King Creosote and Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine

Posted on April 21, 2011 by haymoncollins

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Thirty two minutes of blissful, tender and emotionally affecting music, designed to be listened to as a single piece, these tracks have been reworked and elaborated over the course of a few years by collaborators Kenny ‘King Creosote’ Anderson and Jon Hopkins and the result is like a life compressed into half an hour, the tears, the joy, the hopes and fears, and the ageing process…

Of course the sense of Scottishness and specifically the Kingdom of Fife, is writ large throughout – the comforting clatter of a church fete tea, sounds of cars and bike wheels, the lot of the east coast sailor and the lilting croon of Mr Anderson, all pieced together with extraordinary care and lightness of touch to make up this suite of achingly personal music.

Its true there is such a lightness here in the playing and singing (Lisa Lindley-Jones additional vocals are extraordinarily beautiful), and in the delicate arrangements, that it is easy to overlook the deeper emotions contained in some tracks.

The superlative Bats in the Attic manages to be both wistful and sad about growing older; “Growing silver in my sideburns, I’ve started to unravel” and yet contain a suppressed sense of rage; “…such a waste of all that we have, Such a waste of all that I am”. Though the closer Your Young Voice just repeats the words “It’s your young voice that’s keeping me holding on To my dull life, to my dull life”, and sung about his daughter, it feels both poignant and confessional.

Mr Anderson has been a prolific producer of music, the anchor for the Fence Collective itself the source of much excellent music, but he can never have produced more emotionally charged, sublime music than on this all to brief album. It is rare indeed that music brings such a lump to the throat and tear to the eye.

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Low – C’mon

Posted on April 19, 2011 by haymoncollins

How does it happen that sometimes a band just seems to stay on the very edge of your field of vision ? Low have been a bit like that for me, there is no excuse they have been around for something like twenty years and have a solid rep but despite owning Secret Name it’s only with the arrival of C’mon that I have finally connected.

Given my ignorance, comparisons with the rest of their works would be foolish but it is hard to see how this collection could be a radical departure, although the band seem to feel that this album returns them to the human and personal after a couple of records that concentrated on more external issues like the Iraq war.

It is a sonically lush and melodic album of simple but still powerful songs. Some tracks like You See Everything and the exquisite Especially You, which for me represents the emotional heart of the album, have carefully judged harmonies and background tambourines that take me back to faded summer landscapes of the late sixties (or at least my hazy memories thereof) although the sentiments here might be more wistful.

Elsewhere, like on Witches and Done, the sounds are more contemporary Americana with Andy Sparhawk’s slightly gravelly vocals, the banjo picking and the fine guitar work. They have also called in a few additional players like Nels Cline on lap steel and guitar, and violinist Caitlin Moe. $20 contains what seems to be an unrealised rage but also the startings of the delicious distorted guitar work, with more than a hint of Neil Young to it, that reappears later on tracks like Majesty/Magic and Nothing But Heart, the latter a slow building smouldering track built around the most minimal of lyrics but rising to crescendo of release.

Here is an album of considerable poise and grace, affecting and enduring, what a shame I didn’t get to them sooner. They are in the UK shortly with a string of dates including one at the Trinity Centre in Bristol – I might just have to roll along….

The video for Try to sleep includes John Stamos (apparently a star from an old ABC sitcom) and model Melissa Haro

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Her Name is Calla – Left Bank Bristol

Posted on April 17, 2011 by haymoncollins

Well it had taken a long time to get even close to a HNIC live show but finally here it was at the Left Bank in Bristol. The penultimate show of their European tour beset as it clearly was with transportation issues, but maybe the less said about that the better.

I find myself a tangle of emotions going to see a band whom I have long wanted to see and whose music has claimed a particular hold on me. I must also admit to a level of anxiety knowing a little of the difficulties of finding a venue and also the challenge of drumming up a buzz for  new band in town. But thanks are due to Tom of Gold Flake Paint for pulling it off and getting HNIC to Bristol.

Safe to say that the Left Bank is an intimate little venue with the bands tucked into a corner under the stairs. Still for the punters there’s some Bath Ales in the cooler and some comfy chairs whilst you wait. Still all in all it must have been a significant change from the Union Chapel in Islington, the venue for earlier that same day with it’s hushed atmosphere and sensitive acoustics.

The support for the bulk of the tour, Birds of Passage didn’t make it this far and was at the same time on the long trip back to NZ ( we did catch up for a quick chat afore she left). In her stead was Leicester band To Bury A Ghost, whose rather fine EP has had honourable mention previously in these pages.

TBAG opened with two tracks from the EP and judging by the reactions of the ubiquitous Jeff (Geoff?) he, and others, found it very pleasing stuff. They also played a new track Dancing with an Epileptic (may have got this wrong but someone shout out the right title – they did and the title is Dancing with Epileptic – so now you know!)) which was heavy on the distorted guitar but as a track, demonstrated a progressive growth and a little less chopping and changing within the track than might be accused of some previous tracks. The short set ended with Beginning is the End, again form the Hurt Kingdom EP. As the young man in the seasonally inappropriate hat said, not bad at all for their second gig.

Her Name is Calla produce music with a deep sense of authenticity (I know, sorry, I keepbanging on about authenticity), a sense of genuine emotion, music that is heartfelt. As recorded music there is obviously time to tinker and get the dynamics right (shame, by the way, on the woeful knobhead who complained about the said dynamics and ‘intermittent beats’ – sir, you are a cock), but I did wonder, despite their rep as a live band, just how that might be carried off at a gig. Well in brief, they do it just fine and I shouldn’t have worried.

Now I am notoriously rubbish at remembering set lists but I know that last night they kicked off with the rather wonderful Maw from the EP released to coincide with the tour. It’s still available through Denovali but regrettably all the gold versions went on the first night in Germany – maybe a few more pressings next time ? ‘Twas during this opener that I decided that drum-meister Adam, apparently the author of Maw, reminded me of nothing more than Animal from Muppets – albeit in a good way I hasten to add – secreted away as he was beneath treads four to ten of the staircase running to the first floor.

Other tracks included,  my favourite from the Quiet Lamb, Pour More Oil, Nylon from way back a little, the epic Condor and River and the set closed with a storming New England culminating in a feedback/distortion-laden coda. If anyone, especially the band, can furnish me with the full set list that would be great in a completist sort of way…

Thom the trombonist was frankly a minor revelation all on his own, a veritable Ornette Coleman of the slidey thing, and champion knob twiddler. Also how much fun would it be to be the great screamer on Condor? Mike’s bass was pretty rubbish, but I guess someone has to play bass… only kidding, no really, I  am… Tom’s vocals were top notch, I had wondered how they would stand up live, but if anything they are stronger and more assured than on record in my opinion. Of course we were all missing the flame haired Sophie and her violin which is such an intrinsic part of the character of the music, but lets hope that there are back to Brizzle soon with her skills back in harness. This is not to say that the chaps did anything but a fine job as a foursome, but five is a better number as any Roman scholar will know.

If the Left Bank was an OK introductory venue (intimate can be good) the music of Her Name is Calla is something demanding of a greater space to ‘breathe’. Its somewhat cinematic sweep, its drama and intimacy feels destined to accompany film and I am looking forward to the promised video compilation from Sebastien Dehesdin after his collection of Vimeo video clips from the tour. Rumour has it that this compilation might be accompanied by a DVD of the Union Chapel show which would be a fine thing.

All in all a genuine thrill finally to see the chaps in a live setting. Thanks to them for making the effort and to Tom at Gold Flake Paint for making it happen. Do come back again soon, and bring that Sophie girl with you as well…. I hear she ain’t ‘alf bad!

The drive home in the wee small hours through the owls and bats of the night-time countryside was accompanied by the mellifluous tones of the great John Grant at the end of his Czars days singing covers of great modern love songs from the Sorry I Made you Cry album – now there’s a counterpoint for you!

PS some good pix from Kate Southall on Flickr

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Birds of Passage Passing Through

Posted on April 16, 2011 by haymoncollins

 

After a couple of weeks of spring sunshine it was a slightly grey and fresh morning that welcomed Alicia Merz ( aka Birds of Passage) and her partner Christian to meet me for a coffee in the Inn the Park (sic) cafe in St James’ Park in London.

Just back from the tour with Her Name Is Calla they both looked a little weary from zipping up and down the European motorway network from Belgium to Germany, Poland to Austria, Czech Republic to France and thence back to the UK ( the route may not be dead accurate but you get the idea – a long schlep across Europe)

Her first trip to Europe since she was a little thing I wondered how it had all matched up to her expectations. Perhaps not surprisingly at the fag end of the tour the most immediate memories are those not of tourist highlights but hours in an ageing minibus. But the experience seems to have been largely a good one playing to diverse audiences in vastly different countries.

Birds of Passage music cannot be the easiest to pitch to an eastern European post-rock crowd. The subtle and delicate vocals laid like gossamer over the reverb laden musical sub structure, demands attention and respect. Christian confirmed that on occasion he had to tell some people just out for a natter and a drink to shut the f*ck up. Mind you this is not an infrequent problem these days it seems to me.

Three or more weeks away from their three year old son is a tough call but in a twinkling they will be back in New Zealand again. The plan is to follow the Denovali re-release of Without the World with both an EP and a full album later this year. A prolific output means that there is already enough recorded material to ensure that this can become a reality ; a swift spot of mastering and mixing and there she will be.

It sounds as if the EP will be first up and likely to centre around the sumptuous Highwaymen in Midnight Masks the demo of which is up on the Soundcloud page

To my regret I couldn’t get to hear any of the live shows, but let’s hope the extensive motorway experience doesn’t put Alicia off and we might see her back before too long – maybe some nice intimate spaces where her ethereal music can be heard to best advantage?

Pic courtesy of Alicia Merz FB (cos I was too foolish to take my own…)

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Bravo Brave Bats – Green EP Launch

Posted on April 2, 2011 by haymoncollins

I have scribbled before about just how good the new Green EP from Brave Brave Bats is but it is worth repeating – it is very good indeed. Tonight was the official launch of said Green EP at the still charmingly dishevelled Louisiana. A large red sheet emblazoned with the bands insignia fluttered from the balconies like a naive artistic impression of a call for help from Gotham city. Upstairs behind that stage hung a similarly sized Bats wall hanging in the EP’s spring green colours (regrettably cast into autumnal brown by the venues unalterable lighting) and so the stage was set…..

The lad and I were uncharacteristically late, waylaid by a desert and talk of Possible World theories (sorry about the distinctly un-academic link), and so missed all but the last notes of EJ Essau’s opening set. But we were there for all of The Tesselators romp though a few tunes and especially the wordless tune that might presage the rest of the yet-unrecorded new album based around super-heroes. What a jolly bunch of cockney lads they are, inexplicably lost in the backwaters of distant Bristol. Their very fine double EP La Ciudad/The City has had honourable mention here before and should be sought out by anyone with half a brain.

With surprising punctuality Bravo Brave Bats popped up on sage at the appointed hour and proceeded to blitz their way through not only the new Green EP material but much (if not all ) of the Red EP as well. Trying not to sound too sycophantic but in the same way that the Green EP heralded a significant leap forward for them in a recorded context, so too did tonight’s forty five or so minutes on stage. The steady gigging schedule is honing their stage work, there is a confidence and increased maturity in their playing  and delivery.

Of course the perpetually effervescent Hector bounced around stage like Tigger on acid, threatening to cave his skull in on the low hanging beam that stretches invitingly across stage. But the normally diffident Dan on bass seems up for stealing a bit of limelight now it seems with his “Si Si, je suis un Rock Star” poses and floor rolling antics. But neither let the showmanship affect the playing, Dan’s bass is deceptively good , dare I say lyrical (although that sounds a bit odd but hopefully you know what I mean) and young Jack the Lad Hectors guitar is sounding awesome, the filthy distortion and looping helping to build a sound for the band that is distinctive and unmistakably their own.

Not surprisingly the crowd were theirs from the start filling the intimate space that is the Louisiana with positive energy ( oops sounds a bit hippy trippy there) and enthusiastic appreciation. Of course the likes of Adele and Pedalling are obvious crowd pleasers but for me its still the trio of Wagons, Hymn and Dry Drop that are the most accomplished, the most enjoyable and the clearest signals of how this band might grow further.

A hugely enjoyable set, a band that looked as if they had a real blast, but perhaps more significantly here is a something blossoming into genuine, durable band; capable of quality recorded material, energising live shows and the real potential for something special. To echo the wags in the crowd… Bravo!

(oh and apologies for the less-than professional pix but do look at Anthony Palmers FB for much much better ones http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=668010952&aid=343975)

(last PS – IDS – there’s a hand crafted BBB T shirt and CD copy on their way to you !)

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John Grant – St George’s Bristol

Posted on March 31, 2011 by haymoncollins


 

In the space of a week or so  I have seen (or should that be  ‘heard’?) three of my favourite current vocalists: Elbow’s Guy Garvey, Roddy Woomble and now John Grant. Like Mr Garvey, being of a certain ‘stature’ gives John Grant a tremendous power, a resonance and richness which of course others already knew marked out his work in The Czars but which I never got to until I heard his solo Queen of Denmark. An exceptional and special voice which so many of the flighty manufactured ‘stars’ can only dream of.

St George’s is another excellent venue and well suited to his sort of intimate music. I was intrigued to see how Sea of Bees, the ‘nom de chanson’ of Julie Baenziger from Sacramento, would work out in a live setting. Songs for the Ravens is an album that has surprised me; initially it didn’t make much of a mark but bit by bit you end up with its tunes running through your head. Ms B does have remarkable voice, thrown into greater prominence in this most stripped back of settings. When singing she goes to another place, oblivious to those around her but once the song is over she suddenly sees the audience and at her own admission, a level of awkwardness takes over. Mrs HC found her discomfort slightly annoying, I chose to find it charming and endearing. Either way, here are songs worth discovering, their slightly off kilter nature marking her out as much more than your run of the mill songstress.

Mr Grant was accompanied by just one musician whose name I have forgotten (sorry!) a grand Steinway piano and two little synths. I confess to not having taken down the set order but it seemed remarkably like the one from Gateshead. Of course many like me came to hear the songs from Queen of Denmark, which I have played to death this last year. But for me I was taken aback by the numbers he played from The Czars days; Drug, LOS, and Little Pink House. LOS in particular was outstanding but the aching poignancy of the last one brought a tear to the eye.

I realise that he must do it nightly but the backstories around the songs made them even richer and he managed to make you feel that he genuinely was pleased to be with you for the evening.

Authenticity has preoccupied me of late and here is another artist who is doing what he really loves to do and seems grateful for the opportunity to do it, not taking it for granted. Not that we should expect ever thankful artists but those who combine their talent with some level of self awareness allow themselves to connect at a deeper level with their audience than can those enmeshed in their own hype and publicity.

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Elbow – Cardiff Arena

Posted on March 28, 2011 by haymoncollins

Elbow

Villagers



Sometimes my pessimism can be proved to be so misplaced. Worries that Elbow’s Build a Rocket Boys might be some post – Mercury sellout were groundless and the sense of mild despair that they were to play the soulless arena circuit was shown, in the case of the Cardiff Arena show at least, to be wrong. These cavernous spaces are indeed a daunting prospect for many a band – echoey spaces with as much personality and charisma as an empty own-brand can of baked beans.

Support for the night was in the welcome form of Villagers whose album, Becoming a Jackal, is a delight at each and every turn. Skilfully delivered in this inhospitable setting some of the more intimate moments were however, swallowed up by the hungry cave. The crowd, or at least those in easy striking distance were rightly appreciative of this very fine collection of songs. Methinks the whole set would be more easily enjoyed in a more intimate setting, and indeed they will be back out in smaller venues soon, with a welcome date at the Trinity in Bristol on 18th May. But all credit to Elbow choosing such an excellent and appropriate support.

In truth this sort of care and consideration was the hallmark of the evening in so many ways and in large part the reason why it was such a success and not the impersonal ‘we have arrived’ sort of show it so easily could have been.

From the off and the hanging video portraits of the occasionally moving band members who left stage left as the real band entered from the right there was a sense of being part of a shared understanding, a camaraderie of old friends that retained the authenticity of the relationship between fans and band.

The apparent determination to remain connected the one with the other was there in the regular banter, the liberally used runway extending out into the crowd and the  general approach typified by the deadpan response by Guy Garvey to the wolf whistles that greeted the shaking off of his jacket: “Hardly, but thank you”.

Not surprisingly the set included much of the new album, imbuing the new material with even more backbone than the songs already had on the album, notably the case with Neat Little Rows.

But there was space for stuff from earlier albums, and not always the most obvious selections either. Sung from the end of the runway with just a piano accompaniment it was a joy to hear Puncture Repair that most delicate dedication to friendship. Tower Crane Driver, Weather To Fly and the heart wrenching Great Expectations acted as the counterbalance to the likes of Grounds for Divorce, On a Day Like Today and Open Arms in the deftly structured set.

I shouldn’t be surprised but consistently am by the sheer quality of the musicianship and the truly remarkable voice of Guy Garvey who sings the great majority of frontman into oblivion.

Despite the dubious qualities of the venue,  being sat in the balcony (although the view was fine) and the characteristically chatty  Cardiff crowd this was a fine show in all departments but especially in it’s success in remaining an intimate affair between friends who ‘know what I am like and don’t mind’ as someone once said, a neat trick if you can do it… and they can

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Roddy Woomble – Impossible Songs and Union Chapel Show

Posted on March 28, 2011 by haymoncollins

Roddy Woomble

Seonaid Aitken

Sorren Maclean

Jack Cheshire

A Roddy Woomble related release is always an object of much expectation for me, be it an Idlewild, McCusker Drever Woomble concoction or this his second proper solo offering. There is something about his vocal  that seems ceaselessly compelling.

Reviews so far have been solid if not ecstatic. Maybe this reflects the waning of the interest in his ‘new’ folk direction, maybe that the path he started to tread with Idlewild and then outside the band, is a path now with a greater number of more commercially successful artists. The nu-folk contingent has had notable successes with the likes of Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons, Noah and the Whale as well as his fellow countrymen Lau.

Perhaps Impossible Songs doesn’t have the immediate impact of My Secret is My Silence but it still contains more than your average number of good tunes and is an album that grows with successive plays. In good evidence too is the lyrical wordsmithing that Mr W is known for, the ability to draw a picture or describe an emotion that has so marked out much of his work. Make Something Out of What it’s Worth and Tangled Wire are good examples here.

There is some fine playing here too but without any grandstanding. It seems fitting somehow to have Gavin Fox on bass (and nice to have the bass a little more prominent in the mix)  with his past Idlewild role and the fine drummer Gregor Donaldson from Sparrow and the Workshop together with Ms Aitken and Mr Maclean both of whom feature in the live show.

The Union Chapel is one of my favourite venues and is perfect for the more acoustic set -the acoustics are fine, you are never far from the action and there is an immediacy to every gig.

Well tonight’s support Mr Jack Cheshire clearly felt the same : “the best big I have ever played” he spluttered out. He seemed taken aback to be there and at the end of each song looked a little sheepish, surprised that he was being listened to and appreciatively at that. Apparently he normally plays with a jazz drummer and a stand up bass but tonight he had the tough call of just standing up on his own singing with his guitar. But a super fine job he made of it managing to bring something clearly his own to the folk troubadour role.  A strong and distinctive voice with some inspired acoustic guitar. I do have a soft spot for this sort of thing and you could sense something out of the ordinary here as shown by the people queuing at the merch desk ready to buy, as encouraged by Mr Cheshire. Despite his promise to be there he instead sloped off for a fag, but no matter, his new album to be launched in June was available for early purchase and purchased it was. Here’s a chap well worth seeking out if he rolls by your patch.

Mr Woomble along with the excellent Seonaid Aitken violin, piano and vocals,  Sorren Maclean on guitar and vocals and Duncan Lisle on stand up bass, slipped on stage with little fanfare catching some still in the bar. Opening with my personal highlight from the new album, Make Something Out of What It’s Worth, the set was a pleasing blend of the new tracks and favourites from the McClusker Drever Woomble album and Mr Woomble’s first solo – Waverley Steps (now escalators we were informed ), Silver and Gold, Into the Blue and more were all there. The new tracks stood up well in such esteemed company lacking only greater familiarity.

Quite a sublime evening of four talented musicians performing quality material in an ideal setting. The best music triggers the most profound emotions, and this soaring, seemingly effortless music triggers a calm elation (if that isn’t somehow contradictory), there is something timeless and comforting, secure and intimate.

All too soon the set was over but they were brought back for a three song encore, a song by a Dundonian who I do not know, a rather brilliant version of the superb Idlewild song You Held the World in Your Arms and then the excellent if a little maudlin  Weight of Years (on the Ballad of the Book CD) written by Roddy Woomble and the sadly now departed Edwin Morgan

Just to top it all after such an exemplary evening they were kind enough to finish in time for me catch an earlier train back westward – what kind and considerate chaps they are.

The slightly flaky video of Waverley Steps gives a flavour of the whole kit and caboodle – sorry its not a better quality ….

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Auditorium – Be Brave

Posted on March 18, 2011 by haymoncollins

Auditorium rather perversely started out as a single person project by Spencer Berger although now out on the road he is augmented by the talents of Chris Littler, Justin Hogan his sister Elizabeth and girlfriend Daya Wolterstorff.

These are deceptively slight songs, especially how they have been recorded here. This is solo record with Spencer recording it all over a period of 3 years or so. Consequently there seems initially to be something almost of the well put together demo feel to them. With the multiple layered and carefully harmonised vocals well to the fore, the remaining accompaniment sits  back. I must admit that for a while I found this a bit disconcerting but the songs are well crafted and pull you back to keep listening to them.

It’s most as if this were the unplugged version of the album and I suspect that live the songs become more muscular, fleshed out and richer. This isn’t intended to be a criticism it’s just that it is unusual to have songs like this presented in such a pared down fashion and so rather than be impressed by the production and sound you actually get to know the songs first and then appreciate the light touch of the musical production.

The publicity around the album makes slightly arch references to Bowie and T Rex. Having grown up with both I guess I can just about see why but I am not convinced that these are the right references nor indeed that referencing others really helps much. Of course you can spot the hint of stage experience, semi-operatic vocal technique (although that gives a misleading impression) and it is tempting, given the close harmonies, to point to Fleet Foxes, but of course there is a myriad of other good harmonies in other bands and in some ways the harmonies, and the admirable brevity of the songs, are more redolent of sixties bands than the “nu folk” collective.

There is indeed much to like here, and more to like with subsequent plays, and the songs run through your mind in the wee small hours or when you least expect them to, surely the sign of quality song-smithing. Be Brave doesn’t hit you in the eye, demanding attention straight off, rather its an album that smoulders and whose glowing embers come to life bit by bit, an altogether more sustaining and rewarding thing.

But I am curious indeed to hear what this collection sounds like live, with a band, and with a richer supporting cast.

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Bird Names – Metabolism: A Salute to the Energy of the Sun

Posted on March 16, 2011 by haymoncollins

 

Way back when God was a boy (or maybe a girl) I clearly remember buying Gong’s Camembert Electrique album when it was released in the UK in 1974 (at the princely sum of 59p, the price then of a single, and price pointed to encourage sales of music from bands like Gong and Faust who otherwise might not be an impulse buy for callow youths such as I). My initial reaction to Camembert Electrique was a mixture of surprise, disbelief and lack of understanding. But I persisted with this odd music and bit by bit its exotic nature started to find its way in and now its a much loved ‘bonkers uncle’ of an album.

A few week ago the fair Joelle at Northern-Spy Records got in touch and introduced me to Bird Names and their eccentrically named album, Metabolism: A Salute to the Energy of the Sun. I promised to write a few words about it and it has taken an embarrassingly long time to do so, but now I can claim it was all to ensure that it coincided with their string of dates revolving around SXSW. But to tell the truth it is because I wasn’t sure what to say.

The first few times were intriguing but none too easy a listen, but coming back to the set makes it all start to feel a little easier to assimilate and easier to make some sense of. This is where my parallel with Camembert Electrique came in – this is pretty much how I came to know that album as well.

Slapping labels on the work of Phelan La Velle & David Lineal (with assorted chums and mates) is as inevitable as it is unhelpful – experimental, psychic pop, avant-garde and so on and so forth. In addition to the Gong comparisons you can add the likes of Coco Rosie (Phantoms & Fortunes for example), Captain Beefheart and others, with the off kilter rhythms, clanging of objets  trouvés, left of centre lyrics and vocals. But underneath are hints of more regular song structures and melodies that make it easier to assimilate the more deliberately eccentric aspects.

Not an easy listen as I say but given a few listens its pleasures reveal themselves. Tracks like Grow Each Other do take me back to 1974 Gong-world, whilst the jangly rhythms of Apollo, Descend have become favourites. Then again there is something of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band about My Baby’s a Lady – now there’s something I never thought I would write in 2011!

Its safe to say that I don’t think that Bird Names will be troubling national radio stations but that is hardly the point. In the same way that, at one extreme of the scale, we must all endure the ordure of manufactured, formulaic consumer pop for the masses, at the other end of the normal distribution curve come the likes of Bird Names. Without bands like this we lose a vital source of musical experimentation, a bit of boundary pushing. A challenging listen is like a challenging book – sometimes hard work, sometimes not completely successful, but ultimately a good thing and I am indebted and grateful to all at Northern-Spy for putting me in touch with Bird Names, oh and I bet they are a blast live….

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