Ah, the sound of eager young pups, there’s nothing like it. All that bright eyed, bushy tailed enthusiasm, it’s a tonic to the soul and there’s plenty of it here. Veil Cassini come screaming out of the musical hotbed that is deepest Devon with a five track EP of energetic indie flavoured rock tunes.
Like a statement of intent for what's about to follow, 'A Fool For Everyone' opens with 'Today the World Is Worthy of My Loathing' a song that brandishes one hell of a solo that even J Mascis would be proud of.
The reason for this you see is that Mr Bones (real name Strallow), made a conscious decision on his first album not to have guitar solos but on this album he is most certainly feelin' the axe.
This record actually came out at the end of last year and somehow went under our radar until a few weeks ago, but it’s too good for us to not to give it an honourable, if somewhat belated, mention.
Hush Arbors is the brainchild of Keith Woods, assisted by right hand man by Leon Dufficy. Although this is the first album under the Hush Arbors banner, Woods has been around for some time, contributing to Six Organs Of Admittance and Current 93 amongst others.
In their press release Albany are compared to the likes of Elbow and Turin Brakes and I can see why, especially the Turin Brakes.
The band have a polished, melody-driven sound and an accomplished style that belies the fact that they are still early in their careers.
For some people, music ended in 1979 when Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath and the metal / prog scene was in the middle of getting a right shoeing from Punk. One of those people is Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich, influential guitarist/vocalist with bands such as The Obsessed, Saint Vitus and Spirit Caravan.
After his last band, Hidden Hand, collapsed he decided to strike out with a ‘solo’ album, helped on his way by drummer Jean Paul Glaster (Clutch) and bassist Jon Blank (Rezin).
It’s not often when I’m writing a review will I kick off with a mention of the album’s packaging but in this instance I just have to. The CD arrived in a beautiful card gatefold that sports a panoramic view of a tree-city (see picture for clarity) and was sealed up with glittery string, really lovely. What was outside is a fair reflection of the contents inside too. ‘Mise En Scene’ (a theatrical term meaning ‘placing on stage’ for the hard of French) is five tracks of melodic, indie lovliness.
A brief and breathy sing-along opens Aidan Moffat's debut release with his Best-Ofs band: the latest offering from a man who knows a thing or two about love.
In addition to Arab Strap, who split in 2006, Moffat has offered up sleep-inducing electronica as L. Pierre; poetry and prose as Aidan John Moffat; and even a collaboration with Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite as Aloha Hawaii.
There is a lot of epic instrumental around these days. It is a massively divisive genre which tends to be anathema or manna, depending on where you stand. A lack of vocals creates an issue for many, while others relish in the very concept and the emotive qualities of the music. ‘Field Studies’ is a fine example of the genre, crisply accomplished. But what is it adding?
After releasing 2 singles on Leeds imprint Dance To The Radio (as all bands from Leeds worth their salt do) Sky Larkin got picked up by Wichita records who swiftly flew them to Seattle to work with producer John Goodmanson, whose CV impressively boasts Death Cab For Cutie and Sleater Kinney. The results are ‘The Golden Spike’.
Much has changed in the world of Secret Machines since 2006’s ‘Ten Silver Drops’. Guitarist / singer Ben Curtis has departed to form School Of Seven Bells leaving brother Brandon to take on the singing duties fulltime and Phil Karnats has been recruited to fill in on guitar.
I’m happy to report that these changes do not seem to have fundamentally changed the sound or ethos of the band. Muscular riffs and powerful drumming still underpin some sharp, progressive songwriting and a greater repertoire of electronic sounds appears to have been added.