The May Birds and Roobic @ Zigfrid von Underbelly

Now I can be predisposed to dislike a band that makes a cover song a prominent part of their set, it comes across as lazy and a waste of a chance to showcase their own skills. However, I wandered into the venue to be greeted by the May Birds performing a brief rendition of Crazy by Gnarls Barklay that was so striking in its tenderness and intricacy that I wrote down the words 're-imagining' and 'spilled forth' like I was the publicity team behind a vomit inducing horror movie remake. What I really meant, at that point, was that it was very good. 
Now, if you were to look at the promotional photographs for this band then you could be forgiven for expecting a relatively morose, miserable performance. They clearly do not like smiling and they would look less out of place digging someone's grave in the moonlight than they do in their stereotypically alternative band picture. When singing, this image is distorted. At points you are definitely witnessing dark moments and a sense that emotion is sometimes hard to express but this is all draped in a thin layer of something akin to bliss. On stage, notes and voices drift between soft and soulful to powerful and grand. When the lead singer takes to guitar, for apparently the first time in public, there is an incredible outpouring of passion.
Songs progress through the odd combination of subtlety and overwhelming elegance. Roberto Cacciapaglia-esque sounds from string and piano sections frame songs expertly, providing the elements that are astounding at times and quietly fundamental at others.
It is very easy to make comparisons to the folk stalwarts of Laura Marling and First Aid Kit here, these guys are all ladies, after all. But there is too strong a hint of refreshing talent to make such simple comments, as the four women combine for moments of phenomenal beauty. There is an undeniable influence of the pop folk that is so abundant these days but even more so are influences and sounds from those that inspired the folk-plosion; Bon Iver, Johnny Flynn and stylings similar to Smoke Fairies noises.

Listen to them on their slightly confusing website... now.

The first thing you notice about Roobic is that you are being confronted by two impressive guitarists and an expert bassist. The notes are cohesive and built on consistent force. Then there are the drums. A steady, contained explosion of beat and progression. Next, the singer. The lyrics clutched in hand denote a level of uncertainty and lack of preparation. Once the singing starts, and it could be down to the sound configuration, but the band's weak link is revealed. A broken voice that is often struggling to be heard above the instruments and without any real union with the music around it. 
Luckily, this does not take much away from the spectacle on show. Each instrument is played, from start to finish, with a confidence that relentlessly drives the material forward. A tumultuous ensemble of influences combine to make each song strong and distinctive. We delve into classic rock, funk, indie and soul to show off extensive talent and flexibility. This is not a band that has found its ultimate direction but it is on funkier tracks garnering sounds from long neglected archives of musical history that even the singer shines as another figure of fun and enjoyment on the eclectic stage. 
In fairness, one of the best facets of this band is the lack of a 'main' guy. Each instrument supplements its surrounding whilst retaining its own idiosyncrasies and avoiding any unnecessary replications. Even the singer, when treated on the same level can be forgiven for short comings. However, when standing in front of a band with no instrument you need to demonstrate your worth as a strong vocalist. The voice should be loud, reasonably flawless and become a fundamental characteristic of the group. Otherwise, you do not need a singer at all. Roobic have the instrumental talent akin to early Yeti Lane work, and sometimes, that is enough. We were, at one point, privileged to hear the vocal talents of their drummer. After that, I would be inclined to advise the band go the way of Scrantonicity.

Finally, there was a guy that played after these two bands. Given that at least two bands cancelled on the night and no one had any idea of the intended order, or who this guy was, I have no name and therefore his review is pretty substandard. He was good, though.

The Quadrilles EP launch with Theo, Olympians and Adults, the Elderly and Children @ The Windmill, Brixton

This Friday I made the inspired choice to venture down to Brixton for a Quadrilles EP launch night and I thought, as I have been absent here since my move to London, I might do a little blog about it. So here comes the words.

A band called Adults, the Elderly and Children began the evening and left me in a slight quandary. First of all, is their name awful or delightful? Secondly, is their music disjointed or similarly delightful. I never quite made up my mind on either counts but I will pause to lament on the unfortunately weak start they made in their first two songs. Cohesion was lacking on various degrees throughout their performance, going from severe to unnoticeable. When it was most evident, it bordered on jarring as their electric guitar heavy arrangement created a disconcerting collection of twangs. Also, their singer was not a strong element. However, follow the above link and you will hear plenty of evidence to the contrary, it simply may not have been his night.
Once the band started to focus on songs from their upcoming album, there was considerable improvement. Very similar to early and mid Maccabees with songs attempting to get to your nostalgic and warm centres. All things considered, this is a band that will need a big change to become different and largely noticeable but there is some interesting potential and an extremely talented guitarist in the short guy with the red t-shirt.

Next came Olympians, the primary reason for my expedition that evening. I have already given them a rave review on this blog before and I do not intend to do anything less here. It was a slightly different performance than those I have seen from this outfit in the past. A decreased body count in terms of instruments at least, and maybe people, I can't remember. Either way, the sound was a different one, ridding themselves of subdued grandness with slow builds and subtle cascades. Instead going for a energetic barnstorm which showcased previously ignored punk roots. Commanding possibly the biggest crowd of the night the audience gave a raptuous response to the Norfolkian(?) artists as they gave a comprehensive lesson in eclectic cohesion. Looking forward to how they perform the next time I happen upon them.

Quadrilles were the focus for the evening, it all being about the release of their new Inuit EP.
One thing that is made certain by these guys is that math rock really isn't going away. Whether this is a good or not is for greater minds than mine to decide. These guys are pretty good at it but at their math rocky peaks had a tendency to sound like a Foals tribute band, which is not something we need. It was the times when they dropped the 'math' from their musical adjectives that they really impressed creating pounding rock noises to excite all those listening.

The round off the evening we had a lovely little set from one man band Theo. There isn't too much I can say about this guy other than he is fucking aces. Like super-duper really. Obviously, by one man band I mean someone playing a variety of instruments, creating loops and layering these different sounds on top of each other rather than a Mary Poppins-esque man with a drum on his back. Having said it though, that would impress me. My actual point is that Theo played a faultless, exhilarating set using loops to a standard not reached by many. The only person I have seen command them so well is Thomas Truax and that is a different kind of music altogether. If you know Fang Island, and you should, then you can imagine some of the sounds and progression that was emanating from the man playing drums and guitar in the midst of the pub crowd. Go and see him play.

The Horrors with Toy and Bo Ningen @ Cardiff Student Union

A strange feeling of nostalgia filled me on Sunday evening as I walked to the Cardiff student union venue where the Horrors would be playing a couple of hours later. This was, probably, the last gig I would see in Cardiff before I depart for the other capital city (London) in the next month. I had my fingers crossed. It needed to be a good one, or it ran the risk of being the experience I associated with Cardiff in its entirety. 

Let me lift the suspense. It was one of the best gigs I have seen this year, and a fitting end. 

Bo Ningen were the first act and continued the theme of under produced loud rock bashing started by my seeing Japandroids on the Thursday. Their relentless energy and volume crashed amongst the gathering crowd. No instrument was wasted - each one sounded like it was playing its own extended epic solo which just happened to be effortlessly co-ordinated with the three other solos going on around it. While you can level the accusation that they sound a little rough around the edges it does not matter at all. When watching a band with their weird dancing, frantic thrashing and aggressive shout-singing and knowing that they are having an impossible amount of fun it is extremely difficult not to join them in that mentality. 

Following Bo Ningen was Toy, a band so perfectly suited to supporting the Horrors it was ridiculous. Happily riding on the wave of excellent live music started by the inaugural act they put together a flawless set and, although they were the worst act of the night, they still played with an exciting and progressive sound that surely won them a few more fans. In my personal opinion it felt like Toy were actually a step up from where the Horrors started out, with a very similar sound which felt a touch more accomplished. But I'll explain that comment further in a moment.

This moment. When the Horrors brought out Strange House in 2007 I did not enjoy one bit of it. My opinion has cooled somewhat but it is still not an album I would struggle to recommend and 5 years ago I could not have seen myself going to, let alone enjoying, a gig by these morose melodiers. I disliked the album so much that I purposefully ignored Primary Colours, their second (my mistake). However, when Skying came out last year it was impossible to ignore. A glorious, transcendent and beautiful record which I was not expecting. In a similar vein, the Horrors graced the stage with a glorious, beautiful, transcendent and spectacular performance that all were so very lucky to behold. They played each song perfectly and spending the second half of the act completely devoted to their last album was a wondrous decision by them. The crowd adored them, arms aloft and feet stepping on feet in reckless abandon. Perhaps the best moment was that bit in Endless Blue where it goes from soft tones and slow teasing of guitar and brass into the attack of guitar strokes which evoke so much of the very best of Brit rock. 

Summary - the Horrors were chuffing incredible. A must see. 

Japandroids with Cadence Weapon @ Clwb Ifor Bach

Back to the Bach for Japandroids on a Thursday night was something I was very much looking forward to. Since Heart Sweats was randomly picked by my iPod a couple of years ago I have been patiently waiting to see this Canadian duo play live. So I did, this is how it went (summary=really well).

Before telling you that you should all go and see the irrepressible Japandroids live, I will approach the subject of the opening act, a young gent by the name of Cadence Weapon. He is a hip hop rap man which was not what I, or a lot of people there, were expecting. Because of this there was a slightly stammered start to proceedings but it is to his credit that by about the third song, people were crowding around and bopping along. And they had good reason to. Despite the early show time and very different sound to the popular headliners, his showing was fantastic.
Exuberance and enthusiasm pulsed from the performance against a back drop of marvellously grand and bouncing beats. I am not going to try and give a comprehensive review of this rap music as, while it is a genre I enjoy immensely, it is not one that I can write about in a massively convincing manner. Saying that, this guy was enjoyable and genuine and regardless of whether he was playing music that was compatible with Japandroids (and, for the record, I think it was) his talent was undeniable.

Oh, before I forget. You should all go and see the irrepressible Japandroids live. The duo from Vancouver perform with all the frantic and unavoidable energy that you would expect if you listen to their music on the metal discs and ethereal computer bits. Stand outs against the flood of contemporary music relying on 100+ elements whirring around in the background, the back-to-basics guitar and drum bashing is awesomely refreshing. With the thrashing sounds blasting through air thick real gig experience that is impossible not to enjoy. AND they played Heart Sweats and it was sodding unbelievable.
Given the hour+ that was allocated to the headlining act and the upcoming album to promote, the density of old songs was a real treat and there was a sense throughout the performance that Japandroids were there simply so that everyone involved could have an immensely good time. Their choice to conduct their pre album tour in the smaller venues was also a good one. The compressed crowd up close to the duo added to the unprofessional and uninhibited sensation that often accompanies their music.
With their second album coming out early next month, there was no escaping a good chunk of new material but this is not something that I could complain about. If anything, the new stuff sounds like it could overshadow the Post-Nothing debut album of three years(ish) ago. All very exciting and formed with a sense of increased maturity without losing any of the recklessness.

Spector with Gabriel Bruce and Violet @ Clwb Ifor Bach

Back to the welsh club it was for me with my first foray into watching live music since a disappointing Mystery Jets gig a month ago. Spector were the headliners with support from a man called Gabriel Bruce and Pixie Geldof's Violet. I did not listen to any of these bands before arriving.

Violet had just started when I arrived, the thin crowd lining the wall in an arc around the performance. Immediately I was hit with the sense I was watching an off shoot of the prevelent Lana Del Ray theme of being slow and 'sultry'. Slow and sultry is not interesting and it isn't intelligent or arresting music. Each song was a ridiculously slow climb to nothing much at all - like a rollercoaster building half way up a slope and then falling backwards in slow motion. A lot of tracks were not bad but they sounded a lot like songs you would find on an album that, although not bringing the album down at all, they do not add anything and you are going to avoid putting them on any of your playlists. With the musical theme very much focused on Ms. Geldof and her attentive lead guitarist, it was no surprise that with the departure of both the bassist and the drummer, the sound of the band suffered a complete absence of change. While understated and ignored instrumentalists are a staple of good music, you are still supposed to be able to tell when they have wandered off on a beer run. 

Then a man called Gabriel Bruce came on, along with two backing singers and a man with a laptop balanced on a keyboard. And after coming on, revealed that the collective was very good. My only real gripe with this act was the way that he was dancing and singing next to the computer made it look startlingly like I do when tidying my room and listening to music. I know they say dance like no one is watching, but still, calm down slightly. Also, the amount of energy he was putting into the performance was leaving him rather out of breath. But energy was one of the key, excellent elements of the performance. In complete contrast to the nothing-happens style of Violet, Mr. Bruce and his merry band put forward a thoroughly entertaining mash up of overwhelmingly 80s sounds with the processing power of a high end Apple Mac. Mentioning the influence of the 80s is key here, it was all over every single sound. From Tears for Fears to Madonna, and from David Bowie (thanks in a big way to Mr. Bruce's voice) to the contemporary mastery of the very 80s melody of Chairlift. It was super fun, both on stage and in the audience and I can heartily recommend seeing him perform live. In case you are going to listen to his stuff on Soundcloud/Tumblr, bear in mind that the live performances come with a lot more energy and enthusiasm - turning soft tracks into dance-y triumphs. 

Now, I had not really heard of Spector at all before this week but on announcing my evening's plans at work I was promptly informed that Radio 1 had taken a liking to the lads, and I do slightly remember the appearance they made on the Sound of 2012 poll. This had me in some considerable dismay. The only radio station I really listen to at all is BBC Radio 6, because it is the one with all the alternative, cool stuff on and, in my opinion, numbers 1-5 have completely sold out. (I don't actually listen to much radio at all and have no idea what I am talking about). With the information that had just been provided to me I was resolute in the conclusion that I would not like this band at all, the populist arseholes. 

Now, this was not the correct attitude to take. They were reasonably spectacular and I applauded (out of genuine pleasure, not awkward obligation). 

It would be foolish, and near impossible, for me to talk about Spector without mentioning the White Lies. Regardless if it is just because I have been distracted by the lead singers voice or if it is actually an astute observation, but they sound remarkably similar. Loud indie rock being the name of the game, this is not a big surprise. I am tempted to say that I think Spector could be better. They are definitely more fun and interesting, not taking anything too seriously and live, pretty engaging. Also, the lead singer proved just how important hilarious stage banter can be in getting a crowd really up for making a proper gig atmosphere. 

In summary, if you are looking for only-very-slightly-formulaic indie rock and roll, I would be hard pushed to find many bands I would recommend seeing live more than this one. Looking forward to the album, as well. 

Sounds quite heavenly - to April from January.

While the majority of people are content with splitting their year into the neat fractions of quarters, halves and twelfths I have decided that each third of the year should be addressed when it comes to the albums that have impressed me these last few months. This is in no way influenced by my laziness but is, instead, a carefully measured decision with the best outcome.

Blunderbuss - Jack White April

Perhaps it is too soon to be writing about this album. It only arrived a few days ago, after all. However, it is worth mentioning, and it didn't come out next month so I really don't have a choice. 

Jack White's first solo album is not something you would not expect. It doesn't disappoint any hype because it is very good although it is not spectacular. We are all so familiar with his work that it would be a devastating decision to produce something that could be considered totally surprisingly because with that familiarity comes a great source of adoration from a great many people. 

It could be asked if it is really a necessary album. Wouldn't we all just like to have more Whites Stripes, Raconteurs or The Dead Weather (maybe not quite for the last one) given the similarity between all these outlets and Blunderbuss. 

Personally, I think that it is necessary. That, and extremely self indulgent. Jack White shows off just how much of a throttle hold his musical influence (genius?) has had on every project he has worked on. The album is a boast, a wielding of a power we all knew was there and a careless disregard for his previous collaborators. And, like I said, it is very good.

Always - Xiu Xiu February
Difficult, painful, erratic, dark and sad are all words that can easily be applied to Xiu Xiu's eighth album.
It is really quite odd, and will take a number of listens to really appreciate - and when you do appreciate it, you are constantly under the impression that you might think it is brilliant simply because of its unfathomability. All in all, it is a pretty standard outing from the consistently bizarre band.
The reward, be it real or not, when you finally get to grips with tracks which alternate between flailing, sobbing and malevolence is worth any amount of hours reaching it. It might be the densest, most satisfying album out there. It also might be a random mix of wretched nothings playing a trick on me.

Port of Morrow - The Shins March
There is not a terrible amount that needs to be said about this album. It is an album by the Shins. If you like the Shins then it is a very good album. If you do not like the Shins, what is wrong with you?
Filled with obscene amounts of fun and childish grandiosity it will not let you down. It is something to be enjoyed with very little thought involved.

Have Some Faith in Magic - Errors January
Haunting and magnificent, the third go by Errors is easily their best attempt at music. Borrowing some of the epic wanderings of M83 and mixing it with their own strangeness they have created an album that will completely suck you in.
Even as one song blends into another and you have lost yourself amongst the ten tracks you will always be aware of a benevolent genius lurking in the pulsing guitars, laptop key pushing and half sung words.

The Lion's Roar - First Aid Kit January
When I first heard this album I have to admit that I did not rate it that high. I thought that it was entering a saturated folk market without offering anything special or original enough to worth considerable praise.
While I would still debate its originality I have revised my position of general thoughts of praise. When I found that I was still going back to it every now and again for sneaky listens I discovered the incredible level of warmth and character that rests in each song. An understated passion is infused in the album and is combined with far too much maturity for its young creators.

Something - Chairlift January
Already mentioned this album on here because I adore it so much. Intelligence and fun are ever so present sometimes disguising a darkness that lurks within the tracks. We should not overlook the fact that the first song is about trying to run someone over in a car.
The whole thing is constructed with a wondrous 80's feel that you cannot escape. A lot of bands trying to do this would create music that sounded tired and copied, but Chairlift have used it to make an album that is refreshing in its premise and execution.

Django Django - Django Django January
If I am going to mention fun, there is no good reason for leaving out the excellent debut album by Django Django.
It arrived amidst a lot of pomp and fervour, and I am definitely not the first person to say it is good. What I am surprised by is that an album which relies so much on catchy, lively and fun music has as much staying power as this one has.
It is not a grower, you will like it a lot the first time you hear it. You will also like it almost as much the twentieth time you hear it. Beyond that, I really couldn't say, sorry.

Ghostory - School of Seven Bells February
School of Seven Bells have now released three very good albums. Therefore it is significant that I consider this album to be their best, by far.
Despite the name, it is strange that it is not nearly as ghostly as some of their previous work, the glorious wishiness of their music has been replaced by a glorious ambition.
The ambition has also arrived with much more accessibility, but not in a way that compromises any integrity or smarts. Each track advances with force and carries grand sweeps and exquisite crescendos that will make you lie on your bed with your eyes closed for the entire 45 minutes.

Plumb - Field Music February
I have a real soft spot for Field Music, so I was probably going to put on this album no matter what. Luckily for me, it really is quite good.
It is not, unfortunately, better, or as good as, Measure. The prospect of it managing that was always quite slim but they have not fallen too far short of what was an incredible third album.
Their forth continues with Field Music's tradition of cramming a seemingly limitless number of influences and sounds like a car crusher into painstakingly simply guitar music. You can hear echoes from Queen and David Bowie with ease, along with more recent input from bands like Of Montreal and Little Dragon. It is a real feat of engineering, but with music.

Animal Joy - Shearwater February
When I read that Animal Joy was coming out, I was pleased. I then continued to read the very same piece that announced the news and discovered that the band had decided to take a different direction than that of their utterly exquisite trio of Palo Santo, Rooks and The Golden Archipelago to pursue a more 'indie' sound. This news troubled me some what but it needn't have. Animal Joy retains the majority of the profound and stunning qualities of Shearwater's best music and adds a flourish of happiness to proceedings.
While the result is incredible, the slight lifting of the dark beauty that was so prevalent in the aforementioned three does make it feel like something is missing. Luckily it is still infused with some darkness so you are not missing much.  

Mystery Jets with P E A C E @ the Gate

After a brief hiatus inspired by real work, travelling the country and a (terrrible) Sound of Guns gig, I returned to Cardiff's live music scene this week to jot down my various words of praise and disdain. On Wednesday I went to the Gate Arts and Community Centre for a much anticipated Mystery Jets gig. It was a mixed blessing but I should start by saying that the venue itself is superb. Gigs take place in the theatre, which is actually a theatre. It's quite large for a Cardiff venue and the atmosphere is fantastic - and you can even sit down!

Onto the music. P E A C E were the lone supporting band that evening, although the amount of time between acts could have easily been filled with another. They started their set sound like 70% (approximately) of the bands I have seen in support this year. Off kilter, kinetic riffs with the sense of copyright infractions of the work of Battles/Foals/Crystal Castles. Pretty standard.
They then changed into rocky night time music with pain. Not emo pain, but loud indie pain.  Reasonably enjoyable with enough interesting and fun bits to see my head bob around a bit. Can't see them expanding greatly but could definitely book them for a sixth form/college party or two. You know, somewhere where everyone knows what its like to be too drunk and miserable. And also likes the Horrors.
The back and forth between indie rock and almost math rock continued for a few songs. High pitched guitar reverb propagating their sound like it does over the desolate wasteland of 2011/12's forgotten support bands. See Soundcloud for examples.
Ending with upcoming singles they sprung into something a lot more enjoyable - and marketable. They revealed more depth and something significantly more upbeat, elements that should be present in the majority of their work. Fingers crossed they latch onto them in reaching new-band-maturity.

After a length pause and time spent queuing in the bar that smelt like a swimming pool (something I quite liked); Mystery Jets arrived. With a new album on the way and having recently suffered the departure of Koi Pond (sorry, Kai Fish) there were no promises of intense familiarity. But still, there were no concessions made and the band stuck firmly with more 'recent' material. By that I mean, Dennis was allowed to continue thinking he could fool them and no one lamented Agnes. Mystery Jets are a band I got the most enjoyment from during my early university years, about half a decade ago (pretty depressed at that realisation), and I would struggle to agree with anyone who said their first album wasn't their best. This is mostly due to a lack of development in their sound, which has its foothold in cockney almost-whimsy and because nothing is more fun than running through campus going "zoo time zoo time zoo time". Hence my disappointment in their refusal to play their really old stuff and while it was pretty fun hearing Show Me The Light, Two Doors Down and Young Love, it wasn't quite the trip down memory lane I was hoping for.
That being said, their new stuff sounded very promising and I will definitely be getting the album on the 30th of this month.