2012

Posted on 11/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

We keep writing about Bleeding Hearts, but then they consistently keep putting on great gigs, and this month was no exception.

Al Chamberlain

First up last night was Al Chamberlain. When I spoke to Bleeding Hearts top dog Chris Davies at the bar before the gig, he described Al as a “professional Northerner, who does a song about trains”, which was certainly true, but doesn’t really tell the half of it. Al reminded me a lot of The Montgolfier Brothers, one of the bands that Alan McGee pinned his hope on with Poptones, his project after the closure of Creation Records. Despite nobody I’ve ever met having heard of them, The Montgolfier Brothers are one of my favourite bands – they make beautiful songs with lyrics about being at the precipice of the end of a relationship which are very well observed and utterly heartbreaking at the same time, and Al’s songs had similar qualities. Perhaps the most famous song about trains is The Locomotion, which doesn’t really sit alongside the acoustic aesthetic of Bleeding Hearts. In Al Chamberlain’s song about trains, tracks and stations become metaphors for components of relationships and by the end everything’s ok, both with the relationship in the song and with any fears about the handling of locomotive based songs.

Ingrid Plum

Monday’s second act was Ingrid Plum. Ingrid sang solo a capella folk songs, unencumbered by other musicians or instruments. Of the four songs she sang three were her own compositions but you wouldn’t know it and could easily have mistaken them for traditional songs hundreds of years old. Her fourth piece was a cover of Chris T-T’s M1 Song, made her own in the same style. It was an electric performance which had the room held in silent captivity hanging on every note. Ingrid has just released an EP – head over to her Facebook page to find out how to get hold of a copy.

The Droplets

It was all change for third band The Droplets, who also featured Al Chamberlain on guitar. The Droplets also live in the past musically, but instead of hundreds of years old folk music they play 70s AOR, covering the likes of Randy Newman and Big Star. Musically it was note perfect, but it was the voice that made it something special.

Steve Elston

Finally, it was the turn of Steve Elston, who had apparently played quite a few of the early Bleeding Hearts nights, before disappearing off their radar. He’s turned up again playing guitar for Das Fenster (who completely coincidentally Ingrid also sings backing vocals for), and has made a return to Bleeding Hearts. If you weren’t looking you could have been forgiven for thinking that there was more than one person on stage, such was the sound emanating from the speakers. I don’t want to throw words like this around lightly, but Steve may possibly be the best guitarist we’ve written about at Brighton Music Blog. His fingers performed feats of technical brilliance, yet the music that was made had a degree of tenderness rarely seen alongside this level of ability. Utterly breathtaking.

Fear of Men / Mosaic

Posted on 10/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

Normally I hold off on writing about things until close to their release date – it always frustrated me reading articles in music magazines about tunes I wouldn’t hear for weeks and weeks. And I figured that it’s better for the bands too – a reminder about their releases close to when they come out might improve their sales a bit, allowing them to make more music for us all to enjoy.

But I’m throwing all that out of the window today, because the new Fear of Men single has just dropped into my inbox, and I want to share it with the world. It got it’s premier earlier today on Pitchfork, and it’s up on Soundcloud for everyone to enjoy. Hot on the heels of Green Sea which came out in May, Mosaic is a bit brighter and airier than it’s predecessor, and is sprinkled with samples over the band’s now trademark guitar pop.

Mosaic is being released on the legendary Too Pure Records and comes out on October 15th on limited blue vinyl. You can pre-order it from Resident here. Fear of Men are having a launch party for the single at the Green Door Store on 20th October, supported by Hundredth Anniversary.

If you’re reading this outside of Brighton, and wishing Fear of Men would come and play near you, you may be in luck – they’re also playing the following dates:

15/09 Southsea Festival, Southsea
18/09 Borderline, London (supporting Best Coast)
30/09 Underground Festival. Gloucester
20/10 Green Door Store, Brighton
21/10 SWN Festival, Cardiff

Woodpecker Wooliams launches The Birdschool of Being Human

Posted on 10/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

It’s a great album. This blog has already said that. And today, Monday, it gets its official release.

But if you were lucky enough to be at St Andrew’s Church in Hove on Saturday night you would have got to hear the whole thing played through in a beautiful setting.

Entering to the buzzing of bees and twittering of birds, the first 50 through the door were offered a small glass of home-made honey mead, made by Gemma Woodpecker herself, a keen beekeeper. And delicious it was.

Opening act Ichi is from Japan and has to be seen, to be believed. Entering stage-left on stilts, which turn out to be part of his musical equipment, he performs a funky witty entrancing set on a series of home-made instruments and objects, including a battered trumpet, kettle drum, balloon and ping pong ball.

The intermission, in-between the intermissions, featured a sword-dance act, where a veiled woman with the longest hair I’ve ever seen danced to the sounds of a saw being played with a bow. It was enchanting.

The headliner then came on, with the unusual addition of a band who proceeded to reproduce the full album in all its odd beauty and electrifying rush. Marcus Hamblett (producer of the album) added some beautiful flourishes on the trumpet and a variety of noises from a desk full of knobs and pedals. The drumming was subtle and inventive, and the occasional addition of Emma Gatrill offered further depth to a sound that filled the whole church hall.

The star of course was Gemma, who was clearly enjoying herself, full of empassioned vocals and smiles. She ended with an unplanned encore, just herself sitting on the steps at the front of the stage playing a lovely acoustic number and charming the audience.

Woodpecker Wooliams

This gig followed a successful London launch the night before and a series of radio appearances. The songs are born of a darker place, but seem joyful and ecstatic in performance. This was a brilliant set, and the album should go far. I recommend you hear it and if you like it, go buy it.

http://store.robotelephant.co.uk/products/502507-woodpecker-wooliams-the-bird-school-of-being-human

http://www.woodpeckerwooliams.com/

Woodpecker Wooliams in St Andrews Church playing an encore on the steps

Photographs are by Jon Southcoasting

King Porter Stomp / Shuffle

Posted on 08/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

A few weeks ago we posted up the video for King Porter Stomp’s new single Shuffle, and last monday the album of the same name hit the shops.

Reading the PR blurb the I got sent with the album I was expecting a ska / reggae record, but Shuffle is much more than that. If anything, it’s more a hip hop record, with a predominantly reggae backing. Or maybe it’s a funk album. Who knows. Screw genres. Let’s just say that it’s a great party album.

A great album leaves you wanting when it ends, and you know what I want? To go to one of King Porter Stomp’s parties.

The band are having a launch party for the album on 15th September at The Old Market, and the album is out now on Comm:UNITY Sounds.

Shrag / Devastating Bones

Posted on 08/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

Shrag release the second single from their album Canines on Monday. Devastating Bones is a lo fi glam rock indie stomp, which we think might have rather rude lyrics. Judge for yourself by watching the video, where they come over all biology text book.

Devastating Bones by Shrag is out on Fortuna Pop on Monday 10th September, on limited 7″, and is backed with a new b-side “Broken Glass & Fingernails”

Metronomy Late Night Tales / Hypnose video

Posted on 06/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

Metronomy have a Late Night Tales compilation out this week. Just above is the trailer video for it, but as with all Late Night Tales compilations, the band have recorded an exclusive cover for their mix. Metronomy have covered a track called Hypnose, which was a single for frenchman Dominique Webb in 1970, written by Jean Michel Jarre. They’ve put out a separate video for the single here:

The full tracklist for the compilation is:

1. OutKast – Prototype
2. Tweet – Drunk
3. SA-RA Creative Partners – Cosmic Ball
4. Chick Corea – El Bozo
5. Dr Octagon – Blue Flowers
6. Lonzo & The World Class Wreckin Cru – Cache Vocal
7. Metronomy – Hypnose (Exclusive Jean Michel Jarre Cover Version)
8. Alessi Brothers – Seabird
9. Autechre – Fold4,Wrap5
10 Mick Karn – Weather The Windmill
11. The Alan Parsons Project – Eye In The Sky
12. Geneva Jacuzzi – Love Caboose
13. Two Lone Swordsmen – You Are…
14. Tonto’s Expanding Head Band – Cybernaut
15. Pete Drake – Forever
16. Appaloosa – The Day (We Fell In Love)
17. Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Complainte Pour Ste Catherine
18. Herman Dune – Winners Lose
19. Cat Power – Werewolf
20. Paul Morley – Lost For Words Pt.4 (Exclusive Spoken Word Piece)

House of Hats at The Brunswick / Cate Ferris at The Neptune

Posted on 03/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

This weekend we went to two gigs which on paper, could have been very similar – Both were in Hove, in pubs, both were folk-based acts, and both featured performers who have recently made recordings with local producer Tim Bidwell. That’s where the similarity ends though.

Saturday night, House of Hats hosted their Harvest Sessions night at the Brunswick. The Harvest Sessions is a monthly affair put on by the band where they invite other people they’ve worked with onto the bill to share them with their audience. This month saw Cordelia Gartside (who’s also recently been produced by Tim Bidwell), Rob Vincent and Conrad Vingoe play with House of Hats.

Cordelia Gartside

I only caught the end of Cordelia’s set, but for someone so young I was impressed at how she held the room enthralled. Sometimes the simplest of setups – just a voice and guitar – can create wonderful things. Next up was Rob Vincent, who was very good, and had a fantastic voice, but isn’t from Brighton, so I’ll move on.

Conrad Vingoe

Conrad Vingoe was next onstage, fresh from playing at the Levellers’ Beautiful Days festival thanks to winning a set through an Acoustic Magazine organised contest. Conrad was playing with a slightly reduced band, since his regular mandolin player was playing with Emily Baker in Shoreham, and was just accompanied by double bass, as well as his own guitar and harmonica playing. It was easy to see that Conrad had the skills to win the set – as well as a quality performance, he was charismatic and friendly between songs too. He’s got an EP out soon, which I’m sure we’ll tell you more about nearer the time.

House of Hats

At the end of the night House of Hats came on, and played a relatively short set for headliners – I guess that’s that’s the price of having four bands on the bill. The band played a number of songs from their debut House of Hats EP, their upcoming Rivers Will Run release and even threw in a Dylan cover. Lead vocals were passed between guitarist Alex and multi-instrumentalist Noddy, and the close harmonies from the whole band sounded very slick indeed. It’s great to see a band who are working so hard and seem to be on track for big things also remembering the people they have worked with along the way.

Cate Ferris

Sunday night we were just around the corner, where Cate Ferris was playing at The Neptune’s regular music night. Cate was last invited to play at the Neptune back in March, and they enjoyed her performance so much that this time they gave her the whole evening to perform in, which she broke up into two forty-five minute sets. Most of this was filled with her newer material which starts off simply but builds up subtly with harmonic vocal loops and sampled drum or keyboard lines complimenting her acoustic guitar. It wasn’t all new tracks though – Cate also dug out old favourites Still Green and Bonnie & Clyde. The gig also marked the first outing of Cate’s new EP – “Deep Breath, Ready, Get Set, Go” is a new four track which isn’t officially out until next Monday, but was available on the night. After a marathon set, the crowd demanded more, so Cate improvised on the spot, building a song just made from harmonies layered over one another and looped – a raw exhilarating end to a fantastic performance.

Becky Becky vs 184

Posted on 02/09/2012 by brightonmusicblog

We don’t have much hip hop on this blog. Perhaps because there isn’t that much hip hop in Brighton. Or perhaps its for the same reason we don’t feature much indie pop or dance music, because so much of it just isn’t to our taste.

But there are exceptions and this is one. A fourfold set of remixes by Brighton boy Peter Mason, lead maestro of electro-pop outfit Becky Becky, whose single The Harder Stuff features the much-loved Woodpecker Wooliams and is a brilliant dose of sexy electro-punk.

Peter Mason is churning out a lot of top quality dance remixes at the moment, having produced an excellent remix of ‘Of course you exist’ for The Pictish Trail earlier this year (available as a free download from Fence Records). He has also produced a great remix of Woodpecker Wooliams ‘Sparrow’ single – out tomorrow, a week ahead of her much anticipated new album (see an earlier post on this blog)t

So, a man much in-demand and on the up. And if you take a listen to these reworkings of tracks from the 184-produced Where’s My Parade? you can hear why. The opening track Superman in particular is a powerful smash, giving full voice to a strong lyrical song.

Check it out on the player and then go over to bandcamp. The EP is available as a name-your-price download. Get this while it’s hot!

words and pictures by Southcoasting

Friday Video roundup with Ingrid Plum, Cordelia Gartside, Astro Physics and The Kingsmiths

Posted on 31/08/2012 by brightonmusicblog

Here’s a few videos that have come our way recently – it’s been barely a week since the last one, but they keep rolling in. There’s some folk from Ingrid Plum, who’s playing at the Bleeding Hearts Club on 10th September and Cordelia who’s supporting House of Hats at the Brunswick tomorrow night, then some Hip Hop from Astro-Physics, and some indie rock from The Kingsmiths, so there’s definitely something for everyone there:

Ingrid Plum / Early

Cordelia Gartside / Fathoms Deep

Astro Physics / Chances

The Kingsmiths / My Best Error

Woodpecker Wooliams / The Bird School Of Being Human

Posted on 29/08/2012 by brightonmusicblog

The Bird School of Being Human is the new album from Woodpecker Williams, out on 10th September on Robot Elephant Records.

The album is both challenging and comforting, bonkers and beautiful. It all starts off innocuous enough, with Gemma Williams (you didn’t think Woodpecker Wooliams was her real name did you?) proving that Brighton can match Joanna Newsome for quirky harpists. The first sign of discontent is at the end of opener Red Kite, where things break down a bit, but Gull brings back the strumming.

But then we have the new single Sparrow, and everything’s changed. The harps have gone. There’s wonky chopped up keyboards, and lots of reverb all across the vocals. Magpie has acoustic guitars and a queasy drone, and by the time we get to Crow (which got picked for the cover cd of this month’s Uncut), things get really messy and distorted. I’m sure I’ve had nightmares which have sounded like this. Which is kind of a compliment – in that to actually capture the creeping fear and paranoia is quite a feat.

Then our palates are cleansed with Dove, as Gemma reminds us that there is beauty in the world. The harps swirl again, but this time recalling some of Bjork’s quieter moments from Vespertine. Finally the record closes with Hummingbird, the album’s triumphant moment. It builds slowly from a choir-like intro, then halfway through things pick up, vocals get looped, latin drums kick off, and the vocals are joined by trumpets and party blowers.

Less than half an hour after we started, the album’s done. You’ll want to listen to on repeat to go through all those emotions again and again, and I can guarantee you won’t hear anything quite like it this year. Sparrow is out as a single next Monday with remixes from Marcus Hamblett, Becky Becky and 182 Productions, and the album launch is at Saint Andrew’s Church on Saturday 8th September. You can pre-order the album from the Robot Elephant Website.