New
Rhodes - History of Britain (single)
New Rhodes
have been floating around the peripherals of various music scenes for
several years, always being associated with each one, but never quite
part of any of them. Is the time right for them yet? This single isn’t
a marked change in direction or style for the band, the same melodious
laid back jangly guitar rock, nice vocals, nice tunes, nice boys. It
wont set the world alight, but New Rhodes till maintain their own little
place in the UK music scene.
Brinkman
- Kirsten Dunst (single)
I was
expecting Brinkman to be heavier for some reason, maybe something to
do with the name, the label, the song title, who knows why… The
band is in fact a fairly laid back melodious three piece. The lead track
a lamenting ode to the unrequited love of a Hollywood starlet a task
the band manages to carry out without sounding like sordid stalkers.
The B-side ‘Harlesden’ is an equally harmonious ditty dedicated
to life in one of London’s less salubrious suburbs… I look
forward to hearing more.
Betty
Curse - Hear Lies Betty Curse
Betty
Curse is one my guilty pleasure, I really shouldn’t enjoy her
music, she’s obviously contrived, manufactured, she even admits
it, maybe that’s why I like her so much. There’s something
about the paint by numbers Glam-Pop-Rock that’s just so damn appealing
and fun. Something about the glammed up sense of pleasure, the ever
so slightly silly and tongue in cheek lyrics so clearly written for
‘Teenage Outsiders’ to sing along to. Maybe because it’s
not aimed at me and I can see the music for what it is that makes me
like it so much, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,
in a few months Betty Curse will be everywhere, the kids will love her,
the parents will hate her (well the dads will be ‘intrigued’)
but they’ll still have to chaperone.
Dan
Sartain - Join Dan Sartain
If you’re
of have ever been a jilted lover, pinning after an ex flame, frustrated
by your situation and difficulty in moving on, then Join Dan Sartain.
Currently undergoing similar feelings the album strikes a deep chord
with me. Dan’s wonderful twanging accent spits bitter, lamenting
lyrics over a bed of reverb soaked electric guitar and minimal bass
and drums. The albums got death, love, pain and suffering, a must for
all melancholics everywhere, embrace your new leader.
V/A:
House of the Rising Rat: Volume 1 (album)
I don’t
seem to the only one noticing that whilst the mainstream rock circles
are getting progressively louder, fuzzier and dischordant, there’s
an increasing amount of fantastic mellower more subtle artists rapidly
appearing on the scene. This is an excellently compiled album featuring
tracks from the likes of Dan Sartain, Simon Breed and Gemma Ray that
all contribute to creating a well balanced and superb compilation for
those wanting something a little quieter, but by no means calmer, alternative
to the noise that the kids are making.
The
Album Leaf - Into the Blue Again (album)
There’s
something of a melodious beauty to the tracks on Into the blue again,
so much so that a majority of the tracks are purely instrumentals. It’s
laid back, the usual band line up supplemented with strings, vibes,
keyboards, samples and multiple vocalists. The songs are slow building,
with layers of instruments and harmony gradually added as opposed to
straightforward verse, chorus, verse chorus. A calming and peaceful
album full of inspiring melody, it’s the sort to return to after
a hard days work, put your feet up with a glass of wine and drift away
into another world with.
Kate
Myers - Blanket Sky (album)
On the few dates
I caught Kate live I found her absolutely enchanting and I can’t
even say exactly why. I think I’m a sucker for that sort of artist
who quietly slinks onto a stage with no sort of presence whatsoever, an
almost apologetic charm, and as soon as they start to sing the room stops
to watch what is going on. Her voice is smooth but with rough overtones,
most likely a natural talent with no training and whilst her guitar lines
are simple and fairly similar across songs they compliment her voice brilliantly
and succinctly. On album you lose the presence that comes from seeing
her in the flesh, but you can still hear the strength of the song writing
and the inherent beauty of her music. It won’t suit everybody, it’s
very American (something that normally puts me off) in style, sound and
lyrical content, but give a few tracks a listen and try to catch Kate
live, then maybe you might see what I mean.
Jay
Bennett - The Magnificent Defeat (album)
Sounding equal parts new wave
solo artists and post grunge acoustic artist (Think Nirvana’s Unplugged
in New York if that makes no sense) this is a riotous rollercoaster sort
of an album. Some tracks big and wonderfully over produced with too many
instruments crashing about and (unfortunately) Jay’s voice incredibly
badly EQ’d and swimming with effects whilst others are quiet, delicate
and heartfelt, stripped down and bare. Thus the album is a little disjointed
and schizophrenic, but also keeps the attention as you wonder what will
be next.
IV
Thieves - You Can't Love What You Don't Understand
IV Thieves
have been listening to too much Britpop, which isn’t a bad thing,
but last time I checked the Britpop revival hadn’t arrived yet,
so I’m not sure what the band are aiming for. Sounding like a big
old mix up of the better and lesser known bands from the aforementioned
era rolled into one, they produce a good mix of jangly guitar chords,
appregiated breaks, a whining vocalist, and of course… tambourines.
All reviews by Chris
Chinchilla
www.chinchilla-music.co.uk
