Taken By Trees @ Mono 13/12/09

It’s twelve days before Christmas and everything in this small corner of Glasgow is adorably twee. Tonight Mono is packed full of rimmed speced, wooly jumper and cardigan wearing kids without so much as a checkered shirt in sight.

Mono is truly unique venue and is perfectly suited for this kind of event; the vegan café bar just exudes twee quaintness. People sat around tables or browsing through records in Monorail soaking up the atmosphere and eagerly awaiting the treat in store. It is not hard to believe that Stephen Pastel, Glasgow’s indie pop hero and front man of the band partly responsible for this delightful genre of music, The Pastels, works here. Indeed Stephen is in attendance tonight and he is not the only recognisable indie pop face. Camera Obscura vocalist and friend of Victoria Bergsman (Taken By Trees), Tracyanne Campbell is here spinning records before the performance, for which most of the equipment has been leant by Camera Obscura.

Before the band take the stage this is already the most lovely setting; girls performing pretty little dances in open spaces, burning incense in every corner and people posing for photographs with heart shaped biscuits just add to the beautiful atmosphere.

It is well gone ten when Taken By Trees take the stage but no one is complaining about the wait. The Swedish singer, tonight backed by a four-piece band, seems slightly timid as she speaks to the crowd in front of a charming backdrop of footage including kittens, snow leopards and red pandas. It is hard to imagine how this setting could be any cuter but then the band start playing, producing some of the most charmingly quaint tracks to have come out in recent times. If you look though the window behind the band you can see two bicycles tied to a lone tree, which combines with the projection to conjure just the cutest image.

Still with all this twee-ness it seems ridiculous that her most famous song is almost universally known in the English-speaking world. Not just for it being in the latest John Lewis ads aired during the X Factor, but also for it being a cover of Guns N Roses’ hit ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’. Still this cover is nothing like the brash, loud hair metal of Slash and co., she has very much put her own slant on the track. Gone are Axl’s crude yelps and the harsh guitars, instead we have chirpy keyboard lines on top of sweetly delivered vocals, indeed if it weren’t for the lyrics this would be almost unrecognisable as a cover.

Arguably the standout track of the night is also a cover, but a very different one. This time the former front woman of The Concretes has stripped Panda Bear’s (who features on her latest album, East of Eden) superbly pop, layered ode to his wife and daughter ‘My Girls’, which featured on the last Animal Collective LP. The track has not only been altered to ‘My Boys’ to give it a more feminine edge but the pretty simplicity of her version make it almost as irresistible as the original and in a live setting it is hard not to won over by its grasping beauty.

This show is quite possibly the most twee event to happen in Glasgow in a long time; the setting, the act, the people just all add to overwhelming cuteness of the whole night. At the finish of the show you are left with that overwhelming warm feeling inside that everything is lovely, just the ticket for this festive season all that’s needed is a bit of cinnamon, maybe there was some in the biscuits.

Picture: Tomas Hermoso

Neon Indian @ Captain's Rest 1/12/09

There’s a surprising baron feel in the Captain’s Rest this evening, especially when considering the praise tonight’s headliners Neon Indian have had heaped upon them for their superb debut album ‘Psychic Chasms’. Still, at this point the night is young and it does pick up somewhat for the band taking the stage (albeit not the full house expected), the quiz upstairs takes the majority of the blame for the late crowd.

The bulk of the crowd are lucky in their lateness as the stage times are running way behind and when the Texan four-piece take the stage they are greeted with a big enough reception. The face of Neon Indian, Alan Palomo, sways around delivering vocals and bleeps drawing large proportions of the crowd into rousing sing-a-longs. However, it is not the vocal hooks that will bring huge success to this band, it is the brilliantly catchy keyboard lines, courtesy of the lovely Leanne Macomber tonight, which could easily leave anyone humming them for the next week.

It is Macomber tonight who indulges in the most crowd interaction, encouraging the audience forward and making weak yet appreciated jokes about her very questionable Scottish decent. Still, the real genius behind this band is Palomo, the album is pretty much all his work, he is Neon Indian and for evidence of his talents you need to look no further than wonderfully catchy, ditzy pop single ‘Deadbeat Summer’. The track doesn’t necessarily stand out in the set as almost every track tonight drips with brilliant retro pop, but if you don’t yet know this band there is no better place to start.

Neon Indian’s first visit to Glasgow may have been plagued with time troubles but this will certainly not knock them of track. This band are destined for better things and don’t be surprised to see them selling out much larger venues in the not too distant future.

Their debut album ‘Psychic Chasms’ is out now of Lefse.

Picture: Lucy Knott

Lily Allen @ SECC 25/11/09

Lily emerges through the floor atop a large staircase, which she saunters down to the sound of her latest album’s opening track, ‘Everyone’s at It’. Still, just her appearance on stage is enough draw hysteria from this massive crowd. Even Lily herself acknowledges this, commenting: “This is a big fucking room!” And it is, many people have made the step up to playing arena sized venues and failed abysmally, Lily is not one of them as she holds the audience and sound just as good as she had in the Academy and ABC. Although she seems tiny to the majority of the crowd three large screens enable to audience to view her antics, including pulling pints of Guinness for the front row, apparently what she chose to spend her extended budget on.

As the ska-tinged introduction to ‘LDN’ plays, for her second song, there is a sudden realisation to why Lily is so successful as a pop star. Lily’s debut album, ‘Alright, Still’ is a superb effort full of sharp ska-pop which could have any open listener hooked. Her latest effort, ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’, sees a more electronic sound and tracks like ‘The Fear’ still drip with that accessible yet clever feel Lily’s debut had. However, some newer tracks lack the quality her debut carried and with only three old tracks remain in the set, a very nasal version ‘Littlest Things’ and her classic number one ‘Smile’, along with the aforementioned ‘LDN’. Obviously the lack of a brass section has had a major impact on this decision, even her version of Kaiser Chiefs single ‘Oh My God’ produced by the moronically corrupting, horrendously untalented and evil Mark Ronson only has his signature trumpets on backing track.

Still, to the majority of Lily’s extraordinarily varied audience the lack of older material doesn’t seen to matter as they latch on to Lily’s every word, whether genuinely meaningful or just idiotic. Her performance cannot really be faulted, even her cover of straw hated, fake accented, indie lightweights The Kooks’ ‘Naïve’ brings it close to sounding credible. Her nationalist bashing single ‘Fuck You’ also seems to carry a new punch with the recent high profile the BNP have been receiving.

Mid set Lily is joined by chirpy London MC Professor Green to perform ‘Just Be Good to Green’ which Lily featured on. This acts as superb interlude and brings an extra energy to the stage as the rapper runs about around drawing massive cheers from the crowd. The cheeky grin plastered on Green’s face says it all as he performs to an audience surely much bigger than he is used to.

As Lily disappears throw the centre of the stage at the end of her first encore there is a feel of great satisfaction, a set full of sing-a-longs, expensive looking props and costume changes only add to the spectacle. However, it should have ended there, as Lily re-enters to perform the frankly awful country-tinged ‘Not Fair’, where she moans about some ex being bad in bed. Still, if you forget about this ending the performance is enthralling, if only the track list could have been stronger.

Photo: Joshua Porter

The Field @ Optimo 15/11/09

Tonight is quite the dramatic day here in Glasgow, the Christmas lights were turned on in George Square tonight and The Flaming Lips spreading joy to the masses with their uplifting live show. The Flaming Lips stage show is probably about the most prop filled and entertaining a visual experience as you are likely to see, the fireworks and Christmas lights in the town centre are not bad to witness either. So, in a way it is quite refreshing that The Field is much more reserved on visual effects, let’s face it there in no point competing with the F’Lips.

It is gone midnight when The Field and his live band take the stage, this is the norm for Optimo, and the hugely popular club night serves as pretty much the ideal setting for The Field’s live sound.

Axel Wilner’s music on record is chilled out and flows beautifully well in the background of any location. Still, performing live is a different beast and the intensity of his minimal techno has to be upped to keep a packed Subclub dancing through the entirety of his set. Wilner and his band manage this step up to this level superbly as the sheer force of their music drives the crowd into a frenzy that you would expect to be received for any top DJ.

Wilner bobs up and down behind his mixing desk while the rest of band smoothly change between instruments with minimal fuss. Still, it is the Swedish artist’s music that really speaks for itself; there is no need for an emphatic stage performance at this show. The smart little projections on show form a slight visual distraction, but without this the strength of his music would be easily lapped up by this, or any, Optimo crowd.

Optimo is superb experience whether there is a top of the range live act booked or not. Resident DJ’s JD Twitch and JG Wilkes have had praise heaped upon them from all over the globe for their mixing skills over a vast range of genres and sounds. Still, there is no arguing that a quality live band makes a difference at the club and The Field have to be up their with the best of recent times.

The Field’s latest LP ‘Yesterday and Today’ is available now on Kompakt.

A Place To Bury Strangers @ Captain's Rest 12/11/09

A Place to Bury Strangers is affectionately hailed as ‘New York’s loudest band’ and on tonight’s evidence this is hard to argue. Support Japandroids, who are no means quiet, claim that they make them ‘sound like an acoustic folk band’. The tiny downstairs basement of the Captain’s Rest goes no way at all to restrict the loudness, if anything the enclosed environment only goes to enhance this reputation.

Still, you cannot go to this gig and not throw some word to Japandroids who are gathering major hype at the moment and are possibly one of the reasons why tonight is sold out. The Vancouver duo’s brand of noise rock is achieving more followers everyday, so much so that they have a headline show booked at King Tut’s in February which will surely be a hot ticket. Unfortunately though, the band’s first visit to Glasgow is plagued with microphone issues and even the ‘sound magicians’ could not save the day completely. Sounding ‘as much like Lady Gaga as possible’ was the aim, don’t worry this was not going to happen, but enough promise and energy is expelled to have people intrigued enough to have a further listen.

A Place To Bury Strangers emerge in an almost pitch black room, in an filled to capacity venue, the only light shone on them for the first three quarters of their set comes courtesy of a sole projector at the back the room. This creates an atmosphere suiting of the shoegazing beauty of their music that seems ever more perfect in a live setting. True enough the volume is a slight distraction; I certainly would not advise seeing this band without earplugs, the fact they sell them at their merchandise stand says it all, but with this investment made the bands set is even more glorious than they sound on record.

For the last quarter we find the minimal lighting replaced by drastic strobe effect, which near engulfs the band from the audience’s vision. Again, this effect only emphasises their music, as the band seem to increase the volume even more while drenched in a sea of white light. Closer ‘Ocean’, from 2007’s self-titled standout, is probably the best track of the evening. The band take the song to new extremes from the recorded version dragging it out to ridiculous lengths while holding a gawping crowd with sheer intensity. The forceful end to the set definitely goes the furthest to justify the band’s current tagline, which will have to go some way to be topped.

A Place to Bury Strangers second full-length ‘Exploding Head’ was released on Mute in October this year.

Picture: Sam Fenn

I Like Trains @ King Tut's 17/10/09

When post-rock was very much the in thing a few years ago, when being a student automatically meant you to listened to Explosions in the Sky, when even Hollywood movies mentioned GY!BE, not many bands took that lush atmosphere sound and added prominent vocals to much success. I Like Trains, then iLiKETRAiNS, emergence in 2005 then proved a blissful rarity as they produced this familiarly ambitious soundscape working superbly with vocalist Dave Martin’s moody emotive words. Tonight the Leeds based four-piece play to an appreciative Tut’s audience that has been brimming over with anticipation for the treat in store.

Support tonight comes in three very different forms: Firstly Glasgow duo Holy Mountain assault the ears of the crowd with their brand of high energy, hairy yet superbly entertaining hardcore. Then it is the turn of Norfolk’s indie pop darlings The Kabeebies who deliver delightful pop tunes which would not look out of place in a Los Campesinos! set. Last on before ILT, is Nottingham’s experimentalists Swimming who work through a set of very diverse tracks without nailing a specific sound that may take them a step further.

As ILT take the stage and the smoke rises around them there is an overwhelming awe coming from the crowd. ILT’s audience loves them and it hard to see how anyone could not as they watch gob smacked as the band drive through a set of strong yet emotively brilliant tracks. It is difficult to watch ILT without a quick mention of local boys The Twilight Sad who also produce that epically strong sound with outstanding, moving vocals and the audience reception ILT receive is comparable in so ways to that which you would find at a TS gig.

Almost an hour into the set, as ILT announces they are playing their last song, almost the first sound is heard from the silently admiring audience. You can safely say that not one person in that room wanted the show to end there. There’s quite possibly some poetic irony in the fact that no one cares that I Like Trains are actually responsible for people missing trains, me for one. Still the sets closer ‘Spencer Perceval’, the standout from 2007’s ‘Elegies to Lessons Learnt’, is a fittingly perfect end to an engrossing set from start to finish. Even the slightly gimmicky train conductor jackets do not matter as this band has earned their rights to any such eccentrics.

New single, ‘Sea of Regrets’ was available to buy from Monday, and by the sound of the new tracks on show tonight we have an unmissable album to look forward to.

The Big Pink @ King Tut's 14/10/09

This may make me sound slightly hypocritical considering the review I wrote for this show on a certain website, but that review is completely honest, however it does miss out some vital details regarding the show.

The Big Pink themselves do have an image that could see them breaking the mainstream, and they certainly have a song in ‘Dominoes’ that could well be a hit. It is true they can appeal to a vast spectrum of music fans, they have become somewhat darlings of Pitchfork while they have been shot into the mainstream through Guitar Hero adverts and being featured on the universal jukebox every chain bar seems to host.

I must clear up that the band’s sound is not shoegaze-y in any way, comparisons with My Bloody Valentine and M83 seem completely unjust. The band play a mass appealing kind of electro rock, which does carry some slightly dark and gothic undertones, but also comes with that Oasis-ish lad-y wanker swagger that could see this band out jump any contempories on popularity. The band have been compared to The Verve a fair bit, which I can see as just, they’re like The Verve before Richard Ashcroft became such an unbearable twat that even Wayne Coyne wanted to hit him.

Still the band is enjoyable, the set is solid and both ‘Velvet’ and ‘Dominoes’ are brilliant tracks. The latter in particular, inspires a massive buzz and full on sing-a-long from the capacity crowd on a scale that you only see rarely at gigs these days. ‘Dominoes’ is exactly the kind of song you can imagine some drunkard singing to themselves on a bus home, much like that incessant ‘der der der’ nonsense from the Fratellis ‘Chelsea Dagger’, only with much more charm and of course quality.

However despite the soon to be anthem, the stand out from tonight’s show is the support from Glasgow based outfit Findo Gask. This band are a shining light in the current Glasgow scene and their blissfully bleeping pop gems, from opener ‘One Eight Zero’ to closer ‘Go Faster Stripe’, could get any slightly open minded music fan dancing. For most people who will probably read this Findo don’t need any introduction but just incase let their music speak for itself: http://www.myspace.com/findogaskuk. Catch them at their monthly residency, Crufts at Nice ‘n Sleazy’s this Saturday. This month Findo are joined by Copy Haho and North Atlantic Oscillation, it’ll should be a treat! I’m sure all the bands will be thanked for their performance onstage on Saturday, which Findo rather ignorantly tonight were not.

Wild Beasts @ Arches 29/9/09

Wild Beasts find themselves playing in Glasgow tonight as part of Topman CTRL music series, tonight’s event being curated by French electro-popsters Phoenix. The show has been cleverly grafted onto the front of a full UK tour that starts in Edinburgh tomorrow. However, this late addition to the tour has been detrimental to the turn out with many fans having purchased tickets to the Edinburgh that went on sale months before tonight’s announcement.

Support this evening comes from local art punk talent Paper Planes, who are visually increasing in confidence with every show they play.

Leeds based Wild Beasts come to Glasgow with praise being heaped on them from all angles following the release of highly acclaimed second album Two Dancers. The bands interchanging of vocals, from guitarist Hayden Thorpe’s unmistakable falsetto to the more classic indie rock vocals of bassist Tom Fleming, keeps the crowd more than interested as the band cruise through a set infectious indie rock tracks occasionally touching the edges of glam.

Last single Hooting & Howling is the set’s stand out, as the band continue a tradition of strong singles, the building anthem does not as Thorpe’s looping vocals digs deep into the listeners conscience.

On the whole tonight the band seem eager and raring to go on their new tour, but despite tonight not setting the tour alight it acts as a solid beginning and the Beasts do nothing to discredit themselves (well aside from Thorpe’s awful denim waistcoat!) Or Phoenix for that matter.

Fuck Buttons @ Stereo 24/9/09

A couple of days before tonight I suffered a slightly awkward moment upon purchasing a friend’s ticket for this evening show. Uttering the words ‘Fuck Buttons’ drew a quizzical expression from the ticket agent along with embarrassed giggles from a group of young girls. However, if these people had experienced the music of Fuck Buttons I’m sure they’d reverse their reaction, either for that of absorbed amazement or sheer terror, as Fuck Buttons are one of the most complex sounding electronic acts to emerge from the UK in recent years.

The Bristol duo is not the most visually stimulating as they bop up and down in relative darkness, still the ear busting noise created more than makes up for the lack of visual entertainment. At time the sound is almost apocalyptic when they power through tracks from brutally brilliant debut album, Street Horrrsing, as they push the audience’s ears to the verge of self-destruct.

The show tonight also gives a preview of second album Tarot Sport, for those who have not already experienced it. Tarot Sport, released by ATP Recordings on 14th October, sees Fuck Buttons walk a much more accessible path than their previous work, but still the complex collage of sound remains only in less scary, yet not necessarily better, mould.

Benjamin John Power and Andrew Hung’s sound that holds a majority of a jam-packed Stereo crowd affixed in some sort of awestruck wonder. The band may not bring any real entertainment for the eyes, but are both physically as engrossed in their sound as their audience are. Once the show is finished it takes a good minute to remove yourself from the trancelike state forced open you by the sheer force of noise created, a force the duo should take a huge amount of credit for creating.

Times New Viking @ Nice n' Sleazy's 17/9/09

Thrashy alternative three piece Times New Viking return to Glasgow for the fourth time, their second headline slot, after audience raising support slots with No Age, Los Campesinos! and Crystal Antlers. The Ohio three-piece is thriving on tonight’s proceedings blasting through a set of minute and half lo-fi gems. Tonight’s show acts as a preview to the unreleased LP, Born Again Revisited, which is on sale tonight but not due for full release until next week.

The view from the side wall of the Sleazy’s basement obscures the vision of the full band, but does elevate somewhat so at least some vision is thrown in with the sonic experience. Still the tight setting the venue provides is ideal for TNV’s lo-fi sound. Despite the visual obstacles it is only guitarist, Jared Phillips who remains out of vision. Keyboardist and dual vocalist, Beth Murphy’s dream fuelled sway remains in full view creating an audience focal point, as she delivers the sweeter melodies coming from under the layers of fuzz the band project.

This fuzzy sound is now an ever present with TNV both live and on record. By others accounts the band used to hone a much cleaner sound, but their current output cannot be argued with on its quality alone.

The most vocally active member of the band comes in vocalist and drummer, Adam Elliott who throws chat at the crowd through out the set, some of which goes over the crowd’s head, some is amusing, most is about drugs. Elliott introduces a large amount of songs with reference to drugs: ‘this song is not about drugs’, ‘this song is about drugs’ and ‘this song is about taking drugs in a museum with your girlfriend’. Still every bit of the drummers stage banter is treated with warmth. Finishing the set, Elliott announces ‘we love your city’, a sentiment the crowd tonight would happily throw back on the band that have treated them with a set as superb as it is raw.

Sunset Rubdown @ Stereo 10/9/09

The advertisement poster for tonight’s event reads ‘Sunset Rubdown featuring members of Swan Lake, Wolf Parade and Frog Eyes’, a fact that band leader Spencer Krug is clearly wary of pointing out that they are all him. Still it is obvious Krug is the leader of this Montreal five-piece, he strikes an imposingly confident figure as he confirms this is a Sunset Rubdown set and not any of his other alter egos. The frontman’s presence strikes a stark contrast with the rest of the band as they take step back and let Krug lead the show. Co-vocalist / keyboardist former Pony Up! Camilla Wayne Ingr is the only other member remaining in the constant spotlight cutting a rather more timid figure in comparison to the muscular flexes of Krug.

Sunset has been hailed as the outlet for most of Krug’s more adventurous outings, however by the strength of their records and tonight’s performance they can easily compete on quality terms with his more famous projects. The set starts on a atmospheric note as the band lay out a lush full sound before Krug crows into ‘The Empty Threats of Little Lord’ ending on a scratchier note as the singing hisses ‘you snake’ at the end each line of the last verse. From this point the band never drops in tempo, often jumping into bouts of double percussion, as they cut through a set featuring a heavily from the outstanding new record ‘Dragonslayer’ probably the most accessible to date under this alias.

The hugely talented Krug also proves he can inject a bit of humor into the proceedings as he shares amusing tales of their overnight ‘cruise’ from Amsterdam, before proving he isn’t perfect after all as he embarrassedly forgets the names of tonight’s support acts, local based Mitchell Museum and North Atlantic Oscillation. However they recover from this minor setback and end the set emphatically as they finish off with two tracks from 2006 stand out ‘Shut Up I Am Dreaming’, starting off with the triumphant ‘Stadiums and Shrines II’ before ending on a softer more ambient note with beautifully constructed ballad ‘Us Ones In Between. As the band leave the stage to an rousing reception it is clear that Sunset Rubdown have gone some way from just being a Wolf Parade side-project, and here’s hoping this their first visit to Glasgow wont be their last.

Beerjacket @ King Tut's 8/8/09

The task of writing a review for an artist, or many, that you are almost certainly going to see in the not to distant future can be a somewhat daunting one. Luckily very few negative words can be shed about tonight’s show taking all the guilt of having to write them away.

Tonight is Beerjacket’s birthday show and the man is clearly proud to be finally headlining the legendary King Tuts after around 45 support slots here spanning several years. Kicking off the nights feast of local talent are avant folk five-piece Seventeenth Century displaying a sort of distinctive awkwardness as they cringe through a set of emphatic room filling tracks.

Talking of room filling, next on the bill The Second Hand Marching Band could make a venue slightly smaller than Tuts appear full just with their own presence. Their sound does not let down either, matching their numbers (eighteen strong tonight, we think), as they produce an enthralling performance despite being crammed onto the Tuts stage. The bands live sets are slightly on the side of shambolic compared to other large musical collectives, but this only adds to the attraction of this radiant live experience.

As headliner Beerjacket takes the stage he maintains his usual vaguely nervous stage presence as he perches himself on his chair, however tonight he gleams with genuine disbelief. The singer-songwriter openly thanking the, much larger than he expected, crowd for coming on several occasions, clearly chuffed at the turn out as he finally gets his overdue headline slot.

Beerjacket has very recently found some sort of minor fame over the water featuring in recent issues of Rolling Stone, allegedly he just wishes it the spotlight would go away. He actively jokes about this following a minor hiccup in the intro to his cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’, (the track Rolling Stone had originally drawn attention to) embarrassedly stopping to claim that if he wasn’t going to write his ‘hit’ he may as well get it right. However at the second attempt the song is executed with the charm Beerjacket brings to his entire growing back catalogue of songs.

Tonight’s performance is not far off what you would get with most Beerjacket shows, the man seems remarkably consistent as he again delivers a delightful set which leaves the crowd as pleased as the man himself is with the evenings events.

Hafdís Huld @ Brel 18/6/09

For someone used to chart hits Brel seems a slightly odd choice of venue, but this is where former winner of best Icelandic pop album Hafdís Huld finds herself. Half her lifetime ago Hafdís had been part of GusGus, one of Iceland’s biggest ‘90’s bands, along with notable member Emilíana Torrini (who can be seen at Òran Mór next week), now she is on the verge of releasing her second solo effort. Still despite Iceland hosting less than half of the population of Glasgow it must be a bizarrely quaint venue for a home country pop star on her third visit to the city.

Support comes from local favourite Jo Mango who graces us with a splendid set of sweet acoustic gems perfectly, and more chat than you would know what to do with. Jo informs the crowd of her attendance of speech therapy for talking too much learning she was in the top two percentile for talkativeness in the country, and more than backed this up with stories of exploding fish, baking disasters and murmuration.

When Hafdís takes the stage there is an odd feeling that this just might not work. A fully seated audience in a daylight filled venue does not seem the ideal setting for a chirpy blond and a sown pink hippo in a leotard. This sentiment continues throughout her first track ‘Ski Jumper’ a moderately cheesy yet delightful pop track that does not translate perfectly onto one acoustic guitar. Only guitarist Alasdair Wright joins Hafdís today, her usual three-piece band would struggle to fit onto the Brel stage. However this feeling of uncertainty is thrown out the window when Hafdís begins to talk, the singer knows how to charm a crowd coming across both endearing and funny to hilarious extremes, justifying why Phil Jupitus considers her ‘the maddest person I’ve ever interviewed’.

Introducing second track ‘Homemade Lemonade’ Hafdís jokes about the mention of Dolly Parton saying ‘if you hear from her tell me to call me, it’s been long enough’ capturing an array of giggles from her ranging audience. Her unique and charismatic stage chat would catch even the dourest person out, as she jokes about sounding like the Queen, sowing websites, elf watching and pulling out her Christina and Beyoncé dance moves. Even the hippo gets explained out of oblivion, as she tells how a lovely yet hyperactive fan presented her with it adding to the cat in a ski jumper she received on her last visit to Glasgow, simultaneously putting her sowing talents to shame.

It is not just the onstage banter that wins over the audience, as the set continues her lovingly crafted songs enhance her credit even further. Songs about silly topics which could bewilder anyone’s imagination while simultaneously dragging them into her story book world of treasure hunting in pawn shops and old folk thinking she’s a vampire. When closer, new single ‘Kongulo’ (possibly number one in Iceland by the time this review is published) about human spider Alain Robert finishes it leaves a highly satisfied crowd who keep the girl chatting way past the music has stopped. Hafdís may not be known well in this country but she has all the qualities that could see her equal her home country success abroad.

The Soft Pack @ King Tut's 26/5/09

Kings Tuts is strangely bare tonight for what on paper seems a mouth-watering line-up for fans of the alt rock scene. With two of America’s hottest prospects on display I am sure more people were expected at the famous venue, however for the few in attendance expectations seems high.

The bill is opened by local indie rock act The Deals, the Motherwell four-piece certainly put a lot of enthusiasm into their set, but as one of this wave of Scottish bands adopting English accents it lacks somewhat in imagination.

When New Jersey alt punk act Titus Andronicus take the stage expectation are at a high especially after a storming performance at the same venue some three months earlier. The band seem rather tired possibly down to a hefty tour schedule, and the much smaller more motionless crowd failing to spur on the band who seemed to thrive off their crowds energy in February.

At this point it is hard to fathom why the crowd cannot get into Titus, maybe it is frontman Patrick Stickles’ choice to sport an Oasis t-shirt, maybe it is his distractingly large beard. Still, musically the band is as solid as ever and produce a strong set which only suffers from a lack of urgency and a crowd egging them on.

The last time I saw headliners The Soft Pack they seems dumb founded by a full house Barrowland crowd waiting to see Franz Ferdinand, tonight however the band seem a lot more at home in front of a smaller audience. The crowd however smaller was disappointingly as still as it had been then and thus for Titus Andronicus. Aside from a couple of really excited fellows who jumped about in jubilation to every song while belting out chants of ‘we are the Soft Pack’ after almost every song.

The plaid clad alt rock ‘n’ rollers have been compared to many bands at the pinnacle of the scene they occupy and tonight they go some way to justify why. Following a slow start in which excitement level does not reach too far past plain average the band kick into gear with recent double A-side track and arguably the bands best song ‘Bright Side’ displaying vocalist Adam Lamkin’s distinctive alt rock croak best.

From this point the set keeps up the pace as the band play out with a collection of their stronger songs including other recent singles ‘Nightlife’ and ‘Extinction’. The change in gear seemingly stirs the crowd as they draw movement for the first time in the night, this however draws excelled excitement from the mega fans, mentioned earlier, whom Lamkin joins in the crowd for the closer, this coupled with an increase in volume provide an emphatic ending to a show that in reality should have been much more of a spectacle than it turned out to be.

The Soft Pack will certainly leave the happier of the acts as many more of the people in attendance will leave with positive view points of the band than would have done in their near anonymous dates with Franz.

Anna Meldrum @ Brel 26/4/09

On the same night Camera Obscura perform their quite impressive new record at the Barrowlands I find myself up the West End for a quainter but equally as lovely experience. Tonight the former stables of Brel play host to the launch of Anna Meldrum’s band. Anna herself is by no means a stranger to the scene gracing many a Glasgow venue with her quirky pop and ‘jumbo fringe’ as a solo artist.

Anna is clearly excited about tonight’s events openly expressing thanks to everyone for attending on numerous occasions. Brel is packed to the brim tonight with people all of which Anna claims she knows. However, the audience are not here simply because they know her and Anna’s performance more than justifies their attendance. Her songs are eccentric yet lovely, telling tales of every day mishaps and childhood antics that could easily be related to anybody’s life. Her performance is absorbingly charming as she fidgets with her mini mouth organ while cheerily chatting away between tracks only stopping to tune her guitar, which she informs us is difficult to do while talking.

The new attraction which are the band are introduced early into the set and definitely add a new dimension to Anna’s live sound. Joe on double bass and Nick on drums do not draw the focus to much away from singer but do compliment her impeccably as she translates her acoustic songs into a full band environment.

I am informed that new recording are on there way and judging by her only previous quality-recorded track, and tonight’s closer ‘Marigolds’ this is something to look forward to. With the band seemingly a permanent feature now the future seems brighter than ever for this freckled songstress.

I Never Cared About Henry Rollins: A Brief History of Indie Pop

Indie pop may be loved by as many as it is loathed but its story is one of the most endearing and important in the evolution of a lot of the music we know today. It made heroes out of kids who didn’t occupy the rock star attitude, opposed the world of the major label embracing and encouraging the art of the handmade single, the fanzine and the mix-tape.

The musical scene would evolve into a full-blown culture with people taking on every aspect of what it stood for. Indie pop was not merely music that was both ‘indie’ and ‘pop’ it became much more than that. The scene became labelled many different names the most recognizable being ‘twee’, a British word derived from how a baby would pronounce ‘sweet’. ‘Twee’ was defensively rejected by the scenes British founders but was taken under the wing by the mid-’90s American kids who would adopt indie pop as a lifestyle.

Indie pop on whole represented innocence and everything cutesy and pretty but it did have its problems. The cultures excessive quaint prettiness was embraced by some just as an excuse to be cool at a time when the scene made heroes of the cripplingly un-cool. For now I shall reject these flaws and give a brief insight into why indie pop was loved and should be held in higher regard than it currently is in the bigger musical picture.

The roots of indie pop have been traced to many places but many accept it came out of the mire of the UK punk scene in the late ’70s to early ’80s. Punk embodied a snotty, sneery approach that came with a lot of hatred and anger directed at many different places, but punk did have that DIY attitude in which your favourite band did not have to be someone playing to thousands of people, it could just be the kids down the street. The latter part was adopted by the kids who would eventually go on to inspire what became indie pop, scrapping the harsher attitude of punk in favour of a nicer outlook on life.



Arguably the place that embodied the beginnings of this scene most was Glasgow the best example of this being the output of Postcard Records, with label leaders Orange Juice and Josef K often sited as the inspiration for the scene. Postcard certainly formed a foundation for the NME’s C81 compilation, the prequel to C86 which is often sited as the first to group together indie pop and is regarded a benchmark in founding indie pop as a scene. Another notable band that embodied this attitude were London’s Television Personalities who took on the DIY aspects of punk injecting this quaint, caring outlook which in some ways completely opposed punk. Television Personalities went on to become one of the scenes staple acts.

NME’s release of C86 in 1986 brought about a further following for the music and accelerated the foundation of the indie pop scene. Then around the same time something happened, British indie became popular with The Smiths at the forefront of the whole movement. The Smiths embodied a lot of things indie pop held dear they were signed to an independent label and Morrissey appeared the type of person these kids would make a hero of with his awkward personality and flower waving. But The Smiths popularity required the mass production of records and came with a huge public awareness of the indie scene.



With indie becoming popular the culture of exchanging mix-tapes and fanzines about indie music became elite. The bands that featured on the tapes were now thrust into the public eye defeating the purpose of their efforts made in making them. Cue Sarah Records the Bristol based label specialising in releasing indie pop records. Sarah took on the whole cutesy attitude and again encouraged the adoration of the kids who would not typically be considered so. The Field Mice were the epitome of what indie pop stood for and became the first heroes of Sarah Records. The next major product of Sarah were Heavenly, coming out of the ashes of Talulah Gosh Amelia Fletcher and co. become the poster stars of a generation of indie pop kids and are vastly regarded as the best indie pop band ever.

However by 1995 the demise of indie pop was underway, Sarah’s bands had begun to experiment with new sounds and complexify their music and the ‘anyone could make this music’ attitude just was not there anymore. The emergence of My Bloody Valentine and the obsession with shoegaze caught the imagination of the scene and the take-off of Britpop somewhat spelled the end of indie pop as a movement in the UK, the closure of Sarah during that year only went further to confirm this.

The death of Sarah did not mean the end of indie pop it was still alive and well across the sea in America. In America indie pop had taken a bit longer to emerge and it did so in quite similar fashion to the way it had done in Britain. In a way it followed an almost parallel path but something happened that keeps indie pop alive today.



In America punk had lasted way into the mid ’80's as a popular scene, still running through this DIY ethic that the UK punks had in the late ’70's. It was out of this scene that the American indie pop emerged. Olympia, Washington was at the centre of this event with Calvin Johnson, his band Beat Happening and label K Records becoming the rock that everything was built on. K became essentially what the likes of Postcard were in the UK and inspired a following of hero-worshiping kids for this generation of indie pop stars. K’s much acclaimed International Pop Underground festival is responsible for the emergence Modest Mouse among others, while indie pop’s feminine roots which K championed led a path to the popularity of riot grrrl in the early ’90's. Then, just like in the UK American indie became popular; bands that would have typically been labelled twee were entering the mainstream and indie pop found itself in the same scenario as it had been in the UK a few years earlier.

This is the point that the American story takes a different path from the British one because the American indie pop scene did not die, instead it flourished. People took the scene to heart; indie pop mix-tapes and fanzines came back into the lifestyles of thousands of Americans. Twee as a culture had begun. This generation of twee kids were different from those of the past, while the indie pop scene the UK had created rejected the label of ‘twee’ and ‘cutie’ as insults, this new wave adopted them as their own. T shirts sporting the terms like ‘Twee as Fuck’ were aplenty and bands like Tullycraft actively poked fun at the very scene they occupied. The once insults became in-jokes. Topping this one of their own was to be seen at the very centre of public attention sporting a K records tattoo for everyone to see. Yes, Kurt Cobain had once been an indie pop kid in fact his favourite band were Glasgow indie pop act The Vaselines and he had once been part of Calvin Johnson’s project the Go Team.



Twee lived its height in America through the mid-1990’s and after that faded back to a small niche that kept the scene alive. But with today’s indie guitar music beginning to tire there must be an avenue for something fresh that could possible thrust twee back to its height. New York recently has seen a minor breakthrough with the Pains of Being Pure at Heart leading the way to see twee pushed to the attention again of musical underground again. Whether indie pop will relive the heights of the mid-’90's is questionable but the scene is certainly not dead. As long as there are kids making music and appreciating the nicer things in life it will continue, and with such a rich back catalogue of records it certainly should be held with more esteem in the wider musical world than it is.

Record Reviews: Jan-Mar '09

Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion

In some circles it seemed before 2009 had begun the years best album had already been decided, the strength of four leaked tracks and a constantly improving back catalogue the only ground for this at the time absurd claim. Some justification of these claims is received upon hearing the album in its complete form.

Merriweather Post Pavilion sees Animal Collective reach new accessibility levels, their material has been refined and perfected carving a new chapter into a quite unique musical output. Working through the bands back catalogue you experience the steady progressions that have been made, the evolution of a sound that most great bands have to craft before reaching that hefty status.

Animal Collective’s technically ninth album draws from many era of the bands lifespan all blended seamlessly leaving all influences meaningless, creating a sound that can only be described as their own. Flowing soundscapes and reverb drenched vocals are a plenty, but placed side by side with songs of a classic pop structure and some blissful harmonies it all maps out wonderfully.

Yet labeling this album Animal Collective’s ‘pop’ album still seems silly, although some of the tracks share many similarities with classic pop these tracks will never draw a mainstream audience. Merriweather Post Pavilion may be more accessible than previous work but it still does take a few listens to sink in. There are no standout vocal hooks to be left reeling around your head for days, instead the band has created stunning record in which every track holds its own appeal.

Genrefying this record is surpassed with it crossing so many musical boundaries just no classification would suffice. The heavy hype which surrounded this record has been justified in splendid fashion, it is a special album that may end up record of ’09 it even holds the qualities that will see it go down in some groups as timeless. Still there is time left so jumping the gun will not suffice, just do not be surprised to hear this record talked about for years to come.

Bat for Lashes
Two Suns

There was always something quite lovely about Natasha Khan’s music, 2006’s Fur and Gold carried so much promise, precious songs with an array of sounds from cultural backgrounds quite foreign to her Brighton home. Despite it winning her high profile support slots with Radiohead it did lack something in depth, it did not manage to raise Bat For Lashes above the rest of her contemporaries. Two Suns her second LP sees her find this depth and it should see her lifted high into the consciousness of every music fan.

Two Suns sees Khan explore a more complex path as she gives a much fuller more confident sound. Much of this confidence is focused through her destructive fantasy creation Pearl, whose repeated mentions bring a minor theme to the record helping draw it all together as a complete product.

Khan admits her travels have inspired a lot of the sound on this record and this is certainly evident in the transatlantic electronic feel a lot of the tracks possess. Still a lot of the quaint touches that brought people to adore her debut remain, this enthused with her new found confidence all come together producing what is bound to be one of the best British albums you will hear this year.

Crystal Antlers
Tentacles

‘Crystal’ is the latest word you must use in the name of your new hip underground band, no less than three acts succeeded in drawing a name for themselves last year with its inclusion. Crystal Antlers were possibly the least publicised of these bands at the time but this year sees them make up for it with major tours and the release of their debut LP.

The Long Beach act has strong punk footings, some members having shared bands with former Bad Brains frontman H.R.. Tentacles takes on those footings and attempts to expand on them with a series of varied influences which were showcased through last years self released EP which caught the attention of many critics.

Tentacles although a very interesting and at times enjoyable experience does not seem to have taken too many steps away from potential of their EP. There is too much unrefined noise here for it to be considered great, but it is far from unlistenable there is more than enough promise on here to keep ears pricked for any progressions this band may make in the future.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have taken the forefront of the current New York indie pop revival scene and are helping pave the way for success further afield. The bands influences are not difficult to point out, yes the band may drop names of some ultra twee acts but this sound just screams ‘The Smiths’. Being influenced by The Smiths is by no means terrible as they would be listed as one of the most influential bands ever, in fact the Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s take on their influence is quite refreshing if it is not all round unique.

This is a melancholy indie pop album that will no doubt be labeled as twee, but could quite easily be so much more. Tracks like ‘Stay Alive’ come with a dreamy caress that could see it taken to heart of many, Smiths fans or not. ‘A Teenager in Love’ takes more conventional indie pop subject matter and its chirpy keyboard flickers are certain to satisfy many an ear. Throw this in with a few minor shoegazing glimpses and you have a record of charming gems that feels as much in the now as it does reminisce of the past.

Röyksopp
Junior

Röyksopp are one of those acts that everyone has unknowingly heard at some point in their life, there was a time when every second television advert contained one of their tracks. Despite this the Norwegian duos name has gone pretty much unheard of in many quarters. Their haunting and generally quite ambient electronica has seemingly flowed through the mainstream without too much notice.

Junior comes after a four-year gap and sees them return with a more upbeat excitable sound that could possibly see them thrust back into the mainstream again whether anonymously or not. Lead single ‘Happy up Here’ translates perfectly as their ‘Eple’ of 2009 and could easily stick in the head of multitudes of people but thus far has had not enough airplay to blast them into the wider public eye. It is second single ‘The Girl and the Robot’ that holds the most promise of a hit, acquiring the services of Swedish pop heroine Robyn for vocal duties can only aid in this process. The song stretches Röyksopp further towards the pop world than ever before as their gloomy synths are overlapped by one of the catchiest choruses the year will see, as Robyn treats us to her robot romance tale.

The remainder of the album does not lift off any further than the first two tracks, which is a shame as the rest of the material is solid stuff the album just peaks too early. A couple of tracks featuring electropop singer Lykke Li do provide highs on the second half of the record but still there are a lot that will fall off after such a lofty start. Röyksopp promise a partner to this record later in the year, a more ambient effort titled Senior that could provide a well deserved chill out after Junior hits the dance floor.

Delta Spirit @ King Tut's 29/3/09

San Diego’s Delta Spirit return to the Europe for the second time this year on mission to get their name heard, this time armed with a more extensive tour schedule. In the UK word has yet to peak about their refreshing take on alternative country, while support slots with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Cold War Kids have gone some way to raise the bands US profile. Ticket sales tonight have resulted in Bathgate indie Topshop oiks The Harringtons being promoted to headline slot. Still on tonight’s evidence it wont be long before Delta Spirit are selling out venues like King Tuts, and The Harringtons are but a distant bad memory.

Delta Spirit appear your typical alt. folk band facial hair and plaid shirts intact, but do not let that fool they bring a original sense to the whole scene. Frontman Matt Vasquez’s rough croak is as unique as it is engrossing as he creates a feel reminiscent of singers from ‘60’s folk movements. It does not stop with the former busker, Vasquez is backed by an equally equipped band whose tendency to break into triple percussion attacks only add to bands live appeal.

The band seem excited to be back at Tuts being more than encouraged by recognising faces from two months prior. The returning crowd members share a similar excitement and are thoroughly rewarded when they break into outstanding cover of Tom Waits ‘San Diego Serenade’, which Vasquez proudly announces is about their hometown.

Closer the protest era Dylan-esque ‘People Turn Around’ starts off slowly but builds up to see the band leave on high before, The Harringtons lower the tone. The bands performance tonight will certainly draw many more of the crowd back to see them on return to Glasgow, and with festival season just around the corner they will certainly be on the list for one to look out for.

Lily Allen @ Academy 14/3/09

It seems a day never goes by where Lily Allen is not in the public eye, the latest celebrity slagging or new love interest which ever apparently matters to us most at that specific time. But with all this attention it seems to have been forgotten why she came to the publics attention first of all, her music. Debut album Alright, Still’s sunny ska-pop sound brightened up the summer of 2006 leaving people from all over the musical spectrum with a smile on their face. Latest offering It’s Not Me, It’s You sees a new slimmer, more glamorous Lily take a more electronic path. Yet, while maintaining that poppy appeal it lacks the sunny freshness that the debut brought.

Tonight sees Lily in her usual stage capacity as she exchanges words with the crowd like they are friends down the pub, while sipping from a wine glass containing what appears to be cider. Onstage she maintains her refreshing ignorance to the attention that is thrust her way, it all seems to by pass her as she chats about tomorrows forthcoming cup final.

Disappointingly the set is short of older material as only three pre-It’s Not Me It’s You tracks make it in, even classic LDN is harshly cut short as they try jam every song from the new record into the show. The new songs do not lack appeal but you do find yourself longing for a Friday Night with each new track leaving you appreciating how good her debut was. Lily herself is on her game as she struts about in her now trademark trainers and dress willing her ‘friends’ to sing along to every word.

The show itself is strong and most, like the press, seem to be lapping up everything Lily does. Yes, the old songs are few and far between but the new songs have their charm and the lack of a brass section might not do the older tracks justice. Still the gig taken on first hand is highly enjoyable and closing on her superb yet trouble-ridden cover of Britney’s Womanizer ends the set on a high. Let’s face it could have been much worse, she could have played Alfie.

Franz Ferdinand @ Barrowlands 5/3/09

Tonight is the second homecoming night for a band needing to justify who is the biggest Glasgow band, and with the illustrious ballroom that is the Barrowlands they could not ask for a more ideal location. Tonight does not come with the excitement it could following a new album that could so easily have passed under the radar and with Franz being a common sight around the city, despite two of them residing outside Glasgow. Still the prospect of hearing the tracks that won over almost the whole country is enough to sell out the venue twice and surely more.

Support tonight comes from the latest California buzz band The Soft Pack whose main column filler has come from a controversial name change. Formerly The Muslims they changed their name following violent attacks from idiots who believed them to be either racists or terrorists. The band has won praise for their music too drawing comparisons with lists of illustrious acts. Either way they have gained a name for themselves and their current tour schedule goes some way to prove it, with this support slot is followed by full US and UK headline tours, and dates at SXSW, ATP and Primavera.

Tonight the band seems bedazzled by an almost static crowd impatient to see their heroes. They appear rigid and unenthusiastic as if they had given up on winning over the audience, possibly down to a poor reception the previous night. However they get through the set without expelling too much energy and get off as fast as they can, that is not to say they were bad possibly in their own environment a band like this would thrive. You can see evidence in their songs where comparisons with bands like Pavement and The Strokes have come. It is easy to see how tracks like closers ‘Parasites’ and ‘Nightlife’ could be loved by those who have adopted that alternative indie scene. Tonight The Soft Pack do themselves no justice and the majority of the crowd wont go as far as learning their name.

Franz as expected enter to the complete opposite reception, it is as if you are back in 2004 when they won over multitudes of fans with their sing-a-long brand of post punk. Just the word ‘Glasgow’ leaving Alex’s lips are enough to draw a euphoric response from the crowd as if the city is welcoming home its own kings.

The set itself is its usual enjoyable yet shambolic Franz Ferdinand affair, but that is what it always was. The band flows through a set of old and new with each song receiving an up roaring retort from this excitable crowd. The odd duff note and Alex not being able to hit notes he would have five years ago go almost unnoticed as the crowd sing along to every word. The thing is, in Glasgow at least, Franz will always be forgiven these mistakes it is the way they have always been. Now they are getting old some pushing forty, they can be given even more scope but what they have done for the reputation of Glasgow music will assure they are always loved. As I leave a show packed full classic tracks and joyful hero worshipers it is clear who Glasgow’s biggest band are, and I think the band knows it too.

David Byrne @ Royal Concert Hall 31/3/09

‘Does anybody like Dumbarton?’ I heard shouted at Connect a couple of years ago, why anybody would do such a thing? The answer is simple: David Byrne. Tonight I got to see exactly why this man could bring somebody to like a place such as Dumbarton without even visiting the place.

The Royal Concert Hall has a bizarre feel to it as a gig venue. Entering through a bewilderingly large foyer into what appears to be an airport check-in, expensive bar and gift shops with complete with ‘no food of drink past this point’ signs. The hall itself feels more like a conference room than a venue for a pop concert. This is all forgotten when the lights go out and the homecoming hero enters the stage.

Byrne and his band appear dressed in all white as if there is something all round clean and innocent about them, and there is as Byrne just appears a nice old man. Byrne addresses the crowd with his intent for tonight’s show, announcing the set will consist majorly of songs produced with Brian Eno. Crowd interaction is clearly not Byrne’s forte but that is not what he is here to do, and when he bursts into the set you instantly get why he is so highly regarded. His singing voice is as unique and wonderful as it ever was, and for man pushing 60 he gets about the stage.

Still by two or three songs in you feel there is something missing, the famous Talking Heads dance moves or the orchestra that has been with him through recent solo touring schedules, maybe. However it is just as you start to think this that the surprise is unleashed, as Byrne and co. hit into their next track three dancers emerge. The dancers go on to produce a mesmerisngly energetic, superbly choreographed routine throughout the set. It is not just the energy and routine that is engages about the dancers, they seem to be genuinely having the time of their lives and their engagements with the backing vocalists makes for quite an eye-catchingly chaotic show. This coupled with the use of wheelie chairs and the involvement of Byrne himself all add up to create as superb a visual experience as it is musically.

The set itself draws from Byrne’s expansive yet brilliant catalogue of material; the tracks produced with Eno are arguably the best of his work. Only one song from a non-Eno era is squeezed into the set in Talking Heads single ‘Burning Down the House’. Byrne himself is endearing while remaining constantly entertaining as he cuts through old and new, points out his family members, and keeps coming back with three encores.

The highlights of the set for the majority of the crowd are Talking Heads tracks, which are not played sparingly. Arguably the stand out moment of the set is when Talking Heads’ classic tracks are played back to back in Remain in Light’s ‘Once in a Lifetime’ and Fear of Music’s ‘Life During Wartime’. Creating enough of a spark in the room to draw the majority of the crowd to their feet, simultaneously tearing a new energy level on the stage.

It may be for reminisant purposes that the majority come and see David Byrne, but unlike so many older acts who have returned to the stage he does not let down. It is not exactly the same of course this is not Stop Making Sense but it is a man who equally and clearly knows what he is doing as much as he loves it.

Titus Andronicus @ King Tut's 25/2/09

It is ten to ten when the New Jersey quintet takes the stage, and before assaulting the eager crowd with a dose of their punk inspired indie rock they take time to apologize for missed trains. Albeit, when the band breaks into their set catching a train the last of anyone’s worries as the energy the band expels is breathtaking, it is as if the band are zapping their strength straight from the audience.

Titus Andronicus blast through a set packed full of could be underground classics, as they successfully manage to translate the quality of their debut LP into a quite awe-inspiring live show.

The sets stand out track comes in their anthemic self-titled effort, which draws the crowd into frenzy with its catchy howled vocals and lively harmonica bursts. This comes perfectly straight after treating them to a sing-a-long cover of Weezer hit ‘Say It Ain’t So’.

Unlike the play from which they lift their name there doesn’t seem to be tragedy in this Titus Andronicus only a huge celebratory feel. Certainly is one to look out for in the future.

Interview: Crystal Antlers

Chimney sweeping wont even enter your mind when you think of California; the states sun baked roofs surely don’t need fires and if they do chimneys are near extinct. Still this is what you could find one of the states best up-and-coming bands doing, now is not the time to find them though as the much-hyped DIY act Crystal Antlers are kicking into their first European tour.

Excitement is high as for the majority of the band this is a first trip to Europe, Scotland seems to hold some significance as like so many American’s they believe they have a distant Scottish heritage. Evidence of this heritage is pretty well hidden, drummer Kevin Stuart’s shocked reaction to gulping from a can of Tennents provides evidence of this. The band arrived in Glasgow for the first time on the back of four nights in London where I am assured there was no Dick Van Dyke-esque rooftop dancing, but playing to near sold out shows every night.

The Long Beach act find tonight’s gig just as highly anticipated as the London shows with the venue having to stop selling tickets early in fear of an overflow. Appearing an unorthodox mix with appearances as varied as their part time job is rare but the band are linked together through their fussy, funk enthused punk sound. After the sound check I caught up with frontman Jonny Bell to chat about the new album, Bad Brains, Pitchfork, and ‘the dying trade’ of chimney sweeping.

This is your first European tour and for the majority of the band a first visit to Europe. Is there anywhere you are particularly excited about visiting or playing in while you’re here?

We were all really excited to come to Glasgow as some of us have Scottish heritage, at least we think. Kevin (Stuart, drummer) defiantly does. Our manager Phil and our friend Michael, who’s making a movie with us, have been to Europe hundreds of times but have never been to Glasgow.

Have you managed to see much of Glasgow?

We’ve only been here about four hours, (laughs) all we’ve really managed to see is the hotel and the rain. We went into a shopping centre; it wasn’t much different from ones in America. We generally don’t get to see much more than the venue when we are on tour; we’ll get the occasional night off but not tonight, hopefully we’ll get to see more when we come back after the album is released.

On the subject of the new album Tentacles is due out in shortly. It has been said to ‘detail the fragmentation of nature and its destruction from humankind’, is this a theme behind the record?

I think that was just something in a press release, I don’t really know where they got that from. The album has a lot of the same elements that were on our EP. It has a kind of loose feeling, but with a lot of parts that are more concise, and we have a lot of ‘noise’ sections that were worked out is specific ways to sound like noise, but they’re not. It’s a progression from the EP overall, there are more vocals and the writing process was a lot more collaborative.

Everyone seems to be struggling to nail down an accurate description of your sound. You’ve been described as various crossovers of styles, or random genres that seem to have been thrown together. How would you describe your sound and influence?

I try not to describe our sound; I’m not really going for something specific. As for our influences, all of us were in punk bands; we come from a real punk background. Damian (Edwards aka Sexual Chocolate, percussion) and Andrew (King, guitar) played with H.R. from Bad Brains so there is a lot of punk influence. We tried to expand on that. Myself, I was really into old soul music, Miami ‘60's type stuff.

I wanted to touch on the promotion the band has been receiving from Pitchfork. What is your perspective on the promotion they give to bands like yourselves, and what affect it has?

It’s pretty amazing how much affect and power they have over the music industry. It’s particularly interesting to us, as none of us had ever heard of Pitchfork when they reviewed the EP, it was up in their best new music section, we had no idea what that meant. At that point we didn’t have a label or distribution, it was all done through mail order with my house as the return mailing address, all the CDs were hand made. Then we were reviewed on Pitchfork and I had to spend pretty much the next week making CDs and shipping them out. So, yes it was good for us as it all expanded from there, but it does seem kind of unrealistic and unfair to a lot of bands. Also, a lot of the bands they champion I don’t necessarily agree with.

Finally just to clear something up, I read that three of you met while you were chimney sweeps, is this true or a complete myth?

Well, we didn’t meet as chimney sweeps but we did all work as chimney sweeps. I suppose it is a pretty rare thing to do, especially in California, it’s a dying trade in a way. I actually still work as a chimney sweep when I’m not touring.

You’ll have heard all the Mary Poppins jokes then?

(laughs) well the company we worked for was actually called Chim Chimney. So, (laughs) yes!

Best of 2008

10.
Lil Wayne
Tha Carter III
(Cash Money)

The biggest selling album of the year seldom means greatness but Lil Wayne’s latest offering is certainly deserving of all the units sold. The self-proclaimed ‘best rapper alive’ put the work in to get his name around, countless guest appearances, and an endless collection of mix-tapes helped keep bloggers pages filled. Yet the New Orleans born MC has topped it all, C3 is remarkable as the eccentric Wayne brings all his tricks to the table producing his best work so far. It seems Wayne is justifying the bold brags he spits in both his lyrics and personal life some nine years after his debut.

9.
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend
(XL)

Tipped as one of the hottest prospects for 2008 Vampire Weekend set the bar high early on. In their self-titled debut the well-educated New York kids give nods to African pop, much like influence David Byrne had before them. But the band doesn’t outwardly wear their influences; they appear a preppy easily dismissible indie band. However, it is how these ideas and influences are used which makes VW shine. The album dazzles with pop sensibilities, a happy uncomplicated listen that will keep you coming back for more. VW’s bright sunny feel makes it the ideal summer record, leaving a feeling that it came a little too early.

8.
Portishead
Third
(Mercury)

Portishead’s return was almost as unexpected as it proved refreshing eleven years after their last release. Arguably the elite of trip-hop’s return comes long after the death of the scene they led. The Bristol trio have obviously seen this happen, and while Third holds slight similarities to past work the majority is left smartly back in 1997. Gone are the heavily moody trips instead a pacier almost psychedelic feel is left. The recognisable feature of Beth Gibbons’ inspired quiver is almost the only resemblance. Still the stunning weirdness Portishead always had remains but this time it comes in a somehow starker reality than a decade ago.

7.
Atlas Sound
Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
(Kranky)

It has been a packed year for Bradford Cox; his bands third LP, countless blogged demos, and his solo debut. Cox sees Let The Blind… as his psychedelic dream but it is easy to see Atlas Sound as a deeper impression of his personal self. Cox’s band Deerhunter carry a powerful impression, but there is something awkwardly personal about this record. Wondrous eerie stories told through disturbed isolated lyrics that could be easily linked to Cox’s illness ridden past. Still, as Atlas Sound, Cox has created a superbly distinctive minor pop record full of ambient instrumentals and cool haunting psychedelica that could complete some estranged dream.


6.
The Bug
London Zoo
(Ninja Tune)

Noise artisan Kevin Martin has been kicking about the UK dance underground for a good time; during this time he has varied his projects through many subgenres. Martin’s latest release under alias The Bug finds him drawing these subcultures together more than ever before. London Zoo, his second album as The Bug, finds Martin drawing plenty from current British dance movements, merging them in with his own dancehall mastery effectively drawing British dub directly into the 21st century. Yet Martin cannot take all the accolades as he called on a wealth of vocal talent for this record, however it was him who marshalled this to create possibly his most accessible work to date.


5.
TV On the Radio
Dear Science,
(4AD)

As one of the years most eagerly awaited albums Dear Science, does not let down, TV On the Radio have produced another outstanding effort in follow up to 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain. In Dear Science, they have released as optimistic a record as will be heard this year, an album hugely varied in style and sound. TVOTR make their cautiousness about gaining huge popularity clear through dark stories and their never immediate catchiness. Despite this Dear Science, holds down musical and production excellence with notes of joy managing to break through, adding to the appeal of one of the most exciting indie rock bands of recent times.



4.
No Age
Nouns
(Sub Pop)

The L.A. duo took a more ambitious route to follow up last years Weirdo Rippers, and it has paid off emphatically, as Nouns sees No Age break more accessible ground than ever before. Lead single ‘Eraser’ being the biggest example of this complete with its frenzied chirping guitar introduction. The tracks have changed from the riff driven debut in favour of a more coherent thoughtful sound, with the band still managing to keep the droney appeal that won over their initial audience. Simultaneously they are crafting minor vocal hooks behind the constant sound barrage that will keep their audience interested and continue to attract new fans.


3.
Hercules and Love Affair
Hercules and Love Affair
(DFA)

New York’s Hercules and Love Affair have not only produced one of best DFA LPs to date but have also paved a possible mainstream disco revival. Andrew Butler and Antony (and the Johnsons) Hegarty have shaped a lush, camp masterpiece in which a mixture of vintage styles, strong lyrics and plenty of imagination have been used to create as unique a dance album as you will hear this year. Yes, H&LA owe a debt to the ‘70’s/’80’s disco scene but this release should not leave them pigeon holed by their references. Slight pacing issues are instantly forgiven, as there are more than enough tracks to fill any forward thinking dance floor within this gem of a record.


2.
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes/Sun Giant EP
(Sub Pop)

Somewhat of a buzz was surrounding Fleet Foxes even before their debut EP hit iTunes libraries. The excitement surrounding the band became justified as soon as you put these records on and enter into the wondrous world of Fleet Foxes. The Seattle five-piece has crafted a beautiful pop record with a strong folk feel combined with near perfect harmonies, which could appeal to almost any age group. The harmonies are possibly the main focal point as the record acts as a vehicle for the bands vocal talents, especially those of Robin Pecknold, who gloriously leads the Foxes. Collectively Fleet Foxes have created something original and timeless that could have easily come from west coast America in the ‘60’s, rather than from a bunch of 20-somethings in 2008.


1.
Deerhunter
Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
(Kranky)

While Bradford Cox takes almost full credit for earlier mentioned Atlas Sound, on this his full bands third LP the band are as much accountable as himself. Undoubtedly he will carry the most of the credit, he stands out as the leader of Deerhunter and his seemingly constant stream of quality new material justify every plaudit he receives.

The Atlas Sound debut carried an almost personal feel; Microcastle however is more a retreat from the frustrations of personal life. The album feels more like it belongs to the listener than Cox’s own Atlas Sound. It takes the listener on a dreamy, emotional journey kicking off on a high and ending with crashing feeling of anger.

The second disk, Weird Era Cont. supposedly a set of b-sides, is almost as emphatic as the album itself. It does not fit together quite as well but is fierce and focused, containing tracks that could easily be considered some of the bands best. Weird Era Cont. adds to this set and the superb catalogue Deerhunter have created, leaving them credited with two superb albums within the year, and three for Cox himself.

In this 2xCD set Deerhunter do hold debts to the occasional influence, Cox’s ‘50’s/’60’s pop leaning are often sited but they are less obvious here than on earlier releases. Nonetheless, for every piece of nostalgia there is equal originality moulding together to create one of the most stunning albums of 2008.