Low – Bristol Trinity Centre

Posted on May 21, 2011 by haymoncollins

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After a couple of years gap suddenly two gigs at Trinity in space of three days. Tonight it is for Low, supported by Sleeping Dog. Tonight is not a night for the teenager it seems, mostly people are of my age (well perhaps the age I think I should be but haven’t been for a while) reflecting most likely the 20 year career of the band.

The Trinity has no backdrops tonight just the bare wooden panelling and devotional paintings of Moses and his posse, nothing to adorn the stage but the instruments. The entry music was variously a set of piano etudes and Roger Chapman’s Family era tracks, the dichotomy setting a considered tone to the evening.

Sleeping Dog were unknown to me – a boy/girl or man/woman duo if you prefer – piano and heavily treated guitar mostly. The orchestral tag to their music was indeed very fitting. Chantal Acda has a crystalline vocal which hovers over the Nyman -esque piano all underpinned by a remarkable guitar sound of Adam Bryanbaum Wiltzie, pushed through a synth to generate almost church organ sounds. The Bristol crowd did what it does best and listened with appropriate attention and respect. Their music has an almost hypnotic effect, pulling an emotional punch from the gossamer thin melodies. Well here is something to add to that foolish list of “good things that come from Belgium “. Regrettably they had to run after their set and so the merch was not available after Low, and being too sad to give up my spot at the front I will have to get their (third) album, With Our Heads in the Clouds and Our Hearts in the Fields, from elsewhere, for instance the Gizeh Records bandcamp site

After the Low band members sorted their kit out, with a noticeable and pleasing lack of roadies wandering around with interminable fiddling and muttering into mics, they took the stage without a word and delivered a blistering Nothing But Heart from C’mon. Alan Sparhawk wrenches the most wonderful distorted and reverb drench sounds from his Gibson. But he equally provides delicate and sensitive music from the same instrument.

Mimi Parker also manages to provide a level of finesse from her very modest collection of drums and cymbals, all playing from her trademark standing position. Indeed that is probably the characteristic of the whole band – a quality and deftness of playing without any sense of flashiness. Steve Garrington for instance plays his Fender with a lyricism and sensitivity that belies his diffident stance on stage.

As was to be expected C’mon gets appropriate full coverage, usually in groups of two or three songs interspersed with material from their extensive back catalogue. Not that any song was less than captivating but of especial note from the new album was, of course, Nothing But Heart, a suitably majestic Majesty/Magic and a fine rendition of my favourite track Especially Me.

A band of very few words on stage virtually nothing much was said to the packed Trinity crowd (who were reverential in their attention – lots of sushing ensured silence between songs but rapturous applause at the end of each). But Sparhawk introduced Murderer from Drums and Guns by bringing “greetings from a country where we dance in the streets when we assassinate someone” of course referring to the Bin Laden affair.

Without providing a full set list (not least because I can’t, although seemed pretty much the same as Manchester methinks) it would be remiss not to mention remarkable versions of songs like Violent Past, Amazing Grace and, best, Monkey. This is remarkable music, a power and aggression without bombast, a delicacy and softness without saccharin, a band that as Sparhawk has said, has always stood ‘outside’ which is no doubt the reason for their edge, their authenticity and connection to their legions of supporters.

Recognising the ecstatic response, Sparhawk acknowledged the longstanding loyalty and support of the fan base and when at the end, hands clasped together, he said “this is a good feeling” you had a sense that he really did mean it.

PS apologies to @IDSupremo for bombarding him with texts as I tried to look inconspicuous all alone up front before the start – am I tragic or what?

PPS full marks to @trinitybristol for the excellent sound (again) tonight

PPPS a review of Low (vid of Witches) and Mercury Rev at the Paris Bataclan May 25th, from Stephane

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Villagers – Bristol Trinity Centre

Posted on May 19, 2011 by haymoncollins

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Just as I was wondering how to try and sum up how I feel about both Conor O’Brien/Villagers and the superb Becoming a Jackal album, I catch sight of the announcement that the Ivor Novello Award has just been awarded to him for the Best Song Musically and Lyrically for 2011. Well that seems to have sorted that  then…

Last night saw me and the Lad roll up to the slightly strange but endearing Trinity Centre in Bristol to catch Villagers. The last time we were here was to see the wondrous Bon Iver last time he graced these shores in 2009 (later this year he is back but in the Colston Hall – times change, eh?) and tomorrow I shall be back for Low, but I digress…

We managed to find ourselves a spot sheltered from the ubiquitous Jeff (how does he get to every gig that takes place in Bristol?) and his berserk collapsing tree dance by some unwary and floppy students who knew no better. Support was in the form of Michele Stodart, she of Magic Numbers and the bass strings, and she seemed terribly nervous. She had no need and acquitted herself admirably.

The first three numbers, including the excellent opener, Cecilia and Her Selfhood, were delivered by O’Brien, initially solo but then augmented by Cormac Curran on keyboards. Solo O’Brien shines, both because the quality of the song-writing and also for the remarkable quality of his voice, clear, unwavering and with an unusual sense of directness.

A few numbers in and the whole band joined him and Curran and they proceeded to play just about the complete album as you might expect. The rest of the fine band add the extra oomph and feedback laden guitar where it counts. But there was more than a smattering of new (well not on the album) songs, like Cecilia and the outstanding Bell, all boding very well for the next release. From a set of unerring quality it is hard to pick favourites, everyone will have their own, but Set the Tigers Free and Pieces were special joys, both with a hair tingling quality.

Not a band big on banter, I did start to wonder how much they were enjoying themselves, but when chat did arrive they seemed relaxed and good natured – just not a chatty bunch on stage I guess. O’Brien in particular has a slightly unsettling on stage aura – at times with a part shy and seemingly surprised schoolboy-looking face and then at others almost  a look of triumph and disdain – I am probably reading way too much into a few facial expressions and anyhow you can forgive a chap anything if you are as talented as he.

We saw Villagers support Elbow in the distribution depot that is Cardiff Arena not too long ago, and was pleasantly surprised at just how well they coped with such an impersonal venue. Trinity was, for fans at least, a much more human scale venue, more befitting the emotional and personal nature of the material, and whilst you can only wish them continued and well deserved success, lets hope they eschew the stadium circuit should it beckon.

An evening of absolute joy, an exemplary album and new material that bodes well for next time. They promised to return soon – lets hope they keep their word.

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Fresh Bits of Bella Union – I Break Horses and Thousands

Posted on May 13, 2011 by haymoncollins

The excellent Bella Union label is one of those rare beasts where you can rarely put a foot wrong in buying something from their catalogue. Of course they have their high fliers like Fleet Foxes but they have a rich trove of other thoughtful, innovative and rewarding and I have just stumbled across two of their two new(ish) artists and in so doing a few unexpected connections

I Break Horses


Named from Bill Callahan song (first connection) whose new album I chuntered on about a couple of days ago right here; I Break Horses are the Stockholm based Maria Lindén and her musical partner Fredrick Balck. Safe to say there is none of that nasty Swedish Robyn-esque pop rubbish here. More a sensitive shoe-gaze meets Cocteau Twins.

There is only but little to listen to right now – a demo of a track called Wired on the Soundcloud site, the hazy vocals pushed well back, and the fizzing Hearts, driven along by the synths and mechanics but with swirling sounds of Maria’s vocals adding the humanity. I Break Horses are due an album later this year on Bella Union, but prior to that three singles are planned with remixes from likes of Fuck Buttons and Chemical Brothers.

The photo used here was taken by Sebastien Dehesdin (connections two and three) who not only contributes to the excellent Line of Best Fit but also carried out a video diary project whilst on tour recently with my personal favs Her Name is Calla.There is a quite excellent atmospheric video to complement (in the truest sense) the track, that was directed by Alex Southam – the combination of the organic and natural footage with the synthetic qualities of the track making the project more complete. Strangely (connection four) Southam has also directed a video for my other new mates on Bella Union, Thousands.

Alex Southam video for I Break Horses track Hearts

Thousands

  

Thousands are (literally) the other side of the world to I Break Horses, hailing as they do from the folky throngs of  Seattle. Comprising just two two young chaps armed only with  their voices, acoustic guitars and occasional harmonium interjection, Kristian Garrard and Luke Bergman are buddies with the likes of Skye Skjelset and Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes (connection five – well sort of, yes I know the connections are straining now!).

There is only little too from Thousands that can be readily heard, but MTSES III and At The Edges can be heard through their Bandcamp site as samples from their album The Sound of Everything released in March. Here is the most fragile and intimate of music, a scaled back version of early Simon and Garfunkel if you will. Recorded often in the open air spaces of the Pacific North West track by track won’t knock you off of your chair but the collected impact is one of calm, enveloping music. By comparison Robin Pecknold sounds as if from a Scandinavian death metal band..

Thousands are doing dates in the UK and play (yes, connection six) Bristol Fleece on 20 June. They too have an arresting video from Alex Southam for their track On and On

Alex Southam video for Thousands track On and On

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Okkervil River – I am Very Far

Posted on May 12, 2011 by haymoncollins

  

Some albums poke you in the eye from the outset; you know what  you are getting, and others  reveal their beauties only with time and attention. I am Very Far, released through Jagjaguwar Records,  does that irritating thing of doing both simultaneously – appealing from the first play, perhaps not initially all that special, but with the repeated  plays I have given it now, the latest Okkervil River offering gets better each time and is a nervous early suggestion for one of the albums of the year.

So far Okkervil River have been a bit on the edge of my attentions, although the recent work with the legendary Rocky Erickson on his come back, True Love Cast Out Evil, brought both Erickson and Okkervil River back into sharper focus for me. I have to admit though that the spin out band from early Okkervil days by  Jonathon Meiberg, Shearwater, have long claimed a place in my heart.

Anyways, back to I am Very Far. There is a consistent feeling that here is a band reaching out for the wider acclaim that might have so far eluded them, perhaps an outstretched arm toward the stadium circuit? There is drive and underlying power to many of the songs, but fortunately, in my view, they haven’t added that grim gloss and polish that so often accompanies such efforts.

There is a large band engaged here, double drums and basses and all that jazz which of course lend a depth and scale to the sound, but Will Sheff has allowed it all to sound just the merest bit rough and ready. The impetus that such a band provides means that at times there is a wonderful sense of a band on the edge of losing its grip on the songs – the later stages of Rider being a good example.

The album starts well, but as each track goes by, it gets stronger and stronger, winding itself up, growing in confidence and purpose. Show Yourself contains the finest of hooks, both vocal and instrumental, but is wrapped around with delicious bits and pieces disturbing the order of what might have been a straightforward good song. Instead it builds to something glorious, ragged and beautiful.

The last three tracks, Your Past Life as a Blast, Wake and be Fine and the concluding Rise, bring this fine album to spiralling end. Rise itself, a near perfect six minutes or so, building to a climax that could so easily have been tidy and organised but instead collapses under its own weight, layers of sound falling away in place of the bombast ending that might  have been.

I have no idea whether or not Okkervil River will find in this album the cross over to wider love and success, less still if that’s what they would wish, but what they have here is an album of remarkable music build out of a maturity, skill and vision.

Okkervil River – Rise

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Maybeshewill – I Was Here For A Moment, Then I Was Gone

Posted on May 11, 2011 by haymoncollins

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If truth be told I am suffering from musical indigestion this week. You know how it is, you wait ages for a good album to come along, and darn it, a whole slew of them turn up together (step forward Wild Beasts, Gang Gang Dance, Bill Callahan, Okkervil River…). It makes it hard to give them the time and attention they all deserve and instead I find myself greedily gobbling them all up too quickly – a bit like a couple of weeks ago with all those wretched Easter eggs, anyhow, I digress. As I say the last week or so has seen a bunch of excellent albums wrench my hard earned cash from my virtual wallet – and here is another, the elegantly titled I Was Here For A Moment, Then I Was Gone from the perversely named Maybeshewill.

I have had a drive-by relationship with Maybeshewill so far, snatching an odd track here or there but never really settling down with them if you know what I mean. The trigger to do just that has been a combination of their incessant Twitter Twatter and FB prodding and the knowledge that the fair Sophie Green (she of the inestimable Her Name Is Calla) has provided much violin work for the album, and also that the honourable Thom Corah (also of HNIC) has been lending a bit of his big silver slidey trombone work to some tracks here.

A little wary these days of he post rock label for fear of the earnest but dull and unimaginative output this sometimes heralds, from the off with I Was Here… it is obvious that this is a much lighter-of-touch set (no intention to be pejorative here ), a careful and welcome balance of electronic and organic instrumentation, a weaving of light and shade without the formulaic and heavy handed loud/quiet/loud shtick. The liberal use of piano, strings and horns humanises the sound, forcing space into the music, the space you need to get under the skin of the tracks.

The other immediate reaction for me was to the euphoric nature of many of the tracks here; positive, uplifting and energising. Not just because of the instrumental nature of the set, but there is also a cinematic quality here, big skies, wide spaces, light and air. The inevitable, but successful , muscular tracks here are wisely and carefully balanced with the lyrical, and there is some excellent playing here as well – skins and guitar worth special mention as are piano (and other keys), strings and horns – oops that’s about everything then!

I have to say, rather unexpectedly, that this is a really rather excellent album (tracks like Red Paper Lanterns, Words for Arabella and Critical Distance stand out even among uniformly good tracks). The chaps from Leicester have in my view a triumph on their hands – I hope they reap the rewards they deserve for it.

Maybeshewill – Critical Distance

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Bill Callahan – Apocalypse

Posted on May 10, 2011 by haymoncollins

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This year is turning out some extraordinary music, I can’t keep up with it. The latest set to prove a revelation, is the Apocalypse album from Bill Callahan, aka previously as Smog, released last month. He has been producing his lo-fi and experimental tinged music for over ten years now, for the great part on the Drag City label to which he still adheres along with his friend Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy/Will Oldham. Indeed there are wonderful aural links between these two extraordinary artists. Callahan has also attracted the label as the post-punk’s generation of Leonard Cohen and whilst this is a little facile, the laconic baritone and introspective if not introverted lyrics, do have echoes of one another.

This album has both an inward looking examination and sentiment but within the context of being pulled to the wide open spaces, horses and buffalo, and the sense of returning to the important elemental things whose acknowledgement is essential to find a place to settle.

The music itself is glorious and uplifting – Callahan’s wonderful voice, the sparsely but carefully used piano, drums, fiddle and that most difficult of things, a wonderfully distorted and emotional guitar that plays its part so effectively but without overwhelming these intimate songs.

The final track, One Fine Morning, is as affecting and confessional a song as you might wish to hear, as a better man than I said, “seems as close as a Bill Callahan album is ever going to get to a riding-off-into-the-sunset moment.”

oh and a huge thank you to @amyebutterworth  for the heads up here….

and one more thing – some good pix and a couple of clips of Bill at the Cafe de la Danse in Paris on this tour, courtesy of Stephane and Virgins and Philistines

Bill Callahan – Drover

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Message to Bears – Departures

Posted on May 9, 2011 by haymoncollins

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Message to Bears came into view only recently and courtesy of Her Name is Calla with whom they shared a stage at the wonderful Union Chapel recently for one of that venues excellent free gigs of different bands. Jerome Alexander, aka Message to Bears, is the purveyor of some extremely fine music, tagged ‘electronica’, ‘classical’, ‘folk’ and ‘ambient’ according to his Bandcamp site. Well that must just about cover it all…

The two albums, well one (long) EP enigmatically named EP1 and the album, Departures, go back to 2007 and 2009 respectively and are available to streaming and purchase through the Bandcamp site – and both are more than worth the measly £4 each, so go on and buy them. The next album is in the offing with Mr Alexander tweeting about it just this very day.

There is something rather exquisite about this music, the combination of guitar surrounded by viola, sparse piano, glockenspiel and sundry other instruments, building arresting and durable music. It is perfect as I sit here tonight in a somewhat downhearted and desultory mood but it works equally well as I tend my onions in the spring sunshine. The quiet, calm is emotional but not miserable, peaceful but not soporific. Each play takes you somewhere further into the tracks. Of course there is an undeniable orchestral feel to the whole but equally, contemporary references are made to bands like Explosions in the Sky, the quieter tracts of Mono and the like.

Tracks like Autumn have attracted the interest of bands like Worriedaboutsatan, who have now mysteriously morphed into Ghosting Season, and the remix is up on the Message to Bears Soundcloud page.

All in all a massively satisfying collection of music from a talented young blighter. Live he apparently plays with some splendid chums, Adam Harvey-Alan James (guitar),Sam Lund-Harket (bass), Laura Ashby (viola) and Jack Olchawski (percussion, harmonium). They have some dates up and coming, often around their Oxford base and I suspect they would be well worth a gander live whilst we wait the new album.

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New to Me – The Middle East, Common Tongues, Chad Van Gaalen and Shotgun Jimmie

Posted on May 4, 2011 by haymoncollins

The Middle East


This Australian band has a distinctly laid back americana folk feel to it what with the banjos and picked guitar, and the nice harmonies are of course likely to lead to easy Fleet Foxes comments (as does anything these days, hard to remember that FF didn’t invent harmonies). The glorious summery feel to the Hunger Song is finished off with some nice strings towards the end. Their debut CD, I Want That You Are Always Happy is due out here in the UK at the start of June and can be pre-order at Amazon, amongst other places and further, frankly rather lovely, tracks from the album can be heard on their MS site.

The Hunger Song

Common Tongues


This disgracefully young five piece from Brighton are clearly part of the current British folk swathe with with added twists of americana deep south flavours as well. They elicit in me the same slightly wistful sentiment I get from Stornoway, with whom they are bound to be compared given that they share the same strong vocal skills and bouncy instrumental accompaniment – not that this should be seen in any way as a bad comparison. Their first single, Jumping Ship is released at the end of May through Something Nothing Records although I can find no links yet to pre-orders. A young band distinctly worth following up and one imagines probably good fun in a live setting.

Jumping Ships

Chad Vangaalen


An apparently reclusive, or at least a Calgary resident not fond of wandering far from his home where he creates his art and music, Chad Vangaalens latest album, Diaper Island is due for release on May 17 via Sub Pop and can be pre-ordered here. Judging by the lovely, fragile track Sara from the album, there is a vocal quality redolent of the excellent Tyler Ramsey. My penchant for all things slightly folky and with a North American twang must be pretty evident by now and here is another fine artist to accompany both sunny days in the country and, one suspects, cosy nights by the fire – intimate and personal stuff indeed.

Sara

Shotgun Jimmie

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Another Canadian, this time from Sackville, New Brunswick and not such a laid back chap. His version of rock and rock is delightfully casual and a little sloppy (in the nicest way), rolling along very nicely like Spoon might do if they weren’t so uptight all the time. There is some good bio notes and all on You’ve changed Records, his label’s site right here. His latest CD Transistor Sister can also be bought through the site here and is well worth checking out.

Late Last Year

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Heidi Talbot, John McCusker, Ian Carr – Ruskin Mill

Posted on April 30, 2011 by haymoncollins

Heidi Talbot

                                                          

John McCusker

                                                                  

Ian Carr


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Ruskin Mill is one of those slightly hippy, Stroudie places of local artists and artisans, vegetarian food, Steiner principles and all set in an idyllic Cotswold valley of trout lakes, herons and beech trees. In so many ways an ideal place to hear contemporary folk music and I must admit to being surprised to seeing that the inestimable Heidi Talbot, her partner John McCusker, he of seemingly limitless talent and withering dry humour, and Ian Carr were due to play here, so close to home – surely some mistake?

But, no, despite the frankly chaotic ticketing arrangements, here they were and maybe I should just calm down a bit…Downstairs at Ruskin Mill is by anyone’s standards an intimate space, we were perhaps what, sixty, maybe seventy souls, assembled at most ten or fifteen feet from the trio. Heidi later professes to liking such close proximity, the opportunity to look people in the eye and check out the singing skills of the audience.

I have seen both Ms Talbot and Mr McCusker a few times before, but always in the company of the excellent Roddy Woomble, so it was a treat to hear them both at such close quarters singing and playing such timeless music. The set was largely comprised of material form Heidi Talbots exemplary latest album, The Last Star, but complemented with material from her second (?) album In Love and Light as well as a couple of fiddle-led segments from John McCusker.

The trio sounded and looked relaxed at this the last date of the tour, a little light banter, a story or two and some fine, fine songs. The audience didn’t take too much encouragement to sing along to songs like Music Tree and Tell Me Truly, but for me songs like Start It All Over Again, Time and The Last Star are those that strike the most deeply.

Such musicianship and talent; how much better is it to see and hear up close with minimal technical fripperies than the stand at the back of some faceless arena with the inevitable bombast and impersonality. To be honest I am not sure how Ruskin Mill managed to secure Heidi Talbot et al for this out of the way venue, but all credit to them for pulling it off. Andy Cutting is playing here on 24th May which too will be worth rolling along for – John McCusker entreated us all to get Andy Cutting to play some McCusker songs rather than it always be the other way around – time will tell if that will prove to be possible.

In the meantime grateful thanks to Heidi Talbot, John McCusker and the self-effacing Ian Carr for an excellent evening of music and companionship – lets hope they can be persuaded to come back to the Stroud valleys soon.

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Bravo Brave Bats Vlog

Posted on April 25, 2011 by haymoncollins

Bravo Brave Bats have launched a vlog (a video blog to the uninitiated) on Blip.tv with the inaugural edition live this very day, Easter Monday 25th April 2011. Now the stated aim is to  publish a new post every Monday over a twelve month period, which if you ask me (not that anyone is) feels like a serious commitment, but if they can pull it off would create a fascinating longitudinal perspective on themselves, ‘an unsigned band in a crowded music industry’ as they describe themselves, and how they take their next steps in their musical careers.

I have scribbled a few words a good number of times before on this excellent Bristol band, be it for their Green and Red EP’s or around their effervescent lives shows. I make no apologies for admitting to a personal connection of sorts to the band, and the arrival of this vlog is another facet of watching a band gather momentum and launch itself down the metaphorical runway.

All over the country there are bands of undoubted talent striving to make it to he next level. In this age of social media and DIY music, the advent of Myspace (now all but defunct surely) Facebook, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Twitter etc etc all represent the double edged sword of unimagined promotional opportunity and at the same the danger of being lost in the miasma of other bands efforts to exploit exactly the same channels.

Now, like at any other time, success is not borne of talent alone. It’s not just what you know or who you know but how you get yourselves known , how you build that fragile but invaluable thing, ‘a following’ as well as how you get yourselves ‘noticed’. This vlog may well be another tool in the Bravo Brave Bats toolbox, building a fan base not just on their music (although of course that is the core aim) but also around a shared sense of understanding, almost a tribal thing; all of us vlog watchers, twitter followers and FB friends, investing a little bit of ourselves in a band, and as and when they succeed, we will all be able to revel in the vicarious sense of success that our investment has brought us.

That may of course all be bo**ocks but, if for no other reason, you should still sign up or view the vlog (http://bravobravebats.blip.tv/) through Blip.tv, or via iTunes or RSS  because here is a great, vital and authentic band, and you can never have too much of that now can you?

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