concerns with the venue were it's stage lights, which seem to act only to blind concert-goers and make it difficult to make out who's on stage. That aside, on with the show.
First up this evening are Bad Apes who I am very fond of, having put them on at the first Distorted Tapes show back in November- and tonight I feel they played a much stronger set than that show. They aren't the easiest band to describe - there are moments when their experimental noise is reminiscent of the great Sonic Youth, whilst at other times elements of krautrock seem to creep in. The Wolverhampton three-piece manage to tick nearly all the boxes for what I think makes a great band: volume, tunes, originality. It's this last attribute that makes them stand out for me, and tonight the band show a different side to themselves with a new track midway through their set. Although currently a post-rockish instrumental, this song is effective in that it gives the listener an opportunity to hear each instrument, each players part, and building it up to a very solid and satisfying chorus. It's this ability that has made Mogwai such an exciting proposition over the last 15 years, and I hope to see this track develop next time I catch the band. Unfortunately, I felt the momentum the band had made during the first half of their set is lost after this point, however they do bring their set to a close with a cover of At the Drive-In's 'Arcarsenal,' which goes down nicely. Bad Apes are certainly ones to watch, and with time could become a formidable live band.
Next on the bill are Cajole Cajole, now just a two-piece with brothers Ryan and Noel Malcolm complimented by a laptop. It's been a couple of years since I last saw Cajole - think last time it was when my old band played with them at The Enterprise in Camden. Anyway, Cajole Cajole Mk. II are a very different band, and whilst I really liked their previous incarnation, their new sound has a lot more depth to it - perhaps due to the additional flourishes that the laptop provides. Stylistically, their sound is reminiscent of early material by The Strokes, but overall vibe is a lot more glacial and sparse - think Movement-era New Order, or The Cure at their most atmospheric. Despite this it would be harsh to say they are 80s revivalists - if anything they have more in common with lo-fi US groups like Cold Cave (circa-Love Comes Close, not their latest full-length) or cult-favourites Blank Dogs, who have taken those post-punk influences and developed them into songs not only relevant, but very now. I spoke with the band afterwards, and Noel gives Ryan a great deal of credit for their current direction, but as far a I'm concerned it's just good to have them back on the scene, especially as what they're doing is so different to other indie bands currently on the local circuit.
Lastly this evening are Lady Fortune, and as any regular readers of Distorted Tapes will be well aware I have a lot of love for these boys. As always, the band are on top form - every time I see them play they seem to be tighter, more powerful in their delivery. Musically, Lady Fortune can deliver the frenetic just as easily as they can the thoughtful, especially in their newer material. New track 'Nylon' (a video of which I posted here) shows Fortune's impressive song writing ability, switching between a pensive first section into the heavier, more aggressive second half. Nick also demonstrates his strength as a lyricist, such as the exemplar "pass me the TV guide/'cus I've found a show that fails to hold the attention of you/and I know you've got remote control of the situation." It's great stuff, and begs to be sung-along. Why these guys have never made the big time is beyond me! Closing their set with 'Car Crash,' this track could easily be my favourite of theirs to-date, with a Pixies-esque, driving riff, and dark lyrics (by Fortune standards). Here's hoping a recorded version of this well emerge soon, because I really want to play it on repeat. Until then I'll keep spinning their current discs, which coincidently are now all available to stream on their bandcamp here.
All in all, a fantastic night, and three examples of local talent in a venue that has launched a thousand bands. Wolverhampton, you've been spoilt.
Neils Children circa 2005: L-R Brandon, James and John. Photo by Andy Wilsher
I still remember the first time. I had gone on a trip to London with my college art class, and had picked up a compilation album somewhere or another. It must have been around 2003 or 2004. Anyway, amongst the throwaway indie on that CD (none of which I can remember), was one gem; a track that was at that time unlike anything I had heard before - full of angst and a rawness that made it stand apart from its contemporaries. That track was 'I Hate Models', and it's been love ever since.
However, what made Neils Children such a fantastic proposition to me, is also what made them difficult for some to comprehend. Perpetually changing, never staying the same, their mix of proto-punk, garage rock, post-punk and psychedelia left many listeners perplexed, indifferent to sounds that challenged, especially considering the cookie-cutter indie that littered the musical landscape of the last decade. Fortunatley for those in the know, Neils Children were never one to pander to the public. The description on their website says it all: 'Peerless, fearless & out-of-synch with the real world for over 13 years.'
Sadly, after releasing 2 compilations, one full length, and numerous highly recommended singles, Neils Children called it a day in late summer 2010, playing one last show at Offset Festival in the lush setting of Hainault Country Park. It was the end of an era, and very few would expect to hear from Neils Children again.
However, never a group to do what we expect, just over a year later Neils Children are back, reuniting the classic line-up from the period 2000-2005 that penned such classics as the aforementioned 'I Hate Models,' début single 'Come Down', and 'Getting Evil in the Playground.' Featuring John Linger on guitars/vocals, James Hair on bass and Brandon Jacobs on drums, Distorted Tapes was given the honour of chatting with the band in their first interview since 2009, and getting the low-down on the reformation, their exhaustive campaign to catalogue their history, and what the future has in store for NC3.
Following your set at Offset 2010, I think most of us thought it would be the last time we ever saw Neils Children, especially as you unveiled new group The Drop Five. Luckily you've proved us wrong, and by the looks of your rehearsal video posted on YouTube, you're a band revitalised! What made you decide to reunite the band?
JL: I think in all honesty the parting of Keith Seymour, our bassist from 2005-2009, knocked me for six. It’s something I didn’t see coming and made me want to put a distance between myself, the band, the songs and what we represented. I started getting heavily into soul music and NC just didn’t feature in that at all. The Drop Five was the antithesis of NC and I wanted to show that I could do something different.
BJ:I think Offset 2010 represented the end of an era, not just for us, but for a lot of people. A majority of our audience that day had been around us, been our friends and fans from the early days when we were still a mod band, so it was our way of saying thanks for sticking with us.
JL: Having worked with Brandon continuously since the split of NC (in the Drop Five and Goodnight and I Wish) we've always talked about how to keep the legacy of Neils Children alive, which started out as idea for an archive project.
BJ: Our initial idea was just to do a release, but then things just started snowballing from there. Playing a show again was never in the original plans, but then we thought that we should play at least one show to promote it, otherwise, it's a bit of an ask expecting your fans to go and buy a product if you are not going to promote it. We never really thought that James would want to play again so we'd never entertained the idea, so i think me and John just assumed that we would have to get a stand in.
JL: In the meantime we got back in touch with James, for the first time properly in 6 or 7 years, and he was keen to be involved in the gig in some way...
JH: Well, I succumbed to peer pressure recently and joined Facebook, having recently discovered technology. I'd fallen out of touch with John & Brandon for several years since leaving London, as you do. John then got in touch with me and suggested maybe doing a show for old times’ sake, which I thought would be rather lovely.
JL: This led to us planning the show as a representation of our time with James, so 2000-2005, and it seemed natural and not forced in any way. That was the catalyst, the genuine excitement that I personally felt about getting in a room with James and Brandon again and making a bit of a racket. Also, musically, there isn’t much around which excites any of us, and that was the initial reason for forming!!
You've been uploading a wealth of material from the vaults on Facebook as part of your 'Visit-Revisited' project - whose idea was it, and why did you decide to chronicle the history of NC in such a way?
JL: It was mine and Brandon’s and as I said, it was something we had in mind for ages, a project that I guess started with ‘Something Perpetual’ which in essence was a rarities and singles compilation we put together for our first Japanese tour. I guess the reason we have always had this plan is because the band was so prolific in writing and recording and it seemed a crime to leave so much good material in the vaults.
BJ: Once you become a recognised band, you have to start releasing records, which means that you have to spend a lot of time promoting just a handful of songs, so a lot of your material (if you have it), ends up getting shelved for future projects, B-Sides, or just never used at all. Singles are picked carefully to do a job, and often, in our case, we would always have about 4 or 5 contenders floating around...and then, by the time you've picked the A-Side and B-Sides, played them up and down the country for 3 months, you are already working on new songs. That's just the way we were, but we never forgot about those songs.
JH: We've all been ransacking our vaults since we've been back in touch, although John's is like the Vatican’s censored materials vault (size wise, obviously...), mine is more Halifax, Rottingdean High Street branch...
As part of this project you'll also be releasing a collection of unreleased songs - will we see any of the scrapped recordings from the 'Pop: Aural' LP surfacing?
JL: I’m not sure... I don’t think any of us were happy with the way ‘Pop: Aural’ came out... It didn’t really sound like us. It was more pop savvy, and whilst the songs were strong, our live performance of them always nailed it more than the recordings. I think we have always been a band who have thrived on spontaneity and the finished recordings lacked a lot of that, which is probably the reason people enjoy stuff like ‘I Hate Models’, ‘Come Down’ etc. That’s how we sounded on stage, and that was where we were at our best.
BJ: ‘Pop: Aural’ in its skeletal form had some great songs and ideas, I prefer the original demos that we did for a lot of those songs, and I'm sure they will surface at some point.
JL: We may put out some alternative recordings of the ‘P:A’ material, and I guess eventually it would be nice to have it out in its entirety but at the moment I still feel too close to the disappointment I felt when I heard it back for the first time.
Is there a particular reason for focusing on the period circa 2004, and can you reveal any details regarding live shows - the date 16/03/2012 features on your webpage, is this a hint?
BJ: Having James back and having the chance to play those songs again is a pretty good reason for me. It would never have worked playing the more recent stuff with James, or playing the older stuff with Keith
JH:Plus it'd be a bit weird for me to start learning Keith's bass lines, surely?
JL: I think it’s natural for us to revisit that period now that James is back in the band. Once again we distanced ourselves from that period after James left, but I think that material is even more relevant now than it was at the time. There was a similar mood in the music industry back then as there is now; shitty pop music, irrelevant noisy music and the occasional (and often overlooked) original and exciting underground band. We sat, and sit, outside of it all and the music from that period clicked with so many other young people who felt exactly how we did. Personally I have come to respect those songs more and since the first rehearsal it was clear we could do them justice. That date is indeed the date of our first show, which will be at an intimate London venue for a friends’ club night. I think we’ll play more shows... it’s going so well at the moment.
BJ: After that show, I think we are happy to let things flow quite naturally, without putting any pressure on ourselves. I'd say it will be a unique opportunity for people to come and see us live, performing the 2004 era material and more. Not to be missed!
At the start of December you released the 'Warehouse Stories E.P' (available here), which shows a different side to Neils Children than we saw on your last LP. Are these records an indication of the direction NC was going prior to splitting in 2010?
JL: Definitely. Before Keith left we were getting into some really interesting areas on stage. Although it didn’t quite hit home with the general public, I thought ‘X.Enc’ was a good album and parts of it worked so well on stage, especially stuff like ‘An Exchange’ and ‘Indifference Is Vital’ which really concentrated on rhythmic patterns and repetition. That gave direction to ‘Front On Backwards’, which was written on our 2009 Japanese tour, just before Keith left. I was so excited about that song, and to combat inertia after Keith left, me, my brother Paul (of Electricity In Our Homes) and Brandon recorded it a month or so afterwards. ‘Are Friends Elected?’ and ‘Sun #2’ were recorded about 3-4 months later and they were quite different, more song based I guess. I’m really pleased of those 3 tracks; if anyone is looking for an example of the bands diversity, it’s all there in those three songs.
What's in store for NC beyond this project? Will we see any new material in 2012, or would that just be wishful thinking on my behalf?!
JL: We’re sort of taking it as it comes really... I’d like the band to play more shows, on the proviso that people want to see us. I don’t want to slog up and down the country trying to convert people any more. I think we've always performed best in smaller venues, where we can interact with the audience more, so I’d like to do a run of small shows throughout the country, and I’d love to go back to Europe and Japan again. As for new material, I guess it’s not impossible, but it would be hard to make new music that sat alongside the earlier period. I think if the rehearsals inspire us enough then there could be, other than that I'm quite happy to get to grips with playing the old stuff again!
BJ: I'm more than happy to see what happens, as John says, if people want to see us, then I don't have a problem with that. If someone wants to release a record, then it would be worth thinking about. I just think that we're not going to start forcing ourselves back into the industry, supporting terrible bands and taking on managers etc.
JH: At the moment, I'm just happy to be doing a few shows. It's so great being back with the chaps again after all these years, something I don't think any of us thought would happen. It still sounds as fresh and exciting as it did way back, although I'm biased obviously! As for new material, who knows? We're just seeing what happens really. No master plan, no timetable, just getting on with it...
And finally, for those readers out there who may have missed you first time round, what would be your top 5 ultimate Neils Children tracks?
John:
Always The Same
For me this is our peak with James in the band. It’s a truly original sound and at the time completely stood apart from every other bands new single
Getting Evil In The Playground
It shows how we perfected the art of having aurally sparse and undistorted sounds yet creating really intense songs. I guess ‘I Hate Models’ represents that too.
I’m Ill
Really it should have been a hit, but we just didn’t have the status. This song is the outcome of 10 or so years of me and Brandon playing together and it’s perfect. It’s a strong bond that created it and I know that I’ll play music with him for the rest of my life, and that’s rare.
Something You Said
This was one of the last songs recorded with James and it shows both our previous style and where we headed to afterwards. It’s psychedelic, noisy and dancey, which is the band’s sound summed up in three words really.
Come Down
This was the single that put us on the map, and without sounding arrogant, it really did sound different to anything else going on at the time. There was a lot of emphasis on this song by the bands management and label at the time and it was proved right as the best choice to introduce us to public.
James:
I Hate Models
Just classic really. Pure snarling hatred, something that too many people lack.
Always The Same
For me this is the best single we released. It really encapsulated the NC sound. Thudding heavy bass, chorusy guitar, bit of snarl, bit of groove...
How Does It Feel Now You're On Your Own?
My personal favourite. Musical violence!
Never Has Living Without Someone Been So Hard
I always liked this one because it showed it wasn't all about distortion and shouting. Plus it showed a bit more of our Sixties influences.
You Didn't Care
I think this is one of the last songs we did before I left. Although didn't they release it with Keith after? We did this one live a few times. I remember years later seeing a video for it and thinking "fuck I'd forgotten about that song, it's amazing! I don't remember being that skinny? Oh it's not me..."
Every year I will speak to at least a handful of people who will say "this year's been pretty poor for music," and each year I have to disagree. Whilst this year has been full of upheaval and uncertainty in politics and world affairs, both at home and abroad, and mainstream music has been dire to say the least, 2011 has smiled kindly on the world of alternative music. Below are thirty albums that I've enjoyed this year, arranged in some form of order. It's not exhaustive (sadly, I can't have heard every record that came out this year) and I'm still debating the order of importance... but what I will say is that these records have helped define and guide me through 2011 in some way. Please drop me a line if you have any comments, or would like to recommend any records you think I would have liked and have missed! - it's always nice to know there's someone out there. Anyway, on with the show...
#1 - Johnny Foreigner – Johnny Foreigner vs Everything (Alcopop)
Although a late contender, I feel that Johnny Foreigner deserve the accolade whole-heartedly. Easily their most comprehensive record to date, their third full-length holds a lot more depth than previous offerings, and as such appears even more personal than normal. Whilst the majority of material doesn't stray too far from the JoFo formula, tracks like ‘200X’ and ‘Supermorning’ show an inventiveness that I don’t think we’ve previously seen. Whilst shunned by the NME, for the fans and the UK underground this record is a triumph, and demonstrates the hard work and dedication of independent thinking. If you haven’t heard this album already, get on it, or at least check out ‘With Who, Who and What I've Got’ and ‘You vs Everything.’
#2 - British Sea Power – Valhalla Dancehall (Rough Trade)
British Sea Power never fail to impress me, and this, their fourth studio album to date, is a prime example of why I love them. Never afraid to be themselves, BSP mix rock, post-punk and post-rock to create a sound which is both distinctive and original. ‘Who’s In Control?” became my soundtrack for the summer riots, but also give ‘Mongk II’ and ‘Observe the Skies’ a spin if you haven’t already. I think they may win the award for best album title of the year too.
#3 - Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (Rock Action)
What sets Mogwai apart from other bands that have jumped on the post-rock bandwagon is that they are always one step ahead of the curve, and this record is testament to that. You would think after more than 10 years on the game, Mogwai's pool of ideas would be running dry, or at least thin, but you only need to hear the crunch of 'Rano Pano,' the driving, bassy riff of 'San Pedro' or the squelching electro of ''George Square Thatcher Death Party' to know that the Scots are far from finished.
#4 - Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness (Wichita)
On first listen to Los Campesinos! latest offering I was a little underwhelmed. Then, I was going into it expecting it to be Romance is Boring Pt.II. Instead, what I was treated to was a sublime grower of a record. Past the instant gratification (ahem) of 'By Your Hand', LC! have produced their most diverse record to date, and one that will split fans opinions. However, with tracks like the superb 'The Black Bird, The Dark Slope', and the stomping 'Baby I Got The Death Rattle,' Los Campesinos! show there is more to them than the tweexcore tag that they used to be lumped in with. Lyrically, it's a dark album, but when the light shines through it's uplifting, life-affirming, and amazing.
#5 - Rival Schools - Pedals (Photo Finish)
I remember hearing 'Used for Glue' for the first time, back when I was in school. United by Fate became a soundtrack for my last year in school and the transition into college. They were good times, and I waited patiently for Rival Schools to make that second album. 10 years in the making, and a reformed Rival Schools finally release their second full-length. Was it worth the wait? You bet it was. Whilst nowhere near as grand as their début, Pedals sparkles with anthemic rock and riffs that the Foo Fighters would give their left hand to have wrote. I could recommend you pretty much anything off of this album, it's such a solid effort, but I'd say 'Big Waves' and 'Eyes Wide Open' may just take the prize for top cuts. If it takes another 10 years for Rival Schools to make another album that's just half as good as this, well, I'll happily wait it out.
#6 - Metronomy - The English Riviera (Because)
And there was me thinking that 2008's Nights Out would be Joseph Mount's high watermark, and then out of nowhere came The English Riviera. Mount and gang produced a record that balances the line between sounding retro and contemporary. Don't ask me how. From the unsettling pop of 'She Wants,' to the retro-tinged seaside-themed keyboard hook of 'The Look'; from start to finish it's an album that washes over you in wave after wave of analogue synths, syncopated guitars and funk-flavoured bass lines, begging you to get lost in the landscapes it conjures up. Just like a fine wine, I think this is a record that will continue to improve with age. A modern classic in waiting.
#7 - Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys (Atlantic)
With their last record Death Cab through everyone a curve ball. Instead of delivering another Plans, they went more experimental. Whilst the results may have made for an interesting listen, ultimately it didn't quite hit the spot for me. Codes and Keys on the other hand fills that empty spot in my heart I reserve for Gibbard. 'You Are A Tourist' is a mighty example of DCfC's song writing capabilities, with a soaring lead reminiscent of Big Country's 'In A Big Country', or the title track 'Codes and Keys' with its plodding piano refrain and beautiful string accompaniment. 'Doors Unlocked and Open' reminds me of R.E.M.'s 'I Remember Nothing' which leads me to conclude that perhaps Death Cab are in fact the last great American rock band? Big claim, but I think given time they will transcend their cult status and deserve the mainstream success they deserve.
#8 - &U&I - Light Bearer (On Dry Land)
&U&I: the true champions of the UK underground. After the untimely demise of Blakfish, few of us would have expected the remaining three Brummies to bounce back so successfully. But here we are, less that 2 years later and &U&I have delivered up their début and silenced all that doubted they had it in them. A whole lot more palatable than Blakfish's LP, Light Bearer is both heavy and instantly accessible. Guitars intertwine around rattling bass, before slapping you into place with some meaty, mathy riffage. 'Talk With Steam' screams sing-a-long with its "push your foot into the floor" refrain, or how about the bass-driven previous single 'Stalk this City'? Favourite cut, and fan favourite 'Belly Full of Fire & A Heart Full Of Blood' also sounds incredible, like Reuben at their angriest circa In Nothing We Trust. Essential listening.
#9 - And So I Watch You From Afar - Gangs (Richter Collective)
For anyone who's been following And So I Watch... over the last few years, you too will probably agree that Gangs is with ease there best material to date. Their self-titled début, while a good album, just didn't quite hit the mark. But Gangs not only hits said mark, it totally obliterates it. It's the album we all knew ASIWYFA had in them. In years to come, we shall look back at Gangs and recognise it as a turning point in post-rock, just as Mogwai's Young Team was back in the late 90s. From the massive opener 'BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION', to the shred-tastic 'Search:Party:Animal,' the Belfast trio show that it is possible to make immense math rock tunes without the need of a singer to carry the melody. This is exemplified superbly on the beautiful '7 Billion People All Alive At Once,' whose waltz-like quality, builds you up and up before breaking into the most heart-achingly amazing chant-along at 2:16. And if this wasn't enough, you get what can only be described by the aural equivalent of fireworks at 4:10. If you aren't moved after hearing that, well, you probably don't have a heart.
#10 - Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra (Flip/Interscope)
A controversial choice? Probably. But then, as anyone who knows me will confirm, I've never been one to pretend I don't still have a soft spot for Fred & Co. Finally LB have gone back to basics and realised no-one buys into a quasi-seriousness (see: Results May Vary) or simply aping political funk-rock that's been done before to better result (see: The Unquestionable Truth Pt. 1). What you get with Gold Cobra is what Limp Bizkit do best: big, dumb rap-metal slabs that make you want to jump around like it's 1999. Wes still writes fantastic guitar riffs, and even throws down some solos which is interesting. Fred's lyrics are laughable ("...often called by my alias, polar bear" comes to mind), but what do you expect? Whilst they don't quite match the dizzying heights of Chocolate Starfish..., there's enough on this disc (maybe a little too much... especially if you picked up the extended edition like me) to make an old school soldier happy.
#11 - Funeral for a Friend - Welcome Home Armageddon (Distiller)
I lost faith in Funeral for a Friend. I loved the first record, but everything after that just seemed to get progressively predictable. I thought I knew what I was in for when I pressed play on my CD player to listen to Welcome Home Armageddon... What I didn't know was that FFaF had taken it back to basics, and possibly have made the best record of their career to date, and one of my most enjoyed records of the year. If you'd told me this time last year I'd be typing that, I'd have told you where to go - but honestly, they sound like a band revitalised. Lead single 'Front Row Seats to the End of the World' is as heavy as anything they've done before, some lovely contrasting melodic/screamed vocals, whilst 'Sixteen' beats many of my previous faves from Casually Dressed hands down - just listen to that lead riff! 'Aftertaste' is equally as tasty, not hard to imagine singing along to this at a show. Whilst there are a couple of ballads that slow down the pace of the album, overall it's hard not to be taken-aback by Funeral's transformation. Welcome home boys, welcome home.
#12 - Thursday - No Devolución (Epitaph)
By now I'm sure you've heard the sad news that Thursday have called it a day. After over 10 years producing some of my favourite records, they decided enough was enough. That's not before leaving us with one final reminder of why Thursday were one of most original and imaginative of the early 2000 emo groups. Whilst many fans seemed to turn up their noses at the direction they took with No Devolución, I see it as the final stage of the band's progressive sound which they have been developing since Full Collapse. Far more ephemeral-sounding, an obvious influence on this record would be The Cure, best exemplified on 'No Answers.' Where Common Existence has seemed an album concerned with the direction of society, this release reads as a much more personal affair, with Rickley's most audible vocals to date. 'Sparks Against the Sun' has a chorus that glimmers with hope, contrasting with the bass-y rumble of the verse. 'Magnets Caught in a Metal Heart' harks back to War All The Time era material, whilst 'A Gun in the First Act' has become one of my favourite Thursday tracks, distinctly Disintegration. 'Stay True' forms a worthy closure to their career: they've come a long way since the naivety of Waiting, and will be sorely missed.
#13 - Young Legionnaire - Crisis Works (Wichita)
This was always going to do well in my list. There are two major facts to consider: the band features Paul Mullen of yourcodenameis:milo, the band features Gordon Moakes of Bloc Party. Whilst heavier than anything Bloc Party, Young Legionnaire are way more accessible than ycni:milo ever were. The result? A formidable debut, crammed full of massive riffs and angsty vocals. Opener 'Twin Victory' is a statement of intent as good as any, whilst 'Numbers' is a huge pop song trying to disguise itself as a angular post-hardcore (or visa-versa, who knows?). I could go through the album track by track and reason why it is such a great record, but that would be redundant. Just listen to lead single 'Chapter, Verse' and you will see why Young Legionnaire are such an exciting prospect for UK rock. They've a new EP out in the new year, and by the sounds of things 2012 will be a big year for Young Legionnaire.
#14 - Dananananaykroyd - There Is A Way (Pizza College)
Another band that called it quits this year, Danan were always a band best enjoyed live, and will be much missed on the UK live circuit. There Is A Way is choc-full of classic Dananananaykroyd. The first side of the LP really demonstrates the bands solid pop appeal, with songs like 'E Numbers,' 'Muscle Memory' and 'Think and Feel.' If anything, it's a much more focused and successful effort that their début, and whilst I'm sad to think that I'll never see them live again, I'm happy in the fact they've left us with two solid albums, a couple of EPs and a smattering of singles.
#15 - Joan of Arc - Life Like (Polyvinyl)
Having only encountered Tim Kinsella in his previous incarnation as Cap'n Jazz, I didn't really know what to expect from Life Like. What I got was reminiscent of his previous project, but far more polished and accomplished. The schizophrenic guitar style still present, however Kinsella's ability to craft a song has come a long way from the somewhat scrappy and childish sounds produced by Cap'n Jazz. Throughout the album, Kinsella's distinctive guitar sound gleams, however highlights for me would be 'Love Life,' whose last 35 seconds are possibly my favourite of the whole record, or the dreamy repetition of 'Night Life Style.' The militaristic drums and call/response vocal of 'After Life' concludes a satisfying album, and one I am sure I will return to again and again in 2012.
#16 - Crash of Rhinos - Distal (Audacious Art Experiment)
#17 - Everyone to the Anderson - The Man Born From Inside Of A Horse (Unlabel)
#18 - Tubelord - Romance (Pink Mist)
#19 - Battles - Gloss Drop (Warp)
#20 - Tellison - The Wages of Fear (Naim Edge)
#21 - Gang of Four - Content (Gronland)
After seeming like forever for this record to land, Gang of Four's latest offering isn't actually that bad. Of course it was never going to match their output from the late 70s, but there are enough interesting moments on here to justify its existence. The sad irony of Content is that despite being one of the pionneering bands of the post-punk era, many of the tracks on this record, only the seventh of their career, end up sounding like Franz Ferdinand or Bloc Party - the very bands they inspired. That said, the dubby downbeat 'A Fruit Fly in the Beehive' and angular pop of 'Who Am I?' show there's still life in Go4. So much for growing old gracefully, long live Gang of Four.
#22 - Taking Back Sunday - Taking Back Sunday (Warner Bros.)
With the news that TBS had reunited with the original line-up that wrote the now classic 'Tell All Your Friends,' I was very interested to see what they would come up with on this, the bands fifth studio album. After being severely disappointed with 2009s New Again, I was nicely surprised that their self-titled is a strong return to form, albeit strolling into Thirty Seconds to Mars territory. Lead single 'El Paso' is easily the bands heaviest track to date, and probably my favourite cut. 'Money (Let It Go)' could have easily appeared on Louder Now, whilst 'It Doesn't Feel A Thing Like Falling' sounds like a live fan favourite from the first listen. Whilst the band will never quite meet the heights they achieved in the early 2000s, TBS have proved that the are still an important and vital link in American mainstream emo-rock.
#23 - Cold Cave - Cherish the Light Years (Matador)
Far more polished than 2009s much loved Love Comes Close EP, and it's for that reason this record didn't reach higher climes in my list. Described by my girlfriend as sounding like a Killers album, there is a lot to be said for Wesley Eisolds' song writing - he sure knows how to write massive, dark synth-pop - as witnessed in tracks like 'Catacombs' and 'Underworld USA.' Where Love Comes Close had shades of early New Order, ...Light Years is the shiny pop of latter-day New Order a la 'Crystal', albeit loaded with gothic, quasi-religious imagery. Bookended by the machine-like precision of 'The Great Pan is Dead' and closer, the beautiful and fragile 'Villains of the Moon,' it makes for an interesting listen, but not as essential as previous material.
#24 - Three Trapped Tigers - Route One Or Die (Blood and Biscuits)
Three Trapped Tigers' Route One... really is something special. Somehow they manage to blend the key elements of Justice and Battles, with a lashing of Liars for good measure, and in the process successfully create a unique sound of their own. Rhythm plays a major part in the band's sound - as they are essentially a rock outfit, they give many electronic outfits a run for their money in the drumming stakes, and in terms of heaviness. Opener 'Cramm' gives a good indication of the albums overall sound, so start there and I'm sure you'll get hooked.
#25 - Funeral Party - The Golden Age of Knowhere (RCA)
Funeral Party's major label début doesn't quite cut it for me. It's a good album, but as with Cold Cave above, it's the production that leaves me with a slight distaste in my mouth. Where their earlier 'Bootleg EP' was raw and a little rough around the edges, the recordings revisited on the full-length are just a little too clean. Early similarities drawn to the likes of At the Drive-In are embraced fully, with production being down to Mar Volta producer Lars Stalfors. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez even guests on 'Car Wars,' playing a pretty mental solo. I like this album, I really want to love it, and maybe with time I will, as their blend of post-hardcore and dance funk fills the void left since The Rapture went boring.
#26 - Brigade - Will Be Will Be (Home Spun)
Sadly, since releasing this record Brigade have thrown in the towel and called it a day, which is a shame as it’s only with this album, the bands third, they’ve come to my attention. Strangely they’ve been overlooked whilst many other bands of their ilk were pushed into the limelight. However, that injustice aside, this album is a great Brit-rock album in the vein of Hundred Reasons, Funeral for a Friend et al. Massive hooks, catchy choruses, had not to fall into this record. I recommend 'Eden' and 'Laughter Lines' as worthy places to start.
#27 - Cut Copy - Zonoscope (Modular)
Standard Cut Copy fare on this, their third full-length. This record sees the Australian group push their sound into far more poppier territory than heard on their last LP, and at more than one point sounding like the 80s distilled. This is probably most explicit on ‘Take Me Over’ which in inarguably influenced by Men at Work’s ‘Land Down Under.’ Just listen, you’ll hear it. These 80s synths and new wave styling aren’t necessarily a bad thing though, if anything Cut Copy have benefited.
#28 - The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar (Canvasback/Atlantic)
After a series of self-released singles and EPs, TJF got around to releasing their debut proper, and it’s not too shabby. Their album conjures up the likes of Sonic Youth, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, and a plethora of post-grunge bands. Full of epic guitars and huge choruses – the fact they could hold their own when they toured with And So I Watch You From Afar earlier this year is testament to their talent.
#29 - Art Brut - Brilliant! Tragic! (Cooking Vinyl)
You could ask why Art Brut are still plying their trade long after the NME have moved onto pastures new. Well, I’ll tell you the reason – it’s because Argos and Co. still know how to write a great tune – ‘Axl Rose’ and ‘Is Dog Eared’ being my picks of the litter.
After how excited I was after hearing last years’ Fun EP, this album had a lot to live up to. Sadly the Philadelphian 3-piece don’t quite match the devil-may-care attitude that the EP had in buckets, and whilst there is no denying some interesting ideas on this here LP, Parrot Flies doesn’t quite do it for me.
With the biting cold outside turning the canal towpath to an icy death-trap, where better to be than deep in the bowels of The Flapper for Off the Cuff’s Xmas Party? Boasting four of the best local acts on one bill for a very festive £4, it was hard not to miss this one. Interestingly, I’ve seen more bands in The Flapper this year than any other venue. I dread to think how many hours I’ve spent stood in that gig room, but I’m trying not to think about it too much for fear I will go and work it out using some form of elaborate spreadsheet...
First up is Birmingham 4-piece Conquistadors, whose blend of angular guitars and chaotic alt rock song structures (which I like to call “The Birmingham Sound”) is the perfect opener to this evening’s show. Having seen Conks a number of times over the past couple of years, I’m impressed at how they keep their sound different and fresh each time. Their set seemed all to brief to me, but they did treat those who turned up early to a very interesting interpretation of Paul McCartney’s Christmas classic ‘Wonderful Christmas Time’, which whilst a little scrappy around the edges was bursting with Christmas cheer and enthusiasm. Here’s wishing the best for Conquistadors for 2012 – they deserve it.
Despite having come across the name countless times before, I’d never actually seen or heard The Cape of Good Hope before. Despite this, I went in with high hopes and I am pleased to report I wasn’t disappointed. Rarely would I say the focal point of a band is their drummer, however this is certainly the case with The Cape The band boasts two drummers, both of whom drive the band along and tease, nay, force you to move your feet. Funky post-hardcore in the vein of Dartz!? Something like that. One blast of 'I Saw Something Dead Floating' or 'I'm A Little Bit Evil' and you'll know what I mean. Highly recommended, and a band I hope to catch live again soon.
Shapes
Next on we have Shapes. One of Birmingham’s more popular exports, I’ve always had trouble getting into them. Considering their pedigree (tours with Glassjaw, releases on Big Scary Monsters), you'd think I'd be totally down with it, but the problem I find with Shapes is that their music lacks real hooks – nothing really pulls me in. I haven’t heard their début LP yet (‘Monotony Chic,’ released earlier this year), but maybe I just haven’t had that eureka moment and until then I won’t get it! In Shapes defence, you can't fault their musicianship – they can play, and can play hard - it's just not for me.
&U&I
&U&I take the crown for being my most seen band of 2011, and also one of my favourite live acts of the year. The band’s impressive work ethic resulted in a cracking debut record – Light Bearer – and tonight, despite a few technical hitches, the songs from that record really shine. 'Belly Full of Fire...' sounds particularly fine this evening. The band appear in quite a reflective mood, dedicating older material from last year's EP to fans who have been there from the start, and I can't think of a better time to do so. These three guys have slogged it out since the untimely demise of Blakfish, and have come back far stronger than many would have imagined. A Christmas show wouldn't be a Christmas show without some crazy Crimbo guitar antics, and atop the bassist from Shapes’ shoulders Thom gives Brian May a run for his money by soloing out 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas'. ‘Chancer’s Paradise’ brings the night to a climatic conclusion, but not before seguing into ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.’ If it means that there are more shows like this then I'll have no choice than to agree.
I want to thank everyone involved with last night's show for making it the most incredible and special thing I've ever witnessed at The Haygate. Big love to Fever Fever, God Damn, Lady Fortune, A Pig Called Eggs, Bad Apes, Rich at The Haygate, Dave, Lucy, and my Dad for being a hero on the door. And not to forget all of you who came down to watch, it really means a lot.
Now, relive the magic, the mayhem, the mosh pit (oh yes!) that was Distorted Tapes presents... Fever Fever in this very special video presentation. Cheers! Graham x
Distorted Tapes is Killing Music podcast: Quality bands, crappy commentary. Tracklisting is as follows: 1// Everyone to the Anderson - 'High Brow, Low Brow, No Eyebrow' 2// God Damn - 'God Damn' 3// Bordeauxxx - 'Every Holiday is a Disaster' 4// Lady Fortune - 'I Feel So Slightly Strange' 5// Bad Apes - 'Speedy Recovery' 6// Fever Fever - 'Butcher's Shop' 7// Them Wolves - 'Max Waechter' 8// Crash of Rhinos - 'Lifewood'
in a decaying warehouse overlooking a canal, three young men have spent the last year meddling with the dark art of pedal boards and cheap lager, honing their art to brutal perfection. God Damn fuse together metal and the blues to create a sonic assault which not only plays homage to the Black Country’s roots as the spiritual home of metal, but has delivered a much needed shot in the arm for the Midlands music scene.
Formed in summer 2010, the Black Country three-piece, comprised of Thomas Edward and Dave Copson on guitars/vocals and Ash Weaver on drums, have already played with a host of the UK undergrounds such as The JCQ, Kong, The Chapman Family and Gay for Johnny Depp. Distorted Tapes was fortunate enough to be invited into the world of God Damn and ask them a few questions, as well as record an exclusive live video (see bottom of page)…
For those who haven’t heard your music yet, could you describe your sound in three words?
D: Turgid? T: Loud? No, that’s really crap. Relentless? D: I don’t know… Octave? Blues…
T: How about Black Country Metal. Black cus it’s gothy, Country because it’s bluesy – we’ve got a harmonica in there…
D: …and you’ve got the double meaning in there too, because we’re from the Black Country.
How did God Damn form? D: Thom and Ash previously played in a band called Your Biggest Fanclub. I’d known Thom for years anyway from when he used to come and watch one of my old bands, and it just got to a point where YBF weren’t doing much and I hadn’t played seriously for a few years and listening to the sort of bands coming out about a year ago, I thought the rock scene was coming back. It’s like the electro, danceable sort of indie had run its course and people were starting to look for something a bit different, and it seems that big heavy guitar sound was coming back.
A: It was more of a side project to begin with, more experimental.
T: We wanted to be brasher and more like Kong really!
D: We threw some ideas down like playing in masks or wearing ridiculous clothes or whatever, we weren’t sure what it was going to sound like. It could have been one minute long mad screaming, but it wasn’t until we started writing songs we realised we had something going on.
T: There’s a way me and Dave write songs anyway when we work together…
D: I don’t think either of us had played in a band with another guitarist before, I’d always been the sole guitarist and so had Thom.
T: When we got together we both had song ideas – it’s not like this band has a frontman. I know we did a video and it seemed like I was more the frontman because the camera was on me first but Ash drums like he’s a frontman, it’s what I’ve always liked about Ash’s drumming. I’d like to think that there’s not one person in the band you wouldn’t want to watch as they’ve all got a big part to play.
D: Our eventual aim is to have Ash as forward as us – just leave a little room for us to move across the stage!
Was it quite early on you decided to not draft in a bassist?
T: A bass player would have just been a spare part, and if we had a bass in there it would have ruined the sounds that we were creating.
D: We never said straight off we’re not going to have a bassist. I used to do the octave pedal thing in a two-piece band so it was quite natural that we needed some low-end but we left it open – if we need to get one, we’ll get one – but from about the third or fourth practice we were thinking we didn’t really need to.
T: There wasn’t any thinking of it as a gimmick, it’s just the way we write songs.
D: No, it’s not like we’re all ‘Hey, we haven’t got a bass player’, but then it’s not that much of a unique thing. We are more likely to get in a Hammond organ, more analogue sounding stuff, perhaps some rickety old piano sounds.
T: But I think we’ll only do that when we’ve run out of ideas, and we haven’t run out yet, we’ve kinda got too many ideas and that’s why we decided to get an album’s worth of material down because there will become a point where we stop playing them and we don’t want to forget them.
So what was the plan with the albums worth of tracks you’ve recorded so far?
T: We’re still waiting for some of the songs to be mixed, but we thought about releasing it as an album for free, but we’re not really sure what to do with it at the moment.
D: There’s nothing set in stone…
T: …but we all agree we want as many people to hear it as possible.
D: You probably won’t find it on iTunes, we’d much rather give out a load of CDs with 3 or 4 tracks on at shows than sell it and sell 2 or 3 copies at the very most.
A: It’s cool to gain interest that way.
I suppose because you’re writing new material at quite a pace, by the time you’ll have a product to put out a lot of those recordings are older songs, so this way you are giving fans the opportunity to keep up with you…
T: I don’t think we would hesitate to play any of our older songs in our set, but we do try and keep quite fresh and maybe if we had played those songs all the time we would have tired of them.
D: We’ve tried to intentionally to make each song a little bit different, perhaps poppier or heavier.
You recently posted a track called ‘Half Soaked Shuffle’ and I certainly felt that compared to previous material it was much more poppy, perhaps not in the traditional sense, but in accessibility. What were your aims with that track?
T: I actually think it’s more heavily produced than any of the others, and sounds much heavier but it’s the fact that it is a shuffle and the chords are the same all the way through. I wrote that song and it is like something I could have done in another band, but it works in this one and it’s still a God Damn song – I think it shows a different side to us.
D: We’ve got another recording on the way, a re-recording of ‘Harmonica Song’ from way back, but done entirely acoustic. Ash did some nice percussion and obviously we had the harmonica so hopefully that will sit quite nicely with the rest of the recordings.
It’s interesting that you’ve done that, as I feel that because of that bluesy, rock ‘n’ roll vibe a lot of your songs have you have the freedom to strip them right back and they’ll still work…
T: Live, we are unlikely to pull out the bongos, but y’know what, if we did a big headline set we’d have a fucking choir and stuff like that, chellos and things. It’s a conscious thing and an unconscious thing – we write songs but they all end up being different anyway. Well, it might be conscious that we think maybe we need a particular sounding song in the set but we won’t forcefully write a song.
D: I tend to look at things in the way of what do we need as opposed to throwing a load of random ideas out there. The song ‘Way Down’ was the product of us thinking we needed a song with a straight up, stomping sort of beat, to balance out our more down-tempo songs like ‘Wigger’, it’s more of a kinda way of thinking about it in the context of what we’ve got and what else do we need.
T: We end up having so many ideas that we can pick stuff like that. Me and Dave tend to write pretty quickly and go through spates of each of us writing, the other taking over when the other hits a dry patch, but we have had times when we’ve both had loads of ideas and we mix these ideas for songs together.
One thing that separates God Damn from a lot of other bands out there at the moment is that you are quite creative when it comes to making videos. Why did you decide to take this homemade approach to making your own music videos and do you think it has made your music more accessible to potential fans?
T: It was really just something we decided to do with our spare time. Some people don’t appreciate the DIY vibe, some people really like it. Personally, I’m really into the audio-visual element they bring to our music.
D: It’s nice to have something to look at, even if it’s not the band and just images the band have picked.
T: You kinda get a jist of the band. We want to keep it real – there’s a danger with this band that we could get branded as a sleazey rock ‘n’ roll band but if anything we’re Black Country hillbillies!
D: The surprising thing I’ve noticed from our videos is when Thom did the Bullseye video for ‘Way Down’ the amount of people who said “that new song you’ve got is class,” but that track had been on our SoundCloud for months, and it’s only down to the video that they’ve got around to hearing it.
T: People have such short attention spans, take for example the intro to ‘Half Soaked Shuffle’ – I think some people listening to the first few bars may be completely put off as it’s quite proggy, but then it turns into a pop song – people give it a few seconds and then move on, and we do live in that kind of world where people have a short attention span when it comes to music.
D: It’s because there’s just so much music out there – it’s not that people are less interested there’s just so much music! Gone are the days of reading about a band and it would be months before you actually heard them, trying to listen to a song over a dial-up internet connection, and then going and buying the CD as a result of hearing that one song.
T: And then you would read everything you could about that band. Maybe it’s something about being younger, but I remember I would buy a CD and read all the liner notes, all the credits…
A: …and that’s what has changed – there’s so much accessible music it’s not special anymore.
Considering the short amount of time you’ve been together, in the space of a year you have already managed to rack up an impressive list of bands you have played with. What’s been your favourite show you’ve played to date?
T: We needed that year to find our sound, iron out certain things live. We could have pushed it and really fell on our faces, but we’ve taken the time to sculpt our sound and I feel we are now ready to get out there, but back to the question…
D: I think it might be quite personal to each of us, but I think mine was The Haygate (Telford) gig with Fever Fever , it was so good.
T: We didn’t have any expectations for it, and it was just really good. We hadn’t practiced for 3 weeks.
A: I had been on holiday and I literally got back and played the gig, so it was very raw.
T: I think we had a lot of extra energy too, because when you haven’t practiced you’re a lot more alert.
A: Mine is probably the Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton about 4 or 5 months ago, we were just on it.
D: That Slade Rooms gig was really good because I think that was the point where we realised we should start pushing ourselves. We’d done a few gigs that were good, and one or two that hadn’t gone so well, but I remember after that show saying to Ash that we had hit it on the head that night.
T: I’m going to say the show we did at Wolves Art Gallery as part of the Home of Metal exhibition. There were about 250 people through the door that night, and because of the dynamics of the room we were really loud. I got a bit drunk on the free booze, but we played two sets – one with the poppier, bluesy songs, and then another with the more hardcore ones.
A: We had a good gig in Stoke, and the Firefly in Worcester…
T: Ah, shit yeah! I’m going to change and say the Firefly show, good vibes, and good people. I love it when you can actually see people nodding their heads and really digging it. I always worry that I’m really fucking deluded; is this just music? Am I embarrassing myself? But when you see people enjoying themselves it’s great. They’re enjoying themselves, I’m enjoying myself and you think you’re the dog’s bollocks!
Have you got any recommendations for bands Distorted Tapes readers should be checking out?
T: There’s a Wolverhampton band called Greaseater.
D: They are really bloody good. We put them on a couple of weeks back with A Pig Called Eggs, and they are the best thing I’ve seen from Wolverhampton.
T: I think they’ve just really found their sound, but they’re so fucking crisp. I thought they were going to be sloppy or scuzzy sounding but they were just savage, it was like Jesus Lizard… they were as heavy as Blacklisters but they just didn’t look it! Next one…
All: Blacklisters!
T: The Midnight Lycan Party, they’ve got some really great songs. They’re from Stoke and have a horror punk vibe. Fever Fever are really nice too, can’t not mention them.
D: Bad Apes are getting quite good now. They’re only like 19, and at first they were instrumental, still quite heavy but more post-rock, but they’ve developed this trashy rock sound and put some vocals in there.
T: The nice thing about being in this band that I’ve never experienced before is that people are saying they want to be in band like ours. I think locally we’ve made it okay to play this kind of music.
D: With bands we’ve played with, we’ll play with them again a few months later and they’ll have added a few extra little riffs in there. Lady Fortune have got heavier, as have Façade – considering they were like Fleetwood Mac it seems Sinead (Duffy, vocalist of Façade) has had her way with them and they’re much heavier.
T: Who else?
A: &U&I, but I don’t think they’d ever recommend us…
T: You can put that in the interview, because they won’t read it!
A: And my favourite band of the moment, Brontide, they’re decent lads, and an amazing band.
D: For anyone who’s younger and only got into heavier music recently, I’d recommend bands like Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Modey Lemon, Death From Above 1979…
T: …Kyuss, Mclusky, all the bands we started out listening to back in the early noughties.
So what does the rest of 2011 hold for God Damn?
T: We won’t be saying no to any gigs, and I’d like to tour at some point.
D: Just get all our songs out there. I don’t know if we’re going to give the whole lot away, or if we’ll release it as an album, we need to sit down and think on that.
T: It would be nice to get some more good support slots, get some dates together and get to play other parts of the country like Leeds, Manchester, Brighton, just play to more people and hopefully win them over. That’s what any band would want, right?
Watch an exclusive live version of 'Will You Be My Friend' recorded for Distorted Tapes below. For more information, like God Damn on Facebook.
