Despite a singular lack of popular acclaim and, literally, no fan-based polls calling for them to reform the ‘classic’ line up, Rebel, Kicker and Chorizo (get that on a T-shirt right now, kids) have been back in the studio in order to share their eclectic musical world with you, the listener.
where the magic happens
In the latest show, the wizards shed light on celebrity football fans, teatime television viewing habits in South America, and reggae legends dealing with unhelpful crew members. There are quick fire quizzes, some terrible jokes and debates about unnecessary physical expressions of joy.
Your starter for 10. Am I Leeds, Bolton or QPR? Come on, come on..
not a fan of Colombian Afrobeat then?
They also play a load of really neat songs that you simply need to hear. Luckily for you, you can do just that by downloading or streaming the whole shebang right here or if you prefer, hit play on this:
As always send your comments and complaints to us through the usual sources.
We’ve got another pair of great videos for you this week. If you get in touch telling us what the connection between the 2 videos is, then you too could have your name up in lights in the Trust the Wizards Hall of Fame.
Cork legend, Cathal Coughlan, is one of Ireland’s great alternative heroes. Since the 80s, he has consistently been making interesting and challenging records very much like an anti-Bono. After the pop sounds of Microdisney and the sonic attack of Fatima Mansions, he has latterly been releasing sporadic solo albums, mostly with a fairly minimal backing, but always remaining seemingly unable or, perhaps, unwilling to keep his record company happy with a commercially successful sound.
tell us another one, go on, go on, go on…
I bought this record, Coughlan’s third solo album, for Chorizo as much because in my mind the artist is the flipside* to one of his favourites, the Manic Street Preachers, as because I thought he would enjoy it.
[*The Fatima Mansions wonderful mangling of the dread Bryan Adams’ ‘Everything I Do’ being the b-side to the Manic’s hit cover of ‘Suicide Is Painless’.]
Of all Coughlan’s solo records (there have been 5 to date released under his own name) The Sky’s Awful Blue is the one I know best. I remember buying it in the tiny record shop in Manchester airport when flying out to St Petersburg (Russia not Florida) in January 2003 and the beyond bleak album cover seemed appropriate as I was leaving my family to return to a seemingly black and white world and temperatures of down to minus 30 degrees Centigrade. I loved the album title too with its mixed message of the word ‘awful’. Did it mean terrible or just ‘very’ (as in the Irish vernacular)?
The lyrics are just outstanding and I know Chorizo will appreciate lines like “Old Kentish men in stetson hats avenge their deaths in tiny acts” and “Say good bye to beauty, ruin, rainbows, springtime, credit, blackmail, open kisses, drugs and sorrow, despair, wonder, ivy-covered frozen graveyards and the slowly-waning sun.” Fabulous, miserable stuff. I also love the namecheck for Oum Kalthoum. You don’t get very many of them to the pound.
another happy-clappy cover there, Cathal
I also think the instrumentation will be right up Chorizo’s street with cellos and strange percussion littered amongst an occasionally jazzy feel. Coughlan is often compared to both Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave as a lyricist and singer (both artists I know are on Garbanzo’s list of favourites – well, certainly the latter is), but to me he is most reminiscent of a favourite of mine, Scott Walker. Like Walker’s most recent output, The Sky’s Awful Blue is never easy listening, but is always compelling and ultimately highly satisfying.
I was really surprised that this album was available for only 1p so jumped at it. I hope Chorizo enjoys it as much as I still do more than 10 years after first hearing it.
The verdict
Never heard any Cathal Coughlan solo stuff although I already owned a few Fatima Mansions CD / vinyl singles, “1000%”, “Evil Man”, “Blues for Ceacescu” and my favourite one “You’re a Rose” (which I have on numbered 12″, calm down Kicker!) All of those are quite heavy rock songs which is probably the thing that stopped me from getting more into the band. One of the reasons I like “You’re a Rose” is because it sounds quite a bit like The The, a band who are generally disliked by critics (and I suspect by the other 2 wizards).
I also had a Fatima Mansions album called Valhalla Avenue on tape, but I never listened to it much. I have a CD of theirs called Bertie’s Brochures which isn’t that good, despite a great cover of Richard Thompson’s “The Great Valerio” and a terrible cover of R.E.M.’s “Shiny Happy People.” (I think they were taking the piss with that one)
This album, and in particular the vocals, reminded me of Scott Walker and Leonard Cohen, as Kicker mentioned, but most of all Julian Cope. There’s also a distinct sulphuric whiff of “Tender Prey / Henry’s Dream” era Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, possibly because of the use of archaic language (e.g. “scriveners” “reivers” “Sunday suits”) which makes it difficult to tell exactly when these songs are set.
“The Influence: Leonard Cohen consoles Nick Cave” by Ben Smith
Another song, the sinister “You Turned Me” starts off sounding like theme from a tense murder mystery. But then chorus comes in and it becomes something altogether sweeter. Coughlan’s vocals really get going towards the end of the song where he’s singing in a much higher voice. (Hints of another Wizards favourite Kevin Rowland?) I would’ve liked to have heard more singing like that on the album to liven it up a bit and give the sound a bit more variety.
Some other songs reminded me of the lyrical mastermind and noted pervert Momus. One of my favourite songs “Amused as Hell”, one of the few up tempo songs on the album, has definite echoes of 1980s L.Cohen “I’m Your Man” here. Not quite sure what the lyrics are about, some kind of critique of the advertising or fashion world I think. Lyrical highlights include “tonight there is a party for a perfume called Despair” and “there’s been a revolution in women’s underwear”
don’t you know, we’re talkin bout a revolution
There are echoes of another of my musical heroes, Elvis Costello, as well, partly in the vocals, definitely in the songwriting and lyrics like the ones above, but mostly in the arrangements. Many of these songs would fit in very snugly on 90s albums like “Painted from Memory” & “All this Useless Beauty.”
The penultimate track is the busy, wordy “Drunken Hangman” (more archaic imagery there) and it starts off with a repeated piano figure and a cyclical vocal melody that drags you in and makes you feel trapped! The song really comes to life in the chorus and it ends with some marvellously discordant and very badly played thrashing about on electric guitar by CC himself (credited on the sleeve as “mistreated guitar”). This would’ve made a brilliant album closer, especially because the last track’s not all that good.
But talking of sleeve credits, the other musicians deserve a big mention. Coughlan definitely hasn’t gone down the guitar/bass/drums route here and it’s great to hear a wide range of instruments. All manner of woodwind, string & percussion instruments turn up here and there adding hugely to my enjoyment of the music and changing my verdict on the album from “kind of alright, but a little bit boring” to “actually really good”
Danny Manners on bass
One of the stars of the show is the bassman who it says here is called Danny Manners. Playing a double bass, it adds a bit of swing and a bit of mystery to proceedings as well as harking back to Danny Thompson’s wonderful playing on albums by Richard Thompson, David Sylvian, Billy Bragg, Talk Talk and especially Nick Drake.
Standout Track:
Hopefully you’ll be able to hear many of these things I’ve mentioned on my favourite track on the album, which is called “Goodbye Sadness”. Julian Cope-a-like vocals! Great double bass! It certainly starts off like a late 90s Costello ballad and it’s even got a little bit of a Kevin Rowland-ism in there. (Listen out for it on the word “digital” when he sings “computer graphics and digital bluff”.)
Big thanks to my fellow wizard Kicker for sending me this.
One of Kicker’s many obsessions is grammar and all that people talking proper stuff like what that Lynne Truss bird is well into and that. He must of not never noticed the lyric here that goes “he spoke of the need for more layoffs as golf pals suggested he do.” Is that right or should it be “did”? And what about that question mark in that last sentence, should that have gone inside the speech marks?
Whatever. It’s well worth 1p + P&P of anyone’s money so buy it here.
Another week, another couple of post-punk classics, but what have the one hit wonders Martha & The Muffins and Manchester’s finest New Order got that links them?
If you know, let us know and if you don’t, er, don’t.
* This link was brought to you by the mind of Texas Paul and the letter F.
The full discussion can be heard on this podcast, but here are the details of my swap with Rebel.
The Snitches – Star Witness
Bought by Rebel for Kicker
Bought because…
In discussing this month’s selection for the 1p Album Club, I was roundly criticised for my last selection for going too mainstream. To be fair, the album did contain 4 chart singles, and the idea that the received would not have heard of, and formed an opinion of, Crowded House was, in hindsight, extremely naive. Although Adam was very respectful, and might I suggest very British, in his response, here is the review he wanted to write:
“It arrived and Jesus, no, it’s fucking Crowded House. I HATE CROWDED HOUSE AS DO ALL OF MY REAL FRIENDS!!! The wife shouted “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN, THEY HAVE INFILTRATED THE HOUSE! QUICK FUMIGATE FUMIGATE!” I explained to her I was contractually obliged to listen to it 3 times and she made me leave the house immediately, with headphones, and 5 hours later, the deed was done and the CD was safely in the incinerator. My face is still contorted and I look like I am licking piss off a nettle, but I am sure it will return to normal with time.”
what is this shit?
So, after this experience, I decided to pay more attention to the spirit of the 1p Album Club and really try to buy something that I thought the person might like while obeying my principle that it should be something they have not heard before. However, now I was buying for Kicker O’ Elves and, as far as I can tell, he has every record, CD and, probably, tape that has ever been released. This was going to be difficult. And indeed it proved to be. I alighted on a Santigold album that I had enjoyed a few years ago and then recalled that I had included this in a mix for him, and he may have even alerted me to this artist. Then I found The Snitches and read a review that mentioned Kicker’s number one favourite artist. It seemed to be a no-brainer. Before I knew where I was, I had sent the album.
daft beards too – these boys are right up Kicker’s street
Looking back at the review I now realise it said:
“The blues might also break The Snitches of their abstract poetry habit, which at one point sent me to the liner notes to make sure these guys are not Quebecois. Lines like “This must be cool/ I can pretend that we are one and that we laugh,” and “Slut Shark oozes wax across the dance floor” scan like lobotomized Robert Pollard prose translated to French and back.”
Now, you may have noticed that this review could be more positive, but read on and you will get to the line “The Snitches make genuinely, honestly shitty music.”
Oh dear. This might not end well.
Anyway the deed is done and let’s see if Kicker likes ‘Genuinely Shitty Music’ * nervous grin *
The verdict
There were three things I noted before actually listening to this album:
This is a band I have never heard of.
The cover has a communist star behind silhouetted members of the band in suitable rock poses and is therefore ace.
The band appear to be Canadian.
all looking good so far
With all that in mind, I quickly burnt the CD to get it onto my iPod to listen to ‘on the move’. Interestingly, or perhaps not, another pre-listening fact emerged. My computer read the disc as being by a band called Migala* and not The Snitches. What could all this mean?
Well, on first listen, it seemed to mean that this was a band who had heard plenty of power pop and perhaps too much Ween. There seemed to be enough here to make listening the requisite number of times not too unpleasant (a good album length here of just 38 minutes), but only really one track (Right Before My Eyes) made me think it could be a winner.
So, after 6 good listens, here’s a rundown of the whole album:
December 21 – the opening track starts with a pretty neat riff and tumbling drums and, frankly, silly vocals. No bad thing. Whoah-oh-oah-oah!
Pinkie Standing – builds on the opener with a better riff played twice as quickly and adds bubbly keyboards. Less silly vocals too despite seemingly singing about sticky-out little fingers. Possibly. Top watery solo too. Nice.
Right Before My Eyes – still the best song with its anthemic chorus and Gatling Gun type vocals. This really reminds me of early Cheap Trick and this is very much a good thing. It seems to have some form of revolutionary zeal about it too.
Willie – extra whooshy noises at the start is a winner, but the song slows down and I lose interest pretty quickly.
In My Head – the vocals are a bit annoying on this one – I guess they were going for quirky, but there’s a thin line that has been crossed here. Still it’s all over pretty quickly and on to the next one…
Perfect Gentleman – seagull sound effects! Is this a reggae lilt I detect? It is! Oh dear.
Wednesdays On My Mind – another slowie that starts dull and gets more boring.
Gets Me Down – a promising riff opens this one, but it goes into a sub-Santana shuffle with strange whispery vocals. This is now getting me down.
Sugar Mommy – there is a very pleasant squeaky guitar noise on this track that raises it above the humdrum, but the trite lyrics pull it back down. It’s been a while since I liked a track on this album…
Crazy Talking Girl – oh shit, another slowie and this time it’s very slow. Like Pixies on mogadon, but not as good as that sounds.
Swallow – this is a bit better – the vocals are rawer and more interesting and we get a riff that keeps my interest despite a noticeable lack of pace. Play this one twice as fast, boys, and you’d have a winner.
Slut Shark – hooray, a quicker one to finish and this one had me thinking of one hit wonders, The Knack. It also had me pining for the opening trio of songs on this album.
So there we have it. The Snitches – Star Witness would make an excellent 3-track, and pretty good 5-track, EP for anyone who likes Cheap Trick and/or Aussie n’er-do-wells, The Vines. The whole album though, slumps horribly in the middle for me despite the rather touching lack of pretention throughout.
*Migala – a Spanish post-rock outfit on Sub Pop apparently. No, me neither.
Following on the success of the wizards’ debut 1p Album Club swaps, it was inevitable that for their second round they would be asked to do one. Very much on their own.
pardon?
Encouraged, ahem, by Liam 1p Album Club (to give him his full name) to embrace the true ethos of the club by swapping with friends whose taste in music is well known (and by implication not with any other poor saps), we decided to find a 1p album for each other.
This time round Kicker would buy for Chorizo, Rebel would buy for Kicker, and Chorizo would buy for Rebel. What could possibly go wrong?
Join the the wizards as they once again gather to peruse their rag bag of musical ephemera.
what the fuck is in that?
This time they discuss the influence of onomatopoeic guitar sounds, just how strong that Chuck Norris is, and the real meaning behind Argentinian trance.
They also demand to know which birdsong features on one of their chosen tracks, take on a dangerous Google mission, and try to find a song by The Fall to win over a Fall sceptic.
is there an acceptable face to the fall?
You can hear all this plus a whole lot more by downloading the podcast right here.
We’ve got 2 more videos for you this week. What could possibly connect loveable moley Karl with king of the surf guitar Dick? Contact us if you know and remember to show your working out.
The Psychedelic movement in Liverpool just seems to keep on growing. Hot on the heels of the announcement that the Swedish mask-wearing nutjobs, Goat, are going to headline this year’s Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia, I find myself, in the company of Texas Paul, in the centre of town preparing to witness four of the finest young psych bands these shores have to offer (so it says here).
Things get off to an unexpectedly early start as Paul and I are made aware, halfway through our first pints, that the first band are not only already on, but are seemingly nearly done. A rush downstairs from the convivial drinking groundfloor level of The Shipping Forecast takes us into the dingy, scuzzy basement with the lowest roof in a venue I have come across since seeing at least one member of Black Star Liner accidently punch a hole in the ceiling at Manchester’s Roadhouse. Perfect for tonight’s offerings.
mind yer head
The opening band, Strange Collective, for it is they, are midway through a surf guitar infused jam as we walk in, which clearly bodes well. Unfortunately, their next song is their last, but they make the most of it with a tremendous, mostly single-note, thrash with suitably echoey vocals and the ever-present Hawkwind type whoosing noises that confirm we are in Space Rock territory. Nice wooly hats too, boys. Sorry to have missed most of your set.
As much of the audience leave between bands, suggesting shipped in family members and friends, Tex and I are left to do battle with the ear-splitting PA playing, what he assures me, is Bauhaus, and watch the next lot set up. While waiting, we discuss the bands on show and it quickly becomes clear that neither of us can remember the names of the first two bands on tonight despite having just read the flyer. We decide this reflects poorly on their choice of name rather than poorly on our mental capabilities and note useful suggestions for band names such as Emergency Exit and Staff Only that would be reinforced by our current surroundings.
a so far unnamed band
We are jolted out of this little reverie by the announcement from the stage that “We are The La’s. A bold move to be sure here in Liverpool, especially when they clearly aren’t, and one that immediately makes me like The Wild Eyes (from North Wales, we find out later) a lot. I like them even more when it turns out their sound is an unlikely fusion of Dr Feelgood, The Fall and Liverpool’s own, Clinic. The lad on lead vocals prowls the stage magnificently and cuts a deranged figure who just has to exorcise his demons right in front of us. It is fantastically thrilling stuff. As their set continues, a highly repetitive bleepy noise eminates from the seated keyboardist (to be fair, actually from his keyboard) and the sound could easily be that backing Mark E Smith circa 1977. Wilco Johnson’s influence is most apparent on, what turns out to be the band’s only vinyl release to date, the 7″ single I Look Good On You, one of many highlights tonight from a band I really look forward to finding out more about and would definitely want to catch again.
feelgood x hawkwind x the fall
Another quick change over between bands this time sees what can only be described as French people invading the stage. Rather than this being a throwback to May 1968, this is in fact the 7-piece band from Rennes, Sudden Death Of Stars. Now, I have to confess that I have been championing this band a bit of late ever since getting hold of their wonderful debut LP on Ample Play, Getting Up, Going Down last year. Their newie, the mysteriously named, All Unrevealed Parts Of The Unknown is possibly even better. Still, it was nothing other than impressive to see a stripy shirted French fella take off his boots and socks and sit cross-legged on the middle of the stage with a fuck-off great big sitar. The rest of the band squeezed on the tiny stage around him and set off with my favourite song of theirs Supernovae. A mystical, surprisingly Krautrock charged, number that really got the crowd interested. There are clearly some talented musicians on show here, and it was noticeable how many little noises being made from guitar, sitar, keyboards and even tambourine built into a massive wall of sound. Sadly, the vocals didn’t really keep up with this and either need to be turned up or shut down. The music, though, was fab, and other highlights included Halcyon Days, the perky Inside Out, and fantastic closer Deeds Beyond The Hints. I really wanted to hear The Love Substitute, but maybe next time.
bon – fucking – soir
The band the majority of the crowd had come out to see was Carlisle’s The Lucid Dream, another band I have been banging on about – mostly to the long-suffering Tex. Their debut LP Songs Of Lies & Deceit came out last year and was an instant hit in the O’Elves household. I’d learned about these psychedelic scamps through their Fruits de Mer release Hits Me Like I’m Stoned and was eagerly awaiting seeing them as they seem to have built up something of a reputation as a live phenomenon. We were not to be disappointed.
Playing what felt like a single song suite of a set – with tracks blurring into each other – the band really ripped the place up. Fantastically loud and with an energy that never sagged, they stormed through lengthy instrumentals that whooshed and roared and then roared and whooshed some more. The phased guitar and strobe lights just added to the unreal experience and the audience clearly lost themselves in the magic of the music. It is difficult to recall which tracks were played, but there was certainly the highlight of latest single, Moonstruck, and its equally great B-side, The Emptiest Place. Again, the talent of the musicians was notable and special mention needs to be made to drummer, Luke Anderson, who showed superhuman strength throughout, battering his kit like there was no tomorrow, sometimes at a pace that had to be seen to be believed. Similarly, bass player, Mike Denton, showed his unique style of, well, twatting his instrument very fucking hard indeed, and managed to soldier on despite seemingly severing a finger. (This may be an exaggeration.) The star of the show, though, was the super cool singer/guitarist, Mark Emmerson, who made his guitar make sounds that cut right to the soul. His echoed vocals also add another layer to the sound even if it’s hard to make out what he’s saying – it really doesn’t matter because you just know it is important. If these boys come through your town, do yourself a favour and lose yourself in their music for an hour or so.
Berry, Bowie, Brubeck, Byrne, Clark-Five, Crosby, Edmunds, Essex, Formula, Gedge, Gregory, Holmes, Johansen, Lynch, O’Doherty, Samand, Shrigley, Tattersall, Thomas and Crockett. Today is your day.
one of Garbanzo’s top Davids
Yes, it’s St David’s Day, but more importantly it’s very nearly Kicker Of Elves’s birthday and time for another one of these, and, if that wasn’t enough, it’s also time for this month’s hand-picked mix of musical delights.
Now, I don’t know much about the Italian band Tredici Bacci except that their name seemingly means Thirteen Kisses, they write soundtracks to soft-porn films (I did some research) and that they have come to my attention via our friends at Active Listener. Nevertheless, I am pretty confident that there is almost certainly a Davide on this first track. Definitely no Davids in the Swedish garage rock band The Hives, but Pelle and co don’t half make an engaging racket – here on a track from their Lex Hives album. It’s ol’ Hiram King up next with the 2-chord classic Ramblin’ Man that is now over 60 years old and still sounds fantastic to these ears – thanks again to Viper Records for reminding me. Time then for some self-referential celebration with one of Garbanzo’s great finds, Shudder Pulps, a band he picked out for his best of 2013 podcast. Here though they sing about yours truly. Possibly.
Kicker earlier
Guided By Voices have a fantastic new album out now in Motivational Jumpsuit, possibly the best yet from the re-formed ‘classic’ line-up, and preceding it were 5 singles. Yes, five. The next track is the rocky fifth of those. More new stuff after that from Brighton’s Toy. A band I have just learned is fronted by the baby brother of pod favourite Rose Elinor Dougall. Who knew, eh kids? Oh. Anyway, their second LP, Join The Dots, is just fantastic. Now, as you may know dear listener, the wizards get to see much, if not all, of their music in the North-West of England, but occasionally (actually once a year) me and Rebel venture to that London with friend of the pod, Corporal Shill. Last year we got to see the genius that is Stewart Lee and once again he didn’t disappoint and I’m not talking about his performance, I’m talking about his choice of outro music. Having previously ushered us into shows with God’s own selection, Bee Thousand, and shoved us out to Airport 5, this year we found ourselves fighting to the doorway being serenaded by the weirdo Gary Le Strange. That song is up next. Don’t leave.
piss-taking bastard
Some local talent next with Voo, from Liverpool, who sing about the important things in life, Grammar and Spelling, not necessarily in that order. Another top 7″ single follows that and this time it’s on blue vinyl. It’s David (Yes!!!) Woodcock, who channels the much missed Ian Dury to great effect. A couple to watch, I think. After 11 minutes of Calvin Party on podcast number 20 we received a post bag full of praise for the band so it only seems right that I point you in the direction of shouty man’s shouty man, John Donaldson’s latest masterpiece under the nom de colere of JD Meatyard. John told me he feels this song is very much in the same vein as Lies Lies & Government and you can find it on his highly recommended Northern Songs LP. Here he also proves that you don’t have to shout to show you’re angry.
not really very angry at all
I do like a Kickstart type project and having had recent involvement in great projects with Kristin Hersh and The Bridewell Taxis to name just two, I am now backing the likes of Chuck Prophet championed Peter Mulvey and this project with CASH Music that is all about cutting out the middle man. From the compilation they sent out, here’s Cayucas. I know nothing about them. I do, however, know a lot about Aussie band The Saints. I tend to put their debut LP (I’m) Stranded in my top 5 albums of all-time and regularly like to suggest it as the best punk debut album ever. They quickly moved from punk to brass influenced R&B to virtually jazz-blues before the original line-up split. Still using the band name, further albums were really Chris Bailey solo efforts and very good they are too. A highlight was All Fools Day from 1986 that Bruce Springsteen has obviously heard. The Boss’s newest collection has failed to win me over thus far as there are so many songs that I know and that I prefer in their earlier forms. One such is his cover of The Saints. Have a listen to the original here and tell me I’m wrong. Recently re-released by Hozac records, the rawer punk sound of True Believers follows and you have to accept it is good otherwise you are very much a non-believer.
accept this IS the best punk album ever
Earlier this year I took Mrs O’Elves to see the wonderful Suzanne Vega. We have seen her on numerous occasions over the years, in fact I first saw her perform at The Leadmill in Sheffield in 1987, and every single time she has made me cry (Suzanne not Mrs O’Elves). It must be something to do with her voice. Sometimes it’s Luka that does it, this time it was Small Blue Thing, but she always gets me. Her new album Tales From The Realm Of The Queen Of Pentacles is another great addition to her canon, where she resolutely remains left of centre. A bit further away from the centre of anything come the Mexican Institute Of Sound or Instituto Mexicano Del Sonido if you prefer, and I do, with what is essentially Mexican electronica with loud drips and silly noises from 2009. Thanks here are due to Francisco, a Chilean friend of the pod, who explains that the lyrics suggest the band feel owning a clarinet and a trombone are the makings of a Pink Floyd tribute act, and that their thug credentials leave much to be desired “I’m not nice / I’m not a good person / I don’t help old women get the bus”.
cue blubbing
Wizards’ favourite, Chuck Prophet, pops up next with a killer B-side to a recent single The Left Hand & The Right Hand taken from the album of 2012. Always worth a listen and here with particularly fine Stephanie Finch backing vocals. Tennessee based garage rock next with Cheap Time, who clearly have no regard for the health conscious. After them, there’s an oldie from another much missed artist, Kirsty MacColl. I have been on a number of record shopping trips with friend of the pod, Texas Paul, recently, all in the name of research, of course. In a suitably hidden away and darkly lit emporium in Liverpool I found a top notch copy of her single Terry that I couldn’t resist. It still sounds great. It’s Echoboy and his engaging drone rock after that with a song from his cleverly named Volume 1 that still does the job nicely. Does anyone else remember his rock band The Hybirds? I think I might have seen them support Chuck in Manchester at the Roadhouse back in the day. And talking of back in the day, we finish off this month with Dan Treacy’s Television Personalities with a song I picked up on a Taiwanese 7 inch and that stands up well in comparison with all those great early songs from this much underrated band. Their debut LP …And Don’t The Kids Just Love It is definitely worth listening to again and again. Much like this playlist. See you next month.
Here’s your weekly fix of great videos from us. All you’ve got to do is tell us the link between them. Obviously there’s a link in that both videos have got the same bespectacled bloke singing them but we wouldn’t make it that easy for you. The link is more to do with the other people there with him and these particular 2 songs.
Rebel and Kicker engage in an evening of communal singing and are generally blown away by the power of Damien Dempsey and band.
giving it loads
They also enjoy the other surprising names on the bill: Morrissey (not that one) and Marshall (not a guitar amplifier).
m and m
Listen to the wizards’ pre- and post-gig thoughts either by clicking here [audio https://ia601209.us.archive.org/29/items/DamienDempsey2/Damien_Dempsey%202.mp3]
or clicking here or right clicking here and downloading the file. I am sure you can sort that out. In any case, it’s all good.
Scientists from Leicester University have concluded that cows produce slightly more milk if you play them certain kinds of music. (genuine news article about this here)
Apparently, cows are particularly partial to a bit of R.E.M. This got me wondering what their favourite album would be.
Moo Adventures In Hi Fi?
Udder-matic for the People?
Fa-bulls of the Reconstruction?
When grilled further about this, the cows explained that their favourite member of the band is Mike Milks.
Other farmyard animals expressed a preference for different bandmembers. The pigs liked Michael Sty-pe and the chickens’ favourite is Peter Buckbuckbuckbuckbuck.
Having moved from London to the north west a couple of months previously, this was my first ever visit to the Bridgwater Hall. We had good seats on the front row of the balcony and Elvis was promoting the “North” album which tells the story of what was happening in Elvis’ private life more directly than any of his other albums. It reflects on the end of a relationship (with Cait O’Riordan) and the start of a new one (with Diana Krall). The man himself said “These might be the most personal songs I’ve ever written. But none of that means anything unless other people can see themselves in them.”
The gig was just Elvis & Steve Nieve which is always good news for a piano enthusiast like me. After the disappointingly short sets of some of the 2002 gigs I’d been to, I was very happy to see Elvis & Steve playing for 2 ½ hours with a really good mix of old and new. It’s always a thrill to hear Steve play songs like “Clubland” and “Shot With His Own Gun.” He also plays the country stuff like “Good Year for the Roses” and “I’m Your Toy” beautifully showing that he’s a true master of the piano as well as the forte.
Elvis played the piano himself for “I Still Miss Someone” and dedicated it to Johnny Cash who’d died a few days before.
And once again, the whole thing ended with him singing an unamplified “Couldn’t Call It Unexpected” which I never tire of hearing him sing.
Leeds University, 28th May 2005
A few days before this, Elvis’ beloved Liverpool FC had fluked a European Cup win against Milan. Elvis was playing in Norwich that night and had delayed going onstage until after the match and the penalty shootout had ended. Apparently, he’d pulled out all the stops and played a storming set to make up for his late appearance. But even so, several of the Norfolkfolk had objected to this and had caused a bit of a stir with angry letters to newspapers and the like. What a bunch of wusses.
A few comments were made during tonight’s set about the football. I remember Elvis asking the crowd if they would like workshy pretty boy Harry Kewell back at Leeds United and how Elvis would be very happy to “fucking drive him there myself.”
“never know what Harry was worth”
This gig is possibly my favourite Elvis gig out of the many I’ve blogged about which is strange because the album Elvis was promoting here (The Delivery Man) is one of my least favourite Elvis albums.
But it’s all about the setlist. And what a setlist this one was. Opening with a powerful “Blood and Chocolate” double header of “Next Time Round” and “Uncomplicated”, a load of other great songs that aren’t played that often followed. Less Than Zero! Shabby Doll! Kinder Murder! Hurry Down Doomsday!
But the main thing I remember was a long run of classics near the end. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace Love and Understanding has been a final song at so many gigs that we thought that was the end but then it was followed by a quickfire run through Oliver’s Army! Pump It Up! The Monkey! No frickin’ Action! I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down! and then High Fidelity! Phew! Ambassador Costello, with these rockin numbers you are really spoiling us.
The show closed with a quieter one, The Scarlet Tide, dedicated of course to those plucky, lucky lads of Liverpool FC.
My “The Monkey Speaks His Mind” t-shirt
The Picket, Liverpool, 5th July 2007
Another amazing gig and definitely the smallest venue I’ve seen Elvis in.
As a favour to an old friend, Elvis agreed to play a warm-up gig for his River in Reverse tour at the tiny Picket club in Liverpool. I’m not sure if tickets actually went on general sale for this and looking back I’m still amazed that I managed to get in to this “secret” gig. I heard about it very early from a friend and I sent a begging email to the Picket’s MySpace page not really expecting a reply. But surprisingly, I ended up with a pair of tickets so Mrs Garbanzo & I found ourselves standing about a metre from the man himself surrounded by people that Mrs G told me were members of The Coral and The Zutons.
Not the usual backing band for Elvis here but just before the gig, we’d actually seen Elvis, Steve Nieve, Allen Toussaint and some other blokes arriving and there didn’t appear to be any dressing room for them so they were just standing around in a narrow passageway next to the bogs. Mrs Garbanzo shamelessly feigned needing a pee just so she could walk past and speak to Elvis. I’m not sure that saying “excuse me” to the great man whilst he moves slightly to the side really counts as having “had a conversation with Elvis Costello” as she’s been claiming ever since.
The “some other blokes” we’d seen standing around before the gig were Allen Toussaint’s band and they were all just as fantastic as you’d expect to find backing a legend from arguably the greatest musical city in the world (I mean New Orleans, not Liverpool, although both could make a decent case). The brass section were particularly brilliant and I particularly remember the trombone player playing some great stuff (it says here he’s called Big Sam Williams).
They played most of “The River in Reverse” album and lots of the classic hits Allen wrote for Lee Dorsey. Elvis was in fine voice for all of that and they also played “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror” which was the first song that Elvis and Allen collaborated on.
Another highlight was Allen’s instrumental piano solos, including one based on the song “Big Chief” (sampled very effectively by Lily Allen)
I took some photos and videos at the gig. Unfortunately the camera I had at that time would only take 1 minute of video at a time but here they are anyway.
Here’s another couple of videos for your viewing pleasure. Let us know what the link is between these songs and you will win the eternal respect of the Wizards.
This is the podcast where the wizards finally tackle the really big subjects: religion, politics, moral dilemmas, and the curse of the double negative.
In this, the first proper show of the year, you’ll find the usual eclectic mix of music, an unusually pacey quiz and the inauguration of two new ‘county rock songs’ amongst a whole load of other shenanigans including an exciting new wizard project.
So much stuff, in fact, that we thought about dividing the pod into two more manageable slices of aural excitement. But bollocks to that, gorge yourself on this great big monster of a podcast.
On this day in music history some 51 years ago, Neil Young, at age 17, performed his first professional date at a country club in Winnipeg. Who then knew he would go on to record such heavyweight classic albums as Landing On Water, Life and Everybody’s Rockin’, eh?
nope, it’s just you, Neil
Anyway, welcome once again to Kicker’s monthly mix, which this month kicks off with the jangly pop thrill of McCarthy and a political song that still resonates well after the 1990 release of their Banking, Violence And The Inner Life Today LP. After them we have 2 minutes of noisy, angsty late 70s underground punk all the way from Ohio (THE rock and roll state); it’s the Electric Eels with a song that has come to my attention via the fantastic compilation Punk 45: Kill The Hippies! Kill Yourself! (Underground Punk in the USA1973-1980), which I reckon you’ll be hearing more from in the future. Slowing the pace next there’s some classic dreamy 50s pop with a beat that never gives up from Tommy Bell; thanks to another Viper Records compilation. A Darren Hayman remix of Swedish named (it seems to mean Hideous Horse) Gameboy pop-punk star Fulhäst follows (actually, it’s Niklas Vestberg, the Swedish half of Moustache Of Insanity) who, on a track from his album Broken, shows himself to be somewhat of an obsessive.
that’s underbara hud to you, Nik
Next, a top cover of a plinky-plonk squeaky-voiced Joanna Newsom track by Brummie nutjobs The Nightingales that was available free and still is. Right on. A real Kicker favourite is up next; it’s that Simon Joyner from Omaha with a track from his great album Beautiful Losers that rounds up a load of essential singles. This one features the fantastic line “take me to the room where my angels twist… and shout” that manages to combine the profound and the inane quite brilliantly. More Americans follow, this time from Michigan. The girl group Honey Ltd disappeared after releasing just one album in 1968 on Lee Hazlewood’s LHI label but shoulda been huge in my view. You can judge for yourself on a track taken from the Complete LHi Recordings compilation. Literally a Recommended Record next from It Hugs Back (with that young fella who has been filling out Wire’s guitar sound recently): a joyous burst of kaleidoscopic guitar pop.
spot the odd one out
Strange sounds from perth (lower case) next, who may or may not be from Perth (capital letter), from their What’s Your Utopia? album, which we criminally overlooked from last year. It’s a fair question, kids. Hot on its heels we have a moving little song from Helen Love taken from their deliberately 80s sounding Day-Glo Dreams. I really like this, but hope that the move away from their punky sound is not permanent. It’s that Robert Zimmerman next with a track from the recently released Bootleg Series Vol 10 that, er, celebrates the songs on Self-Portrait, you know, the one Greil Marcus or somesuch reviewed with the words ‘what is this shit?’. Well, this song wasn’t on it. One for my fellow wizard Rebel Rikkit next: following the revelations at the end of last year regarding the on-going genius of Mark Mulcahy, here’s a top track from his first band Miracle Legion that he needs to hear.
hear no evil
I was very pleased recently to find out that Wreckless Eric has resumed his sporadic but superb radio show. He played this Jarvis Cocker track on the last show I heard and it reminded me how good that first solo Jarvis LP was. Now, I may have previously suggested my, at best, apathy towards Joni Mitchell, an artist the two other wizards hold in high regard. However, I am happy to accept this is down to my not liking her voice rather than a questioning of her skills as a songwriter. Hence the inclusion this month of a fabulous cover of one of her finest songs by Emmylou Harris, whose voice I cannot get enough of. One minute of fucked up Lemonheads next from their debut (and yes, Chorizo, best) album Hate Your Friends. A bit of C&W for you after that with a song that I heard on another radio show (apparently there are others) hosted by that Zimmerman bloke. On playing this song by Eddie Noack, Bob tells us that “He wanted to be a journalist. But we have enough journalists, but not enough people who could sing and write like Eddie Noack. Eddie recorded the song called Psycho, written by Leon Payne, a song about a serial killer and quite understandably, it never got a lot of airplay, but has become quite a bit of a cult favorite, as is Eddie Noack himself…”, which will do for me.
don’t ask him how his mam’s doing
Then, it’s time for some Robert Pollard. This track is taken from last year’s under the radar release Down By The Racetrack and features a line that led me to this fantastic book. Following on from that and my 1p album success there’s a masterful track from Dawn & The Replicants second album Wrong Town Wrong Planet Three Hours Late. And no, I never thought you sold out. Up next from the less impressively named album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd., it’s the Wizards’ favourite boy band, The Monkees. On a recent trip back from that London, Rebel Rikkit and I found ourselves grooving to this album and showing excellent knowledge of all the words to Pleasant Valley Sunday if not necessarily all the notes.
tork, nesmith, jones, dolenz
I don’t remember when I first heard Bosco Delrey, but I’m glad I did. Here he delivers a singalong song from his Everybody Wah album about, er, seeing dead people. Or something. Yeah, yeah. More join in fun from the mighty Maytals next with an alternative version of the cracking B-side to the classic Monkey Man re-released through my favourite reggae label, Trojan on Boss Shots. A hip Manchester band next, kids. Yes, it’s The Bee Gees. Of course, The Bee Gees. From their psychedelic masterpiece of a first album, this track has clearly been heard by a certain Mr Pollard.
mad fer it
Now I’m not sure how I feel about the concept behind the following song, but I do know I like the sound it makes. All the way from Taiwan, well, the record anyway, it’s Rock And Roll Airforce with what appears to be one of only two songs they have released. A certain smash I’m sure you’ll agree. A band who had plenty of hits back in the day were XTC. I have chosen a track from their Nonsuch album for no particular reason apart from the fact that it stuck in my head when I heard it again last week. Finishing off this month’s mix then, it’s Captain Beefheart with a soulful number frommy favourite album of his, Clear Spot.
he’ll be in here if it’s pissing down
Enjoy listening.
Those tracks in full:
1. The Drinking Song Of The Merchant Bankers – McCarthy
25. Captain Beefheart – My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains – the fantastic original isn’t on Spotify so I have included an interesting Everything But The Girl cover version, but some soulful DVV is worth 3 minutes of anyone’s time…
A few words from Simon (@HertfordSoul)who chose this albumfor me…
When I found out Chorizo’s favourite bands – Tindersticks, Super Furry Animals and Half Man Half Biscuit are among them – straight away I thought “right, I’m going to find the ultimate album that encapsulates a bit of all of those bands.” But even when I had thought of a couple of albums that could potentially cover all angles – the classics that are ‘Daisies of the Galaxy’ by Eels, ‘Joy 1967-1990’ by Ultra Vivid Scene and ‘Battle of the Bands’ by The Turtles were my initial choices – could I find them for 1p on Amazon?! No, of course I couldn’t! It was therefore time to change my approach.
I then thought “okay, what albums are quite varied in their music style but are also instantly listenable to?” There aren’t many in my opinion and, even with my favourite artists, I find I have to listen to their latest albums at least 3 times before I get into them. With ‘Free the Bees’ this was completely different, I was hooked from the off. This is the main reason I bought it for Chorizo. I hope he loves it as much as I do…
Simon’s blog hertfordsoul.blogspot.co.uk
Chorizo’s review
What did I know about The Bees already?
Just a couple of singles, Horsemen and the band’s best known song Chicken Payback. I bought Horsemen on CD single on the cheap and quite liked it, but was more taken with another song on the EP, a off-kilter acoustic number called It Isn’t Exact.
Chicken Payback sounds like a lost 60s record relating some long-forgotten dance craze that never quite took off and it has been a long-standing favourite in our household. I included it on my “Best of 2004” CD and a mate of mine had it for the first dance at his wedding. It was also on the playlist I compiled when my laptop DJ’d at my 40th birthday party in 2010. Don’t recall anyone dancing quite as well as this guy though.
About 8 years ago, I worked with a lad about half my age and we used to talk about music the whole time. I’d lend him records by various indie / punk bands from my youth in return for his more recent ones. He told me once that his all-time favourite band were The Bees. Strange (but probably quite revealing about me!) that I can remember that conversation but not my former colleague’s name or what he looked like. But I do remember thinking that if he rated them that highly, then The Bees must be worth further investigating.
So when this album arrived in the post, I was very happy because The Bees are a band that I’ve long intended to check out in more detail but never got around to doing so.
So what did I make of it then?
In short, I thought it was bloody great and I absolutely loved 11 of the 12 songs.
The spirit of the 1960s is ever-present throughout this album but not in an obvious fab four fellating way (hello Oasis) or in a “oh, aren’t we dangerous, getting stoned just like the Stones” way (hello Primal Scream). The 60s influences here are far more diverse and unpredictable which makes the whole caboodle far more interesting.
The sound of the album is just amazing and hats off to all the techies for that. King Bee Paul Butler is credited with production but if you’ve bought the remastered Beatles CDs the engineers names Paul Hicks and Guy Massey should ring a bell. The needles sound like they’re up in the red for most of the album making everything sound slightly overdriven and (unlike albums by the bands in the paragraph above and many others) it actually genuinely sounds like it was made in the late 60s. Probably helps that it was recorded at Abbey Road as well.
Looking at the sleeve notes, I’ve noticed that all 6 bandmembers sing and play a lot of different instruments. Lead singer Paul Butler even manages to tick boxes in every one of the main instrument groups: strings (guitar, mandolin); woodwind (sax, clarinet); brass (trumpet) and percussion (piano, drums and er, percussion)
This is not going to be a track-by-track review but I am going to start with the album’s opener “These Are The Ghosts”. It’s got a simple cyclical melody that starts off lowkey but then gradually builds and the band really start to bust loose. After a couple of lessons the melody really starts to get in your head and the whole song brings to mind “Sell Out” era Who so I’m right on board already! The last song “This is the Land” is also in familiar Who territory and you can not sound like The Who unless you can really play. The bassline on this is The Ox mixed with The Beatles’ “Taxman” but as alluded to above, these touches are not lazy Gallagheresque plagiarism. They are just one ingredient in a very tasty musical casserole. The piano that appears halfway through this track, played by that Paul Butler guy, is remarkable. It’s fairly low in the mix so it’s not entirely obvious at first but it sounds like someone playing random ascending and descending lines. It reminded me of Jerry Mouse running up and down the keys in the classic “Cat Concerto” like he does here (at about 1:20).
On the subject of inspired playing, there’s a stunning instrumental called “The Russian” where the drummer really lets fly. And guess who’s drumming on this song, it’s that Paul Butler bloke again! An instrumental track in the middle of an album that clocks in at nearly 6 minutes would usually have me reaching for the “skip” button after a couple of listens. If that song contains a drum solo then I might even be compelled to accidentally on purpose scratch the offending area on the disc. But not here. “The Russian” is a wonderfully captivating piece of music that shows that if you take a pinch of The Spencer Davis Group’s “I’m A Man” and a sprinkling of Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved” and it actually works very well. More great brass on this track and it’s got even got a bit in the middle where it all slows down and then speeds up again.
Incidentally, I’m “old skool” (or actually just old?) and I like CDs that feel like they have a “Side 1” and a “Side 2.” So that’s another tick for this album then, with this instrumental bash closing out Side 1 before Side 2 kicks in with the gentle reverb-drenched soul of “I Love You.” That song’s got some wonderful Marv Tarplin style guitar figures on it as well as a brass section bit that sounds like it’s come straight outta Willie Mitchell’s Memphis studio.
Smokey Robinson & Miracles including Marv Tarplin on guitar.
Horsemen (the single that I already owned but failed to make much of an impression) has really grown on me. It’s a bit more straightforward “rawk” than most of the album. There’s a hint of Robert Plant in the vocals and of Free in the clipped chords of the guitar riff that propels the whole song along.
Talking of The Spencer Davis Group, I can’t believe I’ve got this far in and not mentioned the Hammond organ yet! I love a bit of Hammond organ and if you don’t then you urgently need to adjust your ears because there’s definitely something wrong with them. There’s Hammond organ all over this album, it makes an appearance on every single track apart from one and it’s ace. The only track which doesn’t have any Hammond organ on is called “The Start” and that’s the only song on the album that I didn’t particularly enjoy. It’s not that I hated it or anything, I just didn’t think it was anywhere near as good as the rest of the album.
One track that I really didn’t like at first but have come to enjoy a lot is “Go Karts”. Like many of the songs on the album, the lyrics are a bit peculiar / daft and the singer adopts a strong estuary accent which calls to mind the late Robert Wyatt. My fellow wizard Kicker is far more of an expert on Robert Wyatt than I am. I’ve never really heard any Soft Machine but in my imagination, this is exactly what they sound like.
On a slight tangent, those Pink Floyd chaps are quite popular aren’t they? I’m not a fan. I didn’t get where I am today by listening to “Dark Side of the Moon” which I’ve never actually heard but I somehow know I wouldn’t like it. In my teenage years, I told someone that I didn’t like Pink Floyd and they told me that I was missing out and I really must hear the early stuff. He played me some very psychedelic late 60s weird thing with really odd lyrics and it was actually alright. On the back of this, I borrowed an album called Relics from Chiswick library but I thought it was shit. Anyway, the reason why I’m telling you all this is because this track “Go Karts” by The Bees sounds a bit like that. But much much better.
Favourite songs
Still love “Chicken Payback” obviously.
“One Glass of Water” is very catchy and a little bit reminiscent of “Susannah’s Still Alive” by The Kinks which is obviously a very good thing. More exceptional drumming, by regular drummer Aaron Fletcher this time. Funny lyrics in the chorus here: “I’m no King Kong, I may be hairy but I’m not that strong.” Another favourite “Wash in the Rain” has a similar feel to it but with a big dollop of psychedelia and The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “6 O’Clock” thrown in as well.
I also love “Hourglass” which bounces along very nicely with a Small Faces “Lazy Sunday” feel and a charming little lead guitar bit after each chorus.
But if forced to pick a favourite I’d have to go for track number 3 “No Atmosphere”. The verses spotlight that wonderful Hammond organ sound and it puts me in mind of the circus-y organ on “Life” by Sly & The Family Stone as well as Big Pink era Dylan / Band. The whole song has a real “live” atmosphere to it and once again the needles are right up in the red. I love the recurring “freak out” section, driven along by a repeating 2-note guitar riff. At the end of the song, that bit goes really crazy. Brilliant stuff. But enough of my yakking, just listen to the damn song yourself, preferably with headphones.
And if you enjoyed that then there are more copies of the album going for 1p on Amazon right here.
Final thought
I don’t know why but I thought The Bees were Australian. In fact they originate from a completely different remote outpost of the Commonwealth with a possibly undeserved reputation for inbreeding. They’re from the Isle of Wight. Now I don’t want to upset any IOW residents who might stumble across this review but my mate Pompey Mike used to commute to work there on the ferry and he claims it is a cultural wasteland where time stopped in the 1980s and local hero Mark King out of Level 42 is worshipped as a thumb-brandishing god.
I spent a couple of childhood holidays there and all I have is vague memories of big dinosaurs at Blackgang Chine and visiting Alum Bay and The Needles (now, THERE’S a band name!)
Alum Bay & The Needles
Don’t really know what point I’m trying to make with this bit other than The Bees come from the Isle of Wight so um, well done to them and well done to the Isle of Wight!
Thanks very much to Simon for sending me such an enjoyable album.
Time for your regular Monday appointment with some great music videos. This week, an under-rated 4AD band meets an under-rated ex-Byrd. Your mission is to work out the connection between them.
As Rebel Rikkit previously neatly described, the wizards were busy over Christmas swapping and reviewing 1p CDs as part of the growing online community that is the 1p Album Club.
Here are the details of my swap with Dave.
Dawn Of The Replicants – One Head, Two Arms, Two Legs
Bought by Kicker for Dave
Bought because…
I was, and frankly still am, very excited about getting involved in this project. So much so that well before finding out who I would be paired up with, I started thinking about possible albums to send. My method for doing this was to sit at the computer and look behind me at the CDs on my shelves and find bands who I had more than one album by. I then looked on Amazon to see if any of those albums were being offered for 1p. (See, I know how this works.) Being a methodical sort, this involved me starting at A… The Auteurs… nope… B… Babybird … only the album everyone knows… C… Cheap Trick… nope (and anyway, this might just be me)… D… Dawn Of The Replicants. Now, then.
Here was a band I really enjoyed listening to back in the late 90s and who I still fondly refer to as Dawn and the Replicants after hearing John Peel do so on his long lamented Thursday night show. However, I couldn’t recall the last time I’d listened to any of their stuff and wasn’t necessarily convinced they’d be that interesting. Still, I started by putting their first album on (remarkably I had 5 to choose from) and giving it a go. It all came back to me – the strange creepy vocals – the mixture of pop hooks and disconcerting instrumentation – lyrics that on close inspection were very odd indeed. Ah yes, I now remembered seeing the band play at the Manchester Roundhouse (a venue I haven’t been to for years – is it still going?) before they became even slightly known. That Paul Vickers was an interesting bloke (probably still is.). I even found youtube footage of the infamous pilot’s helmet wearing loon and confirmation that the band really did breakdown (vehicularly) on their way there that night.
I spent the next week listening to all the band’s back catalogue and subsequently failing to get past D in my search for a suitable album so when my message from Liam arrived pairing me up with Dave, I was very much in a Dawn & The Replicants place. On his list of likes, Dave included Super Furry Animals, a band I do like (notably their debut album), but back in 98 had down the pecking order from Dawn et al. There is something of the eclectic sound of SFA in One Head, Two Arms, Two Legs, I think, and anyway, music is all about the moment, right? So, here you go Dave, the best band to come out of Galashiels since Fish out of Marillion. No, strike that, the only good band to come out of Galashiels.
Hope you enjoy it.
The verdict
When this album arrived from Kicker, I was pretty excited to give it a listen. Back in the late 90’s, I was a fanatical reader of the Melody Maker, who seemed to rave about Dawn of the Replicants on a weekly basis. Despite this, I never got around to checking them out. I guess there were just too many acts around that I was getting into, which meant I didn’t have the time to listen to everyone who I should have. With this in mind, I was looking forward to seeing if I’d been missing out for the past 15 years.
Honestly? It looks like I have been, as Kicker has picked me a belter of an album. The general DotR sound features fuzzy melodies that lead to well-crafted choruses with subtly catchy hooks. I told Kicker I liked my indie to be a little quirky in places, and there is just the right level of that throughout the album, enough to be interesting, but not too much to be overbearing. There is also a slight hint of darkness and menace to these songs that elevate them above being just good indie-pop. Just little hints of distortion or a slightly sinister tone to Phil Vickers’ voice to create a sense of mood. A close comparison would be to Guided By Voices, a band Kicker mentioned he liked in his introduction e-mail [what a surprise! – TTW Ed.] and a band I have a big soft spot for too.
Trying to pick a favourite track here is quite a feat. “Candlefire” opens like an 80’s alt-rock ballad before giving way to the lush melodies of the chorus, whilst “Lisa Box” alternates between spacy keyboards and a slightly ferocious guitar riff. I’ve ultimately plumped for “Radars”, which is deceptively simple, but really effective. A triumph for the 2013 1p Christmas swap.
Standout Track: Radars
Pretty Girls Make Graves – New Romance
Bought by Dave for Kicker
Bought because…
When I got Kicker’s list of artists, I tried to put aside my delight at how good it was (got to love a list where the Auteurs are the third band listed) and decided to look for the acts that felt similar and, more importantly, were acts that I could use as a guide to the album I was going to buy him. Looking at the likes of Guided By Voices, Pixies, Pavement and Throwing Muses, I noticed that Kicker is partial to slightly angular US alt-rock from the late 90’s-early 00’s. I decided to get him something along these kind of lines, whilst at the same time trying to find something he hopefully won’t have. This led me to pick for him “The New Romance” by the sadly now-defunct Pretty Girls Make Graves.
What I love about “The New Romance”, and have done since I first heard it a decade ago, is that it contains elements of bands I love, whilst also sounding fresh and inspired. Their spiky post-punk at times recalls Sonic Youth at their most poppy, whilst the more forceful moments bring to mind a less electronic Le Tigre. Every now and then, a hint of At The Drive-In might sneak in, but there are enough original moments here to mark them down as a great band in their own right. Singer Andrea Zollo has one of those great voices which contains a certain toughness, but is capable of sounding tender when it needs to, with the gentle ending of “The Grandmother Wolf” being a prime example. When I checked Amazon, I really wasn’t expecting there to have been enough copies printed for it to be a penny, but as it was, I really hope Kicker enjoys it.
The verdict
I was very pleased to find an album I didn’t know on my doorstep. Pretty Girls Make Graves are a band I was aware of through their sharing the Matador label with Guided By Voices at one time. Being a completist of the latter, I have a number of Matador compilations and one or two feature songs by PGMG. However, most of these tracks had generally passed me by and the only song I could reasonably accurately say I knew by them is their pretty good cover of Bow Wow Wow’s ‘C30 C60 C90 Go’. Time then to find out more about a band inextricably linked with punctuation and spelling troubling Shakespears Sister.
Turns out I actually had already heard 3 of the songs on this album (All Medicated Geniuses, This Is Our Emergency and The Grandmother Wolf), but didn’t recognise them when I heard them again. The album sounds like a cross between a less funky version of the New York dance-punk band Radio 4 and cockney electro-rock duo Curve without the shoegaze element. I am not sure why, but I expected them to be fairly gothy and at times was reminded of Siouxsie & The Banshees with a less angsty singer.
There were a number of things I liked about the album: the cover, the drumming, the fact the album was only 40 mins long (there really is no need for any album to be 80 minutes, is there?), the drumming, the quieter slower songs, the drumming and the electronic noises that occasionally appear. Did I mention the drumming?
giving those tubs a thwack
However, there were also a couple of major things I didn’t like so much: the overly produced guitar sound and the lyrics, the banal meaningless lyrics. What IS it about? To be fair, the vocal style grew on me but I really wanted a bit more attitude.
Overall, I can see why the songs I’d heard before had never really made an impression after only a couple of listens previously, but after half a dozen further listens there are a few highlights to pick out. I particularly like literally the first thing you hear – an electronic buzz and the rim of a drum being hit suitably hard. This opening song, Something Bigger Something Brighter is definitely one of the highlights. I also like the short instrumental third track, Mr. Club (no problem understanding that one), the slower Blue Lights and closer, A Certain Cemetery.
This album is a freak of nature in that there are lots of little bits of it that I really like, but the whole turns out to be very much less than the sum of its parts for me. As the song A Certain Cemetery puts it: “When this is over, it’s alright.” Not great, but alright. Certainly better than that Siobhan Fahey band though.
Standout track: Blue Lights
What a really neat idea for music lovers with short arms and long pockets. I hope that the club invite me back for more and that you, dear reader, will be immediately signing up to take part.
The Wizards are out again this time in full force to see the master of Indie Guitar Pop, Steve Malkmus and his amazing Jicks, at Gorilla, Manchester. Along the way they encounter Joanne Gruesome and admire 2 drummers who between them banged a couple of hundred heads together.
Listen to their review and other thoughts in this mini podcast here
And enjoy a quality video of Steve Malkmus and The Jicks playing Cinnamon and Lesbians
TRUST THE WIZARDS 