Last Friday Glasshouse Red Spider Mite played their first headline show, promoting their debut single Erstwhile, which came out on 20th March (which you’d have spotted if Instagram showed you our story on release day). Support came Van Zon, who we can’t get enough of these days, and out of towners Plainmoor. If you missed the gig and want to hear more from the band, you can catch them (and Van Zon) at Homegrown festival on Saturday 13th April
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This week Brighton Music Blog favourites Projector hit the road to promote their new album Now When We Talk it’s Violence. There’s a whole bunch of other tour dates (go check their website), but obviously the only one that really matters is their hometown gig, which took place at Green Door Store last night. It was everything you’d hope for and more – the album played through larger and louder than you’d have heard it at home, a mosh pit, band members removing layers of clothing, a Pixies cover, and fantastic support sets from Ideal living and Vincent Vocoder Voice. Go stream the album (or better still, buy it) today
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So, Friday night’s New Faith gig wasn’t the only album launch we went to this weekend. Saturday night Matthew Hodson launched his debut album Detach at the Hope & Ruin. Matthew Hodson has previously graced the blog under his former artist name Bitbin, and his current moniker makes similar bass heavy electronic music. Support on the night came from Johanna Bramli and Knightstown, who Matthew Hodson plays with live, which meant that in essence he was supporting himself. The album is out now on Solitude records. Continue reading
On Friday night we were privileged to be invited to the launch of The New Faith‘s debut album Me On You, held at the Brighthelm Centre. Support on the night came from Whiskey for the Wounded, Other States and Supermarket, and all ticketholders got a couple of free beers thrown in too, from local brewers Bartlebeys. Continue reading
Tomorrow sees the release of Alex Banks‘ debut album on Modeselektor’s Monkeytown label. Illuminate‘s main vocal contributor is Elisabeth Bernholz (aka Gazelle Twin, who is co-credited on All You Can Do, Silent Embrace and A Matter of Time), but the record also features Cate Ferris as well. The album launch party is is a late gig on the 21st June at The Loft, with Ital Tek in support. The record is out on cd or double vinyl and is already available to listen to on Spotify.
At the end of last month, the Nordic Giants played a gig at the Concorde to launch the second part of their Build Seas, Dismantle Suns EP.
The Nordic Giants have long been one of Brighton’s best live bands, with their gothic outfits, stunning visuals and huge huge songs. Since this was a bit more of a special occasion they were aided and abetted by The Shadow Enigma, a collection of musicians who added additional strings, brass and percussion to bolster the band’s already massive sound.
The EP starts with long time live favourite Little Bird. The smooth start with gentle jazzy keyboards and female vocals turns out to be a smokescreen for the Nordic Giants brutality with huge clattering drums kicking in two thirds of the way through. The second track Mechanical Minds also features pianos and big drums, which die down every now and then to reveal old samples warning of a dangerous future. Strangest Tides is a calmer affair, with tender female Scandinavian vocals over something akin to Sigur Ros’ less guitarry work. EP Closer Dark Clouds Mean War is brooding and cinematic, with thick lush strings and simple piano line building up throughout the song, and it’s only in the last seventy seconds of the track that percussion kicks in, the Dark Clouds in the title bringing their promise of a storm.
Both parts of the Build Seas, Dismantle Suns EP are available to buy through the Nordic Giants webshop.
Normally around this time of week we post up our recommendations for the forthcoming weekend’s gigs. This week we’ve picked out just one for your attention, which is also an album launch for a new compilation which features some great Brighton bands.
Hidden Brighton is a new compilation from our friends over at Hidden Trail – the label associated with the Some Of It Is True blog. It’s being launched with a gig on Friday Night at the Palmeira with three of the bands who contributed to the compilation playing live. The Self Help Group, Hella Better Dancer and Ellie Ford will be performing, and the album also features contributions from Kill Moon, The Raving Beauties, The Standard Lamps, The Hundredth Anniversary, tiNhearT, Flash Bang Band, Woodland Blue, Kokopelli and Us Baby Bear Bones. Proceeds from the album will go towards charity Grace Eyre, who support local children with learning difficulties, and all acts have donated their tracks free of charge. Tickets for the gig will be available on the door or in advance from the venue or Resident Records.
Last night Wild Cat Strike played at the Green Door Store to celebrate the launch of their new EP Attentive Blood, and we went along to record the even for posterity and to share a bit of the atmosphere for those who couldn’t make it. The EP is out now via bandcamp through the link below. Support came from equally great Poles Apart and The New Union.
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Last night GAPS rounded off a mini tour to promote their debut 7” with a hometown gig at the Green Door Store.
The first support came from The Hundredth Anniversary, who were more together yet more relaxed than I’ve ever seen them. It’s still shoegaze, of sorts, but the angular drumming and tight rhythm section elevate them above the competition. The second support took things in a completely different direction – Laurie James Ross, better known as Eagles For Hands, played a set of House music using a table full of electronics controlling different channels and vocal samples. Sometimes things went a little bit garage and on some tracks the direction went a little bit deeper, but throughout the whole continuous set the Green Door Store sounded fantastic. Definitely one to watch.
The evening belonged to GAPS though. Their single Keep You / Cascade was released yesterday, and the duo were celebrating with a local gig. Ed was on the left on synths, drum pads and two microphones and Rachel filled the rest of the stage with guitars, more drums and more microphones. Their music has been described as folktronica, which probably fits with what they do on paper but doesn’t truly do justice to their sound. The best known examples of the genre seem to be electronica with a bit of folk added to make things more interesting or vice versa, but what we heard last night was a much more equal union of the two. AA side Cascade, with its long quiet seagull laden intro before the beats kick in, was dropped into the set early on, with flip side Keep You saved until the penultimate track. Discounting the gremlins before the end of the set GAPS played a great gig, making a sound that’s familiar, but unlike anyone else in town.
GAPS single launch gallery (click on the pics to view large):
GAPS – Keep You / Cascade 7” is out now on Sexbeat
GAPS next play live at 234 at the Green Door Store on the weekend of 3rd and 4th August.
Next Monday sees the release of Cousin’s Alternate Tunings for Regular People EP, coming out on Fcking The Night on hand finished fabric sleeved 12″ and download. Cousin’s instrumental math-rock is a lot more accessible and melodic than a lot of other bands in the genre, but that doesn’t come at the expense of big rock hooks. Here’s the video for for the song three on the six track release, Fourth Floor Balcony Fight:
The EP is being launched at the band’s gig at Fitzherberts tonight, where they play alongside Nature Channel, Mystrys and Daskinsey4.
The full tracklisting is as follows:
Brighton Music Blog 