Ground breaking? I tell you no lie. The songs themselves are pretty strong, the singles More Than This and Avalon are great slices of popular music sure but it’s the production here that still today turns this from being a period piece into a master class in smooth. Engineer Rhett Davis managed to capture the aura of the 80′s perfectly, it sounds like it cost a fortune. The layered vocals on The Space Between are ridiculously lush, the keys gently phase in and out under the horns never invading the space enough to cut through. People will argue that everything described above sounds like the band was playing it safe but I would counter that for a band as inventive and shocking as Roxy once were to come out with such a clean and silky sounding record would have been far from the safe move. The risk of alienating what was left of the bands audience didn’t out way the group’s vision for Avalon. Luckily by mastering this new direction a whole new generation discovered the band. All be it a more mainstream and adult orientated one.

The only time that the flow is interrupted is towards the end of the album with the track To Turn You On. The lyrics sound desperate with Ferry crooning that he’d “do anything to turn you on” and the bass begins to interrupt the space of the otherwise solid melody.

Only a couple of years later the likes of Dire Straits and the god awful Chris De Burgh adopted the sound and launched a thousand dad dances at a thousand awful weddings but no one has captured the utter smoothness quite so well as the ultra-laid back production here.

After the band completed the tour in support of the album during 1983 Roxy Music split for good, no longer a force to be reckoned with the group that survived punk was eventually killed out by the likes of Wham and Duran Duran. Not long after this Brian Ferry’s solo career reaped huge rewards with his Boys and Girls LP in ’85 which to the casual fan like myself couldn’t touch anywhere near the class that his previous outfit delivered, in comparison to Avalon it felt over produces and the songwriting rushed.

As for the current reunion? With no Eno, I just don’t see the point. I can’t imagine anything more stifled than sitting through performances like those YouTube clips from the bands final tour before they originally split. Add on top 25 years of age to each member and it spells out a recipe for snooze time.

Words cannot express how pleased I am that Veils exist. Before this release I had not heard of them at all but now that Clarity has brought the band to my attention my life has got that little touch better. Hailing I think from Cornwell and delivering 5 tracks of emotional screamo hardcore (fuck that sounds horrible) this quartet tore me a new one as soon as I heard them. It started with a random bandcamp play that led to me pre ordering the vinyl. I then found out they were touring with The Long Haul and bought that fucker too, simply because they are on the same label and sharing the same stages, such was the pull from this one track on bandcamp. The track in question is called Caves (anxiety) and it’s breath taking. A few moments later in my inbox the digital downloads appeared (other labels take note) and that is what I am basing this review from. The following 24 hours was stuffed full of this record. I must admit that I am somewhat obsessed.

Each track has a theme in brackets after the title. My current favourite being Stallions (Adrenaline), it pulls you along through the song by the scruff of your neck screaming “listen to me you fucker, I need to be heard.” The record has the same feel as the recent Touché Amore album. Which is a great record, it’s just I think this is better. The production is crisp and raw at the same time. The chaotic parts toward the end of Surrender (Clarity) simply need to be heard through a cranked up sound system. It is the aural equivalent of the Earth imploding. It’s damn near perfect. Thank fuck for Veils and Tangled Talk. It goes without saying I guess but I can’t recommend this release enough.

And as an aside this record has been released by Tangled Talk who along with Holy Roar, Big Scary Monsters and Blood and Biscuits have formed a sort of uber label called Pink Mist. The Holy Roar label gets a lot of stick and criticism over the internet due to the fact that a, they release bands that people don’t always like and b, they employ indie record label tactics like they have sent out promo cdr’s, press releases that big up their bands and have pre-orders and either have vinyl and T-shirt combined deals or exclusive limited run t-shirts and you know what, just about anything that fans of the bands they release might actually love. Some of these tactics are infact heaven forbid, employed by majors as well.

Well you know what, if the reason for disliking the label is that you dislike the bands on it then fine. Any labels in the Pink Mist group wouldn’t put out anything they didn’t like themselves and personal taste is just that, personal taste. But if the reason you think they suck is because a message board says the label is run like a major would be then just fuck off and step down of that DIY high horse for a moment and just accept that not all people see things EXACTLY like you do.  If any tactics these labels use mean that they can release more records in the future without going bust then not only am I for it but I am damn proud to have these records as part of my collection.

The overall feel is a little flatter than AC/DC had ever been before. This was partly due to working once again with renowned perfectionist Robert John “Mutt” Lange. His production techniques and the repetitive nature of his recording style is legendry, spending day after day looking for a snare drum sound that sometimes may just never be achievable. Even the best producer on Earth can suck the life out of songs by making bands play them again and again and again. Yet on Breaking The Rules the hours spent detailing the drums paid dividends with Phil Rudd smashing seven shades of crap out of his tubs. It sounds massive. Yet even with long hours and gruelling schedules the relationships within the band didn’t break until the course of recording and the aftermath of the following album, Flick Of The Switch. The bands resolve was still strong, that of a gang, be it a rather wealthy one. The only time during this period the group faltered was when they headlined the Donington Monsters Of Rock Festival a couple of months before the release of the album. From the footage I have seen the band seemed a little under rehearsed and turned in a somewhat lacklustre performance. Not that the crowd minded. They were going completely batshit in parts.

So what makes the album a little flat? Well it isn’t the title track, that’s a stone cold classic rock anthem. It’s just slower than mid-tempo and thuds its way through almost six minutes of groove laden riffs and canon blasts. Putting the song on today and cranking it up is still a bombastic experience when the canons blast during the breakdown part a split second after Brian Johnson yells “Fire!”. It’s guitar crunch heaven. Elsewhere two other tracks keep the bar raised improbably high. Let’s Get It Up could easily find its way on Back In Black’s flawless set of songs and Evil Walks has a rich swagger to it that feels menacing during the chorus and reminiscent of Hells Bells from Black In Black of the verse.

Yet that is where the greatness ends. Snowballed has a cool juxtaposition between the rattling verses and the stop start chorus and Inject The Venom ticks all the right boxes. The riffs are great, the chorus is a belter and the solo is slick but it just seems so half arsed it’s incredibly frustrating for the fan knowing that during this period AC/DC had the chops to be the best band in the world. Night Of The Long Knives is pretty unremarkable except for the fact that the band should have sued the hell out of Motley Crue for nicking the main riff for their Dr. Feelgood opus and as for C.O.D. well, it’s a pile of steaming dung fresh from the butt of a cow with a bad case of food poisoning.

It’s this reviewer’s opinion that this was the first of AC/DC’s records that is not an essential release, it contains some great music as did all of the band’s following records to this day but a after Black In Black there is always simply too much filler.

15-11

I know it’s a cheat but I had to include these because they are too good not to get a name check and anyway if toilet paper like Kerrang can get away with a top 101 then I can get away with a top 15. So in no particular order….. Here it goes.

 THE GET UP KIDS released There Are Rules, critics and aging emo boys unanimously vomited into their backpacks as the band got back together and dared to release a guitar and keyboard filled pop rock record full of hooks and great vocal lines. How the fuck dare they, the four eyed jerks. Yet it was great so fuck the haters. I don’t even like the back catalogue that much.

ALGERNON CADWALLADER played a few towns from me. I missed them, stayed at home and watched Supernatural on telly probably. Yet their Parrot Flies LP sounds pretty sweet. It’s as if Cap’n’jazz bothered to stay together and write proper songs. I’ve only heard it three times so far but I can already tell it’s a good egg.

TRAP THEM who were another new band to me this year ripped my rectum in half when I first cranked up Darker Handcraft on my stereo. It’s nuts and doesn’t let up. This is why I chose it over the new Defeater record. Those guys let up and cracked out the acoustics. I haven’t seen such cry baby puke ridden balladry since Extreme released More Than Words back in 1991.

COM TRUISE was in another chaps top 10 and hasn’t left my iPod since I did a crafty December download thanks to his recommendation. Crafty because it’s the best electronic record I’ve heard since the debut Crystal Castle’s thing a few years back. It’s so 80’s it hurts my face like I’ve eaten a boiled sweet and someone is trying to make me laugh. Why hadn’t I heard of them/him/her already?

PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH put out The Lack Long After. On this record the music is fine but the vocals are just corr blimey awesomeness. Also this is a band that played in my town. I decided to stay in and probably watched Alias. Did you know Sidney Bristow is like a double treble agent or something? It’s mental. I’d get confused whose side I was really on. I’m still not sure now but I know that Locke from Lost is in charge. Which makes no sense. It Must have been before he fell out of the window and broke his legs off.  So….. to the top 10.

10. GAY FOR JOHNNY DEPP – What Doesn’t Kill You, Eventually Kills You.

Not the best GFJD record ever but they were the best band I saw this year FACT. They split up shortly after the tour finished so I reckon they must have been running out of that screamy juice. I originally didn’t like it too much because they covered Slade on it (badly) and there were still too many ‘funny’ song titles but in the last few months I have found myself warming to it. It’s very brash. I will miss them.

9. WUGAZI – 13 Chambers

I think this type of record is still called a mash up. Last year some fella mashed up Beat Happening with Jay-Z’s Black Album and I enjoyed that but this mashing up of FUGAZI and WU-TANG CLAN was a lot more fun. It made me miss fugazi like no mans business so whoever did it thanks for that. Many hours behind a computer screen well spent. Next up I want the back catalogue of KISS and BEASTIE BOYS raped please. It would be called Crazy Crazy Kikes. Whoops. I just read on Wikipedia that that is a derogatory word for Jews. Still I don’t think the beastie boys will be too bothered. They released an EP called Polly Wog Stew or summin and they used to lock up girls in cages and poke them with inflatable cocks. Any way one of ‘em is a Buddhist now or a scientologist or part of some crazy psycho nut bag unorganised religion so somebody told me down the shops. Not sure about any of these being facts tho..

8. FLEET FOXES – Helplessness Blues

I have no interest in seeing these guys live ever because I would get sooooo bored. Bit I was still mightily impressed that even though it sounds like a ridiculous amount of cash was spent on this album it’s damn beautiful and probably worth most of the money spent.

7. TRASH TALK – Awake

This band is so good but their records are always so so. Finally this year the band put out a record worthy of falling in love with and tattooing on your skin somewhere, maybe on the back of your calf. I’ve seen so many owl tattoos this year it’s now verging on silly. It’s like when marijuana tattoos got really popular because of Pantera thinking it was brilliant and every douchebag and their brother got one on their arms and legs. Do yourself a favour and get the logo from Awake tattoo’d on ya. TRASH TALK will probably never release another good record and you’ll know that you don’t look like every other twoz knocker out there. Shame this record only contains four songs.

6. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA – Simple Math

Fan of Built To Spill? Think they sort of got it wrong when they, at the turn of the century, released weak arsed carbon copies of what had gone before and decided not to create good music anymore. Then fear not indie kids. Manchester Orchestra have done the impossible and released the latest Built To Spill album and would you believe it’s the best thing they have done in twelve years and what’s more they didn’t even have to lift a finger.

5.  TOUCHE AMORE – Parting The Sea between brightness and me

This is the best hardcore record that I have heard that’s been released this year so far. They are a band that screams and has hooks. There are melodies throughout that you can actually remember and it’s not macho bull shit where every windmilling astrocunt can bomp to the breakdown parts that too many bands chug out for a cheap dance move. When I see young men floor punch these days I think that they are thinking about beating their parents until they finally relent and purchase them the latest UKHC vest so they can look neat with their buddies. I wish I had some buddies. Sadface.

4. PETER KERNELL – White Death Black Heart

Nobody has heard of these guys. They are from Scandinavia and I liked em enough to review the album HERE. And interview them HERE. I’ve listened to this record so much I don’t even understand if it’s music anymore.

3. THE STROKES Angles

Just like the new GET UP KIDS, the new STROKES has pretty much been disowned by the faithful. I really dug Angles. There are some really smart songs, really inventive melodies and even knowing that Julian probably thinks the band members are total morons he can’t deny that as a band they really fuckin work. It’s as good as the best moments form Albert Hammond Jr’s debut solo record and a ton better than all the bands other solo efforts. People slagged this for being too experimental. You have to be kidding me right? Experimental, THE STROKES? You peoples iz sillys.

2.  PJ HARVEY – Let England Shake

Did this record win every bloody poll in the country because it’s an outstanding piece of work? Is it a classic in both its concept and sound? Or could it be that journo’s were so shocked that she’s actually released an album worth anything other than a casual listen from an illegal download that they shot it to the top of their individual top 10’s. Well after getting hooked myself I can say reason 1 is totally true but reason 2 is also pretty close. How can someone release an album as good as Rid Of Me back in 1993 and not release another classic until 2011? It’s mad.  All and Everyone is just so lush, This Glorious Land is mind bendingly clever and subtle at the same time. I hate it when the press gets things right.

The Number 1. ROUGH COMFORTS – Self Titled.

Ive already written too much about this… so I will re print my thoughts here….

When I first heard Rough Comforts it was one of those moments that you rarely experience when you’re a music hound looking for anything new out there that could possibly excite your jaded rock n roll heart. Not only did I find the music I downloaded thrilling and spine tingle inducing but it was utterly surprising to hear the melodies emanating from my speakers. I did not expect James Davies, local pioneer of indie rock (Cups On Strings) and old hand at crunching hardcore noise (Babies Three) to produce a fully formed and gentle approach to his song writing.

Last year he sent me a selection of his songs and my favourite was a track called Silly Girl which rattled around my head for weeks after I first heard it. The vocal melody and delivery were subtle delicate things but the hooks were huge and he sings in a high register and the voice itself seems so fragile that it could just crack and fall apart at any point. As for the lyrics they are far from whimsical but still have a child like naivety about them, they are playful and honest. I listened to it so much that the rest of the tracks didn’t really get a look in. when I finally got around to listening to the other songs properly there was no way to describe how I felt, I wanted to tell the world they should be listening to this stuff but because I know the guy I just felt that it’s going to be seen as a bit of a cop out to have a friend bigging up his music. How would he react? He’s a stubborn bastard that refuses to tour these songs and appears to be totally opposed to playing any type of game to get noticed. I asked him why he doesn’t covet recognition let alone fame and he simply replied that “that the songs are for people to discover on their own and if anyone get’s anything from them then I consider that success”. I mean, how obtuse is that?

Well, its a few months later now and you can download (for free I might add, or pay something if you wish) the uncompleted debut album simply called Self Titled off of bandcamp. CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK. He has chosen not to include Silly Girl which is crazy but the album does include my favourite song I have heard so far this year in Negative Capability. I would recommend this over anything else I have heard this year easily and what’s better is that it’s due to be completed by Christmas so keep returning and downloading as he pieces it together. It seems ludicrous to include James amongst these artists but if the likes of Nick Drake, Jeremy Enigk, and Lou Barlow have floated your boat in the past then Rough Comforts are going to make you the happiest son or daughters of bitches out there.

‘I’m Gonna Live Anyhow’ is every bit as ethereal and experimental as anything on the new Fleet Foxes record ,but the production is a little too bright for my liking. Thankfully ‘Skyline’ begins to make a skewed kind of sense with the wobbly perfection of ‘Hesitation Wound’. It’s on this track in particular that the listener is transported upon a freaky musical journey of discovery – That discovery being just how many studio effects and bizarre sounds can be embezzled into a four minute song and still make complete sense.

It’s honestly insane that this works so well. So far this week I’ve listened to this record a dozen times and I fear I haven’t even scratched the surface. It’s a brave and bleak listen and the freezing cold vibe that emanates from this disc could well thaw with time but for now I feel I am still just chipping away at some impenetrable block of ice.

Tusc: I’m Here with three members of Babies Three; Jim, Paul and Daniel

Daniel: I’d like to mention we are sitting outside in the freezing cold in Margate’s sea front.

T: So, can you tell us a brief history of the band before we get into the reforming thing…

Paul: We started in the late 90’s as a copyist punk pop type of band, threw members out then Jim, Alex and Daniel joined and we started to get good. When our drummer Russell joined we decided to take it in a more emo-ish of direction, we were still copying what we were listening to at the time

T: This was the late 90’s was it?

P: Yeah 1999 is when we got our sound together and when I say emo I’m talking Mineral or Sunny Day Real Estate that we were taking inspiration from. The thing that turned me onto it was an early Boy Set’s Fire album, a short while after that we started to discover our own sound thanks to Jim’s talent and later after our first European tour a genius thing started to happen in that we started to write songs as a band that we happened to think were original and we really enjoyed playing them without copying any one too much. And then we split up. Me and Jim had a falling out and there was a problem with musical directon, but pretty much it was over a girl.

T: It was a very emo way to split up.

Daniel: We did carry on for a little while with Ross.

T: Yeah, let’s name drop Ross who is currently playing guitar in Man Hands.

P: We carried on for a bit but it was never really the same, no offence to Ross whose talent is amazing and is a very good looking man. We battled on for a year or so after Jim had was gone but it just wasn’t right. And then we splintered into many different bands. That’s the early history. Done.

T: You have had a few attempts at getting the band back together though right?

Jim: We give it a go once a year.

P: Three attempts in the last Four years I think. Yeah, me and Jim have healed from what we fell out over. Various things stopped it coming together be it musical direction or we couldn’t get it together for practices. The usual band nonsense.

T: Now you’re older do you have work commitments and other family commitments.

P: It’s only really an issue with Russell. Originally when we got back together it was with Alex, who was in the original ’99 line up but he’s got children and he couldn’t fully commit and Russell is in the same situation. In the long term he’s said that its cool if we wanna take things more seriously we should get someone else. At the moment though there is no need to as we are still working on new stuff.

T: And of course now you have a new member.

J: The new member is called Chainy Rabbit, that’s not his real name by the way.

D: Has he said what his real name is?

J: It’s something silly like Eugene. I can’t remember…. Jermaine, that’s it. He’s a guy who makes some pretty interesting music. He’s a real musical thinker, not the most technical player but he is someone who thinks about music in a real interesting way and listens to lots of weird minimalist stuff. I was playing in a band called Mumdead with him before this. So yeah Chainy is our new bass player and he’s replacing a guy called Steve Jedrick who in my opinion was in the definitive line up of Babies Three around 2001. It’s a shame not to have Steve here with us now but he’s one that is even more complicated to talk about.

T: Have you written any new songs with Chainy?

D: Yes, two. But one of them is so long it may as well be three songs. I was excited and posted about it on facebook but then someone deleted it.

P: It was an accident.

D: I just feel like I am being censored all the time, I have so much that I want to say and I am just not being allowed to get it out there. Jim never lets me bring my songs into practice.

J: it’s because they are too good and I am jealous.

P: With the two new songs the long one (Polytheist Mind) starts off all Jesus Lizard like and then goes into unknown territory for us, very slow, very doom, a bit weird. It’s sludge almost, although so far people that have heart it so far have been like. ”Meh….. It’s a bit long”.

Paul’s wife in the background: People meaning me!

Everyone: (laughs)

P: The other song (Brethren Of The Free Spirit) is quite up-tempo, a bit like where we left off last time. I don’t like it when bands get back together and just play old songs. I can’t stand that.

J: Unless you’re Kiss

D: Or Iron Maiden.

P: Kiss and Maiden never split up.

T: But people from that time like me are expecting you to be like a Babies Three cover band.

P: We may play three or four old songs.

T: if you didn’t play old songs then I’m not going to watch you, ever.

P: With time some stuff that we loved back then sounds cheesy and horrible to me now.

D: We tried to play Eleven in practice and it just plodded and had no feel.

T: Some things are of their time and belong to that era.

J: It’s like listening to dated stand-up comedy, you can’t get the joke because it’s not of this time.

D: Good analogy.

T: What are the vocals going to be like in this new Babies Three?

P: Well, come first practice I had decided that I was never going to scream anymore and as of now I think it’s best if I never sing anymore. So it’s all pretty screamy. Whenever I try and sing I get Henry Rollins stuck in my mind and just end up yelling and shouting anyway.

T: So just before we wrap things up here because it’s getting really, really cold, Jim, tell us a bit about your solo project?

J: It’s not a solo project. To call it a solo project is like when Paul Stanley from Kiss and the others went off and did solo projects.

P: Good times.

J: I just make music and I am pragmatic about it. One thing doesn’t supersede another. It’s called Rough Comforts and it is just me. I play everything and record everything.

D: Pretty much like Babies Three then.

T: It’s not heavy, it’s like folk music right?

J: It is completely different music; I wouldn’t call it folk music. If you say folk music to me I think of traditional folk music which has its own conventions that I don’t apply to my music but the instrumentation is folk. It uses guitar. The way I sing is maybe influenced by people like Robert Wyatt and Kate Bush. I sing in my real accent, it’s not Americanised. I don’t want music to sound conceited but at the same time you do have to have a stylistic approach and that was the hardest thing for me to realise, took me three years to figure it out.

T: Finally Daniel, unlike the other guys you didn’t join any other bands after the split. Why was that?

D: I would play guitar from time to time at home but it always just made me miss Babies Three.

T: They were like your lover? Was it like you were so in love with Babies Three that after that nothing compared?

D: Well, I played for a bit in (Margate locals) Slingshot Around The Moon but it never felt as awesome. It needed Russell on the drums. I missed that. He was such a powerhouse and would lift everything up because he was so fucking….. bangy. Um… I did an interview once before in a skate park in Bristol but I didn’t talk much because I broke my ribs and um… my rib was broken.

Eveyone: (laughs)

Below filmed on a phone I think is the footage from BABIES THREE’s first show back together.

I first heard the fiercely DIY Swiss-Canadian, indie-rock three piece Peter Kernel just a couple of months ago. I was so blown away with their new album ‘White Death Black Heart’ that I Googled them to find out more information. Unfortunately the majority of what I found was in another language so in the spirit of the band, which currently features real-life couple Aris Bassetti (guitar, voice) and Barbara Lenhoff (bass, voice) and also drummer Ema Matis, I decided the only way to find out more about them was to ask the group themselves.

WNW: You were a four piece originally right? Two couples formed a band but then Anita and Däwis split and you became a three piece. Eventually Däwis left as well. Do you still keep in contact with these past members and if so what do they think of Peter Kernel today?

AB: You’re right. We were two couples until May 2010, but then Dawis and Anita split up and things changed. It became very difficult for us to play together, and then when Dawis got a new girlfriend it became impossible. Now we still see them around, and Anita sometimes comes with us when we play two or three day tours around Switzerland. She loves the new album. We don’t know what Dawis thinks.

WNW: Ema, you joined the group in 2010,. Now that you have settled as the band’s drummer, how did it feel when you initially joined? What were your expectations and, as you came from a slightly different musical background, how did you approach playing drums for Peter Kernel?

EM: Before starting to playing with Peter Kernel I had just seen them live once and I thought it was weird. When they asked me to play with them and go on tour with Wolf Parade, I was curious to discover and play a new kind of music. In the past I played metal and electro dub so it was very new for me.

WNW: How was the tour with Wolf Parade?

BL: It was really cool and for us it was a great occasion because we got to play in nice venues with lots of people, situations which we would not be able to create ourselves. Wolf Parade are really nice guys. There was a nice feeling with them and their crew.

WNW: Tell us a bit about the recording process of ‘White Death Black Heart’ and what you hoped to achieve with the album.

AB: We recorded it the day after Christmas 2010 in Varano in Borghi in Italy. The idea was to keep things very natural and instinctive so we recorded it live all together (except for the voices). We then mixed it with Andy Baker in Taiwan and mastered it with John Golden in California.

When we recorded it, we didn’t have any plans to release it on a particular label, but when we had the first premix we sent it to Julien Fernandez, who runs Africantape, just to ask his opinion as a friend. He answered us right away and was super enthusiastic about the album, and said, “We absolutely have to release it on Africantape,” For us it’s really important to work with people who love our music so it was perfect.

WNW: Tell us a little bit about the pussy cat cover star.

BL: The cat on the cover is Carolina. She’s beautiful, isn’t she?

WNW: Having the record released on Africantape brought the band to my attention. How did your association with the label initially come about?

AB: We met Julien last year because he did the PR work for the bands on our small label Onthecamper so we became friends. Also we knew he was the drummer of Chevreuil. We always thought they were really cool.

WNW: The video for ‘Panico! This is Love’ has had a large amount of hits in a short space of time on YouTube. Who is the girl in the video and what has been the reaction so far from this promo?

BL: The girl is a very good friend of ours. Obviously the fact that she strips in the video was really cool. Our idea was to create a sexy and simple representation of the music. Reactions are very interesting both in a positive way and a negative way.

WNW: Have you begun to think about future projects for the band?

BL: At the moment we’re working on promoting the new album.

WNW: Peter Kernel seems to be hugely DIY. If success was to come for you and a major deal was on the table is it something you would be interested in taking?

AB: Nowadays we don’t believe in “great deals” from majors. It’s something of the past and for us it wouldn’t make sense as we love having control of our own stuff.

WNW: Do you have any plans for coming back to the United Kingdom any time soon?

AB: We’re planning to tour in the UK and France in April 2012. We can’t wait to come back to the UK.

WNW: Thank you.

So Will Varley was pretty great to be honest. I was just expecting generic acoustic whitewash to sit through before I finally got to see Rough Comforts but his approach was quite refreshing and his in-between song banter was spot on. I thought he was an odd cross between Billy Bragg and Mumford And Sons although I must admit I was more fond of his personal songs rather than his political ones. King For A King was my favourite and he also had the best line of the night “I swam through my fathers cock, I’m just a monkey on a rock.” That beautiful couplet was surprisingly enough taken from his tune Monkey on A Rock.

Rough Comforts followed and after a nervous start with Warmer Place and a Neil Young cover things just fell into place, his confidence grew and the tentative delivery of the songs worked surprisingly well even though he was playing solo through a clean electric guitar. I guess it’s all about that voice and the frail falsetto that makes James such an interesting presence to watch perform. Both number one smash hits (in my alternate reviewniverse) Silly Girl and Negative Capability followed
but the masterstroke was including a cover of Sebadoh’s Soul & Fire. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve had hairs standing up on the nape of my neck from watching a live performance but there it was again. It’s odd what music can do.

When I first heard Rough Comforts it was one of those moments that you rarely experience when you’re a music hound looking for anything new out there that could possibly excite your jaded rock n roll heart. Not only did I find the music I downloaded thrilling and spine tingle inducing but it was utterly surprising to hear the melodies emanating from my speakers. I did not expect James Davies, local pioneer of indie rock (Cups On Strings) and old hand at crunching hardcore noise (Babies Three) to produce a fully formed and gentle approach to his song writing.

Last year he sent me a selection of his songs and my favourite was a track called Silly Girl which rattled around my head for weeks after I first heard it. The vocal melody and delivery were subtle delicate things but the hooks were huge and he sings in a high register and the voice itself seems so fragile that it could just crack and fall apart at any point. As for the lyrics they are far from whimsical but still have a child like naivety about them, they are playful and honest. I listened to it so much that the rest of the tracks didn’t really get a look in. when I finally got around to listening to the other songs properly there was no way to describe how I felt, I wanted to tell the world they should be listening to this stuff but because I know the guy I just felt that it’s going to be seen as a bit of a cop out to have a friend bigging up his music. How would he react? He’s a stubborn bastard that refuses to tour these songs and appears to be totally opposed to playing any type of game to get noticed. I asked him why he doesn’t covet recognition let alone fame and he simply replied that “that the songs are for people to discover on their own and if anyone get’s anything from them then I consider that success”. I mean, how obtuse is that?

Well, its a few months later now and you can download (for free I might add, or pay something if you wish) the uncompleted debut album simply called Self Titled off of bandcamp. CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK. He has chosen not to include Silly Girl which is crazy but the album does include my favourite song I have heard so far this year in Negative Capability. I would recommend this over anything else I have heard this year easily and what’s better is that it’s due to be completed by Christmas so keep returning and downloading as he pieces it together. It seems ludicrous to include James amongst these artists but if the likes of Nick Drake, Jeremy Enigk, and Lou Barlow have floated your boat in the past then Rough Comforts are going to make you the happiest son or daughters of bitches out there.

Many years later Will Oldham had long been known as Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and I bought both ‘Master and Everyone’ and the now classic ‘I See a Darkness’. These records allowed me to see the error of my wayward ways and I was a fan once again although I still haven’t given ‘Joya’ a chance. That’s just how I roll; I’m a stubborn bastard that fears change.

This brings us neatly to the new album. It’s a record with a horrible front cover and title. ‘Wolfroy Goes to Town’ is adorned with an unflattering sketch of a posh living-room emblazoned on top of a light pink background. It’s one of the worst covers I’ve seen this year. Thankfully the music beneath the packaging is a wonderful blend of an almost spiritual awakening and gently understated acoustic guitar strokes. When I say spiritual; it’s in the grandiose approach rather than the subject matter. It’s a deeply moving record without delivering any one message or pounding the listener around the head with weak limbed rhetoric or manifestoes. This is his greatest piece of work for twelve years.

Elvis would have jumped at the chance to include opener ‘No Match’ on his final ‘Moody Blue’ LP. It’s a creeping ballad that surprises the listener with its space and quietness. The surprise is all down to the snail’s pace which is repeated on ‘Wolfroy Goes to Town’ with each successive track. By the final song, ‘Night Noises’ I was wondering if I was listening to a bunch of early demos such are the bare bones that are on display. If it wasn’t for the sleepy electric rock guitar that punctuates ‘Cows’ around half way through you could easily believe that Oldham had gone and done a ‘Nebraska’, knowing that he couldn’t better the initial rough takes on these beautiful and sometimes hear-breaking melodies.

‘Wolfroy Goes to Town’ may just be the record that convinces me to finally purchase Joya. I Could be potentially missing out. If it’s half this good then it’s still going to be a great record.

I originally reviewed this for pennyblackmusic

The approach that Snævar takes with Dad Rocks! is almost a xerox of his day job band, Mimas. This is luckily a smart move. Much like Norway’s Beezewax and their singer Kenneth Ishak there is little that seperates the two units. I see this as a smart move because that gives the fellas double the chance of being heard and if you like one option as a listener then you are bound to like the other.

None of this would matter if Mount Modern sucked balls but with repeated listens what stands out isn’t just that voice, but the cleverness of the storytelling and the hooks that drizzle their way through each track like syrup being poured over a sponge pudding. ‘Pro-Disney’ and ‘Funemployment’ both stand out but it’s the single ‘Weapons’ that hooks you into the album properly. I Love the line “The kids have found a weapon that will change the balance of power,/They download high-pitch ringtones that adults can’t hear with their aging ears”. That makes total sense to me. Why is it always adults that write the clever words though, even when they are singing about the youth?I’d love a bunch of snotty nosed teenagers to break through and tell it like it is in an articulate way.

So would I recommend ‘Mount Modern’? Well if you have heard Mimas and didn’t like them because they were not indie enough for the hipsters or not rock enough for the bearded hoards then no this won’t be for you, but if like me you want music to hold your attention and inspire you and maybe every now and again give you that tingling sensation that makes the hairs on the nape of your neck stand to attention then Dad Rocks! may just be the very thing you are looking for.

I originally wrote this review for pennyblackmusic