Posts tagged Johnny Foreigner

Johnny Foreigner are Cursed

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9 months ago
in

If you’re a band or label faced with declining physical sales, exactly how do you buck that trend?  Some will argue vinyl is answer, but those people are completely wrong about everything.  Alcopop, never a label to do things by the book, have decided to release the new EP in frisbee form.  Yes, a frisbee.  If this isn’t the greatest evolution among physical releases of music in, well, forever, I don’t know what is.

As for the EP itself, if you’re already a fan of Johnny Foreigner, you know exactly what to expect.  If not, first of all: What the hell is wrong with you?  Secondly, if you haven’t been won over so far, this isn’t going to change that.  The songs bridge the gap between older JoFo, the loud, fast and shouter one, and the newer version that seems to be rather more downbeat and introspective.  While I personally sway toward the older one, the newer one is bloody good too.  Bring on album three.

Certain Songs are cursed will be released on May 18 via the ever brilliant Alcopop Records.  The frisbee managed to sell out within 24 hours, so you’re just left with mp3s I’m afraid.

MP3 Johnny Foreigner – Twin Sisterzz

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Johnny Foreigner – Harriet, by Proxy

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1 year ago
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continue their trend of cutting out the middleman by releasing their latest video to “us” (fans to do with whatever they please) before any “proper” publications.  Not quite sure how this differs from what so many small bands do these days, but no matter.  It’s the thought that counts and all that.  Still, the video for Harriet, by Proxy may be the most well produced one they’ve put out yet.  The single itself is pretty much JoFo by the numbers, which is fine by me, but the latest EP does show that they are capable of rather more interesting things.

You Thought You Saw A Shooting Star But Yr Eyes Were Blurred With Tears And That Lighthouse Can Be Pretty Deceiving With The Sky So Clear And Sea So Calm is out now on Alcopop!

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Top 24 Songs of 2010

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1 year ago
in ,

The song list this year has a lot of crossover with the records list from yesterday.  I suppose that is to be expected to a certain degree, but I get it’s a little repetitive for me to be banging on about the same bands over and over again.  Still, that’s the nature of these lists, and I’m not going to throw in other things for the sake of it.

1. Los Campesinos! – A Heat Rash in the Shape of the Show Me State, or, Letters from Me to Charlotte

Los Campesinos! manage to win the double, taking both best record and song of the year.  If I’m perfectly honest, the song choice is pretty arbitrary.  Letters from Me to Charlotte just about stands out in front to me, but it could have just as easily been The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future or In Medias Res.  Or about half of the album to be honest.

2. – Fairweather Friends

Another one where I spent a fair bit of time trying to decide exactly which song from the record to go with, before settling on Fairweather Friends.  It’s probably best represents the EP, as well as the Superman Revenge Squad project as a whole.  The usual topics are on the agenda here: death, looking back on past relationships and irritating people at gigs.  All topped off with some beautiful strings.

MP3 Superman Revenge Squad – Fairweather Friends

3. – Dancing


Dancing is probably the most personal song on the Standard Fare album, yet it still sums up the band perfectly.  You’ve got heart on sleeve verses about breakups and getting back together interspersed with rapid sections about how dancing will make everything okay.  If any band could sum up the state of the current indiepop scene, it’s this.

MP3 Standard Fare – Dancing

4. – Say No to Love

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart just bring good feelings.  I was slower to warm to them than most, but in the past year, I’ve fallen for them completely.  Say No to Love is a lovely little bridge between the first and second albums, and while it doesn’t mess with the formula too much, it’s just too wonderful for me to complain about that.  Quite possibly my favourite current band for videos too.

MP3 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Say No to Love

5. – Try Try Try

This song pretty much hit me out of nowhere in the summer when I saw Antarctica Takes It! live twice in a couple of days.   I was only familiar with their first album at that point, so Try Try Try was quite a surprise as there’s nothing like it on there.  The vocals on it might not be as strong as some of their others, but the lyrics and the way it’s constructed more than make up for that.

6. – Rabbit Kids

I love pretty much everything on Life! Death! Prizes! so you get Rabbit Kids pretty much entirely because I love the video so much.

7. – Harriet, by Proxy

It’d be easy to dismiss Johnny Foreigner at this point.  Two albums in and they haven’t achieved the success they rightly deserve, but hopefully a shift to the plucky Alcopop! will give them a new boost.  The brilliantly titled new EP You Thought You Saw A Shooting Star But Yr Eyes Were Blurred With Tears And That Lighthouse Can Be Pretty Deceiving With The Sky So Clear And Sea So Calm shows the band exploring newer territory too.  Harriet, by Proxy is the most obviously JoFo song on there, and reminds us exactly why we were so excited about the band in 2007.

Listen on Music Fan’s Mic

8. Allo Darlin’ – Dreaming

Allo Darlin’ could do no wrong this year, and Dreaming was the pinnacle of their work.  The song features the guest vocals of Monster Bobby that gives this a rather Heavenly-ish vibe, which is no bad thing.  The video was shot during London Popfest last year and is just lovely.  Wandering around London late at night has never looked so enjoyable.

9. – Smash Hits

Quite possibly the oldest song to be included here, but I only discovered it this year, and it was on Kid Canaveral’s debut album this year, so I’m going with it.  A brilliantly snobbish tale of the horrors of dating a girl whose “music taste’s shite” that’s just great fun.

10. The – I Need Your Mind

I came late to The Broken Family Band party, so I’m jumping in early with Singing Adams, the new band of BFB front man Steven Adams.  If you’re already familiar with his former band, you know what to expect here.  The alt-country leanings may have been toned down considerably, but there’s more than enough of the same catchy pop sensibilities and witty lyrics to go around.  As a debut single, I Need Your Mind is remarkably self-assured and firmly cements the band as one to go to big things this year.

11. – Euston Station


12. Belle & Sebastian – I Want the World to Stop


One of the few bright lights from a horrendously disappointing album.

13. – Are We Lovers or Are We Friends?

Playful enough to be a nice easy listen, while also resonating a little more for those who have been in such a situation.  Exactly what any good pop record should be doing then.

MP3 Acid House Kings – Are We Lovers or Are We Friends?

14. – I Don’t Like You (‘Cos You Don’t Like The Pastels)

This Many Boyfriends continue the long indiepop tradition of entirely songs based around references to other bands.  Not just the Pastels either.  Springsteen, The Go-Betweens and if I’m not mishearing, The Cribs all manage to get themselves mentioned in the song.  There’s not much more to it beyond these references, but it still has a rather endearing charm to it.  It sounds rough and ready, which is about the only style you can go with when your spending three minutes comparing music tastes with a loved one.

MP3 This Many Boyfriends – I Don’t Like You (‘Cos You Don’t Like The Pastels)

15. – Boyfriend Devoted

16. – Not Even Giles Would Say We’ll Be OK

Not Even Giles Would Say We’ll Be OK (which the nerd in me really hopes is a Buffy reference) may be their finest release yet, striking the perfect balance between 90s US indie rock throwback and their own sound.  If any band has a chance of making it big in 2011, it’s Stagecoach.

17. – Stuart’s Got a Dirty Book

A glorious tale that manages to combine two somewhat conflicting topics: religion and masturbation.  It’s hard to imagine many bands that could get away with lyrics like “struggling with the word of god / a hand on my bible, a hand on my knob”, putting The Just Joans into a rather unique position.

MP3 The Just Joans – Stuart’s Got a Dirty Book

18. – The Winter Stories

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19. – Afraid of Everyone

20. Tigercats – Whitechapel Boys

Listen on Myspace

21. – Are Philosophers Lonely?

Short and to the point, Are Philosophers Lonely? addresses exactly what the title suggests.  Are philosophers destined to be by themselves?  Moving between wryly comic images (philosophers eating tv dinners) and something rather more melancholy (“even their sweethearts don’t know what they’re talking about”).

MP3 Soda Fountain Rag – Are Philosophers Lonely?

22. – There’s Room In My Tardis For Two

City of Glass, the debut album by Love Ends Disaster! was a favourite of the year, and while there’s some stunning songs on it, it’s this one that stands out.  Conventional wisdom would suggest I was swayed by a Doctor Who reference, but there’s more to it than that.  That might have got my attention in the first place, but it’s just a really good song regardless.  There’s the kind of melancholy vibe that always works for me, but it also has the “this should really be a hit anthem” quality to it too.  Throw in some actual TARDIS sounds as well and you’re on to a winner.

MP3 Love Ends Disaster! – There’s Room In My Tardis For Two (live)

23. – I’ve Just Been Told That a Woman Fancies Me

I’ve Just Been Told That a Woman Fancies Me is literally what it sounds like, a joyous celebration of the fact that a woman seems to like our narrator, despite the fact he knows absolutely nothing about her. Why let pesky details like that get in the way? That we end up with lines like “I can’t wait to tell my girlfriend” makes it all the more perfect.

MP3 Roadside Poppies – I’ve Just Been Told That A Woman Fancies Me

24. – The Bike Song

The Grave Architects really don’t sound like anything I’d expect a band (presumably) named after a Pavement song to sound like.  The first part of the song might just get away with it.  A little on the quaint side perhaps, but what do you expect for a song that starts “the first love of my life was not a girl, it was my very first bike”?  It tells a fun little story of learning how to ride a bike and falling in love with cycling.  Then about a minute in, it turns into, of all things, a rap epic.  Yes, rap.  And somehow it gets away with it.  Nothing I can say here is going to do justice to a terribly white man with his fluorescent shirt and cycle helmet rapping about evil motorists cutting him up.  Of course, that’s not it.  It then decides to just rock out a bit, proclaiming, with full earnestness “I love my bike!” over and over.  It’s all utterly stupid, but every time I watch the video above I find myself grinning from ear to ear.  I think my favourite part of it is actually watching the people biking in the background and their reaction to the singer’s antics.  Brilliant stuff.

Top 10 Records of 2010

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1 year ago
in

So 2010 turned out to be the year where my enjoyment of indiepop turned into a full blown obsession.  Pretty much everything I’ve listened to (or rather, listened to and liked) this year falls into the genre, or at the very least, flirts with it in some way.  So any end of year lists will be rather myopic genre wise.  I simply haven’t listened to most of the critically acclaimed albums released this year, nor do I care to.  Regularly now I will look at Pitchfork and not even recognise a single band on it’s front page.  A few years ago that would have bothered me.  Not now.  So if indiepop isn’t your thing, this probably isn’t for you.  But then given that’s about all I post these days anyway, you probably buggered off months ago anyway.

A small caveat to this list: I originally planned to write this as an album list, but then it occurred that some of my favourite releases this year have been EPs.  So I opened it up a bit to include them.  Because it’s my blog, and my list, and I can do whatever the hell I like.

1. ! – Romance is Boring

So let’s talk about you for a minute..

So opens the third Los Campesinos! record, before proceeding to spend fifteen songs doing exactly the opposite.  Which on the basis of the previous two albums is hardly a surprise.  Gareth has always been a horribly/wonderfully solipsistic songwriter, and while the imagery may have grown more elaborate, the same basis premise is here: Airing ones issues through the medium of song.

It’s an idea that may have started to grow tired by now, if not for the fact the band behind him have evolved greatly too.  While certain songs (There Are Listed Buildings, Straight In At 101) are recognisable when compared to the Hold On Now, Youngster… era, much of the album isn’t.  We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed hinted at grander things, and Romance is Boring follows though.  As an album, it’s remarkable how all over the place it is, and yet it still works as a coherent whole.

It would have been easy for a band like Los Campesinos! to keep churning out You! Me! Dancing! on record after record, but they seem to have no interest in doing so.  It’s a gamble, and one that sometimes misfires (Who Fell Asleep In still feels slightly out of place), but overall, it’s a stunningly well constructed album.  The intimidating part is how much further they can go down this route.  We’re a long way from even two and a half years ago, when I boldly proclaimed that they would be the “best band to only release one album”.  That I’m happy to be proved wrong is one thing, that each album manages to improve on the last is astounding.

MP3 Los Campesinos! – The Sea is a Good Place to Place of the Future

2. Allo Darlin’ – Allo Darlin’

I feel like dancing on my own, to a record that I do not own

Allo Darlin’ were a band I was drawn to in 2009, and fell in love with in 2010.  They also managed to become my most seen live band too, with me managing to squeeze in six of their gigs over the course of the year.  There’s nothing particularly original about Allo Darlin’, and indeed, many have written them off as “the usual twee bollocks” or the such.  Which is fine, but they aren’t claiming to do anything particularly new.  The point is that they do what they do incredibly well.

What we’ve got here are straight up, simple, jangly pop songs.  Call and response male-female vocals are here.  Handclaps are here.  Excerpts of Weezer and others are here.  Lyrically, you’re running through the usual subjects: unrequited love, pop culture and exactly why you keep playing in a band when making no money.  As a representation of exactly what the DIY scene of today, nothing tops it.

MP3 Allo Darlin’ – My Heart is a Drummer

3. – The Noyelle Beat

I’m only twenty two, I still don’t know what it is that I’m supposed to do

It’s hard for me to disassociate Standard Fare from Allo Darlin’, which may explain their similar position here.  Both were noticed by me around the same kind of time, I’ve seen the two play together repeatedly, and both released stunning debut albums in the first part of the year.  The Noyelle Beat is a scrappier album than it’s counterpart, and one that leaves you wondering just how three people manage to make so much noise.

MP3 Standard Fare – Dancing

4. – Dead Crow Blues

All those people who come to my gigs and talk through my set / To them it’s just another half hour in the pub, but I’ll never forget

There’s something depressing about Dead Crow Blues, the fourth Superman Revenge Squad release, and it’s not just in the music.  Sure, Ben Parker isn’t the happiest of souls, but this stems more from the fact no one seems to be taking any notice.  Between the stunning Nosferatu D2 album (only £3.99 – GO!) and these SRS EPs, the man is proving himself as one of the best songwriters in the country.  Lack of recognition aside though, this is by far his strongest work yet.  Musically little has changed (a guitar, the odd strings, and for the first time, a drum machine on one song), but that’s for the best as Parker’s delivery of his lyrics is by far the main appeal here.

MP3 Superman Revenge Squad – Fairweather Friends

5. – Life! Death! Prizes!

Maybe we should run to my dirty flat, talk about the things that make us sad

I didn’t get on with Shrag’s first album for the longest time, and it really only clicked for me a few months before I picked up this one.  Life! Death! Prizes! works far more immediately than it’s predecessor, even if it’s hard to tell why.  The music is slightly more developed, and some of the more abrasive vocal deliveries have been restrained, but it’s pretty much more of the same.  It’s loud, fast and catchy.  All elements that likely explain why it spent more time in my car CD player than any other record this year.

MP3 Shrag – Tights in August

..and rounding out the top ten:

6. – Shouting at Wildlife

7. – Teatime Favourites

8. – Living and Growing

9. – You Thought You Saw a Shooting Star but Yr Eyes Were Blurred With Tears and That Lighthouse Can Be Pretty Deceiving With the Sky So Clear and Sea So Calm

10. – City of Glass

Johnny Foreigner and Stagecoach release split single

1
1 year ago
in

It’s been an odd period for of late.  There seemed to be a period where they were destined to actually breakthrough and become the next big thing.  This never seemed to quite work out for them for whatever reason, and the band started to look like they wouldn’t grow beyond their small, if incredibly dedicated, fan base.  Changes now seem to be afoot for the band though, most notably a change in record labels as the band jump from Best Before to Alcopop Records.  Certainly a hell of a coup for Alcopop, and the DIY nature of the label should hopefully suit the JoFo ethic rather more than their old home did.

The first thing the band is releasing at their new home is a split single with Alcopop stalwarts .  There’s only one original song here, entitled Tru Punx (below) and it’s just about what you’d expect from a Johnny Foreigner single.  It’s hard, it’s fast, and features some great lyrics that will take you a lot of listens to pick up entirely.  As a taster for their upcoming and awesomely titled You Thought You Saw A Shooting Star But Yr Eyes Were Blurred With Tears And That Lighthouse Can Be Pretty Deceiving With The Sky So Clear And Sea So Calm, it’s ideal. And yes, the EP really is called that. Good luck tagging it correctly in iTunes.

Tru Punx – Johnny Foreigner by alcopop

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Stagecoach are a band that have seemingly gone from strength to strength over the past year.  Ever since their superb We Got Tazers! single was released, they’ve started appearing all over the place, with slots at Reading/Leeds and End of the Road over the summer.  They also managed to put out one of my favourite songs of the past year, the superb Break, and now they are back with their own contribution to the split single.  Not Even Giles Would Say We’ll Be OK (which the nerd in me really hopes is a Buffy reference) may be their finest release yet, striking the perfect balance between 90s US indie rock throwback and their own sound.  If any band has a chance of making it big in 2011, it’s Stagecoach.

Not Even Giles Would Say We’ll Be OK by alcopop

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The Love In 7″ will be released November 15 (that’s this Monday) via the ever superb Alcopop Records.  The single also includes Johnny Foreigner covering Stagecoach’s Good Luck With Yr 45 and Stagecoach covering JoFo’s classic Salt, Peppa and Spinderella.  As you might expect, both of these versions are awesome.

Live: Los Campesinos! // The Garage, London

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1 year ago
in ,

This will likely be less of a review and more generally excited babble about how much I enjoyed this gig.  Because I did.  It seems that ! can’t disappoint me live.  And this was my fifth time seeing them.  First time was the epic show that had me, a friend and 150 A&R types at their first London gig in 2006.  Second was at the Spitz in 2007 which also had the mighty Sky Larkin and Nosferatu D2 playing their final show.  After that it was the utterly insane Reading 2008 performance, and then their Electric Ballroom effort later that year.

First up were the brilliant though, who I was also seeing for the fifth time.  Walked into the place a few minutes into their set and they were already tearing up the room.  They ran through a good chunk of Grace and the Bigger Picture, as well as, if I’m not mistaken, at least one new one.  The inevitable highlight though was Gareth Campesinos! joining the band onstage to take lead vocals for a storming rendition of Criminals.

Next up was Frankie & the Heartstrings.  They were alright.  I suspect I would have enjoyed them a bit more if I’d actually known any of their songs beforehand.

It was clearly Los Campesinos! that everyone was there to see though, and that carried over to an incredibly boisterous performance.  The band opted for a greatest hits package, including songs that hardly ever get a live airing, which made the night all the more special.  The International Tweexcore Underground, My Year in Lists and Knee Deep at ATP were all busted out, along with a good chuck of Romance is Boring.  On record the differences between early LC! and current LC! is becoming increasingly pronounced, but live they throw themselves into everything with equal verve.  The gentler songs from four years ago manage to have the same energy as the current ones do.  A lot of this is down to the way Gareth lets loose on every single song (including the inevitable taking to the crowd), and I’m sure he must have lost about half of his bodyweight in sweat by the time the gig was over last night.

A brilliant gig all round.  Below you’ll find a new version of Romance is Boring taken from the new Los Campesinos! EP that went on sale last night.

MP3 Los Campesinos! – Romance is Boring (Princess version)

The All’s Well That Ends Well EP features four new versions of songs from the Romance is Boring album.  It’s available directly from Wichita Recordings, or at selected record stores.  By which I suspect “selected” means all three that are still open.  10″ only, of course.  And labels wonder why they struggle for sales..

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22 Songs

1
2 years ago
in ,

I’ve missed far too much music in the past year to make a proper best of list, so instead, here’s a list of 22 songs that I’ve loved from 2009. Listed in alphabetical order, not preference. Even though all of them are bloody good.

– Preaching to the Converted
So 2009 didn’t turn out to be the year that 4 or 5 Magicians finally “made it”. They did manage to put out their first proper album though, and despite a few missteps, it’s an excellent start. Dan Ormsby’s great talent as a songwriter shine through throughout, perfectly chronicling both a struggling band and the state of the country side by side.
Obama is your new Che Guevara / Scouting for Girls are your new Nirvana / You’ve written ‘Free Tibet’ on the back of your hand / But you figure Tibet is a part of Iran
Youtube

Allo Darlin’ – Henry Rollins Don’t Dance
Pretty much the song of the year for me, although The Polaroid Song put in another strong effort for Allo Darlin’ Seemingly going from strength to strength at the moment, I’m half expecting them to be everywhere this year.
But in my head you’re Patrick Swayze / You drag me from the corner and call me ‘baby’ / But baby you don’t even wanna see Dirty Dancing
Youtube

– Another City, Another Sorry
The album as a whole never quite lived up to the promise, but The Answering Machine did manage to deliver some superb individual songs. Kind of what the Arctic Monkeys might be sounding like now if they hadn’t turned to shit.
I’m sort of lacking certainty / Situations tease the drunk out of me
mp3

– Demons Out!
Three albums in and Art Brut seem to be stuck in a holding pattern. No real advancement in terms of songs or abilities. A set of decent songs that are a hell of a lot better when performed live due to the natural charisma of Eddie Argos. I suspect Art Brut are about as a popular as they are ever going to be at this point. Which is why we can expect plenty more songs like Demons Out! in the future.
How am I supposed to sleep at night when no one likes the music we write / Record buying public, we hate them / This is Art Brut vs. Satan
Youtube

– French Navy
2009 seemed to be the year that Camera Obscura finally came into their own, to the extent that after 13 years, the band were finally able to give up their day jobs. Each album has seen the band grow considerably, with more complex and elaborate arrangements making their way in. It might have taken a while, but they certainly aren’t the “female Belle & Sebastian” any longer.
Spent a week in a dusty library / Waiting for some words to jump at me
Youtube

– Horoscope
The album was a little patchy, but Horoscope is an excellent little song. Mattias Björkas’s voice is the standout attraction here. He may sound like a Euro-Morrissey, but it’s incredibly easy to drift away in his voice.
I don’t believe in happy ever after / A pyramid scheme, I keep telling you
mp3

– Pink Sabbath
A band that creates such a ruckus that they require a whole new genre has to be created for them (fight pop). Dananananaykroyd’s album was an assault on the ears from start to finish, but in a good way. If such a thing is possible.
Buy it, run it, kick it, fuck it, yeah
mp3

– First Love
It took her the best part of five years, but Emmy the Great’s debut album just about lived up the high expectations. Boldly leaving off a number of “old favourites” in favour of a more structured collection, the album is a grower, but worth investing the time in.
You said I have a room / At the top of the stairs / I have a room with a view
Youtube

– Something Global
Possibly the most exciting band that I came across this year, I can’t think of album that has anywhere near as much play on my car stereo. And boy does it sound superb when bombing along at speed. Wonderfully unhinged.
So give me my hook / I know it might sound lame / Do you like my new look? / Waistcoats are so today
Youtube

– The Year of Letting You Down
The first of two songs on this list to feature Catherine Ireton, who quickly became one of my favourite voices. A small start for someone who deserves to be huge.
I met with a little success in my work / You wouldn’t call it taking off / But you wouldn’t call it starving
mp3

–
..and here’s the second. For some reason that’s baffling to me, the Gold Help the Girl album didn’t seem to get the acclaim I expected it to. The fact it’s not showing up on many end of year lists is deeply confusing to me, but I suppose you can’t win them all. The song choice here is pretty arbitrary, as it could have just as easily been I’ll Have To Dance With Cassie, Musician Please Take Heed or a handful more.
The dawn will touch me in a way a boy could never touch / Their promise never meant so much to me
Youtube

– Choose Yr Side and Shut Up!
An excellent song from what was an ultimately disappointing second album. Don’t get me wrong, I do like it and all, but it doesn’t even come close to Waited Up Til It Was Light. This album opener hints at the bigger things in store though. Short and to the point, it has anthem written all over it.
So we scattered pretty / Arcs across the city / Turned pockets of doubt / Into blankets of hope
Youtube

Let’s Wrestle – We Are The Men You’ll Grow To Love Soon
A slightly disjointed debut album from Let’s Wrestle still brought us a bunch of excellent little songs, if nothing incredibly exciting. Still, a band very much of their time. Few others can so perfectly articulate life in modern Britain.
We’re going down the job centre / And soon we’ll come out with a job
Youtube

Loney, Dear – Airport Surroundings
Typically late to the party with stuff like this, I never got into Loney, Dear (is there a comma or not?) much when the critically loved Loney, Noir came out. I absolutely love Airport Surroundings though. You’d think that would inspire me to check out the rest of the album, but I still haven’t got around to it. One day.
The last pain got away when I gave up myself / I bought a ticket to hell when I met up with you
mp3

! – The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future
Utterly, utterly perfect. The album is quite good too. So I’m told.
I ask her to speak French and then I need her to translate / I get the feeling she makes the meaning more significant
mp3

– Footsteps
The debut album from Pocketbooks delivered on all of the promise of the past few years. One indie pop gem after another, it makes me very excited for the future. From their adoration soaked performance at Indietracks to high profile support slot of God Help the Girl, bigger things are almost certainly in their future.
From the supermarket aisles to the dance floors of provincial towns / I’d occupy my vacant hours just waiting for something
mp3

– Molten Hearts
It always great when you discover a great band that is still rocking as if it’s 1994, and that’s exactly what Projekt A-ko do. Distortion, lazy vocals and even the odd “woo”. More like this in 2010 please.
I’ve got no fashion sense / I haven’t got any sense / I’ll never make any sense
Lastfm

– Break
Another band unashamedly influenced by the 90s US indie rock scene, Stagecoach bring the sound of Seattle to Brighton. Break is three minutes of song perfection, from a band we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the near future.
It’s not like her to cross the line / But she crossed it before and she’s gonna cross it one more time / Shit breaks / I kick in her face
mp3

– Super Sad Morgan
Pretty much any song from the supremely talented Ben Parker could have made it onto the list. I actually debated placing a Nosferatu D2 song on here, but it seemed to be pushing things a little. His songs are a masterclass in the writing of lyrics. Quite why a label hasn’t snapped him up is completely beyond me.
If someone mentions Woolworths again I think I’m gonna combust / We stole all of the Pic ‘n’ Mix from out her hearts
Lastfm

– Black Heart Blue Eyes
One of the most beautiful songs of the year from a band I really need to listen to more of. Black Heart Blue Eyes has such a wonderfully theatrical sound to it, topped off with some perfectly snappy wordplay.
Bigotry’s obligatory around here / There’s nothing for me to defend / Just got to go
mp3

– Berlin, Without Return…
Everything that the debut album should have been but never managed. Ramesh Srivastava’s vocal is as pitch perfect as ever, once again with a song worthy of his talents.
Do you spend your whole life trying to get back home? / Where do you go?
Youtube

– The Wolf
Now a fully formed band, The Young Republic may not be the same band they were a few years ago, but they know exactly what they want to be. Shifting from orchestral indie pop to Americana isn’t the easiest leap, but they’ve pulled it off with style. Incredibly self assured.
It hasn’t been this bad since my grandpa was a kid / He made it through, he never told us what he did
Youtube

New Los Campesinos! video – There Are Listed Buildings

0
2 years ago
in

One day ! are going to break my heart. It’s actually amazing that they haven’t already given my usual somewhat brief flings with bands. Generally it’s album before it all goes to hell, sometimes not even that long. ! have been the band I have most consistently enjoyed since starting this blog thing. A lot of bands have come close to the excitement they manage to generate in me (*, , Sky Larkin), but no one quite pips them. Three and a bit years on from first covering them, I’m writing about songs from their third album with just the same admiration as back then.

There was some concern when The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future appeared that we’d moved past the upbeat, manic incarnation of the band. Shades of a more restrained, thoughtful version of the band were previously hinted at on the last album, so it wouldn’t have been too surprising. There Are Listed Buildings puts those fears to rest. While not as loose as the original You! Me! Dancing! days, it still feels like something that would have been right at home last time around. This is the sound of a band on the very cusp of legendary indie status. It’s just going to take one perfect record to tip them over the top.

The third, currently untitled, album from Los Campesinos! is due to be released early next year. Presumably on Wichita.

* The same Johnny Foreigner that have an upcoming album called Grace and the Bigger Picture on Best Before Records. That everyone else seems to have received a promo for except me. I mean, it’s not a big deal. I certainly don’t expect promo material. Ever. Even if it’s the album I’m most excited about this year. Not like Another Form of Relief was the very first music blog to cover them god knows how long ago. Oh no. Not that I’m bitter or anything.**

** Seriously, I’m not. All in jest. Just really want to hear the damn thing.

New Johnny Foreigner video – Criminals

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2 years ago
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S’alright I suppose. I like the black and white bits.

Grace and the Bigger Picture will be released on October 26 (possibly the best record release day of the year) on Best Before.

Hop Farm Festival 2009: A Review

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2 years ago
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This past weekend brought the second festival of 2009 for Another Form of Relief. It was a local festival, but one that I never intended on going to given it’s ludicrous £125 ticket cost. Seemingly others thought the same, given ticket sales struggled to such a degree that they were giving £250 of tickets away with £10 items via a clothing store. So, one Kangaroo Poo beach towel later and I had guestlist access to two days of live music. Not too shabby.

Arriving on site at around noon, the car parking was fairly well organised and it wasn’t a long walk (in festival terms) to the box office entrance. Where, of course, we weren’t on the guest list where we should have been. Joining a second queue of people all in the same boat, it took a bit of hassle with customer services, but eventually we got our wristbands and got in.

To be presented with one of the most deserted festival sites known to man.

Main arena

After exploring the site for a bit and getting our bearings, we headed over to the main stage and caught a bit of . They are a band that I’ve been vaguely aware of but never heard much of it, and I’m happy to say that relationship is perfectly intact after their set. They were fine I suppose, but nothing grabbed me to a degree that I had to rush home and find some of their songs.

Noah and the Whale

Next up were , a band I rather like, if not entirely. I love 5 Years Time and a few others, and thankfully they played all of the ones I knew. They weren’t exactly what I expected, the sound of four of them live without the voice of Laura Marling was a little bit odd. Not too bad, but 5 Years Time certainly lost some of it’s shine. The newer songs they played were fine, if not as immediate. I suspect they will be growers though.

Let's Wrestle

After that it was a quick dash over to the stupidly small Third Stage, which had some of the best bands of the weekend. We arrived to find Let’s Wrestle about halfway through their set. They sounded good, replicating their recorded sound incredibly well. The only downside was that they ran out of songs 20 minutes before their set was due to end. It was salvaged my audience participation, an extra long jam session and a boisterous rendition of their signature “let’s fucking wrestle!” that certain members of the audience seemed to take to heart.

Johnny Foreigner

The mighty followed them and provided the highlight of the weekend. Their set was littered with new songs, and new renditions of old favourites. The band flirted with some new arrangements too, including one song where Kelly took to the drums and Junior picked up a bass and a couple more songs that made use of a fourth member. Alexei seemed to be having a good time throughout, correcting the MC when taking the stage with “we’re actually ” and calling a Twang cover of Bran Van 3000′s Drinking in LA “the worst fucking thing I’ve ever heard” when they were playing the same festival.

Ash

Back to the main stage afterwards for , a band where I know the singles and that’s about it. Which is fine given that is mostly what they stuck with, just littering in the odd new song while constantly assuring us they would get back to the hits. All of the usual suspects made it into the set: Burn, Baby Burn and Shining Light, with the superb Girl From Mars providing the first almighty audience sing along of the day.

The Joy Formidable

Off to the Third Stage once again for , who to my surprise had completely packed out the tent. I must have missed the point between Reading last year and now where they became massive, but it certainly felt like they had made it. It was a loud, messy set that went over incredibly well and if they aren’t playing headline slots by the end of the year I’ll be amazed.

That was where day one ended for us. The festival itself went on for a few more hours, with The Fratellis and The Pigeon Detectives being the highest acts on the main stage. But given they are shit, why bother staying?

—

We returned for day two and had a much longer walk from a much further car park. Which was at the very least good exercise.

Ladyhawke

is someone I only know via one song that I’ve heard in someone’s car over and over again. I wasn’t expecting anything more than generic dance nonsense, so I was pleasantly surprised by her set. She seemed rather awkward on stage (apparently she has Asperger’s) and was plagued by technical difficulties throughout, but her performance was rather good. Not spectacular by any means, but an enjoyable way to spend 40 minutes.

Super Furry Animals

The were up next, a band I’ve never been much of a fan of short of one or two songs. Neither of which they actually played. They were rather fun though, bringing their own “Woah!” and “Applause” audience cue cards. We actually left about halfway through their set to get to the Third Stage, so maybe they did play the songs I like after all.

Dananananaykroyd

I’ve read so many things about ’s “legendary” live performances, but nothing quite prepared me for what I walked into. Arriving in the tent, the band were just having the audience perform the Wall of Cuddles. They followed this by storming through a song with such ferocity that they immediately blew out an amp. While this was being fixed, the band killed time by telling jokes (“What has eight legs and is harmless to kids?” “The Jackson Four”) and playing a television theme tune quiz. We got through Eastenders, Hollyoaks (“that show sucks balls”) and another before everything was good to go again. The band launched into their second wind even more manically than the first, security trying to drag Callum back on stage from crowdsurfing while singing repeatedly. It was an insane, but utterly fitting show for the band, and I hope to see them playing outside of a festival environment in the future.

Doves

If it’s possible to go to sleep while standing in a crowd of people enjoying themselves at a festival, I could have managed it during . Nothing particularly wrong with them at all, just all very uninteresting.

Editors

Speaking of uninteresting, Editors were on next. The crowd seemed to enjoy them, so maybe it was just me, but they bored me to tears on the most part. I just spent the time watching the lead singer flail around like a lunatic for seemingly no apparent reason. Never have I so randomly and intently hated a man as much as that guy. Thankfully we left about halfway through and I didn’t have to suffer any more of his twattery.

The Rumble Strips

The last band of the weekend for me were the rather pleasant Rumble Strips. I missed most of their set, but I enjoyed what I saw. The band seemed to be very much on form, even managing to get the brass instruments sounding good in a live setting, which isn’t always an easy feat. I felt kind of bad that I only caught about three of their songs after the event.

And that was it.

—

Some random observations:
- The security guards were fine at times, dickish at others.
- The bar had nice, cheaply priced drinks.
- The food stalls had crappy, expensive food.
- The toilets (in the bar at least) were excellent by festival standards.
- The Grilled Chicken & Bacon Salad in the Brookers Oast next door to the site is lovely.
- The ridiculously long walk to get in and out of the site (and thus to the pub) was a bit of a git.
- For a festival that prides itself on “no VIP areas” so “everyone has the same experience”, it seems odd to have a VIP bar.

Pretty damn good for the price of a towel though.

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