Monday 30 September 2013
They Wear It Well! - Miriam Campbell Part 2
When the lovely Miriam Campbell agreed to pose with Martin Stephenson (or vice versa?) for a photo wearing the very stylish hiapop badge it made a certain Blog writer very happy.
I really didn't expect another impromptu photo a few weeks later of Miriam displaying her incredible balancing skills.
I also didn't then expect her to take a short break from cleaning her fridge, to sit inside it and send another silly pic.
Later that night, her group Mir, rehearsed what I am sure will be some more rather wonderful songs. This gave my favourite nose-balancing-fridge-hiding-female-singer-songwriter the perfect opportunity to then hide in a bass drum. Like you do.
What more can I say. Ace artist. Lovely lassie. Up for a giggle.
If you haven't heard Mir's current album, then you should give yourself a slap and click here.
Simples.
Friday 20 September 2013
Music - Part 125 - Jack Cheshire
Jack Cheshire – Long Mind Hotel (Gun
20 Records)
LP/DC/DL
23 September 2013
8.5/10
This Jack Cheshire chap is a
talented bloke, very talented. In fact,
file him under Poets rather than Songwriters, because that’s actually what he
is above anything. His words don’t rhyme
and that largely goes unnoticed in his ability to make the words (and his
voice) seem like an extra instrument. Instead
he writes in unique couplets which add to the unique presentations.
His style is hard to pinpoint –
nestling somewhere in between classic blues, 80s Indie, folk and vaudeville he
creates tunes that brim (and often overflow) with sheer quality and
ease. His words flow beautifully
at times reminiscent of the British pop/poet institution that is Ray Davies,
managing to fit the word ‘cantankerous’ effortlessly into album opener
‘Gyroscope’ which is a classic waiting to happen.
Moving to Liverpool in his formative
years, Jack studied music whilst becoming an accomplished
bass player, interestingly then adapting the bass playing style to the
guitar. There are often nods in the
general direction of Chris Isaac with his surf tinged plucking and obvious
improvisations which were recorded and left to settle in the dust.
On first listen the album seems
peculiar, almost a bit too different for its own good, but, after several more
listens (yes, you will want to play over and over again) the mood grabs hold
and won’t let go. The optimistic
‘Heavenly Bodies’ is another super catchy affair embroiled in sweeping
arrangements and general loveliness. The
title track describing the perils of drug abuse is majestic.
‘Kerosene’ is compelling with love
song, and album closer, ‘Moving In A Straight line’ ending
an album of surprises. An album of
superbly written, constructed and recorded tracks, and, an album which you
really should hear.
Links
Published on Louder Than War 19/09/13 - here
Music - Part 124 - Gary Numan
Gary Numan – Love Hurt Bleed (Mortal Records)
CD/DL
23 September 2013
It’s thirty-five years since the release of
Tubeway Army, thirty –five years! Gary
Numan is back with a new single, from the forthcoming Splinter album, and he’s
sounding better than ever. His first
self-penned album since 2006’s Jagged, if Love Hurt Bleed is anything to go by,
it should be a stunner.
His live appearances and admittance of his
admiration for Nine Inch Nails is very clear as he sounds more like Trent
Reznor and his boys than the group do themselves. You can almost hear Numan curl his lip as he
lets his trademark snarl free on a pounding, heavy on bass track, aggressive
track which promises to have Numanoids the World over whipped into a frenzy.
With enough modern day trickery to entice
younger fans, and, several nods back to the early days of Replicas and The
Pleasure Principle, Numan has crafted a modern day anthem which should blast
the cobwebs from between everyone’s ears on his forthcoming November tour.
There’s little doubt that there have been times
over his career where he has stumbled in his own footsteps, but, Love Hurt
Bleed is Numan back at his incredible best, and, whilst the ‘Radio Edit’ of the
song steams along magnificently, it’s the ‘Album Version’ that really roars
along with a backing track that is as memorable as the choral lines themselves.
Gary Numan is back with possibly the best
single of the year.
9/10
Published on Louder Than War 19/09/13 - here
Tuesday 17 September 2013
News - Television Announce Live Dates
TELEVISION were one of the most innovative bands to emerge from New York’s underground scene of the mid-70s, creating an influential new guitar vocabulary. While guitarists Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd liked to jam, they didn’t follow the accepted rock structures for improvisation - they removed the blues while retaining the raw energy of garage rock, adding complex, lyrical solo lines that recalled both jazz and rock.
With its angular rhythms and fluid leads, TELEVISION’s music always went in unconventional directions, laying the groundwork for many of the guitar-based post-punk pop groups of the late ’70s and ’80s.
The group will play four live dates in November at Gateshead, Manchester, London and Camber Sands.
More details on the Television website here.
Music - Part 123 - Dustin Wong
Dustin Wong – Mediation Of Ecstatic Energy
(Thrill Jockey)
LP/CD/DL
16 September 2013
This is a slightly peculiar beast if ever I
heard one. A nice one, but, slightly
peculiar.
On the final part of the album trilogy that
started in 2010 with his ‘Infinite Love’ album, Wong plays guitar in a very
original way accompanied by an octave pedal to produce something that is
compelling and intriguing. With
influences of Surf Rock and John Fahey from his upbringing in Hawaii, the scene
is set.
From the experimental
opening of ‘The Big She’ to the curiously titled ‘A Shows B His Analysis And C
Looked Over’, Wong also wails avant garde sounds to complete tracks which
incorporates drum loops and near
prog-rock guitars. The former could be
called aggressive compared to the rest of the album which tends to be spiritual
in sound. The later builds from simple guitar and gradually builds and builds
via more loops and added instrumentation.
Wong’s way of work is
certainly interesting, but, it has to be questioned if it is sustainable over a
fourteen tracks. Initially, yes it is,
the layers of guitars which come and go and interesting, and whilst ‘Mediation
Ecstatic Energy’ isn’t going to stop the Universe, it’s certainly worth getting
on board for a ride.
‘Aura Peeled Off’
starts with a rock feel and could be lifted straight from the 70s before
crashing into ‘Out Of The Crown Head’ quite literally. The transition from track to track is poor,
with a new one starting without gap or mix, or, fade in and out. It’s like watching American TV where you have
no warning of an advert or a programme restarting. It’s frustrating and actually quite amateur
sounding.
Comparisons could be
made to Mike Oldfield and ‘Tubular Bells’ in so much as the way each piece
appears from nothing and morphs into grand compositions, and, it’s probably
easy to see this album fitting in nicely alongside. That’s a compliment of sorts, by the way.
The intro to
penultimate track, ‘Vision Waterfall’ sounds more like the theme from ‘Twilight
Zone’ than maybe the theme does itself, and, closer ‘Tall Call Cold Sun’ is a
gentle end to an album of interest, but, possibly not longevity.
7/10
Links
Published on Louder
Than War 16/09/13 - here
Monday 16 September 2013
Music - Part 122 - Nat Lyon
Nat Lyon – New England Paradigm
Shift
CD/DL
Out Now
Artists like Nat Lyon are difficult
to categorise. He calls himself punk/folk
or anti-folk. He sounds more like a mix
of The Ramones, early R.E.M. (when they were listenable) and They Might Be
Giants. It’s a strange mix, but, it’s
one that sounds mighty good.
Based in a 230 year old Connecticut
farmhouse that he is currently renovating, Nat is an old-hand at punk now
writing songs about fictional characters influenced by his Swamp Yankee
history.
It’s probably the only album I’ve
ever heard that kicks off with a reprise of what will be the final track. ‘For
People In Cars n I-95’ is, for the un-initiated, about the freeway that
spans from Florida to New England. At
almost 2,000 miles long it remains unfinished for at least another five
years. Claiming that he doesn’t want to
die on the road, indicates either it’s boring or dangerous, or both. An interesting, almost trip-hop start to the
album.
Given that the album is solely
recorded by one man and his musical talents, it is an enthralling affair. The post mixing of the album by Chad Methany
adds a haunting, apocalyptical feel with reverb and feedback aplenty.
There’s some dark humour on the
album, ‘Gin And Visions’ being prime example, accompanied by some epic guitar
work and a hook that will nestle itself in the dark recesses of your mind. ‘Field Notes From Eastern Uplands’ steams
along with a backing track that could have been lifted from The Cure, and, ‘Pitched’
could quite easily be early 90s Indie with its cool effects and catchy melody.
Nat’s ability to write interesting
lyrics is none better seen than on ‘Fox Sighting 1’ where the words can be best
described as poetry, and, his uniqueness is proven on a second braver version of the song, ‘Fox Sighting 2’ with a
backing that is stark and almost frightening.
Wonderful stuff.
Ending on the (almost) title track ‘Paradigm
Shift’ (the prequel to the album opener), you can’t help but feel that you’ve
stumbled across something rather entertaining.
The music is subtle and simple to start, and, ‘that’ whisper sends
shivers down your spine. Building and
building to an indecipherable noise mesh, it’s the perfect end to a very very
good album.
8/10
Links
Published on Louder Than War 15/09/13 - here
Sunday 15 September 2013
They Wear It Well! - Phildel
Not content with giving us one of the finest albums you will ever hear (this year's 'The Disappearance Of The Girl'), Phildel now wants to share her hiapop badge with the World.
How she isn't yet an international star is completely beyond hiapop, and her forthcoming Advent Tour promises to be unforgettable (can't wait for the Sacred Trinity Church date in Manchester in December!).
So, if you haven't already, buy the album and click here for a hiapop badge!
Links
Phildel interview on hiapop Blog
Phildel 'The Disappearance Of The Girl' album review
Phildel website
Phildel on Twitter
Friday 13 September 2013
They Wear It Well! - Shiny Rhino
You've just got to get your hands on one!
Long time follower of hiapop, Mike Cornes (aka Shiny Rhino) can be seen here sporting some rather fetching spectacles and the fashion accessory of the season!
None other than Radio 6's Tom Robinson is a huge fan and has played Shiny Rhino several times on his show.
If you'd like your own hiapop badge, just click here.
Links
Shiny Rhino on hiapop Blog
Shiny Rhino on Bandcamp
Shiny Rhino on Twitter
Thursday 12 September 2013
They Wear It Well! - Feral Five
Not content with possibly the finest single of the year so far, Feral Five are the latest in the growing line of artists wearing the badge that everyone wants!
Pictured above with are Drew and Kat looking mighty happy with their new clothing attachments.
If you'd like your own FREE hiapop badge, click here for details of how to get one.
Links
Feral Five 'Skin' review on hiapop Blog
Feral Five website
Feral Five on Twitter
Tuesday 10 September 2013
News - Public Service Broadcasting Announce New Single & DVD
Friends of hiapop Blog, Public Service Broadcasting, will release their new single on 4th November.
'Night Mail’ takes as its subject matter from the eponymous film of 1936, a pioneering documentary film produced by the General Post Office and the Royal Mail Group. Setting the original words of the documentary – including the much loved Night Mail poem – to a song that evokes the rhythm, speed and excitement of the railway in the era of the steam train, PSB breathe a new lease of life into a gem of a film.
On the same day, they will release a DVD version of their album, 'Inform-Educate-Entertain'. It features a video for each track on the album (mostly the ones played live), as well as bonus videos and features including interviews, short films and, commentaries on each video.
Links
'Inform-Educate-Entertain' album review
PSB feature on hiapop Blog
PSB website
PSB on Twitter
They Wear It Well! - Nat Lyons
The latest in the line of artists sporting a hiapop badge is Nat Lyons - the first overseas wearer!
Nat creates an interesting mix of fuzzy post-punk/folk/pop that is both serious and seriously funny, and, an altogether very pleasurable experience. His latest album New England Paradigm Shift is currently available to download from Bandcamp here, and, you can follow Nat on Twitter here.
If you'd like your own hiapop badge, just click here for details.
Monday 9 September 2013
News - Erasure Announce New Album
The new Erasure album, Snow Globe, is planned for release on 11 November.
It will be preceded by its first single, Gaudete, Erasure’s distinctive take on the Medieval Latin carol, which was also a folk hit for Steeleye Span in 1973.
‘I haven’t actually heard him sing better,’ says Vince of Andy stepping back into the booth. ‘I found my inner choirboy again,’ says Andy. ‘I thought I’d lost him but he was there all along.’
Unlike the bells and whistles, glitter and tinsel sets that crowd the market come Christmas-time, Snow Globe is possessed of something more in the wistfully, strangely subdued celebratory mould of recent seasonal albums by Tracey Thorn and Kate Bush. ‘We managed to strip everything back to bare essentials,’ Vince says approvingly of the minimal approach Erasure took for this recording. ‘White Christmas almost has a drone all the way through it. I love that.’
Links
Sunday 8 September 2013
News - New Dustin Wong Track Available For Download
Following the dizzying "The Big She", Dustin Wong has released a second track called "Liberal Christian Youth Ministry" from his hotly anticipated Mediation of Ecstatic Energy, due out 16th September on Thrill Jockey.
Mediation of Ecstatic Energy follows the stunning Toropical Circle collaborative album with Takako Minekawa, and is the final release in Dustin's trilogy of albums based on advanced guitar looping techniques. Liberal Christian Youth Ministry showcase's Dustin's innate melodic abilities, and his ability to create complex, technicolor songs using only his guitar and a series of pedals.
News - New Tamikrest Album This Month
'Chatma'
is the new album by Tuareg rockers Tamikrest. The album is a fully persuasive
sonic document and is filled with sober reflection, moral indignation, musical
experimentation, cultural celebration - and the kick of rock and roll. 'Chatma'
translates as "Sisters" and the band have dedicated the album, in
their own words, to "the courage of the Tuareg women, who have ensured
both their children's survival and the morals of their fathers and
brothers."
Out 16
September 2013 on Glitterbeat Records
CD/ Vinyl/
Download (GBCD 007/ GBLP 007)
UK
distribution by Shellshock
You can also catch Tamikrest live in the UK:
16 October - GATESHEAD
The Sage Hall Two
18 October - LEEDS Howard
Assembly Room
19 October - WHITBY Musicport
Festival
20 October - LONDON XOYO
21 October - NOTTINGHAM
Djanogly Theatre
22 October - BRIGHTON
Komedia
23 October - BRISTOL Colston
Hall II
24 October - NORWICH
Arts Centre
News - Fela Kuti Tribute Album and More Re-Issues
Knitting
Factory Records releases 'RED HOT + FELA' on 15 October, celebrating the 75th
anniversary of Fela Kuti's birth and uniting an eclectic, collaborative roster
of artists from the USA and Africa in the name of AIDS awareness. All profits
are going to combat AIDS.
Featured on
the thirteen Fela Kuti reworkings are Angelique Kidjo, ?uestlove (The Roots),
M1 (Dead Prez), tUnE-yArDs, Baloji, Spoek Mathambo, Nneka, Kronos Quartet, Tony
Allen and many others.
Also to be released on 15
October are these six Fela Kuti reissue CDs:
Teacher Don't Teach Me
Nonsense (KFR1022)
Original Suffer Head / ITT (KFR1023)
Live In Amsterdam (KFR1024)
Army Arrangement (KFR1025)
Beasts Of No Nation / ODOO (KFR1026)
Underground System (KFR1027)
The release of these CDs will
complete the Fela Kuti reissue series by Knitting Factory Records. The complete
works of Fela, consisting of almost 50 albums, have been re-packaged, with
in-depth track commentaries written by Afrobeat historian Chris May, and
released in three batches between March and October 2013.
The first batch of
reissues was spearheaded by 'The Best Of The Black President 2', a 2CD
collection (KFR1029-2) with a foreword written by Senegalese-American
R&B/hip-hop artist Akon. A special deluxe edition of the compilation also
includes a DVD of Fela's legendary 1984 Glastonbury concert (KFR1029-5). Also
available is 'The Complete Works' of Fela Anikulapo Kuti in a deluxe box - 26
CDs (containing 46 albums) and a bonus DVD (KFR5004).
Links
Music - Part 121 - Hjaltalin
Hjaltalin – Enter 4 (Hjaltalin)
Vinyl/CD/DL
9 September 2013
Sigur Ros have a lot to answer
for. If it wasn’t for their reputation I
may never have listened to Retro Stefson whose eponymous album was a lovely
slab of alternative pop. I may also never
have come across Enter 4 by Hjaltalin, and that would have been a huge shame
given the sheer quality of the album.
There’s a story that precedes the
band. Between the release of critically
acclaimed 2009 album ‘Terminal’ and the Autumn of 2012, the band laid low
whilst frontman Högni Egilsson struggled with his worsening mental
health. The work-in-progress they had
produced was left in a state of flux as he left the band and continued between
hospitals and mental institutions. He
now insists that ‘Enter 4’ played a huge part in his recovery.
So what of the album? Essentially,
the backbone is one of synth and percussion complimented by conventional
orchestral instruments, it’s a fine fine collection of post-pop, ambience and
general eeriness. Vocals from both
Egilsson and Sigríður
Thorlacius are superb and in many ways, comparisons can be made with last year’s
album by Archive, ‘With Us Until You’re Dead’.
Songs that are built on simple melodies but frequently escalate into
neo-stadium anthems.
Opener, ‘Lucifer/He Felt Like A
Woman’ has a deep bass beat, that though repetitive, is essential to the
make-up of the song. A hook that
continues to buzz around until well after the song has finished, and, a great
start to the album.
Hjaltalin have a quite remarkable
ability to combine pop with deep experimentation, and, make it work. Song arrangements can be complex but the
melodies shine through like glimmers of sunlight through a dark forest. ‘Forever Someone Else’ enters the realms of
trip-hop with the sumptuous vocals of Thorlacius being a key factor, and, some
quite enthralling orchestral arrangements.
‘On The Peninsula’ is nothing short of beautiful.
‘Letter
To […]’ seems to combine echoes of Soul II Soul with a darker, second half, which
includes post-industrial beats and screeches.
The placid vocals being a well-placed contrast as the track fades
out. ‘We’ rises from quiet ballad, with
more stunning vocals, to a gargantuan close of crashes, bangs and general wall
of sound.
The
story goes that album closer, ‘Ethereal’, was recorded in one take, on the spur
of the moment after Egilsson had been out of his mind and unable to work with
the rest of the band. It’s pure genius
and a quite incredible song. It’s eerie
and beautiful at the same time, and, when Egilsson performed it, it apparently
brought the remaining band members to tears.
It’s a fitting and sobering end to a quite brilliant album.
9/10
Links
Saturday 7 September 2013
They Wear It Well! - Snippetcuts
It seems that everyone that is anyone in the world of music is wearing a hiapop badge!
Above is Johnno Casson (aka Snippetcuts), purveyor of some of the finest DIY folk/pop you're likely to come across sporting his rather wonderful, and FREE, hiapop badge.
And, the badge also makes a cameo appearance in the newly recorded track Whatever Happened To The Working Class:
If you'd like your own hiapop badge, find out how to get one here.
Links
Snippet DIY album review on hiapop Blog
Snippet website
Snippetcuts on Twitter
They Wear It Well! - Martin Stephenson & Miriam Campbell
Here it is! The first photo of hiapop fans wearing their hiapop badges!
First up are the lovely Martin Stephenson and the equally lovely Miriam Campbell, lead singer with Mir, pictured in Invergordon.
Watch out for more hiapop Blog supporters showing off this Autumns most sought after fashion accessory soon!
If you want your own hiapop badge, find out how to get one here.
Links
Martin Stephenson articles on hiapop Blog
Martin Stephenson website
Martin Stephenson on Twitter
Mir album review on hiapop Blog
Mir on Bandcamp
Miriam on Twitter
Friday 6 September 2013
Music - Part 120 - Circle Traps
Circle Traps – Obelisk EP (Five Easy
Pieces)
Vinyl/DL
Out Now
Obelisk is one of those things that
you want to like. Five tracks combining ambience
with drone and the promise to equal the success of the debut EP, Fjord.
‘Heatwave’ opens with a backdrop of
drone and what appear to either be random chime-like sounds, or, a calculated
attempt to purposely play a tune out of synch.
The percussion also doesn’t necessarily suit, but, there’s a feeling
that after two or three listens, it will all fall into place. Unfortunately, it doesn’t, and, the theme
continues for the remaining four tracks.
There’s no doubt that Portico
Quartet’s Jack Wyllie and Duncan Bellamy, with the addition of Will Ward, are
striving to be original. There’s also no
question that there are interesting sounds and effects used here, (the
beginning to ‘Open Cube’ being case in point), but they just don’t seem to
gel.
At times, the tracks sound like
there are two or more separate melodies being played at once and can become
slightly frustrating. At little over two
minutes, ‘Pop’ could well be the EP highlight.
Simple drone with the addition of an interest semi-drumbeat makes for
easy listening with enough variance to keep it engaging. Any comparisons to Four Tet can be made here
as the track fades away from whence it came.
The title track and ‘Redshift’ close
the EP with very much of the same, staggered stalling. The later attempts to forge a distinctive
melody, but, doesn’t necessarily meet its goal.
‘Obelisk’ too promises much but falls just short of the mark.
There are ideas on Obelisk EP, but
sometimes, originality at the price of a good track isn’t always the
objective. You get the feeling that the
EP is just one or two steps from being something rather special, and, there’s
no doubt that there are great things up Circle Traps’ sleeves. Unfortunately, just not yet.
6/10
Links
Published on Louder Than War 6/09/13 - here
Monday 2 September 2013
Music - Part 119 - Transmission 13
Transmission 13 – The Great American
Disaster
DL
Out Now
‘Kaleidoscopio’, last years album
release by Transmission 13, brushed aside the ‘difficult second album’ tag with
ease, leaving Maurice Doogan free to then tackle his third album, ‘The Great
American Disaster’, and he’s only gone and done it again.
Eleven new tracks, each repeating
the quality now expected from Transmission 13 (no pressure for album 4!) and
continuing the sound which is quickly becoming recognisable. With slightly more ambient this time round,
the krautrock sound has been temporarily laid to rest in favour of soothing
tunes and soundscapes, that in several cases, are truly beautiful.
Opener, ‘Shimmering Substance’, is
gorgeousness personified. An ocean of
ebbing synth sounds that ripple around your sub-consciousness for quite some
time to come. Slowly building, but never completely taking over, the track
weaves its way from start to end before meeting up with ‘On Reflection’ where
the theme continues.
Where Transmission 13 succeeds is in
the simple way that the tracks are constructed.
We’re talking layers of sounds rather than multi sounds where nothing is
overfacing and everything sits perfectly.
All tracks are caringly put together and surely it’s only a matter of
time before you start hearing Maurice on your TV sets where you can witness his
tracks being put over images of natural beauty and/or outer space.
The title track is case in point of
the confidence in which these tracks are executed and laid down. Imagine if a shard diamond could sing – this
is what is would sound like. The
temptation to have a blockbuster, belt-and-braces track representing the album
is resisted, and, ‘The Great American Disaster’ is quite literally incidental
in the bigger scheme of things.
‘Bay Of Pigs’ sees the perfectly
placed newsreel soundbytes that are becoming almost characteristic, and, the
piano backing has the potential to become anthemic . Rarely has mention of George Bush and Richard
Nixon sounded so good!
There’s a true eeriness to ‘Objeccto
Volante de Identificado’ , where there is potential for percussion thunder interspersed
by newsreel voiceovers and some interesting effects. Probably, the most experimental Maurice has
yet been and another string to his bow.
Closer, ‘Warning Sign’, transmits
astronaut voices from space beside minimal piano and drone. An end to a fine album from a very talented
artist.
Great album cover too.
8.5/10
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