NEW RELEASES
ALBUMS
Chicken Legs Weaver
Silk Ripped Dress (Riverside Records)
Without a doubt a stunning second album from the Sheffield three piece. It takes the foundations laid by their excellent debut Nowhere and reaches for the sky. From the first bar this album grabs you by the throat and shakes the living daylights out of you. Just when it seems to have calmed down in some of the quieter mellowed out numbers it sneaks up and kicks you in the ass again. Andy Weaver believes it is the first time in the band’s 10-year existence that they have actually realised their potential and fulfilled the quirky and threatening musical vision they started with. It’s impossible not to agree when you hear tracks like Rolling Wheel and Jon The Revelator. Essential to achieving the musical vision are fellow visionaries and band members, bass player Jane Howden and drummer Mik Glaisher. Howden is Jean Jacques Burnel in female form. Her harsh driving bass melodies propel the songs along at a rate of knots and contrast sharply to the double bass pluck of the bands debut album. The electric bass sound gives the band real punch. The propulsion is aid and abetted by her partner in crime in the rhythm section, Glaisher is still one if not the most creative drummers in rock and not only adds his trade mark detonating percussion but allows the songs to breathe and ebb and flow when necessary with his deft and imaginative touch. These rhythmic elements combine with Andy Weaver’s dirty rasping voice and minimal but highly evocative slide guitar to make a unique listening experience. Stand out tracks are too numerous to mention but the vigilante swagger of Street Cleaner is truly sinister. This album positively drips with psychotic preacher man rhetoric that repeatedly sends shivers down your spine. Robert Mitchum in Night Of the Hunter constantly crosses my mind when listening to this album. Delta - swamp - psychedelic blues is still alive and well and living in Sheffield. Find a place in your homes for this masterpiece.
Mark Finnigan
http://www.chickenlegsweaver.net
Duels
The Bright Lights and What I Should Have Learned (Nude)
Left to languish on a major label in their previous guise, before being forced to re-invent themselves, there must have been a few occasions over the past three years when Duels thought their lofty musical designs would remain locked in practice rooms or floating around their collective heads. However, they stuck at it, finally managing to realise their ideas in a debut album The Bright Lights and What I Should Have Learned, an accomplished and ambitious ten-song collection that proves to be well worth the wait.
Hailing from Leeds, the dapper five-piece have previously been tediously saddled with the obligatory and grossly inaccurate Kaiser Chiefs tag but the first few bars of ‘Brothers and Sisters’ reveal Duels to be an entirely different, more expansive animal.
Where the Chiefs are the class clown, Duels are the studious and sensitive teacher’s pet; using their obvious intelligence to create a more melancholy landscape in which their home town is less a comic setting and more a bleak, black and white backdrop to a procession of downtrodden but glamorous characters.
Those familiar with Duels’ frenetic live show will perhaps be a little surprised by how understated large parts of this record are in comparison but while Jon Foulger’s breathy delivery lends a haunting, atmospheric quality; this in no way detracts from the band’s own riotous pop moments and consequently, the jaunty inquisition of ‘What We Did Wrong’ and the carnal instincts of ‘Animal’ are perfect bedfellows for the gentle majesty of ‘Taxi Song’ and the self-fulfilling prophecy of ‘Slow Build’.
Ultimately though the real beauty is in the attention to detail; the constant and deliberate sense of contrast, the countless skewed piano runs jagging up and puncturing the luscious arrangements and the fact that Duels effortlessly jemmy off-kilter square pegs into orthodox round holes while still staying within the boundaries of accessible, intelligent pop. It’s just a shame that this album might not get the audience it deserves.
Chris Hutcheon
http:www.duels.music.com
I Love Poland
ILP (Denial Records)
These guys first came to my attention in 2005 as one of the 15 bands/artists selected by a panel of experts under the Bright Young Things banner to receive at bit of a leg up as far as their music careers are concerned. So, I must admit, having not seen them – correction, not heard them, as I did in fact photograph them in May for this very magazine - the release of their debut (mini) album is a chance for me to catch up with their progress on a musical level. Have they wasted their time? I think not! Some might say, no Oasis pun intended there, that coming in at a measly running time of just 16 minutes and 58 seconds and spanning just 7 tracks – well it is a mini album – is not worth getting your wallet or purse out and extracting around 6 of your hard earned pounds sterling for. Well, let’s put it this way, quality outweighs quantity here in a big, big way! Kicking off with ‘Not Ill’, which opens with a pulsating drumbeat that, believe me, your heart will try to follow throughout, is a strong start. Next is ‘Glamour in the Dark’, which, if you had to compare it to anything, you’d be hard pressed to remove the post pop era of Depeche Mode from your thoughts. ‘Stereo Legs’, track 3 of the 7, reminds me, during the first minute anyway, of Laurie Anderson’s ‘Oh Superman’, but yet with its own unique 21st century twist. ‘Speaker!’ is next, with its cracking bass line, synthesized anvil bashing and a cleverly abrupt ending, is followed by ‘The Incredible Success’ and ‘Kill Yourself’, which sees us back in Depeche Mode territory. ‘Candy’, the final track, with catchy typewriter synth, completes this marvellous collection of songs, which I now always play on repeat because, like they used to say in Twin Peaks, this is DAMN fine!
The likes of Midlake better watch out, as I Love Poland won’t be in their shadow for long!!
Kevin Petch
http://www.ilovepoland.org
http://www.myspace.com/ilovepolandpopgroup
http://www.denialrecords.com
Milburn
Well Well Well (Mercury Records)
Friends’ success can be a double-edged sword and Morrissey summed such a situation up best with his pithy song, We hate It When Our Friends Become Successful. Whilst you want to wish them well when their success hits hyperspace a tiny part of you must pine for it to be you and not them. It’s pretty obvious whom I’m talking about. Not only have Milburn suffered this they have had to deal with the ignominy of being called copyists by the ignorant, when in fact they were the originals. Add to this the inverted snobs in the music press who have said this album doesn’t sound as good as the demos. I could go on but let’s call a halt to all this poppycock now! This is a great pop/rock album and would be in any musical era. Milburn’s constant gigging in the last two years has allowed them to hone these songs down to perfection. They also have some brand new numbers that deliver the goods, for example What About Next Time is a great song and signposts the next progression for the band. Milburn have built on that great Northern 60’s creation the kitchen sink drama and have updated and edited it for the noughties. Brewster and Cheshire Cat Smile beautiful illustrate this and should be viewed as works of biting social commentary and not merely dismissed a simple pop songs. Billy Bragg doesn’t record one of your songs (Brewster) if it just a piece of bubblegum pop.
The influences and styles on the album are wide ranging Ska rhythms come to the fore on numbers like live favourite Well Well Well. On others it’s angular post-punk riffs that take the lead such as on Showroom and Lipstick Licking. There is of course straightforward intelligent pop as well and there’s nothing wrong with that when it’s done this well. The production has grit and is pleasingly rough around the edges in some places especially on Roll Out The Barrel, which should please the purists. History will deservedly judge this album as another landmark Sheffield debut. So put away your preconceptions and prejudices and get dancing.
Mark Finnigan
http://www.milburnmusic.com
Richard Masters
Escape Artist
Best known in Sheffield as the frontman of the anarchically silly Poke and as a member of Klezmer outfit, Minnie Moosika, Richard Masters, and his rich, fruity baritone finally gets round to putting out something all of his own.
Whilst ostensibly a folkie (judging entirely by the beard) Escape Artist actually showcases a songwriter of some talent and range.
Wheel Keeps Turning, a hilarious account of working as a clown at Meadowhall, is more Jake Thackeray than Martin Carthy while my favourite track, Last Bird, is a beautiful lament over a wheezing harmonium.
The album is full of simple but extremely well played arrangements using harmonies, woodwind and horns and also highlights some of the manifold skils of various Sheffield Musicians. Worth getting.
Jack Tractor
http://www.myspace.com/richardmastersmusic
Spotlight Kid
Departure (Club AC30)
It’s a matter of personal preference as to whether you believed anything should arise from the ashes of Six by Seven. Although one of Nottingham’s only decent bands in the last decade they never set the world on fire, even live with their sometimes monsters tunes they could be known to bottle it or simply fail to excite. Still it was sad news to hear of their inevitable split, perceiving that nobody continued to care about them.
But Spotlight Kid have emerged from those ashes - the concept of 6x7s Chris Davis and long time friend and singer Katty Heath, formerly of fellow indie types Bent. And, to say they’ve only been together less than a year, this is a fairly accomplished effort.
Using a various collection of psychedelic sounds Departure quite simply could not have been recorded without the influence of My Bloody Valentine’s classic, Loveless. But, you see, the thing about copying the amazing is that, even though you’re blatantly coping and you can’t hide that from anyone on record it still means you’re getting some credit for something which sounds pretty good. So, as you’d expect, there’s plenty of faraway vocals, a lot of murky bits and plenty of that swirly guitar noise which already looks like pink smoke before you ever play live.
Interestingly the moments where they revert back to the more Six by Seven-like (former members guest on here by the way) moments are definitely the weakest, in Hungover’s slightly whiney tone or Spit’s lack of imagination you’re reminded what caused them to split. But never mind that, there are several fine moments here, Can’t Let Go’s Shieldsian beauty and Heath’s voice all over the Departure are a delight and ultimately this makes for a decent background listen. Like their predecessors then it’s a bit of a Roy Walker, good but not quite right.
Alex Lawson
http://www.myspace.com/spotlightkidsound
Tim Pare
Tran-Siberian Express (illicit)
Tim Pare comes over like Ryan Adams with a stiff upper lip on his debut album. Following his divorce Pare left Sheffield to travel the world and found himself, along with a legion of pissed Russian soldiers on the Trans-Siberian Express to China. A claustrophobic ride becomes the mini-album’s (there are six tracks all told) metaphor for the breakdown of a relationship but, as with all train rides, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Pare’s strength’s come in the shape of a pure voice, a direct melodic sensibility and the kind of situational lyric which lives or dies on the listener being taken along with it. Of the six tracks there is usually a direect conversation between a man and a woman; the post-coital warmth of ‘Afterglow’, the dsexual challenge of ‘Looking At Me’ and the damaged good’s possibility of redemption of ‘You’ve Got Your Work Cut Out’.
Sensitive male singer/songwriter’s are pretty much two a penny in the current climate and the lack of abrasiveness in the music may cause people to overlook a lyricism which is not afraid to be caustic.
Deceptively pretty.
Jack Tractor
http://www.timpare.com
COMPILATIONS
High Voltage Sounds (V/A)
Full Charge (High Voltage)
Following up last year’s ‘Power Overload’ compilation, Manchester DIY types High Voltage are back with another imaginatively titled collection for your listening pleasure. As with most releases of this nature, it’s a fairly mixed bag but being the enthusiastic types we are, we’ll focus on the good stuff. Snowfight In The City Centre (fka Lisa Brown) make cathartic, anthemic pop with enormous choruses that could easily assault the FM airwaves. So, too, could Bureau who weigh in with possibly the strongest track in the shape of ‘After Midnight’, a relentless disco-punk gem that you just don’t want to end. One of a number of other bands here on an electro tip, 4ft Soldiers stand out by virtue of sounding like David Byrne fronting The Bravery – much better than it sounds. Leeds trio Dead Disco are making huge, femme-fatale shaped pop waves at the minute and ‘The Treatment’ is just one example of why heads are turning. Sheffield’s Run Hide Survive blend groovy guitars with electro beats to remind us of summer... you bastards, only another seven months until the next one! LoneLady does exactly what she says on the tin: one girl, acoustic guitar and a delicate closing number. A quick visit to Myspace suggests this isn’t her standard fare, but it made me want to investigate further. Job done, then, and though there’s plenty on here I can live without hearing again, this release is a great introduction to some of the North’s hottest talent on one of the region’s most promising labels.
Rob Webb
Stressed Compilation (V/A)
Volume 3 (Stressed)
Manchester, Leeds and London all places synonymous with having a music “scene”, oh, I forgot. Derby. Okay, not necessarily the first place you would think of but with the strength of bands emerging from the area this quiet corner of the Midlands is making plenty of noise. Now in its third year Stressed Records is successfully getting these bands to a wider audience. On this third album there are twenty glorious tracks to be devoured and destroyed. Let me give you a taster of some of the highlights.
You Slut kickstart the album. With a strong intro and rolling drumbeats this instrumental darts around the room with tremendous speed. Lostalone cry for ‘Genevieve’ in their shouty track that you can imagine blasting out in a dark sweaty haunt. A welcome change of pace is delivered by Plans and Apologies’ ‘Two left feet’. The song has a dreaminess spliced with reality. The lycanthropic themes of Lardpony’s ‘Teenwolf’ with its high pitched “I used to be a werewolf but I’m alright now” makes you want to start dancing. My Psychoanalyst’s song has a soft ambience and mellowness to counteract the angry backing music. The last three songs on the album experiment with electronic sounds. This type of music you either love or loathe. Arsey Rob leaves you feeling a little disoriented and Doktor Coca-Cola McDonalds’ short electro ditty leaves you slightly dazed. The last track is slightly disturbing and very strange as Skull Tanker fuses together weird electro beats.
Be warned, there are some tracks on the album that may not necessarily be to everyone’s taste but the beauty of a compilation like this is that you have the opportunity to discover a variety of new artists. There is so much to be explored here which I strongly recommend you go and discover!
Gemma Hammond
SINGLES
Ajanta
Destroy the Voice (Groovestealer)
Time was metal was all about wearing gonad-garroting ‘pants’, jacking your hair up to fire hazard level with mum’s hairspray and pretending you a) were Nikki Sixx b) worshiped the devil and c) had sex. Those were good days and produced some good music. But alas, the poor innocents who made up metal’s fanbase were mocked all to Hades, ‘metal’ became a dirty word and the generation that followed learnt from the mistakes of their fathers’. So now metal’s all ‘difficult’- the widdling solos are fun free and in place of song about shagging girls and nicking their Max Factor, we’re treated to lyrics such as “Destroy the voice that destroys the soul”. And, oh, it’s loathsome! This even has a reggae interlude! In the name of Metal I say- No More!
Richard Morris
Bromhead’s Jacket
Trip to the Golden Arches (Marquis Cha Cha)
Anyone who’s taken a car journey to their local maccadies can empathise with the perils that Bromhead’s Jacket face on their way to get “a banana milkshake and a supersize pack of chips”. The title track of Bromhead’s Jacket’s latest single seems to have a point to make about the fact that we’re all consumed by consumerism. With a panache of describing everyday things, their disjointed style of delivery adds to their charm. There is a sweetness in their lyrical cheekiness with super rhymes such as “council tax and vitamins”. The songs target contemporary life and anyone who’s been to a carwash to have someone else’s blood cleaned off can empathise with the issues in ‘Pinch of Psalt’. Bromhead’s Jacket look at the world in which they live and see a generation that has everything and nothing!
Gemma Hammond
Dead World Leaders
The Start Of The End Begins
Someone get Warner Bros. on the phone! Dead World Leaders are just screaming to be on a teen-flick soundtrack with ‘The Start of The End Begins”, the first track on their debut double A-side single. Close your eyes and their native Sheffield is long forgotten. Instead you’re speeding along the highway with the car top down, the wind in your hair, the guitar riffs speeding you by and lead singer, Andy Martin, shouting in your ear, “I’m a hypocrite, you’re full of it”. This is all very good for your latest Kirsten Dunst fluff, but it smells to me suspiciously like Feeder.
‘Still I Think What I Think’ is better. Slower and melodic, with nice ‘woo-ooh’s, it’s the perfect for the High-School Prom scene. You know, where the geek (after the obligatory style makeover) finally gets the girl of his dreams? There’s still the faint whiff of the band already mentioned, but DWL succeed in producing a far more satisfying song, which is still memorable after a few listens.
Kirsty Bowen
http://www.deadworldleaders.com
Gentlemans Pistols
Just a Fraction (Art Goes Pop)
Midnight Crawlers in the search for action…” encapsulates just the perspective from which The Gentlemans Pistols are coming in their first official CD release (their first release was a vinyl…oh yeah). The title track is an energetic, power chord laden train crash of lust and depravity. The hollow sustain of Chris Roger’s guitar adds an enjoyable layer of complexity at carefully selected intervals, and upholds that classic rock sound the band are famous for. Amidst the howls and hammerdowns, James Atkinson’s voice occupies an ideal sonic range to give the song balance enough to devote effort to its texture. It’s a very powerful and accomplished song to say the least. The second track ‘Heavy Petting’ is another gig favourite. The descending bars and final sliding note form a strong backbone that gives the song a lurking, sleazy quality. There’s a noticeable restraint on the lead guitar to focus more on Doug McLaughlin’s dirtier bass notes and keep the sound deep and sexy, exacerbated by the strained and muted vocals. Neither of the songs on the single chronicle politics, deep emotions or metrosexuality, but they do feature some phenomenal musical and song writing abilities.
Neil Thornely
http://www.myspace.com/gentlemanspistols
The Long Blondes
Once and Never Again (Rough Trade)
Remember being young? The taxing after school homework, the dreamy love interest that never looked your way, plus the daily chemist trip to try yet another acne remedy all got a bit too much at times. If this is all too familiar, then you probably had an older sibling breathing down your spotty neck with ‘been-there-done-that’ type lectures. This is exactly the tone that The Long blondes have taken on for their autumn release; a song that nostalgically reflects on teenage life experiences from a world-wisely adults’ point of view (complete with catchy riffs). “19. You’re only 19 for gods’ sake. You don’t need a boyfriend” lead singer Kate preaches. It’s toe-tapping, head bopping indie pop for fans of chirpy bands such as The Pipettes and The Kooks. Snappy, witty lyrics about puppy love, kitchen dramas and feeling down make this song a fabulously upbeat piece of kitsch retro-mania that is what the Sheffield 5-piece are all about. Reflecting on our terrible teenage years has never felt so good.
Tasha Anderson
http://www.thelongblondes.co.uk
The KBC
Test The Water (High Voltage)
With a name that calls to mind the secret police service of a totalitarian state, Preston's KBC are anything but paranoid and sinister. The measured drums of single 'Test the Water' are overlaid by punchy, spiky guitars creating a sound that's a mix of Stone Roses cool and contemporary catchy, their unrelenting beats bearing comparison to 'dance-indie' bands like The Rapture. Though the lyrics may be repetitive especially in the chorus, James Mulholland's attitude-ridden vocals, mixing rhythm and tone, keep it interesting as you can practically see him swaggering across the stage. Although the song may be lacking in a burning originality which would truly make it stand out, the pace never slacks in its four minute duration with the instruments working tightly together creating an uplifting vibe. A promising start for the forthcoming album.
Sarah Stevens
Man Aubergine
Bastard Brother / Twin Sisters (Run of the Mill)
Part of the delight of reviewing is when you stick a record on and are instantly shocked - pleasantly - by what you hear. This record being a Run of the Mill release there was no way to tell what it might sound like. What I really did not expect though were the three way bluegrass harmonies of 'Bastard Brother', neither did I expect to hear a country-style banjo on 'Twin Sisters'.
And alongside such music I didn't expect to hearing droning guitars or any hints at any form of rock. But, while 'Twin Sisters' does sounds like it could be straight out of O Brother Where Art Thou?, right down the final trilled "woop", 'Bastard Brother''s country-esque riffs are fuzzed up and menacing - with a guitar echoing the banjo - and show that Man Aubergine are not merely the simple cowboys that they purport to be. They're toying with the bluegrass genre, having fun with it and breaking it down wherever they see fit. That is what makes them exciting.
Tom Goodhand
http://www.myspace.com/manaubergine
http://www.runofthemillrecords.co.uk
The Pigeon Detectives
I Found Out (Dance To The Radio)
Given the sonic abrasiveness which characterises many of the acts on DTTR's roster, it's perhaps a little surprising (not to mention dispiriting) to find the Leeds-based label on the verge of putting out the third single from a band as toothless as The Pigeon Detectives. In fairness, 'I Found Out' and, particularly, B-side 'Left Alone With You' are well-executed examples of the kind of mass-market, terrace-chant punk-pop peddled by the likes of The Rakes and The Cribs - meaning there is already an audience out there ready and willing to lap it up - but lacks the melodic inventiveness or snotty, confrontational energy of either of those bands. In short, it's all just a bit too safe to make for truly exciting pop music, and everything about the way these songs are presented - from the insipid, undemanding lyrics to the muffled, retro production values - seems intended to offend as few listeners as possible, which is surely somehow missing the point. 'I Found Out' is bound to do well of course - it's catchy enough and for whatever reason The Pigeon Detectives are darlings of XFM and 6Music - but it's pretty dull in comparison to the equivalent offerings from other West Yorkshire bands occupying the same rung on the career ladder. I wouldn't recommend sticking around for the second B-side either -it's called 'Hello (My Old Friend)' and is actually even more boring than the title might suggest.
Greg Elliott
http://www.thepigeondetectives.com
Redcarsgofaster
24 Passes (High Voltage)
24 Passes opens in a subdued manner. Atmospheric strumming repetitively build over a steady beat. The music progressively becomes more urgent as the laid backed lyrics slide in. I am reminded a little of Block Party but mixed with a hint of dance and electro. Redcarsgofaster (great name) aren’t doing anything especially knew with this song, but they are doing the dance-meets indie thing very well. B-side, House of Files, is instantly more up-beat, sound like a Radio 4 album track. There is a great sense of movement, the music builds up quite delightfully. The vocals are quiet and relaxed which is a great contrast to the backing. Again we are offered nothing groundbreaking, just a solid danceable tune. Not great but good.
Jack Goodhand
http://www.redcarsgofaster.com
Screaming Mimi / Repomen
Who Is Louise / Trophy (Phantom Power Records)
The first track of this split single is a band known as Screaming Mimi, with ‘Who is Louise’. There’s a sense of urgency from the get-go, staccato melodies and rapid-fire percussion drive the song along at a demented pace. Lorraine Chantry’s gossamer vocals duel with the melody to create a barrelling chase-theme of a song that lives up to its “Hellfire Country Punk” pretensions. The song’s greatest asset comes in the form of an outrageously infectious surf lick that forms the main of the chorus and simply cannot be heard enough times. The second song is from the Repomen, entitled ‘Trophy’. It’s held together by a punchy early nineties style four/four drum beat and vocals that lie somewhere between the Beautiful South’s Paul Heaton and Roland Orzabel. The catchy farcical lyrics lend themselves the song’s pace and overall make it a great listen. Both songs on the single are very accomplished in their complexity and individual style.
Neil Thornely
http://www.screamingmimi.co.uk
http://www.geocities.com/repomenuk
Snowfight In The City Centre
Listen (High Voltage)
There isn’t a shortage of decent music coming from the Manchester area at the moment (see this month’s High Voltage compilation review if you don’t believe us) but there’s always room at the inn for more.
Snowfight In The City Centre are a sextet who you might know better as Lisa Brown. Whether their new name is any better than the old one is a matter of debate, but the quality of their music isn’t. Skyscraping choruses, a discernible groove and a singer whose lyrics sound genuinely heartfelt. So what if it’s not exactly original... that never stopped the Gallaghers, did it?
Rob Webb
http://www.snowfight.net
Old Basford
Red Mist EP (Fields Records)
If Wolfmother are your thing, then you may want to look into local Nottingham band Old Basford, named after the city's district… well, I'm sure you can guess. The Red Mist EP is a collection of classic rock tracks Thin Lizzy would not be ashamed of.
Old Basford do dirty, no holds barred rock. They make the kind of music they like to play and that they want to hear. When singer Dan growls "I'm the type who takes care of your wife" in People Don't Talk Right, you consider exchanging her engagement ring for a chastity belt. This is the weakest song on the record, as it drags a little and is a tad pedestrian, but now the negative aspects of this EP are over. The remaining songs are all a joy to behold, and as Meat Loaf didn't say, 4 out of 5 ain't bad. Particularly good is closer Food In The Fields. Its carefree attitude and catchy riff will stay in your head for days. Also worth a mention is Do Gooder with its punk indulgences.
In listening to this release I get the feeling that the best place to hear Old Basford is in a live venue. Go out and see them - I can guarantee you won't live to regret it.
Adam Davies
Wild Beasts
Brave Bulging Bouyant Clairvoyants
(Bad Sneakers)
The third release on the fledgling Bad Sneakers imprint is the first ‘official’ offering from Kendal transplants Wild Beasts, a band whose startlingly original sound has been helping them cause quite a stir on the Leeds gig circuit for months now. Despite what its tongue-twisting title may imply, this by the far the quartet’s most immediately accessible song, bounding along with the help of Benny Little’s choppy guitar work and drummer Chris Talbot’s cowbell-augmented rhythms. Some stately piano creeps unexpectedly into the mix prior to a trademark ‘Beasts switch from whimsical ebullience to mournful intensity in the outtro, which also comes complete with wonderful, wordless backing vocals which sound like they’re being sung by a male voice choir. B-side ‘The Old Dog’ is even better, despite some rather ruthless editing which somewhat curtails the sprawling brilliance of its live incarnation. The clarity of the recording brings its hauntingly beautiful melody into sharp focus and allow the band’s significantly above-par lyrics to make quite an impression - indeed, it’s in the voices that Wild Beasts impress the most. Often singing in tandem, frontman Hayden Thorpe and bassist Tom Flemming fuse melodrama and restraint expertly to create the kind of sharp dynamic which lies at the core of many great bands, and if they can continue turning out songs of the quality of two found on this recording, Wild Beasts may well earn similar accolades for themselves in the future.
Greg Elliott
http://www.wild-beasts.co.uk
Yes Boss
Tongues In Knots (Dance To The Radio)
While the sincerity of its two-strong membership has never been in dispute, it’s important to try and be measured in one’s reaction to a group like Yes Boss, whose complete dissimilarity from anything else on the Leeds scene inevitably makes it difficult to judge their work entirely on its own merits. Dismissing them out of hand as having nothing more than novelty value is unfair, but then again it’s not exactly uncommon that what seemed like The Future at the time eventually comes to be revealed as overrated, the hyperbole levelled at it pretty ludicrous. ‘Tongues In Knots’ has a solid foundation in terms of beat construction and shrewdly deployed descending string samples, but is turned into something approaching a monstrosity by Tom Woodhead’s heavily processed yet instantly recognisable caterwauling - what works wonders as a foil for Whiskas’ stabbing guitars in ¡Forward Russia! jars incongruously here with the spartan aesthetic clearly much beloved by his collaborators. Yes Boss can pack quite a punch when they perform live, but in this context and without the human connection that a live show provide they struggle to keep your interest - B-side ‘Don’t Think’ in particular not nearly substantial enough to make an impression. There are undoubtedly valid artistic reasons for why the rhymes are delivered in the ever-so-slightly disinterested way that they are, but until they can be made to stand on more of an equal footing with their musical accompaniment Yes Boss will struggle to impress.
Greg Elliott
http://www.myspace.com/yesboss1
Dananananaykroyd
Some Dresses (Jealous Records)
Great name. Unpronounceable, but great. Generously, they include a phonetic guide to it, but it’s still a mouthful.
Though Dananananaykroyd don’t actually hail from Leeds, they are signed to Jealous Records of Leeds. ‘Some Dresses’ is due to be released on 6th November, and it is a lively little number.
Beginning with an excited chorus from the terraces, the songs kicks off in a cheerful pop punk style with Giles managing to sound even more excited when he comes in. About half way through, however, the song descends into good humoured anarchy but returns with a darker, edgier feel. It’s two songs for one, and both songs are pretty good.
B side, ‘Genuine lbs,’ is punkier, bassier and has more guitar fuzz, but less dynamic variation. It has a great intro, though, let down by a languid Giles in Mark E Smith mode. To conclude, good intros and fairly good tunes: support your sorta local cheercore.
Rob Wright
http://www.dananananaykroyd.co.uk