Album Review – Fyfe Dangerfield – Fly Yellow Moon
Guillemots are one of my favourite bands to have emerged in the last few years; so, naturally, I was intrigued at the prospect of a solo album by their frontman, Fyfe Dangerfield. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Fly Yellow Moon, but it turns out to be something like a Guillemots album, but on a smaller scale – it has all the eclecticism, but sounds a bit more… homemade.
Even though I was expecting the unexpected, I couldn’t have anticipated the first track, ‘When You Walk in the Room’, which opens with an arcade-game style beat that bursts into a euphoric knees-up of a song, with Dangerfield almost shouting his lyrics in places, before ending abruptly after three-and-a-half minutes and segueing into something quieter.
It’s actually the slower songs that predominate on Fly Yellow Moon, but there’s a welcome variety to them. ‘High on the Tide’ is a laidback acoustic strum, with added whistling and seagull noises. ‘Barricades’ is a yearning piano ballad that builds to a majestic climax. On the other hand, ‘Firebird’ is much sparser and more fragile. There are only a couple of songs that didn’t really gel with me, and they’re both at the end. ‘Don’t Be Shy’ is just that little bit too minimalist to work for me; and the final track, ‘Any Direction’, has a good beat, but feels too low-key for an album closer.
Having said that, this is still Fyfe Dangerfield, and some of the songs are absolutely glorious. ‘Faster than the Setting Sun’ is an expansive epic that almost dares you not to sing along. Then there’s the disco-inflected single ‘She Needs Me’, which moves from jaunty but simple beginnings to a widescreen chorus.
One of the things I like best about Fly Yellow Moon is that it sounds simultaneously like the work of one man in a room, and the work of a whole multitude of musicians. But what I like even more is that I can’t tell which it is – and it doesn’t matter, because the music is so good.
Video: ‘She Needs Me’
Album Review – Elika – Trying Got Us Nowhere
Album Review – Elika – Trying Got Us Nowhere
Elika’s album Trying Got Us Nowhere is as melancholic as it is dreamy. The album is reminiscent both of Madonna’s album Ray of Light with its mysticism and fun pop beats but also equally of the spunky vocals and distorted rock rhythms of the popular 90’s band Garbage.
There is a lot of guitar distortion on the album, which makes the album a little repetitive to listen to, but the softness of Evagelia Maravelias’s voice provides a lovely contrast to the raw guitar rhythms. The opening track “The Whip” introduces us to the contrast between the feminine voice and the grungy lyrics and rocky guitar rhythms.
Brian Wenckebach’s instrumental playing is measured and dreamlike. The penultimate song Eliana exploits the ethereal notes of a musical box in tandem with electronic keyboard rhythms lulling the reader into a gentle melancholic song about the ups and downs of loving in the modern world. The song ends mildly echoing the cynicism, “Don’t Grow Up Too Fast.”
The electronic sounds of the album are one of the most enjoyable features of the album. Elika use a synthesiser simply and organically producing funky, incredible beats. “The Whip”is a perfect example of the album’s electronic catchiness. The song begins with a kooky electronic tune, perfectly accompanied by Maravelia’s soft voice.
Overall, Trying Got Us Nowhere is very easy listening and ideal if you want a relaxing and gentle mix of melancholia and grunge. This album comes highly recommended.
Check out Elika’s My Space page – http://www.myspace.com/elikamusic
EP Review | Haunted Stereo – Cross the Sea
This is the sound of a band who are on to something, and something probably very special at that. Southampton’s Haunted Stereo make… well, ‘indie folk’ seems such an inadequate description, though at least that’ll give you an idea of the general area. Yet the band twist their music into quite a variety of shapes over course of the eight tracks on Cross the Sea.
The title track gets things off to a fine start, with some beautiful harmonies (Haunted Stereo have three vocalists, whose voices combine wonderfully) and an epic backing that really evokes the imagery of a sea voyage. But, on the other hand, there’s a song like ‘Wow Wow Wow’, which retains the richness of sound, but applies it to a smaller canvas; the result is a song with a considerable amount of homespun charm.
Not everything on Cross the Sea works quite so well. For example, ‘There’s No-One Colder Than a Good Drunk, Benjamin’ is a five-minute kaleidoscopic tumble of harmonies and melody that sounds great while it’s playing, but somehow doesn’t stick in my mind afterwards. But that hardly matters when there are beautiful songs like ‘Soul in Need’ — a short, simple, lush piece of music.
My favourite song on the EP, though, is ‘Santy Anno’, a glorious version of a sea shanty that adds a Latin flavour to the Haunted Stereo sound. It builds inexorably from relatively gentle beginnings to a dramatic climax – and, perhaps best of all, it fits seamlessly into the rest of the set.
Cross the Sea is a fine listen in and of itself; but I get a sense that there’ll be even better to come from Haunted Stereo in the future. This EP feels more like a step in the journey rather than an end in itself; and I’m looking forward to seeing where this band go next.
Video: ‘Wow Wow Wow’ (live)
Single Review | The Foxes – Bill Hicks
The Foxes are a four-piece band from London, and ‘Bill Hicks’ is their second single proper (though they also released an EP in 2007). It starts off with a pounding drum beat, the guitars kick in, there’s a shout of ‘hey!’ after thirty seconds – and by then, there’s no escape. We’re into a two-minute rock whirlwind, with Nigel Thomas hollering his lyrics as though he can’t get them out fast enough.
The B-side is ‘Come and Get You’, which is all of three minutes long, and only slightly less frenetic. There’s more of a groove to the verses, but they explode into another bouncy, naggingly catchy chorus. These are straightforward songs that are all about the joy of music. They work because there’s a sense that the band are playing as if it’s the most important thing in the world. Whilst this single is on, you might well feel the same way.
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Album Review | Sarah Class – A New Dawn
‘A New Dawn’ may be Sarah Class’ first solo album but don’t be fooled, this girl has a very impressive CV. Immediately after graduating, with honors, in music from Chichester University, Sarah went on to write extensively for a number of high profile TV and films including, most impressively, the score for ‘The Weekend’, a film starring Brooke Shields and Gena Rowlands. That’s right, Gena Rowlands. Naturally this caught the attention of the ‘fifth beatle’, producer Sir George Martin, who, after hearing Class’ work, took her under his wing. With that much support behind her it’s no wonder ‘A New Dawn’ sounds self-assured and professional.
The first song on the album, ‘Make Me Free’, should be on the soundtrack to a romance movie during the part when the love interests first get together. I think that’d definitely work. The song is ethereal and haunting but still upbeat enough to make even a casual listener feel that bit happier. ‘Northern Shore’ is also a cheerful song, Class sings about her love for the ocean and you can’t help but feel swept away by her passion for the subject. In fact, that’s something you could apply to every one of Class’ songs, she sings and writes with a passion that is rare in the X-factor age we live in. Class’ voice is vulnerable but strong and her lyrics are so real it makes her Emmy and Brit Award nominations seem very deserved – so deserved in fact that it makes me wonder why she didn’t win?
The point is, if you like classical or acoustic pop music, ‘A New Dawn’ is the album for you. If you’re very quick, you’ve probably got time to get it on your Christmas list.
Gig Review | Julian Casablancas at Manchester Ritz
I was talking to many people in the crowd last night and there was one thing I kept hearing, ‘Julian Casablancas is God’. I liked hearing it, if I’m honest, because all evidence points to it being a correct statement. Seriously, how many bands, having not released any new material for a couple of years, will have the NME dedicate an entire issue to them on the basis that it’s been ten years since they formed? Not many, but The Strokes did it. Everyone knows the story, when Is This It came out in 2001 the music world was turned on its head, the album was everything we wanted it to be and it went on to inspire too many bands to mention, The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys being two of the most obvious choices. The Strokes other two albums went on to win numerous awards and were a lesson in the mind of a genius vocalist and songwriter, a certain Julian Casablancas. So you’ll understand why everyone in the crowd was going crazy waiting for the elusive rock god to make his way onstage.
Casablancas isn’t one for a grand entrance but when he walked on even the manliest of men were screaming. He opened with ‘Ludlow Street’ a self-effacing track from his album ‘Phrazes for the Young’ that seemed to strike a chord with everyone in the audience, ‘Everything seems to go wrong when I start drinking’ he sang as the audience thought twice about getting a round in after the show. The biggest surprise was his rendition of ‘I’ll Try Anything Once’, a Strokes b-side that nonetheless had everyone in the audience singing along and, despite it being a fairly small venue, some getting their lighters out. ‘I Wish It Was Christmas Today’, Casablancas’ cover of the Saturday Night Live Christmas song, was also popular with the crowd. His growling, soulful vocals added to his indifferent onstage attitude can make anything cool and I mean anything – a Christmas song is no challenge for Casablancas.
As with all the best gigs, I’m sad it’s over. But I still have the crowd chants ringing in my ears, ‘Julian! Julian! Julian!’
Single Review | Mama’s Gun – You Are The Music
If I’m honest, Mama’s Gun sound a bit too much like they’re trying to be Stevie Wonder, or any other groundbreaking artist from the 70s. Unfortunately for them, there is nothing groundbreaking about their song, ‘You Are the Music’.
That’s not to say it’s bad though, it does have a little bit of the Marvin Gaye smooth, sexy soul sound about it. In fact, it’s like if Marvin got together with John Legend but the two didn’t really like each other and so didn’t put much effort into the music – it’d still sound pretty damn good but it wouldn’t have any soul behind it. A lot of people have made comparisons to Jamiroquai too and they probably wouldn’t say it’s a bad thing either.
To be fair, you could do a lot worse than to have Stevie Wonder as an inspiration, a lot worse. If you do buy this single it might be nice to put it on when the other half comes over. Pour some wine, light some candles, put on ‘You Are the Music’… it’s all part of the seduction. Music is important and this song might just get you some lovin’. To be honest though, it’s no ‘Let’s Get It On’ is it?
Single Review| The Dykeenies – Stitches
The Dykeenies are a four-piece Scottish indie band, comprised of brothers Brian and Andrew Henderson, Steven Ramsay and John Kerr. The guys have been around since 2005, and are now releasing new material after their first album ‘Nothing Means Everything’ in the form of their single ‘Stitches’. The band have previously been compared to the likes of music moguls Bloc Party, The Cribs, and The Futureheads, leaving The Dykeenies with a lot to live up to. Does this single do it? ‘Stitches’ is a sensitive track, with the soft opening vocals leading to a passionate chorus, accompanied with hints of slightly dirty guitar riffs that could be made more of, and a perfectly catchy tune that makes you want to thrash your head around a little. However, their comparisons just don’t quite make sense to me – their sound, on this track anyway, seems to be much more pop influenced, like We Are Scientists mixed with a bit of Goo Goo Dolls and maybe a bit of Jimmy Eat World. They hark back to the sound of a few years ago, there’s no synthesizers or edgy beat like so many emerging bands nowadays seem to favour. This, however, does not work against them, and in fact the Dykeenies are a pleasure to listen to.
Single Review| Team Waterpolo – Room 44
Interestingly named Team Waterpolo have been together since 2007, and have earned critical acclaim since their single ‘Letting Go’ was given the coveted place of NME Record of the Week. The Prestonian fourpiece of Fred Davis, Nathan Standlee, Ruggero Lorenzini and Lex Dunn are released single ‘Room 44′ in May 2009. The track kicks off with a relentless beat and cosmic synth reminiscent of The Killers, while the group vocals are very Klaxonish with a pinch of MGMT, but sung at a slightly more masculine pitch. The strong beat gives the track a fun, dancey feel, and it would be a great song to display your favourite (if ever so slightly dodgy) robot dance moves while singing/shouting along with your friends. It might pack a bit more of a punch if it led to some kind of crescendo, but overall it is a very catchy tune that is sure to take grip of all who give it a listen.
Single Review| Royksopp – Happy Up Here
The Norwegian duo, Royksopp, are back with new single ‘Happy Up Here’ from forthcoming the album ‘Junior’. ‘Happy Up Here’ is Royksopp’s way of being part of the end of the depression, and Svein Berge describes it as having a ‘YEAH WOW’ factor, like Van Halen’s ‘Jump’, but with ‘less hair and spandex’. Sounds irresistible, right? Well, after having a listen you can concur that the guys have got that right – it makes you feel like you’ve woken up an hour before your alarm and get to go back to sleep, and later find a tenner in an old coat pocket. It’s a happy, happy song. But Van Halen? Not quite. Featuring samples from the ‘Space Invaders’ game (deliciously retro!), you may recognise the track from a certain car advert, it is instantly and is light and uplifting, with infectious plinky-plonky tones and soft, whispy vocals that will undoubtedly spawn several higher octane club mixes. The original track is great as it is, a little slice of shiny happiness.
